Alternative Care for Diabetes

Diabetes covers a group of diseases that prevent the body from adequately converting food into energy. If you struggle with diabetes, you may be searching for a more natural or alternative approach to controlling your symptoms. According to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM), a wide variety of research is currently being conducted to determine if supplements and other alternatives can make a difference in the treatment of your symptoms. Understanding how to incorporate these supplements, as well as the role diet and exercise play, can help you determine if these alternative therapies are right for you.

Controlling Diabetes with Diet and Supplments

• To help control diabetes symptoms, consider changing your diet. According to "The Doctors' Book of Home Remedies for Women," those with diabetes can control symptoms, and sometimes even reduce the need for medication, simply by decreasing fat intake and losing weight. Because fat is denser than protein or carbohydrates, reducing fat grams means a reduction in overall caloric intake.
  Also, add a high-fiber cereal to your morning routine. Foods with fiber may help those with diabetes control their blood sugar, as fiber slows the absorption of carbohydrates.
  Finally, as odd as it may sound, adding one to two teaspoons of uncooked cornstarch to another liquid you ingest could help reduce episodes or hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar.

Controlling Diabetes with Exercise

• In addition to helping you lose excess pounds, regular exercise is also an alternative treatment for diabetes. Exercised muscles are more sensitive to insulin, which can improve the way your body metabolizes sugar, according to the "Doctors' Book of Home Remedies for Women." In addition, regular exercise can lower your risk of heart disease, which is often a concern for those with diabetes.

Supplements to Consider

• In addition to diet and exercise, supplements are an alternative therapy that may help reduce symptoms and control blood sugar. People with diabetes may have lower levels of chromium that those who do not, so make sure your multi-vitamin has 50-200 milligrams of chromium.
  Also, the NCCAM recommends adding omega-3 fatty acids, such as those found in fish, fish oil, vegetable oil, wheat germ and walnuts. NCCAM says that research on omega-3 fatty acids has shown to have a positive effect on controlling glucose and reducing heart disease risk in those with type 2 diabetes.
  An antioxidant, alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) may affect insulin sensitivity, diabetic neuropathy and glucose metabolism. NCCAM says that ALA may reduce blood sugar, so if you choose this supplement, make sure to monitor your blood sugar levels regularly.
  Found naturally in tea and dark chocolate, polyphenols are antioxidants that may have a positive effect on insulin activity and glucose control.
  Finally, NCCAM says that research is underway for a wide variety of other supplements, including garlic, magnesium, ginseng, coenzyme Q10, aloe vera, fenugreek and more. For an extensive list, see the NCCAM page on diabetes research, located in the References section.