Alternative
Treatment
National Institutes of Health of the U.S. Department
of Health and Human Services defines complementary
and alternative medicine as a "group of diverse medical
and health care systems, practices, and products that
are not presently considered to be part of conventional
medicine."
Examples of alternative therapies include acupuncture,
guided imagery, chiropractic treatments, yoga, hypnosis,
biofeedback, aromatherapy, relaxation, herbal remedies,
massage and many others.
However,
before subscribing to any alternative therapies, it
is necessary to consult your diabetes health-care
team and your doctor, to see how each individual therapy
will affect your personal condition.
What Alternative
Therapies Are Used to Treat Diabetes?
Supplements
- Chromium
has been widely publicized as therapy to improve
diabetes control. Although there are several studies
that support a role for chromium as beneficial in
diabetes, currently there are no recommendations
for its use in diabetes management.
- Magnesium
has been studied for years as a form of therapy
to improve glucose control in people with diabetes.
A lack of magnesium has been associated with insulin
secretion abnormalities and has been associated
with diabetes complications.
- Vanadium
is derived from plant sources and has been shown
in a few studies to increase a person's sensitivity
to insulin. Thus far, no recommendations exist for
supplementation to be given to people with diabetes.
Plant
Foods
The following
plant foods have been found to help people with type
2 diabetes.
- Brewer's
yeast
- Buckwheat
- Broccoli
and other related greens
- Okra
- Peas
- Fenugreek
seeds
- Sage
Most plant
foods are rich in fiber, which is beneficial for helping
control blood glucose levels.
There are
no clinical trials with promising results for many
of the other herbs being proposed for diabetes, such
as garlic, ginger, ginseng, hawthorn or nettle. If
you have diabetes and are considering taking any of
these herbal substances, talk to your doctor before
you take them.
Weight
Control Substances
Since weight
and diabetes are linked, many people with diabetes
turn to alternative therapies that claim to help with
weight loss, including:
- Chitosan
- Camsogia
Garcinia (hydroxycitric acid)
- Chromium
- Pyruvate
- Germander
- Momordica
charanta
- Sauropus
androgynus
- Aristolochic
acid
Some therapies will work for some individuals, others
simply will not.
Please click on the links below
for more information:
Diabetes
and other Complementary or Alternative medicines
There are
numerous subsidiary CAMs and therapies available in
the UK.. Before partaking in any of them, a patient
should conduct thorough research, consult with their
healthcare team, and make sure the treatment is being
offered by a professional.
Other therapeutic approaches include colour therapy,
hydrotherapy, biofeedback, craniosacral therapy, magnet
therapy, meditation, Alexander technique, chelation
therapy and humour therapy. Each of these may or may
not be able to help you as an individual in the treatment
of your diabetes.
