How to reverse prediabetes naturally with Ayurveda & Yoga

The new mechanical lifestyle of today’s world is full of comforts and savouries. We have a life that is largely dictated by technology, a major cause of our physical inactivity. Along with our inactive lifestyle, we eat a diet that is full of highly processed foods, fast food, sugary foods, and beverages. This causes health deterioration.

Prediabetes could be a problem during which the blood glucose level is beyond normal, but not high enough to be classified as type 2 diabetes.

With healthy lifestyle changes, like eating healthy foods, physical activity in your daily routine, and maintaining a healthy weight, you’ll be able to bring your blood glucose level back to normal.

There are mainly two types of prediabetes suspects:

1. People having obesity, hypertension, dyslipidemia (high triglycerides and/or low HDL cholesterol) are mostly at the higher risk of prediabetes, later turning into diabetic patients.

2. Those who have irregular fasting glucose (IFG) i.e. the blood sugar levels are crossing the normal levels in the morning on an empty stomach, between 5.7% and 6.3% haemoglobin A1C, are also at high risk. 

National Diabetes and Diabetic Retinopathy Survey estimated that 15% of Indians with the above conditions have prediabetes depending upon age, sex, geographical location, etc. The prevalence of prediabetes is vast globally.

The global prevalence of prediabetes is 9.3% and is continuously increasing. Many people don’t know that they are at risk of becoming diabetic. The risk is higher for people living in urban than rural areas, and in high-income countries (10.4%) than low-income countries (4.0%). 

This problem has become so common that patients with other conditions may have prediabetes at the same time and not know.

Prediabetes rarely has any symptoms or signs but the unreasonable sudden occurrence of skin darkening in affected body parts, including knuckles, elbows, knees, armpits and neck can be the signs of prediabetes.

Some  recognised signs and symptoms that suggest your prediabetes has become type 2 diabetes are:

• Frequent urination

• Blurred vision

• Increased thirst

• Fatigue and feeling tired without doing much work.

• Excessive & frequent hunger even after full meals.

If these symptoms are there in your body, then it is the right time for you to start the lifestyle transformation that will help you heal naturally.

Choosing a combination of Ayurveda and Yoga for prediabetes is the best way of preventing diabetes naturally as their line of treatment has no side effects.

Ayurvedic treatment is about bringing healthy changes to your diet and lifestyle.

Ayurvedic medicines come straight from nature like from roots, leaves or stems of the plants. The best thing about choosing Ayurveda is that it leaves no negative after-effects.

Yoga helps you bring activity into your sedentary lifestyle along with great physical and mental health benefits. This holistic approach of rectifying your lifestyle will prevent prediabetes from turning into type 2 diabetes.

Physical activity and regular exercise play a huge role in staying healthy. For this, yoga is a good choice because it’ll be tender on your joints and won’t leave you huffing and puffing after the practice session. So, let’s have a look at the ayurvedic and yogic approaches to treat prediabetes:

How to cure early diabetes naturally with Ayurveda

Ayurveda explains diabetes as “Prameha”. Prameha means “Obstinate Urinary Disease”. This includes all the diseases related to excess urination and the urinary system.

Diet for prediabetes is thought to include foods that are unappetizing and bland, making people look for junk foods and craving for the same, this thought makes it difficult for people to bring dietary changes. Here are some foods that can help to reverse prediabetes and foods that should be avoided:

Foods to reverse prediabetes:

• Follow a dosha balancing diet to keep the body naturally healthy

• Include more of the greens in your diets such as methi (fenugreek leaves), bitter gourd, dwarf copperleaf (matsyakhshi), chaulee, green banana, broccoli, cucumber, lettuce cabbage, spinach, and other vegetables include carrot, radish, garlic, onion and tomatoes.

• Juice diet good for prediabetes includes: juice of white pumpkin, bitter gourd and amla should be consumed.

• The oil used to cook or for the dressing of food: soybean oil, mustard oil and groundnut oil.

• Choice of cereals for prediabetes: increase barley in the diet because it is best for prediabetes. Other cereals include wheat, rice(cropped by 60 days) and kodo millet.

• Fruits to include in diet: apple, papaya, gooseberry, watermelon, orange, kapitha, jambu and pomegranate

• Start drinking water kept in a copper vessel. It is an excellent home remedy to stabilize blood glucose.

• Herbal teas and supplements for prediabetes: green tea, turmeric tea, neem, fenugreek and aloe vera.

• Have soaked methi seeds overnight in water. Consuming daily helps to prevent diabetes.

The food itself is medicine for all diseases. Ayurveda tells about the medicinal benefits of herbs and plants. There are specific herbs that help in reversing prediabetes.

Yoga is a great choice of exercise for prediabetic people. Yoga improves overall health by stimulating organ function and increases metabolism in the body.

Being a gentle exercise, yoga is suitable for all ages and body types. Yoga can be like cardio if done dynamically or also a type of strength training where we use free weights or our body weight to build up muscles.

In a random study, results showed that yoga helps pancreatic cells respond better, which makes blood glucose levels come to the normal range. Yoga has always existed since ancient times. People have practised Yoga for a long time which proves its positive effects on the body.

Let’s look into some asanas that are good for prediabetic patients:

Five most effective practices for prediabetes:

1. Vajrayana

2. Janu Sirsasana

3. Paschimottanasana

4. Surya Namaskara

5. Nadi-shodhana Pranayama

6. Bhramari Pranayama

To improve overall health and to achieve well-being, you need to practice yoga regularly. If you are new to yoga, you’ll need some guidance from a yoga instructor because all these asanas include contra-indications.

For example, those with hypertension or heart diseases should avoid inverted postures, like Sarvangasana. Along with yoga practice,  walking, jogging, skipping or some other activities can be included. These activities are the simplest remedies for prediabetes reversal.

Though Ayurvedic herbs are natural yet they should not be taken without a vaidya’s supervision or they can disrupt the balance of tridosha. Also, while doing yoga, do not force your body and take the help of an experienced practitioner.

The primary cause behind the onset of prediabetes is lifestyle, diet and environment-related in most cases. Yoga and Ayurveda can be used as the best treatment of prediabetes as they help you choose and walk the right path to improve treat prediabetes and prevent other health issues.

So, if you’re looking for answers to “how to reverse prediabetes naturally?”, Ayurveda ad Yoga could be your saviours!

Is prediabetes permanently cured by Ayurveda?

Yes, prediabetes is caused by a sedentary lifestyle and poor diet. It can be effectively cured by the natural treatment approach provided by Ayurveda and Yoga. Moreover, this natural treatment of prediabetes focuses on the improvement of overall physical and mental health.

What if prediabetes is left untreated?

If Prameha is not treated on time, it becomes “Madumeha,” or Diabetes Mellitus (Type 2). Ayurveda describes one of the major causes of diabetes as an improper diet.

A diet that is full of sweets, sugar, alcohol, dairy products, fat, and bread is unhealthy, improper and not recommended. Apart from poor dietary intake, prediabetes can also be caused because of excessive sleep, lack of exercise, obesity, stress, depression and anxiety. As per Ayurveda, these habits aggravate Kapha, the Ayurvedic explanation of diabetes.

How is diabetes treated in Ayurveda?

The ayurvedic treatment for diabetes encompasses acknowledging the origin of the disease and changing ‘Aahar’ and ‘Vihara,’ that is diet and lifestyle.

In Ayurveda, diabetes is divided into 20 forms based on the dominant Doshas in the body. Six Pitta-related types, four Vata-related types, and ten Kapha-related types. With a dosha balancing diet and lifestyle diabetes, symptoms are managed and some are even cured.

What foods to avoid in prediabetes to prevent it from becoming diabetes?

• Avoid sweets and sugar products, ice-creams, jaggery, cakes, pastries, soft drinks, sweet biscuits, chocolates, cream, soda, condensed milk, sweet taste fruits like mango, pineapple.

• Avoid cereals like rice, urad(black gram), rajma

• Highly processed foods

• Avoid potato,

• Exclude butter, fat, regular oil.

• Avoid fermented food items like pickles.

• Avoid alcohol and smoking

• Limit foods like salt, red meat, eggs, poultry, coffee, tea. 

• Avoid consuming curd, especially empty stomach and after evening time.

What is the best Ayurvedic medicine for diabetic patients?

Herbs like musta, gokshura, fenugreek, gudmar, triphalá, cardamom, or coriander help in prediabetes. Turmeric and cinnamon combination is beneficial for reversing prediabetes naturally. Always consult an Ayurvedic expert for a prescription.