Shalini, New Delhi: Sixty-year-old Captain Brejinder Singh has been living with diabetes for the past 20 years. With time he developed complications in multiple organs — a brain stroke, partial paralysis, partial blindness.

His wife Roopam Singh says, "About two years ago, his cretenin levels went up to seven. Anybody who has cretenin levels till four is asked to go for a dialysis, but when the doctors saw him they said he looked okay and didn't need it. We were asked to continue what we're doing."

What was helping Captain Singh was a Chinese system of medicine — acupuncture. "It's helped me control my blood sugar and cholesterol and mentally I feel a lot better. And so far, it has saved me from going for a dialysis," says Captain Brejinder Singh.

The Chinese system involves three forms of treatment — herbal, Qi chong or exercise therapy and acupuncture. The first two are not available in India but acupuncture is being recognised as helpful in treating lifestyle diseases like diabetes, though it does not promise a cure.

It can only treat the complications that one develops because of diabetes. Acupuncturist Dr Madhusudan Aggarwal says, "You must continue medicines. What acupuncture does though is reduce the insulin dependency over a period of time."

But acupuncture is not the only alternate treatment out there. Homeopathy and ayurveda vouch similar ways of treatment. Ayurveda in fact recognizes 20 different kinds of diabetes. The therapy is a combination of diet, exercise and medicine and is said to be complimentary to modern medicine.

Ayurvedic practitioner Dr Geetha Krishnan says, "We have carried out a study which proves that when combined with ayurveda the requirement of medicines comes down by 50 per cent. This is especially helpful if the patient is on multiple drugs."

While alternative forms of medicine promise different benefits, remember they are not a replacement for the medication you are already on. One needs to work out a complete form of treatment with the doctor.