Treating diabetes with banaba leaves is one of the latest innovations in the health care industry.
We all know that most of the time, if you are diagnosed with diabetes, the first thing the doctor wants to do is prescribe medication.
However, there are very good healthy alternatives for treating diabetes.
One of the new and popular alternative treatments for diabetes is to treat the patients on a diet of banaba leaves.
It is a natural plant; its proper name is "Lagerstroemia speciosa."
This plant is also known as the "Magnolia plant." It can grow up to 3 meters in height, and its leaves got an oval shape and are light green.
But most importantly, the leaves are entirely natural and safe for your health.
The various health benefits of banaba leaves are rapidly gaining attention in the medical community as they can potentially help treat several diseases, including diabetes.
The question is, though, does it work to treat diabetes.
What is Banaba?
Banaba is an evergreen tree that can grow up to 30 feet tall and about 15 feet wide.
However, the leaves are much smaller in size than other trees.
The banaba tree leaves are green in color and oval in shape with a smooth texture.
The banaba plant is native to the Philippines and parts of India and Sri Lanka.
It mainly lives in the rainforests and swamps. The banaba plant has a variety of uses, and one of them is for the treatment of diabetes.
The banaba leaves contain a chemical known as "corosolic acid," found in the leaves.
Banaba has the main phytochemical known as corosolic acid.
This compound is a pentacyclic triterpene that can be seen in mature leaves of the banaba plant.
Other phytochemicals in banaba include ellagitannins, gallic acid, and ellagic acid.
What Are Some Health Benefits That Banaba Can Offer
Banaba leaves contain a chemical compound called corosolic acid that has anti-diabetic properties.
Combined with a proper diet, it can help lower blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes.
The corosolic acid found in banaba leaves also helps lower cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood in patients suffering from type 2 diabetes.
When people with diabetes consume banaba leaves, they experience a much slower rate of glucose absorption in their body, which helps reduce blood sugar levels and restores them to normal levels much faster.
Diabetic patients also experience a faster rate of glucose utilization by the cells after consuming the banaba leaf extract. Some other health benefits include:
- Boosting the immune system of the body
- Lowering hypertension
- Treating kidney problems
- Treating ulcers and diarrhea
- Has antifungal and antiviral properties
- Treating asthma
- Anti-inflammatory properties
- Boosting hematopoiesis
- Weight loss
Some studies have also shown that corosolic acid in the banaba leaf extract can help promote stem cell differentiation.
This means that it can regulate the growth of stem cells and help stimulate the production of bone marrow stem cells and hematopoietic stem cells in the body.
In addition, it regulates the expression of several genes and helps increase cancer cells' survival rate in cancer patients.
What Are the Potential Side Effects of Taking Banaba Leaves?
The truth is that there are no significant side effects associated with consuming banaba leaves for diabetes treatment.
However, there are some minor side effects that you should know before consuming banaba.
The most common side effects are constipation and diarrhea, which usually disappear after 1 to 2 days of consumption.
However, if you are already taking some medication, consult your doctor before trying banaba leaves for your diabetes because banaba may cause some interactions with some drugs, such as blood thinners.
Also, if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, consult your physician before adding banaba leaves to your diet.
Banaba Leaves Dosage for Diabetes Treatment
When treating diabetes with banaba leaves, the patient should consume 3 grams daily of dried leaves.
This is equivalent to 1 and a half-dried leaves or about two tablespoons of freshly picked leaves.
Banaba should be taken on an empty stomach and after a meal for the best results.
The leaves are used to treat type 2 diabetes, although people with type 1 diabetes can also benefit from it.
Additionally, you can mix the leaves with juices or make a smoothie.
Either way works great.
Also, do not take banaba if you are on a low-carb diet. If you don't want to go the fresh route, you can buy the leaves in powdered form or even in supplements.
Most health stores sell the supplements, and they are online as well.
Why You Need To Manage Your Blood Sugar Levels
If you have been diagnosed with diabetes or are pre-diabetic, you need to manage your blood sugar levels.
If the blood sugar levels are not monitored and managed properly, it can lead to severe complications such as cardiovascular disease and nerve damage.
This is why you need to implement a blood sugar monitoring plan right away.
Your kidneys, heart, eyes, and nerves are negatively affected when your blood sugar levels are not in the normal range, and it's too late once these diseases set in.
Some of the dangers of high blood sugar levels include:
Early appearance of grey hairs
- Blurred vision
- Cataracts
- Kidney problems
- Foot problems
- Severe tooth decay
- Diabetic retinopathy
- Cardiovascular disease
- High blood pressure
That is just to name a few of the issues that come along with unmanaged blood sugar levels.
If you have diabetes and are pregnant, you must control your blood sugar levels at all times to ensure your baby's health.
One of the most common side effects of uncontrolled diabetes is hypoglycemia or low blood sugar.
Hypoglycemia can cause symptoms like weakness, fatigue, dizziness, confusion, sweating, hunger, irritability, anxiety, and nausea.
The effects of high blood sugar and severe hypoglycemia are closely linked.
However, aside from these problems, severe hypoglycemia can occur as well.
Other Natural Ways To Lower Your Blood Sugar
- Eating more fiber! Yes, fiber benefits your health, and diabetics and pre-diabetics should consume more fiber. Fiber can help slow down the absorption of glucose from the food you consume and helps increase the feeling of fullness, which allows you to lose weight. High-fiber foods include whole-wheat bread, whole grain cereals, almonds, berries, figs, beans, lentils, soybeans, and peanuts, to name a few.
- Exercising more! Exercise is essential for diabetes patients as it helps lower blood sugar and insulin levels. However, you should be supervised by a healthcare professional if you already have severe diabetes. Exercising also helps lose weight and keep blood sugar levels in the normal range.
- Avoid sugary foods! Sugary foods can increase your blood sugar levels quickly and, in high quantities, can cause various health issues. High blood sugar levels can cause obesity, tooth decay, an increased risk of heart diseases and stroke, and excessive thirst and urination.
- Meditating! Meditation has been scientifically proven to lower blood sugar levels and help people suffering from diabetes control their blood sugar levels effectively. Try relaxing your mind and body with a meditation session for about 20 minutes a day and see how it affects your blood sugar level. Meditation is one of the most effective stress-relief techniques to help you control your stress levels and live a healthy lifestyle.
- Getting enough sleep! Sleep deprivation can increase stress hormones that raise blood sugar levels. This can increase your blood sugar levels and increase your risk of diabetes. Not getting enough sleep also causes drowsiness, affecting your productivity and alertness at work. Get enough sleep to keep your blood sugar under control and your energy levels!
- Supplements: Certain supplements can help control your blood sugar levels as well. Fish oil supplements are the best option because they contain omega-3 fatty acids that help reduce bad cholesterol and increase good cholesterol in the body. Vitamin E supplements are also very effective in controlling blood sugar levels in the body. If you are already taking any medications to manage your diabetes, then make sure to consult your healthcare provider before taking any supplements.
Natural remedies and supplements can help lower your blood sugar and help treat diabetes effectively.
However, you also need to get proper nutrition and exercise to maintain a healthy lifestyle and keep diabetes in check as well.
To Sum it Up
Diabetes is a chronic condition that requires constant monitoring.
It can cause serious complications and cause severe damage to the body if not monitored and maintained properly.
There are many natural ways to treat diabetes that can not only help lower blood sugar levels in the body but also helps reverse insulin resistance in some cases.
Banaba leaves have been used in Asian medicine for many years for diabetes and can help treat diabetes effectively as well.
However, talk to your doctor before you start using a natural supplement to treat your diabetes.
