Traditional practices, such as drinking cinnamon tea, once helped protect against diabetes in Mexico; however, modern diets have shifted these traditions. Managing blood sugar is essential for well-being, and herbs such as ginseng, bitter melon, fenugreek, and neem continue to offer support, reflecting the wisdom of ancestral plant medicine.
This post features an excerpt from Dr. Leslie Korn, CWIS Director and founder of CTM.
When I first arrived in Mexico, I noticed that cinnamon (canela) tea was the breakfast beverage of choice and was also drunk before bedtime. However, over time, this tradition gave way to drinking milk, coffee, and even a soft drink like a cola instead. Since cinnamon is an effective herb for keeping diabetes at bay, I wondered whether losing the ritual of drinking cinnamon tea every morning heralded the onset of the diabetes epidemic in Mexico, which has some of the highest rates of diabetes in the world and continues to worsen with “modernization.” Traditional herbal practices teach us a great deal about health: A cup of cinnamon tea is a healthy way to start the day and a soothing way to end the evening. Cinnamon contains methylhydroxy-chalcone, a polyphenol compound that improves insulin sensitivity.
“The way we manage glucose in our blood affects nearly every aspect of our health.”
Hypoglycemia and Type 2 Diabetes
The way we manage glucose in our blood affects nearly every aspect of our health. Consuming too much sugar in the form of refined sugars, carbohydrates, and alcohol leads to three stages of imbalance and then illness. The first stage is hypoglycemia. Hypoglycemia occurs when sugar intake triggers the repeated and excessive release of insulin. In these cases, blood sugar rises fast and high and then drops sharply, which can cause dizziness, trembling, fatigue, irritability, and confusion. This is followed by insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, and can eventually lead to type 3 diabetes, the new term for Alzheimer’s disease. In hypoglycemia and insulin resistance, the body cells begin to ignore the messages that insulin sends out, which is, “Let glucose in.” It takes a larger and larger amount of insulin to get the cells to respond to this direction, and when the cells do not respond, glucose stays outside of the cells, in the blood. When the level of glucose in the blood continues to rise, this becomes hyperglycemia, high blood sugar, or type 2 diabetes. Too much blood glucose is also inflammatory, and even if we do not develop diabetes, it contributes to metabolic syndrome and can become a major factor in physical pain, cardiovascular disease, and poor mental health.
There are many herbs that can prevent or treat this cascade of events. Our goal is to reduce or eliminate refined sugar intake, slow the uptake of glucose once we eat (think fiber), help our cells use their glucose effectively (yes, the brain needs glucose), dampen systemic inflammation, and support the health of our liver and nervous and vascular systems.
Finally, stress is a major factor in glucose metabolism, so the adaptogenic herbs that reduce stress and enable the adrenal glands to function better will be part of the repertoire. Eating a diet of protein and good-quality fats and small amounts of complex carbs every three hours helps stabilize the ups and downs of hypoglycemia.
Most people with glucose problems benefit from eliminating (almost all) grains from their diet, or if necessary, eating them only on rare occasions. Herbs and spices for hypoglycemia and diabetes can help stabilize blood sugar by supporting the pancreas, liver, and adrenal glands.
Herbs for Type 2 Diabetes and Hypoglycemia
Herbs used to treat type 2 diabetes should actively enhance circulation and eye health, and in later stages, reduce edema, enhance kidney function, support cognitive health, and provide neuropathic pain relief. Herbs used for hypoglycemia and diabetes may reduce the levels of medication required, so monitoring dosage is advised. There are many fine pharmaceutical-grade herbal-vitamin compounds on the market to complement your home herbal remedies. Look for a compound that also combines the minerals chromium and vanadium.
Blood Glucose Regulation
American ginseng is a blood-sugar regulator that boosts energy levels and increases the stimulation of the pituitary gland, which releases hormones that regulate blood sugar. Add 15 to 20 drops of ginseng tincture to liquids, or take 400 milligrams, 3 times a day after meals. Mugwort stimulates the pancreas to create more insulin. Add 5 drops of tincture to liquids, 3 times a day. Bitter melon lowers blood glucose and can be juiced, eaten as raw fruit, or used as an extract.
For the Liver
Dandelion root and milk thistle improve liver and pancreas function. Drink a decoction half an hour before meals or keep some in the fridge and add it to your smoothies daily.
The gymnemic acid in gymnema leaves suppresses cravings for sugar and balances blood-sugar levels. Gymnema capsules should have at least 25 percent gymnemic acid. Take 5 to 10 minutes before a meal 3 times a day every day, to stabilize blood glucose levels.
Antioxidants
One of the effects of hyperglycemia is that high blood glucose is toxic to the vascular system and leads to oxidative stress, which is like rust on a car. These reactive oxygen chemicals are also called free radicals, and they damage our cells, leading to systemic illness, and they are a major factor in the aging process. Daily supplies of antioxidants from foods and herbs are protective because they scavenge these free radicals and neutralize them.
Green tea is a powerful antioxidant that can be used daily to slow glucose uptake. Fibers from vegetables and low glycemic fruits like apples, cherries, and pears, along with ground seeds like flax and chia, slow glucose uptake and should be part of every meal. Ground flaxseeds also lower blood sugar and blood pressure. Fenugreek seeds are high in soluble fiber, and a tea from the seeds is hypoglycemic and slows the digestion and absorption of carbohydrates. Curry leaves (Murraya koenigii) support normal levels of glucose and enhance liver enzymes. The bitter leaves of neem, or margosa (Azadirachta indica), enhance insulin receptor sensitivity and lower blood glucose levels. The tender shoots of neem leaves can be juiced or chewed raw, or 1 to 2 teaspoons of dried neem leaf powder can be added to your daily smoothie.The way we manage glucose in our blood affects nearly every aspect of our health.
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