Sometimes, the subjects we teach in a Yoga class make us feel much better about what we do. When one decides to become a Yoga instructor, he or she usually does not appreciate the complete package of benefits one gains from meditating. With age comes appreciation, and sometimes wisdom grows from within. So, if you are a Yoga instructor, please remember that everything you present in classes is a valuable life skill. The new Yoga practitioners do usually not appreciate meditation and pranayama, but they are of extreme value.
The mere thought of cancer causes most of us to tense up, and undergoing tests is even more traumatic. If you have never been through it, imagine how scary a diagnosis must be, and that is only the beginning. Surgery, treatments, and uncertainty often lead to anxiety, depression, and negative emotions, which also affect the outcomes of all chronic diseases.
How Does Meditation Help Cancer Patients?
Clinical studies show that meditation is an effective complementary therapy in the fight against cancer. Not only does it reduce discomfort and improve mood, but also evidence suggests that it boosts immunity and possibly improves prognosis. This is likely due to its effect on the autonomic nervous system.
Responsible for involuntary actions such as breathing, sweating, heartbeat, and digestion, the autonomic nervous system serves two functions. One part, the sympathetic nervous system, prepares the body for emergencies by increasing heart rate and restricting blood flow. The other part, known as the parasympathetic nervous system, slows heart rate, increases blood flow, and releases beneficial digestive enzymes.
As a result, meditation reduces toxic cortisol levels and boosts the release of feel-good endorphins into the bloodstream. It also increases the level of activity in the regions of the brain associated with positive emotions and compassion.
The mere thought of cancer causes most of us to tense up, and undergoing tests is even more traumatic. If you have never been through it, imagine how scary a diagnosis must be, and that is only the beginning. Surgery, treatments, and uncertainty often lead to anxiety, depression, and negative emotions, which also affect the outcomes of all chronic diseases.
How Does Meditation Help Cancer Patients?
Clinical studies show that meditation is an effective complementary therapy in the fight against cancer. Not only does it reduce discomfort and improve mood, but also evidence suggests that it boosts immunity and possibly improves prognosis. This is likely due to its effect on the autonomic nervous system.
Responsible for involuntary actions such as breathing, sweating, heartbeat, and digestion, the autonomic nervous system serves two functions. One part, the sympathetic nervous system, prepares the body for emergencies by increasing heart rate and restricting blood flow. The other part, known as the parasympathetic nervous system, slows heart rate, increases blood flow, and releases beneficial digestive enzymes.
As a result, meditation reduces toxic cortisol levels and boosts the release of feel-good endorphins into the bloodstream. It also increases the level of activity in the regions of the brain associated with positive emotions and compassion.