Yoga Therapy and Medical Treatments

Just as a plant recovers more quickly with the aid of healthy soil and frequent watering, so too, the human body often responds better to medical treatments when they are combined with alternative modalities, including yoga therapy.

There is increasing evidence that yoga therapy may enhance the results and alleviate the side effects of modern medical treatments. In yoga therapy, the body attains a relaxed state that allows it to gain the full benefit of prescription drugs or cope more effectively with treatments like chemotherapy or radiation for cancer.

Several studies indicate that the practice of yoga therapy may help reduce unwanted side-effects of conventional health treatments and improve overall well-being. In the case of prescription drugs, yoga therapy can actually make it possible to reduce dosage levels while maintaining effectiveness.

Yoga therapy can also aid in the healing of psychological disorders and trauma, when combined with traditional approaches such as counseling or psychotherapy. Yoga and other forms of therapy can work hand in hand to help a patient attain peace of mind. For example both yoga and meditation, an integral part of yoga, provide a way to center the mind and keep the awareness grounded in the body.

Due to its holistic nature, yoga therapy supports conventional treatments by providing the whole physiology with much needed rest and rejuvenation. By simultaneously strengthening and relaxing both the mind and body, yoga therapy can help patients cope with health concerns more effectively and return more quickly to thriving good health.

For more information on the healing benefits of yoga therapy, also see Yoga Therapy and Mind-Body healing.