Cinnamon for Diabetes

In a study, 60 obese mice were given water with drops of cinnamon and the effects of cinnamon on the mice were observed.

Statistics showed that over 170 million people worldwide suffer from diabetes and for those who don't have access to drugs or other forms of treatment, there is a possibility that a natural product like cinnamon could be beneficial to them. Researchers used nuclear magnetic resonance and mass spectroscopy, which helped them get the results to explain the chemical structure of a molecule with "insulin-like" effects in cinnamon.

Other experts found the compound called proanthocyanidin could alter the activity of insulin signaling in fat cells.

A study of 30 people with type 2 diabetes revealed a significant decrease in blood glucose, triglycerides, LDL and cholesterol levels after taking cinnamon for 40 days. Researchers expressed hopes for human trials with the use of cinnamon and its ability to treat type 2 diabetes.

Type 2 diabetes is a disease in which the body builds up a defense to insulin, and by doing so results in the inability of cells to take in glucose needed to properly function. Experts believed that cinnamon might help treat other diseases like pancreatic cancer, a disease in which abnormal levels of insulin are created by the pancreas, as a result of the cancerous tumor causing insulin resistance in the cells in the body.

Researchers have been investigating a number of powerful natural agents that can help you stabilize your blood sugar, and once again, cinnamon has proven itself as a viable contender in the fight against diabetes, as the study in Diabetic Medicine reveals.(1)

One of cinnamon's most impressive health benefits is its ability to improve blood glucose control.

For example, just half a teaspoon of cinnamon a day has previously been shown to significantly reduce blood sugar levels, triglycerides, LDL (bad) cholesterol, and total cholesterol levels in people with type 2 diabetes. (2)

The more you can make use of natural therapies such as nutrition and exercise, the better your health will be.

However, as helpful as supplements like cinnamon can be, they should not be misconstrued as cures. They are not substitutes for proper diet and lifestyle choices. You cannot properly address your diabetes if you still maintain a sedentary lifestyle and poor dietary choices -- cinnamon supplementation or not!

How Cinnamon Can Benefit Diabetics

Below are five known ways cinnamon can be helpful to your metabolism:

1. Cinnamon can increase your glucose metabolism about 20-fold, which significantly improves blood sugar regulation. (4)

2. Cinnamon has been found to have "insulin-like effects" due to a bioactive compound, qualifying it as a candidate for an insulin substitute.

3. Cinnamon slows the emptying of your stomach to reduce sharp rises in blood sugar following meals, and improves the effectiveness, or sensitivity, of insulin.

4. Cinnamon actually enhances your antioxidant defenses. A study published in 2009 stated, "Polyphenols from cinnamon could be of special interest in people who are overweight with impaired fasting glucose since they might act as both insulin sensitizers and antioxidants." (5)

5. A bioflavonoid found in cinnamon called proanthocyanidin may alter the insulin-signaling activity in your fat cells.

Other health benefits of cinnamon include:

• Supporting digestive function
• Relieving congestion
• Relieving pain and stiffness of muscles and joints
• Reducing inflammation and symptoms of arthritis
• Helping to prevent urinary tract infections, tooth decay and gum disease
• Relieving menstrual discomfort
• Stimulating circulation with blood-thinning compounds

Clearly, adding ample amounts of cinnamon to your diet is incredibly safe and inexpensive. Just remember, unless you are adding it to a proper diet -- high in vegetables and extremely low in fructose and grains -- it is unlikely you will experience any benefit whatsoever.

You have nothing to Lose by adding Cinnamon to your Daily Diet.  Cinnamon is not a drug.  Therefore the  it can be very beneficial to  the bodies systems.

Cinnamon Tea Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 cinnamon stick or  ¼ teaspoon powdered Cinnamon
• 1 cup of boiling water
• 1 regular or decaffeinated black teabag
• Honey, Stevia, or another natural  sweetener, to taste (optional)

Preparation:
1. Place cinnamon stick or  powder in  a cup
2. Add the boiling water and let steep covered for 10 minutes
3. Add the teabag, steep for 1 to 3 minutes
4. Sweeten to taste, if  desired 
 

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