31
august/september 2019yogajournal.com.aumethods of yoga apply to cancer patients, but having everyone
follow a script—this pose, this exercise—that will never accurately
demonstrate the full benefi ts.”
Paediatric research is also hard to come by, but according to a
2019 clinical feasibility study that examined the impact of yoga on
paediatric outpatients receiving chemotherapy, the results of two
recent pilot studies show that individualised yoga programs
improved quality of life for adolescents receiving cancer treatment.
Ultimately, the authors called for further investigation. To date,
much of the evidence for yoga’s treatment benefi ts comes from
breast cancer clinical trials, says Bethel.
To that end, Julia Fukuhara was working as a nurse and
volunteer yoga instructor at Rady in 2013 when she realised her
unique potential as a data collector. “We have some research that
shows how imperative integrative medicine is for adults and for
kids, but to actually see it frontline was mind blowing,” she says.
Kids could sleep better afterward. They were less anxious.
Oftentimes they required less pain- or anti-nausea medication.
When making their yoga rounds, Fukuhara and the other
teachers on the ward kept detailed notebooks with dated entries
describing patient conditions, applied yoga exercises, and outcomes.
“We already had all this documentation in place, so we thought,
let’s see if we can numerically capture this data with some kind of
pain, anxiety, and quality-of-life measure,” she says. What ensued
was a six-month study of 32 kids and their families who were
surveyed before and after yoga sessions. The results will hopefully
be published in the coming months, and Fukuhara is excited to
report that she saw signifi cant positive change.Just Breathe
Try Sama Vritti Pranayama (Box Breathing)
when you’re stressed, anxious, or upset.Sama Vritti Pranayama is a powerful relaxation
tool that can help clear your mind, relax your
body, and allow you to focus. The best part? You
can do it anywhere. Just find a comfortable seat
with your back supported and feet on the floor.- Close your eyes. Breathe in through your nose,
slowly counting to 4. Feel the air filling your
lungs. - Hold your breath here and slowly count to
4 again. Try not to clamp your airways shut.
Simply avoid inhaling or exhaling for 4 counts. - Slowly exhale to the count of 4.
- Hold the exhale for another 4 counts.
- Repeat steps 1–4 for 4 minutes or until
you feel calm and centred.
31
august/september 2019yogajournal.com.aumethods of yoga apply to cancer patients, but having everyone
follow a script—this pose, this exercise—that will never accurately
demonstrate the full benefi ts.”
Paediatric research is also hard to come by, but according to a
2019 clinical feasibility study that examined the impact of yoga on
paediatric outpatients receiving chemotherapy, the results of two
recent pilot studies show that individualised yoga programs
improved quality of life for adolescents receiving cancer treatment.
Ultimately, the authors called for further investigation. To date,
much of the evidence for yoga’s treatment benefi ts comes from
breast cancer clinical trials, says Bethel.
To that end, Julia Fukuhara was working as a nurse and
volunteer yoga instructor at Rady in 2013 when she realised her
unique potential as a data collector. “We have some research that
shows how imperative integrative medicine is for adults and for
kids, but to actually see it frontline was mind blowing,” she says.
Kids could sleep better afterward. They were less anxious.
Oftentimes they required less pain- or anti-nausea medication.
When making their yoga rounds, Fukuhara and the other
teachers on the ward kept detailed notebooks with dated entries
describing patient conditions, applied yoga exercises, and outcomes.
“We already had all this documentation in place, so we thought,
let’s see if we can numerically capture this data with some kind of
pain, anxiety, and quality-of-life measure,” she says. What ensued
was a six-month study of 32 kids and their families who were
surveyed before and after yoga sessions. The results will hopefully
be published in the coming months, and Fukuhara is excited to
report that she saw signifi cant positive change.Just Breathe
Try Sama Vritti Pranayama (Box Breathing)
when you’re stressed, anxious, or upset.
Sama Vritti Pranayama is a powerful relaxation
tool that can help clear your mind, relax your
body, and allow you to focus. The best part? You
can do it anywhere. Just find a comfortable seat
with your back supported and feet on the floor.
- Close your eyes. Breathe in through your nose,
slowly counting to 4. Feel the air filling your
lungs.- Hold your breath here and slowly count to
4 again. Try not to clamp your airways shut.
Simply avoid inhaling or exhaling for 4 counts. - Slowly exhale to the count of 4.
- Hold the exhale for another 4 counts.
- Repeat steps 1–4 for 4 minutes or until
you feel calm and centred.