diseases 213
- Three to six large cloves of garlic per day would be a minimum re-
quirement. Garlic balances the amount of sugar in the blood by
producing more insulin.
(^) - Eating enough of the right things at the right time is important in the
control of diabetes. At no time should the person ever fast. Diabetes
is all about maintaining correct carbohydrate metabolism. Food
should be high in fi ber and complex carbohydrates, and should have
the correct protein levels to balance the carbohydrate ratio.
- No tea, coffee, alcohol, or fruit juices should be drunk.
- All sugars are to be avoided. Use instead rice syrup in minute quanti-
ties, barley malt, unrefi ned cane juice, and sweet herb (Stevia rebaudi-
ana). Very occasionally you can use small amounts of raw unheated
honey. Also avoid fructose, dextrose, and molasses. - Nourishing, “earthy” foods will be invaluable, but make sure you
choose the right ones: seaweeds and whole grains like rice, millet,
quinoa, oats, and barley are good. Avoid all processed grains. Try the
sweeter vegetables, like Jerusalem artichokes, pumpkins, burdock
root, onion, and parsnips. Avoid potatoes, yams, and carrots. - Avoid bread but, if necessary, eat rye bread.
- Six small and easily digestible meals a day may be better than three
large ones. - Oats are rich in many vitamins and minerals and are generally very
nourishing. They can slow the rate of sugar metabolism, thus aiding
the work of the pancreas. Organic oats are best; they can be soaked
over night in springwater with cinnamon powder and eaten for break-
fast. - Seaweeds, especially hijiki, normalize blood sugar levels. Cook them
with whole grains and add to salads and soups. - Drink one cup of homemade barley water daily (see recipe in chapter 4).
- At least one or two apples per day are the best fruit for diabetics. Wild
fruits like blackberries, bilberries, quince, and pomegranate, with
their naturally sharp and bitter fl avors, are also suitable. Do not drink
fruit in juiced form; the sugar content will be too high. Other suitable
fruits are pears, grapefruit, grapes (in small quantities), and bananas.
Bananas are known to lower blood sugar levels, but use only overripe
(nearly black) ones, and have only two or three a week. - Dried fi gs, dates, raisins, and other dried fruits are best avoided by
diabetics because of their high sugar content. If they are eaten, they
must be soaked for at least twelve hours.
213 The Complete Home Guide to Herbs, Natural Healing, and Nutrition