Diabetes and high cholesterol often go together.
Heart UK explains that diabetes damages the lining of your arteries, which means cholesterol can build up more easily in them, causing them to narrow or become clogged. the study Elevated cholesterol levels have also been shown to lead to impaired glucose tolerance, a defective mechanism that leads to type 2 diabetes.
Thankfully, research suggests that both solutions can be combined into one.
Studies have shown that ginger supplementation can lower blood sugar levels and even “bad” cholesterol levels.
Ginger is the thick, noded underground stem (rhizome) of Zingiber officinale, a plant in the ginger family that has been used for centuries in Asian cuisine and medicine.
Native to Africa, India, China, Australia and Jamaica, ginger is often used as a spice and flavouring in cooking, as an alternative “herbal” treatment for a variety of ailments such as nausea and indigestion, and to flavour soaps and cosmetics.
It can be consumed fresh, dried and powdered, or as a juice or oil. It has a pungent, sharp aroma and adds a strong spicy flavour to foods and drinks.
This super spice has also been shown to be effective in treating diabetes and high cholesterol.
Ginger has been used in Asian cuisine and medicine for centuries.
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First, cure your diabetes. European Journal of PharmacologyThe researchers reported that two ginger extracts (spissum and oil extract) interact with serotonin receptors and reverse its effects on insulin secretion.
This is important because insulin helps control blood sugar levels and metabolism.
Treatment with the extract reduced blood glucose levels by 35 percent and increased plasma insulin levels by 10 percent.
another studySeventy patients with type 2 diabetes were randomly assigned to either a ginger group or a control group.
Participants took 1,600 mg of ginger and 1,600 mg of a wheat flour placebo daily for 12 weeks, while their blood sugar and cholesterol levels were monitored throughout the study.
At the end of the study, the researchers found that the group that took ginger had “significantly” reduced blood sugar levels, insulin resistance, and total cholesterol compared to the group that took a placebo.
Furthermore, a study published in this journal Plantamedica These findings suggest that ginger may improve long-term glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes.
Researchers at the University of Sydney in Australia have found that an extract of Buderim ginger (Australian ginger), which is rich in gingerol, the main component of ginger rhizome, may increase the uptake of glucose into muscle cells without the use of insulin, helping to manage high blood sugar levels.
Ginger may improve long-term blood sugar control in people with type 2 diabetes
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on the other hand, study A 2008 study showed that ginger can help lower LDL cholesterol levels (bad cholesterol) and raise HDL cholesterol levels (good cholesterol).
The gift that keeps on giving
Diabetes.co.uk explains that ginger contains “powerful anti-inflammatory substances” such as gingerol, which act as an effective painkiller and are often used to reduce pain and swelling in patients suffering from arthritis and other inflammatory and muscular conditions.
In fact, ginger is said to be as effective as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, but without the gastrointestinal side effects.
Other medical uses of ginger include treating:
- bronchitis
- heartburn
- Menstrual pain
- Nausea and vomiting
- Stomach upset
- diarrhea
- Upper Respiratory Tract Infections (URTIs)
Symptoms of Type 2 Diabetes
Remember to watch out for warning signs of type 2 diabetes, they can appear silently and subtly.
Symptoms of type 2 diabetes include:
- Peeing more than usual
- Always thirsty
- I am so tired
- Lose weight without effort
- Itching around the penis or vagina or recurring yeast infections
- Cuts and wounds heal more slowly
- Blurred vision