SURYANAMASKAR : A LIFESTYLE MODIFICATION IN PREDIABETES

Abstract

With rapid economic development and increasing westernization of lifestyle in the past few decades, prevalence of the life style disorders has reached alarming proportions among Indians in the recent years. In 2011, in India there were 62.4 million people with diabetes and 77.2 million people with prediabetes. Prediabetes should be viewed in the natural history of disordered glucose metabolism rather than as a distinctive clinical entity. Prediabetes is the precursor stage to DM .It is metabolic disease associated with insulin resistance. As it is metabolic disorder it needs to be corrected with lifestyle modification. Suryanamaskar is such lifestyle modification therapy. Suryanamaskar exerts positive and long-term effect on prediabetes it delays and prevents the disease progress. However, this effects of Suryanamaskar therapy in prediabetes management remain unclear and a matter of debate and research. This article offers a scientific review on positive effect of Suryanamaskar in prediabetes. KEY WORDS: suryanamaskar, prediabetes , lifestyle disorders.

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Suryanamaskar : a lifestyle modification in prediabetes
Rashmi Moogi*1, Vinayak Galatage 2
1. Assistant professor, Department of Kaumarbhritya,
S.G.V Ayurvedic college, Bailhongal Dist, belgaum 591102,Karnataka
2. Associate Professor, (PhD) Department of Kaumarbhritya,
Krishna Ayurvedic medical college Sankeshwar, Karnataka , India.
*Corresponding author: E-mail: rashmi.moogi@gmail.com
ABSTRACT:
With rapid economic development
and increasing westernization of lifestyle in
the past few decades, prevalence of the life
style disorders has reached alarming
proportions among Indians in the recent
years. In 2011, in India there were 62.4
million people with diabetes and 77.2
million people with prediabetes.
Prediabetes should be viewed in the
natural history of disordered glucose
metabolism rather than as a distinctive
clinical entity. Prediabetes is the precursor
stage to DM .It is metabolic disease
associated with insulin resistance.
As it is metabolic disorder it needs to
be corrected with lifestyle modification.
Suryanamaskar is such lifestyle
modification therapy. Suryanamaskar exerts
positive and long-term effect on prediabetes
it delays and prevents the disease progress.
However, this effects of Suryanamaskar
therapy in prediabetes management remain
unclear and a matter of debate and research.
This article offers a scientific review on
positive effect of Suryanamaskar in
prediabetes.
KEY WORDS: suryanamaskar,
prediabetes , lifestyle disorders.
INTRODUCTION-
Due to the influence of sedentary life style
and influence of westernized food habits and
stress, we are leading towards various
heterogeneous group of diseases, prediabetes
is one among them. In 2011, in India there
were 62.4 million people with diabetes and
77.2 million people with prediabetes.1
Prevalence of predaibetes is increasing
worldwide and according to experts more
than 470 million people may suffer from
prediabetes by 2030 .2
Prediabetes- Prediabetes is a high-risk state
for diabetes that is defined by glycaemic
variables that are higher than normal, but
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lower than diabetes thresholds. Prediabetes
is associated with the simultaneous presence
of insulin resistance and β-cell dysfunction.
For prediabetic individuals, lifestyle
modification is the cornerstone of diabetes
prevention, with evidence of a 40–70%
relative-risk reduction.3
In the prediabetic stage level of sugar
present in the blood is above the normal.
Here, fasting glucose level (taken 12 hours
after food) will be between 101 to 125 or
between 140 to 200 taken 2 hours after food.
If the value obtained is either any one of
these, it is called a prediabetic stage. This
category of individual is prone to acquire
Type 2 diabetes. Apart from genetic reasons,
a leisurely lifestyle and excess fat in the
body contribute to the prediabetic stage.
Most often, there would be no conspicuous
symptoms but those mentioned in the
category below are risk factors.
1. Obese people [Whose body mass
index is above 25].
2. Those who are above 40 years of
age.
3. Those who are hereditarily prone to
Type 2 diabetes.
4. Those who have Gestational diabetes
[Diabetes during pregnancy].
5. Those who have polycystic ovary
syndrome [a hormonal disorder]
6. Those who have excess cholesterol
[mainly those who have HDL < 35]
7. Those who have Triglyceride level
above 250.
8. Those who do not sleep more than 6
hours & 9 hours respectively. 4
It would indeed be the very fortunate and
vigilant few who know that they are at a
prediabetes stage. If diagnosed, they can
either choose a healthy lifestyle and defend
diabetes fully or lead an undisciplined
lifestyle and slowly become a diabetic
patient, accusing heredity and unfavorable
life situations. Prediabetes patients are thus
symbolically at a cross road – the road they
choose to tread will determine their quality
of life in the future.
Suryanamskar- Suryanamaskar is an
ancient yogic method to worship Sun. In
Sanskrit literature surya means sun, and the
word namaskara means salutation.
Therefore, this practice is known as the
Suryanamaskar or 'salutation to the sun'.
This specific postural and breathing
protocols was developed in Indian
subcontinent thousands of years ago by a
great sage Patanjali and their disciples.5
They advised all human beings to practice
these yogic methods in front of the sun in
their daily life for good health, illumination,
mental and physical stability.
Suryanamaskar is a series of asanas with
strict breathing pattern. Its revitalizes each
and every cell of the body, gives physical
strength, flexibility, and mental calmness.
Suryanamaskar includes a series of asanas
which are- Pranamasan, hastautthanasan,
padahastasan, ashwasanchalanasan,
parvatasan, ashtanganamasakar and
bhujangasan. 6 While doing each asana a
specific mantra should be chanted to
worship the sun. The present literature
review was aimed to assess the positive
effect of suryanamaskar in prediabetes.
Studies supporting role of suryanamaskar
on prediabetes-
Effect of Suryanamaskar on Mind:

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Yoga is a psycho- somatic -spiritual
regulation for attaining union and
synchronization between our mind, body and
soul and definitive union of our individual
realization and universal realization.7 Yoga
forms an essential part of mind/body
strategies to encourage excellent physical
condition and well being, which take an
account of relaxation procedures.8, 9
It energies neuroglandular and
neuromuscular system of body and ensures
balanced supply of oxygenated blood, thus
strengthening entire psychosomatic system
of human body Suryanamaskar and
Pranayama increases nerve conduction
velocity, reverse decline in cognitive brain
function, release stress and mental fatigue
hence reduction in the glucagaon and
cortisol secretion thereby reduction in
insulin resistance . 11 Hence Asanas which
reduces stress also recommended in
prediabetes.
Effect of Suryanamaskar on pancreas:
Rejuvenation/regeneration of cells of
pancreas due to abdominal stretching during
Yoga exercise, may increase utilization and
metabolism of glucose in peripheral tissues,
liver, and adipose tissues through enzymatic
process.12 Regeneration of pancreatic beta
cells could occur by Yoga exercises that
promote blood circulation in the region of
the pancreas.13 Suryanamaskar improves
sensitivity of β-cells to the glucose signal,
hence improvement in the insulin sensitivity
result in better glucose uptake.
Effect of Suryanamaskar on abdominal
muscles:
All theses posture of Suryanamsakar
stretches and twists in lower thoracic and
upper lumbar region where pancreas is
located. It increases the blood supply to the
pancreas, massage the organs, and activate
its cells to increase in secretion of insulin
and increase in glucose uptake.
Effect of Suryanamaskar on weight /
B.M.I:
Yoga also improves the lipid profile in
diabetic patients which plays supportive role
in its complications. This results in reduction
of weight, BMI and waist hip ratio.14 Yogic
practices significantly reduces complication
by improving BMI, waist hip ratio.15
Physiological effect:
The metabolic effect of the practices of
Asana, Pranayama and meditation synergize
with other physical effects and contribute to
physical fitness and sense of well-being.
When it practiced over a period of time, it
considerably reduces the metabolic rate due
to decreased sympathetic nervous system
activity.
Yoga has developed as a holistic approach to
combat work-related stress, anxiety and
depression. stress activates the oxidation
process at membrane lipid level, disrupting
the membrane, and causing release of
oxygen at tissue level to relieve hypoxia.
This tissue hypoxia plays an important role
in pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease
and diabetes.16 High level of stress leads to
increased cortisol level, which causes
mobilization of fatty acids from fat stores,
leading to higher level of abdominal fat.17 In
anxiety disorders, the increase in thalamic
GABA levels observed after Yoga practice
explains the improvement in anxiety
disorder and depression where lower GABA
levels were found.18 Physical and mental
stress causes rise in BP and increase
capillary hydrostatic pressure, facilitating

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flow of plasma from vascular compartment
to the interstitial compartment thus rising
blood viscosity in capillaries, which is
cardiovascular risk.19 Pranayama alleviate
stress and decrease cardiovascular risk in
DM. Yoga practices over prolonged period
causes significant drop in levels of blood
sugar level, glycated haemoglobin and a rise
in haemoglobin20, improves posture,
circulation, BMI and contributes to sense of
well being.
Discussion –
This review focused the beneficial effect of
Suryanamaskar in prediabetes.
Suryanamaskar is a combination of
yogasana and pranayam which involves
maximum stretch of all the muscles of body.
Insulin resistance is the key metabolic defect
involved in the manifestation of prediabetes.
Specialized causes include stress and lack of
sleep due to various lifestyle modifications.
Obesity is one of the causes of prediabetes
because accumulated peripheral adipose cell
causes the insulin resistance. Suryanamaskar
which reduces the abdominal obesity can be
adopted which increases the insulin
acceptance among the cells and reduces the
peripheral fat accumulation with increased
utilization of glucose in muscles, liver and
adipose tissues. By imparting the massaging
effect over the pancreas may help to secrete
the hormone by initiating the β-cell.
Twisting movement helps in proper
secretion of insulin.
Suryanamaskar and Pranayama increases
nerve conduction velocity, reverse decline in
cognitive brain function, release stress and
mental fatigue hence reduction in the
glucagoan and cortisol secretion thereby
reduction in insulin resistance.
It shows marked improvement in following
criteria:
Metabolic effect: decreases blood glucose,
lipids, cholesterol level.
Physiological: increase vital capacity,
decrease respiration and pulse rate, weight
becomes appropriate, chest circumference
increases, abdomen circumference
decreases, maintain stress fright conditions
by increasing Adrenal cortex functions.
Psychological: mentally fit and stable,
decrease mental fatigue and stress. Balance
between Sympathetic &Parasympathetic
N.S. thereby health and immunity increases.
Conclusion-
Suryanamaskar is an ancient and sacred
yogic science of India which positively
modulates body and mind of a person.
Regular Suryanamaskar practice helps in
reduction of weight, BMI, waist hip ratio,
blood sugar and lipid level and ultimately
reduces the burden of prediabetes and
diabetes. Suryanamaskar can be considered
as very safe, cost effective and natural
alternative therapy to prevent prediabetes.
Thus Suryanamaskar should be added to the
daily life style to prevent prediabetes and
adjuvant therapy for the diabetic patients. So
it will reduces the medicine load from the
country also strengthen nations economy for
the better future of mankind. So a definite
recommendation is needed to encourage to
practice Suryanamaskar.
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Conflict of Interest: Non
Source of funding: Nil
Cite this article:
"Suryanamaskar : a lifestyle modification in prediabetes."
Rashmi Moogi, Vinayak Galatage
Ayurlog: National Journal of Research in Ayurved Science- 2021; (09) (01):01- 06