Fwd: 2. DIABETES MODERN MEDICINE AND TRADITIONAL CHINESE MEDICINE - PART TWO

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Part 2 of the 3 part article goes into acupunture points for diabetes

mellitus which also fits the profile of Thirsting and Wasting Syndrome.

 

The question on Chinese Traditional Medicine was what acupoints are used for diabetes.

There are no one set of points that is right for each diabetic. The

selection of points will depend on what TCM syndromes are present, not on

the Western diagnosis of diabetes mellitus. The TCM mechanisms of what is

called diabetes in the West and Sugar Urine Disease in modern China can vary

a lot according to which Organ systems are affected and which basic TCM

syndromes are present (i.e., Stomach Fire, joint Qi and Yin Deficiency,

joint Yin and Yang Deficiency, Blood Stasis, etc.) In addition, if the the

diabetes also fits the profile for Thirsting and Wasting Syndrome, treatment

will vary according to if it's primarily Upper Wasting, Middle Wasting, or

Lower Wasting.

 

Not all cases of diabetes fit the Thirsting and Wasting Syndrome profile.

Likewise, not all cases of Thirsting and Wasting Syndrome is diabetes.

There is, however, an overlap between the two a lot of the time.

 

Three P's can characterize Thirsting and Wasting Syndrome - polydypsia

(excessive thirst), polyphagia (excessive hunger), and polyuria (excessive

urination). All 3 may be present, but they won't all be of equal intensity.

If the excessive thirst is especially prominent, this is a sign that the

Lungs have a very marked and prominent imbalance. This is Upper Wasting

because the Lungs are in the upper part of the body.

 

The number one cause of excessive hunger from a TCM standpoint is Excess

Heat in the Stomach. This Excess Heat can come from a diet which is too

heating and contains too many fats, from the Liver Invading the Stomach, or

from the Lungs being too hot and too dry for too long. Marked polydypsia

points to Middle Wasting.

 

Polyuria, excessive urination, points to major Kidney imbalance and Lower

Wasting.

 

Part 2 also goes into TCM diet recommendations for Thirsting and Wasting

Syndrome and Yin Deficiency in general. (Yin is what cools and calms the

body.) There is one diet recommendation that I would NOT recommend for most

diabetics, espcially those in the West, and especially those with Type I

diabetes (the Insulin Dependent diabetes). This is milk. Some Western

research is pointing to the fact that in some cases of Insulin Dependent

Diabetes, an allergy to cow's milk is triggering an autoimmune response

which destroys insulin producting cells in the pancreas.

 

In TCM there are no one size fits all dietary recommendations - just like

there are no one size fits all herbal or acupoint recommendations. For some

individuals, cow milk may indeed be a good food and even a medicine in

certain cases. But this is not likely to be so in Western industrialized

nations where typically there is an over-consumption of dairy, even by

people who are lactose intolerant and by those who are likely to develop

allergies with over-consumption. The Chinese use much less dairy than

Americans and people in other industrialized Western nations. Believe it or

not, white refined cane sugar even gets put into herbal formulas as a

medicine for some individuals with some specific problems. But this is very

unlikely to be the case in Western industrialized nations where there

typically is an over-consumption of sweets and Spleen imbalance as a result.

 

There are cultural differences in what treatments are more often needed.

 

TCM food cures is a fascinating subject. Certain foods will supplement Yin,

others will supplement Yang in the Yang Deficient (Yang warms and

activates), will invigorate the Blood in cases of Blood Stasis, etc.

 

In TCM, both foods and herbs are recognized as having thermal properties.

Some foods and herbs have Cool or Cold energy and will cool the body. (Very

useful in people who are too Hot.) Others have Warm or Hot energy and will

warm the body. (Very useful for people who are too Cold.) Others have

neutral energy and won't aggravate Heat or Cold problems.

 

Victoria

 

 

 

 

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