Diabetes is now perhaps the most common disease across the globe and the black seeds have proved their worth against it over the years. We can say that black seed oil is one of the best friends of diabetics.
The use of herbs for various purposes has been in human mental and practical approach over the centuries now. The same applies to the black seeds produced by a seasonal plant, Nigella Sativa, found in Western Asia, Middle East and Eastern Europe.
Diabetes Mellitus commonly called Diabetes is not a single disease but a group of metabolic disorders and has three types. The worst tragedy is that we can never cure Diabetes; we can only try to control it through medication and lifestyle changes.
- Type 1 also called juvenile onset diabetes occurs in children or adolescents due to an autoimmune condition where the immune system of the victim attacks and destroys the islets of Langerhans, the Insulin producing cells of Pancreas. The patient suffers from high blood glucose level and symptoms of fatigue, dehydration and chronic weight loss. Additional insulin shots are required to manage high blood glucose level.
- Type 2 also called adult onset diabetes is due to the failure of body to produce enough Insulin or becoming resistant to Insulin. This is the most common type in which the pancreatic cells get burnt out due to having to produce more and more Insulin out of its extra demand in the body resulted from the resistant phase. This type can be controlled by bringing changes in the life style, reducing weight with the help of effective diet plans and taking proper medicines.
- Type 3 or Gestational Diabetes occurs temporarily during pregnancy due to the inability of the female body to produce enough Insulin to fulfil the increased demands in this phase. This type often disappears soon after the child birth but sometimes is risky and leading to type 2. This type can be detected through blood screening and managed easily.
Black Seed Oil and Diabetes
All the above three types have a common condition of high blood glucose level which has to be controlled by anything possessing hypoglycaemic properties, and black seed oil is the one ideally blessed with such properties. It has Thymoquinone, Nigellone and beta-sisterol as its principal active components which help a lot in this connection. Let’s see what black seed oil has in addition and how it helps controlling Diabetes.
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Regulation of blood glucose level
The most serious and complicated issue with diabetics is their high blood glucose level which needs to be addressed foremost. Studies reveal that black seed oil taken orally can help prevent the type 1 diabetes by maintaining the glucose in blood at a fairly acceptable level.
A study conducted to investigate into the combined effects of medication and black seed oil reveals that the increased level of blood glucose is reduced by the fact that black seed oil increases the production of insulin and the sensitivity of the body to the hormone. Actually, black seed oil stimulates the cellular metabolic activity and supports the overall process of Insulin production.
Black seed oil has been found to promote the regeneration and activity of insulin producing cells. Two separate studies conducted on diabetic rats in 2013 and 2014 confirmed that black seed oil not only reduces the blood glucose level but also increases the production of insulin.
The regular and consistent use of pure black seed oil benefits the patients of both type 1 and type 2. Type 1 diabetics are benefitted because black seed oil reduces the damage to the insulin producing cells in the pancreas whereas those with type 2 get the advantage due to the fact that this oil enhances the sensitivity of the Insulin receptors.
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Improvements in the blood cholesterol level
Our body has two kinds of blood cholesterol:
- Good cholesterol also known as high-density lipoprotein.
- Bad cholesterol also called low-density lipoprotein.
Bad cholesterol increases a cholesterol-deposition in the arteries and tends to block them, increasing and promoting the chances of heart diseases and attacks. There are both mono and poly unsaturated fatty acids in the pure black seed oil which improves the level of good cholesterol and lowers that one of bad cholesterol in the blood, becoming deemed essential for the proper body functioning.
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Maintenance of blood pressure
An important mineral, potassium, is there in human body and responsible to maintain the blood pressure at a normal range. Diabetes disturbs and reduces the level of potassium in patients’ body, deflecting their blood pressure which may prove lethal at times. Black seed oil is rich in potassium and helps combat its deficiency in body and keep the blood pressure at the required level.
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Fight against inflammation
Latest studies indicate that people with internal inflammation are more liable to develop type 2 Diabetes because inflammation enhances the resistivity to insulin. Lowered sensitivity to insulin also encourages internal inflammation which further makes the patient insulin resistant. Here, once again, black seed oil comes into play with its anti- inflammatory ingredients and other antioxidants. The oil reduces the internal inflammation and swelling and also the damage caused by the free radicals. All this helps the diabetics of type 2 a lot.
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Help in weight loss
Diabetes mellitus attacks more easily on bulky people and their obesity proves a curse for them. Doctors advise the diabetics to reduce their weight to enable the medicines manage the disorder properly. Black seed oil has the ability to boost up metabolism and burn calories, making the patient lose his weight rapidly and constantly. This it does with the potential to curb appetite and improve digestive health and internal mechanism.
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Boosting of the overall immunity and health of diabetics
All diabetics are sure to reduce their immunity and overall health over a period of a few months of their suffering. This makes them more vulnerable to other dangerous diseases as well. A calculated addition of black seed oil to their routine diet can make them strongly immune and healthy. This is because black seed oil contains a lot proportion of iron and vitamin C both of which help develop powerful immunity in the diabetics. Besides, other essential compounds which our body needs in traces to carry on its normal functioning and boost up immunity are also there in the black seed oil in fair amounts.
Dosage of black seed oil for diabetics
There is no pet or fix dosage of black seed oil for the diabetics. Depending upon their age, weight and general health, even two patients of diabetes with the same symptoms may have to be prescribed two different doses of black seed oil. Most commonly and probably, 2 gm per day black seed oil along with the other anti-diabetic medicine will do for the diabetics. There are a lot of other factors involved in this prescription which only an expert professional physician can understand and manipulate time to time with their best interpretation. Hence, it will be truly advisory to consult your health provider before you finally decide to resort to the black seed oil for your diabetic control and management.
Conclusion
Like for many other medical issues, black seed oil is quite marvellous in controlling and managing all types of diabetes. Only a well balanced diet, light exercise or walk and a sound sleep without taking undue stress on mind can be good companions of black seed oil in this regard.