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Yoga for Diabetics

Diabetes means that the body does not produce or use insulin properly. Many studies have reported the beneficial effect of the practice of yoga on diabetes. Some studies have mentioned up to 65 percent beneficial effect of yogic therapy for diabetes.

Studies have confirmed that the practice of the yogic postures can rejuvenate the insulin producing cells in the pancreas of diabetics of both types, and that doing the postures in a relaxed manner, without exertion, yogic meditation and breathing help most patients to control the causes of diabetes.

RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING THE PRACTICE OF YOGA BY DIABETICS

The patient must learn to control and his or her self of diabetes in a holistic manner, at all levels of your being: physical, emotional, mental, intellectual and spiritual, recognizing the effects of stress, emotional imbalance, and dietary and living habits on the disease condition.

Before beginning a program, measure your exercise toleration. Start with simple movements and positions before progressing gradually to complicated postures.

Throughout the program, monitor glucose levels and under the supervision of a physician, and take appropriate medicinal dosages as and when required. After several weeks one may be able to reduce the dosages.

Practice in the morning and the evening for 40 to 60 minutes the recommended series of postures according to ones capacity. Practice before meals, but after consuming glucid liquids.

Perform the movements slowly and smoothly, stretching the limbs and joints, and gently compressing the abdomen, without straining. Maintain the postures for a comfortable length of time. The maintenance period of postures should be increased gradually from 5 seconds to one minute, or even longer depending upon the posture and capacity of the patient. Avoid exertion that is heavy muscular activity.

Focus on the breath during the maintenance period of the posture, with the eyes closed or focused on one point, as a means of learning to focus the mind and to manage stress and tension in the body.

Perform the Shavasana, or complete peace relax pose on the back, systematically relaxing all of the parts of the body, at the end of the session, or after completing several postures, if one begins to feel fatigued.

The practice of Uddiyana banda, or the abdominal squeeze has also been found to be useful.

Regulate your diet by avoiding simple sugars such as white sugar, honey, glucose and sweets and eating complex carbohydrates such as wheat, oatmeal, buckwheat, corn, brown rice and beans. Avoid processed food and eat foods with lots of fibre and nutrients.

Meditation practices have been shown to help the endocrine glands through relaxation of the sympathetic nervous system.

Yoga postures for Diabetes

The following postures have been found to be effective in the control and cure of diabetes (Sanskrit names; the English and Tamil names are in parentheses): Dhanurasana (Bow pose, Vilasana), Paschimottanasana (Sitting crane, Amarntha kokkuasana), Padangusthasana (Standing crane, Nindra kokkuasana), Bhujangasana (Serpent pose, Paambuasana), Sarvangasana (Shoulder stand) Ardha-matsyendrasana (Spinal twist), Halasana (Plough pose, Kalapoy asana), Yoga mudrasana (Yogic Symbol pose), Supta Vajrasana (Sitting pose of Firmness), Chakrasana (Wheel pose), Shalabhasana (Grasshopper pose, Vittelasana).

The following are some basic Asanas or Yoga Poses for people suffering from Obesity and Diabetes:
•Easy Pose (Sukhasana)
•Shoulder Stretches
•Sun Salutation (Surya Namaskar)
•Half Spinal Twist (Ardha Matsyendrasana)
•Stand Spread Leg Forward Fold
•Tree Pose (Tadasana)
•Double Leg Raises
•Fish Pose (Matsyasana)
•Corpse Pose (Savasana)
•Kapalabhati
•Simple Meditation Technique
•Anuloma Viloma
•Relaxation Pose

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