Sunday's yoga pose for diabetes

Although yoga cannot cure diabetes, it can complement the lifestyle changes which are necessary to keep your diabetes under control. It also helps in keeping you in good health and well-being. Yoga can create a life that is full, happy, healthy and balanced. If you want to lose weight, yoga helps you build up concentration and willpower, which makes it easier to stay on a weight-loss program. Yoga exercises gently tone and also improve circulation, particularly to the extremities. Yoga exercises in combination with relaxation training, reduces blood pressure. Yoga exercises reduce the harmful effects of physical and mental stress.

SUN SALUTATION
Sun salutation is a very good exercise for diabetics because it increases the blood supply to various parts of body and thus improves insulin administration in the body. All the benefits of exercise are achieved if four rounds are practiced per minute.

ASANAS
Asanas are beneficial in treatment of diabetes. Due to various twists, stretches and strains in the body, the internal organs are stretched and subjected to strain. They increase the blood supply, oxygen supply to the organs and thus increasing the efficiency and functioning of the organs. Stretching various glands result in increased efficiency of the endocrine system. During asanas, there is a direct influence of the pancreatic secretion by rejuvenation of the pancreatic cell. There is reduction in blood sugar due to muscular exercise performed in the asanas. During yogic asanas various postures are maintained. The best time for yogic asanas is early mornings and evenings. Generally, yogic exercises are performed on an empty stomach or there should be a gap of at least half an hour after a light snack and/or three hours after a full meal. It has been recommended that people who suffer from diabetes can eat something immediately after performing exercises. The asanas should be done in an area that is clean, airy and far away from noise pollution. The person should be wearing light, loose and airy clothes. During performing yogic exercise, you should sit on the floor. Generally, the word Parmatma means the universal soul. You should start with simple movements and positions before progressing into more complicated postures. You should focus on the breath during the maintenance period of the posture, with the eyes closed or focused on a point. This helps to focus the mind and the proper way to manage stress and tensions in the body. The postures found to be effective in the control and cure of various diseases are as follow.



Paschimottanasana or Posterior –stretching pose (shown above)
It is a very good stretching exercise in which the posterior muscles are stretched and relaxed. The main advantages of this exercise is that a) It calms the brain and helps relieves stress and milk depression (b) It stretches the spine, shoulders (c) It improves digestion (d) It stimulates the liver, kidneys, ovaries and uterus (e) It helps in relieving the symptoms of menopause and menstrual discomfort (f) It soothes headache and anxiety and reduces fatigue (g) This exercise also increases appetite, reduces obesity and cures diabetes.

Paschimottanasana is contraindicated in patients with Asthma, Back Injury and Diarrhea.

Step by step procedure of performing this exercise.
•You should sit on the floor with buttocks supported on a folded blanket.
•Stretch the legs out in front, keeping them close to each other.
•Bend the trunk and head forward from the waist without bending the knees and clasp the big toes with the fingers of the hand.
•While holding the toes and without bending the knees, the person should rest his forehead on his knees.
•This final pose is held for a four seconds.
•Then the person should return to the starting position very slowly.


***Any pregnant women and people who suffer from low back pain and/or a slipped disc should not perform this exercise.