Herbs

The Herbal Answer for Diabetics

For all of you that are suffering from diabetes and for all of you that are eating foods that will land you in the doctor’s office because of diabetic issues this article is for you. To start with it is important to know something about diabetes. Statistically over twenty three million people in the United States have been diagnosed with diabetes. This includes men, women and children. There is no group of people that is exempt from diabetes. If you are Afro-American, Asian, Hispanic or Polynesian you might be at a slightly greater risk but as a rule this disease does not discriminate. There are two types if diabetes they are labeled as “type 1 diabetes” and “type 2 diabetes”. The most common questions asked about diabetes are; “What are the differences between type 1 and type 2 diabetes?” “What are the symptoms of diabetes?” “What causes diabetes?” “What happens if diabetic symptoms aren’t addressed?” The biggest question is, “Can something be done to control diabetes?” All of these questions are important especially if you are suffering or beginning to suffer from diabetic symptoms. This article will try to address these questions and provide a little insight on the subject of diabetes.

What are the differences between “type 1” and “type 2” diabetes?

Type 1 diabetes was once called juvenile diabetes because the onset usually occurs in childhood or adolescence. The cause is generally related to the pancreas coming under attack from the immune system and this renders the pancreas incapable of producing insulin. Insulin is used to convert sugars and starches and other food into energy. Sufferers must inject insulin to control sugar levels. With the help of insulin therapy and other treatments, even young children with type 1 diabetes can learn to manage their condition and live long, healthy, happy lives. Statistically there is approximately one in ten people who suffer from diabetes that actually have type 1 diabetes. The cause of type 1 diabetes isn’t fully understood yet, however some contributing factors are diet, lifestyle (exercise), heredity, viruses that affect the thyroid or pancreas and even though it was already mentioned DIET.
Type 2 diabetes is the same on one hand but completely different on the other. Type 2 diabetes is known by several different names. It is referred to as non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM), adult diabetes or adult onset diabetes. Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of the disease. With type 2 diabetes the pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin, the insulin being produced is faulty or the body ignores the insulin. This is generally brought on from choices of diet and lifestyle. When you eat food, the body breaks down all of the sugars and starches into glucose, which is the basic fuel for the cells in the body. Our body uses insulin to take the sugar from the blood into the cells where it is metabolized. When glucose builds up in the blood instead of fueling the cells, blood sugar builds up. High blood sugar can lead to diabetic complications. Long term uncontrolled type 2 diabetes eventually leads to complications that include an increased risk of heart attacks, strokes, amputation, and kidney failure. The good news is that it can be controlled by a conscientious change in diet and lifestyle.

What are the symptoms of diabetes?

Symptoms for diabetes seem harmless and some of them seem like they are just a part of life. Diabetes is a disease that becomes harder to control as time passes without treatment. It is advisable to get checked as early as possible so as to avoid some of the more severe diabetic complications. There are symptoms that are common with both forms of the disease. They are; frequent urination, unquenchable thirst, extreme hunger, unusual weight, extreme fatigue and irritability. Type 2 diabetes can also include blurred vision, frequent infections, slower than normal healing on cuts and bruises, and tingling or numbness in the feet or hands. It is important to pay attention. Any of these symptoms could be an indication of troubles to come. A visit with a health care provider is the best way to know for sure whether the symptoms are something to be concerned about.

What causes diabetes?

There has always been the thought that diabetes is an inherited disease, meaning that it’s all related to the gene pool and ancestry. There is some truth to the rumor but genes are not all that is required to contract diabetes. Proof of this lies in a statistical study of identical twins. If one of the twins are diagnosed with type 1 diabetes there is roughly a fifty, fifty chance that the other twin will get the disease. This shows that genes play a part in the susceptibility but are not the only factor required. There are triggers that seem to play a definite role as well. Some of the triggers are viral infections and cold weather. There is no real explanation for listing cold weather other that more people are diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in the winter and in cold weather climates than other times of the year and other climates. Viral infections are a little easier to explain and may also be related to the cold weather. When an individual gets a viral infection their immune system releases T-cells to kill the infection. If an individual is predisposed to diabetes the T-cells can theoretically affect the function of the pancreas and thereby be one of the causes or triggers of the onset of diabetes.
Type 2 diabetes depends more on environmental factors. Some reports claim that there is a strong genetic tie, however I feel that environment plays a superior role to genetics. Genetics can be viewed as a doorway for the disease to enter through but the door has to be opened with fatty foods, sugary foods and a lifestyle void of healthy activity. So the studies that have been done can be somewhat misleading. Even if genetics are at the base of the problem diabetes would not be at epidemic levels without poor diets and sedentary Westernized lifestyles.

What happens if diabetic symptoms aren’t addressed?

This is a very tricky question. On the one hand blurred vision can be viewed as a sign of age. Unquenchable thirst could be overlooked as insignificant as well. “Fatigue and irritability?” Who doesn’t experience fatigue and irritability from time to time? The tingling feeling in the hands or feet is probably the most telling of all of the early symptoms. My suggestion is to pay attention! If your symptoms are unusually intense or last weeks or even months it’s probably time to have your blood checked. There are complications that can be managed and even avoided with the proper lifestyle changes and treatments. Some of the complications are glaucoma or cataracts in the eyes, neuropathy (numbness in the feet), high blood pressure, frequent skin infections, gum disease and at the extreme stroke or heart attack. Diabetes is not a disease that should be ignored. The symptoms don’t just go away without change. In the early stages or pre-diabetes simple lifestyle and diet changes might be enough. As the issues grow so will the treatment.
Can something be done to control diabetes?
YES! The answer is yes. With the right tools and KNOWLEDGE you can take control of your life and prevent diabetes from being so overwhelming. Some people think that diabetes is not a serious disease. That is a myth! The truth is that diabetes is a very serious disease. Diabetes causes more deaths per year than breast cancer and AIDS combined. Two out of three people with diabetes die from heart disease or stroke. If you are thinking that you can ignore diabetes and it will just go away you are very wrong and you are placing yourself in a very risky position. Another myth is that obesity causes diabetes. Obesity is certainly a factor but not all people who are obese have diabetes and not all diabetics are overweight. This myth is probably derived from all of the lifestyle changes that are suggested to help gain control over diabetes once a person has it. Family history, lifestyle, diet and general health are all contributors. It takes most or all of the contributors to create the disease. After the disease takes its stronghold over the body it can be controlled but it takes serious effort and sometimes major changes.
Diet is a real key to controlling diabetes. It is not necessary to purchase diabetic or ‘dietetic’ food. It is generally expensive and the sugar alcohols will still spike blood sugar levels just the same as regular foods with more natural sources of sugar in them. A healthy diet consists of well balanced, well portioned meals. Each meal should include fresh vegetables, some protein from fish or chicken, whole grain foods and a little fruit. Some fruit like ripe bananas contain large amounts of fructose and can cause blood sugar levels to spike so be sure to eat fruits that you can tolerate. A diabetic diet should consist largely of vegetarian food. Vegetables supply slow burning complex carbohydrates that don’t require much insulin to metabolize which prevents rapid blood sugar spikes. A diabetic diet should consist of fifty to sixty percent fresh or lightly cooked vegetables. Avoid fats, saturated fats, trans-fats partially hydrogenated oils, soft drinks and foods sweetened with fructose, dextrose and any other form of sugary sweeteners as a regular part of your new diet. This is not a diet of ‘NO’. Some sweets and desserts can be eaten as part of a healthy meal plan. The key is the serving size, frequency and the content of the desert. When combined with exercise and a healthy meal plan sweets and desserts can be eaten by people with diabetes. Desserts and sweets are no more “off limits” to people with diabetes than they are to people without diabetes.
There is also help in supplements. Some people turn directly to drugs once they have been diagnosed with diabetes. Drugs can be a great benefit and are necessary for advanced cases, but it is my belief that the early and sometime even the more advanced cases can be controlled with herbal supplements. Grandma’s Herbs founder and Master Herbalist believes this as well. He has been fighting blood sugar issue for nearly forty years and even today at over ninety years of age he controls his blood sugar with activity, diet and herbal remedies. He has a special interest in making the right formulas to address the right issues for diabetics. He personally recognizes the problems that spikes in blood sugar causes. Grandma’s Herbs has three herbal remedies that have been very effective in his and many, many other lives. We call them the golden three or the GLUCO-CONTROL Package.
Diabetes has long term complications unless blood sugar is meticulously monitored and controlled. If sugars are allowed to soar the brain, the nerve tissue, and the lens of the eye (all of which absorb glucose without the help of insulin) become saturated with glucose. The glucose becomes toxic and the result is neuropathy. Neuropathy is a nerve disorder that can cause numbness, hyper sensitivity or pain in the affected areas of the body, usually in the extremities as numbness or pain, eyes as blurred vision or sensitivity or brain as severe headaches. To address this Grandma’s Herbs has an herbal remedy, included in the GLUCO-CONTROL PACKAGE, specifically for strengthening and fortifying the nervous system. NERVINE contains herbs that have healing properties. NERVINE helps with a weakened myelin sheath and helps to create clear communication throughout the entire nervous system.
Grandma’s Herbs PANCREAS AID is just what is says. PANCREAS AID, another herbal remedy included in the GLUCO-CONTROL PACKAGE, uses licorice root for its glycyrrhizin content. Licorice nourishes the adrenal glands and promotes healthy glandular function. Goldenseal has been used for many, many years to aid in the production of insulin. In fact goldenseal actually contains insulin which aid in the metabolism and use of glucose (blood sugar).Finally PANCREAS AID contains cayenne. Cayenne is one of the best circulatory supports available. There are other herbs that play supporting roles in PANCREAS AID as well. One thing for sure the herbs in PANCREAS AID all contribute to a healthy pancreas.
Calcium is one of the body’s most prevalent and used minerals. There are at least 28 different forms of calcium and each one of them has a different purpose in our bodies. Magnesium, potassium and vitamins are also very important elements for maintaining a healthy body. Some vitamins especially vitamin C, vitamin and B complex strengthen the immune system and aid in defending against disease. Vitamins and minerals are contained in their truest form in the leaves, stalks and roots of plants. Grandma’s Herbs uses plants/ herbs with the highest content of the best vitamins and minerals for daily needs in herbal remedies like HERBAL CALCIUM. Grandma’s Herbs HERBAL CALCIUM is the all natural supplement that provides generous servings of vitamins and minerals in their most usable format.
Diabetes is not the end of a useful active life. It only changes the way you have to think about diet and exercise. If all westernized civilization would think about their diet the way that a diabetic needs to diabetes wouldn’t be nearly the threat that it is now. There is a tremendous amount of information available today that will aid in making lifestyle changes that help diabetics. Grandma’s Herbs put a great deal of time, energy and research into our formulas to support the nutritional needs of a diabetic person. If you are or know someone who is diabetic please be proactive in making changes that neutralize the negative effects that diabetes can create in a life.

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