Cinnamon and Bitter Melon for reducing fasting levels

[xyzzy]

Gymnema turned up, so will be trying it out.

Have just booked my first post diagnosis HBA1c test, blood to be taken on April 12th which will be 100 days since the last one came back at 11.3%.

So time to put all of these "herbs" and lower carbs to the test. Trying to get a Cholesterol test done at the same time but they are bitching about cost as per normal. Said I had changed my diet and wanted to make sure it was still falling - "I'll ask a doctor was the reply" so fingers crossed otherwise I'll have to test using one of those diy Cholesterol home kits that aren't that accurate.

Will let you know about the Gymnema, the wife's going to be taking some too so I'll report back on its appetite suppressant properties as well from her perspective.

[Update. Doctor says YES so Cholesterol test as well]

 

[xyzzy]

Right so a low carb 19g main meal from a pre meal 4.4 start. Taken my 1000mg Met normal 1.5g of BM and 440mg (1 tab) of Gymnema. Off for my normal daily hours walk around the park with the dogs with the wife. Lets see what happens in a couple of hours time.

 

[SweetHeart]

The Gymnema definitely works as an appetite suppressant - as long as you take it about 30 mins to an hour before eating. I take it four times a day as I find I start to crave sweet things mid-afternoon and again at bedtime when I'm reading.

I don't think I'm going to get to the level of low carbing where I'm eating so much that I never feel hungry in between meals. I'm managing breakfast most mornings but can seldom handle lunch unless I'm being very active so I start to crave (carbs especially) by mid afternoon and late at night.

Julia

 

[xyzzy]

Okay....

Two hours post main meal. Did not fall over walking the dog. No noticeable side effects. BG 4.2 :shock: so less than I started with. Maybe a fluke but have taken note...

Would normally expect from that start and that meal (spicy mince and veggies combo) and the gentle stroll to be around 5.2

 

[Defren]

My Gymnema have not arrived yet, but today my order for acai berries did. You can take between 1-3 750mg capsules a day, so I am on 2 a day, starting today.

 

[Patch]

Can someone point me in the right direction of some good Cinnamon? I'm going to try the Manuka Honey/Cinnamon combo. I've found Manuka Honey in Asda (£8 a jar - ouch!) and want to make sure that I get the correct type/quality of Cinnamon...

 

[xyzzy]

Hi Patch!

Hope all is well with you. From what I can gather you need the variety that's sold in America. Mine which is in caps so no good for what you want to do is a Cinnamon variety called cassia but comes from an American supplier so I would guess you would want to be after the same variety but in raw powder or bark form. Been taking it for around 6 weeks along with all the other stuff. I reckon it will take around 0.5 off fasting levels once you've taken it for a couple of weeks or so.

Have fun and let us know how it turns out.

 

[mousemat]

Just wondering whether ordinary cinnamon would do..the type you buy in a supermarket.

Anyone with any idea?

 

[xyzzy]

Just wondering whether ordinary cinnamon would do..the type you buy in a supermarket.

Anyone with any idea?

Well we had a discussion about that a few pages back. Some studies say Cinnamon works and others say it doesn't so we thought that may have been due to the fact that the bark of several different plants can end up being sold as Cinnamon. Given that the BG lowering effects of Cinnamon is strongly pushed in the States the consensus was that perhaps the safest way was to get the same variety that is sold in capsule form over there. Although I got my caps (Swanson) from a UK supplier the product they ship is definitely produced in the US as you can tell by what's written on the label. It says Cinnamon (cassia). So I would say if you can find that UK supermarket cinnamon is cassia its worth a try.

Again just to emphasise things mousemat I don't recommend any of these "herbs" as a replacement to a good diet or real meds. I use them just to supplement the Metformin and lower carb diet I do and I take a range of other more standard supplements as well. None of them are magic get out of jail free cards.

 

[))Denise((]

I sprinkle 1 - 2 grams of cinnamon on my breakfast (modified museli). I am convinced that the cinnamon you get in the UK is different to US cinnamon. I went to the US last August and bought some in a supermarket. When it ran out, I started using Sainsburys own brand cinnamon. I noticed my BS levels were rising despite not changing my diet. Decided to buy some McCormicks cinnamon on ebay, BS levels came down again. http://www.mccormick.com/SpicesForHealt ... namon.aspx

 

[Unbeliever]

I remember reading somewhere - but don't recall where, that Indian cinammon is the one with the bg lowering pro[erties.
perhaps an Indian supermarke or supplier. They used to sell it in Kwiksave . It was displayed wih all the curry ingredients,

Some other types can be dangerous I believe, if taken in excess or by children.

I love cinammon and add it o everyhing possible. Unforunately have never noticed any beneficial effects on my bg levels.
Sorry if I am repeating somehing already discussed. One of the peculiarities of my eye conditionn is that trying to look back over previous pages makes me dizzy!

 

[xyzzy]

Hello unbeliever welcome to our happy herbal thread!

Well I'm well happy. Children coming home for Easter so wife has made home made hot cross buns. Not a chance of resisting. Toasted two around 60g of carbs forced butter into them in as much quantity as I could (another little trick I think works). mmmm
Pint of G&T to help them down. BG's untouched 5.2 prior and 5.2 now.

Happy Easter everyone :wave: hic

 

[Unbeliever]

Hi xyzzy, I am very interesed in herbal matters but since diagnosis - or more likely medicaion- most supplements seem to make me ill although I still use the natural herb when possible.

I used to make hot cross buns every year. This year I have had o watch my hog of a husband gorging himself on them for weeks. I think he ate 18 in two days not so long ago. All the two packs for one offers are oo much for him.

I have spent a ridiculous amoun t .of time oday wondering if i could allow myself just one tomorrow, unfortunately I know that one is never enough.

I dont have a problem resisting most things but toasted hot cross buns? Its more than flesh and blood can stand.

I have just had a vodka and tonic. Might do a blood test and see if now is a good time. I don't care abou chocolate. Give me the bun every time.

Yes Happy Easter all. I like Easter- so much less sressful than Christmas , the weather perhaps better {?] The spring flowers etc .

 

[xyzzy]

Time for another update.

Well things went well until Thursday evening last week then the Hot Cross Bun fiasco started.

Daily averages from Sat 31st to Thursday 5th 5.0, 4.8, 4.9, 4.8, 4.9, 5.2 so a significant improvement on previous weeks. Is that the Gymnema ? Well I think not more likely the loss of weight I had in the last couple of weeks. The Gymnema is **** good as an appetite suppressant though. Two days now I've had to remind myself to go get some lunch.

So over the weekend the averages not good at all. 5.7 Good Friday then gave up testing half of Saturday and all of Sunday as they deteriorated rapidly as I got more stressed about them at one point I got a fasting level in the 8's. I recommend everyone does that. If they begin to spiral and you stress your BG's will respond by making you more stressed. Stop digging the hole and chill out. Late Easter day I chilled out with another pint of G&T but no buns and got them back to 5.2 before bed. Yesterdays average a 5.5 and today's is looking low 5's so hopefully hot cross bun fever has passed.

Seems a weird response to get on just 60g of buns with butter!

 

[pickledpepper2]

Forgive me if this has already been posted earlier in the thread.

Thought I'd share my own experiments with the bitter stuff:


http://www.diabetes.co.uk/diabetes-forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=16167&p=154820&hilit=pickledpepper#p154820

 

[Patch]

Can anyone point me in the right direction for a post that details how to mix Manuka Honey w/Cinnamon? I think you had to mix 1tbsp of Honey with 1tsp of Cinnamon powder - but I'm not sure.

P.S - I was interested to find that Manuka Honey has anti-bacterial properties. D'you know what else has anti-bacterial properties?

TCP. :twisted:

 

[SweetHeart]

Savlon? :wink: :lol:



Julia

 

[noblehead]

P.S - I was interested to find that Manuka Honey has anti-bacterial properties.

It was recommended to my lad to help with his bad acne, very expensive but worth it.

 

[Patch]

It is HELLA expensive - but hey, if it works! (Glad it's working out for your lad!)

I'm looking into cinnamon now. It looks like McCormicks do the powder AND the extract. Is the extract any good for what we want it to do?

 

[Patch]

Here we go - taken from http://www.healthcentral.com/diabetes/c ... 9/cinnamon:

Verne Mounts, the director of pharmacy operations for 11 Buehler’s stores in Ohio, wrote that “the cinnamon we are most accustomed to using as a spice is not the same cinnamon used to treat type 2 diabetes….another type of cinnamon, Cinnamomum cassia (Chinese cinnamon), has only been found to benefit type 2 diabetics.”

Cinnamomum Cassia is EXACTLY the type of Cinnamon found in McCORMICKS ~ GROUND CINNAMON 2.37 oz.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/McCORMICK-GRO ... 27c23a8cc9

Great find, and good work ))Denise(( !