Diabetes and Ayurveda

Diabetes is a chronic metabolic disorder which involves not only carbohydrates but also fat and protein metabolism as well. It is a well known disease since ancient time. Ayurvedic physicians have describes it as Prameha.

Diabetes is a disease in which the affected passes urine several times with increased level of density. This is completely co related with primary sign of Diabetes Mellitus i.e. Polyurea.

Primarily, there are three types of diabetes

·   Type 1: it is also called the juvenile-onset diabetes. It is caused when the body’s defence system attacks the cells producing insulin. The pancreas fail to produce the adequate amount of insulin. It usually affects children or young adults, but is also seen in adults. They have little or no insulin at all and are hence dependant on insulin shots to control glucose levels in blood.

·   Type 2: This may strike at any age and is characterised by insulin resistance and relative insulin deficiency or both. In other words, the cells fail to respond to insulin. Type 2 diabetes may often go undetected and only be known when blood or urine is tested.

·   Gestational diabetes (GDM): This type of diabetes is seen in expecting mothers when high glucose levels found in blood. Though GDM disappears after pregnancy there are high chances that they may suffer from type 2 diabetes with 10 years or so.

Ayurved describes Diabetes Mellitus as a Tridoshaja involving all the three body constitutional dosha – Vata, Pitta, and kapha.

Causes

Unhealthy lifestyle is the main culprit behind the disease. This includes physical inactivity, high caloric diet, fat excess, consuming packed food items frequently etc. The above may lead to disturbances in insulin secretion or action or both and ultimately cause excess glucose in the blood.

Treatment

The best of the treatment of the disease is “lifestyle management” as said in Ayurveda “Nidaan parimarjanam”, which means avoiding and change parameters that cause the disease. Physical activity and exercises, walking, yoga posturs like mandookashan, shaskashana, bhujangashana etc. along with monitored diet and multiple small meals at regular intervals are helpful in managing the disease.

• Dr Kushal Yadav, People’s Ayurveda Hospital & Research Centre, Bhopal