Features

Timeless advice on nutrition

Published

3 months ago

January 18, 2025

• Skipping breakfast means having less energy for the day’s work

Hopefully over the next few minutes we can learn basic steps to prevent being victims of what we eat. Disclaimer: I am not a dietician, and for detailed information do consult a registered dietician.

Did it ever occur to you that you have been spending good money to buy food that may actually be killing you? Years ago, I read a book titled “The Seven Deadly Sins” and the author listed gluttony as one of them.

My conclusion from that book is that food will not only destroy your body, but it may also cause you to do other things that may even affect your salvation.

Many people have their own views on what goes into their mouth; some think starvation is the answer to all their woes while others feel excluding “evil” foods such as fats and carbohydrates will bring the glory they have been praying for.

If you imagine that there are as many super diet plans as there are eligible voters in Sikaman, then that summarises the whole story – all of them have shortfalls. Are you aware that just as there is interval training for exercising, there is also Intermittent fasting (interval fasting I guess)?

Yes, our guts need some rest to perform optimally. Could the ever-elusive ideal diet simply be the good old balanced diet? That may actually hold the key to our health. We probably need to make modifications in other areas to achieve our goal.

I like the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet; not only can it help you to control your blood pressure, but it can also help you maintain a good weight and generally keep you healthy.

It does not exclude any food group. The Mediterranean Diet is also a masterpiece that has proven itself over the years. We are what we eat and its not surprising as memory related challenges see a surge,

The Mind Diet (a cross of DASH and Mediterranean diets) has evolved to help us maintain the best brain health possible.

Consider these steps to a healthier you:

1. Do Not skip breakfast

a. Most overweight people skip breakfast in an attempt to cut down on calories but eventually end up eating more in the course of the day because they feel hungrier. Avoiding this all-important meal also means you have less energy to perform your activities for the day.

b. If your breakfast contains protein and fibre, then it is likely to last you till lunch time.

c. This is no call to avoid lunch and supper, you need these too and if you require a snack in between some fruit, is an ideal choice.

d. I do know proponents of skipping breakfast make some interesting points but get your body and brain working even if it means something really small. Hungry children in school? Imagine the outcome.

2. All food groups are important

a. No food group is outright evil. It is the type and quantity that causes havoc. Just as you need proteins so do you need good fats and safe carbohydrates. A professional may guide you to omit one food group briefly but do not do this on your own.

3. Watch your portion sizes-small plates may be useful

a. Do not heap your plate with food; this is not your last meal and hopefully there will be other times to eat again. If you can simply not trust yourself with small portion sizes, then kindly use smaller plates. Your brain could be tricked into believing once it is heaped, then it must be a lot.

4. Eating is no sprint

a. There is a little disconnect between your brain and stomach. It takes 15 to 20 minutes for your brain to recognize that you are full so to avoid overeating take it easy and chew your food properly.

5. Hunger or thirst?

a. Sometimes we confuse thirst with hunger. Whenever you feel hungry, drink a glass of cool clean water before you tackle the food. Do not hesitate to drink some water during your meal as well as after. Digestion is great in a medium of water and you invariably eat less when you have water in your stomach taking up some of the priceless space.

b. Water is no weight loss pill, but it keeps you healthy and may help you to eat less.

6. All or none

a. This is my favourite, and I believe you may also find it useful. Eating appropriately does not mean avoiding everything you like (except your doctor and registered dietitian advice), you could have a little of your favourite meal occasionally (even if it is outright unhealthy). This ensures that you do not develop “withdrawal symptoms” and rather end up throwing caution to the wind and binging on this meal.

You may have guessed that I am a big proponent of the DASH diet, so I will share a few tips with you. It is not much different from what my health-conscious readers have been eating.

1. Cut the SALT

a. Most of us are aware that we need to reduce salt to the barest minimum. Certainly, you do not add salt to cooked food but what about “hidden” salt in smoked, cured or pickled food. What about salted snacks. Start reading food labels and in the absence of one let your tongue be the judge.

2. Get your GRAINS

a. Brown rice, whole wheat bread and unsalted popcorn belong to this group.

3. FRUITS are a must

a. Fruits are packed with potassium and magnesium, which help to lower blood pressure. They are also loaded with vitamins that are essential to our wellbeing. Spice up your breakfast, add some fruit.

4. Make VEGETABLES your delight

a. These low-calorie products packed with goodness should always find their way onto your plate. They contain no fat but have a lot of fibre, vitamins and minerals. The more varied your vegetables are the better. Try out different coloured vegetables.

5. FISH and LEAN MEAT are allowed

a. Skinless chicken is great and so is fish. You must have heard about Omega-3 in fish. You had better take off the skin of the chicken before you cook it.

6. Do NOT gloss over NUTS & LEGUMES

a. Dried beans and peas belong to this group. These are also rich in proteins, magnesium and fibre.

7. Minimise FATS & OILS

a. Use oil sparingly even if it’s healthy such as Olive Oil. Heating oil as we cook denatures the product making all oils similar after their interaction with fire.

b. Sprinkle olive oil on salads. Its in its raw form and great

c. Avocado has great fat too

8. SWEETS are NOT a NO go area

a. Yes, you may even have an occasional sweet, but it should be only a small piece, and the watch word here is OCCASSIONAL.

Congratulations! You have completed your course in dietetics, and I wish you all the best as you embark on a lifestyle modification to improve your health and that of your family.

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 (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 the author of the award-winning book, ‘Unravelling The Essentials of Health & Wealth.’

Thought for the week – “The most EFFICIENT way to reach your REALISTIC health GOALS is to make SMALL HEALTHY choices DAILY.”

By Dr. Kojo Cobba Essel

Features

Palm nut soup

Published

1 day ago

April 19, 2025

Net News Ghana

Palm nut soup

Palm nut soup is a Ghanaian dish that can be served with so many foods. It has a rich base of palm nuts combined with tomatoes and various vegetables that makes it very nutritious.

Preparation

Ingredients

– 1 kilogramme of palm nut

– Half kilogramme of beef

-One kilogramme of goat meat

-Three large salmon

-One full tuna

– A handful of turkey berries

-Two large onions

-4 large tomatoes

-3 large garden eggs

– One tin of mackerel

-Ten large peppers

– One large ginger

-2 cloves of garlic

– Four fingers of okro

– Salt to taste

Instructions

-Wash, cook palm nut, turkey berries, and pepper and add salt to it.

-Grind palm nut, turkey berries and pepper with mortar and pestle or mini food processor.

-Wash goat meat, beef, Tuna, salt and put on fire.

– Blend onion, garlic, ginger and tomatoes and pour on the goat meat.

– Add smoked tuna and salmon and okro to the soup.

-Use a spoon or ladle to skim off the surface oil.

-Garnish the soup with the okro or garden eggs as desired.

-Serve with fufu, banku or Omo tuo.

Features

Benefits of eating cucumber

Published

1 day ago

April 19, 2025

Net News Ghana

Cucumber helps in digestion

● Increases hydration

● Strengthens bones

● Promotes gut health

● Helps manage blood sugar and weight

● Protects against cancer

● Improves heart health

Source: Healthtips

Features

My barber and the Easter palaver

Published

1 day ago

April 19, 2025

Net News Ghana

It is not easy looking for your barber if your hair has overgrown and you look like a bushman. It is even more serious if your moustache has crossed carpet and is seen entering into your nostrils, some straying into your left ear.

The problem is that some of us do not like changing barbers. My barber, for instance, is a very short akupa who often has to stand on his toes to reach the top of my head. But I maintained him because he understands the international shape of my head and gives me the right cut. Moreover, he has promised never to cut my ears.

Although, he has been cutting my hair for the last five years, I still do not know his name. I’ve never asked and he has never told me. It is a business relationship, not a family affair. He comes at certain specified dates, does his job, gets paid and vanishes.

When he was supposed to cut my hair two weeks ago, I waited in vain. Last weekend he didn’t show up either. Was the guy on strike? If he wanted more pay, he could come for a discussion, although I have been paying him better than his colleagues were getting per cut. I could even offer height allowance if he asked for it.

I was quite uncomfortable with the over-growing hair which everyone was reminding me of, so I undertook a search for the missing barber. The possibility was that other barbers would know his house and direct me accordingly. So from barber shop to barber shop I went asking if they had seen the shortest barber in town. No one seemed to know him.

I decided I couldn’t go another week without a cut, so I reluctantly went into the last shop and asked the barber there to do the job. He studied my head, nodded and asked me to sit on a stool outside and wait. He was finishing another person’s hair and then he’d jump on mine.

Soon, he called me in, and I told him I dislike nonsense.

He was stunned. “Massa, have I offended you?” he enquired worriedly. I said no. Then what was the matter? He begged me to explain.

“I don’t like the kind of haircut that would scare my boss,” I said. He laughed. I continued, “I don’t want my boss to see me and start running away; he should give me promotion.” The barber laughed and promised me a fashionable cut.

“I don’t want a fashionable cut. I want it simple according to the shape of my head.”

“Don’t you like Jojo Special? Your girlfriend will dig you. She’ll believe!”

“Just do as I say.”

I was pretty sure the guy was going to mess me up like I had done to some two or three. The Law of Karma. In Legon I told my room-mate, Akotey Anaara, that I was the best barber the breadth of the country. He brought his head platter and I gave him a wonderful design.

The next morning when he went for lectures, everyone including the lecturer asked him whether he was sick. Actually, the cut I gave him made him look like one of those dull-looking mental patients who often escape from the Psychiatric Hospital and were seen directing traffic or getting into some.

Akortey Anaara had to find another guy to shave the damn hair off his skull and it was even worse. He looked like an obrafor (human head-cutter). His girlfriend didn’t recognise him.

Well, when the barber was cutting my hair, I realised that many people were lining up to have theirs cut today too. When I asked him why his customers were so many today, he said they were preparing for Easter and needed ‘wild’ hairdos to impress the girls in the village. It was then that I knew preparations for the Easter were well underway.

In fact, when Easter is approaching and it is amusing to see the seriousness people attach to the celebration, especially when they are travelling from the city to the villages and cottages. The idea is that you must impress rural girls.

Actually some people start saving for well over six months so that preparations for the occasions are not beset with financial bad-weather, monetary El-Nino or back pocket load-shedding.

For the young man, preparations border on having a stylish haircut, a second-hand but colourful camboo, jeans, third-hand pairs of socks, bottle of Kasapreko Gin, singlet, fashionable shirts and some trousers and shorts. The idea is to go and show to the folks that he is not a hopeless person in the city, but a prospering gentleman who must, therefore, be admired and loved by the girls.

Some money is set aside for ‘show,’ that is buying drinks for friends and for inducing young girls for seduction on Easter Sunday under the cover of darkness. Whatever monies that remain is just enough for transportation back to the city. Such monies are never touched because if you do, you’ll remain in the village or be forced to walk back to the city.

It is the preparation made by the women-folk that is even more interesting. The kaba and slit must be of ultra-modern and custom design so that the wearer can look like a vulture which is about to take off. Then the hairdo, the lip-sticks, the full-shoes, whatever. If the typical celebrant is not careful, she would finally look like a crow.

She would be seen in various colours on Easter Sunday during church service, and it is always a sight like to remember.

Some of the areas where Easter is best celebrated are Peki, Kwahu (Okwahu United, Obo Kwahu and all), Tapa Abotoase, some parts of Ashanti and Brong and some cottages in Central, Eastern and Western Regions. You’ll be surprise they never forget the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

With every Easter though, it is the Palm Sunday which matters to some people. The triumphant entry into Jerusalem is of more significance to them than his death and resurrection, because of the ‘palm element.’

Palm Sunday must indeed be marked with the copious drinking of palmwine and if necessary, the eating of fufu and palmnut soup, a ritual they claim is endorsed by the Holy Spirit.

This article was first published on Saturday, April 9, 1999