Fig-Leaf Tea Could Help Maintain Proper Insulin Levels

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The American Diabetes Association estimates that 18.2 million people in America suffer from diabetes. Diabetes will strike one out of every five elderly Americans. Or to look at it another way, half of all people with diabetes are over the age of 60. Diabetes can cause blindness, kidney failure, and heart failure.

When you are diagnosed with diabetes, glucose isn’t moved to the cells where it can be used. Instead, the glucose builds up in your bloodstream, causing blood sugar levels to rise.

There are two main types of diabetes: Type I and Type 2. Type I diabetes is also known as insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. It affects five percent to 10% of people with diabetes and can start at an early age.

When you have Type 1 diabetes, your own immune system attacks and destroys insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. Medical experts are not sure what causes the immune system to behave this way. It could be caused by an infection, or something in the diet.

Treating Type 1 diabetes usually involves the use of insulin shots. However, researchers in Spain have discovered that fig-leaf tea could help maintain proper insulin levels. The research team, all members of the Faculty of Medicine at the University Hospital in Madrid, studied the effects of fig-leaf tea on blood glucose.

Ten patients with Type 1 diabetes were managed with their usual diabetic diet and their twice daily insulin injection. During the first month, patients were given a fig-leaf tea and, during the next month, a non-sweet commercial tea. Average insulin dose was 12% lower while drinking the fig-leaf tea among the participants.

Fig-leaf tea can be made using two teaspoons of dried, cut leaves. Pour one cup of boiling water over the leaves, cover and let steep for 10 to 15 minutes before drinking. Drink one cup each morning at breakfast. Dried fig leaves can usually be purchased at your local health food store