By Carolyn Butler
Does the very word yoga conjure up intimidating images of lithe young things contorting their bodies into various pretzel-inspired—and painful-looking—positions?
That’s what I was worried about when I joined a yoga class at my gym a decade or so ago. But curiosity won out, and I plopped down on a mat, ready for some serious hurt. And sure, I was pretty sore for a few days afterwards (some of that pretzel stuff is for real!), but there was much more light stretching and deep breathing than I expected, and in the end I mostly felt energized and renewed.
I also wanted more.
There are many different forms and styles of yoga, an ancient holistic health practice originating in India that typically includes body poses, breathing exercises, and some form of meditation. It can be adapted for people with all body types and health conditions. “Yoga is for everyone—all you need to practice is to be conscious and to be able to breathe,” says Carol Krucoff, RYT, a yoga therapist at Duke Integrative Medicine in Durham, N.C., and coauthor of Healing Moves: How to Cure, Relieve and Prevent Common Ailments with Exercise. Krucoff has created individualized yoga routines for people with diabetes and advanced heart failure, for example, as well as those confined to wheelchairs. “So often I hear people say ‘I’m not flexible enough to practice yoga,’ ” says Krucoff. “To me, that’s like saying ‘My house is too messy to hire someone to come clean it.’ If you’re not flexible, yoga will help you become more flexible.”
There are many other health benefits, as well, says Timothy McCall, MD, author of Yoga as Medicine: The Yogic Prescription for Health and Healing. He says that a regular yoga practice can stretch and strengthen muscles; fortify bones; improve balance; boost heart and lung efficiency; and help you lose weight and reduce body fat.
A small but growing number of studies also show that yoga can have a positive impact on diabetes. For example, a small trial of type 2 patients from London’s Yoga Biomedical Trust found that a 12-week yoga program helped reduce fasting blood glucose and hemoglobin A1C levels; the much larger Medicare Demonstration Project, which tracked more than 2,000 people with heart disease who did yoga and made other lifestyle changes for a year, saw similar results in participants who had diabetes, after both 12 weeks and 1 year.
In addition, researchers at the University College of Medical Sciences in Delhi, India, have found, through various studies, that daily yoga classes can decrease fasting blood glucose, blood glucose after meals, hemoglobin A1C, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and also improve insulin resistance. Finally, McCall points out that yoga can improve the distribution of weight on the feet, which is essential for those at risk for ulcerations. In addition to its many physical benefits, yoga can have a huge impact on your psyche. “Yoga is probably the best overall system of stress reduction that’s ever been invented, and stress definitely plays a role in type 2 diabetes,” says McCall. Still, before you get down with Down Dog, it’s wise to get the go-ahead from your regular doctor and an ophthalmologist. Then do some homework. “There are many, many styles and kinds of yoga out there, ranging from extremely gentle practices to very vigorous practices done in a heated room,” says Krucoff. “I caution people with diabetes to look for a beginner’s level or gentle yoga practice. You definitely want to start slowly and progress gradually.” Wear comfortable exercise clothing, bring your own mat if you have one (most studios and gyms will have ones you can use, but there is some risk of transmitting infection with shared mats), and be prepared to take off your shoes and socks (yoga is usually performed barefoot, but if you have foot issues, consult your doctor). You might also want to bring a towel, to cushion your knees for some poses. And don’t worry if you have to stop in the middle of class, or if you just want to sit down on your mat and take a couple minutes’ break. Good yoga teachers will always encourage you to go at your own pace.
Indeed, it’s key to find the best possible instructor. Some quick tips:
•Qualifications. Look for someone who’s been teaching yoga for at least two to three years, and who’s been practicing for at least five years. Accreditation is a big plus; the Yoga Alliance’s registered yoga teacher, or RYT, stamp signifies a minimum of 200 hours of training from a single school. (A searchable database is online at http://yogaalliance.com/teacher_search.cfm.)
•Experience. Try to find an instructor who is at least familiar with diabetes and its contraindications and, ideally, who has worked with other patients before. Since overweight people are at much greater risk for yoga-related injuries, seek a teacher who has experience working with heavier clients, if applicable. No matter whom you choose, make sure he or she knows about your diabetes and any related complications or concerns, so you get the best, safest practice possible.
While a regular yoga class at your local gym or studio is fine if you’re relatively healthy, people with problems like neuropathies of the feet or who are obese may benefit more from a private, one-on-one, or small specialized group session—at least to start, says McCall. He recommends developing, along with an instructor, an individually tailored routine of, say, 10 or 20 minutes, which can eventually be done on your own, at home, and preferably daily. “It’s safer, and, in terms of creating new [life] patterns, I think practicing every day is way more effective than a one-hour class,” says McCall. “I think regular home practice is really the key to the transformational power of yoga.”
If you’re ready to get going, try the simple beginner’s program of five exercises designed by Carol Krucoff, on page 32. Ideally, it’s not meant to replace regular aerobic activity like walking, she says, but it will add important strengthening, flexibility, and stress- reduction components to your fitness routine. Take it from me: While I was working on this month’s column (after nearly two years away from my own regular yoga practice) I did this basic routine every morning before my 2-year-old son woke up. It felt so good—and helped clear my head so much better than my usual five cups of coffee!—that I fully intend to keep doing it. Don’t be surprised if, once you get started, you want more, too.
Carolyn Butler has written for the Washington Post and the New York Times, among other publications.
http://forecast.diabetes.org/magazine/practical-living/twisting-without-shouting
Yoga and Eating Habits
Practicing your downward dog may do more than help you tighten and tone: It could even teach you to eat more healthfully. In a study of more than 300 people (mostly women), researchers found that those who practiced yoga—but not those who did other forms of exercise—were more likely to be mindful eaters. The researchers speculate that yoga helps people focus on their surroundings and may make them more aware of what they’re eating, how outside cues like advertisements affect their appetite, and how they feel during a meal. But additional research is needed to determine whether yoga leads to attentive eating or if mindful eaters happen to prefer yoga.
Source: Journal of the American Dietetic Association, August 2009
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