How to Use Herbs to Treat Hypoglycemia

Hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar, has many causes: as a side effect of diabetes, a genetic predisposition or just forgetting to eat. There are also a number of ways to treat the disorder. As a natural option, the right balance of healing herbs may be helpful in keeping blood sugar level.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• A notebook or blood sugar diary
• Bottles of the herbs used to treat hypoglycemia

Use Herbs To Treat Hypoglycemia

1. Make a list of the herbs you would like to try, after consulting an herbalist or physician.
2. Start with glandular stimulants, like ginseng, mugwort and lovage as these are the most recommended and most "active" of herbs used to treat hypoglycemia.
3. Take the herb in liquid or tincture form added to a drink, if possible. It will enter the system more quickly than in tablet form.
4. Put fifteen drops of pure ginseng into any beverage and drink it three times a day after meals. Take this and any herbs used to treat hypoglycemia for three to six weeks to see if they are effective in keeping your blood sugar level.
5. Use mugwort in the same way (in a drink, three times a day after meals), but put in only five drops.
6. Try herbs that can be used before meals, such as feverfew, dandelion, plantain and chicory.
7. Use spirulina (a blue-green algae) between meals to avoid sudden drops and spikes in blood sugar.
8. Reduce sugar cravings with licorice root or gentian.
9. Obtain a notebook or a blood sugar diary such as those used by diabetics to keep track of changes in your blood sugar. Do not rely on feelings alone to decide on what works and what doesn't.

Tips & Warnings

• Try herbal supplements one at a time so that you know which one is most effective. After that, you may want to try combinations.
• Add minerals such as chromium and zinc to your supplements, which can be found at grocery stores, organic food stores or on the Internet.
• If your city has a Chinatown, seek both advice and products at local markets. Herb use has been practiced for thousands of years in Chinese culture.
• The best way to treat hypoglycemia is with proper diet and exercise. Herbal supplements may be helpful, but they will not make up for poor eating habits.
• An infection, overactive thyroid or pancreas, exhaustion or stress can make hypoglycemia worse. Herbal supplements cannot overcome these factors. See your doctor to be sure that your hypoglycemia does not have a medically treatable cause.

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