Sandie S-R
Well-Known Member
Thought some of you might find this interesting.
SOURCE: HEALTH TIPS WEEKLY NEWSLETTER
Chamomile May Help to Relieve Diabetes Woes...
Tea has long been used in China as a natural remedy, used by the
British as a societal prerequisite, and the proliferation of tea
brands and types at your local grocery attests to Americans current
love of the brew. Sure, English Breakfast tea is delicious when
paired with a scone, green tea can be sipped alongside sushi, and my
favorite spiced Indian chai has become a staple with the latte
lovers at Starbucks; but none of these compare to the herbal healing
powers of chamomile, which new research concludes could soon help
diabetes patients.
Chamomile is a mild tea with a fruit flavor many have likened to the
scent and taste of apples. Ironically, the word chamomile is derived
from the Greek word chamaimçlon, meaning "ground apple" or "earth
apple" and is made by drying flowers of the plant Matricaria
chamomilla L. and steeping them in water for a few minutes,
providing the drinker with a multitude of antioxidants. Chamomile
could be called the physician of teas with a variety of uses such as
calming stress, soothing anxiety and nervous disorders, inducing
sleep at night, relieving stomach cramps, inflammation, skin
irritations and gout, while boosting the immune system. A new study
followed chamomile's progress in lowering certain conditions caused
by diabetes.
Researchers from Japan and the United Kingdom reported their
findings from giving chamomile extracts to diabetic rats once a day
for three weeks. Published in the September 10, 2008 issue of the
Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry the study tracked the
blood glucose levels in the rats compared to other diabetic rats
that were fed a normal diet and not the chamomile extract. The
University of Toyama in Japan and the United Kingdom's Institute of
Grassland and Environmental Research compared the findings between
the two groups of rodents after 21 days. The rats who had received
the extract showed a large decrease in their blood glucose levels.
Scientists also noticed that the chamomile also triggered a response
in two enzymes that can play a role in the decline of the body's
functions due to diabetes. The enzymes, which control nerve damage,
cataracts, retinal damage to the eyes, and kidney damage were
blocked in the rats induced with chamomile, leading the authors to
conclude, "These results clearly suggested that daily consumption of
chamomile tea with meals could contribute to the prevention of the
progress of hyperglycemia and diabetic complications. "
The findings also might be a first step to scientists developing a
drug with chamomile to prevent the common type II diabetes occuring
in adults, but that news will have to wait.
