Healthy Herbs Help Manage And Prevent Diabetes
Apple * Bitter Melon * Burdock root * Carob * Cinnamon * Dandelion Root * Fenugreek * Garlic * Goat's Rue * Gurmar * Ivy gourd * Jambul * Prickly Pear * Stevia * Tea * White Kidney Bean * Yacon Root *
The ravages of diabetes effect on our health are well documented. The good news is that type II diabetes is the result of bad health and lifestyle decisions and can be turned around by making good ones. The bad news is it's easier said than done. Bad habits like drinking too much alcohol or eating too much sugar are both addictive and hard to overcome. Herbs can be great allies in this fight, even if you are not currently suffering from diabetes, almost everyone can benefit from using herbs to curb sugar intake and encourage home cooking of flavorful foods.
Baked goods are more diabetic friendly with spices like cinnamon and stevia which lessen the need for sugar. Some very interesting recent research suggests that cinnamon cassia (Cinnamomum aromaticum) is effective in improving blood glucose control in patients with type 2 diabetes. 3 Botanicals like bitter melon and fenugreek can be used along with modern medicinal therapy with managing diabetes, both as medicinal foods and supplements. Bitter melon improves the body's ability to use blood sugar and improves glucose tolerances. James Duke writes "One of the phytochemicals, charantin is said to be more potent than tolbutamide, and has fewer side effects, " and recommends eating one small melon a day.(Duke,James, Ph.D.) Burdock root may also play a useful role in helping to control blood sugar levels due to the inulin content of the root. In Europe, the fresh root is used for lowering blood sugar, its inulin content making it particularly suitable for diabetes. 2
If you are currently taking insulin or hypoglycemic drugs monitor your blood sugar levels closely and always confer with your doctor about any new herbal treatment.
| |||
|---|---|---|---|
 Bulk Herbs |
 Bitters & Syrups |
 Herbal Extracts |
 Herbal Health |
Diabetes and High Blood sugar Remedies
- Bitter Melon Tea
- Burdock tea
- Carob Tea
- Cinnamon and Honey tea
- Comfrey Salve with coconut oil
- Cooking with Bitter Melon Fruit
- Fenugreek Seed Capsules
- Fresh Garlic Cloves
- Gymnema Leaf tea
- Spicy and sassy blood tonic
- Tropical Morning Carob Tea Blend
Looking for something you can read offline? Join our mailing list and get a free copy of Methods for Using Herbs. This free handbook includes instructions on how to make basic herbal preparations at home. It covers making herbal teas, herb infused oils and balms, tinctures, and more.
Works Cited- James Duke. "The Green Pharmacy Herbal Handbook" Rodale Books, (2000)
- Deng R. . A Review of the Hypoglycemic Effects of Five Commonly Used Herbs , American Botanical Council, (12-14-2012): ,
- Chan YS, Cheng LN, Wu JH, et al. . A review of the pharmacological effects of Arctium lappa (burdock). , Inflammopharmacology/HerbalGram, (): The roots and/or fruit of burdock may possess hypoglycemic effects. Sitosterol--D-glucopyranoside inhibits alpha glucosidase, which plays a role in breaking down sugars.,
- J Res Med Sci. 2012;17(4):355-360. . Cranberry Juice Consumption Lowers Cardiovascular Disease Risk by Altering Glucose and Lipid Profiles in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes , American Botanical Council, ( 07-15-2013): The authors conclude that consuming 1 cup of CJ for 12 weeks effectively reduced serum glucose and apoB, as well as increased apoA-1 and PON1 in patients with T2D who were taking glucose-lowering drugs.,
- Usha Lad & Dr. Vasant Lad. "Ayurvedic Cooking for Self Healing" The Ayurvedic Press, (2006)
- Phyllis A. Balch. "Prescription for Herbal Healing" Avery, (2002)
- Maud Grieve. "Modern Herbal Vol 1" Harcourt, (1931)
- Ed Smith . Single Herb Extracts , Therapeutic Herb Manual, (2006):
- Huxley R, Man Ying Lee C, Barzi F, et al. . Coffee, decaffeinated coffee, and tea consumption in relation to incident type 2 diabetes mellitus. , Archives of Internal Medicine. 2009; 169: 2053-2063, (12-2009): A new study published by American Medical Association shows a strong relationship between drinking coffee and tea and the likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes.
- Maureen Keane, Daniella Chace, John A. Lung . What to Eat If You Have Diabetes , McGraw-Hill , (2006): Organic yacon syrup tastes like molasses and is used as a natural low-calorie sweetner.
- Lu T, Sheng H, Wu J, Cheng Y, Zhu J, Chen Y. . Cinnamon extract improves fasting blood glucose and glycosylated hemoglobin level in Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes. , Nutr Res., ( 2012;32(6):408-412): ,
- By Robert A. Newman, Ephraim P. Lansky, Melissa Lynn Block . Pomegranate: The Most Medicinal Fruit , Basic Health Publications, Inc, (2007): Antioxidant polyphenols in pomegranate juice, peels and seed oil protect against obesity by helping to restore balance in insulin-resistant people. ,