Type 2 Diabetics

Many people with Type 2 diabetes use plants, or plant parts, for the self-management of their medical problems. This is what most people refer to as herbal medicine, botanical medicine, or phytomedicine. In the United States more than one-third of people with diabetes use herbal or traditional and alternative medicine alone, or in combination with their prescribed anti-diabetic medication, according to the Johns Hopkins Point-of-Care Information Technology Center (Johns Hopkins POC-IT Center).

There are many types of herbal preparations used for the treatment of Type 2 diabetes. In fact, in almost every culture there is one herbal medicine intended for the management of increased blood sugar levels. However, there are only a few tested and evaluated systematically and scientifically for this purpose.

Here is a list of the most commonly used herbal and medicinal plants for the management of Type 2 diabetes:

Ginseng: Ginseng is one of the most popular medicinal herbs globally. There are two major types of this herb:

Asian ginseng, the Panax ginseng
American ginseng, the Panax quinquefolius.

The active compounds in the ginseng herbs that makes them useful are the ginsenosides. According to one particular study, information from the Johns Hopkins POC-IT Center states ginsenosides can potentially improve insulin resistance. Ginseng can be safely used at a dosage of 1 to 3 grams per day. However, the adverse effects of using this herbal medicine include:

hypertension,
headache,
insomnia,
nervousness and palpitations, and
nausea.

Ginseng is also known to interact with the action of warfarin, an anticoagulant (more commonly referred to as a blood thinner). Ginseng unfortunately causes warfarin to be less effective.

Cinnamon: There is new evidence cinnamon can be helpful in regulating blood sugar. Cinnamon is not just another spice that can be used for cooking and baking. According to Johns Hopkins POC-IT Center, cinnamon can increase the effectiveness of insulin therefore improve your blood sugar level. Human trials indicate that taking between 1/4 and one teaspoon of cinnamon every day helps control blood sugar levels. However, various results from other studies contradict these findings. The safety profile of cinnamon is clean and there are no drug interactions noted with the use of cinnamon.

Bitter melon: Different cultures and traditions used bitter melon (Momordica charantia) for the management of diabetes. Many people believe it can decrease insulin resistance… bitter melon is composed of several compounds with confirmed blood sugar lowering properties. It must be pointed out though, clinical trials regarding this herb show contradicting results. Although taking as little as 2 ounces of the juice has shown good results in clinical trials, adverse effects with the use of bitter melon include:

gastrointestinal symptoms, and
favism, or bursting of red blood cells,

with the ingestion of seeds in certain G6PD deficient diabetics.

Fenugreek: The herb fenugreek is one of the most impressive natural substances helpful for people with diabetes. Fenugreek is a traditional spice often used in curry in Asia and the Mediterranean countries. Fenugreek is believed to contain 4-hydroxyisoleucine, a chemical that can enhance insulin production and secretion by the pancreas. Some clinical studies claim its effectiveness in the treatment of Type 2 diabetes. It lowers blood sugar much the same way that drugs in the class of sulfonylureas (such as glyburide) do. Adverse reactions related to fenugreek use include:

dizziness,
flatulence, and
diarrhea.

However, no herb to drug interaction has been observed.

Fenugreek helps you lose weight because the seeds of fenugreek are rich in dietary fiber, so it delays stomach emptying and after-eating sugar spikes. As the seeds are bitter, taking supplements may be the better choice. As lowered blood sugar is an expected effect of using fenugreek, if you combine it with medications and do not monitor yourself properly, you could find yourself with very low blood sugar. Make sure you see your doctor regularly to supervise your regimen.

Beverleigh Piepers RN… the Diabetes Detective.

Type 2 diabetes

People diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes are often misinformed as to what foods they are supposed to stay away from. Simply listing a category of food isn’t enough as it is not always such a clear-cut case. Sometimes it is better to be much more specific so that a diabetic isn’t limiting themselves unnecessarily.

Sugar, for example, is a definite enemy. But there are many other places white refined sugar can hide instead of in the obvious doughnut or brownie. Your favorite condiments, from mustard to ketchup and relish are loaded with it. White bread is notoriously high in sugar. (Also, any food such as bread made with white refined flour is bad for you… it starts out naturally brown and is whitened by a chemical process which forms another substance called alloxan, which is known to destroy pancreatic function!) In fact, white bread breaks down into pure sugar before it can even be swallowed. Crackers, waffle and pancake mixes are also full of the “white stuff”.

You were probably told to avoid foods with a high concentration of fat, but what does that really mean? Avoiding all saturated and trans fats would be good, but this would take a lot of policing to accomplish. It’s almost impossible to completely eliminate all saturated and trans fats from your food. The best way to handle fat in your food, is to limit it as much as possible. Look at food labels and take into account how much fat is in each serving… not the entire container. This is the key.

Vegetables are good for you, so they can’t be on the list of foods to avoid… right? Wrong. Having a free-reign on all vegetables is never a good idea. First, you have to see the way the vegetables are packaged. Canned vegetables can still be high in sugar. Frozen vegetables can be stripped of vital nutrients with harmful preservatives added back in.

Even in their raw form, there are some vegetables to stay away from. Corn, certain types of squash, sweet potatoes and the dreaded white potatoes all should be avoided whenever possible.

Are you eating sugar-free products? You may unknowingly still be consuming sucralose, an artificial sweetener not recommended for diabetics. Read labels if you want to find the hidden ingredient of sucralose or other artificial sweeteners. Also remember, many sugar-free foods are not healthy for people with Type 2 diabetes.
Foods can also have another hidden danger: salt. Otherwise known as sodium, salt can inflict an incredible amount of harm on a body in a relatively short amount of time. A major problem with salt is that it can be hidden in virtually any type of food imaginable. Frozen foods are laced with it as part of their processing. Canned foods, especially the seemingly harmless vegetables and canned meats, are filled with salt. This is what gives them their long shelf life.

Processed foods, no matter what kind you are talking about, are loaded with salt. The best way to identify the salt content is to look closely at the label. Remember to take into account the number of servings, and not just the salt content per serving.

If you want to limit salt, always go with fresh foods.