Worried by the growing number of people suffering from Diabetes, Raji Akinwale, the head of Physiotherapy department, University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH), has called on Nigerians to imbibe the African way of maintaining healthy living.
He attributed the prevalence of diseases among Nigerians to the adoption of Western lifestyle, which include the eating of junk foods noting that diabetes is not a disease that ordinarily should be common among black people.
“Diabetes from the epidemiological data is not a disease that is common among black people, it was more rampant among white people but because we (blacks), want to change our culture and lifestyle like foreigners by taking junks and living a casual way of life, that’s how the prevalence keeps increasing, ” he explained.
He further explained that most of food consumed in this part of the world is either rich in poly saccharine or mono saccharide, which makes people susceptible to the disease.
“Excessive intake of carbohydrate and alcohol are responsible for the high diabetes rate among Nigerians in recent time. I believe if we can go back to our normal way of life that is the African method of doing things, African food and all those things, the prevalence will come down and the quality of life will be better,” he further said.
Speaking on the topic “Diabetes, causes and prevention in our society,’ Akinwale said the disease occur when there is an increase in blood sugar level or absence of insulin.
“Diabetes is a chronic disease that can lead to diverse of other ailments in the body, which could lead to kidney damage, loss eye, among others. There are two types of diabetes, adding that Type one is congenital diabetes, which is hereditary and common among children and age 18 while the second one is due lifestyle and food intake”.
On self-medication and drugs abuse in diabetic patient, he said it is the major challenge in recent time, most especially herbalists who will tell patient they have medication that can solve the problems of diabetes.
“There is no cure of diabetics; you can only care for it so, if you believed there is any form of herbal medicine that can cure it is lie. It is a life threatening disease somebody can live with it for life if it is well managed so, we must be very careful.”
Akinwale warned that having identified any symptoms of weight loss, excessive drinking of water, tiredness, inability to sleep well, limpness among others, the patient should see professional who specialised in diabetes for proper management.
He counseled people to avoid alcohol, smoke, over stress, red meat, eating late and junks, as he even recommended taking fruits and eat food that is rich in fiber.
Treatment he said it requires multidisciplinary approach which involves all medical professionals.
SIKIRAT SHEHU, Ilorin
