Page 62 - LionKing

HEALTH
IMPRO VING HEALTH THROUGH
DIET
By Funso Ero-Phillips
Adanna Monde, CEO of GLOWHealthNG, is helping people adopt healthier, sustain- able lifestyle changes through nutrition, preventative health, weight manage- ment and corporate wellness initiatives. Her company, GLOW Health manages diseases of lifestyle such as high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, obe- sity, gout, certain cancers, kidney, liver and heart diseases, and other chronic illnesses. Adanna throws light on some very important concepts on dieting and healthy living.
The first thing that comes to mind when I hear ‘nutritionist’ is someone that tells oth- ers to eat drab and boring meals... what exactly is the job of a nutritionist?
A nutritionist is a person who advises on food and nutrition to promote health and manage disease. Although I understand the public think nutritionists tell people to eat ‘drab and boring meals’, I believe
this is a common misconception. A good nutritionist should take many factors into account when advising clients, such as culture, food allergies and preferences, health history, and wellness goals. At GLOW Health, our goal when advising cli- ents is to help you achieve optimal health while still enjoying the foods you love with slight modifications to make them health- ier.
Why should we watch our diets?
Your diet is the first line of defence against lifestyle diseases. The global burden of disease has made a shift to a higher prevalence of non-communicable diseases. This means that more people are dying from diseases of lifestyle more than before.
In Nigeria, the top ten causes of years
of life lost include Heart Disease, Stroke and Liver Disease which have increased by up to 25% over the last 10 years. Risk factors such as High Blood Pressure, High Blood Sugar and an unhealthy diet have increased by up to 40% over the last 10 years, making them amongst the top causes of death and disability in Nigeria.
So, it goes beyond just ‘watching your weight’; your diet affects your overall health.
Why are people always hammering on Calories?
Calories are a unit of energy contained within food used to maintain our health. We need them to survive. They are important because calorie consumption that is too high or too low will eventual-
ly lead to serious health problems. The amount of calories each person needs varies based on their Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR). Simply put, your BMR is the amount of calories your body needs to perform basic life-sustaining functions (such as breathing, circulation, etc.) at rest. If you are interested in losing or gain- ing weight, think of your BMR as the num- ber of calories you need to maintain your current weight.
African meals are largely heavy on carbs; how can we make a balanced diet out of local African dishes?
We were blessed with an abundance of natural resources on this continent in the form of agricultural produce. Our food
is organic and highly sought after in the western world. African meals often get
a bad rep because they are very carb- dense, but carbs are not inherently bad for you at all! Not all carbohydrates are created equal and the more complex the carbohydrate, the better. Complex carbohydrates help regulate blood sugar spikes, have more nutrients and keep you
62 | The Lion King | April - June 2019