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Medicine is an extremely complex science. However, it is astonishing how simple things really are if we just allow them to be.
Doctors can make things so very complicated.When the drug companies get involved, the waters get even muddier. Popping a pill may seem like a simple solution, but as we’ve learned over the years, such quick fixes don’t solve the problem very well—and all too often, they just create new ones.
More often than not, we find that the healthiest, safest, and simplest solution was right under our noses the whole time.
Skip the drugs—start with simple steps first
That’s becoming more and more apparent in the case of Type II diabetes. Incidence rates doubled in the 15 years between 1990 and 2005. And those numbers keep climbing. Drug companies have spent astronomical amounts of time and money developing drugs to treat it, but as the numbers show, they’ve had little effect. Hundreds of doctors have spent countless hours in meetings, analyzing the data and trying to come up with scientific explanations and protocols for treatment. Meanwhile, a growing body of evidence is showing that all those drugs and all that analysis may not be necessary. The best approaches for the prevention AND treatment of Type II diabetes are simple, natural ones.
No needles, no injections, no pills Bringing down blood-sugar levels and keeping them under control is key. The good news is that you don’t have to swear off chocolate forever or give in to the needle. There are some simple diabetes-defeating solutions you can begin to use immediately that can help bring that insulin under control and keep those drugs out of your system.
HealthierTalk.com is a think tank for the natural health community. Bringing together the best minds in natural medicine, we are dedicated to informing you about the best and latest alternative health solutions.
Here some of our knowledgeable contributors share with you their 10 best, all-natural, diabetes-defeating solutions.We believe that with the right tools and information you CAN defeat your diabetes forever.
Gymnema: Ancient herbal “sugar destroyer” By HealthierTalk.com Contributor – Allen Spreen, M.D.Chief Research Advisor NorthStar Nutritionals and nationally acclaimed as America’s “Nutrition Physician”
Nature often has a wonderful way of revealing to us the therapeutic properties of plants. When, for example, you break the stem of a greater celandine plant (Chelidonium majus), you will see a yellow sap oozing from the broken end. The resemblance of this sap to bile led ancient herbalists to conclude that this herb might be beneficial to the liver and gallbladder. Modern clinical research has supported this traditional use.
This association between the physical characteristics of a plant and its potential to heal is known as the Doctrine of Signatures. One of the most profound examples of the Doctrine of Signatures is the Ayurvedic (traditional Indian medicine) herb Gymnema. The Hindi word “Gurmar” translates in English as “sugar destroyer.”
The translation is literal:When Gymnema is applied to the mouth, it prevents the taste buds from perceiving sweet tastes. Chewing chocolate is like chewing butter. Grains of sugar are like grains of sand. But it is more that just a fantastic party trick. Gymnema is a well-proven treatment for diabetes, and it has been used for this purpose for over 2,000 years. In my own clinical experience, I have found Gymnema to be the best herb available for treating this condition and controlling excessive blood-sugar levels.
Repair diabetes damage in as little as 20 days Gymnema contains a group of compounds known as gymnemic acids. They appear to be largely responsible for its sweet-taste-abolishing properties and also could contribute substantially to its antidiabetic activity.Many lab studies have verified the antidiabetic properties of Gymnema, but one study in particularmade a remarkable finding, which could substantially expand our understanding of the value of this herb for treating diabetes.
Researchers orally administered Gymnema extract to fasting diabetic rats. The Gymnema returned the fasting rats’ blood-glucose levels to normal within 20 to 60 days. Surprisingly, their insulin levels rose toward normal levels and the number of beta cells in the pancreas (the cells that manufacture and secrete insulin) increased. This suggests that Gymnema might actually help to restore damaged pancreatic tissue, provided the damage has not gone too far. This extraordinary possibility is supported, to some extent, by the clinical trials on Gymnema.
Reduce insulin requirements by 50 percent A controlled study on insulin-dependent diabetics found that 400 milligrams per day of a water-soluble Gymnema extract reduced insulin requirements by about 50 percent. Over the duration of treatment, Gymnema lowered fasting blood-glucose levels and long-term blood-sugar levels. In addition, cholesterol was significantly reduced and brought to near normal levels. Triglycerides were also lowered.
A second study by the same research group found that the same Gymnema preparation (400 mg/day) produced similar results for non-insulin-dependent diabetics. Fasting blood glucose and long-term blood-sugar levels were significantly reduced compared to baseline values after 18–20 months of treatment. Similar reductions were not observed in patients receiving conventional therapy alone. Fasting and post-meal serum insulin levels increased significantly in the Gymnema group as compared to those taking only conventional drugs. Twenty-one of the 22 patients were able to reduce their intake of drugs; five of them discontinued such drugs entirely and maintained their blood-glucose levels with Gymnema extract alone.
Gymnema also helps beat cholesterol and triglycerides As if Gymnema’s effects on diabetes weren’t enough, it has also shown remarkable results against two known markers of heart disease. In the studies mentioned above, the patients taking Gymnema showed significant reductions in cholesterol and triglyceride levels.
In addition, there are several studies supporting the use of Gymnema for weight loss. In one of those studies, Gymnema extract decreased weight gain and food intake when added to the diet of rats for 22 days. The extent of the reduction depended on the dosage of Gymnema.
How to use Gymnema Gymnema can work quite quickly to control blood-sugar levels. Used on its own, it will not drop blood-sugar so far as to cause hypoglycemia. However, there is the risk this could happen if it is used together with insulin or antidiabetic drugs. So in these cases, Gymnema should only be taken under professional supervision.
Dose is very important in treatment with Gymnema. The studies quoted above used 400 milligrams per day of an extract. That correlates to about 8 grams per day of the herb in tablet form. Gymnema works best when taken before meals. It is available at most healthfood stores.
Vitamins and Minerals:Essential Diabetes Defeaters
By HealthierTalk.com Contributor – Dr. Jonathan Wright Editor of Nutrition & Healing newsletter and Director of the Tahoma Clinic
The diabetes-preventing mineral 90% of us aren’t getting enough of
Chromium appears to be the most useful mineral in the prevention of Type II diabetes. It is a component of a molecule in the body called glucose-tolerance factor, which is known to enhance the blood-sugar-lowering action of insulin. Chromium deficiency is all too common in the United States. One dietary survey revealed that 90 percent of Americans consume less than the so-called “minimum daily intake.” Animal studies have shown that chromium-deficient diets result in high blood-sugar levels.
Although the best food sources of chromium are mushrooms, brewer’s yeast, and eggs, you should also take a chromium supplement if your glucose-insulin-tolerance test is abnormal. Unfortunately, the quantities you’ll find inmost health-food stores (usually 200microgram capsules) aremuch too low to provide adequate prevention or treatment of Type II diabetes.
Researchers have shown that 200 micrograms of chromium daily is ineffective in lowering blood-sugar in actual Type II diabetes. But when levels are raised to 1,000 micrograms daily, blood-sugar, serum-insulin, and cholesterol levels all decrease.
Chromium supplements have also been shown to raise HDL (“good”) cholesterol.My recommendation for prevention is 500 to 1,000 micrograms (1 milligram) daily, depending on the patient’s individual needs. Preferably, you should use one of the better absorbed forms of chromium, such as chromium aspartate, chromium polynicotinate, or chromium picolinate. In addition, I have found that chromium supplements have reduced many of my patients’ sugar cravings. This is especially helpful when you begin eliminating refined sugar from your diet.
Another reason to take your B vitamins!
Niacin and niacinamide, both forms of vitamin B3, are necessary in a Type II diabetes prevention program. Niacin is another crucial component of glucose-tolerance factor. Niacinamide helps protect pancreatic islet cells against the ultimate exhaustion that can be created by years of insulin overproduction.Many of the refined foods consumed by Americans are depleted of niacin.
In one study, 16 elderly individuals received either 200 mcg of chromium, 100 mg of niacin, or both, daily for 28 days. Fasting plasma-glucose levels and glucose tolerance were unaffected by either chromium or niacin alone. However, when both of the nutrients were supplemented, significant improvements were seen in both fasting blood-sugar and glucose tolerance.
Based on the results of this study, it appears that a small amount of niacin should be included in any supplement program designed to regulate blood-sugar. And taking a small amount of niacin along with chromium works even better than taking chromium alone to reduce sugar cravings. Ten to 25 milligrams of niacin daily will help chromium cut sugar cravings.
Fortunately, many good multiple and B-complex vitamin combinations contain at least 15 to 25 milligrams of niacin and 50 to 100 milligrams of niacinamide, so separate supplementation of these items isn’t usually necessary. (The rest of the B-complex group is also involved in blood-sugar metabolism; it’s just as well to take all the B vitamins together.)
Boost your biotin levels
Biotin helps metabolize blood-sugar once it gets into the cells. Daily quantities of 9 to 16 milligrams have been shown to significantly lower elevated blood-sugar levels in both Type I and Type II diabetes. In experimental animals, extra biotin reduces insulin resistance and improves glucose tolerance.
In one study, seven insulin-dependent diabetics were removed frominsulin therapy and treated with biotin (16mg/day) or a placebo for one week. Fasting blood-glucose levels rose significantly in patients given the placebo, but decreased significantly in those treated with biotin. For preventive purposes, considerably less than these “therapeutic” quantities would be necessary. One or, at most, 2 milligrams daily should be sufficient.
Although biotin is found in many multivitamin formulations, quantities are usually extremely low, so you’ll probably need to take an additional biotin supplement each day. There have been no reports of overdosing or of serious side effects from biotin.
Dramatically decrease your blood-sugar levels in just eight weeks
Coenzyme Q10 is synthesized in every cell in our bodies, but likemost other things, the rates of synthesis decline as we get older. One study of 59 individuals with coronary artery disease, high blood pressure, high triglycerides, elevated fasting blood-sugar levels, and elevated fasting insulin compared the effects of 120milligrams of coenzyme Q10 daily to the effects of a placebo.
After eight weeks, both fasting blood-sugar and fasting insulin levels dropped very significantly in those taking coenzyme Q10 as compared with the placebo group. Although this is only one published study, I have observed these coenzyme Q10 effects for years. At present, for those at risk for Type II diabetes, I recommend 30 to 60milligrams of coenzyme Q10 daily.
Vitamin D: Light at the End of the Diabetes Tunnel
By HealthierTalk.com Contributor – Jenny Thompson Director of the Health Sciences Institute
Let the Sun Shine
If you have Type II diabetes, or have been diagnosed with a prediabetic condition, you may be deficient in one vitamin that could help make a big difference in your health. I’m not talking about vitamin C or vitamin E, although both of those vitamins have been shown to be essential in helping to prevent kidney disease in diabetics.
According to research from the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, vitamin D may play a key role in glucose metabolism. But what are the best sources?
Light of day
The best dietary sources of vitamin D are eggs, liver, fish-liver oils, and oily fish like salmon, sardines, trout, and tuna. But by far, the best source of vitamin D is through sun exposure.When your skin is exposed to ultraviolet light, your body responds by manufacturing vitamin D.
Of course, the idea of sun exposure runs against the current popular “wisdom” that you should completely avoid sunlight unless covered scalp to ankles with sunblock. But sun exposure is not only good, it’s essential. The damage that can set the stage for skin cancer comes when exposure is extreme and results in sunburned skin.
Unfortunately, the amount of sunlight needed to prompt the body to create vitamin D is only available in most of the U.S. during the summer months. For the remainder of the year—and for those who live in extreme northern or southern latitudes—the most accessible source of vitamin D is from fish-oil supplements.
But before you begin taking a fish oil supplement, there are two important details to keep in mind:
The current RDA for vitamin D is only 200 IU for people under 51, 400 IU for adults 51 to 70, and 600 IU for those over 70. However, unless you have a hypersensitivity to vitamin D experts often advocate higher, proven-safe, doses of 700 IU up to 4,000 IU per day.
Diabetes Solutions Straight from Your Spice Rack
By HealthierTalk.com Contributor – Alice Wessendorf Managing Editor of HealthierTalk.com
It’s a common story. Your doctor diagnoses you with Type II diabetes, dashes off a prescription, and sends you home with the advice “Take your meds, don’t eat sugar, and lose some weight!”
The quick fix of glucose-lowering drugs, of course, works. But they come with a cart-full of side effects ranging from weight gain to constipation. Why not start with themost simple solutions first? There are proven all-natural “food cures” in your kitchen right now, that have been shown to have a lowering effect on glucose levels.
The Pumpkin-pie Surprise
Turns out that cinnamon—yes the same spice used in pumpkin pie—has been hiding a diabetes-fighting secret in its sweet bark.
Researchers, led by Dr. Richard Anderson, uncovered a connection between cinnamon and glucose levels when they found a group of 30 Type II diabetics who were given cinnamon capsules for 40 days saw a significant decrease—a drop of anywhere from 18% to 29%—in their blood-sugar levels. Participants also saw drops in triglyceride, LDL cholesterol, and total cholesterol levels.
This diabetes fighter’s insulin-like effect, cheap cost, and easy availability makes it a good choice for anyone wanting to shield himself against diabetes.
The Pickling Prodigy
Fenugreek is native to southeast Europe and west Asia. The plant’s small seeds are used in pickling and to spice food and can often be found inMiddle Eastern and North African dishes. Studies have shown that fenugreek can help stabilize blood-sugar in diabetics.
In one double-blind placebo-controlled study, 25 Type II diabetics were randomly divided into two groups and given either a fenugreek-seed extract or a placebo for two months. At the end of the testing period, the researchers determined that those receiving the fenugreek wound up with improved glycemic control and a decrease in insulin resistance.
As a happy side benefit, you may find that the spice improves your cholesterol levels as well. You can get fenugreek in seed, capsule, powder, and gum forms. A word of warning, however: Fenugreek can sometimes work so well that it drops sugar levels too drastically.
The Mustard Miracle
Turmeric is a member of the ginger family and is native to South Asia. The stems of the plant are ground into a deep yellow-orange powder that is often used in curry dishes and in mustards.
Turmeric has an anti-inflammatory effect, and several animal studies have shown it to lower blood-sugar levels. The active ingredient in it is curcumin, and it is believed that this ingredient is the part of the spice that has shown promise in lowering glucose levels.
One animal study published in the journal Molecular Nutrition & Food Research found that mice that were given curcumin had lower blood-glucose levels and even lost weight. All signs point to its being a useful spice for diabetics. Start adding it to your favorite dishes today.
The Soft-drink Stunner
Ginger has been used in Asia for over 3,000 years both as a spice to flavor foods and as a medicinal herb. And, of course, it is the spice used in fizzy ginger ales. Several animal studies hint at ginger’s ability to lower blood-sugar as well as serve to ward off metabolic syndrome, a condition that often precedes Type II diabetes.
One recent animal study, published in the journal Basic & Clinical Pharmacology & Toxicology, concluded that there is indeed evidence to support using ginger to ward off metabolic syndrome. Another study, published in the Journal of Medicinal Food, found that ginger led to better glucose tolerance.
You can get fresh ginger at your grocery store. It can be added to dishes ranging from salad dressings to pasta. You may also find ginger-root supplements your local drugstore or natural-food store.
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