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Yoga for Cancer: A Guide to Managing Side Effects, Boosting Immunity, and Improving Recovery for Cancer Survivors
For those faced with a cancer diagnosis and the journey of doctor-led surgery and treatments, yoga offers a way to regain control of your body and take an active part in your recovery and long-term health. In this easy-to-follow illustrated guide, yoga teacher and cancer survivor, Tari Prinster presents 53 traditional yoga poses that are adapted for all levels of ability and cancer challenges. She then applies the movements and breathwork of these poses to address 10 common side effects and offers 9 practice sequences for varying stages of treatment and recovery.
- Explains how to create a safe home yoga practice that addresses the specific physical needs, risks, and emotions of cancer patients and survivors
- Includes 53 yoga poses and 9 practice sequences that use movement and breathing to reduce and manage treatment side effects
- Reveals how current research supports the physical and psychological benefits of yoga to aid recovery and reduce risk of recurrence
- Written by a cancer survivor and certified yoga teacher
Sharing her own story as well as those of thousand of cancer survivors and yoga teachers with whom she has worked, Prinster explores how yoga can be used to strengthen the immune system, rebuild bone density, avoid and manage lymphedema, decrease anxiety, detoxify the body, reduce pain, and help the body repair damage caused by the cancer and conventional treatments. She reveals the research that supports the physical and psychological benefits of yoga as an aid to recovery and in reducing the risk of recurrence. Explaining how yoga must be tailored to each survivor, Prinster gives you the tools to create a safe home yoga practice, one that addresses your abilities, energy level, and overall health goals.
Through personal stories, well-illustrated poses, and sample practices for beginners as well as experienced yoga practitioners, Prinster empowers survivors to create their own wellness plan in order to regain their independence and their physical and emotional well-being.
- Explains how to create a safe home yoga practice that addresses the specific physical needs, risks, and emotions of cancer patients and survivors
- Includes 53 yoga poses and 9 practice sequences that use movement and breathing to reduce and manage treatment side effects
- Reveals how current research supports the physical and psychological benefits of yoga to aid recovery and reduce risk of recurrence
- Written by a cancer survivor and certified yoga teacher
Sharing her own story as well as those of thousand of cancer survivors and yoga teachers with whom she has worked, Prinster explores how yoga can be used to strengthen the immune system, rebuild bone density, avoid and manage lymphedema, decrease anxiety, detoxify the body, reduce pain, and help the body repair damage caused by the cancer and conventional treatments. She reveals the research that supports the physical and psychological benefits of yoga as an aid to recovery and in reducing the risk of recurrence. Explaining how yoga must be tailored to each survivor, Prinster gives you the tools to create a safe home yoga practice, one that addresses your abilities, energy level, and overall health goals.
Through personal stories, well-illustrated poses, and sample practices for beginners as well as experienced yoga practitioners, Prinster empowers survivors to create their own wellness plan in order to regain their independence and their physical and emotional well-being.
324 pages, Paperback
First published November 24, 2014
41 people are currently reading
64 people want to read
About the author
Tari Prinster
3 books2 followersTari Prinster is a cancer survivor, yoga teacher and author. She is the Founder of Yoga4Cancer, LLC (y4c) and the Retreat Project (nonprofit) – businesses that are bringing specialized yoga cancer survivors through classes & retreats. Also she leads a robust teacher training program to help enable yoga teachers to best adapt all styles to fit the unique needs of cancer patients & survivors.
In Tari’s own words, she recounts her background with yoga and cancer: ‘When I was fifty, I started a yoga practice on a hunch it would ease menopausal symptoms. It did! That was sixteen years ago. Today, I am an example that it is never too late to start, never too late to change. Yoga made me feel younger and stand straighter. I sleep better, my weight is good, and my bones are strong.
I found yoga a powerful tool to manage the daily challenges of cancer treatments as well as the side effects and life-long vulnerabilities they create. I discovered yoga was more than a way to stay healthy. It gave me emotional support and spiritual comfort so needed during recovery.
I was curious why yoga was doing so much for me. My research made it clear why yoga strengthens the immune system, thus providing, among other things, protection against a cancer reoccurrence.
All that was 15 years ago when not much was heard about yoga’s healing power. Since then, I’ve developed a carefully constructed system of yoga poses and sequences, each one based on needs of cancer survivors. This is the y4c methodology.
My book, Yoga for Cancer: A Guide to Managing Side Effects, Boosting Immunity, and Improving Recovery for Cancer Survivors, provides an easy to follow illustrated guide to help cancer survivors (and their friends & family) to take an active role in the recovery and long-term health. It is based on recent research, my personal and professional experience and includes 53 poses and 20 sequences that use movement and breathing to reduce and manage cancer and it’s treatments impact. For more information, visit y4c.com/books.
In Tari’s own words, she recounts her background with yoga and cancer: ‘When I was fifty, I started a yoga practice on a hunch it would ease menopausal symptoms. It did! That was sixteen years ago. Today, I am an example that it is never too late to start, never too late to change. Yoga made me feel younger and stand straighter. I sleep better, my weight is good, and my bones are strong.
I found yoga a powerful tool to manage the daily challenges of cancer treatments as well as the side effects and life-long vulnerabilities they create. I discovered yoga was more than a way to stay healthy. It gave me emotional support and spiritual comfort so needed during recovery.
I was curious why yoga was doing so much for me. My research made it clear why yoga strengthens the immune system, thus providing, among other things, protection against a cancer reoccurrence.
All that was 15 years ago when not much was heard about yoga’s healing power. Since then, I’ve developed a carefully constructed system of yoga poses and sequences, each one based on needs of cancer survivors. This is the y4c methodology.
My book, Yoga for Cancer: A Guide to Managing Side Effects, Boosting Immunity, and Improving Recovery for Cancer Survivors, provides an easy to follow illustrated guide to help cancer survivors (and their friends & family) to take an active role in the recovery and long-term health. It is based on recent research, my personal and professional experience and includes 53 poses and 20 sequences that use movement and breathing to reduce and manage cancer and it’s treatments impact. For more information, visit y4c.com/books.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
December 1, 2021
Being a certified yoga teacher, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. A fellow yogi offered me this book to support me through treatment. The book helped me to go through the worst days of my chemo treatment as well as through the good days.
The book is a real guide to both cancer patients as well as for yoga teachers. It helps you to get in touch with your body regardless the stages of treatment or surgery that you go through.
The book is a real guide to both cancer patients as well as for yoga teachers. It helps you to get in touch with your body regardless the stages of treatment or surgery that you go through.
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May 12, 2021A helpful guide not just for yoga for cancer but also any kind of beginner yoga practices. It contains vinyasa flows for special needs, a lot of breath exercises and beginner meditation techniques. You can create a yoga practice just based on this book alone.
October 10, 2018
Après avoir obtenu mon diplôme initial de prof de yoga, j'ai cherché sur Internet comment aider des personnes atteintes d'un cancer et / ou en rémission grâce au yoga. Je suis tombée sur le site de Tari et j'ai tout de suite accroché. J'ai commencé à regarder pour suivre sa formation mais malheureusement, elle n'est pas proposé en France actuellement. J'ai donc commandé son livre. Je l'ai d'abord lu en diagonale, pour avoir une vision globale de la méthode puis en détails, page après page pour mieux comprendre le cheminement de Tari et ses conseils pour aider les personnes atteintes d'un cancer à soulager leurs douleurs et à mieux vivre leur maladie au quotidien mais aussi à faciliter la rémission après les traitements et / ou opérations.
Ce livre est adapté à tous, prof de yoga ou non pour mieux comprendre les bienfaits du yoga sur la santé mais aussi pour adapter sa pratique à sa condition physique. Il inclut des témoignages très intéressants et parfois très poignants.
Je recommande fortement ce livre car malheureusement, nous sommes tous plus ou moins touchés par cette s*l*p*r** et si on s'intéresse un minimum au yoga, on comprend parfaitement comment il peut aider dans ce genre de situation.
En bref : à lire absolument !
Ce livre est adapté à tous, prof de yoga ou non pour mieux comprendre les bienfaits du yoga sur la santé mais aussi pour adapter sa pratique à sa condition physique. Il inclut des témoignages très intéressants et parfois très poignants.
Je recommande fortement ce livre car malheureusement, nous sommes tous plus ou moins touchés par cette s*l*p*r** et si on s'intéresse un minimum au yoga, on comprend parfaitement comment il peut aider dans ce genre de situation.
En bref : à lire absolument !
January 10, 2018
I read this book in the middle of my Cancer treatment. I find it very helpful. I was diagnosed with lobular breast Cancer. My student, soon after my diagnosis, was diagnosed with ductal breast Cancer. Together we started learning this sequence. It was interesting enough that even the students who did not have Cancer enjoyed it. But more importantly, both of us in the throes of treatment found this a very helpful post-operative routine.
It's not too hard for someone without any yoga experience. However, if you've recently been diagnosed I strongly suggest you not wait to start practicing yoga. If you can learn the routine before you have surgery I think it will be easier to do after surgery. Like Tari Prinster my pre-Cancer yoga was Ashtanga. I expect to be able to do that again soon. I had practiced one day about six weeks after surgery, but then further biopsy made another break in Ashtanga yoga necessary. I didn't like doing nothing while my body was under assault. So I'm doing this for now, and it is helping me with my fatigue, strength, range of motion and stamina.
The sequence itself seems focused on breast Cancers, but the text part of the book is about Cancer in general.
It's not too hard for someone without any yoga experience. However, if you've recently been diagnosed I strongly suggest you not wait to start practicing yoga. If you can learn the routine before you have surgery I think it will be easier to do after surgery. Like Tari Prinster my pre-Cancer yoga was Ashtanga. I expect to be able to do that again soon. I had practiced one day about six weeks after surgery, but then further biopsy made another break in Ashtanga yoga necessary. I didn't like doing nothing while my body was under assault. So I'm doing this for now, and it is helping me with my fatigue, strength, range of motion and stamina.
The sequence itself seems focused on breast Cancers, but the text part of the book is about Cancer in general.
August 28, 2017
I loved this book. Not only was it informative, it was also filled with practical information on how you can help yourself. I am a enthusiastic advocate for self-care.
May 10, 2025
Actually enjoy reading the first half.
October 13, 2017
Well written and easy to read. Tari Prinster offers lots of info on the ways in which yoga is beneficial to anyone on a cancer journey, and it is chock full of practical and specific tips for creating a home yoga practice. Great book.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews