Diabetes control with diet and supplements
diabetes herbs diabetes research diabetes natural therapy diabetes herbs and vitamins for diabetes
Diabetes mellitus results when the body doesn't produce enough insulin to maintain normal blood sugar levels or when cells don't respond appropriately to insulin. People with type I diabetes mellitus (insulin-dependent diabetes) produce little or no insulin at all. In type II diabetes mellitus (non-insulin-dependent diabetes), the pancreas continues to manufacture insulin, sometimes even at higher than normal levels. However, the body develops resistance to its effects. Type II diabetes usually begins after age 30 and becomes progressively more common with age. Obesity is a risk factor for type II diabetes; 80 to 90 percent of the people with this disease are obese. Certain racial and cultural groups are at increased risk: Blacks and Hispanics have a twofold to threefold increased risk of developing type II diabetes. Type II diabetes also tends to run in families.

Herbs and supplements for diabetes
 Bitter-Melon is becoming popular
Cinnamon is also becoming a useful therapy for blood sugar control.
Alpha lipoic acid is helpful
 Gymnema Sylvestre herb, you can find info on gymnema here.
 Prickly-Pear-Cactus supplement
 Chromium-Picolinate mineral
 Vitamin D may be helpful for a diabetes patient. During a 17-year follow-up of roughly 4,000 men and women, researchers found that individuals with higher blood levels of vitamin D had a 40 percent lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes than those with lower levels of this vitamin. Diabetes Care, October 2007.
Vanadium Vanadyl sulfate is a mineral that helps with blood sugar metabolism. For more information on this mineral, see vanadium vanadyl sulfate.

Chromium picolinate and diabetes
The mineral chromium picolinate may help people with type 2 diabetes better control their blood sugar. Chromium supplements are marketed as a way to improve the body's use of insulin. Previous research has provided conflicting results on chromium's insulin and blood sugar effects. Researchers tested whether chromium picolinate supplements were useful in combination with a sulfonylurea medication -- an older class of diabetes drugs that often promote weight gain. Diabetic adults took either the medication plus 1,000 micrograms of chromium picolinate per day or the drug plus a placebo. After 6 months, those who took the chromium picolinate supplement showed greater improvements in insulin sensitivity and long-term blood sugar control. They also gained less weight and body fat than those on the medication alone. This is encouraging news. we prefer a lower dosage of chromium picolinate to be used if a diabetic plans to take this supplement for prolonged periods. Rather than 1,000 mcg, perhaps a 200 mcg pill with breakfast and lunch might be appropriate.

Additional supplements that may help Diabetes
Alpha lipoic Acid is one if the most important nutrients to consider for diabetic neuropathy and kidney disease
Acetylcarnitine is a promising treatment for diabetic neuropathy
CoQ10 improves the function of endothelial cells lining blood vessels and may slightly help with blood sugar control. 
Stevia is a no calorie natural sweetener beneficial in lowering blood sugar
Fenugreek this herb helps to improve blood sugar levels
Fish oils are some of the best supplements to take for a variety of health conditions including heart and circulatory issues, brain function, vision, and overall reduction of inflammation.
 Gymnema sylvestre
 Flavonoids
Psyllium half or one teaspoon in a glass of water twice daily with food. Or one capsule twice daily.
Gymnema extract
Natural Vitamin C with bioflavonoids
Natural Vitamin E complex
Cinnamon--1 to 6 grams daily improves sugar levels and reduces blood lipids (one small study)
Multivitamins and Minerals
Chromium increases insulin sensitivity and binding, also increases number of insulin receptors.
Ginseng in low doses
Magnesium
Spirulina
Vanadium or vanadyl sulfate

Other supplements in common use include Nopal (prickly pear cactus), karela (bitter melon), and tronadora. The popularity of these products varies among people of different ethnicities. Nopal is the most commonly used herbal hypoglycemic among persons of Mexican descent. Karela is more commonly used by persons from Asian countries.

Diet and Blood Sugar
Blood sugar (glucose) levels vary throughout the day, rising after a meal and returning to normal within 2 hours. Blood sugar levels are normally between 70 and 110 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) of blood in the morning after an overnight fast. They are usually lower than 120 to 140 mg/dL 2 hours after eating foods or drinking liquids containing sugar or other carbohydrates. Normal levels tend to increase slightly but progressively after age 50, especially in people who are sedentary. Chugging more than one sugar-sweetened soft drink a day appears to significantly increase one's chances of developing diabetes.

Diet, Diabetes, Fiber, and Magnesium
High levels of cereal fiber and magnesium are associated with a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus. The findings stem from an analysis performed by Dr. Matthias B. Schulze and colleagues from the German Institute of Human Nutrition Potsdam-Rehbruecke, Nuthetal. The study involved over 25,000 adults, between 35 and 65 years of age, who were followed from 1994 to 2005 for diabetes. A food-frequency questionnaire was used to assess the participants for the amounts of dietary fiber and magnesium. For a healthy diet.

Vinegar for diabetes blood sugar control?
A dose of vinegar taken at bedtime may help reduce blood sugar in patients with type 2 diabetes. Dr. Carol S. Johnston and colleagues from Arizona State University gave two tablespoons of vinegar with one ounce of cheese at bedtime in four men and seven women (ages 40 to 72 years) with type 2 diabetes who were not taking insulin. The vinegar treatment reduced fasting glucose by 6 percent in some of the patients. Diabetes Care, November 2007.

Diabetes and the beta cell of the pancreas
Type 2 diabetes is a dual defect disease characterized by insulin resistance and progressive beta cell secretory dysfunction. The insulin resistance usually precedes the development of diabetes by many years, tends to deteriorate over time and then plateau out, and the beta cell initially can compensate for this insulin resistance by increasing secretion of insulin to maintain glucose levels in the normal range, but ultimately the beta cell begins to fail. As the beta cell begins to fail, we usually see a rise first in glucose after a meal, followed by rising fasting glucose, and of course there continues to be progressive beta cell deterioration which reflects the natural history of this disease.

Insulin and Diabetes
Insulin, a hormone released from the pancreas, is the primary substance responsible for maintaining appropriate blood sugar levels. Insulin allows glucose to be transported into cells so that they can produce energy or store the glucose until it's needed. The rise in blood sugar levels after eating or drinking stimulates the pancreas to produce insulin, preventing a greater rise in blood sugar levels and causing them to fall gradually. Because muscles use glucose for energy, blood sugar levels fall during physical activity.

 Causes of Diabetes
Genetics, excess calories, high sugar intake, lack of exercise. Certain medications can elevate blood sugar including certain diuretics, phenytoin, niacin, and glucocorticoids. Smoking, already known to cause lung cancer, heart disease and stroke, also raises the risk for type two diabetes.

Diagnosis of Diabetes
Fasting blood sugar more than 126, random blood sugar more than 200 or HbA1c more than 7%. HbA1c level times 25 is average blood sugar level.

Treatment of Diabetes
Major lifestyle changes are needed to prevent and treat diabetes. It is quite possible and likely to reduce blood sugar levels through proper diet and exercise.

Eliminate or reduce sugar, fructose, glucose, corn syrup, white bread, honey, molasses, maple syrup, fruit juice or concentrate. Avoid or reduce foods cooked at high temperatures.
Increase intake of high fiber foods, substitute whole grains for simple carbohydrates, see diet
Try to lose some weight
Exercise-- sedentary adults who get a few hours of exercise each week and don't lose weight may still cut their risk of developing a pre-diabetic condition called insulin resistance syndrome. High-intensity weight training coupled with a moderate weight-loss program can help older men and women with type 2 diabetes to improve their blood sugar control and also boost their muscle strength and lean body mass. The added muscle is particularly beneficial to people with diabetes because muscles are "major clearance sites" for circulating blood sugar, or glucose. Regular exercise, such as brisk walking, is one way to cut the risk of type 2 diabetes, a disease closely associated with obesity. Studies have repeatedly shown that people with type 2 diabetes lower their risk of heart disease by committing to a daily walk.
   Sedentary older people at risk of developing diabetes have improvement in the function of their insulin-making beta cells after just a few weeks of exercise.
Stop smoking
Deep sleep (people who do not get enough sleep on a regular basis may become less sensitive to insulin which, over time, can raise the risk of obesity, high blood pressure, and diabetes)
Caffeine ingestion contributes to insulin resistance, try to reduce your caffeine intake.
Baby aspirin to reduce risk of heart attack

Complications of diabetes
Cataracts, retinal damage, atherosclerosis, heart attack, erectile dysfunction, kidney damage, carpal tunnel syndrome, and accelerated aging.

Suppliers of natural supplements
For a product formulated by Dr. Sahelian that supports healthy libido, click Passion Rx. Patients with diabetes have noticed benefits from Passion Rx.

Diabetes study results
 Elderly with diabetes are significantly more likely to decline mentally over the years than women without diabetes, and poor control of blood sugar levels may be partially to blame.

Hormone replacement therapy used to treat postmenopausal symptoms seems to accelerate the build-up of deposits in the coronary arteries of women who have abnormal glucose tolerance -- a sign of impending or full-blown diabetes.

If a man with type 2 diabetes also suffers from erectile dysfunction (ED), it strongly suggests that he could well have coronary artery disease that's not causing any symptoms, researchers report.

Taking cod liver oil early in life appears to reduce the chances that children will develop insulin-dependent (type 1) diabetes. The protection may possibly come from the anti-inflammatory effects of long-chain n-3 fatty acids found in cod liver oil.

Multivitamins cut diabetic infections
Daily use of multivitamins and mineral supplements reduced infections and related work absenteeism "dramatically" in patients with type 2 diabetes. "Our trial, which was performed on a sample of middle-aged persons, demonstrated a benefit in incidence of infections," Dr. Thomas Barringer, lead investigator director of clinical research in the department of family medicine at the Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte, told United Press International. "However, this benefit was almost entirely observed in the participants with diabetes, for whom the magnitude was dramatic. Correction of micro-nutritional deficiencies would be the most plausible biological explanation for our results."

Diabetes ulcer cream warning for Regranex
FDA in June 2008 announced the addition of a boxed warning to the label of Regranex Gel 0.01% (becaplermin) to address the increased risk of cancer mortality in patients who use three or more tubes of the product. Regranex is a topical cream for diabetic patients to treat leg and foot ulcers that are not healing.

Diabetes and supplement use questions
Q. My 13 years old son has been newly diagnosed with diabetes type 1. I am looking for scientific medical help considering complementary medicine, namely in what concerns natural therapies with natural herbs and nutrients. Yet I have been dealing with some difficulty because the market is used to respond only accordingly with the traditional medical approach, that is the necessary controlled diet and regular insulin trying to maintain glucose levels. Yet with this traditional approach is difficult to achieve good metabolic levels, namely by constant hypo or hyper glycemias. Do you have any supplements recommended for diabetes type 1, that might help reducing insulin intake and help metabolic parameters? (I have read some interesting information about ivy gourd, fenugreek, gymnena, bitter melon, chromium, vitamin B and C, NAC.
   A. The supplements you mention are all beneficial for those with diabetes type two. We have focused most of our attention on the treatment for type 2 diabetes and don't have much experience or seen much research regarding the treatment of diabetes type one in adolescents. Dietary intake of omega-3 fatty acids such as fish oils is associated with reduced risk of pancreatic islet autoimmunity in children at increased genetic risk for type 1 diabetes. Low consumption of simple carbohydrates improves blood sugar control in type 1 diabetes.

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diabetes research diabetes natural therapy diabetes vitamins and herbs for diabetes