Health Essentials
Won’t you rather put your money where your mouth is?
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Eating in small plates makes you eat less food
I can confidently suggest to you that many of us choose our food based on how quickly it can be made available, the taste and the cost.
Some of us even add a fourth dimension; the quantity! Followers of this principle believe that “more is always good.”
In our dear land we had healthy fast food long before we “imported” fried rice and chicken, beef burgers and the likes. Yes good old kenkey with fish and pepper could set records any day if the serving time is compared to any other meal in a fast food challenge.
Whoever said only hard drugs are addictive? Well your body responds to some of these fast foods “by producing a sort of “high,” if you will, with stimulation of portions of the brain,” says Vance Civille.
“What happens is the body then continues to seek out that hit and continues to crave the types of foods and food sensory impressions that make you happy.” How different is this from a drug addiction?
If you are a fan of fast food then you certainly must have met the unhealthy triad: high fat, sugar and salt.
This unhappy and unhealthy triad can be found in almost all the foods and drinks we enjoy; from your delicious fried chicken to your cereals advertised as “healthy” and even your baked goods and beverages have not been spared.
The undisputable truth is that these foods are extremely addictive and will let you return for more over and over again. So though you may be targeting a relatively cheaper meal you end up being classified as a “return customer” and you continue to torment your pocket till you have no money left at all.
Who wins this battle of “cost saving,” certainly not the one that eats but he who sells remains supreme. That is not the end of the story, these foods in addition to relieving you of your hard earned money will visit you with life-style diseases such as obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes and high cholesterol on you.
This means you will make the doctor’s consulting room and the pharmacy your recreational grounds, and woe betide you if these professionals after playing an extremely important role in society are deprived of their rights including a respectable pension, they may be withholding their services and it can spell doom for you.
We just cannot stop eating, yet cutting back on these mouth-watering death traps will do our bodies a world of good. Change does not take too long to become a habit. We can all re-train out tongues.
Within a month of cutting back on sugar for instance your food will now taste okay. Certainly you will crave for the sweet things in life, especially in your first week of deprivation.
I can promise you two things today; I will go straight to the point and my extremely brief tips on eating well will not require calculation in any form:
1. Organize your kitchen
a. Out of sight in some cases may lead to out of mind. If it is easy to spot a particular food, you will eat it. Organise your kitchen to have healthy foods in sight.
2. Use small plates to eat
a. It will amaze you how easily you can fool your own brain. When you eat out of small plates you tend to eat less food.
3. Always serve your meals
a. Eating out of a package is not a good idea. Dish up the food and see yourself eat less.
4. Mind your glass
a. Short and fat glasses mean drinking more juice or alcohol, while the converse holds for tall thin glasses. When it comes to drinking good old zero-calorie water then and only then, is better for majority of us.
5. No extra visuals or great music at meals
a. Watching television while you eat or listening to great music with meals rewards you with mindless eating. Anything that engages your attention other than the food may cause you to eat more than you bargained for. I guess this time round we can refer to that as “biting more than you should chew.”
6. “Discard” your family and friends
a. Company, especially if it is good may mean eating longer and paying less attention to what you are doing. This certainly sounds like a recipe for overeating.
Fortunately overeating will not land you at the Supreme Court but a disease such as high blood pressure will charge you and without giving you a fair trial pass a life sentence on you – time to spend more money on medication, tests and hospital visits.
7. it’s all in the EVIDENCE
a. You are probably on the right path if you always eat with a side-plate within reach. Keep left-over such as bones within sight. Clearing your plate makes you forget how much you have eaten.
ALWAYS LAUGH OFTEN, ENSURE HYGIENE, WALK AND PRAY EVERYDAY AND REMEMBER ITS A PRICELESS GIFT TO KNOW YOUR NUMBERS (blood sugar, blood pressure, blood cholesterol, BMI)
Dr Kojo Cobba Essel
Health Essentials Ltd (HE&W Group)
(dressel@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 also the author of the award-winning book, ‘Unravelling The Essentials of Health & Wealth.’
Thought for the week – “People with diabetes can vary what they eat as long as their meals are balanced and healthy. – Schutter.
Reference:
1. Diabetes – Your Take Control Guide (2012) by the American Diabetes Association.
By Dr Kojo Cobba Essel
These last few months of 2026, I am embarking on a new journey. Over the past several months I have tried out some aspects of my “new way of life” but not in the manner I am doing now and I am sure you are doing same too. Draft your own points based on what is important to you and let us begin the journey together. It is never too late.
Many of the things I am working on now are guided by years of interaction with different people, what may be my purpose in my opinion, great family and friends and the type of wisdom that comes only with years.
- Self-Care
Quite often we try to take care of everything and everyone without ensuring we are appropriately “charged”. There is nothing to give out if you are empty. Self-care is NOT a luxury and it has taken me years to appreciate this;
- I will add a new hobby I have been toying with.
- Surrounding myself with like-minded people who energise me, make me laugh and be the best version of myself. Building Social capital pays.
- I am spending quality time with God daily
- Spending time in nature is key and I ensure that I take much needed breaks
- Spending a few minutes a day to meditate, exercise and spoil myself sometimes
- I will have some hours each day that will be blocked out as “no phone time”
- Keeping a Goal Diary
Many people have described ways of putting down your goals and seeing them happen. My coach taught me the power of VISUALISATION but over the years I went off that golden path. It’s time to get back. This is what I am doing now;
- In a diary I am writing everything I want to be or do as long as I have breath. No pressure.
- I am writing in the present tense; “I am spending an amazing week in a 7-Star resort with the people I love the most”
- I will look at this list everyday
- Start a Gratitude Bank
I listened to this recently and though it was not referred to as a Gratitude Bank, I believe that is exactly what it is
- I picked a diary to write in but others choose a transparent container to drop in written points. Choose what you are comfortable with.
- At the end of each week I will write something(s) I am grateful for and put in the container.
- Whenever I feel “ungrateful” I will read through them to remind myself how blessed I am and surely I will be holding the “evidence”
- On December 31, I will go through the list irrespective of my mood.
- Practice. Practice. Practice
This is exactly as it is – whatever you have written out in your diary to do from self-care through your goals etc. prioritise or focus on a few at a time. As you practice e.g. meditating, exercising, eating right and the many great things you want to do, these will all GROW. Whatever you practice GROWS.
- Make the world a better place
I believe that we can make a difference in our corner no matter the challenges.
- That smile will change someone’s life
- An act of kindness is contagious and the giver, receiver and all those observing benefit immensely. Let us spread kindness.
- The Blood Bank on my mind for this year and beyond.
What are you focusing on, what are you practicing?
Do share your list with me via email.
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
(dressel@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 –“Never change your originality for the sake of others because no one can play your role better than you. So be yourself. You are the best.” – Unknown
References:
- Unravelling the Essentials of Health & Wealth; Dr. Kojo Cobba Essel
When it comes to cancer risk factors; ALL RISK FACTORS ARE NOT CREATED EQUAL. Someone may have several risk factors but remain perfectly fine while another may have only one or none yet end up with breast cancer or other cancers.
We cannot say with certainty that we can do all it takes to prevent cancer BUT we can do a lot to reduce our risk.
TEN (10) TIPS TO CANCER RISK REDUCTION
- Weight Control – being overweight or obese increases risk to SEVERAL cancers.
- Smoking – cigarette smoking predisposes one to several cancers including lung cancer. Other forms of air pollutants serve as risks too.
- Alcohol – limit intake or avoid. It has the power to expose one to several cancers as well especially when we can’t apply brakes to how much we consume.
- Healthy Eating
- Limit intake of processed food and sugar
- Limit intake of red meat
- Fruits and vegetables should be a mainstay of our diet.
- An antioxidant rich food like cocoa should be part of our food. The purer the cocoa, the better
- Fibre in your food is crucial.
- Exercise – on its own reduces risk for breast and colon cancers directly and many others through weight control.
- Also increases immunity.
- Cancer Screening – be regular so cancers can be detected early and managed aggressively.
- Vaccinations – take vaccines where needed e.g. Hep B vaccine or vaccine against HPV (human papilloma virus accounts for the majority of cervical cancers)
- Know your Family History
- Anyone in your family with a cancer? Necessary to be on your guard but also remember that you may be the first person in your family with a particular cancer.
- Start your family early and breast feed for as long as possible to reduce risk of breast cancer.
- Check exposure to Ultraviolet Light and other forms of radiation. Protect your skin.
- Practice SAFE SEX
- HPV infection leading to cervical cancer is commoner when one is exposed to sex early, directly or indirectly has multiple partners but NOT everyone follows this rule. As in many situations, outliers do exist.
- Conditions such as HIV/AIDS may suppress your immune system if not managed appropriately.
Do add two (2) others of your choice and send to me via email. Together we can protect ourselves.
Will treating H. Pylori infections be a game changer too?
ALWAYS remember that CANCER PREVENTION HAS NO QUICK FIX – we need to follow these points over and over.
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
(dressel@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 – “WHERE YOU LIVE SHOULD NOT DETERMINE IF YOU LIVE.”- WHO
By Dr. Kojo Cobba Essel
