For cases of Diabetes Mellitus, can bitter melon (Asian vegetable) lower your blood sugar level?
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There has been no clinical evidence to show that bitter melon can lower your blood sugar.\n\nIf you have a problem correcting your blood sugar, cut back on your dietary intake of sugar first. Then if that is not enough, talk to your doctor about medications like Glucotrol, which can lower blood sugar.
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Herbal treatment of Diabetes is a myth. Because diabetes is incurable ,everyday someone comes with a new herb.Please ignore it.\nSyzyzium zambolanum is the seed whose powder is added to some tea. and it does not work.
928295
All food affects the glucose level in our blood and as a diabetic it becomes increasingly difficult to regulate. I am not sure if you are a type 1 or a type 2 diabetic. So I am not sure if you are insulin dependent. A diabetic can eat Angel food cake under most circumstances but you still need to take into account how it will affect your blood sugar. Whenever in doubt consult with your physician but a diabetic can eat the same foods as a non diabetic the most important thing is to closely monitor your blood sugar levels and to keep going to your doctor.
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Women may develop gestational diabetes during pregnancy due to the changes in the body while expecting. Although this condition disappears after delivery is a clear sign that the woman is at risk of developing Type II diabetes later in life and is likely to suffer gestational diabetes in future pregnancies.  \n  \n\nWe recommend  \n  \n\n Take Alpha lipoic acid It helps to control sugar level in the blood. Alpha lipoic acid is considered among the elite, multipurpose antioxidants.  \n\n Take 400 mcg. a day of chromium picolinate makes insulin more efficient helping keep sugar level low.  Chromium maintains stable blood sugar levels through proper insulin utilization and can be helpful for people with diabetes and/or hypoglycemia.  \n\n Take Garlic in capsules it helps circulation and regulates sugar level. \n\n 500 mg of L-glutamine and taurine a day to reduce sugar cravings and to help release  \ninsulin.  \n\n Mother Nature's Siberian Ginseng Extract supplies 150 mg. of siberian ginseng root extract in each capsule. Siberian Ginseng strengthens the adrenal and reproductive glands. It enhances immune function, promotes lung functioning and stimulates the appetite. Siberian Ginseng is useful for bronchitis, circulatory problems, diabetes, inflammation, infertility, lack of energy, stress and to protect against the effects of radiation exposure. Many of the studies on Siberian Ginseng were performed in Russia, and pertained primarily to stamina and endurance. Mother Nature's uses the finest herbal extracts (highly concentrated) that are standardized to indicate an optimal level of freshness, purity and potency.
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no i dont thing jaggery is good for diabetics....afterall sugar and jaggery are made of the same sugarcane....\none thing could be good however..have a glass of juice of bittergaurd..it actally cures diabities in the long run...its a little difficult but it really works..
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Whole wheat bread is good, check the label, you are looking for high fiber and low sugar. There are many names for sugar in labels: sucrose, fructose, dextrose, glucose,maltose,lactose. Diabetics need to stay away from those. A normal healthy person should not consume more than 40 grams per day.\nHere is a website how to manage diabetes...\nhttp://www.joslin.org/managing_your_diabetes_707.asp
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Hi Kali Girl\n\nHere are some answers on diet and tips to help the healing process.\n\nDiet: Proper diet is critical for both preventing and treating diabetes, especially Type II diabetes. One of the most important dietary precautions you can take is to eliminate all refined sugars and sugar products from your diet. Such products include refined sugar, corn syrup, cornstarch, dextrose, dextrin, fructose, fruit juice concentrates, glucose, lactose, malt, maltodextrin, maltose, mannitol, sorbitol, sorghum, sucrose, and xylitol. Honey, Maple syrup, Agaves or Chicory syrup must also be eliminated if you are pre-diabetic or diabetic. Also reduce or eliminate your intake of alcohol and caffeine. Remove fast food, refined foods, processed "junk" foods, soda, fried foods, and all products containing white flour. Choose quality protein snacks between meals, or soaked nuts, and fresh vegetables and vegetable only juices as between meal options. \n\nTo help your body better regulate blood glucose levels, also reduce your overall carbohydrate intake, replacing simple carbohydrates with complex carbohydrate foods. This means use whole flours and grains, beans, legumes, and fresh fiber-rich vegetables, rather than choosing to eat refined foods. Eating five to six small meals a day, instead of the traditional three larger meals, can also help balance blood sugar levels and prevent excessively high insulin spikes after eating. In addition, a vegetarian diet high in organic vegetables and complex whole grains, along with small intakes of whole fruit that contains seeds or pits, rather than fruit juice, has also been found to be helpful for many people suffering from Type II diabetes. Jerusalem artichoke is another food that can help diabetics control blood sugar levels. A diet rich in healthy fats, such as avocados, nuts, seeds, extra virgin olive, raw virgin coconut butter and high lignin flax seed oil also supports you in maintaining level and stable blood sugar levels.\n\nMany Type II diabetes patients fare well on a diet that consist of 55 to 60 percent complex carbohydrates, 15 to 20 percent protein (with a minimum of 45 grams of protein per day), and 20 to 25 percent healthy fats. In addition, you should increase your fiber intake to a daily level of 40 to 50 grams of fiber, with 10 to 15 grams of soluble fiber. High-fiber foods like beans and whole grains can be added slowly, perhaps at a rate of one serving per week, along with an increase in your intake of pure, filtered water. \n\n\nQuick Action Plan for Diabetes\n\n\n1. Be aware for early signs of blood sugar problems. Have the proper yearly tests performed.\n\n2. Keep in mind that the goal of diabetic treatment and self-care is to restore blood sugar levels close to normal and to correct related metabolic disorders. One of the best ways to accomplish this is by eating small, frequent meals throughout the day that emphasize fresh, organic foods that are low on the glycemic scale, such as raw and lightly steamed vegetables, low sugar whole fruits, nuts, seeds, whole grains and legumes, yams, wild fish, poultry, lean cuts of beef, bison meal lamb or veal.\n\n3. Minimize or eliminate your intake of simple carbohydrates and all sugars, as well as tobacco and processed "junk foods." In addition, reduce your intake of alcohol and caffeine. Both alcohol and caffeine could be enjoyed on special occasions, rather than daily or even weekly habits.\n\n4. Remain hydrated; drinking adequate quantities of pure water is essential for all aspects of your health.\n\n5. Engage in regular light exercise and stress reduction because they are keys to maintaining lower levels of blood sugar.\n\n6. Consider supplementing with nutrients such as B-complex vitamins, vitamin C, vitamin E, chromium, magnesium, potassium, essential fatty acids, CoQ10, alpha lipoic acid, and vanadium. Stabilized rice bran supplements can also be helpful.\n\n7. Herbs such as astragalus, bitter melon, fenugreek
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Depending upon which 'carbs' you are talking about.  Veggies or bread/cake types?? \nDiabetes as you know is having too much sugar in the blood(unable to use it all as energy) which causes you to need more insulin or at the very least watch the sugar intake so you don't spike.  If you don't use the sugar and over time your body has too much to process, it fills up it's stores of sugar and you get diabetes. (layman's terms).  Unused sugar becomes fat but it also can become diabetes.  So beyond exercise to burn energy it's on the diet.  Sugars, breads, starchy foods, fruits (even potatoes, esp.  sweet and yams...) turn to glucose the quickest in your body therefore increasing your blood sugar.  If you want to slow that process, retard it in any way, then watch your entire sugar/starch/refined foods intake period!!  \nHere is a list of suggestions based on my studies(I'm studying nutrition) and although I'm not a doc I am using well-respected info as a guidline.  You can recheck this and look at real statistics to see what works, not just the theory.  Look at history of how people actually eat versus what some docs might have said about earlier guidelines, that may be outdated and inappropriate.  \n\nVeggies are good.  And they are carbs.  Especially the leafy greens(high in mins/prots), cruciferous(broccoli/cauliflower/brussel sprouts), asaragus, squash, lettuces, tomatoes, all kinds etc...\nLean meats are good like turkey, chicken, deepwater fish(limit due to heavy metals in ocean-research) and occasionally red meat which is high in saturated fat but ok at times. Nuts are good too and great for when your blood sugar drops and you need a quick healthy boost(macadamia, walnuts, peanuts, almonds@! and occ. cashews(high in sat. fat).  Tofu and soy products are also good and yes they can be cooked to taste awesome!  Just try! Protein slows down the digestion process which allows the body time to go through the metabolic process and bring sugar to the endocrine system slowly...as compared to actual sugar or bready-type  foods which process the moment they are in your mouth(amylase is a carb enzyme that is in the mouth, breaking down food immediately).  The longer food takes to break down to it's ultimate form, glucose, the more time your body has to cope with and distribute safely without spiking your blood sugar.  \nSO, again, carbs is a big vague word.  Avoid processed foods like cakes, crackers, breads and instant rices/pastas.  No sugary sweets especially with pure white sugar.  Eat mostly veggies, meat, lean cheeses and WHOLE grains that have high fiber(not processed cereals and such) that also require the body more time to break them down(quinoa(high protein grain), brown rice, amaranth, Irish oatmeal... etc...) Whole grains mean you really have to cook them, they are not processed and in a box with 2 min. instructions.  Once in a blue moon is okay, perhaps with a pile of Thai veggies on top!! yum... \nThe more processed, the less your body has to break them down, the quicker the sugar is released the faster your blood spikes!!  \nSo get slow food....process slow and then digest slow.  Ultimately slowing your blood sugar spike.  \n\nIf you have to have a sweet, dulce as they say in latin.  Try something fruit-juice sweetened and eat it around another protein rich meal so that your body is not bombarded with a hit of sugar alone.  Or try an apple with a big dollup of peanut or almond or hazlenut butter on it...yum!!  It really will taste good and your body will appreciate it.   \n\nHope this helps!!\nGood luck!  \n\nOh, also go online and look up books that are low in sugar, low on the glycemic scale and higher in protein and nutrients. www.diabetes.com and other sites.  The more you know about how it works in your body, the more control you can have over what you WANT to eat so that you won't hurt yourself.
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You can get intouch with your local Diabetic clinic they should have some leaflets or advice for you, if it is you that is diabetic you should of been given this help already. I had to research the different types of diet requirements of a type 1 and type 2 diabetic and the clinics were the best source of advice most of my research showed that a diet low in fat low in salt and moderatly low in sugar although do be careful as some low sugar foods and drinks have sugar alternatives which could also be harmful to insulin levels and foods that are high in fibre like brown bread and rice should help.  To maintain your insulin levels foods that have a low Glyceamic index should also benefit as they release energy slower which means your insulin release is more steady.
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It depends on the severity, the age of onset, and the type.  I assume you are asking about type II diabetes in an older person.  If the person is still producing sufficient insulin to control glucose when the diet is stabilized, then
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Cinnamon has incredible properties for diabetics. It is recommended that they consume 1/2 tsp/day. I do not know about the diabeticinn but I do have 2 diabetics in my household. They are both taking Himilayan Goji Juice which fights all auto-immune disorders. One of them had black feet and sores all over his legs. Since drinking this all natural juice, he now has pink feet again, the sores are clearing up and his blood sugar levels are balancing out. The other diabetic was having problems with fainting and dizziness. She too has balanced blood sugar levels now and has no more problems. I highly recommend this juice for all diabetics.
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Nothing in particular, except smoking. Smoking causes characteristic damage to several body systems, and it reinforces the damage diabetes does. No one needs both at work. Give it up! If you have lost feeling in the feet, it's best by far to check them often for signs of blisters or cuts or skin breaks of any kind. The reason is that, if you can't feel it, you won't take care of it. Diabetes is the largest cause of amputation in adults in theh North America save trauma (like automobile accidents). The reason is largely reduced circulation, and reduced wound healing, and increased infection severity in many diabetics. Watch those feet.   \n\n\nNo food, or food type, is inherently bad for diabetics, and in the case of Type 1 diabetics, there is less concern for various kinds of food than for Type 2 diabetics, for whom excess weight seems to both bring on Type 2, but also to make more severe cases. \n\nThe problem for Type 1s is that, producing no insulin of their own, it's necessary to provide insulin from the outside, and to come as close as possible to the non-diabetic levels of insulin so that blood glucose levels are as near normal as possible. Insulin controls how, and how much, about 2.3 of body cells taek up glucose from the blood. Among much else, of course, for it is a hormone which has wide and varied effects throughout the body. \n\nThere are several things which affect how fast and high blood glucose goes: \n\n--First is how much food is eaten. In this case, sugar (sucrose), milk sugar (lactose), starch (many glucoses stuck together in chains), fat (a small part of fats -- the glycerol backbone -- can be converted to glucose in the body), and so on. All provide glucose, eventually, to the blood. One of the purpsoes of the 'exchange' system is to provide a handy way to estimate the food quantities eaten. \n\n--Second is exercise. Even without insulin, exercise (even mild exercise such as a brisk walk) causes glucose to be uptaken by muscle cells. Given any partiuclar amount of food, exercising before the meal will result in less inculin needed than otherwise, since the mechanisms are independent. teh effect lasts for some hours, so a brisk walk for 30 minutes just after luch will still increase glucose absorprion rates of food eaten at dinner.  \n\n--Third, is the amount of insulin. All other things being equal, more insulin means that more glucose will be absorbed from the blood by body cells and less insulin will mean less. \n\n--Fourth, type of insulin. There are several types of insulin. They vary largely by how long their effect (forcing absroption of glucose from the blood) lasts, and whether there is a marked peak in action. So, a given amount of regular insulin acts faster and more intensely than lente ('slow') insulin which takes longer to exhaust itself, or ultra lente ('very slow') insulin. NPH insulin falls between regular and lente in speed of action adn suration of action. The analog insulins (one from Lilly and one from Novo Nordisk) are much more quickly acting, beginning totake effect with 15 or 20 minutes and being done in an hour or perhaps an hour and a half. Two special insulins, Lantus and Detemir, are unusual in that they exhibit very little peak of action. Their insulin effect  takes place steadily over about 24 hours. \n\nLocation of administration also has a secondary effect on how long the insulin effect lasts. \n\n--Fifth is the composition of the food eaten.  For example, skim milk contains lactose (a mildly sweetish dual sugar) which is disassembled into its component simple sugars and absorbed by the intestines. Drinking the same amount of whole milk delivers the same amount of lactose, but much more slowly since the butterfat in the whole milk slows down digestive action on the lactose. A baked potato eaten 'dry' will be converted to glucose and absorbed, while the smae amount of potato eaten with butter or sour cream is much more slowly a
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My husband, who does research at the University of Hawaii med school, was telling me this weekend about a clinical study they saw a presentation on demonstrating how bitter melon helped control borderline diabetes in rats, which resulted in significant weight loss after their bloodsugar was stabilized.\nSo guess what we bought at the nutrition store this weekend? ;)
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Yes, the higher your blood sugar is, the more likely you are to develop diabetic retinopathy, or other visual disturbances so lowering your sugar is great. Also beta carotene is good and Vit A I think.
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The key is to eat a balanced diet of carbs vs proteins vs fats.  Usually we recommend that diabetics avoid high sugar foods such as regular colas, syrup (sugar free is okay) and moderate their intake of sweets and baked goods.  Have you been to see a registered dietician or diabetic nurse educator?  Either would be very helpful in helping you to acclimate and succeed at managing your diabetes.  I wish you the best.
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The sugars that naturally occur in fruits and vegetables are generally good for you, in moderate amounts.  To me this means if my body needed a certain amount of sugar during a day, I would hope to get it from a natural source like fruit.  You are right, some fruits are sweeter and do have more sugar in them, so if you have a question about any particular fruit, ask away!  Fructose, sucrose and glucose are usually found in fruits, berries, melons, some vegetables, and honey. Fructose has a low glycemic index relative to sucrose and donesn't cause the same high and low peaks in blood sugar levels as glucose and sucrose.  A lower glycemic index suggests slower rates of digestion and absorption of the sugars and starches in the foods and a lower glycemic response equates to a lower insulin demand, better long-term blood glucose control and a reduction in blood lipids.  Fructose is thus perceived as a “healthier” natural sugar.  Unfortunately, the new food label lumps all sugars (disaccharides) together and makes it hard for consumers to identify sources of "added" sugar in processed or manufactured foods.  Thus, natural foods like fruits are probably the best way to go!
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*Pondering* Now mind you, it would be better to ask your physician or a dietician, but...\n\nDiabetes mellitus is a chronic disease in which blood glucose (sugar) levels are too high. Cells in the body break down glucose in order to provide energy for movement, growth, and repair. The hormone insulin is responsible for regulating glucose levels in the blood. Abnormally high levels of glucose can damage the small and large blood vessels, leading to diabetic blindness, kidney disease, amputations of limbs, stroke, and heart disease.\n\nThere are three common types of diabetes. Type 1 diabetes is usually (but not always) diagnosed in children and young adults. Persons with type 1 diabetes make no insulin and must take insulin every day. Type 2 diabetes is usually (but not always) diagnosed in adults over the age of 45. In type 2 diabetes, either the person is not making enough insulin, or the body is resistant to insulin and cannot use it properly. Gestational diabetes occurs during pregnancy: 2-4 percent of all pregnant women have gestational diabetes. If a woman has gestational diabetes, she has about a 40 percent chance of having type 2 diabetes later in her life.\n\nAbout 17 million persons in America have Diabetes mellitus, but five million of them don't even know it. Nearly 1 million new cases are diagnosed each year. The disease affects men and women of all ages and ethnic groups. African Americans, Latinos, American Indians, Alaskan Natives, Asian Americans, and Pacific Islanders are more greatly affected than other groups.\n\nUnless you must take regular insulin shots, you can control some diabetes with a proper diet. Below I've added a few links on the subject.