Yoga For Diabetes - Control Diabetes Through Yoga

Diabetes in various forms affects up to 5percent of the world population with 12 million diabetics in Western Europe alone. Of the different ways in which diabetes presents, noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) is probably the most commonly encountered genetic disease. NIDDM or Type II diabetes is multifactorial, depending also on environmental factors including obesity, sedentary lifestyles and nutritional imbalances.

Contrary to popular belief yoga is not about flexibility! Yoga is defined as “union” and connecting to where you are at any given moment in time. If you haven’t practiced yoga asana before, you’ll be amazed to find what a complete form of exercise it is and yoga postures can be adapted to any fitness level.

Yoga cannot “cure” diabetes, but there are several ways yoga can be beneficial in controlling diabetes. If medically prescribed regimens are followed by diabetic students, they can safely add yoga to their treatment. Due to the potential impact on their glucose levels, and overall body function, great strides can be made through regular committed yoga practice.

Sun Salutations - This sequence of poses is great for diabetics. The flowing series of movements increases blood flow to all parts of the body, improving insulin administration.

Daily yoga routine of breathing exercises, meditation and poses enhance digestion and help the pancreas and liver function more normally, regulating blood sugar levels. Cobra (Bhujang Asana) Locust (Shalabh Asana) Bow (Dhanur Asana) are few asanas that help diabetics.

Pranayama teaches you to use the other 90% of your lungs and to neutralize the stress that contributes to high blood sugars associated with diabetes. It also provides a deep cleansing of the body’s tissues and helps treat such problems as high blood pressure, irritability and disturbed sleep. Pranayama breathing activates the parasympathetic nervous system. The parasympathetic response calms the body and neutralizes the stress and anxiety triggered by an overactive sympathetic nervous system.

Asanas like Sasangasana (Rabbit Pose) and Janushirasana with Pashimotthanasana (Head-to-Knee with Stretching Pose) provide stimulation and rejuvenation to the cells of the pancreas and other endocrine glands by way of compression. Compression of these glands, followed by relaxation, causes an increased volume of highly oxygenated blood to reach the cells, bringing nourishment that rejuvenates atrophied cells.

This exercise will reduce stiffness in the knee and hip joints.