A Buddhist Approach to self-care of Diabetic Patients

Abstract

This research on “A Buddhist Approach to Self-care of Diabetic Patients” had 3 objectives: 1) to study the approaches to self-care of the patients, 2) to study the approach to self-care of diabetic patients and 3) to apply the Buddhist approach to self-care of monks with diabetic.

This research was a documentary research which was studied from primary source such as the Tipitaka and secondary sources as textbooks, documents, research papers and other related academic books then the data was analyzed into descriptive form.

The study revealed as the following:

1) Good health has been the most important thing for human beings. Whenever the sickness appeared, the first thing was to self-care oneself, but if there needed some help from the others in case of insufficient self-care, it’s necessary to ask for help. At present, there are many Self-Care Theories such as Self-Care Theory of Orem, Self-Adjustment of Loyd and King’s Nursing Theory.

2) Diabetes mellitus is a chronic disease. It caused by the abnormal of metabolism which appeared the high levels of glucose in the blood abnormally. It has found that there are more diabetic patients every year. Diabetes mellitus  was divided into 2 types: 1) the one depended on the insulin which the main factors came from both the heredity and the environment and 2) the one no need to depend on  the insulin caused by various factors such as heaviness, heredity, lack of exercises, abnormal pancreas, tension, using birth-control pills and so on. There were 7 symptoms generally shown in diabetic patients: 1) urination more often, 2) thirst, needed more drinking water, 3) hunger more often and ate more, 4) hardly to cure the wounds, 5) itchiness over the skin, 6) blurry eyes and 7) numbness and hurt at the end of hands and feet. Four suggestions to self-care: 1) nutrition control, 2) exercises, 3) using right medicines and 4) taking good care of the feet. If diabetic patients did as mentioned above, they surely could conduct their lives as normal persons.

3) Applying the Buddhist approach to self-care with diabetic patients for the monks was divided into 2 types: 1) Physical self-care of diabetic patients which the Buddha granted to follow these 2 ways: one is nutrition control and another one is doing exercise which is conform to the self-care method of present medicine. 2) Mental self-care of diabetic patients, He mentioned on the commitment to live, awareness of defilement, practicing the meditation and He also taught to consider the Buddhist principle such as 4 Apannaka-patipadas, 4 Iddhipadas, 4 Satipatthanas, 7 Bojjhangas and Girimananda Sutta. Especially in Girimananda Sutta, it was revealed that the name of diabetic was appeared in the Buddha’s lifetime. It was found that the diabetic monks in present did not realize to apply the Buddhist approach to mental self-care, therefore if there is the way to distribution this knowledge then it can help the diabetic monks to take care of themselves and also they will have a peaceful mind which is the best way to control diabetes and finally they will live happily.