Diabetes - Adult-Onset Diabetes Mellitus (Type II)
http://www.dremilykane.com/diabetes.html by Dr.Emily Kane
The name of this set of symptoms comes from the Greek; diabetes means
"passing through" and mellitus means "honey." In other words, "honey
passing through," or high levels of sugar in the urine, was what the
ancient doctors first observed. The disease is characterized by high
levels of sugar in the blood, which "spills over" into the urine, and is
almost universally related to chronically high intake of simple
carbohydrates in the diet. With 4% of the population medically diagnosed
with Diabetes Mellitus, it has become the 7th leading cause of death in
the U.S. and the incidence is rising.The good news is that 90% of non-insulin dependent diabetics will be
cured by achieving their optimal weight and eating a balanced diet. This
means no donuts! (and about a hundred other junk foods!)Other theoretical causes for the defiency of insulin include viral
infection of the insulin-producing beta cells of the pancreas, toxic
reaction to N-nitroso compounds (found in smoked and cured meats), and
auto-immune disease. The great dangers of uncontrolled diabetes include
premature heart disease, stroke, atherosclerosis, and eventually
gangrene of the lower limbs, blindness and pancreatic failure. There is
a significant familial component to this disease. So check your family tree!Because diet is so critical to the control of this disease, nutritional
approaches will be discussed first. However, there are lots of other
ways to control DM (Diabetes Mellitus), including Botanical Medicine
with its array of insulin-like plants, Homeopathy, Traditional Chinese
Medicine (TCM) and psychological approaches.What about Nutritional Medicine? Do I have to radically change my diet?
If you like coffee and donuts for breakfast, a grilled cheese sandwich
followed by a pastry treat for lunch, then pasta and cookies washed down
with a soda-pop for dinner, then yes, you do have to radically change
your diet. This is an extreme picture, obviously. Changing your diet is
something that must be done slowly, lovingly, with great patience and
persistence. Most of us are very attached to "our" foods and making
changes at this fundamental level doesn't come easily. It can be done
however; and it could save your life. Be easy on yourself. Reward
yourself with little treats every day, like a walk at sunset, or a
bubble bath, or calling a friend long-distance. And make a plan.
Starting with not keeping sugary foods in the house.The trick to eating to control Diabetes Mellitus (DM) is basically low
to no refined sugar, high complex carbohydrates and raw foods, low fat,
high fiber and easy on the fruit. Refined sugar means any carbohydrate
that has been processed, bleached or otherwise chemically altered.
Anything made with white flour and white sugar spells trouble for the
diabetic. We're talking about cookies, cake, candy, ice-cream, pastries,
pizza, boxed cereal, all soda-pops, alcohol, honey -- all that good
stuff. Unfortunately, most of us live life in the fast lane and this is
why "fast-food" joints are a multi-billion dollar industry.Real food, made from healthy ingredients, usually takes a little more
time to prepare than the standard fare at Wendy's or Burger King. So,
one thing to adjust to is not only not eating junk food (and you know
what that is...) but to creating TIME in your schedule, as a priority,
to shop for fresh vegetables 2 or 3 times weekly, to eat at home more
often, learn to use a steamer, don't fry foods, never drink Coke (or any
other soda-pop) and get together with others who are learning to live
longer through healthy eating. Maybe you can form a dinner group in your
apartment building or neighborhood.The other critical technique to treat DM through diet is to eat 5 or 6
small meals throughout the day. Don't let yourself get hungry, because
then, guess what? Right, you'll grab the nearest available snack, and
that is sure to be loaded with sugar or white flour. The other reason to
not eat 3 "big" meals a day is to spare your pancreas. You have DM
because your pancreas has a hard time producing enough insulin to keep
the sugar in your blood from getting into the cells. Insulin acts as a
carrier molecule for sugar across the highly selective barrier of the
membrane of each and every cell in your body. Not enough insulin means
the sugar builds up in the blood. And that means not enough sugar, or
raw fuel, in the cells. All of you interested in DM know about "diabetic
coma" where you can literally pass out, and maybe die, because of a
critical shortage of fuel to the brain. The treatment, conventionally,
for diabetic coma is to give insulin. But that's a choice with grave
implications. You want to do everything you can to avoid becoming
dependent on insulin injections. Please believe that improving your diet
is a much more pleasant alternative than having to shoot insulin before
every meal.Now, enough of what you can't, or shouldn't, eat. There are many ways of
using foods to help DM. For example, some of the very best foods for
prolonging the action of your compromised insulin stores are onions and
garlic. Use these tasty foods liberally in your diet. Experiment. Did
you ever try baking a whole onion along with your yams or potatoes?
Delicious! Garlic is tasty baked, too. Learn to make a gourmet onion
soup. Buy a garlic press. Other therapeutic foods for DM include:Jerusalem artichokes, burdock, parsley. These plants are high in inulin,
an insulin analogues.Chromium-rich foods such as Brewer's yeast, lean beef, calf's liver,
whole wheat bread, wheat bran, rye bread, oysters and potatoes. Chromium
is the central element in a very important molecule called the "glucose
tolerance factor" (GTF). Research has shown that GTF is needed to allow
insulin to do its work in getting sugar into the cells where it can be
used as fuel for the entire system. Chromium is also available
concentrated droplet form, and is helpful in controlling sugar cravings.Zinc rich foods such as oysters, ginger root, wheat germ, lamb chops,
pecans, brazil nuts and split peas. Zinc is a co-factor in many of the
thousands of biochemical reactions that our body continuously performs.
Paying attention to zinc intake is especially important for people who
live in coastal regions and prefer to eat locally grown foods. This is
because the rainfall tends to wash trace minerals in the soil out to
sea, and minimal levels are absorbed into the produce.Foods high in water-soluble fiber: flax seed, pectin, guar gum, oat
bran, mucilage.Whole grain and legume carbohydrates , such as squash, sweet potatoes
and carrots.Pumpkin, whole rice, yams, mung beans, stringbeans, cucumber,celery,
peach, millet, spinach, blueberry, mung beans, peas, yams, tofu,
cabbage, daikon radish, mulberries. And don't foget garlic and onions.Foods rich in Iodine, Silicon, Phosphorus such as kelp, dulse, Swiss
Chard, turnip greens, egg yolks, wheat germ, cod roe, lecithin, sesame
seed butter, seed and nuts, raw goat milk.Garlic, more garlic, wheat germ, liquid chlorophyll, alfalfa sprouts,
buckwheat, watercress, rice polishings, apple, cherries. But avoid fruit
juices or dried fruits. They have too much concentrated fruit sugars.
It's best to avoid really sweet fruits like pears, bananas or figs.To protect your heart and blood vessels, increase omega-3 and omega-6
fatty acids. These are found in vegetable, nut, and seed oils, salmon,
herring, mackerel, sardines, walnuts, flaxseed oil, evening primrose
oil, and black currant oil. Don't cook with these oils; use them raw in
salad dressing, or to thicken a soup after it has been prepared.Spices that are used in East India to control diabetes are cinnamon,
turmeric, bay leaf, and cloves. Find some new recipies calling for these
tasty flavors.There are also nutritional supplements that can be useful in curbing DM,
which will worsen if not agressively tended to. However, the list of
vitamin and mineral "pills" can be overwhelming, so get the help of a
nutritionally trained doctor, naturopath or progressive dietician to
help choose the right ones for you. Here are some of the likely choices:Biotin 16 mg daily Myo-inositol 1 gram daily Vitamin B3 Vitamin B6 100
mg daily especially if you have reduced nerve function in your legs.
This is dangerous for diabetics. Pay attention and don't let this sign
progress. Vitamin B12 Vitamin C 2 grams daily. Increase until your stool
becomes soft, then cut back to the level of Vitamin C that allows a
normal stool. Vitamin E 100 I.U. and increase slowly to 400 I.U. daily
Chromium 200 mcg daily. Look for a supplement that says "Glucose
Tolerance Factor" on the label. Magnesium 500 mg daily Manganese
Phosphorus Potassium Zinc picolinate 30 mg daily Bioflavonoids: such as
Rutin and Quercetin, 500 mg daily Coenzyme Q10, about 60 mg daily to
improve heart functionOne last piece of relatively "new" information relating DM to diet, that
is particularly important for children. Recent studies have difinitively
linked the ingestion of cow's milk by children to development of DM.
Cows have four stomach with which to digest their own milk. Cow's milk
is just not fit for human consumption, especially not when it's full of
bovine growth hormone and antibiotics. Don't feed your children cow's
milk. They just don't need it; in fact it's bad for us all unless you
are dying of starvation and its the only available source of protein.
The only "healthy" dairy product for homo sapiens (that's us) is yogurt,
which is already partially digested with enzymes.How can I use Physical Medicine to help control my Diabetes? Regular
aerobic exercise should always be part of your treatment plan. This is
important for cardiovascular fitness, for weight management and to
stimulate peripheral blood flow. Make sure to have a snack before and
after exercising. You can also use short cold showers or baths to
promote blood flow. Some people enjoy a form of stimulating massage
called a "salt glow" in which the therapist lightly rubs rock salt onto
your skin. Never apply hot packs or other heating devices to the head,
hands or feet. Warm your extremities gently by applying heat to the
thighs or upper arms first.Are there plants to treat Diabetes? How can Botanical Medicine help? A
great lesson can be learned from native American populations (American
Indians and Alaska Natives). These peoples very rarely suffered from DM
until they began to eat a "Western" diet. Now, sadly, the disease is
rampant in their communities. The indigenous diet of these peoples
contained many plant foods that served as insulin analogues. Most
notably of these medicinal plants are the Panax species which include
Devil's Club (Oplopanax horridum) and Ginseng. Other therapeutic plants
for DM include:Allium cepa (onion). More onion.
Allium sativum (garlic). Lots of garlic.
Arctium lappa (Burdock root). High in inulin, an insulin analog.
Chionanthus virginicus (Fringetree) for pre-diabetic symptoms such as
easy fainting and fatigue.Crataegus spp. (Hawthorne berry). Excellent for vascular tone.
Ginkgo biloba (Gingko) to help prevent diabetic retinopathy (failing
eyesight) and peripheral vascular disease.Glycyrrhiza glabra (Licorice root), to maximize adrenal function.
Juniperus communis (Juniper berries), a major component of many
indigenous diets. Useful as a detoxify agent and to control blood sugar.Lycopus virginicus: (Bugleweed) for the classic symptoms of DM: great
thirst, great hunger and great urination.Phaseolus vulgaris (bean pod)
Taraxacum officinale (Dandelion root), a mild, Potasium-rich diuretic
and liver cleansing herb.Trigonella foenum-graecum: (Fenugreek). This is a traditional remedy for
DM, used world-wide.Vaccinium spp. (Bilberry, also known as Huckleberry, especially the
leaf) stabilizes blood sugar and improves vascular tone.Please consult with a qualified herbalist or naturopathic doctor to get
the correct doses and method of administration. Many of these botanical
medicines can be eaten as food, but some are best taken in tincture
(alcohol extraction) form, and some may be difficult to locate. There
does exist, however, a whole world of medicinal herb farms in the U.S.,
and many of these farmers grow their crops organically, without
insecticides or weed-killers, which of course makes this form of
medicine all the more desirable.What can Homeopathy do for Diabetes? Many homeopathic remedies have been
applied to the treatment of DM. The trick with homeopathy is, however,
to treat YOU, and not just your disease. The homeopathic physician must
carefully assess your entire symptom picture, figure out your
personality, your hopes and fears, your family history, and put it all
together to come up with the single individual remedy that best fits
your picture. The following list of remedies is given not so much as a
place to begin experimenting (this is not advisable) but for you to read
and begin to think about the kind of information your homeopath will
want to get in order to find the "similimum." Please read the essay on
Homeopathy in the Introduction to Modalities section.Alumen for obstinate constipation; where the stools are flat, thin and
take a long time to evacuate.Aluminium Metallicum for coma with drowsiness, you feel unable to
recognize people or answer questions; constipation.Argenticum metallicum a remedy for emaciation and great weakness; pale
and sallow face and swollen feet.Arsenicum album for dry, brittle scaly skin, dry mouth, unquenchable
thirst, no appetite, constipation. Often this patient "wastes away" and
becomes very dry and thin.Carbo vegetabilis dryness of mouth in the early morning, pain in liver
as if bruised; sudden weakness and fainting, physical depression and
lassitude.Chionanthus Virginica for a pre-diabetic state in the patient with liver
disease; great thirst, dark, sugary urine; insulin resistant.Graphites for the patient who looks broken down, with gouty and
rheumatic problems; emaciation and debility, twitching of limbs and
paralytic weakness of joints; sleepless nights.Moschus for diabetes which presents with impotency.
Natrum muriaticum for dry skin, itching all over body; restless; yawning
and acting dejected; needs to pass urine every hour.Nux vomica for DM with stupor and vertigo, buzzing in ears,
sleeplessness.Phosphoric acid fits the nervous patient who has milk-colored urine;
great debility and bruised feeling in muscles; symptoms worse with
grief, worry, anxiety; early stage diabetes.Phosphorus is for restlessness and dry mouth; the patient urinates
copiously - 4-5 pints in 24 hrs.Plumbum metallicum for DM with constipation, and protein overflowing
into the urine (which is determined by urinalysis).Ratanhia for DM with scanty urine.
Uranium nitricum for DM due to defective assimilation; weak
digestion,langour, debility; enormous appetite but the stomach feels
full.Can I treat my diabetes with acupuncture? What does the long history of
Traditional Chinese Medicine have to offer to diabetics? Yes. The
Chinese have developed a sophisticated system not only for treating, but
for dagnosing what we call Diabetes Mellitus. They conceptualize three
different types of DM, which primarily affect either the "upper,"
"middle" or "lower" body. The middle body (or Middle Jiao as it is
called in Chinese) is the earlier form of DM, which presents mainly with
"great hunger." The disease progresses to the Upper Jiao form,
characterized by the addition of "great thirst" to the symptom picture.
Finally, the Lower Jiao form manifests with great hunger, great thirst
and also "great urination." Acupoints that may be helpful for these
three separate but related entities will be discussed below.Some possible points for Upper Wasting and Thirsting Syndrome:
jin jin and yu yeh, located below the lower lip, dispel Heat, especially
Heat in the Blood and help to make fluids ascend.Bladder-13 is located on either side of the spine, about level with the
tops of the shoulder blades, and is used to clear and disperse Fire and
Heat from the Lung and Upper Jiao and regulates and strengthens the Lung
Qi. The Lungs, according to TCM, are critical in dispersing moisture
throughout the body, thus preventing thirst.Lung-11 is near the elbow and is a classic "cooling" point. It moistens
throat and can quickly bring down a fever.Possible points for Middle Wasting and Hunger Syndrome:
Bladder-20, located mid-back on either side of the spine, is a master
point for regulating the digestive system.Bladder-21, just below Bladder 20, regulates the Stomach.
Stomach-28 is on the lower abdomen and regulates body fluids to promote
diuresis and facilitate digestion.Possible points for Lower Wasting and Urination Syndrome:
Bladder-23, on either side of the spine about waist level, is the
primary point for regulating Kidney function.Conception Vessel-4 located midline on the abdomen below the navel is
key to controlling bladder function, especially with frequent urinationKidney-5, near the inner ankles, primarily strengthens function of the
Kidneys.The Chinese also have a wide array of plants and medicinal plant
formulations to help treat DM. Some of the more popular remedies
include:For Upper Jiao syndrome, with excessive thirst predominant:
Ginseng and Gypsum C. (Bai Hu Jia Shen Tang): Lung Yin Xu (Deficiency).
For Middle Jiao syndrome, with excessive hunger predominant:
Rehmannia and Gypsum C. (Yu Nu Jian): Stomach Yin Xu (Deficiency).
Ophiopogon and Rehmannia C.: Kidney Yin Xu (Deficiency) with weak
digestive function.And for Lower Jiao syndrome, with excessive urination predominant:
Phellodendron C.; Yu Chuan Wan (patent): Kidney Yin Xu (Deficiency) with
Empty Fire Blazing (false hunger).Rehmannia Eight F. (Jin Gui Shen Qi Wan): Kidney Yin Xu (Deficiency)
with Kidney Yang Xu (Deficiency): Early-onset (insulin-dependent)
diabetes.Rehmannia Six F. (Liu Wei Di Huang Wan) (available as patent); Rehmannia
16 (patent); Cuscuta 15 (patent): Kidney Yin Xu (Deficiency).Quan Lu Wan (patent): Adult diabetes with both Kidney Yin Xu
(Deficiency) and Kidney Yang Xu (Deficiency).Ci Wu Jia Pian (patent): tonic to increase gland function.
Can Subtle Energy Medicine really help a physical problem like high
blood sugar? The use of flower essences, very dilute tincture made from
fresh flowers, can work wonders to help control sugar cravings and other
symptoms of DM. Flowers used for diabetes include: blackberry chamomile
nasturtiumAnother Subtle Energy modality advocates the use of color therapy,
either through wearing clothes of a certain color, or using colored
lights in your home and work place.lemon on front of body helps to dissolve blood clots and acts as a
"balancing" agent in chronic disease, such as diabetes.yellow on abdomen and lower thorax acts on the intestines, stimulates
the digestive action of the pancreas, increases the flow of bile and
hydrochloric acid (both important agents of digestion).magenta on the tops of the feet helps improves circulation.
lemon and yellow can also be applied to the solar plexus for 15 minutes
to control hunger.indigo applied on the throat can help control thirst.
blue on the liver for 5 minutes can stimulate the flow of bile.
blue on brow can relieve sugar cravings.
orange, green and indigo in combination is said to improve insulin
function.How can I use the power of my mind to improve or cure Diabetes? How can
Psycho-Spiritual Therapy help me? The mind is your most powerful tool
for regaining health, especially if you are willing to look at mental
patterns that keep you "stuck" in your disease. Consider the following
concepts, and explore any that strike a chord.Longing for what might have been; a great need to control; deep sorrow;
no sweetness left. Bitterness in life and need to sweeten one's life.Associated with stress. Diabetics have increased ketones (a byproduct of
protein digestion) after stress. Anecdotal review of life histories of
50 DM patients correlates the onset of disease after a period of
environmental or interpersonal stress. Stress has been associated with
exacerbations of the disease.The many personality traits conducive to obesity apply as well to the
adult diabetic. All told, there exists a tendency for a highly depressed
attitude in conjunction with a knee-jerk reaction to the disease, which
creates a fatalistic attitude toward the condition. If this sounds
familiar to you, know that you don't just have to accept this. You can
do something about it, and change your life for the better. The major
ingredients for improving the menu are faith, and persistence.
Associated with need for immediate gratification.Starvation for love and affection from the family.
Common parental messages communicated to diabetics as children: be in
control do not be angry or upset death will occur at an early age you
are special but flawed be strong and do not ask for helpMay be due to the strain of inadequately satisfied demands for love and
attention.Longing for what might have been; a great need to control; deep sorrow;
no sweetness left.Unexpressed anger and hostility.
Strong dependency needs.
"Dying for something sweet."
Behind the desire of diabetics to enjoy sweet things, and their
simultaneous inability to assimilate sugar and absorb it into their own
body-cells, stands an unsatisfied desire for love, along with the
inability to accept love and absorb it unreservedly. Diabetes leads to
an over-acidification of the body which can lead to coma. My webmaster
SRIMAD died on a carton of CHERRY GARCIA. Went to sleep but it was
a deadly COMA. Consider the polarity between love and aggression, between sugar and acid,
and symbolically, at a mythological level, between Venus goddess of
Love) and Mars (the war god).Perhaps you are convinced that high blood sugar is the root problem, and
imagine this problem would be solved if only the excess blood sugar
would just leave. Since it is actually a problem of transporting sugar
into cells and metabolism, make sure to visualize this sugar uptake
process, and not that the blood sugar "goes away." You can use the power
of your mind to talk positively to yourself, every day. This process is
called affirmation. You can make up you own, or use these:I will do something sweet for myself today. This moment is filled with joy.
I now choose to experience the sweetness of today. And you walk in garden.
Or you visit a neighbor. Or you watch the kitties play. Or MAKE 100 TOFU BURGERS
FREEZE 99 of them http://www.masterjules.net/tofuburg.htm
* * * * * * * * * *
posted by Anita Sands Hernandez astrology@earthlink.netRETURN TO HOLISTIC INDEX