🌱Wednesday Wellness - 10Jun26 - The Restorative Power of Yoga🧘♀️
This week, we’re focusing on the restorative and healing potential of yoga 💛 For many people affected by breast cancer, yoga can be more than gentle movement. It can become a way to reconnect with your body, rebuild strength, and create moments of calm in the midst of treatment, recovery, or ongoing uncertainty. Importantly, yoga designed specifically for cancer care recognises that your body has been through a lot and meets you exactly where you are ✨ 💛 How yoga can support your body during and after breast cancer Research continues to show that yoga can play a valuable supportive role alongside medical care, helping manage both physical and emotional side effects. 🌼 Supporting lymphatic health and lymphedema After surgery or lymph node removal, the lymphatic system can be affected. Gentle, guided yoga movements may help stimulate lymphatic flow, reduce swelling, and ease discomfort, supporting long-term self-management. 🌼 Improving shoulder movement and flexibility Tightness, reduced range of motion, and discomfort in the chest, shoulder and arm are common. Yoga has been shown to improve shoulder mobility and upper body flexibility after treatment, helping restore functional movement over time. 🌼 Reducing fatigue and boosting energy Cancer-related fatigue can be persistent and overwhelming. Studies show that gentle yoga and mind-body practices can help reduce fatigue and improve overall wellbeing, even during ongoing treatment. 🌼 Easing stress and supporting emotional wellbeing Breathwork and mindful movement can help regulate the nervous system, reduce anxiety, and improve sleep. Yoga has also been linked to reduced stress hormones and improved mood and resilience 🌼 Rebuilding strength and confidence Over time, yoga can gently rebuild strength, flexibility, and balance, helping you feel more at home in your body again 🌿 It’s not about perfect poses Yoga in cancer care looks different to what you might see in a typical class. It can be: ✨ Slow and supported ✨ Done seated, lying down, or standing ✨ Focused on breath more than movement ✨ Adapted to your energy levels each day Even small, mindful movements can have a meaningful impact. 🌼 A gentle moment to try today If you feel up to it, you might like to try this simple, supportive movement: 🌿 Sit or stand comfortably 🌿 Slowly lift your shoulders toward your ears 🌿 Gently roll them back and down 🌿 Repeat a few times, moving with your breath This can help release tension across the chest and shoulders, an area many in our community hold tightness. 🌟 Explore Yoga 4 Cancer with Counterpart If you’re curious about trying yoga in a safe, supportive way, BCNA partners with Counterpart to offer a Yoga 4 Cancer series 💛 These sessions are specifically designed for people affected by breast cancer, with a focus on: 🌼 Safety and accessibility 🌼 Managing side effects like fatigue and stiffness 🌼 Supporting both physical and emotional wellbeing 🔗 Learn more or explore the series here: https://counterpart.org.au 🤍 A gentle reminder There is no “right” way to care for yourself. Some days movement feels good, other days rest is what you need. Both are valid. 💬 We’d love to hear from you Have you tried yoga, or are you thinking about it? What has helped your body feel supported recently? Sending you a moment of calm and care this Wednesday 💕Research Study - Western Sydney University (Free yoga)
Hello members, Our BCNA Policy and Advocacy team have provided the current study information that may be of interest to some of our members: Researchers at Western Sydney University are undertaking a 6-week clinical trial exploring the impact of either group yoga classes or individual yoga sessions for improving mental health in people diagnosed with cancer. Who can participate? You may be eligible to participate if you - Have been diagnosed with either breast cancer or gynaecological cancer (ovarian, uterine, cervical, etc) in the last 5 years - Are not currently receiving chemotherapy or radiotherapy; however, you may be receiving stable hormone-blocking therapy, targeted therapy or immunotherapy - Have increased symptoms of depression and/or anxiety - Have adequate general health to be involved in a yoga program - Have reliable access to the internet and a device with a web camera - Are aged 18 or older What’s involved? To register your interest to participate in this clinical trial, you will complete and submit an anonymous online survey. The purpose of the survey is to assess your eligibility to participate in this clinical trial. Participants who meet the preliminary criteria to participate will be asked to submit their contact information, which will be used by a clinical trial officer to arrange a teleconferencing screening call. If you are eligible, you will be randomly allocated to either group yoga classes or individual yoga sessions. Group yoga classes if you are allocated to group yoga sessions you will be required to attend six (6) yoga classes with a qualified yoga teacher online via the Zoom platform over a 6-week period. You will also be asked to do additional yoga practice between classes, and record your practice weekly. Individual yoga sessions If you are allocated to this group you will be required to attend six (6) one-on-one yoga sessions with a qualified yoga teacher online over the Zoom platform over a 6-week period. You will also be asked to do additional yoga practice between sessions, and record your practice weekly. During the program, all participants will complete a short (10 min) weekly survey and 3 sets of questionnaire and assessment measures (approximately 30 min each) as well as having occasional 5–10 min phone calls with a research team member. Interested in participating in this study? To indicate your interest in participating in the study, please visit NICM HRI | Online yoga and mental health in cancer study or contact Maria Gonzalez NICM Health Research Institute, Study Chief Investigator - PhD Candidate, by emailing m.gonzalez2@westernsydney.edu.au Complementary therapies can improve your physical and emotional wellbeing. They can also help you to manage some of the side effects of breast cancer treatments, such as anxiety, pain and fatigue. Yoga is a form of complimentary therapy. While many complementary therapies can be very helpful, it is a good idea to talk to a member of your medical team before starting anything new. This will help you to prevent any possible effects that the therapy may have on your breast cancer treatments or general health. You can check out BCNA's website for more information regarding complimentary therapies https://www.bcna.org.au/health-wellbeing/complementary-and-alternative-medicines-and-therapies/complementary-therapies/
