TCM: prevention still the key

According to traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), diabetes is caused by yang () deficiency in sanjiao (), the three visceral cavities housing the internal organs.

"Sanjiao is an isolated part of the body in TCM, a path which allows people's yuanqi (), vital energy, to travel," explained Xu Wenbing, director at the Hope Institute of Chinese Medicine.

Sanjiao can be divided into the upper part, which houses the heart and lungs, the middle part, which houses the stomach and spleen, and the lower part, which houses the kidneys.

The upper part of sanjiao produces saliva and body fluids. When it is damaged people always feel thirsty. Drinking cannot quench their thirst.

The middle part of sanjiao is like the kitchen of the body. When it is hurt the food people eat can not be properly transformed into energy.

The lower part of sanjiao includes the kidneys. Therefore when this area is affected people need to urinate frequently, sperm count in men is reduced as is libido.

Meanwhile, because sanjiao is related with xinbao (), the capsule of the heart, which is in charge of emotional activity, damage to this part of the body can be caused by psychological trauma.

TCM literature has recorded that three kinds of people are likely to develop diabetes: those who are rich and highbrowed, those who engage in too much sexual activity, and those who experience drastic emotional disturbances.

Xu believes the treatment of diabetes should start both from the body and from the person's emotional condition. That would involve treatment of the xinbao jing (), channel of energy for the capsule of heart, and cultivation of vital energy at guanyuan (), an acupuncture point just below the navel.

He also thinks people with non-insulin-dependent diabetes should not get dependent on blood sugar lowering medicines or insulin injections. That is because the more one depends on medicines, the more ineffectual the body's insulin-producing function will become.

But he has found treatment of diabetes with TCM methods rather difficult.

"Therefore, prevention is particularly important," he stressed.

From ChinaDaily.com.cn