Diabetes is a chronic disease characterized by high glucose levels in the blood. Glucose is an essential source of energy for the cells that support your muscles and tissues, but an overabundance of glucose can cause serious health problems. Pranayama Yoga, which focuses on breath control to restore balance in the body, may provide health benefits for diabetics. Pranayama Yoga has become a popular alternative treatment for the symptoms and management of diabetes.
Diabetes
More than 25 million adults and children in the United States have been diagnosed with diabetes as of 2011, according to the American Diabetes Association. The pancreas makes a hormone called insulin that helps carry glucose into the muscles, fat and liver to be transformed into fuel for the body. Insufficient production of insulin and the development of insulin-resistant cells can cause high levels of glucose in the bloodstream, resulting in diabetes. Your physician may diagnose you with diabetes if your fasting glucose level is consistently higher than 120 on lab results. Symptoms of diabetes include excessive thirst, increased urination, fatigue and blurred vision. You can treat diabetes with exercise, dietary changes, medication and insulin injections.
Yoga
Yoga is an ancient practice based on a series of movements, stretches and poses called postures. Pranayama Yoga focuses on the breathing aspect of yoga and offers benefits such as stress reduction, improved focus and increased relaxation for diabetics in addition to physical benefits. In yoga, air represents your life force, which is commonly called Prana. Pranayama Yoga teaches you how to control your breathing and use air to retain and control vital energy. By controlling Prana, you can balance the mind, body and spirit, resulting in a more balanced state of health. There are different kinds of Pranayama Yoga, but the main focus is on controlled breathing as a way to restore balance in the body.
Benefits
Yoga can be used as a form of exercise for diabetic patients to help reduce blood sugar levels, increase physical stamina and improve circulation. Yoga also increases blood flow and oxygen to the muscles, which increases insulin sensitivity in the cells. In addition, yoga is believed to have a stimulating effect on the inner organs, including pancreatic cells. Because stress can increase certain hormones in the body, the stress-reducing effects of Pranayama Yoga are believed to have a direct effect on blood sugar levels affected by these hormones. Pranayama Yoga also helps lower blood pressure in diabetics with hypertension, a common complication of diabetes that can increase your risk of heart disease and death.
Considerations
Pranayama Yoga can help in the treatment of diabetes and other illnesses, but you should check with your doctor before beginning any exercise program. Some yoga positions may not be safe for certain health conditions, and proper form is important to prevent injuries and muscle sprains while practicing yoga. For best results, attend a yoga class for diabetics to learn the proper technique under the supervision of a professional instructor.
References
- PubMed Health: Diabetes; May 2010
- The Yoga Site: Introduction to Pranayama and Yogic Breathing
- American Diabetes Association: Diabetes Statistics 2011
- National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse: Your Guide to Diabetes
- The Network Journal: Yoga Helps Combat Diabetes and Heart Disease: Shannon C. Johnson; August 2010
