Supplement Support for Glucose Stability :: Holistic Healing :: Herbal Remedies

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Supplement Support for Glucose Stability

Balancing blood sugar levels may not be sexy, but it’s important for the prevention of diabetes, a disease affecting more than 2 million Canadians.

Very simply, the body creates energy (glucose) from carbohydrates and controls this function with the hormone insulin. But if the pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin, or if insulin isn’t properly used, high blood sugar levels result (diabetes). Over time they can cause complications such as blindness, heart disease, and kidney problems.

Besides maintaining a healthy, high-fibre diet, getting regular exercise, and not smoking, taking specific nutritional supplements–in addition to a high-potency multivitamin and multimineral–can help balance blood sugar levels.

Chromium

This is the most important mineral involved in blood sugar metabolism and is beneficial for both high and low blood sugar issues. Insulin won’t work without chromium, the main element in a molecule called “glucose tolerance factor.”

Chromium doesn’t boost the body’s insulin production; instead, it makes existing insulin stores work more effectively.

Conjugated Linoleic Acid

CLA, as it’s also known, assists in weight loss, and helps fight cancer, diabetes, and atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries). The mechanism, researchers believe, is twofold: first, it blocks the body’s fat cells from filling with fat. Second, it increases cellular sensitivity to insulin.

Chia Seed

An ancient grain native to Central America, chia is rich in omega-3 essential fatty acids, fibre, and antioxidants. It’s helpful in managing the effects of diabetes, as well as in the prevention and treatment of heart disease. Mix it with yogourt first thing in the morning and you’re good to go!

Prickly Pear Cactus

Prickly pear, or nopal cactus, has a long history in traditional Mexican medicine. It has been shown to lower blood sugar levels as well as lipid levels, benefiting those with high cholesterol issues as well.

Part of prickly pear’s effectiveness is attributed to the fact that it contains mucilage and pectin fibres that, in combination, coat the gastrointestinal wall and decrease the absorption of food fats and sugars.

Super-Sweet Gymnema

An Ayurvedic herb used for 2,000 years, Gymnema sylvestre is native to southern and central India. In addition to being used to reduce blood sugar levels, it suppresses the taste of sweetness, so some people use it to help fight sugar cravings.

Other Helpful Herbs

Mother Nature’s bounty of antidiabetic aids includes the herbs fenugreek, cinnamon, ginger, coriander, and bilberry. Onion and garlic also help prolong compromised insulin stores, so use them generously in the kitchen.

New research published in the journal Endocrinology in July 2008 reveals that curcumin from the spice turmeric also has a protective effect.

Obese rats given curcumin were less susceptible to developing diabetes than the leaner control group; they also lost weight and body fat, and had less inflammation in the liver and fatty tissues. Reducing inflammation is important because it’s linked to the onset of type 2 diabetes and obesity.

Balancing blood sugar levels isn’t a simple task, but it is indeed possible with a naturopathic approach, including the use of nutritional supplements.

Source: alive #313, November 2008

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