Showing posts with label home. Show all posts
Showing posts with label home. Show all posts

Home remedies to treat diabetes naturally

Friday, May 2, 2014


Some people think that diabetes is just an increase in blood sugar levels and they can treat it by simply taking insulin in medication. Well first of all i would like to appeal to all my freinds who have diabetes to be serious about the disease as it is not just common illness it is a "sneaky silent killer" as I explained in my earlier article. If you dont take it seriously and leave it untreated it can land you in serious health complications like blindness, chronic pains, limb amputations, excessive fatigue and heart attacks. 


So you must learn how to control your diabetes first! Caul management of type 2 diabetes can reduce your risk of serious — even life-threatening — complications. Despite so many researches going on and precautions taken, one cannot predict who will suffer from diabetes. Even gestational diabetes is also on the rise. Treatment can be given to diabetics depending on the type and severity of their disease. Here are a few natural remedies that can be helpful in reducing the sugar levels in a diabetic patient.

Natural Home remedies for treating diabetes at home:

1) Bitter Melon 
Bitter melon or bitter gourd is an ancient remedy to treat diabetes at home. It can be helpful for controlling diabetes due to its blood glucose lowering effects. It tends to influence the glucose metabolism all over your body rather than a particular organ or tissue. It helps increase pancreatic insulin secretion and prevents insulin resistance. Thus, bitter gourd is beneficial for both type 1 and type 2 diabetes. 

It can be taken in the form of juice, or cooked and fried and consumed with food daily. Many per drinking the stock after boiling the bitter gourd. The best effects can be gained when taken on empty stomach every morning. Be cautious while taking bitter gourd as it can even lead to hypoglycemia or low blood sugar levels.

2) Garlic
This is a common kitchen staple known to every family and is extensively used in everyday cooking. Everyone is aware of the cholesterol-reducing effect of garlic; few people know about its anti-diabetic effect. The chemical Allicin in garlic is believed to have hypoglycemic effects. Studies have found that garlic might protect against heart disease in the general population as well as help control abnormally high blood sugar levels in diabetics.

3) Olive Oil
German researchers, found that blood glucose levels were lower in people who ate a diet rich in monounsaturated fat than in people who ate a low-fat diet. Numerous other studies have suggested that people with diabetes who consume a diet high in monounsaturated fat have the same level of control over blood sugar levels as those who eat a low-fat diabetic diet. But monounsaturated fat also helps keep triglyceride levels in check, reduce LDL cholesterol levels, and increase HDL cholesterol levelsCooking all foods with edible olive oil brings about this effect on the long run. 

4) Cinnamon
Cinnamon is the common spice used in every household. The taste and the aroma enhancer also has beneficial anti-diabetic properties. Research studies show that intake of 1, 3, or 6 g of cinnamon per day reduces serum glucose, triglyceride, LDL cholesterol, and total cholesterol in people with type 2 diabetes and suggest that the inclusion of cinnamon in the diet of people with type 2 diabetes will reduce risk factors associated with diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. 

It is believed to have the same properties like insulin in lowering the blood glucose level. It is recommended to take half spoon of cinnamon powder everyday to get the desired effect. It can also be chewed in its natural form instead of being made into a powder.

5) Fenugreek
Fenugreek seeds are rich in sugar-lowering properties. 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. 
Even the leaves of this plant can be made as curry and consumed regularly. 

Fenugreek helps to reduce the insulin dependency when taken in regular intervals. A teaspoon-full of seeds should be soaked in a glass of water over night and the water along with the seeds should be drunk on empty stomach. No foods or medications should be taken for the next 30 minutes after consuming the water. This treatment is recommended for 2 – 3 times per week.

6) Fig Leaves
Figs leaves are very commonly used in treating diabetes. They are believed to have anti-diabetic properties that help them to reduce the sugar levels in the blood. Fig leaves have anti-diabetic properties and are used in a tea form. You simply take the fresh leaves and cut them up, including the stems and boil them in water. The leaves need to be boiled for at least 15 minutes. The sap in the stems is what is of high value.

7) Aloe Vera
This is a very common plant grown in most households. It has been widely used for medical and cosmetic properties for centuries. Recent studies prove that it has hypoglycemic characteristics, and can reduce high blood sugar levels. It also has anti-inflammatory properties that promote wound healing. Mix one to two teaspoons of ground bay leaves, one teaspoon of turmeric and one teaspoon of aloe vera gel. Drink this solution daily, before lunch and dinner. Or you can take aloe gel with buttermilk to improve the taste. 

8) Grape Seed Extract (GSE)
Grape seeds are a rich source of vitamin E, flavonoids, linoleic acid and oligomeric proanthocyanidins. Recent studies have proved their efficacy in treating diabetes. Research studies have shown that GSE significantly reduced inflammation, hypoglycemia and oxidative stress in obese type 2 diabetics.

The grape seeds are ground and placed in capsules; the person can take up to 300mg per day to reduce the blood sugar levels.

9) Neem
Neem, a tree that is believed to have anti-bacterial and anti-fungal property, has anti-diabetic properties as well. Neem leaf extracts and seeds are used as an active ingredient as an effective cure for diabetes. It has been scientifically proven after a number of tests and research by leading medical institutes, that neem parts have high efficacy in treating the disease. Neem leaf extracts improve the blood circulation by dilating the blood vessels and also helpful in reducing the need for hypo-glycaemic drugs. It has been found to reduce insulin requirements by up to 50%. 

10) Indian Gooseberry
Amla the common man’s fruit that is rich in vitamin C also has hypoglycemic properties. The fruit when taken orally helps to reduce the sugar level by stimulating insulin production within 30 minutes of consumption. The researchers found that oxidative stress markers reduced by 23% in those who took 250 mg of extract and 28% in group who took 500 mg extract.

11) Jamun
This is a seasonal berry that is not available all through the year. It is a rich source of vitamin A and C, 100 grams of this fruit consumed per day can do wonders to the blood glucose levels. A teaspoon of dried seeds powder is advised to take in early morning first thing in empty stomach, to reduce high blood sugar. in addition, it helps to reduce the insulin dose. 

12) Vinegar
Many may not include vinegar in their regular diet. But this again helps diabetics to reduce the sugar concentration in the blood. Add vinegar to foods that can be palatable with this ingredient. Two spoons of vinegar before food helps in the reduction of glucose influx. 

13) Oysters
Oysters may have no direct effect in reducing the blood glucose level. But, as a rich source of zinc, they help to promote wound healing in diabetics. Thus, it is advisable for diabetics to include oysters in their diet for better wound healing capability. 

14) Papaya
It is recommended to consume papaya on a daily basis as it has natural blood sugar controlling capability that helps to control diabetes by and large. It is also a rich source of vitamin C and anti-oxidants along with carotenes and flavonoids.

15) Vitamin C
Wondering why vitamin C is used for diabetes? Recent researches have found that consuming up to 600mg of vitamin C daily can help to normalize the blood glucose levels. Foods rich in vitamin C should be consumed daily by chronic diabetics.

16) Mango
The leaves of the mango tree are believed to have anti-diabetic properties. The leaf extracts need to be administered at least 60 minutes before food consumption then only the desired effect can be seen. It helps to reduce the intestinal glucose absorption, which is the reason behind its anti-diabetic effect.

17) Holy Basil
This is a medicinal plant, which is also considered holy by many Indians right from ancient times. It is recommended to extract the juice from the leaves and consume it. A daily habit of eating fresh leaves from the garden after washing has tremendous effects on the body. Basil leaves bring about a significant reduction in the blood glucose level. Apart from that, this leaf also has anti-stress, anti-asthmatic, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, gastric anti-ulcer, anti-oxidant, anti-viral, anti-tumor, anti-mutagenic and immuno-stimulant properties.

18) Ladys FingerThis most sought out vegetable is rich in soluble fibers. It helps to slow down the absorption of glucose from the intestine. Soak one ladys finger slit in the middle in a glass of water overnight and consume it on an empty stomach. Done over a month, it reduces the blood glucose level to a great extent.

19) Beans
Beans help to slow down the digestion process thereby preventing the rise in blood glucose level. Beans give a feeling of fullness to the stomach and satiety is reached early.

20) Soy
Soy is a blessing for those having unmanageable chronic diabetes. Soy contains isoflavones that help to reduce blood sugar levels while keeping the body well nourished. It also prevents the accumulation of fat as it gives very little calories. It is ideal for weight reduction program too.
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Patient Centered Medical Home PCMH Attributes and Correlation With Staff Morale Satisfaction and Burn Out From Bad to Not So Bad to So What

Sunday, March 23, 2014

Nice medical home laptop, but
how do I feel about it?
Over the years, the Disease Management Care Blog has repeatedly reminded the spouse of her particularly good fortune in marriage. Her lingering skepticism, however, has prompted the DMCB to amass further evidence of her marital bliss by

a) asking other spouses in similar relationships if they feel as fortunate and, if so,

b) collecting data about the DMCB-like personality traits in their husbands.

Bonhomie? Check.

Willingness to share the TV remote? Check.

Cooking the occasional meal at great personal sacrifice? Check.

Announcing how good that meal is? Check.

Yet, when confronted with the indisputable statistical associations that correlate nuptial happiness and DMCB"ness," the spouse has remained stubbornly unmoved. At the spouses pointed request, the DMCB is rechecking the math.

Readers will probably also remain unmoved about this publication that uses a similar approach to examining the impact of the Patient Centered Medical Home (PCMH) on clinic staff morale, satisfaction and burnout. Sara Lewis and colleagues surveyed the staff of 65 "safety net" clinics participating in a "5 Year Safety Net Medical Home Initiative" that had been co-funded by the Commonwealth Fund.

At the time of the survey, the 65 clinics were in the process of implementing becoming PCMHs but had not yet attained that status. The authors used a Likert-style survey to assess PCMH-"like" attributes among these non-PCMH clinics, such as patient access, data tracking, care management and quality improvement.  The survey also asked about staff morale, satisfaction and burnout.  The authors then correlated whether individual scores or a total roll-up score of all the PCMH-like attributes correlated with better clinic morale, higher satisfaction and less burn out.

There were 773 providers and staff members and 603 (78%) responded. 33% rated morale as good, 54% rated job satisfaction as very good and 40% had some burnout.  Based on an analysis of odds ratios, some features of a PCMH - particularly quality improvement - resulted in up to a three fold improvement in the three measures. However, while the total PCMH score was associated with better morale, it looked like there was also a greater association with worse burn-out, which had a statistically significant lower odds ratio of .48.

The DMCB finds these up and down results about the PCMH in nonPCMH clinics unconvincing.  It believes the attributes of a PCMH, if carried out as envisioned, should add up to more than the sum of its parts.  While some of the parts that are outside of a medical home seem, according to this paper, to correlate with morale, satisfaction and burnout, this gives little insight on how medical staff would really react to the transformation of a primary care clinic.  By the way, this is not the first time a PCMH-"like: methodology has been used, which makes the DMCB wonder if fully functioning PCMHs are less common than we think.

What is striking, however, are the basic measures of morale, stress and burnout. Based on these data, it would appear that these safety net clinics have some serious staff issues with 67% not having good morale, 46% not having good job satisfaction and just under half having burn out.

More evidence of primary cares travails says the DMCB.

The good news is that the DMCB remains optimistic that the math will eventually bring the DMCB spouse around.  Maybe the enthusiasm - and the math - about the PCMH will similarly prevail someday.  Until then, this papers approach doesnt lend much insight about the real potential of the PCMH. Last but not least, if these 65 clinics are representative of primary care morale, satisfaction and burnout in general, the DMCB far less optimistic about their future with or without the PCMH.
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Home remedies for heartburn

Sunday, March 9, 2014

Heartburn fortunately, the word is a misnomer. Despite its name, heartburn has nothing to do with the heart. Heartburn is an irritation of the esophagus caused by acid that luxes (comes up) from the stomach.



Normally when swallowing food, a muscular valve called the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) opens to allow food into the stomach then it closes again. Then the stomach releases strong acids to help break down the food. But if the lower esophageal sphincter opens too often or does not close tight enough, stomach acid can lux into the esophagus, damaging it and causing the burning sensation we know as heartburn.

Most people have felt heartburn at one time or another. Nothing ruins a great meal as much as a painful bout of heartburn. In fact, the American Gastroenterological Association reports that more than 60 million Americans experience heartburn/GERD symptoms at least once each month. Though uncomfortable, heartburn does not usually pose any serious health problems. In fact, small amounts of lux are normal and most people dont even notice it because the swallowing we do causes saliva to wash the acids right back down into the stomach where they belong.

However, if heartburn symptoms occur frequently and persistently, it may be a sign of a more serious problem, such as gastroesophageal lux disease (GERD).  It is a chronic lux of acid if left untreated can cause esophageal ulcers, hoarseness, chronic pulmonary etc.

There are some preventive steps you should keep in mind if you suffer from heartburn very often:

  • Avoid specific foods that trigger your heartburn. Eat more fiber to keep your digestive tract moving and healthy. Also reduce portion sizes. 
  • Push away the plate at least two or three hours before bedtime so your stomach has a chance to empty before you lie down.
  • Eat slowly, taking smaller bites.
  • Excess abdominal fat can press against the stomach, forcing acids up into the esophagus. Follow a diet and exercise program to shed extra pounds.
  • Smoking can reduce the effectiveness of the muscle that keeps acids in the stomach. For this, and so many other health reasons, it’s always the perfect time to quit.
  • Ditch the skin-tight jeans. Tight clothes put added pressure on the abdomen.
  • Put wood blocks under your bed to raise the head about 6 inches. Don’t bother raising your pillows, though — it’s not effective for heartburn.
  • Exercise may protect against the acid lux that leads to heartburn.

There are several home remedies right in your own kitchen that can fight the fire of heartburn. These natural remedies could help soothe heartburn and put your belly at ease.

Natural treatments for heartburn

1) Chewing gum
It may sound strange, but gum stimulates the production of saliva, Saliva is alkaline, so swallowing saliva neutralizes stomach acid. Plus, chewing gum makes you swallow air more often, which pushes those nasty acids back out of your esophagus. When you pick a pack of gum, just make sure its sugar-free so you also protect your teeth.

2) Almonds
Almond lovers will be happy to hear that this tasty nut is also effective in treating heartburn. Immediately after a meal or snack, eat three to four almonds. You can choose raw, roasted or salted almonds to suit your taste buds. Chew them until they are reduced to a flour-like substance. This will release the oil and juice from the almonds, which calms production of acid in your stomach.

3) Aloe Vera Juice
Just as Aloe Vera acts as a coolant and reduces the inflammation on the skin, it also cools down the stomach and provides heartburn relief. Aloe vera juice has a long history of use in Europe as a natural home remedy to relieve heartburn. You should only use aloe vera juice that has been specifically prepared for internal use.

4) Apple and apple cider vinegar
Stir 2 Tablespoons of apple cider vinegar into 1/2 cup of water or apple juice & drink immediately after each meal. It will calm stomach troubles and brings about digestive relief. Apple cider vinegar can also be taken in tablet or capsule form. Even a slice of apple can calm down acid production and reduce the burning sensation. Apples neutralize the acid in your stomach in about 5 minutes. Braeburn or Gala apples work best. Celery sticks and cabbage will also minimize stomach acid.

5) Mint
Mint is effective in treating heartburn due to its soothing properties. Take a cup of water and add one tablespoon of crushed mint leaves to it. Leave it for about 30 minutes. Finally, drink this water 2 to 3 times a day. You can also chew fresh mint leaves from time to time to treat heartburn.

6) Cinnamon
You can also make teas made of crushed cinnamon or cardamom to cool the heat of heartburn. Add 1 teaspoon of either crushed or powdered herb to 1 cup boiling water, steep, strain and drink.

7) Baking Soda
Baking soda, also known as sodium bicarbonate, provides quick and easy relief from heartburn. Just mix one teaspoon of baking soda in a glass of water and drink it. You can also mix a few drops of lemon juice in this solution. Being a natural antacid, baking soda works within minutes, giving you instant relief from heartburn pain.

8) Garlic
Even though many people BLAME garlic for their heartburn, a clove or two can erase the burn as quickly as it came. Chew a clove of garlic when heartburn occurs, or store a few cloves of garlic in apple cider vinegar, and drink a sip of the liquid when heartburn occurs. Raw garlic is a power-packed antibiotic, and is known to kill the pathogenic microorganism that is most often found in those suffering from gastritis.
9) Mustard
Mustard is a little known and surprising remedy for heartburn. The next time you have an attack of acid lux, try 1 tsp of yellow mustard with about ½ glass of water. Apparently the yellow coloring, turmeric, has long been used for digestive disorders.

10) Fennel Seeds
Chewing fennel seeds several times a day will freshen your breath while also controlling the production of stomach acid. You can also drink tea made from fennel seeds. To make this herbal tea: Add two teaspoons of fennel seeds to a cup of boiling water. Allow it to sit for 10 minutes. Then strain it into a cup and drink it slowly.

11) Ginger
Fresh ginger provides relief from heartburn in two ways – it absorbs acid in the stomach and helps calm the nerves that contribute to heartburn. You can use ginger as a spice in cooking, eat raw ginger pieces or drink ginger tea. To make ginger tea: Add one teaspoon of freshly grated ginger to one cup of boiling water. Let it steep for a few minutes. Drink this herbal tea several times a day. This natural herb can be consumed in its raw form also to prevent heartburn from recurring.

12) Slippery Elm
Slippery elm has been used medicinally for centuries to treat different types of diseases including heartburn. It will thicken the mucous lining in your stomach, reducing acid production. Add one teaspoon of slippery elm powder to a cup of hot water and drink it throughout the day until your heartburn goes away.

13) Licorice
A form of licorice called DGL also provides heartburn-soothing effects. It provides protection from acids by promoting mucus release in the stomach. DGL comes in large tablets that you place in your mouth and allow to melt. You can chew them slightly but don’t swallow them since it is your saliva that helps activate the DGL.

14) Vegetable Juice
Vegetable juices, like raw potato, celery and cabbage are very alkaline in nature and are helpful in correcting an acidic stomach. Papaya juice contains the digestive enzyme papain, which has a soothing effect on the stomach and aids in the breaking down of protein.


15) Water
With some people, all they have to do is drink water. It can help to wash excess acid that splashes into the esophagus. Make sure that you do not drink too much water, as it may actually make the problem worse.

Why suffer in silence? when you have so many natural remedies to get rid of heartburn. If you have persistent or severe heartburn, consult a doctor immediately to be sure it is not a sign of a more serious condition.
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