Exercise Is Medicinal For Diabetics — Group

Senator Eze Ajoku, the President of the Coalition of Societies for the Rights of Older Persons in Nigeria (COSROPIN) on Saturday urged older persons to always exercise their bodies, saying it is therapeutic for diabetes.

Ajoku said this on Saturday during a hangout with older persons in the Kasa Area of Apo, in Abuja.

According to him, exercise is a therapeutic intervention for diabetic older persons and even younger persons.

The coalition president, who reiterated the imperatives of exercise, said that diabetes is not a death sentence.

“Diabetes is a lifelong thing and it is because your body is not able to produce enough insulin to deal with the sugar content in the body”, he said.

He urged elders to always check their diabetic status.

“The next thing you need to do is to exercise your body or be active so that your body can use up the sugar in you.

“But you must always see a doctor who will prescribe either tablets for you or insulin injection depending on the advice of the doctor,” he said.

Ajoku advised diabetic patients to be consistent in taking their medications.

“Never you stop your medication at any point in time though you will feel relieved at a time, continue to take your medication.

“Even if someone tells you that you do not have diabetes again until that is proven, you cannot say you don’t have diabetes again.

Ajoku however urged the older persons in the community to always embark on exercises.

“I encourage the older persons in this community to find time to walk around.

“Go out and interact with other people. Don’t sit at home; get out and have fresh air.

“Interacting with persons even by phone helps older persons a lot”, he said.

He also urged older persons to minimise the intake of sugary food and drinks such as bananas, sugar cane, watermelon, and minerals, saying they could easily translate to sugar in the body.