OLUFUNKE FROM PUNCH
Some readers did not see that one is ‘pro’ while the other is ‘pre’. Yes, I discussed probiotics and later Prebiotics. We need to be paying attention to details.
Each time anything is touted to be a super food, humans go overboard with the consumption. It occurred to me that because we said fermented pap water and uncooked pap have good bacteria in them, people may start taking pap excessively. We should not forget that pap is a carbohydrate and should be taken in moderation. You should be even more cautious if you are diabetic. This reminds me of COVID. When it was studied, it was discovered to be a zoonotic disease but because humans go beyond their boundaries by eating everything, we got infected. Going beyond the threshold with the consumption of herbs or any other thing may cause unpalatable health reactions.
This week, I will like to remind us that our lifestyles can impact our health negatively. Basically, in a broad sense, our lifestyle leads to lifestyle diseases. This includes erratic eating habits – irregular, binge-eating, dependency on comfort food, which are very common. Similarly, daily habits like low physical activity, neglect of mental health, smoking, drinking alcohol, using drugs and more are part of the causes.
The causes of lifestyle diseases can be divided into two groups:
- Indirect causes: These are the ones resulting from the progressive industrialization and pollution of the environment. You cannot fully protect yourself against them.
- Direct causes: These include a sedentary lifestyle, low physical activity, heavy alcohol consumption, unbalanced diet, smoking as well as lack of rest. These factors can be limited or completely eliminated.
Some lifestyle diseases are cancer, hypertension, diabetes, being overweight, obesity and depression.
The good news is that these diseases can be prevented and even reversed. However, this requires a sustainable behaviour change. It is just like taking yourself out of the mess you put yourself into! I once shared what Dr Chidi Ngwaba, who specialises in lifestyle medicine said. I will like to share it again. He said, “You need a healthy plant-based diet. Every time you go for a meal and you are a diabetic, as you put your fork down, you should get up and go for a walk. He went on to say, “I have told you quite boldly that anybody with Type 2 diabetes does not have to live with it, it is completely reversible. Change your lifestyle and get rid of it.” This is very true because type 2 diabetes is a lifestyle disease.
Countless times, I have talked about Chris Wark here. In 2003, at the age of 26, he was diagnosed with stage 3 colon cancer. He had surgery but instead of chemotherapy, he used nutrition and natural therapies to heal himself. He is still alive today and he is cancer free!
While we are not able to completely eliminate indirect causes, we can do a lot in the case of direct ones.
Let us see some ways to prevent these lifestyle diseases:
- Eat a balanced and healthy diet: This is the age of the fulfillment of Thomas Edison’s prophecy. Over a hundred years ago he said “the doctors of the future will no longer treat the human frame with drugs but rather will cure and prevent diseases with nutrition” A lot of positive changes in the body can happen even when only the diet is modified. While on the role of nutrition in achieving optimal health series, I suggest the Mediterranean diet which is based on the traditional foods of countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea, including France, Spain, Greece and Italy as our blueprint. Research has shown that people living in these regions tend to be healthier and have a lower risk of many chronic conditions. The foundation of the Mediterranean diet is plant foods. It is high in vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds, olive oil and seasoning with herbs and spices. Moderate amounts of dairy, poultry and eggs are part of the Mediterranean diet, as is seafood.
By making conscious choices about what you eat and maintaining a balanced diet, you can boost your overall well-being, reduce the risk of chronic diseases and enjoy a longer, more fulfilling life.
