Treating Diabetes the Alternative Way

For diabetes, here are some of the most common alternative ways of healing, including herbal solutions such as American ginseng:

·         Supplements

Several supplements containing specific elements have been publicized to improve conditions for diabetes.  One such element is chromium.  Several studies have testified to the significant role that chromium plays in benefiting diabetics, although there are no solid recommendations for its precise use.

Another element that has been the center of study in diabetes management is magnesium.  The element is said to play a role in glucose control.  Diabetics who lack magnesium are said to display abnormalities in insulin secretion. 

There’s also vanadium, an element derived from plants.  A number of studies have shown that vanadium enables a diabetic’s body to be more sensitive to insulin. However, as with chromium, recommendations for supplementation have not yet been done.

·         Stacking up on herbs and  vegetables

Diabetics, especially Type 2 ones, have been recommended to include a healthy amount of vegetables such as okra, buckwheat, broccoli, sage, peas and fiber-rich food in their diet.  These vegetables are said to aid in controlling glucose levels in the blood.  Other herbs and veggies such as ginger, garlic ginseng, nettle, American ginseng, and hawthorn have also been looked on, but without concrete results.

·         Weight loss

The link between obesity and excess weight and diabetes has been proven, thus it has been a priority for diabetics to lose excess weight.  Several ways of losing weight include herbs and supplements such as chitosan, pyruvate, Sauropus androgynus, aristolochic acid, skin patch systems and oral sprays.  These methods are supposed to suppress appetite, but no documented evidence has been established.  A number of herbs have been advertised as safe because they are “natural” although some, including Ephedrine have been banned by the USFDA due to a number of side effects. 

·         Hydrotherapy

Otherwise known as “hot tub therapy,” hydrotherapy has been said to reduce levels of blood sugar among type 2 diabetics by as much as 13%.  Although several studies have confirmed this, it is still important for diabetic patients to consult with their physicians before undergoing this method. 

·         Chromotherapy

Another popular alternative method of curing diabetes as well as other diseases is chromotherapy, wherein color bottles are used to let the body find its natural balance.  Each color represents a specific curative property.  For diabetes, the body is said to have a scarcity of oranges and yellows; thus therapy with yellow, green and orange is recommended to be done thrice a day.

In using alternative medicine, it is imperative for both patients and caretakers to bear in mind that conventional medical therapy is not to be replaced with it, especially the methods that have not been proven.  Consultation with a physician should be done before any alternative process be used.  Also, before one uses a herbal supplement in conjunction with conventional medicine, a doctor’s consent must be obtained, as dosages and effects have to be ascertained.  Otherwise, one therapy method may counteract the effects of another and may actually cause a worsening of a patient’s condition.