What Is Diabetes And How It Occurs

Diabetes is one of the leading psychosomatic disorders all over the world and afflicts millions of people. In this condition your body is not able to generate or use insulin properly. This is the hormone, produced by the pancreas to help with the conversion of sugar, starches and other elements of food into energy. Diabetes could be the result of genetic factors and heredity. Then again, lack of adequate exercise, obesity, a sedentary lifestyle, stress and tension are also known to contribute to the development of this disease. Stress raises levels of glucose in the blood and increases the risk of strokes, heart diseases, and innumerable other ailments.

Symptoms of Diabetes

Initial symptoms of Diabetes are excessive urination, too much thirst and severe pangs of hunger, uncharacteristic weight loss, undue fatigue, irritability and blurred vision. Type I Diabetes can be treated with insulin shots, along with regular exercise, control of Blood Pressure and cholesterol. Type II Diabetes is normally treated with Diabetes medication, regular exercise, dietary changes, aspirin, and control of blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

Yoga for Diabetes consists of the following basic Asanas (Yoga Poses) and Pranayama (Breathing Exercises):

Asanas (Yoga Postures)

• Warm-Up Pose: Surya Namaskar (Sun Salutation)

• Sitting: Sukhasana (Easy Pose)

• Twist Yoga Poses: Ardha Matsyendrasana (Half Spinal Twist)

• Standing: Stand Spread Leg Forward Fold, Tadasana (Tree Pose)

• Supine: Single and Double Leg Raise

• Backbends: Matsyasana (Fish Pose)

• Final Relaxation: Shavasana (Corpse Pose)

Pranayama (Breathing Exercises)

• Mile Kapalabhati (Skull Cleansing)

• Anuloma-Viloma (Alternate Nostril Breathing)

Also watch your diet. As far as possible switch to a pure and simple, predominantly yogic diet, free from excess spice and sugar. Avoid alcohol and smoking as well as caffeinated beverages, excess tea and cocoa.

How Yoga Helps

Regular Yoga practice helps reduce levels of blood sugar, blood pressure and weight. This helps check the rate of progression of the disease, restricts and prevents complications and reduces their severity as well. To a great extent, you will see marked reduction in the symptoms and improvements in the quality of your life.

• Stress enhances Glucagons secretion. Glucagons are important hormones that normally help with carbohydrate metabolism but can be dangerous for diabetics because of their anti-insulin action. Yoga helps bring down stress, thus lessening glucagons and enhancing insulin action.

• Yoga induces weight loss which is a well accepted mechanism to combat diabetes.

• Yogic practices involve relaxation and improved blood supply to the whole body. This causes more glucose uptake and in the process reduces blood sugar levels.

• Yoga brings down levels of blood pressure that are known to cause diabetic and other complications. This is also true for high cholesterol levels.

• Yoga brings down blood levels of adrenaline, noradrenalin and cortisol. These are called stress hormones and, as a result there is a high likelihood of improved in insulin action.

A lot of the Yogic poses stimulate and exercise the pancreas. This helps improve the pancreatic function.