High blood sugar levels need to be controlled in those with type 2 diabetes. Which plant-based supplement may help you to do just that? Find out here.
Researchers from various departments at the University of Toronto collaborated to monitor the effects of a certain supplement on blood sugar levels.
Twenty-four participants with type 2 diabetes took part in the experiment.
Eleven of them were men, while 13 were women; the average age was 64 years old, add or minus seven years.
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Type 2 diabetes: This spice could lower blood sugar
Selected randomly, half of the participants were given three grams of American ginseng every day for eight weeks.
Over the two-month period, the other half were given a placebo.
The results revealed that American ginseng decreased post-meal blood sugar by about 20 percent.
Additionally, the same group of researchers found that diabetics who took one gram of the herb for two months had a reduction in blood sugar levels by 10 percent.
What is American ginseng?
The herbal remedy is a member of the ivy plant family, which grows in eastern and central parts of America.
In particular, it grows in the Appalachian and Ozark mountains.
Those associated with Boston University, School of Medicine, discovered that American ginseng may improve the cells’ respond to insulin.
Furthermore, it was found to increase the body’s natural secretion of insulin.
Improving how the body responds to insulin is imperative to controlling blood sugar levels.
It’s the hormone insulin that is responsible for enabling cells within the body to convert sugars from foods into energy.
When this process is disturbed – the key diagnostic tool for type 2 diabetes – health risks can occur.
Prolonged high blood sugar levels can lead to various health complications.
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For instance, Diabetes UK explains how high blood sugar levels can lead to nerve damage.
This is called neuropathy, which is caused by excessively high blood sugar damaging blood vessels within the body.
High blood sugar can also damage the tiny filters found in the kidneys.
Damaged filters in the kidneys may leak, leading to abnormal amounts of protein in the blood leaving the body via urine.
When this happens, it’s an early indication of kidney disease – also known as diabetic nephropathy.
If you use insulin or medicine to manage your diabetes, you’re entitled to free prescriptions.
For those under 60 years old, you must possess a medical exemption certificate to claim free medication.
If you’re on medication for type 2 diabetes, do still take your prescribed medication if you choose to incorporate American ginseng into your diet.
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