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Ayurvedic pulse diagnosis (Nadi Pariksha) is a sophisticated traditional diagnostic method that assesses dosha imbalances, digestive fire (Agni), and constitutional patterns. However, pulse diagnosis cannot detect insulin resistance.
Here’s why:
Pulse diagnosis reads the qualities of Vata, Pitta, and Kapha through the radial artery, assessing patterns of imbalance, tissue states, and metabolic tendencies. Whilst it can identify digestive weakness, inflammatory patterns, and metabolic dysfunction at the dosha level, it cannot measure the specific biochemical markers that define insulin resistance.
Insulin resistance is a molecular phenomenon requiring laboratory measurement of:
– Fasting insulin levels (measured in µIU/mL)
– Fasting glucose levels (measured in mmol/L)
– The mathematical relationship between them (HOMA-IR calculation)
Even the most skilled Ayurvedic practitioner reading the pulse cannot detect elevated insulin levels circulating in the bloodstream. The pulse may reveal imbalances associated with poor metabolism (weak Agni), accumulation of toxins (Ama), or Kapha-related sluggishness—all of which can correlate with insulin resistance—but it cannot diagnose insulin resistance itself.
This is why HOMA-IR testing is essential: It provides the objective, quantifiable data needed to confirm insulin resistance and track its reversal. Think of it as the difference between sensing that “something feels off” versus having a precise diagnostic measurement.