Diabetes/Indians

[Guest guest]

>>as to why the increase in diabetes amongst Indians?

 

The Standard American diet, depression, alcohol, fry bread and western

pharmaceuticals are my pet peves.

 

Diabetes is a disease of metabolism and the indigenous diet was completely

transformed upon contact. Coffee and sugar (not to mention Smallpox) were

among the first gifts from the colonizers. Indigenous roots, berries,

grains, plants, etc were destroyed and wheat planted in its place. Today, 45

varieties of genetically altered corn replace the oil-rich indigenous corn of

the past. Wild game was replaced with beef and chicken, neither of which

are indigenous to the US; 4 out of 5 Indians are lactose intolerant, and

wheat allergies run rampant. Fermented beverages were never made. Food was

never fried. Water and ground soil were not polluted. Here in Minnesota for

example, it is difficult to maintain the traditional indigenous diet as the

state has issued fish advisories to children and all women of childbearing

age to consume less than 2 fish per year. If the fish are that polluted,

what about the wild rice that comes from the same lakes? Not only Indians

in America suffer the high rates of diabetes, however - the CDC's report that

other minority rates have soared as well, particularly Hispanic and Black.

Perhaps the Standard American Diet (SAD) and the USDA food pyramid are not

for everyone...

[Guest guest]

Gabriella

You say that diabetes is rampant amongst the indigenous Indians .It is the

same over here for the Maori and Pacific Islanders.(luckily it hasn't

afected David Tui though )

Why do you think that is ?

I spoke to a diabetes specialist over here (NZ) and he said it was due to

the fact that the sudden change in lifestyle(100-150 years is sudden)

including complete change in exercise etc...they used to run around a lot

....now they don't, sudden increase in high sugar /refined starch diets

....and eating les fish .....

my view all westerners eat more sugar/starch stuff now as well and American

Indians especially inland tribes didn't eat much fish anyway.....

 

Just thought if you had any ideas why from a TCM perspective as to why the

increase in diabetes amongst Indians?

 

Heiko Lade

Registered Acupuncturist / Chinese Herbalist

2 Jenkins St.

Green Island, Dunedin

New Zealand

Tel: (03) 488 4086, Fax: (03) 488 4012

http://www.lade.com/heiko

Email: heiko

[Guest guest]

, fourwolves@a... wrote:

Not only Indians

> in America suffer the high rates of diabetes, however - the CDC's report that

> other minority rates have soared as well, particularly Hispanic and Black.

> Perhaps the Standard American Diet (SAD) and the USDA food pyramid are not

> for everyone...

 

the common factor in these groups is poverty. Poor people in affluent

countries tend to eat higher fat and sugar diets than the well to do.

Genetic factors predispose, but diet induced insulin resistance is

almost always the culprit. Weight loss to within healthy limits

basically cures most type 2 DM. I don't think it has as much to do

with ethnicity, per se. Poor whites experience the same phenomena. It

is only when all whites are considered together that the rates seemed

skewed towards minorities. when adjusted for income, the rates are

fairly the same across ethnic lines.

 

this discussion on diabetes again raises a terminology issue to me. In

modern TCM, xiao ke (wasting thirst) is translated as diabetes. Yin

tonics are indicated and have been shown to lower blood sugar in animal

models which more closely mimic type 1 DM. I think most type 2

diabetics actually present as spleen xu with dampheat, which would call

for other tx principles and for which yin tonics may be contraindicated

in many cases. In their preface to SHL, wiseman and mitchell point out

that the term xiao ke does not appear to refer to diabetes in their

estimate. Yet, the new world press version does make this equation

based on modern useage of the term. I wrote a paper on this topic

published in IJOM five years ago. while a little flawed, it is still

relevant reading. See it posted with a disclaimer at

http://www.inetarena.com/~/dm.html