If you are searching for an herbal treatment for diabetes you need to have an understanding of what the different herbs can do to benefit you and provide relief from your symptoms. A huge factor in determining and implementing diabetes herbal treatment is what type of diabetes you have been diagnosed with and what your symptoms are.
Herbal treatments for diabetes vary. They can be used to decrease a variety of symptoms and even cure certain types of diabetes. Most of the time, an herbal treatment for diabetes works best when combined with the necessary diet and lifestyle changes to maintain good overall health. There are two primary types of diabetes mellitus. These are type I and type II diabetes. Some herbal remedies are affective in treating both types. Other herbal diabetes treatments work better for a specific type.
Type I diabetes (aka: juvenile diabetes or insulin dependent) most often occurs in children and youth. The pancreas is the organ in the body that makes the insulin hormone, which is a necessary hormone to metabolize sugar. When sugar is not metabolized properly it leads to high blood sugar, which has severe repercussions on the body. Insulin injections are the most common way to manage type I diabetes, hence the name insulin dependent diabetes.
Unlike type I diabetes, type II diabetes is caused by an insulin resistance. The pancreas produces insulin but is unable to use it properly. The results are similar to type I diabetes in that without the insulin doing its job properly high blood sugar is the result. Type II diabetes is usually treated with diet and exercise modifications and oral medication to help the body use the insulin it produces.
Considering the differences in the types of diabetes, it would go to reason that different herbs might be available for each type of diabetes due to what causes the condition in question. However, there are herbs that work well to treat both types of diabetes because the herbs naturally decrease blood sugar. Since high blood sugar is a result of both types of diabetes, these herbs can help regardless of the type of diabetes mellitus in question.
The Best Herbal Diabetes Treatment for your Condition
The foods and herbs that help the body decrease blood sugar naturally, and in affect could be beneficial to the treatment of both types of diabetes, include Magnesium (mineral), Chromium (mineral), Onion (vegetable), Garlic (vegetable), Gymnema Sylvestre (herb), Bitter Melon (herb), Prickly Pear Cactus (herb), and Fenugreek (herb). Many of these can be consumed completely naturally in your diet. Some are available as nutritional supplements.
There is an herb called pterocarpus marsupium that produces both a crude oil and epicatechin, which is a flavonoid. Both of the byproducts of this herb have been used to naturally regenerate pancreatic cells. According to Holisticonline.com, this could be a great discovery for the treatment and cure of type I diabetes. This article goes on to note that there is not any other product on the planet that has been shown to do this.
There has been another breakthrough in the potential for an herbal treatment for type I diabetes. The blueberry leaf apparently produces a substance that can be extracted and injected into the body, and this substance acts as a natural insulin replacement. According to the article on Holisticonline.com, one injection of this substance can produce positive results that last a long period of time, up to many weeks.
People who are suffering from diabetic eye conditions could very well benefit from an herb called Billberry. Similarly, patients who suffer from neuropathy due to diabetes could see great results and wonderful pain relief with Ginko Biloba, gamma-linolenic acid (GLA is found in evening primrose oil), and alpha-lipoic acid (ALA).
Things to Remember Before Starting an Herbal Treatment of Diabetes
There are many physicians, naturopaths, and traditional Chinese medicine doctors that have spent their careers treating diabetes naturally. Before changing your treatment plan or changing your current regimen, be sure to consult your physician. Talk to your physician about transferring the care of your diabetes to a naturopath or a specialist in the herbal treatment of diabetes.
If you are having a hard time finding a reputable practitioner in your town, visit amfoundation.org/tcm.htm or American Holistic Medical Association. Both of these sites have referral pages available for finding a reputable naturopath in your area.
