8 Natural Remedies For Type 2 Diabetes

8 Natural Remedies for Type 2 Diabetes

According to the American Diabetes Association, nearly 21 million people in the United States have diabetes, with about 90 to 95% having type 2 diabetes. Sugar, in the form of glucose, is the main source of fuel for body cells. The hormone insulin allows glucose in the blood to enter cells. In type 2 diabetes, either the body doesn't produce enough insulin or cells are resistant to effects of insulin.
As a result, glucose builds up in the blood instead of entering cells, which causes cells to be deprived of energy. If high glucose levels in the blood persist, it may damage the eyes, heart, kidneys, or nerves.
Alternative Treatments for Diabetes
So far, scientific support for the claim that any remedy can treat diabetes is lacking. It's important to note that self-treating with alternative medicine and avoiding or delaying standard care may be harmful to your health.
That said, here are some natural treatments that are being explored:
Ginseng
Although there are several different types of ginseng, most of the promising studies on ginseng and diabetes have used North American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius). Those studies have shown that North American ginseng may improve blood sugar control and glycosylated hemoglobin (a form of hemoglobin in the blood used to monitor blood glucose levels over time) levels.
Chromium
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.
There are many promising Continue reading

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Study Finds Royal Jelly is Natural Treatment for Type 2 Diabetes

New research in the Chinese Journal of Integrative Medicine indicates royal jelly has the ability to help maintain blood sugar levels while controlling oxidative stress. In other words, royal jelly may be one of many natural alternatives for preventing and even reversing Type 2 diabetes.
Type 2 diabetes affects approximately 8.3 percent of the U.S. population, with an estimated 25.8 million people diagnosed with the preventable disease. Stopping diabetes before it starts is a matter of proper nutrition and dietary control. Once diagnosed, it can still be overcome with lifestyle choices, and a new study says royal jelly could aid in the fight.
The study involved 50 women with type 2 diabetes, half receiving 1,000 mg of royal jelly and half receiving a placebo, for a period of 8 weeks. The researchers concluded:
“After royal jelly supplementation, the mean fasting blood glucose decreased remarkably (163.05±42.51 mg/dL vs. 149.68±42.7 mg/dL). Royal jelly supplementation resulted in significant reduction in the mean serum glycosylated hemoglobin levels (8.67%±2.24% vs. 7.05%±1.45%, P=0.001) and significant elevation in the mean insulin concentration (70.28±29.16 pmol/L vs. 86.46±27.50 pmol/L, P=0.01). Supplementation significantly increased erythrocyte superoxidase dismutase and glutathione peroxidase activities and decreased malondialdehyde levels (P<0.05). At the end of study, the mean total antioxidant capacity elevated insignificantly in both groups.”
In layman’s terms, the researchers said the effects of royal jelly on blood sugar was “remarkable” and that Continue reading

Self-Monitoring of Blood Glucose: An Essential Weapon in Managing Diabetes

The number of diabetes cases continues to soar, with the latest data showing that an estimated 30.3 million Americans have the disease. More than 7.2 million of those individuals are unaware that they have diabetes, while countless others are at risk for the disease.1
Having a reliable and easy-to-use blood glucose meter is an indispensable and powerful tool that all patients with diabetes can use throughout the day to keep track of blood glucose patterns and daily targets, prevent or detect episodes of hyperglycemia or hypoglycemia, and monitor their glycemic response to certain foods, medications, physical activity, and therapy changes.2 Results from a plethora of clinical studies have validated the critical nature of maintaining tight glycemic control to effectively manage diabetes, as well as reduce or prevent the various health-related complications associated with poorly controlled diabetes. Results from a recent study show that continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) may benefit adults with type 2 diabetes who use multiple daily insulin injections, and the patients in the study showed improved glycemic control.3 CGM is approved for use by adults and children via a prescription and is typically used in patients who have type 1 diabetes but can also be used in those who have type 2 diabetes. Patients should discuss this issue with their primary health care provider to determine whether they are suited for CGM.3 Routine self-monitoring of blood glucose remains the most effective tool to monitor and provide critical information to manage diabetes (Table 1).
Selecting a blood Continue reading

How to avoid complications of type 1 diabetes

Why are the recommendations to people with diabetes to eat a high-carb diet a bad idea? How does it likely increase the risk of complications massively? And what is the alternative?
This is one of the most personal and powerful presentations from the recent Low Carb USA conference. In it Dr. David Dikeman tells the story of how his son was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes – and came back home with dietary advice that sent his blood sugar on a rollercoaster.
Then Dr. Dikeman and his wife stumbled upon Dr. Bernstein’s low-carb work and started implementing his recommendations. This totally changed his son’s life.
Watch it
Watch a preview above (transcript). The full 37-minute presentation is available (with captions and transcript) here:
How to Avoid Complications of Type 1 Diabetes – Dr. David Dikeman
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Here’s what our members have said about the presentation (in additon to giving it a 4.9/5 rating):
So pleased to have heard Dr David Dikeman’s Type 1 lecture on dietdoctor ! Straight talking that I needed to hear 30 years ago, when all we got was doubt and prevarication from our clinics!
– Luz
Fantastic presentation, Dr. Dikeman. Thanks for all you do to help others improve their health.
– Stacy
As usual, a very good presentation.
The very informative and high quality presentations here in the video section is what makes paying for my membership so very worth it. I would only wish for even more of Continue reading

CVS-Aetna Merger Could Provide Benefits for People with Diabetes

The bid to purchase health-insurance giant Aetna by pharmacy super-giant CVS would be more than just a merging of corporate interests. It also would affect consumers in some very palpable ways.
It’s not at all clear whether some of the changes would be positive or negative for consumers overall. But the merger could provide some clear benefits for people with diabetes, who are likely to find more healthcare services at their local CVS that are conveniently close and might save them visits to the doctor or hospital.
That’s because part of the plan is for Aetna to encourage its members to seek out care for minor issues at CVS’ Minute Clinics instead of at traditional doctor’s offices. The clinics are now located at 1,100 of CVS’ nearly 10,000 stores but that number is likely to grow dramatically. The clinics also would offer a larger range of services provided by nurses or physician’s assistants.
For people with chronic health issues such as diabetes that require monitoring and related services, this could be a real help. In fact, a press release from the two companies specifically mentioned the up sides for people with diabetes in their press release.
“Patients with diabetes will receive care in between doctor visits through face-to-face counseling at a store-based health hub and remote monitoring of key indicators such as blood glucose levels,” the press release said. “When needed, patients can receive text messages to let them know when their glucose levels deviate from normal ranges. As a follow up, patients can receive counseling on medication adherence Continue reading