by Ms.Uma Sakthy,
Senior Executive Dietitian, Dr Mohan’s Diabetes Specialities Centre

Our major concern for diabetes is the long-term complications that can arise when blood sugars are consistently high. Type 2 diabetes can lead to complications like retinopathy (damage to the retina in the eye), neuropathy (damaged nerves found in your hands or feet), chronic kidney disease, heart attack, stroke, and even foot ulcers leading to amputation. High blood sugars leave people suffering from cognitive impairment as a complication if they continue untreated.

There are many lifestyle-related causes of diabetes. Issues like physical inactivity, impaired sleep, depression, and other factors like stress can lead to type 2 diabetes. Yoga interventions can reduce the risk by providing a complementary treatment that employs preventative and management strategies.

What are the effects of stress on diabetes?

Stress can make it harder for people with diabetes to regulate their blood sugar. When someone with diabetes is stressed, hormones are released that cause the person’s blood sugar levels to rise.

Yoga turns out to be important for people with diabetes. It can help you focus on your breathing and blood sugar control, and also builds strength and flexibility.

In this article, we’ll go over what Yoga is and the benefits of practising it. Not only does practising yoga help with diabetes management, but it can also help you become healthier in general.

How can yoga help with diabetes?

Yoga helps manage blood sugar levels and relieve stress. Yoga can help manage blood sugar levels by increasing insulin sensitivity. Insulin is a hormone that helps to regulate blood sugar levels. When insulin sensitivity is increased, it means that the body is better able to use insulin to keep blood sugar levels under control. Yoga facilitates feelings of calmness and relaxation in individuals through different poses and regulated breathing techniques.

In India, Yoga is used to control lifestyle-related disorders such as diabetes, hypertension, and chronic diseases. It has been proven to have a number of physical benefits and psychological effects in subjects that are suffering from type 2 diabetes mellitus. Yoga helps with hormonal activation, improved levels of happiness, relaxation techniques, meditation and breathing techniques that can all contribute to lowering blood sugar levels and improving the management of comorbid disease conditions associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus. These findings both have significant positive clinical outcomes.

Yoga can be a helpful form of exercise for people with diabetes, with all sorts of poses being beneficial. However, some types may be more helpful than others.

What type of yoga should you do for diabetes?

Hatha yoga is beneficial to people with diabetes because it focuses on balanced postures. Hatha yoga has the goal of bringing balance to the body.

People with type 2 diabetes who practice Hatha yoga can experience lower blood sugar levels and improved insulin resistance.

Other types of yoga that could be beneficial for people with diabetes include Kundalini and Bikram. Kundalini focuses on breath work and meditation, while Bikram is a more strenuous form of yoga and is performed in a hot room.

Before starting yoga, be sure to talk to a specialist.

Yoga poses for people with diabetes:

With the help of yoga, diabetics can improve insulin sensitivity and also lower their blood sugar levels. To do the Half Camel Pose, start on your hands and knees, arch your back, and then reach behind your back to touch your head. Hold this pose for a few deep breaths before returning to starting position.

Half camel pose

Warrior 3 Pose

Hatha yoga Pose

Kundalini Yoga

Bikram Yoga Poses

One helpful two-legged pose is the Warrior III. This pose helps with balance and coordination to prevent falls, both of which are particularly important for people with diabetes. To do the Warrior III, stand in a standing position with your feet hip distance apart. Lift one leg to be behind you or lifted and lean forward from your hips until your body would form this shape up top. Hold this pose for a few deep breaths before returning to the standing position and repeating it on the other side.

Yoga can control your blood sugar levels and keep you in optimal health. Yoga is not the only option to improve your health, but it is a great way to do so.