Many individuals seek natural remedies for varying ailments to avoid chemical alternatives or pharmaceutical medications that may have negative side effects. Herbal medicine for diabetes can be effective for some individuals, yet most herbal remedies that aid in controlling diabetes usually involve keeping blood sugar in normal ranges, not curing the disease itself. Although natural remedies and herbal medicine, like cinnamon and ginseng, are used as a primary treatment system by some individuals, most physicians recommend that they be used as a supplement to traditional medical treatment. Working alongside a trusted natural physician can help an individual monitor his health, which will determine the body's response to herbal medicine for diabetes and aid in determining if further treatments are needed for proper diabetes control.
The majority of diabetes cases have to do with the inability of the body's cells to effectively take in broken down carbohydrates, also known as blood sugar or blood glucose, to use for energy. Since glucose is the primary energy source for the cell, insulin is needed to help carry this blood sugar in and keep it there for normal cell metabolism. Elevating levels of blood sugar in the body are not beneficial for diabetes patients because that blood sugar will stay circulating in the body, never making it into the cells and increasing the chances of inflammation and sometimes death. Some research suggests that herbal medicine for diabetes, such as cinnamon and ginseng, is a simple and inexpensive natural approach for helping keep blood sugar levels in normal ranges.
Cinnamon is a spice that contains many beneficial antioxidants as well as compounds that have been shown in nutritional studies to help lower blood sugar. Most literature that deals with herbal medicine for diabetes suggests adding 2 grams of cinnamon, equivalent to half of a teaspoon, to a healthy daily diet to help control blood sugar. Adding cinnamon to a meal high in carbohydrates can also help lessen the effect the meal has on an individual's blood sugar. Some research suggests that this herbal remedy can even help increase insulin sensitivity, helping the cells receive blood glucose.
One study looked at an herbal medicine for diabetes that contained ginseng and its effects on blood sugar in diabetics already receiving a pharmaceutical drug for diabetes. Based on the data, the individuals taking ginseng along with their prescription medication had almost 60 percent lower levels of blood sugar than those receiving placebo. Most natural physicians advocate taking about 3 grams of supplemental ginseng a day. Supplementing with ginseng, according to this research, can have a natural benefit when used alongside normal diabetes prescriptions.
