Health Essentials
‘One man’s meat…’
The first time I saw someone eat dog meat I was scandalised. I did not understand how that could happen, but it did. And I saw it. We went for a sports festival in one of the towns in the Volta Region in 1964 and food vendors were around selling their stuff. An aroma of barbecue wafted through the air that drew school children to the fire.
A soldier in uniform picked a stick of the khebab, paid for it and sauntered away to enjoy the meat. Just a few moments later, he turned back to the vendor and asked why he sold him dog meat. I wondered how he knew it was dog meat, but it turned out he had eaten it before and knew that taste. I do not want to narrate what happened to the poor guy who sold the meat.
As time went on I found myself eating python meat that same year. This reptile slithered into the thatched roof of a neighbour when its hole was inundated with flood waters of the Keta Lagoon. The big boys in the area caught it, skinned it and we made a meal of the meat. It tasted like chicken, except it had too much fat. I did enjoy it though.
Some cousins and I used to go set traps at a cemetery a mile out of town during weekends to catch rats, which we cooked and feasted on. To us it was to take our minds off the drudgery of academic and house chores all week; an adventure, if you may call it so. We caught and ate doves, water fowls, quails and hawks. Seasonally, we ate migratory birds like gulls and pelicans. Some of these birds had metal rings with inscriptions on their legs. We were after the meat, not the rings.
I could have eaten meat from a monitor lizard if it was not the totem of the Like Clan I belong to. I am told the Like do not eat this reptile and sawfish. Story has it that a great Like ancestor was saved from drowning by a sawfish, thus our prohibition from eating its meat.
Until I became a vegetarian in 1974, I had eaten meat from cat, rabbit, bat, crocodile and tortoise. I recollect a seminar I attended in Kampala, Uganda, in the late 80s. A Ugandan participant invited some of us to his house. As we entered the compound I saw scores of grasscutters scuttling all over and some ran to him as dogs do their masters. In amazement, I asked, “Mr. Okot, what are you doing with these rodents in your home?” He said they were his pets.
When I told him it was the most expensive meat in Ghana, he took a step back from me as if I had landed from another planet. Apparently, East Africans do not eat grasscutter, period!
Only last week, there was this hoopla on the international news channels for a whole day about Kurt Zouma, a former Chelsea defender, now playing for West Ham, molesting a cat in his home. Suggestions were thrown about to the effect that he needed counseling. Of course, cruelty to any animal is against the law in many countries, including England where he plays his football.
I observe the way we treat our domestic animals and it is abhorrent, to say the least. But the question that came to my mind was what would have happened if Kurt Zouma had mercifully killed that cat and feasted on its meat, were he Ewe from Ghana, Togo or Benin? The Crown Court would have handed him a jail term by now. My father had a way of slaughtering a cat the way we do either a goat or chicken, not the way people strangulate the poor feline or drown it in a sack or any other means. Of course, there are many ways to kill a cat, not so?
Back home in Ghana, one group’s delicacy is another’s taboo. There are others who eat anything that has life; anything that moves, actually. There must be varying reasons a certain group of people will not eat certain things. This might be steeped in religion, spirituality or even superstition or myth. Whatever the case, animals must be treated with respect even if we rear them for consumption.
There is this rodent in En-Gedi in Israel. It’s a cross between the rat and the grasscutter. They are so plenty and notoriously destructive to the sparse vegetation in that desert area that the Israeli government does not know how to exterminate them. Unfortunately, because of my commitment not to eat any flesh, let alone take life, there is practically nothing I can do to help Israel. If not, I would set up camp at En-Gedi, trap these rodents and smoke them the way we do bush meat in our parts and ship them in neat packages to Ghana. The boxes would be labelled, “Smoked Meat of the Holy Land of Israel.” You can bet the churches will do the marketing for me.
I sympathise with Kurt Zouma. Africans generally do not respect animals as having the feeling of happiness and pain. We kick and beat our pets at will. It is in our DNA, which is no excuse for cruelty towards them. I watch documentaries on television where people pay thousands of dollars in veterinary bills for their pets like dogs, cats, pigs, birds of all kinds and even reptiles.
Tibetans are a pious, very spiritual Buddhists who are mostly vegetarians. When China invaded this mountain region in the early 50s they ate all their cats and dogs and every other living things that moved. In the Congo area of Africa every living creature there is edible. Insects of all kinds, some roaches, grubs, worms of all types are on the menu.
I once took a friend out for lunch in one restaurant in Accra. When she heard an order from the adjoining table for frog legs, she vowed never to eat in that restaurant any longer. This is largely because in our minds certain things are unimaginable. I recall the renown pathologist, Prof. Agyeman Badu Akosa, said in an interview on national television on the issue of vultures being served as meat that, “It’s just muscle, that’s all.”
Animal rights activists have taken their fights quite well, especially on the poaching of certain species in the wild to near extinction. Rhino, tiger, leopard parts considered medicinal are a million-dollar business in the Far East. In our parts chameleons, parrots, fork-tailed lizards and the left hand of green monkeys are prized commodities.
The understanding and/or otherwise of nature’s balance and the ecosystem brews the ideal ingredient of conflict. Education is needed for the right approach to issues bordering on protecting the species so that as we consume these animals, the scale of the ecosystem is not tilted towards the destruction of the very things that give us life. When “the last tree dies, the last man dies” is the adage, but we forget that animals propagate the seeds of the plants that constitute our forests and give shelter to our wildlife.
By Dr. Akofa K. Segbefia
IF you truly love yourself, you had better read this piece while standing!
The other “inactivity” that rivals sitting for long periods when it comes to poor health and untimely death is LONLINESS! Sitting and Loneliness are the new Smoking.
It is often common to hear a parent tell a child, “Sit quietly and watch television and I will make a quick dash to town.” Well, this harmless and well-meaning statement is now being vilified. That parent could have said “smoke a few sticks of cigarettes while I dash off to town.” Yes “sitting is the “new” smoking.”
Scientists: they keep coming up with many weird findings and unfortunately, we realise after much ado that they may be right. People with sitting jobs have twice the rate of cardiovascular (heart & blood vessel) diseases as those with standing jobs – the bankers are cringing in their seats I bet.
It appears that compared to sitting,
• Sitting continuously brings similar challenges that smoking poses a gossip team. After an hour of sitting, if you walk for a minute or two.
Standing is hard work. Imagine that you need to engage many muscles to stand upright, and this burns energy. Sitting on the other hand is extremely relaxing.
When we sit, the “physiology of inactivity” kicks in and when we think we are relaxing in a chair made from heaven, our body instead rewards us with many bad things; enzymes that break down fat may drop by about 90 per cent calorie burning drops to frightening low levels and soon good cholesterol that protects us also drops. If you sit long enough even your insulin effectiveness drops and you will be courting diabetes in the long run.
I sincerely believe in getting a workout during the day, but you should not think that it gives you a license to sit at your desk for hours on end. We should ensure that we get up from our desk to walk briefly or even stretch. I am not giving you an excuse for loitering around your office or forming ings. When you have a meeting with a handful of people you could lace your boots and start walking while you talk. Who knows being out of a box (office etc) could help you think “out of the box” or even think like “there is no box”. The best aspect of such a meeting is people are more attentive since they are unable to fidget with their smart phones and other gadgets.
All lectures and classes (children are really suffering in school these days) should have a “Heart Preserving” five-minute break after every hour. Spend that time walking and stretching.
All long movies should have commercial breaks that should be used to at least stand
Whenever in doubt, at least stand for a while.
Well some people are trying innovative ways of even having small treadmills at their desk that keeps them moving, others are adopting a new chair design that essentially makes you stand at your desk, a few others sit on exercise balls that forces them to adjust their positions all the time but for the rest of us simply taking breaks and using every opportunity to move is just what the doctor prescribed.
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/Medics Clinic
(www.healthessentialsgh.com)
Dr. Essel is a medical doctor with a keen interest in Lifestyle Medicine, He holds an MBA and is ISSA certified 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 – For good heart health; exercise often, eat healthy, do not smoke, minimise alcohol and sit less
By Dr. Kojo Cobba Essel
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I have on several occasions referred to laughter as the “best medicine” just as many others do and over the years, I have expanded my knowledge on the benefits of laughter. We all need to laugh daily and that’s the prescription given by the best doctors all over the world.
I came across the quote “Laughter is the best medicine. Unless you’re laughing for no reason….then you need medicine.” It sounds great and will get you laughing or at least smiling yet I beg to differ. My advice: find a reason to laugh no matter what and if you find none laugh anyway.
A few years ago, I decided to spend my first three hours of being awake laughing or smiling no matter what. It set the tone for a successful day. I did not bother about the early morning traffic, neither did I scream or honk at careless drivers but I guess as the years dragged on and the reality of fuel price hikes, electricity challenges and an ailing Ghana economy among many others hit home, the smile and laughter faded but I ALWAYS get back once I realise I am “short-changing” myself. No matter the struggles you may be facing, remember laughing or smiling will surely make your day so much better.
My prescription for you and myself is “Laugh at least five minutes in the morning and five minutes at the end of the day” no matter what. Do it even if you have no reason to.
Now what does science say about laughter?
1. It helps make the world a better place
a. Laughter is contagious so set the ball rolling by laughing and many others will join in the fun.
2. You learn better
Well, no need to get all serious and mean while you learn something new. A good dose of laughter while you learn may actually make the process more efficient. Word of caution, DO NOT distract others by laughing in an annoying way.
3. You get a health boost
a. We know this, right? I found out that laughter may actually increase good cholesterol while lowering inflammation. We do need more data on this but really, keep laughing, it can’t possibly harm you.
4. Makes you more robust
a. A nervous laughter when your back is against the wall? Laughter helps regulate your emotions in a difficult situation. Crying or frowning is unlikely to have positive returns.
5. Lowers stress and improves memory
a. Stress hormones, especially in the elderly, is reduced by laughter and one’s ability to remember gets a much-needed spike.
6. Makes you more attractive
a. People are always attracted to a “smiling face” or someone who laughs often. They make the party come alive.
7. Improves your relationship
a. Whether you are negotiating a deal at work, interacting with family or friends; laughter creates stronger bonds leading to better outcomes and building stronger relationships.
8. May help burn off some calories
Now I may be pushing this too much, but truth is laughter does raise your energy expenditure and heart rate. Though the calories you burn may be fewer per bout of laughter, every positive thing adds up for our good.
9. Boosts immune function and enhances sleep
a. Say goodbye to frequent common colds and laying in bed for long hours listening to the dogs in the neighbourhood “chitchatting”, a leaking tap dripping or worse still a snore within earshot that will compete with Louis Armstrong on the trumpet.
b. Combine laughter with your daily dose of exercise, and your winning combination is a reality.
10. May improve blood pressure and relax muscles
a. I will not advise you to drop your medication for all day laughter but I am sure laughter will play a positive role in reducing stress, giving you a feeling of wellbeing, relaxing your muscles in the process and your blood pressure may be sending you a thank you beat sooner than later.
Good health, improved learning ability and an enviable memory packaged with an attractive personality and a penchant to build strong relationships sounds like a team player who is destined for success in all fields. That you may agree will make your trips to the bank exciting and of course cause you to laugh all the way to the bank. The cycle repeats itself.Have you had your daily dose of laughter yet?
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 – “laughter is contagious – Laugh and the whole world laughs with you.”-
References:
1. Fulfillment Daily -7 science-backed reasons why laughing is good for you (2016)
2. Stanford Business
3. Someecards
By Dr. Kojo Cobba Essel
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