Yoga For Diabetic Patients

Maintaining optimal blood sugar levels in diabetes is not as difficult as preventing occurrence of other diseases due to diabetes. It is therefore very important for the diabetic patients to have a strong immune system and well regulated blood sugar in the system.

Yoga helps in getting it all done well. There are three main yoga asanas that significantly helps diabetic patients.

First asana is Dhanursana. The body resembles an archer`s bow in this position. In this, the legs and the torso look like a bow and the arms resemble the string of the bow.

The second asana is Paschimostasana. It is a very simple asana. All you need to do it to sit with your legs stretched outwards and straight. By bending forwards, hold the toes of your feet. Maintain this position by exhaling and inhaling a few times. Then after a final exhale, return back to the original position. Repeat it three times at least.

The third asana is called Pavan Muktasana. It means “winds relieving pose”. This is an interesting asana in which you will need to lie down straight and then while inhaling bring legs at a 90 degree angle to the rest of the body. Bend legs at knees press them towards the chest by exhaling.

This is done by forming a finger lock just a little below the knees and then pressing the things and knees toward the chest. Remain in this position by counting till 10 then release and come back to normal position. Repeat it at least four times.

Although it has not been proven how these asana works to help the diabetic patients but there are some suggested explanations. The secretions glucagon and insulin which regulate the blood sugar levels are released by the pancreas. Yoga positions helps in stretching this organs and this action is believed to stimulate its function.

Blood pressure has an important role in development of diabetes. Regular practice of these yoga asanas help in keeping blood pressure normal.  The function of insulin, which brings down excess blood sugar levels, is enhanced with decrease in “stress hormones” like adrenaline and cortisol by these asana.