Ginseng is the dried root of one of several species of the Araliaceae family of herbs. It is native to China, Russia, North Korea, Japan, and some areas of North America.
You can find it under many forms of commercial products already prepared: capsules, liquid extracts, teas, and dry powder of root.
Ginseng may slow down carbohydrate absorption, increase cells’ ability to use glucose and increase insulin secretion from the pancreas.
- Take 1 to 3 grams a day in capsule or tablet form, or 3 to 5 milliliters of tincture three times a day.
Bitter melon is a fruit, but not one of you is likely to eat it raw. It looks like a pockmarked cucumber. If you want to buy it go to Indian grocery store or Chinese veg store.
Bitter Melon can help cells use glucose more effectively and block sugar absorption in the intestine. Gastrointestinal problems are possible side effects.
- Take 3 to 6 tablespoons of the juice daily.
The prickly pear plant grows wild throughout the American southwest, down to South America and up to Canada. It has three different edible sections:
- The pad of the cactus (nopal), which can be treated like a vegetable.
- The petals of the flowers, which can be added to salads.
- The pear (tuna), which can be treated like a fruit.
The ones you may find at a local store or farmers market will surely originate from a commercial nopal farm.
Prickly Pear Cactus may lower blood sugar because it contains components that work similarly to insulin. You can find the fruit in your grocery store and as a juice or powder at health food stores.
- If you eat it as a food, aim for 1⁄2 cup of cooked cactus fruit a day. Otherwise, follow label directions.
Gymnema Sylvestre is an herb found in the tropical forests of India and Asia. If you’re in the US you can get it in a powdered form, capsules, or even an extract.
Gymnema Sylvestre is said to reduce the ability to detect sweetness. It may work by stimulating the production of insulin. It’s not known to cause serious side effects.
- Take 200 to 250 milligrams twice daily.
Bilberry is a hardy dwarf shrub closely related to the blueberry, with red drooping flowers and dark blue edible berries. You can buy the fruit itself, bilberry extract, condensed bilberry powder, or bilberry leaf.
Bilberry contains powerful antioxidants called anthocyanidins. It can help prevent damage to tiny blood vessels that can result in nerve pain and retinopathy (damage to the eye’s retina).
- Take 80 to 120 milligrams two times per day of standardized bilberry extract.
Fenugreek is a white-flowered herbaceous plant of the pea family, with aromatic seeds.
It has been found to reduce high cholesterol, increase insulin sensitivity and lower blood sugar. The seeds contain an amino acid that boosts the release of insulin. You can buy fenugreek greens from the Indian store.
- Take 5 to 30 grams with each meal or 15 to 90 grams with one meal per day.
These natural remedies don’t replace the drugs for diabetes. They can work correctly together. Before adding any herb or new pill to your diet, talk to your doctor. Based on their effects he/she can adjust your medication accordingly.
When did you found out that you have diabetes? What measures have you taken so far? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.