Cinnamon

[MadRebel]

Hello all...I'm reading more and more that the use of cinnamon helps control our diabetes and am willing, like anything else, to give it a try. Only, I'm not sure how much I should take daily and how I should take it. Should I just go to the grocery store, purchase some cinnamon, dip my teaspoon in it and take some or should I buy cinnamon capsules and again how much of either should I take and should I adjust my insulin and Amaryl lower or what?

In addition there is a thread contained at:
http://www.diabetesforums.com/diabetes/15327-another-interesting-read.html?highlight=interesting+read
where it links to an article that basically states that our diabetes can be controlled or "cured" (find that hard to believe) by stopping with the carbs. OK...like I said earlier on, I'm willing to try anything once to see if it works but again the question: How would one go about doing that? If I'm not going to eat any, or very little carbs should I adjust my insulin dosage down a bit on the day that I start doing this? Or am I playing around with something that might be very dangerous to do? I mean, I don't want to end up passing out from a hypo or anything like that.

For you info, I'm taking 12 units of HumologMix 26 in the morning's and 8 unit's at night at dinner and I'm taking 2mg of Glimiperide (Amaryl) in the morning and 2mg at diinner. Luckily I'm normally staying below the 10.0 with this regime and diet and exercise but I want it better. (Around 4:15 p.m. daily I get down to around 3.8 - 5.0 on my reading's).

Sorry for posing two separate question's in one thread but I can't see cluttering the forum with too many multiple post's. Just my way of thinking is all. And maybe when I think about it, this should probably be in the Dieting Forum so Mod's is that's the case my apologie's for posting in the wrong forum and please move is necessary.

All help and info on this is most appreciated and

Good health to all

[MJM]

Rebel, why not include it while preparing food. I haven't heard this before but perhaps you could use it in stirfrys or something like that. Do remember that the body needs energy to survive and that energy is got from food. There is a theory that low Glycaemic Foods (GI) will benefit you in the sense that your blood sugars won't spike. I think perhaps that you may be a type 2. My theory is that if you eat in a healthy way and get plenty of exercise you will be doing yourself a big favour. There isn't yet a cure for diabetes and once diagnosed you will always be a diabetic. But life can go on with diabetes, with just a few little inconveniences thrown in, without any real hassle. If you change your diet or anything related to diabetes have a word with your dietition or doctor before you do. You'll learn a lot here and you could also google it and find some useful sites. You seem to have the desire to do things in the right way so that will be of benefit to you in the long run. All the best.

[MadRebel]

Rebel, why not include it while preparing food. I haven't heard this before but perhaps you could use it in stirfrys or something like that. Do remember that the body needs energy to survive and that energy is got from food. There is a theory that low Glycaemic Foods (GI) will benefit you in the sense that your blood sugars won't spike. I think perhaps that you may be a type 2. My theory is that if you eat in a healthy way and get plenty of exercise you will be doing yourself a big favour. There isn't yet a cure for diabetes and once diagnosed you will always be a diabetic. But life can go on with diabetes, with just a few little inconveniences thrown in, without any real hassle. If you change your diet or anything related to diabetes have a word with your dietition or doctor before you do. You'll learn a lot here and you could also google it and find some useful sites. You seem to have the desire to do things in the right way so that will be of benefit to you in the long run. All the best.
Ah Ireland...luv the place. Been there a few time's around Shannon and Cork area. Wish I had the money to retire to the Emerald Isle! Friendliest people on the face of Gods Green Earth.

Thnx for the reply and yes I am a T2 diabetic.

You ask why I don't include in my food which brings me back to the original question of: how much? I don't want to over do it and yet I want to use enough each day that would be benificial to me. And knowing that one cant' overdose on cinammon (lol) I also don't want to use too much that might make me become too low. Hmmm...life's small delima's (knowing that I didn't spell that correctly).

Might take a small trip to a health store up the road and see what they gotta say about this. Give something to think about.

Again, thnx for the quick reply and Kiss the Blarney Stone for me, will ya?

CYA

[princesslinda]

The recommended dose of cinnamon (from what i've read) is 1/4 tsp 2 x a day. You could mix it in your tea or s/f cocoa or even in your oatmeal (if you can have it...I have trouble maintaining good levels and eating it).
I take cinnamon tablets...just cinnamon in capsule form. They are large, but not too hard to swallow....you do have really fresh-smelling burps on occasion :).

As for there being a "cure" for diabetes...I think someone is trying to make money off our hopes and fears. From my understanding, there is no cure yet. I have found that if I keep things pretty low carb, low fat and lean protein, my levels stay in good control. If our levels stay at a "non-diabetic" level, we should have the same risks for complications as a "non-diabetic." Makes sense, doesn't it? Therefore, whatever we can do to keep things "normal" that's what we should do.

I have found exercise to be very helpful as well.

[rwmetcalf]

I take 1/4 to 1/2 a tsp of cinnamon twice a day stirred into a glass of milk. It doesn't dissolve as it is tree bark, but it goes down easier that way. Regular cinnamon you buy for cooking is supposed to be all you need, not some "special" brand. You can buy it in capsules, makes it easier to take but is more expensive. As far as I know you can't really overdose on it (I'm sure there must be an upper limit somewhere!). I've not read where the effects of cinnamon are linear in that the more you take the lower your BG gets. The amount I take seems to be the generally mentioned amounts to take in the articles I have read. Cinnamon is supposed to help lower BG by increasing your cells ability to take in glucose, possibly helping to reduce insulin resistance.

Some people swear by it, some people don't seem to get much help from it. I take it because it might help, it's easy to take and it is cheap compared to many other supplements. Hope this helps.

Roger

[MadRebel]

OK...I just want to say thnx to all of you who have replied to this in such a quick manner. Really appreciated.

Going grocery shopping later (if the storm dies down) or tomorrow and get some of that cinnamon.

Told my wife about it and she said she could bake me an apple pie with cinnamon. :hmpf: :hmpf: :hmpf: Told her I would catch her on the rebound with that one...hahaha

Again, thnx to all.

[trekbear]

I use cinnamon in my coffee. Tastes good and I have noticed when I do use the cinnamon, it does help with my BGL. Usually it's about 1/4 teaspoon in each cup (I drink 2 cups in the morning and 2 at night). At night I drink decaf coffee and have found the cinnamon makes the decaf taste better, well at least in MHO...

By the way MadRebel, I am from Huntsville, AL originally... What took you to the Netherlands?

Have a great day, and good luck!
Tom

[MadRebel]

By the way MadRebel, I am from Huntsville, AL originally... What took you to the Netherlands?

Tom
Hi Tom...names Glenn. What brought me to the Netherlands...well, it's definately a long story of an unfinished book. But to make it short, was in the military up til 1983, married to a Dutchy, took an European Out and decided to just stay here. Divorced her in 1990 and was planning on returning "home" but all of a sudden met a Belgian lady, married her, had a wonderful, beautiful daughter together and still here. (Also had two son's with my Dutch wife both of which I see all the time, so I guess you could say my family is all here). Only family there in the state's is my older sister. Moms dead and don't know much where my father is anymore. So...that's basically it, I guess.

Huntsville, Ala huh? Wonderful place. While in high school, last century (gawd...that makes us sound like dinosaur's don't it :cool: ) I was dating a beautiful girl called Ann Rutledge from Huntsville. You know any Rutledge's there? They were pretty big...they had a housing constuction company there and in the surrounding area's, to include Decatur (where my father's from. Mother's from Hartselle).

Ok..nice hearing from you (and all you other's as well). Thnx for the info about the cinnamon. BTW...wonder what my green tea would taste like with cinnamon in it. Gonna give that a try. Hmmmm....

You can MSN me if you want and we can chat further (keep in mind the time difference).

Take care fellow Bama Boy and

CYA

[lrminer]

I have Type 2 Diabetes.
Since just a day or two after Jan 1 of this year I have been taking cinnamon. I eat three pieces of cinnamon toast in the morning for breakfast. I use Healthy Life bread (low carb, low calorie). I butter the bread then sprinkle on the cinnamon mixed with Splenda and toast it up in the oven.

I have had excellent results with this. My blood sugar is in the 86 to 115 range most of the times. Triglycerides are down. Bad cholesterol is down.
On last doctor's office blood test:
Total cholesterol is 113
Triglycerides are 139
LDL cholesterol is 52
Blood sugar 105
A1C is 5.8
Only questionable on is HDL 33

I would say that this shows really well for me. I am on a diet and I am loosing weight. This helps a lot. But the main help I think is the cinnamon.

Hope my experiences helps others.

[rwmetcalf]

Hi Irminer,

You attribute some of your good results to cinamon, can you provide us with some numbers before you began taking cinamon to give us an idea of how much it has helped you?

Thanks,
Roger

[princesslinda]

Hello Irminer:
Sounds like you've had some excellent results on the Cinnamon. I was curious as what medicines you are on that would allow 3 pieces of bread, even the low carb ones, and still given an A1C that is so good. Even one sandwich with low-carb (9/slice) bread puts me over 160 2 hrs afterwards.

I have stopped taking the cinnamon (took it for about 4 months). I began having really bad heartburn after taking the cinnamon capsules, even with food. I stopped the cinnamon and the burning resolved.

My levels have remained the same as while I was on it, so it must not have had much affect on mine. I still take the chromium 500 mcg daily and have recently started on ginseng tablets after reading that they help as well. The jury's still on that so far.

Thanks for the info...congrats on the great lab work!