The Role of Fiber in the Fight Against Diabetes

Diabetes is a disease that touches almost every single person - as an individual who either has the disease or as someone who has a family member or friend that has the disease - and it is increasing rapidly. In fact, it is estimated that by 2028, one in four Americans would develop diabetes. Yes, ONE IN FOUR! "How in the world could this be?" you might say. Unfortunately, much of the rise in diabetes (type 2 diabetes) is related to our nation's rise in overweight people and people who are obese, which now makes up 60 to 70 percent of our current population. This is a major, major problem.

There are, however, natural things that you can do (and need to be aware of) to prevent diabetes. And if you've been diagnosed with the disease, it's absolutely critical that you get on the proper kind of supplement to help you control your blood sugar levels. In my previous columns, I mentioned the three categories of nutrients that are essential in a supplement: the vitamin/mineral component, the herbal component and, finally, fiber.

As I had discussed, the key ingredients in the vitamin/mineral component include the minerals chromium, vanadium, magnesium and zinc. If you have been diagnosed with diabetes, you need higher levels of these nutrients to regulate your blood sugar levels. The key herbs that can help you lower your blood sugar levels are gymnema, bitter melon, bilberry (a cousin to the blueberry), silymarin (the active compound in milk thistle) and aloe vera. Now let's move on to fiber.

Fiber - soluble fiber in particular - tends to slow down blood sugar absorption, thereby dropping blood sugar levels. There is a tremendous amount of research information on the effect of fiber in controlling diabetes. Soluble fiber helps prevent, or slows down, the absorption of many carbohydrates in the GI tract. The slow absorption of sugar means that you don't get the insulin spikes.

One type of soluble fiber, glucomannan, comes from the root of the konjac plant that grows in Japan. It's very, very impressive in its ability to bind, or tie up, sugars in the GI tract and prevent absorption.

Another type of fiber, which is actually a blend of about 10 different fiber extracts, is absorbalean. Oat fiber is one type. We now have the ability to actually take a concentrate from oats and put it in a capsule form. Of course, that doesn't mean you need to give up your bowl of cereal. It simply means that you can also take in supplement form, along with other types of fiber, so that you get it daily - along with the essential vitamins, minerals and herbs you need to control your blood sugar levels.

So do what you can today to avoid diabetes - the natural way. And remember: You don't have to be another statistic.