Befriend your body after cancer

Yoga Bear, a national non-profit organization that provides free yoga services to cancer patients and survivors, is sponsoring an essay contest "Befriending Your Body."On its site, Yoga Bear explains that survivors may feel cancer has taken away a sense of trust or comfort they had with their body before the diagnosis. During treatment, your body may feel like a battlefield. And after treatment, the fear of recurrence or side effects from therapy, such as weight gain or neuropathy, can build resentment.Yoga Bear believes that repairing the relationship with your body after cancer is an important part of the healing process. Exercise, including yoga, can help that process. Through exercise, survivors can improve their mood, energy, weight, and overall health. So, what are you doing to take care of your body? Are you exercising more? Did you quit smoking or swear off nightly desserts? Is there anything you love about your body after cancer? It only takes a minute to share how you are learning to love your body again and we'd love to hear them, too! Essays should be between 100-300 words and can be about one of two topics: 1. What do you love/what are you grateful for about your body? 2. What did you do or going to do to take care of yourself and listen to your body's needs? What have you done to restore trust and acceptance of your body?Winners will have their essays published on the Yoga Bear website and will receive a copy of Yoga Bear adviser Dr. Kelly McGonigal's new book, Yoga for Pain Relief. Read more about the contest at www.yogabear.org/forum/topics/befriend-your-body-an-essay. And hurry, deadline is December 20!