Chair Yoga for WM - Tools to Calm Your Nervous System

Stress has a profound impact on how your body’s systems function and stress can actually promote the growth and spread of some forms of cancer. According to Dr. Lorenzo Cohen, Ph.D., director of the Integrative Medicine Program at MD Anderson, “stress makes your body more hospitable to cancer.” According to Dr. Anil Sood at MD Anderson, “Chronic stress also can help cancer grow and spread in a number of ways,” Sood says. It can weaken immune system. Read more here: https://www.mdanderson.org/publicatio... What to do to manage chronic stress: Good Sleep, Talk Therapy, Yoga and Meditation Take a 45 minute "self-care" break: manage your stress, improve your balance, energize your vitality, and stimulate the immune system by moving the breath and body. While we will remain seated for most of the class, we stand and use the chair for support for some poses, with modifications so all levels can practice. Recorded March 25th 2023. Our 45 minute classes will incorporate some of the following: 1. Breath exercises for reducing stress and boosting the immune system 2. Gentle stretches designed to energize the whole body 3. Yoga poses that move the lymph fluid, and improve balance and steadiness 4. Meditations to facilitate mindfulness, acceptance, and relaxation Important Note: Yoga is a complementary or integrative practice to be used in conjunction with standard medical treatment. For more information on WM yoga offerings, visit Ann's Cancer Care page: https://anngraceyoga.com/cancer-care/ Chair Yoga for Waldenstrom's Care - if you would like to join the live weekly Zoom class that meets on Mondays at 2pm ET, or any other Wellness Program Class, please reach out and ask for more info: anngrace@iwmf.com Research: • Cancer survivors including those recently diagnosed report better sleep, less stress, and improved mood and quality of life with the practice of yoga. • Qualitative results showed improvements in overall mental health, anxiety, depression, and mood. Physical health showed improvements in fatigue. These improvements were shown to last 8 weeks post practice. Instructor: Ann Grace MacMullan is a certified yoga therapist (C-IAYT) and yoga instructor (E-RYT 500) and the IWMF Wellness Program Coordinator. She enjoys uplifting the WM community through breath-connected movement, mindfulness, and by creating a supportive group environment on Zoom. Her father was diagnosed with WM in 2019. Ann can be reached directly at anngrace@iwmf.com