Raw honey, diabetes and brain problems

October 12, 2013 by Tunde Fabunmi

Brain problems such as depression and Alzheimer’s disease are inevitable consequences of diabetes.

 According to a new report published in the medical journal Neurology issued August 25 2010, people suffering from Type 2 diabetes or insulin resistance have higher risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. The report noted that Type 2 diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease are two epidemics growing at alarming levels around the world.

  What is the correlation between diabetes and brain problems? Diabetes unleashes multi-faceted assault on the brain. One, the brain needs more glucose than other body cells; sometimes up to 50 per cent of carbohydrates consumed to power its functions. The brain never sleeps and uses 20 per cent of the body’s energy. It also requires constant supply of oxygen, which it receives from the bloodstream in order to normalise sugar levels.  But diabetes causes inadequate supply of glucose and oxygen to the brain, thus weakening its capacity for memory storage and recall, while nerve functions are also jeopardised, causing glaucoma, numbness in the hands and feet as well as big dip in quality of thinking.

  The telling effect of diabetes on the heart can also trigger brain problems. How? The heart muscles work continuously and need glucose to make up energy expended, but diabetes characterised by impaired sugar metabolism deprives the heart of adequate supply of glucose to work optimally.

 Consequently, the heart is weakened while arteries are clogged by plaques, and this cripples its ability to supply blood to other organs including the brain. As a matter of fact, about 80 per cent  of diabetics die of congestive heart failure because diabetes depletes level of thiamine in the body by as much as 76 per cent.

 Inadequate blood supply to the brain due to weakened heart deprives this vital organ of oxygen and other essential nutrients, making diabetics vulnerable to depression and Alzheimer’s disease; a progressive neurological disease of the brain leading to irreversible loss of neurons and memory.  Congestive heart failure can also cause heart attack and stroke, which often damage the brain.

 Fluctuations of blood sugar – hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) and hyperglycemia (high blood sugar) also damage the brain. According to a study at the New York University School of Medicine, high blood sugar causes memory dysfunction and shrinkage of the hippocampus, a part of the brain crucial for learning and memory.

 Inadequate sleep can precipitate diabetes, which also exacerbates sleep problems. A study group led by Dr. David Holtzman, Chairman of Neurology at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis showed that sleep deprivation boosted the levels of proteins that build up plaques that cause Alzheimer’s disease.  Diabetes also generates free radicals, which accelerate aging, cause cataract and damage the brain cells, leading to loss of memory.

But while diabetes and associated brain problems defy conventional medicine, raw honey can protect the brain against depression and Alzheimer’s disease.

How does honey help ward off depression and Alzheimer’s disease?

Honey lowers blood sugar levels and reduces metabolic stress. According to Dr. Ronald Fessenden, MD, Co-Chairman Committee for the Promotion of Honey and Health, USA, “raw honey actually has a very significant stabilising effect on blood sugar.”

Raw honey also facilitates optimal brain functions by strengthening the heart and improving blood circulation through the coronary arteries and the veins, which ensure adequate supply of blood, glucose, oxygen and other critical nutrients to the body cells.

According to Dr. Bodog F. Beck, MD, “the rapid assimilation of invert sugars, which honey contains, makes it a desirable source of quick energy, a practical food and at the same time, an effective heart stimulant.”

  A study by Dr. Nicki Engeseth, an assistant professor of food chemistry at the University of Illinois, USA, indicated that raw honey increased blood level of plaque-fighting antioxidants, which provide protection against heart disease and Alzheimer’s disease.

 The study also showed that raw honey could help prevent or dissolve blood clots that often lead to stroke and heart attack, which are other causes of brain problems.

 Raw honey is also the best food of the brain.  If used in controlled doses by diabetics, the brain will get adequate supply of glucose because the pre-digested sugars in honey do not require the action of insulin to get to the cells.  The vital nutrients in raw honey also include zinc, magnesium and B vitamins, especially thiamine critical for promoting efficient brain functions, better memory and a sharper mind.

 Also, raw honey is rich in potassium, an electrolyte, which conducts nerve impulses and helps the brain’s neurotransmitters to work properly.

Raw honey is also rich in iron and B vitamins, including folic acid and thiamine, which ensure optimal brain function by delivering oxygen to the brain and protecting it from harmful oxidants.

 While Alzheimer’s disease is characterised by significant loss of acetylcholine, the key brain chemical for memory, raw honey is not only a good source of acetylcholine. Another feature of Alzheimer’s disease is the formation of plaques in the brain but honey is rich in plaque-fighting antioxidants.

Unlike pills that aggravate sleep problems by reducing neurotransmitters and causing low moods that can trigger Alzheimer’s disease, raw honey promotes sound sleep. In addition, honey strengthens the brain, heart and liver, three organs that facilitate restorative and sound sleep.

  Honey also relaxes the nerves and it easily brings about a sound sleep using its amino acid tryptophan that increases the level of neurotransmitters serotonin, a natural sedative in the brain.

According to researchers at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA, “honey being an inducer of serotonin, a chemical that calms down the brain, it sets the stage for better relaxation and sleep”.

Honey countered the effects of aging, reduced stress and improved memory, according to a study at the University of Waikato, New Zealand. While diabetes and associated brain problems defy synthetic drugs, raw honey remains your only insurance against physical devastation and financial ruin often caused by these maladies.