Natural ways to lower blood sugar are imperative to negating the damaging – and far-reaching – effects of the Standard American Diet (SAD).
Diabetes is a worldwide epidemic. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the number of people who suffer from the disease has exploded from 108 million in 1980 to over 420 million in 2014…and the numbers of cases continue to climb. By the year 2030, experts estimate that well over half a billion people around the world will be dealing with this disease.
In the United States, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimate that over 100 million people have diabetes (30 million) or prediabetes (84 million).
It’s almost impossible not to know someone who has diabetes or is at risk of getting it.
Being diabetic doubles your risk of death from complicating conditions compared to someone who is not diabetic.
Diabetes is a condition where your body is unable to process glucose (sugar) properly. This is sometimes because your body is not producing the hormone insulin or because it is unable to utilize insulin appropriately.
Typically, diabetics must take oral medication or inject themselves with insulin to maintain their blood sugar levels. In the U.S., only 16% of diabetics can manage their condition without medication.
Lower Blood Sugar Naturally
Diabetes is a devastating disease…so what can you do about it?
Controlling your diet, getting regular exercise, and avoiding negative lifestyle habits should be obvious (but clearly aren’t if you look at the statistics). Of all the habits you incorporate into a healthy way of life – DIET is most important.
Let me tell you about the maqui berry.
Sometimes known as the Chilean Wineberry, the maqui berry grows in the Patagonia region of Chile. It has been consumed for centuries by the Mapuche, the indigenous people of the region who regarded it as a symbol of health.
The Mapuche used the maqui berry and its leaves as an analgesic, to heal wounds, even to treat sore throats. Today we know that there is much more to this little berry.
The maqui berry has one of the highest concentrations of antioxidants of any food according to the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry and some studies show that it may even inhibit the growth of tumors and breast cancer cells.
The anthocyanins it contains have been shown to have powerful anti-inflammatory properties which can lower the risk of heart disease and cancer as well as possibly inhibit rheumatoid arthritis.
One of the greatest benefits of the maqui berry is the discovery that it can increase insulin production in the body. Often, diabetics will have to take insulin after meals to balance their blood sugar levels. Consumption of maqui berries could potentially lead to a decrease in prescribed insulin dosage or the ability to stop taking it entirely.
A joint study between North Carolina State University and Rutgers University on the maqui berry also have shown that it has anti-inflammatory properties that show promise in reducing the risk of cancer and heart disease.
It has also been shown to prevent the oxidation of cholesterol. This oxidation can lead to serious medical conditions such as heart attack and stroke. This was an important discovery as cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death among diabetics. Approximately 68% of patients with diabetes will die of heart disease or a stroke.
Research has also shown maqui berries to be effective against hardening of the arteries. This helps keep your heart healthy and is another plus for a diabetic or pre-diabetic person.
The latest statistics available show that every year over 65,000 diabetics are forced to make the choice to have a limb amputated due to their illness. In most cases, this is due to ulcers that have formed due to poor circulation.
Imagine preventing such a thing from ever occurring simply by making a few lifestyle choices and learning how to lower blood sugar naturally.
Maqui berries are an essential choice for the health conscious consumer that wants to stay fit, lower their risk of diabetes, cancer, and heart disease, and would prefer to trust in nature and a healthy lifestyle to help them keep both feet on the ground.
What’s stopping you?
REFERENCES
https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/diabetes
https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2017/p0718-diabetes-report.html
https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/jf103461k
https://news.ncsu.edu/in-the-news/maqui-berry-extract-may-help-type-2-diabetes/