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Diabetes Management at the End of Civilization How Insulin is Made (General) http://www.madehow.com/Volume-7/Insulin.html Before researchers discovered how to produce insulin, people who suffered from Type I diabetes had no chance for a healthy life. Then in 1921, Canadian scientists Frederick G. Banting and Charles H. Best successfully purified insulin from a dog's pancreas. Over the years scientists made continual improvements in producing insulin. In 1936, researchers found a way to make insulin with a slower release in the blood. They added a protein found in fish sperm, protamine, which the body breaks down slowly. One injection lasted 36 hours. Another breakthrough came in 1950 when researchers produced a type of insulin that acted slightly faster and does not remain in the bloodstream as long. In the 1970s, researchers began to try and produce an insulin that more mimicked how the body's natural insulin worked: releasing a small amount of insulin all day with surges occurring at mealtimes. Researchers continued to improve insulin but the basic production method remained the same for decades. Insulin was extracted from the pancreas of cattle and pigs and purified. The chemical structure of insulin in these animals is only slightly different than human insulin, which is why it functions so well in the human body. (Although some people had negative immune system or allergic reactions.) Then in the early 1980s biotechnology revolutionized insulin synthesis. Researchers had already decoded the chemical structure of insulin in the mid1950s. They soon determined the exact location of the insulin gene at the top of chromosome 11. By 1977, a research team had spliced a rat insulin gene into a bacterium that then produced insulin. In 1891, Frederick Banting was born in Alliston, Ontario. He graduated in 1916 from the University of Toronto medical school. After Medical Corps service in World War I, Banting became interested in diabetes and studied the disease at the University of Western Ontario. In 1919, Moses Barron, a researcher at the University of Minnesota, showed blockage of the duct connecting the two major parts of the pancreas caused shriveling of a second cell type, the acinar. Banting believed that by tying off the pancreatic duct to destroy the acinar cells, he could preserve the hormone and extract it from islet cells. Banting proposed this to the head of the University of Toronto's Physiology Department, John Macleod. Macleod rejected Banting's proposal, but supplied laboratory space, 10 dogs, and a medical student, Charles Best Beginning in May 1921, Banting and Best tied off pancreatic ducts in dogs so the acinar cells would atrophy, then removed the pancreases to extract fluid from islet cells. Meanwhile, they removed pancreases from other dogs to cause diabetes, then injected the islet cell fluid. In January 1922, 14 year-old Leonard Thompson became the first human to be successfully treat-ed for diabetes using insulin. Best received his medical degree in 1925. Banting insisted Best also be credited, and almost turned down his Nobel Prize because Best was not included. Best became head of the University of Toronto's physiology department in 1929 and director of the university's Banting and Best Department of Medical Research after Banting's death in 1941. In the 1980s, researchers used genetic engineering to manufacture a human insulin. In 1982, the Eli Lilly Corporation produced a human insulin that became the first approved genetically engineered pharmaceutical product. Without needing to depend on animals, researchers could produce genetically engineered insulin in unlimited supplies. It also did not contain any of the animal contaminants. Using human insulin also took away any concerns about transferring any potential animal diseases into the insulin. While companies still sell a small amount of insulin produced from animals—mostly porcine—from the 1980s onwards, insulin users increasingly moved to a form of human insulin created through recombinant DNA technology. According to the Eli Lilly Corporation, in 2001 95% of insulin users in most parts of the world take some form of human insulin. Some companies have stopped producing animal insulin completely. Companies are focusing on synthesizing human insulin and insulin analogs, a modification of the insulin molecule in some way. Raw Materials Human insulin is grown in the lab inside common bacteria. Escherichia coli is by far the most widely used type of bacterium, but yeast is also used. Researchers need the human protein that produces insulin. Manufacturers get this through an amino-acid sequencing machine that synthesizes the DNA. Manufacturers know the exact order of insulin's amino acids (the nitrogen-based molecules that line up to make up proteins). There are 20 common amino acids. Manufacturers input insulin's amino acids, and the sequencing machine connects the amino acids together. Also necessary to synthesize insulin are large tanks to grow the bacteria, and nutrients are needed for the bacteria to grow. Several instruments are necessary to separate and purify the DNA such as a centrifuge, along with various chromatography and x-ray crystallography instruments. {Use link, above, to view the rest of this article} Diabetes Central - Website with tons of stuff For Diabetics: http://www.mendosa.com/ Check it out. How Insulin is Made (Frederick Banting's Nobel Lecture in 1925) http://www.discoveryofinsulin.com/FGBLecture.htm Best and Scott who are responsible for the preparation of Insulin in the Insulin Division of the Connaught Laboratories have tested all the available methods and have appropriated certain details from many of these, several new procedures have been found advantageous have been introduced by them. The yield of Insulin obtained by Best and Scott at the Connaught Laboratories, by a preliminary extraction with dilute sulphuric acid followed by alcohol is 1,800 to 2,220 units per kg. of pancreas. The present method of preparation is as follows. The beef or pork pancreas is finely minced in a larger grinder and the minced material is then treated with 5 c.c. of concentrated sulphuric acid, appropriately diluted, per pound of glands. The mixture is stirred for a period of three or four hours and 95% alcohol is added until the concentration of alcohol is 60% to 70%. Two extractions of the glands are made. The solid material is then partially removed by centrifuging the mixture and the solution is further clarified by filtering through paper. The filtrate is practically neutralized with NaOH. The clear filtrate is concentrated in vacuo to about 1/15 of its original volume. The concentrate is then heated to 50oC which results in the separation of lipoid and other materials, which are removed by filtration. Ammonium sulphate (37 grams. per 100 c.c.) is then added to the concentrate and a protein material containing all the Insulin floats to the top of the liquid. The precipitate is skimmed off and dissolved in hot acid alcohol. When the precipitate has completely dissolved, 10 volumes of warm alcohol are added. The solution is then neutralized with NaOH and cooled to room temperature, and kept in a refrigerator at 5oC for two days. At the end of this time the dark coloured supernatant alcohol is decanted off. The alcohol contains practically no potency. The precipitate is dried in vacuo to remove all trace of the alcohol. It is then dissolved in acid water, in which it is readily soluble. The solution is made alkaline with NaOH to PH 7.3 to 7.5. At this alkalinity a dark coloured precipitate settles out, and is immediately centrifuged off. This precipitate is washed once or twice with alkaline water of PH 9.0 and the washings are added to the main liquid. It is important that this process be carried out fairly quickly as Insulin is destroyed in alkaline solution. The acidity is adjusted to PH 5.0 and a white precipitate readily settles out. Tricresol is added to a concentration of 0.3% in order to assist in the isoelectric precipitation and to act as a preservative. After standing one week in the ice chest the supernatant liquid is decanted off and the resultant liquid is removed by centrifuging. The precipitate is then dissolved in a small quantity of acid water. A second isoelectric precipitation is carried out by adjusting the acidity to a PH of approximately 5.0. After standing over night the resultant precipitate is removed by centrifuging. The precipitate, which contains the active principle in a comparatively pure form, is dissolved in acid water and the hydrogen ion concentration adjusted to PH 2.5. The material is carefully tested to determine the potency and is then diluted to the desired strength of 10, 20, 40 or 80 units per c.c. Tricresol is added to secure a concentration of 0.1 percent. Sufficient sodium chloride is added to make the solution isotonic. The Insulin solution is passed through a Mandler filter. After passing through the filter the Insulin is retested carefully to determine its potency. There is practically no loss in berkefelding. The tested Insulin is poured into sterile glass vials with aseptic precautions and the sterility of the final product thoroughly tested by approved methods. The method of estimating the potency of Insulin solutions is based on the effect that Insulin produces upon the blood sugar of normal animals. Rabbits serve as the test animal. They are starved for twenty four hours before the administration of Insulin. Their weight should be approximately 2 kg. Insulin is distributed in strengths of 10, 20, 40 and 80 units per c.c. The unit is one third of the amount of material required to lower the blood sugar of a 2 kg. rabbit which has fasted twenty four hours from the normal level (0.118 percent) to 0.045 percent over a period of five hours. In a moderately severe case of diabetes one unit causes about 2.5 grammes of carbohydrate to be utilized. In earlier and milder cases, as a rule, one unit has a greater effect, accounting for three to five grammes of carbohydrate. Eva's Insulin Husband and Wife Team Makes Insulin During World War II; Decades Later, Wife Promotes Diabetes Education Worldwide R. Mclean Jan 1, 2002 At 81 years of age, Eva Saxl has a lifetime of rewarding accomplishments behind her—careers as a writer, teacher, philanthropist and lecturer and a history of living with type 1 diabetes for more than 60 years with no complications. But these many achievements pale in comparison to Eva's most impressive feat, one that literally saved her life. Recalling this accomplishment requires looking back upon a harrowing time in Eva's life. The year was 1940. Eva, 19 at the time, and her husband, Victor, had just arrived in Shanghai, China, on a boat from Italy, after hastily fleeing Nazi-occupied Czechoslovakia. Their boat transporting Jewish refugees from Europe was the last one to cross through the Suez Canal during World War II. Refugees in the true sense of the word, the Saxls had left all their friends and family behind in Prague. Once in China, they made do financially: Eva found work as an English teacher, and Victor gained employment as an engineer. Then Eva began experiencing severe symptoms of diabetes, such as frequent thirst. Looking back, Eva realizes she had had symptoms as far back as the age of 17, but now they became unmanageable. One night, while Eva and Victor were eating dinner, Eva fainted, her face dropping into her bowl of soup. "I think you need to see a doctor," Victor gently insisted. Soon Eva was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes and was put on an insulin regimen by a doctor the couple knew. All seemed well—that is, until the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941 and the tightening Japanese occupation of China. Soon all the pharmacies in Shanghai were closed, and Eva had no legal access to insulin. She found ways to get a little bit of insulin every day, such as buying it on the black market. But that was not the safest option; someone she knew had died from using the black market insulin. "I love you so much. I won't let you die. You will live!" Victor continually promised. Eventually, the young couple decided to get insulin another—albeit highly unconventional—way: make it themselves. Neither Eva, a gifted linguist fluent in five languages, nor Victor, a textile engineer, knew much about the ways of scientific research. But that didn't stop them. They got their hands on the book "Beckman's Internal Medicine," which described the methods that Dr. Frederick Banting and Charles Best—the discoverers of insulin—first used to extract insulin from the pancreases of dogs in 1921. But money was scarce during that time, and so were animal pancreases. The couple would knit stockings and sell them for money that allowed them to purchase the pancreases of buffaloes. A Chinese man was kind enough to lend them a small laboratory, where they attempted to extract insulin from the pancreases. After much work, they finally produced a brown-colored insulin. After testing the insulin on rabbits for more than a year, Eva cautiously tried it on herself. It worked! In the Jewish ghetto where they were living, many other people with type 1 diabetes were also in dire need of insulin. Eva gave her insulin to two boys in a nearby hospital who were in diabetic comas. Thanks to Eva's insulin, those men are still alive. Soon the word about Eva's insulin spread. People would come to her requesting a dose, and she would ask that each individual use no more than 16 units a day because the quantity was limited. And she didn't require payment; instead, she would tell people they could donate money to the Chinese man who had lent them the lab to conduct their research. In all, she helped save the lives of more than 400 people with the insulin they had made. Eva remembers the day they were liberated by the Americans. She cried tears of joy when a doctor from an American ship gave her a case of insulin to distribute to people who needed it. After the war, Eva and Victor left China for New York City, where their lives began to improve. Eva, who had by then established a career as a reporter, continued to write for a Chinese-language newspaper (she interviewed Rita Hayworth at one point) and then found work as a teacher. Eva's story of survival and saving lives during the war caught the attention of Elliott P. Joslin, MD, founder of the Joslin Diabetes Clinic in Boston, Massachusetts. The two befriended each other, and soon Dr. Joslin began inviting Eva to give lectures to groups of children and diabetes organizations. Long after Dr. Joslin's death, Eva continued to tell her tale, giving lectures around the world to the likes of the American Diabetes Association and the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation of Chile. Eva didn't ask to be paid for her talks, although she says she could have. "I was on a mission [to help others] after what had happened to me [in Shanghai]," she says. In 1968, Victor passed away and Eva moved to Santiago, Chile, where her brother had emigrated during the war. Today, Eva's house in Santiago bears witness to her full—and certainly admirable—life. Medals of honor from organizations around the world adorn her living room. Controlling her diabetes has never ceased being a challenge. With an A1C of 7%, Eva takes three kinds of insulin (Humalog, Regular and NPH) and eats a low-carbohydrate diet. Her small pleasures: eating fruit and maintaining her optimistic attitude. "I am a very `up' person," Eva says. "I have had an amazing life. I am grateful." Cheating Destiny: Living with Diabetes Go to your library and check out a copy of "Cheating Destiny: Living with Diabetes By James S. Hirsch" Some Excerpts: (May 1921) Banting & Best... began their work... with little more than a collection of dogs... removing pancreases from dogs, testing their blood and urine for sugar and observing whether they lived or died. Four died in the first week and three more in the second... To produce the extract, they bound the ducts of a dog's pancreas and removed the atrophied organ. Then they chopped it up and placed it in cold Ringer's solution to prolong the viability of the excised tissue. The mass was then ground up with sand, warmed, and given intravenously to another dog whose pancreas had been removed and was therefore effectively diabetic. By August, Banting knew the extract could lower a dog's blood sugar, and a biochemist named James Collip was summoned to apply the solution to humans, to somehow extract the active principle and to purify it - a process that he described as "bathroom chemistry." USING alcohol to remove contaminants, Collip began injecting extract into normal rabbits, causing their blood sugar to fall. As the extract's potency increased, he noticed that the rabbits would become more hungry, agitated, and then convulsive, ultimately descending into hypoglycemic shock... On January 11, 1922, a fourteen-year-old diabetic received the first injection of insulin, "a murky, light brown liquid containing much sediment." The following day he received two more shots, causing the sugar and ketones in his urine to disappear. ...Making insulin on a large scale was gory and difficult. The (Eli Lilly) company had to haul in beef and pork pancreas glands from the slaughterhouses, inspect them, ice them, and grind them up. It also used rabbits to test the drug...By April 1923, Eli Lilly was producing more than 180,000 units of insulin a week By the 1930's, insulin's halo had begun to tarnish...(as) the era of complications (from the disease) had begun. ... Control, however, was measured crudely and imperfectly through urine tests. Each required collecting a fresh sample and mixing 8-10 drops in a test tube with Benedict's solution; ...which would change color in the presence of glucose. The liquid boiled for three minutes - cooking urine, as some called it. The resulting color indicated sugar content: blue signified no sugar and shades of green, yellow, and red reflected increasing concentrations.... the tests were time consuming, cumbersome, and, most important, a poor substitute for blood sugar levels, in part because the urine may have been in the bladder for hours and was therefore "stale." Practical Dietetics With Special Reference To Diet In Disease | by William Gilma PLEASE keep in mind that this is from a 1905 text (pre-insulin) and that the life of a diabetic was a relatively short and painful one of strict regimen and self-denial. On the other hand, in the absence of insulin, or while attempting to produce your own viable stocks of insulin, this information just may keep you alive long enough to benefit from whatever stocks come your way. Dietetic Treatment of Diabetes. Part 10 Ebstein's Diabetic Diet Early Breakfast One cup of coffee or tea (black), without milk and sugar. White bread toasted, thirty to fifty grammes; or brown bread well buttered - butter, twenty to thirty grammes. The yolk of an egg, a little fat ham, or some German sausage, if required. If any food be needed between this meal and dinner, let it be a cup of broth, with the yolk of an egg. Dinner Broth, with yolk of egg or marrow (the marrow bone is boiled for half an hour, to solidify the marrow). Peptone may be added to the broth. Meat, one hundred and eighty grammes, free from bone, roasted, boiled, or stewed - beef, mutton, pork, veal, fowl, or venison (fat meat preferred). Gravies, to be made with cream or yolk of egg, not flour.- Fish to be served with melted 46 butter. Vegetables prepared with much fat; purees of leguminous plants; salads, dressed with vinegar and oil. The food should be well salted and spiced. After dinner, a cup of coffee or tea. Supper One cup of tea or broth. Meat (roasted), or cheese, or an egg, or fish, caviare. Bread, thirty to fifty grammes, with butter, twenty to thirty grammes. Apples, pears, and stone-bearing fruits are allowed in small quantities. Beverages Ebstein forbids absolutely the use of beer, limits the use of spirits, and allows about half a bottle of wine daily. If the patient can digest milk well, it is allowed in moderate doses, and cream is especially recommended. In the following diet, recommended by During, it will be noticed that, contrary to some other symptoms, fat is excluded as much as possible. During claims that prolonged boiling so alters the carbohydrates as to prevent them from being eliminated in the urine as sugar, and he gives his patients a diet consisting largely of rice and fruits which have been soaked in water and boiled for several hours. The details of his regimen are as follows: During's Diet For Diabetes {SSRsi Note: Not to make light of the situation, but this strikes me as a "Hobbit's" Diet!} Early Breakfast Milk, with a little coffee but no sugar (lime water, to prevent milk from souring in the stomach); stale white bread ad libitum, or, if it is not well borne, oatmeal, barley, or rice gruel made with water, a little salt, but no butter. Second Breakfast White bread, stale and well baked; an egg, lightly boiled; rice or oatmeal gruel, with or without milk, a breakfast-cupful; or half a glass of good red wine (with water in certain cases). Dinner (Taken Between Two And Three O'Clock) Soup, with rice, barley, or oatmeal; meat, roasted, two hundred and fifty grammes (game, ham, and smoked meats, as free from fat as possible, are permissible); no condiments, no fatty sauces; compote of dried apples, plums, cherries; dried peas or white beans in some cases; green vegetables, asparagus, French beans, carrots, cauliflower, cabbage (boiled in water with salt, not with fat or stock); dessert of a little raw fruit, apples, cherries, and one small glass of red wine diluted with water. Supper (About 7 P. M.) Gruel of barley, oatmeal, or rice, with salt (but no butter), and strained, which in some cases may be made with milk. Ice or iced water, to relieve thirst between meals. Naunyn's Diet Naunyn divides diabetes somewhat arbitrarily into three varieties - mild, severe, and intermediate. For the most severe cases he gives a diet of fat meat; the intermediate cases are treated at first on an exclusive diet of fat meat, then, as the sugar disappears from the urine, he adds eggs, milk, and a small allowance of bread to the diet. In mild forms he directs the use of a few green vegetables, salads, fruits, and other articles, unless the sugar reappears in the urine, when the patient is to be put back upon a rigid nitrogenous diet. He claims that in mild cases of diabetes patients do not require more than from sixteen to eighteen ounces of meat a day, with two or three ounces of bread and six or seven ounces of vegetables. Hygienic Treatment Patients should guard themselves as far as possible from catching cold, and when possible should live in a moderately warm and temperate climate. If their surroundings permit, it is important to take moderate exercise and to remain in the open air. Flannels should be worn next to the skin in winter, and the body should always be kept warm, for there is less heat-producing power than normally. The skin should be maintained in good condition by frequent warm baths or hot and cold douching, dry rubbing, or massage. All muscular and nervous or mental fatigue is to be avoided. It is claimed by Kulz that muscular exercise tends to increase the consumption of sugar or glycogen in diabetes and to lessen its elimination by the kidneys. This applies to the more robust cases only, for in the severe type of the disease with great emaciation much exercise becomes harmful or impossible. Continue to: * prev: Dietetic Treatment of Diabetes. Part 9 * Table of Contents * next: Medicinal Treatment Of Diabetes Response: Hi, I have something maybe someone can check out. Sauerkraut was used many years ago on people who felt "off" now could have been diagnosed with diabetes. Don't remember where I read it - might be interesting to find out don't ya think? Reply: That it so weird. Even as I was editing this post, yours popped up. Synchronicity. I don't know about the cabbage, but I certainly believe the vinegar used to "sauer" the kraut was beneficial. As with all information found on or distributed through the internet, it is imperative that you validate everything with a trusted professional (depending upon the topic) before implementation. This is infinitely more apropos when discussing anything regarding medicine. [http://www.homeremediesweb.com/diabetes_home_remedy.php] Home Remedies for the Treatment of Diabetes Diabetes Home Remedy Using Apple Cider Vinegar The nutritional components of Apple Cider Vinegar help control the rise in blood sugar levels when you eat a meal. * Take 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar and add a pinch of salt to it. * Mix it in a glass of water. * Drink this before every large meal. Diabetes Home Remedy Using Flaxseed Oil Supplements containing essential fatty acids, such as Flaxseed Oil, can help repair the cellular damage caused by a lifetime of high sugar consumption. * Combine 4 oz. of cottage cheese with 1.5 oz. of flax seed oil and 1 oz. of milk into a blender. * Add honey or fresh fruits to add sweetness. * Blend this mixture and drink daily each morning. Diabetes Herbal Remedy Using Alfalfa Rich in vitamins, minerals and other nutrients, Alfalfa makes an amazing herbal remedy to lower blood sugar levels. * Take one teaspoon of Alfalfa seeds and sprinkle them on every meal you eat. * Alfalfa capsules can also be taken following the directions on the package. Herbal Remedy for Diabetes Using Cinnamon Research has shown that small doses of Cinnamon can be beneficial in treating Type 2 Diabetes, since it can reduce blood sugar levels while simultaneously increasing the body's natural production of insulin. * Take half a teaspoon of Cinnamon powder each morning. * Repeat this for 40 days. The Cinnamon powder can be consumed in a number of ways: * Sprinkle cinnamon into your coffee. * Add a cinnamon stick to your favorite herbal tea. * Mix cinnamon powder into unsweetened applesauce. * Add cinnamon powder to your cereal or oatmeal. NOTE: If you are taking medication to control blood sugar levels, any regular consumption of cinnamon should only be taken after consulting with your doctor. Natural Remedy for Diabetes Using Whole Foods Whole foods such as fruits, vegetables, grains, beans, nuts, and seeds are rich in fiber and other nutritional factors that help stabilize blood sugar levels. * Eat at least five fruits every day. Fruits like banana, blackberry, blueberries, cranberries, figs, grapefruit, pomegranate juice, granny smith apples, kiwi fruits, and citrus fruits are highly recommended. * Try to eat every color from whole foods each day to control high blood sugar levels. Excellent vegetables include artichoke, black beans, cabbage, carrots, cucumber, garlic, lettuce, onion, radish, string beans, tomatoes, spinach, squash, turnip, and brown rice. Using Exercise as a Home Remedy for Diabetes Obesity is one of the main causes of diabetes. Most people with Type 2 diabetes are 30 to 60 pounds overweight. For them only losing this excessive weight can control their Diabetes. Muscle building and weight training can play an important role in Diabetes control. Having more muscle and less fat reduces the insulin intake requirement. * Taking a brisk walk for about 45 minutes each to 1 hour each day helps normalize body weight. It can also help correct insulin resistance which is the main problem in Type 2 diabetes. * 10 to 40 minutes of Yoga each day can help to relieve stress, which is a contributing factor for Type 2 diabetes. If you exercise everyday and are taking insulin injections, you should monitor your blood sugar level closely since exercise may allow you to cut down your insulin by 30 to 50 percent. AND: [http://www.ehow.com/way_5343710_natural-remedies-insulin-resistance.html] Vinegar The flavor that makes you pucker up in vinegar is acetic acid. Acetic acid may actually help lower blood sugar levels by inhibiting how carbohydrates are digested in your intestines. Sprinkle vinegar on your salads or use as a marinade. If you make a salad dressing, use at least half cider vinegar. In a study done at the University of Arizona in 2007, subjects who took 2 tbsp. of apple cider vinegar before bed saw an improvement in their fasting blood sugar levels. Vitamins A and E Both vitamins A and E improve insulin sensitivity; however, in this case, more is not better. These vitamins are stored in your liver, so daily doses should be small to avoid toxicity. Some forms of these vitamins may be safer than others. A good alternative for vitamin A are beta-carotene supplements, or foods that contain beta-carotene. Vitamin E supplements in the form of tocopherols are also available at pharmacies or supermarkets. Minerals If you have insulin resistance, ask your doctor about getting tested for magnesium and zinc deficiencies. Magnesium deficiency is closely linked to insulin resistance. Ask about taking a daily magnesium supplement if your doctor finds that your red blood cell magnesium levels are low. Adding a supplement of up to 700 mg a day may help lower blood sugars. Zinc deficiencies may have a correlation with weight gain because zinc is related to a hormone called leptin. Low leptin levels lead to overeating and eventual weight gain. As you probably know, being overweight can worsen insulin resistance. Your doctor may wish to prescribe a zinc supplement. Always consult your doctor before making any changes to your diet or care regime. AND: [http://www.anniesremedy.com/remedy_use23.php] Alfalfa For: Diabetes Alfalfa The condition of people with diabetes who fail to respond to insulin greatly improves when they take alfalfa plus manganese. Phyllis A. Balch, Prescription for Herbal Healing (2002) Almond flour For: Diabetes, Heartburn Almond flour Almonds have a special dietetic value, for besides containing about 20 per cent of proteids, they contain practically no starch, and are therefore often made into flour for cakes and biscuits for patients suffering from diabetes. Maud Grieve, Modern Herbal Vol 1 (1931) Bitter Melon For: Lower Blood Sugar Bitter Melon Several clinical trials have shown that bitter melon extract and juice lower blood sugar in people with type 1 or type 2 diabetes. One of the phytochemicals, charantin is said to be more potent than tolbutamide, and has fewer side effects. If you can find the melons at an Asian market try eating one small one each day James Duke, The Green Pharmacy Herbal Handbook (2000) Bitter Melon For: Diabetes Bitter Melon It contains several phytochemicals that appear to act in ways similar to sulfonyurea drugs, without the side effects. Bitter melon also contains compounds that are close chemical relatives of insulin. Linda B. White, M.D., The Herbal Drugstore (2003) Bitter Melon For: Diabetes Bitter Melon Bitter melon has been used to treat diabetes, cancer, viral infections, and immune disorders. Data suggest that a significant hypoglycemic effect occurs in both healthy and diabetic patients. However, bitter melon should not be used in place of mainstream therapies. In vitro and animal studies indicate antiviral activity against HIV and herpes, cytotoxic effects against leukemic cells, and cytostatic effects in breast cancer, but related human studies have not been conducted. Burdock For: Blood Sugar, Bacteria Burdock Fresh burdock roots contain phytochemcials called polyacetylenes, which destroy certain bacteria and fungi - in one study an extract reduced blood sugar in rats James Duke, The Green Pharmacy Herbal Handbook (2000) Burdock For: Diabetes Burdock Research has shown that the seeds can lower blood sugar in rats. In France, the fresh root is also used for lowering blood sugar, its inulin content making it particularly suitable for diabetes. Richard Mabey, The New Age Herbalist (1988) Burdock extract For: Blood sugar and diabetes Burdock extract Burdock seeds are a valuable supplemental food for people with diabetes. An extract made from burdock has shown prolonged blood-sugar-lowering effects in animal tests. It works by filling the intestines with fiber, which prevents the absorption of sugars. Burdock fibers also prevent the absorption of toxic compounds from food. These fibers are digested in the intestine with the help of bacteria, but only after they have passed into the large intestine. Since absorption of most substances in the digestive tract occurs in the small intestine, this makes it less likely that toxic compounds will enter the body. Burdock's chromium content also helps regulate blood-sugar levels. Phyllis A. Balch, Prescription for Herbal Healing (2002) Cinnamon For: Regulate insulin Cinnamon Research shows that cinnamon can aid in regulating the activity of insulin, cinnamon does not stimulate the release of insulin, but it helps insulin work more effectively. Coffee and Tea For: Type 2 diabetes Coffee and Tea A new study published by American Medical Association shows a strong relationship between drinking coffee and tea and the likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes. People who drink 3 to 4 cups of coffee a day were found to have a 25 percent lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes than those who drank zero to two cups a day. On average, people's risk decreased by 7 percent with each additional cup of coffee they drank a day. There is good news for tea drinkers as well, those drinking three to four cups daily were found to having an 18 percent lower risk than those who drank none. No firm conclusions could be drawn as to why coffee and tea had a protective effect, though they both contain antioxidants, and other beneficial compounds that be be of benefit. Huxley R, Man Ying Lee C, Barzi F, et al.. Coffee, decaffeinated coffee, and tea consumption in relation to incident type 2 diabetes mellitus.. (12-2009), Archives of Internal Medicine. 2009; 169: 2053-2063 Comfrey cream For: Diabetic sores Comfrey cream Comfrey's astringent tannins form a protective surface over wounds that promotes healing. You may want to try comfrey or allantoin skin creams for diabetic sores. Dandelion For: Diabetes Dandelion Dandelion root has been used in European herbal medicine for centuries to treat diabetes. In the spring, dandelion root contains levulose, a sugar easily assimilated by diabetics. By fall, this sugar has changed to inulin, a starch also easily assimilated by diabetics. Weiss, Gaea and Shandor, The Healing Herbs (1985) Fenugreek For: Diabetes Fenugreek In both laboratory studies on animals and clinical research involving people with type 1 or type 2 diabetes, fenugreek has significantly lowered blood sugar, thanks to some six different phytochemical compounds. James Duke, The Green Pharmacy Herbal Handbook (2000) Garlic For: Diabetes Garlic Garlic can lower blood-sugar levels in people with diabetes. It ties up chemical receptors that otherwise would deactivate insulin, the hormone that controls sugar usage, and also stimulates the pancreas to secrete insulin. It does this without stimulating weight gain, a common side effect of many diabetes medications. Phyllis A. Balch, Prescription for Herbal Healing (2002) Gymnema For: Diabetes Gymnema The plant holds it true medicinal value for those who shouldn't be consuming sugar in the first place. It might be one of the best herbal therapies for people with diabetes. James Duke, The Green Pharmacy Herbal Handbook (2000) Jambul For: Blood sugar and diabetes Jambul Practitioners of Ayurvedic medicine report that jambul fruit pulp lowers blood-sugar levels in approximately thirty minutes, while jambul seed lowers blood-sugar levels in about twenty-four hours. The maximum hypoglycemic effect of the herb requires ten days of treatment. Phyllis A. Balch, Prescription for Herbal Healing (2002) Jambul For: Blood Sugar and Diabetes Jambul This Ayurvedic herb has long been used to reduce the level of sugar in the blood and urine. Over a period of several weeks it can diminish the thirst associated with diabetes and decrease the quantity of urine output, and in some cases can lower the need for medical insulin. Also is a mild astringent, stomachic and pungent carminative. Ed Smith. Single Herb Extracts. (2006), Therapeutic Herb Manual Lady's Mantle tea For: Diabetes Lady's Mantle tea Lady's mantle tea has also been used to treat heavy menstruation, menstrual cramps, and disagreeable symptoms of menopause. Some modern herbalists recommend lady's mantle as a treatment for diabetes, it may help prevent circulatory problems in diabetics. Mountain Rose Herbs. . (), Moutain Rose Herbs Mallow For: Gastrointestinal tract, Blood sugar Mallow Most of the therapeutic ability comes from the large concentration of mucilage and pectin. Pectin is a soluble fiber that keeps the gastrointestinal system running smoothly and helps tame blood sugar. James Duke, The Green Pharmacy Herbal Handbook (2000) Stevia For: Diabetes, lower blood sugar Stevia In a small study conducted on stevioside, the active component of stevia, markedly lowered blood sugar levels in 16 healthy adults, suggesting a possible therapeutic use for diabetes James Duke, The Green Pharmacy Herbal Handbook (2000) White Kidney bean For: Hypoglycemia, insulin resistance White Kidney bean In addition to lowering cholesterol, kidney beans' high fiber content prevents blood sugar levels from rising too rapidly after a meal, making these beans an especially good choice for individuals with diabetes, insulin resistance or hypoglycemia AND [http://www.holisticonline.com/remedies/Diabetes/diabetes_herbs.htm] Onion and Garlic ( Allium cepa and Allium sativum) Onion and garlic have significant blood sugar lowering action. The principal active ingredients are believed to be allyl propyl disulphide (APDS) and diallyl disulphide oxide (allicin), although other constitutents such as flavonoids may play a role as well. Experimental and clinical evidence suggests that APDS lowers glucose levels by competing with insulin for insulin-inactivating sites in the liver. This results in an increase of free insulin. APDS administered in doses of 125 mg/ kg to fasting humans was found to cause a marked fall in blood glucose levels and an increase in serum insulin. Allicin doses of 100 mg/kg produced a similar effect. Onion extract was found to reduce blood sugar levels during oral and intravenous glucose tolerance. The effect improved as the dosage was increased; however, beneficial effects were observed even for low levels that used in the diet (eg., 25 to 200 grams). The effects were similar in both raw and boiled onion extracts. Onions affect the hepatic metabolism of glucose and/or increases the release of insulin, and/or prevent insulin's destruction. The additional benefit of the use of garlic and onions are their beneficial cardiovascular effects. They are found to lower lipid levels, inhibit platelet aggregation and are antihypertensive. So, liberal use of onion and garlic are recommended for diabetic patients. Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum) Experimental and clinical studies have demonstrated the antidiabetic properties of fenugreek seeds. The active ingredient responsible for the antidiabetic properties of fenugreek is in the defatted portion of the seed that contains the alkaloid trogonelline, nicotinic acid and coumarin. Blueberry leaves (Vaccinium myrtillus) A decoction of the leaves of the blueberry has a long history of folk use in the treatment of diabetes. The compound myrtillin (an anthocyanoside) is apparently the most active ingredient. Upon injection it is somewhat weaker than insulin, but is less toxic, even at 50 times the 1 g per day therapeutic dose. A single dose can produce beneficial effects lasting several weeks. Blueberry anthocyanosides also increase capillary integrity, inhibit free-radical damage and improve the tone of the vascular system. In Europe, it is used as an anti-haemorrhagic agent in the treatment of eye diseases including diabetic retinopathy. Asian Ginseng Asian ginseng is commonly used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat diabetes. It has been shown to enhance the release of insulin from the pancreas and to increase the number of insulin receptors. It also has a direct blood sugar-lowering effect. A recent study found that 200 mg of ginseng extract per day improved blood sugar control as well as energy levels in Type 2 diabetes (NIDDM). Bilberry Bilberry may lower the risk of some diabetic complications, such as diabetic cataracts and retinopathy. Stevia Stevia has been used traditionally to treat diabetes. Early reports suggested that stevia might have beneficial effects on glucose tolerance (and therefore potentially help with diabetes), although not all reports have confirmed this. Even if stevia did not have direct antidiabetic effects, its use as a sweetener could reduce intake of sugars in such patients. Ginkgo Biloba Ginkgo biloba extract may prove useful for prevention and treatment of early-stage diabetic neuropathy. Cinnamon - Triples insulin's efficiency Barberry - One of the mildest and best liver tonics known. Dosage: tincture, 10-30 drops; standard decoction or 3-9 g. Herbal Combinations For all pancreatic problems: 1 part uva ursi 1 part goldenseal 1 part elecampane 2 parts dandelion root 2 parts cedar berries 1 part fennel part ginger Mix the powdered herbs and put them in #00 capsules. Take them after every meal. AND FINALLY - The Link I Like to Use the Least (It's a long story...) [http://altmedicine.about.com/cs/conditionsatod/a/Diabetes.htm] Natural Remedies for Type 2 Diabetes There are some natural treatments that are being explored for type 2 diabetes. If you are interested in trying a natural treatment in addition to standard treatment, be sure do so only under the close supervision of a qualified health professional. If diabetes is not properly controlled, the consequences can be life-threatening. Also inform your physician about any herbs, supplements, or natural treatments you are using, because some may interact with the medications you are taking and result in hypoglycemia unless properly coordinated. Consider keeping track of your herbs, vitamins, and supplements with the Supplement Diary and giving your doctor a copy. 1) Ginseng Although there are several different types of ginseng, most of the promising studies on ginseng and diabetes have used North American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius). Those studies have shown that North American ginseng may improve blood sugar control and glycosylated hemogobin (a form of hemoglobin in the blood used to monitor blood glucose levels over time) levels. * Ginseng Fact Sheet * Ginseng and Blood Sugar 2) Chromium Chromium is an essential trace mineral that plays an important role in carbohydrate and fat metabolism and helps body cells properly respond to insulin. In fact, studies have found low levels of chromium in people with diabetes. There are many promising studies suggesting chromium supplementation may be effective, but they are far from conclusive. For example, a small study published in the journal Diabetes Care compared the diabetes medication sulfonylurea taken with 1,000 mcg of chromium to sulfonylurea taken with a placebo. After 6 months, people who did not take chromium had a significant increase in body weight, body fat, and abdominal fat, whereas people taking the chromium had significant improvements in insulin sensitivity. Another study published in the same journal, however, examined the effect of chromium on glycemic control in insulin-dependent people with type 2 diabetes. People were given either 500 or 1,000 mcg a day of chromium or a placebo for six months. There was no significant difference in glycosylated hemoglobin, body mass index, blood pressure, or insulin requirements across the three groups. One form of chromium not recommended is chromium picolinate. For more information, read Chromium Picolinate Side Effects. 3) Magnesium Magnesium is a mineral found naturally in foods such as green leafy vegetables, nuts, seeds, and whole grains and in nutritional supplements. Magnesium is needed for more than 300 biochemical reactions. It helps regulate blood sugar levels and is needed for normal muscle and nerve function, heart rhythm, immune function, blood pressure, and for bone health. Some studies suggest that low magnesium levels may worsen blood glucose control in type 2 diabetes. There is also some evidence that magnesium supplementation may help with insulin resistance. For example, a study examined the effect of magnesium or placebo in 63 people with type 2 diabetes and low magnesium levels who were taking the medication glibenclamide. After 16 weeks, people who took magnesium had improved insulin sensitivty and lower fasting glucose levels. High doses of magnesium may cause diarrhea, nausea, loss of appetite, muscle weakness, difficulty breathing, low blood pressure, irregular heart rate, and confusion. It can interact with certain medications, such as those for osteoporosis, high blood pressure (calcium channel blockers), as well as some antibiotics, muscle relaxants, and diuretics. 4) Cinnamon A couple of studies have found that cinnamon improves blood glucose control in people with type 2 diabetes. In the first study, 60 people with type 2 diabetes were divided into six groups. Three groups took 1, 3 or 6 g of cinnamon a day and the remaining three groups consumed 1, 3 or 6 g of placebo capsules. After 40 days, all three doses of cinnamon significantly reduced fasting blood glucose, triglycerides, LDL cholesterol, and total cholesterol. In another study, 79 people with type 2 diabetes (not on insulin therapy but treated with other diabetes medication or diet) took either a cinnamon extract (equivalent to 3 g of cinnamon powder) or a placebo capsule three times a day. After four months, there was a slight but statistically significant reduction in fasting blood glucose levels in people who took the cinnamon (10.3%) compared with the placebo group (3.4%), however, there was no significant difference in glycosylated hemoglobin or lipid profiles. For more about cinnamon, read Cinnamon and Blood Sugar and Is Cinnamon a Proven Diabetes Remedy? 5) Zinc The mineral zinc plays an important role in the production and storage of insulin. There is some research showing that people with type 2 diabetes have suboptimal zinc status due to decreased absorption and increased excretion of zinc. Food sources of zinc include fresh oysters, ginger root, lamb, pecans, split peas, egg yolk, rye, beef liver, lima beans, almonds, walnuts, sardines, chicken, and buckwheat. 6) Aloe Vera Gel Although aloe vera gel is better known as a home remedy for minor burns and other skin conditions, recent animal studies suggest that aloe vera gel may help people with diabetes. A Japanese study evaluated the effect of aloe vera gel on blood sugar. Researchers isolated a number of active phytosterol compounds from the gel that were found to reduce blood glucose and glycosylated hemoglobin levels.
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