Tag: integrative medicine

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“The Emperor of All Maladies”: A Biography of Cancer

The world needs to demystify cancer and destigmatize patients. One way we can achieve that is to educate ourselves on what cancer is. The 2011 Pulitzer Prize for general non-fiction is a must-read if you’ve ever been affected by the disease—whether personally or through a loved one. It tells the story of a four-thousand-year old (medical) war. Here’s a few themes the author, Siddhartha Mukherjee, covers in his book.

Siddhartha Mukherjee, a US oncologist and researcher, wrote The Emperor of All Maladies (2010) after a patient asked him a simple but profound question: What am I battling?

Mukherjee ended up writing a profoundly humane biography of cancer from the first innovative—and brutal—surgical treatments to the work on radiation of Pierre et Marie Curie to the risks taken by the first chemotherapists and their patients.

I’m sharing with you here some of the thoughts and themes Mukherjee covers in his book. Hopefully, they’ll give you an idea of its richness.

What Is Cancer, Really?

  • Cancer is, at its core, a disease of uncontrolled growth. Imagine each cell in your body as a tiny machine with instructions to grow and divide. Normally, cells follow orders. But in cancer, those instructions go haywire, and the cells keep growing and multiplying endlessly.
  • Every cancer is unique. No two cancers behave the same way, even in the same person.
  • While we think of cancer as a modern disease, it’s actually ancient. The reason it seems more common now? People are living longer, giving cancer more time to develop.

    The First Attempts to Treat Cancer
  • The earliest recorded mention of cancer dates back to ancient Egypt in 2500 BC.
  • Fast forward to the Middle Ages, there was no real understanding of the disease, and treatments were primitive—using fire, acid and leather bindings.
  • In the 1800s, a surgeon named William Halsted pioneered the radical mastectomy, removing not just tumors but entire sections of the body in hopes of stopping the disease.

    The Rise of Modern Treatments
  • In the early 1900s, science took a huge leap forward. The discovery of radium by Marie and Pierre Curie led to the use of radiation therapy to kill cancer cells. But ironically, prolonged exposure to radiation caused cancer itself—Marie Curie eventually died from leukemia.
  • Chemotherapy has its roots in warfare. During World War II, mustard gas was found to destroy white blood cells. Scientists wondered: What if we could use a similar chemical to kill cancer cells? That idea led to the first chemotherapy drugs in the 1940s. In the early days, chemotherapy was incredibly toxic.

    The Fight for Progress and Awareness
  • In the 1960-70’s, cancer treatment wasn’t just a battle against the disease, it was a battle within the medical community. Surgeons, radiologists, and chemotherapists each had their own ideas about how to fight cancer, often clashing rather than working together.
  • Outside the labs and hospitals, a different kind of battle was happening. Activists like Mary Lasker, a socialite who lived in New York City, pushed for government funding and research, leading to the U.S. declaring a formal War on Cancer in the 1970s.

    Prevention: The Best Cure?
  • In 1775, a British surgeon noticed that young chimney sweeps were getting scrotal cancer at alarming rates, linking it to soot exposure. That was one of the first discoveries of an environmental cause of cancer.
  • In the 1950s, studies confirmed what we now take for granted: smoking causes lung cancer. But getting that message out wasn’t easy. Early cigarette warning labels in the 1960s didn’t even mention cancer! It took decades of activism to get the clear, direct warnings we have today.

    A More Compassionate Approach
  • For years, patients with terminal cancer were often ignored, left in pain, and given little dignity in their final days. That changed thanks to Cicely Saunders, a former nurse trained as a doctor who pioneered palliative care in London in the 1950’s—an approach focused on comfort, pain relief, and emotional support for the dying. Her work helped create palliative medicine, changing the way we care for patients for whom there is no cure.
  • Starting in the 1980’s, AIDS activists injected an urgency behind the notion of patient-centered care. The cancer community, too, has benefitted from their actions.

    The Future of Cancer Treatment
  • One of the biggest breakthroughs in understanding cancer came when scientists discovered that cancer isn’t just random—it’s genetic. In the 1970s, researchers found that certain genes in normal cells, when mutated, could turn into cancer-causing genes.
  • Scientists have sequenced the entire genomes of many cancer specimens (all 23,000 genes), making it possible to document every genetic change. Scientists realized that every patient’s cancer is unique because every cancer genome is unique.
  • It’s possible we’re fatally conjoined to cancer. But if the terrifying game of treatment, resistance, recurrence, and more treatment can be stretched out longer and longer, then it will transform the way we imagine this ancient illness.
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Yoga Therapy for Dummies

Almost unknown, yoga therapy can be a powerful ally on the path to well-being. Here’s everything you wanted to know about the practice but never dared to ask.

What Is Yoga Therapy?

Let’s talk about yoga first. Many people think of yoga as a physical activity made up of stretching and movement. But that’s not the whole picture. Yogis have known for millennia that the body and mind are one. They developed a practice—yoga—that touches the person as a whole, on a physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual level. So, by definition, all yoga can be therapeutic. Then, what makes yoga therapy different from yoga?

First, the yoga therapist establishes a therapeutic relationship with you. She/he completely adapts the tools of yoga—meditation, yogic breathing, postures, etc.—to you, helping to activate your body and mind’s natural abilities to optimize your well-being. In yoga therapy, there’s no notion of doing a pose “correctly” or “incorrectly.” The therapist also offers psycho-emotional support through verbal communication and active listening, helping you feel better. In short, yoga therapy is a personalized journey, with the help of a yoga therapist, toward improved well-being.

One-on-one sessions are the ideal setting for a yoga theapy practice, although you can also practice in small groups.

Who Is Yoga Therapy For?

I often hear people say, “I can’t do yoga, I’m too stiff,” or “too big.” But yoga therapy is for everyone, regardless of age or physical condition, including those with disabilities.

What Is Yoga Therapy Used For?

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the world is facing an unprecedented mental health crisis. In this context, yoga therapy can be a valuable ally, especially for anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and insomnia. Increasingly, scientific studies show that yoga therapy can also help alleviate certain conditions, particularly chronic pain (such as lower back pain and arthritis) and fibromyalgia. It is also beneficial for people recovering from strokes, multiple sclerosis, and Parkinson’s disease. Likewise, it complements conventional medical treatments for cancer, diabetes, and heart disease.

That said, you don’t have to be ill to benefit from yoga therapy. It can simply be a powerful tool to help you live better. And that, in itself, is already a lot.

The Origins of Yoga Therapy

To trace the origins of this new complementary therapy, we need to go to the West Coast of the United States and focus on one person: Larry Payne. A Californian, athletic, and working in advertising in Los Angeles, Payne was making a lot of money and seemingly living the good life. But in 1978, at the age of 35, stress took its toll. His blood pressure skyrocketed, and he suffered from chronic back pain. Physical therapy, medication—nothing worked. Until one day, a friend took him to a yoga class. It was a revelation. For the first time in two years, his back pain disappeared. Payne felt reborn. He continued practicing yoga and eventually left his advertising career to dedicate himself fully to the practice.

After spending time in India, he returned to Los Angeles and worked tirelessly to promote yoga as a complementary practice. He taught yoga, wrote books, produced videos, appeared on radio and television, and in 1989, he co-founded the International Association of Yoga Therapists (IAYT).

The association truly found its footing in the early 2000s. Its mission was to be the voice of yoga therapy for the general public and within complementary and integrative medicine institutions. The IAYT began relying on science, compiling an increasing number of studies on yoga therapy and chronic illnesses. A major milestone was reached in 2004 when, for the first time, conventional healthcare professionals joined its advisory board. In 2007, the first yoga therapy symposium was held in Los Angeles. The association published training standards for yoga therapists in 2012.

Today, IAYT has 5,600 members across 50 countries and 150 accredited training schools. We are only at the beginning of what yoga therapy can bring to public health.

A therapeutic yoga session is either one-to-one or in a small group.

Sources :
– International Association of Yoga Therapists
– Yoga Therapy Health
– The Science of Yoga: the Risks and the Rewards, by William J. Broad (2012)

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Do Yoga. You’ll Access Your Intuition!

Yoga can clear the way to our intuition and creativity. All thanks to the practice’s breathing techniques.

Is there really a link between yoga and our intuition? Believe it or not—yes, there is.

The source of intuition is inside all of us. The problem is the mind and the thoughts that stop us from tapping into our inner knowing. The good news is that yoga can help thanks to breathing techniques or pranayamas which can quiet that noise.

How it works

Doing pranayama exercises means consciously controlling your breath. These breathing techniques affect the parasympathetic system to create a relaxing effect. Their benefits are numerous and impact vital functions like digestion, blood circulation, elimination, etc. But beyond balancing the body, breathing offers much more, and affects the mind and mood as I explained in my previous post, “Yoga Therapy Saved My Life.”


That’s already great news but there’s more. Pranayamas, when combined with slow movements and concentration, also influence intuition. This mix of breathing, movement, and concentration helps you become present with yourself, relax deeply and balance your nervous system–all essential to connect with your intuition. This process of “letting go” helps access your subconscious and therefore your inner voice.

To suddenly see clearly

Many people say they suddenly see clearly how to move forward in a tricky life situation during a yoga session. I’ve personally lost count of how many times yoga has given me clarity. Yesterday, for example, I suddenly became aware during my own yoga practice, of which approach and poses to use in an upcoming yoga therapy private so that the session can perfectly answer my client’s needs.

Sources: The Science of Yoga by William J. Broad, Radiance: Create an Amazing Life After Cancer (Kripalu Center), De l’inspir à l’inspiration (magazine Inexploré N. 62, printemps 2024).

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The Pause

My arm lymphedema recently got infected. It’s been a great reminder that I need to listen to myself and my body. At all times.

April 22nd started like any other day, doing yoga.

I had taught a yoga therapy workshop the day before and was feeling super energized. I performed the bridge pose and twisted my shoulders in a way that compromised my circulation. For someone with breast cancer-related lymphedema in my arm, this was a misstep. Off-guard moment. I knew I wasn’t supposed to twist my shoulder that way. The result? My lymphedema got infected.

Since then, I’ve put my foot on the brake. I revisited my schedule—once again—to have more breathing room (I’ve always overdone).

These days, I need nature. I walk. I lay down in the meadow. I read. I create space for myself. Trees, birds and the sky are there for me. To help me repair myself. Yesterday, I practiced yoga for the first time in three weeks, with so much more compassion.

Remember–honor your own wellness journey. In every possible way. That too is yoga therapy.

A nature park, close to home, five miles South of Paris, has been
my favorite place to rest.

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Yoga Therapy Saved My Life

I’m a multiple cancer survivor. Conventional oncology takes care of my body and cells. Yet, it needs a push. So, I’ve practiced yoga therapy as a complement. To live fully, not just survive.

Yoga was a revelation. I started practicing soon after I was diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer for the first time twenty years ago. Something changed deep inside me during my first class: I felt connected to my body. A life-long fatigue arose. I had no clue I was so exhausted. In just one class, yoga had helped me become aware how much I’d pushed through, answering everyone else’s needs. Yoga made me feel instead of think.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m grateful for the conventional oncology care I’ve been lucky to receive since 2004. It can do miracles thanks to scientific research. Yet, oncology addresses exclusively the physical body while sadly ignoring other aspects of the human experience, whether emotional, mental and spiritual.

That’s why yoga therapy’s been a savior for me. To the extent I’ve become a yoga therapist.

I was fractured

I also vividly remember the summer of 2022 when I received the diagnosis of metastatic breast cancer while vacationing in Paris. Living in Atlanta wasn’t an option anymore. In a week, I decided to let go of the life I’d built in the U.S. for years and call Paris home again. I started my conventional cancer treatment. Everything was coming into place. Except, I felt fractured. How long did I have left? Where did I belong? In Paris, my birthplace? Or in Atlanta where I’d found my true self? Could I be a legitimate yoga therapist while living with this serious disease? I could physically feel the fear and, even more so, confusion and uprooting.

The urgency was therefore to experience groundedness again. The answer? Yoga as always. Day after day, I practiced outdoors, in a Paris suburbia nature park, so I could literally feel and smell this land which was both familiar and new to me then. At the end of each practice, I laid down on the grass (corpse pose), taking in the sun and earth’s energy. Day after day, I felt more grounded, stronger, more stable.

The body and the mind are inextricably bound together

The point of my yoga routine was also to sustain my conventional oncology treatment. This kind of combination is called integrative oncology—when conventional medicine is mixed with complementary therapies. So far, it’s worked.

Seven months after the beginning of my treatment, a PET-scan showed the metastasis in the liver and the right pectoral muscle had disappeared. The following PET-scan’s results, eight months later, were also astonishing. The remaining metastasis, on bones, had reduced by 36%.

So, how does a practice like therapeutic yoga work? What does science say about this ancient meditative mind body practice?

Parc Interdépartemental de Choisy Paris Val-de-Marne (5 miles South of Paris),
the green paradise where I practiced therapeutic yoga in the summer and fall of 2022.

First, yogis have been saying for thousands of years the body and mind are inextricably bound together. Second, breath is the key to the interweaving of body and mind. It’s a core element of yoga practice and explains its effectiveness.

Yoga practice is made up of both slow and fast breathing exercises in coordination with the movements of your limbs. When you breathe in a fast way, body stores of carbon dioxide lower without significantly increasing oxygen stores. The phenomenon can result in dizziness, headaches, light-headedness among others. That’s why it must be done right. It also impacts mood. A fast-breathing exercise such as Breath of Fire (Bhastrika) create a feeling of exhilaration.

Yoga breathing affects a person’s mood

On the other hand, when you breathe slowly the repercussions for mood are radically different. The slow-breathing exercise Ujjayi for example, makes a person breathe about ten times slower than a resting adult. This time, slow breathing raises carbon dioxide levels in the bloodstream. The phenomenon brings a person to experience a deep relaxation, calm alertness, and raw awareness. In short, yoga breathing affects a person’s mood. Fast breathing styles tend to excite and slow ones to calm.

Enjoying an increased sense of well-being. Becoming absorbed in the moment. Experiencing life through how I feel and not only through how I think. In conjunction with conventional oncology care, these things can make a difference to help save a life.


Source: The Science of Yoga (2012) by William J. Broad.
Yoga therapy is not intended to substitute for the medical expertise and advice of your health care provider(s). I encourage you to discuss any decisions about treatment or care with your health care provider.