Diabetes, Medical expert counsels patients on carbohydrate intake

A Consultant Endocrinologist, Dr Sule Bathner, has advised diabetic patients to consume carbohydrate foods with caution.

Bathner, who is also the Head of Department of Medicine, Federal Teaching Hospital, Gombe, gave the advice during the monthly meeting of members of the Diabetes Association of Nigeria (DAN), Bauchi chapter.

He said that unlike in the past when people with diabetes were discouraged from feeding on carbohydrate foods, they could now consume same, but with caution.

Speaking on the topic “Choose Carbohydrate Right” the medical expert recommended that such food items be eaten with excessive vegetable soup to aid digestion.

Bathner also said that the practice of removing the outer layer of carbohydrate food items, especially grains, before using same to prepare food, was inimical.

According to him, all the nutrients are lost and the person ends up consuming food that is not of any use to his or her body.

“I will advise that such grains be washed, dried and grinded with the outer layers that are the nutrients.

“If its potatoes boil it and remove only the thinner outer layer. Complete peeling before cooking removes the portion that is useful to the body,” he said.

He also advised people to be monitoring their hearts to remain healthy.

“If you breath heavily while engaging in a mildly strenuous activity whereas that was not the case before, check your heart because that could be a sign of heart problem,” he warned.