Struggling with your health?

Beware of the demon within

Have you ever felt that you are the cause of your health challenges? Are you aware of what to do to improve your health yet the 24-hour day seems to be inadequate? Do you sometimes feel that it is too late to positively affect your health status or do you feel you have done everything humanly possible? Do you sometimes feel that it is too late to positively affect your health status or do you feel you have done everything humanly possible yet your ungrateful doctor seems to pick up something new every day? If any of the above applies to you then read on and the lucky ones who do not fall into any of the above groups should flip the page or go to sleep.

Many religions have guiding principles. Christianity has the Bible, which covers all aspects of life including our health. Unfortunately the art and science of keeping healthy has no single comprehensive book to guide us and even if one was written a decade ago, developments in medicine may make it obsolete today. The human being is an amazing piece of work; just as most of us can tell good from bad even before we touch a Bible, many times we are aware that a choice we are making is either healthy or not. Unfortunately for us, just like sin may appear so attractive and often the easier option to take, so does an unhealthy lifestyle.

A few days ago I chanced upon an angry letter that a “born-again” health enthusiast’s body fat was writing to its landlord and I will attempt to summarise the issues.

The body fat was frustrated with its host. It had taken almost 40 years of persistence to finally win him and then a cool 10 years after, that fat was so dominant that almost every six months he virtually had to change his wardrobe because the clothes appeared to shrink. Well maybe the quality of material used was poor. He was an avid athlete while in school and now he plays tennis twice a week and plays golf or walks up the McCarthy Hill every weekend. Yes he has a few beers after exercising and tops it up with some meat but he deserves a little indulgence. After all he works very hard all week and he makes time to do his much needed physical activity. The demon within is at work. It makes everything look or sound rosy till it is too late.

Body fat is complaining bitterly about the new year pressures it has been subjected to yearly over the past four years. Every January Mr. Wiafe as we will refer to him has “improving his health” at the top of his new year resolutions. Hear his body fat go to town; “you really put me through hell every January. Those hectic exercise sessions really scare the disease out of me. The meal portions are also reduced and alcohol appears to have been banned from your life. My only consolation is that so far it does not last for more than one month. If you are able to continue in this fashion, I will have no place in your body and your health will improve dramatically. Why do you have to torture me so much since I have been faithful to you for over a decade? Always present and adding more of my kind. People have even commented several times that your wife Adwoa is taking good care of you. I always celebrate when people act ignorantly. I have managed to fill up your face, given you a belly that even a woman in her ninth month of pregnancy will be envious of. I have given you arms like a tree-trunk and love handles that are the envy of many. In 2014 I demand that you do not try anything funny at all in January because if you do and even a few of my kind are shed off, I will attack you as soon as you return to your old ways and this time I will bring even more since I am sick and tired of your yoyo dieting and other antics. You see I work like the demons in the Bible; we return with even more deadly fat cells. The only weapon I am afraid of is consistency.

Wiafe has not had a medical examination in ten years and it has all been blamed on a lack of time. Early morning meetings, traffic and social events all take precedence over a once in a year assessment of his health. The “demons” within are still directing affairs. Ever wondered how all these extremely important “assignments” can wait when we are struck down by disease?

The lines have been drawn, your attitude, habits and other demons within will work hard to worsen your health status but you have the power to make a positive change. Make small healthy choices daily, and do not give up. It is never too late to start a new improved lifestyle. If you have followed a particular path for several months but still see no improvement, do not give up instead change your schedules or seek professional help.

AS ALWAYS LAUGH OFTEN, 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

Moms’ Health Club

(dressel@healthclubsgh.com)

*Dr Essel is a medical doctor and is ISSA certified in exercise therapy and fitness nutrition.

Thought for the week – “It may be no coincidence that so many creative types have long lives. New findings show how doing what you love can add years”