A high calorie diet, no exercise, alcohol and smoking are the key factors that irritate the pancreas, destroy the cells and decrease the levels of insulin. Mental and physical stresses increase blood sugar levels. Drugs used to treat diabetes do reduce sugar levels, but unless a parameter like exercise is added, the organs are not protected against microcellular damage. The gall bladder and the colon suffer if the diet is excessively high in fat, which is a known cause for colon cancer. The digestive organs are massaged by forward bends and twisting asanas.
Healthy blood flowing in helps proper digestion.
Supta virasana which is one of the few poses that can be done after food, ensures good digestion. Twisting poses correct any defect in absorption and digestion by massaging the intra-abdominal organs, and back bends reduce acidity and wind formation. Asanas control problems of hyperacidity by soothing the cells in the lining of the stomach. In preventing peptic ulcers, sense control and meditation are highly valuable. Yoga automatically corrects unhealthy eating habits, as the practitioner progressively finds that he or she prefers a simple diet and cannot tolerate very 'rich' food.