Health Essentials
Ready. Set. Heart
Health Is Served
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Over the past three weeks, I seem to be bombarded with challenges involving the heart and mental health and it appears it’s an appropriate time to dig into the archives to reproduce an article I wrote in 2011. It is over a decade ago but the principles have remained essentially the same. We are losing many lives and people are developing major complications of diseases needlessly. We have the power to turn things around for the better if we are willing to make “small healthy choices daily”.
Together with its members, the World Heart Federation spreads the news that at least 80 per cent of premature deaths from heart disease and stroke could be avoided if the main risk factors, tobacco, unhealthy diet and physical inactivity, are controlled.
The main modifiable risk factors (high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, obesity, inadequate physical activity and cigarette smoking) appear easy to control so what is preventing us from doing just that? My answer may surprise you but I sincerely think it’s because humans want complex solutions and do not appreciate fully that simple behavioural changes can solve the problem. Some of us even love to spend money to buy pills to “fix the problem” quickly. Of course when it comes to food, the most saliva-inducing and tasty ones are quite often the killers but you could certainly enjoy healthy food as well.
- STOP Smoking and prevent others from smoking (in your presence).
- Once upon a time, puffing the smoke of death was fashionable (maybe from a lack of adequate knowledge?) but certainly in 2022, a healthy lifestyle is in vogue. If you do not smoke, why should you inhale smoke from others (passive smoking)? I spent all week looking for a good reason to smoke and found none. An okro mouth whispered into my ear that it helps him control his weight. Really and at what cost?
- The downsides of smoking or being a passive smoker are many and include strokes, lung, bladder, mouth and throat cancers, heart disease, gastric ulcer, chronic bronchitis and risks to an unborn baby.
- Note that tobacco in every form is dangerous to your health. Do not think you are safe if you chew tobacco products.
- Eat more fresh fruits and vegetables
- In Ghana and other developing countries we often want something that will fill our stomach and stay there for as long as possible. Why do you think “concrete” is so revered in this great land of ours? Start the day with a hefty dose and top it up with frequent gulps of water. We always come up with a 1001 reasons why eating fruits could lead to instant “pocketitis” and may signal the beginning of a third world war in many homes. We love to get into unnecessary arguments about whether fruits should be eaten before or after meals etc, just eat them!
- We probably should consider buying fruits when they are in season since they are much cheaper at the time.
- Kontomire, cassava leaves and garden eggs, are great vegetables that will not cost you an arm and a leg. You also have the option of the cabbages, lettuces etc.
- The option of having a small garden is great but many of us do not have the luxury of space to do that
- Eat a healthy diet
- LOW in saturated fats
- Saturated fats can be found in animal products such as meat, milk, cheese and butter but be careful of plant products such as palm oil. Limit these or simply stay away from them.
- LOW in refined carbohydrates
- LOW in salt
- This is as simple as it is stated. Reduce the salt you put in food. Avoid adding salt to already cooked food. Flee from salted snacks and watch artificial flavouring.
- LOW in saturated fats
- Increase levels of physical activity
- This is no drill on exercising but sitting in the sofa all evening or sitting at your desk for hours on end has not yet produced a healthy being. Household chores, gardening, walking even if it means while on the phone, using the stairs instead of the elevator all add up. The more you move the better for you. Dear friend moving the TV remote does not account for much but maybe if you could walk to the TV to change channels or make other modifications then you would be on the right path.
- For most of us mild to moderate intensity exercise is just what the doctor prescribed. Extreme exercising could actually cause a dip in your immunity and we definitely do not need that. So let’s just keep it moderate so that we can reap all the benefits.
- Change is good but variety is even better. The body gets “bored” when we do the same things all the time. It adapts to the situation and there are hardly any additional benefits. Spice up life by changing your exercise or physical activity regime and you will begin to make great strides.
Changing these habits and behaviours is possible but we need to be committed. Whatever we are today is by the grace of God and the choices we made before today. Make healthy choices that will protect your heart and it will continue to perform well for many years to come.
Today many people have died from a heart disease, and others have gained HEART HEALTH, which group would you rather join? This is a great time to check your numbers: Blood Pressure, Blood Sugar, Blood Lipids (cholesterol).
AS ALWAYS LAUGH OFTEN, ENSURE HYGIENE, WALK AND PRAY EVERYDAY AND REMEMBER IT’S A PRICELESS GIFT TO KNOW YOUR NUMBERS (blood sugar, blood pressure, blood cholesterol, BMI)
By Dr. Kojo Cobba Essel
Health Essentials Ltd/ Mobissel
(dressel@healthessentialsgh.com)
*Dr. Essel is a medical doctor, holds an MBA and is ISSA certified in exercise therapy, fitness nutrition and corrective exercise.
Thought for the week – “The world seems to be running at an incredible pace, whenever you catch yourself being overwhelmed, STOP, BREATHE & CALM YOURSELF.”
References:
- World Heart Federation Website
- The Ten Commandments For A Healthy & Enjoyable Life: Dr. Kojo Cobba Essel
- Unravelling The Essentials of Health & Wealth (2019) – Dr. Kojo Cobba Essel
It appears I am stuck in sleep mode; last week we discussed sleep hygiene and now it’s napping. Could it be my brain doing its best to make me understand it needs more sleep?
Many of us developed a love for afternoon naps while in school because it was mandatory to “sleep” after lunch. It may have been a luxury to get restful sleep in one’s junior years but our brains got the message: sleep after lunch to get a boost in energy to prepare you for the rest of the day.
As the years rolled by sleeping after lunch, for instance, has become a mirage but everyone loves a “power nap”. The French do a great job when it comes to their afternoon break.
If you enjoy your naps, you may have experienced that feeling of extending your sleep once you go beyond half an hour. It’s that feeling of no turning back. On the other hand, if you nap for just about 30 minutes you seem to have a new lease of energy.
I love naps whenever I get a chance to squeeze one in, but school had siestas that lasted about an hour so sometimes I love to revisit the days of old. A new research finding is, however, about to trample on that glorious time spent hitting on the snooze button and being at peace with the sheets, chair or even bench or floor in some instances.
We all appreciate that getting enough sleep is key to good health but this study suggests that long daytime naps may not be in your best interest.
The researchers found that long naps in excess of 40 minutes and excessive daytime sleepiness were associated with an increased risk for conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity and high cholesterol; collectively referred to as metabolic syndrome.
The research showed that people who napped for less than 40 minutes were not at increased risk for metabolic syndrome. In fact, those who napped less than 30 minutes had a slight decrease in risk.
The findings seem to point accusing fingers at those of us who nap for over 40 minutes; that is when the problems seem to begin. I am sure you can confidently guess what happens when people nap for over 90 minutes; the risk of developing metabolic syndrome increased by as much as 50%.
“The review also found that napping for more than an hour or being overly tired during the day were both linked with a 50 percent higher risk for type 2 diabetes.”
“However, the study only found an association between these factors, and did not prove that excessive sleepiness and long naps actually cause metabolic syndrome or diabetes.”
Is it possible that those of us who nap for long periods of time also avoid physical activity and probably over-indulge in comfort foods, hence increasing the risk for these lifestyle diseases?
One thing is certain, you cannot go wrong with a short nap; it can be extremely satisfying. So while the scientists continue to explain and maybe confirm these findings, let us limit our naps to 30 minutes. If you have extra time take a walk or get some work done.
This may be a reminder that too much of even a good thing may be harmful. Sleeping has great benefits including reducing our risks for developing heart and blood vessel diseases such as stroke, it improves our immunity and also enhances our performance in all spheres of life.
Just as sleeping in excess of 9 hours at a time has been linked with bad outcomes, excessive daytime napping is now getting its “day in court”. Moderation in all things must be key!!
A nap is essential for every individual
A 20-minute nap in the early afternoon may:
• Ease your stress
• Sharpen your memory
• Help you react faster
• Improve your job performance
• Boost your energy
• Lift your mood
• Make you more alert
How long did you nap today?
AS ALWAYS LAUGH OFTEN, ENSURE HYGIENE, WALK AND PRAY EVERY DAY AND REMEMBER IT’S A PRICELESS GIFT TO KNOW YOUR NUMBERS (blood sugar, blood pressure, blood cholesterol, BMI)
Dr. Kojo Cobba Essel
Health Essentials Ltd/ Medics Clinic
(dressel@healthessentialsgh.com)
Dr. Essel is a medical doctor with a keen interest in Life Style Medicine, holds an MBA and is an ISSA Specialist in exercise therapy, fitness nutrition and corrective exercise. He is the author of the award-winning book, ‘Unravelling The Essentials of Health & Wealth.’
Thought for the week – “Sleep is an important component of our healthy lifestyle, as well as diet and exercise,” says Dr. Tomohide Yamada. “Short naps might have a beneficial effect on our health, but we don’t yet know the strength of that effect or the mechanism by which it works.”
References:
- WebMD News from HealthDay by Robert Preidt
- Extract from “The Importance of Obtaining Adequate Sleep” by Dr. Obo Addy
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Sleep comes in different shades. There are those who sleep pretty and hardly move an inch in bed. Then we have those who are virtually at war when in bed and may turn a whole 360 degrees several times in the land of the unknown. Woe betide you if you find yourself in the same “sleep ring” with such a fighter. The most “decorated” ones bring music to sleep and the noise that exudes from their throats, nostrils and mouth could compete with any orchestra except that harmony is often thrown to the wind; those of us who belong to this category know ourselves.
Inspite of all the above, when I am hard pressed to pick one thing that has the greatest impact on one’s health, I will say SLEEP reigns. Too many challenges spring up when we fail to get enough sleep and it’s no wonder that at the doctor’s office we hear many complaints of not being able to sleep.
Most of the time the solution is not in popping pills but the Sleep Hygiene Tips below will go a long way to make a difference in your sleep and subsequently your health.
Sleep hygiene tips
- Create darkness in the room
- Sleep is easier when your room is dark. A bright room may be a challenge especially if you already have a bunter with sleep.
- Have a Regular sleep plan
- Keep to the safe time you go to bed and also time you wake up. Regularity is key.
- Ensure room is cool and well ventilated
- An extremely hot or cold room may keep you awake just tossing and turning. A nice breeze makes sleep even better.
- Wind down or unplug about an hour to bedtime
- Rushing throughout the day and then diving into bed may not be the best remedy for sleep. Slow down, start putting off lights, stop working and maybe spend about 5 minutes meditating or speaking to God.
- Avoid phones, laptops, work in bed/bedroom
- These have no business in your sleep area and should not be in your bed for sure. The glare from lights, the vibrations or sounds from messages and even calls may keep you awake and give you a nightmare with your eyes wide open.
- Exercise
- Exercise and laugh and you will be preparing yourself for a sound sleep. You may exercise anytime of the day but when you struggle a lot with sleep the ideal time may be four to six hours before bedtime. Exercising an hour or two before you sleep may rather keep you alert and awake.
- Watch your food intake; don’t overeat, avoid spicy food and lots of oil
- Gluttony is definitely “sinful” and one of the instant punishments is discomfort and difficulty sleeping. A full stomach at bedtime makes one wish for daybreak. The spices can also cause havoc especially when eaten late. That heartburn will wake you up and keep you sitting and cursing all night.
- Watch what you drink; stimulants may affect your sleep e.g. caffeine, fizzy drinks, alcohol and energy drinks
- If you have trouble with sleep or you do not want your sleep to be disturbed in any way, avoid these 4 clear hours or more before sleep time. ACOHOL deceives you into thinking you will sleep only to wake up early, feeling unrested or making dashes to the washroom.
- Discuss with your doctor when to take some of your prescribed medication
- Sometimes some medications we are on may cause us to wake up several times to urinate and should preferably be taken much earlier in the day. Others keep us alert over several hours.
- Writing your TO DO LIST for the next day relaxes the brain
- The brain sometimes will keep “working” in an attempt not to forget what you need to do the following day. Hack your brain by writing down or typing out your To Do List for the following day and you will be blessed with good sleep.
- Get professional care to diagnose and manage medical conditions
- Sometimes it’s a medical condition that is directly or indirectly depriving us of good sleep and our health professional can help us find and treat this so we can once more enjoy the bliss of the Lotus Eaters. Maybe it could be a medication that is just not right for you.
Popping pills to sleep in most cases will not solve the challenge and should never be our first line of correcting our sleep wars. Adopt these hygiene tips today even if you sleep well and your health will be on the right path. Not even the decorated bedroom trumpeter or the sleep fighter can take your sleep away from you.
AS ALWAYS LAUGH OFTEN, ENSURE HYGIENE, WALK AND PRAY EVERYDAY AND REMEMBER IT’S A PRICELESS GIFT TO KNOW YOUR NUMBERS (blood sugar, blood pressure, blood cholesterol, BMI)
Dr. Kojo Cobba Essel
Health Essentials Ltd/Medics Clinic
(www.healthessentialsgh.com)
*Dr. Essel is a Medical Doctor with a keen interest in Lifestyle Medicine, He holds an MBA and is an ISSA Specialist in Exercise Therapy, Fitness Nutrition and Corrective Exercise. He is the author of the award-winning book, ‘Unravelling The Essentials of Health & Wealth.’
Thought for the week – “ A good laugh and a long sleep are the best cures in the doctor’s book.” – Irish Proverb
SKIP THE QUEUE, TAP THE NEWS
You can now read the Ghanaian Times and The Spectator newspapers from the comfort of your device via TimesNewsPlus.
Join our WhatsApp Channel: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VbBElzjInlqHhl1aTU27
