Question:
I am a 24-year-old female  who has suffered from GERD (acid reflux) for four and a half years now. I have been on medication since then that decreases the amount of acid my stomach releases. However, I still have been experiencing problems and do not want to be on medication for the rest of my life. I also fear developing esophageal cancer. What are some natural remedies and approaches I can take to help alleviate my condition?

Thank you,
Natalie

Dr. Patel’s Response:

Hi Natalie,

I am sorry to hear about your health issue.  From an Ayurvedic perspective, GERD is usually an imbalance of the Pitta dosha (the heat element) and cooling herbs can help alleviate symptoms without interfering with digestion.  You could try pure aloe vera juice — try ¼ cup daily; or drink  coconut milk with water daily to soothe the heat.  That being said, the most important thing to do is to address the underlying issue of why this got started.  Pitta imbalances may be provoked by “over-doing”  (such as having  too many things on your plate — too much work, too much activity, etc.).  There is also often an underlying emotional issue that is unresolved, such as anger, resentment, guilt, and so on.

Without addressing the underlying issue, even using natural remedies may not solve the problem.  I recommend reading Deepak Chopra’s book Perfect Health or David Simon’s Wisdom of Healing  for a good holistic understanding of what is going on.  Diet is likely playing a role ,and you most likely require a Pitta-pacifying diet.  There is information in these books and on our website. You can learn more about Pitta and the other doshas — and how to balance them —  in our online library.

In addition, anything that calms the body will be helpful in returning to balance; therefore, daily meditation, yoga and other mind-body practices are a must. You might want to begin by joining us for our free 21-Day Meditation Challenge™, which begins next week, on February 20.  Perfect timing!  You can learn more and register here.

Best wishes,
Dr. Patel

Do you want to deepen your understanding of Ayurveda and Mind-Body Health?

Join us for the Journey into Healing workshop, led by Deepak Chopra and a team of guest experts and Chopra Center master educators. Our next Journey into Healing  takes place this March 7-11 at La Costa Resort & Spa in Carlsbad, California.

Continuing education credits are available for health care providers. Learn more here.

 

Send Us Your Questions

If you have a question you would like to ask the Chopra Center medical staff, please email askthedoctors@chopra.com. Due to the volume of questions we receive,  the doctors are not able to respond personally to every query. If your question is selected, it will be posted with our response on the Healing Wisdom blog.

*Note: The information in this article is intended for your educational use only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition and before undertaking any diet, fitness, or other health program.

 

Question:  I suffer from recurring yeast infections.  I have tried over-the-counter medications, but the problem is worse than ever.  I love sweets and I have cut back. Is the yeast an internal problem as well as vaginal?

Answer:  It’s important to keep in mind that all infectious agents live perpetually in our environment.  Illness is due as much to the quality of our immune system as to the potential disease-causing agent.  Although anyone can succumb to a transient viral or fungal infection, if you are having recurring problems, it probably reflects some imbalance in your immune system and your body’s biochemistry.

We suggest that you  start to adapt a completely health-promoting lifestyle, including a significant simplification of your diet.  For the next couple of weeks, eat only freshly prepared organic vegetables, whole grains, fruits, and legumes.  Drink some ginger tea, prepared by mixing one teaspoon of grated ginger root into a pint of hot water.  Have several servings each day.  Perform a daily oil massage in order to stimulate your immune cells.  Make certain you are getting enough sleep.

This is a good time to eliminate alcohol, caffeine, sodas, and anything else that is not truly adding nourishment to your system.  Begin a trial of two Ayurvedic herbs. The first herb is neem (azadirachta indica), which has been shown to have potent anti-fungal properties. The second herb is shatavari  (asparagus racemosus), which has been used as a traditional female reproductive system rejuvenative and has been shown to have potent immune-enhancing effects.

If these simple measures do not correct the problem, we would recommend that you undergo a course of panchakarma (detoxification treatments) at the Chopra Center to reset the biochemical balance of your body. Panchakarma is offered as part of our 10-day Perfect Health program.

 

Send Us Your Questions

If you have a question you would like to ask the Chopra Center medical staff, please email askthedoctors@chopra.com. Due to the volume of questions we receive,  the doctors are not able to respond personally to every query. If your question is selected, it will be posted with our response on the Healing Wisdom blog.

*Note: The information in this article is intended for your educational use only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition and before undertaking any diet, fitness, or other health program.

 

 

 

Question:  My daughter has just been diagnosed with an autoimmune disorder, the same one  that I have! I feel terrible . . . as  if I’ve passed it on to her. What can I do to help her?

Answer:  Don’t add insult to injury by blaming yourself for your daughter’s situation. Most autoimmune disorders have a genetic component, but we have no conscious control over the  transmission of disease. The useful question to address is “What can be done now to regain immune balance?”

How Our Immune System Responds to Threats
A balanced immune system is one that does not over respond or under respond to a challenge. When the immune system under-reacts to an external challenge, we become susceptible to infection; when it fails to recognize an internal threat, we are susceptible to cancer. When the immune system over responds to an external stimulus, we get allergies; an over-reacting immune system to a perceived internal challenge may lead to an autoimmune illness.

Immune Reaction	Inadequate	Excessive
To External Challenges	Infection	Allergy
To Internal Challenges	Cancer	Autoimmune

There is abundant scientific data to suggest that mind-body approaches may offer some value in immune disorders. Many of the same chemical messengers that brain cells use to communicate with other parts of the nervous system also carry messages to the immune cells. Similarly, immune cells make and release messenger molecules that provide feedback information to the nervous system. At the Chopra Center, we  like to use the phrase, “Our immune cells are eavesdropping on our internal conversation.”

The First Step Is Calming the Mind and Body
If there is truth to this relationship, and in our experience there is, we need to send soothing messages to the immune cells. The first step we would  recommend is for your daughter to learn a meditation technique as an antidote to the stress response. Quieting her mind on a daily basis can help send calming signals to her immune system.

She may want to participate in our upcoming 21-Day Meditation Challenge, where she will receive daily guided audio meditations and instruction in simple yet powerful meditation techniques that will help her cultivate a state of restful awareness.  The theme of this challenge is “Mind-Body Odyssey,” focusing on optimal physical and emotional health, so it seems particularly appropriate for your daughter at this time.

Releasing Emotional Toxicity
In addition, if she is aware of a past or present emotional issue that continues to create turbulence for her, please encourage her to resolve it. Carrying emotional toxins often has a more harmful effect on immune health than physical toxicity.

Ayurvedic Dietary Recommendations
Ayurveda would recommend she follow a cooling or Pitta pacifying diet. This means primarily reducing foods with very pungent, sour, and salty flavors, while  increasing foods with sweet, bitter, and astringent tastes. Sweet tastes include complex carbohydrates and proteins. Bitter is most abundant in green leafy vegetables, and the astringent taste is found in foods such as lentils, beans, spinach, and green tea.

There is some evidence that foods with omega-3 fatty acids can alter the production of inflammatory chemicals and soothe an aggravated immune system. Cold water fish, flaxseed oil, and walnuts are rich in these oils, which are worth favoring. Focus on a diet abundant in fresh fruits and vegetables, which provide potent doses of natural antioxidants.

Beneficial Herbs
Herbs with a strongly bitter flavor are traditionally used to cool off an overly aggressive immune response. The classical herb for this purpose is gentian which is available at most health food stores. Aloe vera juice is a milder cooling substance that can be taken twice daily (1/2 to 1 ounce). Anti-inflammatory Ayurvedic herbs, including neem (azadirachta indica), boswellia (boswellia serrata),  and ashwagandha (aithania somnifera),  may be worth considering. Take time to research them, and if you sense their energetics may be complementary to yours, discuss their use with your health provider.

The Healing Power of Self-Massage
In addition to meditation, diet, and herbs, massage can be a powerful immune balancer. Have your daughter learn and perform a simple self-massage technique (abyhanga) using a Pitta pacifying massage oil.

As a final yet important note, don’t  abandon effective Western medical approaches, but work with your health care provider to create a holistic program.

We wish you and your daughter all the best.

Send Us Your Questions

If you have a question you would like to ask the Chopra Center medical staff, please email askthedoctors@chopra.com.

*Note: The information in this article is intended for your educational use only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition and before undertaking any diet, fitness, or other health program.

Question: I am constantly getting sore throats that often don’t develop into colds or anything else. What do you think it is and how can I prevent these sore throats?

Answer: Recurrent sore throats or upper respiratory tract infections are either due to suppression of your immunity or repeated exposure to irritants in your environment. We would recommend that you first see a medical doctor and undergo a basic check-up for any evidence of a medical problem. This should include a careful examination of your throat and lymph nodes. A possible throat culture and some basic laboratory studies may be indicated. If you are sexually active, include an HIV test to be certain.

Assuming that you are not dealing with a serious health concern, the next step is to look carefully at your environment.  We’ll assume you don’t smoke cigarettes or marijuana, but if you do, these are obvious sources of irritation. Are you exposed to smoke in your home or work environment? What is the quality of the air in your town? If you are indoors most of the time, consider getting an air purifier and a humidifier. These may be particularly helpful in your bedroom so you are breathing moistened, clean air while you are sleeping at night.

An Herbal Approach
There are several gentle herbal gargles you can try. In addition to providing symptomatic relief, they may also provide some protection to the mucous lining of your throat. The first herb worth considering is slippery elm. Make a strong infusion from this botanical that comes from the inner bark of ulmas fulva. Traditional Medicinals has a tea called Throat Coat that contains slippery elm. Gargle with and drink this infusion several times per day when you feel your throat irritation coming on.

Licorice (glycyrrhiza glabra) is another healing herb to soothe and protect mucous membranes. Most health food stores carry chopped licorice root that can be made into a strong tea using one tablespoon per cup of water. Licorice tea has a soothing and anti-inflammatory effect and as well as a demulcent influence on the mucous membranes. An Ayurvedic herb called guggulu, (commiphora mukul) is a resin that has been used to heal inflamed mucous membranes. Crush a tablet or capsule into an ounce of water and gargle with it four times a day. It is not the best tasting stuff, but it has a healing and cooling effect on the mucous membranes. Neem (azadirachta indica) is another potent anti-bacterial and anti-viral herb that is now available in a number of products including mouthwash.

Oil Gargle
Another Ayurvedic approach that can be very helpful is to gargle with a teaspoon of oil. Sesame seed oil is classically used but you can also try olive, almond or coconut. Swish it in you mouth and gargle for a couple minutes. Spit the residue out into a cup rather than down the drain. The lubricating effect of the oil can be protect you from environmental irritants and infectious agents.

Send Us Your Questions

If you have a question you would like to ask the Chopra Center medical staff, please email askthedoctors@chopra.com.

*Note: The information in this article is intended for your educational use only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition and before undertaking any diet, fitness, or other health program.

Enjoy this fascinating NDTV interview with Deepak during his recent trip to India, where he answered callers’ questions on topics ranging from mind-body medicine and Eastern healing traditions to higher states of consciousness, his meeting with Oprah Winfrey, Michael Jackson, and finding one’s guru within.

The healing system of Ayurveda teaches us that nourishing our five senses enlivens our health and well-being. I have found that it’s just as important to cultivate our sixth sense . . . our sense of humor.

We’ve all found ourselves facing difficult circumstances, mired in worry.  When a good friend calls and has us laughing at ourselves, we’re reminded that there is more than one way to view a situation.

The very experience of laughter shifts our perspective and opens us to new possibilities. We feel internally tickled as we make a connection between the predictable way of looking at a situation and an offbeat way.

Laughter allows us to temporarily step outside our space- and time-bound state and touch the field of awareness that is boundless and eternal. The American theologian Reinhold Niebuhr wrote, “Humor is a prelude to faith and laughter is the beginning of prayer.”

Laughter as Medicine

From the scientific perspective, laughter is an elegant mind-body phenomenon that reduces the production of stress hormones, boosts the immune system. Researchers in Japan found that people with rheumatoid arthritis who watched “rakugo” or comic storytelling experienced a significant decrease in their pain and stress hormone levels as well as an increase in two immune-enhancing chemicals. Humor can decrease anxiety, soften anger, lighten depression, and increase our pain tolerance.

Of course, discussing the value of laughter is about as fulfilling as talking about eating a delicious meal or making love. The benefit is not in the description but in the experience, so I encourage you to let yourself get carried away with laughter. Look for humor in life and give yourself permission to laugh out loud when something tickles your funny bone. When I was first diagnosed with a brain tumor, I asked people to post their favorite jokes and funny stories. The collection has been growing, and I invite you to take a humor break there right now and whenever you need to “lighten up.”

Here are a few more suggestions:

• Make funny faces with your family and friends.
• Watch comedy films by the Marx Brothers.
• Visit a park and watch children and dogs playing.
• Read joke books.
• Spend time with fun, playful people. Laughter is contagious!
• Share your embarrassing stories.
• Host a game night with friends.
• Share your favorite joke
• Blow bubbles.
• Play a practical joke on a friend (who has a sense of humor).
• Twirl a hula hoop.
• Try Laughter Yoga.
• Start a pillow fight.
• Join or visit a laughter club.

Be creative and give yourself permission to commit acts of silliness, irresponsibility, and lightheartedness. Remember that you don’t have to be in a good mood all the time – you just need at least one good belly laugh every day.

With love,
David

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David Simon, M.D. is the co-founder of the Chopra Center for Wellbeing in Carlsbad, California – offering workshops, classes, and retreats focusing on mind-body health, meditation, and yoga. One of our signature programs is Perfect Health –  a 6- or 10-day mind-body healing immersion that takes place almost every week in our beautiful location at La Costa Resort and Spa. For more information, call (888) 736-6895 or request more info here.

 

by Sheila Patel, M.D.
Chopra Center Director of Health Programming

Part of truly appreciating our human experience is enjoying the sweetness of life. A perfectly ripe peach. A fresh slice of homemade bread. A scoop of chocolate ice cream. In life’s paradoxical way, however, at the same time that we have greater access to the world’s rich variety of sweet delicacies than ever before, the number of people with difficulties metabolizing sugar in their bloodstream is soaring. This condition, commonly known as diabetes, is reaching epidemic proportions in many countries.

Although medical science has made great advancements in the treatment of acute diseases such as infectious illnesses, trauma, and other life-threatening conditions, we are seeing a dramatic rise in chronic diseases, including diabetes. According to the most recent report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the number of people in the U.S. diagnosed with diabetes rose from 1.5 million in 1958 to 18.8 million in 2010. Diabetes is the seventh leading cause of death in the U.S. and is a major cause of heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, lower limb amputation, and blindness. Data from international studies show that the number of people with diabetes worldwide in 2011 has reached 366 million.

Fortunately, while there is not yet a cure for diabetes, there are interventions and lifestyle changes we can make to affect the course of this disease and prevent complications. The healing system of Ayurveda offers valuable wisdom and guidance that can help us listen to the signals of our body, notice the first signs that we’re getting out of balance, and make the necessary changes to reverse the imbalances.

By taking a fresh look at the ancient and comprehensive knowledge base of Ayurveda, we can become better able to treat and manage this complex disease. We can also expand our potential to develop treatment strategies that combine ancient wisdom with modern medicine.

What Is Diabetes?

The current medical understanding of diabetes mellitus is that it is a group of related diseases in which the body is unable to regulate the amount of sugar, specifically glucose, in the blood. Glucose provides our body and mind with vital energy. It is the main source of energy for our cells and the main source of fuel for our brain.

In a healthy individual, several hormones, including insulin, regulate blood glucose levels, allowing glucose to be used for fuel. However, in people with diabetes, the body either does not make enough insulin (type 1 diabetes), or is not able to use it well (type 2 diabetes). In some types of diabetes, the body is both unable to produce enough insulin and unable to use it efficiently. When the body is unable to efficiently incorporate glucose from the blood into the cells where it is needed, glucose stays in the blood, where it can cause serious problems. In addition, the cells don’t receive the energy they need to function properly. In all types of diabetes, there is a risk of the blood sugar level becoming too high and causing serious health problems, both acute and chronic.

An Ayurvedic Perspective

One of the earliest references to the disease we would recognize today as diabetes appears in the Atharvaveda, one of the four sacred Vedas that originated in approximately 1,500–1,000 B.C. in India. The traditional comprehensive healing system of Ayurveda was developed from material that is found in these ancient texts.

In Ayurveda, diabetes is referred to as madhumeha, a Sanskrit term that directly translates as “sweet urine” disease. Indeed, when our blood sugar levels rise above a certain threshold, it spills over into the urine and can be detected. The ancient description of this disease includes an appreciation for the fact that derangements in body tissues take place due to imbalances in metabolism. The term for this in Sanskrit is dhatupaka janya vikruti.

The cause, symptoms, prognosis, and management of diabetes were also described in detail in the Vedic texts thousands of years ago. Ayurveda recognizes the multifactorial nature of diabetes, making reference to tendencies inherited at birth as well as accumulated imbalances of potentially all three doshas or mind-body constitutions (Vata, Pitta, and Kapha). Learn more about the three doshas here.

The Different Types of Diabetes

Ayurveda also identifies different types of diabetes, including a form known in Sanskrit as apathyanimittaja that tends to occur later in life and whose contributing factors include excessive sleep, overindulgence in food and sweets, and a lack of physical activity. This description correlates well with our modern medical understanding of type 2 diabetes. Scientific research has found that the risk factors for this form of diabetes include a high-fat diet, high alcohol intake, being overweight, and a sedentary lifestyle.

A Closer Look at Type 2 Diabetes, Often Linked to an Imbalance of the Kapha Dosha

Type 2 diabetes used to be a disease that mainly occurred in older patients, but it is now rising dramatically in children and adolescents, a population that is much more sedentary and overweight than previous generations. Obesity is a major risk factor for type 2 diabetes, as well as making it more difficult to control.

From an Ayurvedic perspective, type 2 diabetes is primarily an imbalance, or excess, of the Kapha dosha, which consists of the earth and water elements. Kapha governs the physical structure of our body and several metabolic processes, but when it builds to excess, can manifest in weight gain, lethargy, allergies, and resistance to change. Ayurveda identifies an excessive appetite, especially for sweet food, as a causative factor in the development of type 2 diabetes. However, overeating is sometimes provoked by an imbalance in the Vata dosha, which can easily become aggravated. When people with Vata imbalances overeat to soothe themselves, Kapha can in turn become imbalanced and, over time, contribute to the development of type 2 diabetes. (In this article, we will focus on this type of diabetes, but it’s important to note that Ayurveda considers type 1 diabetes to be primarily an imbalance of the Vata dosha.)

Our Diet, Our Health

Since Ayurveda considers diabetes mainly an excess of Kapha dosha, it recommends a Kapha-pacifying diet to keep diabetes under control.  The guidelines include eating more foods that are bitter, astringent, or pungent in taste – and decreasing consumption of foods that are categorized as sweet, sour, or salty.

Here are some more recommendations for balancing Kapha. Keep in mind that an Ayurvedic dietary prescription takes many factors into account, such as age, body constitution, season, and other environmental and social factors, so a consultation with a trained practitioner is necessary to make specific individual recommendations.

• Eat foods that have a balancing effect upon the dominant dosha or that will pacify (balance) a dosha that has become excessive or aggravated. Because Kapha is heavy, oily and cold, favor foods that are light, dry, or warm.

• Reduce your intake of dairy, which tends to increase Kapha. You can use small amounts of ghee, low-fat milk, and low-fat yogurt.

• Drinking hot ginger tea with meals helps stimulate slow digestion. Drink 2–3 cups of ginger tea daily. Find the Chopra Center recipe for ginger tea here.

• All beans are good for Kapha types except for soybeans and tofu, which should be eaten in moderation.

• Favor lighter fruits such as apples, pears, pomegranates, cranberries, and apricots. Reduce heavier fruits like bananas, pineapples, and figs.
• Grains: Favor barley, corn, millet, buckwheat, and rye. Reduce intake of oats, rice, and wheat.
• All spices except salt are pacifying to Kapha. Use pungent spices like pepper, cayenne, mustard seed, and ginger freely in your diet.

The Ayurvedic perspective on balancing Kapha is consistent with Western medicine’s current understanding of the proper diet for diabetes, which recommends minimizing simple carbohydrates, fats, and other heavy foods while increasing “lighter” foods such as beans (as the main protein source), whole grains, and lighter fruits and vegetables.

Recent Research on Various Foods and Diabetes

Current Western medical studies have shown that the intake of whole grain, as opposed to refined grains, is inversely associated with risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Researchers think that this effect is due to improved insulin sensitivity, or an improved ability of the body to use insulin after the intake of whole grains. People who consume approximately three servings per day of whole grain foods are 20–30 percent less likely to develop type 2 diabetes than those who eat fewer than three servings per week. The intake of healthy whole grains in moderation can be consistent with the “low carb” diet that is typically recommended in diabetes.

There is also evidence to support the beneficial effects of a diet high in legumes, fruits, and vegetables in the prevention and management of diabetes. Like whole grains, these foods tend to be high in fiber, and prevent the rapid release of glucose into the blood, thereby preventing rapid release of insulin as well.  Some studies have suggested that frequent consumption of processed meats may increase the risk of type 2 diabetes. Meats, especially processed meats, contain many pro-inflammatory chemicals that can contribute to a chronic state of inflammation in the body.

Many people are able to manage their diabetes with dietary changes, especially when these changes are made early on in the development of the disease. In fact, when early intervention is made with diet, people with pre-diabetes can prevent development of the disease itself.

Get Moving

Both Ayurveda and modern medicine recognize a lack of physical exercise as one of the lifestyle factors that contributes to the development and progression of diabetes. Obesity increases the risk of developing diabetes and negatively effects blood sugar control in individuals who have diabetes. For these reasons, being active and maintaining a healthy body weight is important in the treatment and prevention of diabetes.

Any type of physical activity helps lower blood glucose, and aerobic exercise in particular improves the functioning of insulin, allowing glucose to enter the cells where it is needed and keeping the level in the blood normal.

Increasing physical activity helps reduce excess Kapha dosha. However, vigorous exercise is not always recommended, especially in diabetic individuals who are frail or thin (where obesity does not play as much of a role), or are suffering from other medical issues. In these cases, professional guidance on a proper exercise regimen is recommended.

Yoga for Body-Centered Awareness and Balance
From an Ayurvedic perspective, there are specific yoga postures that offer the greatest benefits with the least amount of stress. Some of these poses include:

• Sun Salutation series
• Seated forward bend (paschimottanasana)
• Tree pose (vrksasana)
• Warrior I and II (virabhadrasana I and II)
• Extended side angle, (utthita parsvakonasana)
• Bridge pose (setu bandha sarvangasana)
• Alligator twist (jathara parivartasana)
• Relaxation pose (savasana)

Yoga Journal has an excellent website with a special section devoted to yoga poses where you can find detailed descriptions of the above poses and their benefits.  For most people, it’s best to aim for moderate exercise for a total of thirty minutes a day, at least five days a week. If you are trying to lose weight, you may want to exercise more than thirty minutes a day. Start out slowly and gradually increase the intensity of exercise.

Try These Activities

Here are some examples of exercise you can incorporate into a daily routine:

• Take a brisk walk
• Participate in a yoga, tai chi, or qigong class
• Go dancing
• Take an aerobics class
• Swim or do water aerobics
• Go for a bike ride or use a stationary bike indoors.

Medicinal Herbs and Spices

Ayurveda identifies many herbs and spices that can be used to treat diabetes. We are beginning to identify some of the beneficial actions of these natural medicinals from a scientific perspective. There are currently over 1,200 species of plants that have known glucose-lowering effects. Here are a few:

Gymnema Sylvestre

This plant has been used to treat diabetes for more than 2,000 years. It is a woody, climbing vine common in central and southern India. Ayurvedic practitioners referred to this plant as gurmar, or “sugar destroyer.” Gymnema sylvestre was traditionally used in many forms, either by chewing the leaves, taking it as a powder, or preparing it with water as a beverage.

There has been extensive research on gymnema sylvestre in studies using animals, and it has been found to stimulate insulin secretion, increase the effects of circulating insulin, and decrease blood glucose levels. It has also been shown to have a protective effect on the pancreas, which is the organ that produces and secretes insulin. Gymnema sylvestre seems to increase the sensitivity of the tissue to insulin, which helps the body use glucose for energy.

Trigonella Foenum-graecum (Fenugreek)

Commonly known as fenugreek, this herb is cultivated throughout the world as a spice. In Sanskrit it is also called methi. In Ayurveda, the seed is used to treat diabetes by preparing it as a drink or mixing the powder or seed into curry or bread. Fenugreek seeds have a high fiber content, and several components of the seed have been identified as having direct glucose-lowering effects. Studies have shown that daily use of fenugreek seeds can decrease insulin resistance and improve blood sugar control.

Cinnamon

This fragrant spice has received much attention recently as a sugar-lowering substance. Cinnamon has been shown to improve the body’s ability to use insulin in multiple ways. It stimulates insulin receptors on the cells, as well as acting directly on our DNA to “turn off” genes that are responsible for deactivating insulin receptors on our cells. These actions make it much easier for cells to take up glucose, thus reducing blood sugar levels. Including cinnamon in a meal that is high in carbohydrates also reduces the rise of glucose in the blood after eating. For example, you could add just one teaspoon of cinnamon to a cup of rice pudding. From an Ayurvedic perspective, cinnamon contains the pungent taste, which is recommended in a Kapha-pacifying diet.

Turmeric

This popular Indian spice has a long history of use as an anti-inflammatory, and due to the connection between inflammation and diabetes, is being studied in the prevention and treatment of diabetes.

A 2011 study of animal subjects published in Food and Chemical Toxicology found that the effects of turmeric were similar to a commonly prescribed diabetes medication, increasing insulin sensitivity and reducing blood sugar levels. The ingestion of turmeric resulted in a significant decline in body weight and fat content. Further research is needed to confirm these effects in humans. Current research reveals no significant side effects of using turmeric and supports using this spice to complement other therapies for diabetes.

Beneficial Foods

Several foods have been also used traditionally as a remedy for diabetes and have been shown to decrease blood glucose levels. For example, bitter goard, or karela, is widely used to treat diabetes in many traditional healing systems. It is thought to work by decreasing absorption of glucose from the intestine, stimulating insulin secretion and increasing uptake of glucose into muscle cells. Used as a food in the Indian diet, there have been no reported toxicities.

Another gourd that has been shown to have glucose-lowering effects is ivy goard, or kanduri. The juice of this food contains an enzyme that humans naturally produce that breaks down sugars. Extracts of the root and leaf have been shown to lower blood sugar levels in animals.

Several studies show that eating almonds with a carbohydrate significantly lowered the release of sugar into the blood, similar to the addition of cinnamon to a meal. Try adding a handful of almonds to a salad, oatmeal, or cereal. At the Chopra Center, we have seen patients experience significant reductions in blood sugar when they make these dietary changes.

Be Established in Union: Meditation and Yoga

Yogastah kuru karmani is a Vedic saying that can be translated as “established in union, perform action.” Engaging in mind-body practices, such as meditation and yoga, helps establish the union of body, mind, and spirit, out of which true healing occurs. Often, once people begin a regular meditation and yoga practice, they notice that they start to perform spontaneous right action and make choices that are more aligned with good health. They begin to exercise more and choose the proper foods with less struggle and effort.

In addition, both meditation and yoga have been shown to reduce stress, which plays a significant role in the development and control of diabetes. When we face situations that we perceive as stressful, our body increases the production of “stress” hormones such as cortisol and adrenalin. Chronic stress can lead to insulin resistance, which in turn elevates blood sugar levels. With regular meditation or yoga, the levels of stress hormones in our bodies decrease, resulting in better blood sugar control.

The Healing Power of Deep Sleep
Many studies have also demonstrated the beneficial effects of meditation on sleep, including alleviating insomnia. This is particularly important for people with diabetes because poor sleep can worsen control of blood sugar. With inadequate sleep, chronic hormonal imbalances occur that can subsequently lead to impaired blood sugar control.

We have seen the clinical health benefits of meditation in patients who come to the Chopra Center. Often a regular meditation practice allows people to sleep properly for the first time in decades, thus allowing their hormones – including those that regulate blood sugar – to return to their natural balance and function effectively.

The key to fully enjoying the “sweetness” of life is a balanced, holistic approach that encompasses our body, mind, heart, and spirit. By nurturing our wholeness and health, we can not only prevent or effectively manage diabetes, but we can also experience expanded happiness, fulfillment, and wellbeing.

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About the author

Dr. Sheila Patel is a board-certified family physician, Ayurvedic expert, and the Director of Health Programming at the Chopra Center for Wellbeing in Carlsbad, California. At the Chopra Center’s weekly Perfect Health program, she offers mind-body medical consultations and leads classes in meditation, Ayurveda, and mind-body. To learn more, please click here or call 760.494.1639.

 

*Note: The information in this article is intended for your educational use only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition and before undertaking any diet, fitness, or other health program. While Ayurveda and other complementary approaches offer enormous value, you still need regular medical care to accurately monitor diabetes and prevent complications.

By Deepak Chopra, M.D.

Modern life has been hard on sleep. Millions of people resort to sleep aids, either over the counter or by prescription, in an effort to pass the night without insomnia or disrupted sleep. But as common as it is for us to complain when we didn’t get a good night’s sleep, there’s a very common disruption that tends to get overlooked: OSA, or obstructive sleep apnea. The name is becoming more common, unfortunately, because OSA has joined type 2 diabetes as a condition largely stemming from the national epidemic of obesity.

Understanding Sleep

Many people think that sleep apnea is snoring, but although it’s frequently associated with snoring (commonly a wife will bring her husband to the doctor with complaints about being kept awake), apnea is a different condition. OSA occurs when a person’s pharynx or windpipe, the upper airway in the throat, collapses during sleep and breathing stops for at least 10 seconds; a single stoppage may last up to a minute. This may happen frequently, even hundreds of times a night. The person may be totally unaware; sometimes someone else in bed notices that breathing has stopped and becomes alarmed. Sleep apnea can cause more than drowsiness the next day: it’s associated with cardiovascular disease, cognitive problems, mood disorders, and more.

Although it tends to slip by undiagnosed, OSA is very common. Estimates are that in Western countries roughly 1 out of every 5 adults has at least mild OSA, while 1 in every 15 has at least moderate OSA. Numerically, this amounts to about 18 million Americans who are thought to have the disorder.

Your greatest risk factor is overweight. Because OSA is strongly linked with obesity, rates are climbing. It’s thought that as many as 40% of obese people have sleep apnea, and about 70% of people with OSA are obese. There are very few studies on the prevalence of OSA in obese children, but they seem to have four to five times the risk of sleep apnea as non-obese children.

All sleep disorders would be easier to understand if sleep itself were understood. Yet nobody knows for sure why we need to sleep at all. The prominent sleep scientist William Dement conducted his research for fifty years and concluded, in effect, that the reason people need to sleep is that they grow sleepy. We do know, however, a good deal about the damage done by sleep deprivation. Animals that are completely deprived of sleep lose immune function and die in a matter of weeks. Losing as little as one night’s sleep causes us to become drowsy and unable to concentrate the next day. Physical performance, including hand-eye coordination and reaction time, becomes impaired, along with judgment, memory, and ability to do math. Continued lack of sleep leads to mood swings and hallucinations. It has also been found that there are long-term deficits to “getting by” on less than 8 to 9 hours of sleep a night. Despite the fact that you may think you’ve adapted to shorter sleep, your body knows the difference.

How does air flow get blocked?
The pharynx is located behind the tongue and soft palate. This upper portion of the airway from the lungs has little support from bones or cartilage and mostly relies on muscles to keep it open. Normally, the muscles surrounding the airway remain constricted enough to keep the airway taut. But in sleep apnea the throat relaxes, allowing the windpipe to collapse. In adults, OSA frequently occurs due to the buildup of fat or the general loss of muscle tone that accompanies aging. In children OSA is often caused by enlarged tonsils and adenoids.

When breathing is cut off in a sleep apnea episode, the blood vessels constrict and the level of blood oxygen falls. The low oxygen level signals the brain to wake up just enough to cause the throat muscles to tighten, which stiffens and opens up the windpipe, allowing air to rush in. Snoring may occur as the person inhales, but the snoring itself is not dangerous: it’s a sign that air is getting in. Other audible signs are snorting or gasping. This cycle of the throat relaxing and tightening may be repeated many times a night.

Risk factors

OSA can develop in people of any age, gender, or weight, but the main risk factors for the disorder are:

• Obesity
• Middle age (ages 40-60)
• Male gender

Other risk factors include:

• Neck circumference of 17” or more (for men) or 16” or more (for women)
• Enlarged tonsils or adenoids
• Smoking
• Use of alcohol, sedatives, or tranquilizers

Testing and diagnosis
If you suspect you have OSA because someone has noticed loud snoring, gasping, or pauses in your breathing at night or because you have daytime symptoms (like drowsiness, headache, and fatigue), then see your doctor. If it seems likely you have OSA, he or she may suggest you have diagnostic polysomnography. Your breathing, heart rate, brain activity, blood pressure, and other functions will be monitored overnight while you sleep. You may be diagnosed as having mild, moderate, or severe sleep apnea.

OSA and obesity
The close association with obesity is due to a number of factors. When someone is obese, fat cells infiltrate neck and throat tissues so that they lose tone and are more likely to collapse. The neck and chin become enlarged and press on the throat when the person is lying down. Excess fat compresses the chest and makes it difficult to inhale deeply. Finally, too much visceral fat (internal abdominal fat) pushes up on the diaphragm, the sheet of muscular tissue between the abdomen and the chest. This, too, prevents deep inhalation.

It appears that not only can obesity cause OSA, OSA can also lead to or worsen obesity. Sleep apnea causes imbalances in the levels of two hormones that are associated with feelings of hunger and satiety: leptin and ghrelin. Leptin produces feelings of satiety, and ghrelin has the reverse function: it’s an appetite stimulant. Disrupted sleep causes levels of ghrelin to rise, levels of leptin to decrease.

But OSA can occur in people who aren’t overweight, too. For them, the disorder may be due to chronic nasal congestion or having very large tonsils, an oversized uvula, or a small, receding jaw. Untreated OSA can have deadly consequences. The afflicted have three times the risk of dying from any cause compared with people who don’t have the disorder. One of the more likely causes of death is cardiovascular disease.

Why are cardiovascular disease and OSA linked?
High blood pressure is very likely a culprit. Some 50-60% of people with OSA have hypertension, and about 30% of those with hypertension are estimated to have OSA, often undiagnosed. Hypertension in someone with OSA may be due to activation of the sympathetic nervous system, which responds to the “threat” of low oxygen levels. Normal blood oxygen saturation values are 97-99%, but people with OSA may have oxygen saturation levels of 60% or even lower. The sympathetic nervous system reacts to these low levels (and possibly to other factors, such as disrupted levels of the hormone leptin) by severely constricting blood vessels and increasing heart rate. Surges in blood pressure as high as 250/110 mm Hg can occur as blood is forced into severely constricted blood vessels during an episode of sleep apnea.

Worse still, this sympathetic activation continues during the day, continuing to constrict blood vessels and increase heart rate. Hypertension, in turn, can lead to hardening of the arteries, or atherosclerosis, and all the problems that can come from it: heart attack and stroke, pulmonary vascular disease, congestive heart failure, and heart arrhythmias.

Other problems can stem from OSA, such as

• Drowsiness and fatigue
• Headaches
• Falling asleep unexpectedly during the day
• Memory problems as well as difficulty concentrating
• Social life and sexuality may suffer due to fatigue and, in men, erectile dysfunction
• Physical health may be impaired because the person is too tired to exercise
• Depression

Sleep apnea damages the brain
MRI studies of people with sleep apnea have found that the concentration of the brain’s gray matter—the cerebral cortex of the brain, where most information processing takes place—is actually reduced in people with sleep apnea. Affected were areas involved in memory, concentration, cardiovascular activity, breathing, and executive functioning.

Raised glucose levels
OSA can raise insulin and glucose (blood sugar) levels and impair the body’s ability to process glucose. People with moderate-to-severe sleep apnea may have twice the risk of developing insulin resistance, leading to diabetes.

Treating sleep apnea

Sometimes lifestyle modifications can be all that is necessary to cure sleep apnea:

• Weight loss. Even a small amount of weight loss can help relieve sleep apnea, and a large amount of weight loss often cures the condition completely.

• Sleeping on your side or stomach. Sleeping on your back permits the tongue and soft palate to rest on the back of your throat and block the airway. Try sewing one or more tennis balls in the back of your pajamas to keep yourself from sleeping on your back. This simple technique can be surprisingly effective!

• Avoid alcohol, tranquilizers, and sleeping pills. They can relax the muscles in the back of your throat so that it collapses during sleep.

• Keep nasal passages open. Try using a saline nasal spray or a neti pot (a small pot used to pour water into the nostrils) to keep your nasal passages clear.

Continuous positive air pressure (CPAP) is the most common treatment for sleep apnea, and it’s usually very effective for moderate-to-severe sleep apnea. CPAP machines blow air out into the nose and possibly the mouth as well, depending on the interface. The gentle pressure of the air pushes your throat open so that it can’t collapse while you sleep, thus preventing sleep apneas.

Tips for a good night’s sleep

• Establish a relaxing bedtime routine that you follow every night, at about the same time. Over time, your brain and body start to get the message that these activities mean it’s time to relax and go to sleep. You might want to take a hot bath, sip herb tea or warm cocoa, read a good book, or do some stretches or gentle yoga. You should avoid doing anything that stimulates or upsets you, like watching a violent movie.

• Snack lightly before bedtime on foods containing tryptophan, such as dairy products, chicken, turkey, and almonds.

• Eat lightly at dinner and don’t eat foods that may cause indigestion. Eat several hours before you go to bed.

• Avoid imbibing caffeine in the afternoon or evening.

• Take short naps or none at all.

• Exercise during the day, but avoid exercising at night.

• Establish your body’s sleep-wake cycle by going to bed and getting up at about the same times each day.

• Don’t smoke: nicotine is a stimulant.

The amount of air flow delivered by the CPAP machine is individualized. To determine the best adjustment, it’s necessary to sleep overnight in the sleep lab wearing the CPAP mask while the sleep technician monitors your sleep.

Oral appliances, or dental devices, are generally less effective than CPAP, but some people find them easier to use. They are usually plastic devices that are designed to prevent soft tissues from collapsing and pressing on the airway. There are many different kinds, and it’s necessary to go to a dentist to have one custom-fitted for individual needs.

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Deepak Chopra, M.D. is a mind-body healing pioneer, the co-founder of the Chopra Center for Wellbeing, and the author of more than sixty-five books, including his most recent New York Timesbestseller, War of the Worldviews: Science vs. Spirituality.  He and colleague Dr. David Simon developed the Perfect Health healing immersion offered most weeks at the Chopra Center.  If you are coping with sleep apnea, stress, hypertension, or other chronic health issues – or you want to prevent health problems – join us for our 6- or 10-day Perfect Health program.  Learn more about Perfect Health here.

________________________________________________________________________

Note: The information in this article is intended for your educational use only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition and before undertaking any diet, fitness, or other health program.

By Deepak Chopra, M.D.

Type 2 diabetes has become an increasing problem in modern America. Because it is chiefly linked to obesity, as more people become overweight, and as the age of gaining weight reaches down into childhood, a largely preventable disease turns into an epidemic. The litany about such lifestyle disorders is now familiar to almost everyone. The changes that prevent Type 2 diabetes all move in the direction of moderation: a balanced diet, exercise, and management of stress.

Yet here we face a paradox – the more information that circulates about lifestyle disorders, the worse the problem grows. A flood of medical warnings hasn’t kept America from eating more, exercising less, turning more sedentary, and working under heavier burdens of daily stress. To escape from this paradoxical trap, we must look deeper. A single disorder like Type 2 diabetes leads us to examine the entire circle of life, which is a massive, tangled feedback loop. Each of us leads a life dictated by how well the circle of life is functioning; no single strand can be isolated to solve the problem, a mistake made by mainstream medicine and its focus on intense specialization.

The Medical Perspective

First, let’s look at the disorder as viewed by a physician.  Diabetes begins when cells that normally respond to insulin, such as muscle and liver cells, become insulin resistant. Insulin is a hormone, a chemical “password” that tells a cell to admit glucose (blood sugar). When cells don’t admit glucose into their interiors, sugar builds up in the blood, which has dire consequences for tissues and organs throughout the body. Diabetes is especially pernicious, then, because the damage it causes can crop up almost anywhere.

Insulin resistance usually occurs several years before true diabetes develops. Insulin is secreted by the pancreas and “talks” to cells via insulin receptors on the cell membrane. Once these receptors allow glucose to enter the cell, it is either used immediately as fuel or stored for later use.  We now know that our bodies are nothing less than a constant conversation among chemicals that communicate with a trillion cells thousands of times per second.

To really understand what is happening, however, we must move from the molecular level to a person’s lifestyle. In the sixth century BCE, an Indian physician, Susruta, is recorded as the first to diagnose diabetes and to prescribe a treatment. His analysis seems remarkably modern. Susruta wrote that diabetes was either congenital (what we would call type 1 diabetes) or a result of poor diet and a sedentary lifestyle, often resulting in obesity (type 2 diabetes). His prescribed treatment sounds familiar today: eating a healthier diet, taking long walks, engaging in sports such as wrestling, and riding on a horse or elephant.

Your cells grow accustomed to the messages they receive; they have habits that reflect your habits. At present, those habits are trending the wrong way. About 24 million Americans have diabetes—that’s about 8% of the population. About a third of these, 5.7 million people, are undiagnosed. Experts believe that diagnosed diabetes will increase 165% by 2050. That means that one in three people born in 2000 will be affected by the disease. Type 2 diabetes used to be called adult-onset diabetes because it almost never developed in children. Now, however, a disturbing number of cases are appearing in young people.

A Costly Mystery

Ironically, as more people gain access to a comfortable way of living, lifestyle disorders create a backlash. Type 2 diabetes has become a global epidemic, too. The World Health Organization estimates that over 220 million people around the world have type 2 diabetes (90% of people with diabetes worldwide), and it is among the top five causes of death in most developed countries. The economic cost of diabetes is enormous, not just to the individual, but to society as well. In the US, the total costs (direct and indirect) of diabetes in 2007 were estimated to be $174 billion.

Science still doesn’t understand exactly how and why Type 2 diabetes develops, and this problem is the subject of intense research all over the world. It may be that something goes wrong with the insulin receptors or with the glucose transporting process. Whatever the causes, the pancreas responds to the increased levels of glucose in the blood by producing ever-greater amounts of insulin. For a while the increased levels of insulin do work to force the target cells to accept more glucose. This temporarily keeps blood sugar levels within their normal range. But over time the overworked pancreatic beta cells lose their ability to produce extra insulin—they “burn out.” Then blood sugar levels remain elevated, a condition termed hyperglycemia. Blood levels of insulin can also become very high: this is known as hyperinsulemia.

Type 2 diabetes can progress for months or years without symptoms, an insidious reason for the disorder being so dangerous. So it’s important to be tested by a doctor if you have symptoms or risk factors for type 2 diabetes.

Symptoms include:

·      Frequent urination

·      Increased thirst

·      Slow-healing sores or frequent infections

·      Constant hunger

·      Unintentional weight loss

·      Tingling hands and feet

·      Blurred vision

·      Fatigue and irritability

·      Swollen gums

Risk factors for type 2 diabetes

As we saw, prevention of Type 2 diabetes is simple and straightforward, or should be. What looks simple theoretically can turn out to be quite difficult. About 90% of people with type 2 diabetes are obese or overweight: it’s the number one risk factor for type 2 diabetes. The number two risk factor is having a sedentary lifestyle (exercising fewer than three times a week). Other risk factors are being over the age of 45, belonging to certain races (including African American, Hispanic, American Indian, and Asian American), having a parent or sibling with the disease, and having had gestational diabetes (diabetes developed during pregnancy).

Because diabetes can progress for months or years without symptoms, anyone who is overweight or obese and who has one or more additional risk factors should be tested. With or without risk factors and symptoms, all adults should be tested for prediabetes or diabetes starting at age 45. Children or teens who are overweight or obese and have other risk factors, such as a family history of diabetes, should be tested starting at age 10 or at puberty, whichever comes first.

Widespread harm

Since prevention is obviously the main goal, I won’t dwell on the damage caused by diabetes. Most of this damage is through its effects on blood vessels, both large and small. At high levels, glucose acts as a toxin on the cells that line blood vessels.

·      Cardiovascular disease (disease of the heart and blood vessels) is the main cause of death in people with diabetes. About three quarters of people with diabetes die of cardiovascular disease. People with diabetes have a 2-4 times higher risk of developing atherosclerosis and of having a stroke than people without diabetes

·      Kidney disease. Because the kidneys are densely packed with millions of tiny filtering capillaries, they are especially likely to be damaged by diabetes. Symptoms may not appear until only 10% of the kidney’s filtering function remains.

·      Vision damage. The retina, the delicate membrane that lines the back of the eyeball, may be damaged by diabetes. High glucose levels injure the tiny capillaries in the retina, which start to break and bleed. Diabetes also increases the risk of developing cataracts and glaucoma.

Nerve damage, or neuropathy, is also involved. The myelin sheaths that surround nerve cells are very sensitive to changes in glucose concentration. Nerves can also be damaged when damage to the capillaries that feed them cuts off their blood supply.

Monitoring glucose levels

As standard practice, it’s considered important for diabetics to monitor their glucose levels. Keeping track of your blood sugar allows quick responses to levels that are too low (hypoglycemia) or too high (hyperglycemia). It also helps in planning meals, activities, and medication times. The latest glucose monitors require only a tiny drop of blood, and it doesn’t necessarily have to come from a finger.

But we also need to consider the stress caused by constantly monitoring any condition, whether it is diabetes or high blood pressure. In the body’s feedback loops, all messages are received by the cell membrane, including messages relating to stress, your work environment, relationships, mood, and general sense of well-being.  You cannot “feel” your blood sugar levels, and once you begin to change your lifestyle, there is every reason to focus on how your life is going in general, with much less focus on chemical monitoring. Blood sugar follows cycles, like everything else in the body. One day’s high reading may be meaningless, but it can lead to panic and worry. Is it worth ruining a whole day in order to fixate on a number?

The key to getting past any lifestyle disorder, including Type 2 diabetes, is to move in the direction of balance and moderation. This doesn’t mean grim discipline. Instead, you ask yourself on a daily basis:

Am I doing something that makes me happy?

Can I give up a little of what isn’t good for me?

How do I feel about my progress toward well-being?

Can I foresee the weak or tempting moments I need to be most careful about?

In the spirit of making your life better, the preventive steps for Type 2 diabetes fall into place more naturally.

Weight loss

Anyone with prediabetes or diabetes who is overweight has a number of very good reasons to lose weight. For someone with prediabetes, losing just 5-10% of body weight significantly reduces blood sugar levels and reduces insulin resistance. For someone who weighs 200 lbs, that means losing as little as 10 lbs. When losing weight is combined with regular exercise, the risk of developing diabetes is cut by 58%. And there’s another, very significant benefit: losing 5-10% of body weight lowers the chances of having a heart attack or stroke. If you already have diabetes, studies have found that weight loss can significantly reduce symptoms of diabetes and insulin resistance.

The American Diabetes Association recommends a slow-but-steady weight loss goal of .5-1 lb. per week. It’s very useful to consult a registered dietitian for help in changing eating habits, controlling overeating, and designing a diet plan you can live happily with and that provides the right sort of nutrition for diabetes.

Eating right for diabetes

There is no specific “diabetes diet.”  A healthy diet for diabetes is the same as a healthy diet for anyone: rich in nutrients and fiber and low in refined carbohydrates, high-glycemic-index foods (like potatoes), and saturated and trans fats. The glycemic index (GI) classifies carbohydrates based on how quickly and how much they boost blood sugar compared to pure glucose. Foods that have a low GI are absorbed slowly in the digestive tract, raising blood sugar evenly over a long period of time.

Exercise

Exercising regularly is one of the best things you can do for diabetes. Exercise, whether anerobic or aerobic, induces both your muscles and your liver to take up more glucose, lowering your blood sugar levels. Exercise decreases insulin resistance, normalizes blood pressure, improves sleep, and decreases stress.

Talk to your healthcare practitioner before starting a new exercise regimen. Choose something you enjoy and that’s at the right level for your current fitness. It’s best to exercise every day, at the same time.

Quit smoking

If you smoke, quit now. Smoking is especially bad for people with prediabetes or diabetes. If you don’t now have diabetes, smoking makes it three times as likely that you will develop it. Smoking further damages already compromised blood vessels, constricting them and injuring them. It causes complications, like kidney disease, retinal disease, and foot problems, to occur sooner, and increases risk of death. What’s more, nicotine has been found to directly increase blood sugar levels.

De-stress

Being stressed stimulates the production of corticosteroids, the “stress hormones,” which increase blood glucose levels. By the same token, studies show that reducing stress can lower blood sugar levels. Try meditation, biofeedback, or focused breathing techniques. Just doing something you enjoy, like gardening or reading, can be a good way to de-stress. Exercise (aerobic exercise, yoga, tai chi) is an excellent de-stressed. Support groups and therapy may prove very helpful as well.

Supplements and botanicals

These come into play only after you have seriously considered lifestyle changes; they are not a substitute, much less a cure-all. Some people with diabetes have found chromium or alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) to be helpful in controlling their blood sugar. ALA, an antioxidant, may also be useful in treating nerve damage.

Certain botanicals, including cinnamon, fenugreek, ginseng, bitter melon, aloe vera, prickly pear cactus, gurmar (an Indian herb whose name means “sugar destroyer”), and Coccinia indica (ivy gourd) may help to control blood glucose levels. In Chinese and Indian traditional medicine, combinations of botanicals are used to treat diabetes, and there is some evidence that this results in a synergistic effect. Consult with an experienced practitioner of Chinese or Indian medicine if you would like to investigate these treatments.

Acupuncture

Some people with peripheral neuropathy—pain in the hands and feet due to nerve damage from diabetes—have found that acupuncture helps to relieve their pain. Acupuncture has few if any dangerous side effects, so it may be worth investigating this form of treatment.

Medications

If lifestyle measures don’t sufficiently reduce blood sugar levels, then medications may be prescribed. Medications may lower glucose levels by increasing insulin production by the pancreas, boosting cell sensitivity to insulin, and delaying absorption of glucose from the intestines. Numerous medications are available, and often more than one is prescribed.

Insulin may be prescribed if taking noninsulin glucose-lowering drugs doesn’t get blood sugar levels under control. Insulin must be injected using a syringe, an insulin pen, or with an insulin pump.

In mainstream medicine, diabetes is a circle of chemicals, leading from the insulin produced naturally by the pancreas to the insulin injections prescribed for millions of diabetics. Yet a much larger circle is actually involved. The circle of life embraces who you are and how you want to live. Diabetes, like every other lifestyle disorder, is an indicator that change is required. This doesn’t mean chemical change. It means redefining how you want to achieve well-being in the healthiest possible way.

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Deepak Chopra, M.D. is a mind-body healing pioneer, the co-founder of the Chopra Center for Wellbeing, and the author of more than sixty-five books, including his most recent New York Timesbestseller, War of the Worldviews: Science vs. Spirituality.  He and colleague Dr. David Simon developed the Perfect Health healing immersion offered most weeks at the Chopra Center.  If you are coping with stress, hypertension, or other chronic health issues – or you want to prevent health problems – join us for our 6- or 10-day Perfect Health program.  Learn more about Perfect Health here.

________________________________________________________________________

Note: The information in this article is intended for your educational use only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition and before undertaking any diet, fitness, or other health program.

Hundreds of studies over the past decade have found that the level of stress or comfort we feel in our lives influences our immune cells. When we are experiencing a lot of emotional turbulence, our immune cells receive confusing messages from our brain. It’s as if our immune cells are constantly  eavesdropping on our internal dialogue. When our mind is calm and peaceful, our immune cells behave more effectively than when we are in a distressed state of mind.

While a healthy immune system responds appropriately to challenges, an unhealthy immune system may respond too aggressively or not aggressively enough, resulting in allergies, asthma, autoimmune diseases, or cancer. Even diseases that were not previously considered to be immunologically mediated, such as coronary artery disease and Alzheimer’s disease, are turning out to strongly be influenced by immunity. The bottom line is that immunity is the essence of a healthy, balanced life.

Here are 7 effective ways to protect your  immune system:

1.  Manage your stress.
Learn and practice a meditation or relaxation technique on a daily basis.  During meditation, your breathing slows, your blood pressure and heart rate decrease, and stress hormone levels fall. You experience a deep state of inner silence and stillness. When you finish your meditation session, you carry some of that silence and stillness with you throughout your day.  At the Chopra Center, we offer instruction in a simple yet profound technique known as Primordial Sound Meditation. It is one of the most powerful tools for health and wellbeing, and for this reason we offer instruction in Primordial Sound Meditation at every event and program.

If you’d like to join us in January for the premiere of the Chopra Center’s Meditation Weekend workshop, please click here to learn more.

2.  Eat well.
Eating for optimal health and a strong immune system is all about balance. In Ayurveda, one aspect of balanced nutiriton is including all six tastes throughout the day:  sweet, sour, salty, bitter, pungent, and astringent.  Learn more about the six tastes here. It’s also important to Favor fresh fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Limit your intake of red meat, processed foods, and refined carbohydrates.

3.  Make restful sleep a priority.
Good quality rest is one of the pillars of healthy living and a strong immune system.In rhythm with the sun going down and birds flocking to their nests, we should also go to sleep early, ideally before 10 p.m. If you are a late riser, try shifting your bedtime closer to 10 p.m. by 15 minutes per night. This will help you rise earlier, giving you time to concentrate on your morning meditation and to prepare a nourishing breakfast. In addition, you’ll have time to enjoy nature’s early morning calm.Learn more about a healthy sleep routine here.

4.  Exercise.
Integrate flexibility, strength building, and cardiovascular activities into your daily routine.

5.  Laugh.
Studies have shown that one good belly laugh improves immune function for 24 hours.

6.  Get touched.
Massage awakens immune function and feels good.

7.  Look at things that inspire you.
Limit your exposure to violent television programs and movies. A Harvard study showed that watching violent scenes weakens immunity, whereas watching loving images stimulates the immune system.