Nutrition and Nutritional Medicine for Diabetes

Complementary and Alternative Approaches

Conventional/Mainstream Medicine has made wonderful strides in treating diabetes.  However, success so far is still far from complete.  A core problem is this:  reducing high blood sugar is capable of correcting only part of the problem.  Diabetes causes other key metabolic abnormalities that, over time, increase risk for complications ranging from heart disease and stroke, painful nerve damage in the legs, to blindness, poor wound healing, leg ulcers and others.

Fortunately, complementary alternative or "functional medicine" has its strengths precisely at the point that conventional medicines leave off.  The scientific evidence is very strong that diabetes complications can be reduced by fairly straightforward nutritional, herbal, mind-body and life-style strategies.

These are a selection of  the nutrition and herbal therapies that have fair to excellent scientific data indicating that they probably  improve specific diabetes related problems.  These complementary alternative approaches may add value to your standard medical care.  

Metabolic Abnormality To Be Helped	Natural Therapies That May Help
Lower Blood Sugar/Improve Sensitivity for Insulin	alpha lipoic acid, Fenugreek herb, Garlic, Gymnema Sylvestre herb, relaxation skill training, attaining ideal weight
Reducing Heart attacks and Stroke	Fish oil, vitamin B12, Folic Acid, Vitamin B6 (by reducing high homocysteine)
Reducing Nerve Damage	Primrose Oil, Alpha-lipoic Acid, L-Carnitine, Vitamin E
Reducing blindness	Bilberry herb
Improving Wound Healing	Zinc
Improving ability to fight Infections	Zinc, N-Acetyl Cysteine (a source of glutathione)
Reducing Kidney damage	Fish Oil
Reducing High Blood Pressure	Magnesium, Fish Oil
Reducing abnormal tendency for blood to clot "sticky blood"	Fish oil, Vitamin E, Taurine, Garlic
General	Seek ideal weight, Increased intake of brightly colored fruits, berries, vegetables