Diabetes currently affects more than 100 million people worldwide, 30 million in the U.S. alone. Of this number, 1.25 million American adults and children have type-1 diabetes and another 7.2 are unaware that they even have the disease. (1) This condition is characterized by elevated levels of glucose in the bloodstream. In type-1 diabetes, formerly known as juvenile diabetes because it appears early in life, the pancreas fails to produce enough insulin to help transport glucose to muscle and other tissue where it is used as fuel for energy. In type-2 diabetes, or diabetes mellitus, the pancreas may produce sufficient insulin but the body no longer recognizes or uses it properly. The result
Indian Snakeroot (Rauwolfia serpentina) is a flowering perennial in the dogbane family that is native to East Asia. Also known as serpentine wood and devil pepper, the herb has been used for centuries to treat a variety of conditions including insomnia, anxiety and high blood pressure, as well as neurological disorders like schizophrenia. It is among the 50 Fundamental Herbs used in Traditional Chinese Medicine. The tranquilizing, antihypertensive and antipsychotic effects of Indian Snakeroot are due to the actions of several of the 150 indole alkaloids found in the plant. Some of the most notable are reserpine, raubasine, yohimbine and ajmaline. The latter has been used to treat abnormal he
