Physical Education · Ch 3 — Yoga as Preventive Measure for Lifestyle Disease
Ushtrasana
Ushtrasana
This asana is described in full in section 3.1.9 (Ushtrasana) above - its procedure, breathing awareness, benefits and contraindications are the same wherever it is practised. The CBSE Class 12 Physical Education syllabus lists Ushtrasana again here because it is one of the asanas recommended for this specific lifestyle disease; refer to section 3.1.9 for the complete method and the posture diagram.
Why Ushtrasana helps manage diabetes
The deep backward arch in Ushtrasana opens and stretches the entire front of the abdomen, placing the pancreas, liver and adrenal glands under a firm, sustained stretch rather than the compression used in forward-bending or twisting asanas. This stretch, held with steady breathing, is believed to stimulate the endocrine glands, including the pancreas, and encourage more balanced hormone secretion, which supports healthier blood-glucose control alongside medical treatment.
Specific benefits for a person managing diabetes
- Has a favourable influence on the pancreas and other endocrine glands through the deep abdominal stretch.
- Improves digestion, helping the body process food more efficiently.
- Builds strength and confidence, both useful for sustaining the discipline a long-term diabetes-management routine requires.
- A good complement to the forward-bending and twisting diabetes asanas, since it stretches the abdomen in the opposite direction to Paschimottanasana and Ardha Matsyendrasana.