Yoga For Diabetes – 7 Poses to Change Your Life

Yoga for diabetes is a practice that can help those living with diabetes better manage their symptoms and risks. If you have been diagnosed with the condition, it’s important to know how this ancient Eastern tradition may aid in your overall well-being.

Aerobic exercise is a major part of your routine when it comes to diabetes management. Having an active lifestyle that includes regular exercise is one of the best ways to manage blood sugar levels, reduce the amount of medication you take, and even help you live longer.

If your diabetes has progressed to a stage where you’re no longer able to continue with moderate-intensity activities, however, you may need to consider adding another form of aerobic exercise. Thankfully, yoga is great for everybody!

What is Diabetes?

Diabetes is a disease that is caused by a problem with your body’s ability to make, store, and use the hormone insulin. As a result, your blood sugar levels become too high. Without regular monitoring, many people will eventually lose their sight, kidneys, and limbs.

Diabetes type 1 is not known to have an exact cause. In the pancreas, your immune system attacks and destroys insulin-producing cells – normally fighting harmful bacteria or viruses. The result is that you have little or no insulin. Your bloodstream builds up sugar instead of transporting it to your cells.

Genetic susceptibility and environmental factors are thought to contribute to Type 1, though they aren’t completely understood. It’s believed that Type 1 diabetes is not related to obesity.

Is Yoga Actually Good For Diabetes?

Physical activity is a big part of staying healthy with diabetes. And regular exercise is one of the best types of physical movement.

Yoga can be a good choice if you’re looking for something that’s gentler on your joints and won’t leave you huffing and puffing. Most types of yoga aren’t aerobic, which is when your heart beats faster and your body uses more oxygen.

A healthy and balanced person will be able to accommodate the appropriate amount of rest and activity in order to maintain a disease-free state. Being well-rested and active provides the body with energy that reduces stress levels. Yoga promotes peace, calmness, and wellness which help people cope with daily stresses that come from school, work, relationships, etc.

Yoga has garnered much attention in the United States, particularly due to its benefits in stress relief and anxiety relief. In fact, yoga postures and asanas ensure a better posture while also promoting overall joint health and flexibility.  These physical postures form the basis of both Hatha yoga and Ashtanga vinyasa yoga, among others. They can be performed at home or in a yoga studio. Some forms of Yoga practice involve a meditation on certain thoughts, recitations of verses from sacred texts, or just quiet time spent appreciating one’s surroundings. Yoga is the discipline of aligning oneself with the ultimate truth, through one’s actions, thoughts, and speech.

Doing yoga for diabetes can actually help because yoga is great for the heart, lowering blood pressure and blood sugar.

Yoga For Diabetes – 7 Poses!

The following poses are recommended for those who suffer from or are at risk of developing diabetes. You might also find them helpful if you have been coping with the disease for some time already. Regular practice may even help reduce your risk of other complications, such as heart disease.

1) Downward-facing Dog

The “downward dog” pose is probably the most well-known yoga pose, and it’s great if you have diabetes. It opens up your hips and your shoulders, stretching out the muscles in the back of your upper legs, hips, and buttocks. It keeps your spine flexible and strong so that none of the nerve endings that support your senses are compressed or squeezed.

2) Plank Pose

The plank pose is a super-charged version of the downward-facing dog, as it requires you to hold yourself in position on elbows rather than on hands. This makes it more challenging to hold yourself steady and perfectly aligned with gravity’s pull than in a downward-facing dog.

3) Child’s Pose

In the child’s pose, lengthen out your spine and release tension in your shoulders and upper back. This pose specifically helps relieve morning stiffness and stiffness caused by hunching over a computer screen all day.

4) Upward facing Dog

The upward-facing dog may look simple, but it places much more pressure on your hips than the downward dog. It’s great for toning up your gluteal muscles, which can lead to greater strength in your legs.

5) Warrior 1 Pose

This pose strengthens the legs and improves circulation. It stretches out your inner thighs, quads, and hip flexors. You can do this pose anywhere whenever you feel stiff, tired, or in need of energy.

6) The Locust Pose

This pose works the ab and lowers back muscles, especially if your toes are pointed and you press your hands on the floor. It can reduce pain in the lower back, which often affects people with diabetes. The Locust pose also protects you from injury in other poses because it builds up core strength and flexibility.

7) Savasana

Savasana is a relaxation that is typically performed at the end of yoga classes to calm an agitated mind. When done at home or even in between yoga classes, it can help you deal with stress so you can focus on practicing other poses more effectively.

Conclusion

Yoga is one of the best natural ways to keep your body healthy. Exercise is a key element in diabetes management and with proper diet, yoga can be used as an effective method to lower blood sugar levels and manage blood pressure.

Make sure you check back soon for more articles on how yoga can help you live a healthier and more active life!

If you want to keep learning everything about yoga, here is our entire yoga article bundle:

8 Amazing Poses in Yoga for Posture

9 Poses For Losing Fat – Yoga Asanas for Weight Loss

7 Poses in Yoga for Neck and Shoulder Pain

5 Solid Reasons Why You Need Yoga For Strength And Flexibility!

9 Incredible Benefits of Yoga for Mental Health

7 Best Yoga for Asthma Poses – Increase Your Lung Capacity!

Begin Yoga for Belly Fat Reduction – 10 Best Poses for Weight Loss!

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