Sweet Success in Staving off Diabetes
(Page 5 of 7)
February/March 2006
By Linda B. White, M.D.
Chromium is a trace mineral essential for metabolism of glucose and fat. Experiments have shown that chromium deficiency impairs glucose tolerance, a problem that can be reversed by supplements. However, most diabetics in the United States are not low in chromium. Furthermore, in studies of people with pre-diabetes or type 2 diabetes, supplementation of chromium has yielded conflicting results. If you decide to add more chromium to your diet, the best food sources are meats, whole grains and brewer’s yeast.
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Herbal Allies
New research on herbal therapies has found several promising herbs for treating diabetes. Before you add a glucose-lowering herb to your regimen, talk to your healthcare professional, because careful monitoring of your blood glucose levels is critical for diabetes treatment, especially for those taking insulin injections.
Herbs can’t cure diabetes, but like pharmaceuticals, they can help control blood sugar and alleviate some of the symptoms of the disease, says Eric Yarnell, N.D., co-author of Clinical Botanical Medicine and assistant professor in the department of botanical medicine at Bastyr University in Seattle. He says herbs are helpful in the transition period after diagnosis of type 2 diabetes and before improved diet, increased exercise and weight loss have had a chance to be effective. Once lifestyle changes have normalized blood glucose, people often no longer need herbs or drugs.
Yarnell divides the herbs used to counter diabetes into two main categories: those that increase insulin secretion, and those that sensitize cells to insulin’s effects. For type 2 diabetes, he says to avoid using the former, which includes herbs such as gymnema (Gymnema sylvestre). Although preliminary research shows that this herb can raise insulin and lower blood glucose in people with both types of diabetes, people with type 2 diabetes already have elevated insulin levels. “If you raise insulin higher, the cells listen to it less,” Yarnell says.
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