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Diabetes is a chronic, metabolic disease characterised by elevated levels of blood glucose or blood sugar, which leads over time to serious damage to the heart, blood vessels, eyes, kidneys and nerves. The most common form of diabetes is type 2 diabetes, usually in adults, which occurs when the body becomes resistant to insulin or doesn’t make enough insulin.
According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS) in 2024, an estimated 7% of adults in England showed evidence of type 2 diabetes, and 3 in 10 (30%) of those were undiagnosed; this equates to approximately 1 million adults with undiagnosed type 2 diabetes. Pre-diabetes, which is a condition characterised by slightly elevated blood glucose levels, regarded as indicative that a person is at risk of progressing to type 2 diabetes, affected around 1 in 9 adults in England (12%), which equates to approximately 5.1 million adults.
Diabetes UK has reported that the number of people under 40 in the UK being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes is rising at a faster rate than the over-40s. From January to March 2023, more than 360,000 working-age adults living with diabetes were economically inactive because of long-term sickness, a 43% increase from 2019. Of these, more than 40,000 listed diabetes as their main health condition for why they are not working, while 320,000 people listed diabetes as a secondary health condition.
About 8% of people with diabetes have type 1 diabetes, previously known as insulin-dependent, juvenile or childhood-onset. It is characterised by deficient insulin production and requires daily administration of insulin. About 90% of children and young people in the UK who have diabetes will have type 1 diabetes. The majority of people diagnosed with type 1 diabetes live in high-income countries; however, neither its cause nor the means to prevent it are known.
All types of diabetes have one thing in common: glucose/sugar cannot reach the body’s cells properly and builds up in the blood. In the long term, this can cause serious damage to the heart, eyes, feet and kidneys. Unlike type 1 diabetes which requires treatment with insulin to keep blood glucose/sugar levels within a target range, type 2 diabetes can sometimes be prevented, largely through lifestyle changes such as exercise and eating more healthily, which can reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes by about 50%.
People with diabetes can live well and reduce the risk of complications with the right care and treatment. These lifestyle modifications together with other holistic approaches, such as stress management and alternative therapies, can help people keep blood sugar/glucose within a healthy range, can help to prevent complications of the condition and can help, in some cases, to reduce the need for more conventional medication.
In this article we will examine holistic diabetes management and explore case studies of individuals who have successfully managed their diabetes through holistic approaches, demonstrating the potential benefits of combining lifestyle changes, alternative therapies and conventional medical care.
Understanding Holistic Diabetes Management
Conventional treatment options for type 2 diabetes primarily focus on managing blood glucose/sugar levels through various approaches. One of the limitations of conventional treatment is that it primarily focuses on managing blood glucose/sugar levels without addressing the underlying causes of insulin resistance and impaired insulin secretion, and may not effectively prevent or manage the complications associated with type 2 diabetes, such as cardiovascular disease, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, and kidney dysfunction.
Holistic health refers to an approach that considers the whole person, including their physical, mental, emotional and spiritual well-being. In the context of type 2 diabetes, holistic health involves addressing not only the management of blood glucose/sugar levels, but also other aspects of health, such as cardiovascular health, inflammation, lipid profile and quality of life.
By integrating natural therapies, lifestyle changes and alternative medicine, holistic management aims to empower individuals to take control of their health and improve their quality of life.
Definition of Holistic Management
A key characteristic of holistic diabetes healthcare management is that it takes a broader view than that which is commonplace in conventional medicine. Holistic diabetes healthcare management pays attention to the whole body and pays attention to the whole person, in both physical and non-physical aspects. It also pays attention to the person’s individual situation such as their culture, family, diet, socio-economic circumstances and living conditions. As well as treating diabetes, holistic whole-person treatment aims to help build resilience and well-being.
The integration of traditional, complementary and alternative medicines and therapies includes a broad spectrum of beliefs, practices and products used to maintain health and well-being and to treat illnesses such as diabetes. From exercise, diet, herbs and supplements, to acupuncture, yoga and tai chi, holistic approaches have been proven to bolster patient satisfaction, aid disease prevention, improve clinical outcomes, and reduce healthcare costs.
Importance of a Balanced Approach
An integrated holistic approach is not intended to replace conventional medicine treatments and medicines; it aims to support and enhance conventional medicine treatments if it is necessary for the person to be prescribed them, and to improve the person’s overall well-being, reducing complications, and helping individuals to maintain a higher quality of life while managing their diabetes.
A person with type 1 diabetes relies on insulin therapy to manage their blood sugar levels. Integrating a holistic approach in type 1 diabetes focuses on supporting overall health through diet, exercise and stress management, while still adhering to the necessary medical treatments. Complementary therapies such as mindfulness, diet modifications and natural remedies can help reduce insulin resistance and improve a person’s overall well-being.
A person with type 2 diabetes can manage or even reverse the condition through lifestyle changes. The holistic management of type 2 diabetes often focuses on reducing insulin resistance through weight loss, diet modifications, and increasing physical activity. Many people find that incorporating holistic practices allows them to reduce their medication dependency or dosage under their doctor’s supervision.
Components of Holistic Management
A crucial component of holistic medicine is preventive care. Rather than waiting for illnesses such as diabetes to develop, holistic practitioners focus on preventing them through lifestyle modifications.
Monitoring their lifestyle and keeping biological influences in consideration are the basis of this extensive diabetes management approach, which is quite helpful for people with type 2 diabetes in managing the condition effectively. Such things as diet, exercise, stress management, relaxation and a better sleep schedule are some of the changes needed to incorporate into a person’s lifestyle and are vital to the overall management of diabetes.
Daily physical activity and exercise can reduce the cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk by up to 30–50%, and moving more can help your body use insulin better and helps muscles to use glucose more effectively, which is either the insulin you take or the insulin your body makes.
Yoga is an excellent form of exercise for the body, but it is also a meditative and spiritual practice. It helps to release trauma that is stored in the body. It is an excellent way to work on the connection between mind, body and spirit.
Poor sleep quality and disorders are a risk factor for developing type 2 diabetes. This is why it is important to maintain a good sleep cycle, and to address any sleep disorders. Sleep-promoting routines and practices include:
- Establishing a regular bedtime and wakeup time
- Creating a quiet and dark area for sleeping, with temperature and humidity control
- Establishing a pre-sleep routine
- Exercising during the day
- Avoiding daytime naps
- Limiting caffeine and nicotine in the evening
- Avoiding spicy foods at night
- Avoiding alcohol before bedtime
Central to holistic diabetes management is the focus on diet as medicine. Adjusting eating habits and following a diabetic-friendly diet is easier than it may seem at first, and you may need input from your doctor to create a personalised eating plan. Embarking on a diabetic-friendly eating plan will mean you need to:
- Eat at regular intervals – This helps the body to process all the blood sugar/glucose that is produced from what is eaten. Eating at regular times helps to avoid spikes or dips in blood sugar levels.
- Maintain a healthy weight – If you need to lose weight, the eating plan will be focused towards achieving a goal weight. If you need to gain weight, your plan will enable you to do that in a healthy and balanced way.
- Manage your portions – Diabetic diets focus on controlling portion sizes to regulate insulin levels. Any deviation from the recommended portion sizes could lead to inconsistent blood sugar levels.
- Choose healthy carbohydrates – Complex carbohydrates are found in starchy foods. Simple carbohydrates are found in sweeter, sugary foods. Avoid sugary foods because simple carbohydrates quickly convert into glucose, and could spike glucose levels. Fruit, vegetables, whole grain bread and pasta, beans and peas, are all considered better options.
- Select good fats – These are found in avocados, nuts and vegetable oils.
- Avoid bad fats – Avoid trans-fats, sodium or saturated fats. Takeaways usually contain a lot of sodium, so cutting down on these is advised; focus on preparing healthy, home-cooked meals.
- Find heart-healthy foods – Oily fish such as salmon, sardines and tuna should be included in a diabetic diet.
Herbs and supplements cannot cure diabetes and cannot be a standalone treatment. However, some, combined with conventional treatments, may relieve diabetes symptoms and reduce the risk of complications, for example:
- Aloe vera – this is a common plant with various uses. Many people are aware of its benefits for the skin, but it may have other benefits, including slowing the progress of type 2 diabetes.
- Cinnamon – this is a fragrant spice that comes from the bark of a tree. It is a popular ingredient in sweets and baked goods, as well as some savoury dishes. This spice may add sweetness to a dish, limiting the need for sugar. It is popular among people with type 2 diabetes for this reason alone, but it may also have other benefits.
- Milk thistle – people have long used milk thistle to treat different ailments, especially as a tonic for the liver. There is some evidence that milk thistle might help lower glucose levels in people with diabetes.
- Ginger – this is another herb that people have used for thousands of years in traditional medicines. People often use ginger to help treat digestive and inflammatory issues. It has been suggested that ginger might help to reduce insulin resistance in people with type 2 diabetes.
- Chromium and magnesium – these are minerals that are essential for regulating glucose metabolism.
Herbs and supplements may help with diabetes, but there are some considerations to bear in mind and a person should always work with a healthcare professional before taking any new herb or supplement.
Holistic practice also emphasises the importance of mental health. Regular mental health check-ups, counselling and therapies such as cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) can support emotional well-being. Addressing mental health is essential, as emotional distress can significantly impact physical health. Conditions such as stress can raise cortisol levels, which can cause blood sugar to rise, which is why effective stress management is an important component of holistic diabetes management.
Techniques such as mindfulness meditation, deep breathing exercises, and progressive muscle relaxation can help to manage stress effectively. Additionally, fostering social connections and engaging in meaningful activities can provide emotional support and a sense of purpose, helping to alleviate anxiety, and depression. Some people use acupuncture to balance the body’s energy, which can help regulate stress and improve overall health.
Holistic diabetes management can offer a comprehensive way for people to manage their diabetes. Let’s look at some examples of how people with diabetes have successfully integrated holistic practices into their diabetes management.
Case Study 1 – Embracing a Whole-Food, Plant-Based Diet
Ros Hodgkins’ story (Source: Plant Based Health Professionals)
“After an annual blood check I was told that I had type 2 diabetes. Shortly after, a practice nurse called to ask whether I’d be interested in a new study called the ‘GLoW study’ (Glucose Lowering through Weight Management) run by Cambridge University for newly diagnosed patients with type 2 diabetes. I was concerned because my chronic arthritis has made me quite disabled. I’ve also had bilateral hip and knee replacements.
This and the pain in my back and hips make walking very painful and prevent me from doing any exercise. The nurse reassured me that exercise was not part of the GLoW programme and booked me for a one-hour enrolment appointment. The nurse took a number of measurements and asked lots of questions before referring me to another lady. I had an hour-long video call with her who explained the programme.
There were two different diet plans and I was put on a 12-week course with Weight Watchers free of charge. I was told that I wasn’t eating enough food. Before the programme I only had breakfast and dinner, but now I had to eat lunch and ensure to eat a certain number of points. The Weight Watcher advisor recommended that I eat more protein and add a small portion of chicken or cheese to my main meal.
The foods I ate on the programme were mainly Weetabix with soy milk, vegetables and low fat curries, lentil cottage pies, dhal with brown rice or chapatis. For dinner I had whole or tinned fruits or home-made smoothies with 2 blue coloured fruits and 2 red coloured fruits. The diet plan was predominantly plant-based.
I followed the 12-week programme I was put on and lost 26lbs. The GLoW study recruiters were very pleased with the weight loss I had achieved and offered me a further 12-week plan which helped me to lose a further 23 lbs. So, all in all I lost 49 lbs and reversed my type 2 diabetes with no exercise, but by eating more plant foods.
At the start of the second 12-week programme my granddaughter and I joined Veganuary. I enjoyed the fact that I didn’t need to eat meat but was eating more vegetables on a daily basis. My husband is the one cooking our meals; he joined me. At the time I was still vegetarian because I couldn’t stay away from cheese whereas giving up dairy milk, yogurts and even chocolate wasn’t a problem. I tried many different vegan cheeses but didn’t like any of them. I was quite happy with all the diet changes I had made.
Then I watched a film by Plant Based filmmakers and learned more about doctors who were fully plant based. This made us delve more into veganism. On January 1st, 2021, I joined a 21-day Daniel fast in my church. The Daniel fast is based on the diet of Daniel in the Bible in which followers are advised to abstain from all meat, wine, desserts and cheese and only consume vegetables, grains, fruits and water for three weeks. After the fast I found it much easier to eat a plant-based diet although cheese was still calling my name.
My church does the Daniel fast twice a year. I joined the fast again in June this year. Afterwards I found it easier to give up cheese. Then a lady from my church posted about another 21-day diet which was not a fast, but just eating a fully plant-based diet. I joined her and have been following a 100% plant-based diet since then.
I love my food now. I eat all sorts of fruits and vegetables. First thing in the morning, I have lemon slices in hot water. Usually, I have 2 Weetabix pieces with soya milk, a banana plus flaxseeds. Lunch is organic brown rice or potatoes, a green veg or salad, a mixed bean chilli or mock tuna made with chickpeas. I like dates and a fruit tea in the afternoon. Occasionally I have a low-calorie Fibre One Popcorn bar.
For dinner I have fruits or if I’m very hungry I have a small portion of overnights oats with frozen mixed berries (raspberries and blueberries) with flaxseeds, or I blitz tinned apricots or pears and pour it over a small amount of oats and the frozen fruits.
Nowadays I enjoy my food more; my constipation is resolved too. I try to do some exercise and go swimming 3–5 times a week. I mainly move my arms, but this is better than doing nothing. I’m very grateful to my husband who has done a lot for me and totally supported me on this plant-based journey, to the Plant-based Food People whom I read and learn from on a weekly basis, to my church for the Daniel fast.
Being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes turned out to be the best thing that happened to me because now I live a very different life, and am healthier than I’ve been before. I hope other people realise the many health benefits of a plant-based diet and change their diet because a plant-based diet can change their lives for the better.”
Case Study 2 – Integrating Mindfulness and Stress Management
Jo’s story (Source: Law Care)
“I have been a lawyer for 20 years which makes me feel old just saying it out loud, and I love my job. Loving my job, however, has meant that there have been times when I have not been able to put boundaries in place around making time away from it.
I have had depression and anxiety since I was a teenager, which has been treated with medication, and at various times, therapy. Sometimes the therapy has been for burnout and a feeling of an inability to cope. Sometimes it has been for declining mental health. Sometimes I have recognised the need for help in advance, and others I have only asked for help when it was almost too late.
Around 12 years ago I became incredibly ill. Eventually I went to the doctors and was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. This is where your pancreas simply stops working and without treatment you can die. I was lucky, but type 1 diabetes is usually diagnosed in children, not people in their 30s. It is an autoimmune disease, and in short, I had spent many years not listening to my body, or looking after my mental health, and my body shouted loudly at me in a bid to finally make me sit up and take notice. So, I did.
I moved to a different firm and changed to part-time hours. I decided that I had to prioritise myself over my work. No more weekends in the office, watching colleagues come in and comment that you were wearing the same clothes as you were on Friday. No more missing meals. No more 4am negotiation meetings. The biggest problem, of course, was how to change something I had been doing for over ten years. How could I make time for myself?
Things have changed again since then and I now work as a consultant from home, giving me flexibility. Having just been diagnosed with ADHD at the age of 47, this has been invaluable for me. I also became involved with a yoga charity and now work with people on mindfulness, including law firms.
Self-care is a term which is used so often these days, but it usually comes in the form of long baths, getting a massage, lighting some candles, watching your favourite TV show. However, self-care is so much more, and also less, than that. It is about making time that is just for you, and often not doing anything at all. Self-care without distractions, cost, or time you feel you don’t have.
That’s when I discovered mindfulness. A term used more often now than ever, and it has become a buzz word, with lots of advice on how to be mindful, or how to ‘do’ mindfulness. The truth is you don’t have to ‘do’ mindfulness. There is no need for a quiet room, or sitting on a beach (although never discount that!), or training, or expensive courses. Each of us has the ability to be mindful with nothing but what we have, ourselves.
For me, it provides small moments which allow me to let go of whatever stress I have been holding on to, because of a complex project, or too much on my plate, a difficult discussion, and has helped me be more focused, less reactive and ultimately a better lawyer, as well as a better colleague. I am more in touch with myself and my needs and can recognise when I need to ask for help, as well as manage my mental health conditions more easily.”
Case Study 3 – Incorporating Alternative Therapies
Marcus’s story (Source: Diabetes.co.uk)
Marcus’s story is not a typical story of diabetes. The particular way Marcus developed diabetes has allowed him to come off insulin, whilst keeping blood sugar levels stable.
“When I was 9 years old, I was diagnosed with diabetes. In the beginning it was very strange, for almost two years. I barely needed any insulin, I could eat almost whatever and the doctors looked very surprised! It was like my pancreas still produced insulin, like it wanted to fight and keep itself alive. But eventually that decreased and went away after around two years. I went to different kinds of healers like a Qi Gong master from China, Kinesolog, Acupuncturist, Massage therapist. I ate or drank a lot of different stuff (like bitter cucumber) that really helped me the first years. They all told me I had ‘fake diabetes’ and that it could be cured and that it had something to do with the stomach and the kidneys.
But since I was a teenager I did not take the responsibility and rarely listened to what they said and what my body said. I drank alcohol and ate a lot of bad food contributing to a high HbA1c for around two or three years. Then one day, I got a call from my mother telling me that my father had asked for help after almost 20 years of alcoholism. I was shocked and right away I determined to stop too and become a more healthy being. A lot of help and wisdom from my mother made this easier than expected. I had just 2 months earlier become a vegetarian and step by step I experimented and explored a healthier lifestyle. I tried Raw Food and in 2010 I started with a LCHF diet (low carb high fat) and it went pretty well but still those shots every day.
In April 2011, I went to a frequency healer, recommended by my mum and I wanted to give it a shot. This is a machine invented by a person from NASA which calculates the frequencies that your body is sending out into the computer. You can then see what instabilities you have. The conclusion from the visit was that I had an infection in my pancreas, rather than the conventional types of diabetes! Well this was very shocking after 11 years of having diabetes symptoms. The healer instructed me to eat alkaline food since the stomach was the issue as to why I did not heal from the infection. I did so and 6 weeks later I came back and my results were great according to the computer as well as with my blood sugar. She said that with the number of years you’ve had diabetes, it will take many months to fully recover so I am still in the recovering process.
I was volunteering in Costa Rica for 3 months, Aug-Nov 2011, and had a hard time with the different food and carbohydrates which made my blood sugar rise again but now I have really put effort into this and since I am now choosing my own food again, I have great results. Sometimes I no longer need my long acting insulin. I also discovered that when I am doing training and exercise, that I truly enjoy, (like skateboarding, parkour, snowboarding and surfing) that my blood sugar level gets lower and stabilises my control. I discovered that you need the joy in the exercise to get great results.”
Lessons Learned and Key Takeaways
In the case studies highlighted above, following their diabetes diagnosis, each person made conscious decisions to make changes to their lives in order to take some control over their condition. Working alongside their conventional medications for diabetes, they found lifestyle changes and complementary therapies that helped to improve their condition.
Interestingly, in each of the cases the patients stated that they began to “listen to their bodies”, to help to create a personised holistic treatment plan that involved not only treating the symptoms of the condition but also addressed all aspects of their well-being.
For Ros, it was about taking control of her diet, not only to improve her diabetes but also to help improve other aspects of her health and well-being. Working with her healthcare professionals she began to integrate these lifestyle changes into her life and with their support and monitoring, she was able to make these changes permanent. The results from her diet changes have enabled her to make other changes such as incorporating exercise into her routine, something that was difficult for her to do prior to her diabetes diagnosis. Ros has seen changes to both her physical and her mental well-being through this holistic management of her diabetes. She now advocates healthy eating, not only for people living with diabetes but for anyone wanting to improve their health and well-being.
For Jo, it was her hectic professional lifestyle that was contributing to both her physical and mental ill health. Her wakeup call came from her diabetes diagnosis and she finally took control over her lifestyle. Incorporating complementary therapies including stress management techniques such as mindfulness exercises, meditation, and breathing techniques into her diabetes wellness plan has helped to alter her mindset to make time for self-care. This holistic approach has helped her to not only improve her physical well-being but also to recognise when she needs to take time to manage her mental health.
For Marcus, his path to a holistic well-being plan to manage his diabetes was somewhat chaotic. He was open minded enough to try any number of alternative therapies with varying results. Although none appeared to be harmful, the lack of healthcare professionals monitoring his progress and integrating these with more traditional treatments led him to flit from one therapy to another without fully evaluating their benefits. He now appears to be more attuned to what lifestyle changes improve his health and has incorporated them into his diabetes management.
As we have said previously, everyone’s experience of diabetes is unique and because of that wellness plans need to be personalised to the needs, preferences and situations of the individual to address all aspects of the individual’s well-being. Marcus’s story highlights the importance of working together with healthcare professionals to develop and monitor the integration of complementary and alternative therapies with traditional treatments as there may be the risk that choosing unsuitable therapies, treatments or lifestyle changes may cause more harm than they do good.
The key principles of holistic care include prevention, empowerment and self-care. By complementing traditional treatments with alternative therapies and/or lifestyle changes, in a holistic manner a person can not only effectively treat their condition, but they can also improve and maintain their overall physical and mental well-being through embracing healthy habits and practices. The physical benefits of holistic care are vast. By focusing on the whole body, this approach can lead to a stronger immune system, better pain management, and improved overall health.
Holistic care also profoundly impacts emotional and mental health and well-being. By addressing emotional issues, holistic care helps to build resilience against any challenges of being diagnosed with diabetes. One important aspect of emotional and mental well-being is stress management, which is important in diabetes treatment as stress directly impacts the condition. Blood sugar levels may rise due to hormones being released in response to stress such as cortisol and adrenaline. Although this has adaptive significance in a healthy patient, in the long run, it can cause insulin resistance and lead to diabetes. As energy can’t get into the cells, blood sugar levels rise. If stress isn’t managed, it can keep the blood sugar levels high and put a person at higher risk of diabetes complications.
Conclusion
Holistic health empowers us to take charge of our health and well-being by making informed decisions, such as those taken by the patients in our case studies. By taking a comprehensive approach to wellness, anyone concerned about or being diagnosed with diabetes can address various aspects of their life and make positive changes. Approaching the challenge of diabetes management requires an open mindset and the advice, guidance and support from healthcare professionals who can support and monitor a tailored wellness plan that is design to meet the unique lifestyle, preferences and any underlying health conditions of the individual.
Many individuals have successfully implemented holistic approaches to improve their health and quality of life while managing diabetes; we have highlighted just a few. Anyone who is interested in finding out more about holistic diabetes health management and its benefits will find additional advice and guidance from their own GP or healthcare professional, and through:
Diabetes UK’s diabetes self-management education
Diabetes Research & Wellness Foundation
Diabetes.co.uk – a community of people with diabetes
