Greetings Dear Readers,
We all know people in our family or circle of friends who suffer from Type II diabetes. It is one of the most common diseases of the modern world and yet in North America, few know about the healing benefits that acupuncture and Oriental medicine has been providing for sufferers in Asian countries for centuries. Acupuncturists have identified roughly 20 acupuncture points on the body that appear to assist with lowering blood sugar, as well as protocols
for dealing with diabetic neuropathy. One very commonly used point, ST 36 (find this point by finding a slight depression in the skin at 4 fingers below the knee can and one thumb lateral to the tibia bone). Yes, try some acupressure here!. It is considered to be the most important point on the body for its wide range of uses such as strengthening Yin which is considered the root of this disorder, as well as strengthening Qi (vital energy) and Yang, which assists with the complications of Type II diabetes. It is also interesting that some of these points have shown to have the side-benefit of lowering blood cholesterol which is also a important for reducing neuropathies.
Type II Diabetes is a metabolic disorder involving resistance to insulin, lack of insulin and high blood sugar. Left unchecked, Type II diabetes can lead to a number of secondary conditions such as degenerative eye disorders
, cardiovascular disease, limb pain and numbness, skin ulceration and kidney failure. Maintaining a healthy diet, exercise and medication or herbs to control blood sugar are very important and acupuncture is not a substitute for these. Regular check-ups with your doctor are also important.
A number of studies on acupuncture treatment for Type II diabetes have shown significant benefit over the control group. Acupuncture can lower blood sugar during the treatment session, reduce stress (elevated stress is known to raise cortisol levels which leads to weight gain around the 
abdomen). When there is excess insulin in the blood, the insulin creates inflammation in the body, otherwise known as Heat in TCM, affecting either the Upper Burner (Jiao) causing excessive thirst (polydipsea), the Middle Burner causing the urge to eat too much (polyphagia) or the Lower Burner causing too much urination (polyuria). This Heat clearing ability of acupuncture has been demonstrated scientifically in the before and after
photos shown here.
Acupuncture has been recommended by the Mayo Clinic as a good alternative treatment for diabetic neuralgia (numbness, tingling and pain in limbs, poor balance, etc.). Pain conditions are something I treat daily in my clinic and one of the main reasons why acupuncture works so well for pain is because it increases the flow of energy and blood in the body . This relates to an ancient axiom in Chinese Medicine: “Where there is pain, there is blockage of Qi (energy); Where there is no pain, there is no Qi blockage”.
Although some doctors have advised diabetic patients to avoid acupuncture because of risk of infection, in fact the standards of acupuncture practice i
n North America are very high and requires practitioners to only used pre-packaged, sterile, single-use disposable
There is an abundance of research studies showing many of the positive effects of acupuncture for Type II Diabetes, more than what I have room to talk about here so I believe it is well worth looking into as a natural way to support the body.
A few other helpful things to consider for Type II Diabetes self-care are:
- Getting enough sleep. A Japanese study showed sleep-deprivation was connected to high blood sugar.
- Bitter Melon tea.
3. Cinnamon also regulates blood glucose. Caution if you have night sweats or a feeling of heat at night, please don’t take cinnamon, it’s too heating in this case.
Yours in health,
Cynthia
References:
- Subhuti, Dharmananda, Ph.D. Treatment of Diabetes with Acupuncture and Chinese herbs (2003). Institute for Traditional Medicine, Portland, Oregon Retrieved from: http://www.itmonline.org/arts/diabacu.htm.
- Mayo Clinic Staff. Mayo Clinic – Diabetic Neuropathy. (February 2015). Retrieved from: http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/diabetic-neuropathy/basics/alternative-medicine/con-20033336
- Lo, Yin. Ph.D. Diabetes and acupuncture. (November 2003). Acupuncture Today. Retrieved from: http://www.acupuncturetoday.com/archives2003/nov/11lo.html
- Authors at Healthcare Medical Institute. Acupuncture Regulates Insulin and Blood Glucose in Diabetics. (June 2015). http://www.healthcmi.com/Acupuncture-Continuing-Education-News/1485-acupuncture-regulates-insulin-and-glucose-in-diabetics
Systemic Lupus Erythmatosus (SLE) is an auto-immune disorder in which the immune system attacks its’ own tissues leading to chronic inflammation. Several or
gan systems may be affected such as kidneys, heart, skin, blood cells, joints, brain and skin. Western medicine explains the cause of lupus as essentially unknown but beyond that is believed to be a combination of genetics and environment where some people have a genetic predisposition to developing lupus and then various environmental factors such as sunlight, medications (anti-biotics, anti-seizure meds, blood pressure medications) can be the triggers that set off the lupus symptoms. Commonly used Western drugs such as NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), corticosteroids, anti-malarial drugs and immuno-suppressants are used to manage symptoms. Although these drugs may be able to control flare-ups to some extent, there are often side-effects with long-term use.
, constipation, excess thirst, a feeling of heat in the body or fever, and dark-coloured urine that may be scanty. The tongue is often red with a yellow coat, and the pulse is often rapid, and full. Heat symptoms tend to show up in the upper part of the body such as the face because heat rises. Lupus also shows up more often in younger people between the ages of 15 – 40 because young people are relatively more Yang than older people.
ive increase in Heat caused by a lack of Yin which shows up as low-grade fever and night sweats. Yin involves all the body fluids including blood and sinovial fluids. A Yin deficient tongue may be peeled (geographic, or cracked) and the pulse may be superficial, thin and fast. Since women are considered more Yin, and require a greater amount of blood and body fluids for healthy body functions (think of how women’s bodies must replace menstrual blood lost each month) , this helps explain why SLE tends to affect women more than men.
“opens” to the eyes) causing a lack of moistening fluids (Liver Blood) to the eyes resulting in light sensitivity and dry eyes. Hair loss is also indicated because in TCM hair is considered a surplus of Liver Blood. Discoid (small round) rashes are another symptom of Blood Deficiency as it is the function of Blood to moisten the skin so the lack of Blood causes red flaky rashes.
The goals of acupuncture treatment with Lupus will depend on how the individual presents. In general, points will be used to clear the Heat/Fire and strengthen Yin and Blood of the affected channels and organ systems. This is achieved by selecting the correct acupuncture points that will do those jobs. Each acupuncture point has its own functions and indications so the treatment will be tailored to the patient’s unique presentation. The treatment for Lupus tends to be longer than other conditions because Yin Deficiency takes a long time to develop and so a longer time to remove. With persistent treatment as well as the guidance I offer in self-care including diet there should be a lessening of flare-ups as well as better energy and quality of life.
reduce pain, strengthen immunity and get relief using natural therapies. A word of caution: if you are experiencing the shingles rash, pain or unusual symptoms in your face, eyes or ears, this symptom that can have serious consequences such as damage to the eyes or ears leading to loss of vision or hearing. Please visit your doctor immediately.
spine waiting for another opportunity. When the immune system is down, the virus may then reactivate, this time as shingles. Since the virus lives at the nerve root in the spine, it tends to affect one or multiple dermatomes or areas that the affected spinal nerve controls. Prior to the outbreak, the immune system could have been weakened by chemotherapy, radiation, HIV, fatigue, organ or bone marrow transplant, physical or psychological trauma or a very stressful life event. Shingles also tends to affect those over the age of 50 more than younger people.
for months, sometimes years. Getting started with acupuncture soon after the pain starts will cut down the amount of time the pain goes on for. Some patients have been told to try various rash ointments that are intended for another purpose such as eczema or psoriasis, but with little success because the pain is not about the skin. It is caused by the infection at the nerve. An excellent remedy for this type of nerve pain is St. John’s Wart oil rubbed onto the affected area.
Cynthia's Classical Acupuncture and Wellness 