Research on Natural Remedies for Diabetes

Diseases & Conditions Diabetes
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Following are some results for those who are interested in natural remedies.
Glyconutrients
Recent Nobel Prize-winning medical research has revealed that the root cause of Autoimmune diseases (such as type 1 diabetes) may be important nutrients missing from our diet. Apparently, the cells that perform the immune system monitoring are continuously checking the status of other cells in the body, by "reading" the glycoforms that cover the surface of every cell.  Those glycoforms are made of 8 simple sugars.  Of the 8 simple sugars, today's diet only provides the two: Glucose and Galactose.  Since we typically don't consume the other six (Mannose, Xylose, Fucose, N-Acetyl-Glucosamine, N-Acetyl-Galactosamine, N-Acetyl-Neuraminic Acid), our bodies must create them through a sequence of complex enzymatic chemical reactions that consume energy. Glyconutrients help resolve this issue. 
Cinnamon
A water-soluble compound in cinnamon acts like insulin and improves the glucose metabolism.
Bitter Melon
Recognized for its hypoglycemic effect in the Journal of Nutrition (2003) and many other resources. 
Gymnema Sylvestre
Improves blood sugar control, "may decrease the required dose of insulin" in many health publications.
Fenugreek
"Significantly reduced the blood sugar and and improved the glucose tolerance" according to European Journal of Clinical Nutrition in 1990.
American Ginseng
Causes a "significant reduction" in blood sugar in people with diabetes, according to reports from various resources.
Chromium
Increases cellular insulin receptivity and insulin binding. 
 
 
 
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Do you have a link to the studies?

Life can be hard. You just have to roll with the punches.  Diabetes, Kidney Disease, Chemo; it doesn't matter.  Just learn from it and move on.

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LINKS REMOVED They are not allowed by forum rules.
A search on the Internet on the other herbal compounds and minerals that are beneficial for diabetes will return many informative articles, and it is all pretty much summarized in a recent book by Dr. James Chappell "A Promise Made, a Promise Kept - One Son's Quest for the Cause and Cure of Diabetes".   
 

Post Edited By Moderator (Pin Cushion) : 11/13/2005 7:56:35 PM (GMT-7)

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Hi Christina,

I agree with all the stuff you have listed EXCEPT chromium.  The internet is littered with studies from dot "org" and dot "edu" organizations that say chromium in the form we can take it orally, has no effect on weight loss or blood sugar.  I must have reviewed 7 different university links that talked about this at length, all with the same conclusion; it doesn't work.

However, chromium can have MAJOR toxic side effects.  Rememger, it is NOT a vitamin.  It stores in the body, unlike vitamin C or B that are water soluable and flushed from the body on a daily basis.  Therefore, even at what is considered to be a "safe" dose, it is possible over time to suffer chromium toxicity! skull
http://www.dietitian.com/chromium.html

Me personally, I'd take any and everything on your list except for the chromium.

scool  Warren 

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Thanks Warren, this is good to know. Like any other element, trace amounts may be helpful, while inadequate intake may be detrimental.
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 Here is an eye opening article by Dr. Stephen Bratman, publisher of the Natural Pharmacist.  I have enclosed the lead in and a link to the page containing the article.  This article is soooooo important when considering using one natural medicine alternative or another.

"I once took alternative medicine on faith. For decades, I practiced it on patients and myself and my family, and assumed that pretty much all of it worked. Then I learned about double-blind studies, and it was like a tornado blowing down a house of cards. I discovered that I, like most people who love alternative medicine, had made a huge (though understandable) mistake......."

http://www.mendosa.com/bratman.htm
 
 
scool  Warren
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I started out with a dozen "Cures", not to mention 'Nutritional Wisdom', Carb Watches'. ...and on forever. I read this book that I have NO financial interest in .....Actually it was over 10 years old...a used book..."Reversing Diabetes" by Dr. Whitaker" and his idea actually seems to be based on natural cause and cure from a medical research paper from D. Himsworth out of the 1930's. This obscure research seems like the obvious answer to me. I tried the basic idea which was "eat a low fat, 'higher' carb diet ( and I monitored to see the immediate effects and kept daily logs) and I added lower Volume!!! ....and 1 year later..no meds....A1c from 11.7 to 5.4-5.6.

Natural!! Eliminate the bad stuff -high sugar, high fat, high processed starches, limit volume to control BGs b4 and after. Simple!!! Worked ...no side effects...only many!!! good effects.....now I am beginning to add exercise. Still no meds. And coincidentally or not only one!!! cold and nooo virus of flu for 3 years!!! Still journaling!

Then I found other people(in several diabetic support groups) and authors with the same results. So why do so many medicate? Seems from what I see they only get worse...??? (my mother included....but she saw my progress and started copying my diet a little and seems to be doing better(?). (Hope!)
confused
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LOL  I OWN that book and its been languashing on my bookshelf.  Thanks for the motivation to finally read it!
 
scool  Warren
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I want to comment on Cristina's original post here.  One of the natural remedies she mentions is Fenugreek. 
Fenugreek, traditionally a spice, is found in "seed" form.  There is tons of research on this "herb" that indicates it won't replace your meds, but can be a very powerful supplement in the fight against lowering your blood sugar.
 
Thanks Cristina
 
scool  Warren
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Hello to every one,
My mother is a type 1 diabetic, her blood sugar is up and down all the time. She has been to the hospital and almost even died a couple of times because her keytones were so low and her potassium was low. I dont really know much about it all, Im just really worried about her. Im 23 years old and It really gets me upset because I dont know what to do... Somtimes it seems like she gets so confused, and she will start repeting words, and she dosen't act like herself. She first found out she was a diabetic a couple of years ago, and she had it under control, but the we had two deaths in the family(her stepdad and brother) both had heart attack. And then after that she went down hill. She's ding a little better then what she was doing, but it tares me up inside to see her like this. I read on the internet about DIABETICINE, and also GLUCOSIUM. Does anyone know if this works, had amyone been on it for some time, and has some feed back... Thanks for you time!

lol, Delana
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Hi Delana,
 
If you read down through the threads on this forum you will find a few threads devoted specifically to Diabeticine.
 
scool  Warren
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Delana- Your mom sounds like she needs medical attention. Herbs and home remedies may work to fine tune an already working treatment plan, but you can't depend on them. She needs her meds/she needs her blood sugar monitored at least once a day, bare minimum.

Take your mother to the doctor, make sure her diabetes is being controlled. If she is truly getting confused, she might be having mini-strokes. (Unless you just mean the normal forgetfulness that happens with menopause, for instrance). Become involved in her care, know her meds, what her blood sugars are like. Visit her and encourage her to go for walks with you.

If she's having a bad time due to the circumstances, it may pass, but it also may deteriorate if you don't give her some assistance and make sure she gets through this ok.

Lisa

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Some natuaral remedies do work. My mom has been diabetic for over 30 yrs and she has been able to reduce her insulin intake immensely. I am diabetic also (14 yrs) and i started the cinnamon regiment on the advise of my dietitian and i have been able to reduce my insulin intake as well. I am type 2 though.
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Post Edited By Moderator (Warren) : 12/11/2005 10:18:46 AM (GMT-7)

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Ok people, Cristina had some very good info in this post so Im bumping it up front again. 
 
ALSO, it seems that every few months someone asks about diabeticine or something that contains dangerous or potentially dangerous amounts of chromium.  Read through this post and follow the links for chromium and decide for yourself.  Research has shown that at 1000 mcg you suffer toxicity.  Well look at these pills that have 400-500mcg of chromium and tell you to take two of them a day!
 
scool  Warren

It's not that some people have willpower and some don't. It's that some people are ready to change and others are not. - James Gordon, M.D.
What some call health, if purchased by perpetual anxiety about diet, isn't much better than tedious disease. - George Dennison Prentice

I can only please one person per day, today is not your day...tomorrow doesn't look good either.

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Ya, but Warren, I read in the National Globe Investigator magazine (while I was waiting to check out my groceries) that there is this new all-natural-healthy-stuff that really works and can cure my sugar, remove age spots, soften the appearance of wrinkles and straighten out my out-of-control naturally curly hair! I mean if it was in print it gots to be true, don't it? They can't just print lies if they want to, can they? I tore out the little coupon and called the 800 number and they explained that it's not a pyramid scheme, I just need to get some people as interested as me and have them sell it, too, and we can make a bunch of money while we are really helping people. They also have a plan where I can buy some ocean front property in Arizona on a time share plan. I get points for each bottle I sell and the points are converted to shore frontage... Kewl, huh?

~ Jeannie

"People are like stained glass windows: They sparkle and shine when the sun's out, but when the darkness sets in, their true beauty is revealed only if there is light within."

- Elizabeth Kubler-Ross

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Jeannie, the National Globe is not a newspaper I would use to take medical advice. There is something to the natural "cure" of disease. I just read in my Diabetes Forecast that iguana spit is being used to treat diabetes. You never know what new meds and research will discover.

I personally know that my mom cured her diabetes all by herself. Doctors told her it could not be done. She was 51 when dx'd with diabetes, yrs of drinking and being overweight took its toll. For yrs my mom took insulin, and about five yrs ago, she has been taken off insulin and thas been free of the disease for five yrs. My mom lost over one hundred pounds and consumed a vegetarian diet. She stopped skoking, drinking, uses many supplements and gets plenty of rest. My mom is now 81 1/2 yrs old and still works part-time as a nurse. She says she will not stop working ever, she must keep busy.

So you may not think that any of the "natural ways" can help, but scientist and researchers are reporting every night on the news of some breakthrough. You would never have never thought a cure for cervical cancer was possible beforee, but there is now a cure.
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Iguana spit you say? I wonder if it's like the gila monster spit stuff that Warren has been using? And you say I shouldn't use the National Globe instead of my doctor? Amazing... Your mom's success is great... I wish her the best.

~ Jeannie

"People are like stained glass windows: They sparkle and shine when the sun's out, but when the darkness sets in, their true beauty is revealed only if there is light within."

- Elizabeth Kubler-Ross

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bump

~ Jeannie

"People are like stained glass windows: They sparkle and shine when the sun's out, but when the darkness sets in, their true beauty is revealed only if there is light within."

- Elizabeth Kubler-Ross

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jtu91952 said...

I personally know that my mom cured her diabetes all by herself. Doctors told her it could not be done. She was 51 when dx'd with diabetes, yrs of drinking and being overweight took its toll. For yrs my mom took insulin, and about five yrs ago, she has been taken off insulin and thas been free of the disease for five yrs. My mom lost over one hundred pounds and consumed a vegetarian diet. She stopped skoking, drinking, uses many supplements and gets plenty of rest. My mom is now 81 1/2 yrs old and still works part-time as a nurse. She says she will not stop working ever, she must keep busy.
Would you elaborate on how your mom actually cured herself?  Surely it was not solely from stopping smoking, drinking and going vegetarian.  What supplements did she use that contributed to her success?  I'm sure other readers would like to know.

The short form for "you are" is "you're", NOT "your".