Dr. Subhash Sonawalas

In Ayurveda, diabetes is known as 'Madhumeha' and is classified as a 'kapha' type of disorder. Ayurveda identifies 20 types of diabetes - 4 due to Vata, 6 results from Pitta, and 10 are caused by Kapha.

Causes-

Factors that are often responsible for causing diabetes are excessive intake of foods which are difficult to digest, such as fried foods, creams, etc. Lack of exercise, mental stress and strain, excessive sleep, overeating and consequent obesity, excessive intake of sugar and refined carbohydrates, overloading of proteins and fats can also lead to diabetes. Hereditary factors also play role in causing diabetes.

Symptoms-

1. Fatigue
2. Weight loss or weight gain
3. Frequent urinary tract infections
4. Blurred vision
5. Excessive sweating
6. Excessive thirst
7. Excessive hunger
8. Frequent urination in large quantity

Ayurvedic Remedies To Control Diabetes-

There are several herbs which are found to be very effective in treating diabetes and lowering blood sugar level. The greatest advantage of these herbal diabetes medicine supplements are that they have no side effects. Given below is a list of some of the most effective diabetes treatment herbs-

1. Bitter Gourd (Momordica charantia)
2. Bael (Aegle marmelos)
3. Gurmar Leaves (Gymnema sylvestrae)
4. Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum graecum)
5. Turmeric (Curcuma longa)
6. Onion (Allium cepa)
7. Nayantatra (Vinca rosa)
8. Neem (Azadirachtha indica)
9. Garlic (Allium sativum)
10. Sagar gota (Ceasalpinia crista)

Ayurvedic Remedies for Diabetes Cure-

1. The bitter gourd is regarded as the best remedy for diabetes. Drinking at least one tablespoon of bitter gourd juice daily will reduce blood sugar levels in your blood and urine.
2. Having bitter gourd cooked in ghee for a period of three months will bring the diabetes down by a significant amount.
3. A tablespoon of Indian gooseberry juice mixed with a cup of fresh bitter-gourd juice, taken daily for two months will enable the pancreas to secrete insulin.
4. Drinking a glass of water with 10 tulsi leaves, 10 neem leaves and 10 belpatras early morning on an empty stomach helps in keeping sugar levels under control.
5. Mix and grind seeds of Fenugreek (100 gm), turmeric (50gm), white pepper. Take one teaspoon of this powder with a glass of milk twice daily.
6. Put one cup of water into a copper vessel at night, and drink the water in the morning.

Diabetes Lifestyle-

1. Avoid sleeping during daytime
2. Avoid smoking
3. Take adequate eye care
4. Do exercise regularly
5. Take extra care of your foot

In Ayurveda, the body is made up of three doshas - kapha, vata, pitta and gunas - rajas, tamas and satva. The various techniques that Ayurveda recommends to improve your wellbeing are -

• Meditate regularly
• Exercise on a regular basis
• Eat the largest meal during lunch
• Limit portion sizes
• Weed out negative emotions
• Limit foods that are high in sugar
• Be careful about when and how many carbohydrates you eat
• Eat a variety of whole-grain foods and vegetables every day
• Eat less fat
• Limit your use of alcohol
• Use less salt

Now-a-days, the entire world along with the inhabitants have become so fast-paced that the most common matter which affects almost everyone is stress. Getting stressed is not only unhealthy for your body and has an impact on every aspect of life including fertility. You might be wondering that how stress can affect your fertility as they sound unrelated. Read on to understand. Till date, though no direct correlation between stress and infertility has been established, it has been observed that if a couple who is trying their best to conceive is under stress, there appears to be a problem. Now, have a look at few of the impacts that stress has on fertility.

How stress affects fertility?
Too much stress has an impact on the proper functioning of the hypothalamus. It is that part of the brain which has the responsibility of sending as well as receiving all type of signals from the reproductive system. The menstrual cycle is one of the most complex communicating systems between the brain and ovaries, and thus stress may affect the fertility cycle. In this manner, stress may delay the ovulation, and in severe cases, it may also prevent the women from ovulating.

Another point that needs to be mentioned is that due to stress fewer mature eggs may be available. Some of the studies focus on the point that the women, who were stressful as well as anxious regarding their IVF (In-Vitro Fertilization), possessed approximately twenty percent fewer eggs than they usually could produce that are viable for fertilization.

So, now that you are aware of stress and infertility and how stress affects your fertility, the best possible course is to eliminate stress from your life as much as possible in a systematic manner. To reduce stress, you must have an adequate amount of sleep and also practice exercise on a regular basis. You may also opt for other habits like practicing yoga, meditation, prayer, seek counseling, etc.

Thus, the bottom-line is, if you are trying to get pregnant, either naturally or through IVF due to genetic or medical reasons, relieving yourself from stress is crucial. If you are willing to know more about stress and infertility and how stress affects your fertility, then you may consult with your physician who would guide to adopt necessary measures.

In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!

Diabetes or diabetes mellitus is a collection of disorders that affect the way blood sugar is used by your body. A healthy blood sugar level is very important as it provides energy for the necessary bodily functions. Diabetes results in increased glucose levels in the blood. Diabetes is classified into two types:

1. Type 1 Diabetes: In this type, the immune system of the body destroys cells that produce insulin, thus resulting in lesser insulin production.

2. Type 2 Diabetes: In Type 2 diabetes, the body is not able to use the insulin as a result of increased resistance to insulin and definite deficiency in insulin, thus resulting in high blood glucose levels.

Symptoms

The symptoms of diabetes are:

1. Rapid weight loss.

2. You may feel thirsty frequently.

3. Excessive and frequent bouts of hunger.

4. Presence of ketones (byproduct of muscle and fat breakdown) in the urine.

5. Vision problems.

6. Constant fatigue.

7. Sores take a longer time to heal.

8. You become vulnerable to various infections because of the weakening of the immune system.

Causes

The causes for Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes are different. In case of type 1 diabetes, the immune system of the body kills cells in the pancreas that produce insulin. This results in shortage of insulin in the body, resulting in high blood sugar levels.

In Type 2 Diabetes, the cells in the body turn resistant to insulin. The exact cause of this is not known, but genetic factors, being overweight, inactivite and other environmental factors can trigger this disorder.

Treatments

The treatment options for diabetes are:

1. Exercise: Exercise is an effective remedy to lower your blood sugar levels as it helps in transporting sugar into the cells for energy. You can include cardiovascular activities such as running and swimming in your workout regimen.

2. Insulin Therapy: Insulin therapy involves injecting insulin into the body to reduce blood sugar levels. It can be injected by using an insulin pen or an insulin pump.

3. Oral Medications: Oral medications may be prescribed to stimulate the pancreas to boost insulin production. Certain medications can also inhibit excess glucose release from the liver.

4. Pancreas Transplant: In some cases, pancreas transplant is advised to replace the faulty pancreas with a good one that produces insulin in sufficient quantity. Although, it's a rare possibility and does not correct already caused damage to eyes, kidney or nerves.

5. Diet: Diet is another important aspect of the treatment plan that plays an important role in controlling diabetes. Avoid foods that contain simple sugars as they tend to raise your blood sugar levels. Rather, include complex carbohydrates in your diet such as beans, vegetables and whole grains. Special emphasis should be put on green vegetables. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult an endocrinologist.