Ayurveda is not just about drinking teas made with herbs, seeds, roots etc. It is a preventive as well as a curing system of treatment for a multitude of ailments and diseases.
World Diabetes Day was celebrated yesterday, the 14th of November.
I am using this opportunity to write on natural cures for all types of diabetes.
Almost all the foods we eat contain natural sugar. There are different types of sugars found in food:
a) FRUCTOSE – It is found in Apples, Pears, Onions, Red Peppers, Honey, Sugar Beets and Sugarcane.
b) GALACTOSE – It is mainly found in milk as a part of the sugar Lactose.
c) GLUCOSE – It comes from foods like Honey and Dried Fruits, your body can also make glucose by breaking down other carbohydrates.
d) SUCROSE – It is a common table sugar made from Glucose and Fructose.
e) LACTOSE – It is found in milk and dairy products.
Diabetes is a chronic medical condition where your blood sugar (Glucose) levels are consistently high.
Hyperglycaemia is (High blood sugar) caused by high glucose levels in blood.
Hypoglycaemia (Low blood sugar ) Some of the factors that lead to low blood sugar levels are drinking alcohol, foods you eat , certain medical conditions plus excess intake of insulin by Diabetic patients.
What Is Insulin?
Insulin is a naturally occurring hormone made in your Pancreas. It helps your body to turn food into energy. The insulin moves the glucose in the body to your cells where it is converted into energy. Without insulin, glucose can’t get into your cells and remains in your blood and the levels increase beyond normal (Hyperglycaemia).
Readers, you are invited to explore the natural way of preventing, reducing and curing diabetes be it type- 1, type-2 or Infantile Diabetes, etc.
Disclaimer: I am not a medical practitioner but have seen and been using ayurvedic treatments from childhood and can vouch for their effectiveness in most cases. I also suggest that you consult your doctor/s if you are prescribed with insulin injections, tablets or any other form of artificial insulin before trying these remedies.
a) Jowar Flour (Hindi)
Sorghum Flour ( English )
Health Benefits: Natural cure for diabetes, lowers Cholesterol, Gluten free, lowers the risk of heart Diseases.
How to Use: It can be used as an alternative to wheat flour and used to make bread, rotis or a porridge can be made with it.
b) Ragi Flour ( Hindi )
Finger Millets Flour (English)
Health Benefits: Helps control Sugar Levels, enhances digestion, reduces risks of Heart Diseases and so on.
How to Use: It can be used to make bread, bakes or porridge.
c) Bajra Flour ( Hindi )
Pearl Millets Flour (English)
Health Benefits: It manages diabetes by regulating blood sugar levels and insulin production, prevents cancer, lowers blood pressure and cholesterol rich in fibre, protein and essential minerals. It is Gluten Free.
How to Use: it can be used to make bread, roti, bakes or porridge.
d) Bitter Gourd ( English ) Karela ( Hindi ) Cocum Coolie ( Creole )
Health Benefits: Helps reduce High blood sugar levels, has some cancer fighting properties, lowers cholesterol, aids in losing weight and also clears the intestines of any infections.
How to Use: Blend half a bitter gourd with an ounce of water and drink it first thing in the morning, it can be used to make a salad, cook it as a curry and any other way you choose to consume it.
e) Small, immature guavas and tender guava leaves:
Health Benefits: They lower blood sugar levels, boost heart health, reduces High blood pressure and high cholesterol. Immature guavas are effective in reducing colds and cough by decreasing mucus formation and by disinfecting the throat, respiratory tract and the lungs.
How to Use: Immature guavas and leaves can be chewed and swallowed. The leaves can be brewed into a tea. Mature or ripe guavas are rich in vitamins and can be made into a juice or eaten as is.
f) Neem / Margosa – Leaves, Flowers and Fruits
Health Benefits of Neem: It improves liver health (production of insulin), stimulates the immune system, preserves eyesight, detoxifies the body, it is antibacterial and has many more uses.
How to Use: The leaves and flowers can be used to make tea. The paste of the leaves can be used externally on any fungal infections of the skin and nails.
The best way to reduce, prevent or cure diabetes is based on the choices you make in your diet and life style. Cut down on consumption of meat and alcohol and add more vegetables to your meals. Reduce the quantity of food you eat per meal and exercise for a few minutes in the morning and evening. Drink a lot of water because water supersedes any other medication on the earth.