Possible cure for diabetes

What is diabetes?

When the blood sugar level is higher than the normal value, person is diagnosed with diabetes. Sugar in the blood is the result of digestion of the food we eat. This sugar is in the form of glucose. Glucose is normally used as fuel by body cells to generate energy. Cells require a chemical or a hormone called insulin to get the blood sugar inside the cells for generation of energy. Insulin is secreted by body organ pancreas. Diabetes is the result of the insufficient insulin or decrease in the cellular sensitivity to insulin. Due this insufficiency of insulin or cellular insensitivity cells cannot get enough glucose for energy generation and the blood sugar level rises above normal value. Over the long term this abnormal level of blood sugar is very dangerous. It may result in blindness, cardiovascular diseases and kidney malfunction. There are basically two types diabetes which are very common in society.

Type 1 diabetes: In this diabetes pancreas looses its ability to produce insulin. This diabetes is also known as juvenile diabetes. It usually strikes the people before the age of thirty. Only treatment available for the patients suffering from this condition is life long injections of insulin.

Type 2 diabetes: In this condition, pancreas is able to produce insulin but not enough to keep the blood sugar at normal level. This condition may also happen due to a drop in cellular sensitivity to insulin. Type 2 diabetes usually happens to the people who are older than forty years, But due to modern life style type 2 diabetes is striking the people in their thirties. This condition is also more prevalent in obese people. This is also found in the people who are getting no exercise. Pre-diabetes is the condition in which person has blood sugar level higher than normal but not high enough to be classified as diabetes. About 18 million Americans have type 2 diabetes and another 41 million are likely to be at very high risk for developing the Type 2 diabetes.

These days in addition to present clinical medications and treatment, there have become available some natural medicines for type 2 diabetes and pre-diabetes, like cinnamon and milk, due to the result of scientific research.

Cinnamon:

United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) released reports on role of cinnamon in treatment of diabetes. According to the study, cinnamon plays a great role in increasing the insulin activity several fold reducing the level of blood sugar in Type 2 diabetes. During 2003 human study involving people with type 2 diabetes, the action of cinnamon was scientifically studied. The study comprised of two groups of patients. The patients from first group were given cinnamon capsules three times a day. The patient from other group were not given cinnamon treatment. After few weeks, the patient from group one showed 20 percent lower blood glucose level than the other group. Mean improvement in blood glucose ranged from 18 to 29%. Cinnamon is found not only useful in lowering blood sugar level, but it also lowers LDL cholesterol and triglycerides level in blood.

The most commonly used kitchen spice cassia cinnamon contains a water soluble polyphenol, methylhydroxychalcone polymer (MHCP). Action of MHCP is similar to that of natural insulin, allowing cells to use glucose more effectively which results in lower blood sugar level in Type 2 diabetes and pre-diabetes patients. Cinnamon oil doesn't contain MHCP.

Adding a half tea spoon of cinnamon in the daily diet of diabetes 2 or pre diabetes patient will definitely help them to lower their blood sugar level. Everyday one may add half a table spoon of cinnamon to their bowl of oatmeal, salad or meat. Or one may simply enjoy cinnamon tea.

Note for people suffering from Type 2 diabetes:-

Before you start this daily dose of cinnamon, please discuss it with your doctor.

Milk:

A study conducted at Massachusetts General Hospital and the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston. reports that men who drank 2 to 3 cups of low fat milk a day had a 20 percent lower risk of developing diabetes than the people who didn't drink milk regularly.

Also according to a Scandinavian study, adding a milk protein called whey to a high carbohydrate meal increases insulin secretion and lowers the blood sugar levels. Milk contains about 20 percent whey protein. The researchers have not yet understood the exact action of whey in lowering blood sugar level but it said that the whey is highly digestible and releases high levels of amino acids during digestion. The action of this amino acids controls the release of insulin necessary for blood sugar control.

Hence you may add a glass or two of low fat milk to your daily diet. It may help you to fight the diabetes.