It is widely known that exercise helps combat the symptoms of diabetes. Along with nutrition modifications, it helps diabetics lead healthier lives thereby avoiding serious complications associated with the disease. Recommended forms of exercise vary according to a person’s interests and abilities. Exercise works to lower blood glucose or blood sugar levels by increasing the body’s sensitivity to insulin and using glucose as fuel. In addition, exercise can reduce stress level which has been linked to diabetes.
There are two types of stress, good and bad. Good stress is the kind that does not impact an individual’s physical or emotional health as bad stress does. A negative stressor causes the release of cortisol and glucagon. They impact blood sugar levels in the body. They raise blood sugar levels in opposition to insulin. Over time, the biochemical changes can promote the likelihood that insulin will be ineffective to lower and manage blood sugar levels in a diabetics. Exercise that not only works the cardiovascular system, but reduces stress level, therefore, is beneficial to diabetics.
One of the studies conducted to cure diabetes was the one set up by the Yoga Biomedical Trust, founded in 1982 by biochemist Dr Robin Monro, and an Indian yoga research foundation which discovered that practicing yoga for 30 minutes a day for one month helped reduce blood glucose levels in some diabetics.
It has been found that stress causes the release of toxic chemicals in the human body. Among those secreted are glucagon and cortisol. At the cellular level, they impact blood sugar in a negative way. They act in opposition of insulin, thereby increasing sugar levels in the blood. When a diabetic person is stressed out, a biochemical chain reaction causes higher levels of insulin resistant blood. That means the cell cannot convert the sugar into usable energy and the diabetics blood glucose level is high. Reducing the amount of stress as well as increasing the cell’s sensitivity to insulin go hand in hand when combating diabetes.
Participants of the study attended one or two 90-minute sessions per week. In addition, they were asked to practice for 30 minutes at home, daily. The center based classes included such poses as the spinal twist, the bow and abdominal breathing. Meditation and relaxation techniques were also incorporated for reducing stress. A control group was established to compare results between the yoga study participants and diabetics under typical conditions.
It has been known for a long time that exercise is helpful for diabetics. Yoga therapy may help reduce stress levels which could play a part in maturity onset diabetes. But one drawback is that some patients would find it hard to keep up the regular sessions needed to sustain the benefit. All the patients said they would like to see these classes set up on a permanent basis but we don’t have the money.
While yoga is not necessarily a rigorous physical exercise, its benefits are undeniable. The stress level reduction component is of utmost importance, as well as decreasing blood sugar levels. In addition, maintaining healthy respiratory, circulatory, and endocrinal systems are essential to everyone, especially those suffering from diabetes. Yoga has been found to do that and more. It may not be for everyone, but yoga is another alternative for living a health-conscious lifestyle while managing diabetes.