Diabetes (diabetes mellitus) is a metabolic disease in which the body is unable to produce sufficient insulin. Insulin is a hormone that pancreas produces which regulates blood sugar levels in our body. In absence of insulin, too much sugar can accumulate in the blood leading to several complications. Abnormally high level of sugar is hyperglycemia and is a serious condition. Hyperglycemia may affect major organs adversely.. This will lead to so many health problems like heart disease, kidney failure, retinal problems, and nerve disease.
Cancer patients with diabetes:
It is an aggravating situation for a diabetic person to get cancer. Diabetes can increase the risk related to cancer treatment. Some of the cancer treatments affect the blood sugar levels, it can either go up or even get lower with the treatment. Some of the cancer treatments worsen the health problems related to diabetes.
The situation is even dire for the person with uncontrollable diabetes. The side effects of cancer treatment may escalate due to diabetes. For instance, the chances of catching an infection increase and they might have to stay confined to the hospitals during the course of their treatment.
Why choose Ayurveda?
Ayurveda is an ancient way of treating illness and disease. The term Ayurveda means “science of preserving life”. It is a holistic approach to treating diseases and focuses on the oneness of soul, body, and mind. It has originated in India for approximately 5000 years. Based on the concept of three doshas, Ayurveda has its own interpretation of diseases and how to treat them. Vata, Pitta, and Kapha are three doshas present in our body and any kind of disease is a result of the lost balance among these doshas. So, Ayurveda mainly deals with restoring the harmony among these doshas to bring health and well-being to any individual.
Cancer and Ayurveda
Ayurveda does not consider cancer to be a separate disease or a collection of diseases. In contrast, Ayurveda states that systemic imbalance and dysfunction of the three Doshas causes all diseases. Instead of using targeted therapies to destroy tumours, Ayurvedic drugs/treatments attempt to correct metabolic defects and restore normal tissue functions (“Sapta Dhatu” Parampara). Like most forms of traditional medicine, Ayurvedic medicine is holistic, as immunotherapy (Rasayana Prayoga) to rejuvenate the body’s support system is an important component of cancer therapy.
Ayurvedic way to treat cancer
Ayurveda has many herbs with specific medicinal properties, from common colds to malignant diseases such as cancer. Some of these herbs have protective properties, while others heal naturally. These herbs have been treating different types of cancer for thousands of years. The phytochemicals contained in these herbs are currently the subject of intensive research to isolate the most active ingredients. The active ingredient can be used to develop medicines.
Unlike modern medical science of treating this disease, which leans heavily on chemotherapy and surgery, Ayurveda has its own practices and herbal remedies. The focus is on reducing the number of cancer cells, reducing the spread of tumor cells, and reducing the mass and size of tumor cells. Ayurveda prescribes several herbs to combat this malignant disease.
Some of the ayurvedic herbs useful for fighting cancer are ashwagandha, Aloe vera, Makandi, Indian Sandalwood, Sesame oil, Arjuna, Lakshmanaphala, Guduchi, etc. Research shows that these herbs have chemoprotective and anticancer properties.
Diabetes and Ayurveda
Some of the herbs that are beneficial in lowering blood sugar are ivy gourd, tulsi, Fenugreek, gurmar, Indian bay leaf, black plum, and bitter melon. Diabetes depends on the preparation and use of herbs. For example, Abhyanga is the process of using herbs in hot oil massages, and Udvartana is simply a herbal powder massage.
Conventionally, Indian herbs that boost the body’s immune system contain many essential and nutritious elements. Their excess or deficiency can disrupt the body’s normal biochemical functions. Each herb used in Ayurveda has different dominant or therapeutic elemental properties. “The hypoglycemic effects of these herbs have been suggested to be mechanisms such as beta-cell stimulation, regeneration, and extrapancreatic effects.” Therefore, Ayurvedic practitioners are appropriate depending on the patient’s symptoms.
You can choose the treatment method. The herbs M. charantia, Pterocarpus marsupium, and Trigonella foenum greacum have been found to be most effective in treating type 2 diabetes. The top 10 plants used to treat Ayurveda for type 2 diabetes are bitter gourds, Fenugreek, Indian Kino Tree, Gymnema, Turmeric, Chinospora, Margosa Tree, Holy Fruit Tree, Ivy Gourd, and Pomegranate.
Each plant helps treat diabetes in different ways. For example, studies show that bitter melon reduces polyuria, partially prevents renal hypertrophy and reduces urinary albumin excretion. Water extracts from Indian mushroom trees have long been used to treat diabetes. Each plant has been studied in groups of humans or animals and is recommended for use. Each plant has very different characteristics and each person has different symptoms of Dosha, so their use varies from patient to patient.
Summing up
Cancer treatment provided by allopathic worsens the situation for the diabetic person. The side effects can become even more painful and even aggravate the complications involved with diabetes. In such a situation, Ayurveda can become an alternative way to treat cancer. There are many practices to treat cancer in Ayurveda. Also, a plethora of herbs is mentioned in Ayurveda to heal and balance all the doshas. This approach is surely promising for treating cancer in the coming days.
