Medical practitioners have recommended some natural remedies that could curb the increasing rate of diabetes in the country.
The practitioners offered the remedies in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.
They spoke against the backdrop of this year’s World Diabetes Day, which is celebrated globally on Nov. 14.
The practitioners said the awareness had become imperative because diabetes is a condition that impairs the body’s ability to process blood glucose.
“Diabetes usually is prevalent in middle aged and older adults but now becoming common in children. Adults are still at the highest risk than children,’’ Dr Iorwuese Charles told NAN on phone.
He said that diabetes has to do with an increase sugar level in the blood caused by an absolute deficiency of insulin that affects one out of three adults.
Charles, a medical practitioner at Police Hospital Ado, Ekiti State, said that diabetes is a group of diseases that usually ends up in too much amount of sugar in the blood.
He advised families to always maintain good lifestyle habits to curb diabetes in their homes.
“A healthy lifestyle and diet are vital keys to curb diabetes, stop smoking, reduce alcohol intake, moderate exercises, reduce food rich in sugar, eat vegetables and wheat products,’’ he said.
Charles said the symptoms in diabetes include increased frequency of urination, increase thirst, dry mouth, increase in eating with weight loss.
Other signs, he said, are: “Blurring of vision, tiredness, fatigue, mood swings, irritability, frequent urination at night and headaches.”
According to him, the symptoms of diabetes are endless with no permanent cure but with proper maintenance one could live a healthy life.
Another medical practitioner, Dr Egbete Chimaobi, told NAN that some of the most commonly suggested natural remedies can be used to curb diabetes.
“Remedies such as ginger and a mix of cinnamon as the anti-inflammatory properties help prevent certain diabetes complications; bitter leaf also helps to reduce the blood sugar and avoid heart and kidney failure.
“Aloe Vera juice is very effective and useful to a diabetic patient as regular intake would help stabilise the amount of glucose in the blood stream,’’ Chimaobi said.
He explained that: “The family and diabetes are two sides of a coin as diabetes like any other illness has a huge strain on families both financially and psychologically.
“It reduces productivity when the person affected is admitted and a working family member leaves work to take care of the patient.”
According to him, though there are lots of negativity associated with diabetes, it can have positive effects on the family.
“The families become aware of the disease while some families result to becoming ambassadors and educating others,’’ the expert said. (NAN)