Diabetes is a metabolic disorder believed to be incurable.It is caused when the blood cells do not respond to insulin produced in the body. But with a regular yoga and pranayam the body starts responding to insulin, helping to reduce the blood glucose. Medicines alone does not help unlesscomplimented by a healthy way of living and most of the time strict observance of a healthy life style helps to avoid medication.
The goal of treatment in diabetes is to reduce high level of glucose in the blood stream.
The primary reason for diabetes is obesity, sedentary lifestyle and stress. reduce the level of sugar in the blood and slow the progression of disease. Regular yoga and Pranayam Is a proven method to lose weight and has immense power to reduce the stress level
Some of the recommended asana are
Uttanpad Asan
Uttanpada Asana reduces the abdomen fat and helps to loose weight also. It is an ideal asana for relief from gas and indigestion.
Steps
- Lie on your back on the floor and look upwards. Keep both the arms straight close to your body and palms touching the floor. Keep both the legs straight, heels and toes touching each other.
- Keep the legs straight,inhale and lift your legs by and try to hold it there for 5 to 10 seconds.
- Then start exhaling and simultaneously lowering the legs. Both activities to be synchronised to end at same time.
- For persons suffering from backache, practice the variation of this asana by raising one leg at a time alternately.
Benefits
- Tones up the abdominal muscles and Reduces fat in abdominal area.
- It is a good asana for indigestion, disorders of pancreas, cures constipation and intestinal problems.
- Strengthens the spinal cord.
Setubandh Asan
Steps to do this pose:
- Lie flat, with your feet flat on the floor. Now exhale and push up, off the floor with your feet. Raise your body up such that your neck and head are flat on the mat and the rest of your body is in the air.
- You can use your hands to push down for added support.
Benefits
- This asana helps keep one’s blood pressure in check.
- It also helps to relax the mind, improves digestion and stretches the neck and spine.
Halasan
Steps
- Lie on your back.,while inhaling, raise your legs till they come into vertical position.
- Now exhaling , slowly raise the buttock with letting the legs go over the head and then lower the toes to the floor a bit far from the head.
- Hold your upper waist / ribcage area from behind to provide support.
- Make the legs straight and try to press the buttock forwards as much as possible hold for 15-20 seconds.
- With inhalation, slowly lower the buttocks to the floor with the legs vertical and then exhaling bring the legs down.
Benefits
- This asana massages all the internal organs, activates digestion
- It increases insulin production in the pancreas and improves the function of the liver and kidneys.
- It strengthens the abdominal muscles and tones the nerves of the spine.
Dhanurasan
Steps
- Lie down on your stomach. Bend the knees, hold the left ankle with the left hand and the right ankle with the right hand.
- Now inhaling gently pull the legs up by lifting the knees above the floor and, meanwhile, raise the chest and head and draw it backwards.
- The abdomen should bear the whole body weight on the floor separate the knees to raise the body higher and try to arch the back as far as possible.
- Stay in this pose for 15-20 seconds with normal breathing,then slowly come to the floor.
Benefits
- This pose is great to strengthen your back and spine,
- Helps beats stress and fatigue.
- It improves the digestive .
- It assists in rooting out gastrointestinal disorders, chronic constipation and improves the functioning of the liver.
- It is also very beneficial for the treatment of diabetes, menstrual disorders and even cervical spondylitis.
Paschimottanasan
Steps
- Sit down stretch your legs. Place the palms on your respective knees.
- Now bend your front body forward to catch the toes with the thumb, without bending knees.
- Take a deep breath and exhale slowly. Try to touch your head to your both knees
- Bend your arm and try to touch the elbow on the floor,hold on for few seconds.
- Exhaling slowly return to your starting position.
Benefits
- It calms the mind, acts as a stress reliever.
- Reduces the flab on the abdomen.
- Stretches the spine and brings flexibility.
- Good for constipation and digestive disorder.
Veerasan
Steps
- Place the right foot at a 45 degree angle to the left foot.
- Bend the left leg to a 90 degree angle so that the thigh is parallel with the floor.
- Raise the arms straight over the head with palms joined in Namaskar position.
- Take the arms backwards as far as possible.
- Stretch the entire body backward while maintaining the balance.
- Benefits:
- Improves the strength and blood supply to the joints like the ankles, knees, hips, lumber region, cervical region and shoulders.
- Abdominal muscles are stretched so helps to remove fat from the region.
- Helps to maintain the proper balance of the body.
- Improves the flexibility of the spinal column.
Shavasan
Steps
- Lie down in Shavasan posture, keeping your hands on the ground with the palms facing upward, towards the sky.
- A gap of 1 foot should be maintained between your feet. Keep your eyes closed.
- Place your neck, hands, torso, waist and limbs in a comfortable position
- Relax your entire body.
Benefits
- Sabasana or dead body pose is a great stress reliever.
- It relaxes the entire nervous system and has a calming effect on body and mind.
- It is very invigorating
Pranayam
- Anulom Vilom orNadi Shodhan Pranayama is very useful in diabetes as it a has calming effect on nervous system, which reduces stress levels, aids diabetes treatment.
- Bhramari
- Bhastrika Pranayama Kapalbhati
Caution: All the asan is recommended to do under guided instruction.