CINNAMON FOR DIABETES

Discover how to treat Type 2 diabetes with cinnamon, which cinnamon to take, recipes. the dosage or amount to take and best practices. If you are taking Cinnamon for diabetes and for blood sugar control, you need to follow a few basic steps. But do it in consultation with your doctor because he or she will know your specific medical condition.

Most physicians can be reluctant to help because they have a vested interest in supplying you with pills, tests and other medical procedures. There is no money in a healthy person. But a good Doctor will work with you and help you to ascertain the efficacy of Cinnamon for diabetes. But here is what we know.


Cinnamon for diabetes


WHY CINNAMON MIGHT WORK FOR DIABETES



Blood Sugar Control - Several studies have found that Cinnamon has properties that help those with insulin resistance. It is therefore very popular with Type 2 diabetics who take it to control their blood sugar variations.

This study found Cassia Cinnamon was more effective than Ceylon Cinnamon at controlling blood sugar for a given amount of Cinnamon. An easy solution is to therefore double your dosage of Ceylon Cinnamon, since even doubling the dosage will not come close to the high Coumarin levels found in Cassia Cinnamon.

In another study Ceylon Cinnamon was found to have an effect on blood sugar control in a rat model. If you are taking Ceylon Cinnamon for diabetes, take it in moderation as part of a healthy program of diet, proper nutrition and moderate exercise.

According to Paul David at UC Davis in this NPR story of 2013, Cinnamon has a 3-5% effect on blood sugar levels, similar to an older generation of diabetes drugs. That could make it an ideal option for pre diabetics. For severe Type 2 diabetics, whether you can take enough cinnamon to make a difference is a decision you should make in consultation with your doctor.

There is also some evidence that it is the Cinnamaldehyde component of Cinnamon (commonly found in Cinnamon Bark Oil) that seems to be effective for blood sugar control. This study found Cinnamaldehyde the most effective compared to  berberine (Ber), and metformin (Met) at controlling blood sugar levels. Another study found Cinnamaldehyde from Ceylon Cinnamon Bark Oil (Cinnamomum Zeylanicum)  reduced plasma glucose concentration significantly (p<0.05) in a dose-dependent manner (63.29%).



Weight Loss
- One of the primary causes of Type 2 Diabetes is obesity. There is reasonable evidence that Cinnamon is a good aid for weight reduction. It does this primarily by delaying gastric emptying, keeping you feeling fuller for longer and thereby circumventing your appetite. We make the case for using cinnamon for weight loss here.



Controls Candida
- Another cause of Type 2 diabetes is weight gain, often caused by an over population of Candida. And Cinnamon is one of the most effective ways to control Candida. We take closer look at fighting Candida with cinnamon here.



Gut Bacteria
- There are emerging studies which show that Bacteria responsible for common skin infections, food poisoning and Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) could also trigger Type 2 diabetes.

Scientists at the University of Iowa found that prolonged exposure to a toxin produced by the S.aureus bacteria (MRSA) cause rabbits to develop insulin resistance, glucose intolerance, and systemic inflammation.

Since is Cinnamon is one of the powerful anti-bacterial agent known to man it is logical to conclude that Cinnamon will be helpful in mitigating to development of Type 2 diabetes.

One of the best known studies was done in France (Study - CHU Hospital Nord, Saint-Etienne, France) where it was demonstrated that Ceylon Cinnamon Bark Oil was effective against 65 strains of anti-biotic resistant bacteria. These include E-coli, Salmonella, Citrobacter, Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).

This Korean study by Chung-Ang University also shows cinnamon is effective against Staphylococcus aureus. An Indian study (PDF report) further confirms Cinnamon is the most effective against a whole host of bacteria including Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella typhimurium Bacillus cereus Campylobacter jejuni Listeria monocytogenes, Streptococcus pyogenes, Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureas.


EFFICACY OF CINNAMON STUDIES



Without a doubt many of the studies on Cinnamon for diabetes were poorly done resulting in mixed results. What we have found is not much attention was paid to the quality of Cinnamon used in the studies with no description of the Cinnamon quality levels as measured by essential oil content, chemical signature, compounds present or ash content. Sometimes we think the drug companies have funded Cinnamon studies designed to fail, to keep you hooked on commercial drugs.

We are strongly of the belief, the higher the quality, the better results are. For example a high Ceylon Cinnamon Bark Oil should have at least 60% Cinnamaldehyde. Low quality Ceylon Cinnamon powder or sticks (yes even Organic) can have little or no real Cinnamon in it resulting in mixed results. Try to buy good quality Ceylon Cinnamon.

Is merely controlling blood sugar levels a long term solution to treat the problem of too little insulin or insulin resistance? It is possible that Cinnamon actually reduced insulin resistance as well as lowering your blood sugar levels.

We think you can use Cinnamon to initially address the blood sugar issues to get it under control fast, but you must follow it up a with consistent healthy diet and moderate exercise which more than anything else reduces insulin resistance. And a little bit of Cinnamon as you would use salt and pepper. Don't use Cinnamon as a substitute for getting healthy.

4 WAYS TO TAKE CINNAMON FOR DIABETES



  1. Cinnamon Powder - The easiest way to take. A maximum of 1.2 tsp. of Cinnamon powder per day for 5 days, followed by 2 days of rest. During the weekend you might want to try Turmeric. Find a high quality Organic Ceylon Cinnamon powder that is Non-Irradiated, Salt Free , Sodium Free with at least 1.0% essential oil content in it.

  2. Cinnamon Sticks - If you decide to use Cinnamon sticks, the best way is to make Cinnamon stick tea. Simply Boil a cinnamon stick on medium low heat until it comes to a boil (about 25 minutes) and let it rest for another 15 minutes until it becomes a deep red and drink. While you can reboil the cinnamon stick again, all the goodness is extracted out in the first boil so discard after first use. But the taste is just incredible.

  3. Ceylon Cinnamon Bark Oil - From personal experience and talking to people who have taken it, we can tell you this is shockingly effective to lower your blood sugar levels. Be careful. Do not use more than 3 drops of Ceylon Cinnamon Bark at most The oil is hot and sweet. Take too much and it will lower your blood sugar levels too much, leaving you light headed and weak.

    Start with only one drop in 8oz of hot water (or add to tea, coffee or boiled ginger) if you are mildly diabetic and up to three drops per day for severe diabetics. Ideally you want a high quality steam distilled Ceylon Cinnamon Bark Oil with at least 60% Cinnamaldehyde. If you do try it, make sure you do regular testing for blood sugar levels to ascertain that it really works for you.


CINNAMON & DIABETES BEST PRACTISES


 

  1. Select Ceylon Cinnamon - This is because Ceylon Cinnamon has ultra low (0.02%) coumarin levels compared to the common Cassia Cinnamon (0.4-0.8%). Ceylon Cinnamon is particularly popular because it has low levels of Coumarin. compared to Cassia Cinnamon found in your grocery store. Excess Coumarin can cause liver damage.

  2. Dosage consistency - That means 1.2 tsp. of Cinnamon powder or 1 stick of Cinnamon brewed into a tea or 1-3 drops of Ceylon Cinnamon Bark Oil per day. There is no great danger if you have more than that on some days, but don't make it a habit.

    During the rest period switch to Turmeric which is another spice that reduces blood sugar levels. The recommended safe dosage per day for Turmeric is 2g (0.4 tsp.). Mix it with water and drink it. Anything more and it will damage your liver.

    Alternatively you can take Ceylon Cinnamon 5 days per a week and Turmeric 2 days per week. That seems like an easier approach. But be warned Turmeric is an active oxalate than can damage your liver according to authority nutrition in this video but twice a week in small doses like 0.4 tsp. might be acceptable.

    All food taken in excess build up toxicity even Cinnamon. And they become less effective over time. That is why the Chinese diet always tries to balance everything out. This is why you need to a take rest from Cinnamon from time to time. To purge the toxicity.

  3. Doctor Supervision - Tell your doctor you are taking Cinnamon, as a precaution. He or she will be upset at the loss of income, but insist they monitor you. Do not exceed daily limits. Take in moderation. Do not take diabetes medication if you are taking Cinnamon. There is also a remote possibility other medications may also react negatively with Cinnamon so ask your Doctor to monitor you if you try Cinnamon for diabetes.

  4. Moderate exercise - A little bit of exercise is all you need. Don't go overboard. We find that consistent exercise without any set patterns works the best. That means exercise one week, then take the next week off. Then come back and exercise for 2 days and then start the next week for 3 days. Mix it up with a sport, dancing and going for a hike. Mix it up real good so the body will not get used to exercise and reap diminishing marginal returns.


  5. Make good food choices - It will take some to wean yourself off junk food, especially carbs and sugary food. The best way to do this is make fresh food everyday. If you stop buying canned food, packaged food, frozen food or anything with more than 2-3 ingredients you off to a good start. This way you will make the effort to shop and cook fresh food. Avoid any Dairy products like the plague which is very bad for diabetics. According this article at WH foods Chromium deficiency can also lead to high blood sugar levels. Broccoli, Barley, Oats, Tomatoes, Lettuce are high in chromium.

  6. The Keto Diet - This diet is good to try for a short period of time (1-3 months). We have friends who have tried this diet and seen remarkable results for eliminating their diabetes. But it should not be tried for extended lengths of time especially if you get physically active. After getting injured while on the Keto diet we discovered you need some carbs for a certain amount of power energy like playing Tennis. But if you a sever diabetic this is a good start diet to get your situation under control. Once you well you can modify your Keto diet.

    Here are some useful links for the Keto diet

    The Perfect Treatment for Diabetes


    A guide to the Keto Diet