Mai men dong or Ophiopogon is the name of one of Chinese herbs that has equated itself creditably as being effective for the treatment of diabetes. This herb has proven through modern research that it contains medicinal properties that help to repair a damaged pancreas. Ophiopogon is been able to enable diabetes patient’s pancreas that were unable to produce insulin to begin producing insulin by causing the regeneration of the cells that produce insulin in their pancreases.

Then enter Tian hua fen or Trichosanthis, another of the old Chinese Medicinal herbs that has shown significant promise in the treatment of diabetes by reducing the blood sugar of diabetes patients in a recent modern day research. Both Astragalus and Chinese wild yam were also identified as being effective in the treatment of diabetes.

Bittermelon or Momordica Charantia has also been confirmed through modern research to posses the ability to lower blood sugar effectively. The research that provides this evidence were done in both Thailand and China where is was also discovered that Bittermelon could treat AIDS, and Hepatitis C.

A lot more other Chinese herbs are making the waves in the pharmaceutical circles with the potentials, when combined, to treat many other disease. For instance, a Chinese herbal formula known as Ming Mu Di Huang Wan has been used to treat vision problems in China. There are Chinese herbs for improving blood circulation and cause faster healing of wounds. Any herb that improves circulation is quite good for diabetics because the disease slows down patient’s blood circulation..

Though the ancient Chinese were unable to monitor blood sugar levels for diabetic patients then, interestingly modern scientific research indicate that the herbs the Chinese used for treating diabetes patients then were really effective.

Finally, be advised to let your doctor monitor your blood sugar while you take these herbs so that you do not over lower your blood sugar and suffer some other health issues associated with that. And as soon as your blood sugar becomes normal it is better to go off the herbs and begin using diet to control your blood sugar.

Save your life with simple easy to follow food guide that repairs your pancreas and removes diabetes. Read more at Diabetic Diet Food Helpful Information

Become good friends with fiber-rich plant foods. Eat a diet rich in fiber as it seems to be helpful in reducing blood sugar surges.

Trim the saturated fat and cholesterol. Put simply, eat less or eliminate animal products and eat more whole grains, beans, fruits and vegetables.

Say hello to antioxidant-rich foods. Antioxidants are disease-fighting substances that mop up the continuous onslaught of free radicals. Free radicals are unstable oxygen molecules that damage cells as they travel through the body and are responsible for laying the groundwork for the most serious complications of diabetes if left unchecked. Plant-derived foods are rich in antioxidant nutrients.

Get nuts and seeds. Include in your diet nuts and seeds.

Slash the refined sugars. Your diet should be low in refined sugars.

Now, before we discuss vitamins and herbs for diabetics it’s important that we make a few comments. Indeed, there are many nutrients that may help aid a person who suffers from diabetes, but one should never stop taking their insulin or any medication prescribed. However, it may be possible to take these vitamins and herbs for diabetics as well as other nutrients in conjunction with your prescription medications or insulin if you consult your physician first. Moreover, you need to make sure these herbs or nutrients are appropriate for your condition.

That said, let’s delve into vitamins and herbs for diabetics. In fact, let’s begin with the herbal kingdom.

Become familiar with Ayurvedic medicine. Bitter melon (Momordica charantia), gudmar (Gymnema sylvestre), and gulvel (Tinospora cordifo), are highly respected herbal remedies used to regulate blood sugar levels in Ayurvedic medicine. In addition, gudmar (Gymnema sylvestre) reduces the cravings for sweet foods. As such, it is known as the “sugar killer.”

Look into this exciting new herbal called Banaba Leaf. Banaba is a medicinal plant grown in the Philippines and Asia where its leaves have long been used as a folk remedy for treating diabetes as well as kidney disease. New research has shown this medicinal plant can lower unwanted levels of glucose in the blood.

Meet the berry family. Cedar berries are excellent nourishment for the pancreas and huckleberry may help promote insulin production. Juniper berries have been found to lower blood glucose levels and bilberry helps prevent diabetic eye damage. In addition, bilberry has shown to reduce blood sugar levels.

Stop! Don’t mow down that nasty back yard weed just yet. Dandelion root is a liver protector, which converts nutrients into glucose. Moreover, some studies have found that it may lower blood sugar levels and, as such, possibly benefiting those with diabetes.

Fill up on fenugreek seeds. Fenugreek seeds have been shown to reduce cholesterol and blood sugar levels in studies. However, there is a one drawback to this herb. You have to take a lot (15 to 100 grams daily) of fenugreek seeds to obtain an effect, and it is also associated with mild gastrointestinal upset. On the other hand, it doesn’t hurt to have this knowledge and it is indeed on the list of vitamins and herbs for diabetics.

Discover Gingko biloba. Ginkgo is a well-known powerful antioxidant that is prized for its ability to enhance circulation.

Other herbs that may possibly help lower or improve blood-sugar levels include: Garlic, Ginseng, Psyllium, and Nopal (prickly pear cactus).

Now, let’s move forward on our topic of this article, vitamins and herbs for diabetics and discuss vitamins.

Befriend vitamins A, B, C, and E. First, vitamins A, C, and E are antioxidants. Vitamin A with carotenoids is needed to maintain eye health. The B vitamins help produce enzymes that convert glucose to energy. In addition, the Bs may be helpful as an aid in preventing diabetic nerve damage. A deficiency in vitamin C may lead to vascular problems for diabetes sufferers. Vitamin C with bioflavonoids may slow or prevent complications that occur in this condition. Vitamin E improves circulation and helps prevent complications as well.

Check out Inositol. Inositol is considered a B-complex vitamin that has shown to relieve numbness and tingling in the hands in feet. As such, it may be helpful in protecting against peripheral neuropathy.

But wait, there are other helpful nutrients for diabetes that goes beyond vitamins and herbs for diabetics. Let’s discover who they are now.

Get real acquainted with Alpha-lipoic acid. Alpha-lipoic acid is a potent antioxidant that helps control blood sugar levels. It has been used as a supplement to treat diabetic neuropathy, the nerve pain or tingling or numbness in the hands and feet that is common among individuals with diabetes. In fact, alpha lipoic acid is approved in Germany as an effective prescription drug for diabetic neuropathy.

Lean on chromium, the sugar regulator. Chromium is a mineral that’s essential for normal insulin function and, as such, chromium improves insulin efficiency, which helps lower blood sugar levels. Diabetes sufferers are often deficient in this mineral.

Keep your eye on zinc and magnesium. Diabetes sufferers are often deficient in these minerals.

Cindy Amorin is the chief editor of Nutritional-Supplement-Educational-Centre.com, an information-rich site that discusses nutritional, dietary, and herbal supplements and their potential therapeutic value.

For those of you interested in learning how to buy quality supplements meet us on the web at our diabetes natural supplements web page.

Recent scientific investigation has confirmed the efficacy of many of these herbal preparations, some of which are remarkably effective. Herbal supplements along with proper diet, exercise can really help a person keep his blood sugar in check, and thus avoid the serious complications associated with the disease.

Herbs have remedial powers to restore balance to the body, enabling it to rely on its own healing powers. People who decide to try herbs many a times find themselves feeling better, and therefore assume that their diabetes is well under control. But, one must also simultaneously keep monitoring his blood sugar level, to see that it is within the normal range.

It is not intended through this article to diagnose, prescribe, or cure diabetes, but only provide certain information about alternative diet and references to plant descriptions which have relevance to diabetes mellitus.

Some of the well known herbs that help keep diabetes under control -

1. Fenugreek (methi) – Fenugreek seeds to be soaked overnight in a glass of water. Next morning have the water and chew the seeds – proves very beneficial in controlling sugar.

Known side effects of high doses include mild digestive pain. Fenugreek should not be used by pregnant or nursing women.

2. Indian Kino or Pitasara – has a long history of use in India as a treatment for diabetes. The flavonoid – epicatechin, extracted from the bark of this plant helps reduce sugar levels.

3. Aloe vera – regarded as a ‘healing herb.’ Dried aloe vera sap and gel (taken from the inner portions of the leaves) is used traditionally to treat diabetes, as it is believed that it helps lower fasting blood glucose levels as well as HbA1c.

4. Cinnamon bark- Makes human fat cells more accessible to insulin. Increases the conversion of glucose to energy manifold times. It also blocks the formation of dangerous free radicals.

5. Basil (tulsi) – studies have shown a positive effect on postprandial and fasting glucose, The herb facilitates the insulin secretion process.

6. Tian hua fen (trichosanthis) – shown to reduce blood sugar levels in Chinese research studies. It is very commonly used in herbal formulas for diabetics.

7. Gymnema Sylvestre (Gurmar or Cherukurinja) – Gymnema, an Ayurvedic herb helps the pancreas in the production of insulin in Type 2 diabetic patients, as well as improves the ability of insulin to lower blood sugar in both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes.

8. Onion and garlic – Onion and garlic have significant blood sugar lowering action. Onion extract reduces blood sugar levels during oral and intravenous glucose tolerance. Thus, onion affects the hepatic metabolism of glucose and increases the release of insulin, thus preventing insulin’s destruction.

Garlic and onions are beneficial for their cardiovascular effects. They are found to lower lipid levels, inhibit platelet aggregation and are antihypertensive.

9. Stevia – Stevia has been used traditionally to treat diabetes, and has beneficial effects on glucose tolerance. Stevia has been studied in animal experiments, but is yet to undergo large, controlled human studies.

10. Ginkgo biloba – Ginkgo biloba extract is useful for prevention and treatment of early-stage diabetic neuropathy.

11. Asian ginseng – Asian ginseng is commonly used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat diabetes. It has a direct blood sugar lowering effect as it enhances the release of insulin from the pancreas and increases the number of insulin receptors.

12. Bitter Melon – The blood sugar lowering action of the freshly extracted juice or the pulp extract of the unripe fruit has been widely accepted. 50-60 ml of the juice if taken orally shows effective results. Excessive high doses of the juice can cause abdominal pain and diarrohea.

13. Bilberry – helps lower the risk of diabetic complications, such as diabetic cataracts and retinopathy (eye damage).

Certain precautions to be followed while taking herbs along with diabetic drugs -

« Some diabetes drugs and herbs should not be taken together as the herb may affect positively or negatively the drug’s effect on the person. People with any sort of renal disease, liver problem or any other chronic illness are at an extra risk for complications.

« People with some heart disease if taking a blood thinner such as aspirin, ecospirin should avoid taking garlic, ginger, ginkgo biloba, ginseng as it can lead to increased bleeding.

« If taking a herbal remedy, do not stop your current diabetes drugs if any.

« If taking a diabetes drug, ginseng can further lower blood sugar levels, possibly causing low blood sugar or hypoglycemia.

« If taking herbal supplements for diabetes, do it under medical supervision if possible. Keep monitoring sugar level regularly, to check for any sudden fall in glucose levels.

« Do not take any extra dose. More will not make your sugar less.

If you are a diabetic and taking medication to control blood sugar levels, it is best to have your blood sugar monitored while taking these herbs. Consult your doctor to adjust the dosage of medications accordingly, so that the blood sugar doesn’t drop too drastically. It is likely that one will eventually be able to taper off the herbs and medication, and control sugar through exercise and diet.