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Yoga has become a popular form of exercise and relaxation, with people of all ages and fitness levels hitting the mat. This low-impact form of exercise can impact your mind and body in many ways: lowering blood pressure, increasing flexibility, and more. Practicing yoga has even helped cancer patients cope during treatments.
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string(3871) "What's the Difference Between Pilates and Yoga?
Yoga and Pilates have become increasingly popular, and they're often talked about together. You may have even heard that they can relieve back pain, decrease stress, and increase strength. But can these low-impact exercises really provide all of these health benefits? And just how different are they?
Depending on the type of exercise you enjoy most and what your personal fitness goals are, yoga and Pilates can serve as excellent ways to provide your body with an additional type of physical movement. Both forms of physical activity allow you to focus on specific parts of the body, to improve overall muscle tone and physique. Because both have become so popular, we wanted to give you a better understanding for the incredible health benefits that each exercise provides.
There are specific movements that set yoga and Pilates apart, but both can provide health benefits, such as:
- Improving your range of motion
- Increasing your flexibility, balance, and core strength
- Alleviating stress, headaches, and pain
The two exercises are compared and contrasted below to help you make an informed decision when choosing an workout plan.
Visit our website or call 412-623-3023 to learn more about the services offered at UPMC Center for Integrative Medicine.
Yoga: Balance, Breathing, and Flow
Yoga focuses on balance, relaxation, deep abdominal breathing, and fixed postures to help you achieve inner peace and tranquility. This can help you visualize success and relax in all situations.
Yoga also provides a
mild cardiovascular workout. Through repeated practice, you may experience greater strength throughout your body. It can be helpful for people of all fitness levels, and the stretching used in yoga can also provide a warm up for other exercises.
Yoga does not require equipment other than a yoga mat. Optional yoga blocks that simulate a higher floor can provide support for beginners.
Pilates: Strength, Toning, and Resistance
Pilates focuses on strength, toning, resistance exercises, deep chest breathing, flowing movements, and repetition. It provides mild to moderate cardiovascular exercise. The movements involved in Pilates will tone and strengthen various muscle groups — with a focus on the core — to help you excel in workouts and build up muscles after injury.
Pilates is often practiced on a special mat. You can also use resistance bands and reformer machines to create adjustable resistance for additional strength building.
Wondering if you should ask your doctor before taking up yoga or Pilates? Learn more in the article
Should You See a Doctor Before Starting an Exercise Program?
Visit our website or call 412-623-3023 to learn more about the services offered at
UPMC Center for Integrative Medicine.
"
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string(49) "Yoga vs. Pilates: Which Workout Is Right for You?"
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Yoga and Pilates have become increasing popular forms of exercise. Learn more about the differences between these two forms of low-impact fitness.Read More
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string(3835) "For a cancer patient who is struggling through treatment and trying to manage chronic pain, the storm of stress can be overwhelming. In addition to traditional treatments, some patients and family members are interested in exploring services that address the mind, body, and spirit to help them manage side effects and stress.
At the Wellness and Integrative Oncology Program at UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, modalities of movement, touch, nutrition, and mindfulness are used within conventional cancer care to address and improve symptoms and quality-of-life.
One example of integrative oncology is the practice of yoga. While yoga and meditation don't offer a cure, they have been proven to reduce stress and improve quality of life for people with cancer.
Joni Sturgill, a registered yoga teacher and wellness coach of Healthy Body Peaceful Soul and onsite yoga provider at UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, shared some information about the meditation aspect of yoga and how it can help.
What Is Meditation?
Meditation is simply a practice and discipline to focus the wandering thoughts of the mind, with the intention of relaxing the body and calming the nerves.
There are many techniques of meditation, which include:
- Focusing on the breath/deep breathing
- Using imagery to relax and let go of troubling thoughts
- Repeating a comforting phrase
- Using body movements in yoga-based meditation.
Meditation can fall under the umbrella of yoga and other eastern philosophical practices, but it can be found in all cultures in some form.
How Can Meditation Help?
According to the American Cancer Society, meditation can be a supportive adjunct to cancer treatment. With regular practice, it has been shown to reduce:
- Chronic pain
- Anxiety
- High blood pressure
- PTSD symptoms
- Blood cortisol levels
Meditation and mindfulness have been studied more and more over the last 20 years and are becoming an important component to healing the mind and emotions while the body heals. Through meditation, some practitioners say they experience improved mood, greater self-awareness, and an increased ability to relax. The
American Cancer Society cites a controlled study of ninety cancer patients who practiced mindfulness meditation for about two months. Other studies have suggested that meditation improves the chance of a positive outcome because of its effect on mood and mental processes.
You can try different practices like yoga and the various techniques of meditation to see what works for each individual. There is no one size fits all solution, and these practices allow for customization.
Before beginning any new regimen, you should always clear it with your doctors.
An experienced teacher can offer these options to help people fighting cancer, to help them settle the storm in their minds and their emotions, so that the treatment can do its work and the individual as a whole, can begin to heal, from the inside out.
Want to learn more about integrative oncology, including yoga and other practices for cancer patients?
Check out our Medical Mondays segment focused on integrative oncology.
For more information about the
Wellness and Integrative Oncology Program at UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, visit the center's website or call
412-623-7753.
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While yoga and meditation don’t offer a cure, they have been proven to reduce stress and improve quality of life for people with cancer. Learn more.Read More
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The ancient art of yoga has numerous health benefits to people at all stages of life — including when people are battling a disease such as cancer.
This relaxing form of exercise helps individuals get in touch with their bodies. It relies on deep breathing and gentle movements to increase strength and flexibility and promote relaxation.
Under doctor's supervision, cancer patients may be able to look to yoga as a way to incorporate physical activity and low-impact exercise into their treatment regimen.
Yoga for Cancer Patients Q and A
What Symptoms Can Yoga Help Reduce?
Studies have shown that yoga can improve quality of life, fatigue, anxiety, and pain. In addition, aspects of yoga such as meditation, camaraderie, breath work, and improved posture can help with improved attention and breathing.
How Soon into Treatment Can I Start Practicing Yoga?
Yoga teaches us to listen to our bodies, which is one of its major benefits. That being said, you could practice breathing and gentle stretching during your treatments. There may be times to avoid certain aspects of any exercise program during treatment, for example, if you feel unwell, have a fever or have been told that you are neutropenic. These are things to discuss with your doctor or an integrative oncologist.
Are There Any Risks Involved?
A gentle yoga program started with a certified instructor with the support of your doctor should pose no risks.
Would Yoga be Helpful for Individuals Suffering from a Mild Case of Lymphedema?
Absolutely. Finding gentle poses that would help mobilize and strengthen the body would be helpful in this case. Always take care to avoid any trauma, in yoga or in any other setting, to the affected area to reduce the risk of infection.
Can Anyone Teach Yoga to Cancer Patients? How Do I Find a Yoga Teacher That Is Familiar with the Needs of Cancer Patients?
Cancer patients are a varied group so it is best to find direction from a person who knows about the yoga community. Working privately with an instructor would be ideal in this setting. Our program's participating providers all have an understanding of working with cancer patients. We have a certified yoga therapist onsite at Hillman Cancer Center.
If I Haven't Exercised Before, Is It OK to Start Now?
A gentle yoga program is an excellent way to start to exercise. Just make sure to listen to your body and take it slow and always tell the instructor you are just beginning an exercise plan. A private instructor is a very good way to start if you are new to yoga.
Are There Any Easy Poses I Could Do at Home that Would be Helpful?
Yes, after checking in with your doctor about considering any physical restrictions you may have, the yoga instructor could suggest starting movement with all the major joints to warm the body up. These movements could be performed lying down in a bed, face up, or sitting in a chair.
Suggested Beginner Yoga Routine
- Breathe deeply throughout the routine
- Smile and frown for simple face scrunches
- Small neck movements such as ears to shoulders, or chin to chest
- Shoulder hunches
- Elbows and wrist circles
- Gently curl the back into a forward bend
- Open the chest by lifting the chest and bringing shoulders together in the back
- Knee and leg lifts
- Ankle circles
What Can I Expect from a Yoga Class?
If it is your first yoga class, it is strongly suggested that you contact the teacher prior to the first class and ask them. Attending a gentle, basics or restorative yoga class would include slow movements with an emphasis on modifications to fit various students' needs in class.
How Do You Prepare for a Yoga Class? What Should I Bring?
If possible, find out who is teaching the class and ask them how to prepare for their class.
In general:
- Drink water before, during and after class
- Wear a more fitted short-sleeved top under a long sleeved top, sweater or jacket
- Pants could be made of stretch material or loose fitting
- Be prepared to take off your shoes and possibly your socks if you are comfortable
- Don't wear perfume
- Eat a small meal at least one hour before class
Want to learn more about integrative oncology, including yoga and other practices for cancer patients?
Check out our Medical Mondays segment focused on integrative oncology.
Do you, or someone you love with cancer, feel you could benefit from yoga? To learn more, visit the
UPMC Hillman Cancer Center online or call
412-623-7753 to schedule an appointment.
"
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Learn more about integrative oncology and how yoga can help cancer patients cope during treatment.Watch Now
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string(2673) "An estimated 30 million people in the United States experience low back pain, ranging from mild to severe. Lower lumbar discomfort is one of the most common reasons people see their doctors or miss work, and health care costs of more than $50 billion annually are associated with back pain.
The good news is, moderate back pain can be prevented and improved. Did you know basic stretching and yoga are two strategies that may help loosen up your back muscles and alleviate pain? Learn more about how yoga can help you get back to feeling better.
What Is Yoga?
Yoga is a spiritual discipline that incorporates focused breathing, meditation, and specific body postures, to promote health and relaxation.
Does Yoga Help With Back Pain?
A clinical trial published in 2011 in the Archives of Internal Medicine compared yoga, stretching, and self-care for chronic moderate lower back pain. The study's authors found that weekly yoga classes improved back function and reduced pain in people who took a class for 12 weeks.
The authors also advised that you get your doctor's recommendations for beginner or therapeutic classes. Talk to your doctor before starting any exercise program intended to relieve pain.
How Does Yoga Work to Reduce Back Pain?
The postures you practice during yoga can help to strengthen various muscles in your abdomen and back. When these muscles are stronger, your posture improves, reducing stress on your back and decreasing pain.
The full-body stretching and flexing during yoga sequences promotes muscle relaxation and increases flexibility, which can reduce tension in stressed muscles. Stretching also can increase blood flow to the muscles and tissues throughout the body, decreasing muscle pain and fatigue.
When practicing yoga to relieve back pain, some poses may occasionally need to be modified if they involve extreme twisting or bending that could cause additional discomfort. If discomfort persists when postures are modified, you should stop and see your doctor.
Talk to Your Doctor About Your Back Pain
If you are experiencing severe back pain, or would like to find out if yoga could be right for you, talk to your doctor about your symptoms and goals.
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Yoga may help you cope with chronic back pain. Learn more with this explainer.Read More
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string(2402) "Yoga is a great way to integrate the body, mind and spirit. It's an opportunity to focus inward through deep breathing and stretching. Using a combination of postures (asanas), breathing exercises, relaxation, and meditative techniques, yoga promotes overall health and well-being, especially:
- Strength
- Flexibility
- Agility
- Posture
- Energy
- Heart health
- Mental health
Try the easy sequence in the video above or follow the steps below to help relieve some stress at your desk!
- Sit on the edge of your seat with your feet flat on the floor and your spine tall.
- Close your eyes and take a few deep breaths.
- Drop your right ear towards your right shoulder, let your left shoulder soften away from your left ear and still sit really tall. Take two more breaths here.
- Repeat with the opposite side.
- Inhale, lift your hands out to the sides and all the way up overhead. Exhale and draw the hands down to your sides. As you inhale draw your right arm out in front of you, and as you exhale draw that hand across the body. Take two breaths and repeat with the opposite side.
- As you inhale lift your shoulders up towards your ear and as you exhale draw the shoulders back.
- Keeping your hands on your thighs or at your knees with your next exhale draw your belly in, round your back, create lots of space between your shoulder blades. As you inhale draw your heart through your arms and do a little backbend.
- Extend your legs out in front of you and then flex into your feet so that your toes draw back towards your face. Sit really tall and draw your hands to the edge of your chair, inhale, lift so that you get lots of length in your spine and as you exhale fold forward. Take a few breaths.
- Lift back up and as you exhale you can bend back into your knees and draw your hands to your lap.
Namaste!
Want to learn more about integrative oncology, including yoga and other practices for cancer patients?
Check out our Medical Mondays segment focused on integrative oncology.
"
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Relive some stress at your desk with these simple yoga practices. Watch the video to learn more.Watch Now
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string(3493) "Yoga has become a popular form of exercise and relaxation, with people of all ages and fitness levels hitting the mat.
Some studies have shown a link between yoga and better heart health, but you might be surprised to learn just how this ancient practice can help your heart.
What Is Yoga?
Yoga combines breathing, meditation, and specific body poses (sometimes called "asanas") to promote health and relaxation. There are many different types of yoga; some are more physically active and challenging, while others focus more on breathing and meditation.
Health Benefits of Yoga
Yoga can benefit your body and mind in many ways, including:
- Lowering your blood pressure, which lowers your risk for heart disease and stroke
- Helping you reach or maintain a healthy weight, which lowers your risk for heart disease and diabetes
- Making you stronger and more flexible
- Reducing chronic pain
- Helping you get a better night's sleep
- Offering a healthy way to cope with stress
Is Yoga Cardio?
Although yoga can be a challenging activity, it does not count towards the physical activity requirements of 150 minutes of moderate intensity
aerobic activity per week, according to the American Heart Association. Make sure you keep
walking,
biking, or doing other aerobic activities in addition to yoga to meet your weekly activity goals.
Yoga and Heart Health
So, if yoga isn't cardio, how does it help your heart?
The breathing and meditation exercises you learn on the mat can help you feel calmer and less stressed, which goes a long way for heart health. And, if you've had a heart attack or other
cardiac event like
bypass surgery, yoga may help you cope with the
depression and anxiety that can follow. In some cases, yoga can be part of cardiac rehabilitation because it offers a gentle form of activity that can be easily adapted for any fitness level.
It's always a good idea to talk with your doctor before starting any new activity to make sure it is right for you, so make sure to check with your doctor before starting a yoga practice.
To learn more, visit the
UPMC Heart and Vascular Institute or call
1-855-UPMC-HVI (876-2484).
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Looking for ways to improve your heart health? Yoga may be the way to go. Find out just how yoga can impact heart health.Read More
