By 2035, more than 10% of people worldwide are projected to have diabetes. And millions more will be prediabetic, or on the cusp of being diagnosed with the disease.
That’s bad news for everyone. But it’s especially bad news for women.
As a woman with diabetes, the likelihood that you’ll go blind or have depression is higher.1 And then there are other issues that men don’t have to worry about, like oral thrush and vaginal infections.2
But the greatest risk diabetic women face is from heart disease.3 The risk for heart disease is six times higher for diabetic women than women without the disease. And as a woman with diabetes, you’re more likely to die of a heart attack than a man. In fact, if you’re a woman with diabetes, your risk of death from any cause is actually double.4
Good luck getting the care you need from your doctor. Studies show they’re less likely to treat your heart disease symptoms as aggressively as a man’s.
Doctors usually prescribe metformin to treat diabetes. Some people hail this as a wonder drug. But I don’t prescribe it. It can cause dizziness, chills, muscle pain and vomiting. It lowers your levels of vitamin B12. That can lead to anemia… weakness… fatigue… brain fog… confusion… headaches… incontinence… memory loss… anxiety… depression… dementia…
Metformin can also make your thyroid sluggish…
For decades, I’ve been helping my patients not just manage their diabetes, but alsoreverse it for good.
Without drugs…
What’s my secret weapon? One of the most effective healing plants in the battle against diabetes ever found.
I’m talking about guava.
It’s one of the best weapons for controlling blood sugar spikes, which can lead to insulin resistance. And insulin resistance often leads to diabetes.
These spikes are common if you eat a typical carb-loaded Western diet full of breads, pastas and sugary drinks.
The guava’s stems and leaves actually block the digestion of carbohydrates so you don’t experience those ups and downs in your blood sugar that lead to insulin resistance.5
In fact, a tea made from the leaves of guava plants has been used in East Asia for centuries to lower fasting blood sugar levels6 and help you fight off the damage the disease does to your body.7,8
Guava season runs from September through December in the U.S. Those are the best months to find them at your local green market or farmers’ market.
I really enjoy tea made from the guava leaves.
Dried leaves make the most potent tea. You can usually find them at health food stores. If you’re using fresh leaves, you’ll need to use twice as many to get the same results.
Here’s my go-to recipe for guava leaf tea. I learned it in Bali from traditional healers. They use it to treat a number of illnesses, including diabetes.
Guava leaf tea
- Fill your teapot with 8 oz. of water. Be sure your pot is made from a non-reactive material like enamel or stainless steel (no aluminum).
- Crush 1 oz. of dried guava leaves or 2 oz. of fresh leaves and add them to the water and soak for 30 minutes.
- Bring water to a boil. Then reduce heat and simmer with the lid off for 30 to 60 minutes or until one-quarter of the water has evaporated.
- Allow to cool and then strain the leaves. Use a spoon to press the leaves against the strainer to squeeze out the last of the liquid.
You can store your tea in the refrigerator for up to 72 hours. But for the most benefits, it’s best to make it fresh each day.
To Your Good Health,
Al Sears, MD, CNS
1. “Diabetes,” Office on Women’s Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Accessed 4/3/17
2.”Living With Diabetes, Treatment and Care, Women,” American Diabetes Association. Accessed 4/3/17
3.Gebel, E. “How Diabetes Differs for Men and Women,” Diabetes Forecast. October 2011
4.”Mortality Trends in Men and Women with Diabetes, 1971 to 2000,” Annals of Internal Medicine. Accessed 4/1/17
5.Rai PK., et al. “Anti-hyperglycaemic potential of Psidium guajava raw fruit peel.” Indian J Med Res. 2009;129:561-5.
6. Deguchi Y, et al. “Anti-hyperglycemic and anti-hyperlipidemic effects of guava leaf extract.” Nutr Metab (Lond). Accessed 4/4/17
7.Lin CY., et al. “Renal protective effects of extracts from guava fruit (Psidium guajava L.) in diabetic mice.” Plant Foods Hum Nutr. 2012;67(3):303-8.
8.Soman S., et al. “Beneficial effects of Psidium guajava leaf extract on diabetic myocardium.” Exp Toxicol Pathol. 2013;65(1-2):91-5.