Moringa and Diabetes

Diabetic mellitus is a syndrome characterized by disordered metabolism and abnormally high blood sugar (hyperglycaemia) resulting from insufficient levels of the hormone insulin.

The characteristic symptoms polyuria, polydipsia, glucoseuria, unexplained weight loss, and lethargy. There are two types of diabetes, diabetes I and diabetics II.

Diabetes I may also known as Insulin dependent diabetes where insulin therapy is needed as the beta cells cant synthesis insulin. Diabetes II may refer to as Insulin non dependent diabetics as insulin is produced by the body but in lower amount or it becomes insensitive to act on glucose. It is possible for us to treat diabetes II through proper dieting, medication and regular exercise. The food which is ingested is converted to glucose for the cell function.

Glucose cannot enter the cells alone. It needs assistance from insulin in order to penetrate the cell walls. Insulin therefore acts as a regulator of glucose metabolism in the body. If insulin is lacking or it becomes insensitive it will lead to diabetes.

Untreated diabetes will lead to complications such as retinopathy, neuropathy, nephropathy, cardiovascular problems etc. Most of the people suffering from diabetes were unaware of the disease, when they recognized the disorder it becomes more complicated. A great way to get all of the important nutrients you need is to eat a diet high in raw fruits and vegetables, or to supplement the gaps in your diet with products that contain all of the necessary vitamins and minerals your body needs to function properly.

The nutritional density and diversity of Moringa has deemed it the “Miracle Tree” or nature’s most nutritious food. The nutrients in this miracle from nature have been reported to treat over 300 different diseases and disorders of the body.

Moringa leaves have 4 times more Beta-Carotene than that of carrots, 17 times more calcium than that of milk and 25 times more iron than that of Spinach. Moringa Leaves and pods contain 90+ nutrients and 46 antioxidants.

Moringa leaves have more antioxidants than the green leaves. Moringa contains all the essential nutrients needed for the biochemical reaction to perform regularly. Researchers in London recently reported that vitamin D is essential for the islet cells in the pancreas to be able to secrete insulin properly.

The studies have shown that individuals with the lowest vitamin D levels experienced the worst blood sugar-handling problems and had a greater risk of developing diabetes. Moringa as a rich source of ascorbic acid helps in insulin secretion. It is interesting to note that certain nutrients like vitamins B1, B2, B12, pantothenic acid, vitamin C, protein and potassium – along with small frequent meals containing some carbohydrate – can actually stimulate production of insulin within the body. Vitamin A as an antioxidant helps convert beta-carotene efficiently, which reduces the risk of blindness in diabetics. Vitamin B 12 supplementation has been used successfully to treat diabetic neuropathy. High dose supplements of vitamin C have been shown to prevent sorbitol accumulation and glycosylation of proteins, both of which are important factors in the development of diabetic complications such as cataracts. Studies have shown that a low vitamin-E concentration was associated with a 3.9 times greater risk of developing diabetes. Vitamin E reduces oxidative stress, thus improving membrane physical characteristics and related activities in glucose transport.

This antioxidant promotes healing of diabetes-related lesions. Magnesium helps in the metabolism of glycogen, Mg works closely with vitamin B 6 to help the metabolic process with in the cell. Moringa all these nutrient and helps the diabetic patient to control their blood glucose level.