With the help of Dr. Qiu Xuelan and Dr. Thomas Whalen we uncover the meeting point between the classical pathogenesis of diabetes in Chinese medicine and modern physiology. By looking at the herbal formulas we can get further insight into a universal treatment strategy which may be helpful no matter which modality of medicine you choose.

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Show Notes:

BBH Diabetes/obesity

Turns blood to acid Effects mental function/nervous system Simplicity

Spaces where tradition and science meet Modality of medicine matters less than understanding the underlying pathogenesis Improvements in quality of life, or complete reversal

1:40 Traditional Chinese standpoint Why it’s misunderstood Why you don’t get expected results Nuances that get lost in translation 1:57 Chinese medicine understanding of diabetes -wasting/thirsting Big thirst, hunger, urination 3 sections of the body—the 3 “jiaos” Mid:Pancreas, spleen, stomach Upper: heart/lungs Lower: kidneys

2:55 How it’s often taught in TCM in US Either upper, middle or lower 3:09 Classical CM understanding of pathogenesis 1. Digestive organs—food stagnation, Earth 2. Lungs—dryness, thirst, Metal 3. Kidneys—dryness 4:10 Dampness in SP—>phlegm in LU—>stasis in KD Dampness and phlegm from above drains down into the kidneys.  This becomes blood stasis. This falsely can be interpreted as deficiency Tendency to think boosting SP/LU/KD will help Blood stasis in KD leads to Peripheral neuropathy Finally, the water of the KD blocks the LV and then affects the HT This is where you get cerebral vascular incidences like strokes and heart attacks 5:22 This type of cycle through the organs is true of most chronic conditions

5:30 Modern medicine overlap Systemic inflammation Gut dysbiosis—derails the levels of nitric oxide (NO) in the body NO levels of effects on hunger/eating 6:44 Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) elevated NO levels oxidize H2S H2S influences thirst NO and H2S—partially regulated by breath Natural regulation of gasotransmitters through breath This is the link between the lungs and thirst 7:16 idea of dampness Food stagnation—>inflammation—> Na/K pump affected—>increased water retention Water retention—>houses bacteria—>inflammation—>biofilms (“phlegm”)

7:43 H2S and diabetic neuropathy H2S deficiency increases urination and stops protecting nerves (diabetic neuropathy) 8:04 Platelet adhesion and thickness of blood NO/H2S levels and drinking behavior in animals Cerebral vascular incidences

8:35 scientific paper: the role of H2S in diabetic neuropathy

9:47 strategies for treatment Start with the final stage in the cycle. Start with feet. Blood circulation along legs (kidneys) Platelet adhesion and vasoconstriction in the legs Causes tissues in the leg to die, and form clots Then work your way to the first stage: The gut. 11:25 difficulty of diabetes treatment Shifting diet, weather, and lifestyle, requiring contained parameters for treatment Stopping the progression of the end stage and also reversing the beginning stage helps contain shifting parameters. The window of opportunity 11:48: Compliance for 9 months Diet 3 months Lungs 3 months Kidneys 3 months Each component is a minimum of 3 months to heal 12:00 KD—>LU—>SP 12:52 key level of NO for insulin production of pancreas. 13:10 focus on the strategy, and not the tools