Research reported Dr. Pamela Schultz during the American Physiological Society meeting in Washington, DC shows that the Iyengar method of yoga not only promotes psychological well-being, but seems to offer immune system benefits as well.

First the details, as presented in the Reuters article.

• 10 breast cancer survivors were assigned to 8 weeks of Iyengar yoga (2 classes and 1 solo session at home per week).
• 9 were assigned to a wait-list control group.
• The women were about 4 years out from initial cancer diagnosis and being treated with hormone therapy.
• None of the women had experience with Iyengar yoga.

The article reports that psychosocial tests showed improved quality of life in the yoga participants, which was accompanied by decreased activation of NF-kB (nuclear factor-kappa B) — a marker of stress.

If you are interested, here’s background on Iyengar yoga. Probably the most readable discussion of NF-kappaB is here.

5/1/07 12:26 JR