How legs-up-the-wall pose actually helps in diabetes?
Viparita karani or the legs-up-the-wall pose includes a backbend, an inversion, and a restorative pose. Practising this inverted pose helps to nourish the endocrine glands, which is the key gland that regulates sugar and insulin levels in the body.
Says Dr Rajeev Rajesh, chief yoga officer, Jindal Naturecure Institute, Bangalore:
It improves circulation and balances metabolic function, all of which are helpful for diabetic patients. This basically means that the glucose is properly digested in their body and utilised the way it should be.
The inversion, combined with the neck flex, stimulates the baroreceptor reflex, which suppresses the sympathetic nervous system, and stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system, thereby improving digestion.
Now, learn the correct way to do legs-up-the-wall-pose
- Sit beside an open wall, with your shoulder and hip against it.
- Lower your back to the ground, and gradually lift your legs and place them against the wall.
- Your legs and your back should meet at right angles. If you feel any discomfort in your lower back, place a folded blanket or pillow under your hips.
- Breathe naturally and stay in this pose for five minutes.
- Once you are done, bend your knees and slide your feet off the wall. Take a slight pause before you push yourself up.
A little heads-up for you: don’t do this pose right after having a meal, as it can slow down the digestion process, making you feel pukish and dizzy.
The best part is that age is no bar when it comes to this yoga pose. So, if your mum, dad, grandparents, or anyone in your home is dealing with diabetes, then ask them to join you to do this pose. But yes, ensure they don’t feel any pain or discomfort, while they are at it.
