Efficacy of cinnamon for Type 2 Diabetes Patients

In addition to drugs, patients with type 2 diabetes can control blood sugar levels with cinnamon spices. According to Diabetes.co.uk, cinnamon is one of the herbs that is closely associated with improving the quality of conditions such as diabetes.

Reported on Express.co.uk, Thursday (1/3), this is because research says cinnamon can help increase blood sugar levels and increase insulin sensitivity. A 2002 clinical study showed cinnamon skin can increase blood sugar levels and cholesterol in people with type 2 diabetes. Cinnamon can also reduce risk factors associated with diabetes and heart disease.

Daily intake, three grams of cinnamon skin has been shown to reduce serum glucose, triglycerides, and bad cholesterol after 40 days among 60 elderly diabetics. Another study previously in 2000 found consuming one gram of cinnamon every day can increase insulin sensitivity and help regulate or even reverse type 2 diabetes.

Subsequent research in 2007 revealed that eating six grams of cinnamon slowed stomach emptying and significantly reduced hyperglycemia (high blood sugar levels) after eating. As a result of the available scientific evidence, many health experts claim cinnamon contains properties that are useful for regulating blood sugar and treatment of type 2 diabetes.

Beware of the Risk of Sweetened Drinks

Sweetened drinks need to be aware of the risks. One of the results of a recent study says that the higher the consumption of sweetened drinks, the higher the risk of kidney disease.

This finding was obtained from the results of a study of African-American adults domiciled in Mississippi, United States (US). The results of a study published in the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (CJASN) prove that consumption of soda, fruit drinks and sweetened water has unhealthy effects.

Quoted from Eurekalert !, certain sweetened drinks may affect kidney health. However, various studies have shown inconsistent results.

To clarify the impact of sweetened drinks, Casey Rebholz of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and his team-mates studied 3,003 African-American adult men and women. When the study began, participants had healthy kidneys and were enrolled in The Jackson Heart Study.

"There is still little complete information about the impact of sweetened drinks available at suppliers of food and beverages. In particular, there is limited information about what drinks and how to drink patterns that can interfere with kidney health," Rebholz said.

Four cholesterol-lowering foods

Heart attacks can occur when the cholesterol level in the body is too high. The main cause of heart attack is coronary heart disease.

This condition is where the main blood vessels that supply blood to the heart are blocked by cholesterol deposits. If cholesterol deposits rupture, this can cause blood clots to develop which can trigger a heart attack.

People with high cholesterol in the blood can reduce it by making certain dietary changes. As reported by Express, Monday (31/12), Heart UK recommends to include the following four foods into the diet to help reduce cholesterol.

Foods made from soybeans

Soybeans contain protein, healthy fats, vitamins, minerals, and other vegetable nutrients. Foods made from soybeans are naturally low in saturated fats. So try exchanging fatty milk, meat and other foods high in saturated fat with soy alternatives. Other alternatives can include milk and yogurt from soybeans, soybeans, soybean pudding, soybean desserts, and minced meat mixed with soybeans.