How to Use Sugarcane Juice for Dengue Fever

Dengue fever is a disease which is caused by the bite of a dengue virus (DENV)-infected Aedes mosquito. The disease can be caused by each of the 4 different types of the same virus (DENV 1-4). The disease itself, especially in the form of dengue hemorrhagic fever and dengue shock syndrome, can be fatal.

Causes of Dengue Fever

An Aedes mosquito can become infected if it bites a person which has already been infected by the dengue virus. Once the virus is inside, it will be under an incubation period of 8-12 days, after which the mosquito becomes a dengue-infected mosquito.

Now if this mosquito bites a healthy human being, it will take an incubation period of 3-14 days for the symptoms to manifest themselves. Note also that this disease does not spread from human contact.

Symptoms of Dengue Fever

Once the incubation period in an infected human is over, the following symptoms will occur :

1. Sudden, high fever.
2. Severe headaches with pain behind the eyes.
3. Severe joint and muscle pain.
4. Skin rashes.
5. Nausea and vomiting.
6. Mild bleeding from the nose or from teeth gum.

The above symptoms may be mistaken for mild flu or cold. In severe cases, the fever may develop into dengue haemorrhagic fever and shock syndrome which can then lead to death. You may also read about How to Overcome Lower Back Pain with Fruit Juice

Treatment of Dengue Fever – How to Use Sugarcane Juice for Dengue Fever

There are no specific medicine or treatments for dengue fever. You should see your doctor immediately at the earliest signs or confirmation of symptoms.

The classical treatment for the disease treats only its symptoms, not its main cause. Acetaminophen is usually prescribed for pain relief instead of aspirin as the later can worsen the bleeding. Other supportive treatments includes plenty of rest and drinking lots of fluids.

Another non-classical treatment in dealing with dengue fever is by way of using sugarcane juice. A sugarcane juice is basically a liquid that is obtained from pressing sugarcane plants. This is usually done mechanically with a sugarcane milling machine.

First and foremost, it is important to prepare the juice in the most hygienic ways possible, this is done to avoid contamination from pathogens or infected bugs that may inhabit the sugarcane plants. Then, do not use putrid or waste sugarcane crops. Wash the crops thoroughly before any processing is done.

Once the sap is obtained after pressing, do not over-pressed the crops for a purer form of sugarcane juice. As this may further reduce the amounts of nutrients inside the juice. Finally, one should limit the juice intake to one drink a day to limit possible contamination from virus or bacterial agents. You may also read about How to Use Guava Juice for Dengue Fever

Sugarcane Contains 

A sugarcane juice usually consist of calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, zinc, thiamine and riboflavin with no traces of vitamins, any protein or fiber. As a type of fluid, it can be use as a supportive treatment for the fever itself. 

Also, sugarcane plant itself contain flavonoid compounds. which according to research may exhibit anti inflammatory and antioxidant properties, though the later might be limited.

With anti inflammatory properties, flavonoid compounds are able to reduce pain, fever and joints inflammation, which are several symptoms of the fever. While with antioxidants, flavonoids can be used to reduce damage cells or prevent/inhibit the formation of free radical inside the body.

One should only sourced the juice from responsible suppliers. Do not purchase sugarcane juice drinks from roadside vendors as this might be a source of possible contaminants, pollutants and pathogens. One should also not add extra sugar or liquid-form sugar into the drinks itself as this has no obvious health benefits. You may also read about Side Effects of Drinking Warm Water

How to Consume Sugarcane 

Once taken, store the juice inside a refrigerated place and pay attention to its expiration or production date. Do not drink expired sugarcane juice. Perform medical check-up regularly and consult your physician to find out whether or not there are adverse effects with regards to drinking the juice itself. Stop drinking the juice immediately if there are any adverse effects.

Then, do not drink the juice together with any other medication as there might also be possible side effects. In addition, refrain from drinking flavor-enhanced or ultra-refined sugarcane juice as these do not have any obvious health benefits and might even be detrimental. You may also read about Effects of Rambutan Fruit for Health

This is because as in the case of adding extra sugar into a sugarcane juice, we might not be able to know what substances or additives that is added into the juice. More often than not, it can be harmful for the body. To add, do not drink heated sugarcane juice as these can also reduce the amount of nutrients inside the sugarcane juice. So, that’s the ways on how to use sugarcane juice for dengue fever.  

Health Tips

The following are important health tips which can be followed to prevent the onset of a dengue fever infection, and can also be done in the event of an infection :

1. Always clean your surrounding environment regularly. Make sure there are no water-filled containers lying around for a long period of time.

2. Wash or replace regularly any water-filled container to prevent the formation of mosquito larvae.

3. If you have decorative plants in your residence, make sure to clean them regularly and perform anti-mosquito proliferation measures in the plants container. For example : spraying anti-mosquito agents and emptying any water-filled container.

4. Stay away from any garbage or waste dump sites as these are potential sites/habitat of Aedes mosquito larvae.

5. Clean any sewage or water drainage sites near your residence regularly. As mentioned before, this can be a good habitat for mosquito larvae.

6. Drink plenty of fluids, have plenty of rest and in the case of sugarcane juice, limit the drinking to one drink per day due to the above reasons.

7. Ask your nutritionist for advice with regards to sourcing healthy sugarcane drinks and your physician with regards to the amount of sugarcane juice that can be taken.

8. In the event of contracting the disease, contact your physician immediately and go to the nearest hospital or emergency services. Follow your physician advice regularly and refrain from doing any physical labor.