Benefits of Goji Berry on Diabetes
by Diabetic Discovery
(submitted 2011-02-27)
Diabetes is a medical condition that affects more than 23 million Americans. Identified by continuous abnormally high levels of glucose in the blood because the body fails to produce sufficient insulin or the body’s cells resist using the insulin produced. This chronic condition has potential life-threatening complications and is believed to have affected humans for centuries. In recent years, many people have turned to alternative medicines and "super-fruits" like Goji berries to treat their conditions.
While there are various forms of diabetes, Type 1 and Type 2 are generally diagnosed the most. Type 1 diabetes is when cells of the pancreas fail to produce an amount of insulin needed to allow blood glucose to enter cells to produce energy. Type 2 diabetes is diagnosed when the cells resist insulin’s action, resulting in too much glucose in the blood (see resources below).
Goji berries, also called wolfberry, are found in the moderate to sub-tropic regions of Asia, including China, Mongolia, and in the Himalayas of Tibet. The origin of the word goji is believed to come from the simplified Mandarin word for the plant. Similar to other nightshade family plants like tomatoes and chili peppers, wolfberry is a flowering plant that produces a berry that tastes like a cross between a raspberry and a cherry. In southern regions of China, goji berry plants are generally more than 3 feet tall, but in northern China, the plants can grow to more than 9 feet.
While they are closely related and both are in the genus Boxthorn (Lycium), Himalayan goji berries (Lycium barbarum) should not be confused with Chinese wolfberry (Lycium chinense). The two species of the wolfberry plant (the names have little to do with the geographies of the species), are both rich in antioxidants and are thought to be beneficial in boosting the immune system and promoting longevity.
A perennial that produces flowers with five petals, the goji berry plant produces an oblong, red-orange berry–containing 10 to 60 tiny seeds–that is normally 1 to 2 centimeters long. Ripening in the northern hemisphere usually occurs from mid-summer to mid-fall.
For more than 6,000 years, herbalists and alchemists have used goji berries to make tonics and teas to boost the immune system, protect the liver from damaging toxins and disease, improve circulation (particularly in the legs), increase fertility, and promote longevity.
Studies have shown that goji berries are rich in antioxidants, specifically carotenoids, which are known to protect the retina of the eye and believed to decrease the risk of developing macular degeneration, a disease associated with complications from diabetes. Goji berries have also been found to help increase circulation and are believed to be beneficial in preventing and treating a number of cardiovascular diseases, including angina and coronary heart disease (see resources below). Studies have also shown that goji berries stimulate the nervous system (responsible for all internal organs) and causes relaxation of arterial walls, allowing them to expand and lower blood pressure.
Goji berries have been proclaimed by proponents of alternative medicine as the "super-fruit" that can decrease the risk of developing diabetes, in addition to treating those who already have it. However, the Food and Drug Administration has yet to verify and approve these claims.
Studies also suggest that goji berries (consumed as tea) may hinder anticoagulant metabolism and may react with certain medications. It important to consult with healthcare providers before consuming anything that may have a negative reaction with other medications.
For more information please contact us at http://www.diabeticdiscovery.com.
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Worldwide Research for Alternative Treatments of Diabetes
Alternative Treatments of Diabetes Are Currently Being Researched in Many Countries Around the World.
Posted August 8, 2009
By Annie Duvall
Alternative treatments of diabetes are currently being researched in many countries around the world. There is research being done on natural substances that help alleviate many of the symptoms of Type-2 diabetes. Diabetes is a disease where the body is not able to metabolize glucose in the blood.
Type-1 diabetes is caused by the damage of Beta islet cells located in the pancreas. When working properly these cells usually secrete insulin but for people with Type-1 diabetes these cells are not working. Type-1 diabetics will need to be on insulin therapy for the rest of their lives. Type-2 diabetes is cause by the destruction of insulin receptors on cell surfaces which causes the cells to be resistant to insulin.
Type-2 diabetes can be managed with lifestyle changes and medication and in some cases with lifestyle changes alone. There are also many alternative or natural substances that can help alleviate symptoms and control blood glucose levels for Type-2 diabetes. Currently studies are being conducted on many herbs that have been used for centuries to treat diabetic symptoms.
There are several Amazon jungle root herbs with reported abilities to lower blood glucose levels, normalize the frequency of urination, and eradicate glucose in the urine of diabetic patients. In Brazil, the Pfaffia root has been used for decades to treat the symptoms of diabetes. Pata-de-vaca is also widely used in Brazil for the treatment of diabetes.
One doctor in China has studied the results of goji berry on the blood of thousands of patients. This doctor theorizes that the goji berry makes the patients blood more alkaline. He has reported that as the alkalinity changes, there is a turnaround of all illnesses. His claim is that this reversal includes diabetes, cancer, high blood pressure, obesity, renal failure, high cholesterol, arthritis and other illnesses associated with physical or mental problems, including attention deficit disorder.
Another research program currently in China has diabetics drinking a tea made from the goji berry. Results show that up to 62 percent of subjects showed decrease in blood glucose levels and over half of the patients being able to control blood sugar levels with diet alone. Goji helps with the release of oxygen to the cells with an enzyme named 23BPG. This seems to help reduce the symptoms caused by the narrowing of blood vessels in the legs, eyes and other areas in the body of diabetics.
Another natural substance that is being studied is cocoa. A study conducted in Germany showed cocoa with high flavanol improves cardiovascular health. The study was specifically to test the effectiveness of the cocoa with long term use. Forty-one stable Type-2 diabetics were given cocoa with high dose flavanol in comparison with low flavanol dosage cocoa. During the study, the researchers did find that the flavanol found in cocoa did have a positive effect on FMD response in diabetics.
Researchers concluded that these results happened by increased production of nitric oxide. Nitric oxide is a chemical that sends signals to arteries to relax and widen in response to increased blood flow. This relaxation of the arteries takes stress off the heart and blood vessels.
Alternative treatments of diabetes are currently being researched in many countries around the world. There is research being done on natural substances that help alleviate many of the symptoms of Type-2 diabetes.
Having diabetes myself, I found it hard to make some good food until I found more than 500 yummy recipes in a free ebook at Adviceondiabetes Source: Annie Duvall
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