Diabetics - Facts & Some Options


Diabetics - Facts & Some Options 
- With help of some ayurvedic and homeopathic newsletters.

Diabetes, often referred to as the silent epidemic, is a chronic illness in which there are high levels of sugar in the blood. World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that around 250 million people in the world are living with the condition. More than 80% of diabetes related deaths occur in low and middle-income countries, where the disease often remains undiagnosed. In recent times, India is referred to as the ‘Diabetes Capital of the World' with more than 50 million diabetics, which is the highest number in any country globally.

Type I and Type II Diabetes
 
There are currently two types of diabetes—Type I and Type II. Type I (insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) or juvenile diabetes) is an auto-immune disorder, in which the body is unable to produce insulin. In Type II (non-insulin dependent adult-onset Diabetes or NIDDM), the pancreas produces insulin but is insufficient for reducing the blood glucose levels to normal.

In both types, diabetes can lead to a number of health complications. Kidney disease or nephropathy is the most serious of them all. High blood pressure, unhealthy blood cholesterol levels, foot ulcers, amputations and eye complications have all been linked to diabetes.  

Preventing Diabetes
 
Type I diabetes is not preventable and it is in no way the result of a person's lifestyle. The onset of Type II diabetes, on the other hand, can be delayed or altogether prevented with a few lifestyle changes:
  • Eat a healthy diet, devoid of refined carbohydrates, sugar and artificial sweeteners
  • If you're overweight, make an effort to lose weight
  • Begin an exercise regimen
  • Regularly monitor blood glucose levels in the blood
  • Improve your sleeping patterns
 Ayurveda recommends
 
For diabetics, it is extremely important to keep better control of their blood sugar levels. Ayurvedic texts recommend the inclusion of certain natural foods for diabetics, which are helpful in the condition:

Bitter gourd Also known as Karela , bitter gourd is an extremely popular vegetable in the Indian subcontinent. The seeds contain ‘plant-insulin' or peptides resembling insulin that works like natural insulin secreted from the human pancreatic glands. Charantin and momordicin, two key compounds in bitter gourd, are also credited with anti-diabetic properties.

Cinnamon Commonly used as a spice in Indian cuisine, cinnamon is known to lower blood sugar, triglyceride andcholesterol levels in the blood.

Black plum Black plum or Jambu grows in abundance in the summer months in India. The fruits contain malic acid, which is reported to have hypoglycemic properties. It forms an integral part of Ayurvedic remedy for diabetics.

Fenugreek Studies have shown that fenugreek improves after-meal glucose tolerance in the blood significantly.

Gymnema Also known as 'sugar destroyer', Gymnema abolishes the taste of sugar in the mouth. The herb is also credited with anti-diabetic properties and is helpful in maintaining normal blood sugar levels in the body.

Homeopathy
The homeopathic physician has no special treatment for diabetes. The diabetic patient is treated just as every other patient is treated. Like every other case, much depends on how far tissue change has taken place at the beginning of treatment, that is whether this has advanced far enough to render the patient incurable. Homeopathy can cure any curable case of diabetes and it has done wonderful things with diabetics who have been considered incurable by other methods. A so-called incurable may have to return for further treatment at intervals if sugar returns after freedom and good health. Advanced cases may never cease treatment altogether but may live as long as other people and die of something else. Or such a patient may be palliated wonderfully on the way to death.

In diabetics we are dealing with borderland cases, with what is called an ultimate in organic disorder. Homeopathy, used for chronic ills from early life, very rarely develops an ultimate. Its power in prevention is marvelous. But, mind you, I am talking about principles and their practice, not about the weaknesses of human nature and human endeavor in physicians as well as in patients.

You will want to know whether the strictly homeopathic physician uses insulin. I cannot answer for all of them. I know that some will not allow it, will take it away at the beginning of homeopathic treatment, regarding it as an element of interference. Since insulin is not really a drug, I think some permit its use. Of one thing I am sure. A patient accustomed to insulin in large doses over a long period is enabled to reduce that dosage soon after beginning treatment and may cut it down one-half or three-quarters or cut it out altogether. The pancreas, if not too far gone, comes back wonderfully toward normal functioning.

Diabetes - Homeopathy Treatment & Homeopathic Remedies
- Suggested but in no way limited to, as referred earlier


#Uranium nitrate. [Uran] 
This remedy is praised highly by Hughes and others in diabetes originating in dyspepsia. It has polyuria, polydypsia, dryness of the mouth and skin. It causes sugar in the urine. Dr. Laning said that no remedy gives such universally good results; it lessens the sugar and quantity of the urine; he recommended the 3X trituration. It is when the disease is due to assimilative derangements that Uranium is the remedy, and symptoms such as defective digestion, languor, debility and much sugar in the urine, enormous appetite and thirst, yet the patient continues to emaciate. Syzygium jambolanum is a remedy capable of diminishing the amount of sugar in the urine, especially when used in the tincture and lower triturations, and some cases have been reported cured, but it cannot be considered a reliable drug , and its use seems entirely palliative.


#Phosphoric acid [Phos]
corresponds to diabetes of nervous origin; the urine is increased, perhaps milky in color and containing much sugar. It suits cases due to grief, worriment and anxiety, those who are indifferent and apathetic, poor in mental and physical force. It is unquestionably curative of diabetes mellitus in the early stages, great debility and bruised feeling in the muscles. There will be loss of appetite, sometimes unquenchable thirst and perhaps the patient will be troubled with boils. When patients pass large quantities of pale colorless urine or where there is much phosphatic deposit in the urine it is the remedy. It thus may be a remedy in the form known as diabetes insipidus. Hering considered Plumbum one of the most important remedies in diabetes mellitus. Causticum, Scilla and Strophanthus may be of use in diabetes insipidus. Lycopodium cured a case in a weary, wretched patient; emaciated, increased appetite and great thirst; pale, profuse urine. Eight quarts in 24 hours.


#Phosphorus. [Phos] 
Useful in diabetes and pancreatic diseases, especially in those of a tuberculous or gouty diathesis. The pancreatic involvement will call attention to Phosphorus. Natrum sulphuricum corresponds to the hydrogenoid constitution, with dry mouth and throat,and Arsenicum should be studied in diabetic gangrene, thirst and emaciation. Sudden and extreme dryness of the mouth and marked physical restlessness are also guiding symptoms to this remedy, especially with a dark watery stool. Dr. P.Jousset reports positive success where the mouth is dry; frequent, abundant urination and tendency to skin eruption.


#Lactic acid. [Lact] 
An exceedingly good remedy in the gastrohepatic variety of diabetes and good results often follow its use. It has a fine clinical record. The symptoms are: urinates copiously and freely, urine light yellow and saccharine, thirst, nausea, debility, voracious appetite and costive bowels. Dry skin, dry tongue, gastralgia. Acetic acid is also a valuable diabetic remedy, and it has passing of large quantities of pale urine, intense thirst, hot, dry skin and marked debility Carbolic acid may also be found useful.


#Bryonia. [Bry] 
Should not be neglected in this disease. No remedy has dryness of the lips as a symptom of hepatic disorder more marked than Bryonia, and this is often one of the first symptom of diabetes. There is a persistent bitter taste, the patient is languid, morose and dispirited, thirst may not be extreme nor the appetite voracious, the patient may lose strength through inability to eat. Podophyllum has a bitter taste, but the tongue is flabby. It may be of use in the disease. Chionanthus is a remedy used by the Eclectic School upon the indications of thirst, frequent and copious urine; constipation with stools light colored, devoid of bile. Functional liver disorders. Argentum metallicum. Hahnemann suggests the use of this remedy in diuresis, it is decided use in diabetes insipidus. The urine is profuse, turbid and of sweet odor. Micturition is frequent and copious. Natrum sulphuricum. Hinsdale reports good results with this remedy. It has polyuria, intense itching of the skin, especially upon the upper surface of the thighs. It is the Tissue Remedy of diabetes.


#Insulin. [Insulin] 
Long before the discovery of Insulin Dr.Pierre Jousset of Paris prepared a pancreatic juice on a glycerine basis which he administered to diabetic patients in doses of 10 or 20 drops a day in water and had results sufficiently good to consider pancreatic juice, orally administered, as a remedy of great value in diabetes. Dr. Cartier, his practical successor, praised it insisted on smaller doses given by mouth as larger doses and hypodermic injections of it had no effect in ordinary diabetes. Baker advises the homoeopathic strengths of Insulin 3d to 30th and reports happy results therefrom. Great care must be taken not to overdose. Boericke says that it maintains the blood sugar at a normal level and the urine remains free of sugar. Epileptic convulsions and mental derangements have been produced by hypodermic use of this hormone.

Note: The above offers only the option that treatment and management of diabetes through alternate methods is possible if under the care and supervision of experienced and qualified practitioners. One is not advised to stop or discontinue existing medications until sufficient progress is made and maintained. Regular periodic monotoring of blood sugar levels is a sine qua non. Supplementing with a proper diet and yoga.pranayama helps a lot. If alternative approaches do not help decrease blood sugar levels within a reasonable period of time please seek the help of a modern medico and take the drug he offers regularly. Diabetes is a very serious ailment with severe consequence unless blood sugar levels can be resored to normal levels and maintained. 

The author is himself a diabetic and adopts an integrated approach with both modern medicine and alternative approaches to keep the sugar level in check and to avoid future complications.