Where There Is No Doctor 2011 127
Diabetes
Persons with diabetes have too much sugar in their blood. This can start when
a person is young (juvenile diabetes) or older (adult diabetes). It is usually more
serious in young people, and they need special medicine (insulin) to control it. But it
is most common in people over age 40 who eat too much and get fat.
Early signs of diabetes:
• always thirsty
• urinates (pees) often and a lot
• always tired
• always hungry
• weight loss
Later, more serious signs:
• itchy skin
• periods of blurry eyesight
• some loss of feeling in hands or feet
• frequent vaginal infections
• sores on the feet that do not heal
• loss of consciousness (in extreme
cases)
All these signs may be caused by other diseases. In order to find out whether a
person has diabetes, test her urine to see if there is sugar in it. One way to test the
urine is to taste it. If it tastes sweet to you, have 2 other persons taste it. Have them
also taste the urine of 3 other people. If everyone agrees that the same person’s
urine is sweeter, she is probably diabetic.
Another way of testing urine is to use special paper strips (for example, Uristix). If
these change color when dipped in the urine, it has sugar in it.
If the person is a child or young adult, he should be seen by an experienced
health worker or doctor.
When a person gets diabetes after he is 40 years old, it can often be best
controlled without medicines, by eating correctly. The diabetic person’s diet is
very important and must be followed carefully for life.
The diabetic diet: Fat people with diabetes should lose weight until their weight is
normal. Diabetics must not eat any sugar or sweets, or foods that taste sweet. It
is important for them to eat lots of high fiber foods, such as whole grain breads. But
diabetics should also eat some other starchy foods, like beans, rice, and potatoes,
and also foods high in protein.
Diabetes in adults can sometimes be helped by drinking the sap of the prickly
pear cactus (nopal, Opuntia). To prepare, cut the cactus into small pieces and crush
them to squeeze out the liquid. Drink 1 ½ cups of the liquid 3 times each day before
meals.
To prevent infection and injury to the skin, clean the teeth after eating, keep
the skin clean, and always wear shoes to prevent foot injuries. For poor circulation
in the feet (dark color, numbness), rest often with the feet up. Follow the same
recommendations as for varicose veins (p. 175).