Better Health Research » Blood Sugar

Can Chinese Herbal Medicines Help Prevent Diabetes?

Donna Parker — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 04:01:00 +0000

Researchers say more studies need to be conducted to determine whether taking Chinese herbal medicines can reduce the risk of developing diabetes.

Herbal teas, pills and powders are used in many Asian countries to treat pre-diabetes as well as diabetes. They are thought to work in a number of different ways to help normalize blood sugar levels, including improving pancreatic function and increasing the availability of insulin—a hormone that regulates blood sugar levels.

Cochrane researchers studied data on the effectiveness of 15 different herbal formulations gathered from 16 separate clinical trials. They said that combining herbal medicines with lifestyle changes is twice as effective as lifestyle changes alone at normalizing patients’ blood sugar levels.

In addition, those given the herbal formulations were less likely to develop full blown diabetes during the study period.

"Our results suggest that some Chinese herbal medicines can help to prevent diabetes, but we really need more research before we can confidently say that these treatments work," said lead researcher Suzanne Grant.

Other natural remedies for treating pre-diabetes include proper diet, weight loss and exercise.

According to The Mayo Clinic, alternative therapies including beta glucans, bitter melon, cassia cinnamon, ginseng, gymnema and stevia are believed to help prevent the disease.

Blueberry extract may help fight obesity and high blood sugar

Donna Parker — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 11:00:47 +0000

Researchers are saying juice extract from North American lowbush blueberries biotransformed with bacteria from the skin of the fruit may become the latest natural health resource for people who are obese or diabetic.

Canadian scientists tested the blueberry juice on mice prone to obesity, insulin resistance, diabetes and hypertension, and found that it reduced their food intake and, consequently, their body weight.

"These mice were an excellent model that closely resembles obesity and obesity-linked type 2 diabetes in humans," said senior author Dr. Pierre S. Haddad, a pharmacology professor at the Universite de Montreal Faculty of Medicine.

The researchers further explain the biotransformed blueberry juice holds great therapeutic promise because it appears to decrease hyperglycemia in diabetic mice and can protect young pre-diabetic animals from developing these debilitating metabolic conditions in the first place.

Diet and Exercise May be Key to Preventing Diabetes

Donna Parker — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 00:20:28 +0000

New research is showing that diet and exercise may prevent individuals from developing diabetes.

A study found in The Lancet discovered that by adding an exercise regimen and developing a healthy eating lifestyle could cut the risk of diabetes by more than one-third for susceptible people.

Usnews.com reports that diabetes natural remedies such as dieting and exercising are also more effective than pharmaceutical drugs.

The study took 3,234 individuals with a high blood sugar and split them into three groups, those who made lifestyle changes, those who were given metformin to control their blood sugar, and those who were given a placebo.

It was found that after 10 years, 34 percent of those who made the lifestyle change reduced their risk of developing the disease as opposed to the placebo. These findings also nearly doubled the 18 percent who reduced their risk by taking metformin.

"Lifestyle intervention, even when provided later, also seemed to lower diabetes incidence rate," said author Dr. William Knowler.

Diet and exercise may also be beneficial for other health concerns, and may even improve one’s overall wellbeing.

Diabetics can live longer with lifestyle changes, according to study

Steven Marsh — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 11:00:00 +0000

A healthy lifestyle can help reduce risk factors for diabetes. Now a new study has found that making healthy behavior changes can be an important health resource to help diabetics live longer lives.

According to Reuters, the study followed 1,177 people with diabetes and 15,217 without diabetes from 1988 through 2001. It found that a greater number of healthy behaviors was linked to a 15 percent reduction in the risk of dying from any cause in diabetics, and a 17 percent reduced risk in non-diabetics.

The healthy behaviors included physical activity, not smoking, higher healthy eating index, moderate alcohol intake, and maintaining or trying to lose weight in the past 12 months.

"Among the healthy behaviors studied, regular, moderate to vigorous physical activity was most protective for those with diabetes," Dr. Sharon Saydah told Reuters. Exercising was found to be important for non-diabetics also.

According to WebMD.com, nutritional supplements containing beta carotene, blond psyllium, chromium, flaxseed, ginseng and milk thistle are among the substances believed to help naturally lower blood sugar in diabetics.

Study: ‘Good’ fats beneficial for female diabetics

Mark McGhee — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 10:00:00 +0000

New research suggests eating certain types of fats can help diabetics reduce their body fat.

According to Reuters, the study appearing in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition has found that obese women with type 2 diabetes were able to change their body composition by taking nutritional supplements containing conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) or safflower oil over a four-month period.

The study included 35 obese women with an average age of 60. Each took either 8 grams of the safflower oil supplement or 8 grams of the CLA supplement every day for 16 weeks.

Researchers say the women showed a small decline in body mass index and shed a couple pounds of body fat while on CLA. While taking the safflower oil, the women lost body fat in the midsection and gained some muscle mass. Their blood sugar levels showed a general decline as well.

In addition to taking nutritional supplements, the study’s author says working polyunsaturated oils into the diet can be beneficial. Using safflower oil in salad dressings or using it to cook vegetables is an easy way to take advantage of its healthful benefits.

CLA, on the other hand, is harder to get through diet.

Study: Birth complications can be reduced by treating mild gestational diabetes

Donna Parker — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 10:00:00 +0000

A National Institute of Health study is the first to test whether treating even the mildest cases of gestational diabetes is beneficial.

The results of the study, published in this month’s New England Journal of Medicine, find that treatment can reduce common birth complications as well as the risk of blood pressure disorders among mothers.

Researchers say mothers with pregnancy-induced blood sugar control problems who receive treatment are half as likely to have an unusually large baby, compared to women with the disorder who are not treated.

In addition, mothers who are treated were less likely to give birth by cesarean section or to develop high blood pressure or potentially life-threatening preeclampsia.

"The study results show conclusively that both mothers and infants do better when gestational diabetes is controlled," said the study’s co-author Catherine Spong.

In most cases, gestational diabetes can be controlled naturally by lowering blood sugar levels through proper diet and exercise. Avoiding excess weight gain during pregnancy can also lower the risk of developing the condition.

Gestational diabetes is believed to affect as many as 14 percent of pregnancies in the U.S.

Study: Soy reduces diabetes risk

Steven Marsh — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 10:00:00 +0000

Researchers at the University of Massachusetts Amherst say adding soy to one’s diet is associated with lower diabetes risk and improved insulin sensitivity.

A team of nutrition scientists has identified the molecular pathway that allows foods rich in soy bioactive compounds called isoflavones to lower diabetes risk. They say eating soy foods has been shown to lower cholesterol, lower blood sugar and improve glucose tolerance in people with diabetes.

"Our results suggest that soy isoflavones exert anti-diabetic effects by targeting fat cell-specific transcription factors and the downstream signaling molecules that are important for glucose uptake and thus insulin sensitivity," said study author Young-Cheul Kim.

In addition, the scientists say soy can lower the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Diets rich in soy are also believed to lower the risk of breast and prostate cancers and help manage the symptoms of menopause.

Soy foods contain amino acids, protein, complex carbohydrates, omega-3 fatty acids and vitamins and minerals such as calcium, folate and iron, according to SoyNutrition.com.

Common soy foods include tofu, edamame, soy milk, meat alternatives, miso and soy protein powders.

Study: Fewer diabetics are losing vision

Mark McGhee — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 10:00:00 +0000

It’s becoming less common for diabetics to lose their vision, according to a new study.

Researchers in Wisconsin followed nearly 1,000 type-1 diabetics between 1980 and 2007. They found that visual impairment is less common among those diagnosed after 1970, according to Reuters. The results also took into account age, blood pressure and other factors that can affect sight in diabetics.

They say better blood sugar control and improved treatment of diabetes-related eye disorders are preventing more cases of visual impairment than in previous years.

"I think the implication is that the translation of findings from clinical trials over the past 20 years…into clinical care has resulted in reduction of vision loss," said study author Dr. Ronald Klein.

Reuters points out that experts recommend that people with diabetes have an eye exam at least once per year to detect diabetic retinopathy and other eye disorders early, so that progression can be prevented or delayed.

Obesity and family history are among the risk factors for developing diabetes.

Health experts say proper nutrition and maintaining a healthy weight are natural ways to reduce the risk of getting the disease.

In addition, nutritional health supplements containing chromium, magnesium and vanadium have been used to manage diabetes, according to WebMD.

Nitrates in environment may cause deaths from Alzheimer’s, diabetes

Donna Parker — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 06:00:28 +0000

A recent study conducted by University of Rhode Island researchers has provided evidence that nitrate compounds found in some foods and soils are linked to increased mortality rates in those with Alzheimer’s or diabetes.

Some of these nitrates have been found in fried bacon and other processed meats, beer and cheeses and the research team determined that 90 percent of the nitrate compounds can be carcinogenic.

One compound, nitrosamines, has a pronounced affect on blood sugar levels and can be harmful to older individuals with Type 2 diabetes, but the nitrate composites affect those at any age.

The elderly are more likely to suffer complications with Alzheimer’s or Type 2 diabetes, often leading to their death, as the “aging and longer durations of exposure [to nitrates] have greater impacts on progression and severity of these diseases,” explains lead researcher Dr. Suzanne de la Monte.

She suggests that if further research proves a link does in fact exist between nitrate exposure and death from Alzheimer’s and Type 2 diabetes, companies should take steps towards “eliminating the use of nitrites and nitrates in food processing, preservation and agriculture.”

Those concerned about their health may try following the alkaline diet, which is rich in unprocessed foods like citrus fruits, vegetables, tubers, nuts and legumes.

Can your ethnicity pre-dispose you to diabetes?

Steven Marsh — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 10:00:00 +0000

A new study has found Americans of Indian descent are more likely to get diabetes, even if their weight is normal.

Reuters reports that in a national study of 7,400 Asian-Americans, those of Indian descent were 3 times more likely to get the disease than other white Americans and more likely than individuals of other Asian ethnicities as well.

The results, appearing in the journal Diabetes Care, also suggest that 7 percent of Indian-Americans who are not overweight have diabetes, compared to between 2 and 4 percent of whites and other Asian-Americans.

Among obese diabetics the findings were similar. About one third of overweight Indian adults had the disease, compared to anywhere between 12 and 17 percent of other ethnicities.

Researchers say the reasons for the findings are not clear, although they suggest ethnic differences in body fat distribution may be to blame.

Staying at a healthy weight is a natural health resource to help avoid diabetes regardless of racial background.

According to the Mayo Clinic, nutritional supplements containing chromium and cinnamon have been shown to help diabetics control their blood sugar levels.