Herbal Supplements and Home Remedies For Diabetes

The word diabetes was coined by the 2nd-century A.D. Greek physician, Aretus the Cappadocian, meaning 'the siphon' as the condition is characterized by excessive urination.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), diabetes is a chronic disease that occurs when the pancreas either does not produce enough insulin or when the body cannot effectively use the insulin it produces. Hyperglycaemia, or raised blood sugar, is a common effect of uncontrolled diabetes and over time leads to serious damage to many of the body's systems, especially the nerves and blood vessels. The word mellitus was added to diabetes in 1675 by Thomas Willis. Mel in Latin means honey and refers to the excess of glucose in the urine and blood of people with diabetes.

Types of diabetes

According to WHO, there are three main types of diabetes:

Diabetes Type 1 - The body does not produce insulin at all. Also called early onset or juvenile diabetes, it requires the person to inject insulin throughout his/her life. People suffering from this types of diabetes are also very prone to ketoacidosis. The cause is not certain and could be genetic, viral, or multifactorial.

Diabetes Type 2 - Also called maturity onset, Type 2 diabetes is a result of insulin resistance. The body doesn't produce enough insulin, or is not able to utilize insulin effectively.

Gestational Diabetes - A form of diabetes that develops during pregnancy.

Diabetes Types 1 & 2 are chronic, lifelong medical conditions. Gestational diabetes usually disappears after the birth of a child but can later lead to type 2 diabetes.

Juvenile diabetes may be either Type 1 or Type 2, and is seen in children or adolescents.

Symptoms

Common symptoms of diabetes are:

• Frequent urination
• Disproportionate thirst
• Intense hunger
• Weight gain
• Unusual weight loss (More common among people with Diabetes Type 1)
• Increased fatigue
• Irritability
• Blurred vision
• Cuts and bruises don't heal properly or quickly
• More skin and/or yeast infections
• Itchy skin
• Red or swollen gums
• Numbness or tingling, especially in the feet and hands

Diabetes is typically detected by carrying out a urine test, followed by a blood test

High risk groups of diabetes

Certain people are at higher risk of getting Type 2 diabetes. High risk groups include those who:-

• Are over 55
• Have a family history of diabetes
• Are overweight or obese
• Have high blood pressure
• Had diabetes during pregnancy or gave birth to a big baby (more than 9 pounds)
• Are Southeast Asian, Asian Indian, Afro-American, Hispanic American or Native American
• Have polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS)
• Have heart disease

There is only one way to check if you have diabetes: get your blood sugar level tested.

Diabetes related complications

Diabetes is a chronic, life-long condition that requires careful monitoring and management. Left untreated, it can lead to various complications such as kidney failure, cardiovascular disease, and blindness in some cases. Diabetes causes about 5% of all deaths globally each year. Diabetes deaths are likely to increase by more than 50% in the next 10 years without urgent action and preventive measures.

Short-term complications:

Low blood sugar (hypoglycaemia)

Anyone who suffers from diabetes and takes insulin is going to face the problem of blood sugar falling too low at some point. This state is called hypoglycaemia and can be corrected quickly by eating something sweet, like candy or plain sugar. If it is not corrected, hypoglycaemia can lead to the person losing consciousness.

The typical signs of hypoglycemia are:

• hunger
• shakiness
• sweating
• dizziness or light-headedness
• confusion
• weakness

Ketoacidosis
This is a severe condition caused by lack of insulin. It mostly affects people with type 1 diabetes. Acidic waste products called ketones are produced when the body breaks down fats. In the absence of insulin, the body cannot release all the ketones and they build up in your blood, causing ketoacidosis.

Lactic acidosis
Lactic acidosis is the build-up of lactic acid in the body. Too much lactic acid in the body makes people feel ill. Otherwise, Lactic acidosis is a rare ailment. It mainly affects people with type 2 diabetes.

Bacterial / fungal infections
Patients are more prone to fungal and bacterial and infections like boils, boils, athlete's foot, sties, ring worm, and vaginal infections.

Long-term complications:

Eye disease (retinopathy)
As per statistics, about 2% of all people who have had diabetes for 15 years or more become blind, while about 10% develop a severe visual impairment.

Kidney disease (nephropathy)
Diabetes is the leading cause of kidney disease (nephropathy) and failure. About one third of all people with diabetes develop kidney disease and approximately 20% of people with type 1 diabetes develop kidney failure.

Nerve disease (neuropathy)
Diabetic nerve disease, or neuropathy, affects at least half of all people with diabetes. Common complaints are loss of sensation in the feet or in some cases the hands, pain in the foot and problems with the functioning of different parts of the body including the heart, the eye, the stomach, the bladder and the penis. A lack of sensation in the feet and hands can lead to patients to injure themselves without realizing it.

Diseases of the circulatory system
The risk of heart disease is 2-4 times higher in diabetes patients than for those who do not have diabetes. It is the main cause of disability and death for people with type 2 diabetes in industrialized countries.

Amputation
Diabetics are more likely (20 to 35 times) to require lower-limb amputation.

Prevention & Lifestyle modification

Experts and doctors believe that while there is yet no evidence to suggest that Type 1 diabetes can be prevented, primary prevention of type 2 diabetes is possible.

Weight control, a balanced diet, and increased physical activity are important in the prevention of type 2 diabetes. The benefits of reducing body weight and increasing physical activity also play a role in reducing heart disease, high blood pressure, etc.

Secondary prevention involves the early detection and prevention of complications, therefore reducing the need for treatment. Regular annual check-ups go a long way in timely detection of diabetes. Periodic check of blood glucose levels is a must as are the monitoring of blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

Healthy eating, regular exercise, weight control all contribute to good cardiovascular health. Diabetics should also quit smoking.

According to the Mayo Clinic, daily intake of calories should consist of:

• Carbohydrates 45% to 65%
• Proteins 15% to 20%
• Fats 20% to 35%

Patients are advised to adhere to meal plans for portion sizes and eating times. This will keep blood sugar and your weight ideal.

Treatment

Though there is no known cure for diabetes, all types of diabetes are treatable. The main treatment for a Type 1 diabetic is injected insulin, along with some dietary and exercise adherence.

If you have Type 1 and follow a healthy eating plan, do adequate exercise, and take insulin, you can lead a normal life. Larry King, Halle Berry, and several well known diabetic US baseball and basketball players lead normal lives. Type 2 patients need to eat healthily, be physically active, and test their blood glucose regularly. They may also be prescribed oral medication to control blood glucose levels. Sometimes, Type 2 patients may also require insulin injections.

Herbal Remedies for Diabetes

Diabet Guard Effective in controlling blood sugar and allied complications. It contains the goodness of Jamun, Karela, Methi, Neem, Purified Shilajit and Gurmar leaves.

Amalaki or Indian gooseberry is a rich concentrated source of Vitamin C and is effective in controlling diabetes. A tablespoon of amla juice, along with a cup of bitter gourd juice, stimulates the pancreas to produce insulin.

Hyponidd by Charak.

Click here to know more about How to reverse type 2 Diabetes

Eating Healthy When You Have Diabetes

It is always important to eat a healthy diet, but for those who have such medical conditions as diabetes, it is even more important. There are certain foods that are not good for diabetics and certain foods that they should be getting more of in their diets. Obviously, it is important to make sure that the foods that diabetics eat are not high in sugar and fat, and it also helps to eat foods that will help diabetics maintain a healthy weight.

What Is Diabetes?

Diabetes is a disease that causes the body to either not produce enough insulin, which is necessary for breaking down the foods we eat, or not using the insulin it does produce properly. If you have been diagnosed as having diabetes, it is more important than ever to make sure that you are eating right. There are three types of diabetes: Type 1 diabetes, or juvenile diabetes; Type 2 diabetes; and gestational diabetes. When a person has diabetes, it means that they have extremely high sugar counts in their blood and this must be controlled. Depending on which type of diabetes you have, controlling your sugars could be as easy as making some dietary changes-or you may need to take insulin to keep your sugars regulated.

Type 1 Diabetes - People who have Type 1 diabetes do not have enough insulin coming from the pancreas and must rely on insulin shots to make sure that they have enough. At one time, this involved taking needles, sometimes several times daily. Today, there is a device called an insulin pump, which is attached to the stomach and will supply insulin to the body as it needs it. Often, Type 1 diabetes is caused by an autoimmune disorder, and the person with this type of diabetes has an immune system that actually destroys the pancreas cells, making the organ unable to produce enough insulin.

Type 2 Diabetes - When the body does not properly use the insulin created by the pancreas, it is known as Type 2 diabetes. Often, this is a condition that is caused, or at least worsened, by being overweight. It is thought that excess body weight will inhibit the body's ability to absorb and use insulin, and one way to alleviate this is by losing weight. This can be done by eating a healthy weight loss diet that is meant for diabetics. Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of the disease, affecting between 90 and 95% of all diabetics.

Gestational Diabetes - This is the only type of diabetes that is a temporary one. It usually occurs when a woman is in the latter half of her pregnancy. It is always important to eat healthy when pregnant, but when gestational diabetes comes into play, it is even more important. When a woman has gestational diabetes, her pancreas is not able to produce enough insulin, and she will have to make some dietary changes, as well as monitor her blood sugar levels regularly. Fortunately, this form of diabetes usually goes away once the baby is born, and it is rare that it will cause the baby to be born with diabetes. It is important for women who are pregnant to be tested for gestational diabetes, so they can start making the dietary changes necessary to control the condition and have a healthy pregnancy and a healthy baby.

What Are the Symptoms of Diabetes?

There are many different symptoms of diabetes and although many people experience many of the same symptoms, others may not, depending on the type of diabetes they have. Some of the most common symptoms associated with Type 1 diabetes include:

- Extreme thirst and hunger

- Frequent urination

- Loss of weight

- Blurred vision

- Extreme fatigue

The symptoms of Type 2 diabetes are often very similar to those of Type 1 diabetes, but they are not usually as severe and they come on more gradually. Weight is a huge factor and about 80% of people with Type 2 diabetes are overweight.

Risk Factors for Developing Diabetes

There are a number of risk factors for diabetes and if you find that you have some of these risk factors, you should have your physician test you for diabetes. The risk factors for diabetes include:

- If you have a family history of diabetes, you may be at risk of developing the disease yourself.

- Being overweight can greatly increase your risk of developing diabetes and the more overweight you are, the greater the risk.

- Certain ethnic groups are at a higher risk for developing diabetes, including Native Americans, African Americans, Hispanics, and Latinos.

Blood Sugar Levels

When a person has diabetes, it is essential that they monitor their blood sugar levels and take the appropriate steps to make sure that the levels are what they should be. Before eating, blood sugar levels should be between 90 and 130 and after eating, less than 180. If you have Type 1 diabetes, you will have to monitor your blood sugar levels several times a day. Your physician will be able to help you figure out just how often you should be doing this. In order to make sure that your blood sugar levels are regulated, you may have to take insulin (Type 1 diabetes), change your eating habits and get plenty of exercise.

A Healthy Diet Is Essential for Diabetics

There are certain things that must be included in a diabetic diet and foods that definitely need to be avoided. It is important for diabetics to know what to eat, how much to eat, and when they should eat. When a person is first diagnosed as being diabetic, the dietary changes may seem colossal, but they are not really that bad, especially if the person is already somewhat used to eating healthy. It is also important to get enough exercise, which will also help in weight loss and overall good health.

 

Reverse Diabetes in 2-4 Weeks: The 4 Steps To Make Diabetes A Thing Of The Past

Diabetes in most cases can be halted in its tracks and reversed. The great tragedy is how many people suffer from this disease needlessly every day because they believe they have to 'live with the disease' and don't even know they may not have to.

Diabetes today is in epidemic proportions in the US, Australia, the UK and many other first world countries. Diabetes is not listed as a major cause of death but in fact heart disease is one of the main complications of diabetes. This makes diabetes one of the leading contributors to unnecessary death in modern countries.

But it need not be this way. Let me explain.

It's an Epidemic

The CDC in the US has called diabetes "an epidemic". The Medical Journal of Australia is calling it "an unstoppable juggernaut". It costs $132 billion (with a 'b') every year in the US alone. In the year 2000, 170 million people suffered from diabetes worldwide and this is expected to double in the next 30 years.

But this is not an infectious disease. How can it be that it is increasing at such an epidemic rate if it's not spread by infection? There must be something that we are doing which is causing this epidemic, right? It can't happen for no reason.

In fact, it happens because people are following recommendations on diet that are completely wrong! This is why it seems an "unstoppable juggernaut". In the very act of trying to do the "right thing", people are causing their disease. And when they get diagnosed, what do they do? They redouble their efforts thinking they aren't trying hard enough and make it even worse. It seems the harder you try, the worse it gets.

Type 1, Type 2 and Type 3 Diabetes

There are three types of diabetes, what are commonly known as Type 1 and Type 2 plus what I call Type 3 diabetes. It's important to understand the difference because the cure for them is different. I can't tell you how many times I've seen media reports talking about a 'cure for diabetes' as if it is just one disease. It's not.

Type 1 diabetes - "Juvenile Diabetes"

Type 1 diabetes results when the cells in your pancreas (called your 'beta' or 'islet' cells) get destroyed usually because your immune system has attacked them for reasons that are as yet poorly understood. The islet cells are the ones that make the hormone insulin. Insulin affects fat, muscle and liver tissues (especially) to tell them to take in and store sugar from the blood. In liver and muscle that sugar is stored as glycogen, in your fat cells, it's stored as fat. So without the islet cells producing insulin, the sugar stays in the blood and the person gets muscle wasting and fat loss. In other words, untreated, a person with Type 1 diabetes gets scrawny and left further untreated will die. When I was a student twenty years ago, Type 1 diabetes was still commonly called 'juvenile diabetes' as it is almost always diagnosed in children or young adults - not the elderly.

The treatment is to inject the insulin that should have been made by your islet cells. It's a life-saving treatment.

If you want to donate research into diabetes, donate it to finding a cure for Type 1 diabetes. It is a worthy cause.

Type 2 diabetes - "Maturity-Onset Diabetes"

Type 2 diabetes also results in high blood sugar but for a very different reason. Type 2 diabetes results from too much carbohydrate in the diet continuously over years. When you eat carbohydrates (starch or sugar) they get converted to sugar in your blood. To remove the sugar from your blood, your islet cells make insulin and the sugar goes into your fat, muscle and liver cells for storage. This is normal.

The problem is when you keep eating too many carbs. Your liver and muscles can only store a little so most of this burden goes to your fat cells... that make lots of fat to store the excess sugar in the blood. Of course this makes you fat. If you keep eating too many carbs, your fat cells reach a limit where they say "NO MORE!" and ignore the pleadings of the insulin to take the sugar out of your blood. Your pancreas sees the sugar is not going away and so makes even more insulin. Over time, the fat cells simply become 'unresponsive' to the insulin. What can they do? They are already stuffed full so they just ignore the pleadings of your pancreas.

When I was a student, type 2 diabetes was called "Maturity-Onset Diabetes" because it only affected older people. Now, even 13-year-olds are being diagnosed. Why? Too many carbs - soft drinks and grains.

You can see there is a very big difference here. Type 2 can be completely prevented and even fully reversed in the majority of cases by simply changing diet and doing some exercise. Type 1 cannot although it can be made much more manageable by taking the same steps as for Type 2.

There will never be a 'cure' for Type 2 diabetes any more than there will ever by a cure for stupidity. And I'm not talking just about drugs, there is not and never will be any 'secret herb' that will reverse type 2 while you keep doing what caused it in the first place. It's an appealing idea... but it's a myth.

In the West, 90-95% of all diabetes is Type 2. It can almost always be reversed.

Type 3 Diabetes - "Because 1 + 2 = 3"

Can you see what the 'cure' is already? Of course it is simply to stop eating the excess carbs, let your pancreas relax, and do some exercise. Pretty obvious. But what are most people told to do when they get diagnosed? Eat a low-fat diet based on 'whole grains' - read "high-carb" - and take drugs. These drugs work by giving your islet cells a good whipping so they release even more insulin. This does bring your blood sugar down for a while...

But listen to this. Remember how in Type 2 the fat cells reach their limit where they say "NO MORE" and the pancreas responds by putting out more and more insulin which the fat cells continue to ignore? After a few years of whipping your islet cells with drugs, they can't take it any more and just stop making insulin. No amount of whipping is gonna make that dead horse run any more. And then the person who had Type 2 is now injecting insulin like a person with Type 1. This never happened before the introduction of drugs to treat Type 2. It's Type 2 plus Type 1, or what I call Type 3 diabetes.

The reverse happens too. A person who has Type 1 diabetes is told to eat a low-fat diet based on 'whole grains' and if they are susceptible, they can then go on to develop Type 2 diabetes on top of their Type 1. Wouldn't it make more sense to eat a diet that didn't raise your blood sugar levels in the first place and reduce your need for insulin?

What Can You Do About It?

Type 2 diabetes is caused by eating excess carbohydrates - primarily sugar and starch - and made worse by inactivity. Can it really be that the trick to reverse it is to simply do the opposite - cut the carbs and do some exercise? It may seem too obvious but really, it is as simple as that. The reason people get stuck is because this goes against what everyone has been told is the "right" thing to do for the last 50 years.

The truth? It really is that simple.

If You Eat Low-Fat And Whole-Grain, You Are A Prime Candidate For Diabetes

You see, for the last 50 years the mantra on diet has been to eat low-fat and to eat whole grains. And we are doing it. Statistics show that we now eat significantly less fat and more whole grains than our counterparts from 100 years ago. But we also know that there is vastly more diabetes now than then too. What does that tell you? Eating low-fat and high-grain (whole or otherwise) is most probably the very cause of the diabetes epidemic.

And that is exactly the same as what we saw above, talking about the islet cells and the fat cells and insulin.

Can You Actually Reverse Diabetes?

Yes. Type 2 diabetes can usually be reversed and it takes typically 2-4 weeks. Type 1 diabetes cannot be reversed but the majority of the complications can be avoided and insulin doses reduced by following the same plan as for Type 2.

Here is the outline of the main steps to doing that:

1. Measure your fasting blood glucose with your own monitor. This way you can know when you've got it right and don't have diabetes anymore!

2. Reduce your carbs. I recommend you do this strictly to start to allow your pancreas to recuperate and your insulin sensitivity to reset. Do this until your fasting glucose is normal - typically 2-4 weeks.

3. Do some exercise. Aerobic, strength - it doesn't matter so long as you do some.

4. Take some vitamins, minerals and herbs to support the healing process.

And that's really about it.

Now that you understand the 4 key steps to halt and reverse diabetes, why not get the details of each step so you can get it right first time? I have worked it all out for you right here: Diabetes Reversal Programs

Learn more about Natural Cures and about how to Get Healthy.

 

Pre-Diabetes - Are You Overweight? You May Be At Risk!

According to the American Diabetes Association (ADA) 57 million Americans have pre-diabetes, and most of them are unaware of their serious condition. That's because there are few outward symptoms of pre-diabetes. If you have pre-diabetes, chances are you will get full-blown diabetes in four to six years if you do nothing about it.

What is pre-diabetes?

If your blood sugar (glucose) level is higher than normal -- but not high enough to be diagnosed as diabetic -- you are considered "pre-diabetic." Your body is not efficiently processing glucose.

Your pre-diabetic condition has not progressed to full-blown diabetes, but is still serious. Recent research has shown that "some long-term damage to the body, especially the heart and circulatory system, may already be occurring during pre-diabetes," according to the ADA.

Diabetes is the seventh leading cause of death in the U.S., and a contributor to other deaths from heart disease and stroke. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control points to obesity and the unhealthy lifestyles of many Americans as a major contributing factor for diabetes.

How do you determine for sure whether you are pre-diabetic or diabetic

You have to have your blood sugar tested. One common test is the fasting plasma glucose test (FPG). If your glucose level is:--

• 100 mg/deciliter (dl) or less -- your glucose level is normal
• over 100 but less that 126 -- you are pre-diabetic
• 126 and over -- you are diabetic

To nail it down for sure, take the A1C test. The A1C test result reflects your average blood sugar level for the past two to three months. Specifically, the A1C test measures what percentage of your hemoglobin - a protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen - is coated with sugar (glycated).

The A1C test should be the primary test used to diagnose pre-diabetes, type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes according to an international committee of experts from the American Diabetes Association, the European Association for the Study of Diabetes and the International Diabetes Federation.

What is your risk for pre-diabetes and diabetes?

The American Diabetes Association has revised its diabetes/pre-diabetes risk test with a simple flowchart. It help you assess whether you are:--

• at risk for pre-diabetes,
• a high risk for type 2 diabetes, or
• a low risk for pre-diabetes/diabetes

The test is simplified of course, but it highlights the following major risk factors:--

• Age -- the older you are, the higher your risk for diabetes/pre-diabetes
• Weight -- the more overweight you are, the higher your risk
• genetics -- if your mother, father, brother or sister has/had diabetes, you have a higher risk
• race -- if you are non-Caucasian, you have a higher risk
• high blood pressure -- if you have or had hypertension, you have a higher risk
• diabetes during pregnancy -- if you had diabetes during pregnancy, you have a higher risk

What should you do if your risk test or glucose test indicates pre-diabetes or diabetes

First of all, see your doctor at once.

Second, if you are overweight, pick a good weight loss plan and start immediately to shed excess fat. If you have tried in the past to lose weight, but couldn't, examine the reasons why you couldn't and make a renewed effort to overcome your roadblocks to losing weight.

Third, eat like a diabetic -- Eat healthy and nutritious foods. Cut your sugar intake. Pay attention to what you eat.

Fourth, get active. Take walks. Add muscle strengthening exercises.

Do you want to lose weight? Have you tried diets in the past that failed you? Are you discouraged because you haven't found success in your weight loss journey? Know that you CAN lose weight. You just need some help.