The ancient practice of yoga is believed to improve the flow of
energy in the body and help encourage healing. Many studies show
that yoga can relieve stress and ease muscle tension. New
evidence suggests it may offer cancer patients special benefits.
In a study of 44 volunteers conducted at Wake Forest University
School of Medicine, in Winston-Salem, N.C., women with breast
cancer who took part in a form of yoga called restorative yoga
reported feeling more positive and less depressed. They also
felt less fatigue than a control group. Researchers at Bangalore
Institute of Oncology in Bangalore, India, meanwhile, reported
in 2009 that breast cancer patients undergoing treatment who
took part in a yoga program experienced less anxiety. A related
study of 62 cancer patients showed a significant reduction in
treatment-related nausea and vomiting in patients who were took
part in a yoga program. Yoga may have unique benefits, but
researchers say almost any form of physical activity can ease
the stress of cancer t