Exercise for diabetics is a critical adjuvant to the medical treatment and diet. There are many added benefits to have a daily routine from exercise to diet.

According to the World Health Organization, in spite of conventional western medical approaches, the number of diabetic sufferers rose exponentially from approximately 108 million in 1980 to around 537 million adults in 2021, and this figure is predicted to increase to 643 million by 2030 and 784 million by 2045. The Covid pandemic has surely made things worse because a significant number of post-Covid patients who have no prior medical history of diabetes has been observed to develop diabetes subsequently. Unfortunately, 4 in 5 with diabetes live in low and middle-income countries where the conventional western treatments cannot even be afforded.

Aside from insulin injections, other common western treatments for diabetes, include orally administered medications (insulin being the main one), diet management via controlling the intake of sugar, and lifestyle changes. In each case, the fundamental aim is to maintain blood sugar levels within a normal range, while providing sufficient insulin for the body’s needs. However, according to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), this fails to address the source of the problem.

Traditional Chinese Medicine on diabetes and importance of exercise for diabetics

From the perspective of TCM, when the body fails to produce insulin (Type I diabetes) or is unable to use the insulin that is produced (Type 2 diabetes), these dysfunctions are regarded merely as symptoms which indicate that the body is in a serious state of imbalance. So these symptoms are not considered to be indicators of a body suffering from chronic illness. Instead, TCM believes that the root cause of diabetes is a weakness of Yin Qi, especially that which is associated with the liver, kidney and spleen qi.

For more than 100 years, the medical establishment has believed that we cannot live without insulin, but new research has proven otherwise. This does not mean that the current Western approach to treatment is wrong, since it is clear that insulin has been extraordinarily successful in saving millions of lives. However, it is by no means a complete approach, because although this treatment deals effectively with the symptoms of diabetes, since it fails to address the fundamental source of the problem it cannot heal diabetes. Indeed the medications in some cases, after prolonged use, can actually worsen the condition.

For example, according to TCM, controlling the intake of sugar will weaken the flow of Yin Qi in the liver, kidney and spleen meridians, and over time, this will also eventually weaken the Yang Qi. Weaknesses in both the Yang and Yin Qi lead to poor blood circulation since the circulation of blood is directly linked to, and influenced, by the flow of Qi. Left untreated, this diminished Qi flow will inevitably give rise to many serious health problems. For example, if qi flow in the leg meridians is seriously reduced, thereby simultaneously reducing significantly blood circulation in these limbs, this can lead to seriously impaired mobility, to a point where the patient can no longer walk, and eventually, if left untreated, amputation of the affected limbs may become necessary to save the patients life. And similarly, if qi and blood flow to the eyes becomes too low, total blindness can result. Impaired qi and blood flow to the kidneys, the organs which TCM regard as being the main reservoirs of Qi, can lead to total kidney failure and death.

Similarly, TCM asserts that insulin tablets and injections, and other oral medications for diabetes, weaken the kidneys and liver in the long run because in TCM all such medications are considered toxic, and this even applies to the Chinese Herbal Medicines used in TCM, which ideally should only be used for short periods of time. Exercise for diabetics has many proven benefits.

Due to all the aforementioned potential negative side effects of such treatments, TCM instead prefers to emphasize the fundamental importance of lifestyle changes. In fact, even seemingly minor positive changes, if continued, can have major positive impacts on the quality of long term health.

One such example of this can be seen if one slows down the speed with which one eats, while increasing the amount of times one chews each individual mouthful of food.

In 2008, a study in Japan recorded various habits associated with eating, via questionnaires completed by 189,187 non-diabetic participants. The parameters evaluated, included: speed of eating, frequency of snacks consumed after dinner or directly prior to sleeping, and the frequency with which participants missed breakfasts.

Three years later, 7032 of them had developed diabetes. The numbers of fast eaters, as well as those who eat snacks after supper, or who snacked before sleep, as well as participants who frequently skipped breakfast, were significantly higher in the new-onset diabetes group than in the group who did not develop diabetes mellitus. And habitually eating too fast, was the most significant risk factor associated with the development of diabetes.

So this Japanese investigation lends solid scientific support for two of the many recommendations made in the Tai Chi and Qigong for Spleen, Stomach & Digestion course that having a generous breakfast at the appropriate time as well as eating slowly and mindfully can improve significantly ones’ spleen, stomach and digestive health.

Exercise for diabetics details

20 years ago, when I was learning One Finger Zen, I saw firsthand how a few diabetic students were healed via the practice of this form of standing qigong. And the great efficacy of this qigong in treating diabetes, arises from its dramatic enhancement of qi flow in the legs where the meridians of the liver, kidney and spleen all reside.

Now 20 years later, beside the One Finger Zen standing qigong, I am equipped with many more holistic methods for treating diabetes, from the advanced level neigong to the simple acupressure that everyone can do. Actually, all those holistic techniques which include exercises for diabetics are described in the following three courses:

• Tai Chi and Qigong for Spleen, Stomach & Digestion
• Tai Chi and Qigong for Kidney, Vitality & Longevity
• Tai Chi and Qigong for Liver & Gall Bladder

When the overall yin (liver, spleen, kidney) qi improves, typical symptoms of diabetes such as dry mouth, frequent urination, fatigue, and excessive hunger, will start gradually to disappear. However, sugar levels in the blood might remain relatively unchanged and thus still high. This is because these practices do not target blood sugar levels. However, with the passage of time, the blood sugar level may well eventually return to normal when, and if, the liver, kidney and spleen are brought back into balance, but this may take a few months or a few years depending upon the severity of the problem.

Also, since these practices are holistic, they are equally applicable to non-diabetics as an excellent preventive measure, especially if ancestors or other members of the person’s family have a history of diabetes, and also, most certainly, if you already have one or more of the following diabetic symptoms such as excessive frequency of urination, continual thirst, loss of weight or frequent hunger in spite of eating a normal amount of food, blurred vision, numbness or tingling in the hands, very dry skin, sores that heal at an unusually slow speed, or constant feelings of fatigue. Always keep in mind that it is much easier to treat a sickness while it is still as undeveloped as an unsprouted seed, for once the “seed” sprouts, far more time and effort is needed to deal with the various imbalances that give rise to ill health.

Exercise for diabetics main steps

So, how to start? First, you can carry out a self-diagnosis procedure to determine which of your three major organs (Kidney, Liver, Spleen) have issues or weaknesses. Then choose the appropriate program(s) that offer instruction in the techniques, which if practiced diligently, will effectively deal with any imbalances that potentially, if left untreated, are likely to give rise to illness.

While almost everyone can easily recognize stomach imbalances and pain and other associated issues such as poor digestion which are related to spleen, most people have zero awareness of the various imbalances and symptoms associated with kidney or liver weakness that if left untreated can sometimes lead to serious illness. That is because the liver and kidneys do not complain “loudly” even when they have do definitely have problems.

The introductions to the Kidney and Liver programs, I have listed the signs and symptoms that indicate the development of weakness in these key organs, so you can spot these problems before they lead to serious illness. If after the self-diagnosis you are still not sure, then practice the Kidney program first because once we pass the age of 40, the Ming Men Fire (the life force we inherited from our parents) starts to diminish significantly, and this Ming Men Fire affects the quality of kidney function, so even if the body is already in fine health, there is obviously no harm in further enhancing your natural vitality and longevity, which is an automatic side effect of these practices.

Just remember, unlike western medicines, you won’t see immediate result from these exercises for diabetics. As I mentioned earlier, all medicines have potentially undesirable side effects. That’s why there is a common saying “Qi healing is superior to Medicine healing”. And the side effect of any holistic practices is that in the process of healing, in this case diabetes, other imbalances and health issues will also simultaneously be healed. So, the key to successfully healing your diabetes is to be patient and simply make these various holistic techniques part of your daily practice routine.

Tai Chi and Qigong for Diabetes: (download version only)

• Instruction Manual with detailed explanations
• Video and audio demonstrations of different practices
• A combination of the Liver, Kidney and Spleen courses

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