Exercises, yoga, meditation all these are proven techniques to heal our body and soul. Yoga for diabetes patients is doing wonders in controlling the sugar level. Yoga originated in India more than 5,000 years ago. Practicing yoga helps in balancing and tuning the body, mind, and emotions. Yoga practice is useful in the management of various lifestyle diseases, including type 2 diabetes.
Benefits of Yoga for Diabetes Patients – Type 2 Diabetes
Type 2 diabetes is a metabolic disease/ chronic condition that affects the way the body processes blood sugar (glucose, hyperglycemia). This happens because of the problem in the secretion of the insulin hormone; insulin is secreted by the pancreas gland. With type 2 diabetes, the body either doesn’t produce enough insulin, or it resists insulin. The common symptoms of type 2 diabetes include increased thirst, frequent urination, hunger, fatigue, and blurred vision. There is no definite cure for type 2 diabetes, but one can take care of it with the help of exercise, a balanced diet, correct medication, and insulin therapy. The patients who have a very high level of sugar in the blood are prescribed to take insulin shots. Apart from this, one has to maintain a good lifestyle and regular exercise, which is very important to keep diabetes in control.
Yoga Helps in Reducing the Blood Glucose Level in Diabetes Patients
Yoga proves to be very effective for type 2 diabetes patients. Diabetes patients who regularly do yoga can reduce their blood glucose levels to a great extent. Monitoring your weight on a regular basis is mandatory because if you are overweight the chances are at higher-end for the severity of the disease. Practicing yoga is beneficial to keep your weight under control and also keep you away from many health conditions related to or unrelated to diabetes. Yoga helps people to live a better quality of life as it reduces stress and tensions. Studies assert that stress or tensions also increases the blood sugar level, and trying yoga can be very useful to reduce stress in such cases. In this article, today, I am going to talk about diabetes and yoga.
A Checklist of Benefits of Yoga for Diabetes’s Patients
- Yoga reduces weight which is very helpful to reduce the blood sugar level.
- It helps the relaxation of body muscles, which is vital to maintain the supply of blood. When you practice yoga body uses two sources of fuel, sugar and free fatty acids (that is, fat) to generate energy. The sugar comes from the blood, the liver, and the muscles. While doing yoga, the uptake of glucose rises by the muscles, and hence it reduces the blood glucose level.
- Diabetes also invites other severe diseases like blood pressure. When in your body, the cholesterol level increases it results in high blood pressure. Regular yoga practice plays an important role in reducing such risk factors.
- As discussed above, stress and tension are some of the leading causes behind increasing the blood sugar level of the person. Cortisol, adrenaline, and noradrenalin are the stress hormones; yoga practice proved to reduce these stress hormones to a great extent.
- There are many asanas in yoga which is especially practiced to lower the blood glucose level and proved to be very fruitful like there is an asana which basically excites the function of the pancreas by stretching it.
Yoga – A Natural Therapy
Yoga is a natural therapy, so there is also no tension or any side effects. It does not even belong to the categories of any rigorous exercise, and the only thing you need is patience for practicing yoga regularly and honestly. You will surely feel the difference. Apart from yoga, walking is also essential. Meditation, breathing exercises are some other natural remedy which is very useful for diabetic patients.
If you are new to yoga, it is best to choose your guru under whose guidance you will able to do much better. However, it is better to start with some simple asana rather than to some complicated one.
Below are a Few Yoga Asana helpful for Diabetes Patients
Sun Salutation
It is also called as ‘Suryanamaskar’. It comprises of 12 steps or positions. Stretching body parts and breathing techniques is most important in this asana. Again, if you are new to yoga, do it very slowly. Do not overexert your body.
Peacock Pose
This pose starts with a kneeling position and then keeping kneels apart and arms between the legs. Elbows should touch the abdomen. The wrists should be kept together, and it should point towards the back of your body. Keep your forehead such that it touches the ground and then straighten the legs one at each time. Start to lift legs one by one and also raise your head up. Now you will see that your whole body is resting on your hands only. If you feel comfortable enough, you can try to raise your legs a bit more up in the air. And then slowly bring down the legs and come to a normal position and rest.
Locust Pose
You have to make a pose like a bow and a sea monster for this type of asana, which is said to be very helpful for diabetic patients. Lie on the yoga mat with your belly touching the ground. Keep your arms straight and in parallel with your torso and forehead touching the ground. Bring your legs together and try rotating your thighs, keeping your buttocks firm. In the next step, raise your arms, forehead, and legs up in the air. Try to keep this position for 30 seconds or as long as you can. Remember to start it very slowly.
Remember, do stretching and bending in yoga to the extent your body allows you. By practicing for more number of times, you will be able to do the asana with more ease and comfort. It is also advisable to seek advice from your medical practitioner before starting any exercise and yoga because there can be a possibility that some asanas may not be recommended if you have any other health issues.
