Curated Paper 1

Before this assignment I had never heard of the word ayurveda. As I have researched it I have come to find that it is something I have seen practiced many times in life, and is presented often on social media, and on television. The practice is of Indian descent and is used to try and create a strong bond between the mind, body, and spirit. Though I have never personally taken part in ayurveda in any professional practice, I do believe that there are benefits to having a clear mind that is well connected with the body. In my own life this is why I lift and run each day. I find that as I do these things my mind is cleared, stress and anxiety quickly vanish and I am left to feel life in a pure and simple way. In that sense I do believe that Ayurveda could be used to help someone find a better connection with one's self. However, I am not sure that the practices I personally read of (some of which seemed rather extreme) could really prevent and cure the many diseases of life. If anything, I side most with the opinion that the attitude and mental state of a person can greatly change the outcome of a disease or likelyhood to get a disease. If these practices are the way to help a person receive this clarity and piece of mind then I do believe it is helping. I do not believe any of the dry needling, ingesting of random herbs and crystals is what is actively fighting against any disease. I believe it is similar to a placebo effect, though nothing has changed deep within their culture. It is believed that this kind of stuff works miracles and because of that they get in a mental space to push their bodies to higher limits. This is why I feel ayurveda has not been so widespread and booming in the United States, without that deeply rooted history and with all the information we have access to it “destroys the magic” in a way.  My uncle used to go to a man down in St. George and would do similar things to this. Every year he would have allergies that would drive him crazy. When he visited this man who he called “the Witch Doctor” he would mix together a concoction of random herbs and liquids, place them in a small vile and tape it on my uncle's arm for an hour. This practice worked for a few years until he told some guys at work and they made fun of him for it. After he had a change of mindset toward ayurveda nothing could cure his allergies and he ended up getting an allergy shot from the doctors instead. Overall I don't think there is any real harm in the practice of ayurveda, it is intriguing to me to learn more about how the mind, body, and spirit can all align and change the outcomes of the rest of our lives. 

I was quite amazed how this topic or ayurveda would bleed itself into nearly everything that we have taken a deeper dive into so far. From the body, mind, and spirit side, I felt it had a little bit of a point but overall couldn't play too much of a role in everyday life. However I now am beginning to be more open to the idea that the mind, body, and spirit could all be a little more connected than I had previously thought. 

Here are some of the key points and a summary of each of the provided documents given to us to read on metabolism and diabetes. I will begin with the article on Glucose Related Aggression in Married Couples. I found this to be a very interesting article and made me think of the snickers commercials that I see stating “you are not you when you're hungry”.  This study was conducted on 21 couples of at least 12 years of marriage. During the test the glucose levels were measured in the morning and evening of each of the participants. The participants were given dolls that they were instructed to place pins on to represent the amount of aggression or anger they felt towards their spouse ranging from 0 to 51 pins. They then also played a game that they were under the impression was against their partner. Winning of this game allowed them to play a loud irritable sound into the losers headphones for a chosen duration of time. The participants were each given a sound 13 times as they played against the computers. The two tests allowed for aggression and anger to be tested with minimal to no physical harm being done between the participants keeping it legal and safe. The study found that there was a significant link between glucose levels and aggression. Enough so that they could predict the days that a given participant would be more aggressive in the sound test based on the level of their glucose. I found this to be quite interesting and liked how the study talked about how many people call this being “hangry”. My initial thoughts on the Snickers commercial that I talked about earlier have now changed and I feel they need to show the results of this study. It could boost sales along their pitch of “you are not you when you’re hungry”. 

The article Self Control and Aggression spoke to a similar point, showing how consumption of glucose is oftentimes just as effective in restoring self control as meditation or other exercises may be. They also used a sound test to show this and noted that there is a wide range of how aggressive people generally are regardless of how much they have consumed. However in these individuals with high aggression traits it was found that glucose consumption can reduce the aggressive behavior through increasing self control enough to overcome that impulse to be aggressive. I found it interesting that they start the article by quoting a cereal killer and then go on to use him as an example as if having a candy bar would all of the sudden make this man not a world renowned killer. They also suggest that consumption of glucose may not be sufficient for someone who is a psychopath and that training self control through writing with the non-dominant hand, and other exercises may fare better. Then right when I thought they were getting at self control being the key to overcoming aggression they go off and say that highly aggressive people have to have great self control as well in order to follow through despite their human nature. They sourced the 911 attack as a demonstration of self control and I found this to be quite odd. In conclusion it is more up to genetics than anything but there are things like glucose and mindfulness exercises that may help. 

The third article on the same topic I could only find the abstract but its comments followed along with the other two stating that the aggressive behaviors could be greatly resolved by eating a spoonful of sugar. 

In the article Understanding the Link Between Chronic Disease and Depression I was able to learn what a chronic disease is and how it can cause depression. From what I was able to gather from the article there can be a positive feedback loop where the chronic disease can cause depression and that depression leads you not to take care of yourself and therefore the chronic disease can become worse. This cycle if not taken care of can cause death because of the ever deteriorating condition of the person. The article also gets into some of the ways to treat depression as well as talks about how some people in extreme cases can seek out clinical trials to help increase the understanding of the disease.

The article Diabetes, Alcohol, and Social Drinking talked about the dangers that alcohol can be if you are taking any medication for diabetes. The two in conjunction can lead to hypoglycemia and a range of other deathly illnesses. The use of alcohol should be strictly monitored and talked with your doctor before any consumption is made. Before, during and after the consumption of alcohol your glucose levels should be strictly monitored. 

There was an article on the Economic Cost of Diabetes from 2012. They found that the percentage of Americans with diabetes is around seven percent. This was quite high compared to what I feel like I have noticed in my life. I know maybe 3 diabetic people and I know a lot more than 30 people. However some people may just be really good at hiding or managing their diabetes to the point that others wouldn't know. They then dived into the net costs of diabetes for the United states and initially I was mind blown. Given the numbers they gave I took the time to estimate that there is an average of about 660 dollars a month spent by each person with diabetes in the United states. One of the craziest stats was that more than 1 in every 10 healthcare dollars is spent on something related to diabetes.

Overall I have never had anyone in my family suffer from diabetes, though I feel that it is rather a matter of when not if. I know that a lot of my family makes poor health decisions that puts them at higher risk of getting type two diabetes. As I was looking over the slides it is amazing to me just how complicated the body is and its metabolic pathways. The image showing all the different metabolic pathways of the cell was quite amazing as in my normal biology classes at the university so far I have mainly talked about glycolysis, and the citric acid cycle. But I never realized just how much more that the body can do. Each cell in our body performs a hue of responsibilities based on the proteins that are made from the codes found in our DNA.  This to me is quite amazing because it just shows how truely amazing our bodies really are. 

Understanding diabetes will be something I never really feel like I will get the hang of entirely. I am sure there is more to it than we are even aware of and I hope that one day they are able to find a way to repair the person's body and cells in order to allow them to live a normal life. After reading about how much someone's life can be affected by it I really started to feel bad and almost guilty that I havent had to deal with it. I don't think I ever realized the true link that glucose had to people's mood either. I feel that this all kind of ties into our ayurveda that we talked about a few weeks ago. When our body is all in alignment it functions much better. In this case the insulin or glucose in someone's system can allow for their body to be more capable of being in ayurveda. Speaking from personal experience I know that I struggle to be fun to be around when I have missed a meal or have worked myself into what my privileged self often calls starvation but is probably nothing more than slight hunger or the feeling of a slightly empty stomach rather than one stuffed to the brim. 

As research continues and technology expands I would hope that one day diabetes can be cured, as we further understand the metabolic pathways, triggers, and requirements needed for the proper cell function. Until then I hope that the technology side can make it much easier for those living with diabetes. In my head I picture a unit that can be set to a person's custom levels and would monitor them 24/7, as the insulin is needed it could add in some of that and could also add calories or other nutrients to help keep that person up and going as close to someone without diabetes as possible. 

I am interested to see how all of the ozempic affect the metabolic pathways of the body as well. I am in no means an expert but I know that when someone goes on testosterone for example the testicles stop making testosterone and therefore it becomes something that that person will have to take for the remainder of their lives. I feel like ozempic is new enough that there aren't a lot of known long term effects. I don't know for sure but I heard the way it works has something to do with diabetes, like it was a medication of some kind. Regardless, it scares me to death to try new things like that. I was having a conversation with my Father-in-law and he talked about another chemical everyone was taking when he was my age. It was called slim fast or something, he said that people would lose weight like crazy, it was later found that the long term effects would cause heart disease. Many of his friends and people he knew that were taking this ended up living a much shorter life because of it. I hope that they are able to find a way to help those with diabetes while keeping the long term effects to a minimum. I know this journaling thing is kind of all over the place but I feel that a journal as we have described it is a place to put your thoughts and that's what I have been doing here. If you have any suggestions on this please let me know. I look forward to next week's entries to read and give my thoughts as well as a brief summary.

The connection between the microbiome and metabolism was something I thought that I knew pretty well. After some research and a lot of reading I now know that it goes far deeper than I had thought. This tends to be a theme with the things I feel I know. Ultimately if you think you know everything about anything it's likely you know nothing. The ones who know admit how little they know about the subject. Now I will go over some of my findings and new found knowledge on the subject. 

To begin I would like to touch on some of the things that I know about the microbiome. I know that your microbiome is key to the proper function of our organs and with an unbalanced microbiome we may need to supplement from others. One example that I know of is a program where you can get paid to send them your stools if it is determined that you have a healthy microbiome. The stool is then packaged in pills that are taken orally to help boost the microbiome of the person taking the pills. I am unaware however of how much processing is done with each of these things and I can't imagine ever having to do this as I feel like I can taste what is in the pills when I burp. Nevertheless this is something that saves lives as disgusting as it sounds and without it each of us could be in danger.  I believe this is also the microbiome but when a child is born they are not born with the bacteria that causes cavities. Therefore if someone was to go their entire life without kissing, or consuming someone else's saliva in any way they could be immune from cavities regardless of their diet. This is an example that shows how some organisms in our microbiome can work against us and actually  cause harm. 

Now for the reading and other materials. The first article I read spoke to the possible connections between the brain and the microbiome. They talked about how much the brain changes as well as the microbiome in early development. This tie between the two seems to happen through what they call the ENS (enteric nervous system). Where the brain is in control of how and when digestion happens it is believed the microbiome may affect how the brain develops dependent on signals sent to begin digestion and the stomach or intestines ability to digest. This type of three way communication is what is believed helps to begin pathways in barrier function as well as regulation of hormones. 

Next I got to read about irritable bowel syndrome, which is the most prominent GI issue we face today. The IBS is more prominent in western countries than anywhere else in the world and is more prominent in Asian cities than in poor countries. I found it interesting that the microbiome plays a role in creating our immune system. I knew that it helped in the fermentation of carbohydrates and played a critical role in gut health. I found it interesting that stress can cause more severe or prolonged symptoms of IBS. This plays into the discussions we had a few weeks back about ayurveda and how the body, mind and spirit must all be in complete harmony in order to be of best health. It makes me wonder if the stressors on the mind make the hormone levels imbalance and therefore change the conditions and environment of your gut. If this was the case it would make sense that general stress levels could affect the microbiome that you have. They also found that the diet can have large effects on the microbiome. I feel this makes the most sense as someone who has a more acidic diet would tend to have strains of bacteria that could handle such harsh conditions, while others with a more balanced diet may have a greater diversity in their microbiome. One thing I feel helps my mental state is having a good diet and schedule in place to regularly work out. These two things help me to stay healthy and in a good mindset. I feel this could have some effect on the microbiome due to the ayurveda but more tests would need to be run in order to determine that. They believe in the article that one of the best ways to try and correct someone's microbiome is to get them on a diet. One that is made specifically for them based on the cultures and quantities of those cultures in a patient's gut. 

While glancing through the slides I found it extremely interesting how the microbiome in obese individuals can actually be quite different from those in lean individuals. This initially made me think it may all be genetics that determines your microbiome and therefore how likely you are to be obese. However I know that the percentage of people that are obese continues to rise and from what I understand it would be the diet that transforms the microbiome of the individual. Meaning, if you took the “better” culture from a healthy individual who grew that microbiome through a strict diet, it may do well in the new host and therefore help that person to lose weight. We often think of looking weight as having to be in a calorie deficit. What if eating healthier foods helps to lose weight by allowing for a better microbiome environment to exist within you. It also was mind-blowing to find out that the number of cells in our body that are ours is outnumbered by cells that are not ours. This definitely took me for a loop. I am currently in histology and I believe that all this really means is that our cells are far larger than those that inhabit our body. Because even though there are more of their cells, they only make up 1-3% of our total mass. It is also interesting how much the diversity of cultures changes as you move through the body, with each specialized area seeming to have a single bacteria or microorganism that makes that its niche, therefore being the keystone of that area. When I first was looking into this I thought that it would be nearly the exact same as we move through the whole body because it all connects and would be rather simple for the organisms to move to a new location. The final thing that I was most surprised by is how our body uses resources to feed and grow this microbiome. It's something that we are unaware is happening but our body just does it. The slides state about 10-15 percent of energy is spent making and storing energy and food for the microbiome. From an evolutionary standpoint it is quite amazing. This mutualistic relationship has to be one of the most extreme examples if not the most extreme that I have ever seen. Here I was thinking that mitochondria was the coolest thing but microbiome has to take the cake on this one. I look forward to seeing how all of this connects even more without future topics.

Curated Paper 1: Ayurveda, Diabetes, and the Microbiome - Jessica Munro

Curated Paper 1

A capstone class is a course designed to do just as the name suggests, to cap everything learned in a major’s core required courses and develop an overarching connection and understanding between the different specified areas of study within. Capstones designed to implement intensive writing specifically encourage students to become more aware of their own thinking and understanding of the material, which facilitates a desire to reflect and learn more. I anticipated this capstone course to be very helpful in finding a purpose for the knowledge I have gained over the past few years. Without reflection and implication, the knowledge feels lifeless and unproductive, but a deeper interaction with the content itself inspires further action, either with a deeper appreciation or with deeper investigation. Thus far, this capstone has shown me the importance of approaching disease from an ayurveda perspective to form connections between logical reasoning, personal experience, and explorational curiosity.

Ayurveda represents the idea that there is a balance between the body and its internal and external influences. This suggests that a connection must exist between the functioning of the body and those things it interacts with, whether within the body itself or in its environment. Where a balance is maintained, a state like homeostasis is achieved where functioning is sustainable and undisturbed. Yet should either internal or external influences begin to have a larger or lesser impact on the body, the delicate balance is no longer maintained and the body inevitably experiences consequences as a result. 

From the perspective of ayurveda ideology, the body is comprised not just of organ systems, but of relationships that form a functionality. Structure, measurable physiological parameters, biochemistry, and mental and emotional health are just a few of the many things contributing to the relationships that define the body’s functionality. Thus, when one of these things is adversely affected, an ayurveda approach to medicine suggests that functionality is lost in one way or another, ultimately causing disease. I think this perspective is generally a valid way of approaching very complex problems from a more simplistic view point. A disturbance to any of the key relationship aspects from an internal source, such as an overactive immune response or a genetic mutation, could disturb the balance and cause a loss of function that leads to disease. From this perspective, external influences can also have a huge impact and disrupt the balance and thus functionality of the body. While reflecting on my personal experiences and previous knowledge, expanding upon the provided materials with further research has shown me that the body’s metabolism provides an exemplary look at the balance and connectedness described by ayurveda. 

Metabolism is a word that describes the entire sum of chemical reactions taking place in a cell, representing the exchange between both building molecules for the cell’s use, and breaking them down for energy or reuse. The flow of energy in a cell can be described by pathways, with reactants being transformed into products in a continuous sequence for the cell to extract and then use its energy for growth and reproduction. In order to maintain this continuous sequence of reactions in the cell, metabolic pathways are highly regulated to control the formation and use of metabolites based on the cell’s needs and resources. Due to the controlled nature of these processes, any disturbance could cause an imbalance that disrupts the flow of metabolites through the pathway and greatly affects the proper functioning of the cell.

Diabetes is an excellent example of the effects of an imbalance in the body’s metabolic pathways on cell function, other organ systems, the body as a whole, and even society and the economy on a larger scale. Type 1 (DM1) and type 2 (DM2) diabetes develop due to different malfunctions in the regulation of blood glucose levels. DM1 is a complex trait, showing an increased risk of developing the disease with mutations present in several different genes. These anomalies elicit an autoimmune response, causing the body to destroy the β-cells in the pancreas responsible for making insulin. A lack of insulin ultimately results in the body’s inability to properly uptake glucose from the bloodstream. DM2 results in similar effects that lead to the same outcomes as with DM1, though the causation is very different. Being overweight or obese can cause the body to develop a resistance to insulin, meaning that the insulin cell receptors are no longer properly responsive to the presence of insulin and thus the cell is unable to initiate the uptake of glucose as normal. As a result, cell function is affected in a very similar way to DM1 and both types of diabetes require continuous monitoring to help adjust abnormally high blood glucose levels.

The lack of energy uptake has immediate effects on cell functioning, making the disease very difficult to regulate properly. While no one in my family has had to deal with diabetes, I know several people with the DM1 disease that manage their symptoms in different ways. One of my high school friends grew tired of measuring her glucose levels by pricking her finger, so she opted for a more permanent device to be inserted on her upper right arm. This allows her to monitor her diabetes more closely, accurately, and conveniently because the device is continuously collecting data and assisting her in regulating her condition by actively measuring her blood glucose levels. Another boy I knew from school managed his diabetes completely differently, opting to be accompanied by a service dog that was trained to monitor his glucose levels by smell. When the dog became aware of abnormally high glucose levels, she would lick the boy’s hand to notify him and he would correct it with insulin. 

From the perspective of an ayurveda mindset, this glucose/insulin imbalance is the source of a disease that develops over time and causes other systems of the body to experience adverse effects as well. Phagocytosis, the process by which the body captures and eliminates foreign matter, is impaired and thus the body’s ability to fight infections is reduced. Damage to endothelial tissue may also result, causing increased incidences of dental cavities, gum disease, cataracts, and even skin conditions. With the dysfunction of systems and the individual organs within them comes the development of symptoms affecting the body as a whole. Individuals with diabetes may experience feelings of excessive thirst or increased hunger, unexplained weight loss, and fatigue or blurred vision. Those with diabetes may also notice cuts or sores healing more slowly, or a numbness in the hands or feet. Another important symptom is frequent urination, or vaginal yeast infections in females. All of these symptoms can be traced back to a dysfunction in one or more of the body’s systems due to an imbalance at the cellular level resulting from the lack of glucose uptake. 

Looking beyond the impacts of diabetes on the body, and an individual, and taking a closer look at the costs of diabetes provides some astounding insights into the financial and economic impacts of the disease. Treatment options include a wide range of effectivity, side effects, risks, and costs for the patient, making the choice of a plan more difficult because the financial burden may be more impactful to patients than the actual benefits of a certain treatment plan. The costs associated with treatment of the disease and its side effects or related health complications also takes a large toll on the nation’s economy. The extensive costs of patient care and treatment are largely covered by national health programs, with estimated billions of dollars spent in the totality of treatments for those with diabetes. I think these limitations are unfortunate, and perhaps the best way to avoid them is to encourage patients to take control of their own health by managing their diabetes with a greater emphasis on lifestyle changes. Creating less of a dependency on more intervening treatment options may allow them to become more attainable for those that would benefit most, while indirectly benefiting those that can make more simple adjustments. Advocating for the health of the nation as a whole may also limit the development of diabetes and prediabetes, limiting the necessity of care to those who would receive the most benefit. 

Learning about metabolism through the lens of diabetes was a unique experience because I was able to take the knowledge I had gained and spread it to other areas of my life. I incorporated my understanding from past biology and chemistry courses and applied that familiarity to a new area by writing about information that satisfied my own curiosity and love for learning. I found connections between the material and my personal observations, seeing both the impacts in my past and the potential impacts on the future on a larger scale. The writing process made me excited to learn more, so I took a deeper dive into the next topic sure to coincide with the ideas of ayurveda connectedness, balance, and bodily functioning: the human microbiome.

The word microbiome encompasses all of the microorganisms that collectively inhabit the human body, whether that be on the surface or more internally in organs or lining tissues. This broad term includes all species of bacteria, viruses, fungi, archaea, and even eukaryotes living on or in the body, while the gut microbiome is more specific to the microorganisms inhabiting the gastrointestinal tract. The gut microbiome behaves almost as its own organ, with unique metabolic activity as well as distinct immune responses that give this microbiome a unique and relatively large impact on the rest of the body. The amount of microbial cells in the gut is substantially large, with estimates as high as 5,000 species representing 100 trillion microbes, and the gut in particular contains the largest and most diverse microbiome of the body, thus having the opportunity to make the largest impact on the body’s health and proper functioning. 

Gut bacteria are involved in a wide range of processes in the human body, assisting with basic metabolic pathways and producing their own byproducts used by the host. The human body and the gut’s microbiome exist in a symbiotic relationship. The host provides optimal habitat conditions, including an ideal environment, protection, resources, nutrients, and other essentials that aid in the success of these microorganisms. Meanwhile, the host is able to receive benefits when the bacteria help harvest energy from food, maintain the balance of beneficial and harmful bacteria, and produce other useful products including serotonin, vitamin K, and other enzymes and vitamins used as neurotransmitters or in metabolic and immunological pathways. While maintaining a balance between beneficial and harmful microbes in the gut is essential to the body’s proper functioning, it has been shown that having a wider diversity in the gut microbiota is a more advantageous composition that appears to be healthier than possessing a smaller range of diversity. 

The body’s microbiome begins its development in the fetus during gestation, with the next most influential change occurring when a vaginal delivery provides exposure to the mother’s vaginal microbes. A similar change occurs in the gut microbiome with breastfeeding as the mother’s microbes are introduced to the newborn’s GI tract for the benefit of establishing a healthy microbiome for the baby. The gut microbiome tends to develop until about the age of 2, when it more closely resembles its final adult pattern. There are a wide range of factors that impact the body’s microbiome, particularly in the gut, including anything from diet and lifestyle choices to genetic and environmental factors. Long-term diets sustained with consistent food groups are often associated with a complement of microbes that are appropriate for the specific nutritional needs and availability of the diet. Diets high in animal protein and fat can be differentiated microbially from those that consist of higher levels of carbohydrates or fiber. This allows for the gut microbiota to significantly expand the metabolic capabilities of the host by acting as a primary source of chemical digestion in the GI tract. Other lifestyle factors such as age, ethnicity, physical health and activity levels, and even mental and emotional health, can impact the composition, diversity, and amount of microbes present in the human gut. 

The symbiotic relationship between a human host and their microbiome exists in a very delicate balance. The body’s immune system employs mechanisms to maintain this balance by carefully regulating the relationship between beneficial and harmful microbes. However, if the balance is lost, it can have huge impacts on the body. A few years ago, my sister experienced the effects of an imbalance in her gut microbiome. She saw periods of symptoms fluctuating between healthy and normal, to sick with very frequent vomiting. After a few weeks of these recurrent symptoms with no improvement, she visited the doctor and found out it was an H. pylori infection in her stomach, and she was given antibiotics to treat the infection. My sister was also advised to eat probiotic yogurts and other food products for a few weeks after her infection was gone to help replenish her gut microbes. She recovered well and has not had any issues since, but it definitely opened my eyes to the reality of the gut microbiome. Many people who have an H. pylori infection never experience symptoms or adverse health effects and have no need for treatment, and it is not well understood why others suffer from a more intense illness. 

The impacts and delicate balance of the gut fall in line with ayurveda thinking, which suggests that the state of the body and mind are connected to illness and the development of disease. If the harmful microbes become more prominent and are able to overpower the beneficial microbes, the body suffers drastic consequences as the symbiotic relationship is disturbed. Digestive health, hormone regulation, and other cellular processes can be impacted, leading to disruptions in the body’s normal functioning that may result in the development of disease or illness. An ayurveda approach insists that the source of a disturbance could be as small as the microbes on and within the body, and an imbalance in their regulation could have drastic effects that impact the body’s function on the organism as a whole. Similarly, ayurveda also encompasses the idea that the source of a disturbance may be as small as a glucose molecule, where its lack of uptake in the cell creates disturbances that impact the body on an organism level, and even beyond to reach society and across the globe. Looking at specific diseases layer by layer from the perspective of ayurveda connectedness has been a very rewarding experience that has made me both appreciative and excited for my capstone class.  

Bridging Ayurveda with Diabetes

     When I first looked into applying to medical schools, I had no idea that there were two different types: M.D. and D.O. This discovery led me to explore and learn what it means to be a holistic provider. I learned the significance of the connection between the body and mind. Since then, I've known that if I were to practice medicine, I would want to ensure that the mind would be included in the conversation. This holistic approach aligns closely with the principles of Ayurveda, an ancient healing system that offers valuable insights into maintaining overall health and preventing illness.

Upon initial research, we learn that Ayurveda is an ancient holistic approach to healing. It originated in India, and its main focus is to promote overall health by balancing the mind, body, and spirit.

I found it interesting that Ayurveda believes that disease would occur if there is an imbalance of doshas. These are the different energies that control the physiology of our body. When there is an imbalance of chemicals, hormones, and signals, the body will be more susceptible to disease because it is not ready to face it.

What I discovered is that I truly believe our body works in harmony with our mind, and it is all deeply affected by the environment. The way we talk to ourselves can affect our physical health. The way other people speak to us can affect our mental health, which then takes a toll on our physical health. I know that when I surround myself with people who show me love and kindness, I feel better physically than when I am around those who don't show me that same decency.

Our mind and body are constantly communicating with each other through various physiological pathways, and if one part is disrupted, it is bound to disrupt the other parts. Even our emotions can affect our bodies. Let's say I feel very stressed; my heart rate increases. There is a direct correlation between stress and my heart rate. Many people don't realize that having physical health starts with having a strong mind that can support the physical world. This means that to have good health, we have to look at the whole picture. We must remember the mind, body, and the spirit.

This holistic understanding of health aligns with Ayurveda's approach to diabetes, known as Madhumeha in traditional texts. Ayurveda has the perspective that diabetes is not just a metabolic disorder, but a manifestation of imbalances in the body's doshas, specifically Kapha dosha. According to Ayurvedic principles, the excessive consumption of heavy, sweet foods and a sedentary lifestyle(the modern American diet) leads to an accumulation of Kapha, disrupting the body's natural metabolic processes. This disruption affects blood sugar levels and the mind-body connection, potentially creating more stress and further impacting metabolic health. Ayurvedic treatments for diabetes, therefore, focus on restoring balance through dietary changes, herbal remedies, and lifestyle modifications that address both physical symptoms and mental well-being. By incorporating practices like yoga and meditation alongside traditional remedies, Ayurveda offers a comprehensive approach to managing diabetes that recognizes the intricate connections between mind, body, and spirit.

After taking a look around in my own life and in the places of healthcare that I surround myself with, there are so many people in my life who have diabetes, either type 1 or type 2. From what I have seen, diabetes (type 2) stems from the American lifestyle, which is both obvious and devastating.

One of my best friends spent some time in Italy and Austria because her family lives there. She has always said that the people in Europe would be astounded by the people in America because of the sheer size of Americans. They would be astounded by the concept of Costco or our food portions. Europeans do not face the same intensity of diabetes. We can see that it is the food that Americans eat and the way we live that has caused this epidemic of diabetes.

Not one of my classes thus far in my college career has looked at the pathways of diabetes. I was interested to see the specifics of the pathways. For type 2 diabetes, it begins with the body cells becoming less responsive to insulin, which helps the cells absorb glucose from the blood. As those cells don't absorb the glucose efficiently, that leads to blood sugar levels rising. Then the pancreas produces more insulin to attempt to lower blood sugar. Over time, the insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas become overworked and stop working. This leads to the pancreas not being able to produce enough insulin to control blood sugar levels. Then we can see chronic high blood sugar levels occurring, which leads us to diabetes symptoms, and if left untreated, the high blood sugar can damage the organs and tissues of the body. This pathway is specific to type 2 diabetes.

  Type 1 diabetes, on the other hand, can be from a genetic predisposition, an environmental trigger, or an autoimmune attack. For some reason, most or all of the beta cells are destroyed, the pancreas can no longer produce sufficient insulin, and without insulin, glucose can't enter cells and builds up in the blood, causing blood sugar levels to rise significantly. Since type one onset very quickly, those diagnosed may require lifelong insulin therapy to manage their blood sugar levels.

Despite what happens in the body, this disease has a huge impact on our social world and society. What I found to be most interesting is that the American Diabetes Association came out with the statistic that the total estimated cost of diagnosed diabetes in 2012 was $245 billion, which includes $176 billion in direct medical costs and $69 billion in reduced productivity. We are collectively spending so much money on a disease that could be easily prevented by physical activity and basic wellness. However, for reasons so complex, our society chooses to spend money on treatments and not prevention.

Since 2012, the diabetes epidemic has gotten significantly worse. The total annual cost of diabetes in the US in 2022 was $412.9 billion, with direct medical costs being over 300 billion dollars and over 100 billion dollars in indirect costs. On a personal level, the average annual medical expenditure for people with diabetes is $19,736. People with diabetes tend to have 2.6 times higher medical expenditures than a person without diabetes. On a population level, about 1 in 4 healthcare dollars in the US is spent on caring for people with diabetes.

Diabetes comes from an imbalance in the human body. This concept is parallel to understanding Ayurveda. It is important to acknowledge that we need to create a balance in our lives so that our body doesn't overwork itself in any way. Eat healthy so that our blood sugar doesn't rise to the point where our beta cells can't work fast enough. Exercise so that our heart can function. Meditate to ease the mind. Sleep to rest. Learn to grow. There is so much that we must do; however, it is possible. It comes with discipline.

Discipline is another important concept to understand because discipline is what could prevent diabetes. By creating a society that knows what it needs to do to be healthy and actually works towards it, healthcare would look so different if instead of treating disease, we prevent disease. It will take a significant time to get there, but if we make the conscious effort to do so in our own lives, we can influence others to follow that path.

From what I understand, we need to emphasize prevention. We also need to improve access to care, and also not forget about focusing on early intervention. The best way to accomplish these things is to educate. This means funding public health and pushing for schools to teach the importance of physical activity and enforce it. This disease is a serious problem in our country, and we need to take action to help stop it. It quite literally has taken over healthcare, and we need to stop it from progressing.

When we address both the personal and societal costs of diabetes, we can work towards reducing its economic burden while improving the lives of those already affected by the disease. By integrating Ayurvedic principles with modern medical knowledge, we can create a more 

The integration of Ayurvedic principles with modern medical knowledge offers a comprehensive approach to addressing health issues like diabetes. By focusing on prevention, balance, and holistic well-being, we can create a healthcare system that not only treats diseases but also promotes overall health and wellness. This approach has the potential to significantly reduce the prevalence and impact of lifestyle-related diseases, ultimately leading to a healthier society.

As we move forward, it's crucial to remember that our health is not just about our physical body, but also our mind and spirit. By embracing this holistic view and incorporating the wisdom of ancient practices like Ayurveda alongside modern medical advancements, we can work towards a future where diseases like diabetes are prevented rather than just treated, and where overall wellness is the primary focus of our healthcare system

Curated Paper 1- Emmalee Nonnenmacher

 Curated Paper #1

In our westernized society, we are made to believe that modern medicine is the only antidote to our interminable and continuous health struggles. Scientists and health care professionals are constantly trying to develop new technologies and medical treatments to cure or alleviate disease. In some cases, diseases can become resistant to these treatments. In fact, throughout the world, antibiotic resistance to microbiological diseases is a developing concern (Spellberg et al. 2008). While trying to constantly develop new medicine, we fail to recognize that traditional and holistic medicine can be just as helpful in the treatment and prevention of disease. “Ayurveda” is a practice that stemmed from pre colonial India almost 5,000 years ago. Ayurveda is the practice and belief that all things are interconnected and that every individual possesses a unique set of energy sources, or doshas. Whenever these doshas become imbalanced, disease and other health concerns may occur if not corrected promptly (John Hopkins Medicine 2024).

Metabolism is a complex network of biochemical reactions that convert food into energy, and plays a crucial role in our overall health. Eukaryotic cells constantly perform these labyrinths of chemical reactions in order to keep our body functioning properly. In relation to Ayurveda, when these networks become imbalanced, our bodies' instinctive metabolic harmony is disrupted. In individuals with diabetes, this intricate system is disrupted, leading to impaired regulation of blood sugar levels. Diabetes, a chronic condition characterized by either insufficient insulin production or ineffective insulin use, results in elevated glucose levels in the blood. This metabolic imbalance can cause a cascade of health issues, affecting everything from energy levels to cardiovascular health.

There are two types of diabetes: Type 1 and Type 2. Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes are both chronic conditions that affect the body's ability to regulate blood sugar levels, but they differ significantly in their causes and management. Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease where beta cells of the pancreas inadequately secrete insulin, leading to little or no insulin production (Ozougwu et al. 2013). It typically has a sudden onset that manifests in childhood or early adulthood and requires lifelong insulin therapy. In contrast, Type 2 diabetes is often related to insulin resistance, where the body’s cells do not respond effectively to insulin, combined with a gradual decline in insulin production. Its onset is gradual and is more common in adults. It can often be managed with lifestyle changes such as diet and exercise, though some individuals may eventually need medication or insulin if not treated properly. Both types necessitate careful monitoring of blood sugar levels to prevent complications, but their underlying mechanisms and treatment strategies differ.

Diabetes has a profound impact on society, shaping public health, economic stability, and healthcare systems. On a societal level, the rising prevalence of diabetes, particularly Type 2, poses significant health challenges, increasing the burden of chronic diseases and contributing to higher rates of cardiovascular complications. In 2013, the leading cause of death in the U.S was heart disease, with diabetes being the seventh leading cause. Heart disease, diabetes, and other related diseases can be attributed to a lack of physical activity. While biological treatments such as diet and exercise can be effective at treating this disease, it is only a short-term solution. It is necessary to consider the impact of both social and physical environments when it comes to diabetes treatment and prevention. Social determinants such as low-income, education, housing, and access to nutritional foods, are all attributed to Type 2 diabetes (Hill et al. 2013). Studies show that those with less education and income have a two to four times higher risk of developing diabetes than those who have greater income and education. 

While diabetes can be influenced on a societal level, community resources and healthcare services are also affected. Hospitalization is three times more common in people with diabetes than in people without a chronic illness (Haque et al. 2021). Because of this, hospitals face increased patient loads and high expenses related to diabetes complications. This in turn can lead to a higher demand for specialized care and resources.

The economic impact of diabetes extends to the government, which must allocate substantial funds for diabetes-related healthcare costs, including hospitalizations, medications, and preventive measures. Compared to other hospitalized patients, the average yearly cost of caring for someone with diabetes is roughly 2.3 times higher. In 2012, researchers found that the average cost of diabetes treatment in the U.S was $245 billion (American Diabetes Association 2013). As U.S populations rise, diabetes prevalence will also rise. It is predicted that diagnosed and undiagnosed cases of diabetes in the U.S are expected to rise from 14% to 21% in 2050 (Boyle et al. 2010). These direct costs contribute to billions of dollars annually in healthcare expenditures, highlighting the urgent need for effective prevention and management strategies to mitigate the economic impact of this chronic condition.

I have some close relatives who are diabetic or prediabetic. Most of their diagnosis of this disease was attributed to poor eating and health habits. I have a grandpa and uncle who both have fairly recently had a heart attack. This has caused alarm in my family and has taken personal and financial tolls on these individuals. After doing more research on this disease, it is startling how common it is in the U.S and how many cascading effects it can have on society as a whole. As a broke college student, I try to eat as healthy as I can and get a sufficient amount of exercise and sleep. In our hustling and on-the-go societal norms, we barely have enough time or energy to prioritize our health. This constant interplay of trying to balance everyday life and a healthy body can be related to Ayurveda. If we spend too much time on our professional endeavors, our bodies and minds start to disconnect from each other and vice versa. I believe this imbalance can also be a contributing factor to the diabetes pandemic. 

I know in my personal life when I get too stressed, I have a hard time functioning correctly. I get so fixated on one particular issue that I neglect my and every individual's core necessity, which is to have balance in our life. Just like an imbalance in our metabolism, small imbalances between our minds and bodies can have negative impacts on our overall function. Along with Ayurveda, I like the idea that everything is connected. I believe that humans are more interconnected to nature than we think. It is hard to recognize this sometimes due to all the technological advances in the world. As a “gen Zer”, I would say that much like my peers, I am pretty addicted to my phone and social media. I have a hard time balancing phone time and being a regular, human person. I have pretty bad anxiety which can be partly attributed to all the time I spend behind a screen. I find that it really helps me to go out in nature and be away from such distractions. The human body is such a beautiful, complex system just like our mother earth. Like Earth, if there is a slight disturbance in our ecosystem, everything in that system gets disrupted. On top of that, the cell theory states that the cell is the basic unit of life and that living cells only come from other living cells. This theory in itself to me proves that humans are connected to all living things. Most people, including myself, seem to forget this. While I do not think Ayurveda is the cure to all diseases, I think if we spent more time prioritizing having balance in our life, our overall health would greatly improve.

Curated Paper 1

 

My first introduction to the idea of ayurveda was actually a while ago on a podcast I was listening to. The episode featured two doctors, one who was a proponent of ayurvedic medicine and the other who generally disagreed with the idea of ayurveda in medical practice. The doctor who wasn’t a fan of ayurvedic medicine said that the danger of ayurvedic medicine is that people who rely on it for their primary form of healthcare may miss easy treatments available from western medicine when focusing on alternative care. The doctor in favor of ayurvedic medicine said that the benefit lies in promoting a well-rounded and healthy life while providing relief for those who may not find easy medical solutions.

Upon spending more time learning about ayurveda, I think the truth lies somewhere in the middle. If we look broadly at society today, we have a society who is far healthier in many aspects of health than more ancient generations were. However, we are also probably unhealthier than they were in other aspects of health. For example, the bubonic plague killed more than 25 million people during the 1300s. Most people today do not realize the plague bacteria still exists and infections can still occur. This is likely because today most cases are easily treated with early detection and a course of antibiotics. This is a prime example of how we as a society face less health risks than previous eras of humanity did. While this is true to a large extent, we also face different health risks than previous eras. For example, just in the last 60 years the rate of obesity in the US has tripled with about 70% of adults being considered overweight or obese. Again this shows an example of how today’s population may face health risks that other generations did not face as frequently. An easy question to ask is: why? And perhaps a good follow up is: what can be done?

This to me is where a balance between western and ayurvedic medical approaches can provide benefit. A major idea of ayurveda is balance. By balancing the body, mind, and spirit it is believed that more optimal health outcomes can be achieved. This idea is not only a good theory, but to some extent is actually backed by scientific data. Data has shown that there are significant correlations between health conditions and factors like socioeconomic status and lifestyle. In this sense ayurveda can play a realistic role in providing better care for patients. By creating balance of lifestyle factors and physical health, patients can be better set up for long term health.

It is also intriguing to see how the idea of ayurveda and balance play a role in several aspects of our body’s functions. For example, our metabolism consists of chains or pathways of chemical reactions that are used to keep the cells or body alive. A proper regulation of the control of these reactions maintains the balance or flow of metabolites. If one area of metabolic functions becomes out of balance, it can cause several downstream effects and imbalances leading to further complications. Likewise, conditions such as diabetes are described as systemic imbalances.

Diabetes describes an imbalance of the system which is responsible for controlling glucose levels in the blood stream. When beta cells which normally produce insulin become nonfunctional, blood glucose levels can be raised. In turn, this can cause several associated complications such as increased blood pressure, decreased red blood cell flexibility, increased inflammation and much more. Other areas of the body can have complications as a result as well such as cataracts of the eyes, nephropathy in the kidneys, increased risk of stroke, and increased risk of heart disease. There are also associated life complications including financial stress and social stigmas. A unique connection here is what some people call type three diabetes. While most of us are well aware of type one and two diabetes, type three diabetes is an emerging idea that relates to the idea of balance. Type three diabetes is described as the condition in which the brain’s neurons stop responding to insulin which could be linked to Alzheimer’s disease. Again this shows an interesting connection to the idea of balance and how glucose and insulin levels can affect more areas than that which they are normally associated with.

Diabetes has a personal connection to many of us, or in other words, most of us know at least one person who suffers from a type of diabetes. My family has had several people affected by both type one and type two diabetes including parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and in-laws. This has definitely led me to try to limit my risk factors as much as possible. One of the most identifiable risk factors associated with diabetes is inactivity. In other words, being physically active is one of the best ways to reduce the risk of developing type two diabetes and reduce the risk of complications associated with diabetes. This is another interesting example of how balance is associated with health. While physical activity does not directly affect the pancreas and other organs associated with diabetes, the benefits of activity can cause downstream effects like improved blood flow, heart health, and more which in turn can improve the outlook for patients at with or at risk of diabetes.

Another example of the idea of balance in the body can be seen in the microbiome. The microbiome is the bacterial community of the human gastrointestinal tract. It differs somewhat between individuals and is affected by things like diet, exposure to bacteria, or antibiotic usage. The microbiome is linked with several other functions of the body such as sleep patterns, weight loss/gain, neurological function, and cardiovascular function among others. Imbalances of the makeup of the microbiome can result in clostridium infections, metabolic changes, and influence a variety of other conditions like diabetes or cancer. These examples show ayurveda can be used to describe the interconnectedness of many functions in our bodies.

I grew up in a generally health-conscious household with a holistic and western view on healthcare. We generally looked for holistic options and proactive, preventative care options before resorting to other treatments. However, we also did have times where we needed treatment for things like strep throat with antibiotics. I think sometimes about those care options and wonder how often they were actually necessary. It seemed like a lot of times we were prescribed antibiotics preemptively for symptoms without test results just to prevent the possibility of a bacterial infection getting worse. Certainly preventing a serious infection is worthwhile, but it also seems like it could’ve been handled better at times.

I have also noticed a lot of the effects of microbiome imbalance, or at least symptoms of it, in my life. Generally, I try to eat pretty healthy, but I notice when I am not eating a holistic natural diet that I tend to have a lot of inflammatory symptoms of microbiome imbalance. It also is interesting to see when a gastrointestinal illness passes through, like the stomach flu or something similar, effects the digestive system for some time after. I personally notice I don’t digest food quite as well for a short time after eliminating the infection. As another example of ayurveda, or balance among the body and its systems and our lifestyles, the microbiome is quite a complex aspect of our anatomy with a widespread effect on many other areas of our health.

With these examples, we can see how complex the interconnected nature of the body and its systems can make healthcare complex. It also shows how ayurveda and the idea of balance can be used to help improve overall patient health. When we look at treating certain ailments, it’s important to consider the downstream effects and how other areas of the body can be impacted. By keeping this in mind, we can hopefully create a more well-rounded model of care.

 

 

 

 

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/21590-bubonic-plague

https://usafacts.org/articles/obesity-rate-nearly-triples-united-states-over-last-50-years/

https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/researchers-link-alzheimers-gene-to-type-iii-diabetes/