Boost Your Health: Discover the Top Herbs for Balanced Blood Sugar

by Dr. Nick Zyrowski September 11, 2023

Insulin sensitivity is a hot topic these days. People are struggling with blood sugar problems and don’t know how to manage them. Before you fill another prescription that may make you feel worse, you might want to try some natural strategies first, such as herbs for balancing blood sugar. Rather than your medicine cabinet, help to balance your blood sugar may be in your spice rack.

Why you should manage blood sugar

You may be wondering why it’s so crucial to keep your blood sugar stable. Most people never give it a second thought unless they have trouble. You should know that if you don’t keep your blood sugar balanced, you could end up with some real health problems, like heart disease, kidney disease, and vision loss. (2) When you realize how much is at stake, it makes sense to manage your blood sugar and monitor it closely.

You can have low blood sugar or high blood sugar. Low blood sugar often happens when you miss a meal or exercise harder than usual. It can become dangerous if left unchecked, so it’s not something you should take lightly. High blood sugar can come from illnesses, stress, and eating unhealthy foods. Most healthy people find they have a problem with high blood sugar, whereas low blood sugar typically affects people who take insulin or other diabetes medications.

Symptoms of high blood sugar

If you have high blood sugar, you can expect some uncomfortable symptoms. These may go unnoticed at first, but you’ll soon realize your body is trying to tell you something. Some of the first signs to watch for are:

  • Increased thirst: Many people drink lots of fluids but remain thirsty
  • Frequent urination: partly due to increased drinking, but also from extra sugar forcing the kidneys to work harder.
  • Blurred vision: This can be accompanied by dizziness
  • Headache: Some people begin getting headaches several times per week or daily

Left untreated, these symptoms will get worse, leaving you feeling fatigued. Some people get skin infections or notice that cuts don’t heal as quickly. (3) Fortunately, you can help yourself before things get to this point. Some herbs and supplements can make a tremendous impact on balancing blood sugar.

Ginger

Ginger is good for stabilizing your blood sugar. This herb is known for its intense flavor and addition to many meal recipes, but it’s been used for centuries for medicinal purposes. Today, many people continue to use ginger for stomach issues, including nausea and diarrhea. These aren’t the only health benefits of ginger. Since it’s a natural anti-inflammatory and antioxidant, it can also ease painful joints. The research shows that ginger may help control blood sugar as it inhibits the enzymes that affect how carbs get metabolized in the body. (4) For a bonus, you can mix ginger juice with apple cider vinegar for more blood sugar stabilization benefits.

Berberine

Berberine is known as an alkaloid, and plants containing berberine have traditionally been used for their various health-promoting properties. Research has demonstrated that berberine helps regulate glucose and lipid metabolism, positively influences cell signaling, provides antioxidant support, and impacts immune health. Taking berberine has been shown to help with weight loss, lower blood sugar, improve sensitivity, and improve heart health.Some practitioners recommend berberine to their patients for weight loss as it’s a much safer option than taking pharmaceuticals.

Turmeric

Turmeric has the compound curcumin in it. It is a strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory. Not only has curcumin been shown to help balance blood sugar, but it also seems to play a crucial role in the prevention of blood sugar-related problems. According to the research, curcumin helps control overall glucose homeostasis, prevents liver fat, and improves lipidemia. (5) Additionally, curcumin may help with diabetes-induced cognitive issues. Many people cook with turmeric to get the benefits of the spice, but you can also add it to smoothies or take a turmeric supplement. Some people find it hard to get enough turmeric without supplementing daily. If this is the case for you, you want to get a pharmaceutical-grade turmeric supplement with the proper dosing in each capsule.

Garlic

Garlic can increase insulin secretion and has more of those powerful antioxidant properties that help improve insulin sensitivity. It is also great for lowering blood pressure and may decrease heart problems. Garlic can help decrease blood glucose levels and the risk of atherosclerosis. It also has no carbs, making it perfect for diabetics, or anyone wanting to keep blood sugar stable. (6)

Garlic is easy to obtain and inexpensive. You can get minced or whole garlic to add to meals. Powdered garlic is also flavorful and can be added to dishes like spaghetti, chili, and a host of other foods.

Cinnamon

You probably have this in your pantry now. Cinnamon is great because it mimics the effects of insulin in the body. Studies are ongoing, but the research is promising. People have been shown to have lower glucose levels when taking cinnamon as opposed to the group that did not. (7) One of the ways cinnamon works is by slowing the digestion of carbs in the GI tract. It also makes insulin more sensitive, helping to balance blood sugar levels. One of the great things about adding more cinnamon to your diet is that it’s delicious. You can add it to tea, coffee, smoothies, and even meals. Try it in some low-carb desserts to treat yourself. It’s so versatile and it is another spice that is inexpensive to keep stocked in your pantry. You’ll need around one to two teaspoons of cinnamon per day to reap all the benefits. So get busy adding it to your favorite dishes today!

Additional nutrients

In addition to spices, other nutrients may help promote balanced blood sugar. You may have noticed us mention things like NAC, milk thistle, and selenium before. These complementary herbs and supplements may help relieve your symptoms and decrease your risk of high blood sugar. It could be overwhelming to take them all at once, so we recommend the Glucose Balance Power Pack. This combination has a blend of herbs and nutrients that work synergistically to promote healthy blood sugar levels. You’ll get the clinical doses you need in a convenient package.

A better quality of life

You can see that we haven’t mentioned getting a prescription drug for blood sugar issues. That’s because we believe the body is designed to heal naturally, and we work with patients to get to the root cause of their health issues rather than cover them up with numerous prescription medications. By making some simple lifestyle modifications and incorporating science-backed nutrients into your daily routine, your quality of life can be better than ever. If you’re tired of the broken healthcare system never fixing the problem, it’s time to see how holistic healthcare is at the forefront of treating and helping the whole patient optimize health. We are excited about the future of integrative medicine and would love to see how we can help you get better and stay healthy. Contact us for more information on how this can work for you!

References :

https://fullscript.com/blog/herbs-for-blood-sugar-support

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/317051

https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/library/spotlights/diabetes-facts-stats.html#:~:text=Key%20findings%20include%3A,t%20know%20they%20have%20it.

https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/managing/manage-blood-sugar.html#:~:text=It's%20important%20to%20keep%20your,improve%20your%20energy%20and%20mood.

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/9815-hyperglycemia-high-blood-sugar

https://www.everydayhealth.com/type-2-diabetes/diet/can-ginger-help-treat-cure-type-2-diabetes/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4277626/#:~:text=Ginger%20has%20been%20shown%20to%20modulate%20insulin%20release.,insulin%20responsive%20adipocytes%20(31).

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3857752/ https://www.breathewellbeing.in/blog/is-garlic-good-for-diabetes/#:~:text=Garlic%20results%20in%20a%20significant,useful%20in%20blood%20sugar%20control.

https://health.clevelandclinic.org/can-taking-cinnamon-lower-your-blood-sugar/

https://www.nebraskamed.com/diabetes/is-berberine-a-safe-alternative-treatment-for-diabetes

https://www.fiercehealthcare.com/practices/doctors-practicing-integrative-medicine-say-quality-life-better

Dr. Nick Zyrowski
Dr. Nick Zyrowski



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