Stories on Health

I have well-meaning friends and family. They love me and only want the best for my health and happiness. This well-intentioned group over the years has given me as gifts (and I’m not lying here) weight-loss recipe books, diabetes medical ID bracelets (yes, more than one), low-carb pasta, a pouch for wearing my insulin pump under my clothes, and the book When Bad Things Happen to Good People. Now I know I’m going to sound ungrateful, but c’mon! Seriously, these are “gifts”? Please, when you’re shopping for a diabetic, buy a gift that you’d want to receive. I live with diabetes every day. I don’t need my birthday or Christmas to be centered around my disease too!

It’s impossible to have diabetes and not be bombarded by well-meaning friends who share all kinds of “natural” treatments and cures. So how do you sort through the facts to find something that really might help control blood sugars? Well, here’s my tip sheet on the herbs and natural remedies that seem to show some promise.

Cinnamon has been shown in several studies to help lower BG levels and “normalize” lipids in Type 2 diabetics.

Bilberry (not blueberry) leaves have also been reported to help with BG control when consumed in an anti-diabetic tea. But please be careful and use in small quantities. Too much bilberry can be toxic.

Evening Primrose Oil has been shown in studies to contain GLA (gammalinolenic acid), which can help prevent—and potentially reverse—the nerve damage (neuropathy) commonly caused by diabetes.