Stress & Diabetes: Using Powerful Relaxation Techniques To Reduce Stress

The yogasanas are an excellent way to release stress, especially for diabetics. The asana can be divided into three stages : Stage I (stage of muscle relaxation) : Lie down supine on the ground. Keep the arms at the sides of the body and the feet apart as per convenience. Keep the eyes closed. Relax. Let each and every muscle of the body go loose and flabby. Pay attention to the muscles of the foot. Relax them completely. Then turn by turn pay attention to the muscles of legs, thighs, the abdomen, the trunk, arms, the neck and the face and let them go completely. An onlooker should feel that there is no life in your body. Stage II (stage of breath-control) : Now attend to the breathing process. Inhale slowly. Exhale slowly. Gradually slow down the pace of breathing as much as you can. An onnlooker should feel that you are not breathing at all. Stage III (stage of mind-control) : This is the most important stage of this asana. However, it is somewhat difficult and needs practice before it can be attained. This stage aims at slowing down the thinking process and detaching the mind from worldly activities. Concentrate on the breathing process. While inhaling chant 'so' in your mind. While exhaling chant 'ham' in your mind. Continue to concentrate on the breathing and to chant this mantra 'soh am' in your mind. Initially the mind will waver and dwell in worldly matters. As soon as you realize this fact, engage the min-d back to the mantra (japa). Continue doing this for 10 to 15 minutes. As experience is gained, a stage will come when the mantra will repeat itself in the mind on its own, without any conscious effort. This is the ideal stage of shavasana and termed' Ajapajapa'. At the end of Shavasana, the performer experiences physical and mental rest and peace which cannot be expressed in words. Shavasana considerably brings down the blood pressure and disburdens the heart. Note : Scientists of the Jiwaji University at Gwalior have performed controlled experiments on 180 soldiers to determine the effects of pranayama (yogic breathing techniques) on diabetes. They made the soldiers perform two forms of pranayama : 'Ujjayi' and 'Bhasrika', 30 to 45 minutes a day for three months. The results of this experiment were most encouraging. The blood-sugar and blooddcholesterol levels of all the soldiers came down considerably. These results have been published in the 'Indian Journal of Medical Sciences'. The procedures of Ujjayi pranayama and Bhasrika pranayama have been summarised below : Ujjayi : Sit in the Padmasana pose. Keep the mouth shut. Fold the tongue inwards so that its lower surface comes in contact with the palate. Contract the uvula and the wall of the throat (including the glottis). Now take a slow and very deep breath. Hold back the breath for as long as easily possible. Finally exhale slowly. Since the glottis remains half-closed, the breath while passing through it makes a peculiar sound. During the entire process, one should feel that he is breathing through the throat and not through the nose. With practice; the duration of Ujjayi can be gradually increased. Bhasrika : Bhasrika is a Sanskrit word for bellows. This oreathing technique is characterised by fast and forceful reaths, where the chest resembles bellows. Sit in the Padmasana posture. Keep the mouth closed. keep the body, neck and head erect. Breathe rapidly and :orcefully ten times. Whilst breathing, contract and expand the lungs and the chest.