Herbs for Diabetes-part I

Clinical trials have showed that fenugreek contains a substance that helps to control blood sugar levels and increased insulin productionin people with type 2 diabetes. The fenugreek plant grows wild from the eastern Mediterranean area to China; it is cultivated worldwide. The seeds of fenugreek are used as a spice and the leafs are used as an herb. The seeds are commonly used in Indian cuisine.
Fenugreek, which has comparable antidiabetic potency to cinnamon,is one of the most valuable spices for the control of glucosemetabolism and thus the prevention and treatment of Type IIdiabetes. Owing to its many properties it helps in the preventionand treatment of diabetes in several ways.Working in a similar way to the common antidiabetic drug glibenclamide, fenugreek lowers cellular insulin resistance and controls blood glucose homeostasis. It has been shown to lowerblood glucose levels of Type II diabetics by as much as 46 percent.As an added bonus, fenugreek seeds are a very rich in a type of dietary fibre that modulates post-prandial blood glucose levels by delaying the absorption of sugar in the intestines. This mucilaginous fiber also reduces the absorption of fat and cholesterol from the intestines thus providing additional protection against heart disease and obesity. Fenugreek has a strong modulating effect on blood lipid levels andcan substantially reduce the risk of atherosclerosis. In diabetics,who usually suffer lipid imbalances, it has demonstrated a remarkable ability to lower cholesterol, triglycerides and LDLlevels while raising HDL levels.