Of the estimated 13 to 14 million people in the United States with diabetes, between 90 and 95 percent have noninsulin-dependent or type II diabetes. Formerly called adult-onset, this form of diabetes usually begins in adults over age 40, and is most common after age 55. Nearly half of people with diabetes don't know it because the symptoms often develop gradually and are hard to identify at first. The person may feel tired or ill without knowing why. Diabetes can cause problems that damage the heart, blood vessels, eyes, kidneys, and nerves.
Although there is no medical cure for diabetes yet, daily treatment helps control blood sugar, and may reduce the risk of complications. Under a doctor's supervision, treatment usually involves a combination of weight loss, exercise and medication.
The two types of diabetes, insulin-dependent and noninsulin-dependent, are different disorders. While the causes, short-term effects, and treatments for the two types differ, both can cause the same long-term health problems. Both types also affect the body's ability to use digested food for energy. Diabetes doesn't interfere with digestion, but it does prevent the body from using an important product of digestion, glucose (commonly known as sugar), for energy.
After a meal the digestive system breaks some food down into glucose. The blood carries the glucose or sugar throughout the body, causing blood glucose levels to rise. In response to this rise the hormone insulin is released into the bloodstream to signal the body tissues to metabolize or burn the glucose for fuel, causing blood glucose levels to return to normal. A gland called the pancreas, found just behind the stomach, makes insulin. Glucose the body doesn't use right away goes to the liver, muscle or fat for storage.
In someone with diabetes, this process doesn't work correctly. In people with insulin-dependent diabetes, the pancreas doesn't produce insulin. This condition usually begins in childhood and is also known as type I (formerly called juvenile-onset) diabetes. People with this kind of diabetes must have daily insulin injections to survive.
In people with noninsulin-dependent diabetes the pancreas usually continues to produce some insulin, but the body's tissue don't respond very well to the insulin signal and, therefore, don't metabolize the glucose properly, a condition called insulin resistance. Insulin resistance is an important factor in noninsulin-dependent diabetes.
The symptoms of diabetes may begin gradually and can be hard to identify at first. They may include fatigue, a sick feeling, frequent urination, especially at night, and excessive thirst. When there is extra glucose in blood, one way the body gets rid of it is through frequent urination. This loss of fluids causes extreme thirst. Other symptoms may include sudden weight loss, blurred vision, and slow healing of skin, gum and urinary tract infections.
Medical treatment for diabetes treatment can reduce symptoms, like thirst and weakness, and the chances of long-term problems, like heart and eye disease. If treatment with diet and exercise isn't effective, a doctor may prescribe oral medications or insulin. There is no known cure for diabetes; daily treatment must continue throughout a person's lifetime. (Excerpted from National Institutes of Health Publication No. 92-241.)
EDGAR CAYCE'S PERSPECTIVE
Edgar Cayce provided many psychic readings for individuals who meet the criteria for Type II (noninsulin-dependent) diabetes. Although the pathological process was unique for each individual, some definite patterns of causation and treatment are present in this body of information.
One of the most frequently cited causes of diabetes in the Cayce information is spinal injury. The nerve supply to the digestive organs (particularly pancreas and liver) is compromised by pressure on nerve centers in the thoracic area of the spine. Most often the problem is in the 5th - 10th thoracic vertebrae. Thus spinal adjustment (osteopathic or chiropractic) is a primary therapy for the treatment of diabetes.
Here us an example from a Cayce reading describing the effects of spinal injury:
(Q) Is the condition diabetes, or what?
(A) Diabetic in its nature. As indicated, the pressure is from the injury some time back that causes the overactivity. This lesion is LATERAL in nature, rather than circular; thus there is not the DIRECT pancrean reaction. But, as indicated, there are the symptoms; that is, the liver activity, the excess at times and then again the scantiness of the urine or the activities of the kidneys and the bladder, and the disturbance with the circulation as to the blood pressure and the like, - all show the disturbance through the pancrean and liver area; affecting the other conditions sympathetically.
Hence we would make those applications consistently, in the manners indicated.
(Q) Has anyone been cured that was in my condition?
(A) Many, many, many!
Do these things as outlined, and we will find we will bring the better condition for this body.
Because there is less pain, less uneasiness and less dizziness WITH the use of the artichoke, don't leave them off - for several months; at least three times each week, see? (2393-1)
Note that in addition to spinal adjustments, the Jerusalem artichoke is recommended as a dietary supplement. Diet (and particularly the Jerusalem artichoke) is another primary therapy in the treatment of diabetes. Since diet is a widely accepted treatment for diabetes, its inclusion in this protocol is not surprising. Jerusalem artichoke is not so widely regarded as a therapy for diabetes. The Therapy section of this protocol provides considerable information on the role of Jerusalem artichoke as well instructions for its use as a dietary supplement.
Although spinal manipulations, diet and Jerusalem artichoke were a high priority in the treatment of diabetes, moderate exercise was also frequently recommended. In the excerpt which follows, diet is emphasized in addition to moderate general exercise (walking) and specific therapeutic exercise:
(Q) Is the body diabetic?
(A) A tendency.
(Q) What can he do to protect himself against it?
(A) As indicated, the diet - and exercise of specific characters that tend to tone up and to create a balance.
Keep away from meats, save a little fish or fowl. None of vegetables that are of the pod variety. Those of the natures that grow UNDER the ground are preferable, but plenty also of the leafy variety.
And twice each week take the Jerusalem artichoke, about the size of a hen egg; first raw - say on Tuesdays - and the next time cooked, say on Thursdays, but cooked in its own juices (as in Patapar Paper). Only eat one each time, you see. When cooked, season it to make it palatable, but do not eat the skin - save the juices and mash with the pulp when it is to be eaten. Eat it with the meal, of course; whether it is taken raw or cooked. Do not take it between meals, but at the regular meal.
Eat all of the vegetables especially of the leafy variety; such as spinach, kale or mustards and the like. These, too, should be prepared in their own juices - or in Patapar Paper.
Refrain from tea or coffee, especially if milk or cream is used in same; but these may be taken moderately without such.
Refrain from any great quantity of butter or butter fats. None of pastries, or pies; though foods that are of the diabetic sugar-proof nature may be at times taken. Or, the use of beet sugar is preferable to cane; or still more preferable is saccharine as shortening. DO NOT take injections of insulin. If more insulin is necessary than is obtained from eating the amount of artichoke indicated, then increase the number of days during the week of taking the artichoke, see?
Then the exercise; walking regularly, and a five to ten minute period of exercise morning and evening. This should not be strenuous, nor too great an exertion at one time, but: Raise the arms gently above the head. Then, with the arms lowered to level, stoop - letting the arms not be extended in front or toward the floor but keeping a balance, see? Then placing hands on hips, gently move as to circulate the body upon the lumbar axis. (1963-2)
In several readings, Edgar Cayce recommended colon hydrotherapy as an adjunct therapy in the treatment of diabetes. The idea is to keep the lower intestines cleansed and thereby improve the functioning of the whole alimentary canal. In certain cases, problems in the colon were cited as causative factors in diabetes as noted in reading 4023-1:
Also from these disturbances in the colon there are diabetic tendencies, or there is the inability of the body to control the activities of sugars taken into the body. (4023-1)
Finally, the Cayce health information consistently maintains that the mental and spiritual aspects of healing are important. Therefore, this protocol provides some specific recommendations for working with attitudes, ideals and behaviors from a holistic perspective.
To summarize the approach advocated in this protocol, the primary therapies are:
- Spinal Adjustment to correct any problems that may exist in the nerve supply to the pancreas and associated organs;
- Basic Diet recommendations focusing on maintaining balance with an emphasis on natural foods such as fresh fruits and vegetables;
- Dietary Supplementation with Jerusalem Artichoke to augment the body's natural supply of insulin;
- Moderate Exercise is encouraged in the form of walking and specific exercises;
- Colon Hydrotherapy to improve eliminations and functioning throughout the alimentary canal;
- Ideals Exercise to develop a healing attitude based on spiritual principles.