Ayurvedic Tips for Diabetes and eye problems

DIABETES AND EYE PROBLEMS Ayurvedic Tips

To diagnose eye diseases arising from diabetes, eye care specialists usually perform the following tests¹¹:

• Visual acuity: Distance and near vision tests to see how much a person can see.
• Front portions of the eyes are examined using a special microscope to check for cataracts and other abnormalities
• Tonometry: It is used to measure the pressure inside the eyes. If there is more pressure, it may indicate glaucoma.
• Retina examination: Using eye drops, the eye pupils are dilated and retina is examined.
• Optical tomography: It is a medical imaging test that produces high resolution images of the eye. It is used to examine the retina and other eye parts. 

Diet Recommendations (Aahar)

For diabetes in general-

• Increase intake of barley in diet helps in drying up of excess fat / meda.
• Turmeric and cinnamon combination is beneficial in early stages of diabetes.
• Have herbs like gokshura, gudmar, triphalá, musta, cardamom, fenugreek, or coriander, mixed with honey.
• Include other cereals such as wheat, kodo millet and rice, which crops within 60 days to add fibre to diet.
• Pulses such as adhaki (Arahar), horse gram (kulattha), green gram (mudga), are beneficial.
• Include vegetables such as green banana, chaulee, dwarf copperleaf (matsyakhshi), methi (fenugreek leaves) and bitter gourd, Parawal, Kunduru, Lauki along with bitter and astringent leafy vegetables may be taken.
• Include fruits such as orange, watermelon, apple, jambu, kapitha, amla, papaya and other fruits with low sugar content.
• Soyabean, ground nut, Mustard oil may be beneficial
• Karela juice or white pumpkin 20-30 ml on an empty stomach may be beneficial.
• Regularly have methi seeds soaked overnight in water.
• Avoid sugar, sugar products, rice, potato, ghee, butter, fat, regular oil, fermented food items, alcohol, urad (blackgram), rajma (kidney beans) and other heavy items.

Specific for eye complications arising from diabetes-

Increase intake of fruits like grapes, apricots, apple, watermelon, etc., and vegetables like gooseberry, bitter gourd, cabbage, tomato, elephant yam, carrot, ,Lettuce  peas, etc., as these are rich in vitamin A.

Lifestyle changes (Vihar)

For diabetes in general-

• Start exercising regularly. Walking, swimming, running or yogasanas are highly beneficial.
• Have regular oil massage.
• Take regular steam.
• Taking sitz or waist bath (warm shallow bath to cleanse the genital area) also helps.
• Include pranayama (breathing exercise) in your daily routine.

Specific for eye complications arising from diabetes-

• Avoid smoking and drinking alcohol.
• Always carry good footwear and umbrella to maintain health of the eye.
• Avoid sleeping during the day.