These days, people do not know anyone who has not had cancer. While there are medical treatments for cancer, they have strong side effects and the condition may recur. The search for high-effectiveness and low-side-effect alternative treatments has largely given way to the emergence of a new treatment movement, still in its infant stage – complementary and integrative healthcare.

In the United States and around the world, the holistic brain, body-mind and energy-based fitness training system offered by Dahn Yoga & Health Centers (http://www.dahnyoga.com) is being regarded by people with cancer as a generally positive approach, and sometimes very successful, in the complementary and integrative treatment field.

When diagnosed with stage-4 ovarian cancer, Florence, in her 60s and living in New York City, used Dahn Yoga as a key complement to her two surgeries and chemotherapy treatments. Here is how she thought it through, "Before having my first surgery, I knew I had to strengthen my immune system. So I put together a plan. I took Dahn Yoga classes more often, started acupuncture treatment, and received individual holistic healings from my Dahn Yoga Center manager and other Dahn Yoga-trained healing staff."

Besides the physical benefits of Dahn Yoga to the body’s health, it is important to strengthen one’s morale, attitude and outlook. Florence admits this, "Because of all these Dahn Yoga experiences, I felt a lot of love and energy. At one time I remember feeling as though my body was lifted off the ground. This was a point of change for me. My goal was to get my body, mind and spirit in the best possible condition before I surgery and chemo. This is a journey. And I do not intend to walk alone. I have been heartened with strong support and love I have abundantly received from friends, family, and the Dahn Yoga community of staff and members."

At times there can be tension and even conflict between the various health treatments for cancer. This happened to Florence, "I remember sitting in the doctor’s office while he listed all the things that could go wrong during my surgery. A close friend who came with me took notes. We did not pay too much attention to any of the outcome other then the best-case scenario. My goal was to remain unrelentingly positive. We turned around any of the doctors’ information, sometimes negative and cautious, to make it positive.

"However, the surgery’s results were not what I had hoped for. The doctors were unable to do anything but biopsy the tumors and close me up. It was very upsetting. All that I had practiced and trusted had to be used to pull myself up and start all over again.

"During the start of chemo treatments, it was difficult to close my eyes. My mind darted from here to there with nothing seeming to be important. It was only when they gave me a medication that I could doze off; and even then I fought it. I was afraid to close my eyes and let time go by. Many thoughts would enter my head.

"My friend from Dahn Yoga came along with me; she had me breathe along with her. She whispered in my ear to visualize the chemotherapy as a white light going into my body to cleanse me. This was when I began to use the tool of visualization in a consistent way. There were so many times that an ugly voice screamed in my head, ‘You have cancer, and you are going to die.’ In my heart, in my soul I knew that I would live."

To support the medical treatment, lessen its negative side effects, and benefit from a positive mental attitude, it is important to have a daily practice of exercise, eating and sleep. Here is what Florence put together, "Every day I use what I have learned from a 12-step program and Dahn Yoga training. I have this daily routine: morning bowing for physical and emotional benefits, Energy Management Training, and DahnMuDo healing martial arts practice. I practice what I learned in the Power Brain Method workshop. All of this has helped to change my energy. All the training and support from loved ones has helped me stay in the moment."

In life in general and especially facing a condition like cancer, it is vital to have a big vision or purpose. Here is what Florence realized, "I have always struggled with the fact that I did not have a vision or purpose for my life. I now have the vision of taking care of myself and sharing my hope, strength and experience with others who are in the fight for their lives with cancer."

Dahn (means bright energy in Korean) is the symbolic manifestation of the sun rising at dawn, with its inexhaustible source of vitality. Dahn Yoga was developed by Ilchi Lee (http://www.ilchi.com), basing it on traditional Korean body-mind practices that stretch back more than 5,000 years and modern brain research findings.

Through the 600 Dahn Yoga centers worldwide, around 1,000,000 people use its methods daily. In the United States since 1991, 120 Dahn Yoga centers are located in 15 metropolitan areas.

For more information about Dahn Yoga, visit http://www.dahnyoga.com.