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Diabetes is a complex disease which challenges the body in many ways. Explained
in the simplest terms, diabetes is a metabolic disease that prevents your body
from using sugar properly, causing blood sugar levels to remain high. A normal
pancreas produces sufficient amounts of the hormone insulin, which is
responsible for helping glucose, or blood sugar, to enter into cells. It is in
this way that your body’s cells receive the energy necessary to sustain life.
When this process is blocked due to a deficiency of the pancreas or other
reason, diabetes ensues bringing a host of signs and symptoms. Some common signs
and symptoms of diabetes include frequent urination, excessive thirst, excessive
eating, extreme fatigue, slow healing of cuts and wounds, infections,
irritability, tingling or numbness in the extremities, and blurry
vision. According to the Centers for Disease Control, 1 in 4 people remain unaware that they live with diabetes. Sometimes the body will give warning signs that help your physician or acupuncture and Oriental medicine practitioner make an early diagnosis. It is important to get a diagnosis as soon as you suspect that diabetes may be a problem for you, as untreated diabetes affects the whole body and can lead to the following medical problems, including heart disease, kidney failure, blindness, peripheral neuropathy, digestive disorders, and periodontal disease. The most common types of diabetes are Type 1, Type 2 and gestational diabetes. Type 1 diabetes is also known as insulin-dependent diabetes and usually presents in childhood. In this case, the body doesn’t produce any of its own insulin and must permanently rely on medication. Approximately 10 percent of diabetics are Type 1. Type 2 diabetes often arises in adulthood and is also called insulin-resistant diabetes. In some cases, the pancreas remains capable of producing insulin but the uptake into the cells remains slow and inefficient. About 90 percent of diabetes patients have Type 2. Gestational diabetes occurs solely during a woman’s pregnancy. Usually it resolves after she gives birth, but it may leave her more vulnerable to develop Type 2 diabetes. Offering a holistic approach that is beneficial in the treatment of such complicated diseases like diabetes, Acupuncture and Oriental medicine provides a treatment plan specifically tailored to the needs of each individual to provide relief of the symptoms associated with diabetes. That being said, the fundamental problem that is common among most diabetic patients arises from a long-standing deficiency of yin. |