Malaria is an communicable disease with is associated with high grade fever with chills and is often transmitted by mosquitoe bites. This infectious disease is caused by four species of Plasmodium. The milder cases of the condition are caused by Plasmodium malariae, Plasmodium vivax, Plasmodium ovale while the severe cases are caused by Plasmodium falciparum. Plasmodium knowlesi is a strain that affects macaques but could also be transmitted to humans.
Malaria is a fairly common disease, which is also responsible for hundreds of deaths each year. . Estimates suggest that approximately 225 million cases of malaria are recorded each year, mostly observed in underdeveloped or developing countries.
Malaria is transmitted by mosquites which thrive in unsanitary conditions, which is considered to be the primary reason for these high figures of malaria infections in the developing world and limits the ability to eradicate the condition compeletely. .
Also, poverty in the underdeveloped nations makes the people have less access to vaccinations and medications for the management of malaria. Further lower levels of awareness also contribute significantly to the high rates of malaria infection in the population.
Malaria Protection and Prevention
There are different strategies that can help in preventing the contracting of the plasmodium parasite provided the person is extra careful,
- Mosquito nets are considered to be beneficial in preventing mosquito bites.
These mosquito nets are often medicated, which prevent the mosquito from entering them and biting an individual - Wearing long clothing, can also provide protection against mosquito bites, as it reduced the amount of exposed skin that mosquitoes can possibly bite.
- Malaria Vaccines and living in sanitary conditions also plays a crucial role in preventing malaria infections. Using mosquito repellants that are readily available in the market can prevent malaria infection. However these mosquito repellants are widely known to be associated with allergic reactions, especially among sensitive individuals.
Malaria Diet
There are no specific dietary suggestions to prevent the malaria infection; however there are certain dietary suggestions that can hasten recovery, especially after a malaria infection
- This malaria fast or diet is started with an all orange juice and water diet that should be made to run for five to ten days, depending on how high a fever the person has. An enema that uses warm water should also be administered during this period from time to time for toxin cleansing.
- A fruit diet then follows this fasting diet, and the patient should eat nothing but fruits for three days. Only fresh fruit should be given, no canned fruits. The fruits that the patient can eat include papayas, pineapples, oranges, apples, grapes, mangos, and grapefruit. Milk is then added after the third day.
- After this stage, the next stage consists of a balanced diet that still has fruit but now has seeds, grains and nuts and vegetables.
- Some of the foods that need to be avoided when a person is trying to recuperate from malaria include coffee, strong tea, processed and refined foods, sauces, condiments, pickles, refined sugar, products made with white flour, alcoholic beverages, and all meat products.
