Fighting Cancer with Yoga and Vegan Diet

by Pattie Hughes | More from this Blogger

23 Oct 2009 08:53 PM

The health and therapeutic benefits of yoga have been studies for centuries around the world and have recently begun to be acknowledged by Western medicine. Cancer may soon be added to the list of diseases that benefit from yoga. According to research conducted by the University of California in San Francisco, yoga and a vegan diet can help fight prostate and cancers.

The study participants included 93 men in the early stages of prostate cancer. The patients were divided in two groups, one consisting of men taking modern medical treatments and the other using only lifestyle changes with no conventional treatments.

The group taking the conventional treatment made no changes regarding lifestyle or habits. The second group changed to a vegan diet with foods that contain low fat and plenty of fiber, such as fresh fruits and vegetables. This group participated in a moderate level of aerobic exercise and yoga.

The study found that a combination of a diet that is rich in fruits and vegetables, but low in fat and a regular yoga practice may activate genes that fight cancer. In addition, this combination of diet and exercise can turn off genes that are believed to encourage the growth of cancer cells.

A decrease in the number of cancer cells was noted in the men who chose to make lifestyle changes to heal their cancers. These men also were found to have a lower level of protein markers for prostate cancer and had diminished tumor growth.

According to the American Cancer Society, over 192,000 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer this year. The findings of this study may be significant and offer various benefits to men with prostate cancer. Further studies will be conducted to confirm the results of this study and gain a deeper understanding of how these lifestyle changes may benefit other types of cancer, heart disease and other health conditions.

Learn more about Pattie Hughes

Pattie Hughes is a freelance writer and mother of four young children. She and her husband have been married since 1992. Pattie holds a degree in Elementary Education from Florida Atlantic University.

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