Fascinating Facts About Balancing Your Blood Sugar with Herbs and Supplements
Balanced blood sugar is essential for overall health, but for some, keeping blood glucose (a.k.a blood sugar) levels in a healthy range can be challenging.
Knowing and understanding the symptoms of high and low blood sugar is very important, especially for those living with diabetes, not to mention their friends and family members.
Sugar is everywhere. It’s almost impossible to avoid.
The foods you eat every day have varying amounts of sugar in them. Your body breaks down the carbohydrates and sugars in your food into a simple sugar called glucose. The purpose of glucose is to give your body the energy it needs to function at the cellular level. Insulin helps to move the sugar from your bloodstream into your cells.
Any time that your body can’t process glucose and get it into your cells for the energy it needs, you have a blood sugar problem.
The most common blood sugar disorders are diabetes (types 1, 2 and gestational) and non-diabetic low blood sugar (hypoglycemia.) Type 1 diabetes usually begins in childhood. With type 1 the body can’t manufacture insulin at all. Type 2 diabetes is where your body doesn’t respond well to insulin — this is called insulin resistance — so your blood sugar is constantly too high.
Gestational diabetes is a bit different. It only develops during pregnancy and often goes away after the baby is born. In cases of gestational diabetes, the mother develops type 2 diabetes while pregnant, which can put her baby at risk of lifelong obesity and low blood sugar levels at birth. Gestational diabetes can also make the baby more likely to develop type 2 diabetes as an adult.
Low Blood Sugar
When the amount of blood glucose, or sugar in your blood, drops below your target range, it’s called low blood glucose or hypoglycemia. Low blood sugar can be a very dangerous condition and should be monitored carefully. Be sure to discuss your individual levels with your doctor if you think you may have either high or low blood sugar.
Low blood sugar can occur in people with diabetes who take medicines that increase insulin levels in their body.
Low blood sugar can be caused by factors such as:
- taking too much blood sugar medication
- skipping meals
- eating less than normal
- exercising more than you usually do
Without enough glucose, your body can’t perform its normal functions. Immediate treatment for low blood sugar levels is important. Half a cup of juice or a tablespoon of honey can bring your levels back up to normal. If you think you might be experiencing the symptoms of low blood sugar, seek treatment immediately.
If your blood sugar levels drop you may experience:
- blurry vision
- rapid heartbeat
- sudden mood changes
- sudden nervousness
- headache
- shaking
- sweating
- sleep difficulties
- tingling of the skin
- trouble thinking clearly or concentrating
- loss of consciousness (fainting)
High blood sugar
So what about high blood sugar?
High blood glucose is also called hyperglycemia. As I’ve said, if you have any concerns, you should talk to your healthcare provider about safe blood sugar targets for you.
High blood sugar levels can be caused by:
- too much food
- too little exercise or physical activity
- missed (or too low a dose of) diabetes pills or insulin
- spoiled insulin
- stress, illness, infection, injury or surgery
- a blood glucose meter that’s not reading accurately
If you have high blood sugar, you may experience:
- excessive thirst
- frequent urination
- dry mouth or skin
- blurred vision
- frequent infections
- slow healing cuts and sores
- unexplained weight loss
Balance Your Blood Sugar Without Medication
Most people can avoid diabetes with diet and exercise, even if they have a genetic predisposition. Many diabetics can come off of their insulin-regulating medications completely through these means as well.
Some of the following herbs and supplements have been found to be helpful for managing diabetes naturally. Never stop taking or adjust the dosage of any medications without speaking to your healthcare provider. Be sure to check with your healthcare provider before you start taking any natural supplements as a means of managing your blood sugar issues.
Garlic: Some studies have shown that garlic helps with blood circulation and with reducing glucose in the body. Reducing glucose levels is good for people who have diabetes, either type 1 or 2, but it would not particularly help those with low blood sugar levels. More studies are needed to confirm the use of garlic for balancing blood sugar levels.
Fig Leaf: In Spain and southwestern Europe, fig leaf consumption is used to help with glucose processing. The chemical component responsible for this is not yet known; more studies on this topic could benefit those suffering from blood sugar disorders.
Ginseng: The American, Siberian and Korean varieties of this warming plant are known to help decrease fasting blood glucose levels. This is helpful in testing for diabetes and in treating diabetes. While many view ginseng as a panacea for many diseases, you should consult with a medical professional before taking it to be sure that you are acting in your best interests.
Milk Thistle: Lots of people use milk thistle for organ support when attempting to reduce their toxic burden or when recovering from alcohol or drug abuse. Though not yet validated by scientific study, some people also use it to improve insulin resistance. It is not yet understood how milk thistle may benefit those with type 2 diabetes, so please consult with a doctor before using it as a diabetic supplement.
Fenugreek: Grown in North Africa, India and parts of the Mediterranean, fenugreek is used to control blood glucose. Multiple clinical studies that support the use of fenugreek for lowering blood sugar levels and improving glucose tolerance have been published.
Marine Phytoplankton: This superfood contains an incredible number of nutrients and has many benefits for health, including blood sugar balance. The chromium in marine phytoplankton helps to stabilize blood sugar levels. Plus, if you’re trying to watch what you eat for diabetes prevention or care, marine phytoplankton contains glutamic acid, which helps you manage cravings for sweets. Also, the B vitamins in marine phytoplankton support the pancreas, which is important because the pancreas doesn’t function well in most people who have blood sugar imbalances. To learn more about marine phytoplankton, check out my recent blog post, What is Marine Phytoplankton?
Make marine phytoplankton your secret weapon
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- Nannochloropsis Gaditana contains everything that the body needs to produce new, healthy cells.
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Do you have blood sugar issues? What natural remedies do you use to help keep it under control?
Resources:
http://www.diabetes.org/diabetes-basics/gestational/what-is-gestational-diabetes.html
http://www.diabetes.co.uk/Diabetes-herbal.html
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4344213/
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