Caring for Diabetes with Reiki and Energy Work

Article on Reiki Treatment of Type I, II and Gestational Diabetes

Living with Diabetes the Reiki Way

Author’s Key Points

• Diabetes is one of the most prevalent chronic health conditions we face in the US.
• Contrary to the common assumption, the condition is not just a nutritional disorder of glucose (sugar), but of carbohydrates as a whole, fats and proteins. (All need insulin to work properly.)
• There are three major types: Type I, Type II, and Gestational.
• Reiki treatment or self-care can help with the physical, emotional, mental and spiritual aspects of caring for diabetes.

Energy Work’s Take on Diabetes

Louise Hay, pioneer of energy work and affirmations, describes the negative mental patterning behind this condition as: “Longing for what might have been. A great need to control. Deep sorrow. No sweetness left.” (Hay, 164). Fundamentally, diabetes is a dysfunction of the Solar Plexus or Navel Chakra.

Role of the Solar Plexus

The Solar Plexus, or Navel, chakra is the seat of our personal power. When it is balanced we feel:

• Powerful
• Willful
• Driven
• Responsible
• Prosperous
• Able to accommodate differences

When it is out of balance, it can manifest in our life as power-struggle, misuse of power, helplessness, anger, bitterness, and digestive complaints (among other things).

Affirmation Work for the Solar Plexus

To counter the negative cycle of sorrow and perceived powerlessness, Hay recommends an affirmation I’ve adapted to incorporate Solar Plexus attributes from Davies (50):

“I am open to joy in my life. I now take command of my life, respecting others to command their own. I now choose to experience the sweetness of today.”

For more on affirmation work, see: How to Use an Affirmation Mala.

Supporting the Solar Plexus through Diet

When it comes to regulating blood sugar with diet, I always start by looking at everything else:

• Fiber: How much are you getting?
• Protein: Are you getting enough protein at each meal? The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine suggest pregnant moms consume 1.1 g/kg/day (71 g). The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) is 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight per day for (an adult) average joe. Athletes are looking more at 1.2 to 1.7 g/kg/day. It’s my experience when folks lack sufficient protein, they crave sugars to compensate for low energy.
• Hydration: Are you drinking enough water throughout the day? There’s no easy answer for how much is enough. To quote the Mayo Clinic: “Generally, if you drink enough fluid so that you rarely feel thirsty and your urine is colorless or light yellow — and measures about 6.3 cups (1.5 liters) or more a day if you were to keep track — your fluid intake is probably adequate.”
• Lastly, simple sugars: What kinds of simple sugars are you consuming, how often, and with what other foods? Simple sugars can be sneaky — including milk, soda, white breads, white-bread relatives, white rice, all-natural and artificial sweeteners, fruit juices, and starchy snacks (e.g. corn chips, crackers, potato chips). It’s not just calories that are concerning — saccharin (a.k.a. Sweet‘N Low), sucralose (a.k.a. Splenda) and aspartame (a.k.a. NutraSweet and Equal) have all been found to raise blood sugar.

In addition, aimed to specifically promote slow sugar metabolism, Dr. Minich in Chakra Foods for Optimum Health suggests the following (102):

Low-Glycemic Foods to Support the Solar Plexus

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Supplements for Blood Sugar Regulation

There are a number of natural options when it comes to blood sugar regulation and supplementation: Vitamins, minerals, herbs, medical mushrooms, antioxidants, etc. However, most of them have not been studied in pregnant populations. For this reason, few are considered safe to take during pregnancy. You may consider talking to your healthcare provider about:

• Chromium (found safe in study at 4-8mcg/kg in pregnancy)
• Magnesium (considered safe in pregnancy in doses below the tolerable upper intake level (UL) of 350 mg daily)
• Vitamin B6 (some but not all studies have shown women with gestational diabetes who also have a pyridoxine deficiency improved glucose tolerance and blood glucose levels when taking 100 mg of vitamin B6 daily for 2 weeks)

For everyone else, talk to your healthcare provider about choosing additional supplements that would be right for your constitution and condition.

Need more help?

Consider trying a Reiki session (they can even be conducted over the phone!) to unpack any emotions or thoughts that are contributing to your condition. Did you know electroacupuncture can also help regulate glucose?

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References

• Davies, Brenda. The 7 Healing Chakras Workbook. 2004.
• Hay, Louise. You Can Heal Your Life. 2004.
• Minich, Deanna. Chakra Foods for Optimum Health. 2009.

Stuck in your head? Work on your hips.

The Hip: Doorway to Vital Energy

So much of what we do is in our head. If we’re not thinking, we’re listening to headphones, talking on the phone, etc. In effect, we truncate our body by being that much more fascinated with what’s happening up in our head than what’s happening in our legs. Doing so, we also cut ourselves off from a great portion of our being, its energy, and support.

To understand the relevance of healthy, open and strong hips to our health, it can be helpful to understand their context. In energy work, we might start with assessing which major and minor chakras are associated with the hip. We could also look at associated mental causes of dis-ease in the area. Physically, we might look at posture, ergonomics, and lifestyle. Overall, we might assess: Is there too much or too little energy here? Is there old physical trauma, difficult emotions or thoughts stagnating here, causing blockage? Or is doubt, worry or fear draining the energy from this part of the body? And so on.

The hips in energy work

Major Chakra Association

The hips are typically associated with the Sacral Chakra. The Sacral Chakra’s energy can also affect the sexual organs, large intestine, lower spine, pelvis, appendix, and bladder (Myss 96). This chakra’s energy can relate to the processing of:

• Intimacy/Sexuality
• Creativity
• Sensuality/Pleasure
• Blame/Guilt
• Money
• Sex
• Security/Fear of loss of power/control
• Ethics/Honor in relationships

Reading that list, do each of those topics feel good to you? Is there one that stings a bit? If so, you might want to start working on balancing this energy center with intention, effort, affirmations and help if needed.

Minor Chakra Association

The hips themselves are considered a minor chakra, as a joint in the body. It can be helpful to remember the physical, emotional, mental and spiritual bodies are not separate; and in assessing the physical state of affairs at the hip, we are also working on the energetic. When assessing, you might ask:

• How tight are the hip flexor muscles and other related musculature?

e.g. Do you stretch daily? Do you use a foam roller?

• What holding patterns are involved?

e.g. Do you sit or stand all day for work? Do you drive, cycle, or walk to work?

• How does that affect your muscle strength?

Mental Causes of Hip Dis-Ease

Beyond any issues tied to the Sacral Chakra’s themes listed above, there might also be an issue stemming from the development of that chakra. Dale describes the second chakra as relating to ages 6 months to 2 1/2 years, when we are developing the “awareness of feelings and the right to express them; world/family views about gender roles and sensuality issues. Beliefs about expression and creativity” (Dale 97). If growing up we weren’t given the right to have our own views and feelings, the ability to say no and opportunity to express our creativity, we might have developed and/or adopted false-beliefs about ourselves, who we are and what we’re capable of. (I am reminded of a post I wrote on this topic not too long ago: Drama of the Gifted Child.) These thoughts and emotions then can affect and manifest in the function, strength, and flexibility of the joint.

It’s remarkable to me how many patients I see complaining of low energy or hip pain that later report they’re “not creative” or feel afraid to share with others for fear that they have nothing to offer or would be found out to be a sham. It’s not surprising to me, then, that Louise Hay describes hip conditions as stemming from a “fear of going forward in major decisions. Nothing to move forward to” (Hay 177). If we believed we had to cut off or numb a part of ourselves just to move forward in life, how could we possibly imagine moving freely and from a place of joy?

As a Reiki practitioner, it’s so rewarding to see over time these beliefs can be melted and transformed. Everyone is creative in their own way. Everyone has something unique and special to offer the world: Their presence.

Physical Assessment of the Hips

The best advice I can give is consider seeing a (non-force) chiropractor, postural and/or physical therapist. A non-force chiropractor can help if there is a spinal misalignment or hiked hip. A postural and/or physical therapist can help you target which muscles need strengthening or lengthening. Here in Seattle there’s the Seattle Center of Structural Medicine; in the past I’ve also worked with an Egoscue Method trainer and physical therapist.

It’s so essential to learn to work with your body when we’ve gotten so far removed from it. (How many hours do you spend a day working? And how many hours a day do you spend using your body?) To get your interest piqued, I’ve included a few thoughtful videos on hip health below. Again, these videos are not intended to cure, diagnosis or treat disease; I include them only to raise your awareness around hip health. These exercises may not be appropriate for all individuals. Always consult with your healthcare provider before trying a new exercise.

Tight Hips

Foam Rolling Your Hip Flexor: New Technique

Hip Flexor Stretch on the Foam Roller

Stretch Routine for Hip Flexibility & Mobility

Restorative Yoga – Hip Opening with Charlie Samos (Beginners)

45 minute Hip Opening Yoga Class (More Advanced)

Weak Hips

Don’t Confuse Hip Flexor Weakness For Tightness

Gluteus Medius: Activation and Strengthening Exercises

Unbalanced Hips

Correcting Common Posture Deviations: Hip/Pelvic Elevation

1-2-3 Correcting Pelvic Disparity

Your Practice

Having read this post today, how might you care for your hips this week? Is there anything you’ve been pushing away that you might tend to? Is it time to take salsa lessons? Feel free to share your experience in the comments!

References

Bruyere, Rosalyn. Wheels of Light. 1994.
Dale, Cyndi. New Chakra Healing. 2001.
Hay, Louise. You Can Heal Your Life. 2004.
Myss, Caroline. Anatomy of the Spirit. 1996.