Diabetes and alternative medicine: diabetic patients experiences with Ayur-Ved,

March 22, 2008

Diabetes and alternative medicine: diabetic patients experiences with

Ayur-Ved, " clinical ecology " and " cellular nutrition " methods

Azienda Ospedaliera, Servizio Regionale di Diabetologia Pediatrica,

Dipartimento dell'Età Evolutiva, Università degli Studi, Parma, Italy.

vanelli

In the last two years we discovered that three of our patients with type 1

diabetes mellitus (0.8%) suffered an unexpected worsening in their glycemic

control due to a reduction of their insulin dosage in favour of some

" alternative " diabetes treatments using herbs, vitamins, fantastic diets and

trace

elements prescribed by non-medical practitioners. The first patient, a 6.6 year

old boy, was admitted to hospital because of a severe ketoacidosis with first

degree coma as a result of his parents having reduced his insulin dosage by

77% and replacing the insulin with an ayurvedic herbal preparation (Bardana

Actium Lapp). The second patient, a 10.4 year old boy, was admitted to hospital

after his teachers noticed that he appeared tired, thinner and polyuric.

During hospital admission for mild ketoacidosis the mother, reluctant at first,

finally confessed that her son was under the care of a " clinical ecologist " .

Having identified several food allergies this " clinical ecologist " had placed

the child on a spartan diet of bread, water and salt, and had reduced his

insulin dosage by 68%. The third patient, a 21 year old male, upon transfer to

the Adult Diabetic Center, reported that he had been under the care of a

pranotherapist for several years. The pranotherapist had prescribed a cellular

nutrition preparation (called " Madonna drops " ), a meditation program and also a

50% reduction in his insulin dosage. During this period his HbAlc values had

increased from 6.4% to 12%. Current orthodox diabetes treatments are

considered unsatisfactory by many people and it is thus not surprising that they

search for " miracle " cures. It is important, however, that hospital staff do not

ridicule the patients or their parents for trying these alternative

therapies. Nevertheless, it would be useful for staff to discuss in advance

these

" therapies " with patients, highlighting their ineffectiveness and strongly

discouraging cures that call for a reduction or elimination of the insulin

treatment.

PMID: 11981532 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

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