Diet Therapy for Diabetes - Part 1 of 5

NOTE: Following is the first of five excerpts on diabetes from one of Dr. Leung's earlier writings. This originally appeared in 1997 in Dr. Leung's newsletter, Leung's Chinese Herb News, Issue 11, page 3. -ed

In a recent issue of the Shizhen Journal of TCM Research [Shizhen Guoyao Yanjiu,8(6): 553 (1997)], numerous simple treatments of diabetes using common Chinese foods or herbs are summarized by three doctors from the Caiyuan Municipal People's Hospital of Shandong Province. The following recipes are based on herbs/foods that should be available in Chinese or other ethnic stores in North America.

India wheat or Siberian buckwheat (Fagopyrum tataricum Gaertn.)

The seed contains 1% flavonoids, including rutin and cyanidin, as well as other nutrients. For treating diabetes, a mixture of the following flours is made into different types of foods (such as bread and congee) and eaten regularly as part of one's diet: 30% India wheat, 10% soybean, 20% millet, and 40% wheat. No other details are given except that a 93% response was claimed after trials at the Beijing Tong Ren Hospital, Tianjin Medical School Affiliated Hospital, and other hospitals.

Nan gua or cushaw (Cucurbita moschata Duch.)

Use the young fruits when in season. Eat 400 g (a little over a pound) each day, stir fried. One can also cut the young fruit into slices and sun dry them for use in winter or other times. Using this recipe for diabetes, a response rate of up to 75% has been reported. There seems to be many varieties of cushaw. Consequently, in order to get the right type used by the Chinese, it is best to buy it in Chinatown. If you use the Chinese name, nan gua ('southern mellon'), there will be little confusion, as most Chinese know it.

These and more herbal remedies are available from the volumes of Dr. Leung’s newsletter, of the same name as this blog (Leung’s Chinese Herb News). This newsletter was published and sent to subscribers (most were industry-insiders) from 1996 to 2004. The collected works now serve as an excellent reference work, created with Dr. Leung’s frank, honest opinions and down-to-earth communication style.For more information about Dr. Leung and his writings, visit http://www.earthpower.com/. To order the newsletter containing the remedies mentioned above, visit the bookstore, click “Buy Now” on the newsletter, and select Issue # 11 from the drop down list.