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Can Traditional Chinese Medicine treat diabetes?
Dr. Yi Fu of BodyMind Synergy Health Centre
People are paying more attention to the treatment of diabetes with the
use Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). They have noticed that TCM shows
tremendous advantages in improving the symptoms, particularly for type II
diabetes, by decreasing blood sugar levels and delaying complications with
lower side effects when compared with Western medicine.
TCM has recognized diabetes since 500 B.C., when it was referred to as
“Consuming and Thirsty”, and pathogenesis was thought as “dryness in lung,
fire in stomach, and kidney yin deficiency”. After about 2500 years, doctors
have enriched this theory. They believe the yin deficiency is the key point.
Combinations of either qi or blood deficiencies can also contribute to
further complications. TCM doctors try to tonify the kidney yin, nourish
blood and boost qi to treat symptoms as well as the root for diabetic
conditions.
TCM can treat diabetes holistically & individually -TCM believes that the
onset of diabetes is based on yin deficiency body constitution with
irregular diet, emotional attacks and overworking. Diabetes presents
problems with not only the pancreas but also spleen, liver and kidney; in
the end damaging both Yin and Yang, leading to the imbalance of organ
systems to cause diabetes. Therefore, TCM treats diabetes by balancing the
yin and yang, regulating the function of all the organs and systems to
promote the recovery and function of pancreas. TCM also takes into account
the season, environment and body constitution to provide more compatible and
individualized plan for each patient.
TCM can effectively relieve symptoms - Patients taking insulin or using
other medications often still have the problem of fluctuating blood sugar
levels, as the symptoms cannot be controlled. However TCM can effectively
relieve common symptoms such as thirst, hunger, frequent urination,
lassitude, tingling body, edema, constipation or diarrhea and also helps to
control the blood sugar. In China, TCM is combined with western medicine to
treat more severe cases. TCM uses herbs, acupuncture, and massage therapy to
treat diabetics and complications such as nephropathy, dermatopathy,
gangrene, ketosis and fundus, etc.
TCM is an effective modality for the long-term care of diabetics.
For more details on this subject, please contact Dr. Yi Fu from BodyMind
Synergy Health Centre at 403.520.5258 or visit
www.bodymindsynergy.com |
