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Diabetes  

What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a condition characterized by chronically raised sugar levels in the blood.

  • Type I (insulin dependant) patients are often diagnosed as a child  
  • Type II majority of patients are diagnosed beyond 40 years of age.

Diabetes affects all the major systems in the body, i.e., the respiratory, digestive, circulatory and
reproductive, although in individual patients the degree by which each system is affected can be different.
Although diabetes does not normally affect life expectancy, it can lead to serious complications.

How can Chinese Medicine help with diabetes?  
Chinese medicine believes the fundamental underlying cause for diabetes is a deficiency of Kidney Qi
due to a range of factors such as a congenital weakness of Kidney Qi, unhealthy diet (excessive intake of
fatty and sweet food), uncontrolled alcohol consumption, stress/anxiety, overwork and unrestricted sexual
activities.  

In China, diabetes is treated with a combination of Chinese and western medicine including the use of
insulin, with most patients taking Chinese medicine as a complementary treatment, which can be very
effective and has few side effects.  

The treatment (acupuncture and herbs) is adapted to each patient and changes over time. Chinese
medicine, together with conventional medicine can keep symptoms under control and maintain a good
quality of life for the majority of patients.  It is therefore imperative that in seeking to complement
treatment with Chinese medicine, a patient does not stop taking any regular medication from their GPs or
consultants and that the blood glucose levels are closely monitored whilst on a course of treatment.