Alternative Therapies Helpful in Diabetes

Alternative therapies, which have become increasingly popular in recent years, cannot be used to treat or manage diabetes that requires tablets or insulin. However, where nutrition therapy is the sole approach, a naturopathic, high fibre diet including plenty of fresh vegetables and fruits, is entirely suitable. People who adhere to this type of diet are more likely to maintain a correct body weight and are at less risk in the first place of developing Type 2 diabetes. In established diabetes, many alternative remedies can help to ease specific symptoms and chronic complications. These include acupressure, acupuncture, aromatherapy, Ayurvedic medicine, Bach remedies, homeopathy and herbal remedies. A qualified registered alternative practitioner should be consulted in most cases, rather than attempting self-treatment. Herbal remedies in particular, must be used with caution as many plant extracts contain powerful natural drugs. If in any doubt about an alternative remedy, it is best to consult your diabetes care team. Several alternative therapies are excellent for the relief of stress and depression and incorporate exercise regimes that are helpful for people with diabetes. Most help to encourage a sense of wellbeing which in itself eases symptoms even if it is not curative. They include the Alexander technique, autogenic training, colour therapy, dance movement therapy, do-in, meditation, T'ai-Chi Ch'uan and yoga, in addition to those listed above.

Scientific Research

All aspects of diabetes are the subject of intense scientific and medical research and new developments are regularly being announced. Research covers all areas of diabetes, from the purely scientific to the entirely practical, and new developments reflect advances made in all these fields. They include new oral antidiabetic drugs, more advanced monitoring, testing and insulin delivery devices, more effective screening methods for complications such as retinopathy and better treatment methods for complications. An example of the latter was announced in September 2002 and concerned a diabetic patient with gastroparesis who had been unable to eat normally due to paralysis of the gut. She had needed to be fed through a tube, had lost a great deal of weight and had several times sustained severe infections as a result of this method of feeding. A special type of pacemaker has been fitted to stimulate the damaged nerves responsible for the gut paralysis and this successful treatment has enabled the person to resume normal eating for the first time in many years. It is hoped that genetic and other scientific research into the operation of the pancreatic cells and insulin will lead to future breakthroughs, perhaps even the prevention of diabetes in some people. Although ethically controversial at present, it is possible that in the future, stem cells derived from embryos could be grown into beta cells in the laboratory and be made available for transplantation. Alternatively, there may be a role for adult stem cells. Breakthroughs may continue to be achieved in halting or reversing loss of beta cell function.

In the meantime, the outlook for people with diabetes who have access to good medical care remains favourable and has improved beyond recognition since the early days of treatment with animal insulins. Diabetes was, at one time, the inevitable cause of premature death, but now most affected people can expect to lead a long and productive life. It used to be unheard of for a woman with diabetes to be able to have a child. Now, as we have seen, over 90 per cent of diabetic pregnancies have a successful outcome. Although diabetes remains a serious condition, both for individuals and as a global healthcare problem, it is hoped that ways of tackling it will continue to improve into the future.

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