Fig and Diabetes

Quraan Fruits

Fig Leaves Provide a Natural Health Remedy for Diabetes

Fig leaves are best known for treating diabetes, but there are many other uses for the fig leaves. There are many homemade remedies from treating diabetes to treating bronchitis, genital warts, liver cirrhosis, high blood pressure, skin problems and ulcers. Fig leaves are not used as much as they should be. Most of the remedies for the fig leaves use the sap or the milk of the sacred tree. Fig tinctures or poultices should be used immediately and fresh batches made daily.

The big news with the use of fig leaves is that they have anti-diabetic properties. The diabetic needs less insulin when on a treatment of using the fig leaf extract. The diabetic should take the extract with breakfast, first thing in the morning. An additional remedy is to boil the leaves of the fig in some freshly filtered waster and drink this as a tea.

Figs and Health

According to the USDA, figs are one of the highest sources of fiber and calcium. Figs have antioxidants and a laxative effect on the body. Figs contain fiber, magnesium, copper, manganese, calcium and vitamins A,B,C and K. Besides these vitamins, the figs also contain folic acid, sodium and zinc.

Benefits of the figs

1- Figs are rich in potassium and fiber, helping to stabilize the blood pressure of the body. The figs contain anti-diabetic and anti-tumor properties. They have calcium, potassium, and soluble fiber, which aids in the reduction of cholesterol.

2- Figs promote good sleeping habits and protect the person against insomnia. They increase your energy, promote stronger bones, and are helpful in treating constipation, due to their laxative effect. If the leaves are mashed, they can be used as a skin cleanser for acne and pimples.

3- Figs lessen the acids in the stomach and therefore are great for pregnant women. Figs also increase sexual desire and promote overall longevity and good health.

Home Remedies using fig leaves

 Bronchitis  

Place two to three fig leaves in a half liter of water with some piloncillo and bring to boil. Let the water boil for 15 minutes and then remove the leaves and drink the tea.

Cardiovascular and Cancer patients

Try drinking some freshly made fig leaf tea. Also, eat some fresh figs daily.

Genital warts

Take one of the fig leaves and apply the milk or sap from the leaf to the affected areas.

 Hemorrhoid  

Place two or three of the leaves in one liter of water and bring to boil. Boil for at least 15 minutes. Remove from the fire and let the pot cool. Remove the leaves from the tea and use as a sitz bath or apply to the affected areas.

Liver cirrhosis 

Take 4 leaves, wash them thoroughly and pound them with any type of sugar candy. Fill a medium glass with water and drink this twice a day.

Lower blood pressure  

Place 3 fig leaves in half liter of water. Boil for 15 minutes and drink daily.

Ringworm

Cut open a leaf and take the milk or sap. Rub on the ringworm. This procedure works immediately.

 Scalp fungal infections, warts and boils - Follow the above directions.

Shingles

Place three to four fig leaves in 2 cups of water. Boil for a few minutes, let cool and remove the leaves. Take a wash cloth and dip in the water and apply to the affected area.

 Ulcers

Every day chew two fig leaves and swallow the whole leaf. People with advanced ulcers should do this in the morning on an empty stomach.

Hypoglycemic action of an oral fig-leaf decoction in type-I diabetic patients.

Abstract

The effect of a decoction of fig leaves (Ficus carica), as a supplement to breakfast, on diabetes control was studied in insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) patients (six men, four women, age 22-38 years, body mass index (BMI): 20.8 +/- 3.0 kg/m2, HbA1c 7.6 +/- 0.9% with a mean duration of diabetes of 9 +/- 6.3 years). The patients were managed with their usual diabetes diet and their twice-daily insulin injection. During the first month, patients were given a decoction of fig leaves (FC) and during the next month a non-sweet commercial tea (TC). The patients were divided into two groups (n = 5) with random allocation and cross-over design. A standard breakfast was given at the beginning and end of each month-run. C-peptide, 2 h pre- and post-prandial glycemia, HbA1c, cholesterol, lipid fractions and hematology data, were analyzed during each visit. Glycemic profiles (7/day per week) were recorded by patients. Only two patients had intolerance dropout. Post-prandial glycemia was significantly lower during supplementation with FC 156.6 +/- 75.9 mg/dl versus TC 293.7 +/- 45.0 mg/dl (P < 0.001) without pre-prandial differences 145.0 +/- 41.5 and 196.6 +/- 43.2 mg/dl, respectively. Medium average capillary profiles were also lower in the two sub-groups of patients during FC 166.7 +/- 23.6 mg/dl, P < 0.05 and 157.1 +/- 17.0 mg/dl versus TC 245.8 +/- 14.2 mg/dl and 221.4 +/- 27.3 mg/dl. Average insulin dose was 12% lower during FC in the total group. The addition of FC to diet in IDDM could be of help to control postprandial glycemia.

Balance Blood Sugar with these Leaves

Figs have a long and ancient history; they are thought to be one of the first fruits ever to be cultivated by humans. Figs are high in calcium, iron, magnesium, vitamin B 6, and potassium. But what about fig leaves? Have you ever considered their health benefits? Fig leaves are healing foods that are best known as an effective alternative therapy for treating diabetes.

In one clinical trial, researchers from the Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital, Madrid, Spain, studied the effects of a decoction of fig leaves (“Ficus carica”) on diabetes control. Six men and four women who were insulin-dependent diabetes patients were recruited for the trial. The patients were managed with their usual diabetes diet and their twice-daily insulin injection. During the first month, patients were given a decoction of fig leaves; during the next month, they were given a non-sweet commercial tea.

The patients were divided into two groups. A standard breakfast was given at the beginning and end of each month-run. Glycemic profiles (seven/day per week) were recorded by patients. The research team found that post-prandial glycemia was significantly lower during supplementation with fig leaves. In fact, the average insulin dose was 12% lower during the period when fig leaves were administered to the group.

If you are diabetic and want to try taking a supplement made from fig leaves, remember that you may need less insulin — be sure to get your doctor’s advice. Do not stop taking or reduce your regular medication without talking it over with your doctor. It is probably best to take the fig leaf extract with breakfast, first thing in the morning. An additional home remedy is to boil the leaves of the fig in some freshly filtered water and drink this as a tea.

In addition to their anti-diabetic properties, fig leaves have strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. In a clinical trial conducted at the Faculty of Pharmacy, New Delhi, India, researchers evaluated the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activity of “F. carica” leaves. Their study validated that the antioxidant effect of fig leaves is likely due to the presence of steroids and flavonoids and the anti-inflammatory activity could be due to free radical scavenging activity.


How to Make and Purchase Fig Leaf Tea for Diabetes Treatment

Fig leaves are a great source for a natural treatment for diabetes. Fig leaves in the past were used only to cook with, but now researchers have shown many benefits of this very simple herbal tea. The figs itself have many benefits which include:

- Figs are rich in potassium and fiber, helping to stabilize the blood pressure of the body. The figs contain anti-diabetic and anti-tumor properties. They have calcium, potassium, and soluble fiber, which aids in the reduction of cholesterol.

- Figs promote good sleeping habits and protect the person against insomnia. They increase your energy, promote stronger bones, and are helpful in treating constipation, due to their laxative effect. If the leaves are mashed, they can be used as a skin cleanser for acne and pimples.

- Figs lessen the acids in the stomach and therefore are great for pregnant women. Figs also increase sexual desire and promote overall longevity and good health.,
While the leaves are used mainly to treat diabetes they are also used to treat shingles, bronchitis, genital warts, liver cirrhosis, high blood pressure, ulcers and skin problems. Drinking a simple cup of tea may be just what the doctor ordered.

In 2009 studies were performed showing that fig leaf tea would help eliminate diabetes and yet there are very few places where the fig leaves are available. The best source for the fig leaves is My Herbal Products. The owner has organic leaves that she dries and sells by the cup.

The remedies vary on how much tea you should drink or need, but the basic recipe calls for 2 teaspoons per cup. Maria suggests 2 tablespoons per liter of water. I believe that both recipes are very good. The idea is to get the best quality leaves possible. Some have resorted to growing their own trees in their back yards.
Amazon sells this very cheap tree for $9.99 that you can start with. It will take a few years to get your tree going, but it is a start. It takes many pounds of leaves to get enough tea to be of use. Having enough tea for a few cups is not what you want. You can buy a bigger tree at three times the cost here.

The higher price tree cost $34.98 and comes in a 5 x 10 inch container. Until you get your fig trees going, you can order from Maria's website. I suggest ordering a minimum of 2 trees. Fig trees grow to tremendous heights. While using the leaves is your main goal, you can benefit greatly from the figs. I would be lying to you if I did not tell you that not all figs will be of value. Some are just perfect and some will be wasted and fall to the ground.

Many will dry the figs and save for use throughout the year. Figs are also used in my memory elixir. You simply need: 2 figs, 1 sprig of rosemary, 1 cup of yogurt and 1 tablespoon of oil. Place them in the refrigerator overnight and then in the morning remove the sprigs of rosemary from the stem and blend everything on high and drink. This is a perfect way to increase your memory naturally. I recommend this for patients with Alzheimer's disease and dementia.

How to Dry the Leaves

You need to let your leaves get full blown. Once the leaves are large, take a paring knife or a knife with a ridged edge and go to your garden. Grab the leaves and cut through the stems. You will see a white sap ease out. Gather all the leaves you can and take them to a large basin and run water over them to wash lightly and then dry the leaves as good as you can. I put them in the washer on spin for just a few minutes to get all the water out.

Then in a well lit room in your home, not out of doors, lay down a blanket to dry the leaves on. Your leaves will take a few weeks to dry. A quicker way to dry them is if you cut the leaves into small pieces. Professionals and people like Maria will place the leaves on large screens to dry. Once the leaves are dry, place a few leaves at a time in a food processor. Pulse the leaves to a fine chop. You do not need to make a powder out of them. Refer to the photo at the top of this article.

Once your leaves are chopped, store them in glass containers. Keep them in the cabinet away from the sun so the sun does not turn the leaves brown. Drying the leaves in the home will help to keep the perfect green color.

Making the Tea

Place 2 tablespoons in a liter of water and bring to boil. Boil the leaves for 15 minutes or until the pot of water is half way gone. Remove the tea from the stove and stain the leaves off and drink the tea. You can store the left over tea in the refrigerator until needed. Do this every day and see how your sugar levels go down and down.