My grandmother loved candy. Growing up, she was always good for a chocolate bar or a mouthful of toffee when the need arose. Even though she ate all that candy my grandmother was also very healthy with the exception of being mildly diabetic. She attributed her good health to 'bush.' No, not the George W. variety. "Bush" is Caribbean speak for herbs grown in your garden or found in the wild. She was particularly fond of a bush that she simply called 'bitters'. Trust me when I say this stuff was bitter! She would buy this stuff, boil it in water, let it cool and then make us kids drink it under pain of being cut off from our candy supplier. We drank it.

In 1999, a Bangladeshi clinical trial was conducted to examine the effect of Momordica charantia on 100 patients with Non-Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus (NIDDM) or Type 2 Diabetes. The researchers recorded the patients’ sugar levels both without food intake for 12-24 hours and after taking 75g of glucose. They then administered a bitter melon pulp suspension to diabetic patients and 86 out of the 100 responded to the vegetable intake, showing a significant 14% reduction in fasting and post-meal serum glucose levels. Several rat and hamster trials taking bitter melon have also yielded very positive results in regulating glucose levels.

A more up to date study conducted in India at the Ahilya University in 2004 gave similar positive results. Fifteen men and women with Type 2 diabetes between the ages of 52 and 65 took 200mg extracted constituents of bitter melon together with half doses of Metformin and Glibenclamide or a combination of both. The result was a blood glucose level lower than what patients may acquire from taking full doses of Metformin or Glibenclamide.

Turmeric

The available information on turmeric is widespread, and compelling. It is a traditional treatment specifically for diabetes, and many sources cite studies that have shown positive results for lowering blood sugar.

I found references frequently to Ayurvedic medicine, which may or may not recommend itself to you as a valid point in its favor. It is said to act on blood sugar levels both in increasing metabolism and stimulating insulin. It is high in chromium, which may count for part of that affect.

Turmeric is a common spice, and is used in cooking, sometimes as a cheap alternative to saffron, and sometimes in pickles and other common uses. It is yellow, and looks a lot like ground mustard.

Information on safety of this herb is also lacking, possibly because safety is assumed because of its widespread use as a spice. But there is a huge difference between using something in the minute quantities of a seasoning, and using it in larger doses as a medicinal supplement.

Proceed with caution if this is something you want to try, and do a little more research on its use and safety.

St. John's Wort

I have included this here not because it primarily affects blood sugar, but because depression often occurs as a result of diabetes, or becomes a complicating factor in it. It is very hard to control your diet when you are feeling discouraged and hopeless, the temptation to eat certain things can be nearly overwhelming. So this is included because it is an herb I have experience with, and a condition I have had to cope with many times.

St. John's Wort is a somewhat controversial herb, but its value has been studied widely in Europe, where it is routinely prescribed for depression. It can conflict with a range of medications, so you need to do some more research before you use it, to make sure it will not affect the function of other medications you are on.

It can also make you VERY sensitive to sunlight. I got a sunburn while using it, from spending the day sitting in the SHADE. There was enough reflected light around to burn me even though I spent no more than a total of 3 minutes in direct sunlight.

It is not generally considered to be safe during pregnancy, which is why I don't use it right now - I am experiencing a bit of winter depression and would use it if it were not for a desire to have another baby.

I did not have any other side effects from using it, other than sunburns. It did relieve a portion of my depression, using two tablets a day (I don't remember the strength). I got no abnormal feeling from it, I just felt a little better, and was able to cope better.

I found that for me, it worked better when used with Borage Oil. The combination just helped to lift some of the discouragement and frustration that I get with depression. Some people use it with Gingko also, which can have a synergistic effect for people who experience more confusion or forgetfulness with depression. I don't use Gingko though because it is another supplement that gives me migraines.

Deression comes in two forms: Clinical, which is caused by chemical or hormonal influences, and Situational, which is caused by emotional responses to situations in your life. A diagnosis of diabetes alone is enough to bring on depression in some people, and if your disease is rapidly progressing, or requires major adaptations, it can make it worse, or it can become ongoing. Diabetes can also cause changes to brain chemistry over time, which can aggravate depression. Further, if you have other situations in your life, or pre-existing depression, you can experience depression from another source which in turn affects your diabetes control.

One of the major aspects of diabetes care is being consistent. This is much harder when you are feeling like the small things really don't matter anyway, or when your emotional state is causing you to crave something in inappropriate amounts. Cravings for chocolate, fats, salt, sugar, breads, ice cream, etc, are common when someone feels down and discouraged. It is hard to resist an intense craving, and it may make it very difficult to control your diet. Mental confusion and forgetfulness may also interfere with medication doses, monitoring, and other routine aspects of care. Conversely, getting on top of the depression can make the entire process of managing diabetes much easier to accomplish.

This supplement can be very valuable for many people, but for others it can be hazardous, so be very careful, talk to your doctor, read up on the interactions, and then proceed with care if it is something that you feel you need.

Red Rooibos

Antioxidant polyphenols (the same elements as contained in green tea) without the caffeine. Red Rooibos tea not only appears to not have some of the negative affects of green tea, but it contains higher quantities of the things that are prized in green tea.

It has a long history in South Africa, where it is grown. It has long been used for soothing, healing, and prevention of disease.

This tea reputedly has a naturally sweet taste. For diabetics, that alone is a powerful benefit, since it completely avoids the issue of sugar or artificial sweeteners. It is used iced, or hot, and won't keep you up late if you use it at night. I find that the flavor is not really all that sweet, but it does only take a single packet of Stevia to sweeten a very large mug (20 oz).

This tea is also non-addictive - it does not contain the addictive elements that green tea has. Safety during pregnancy or nursing is not known.!

I have found some sources that indicate that it may directly influence blood sugar levels, others just cite it as a diabetes support supplement, because it can help slow down cell damage, and help get the rest of your body functioning as well as possible.

Either way, it appears that it may be a safer bet than green tea, and a way to get the benefits of the nutrients without the nasty side effects that green tea can have.

I have used this tea, both in combination with peppermint (to help with a sinus headache), and as a warm drink in the evening when I needed to relax. I have not noticed any ill effects, but it is a tea I feel safe using during pregnancy, and for my kids - this is just my own personal feeling on it, and my own choice.

Neem Leaf

Along with cinnamon and bitter melon, neem leaf is one of the herbs which has multiple studies citing effectiveness for lowering blood sugar levels. A quick search online shows multiple mention of its use in other countries as a treatment for diabetes, after approval by governments for that purpose.

Neem leaf is not only cited as lowering blood sugar, but also for improving circulation, which may also be an issue with diabetics.

Beause I cannot find information on its safety (I am sure it exists, it just was not where I was looking), I cannot make any kind of recommendation other than extreme caution if this herb is used. In countries where it is approved for diabetes treatment, it can be used under a doctor's care. In countries where it is not recognized, it may be difficult to persuade a doctor to assist you in the monitoring that is needed to safely use it.

The evidence of its efficacy is quite a bit more persuasive than with many other herbs, but you'll need to do more research and make a decision for yourself.

Moringa Leaf

Moringa is an herb that has been used in Africa as a nutritional supplement to treat and prevent malnourishment. It is routinely administered to people of all ages including infants.

There have been studies done, in which the leaf powder lowered blood sugar after administration. If you search online for Moringa in association with diabetes, the references are plentiful, but many of them are produced by herbal supplement companies, so their reliability is suspect.

The references to diabetes in association with it are direct, not abstract, but they range from outright claims of studies, to "suspected" references. And while the herb is listed in many sources as being safe, no studies have been done to validate that claim.

It is high in a wide range of nutrients and trace elements, so the affects are varied.

Use it with caution, keep your doctor informed, and monitor your sugars carefully.

Green Tea

Green tea has been heralded in the last few years as the latest miracle herb. In fact, it is not that, it is not the only herb with the benefits that it provides, and it has a nasty backlash that other options do not have.

Because several cultures use tea as a recreational drink, and indeed, part of the very fabric of their lives, it is promoted wholesale as a safe and healthy drink. No one will criticize it, because it is much more lucrative (as it always has been), to promote the drink as something people should have more of, not less. It is long associated with social status, and for centuries, tea and money were so closely entwined that tea had its own value equivalent to currency. We still have associations in society regarding tea that have nothing to do with the drink itself.

Green tea is high in antioxidants of a particular type, and as such, it is recommended for a wide variety of purposes. It also contains two chemicals which may be helpful in lowering blood sugar. Interestingly enough though, the information I found referred only to studies done on the two chemicals, NOT to studies involving tea directly. Whether green tea lowers blood sugar or not may be a highly individual thing.

Tea also contains a high amount of stimulants. Stimulants have their own set of risks, and while they can temporarily convey a sense of energy, they do not in fact speed up the metabolism - rather, you get a temporary boost, then a drop. It is also addictive, partly due to the caffeine in it, but also due to other substances. This means that over time, like coffee, the stimulant effect wears off, and you need it just to function, and no longer gain anything from it.

Green tea interacts with a huge number of medications, in multiple categories. Sometimes it increases the affect, sometimes it decreases it. Of special note is that it should not ever be used by those who are on chemotherapy, because it can increase or decrease the effectiveness of those medications, leading to an increased risk of reoccurrence, or potential toxicity from the drugs. It also interacts with many heart medications.

Considering that a balanced diet, combined with intelligent supplementation with your choice of a wide range of other foods or supplements could do the same thing as green tea, it is not something that is worth getting addicted to, in my opinion. Red Rooibos tea, mangosteen or acai fruit, or any other high antioxidant food or supplement would be a far better bet, with fewer potential side effects.

Grapeseed Extract

Grapeseed extract is a bit harder to find than some other supplements, and may be fairly expensive through some sources. It is high in components that have an anti-oxidant effect, and is considered one of the best sources of the elements it contains.

It has been shown in studies to support healthy collagen and elastin, which are important to tissue health. It improves the usage of vitamin C in your body, and is considered to help offset the affects of aging.

There are preliminary suggestions that grapeseed extract may be helpful for varicose veins, heart disease, and diabetes, but I cannot find evidence to support those claims. Given the category in which this extract falls though, it is reasonable to suppose that it SHOULD positively affect those conditions. It is also reasonable to suppose that it might be beneficial in slowing pancreatic deterioration in certain circumstances.

This is a supplement which I intend to try, but since I am currently adding several others to my diet, one at a time, it will be several weeks before I am able to do so. It is important to point out that this is an herbal compound, not a single nutrient supplement, so it has multiple nutrients. It may affect more than just one system, and may have stronger negative affects as well, so proceed with caution if you choose to use it. Grapeseed extract is sometimes used as a natural preservative in natural or organic cosmetic products.

Goldenseal

This is another hotbed of controversy. Many sources say that goldenseal must not be used by diabetics. Others say it can be a useful herb in controlling diabetes. And there is a reason for both statements.

Goldenseal has been known for ages to reduce blood sugar. But it does it very abruptly, and fairly strongly. It is an herb which also has other affects on the body, so it certainly is not appropriate for everyone, diabetic or not. In herbal lore though, warnings about it dropping blood sugar levels are given to people who are not diabetic also, so the evidence that it does do that is fairly conclusive.

The key to its use would seem to be control. I could find no instructions anywhere on appropriate dosage, when to take it, or what to expect if you did. This is an herb which I feel might be helpful for me to test, but only if I am sure that I am not pregnant at the time.

The information available seems to suggest that it would need to be taken on a meal-by-meal basis. But whether it would need to be taken before the meal, with the meal, or just after the meal is unclear. It is theorized that it causes the body to either use insulin more efficiently, or to release more insulin. Either way, the reaction is described as quick and significant.

Extreme caution is advised with this herb! Very low initial doses, and close monitoring (testing at 1 hour, 1 1/2 hour, and 2 hours postprandial instead of just at 2 hours) would be required until a predictable result could be determined, as well as being prepared with emergency glucose if required. Even at that, there may be significant risk if you have problems with hypoglycemia at any point.

The one other common warning with Goldenseal is that it is thought to be a blood thinner, so people with clotting disorders should avoid its use, or consult a physician about it.

Exotic Herbs

There are a range of herbs from all over the world which have had preliminary and mostly informal testing done for diabetes control. I have not tried any of them because they all have significant risks, dosages must be carefully controlled to avoid toxicity in many of them, and quality of available supplements is not consistent.

For me, since I desire to have another baby, the risks of these herbs is simply too great. If I were not trying to conceive though, I might be willing to test some of them myself.

Here are a few of the common ones:

Gymnema Sylvestre

Pterocarpus Marsupium

Bitter Melon

Ginseng

A common herb which is often included in "energy" blends. Recent studies have shown that Ginseng may be helpful in reducing blood sugar levels in Type II diabetic patients. Siberian ginseng does not seem to have useful properties for blood sugar control. This herb builds up rapidly in a person, and may cause severe headaches, and low energy levels if overused, and overusing it is NOT all that difficult. Even low levels on a daily basis can be too much for many people.

Holy Basil

Swertia Chirayita

Others that I have seen mentioned in relation to diabetes management are:

• gotu kola
• goats rue
• eugenia jambulana
• bael tree
• goji berry
• ganoderma

Remember, most of these have not been formally studied in controlled settings, or in any comparative settings where placebos were used in for control groups. And some of them have highly toxic side effects if they are overused - tolerance levels may be very low. I do not have enough first hand knowledge of any of them to make any kind of recommendation for use, or for safety.

If you choose to try any of them, do so cautiously, and study the available sources on dosage before you do so. Some may be relatively safe, others far more dangerous than diabetes.

Echinacea

It has nothing to do with blood sugar. Rather, the long term affects of diabetes.

Echinacea is an herb with a long history. It is a root, from a daisy like plant, and has to be one of the foulest tasting substances known to man. If early people devised their philosophy that something had to be nasty tasting to work, from the herbs that actually did work, then you can be sure that echinacea was one of those that they concluded that from, because it is truly horrid. BUT...

It is also one of the more respected herbs for infection prevention. It is believed to have anti-viral properties, and in some studies, this has been shown to have some validity. It is recommended for other purposes also, but this is the biggie, and the one that may have value for diabetics.

Reduction in immune response is one of the long term affects of diabetes. Echinacea has the potential to have value for some diabetics in warding off opportunistic infections, and in speeding recovery.

Reported side effects are rare, but do happen. If this herb is as powerful as it is believed to be, then it has equal potential for negative affects for some people, so use it cautiously until you know how your body will respond to it.

Dill Seed

I stumbled across dill seed in one of my net searches for yet another food to help with my climbing glucose levels. I had some on hand, because I use it in a bread recipe. It fit my criteria for being either something my body was likely lacking, or a food that was common enough that the chances of side effects were low.

The evidence for its efficacy was sparse, but I ran across it in more than one source (more than just duplicated content), so I decided it was worth a try. Unfortunately, I cannot tell you whether it would work or not, because use of it caused me to feel nauseous. Several supplements do this to me, and if they do that, I don't take them. My body tends to react oddly to many supplements so this is no suggestion that it might do the same for anyone else.

Dill seed is used in foods, or ground as a powder. I put about a teaspoon of it into my morning shake. The seeds did not grind up very much, so the flavor did not strongly permeate the shake. Since the seeds stayed nearly whole, I had to drink them down and not expect the shake to be real smooth. It really was not unpleasant that way like I thought it would be, it did not taste bad, merely a bit odd. If it had not made me feel sick, I could have tolerated it on a daily basis and not minded.

Dill seed can be added to bread along with onion granules for a very flavorful and tasty bread. I am not sure if Dill Pickles will do the trick or not, but vinegar and salt do preserve well, so there is a good chance that they would (and vinegar is another potentially helpful item).

I was not able to find information on dosage amounts, so I just used a teaspoonful, but there is no telling whether that is enough, or even if smaller amounts would do.

Dandelion

Dandelion because usually it is an herb that is referenced for its high iron content.

A search though, proved that it was not a fluke. There were repeated references to its use in diabetes remedies, and warnings about monitoring blood sugar if it is used, especially in conjunction with glipizide and other similar medications.

I also found that whenever someone mentioned lowering of blood sugar, lowering of cholesterol was frequently mentioned alongside it. Research has shown that cholesterol levels are often related to blood sugar abnormalities, so this is logical.

Dandelion also is thought to be a diuretic, which may affect people with kidney or circulatory problems - in a positive or negative way, depending on your condition. Many herbalists suggest it may be easier on the body than prescription diuretics because it also contains high levels of potassium, which most diuretics leech out of the body.

Because of its potential varied effects, please consult your doctor before you try it, and then monitor results very carefully.