Yoga can do a lot more than merely relax your body in mind — especially if you’re living with diabetes. Certain yoga asanas may assist with lowering blood pressure and blood sugar levels while improving circulation as well. This leads many experts to recommend yoga for diabetes management. Regular practice may even assist to reduce your risk for other complications of diabetes, such as heart disease.
What Are The Benefits Of Yoga Asanas For Diabetes?
Individuals have practised yoga for thousands of years. In addition, it has gained mainstream popularity in recent years. Yoga may assist with improving physical and mental well-being by the following:
- Lowering Stress Levels
In addition to strengthening the body, practising yoga asanas can also boost a person’s mental well-being. Some evidence makes the suggestion that stress plays a role in the onset and management of diabetes. Thus, managing stress levels may also assist a person to manage diabetes.
- Improving Emotional Well-Being
Practicing yoga asanas can help people to learn deep breathing skills as well as develop the mind-body connection. It is a format of mindfulness which helps people stay in the present moment. Also, it may reduce anxiety and improve emotional well-being.
- Boosting Strength And Balance
Yoga involves a number of asanas which aim to help improve a person’s strength, flexibility as well as balance. One study suggests that improving strength may assists with reducing liver fat and improving blood glucose levels in individuals with obesity and diabetes. Some individuals with diabetes experience peripheral neuropathy owing to nerve damage. In some cases, this may affect muscle strength and mobility. Building up strength through exercise may assist people manage these effects.
- Protecting Heart Health
The American Heart Association (AHA) cites a number of reasons why yoga is good for health, including heart health. They cite a study in which individuals with a type of atrial fibrillation practised yoga and breathing exercises. After 12 weeks, the participants experienced a lower heart rate in addition to lower blood pressure as opposed to those people who did not practise yoga.
Examples Of Yoga Asanas
Marjariasana
To do the Urdhva Mukhi Marjari asana, come on your knees and put your palms under shoulders and knees under hips. Inhale and curve your spine to look up. For Adho Mukhi Marjari Asana, breathe out and round your back and then drop your chin to chest. Focus your gaze on your navel region.
Paschimottanasana
Also known by the name seated forward bend, start the yoga asana by stretching your legs forward while ensuring that your knees are bent slightly. Raise your arms upward and make sure that you keep your spine erect. Exhale and then bend forward at the hip, putting your upper body on your lower body. Attempt to hold your big toes with your fingers. Pregnant women should not practise this asana. In addition, those suffering from slip disc, sciatica or asthma should also avoid doing this apart from ulcer patients.
Balasana
It is also known as Child’s Pose. In order to perform this asana, kneel down on mat and then sit on your heels. Breathe in and raise arms above head, exhale and gently bend your upper body forward. Put your forehead on the floor resting your pelvis on the heels. Don’t hunch your back.
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