Ayurveda for diabetes: Lifestyle practices and dietary guidelines

January 7, 2025

Diabetes is a chronic disease where your pancreas is not able to produce enough insulin or when your body is not effectively making use of insulin. Insulin is a hormone which regulates blood sugar levels. This leads to abnormally high blood sugar or glucose levels also called Hyperglycaemia. If left undiagnosed or untreated, it can negatively affect several bodily systems; mainly blood vessels and nerves. There are 4 types of diabetes:

Type 1 Diabetes: It is mostly diagnosed in adolescents. It is a chronic condition in which the immune system attacks the cells in the pancreas responsible for making insulin. This leads to the pancreas producing little to no insulin.
Type 2 Diabetes: In this condition, your body cannot effectively make use of the insulin produced by the pancreas leading to increased blood sugar levels.
Prediabetes: This is a condition where your blood sugar levels are high but not high enough to be diagnosed with prediabetes type 2 diabetes.
Gestational Diabetes: Some women during pregnancy get diagnosed with this condition and it mostly goes after birth. But being diagnosed with this condition increased your chances of getting type 2 diabetes in future.

World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 77 million adults are suffering from type 2 diabetes and around 25 million people are dealing with prediabetes in India.

As per the findings from the year 2021 reported in the 10th edition of IDF Diabetes Atlas:

Around 537 million adults between the ages of 20 to 79 years are fighting diabetes globally.
Diabetes was responsible for 6.7 million death all around the world in 2021.
It is estimated that 541 million have Impaired Glucose Tolerance (IGT or prediabetes).

It is important to do regular check-ups and tests to find out whether you fall under the diabetes diagnosis criteria. If you do get diagnosed with it, it’s time to visit a healthcare professional and figure out a diabetic care plan that is fit for you.

Many people have shifted or have shown interest in shifting towards a more natural or holistic approach towards healthcare. Some are replacing conventional therapy, and many are using the natural approach complementary to their conventional treatment.

The holistic or natural approach focuses on the treatment as well as prevention of diseases. It goes beyond the healing of physical health. It also focuses on the emotional and mental aspects of healthcare. It believes in not only treating the symptoms but also in dealing with the underlying conditions. In this article, we will talk about Ayurveda for diabetes. Its approach and recommended Ayurvedic lifestyle practices and dietary guidelines as a part of the treatment.

Ayurvedic Approach to Diabetes

In India, the traditional system of Ayurveda originated in the 2nd century BC. This historical root of Ayurveda is accredited to Atharva Veda which mentions several diseases and treatments. It is one of the oldest natural and holistic approaches in medicine and healthcare. It focuses on healing the whole body (physical, mental, and emotional health.

In Ayurveda, diabetes is associated with urine. The Ayurvedic term for diabetes is madhumeh which translates to “sweet urine”. Diabetes Mellitus is when the blood sugar levels are very high, and the kidneys try to excrete the extra glucose through urine.

Causes of Diabetes according to Ayurveda:

Very less movement.
Eating excessive amounts of sweet food.
Improper or excessive sleep (includes daytime sleeping)
Stress
Consumption of improper diet.

Ayurveda aims to restore the balance of doshas and harmony in the body, which in return helps in regulating blood sugar levels. Many have started turning towards Ayurvedic medicine for diabetes as a complementary or alternative therapy to manage diabetes.

According to Ayurveda, diabetes is a systemic disorder that has a negative impact on various organs and systems such as the kidneys, liver, nervous system, and cardiovascular system. All these systems and organs are interconnected. An imbalance in one can cause harm to others. For example, diabetes causes nerve damage or neuropathy which is a common condition associated with diabetes. Many people who have been living with diabetes for a longer period eventually get diagnosed with neuropathy. Any part of the nervous system can get affected by neuropathy and cause digestion issues, negatively affecting the upper legs or hips and cause numbness or extreme pain in fingers, hands, arms, toes, feet, and legs.

Ayurveda recognizes that diabetes disrupts the normal functioning of the metabolic system. It impacts the ability of our bodies to metabolise glucose. This causes weight gain and increased resistance to insulin. An imbalance in blood sugar levels also affects the utilization of nutrients in the body.

Concepts of Doshas

Doshas are the natural forces or the functional energies in the body. The qualitative nature of the three doshas are linked to the 5 elements of nature:

(Air and space): Spry, clear, cold, dry, rough, and light.
(fire and water): Spry, light, liquid, oily, hot, and sharp.
(earth and water): Soft, stable, cloudy, heavy, oily, slow, and smooth.

There are specific functions assigned to each of the doshas based on their qualitative nature.

Vata is present in the lower abdomen. It is responsible for tissue maintenance, functioning of respiration, maintaining the urges of thirst, hunger, sleep, urination and so on. It warrants the smooth functioning of the brain’s communication with the body through nerves, blood flow, heart, and muscle contractions.
Pitta is responsible for the workings of the digestive system and is in the upper abdominal region. It maintains the body temperature and regulates emotions.
Kapha is believed to be in the chest area. It looks after the strength and stability of the body. It is responsible for keeping the skin moisturized, lubricating the joints, and hydrating the cells and tissues.

Everyone has a unique combination of doshas which influences their mental and physical characteristics. So, if there is an imbalance in any of the doshas, it negatively impacts the overall health. Specifically, if there is an imbalance in Vata dosha, it may disrupt the entire bodily functions and if left untreated can cause serious health issues.

According to Ayurveda, the underlying cause of diabetes lies in the imbalance of multiple doshas. An imbalance in Pitta dosha, which is responsible for metabolism, the endocrine system and digestion are commonly linked to diabetes. Diabetes Mellitus, in which the blood sugar levels are very high, and the kidneys try to excrete the extra glucose through urine. This is caused by an imbalance in Vata dosha.

As per Ayurveda, diabetes can be managed and freedom from diabetes is also possible to achieve by following Ayurvedic practices of lifestyle modifications, dietary guidelines, herbal remedies, and detoxification therapies. In this article, we will discuss lifestyle management and dietary guidelines by Ayurveda.

Ayurvedic lifestyle practices for diabetes management

Ayurveda emphasizes the importance of making these healthy lifestyle adjustments as a part of diabetic care:

Exercise: Regular physical activity is important to keep healthy and improve digestion, insulin sensitivity and metabolism. Ayurveda recommends activities like yoga, swimming, and walking.
Stress Management: Too much stress increases the excretion of the stress hormone cortisol. High cortisol levels make it difficult for our body to maintain blood sugar levels and manage diabetes. To deal with this issue, there are several Ayurvedic techniques for stress reduction like mindfulness practices, meditation, and deep breathing techniques.
Herbal Remedies: There are many Ayurvedic herbs beneficial in the management of diabetes such as methi (fenugreek), kadukkai or haritaki (Myrobalan), gumar, cinnamon, and many more. Herbal remedies or Ayurvedic medicines for diabetes should be used under the supervision or recommendation of an Ayurvedic practitioner.
Daily Routine: Immense importance is given to maintaining a daily routine or a dinacharya as they say in Ayurveda. It is recommended to have certain practices or daily rituals like oil pulling, self-massage (abhyanga) and tongue scraping as a part of the routine.
Ayurvedic Supplements: There are several Ayurvedic supplements like Triphala, Ashwagandha, SugaHeal, etc. These supplements are a safer option with little to no side effects. It is still recommended to consult with an Ayurvedic practitioner to know which one suits your needs better.
Diet: In Ayurveda, a balanced diet is personalised based on the person’s dosha imbalance. Let's understand in detail what Ayurveda says about diet for diabetes.
Detoxification: Panchakarma, an Ayurvedic detoxification process has 5 processes that can help you with your diabetic care routine. Panchakarma consists of 5 steps to detoxification:
1. Vaman (Emesis)
2. Virechan (Purgation)
3. Nyasa (Medicated nasal oils)
4. Basti (Medicated enemas)
5. Raktamokshan (Toxic bloodletting or blood purification)

Ayurvedic Dietary Guidelines for Diabetic Care

Prakriti is the ingrained nature or characteristic of a person since their conception that never changes. It is determined by the dominant doshas of that person. There are seven types of Prakriti mentioned in Ayurveda:

Tridosha
Vata Pitta Prakriti
Pitta Kapha Prakriti
Vata Kapha Prakriti
Vata Prakriti
Pitta Prakriti
Kapha Prakriti

There are different characteristic features of each Prakriti and different dietary guidelines recommended for each Prakriti. The first step to finding your perfect diet is to recognise which dosha or Prakriti type you are. However, there are some basic Ayurvedic dietary guidelines for diabetics:

Preference for a Vegetarian Diet: Ayurvedic diet often speaks about nutrition-rich vegetarian foods such as legumes, spices, herbs, nuts, fresh and organic produce, whole foods and so on. Fruits and vegetables (mostly cooked) are recommended for their nutritional value. Dairy products like milk, yoghurt, and paneer for those who are tolerant of it. And it is nothing to worry about if meat is a part of your daily diet. You can aim to reduce the intake of meat and increase the number of vegetarian options.
Avoid Processed Foods: Processed foods often contain high amounts of preservatives and bad carbs such as sugar and starch harmful to diabetic patients. These foods make it harder for the body to break the food down into essential nutrients.
Eating a Balanced and Right Amount for You: One rule in Ayurveda is to eat till you feel full. Once you are comfortable with the amount you have eaten, stop. Do not consume more!
Include High-Fiber Ingredients: Ingredients that are high in fiber, especially insoluble fiber have a low glycaemic index. Foods with low glycaemic index help in regulating and maintaining blood sugar levels. You can meet your daily fiber needs by adding ingredients like Fenuflakes to your meal. Fenuflakes is flakes made from methi (Fenugreek) seeds. It has equal amounts of soluble and insoluble fiber. Neutral in taste it can be added to most of your foods and lower their glycaemic index.
Drink More Water: Your body needs to stay hydrated, and nothing works better than a cup of normal water every few hours a day! Along with this, having drinks like chaas (a drink made by diluting yoghurt with water) during lunch and a cup of herbal tea to boost your mornings are also some ways you can stay hydrated throughout the day.
Heavy Lunch and Light Dinner: Ayurveda recommends keeping lunch as the heaviest meal of the day. This is because during the daytime your body can digest and process nutrients better. At night, your body is shifting more towards healing the wear and tear of your body. Hence, it is recommended to have a light dinner around two to three hours before you go to bed.

Takeaway

If you want to opt for an Ayurvedic lifestyle and Ayurvedic medicine for diabetes as a complementary or alternative approach to your conventional therapy, we suggest you visit an Ayurvedic practitioner to figure out your Prakriti and make the necessary changes to your lifestyle and diet. In the next article, we will discuss Ayurvedic treatment for diabetics which includes herbal supplementation and detoxification in detail. So, stay tuned!

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