Yoga cuts depression by half in breast cancer patients

Yoga not only provides emotional benefits to women with breast cancer, but also reduces their chances of depression, says a new study.
The study, published in a special issue of Psycho-Oncology focusing on physical activity, found that women undertaking a ten week programme of 75 minute Restorative Yoga (RY) classes gained positive differences in aspects of mental health such as depression, positive emotions, andSpirituality (feeling calm/peaceful) compared to the control group.
RY is a gentle type of yoga, which is similar to other types of yoga classes, moving the spine in all directions but in a more passive and gentle way. Props such as cushions, bolsters, and blankets provide complete physical support for total relaxation with minimal physical effort, and so people in differing levels of health can practice yoga more easily.
Forty-four women took part in the study, with 22 undertaking the yoga classes and 22 in the waitlist control group. All of the women had breast cancer; 34 per cent were actively undergoing cancer treatment while the majority had already completed treatment.
All participants completed a questionnaire at the beginning and end of the ten-week program, asking them to evaluate their quality of life through various measures. The results clearly showed that the women who had been given the RY classes experienced a wide range of benefits compared to the control group
"Evidence from systematic reviews of randomised trials is quite strong that mind-body therapies improve mood, quality of life, and treatment-related symptoms in people with cancer. Yoga is one mind-body therapy that is widely available and involves relatively reasonable costs
"Given the high levels of stress and distress that many women with breast cancer experience, the opportunity to experience feeling more peaceful and calm in the midst of breast cancer is a significant benefit," the expert added.
The study found that women who started with higher negative emotions and lower emotional well-being derived greater benefit from the gentle yoga intervention compared to the control group.
Women in the gentle yoga group also demonstrated a significant within-group improvement in fatigue, while no such change was noted for the control group.

Weight loss through yoga

INTRODUCING ….ARTISTIC YOGA
artistic yoga reduce weight.INTRODUCING ….ARTISTIC YOGAt is an innovative, dynamic and powerful system of Yoga that affects the body like no other form of exercise. It combines ancient yogic techniques (asanas, pranayam, bandhas, kriyas & mudras), with modern cardiovascular-training and partner-stretches into a unique approach that works on the Individual at every level - the physical level, where flexibility, strength and endurance are the primary goal, to the mental and spiritual levels where awareness of the body, alertness and meditation help bring about a complete transformation.
People who had been practicing Yoga for 20 years, were still pot-bellied!” Realising that Yoga needed to be re-worked to suit modern man, he combined his training in Yoga and his education in modern Exercise Physiology to develop his own system - Artistic Yoga.
HOW IS ARTISTIC YOGA DIFFERENT?
Artistic Yoga is a thoroughly researched, ground-breaking system that helps modern man effectively deal with his ‘acute stress levels, obesity and lack of energy’he called his system ‘Artistic’ because he incorporated many new aspects into it that were very different from the traditional approach to Yoga.
Along with the creative use of Exercise and Yogasanas (physical yoga postures), and Partner-stretching techniques (that help in quickly improving flexibility), Bharat introduced Cardio-vascular training and the concept of Body-Part training into his yoga. While traditional schools of Yoga repeat the same Asanas every class, Artistic Yoga classes are unique each day and focus on only two body parts in a class, thereby achieving dramatic results in body-toning and weight loss (for those who need it). Overall you will experience a tremendous sense of physical well-being!

At the mental and spiritual levels, it works with breath (Pranayam) and meditation (Dhyaan), ensuring that you leave each class feeling energized, yet calmer and more peaceful within.
Artistic Yoga is complete as Yoga for the Body, Mind and Spirit. Each class is unique and challenging…. so you are never bored! Ambient music is played and the approach is casual and spontaneous, yet at the same time focused. People of all age groups and all levels of fitness practice Artistic Yoga.
Currently, Artistic Yoga is taught in India in Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Bangalore and internationally in Dubai, Kuala Lumpur and Russia. You can attend Artistic Yoga Group Classes at our various studios or request individual Artistic Yoga Personal Training at your home.
Some of the most recognizable Artistic Yoga students include Ratan Tata, Anoushka Shankar, Kareena Kapoor, Saif Ali Khan, Bipasha Basu and Sachin Pilot.