What is Diabetes?

Diabetes is the condition where our blood sugar levels are higher than they should be. Along with it, there are symptoms such as dry mouth, excessive thirst, frequent and abundant urination, feeling tired, and abdominal fat accumulation. As the condition progresses, imbalances in fluid metabolism, especially in the body's water balance, can result in damage to vital organs and systems such as the kidneys, eyes, circulation, and nervous system.

How Does Diabetes Develop?

Our body is made up of cells. The nourishment environment for our cells is our body itself. Therefore, our cells utilize the substances in our body fluids, such as blood and interstitial fluids, according to their needs. They depend on us in terms of their requirements. On the other hand, our cells also have an independent existence apart from us. They have their own small brains that function independently, with their own desires and dislikes.

Sugar is something our cells desire in certain amounts because it is an energy source. However, an increase in sugar inside the cell will increase its burden and make survival difficult. This is because sugar will retain water within the cell, and the increased water content will slow down many vital functions of the cell. In other words, excess sugar beyond what is needed becomes a toxic substance for the cell. Therefore, our cells do not want to store sugar; they convert the excess sugar, except for the small amount needed, into fat and send it out into the external environment.

On the other hand, we also have a brain, our needs, and habits. The carbohydrates we consume, as dictated by our needs and habits, are broken down into sugar in our intestines and absorbed into the bloodstream. Approximately 76% of flour is sugar. So, 100 grams of dry bread means 75 grams of sugar. If someone consumes around 260 grams of flour-based food in a day without obtaining sugar through other means, they have consumed a total of about 200 grams of sugar.

Our body contains about 5 liters of blood. The amount of sugar that should be present in each liter of blood is about 1 gram. Therefore, there should be 5 grams of sugar in 5 liters of blood. Considering other body fluids as well, we can estimate that the circulating sugar in the system is about 10-15 grams. This means that if we were to receive 10-15 grams of sugar intravenously, it would double our blood sugar level. The faster the sugar we consume is absorbed, meaning the closer it is to simple sugar, the faster our blood sugar will rise.

However, when blood sugar doubles, it almost makes it impossible for the kidneys to function properly. It draws the vital water that cells need into the bloodstream, and the kidneys convert and excrete this excess water as urine. In turn, the excess sugar in the blood is reabsorbed by the cells, and the kidneys eliminate this water again. In other words, excess sugar in the blood acts like a suction pump, expelling the body's water.

This is where our brain comes into play and triggers the secretion of the insulin hormone, lowering blood sugar and breaking this vicious cycle. Our brain performs regular checks and does not allow our blood sugar to exceed 140 mg/dL (or 1.4 grams per liter). Insulin acts as a key that opens the doors of the cells for sugar. By transporting excess sugar into the cells, it prevents us from being poisoned.

So far, everything has been functioning as it should, from our perspective. However, our cells become swollen and distressed due to the excess sugar being taken inside through insulin. They expend all their vital resources trying to escape this situation. In their attempt to convert sugar into fat, they become exhausted. If the amount of sugar entering the cells exceeds the cell's capacity to convert sugar into fat, sugar accumulates within the cell. In this case, the slowdown of their metabolism is added to the exhaustion they experience.

After repeatedly experiencing this situation, they activate defense mechanisms to protect themselves. They make it more difficult for the doors opened by insulin to stay open. This time, the sugar in the blood rises to a level that complicates our body's systems. Our brain also becomes uneasy with this situation and increases the release of insulin into the bloodstream. Excessive insulin sometimes causes our blood sugar to drop below normal levels, leading to hypoglycemic episodes.

While in this state, fat accumulation around our abdomen begins due to the conversion of sugar into fat by our cells. We become uneasy due to disproportionate weight gain and occasional drops in our blood sugar levels, so we visit the doctor. Through tests, our doctor informs us that our insulin levels have increased, indicating the onset of insulin resistance and the progression towards diabetes.* They recommend a diet and most likely prescribe a diabetes medication. We trust the medication and neglect our diet, continuing to consume carbohydrate-rich foods. Although it may seem like our blood sugar will rise, the diabetes medication we start forces excess sugar into the cells by assisting insulin.

However, our cells are as intelligent as we are. They also start working to make it nearly impossible for the doors of sugar to open. Time works against us. The vicious cycle no longer lets go of us; with each new sugar medication, we find ourselves holding an insulin injection in our hands. Despite using insulin, our blood sugar remains higher than the values measured when we first noticed the condition and visited the doctor.

How does acupuncture help us?

Avoiding or reversing this vicious cycle is one of the most important things we need to do. One is a properly designed diet. The other is to consciously replace the physical activity taken away by urban life through exercise. Acupuncture's impact on diabetes lies precisely in these two areas.

Behind the uncontrollable increase in appetite lies a problem of blocked intracellular metabolism. Even at rest, our bodies are tired because the intracellular energy production mechanisms have slowed down. Acupuncture opens up the blocked system, facilitating the conversion of fat, which is a more efficient source of energy, into usable energy.**

This results in reduced fatigue and also reduces our interest in sugar. The treatment we apply to our patients aims to steer their appetite steadily towards low-calorie and healthy foods, away from sugary foods. As a result, a more stable and balanced blood sugar level is achieved with fewer medications.

Dr. Mehmet Salih Özaytürk

* Increased life stress elevates cortisol release in our bodies. Elevated cortisol contributes to insulin resistance and the progression of diabetes. Therefore, one of the main focuses of acupuncture treatment is to provide mental relaxation and combat stress.

** Glucose, which is the simplest form of sugar, is quickly burned and converted into energy in the cell's energy production centers called mitochondria, similar to pieces of wood in a fireplace. When the cell already has an excess and easily usable energy source, it doesn't prefer to use a source like fat, which requires more effort to convert into energy. This condition facilitates the accumulation of fat in our bodies. On the other hand, poor-quality fuel is also one of the causes of fatigue.