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Practicing Yoga Postures May Help Diabetics

Research in India Shows Promising Results

Many yoga experts believe that yoga postures may have a beneficial effect on diabetes. Recent research in India appears to support this concept, including results from the studies listed below.

  • In a New Delhi study of 149 non-insulin-dependent diabetics (NIDDM), sixty-nine percent of the respondents showed a fair to good response to yoga therapy. The study authors concluded that yoga was a simple and economical therapy useful for non-insulin dependent diabetics. 1

  • In another study from New Delhi on diabetes, researchers tried to find out if yoga asanas (postures) could help diabetes by releasing insulin from the pancreas. Twenty healthy young volunteers were given four sets of yoga postures to perform. The asanas given were:

    1) Dhanurasana (bow pose)
    Matsyendrasana (seated twist)

    2) Halasana (plow pose)
    Vajrasana (thunderbolt pose)

    3) Naukasana (boat pose)
    Bhujangasana (cobra pose)

    4) Setubandhasana (bridge pose)
    Pavanamuktasana (wind relieving pose)

    Each volunteer performed the above sets in random order for five days with a two day interval between consecutive sets of asanas. Based on blood test results, the authors found that performance of yoga postures led to improved "sensitivity of the b-Cells of the pancreas to the glucose signal." They concluded that this improvement in insulin sensitivity was due to the cumulative effect of the volunteers performing the postures. 2


  • In a 2005 study, 20 patients with type 2 diabetes were put on a 40 day yoga routine taught by an expert yoga teacher. The postures performed were:

    • Surya Namaskar (sun salutation)
    • Trikonasana (triangle pose)
    • Tadasana (mountain pose)
    • Sukhasana (easy pose)
    • Padmasana (lotus pose)
    • Bhastrika Pranayama (breathing exercise)
    • Pashimottanasana (posterior stretch)
    • Ardhmatsyendrasana (half spinal twist)
    • Pawanmuktasana (joint freeing series)
    • Bhujangasana (cobra pose)
    • Vajrasana (thunderbolt pose)
    • Dhanurasana (bow pose)
    • Shavasana (corpse pose)


    At the end of the 40 days of of performing the asanas, on average the study participants had a decrease in fasting glucose levels, a significant decrease in waist-hip ratio and beneficial changes in insulin levels. 3

In general, exercise is a well established treatment for diabetes. It helps lower blood sugar levels and is important for weight management. Exercise is also an important natural treatment for heart disease, a common condition that occurs along with diabetes. If the results of the studies noted above are correct, then performing yoga postures as part of a regular exercise routine may further help diabetics to increase insulin sensitivity and attain normal glucose metabolism.

Related Page:

Asanas for Hypothyroidism

References:

1. Jain SC, Uppal A, Bhatnagar SO, & Talukdar B,. "A study of response pattern of non-insulin dependent diabetics to yoga therapy." Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice, Jan:19(1)(1993): 69-74

2. Manjunatha S, Vempati RP, Ghosh D, Bijlani RL, "An investigation into the acute and long-term effects of selected yogic postures on fasting and postprandial glycemia and insulinemia in healthy young subjects." Indian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology, 2005 Jul-Sep;49(3):319-24

3. Malhotra V, Singh S, Tandon OP, Sharma SB, "The beneficial effect of yoga in diabetes." Nepal Medical College Journal, 2005 Dec;7(2):145-7

For Further Reading:

3. Stukin, Stacie, "Dealing with Diabetes", Yoga Journal, Web Site: http://www.yogajournal.com/health/563.cfm

4. Diabetes and Exercise, from the FamilyDoctor.org web site, http://familydoctor.org/351.xml

 

Disclaimer: The yoga poses and alternative health treatments presented in this web site are for general information and discussion purposes only and should not be used as a substitute for proper medical advice. Not all of the the yoga poses illustrated in this site will be suitable for all individuals, especially individuals with existing medical concerns. Consult your physician before beginning any yoga or other new exercise program, especially if you have any health concerns such as pregnancy, detached retina, glaucoma, back or neck pain, high blood pressure, heart disease, prior surgeries, etc. The Yoga Place and its owners do not assume responsibility for injuries suffered while practicing these techniques. Read the rest of our disclaimer and terms of use.