[YEA]  10/09/2009: Ratgirldjh from Austin, Texas, USA writes: "i am a diabetic on insulin and i recently discovered that peppermint oil lowers blood sugar - a LOT.

how i found this out is i took a bath with 5 drops of peppermint oil and i also have a tooth powder that i mixed up with several drops of peppermint oil and powdered sea salt.

after soaking in the bath - which felt wonderful - i brushed my teeth with the tooth powder and also rinsed my mouth out with a little in water.

after this i started feeling weird. i had eaten whole grain pasta and veggies for dinner and couldn't believe my blood sugar was low. but it was 81 - and it continued going lower even after i ate 1 1/2 kashi cereal bars - 1 teaspoons of karo syrup - and 1 whole wheat gingerbread cookie. i ended up eating another cereal bar and finally got it up to 120.

this morning it was still lower than usual after all those mid night carbs - it was 177.

usually the morning after something like this happens it will be in the 200's - since it finally all catches up again.

so be careful with peppermint oil if you are a diabetic on insulin.

i plan to still use my tooth powder - but i have lowered my insulin doses!!!

i am also taking ACV and water a very small amount 2 x a day."

03/25/2005: Ted from Bangkok, Thailand writes: "One of the most amazing things, I have ever witnessed was the lowering of my own blood sugar to near normal levels. The single BIGGEST problem that prevented ME from finding foods to lower the blood sugar is not what foods, supplements, herbs, vitamins to take but I needed a device that will measure my blood sugar to tests the food I eat.

The device turns out to be a Brix - sugar refractometer- see "Ph The Scoop" and the optimal values are about 1.5 The fun part about this is you don't need to do fasting for 12 hours before pinching blood on your fingers! No fasting was needed.

Therefore, I proceeded to take observations as to what foods I have been eating and what effects it has on my blood sugar on a day by day basis. This is the only way to find out what food works for me. However, other people's blood chemical might be different.

The numbers are preliminary, but the effects are large enough to report to you. My brix went from 5 to 2.5 within hours after eating onions (one big bulb) in my tuna sandwiches or sardines with lemon and onions.

What is so amazing is that I also get almost the same blood sugar reduction with garlic as well. There has been many reports of using supplements with vanadium, chromium, brewer's yeast, vanadium, cinnamon, brewer's yeast, manganese, magnesium, etc. Some say the use of linalool (rosewood oil), peppermint oil, also had a blood sugar lowering effect.

It might be true, but the biggest effect I tested for was onions works best for me. Garlic came second. I also tested other foods, and a distant third could be peppermint oil, however the effects were not as long lasting as onions. Apparently the disulfide compound in both onions and garlic had a blood glucose lowering (or suppressing) effect. Coconut oil might be supportive but the results are too early to tell now. What I do know was vegetable oils made it worse - the ones you find in fried foods.

It is well known since ANCIENT times that onions and garlic were useful for treating DIABETES, and once again I rediscovered that what our ancestors eating were right after all.

I will keep you posted on other food or supplements that help lower blood sugar. I am now testing brewer's yeast, manganese, and others to see which one will help me lower my blood sugar."

[YEA]  02/15/2010: Alpan from Astoria, Ny writes: "Opuntia cactus - AKA Prickly Pear Cactus - AKA "Nopalitos", Nopal Cactus: Lowers blood sugar (not the fruit, the cactus leaves). They can usually be found at markets that carry Mexican produce.

Burn off the spines over a hot stove. Take two to three leaves about the size of the palm of your hand, slice them up and put them in a juice machine: The juice will be a very dark green viscous liquid, very slimy, almost like algae. Drink about 8oz. whenever your sugar is high. For example, my evening blood sugar was 242 after a meal. 25 minutes after drinking 8oz of nopal cactus juice it went down to 124. By morning it was 105. This juice obsoletes metformin and has no side effects (your sugar will not crash, only brings it down to normal). My doctor was going to put me on insulin - I use nopal cactus instead. It brings down your sugar within minutes. You can also freeze the pulp into a patty and cook it up with seasoning, also helps."

[YEA]  01/02/2012: Kennysgramma from Eastern, Indiana writes: "There is a history of blood sugar issues, both diabetes and hypoglycemia, in my mother's family. I have an insatiable sweet tooth and know I could fall to either of these diseases. After turning 50, I noticed that eating sweets, especially on an empty stomach, would put me to sleep. Eating sweets before bedtime would interupt my sleep with heart palpitations and sweating. Actually, eating anything high on the glycemic index would do the same. I found that taking 2 tsp of psyllium hulls combo powder mixed with water (lots of water - at least 20 oz) before bed alleviates these symptoms completely. Yes, I do have to visit the bathroom most nights, but what a small price to pay."

[YEA]  11/07/2007: Rachel from Brooklyn, New York writes: "My husband developed non-healing sores (but not dangerous) on his leg near the ankle.They kept on getting bigger and were there for about a half year. He also had a bit of sugar in his blood. After going to doctors and trying many things, "Une boot wraps" is what helped heal the sores. Using these wraps was very painful the first few weeks, but they worked.

At the same time, someone mentioned seeing in a book*, a fasting program, that helps heal such sores. The Health food stores didn't have the book and the fasting program seemed hard. Other fasting programs also seemed to be a possibility. Since the sores healed before the books were bought, none of the fasting programs were attempted.

Recently, after getting a knock on the foot, the problem started to come back. There were two sores that were getting bigger. Instead of a fast, we (a few members of the family) began a mostly raw food cleansing program, eating raw fruit and vegetables throughout the day (after the first week, including figs and nuts and seeds) and eating one warm, cooked meal in the evening. The cooked meal being very simply, grilled fish and vegetable soup or chicken soup with cooked chicken and vegetables, including carrots, celery, onions, garlic, parsley root, sweet potato, asparagus and so on. No flour or corn starch was used in the soup to thicken it and no oils. Sometimes a cooked potato was included. Bread and grain flour products were also avoided. Milk and hard cheese was avoided. Unheated, unrefined olive oil was used occasionally on salads or other vegetables. This was meant to be a cleansing program, easier than a fast but cleansing nevertheless. One day a week, a variety of regular foods, including Challah, was eaten in moderation. At this point, several weeks into the program my husbands sores are almost completely gone, the sugar is completely gone, his heart feels stronger and he is able to walk more easily and faster. Thank you for letting me share this Rache"

05/31/2011: Janet from Kendal, Cumbria writes: "My partner is really struggling to naturally drop his blood sugars. Came off insulin just about a week ago. Although his readings varie from 15 to 23. quite alarming.!!

He's currently trying acv. vco, he drinks either cinnamon or fenegreek tea, eating bitter melon. Apart from his body showing signs of detox his figures remain high. Any suggestions? advice, or even ideas of dosage that might prove more effective.

Thank you EC, really informative site."

[YEA]  09/04/2008: Matt from Cincinnati, Ohio writes: "Morning Sugars: Used to take metformin. Had major heart attack and developed CHF. While in hospital, heart diet is exact opposite of diabetic diet. Insulin in hosp. couldn't bring sugar down. Glucagon pumps in liver running rampant. Can't take metformin anymore due to CHF. What to do?

I eat a small snack at bedtime, washed down by two shots of straight Kentucky bourbon. While processing alcohol removal, the liver shuts the glucagon pumps down because it can't do two things at once. Stops overloading pancreas with glucagon flood. Eat sensibly during day and move around, don't be a couch potato. Snack is essential to keep from bottoming out. Threw away the glimiperide, pancreas wasn't the problem. Good old alcohol! What do you think brings on a hangover? LOW BLOOD SUGAR!"

09/09/2010: Sherri from Cicero, In, Usa writes: "I have been told that I may have fluctuating blood sugar levels because I lost my appetite and do not eat much at all. I have anxiety that begins shortly after waking up until when I go to bed (I take medication for sleep that deadens the anxiety). I also have shakiness and a bit of nausea. A friend told me to eat 6 small meals or snacks each day to begin and then move into 3 meals and 3 small snacks once I am able to eat more. She suggested that I eat maybe some cheese and 4 or 5 crackers but to eat the protein first. Is this the right thing to do? Also, how long does it take to stablize your blood sugar? I appreciate all assistance as I am developing headaches, low grade fevers, and severe fatigue. I am tired of feeling the way I do but not sure how to find my way out. Thanks to all and Thank You to Earth Clinic. Sherri"

[YEA]  08/06/2008: Reid from Herrin, IL writes: "Diabetes:

I was diagnosed about a year ago. I was put on metformin. I found that taking 2 caps of turmeric with each meal dropped my sugar levels to normal after 2 hours of eating. I found that taking 4 cap. of turmeric with metforman once a day dropped my sugar levels too low around 60.

I now am off all prescription diabetes medicine. The way I did it was I took chromium normal dose for 30 days. Tumeric with food for 30 days. Ginger and cinnamon with meals for 30 days. After that I stopped the metformin.

I watch my diet and don't over eat and stopped ALL sodas. My levels I check once a week now in the morning (fasting) and they are allways under 100. Before over 130."