Diabetes & Early Aging

Early Aging & Diabetes –

Ageing the process of growing old is defined as the gradual biological impariment of normal function probably as a result of changes made to cells and structural components. These changes woule consequently have a direct impact on the functional ability of organs and ultimately the body as a whole.

Diabetes (also called as madhumeha in ayurveda) has today become a disease that not only has its own effects due to increase in blood sugar but also has a characteristic tendency of enhancing ageing induced body transformations. In other words, for someone 30 years of age with diabetes versus someone with 30 without diabetes, it may have been felt that patient with diabetes may actually have been 40 in terms of their actual physical age. 

Early ageing which is a sequelae of diabetes is enhanced by additional factors including environmental pollution, lifestyle habits and inappropriate dietary habits.Aging is the continuous process which can not be stopped, Diabetes works as catalyst to speed up this process hence signs & symptoms of early aging occurs in the people having diabetes –Fatigue, Early greying of hair, dryness of skin,Sexual weakness, irritability etc. are common.

As per Ayurveda (the Indian system of medicine which means the“ science of life and longevity.”), in every ten year of life span, human body gradually looses  important body building factors(including growth factors, hormones and antioxidant mechanisms) & vital energy  which are responsible for aging. Restoration of this vital energy can be done because Ayurveda is not merely concerned with the management of an illness but is also concerned about maximizing the life span and providing optimal living.

There are Manifold health management methodologies mentioned in Ayurvedic texts-to push-back early aging & Diabetes. Ancient Indian seers advocated the modes:

           -Life style modifications

      -Vaya sthapan dravya (Anti aging compounds)-

a)    By directly enriching the nutritional intake of the body

b)    By improving digestion and metabolism and thereby promoting nutrition.

c)    By promoting the capability of srotas/microcirculatory channels in the body,

·                       - Rejuvenation therapy (Rasayan Chikitsa) -It provides spiritual aid to the body as well, thereby bringing the body out of its state of natural or man made loss. It also claims at holding back the process of aging. Rasayana-chikitsa basically boosts vital energy of life and immunity .

So any diabetic  person should take rejuvenating preparations to maintain good health and

stay young.

Dr.M.S.Singhal

Dr.Alka Singhal 

How to stop sugar cravings?

 Try to  Control sugar Cravings -

•                    Have a non-sweet breakfast containing a protein food. Choose a whole grain plus the appropriate protein source for your body : eggs, smoked fish, lean poultry sausages, soy products, beans, nuts or seeds.
•                   Include adequate high-quality protein at lunch. Choose the protein-rich foods best for your body   Like  eggs, fish, poultry, lean beef or pork, nuts, seeds or legumes.
•           Avoid excess raw fruits, raw vegetables and juice.
•           Include cooked leafy greens daily, especially if chocolate cravings are a problem.
•            Drink green tea daily especially when sugar is craved.
•            Avoid frequent intake of artificial sweeteners.
•            Reduce or eliminate refined sugars(sucrose, fructose, fruit juice,  
•             honey, syrups).
•           Get adequate full-spectrum lighting. Take a 20 minute walk outdoors in the early            morning, sit near a bright window or use full-spectrum lighting in your work space.

DIABETES SOLUTIONS: Ayurveda & Diabetes

DIABETES SOLUTIONS: Ayurveda & Diabetes: DIABETES & AYURVEDA When should you seek Ayurvedic intervention ? It is presumed that only 10 percent diabetics are aware of their disease...

Ayurveda & Indian Scenario of Cardio Vascular Disease

Indian scenario of Cardiovascular disease

 Although the prevalence of  CVD in India was reported to be comparable to that in united states in 1969s when the US had the second highest CVD mortality in the world, with big geographic difference between different parts of India were present.

Ancient Indian physician Charak and Sushruta Some 2800 years earlier identified the Cardiac disorders as  disorders effecting the people of upper socio economic classes who were Obese,  Lethargic,  Consuming large quantities of fatty food and sweet drinks etc. But there have been limited studies on CVD in India, at Present India is also in a high risk group for the development of  CVD. Some subsets such as immigrants urban and upper socio-economic classes have an unusually high incidence of the disease and mortality. Indians frequently get the disease at a comparatively younger age in the absence of the accepted risk factors.

The prevalence of CVD varies between  4-6 % in rural Indian to 10-12 % in Urban North West India.  How ever in urban south Indians the prevalence is about 16%. The absolute risk of CVD differs from culture to Culture which empahsises the role of various factors responsible for CVD.

Since CVD are Multifactorial in origin therefore the increased
susceptibility of the disease usually associated with increased prevalence of these factors in India -  

      -     High Prevalence of Obesity Particularly Central Obesity with high Hip-Waist
            Ratio.

      -     High Prevalence of Non Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus, Impaired Glucose                                    Tolerance Or Increased Concentration of fasting plasma  Insulin .

             Indians have     shown 2.0-3.0 high prevalence of NIDDM

      -     Presence of Dyslipaedimia -High Plasma Triglyceride, Low HDL & High
            Cholesterol Level.

      -     Prevalence of Small Dense LDL particles.

      -     Hyperinsulinaemia, Elevated Proinsulin And Insulin Ratio.

      -     Increased Consumption of Lipoproteins

Simultaneously the type of conventional diet pattern appears to have significant role in promoting the present epidemic of the disease amongst them. The typical Indian diet is cereal based with  increased consumption of total fat and its subtypes may have the pathogenic role in the development of the disease. The basic defect in the Indian diet is the virtual deficiency of highly  unsaturated n-3 fats. The traditional Indian cooking were replaced by n-6 enriched oils. This leads to impairment of  destruction of alpha lipoenic acid and blocks the only available source for obtaining the highly unsaturated n-3 essential fats. So the diets derived from refined cereals and high fat diet with an physiological concentration of n-6 fat elevated n-6/n-3 ratio is a major coronary risk factor in the epidemiology of Indians.

In rural India the prevalence of CVD is also increasing, the reasons are the food habits, Medium Physical activity, Low body weight, Hypercholesteremia etc. Most of the Indian rural population belongs to the poor socio-economic group and the habit of chewing tobacco and smoking are very common which is the major risk factor if  CVD. The unknown CVD cases are also common in rural India .

There are no reports of decline of CVD in India Where as there is marked reduction in the incidence of disease in several western countries.

So we must have to focus on the fact that CVD needs to be prevented and physicians should make every effort to modify reversible risk factors. Primary care physicians are in ideal position to play major role in Preventing the  progression of CVD in India  by Providing some basic Guidelines to the patients prone to the disease.

Ayurveda the holistic Science of India has lot to offer to Medical Science in prevention of  such type of disorders by its unique concepts of Life-style, Diet,  Seasonal regimens and line of treatment which are completely suitable and acceptable by Indians. Only the motivation is required to refresh the knowledge of this oldest Indian science, Which not only deals with the diseases but  deals with the Body, Mind & Disease simultaneously  and that can reverse the major risk factors of  such type of Progressing diseases in India.   

 Dr.M.S.Singhal                                                                                                       Dr.Alka Singhal

Ayurveda & Diabetes

DIABETES & AYURVEDA

When should you seek Ayurvedic intervention ?

It is presumed that only 10 percent diabetics are aware of their diseases. The rest discover it accidentally in routine examination for any surgery , insurance or pregnancy. The news comes with as much shock as disbelief , and nearly 65 percent of causes disregard the diagnosis . while this should be the time to seek Ayurvedic intervention , most of them drift to western meditation.

As a result of this , use of Ayurvedic regimen and modification in the lifestyle are pushed to the backburner , lack of both leads to further imbalance in three doshas , vata , pitta , and kapha . diabetes only seek Ayurvedic when most of the things have alipped  out of their hands , and when they do , they expect miracles . It is better to take preemptive preventive actions in diabetes than curative steps in the same.

It has been observed that the use of western medication regularly or irregularly , with or without exercise , diet control , and lifestyle change , gives rise to a number of complication . what is surprising is that people contemplate of taking up Ayurveda for these complications rather than diabetes , which they should have in the beginning. Here is the list of a couple of complication that push a diabetes to Ayurvedic intervention.

a)      when high doses of medication fail to reduce rational blood sugar level.

b)      A diabetic is not ready to inject insulin.

c)      In case of insulin resistance

Apart form that what hassles a diabetic is a beeline of western medicine – induced symptoms like muscular weakness , pains and aches , weight loss , constipation , depression , irritability , sleeplessness , blurring of vision and sexual debilities..

While seeking Ayurvedic intervention , diabetics have been observed of asking some very blunt and demanding question , like : “can I stop insulin injections from today’’, “How far Iam be before Ican give up these injections forever,” and “can you guarantee me a cure by the Ayurvedic formulation you are recommending !!” diabetes is a lifestyle disorder , and an Ayurvedic expert was never a part of a prospective diabetic’s lifestyle , when he or she was “including much” and trying to catch up with a problem. Still these question ?

In as far as diabetes is concerned , Ayurveda offers much to a diabetic when western medicine has almost given him or her up. Despite this ,if a diabetic wants to see considerable improvement by using Ayurvedic intervention , the best outcome depends on the trust a diabetic bestows in Ayurveda and its expert.