Holistic Approaches Help Diabetics

Alternative medicine approaches may serve an important adjunctive role, for people with type-2 diabetes. Ryan Bradley, from Bastyr University (Washington, USA), and colleagues studied 40 diabetic subjects who received counseling on diet, exercise, and glucose monitoring from four naturopathic physicians, as an adjunct to conventional diabetes care from their medical doctors – including prescription medications.  Many of the participants also received stress-management care and dietary supplements. Researchers then compared these 40 participants with 329 patients receiving only conventional diabetes care.  In six months and about four naturopathic treatment visits, participants demonstrated improved self-care, more consistent monitoring of glucose, and improved moods. Hemoglobin A1c rates, a measure of blood-sugar control, were nearly a full percentage point lower for those patients. This compares with a drop of only 0.5% over the same time period for 329 clinically similar patients receiving only conventional diabetes care.  Observing that: “Improvements were noted in self-monitoring of glucose, diet, self-efficacy, motivation and mood following initiation of [adjunctive naturopathic care] for patients with inadequately controlled type 2 diabetes,” the study authors conclude that: “Study participants also experienced reductions in blood glucose that exceeded those for similar patients who did not receive [adjunctive naturopathic care].”