1. Glucose is the main form of sugar in the body.
The body breaks down food into glucose and
uses it as a source of energy.
Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a condition in which
the body is unable to regulate the level of
glucose in the blood. In diabetics, the body
does not produce enough insulin or does not
use the produced insulin effectively. This
results in a high level of glucose in the blood,
the condition also known as hyperglycemia.
Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas
(a long, thin organ located behind the stomach
against the back). In healthy people, insulin
helps to regulate the glucose (sugar) levels.
There are four main types of diabetes mellitus:
Type 1: People with this type of diabetes
make little or no insulin in their body, and need
regular insulin injections for survival and
management of diabetes. It usually starts in
childhood or adolescence, and is strongly
associated with genetic tendency.
Type 2 (DM2): This is the most common
form of diabetes, and is strongly associated
with unhealthy lifestyle and obesity. The body
produces low, normal or even high levels of

2. insulin, but certain factors make its utilization
ineffective (insulin resistance). Sedentary
lifestyle, unhealthy dietary patterns, and the
consequent obesity are common causes. It
usually starts in adulthood, but is beginning to
be seen in obese adolescents also.
Gestational diabetes mellitus: Pregnancy-
induced diabetes
Secondary diabetes mellitus: Caused by
genetic conditions, pancreatic diseases (e.g.
inflammation, surgery or malignancy of the
pancreas, etc), drugs (e.g. steroids like
prednisolone, pentamidine, excess thyroid
hormone, etc) or other medical conditions
(acromegaly, Cushing syndrome,
pheochromocytoma, hyperthyroidism,
congenital rubella, etc). Medications such as
thiazide diuretics or oral contraceptives can
precipitate diabetes in a person predisposed to
get it later.
In Ayurveda, Diabetes mellitus, known as
Madhumeha, is described as one of the twenty
types of Prameha (conditions involving
excretion of abnormal urine). Though the
condition is referred to as ‘hard to be treated’,
it can definitely be controlled through judicious
use of the holistic recommendations of

3. Ayurveda, comprising of diet, lifestyle and
medicines.
General Dietary and Lifestyle
Recommendations:
Do’s: Barley is the most useful diet for
diabetics. It should be taken in every possible
form. Chickpea (Bengal gram) is the second
best food after barley. Preferably one year old
stock of barley and chickpea should be
consumed. Both can be soaked overnight in
water and can be used in various preparations
in the morning.
Otherwise their flour, roasted powder or coarse
grind powder can be used singly or in
combination with flours of other grains. Other
food items to be preferred are: one year old
wheat, brown /red rice, corn, millet, oat, lentil,
green gram, horse gram, and pigeon pea.
However, cereals should be consumed in lesser
amount; rather, vegetables, pulses and salad
should usually be preferred. Drumsticks, Parval
(Tricosanthes dioca), Brinjal (melongene),
bitter gourd, ivy gourd, bottle gourd, spinach,
fenugreek leaves, unripe banana, unripe
papaya, radish, zinger, and other bitter-
pungent vegetables are beneficial.

4. Among the spices, black pepper, cumin,
turmeric, cardamom, coriander etc are
preferred. Mustard oil or olive oil is best for
cooking. Blackberry, water chestnut, fig, apple,
Indian gooseberry, pure honey, buttermilk,
cow’s or goat’s milk are other preferred dietary
items.
Different types of workouts/exercises, walking
a few miles early morning and after dinner
(after two hour’s gap) is very useful.
Don’ts: Leisure or Sedentary lifestyle, excess
sleep or rest worsens the problem. Intake of
curd, cream, sweets, chocolates, candies,
artificial sweeteners, fresh stock of cereals,
high sugar fruits, fried or unhealthy fat rich
food items, heavy meals, alcohol and excess of
sour, spicy foods, oils and dairy products are
prohibited. Smoking should be avoided and
quit eventually.
Excess sweating, day time sleep, excessive
indulgence in sex, postponing of natural urges,
especially of urination, is not advisable.
Ayurveda Medicines:
Shilajit or Asphaltum can be valued as the

5. best medicine for diabetes, especially when
used after being processed in the decoction of
herbs like Indian Kino tree or Sal tree.
Other useful Ayurveda herbs, which are now
also proven through the modern experimental
& clinical research, are: Heartwood of Indian
Kino tree, Turmeric, Indian gooseberry, Bitter
gourd, Chinese salacia, Ivy gourd, White head,
Fenugreek seed, Gymnema, Margosa, Chiretta,
Winter cherry root, Tinospora gulancha, etc.
A number of classical single metal/mineral
preparations e.g. vanga bhasma, suvarna
vanga and yashad bhasma are also very useful
as prescribed by Ayurveda doctors. Apart from
above medicine, some well experienced and
documented classical compound Ayurveda
medicines as prescribed by experts are as
follows:
• Chandraprabha vati
• Shilajitvadi lauh
• Shiva gutika
• Dashmoola Kwath
• Meghnath ras
• Vrihat vangeshear Ras
• Nyagrodhadya Churna

6. • Vasant Kusumakar ras
• Mehmudgar vatika
Since Ayurveda advocates specific and
individualized management of all diseases,
including diabetes, its recommendations vary
from person to person depending on various
factors. Therefore it is advised that one should
not try self-medication with the above herbs or
medicines but, instead, always seek personal
consultation from a qualified Ayurveda expert
to get proper benefits and to avoid any harmful
side-effects.
Though, diabetes is one of the leading causes
of metabolic deaths in the world today, by care
and perseverance, the disease can be
controlled and people with diabetes can also
lead normal, healthy, and long lives.