Diabetes is a disorder that impairs the body’s ability to metabolize carbohydrates and is characterized by abnormally elevated blood glucose (sugar) levels and the excretion of the excess glucose in the urine. There are two types of diabetes mellitus: Type 1 diabetes occurs primarily in children and young adults and has a rapid onset and progress. The pancreas does not produce enough insulin. Type 2 diabetes has evolved as a major disease in the last decade, usually affecting those over the age of 40 and having a slow onset and slow progress. It is a lifestyle disease caused by a high-fat diet and too little exercise. The body produces insulin, but the cells become insulin resistant (unable to utilize the insulin).

Home Remedies:

1. Take 2 teaspoons of bitter gourd (karela) juice once a day. One can also increase its use as a cooked vegetable.
2. Take 1 teaspoon of Indian gooseberry (amla; amalaki) juice mixed with 1 teaspoon of bitter gourd juice twice a day.
3. Chew 10 holy basil leaves (tulsi), 10 margosa leaves (neem), and 10 bael leaves (belpatra) on an empty stomach in the early morning.

Diet and Lifestyle:

Include whole grains in the diet, such as wheat bread/pasta and brown rice. Cheese and yoghurt prepared with skimmed (nonfat) milk may be taken. Use garlic, onion, bitter gourd, spinach, raw banana, and black plum. Make a flour mixture of 1 part barley, 1 part black chickpeas, and 4 parts whole-wheat flour and use this to form pancakes and bread. Avoid sweet, sour, and salty foods, potatoes, sweet potatoes, colocasia (taro), yams, fresh grains and pulses (legumes), whole yoghurt (high in fat), and heavy, oily and spicy foods. Avoid sweet fruits like pineapple, grapes, mangoes, etc. Start doing some light exercise, such as brisk walking. Build up to a brisk walk of 30-40 minutes in the morning and again in the evening. Avoid sleeping in the daytime as it increases kledaka kapha.