Herbs for Type 2 pre-diabetes

Study Says Type 2 Diabetes Can Be Reversed Without Drugs

Posted by Cathy on

Major British Study Demonstrates in Real World Non-Pharma Intervention Can Bring Type 2 Diabetics into Remission!

The question is: Can Total Diet Replacement (TDR) lead to remission of type 2 diabetes?

In 2019, the English National Health Service (NHS) decided to run a “Real World” study to answer this question.

The research involved 12-month non-pharmaceutical behavioral intervention to support weight loss involving an initial 3-month period of TDR. Participants in this study were age 18-65 and had been diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes within the last  6 years.

The primary outcome was remission of Type 2 diabetes after one year.

The findings (outcome) are astonishing. Most medical doctors would never prescribe a “Total Diet Replacement” for a Type 2 diabetic patient. In this case soup and shakes played a big role in the first 3 month.

In the United States Insurance guidelines/directives require doctors to prescribe a drug once a patients HbA1c numbers fall into diabetic ranges. Will this study upset the apple cart and require doctors to prescribe diet and lifestyle medicine like Chinese herbal remedies such as Sugar Control Herb Pack and real food options?

We won’t be holding our breath for that one, but this is important information to know.  If diet can change your medical diagnosis from Type 2 Diabetic to remission from diabetes, does it make sense to you this should be headline news everywhere?

The 12-month innovative program helped kickstart weight loss by providing participants with low calorie, nutritionally complete, total diet replacement products such as soups, shakes and bars consisting of 800 to 900 calories a day, for the first 12 weeks. Chinese herbal remedies are always a good option to complete a healthy lifestyle along with delicious homemade soups. In fact, many soups add Chinese herbs as part of the recipe.  (But I digress)

Of the 945 participants who embraced completion of this program, 450 (48%) had two HbA1c measurements recorded; of these, 145 (32%) had remission, and a mean weight loss of  approximately 33 pounds.

Head researcher: Professor Jonathan Valabhji, Department of Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction, Faculty of Medicine, Chelsea and Westminster Hospital Campus, Imperial College London

Professor Valabhji is National Clinical Lead for Multiple Long-Term Conditions at NHS England, having been National Clinical Director for Diabetes and Obesity between 2013 and September 2023. He is Clinical Chair in Medicine at Imperial College London and Honorary Consultant Diabetologist at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

Recipes For A Happy and Healthy Gut

Posted by Cathy on

What’s the best way to build your microbiome, your gut bacteria?

What’s the best way to build diversity in your gut bacteria?

Food!

Your food is your medicine. Here a few really fun to eat and fun to make medicinal recipes to build your those friendly gut bacteria and boost your immune system without costly, ineffective probiotics all grown from basically the same strain of Lactobacillus.

Have fun with these recipes. Tweak them and enjoy!!

Brownies For Your Bacteria

Makes about 16 brownies
(2 grams of fiber per brownie)

The flavonoids in chocolate are a healthy treat. You can indulge in this amazing superfood and feel good about giving this dessert to your kids while simultaneously feeding your good gut bacteria.

Ingredients:

6 ounces dark chocolate (70 percent cocoa)
5 TBLS unsalted cultured organic butter
1 cup almond meal
1/3 cup organic cane sugar
1 TBLS cacao nibs
2 large organic eggs
1 TBLS vanilla extract
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp sea salt
1 TBLS orange zest ( or 4 drops orange oil)
A handful of walnuts optional

Instructions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt the butter and chocolate in the microwave or double broiler stirring occasionally so chocolate melts but does not burn. Add the almond meal, sugar, cacao nibs, eggs, vanilla, cinnamon, salt, and orange zest (or oil) and whisk together. Add nuts if desired. Pour into an 8×8 oiled baking pan. (Coconut oil work well.)

Bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Orange Miso Dipping Sauce for Veggies & Fish 

Seeds are a great source of fiber. Eating a variety of seeds is easy as sprinkling them into your oatmeal, salads, cooked veggies or yogurt. This easy sauce makes everything taste scrumptious.

Ingredients:

Squeeze juice of 2 oranges & 4 TBLS of orange pulp blended till smooth (about 1 cup total)
2 TBLS unpasteurized miso paste (white or yellow)
2 TBLS Sesame Oil
1 TBLS grated fresh ginger
1 TBLS grated orange peel

Blend all ingredients in the blender and ENJOY!

NOT NAKED POPCORN

Serves 4-5 the best snack
(2.5 grams of fiber per serving)

Your microbiome thrive on fiber and this delicious popcorn gives you plenty!
When you add an assortment the of healthy topping listed below you spice up your
Naked Popcorn with vitamins, minerals and even more fiber all which boost those healthy bugs within. Experiment with your own mix and match toppings. Please do avoid the microwave popcorn. Organic corn kernels are very inexpensive and you can either use a popcorn maker or large pot.

Ingredients:

2 TBLS sesame oil or Organic Coconut oil
½ cup organic popcorn kernels
2 sheets nori seaweed crushed
½ tsp sea salt
1 tsp wasabi powder
1 tsp cayenne powder (optional) –
OR – Braggs Organic Sprinkles – OR – Lemon & Pepper seasoning OR Truffle Salt OR Fresh parsley, chives, and Tarragon, OR Basil and garlic

Morning Smoothie For a Happy Gut

Start your day with green veggies and hemp protein powder your gut will thank you. This easy smoothie recipe can be modified with season fruit such as pears and peaches. Frozen organic mangos or frozen blueberries are also a great choice. Mix and match as you like and seasonal fruit permits.

Ingredients:
1 Organic pear or peach (remove seeds and pit but leave the skin on)
1-2 TBLS organic hemp protein powder
½ cup frozen mango or frozen blueberries
1 cup non-dairy milk (coconut, almond, oat milk you decide)
2 cups leafy greens (spinach, kale, beet greens, or a mix of all)
1 cup plain unsweetened kefir or yogurt (Non-dairy yogurt is preferable)
1 tsp vanilla extract

Put all ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth.

Super Pre-Biotic Sauerkraut

The simplest form of sauerkraut is just cabbage and salt, which is where we start in this recipe.

Once the salt is added, simply massage with clean hands for 10 minutes or until the cabbage has reduced quite a bit in size and released quite a bit of liquid at the base of the bowl. Now, add some color and flavor.

I like shredded carrots and beets, which provide a vibrant orange-magenta hue. Next come fresh minced garlic and fresh grated ginger and turmeric for big flavor. The result is a perfectly salted fresh vegetable sauerkraut infused with zesty garlic and ginger and earthy turmeric. Mix again to incorporate and you’ve practically made sauerkraut!  Mix again to incorporate and you’ve practically made sauerkraut!pack.

Pack into sterilized glass jars and ensure the liquid extracted from all that massaging rises up and covers the kraut for optimum fermentation. Then leave it alone to do its thing. Set it on the counter out of direct sunlight or in a cabinet for 1-14 days (or longer) to let it naturally ferment. This recipe will have a tangy, fresh, garlicky, delicious crunchy taste.

 

Sea Salt and Lime Homemade Jicama Chips

(4 Servings)

Ingredients:
3 jicamas
chili powder
garlic powder
onion powder
salt
Directions:  Peel and slice jicama into thin slices. Spread out on top of parchment paper on a cookie sheet. Season to taste. Coat chips with organic coconut cooking spray.

Place in oven at 400° F for approximately 25-30 minutes, or until crisp.

Enjoy with your favorite low-calorie dip!

Wildish Grain-Free Granola

Ingredients:

1 cup organic dates cut into small pieces

2 cups organic chopped walnuts

1 cup organic coconut flakes

1 cup organic sunflower seeds

1 cup organic pumpkin seeds

1 1/2 cups dry roasted salted organic cashews

1 cup organic pecans (cut into small pieces)

1/2 cup organic goji berries (optional)

1/2 cup banana chips cut into bite-size  (optional)

Directions:  Mix together in large bowl and then store in an airtight glass container. Keep in a refrigerator for maximum freshness.

 

This Chinese Herb and Common Spice Lowers Blood Sugar for Type 2 Diabetes

Posted by Cathy on

Chinese herbs for diabetesThe rise in diabetes in the Western world is out of control.   Too many folks seem to ignore the role of diet in prevention and treatment of diabetes and yet something as simply as cinnamon consumption may be an way to improve blood glucose levels.

Cinnamon is a common spice and Chinese herb used in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) for centuries.  Cinnamon bark and twigs are often used in Chinese herbal medicine to enhance digestive function, promote the movement of qi, disperse the cold and fortify the kidney energy and pancreas.

A recent study from Germany published in the European Journal of Clincal Investigation shows a water soluble cinnamon extract can reduce fasting blood sugar levels in patients with type 2 diabetes.

The cinnamon  (known as the Chinese herbs Gui Zhi and Rou Gui)  results further add to a growing body of clinical evidence demonstrating supplementation with cinnamon bark and twig extract may play an important role in managing blood sugar levels and improving insulin function.

The  study  done at the University of Hannover was both placebo controlled  and double-blind, designed to determine the effect of a water-soluble cinnamon extract on glycemic control and cardiovascular risk factors in patients with type 2 diabetes. A total of 79 patients with type 2 diabetes not on insulin therapy but treated with oral medication or diet therapy were randomly assigned to take either a cinnamon extract or placebo capsule three times daily for four months. The cinnamon capsule contained 112 mg of water-soluble extract, an equivalent of one gram of cinnamon powder. The cinnamon extract group experienced a significant reduction in fasting plasma glucose levels (10.3%) versus the placebo group (3.4%). Changes in HbA1c and lipid profiles were not statistically significant.

“This study, together with a recent clinical trial utilizing Cinnulin PF, provides compelling evidence for the beneficial effects of a water-soluble cinnamon extract on blood sugar levels,” stated Tim Romero, executive vice president, Integrity Nutraceuticals International, marketer of Cinnulin PF. “We are excited to see in the coming months results of studies underway that further substantiate the efficacy and safety of Cinnulin PF.”

————————

Reference: American Botanical Council     http://cms.herbalgram.org/herbclip/257/review43853.html

 

More studies on Curcumin: 

Phase II trial of curcumin in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer