In Chinese Traditional Medicine, Diabetes is referred to as the Wasting-Thirst Syndrome. Diabetes Treatment from the Chinese perspective is to treat a yin deficiency along with a heat pathogen that affects the lungs, stomach and kidneys.When ones body is Yin deficient heat is produced. When heat is produced it in turn burns up Yin. With traditional Chinese Medicine diabetes treatment includes looking at the person’s whole lifestyle; too much spicy and drying foods, insufficient rest, overwork and too much sexual activity are all believed to cause a constitutional yin deficiency, which is symptomatic in Diabetes.
The most common symptoms that manifest in Diabetes are excessive thirst, hunger and frequent urination. When giving Diabetes treatment the Chinese medical practitioner looks into these three symptoms because in Chinese medicine they are associated with upper, middle and lower aspects of the body. These three sections of the body are called the upper, middle and lower burners. Thus, diabetes is categorized as upper, middle or lower burning Wasting-Thirst patterns of disharmony.
Before the Treatment
The excessive thirst in Diabetes is related to the upper burner. So before Diabetes treatment begins the practitioner checks for symptoms associated with Heat in the Lungs, which is related to the upper burner. Aside the obvious excessive thirst, the other symptoms associated with Diabetes and the upper burner is rapid thin pulse, and a red dry tongue with perhaps a yellow coating. With middle burner symptoms known as fire in the stomach, which is symptomatic of constant hunger, the pulse is rapid and more forceful with a red tongue that has a yellow coat. Finally with the lower burner the symptoms are related to the yin kidney deficiency causing frequent urination. Once again the pulse is rapid and thin and the tongue is red and slightly coated.
With a Yin deficiency the heat produced causes one’s Qi or (life force energy) to become deficient as well and the body fluids dry causing a thickening of the blood. When you have a Qi deficiency you become fatigued and develop blood stasis, which causes circulatory problems to accompany these disharmonious patterns occurring in ones body.
Diabetes and TCM
Diabetes Treatment in Chinese Traditional Medicine focuses on nourishing the Yin and clearing the heat, which restores balance in the body’s triple burners. Since more than one burner may be effected treatment is involved in taking a holistic approach. While addressing the underlying condition in the diabetes treatments secondary treatments are considered to treat the other disharmonious patterns such as Qi deficiency and blood stasis as well.
Chinese practitioners do not stop their patients from taking the conventional medicines but treat the body to lower its glucose levels so a reduction of medication may result. Diabetes Treatments include acupuncture, herbs and in some cases Qi Gong Exercises.
Are There any Effective Diabetic Herbal Remedies?
Today many people suffering with diabetes are increasingly turning to alternative medicines and treatments to control their blood glucose levels. There seems to be many Diabetes Herbal Remedies and nutritional supplementation available to quickly provide relief and comfort to diabetes sufferers. There is a growing volume of evidence pointing to the positive affect of specific Diabetic Herbal remedies and nutrition. It has been found through studies that herbal remedies have helped those with diabetes cut down on their medication or prevented many individuals from becoming diabetic. Diabetic herbal remedies, along with diet and lifestyle changes have brought about significant results in the fight to control diabetes. Using diabetic herbal remedies have shown decreases in sugar glucose levels and have also shown a decrease in organ and tissue damage associated with diabetes.
Here is a list of some basic Diabetic Herbal Plants and their effects on diabetes
Pterocarpus marsupium (Indian Kino, Malabar Kino, Pitasara, Venga) is a tree plant. The gum resin looks like dried blood. The bark of this tree has been used for centuries in East Indian traditional Medicine. It is used in treating diabetes. The flavonoid found in the bark and an herbal extract of Pterocarpus marsupium has shown to regenerate functional pancreatic beta cells. The pancreas beta cells are where insulin is made in the body.
Gymena Sylvestre helps the pancreas produce insulin in type 2 diabetes. It also helps the insulin’s ability to lower sugar levels in the blood in both type 1 and 2 diabetes. Users of this Diabetic Herbal therapy claim that it reduces their cravings for sweets. Diabetes suffers use approximately 500 milligrams of Gymena Sylvestre as Diabetic Herbal extract.
Using one serving of Blueberry leaf as a diabetic herbal treatment is said to have a lasting effect for several weeks. The active ingredient in the Diabetic Herbal remedy is myrtilllin, a type of vegetable insulin. It helps improve eye damage caused in diabetes as well as the integrity of the capillaries. Some people even use an injection of blueberry leaf as 1 gram a day. It is however 50 times weaker than real insulin and should not be used that way as a diabetic herbal treatment without the supervision of a health care professional.
Asian Ginseng is a common diabetic herbal ingredient in Traditional Chinese Medicine. It has been shown to help increase the release of insulin from the pancreas and increase insulin receptors. This in turn, has a blood lowering effect. 200 milligrams a day of ginseng extract in a study recently showed an improvement in control of blood sugar levels in type 2 Diabetes.
Bilberry has shown to lower the risks of Diabetic complications with the eyes. Ginko Biloba the memory herb is a very effective Diabetic Herbal Remedy for early stage Diabetic Neuropathy. Cinnamon increases the conversion of glucose to energy by twenty times.
One Diabetic herbal remedy I came across can be made into a powder and put into #00 capsules. In fact this formula is good for all pancreatic problems: 1 part uva ursi 1 part goldenseal 1 part elecampane 2 parts dandelion root 2 parts cedar berries 1 part fennel part ginger One pill should be taken after every meal.
Blueberry leaf tea is also a good diabetic herbal recipe that is simple. You take either 1-teaspoon dry or three teaspoons of fresh blueberry leaf and steep it in boiling water for approximately 15 minutes. You can add a teaspoon of cinnamon powder if you wish. You can drink three ½ cups per day.
I found a lot of diabetic herbal remedies one can use at home to help control their disease. This does not replace a medical doctor, nor do I suggest that these types of diabetic herbal remedies be used without your doctor’s knowledge. I think you can use these as compliments to your conventional health regimen in your fight against diabetes.
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