The Nation Newspaper

Tag: healthy living

  • Pork, Poison or Food? Part 1.

    Pork, Poison or Food? Part 1.

    Pork, which is the flesh of pigs is a delicacy enjoyed in many parts of the world, a practice frowned upon by the three major world religions; Christianity, Islam, and the Jewish Orthodox faith .  Every day, millions of people consume three square meals, intended to power their bodies throughout the day. However, in the hustle and bustle of our modern society, these meals are increasingly becoming more processed and less natural than at any time in history. How is this affecting society’s overall health? The result can be seen in the explosion of sickness, disease and overall lack of good health.  Yet most people never make the connection between their diet and their health status, and are doomed to a lifetime of illness and fatigue.

    Yet decades ago, Dr. Maurice C. Hall, Zoology Chief at the U.S. Public Health Service, stated, “It appears to be a legitimate demand that, when a man exchanges dollars for pork, he should not do it, on the basis that he may be purchasing his death warrant.” Although the good doctor made this statement many years ago, one wonders if the pork purchased today is much leaner and healthier (as breeders and suppliers would want us to believe).

     

    Much of the problem is directly tied to a social ignorance of health, diet and our bodies. Modern science has not helped. In a discussion relating to health and diet, one nutritionist stated that the link between what one eats and how one feels has been blown out of proportion. She went on to state that the origin of sickness is unknown, and that this is the reason we have doctors. But what have doctors and medical science been able to accomplish? Very few illnesses and diseases are actually cured, and fewer still are prevented! Western medicine has been designed to react to an illness, and not help one prevent illnesses and maintain health.

     

    Many assume that trichinosis is uncommon in the modern day. This is mostly due to the fact that this disease is extremely hard to detect in humans. So-called experts will argue that properly cooking pork at 167 degrees Fahrenheit will destroy the bacteria and worms in it. However, most who cook pork are not as careful as those conducting a laboratory study. Simple organisms like these worms are remarkably resilient and just cooking the pork does not make it safe. Even more surprising is the fact that some people even eat half cooked, or raw (aka rare) pork.

    And some of these parasites, like trichinosis, can be incredibly hard to detect. Former chairman of the New York Trichinosis Commission, Senator Thomas C. Desmond, stated, “Physicians have confused trichinosis with some 50 ailments, ranging from Typhoid Fever to Acute Alcoholism. That pain in your arm or leg may be arthritis or rheumatism, but it may be trichinosis. That pain in your back may mean a gall-bladder involvement, but it may mean trichinosis.”

    How the Human Body reacts to animal fat

    Another interesting fact about pork is related to how the human body digests animal fat. The process is called hydrolysis. Studies show that when you eat animal fat, it undergoes a conversion process that changes it from beef fat, for instance, into human fat, the form in which it is stored in the body. This allows the body to remove some of the toxins, and to create tissue that is able to be converted into energy when needed.

    Yet, pork is not subject to hydrolysis. Anytime you eat pork, whether as chops or sausage, its fat is stored in the body as PORK FAT! As we have seen, fat stores much of the toxins. Therefore, you are storing the most toxic form of the animal! When the body does not know how to deal with something, like toxins—it isolates it. In the case of toxins, it stores them in fat. Since your body was never designed to ingest swine fat, it does not know how to do deal with it. So it isolates it, unchanged as pig fat on your body!

     

    And this tissue is not even useful for energy. To convert these pork fat deposits into usable energy, the body must burn up large amounts of glucose, an essential element of brain function. This can lead to a feeling of chronic hunger, which leads to the consumption of more meat, and the vicious cycle continues. Studies have also shown that those who regularly eat pork are more prone to ulcerous skin infections. This should not be surprising, because ulcerous skin infections are COMMON on living pigs and cooking does not kill all the worms and parasites in pork.

     

     

     

    Next week, the real purpose of pigs, and the millennia old guide book of human nutrition.

  • One Simple Rule That Will Keep You Slim and long lived

    One Simple Rule That Will Keep You Slim and long lived

     

    The orient is home to the longest lived races, like the Japanese and Chinese, and diet has been adduced to be the secret to this. They practice a remarkably easy weight loss approach called the 80 percent rule. Conversely, ever since Nigerians have adopted sedentary western lifestyles, and food choices, the average Nigerian portion size has been growing, not to mention the average waist and dress size. Meanwhile, Nigerian life expectancy has dropped over the years. Nigerian women are now expected to live for 55.6 years and men for 53.4 years.
    It’s no coincidence that Nigerians are eating more, doing less exercise, and living shorter lives. When you take in more calories than you’re able to burn off through exercise, you gain weight. Obesity then puts you at risk for life-threatening conditions like Heart disease, Diabetes, High blood pressure, and a long list of cancers, including breast, colon and pancreatic cancer.
    If food choices play such a large role in deciding someone’s lifespan, what can Blue Zones—regions with the world’s longest living people—like Okinawa, Japan, teach us about diet and nutrition? Dietician nutritionists specializing in this critical care reveal one simple food principle that Okinawans live by, the 80 percent rule.

     

    What exactly is the 80 percent rule?

    The expression, hara hachi bu literally means ‘80 percent stomach’ in Japanese, It’s based on the belief that if you slow down your eating and stop when you’re 80 percent full, you’ll actually feel more satisfied. Why? When you eat slowly, you chew more carefully. It lets you savor the flavors and really enjoy your food—and it gives your stomach enough time to tell your brain that it’s full. Since it takes about 15 to 20 minutes for fullness signals to reach your brain, eating too fast can easily lead to overeating. The 80 percent rule can improve your quality of life.
    Unlike weight loss supplements and fad diets, this simple practice can help you lose weight safely and keep it off. It allows you to eat 20 percent fewer calories—minus the constant feeling of deprivation, or the binge eating that follows. By helping you keep excess weight off, the 80 percent rule also lowers your risk of illnesses like heart disease and diabetes and may improve your quality of life.
    That might be one reason why Okinawans have one-fifth the rate of heart disease, a quarter the rate of breast cancer and one-third the rate of dementia when compared to Africans. They also enjoy one of the world’s longest life expectancies and the most years of healthy, disability-free living. A growing number of studies support the link between eating smaller portions and living longer. One team of researchers followed a group of men and women on a calorie restricted diet for six months. Regardless of their exercise habits, all participants lost weight. They also experienced:
    Better blood sugar control
    More stable hormone levels
    Less of the DNA damage that happens with aging
    These anti-aging and disease-fighting effects mean the 80 percent rule is just one way to lower your age.

    How can you tell when you’re 80 percent full?

    The best way to stick to the 80 percent rule is to divide your plate in half before you start eating. Only eat the first 50 percent of your food to begin with; chew slowly and savor every single bite. Concentrate on the food—think about its color, flavor and texture. This is called mindful eating. After you eat the first half of your meal, put your fork down and let a few minutes pass. Then ask yourself, “Am I really still hungry?” If you’re satisfied, stop. If not, eat half of the remaining 50 percent—half of what’s left. If you are still hungry, divide the leftover food in half again.
    It’s especially important to remember this trick in restaurants, where tempting bowls of your favorite foods often come in extra-large portions. Ask for a to-go container at the start of the meal and divide the plate as soon as it arrives. Another option is to request the lunch portion.

     

    How to overpower cravings and beat binge impulses

    Everybody has cravings, (for some of us its chocolates and pastry) but if you constantly remind yourself that you’re on a diet, you’re more likely to experience binge impulses. But when you follow the 80 percent principle, there’s no forbidden fruit. If you feel like you really need to eat something, measure out one serving and just have a small amount of the treat you love. You can actually have a bar of your favourite chocolate or pastry once a week, and not risk becoming overweight.

    Other ways to control your portions:

    Start with a salad: Eating a salad before your meal can decrease your calorie intake by 10 to 12 percent. Salads are high in fiber, which helps you feel full sooner and keeps you satisfied longer. Since you have to spend more time chewing a salad, it also gives your brain a chance to catch up with your stomach.
    Don’t eat in front of the television: If you eat in front of the TV, you won’t pay as much attention to your food. The distraction—not to mention all the restaurant adverts—may easily lead to food choices you’d regret.
    Step away from your desk: “Don’t eat in a high-stress atmosphere.” It causes your brain to release the stress hormone, corticotropin factor, which can trigger ‘stress eating.’ Increased stress levels lower your motivation to eat nutritious foods.”
    Another trick is to swap your breakfast and dinner portions. Okinawans eat their largest meal in the morning, their smallest meal in the evening, and then don’t eat anything else before bed.
    There are many benefits to early eating, including better weight control. One reason why people overeat at night is the tendency to wait until they’re starving and exhausted. Then their willpower is gone and they wind up bingeing on high calorie foods. If you are not really a breakfast person, take the time to plan healthy breakfast meals and love how healthy you feel when you start the day off with delicious, energizing breakfast treats.

  • ‘Oral hygiene is germane to healthy living’

    ‘Oral hygiene is germane to healthy living’

    Nigerians have been urged to brush their teeth twice in a day (morning and  night before going to bed) so as to ensure good oral hygiene and its benefits, which include self esteem and confidence.

    According to the Assistant Brand manager, Oral B, Folarin Ojo, who made the plea in Lagos, about five million households have enjoyed good oral practice since the product came to Nigeria in 2011.

    Ojo, who stated this during Oral B loyalty reward event for those who emerged winners in the anniversary promo of the product were contacted for their prices.

    He said in addition to the consumer promotion, Oral-B visited various communities in Nigeria to provide free dental checks to people through the Oral-B Mobile Dental Clinic Programme, which currently reaches over two million Nigerians annually.

    The excitement was high at the event as each winner stepped out to receive cheques written in their names from officials of Procter and Gamble at the grand finale of the consumer promo draws which was held in Lagos to celebrate five years of the toothpaste brand.

    Star winner, Soneye Michael Adedimeji from Lagos who won N300, 000 could not contain his excitement when he was called from the live promo draws venue in the presence of representatives of the Lottery Board and media representatives.

    To demonstrate his surprise, he said, “I really can’t believe this, it is truly an amazing feeling. I buy Oral-B normally and I entered the draw hoping I will win something. I have previously won the smaller gifts like recharge cards, but I am very surprised and very happy to be the winner of the N300, 000 grand prize. Thank you.”

    Cheques were also presented to previous winners, Blessing Ntekim and Ikechukwu Asimole from Warri and Benue respectively. Blessing who won N200,000 was extremely excited and expressed her surprise as well as her gratitude to Oral B. Ikechukwu also celebrated winning N100,000 and remarked that it would indeed be a great Christmas for him.

    According to Ojo, “the National Consumer Promotion was designed to celebrate Oral-B’s five years of operating in the Nigerian market and appreciation of its customers for supporting the brand in the past five years.

    According to him, “The National Consumer Promo was even more successful and it has touched the lives of many people across Nigeria.

    “The enthusiasm and appreciation we received from Nigerians shows that our efforts were recognised and very much needed. Here at P&G, our overarching mission is to add value to living and make lives better and we will continue to deliver excellence, which we have been noted for over the years.”

    While the promo lasted, about 50 Nigerians emerged as winners of instant prizes ranging from airtime, products, and cash prizes from N10, 000 to N300, 000.

    In five years, the brand equally sponsored and partnered with government and private institutions to support the oral hygiene of Nigerians. In addition, received awards and recognition for being a quality brand in the country.

  • For healthy living

    For healthy living

    Title: The Master Guide to Food Safety (food poisoning prevention)
    Author: Matthew Okiroro
    Publishers:Xlibris Corporation, The United States of America
    Reviewer: Edozie Udeze

    This book is a must read for every individual who wants to live the good life. It has all the ingredients and requirements necessary to help people know, understand and appreciate how to ensure that the foods they eat meet the normal and standard health conditions. The author, Matthew Okiroro, an international expert on nutrition and food safety makes it clear that when we prepare foods in terrible conditions; when we neglect to obey normal food safety standards, we should not have recourse to the belief that someone has poisoned our foods or that our enemy has got us.

    On page 13, he states it clearly that, “it is time we stopped believing that someone else poisoned us or poisoned our food, whereas carelessness and ignorance caused us to poison ourselves. In other words, for every food prepared, care must be taken to follow the normal regulation to arrive at the best format for human consumption. Put succinctly, the human hands are the number one problem and threat to food safety and human health and long life. Therefore, our hands have to be thoroughly washed at every point whether we are working, eating or playing with the hands.

    On page 15, the book defines what it refers to as importance of food safety thus – food safety can be referred to as a group of programmes, procedures and measures designed to prevent food-borne illnesses (diseases) by actively controlling risks and hazards throughout the flow of foods”.

    Put in its proper perspective, the flow of food is the path food travels in a food service operation, i.e. from production to service, preparation and taking it to the dining table… Like every travel, there are some hazards (incidents) and hurdles (risks) that may be associated with food as it  makes its way from the service to delivery, storage, preparation, cooking, holding, serving, cooking (leftover), storing (leftover) and reheating for next day’s serving.

    It is imperative that one is able to identify the risks and hazards that accidentally make food unsafe and cause food-borne illnesses or food poisoning.  For every food that is cooked or prepared, there is a procedure. This procedure has to be followed to the last in order to avoid food poisoning which often occurs. What the author is saying, having been an internationally-certified chef in most multinational corporate bodies is that equally water is imperative. This is why for every food that is prepared, the vegetables, the ingredients and the condiments in them have to be properly washed and assessed before use.  Most of the foods that we eat do not undergo these processes in their due time which makes most of the foods that we eat not only unsafe but totally hazardous to human health.

    On page 30, he points out one of the basic sources of food poisoning in Nigeria, nay world-over. Title the place of personal hygiene in food safety, Okiroro says, “One of the most critical aspects of food hygiene is good personal hygiene.  A clean caring person is very hard to replace. Therefore when properly trained they always turn what they learn into their personal business with keen interest…”  To achieve this, there are normal rules – wash your hands before and after attending to food preparation, do not prepare food when you have fever, severe cold and cough and so on.  Again, keep medicines away from food storage areas. In other words, for the sake of proper safety, people should cover their hairs when they are in the kitchen and also try to cut their nails very low to avoid contamination and so on.

    In the real sense of it, these are simple rules, but how many people obey them.   Inasmuch as those who prepare our foods do not observe or obey these health rules, there are bound to be problems with the health conditions of our foods.  What the author is saying invariably is that food forms the basic component of our very existence. Therefore, those essential tips have to be observed in all circumstances. Even the temperature of the food, the storage facilities and so on have to be in order at every point.

    With appropriate illustrations and diagrams, the author makes the book simpler and more instructive.  It is a book basic for human consumption since food safety requirements are meant for everyone. It is good for Biology scholars, for chefs all over the globe.  It is indeed an eye-opener on

    certain things we often take for granted.

  • ‘We are boosting Nigeria’s economy through employment, healthy living’

    ‘We are boosting Nigeria’s economy through employment, healthy living’

    It was a business seminar of Edmark international, manufacturer of premium health food supplement.

    The seminar which took place at Novotel Hotel in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital attracted chief executive officers of companies, bankers and politicians who came to hear from the owner of the company, Mr. Sam Law and more importantly to know the secret of the company’s success which was packaged in a book that was unveiled the same day.

    Speaking at the event, the Chief Branding Officer, Mr. Tham Chee Wah,  said the more the company expands its business in Nigeria the more Nigerians and the economy benefits from the company policy.

    Wah, who appreciated the good business climate and patronage in Nigeria, said since January when the book on the “Four Pillars of Success” was published, seminars have been held in many locations.  He said the company would continue to improve on healthy living of Nigerians and provide good number of job opportunities to Nigerians who are ready to be part of their success, adding that throughout the years, Edmark branches in Nigeria have doubled in workforce to serve the fast growing network of distributors standing at almost 50,000 active independent distributors.

    He noted that the most important thing to the company is to give back to the society and contribute to the growth of Nigeria’s economy.

    Wah said: “We are treating Nigerians based on the universal principle of gratitude, abundance, love and compassion. That was why today we are not regretting given back to the society. Since Edmark started its journey in Nigeria with its mission set in mind, the company has continuously provided job opportunities through its network marketing business. And promote a healthy lifestyle through high quality food supplements. Now, the company is set to create a positive living environment with efficient public utilities, hygienic amenities and state-of-the-art facilities. With quality education a favorable living condition, Edmark envisions to build a productive, prosperous and positive community in Nigeria.

    “Edmark’s journey in Nigeria began way before the first branch opened in 2009. The growing demand for the Edmark products in the country gained the attention of the management and Business development teams.  Notable number of consumers and distributors purchased products and registered their distributorship at Edmark first African branch in Accra and Ghana.  Edmark Nigeria has spurred the growth of Edmark in the African continent with the company subsequent entry into Cameroon.  Edmark has grown into having ten more branches across Nigeria as of this year, located in Abuja, Benin, Enugu, Jos, Kano, Onitsha, Osogbo, Oweri, Port Harcourt and Uyo.”

  • Flourish promotes healthy living

    Flourish promotes healthy living

    The Gambia, known as the smiling coast of Africa, has always prided itself on being a prime tourist destination for inbound tourists from within and outside Africa. Hitherto the focus had been on leisure destination and also for historical tourism for many blacks in the Diaspora. Thanks to Alex Hailey’s popular novel, Roots.

    However, there is an effort by some of the hospitality outfits to strike off the beaten path and are now promoting health and wellness.

    Flourish Wellness Resort is one of its top hospitality properties, a luxury boutique property, which besides its leisure appeal, is classified as Africa’s number one wellness and health resort offering premium wellness facilities and services.

    In an effort to woo Nigerian tourists, the Marketing Manager, Mr. Arafang Saine, said the resort is a class act designed to give first-class treatment to patrons, particularly the high-end client desirous of private and exclusive treat.

    According to him, the resort, which has Kanu Nwankwo as its ambassador, cherishes its patrons and is devoted to attending to their needs at all times, hence the resort is highly rated when it comes to personalised services.

    “No matter how sophisticated your taste is, how well-travelled or exposed you are, Flourish Wellness Resort is designed to meet them and encourage you for a repeat visit,” said Saine while making a pitch for the resort.

    Located in a beautiful, naturally alluring landscape and nestled against the ocean in the Kotu area of Banjul, the resort offers 40 exclusively furnished deluxe suites, all offering good view while enjoying rich décor and amenities such as free high speed WIFI, cable TV, fridge, tea and coffee making facilities and telephone, bathroom/shower and Jacuzzi, kitchenette and entertainment centre.

    The exclusive suites offer expansive and aesthetically inviting living rooms with large and beautifully furnished bedrooms with in-built wardrobes, while you have the luxury of enjoying a free walk to a private veranda or balcony to relax and explore nature and bath under the canopy of stars.

  • Promoting healthy living

    Promoting healthy living

    The maiden Nigerian Healthcare Execellence Award (NHEA)has been held in Lagos, reports  WALE ADEPOJU .

    IT was time to unwind for medical personnel. Many doctors put away their stethoscopes to catch some fun. It was the maiden Nigerian Health Care Excellence Award (NHEA) organised by the Global Health Project and Resources (GHPR) and the Anadach Group. The event was held at the Eko Hotel and Suites on Victoria Island, Lagos.

    The awards were in 16 categories. They  included a lifetime achievement award presented to Professor of Surgery Adeyemo Elebute.

    Elebute, who came with of his wife, Prof Oyin, said when he was approached by the organisers, he asked for more time to think about the award.

    He called for a universal health care coverage for Nigerians, saying: “That is the level the country should get to. Dreams without expectations are only hallucination,” he said.

    Other recipients were 445 NAF Laboratory, Lagos, which won the Laboratory Service of the Year; Pathcare Nigeria Limited won that of the private sector.

    Pharmaceutical company of the Year award went to Fidson Healthcare Plc; Rivers State got the Outstanding Government Healthcare Programme of the Year award.

    NHEA Chairman, Dr Anthony Omolola said he did not believe in posthumous award as most people preferred to be honoured while still alive.

    “I would like to be recognised when I’m doing well. When people are recognised they will be encouraged to do more,” he said.

    The selection of winners, he said, was carried out by a credible committee.

    “The committe is thorough and the award is not a “cash and carry one” because the awardees deserved the honour.”

    GHPR Chief Executive Officer Dr Wale Alabi described the award  as recognition for individuals and organisations that contributed to the development of facilities and service delivery in the sector.

    Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi  said the award did not come as a surprise, adding: “I wasn’t surprised to have won the award because the state had achieved 100 per cent in routine immunisation coverage in the assessment by the World Health Organisation (WHO)”.

    Amaechi, represented by his Commissioner for Health, Dr Tamunoiyoriari Parker, said the state would work harder to consolidate its gains.

    “People no longer die from preventable/avoidable deaths. They now enjoy unfettered access to health care.

    “The state built 120 functional Primary Health Care (PHC) centres with doctors and other health care workers working in the facilities. This has solved 70 per cent of the problems people face,” Amaechi said.

    In attendance were Ogun State Commissioner for Health Dr Olaokun Soyinka; former Lagos State Commissioner for Health Dr Leke Pitan; Special Adviser to Lagos State governor on Public Health, Dr Yewande Adeshina and Majority Leader, Lagos State House of Assembly Dr Ajibayo Adeyeye, among others.