:Diabetes:

17 million Americans have diabetes and the number is growing, although one out of three do not even know they have the condition. More than 1/3 of all babies born in the year 2000 are now expected to get diabetes in their lifetime. Among those diagnosed at age 40, men lose 11.6 years of life and women lose 14.3 years.

:Diabetes-Therapies:

T.C.M.: Diabetes = Xiao-Ke: disease characterized by increase intake of fluids and solids, emaciation, polyuria, glycosuria.

Botanical remedies:

• Allium sativa (garlic): prevents elevation or lowers blood sugar
• Cinnamomum (water-soluble polyphenol: MHCP in Cinnamon): half a tsp or 3-6 capsules a day reduces blood sugar levels 20% in diabetics; MHCP mimics insulin, activates receptors, and works synergistically with insulin in cells Diabetes Care (vol 26, p 3125)
• Ginkgo biloba guards against diabetic retinopathy and peripheral vascular disease (avoid if active retinal or vitreous bleeding)
• Gymnema sylvestre (gurmar): regenerates and repairs the Islets of Langerhans in the tail of the pancreas
• Momordica charantia (bitter melon, karela): traditional Chinese medicine lowers blood sugar in diabetics
• Opuntia phaeacantha (nopal, prickly pear cactus)
• Plantago psyllium (Psyllium): mucilage reduces hyperglycemia and delays later hypoglycemia
• Silybum marianum (Silymarin from milk thistle) helps reduce over-production of insulin, as well as the dosage needed by injection; also helps diabetics with coexisting cirrhosis
• Tecoma stans (tronadora, trumpet flower)
• Trigonella foenum-graecum (fenu-greek): hypoglycemic properties; fibrous portion of the seed significantly lowers blood sugar
• Ulmus fulva (Slippery Elm bark): mucilage reduces hyperglycemia and delays later hypoglycemia
• Vaccinium (Blueberry and Bilberry): antioxidant for the eyes protecting blood vessels against diabetic retinopathy

Mineral remedies:

• Chromium: helps all insulin-regulating activities as part of the glucose tolerance factor (GTF), involved in the regulation of blood glucose. Some doctors, including Andrew Weil, recommend 1000 mcg a day for Type II diabetics.
• Manganese: catalyst in many enzymatic processes in sugar metabolism; Diabetics have low levels of manganese which causes intolerance of sugar
• Magnesium: essential for glucose metabolism. Typical dosage is 400 mg a day.
• Oxygen: supplementation reduces diabetic macular edema
  
  Diabetic macular edema (DME) is the most common cause of moderate visual disability in working-age Americans. Patients with chronic DME despite focal laser photocoagulation treatment received 4 L/min of oxygen for three months.
  
  All eyes with DME show reduction in thickness of the center of the macula, measuring with optical coherence tomography. Four of nine eyes improved in visual acuity by about two lines or more with the other five eyes showing no change. Three months after oxygen supplementation stops, five of nine eyes show increases of the thickness of the macula, suggesting retinal hypoxia as part of the development and maintenance of DME.
  
  Nguyen QD, Shah SM, Van Anden E, et. al.: Supplemental oxygen improves diabetic macular edema: a pilot study. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2004;45(2):617-24.
  
• Vanadium (Vanadyl sulfate): helps muscle cells absorb glucose and
  stimulates glucose transport.
• Zinc: essential for the synthesis, secretion and utilization of insulin and protects against pancreatic cell destruction

Nutritional cofactor remedies:

• Alpha-lipoic acid: antioxidant fatty acid for the glycolytic pathway, where carbohydrates are oxidized to supply cellular energy. Dosage starts at 100 mg/day. Diabetic neuropathy is treated with 600 mg/day.

Vitamin remedies:

• Vitamin B Complex: preventing nerve damage
• Vitamin B6: Diabetics with neurological damage are deficient in vitamin B6
• Vitamin C: Insulin helps transport Vitamin C to the cells and the absorption of vitamin C is also impaired by high blood sugar levels
• Vitamin E (Unique E)

Amino Acid remedies:

• Alanine: essential for the promotion of proper blood glucose levels from dietary protein
• Glutamine: converts readily to glucose, especially for the brain and helps glucose transport.

Vegetables & Grains

• Bamboo Shoots: Cooling. Strengthen stomach, resolves mucous, promotes diuresis. Blend bamboo shoots and celery juice, warm up and drink 1 cup 2x/day. Eat plenty of bamboo.
• Bok Choy: Cooling. Clears Heat, lubricates intestines, quenches thirst. Drink boy choy and cucumber juice.
• Celery: Cooling. Tonifies kidneys, strengthens spleen and stomach, clears heat, promotes diuresis, lowers blood pressure. Drink 3 cups lightly boiled celery juice daily. Or combine celery, yam and pumpkin to make vegetable pie.
• Corn Silk: Neutral; sweet. Promotes urination; affects the liver and gall bladder; lowers blood sugar. Boil corn silk with watermelon peel and small red beans in water. Drink as soup for relief of chronic nephritis with edema and ascites.
• Kohlrabi: Neutral; bitter; sweet; pungent. Detoxicates. Crush 10 g kohlarbi seeds into pwdr. Mix with a glass of boiling water. Strain through cheesecloth over a bowl and squeeze out all liquid.. Drink the liquid as tea first thing in the morning to induce bowel movements and urination.
• Mung Bean: Cold; sweet. Cleans heat; quenches thirst; aids edema in lower limbs. Make soup from mung beans, barley and rice. Or soak 100 mg mung beans overnight; boil in 3 cups water over low heat; drink 2x/day. Or grind mung beans into powder and take 15 g pwdr. dissolved in warm water 2x/day.
• Mushroom (Chinese Black or Shitake): Neutral; sweet. Strengthens stomach; promotes healing; lowers blood pressure counteracts cholesterol; lowers blood fat levels. Soak, blend with soak water; heat like soup and take on an empty stomach to clean toxins in the intestines. Or bake until it appears burned on the surface; eat 10 g 2x/day; or eat fresh.
• Pearl Barley: Cooling. Promotes diuresis; str. spleen; clears heat.
  Blend barley and water, boil and drink the liquid. Or cook soupy barley and eat like porridge.
• Pumpkin: Cooling. Dispels dampness; reduces fever; particularly beneficial for diabetes. Eat a slice of pumpkin with every meal or bake pie with pumpkin, yam and potato.
• Snow Peas: Cold. Strengthens middle warmer, detoxifies, promotes diuresis, quenches thirst. Cook snow peas, blend juice; take 1/2 cup 2x/day.
• Soybeans: Cooling. Clears Heat; detoxifies; eases urination; lubricates lungs and intestines. Drink plain soy milk or eat tofu to relieve heat conditions.
• Soybean Sprouts: Cooling. Promotes diuresis; cleans heat, esp. in the stomach. Boil 4 hrs; drink tea lukewarm. Continue over a period of one month to relieve hypertension.
• Spinach: Cooling. Strengthens all organs; lubricates intestines, quenches thirst; promotes urination. Boil tea from spinach (incl. roots) and chicken gizzard; drink 1 cup 3x/day. Or cook with seaweed to cleanse the blood and relieve hot skin eruptions and itchy skin.
• String Bean (Green Bean): Neutral; sweet, Kidney and Spleen tonic.
  Boil 50 g dried string beans (with the shells) in water. Drink as soup once a day to relieve diabetes, thirst, and frequent urination.
• Sweet Potato (Yam): Neutral; sweet. Strengthens spleen and stomach functions; tonifies qi; cleans heat; detoxifies. Cook soup with winter melon. Or mix 50 g yam pwdr with 10 g pwdr American Ginseng. Dissolve 15 g in warm water; drink 3x/day .
• Sweet Rice (Glutinous): Warm; sweet. Used as an energy tonic. Affects the spleen, stomach, and lungs. Relieves excessive urination, perspiration, and diarrhea. Cook 50 g sweet rice with 60 g Job's tears and 8 red dates. Eat at meals to relieve various kinds of chronic diseases.
• Tomato: Slightly cooling. Promotes body fluids; quenches thirst; strengthens stomach; cools blood; clears heat; calms liver. Eat at least 1 raw tomato/day on an empty stomach.
• Turnip: Cooling. Clears heat; removes dampness. Boil with tops as a side dish.
• Water Chestnut: Cold; sweet. Relieves fever and indigestion; promotes urination; affects the lungs and stomach. Boil 5 water chestnuts in water with 1 fresh mandarin orange peel. Drink as tea 3x/day to relieve hypertension. Or Peel 100 g water chestnuts and chew them slowly in the morning and evening; or drink water chestnut juice to cure sore throat, hemorrhoids, and mouth canker.
• Winter Melon: Cooling. Clears heat; detoxifies; quenches thirst; relieves irritability; dispels dampness. Drink the fresh juice or make soup; drink 3x/day.
• Wheat Bran: Cool; sweet. Affects the stomach.

Animal-Products

• Abalone: Neutral; sweet; salty. Detoxicates; sharpens vision. CI for persons with weak digestion. Boil 20-25 g abalone with 250-300 g fresh radish in water. Drink as soup once every other day. Repeat 6-7X as a treatment program. (This is a time-honored recipe in Chinese folk medicine for diabetes).
• Beef: Neutral; sweet. Used as a spleen, stomach, energy, and blood tonic; affects the stomach and spleen. Boil lean beef with yam to make soup.
• Clam (freshwater): Cold; sweet; salty. Detoxicates; sharpens vision; acts on liver and kidneys. Freshwater clam saliva is especially benificial for diabetes. Cook clam with chive. Boil 150 g chives with 200 g clam and suitable seasoning. Drink in a day.
• Milk : Cow's milk is Neutral; sweet. Pushes downward; used as a lung and stomach tonic; produces fluids and lubricate intestines; affects heart, lungs, and stomach. C.I. with diarrhea or mucous discharge. Mix equal amounts cow's milk and goat's milk. Drink the milk as a substitute for tea or juice to improve the physical condition of diabetes patients and frequent urination.
• Pork: Neutral; sweet; salty. Used to lubricate dryness; affects spleen, stomach and kidneys. Cut up 100 g lean pork (red meats) to boil in water with 100 g Job's tears over low heat for 2 hrs. Eat at meals.

Fruits

• Crab Apple: Neutral; sweet and sour. Quenches thirst; obstructive, affects the heart, liver, and lungs. Boil 10 partially ripe fresh crab apples in an adequate amount of water until the water is reduced by half. Drink the soup and eat the fruit to quench thirst and relieve diarrhea.
• Guava: Warm; sweet. Obstructive and constrictive; stops diarrhea.
  Crush 90 g fresh guavas; squeeze out the juice to drink before meals; 3X/day to alleviate SX of diabetes.
• Peach: Very cooling. Clears Heat; aids diabetes. Eat fresh peaches.
• Plum: Neutral; sweet; sour. Produces fluids; promotes urination and digestion; affects liver and kidneys.
• Strawberry: Cooling. Lubricates lungs; promotes body fluids; strengthens spleen. Drink 1 glass fresh juice 2X/day
• Mulberry: Slightly cold. Quenches thirst; detoxifies; ton. kidneys; lubricates lungs. relieves constipation; calms spirit; promotes diuresis.
  Boil mulberries as tea and drink 1/2 cup 2X/day.

Botanical-Singles

• Radix Anemarrhenae Asphodeloidis (Shi Mu)
  Bitter; Cold. Enters LU, KID, ST. Cleans heat; quells fire; generates fluids. Comb w/ Rx Trichosanthis.
• Radix Astragali (Huang Qi) Sweet; slightly warm. Enters SP, LU Tonifies SP and benefits Qi. Comb w/ Rx Dioscorea Oppositae (Shan Yao) and Rx Rehmanniae Glutinosae (Sheng Di Huang)
• Tuber Asparagi Cochinchinensis (Tian Men Dong)
  Sweet; bitter; cold. Enters LU, KID. Moistens the LU and nourishes the KID; used for LU and KID Yin Xu patterns.
• Radix Codonopsis Pilosulae (Dang Shen)
  Sweet; neutral. Enters SP, LU. Strengthens Qi; nourishes fluids; tonifies Middle Burner. In general the functions of this herb are analogous to Radix Ginseng (Ren Shen), although not as strong. Clinically used to tonify Qi of SP & LU. Dang Shen has a vasodilitory effect on terminal blood vessels.
• Herba Dendrobii (Shi Hu)
  Sweet; slightly salty; bland; cold. Enters ST, LU, KID. Nourishes deficient ST Yin. Comb/w Tuber Ophiopogonis Japonici (Mai Men Dong) and Rx Trichosanthis (Tian Hua Fen) for abdominal discomfort associated with ST Yin XU.
• Radix Dioscoreae Oppositae (Shan Yao)
  Sweet; neutral. Enters SP, LU, KID. Benefits the LU and nourishes the KID (yin &yang). Comb/w Rx Trichosanthis (Tian Hua Fen) for irritability and thirst associated with injured Fluids .
• Radix Ginseng (Ren Shen)
  Sweet; slightly bitter; slightly warm. Benefits Yin and generates Fluids. Tonifies Lu; benefits Qi; strengthens the SP and ST; benefits HT and calms the Spirit. Some patients can lower their insulin by taking this herb.
• Radix Glycyrrhizae (Gan Zao)
  Sweet, neutral (raw); sweet, warm (honey-baked). Enters all 12 Primary Channel (principally ST, SP) Tonifies SP and benefits Qi: commonly used for SP XU patterns.
• Fructus Lycii Chinensis (Gou Qi Zi)
  Sweet; neutral. Enters LIV, KID. Nourishes and tonifies LIV & KID: used for Yin and Xue Xu.
• Fructus Mori Albae (Sang Shen)
  Sweet; cool. Enters LIV. KID. Nourishes Yin and Xue. Comb w/Rx et Caulis Jixueteng (Ji Xue Tang) for Yin Xu
• Tuber Ophiopogonis Japonici (Mai Men Dong)
  Sweet; sl bitter; sl cold. Enters LU, ST, HT. Nourishes Yin and clears Heat. Experimentally has lowered serum glucose, speeded recovery of islets of Langerhans, and increased glycogen storage levels in rabbits with artificially induced diabetes mellitus.
• Poria Cocos (Fu Ling)
  Sweet; bland, neutral. Enters HT, SP, LU. Strengthens SP and harmonizes the Middle Burner; transforms phlegm and eliminates dampness.
• Rhizoma Polygonati (Huang Jing)
  Sweet; neutral. Enters SP, LU. Tonifies SP: used for Deficient SP or ST and debility after prolonged illness. Also tonifies Essence after a chronic wasting disease. Comb w/ Rx Dioscoreae Oppositae (Shao Yao) and Rx Astragali (Huang Qi).
• Rhizoma Polygonati Odorati (Yu Shu)
  Sweet; sl cold. Enters LU, ST. Nourishes Yin and moistens dryness: used for LU and ST Dry Heat or Deficient Yin patterns with cough, dry throat, irritability, thirst and intense hunger, and constipation.
• Fructus Pruni Mume (Wu Mei)
  Sour; warm. Enters LIV, SP, LU, LI. Generates fluids; alleviates thirst: used for thirst from Deficient Heat or Deficient Qi and Yin. Comb w/ Rx Trichosanthis (Tian Hua Fen) for thirst and irritability from injured fluids.
• Radix Puerariae (Ge Gen)
  Sweet; acrid; cool. Enters SP,St. Nourishes fluids; alleviates thirst, esp from ST Heat. Comb w/ Rx Trichosanthis (Tian Hua Fen) and
• Tuber Ophiopogonis (Mai Men Dong) for thirst.
• Radix Rehmanniae Glutinosae (Shu Di Huang)
  Sweet; sl warm. Enters LIV, KID, HT. Nourishes the Yin: used for Deficient Kidney Yin. Lowers blood pressure and serum cholesterol.
  Fructus Schisandrae Chinensis (Wu Wei Zi)
  Sour; warm. Enters LU, KID. Restrains Essence. Used for deficient LU/KID patterns. Calms spirit. Recent reports state this herb increases usuage of both liver glycogen stores and serum glucose. Combine w/ Radix Codonopsis (Dang Shen) and Ophiopogonis Japonici (Mai Men Dong) for symptoms associated with exhaustion from Qi and Yin.
• Scrophulariae Ningpoensis (Xuan Shen)
  Salty; sl bitter; cold. Enters LU, ST, KID. Nourishes yin; cleans true heat or internal heat. Lowers blood sugar, dialates blood vessels.
• Radix Trichosanthis (Tian Hua Fen)
  Bitter; sl sweet; sour; cool. Enters LU, ST. Quells heat; promotes fluids. Comb w/ Rx Glehniae Littoralis (Sha Shen), Tuber ` Ophiopogonis Japonici (Mai Men Dong), and Rx Rehmannieae Glutinosae (Sheng Di Huang) for ST Heat induced injured Yin.
• Stylus Zeae Mays (Yu Mi Xu)
  Sweet; neutral. Enters UB, SI, LIV. Promotes urination.

Botanical-Formulas

For Heat & Drought in the LU & ST

• Bai Hu Jia Ren Shen Tang [White Tiger & Ginseng]
  Eliminates Heat in the Qi-Stage and Yang-Ming Channel. To tonify vital energy and increase body fluids.

For Depletion of KID Yin:

• Liu Wei Di Huang Wan [Rehmanniae Six Formula] reinforce LIV and KID Yin.
• Zuo Gui Wan [Replenishing the Yin (left) Pills] reinforce LIV and KID Yin.
• Tian Wang Bu Xin Dan [King's Mind-Easing Tonic Pills] Nourishes the Yin (vital essence) of HT & KID; sedative

For Depletion of both Yin & Yang:

• Jin Gui Shen Qi Wan [Pills to Restore Vital Energy and Ba Wei Di Huang Wan Function of KID] Replenishes the Yang (vital function) of the KID; to warm the lower part of the body.
  Yin and Yang depletion in the Upper Burner
• Bai Hu Jia Ren Shen Tang [see above] Yin and Yang depletion in the Middle Burner
• Yu Nu Jian [The Fair Maiden Decoction] Eliminates the intense Heat or Fire from the ST; to replenish the Yin (vital essence). Yin and Yang depletion in the Lower Burner
• Liu Wei Di Huang Wan [see above] Yin Gui Shen Qi Wan [see above]
• You Gui Wan [Replenishing the Yang (right) Pills] Replenishes the Yang (vital function) of KID; treat spermatorrhea

Patent Formulas

• Yuechung Pills also known as Yu Quan Wan [Jade Spring Pills]
  Nourishes Yin, strengthens KID, LU, & SP; dispels phlegm-heat; relieves thirst; circulates fluid; regulates appetite; calms shen. A classical RX for "sugar urine disease", used for both juvenile and insipid diabetes in mainland China. The United Pharmaceutical Manufactory, Szechuan, PRC
• Specific Juk Tsyn Wan: Produces saliva, quenching thirst; relieving fever, alleviating mental uneasiness; vitalizing blood activity, nourishing KID; invigorating nervous system and improving appetite.
  Kwangchow United Manufactory of Chinese Medicine, PRC
  See Pharmacy for Western attents

Sources

Kaptchuk, Ted, J., The Web That Has No Weaver, Conydon & Weed, 1983

Jianfei, Chen, A Hemorrheological Study on the Effect of Acupuncture in Treating Diabetes Mellitus, Journal of TCM 7(2): 95-100, 1987

Li Cheng-Yu, Fundamentals of Chinese Medicine, East Asian Medical Society, Paradigm Pub. 1985

O'Connor, John, Acupuncture-A Comprhensive Text, Eastland Press 1981

Yeung, Him-Che, Handbook of Chinese Herbs and Formulas Vol II, Institute of Chinese Medicine, 1985

Ni, Maoshing, The Tao of Nutrition, Union of Tao & Man, 1987

Lu, Henry C., Chinese System of Food Cures-Prevention and Remedies, Sterling Publishing Co. 1986

Fratkin, Jake, Chinese Herbal Patent Formulas-A Practical Guide, Institute for Traditional Medicine, 1986

Bensky, Dan, Chinese Herbal Medicine-Materia Medica, Eastland Press, 1986.

Qui Mao-liang, The Treatment of Diabetes by Acupuncture, Journal of Chinese Medicine, 15: 3-5, 1984

Diabetic-Retinopathy:

Homocysteine & Retinopathy in Type 2 Diabetes

Increased homocysteine, an indicator of methyl donor deficiency which is the most common pattern of vitamin deficiency in our culture, is associated with an increased risk of proliferative retinopathy and nephropathy.

In a longitudinal study, researchers examined the relation between serum total homocysteine concentrations and microvascular complications in members of the Pima tribe who had Type 2 diabetes. They measured homocysteine concentrations in frozen sera of 396 diabetic participants aged 40 years or older who had had one or more examinations between 1982 and 1985. Researchers assessed retinopathy by fundoscopy and nephropathy by an albumin:creatinine ratio greater than 300 mg/g, and calculated the incidence rate ratio for a 5 micro mol/l difference in homocysteine using proportional hazard regression. They assessed the incidence of each complication in subjects without that complication at baseline and with more than one follow-up examination: 229 subjects for nephropathy, 212 for retinopathy and 266 for proliferative retinopathy. During a mean follow-up of 8.6, 7.5 and 8.9 years, respectively, they found 101 incident cases of nephropathy, 113 of retinopathy and 40 of proliferative retinopathy. Incidence of nephropathy was associated with homocysteine concentrations; this remained statistically significant when controlled for age, sex and duration of diabetes but not when controlled for baseline renal function. Homocysteine concentrations were not associated with the incidence of any retinopathy, but were associated with the incidence of proliferative retinopathy. This association remained statistically significant when controlled for baseline renal function and diabetes duration.

Looker HC, Fagot-Campagna A, Gunter EW, et al. Homocysteine as a risk factor for nephropathy and retinopathy in Type 2 diabetes. Diabetologia 2003;46(5), published online before print