Anti Diabetic Foods: "


Diabetes Mellitus is a chronic metabolic disorder that prevents the body from utilizing glucose completely or partially. It is characterized by raised glucose concentration in the blood. The pancreas produce a hormone insulin which controls the amount of glucose in the blood. Without insulin, the blood sugar increases as the body cannot use or store glucose. The most commonly-used screening tests are the determination of the fasting blood glucose level and the blood glucose level tested two hours after a meal. The normal fasting blood sugar content is 80-120 mg per 100 ml of blood; this can go up to a level of 160 mg per 100 ml of blood two hours after meals. Anything above these levels can be termed as diabetic levels. Diabetes is common among older, obese people.

Types of Diabetes:
Type 1 or insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) occurs when the pancreas fails to make enough insulin. It usually occurs in childhood or adolescence but can develop at any age. These patients need insulin everyday.


Type 2 or non-insulin dependant diabetes mellitus occurs when body cells become resistant to insulin. This is more common among adults, especially those who are overweight and over age 40. These people are able to control their blood sugar levels through weight control, regular exercise and a well-balanced diet. Some people require oral medications or insulin injection to lower blood sugar.

Symptoms of Diabetes

Initial Symptoms

Increased thirst, increased urination, increased appetite are the initial symptoms.

In type 1 weight loss is seen and in type 2 obesity is seen.

Other Symptoms

Other possible symptoms are blurred vision, skin irritation or infection, weakness or loss of strength, and decreased healing capacity.

Clinical lab test data reveal glycosuria (sugar in urine), hyperglycaemia, abnormal glucose tolerance tests.

If diabetes is not diagnosed at the right time symptoms like fluid and electrolyte imbalance, acidosis, coma is seen.

There are approximately 400 plants used as diabetic remedies.

- In ancient times high-fiber wheat grains were used to treat diabetes.

- In recent time plant food have confirmed the effectiveness in treating diabetes.

- Asia, Europe, Middle East have been using garlic, raw onions as anti-diabetic since long.

- Europeans use common mushroom; people of Iraq use barley bread

- Some countries have been using bitter gourd and herb ginseng as anti-diabetic herb.

Blueberry, fenugreek seeds, coriander seeds, beans, Gooseberry, cucumber, lettuce, cinnamon, cabbage etc are used in treatment of diabetes in different countries

Bitter gourd

Bitter gourd widely found in Asia and Africa is popular for its medicinal properties and is recommended for diabetics.

Bitter Melon, also known as Karela, Momordica Charantia or Bitter Gourd is a herb that helps regulate blood sugar levels and keeps body functions operating normally.

It contains Gurmarin, a polypeptide considered to be similar to bovine insulin, which has been shown in experimental studies to achieve a positive sugar regulating effect by suppressing the neural response to sweet taste stimuli.

Bitter melon also contains a lectin that has insulin-like activity due to its non-protein-specific linking together to insulin receptors. This lectin lowers blood glucose concentrations by acting on peripheral tissues and, similar to insulin’s effects in the brain, suppressing appetite. This lectin is likely a major contributor to the hypoglycemic effect that develops after eating bitter melon.

Philippine Department of Health determined that a daily dose of 100 mg per kilogram of body weight is comparable to 2.5 mg/kg of the anti-diabetes drug glibenclamide taken twice per day.Tablets of bitter melon extract are sold in the Philippines as a food supplement under the trade name Charantia and exported to many countries.



It has lately been established that bitter gourd contains a hypoglycaemic or insulin-like principle, designated as ‘plantinsulin’, which has been found valuable in lowering the blood and urine sugar levels. It should, therefore, be included liberally in the diet of the diabetic. For better results, the diabetic should take the juice of about four or five bitter gourd every morning on an empty stomach. The seeds can be added to food in a powdered form. Diabetics can also use bitter gourd in the form of a decoction by boiling the pieces in water or in the form of dry powder.





Jambul Fruit

Black berry fruit is another effective home remedy. It is regarded in traditional medicine as a specific against diabetes because of its effect on the pancreas. The fruit as such, the seeds, and fruit juice are all useful in the treatment of this disease. The seeds contain a glucoside ‘jamboline’ which is believed to have the power to check the pathological conversion of starch into sugar in cases of increased production of glucose. The seeds should be dried and powdered. One teaspoon of this powder should be mixed in one cup of milk or water or half a cup of curd, and taken twice daily. The inner bark of the black berry tree is also used in the treatment of diabetes. The bark is dried and burnt. It will produce an ash of white colour. This ash should be pestled in mortar, strained and bottled. The diabetic patient should be given ten grams of this ash on an empty stomach with water in the morning, and twenty grams in the afternoon, and in the evening an hour after taking meals. An equal quantity of indian gooseberry powder, jamun powder, and bitter gourd powder also makes a very useful remedy for diabetes. A teaspoon of this mixture once or twice a day would be effective in checking the progress of the disease.

Grapefruit

Grapefruit is a splendid food in the diet of a diabetic patient. If grapefruits were eaten more liberally, there would be much less diabetes. If you have sugar, use three grapefruits three times a day. If you do not have sugar, but a tendency towards it and want to prevent it, use three a day.

Fenugreek

The seeds of fenugreek have been found effective in the treatment of diabetes. Fenugreek seeds, when given in varying doses of 25 gm to 100 gm daily, diminish reactive hyperglycaemia in diabetic patients. Levels of glucose, serum cholesterol, and triglycerides were also significantly reduced in the diabetes patients when the seeds were consumed.

Bengal Gram

Experiments have shown that the intake of water extract of Chickpea enhances the utilization of glucose in both diabetic and normal persons. When kept on a diet which included liberal supplements of Chickpea extract, the condition of tile patient improved considerably and his insulin requirement was reduced to about twenty units per day. Diabetes patients who are on a prescribed diet which does not severely restrict the intake of carbohydrates, but includes liberal amounts of Chickpea extract, have shown considerable improvement in their fasting blood sugar levels, glucose tolerance, urinary excretion of sugar, and general condition.

Black Gram

For a milder type of diabetes, two tablespoons of germinated black gram, taken with half a cup of fresh bitter gourd juice and a teaspoon of honey, is said to be useful. It should be taken once daily for three to four months. A restriction should be placed on the intake of carbohydrates. Even in severe cases, regular use of this combination, with other precautions, is useful as a health-giving food for the prevention of various complications that may arise due to malnutrition in diabetics.

Mango Leaves

The tender leaves of the mango tree are considered useful in diabetes. An infusion is prepared by soaking 15 gm of fresh leaves in 250 ml of water overnight, and squeezing them well in the water in the moming. This filtrate should be taken every morning to control early diabetes. As an alternative, the leaves should be dried in the shade, powdered and preserved for use when necessary. Half a teaspoon of this powder should be taken twice a day.

Parslane

The seeds of parslane are useful in diabetes. A teaspoon of the seeds should be taken every day with half a cup of water for three to four months. It will increase the body’s own insulin and help in curing diabetes.

Diabetes treatment using Other Foods

Besides bitter gourd, certain other vegetables have been found useful in diabetes. These include string beans, cucumber, onion, and garlic. Tea made of the pods of string beans is valuable in diabetes.



Oats are known for the anti oxidants and they help in achieving stability in blood sugar.

Onion and garlic are also recommended as part of regular nutritional diets for diabetics.





Appple

- Apple is one of the most valuable sub-acid fruit. Pectin found in apples is known to help fight diabetes and apples decrease the body’s insulin needs.

- It is rich in pectin content; which is a natural therapeutic ingredient and hence extremely beneficial in the treatment of diabetes.

- Pectin is found in the inner portion of rind and pulp.

- It helps in detoxification of the body and eliminates harmful substances.

- Apple helps reduce 35 % of the body’s insulin requirements.

As far as medicine is concerned, it reduces the blood sugar but not the symptoms and cause, so dose of medicine has to be increased day by day,while apple reduces the blood sugar as well as symptoms and cause,[not permenatly] and so there are no side effects of Diabetes. Besides, apple has fructose which protects automatically from going to hypoglycemia, unlike other various remidies and medicine.On Diabetes apple gives little delayed results I found that Apple has a unique inherent quality of reducing blood sugar,

According to one patient when sugar is high and if he takes apple it will bring down blood sugar level immediately within 25 to 30 minutes. with this result now he is not afraid of high sugar levels even of it is 250 too 300 mg / dl.because as soon as he takes apple and walk for 5 to10 minutes sugar level topples down by 60 to 90 mg /dl per hr. So he made it a point to take at least one apple daily and je is able to keep his normal sugar level and fun is, it does not allow to go down lesser than 80 to 90 mg / dl and keeps it at 100 to 120 mg / dl all the time. I think it may be because of Fructose in Apple.





Artichoke



The insulin in artichoke is effective for the treatment of diabetes.

- Artichoke is a tuberous root and its top resembles a sunflower.

- It contains Potassium, calcium, iron and sulphur required for maintaining good health.

- Artichoke is high in insulin content and thereby beneficial in the treatment of diabetes.

- About 2 % of insulin is found in fully ripe artichoke.

- Ripe artichoke is available only during autumn.

- Artichoke are very effective when they are eaten in their raw form especially salads.

- They can even be cooked with other vegetables.

- For cooking boil the unpeeled artichoke in small quantity of water for 10 minutes.

Dietary Guidelines for Diabetes Management

Three methods of treatment are generally followed depending on the individual and severity of the conditions.

1) Diet alone

2) Diet and Oral hypoglycaemic drugs and

3) Diet & insulin.

A mild diabetic can manage his disease with control on his diet alone. A severe diabetic requires dietary control along with insulin. However, whatever the form of controlling diabetes, regularity, routine and regulation should be strictly followed.

Types for Foods to be eaten for Diabetics

A diabetic should follow a low carbohydrates, low fat & moderate protein diet. The diet should be high in complex carbohydrates ie. High fibre diet like vegetables, whole legumes, whole wheat products, oats etc. Products made from refined wheat flours should be restricted. Salads can be consumed in a any quantities but high fat salad dressings should be avoided. Fruits can be taken as per recommended by your dietician, fruit juices should be avoided and whenever possible fruit should be taken with the skin eg. Apple, Pear etc. Preferably avoid fruits along with your meals and you can take it 2 hours after or before a meal.

Each meal should contain some source of protein as it doesn’t increase the blood sugar immediately

For eg. In breakfast you can consume oats porridge, which contains oats as well as milk. Proteins should not be taken too much in excess as it may lead to renal problems.

A diabetic patient should worry about the fat content of his diet. Many foods have some amount of invisible fats such as whole milk, egg yolk, and red meats.

Choose skimmed milk, egg whites, de-skinned chicken and use very little quantity of visible fats like oil, Clarified butter, butter in your daily diet.


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