Diabetes: Yoga is beneficial for your overall health. It can also help manage diabetes. Here are some yoga poses which can help manage this condition effectively.
Diabetes is a chronic condition which requires constant management of blood sugars
HIGHLIGHTS
- Yoga can help manage diabetes effectively
- A low GI diet can help control blood sugars
- Regular exercise also promotes healthy blood sugar levels
Blood sugar or glucose is your body's main source of energy. It is the main sugar found in your blood and is derived from the food that you consume. Your blood contains glucose which it carries to all of your body's cells to use for energy. Diabetes is a condition in which the blood sugar levels are generally higher than normal. There are certain poses available in yoga for management of your blood sugar levels. There are three different modes of practice that you can implement with these asanas. The very first level is known as the base level and can be considered as the foundation of your asana practice. During this particular mode, you will not be holding the asanas for a long time. Instead, you will hold all these postures for a very brief period of time. This is simply to inform your body regarding the postures and the alignment and how it can impact the body.
Diabetes: Yoga poses to regulate blood sugars
Food and nutrition
Simultaneously along with the asanas, you must begin with cleansing techniques for the body. Internal cleansing of the blood is done through the food that you consume. It is important to keep your meals light and not too heavy. This means that you should not put too much pressure on the digestive system which helps in converting the food into nutrition that your body needs.
Increase your water intake
Water must be consumed frequently throughout the day. Keep sipping on water every half an hour. There must be a gap of 90 minutes before you before you consume your meal and after you consume your meal for your practice. These following postures should be practiced twice a day. Practicing them once in the morning and once in the evening will help regulate and manage your blood sugar levels.
Asanas
1. Mandukasana
Start in Balasana or Child's Pose. Place your pelvis on your heels and point your toes outward
Keep your heels close to each other. Put your right palm on your navel and your left palm on top of the right. As you exhale, bend down and as you inhale, come up. Repeat 3 sets of 10 seconds each.
2. Padahastasana
Begin in Samasthithi. Exhale and gently bend your upper body down from the hips and touch your nose to your knees. Place your palms on either side of your feet. You can bend your knees if you are unable to reach the floor.
Word of Advice
- Avoid if you recently had back surgery, knee surgery or surgery to your hamstrings
- Avoid if there has been recent injury to your legs, hips, back and shoulders
- Do not perform this pose if you are suffering from severe back pain, high blood pressure, heart problems, knee problems, sciatica or abdominal hernia.
- Do not overstretch as this might put a lot of stress on your knees, thighs, calves, ankles and may cause a sprain
Padahastasana helps in boosting digestion
Photo Credit: iStock
3. Padangusthasana
Begin by standing in Samasthithi, feet together. Exhale and bend forward, dropping your head and keeping your shoulders and neck relaxed. When folding forward, attempt to move your torso from the hip joints, instead of the waist. Hold your big toes, inhale and look up as you straighten your arms. Exhale and fold forward. Try to keep the legs and knees straight throughout the practice.
4. Paschimottanasana - Seated forward bend
Begin with Dandasana. Keep your knees slightly bent when your legs are stretched out forward. Lift up your arms and keep your spine erect. Exhale and empty your stomach of air
With the exhale, bend forward at the hip and place your upper body on your lower body. Bring your arms down and hold your toes with your fingers. Try to touch your knees with your nose
Yoga asanas work on your internal organs stretching, and massaging them. When you practice these poses regularly, it increases the blood and oxygen supply to the organs. This effectively improves their efficiency and functioning which can impact your health positively. Postures are based on scientific alignment and techniques that targets the systems of the body balancing, regulating and cleansing them.
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