Type 2 diabetes is a lifestyle disease associated with the way a person lives. Factors responsible for this condition are obesity, physical inactivity, junk diet, stress, and urbanization. Excess body fat underlies 64% of cases of diabetes in men and 77% of cases in women.

In order to regulate Type 2 Diabetes, one has to make certain lifestyle changes that include proper diet, exercise, and healthy choices to help in balancing your blood sugar and decrease the risk of complications. Ayurveda along with healing foods suggest simple home remedies to cure diabetes.

Ayurveda View on Diabetes

Ayurveda does not regard Diabetes as a disease that can be treated by mere medicine or by a dietary regimen. Madhumeha is classified as a Maha Rog (Major Disease) because, if not treated in time, it can lead to several complications in the body, including eye problems, joint pains, impotency, kidney failure, sexual and urological problems, and more. 

Diabetes is a metabolic disorder and it cannot be merely treated by controlling sugar levels. The treatment recommended in Ayurveda – as against modern medicine – is aimed at rejuvenating the body to not only balance sugar levels but also ensure that no further complication is caused.

In order to regulate type 2 diabetes, ensuring a balance between regular exercise and a healthy diet is key.

Type 2 Diabetes Care

• A diabetic patient should never skip meals. Proper meals on time is a must. 
• Start doing some light exercise, such as brisk walking. Eventually build up stamina 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.
• Practice Yoga and Meditation to calm mind and body.

Practice Yoga Nidra Sleep Meditation for Insomnia, Stress

A Diabetic Diet, Ayurveda Recommendation

• Include as much raw salads as possible along with afternoon meals and also for dinner. 
• Include Whole Grain Plant Based Diet
• Cheese and yogurt prepared with skimmed (nonfat) milk may be taken.
• Include Sprouts Salad and Microgreens in your diet. Horse gram, green gram, black gram, green peas, etc., should be consumed more. 
• 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 fruits like pineapple, grapes, mangoes, etc. Fruits including berries and apples, vegetables like spinach, cauliflower, cabbage, carrot, etc. can be taken.
• Avoid sweet, sour, and salty foods, potatoes, sweet potatoes, colocasia (taro), yams, fresh grains and pulses (legumes), whole yogurt (high in fat), and heavy, oily, and spicy foods.
• Drinking hot ginger tea with meals helps stimulate slow digestion. Drink 2–3 cups of ginger tea daily.
• Use pungent spices like pepper, cayenne, mustard seed, and ginger freely in your diet.
• Include medicinal herbs and spices like Cinnamon, Turmeric,Curcumin, Ginseng, Fenugreek, Psyllium, Aloe vera, Bitter melon, Milk thistle in your daily diet.
• Tender coconut water can be taken and the whitish pulp should be avoided as it is high in sugar and fat. Taking coconut water directly improves blood circulation and helps to widen the vessels for smooth blood circulation. Therefore, coconut water provides great relief against fighting the symptoms and side effects of diabetes. It suppresses the appetite and also increases metabolism. Hence it is an ideal drink for obese diabetic patients. Only pure and unflavoured (fresh) coconut water should be taken.

Diabetes Home Remedies

1. Dry the leaves of the mango tree and grind to a powder. Mix 1 teaspoon dry powder in a glass of water and drink it daily to reduce high blood sugar levels.
2. Take 2 teaspoons of bitter gourd (karela) juice once a day. One can also increase its use as a cooked vegetable.
3. Take 1 teaspoon of Indian gooseberry (amla) juice mixed with 1 teaspoon of bitter gourd juice twice a day.
4. Consumption of Jamun seeds (dried and powdered) has proved beneficial in the case of type 2 diabetes. Dried and powdered seeds should be taken in the dose of 1 tsp twice daily with warm water.
5. Neem leaves should be ground and made into a paste and a small bolus of this should be added to water. This should be taken on an empty stomach in the morning.
6. Add 1 tsp of cinnamon powder to a glass of hot water and drink it daily for a couple of months.
7. Mix ground flax seeds into a glass of water and drink daily.

Yoga for Body-Centered Awareness and Balance

From an Ayurvedic perspective, there are specific yoga postures that offer the greatest benefits with the least amount of stress. Some of these poses include:

• Sun Salutation series
• Seated forward bend (paschimottanasana)
• Tree pose (vrikshasana)
• Warrior I and II (virabhadrasana I and II)
• Extended side angle, (utthita parsvakonasana)
• Bridge pose (setu bandha sarvangasana)
• Alligator twist (jathara parivartasana)
• Relaxation pose (savasana)

Learn more about the Benefits of Yoga in Managing Healthy Lifestyle