“Why aren’t you consuming sugar? Do you have Diabetes?”
This is the most generally used sentence by people today. But what actually is this Diabetes?
Diabetes also known as Diabetes Mellitus is a chronic disease or a metabolic disorder that occurs due to insufficient production of insulin by the pancreas, or when the insulin produced is not used by the body properly. According to Ayurveda, Diabetes is known as Madhumeha, which means, ‘sweet urine’. The main cause of diabetes as described by Ayurveda is poor diet. Foods that are high in sugar, sweets, dairy products, fats, alcohol, bread, etc; should be avoided. Further, diabetes may also be caused due to excess sleep, lack of physical activities, excess of sex, stress, obesity, anxiety, and in some cases, heredity is the reason.
Before going any further, we should understand what insulin is.
It is the hormone produced by the pancreas that converts the glucose from the food we eat to pass through the bloodstream, and from there to all the cells in the body to produce energy. The carbohydrates from the food are first converted into glucose, which with the help of insulin is transported to each cell.
According to Ayurvedic texts, Madhumeha is primarily a Kapha disorder that can be caused due to many reasons like obesity and ingestion of Kapha-impacting foods. In this case, due to poor functioning of the pancreas, Kapha increases in the stomach and leads to turbidity or frequent urination.
Further, Diabetes Mellitus is caused due to Vata Dosha. When Vata gets accumulated in the large intestine and travels through the pancreas, the function of the pancreas is hampered adversely.
In some cases, Pitta Dosha may also cause Diabetes, when it gets accumulated in the small intestine before moving to the liver and causing damage to the pancreas.
Why is Diabetes called metabolic disorder?
Metabolism is a chemical process within our body, which transforms food into a form of energy to carry out different processes in our body. The food consists of proteins, carbohydrates, and fats. The work of insulin is to take the converted form of carbohydrates into the cells for the production of energy. Thus, here a metabolic process is failed and causes the body either to have too much or too less of an essential substance to maintain a healthy body function. And hence, Diabetes is called a metabolic disorder.
Now, from an Ayurvedic perspective, as diabetes is associated with the Kapha dosha problem, being a Kapha-dominant person won’t mean you might have diabetes. Rather, when the Kapha dominance is not counterbalanced by having a proper diet and maintaining a healthy lifestyle, it can manifest in diabetes. If not maintained, there will be Kapha imbalance and it is associated with weak Agni, which slows down metabolism. This causes further problems with excessive sugar levels in the body.
Ayurveda has classified Diabetes into two types,
1. Avarana: It is caused when channels within the body are blocked due to the aggravation of Kapha Dosha or other tissues in the body.
2. Dhatuksyaya: It is caused when dhatus/tissues within the body are depleted.
Unstable blood sugar levels have been the greatest challenge in today’s era, and many people want to control it holistically. Diabetes isn’t just a disease, it rather becomes a lifestyle that includes medications and health issues. May it be any type, the Agni within the body should be kept strong, so that digestion is optimum. This can be maintained only by having a healthy lifestyle. A few lifestyle changes along with some Ayurvedic herbs for diabetes help in the maintenance of sugar levels. Some of them can be noted below.
Read more – Diet for diabetes
Lifestyle changes for curing Diabetes:
1. Physical activity helps to keep blood sugar levels in check and reduces the symptoms of diabetes. Regular physical activity of 30 minutes five days a week, such as brisk walking, dancing, lifting weights, swimming, or any other similar activity, reduces the relative risk of diabetes.
2. Ayurveda suggests limiting the intake of sugars and simple carbohydrates.
3. Weight loss and maintaining a healthy body mass index (BMI) can help to delay and even prevent the onset of diabetes. Blood sugar levels can be significantly reduced by losing 5-10% of one’s body weight. People who are overweight or obese in the upper body are more likely to develop diabetes.
4. Management of stress: Stress is a known risk factor for type 2 diabetes. Stress hormones like cortisol and glucagon are generated when a person is stressed, which raises blood glucose levels. Diabetes risk can be reduced by managing stress and keeping motivated. The best way to keep stress under control is by performing stress-busting activities like meditation and yoga. This helps to deal with physical and mental health.
5. Dietary changes: A well-balanced diet and nutrition play an important role in diabetes prevention and management. Red meat, processed meat, high-fat dairy products, and sugary foods are linked to an increased risk of diabetes. Vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts, cereals, fish, and lean meat are high in fiber, which helps to prevent weight gain and type 2 diabetes. The carb intake should be reduced to control sugar levels.
6. Ayurveda suggests drinking water from copper vessels, which is excellent in stabilizing blood sugar levels.
7. Maintaining a meal schedule is another important point. Eating on time is as important as eating what’s good. In Ayurveda, it is stated that “Proper digestion and metabolism is executed only when Agni is at its best.” The Agni within the body is dependent on the sun, and is at its peak when the sun is at its peak, i.e. noon. Thus, the heavy meals of the day are to be consumed at noon time. Also, snacking late in the evenings and at night puts a huge strain on the digestive system, and food cannot be digested properly.
8. Hydration: The kidneys become overloaded due to diabetes, and start expelling more liquid than usual. This leads to dry mouth, skin, and thirst. Thus, it becomes important to keep drinking water as it reduces the risk of diabetes getting worse.
9. Proper sleep: Having a proper sleep of eight hours is important for good mental and physical health. If there is an irregularity in sleep, it causes a negative impact on blood sugar, blood pressure, appetite, and insulin sensitivity, and thus leads to weight gain. Ayurveda states that it’s important to give the digestive system rest which is possible during sleep, to eliminate toxins from the body.
Hence, if small changes are brought in lifestyle, not only does the body’s metabolism gets better but also manages blood sugar levels.
If you want proper assistance in maintaining a proper lifestyle and reversing the effects of diabetes, connect with us at – +91 88847 22267 or visit our website Diabetes Reversal Clinic.
