When my close friend with Type 2 diabetes told me she was worried about gaining weight, I told her about some of the tricks I have used to lose weight. Although she only lost a few pounds, my friend was shocked after six months that her blood sugar levels had returned to normal.
I told her maybe we stumbled on some natural cures for Type 2 Diabetes. After doing a little research, it turned out experts recommend some of the same dieting tricks for people with diabetes.
Always check with your doctor before trying any new health supplement or before discontinuing any medication for diabetes.
Here are a few of the surprising natural cures for Type 2 Diabetes that helped my friend get off her diabetes medication:
Bittersweet reward of sea buckthorn
Dr. Oz has promoted sea buckthorn berries for younger looking skin and weight loss. I lost the last 20 pounds drinking the nasty-tasting sea buckthorn berry juice. My friend believes the sea buckthorn berries helps control her blood sugar levels.
Finnish researchers at the University of Turku discovered the berry reduced the level of C-reactive protein or CRP. CRP is produced in the liver of people at risk for developing Type 2 diabetes. Although it’s effective, sea buckthorn berry is extremely bitter so mix the juice with natural sweeteners such as Truvia.
Cinnamon and diabetes
Cinnamon is another natural cure for diabetes because it also stabilizes blood sugar levels. I’ve also used cinnamon to lose weight. Numerous studies have shown cinnamon improves glucose in people with Type 2 diabetes. In one study, the amount of cinnamon shown to be effective was as little as 1 gram of cinnamon daily. I sprinkle cinnamon on my apples and use it in smoothies every day.
Stevia or Sweet Leaf
Dieters such as me often use Stevia, a perennial plant that is much sweeter than sugar. Experts say unlike artificial sweeteners that can actually raise your blood sugar levels, stevia is safe for diabetics. The stevia plant grows in tropical and subtropical regions of South America; it can also be grown in Florida. I find it quite easy to grow stevia in my Florida garden. I like to juice the leaves to sweeten vegetable juice and drink natural diet Zevia soda. Several of the glycosides in stevia lower blood sugar.
Other natural cures for diabetes
Several other foods are used by dieters as well as people with diabetes. People on the raw food diet often lose weight. Raw onions and garlic can reduce blood sugar levels. I always heard cayenne pepper can speed up your metabolism, and it’s also good for people with diabetes. Other “natural cures” for diabetes include bitter melon, Fenugreek and drinking coffee to reduce insulin resistance.
If you are trying to prevent Type 2 Diabetes, make sure to control your weight. In a study published in the Journal of American Medical Association, participants who were obese at age 50 and gained 20 or more pounds before the study were five times more likely to develop diabetes compared to thin people.
More from this contributor:
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Natural cures for breast cancer
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Sources:
Michael Dansinger, “Conquering Diabetes” Web MD
Alam Khan, “Cinnamon Improves Glucose and Lipids of People with Type 2 Diabetes,” American Diabetes Association, Diabetes Care article.
