I hope you all agree that effective diabetes management does not possible only by taking conventional hypoglycemic medicines. Diabetologists also recommend dietary modifications and physical activities to patients who have type II diabetes for better treatment outcomes. A scientific literature review concluded that the integration of herbs and superfoods act as an adjuvant therapy with conventional hypoglycemic medicine. Along with modified lifestyle patterns could extensively provide better diabetes management in terms of better blood glucose level control and reduce the risk of diabetes-associated complications. [1]
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is an abnormal health condition and indicative of a high blood sugar level. Broadly, diabetes is two types- type I and type II. Type – I diabetes occurs due to an immune system attack that damages the pancreatic cell and causes insufficient insulin production.
Type II diabetes is the condition in which the body unable to utilize or produce insulin. However, type II diabetes is not an auto-immune condition. Diabetes can occur at any age.
Apart from these two types, gestational diabetes is common among pregnant women, but after childbirth the disorder usually self-corrected. [2]
Diabetes become a global health concern
Administration of insulin is the primary treatment for type -I diabetes, whereas different conventional hypoglycemic medications prescribe to control type II diabetes. The uncontrolled diabetic condition leads to a variety of health complications, such as foot problems, nerve damage, heart disease, kidney failure, stroke attack, eye disorders, dental problems, etc. The incidence rate of diabetes increases day by day. It is assumed that worldwide 380 million people will be affected by diabetes by 2025. [3] This increasing incidence and diabetes-associated vital organ disorders make this a global health issue.
What are the Herbs and Superfood act as adjuvant therapy in diabetes management?
Obesity and dyslipidemia are common in type II diabetes and underlying causes of many complications. Following are some herbs and Superfood complement the blood-glucose-lowering effect of hypoglycemic medicines and also control the underlying complications. But I never suggest these can be used as a substitute for conventional diabetic treatment and stop using prescribed medicine without consultation with a doctor.
Cinnamon
The sweet aroma of cinnamon bark is not only a food flavoring spice but can improve glucose utilization in our body and increase insulin secretion. Cinnamon provides an ‘insulin-like’ effect. The bioactive ingredients present in cinnamon able to lower blood sugar level by following way:
- increase cellular utilization of glucose (a type of sugar)
- converts more glucose to glycogen and stored them for future utilization
- reduce the conversion of glycogen to glucose by decreasing the activity of glycogen synthase kinase 3β
- Increases the activity of glucosidase enzymes and thus reduces intestinal absorption of glucose
- regulate the energy level by controlling intestinal enzymatic activity. [4]
Cinnamon can lower blood cholesterol through reducing triglyceride, total cholesterol, and LDL (bad) cholesterol levels, whereas it increases HDL (good) cholesterol levels in the blood.
- Cinnamon inhibits hepatic HMG Co-A reductase enzyme and reduces blood cholesterol level
- The antioxidant effect of cinnamon reduces lipid peroxidation and inhibits 5-lipoxygenase enzyme activity in the liver and provides a cholesterol-lowering effect.
- Cinnamon also has lipolytic activity and also promotes phagocytosis (engulf) of LDL cholesterol. [5]
Research result also suggested that cinnamon might effective to manage blood glucose level in pre-diabetic people. [6] If your blood test report showed glucose level is borderline, then I recommend you to add cinnamon in your daily diet as a preventive measure.
The selection of dose is critical and usually depends upon patient conditions like a diagnostic report, body weight, current medication, etc. However, I referred to different clinical studies and found 1 gm of cinnamon powder per day can control blood sugar in diabetic patients within three months. [5] But do not increase intake of cinnamon 6 gm per day to avoid any unpleasant side effects like liver toxicity. [7]
Tips to include cinnamon bark in your daily diet for better diabetes management
You can add a measured amount of cinnamon powder in oatmeal and muesli as a flavoring agent and also for better diabetes management. Cinnamon aroma enhances the flavor of different sweet confectionery recipes. But if you want to grasp its bioactive property to get optimum health benefits of cinnamon then prepare herbal tea by adding three inches of cinnamon bark in a cup of hot water and close the lid for 10 minutes and enjoy the drink. Cinnamon has a long shelf-life and easily store for 4 to 5 years in an air-tight container. Another useful tip that I want to share with readers is to select the Ceylon variety of cinnamon to get the best treatment outcome.
Fenugreek
I recommend fenugreek seed solution for newly detected diabetic patients to control their glycemia and dyslipidemia conditions.
- Fenugreek contains soluble fibers such as glucomannan fiber restrict sugar absorption in your gut.
- Fenugrecin and trigonelline are two alkaloids present in fenugreek have hypoglycemic effects
- Fenugreek stimulates the pancreas to release insulin due to an amino acid (4 hydroxyisoleucine) present in this herbal ingredient. [8]
Tips to include fenugreek seeds in your daily diet for better diabetes management
Take 25 mg of fenugreek seeds and add them into a glass of water. Keep it overnight for soaking and drink the solution next morning in an empty stomach. Continue this therapy for one month. But monitor your blood glucose level regularly and maintain a dairy to keep the record of your blood sugar level. A human trial result reported that fenugreek seed solution significantly reduced overall cholesterol levels. [9]
Blueberry
Blueberry is a perfect Superfood for diabetic diet due to the following reasons:
- Blueberry has a low glycemic index and.
- Normalize blood sugar level by reducing insulin resistant
- It also acts against obesity and metabolic disorders. [10]
Tips to include blueberry fruits in your daily diet for better diabetes management
Patients with type II diabetes can maintain their blood sugar level within a normal limit by adding blueberry in their daily diet. A bowl of blueberry can be a diabetic snake item. You can also mix Acai berries, Cranberries in your Blueberry bowl to make it a colorful and antioxidant-rich diabetic healthy diet to support the vital functioning of your body.
Moringa
Moringa becomes a more discussed Superfoods nowadays due to its multiple health benefits. One of the significant benefits of this herb is blood glucose maintenance within a normal limit. The glucose tolerance test has proven this benefit of moringa. The phytonutrients present in this Superfood effectively reduce post-prandial hyperglycemia and hemoglobin A1C (HbA1C) levels. Moringa exerts an antihyperglycemic effect due to the following reasons:
- Delays the intestinal glucose absorption
- Increases glucose uptake in skeletal muscles and reduces glucose production in the liver by regulating enzymatic activity. [11]
Tips to include Moringa in your daily diet for better diabetes management
Leaves, seeds, and pods of Moringa have antidiabetic properties. You can add moringa leaves, and fruits in your soup preparation. Moringa powder is available in different organic shops, but you should keep your eyes on the authenticity of the product to avoid any adulteration. You add 500mg moringa powder in green smoothie preparation and drink this healthful appetizer any time a day. But you should monitor blood sugar levels every day to avoid hypoglycemia.
Role of modified lifestyle measures in diabetes management
Physical activity has a positive role in diabetes management. Brisk walking, aerobic exercise, and swimming are different physical activities diabetic patients can include in their daily life to maintain blood glucose levels. But I recommend yoga should be an integral modified lifestyle measure for the diabetic patient for better management of overall health condition.
The systematic approach of yoga is not only limited to physical health but also influence mental well-being. Yoga can advocate mind-full eating and stress-free life, which are two essential parameters to prevent raising blood glucose levels. [12] The following are significant benefits of yoga in diabetes management:
- Yoga can regulate eating patterns
- Practicing yoga support mind-body connection, which improves self-awareness
- Yoga brings modest weight loss
- Regular yoga practice can significantly reduce both fasting and post-prandial blood sugar. [13]
- Yoga is also an effective diabetes preventive measure.
How to practice yoga for diabetes management?
I have researched and found the following yoga schedule that can lower down both fasting and post-prandial blood sugar. But you have to follow this schedule regularly. You can observe a noticeable change in the blood test report and health parameters within six months.
| Sl. No. | Yoga Practices | Duration |
| 1 | Prayer | 3 Minutes |
| 2 | Omkar recitation | 3 Minutes |
| 3 | Pranayama | 5 Minutes |
| 4 | Various asanas:
· Vajrasana · Halasana · Matsyasana · Bhujangasana · Paschimottanasana · Shalabhasana · Vakrasana · Sarvangasana |
30 Minutes |
| 5 | Shavasana | 5 Minutes |
Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4437062/
My aim to include this topic in my blog is to increase general awareness. Not only depend on polypharmacy to control blood glucose labels but bring changes in daily life after reading this blog and help the world to fight against the increasing incidence of diabetes and its complications.
References
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S175646461930218X
- https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/diabetes/overview/what-is-diabetes
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3358966/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5220230/
- https://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/26/12/3215
- https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/07/200721102143.htm
- https://www.hindawi.com/journals/ijfs/2019/4138534/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5954247/
- https://www.hindawi.com/journals/jdr/2019/8507453/
- https://www.foodandnutritionjournal.org/volume6number3/superfoodsrecent-data-on-their-rolein-the-prevention-of-diseases/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6950081/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6145966/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4437062/