“Would you recommend naturopathy treatment for severe diabetes?”
My mother needs insulin shots every day and gets very angry and irritable. Can I try naturopathy treatment for her diabetes, along with her diabetes medicine?
20 Answers
Yes! Naturopathic medicine has many therapeutic options for the treatment of diabetes. Many naturopathic treatments can be given alongside insulin and other conventional treatments. In general, naturopathic medicine takes a whole-person, root-cause approach to better understand individual patients and the many different influences on their health. In other words, we treat the patient, not just their diabetes. Licensed naturopathic physicians can be found through naturopathic.org or findanaturaldoctor.com.
Naturopathic Medical treatments are excellent to pair alongside diabetes pharmaceuticals to help you achieve your health goals. As a Naturopathic Doctor, I have had excellent results with my patients with even severe diabetes. The best treatment depends on which type of diabetes you have and what other health conditions you are experiencing. Your other biological processes can contribute to, worsen, or improve your diabetes. So you want to ensure that you have a doctor who holistically analyzes your health to give you the most optimal and safest plan.
For Diabetes Mellitus Type II, the typical treatments I recommend include moderate-intensity physical movement, eating foods that are high in protein and fiber, eating less foods with a high Glycemic Index, Berberine (herb that has been shown to decrease A1c, blood glucose, and lipid levels), treat any associated symptoms like neuropathy, and replete any nutritional deficiencies that are prevalent with people with DM (such as magnesium, vitamin D, and vitamin B12).
For Diabetes Mellitus Type I, the top treatments I would recommend are similar to DM type II. Additionally, I would assess for (then treat) other diseases that have been shown to be associated (such as Celiac disease, cardiovascular diseases, and some autoimmune diseases).
Besides those initial treatments, my other recommendations will be very specific to the individual. For example, someone’s sleep quality patterns or automatic cortisol responses can directly affect their diabetes.
Before you start any natural treatments, consult your licensed Naturopathic Doctor to ensure your safety from possible interactions (for example, some herbs can change the amount of insulin your body needs).
For Diabetes Mellitus Type II, the typical treatments I recommend include moderate-intensity physical movement, eating foods that are high in protein and fiber, eating less foods with a high Glycemic Index, Berberine (herb that has been shown to decrease A1c, blood glucose, and lipid levels), treat any associated symptoms like neuropathy, and replete any nutritional deficiencies that are prevalent with people with DM (such as magnesium, vitamin D, and vitamin B12).
For Diabetes Mellitus Type I, the top treatments I would recommend are similar to DM type II. Additionally, I would assess for (then treat) other diseases that have been shown to be associated (such as Celiac disease, cardiovascular diseases, and some autoimmune diseases).
Besides those initial treatments, my other recommendations will be very specific to the individual. For example, someone’s sleep quality patterns or automatic cortisol responses can directly affect their diabetes.
Before you start any natural treatments, consult your licensed Naturopathic Doctor to ensure your safety from possible interactions (for example, some herbs can change the amount of insulin your body needs).
Naturopathic treatments can be very beneficial for helping to stabilize blood sugar. It's important to have a professional work closely with you to monitor, as sometimes the need for medications reduces. For example, if someone doesn't need as much insulin and the dosage isn't changed, the insulin can lower blood sugar too much. To optimize the benefits of naturopathic treatments, you'd also want your mom to be a willing participant. Is she willing to modify her diet or lifestyle as a start?
Absolutely! Naturopathic medicine often goes great alongside the mainstream medical approach. We could certainly consider diet/nutrition and lifestyle, as well as natural medicines or supplements that can be very helpful.
Conjunctive therapies have been helpful in reducing A1c and insulin levels. Please find a Naturothic Doctor or integrative doctor in your area to help your mom with her health issues
Yes, most definitely. A trained holistic medicine practitioner can work with your primary care physician or your endocrinologist to help stabilize blood glucose through diet and lifestyle changes. Often deficiency of certain nutrients also creates an imbalance that can be hard to manage with medications alone. In my experience having a team of doctors benefits the patient tremendously.
I'm so sorry to hear about your mom having such a hard time with the insulin. I apologize, I'm not well versed in diabetes to feel comfortable recommending some treatment options.
Hello,
Naturopathic doctors who treat diabetes will absolutely give natural treatments along with insulin, metformin and any other diabetes related medications the person is on. It's not safe to just cut off all that medicine and do all natural. It takes time for the body to respond to the natural treatment.
At the same time, depending on how long they've had diabetes, how severe their case is, and how willing (or unwilling) the patient is to make lifestyle changes, one patient may be able to fully reverse their diabetes and come off medications while others will always need some medications. If they cannot come off fully, naturopathic treatments often helps them to reduce how much of the other medicines they need.
Naturopathic doctors who treat diabetes will absolutely give natural treatments along with insulin, metformin and any other diabetes related medications the person is on. It's not safe to just cut off all that medicine and do all natural. It takes time for the body to respond to the natural treatment.
At the same time, depending on how long they've had diabetes, how severe their case is, and how willing (or unwilling) the patient is to make lifestyle changes, one patient may be able to fully reverse their diabetes and come off medications while others will always need some medications. If they cannot come off fully, naturopathic treatments often helps them to reduce how much of the other medicines they need.
Diabetes can be a complicated condition to treat. Naturopaths are trained as primary care providers and is some states, can treat diabetes with pharmaceuticals, supplemental support, herbs, vitamins, diet, exercise, etc. With uncontrolled diabetes, I would recommend working with an endocrinologist or diabetes specialist in addition to any naturopathic doctor support. The two therapies can be complimentary with each other, however it is always a good idea to have multiple providers work together on the patient so that they are exposed to a variety of support.
If she has type 2 diabetes, there are ways to reverse diabetes but it takes a lot of work and willingness because much of her life needs to change. There are great books to read like Mastering Diabetes, Program for Reversing Diabetes, Master Your Diabetes, etc. to truly understand what is needed to reverse diabetes. It is absolutely possible, but the diabetes is progressed, then there will need to be more of an integrative approach with conventional medical care including insulin and a more natural approach.
Your mom would absolutely benefit from seeing a Naturopathic Doctor. NDs do an extensive intake and take all aspects of the person into consideration. NDs especially focus on lifestyle, diet and and stress to help the body and mind. NDs are trained in both pharmaceutical meds and herbs in addition to addressing supplemental deficiencies that prescription drugs might cause a deficiency.
yes
I don't know everything about your mother and her health, however, I would recommend seeing a Naturopathic Physician that specializes in diabetes and the reversal of it. Treatments are only as successful as the patient's willingness to work on their own healing.
Delythe Lowry-Charles
Preventative Medicine Specialist | Public Health & General Preventive Medicine
MIAMI, FL
There are natural protocol that can support blood sugar imbalances. It is recommended that you work with your healthcare provider to discuss alternative methods while on medication.
Of course. Start with Berberine 3 caps 3x a day and monitor A1-c.
I would advise against starting any new natural treatments without being under the care of a naturopathic physician. There are many treatments that can cause an unsafe drop in blood sugars when not monitored properly.
No.
Yes there are a lot of supportive things that we can do with diet changes, supplementation, and treatments like acupuncture that can help with neuropathy and more. So, the answer is yes.
Naturopathic medicine is great for the management of diabetes. You need to find a qualified practitioner to assist you with this issue.
Your mother most definitely can use naturopathic treatments in conjunction with her Western medicine treatments. Naturopathic doctors who are fully trained medical practitioners who can help manage her diabetes.
