Diabetes affects 21 Million Americans and claims 240 million victims worldwide. Type 2 Diabetes is the biggest portion of those at 95 %. This is a disease that affects your metabolism--the way our bodies use digest food for growth and energy. Most of the food we eat is broken down into glucose-the main source of fuel for the body.

Then glucose passes into the bloodstream where it is used. For glucose to get into cells, insulin must be present. Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas, a large gland behind the stomach. In people with type 2 diabetes the cells do not respond appropriately to the insulin that is produced.

Back in the good old days in my other life I used to play golf a lot. I wasn't any good but I had fun up to a point and enjoyed the scenery. Golf courses are by definition serene and beautiful. There was an expression in golf "that it was better to be lucky than good."

The same is true in life in general. Last week I stumbled across something that I will put in the lucky category for sure-lucky for me. Now I want to share that with you.

This is not exactly top secret stuff here and may sound a little on the radical side-so be it. The documentation is there to anyone who wants to look into it-any doubting Thomases.

There is literally billions of dollars spent on diabetes medication to control your blood sugar. Metformin, Actos et al. are all very good at what they do. And don't get me wrong I am not suggesting you stop any medication without your doc's knowledge but these supplements certainly are worth a try.

Two chemists who work with the USDA's Agriculture Research Service, Richard Anderson and Marilyn Polansky have discovered that chromium and cinnamon "not only potentiate insulin activity several fold but now we have evidence that these compounds also act as anti oxidants".

From their study published on November 8, 2003 they found that chromium and cinnamon both function to "not only improve insulin sensitivity but also alleviate oxidative stress and therefore may all be important in the prevention and alleviation of glucose intolerance and diabetes."

This is powerful and useful news for type 2 diabetics who struggle with the control issue on a daily basis.

Read the study, check with your doc, and try it. Cinnamon and chromium are both so cheap it won't hurt. It will make your life with the 'Big D' much better and will perhaps help you avoid the more serious complications down the road.

As with anything you do with the 'big D'-check with your doc first.

To find out more about Diabetes check the link below.