Fennel

Fennel also fits one of my criteria for a good supplement, in that it is a commonly used food that is considered safe for use in larger quantities. But it was precisely those larger quantities that prevented me from using it.

The sources I found regarding fennel referred to a need for large amounts of it with more than one meal a day. This seemed to me to be quite impractical out here in Wyoming where anything but the most common vegetables are simply not available fresh. The references were to the fresh vegetable, not to fennel seed, so I have no idea whether any other form would contain the elements which were effective.

Fennel was studied though, with some evidence of efficacy for lowering blood sugar. It seems to me you'd have to be pretty creative and determined to make it work though, because it would have to be served at least once or twice a day in significant quantities.

I have, in general, avoided testing items which would be so inconvenient that I'd not use them consistently. I prefer items which I can use once a day, or add to my meals with some degree of simplicity within the way I already cook and eat (which is not all that convenient for most people but works for me).

If you need every single edge you can get though, and if this is an item that is readily available and easily usable for you, it is another option worth trying. Talk to your doctor first, of course.

Written by Laura Wheeler, Owner of Firelight Business Enterprises, Inc.