Ayurvedic Home Remedies: Ayurveda for Diabetes and Triglycerides

Increasing consumption of sugar in various forms is one reason for increase in triglycerides. Excessive consumption of tea, coffee also increases triglycerides.

The fat (triglycerides) produced by the body from unused calories attach to lipoproteins of the liver and enter into the bloodstream. Thus triglycerides can settle on the walls of the blood vessels and reduce the passage for free flowing of blood into the heart and other vital organs. This can lead to heart attacks. Along with smoking, coffee, alcohol, excessive consumption of sugars can lead to increase in the level of triglycerides.

The great Ayurveda sage Charaka gives following reasons for diabetes and a host of other diseases including elevated levels of triglycerides.

Staying in a comfortable physical posture for an extended period of time.
Lying in a cushioned bed beyond necessity.
Consuming excessively sweetened yoghurt or curd.
Consuming chicken, mutton and fish grown in marshy areas.
Excessive consumption of sugar and palm candy.

All these lead to increased triglyceride molecules in the body. When the level of sugar in our diet increases, the pancreas is forced to secrete more insulin to process the sugars. The insulin thus released acts on adipose tissues (triglycerides) and these tissues in turn get into the blood stream. The tissues may settle down in aorta thereby thickening the blood vessels. The thickened blood vessels now prevent easy blood flow resulting in heart attacks.

So the most important preventative measure to bring down dangerous levels of triglycerides is to eliminate consumption of sugar and sweet products. For South Indians, consumption of idlis, dosas, puttu, and other dishes made from rice should be reduced to the minimum. This should be substituted with dishes made from whole grains like wheat, barley, oats etc. Diet should include more of fresh vegetables and greens.

How to bring down Triglyceride Levels

Some Ayurvedic herbs, remedies to bring down triglyceride levels include guggul, jambul (Java plum), aavaarai (Cassia auriculata) etc.

One way to reduce or lower the increased levels of triglycerides is given below.

The bark of rose apple or Java plum tree, rose apple seeds or Java plum seeds, turmeric, Indian gooseberries, nannari root, bark of marutham pattai (arjuna terminalea), aavarai (causia auriculata), coriander seeds, all these are collected in equal quantity by weight. They are powdered together and stored in a bottle. Mix 60 gm of this powder in 1 litre water and boil. Reduce it to 250 ml. Half of this kashayam (decoction) is taken morning and evening on empty stomach. This helps lower triglyceride levels to a large extent.