Diabetes, From Secrets of Self-Healing

Sugar, specifically glucose, is the primary source of energy for every cell in the body, whether in the brain, our heart, or muscles that help us walk. As food is digested, sugars are changed into glucose; the glucose then travels throughout the body via the blood and is absorbed by our cells for energy. A tiny molecule called insulin, which is produced by the pancreas, makes this absorption possible.

Under normal circumstances, our blood sugar is usually balanced, with minor peaks after a meal. But consuming an excess of cookies, soft drinks, and the simple sugars contained in processed foods combined with a sedentary lifestyle can cause blood glucose levels to rise rapidly. In response, the pancreas produces excess insulin which rapidly shuffles blood sugar into cells, dropping levels to far below normal which results in craving more sugar. Over time this yo-yo effect can make our cells less sensitive to insulin so more sugar remains in the blood, resulting in diabetes. This phenomenon is called insulin resistance.

In ancient times diabetes was diagnosed by testing a person’s urine for sugar. Excess sugar in the blood eventually drains out of the kidneys, causing frequent urination, and with the loss of fluid comes thirst. Frequent urination and excessive thirst are the hallmark characteristics of diabetes. Affecting more than 20 million people in the United States, diabetes is a complex syndrome involving many of the body’s systems and has the potential to damage the heart, kidneys, nervous system, and hormonal system. If left unmanaged, diabetes can cause many complications including heart disease, kidney failure, peripheral neuropathy, decreased wound healing, skin ulceration, and infections.

Type 2—or adult-onset diabetes—is the most common of the two main types of diabetes. There is no cure for diabetes, but there are ways to control blood sugar. With proper diet and an approach that integrates western and eastern medicine, type-2 diabetes can be controlled. At Tao of Wellness we work with endocrinologists to reverse or control diabetes—our patients are put on a strict diet that includes quality protein from fish, fowl, nuts, seeds, beans, and legumes. Fresh vegetables and whole grains are also part of the diet. Patients eat small but frequent meals, perform at least one hour of cardiovascular exercise a day, and keep their stress levels low with meditation. We also administer weekly acupuncture treatments and Chinese herbal therapy.

Initially, our patients are on medication prescribed by their endocrinologist, but as their glucose levels normalize, the medications are reduced until they are no longer necessary. This type of treatment can only be accomplished through a close collaboration between eastern and western medicine.

Chinese medicine has recorded many observations about diabetes throughout the millennia—classifying it as a “wasting and thirsting disorder.” It has differentiated the condition into upper, middle, and lower regions of the body, depending upon where the most symptoms occur. For example, excessive thirst in the upper body is attributed to a deficiency in the lung/large intestine energy network. Excessive hunger is attributed to the middle and is linked with the spleen/pancreas/stomach energy network. Excessive urination is linked to the lower body organs, namely the kidneys. Depending on the symptoms, treatment focuses on harmonizing these organs, strengthening weaknesses, and adjusting the body’s ability to absorb and metabolize sugar.

The best approach to diabetes is, of course, prevention. Simple changes to your diet and lifestyle along with regular checkups can keep this debilitating condition from entering your life. And please note: Never go off medications or insulin without the consent of your physician.

DIET

The key to maintaining normal sugar levels in the body is to eat a balanced diet of complex carbohydrates, organic sources of protein, and healthful fats. Eat at regular intervals and more often in smaller amounts. Skipping meals is a sure way of causing blood glucose to bounce up and down. Favor black beans, soybeans, tofu, garbanzo beans, mung beans, yams, peas, artichokes, pumpkin, celery, spinach, daikon radish, cabbage, water chestnuts, millet, oats, amaranth, quinoa, bran, lentils, organic chicken, and turkey, fish, egg whites, unsweetened low-fat yogurt, nuts, seeds, olive oil, flaxseed oil, virgin coconut oil, and fresh berries.

Eliminate all simple sugars and foods that are high in sugar such as soft drinks, candy, honey, and molasses. Alcohol should be eliminated. Smoking and caffeine also have an adverse effect on sugar metabolism.

Learn to read labels. Be on the lookout for sugar, corn syrup, and dextrose as ingredients. It is best to avoid processed and refined products which are devoid of healthful fiber and nutrients.

CHINESE HERBS

Herbs can be found in health food or vitamin stores, online, and at the offices of practitioners of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Herbs should be used according to individual needs; consult with a licensed practitioner for a customized formulation.

Fenugreek, garlic, bilberry, ginseng, and gymnema are beneficial for treating diabetes. Herbs that are traditionally used for wasting and thirsting disorders include Rehmannia, Asian cornelian cherry, Chinese yam, poria, mouton, ganoderma, astragalus, ginseng, and water plantain.

SUPPLEMENTS

Vitamins E, B complex, coenzyme Q-10, and L-Carnitine have been shown in some studies to support healthy blood glucose levels. Our Sugar Leveler formula helps to increase energy, decrease brain fog, control sugar cravings, and balance glucose metabolism.

EXERCISE

Keeping fit and maintaining proper weight is the best thing you can do to prevent diabetes. Exercise also plays a direct role in how your body stores and uses the energy you consume. A daily 30-minute cardiovascular activity that stimulates circulation, conditions the heart and builds muscle will encourage your body to properly metabolize sugar, helping to prevent diabetes. Studies show that tai chi and qi gong exercises have a beneficial effect on the hormonal system. With daily practice of qi gong exercises such as the Eight Treasures, you can strengthen your hormone system, help balance blood sugar levels, and avoid serious complications of diabetes. Below I describe a simple walking exercise called Merry-Go-Around that I recommend to many of my patients to help manage diabetes:

In a quiet outdoor setting, find a tree with at least five feet of clear space around the trunk in all directions. If you were to draw a circle around the tree, the diameter would be 10-12 feet, although larger or smaller circles are also fine.

Walk around the tree with a relaxed but steady gait, with your hands raised to your trunk. With each completed circle change the position of your arms by slightly raising or lowering your hands in front or on the sides of your trunk.

For the first half of the exercise, walk clockwise around the tree. For the second half, walk counterclockwise.

Do this exercise twice a day, for 15 minutes each time.

AVOID

Avoid a sedentary lifestyle, which is a major contributor to diabetes. Get out and get physically active. Avoid sugar and sweets alcohol and coffee; they should be off-limits. Avoid stress, anxiety, and emotional turmoil.