The Mineral That Regulates Our Sugar: Meet Chromium

In the previous article on aloe vera, I mentioned the mineral chromium found in it. What is the mineral chromium and what makes it special? Firstly, its role is crucial in regulating blood sugar levels. Its presence can help in preventing diabetes. To understand its importance more deeply, we need to understand the process that leads to the development of diabetes. Generally, sugar entering the blood and remaining there can cause harm. Therefore, the pancreas secretes insulin, which facilitates the absorption of sugar by body cells, especially muscle and fat cells, reducing its levels in the blood. These muscle and fat cells have sensors that recognize the insulin and open the door for sugar to enter them.

However, over time, these sensors weaken, for example, due to their overuse from excessive sugar consumption, and gradually stop cooperating with insulin and responding to it. This situation causes the blood sugar level to rise since there is no one to absorb it. The pancreas detects the high sugar presence in the blood because there is not enough insulin, so it secretes more and more insulin, which still stimulates the sensors to open the cells to take in the sugar. But this process further weakens the sensors and simultaneously weakens the pancreas due to their strenuous work. This continues until the pancreas becomes tired and stops producing and secreting insulin, causing blood sugar levels to rise even without eating, defining it as type 2 diabetes.

Here is where chromium comes into play. Chromium improves the sensors' ability to recognize insulin, thereby enhancing insulin's efficacy in driving sugar into the cells. Therefore, it is clear that chromium will be one of the tools often recommended by the caregiver for someone suffering from diabetes. Moreover, chromium may be recommended in a pre-diabetic state, such as when the patient's condition is defined as "insulin resistance," meaning the blood sugar levels are not yet high, but there are signs that the sensors are no longer cooperating with insulin. Chromium, as mentioned, would surely be one of the tools in this case. However, it should of course be an addition to a diet low in carbohydrates and sweets to reduce the load on the pancreas.

Chromium is found in various foods, such as in animal protein. In plant-based food, it is found in whole grains, wheatgrass, potato with skin, aloe vera drink, and more. Factors contributing to the loss of chromium from the body include excessive consumption of sweets, excessive alcohol consumption, antacid medications, taking steroids, and as we age, we lose more chromium.

Eliyahu Schechter is an Iridologist and Natural Therapist