Diabetes is a disease in which the body does not produce or properly use insulin. The cause of diabetes continues to be a mystery, although both genetics and environmental factors such as obesity and lack of exercise appear to play roles. It is a metabolic disorder characterized by hyperglycemia and other signs, as distinct from a single illness or condition. Diabetes can cause many complications.

Using herbal remedies and plant derivatives to help in the treatment of diabetes should certainly not be discounted. Although numerous 'miracle herbal cure' companies exist, and champion the ability of herbal compounds to supplement insulin as a treatment; these should not be taken at face value without thorough research and consultation with experts. That is not to say that some of the following herbs do not have properties that some diabetics will find beneficial. The herbs and plant derivatives listed below have largely been employed traditionally by native people in the treatment of diabetes, in the areas in which they grow

Indian gooseberry, a rich source of vitamin C serves as the best home remedy for diabetes. Take 1 tbsp of gooseberry juice and mix it with a cup of bitter gourd juice. Consume the mixture daily for about 2 months.

Yemeni med: Soak 1 teaspoon of fenugreek seeds (Hilba) in 1 cup of water at night. Drink the water in the morning on an empty stomach and eat the seeds. Very good for diabetes because it works like insulin.

Bitter Gourd - Make a watery juice of a small Bitter Gourd (remove seeds) and drink every morning. Bitter Gourd also helps to clear pimples and maintain a good skin, and is good for de-worming the intestines.

The fenugreek plant has been used as a treatment for diabetes for hundreds of years. Fenugreek is a proven hypoglycemic in numerous studies performed on animals, though not enough studies have been done on humans to definitively prove the hypoglycemic effect. Fenugreek contains three compounds: rigonelline, 4-hydroxyisoleucine, and fenugreekine. The trigonelline works by slowing glucose absorption from the intestinal tract and so preventing spikes in patient blood levels after meals. The 4-hydroxyisoleucine, on the other hand, directly appears to stimulate the production of insulin by the pancreas.

Eat ten fully-grown curry leaves every morning. Eating these leaves for three months should help protect you against an onset of diabetes through genetics. It is also helpful for helping alleviate symptoms in severely obese patients.

Cinnamon

Cinnamon is a spice derived from the bark of an evergreen tree, which is native to India. Its active ingredient has been proven to act like insulin and lower blood glucose levels. In medical studies, cinnamon has also been proven to lower bad cholesterol levels. Another great benefit of cinnamon is that it helps neutralize free radicals, dangerous chemicals which are elevated in diabetics. Neutralizing these free radical will help reduce or eliminate risk of serious complications.