Having diabetes mellitus should not make you despair. Although it can’t be cured, you can still control it so that the symptoms of diabetes don’t bother you and you can live a normal life. In addition to maintaining a healthy lifestyle, and taking medication, such as insulin, alternative medicine, or any natural remedy for diabetes, is the choice of most Filipinos to treat diabetes .
Herbal Medicine as a Natural Remedy for Diabetes
Maintaining normal blood sugar stability is the key so that you remain healthy even with diabetes. Of the many ways to control blood sugar, the use of natural medicines from herbal plants is popular as a supporting therapy for diabetes.
The reason is that many believe natural ingredients to have fewer side effects. They are also cheap, and are generally safe. So, what natural remedy for diabetes has the potential to lower blood sugar levels?
1. Ginseng
Ginseng is famous throughout the world thanks to its reputation as a treatment for various diseases. People have been using the roots of this plant for thousands of years to increase stamina.
A study found that ginseng has natural ingredients that can be used as a natural remedy for diabetes. Some compounds in ginseng help regulate the absorption of glucose in the body, thereby preventing sudden blood sugar spikes.
Another study published in the Journal of Medicinal Plants Research also showed the efficacy of ginseng as a natural remedy for diabetes. Both the roots, fruit, and leaves of ginseng from American and Asian species are equally effective at helping control blood sugar levels.
From the results of the study, ginseng reduces fasting blood sugar (GDP), blood sugar two hours after eating (GD2PP), and blood sugar for the last 3 months (HbA1c). However, the magnitude of its effect varies greatly, depending on the amount of active compounds contained in each type of ginseng.
More research with a wider scope is needed to ensure the effectiveness of ginseng as a traditional diabetes medicine. Before taking ginseng as a natural remedy for diabetes, consult your doctor first.
2. Turmeric
Not just an herb for food flavoring, turmeric also has the potential as a natural remedy for diabetes to control blood sugar. The benefits of turmeric come from its antioxidant content.
By consuming this traditional medicine, the blood sugar level of diabetics can drop by almost 18% after consuming 300mg of turmeric per day.
A study in the journal Diabetes Care showed that consuming 1.5 grams of turmeric daily for 9 months prevented the development of type 2 diabetes in people with prediabetes. In addition, turmeric has also been shown to prevent diabetes complications.
3. Cinnamon
The next natural remedy for diabetes is cinnamon. This spice is believed to reduce insulin resistance levels, lower blood sugar levels after eating, and fight inflammation because it can increase glucose metabolism.
One of the studies that supports the benefits of cinnamon for lowering blood sugar is a study from the Journal of Diabetes Science and Technology. The study found that consuming 1, 3 or 6 grams of cinnamon per day for people with type 2 diabetes can reduce blood sugar levels and the risk of diabetes complications related to high blood pressure and heart disease.
Of course, that doesn’t mean eating cinnamon makes you free to consume sugar and carbohydrates. You still have to follow the rules of healthy eating when you have diabetes.
To add this natural remedy for diabetes to your diet, try the following following:
- Add ½ teaspoon of cinnamon per day to your diet, in your food or drink. Always consult a doctor first.
- Always use the same dose every day to avoid blood sugar levels that quickly fluctuate.
- Use cinnamon powder or sticks instead of processed cinnamon products like cinnamon oil. Methylhydroxychalcone polymer (MHCP), the main ingredient in cinnamon which has an insulin-like effect and increases insulin sensitivity, is not found in cinnamon oil.
There are still many studies whose results contradict the effects of cinnamon in controlling blood sugar levels. Further research is needed to confirm that cinnamon is an effective natural remedy for diabetes.
4. Black Cumin
Many trust black cumin as a natural medicine to treat various diseases, including diabetes. It can fight inflammation, lower blood fat levels, and maintain heart and liver health. Research in the journal Oxidative medicine and cellular longevity conducted on animals also found the same benefits.
The benefits of Black Seed as a natural remedy for diabetes come from the antioxidant content of thymoquinone. This antioxidant controls blood sugar while helping to improve the production of insulin secretion.
The antioxidant thymoquinone can also prevent the occurrence of diabetic dyslipidemia. Dyslipidemia is a condition when the level of fat in the blood is abnormal, either too high or too low.
Other studies have found that black cumin can help lower fasting blood sugar, post-meal blood sugar, and HbA1c levels.
Unfortunately, various studies of cumin as a natural remedy for diabetes are still limited to animals. The scientific community needs human clinical trials to prove the benefits of black cumin as a diabetes herbal medicine.
5. Ginger
Ginger is a type of spice that is popular because of its abundant benefits. Research in the journal Complementary Therapies in Medicine showed ginger was able to reduce fasting blood sugar levels and HbA1c levels in 88 diabetics who consumed 3 grams of ginger daily for eight weeks.
The efficacy of ginger as a natural remedy for diabetes goes beyond these benefits. Ginger can prevent inflammation that causes eye complications, as well as heart disease due to diabetes.
Again, the results of studies regarding the benefits of ginger as a natural remedy for diabetes have limitations. Further research can determine the effectiveness and safety of ginger as an herbal medicine for diabetes.
6. Aloe Vera
Aloe vera is very popular as a natural ingredient for treating healthy skin and hair. And it is also effective as a natural remedy for diabetes.
According to the Global Diabetes Community page, aloe vera can reduce fasting blood sugar (GDP) levels. In addition, aloe vera also helps lower blood fat levels in people with type 2 diabetes.
The benefits of aloe vera as a natural remedy for diabetes come from the content of lectins, mannans, and anthraquinones in aloe vera. These active compounds are known to relieve diabetic wounds. It does this by reducing swelling and speeding up the healing process.
Until now, the long-term impact of using aloe vera as a diabetes medicinal plant is uncertain. That is why, it is necessary to do further research on the benefits and safety of aloe vera as a natural remedy for diabetes.
7. Shallots
Many believe that shallots are useful in stabilizing blood sugar levels. Unfortunately, there is not much research to test the veracity of this herbal plant as a natural diabetes drug.
However, one study in the journal Environmental Health Insights involving people with type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes showed that eating 100 grams of raw onion per day can lower blood sugar. Other studies also mention that red onions can lower blood sugar levels after eating.
Experts suspect that red onions may be effective as an herbal medicine for people with diabetes by increasing insulin levels and helping the process of lowering blood sugar levels.
8. Soursop Leaves
Soursop fruit can be enjoyed as a juice and ice cream flavoring ingredients, and soursop leaves are also used for natural remedies. One of these is as herbal medicine for diabetes.
In the journal Pharmacognosy Research, a 2017 study showed that soursop leaf extract contains polyphenols and flavonoids which are antihyperglycemic and can reduce the rate of breakdown of sugar from food into simpler ones.
This gives more time for the pancreas to produce enough insulin to help absorb blood sugar. In other words, soursop leaf extract has the potential to control blood sugar levels in diabetics.
To get the benefits of soursop leaves as a natural remedy for diabetes, you must process it first.
- Drink boiled water soursop leaves.
- Enjoy tea made from boiling soursop leaves with other herbs and honey.
- Take soursop leaf supplements.
Scientists need further research to test the effectiveness of soursop leaf as a natural remedy for diabetes. Studies on the effectivity of soursop leaves are still limited to animals.
About Diabetes Herbal Medicine
So far, some studies have shown that there are a few natural medicinal plants that have the potential to lower blood sugar in diabetic patients. Even then, herbal medicine is not a substitute for medical treatment, nor should it be your only treatment for diabetes.
Herbal medicine may be an effective complement for use together with diabetes treatment. But remember to always discuss any treatment with your doctor first.
It is important to understand that any natural remedy for diabetes is not always safe and it may not have the same effect for everyone. Some people may find it effective, but others may not.
For diabetic patients with a history of allergies or other chronic diseases, such as cancer, high blood pressure (hypertension), and heart disease, they may experience a dangerous reaction after consuming certain traditional medicines.
For this reason, you should first consult with your doctor before using any herbal remedies. Remember, there is a need for more medical research to ensure the safety and effectiveness of the traditional ingredients mentioned above.
Learn more about Diabetes here.
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