facts about diabetes and the useful herbs Huereque and Bitter Melon

Diabetes is a condition that affects the way the body uses food for energy. For healthy people, the sugar you take in is digested and broken down to a simple sugar, known as glucose. The glucose then circulates in the blood where it waits to enter cells to be used as fuel. Insulin, a hormone produced by the pancreas, helps move the glucose into cells. A healthy pancreas adjusts the amount of insulin based on the level of glucose. But, for people with diabetes, this process breaks down, and blood sugar levels become too high. There are two main types of diabetes. Sufferers from Type 1 diabetes are completely unable to produce insulin. People with Type 2 diabetes can produce insulin, but their cells don't respond to it. In either case, the glucose can't move into the cells and blood glucose levels can become high. Huereque (Ibervillea sonorae) is derived from the root of the Huereque cactus from the Mexican desert. Huereque has a strong effect on lowering blood sugar levels and is widely used in traditional medicine for the control of high blood sugar. Huereque also purifies the blood and the lymphatic system Huereque belongs to the gourd or pumpkin family, which includes plants that have biochemical compounds that can reduce the levels of sugar in the blood. Huereque is also known as “wereke”, “Guareque”, “Wareki” and “Choyalhuan”. Another useful herb in order to lower the blood sugar is Bitter Melon. Bitter Melon grows in tropical areas like Asia, the Caribbean, and South America, where it is used as food as well as medicine. At least three different components in Bitter Melon have been reported to have blood sugar lowering or other actions of benefit in diabetes mellitus. These include a mixture of steroidal saponins known as charantin, insulin-like peptides, and alkaloids. The use of Bitter Melon has been shown to improve glucose tolerance without increasing blood insulin levels, and to improve fasting blood glucose levels. Our unique natural combination of Huereque (500 mg) and Bitter Melon (250 mg) will let you take control of your diabetes. This is an excellent opportunity to try Huereque if you have not heard about it before. Read more!

diabetes and liver disease

In the article “Hepatobiliary Disease in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus” written by Keith G. Tolman, MD; Vivian Fonseca, MD; Meng H. Tan, MD; and Anthony Dalpiaz, PharmD published here we learn that:“Diabetes mellitus is the fifth leading cause of death in the United States; 17 million people are affected. Liver disease is one of the leading causes of death in persons with type 2 diabetes. The standardized mortality rate for death from liver disease is greater than that for cardiovascular disease. The spectrum of liver disease in type 2 diabetes ranges from nonalcoholic fatty liver disease to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. The incidence of hepatitis C and acute liver failure is also increased. Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease is now considered part of the metabolic syndrome, and, with alcohol and hepatitis C, is the most common cause of chronic liver disease in the United States.”
Badly controlled blood sugar increases the risk of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, which can lead to scarring of the liver (nonalcoholic cirrhosis). Other medical conditions related to diabetes — such as high cholesterol also increase the risk of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. In addition, some medications used to treat these related conditions, such as cholesterol-lowering drugs, may cause liver damage. Liver Combo is a natural supplement with Milk Thistle (200 mg), Dandelion (200 mg), Licorice (50 mg), Nettle Leaf (50 mg) and Schizandra (50mg) in order to protect and take care of your liver.

world diabetes day

Next Wednesday, November 14 is the World Diabetes Day. Here is some interesting information from the press release. Diabetes currently affects 246 million people globally, including nearly 21 million children and adults in the United States. For all of them and the many millions more at risk, November 14, 2007 is a highly significant date as it marks the first United Nations-observed World Diabetes Day.The International Diabetes Federation (IDF), who leads the campaign, will be joined by the American Diabetes Association (ADA), the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF), and many other organizations to mark the day in celebrations throughout the United States. World Diabetes Day is the primary global awareness campaign of the diabetes world. It was introduced by IDF and the World Health Organization in response to concern over increasing numbers of people with diabetes around the world. The date marks the birthday of Frederick Banting who, along with Charles Best, first conceived the idea which led to the discovery of insulin in 1921. With the passage of the United Nations' World Diabetes Day Resolution in December 2006, November 14 has now become a United Nations-observed day.Look for events in your area.

how bitter melon can lower blood sugar levels

Bitter melon is perhaps the most bitter of all vegetables. Bitter melon is member of the squash family, native to southern China. Bitter melon is consumed by millions of people around the world in the Far East as well as in many Central and South American and Caribbean countries. Bitter melon is rich in iron, and has twice the beta carotene of broccoli, twice the calcium of spinach, twice the potassium of bananas, and contains vitamins B and C. Its bitterness comes from the high concentration of quinine. Bitter Melon, also known as Bitter Gourd and Karela, has been traditionally used to regulate blood sugar levels. Bitter Melon’s powerful insulin lowering properties are currently being looked at as an effective treatment for Diabetes. Studies suggest that Bitter Melon may play a role in controlling the production of insulin by the body, thus promoting blood sugar control. The hypoglycemic effect is more pronounced in the fruit of Bitter Melon where these chemicals are found in the highest quantity. Some of the documented studies show this bitter gourd to enhance cells’ uptake of glucose, to promote insulin release, and to make the effect of insulin more potent. In Ayurvedic medicine, Bitter Melon is seen as a “plant-insulin”, and some studies show that, if administered correctly, it can behave similarly to slow-acting animal insulin. The Department of Health in the Philippines has recommended bitter melon as one of the best herbal medicines for diabetic management. Together Huereque and Bitter Melon is a strong combination against high blood sugar levels. Read more!

American diabetes month

Every week throughout November the American Diabetes Association will focus on a different “face” of diabetes. Week 1 is about caregivers: supporting a loved one with diabetes can present its own unique challenges. Week 2 is about Employees: promoting healthy lifestyles in the workplace can help to prevent type 2 diabetes and its complications. Week 3 is about: diabetes around the world: Worldwide over 246 million people have diabetes. By 2020, that number is expected to rise to 380 million. Week 4 is about “at-risk populations”: one in two minorities born in 2000 will develop diabetes in their lifetime if current trends continue. Week 5 is about youth and Type 1 Diabetes: youth diagnosed with type 1 diabetes have the most urgent need for care. More information!

diabetes basics

Diabetes is a group of metabolic diseases characterized by high blood sugar levels. Normally, blood glucose levels are controlled by insulin (a hormone produced by the pancreas). Insulin lowers the blood glucose level. When the blood glucose raise (for example, after eating), insulin is released from the pancreas to normalize the glucose level. In patients with diabetes, the absence or insufficient production of insulin causes hyperglycemia. Diabetes affects approximately 17 million people (about 8% of the population) in the United States. In addition, about 12 million people in the United States have diabetes without knowing it. There are two major types of diabetes, type 1 and type 2. In type 1 diabetes, the pancreas undergoes an autoimmune attack by the body itself, and is rendered incapable of making insulin. Abnormal antibodies have been found in the majority of patients with type 1 diabetes. Antibodies are proteins in the blood that are part of the body's immune system. The patient with type 1 diabetes must rely on insulin medication for survival. In type 2 diabetes, patients can still produce insulin, but do so relatively inadequately for their body's needs. In many cases this actually means the pancreas produces larger than normal quantities of insulin. A major feature of type 2 diabetes is a lack of sensitivity to insulin by the cells of the body (particularly fat and muscle cells). In addition to the problems with an increase in insulin resistance, the release of insulin by the pancreas may also be defective and suboptimal. Blood Sugar Combo with Huereque and Bitter Melon can be useful help in order to lower the blood sugar levels.

bitter melon, natural insulin

The healthy nerd has an interesting post about bitter melon. The healthy nerd refers to bitter melon as natural insulin and shows on several trials where the power of bitter melon has been investigated.