Herbal Diabetic Medicine

Richard Force wrote:Okay so I'm highly interested in finding a way to get the seeds of both Gymnema sylvestre and Chamaecostus cuspidatus they are both suppose to be really great in helping with diabetes and specifically lowering blood sugar.

My issue is I can find all the dried plant parts that are usable but nothing on getting the seeds.

I got feelers out on the Gymnema Sylvestre seeds, should get some returns this coming week. I will hunt Chamaecostus Cuspidatus as well. Gymnema is a very tropical plant, you may have to start it indoors and take it outside for just the summer, be warned. The issue is I can get them by the kg (in like 1000kg units) but I can't afford that plus importing them. I'm hoping to score maybe an ounce or so through other sources.

I know you're a type I, I'm a barely reformed type II, and this entire thread has been most informative and interesting. I think it would behoove me to get some of this plant, so. I'll keep everyone posted. If I can get more than a few dozen seeds (like a few ounces) I'll be willing to share. We'll get it.

http://www.gingersrus.com/cart/index.php?productID=393 Chamaecostus Cuspidatus.... $19.95 plus ship. Currently out of stock, but. Contact the company @  Dave Skinner, 1411 Lucy Street, Tallahassee, FL 32308   He notes he can't sell to Arizona or California due to Phytosanitary restrictions.

This one is a rare ginger, so it will probably come off collectors and collector-propagators like Dave.

Deb Rebel I'm glad this thread has been helpful to you.

One person pm me on here and said hemp may help to so idk to me it's worth a shot.

I'm glad you could find the seeds I had no such luck at all.

Richard Force wrote:Deb Rebel I'm glad this thread has been helpful to you.

One person pm me on here and said hemp may help to so idk to me it's worth a shot.

I'm glad you could find the seeds I had no such luck at all.

I am still trying to obtain the seeds of Gymnema sylvestre in reasonable and affordable quantities. Finding out I can buy a ton and have them shipped and do customs/importing isn't exactly finding seed... like I said I should get some answers back in the coming week on that front.

Deb Rebel wrote:

I am still trying to obtain the seeds of Gymnema sylvestre in reasonable and affordable quantities. Finding out I can buy a ton and have them shipped and do customs/importing isn't exactly finding seed... like I said I should get some answers back in the coming week on that front.

Who are you talking to about the seeds?

Richard Force wrote:

Deb Rebel wrote:

I am still trying to obtain the seeds of Gymnema sylvestre in reasonable and affordable quantities. Finding out I can buy a ton and have them shipped and do customs/importing isn't exactly finding seed... like I said I should get some answers back in the coming week on that front.

Who are you talking to about the seeds?

Friends I have at conservatories and arboretums. I told them either plants or seeds. Some of those places will only sell/trade to other organizations like themselves, sometimes I can score something outside that normal constraint. Most of my friends should be back in the office Monday so I expect to hear this coming week from them.

For the present, I do suggest you get some dried herb stock and give it a try, as it will take you time to propagate some no matter how it is sourced (plant or seed) and see if it will work, then get ready to propagate your own. I did this with stevia, purchasing an organic no filler extract powder, and growing more after I tried it. I still use both, the stuff I grow and the prepared powder.

Another permie was looking for Ficus Sycomorus and it took me six hard weeks to find one (off a collector finally, I got two) and I'm in the middle of finally trying to make more after almost two years. I use this as an example that sometimes it can be difficult to find something but if you want it bad enough you can find. As I mentioned, the type of ginger you want is also a rare one and I tracked a person who collects and sells rarer (to us in continental US) types. Reach out to the fellow I mentioned, and if he has some you can probably get onto his list when he gets more propagated to get a few plants.

Deb Rebel wrote:

Richard Force wrote:

Deb Rebel wrote:

I am still trying to obtain the seeds of Gymnema sylvestre in reasonable and affordable quantities. Finding out I can buy a ton and have them shipped and do customs/importing isn't exactly finding seed... like I said I should get some answers back in the coming week on that front.

Who are you talking to about the seeds?

Friends I have at conservatories and arboretums. I told them either plants or seeds. Some of those places will only sell/trade to other organizations like themselves, sometimes I can score something outside that normal constraint. Most of my friends should be back in the office Monday so I expect to hear this coming week from them.

For the present, I do suggest you get some dried herb stock and give it a try, as it will take you time to propagate some no matter how it is sourced (plant or seed) and see if it will work, then get ready to propagate your own. I did this with stevia, purchasing an organic no filler extract powder, and growing more after I tried it. I still use both, the stuff I grow and the prepared powder.

Another permie was looking for Ficus Sycomorus and it took me six hard weeks to find one (off a collector finally, I got two) and I'm in the middle of finally trying to make more after almost two years. I use this as an example that sometimes it can be difficult to find something but if you want it bad enough you can find. As I mentioned, the type of ginger you want is also a rare one and I tracked a person who collects and sells rarer (to us in continental US) types. Reach out to the fellow I mentioned, and if he has some you can probably get onto his list when he gets more propagated to get a few plants.

Thanks Deb you're awesome by the way for offering to help. I have some of the Gymnema sylvestre ordered to give it a try and see what happens.

I'll admit I'm jealous I don't have these kind of connections lol.

Richard Force wrote:

Thanks Deb you're awesome by the way for offering to help. I have some of the Gymnema sylvestre ordered to give it a try and see what happens.

I'll admit I'm jealous I don't have these kind of connections lol.

I guard those carefully. (my connections). I hope you can find something that will work and help you to be healthier. In the meantime, the quest for the fabled GS is on!

Deb Rebel wrote:http://www.gingersrus.com/cart/index.php?productID=393 Chamaecostus Cuspidatus.... $19.95 plus ship. Currently out of stock, but. Contact the company @  Dave Skinner, 1411 Lucy Street, Tallahassee, FL 32308   He notes he can't sell to Arizona or California due to Phytosanitary restrictions.

This one is a rare ginger, so it will probably come off collectors and collector-propagators like Dave.

Okay so do I need to email them or actually send a written request because other than that I have no idea as to how to get a request in.

Richard Force wrote:

Deb Rebel wrote:http://www.gingersrus.com/cart/index.php?productID=393 Chamaecostus Cuspidatus.... $19.95 plus ship. Currently out of stock, but. Contact the company @  Dave Skinner, 1411 Lucy Street, Tallahassee, FL 32308   He notes he can't sell to Arizona or California due to Phytosanitary restrictions.

This one is a rare ginger, so it will probably come off collectors and collector-propagators like Dave.

Okay so do I need to email them or actually send a written request because other than that I have no idea as to how to get a request in.

Dave-you need to write him a real letter. Tell him what you want. I posted the website link directly to the particular variety of ginger.

Richard, when I wanted pomegranate seeds from cold areas, people on permies volunteered, and I ended up with seeds.

If googling Gymnema seeds and or plants doesn't yield a vendor, (I looked and found none, but did not go down to the third or fourth or 23 google page) then you could try learning as much as you can about the plant's growing requirements, if you are able to provide those, I think the next step might be to figure out where it grows, and then start looking for friendly helpful people in those regions of the world.

It's a tropical plant I think, and as with lemon verbena, it might not have viable seeds, might only reproduce through vegetative means.

In the USA there are standards for bringing plant material into the country, never mind that tons of viable plant material arrives in the USA from other parts of the world every day (imported fruits and vegetables).  You may be up against a difficult and quasi illegal process, trying to bring your plant material in to the USA.  On the other hand, when I wanted vetiver plants, I was able to find a vendor licensed to ship the plants into the USA from Puerto Rico.  They came in a simple flat rate shipping box.  Maybe you'll get lucky on this!

Another thought:  The people at Horizon Herbs, recent name change to something like Strictly Medicinals or Simply Medicinals have lots of unusual herb seeds and plants, and may have experience bringing plants in.  The vendors of the dried herb I mentioned above "Star West" and "Mountain Rose" probably know where their plants come from, and might be of help to you in this project, but that route might take a long time.

Again good luck.

Richard, I have several herbal books ... "Presription for Herbal Healing" by Phyllis A. Balch has a listing of herbs for either Type 1 or Type 2 Diabetis p. 255 in my book.  This book was highly recommended by an herbalist and maybe in your local library.  It gives the herb, amount to take and resulting effects.  If you cannot find the book and would like me to give you the list I will be glad to help.

Hi Richard,

as you have not updated for some time, I just wanted to ask, if you found out something helpful for you?

If not, I would recommend you to check out Dr. Gabriel Cousins work, who has to my knowledge some very good results also with Type 1 diabetes!

https://treeoflifecenterus.com/the-medicine-for-healing-diabetes/

All the best,

Philippe

Yea sorry I haven't posted in awhile.
No I haven't found nything as of yet. I'll give the link a shot.

hi Richard - any joy with the herbs?
saw this today and thought you might find it interesting : https://www.theguardian.com/science/2016/dec/08/new-diabetes-treatment-could-eliminate-need-for-insulin-injections
here's hoping!

Thekla McDaniels wrote:I was able to find a vendor licensed to ship the plants into the USA from Puerto Rico.  They came in a simple flat rate shipping box.  

Puerto Rico is part of the usa...

In our search for exotic seeds, it might serve us well to remember to look in other places that are part of the united states, and thus exempt from import/export restrictions. Examples include: American Samoa, US Virgin Islands, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and minor outlying islands.  

Apparently yacon leaves are anti-diabetic. But I am by no means a doctor!!!

Deb Rebel wrote:I have had blood sugar regulatory issues for about 30 years and was type II for four (recently 'reversed' or as I say 'much better managed'). Restricting carbs, and I take Ceylon cinnamon as two things to help control my blood sugar. The Ceylon cinnamon is rather mild in taste, low in cucurmin, and I add it to any higher carb food I'm about to eat. 6 grams is the recommended daily dosage which is just under 1 1/4 teaspoon. I had to address an 'insulin resistance' and those were the two steps I took to help lower my overall blood sugar levels and I have returned 5.1 on the A1c in the past three months. There is a lot more too it but that is the major two things related to blood sugar and diabetes that I do as part of my daily diet.

Have you tried taking chromium? (Just plain chromium - not chromium picolinate used in diet pills).

Hi Richard,  I realise this thread is 2 years old now, but being new here I thought I might comment.  My daughter (now 29) is a type 1.  She was diagnosed at 12.  We initially followed the 'recommendations' of the Diabetes Police - we decided on an all in policy for the family - we all ate the 'new diet.'  My husband and I turned into 'Telly Tubbies' in 3 months.  I started researching and found Dr Bernstein on the net - suddenly everything started to make sense.  We began eating the Bernstein way - we lost weight and our daughter's A1c started dropping.  She also didn't have the highs and lows that we had been experiencing before the new diet and of course her insulin needs plummeted.  To cut a long story short within 6 months, I ended up having a stand up argument with the head of endocrinology at the Kid's Hospital (where our daughter 'reported for duty' every 3 months) as the endo screamed at me that my daughter "MUST" be having too many hypos for her A1c to be down so far and that I wasn't taking adequate care of her.  We never went back.  Daughter continued the low carb diet, her A1c, blood sugar, moods etc all stabilized and her diabetes took much less work to take care of.  Now to the present, daughter is pregnant with her second baby-the first was delivered safely and fabulously well by a Obstetrician who specialises in 'high-risk' pregnancies.  She (the OB) has never met a Type 1 with the blood sugar control that our daughter has.  Now to be fair, the daughter uses a continuous blood sugar monitor during pregnancy.  She continues the low carb diet.  She eats moderate amounts of protein and fat and low carb veg.  Her current A1c is 4.9 (this is in Australia - not sure if you have the same way of measuring that we do) if you are a non-diabetic, your A1c would be approx 4.7.  Over the years we have experimented with supplements, exercise etc.  What we have found is that a couple of supplements are advantageous for diabetics to reduce the insulin resistance - Alpha Lipoic Acid, Benfotiamine (this is more about reducing the damage caused by high blood sugars).  Her insulin needs are still very low for a Type 1 - to the point that several doctors have wondered whether she still has some pancreatic function left.  I think after all this time that there can't be.  I thank everyone else who has commented on this thread in the past.  There is some new reading material ahead for me at some of the links provided!  
Something that came across my horizon just recently is the opinions and theories of Forrest Marready who has written a book and has a Youtube channel (called My incredible Opinion).  If you are a pro-vaxxxer you won't like his stuff - I try to keep an open mind on everything.  Basically his research is indicating that the nano particulate aluminium hydroxide adjuvants in shots are absorbed by the white blood cells - but they (the white blood cells) are not able to dispose of the aluminium like they would a virus or bacteria, so the Al remains in the White blood cells.  When the body signals for help with an infection or similar, the white blood cells (containing the Al) flood to the site of the infection as they should do in a proper immune response, but unfortunately they now contain a toxic substance which is in all likelihood deposited in the infection site (in the case of diabetes - the pancreas).  Aluminium is not a mineral needed by the body - the body sets up an immune reaction to the Al and creates the antibodies which end up destroying the Islets of Langerhans in the pancreas.  yes, its just a theory at this stage - but I can tell you that two weeks before my daughter was diagnosed she had a bad stomach virus/upset.  This is common prior to the diagnosis of Type 1.  As I said, I try to keep an open mind about everything, but if all the previous is true, then detoxing the body of Al may have benefits - the human body is able to regenerate and heal itself in many miraculous ways.  Anyway, I do hope that your diabetes is now well controlled and that at the very least you have been able to reduce your insulin use.  Best wishes and blessings Leanne

This isn't much help but it's a start. There is a medicine man in NM who has diabetes (don't know which type). Whenever diabetes starts to deeply affect him, he goes out and collects the green flower buds of a particular species of yucca plant, prepares it and eats it. The green flower bud has large flatish pitch black seeds inside,

So here's where this isn't much help:  diabetes type unknown; yucca species name unknown (but I'd recognize it immediately if I saw it when it put on it's green flower buds); lastly, I don't know how he prepared it which will be the main key to it working....

....for every human disease, I believe there is a plant based solution, finding the plant and how to prepare it is the issue

Greetings!  I just received an apple for my post earlier in this thread… thanks for that😊.

So I know people are reading the thread.  Just today, I found seeds available on Etsy.  The vendor has extensive information on germination, plant cultivation etc.

Just wanted to put the information on the thread, because basically I am a very helpful person.

Best wishes❤️
Gymnema seeds the species under discussion above

Hello everyone,

I am new in this forum and wanted to share my recent discovery about a plant I have used my whole life.

Now I do not have Diabetes but apparently Acacia Nilotica, also known as Vachellia Nilotica (some call it the Tree of Life) is an ancient plant highly praised by the Ancient Egyptians that has been shown to give great results from those suffering from Diabetes.

In one of the posts above I read "for every human disease, I believe there is a plant based solution, finding the plant and how to prepare it is the issue" and I totally agree with that concept.

I always have some Acacia Nilotica in my house in powder form and I use it for stomachache, sore throat, coughing but scientific research has revealed additional properties the plant has. Feel free to do your own homework and form your own opinion.

Thank you

I have used Gymnema sylvestre with both Type I and type II diabetics. Type II diabetics often don't need Gymnema though. I find other herbs, diet and exercise usually all that is needed.  In Type I diabetics it has been helpful in lowering the amount of insulin they need and also stopping the erratic blood sugar changes seen in what is called  a "brittle diabetic".  I have not seen anyone come off their insulin.  I would be worried about someone attempting to lower their insulin by using Gymnema though, unless they did it in conjunction with their practitioner while watching their blood sugar closely. You might work with a naturopathic physician or a functional medicine physician who should both know this herb, and could help you with your situation, not only perhaps by use of this herb but also with other ideas specific to you.

Here are a couple research articles one with Type I and one with Type II : https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2259216/   https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22432517/  

Some researchers have theorized that the beta cells are being regenerated and it is possible, but we don't know that at this time. Most of the research on Gymnema has been small trials and not exactly up to par with what is usually accepted as best scientific practices unfortunately. Therefore, some people simply ignore them.