Fenugreek to reduce Blood Sugar Levels

 

 What is Fenugreek?

Fenugreek (also known as Greek Hay), is an herb that is commonly found growing in the Mediterranean region of the world. While the seeds and leaves are primarily used as a culinary spice, it is also used to treat a variety of health problems in Egypt, Greece, Italy, and South Asia.

What are the Benefits of Fenugreek?

Fenugreek has been used to treat arthritis, asthma, bronchitis, improve digestion, maintain a healthy metabolism, increase libido and male potency, cure skin problems (wounds, rashes and boils), treat sore throat, and cure acid reflux.

Fenugreek also has a long history of use for the treatment of reproductive disorders, to induce labor, to treat hormonal disorders, to help with breast enlargement, and to reduce menstrual pain.

Recent studies have shown that Fenugreek helps lower blood glucose and cholesterol levels, and may be an effective treatment for both type 1 and 2 diabetes. It is also being studied for its cardiovascular benefits.

 

How does it affect diabetes?

Fenugreek seeds (trigonella foenum graecum) are high in soluble fiber, which helps lower blood sugar by slowing down digestion and absorption of carbohydrates. This suggests they may be effective in treating people with diabetes.

Of these, several clinical trials showed that fenugreek seeds can improve most metabolic symptoms associated with both type 1 and type 2 diabetes in humans by lowering blood glucose levels and improving glucose tolerance.

In another controlled trial, incorporating 15 grams of powdered fenugreek seed into a meal eaten by people with type 2 diabetes reduced the rise in post-meal blood glucose, while a separate study found that taking 2.5 grams of fenugreek twice a day for three months lowered blood sugar levels in people with mild, but not severe, type 2 diabetes.


How to use Fenugreek?

• ·         Dry roast fenugreek seeds by placing them in a large skillet and heating on medium-high heat for one to two minutes, stirring frequently. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of the roasted seeds to any meal.

• ·         Take 2 tablespoons of dried fenugreek leaves or seeds in 1 cup of water and boil for 10 minutes. Strain the liquid and drink the resulting tea twice per day to help lower blood glucose levels.

• ·         Take 10 grams of fenugreek seeds.  Soak them in 250 ml water overnight. Crush them in the morning . Strain the mixture and collect the water. Drink it every day for 2 months.

• ·         Fenugreek seeds are very versatile. They can be eaten as seeds, brewed into a tea, made into flour and baked into bread, or pressed into oil. Eating seeds or using fenugreek flour is the most effective form of fenugreek for blood sugar control. An oral dose of 2-5g of fenugreek seeds can help blood glucose levels for diabetics.

  

Where can I buy it?

Fenugreek leaves (methi) and seeds can be found in most Asian food stores, while herbal supplements containing fenugreek seed powder and/or fenugreek seed extract in capsule form are available through most health food companies.

Caution

Before using fenugreek to treat your diabetes, consult your GP and diabetes healthcare team to ensure it is safe. As with other blood sugar-reducing herbs, there is the risk that fenugreek may cause your blood sugars to go too low (hypoglycemia) when taken alongside prescribed diabetes drugs. As a result, the dose of your anti-diabetic medication might need to be changed.

 

Home Remedies for Anemia

What is Anemia?

Anemia is a condition in which the blood is deficient in the body. This deficiency of blood is caused due to the deficiency of iron which is an essential component of the protein complex, hemoglobin, present in the blood. In anemic persons, the count of hemoglobin in the blood goes down.

Reasons:

1. Bleeding due to any wounds in the body

2. Diet with less iron intake (too much tea or coffee)

3. Rapid blood cell disintegration in the body

4. Anything that speeds up the spleen to much: leading a fast lifestyle, eating fast, watching tv while eating, reading the newspaper, talking on the phone…

5. Disorders in certain organs (stomach, liver, bone marrow, spleen…) could hamper blood cell production and cause anemia

 

Home Remedies to reduce Anemia:

1.   Pomegranate for Anemia

Pomegranate can be called a super fruit because it has too many beneficial components within it. It has protein, carbohydrate, fat, fiber and sugars too. More importantly, it has iron and calcium. It is enriched as well as minerals like potassium and copper other than a host of vitamins. It excellently increases hemoglobin in your blood and supports healthy blood flow. You will feel lesser exhaustion, dizziness, weakness that are typical symptoms of anemia.
Ways to have pomegranate for anemia

1. Have a medium sized pomegranate (about 200 g) every morning on an empty stomach.
2. Have a glass of pomegranate juice everyday with your breakfast.

  

2.   Dates Remedy for Anemia

Delicious palm tree fruits, dates, are a rich source of iron. Per 100 g of dates contain 0.90 mg of iron. Therefore it makes a good remedy for anemia as it helps increase hemoglobin in your blood. Dates are also rich in such minerals as calcium, manganese, copper, and magnesium. Copper particularly is required for the production of red blood cells. So have dates daily to treat your anemia.

Ways to have dates for anemia

1. Soak 2 dry dates in a cup of milk overnight. Eat the dates in the morning on an empty stomach. Do not discard the milk, drink this as well.
2. If you do not want to soak dates, have a handful of them on an empty stomach in the morning after which drink a cup of milk to remain energetic throughout the day.
3. You may also soak 1-2 dates in a cup of warm water for 2-3 hours. Drink this water once it cools down. This is specially good for people who are lactose intolerant and cannot have milk or milk products.

3.Tomatoes to Cure Anemia

Just having more iron is not sufficient. You should be able to absorb that iron too. For this, among other foods, you can have tomatoes for best results. Tomatoes are rich sources of Vitamin C and lycopene. Vitamin C is needed by your body to absorb iron.

Ways to have tomatoes for anemia

1. Eat 1-2 raw tomatoes everyday. You can include them in your salad, sandwiches etc. or just eat them separately.
2. Drink a glass of tomato juice everyday.
3. Add tomatoes while making your dishes.

4.Raisins Remedy to Treat Anemia 

 

Raisins are an excellent source of various nutrients including calcium, potassium, sodium, protein, fiber and iron. A 100 g of these dried grapes can provide you with 1.88 mg iron. Many traditional medicines use raisins to treat anemia. You too can have them.

• Soak raisins in water overnight.
• In the morning, have them along with honey.
• Honey, also rich in iron, doubles up the amount of the nutrient you get.