Yoga is recognised as a therapeutic tool for promoting health and managing chronic diseases like diabetes, supported by scientific research. Obese individuals have successfully lost weight, leading to better diabetes control and metabolic improvements, such as reduced blood glucose and fatty acid levels, along with a decreased need for anti-diabetic medication. Certain yoga exercises benefit diabetic patients as they are simple, require no resources, and can be easily performed at home. They should be done on an empty stomach, either in the morning before breakfast or two hours after a meal. ‘Dhanurasana’, or the bow-like pose, involves lying face down on a mat. Bend your knees and grasp your ankles with both hands. Then, while keeping your legs extended, inhale and slowly lift your feet as high as possible. Simultaneously, also lift the face and chest as much as possible. Hold your breath on reaching the last position for a few seconds, then exhale and come back slowly to the normal position. This exercise can be done three to five times. Those with hernias or peptic ulcers should avoid this exercise. ‘Bhujangasana’ (position of a snake) - In this one, lie face down on a mat with your hands underneath your shoulders and your forehead touching the ground. Relax all your body muscles. Gradually lift the face and shoulders from the ground and take the head back as far as possible. Keeping the hands on the ground, try to lift the upper portion of the body slowly till the hands and arms become straight. In this position, the body resembles that of a snake. Stay in this position for a few seconds and then come back to normal. ‘Naukasana’ i.e. a position resembling a boat - sit straight with legs spread in front. Then while keeping the legs straight, move the arms to the side, mimicking rowing a boat. Movements should be both in a clockwise and anticlockwise direction. ‘Sarvangasana’ means exercise of all parts of the body – to do this, lie down straight on the ground on the mat. Keep hands on the side with fingers open. With the support of hands lift the legs gradually up till the body and legs are at right angles to the body. After remaining in this position for a few seconds, come back slowly to the pre-exercise position. ‘Pranayama’ means breathing exercises. These help to rejuvenate the body, and have multiple benefits, including diabetic control. They also help to improve mental concentration. One needs to sit straight, cross-legged, or with legs spread in front. Then with the ears closed with thumbs, spread fingers over the forehead. Take in a deep breath and utter a sound like, “Om”, which will produce vibrations in the ears, till the breath is exhausted. In another, the person will close a nostril with the thumb of one hand. Inhale breath from the other nostril and then occluding this nostril, remove the thumb and exhale from the other one. The number of times can be increased slowly up to 100, over time. ‘Shavasana’, meaning ‘position like a dead body’, is a stress-relieving exercise. Lie flat on your back with arms at your sides and legs spread apart. Close your eyes, breathe slowly and deeply, and focus on positive thoughts or recite a short prayer. This regulates the functioning of the internal organs and also helps in controlling diseases like hypertension and diabetes. Focused breathing while performing the exercise, i.e. inhaling while starting and exhaling while finishing the movement, adds to the benefits obtained. Rest for a few seconds should be taken in between each exercise to make the metabolism smooth. For achieving maximum benefit, regularity is key. Doing all these exercises very well would not take more than 30 minutes in the schedule of a person. One need not do all the exercises. Even doing one or two of them combined with relaxation would be useful. Begin exercises gradually, increasing duration over time. Movements should be smooth and performed only to a comfortable extent. Individuals with abdominal hernias, peptic ulcers, or any abdominal or spinal conditions should refrain from exercising until cleared by their doctor. Individuals with diabetes can benefit from regularly practicing these exercises. Spending some time in the morning or evening will yield positive results after a few months. Dr Rachna Pande is a specialist in internal medicine.
