Donald Carrow, MD was a medical maverick who pioneered therapies like chelation, energetic medicine, nutrition and homeopathy to help patients with heart disease, strokes, heart attacks, cancer, diabetes, fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue.

Donald Carrow, MD, The Medical Maverick, Alternative Medicine Hall Of Fame

Conventional Therapies|Alternative Therapies

Conventional Therapies for Diabetes Mellitus

The common denominator of therapy is the ongoing emphasis of treating the acute illness and to reduce the long term complications. According to a recent Diabetes Control and Complications Trails undertaken over a 10 year period at 29 centers in the United States suggest that the therapeutic objectives was the restoration of known metabolic derangements to prevent and delay progression of diabetic complications. It is my personal opinion that both disciplines strive to achieve these goals---usually by similar but somewhat different techniques. Control of the patient's blood glucose levels using diet, exercise and medication is a common to approaches. The differences are in the techniques used to effect control.

From the mid 1920's to the present our main-stay therapy for the Insulin Dependent, Type I diabetes has been insulin. Over the past seven decades about the only change in this approach has been its refinements. Needless to say, these improvements have meant the difference between rapid onset of degenerative consequences to one of protracted deterioration. In fact, over this period of time the life expectancy of the patient with diabetes mellitus has increased dramatically; now these patients can expect to live 20 to 30 years longer. It is not unusual, now, for a Type I diabetic patient to reach an age of 70 years---assuming that they adhere to a reasonably prudent life style as suggested by many authorities on the subject.

At this point it becomes necessary to present an overview of the conventional wisdom in the treatment of diabetes mellitus. The therapy for Type I and Type II diabetes is very similar and differs primarily on the need for the administration of some form of insulin. Remember, most Type I diabetic are insulin dependent while the majority of Type II diabetics do not require the use of insulin supplementation. The following is meant only to be a brief description of conventional diabetic therapy:

Diet: Over the years the a well‑balance, nutritious diet has remained the backbone of conventional wisdom. This approach was and is predicated on the strict caloric control to maintain a normal weight. Emphasis is placed on food exchanges and timing of its consumption; periodic food snacks are considered part of the dietary recommendations utilized to control the Type I diabetes---this approach becomes much less important to the Type Il diabetic.

Over the past decade or so the American Diabetes Association (ADA) has begun to modify their original position that Type II diabetics should consume 55 to 60 percent carbohydrates. They are now beginning to endorse individually tailored diets that reflect the patient's metabolic, nutritional and life-style requirements. They are now recommending that Type II diabetics reduce considerably the amount of carbohydrates they consume. Their rationale is that high consumption of carbohydrates result in hyperglycemia, triglyceridemia and a reduction in the good HDL cholesterol. For the Type I diabetic the ADA suggest that they learn to 'carbohydrate count' so that they can administer 1 international unit of regular insulin per each 10 to 15 grams of carbohydrate consumed.

Most of the ADA's newer recommendations, for both types of diabetics, emphasize a daily diet low in cholesterol (300 mgs per day), 10 to 20 percent protein, 8 to 9 percent saturated fat with an equal amount of unsaturated oils and for the remainder of the caloric intake to include monounsaturated oils (olive) and 55 to 60 percent carbohydrates containing 25 to 30 percent fiber. They also recommend using poultry and fish to substitute for red meats.

Exercise

Although consider of value to the traditional medical community, little emphasis is placed on its importance to maintenance of good health in the diabetic. Only lip service is given this important area by conventional medical wisdom. Regular exercise can prevent Type II diabetes and improve many aspects of glucose metabolism.

Medications

Oral use of sulfonylureas (basic type of chemicals such as tolbutamide, tolazamide and chlorpropamide) remain the most common form of medications used in the treatment of hyperglycemia. These medication mostly work by stimulating the pancreatic cell to produce more insulin.

In 1994, pharmaceutical companies began marketing a newer generation of medications called 'biguanide' (this family of chemicals is represented by a number of different agents such as Glyburide, glipizide, glimeperide and glucophage); these drugs are known to be 50 to 100 time more potent than the sulfonyl ureas. They lower the blood glucose by other mechanisms (as yet not clearly understood). This second generation of drugs have become known as 'insulin-sparing' in that they seem to reduce the biochemical destruction of insulin. Unlike the sulonyl urea drugs, they do not cause weight gain. Many practitioners are now using these agents in their obese

patients.

As recent as 1995, a third class of anti‑hyperglycemic agents have become widely used. The primary agent of this class of enzyme inhibitor is precose. These substance are known to inhibit alpha-glucosidases enzyme in the lining of the intestines. In effect, this action reduce the rate of starch absorption from the gut; this account for their ability to lower blood glucose level immediately following the consumption of food.

Presently, a new class of oral hypoglycemia agents is under development. This new group of drugs are known to be 'insulin sensitizer' substances. They seem to improve the action of insulin. Troglitazone (thiazolidinedione) is the only agent presently under investigation. Its release is anticipated in 1998.

Insulin

There are presently, dozens of types of insulin in use. It would serve little purpose for us to enter into a specific discussion on the use insulin in the treatment of IDDM patients. It suffices to say, that the use of insulin is individually quite specific---therefore, what works for one would be inappropriate for someone else. There are, however, very broad guidelines of insulin use; these can best be learned by the individual patient. Keep in mind, most patients usually know as much if not more than their physicians about the use of insulin to control their blood glucose levels.

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