Diabetic Care with Ayurvedic Treatment: Ayurveda, a holistic methodology to medicine that originated in India thousands of years ago, can effectively treat diabetes. The word Ayurveda comes from the Sanskrit lyrics Ayur (life) and Veda (knowledge) -or “the science of life.” Ayurvedic medicine is created on the belief that all living things are made up of the five elements of the earth, water, fire, air, and space; that there are three types of energy present in all living beings called Vata, pitta, and Kapha; and an imbalance in these energies causes that disease.
Also read: I am Diabetic; What do I do Now?
Ayurvedic Approach to Diabetes
According to Ayurveda, diabetes can be traced back to an imbalance of Kapha energy, which is made up of earth and water elements. Holistic doctors attribute the development of diabetes to a decrease in digestive fire or “agni” and, therefore, a decreased ability of the body to metabolize energy and eliminate toxins.
As an Ayurvedic treatment for diabetes, a practitioner recommends avoiding excess sweets, carbohydrates, red meats, seafood, and dairy products that are thought to aggravate Kapha energy. Instead, your diet should include barley, rye, corn, rice, oats, fresh vegetables like asparagus, peppers, onions, garlic, eggplant, spinach, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, and herbs like ginger, okshura, gudmar, Triphala, musta, cardamom, fenugreek or cilantro.
Dry cooking, such as roasting, roasting, and grilling, is considered preferable to balance the heavy, fresh and moist nature of Kapha.
Honey on sugar for diabetes is often recommended in Ayurvedic medicine. In addition, diet modification, regular physical activity, herbal supplementation, yoga, and meditation are also recommended.
The Take Home
It is difficult to find significant flaws with the fundamental recommendations of the Ayurvedic diet for diabetes.
Avoiding excess sweets and encouraging vegetables and whole grains certainly aligned with the most modern diabetic diet strategies.
A variance would be the recommendation to avoid red meats, seafood, and dairy products. It can argued that eating lean red meats once or twice a week, salmon for omega-3 fatty acids, and low-fat milk for calcium and protein are acceptable and healthy for people with diabetes. The benefits of honey over sugar are also up for debate.
It is not surprising that a long tradition has developed for the management of diabetes through diet, as medicines were not available until a few decades ago. It is still wise advice to manage your diet carefully.
Precautions
But in reality, the only Ayurvedic treatments for diabetes to be especially cautious about are herbal recommendations from Ayurveda professionals. It is essential to research herbal requests and consult with your doctor before starting any herbal treatment. Herbs have many side effects. Reducing blood sugar is a side effect of some herbs, but the result can be theatrical if taken in combination with medications that lower blood sugar. Some herbs can alter the effects of drugs, and potency variability is always an issue due to poor regulation of the herbal market.
Finally, it essential to note that medications may needed if diabetes cannot be controlled with diet alone.
