Millions have discovered the healing power of natural remedies and supplements, and are turning to vitamins, minerals and herbs as a natural health remedy for Type 2 Diabetes.

Type II diabetes is one of the most common metabolic disorders in the world. The use of traditional botanical and herbal supplements among those who have the condition and those who are at risk is increasing, according to surveys conducted in several countries.

Many scientific studies have shown the effectiveness of herbs and supplements in controlling the symptoms of Type 2 Diabetes.

Contemporary research has found that spices including cinnamon, garlic, fenugreek, bitter melon and caper have the potential to be an effective natural health remedy for Type 2 Diabetes.

Keep in mind, that you should always work with your health practitioner before taking any supplements. Ideally, you see a naturopath instead of an M.D.  Also, you’ll hopefully be making positive changes to your diet (eliminating processed foods, refined grains and all dietary sugars) and exercise habits. Those positive changes will further accelerate your progress when taking herbal supplements.

Herbs and Supplements That can Treat the Symptoms of  Type-2 Diabetes

1. Cinnamon

Many diabetics report that their blood sugar levels improve simply by taking cinnamon on a daily basis.

Cinnamon mimics insulin, thus it may lower your need for insulin immediately.

One human study published in Diabetes Care looked at 60 people with type 2 diabetes, 30 men and 30 women with an average age of 52. The results of this study suggest that the inclusion of cinnamon in the diet of people with type-2 diabetes will reduce the risk factors associated with diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. Cinnamon could turn out to be the best natural health remedy for diabetes. Read more on the benefits of cinnamon for type-2 diabetes »

2. Fenugreek seed

Fenugreek seed is a food and a spice commonly eaten in many parts of the world, and has been used for centuries by practitioners of Ayurvedic Herb medicine and Traditional Chinese Medicine. Research in the past two decades has shown that fenugreek seeds help balance blood sugar in diabetics. Fenugreek may also have beneficial effects on triglycerides.

Fenugreek seed is a good reversing diabetes herb because of its high soluble fiber content. This helps to lower blood sugar levels by slowing the digestion and absorption of carbohydrates.

A tasteless, odorless fenugreek extract with a 60-80% galactomannan content is available for those who don’t want the strong fenugreek  odor. This allows access to all of fenugreek’s benefits, with none of the downside.

How much fenugreek do you need to take to help with reversing type 2 diabetes?

To help your diabetes symptoms, try taking 2.5g of fenugreek with your meals, a couple of times a day.

3. American Ginseng

Researchers at St. Michael’s Hospital and the University of Toronto have found that taking American ginseng before a meal reduces blood sugar in people both with and without diabetes. The study appears in the April 9 2007 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine, a publication of the Journal of the American Medical Association(JAMA).

The researchers gave capsules of North American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius) to people with diabetes who were also receiving conventional treatment in the form of diet or prescription drugs.

In their analysis, the researchers found that subjects receiving a 3 gram dose of ginseng had a blood sugar level that was 59.1% less than subjects who had received the placebo.

4. Berberine

Research collaboration between Australian, Chinese and Korean scientists at Sydney’s Garvan Institute demonstrated that the natural plant product berberine could be a valuable new treatment against type 2 diabetes. Their study, published in the journal Diabetes, found that rats and mice given berberine over three weeks had a 50 per cent drop in blood sugar. The researchers discovered that berberine makes insulin work better so that it can now effectively reduce blood sugar levels.

5. Black Seed Oil

Black seed oil is useful in the treatment of type 2 diabetes.

Black Seed Oil has a high concentration of essential fatty acids which cannot be synthesized by our bodies and are necessary for optimal health.

Various animals have been studied in relation to diabetes/high blood sugar. All showed a significant decrease in glucose levels after 48 hours of supplementation with black seed oil. Blood glucose levels continued to fall for up to a few weeks, when a leveling occurred and a therapeutic balance was maintained.

The prominent physician and herbalist Muhammad Salim Khan has confirmed the benefits with human subjects. The best results with diabetes will be obtained by combining black seed oil with dietary adjustment, involving a low carbohydrate diet that includes raw fats and protein.

Suggested use: The recommended daily dosage is one teaspoon of black seed oil per day. The oil can be mixed in warm or cold drinks, or it can be added on top of many foods right before consuming.

6. Gymnema Sylvestre

The Latin name Gymnema Sylvestremeans “sugar destroyer” and is considered an herbal remedy for high blood sugar.

Gymnema has been clinically proven to reduce excessively high blood sugar levels, perhaps as a result of boosting the production of insulin required to process sugar. Gymnema Sylvestre extract may help to maintain healthy blood sugar levels when used as part of your diet. This herb has been used traditionally in India for centuries and has been shown in research to support healthy glucose metabolism by mediation of insulin release and activity and enhancement of healthy pancreatic function.

7. Garlic

Garlic helps to decrease blood sugar levels. According to the best-selling book Garlic: Nature’s Perfect Prescription: “The mechanism by which [garlic] affects blood sugar appears to be either its ability to stimulate the pancreas to increase insulin production, make protein-bound insulin physiologically available, or positively affect blocked cell membrane insulin-receptors, or some combination of the above.”

Several studies have confirmed garlic’s blood sugar-lowering capabilities.

One study done in India as reported in the publication Experientia, mentions that treatment of diabetic animals with an active ant oxidative compound isolated from garlic was almost as effective as a prescription drug and insulin in alleviating the diabetic condition. The authors suspect that the beneficial effects of garlic could be due to both its antioxidative and related actions.

Fresh garlic is considered best, although premium garlic supplements offer the advantage of reduced odors.

8. Aloe Vera Gel

For thousands of years, gel from the leaves of the aloe Vera plant has been used to treat burns, minor cuts, and even constipation. But now studies at Mahidol University in Thailand suggest that it can also have positive effects on health concerns related to type 2 diabetes, such as the regulation of blood sugar, triglycerides, and serum cholesterol levels.

Aloe Vera contains mannose that acts to open blood vessels and free-up blood flow. Aloe Vera gel is an efficient internal cleanser. In addition, it also enhances your metabolism and helps your pancreas to function properly and regulate insulin secretions.

Glucomannan, another ingredient in Aloe Vera gel, promotes healthy levels of blood triglycerides. The combination of mannose and glucomannan helps blood vessels to deliver life-sustaining nutrients and oxygen, and to revitalize your legs, eyes, kidneys, heart and brain. To drink it, mix the aloe gel with tomato or vegetable juice.

Click here to read more on the healing benefits of Aloe Vera for type 2 diabetes.

9. Chromium

Chromium is a vital nutrient that has shown positive benefits for diabetics.

Chromium is an essential trace mineral that plays an important role in carbohydrate and fat metabolism and helps body cells properly respond to insulin. In fact, studies have found low levels of chromium in people with diabetes.

Chromium has been shown to prevent the onset of Type II or even reverse it. Recent research at the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has revealed that chromium plays an important role in amplifying insulin response in diabetics. Studies have revealed that people with diabetes have low levels of chromium.

Numerous Studies show that chromium alters lipoprotein abnormalities (unhealthy LDL and HDL levels) that are believed to increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. Chromium supplementation also appears useful in treating obesity in other research, increasing lean muscle mass and improving athletic performance.

If you are diabetic then you should take 200 mcg of chromium two to three times daily.

10. Alpha-lipoic acid

Alpha-lipoic acid is an antioxidant that can enhance glucose uptake, inhibit glycosylation (the abnormal attachment of sugar to protein), and helps promote and maintain eye and nerve health. Several studies suggest that treatment with ALA may help reduce pain, burning, itching, tingling, and numbness in people who have nerve damage (called peripheral neuropathy) caused by diabetes. Alpha-lipoic acid has been used for years for this purpose in Europe. Other studies have shown that alpha-lipoic acid speeds the removal of glucose (sugar) from the blood of people with diabetes and that this antioxidant may prevent kidney damage associated with diabetes in animals.

11. Magnesium

The link between diabetes and magnesium deficiency is well known. low magnesium levels may reduce blood glucose control in type 2 diabetes

A growing body of evidence suggests that magnesium plays a pivotal role in reducing cardiovascular risks and may be involved in the pathogenesis of diabetes itself. While the benefits of oral magnesium supplementation on glycemic control have yet to be demonstrated in patients, magnesium supplementation has been shown to improve insulin sensitivity.

Many studies have shown that both mean plasma and intracellular free magnesium levels are lower in patients with diabetes than in the general population.

12. Bitter Melon

The Bitter Melon or Balsam Pear, is cultivated as a tropical vegetable in South America, Asia, and Africa where it has been used as a traditional therapy for diabetes in a variety of cultures of these countries. Further investigation has confirmed the ability of the fresh juice from the unripe fruit of the bitter melon to lower blood sugar

Bitter melon has been shown to help with blood sugars levels. Known as the ‘Sugar Destroyer’, this herb is historically given in cases of Diabetes and related conditions for blood-sugar control. A variety of oral extracts have been shown to lower blood sugar and improve glucose tolerance in both human and animal studies.

British researchers have called this ‘plant insulin. They have found that eating Bitter Melon over long periods significantly lowers sugar levels in the blood and urine.

The plant produces a bovine like insulin that can be injected into diabetics. The studies that have been done have shown that this plant insulin works just like its bovine counterpart with added advantages. It’s important to note that this benefit comes from the juice of unripened fruit.

Click here to learn more about the benefits of Bitter Melon for type 2 diabetes.

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