Healing Stories: A 28 Day Journey To Managing Diabetes

In this article, Ananda in the Himalayas explain how Panchkarma treatments helped a man to better manage the symptoms of Diabetes.

A 38-year-old guest arrived at Ananda diagnosed with hypertension two years prior, with his blood pressure flaring to alarming highs of 190/150 mmHg. A recent diagnosis of pre-diabetes, with mean plasma glucose averaging 180 mg/dl, had joined the long list of worries. Besides this, the guest had bronchial asthma since childhood, high cholesterol, and GERD ; his medical profile read like a symphony of imbalance.

Years of conventional medication for blood pressure, GERD, and asthma offered only partial relief. The weight continued to climb, cholesterol remained stubbornly high, fatigue deepened, and emotional unrest lingered.

He had tried, and failed, to wrestle his health into submission. But at Ananda in the Himalayas, his story was about to be rewritten. From the very first consultation, physicians at Ananda were not just studying his lab reports — though they were deeply concerning — but also his constitution, or prakriti, through the Ayurvedic lens. He was identified as a Pitta-dominant Vata type. This meant his metabolism, inherently fiery and driven, had been smoldering out of balance under the relentless stress of urban living, poor diet, and suppressed emotions.

The baseline numbers painted a stark picture:

• HbA1C: 7.2% – confirming already established diabetes.
• Total cholesterol/HDL ratio: 4.6 (high cardiovascular risk)
• C-Reactive Protein (CRP): 25.2 mg/L (high inflammation)
• Vitamin D: critically low at 21.6 ng/dl

On the emotional front, he admitted to ongoing stress, fatigue, anxiety, and suppressed anger. He carried with him not just physical disease, but psychic scars of pressure, responsibility, and past smoking and drinking habits.

Clearly, a pill for blood sugar here and an antacid there, could never address the totality of suffering.

Phase I of the treatment at Ananda:

In Ayurveda, true healing begins with the digestion of ama — the toxic residue that clogs channels and distorts body intelligence. His programme began with Deepana-Pachana (digestive ignition) using traditional herbal formulations like Panchakola churnam, accompanied by a kapha-balancing, light diet.

For the first five days, he underwent continuous observation to understand his blood pressure and blood glucose levels and its fluctuations. His routine was gentle but meticulously structured:

• Deepana diet: designed to kindle Agni (digestive fire)
• Light yoga therapy with breathwork for his compromised lung capacity
• Detox massages to mobilise fatty tissue
• Close monitoring of his blood pressure and glucose fluctuations

While his body adjusted, he battled bouts of tiredness and knee pain, but determination kept him steady. For support, doctors introduced Suvarnamuktadi Gukika, an Ayurvedic herbo-mineral compound often used to regulate blood pressure.

Already, small shifts appeared: digestion improved, sleep became deeper, and his blood pressure stayed steady enough to begin the next phase.

Phase II: 

Once the system was primed, the team initiated Shodhana — purification. On identifying his Pitta-predominant digestive tract, he underwent Virechana (therapeutic purgation) with Trivrit Lehya (herbal electuary). Through this process, his body expelled layers of stored metabolic waste. Signs of proper cleansing — lightness of body, clarity of mind, and a calm Kapha expulsion at the end — reassured the team.

A gradual Samsarjana Krama diet (progressive reintroduction of regular food) was followed to restore digestive power.

This was followed by a series of medically supervised Vasti therapies (therapeutic enemas) over several days:

• Dashamooladi Kashaya Vasti (herbal decoction enema)
• Dhanvantaram Sneha Vasti (oil enema)

His fasting and postprandial glucose levels began trending downward into near-normal ranges.

The medical team balanced every step with care, avoiding excessive strain due to his asthma and cardiovascular risk. High-intensity exercise was avoided; instead, he was guided into meditation, pranayama, and Vedanta classes, grounding not just his body, but his nervous system.

Phase III 

The post-detox regimen (Samsarjana Krama) rekindled his digestive strength and supported tissue replenishment. During this phase he started regaining his energy levels, digestion improved, and heaviness, hyperacidity, and belching subsided significantly. He resumed fitness activities, yoga, and acupuncture with new vitality. He was feeling much calmer and his anger issues, long a source of inner turbulence, softened through emotional healing sessions and meditation.

The results 

By the end of 28 days in the Himalayas, transformation wasn’t just visible in his slimmer frame— it was measurable in his lab reports:

Clinical Outcomes (Before ? After):

• Weight: 90 kg to 82.8 kg (loss of 7.2 kg)
• BMI: 28.4 to 26.1
• Body Fat Mass: 27 kg to 21.8 kg
• HbA1C: 7.2% to 5.4% (back to normal range!)
• Mean Plasma Glucose: 159.9 mg/dl to 108.3 mg/dl
• LDL Cholesterol: 131.7 mg/dl to 64.1 mg/dl
• CRP (Inflammation): 25.2 mg/L to 4.47 mg/L

By the time he completed the programme, he was able to stop consumption of not only his antacids and antihistamines, but also his blood pressure medication.

This is a case study of a client whose glucose, cholesterol, inflammation, and weight all normalised in just 28 days, under safe supervision. Conventional therapies alone had failed him; integrative care gave him back vitality.

Learn more about Diabetes Management at Ananda.