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Tag: Diabetic

  • 420m people diabetic, says WHO

    No fewer than 420 million adults have diabetes, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has said, adding that the number has been increasing steadily over the last three decades.

    WHO said in its  Global Report on Diabetes that the prevalence of adult diabetes has nearly quadrupled since 1980.

    The UN health agency, therefore, called on people to “eat healthily, be physically active and avoid excessive weight gain”.

    Diabetes is a chronic disease that occurs when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin, or when the body cannot effectively use the insulin it produces, which leads to an increased concentration of glucose in the blood.

    The global health body said: “Around 1.6 million deaths can be directly attributed to diabetes each year.

    “Diabetes is a major cause of blindness, kidney failure, heart attack, stroke and lower limb amputation”.

    WHO Spokesperson, Fadela Chaib, said the prevalence of diabetes was largely due to changes in lifestyle.

    Chaib said: “We are eating more heavy foods, full of fat and sugar; we are less physically active; and we have a more sedentary way of living.”

    As one of the leading causes of death globally, diabetes is a major public health problem, one of four priority non-communicable diseases targeted for action by world leaders, according to WHO.

    Even when blood glucose levels are not high enough to warrant a diagnosis of diabetes, damage can occur to the body, elevating the risk of cardiovascular disease.

    In 2012 diabetes took 1.5 million lives and higher-than-optimal levels of blood glucose took another 2.2 million.

    Of the 3.7 million people who died in that year, 43 per cent occurred before the age of 70.

    “The percentage of deaths attributable to high blood glucose or diabetes that occurs prior to age 70 is higher in low- and middle-income countries than in high-income countries,” WHO cited in the report.

    Type-1 diabetes, previously known as childhood-onset diabetes, is characterised by a lack of insulin production and requires daily insulin to regulate blood glucose, but the cause is not known.

    However, the majority of people are affected by type-2 diabetes, which results from the body’s ineffective use of insulin.

    Healthy diet, physical activity and avoiding tobacco use can prevent or delay its onset.

    Additionally, medication, regular screening and treatment for complications are also available.

    “An accurate diagnosis is the first step to getting effective treatment,” WHO Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus said earlier in the year.

    In its report, WHO called on governments to “ensure that people are able to make healthy choices and that health systems are able to diagnose, treat and care for people with diabetes.

    The UN General Assembly designated Nov. 14 every year as World Diabetes Day back in 2007, recognising “the urgent need to pursue multilateral efforts to promote and improve human health, and provide access to treatment and health-care education”.

  • Uncontrolled diabetics prior to conception pose danger – Gynaecologist

    A consultant gynaecologist, Dr Nathaniel Adewole has advised diabetic mothers to always control their blood sugar level before conception to prevent congenital malformation in unborn babies.

    Adewole in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja said that uncontrolled diabetic in pregnant mothers risked giving birth to abnormal babies and were prone to increased level of abortions.

    He added that in the latter part of pregnancy “diabetic mothers are prone to intrauterine restriction; which at times could lead to intrauterine foetal death.’’

    NAN reports that intrauterine growth restriction is a condition where a baby’s growth slows or ceases when it is in the uterus.

    Foetal death refers to the spontaneous death of a foetus at any time during pregnancy; although the term is often used interchangeably with stillbirth.

    Adewole said that since the baby in the womb of a diabetic pregnant mother was already used to certain level of sugar; it might have low sugar level after delivery.

    “For those that are already diabetic prior to pregnancy, one of the steps is controlling the diabetics before pregnancy.

    “Because uncontrolled diabetics prior to pregnancy can lead to a lot of complication including congenital malformation; so is better one controls the diabetic before conception,’’ he said.

    According to him, diabetic occurs when the body cannot handle relative or absolute level of insulin that result in high blood sugar (hyperglycaemia).

    “But if the pancreas is producing adequate insulin and the body is responsive; it will not affect the blood sugar level, because the body will be able to handle normal level of sugar consumption,’’ he said.

    He also advised that those whose diabetics started during pregnancy should look out for the risk factors and ensure proper management.

    Adewole, however, said that expectant mothers who were at higher risk of having pregnancy induced diabetics were those with family history of diabetic parents or siblings.

    “Others risk factors are a woman that had delivered a baby of 4kg and above or a woman who is more than 90kg.

    “Also a woman who during antenatal test up to two pluses for sugar during urinalysis,’’ he said.

    The gynaecologist stressed that once diabetic mellitus was diagnosed in pregnancy; it required urgent treatment which could be diet alone or diet and insulin.

    He said that most of the time patients were allowed to deliver by themselves under supervision if the insulin level was appropriately managed.

    Adewole said that uncontrolled diabetic could affect all parts of the body including fertility in both male and female.

    He, therefore, urged expectant mothers to register for antenatal clinic early and go for regular medical check-ups.

  • Are You Diabetic? Eat These Nigerian Foods for Quick Recovery

    Are You Diabetic? Eat These Nigerian Foods for Quick Recovery

    The following post comes to answer some questions which always disturb your mind when it comes to choosing healthy Nigerian foods as a diabetic patient. So read carefully, what I’m about to share with you in this post can help you to bring your blood sugar down to the normal level, stabilize it, get rid of those ugly diabetes symptoms and complications. Finally, it can help you heal your pancreas for better performance.
    See a Natural Way to Get Rid of Your Diabetes in 30Days following these simple steps, Click here =>www.naturalwellnessplan.com.ng

    Fruits You Must Eat In Small Quantity.
    As a type 2 diabetic, there are certain Nigerian fruits you cannot eat in large quantities. All the fruits that have high glucose should be eaten in very small quantities. Such fruits are Bananas, Mangoes, Pineapples, and Watermelon. Most of these fruits are rich in natural sugars. So eating them in large quantities will not help your system.

    Fruit and Vegetables You Can Eat in Large quantity
    However, here are types of fruits that will benefit your body as a diabetic patient. Apples, Pears, Berries, vegetables like cucumber, carrots, garden eggs etc.
    In fact, as a diabetic person, if you can focus on eating these fruits and vegetables, this will increase the fiber content in your body and restore health to your blood stream.
    See Also a Natural Way to Get Rid of Your Diabetes in 30Days following these simple steps, Click here =>www.naturalwellnessplan.com.ng

    What about leafy vegetables?
    All types of vegetables is very healthy and you can consume as much as possible. Vegetables are best eaten close to their raw state. If you can’t do that, you can cook them for about 5 minutes so that the life giving enzymes and nutrients will be preserved to benefit your body.

    What about grains?
    All white foods should be avoided. Here are the grains that benefit a diabetic person: Millet, Brown rice or Ofada rice, Beans and Soybean
    See Also a Natural Way to Get Rid of Your Diabetes in 30Days following these simple steps, Click here =>www.naturalwellnessplan.com.ng

    The right diet with discipline will always work well to stabilize your blood sugar. DIABETES WELLNESS PACK is actually a dietary and nutritional approach to getting rid of diabetes. A trial will be maximally beneficial to your body.

    What you can do today
    If you want to bring your blood sugar down to the normal level, stabilize it, get rid of those ugly diabetes symptoms and complications, and finally you want your pancreas to be healed for better performance, check out this Natural Approach to Get Rid of Your Diabetes in 30Days following these simple steps, Click here =>www.naturalwellnessplan.com.ng

  • ‘Prevalence of high blood pressure, diabetic’

    ‘Prevalence of high blood pressure, diabetic’

    A pharmaceutical firm, INVIVO Health & Beauty Stores, said it has recorded high prevalence of high blood pressure and diabetics among the patients who attended its free screening services in Abuja, Lagos and Ibadan.

    The director of the  firm, Mr. John Onyeoguzoro,  spoke with reporters  at the weekend.

    He said: “We are on a rescue mission to improve the quality of health care in Nigeria by working within the core principles of primary health care as recommended by the World Health Organisation.

    “This is why INVIVO Health & Beauty Stores introduced a one-stop destination for all health and beauty needs with over 10,000 Nigerians treated free of charge within a year in our three stores located in Lagos, Abuja and Ibadan.

    “Already two more outlets are currently in the pipeline and these will run a pharmacy and treatment room with a resident doctor offering free consultations on a daily basis.”

    Onyeoguzoro noted that INVIVO, a subsidiary of Smartmark Limited, was established to address social problems, such as lack of access to primary healthcare the menace of counterfeit and fake dugs self-medication; and lack of early diagnosis of potentially fatal disease conditions.

  • NGO establishes skills acquisition, diabetic care centres

    The Centre for Edo Delta Development Initiative is renewing its effort to tackle diabetes, as well as provide skills training programmes for the people of the Niger Delta.

    Speaking in an interview with Niger Delta Report, Nosasu Omoregbee Edigin, explained that the initiative has been in existence since 2012 but was crystallised to be Centre for Edo Delta Development initiative and registered as a nongovernmental organization in 2014 by the founding Grandbeacons led by Chief Sam Igbe, who is the Iyase (Prime Minister) of Benin Kingdom.

    He said: “Our aim is to eradicate poverty and tackle the debilitating effects of diabetes on the inhabitants of the Edo and Delta states.

    “The initiative is also involved in human capital development of the inhabitants in these states through periodic empowerment training programmes. The initiative has successfully empowered over 5,000 persons in seven local government areas in Edo state in Plaster of Paris (POP) ceiling board design and moulding, liquid soap, sanitizer, insecticide, air freshener making and mobile fish farming. A percentage of the beneficiaries are funded by the initiative to enable them kick-start the new business the initiative has empowered them with.

    “There is also a special focus on the physically challenged persons to make them self-employed and positively useful to the society.

    “On the eradication of diabetes, the initiative reaches out to the nooks and crannies of Edo and Delta states region with well-planned networks of diabetes awareness campaign programmes through testing and dispensing of free drugs to sufferers. We have successfully done diabetic testing for over 10,000 persons and commenced treatment for over 1,000 persons diagnosed by our medical personnel during our awareness campaign programmes.”

    On the modus operandi of the initiative, Edigin explained that CEDDI Head Office is located at the Unity Bank Towers on Mission road, Benin City, Edo state, while its Publicity Office at Urubi street, Iyaro, Shop 30, Ero Shopping Mall Benin city-Edo state and he Delta Publicity office is at Jakpa road, Effurun.

    “We are opening our skills acquisition and diabetic care centre at 15 Sapele road, opposite Federal High Court, Benin City.

    “The initiatives grand structure is led by Chief Sam Igbe, who is called the General Grandbeacon. Other grandbeacons are Engr. Chris Ogiemwonyi and yours truly. The initiative is structured to also have body of Partners, body of Financial Supporters, body of Voluntary Supporters, Executives and Beneficiaries.

    “The body of Grand beacons with the Initiative Coordinator gave birth to the initiative and is responsible for the formulation and preparation of the policy action of the initiative stating its style, aims and objectives. They also establish the initiatives body ethics and supports the initiative with funds to kick-start the agreed programmes by their body.

    “The body of  partners are persons or bodies that annually support the initiative with funds, while the body of Financial Supporters are persons or bodies that have supported the initiatives programmes with funds but are not annual financial supporters. We also have the body of Voluntary Supporters, who are persons that offer their voluntary physical support to the initiatives aims and goals and the body of Executives are workers of the initiative,” he added,

    Meanwhile, Edigin dispelled rumour that the body was formed to further the governorship ambition of one of its leaders, Engr Chris Ogiemwonyi, stressing that nothing could be farther from the truth.

    He maintained that Ogiemwonyi had been involved in the initiative long before he aspired to become the Governor of Edo state, adding, “The initiative was created to serve the people of Edo and Delta state region with a core mission to eradicate extreme poverty.”

     

     

  • Staying healthy as a diabetic

    Staying healthy as a diabetic

    For some, being diagnosed with diabetes can be seen as a great misfortune or even a ‘curse’. To medical experts, however, being diabetic is not a ‘death sentence’. While there’s still no cure for the disease, those who have it can live relatively healthy and productive lives when it is well managed to avoid complications. One way of managing it, besides taking proper medication, is through the adoption of a healthy lifestyle and diet.

    “Diabetes is mostly treated with a change in lifestyle and diet,” said Dr Kamoru A. Omotosho, a Lagos-based medical practitioner. “At the hospital, the patient will have to undergo blood test and guide on appropriate diet. It is when tablets are not working that injection is then given. People tend to say that alcohol and soft drinks are contributory to diabetes, but I would say that it does not necessarily follow. But I will advice that one should not take too much of sugar. Do eat a lot of carbohydrates; government can help more by providing more enlightenment on diabetes,” he added.

    To avoid diabetes-related eye problems, Segun Oluwaseun John, Green World International

    Abuja, recommends an increased intake of Vitamin A diet. “It can prevent night blindness, macular degeneration, and cataracts, alleviate eye dryness and swollen eyelids,” he said. “People with diabetes get eye problems at an earlier age and the condition progresses more rapidly than in those without diabetes, though eye disorders can happen to everyone. High blood sugar (glucose) either caused by insufficient insulin secretion or insulin resistance will lead to many complications like cardio-cerebravascualr disease, nerve damage, kidney disease, eye disease among others. Diabetic eye problem is the most common complication of

    diabetes and the leading cause of blindness in adults aged 20 to 74,” he added.

    Speaking further, he said: “Take regular physical exercise, which is particularly vital for those with diabetes. It helps to increase glucose uptake by storing glucose. Control your blood sugar and blood pressure by regulating your life style and taking medicine and thus reduce the risk of diabetic eye complication.”

    Dr Godwin M. Inwang, Senior Medical Officer of St. Luke General Hospital, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State while advising diabetics to eat sensibly noted: “If you indulge in taking a lot of sugar, you will burn out your pancreas. You have to eat rationally and sensibly. Most recommended food to take to stay healthy is to eat farm-fresh foods. Avoid processed foods and you will improve your chances of getting healthy nutrition,” he advised. He also advised people to avoid living an excessive lifestyle, stating, “What you eat or drink contributes a lot to getting diabetes or not. Do not live an excessive life. Do not take unhealthy drinks and avoid sugar and non-sugar sweetened foods.”

    He noted that patients may be able to control their type 2 diabetes symptoms by losing weight, following a healthy diet, doing plenty of exercise, and monitoring their blood glucose levels. “However, type 2 diabetes is typically a progressive disease – it gradually gets worse – and the patient will probably end up having to take insulin, usually in tablet form.”

    Apart from the genetic factor, experts point out that some people are at risk of diabetes due to their weight and lifestyle choices. For instance, overweight and obese people have a much higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes compared to those with a healthy body weight. People with a lot of visceral fat, also known as central obesity, belly fat, or abdominal obesity, are especially at risk.

    Being overweight, physically inactive and eating the wrong foods all contribute to the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, they warn. Drinking just one can of (non-diet) soda per day can raise the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 22%, researchers from Imperial College London reported in the journal Diabetologia. The scientists believe that the impact of sugary soft drinks on diabetes risk may be a direct one, rather than simply an influence on body weight.

    If badly controlled, complications can arise with diabetes. Some of these according to Dr Saheed Ogunmola, a medical practitioner, include male infertility, low ejaculation, erectile dysfunction (male impotence), obesity, eye complications such as glaucoma and cataracts, foot complications (neuropathy, ulcers and sometimes gangrene which may require that the foot be amputated) and skin disorders.

    Others are heart problems, hypertension (common in people with diabetes, which can raise the risk of kidney disease, eye problems, heart attack and stroke), mental health (uncontrolled diabetes raises the risk of suffering from depression, anxiety and some other mental disorders), hearing loss, gum disease, healing of wounds (cuts and lesions take much longer to heal in diabetics) among others.

    A serious ailment

    Experts warn that if not well managed, diabetes can cause death. “Diabetes is deadly, very deadly,” affirmed Inwang, adding, “Diabetes is deadly because it is associated with various types of complications. In younger people, there is so much insulin in the body which is not used and eventually it leads to coma. If the person is not treated immediately, the person can die. Even if you treat immediately, if you are not careful, you will still lose the person to death.”

    “There is so much that too much sugar in the body does. It draws water away from the cells and makes the cells flabby, makes the person dehydrated; increases acid in the body, and then it affects the heart, liver, practically every other organ of the body. Diabetes is very dangerous.”

    To Dr Adebiyi Ebimisan of Tolu Medical Hospital, Lagos, people should reduce intake of heavy carbohydrate food items like rice, yam, fufu, eba, which can be supplemented ‘with moi moi and pap. Use honey instead of sugar, no industrial sweeteners. Diabetes can kill very fast when the blood sugar is not controlled. Diabetes is not communicable, you can’t transfer it to your neighbor.

    “Diabetes can affect the sight, breath, skin, bone, heart and kidneys, almost every system of the body. People should go for checkups regularly to know their health status,” he advised.

  • ‘Diabetic mothers risk giving birth to children with brain defect’

    An Abuja-based gynecologist, Dr Kola Osibote, has said mothers with diabetic conditions are at risk of giving birth to children with brain defects.

    Osibote told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja yesterday that diabetes increases pregnancy related risks and causes lots of negative effects to the mother and child.

    He explained that brain, spinal cord and heart problems associated with diabetes could be identified at the early stage of pregnancy.

    He said that blood sugar was the baby’s source of food which passes to the child through the placenta.

    “When a woman has diabetes and her blood sugar is poorly managed, excess amounts of sugar are transported to the baby.

    “In this case the baby does not have diabetes and can increase the production of insulin substantially in order to use this extra sugar,” Osibote said.

    The gynecologist stressed that the existence of the abnormal cycle result in diverse complications.

    He said one of the complications associated with diabetic pregnant mothers is giving birth to over weight babies also known as “macrosomia”.

    “Diabetic pregnant women stand the chance of been delivered of over weight babies weighing more than 3,500 grams or be born greater than the 90 percentile of the gestational age.

    “This happens because the baby responds to the excess sugar which the large amount of insulin produced by the baby is converted to body fat.

    “We can just say that the baby is been overfed while still in the uterus,” he said.

    The expert said the delivery of such a baby could be more difficult for both the baby and the mother; adding that caesarean delivery would be required.

    He observed that most obstetricians conduct an ultrasound to approximate the weight of the baby before delivery so as to determine if vaginal delivery could be attempted.

    Osibote warned against delivering a large baby through the vagina when the mother is diabetic.

    He added that it could be life threatening and exposing the woman to the most frightening obstetrical emergencies.

    He also said that such a delivery could expose the child to a shoulder dystocia (where the baby’s head delivers but the shoulders are too large to fit through the birth canal).

    Osibote further said that a child could also have low blood sugar after birth, which is “neonatal hypoglycemia”.

    “If the baby’s pancreas is making large amounts of insulin in response to the mother’s high blood sugar, it will continue to do so for a time after delivery.

    “Since the sugar supply from the mother is no longer present once the baby has been delivered, blood sugar can drop too low,” he said.

    Osibote advised that it was important that babies born to women with diabetes should be monitored very closely for the first few hours of life to check their blood sugar.

    He added that such babies might require more frequent breast milk or bottle feeding to maintain their blood sugar at a normal range.

    The expert said that birth defects could be recognised within the first six months of pregnancy, adding that infecting the child at that stage could be preventable.

    “The most common birth defects to a diabetic mother are brain, spinal and heart defects, and some of these defects can be detected during the first half of the pregnancy.

    “This can be diagnosed through ultrasound checks and prenatal tests,” he said.