Yoga Diabetes Case Study:
A Case Study in Yoga and Diabetes
Studies show that up to five percent of the world’s population suffer from diabetes in some form. In fact, an estimated 11 million people in Western Europe alone are reported to be diabetics. And yoga has shown to offer beneficial results to diabetics.
Noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) is probably the most common form of diabetes found today out of the many different ways in which diabetes presents itself. And NIDDM or Type II diabetes is known as multi-factorial, dependent on environmental factors as well, like obesity, sedentary lifestyles, and negative nutritional issues.
Yoga exercises that many prescribe for helping to heal diabetes are different from basic yoga exercise style as it involves positions tailored to treat certain conditions, as well as relaxation, meditation, and stretching exercises.
The Case Study
The Yoga Biomedical Trust, founded in 1982 by biochemist Dr. Robin Monro and an Indian yoga research foundation, discovered that if people practiced yoga for 30 minutes a day for one full month, the activity helped reduce blood glucose levels in some diabetics.
One of the studies conducted to cure diabetes was the one set up where yoga patients participated in one or two 90-minute weekly sessions for 12 weeks. Participants worked out with certain yoga classes in their homes; including the bow, the spinal twist and some abdominal breathing.
Near the close of the session, the participants’ blood sugar levels decreased greatly across the board and were only somewhat elevated in the control group, a group who had not participated in the yoga sessions. Notable also was that three yoga students were even able to reduce their own medications they’d been on, including a person who had been on the same drug regime for nearly 20 years.
In summary, medical science has known for quite awhile that exercise is very helpful for diabetics. And the ability of yoga therapy to help lower stress levels may play a part in maturity onset diabetes. However, some patients might find it hard to keep up the regular sessions necessary to reap the full benefits. And many wouldn’t have the money needed for or means to get out to continuing yoga classes.
Note also that you do not need classes outside the home to put yoga into practice. What are important are the techniques, the actual physical exercise itself and the overall benefits – both physically and mentally - from the stabilization that yoga brings about. These are all factors that can help improve the health of the diabetic.
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