Western Medicine believes diabetes is a disease which occurs when the body cannot properly metabolize foods (especially carbohydrates). They believe that diabetes is from family genetics and other factors such as viruses, the environment, and being overweight, which causes the body to destroy its own insulin-producing cells within the pancreas. Western Medicine believes that if the pancreas does not release enough hormone (insulin) to convert sugar and starches into energy, excess sugar builds in the blood damaging blood vessels and internal organs.

Treatment with Western Medicine includes administering self-injections of insulin, often combined with glucose drugs. These treatments are often life long and unfortunately, long term use of these drugs will lead to blindness, loss of libido, and kidney failure. Special diets are also prescribed as part of the therapy. Regularly monitoring the blood sugar level and frequently seeing a Western Medical physician are necessary to prevent complications.

Traditional Chinese Medicine believes that an improper lifestyle, not genetics, is one reason for high blood sugar problems. The spleen receives nutrients from the small intestine and the spleen also sends moisture to the small intestine. The spleen converts excessive nutrients in the body into fat. Excessive fat will burden the heart. The heart provides heat so the pancreas can burn fat and maintain balance within the body. A chronic imbalance of the spleen and pancreas will lead to kidney failure. This is why all patients at the final stages of diabetes are on renal (kidney) dialysis machines. It is because their kidneys quit working. Western drugs try to control the disease but cannot prevent kidney failure in the end. When man made insulin is injected, the liver will constantly try to detoxify this substance from the body. Chronically using insulin causes the liver to overwork, creating eye problems since the Liver controls the eyesight.

Treating high blood sugar with Traditional Chinese Medicine involves herbs to strengthen the heart, liver, and kidneys. Herbal medicines will help bring the body’s metabolism back to normal so the body itself (not insulin, a drug) can control the blood sugar. Avoid eating before bedtime since the body’s metabolism slows when sleeping, and excess food in the stomach will be converted into sugars which over time will cause a rise in the blood sugar level.