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Non-insulin dependent diabetes
I have just been diagnosed with non-insulin dependent diabetes. Can you recommend any herbal or nutritional supplements that can help? I am not taking any conventional medicine and have managed to lose 32lbs in weight so I am now the correct weight for my height but I would like to find a good natural health specialist.
The body breaks down carbohydrates to form glucose which is its main source of energy. What happens with diabetes, is that either the pancreas does not produce enough of the hormone, insulin, to then convert this glucose into energy or that the cells become, in effect, desensitised to the insulin that is being produced so that the pancreas goes into overdrive and produces too much.
The main symptoms include excessive thirst, an increase in the frequency of urination, increased appetite, tiredness and lethargy and weight loss. Other symptoms are muscle cramps, tingling limbs, blurred vision, itchy skin, recurrent boils and slow wound healing. There is a genetic link but diabetes can also be triggered by pregnancy, surgery or a sudden shock.
The good news is that natural health practitioners believe that Type II or non-insulin dependent diabetes, which starts in adulthood, can be reversed by controlling body weight (which you have done) and by changing your diet.
First, you need to step up your intake of foods which have what is called a low glycaemic index or GI. This is a measurement of the rate at which different carbohydrate foods raise blood sugar levels (compared with white bread). You need to eat foods that are rated below 50. These include most fruits, vegetables and pulses, porridge oats, buckwheat noodles and wholegrain wheat bread. Ice cream is borderline at 50 and so should be only an occasional treat.
Some practitioners will give intra-venous vitamin injections to help control this condition. These include vitamin C which works to inhibit tissue damage, vitamin B6 which is often deficient in Type II diabetics and vitamin E which prevents the accumulation of sugar in the form of sorbitol in the body. Chromium supplements have also been shown to improve the body’s tolerance to glucose by lowering glucose levels.
One of the herbs now being investigated for this condition is Bilberry. The fruits are commonly used for eye problems, including cataracts, and for strengthening blood vessels but for diabetes, the leaves have shown great potential. The active ingredient responsible for producing an insulin-like effect in the body is an anthocyanoside called myrtillin. It is weaker than insulin but far less toxic and in animal trials, a single therapeutic dose of just 1g a day was shown to bring about an improvement lasting for several weeks.
*The Somerset-based naturopath Rosalind Blackwell reports excellent results in treating Type II diabetes. Her regimen at the Integrative Clinic may include IV injections. For more details call 01934-712848.