However, some health professionals and experts do believe that a low-glycemic load diet, coupled with multivitamin, chromium and cinnamon, plus moderate amount of exercise usually can reverse this condition.

This strategy does not seem to be accepted by many qualified dietitians. They argue that, for the management of diabetes, there is no clear evidence to support the benefits from vitamin or mineral supplementation in people without any underlying nutrient deficiencies.

So, whom should we listen to?

The diabetes experts, Dr Fedon Lindberg also recommends the aforesaid strategy. His vast experience with Type 2 diabetes patients is that a balanced low-glycemic load diet coupled with a healthy lifestyle can reverse the disease.

His many patients who came for injecting as many as 200 units of insulin daily manage to quit insulin and medication for blood pressure and other conditions. These patients have achieved perfect, non-diabetic, long-term blood sugar values (HBA1c) and normal blood pressure, cholesterol and lipid levels merely through diet and lifestyle improvement.

His book, The Greek Doctor's Diet, give very clear instructions as to how to achieve this.

A diabetic patient weighing 140 kg, whose blood sugar was 19.2 and had to take Metformin, was asked by his doctor to follow Dr Lindberg's recommended diet for 4 weeks. His blood sugar is down to between 5.8 and 6.0 and he had lost 12 kg.

There are research reports that support the use of cinnamon and chromium on better managing of blood sugar, and essential fatty acids for diabetes and cardiovascular protection.

For example, a study conducted in China proved that doses of chromium up to 1000 mcg per day was highly effective in relieving many of the symptoms of type 2 diabetes. Another study on the effect of cinnamon on diabetics showed that 1, 3 or 6 g of cinnamon daily (up to 1 teaspoon daily), lowered the sugar levels by up to 29 percent. Other markers such as triglycerides, LDL cholesterol and total cholesterol also improved.

Nonetheless, what works for others may not be suitable for you! So, diabetics should not take the risk of arbitrarily replacing their medication with supplements or herbs without consulting their doctors. Do your research!

Remember, some supplements especially herbal preparations may interact with the medications prescribed by doctors.