HYDERABAD: Prevention is always better than cure. And when it comes to combating lifestyle diseases like diabetes, prevention needs to become a way of life. In recent years, diabetes has proven to be a growing challenge for India. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has estimated that nearly 8.7 per cent of Indians aged between 20-70 years are diabetic. As it turns out, for India the solution may be found in its home-grown practice of yoga.
A recent pan-India study published by the American Diabetes Association identifies that including yoga in everyday routine can bring down the risk of acquiring diabetes among high-risk patients. Conducted by the Swami Vivekananda Yoga Anusandhana Samsthana (S-VYASA), Bengaluru, the study comprised a sample of 3,366 individuals with a high risk of diabetes. The study group was asked to live a yoga-based lifestyle for three months
At the end of the study period, it was found that 52 per cent of the individuals had better HbA1C values (average levels of blood sugar over the last two to three months). Moreover, the risk of developing diabetes was lowered by half, when compared to the group of individuals without a yoga intervention in their lifestyle.
While 11.2 per cent of the high-risk patients subject to a yoga-based lifestyle, actually developed diabetes during the course of study, 21.6 per cent of the control group, continuing a regular lifestyle without any yoga intervention, had developed diabetes. The yoga-based intervention was found to be beneficial for people with Body Mass Index in the normal as well as overweight/obese categories.
ASANAS TO CHECK YOUR SUGAR LEVELS
The one-hour routine taken up to study the effects of yoga on people with high risk of diabetes, included
Preparatory asanas (6 mins)
a) Urdhahasthashavasan
b) Kati-shakti Vikasaka
c) Forward and backward bending
d) Sarvangapushti
Surya namaskara (9 mins)
a) 10-step Surya namaskara - six rounds
b) 12-step Surya namaskara - one round
Asanas - one minute per asana (15 mins)
a) Standing position
Trikonasana, Pravitta trikonasana, Padhastanasana
b) Supine posture
Jatara parivartanasana, Pavanamuktasana, Viparitakarni
c) Prone posture
Bhujangasana, Dhanurasana, Pavanmuktasana
d) Sitting position
Mandukasana, Vakrasana, Paschimatanasana, Ardha ushtrasana
Relaxation - (2 mins)
Kriya - (3 mins)
Agnisara and Kapalbhati (one minute each with a one-minute break in-between)
Pranayama - (9 mins)
a) Nadisuddhi (6 mins)
b) Bhramari (3 mins)
Meditation - (15 mins)
DEVELOPED BY 16 YOGA EXPERTS
The study was conducted by the Swami Vivekananda Yoga Anusandhana Samsthana (S-VYASA), Bengaluru. It comprised a sample of 3,366 individuals aged above 20 years and hailing from 65 districts across the 29 states. All of those included in the study were identified with a high risk of acquiring diabetes and type-2 diabetes. The study group was asked to live a yoga-based lifestyle, developed by 16 yoga experts, for a period of three months