Diabetes Bombshell: Natural Methods That Might Replace Your Meds!

Hey there. You know what's amazing? So many of my patients have been able to cut back on their diabetes meds. And some have even stopped them completely by using these natural approaches. I'm Dr. Ahmed Urgen, and as a diabetes specialist, I have seen firsthand what works and what doesn't. Today, I want to have an honest conversation about your medications. Not about tossing them in the trash. that could be dangerous, by the way. But understanding what they do, which ones might be worth keeping for their heart and kidney benefits and how you might be able to support your body naturally. Let's talk about what you might be going through right now. Are you taking handful of pills every day, dealing with those lovely side effects like stomach issues or those scary low blood sugar episodes? Maybe you're worried about being on these medications forever, or your wallet is feeling the pinch from prescription costs. I hear you. So many people come into my office feeling frustrated and stuck. They tell me, "Doc, I'm taking more and more medications, but I don't feel any better. Will I be on these pills for the rest of my life?" Here's the thing. It's not their fault. Top two diabetes is not just about eating too much sugar or not exercising enough like everybody else thinks. It is this complex dense between your genes, your environment, stress levels, sleep, and even the bugs, the bacteria living in your gut. No wonder it feels overwhelming sometimes because you think that you're controlling and nothing's happening or not enough happening and you're lost. Before we talk about natural alternatives, let's understand what your medications are actually doing in your body. Think of it as knowing your opponent in a chess game. It gives you an advantage. Metformin, let's start with the granddaddy of diabetes meds, right? Metformin. This is usually the first medication people get prescribed and that's the most hated medication. So, Metformin is like that friend who helps you in three ways. It tells your liver actually to stop dumping so much sugar into your bloodstream, which is good, especially overnight. It doesn't work for everybody, but when it works, it does that. It helps your muscles use insulin better, and it even changes the bacteria in your gut in a good way. Actually, imagine your liver as a sugar factory working over time. Metformin basically says, "Hey, slow down production." It also helps your muscle cells open their doors wider to let the sugar in. And as you know a lot of you are taking like sugar MV super bourberine or bourberine as an alternative to metformin and most of you are doing great on that but it's something that's between you and your doctor or between you and you. So you decide what to do with your medications but make sure that you have guidance from your doctors. Sulfanyl uras is another one that's commonly prescribed like galiposide glyoride gimmopride right these are common these medications they're like a cracking a whip over your poor pancreas. Your pancreas is already exhausted and these meds force it to pump out more insulin. It's like your pancreas is that employee who has been working overtime for years and these medications are like giving them a triple espresso and saying work harder. It works in the short term but in the long term that employee might burn out. Other commonly prescribed medications are like DPP4 inhibitors like Genevia or Troenta. And these newer medications are a bit gentler actually, but they're very expensive for what they do. Your body naturally makes hormones called incretins that tell your pancreas to release insulin after you eat. But these hormones get broken down quickly by an enzyme called DPP4. These medications are like bouncers that block that enzyme. So your natural incrretin hormones stick around longer. It's like extending the life of your body's own insulin triggering signals. Next is getting popular and has been popular. This class of medications in the last few years is for example jardians fara in vocana. These are SGLT2 inhibitors. They work in a completely different way. They make you pee out sugar. It reduces the threshold of kidney to release glucose. Normally, your kidneys filter sugar, but then reabsorbs it. All of it. These medications block that reabsorption. Think of it as installing a glucose drain in your body. And here's the cool part. These medications also protect your heart and kidneys in the ways that go just beyond lowering blood sugar, which is nice. If you can afford them, they can be helpful. And they have a lot of side effects too that you need to be aware of. We'll talk more about that later. But GLP-1 receptor agonist has been like taking it by storm like ozampic, trulucidity, victoa, monjaro and stuff like that. You probably have seen commercials or you're already on it, but they mimic a natural hormone called GLP1. Does three things. GLP-1 hormones slow down how quickly food leaves your stomach so you feel full longer and reduces your appetite and tells your pancreas to release insulin when you eat. It's like giving your body more of something it already makes but might not be enough. So if you have diabetes, you develop resistance to these incretins or GLP-1 hormones as well. Let's get to the good stuff. How can we support your body naturally? I'm going to share some herbs, vitamins, and lifestyle approaches that might help you need less medication over time. And remember, this isn't about stopping your meds cold turkey. That can be dangerous. This is about supporting your body so well that maybe just maybe you and your doctor can reduce your medication doses or stop some of them. Natural alternatives like I said earlier to metformin is bourberine. Bourberine is typically called nature's metformin because it works in amazingly in similar ways. It is bright yellow compound found in plants like golden seal or organ grape. And here's what's wild. Studies show it can lower A1C by about 0.9% almost 1% which is pretty much same as metformin. I have had patients who couldn't tolerate metformin's stomach side effects do great on the bourberine and who people who cannot tolerate bourberine they do better on dehydroberine which is available at our website at sugarbe.com and in my clinic as well. But if you want to try work it up to three times a day. The bourberine start with 500 milligram with meals maybe once or twice a day first. Then just like metformin it can cause some digestive upset if it is just regular bourberine. So start slow and go slow increase slowly. One of my patients Sara she could not handle metformin. It gave her perable diarrhea and we switched her to bourberine sugar MD super bourberine and not only did her blood sugar improve but her cholesterol numbers got better too. Another one is bitter melon. This funky looking bumpy cucumber has been used for diabetes in traditional medicine for centuries. It actually contains a compound that works a lot like insulin. You can find it in Asian grocery stores or some other farmers stores. You can either juice it, but I'm warning you, it's called bitter for a reason, or you can cook it as a vegetable or take it as a supplement. about 500 to 1,000 milligram of the extract daily can help your blood sugar levels. Advanced glucose support and glucco defense on our website have bitter melon as a primary ingredient. And one of my patients, Miguel, he drinks bitter melon juice actually every morning. He mixes it with some lemon and a touch of stevia to make it more palatable. And he has been able to cut his metformin in half and cinnamon. And yes, that is something that we always talk about. It's a spice that should be in your cabinet because it can help your blood sugar. And here's the important part. You want to have salon cinnamon, which is true cinnamon, not the casia cinnamon that is more commonly found in the grocery stores. Just a/4 to one teaspoon daily can help improve insulin sensitivity. I love recommending this one especially because it is so easy to your morning coffee routine or oatmeal or yogurt. Alphalopoic acid is another one that I cannot talk enough about, especially RALA. It's a powerful antioxidant that helps improve insulin sensitivity and glucose uptake. The natural form called R alphalopoic acid works better than the synthetic form or the entire form. And about 600 to,200 milligram daily in divided doses can make a big difference. You want to have here an added bonus. It also helps with nerve pain from diabetes too. One of my patients, Robert, noticed less tingling in his feet after just a month on the sugar MD RALA. Now, chromium is an essential mineral that helps your insulin work better. Look for chromium picolinate or holy nicotinate about 200 to a,000 microgram daily. Taking it with vitamin C especially helps your body absorb it better. There are some lifestyle approaches that can mimic metformin as well. For example, timerestricted eating. This is simpler than it sounds. It just limit your eating and 8 to 10 hours a day. Don't eat anything other than that window. Maybe eat between 10:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. Then give your body a break from food overnight. I had a patient, his name was John, who just stopped eating after dinner at 7:00 p.m. And he used to snack all the time and didn't eat until 7:00 a.m. in the morning. That simple quiddon on snacks after 700 p.m. helped his morning blood sugar drop by 20 points like in couple days. Resistance training. You don't need to become a bodybuilder, but just some basic strength training two to three times a week can work wonders. Even 20 to 30 minute sessions focusing on major muscle groups can significantly improve your muscles respond to insulin. If you don't have a membership, no problem, right? You can do resistance bands, body weight exercises like squats or push-ups or even lifting water bottles or canned goods. They're all helpful. If you have a balance problem, lean against the wall and do these exercises or you can do chair exercises as well. The third is the apple cider vinegar. That's a trick that most of you know about and it is simple but it works surprisingly well. Take one to three tablespoons in a glass of water before the meals, especially if you are going to eat something starchy. Studies show that it can improve insulin response after meals by up to 34%. I recommend the unfiltered kind with the mother for maximum benefits. Natural approaches for sulfanuras. Instead of whipping your entire pancreas to work harder, let's focus on supporting it and reducing its workload. Jimma, for example, it is an herb. I call it a sugar destroyer herb because this herb has been used in ayurveetic medicine in India for centuries and it actually there also called sugar destroyer in Hindi because it can reduce sugar cravings by temporarily blocking sweet taste receptors. More importantly, it helps regenerate the insulin producing cells in your pancreas and reduce the sugar absorption from your intestines. about 400 to 600 milligram of standardized extract daily can make a big difference. We have it in the glucco defense. We have it in the advanced glucose support. We have it in glucon that's coming up for all the sugar MD glucose support products. Take it about 10 minutes before meals for the best effect on sugar absorption. One study showed that people taking Jimnma were able to reduce their diabetes medications by half. My patient Liisa started taking that and noticed that she stopped craving sweets within just a week. An unexpected but welcome side effect. Right. Fenugreek seeds. These little seeds also pack a powerful punch really for your blood sugar. They contain compounds that stimulate insulin release and slow down carbohydrate absorption. You can soak one to two teaspoons overnight in water and drink the water and eat the seeds whatever in the morning, right? You can sprout them if you want having more potency from them. But you can find them as a powder as well. So if you don't like the seeds and about 5 to 10 g with meals can help a lot. They have a mapleike taste which some people love and others not so much. But if you don't like the taste, capsules will work as well. Zinc and biotin combination is important. Combination of these two nutrients work really together really well to support hand healthy insulin production. Why? Because zinc is essential for insulin production and storage. While the biotin enhances how your pancreas responds to blood sugar. About 15 to 30 migram of zinc and 2 to 5 milligram of biotin daily can help support your pancreas. Just take the zinc away from calciumrich foods or supplements for better absorption. Banana leaf. This plant actually is from Southeast Asia and contains corolic acid which acts similar to insulin in your body. About 32 to 48 migram of standardized extract can help lower your blood sugar quickly. Some studies show that effects can happen within an hour. How about DPP4 inhibitor alternatives like Genevia or Troenta, right? Well, the best alternatives are in your diet, dietary polyphenols. These powerful plant compounds can naturally inhibit that DPP4 enzyme, similar to medications like Geneva. The best sources are berries, especially blueberries and blackberries. Aim for a cup daily or green tea two to three cups of green tea daily or as a supplement with three to 400 migram of EGCG. Dark chocolate I would say one to two squares of 85% cocoa is really not bad. Finally a medicine that tastes good, right? But red wine is something that a lot of people do. If you drink alcohol, a glass of red wine with dinner might help. One drink for women up to two for men. But if you're not drinking red wine or alcohol, consider using resverrol. Resverrol is the active ingredient. And you can find it in many other stores, but you will stumble on that supplement as well at our website, too. Now, my patient Maria replaced her afternoon coffee with green tea and added berries to her morning yogurt. Simple changes, right? But they helped her blood sugar stay stable throughout the day. Curcumin, let's talk about that. This golden spice does more than flavoring your curry. It can help with blood sugar too. The challenge is that it is absorbed a little bit poorly. So look for formulations with black pepper or you can add black pepper, right? Or liposomaal forms also work too. 500 to 1,000 mgram of enhanced curcumin formulation daily can help a lot. Or using a lot turmeric can help a lot as well. Take it with a meal that contains some fat for better absorption. One study showed that the curcumin supplementation reduced fasting blood sugar by 18% after 9 months. And like I said, respirator, which is the compound in red wine that gets all the attention for heart health, but it helps with blood sugar too. It inhibits DPP4 and activates a longevity pathway that improves insulin sensitivity. Around 100 to 500 milligram daily of the transverrol, which is the active form, can help you. Taking it with corsetin found in apples and onions by the way improves how well your body absorbs it too. Now ginger is a common kitchen spice that does more than settle your stomach. It can help your blood sugar too. It contains compounds called ginger rolls and sugars that inhibit the DPP4 and enhance insulin sensitivity. Fresh ginger also contains more active compounds than the deride one but both work. So try adding one to two inches of fresh ginger to smoothies. For example, making ginger tea with sliced fresh ginger. Using half a teaspoon of dried ginger in cooking can help. And taking 30 to 60 drops of liquid extract and some people do that as well. My patient Tom started having ginger tea after dinner instead of the dessert. Not only did this help his blood sugar, but it also improved his digestion. Let's talk about the SGLT2 inhibitor alternatives like your Jardians, your Farsa. And I'll be honest, we don't have perfect natural equivalents to SGLT2 inhibitors, but we can support similar pathways like florisin containing foods. This compound from apple tree bark was actually the inspiration for SGLT2 inhibitor medications. Small amounts are found in apples, but you can also find apple polyphenol extract that contain more. About 500 to 1,000 mgram of apple polyphenol extract might help support your glucose level and glucose excretion just like the jardians does or fara does. And you know, we're going to talk about kidney supporting herbs since the SGL2 inhibitors are basically marketing themselves as supporting kidney function. I will say this, why not use dandelion and that's a weed in it can grow in your yard. It's actually very powerful medicinal plant. The root makes a great tea or a tincture 2 to 8 ml daily maybe but that gently increases the urination without losing electrolytes. It also supports liver function giving you a two for one benefit. My patient Carol makes dandelion root tea every morning. She says it's helped her feel less bloated while improving her blood sugar levels. Now, hibiscus is something that's a beautiful flower. It makes a tart a cranberry like tea that supports the kidney function and healthy blood pressure as well. So, try two to three cups daily or you can start with one if you don't want to overdo it. It is delicious hot or cold and studies show that it can reduce the blood pressure by about 11% which is a nice bonus if you're dealing with hypertension as well. Now number third is an interesting one that you may not have heard before is corn silk. So next time you sh corn save those silky threads. They make a mild tasting tea that supports urinary health and gentle glucose excretion. Steep 2 tablespoon of fresh or 2 tablespoons of dried corn silk in hot water for 10 to 15 minutes and you will enjoy. And let's talk about hydration, right? So big one. It is so basic but so important. Proper hydration supports your kidneys natural filtering function. Aim for at least 2 to three lers of water daily. More if you're active or if it is hot outside. Start your day with 16 ounces of water right after waking to rehydrate after the night. I would like to recommend adding a tiny pinch of high quality salt to your morning water to help with adulthike balance. Unless you have a blood pressure problem that is worsening with salt, especially if you are following a lower carb approach, that extra salt will go a long way for you. How about natural GLP-1 support? Obviously, there are these very strong, powerful, and medications that also have a lot of side effects, but how do you really mimic that? You may not be able to mimic exactly what they do, but you can kind of get close. Certain fibers ferment in your gut and produce compounds that stimulate GLP1 release, similar to ompic, but through natural pathways in this case. And the best sources are flax seeds, two tablespoons daily of ground fresh. Be careful. They go rancid pretty quickly. So, make sure that you only ground them when you are ready to eat them and keep it in the fridge or freezer. And chia seeds is another one. Great source for GLP-1 production, which is going to be around 1 to two tablespoons daily. I love these like one of my favorite things to do in breakfast. Psyllium husk also is good. You can start with one teaspoon and work up to one tablespoon daily. Gluccoman is also great. 1 to two grams daily before meals. This is a fiber by the way. It's in conjac and shitake noodles. So if you're eating conjac rice or shiakei rice, that is what you're having. You're not having any carbohydrates, but you're feeling full. And that can also stimulate the GLP-1 release, which can help your blood sugar levels. Of course, start with small amounts and increase gradually to avoid the digestive discomfort with these fibers. My patient David started adding ground flax seeds to his morning smoothie and he noticed that he stayed full until lunch or even after and no more mid-m morninging snacks or crashes and he was happy. Bitter herbs for GLP-1 release. There's something fascinating there. The bitter taste receptors in your gut can help trigger GLP-1 release. The traditional bitter herbs include gentin root for example 10 to 20 drops of tincture before the meals or artichoke leaf extract that's around three to 600 milligram before meals. Then the lion greens you can add to your salads or take 1 to 2 ml of the tincture and Swedish bitters. There you have it. I think we talked a lot about medications and natural ways to reduce the medication burden today. Thanks for watching. Please write down about your story. We want to hear about what happened to you and what were you able to achieve and how did you come off the medications. We want to hear those stories and we want to hear the stories that are long term. A lot of people will write things like oh I did this diet and my sugar is back to normal but is it just like few months or have you kept it like that for 10 20 years or years or were you able to maintain that diet? Right? So we want to hear more about your story. So, write a comment below and thanks for watching. Give a thumbs up. We'll see you in the next video.