Don't eat your greens? A diet taking Yemen by storm has doctors worried

A controversial diet called 'el-tayebat' is spreading fast in Yemen and the Arab world. It tells people to stop taking prescribed medicines and avoid eating vegetables. Hospitals in Taiz, Yemen, have seen a sharp rise in diabetes patients who stopped their medication to follow the diet. The diet was created by Diaa el-Awadi, a former Egyptian doctor who lost his license. He died of a heart attack in the UAE after his media appearances were banned in Egypt.

Yemen has been at war since 2014, causing one of the world's worst humanitarian crises. Most people have little access to proper healthcare or reliable medical information. Social media has become a main source of news and advice for many Yemenis. Dangerous health trends spread easily in such an environment. El-Awadi's videos went viral because they offered simple solutions to complex health problems. His death did not stop his followers from spreading his ideas online.

False health advice on social media can kill people. When people stop taking real medicine for fake cures, they put their lives at serious risk.