OKRA CAN CURE DIABETES; FACT OR FALLACY

Okra or okro which is also known as “ladies fingers” is a fruit but it’s eaten as a vegetable, it’s a pod with edible seeds. Which is high in anti-oxidants, vitamins c and k, fat free, low in calories, low sodium, and good source of fiber, folate and magnesium. It has shown to have many health benefits such as lower cholesterol and lower blood glucose and improve insulin sensitivity. It has anti-stress effects and anti-fatigue benefits.

Diabetes (diabetes mellitus) is a chronic disease which has been on the rise for the past decade in Nigeria, according to W.H.O. about 5million Nigerians live with diabetes and about 40,815 diabetic related deaths were recorded in 2015. It was estimated that in 2013, that 382 million people throughout the world had diabetes (Williams’s textbook of endocrinology). Diabetes is a metabolic disease in which a person has high blood glucose/ blood sugar because of inadequate insulin production or body cells don’t respond properly to insulin or both. There are three types of diabetes; 

healthiack.com

1.     Type 1 diabetes; the body don’t produce insulin. This kind of diabetes shows up early in life such as teenage years and early adulthood. The people with this kind of diabetes are insulin-dependent. They have to take an insulin injection for the rest of their life.
2.     Type 2 diabetes; the body don’t produce enough insulin for proper function or the cells in the body don’t react to insulin (insulin resistance). With proper diet, regular exercise and weight loss this type can be managed.  Type 2 diabetes is a progressive disease, which gets worse with time, so an oral insulin tablet or injection is taken.
3.     Gestational diabetes; this shows up during pregnancy in some women, their body is unable to produce enough insulin to transport the glucose. This normally regularize or disappears after childbirth. 

The “Miracle” okra water.

Okra water is a drink with chopped okra. People have said to notice a drop in their blood glucose levels and reduced diabetes symptoms after consistently drinking okra water. The drink is made by cutting both ends of two okra, then chop the pods and  put it inside a cup with water to stay overnight, the next day drain the water and drink. The valuable nutrients in the skin and seed pods will be absorbed into the water. You are expected to see a change within a month or more. It has so many possible benefits for those that have diabetes especially type 2. A patient allegedly said his sugar level was 220mg/dl reduced to 95ml/dl after taking okra water for more than a month.

FACTS; there is NO CURE for diabetes but with regular exercise and a great diet it can be managed. Okra is high in valuable nutrients and has shown in some diabetics patients to reduce the blood glucose level. It’s not an insulin replacement. In a study okra water has improved the blood sugar levels of pregnant rats having gestational diabetes. There is no conclusive medical research done on humans to prove that okra is a natural cure for diabetes. Okra has shown to block the absorption of metformin which is a drug that help manage blood sugar levels, Make sure you ask/talk to your physician before starting the okra drink. Okra can be used in diabetes management plan because it helps you work out longer and recover quickly from exercise.

FALLACY; you don’t need to continue taking your insulin once you take the okra drink. It reduces and block blood sugar in all diabetics’ patients. You can start eating junk and unhealthy meals and drinks after taking the okra drink. No need for exercise once you are on okra drink. You don’t need to consult your physician before you take the okra drink. Okra water is the cure and can reverse type2 diabetes.

Chronic diseases are on the rise and it can only be managed not cured. I believe prevention is more reasonable than cure. If you have a sedentary lifestyle where you sit around all day, eat junk, drink a lot of sodas and unhealthy drinks you are on way to been diabetic. Diabetes type 1 lasts a lifetime, there is no cure. Type 2 diabetes usually last a lifetime, however some people have managed to get rid of their symptoms with exercise, diet, body weight control and Benefits of food portions. Preventing diabetes is eating healthy and exercising regularly. If you are a warrior with diabetes you must have a specific diet and exercise regularly. I believe you can try the okra / ladies fingers drink but have a talk with your doctor to see the best way to combine it with your drugs.

KALON WRITES👑