On November 14 this year, people around the world will unite to mark the World Diabetes Day, the global awareness campaign of the diabetes community led by International Diabetes Federation (IDF). Diabetes is one of the major health and development challenges of the 21st century. No country, rich or poor, is immune to the epidemic. According to the IDF, diabetes is a leading cause of blindness, amputation, heart disease, kidney failure and early death. Simple action can reduce the risk.      

Created in 1991 by IDF and the World Health Organization (WHO) in response to growing concerns about the escalating health threat posed by diabetes, the World Diabetes Day became an official United Nations Day in 2006.

It is marked every year on Nov 14, the birthday of Sir Frederick Banting, who co-discovered insulin along with Charles Best in 1922.

The theme for World Diabetes Day 2019 is ‘Family and Diabetes’. In 2018, IDF selected the same as World Diabetes Day theme. It indicates that the family is important regarding the disease. IDF says it is raising awareness of the impact that diabetes has on the family and support network of those affected, and promoting the role of the family in the management, care, prevention and education of diabetes.

The issues of management, care and prevention of diabetes and the role of family regarding education on this has been emphasized again in campaign on diabetes. It is very expensive for a family to buy insulin and monitor the disease every day. So, now it is being regarded as an urgent issue for a family to acquire knowledge for preventing diabetes for family members.     

It may be mentioned here that though Nov 14 is observed as the World Diabetes Day every year, WHO selected ‘diabetes’ as the theme of World Health Day three years back. It indicates how much importance is given to the issue of diabetes disease.

There are three reasons behind placing emphasis on diabetes marking the World Health Day. Firstly, it is to raise awareness on increasing trend and health burden of diabetes and its consequences in lower and middle income countrirs.

Secondly, it is to determine specific, effective amd cost-saving strategies for facing diabetes, which will be helpful in prevention, diagnosis, treatment and cure of diabetes.       

Thirdly, it is to place the first global report on  diabetes, inorming us about the burden condition of the disease and its consequsnces. It would ensure  monitoring for developing health style, improve preventive capacity of the disease and build an effective management of diabetes.           

According to a survey of IDF, the number of people with diabetes reached over 42 crore across the world at the momemnt. It is important to identify the disease. Risk increases manifold if it is undetected.    In Bangladesh, the number of diabetes-affected people is about one crore. Every year 1 lakh patients is being added to this number. If effective measures are not taken to prevent diabetes, the number of diabetes affected people will cross 55 crore by the year 2030, apprehended experts. If a patient leads a disciplined life, he/she will be able to control diabetes, they said.

At present, Bangladesh is in 10th position in the world in terms of number of diabetes patient. People of all ages are being affected by the disease mainly due to lack of awareness.

It is not sufficient to control sugar level as part of treatment of the disease. It is possible to be saved from future complications if the problems caused due to increase in sugar level are brought under control. Changing food habit and regular physical labour can play an important role in this regard.     

It is necessary to mention here that intake of medicine is not sufficient to cure the disease. The matter of physical exercise is very important.

Excess stress has a direct role in inviting diabetes. According to research, stress is a major risk factor of diabetes. So, join chatting with friends, listn to music, do meditation and neurobic gym and make visits in order to reduce stress. It is needed to refrain from smoking and drinking wine.              

We can do exercise and go out for regular walk for reducing the risk of diabetes. Research finding says, exercise increases the number of insulin receptor in body cell. Human body is excited when stress increases. Slight relaxation exercise and other strategies for facing stress can control blood sugar level.

From a research in Yale University, USA it has been found that those who sleep regularly less than six hours at night are in the risk of diabetes 2 times more than those who sleep 8 hours. For sound sleep you should stop tea, coffee and chocolate after afternoon. Leave your work at office. Don’t bring office work at home. Don’t watch TV at late night. Keep your mobile off when you sleep. For controlling diabetes, the matter of maintaining healthy life style has been emphasized across the world. Maintaining healthy life means intake of healthy foods, exercise and keeping mind healthy. Putting pressure on mind should be avoided if we want healthy mind.   

Holistic system of treatment, the combination of modern technology and ancient natural method, has now become popular for prevention and control of diabetes across the world. There are two main key factors of this treatment: one is taking healthy diet and the other is physical exercise.

Daily food taking depends on patient’s age, state of disease and his/her present situation. And the matter about taking physical exercise is miscellaneous. Before all these, meditation in a proper method is needed to control mind.

Mental stress is the main cause of illness and unhappiness. To lessen the mental pressure it is very much important. It has also been stated to collect the ray or life power from the cosmic power. To gain all these is not an easy task at all.

By playing a leading role for the past one decade in holistic treatment (known as natural system of treatment), Holistic Health Care Centre has brought good news for thousands of patients with diabetes and coronary artery disease. As a result, the risk of diabetes is reducing. And those who are suffering over a long time with diabetes are now leading a happy life.

Many patients have been able to reduce the level of taking insulin and many others have completely stopped taking insulin. In Bangladesh, holistic treatment is working as a helpful friend for the patients of diabetes and coronary blockage.

Recently, workshops on method of fully controlling diabetes within 72 hours have been held successfully in the country. Many patients, who took part in the events, got a unique experience of facing diabetes by fully leaving insulin.      

The writer is Director, Holistic Health Care Centre 43R/5C West

Panthapath, Dhaka