This is a good question, as so many people don’t know much about health or how to properly care for their own bodies. The Bible says that the body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, and that we need to take care of it. We are not doctors — this is simply advice gathered from natural health practitioners online.
Since God dwells within our bodies, we are responsible for what we put into our mouths and how we treat ourselves. Type 2 diabetes is a particularly difficult disease — are there herbs that could help, or even reverse it? Let’s explore the best herbal natural supplement remedies for type 2 diabetes.
Best Herbal Natural Supplement Remedy for Type 2 Diabetes: Lifestyle
Before turning to herbs or supplements, it’s important to understand that a lifestyle change can do wonders for your health. You’ve probably heard countless times that changing your diet matters — but why do people emphasize this so much? Does the quality of gasoline you put in your car matter? Yes. Why?
Because your car runs far better on high-quality fuel than on low-quality fuel. This principle matters even more for your body. The difference between low-quality and high-quality food makes an even greater impact than the difference in fuel quality for your car. The food choices you make are critical, since your body runs on food and oxygen. If you continually put poor-quality food into your body, your body simply won’t function well. It isn’t a quick fix, but over the long run, eating and juicing the right foods can do wonders for your health.
Also keep in mind that fasting remains one of the most powerful tools available to someone managing diabetes. Always consult a doctor before fasting, but intermittent fasting, as taught by Dr. Jason Fung, has shown remarkable results for many of his diabetes patients. Consider watching Dr. Fung’s videos to learn more. Juicing is also incredible for diabetic patients, since juicing — especially with vegetables — can help rebuild your cells and assist your body in eliminating toxins.
Best Herbal Natural Supplement Remedy for Type 2 Diabetes: Aloe Vera
Some studies suggest aloe vera may help protect and repair the beta cells in the pancreas responsible for producing insulin, potentially due to its antioxidant properties. Aloe vera may also help lower fasting blood glucose levels.
Aloe vera might help raise insulin levels and support the health of the pancreatic islet cells. It may also support eye health and help protect against kidney disease, depression, and anxiety by reducing oxidative stress. Juicing aloe vera is a great way to consume it, since it’s quickly absorbed by your cells, offering more immediate benefits — though it may take some time before you notice significant results, and this varies from person to person.
Best Herbal Natural Supplement Remedy for Type 2 Diabetes: Neem
Neem is one of the most remarkable plants in the world. If I had to choose just one herb to take, I’d hesitate between neem, turmeric, or an adaptogen such as reishi or ashwagandha. Neem may help lower blood sugar levels, and studies suggest it could benefit diabetes patients, possibly even delaying the onset of the disease.
Beyond being wonderful for teeth, hair, nails, and skin, neem is also said by many to help with malaria and to act as a natural spermicide. Some studies tracking diabetic patients over time found that results weren’t very noticeable after four months, but by the six-month mark, significant improvements were observed, with blood sugar levels dropping substantially.
Best Herbal Natural Supplement Remedy for Type 2 Diabetes: Cinnamon
Cinnamon is well known among diabetic patients as an excellent herb for managing the disease. Sometimes an herb serves to improve a condition, while in other cases, according to early natural health practitioners, an herb was believed to potentially help resolve it entirely. Often, fasting and juicing are found to be the most powerful tools for meaningfully improving a condition like diabetes.
Among the best herbal natural supplement remedies for type 2 diabetes, cinnamon doesn’t work for everyone, but it can be a great help for many. Results largely depend on the type of cinnamon used, the dosage, and any current medications being taken.
Best Herbal Natural Supplement Remedy for Type 2 Diabetes: Ginger
Some of the benefits of ginger for diabetes include support for weight loss, reduced body mass, lower blood sugar levels, and increased insulin sensitivity. Some recommend about 2 grams of ginger daily to help reduce diabetes symptoms. Ginger may also help protect against heart-related complications that can arise from diabetes, and its anti-inflammatory properties may help with diabetic complications more broadly.
Best Herbal Natural Supplement Remedy for Type 2 Diabetes: Fasting
Returning to our earlier point about helping diabetics, according to Dr. Fung, fasting — particularly intermittent fasting — is key. I’d encourage you to watch Dr. Fung’s videos, but it’s very important to fast the right way when managing diabetes, since the underlying issue lies at the cellular level. What better way to heal and repair your cells than through fasting? Fasting can also support weight loss, which is often a related concern for diabetics.
One reason fasting can help diabetics is that every time we eat, we stimulate insulin release. If we eat constantly throughout the day, we can become insulin resistant. Fat cells enlarge and begin producing more leptin, and when leptin signaling stays elevated constantly, insulin resistance can develop further. To counter this, we need to keep insulin levels low through periods of not eating, balanced with periods of eating well.
This isn’t about starving yourself — intermittent fasting simply means setting aside a few hours each day to eat your meals well and fully, then refraining from eating for the rest of the time. For example, you might eat between 12 and 2 p.m., then not eat again until noon the next day. But during that 2-to-3-hour eating window, you eat as though consuming three full meals. For weight loss or managing diabetes, it’s better to eat well during your eating window and eat nothing during your fasting period.
Best Herbal Natural Supplement Remedy for Type 2 Diabetes: Dr. Jason Fung
After graduating from medical school, Dr. Fung discovered that few patients were improving with traditional treatments alone. He began researching older remedies and found that fasting had historically been an effective method for helping people improve their diabetes.
Other doctors, such as Dr. Joslin, have noted that intermittent fasting appears both safe and effective for reducing blood sugar and lowering body weight, and that it can improve fasting glucose levels. According to Dr. Fung, diabetes is fundamentally a dietary disease caused by the body’s insulin response to excessive carbohydrate consumption. The most natural way to help reverse the disease, in his view, is to reduce carbohydrate intake.
Best Herbal Natural Supplement Remedy for Type 2 Diabetes: Juicing
Why is juicing so beneficial for diabetes? Because your cells need healing, and juicing provides the nutrients your body needs to rebuild cells and clear out waste and toxins. Some of the best juices for diabetics include green juices, bitter melon juice, pomegranate juice, and tomato juice.
Virtually all vegetables can greatly benefit your energy levels and your body’s capacity to repair itself, since your body does most of its repair work during rest — such as sleep or fasting. In fact, fasting gives your body significant power to heal at the cellular level. When you’re actively eating, there’s less internal resource available for cell repair, but when juicing, you supply a concentrated dose of minerals and nutrients that support your body’s natural ability to heal itself.