Introduction

Diabetes is one of a number of diseases that are more common today than ever before. Conventional health care leads people to believe that there is no way to cure diabetes and that diabetics must be on medication for the rest of their lives. However, there are natural alternatives that can be used along with proper diet to treat and even cure diabetes. Many doctors will only prescribe medications for diabetes and will not give any alternative advice. The purpose of this article is to give a few examples of natural alternatives and describe proper eating habits for diabetics.

Dieting Recommendations

A diet consisting of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and beans is ideal for the someone who has diabetes. Diabetics can tolerate fruits because fruits contain the sugar fructose, which unlike glucose does not need insulin for digestion. Digestion of these foods is slow resulting in sustained energy for long periods of time. Blood sugar rises slowly so that insulin does not need to rush in to turn the sugar into fat. As a result, you will not get really hungry shortly after eating. These types of foods also help protect against other diseases, help you lose and control weight, and remove waste from your colon.

Celery, cucumbers, and string beans are especially beneficial for diabetics. The skins of green bean pods are exceptionally rich in silica and some hormones that are closely related to insulin. String bean tea can serve as a substitute for insulin. Cucumbers contain a hormone that is used by the cells of the pancreas to produce insulin.

Herbal Medicine

Many diabetics are exploring the possibilities of herbal medicine to deal with their ailment. Bitter melon, onion, and garlic have been proven to help lower blood sugar. Extracts from bitter melon can be made into teas and taken regularly. Other known herbs are Asian ginseng, Pterocarpus marsupium, and bilberry, as well as many others. Most of these herbs are available in capsule form and can be taken regularly with meals.

Cinnamon

Research has shown that cinnamon can regulate blood glucose as well as cholesterol and triglycerides in diabetic patients. Researchers agree that one gram of cinnamon a day can significantly help to treat diabetes. Cinnamon contains an ingredient called hydroxychalcone, which can improve the effectiveness of insulin. Hydroxychalcone can make insulin in a person's body more reactive and sensitive and thus can increase glycogen synthesis.

Salba

A grain called salba can also be beneficial for treating diabetes. Salba was a big part of the diets of the Aztecs and contributed largely to the vibrant health, tremendous stamina and amazing strength of the Aztec warriors who would frequently run miles to deliver messages to other settlements. Salba is tasteless which makes it good for cooking and baking.

Diabetics who regularly take salba report great overall improvement in chronic conditions brought on by diabetes as well as increased energy, better circulation, and better weight control. Blood sugar is more easily controlled when salba is eaten regularly in food. Those who take the grain report that it makes them feel full when sprinkled on oatmeal, grits, or cold breakfast cereals.

Chromium Picolinate

Chromium picolinate is another substance that is beneficial for diabetics. A study showed that diabetes patients who took 500 mcg of chromium picolinate twice daily showed a significant reduction in fasting blood sugar levels and in post-meal blood sugar levels. No negative side effects were observed in the patients who took the supplements. Also, more than 85 percent of the patients in the study noticed a decrease in the common diabetic symptoms of excessive thirst, frequent urination and fatigue.

The use of certain pharmaceutical drugs can lead to significant chromium losses and can also sometimes induce symptoms of diabetes. This is another reason that chromium picolinate is good for treating diabetes.

Paleolithic Diet

Eating what Paleolithic people ate is becoming more popular as a result of the diabetes epidemic in the United States. Paleolithic people typically ate lean meats from wild game, as well as fish, birds, nuts, vegetables, and most fruits when they could find them. More than 100, 000 generations of people depended on this kind of diet. Diabetes care was virtually nonexistent during that time because processed foods did not exist. Only the last two generations of people have been introduced to highly processed food.

Things to Avoid

Minimizing foods that cause significant fluctuations in blood sugar, such as white bread and white rice, and replacing them with fruits, vegetables and whole wheat pasta, helps stabilize insulin levels. Also, junk food should be avoided because it raises blood sugar very quickly. Fast food should also be avoided and processed foods should be minimally consumed. Foods that contain aspartame should be avoided as long term consumption of aspartame can lead to diabetes along with many other diseases. Aspartame is less expensive than real sugar, so it has dominated food processing for more than 25 years. It has led to more complaints to the FDA than any other food additive on the market.

Conclusions

Natural remedies and proper diet are far safer and more effective ways to deal with diabetes than simply taking medication for the rest of your life. However, a surprising number of people are not aware of or simply do not believe this information. This is just another example of how powerful drug companies are controlling information and hiding natural remedies to keep people dependent on their drugs.