MANILA, Philippines ? Because diabetes is a self-managed disease, compliance could become a very difficult obstacle to overcome.
While doctors have formed a special partnership with their diabetic patients to disseminate more information and stress the importance of compliance, still, their efforts is proving to be not enough as they have very little control over how their patients manage their illness between clinic visits.
?There should be another convincing way to prompt diabetic patients to change their behavior considering that lifestyle change plays an essential role in controlling diabetes. So we came up with a challenge, something that would hopefully convince them more,? said Lito Abelarde, president of Herbcare Corp., manufacturer and distributor of herbal food supplement products (under brand name Charantia) made from 100 percent ampalaya fruit, seeds excluded.
Three things
The program?called Charantia 30-Day Challenge?coaxes diabetics or those who are found (during the screening) to be steps away from developing diabetes to sign up and follow strictly three things for the next 30 days.
After having their weight and blood sugar levels taken (to be used as basis for comparison for future readings), participants would meet up with a nutritionist who will give them a holistic meal plan good for four weeks as well as a doctor or exercise therapist who will give them a relevant exercise program.
Abelarde added that his company was able to partner with the Manila Adventist Medical Center who provided the doctors, nutritionist and exercise therapists.
Finally, participants will receive a month?s supply of Charantia products (in loose tea, tea bags, or 500-mg capsules).
?The supplement is vital part of the challenge. A few years ago, the Philippine Council for Health Research and Development conducted a 10-year study that elevated the ampalaya from a mere nutritional supplement to a real medicine. The Philippine Institute of Traditional and Alternative Health Care certified the study,? Abelarde related.
But while ampalaya has been found to effectively regulate blood sugar in the same way as a regular anti-diabetes drug, Abelardo was quick to inform that participants who are already on daily medication are strongly reminded not to discontinue this.
Participants are reminded to return every week for the required check-up and monitoring.
Primary target
?Our primary target are those with Type 2 diabetes, aged 35 and above, employees, members of senior citizens clubs or socio-civic organizations as well as those low-income or indigent individuals,? Abelarde explained.
Since the program began in 2007, the Charantia 30-Day Challenge was able to sign up more than a thousand participants who are mostly government employees.
?It is interesting to note that 70 percent of those screened have no idea they are already diabetic or is just a few steps away from developing one,? Abelarde shared.
He added that after the month-long challenge Abelarde?s team were able to prove to their participants the huge difference if they stick to the regimen.
?So far, more than half of those who signed up were able to succeed as they experience huge difference. Those who failed were later found to have broken their meal plan (reasons would include attending fiesta or party celebration as well as stopping their exercise regimen),? Abelarde reported.
While lifestyle?eating too much fatty and salty foods, no exercise and stressing out so much?plays an important role in the development of diabetes, changing such lifestyle could reverse the disease?s progression,? Abelarde said.
According to him, this is important to the three and four million Filipinos who have diabetes as well as the other three to four million who haven?t realized or are in danger of developing the disease.
Abelarde explained that a recent study has indicated that lifestyle changes have strong impact in reducing the risk of diabetes progression by as much as 58 percent over four years in both men and women at high risk of the disease. Another study has provided evidence that changes in lifestyle are also effective in preventing or delaying the development of diabetes.
?Moreover the Charantia 30-Day Challenge is also another way for diabetics to come together and share experiences and knowledge. After all, building partnerships is a very effective way in dealing with a very complicated and feisty disease like diabetes,? Abelarde said.
