Yoga is not only about relaxing the body and mind, but this type of movement can do a lot more for you, especially if you live with diabetes. Certain yoga poses have the ability to help lower blood pressure and blood sugar and improve circulation. Some experts even encourage the practice of yoga for diabetes.
Yoga for Diabetes: Is it Effective?
Yoga and other mind-body therapies are helpful in managing lifestyle-related diseases, including diabetes.
Managing stress is one of the keys to diabetes treatment. When we’re stressed, our blood sugar levels rise, increasing our risk of serious diabetes complications like heart disease.
Thanks to stretching exercises combined with breathing regulation, yoga will create a relaxation response not only physically but also mentally. This response helps regulate levels of cortisol and other stress hormones.
Incorporating the practice of yoga for diabetes into everyday life helps achieve blood sugar control goals and reduces the risk of complications in people with this condition.
Yoga Exercises for Diabetics
Some yoga for diabetes exercises that you can try include:
1. Put your feet on the wall
This leg rest will allow the muscles to relax, and reduce tension in the lower body, which in turn can help lower blood pressure and blood sugar while soothing headaches and boosting energy levels.
Do:
- Lie opposite the wall
- Raise your legs up like a banana tree, trying to lean against the wall from butt to heel
- If you cannot fully straighten your legs, you can place a soft pillow or blanket under your buttocks for support
- Breathe slowly, trying to stay in the pose for 10-15 minutes
2. Fixed angle position lying on the back
This is a restorative pose that can help calm the nervous system. This yoga for diabetes exercise also helps reduce stress levels, which in turn lowers blood pressure and blood sugar.
Do:
- Lie on your back, then slowly bend your knees, bringing your heels together to form a fixed angle on the floor
- Try to bring your heels closer to your groin/buttocks
- Place your palms near your hips and close to the floor. Exhale, tighten abs
- Hold this pose for 1 minute
3. The posture of bending forward
This is a flexion stretch pose with the aim of helping to relax the body. In addition to lowering blood pressure and promoting weight loss, this pose can also help you fight fatigue.
Do:
- Sit on the floor, straighten your legs
- You can put a thin pillow under the knee joint to make the movement easier
- Slowly bend the lower back down until your head touches the knee
- Try to keep your knees straight, pressing your body to the floor
- Hold your ankles with both hands or cross your hands to hug your feet to make it easier to bend
- Hold from this position for 10-20 seconds or as long as possible.
4. Candle pose
The candle pose is quite useful. It can help improve blood circulation and stimulate the thyroid gland, calm the mind as well as assist you to repel stress.
Do:
- Lie flat on the yoga mat, hands down on the legs, palms facing down
- Lift your legs up firmly, using your hands to support your hips
- Try to raise your legs upright
- Breathe evenly
- Hold the pose for about 30 seconds
5. Upside down dog pose
Upside down dog pose helps relieve sciatica pain, depression and dispels fatigue effectively. When the mind is at ease, blood pressure, as well as blood sugar, will become more stable.
Do:
- Lie face down on the floor. The instep of the foot is facing the floor, the hands are placed along the body
- Take a deep breath, gently bend your elbows, place your palms next to your ribs
- Press your palms to the floor, gently lifting your upper body. The weight of the body will now be on the tops of the toes and hands
- Eyes look forward, your head can be tilted slightly back
- Make sure your wrists are in line with your shoulders, and your neck is not stretched too much
- Try to stay in this position for 30 seconds, then slowly exhale and release
6. Sitting posture twisting the spine
Incorporating the seated twisting posture into yoga for diabetes will stimulate the circulation of the abdominal organs, which can help lower blood sugar. Besides, this pose will improve digestion and increase energy levels.
Do:
- Sit on the floor, keep your back straight, legs straight
- Bend the right leg and place it on the left thigh, bend the left leg and place it on the lower part of the right thigh. Two hands next to hips
- Breathe deeply, keeping your back straight. Exhale, turn your upper body to the left as much as possible, right hand on the floor, left hand on the right thigh. Always make sure your butt touches the floor
- Slowly inhale and exhale rhythmically, keeping your back straight, feeling the impact on your hips and waist
- Head looking straight over the shoulder, hold the pose for about 30 seconds to 1 minute
- Exhale, slowly return to the starting position, regulate the breath
- Repeat with the opposite side
Performing yoga exercises for people with diabetes not only helps you better control the condition, but also promotes health in many different ways. Please consult with your doctor about the right type of exercise for your condition as well as the most appropriate nutrition.
Learn more about Diabetes here.
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