The endocrine system impacts our whole body functioning. It influences every cell, organ, and function of the body and responsible for regulating mood, growth and development, tissue function, protein synthesis, metabolism, sexual function, and the reproductive process. Hormones & glands are the basic foundation of the endocrine system. Hormones produced by the glands and behave as the chemical messengers, transfer information from one cell to another. This is how our bodies function.

Insulin is the hormone that is responsible for allowing glucose in our blood to enter into the cells present in our body, provide them energy so that they function. Insulin is an essential hormone to keep us functioning or for staying us alive. The pancreas is a small organ in our stomach that is responsible to produce this hormone.

Type 2 diabetes is the condition in which cells stop responding to the insulin produced by the pancreas and glucose level in the blood becomes high. Having too much glucose in your blood can cause serious problems. It can damage your eyes, kidneys, and nerves. Diabetes can also cause heart disease, stroke and even the need to remove a limb. Pregnant women can also get diabetes, called gestational diabetes.

Symptoms & Causes

Increased thirst, increased hunger, frequent urination, fatigue, slow healing sores, frequent infections all are the sign and symptoms of type 2 diabetes.

Type 2 diabetes develops when the body becomes resistant to insulin or when the pancreas is unable to produce enough insulin. Genetics and environmental factors, such as being overweight and inactive, seem to be contributing factors.

Bad eating habits enhance the chances of disease

Type 2 diabetes used to be known as adult-onset diabetes but nowadays children also suffering from the same. Obesity is one of the reasons to increase the number of diabetic patients. As soon as we start eating, the body starts the breakdown of food and starts producing glucose into the blood. When we eat a hard diet without any physical training and exercise. The food impacts our digestive system, also it will directly influence our body organs. Overeating, eating junk food, processed food and eating food on wrong timings are few factors that are responsible for obesity and leads to diabetes and many other problems.

Anyways, eating food without requirement, eating food that prefer taste over health and not eating food when the body demands, all these are the things that represent our dominating mind. People with a focused vision and controlled urges have strong will power, that help them to be consistent with their routine and to be good with their eating habits :)

Role of stress in diabetes

Stress and High Blood Pressure leads to many chronic diseases. When stress hormones develop it brings our nervous system to fight-or-flight mode. Which indirectly provide extra stored energy to the cells. In diabetes, this process does not work well and insulin is not able to provide this extra energy to the cells of the body. This leads to a hike up the blood glucose level. This is the reason why many people get diabetic attacks mostly when they are in stress.

Long term stress has some oppressive effects on our life. It worsens the condition for patients suffering from diabetes and jeopardize their life. Its nature of our mind, that we don’t have control over thoughts. We stay in the past and start predicting our future. When we never present in the current moment, all these things lead to stress in our body in some manner. So, as a conclusion if we have control over our emotions and if we start watching things differently despite being stubborn, it will help us to free from unnecessary stress and will stay healthy in any way.

How workout & exercises helps to prevent diabetes?

Management of type 2 diabetes leads to changes in lifestyle, diet modifications, weight management, and regular exercise program. In type 2 diabetes main focus is on weight reduction and increased physical activity. Diabetes people should exercise 3–5 times per week. The type of activities that would be included are those that utilize large muscle groups rhythmically and continuously like aerobics, swimming, running, circuit training, etc.

Aerobic exercise should be for 30 minutes with moderate to vigorous intensity. Strength training will make their body more sensitive to insulin and can lower blood glucose. It is recommended to include strength training 2–4 days/week, 2–3 sets of 8–12 reps with not more than 80% of 1 rep max.

Benefits of yoga asana in diabetes

Start yoga for diabetes is a good approach. Yoga is helpful to focus your mind, keep calm and also affect every organ in a great manner. In yoga, there are many postures and breathing exercises that are helpful to stimulate the pancreas and modify the function of insulin. It is helpful to rejuvenate every cell of your body and meditation will be good to relax your mind.

Yoga asana for diabetes should be practiced before meals, but after consuming lucid liquids. Practice can be done in the morning and evening for up to 40 or even 60 minutes, depending on comfort level. When beginning yoga for diabetes, it is important to start with simple postures. Start with holding each posture for about five seconds, or as long as is comfortable.

Postures for diabetes include:

Dhanurasana (bow pose) Paschimottanasana (seated forward bend) Padangusthansana (head to toe pose) Bhujangasana (cobra pose)Sarvangasana (shoulder stand) Ardha-matsyendrasana (spinal twist) Halasana (plow pose) Supta Vajrasana (sitting pose of firmness) Chakrasana (wheel pose) Shalabhasana (locust pose)

Pranayama (Breathing exercises) like Kapalbhati & Anulom-vilom and Bandha (Lock mudras) like abdominal squeezing (Udiyana Bandha) is also good for diabetes.

Meditation not only focus our mind but also give wellness to our life. It helps in the healing of many chronic diseases. It gives strength to our mind and enhance our will power. Meditation also helps in curing diabetes as it provides a positive energy to the body through the concentration of our mind and that’s why it is said that the source of every disease is our mind. So, according to yoga and meditation, if we can focus our mind and provide cosmos energy to our body, we can cure any disease including diabetes :)

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