The rate of diabetes in America is alarming, 29 million Americans to be exact. The World Health Organization estimates that by 2030 the number of people with diabetes worldwide will double from the current 380 million people who currently suffer from the disease.
Living with a chronic illness like diabetes does not only affect someone’s physical health, but mental and emotional as well.
According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, diabetes represents a deficiency and dysfunction in the spleen and pancreatic system.
If the spleen/pancreatic system’s function declines, it cannot produce the insulin necessary to handle glucose in the bloodstream, which causes a variety of diabetic symptoms. Chinese medicine has had an understanding of diabetes for thousands of years. It is known as aiaoke, which means an emaciation-thirst, as diabetes can cause a person to lose weight and have extreme thirst. In ancient times, type 2 diabetes was found in the wealthiest people because of their diet that was high in fatty and sugary foods.
The TCM theory behind diabetes states that diabetes is a result of an imbalance of yin. Because of the imbalance, the body’s natural energy flow called qi becomes out of balance and blocked.
A report done in 1994 in the Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine looked at 60 patients with diabetes and found that 2/3rds of the patients in the group receiving acupuncture noticed an effect and improvement in their symptoms. The other group received a diabetes pill, and researchers concluded that although both had therapeutic effects, acupuncture was more effective in prevention including cardiovascular diseases.
Although a lot of Westerners don’t think of acupuncture as a treatment for chronic disease, specific acupuncture points on the body have been proven to be effective for diabetes.
Unlike prescription medication, acupuncture has almost no side effects and is completely natural. The treatment is painless, and along with treating your illness, acupuncture can leave you feeling relaxed and calm. If you or someone you know is suffering with diabetes, ask an acupuncturist how they can help you on the road back to better health.