Alternative Therapies

Yoga has proved to be very effective in curing diabetes. Two of the postures that help patients to control the causes of diabetics are Dhanurasana and Pashchimottasana. Practicing it rejuvenates the production of insulin by the pancreas through alternative abdominal contractions and relaxations.

Dhanurasana

In sanskrit, “dhanus” stands for “bow”; and “dhanurasana” is the “bow-like posture”. In this posture, your body will resemble a tightly drawn bow.

1. Lie on your belly with hands on the sides of your body. Let the palms face up.
2. Exhale, and bend your knees as much as you can. Try bringing your heels as close as you can to your buttocks. Without widening the knees too much, catch hold of your ankle.
3. Inhale and lift your thighs away from the floor. Bend your head, chest and neck backwards. You will be in a bow-like posture. 
4. Hold your breath for 5 seconds and then breathe out.  
5. As you exhale, pull your legs backward.

Paschimottanasana ( seated forward bend) literally means “stretch of the west”. It was practiced by yogis early in the morning, facing the sun.

1. While sitting, stretch your legs straight in front of you and keep them close to each other.
2. Exhale. Try to touch your feet by slowly bending forward. See to it that you do not bend your knees. Focus on bringing the chest forward and not on bringing head to the ground.

Some other postures effective in controlling diabetes are:  Padangusthansana (Standing crane, Nindra kokkuasana), Bhujangasana (Serpent pose, Paambuasana), Sarvangasana (Shoulder stand), Ardha-matsyendrasana (Spinal twist), Halasana (Plough pose, Kalapoy asana), Yoga mudrasana (Yogic Symbol pose), Supta Vajrasana (Sitting pose of Firmness), Chakrasana (Wheel pose) and Shalabhasana (Grasshopper pose, Vittelasana).