If you have a preexisting condition, it can sometimes be intimidating to add another medication or treatment to your routine. You should always heed your doctor’s instructions; however, there is also no harm in at least exploring alternative remedies if they provide a gentler, easier solution to the problem. Mother Nature has been around for a long time, so she knows a thing or two.
Supplements, extracts, and even some psychical exercises can help in the fight against diabetes. Certain foods, as discussed in the last chapter, are another natural way to kick back against low blood sugar or obesity. Take some time within these pages to open your mind and think outside the box with natural treatments that could help your diabetes.
Fight Diabetes Naturally—Three Proven Nondrug Remedies
Scientific research and the experience of doctors and other health professionals show that supplements and superfoods can be even more effective than drugs when it comes to preventing and treating diabetes. I reviewed thousands of scientific studies and talked to more than sixty health professionals about these glucose-controlling natural remedies. One is magnesium. Studies show that magnesium significantly reduces the risk for diabetes. (Note: High doses of magnesium can cause diarrhea.)
Here are three more standout natural remedies.
Caution: If you are taking insulin or other medications to control diabetes, talk to your doctor before taking any supplement or changing your diet.
GYMNEMA
Gymnema sylvestre has been the standard antidiabetes recommendation for the past two thousand years from practitioners of Ayurveda, the ancient system of natural healing from India. Derived from a vine-like plant found in the tropical forests of southern and central India, the herb also is called gurmar, or “sugar destroyer”—if you chew on the leaf of the plant, you temporarily will lose your ability to taste sweets.
Modern science has figured out the molecular interactions underlying this strange phenomenon. The gymnemic acids in the herb have a structure similar to glucose molecules, filling up glucose receptor sites on the taste buds. They also fill up sugar receptors in the intestine, blocking the absorption of glucose.
And gymnemic acids stimulate (and even may regenerate) the cells of the pancreas that manufacture insulin, the hormone that ushers glucose out of the bloodstream and into cells.
Standout research: Studies published in Journal of Ethnopharmacology showed that three months of using a unique gymnema extract, formulated over several decades by two Indian scientists, reduced fasting blood glucose (a blood sample taken after an overnight fast) by 23 percent in people with type 2 diabetes (defined as fasting blood sugar levels of 126 mg/dL or higher). People with prediabetes (defined as those with blood sugar levels of 100 to 125 mg/dL) had a 30 percent reduction.
Important: The newest (and more powerful) version of this extract is called ProBeta, which is available at www.pharmaterra.com. A naturopathic physician who uses ProBeta with his patients told me that the supplement can lower fasting glucose in the 200s down to the 120s or 130s after five to six months of use.
Typical daily dose: ProBeta—two capsules, two to three times a day. Other types of gymnema—400 mg, three times a day.
APPLE CIDER VINEGAR
Numerous studies have proven that apple cider vinegar works to control type 2 diabetes. Several of the studies were conducted by Carol Johnston, PhD, RD, a professor of nutrition at Arizona State University.
Standout scientific research: Dr. Johnston’s studies showed that an intake of apple cider vinegar with a meal lowered insulin resistance (the inability of cells to use insulin) by an average of 64 percent in people with prediabetes and type 2 diabetes, improved insulin sensitivity (the ability of cells to use insulin) by up to 34 percent, and lowered postmeal spikes in blood sugar by an average of 20 percent. Research conducted in Greece, Sweden, Japan, and the Middle East has confirmed many of Dr. Johnston’s findings.
How it works: The acetic acid in vinegar—the compound that gives vinegar its tart flavor and pungent odor—blunts the activity of disaccharidase enzymes that help break down the type of carbohydrates found in starchy foods such as potatoes, rice, bread, and pasta. As a result, those foods are digested and absorbed more slowly, lowering blood glucose and insulin levels.
Suggested daily intake: Two tablespoons right before or early in the meal. (More is not more effective.)
If you’re using vinegar in a salad dressing, the ideal ratio for blood sugar control is two tablespoons of vinegar to one tablespoon of oil. Eat the salad early in the meal so that it disrupts the carb-digesting enzymes before they get a chance to work. Or dip premeal whole-grain bread in a vinaigrette dressing.
SOY FOODS
A recent ten-year study published in Journal of the American Society of Nephrology,* found that the mortality rate for people with diabetes and kidney disease was more than 31 percent. Statistically, that makes kidney disease the number-one risk factor for death in people with diabetes.
Fortunately, researchers have found that there is a simple way to counter kidney disease in diabetes—eat more soy foods.
Standout scientific research: Dozens of scientific studies show that soy is a nutritional ally for diabetes patients with kidney disease. But the best and most recent of these studies, published in Diabetes Care, shows that eating lots of soy can help reverse signs of kidney disease, reduce risk factors for heart disease, and reduce blood sugar too.
The study involved forty-one diabetes patients with kidney disease, divided into two groups. One group ate a diet with protein from 70 percent animal and 30 percent vegetable sources. The other group ate a diet with protein from 35 percent animal sources, 35 percent textured soy protein, and 30 percent vegetable proteins. After four years, those eating the soy-rich diet had lower levels of several biomarkers for kidney disease. (In another, smaller experiment, the same researchers found that soy improved biomarkers for kidney disease in just seven weeks.) In fact, the health of the participants’ kidneys actually improved, a finding that surprised the researchers, since diabetic nephropathy (diabetes-caused kidney disease) is considered to be a progressive, irreversible disease.
Those eating soy also had lower fasting blood sugar, lower LDL “bad” cholesterol, lower total cholesterol, lower triglycerides, and lower C-reactive protein, a biomarker for chronic inflammation.
How it works: Substituting soy for animal protein may ease stress on the delicate filters of the kidneys. Soy itself also stops the overproduction of cells in the kidney that clog the filters, boosts the production of nitric oxide, which improves blood flow in the kidneys, and normalizes the movement of minerals within the kidneys, thus improving filtration.
Suggested daily intake: The diabetes patients in the study ate 16 g of soy protein daily. Examples: Four ounces of tofu provide 13 g of soy protein; one soy burger, 13 g; one-quarter cup of soy nuts, 11 g; one-half cup of shelled edamame (edible soybeans in the pod), 11 g; one cup of soy milk, 6 g.
WHAT’S WRONG WITH DIABETES DRUGS?
Doctors typically try to control high blood sugar with a glucose-lowering medication such as metformin, a drug most experts consider safe. But other diabetes drugs may not be safe.
Example #1: Recent studies show that sitagliptin and exenatide double the risk for hospitalization for pancreatitis (inflamed pancreas) and triple the risk for pancreatic cancer.
Example #2: Pioglitazone can triple the risk for eye problems and vision loss, double the risk for bone fractures in women, and double the risk for bladder cancer.
›Bill Gottlieb, CHC, a health coach certified by the American Association of Drugless Practitioners. He is author of several health books that have sold more than two million copies and former editor in chief of Rodale Books and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Based in northern California, he is author of Defeat High Blood Sugar—Naturally! Super-Supplements and Super-Foods Selected by America’s Best Alternative Doctors. BillGottliebHealth.com.
Got Diabetes? Stop Blood Sugar from Spiking with Red Ginseng
Adult-onset (type 2) diabetes is so common that it ultimately impacts a whopping one in four people age sixty-five and older. In this type of diabetes, blood sugar can go way up—or spike—after a meal. You’ll know your blood sugar is spiking because instead of feeling energized and fit after nourishing yourself, you’ll just crash. More than just wanting to take a nap—you won’t be able to do anything but. That’s right. You’ll have to take a rest after eating a meal because you will feel sleepy, exhausted. Your eyes may even blur. If this happens often enough, hardening of the arteries can occur, which, as you know, can lead to a heart attack. But you can prevent this from happening naturally. Red ginseng extract may be just the thing to keep blood sugar on an even keel.
Why is it called “red” ginseng? Tonics, extracts, and teas of Asian white ginseng (also called Chinese or Korean white panax ginseng) are natural powerhouses of health and vitality made from the raw dried root of the plant. They increase energy and stamina, reduce cholesterol and blood pressure, and fight cancer and aging. But steaming the root before drying it starts a fermentation process that supports wellness even more. Once fermented, the ginseng is called red ginseng, and this is the kind that is especially good for people with diabetes and others who have problems with glucose control. Korean researchers have recently confirmed that red ginseng significantly reduces blood glucose levels and increases insulin levels after meals. That makes it especially helpful in preventing dangerous spikes in blood sugar that can happen after diabetics or borderline diabetics have a meal.
The researchers recruited forty-two healthy men and women between the ages of twenty and seventy-five for their study. Nineteen of these participants had type 2 diabetes, and the remaining twenty-three had prediabetes. Half of the group received capsules of fermented red ginseng extract, and half received capsules of a placebo. They were instructed to take one capsule three times a day for four weeks. The total daily dose of red ginseng for the treatment group was 2.7 grams (0.1 ounces).
The researchers found that red ginseng was able to regulate glucose and insulin after meals, thus preventing blood sugar spikes.
Compared with the placebo group, insulin increased and glucose decreased after meals. And no serious side effects were reported in the Korean study, although one person in the treatment group had to drop out because hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) developed.
NATURAL BUT POTENT DIABETES CARE
“Red ginseng extract may be a good addition to a natural, broader approach to controlling, limiting, or getting rid of type 2 diabetes,” says Andrew Rubman, ND, a naturopathic physician and founder of the Southbury Clinic for Traditional Medicines in Southbury, Connecticut. In his opinion, however, alpha-lipoic acid, a powerful antioxidant that helps the body use glucose more efficiently, may be a better choice. Plus, it relieves pain, inflammation, burning, tingling, and numbness in people who have peripheral neuropathy (nerve damage) caused by diabetes. But because it can reduce blood glucose levels (leading to hypoglycemia), it should not be used without the supervision of a health-care professional who can monitor your blood sugar levels.
Another readily available herbal supplement recommended by Dr. Rubman for type 2 diabetes is gymnema extract, used in Ayurvedic medicine for centuries.
As for red ginseng, most people can use it daily with no side effects, according to Dr. Rubman. He cautions that people who are taking several medications, especially antacids or statins, or who have liver or gastrointestinal diseases should hold off on taking ginseng extracts, since they can put an added burden on the liver. He also says that anyone who wants to try red ginseng for diabetes should do so under the supervision of a naturopathic doctor or clinically trained nutritionist—or at least let your doctor know that you are taking the extract so that he or she can monitor and interpret your physical exams and blood tests. Minor side effects include decreased energy, irregularity, and/or intestinal gas.
Red ginseng is widely available online, in Asian food stores, and at large health-food and nutrition shops.
›Andrew L. Rubman, ND, founder and medical director, Southbury Clinic for Traditional Medicines, Southbury, Connecticut. SouthburyClinic.com.
Say Goodbye to Your Diabetes Medication with Berberine
Some of my patients who have type 2 diabetes are able to keep the disease under control with diet, exercise, and supplements. Lucky them! But for other diabetes patients, that’s not enough, and they must take pharmaceutical medications.
I’m happy to report that there is another natural treatment option for diabetes patients who currently take pharmaceutical medications. Research has found that a plant extract called berberine can control diabetes as well as, or better than, common medications such as metformin and rosiglitazone. And it does this with no side effects—and without damaging the liver, as some medications do. Here’s how berberine can help people with diabetes.
A naturally occurring chemical compound, berberine is found in the roots and stems of several plants, including Hydrastis canadensis (goldenseal), Coptis chinensis (coptis or goldthread) and Berberis aquifolium (Oregon grape). Long used as a remedy in Chinese and Ayurvedic medicines, berberine is known for its antimicrobial properties and as a treatment for bacterial and fungal infections. Several decades ago, berberine was used to treat diarrhea in patients in China. That was when doctors noticed that the blood sugar levels of diabetes patients were lower after taking the herbal extract—and berberine began to be investigated for this purpose.
Over the past twenty years, there has been much research on berberine and its effectiveness in treating diabetes. In 2008, Chinese researchers published a study in Metabolism in which adults with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes were given 500 mg of either berberine or the drug metformin three times a day for three months. Researchers found that berberine did as good a job as metformin at regulating glucose metabolism, as indicated by hemoglobin A1C (a measure of blood glucose over several weeks), fasting blood glucose, blood sugar after eating, and level of insulin after eating. Berberine even reduced the amount of insulin needed to turn glucose into energy by 45 percent! In addition, those taking berberine had noticeably lower triglyceride and total cholesterol levels than those taking metformin.
In another 2008 study published in Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, researchers found that type 2 diabetes patients who were given berberine had significant reductions in fasting and postmeal blood glucose, hemoglobin A1C, triglycerides, total cholesterol, and LDL “bad” cholesterol—and also lost an average of five pounds to boot during the three-month study period.
In a 2010 study in Metabolism, Chinese researchers compared people with type 2 diabetes who took either 1,000 mg daily of berberine or daily doses of metformin or rosiglitazone. After two months, berberine had lowered subjects’ fasting blood glucose levels by an average of about 30 percent, an improvement over the rosiglitazone group and almost as much as people in the metformin group. Berberine also reduced subjects’ hemoglobin A1C by 18 percent—equal to rosiglitazone and, again, almost as good as metformin. In addition, berberine lowered serum insulin levels by 28.2 percent (indicating increased insulin sensitivity), lowered triglycerides by 17.5 percent, and actually improved liver enzyme levels. Pharmaceutical medications, on the other hand, have the potential to harm the liver.
These were remarkable findings. Here was a botanical that was holding up to scientific scrutiny and performing as well as, or better than, some drugs that patients had been taking for diabetes for years.
HOW BERBERINE WORKS IN THE BODY
Berberine helps to lower blood glucose in several ways. One of its primary mechanisms involves stimulating the activity of the genes responsible for manufacturing and activating insulin receptors, which are critical for controlling blood glucose.
Berberine also has an effect on blood sugar regulation through activation of incretins, gastrointestinal hormones that affect the amount of insulin released by the body after eating.
HOW BERBERINE CAN HELP
I recommend berberine to my patients with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes to reduce their blood sugar and prevent them from needing pharmaceutical drugs. When a diet, exercise, and supplement program (including supplements such as chromium) is already helping a diabetes patient, I don’t recommend that he/she switch to berberine.
Some patients are able to take berberine—and make dietary changes—and stop taking diabetes drugs altogether. People with severe diabetes can use berberine in conjunction with medication—and this combination treatment allows for fewer side effects and better blood sugar control. I don’t recommend berberine for prediabetes unless diet and exercise are not effective. Berberine is sold in health-food stores and online in tablet and capsule form. The dosage I typically recommend for all diabetes patients is 500 mg twice daily.
For patients with diabetes who want to use berberine, I recommend talking to your doctor about taking this supplement. It’s also important for every patient with diabetes to participate in a comprehensive diet and exercise program.
Note that berberine helps patients with type 2 diabetes, not type 1 diabetes (in which the body does not produce enough insulin).
›Mark A. Stengler, NMD, a naturopathic medical doctor and leading authority on the practice of alternative and integrated medicine. Dr. Stengler is author of the Health Revelations newsletter, The Natural Physician’s Healing Therapies, and Bottom Line’s Prescription for Natural Cures. He is also the founder and medical director of the Stengler Center for Integrative Medicine in Encinitas, California, and former adjunct associate clinical professor at the National College of Natural Medicine in Portland, Oregon. MarkStengler.com.
Pycnogenol: Natural Anti-Inflammatory Few Know About
Growing abundantly in the South of France is the French maritime pine tree, source for Pycnogenol, a special patented, clinically studied pine bark extract. New clinical research finds it effective at lowering risk factors for heart disease and controlling blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes.
PINE BARK EXTRACT IS POTENT MEDICINE
Pycnogenol, or pine bark, is a medicine with numerous benefits, notes Mark Blumenthal, founder and executive director of the nonprofit American Botanical Council. It’s theorized that pine bark’s high level of inflammation-fighting antioxidant bioflavonoids, known as procyanidins (these are the same potent compounds found in fresh fruits and vegetables), should get credit for these results. In addition, Blumenthal says there are a number of benefits to Pycnogenol, including:
•Better diabetes control. At the University of Arizona, researchers found that people with noninsulin-dependent type 2 diabetes who took Pycnogenol for three months experienced a 17 percent drop in blood glucose levels. The study also suggested that Pycnogenol may protect kidney function in people with diabetes.
•Improved circulation, blood pressure, and cardiovascular health. Pycnogenol helps strengthen blood vessel walls, improve cholesterol levels, and reduce the constriction of arteries, platelet stickiness, and clotting that can lead to heart attack or stroke. In the University of Arizona trial, participants—who had mild high blood pressure as well as type 2 diabetes—were able to reduce their antihypertensive medication by 50 percent.
•Less leg and ankle swelling on long flights. In 2005, a study published in Clinical and Applied Thrombosis/Hemostasis demonstrated that Pycnogenol reduced edema (leg and ankle swelling) and the risk of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) on long-distance flights of seven to twelve hours. DVT—the formation of a blood clot, usually in the leg—is a dangerous condition, since if the clot breaks loose and travels to the lung, it can cause a potentially fatal pulmonary embolism.
•Reduced joint pain. In a study at Italy’s Chieti-Pescara University, people with osteoarthritis of the knee took 100 mg of Pycnogenol daily for three months. Participants who took the pine bark extract experienced about a 50 percent decrease in osteoarthritis symptoms. They were able to lower their dosage of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as aspirin, by 58 percent.
•Fewer menopausal symptoms. Taiwanese researchers found that perimenopausal women who took Pycnogenol for several months experienced improvements in symptoms such as headaches, fatigue, and vaginal dryness. With natural anti-inflammatory properties, this extract may also be helpful in controlling menstrual pain.
•Other benefits. More than two hundred scientific studies have been conducted on French maritime pine extract—most of them on Pycnogenol—and research suggests that it may aid in the treatment of other disorders such as asthma, erectile dysfunction, and other conditions.
DEMONSTRATED SAFETY AND EFFECTIVENESS
Pycnogenol is a well-researched botanical medicine with demonstrated safety and efficacy in study after study at the prescribed doses, says Blumenthal. Consult a physician trained in botanical medicine to determine what dosage best meets your specific medical needs. To prevent any minor stomach discomfort, it’s best to take Pycnogenol with or after meals and, as we always recommend, with doctor oversight.
›Mark Blumenthal, founder and executive director of the American Botanical Council and editor of Herbal Gram, Austin, Texas. HerbalGram.org.
“Snack” on This for High Blood Sugar Control
Remember when your mom would snap “No snacks!” before mealtime because it would “ruin” your appetite? It stands to reason that if you eat a rich snack before a meal, you either won’t eat your meal, replacing nutritious meal calories with empty snack calories, or you will gobble down both the snack and the meal.
But what if the idea of snack were redefined? What if a snack right before meals could help you regulate your blood sugar and prevent cardiovascular disease? You’d stock up on that snack, wouldn’t you? Well, such a snack actually exists, but it’s not something you eat—it’s something you do. It’s a quick, easy, short burst of exercise right before meals, dubbed an “exercise snack.”
If you’re shaking your head, thinking what kind of gimmick is this, clearly, it’s a gimmick to get you to exercise. And it works! Although exercise and diet are proven to prevent type 2 diabetes and related heart disease, less than 10 percent of Americans get the exercise they need, often saying they do not have the time. How to get folks to make the time—and figuring out exactly how much time they need and whether shortcuts can do the trick—have been areas of study for researchers.
So a team from the School of Physical Education, Sport and Exercise Sciences at the University of Otago in New Zealand co-opted the catchy phrase “exercise snack” to refer to a much less catchy but more technically descriptive term: high-intensity interval training. That’s a few brief minutes of intensive exercise, such as fitness walking, running, or resistance training. “Exercise snack” was coined by Harvard cardiologist L. Howard Hartley, MD, in 2007 in a column he wrote for Newsweek to define quick bursts of calorie-burning ordinary activity, such as pacing while talking on the phone or taking the stairs instead of the elevator. Studies have shown that exercise snacking in the form of high-intensity interval training is as effective as longer workouts for keeping fit and that it improves glucose control.
The researchers set off to see whether their idea of an exercise snack could help keep blood sugar from spiking—a problem among folks with diabetes and prediabetes whereby blood sugar goes way up after meals. Spiking is directly related to diabetes-associated cardiovascular disease, so prevention is a high priority.
The New Zealand study was small, including seven men and two women who had either prediabetes or newly diagnosed diabetes. The participants all practiced three different exercise regimens, each for five days with a break in between, to examine the impact of each regimen on blood sugar after meals.
One regimen, regarded as a traditional workout regimen, had participants do thirty minutes of moderate-intensity treadmill walking before their evening meals. Another regimen—referred to as an exercise snack—had participants do only six minutes of treadmill walking, alternating one minute at an intensive pace followed by one minute at a slow pace, a half hour before breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The third exercise regimen, also a six-minute exercise snack done half an hour before each meal, involved alternating intensive one-minute walks with one-minute resistance exercises that worked the arms, back, and core.
A QUICKIE IS BETTER!
The researchers found that a person doesn’t have to huff and puff for thirty minutes a day to keep blood sugar in check—a few minutes of intensive exercise before meals was better in preventing blood sugar from spiking. Exercise snacking (either kind described above) before breakfast reduced postmeal blood sugar by an average 17 percent. Although exercise snacking before lunch didn’t have much of an effect on blood sugar levels, exercise snacking before dinner reduced it by an average 13 percent. In comparison, the thirty-minute daily workout had no effect on postmeal blood sugar.
“First and most important, exercise snacks are more time-efficient,” says lead researcher and doctoral candidate Monique Francois. “Running an hour or two every day can help reduce blood sugar spikes after meals, but doing this is not feasible for most people. Short, intense exercise done right before a meal gives the same benefit.”
HOW TO “EXERCISE SNACK”
You don’t have to invest in a treadmill or buy any exercise gear to exercise snack, says Francois. If you want to do it as part of a regimen for blood sugar control, simply take a quick, brisk walk before mealtime. For blood sugar control or simply overall fitness, Francois echoes the advice that Dr. Hartley gave in his Newsweek article back in 2007: rather than driving all the way to a destination, bike, jog, or walk at a moderate to fast pace either part or all the way—and take the stairs instead of an elevator or escalator when you can. Francois cautions, though, that people with health conditions such as diabetes should discuss exercise routines with their doctors before they start them to get guidance about doing them safely and effectively. This is one case in which, instead of doing strenuous, time-consuming exercise—which many people are likely to skip precisely because it seems so onerous—giving it all you’ve got for a few quick minutes brings better health results. So snack away!
›Monique Francois, doctoral candidate, exercise metabolism, nutrition, and type 2 diabetes, University of British Columbia, Canada. Ms. Francois was formerly a teaching fellow and research assistant at the School of Physical Education, Sport and Exercise Sciences, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand, where this study was done as part of her master’s degree. Her study was published in Diabetologia.
Supplements That Help Manage Diabetes
Lifestyle change has always been the cornerstone treatment for people with type 2 diabetes. Beyond that, natural approaches are rarely discussed. Mark Stengler, NMD, author of several books on alternative health, recommends a number of plant-based remedies for those with diabetes, some of which date back hundreds, even thousands, of years.
According to Dr. Stengler, type 2 diabetes absolutely can be prevented and, in certain cases, even reversed with diet, exercise, and appropriate dietary supplements. The following is some of his own “best practice” advice for prevention, maintenance, and symptom management of this lifestyle-related disease.
To prevent diabetes:
•Curb sugar cravings with Gymnema sylvestre. A staple of Ayurvedic medicine, this herb helps curb cravings for sugary foods that throw your blood glucose levels off balance. Scientists speculate that it works by positively influencing insulin-producing cells in the pancreas.
Dr. Stengler believes Gymnema sylvestre works best when used in combination with other glucose-balancing herbs, such as bitter melon and fenugreek. Ask your doctor for advice on the best combination and dosage for you.
•Chromium can normalize sugar levels. Your body requires adequate levels of chromium to properly control blood glucose levels.
This essential trace mineral aids in the uptake of blood sugar into the body’s cells, where it can be used to generate energy more efficiently. It’s also helpful in reducing sweet cravings.
Dr. Stengler advises up to 1,000 mcg of chromium a day (under your physician’s supervision). He adds that this is a good mineral to take with gymnema.
•Regulate blood sugar with fiber and fiber supplements. Soluble fiber helps prevent or control prediabetes and diabetes by slowing the rate at which intestines release glucose into the bloodstream, thus modulating fluctuations in blood sugar levels. Rich sources of soluble fiber include plant foods, such as legumes, oat bran, rye, barley, broccoli, carrots, artichokes, peas, prunes, berries, and bananas. In a small study in Taiwan, scientists found that supplementation with glucomannan (a soluble dietary fiber made from konjac flour) lowered elevated levels of blood lipids, cholesterol, and glucose in people with diabetes.
Most Americans eat too much junk food and too little fiber. For his patients who fall into that category, Dr. Stengler typically prescribes one glucomannan capsule thirty minutes before lunch and dinner and another before bedtime with a large glass of water.
To manage symptoms and minimize complications:
•Boost antioxidant levels with alpha-lipoic acid. This powerful antioxidant kills free radicals that damage cells and cause pain, inflammation, burning, tingling, and numbness in people who have peripheral neuropathy (nerve damage) caused by diabetes. Studies also suggest that alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) enables the body to utilize glucose more efficiently.
Dr. Stengler says to take alpha-lipoic acid daily under a physician’s supervision.
•Decrease blood glucose levels with chamomile tea. Drinking chamomile tea, a rich source of antioxidants, may help prevent diabetes complications, such as blindness, nerve damage, and kidney problems, according to recent research by UK and Japanese scientists.
Drink chamomile tea along with antioxidant-rich black, white, and green teas, says Dr. Stengler.
•Take omega-3 fatty acids to reduce inflammation. These healthy fats improve the body’s ability to respond to insulin, reduce inflammation, lower blood lipids, and prevent excessive blood clotting. Good dietary sources of omega-3 fatty acids include cold-water fish, such as salmon or cod (eat two or three times a week), olive or canola oil, flaxseed, and English walnuts.
Unless you know you are getting sufficient omega-3 fatty acids in your diet, it’s good to take a daily fish oil supplement that contains about 1,000 mg of the omega-3 fatty acid eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and about 500 mg of the omega-3 fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).
Caution: Because many dietary supplements lower blood sugar, and fish oil supplements may alter the way anticoagulant therapy functions, it is critical to work closely with your doctor before and while taking any of the above supplements. He/she will prescribe the right doses for you and may also suggest that you alter other medications accordingly.
DON’T NEGLECT THE ABCs OF DIABETES SELF-CARE
When addressing a difficult disease such as diabetes, all the nutrients and vitamins in the world will do no good if you do not also follow the basics of diabetes self-care: maintain a healthy weight, get twenty to thirty minutes of exercise most days of the week, follow a diet that emphasizes lean proteins and healthy fats and limits simple carbohydrates, monitor blood glucose levels, and take diabetes, blood pressure, and cholesterol medicine as prescribed by your physician. Dr. Stengler adds that even as simple a measure as taking a ten-minute walk after each meal can keep blood sugar under control. Start today.
›Mark A. Stengler, NMD, a naturopathic medical doctor and leading authority on the practice of alternative and integrated medicine. Dr. Stengler is author of the Health Revelations newsletter, The Natural Physician’s Healing Therapies, and Bottom Line’s Prescription for Natural Cures. He is also the founder and medical director of the Stengler Center for Integrative Medicine in Encinitas, California, and former adjunct associate clinical professor at the National College of Natural Medicine in Portland, Oregon. MarkStengler.com.
Supercharge Your Diabetes Medications
Alpha-lipoic acid is an endogenous (made in the body) antioxidant that helps transform blood sugar (glucose) into energy. It is found in foods such as red meat and liver, though it is difficult to get enough from food to work effectively with your medication for type 2 diabetes.
When taken in the larger doses that are found in supplements, alpha-lipoic acid lowers blood sugar and may reduce pain, itching, and other symptoms caused by diabetes-related nerve damage (neuropathy). For diabetic neuropathy, I typically recommend 400 to 500 mg of alpha-lipoic acid, twice daily. For general antioxidant benefit, 100 to 300 mg daily is usually sufficient.
If you’re taking a diabetes medication that lowers blood sugar, such as metformin or glyburide, the addition of alpha-lipoic acid may allow you to use a smaller drug dose. If your glucose levels are stabilized through diet and regular exercise (without medication), you may want to take alpha-lipoic acid indefinitely.
Caution: Taking too much alpha-lipoic acid with a diabetes drug could lead to excessively low blood sugar, which can cause anxiety, sweating, shakiness, and/or confusion. Alpha-lipoic acid also may interact with chemotherapy drugs and thyroid medication such as levothyroxine. Talk to your doctor before taking alpha-lipoic acid with any prescription medication.
›Thomas Kruzel, ND, a naturopathic physician at the Rockwood Natural Medicine Clinic in Scottsdale, Arizona. He is author of The Homeopathic Emergency Guide. RockwoodNaturalMedicine.com.
Move Over Blueberries…Olive Leaf Extract May Be the New Star
Olive leaf (Olea europaea) remedies are popular in countries ranging from Greece and Italy to Australia and New Zealand and in Africa. Leaves from olive trees contain flavonoid polyphenols such as oleuropein and hydroxytyrosol, which have antioxidant, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial effects. In fact, researchers have found that extract made from olive leaf has a greater antioxidant capacity than other more highly touted sources, including pomegranate, blueberry, cranberry, and even green tea. Multiple studies have demonstrated olive leaf’s potential in:
•Preventing or managing infection. In lab and animal studies, scientists have discovered that olive leaf is effective against a wide range of bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites—and without the worrisome side effects of antibiotics.
•Lowering blood pressure. In a South African study, olive leaf extract thwarted the development of severe hypertension in salt-sensitive, insulin-resistant rats.
•Preventing heart disease. Laboratory studies in Italy showed that olive leaf extract inhibits low-density lipoprotein (LDL) oxidation. An Australian study showed that liquid olive leaf extract (tested in vitro) has antiplatelet effects that may help prevent clots.
•Controlling blood sugar. Animal studies suggest that olive leaf improves sugar uptake, which may prove helpful in preventing or treating diabetes and metabolic syndrome.
THREE WAYS TO TRY IT
Olive leaf is readily available online and in health-food stores as an extract and in capsule form, as well as tea, though some find the taste bitter and unappealing.
Advice from Dr. Yanez: At the first sign of a cold or the flu, take three capsules three or four times a day, or, if you prefer the extract, drink it straight (follow the package directions for one serving) or diluted in water or juice three times a day, or drink two cups daily of olive leaf tea.
Olive leaf is generally considered safe, but as always when trying an herbal remedy, check with your doctor first. This is especially important if you have a chronic condition—olive leaf may interact with certain diabetes and blood pressure drugs, and some people are allergic to olive tree pollen and should be on the alert for hives or other signs of allergy to the extract.
›JoAnn Yanez, ND, Yanez Consulting, Sioux Falls, South Dakota. She is an expert in health policy and integrative medicine and former vice president of the New York Association of Naturopathic Physicians.
Maca: The Superfood That Helps with Everything
Super foods are foods and herbs considered to be especially healthful due to their hefty nutritional content. The list includes familiar favorites, such as blueberries, broccoli, and beans. Now a more exotic superfood you may never have heard of is generating excitement in the world of natural health—a Peruvian root vegetable called maca (Lepidium meyenii or peruvianum), pronounced MACK-ah.
The root of the maca is shaped like a large radish. It is a cousin to other cruciferous plants, such as cauliflower and Brussels sprouts. Peruvians traditionally boil or roast the maca root or grind it into flour for baking. However, despite maca’s popular description as a superfood, you won’t see it in food form in this country. Instead, the root is dried and ground into a fine powder. It then is distributed primarily in capsules, although you can also buy the powder to blend into beverages or sprinkle on foods.
In addition to its healthful fiber, complex carbohydrates, and protein, maca provides numerous minerals, including calcium, magnesium, phosphorous, potassium, sulfur, iron, zinc, iodine, and copper; vitamins B-1, B-2, C, and E; nearly twenty amino acids, including linoleic acid, palmitic acid, and oleic acid; as well as various plant sterols, which are natural cholesterol-lowering agents. All of these nutrients have been shown to promote health in a multitude of ways.
Here is what this superfood can do for you.
FIGHT STRESS AND DISEASE
Any kind of stress—from work, personal problems, illness, injury, toxins, hormonal imbalances, or any other source—can negatively affect how our bodies function. Maca is what holistic doctors call an adaptogen, a plant or herb that boosts the body’s ability to resist, deal with, and recover from emotional and physical stress.
Practitioners of traditional medicine from China and India have known about and made use of adaptogens for centuries, though the term itself was not coined until the middle of the twentieth century. Well-known adaptogens include the herbs ashwagandha, ginseng, rhodiola, and licorice root, all of which I have prescribed to my patients with much success over the years.
How it works: To be classified as an adaptogen, a natural substance must meet specific criteria. It must be nontoxic, normalize levels of chemicals raised during periods of stress, and produce physical, chemical, and/or biological responses that increase the body’s resistance to stress.
Although all adaptogenic plants contain antioxidants, researchers do not believe that antioxidants alone account for adaptogens’ normalizing powers. Rather, it is thought that a variety of phytochemicals helps balance the dozens of endocrine, digestive, and neural hormones that operate throughout the body—including insulin (which regulates blood sugar levels) and dopamine (which enhances and stabilizes mood). Many adaptogens also stimulate immune system components, leading to better immune function.
MORE OF MACA’S SUPERPOWERS
Animal studies suggest that maca may reduce the risk for the following:
•Arthritis—by promoting cartilage growth.
•Blood toxicity—by improving liver function.
•Diabetes—by allowing for better control over blood sugar levels and body weight.
•Digestive health—by combating ulcers.
•Fatigue—by increasing energy and endurance.
•Heart disease—by lowering levels of LDL “bad” cholesterol and triglycerides (a type of blood fat).
•Memory and mood—by enhancing certain brain chemicals.
•Osteoporosis—by increasing bone density.
•Prostate problems—by reducing prostate enlargement.
THE SAFEST WAY TO START
Maca generally appears to be safe, given its long history of use by Peruvians, but there are a few guidelines to bear in mind.
Breast cancer patients taking tamoxifen or other estrogen blockers and women who have had breast cancer must not use maca, because it raises estrogen levels. Women in a family with a strong history of breast cancer should discuss maca use with their doctors first. People who take thyroid medication should be monitored by their doctors because maca may increase thyroid activity.
Since its long-term effects have not been scientifically studied, I recommend taking a break from maca now and then in order to give the body’s cell receptors a break from any hormone stimulation. People who want to try maca to see if it is a superfood for them should take supplements for three months, then stop using maca for one or two weeks. They may then continue this regimen as needed for symptom relief.
HOW MUCH TO TAKE
Maca is available in supplement and powder form. The average dose of maca supplements is 1,000 to 2,000 mg daily—which you can take with or without food at any time of day.
Or you can get your maca by adding powder to your favorite foods and drinks. It has a slightly nutty flavor, so you may enjoy mixing it with almond milk. Other ways to incorporate maca into your diet:
•Sprinkle on cereal (hot or cold).
•Mix into your favorite smoothie or protein shake.
•Add to yogurt or applesauce, perhaps with a little cinnamon.
•Stir into tea—especially chai blends, as the flavors complement each other.
•Use in baking—substitute maca powder for one-quarter of the flour in any recipe (no more, or it might affect texture or consistency).
Be aware: Maca powder has a high fiber content and may initially cause gassiness. I suggest beginning with one teaspoon a day, then gradually increasing your intake by one teaspoon every five days until you find your comfort zone. The optimum dosage is three to six teaspoons daily.
›Mark A. Stengler, NMD, a naturopathic medical doctor and leading authority on the practice of alternative and integrated medicine. Dr. Stengler is author of the Health Revelations newsletter, The Natural Physician’s Healing Therapies, and Bottom Line’s Prescription for Natural Cures. He is also the founder and medical director of the Stengler Center for Integrative Medicine in Encinitas, California, and former adjunct associate clinical professor at the National College of Natural Medicine in Portland, Oregon. MarkStengler.com.
*M. Afkarian et al., “Kidney Disease and Increased Mortality Risk in Type 2 Diabetes,” Journal of the American Society of Nephrology 24, no. 2 (February 2013): 302–308.