Diabetes and bitter herbs

[Guest guest]

Whenever author comes across a diabetic patient, patient asks why his

blood sugar is not coming down despite so mnay bitter powders,

vegetables he is consuming daily. The common concept in minds of them is, if you

take enough bitter and then sweets they will balance each other, not causing

glucose increase.

 

This post had motivation in the querry by Claudia regarding Irritable

Bowel Syndrome.

 

Youngsters are after chocolates, sweets, toffees and cold drinks, in

addition to fast foods these days. Bitter or pungent tastes are not

the preferred ones. Every natural taste has its role to play in

building health. These tastes digest different items in our diet. In

previous posts (#1680, 1688, 1696) this author had discussed six

tastes defined in ayurveda along with five elements making those

tastes. When foods having all tastes are taken in balance, health is

the only result. Since most medicines are "bitter", and especially

those given in Diabetes, author felt it appropriate to discuss

the "bitter" taste (rasa) of ayurveda.

 

Bitter rasa is made up by air and ether element, thus pacifying Kapha

and Pitta. Its properties are cooling, dry and easy to digest.

In summer, the heat causes pitta vitiation, a general experience. To

pacify this pitta, bitter rasa is very useful. In India, many aged

people advise taking Neem juice during summer, starting from "Ugadi"

or "Gudi-Padwa" day, falling somewhere near end of March or beginning

of April. Sun enters "Aries" and close to equinox day in astronomical

terms. Neem leaves are very bitter in taste. Drinking Neem leaves

juice keeps both Kapha and Pitta in balance. The well known

formulation "Aarogyavardhini Ras" of ayurveda uses neem juice to roll

in the tablets finally. Bitter rasa is appetizer also. Due to air

element inside, it increases digestive "Agni" also. As a result

swelling in stomach gets reduced, better digestion eliminates chances

of growth of parasites. By eliminating ama, fever, and toxins, the

vikruti developed as a result of improper diets gets balanced.

 

But one should be careful when using "bitter" rasa. Bitter herbs,

when taken in right proportion, do not cause "Meda" (obesity). Excess

will vitiate Vata and cause loose motions to start with. Excess

of "sweet" rasa can cause diabetes, medroga (obesity), excess mucose,

parasites, while excess of sour rasa can cause skin diseases, joint

pains. Excess of sour and salty items can cause hyperacidity, blood

disorders, hypertension. Excess of pungent taste can cause dry mouth,

always thirsty, fatigue, exhaustion and Parkinson disease (Kampvata).

These are all results of excess. While right proportion of medicine

is beneficial, excess leads to further disorder.

 

Many herbs and vegetables contain "bitter" rasa. Since goat eats many

herbs having bitter taste, her milk also reflects properties

associates with "bitter". This milk is very easy to digest and can be

given to both T.B. patients and newborn if breast milk is inadequate

or absent. When giving to newborn, it should be diluted 1:1 with

water and boiled 10 minutes.

 

When excess of bitter herbs/vegetables cause loose motions,

astringent herbs/rasa can be used, made from air and earth elements.

They will reduce the speed of elimination of urine, feces and slow

down labor also. An exception is Haritaki. Giloy, despite being

bitter, balances all three doshas. Thus ayurveda is not simple,

Exceptions occur at many places. One more example is lemon. This

fruit is not counted as "sour" causing skin diseases or joint pains

flare up. The families facing diabetes as hereditary disease, should

start giving bitter vegetables and herbs to children right from

childhood. Diabetes is considered as mainly Vatic disease. It is

termed Madhumeha or Kshoudrameha. Another name Ikshumeha if glucose

is also seen in urine. Pancreas (agnashaya) secret insulin and

depending on excess/shortage of insulin, blood glucose can be low or

high. High glucose increases liver load. The bitter herbs such as

Karela, Gudmar, Tulsi, Neem, Bail, etc can help only those whose

liver is functioning well. Starting stage of diabetes is the one

where bitter herbs can help. In addition to bitter herbs, the Methi,

Ajwain, Haridra (turmeric), containing both bitter and astringent

tastes also become useful. Many herbs which act as Rasayanas and

those used in Vajikarana have bitter and astringent rasa. Sometimes a

herb is having pungent taste, but when it gets digested its taste is

different. The example of ginger can be given. If boiled in water

and taken, its taste after digestion is sweet and therefore is used

to pacify Vata vitiation. All Rasayana and Vajikarana herbs,

being "sweet" after digestion (Vipaka), eliminate parasites, despite

being tonics. Bhringaraj is a bitter and pungent in taste but

Rasayana in Vipak. Hence used in making Sutshekhar Ras, a formulation

made by using Bhringaraj in end as a coating. The combination of

bitter and astringent rasa is used in several blood purifying

formulations such as Panchtiktaghrut Guggulu, Mahamanjistadi Quath

etc.

 

Dr Bhate