Review Article Volume 11 Issue 2
Health Informatics, Rutgers University, USA
Correspondence: Mahalakshmi Lakshmi Nathan, Health Informatics, Rutgers University, New Jersey, USA
Received: September 26, 2024 | Published: October 21, 2024
Citation: Mahalakshmi LN, Mital DP. Review of alternative medicine (AM) treatments for diabetes. J Diab Metab Disorder. 2024;11(2):80-83. DOI: 10.15406/jdmdc.2024.11.00282
In the US, diabetes is a signification public health issue. It is one of the leading causes of death and number one cause of kidney failure. Even with increased awareness and medical advances, the diabetic trends with the US adult population are not very encouraging. The number of diabetes cases in the US the last twenty years has more than doubled and out of the 37.3 million adults in the US with diabetes, 20% of them don’t even know that they have it.1 Diabetes is a chronic disease with no available cure, medical practitioners and researchers have focused on controlling it with through medicine and lifestyle changes. Diet, exercise and healthy lifestyle are the most important factors on managing diabetes. There are several Alternative Medicine (AM) treatments that are available to manage diabetes today. Diet, exercise, herbs and supplements, yoga and meditation are some of the available AM treatments for diabetes. Herbs and supplements do not come under the purview of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) because they are not classified as medicines. Moreover, there are not enough definitive research that proves the efficiency and efficacy of AM treatments. In this paper, I have described AM treatments available today and their impact on diabetes management.
Per US Centers for CDC, 37.3 million or 11.3% of the US population have diabetes and 96 million or 38% of the US adult population have Prediabetes.1 Diabetes is a chronic health disorder and is the 7th most important cause of death in the US. In the last 20 years, diabetes diagnosis in adults has more than expanded. Since we do not have a cure for diabetes yet, Alternative Medicine (AM) have attempted to cure diabetes through herbs, supplements, and diet, workout and relaxation methods. This paper explores some of the available AM treatments and their efficacy for diabetes.
What is diabetes mellitus?
Diabetes Mellitus is increased intensity of glucose in the blood due to complete or relative insufficiency of Insulin. Diabetes Mellitus (DM) literally means “sweet urine”. Digestion is a natural process by the body provides energy for all vital functions. The food we consume is broken down by the body into glucose which is used to fuel all the body functions. Glucose is the main supplier of fuel for the body. After consumption, glucose is immersed in the bloodstream, where cells utilize it for strength and growth. Insulin is required by the cells to utilize glucose in the body. In case of Diabetes Mellitus, either insulin secretion from the pancreas is disturbed or its consumption by the cells. As a result, glucose cannot be used by the body but remains in the blood, leading to hyperglycemia. The excess blood glucose is excreted through the kidneys leading to Glycosuria.
Various types of Diabetes
Type I diabetes mellitus or Juvenile diabetes
The causative factors are:
Type II diabetes mellitus
Type II diabetes is more common and it is due to inability of the cells to utilize the Insulin because of impaired functioning of their receptors, a condition called Insulin resistance. For both Type I and Type II diabetes the body is unable to efficiently use glucose in the blood as the main source of fuel. It usually occurs middle age and elderly individuals. This usually occurs after age of 40. Additional insulin is usually not required and the body’s hormone insulin level is at near normal or even above normal.
Factors that cause Type II diabetes are:
Common symptoms of diabetes mellitus – type I & II
Risk factors for diabetes mellitus1
Diabetes diagnosis
A fasting blood glucose (sugar) lab test is the fast and reliable way to diagnose diabetes. For a fasting sugar blood test, the individual does not take any food for 8 to 12 hours before the blood test. People can test blood sugar levels at home using a glucometer and test strips.
A blood sugar level of 200 mg/dl or over, two hours after a meal denotes diabetes. Diminished Fasting Glucose (IFG) is the condition where fasting blood sugar levels are in the range of 100 to 126 mg/dl. People with IFG are not diagnosed as diabetic but this condition is not normal.
Review of available alternative medicine (AM) treatments for diabetes
Diet, exercise, herbs and supplements, yoga and meditation are some of the available AM treatments for diabetes.
Diet
Diabetic patients should be encouraged to:
Exercise
The first type of AM treatment for diabetic patients is diet and exercise. Diet and physical activity are necessary in managing diabetes. An active lifestyle that includes a healthy diet helps prevent and lessen the symptoms of diabetes. For people without any activity restrictions, the American Diabetes Association (ADA) recommends doing resistance workouts twice per week.2 People with Type II diabetes should get at least 150 minutes of moderate to intense aerobic exercise every week. The World Journal of Diabetes Trusted Source study found that physical activity is one of the best ways to manage Type II diabetes.3 Exercise can reduce blood pressure, reduce insulin resistance, and lower dangerously high blood sugar levels. Eventhough ADA makes the same physical activity recommendations for those with Type I diabetes,2 people with Type I diabetes should approach physical activity cautiously as they are at a higher risk of hyperglycemia.
Herbs and supplements
Traditional natural supplements and herbs are commonly used in Alternative Medicine (AM) therapies for diabetes. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not approve or regulate herbs and supplements. There is also no particular investigation that helps solely healing diabetes with herbs or natural supplements. Most support for these substances is not medically backed. It is important that people with illnesses always speak with their doctor about supplements they are considering taking. However, many patients do not know the necessity to as they are told natural supplements are ‘natural’ and ‘non-toxic’. Some of the most popular natural foods and Ayurvedic supplements and healthier foods used for diabetes involve: Aloe vera, chromium, cinnamon, garlic, ginseng, gymnema sylvestre, magnesium, polyphenols, prickly pear cactus, and vanadium.
Unfortunately, vanadium can affect side effects in high doses and turn out to be toxic to the human body.
Yoga
Yoga asanas (poses) excercises the whole body by stretching the entire skeletal system, spine, joints and tonifies the muscles. Yoga is believed to have a positive impact internal organs, glands, nervous system and this is one of the reasons that researchers are studying the health impact of yoga on various diseases. Studies have been conducted on yoga’s ability to strengthen bones, improve balance, stave off mental decline, reduce mental stress and relieve depression. Even though there are no conclusive research available on the impact of yoga on diabetes, several yoga practioners have claimed that the following yoga poses helps control diabetes. Yoga practioners have found the following asanas to have the most impact in controlling diabetes.
Sun salutation
The practice of Suryanamaskara can give a diabetic patient a complete exercise regimen. One round of Sun Salutation consists of twelve postures. It invigorates the whole body by exercising each and every part of the body.
Standing Asanas
Sitting Asanas
Prone Asanas (Abdominal lie down position)
Supine Asanas
Pranayama
Mudra Yoga Element (Fingers)
Suggestions on how to practice yoga by diabetics
In order to treat Diabetes holistically, the patient must understand the relationship between stress, emotional imbalance, dietary habits, and lifestyle. Begin with simple movements and positions before moving on to more complicated ones. Take appropriate medicinal dosages as and when required. Upon consultation with a physician, one may be able to reduce these dosages after several weeks. Overweight patients can begin with asanas, cleansing processes, pranayama, and relaxation. The movement should be performed slowly and smoothly, extending the limbs and joints and gently compressing the abdomen, without straining. The postures should be held for a considerable amount of time.
Meditation practice
Meditation is effective in maintaining good mental health and in reducing stress. Effects of meditation:
The chronic nature and the lack of cure of diabetes makes the controlling and living with diabetes the main focus for diabetic patients. Diet, exercise and healthy lifestyle choices have the biggest impact on controlling diabetes. Since the number of people diagnosed with diabetes has more than doubled in the last twenty years, the changes we have made in our diet, exercise and lifestyle should be studied closely since they maybe the main contributing factor for diabetes. Alternative Medicine (AM) has been around for a long time but we have not studied them using the latest research tools and methodologies to prove their effectiveness in current scenario. Since Federal Drug Administration (FDA) does not regulate herbs and supplement, the market is flooded with cures for almost every health condition. This makes researching AM treatments difficult because there is a lack of funding and desire to fully research them. The awareness to fully research AM treatments are gaining popularity, there are still not enough studies done for prove their effectiveness and efficacy.
There is no definite proof that AM treatments have any impact on controlling and managing diabetes. In general, almost all of the AM treatments for diabetes recommend moderation with diet, consistency with exercise and leading a well-balanced happy lifestyle. In the current environment, even if AM recommended practices do not cure or control diabetes, they are worth following to lead a healthy life.
None.
The author declares that there are no conflicts of interest.
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