THE POWER OF YOGA
Find out some surprising ways downward dog and deep breathing can help your health
We all know yoga can help with flexibility, strength and balance, but there are plenty of other ways the practice can improve your mind and body. Yoga teacher and wellbeing coach Shavita Kotak shares some extra benefits you mightn’t have realised.
ACHES & PAINS
Increasing your flexibility and strength through yoga may help alleviate pesky muscle and joint pains.
“Regular yoga practice can help relieve some pain by reducing muscle tightness and improving range of movement to help reduce joint pain,” Shavita explains. “It can also help women who experience menstrual cramps p by y stimulating the release of the body’s natural pain reliever, oxytocin, using one’s breath.”
DIGESTION
If your digestive system needs a wake-up call, a morning yoga session may help.
“Yoga poses like spine twist, bridge pose and cat-and-cow pose will stimulate your digestive system,” she notes. “It could help by reducing stomach bloating, relieving wind pain, and assisting with morning bowel movements.”
MOOD
There’s a reason why you feel rejuvenated after a yoga session, and it’s partly thanks to all those deep breaths. “In yoga you become aware of your breath, and deep br breathing can h help reduce st stress and bring yo you back into th the present m moment,” s says Shavita. You also p physically “let g go” of stress th that’s held in y your shoulders, b back and hips. “Even a simple y yoga sequence w will help those p problem areas o out. Yoga is a great tool to add to your daily routine to help manage your emotions. Before your morning coffee, try a 10-minute yoga routine to start the day feeling great.”
POSTURE
You’ll also be standing up straighter, thanks to the thorough stretching and focus on correct form.
“We all have one side more dominant than the other, and yoga helps to improve the alignment in your posture,” she says. “As you practise, you become aware of how you use your body, and able to correct movement patterns. For example, seated spinal twist pose is a simple move that can help realign your spine.”
SLEEP
You may find it easier to relax and sleep after doing yoga, as it triggers the part of your body that’s responsible for feelings of calmness.
“Yoga gives you mental tools to help you reach a level of peace,” Shavita adds. “Yoga lowers the cortisol levels and stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system, sometimes called the rest-and-digest system. This is what helps you relax your body, which will help improve your sleep.”
So, you’ve been diagnosed with diabetes – what’s next? According to diabetes educator Rachel Freeman, good nutrition really is the key to keeping your diabetes under control.
AVOIDING COMPLICATIONS
“When glucose levels are within the optimal range, there are no symptoms of diabetes,” Rachel explains. “However, high glucose levels over a long period of time can cause diabetes complications including damage to blood vessels and nerve endings.”
Other common complications include an increased risk of having a heart attack or stroke, developing blindness and experiencing kidney failure. To minimise the chances of experiencing any diabetes
complications, keeping a careful eye on your diet is vital.
THERE’S NO ‘ONE-SIZE’ DIET
Every person’s needs and bodies are different, so there’s no single diet that will work for everyone. Consulting with dietitians and diabetes educators is the best way to create a nutrition plan that
is specific to you. “Daily exercise and eating balanced meals and snacks that meet nutritional requirements is important,” says Rachel. “Dietitians and exercise physiologists are also a significant part of the diabetes care team.”
Eating healthily is required for both type 1 and type 2 diabetes to manage glucose levels, however there are different outcomes for both types.
“Type 1 diabetes is an auto-immune condition which cannot be cured or prevented, and it is not linked to modifiable lifestyle factors,” Rachel adds. “Type 2 diabetes is associated with modifiable lifestyle risk
factors, like inactivity and being overweight, and can be managed with diet and lifestyle for some people.”
GOOD FOODS
There’s some evidence that suggests a low carbohydrate diet or Mediterranean diet may be most helpful for people with diabetes, particularly when being overweight is a factor. Part of the reason they may be best suited is that they’re easy to follow, prioritise nutrient packed foods like fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts, dairy, seafood, and non-processed meats and avoid any processed carbohydrates.
“Carbohydrates are the main food component to elevate glucose levels,” explains Rachel. Swap them for legumes and vegies.
This is general information only. Before commencing any health treatments, always consult your doctor.