Diabetic Ulcers - An effective natural solution

About 10 percent of diabetics have open sores that are very hard to heal, often lasting for years in that unhealed state, causing great discomfort and high risk of infection. Now a very simple and completely natural remedy can rapidly heal these wounds.

Studies conducted in 1991 by a medical research team compared a conventional method of burn treatment commonly used to treat burns, pressure ulcers and leg ulcers, with a topical application of honey* applied to the surface of the wound. Burn patients were divided into two groups.

The burns of patients in one group were cleaned with saline solution and pure, undiluted, unprocessed honey was applied daily. Burns of the other group were cleaned and covered with gauze that was soaked in a medicated dressing (5% silver sulfadiazine) that was changed daily.

Results showed that within seven days 91 percent of the infected wounds treated with honey were free of infection, compared to less than 7 percent of the burns treated with the medicated dressing. Within 15 days, 87 percent of the honey treated wounds were healed; whereas only 10 percent of the other group wounds were healed. Patients treated with honey experienced less irritation, more relief of pain, and no allergic reactions or side effects.

Studies done by an earlier medical research team in 1988 showed that various types of wounds and skin ulcers which had not previously responded to conventional methods of treatment such as antibiotics and medicated dressings responded favorably to a topical honey treatment.

Wounds and ulcer types treated with honey included: gangrene of the skin, burn wounds, topical ulcers, bedsores, and diabetic ulcers. After the wounds were cleaned with saline, honey and clean bandages were applied daily. Infected wounds that had not responded to conventional treatments were free of infection within 7 days of the first honey application.

Following treatment with honey, dead tissue was quickly replaced with healthy tissue. In some cases, diabetic ulcers were successfully treated with honey and skin grafts, thus preventing amputation. Apparently, the antibacterial properties of honey allow it to work on wounds and skin ulcers in the same manner it works on burns.

* The honey used must be raw unprocessed honey and it must state somewhere on the label that it is "unheated".

A Simple Yet Effective Way To Lower Blood Sugar & Insulin Spikes After Eating High Carbohydrate Meal

This information is offered as a solution for those times when a diabetic, because of social reasons, a party, or special occasion, will be eating more carbohydrates than would normally be eaten.

A study done in Sweden in 2001 showed that blood sugar spikes were held in check when pickles preserved in vinegar were consumed immediately after a high-carbohydrate breakfast. Earlier Swedish research indicated that vinegar might help control blood sugar spikes.

In his book The Diabetes Improvement Program, Patrick Quillin, Ph.D., states the following:

“Real vinegar has not been filtered or pasteurized, and is rich in organic acids, pectin (soluble fiber), and acetic acid, all of which help to slow down the emptying of the stomach. This simple ‘detour’ for the digestion of food creates a slowdown in dumping glucose into the bloodstream. A meal with 2 tablespoons of vinegar can slow gastric emptying rate by 30% and drop blood glucose peaks by 30%.”

“Recipes for salad dressing with flax oil and vinegar not only taste great but can dramatically improve overall health by lowering rises in blood glucose. Red wine vinegar works best at this.”

As a result of the earlier research, Carol S. Johnston, Ph.D., from the Department of Nutrition at Arizona State University, created a study to put vinegar to the test on three groups of subjects: ten type 2 diabetics, 11 subjects who showed symptoms of pre-diabetic insulin resistance, and eight subjects with normal insulin sensitivity. None of the subjects were taking any diabetes medications.

Subjects were randomly assigned to consume the apple cider vinegar or a placebo drink. Two minutes later, each subject ate a meal consisting of a white bagel with butter and a glass of orange juice, containing approximately 90 grams of total carbohydrates. Blood samples were collected before the meal, and 30 minutes and 60 minutes after the meal.

Dr. Johnston and her team reported several significant results:

• Each of the three groups had improved glucose and insulin profiles following meals that started with the vinegar drink
• In subjects with type 2 diabetes who drank vinegar, blood glucose levels were cut by about 25 percent compared to diabetics who drank placebo
• In subjects with pre-diabetic conditions (insulin resistant) who drank vinegar, blood glucose levels were cut by nearly HALF compared to pre-diabetics who drank placebo

And here's the most surprising result: Pre-diabetic subjects (insulin resistant) who drank vinegar actually had lower blood glucose levels than subjects with normal insulin sensitivity who also drank vinegar.

Dr. Johnston notes that vinegar dietary supplements may not be useful for managing glucose and insulin spikes associated with meals as they don't contain acetic acid [ acetic acid: a colorless acid with a pungent odor that is the main component of vinegar ] — the key ingredient she feels is responsible for vinegar's effectiveness.

Apple cider vinegar is another vinegar that works well. It is recommended that the typical apple cider vinegar product carried by large grocery chains carry be avoided. Instead, look for raw, unfiltered, unpasteurized apple cider vinegar, usually available at many health food stores.

To make a quantity of your own salad dressing just mix one part oil (or water) to two parts vinegar. Condiments such as garlic and/or onion powder, salt and pepper, should be added to taste.