In This Issue:

Six Ingredients from Nature’s Pharmacy for Healthy Blood Sugar

By Layne Lowery

If you’re one of more than 20 million Americans struggling to control your blood sugar you may already know about the distressing health problems it can cause.

The pharmaceutical companies have plenty of drugs to help you deal with blood sugar imbalances.  The trouble is… the side effects of some of these drugs can be WORSE than the disease they’re supposed to treat!

For example, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently mandated the use of a “black box” warning on the diabetes drug Avandia®.   This strong warning label emphasizes that the drug, “may cause or worsen heart failure in certain patients.”

Despite this disturbing admission,  a government  agency advisory panel voted 22 to 1 in favor of allowing continued sales to U.S. patients!

But here’s some good news. You can balance your blood sugar naturally, simply by using nutrients straight from Mother Nature’s pharmacy.

Nature’s Premium Nutrients for Healthy Blood Sugar

It might seem hard to imagine that a few herbs can help you win the battle of blood sugar imbalances but it’s TRUE!  Let’s examine each of these super nutrients individually…

Gymnema Sylvestre

For more than 2000 years, people in India have used the herb Gymnema sylvestre to help

control blood sugar. In fact, the leaves of this climbing plant are prized by practitioners of Ayurvedic medicine the holistic system of healing developed in India and practiced by the renowned doctor, Deepak Chopra.

The herb is also called “gurmar,” which literally means “destroyer of sugar” in Hindi.  This name describes the way that chewing the leaves interferes with your ability to taste sweetness. Because this amazing herb decreases the sensation of sweetness in many foods, it may reduce your cravings for sugary snacks.

Dr. K. Baskaran published a study¹ involving patients who took 400 mg of Gymnema sylvestre extract daily for 18 to 20 months along with their oral medications. This group showed a significant reduction in their fasting blood sugar levels.

Chromium

Another weapon in nature’s arsenal of sugar fighters is the mineral chromium. Chromium aids in digestion and helps move blood glucose from the bloodstream into the cells for energy. It also helps turn fats, carbohydrates, and proteins into energy.

What’s more, chromium is critical for healthy insulin function. Without enough chromium in your body, insulin just doesn’t work properly.

Chromium exists in many foods including brewer’s yeast, meats, potatoes (especially in the skin), cheeses, molasses, whole-grain breads and cereals, and fresh fruits and vegetables.

Despite the wide availability of chromium from food sources, research² shows that 90% of American adults have a chromium deficient diet!  This could be a key reason why an increasing number of Americans suffer blood sugar problems.

Cinnamon

Believe it or not your kitchen probably already contains a key ingredient to help you control unhealthy blood sugar levels. Recent scientific discoveries prove that a commonly used spice helps regulate blood sugar in ways previously unknown.

Scientists at the Maryland-based Human Nutrition Research Center were studying the effects of common foods on blood sugar.³ Dr. Richard Anderson, lead scientist and chemist, noticed that when patients ate apple pie…their blood sugar levels actually IMPROVED!

Further investigation revealed it was the CINNAMON in the apple pie that helped their blood sugar levels.  Researchers discovered that cinnamon actually increases your glucose metabolism.^4-7 It contains a compound called methylhydroxy chalcone polymer, or MHCP for short, that works with insulin to help process glucose.

In fact, a laboratory test conducted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) showed MHCP increased glucose metabolism by roughly 20 times.

Banaba Leaf Extract

Traditionally, people living in the Philippines, South Asia, and India have brewed a banaba leaf tea to help regulate blood sugar.

Medical scientists believe that banaba leaf’s beneficial effects on blood sugar are due to its high concentration of corosolic acid, a natural compound extracted from its leaves.  Corosolic acid mimics insulin by moving sugar out of your bloodstream and into your cells.  And numerous scientific studies have proven banaba leaf’s effectiveness.

In one study,⁸ patients with blood sugar concerns took a supplement containing banaba leaf or a placebo three times a day for four weeks. The placebo group had no change, but the banaba leaf group achieved very good results for blood sugar balancing.

Fenugreek

Modern science is shedding new light on another traditional folk remedy which delivers excellent health benefits. Fenugreek is an herb native to the Mediterranean, Ukraine, India, and China.

Practitioners of Ayurvedic and traditional Chinese medicine have used the herb for more than 2000 years.  Modern scientists now know fenugreek helps balance your cholesterol, triglycerides, and blood glucose.

Fenugreek seed stimulates insulin release. This helps food sugars reach your cells properly.  In one study,⁹ patients with blood sugar concerns were divided into two groups. Group One received one gram of fenugreek seed extract and Group Two received a combination of dietary control, exercise, and a placebo capsule for two months.

The results? Group One patients saw more positive results for blood sugar, insulin resistance, cholesterol, and triglycerides, compared to Group Two.

And, three more studies confirm that fenugreek seed extract helps stabilize blood sugar in patients with blood sugar and insulin problems.^10-12

Bitter Melon

Although it may be unknown to most people in the West, bitter melon has long been used in South America, the Caribbean, East Africa, and the Orient as both food and a natural medicine. And scientific studies prove its value for treating blood sugar problems.

For example, two studies^13-14 show bitter melon could play a key role in helping to balance insulin in your body which of course means healthy blood sugar control.  And another study¹⁵ showed bitter melon had positive effects on the serum glucose levels of those taking it, following both fasting and eating.

So if you’ve resigned yourself to a life filled by downing daily prescription medications, jabbing yourself with insulin, and praying that you don’t succumb to kidney failure or a brain disaster…

You need to be aware that this doesn’t have to be YOUR fate now that you know about nature’s premium nutrients for balancing blood sugar.

References

1. Baskaran, K., et al.  J Ethnopharmacology. 30(3):295-305, 1990.
2. NEW ORLEANS, Jun 16, 2003 (BUSINESS WIRE). Study Results from the University of Vermont Medical College Presented at American Diabetes Association Scientific Session.
3. Anderson R.A., et al. Diabetes. 1997 Nov;46(11):1786-91.
4. Anderson, R. A., et al.  J Agric Food Chem.  52(1):65-70, 2004.
5. Khan, A., et al.  Diabetes Care.  26(12):3215-3218, 2003.
6. Mindell, Earl R.  Earl Mindell’s Food as Medicine.  Simon & Schuster, New York, USA. 1994:116.
7. Imparl-Radosevich, J., et al. Horm Res. 50(3):177-182, 1998.
8. Ikeda, Y. The clinical study on water extract of leaves of Langerstroemia Specious L. for mild cases of diabetes mellitus. 1998 (unpublished).
9. Sahelian, R., Report on study conducted at the Jaipur Diabetes and Research Centre in India.
10. Sharma R.D., et al. Eur J of Clin Nutr. 1990; 44:301-306.
11. Madar Z, et al. Eur J of Clin Nutr. 1988: 42:51-54.
12. Raghuram T.C., et al. Phytother Res. 1994; 8:83-6.
13. Leatherdale B.A., et al. Br. Med J (Clin Res Ed). June 1981:282 (6279):1823-24.
14. Welihinda J, et al. J Ethnopharmacology. Sept 1986: 17(3): 277-82.
15. Ahmad N., et al. Bangladesh Med. Res. Counc. Bull. 1999: 25, 11–13.

[Ed. Note: Layne Lowery is the President of Health Resources™, a manufacturer of high-quality nutritional supplements.  In the health business since 1995, Layne's passion is providing affordable natural health solutions and educational tools based on the best scientific research available to empower his customers to make wise decisions on matters of personal health.]

Positive Thinking:

Beyond Compare

By Jackie Silver

One trap many people fall into, thanks to magazines, movies and television, is comparing themselves to others. We engage in all kinds of negative self-talk like, “These jeans make my butt look big,” or “I’ll never be as skinny as her.”

I finally realized that none of that matters. What matters to me is that I look the best that I can look and feel the best that I can feel. I started raising my own bar, not to anyone else’s standard, but to my own.

I decided to eat a healthier diet, add more veggies into my daily meals, and exercise more skip rope and skip the excuses! I’m not a movie star, so I don’t compare myself to them.

Here are a few tips you can try to help you kick the “comparison” habit.

1. List your good points. Take a sheet of paper and make a list of all your talents. Write down anything at which you excel, even if it seems silly. No one is going to see this list but you! When you read it back, you’ll be surprised at how “accomplished” you’ll feel.

1. Change the feedback tape in your head. Cognitive-behavioral therapy is a form of psychotherapy based on the idea that our thoughts cause our feelings and behaviors, not outside influences.¹ Why not give it a try by changing your negative thoughts into positive ones?

1. Be a Big Brother or Big Sister. A sure boost to self-esteem is to help someone else make his or her life better. Volunteers are always needed at Big Brothers, Big Sisters. The organization’s research has shown that children in their program are 52% less likely to skip school, 46% less likely to begin using illegal drugs, and more likely to get along with their families and peers.² You can make a difference in a child’s life and your own life.

1. Try hypnosis to boost self-esteem. Doctors are even using hypnosis in the operating room combined with anesthesia with dramatic results, according to radiologist Dr. Elvira Lang at Harvard’s Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.³ Together with David Spiegel, a professor of psychiatry at Stanford University School of Medicine, she has conducted extensive studies of hypnosis in the operating room. Conclusion: hypnosis works.

1. Lose the stress. Stress has been shown to have many detrimental effects on your body and your mind. Try relaxing with yoga, tai chi, qi gong or meditation.

Once you’ve tried some or all of these tips, consider making them into habits to permanently boost the way you feel about yourself and the world around you.

References

1. http://www.nacbt.org/whatiscbt.htm
2. http://www.bbbs.org/site/c.diJKKYPLJvH/b.1539751/k.BDB6/Home.htm
3. http://discovermagazine.com/2004/nov/hypnosis-works

[Ed. note: Jackie Silver is aging backwards. She shares her secrets, tips, and shortcuts on her web site, AgingBackwards.com, in her forthcoming book, on the syndicated TV show, Daytime, on Clear Channel radio's Mix 100.7, and as a sought-after speaker. For more information, click here.]

Healthy Recipes:

Blackberry and Apple Crisp with Walnut Topping

By Kelley Herring

Don’t let the old-fashioned looks of this home-style crisp fool you. It’s a functional dessert packed with fiber and a powerful cancer-fighting nutrient from blackberries called cyanidin-3-glucoside (C3G). Studies conducted by the USDA found that C3G significantly reduces skin cancer in lab studies and may also help prevent cancer from spreading.¹

Time To Table: 1 hour

Serves: 6

The Benefits:

Excellent source of fiber
Good source of magnesium and selenium

Ingredients

3 cups slices organic Fuji apples
1 1/2 cup frozen organic frozen blackberries
1/4 cup organic erythritol
1/3 cup organic rolled oats
1/3 cup whole organic walnuts, coarsely chopped
3 Tbsp organic erythritol
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
3 Tbsp organic butter, softened
1/2 cup whole grain flour
2 tsp organic vanilla

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 350°. Oil an 8-by-8-inch glass baking dish. In a bowl, toss the apples with the blackberries, 1/4 cup erythritol, and 2 tablespoons of the flour. Scrape the filling into the baking dish. In a bowl, toss the oats with the remaining flour and the nuts, 3 tablespoons erythritol, vanilla, and cinnamon. Add the butter and rub it in thoroughly. Sprinkle the topping over the filling and bake for 35 minutes, until the filling is bubbling and the topping is browned. Let the crisp cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Nutrition Information

195.47 kcal Calories, 27.67 g Carbohydrate, 15.05 mg Cholesterol, 8.5 g Total Fat, 5.68 g Fiber, 4.21 g Protein, 42.12 mg Sodium, 10.54 g Sugars, 3.86 g Saturated fat, 0 trans Fat, 2.16 g Monounsaturated fat, 1.69 g Polyunsaturated fat

Reference

1. USDA, Benefits of Compounds in Blackberries Studies, September 2006.

[Ed Note: Do you love dessert, but not the sugar? Kelley Herring's new company, Wellness Bakeries, has created all-natural, protein-packed, high-fiber, low glycemic dessert mixes that you can enjoy without a moment's guilt. To learn more and try a delicious slice for yourself, click here.]

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