But you see, herbs are very important to help manage canine diabetes and these powerful components have been used for many, many years that even medical science has backed up their claims.

Below are 4 of the natural remedies that aim to help manage diabetes. These herbs have been used by people for ages, and they are also safe enough for your dog to take.

• Fenugreek: This herb was used by the Egyptians and Chinese for the treatment of various diseases. Now it has been found to be helpful in diabetes management as well. It functions by slowing down carbohydrate absorption which helps normalize glucose levels. Additionally, it stimulates insulin production in the body.
• Astragalus: Its Chinese name is huang qi, and it has been used in traditional Chinese medicine to reduce blood glucose level, as well as prevent the formation of cataracts. Moreover, it is very effective in boosting the immune system.
• Bilberry: A relative of the cranberry, the bilberry helps prevent cataracts in both humans and dogs. Cataracts is a common complication brought about by diabetes so by giving them bilberries, you could certainly help to avoid this problem. Bilberry has anthocyanin which protects the eyes.
• Goat’s Rue: In the Middle Ages, a certain herb was used to strengthen the pancreas, and this is known today as Goat’s Rue. This herb can help lower glucose level in the blood without causing hypoglycaemia. Additionally, it also helps minimize the risk of retinopathy, kidney complications, and cataracts which may be brought about by diabetes.

If your dog has been diagnosed with the aforementioned condition, then it is high time you start including these herbs in the treatment and diet program that you have planned for him.

These are available in any health store on and off the internet. To be more effective, you can combine these herbs with insulin treatment as prescribed by the vet.

While you may doubt the efficacy of natural remedies, bear in mind that the herbs mentioned above have been used for many centuries. If they have won the trust of so many people in the past, then surely, we should have no trouble believing in their efficacy today.

Diabetes is a defect in the body’s ability to convert glucose to energy. It is caused due to insufficient production of glucose by the pancreas. In diabetes patients, the production of glucose is impaired.

What are the symptoms of Diabetes?

Patients with Type-1 diabetes usually develop symptoms over a short period of time, and the condition is often diagnosed in an emergency setting.

Symptoms of type 1 diabetes:

Increased thirst
Fatigue
Nausea
Increased urination
Weight loss in spite of increased appetite
Vomiting

However, because Type-2 diabetes develops slowly, some people with high blood sugar experience no symptoms at all.

Symptoms of type 2 diabetes:

Increased thirst
Impotence in men
Increased appetite
Increased urination
Blurred vision
Fatigue
Slow-healing infections

How to diagnose diabetes?

The diagnosis of diabetes is made by a simple blood test measuring blood glucose level. Usually blood glucose level tests are repeated on a subsequent day to confirm the diagnosis. Your health care team may also request that you have a glucose tolerance test. If two hours after taking the glucose drink your glucose level is 200 or above, you will be diagnosed as having diabetes.

How can I control diabetes?

Gather all the information about diabetes, its symptoms and causes
Check your blood glucose level regularly
If find any symptom of diabetes, visit your health care team for diagnosis of diabetes
Ask your health care team about how to check blood glucose level at home
Stop smoking
Exercise daily
Follow a healthy meal plan
Check your vision at regular intervals, If found blurred visit your health care team
Check your feet regularly for checking the occurrence of diabetes
If you are diabetic, monitor you diabetes regularly
Follow instructions of health care team strictly
Avoid sweet ingredients, use sugar free food

Can diabetes be cured?

As yet, there is no treatment for either type of diabetes, although there are many ways of keeping diabetes in control. Studies have shown that good control of blood glucose (blood sugar) is the key to avoid diabetic complications later.

What are the treatment options to cure diabetes?

Diabetes is incurable. The only option is to prevent ourselves from diabetes or to keep diabetes under control.

Is diabetes a hereditary disease?

You are at higher risk of Type 2 diabetes if you have a parent, brother or sister with diabetes.

Complications of Diabetes

If you have diabetes, you are much more likely to have a risk of stroke, heart disease, or a heart attack. In fact, 2 out of 3 people with diabetes die from stroke or heart disease. There are three conditions that make people with diabetes vulnerable to foot problems. These are vascular disease and foot deformities. About 30 percent of patients with Type 1 diabetes and 10 to 40 percent of those with Type 2 diabetes eventually will suffer from kidney failure. Diabetes also may cause damage to nerves in your body.

Effective diabetic-management requires a healthy regular lifestyle which should include-

Working towards obtaining ideal body weight

Regular balanced diet & following a diabetic diet

Regular exercise

Sensible weight control

Diabetic medication if needed

Diabetes can be controlled by the daily activities, patient should know that what, when, and how much eating will affect the blood glucose level. Following are some advices that are very beneficial for the diabetes -

Eat the same amount of food each day.

Eat at about the same times each day.

Make sure the gaps between your meals are short.

Take the medicines at the same times each day.

Exercise at the same times each day.

Drink a lot of water that will help flush the toxins off your system.

Take good sleep daily.

Every day, choose foods from these food groups: starches, vegetables, fruit, meat and meat substitutes, and milk and yogurt. How much of each depends on how many calories is need a day.

Limit the amounts of fats and sweets each day.

There are many types of equipment or calorie counter that provides the all counts which are required. But getting the best is the more important because it’s all about the health. Patients need to check nutrition information, sugar level and other things that generate the diet according to all these information.

So controlling your diet can be the key to reducing the risk of diabetes as well as improving your symptoms if you are already affected by this disease people often refer to as “the silent killer.”

Everybody knows that maintaining a good diet is a healthy choice for every person. But for diabetes patients, this statement means something more significant than the recent fad over healthy living.

For diabetes patients, having a healthy diet means eating in a way that reduces the risk for complications that are commonly associated with their conditions, including heart disease and stroke. For them, a healthy diet could mean the difference between die-abetes and live-abetes.

Eating healthy involves eating a wide variety of foods that encompasses the whole diet spectrum of vegetables, whole grains, fruits, non-fat dairy products, beans, lean meats, poultry, and fish.

No, you do not have to eat all of that, but a little bit of this and that enough to balance the three basic food groups (Go, Grow, and Glow) is what you should aim for.

Tip #1: Preparing a Meal Plan

When you go on a diabetes diet, the first things you need to do is to prepare a meal plan. This will serve as your guide to how much and what kinds of food you can choose to eat at meals, and even at snack times if you wish to include that.

Now, be sure that your meal plan fits in with your schedule and eating habits. That way you will not be likely to ruin your diet simply because your work schedule conflicts with your meal schedule.

Keep in mind your end-goal: To keep your blood glucose in levels that are easy enough to maintain.

In addition to that somewhat myopic diet goal for diabetes, you also want to follow a meal plan that will help you improve your blood pressure and cholesterol levels as well as keep your weight on track.

All these – blood pressure, cholesterol and weight – are factors that contribute to the worsening of your diabetes symptoms, so controlling them could very well mean controlling your diabetes.

When preparing a meal plan, be sure to balance uptake and down take – that is, food and exercise, respectively. Additionally, your doctor may have prescribed you with insulin or oral medications to help you manage your condition.

Take those medications into account as well when you plan your meal plan, making sure that the food is balanced with the drugs. The whole thing sounds like it’s a lot of work but with a few suggestions from your physician and/or dietician you can start building a meal plan that is best for you and your condition.

Tip #2: Use the Diabetes Food Pyramid

The Diabetes Food Pyramid, released by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is composed of six food groups (arranged according to how much you should eat from the least to the most and based on carbohydrate and protein content):

• Fats, sweets, and alcohol
• Milk
• Meat, meat substitutes, and other proteins
• Fruits
• Vegetables
• Grains, beans, and starchy vegetables

Fats, sweets, and alcohol are the one food group that diabetes patients should avoid.

The problem with diabetes involves a certain malfunction in the way our bodies make use of glucose in the blood. It is either there is too much glucose in our blood because we ate too much food rich in sugar so that the hormone responsible for regulating glucose – insulin – is unable to cope. Or, our cells are defective so that even though we have enough insulin to handle the job, our cells do not respond.

In order to control the levels of glucose in the blood stream, controlling diabetes diet is important. The intake of fats, sweets, and alcohol and other generally “unhealthy” foods should be minimized and only for special treats.

As for the rest of the food groups, here are the serving sizes recommended by the American Diabetes Association:

• Meat and Meat Substitutes: 4-6 oz. per day and divided between meals. This is equivalent to ¼ cup cottage cheese, 1 egg, 1 tbsp peanut butter, or ½ cup tofu.
• Milk: 2-3 servings per day
• Fruit: 2-4 servings per day
• Vegetables: 3-5 servings per day
• Grains and Starches: 6-11 servings per day, equivalent to 1 slice of bread, ¼ of a bagel, or ½ of an English muffin or pita bread.

Use this Diabetes Food Pyramid only as a guide in planning your meals. If you want a more individualized option, consult your dietician.

Tip #3: Draw Lines on Your Plate

Another good way to ensure that you are eating a balanced diet is to draw a line across your plate. It could only be an imaginary line. As you sit there for a meal, the exercise might even prove to be fun.

The first step, of course, is to imagine that you are drawing a line through the center of your plate. Then, divide one of the halves into two.

Then, fill this section with grains or starchy foods, such as rice, pasta, potatoes, corn, or peas.

The other section should comprise your meat and meat substitute group – meat, fish, poultry, or tofu.

Next, fill half of your plate with non-starchy vegetables. You can place there broccoli, carrots, cucumbers, salad, tomatoes, and cauliflower.

Last, add a glass of milk and a small piece of roll, and eh voila! You are ready to eat.

Tip #4: Reading Food Labels

With food labels, it all comes down to the Nutrition Facts. It’s that list of nutrition information found on the package of foods sold in the grocery store. Reading food labels can help you make wise choices about the foods you buy. The labels will tell you what ingredients were used, the amount of calories, and other pertinent information essential to a diabetes patient.

For instance, a typical food label would contain the total amounts per serving for the following nutrients:

• Calories
• Total fat
• Saturated fat
• Cholesterol
• Sodium
• Total carbohydrate
• Fiber

Use the nutrition facts found in food labels to compare similar types of foods and buy the one that contains fewer calories, lower fats, cholesterol, etc.

Pay close attention to free foods like sugar-free gelatin desert, sugar-free ice pops, sugarless gum, diet soft drinks, and sugar-free syrups. Just because they are called “free” does not mean they are entirely free of calories so don’t be overconfident. Instead, read the label. Most free foods should have less than 20 calories and 5 grams of carbohydrates per serving.

Another thing, “no-sugar added” means no sugar was added during the manufacture and packaging of the foods. The ingredients do not include sugar. However, the food may be high in carbohydrates still so be sure to read the label carefully.

Fat-free foods could still mean that they contain lots of carbohydrates. Often, they contain almost the same amount of calories as the foods they replace so be sure to pay attention to the label. Buying fat-free foods instead of regular foods does not necessarily mean that you are making a wise choice.

Tip #5: A Word about Sweets
Now, you know that sweets are generally discouraged among diabetes patients. However, having diabetes does not necessarily mean that you cannot have sweets. Imagine how bad life can be for the sweet tooth with diabetes. But as long as you keep your intake of sweets in moderation, there is no reason you have to eschew sugar from your life forever. After all, glucose (sugar) is still the most basic source of energy that the body needs.

So sweeten your foods with these following options:

• Sugar and other sweeteners with calories: honey, brown sugar, molasses, fructose, cane sugar, and confectioners sugar

• Reduced calorie sweeteners: erythritol, hydrogenated starch hydrolysates, isomalt, lactitol, maltitol, mannitol, sorbitol, and xylitol

• Low calories sweeteners: ascelfume potassium, aspartame, saccharin, and sucralose

Research has overturned the long standing belief that sugar caused diabetes. The new studies show us that sugar has in fact the same effect on blood glucose levels as other carbohydrates like bread and potatoes. Based on this discovery, experts agree that a diabetic can now consume sugar as long as they incorporate it into their meal plan the way they would with any ordinary carbohydrate-containing foods.
Now that you have been pointed to the right direction with these tips to improve your diabetes diet, you can go ahead and live a healthier, fuller life where nothing – no carb nor sweets – is denied you, as long as you keep it all in moderation.