Diabetes in TCM

According to Traditional Chinese Medicine(TCM) theory, life consists of Yin and Yang substances: the mind or functions belongs to Yang, the body belongs to Yin; Fu belongs to Yang, Zang belongs to Yin; Qi belongs to Yang, Blood belongs to Yin; Heat belongs to Yang, Cold belongs to Yin; Fire belongs to Yang, Water belongs to Yin; the outside belongs to Yang, the inside belongs to Yin; the upper body belongs to Yang, the lower body belongs to Yin; the front of body belongs to Yang, the back of body belongs to Yin......

It is the interaction between Yin and Yang that creates the life. According to TCM theory, the balance between Yin and Yang after their interaction means health; the imbalance between them leads to health issues, where diseases will occur. In ancient China, people focus on keeping the balance of Yin and Yang, but one will ask how can one keep the balance of Yin and Yang? Before we talk about this, we will tell you how the imbalance between Yin and Yang occurs.

According to TCM,  the Yin and Yang of babies are in balance, as they do not know what to worry is, what stress is, they have their own innocent world. As they grow up, there are three influencing factors:

The first is the seven human emotions (i.e. joy, anger, sorrow, fear, love, hate and desire), if people hurt due to the seven emotions, we call this NeiShangQiQing (internal damage by the excessive seven emotions) in Etiology of TCM.

Science Statistics for side effects of chemicals in the treatment of Diabetes

Both Type 1 and Type II diabetes  can generally  be treated and controlled with medication. For Type I, the necessary medication is insulin since the body produces little or none of this required  substance. For Type II diabetes, a variety of drugs are available and they are usually accompanied by changes in diet. As with all medications, drugs that control diabetes have possible side effects.

 

Potential side effects of generally used diabetes drugs:

Sulfonylureas: low blood sugar, upset stomach, skin rash or itching, weight gain
Biguanides/Metformin: alcohol related intolerance, kidney complications, upset stomach, tiredness or dizziness, metal taste 
Alpha-glucosidase inhibitors: gas, bloating and diarrhea 
Thiazolidinediones: weight gain, risk of liver disease, risk of anemia, swelling of legs or ankles, 
Meglitinides: weight gain, low blood sugar

 

Nausea and Vomiting

When a medication interferes  with the gastrointestinal system, nausea and vomiting may result.In some cases these reactions to the medication will decrease and/or disappear with regular use of it. Diabetes medications that can cause these responses include metformin, marketed as Glucophage, Glumetza, Fortamet and Rioment. Insulin, glyburide (Diabeta, Glycron, Micronase, Glynase Pres-Tab), sitagliptin (Januvia), rosiglitazone (Avandia), glipizide (Glucotrol, Glucotrol XL), repaglinide (Prandin) and pioglitazone (Actos)  may all cause nausea and vomiting.

Glucose Functions

The carbohydrate glucose is very important substance in biology and in metabolism of all life forms. Glucose is a simple sugar, or monosaccharide, and is the main and preferred source of energy for red blood cells, the brain and the nervous system. Glucose also plays a role in the creation or synthesis of other substances like glycoproteins or glycolipids. It can create or synthesize polysaccharides, which are complex sugars that can be used as energy storage in organisms as well.

 

Energy Source
In most organisms, glucose is the main energy source (80% energy of the body needs is from glucose decomposition), according to the book, "Nutrition and Diet Therapy." Most of the cells in the body utilize glucose, but can convert other substances to energy when the levels of glucose are too low; other cells, like those in the brain, rely solely on glucose for energy. Glucose can be broken down by a process called glycolysis into pyruvate and packets of energy called ATP, according to the University of Illinois in Chicago. Glycolysis alone does not form that much ATP; however, in some organisms, the pyruvate is further broken down into carbon dioxide and water through the citric acid cycle. The citric acid cycle creates more energy for cells to use than glycolysis.

 

Dr. Wang indicates that it is not comprehensive for the western medicine takes the increase of blood sugar and urine sugar purely as the basis of diabetes, instead, the ability of stomach to absorb and transport sugar, the ability of liver and gall bladder compound and convert sugar, and the ability of heart, lungs and kidney adjust and utilize sugar, those three kinds of abilities is normal or not should be regarded as the basis of diagnosis of diabetes. If the three functions are good, we can’t say people get diabetes even though the index of blood sugar and urine sugar is higher than normal. Otherwise, if those three kinds of abilities in bad conditions, it might also be confirmed as diabetes though the index of blood sugar and urine sugar are normal. Diabetes patients take chemicals, the index of blood sugar and urine sugar are normal, but they still in diabetes and at last die of complications of diabetes from chemicals side effects. Western Medicine only sees highest blood sugar is harmful for body, but not sees normal blood sugar index of diabetes patients means their body is in the shortage of blood sugar, hypoglycaemia is more terrible than hyperglycaemia.