Can I use herbs or natural supplements to treat diabetes?

Sure, you can use anything but you will die sooner than expected.

First the facts- if you have type 1 diabetes, then there is only one treatment and that is insulin. There is no other substitute. There is no herb, lotion, potion, paste, cream enema or a pill that can replace this very vital hormone. All people who have type 1 diabetes should know that there is no substitute for insulin. The consequences of mucking around with herbs for type 1 diabetes usually leads to one quick conclusion-death.

On the other hand, if you have type 2 diabetes, then you have a lot more options. All individuals who have type 2 diabete should exercise regularly and avoid too many sugary foods. Exercise and weight loss can lead to significantly better control of blood sugar. There are also a variety of oral medications that can be used to control blood sugars.

The role of herbs to control type 2 diabetes has not been established. Every single week, there is a new herb that is claimed to lower blood sugar. Some of the common herbs that have been touted to lower blood sugar include stevia, bilberry gymnome, and jambul. Many other herbs including Konjac mannan, American ginseng, Ipomoea batatas, Momordica charantia, nopal, aloe Vera, and fenugreek. However, the results of these herbs are neither consistent nor always reproducible. For most of these herbs, there is no scientific evidence that they actually work in diabetes. Most of the reported “medical benefits” of these herbs are only offered by dealers and vendors of health supplements who have a vested financial interest in the product.

While most herbs are safe and can be taken as supplements, one should not substitute them for the standard conventional anti diabetic medications without first discussing the issue with a doctor.

At present, the American Diabetes Association has argued against the use of herbs because the industry is not regulated and the quality of herbs is not controlled. One cannot even be sure if the same supplement bought in different stores will have the same quality or quantity. In the last few years, numerous Chinese herbs products have been found to contain actual prescription anti diabetic drugs that were banned more than 20 years ago. Given these uncertainties and problems with fake supplements, the consumers should be cautious when it comes to use of herbs for diabetes.

For a type 2 diabetic, the best medical advice is to exercise and reduce weight. These measures alone have been shown to significantly reduce blood sugars, lower blood pressure and decrease cholesterol. This approach is not only cheap and safe but the results are guaranteed if one is dedicated and motivated.

Green tea and eyes

Green tea is widely promoted as a cure for every disease on earth. Anytime there is a health problem, the words “green tea” are always at the forefront. Some people think that green tea can even help solve the recession!

Now there is word that green tea extracts can reach the inner segments of the eye. Researchers claim that the high levels of green tea can protect the eye from a variety of disorders. The extracts in green tea that have been widely postulated to be protective include catechins. Researchers claim that catechins act like anti-oxidants and protect the delicate tissue of the eye from glaucoma, cataracts and infections of the eye.

In a recent study, rats were fed green tea and their eyes were analyzed for content of catechins. The study showed that high levels of catechins were found in the retina, which is the light sensing tissue at the back of the eye. And simply based on these rat studies the researchers claimed that green tea can protect the eye.

So what about the study?

This is another hog wash study.

Just because green tea extracts get into the eye does not mean that humans will not form cataracts or glaucoma. The Chinese, Asians and the Middle Easterners have been drinking gallons of green tea for thousands of years and yet these populations have the worst types of cataracts on earth.

For the consumer it is important to understand that green tea may be a great social beverage but its health benefits are exaggerated.

If green tea was a panacea for all health problems, then the Orientals would have been disease-free and this is clearly not the case.

Homeopathy Sucks, say UK politicians

Finally, it seems that someone has woken up and realized that homeopathy is the biggest scam on earth. Last week a group of British scientists strongly recommended to the government to stop funding all homeopathic products because they are B.S. (exactly what I have been saying in my column for many years).

The well-known Science and Technology committee in Britain found zero evidence that homeopathy based on herbal medicine was effective- in fact they were hard pressed to find even one single symptom that was relieved by homeopathy. Of course, the researchers did observe that all patients were relieved of their money.

The British government has acknowledged that there is no scientific proof that homeopathy works. The British government spends millions on homeopathy treatment each year. The committee also urged the drug regulatory agency not to license any homeopathic treatment since they were more likely to be scams and not bona fide medicine.

The homeopathy industry in North America is a multibillion dollar industry with new quake treatments being announced every week. For the consumer, “buyer beware” is an adage that should not be forgotten- medicine today has more to do with money than healing.

Should I take calcium supplements?

We live in a world where everyone wants to take a pill or a tablet to improve their health. WHY? Because everyone seems to believe that there is magic in the pills. This false myth has led to establishment of an industry which now manufacturers thousands of pills, lotions and potions- not to help you get better but so that they can make money!


Sure, there are some individuals who have calcium deficiency and it is reasonable to take calcium supplements. Calcium is required to strengthen bone and prevent fractures. In general, adults makes require about a one gram of calcium on a daily basis.

For an individual who eats healthy, there is no need to take extra calcium. Foods that are rich in calcium include dairy products, milk, broccoli, spinach, and fish. Plus, many fresh juices are fortified with calcium. Finally, sunlight is a great source of vitamin D which helps increase calcium absorption.

Unless you have a poor diet, are chronically ill and have documented calcium deficiency, supplements are not recommended. Calcium supplements are not a one shot deal and have to be taken regularly for many years to have an effect on bone. And these pills cost money.

If you want to keep your bones strong, eat healthy, exercise or walk, do not smoke and drink alcohol in moderation- leave the pills for the diehard calcium maniacs.

Is flaxseed of benefit for health?

These days everyone wants to take a supplement to improve their health. Nutritionists and alternative care practitioners often recommend flax seed for a variety of reasons. It is known that flax seed is high in fiber, contains omega 3 fatty acids and a number of plant substances known as lignans.

Flax seed is most commonly used to treat constipation and bloating. There is some evidence that it may lower blood cholesterol and thus decreases risk of heart disease.

Flax seed is available either as whole seeds or grounded powder. Adults need to take at least 1 g of flax seed every day for health benefits.

However, for those of you who have never ever tried flax seeds, it is not very appetizing. Most people mix the grounded power in a beverage, take it with hot or cold cereal or mix it in food.

As far as cancer is concerned, there is no evidence that flax seed can prevent any type of cancer. A few non blinded studies showed that flax seeds may reduce risk of prostate cancer but these studies were not poorly controlled and the data reporting was flawed. Today, the role of flax seeds and its preventive role in prostate cancer has not been settled.

Many health food stores have been hyping up exorbitant claims about flax seed and its health benefits- this is simply a business ploy and considered false advertising.

If you have high cholesterol and/or constipation and are too lazy to walk/exercise, then there is no harm in taking flax seeds once in a while.

If you want to reduce risk of any cancer and maintain good health, exercise regularly, stop smoking, eat healthy and get a health check up once a year with a decent health care professional.

Final note: there is no lotion, potion, herb, drink, liquid or tablet out there which can prevent any type of cancer!

Can Chinese medicinal herbs relieve chronic fatigue syndrome: Part 3

So what does all this mean?

For individual suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome the Chinese herbs are not a magic bullet. The methods used by the Chinese to analyze the symptoms were flawed and reports were always positive (remember, china is a major exporter of oriental medicine and is in the business to make money, so you will never find negative reports or side effects with any Chinese products!).

So for the moment, there are no meaningful data on Chinese herbs and their efficacy in treating chronic fatigue.

However, one thing is known about Chinese herbs- they are often contaminated with real drugs and impurities.

So if you have chronic fatigue the choices are simple- buy unknown herbs from China whose efficiency has not been proven or take conventional medicine which do little and are very costly!.

Can Chinese medicinal herbs relieve chronic fatigue syndrome: Part 2

The first observation made by the researchers was that the majority of published reports in china were never reviewed by other scientists for critic, data analysis was poor and no studies were randomized.

Just like in North America, many of the studies were published by authors who had a vested interested in the herb. Moreover, many authors were paid to perform research by the herb manufacturers.