Refresh, Revitalise

Sharon Jane Akinyemi

Sharon Jane Akinyemi

By Sharon Jane Akinyemi

How important is your health? What amount of money would you be willing to pay to buy health if you could? Would it be worth a million naira to you? It’s a relative question, isn’t it?

If you are reasonably healthy, you may want to spend your money on something else. If you only have a complaint or two about your health, perhaps you feel tired once in a while but overall you’re doing fairly well, you might not be willing to shell out as much as someone else. What is wellness worth? Ask patients in hospital cancer wards that same question. Most would agree that they would pay any amount of money to regain their health. Ask the parents of a terminally ill child. A million naira is a small ransom to pay the disease that has taken their son or daughter hostage.

Health is a priceless possession, more important than the houses, cars, furniture, jewels and other assets our culture so highly values. Strength and stamina-gifts most of us receive at birth-can be maintained or lost during a lifetime, depending on the receivers stewardship.

The world health organisation (WHO) defines health as a state of complete physical, mental and social wellbeing  and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.  Sometimes we don’t realise the value of something  until we have lost it.

Back in the late nineties, Reader’s Digest Association published a valuable book entitled Foods That Harm, Foods That Heal.  We listed a small number of the good, healing foods. But there are also some foods to stay away from. Don’t worry, there are more good than bad. It’s just that the bad are so tempting! It’s the  old “forbidden fruit” problem.

Back in Eden, God told Adam and Eve, “You can eat all the plants and fruits in the Garden,” then He added, “all except for this one.”  Where did their eyes instantly shoot? That tree. Which tree where they soon hanging around? That forbidden one, the one food choice that would harm them. The twosomes should have stayed as far away from trouble as possible. The same is true for you as you begin a new diet-get rid of the old troublesome one first.

•Be sure to stock plenty of fruits and veggies for healthy diets
•Be sure to stock plenty of fruits and veggies for healthy diets

We hate to break the news, but sugar is trouble. It stimulates the appetite. People who eat refined, sugary, processed food consume 25 percent more calories than those who eat natural whole foods. Unfortunately, refined sugar is in everything nowadays, even can juice and vegetables! And it only takes 1Tbs of refined sugar to impair the immune system for unto four days. Even the Holy Book says to control your intake of sweets. “Do you like honey? Don’t eat too much of it, or it will make you sick!” Proverbs 25:16 (TLB) warns. Honey may be natural but it’s still sugar in the bloodstream. From experience, I can attest  that too much sugar of any kind will make you sick. And I know you can live without it!

Renew

Clear your cupboards of anything made with sugar, white flour, packaged mixes, ‘soft’ processed drinks and other depleted, fattening food. Alcoholic drinks in your fridge, ice-cream in your freezer. Whatever tempts you, out with it! If you can’t bear to throw food away, share it among the children and youths around you, or use it up gradually and replace with healthy foods. Wipe out your cupboards, refrigerator, and freezers, then you are ready to go shopping and stock up with new and healthy options.

Refresh

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At the market, look out for fresh, healthier foods. Head towards those sections of the market where you will spot all the colourful fruits and vegetables we’ve been raving about. Pick up ingredients for a big salad, select some veggies for soup and several other vegetables for dinner side dishes. Keep your colours in mind and choose accordingly. And don’t forget plenty of onions and garlic, food without seasoning can really be intolerable.

Always choose the freshest, highest quality foods available. Living in Nigeria has it’s advantages! Sometimes, am awed when I walk through a produce section. Look at the abundance God has given our nation. The blessings in Nigeria are truly amazing, aren’t they? I sometimes breath  a word of thanks right there in the market. Pick out some tempting fruits for breakfast and snacking. Bag some lemons and limes for the week. Be sure to stock plenty of seasonings like ginger and garlic and other favourites. Sometimes the bread shop is near the market. There is nothing wrong with day old bread either. Just watch for mold. And don’t be fool by packaging and advertising. Content is what you are after! You want whole- grain baked bread with little or no sugar and fat. The purer and simpler the ingredients in your food, the healthier you will be. Learn to read labels, your health depends on it!

In the meat section, select low-fat proteins like chicken, turkey, fresh fish and if you love beef, limit yourself to one special meat of the week.  Choose several grains too: ofada rice, beans, millet(for pap), wheat, and other healthy favourites. Try to replace pastry snacks with nuts. Buy a bottle of cashew or peanut. If you are  on the run and need something quick and nutritious, nothing beats a handful of nuts. But if losing weight is a priority, eat only a serving. They are full of fats. Let the nuts replace your next meat serving. Career women can prepare the week’s meal ahead of time and pop them in the freezer if necessary.

Revive Your Active Lifestyle

Remember that as kids active lisfestyle was part of your  daily routine. So, if you’ve decided it’s time to start exercising again, congratulations!. You’ve taken the first step on your way to a new and improved body and mind. “Exercise can literally cure diseases like some forms of heart disease. Exercise has been implicated in helping people prevent or recover from some forms of cancer. Exercise helps people with arthritis. Exercise helps people prevent and reverse depression,” says Michael R. Bracko, EdD, FACSM, chairman of the American College of Sports Medicine’s Consumer Information Committee.

And there’s no arguing that exercise can help most people lose weight, as well as look more toned and trim. Of course, there’s a catch. You need to get  and keep moving if you want to cash in on the benefits. This doesn’t necessarily mean following a strict, time-consuming regimen at the gym, although that can certainly reap benefits. The truth is you can get rewards from many different types and levels of exercise.

Your exercise options are numerous, including walking, dancing, gardening, biking even doing household chores, says Redberg. The important thing is to choose activities you enjoy, she says. That will increase your chances of making it a habit.

Revitalize

It’s time to allow restoration of lost energy and strength by doing as expected. I encourage you to forget about all the reasons you have failed in the past. Today is a new day and a fresh start. My purpose for this article is to help you find solutions, not excuses. It doesn’t matter what challenges are holding you back. If you want to achieve victory, you must find solutions to those speed bumps. BE STRONG.

For questions and answers, connect with me @ www.facebook.com/BodyConfidenceFitnessClub

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