Sunday, July 29, 2007

Diabetes Herbs

When there's a natural remedy for most illnesses today, can diabetes be far behind? Here's some good news for diabetic patients who would like to consider a natural alternative. Amazon Botanicals has a 100% natural product, which it calls "Sugar Control" that is helpful in controlling blood sugar levels. "Sugar control" is made from two wonder natural diabetes herbs from Peru – Yacon and Pata de vaca. Yacon is a perennial plant that is grown under warm and humid conditions in Peru under altitudes of 9,300 feet. The tuberous roots of Yacon are crisp and sweet and resemble a bit of both an apple and a watermelon. Yacon is a natural diabetes herb for diabetes and liver problems. Yacon is a low calorie item. The calorie content in a jar of Yacon extract is said to be half that of a similarly sized jar of honey. Yacon tastes sweet without raising blood sugar levels, because it contains a form of sugar that is not absorbed in the body. This happens because carbohydrates in Yacon are in the form of insulin and not starch. The oligofructose, a dietary sugar found in Yacon, also encourages growth of beneficial bacteria in the colon. Yacon is also useful for persons suffering from constipation. According to some, it also purifies the blood.

Pata de vaca, meaning literally "the cow's hoof" is a small plant that grows to a height of 5-9 meters and has leaves that are shaped like a cow's hoofs. Pata de vaca is an important medicinal herb in Brazil. The plant has been used for over sixty years as a natural diabetes herb in controlling blood sugar. Its effects are supposed to be so good that it has earned the sobriquet "vegetable insulin". Its effects have been clinically tested in South America where it is a popular natural diabetes herb.

"Sugar Control" combines the goodness of these two natural diabetes herbs to provide you with a reliable, safe and natural treatment for diabetes. Amazon Botanicals uses fresh recently harvested herbs either organically grown or wildcrafted. Other companies may use stale herbs bought from middlemen that buy from questionable sources with little concern for the Amazon environment.

The tea is prepared from 100% pure Yacon and Pata de vaca leaves and is available in the form of tea bags. The tea bags are to be infused in hot water for ten minutes and taken once a day.

Those under medication for diabetes should take medical advice before starting on these natural diabetes herbs, as they have an effect of lowering blood sugar levels and hence may require adjustments in the existing medication and their dosages, as well as monitoring of blood sugar levels.
Patricia McDougall B.Sc. (Biology) is a Peruvian currently working for Amazon Botanicals LLC of Newark Delaware as a researcher. http://www.amazon-botanicals.com/Natural_diabetes_herbs_s/46.htm

Thursday, July 26, 2007

10 Best Home Remedies for Diabetes

Here is a list of some best Home Remedies for Diabetes:-

Home Remedies for Diabetes

1) Most effective Home Remedy for Diabetes is Bitter gourd and proved helpful in controlling diabetes. For better results, the diabetic should take the juice of about four or five Bitter gourds each morning on an empty stomach.

2) Take juice of bilva and parijataka leaves in identical parts for natural remedy of diabetes.

3) Indian gooseberry, with its high vitamin C content, is measured important in diabetes. A tablespoon of its juice, mixed with a cup of bitter gourd juice, taken daily for two months, will rouse the islets of Langerhans, that is, the remote group of cells that secrete the hormone insulin in the pancreas. This mixture diminishes the blood sugar in diabetes. This is another effective Home Remedy for Diabetes.

4) The seeds of parslane are helpful in diabetes. A teaspoon of the seeds should be taken each day with half a cup of water for four to five months. It will boost the body's own insulin and help in curing diabetes.

5) Including grapefruit in the diet is an outstanding natural home remedy for diabetes. 6) Take two teaspoons of powdered Fenugreek seeds with milk. Two teaspoons of the seeds can also be consumed whole, every day.

7) The tender leaves of the mango tree are considered as good Home Remedy for Diabetes. An infusion is made by soaking 15 gm of fresh leaves in 250 ml of water overnight, and squeeze them well in the water. This filtrate should be taken every morning to handle early diabetes. As an option, the leaves should be dried in the shade, powdered and preserved for use when needed. Half a teaspoon of this powder should be taken two times a day.

8) The juice of Margosa is a cooperative natural home remedy for diabetes.

9) String bean pod tea is a superb natural Home Remedy for Diabetes and can be substituted for insulin. 10) Eat 10 fresh fully full-fledged curry leaves each morning for three months. It avoids diabetes due to genetic or heredity factors.

Wednesday, July 25, 2007

Supplements for Diabetes – What Recent Studies Say?

Diabetes:

Diabetes is a chronic condition in which body does not produce or produce less insulin compared to healthy individual or body develops resistance to insulin (body does not respond to insulin).

Most foods that we consume finally enter into the blood in form of carbohydrate, fat & protein. From blood, these nutrients enter into cells. Insulin is required for this entry of glucose into cells. Body cells utilize carbohydrate & fat for energy & growth.

Because of less insulin or resistance to insulin in diabetes, blood sugar cannot enter into cells & remain in blood resulting in high blood sugar.

Studies have shown that supplements like chromium, alpha lipoic acid & vanadium plays an important role in the management of diabetes. You can get details on diabetes at http://www.truevalue4money.com/...es/diabetes.html

Chromium supplements in diabetes:

Diabetes is associated with low concentrations of chromium in blood, so, an early, long-term addition of chromium to the standard therapy has been recommended in several studies. Some latest clinical reports also support the safety and therapeutic value of chromium supplementation for the management of high cholesterol and sugar in subjects with diabetes.

Chromium increases insulin receptor numbers & insulin binding to cells. Since chromium acts by increasing insulin efficiency, so lower amount of insulin is required in presence of chromium.

A clinical study published in ‘Diabetes Care. (2006, August)’ has shown that chromium supplementation in subjects with type 2 diabetes significantly improves insulin sensitivity and glucose control. Chromium supplementation also reduced body weight gain and fat accumulation

A latest review article published in Diabetes Technol Ther. 2006 December has mentioned that 13 of 15 clinical studies involving a total of 1,690 subjects reported significant improvement in at least one outcome of glycemic control. (Glycemic control is a medical term used for blood sugar levels in a person with diabetes) Beneficial effects of chromium supplementation included reduced blood glucose, cholesterol, and triglyceride levels and reduced requirements for drugs for diabetes.

Reduction in blood sugar & improvement in insulin sensitivity with chromium results in decrease risk for diabetes complications.

Alpha lipoic acid in Diabetes:

Alpha lipoic acid is a powerful antioxidant, which is produced in the body & also present in food. High blood sugar in diabetes increases free radical formation in body, which leads to additional complications of diabetes like atherosclerosis, heart problems, nerve damage & cataract. Antioxidant decreases free radicals in body & decreases risk of complications.

There are number of publications confirming beneficial effect of lipoic acid in therapy of many diseases, including diabetes, atherosclerosis, degenerative processes in neurons, diseases of joints,A recent clinical study on diabetic patients treated with alpha lipoic acid was published in ‘hormones (Athens). 2006 Oct-Dec 5(4)’. The result of the study has proved that short-term oral alpha-lipoic acid treatment increases peripheral insulin sensitivity in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Improvement in insulin sensitivity could improve both blood sugar control and cardiovascular risk factors in patients with type 2 diabetes.Peripheral insulin sensitivity gives an idea about how body cells respond to insulin.

In diabetes, because of decrease response to insulin by body cells, blood sugar cannot enter into cells causing high blood glucose. Alpha lipoic acid enhances glucose uptake by cells in type 2 diabetes.

Diabetic neuropathy or nerve damage is a complication of diabetes. It is a progressive disease, which can cause pain, loss of sensation and weakness, in the feet and sometimes in the hands. Studies have shown that alpha lipoic acid is effective in management of diabetic nerve damage called neuropathy and it reduces pain associated with neuropathy.

Vanadium supplement in diabetes:

Vanadium is a trace mineral required by the body in small quantities. Numerous studies have shown that vanadium has insulin-like effects in liver, skeletal muscle, and adipose tissue. It may improve glucose control in people with type 2 diabetes.Along with chromium & alpha lipoic acid, some other supplement like evening primrose oil, fenugreek & some herbs also help in management of diabetes.