Ayurveda and Diabetes

Ayurveda medicine focuses on balance of body, mind, and consciousness and is based on the idea that disease is due to imbalance. These ideas made me think about what it really means to be balanced. In my biochemistry class, we stressed that the body is constantly trying to maintain homeostasis and is never at equilibrium. The body is an open system and takes in nutrients, releases waste, and uses and releases energy. Everything in the body is constantly flowing, yet there is a balance. We often mistake balance for equality, but in the body, things are not necessarily equal. For a healthy individual, things are in balance and there is the right amount of each specific thing  (nutrients, minerals, proteins, elements, etc.). However, in unhealthy individuals, there are often imbalances in these things, and an imbalance in one thing can offset our entire metabolic pathway. This can have a wide range of effects throughout the body.

One example of a disease caused by an imbalance in the body is diabetes mellitus. Diabetes mellitus is a chronic condition related to how the body produces or processes insulin. Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease in which the β-cells of the pancreas are damaged and cannot produce insulin properly. Those affected by Type 1 require insulin shots. Type 2 diabetes is related to an unhealthy lifestyle (unhealthy diet and lack of physical activity) which leads to cells in the body not responding to insulin in the way they should. 

Insulin is an important hormone that regulates blood glucose. When the body isn’t producing insulin or is not responding to insulin properly, it can create imbalances in the level of glucose in the blood. Glucose plays a huge role in many metabolic pathways, such as glycolysis and glycogenesis. The reactions of these metabolic pathways are interwoven with reactions of other pathways. These reactions occur at the cellular level and have great effects on all the organ systems of the body. Those affected by diabetes often have many other health issues, including heart disease, diabetic neuropathy, chronic kidney disease, peripheral artery disease, gum disease, and diabetic retinopathy. 

My father is an ophthalmologist who specializes in the retina, and many of his patients suffer from diabetic retinopathy and diabetic macular edema. He explained to me that when there are high concentrations of sugar in the blood, it damages the endothelial cells and pericytes in the small and medium blood vessels of the eye. When these vessels are damaged, it leads to ischemia in the local tissues. To compensate for this ischemia, angiogenesis occurs. However, the new blood vessels are very fragile and incompetent, which leads to blood and exudates leaking in the retina which causes impaired vision. This is only one example of the many effects of diabetes that can be life-changing, and it, unfortunately, affects more people than we realize. 

Throughout the world, 537 million adults (1 in 10) are living with diabetes. It is predicted that by 2030, this number will rise to 643 million. In 2021, 6.7 million deaths were attributed to diabetes, which is 1 person every 5 seconds. (Diabetes Atlas) Diabetes is becoming an increasing problem and threatening the lives of people all over the world. And not only are cases rising, but the medical costs of diabetes are on the rise as well. The ADA estimates that the cost of diagnosed diabetes was about $327 billion in 2017 compared to $245 billion in 2012. On average, an individual with diabetes pays over two times as much on medical bills than an individual without diabetes. (ADA) With the increasing prevalence of diabetes, it is clear that changes need to be made. 

Most cases of diabetes are preventable. In the United States, 90-95% of people with diabetes have type 2 diabetes, which can be prevented through lifestyle changes. These lifestyle changes include a healthier diet and more physical activity. Physical activity not only helps prevent diabetes but also other diseases and disorders, such as heart disease, cerebrovascular diseases, hypertension, and even cancer. Exercise has so many benefits to our metabolism and our cardiovascular health as well as our musculoskeletal system. It also has benefits to our brain and mental health. Even though there are so many reasons to exercise, only 23.2% of adults meet the physical activity guidelines for both aerobic and muscle-strengthening activity (CDC). 

Exercise, along with a healthy diet, is an important part of the ayurvedic approach to diabetes treatment. In one clinical study, a 40-year-old man with elevated blood sugar entered an Ayurveda treatment center. He presented with lethargy, numbness in his feet, blurred vision, and difficulty concentrating. Before entering the treatment center, he had done a hemoglobin A1c test (HbA1c). This test helps practitioners to understand the average blood sugar levels of their patients over the previous 3 months by testing the amount of glucose bound to their blood’s hemoglobin. A normal level is below 5.7, a prediabetic level is between 5.7 and 6.4, and a diabetic level is 6.5 and higher. The man presenting to the Ayurveda treatment center had a HbA1c of 11.2 and was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. At the treatment center, the practitioners created him an individualized diet and exercise plan and prescribed him herbal medicines. After 1 month of these lifestyle changes, his HbA1c reduced to 8.4, and after 9 months, it had dropped to 5.7. He reported that he was jogging 4 days of the week and was cutting out snacking and screen time which led him to have more energy and better sleep. He stated that he hadn’t taken any drastic measures to improve his health but strictly followed a healthier diet and lifestyle. (Gorden et al., 2019)

While there are some aspects of Ayurveda and some Ayurveda therapies that I don’t really believe or fully understand, I think the overall concept of making sure there is balance in our bodies and our minds is so important. I have noticed drastic differences in my own life when I am striving to be balanced versus when I am not. I play college basketball, so exercising has never been a big issue for me. However, I have struggled with eating healthy and eating enough food. Some days, I am so busy that I forget to make time for food. I have noticed on those days, I have less energy, feel more emotional, and don’t sleep well. I’ve also experienced imbalances in my mental health when I don’t make time for myself to recover and to enjoy myself. It causes a lot of stress and mental exhaustion. 

I believe that it would be very beneficial to better educate people on how to create balance in their own lives. Balance is different for everyone, but it is not any less important. By teaching people the Ayurveda way of balance, I truly believe we can help stop the rise of diabetes and other preventable diseases.

Works Cited

ADA. “The Cost of Diabetes | ADA.” American Diabetes Association, https://diabetes.org/about-us/statistics/cost-diabetes. Accessed 23 September 2022.

CDC. “FastStats - Exercise or Physical Activity.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/exercise.htm. Accessed 23 September 2022.

Diabetes Atlas. “IDF Diabetes Atlas.” World Diabetes Day | Access to Diabetes Care: If Not Now, When?, https://diabetesatlas.org/. Accessed 23 September 2022.

Gordon A, Buch Z, Baute V, Coeytaux R. Use of Ayurveda in the Treatment of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus. Glob Adv Health Med. 2019 Aug 7;8:2164956119861094. doi: 10.1177/2164956119861094. PMID: 31431828; PMCID: PMC6686320.

Hannibal KE, Bishop MD. Chronic stress, cortisol dysfunction, and pain: a psychoneuroendocrine rationale for stress management in pain rehabilitation. Phys Ther. 2014 Dec;94(12):1816-25. doi: 10.2522/ptj.20130597. Epub 2014 Jul 17. PMID: 25035267; PMCID: PMC4263906.

Ayurveda & How It Relates To Metabolism

Ayurveda is an interesting concept rooted in ancient Indian culture; this idea consists of many stemming subcategories and is considered to be a type of “holistic medicine”. Holistic medicine is a treatment that factors in mental and social well-being on top of immune health, rather than focusing solely on symptoms of disease. Ayurveda evaluates the connections between mind & body to provide a unique & personalized care for a patient. Many concepts of Ayurveda are derived from cultural beliefs in ancient India and concepts observed in the Hindu religion - suggesting that the mind, body, & spirit are connected. When the homeostasis or balance between these systems are disrupted it compromises the natural environment of the human body.

This idea of connection between different parts of your body is really intriguing and has been a topic that I have researched frequently. Mental health plays a crucial role in influencing the overall health and well-being of an individual. When a body is stressed or overworked, it can compromise your immune system; making you more vulnerable to disease or infection. This also applies to the connection between our bodies and the environment. When we are living in an environment that challenges the means of homeostasis in our bodies (whether it be physical or emotional), this imbalance can cause a disruption leading to the development of sickness or disease.

Metabolism is an extremely important set of processes that occur within an organism in order for normal functioning within the body. Metabolism, on the basic level, is the chemical process of turning food into energy and resources our body needs. Despite this simple definition, metabolism is actually a quite complex and intricate set of reactions producing different products & reactants necessary for proper system functioning within a living organism. Without these metabolic pathways, life would be improbable. These chemical engines are a crucial building block on the overall concept of life, and how to define it. Like all life’s processes it is a very complex system with little explanation to how it got here or why it works… it just does.

Metabolic pathways have to be tightly regulated and correctly controlled for the system to work properly. Regulation is extremely important especially in a complex system, such as the metabolic pathway. In the human body, I have learned that too much or too little of anything can be a bad thing. It throws off the homeostasis of the system causing failure or inefficiency in the body. Regulation helps to maintain homeostasis by controlling the pathways activity based on the needs of the system and the resources available.

In the metabolic pathway, there are many regulators to ensure proper functioning within the network - one of the most important regulators being Insulin. Insulin is the key factor in being able to use the energy produced by metabolism (during Krebs cycle). Insulin helps to maintain homeostatic requirements of the system by regulating glucose levels in the body. Insulin's main role is to help move glucose from your blood into your cells to use as energy. Insulin is also responsible for the reuptake of glucose by your muscles, liver & fats - this reuptake maintains proper glucose levels circulating in the body while also providing an energy storage for when it's needed.

Diabetes is a disease that truly tests the importance of regulators in the metabolic pathway and how the lack of regulation results in an extreme imbalance in the body. Type I Diabetes is a chronic metabolic disease in which those affected have little to no insulin production due to damaged or “foreign” (autoimmunity) Beta cells in the Pancreatic Islets. With the lack of insulin in individuals with Type I Diabetes, the most noticeable effect is the inability to move glucose from the blood into the cells resulting in hyperglycemia (high blood sugar). Despite this being the most noticeable effect, the chemical imbalance within the system causes disruptions in a variety of body systems. A decrease in the production of Insulin also leads to the decrease in Amylin (as it is co-secreted with Insulin), thus leading to the digestive system absorbing more glucose. Type I Diabetes is considered an autoimmune disease (affecting the immune system - causing inflammation) as T cells attack the Beta cells in the Pancreatic Islets. In a patient with Type I Diabetes, we see improper functioning of the liver (increased production of glucose), muscles (decrease glucose reuptake), and fats (increase lysis of fat energy stores). So what can we do to properly treat and/or cure this unruly disease?

Well the most simplistic answer revolves around the concepts and benefits of basic exercise. Exercise is one of the most beneficial things you can do for your body, no matter the condition your body may be in. Exercise can be used to help boost your immune system, improve your respiratory system, improve your mental state, and much more. Exercise is a great way to help improve your condition if you are suffering from Diabetes. During exercise your muscles have a higher affinity towards Insulin, as glucose intake is crucial to produce the necessary energy for muscle contractions. More glucose intake from your muscles can help to stabilize your blood glucose levels and thus ease the symptoms of diabetes.

My first experience with this concept of “Ayurveda” was through a Yoga class. Yoga is a type of exercise & therapy that takes this concept of mind & body to help improve muscle strength, breathing, and balance through the practice of meditation & pranayama (regulated breathing). Pranayama is a great practice of Ayurveda because it practices stronger breathing which helps to enhance oxygen circulation in the blood and reduce stress in the body. Practicing slow deep breathing helps to lower the production of glucose in your liver and increase the insulin sensitivity in your body - this proves to be beneficial in the treatment of Diabetes. This practice overall boosts immune functioning and could potentially help to prevent conditions from developing or worsening. Exercise is a great treatment option, but it isn’t a cure.

Is there a cure for diabetes? Well… not really, but researching this idea of a “cure” I discovered an experimental treatment that sounded pretty promising. The treatment suggested is a Pancreatic Islet Transplantation. This procedure takes donor Islets (from deceased organ donors) which contain healthy Insulin-producing Beta cells and transplants it into the affected patient (individuals with Type I Diabetes). To prevent an immune intensive response patients that undergo this treatment will be put on immunosuppressants to prevent transplant rejection. Unfortunately taking immunosuppressants weakens the immune system, shifting the imbalance to another system in the body.

Chemical processes occur constantly throughout our body to ensure this state of homeostasis. In Ayurveda, the concept of homeostasis or equilibrium represents a healthy individual as all parts - body, mind, & spirit - are working unanimously. Imbalances within the body cause overproduction or underproduction of necessary chemicals for survival (Insulin shortage in the case of Diabetes), thus causing a state of disease. Without the proper functioning of metabolic processes, the body is thrown into a compromised state. Because our bodies are so complex and specific; it can get quite difficult to cure a disease without causing a different imbalance within the body. Hopefully with more research alongside advancements in our knowledge of medicine & technology we can find more viable cures to chronic conditions. 

Ayurveda and Diabetes

    The word Ayurveda is derived from Sanskrit. The Ayur means life and Veda means knowledge. Ayurveda is a knowledge of life and a quest for balance. Disease is the result of an imbalance in consciousness. This knowledge of life helps to maintain or regain balance through lifestyle management and the use of traditional eastern medicine. In other words, it is a natural or holistic approach to overall health. The treatment aims to reduce symptoms by eliminating impurities and increasing disease resistance and harmony in one’s life. Much of the treatment focuses on certain practices and habits like sleep schedules and exercise, but also incorporates food as a preventative and symptomatic treatment to ailments. These foods are mostly plants, but animal products can also be used along with metals and minerals. Taking a closer look at diet, exercise, and lifestyle will help to live ayurvedic principles. Many Indians practice these principles and have for hundreds of years. Ayurveda is even taught as a recognized form of medicine in India. One of the central tenets that is taught is the existence of three doshas, or energies, that are formed from the elements and influence bodily functions. The doshas are known as Vata, Pitta, and Kapha. Imbalances between these doshas can lead to disease. There are certain steps to regain balance when one of these doshas is out of balance. Depending on the specific need, changes in diet, exercise, or sleep may be necessary to rebalance.

One of the benefits of Ayurveda is how individualized it can be. Concepts from papers and videos illustrate that since treatment from Ayurveda will be based on how one feels, the imbalance can be self-corrected, without help from another person. This is a benefit because the symptoms and treatment will coincide perfectly since the data comes from one source. This is one of the arguments in favor of ayurvedic medicine versus western medicine. Traditionally, western medicine has one type of drug that is used by everyone as a treatment. At first glance, this is not a specialized form of care.  However, much of the western medicine we use is also specialized in its own way. Digestive problems do not warrant an x-ray of a foot. Similarly, antibiotic medication is not prescribed as a treatment for hypertension. Individualization in western medicine is apparent in special screenings where DNA samples are analyzed to see which medications will work best for the tested metabolism. This is a personalized form of treatment despite being a type of Western Medicine. While there is a distinction between individualized care in both Ayurveda and western medicine, it appears that western medicine can be specialized when done correctly. Ayurveda has an advantage in its emphasis on self-awareness, by encouraging proactive treatment with diet and lifestyle instead of going to see a doctor. Many patients that come to the doctor’s office do not need treatment because there is nothing wrong with them, or serious enough that it requires treatment from a medical professional. In some cases, more effective treatment would be for the patient to first treat themselves with simple practices stemming from Ayurveda. If those are ineffective, then a visit to the doctor’s office or the emergency department is warranted.

There is a connection between our bodies and the environment. Over the past year I have made conscious efforts to change a lot of my habits to improve my overall well-being. I have noticed a definite difference due to these efforts. Many of these changes were to my sleep schedule, diet, and amount and types of exercise. Taking proper care of the body allows for a higher level of performance. Placing our bodies in environments where they can succeed can help our overall health. This requires the proper fuel, rest, and activities. We can improve physically, mentally, and emotionally by changes that build into habits. Even small adjustments have measurable effects on overall health and performance. In simple terms, the environment that our bodies are in will affect the body for good or bad. Intentional efforts to surround our bodies with good will directly improve our health.  Surrounding it with bad will have the opposite result. There are benefits to health that will come from implementing ayurvedic principles that will improve diet, sleep, exercise, and overall health.

Through work at a family medical practice over the last year, I have learned many things about preventative and overall health. We often think of prescription medicine and vaccinations when we picture a doctor’s office but there is just as much treatment that is patient-driven. We all have the capacity to do good things for ourselves. The efforts that patients can make to improve their health will have a great effect on their bodies and well-being. Efforts such as diet, sleep, and exercise are the first that come to mind.  One of the most impressive things that I have learned is the effect of obesity on overall health. It has caused me to rethink my approach to health, diet, and exercise. This is an example of something within my control and so I have made a lot of changes in my lifestyle. I have had the opportunity to speak to many of the providers about treatment for those who struggle with obesity. My position also allows me to read through chart notes and see the recommendations that providers give to patients to help them to manage their conditions and symptoms. I have been shocked to see how many of these recommendations from medical professionals are forgotten or disregarded by patients. The same pattern of disobedience occurs with diabetic patients, many of whom have a comorbidity of diabetes and obesity. They have the chance to help or hurt themselves by following or not following recommendations by doctors. Due to the extensive research we have on diabetes, these recommendations will help patients to maintain balance in their lives. However, very few of these suggestions are followed and overall health declines as a result.

Diabetes is a classic example of a metabolic imbalance that can have devastating effects on health. Everyone knows someone with diabetes and that number continues to increase. This could be your grandparents, parents, siblings or cousins, and even your friends. This growing prevalence has prompted some to refer to diabetes as a pandemic and epidemic. Some of the research that I conducted theorized that the real reason for the pandemic status was the lack of physical activity. Our activity level has a dramatic effect on our health and can be linked to diabetes. Those who do not get enough exercise are at a higher risk of developing diabetes. Exercise is even recommended by doctors to help manage diabetes. Physical activity has a direct connection to overall health. Additionally, diabetes affects economies, sociality, and the environment.

Diabetes occurs when our bodies can no longer regulate blood sugar. Much of the food we eat is composed of glucose, which is the preferred source of sugar for cells. Glucose is released into the blood as food is broken down. When glucose levels in the blood rise, a signal is sent to the pancreas to release insulin. Insulin is a hormone, or protein, that acts as a chemical messenger to control bodily processes. It is produced by beta-cells in the pancreas and acts as a messenger that allows glucose to enter the cells instead of remaining in the bloodstream. The uptake of glucose into cells lowers blood sugar and provides energy for the cells. An additional hormone called glucagon is antagonistic to insulin. While insulin release is stimulated by high blood sugar, glucagon release is stimulated by low blood sugar. This partnership ensures that our blood sugar does not get too high or too low, but maintains homeostasis. The actions of these hormones help us remain balanced. This balance ties into Ayurveda, where the body functions best when it is balanced. The human body seeks balance without conscious thought. Diabetes introduces imbalance by disrupting the central role of insulin in controlling blood sugars in the body, among other effects elsewhere. Diabetes causes unregulated blood sugar by making insulin less effective or producing lower amounts of insulin. The beta cells that produce insulin are either attacked by the immune system or begin to fatigue and die from overwork. Logically, this affects blood sugar levels and leads to a condition known as hyperglycemia, or high blood sugar. In other words, glucose cannot be taken into the cells and broken down but stays in the blood where it continues to circulate throughout the body. Long-term circulation of glucose can lead to health problems.

It is important to briefly note that there are a few types of diabetes. Type 1 is due to an autoimmune deficiency and usually develops earlier in the lifespan. Type 2 is the type that is most well-known and is diagnosed in adults. The other two types are gestational diabetes, which occurs during pregnancy, and prediabetes, which signifies an increased risk of developing diabetes. All types have subtle differences but the underlying issue of high blood sugar is the same. Recall that the continued circulation of blood will lead to further health issues. All types of diabetes have aspects that are within and without the patient’s control.

The effects of diabetes can be curbed by active efforts to live a healthier life. Those who do not make these efforts are at risk of a host of health issues. The long-term effects are significantly more damaging to the many tissues and systems in your body. These issues include: increased glucose production in the liver, increased glucose reabsorption in kidneys, decreased peripheral muscle, increased lipolysis, increased rate of absorption of glucose in the stomach and small intestine, changed microbiota in the colon, and increased appetite and sympathetic tone in the brain, along with decreased dopamine surge in the morning. These are just some of the problems caused because diabetes can also affect your eyes, raising the probability of developing retinopathy, cataracts, and glaucoma. Risk is also increased of developing kidney disease, nerve damage, peripheral arterial disease, high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, cognitive impairment, and decreased function in the immune system. The addition of any of these health issues becomes a challenge for the patient on top of diabetes. Diabetes can reach many parts of the body and induce negative consequences on overall health. This health challenge extends to family members, friends, communities, and countries as they try to combat this disease. 

Additionally, there is the economic effect of diabetes. The American Diabetes Association published a paper about the cost of diabetes. Their cost estimates placed diabetes at around $245 billion in 2012, which was up 41% from 2007. If a five-year period yields a 41% increase a ten-year jump will surely have a similar result. Diagnosis of diabetes has become more common and more costly. Part of the cost comes directly from supplies and treatment but a large chunk is due to lost labor and disability. At the time of the study, 7% of the US population had received a diagnosis of diabetes. These people pay 2.3 times more money for medical treatment than those people without diabetes. The extra costs are often related to additional diabetic treatment that is beyond what is required for those without diabetes.

As previously mentioned, I have been exposed to a lot of treatment of patients with diabetes through work at a family clinic. I have seen how much diabetic medications cost and how time-consuming treatment of patients can be. The majority of these patients fall within the middle-aged to the older population and the majority are type 2 diabetics. We ask them to come in every 3 months to check on their hemoglobin A1c, which is the average of your blood sugar over the last 90 days. Many insurances also require A1c tests as proof of treatment. This is a critical test that allows for proper treatment going forward. These visits follow a template that includes questions about diet, exercise, most recent diabetic eye and foot exams, history of chronic kidney disease, medications, and recent labs, tailored to the needs of each patient. Because all of these patients are different, some are compliant with the instructions they get from the primary care providers and others who do not follow the instructions. Most regularly take their medications, whether that is pills or injections, but they struggle with aspects that require more effort, such as improving their diet and exercise habits. This calls back to the pandemic of inactivity mentioned in the first paragraph. Indifference for these patients is costly, whether that be through exercise or diet. This can cause their A1c to spike to dangerous levels, prompting the diagnosis of uncontrolled diabetes mellitus and increasing the risk of the side effects of diabetes. Others have learned to manage their condition effectively and now have controlled diabetes. Unfortunately, patients tend to take the easiest route, or the path that requires no extra effort. Very few patients are motivated enough to implement the changes in their lives that will have the best effects on their health. I think that this is part of the reason why diabetes is so common around the world. There are too many people who shirk responsibility for their health and end up with problems that result from poor exercise and diet habits. This is part of why the diabetes pandemic is such a strain on public health and the economy.

This paper has allowed me to see some of the connections between Ayurveda and medicine. I had not previously thought about the body's own ability to maintain balance as a form of Ayurveda, but the body certainly knows life and a quest to maintain balance and homeostasis. I appreciate that my research and thoughts show that western medicine can be specialized and tailored to the needs of the patient, despite our discussion in the classroom. We can see that through adequate treatment to treat the symptoms at hand. Patient responsibility is paramount, especially in following instructions from doctors and being proactive in personal treatment to treat symptoms and improve health.

 

Diabetes and Ayurvedic Intervention Through the Lens of Metabolic Pathways

In the scope of biology, metabolism can be defined as the sum of all chemical reactions in the body that convert food into energy. While this definition is admittedly simplistic in nature, it justifiably elucidates the basic purpose of the metabolic pathways that every organism requires for life. As such, the proper functioning of the metabolic process is necessary for an organism to live healthily. Improper metabolic functioning, therefore, is the cause of many chronic illnesses. 

When metabolism functions properly, it often results in what is called a “feedback loop.” (Ye &Keller 2016). When this feedback loop works properly, the products of certain chemical reactions will travel upstream so to speak, and prevent chemical reactions from occurring earlier in the chain. The result is an extremely interconnected web that requires clear communication between its various parts. When this communication fails, side effects can occur, leading to things like disease and obesity (Ye & Keller 2016). Diabetes is a common reason for the failure of the body to be able to properly regulate metabolism and, as such, can be a very debilitating and chronic disease.

Diabetes is the inability of the body to move sugar, in the form of glucose, from the bloodstream and into the cells. This results in high blood glucose levels in diabetic individuals, and an inability for those individuals to perform glycolysis, an early step in the metabolic pathway that turns sugars into energy-rich ATP. Halting this process at this step breaks the inter-connected chain of the metabolic process, resulting in its failure.

Ayurveda is defined by John’s Hopkins University to be “based on the idea that disease is due to an imbalance or stress in a person's consciousness.” As such,  “Ayurveda encourages certain lifestyle interventions and natural therapies to regain a balance between the body, mind, spirit, and the environment.” Seeing as metabolic functioning is similarly reliant on proper connections between metabolic constituents, ayurveda as an ideology can therefore hypothetically be utilized to influence the body to allow metabolism to function properly.

Ayurveda is not focused solely on the connections between various parts of the body, though. Ayurveda also focuses on connections between the mind, spirit, and body together in an individual, as well as connecting an individual with their surroundings, allowing the individual to rely on more than just themselves or a medication to help them live healthily. This is especially applicable in treating something like diabetes. Strengthening the connections between the mind, spirit, and body can give an individual greater control over how their body processes glucose, while connecting the individual to their environment can give them the support and motivation that they need in order to continue to improve their health.

The issue with ayurveda, however, comes from a general lack of proof and understanding of its efficacy. While ayurveda is considered one of the oldest methods of treatment in human history, there has been little work done to understand its implications to modern medicine. According to the National Institutes of Health, there have been several studies performed on the efficacy of Ayurveda, but none have had the proper scale to form any conclusive results. They have shown that Ayurveda can be helpful in treating osteoarthritis and in managing symptoms of type 2 diabetes; however, in order to effectively say that there is any true, lasting benefit to Ayurveda, there needs to first be more extensive research done into its efficacy.

This need to further investigate the efficacy of ayurveda is also supported by the “Journal of Ethnopharmacology” which published a study in 2017 that “aimed to explore the various aspects of Ayurveda and inspired drug discovery approaches for its promotion and development.” The researchers found that there was still a lack of quality scientific backing to ayurveda treatment’s efficacy that is still needed before ayurveda can truly be accepted widely. I agree that there should be more research done into the efficacy of Ayurveda, and the aspects that were put forth in this article are a good place to start. By doing so, the scope of ayurvedic treatments can be expanded, therefore allowing its potential to treat metabolic imbalances to be better understood and utilized.

Ayurveda and Metabolism

 Ayurveda and Metabolism

Ayurveda is the balance between body and well-being. Using this method is to create a world of medicine that is considered to be preventative. There are many different ways to prevent the disease from getting worse within the person. This idea also provides a healthy lifestyle from preventing the disease from recurring. This idea, it can be used in a way to improve someone’s lifestyle but also help change it to prevent a disease that could occur from the current lifestyle. I think of obesity when it comes to this. When a person is obese, in western medicine they are told to change their diet and excise more often. Although the Ayurveda way of thinking is to ingest certain types of plants that will help lose body fat, it will also help change the lifestyle of the person. 

Ayurveda is said to be known as one of the oldest healing sciences that has stuck around to today. This type of medicine, it states that disease is due to an imbalance or the stress of the person’s consciousness. This means that there is usually something more going on with the person than what is being manifested as the disease. This is interesting because I have seen many doctors about my migraines and stomach problems and none of them are able to find anything wrong with me even though my body is out of homeostasis. This goes right into Ayurveda being a holistic approach to medicine. The holistic approach is looking at the whole person and what is happening within their bodies and not just attacking the portion in which the disease is manifested. I like this because I believe that modern or western medicine is missing this aspect. Many medical professionals just look at the part of your body that is “hurt” instead of searching for a correlation or cause to that disease. 

When searching a google scholar article, it discussed the different herbs that are used within the idea of Ayurveda. This got me thinking and compared to what I have been exposed to in my life, which would be essential oils (I know that is not the same thing, but kind of). Essential oils are used not by medical professionals and can be used for many different things. The herbs that they were discussing in the paper were synthetic drugs that are from plants. The list that they had was interesting because it talked about what each plant was used for. It surprised me that there are so many different plants that can help with many different diseases. Later this article it discusses that the creation of the herbal drug goes through testing to determine the portion of the plants that can be used in medicine. Which is not so different from the medicine that we use in western medicine. Western medicine just allows for more to be made synthetically through chemicals. 

Within the world of Ayurveda, metabolism is discussed in terms of energy. There are specific energies within our bodies that allow for the body to work together. Metabolic pathways are sets of chemical reactions that occur within a specific cell. These pathways play very specific roles within a living system. The two major metabolic pathways are catabolic and anabolic. These are either building or breaking down nutrients within the organism. Anabolic is building and catabolic is breaking down. The major metabolic pathway is glycolysis. This is the oxidation of glucose to produce ATP. Meaning the organism places glucose in to produce energy. There are many different pathways that work within an organism, some include Krebs Cycle, Phosphorylation, and the urea cycle. Although each of these cycles does something different, they all work towards the same purpose, to create energy. All of these pathways work together to produce something for the next pathway, therefore it is a chain reaction in our bodies. Although, when there is an imbalance in the energies and chemicals, it can lead to diseases. 

Diabetes is when the body loses control over glucose levels. There are many different types of diabetes that affect the body in many different ways. In my personal experience, I have known people of each kind and they are all completely different and react to different things. Such as my neighbor, was a type 1 diabetic but did not take care of his body as he should have. When I was growing up he found himself in many diabetic comas. His kids would run over to our house and tell my mom that their dad was not breathing or moving. We would run over as quickly as we could to assess and see what needed to happen. Most of the time he was very low in sugar and could not get back up. Therefore, we had to get him some sugar (usually a Capri sun). This allowed for his body to reset and work as normal. This shows how quickly something can change within the body when it is not functioning properly. Another story is about my grandpa, he got diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, because he was overweight. He has since taken charge of his life and gotten things under control to the point where he doesn’t really have to think about what he eats.

The “Beta cells'' within the pancreas are endocrine cells that synthesize, store and release insulin. In diabetes, different factors cause the B cells in the pancreas to be destroyed which does not allow insulin to leave the pancreas. This is normally discussed in a way that the pancreas is not working properly to produce insulin. The main reason why diabetes occurs in patients with defective B cells is that there is excess glucose in the body and insulin is not present in the body to bind to the receptors which then leads to hyperglycemia. The B cells are the main determinant between type 1 and type 2 diabetes. In type 1, the cells are destroyed and no longer in the pancreas, but in type 2, the cells are just dysfunctional and are no longer able to work because of many factors.

Type two diabetes is always talked about as the disease of obesity. Type two diabetes is when the body has a hard time regulating glucose in the body. Molecularly, this is caused because the receptors in the pancreas are damaged and are not binding to insulin. This causes the channels to remain closed and the glucose to stay in the blood instead of entering the organs. This means that there is excess glucose in the bloodstream that cannot enter any organs for breakdown and usage. The difference between type 1 and type 2 is either insulin is not being produced correctly or the insulin is not being received correctly. Something that we always associate with type two diabetes is that the person is not getting enough exercise. Though exercise is traditionally associated with type 2 diabetes, it also affects type 1 diabetics. Only strenuous exercise can affect type one diabetics. This is the opposite of type 2 because they need to exercise because they have an excess of triglycerides in their bodies. Type 1 diabetics are encouraged to exercise daily, but are warned that strenuous workouts can cause their blood sugar to drop quickly. 

Most cases of diabetes are unavoidable, mainly type 1 diabetes. Many people are diagnosed with type 1 diabetes each year and none of them ask for this disease. There are many things that come with diabetes, one of those being insulin which needs to be inserted into the body. The average cost per person each year with diabetes is about $16,752 per year. These are for things such as hospital visits, medications, and other programs to help those with diabetes. The economic cost, due to inflation from 2012-2017, has increased by 26%. The reason for high costs is due to insulin. This medicine is fairly cheap to make but is being sold for outrageous prices. Drug companies are able to do this because the population who buys this drug is vulnerable and needs it to survive. 

Many courses of treatment are being discussed today, such as gene therapy or different pills that can suppress the immune system, but those all come with different problems which would also have to be treated. Different treatment methods, it got me thinking about feedback loops and how the body connects in certain ways. If we were to give a patient something to suppress the immune system through cytokines, we would have to work on the rest of the immune system so it doesn’t completely shut down. These were all great ideas but have an opposite and equal reaction to them, I wanted to do some more research on possible treatments. Currently, there is talk about using an artificial pancreas as a transplant for someone who has diabetes. Another thing being researched is different agents besides insulin that can be used to be injected into the body, although I found that most of these medicines are only being used to treat type 2 diabetes. I think that it would be interesting if there was a way to destroy the beta cells that are no longer working and reactivate the other B cells in the pancreas that were not destroyed. Although, from previous research, the best treatment is to use an insulin pump to counteract the glucose in the body. 

Diabetes is not talked about as a deadly disease but in the year 2020, diabetes was the 8th leading cause of death in the United States with 102,188 deaths. Patients with diabetes are not necessarily dying from diabetes itself but from complications that occur from the disease. These are things such as cardiovascular complications or cancer. Although, there are some people who die from diabetes itself. This is because these people are not particularly great at maintaining their diabetes, just like the neighbor that I had mentioned earlier. Now, I don’t have diabetes so I am not one to really talk about the management of diabetes and how hard it can be, but I believe there are some actions that can be taken to help these people who are newly diagnosed with diabetes. At the University of Utah, when someone is diagnosed with diabetes, they offer classes on how to do certain things related to diabetes. I think it would be interesting for patients with diabetes to be sent things in the mail/email to help further their education on the disease and what can be done to manage it to keep them out of the hospital. I also think there should be some sort of education on diabetes when someone goes to the hospital with hyperglycemia. 

Diabetes is a pancreatic disease, but just like every other disease that affects anything in the body, it will have other effects due to homeostasis. If diabetes is not being taken care of properly, then there are many complications that could happen within the body. One is that there can be damage to the nerves. Which can cause pain and tingling sensations. This is interesting because when you think of the pancreas, you think of insulin and other organs. Although, everything in the body is connected. If something is not working correctly, then it will completely affect something else in the body, mainly the nervous system. The nervous system controls all of the body even if we do not explicitly say it or study it that way. Since in diabetes, the inulin production and receptors are affected, the rest of the body can be affected if not treated properly. 

Diabetes is a disease within the body that causes imbalance. In type 1 diabetes, insulin is not produced correctly and cannot be used within the body. This allows for excess glucose to build up in the body which can cause a lot of complications. In type 2 diabetes, there is a problem with the receptors that don’t allow for the binding of insulin which can’t let glucose into organs to be broken down. These are both things that cause problems within the body. If we think back on how this relates to the concept of Ayurveda, we can discuss how to prevent the body from getting this way. In type 1 diabetes, it is hard to use preventative measures for this disease. Although, we are able to treat the symptoms of each of these diseases. For type 1 diabetes, you are encouraged to follow a strict diet with the correct insulin dosage. You should also be regularly taking the blood glucose levels of the person with the disease. In type 2 diabetes, there are some preventative measures that can be taken. Things such as a healthy diet and exercising can keep weight off which in turn can help the insulin receptors not be damaged. These are things that can be done regularly before you get diagnosed with diabetes. Although, there is a discussion that there are some things that can help with the management of type 1 diabetes. These things include regular doctor visits with regular testing to make sure that all of your levels are in check. This way if your body develops type 1 diabetes, it can be caught early and hopefully help with the symptoms better and prevent diabetic ketoacidosis. There are also some things that are showing effectiveness, such as testing to make sure that glucose to cardio levels are in check to make sure that there is not an excess of glucose in the body, which could lead to the destruction of receptors and insulin production. 

Research is currently being conducted about how stress affects the body, one of the findings is that stress could be causing diabetes. In this way, the stress of your body could be a risk factor for both types of diabetes. In this way, the body is shutting down certain parts to accommodate the stress levels. In type one diabetes, researchers are finding that stress is causing autoimmune diseases in the body. Which in turn is causing the destruction of the beta cells in the pancreas. For type two diabetes, the receptors are shutting down because of prolonged stress. This can relate back to the idea of Ayurveda because there are preventative measures that can be put into place to reduce the amount of stress that a person is feeling. These are things like taking things off your plate or doing things such as meditation. 

Metabolism and Ayurveda have not necessarily been discussed as relating to one another, but we can see that there are overlapping paths between them. Metabolism and diabetes are caused because of an imbalance in the body and Ayurveda medicine relates to the whole well-being of the person. There are many things to manage the metabolism within the body and preventative measures may be the best solution at the moment. 

Works Cited: 

Blogadmin, et al. “Metabolism in Terms of Ayurveda.” EliteAyurveda Blog & Articles, 13 Sept. 2022, https://eliteayurveda.com/blog/metabolism-in-terms-of-ayurveda/. 

DeGeeter M, Williamson B. Alternative Agents in Type 1 Diabetes in Addition to Insulin Therapy: Metformin, Alpha-Glucosidase Inhibitors, Pioglitazone, GLP-1 Agonists, DPP-IV Inhibitors, and SGLT-2 Inhibitors. J Pharm Pract. 2016 Apr;29(2):144-59. doi: 10.1177/0897190014549837. Epub 2014 Oct 13. PMID: 25312263.

“Exercise and Type 1.” Exercise and Type 1 | ADA, https://diabetes.org/healthy-living/fitness/exercise-and-type-1#:~:text=Exercise%20%26%20Type%201,doing%20house%20or%20yard%20work. 

“FASTSTATS - Leading Causes of Death.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 6 Sept. 2022, https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/leading-causes-of-death.htm. 

“Insulin, Medicines, & Other Diabetes Treatments.” National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/diabetes/overview/insulin-medicines-treatments#:~:text=Type%201%20diabetes,-If%20you%20have&text=There%20are%20different%20ways%20to,another%20option%20for%20some%20people. 

“Long-Term Complications of Diabetes: Medlineplus Medical Encyclopedia.” MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine, https://medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructions/000327.htm. 

Petersen, Matthew P. “Economic Costs of Diabetes in the U.S. in 2017.” American Diabetes Association, American Diabetes Association, 22 Mar. 2018, https://diabetesjournals.org/care/article/41/5/917/36518/Economic-Costs-of-Diabetes-in-the-U-S-in-2017. 

Rajkumar, S. V. (2020, January). The high cost of insulin in the United States: an urgent call to action. In Mayo Clinic Proceedings (Vol. 95, No. 1, pp. 22-28). Elsevier.

Remedi MS, Emfinger C. Pancreatic β-cell identity in diabetes. Diabetes Obes Metab. 2016 Sep;18 Suppl 1(Suppl 1):110-6. doi: 10.1111/dom.12727. PMID: 27615139; PMCID: PMC5021188.

Riddle, Matthew C. “The Cost of Diabetes Care—An Elephant in the Room.” Diabetesjournals.org, https://diabetesjournals.org/care/article/41/5/929/36592/The-Cost-of-Diabetes-Care-An-Elephant-in-the-Room. 

Wales, J. K. (1995). Does psychological stress cause diabetes?. Diabetic medicine, 12(2), 109-112.

Disease and Ayurveda

Ayurveda, coming from Hindu beliefs, started more than 3,000 years ago. It was given to man from the Hindu God and was believed to be divine knowledge to heal man. This concept has history coming from spiritual, medical, and healing beliefs. It is based on healing methods that include personal balance between body, mind, spirit, and environment. Ayurveda translates directly as “knowledge of life” and the belief of this healing method brings personal growth and transformation. It focuses on natural therapies to keep and regain balance for oneself.

Cell metabolism is the complete system of pathways in our bodies which has been created to help keep the body functioning correctly. It is a very complicated system with millions of pieces, and each one is important to keep the body balanced. When each pathway is balanced and working, the system works like a circuit. This allows the body to stay in flow for the health of the person and to stay without disease. Ayurveda teaches us that disease comes from an imbalance in a person’s body or consciousness. That is why each reaction needs to be regulated for the overall body functions. The reactions are organized in specific enzyme-powered pathways that will be appropriately balanced according to needs. Hormones are used to help control the rate of reactions by releasing specific chemicals that can either increase the rate or inhibit it. Each of these things are important not only in cell metabolism but the overall immunity of each person.

Not only does cell metabolism and hormones play an impact on our body, but so does our gut microbiome. Which is every bacterium, fungi, eukaryotes, or virus that is found in the human body. There are around 100 trillion microbes and 5,000 different species in the gut, that is about 10x more than in the whole body. A single person may have greater than 160 species, and there are 18 species that are shared in most people. Scientists have found little information to know what a healthy microbiome is, the studies are trying to understand “who” is there and what their function is. The gut bacteria function is to gain energy from good and balancing composition. It also helps make neurotransmitters that are involved with immune and metabolic function. 

The gut microbiome communicates with the brain, and it is bidirectional. Environmental factors often are affecting our whole body because of this, if our brains and guts are correlated than so is our whole body. Ayurveda believes in the three doshas that are used to make up our body and connect it to the mind and environment, these are very important to stay in balance. Disease comes from one of the doshas being imbalance, or impure. When there is illness within the gut or brain many consequences can occur, including auto-immune disorders and mental health diseases. Hormones and other neuro responses also play a big role in this. There are many studies that are going on today that are trying to understand this relationship better.

When there are imbalances in the body, disease can occur. One common disease in the United States is diabetes. It has a great impact on both health and economic stability. It shows imbalance between organs, and hormones. It happens when the body loses control of glucose levels in the blood. This causes imbalances within the whole system and can affect many organs. The main organs being affected are the pancreas and the liver. The pancreas releases two hormones, insulin and glucagon. Insulin allows glucose to enter tissues and lowers overall blood sugar. Glucagon stimulates the breakdown of glycogen, which will raise blood sugar. Together the pancreas and liver will work to keep a balance within the body. This is a big deal within the body, and why it is a disease that is so important to take care of. 

There are two types of diabetes, type 1 and type 2. Type 1 is most common found at a young age and is an auto-immune disorder. This is less prevalent but relies on insulin being put into the body. Type 1 diabetics live with this disease for life and must take care of it every meal of everyday. Type 2 is a gradual onset and normally shows in older adults. Some causes of type 2 is obesity, low activity, genetics, being over 45 years old, high blood pressure, and race. 

Diabetes causes imbalances that can affect the whole body and many organs. In the eyes it is common to see cataracts, retinopathy, and glaucoma. It often increases blood pressure, which increases the risk of coronary heart disease. There is an increases risk of strokes and cerebrovascular disease. The kidneys get overworked due to all the excess blood glucose and high blood pressure, this can cause neuropathy. This is nerve damage and occurs most commonly in the extremities, like the feet. Feet wounds often go undetected and can lead to gangrene. It will also reduce blood flow in the legs, causing feet wounds to heal much slower. Just by these few examples we can understand how the concept of ayurveda plays a big role in diabetes. Our body is connected in every part, the hormones from our pancreas can affect so many other organs. That is why keeping a balance in our bodies is important and should be recognized more often. 

Diet, exercise, and sleep are three simple things that we could do every day to prevent illness. Exercise is a global epidemic, and physical inactivity is a leading cause of disease. Alone, it could help prevent obesity, coronary artery disease, diabetes, hypertension, and depression. A video by Dr. Mike Evans called “23 and ½ hours: What is the single best thing we can do for our health?” describes exercise as the biggest impact of preventative medicine. Having no exercise is the biggest predictor of death and causes the most disease or imbalance in our bodies. However, it only takes half an hour each day to show change and improvement. Dr. Evans describes various studies that show how exercise impacts health, and the results are tremendous. Connecting to the environment around us including healthier diet, better lifestyle, and finding joy in what we do could be a benefit to our physical health. Connection between parts of the body, could also be something that would better balance our bodies and create overall satisfaction. 

Cost of diabetes has a great impact on both the individual and the U.S. as a whole. An individual will spend 2.1 times more on their health than others. In the U.S. it is estimated to cost around $327 billion. Indirect costs such as inability to work and reduced productivity, cost around $90 billion per year. It is about $1 out of every $4 is in the U.S. that is spent on diabetic care. The amount of money spent on diabetes is a huge health crisis and many of us never really understand the impact it makes. 

On an individual level, type 1 diabetics reported spending more than $2,500 out-of-pocket cost are about $16,750 with insurance each year on diabetes supplies and healthcare. Insulin being only 18% of the out-of-pocket costs. While insulin is very expensive, it is not the only thing people need to survive. The issue with this cost, they need it to live, and it was not a choice. This also takes a lot of time away from people caring for either themselves or their loved ones. Many type 1 diabetics spend 4-5 hours a day caring for it, they also tend to see the doctor more often, deal with mental barriers, and have to worry about other illnesses. This not only affects money and time, but it can also affect social life and mental health. Type 1 diabetes is not a choice, however it a is an imbalance that is lifechanging. 

Another common disease in the United States is cancer. Cancer is when abnormal cells divide uncontrollably and destroy body tissues. It can be caused by genetics, environmental factors, unknown reasons, and the gut microbiota being imbalanced. Cancer treatments are very harmful to the body, especially the gut microbiome. Chemotherapy and radiation will not only kill cancer cells but can cause healthy cells and bacteria to die. This leaves the person very sick and causes many extra imbalances in the body. Environmental factors such as diet, hormones, and antibiotics are some common things that may cause the imbalances that may increase the risk of cancer, but they can also help cure cancer and be beneficial. While these can be controlled, it is very hard to do, and they are not defining factors. This illness will not only be harmful one area but can cause lasting changes to the entire body’s microbiome and health. We currently do not understand all the influences that cancer and treatment have on the gut microbiome and cell metabolism, but they are impactful and important. 

Cancer also has a huge impact on money, and often causes financial crisis. The National Cancer Institute calculated the average cost of medical treatment to be around $42,000 in the year following a diagnosis of cancer, and sometimes it can be higher than $1 million. While insurance does cover the majority of the cost, most people still end up paying around $5,000-20,000 out of pocket. This also doesn’t take into account the amount of time the person diagnosed, and family spend traveling to and being at treatment. Cancer can also affect eye and dental health, which this does not include as well. Another impact is on mental health of the diagnosed person, and their families and friends. This will include social life changing and needing to adapt. Many families struggle to stay mentally and physically healthy during the time of cancer treatments, and much of this goes unnoticed. 

Mental health is one the greatest health crises in the United States. It is becoming one of the leading causes of needing medical treatment, and another big contender in health costs. Cancer, diabetes, and really any imbalance in our system can affect a person’s mental health. Depression and anxiety are imbalances in brain chemicals or hormones. Any disease, but especially one that may take over your entire day or life can change someone mental health incredibly. It is very important to know the symptoms of all mental illnesses because of how prevalent they are in today’s society. This is also having a big impact financially on many people and the United States as a whole. Ayurveda teaches balance between the mind, body, and spirit and this is showing more important each day. As we see increases in mental illnesses, we are finding more symptoms that are affecting the body’s physical health, or vice versa. Finding balance between the three doshas could help someone find strength mentally and physically. Being healthy is a goal of almost everyone’s and it takes the whole body to be healthy. Diet and exercise are two things we can work on to help prevent disease and stay balanced. Overall, finding healing in all parts of the body and mind should be a priority for everyone. 

This idea of Ayurveda may be an old belief but could still be useful in today’s society. Connecting to the environment around us including healthier diet, better lifestyle, and finding joy in what we do could be a benefit to our physical health. Connection between parts of the body, especially mind and body could also be something that would better balance our bodies and create satisfaction. Finding balance between the gut microbiome and cell metabolism is going to help us find balance and prevent disease. Diabetes and cancer may or may not be preventable but controlling the factors we can, should be a top priority in health care. Understanding what we need to be balanced, healthy, and happy is the goal of Ayurveda and should be a goal of each of ours. I believe including more of these beliefs in our current medical system could be an amazing step forward in prevention of disease and healing. 

Ayurveda Tiers of treatment in the Light of Diabetes

A Disease can be classified based on many aspects, from physical, chemical, psychological, or even spiritual. Most importantly, a disease can be classified as an imbalance of some sort in the body. Too much or too little of anything can produce harmful effects on the body, causing disease. A non-communicable disease accounts for more than 60% of mortality, modern deadly diseases are often harder to treat because they are not caused by lack of hygiene, a visible bacteria or parasite, or by spreadable means. The major disease-related causes of death in the world are cardiac arrest, cancer, strokes, diabetes, and respiratory diseases. The majority of these are from a lack of balance in the body and not by another organism, virus, or natural disaster. To better understand the disease, and to better treat disease, one must understand what is the imbalance in the body and how to best restore balance. When this imbalance is understood, preventative measures can be set to prevent disease in the body. Ayurveda addressed these imbalances, and while its roots start in India, its practices have spread to all parts of the world. It is often called eastern medicine or osteopathy. These techniques focus on treating the body as a whole and focus on healing the mind, body, and soul concerning disease, and promoting a healthy body and mind to prevent disease.

 

            Ayurveda concerns the whole person in ‘body, mind, and spirit’ combining these to be an integrated whole organism system. Often a disease caused in one part of the body can be due to an imbalance in another part. This is why this technique focuses on healing the body as a whole, as the body functions as one complete unit. A lack of support in any of the three fields can greatly impact the health of an individual. The heart is seen as an important aspect of the body, it's traditionally associated with many emotions and Ayurveda states that the channel of the mind is rooted in the heart. Anatomically the heart is rooted in every cell in the body through the circulatory system. This being said, it would make sense that the heart is the center of balance for the mind and its vast network connects it to all of the body. Ayurveda classifies sickness much differently than modern medicine does. Ayurveda treats disease like it’s always there and is constantly working to improve the body to prevent disease through diet and exercise and natural supplement use. This technique can be applied to any disease as it works towards preventing illness rather than waiting for illness to strike and then treating it. This method of treatment appears to be more logical, as the solution should lean towards preventative illness rather than the treatment of illness. It is through education on preventative measures that Ayurveda techniques make patients’ lives happier and healthier overall.

 

            This technique can be applied to one of the major leading causes of death in the nation, diabetes. Type two Diabetes is caused by an excess amount of sugar in the blood, its reign is expanding in the western world where fast food and sugar are ingrained into every aspect of modern life. The amount of sugar affects the overall balance of the body, when blood sugar is out of balance, over time, it can develop into diabetes which affects the body’s ability to use insulin and metabolize sugar. Without the proper uptake of insulin in the body, cells cannot turn sugar into energy via metabolism and continue homeostasis of life which can lead to the death of the individual. In type two diabetes, the body’s cells lose the ability to recognize insulin in the active sites of membrane-bound proteins. However, this disease can be prevented through changes in lifestyle from diet to exercise. This is where Ayurveda techniques can play a major role in decreasing the ever-increasing number of diabetes patients.

 

            An interesting concept of Ayurveda is Ritucharya or a seasonal regimen of healthy living. This can be explained as a routine to cope with impacts caused by disease and the adjustment of certain aspects of life to bring balance back to the body. In the modern world, one would see this as getting a seasonal flu shot, in the wintertime tanning or taking vitamin supplements during the vitamin D deficient season of winter, or a daily routine specific to an individual to prevent the disease from occurring. In the context of diabetes, there is no injection or supplemental treatment to prevent it. There is a new rising technique for prediabetics that if qualified can bring balance back to their body. The key lies in the gut. Those who are prediabetic and know it, whether through a diagnosis or family history, can prevent diabetes through maintaining balance, which can relate to Ayurveda techniques, from exercise and moderation of diet. Additionally, diabetes can also be associated the gut microbiome diversity. “Fecal microbiota transplant from lean healthy donors has also been found to be successful in improving insulin sensitivity in men with metabolic syndrome” (Ferranti). In this study, they found associations between obesity and insulin resistance with a lack of gut microbiome flora, which can lead to type two diabetes. Recently gut microbiota transplantations had occurred from healthy individuals to those who lack intestinal microbiota diversity to improve health conditions. This study did that with male recipients who had metabolic syndrome or a collection of numerous metabolic risk factors. After six weeks of these gut microbiota transplantations, they found that the insulin sensitivity of recipients increased, meaning their cells were better able to take up glucose in the bloodstream into the body cell quicker and in higher amounts. This is fascinating because this simple solution could help a lot of people at risk for type two diabetes not develop diabetes. Additionally, these individuals can apply more Ayurveda techniques in addition to the transplant to maintain their gut microbiome flora such as the increase in fibers in their diet to regular exercise.

 

Type two diabetes is caused by a gene-environment interaction that can better be prevented if individuals are properly educated about these risk factors rather than a national scale of body weight and height that determines if one is obese. Type one diabetes relies more upon the gene factor of the interaction, while type two is more reliant on the environment. Dinacharya, or daily regimen for healthy living, is another concept of Ayurveda that can be applied most often to diabetic patients. There is a saying that once a person stops moving, they die. This theory has been backed up by many examples, as an older person who decides to start using a wheelchair is closer to death than if they continue to walk places. Lack of physical activity weakens the muscles and bones of the body, destroying the conditions that allow the body to strengthen itself. In the younger population, less exercise, or worst, no exercise can cause insulin resistance due to the increase of blood sugar and fat accumulation in the body, reducing insulin sensitivity of the body. Ayurvedic exercise techniques do not require intense several hours a day gym routine. Ayurveda continues to focus on the individual and promotes each individual to develop their exercise routine they enjoy that works the body to maintain health. They focus on performing at fifty percent of capacity, this allows the body to break a mild sweat while still pushing the body to perform. Often yoga is associated, as it can be done as a person gets older and in addition to the physical benefits also has mental benefits that align with the other practices of Ayurveda.

 

Additionally, the practice of Sadvaritta, known as principles of right conduct and a healthy mind, and Achara Rasayana, a code of conduct in the way a person should and should not live, can also be used to prevent diabetes. There have been many studies done to understand how powerful the mind is. The mind has control over the body, and often the brain wants to be right more than it wants to be happy and healthy. This is a common thread in psychological diseases but can be applied to diabetes as well. A healthy social life and healthy relationships can promote a healthy mind, and when the mind is happy the health and happiness of the body often follow. Yoga is most often used in ayurvedic preventative techniques because it allows the mind to meditate creating a sense of balance and allowing significant psychological and physiological changes and improving the sense of well-being in the individual.

 

While the days of gene alteration, test tube babies, and genetic medication are not far ahead, the best and long-lasting treatment for health boils down to diet and exercise. Disorder in lifestyle has been seen to develop type two diabetes through the increase of blood sugar to the lack of physical activity. Ayurveda techniques have been applied for centuries and continue to be an effective treatment of diabetes through the strong emphasis on preventative and promotive aspects of a healthy life. Ritucharya promotes seasonal changes to maintain health, Dinacharya focuses on daily regiments that build a healthy body, Sadvaritta derives a healthy mind, and Achara Rasayana builds a healthy soul. While all these aspects can be applied to any disease, they especially can be applied to diabetes and the treatment and prevent the disease through the building and maintaining of a healthy body, mind, and soul.

 

Cited Sources:

    Ferranti, E., Dunbar, S. B., Dunlop, A. L., & Corwin, E. J. (2014). 20 things you didn’t know about the human gut microbiome. The Journal of cardiovascular nursing, 29(6), 479.