Natural Approaches in Diabetes Management: A Review of Diet, Exercise, and Natural Products

Abstract

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a highly prevalent condition that causes significant morbidity and mortality in the United States and worldwide. Conventional therapies include lifestyle modification, oral pharmacological agents, and subcutaneous insulin. Emerging data suggest that natural approaches to the treatment of DM may help supplement current therapies for further glycemic control. Herein, we review the evidence of several natural modalities for DM treatment. We describe the pathophysiology of diabetes and its complications, provide an overview of current pharmacologic treatments, and finally, discuss natural approaches to diabetes management. Specifically, we will describe on the utility of diet, physical activity, and common natural products in the treatment of DM and focus on recent, high-quality studies. Adverse effects and potential interactions of each therapy will be highlighted where applicable.

Seeds as Potential Sources of Phenolic Compounds and Minerals for the Indian Population

“…In turn, total phenolic compounds in the 21.2–417 mg/100 g range have been reported for the germinated peanut, Coriandrum sativum , cereals, pulses and other seeds [ 14 , 16 ]. These are important results, since Syed et al [ 31 ] reported that peanuts have a high content of polyphenols, with a positive effect on non-communicable diseases such as cancer [ 32 ] or diabetes [ 33 ]. In fact, more than 20 bioactive compounds with phenol structure have been reported for this botanical species [ 34 ].…”

A Gelated Colloidal Crystal Attached Lens for Noninvasive Continuous Monitoring of Tear Glucose

“…The desire for noninvasive and continuous monitoring glucose in the human body has increased in importance due to the concern associated with the increasing incidence of diabetes worldwide [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]. Lots of attention has been paid to the easily accessible body fluids like urine [ 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 ], sweat [ 8 , 9 , 10 ], and especially tears [ 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 ], which have been confirmed to participate in glucose metabolism and have a positive correlation with the alternation of the concentration of blood glucose [ 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 ].…”