The invention of the insulin has had a profound impact and changed destiniy for people with IDDM (Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus, also known as Type 1 Diabetes). Proper use of insulin can significantly prolong life expectancy for patients with IDDM. However, insulin use does not guarantee the patient will avoid diabetes complication and is may lead to side effects.

Today, even with modern developments in science that have improved the administration, the absorption of insulin and management of the disease, living with IDDM is very difficult for patients and their families. To date, western medicine does not offer a cure or alternative to insulin for sufferers of IDDM.

Traditional Chinese medicine offers an alternative explanation and treatment for some patients. A traditional Chinese remedy can be used, in tandem with insulin, to treat the pancreas and other damaged internal organ functions gradually, control blood sugar, and reduce insulin dosage over time. The treatment aims to slowly reduce insulin intake while recovering the pancreatic functions until eventually completely stopping insulin usage.

Clinic Cases
Source: From Jan, 2004 to March 1, 2006, 17 patients were treated in the clinic. All these patients were diagnosed as having IDDM by their family physicians and each control blood sugar with insulin injections. The following charts show age distribution of the patients and the number of years with the disease by patient, respectively:

Treatment Method
Treatment involves a combination of herbs, acupuncture and cupping:
Chinese Herbal Formula The Traditional Chinese medical name for this herbal treatment is called as “RuiSai.
• Ginseng,
• Mai Dong,
• Bai He,
• Sheng Di,
• Dan Sheng,
• Wu Wei Zi,
• Wu Bei Zi,
• and others.

This basic formula, consisting of 16 herbs, is customized depending on the condition of patient. Using a traditional method, a tea is made of these herbs for the patient to drink two cups a day, once in the morning and once at night. Patient with a more severe case of the disease can take three to four timess a day.

Acupuncture is performed one to three times per week on the following meridian points:
• JuGu,
• QuChi,
• HeGu,
• ZhuSanLi,
• SanYinJiao.

Cupping, using cupping along PangGuang meridian and both side along spine till the red mark shows. 1 ~ 2 times per week.

Curative Standard
The results based on 17 clinical cases with after two sections of treatments, are categorized here and listed in the table below: (one section of the treatment is 3 months.)
Clinical Recovery: Clinical symptom and sign disappeared, pancreas secretes insulin normally, stop taking any medicine.
Big Improvement: Clinical symptom and sign are significantly turned better. Blood sugar level keeps stable; insulin injection reduces to half amount or less than half.
Small Improvement: Blood sugar level keeps stable, insulin injection reduces some.
Less Effective: No change on blood sugar level and insulin taking. Patient feels having strength, and comfortable. Body condition turns better.

Analysis

1. The key to curing a patient lies in the length of time they have been treated with insulin. Among the 2 patients who recovered, the period of taking insulin is less than one year. Therefore, effectiveness of treatment has direct connection with the time period of insulin usage.

2. Completing the whole treatment is required. Five patients did not complete the whole course of treatment and had less favourable results. The reasons of stopping treatment early were as follows:
• The theoretical and conceptual differences between Chinese medicine and western medicine,
• Less understanding to Chinese medicine.
• Most of Type I diabetes patients who willing to take Chinese medicine
treatment have been persuaded not to take the treatment by their hysicians. They can’t get the cooperation of the physicians so that loss the opportunity of having treatment.

Details of Successful Cases:
Tommy Li, male, 17 yrs old. The patient was diagnosed with Type I diabetes, and he took 20 ~ 30 units of insulin per day. His symptoms includes lack of strength, headaches and occasional trembling hands. The patient first came to clinic September of 2004for treatment at which time I gave the prescription of the herbal tea to be taken 3 times per day. Additionally, the patient received the required treatment of acupuncture. One week later, follow up appointment, his blood sugar was reduced to normal levels and other symptoms had been improved. The patient began to gradually decrease insulin usage in the third week and, at the end of treatment on Nov 6, 2004, the patient stopped the injection of insulin completely. Dr. Barmes Robert of The Montreal Children’s Hospital used Oral Glucose Tolerance Test to confirm the function of pancreas of the patient had recovered fully. Follow-ups with the patient confirm the results of the treatment with no abnormality showing.

Rozmme Hill, female, 42 yrs old.
August of 2005, the patient came to clinic for treatment. She was diagnosed as Type I Diabetes 18 years ago, and she had 18 years history of taking insulin. Her symptoms are lack of strength, dizziness, decreasing vision, frequent urination, occasional difficulty breathing, uncomfortable feeling in the mid-section (area of liver and kidneys). According to her condition, additional herbs were added to the basic formula, combined with acupuncture and cupping. The patient keeps taking the treatment every week. the patient reported feeling stronger after the first week of treatment. After one month she no longer felt the uncomfortable feeling in the mid-section; her blood sugar was turning to normal. After finishing a section, the usage of insulin reduced from 20 ~ 26 units to 10 ~ 18 units per day. After two sections, the patient felt very well, and her blood sugar maintained at 10 ~ 16. Still, the patient is currently in treatment and I believe she can stop taking insulin after the 4th section.

Discussion
1. Since Type I diabetes is a complex condition without a ‘western’ medical cure. Using Traditional Chinese medical methods to treat this disease have shown significant results. My clinical research has revealed a most effective Chinese herbal formula to cure this disease. Among all the patients who take treatments, their conditions have been become well on average. Even the patient, who injects insulin for 20 years, has lowered the blood sugar level and reduced amount of insulin usage after only one section of treatment. Therefore, I conclude that Type 1 diabetics can take advantage of this key opportunity for treatment, use Chinese medicine to reduce or even stop insulin usage completely.

2. About treatment theory: The treatment theroy is hard to clarify due to following reasons: 1. Limiting to the ability to measure improvements, 2. Lack of cooperation from some western medical practitioners and the western system, 3. an imperfect standard of diabetes research and observation.

3. About treatment results: the ingredients of Chinese medicine can be complicated, and the function is extensive. Chinese medicine treats Type I diabetes indirectly: by adjusting, controlling and restoring the balance to the human body and organs in order to reach the goal of cure. From this perspective, using only the measurement of blood sugar to evaluate success of treatment is incomplete and biased.

Page 347, Third International Congress of Traditional Medicine 2006 Toronto, Collected Papers