Support Your Blood Sugar The Easy Way With These 6 Popular Chinese Herbs
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We weren’t meant to be sedentary for 23 ½ hours a day. (Hopefully, you take at least a half hour walk every day.) We also weren’t meant to snack all day. And our distant ancestors certainly didn’t eat as much sugar as we do nowadays. Did you know the average American consumes over a whopping 125 grams of sugar every day? That’s the equivalent of 30 teaspoons of sugar. About a century ago, the average annual sugar consumption was approximately 17 pounds per person. These days, it’s 150 pounds!
There are many health risks associated with high-sugar consumption. Your risk of dying from heart disease is twice as high if 25% or more of your total daily calories comes from sugar. Obviously, it’s important to watch what you eat and to get plenty of exercise.
Can Chinese Herbs Help Support Blood Sugar?
Ancient Chinese medicine doctors didn’t have A1C levels or insulin to work with. But Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has a long history of supporting blood sugar and metabolic imbalances.
Xiao Ke, or “wasting and thirsting syndrome” is the TCM term that explains the symptoms caused by chronic high blood sugar problems. There are different characteristics of the syndrome that relate to the three regions of the body (upper, middle, and lower). Excessive thirst describes upper Xiao Ke. Representative of the middle section is excessive hunger, while the lower Xiao Ke syndrome is indicative of excessive urination. All three are associated with Yin deficiency. Yin is the cooling element of the body. If you are Yin deficient, excess heat (fire) will manifest in the body.
Thus, traditional Chinese herbs may support blood sugar by replenishing Yin (fluid) and evacuating fire (heat) from the body.
Top Chinese Herbs For Blood Sugar Support
If you’re looking for one of the most well-regarded formulas in TCM for supporting blood sugar (for supporting blood sugar levels that are already within a healthy range), look no further than our formula which contains 22 Chinese herbal ingredients, GlucoAssure.
Of the most commonly-used herbs in TCM, here are our favorite single herb granule extracts you can easily mix in water or other beverages (and yogurt) for extra blood-sugar support.
Ling Zhi
Reishi (Ganoderma) mushroom is a potent Qi tonic. From a TCM perspective, blood sugar imbalances can impede the smooth flow of Qi (vital energy) to the organs and tissues. So in addition to nourishing Yin, Qi must be kickstarted to support blood sugar.
Rou Gui
Consuming a lot of sugar increases the amount of compounds called advanced glycation end products (AGEs). “AGE” is an appropriate acronym, because the more glycation end products your body is exposed to, the more the ageing process is accelerated. (Eating blackened/grilled meats and processed meats are other sources of AGEs.)
Cinnamon Bark (Cortex Cinnamomi) has been shown to prevent the binding of sugar to protein, which produces AGEs. Numerous research studies suggest cinnamon supports blood-sugar metabolism. Rather than just sprinkling cinnamon on your pancakes, waffles or french toast, drink cinnamon extract tea to support your blood sugar.
Gan Cao
Don’t associate Licorice Root (Radix Glycyrrhizae) with the popular movie-theater candy. Gan Cao extract has no added sugar. From a TCM perspective, the popular herb (approximately 40% of all TCM formulas include licorice root) tonifies the Spleen, which is the most important digestive organ system in TCM theory. Licorice also augments Qi, clears heat and resolves toxicity, actions which are necessary to support blood sugar.
Sheng Jiang
Ginger (Rhizoma Zingiberis Officinalis), from a TCM perspective, does several important things that support metabolism. It warms the middle, disperses cold and unblocks the Channels to improve Qi flow. It also dries excessive dampness and eliminates phlegm.
Huang Lian
Coptis Rhizome (Rhizoma Coptidis) clears heat and drains dampness. The underground, root-like structure of the coptis plant (aka goldthread) also drains fire (excess heat) and resolves toxicity. The main active ingredient in Huang Lian is berberine, which has become quite a popular health supplement in its own right. Berberine has been tested in dozens of research studies, and has been shown to support many systems in the body, including metabolism.
Ren Shen
What can’t Ginseng (Radix Ginseng) help support? This adaptogenic herb (so called by modern herbalists because of its ability to help the body adapt to stress without toxic effects) is one of the best herbs for tonifying Qi. It also helps improve digestion by nourishing Spleen Qi. Another important action ginseng has when it comes to blood sugar support is fluid generation.
Using Chinese Herbs To Support Blood Sugar: Conclusion
You can drink all the Chinese herbs for blood sugar support all you want. But you also need to watch your diet (limit added sugars and starchy carbohydrates), exercise daily and manage stress. With proper diet, exercise and stress management, Chinese herbs may be part of an effective strategy for managing blood sugar–for people who already are in a normal range.
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