Exercise is defined as the one which brings about strength and stability. Exercise is indicated in healthy individuals with good strength, consuming unctuous food like ghee, oil as a part of their diet in optimum quantities and after having completely digested the consumed food. Exercise should be performed without causing discomfort to one self.
Exercise is a must for individuals with Kapha prakruti (body constitution with predominance of Kapha dosha). For people suffering from metabolic disorders, disorders of sedentary lifestyle such as hormonal imbalances, PCOD, obesity, dyslipidemia and diabetes exercise acts as a medicine.
Researchers suggest a combination of aerobic and resistance training is the best to control blood sugars. Moderate intensity exercise should be done through the whole week, slowly the exercise can be increased to ≥300 min/week. Precautions should be taken in symptoms of weakness, abnormal sweating, anxiety, tingling of fingers, headache which may be indicative of hypoglycaemia (<70mg/dl). People with diabetic foot should take care of their feet and keep them clean; people with retinopathy should avoid rigorous exercises. Optimum water intake to check dehydration is essential. The classics also advise walking for long distance (around 6 miles) in highly diabetic individuals who cannot afford treatment. Therapeutic indications also include stiffness of the joints and arthritic conditions, the more mobile the joints are the lesser is the pain. People with arthritis , should not exercise for longer time at a stretch, they should have a bout of 10 mins or less of exercise , then rest for some time and start again. Exercises which put jerks on the joints such as jumping activities, walking uphill should be avoided, whereas activities like swimming, cycling, walking are good for arthritis patients. Apart from this, strengthening exercises at low to moderate intensity but with increasing number of repetitions are beneficial. Individuals emaciated due to excessive sexual activity and physical exertion such as weight lifting, persons in clutches of anger, grief, and fear should not perform high intensity exercise. The older population should avoid rigorous, strenuous exercise as they lack the strength to perform exercise. Also children below 16 years are spontaneously active & have immature organs. Hence do not require strenuous exercise. Persons in the profession of speaking too much, hungry and thirsty individuals should avoid exercise as well. Individuals emaciated due to illness or lack of food, injured persons, those suffering from bleeding disorders, indigestion, cough, cold, acute inflammatory diseases, chest injury and poisoned persons should also refrain from exercising. One should also refrain from exercise after suturing of wounds and while undergoing treatment for fractured bones. Exercising immediately after food is contraindicated but one can walk a hundred steps to help for proper digestion of the food. Dr. Aarzu Bhavangri (Noorani) MPT, MIA, MIAFT Dr Sneha Kulkarni MD (Ayurveda), YIC
