7.

Yoga into Cancer Care: A Review into Evidence-Based Research (2018) I Joy
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5769195/

1. Evidence has shown that yoga improved the physical and

psychological symptoms, quality of life, and markers of
immunity of the patients, providing a strong support for yoga's
integration into conventional cancer care.
2. The use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM)
helps improve body's immune system which plays an important
role in the development of cancer. Yoga also enriches the
spiritual needs of patients that are not met by conventional
therapy (surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy).
3. Numerous researches have shown that the practice of
yoga/meditation was able to regress the growth of tumors, and
they suggest that yoga may help prevent tumorigenesis and
progression and ultimately cure cancer.

REFLECTION:

While further research is needed, it is hopeful that yoga therapy can aid a cancer patient and the
caregiver. Yoga therapy provides alleviation not just in the physical pain level, it also looks into the
mental and emotional as well as the spiritual needs of the patient.

Eating Disorders:

1. There are four different types of eating disorders: anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge
eating disorder. If the person you are helping is underweight and using extreme weight-loss
strategies, they may have anorexia. If the person is engaging in binge eating followed by
extreme weight-loss strategies, they may have bulimia. Although by definition, a person with
anorexia is underweight, a person with bulimia can be slightly underweight, within a healthy
weight range, or overweight. If the person regularly eats an unusually large amount of food
in a short period of time, accompanied by a sense of loss of control over their eating, but
does not use extreme weightloss strategies to compensate, they may have binge eating
disorder. People with binge eating disorder may be within a healthy weight range or
overweight.
2. People suffering from eating disorders may also suffer from many other emotional and
mental distress such as guilt, anger and shame. It is important to be empathetic with them
rather than trying to change their perspective. We need to approach them with extra
tender, love and care.
3. When supporting a child or teen with eating disorder, it is important to ensure that their
caregivers are also supported.
REFLECTION:

It is important to see everyone as they are from a non-judgemental perspective. Although we may
hear the situation, we may or may not be able to fully understand it. Empathy is being there to listen
and acknowledge them for what it is a lot of time all is needed. Do not try to think we know
everything as we do not know exactly how the others feel because we are not them.

Anxiety

1. Yoga has further been found to increase thalamic GABA (γ-Aminobutyric acid) levels might
be an effective and safe intervention for individuals with elevated levels of anxiety and as
pharmacologic agents for anxiety (and mood disorders), thus ease anxiety; Pranayama
induces a shift towards a dominance of the parasympathetic nervous system activity via
vagal stimulation.
2. There is no adverse effect in doing yoga and yoga is considered a safe intervention for
individuals with elevated levels of anxiety.
3. Further research is still needed to ensure how yoga can assist in anxiety disorders.

REFLECTION:

Again I find that there are many variables which could impact on the results. In essence, treatment is
individualised so it is also up to the individual to how they would undertake the treatment to help
with their condition. I still find that consistency is the key to success and how to get the patient to
practise regularly and consistently to ensure outcome is achieved is something we as yoga therapists
need to think about.