Diabetes is a medical condition where the pancreas either loses its ability to create insulin, or the body fails to use the insulin that it has produced. As it is the insulin’s job - via a substance known as glucose - to supply to our body with the energy that is needed to simply exist, whichever of these two fundamental necessities functions inefficiently, it can lead to serious problems in your eyes, kidneys, nerves, gums, teeth and most serious of all the heart.

Thankfully, there are many medical treatments available, but sufferers can help themselves through adopting a healthy diet. Eating plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables, as well as foods containing whole grains, which contain Vitamin B and Chromium - both known to be important in controlling blood sugar levels - are also very good natural remedies for diabetes. Chromium helps regulate and produce insulin, so this is often referred to as the Diabetic Mineral. Good sources of Chromium include brewer's yeast, nuts, cheese, oysters, and mushrooms. Several minerals are important in diabetes management as they can perform in a similar way to insulin, one being Vanadium, which is a trace mineral found in many food sources such as: butter, skimmed milk, lobster, vegetables and vegetable oils.

There are also numerous nutritional supplements available to aid diabetics, in particular varieties of the Vitamin B, plus Vitamin E. Pregnant women who suffer from diabetes should also be very careful with their food intake; easier said than done with the inevitable cravings. However, dependant on factors such as weight, pregnancy stage and baby’s growth rate; the expectant mother should limit the number of calories and proportion of foods from the accepted groups, i.e. fats, carbohydrates, proteins, dairy, fruits and vegetables. It all sounds very complicated, but in reality it is comparatively straightforward and like anything else, it’s just a case of getting use to it. Plus, if it stabilises or even improves your health, then there really isn’t any justification in not putting it into practice!