Yoga for Diabetes

Diabetes is a disease that occurs when your blood glucose, also called blood sugar, is too high. Blood glucose is your main source of energy and comes from the food you eat. Insulin, a hormone made by the pancreas, helps glucose from food get into your cells to be used for energy.

In Yoga there are some asanas and breathing exercises which helps an individual to cure diabetes and these are-

1.       Mandukasana

                         

How to perform Mandukasana?

  

·         Assume Vajraasana, and then make fist of both the hands by pressing the thumb inside with the help of fingers.

·         Exhale and place the fists on your naval and gently press while bending the body forward.

·         Inhale and hold the pose while looking forward, and ensure that your chest should touch the thighs.

·         Stay in the pose for 30-60 seconds while breathing slowly, release, and repeat the same for 3-5 times.

2.      Vakraasana

How to perform Vakraasana?

·         Sit on the ground with your legs extended in front of you.

·         Bend the right leg at the knee and place the right foot near the left knee, sole touching the ground.

·         ­Twist the body at the hip and place your left hand on the ground near the right foot so that the right leg is between the left arm and the left leg.

·         Place your right hand on the ground behind your back. Right hand should be straight and the head should be tilted towards the right. In this posture, the left foot, both the shoulders and right arm should be in one line. The weight of the entire body should be on the buttocks.

·         Likewise practice on the other side of the body (left side)

·         Breathe in while rotating your body. While coming to the normal position, breathe out.

3.       Ardha Matsyendrasana­­

How to perform Ardha Matsyendrasana?

·         Sit erect with your legs stretched out. Make sure that your feet are placed together and your spine is absolutely erect.

·         Now, bend your left leg such that the heel of the left foot lies next to the right hip. You could also keep the left leg stretched out if you like.

·         Then, place the right leg next to the left knee by taking it over the knee.

·         Twist your waist, neck, and shoulders towards the right, and set your gaze over your right shoulder. Make sure your spine is erect.

·         There are many ways you can place your arms to increase and decrease the stretch. But to do it simply, you can place the right hand behind you, and the left hand on the right knee.

·         Hold the pose for a few seconds, about 30 to 60 as you breathe slowly, yet deeply.

·         Exhale and release the right hand, and then the waist, chest, and finally the neck. Relax as you sit straight.

·         Repeat the steps on the other side, and then exhale and come back to the front.

Breathing Exercises

Anulom Vilom

·         Always sit in Sukhasana with your hands resting sideways on the knees.

·         You can also sit in Padmasana. 

·         If you begin from the left then close the right nostril with your right thumb and inhale slowly to fill up your lungs.

·         Now, exhale slowly from the right nostril. 

·         It is essential to focus on your breath and practice the technique slowly.

·         Repeat 60 times or for 5 minutes. You can do this any time of the day.

Kapalbhati

·         Sit comfortably with your spine erect. Place your hands on the knees.

·         Take a deep breath in.

·         As you exhale, pull your stomach. Pull your navel in back towards the spine. Do as much as you comfortably can. You may keep your right hand on the stomach to feel the abdominal muscles contract.

·         As you relax the navel and abdomen, the breath flows into your lungs automatically.

·         Take 20 such breaths to complete one round of Kapal Bhati Pranayama.

·         After completing the round, relax with your eyes closed and observe the sensations in your body.

·         Can do more rounds also

*Heart patients should avoid Kapalbhati.

These asanas are great way of dealing and preventing many of the common diseases we all are facing, so keep practicing yoga, and keep uplifting its benefits to the most throughout your life.