Diabetes mellitus a very common term we all here now a days. 1 out of every 5 people is diabetic in today’s life. Reasons for diabetes could be Obesity or Stress, and sometimes both. In both these cases, Yoga is of utmost help.
Obesity and Yoga
Let’s talk about obesity first. Obesity may be a reference to either central obesity or overweight or gynoid obesity. In each of these cases, the yoga asanas differ though, to lose weight, 1 hour of yoga daily is enough. In today’s fast-paced life, a person may not get 1 hour to go to a yoga Studio, do exercise and get back to work.
Office Yoga
So, let’s talk about and see some exercises that can be done at any time of the day. These can be done in the office also. Yes, you heard it right, an office is also a place where you can do some twisting asanas and lose abdominal fat.
Twisting in chair
This can be done 4 times a day as well. If you have a small place in your work place, you can keep a Yoga mat there, and do some twisting asanas like Marichasan Asana. Twisting along with breathing helps reduce belly fat, if done regularly.
Bending
A few forward and backward bends also help. This asana reduces the belly fat, fat from the waist and back and tones up the abdominal muscles. it also improves the flexibility of the spine.
Kapalbhatti
Let’s not forget that a change in lifestyle and some healthy food habits are also required for fast and better effects. The most important thing to reduce belly fat is Kapalbhati. This is not a pranayama but a shudhi kriya, which is the very first thing to be done in the morning. This helps to massage the internal organs, to make them work well and also helps reduce the fats accumulated around the abdomen. Kapalbhati is force full Exhalation with passive inhalation. This has to be done on at least 3 hours empty stomach, that’s why to be done in the morning. Kapalbhatti can be done at any time of the day, provided the person has not had anything to eat atleast 3 hrs. prior to doing this. Kapalbhati has to be learnt under the supervision of an expert and then can be done every day.
Stress and Diabetes
Now let us talk about Stress related diabetes. Regular practice of yoga helps in reducing the blood sugar levels. Along with the asanas, pranayama also helps to get blood sugar levels to normal.
स्थिरसुखमासनम्
This means you have be comfortable in the asana, this will be possible only if you enjoy the asana. To increase the concentration and be in the present, you need to do some balancing asanas like Vrikshasan, Natarajan, Ardhachandrasan etc Balancing asanas not only increases Concentration but helps the person to be in present situation, not wavering their mind.
तस्मिन् सति श्वासप्रश्वास्योर्गतिविच्छेदः प्राणायामः
Once harmony with the physical body is achieved, you need to pay attention to your breath, to harmonize your energy by deep inhalation and slow exhalation (pranayam). If you inhale in 4 counts, you should exhale in 6 counts. While doing this attention is to be paid to exclusively to your breath (this is a part of mediation). All this once learned properly can be done on your own.
The sequence for this is
- Kapalbhati
- Asanas
- Pranayama
Doing this at least 3 days a week, helps reduce blood sugar levels. If done for a longer period of time, keeps the BSL normal.