Hypertension and Lack of Localized Treatment is a Problem for Diabetic Patients in Tibet

The combination of traditional diets, such as butter tea, and modern junk-food are linked to hypertension in Tibetan areas. But for the people with diabetes, this situation causes higher motility rate, said Dr. Lhamo Sherpa, a prominent expert on health issues of mountain people in Asia. Dr. Sherpa argues that the laboratories and researches are designed for trekkers and soldiers who visit higher altitude areas for a short period of time, not on local people. “Genetically we are different,” Dr. Sherpa told Healthy Lifestyle of VOA. “How our bodies respond to medicines is different from that of theirs.” Therefore, she believes that the treatments and guidelines given to diabetic patients in Tibet are not accurate for the local patients. For the diabetic issue, she points out that the shift of diet structure is one of the main problem. “In the past our diet structure was monotonic diet structure where people ate mainly tsampa, tea and so on. Now all of sudden it has changed into diversified diet structure.” She said urban people in particular who have more excess to junk food has a higher chance to get diabetes.