Link Between Gallstones and Diabetes

My uncle who is an expert on alternative medicine, once said that, gallbladder is one of the vital organs for human. Fortunately, gallbladder is an organ that you can live without, after you had a cholecystectomy (gallbladder removal surgery).

But, a healthy gallbladder is needed for diabetic patients, because it can produce pancreatic hormone like insulin. According to my uncle, diabetic patients could be treated by treating their gallstones first. Although gallstones do not require treatment, but gallstones may lead to cholecystitis, an inflammatory condition in the gallbladder.

The Scientific Studies

In a study, insulin producing cells were seen to be retained in the gallbladder of a 53 years old woman, who had already undergone cholecystectomy. The woman had been a diabetic for the past 12 years. (Sahu S, et al. 2008)

Recent study in Nigeria, from 52 patients out of 400 diabetic patients with gallstone disease, had suffered from diabetes for more than 4 years. Gallstone disease in diabetes mellitus is influenced significantly by age, body mass index, and duration of the disease. (Agunloye AM, et al. 2013)

My Uncle's Diabetic Patient Case

In a case of dealing with a diabetic patient, my uncle used his therapy, in which he called it as, Jam Pitu, which is shortened from, jamu, pijat, totok urat, or translated as, herb, massage, and finger acupuncture.

When a man, let's say his name is Joe, met with my uncle for the first time. He was suffering from a strain injury on his little finger. Joe's right hand little finger was not able to be moved easily, and always hurt him if he enforced it. My uncle only check the vein in his right palm, then said to him, You suffer from a diabetes. Go to a doctor and check your blood glucose levels! But, remember not to take any medications from the doctor. Just only to check your blood glucose levels!.

Joe went to see his personal physician to check his blood glucose levels. Indeed, a lab test from Joe's blood, had shown that his blood glucose levels were at 400 mg/dL. Knowing the result, the doctor then prescribed medications for him. But, Joe argued to his doctor. Doc, I do not need the medications from you. Diabetes that I suffered because of this strain little finger, said Joe showing his finger.

Joe's doctor laughed suddenly. There are no link between diabetes and your strain little finger, said Joe's doctor. Joe then left the doctor's office without taking the prescription, and talked to my uncle by phone to set up a meeting.

My uncle went to see Joe, and listened to Joe's story about what he had experienced with his doctor. So, you are not taking any medications. Take this herbs, and drink 3 times a day. The herbs will be enough for a week. Next week, I will meet you again to do the massage to heal your finger, said my uncle.

A week later, my uncle went to see Joe, and massaged his right arm, but not his little finger. You are fine now. Go and check again your blood glucose levels!, said my uncle. Just that it?, Joe confused.

After you took the herbs for a week, Your gallbladder is working fine now. Did you also notice that you are no longer having any pains in your chest?, asked my uncle. Yeah, I noticed it. I also had a pain in my right chest, just before I took the herbs, answered Joe.

When the lab test result came out, Joe's blood glucose levels were dropping to 135 mg/dL, in which is still above the normal of 100 mg/dL. And then, Joe went to see his doctor again.

Hey Doc, take a look at this!, said Joe handling over the lab test result. You once said that, there are no link between diabetes and my strain little finger. See this!, said Joe with showing his little finger freely moves. Joe left the doctor's office, and leaving the doctor in speechless amazement.

My uncle also told me, that I should keep my gallbladder to always bitter. I was confused?!? That is, by consuming bitter foods or drinks, just like the bitterness of the gallbladder. If your gallbladder is bitter, gallstones will be disappeared by itself, and you will be healthy. Gallstones will lead you to diabetes and even cancer, said my uncle to me.

From Joe's diabetes case, my uncle's treatment was aimed to his gallstone disease. Although Joe has cured from his diabetes, but his blood glucose levels are still at high risk. So, Joe must pay more attention on his way of life, especially on his eating habits.

Joe's strain little finger was resulted from his gallstones. Because the presence of gallstones, the oxygen in his blood were not well distributed, said my uncle to me. Just like Joe's doctor, I am speechless. As far as I know, gallbladder function is not for distributing oxygen in the blood.

Papaya Leaves To Treat Diabetes and Cancer

Image credit: tolitzdelacasa

I had posted about how you can gain many benefits from papaya, in my previous post which titled, What Makes You Should Eat Papaya?. In this second chapter about papaya, I will tell you the benefits of papaya leaves to treat diabetes and cancer.

Oseng Daun Kates

I had told before in the earlier post that oseng daun kates, or translate in English as papaya leaf stir, is considered to be the best dish made by my mom. I then asked my mom what is the recipe for oseng daun kates? My mom said that the recipe for a portion of oseng daun kates contains: ten pieces of papaya leaves and five pieces of cassava leaves. Cassava leaves are used in order to lower the bitter taste of papaya leaves. Other additional ingredients are added as much as needed, such as: chillies (big and small chillies, red and green coloured chillies), onion, garlic, ginger, tomato, lemon grass and salt.

First of all, the papaya and cassave leaves are boiled in a pan for 15 minutes. Take the leaves from the pan. Stir the whole additional ingredients in a frying pan, and then added the leaves until well cooked. The oseng daun kates is ready to serve.

Why do I have to tell you the recipe of oseng daun kates? It is just a way to enjoy papaya leaves in a form of a dish. Other way is by boiling the papaya leaves in a pan, until one third of the water remains. Take and drink the water extract. But, the water extract of papaya leaves will taste more bitter than the dish.

Antihyperglycemic and Hypolipidemic Activities of Papaya Leaves

Diabetes is a metabolic disorder of multiple etiologies characterized by chronic hyperglycemia with disturbance of carbohydrate, fat, and protein metabolism resulting from defects in insulin secretion, insulin action or both. In simple words, diabetes also means, a disease characterized by a complete or partial inability of the body to burn sugar as a fuel.

According to International Diabetes Federation, the number of diabetic people in India is currently around 40.9 millions and is expected to rise to 69.9 million by 2025. Concerning to their country, as the diabetic capital of the world, a study by Yasmeen Maniyar and Prabhu Bhixavatimath, has been able to demonstrate the antihyperglycemic, and hypolipidemic potentials of papaya leaves aqueous extract in diabetic rats. (Maniyar Y, et al. 2012)

Another study also confirms the hypoglycemic effect of papaya leaves along with other beneficial effects such as, the increasing of glucose blood levels four days after injection, and the decreasing of body weight, in diabetic rats. The study suggests that the papaya leaves aqueous extract may improve the metabolic disruption produced by diabetes. (Juárez-Rojop IE, et al. 2012)

Anti-tumor Activity and Immunomodulatory Effects of Papaya Leaves

Various parts of papaya (Carica papaya Linn.) have been traditionally used as folk medicines to treat many disorders, including cancer. A study in The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan, observed a significant growth inhibitory activity of the papaya leaves extract on tumor cell lines. The study resulted that papaya leaves extract, managed to inhibit tumor cell growth and stimulate anti-tumor effects. The study also suggested that papaya leaves extract may potential for the treatment and prevention of cancer, various allergic disorders, and serve as immunoadjuvant for vaccine therapy. (Otsuki N, et al. 2010)

Benzyl glucosinolate, a compound found in all parts of the plant, but highest in young leaves of papaya, is studied in Agriculture School of Hainan University, Haikou, China, to demonstrate its anti-cancer activity. The study concluded that the hydrolysis product of benzyl glucosinolate has certain anti-cancer activities for human. (Li ZY, et al. 2012)

Read my other amazing fruits articles!

• Soursop Benefits Scam?
• The Discarded Queen of Fruits
• The Excellent Fruit of Pineapple
• The Health Benefits of Avocado
• The Health Benefits of Starfruit
• The Red in Green
• What Makes You Should Eat Papaya?

What Makes You Should Eat Papaya?

Papain in Papaya

Oseng daun kates

Translate in English as papaya leaf stir, is considered to be the best dish made by my mother. That's what I heard from everyone who had told her, by repeatedly asking to cook it again and again, though it's not my favorite. The bitter taste is the main reason why I'm not so fond of it. But Javanese people had used papaya leaf to cure malaria disease, by crushing and squeezing it, to make an aqueous solution extract. Add water to the extract and then is drunk to the patient.

Papaya leaf contains the enzyme papain, similiar to pepsin, that is used as meat tenderizer, and also to clarify beer. Papain is most found in the young fruit (green papaya) and leaf, but may vary in the whole tree such as seeds, roots and latex. That's made the young leaf may also used for tenderizing meat. Take a fresh meat in a bowl, then cover it with some papaya leaves for about an hour, if you want to make it tender. In other case, you may also put a chunk of green papaya and cook together with the meat.

Papaya, a tropical tree, originally named as Carica Papaya, from the pawpaw family, Caricaceae. The name Carica was derived from Caria, an ancient division of Asia Minor, as it was thought to be the native of that region. It has since been found to be a native of tropical America, when it first introduced in 1690.

Papain and Infertility

The study of papain in trial with rats, it did not effect on body or reproductive organ weights, liver and kidney function. But, it effected on female rats to have infertility and irregular oestrous cycles. Male rats also had decreased testis mass and sperm count. The fertility of the male and female rats returned to normal within 60 days after the treatments were discontinued.

In some countries, green papaya is used for contraception and abortion, by consuming papaya to prevent pregnancies, due to papain might cause abortions shortly after conception. So, that's why pregnant women who are still having young pregnancy age, are suggested to avoid eating green papaya, or unripe papaya.

It will be OK to eat papaya as long as it ripe. Because ripe papaya rich in Vitamin A, C and folic acid (folate). Folate is needed for fertility in both men and women, where as now it has been found in many pregnancy supplements, such as formula milk for pregnancy mother.

Papain for Treatment

Papain is also applied for the treatment of cuts, rashes, stings and burns. Papain ointment is commonly made from fermented papaya flesh. For facial treatment, a soap made in Thailand which based on papaya is famous in Indonesia for skin whitening, but there's also the fake papaya soap that sold in the market, though it's really difficult to see the different between both of them.

Studies at the University of Nigeria have found that extracts of papaya fruits and seeds, whether ripe or unripe, are active against bacteria or antimicrobial. Powdered air-dried seeds which are given orally to dogs for 30 days decreased heartworm, a disease in which one of the major health problems of dogs.

An aqueous solution extracts which is given to rats, become purgative by increasing the number of wet feces and the movement of intestinal contents. That's why, by eating papaya may prevent us from having a bowel obstruction.

In St. Vincent, papaya is used to treat epithelioma, an abnormal growth of the epithelium, which is the layer of tissue that covers the surfaces of organs and other structures of the body. The usual treatment involves surgically removing the tumor and affected tissue.

In 1977, at public hospital in London, a post-operative infection in a kidney-transplant patient was cured by strips of papaya which were laid on the wound and left for 48 hours, after all modern medications had failed. In Turkey, papaya is used as cardiotonic (cardiac stimulant), a substance which acts as a stimulant of the heart. Examples of cardiac stimulant drugs are cocaine and methamphetamine.

In different parts of the world, papaya had been used also for below treatments:

• Arthritis in Haiti and Java, Indonesia.
• Asthma in Mauritius, Mexico, and Philippines.
• Cancer in Australia and Mexico.
• Colic (form of pain which starts and stops abruptly) in Malaya.
• Diarrhea and dysentery in Honduras, Japan, Panama, and West Africa.
• Dysuria (painful or difficult urination) in Java, Indonesia.
• Fever in Mexico and Java, Indonesia.
• Flu in Trinidad.
• Hypertension in Honduras and Trinidad.
• Infection in Panama.
• Liver disease in Honduras and Turkey.
• Madness or insanity in Ivory Coast.
• Rheumatism in Haiti and Java, Indonesia.
• Scorpion bites in Trinidad.
• Tuberculosis in Mexico.

References:

• Cornell University
• Encyclopedia International
• Purdue University
• Wikipedia