Yoga as a complementary therapy in cancer care

Rithu Dravid | NT
Bengaluru

The increase in the number of cancer patients, the cost of treatment, accessibility to care and other issues have forced cancer patients to explore alternative healing practices, and yoga has evolved as a complementary therapy in cancer care, providing much-needed relief to the patients.

Cancer survivors attest to the fact that yoga helps to improve the quality of the treatment and overall well-being of the patients. “I was under cancer treatment for over three years, and I practiced yoga during that period. It gave me hope, inspiration and a positive outlook,” said Pampa, a cancer survivor.

Medical practitioners say yoga is not just about bodily postures and movements, it is in fact a holistic way of life that bonds body, mind and soul and it has helped patients cope with symptoms and side effects.

Dr Sandhya Ravi, founder and Managing Director of Prameya Foundation said: “We provide fourdimensional supportive care to our patients, such as functional, emotional, nutritional and spiritual. Our yoga sessions are not just a physical activity but more for a mind-body connection. Yoga is a wonderful mind-body practice and a fulcrum of supportive care.”

Such care to improve the quality of life of cancer patients or any illness, from the time of diagnosis till the end of life is an added advantage to palliative care.