A Mind-Body Approach to Diabetes

Dr. Sheila Patel
January 10, 2012

Part of truly appreciating our human experience is enjoying the sweetness of life. A perfectly ripe peach. A fresh slice of homemade bread. A scoop of chocolate ice cream. In life’s paradoxical way, however, at the same time that we have greater access to the world’s rich variety of sweet delicacies than ever before, the number of people with difficulties metabolizing sugar in their bloodstream is soaring. This condition, commonly known as diabetes, is reaching epidemic proportions in many countries.

Although medical science has made great advancements in the treatment of acute diseases such as infectious illnesses, trauma, and other life-threatening conditions, we are seeing a dramatic rise in chronic diseases, including diabetes. According to the most recent report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the number of people in the U.S. diagnosed with diabetes rose from 1.5 million in 1958 to 18.8 million in 2010. Diabetes is the seventh leading cause of death in the U.S. and is a major cause of heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, lower limb amputation, and blindness. Data from international studies show that the number of people with diabetes worldwide in 2011 has reached 366 million.

Fortunately, while there is not yet a cure for diabetes, there are interventions and lifestyle changes we can make to affect the course of this disease and prevent complications. The healing system of Ayurveda offers valuable wisdom and guidance that can help us listen to the signals of our body, notice the first signs that we’re getting out of balance, and make the necessary changes to reverse the imbalances.

By taking a fresh look at the ancient and comprehensive knowledge base of Ayurveda, we can become better able to treat and manage this complex disease. We can also expand our potential to develop treatment strategies that combine ancient wisdom with modern medicine.

What Is Diabetes?

The current medical understanding of diabetes mellitus is that it is a group of related diseases in which the body is unable to regulate the amount of sugar, specifically glucose, in the blood. Glucose provides our body and mind with vital energy. It is the main source of energy for our cells and the main source of fuel for our brain.

In a healthy individual, several hormones, including insulin, regulate blood glucose levels, allowing glucose to be used for fuel. However, in people with diabetes, the body either does not make enough insulin (type 1 diabetes), or is not able to use it well (type 2 diabetes). In some types of diabetes, the body is both unable to produce enough insulin and unable to use it efficiently. When the body is unable to efficiently incorporate glucose from the blood into the cells where it is needed, glucose stays in the blood, where it can cause serious problems. In addition, the cells don’t receive the energy they need to function properly. In all types of diabetes, there is a risk of the blood sugar level becoming too high and causing serious health problems, both acute and chronic.

An Ayurvedic Perspective

One of the earliest references to the disease we would recognize today as diabetes appears in the Atharvaveda, one of the four sacred Vedas that originated in approximately 1,500–1,000 B.C. in India. The traditional comprehensive healing system of Ayurveda was developed from material that is found in these ancient texts.

In Ayurveda, diabetes is referred to as madhumeha, a Sanskrit term that directly translates as “sweet urine” disease. Indeed, when our blood sugar levels rise above a certain threshold, it spills over into the urine and can be detected. The ancient description of this disease includes an appreciation for the fact that derangements in body tissues take place due to imbalances in metabolism. The term for this in Sanskrit is dhatupaka janya vikruti.

The cause, symptoms, prognosis, and management of diabetes were also described in detail in the Vedic texts thousands of years ago. Ayurveda recognizes the multifactorial nature of diabetes, making reference to tendencies inherited at birth as well as accumulated imbalances of potentially all three doshas or mind-body constitutions (Vata, Pitta, and Kapha). Learn more about the three doshas here.