Yoga to cure cancer

Yoga to cure cancer

Subject :Science and Technology

Concept:

• As per a study by the Tata Memorial Hospital, inclusion of Yoga in the treatment of breast cancer patients is highly beneficial.
• The inclusion of Yoga resulted in a 15% relative improvement in disease free survival (DFS) and 14% in overall survival (OS).
• The largest clinical trial is an important milestone in use of YOGA in breast cancer since this is the first example of a very Indian traditional remedy being tested in a rigorous western design of randomized study with robust sample size.
• Breast cancer is the commonest cancer affecting women not only in India but globally. It raises huge amount of anxiety in women which is twofold, the first fear of cancer with threat to life and the second worry due to side effects of treatment and coping with it.
• It is heartening to see that YOGA practiced with rigour and perseverance has proved its superiority in maintaining excellent quality of life and has also numerically reduced the risk of recurrence and death by 15%.

Yoga

The Father of Yoga, Maharishi Patanjali combined multiple aspects of yoga and called them “Yoga Sutras” or aphorisms. He advocated “Ashtanga Yoga”; the eight-fold path of yoga that facilitates the all-round development of human beings. These components are Yama, Niyama, Pratyahara, Dharana, Asana, Pranayama, Dhyana and Samadhi. These components bring about physical discipline, help in the regulation of breath, restraining the sense organs, and promote contemplation and meditation. These techniques play an important role in the prevention of diseases such as psychosomatic disorders and promote overall health. It has benefited people at large and continues to blossom with each passing day.

Yoga has been derived from the Sanskrit term ‘Yuj’ that means ‘to yoke’ or simply, ‘to unite’. According to the Oxford Dictionary, the word Yoga means ‘union’. Therefore, it is a union of the individual spirit with the universal spirit of God. Yoga is a combination of practices, which define the way we engage with the world to create harmony. Yoga, as a discipline means:

• To engage
• To participate
• To get involved
• To connect

Types of Yoga

• Japa Yoga
• Karma Yoga
• Gyana Yoga
• Bhakti Yoga
• Raja Yoga
• Swara Yoga
• Kundalini
• Nadi