Dr.Nisha Manikantan
Here is an alarming stat-over 97,700 children have been diagnosed with Type1 Diabetes Mellitus in India, as per the data given by National Center for Biotechnology Information. As India celebrates the National Ayurveda Day on 28th October, we asked Dr.Nisha Manikantan, Founder- Director, Sri Sri Ayurveda, what Ayurveda has to offer for treating the lifestyle nightmare that Diabetes has come to be. Also, does Ayurveda have any healthy alternative to calm the sugar craving?!
Too much sugar or glucose in the blood causes diabetes. Energy is stored in the body in the form of glucose. When glucose is not absorbed well in the blood, diabetes is caused. Insulin secreted by pancreas is critical in absorbing this glucose in the body.
Q)What are some common symptoms of Diabetes Type 2 in children?
A)Thirst, more hunger, itching, urination, dryness in the body are some of the most common symptoms. But with children diagnosed with Diabetes Type 1, it can be symptomless. But in Diabetes type 2, these symptoms appear.
Q)What are the common lifestyle mistakes that lead to the disease?
A)It is widely known that erroneous lifestyle is the most common cause followed by hereditary and medical reasons leading to Diabetes. Wrong eating habits over prolonged periods of time can damage the pancreatic function. An important point is when do you eat and how often do you eat. Today snacking is very common. But in Ayurveda, we recommend Dwikal Bhojanam-meals at two times. And other times, you can have something light like butter milk or tender coconut water. When you eat many times, what happens is the body secrets a lot more insulin and then there is insulin resistance. Body cannot utilize it. Irregularity in eating is another factor. Third mistake is junk food. Lack of activity and stress contribute equally in poor regulation of insulin in the body.
Q) How does stress add to the ailment? How can it be reduced?
A)We are not taught to deal with stress. In the Art of Living’s Living Well Program, we teach them Yoga, meditation and Sudarshan Kriya. So this will enable them to cope with stress and it is also healing. We have documented how sugar levels have come down after practicing Sudarshan Kriya, how complications have reduced. In the holistic Ayurvedic approach, we also have medicines like Mehantak Vati and Nisha Malaki(combination of turmeric and gooseberries-both antioxidants). It not only helps to increase immunity, also helps in preventing the complications. Tuning up the sleeping hours according to the child’s body clock is also important. “Body has an in built clock. So when we fall into that clock, like rising up early, sleeping early and sleeping in regulated time- all this will help prevent diabetes.
Q) What kind of food habits would you suggest to keep diabetes at bay?
We have karela jamun (bitter guard and Indian blackberry) juice also. Both, bitter guard and Indian blackberries can regulate sugar. For children, who have already been diagnosed with diabetes, the diet requires special attention.
Avoid sugar. Avoid foods that have high glycemic index, basically a diet which has normal good carbohydrates and proteins and lot of greens. Ayurveda allows fruits also. And lot of vegetables, nut seeds. Also, they cannot stick to two time meal rule. They have to eat three to four time according to their diabetes type and type of person they are.
Q) Allowing all the fruits and vegetables in the diet is quite unlike prescriptions in other schools of medicine.
A)Usually, we allow all veggies and fruits. There are certain fruits which are really good for diabetes like berries, pomegranates. The diabetic diet is not a simple one. There are certain fruits that can immediately cause an insulin spike but in the long term they do no harm. So for example, we allow one apple a day. Even fruits like mangoes and bananas that have high glycemic index, we recommend them to take it in limited quantities. What we have seen is, if we keep lot of restrictions on food that adds to the stress. So you don’t have to avoid anything, but you keep it to very limited quantities.
Q)So how do we douse the sugar craving in children?
A)You can make desserts that are fruit based- date based or fig based,” says Dr.Manikantan, “But that too should be consumed within limits. Also, we allow honey for diabetic patients because honey doesn’t do any harm.
Q)How does Ayurveda treat diabetes?
A)Experts believe, Ayurveda can help regulate type 1 diabetes among children through a multidimensional approach. Amla is one medicine that triggers insulin secretion.It stimulates pancreatic secretion. It is one of the main medicines we use. The treatments we use have a multi dimensional approach-regulating the diet, monitoring sugar, and supporting the digestive system or the Agni(fire element). In diabetic patients Agni element is imbalanced. Herbs that can help with glucose metabolism are bur berries and haldi or turmeric.
Ayurveda also recommends elaborate Panchkarma treatment for diabetes. When we do panchakarma treatment periodically, the body detoxes. Once the body detoxes, the body mechanism falls into place. We do Vasti treatment which plays a major role in maintenance of sugar. Also, there are certain types of massages to regulate celluloid metabolism. Also dealing with stress, Shirodhara treatment helps.
Q)Can insulin dosage be reduced with the help of Ayurveda?
See with the help of herbs, panchakarma treatments, diet and yoga protocol, we can not only reduce, sometime we can take them off insulin also. But it needs continues monitoring and efforts from the side of the patient. Yes, we do have patients who do not want to take allopathy for several reasons.
Q)How have the diabetes occurrences gone up?
A)It is interesting to note that out of 100 people who come to Dr.Manikantan for treatments, 70 percent are diabetic. According to Ayurveda, there are three kinds of diabetes based on the three kinds of body constitutions- vaata-dominant, pitta-dominant and kapha-dominant diabetes.
Another alarming trend is more and more children who are coming to her are diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes which is a lifestyle-driven disorder. Some years ago, children who came with diabetes were only juvenile diabetes patients. But now those who come, have type 2 diabetes. That is little alarming. This is mostly lifestyle related, food and stress related. Children also have stress. And they have addictions-like internet. Inner well being plays a very important part in lifestyle diseases. Because we have everything which can address a person’s inner well being from yoga, meditation, pranayam, Sudarshan kriya to Ayurvedic therapies also which help a person to calm down, balance, harmonize.
Q) Why would you suggest people come to ayurveda?
Because what happens with allopathic medicine is, it doesn’t address the whole issue. It gives temporary relief. And in my experience, they keep increasing the dosage. There is no coming out of the medication. So certain sciences have certain limitations. But in ayurveda we see, the whole thing in a holistic manner. So along with helping the sugar regulation, we also help balance the agni, increase immunity, protect the other systems. So it is a more holistic approach. Hat is why even if you are taking allopathic medicine, you should go for ayurveda. That is why I would suggest. Allopathy doesn’t involve the other elements like Yoga protocol. More holistic diet approach is not there.
