Consultancy Corner: Acupuncture can help to treat modern ailments like diabetes

The basic premise of this traditional Chinese method is that it treats the human body as an integrated part of the universe. A vital energy called Qi (Chee) flows through pathways in the body called meridians. This energy can be influenced by acupuncture treatment or ‘Moxibustion’ (heating with a moxa herb).

Acupuncture promotes a self-rectifying energy system within the human body which then leads to an even distribution of energy and good health. The treatment targets the root cause of the condition and does not adopt methods to suppress symptoms or conceal the pain.

In February 2019, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (Department of Health Research) released an order stating that acupuncture has been recognized as an independent medical system in India. Like homeopathy and yoga, this form of alternative medicine is acknowledged and practised throughout the world.

One of the most admirable features of this form of medicine has been its ability to retain its relevance for this many centuries since its inception. In fact, given the spectacular discoveries in the allopathic field in the last century one may have expected the importance of alternative medicine to diminish, but that hasn’t been the case.

Acupuncture is now used to treat a wide variety of contemporary diseases including diabetes, infertility and even cancer.

Those who had undergone acupuncture needling treatment already know that a small current of electricity had passed through their bodies from top to bottom or left to right - to relieve any pain or to increase their appetite and so on. Similarly, seizures had been controlled by well-trained responsible practices. Acupuncture treatment has a good result on behaviour modulation too.

Scientists who explored the therapy have accepted acupuncture to be a constitutional science which corrects the imbalances in the five energies supporting the lifeforce, to function properly and to restore a healthy state in the physical body. Excess of any one among these results in symptoms,behavioural changes and different attitudes.

Acupuncture defines diabetes as a condition where dryness overpowers the damp spleen (pancreatic juices). There will be wasting of the flesh leading to emaciation, Xiaoke(Chinese medicine terminology for diabetes). The person will be overly thirsty and will have increased appetite. Due to excessive thirst, the person tends to quench his/her thirst often. So, the tendency to pass urine often will be there.

Diabetes is a condition in which there are high blood sugar levels over a prolonged period of time. Simply put, it is due to either the pancreas not producing enough insulin or the cells of the body not responding properly to the insulin produced.

Allopathic medication stimulates the beta cells present in the pancreas to produce the required amount of insulin. In some patients, glucagon produced by the liver will keep the blood glucose level high. For such patients, this medication suppresses or reduces the secretion of the glucagon by the liver. There is no provision to rejuvenate the pancreas in Allopathy.

However, acupuncture treatment rejuvenates the pancreas and enhances the strength of pancreas to produce enough insulin at the right time. According to acupuncture, by treating the spleen, the liver and the pancreas makes a diabetic a non-diabetic.

Normally, the treatment for curing type 2 Diabetes, which is the most common type of diabetes, takes 8-11 months. There is a cure for type 2 Diabetes with acupuncture wherein the blood sugar levels can be normalized permanently.

Foods to be avoided include sweets and chocolates, refined flour (Maida) preparations, juices, dairy products, carbonated beverages. Consumption owwf more vegetables is advised. All fruits can be included in the diet after commencing the acupuncture treatment. Also, include whole grains, hand pound rice, millets.

After this treatment is over, a diabetic will find that they no longer suffer from diabetes. A routine blood workup will confirm the same. Hence, a patient can stop taking all of the diabetic medication previously prescribed and follow your Acupuncture doctor’s advice. In the first year, it is advised that a patient meet their acupuncture doctor once in two months and thereafter once in six months for regular check-ups.