10 yoga poses for diabetes

Practicing yoga regularly does not only keep you fit physically but mentally as well. It improves your overall health by reducing stress and relaxing your mind.

For those with diabetes or pre-diabetes, inculcating yoga in their daily routine along with other healthy lifestyle habits can provide relief from diabetes symptoms and even help overcome the condition.

Yoga for diabetes includes the postures and breathing exercises that target and stimulate the pancreas. By improving the blood flow in the pancreas, these postures rejuvenate the organ’s cells and improve the body's ability to produce insulin.

Several studies have confirmed that when heavily diabetic people practised yoga along with medical care, their symptoms improved tremendously.

Here’s is a list of few asanas that can help improve your diabetic symptoms:

To perform this asana, stand with your arms down by the side of your thighs and feet flat on the floor. Tuck your tailbone in and extend your arms up joining your palms above your head, while inhaling. Exhale slowly while bringing your arms back and relax.

Come down on your four. Your knees should be directly below your hips and your hands should be slightly ahead of your shoulders. Next, exhale and lift both your knees away from the floor, pointing the hips towards the ceiling and pressing the tailbone as far away from the hands as possible. Your body will make an upside down V-shape pose. Try to press your hands and feet on the floor and keep most of the weight on your legs and not on the arms. It’s okay if your heels cannot touch the floor. Relax by slowly bending down your knees on the floor.

This pose is comparatively easy to perform and you can do it between other challenging asanas. Start by sitting on the floor in Vajrasana. Now lower the head down on the mat by resting your belly on the top of your thighs. If you are a beginner, your head might not touch the mat, but that’s okay. Stretch your hands forward, with your palms touching the front of the mat, right in front of your head. Hold the position for 10-20 seconds (as comfortable).

Start by lying on your back, with your knees bent and feet flat. With your heels firmly placed on the mat, lift your tailbone up such that your hips and lower back are off the mat. Place your hands under your hips and lace the fingers together. Use your glute muscles, hamstrings and abdomen to hold your bottom and back up. Release your fingers and slowly lower your tailbone back down.

Lie down on your stomach. Now slowly lift your knees from the mat by putting pressure on your hands. Your body should form a straight line from head to heels. Your shoulders should be right above your wrist. The position will look similar to a push-up position. Hold the position for a few seconds by keeping your abdominals engaged and then slowly relax.

Stand with your feet flat on the floor and hands by your side. Raise the left knee up swinging it out to the side. Rest the bottom of the left foot on the inside of the right leg below the knee. You can keep your hand in the prayer position in front of your chest or join them above your head. Repeat with the other leg.

Lie flat on your stomach and place your forehead on the floor. Your feet can be together or hip-width apart. Press the floor with the top of your feet. With your hands on your sides, raise your head by lifting your chest off the floor. Hold the pose for 3 -5 breaths. Exhale and lower your back on the ground.

To begin, sit on the floor in a comfortable position with your legs stretched out. Slowly bend your knees sit on your buttocks, interlock your leg toes. Your spine and neck should be straight. Relax your shoulders and place your palm on your knees. Take deep breaths while maintaining the pose. Hold the post for 1-2 minutes and relax.

Lie flat on your back with your arms on the sides and palms facing down. Focus on relaxing your body by inhaling through your nose and exhaling through your mouth. Perform the asana in the end after performing all the asanas.