Diabetes

[Dr. V. Krishnamurthy]

Most people think that as we have remedies for diabetes in other systems (like insulin in allopathy) there would be corresponding remedies in homeopathy. This is not so. There is one marked difference between homeopathy and other medical systems (allopathy, ayurveda, siddha etc. etc.)

In allopathy no doctor would give insulin for typhoid; also no one would give antibiotic for diabetes. This is because insulin is for diabetes and no amount of insulin will be of any use in typhoid.

But in homeopathy one remedy given for eczema patient may be indicated for jaundice in another; the same remedy may be needed in the third patient suffering from cancer. In such a case the question that would naturally arise in the reader’s mind is, “If so, then what is the basis for prescribing or selecting the remedy in homoeopath?” Answer to this question will throw light on the uniqueness of homeopathy.

Als diabetische Angiopathie werden Gefäßschädigungen bezeichnet, die als Spätkomplikationen bei Diabetis mellitus auftreten.

Durch Veränderungen der Kapillaren (Mikroangiopathie) werden verschiedene Formen der diabetischen Mikroangiopathie verursacht: insbesondere die diabetische Nephropathie, diabetische Retinopathie und diabetische

autonome sowie sensorische und motorische Neuropathie.

Die Makroangiopathie ist zwar nicht Diabetes-spezifisch, tritt aber schneller und stärker als bei Nicht-Diabetikern auf, weshalb die Bezeichnung diabetische Makroangiopathie üblich ist.

Sie führt zu atherosklerotischen Veränderungen an mittleren und großen Arterien. Sie ist für das hohe Herzinfarkt-, Schlaganfall- und Gangrän-Risiko bei Diabetes verantwortlich.

Die wichtigsten Faktoren, die die Entwicklung von Mikro- und Makroangiopathie bei Diabetikern fördern, sind Hyperglykämie, Hyperlipoproteinämie, Insulinresistenz sowie verschiedene vasoaktive Hormone, Cytokine

und Wachstumsfaktoren.

[Dr. Bradford]

In Diabetes, 2 or 3 lessened grains of the 3rd trituration of Uran-n. Administered morning and night, will in a short time reduce the quantity of urine passed to nearly a normal standard, and after a continual use, the proportion of sugar is materially.

[E. B. Nash]

Great remedy for diabetes mellitus. It is especially if in addition to the thirst, voracious hunger and profuse urine loaded with sugar, there are rheumatic pains in the joints. High potency is much better and doesn’t not need frequent repetition.

www.joslin.org = amerikanische Website für Diabetiker

Vergleich: Siehe: Anhang. (W. Karo Farokh/J. Master/Anthroposofisch.)

Fungi grow more actively in sugar solutions. Vaginal mycosis developes quite often during pregnancy with its tendency towards pre-diabetes.

Krankheit: Juckreiz/schlecht heilende Hautbeschwerden, Starke Hypoglykämie: Schwindel/unsichere Gang/Ohnmacht/Schwitzen/Blässe/Zittern/Herz-klopfen/nervös/

Unterleibsschmerz/ANfällig vor Erkältung + Halsschmerz + Grippe + Bronchitis + Lungenentzündung (Polio);

Patient riecht wie Zucker

Die Erkrankungen des peripheren Nervensystems bei Diabetes mellitus = verschieden. Am häufigsten ist die längenabhängige distal-symmetrische sensomotorische Polyneuropathie

manifestiert sich zunächst an längsten Nervenfasern (Ischiasnerv), Früh: sockenförmig verteilte Parästhesien/Störung in Empfindungen auf Reizen. Später: Schmerz/Muskelkrämpfe/

teilweise Lähmung der kleinen Fußmuskeln und Fuß- und Zehenheber (oft nicht beachtet) sind neben Sensibilitätsstörung und autonomer Denervierung wegbereitend für das

diabetischen Fußsyndrom. Differenzialdiagnosen: immunbedingte entzündliche Polyneuropathien mit und ohne Paraproteinämie (falsche und zu viele Proteine im Blut), eine

Radikuloneuritis (Wurzelentzündung der Nerv(en)) bei Borreliose und toxisch bedingte Neuropathien zu bedenken. Seltener Karpaltunnelsyndrom/örtliche Neuropathien (Amyotrophie/Ophthalmoplegie).

Gemeinsames Merkmal dieser diabetischen Neuropathieformen = akutes neuropathisches Schmerzsyndrom, rasch gefolgt von umschriebener Muskellähmung.

Ursache: Pertussis vaccine has been connected with juvenile onset diabetes as the vaccine acts directly on the islets of Langerhans, the insulin-secreting parts of the pancreas

(Gaublomme, 1997). 1. hypoglycæmia 2. diabetes. This emphasises the link between candidiasis and diabetes, as does the fact that the organism is identified by the physiological

character of its assimilation and fermentation of sugar. The use of Foll. successfully in candidiasis (Assilem, 1990) similarly underlines the connection with female sex hormones;

Blutzucker nüchtern vor Frühstück 80 - 90 Mg Blutzucker in 100 Ml im Blut/ (nicht > 130)

Nach 2 h. nach Zuckerhaltiges 120 - 140 Mg/> als 180 Mg = Hyperglycämie (Diabetes).

Nach 3e - 4e h. nach Zuckerhaltiges 80 - 90 Mg.. < 80 Mg. = Hypoglykämie (Kopfschmerz/schwach/Muskelmüdigkeit/Hunger/reizbar/nervöse Unruhe

Erhöhte Blutzuckerspiegel fördert Krebs.

Erniedrigte Blutzuckerspiegel kann Viren hemmen o. fördern

Karotte senkt Zuckergehalt wenn verursacht durch Mangel an Kali-salzen.

Vitamin B Komplex

Helon.: 1st stage, urine profuse, clear, saccharin, lips dry stick together, THIRST, restless, emaciation.

Kali-acet. in diabetes

Ign. diabetes following emotional shock.

Vanad-s: = Katalysator zu Insulin/zu niedrigem Blutzuckergehalt,

Bromelain

Cyclopia intermedia Diabetes/Menopause

Cecr.

Galega officinalis. Blutzucker senkend

Grifolia frondosa Bluthochdruck/Krebstherapie/Blutzucker senkend/Osteoporose/Leber

Lentinus edodes Diabetes Bindegewebe stärkend, = appetithemmend/Ausdauer erhöhend/Fördert Umwandlung LDL-Chol. in HDL-Chol.

Aktiviert Immunsystem, hemmt Tumoren, steigert Ins.

Quelle: MykoVital GmbH 06047/7073

Diabetes

Calc-ars. C 6. Pancreatinum 3x. Cean. 3x. These three taken 3x daily will give good result. Covers all type of diabetic.

1/4 teaspoonful Cinnamon powder takes as a tea or in food also helps to reduce BS level.

Arn. C 6 as Wet. Dose.

--------- + Furunkel/+ Karbunkel: Cephd-i. Crot-h.

--------- + Gallensteinen But-ac

--------- + Gangrän: Colos. Sec. + Ars. + Kreos.

--------- + durst: Chion

--------- + schlaflos: Carc.

--------- + Schleimabsonderung Brust: Squil.

--------- + Nierenentzündung: Canthin

--------- Benz-ac + Phos-ac + Sal-ac.

Sil. + Silikaten?

Sulph. In the beginning of diabetes.

Diabetes Kind

---------------- Crat.

[Dr. Herbert A. Roberts]

Probably the type of glandular imbalance we meet most frequently is diabetes mellitus. The accepted therapy is insulin, and it has a definite influence on the sugar output; yet few physicians pause to consider whether this treatment is curative or merely palliative - a substitution therapy. Recent experiments indicate that continued massive doses of insulin may result in an increase of sugar following an initial decrease; and that it may remain

at a fairly high level so long as the insulin therapy is pushed. A case recently observed provided the interesting phenomenon of a marked decrease of sugar output when the patient was forced to do without her insulin for a

few days; and that when she returned to a decreased insulin dosage the amount of sugar remained at a much lower level than while she was receiving massive doses. A series of observations on patients under homoeopathic

care would be valuable.

We must remember that once insulin therapy is established, it tends to become necessary to the patient and there is little hope of establishing normal balance. Therefore it is more practical to begin treatment by the use of

the homoeopathic remedy, for we can always go to insulin later if this is necessary. We find suitable remedies for Sugar in Urine in the repertories, and most of the remedies listed are deep in action or are closely related to emotional states. The diabetic patient usually presents subjective symptoms that clearly indicate the simillimum, or he may be able to give a history of emotional shock preceding his present affliction that will point the way

to the remedy. It is possible that his symptoms are so clearly marked that the indications for a constitutional remedy cannot be overlooked, even though his remedy has not been proven to produce the sugar imbalance.

In such case, if the patient improves on the indicated remedy, we are justified in adding it to those already listed, giving it a tentative clinical rating. If the general level of health is raised, even though the low sugar threshold remains the same, we may safely rely on the remedy which maintains general improvement, and not be too anxious over the sugar output. Recent research work has indicated the influence of the pancreas in peptic ulcer.

Nahrungsergänzungsmittel: Ca/Cu/Ch/K/Se/Va/Mn/Zn/Mg/Vit B1/B6/Biotin/C/E//B12/Folic acid/ Ser-ang während Dialyse gebraucht verkürzt de Zeit der Dialyse.

[Alan Tillotson] From a blog.

I am a juvenile diabetic, insulin dependant, and have been so since age 10. I'm now 46. I have managed to avoid all complications so far, with perfect retinas, normal heart, liver and kidney function etc. I got involved with

healing to try to find a way out of the bleak future I read about when I was 11 in a book I got from the library, which told me that I would most probably develop any number of serious problems. So far zilch. I'm keeping my

fingers crossed. It is very interesting that before I had any formal training in natural medicine, my body figured out several things (because it made me feel good), such as the addition of lots of blueberries and raspberries

and carrots to my diet was good, as well as onion and garlic.

Answer:

Juvenile diabetics can learn to sense their own sugar levels by developing body awareness. This makes it much less likely to eat when sugar levels exceed 200, thus driving them up to the 300's and creating lots of ketones,

or to allow low blood sugars, with the negative effect of eating too much too fast and having an upswing.

Juvenile diabetics which are called "brittle" are just nutrient deficient or very nervous/tight. I have maintained a high nutrient diet (easily assimilable minerals), for decades, and blood sugar swings have been

minimal. This includes multi-minerals supplements +/o. herbs like dandelion, turmeric, nettles, parsley, seaweeds.

Juvenile diabetics need to constantly move their bodies. Hard work is excellent medicine.

Juvenile diabetics tend to be vata natured (Ayurvedic term for nervous personality), and so their diet needs more good quality oils and fats than adult onset diabetics, to maintain healthy membranes.

The Ayurvedic combination of triphala (three fruits, famous ayurvedic formula) plus shilajatu (ayurvedic mineral substance), taken long term, prevents deterioration.

Some sort of Yoga or T'ai chi or meditation practice is essential to develop the ability to get really relaxed (I mean like super, super relaxed), which really helps maintain solid health, stable blood sugars. Advanced pranayama

or qi kung exercises, in which qi is made to move or flow with strong diaphramatic control, improves the general circulation a lot.

Aspartame sometimes raises blood sugar in diabetics worse than pure cane sugar.

San qi (Chinese herb) can arrrest hemorrhage in diabetic retinopathy better than anything. 1-2 grams of concentrated powder TID, even useful long term.

Blood thinning therapy (moving blood in Chinese terms) is essential (Salv./Paeon./carthamus, cnidium, bilberry, turmeric, bromelain. Keeps the tiny vessels happy, especially when combined with the minerals.

I advocate not worrying about money for those damn expensive test strips, and just investing in other commodities. Juvenile diabetics tend to have periods where their blood sugars become unstable, often for days or weeks.

During these times it is essential to check the sugar every few hours, and take extra regular insulin if necessary, drink more water, and change to a lower volume high protein and fat, low carbohydrate and sugar-free diet

for a short while, to even out sugar delivery to the system. When sugars are stable, change to a more high vegetable carbohydrate and raw vegetable diet to even things out. This alternation needs to be clearly understood.

Juvenile diabetics need more vitamin E. They do not seem to benefit from chromium as much as adult onset types.

Lucillia sericata. = Made Schmeißfliege/scheidet in äußerliche Schleimhaut Allant. aus in Wunde (heilt Wunde), verzehrt nur krankes Gewebe/werden gebraucht um nicht schließende Wunden zu heilen. Quelle: Apotheke

Tupelohonig (gewonnen aus Nyssa sylvatica Cornales./= antibiotisch/= geeignet für Diabetiker).

Suis-pan. = Pankreas vom Schweineembryo

Vergleich: Lacs allgemein.; Siehe: Saccharum officinarum + Enzymen + Insulinum

Allerlei: Hypoglycemia = zu niedrige Blutzuckerspiegel/= Vorstufe Diabetes

Beschwerden: Nervös/Herzrasen/zittern/Schweiß/Denken erschwert/leichtes Empfinden im Kopf/Wirkung von Exzitotoxine

Syndrom X: = Beschwerden durch Insulinreistenz (Vorstufe Diabetes Type II).

1. Insulinreistenz + 2. ZU wenig Prog + 3. VIEL Eikosanoiden 2 verursachen in Wechseljahren. GEFÄHRLICHE Wechselwirkung

Vorbeugung:: 3 große Mahlzeiten + 3 kleine Zwischenmahlzeiten aus HOCHwertige Nahrungsmittel (wenig Eiweiß aus Eier/Milchprodukten/Soja)

Verzichten auf raffinierten Kohlenhydraten/Süßes/Alkohol (steigert Östrog.wirkung).

Defekte in der Insulin Sekretion zeigen sich in einer Hyperglykämie, welche besser unter Diabetes mellitus bekannt ist.

Type I: Insulinmangel durch verminderte Insulinausschüttung des Pankreas/= insulinabhängige Diabetes/fast nur Kinder und Jugendliche/wird den Autoimmunerkrankungen zugerechnet. Hier führt die Zerstörung der pankreatischen Inselzellen zu einem absoluten Insulinmangel. 5 - 10 % aller Erkrankten/Symptome wie Polyurie, Polydipsie und starker Gewichtsverlust sind charakteristisch.

Type II: Körper vermindert Insulinrezeptoren an Zellen, nimmt dadurch verfügbare Stärke nicht auf/= Altersdiabetes/Patienten ab einem Alter von 40 Jahren auf o. bei übergewichtigen Patienten. 90 - 95% aller Erkrankten. Die auftretenden Symptome sind minimal. Ein relativer Insulinmangel entsteht durch jahrelange Glucose-Überernährung, wodurch es zu einer Erschöpfung. der B-Zellen der Pankreas kommt.

Diagnose

Bei einem funktionierenden Zuckerstoffwechsel liegen die Blutglucosespiegel immer relativ konstant bei 70 bis 150 mg/dl. Chronisch erhöhte Glucosekonzentrationen im Plasma führen zu mikrovaskulären Krankheiten, wie die Retinopathie, verursachen Nierenfunktionsstörungen oder schädigen Nerven.

Insulin und C-Peptid

Ein erhöhter Blutzuckerspiegel stimuliert die B-Zellen der Bauchspeicheldrüse zur Produktion und Freisetzung von Insulin. Insulin erzeugt einen hypoglykämischen Effekt, indem es die zelluläre Aufnahme von Glukose in Muskel- und Fettgewebe fördert und die Glukoneogenese stoppt. Extrazelluläre Glukose wird durch Insulin zu den intrazellulären Speicherplätzen befördert, wo es in Form von Glykogen gespeichert wird. Glukagon, Epinephrin, GH und Cortisol wirken als Gegenspieler von Insulin. Sie erhöhen die Blutzuckerkonzentration indem sie die Glykoneogenese stimulieren.

Die Bestimmung von Insulin hat aber einen großen Nachteil. Die Insulintests können zwischen endogenem und exogenem Insulin nicht unterscheiden. Viele Patienten entwickeln Antikörper gegen Insulin, welche die Tests stören. Diese Problematik kann durch die Bestimmung von C-Peptid ausgeschaltet werden.

Indications for hypoglycemia/disturbed sugar metabolism: ravenous appetite soon after eating/constant appetite/never satisfied/sleepless/> eating/tendency to eat frequently between meals/irresistible desire to take sweets/strong impulse to eat on waking often because of a fainting feeling or weakness/trembling when hungry/irritable when hungry (on waking), etc.

Cause of hypoglycemia is USE of 'rapid' carbohydrates (refined sugar/refined flour) in modern nourishment. Other causes are: caffeine (in coffee/cola/tea/chocolate/cocoa)/

alcohol/cigarettes. Kaffein stimulates the adrenal glands to set adrenaline free that stimulates in turn the release of sugar from the liver into the bloodstream. Emotional causes

underneath such as lack of affection and inability to handle affection. Hypoglycemia influences our social behavior/emotional well being. mental and social erratic/violent/antisocial

behavior (child: violent fits of anger with striking, kicking, vandalism, aggressive/discontent).

Behavior of juvenile delinquents > wenn put on a sugar free diet. (Spiritual nutrition and the rainbow diet, Dr. Gabriel Cousens)

Compensation of lack of love/affection: getting it by any means or refusal of any form (Lac-h.).

Opposite symptoms: insatiable appetite (boulimia) versus no appetite at all and sometimes a refusal to eat resulting in anorexia.

Thirst for large quantities versus no thirst at all.

Great need to cuddle versus refusing every contact.

Exaggerated sucking of fingers versus no sucking of fingers at all,

putting everything in the mouth versus never putting anything in the mouth.

Sensitive to pain versus almost insensitive to pain.

No appetite in the morning versus ravenous appetite on waking so that he has to eat first.

gentleness # very aggressive behavior.

Cold feet, but sometimes so hot at night sticking them out of bed.

The most frequent way to compensate a lack of affection seems to be by far the use of sweets of any kind. A link between love and sweets ("sweet boy or girl" "honey", "sweetheart", "sugar", etc).

Many symptoms related to food desires and aversions, appetite and eating. DESIRES any kind of sweets (chocolate/licorice/pastries/biscuits/“junk sweets“).

Increased appetite before menses/desires sweets after dinner.

No appetite at all in the morning after rising and increased appetite in the afternoon (evening/candies) and no need during the day.

Hypoglycemia with NEED to eat first on waking and tendency to eat frequently between the meals, not feeling well if the meal is postponed a little.

Feel weak/trembling/empty in the stomach/dizzy or get a headache if they cannot eat at regular hours. Feel weak and irritable in the morning/difficult to activate themselves/generally > after breakfast.

Neue Therapien:

Helo-s. Gilatide (= peptide in saliva has shown effect in the treatment of Alzheimer/Diabetes/ADD)/improves memory and learning: Novel Nootropic (= smart drugs/memory enhancers/cognitive enhancers) Peptide (= Exenatide®).

Verwandt sind Alzheimer und ALS.

Folgen bei Kinder von Mütter mit Diabetes: Puls = schwach + schnelles, vergrößertes Herz

Phytologie: Phlor. senkt Blutzuckerspiegel/‡ Rosm ‡

Datisca cannabina = Scheinhanf/Cucurbitales

.

C 6 Diabetes

Mom-b.

‡ Ich-organisation / Sulphur indicated for vacillating blood sugar levels with the typical sudden sweet-

craving and associated aggravation of behavior; R.S.: Tannenharz der Signatur entsprechend bei Zuckerkrankheit (Diabetes), die zu den typischen Altersleiden gehört und stets mit schlechter Wundheilung einhergeht. ‡

‡ Folgendes hat anthroposofische Einschlüße ‡

Frei nach: Ross Rentea, M.D.

R.S. explained in the 1920s: “Imagine that you are stressing the memory capacity of the child excessively around the 9th or 10th year of life, that memory is used too much as in education. The consequences of this will show themselves only when the human being is in his thirties or forties or even later. Then the person will become either a sufferer of rheuma or diabetes. Precisely when memory is used inappropriately around the 9th or 10nth year of life, then this overwhelming of memory in childhood will show itself later in excessive deposits of metabolic products ... On the other hand, when the child is required to use too little memory (appealing too little to the child’s ability to remember) then we will call forth in later life a tendency for inflammatory processes of all sorts. To understand how the bodily conditions of one epoch of life are the consequences of the spiritual-soul conditions of another life-stage is one of the most important things that we must realize”.

We are practicing plenty of that in the rearing of our children. Over-intellectualization, unreasonable expectations of mental performance, now often beginning with kindergarten, leads to the metabolic syndrome on the one hand. And on the other hand, lack of a rhythmic lifestyle, starting with irregular meals/irregular sleep times/stresses and anxieties for children living between multiple families, can lead to the later life inflammations. Not surprisingly, underlying obesity, as a fat deposit, and diabetes, as a sugar deposit, scientists are finding a pervasive inflammatory process.

Ultimately the excesses of childhood reveal themselves as leading to a generalized state of exhaustion of the Ego (the personal individuality) where, sadly enough, this results in a culture where a majority of adults begin their mature years in a chronically overwhelmed state [literally not taking hold of our bodies (let alone of the social requirements around us)] and these untended physiological processes fall apart and result in disease. It is a scenario like this that points out the true incalculable importance of preventive hygiene and holistic lifestyle changes.

Treatment of diabetes referring to medications or nutritional changes, needs to focus on strengthening the Ego in addition to attempting to affect the physical body in a more narrow sense by lowering sugar or burning fat. Inspired by R.S.’s work there are several creative modalities that we can use along with conventional therapies. The common denominator for all these ideas is a reawakening of the personal individuality.

A classical indication given by R.S. is the use of Rosm. Initially he recommended baths with a strong amount of rosemary oil with the admonition that it should be clearly smelled by the patient so that one would be aware of the herb through one’s sense organs during the bath. Various modalities have been developed over the years to make this application more effective (oil dispersion bath). The rosemary plant exhibits the principles that we are considering above in an exemplary fashion. It takes the forces of fragrance and warmth contained in its etheric oils back into the plant instead of dispersing them generally into the surrounding environment the way lavender does, for example. The plant does not allow its life-forces to be used in developing large leaves or flowers. But rather, it concentrates all its strength towards the inside and results in the typical woody, small, shrubby appearance that is so characteristic of this plant. Interestingly Rosm. has been found to be a powerful anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant. Research has shown, however, that it is ineffective if it doesn’t have an appropriate quality control shown in the standardization of its most active ingredients of Rosmarinic and Carnosinic acids. These new insight make it reasonable to use Rosm. as an oral nutritional supplement also.

For Ego-strengthening, salt scrubs can be used to invigorate the entire periphery. Often the salt is mixed with rosemary as a fragrance and its effect is thus considerably amplified.

To overcome the chronic exhaustion of life forces stemming form the above-mentioned educational “headyness,” remedies made from roots are very helpful. While it is beyond the scope of this brief article to fully explain the connection, it can be intuitively seen that there is a correspondence between the herbal root system that connects the plant with the surrounding earth and the human nerve-sense organization that connects us in turn with our surrounding world. Root extracts have been known since antiquity as valued tonics or as specific healers for various conditions. A gentian or curcumin tincture help through their spiciness and bitterness to overcome stagnant intestinal processes, particularly such common conditions accompanying diabetes as an overly slow emptying of the stomach. More recently, other root formulations from plants such as Withania or Rhodiola have been shown to be particularly energizing and restorative.

Anthroposophical medicine has emphasis on with various forms of quartz = silica. Silicates help not only in restoring the normal function of sense organs that can be damaged by abnormal glucose levels but also help in normalizing the metabolism of the sugar overload.

Several substances are involved in helping the Ego either connect itself more strongly with the body or helping it to relax and go to sleep. If Calcium in general can be seen as having more calming effects. It can be used against allergies and sleeplessness. Phos. has an invigorating, awakening effect. In the proper formulation, in a very dilute form, Phos. can help the spiritual self to better take hold of metabolic processes.

Visc-a.: in phytology used to lower blood pressure/enhances fertility/also occasionally used in the treatment of epilepsy.. R.S.: prepared properly and given in injectable form it had cancer fighting abilities. The mistletoe demonstrates through its peculiar growth rhythms that it emphasizes at all times its own “individuality.” Contrary to most other plants, it has a dormant state in the summer and develops its berries around New Year’s time in the winter. It would make sense to use the mistletoe, but this time in tincture form, as an extract, in order to reengage the Ego in the body by forcing it to overcome the “contrariness” of this herb. There is an African tradition mentioning mistletoe therapy in diabetes. In experimental animal studies mistletoe treatment could not show a direct sugar level lowering effect but it had a positive influence on diabetes associated symptoms, such as hyperphagia (overeating) and polydipsia (over-drinking).

Any form of change in lifestyle results in an increased “mastery” of the Ego over the physical body aligns itself with the anthroposophical understanding of treating diabetes. Ultimately, the age-old observation that aerobic exertion lowers blood sugar is nothing more, nor less, than the reality of the Will taking hold of the metabolic forces. Leading a rhythmical life, with structured meals at the same time every day, is not only in harmony with the well-known biorhythms of insulin secretion (a high and low every 15 minutes and every 90 minutes) but demonstrates the benefits when the “I” dictates when and how much is to be ingested.

Ultimately, the ideal will be achieved where the Ego will have the strength to overcome its challenges through meditative-spiritual practices.

‡ Folgendes hat anthroposofische Einschlüße ‡

Frei nach: Gerald Karnow, M.D.

Diabetes is increasing. In the last decade diabetes rose by 3,3% nationwide to 6,5% of the population. This immense increase of a chronic illness, with its personal, social and economic consequences, poses many questions.

We know that the biochemical problem underlying the clinical features is an absolute or functional deficiency of insulin. This insulin deficiency leads to impairment in the handling of body glucose (sugar), and problems in fat and protein metabolism. Modern medical research has made, and continues to make, ever more refined discoveries about the cause and manifestation of this disorder which involves essentially every aspect of the human body. The fact that we can treat diabetes with insulin, saving the lives of millions, is gratifying to the patient and physician. But we might also ask: what is going on beyond the biochemical problem? Could the rising incidence be a consequences of actions on the part of society or the individual?

To me this is an important question and unless we ask it the person will be excluded. Injecting insulin or taking medications may not be sufficient for some.

Anthroposophical medicine does provide insights which might be helpful in engaging the whole person as an important participant in the potential healing or therapy of this complex disorder. In the book by Rudolf Steiner and Ita Wegman "Fundamentals of Therapy," in the chapter on diabetes mellitus we read that: "Where there is sugar, there is ego organization; where sugar is generated, the ego organization appears and orients the subhuman (vegetative, animal) corporeality towards the human." The most dramatic demonstration verifying such a statement is the hypoglycemic (low sugar) state, in which very low blood sugar leads to unconsciousness and ultimately, if not replaced, to death.

In diabetes mellitus the ego organization becomes so weakened that it can no longer effectively act on the substance of sugar. What should have happened to sugar through the ego organization then happens to it through the astral and etheric domains. The structure, substance, and function of all components of our body are not at our own service but act out their own "extra human" impulses. Our blood sugar level is not maintained within a stable range, it acts like sugar in a sugar jar, the more you pour in the more you have, only in the body it's not really yours - you can't use it! Blood vessels lose their normal structure, the finer tissue components of blood vessels overgrow, and become too `alive' to permit the ego to live properly in the body. The body can become estranged to the extent that limbs need to be amputated because of inadequate blood supply.

We can cite innumerable other examples showing how the body progressively loses its function as intended for the ego because the organization that needs to be active in the body is too weak. Hence the question: what can be done to strengthen the ego organization?

If health experts blame the wired couch potato culture of our times and realize that obesity is closely tied to diabetes, certainly we can realize that we, as ego beings, are not very involved in penetrating our body as our instrument, permitting vegetative and animal functions to predominate.

In fact, diabetes is aggravated by everything that diverts the ego organization from an engaged function in body activity, i.e. most of our passive-receptive activities today. It has been realized in the past, and still is today, that good hard physical activity, work in short, has a very helpful effect on those with diabetes or pre-diabetes.

As the body tissue used for movement becomes ever less penetrated by the ego, as the blood, vehicle for the ego, becomes less able to individualize the sugar, so also the nervous system substance becomes estranged from the weakened ego organization resulting in diabetic neuropathy.

In considering these problems it is helpful again to quote Fundamentals of Therapy: "Processes taking place in the head organization should be parallel processes to soul and spirit activity. However, because the latter activities take their course too fast or too slowly, they fall out of the parallelism. It is as if the nervous system were thinking independently alongside the thinking human being; but this is an activity which should only be carried out during sleep. In the diabetic, a form of sleep in the depths of the organism runs parallel to the waking state".

Of course much more should be said for a deeper insight into diabetes, but perhaps what has been shared here, out of a spiritual scientific view (never contradicting but always complementing and enhancing the natural scientific view), shows that this complicated chronic illness is a mandate to the human being—to be wake and be active in thinking, feeling, and willing, and to engage in enthusiastic home and work activities.

In this way we can meet the illness-prone effects of our present civilization as active agents.

Phytologie: Rezepte. aus dem Papyrus Ebers

Vorwort/Suchen Zeichen/Abkürzungen Impressum