What's New in the World of Yoga:

Breast cancer. Two words that strike fear in people's hearts.

Even though advances in medical technology have ensured that breast cancer is no longer an automatic death sentence, it is still the second leading cause of cancer death in women, superseded only by lung cancer.

There are three major risk factors associated with breast cancer: gender, age, and genetics. It's a well-known fact that women are 100 times more prone to developing breast cancer than men. This is mainly because the female hormones Estrogen and Progesterone exacerbate the growth of cancer cells in women's breasts.

However, while breast cancer is usually associated with women, men are by no means unaffected by the disease. Statistics from the National Cancer Institute indicate that, while breast cancer in men is rare, it still occurs in 1% of males. And since men are usually at low risk to develop breast cancer, they often delay in reporting any symptoms to their physicians. This can prove to be dangerous, if not fatal, because men have far less tissue in their breast area than women and cancer cells can therefore penetrate more rapidly into the skin.

Statistics show that the risk of developing breast cancer increases with age, with women over the age of 50 being at a higher risk to develop it. Genetics - or hereditary links - also play a part. If an individual has a history of breast cancer in the family, there is a 5%-10% possibility that the individual could develop the disease.

The good news, however - and there is good news - is that not everyone who has those three risk factors develops breast cancer.

Those who do suffer from breast cancer, however, have to endure a great deal of physical pain and psychological anguish. In addition to having to deal with the disease itself, cancer treatment - such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy - are invasive procedures that are debilitating to the body and often leave the individual with feelings of helplessness and increased levels of stress.

Although the correlation between cancer and stress is not conclusive, it has been suggested that emotional stress can exacerbate physical ailments. In 2008, the National Cancer Institute published a Fact Sheet on Psychological Stress and Cancer to determine how stress can adversely affect people suffering from cancer. Although there are some indications that high levels of stress can increase the growth of tumors, thus far there has been no concrete proof. However, research conducted recently has determined that, in highly stressful situations, the release of hormones into the blood stream of the nervous system can adversely affect the body's ability to protect itself against the development of cancer cells.

But the nature of cancer is such that often its victims can't expect their condition to improve. Rather than seek a cure, more and more individuals who suffer from terminal illnesses such as breast cancer are beginning to look for ways to manage their emotional and physical pain.

Many are now turning to yoga and meditation as a way to regain some control of their bodies, calm their minds, and improve their quality of life.

Those who are in treatment can also benefit from yoga. Individuals undergoing chemotherapy often have to deal with many side effects, nausea being just one of them. Breathing techniques and gentle stretching learned in yoga can go a long way towards relieving that nausea and easing a person's discomfort.

A recent study conducted in February 2009 showed that restorative yoga can have enormous emotional benefits for individuals with cancer. This gentle mind-and-body yoga is an excellent way to ease depression, calm the mind and body, and invoke a feeling of peace and purpose for individuals dealing with this life-threatening illness. Regular practice of restorative yoga can help individuals feel more relaxed both physically and mentally, and can also give an overall sense of well-being.

According to the Journal of Clinical Oncology, a study conducted in 2007 indicated that Hatha yoga exercises specifically modified for cancer patients have also been conducive in improving the well-being and quality of life for women with breast cancer.

Whether or not we can be hopeful for a cure for breast cancer and other terminal ailments, we must still cope with their effects. Often, the battle is not fighting the disease itself, but the rate and severity of our own debilitation. There is much more to fighting an illness than simply finding a cure. Through yoga, we can ease the burdens of such ailments and restore a measure of physical and emotional stability at one of the most challenging times in our lives.

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