Cure Diabetes mellitus (Madhumeha)

According to Ayurveda, the consideration of a patient’s lifestyle, age, type of work, psychosocial needs and willpower is important in a management plan. The latter includes the necessary panchakarmas (cleansing methods), herbal formulas, a healthy meal plan, and regular blood sugar monitoring. A physician needs to evaluate the plan at each visit and make necessary modifications. Herbs are selected based on their properties, such as Rasa (taste and physicochemical properties), Veerya (potency), Vipaka (post-digestive effect) and Prabhava (unique action) that are necessary to bring about a balance in doshas.  On the basis of this approach, Charaka Samhita, the classical Ayurvedic text, has prescribed the following palliative treatments specific for dosha conditions. Other lifestyle changes recommended are regular walking and reducing the consumption of fatty foods such as butter and oils. The use of bitter gourd, pungent and astringent tasting food, asparagus, spinach, turmeric, fenugreek seeds, black pepper, and ginger is encouraged in the diet. It is important to note that according to Ayurveda, vigorous exercise is contraindicated in lean and weak patients with severe diabetes. Patients are advised to perform yoga and breathing exercises (pranayama). In fact, certain yoga practices and breathing exercises are believed to stimulate better utilisation and production of insulin by stimulating both the pancreas and muscles. With regards to preventive measures, Ayurveda relies primarily on the adoption of lifestyle and food habits that reduce fat accumulation in the body because 80% of type 2 diabetes mellitus patients are known to be obese. Regular use of Rasayana (rejuvenatives) and herbal formulas that are effective in controlling blood sugar is advocated, particularly for those who have a family history of diabetes.

Tags: diabetes mellitus, obese, pranayama, resayana