Curing Diabetes with Okra
Okra (gumbo or lady finger) is a powerhouse of nutrients and has long been used as an herbal treatment for numerous ailments like low virility and high cholesterol. And now there has been talk of it being helpful in reducing diabetes too. The medicinal value of okra is undoubted as it is rich in fiber and low in unwanted calories, facts that will impress diabetics. Let's take a look at the nutrients:

Nutritional facts:

Half cup of cooked okra contains
Calories: 25
Dietary Fiber: 2 g
Protein: 1.5 g
Carbohydrates: 5.8 g
Vitamin A: 460 IU
Vitamin C: 13 mg
Folic acid: 36.5 micrograms
Calcium: 50 mg
Iron: 0.4 mg
Potassium: 256 mg
Magnesium: 46 mg

Half of okra's nutrients are soluble fiber which reduce serum cholesterol and reduce risk of heart diseases. To retain the nutrients you should cook it as little as possible. The best thing is to eat it raw, 2 in the morning, 2 in the afternoon and 2 at night. If you can't eat it raw, follow this regimen every day.

Procedure
Take 2 pieces of medium sized okra, wash them and cut away both ends of each. Slit them from the middle, keeping only the top end attached. Place them in a glass of water and let them soak overnight.

First thing in the morning, remove the two pieces and drink the water. Don't eat or drink anything for half an hour after that. You can even mesh the two okra pieces with your fingers if you want. In this case just strain out the liquid before drinking.

You should see your sugar levels decrease after 2 weeks of daily use. Continue doing this and then see if you can decrease dosage of your regular treatment by consulting your doctor.

Although the efficacy of okra on diabetes has not yet been corroborated by medicine experts, it is certainly worth consuming as it is a great weight loss food and has been used for ages in easing constipation. The mucilage and superior fiber found in okra is believed to stabilize blood sugar as it curbs the rate at which sugar is absorbed from the intestinal tract.

Besides being low in calories it is a rich source of vitamins of the category A, Thiamin, B6, C, folic acid, riboflavin, calcium, zinc and dietary fiber. Okra's mucilage not only binds cholesterol but bile acid carrying toxins dumped into it by the filtering liver. Okra is a widely used diuretic and has been used for urinary tract infections since years.

It is recommended for all diabetics to try this treatment for themselves, although those with arthritis may need to look up whether okra will suit them. Other than that there are no ill effects of okra at all and in fact this green wonder is beneficial all round to anyone who eats it, not just the patients.

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