TCM and Diabetes

By Pacific College - November 28, 2014

Acupuncture and Moxibustion have been used for people with diabetes to normalize his or her endocrine function. According to clinical studies, acupuncture is beneficial in lowering glucose levels.

Many people around the world suffer from diabetes. In fact, it is one of the most widespread chronic illnesses in the United States today. Conventional medicine for diabetes is geared towards the regulation of blood sugar with a combination of oral pharmacological agents and insulin. Change of diet and regular exercise are also recommended for people with diabetes. Although TCM and western medicine are geared towards the same goals, the diagnosis and the treatment are not similar. While Western medicine targets the cause of an illness and eventually tries to get rid of the root cause, traditional Chinese medicine focuses on the big picture and fixes the problem by fixing the whole.

Traditional Chinese medicine has existed for thousands of years and has evolved into one of the most reliable systems of medicine. The most common Oriental treatment for diabetes and other illnesses is acupuncture, but other methods such as diet therapy, Chinese herbal medicine, tui na, qi gong, and tai ji are also used.

According to Oriental medicine, the human body should be viewed in a holistic way. From this standpoint, every single symptom is related to the whole well-being of a person and unlike conventional medicine, TCM concentrates more on disharmony between two forces: Yin and Yang.  A person’s Yin and Yang are interdependent, one cannot function or exist without the other. So this means that the different energies of a person should be directed to the right places to achieve equilibrium.

Acupuncture and moxibustion therapy have been used for people with diabetes to normalize his or her endocrine function. According to clinical studies, acupuncture is beneficial in lowering glucose levels.

Another integral part of TCM is the use of herbal medicine. The Chinese have utilized herbal medicine for over 2000 years and many of these medicines have been used for diabetics. The Yellow Emperor’s Inner Classic, dating back to the Han Dynasty, has a list of 13 herbal formulations for the treatment of diabetes. These medicinal herbs usually have four components which include the principal ingredient used for the treatment of the disease, an assisting ingredient that is also good at fighting the disease, another assisting ingredient that enhances the effects of the principal ingredient, and an envoy ingredient that makes sure the effects of the other ingredients are merged into an effective brew.

The prescribed herbs for diabetes however differ from one person to another depending on the predominant symptoms of a patient.

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Pacific College of Health and Science (PCHS) is a leading institution in holistic and integrative healthcare education, deeply rooted in Chinese medicine since 1986. As the largest school of Chinese medicine in the U.S., PCHS offers a wide range of innovative programs, including online and on-campus degrees in holistic nursing, massage therapy, and integrative medicine.

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