Modern Medicine and Traditional Chinese Medicine - Diabetes Mellitus
There is nothing new about diabetes; it has been a medical problem since ancient time. The name which was originated by Aretaeus (30-90 CE) came from the Greek words meaning 'siphon' and 'to run through', signifying the chronic excretion of an excessive volume of urine.
Diabetes mellitus, because of its frequency, is probably the single most important metabolic disease and is widely recognized as one of the leading causes of death and disability in the United States. It affects every cell in the body and the essential biochemical processes that go on there.
Diabetes has been linked to the western lifestyle, as it is uncommon in cultures consuming a more primitive diet. As cultures switch from their native diets to more commercial foods, their rate of diabetes increases, eventually reaching the same proportions seen in western societies.
A great deal of research has been conducted into the possible etiology of diabetes. Most of the prevalent ideas can be classified under one of the following categories: heredity, endocrine imbalance, dietary indiscretion and obesity, sequelae of infection, and severe and continued psychic stress.
Although genetic factors appear important in determining susceptibility to diabetes, environmental and dietary factors are also important in its development and many have been identified. A diet high in refined fibre-depleted carbohydrate is believed to be the causative factor in many individuals, while a high intake of high-fibre complex carbohydrate foods is protective against diabetes.
Obesity appears to be a significant factor, particularly considering the fact that 90% of Type 2 sufferers are obese. Even in normal individuals, significant weight gain results in carbohydrate intolerance, higher insulin levels and insulin insensitivity in the fat and muscle tissue. The progressive development of insulin insensitivity is believed to be the main underlying factor in Type 2 diabetes. Weight loss can correct all of these abnormalities in many instances and significantly improves the metabolic disturbance of diabetes in most cases.
What has become apparent through years of research is that the diabetic condition is not simply a matter of one or two things having gone wrong. It is a complex condition with a multitude of metabolic imbalances. Consequently, the conventional medical approach of simply using insulin or oral drugs to treat diabetes is incomplete and the person relying on them to prevent long-term complications remains at risk.
Diabetes mellitus, because of its frequency, is probably the single most important metabolic disease and is widely recognized as one of the leading causes of death and disability in the United States. It affects every cell in the body and the essential biochemical processes that go on there.
Diabetes has been linked to the western lifestyle, as it is uncommon in cultures consuming a more primitive diet. As cultures switch from their native diets to more commercial foods, their rate of diabetes increases, eventually reaching the same proportions seen in western societies.
A great deal of research has been conducted into the possible etiology of diabetes. Most of the prevalent ideas can be classified under one of the following categories: heredity, endocrine imbalance, dietary indiscretion and obesity, sequelae of infection, and severe and continued psychic stress.
Although genetic factors appear important in determining susceptibility to diabetes, environmental and dietary factors are also important in its development and many have been identified. A diet high in refined fibre-depleted carbohydrate is believed to be the causative factor in many individuals, while a high intake of high-fibre complex carbohydrate foods is protective against diabetes.
Obesity appears to be a significant factor, particularly considering the fact that 90% of Type 2 sufferers are obese. Even in normal individuals, significant weight gain results in carbohydrate intolerance, higher insulin levels and insulin insensitivity in the fat and muscle tissue. The progressive development of insulin insensitivity is believed to be the main underlying factor in Type 2 diabetes. Weight loss can correct all of these abnormalities in many instances and significantly improves the metabolic disturbance of diabetes in most cases.
What has become apparent through years of research is that the diabetic condition is not simply a matter of one or two things having gone wrong. It is a complex condition with a multitude of metabolic imbalances. Consequently, the conventional medical approach of simply using insulin or oral drugs to treat diabetes is incomplete and the person relying on them to prevent long-term complications remains at risk.
What Is Diabetes?
Diabetes Mellitus is a disease in which the body does not produce or properly use insulin, which affects how the body is able to use glucose for energy. Diabetes Mellitus (the most common form of the disease) is a disorder in which blood levels of glucose (a simple sugar created by the metabolism or the body’s process of breaking down of carbohydrates, i.e. fruits, vegetables, grains) are abnormally high because the body doesn't release or use insulin (a hormone produced by the pancreas) adequately. The oxidation or metabolism of these sugars from carbohydrates is the major source of energy for the human body.
Insulin, a hormone released from the pancreas, is the primary substance responsible for maintaining appropriate blood sugar levels. Insulin allows glucose to be transported into cells so that they can produce energy or store the glucose until it's needed. The rise in blood sugar levels after eating or drinking stimulates the pancreas to produce insulin, preventing a greater rise in blood sugar levels and causing them to fall gradually. Because muscles use glucose for energy, blood sugar levels can also fall during physical activity.
Glucose builds up in the blood, overflows into the urine, and passes out of the body in the urine. Thus, the body loses its main source of fuel.
There are three main types of diabetes:
(1) Type 1, also known as juvenile diabetes
(2) Type 2 diabetes
(3) Gestational diabetes (occurs in pregnant women during the pregnancy, but resolves after delivery)
Diabetes is a leading cause of death by disease worldwide. If not recognized or improperly managed, the high levels of blood glucose (sugar) can slowly damage both the small and large blood vessels in the body, possibly resulting in many serious health complications such as heart disease, which is two to four times more common in people with diabetes than without, it is also a leading cause of adult blindness & kidney disease. At least 50% of all limb amputations not due to traumatic injury are due to diabetes, and diabetes is now considered to be a major cause of erectile dysfunction (male sexual organ problems).
With careful management, these complications can be delayed and even prevented.
Insulin, a hormone released from the pancreas, is the primary substance responsible for maintaining appropriate blood sugar levels. Insulin allows glucose to be transported into cells so that they can produce energy or store the glucose until it's needed. The rise in blood sugar levels after eating or drinking stimulates the pancreas to produce insulin, preventing a greater rise in blood sugar levels and causing them to fall gradually. Because muscles use glucose for energy, blood sugar levels can also fall during physical activity.
Glucose builds up in the blood, overflows into the urine, and passes out of the body in the urine. Thus, the body loses its main source of fuel.
There are three main types of diabetes:
(1) Type 1, also known as juvenile diabetes
(2) Type 2 diabetes
(3) Gestational diabetes (occurs in pregnant women during the pregnancy, but resolves after delivery)
Diabetes is a leading cause of death by disease worldwide. If not recognized or improperly managed, the high levels of blood glucose (sugar) can slowly damage both the small and large blood vessels in the body, possibly resulting in many serious health complications such as heart disease, which is two to four times more common in people with diabetes than without, it is also a leading cause of adult blindness & kidney disease. At least 50% of all limb amputations not due to traumatic injury are due to diabetes, and diabetes is now considered to be a major cause of erectile dysfunction (male sexual organ problems).
With careful management, these complications can be delayed and even prevented.
About Blood Sugar
Carbohydrate is the active fuel of the body and is ordinarily the main source of energy of the tissue cell. In the normal digestive process, food sugars and starches (carbohydrates) are changed into sugar glucose. This is stored in the form of glycogen (animal starch) in the liver and muscles for later use as a body fuel, at which time it is reconverted into glucose. Blood sugar rises somewhat after eating and in healthy individuals’ returns to normal levels in about an hour or two. The amount of glucose in the blood is controlled mainly by the hormones insulin and glucagon. Too much or too little of these hormones (or if they are somehow ineffective) can cause blood sugar levels to fall too low (hypoglycaemia) or rise too high (hyperglycaemia). Other hormones that influence blood sugar levels are cortisol, growth hormone and catecholamines (epinephrine and norepinephrine).
The pancreas, a gland in the upper abdomen is responsible for producing insulin and glucagon. The pancreas is dotted with hormone-producing tissue called the islets of Langerhans, which contain alpha and beta cells. When blood sugar rises after a meal, the beta cells release insulin. The insulin helps glucose enter body cells, lowering blood glucose levels to the normal range. When blood sugar drops too low however, the alpha cells secrete glucagon. This signals the liver to release stored glycogen and change it back to glucose, raising blood sugar levels to the normal range. The result of the disturbed metabolism of glucose causes an abnormal accumulation of sugar in the blood stream and the diabetic condition.
The pancreas, a gland in the upper abdomen is responsible for producing insulin and glucagon. The pancreas is dotted with hormone-producing tissue called the islets of Langerhans, which contain alpha and beta cells. When blood sugar rises after a meal, the beta cells release insulin. The insulin helps glucose enter body cells, lowering blood glucose levels to the normal range. When blood sugar drops too low however, the alpha cells secrete glucagon. This signals the liver to release stored glycogen and change it back to glucose, raising blood sugar levels to the normal range. The result of the disturbed metabolism of glucose causes an abnormal accumulation of sugar in the blood stream and the diabetic condition.
What Are the Conventional Treatments for Diabetes?
When your physician diagnoses diabetes, it is likely that he or she will suggest, in addition to lifestyle changes, the following:
- Insulin (always in type 1 and sometimes in type 2)
- Monitoring blood sugar levels
- Oral medication (type 2)
The goal of all diabetic treatment is to normalize blood glucose (sugar) levels as much as possible, and to minimize the following long term complications of diabetes:
- Blood vessel damage that can lead to heart attack, stroke, limb loss, kidney damage, blindness, and other serious physical consequences
- Nerve damage, or neuropathy, resulting in loss of sensation
- Gastroparesis (delayed stomach emptying)
- Skin conditions
- Depression
While individuals with diabetes should check their blood sugar level multiple times per day, the best way to assess the overall level of glucose control is by taking a Hemoglobin A1C test. This provides an average of glucose levels over several months. National guidelines recommend that Hemoglobin A1C levels are measured four times per year. (The higher the Hemoglobin A1C, the more "uncontrolled" the diabetes.)
Routine monitoring of diabetes with a physician, and a coordinated care team, is very important in the proactive management of diabetes.
What Are Recommended Lifestyle Changes?
Lifestyle changes are critical in diabetes management, and are a routine and expected part of a conventional medical care plan. Some changes include:
- Exercise
- Healthy, low-fat, high-fiber, nutritious diet, minimizing simple and processed sugars
- Weight loss (if appropriate) or maintenance of a healthy weight
- Insulin (always in type 1 and sometimes in type 2)
- Monitoring blood sugar levels
- Oral medication (type 2)
The goal of all diabetic treatment is to normalize blood glucose (sugar) levels as much as possible, and to minimize the following long term complications of diabetes:
- Blood vessel damage that can lead to heart attack, stroke, limb loss, kidney damage, blindness, and other serious physical consequences
- Nerve damage, or neuropathy, resulting in loss of sensation
- Gastroparesis (delayed stomach emptying)
- Skin conditions
- Depression
While individuals with diabetes should check their blood sugar level multiple times per day, the best way to assess the overall level of glucose control is by taking a Hemoglobin A1C test. This provides an average of glucose levels over several months. National guidelines recommend that Hemoglobin A1C levels are measured four times per year. (The higher the Hemoglobin A1C, the more "uncontrolled" the diabetes.)
Routine monitoring of diabetes with a physician, and a coordinated care team, is very important in the proactive management of diabetes.
What Are Recommended Lifestyle Changes?
Lifestyle changes are critical in diabetes management, and are a routine and expected part of a conventional medical care plan. Some changes include:
- Exercise
- Healthy, low-fat, high-fiber, nutritious diet, minimizing simple and processed sugars
- Weight loss (if appropriate) or maintenance of a healthy weight
What Are Some Integrative Therapies to Consider for Diabetes?
Type 1 diabetes occurs when the pancreas (a gland needed in the digestive process) no longer produces any or very little insulin. The body needs insulin to use sugar obtained from food for energy. Approximately 10 percent of people with diabetes have type 1 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes may, in some cases, be cured, especially in situations where underlying conditions, like obesity, are resolved. 90 percent of people with diabetes have type 2. The following therapies and healing practices are therefore presented primarily as ways of managing type 1, and managing or eliminating type 2 diabetes, optimizing function, and minimizing complications.
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)
The group of symptoms termed diabetes in conventional medicine has been treated for thousands of years with the system of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). TCM looks at signs and symptoms in the context of the whole person. Specifically this system looks at patterns of disharmony, as well as patients' emotional and psychological responses.
Unlike conventional medicine, TCM does not focus on determining or manipulating the blood sugar levels, but rather individualizes a plan to restore balance and harmony, depending upon the nature of the diagnosed imbalance. The most commonly employed therapeutic methods in TCM include acupuncture, Chinese herbal medicine, diet therapy, and mind/body exercises (Qigong and Tai Chi).
In 1997, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) released a consensus statement saying that the use of acupuncture in the treatment of diabetes was classified as "effective, but further evidence required." It is important to acknowledge that the consensus statement referred to studies of acupuncture only, and not of the entire systemic approach.
Acupuncture has been shown to lower glucose levels, and has been demonstrated to improve peripheral neuropathy and neuropathic pain, one of the most common complications of type 2 diabetes.
Many Chinese herbs and formulations have been used safely for millennia, some of the most commonly used herbs in diabetes include: Panax Ginseng, Momodica charantia, Lagenaria siceraria, and Psidium gnajava. These herbs appear to enhance how glucose is metabolized in the body.
How to Use Integrative Therapies in Your Diabetes Care
All of these approaches seek to optimize the body's ability to function. When integrating therapeutic approaches to diabetes, all patients must recognize the importance of careful monitoring of blood glucose levels.
When new therapies and practices are added, ideally glucose levels will decrease or normalize, and prescription medications may need to be decreased in dose, or sometimes even eliminated. Therefore, reliable and regular self-testing of glucose levels, accurate recording/reporting, and frequent communication with your medical care team is recommended.
Unlike conventional medicine, TCM does not focus on determining or manipulating the blood sugar levels, but rather individualizes a plan to restore balance and harmony, depending upon the nature of the diagnosed imbalance. The most commonly employed therapeutic methods in TCM include acupuncture, Chinese herbal medicine, diet therapy, and mind/body exercises (Qigong and Tai Chi).
In 1997, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) released a consensus statement saying that the use of acupuncture in the treatment of diabetes was classified as "effective, but further evidence required." It is important to acknowledge that the consensus statement referred to studies of acupuncture only, and not of the entire systemic approach.
Acupuncture has been shown to lower glucose levels, and has been demonstrated to improve peripheral neuropathy and neuropathic pain, one of the most common complications of type 2 diabetes.
Many Chinese herbs and formulations have been used safely for millennia, some of the most commonly used herbs in diabetes include: Panax Ginseng, Momodica charantia, Lagenaria siceraria, and Psidium gnajava. These herbs appear to enhance how glucose is metabolized in the body.
How to Use Integrative Therapies in Your Diabetes Care
All of these approaches seek to optimize the body's ability to function. When integrating therapeutic approaches to diabetes, all patients must recognize the importance of careful monitoring of blood glucose levels.
When new therapies and practices are added, ideally glucose levels will decrease or normalize, and prescription medications may need to be decreased in dose, or sometimes even eliminated. Therefore, reliable and regular self-testing of glucose levels, accurate recording/reporting, and frequent communication with your medical care team is recommended.
