HEALTH is Wealth is an old and outdated Adage to most people of this age. The new belief is that Wealth is Health because to them money can buy their health.
The health of an individual is not the responsibility of the Government or the Health Care (system) Providers. It is the sole responsibility of every single person (adult). There are Communicable, non-communicable and life style diseases. The health centres, hospitals and private practitioners are overwhelmed with people who suffer from major and minor ailments. Why?
Although it is not a direct responsibility of the Government, it is very important for the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Education to collaborate and provide information on prevention, ( at Primary and Secondary School levels and to the General Public ) in all the ways possible.
There are some diseases (non- communicable and life style diseases) whose severity can be reduced with simple home remedies and even cured if changes are made diet-wise. It is as simple as that!
High Cholesterol, Gluten Intolerance, Diabetes and Hypertension can all be cured and prevented by using home and natural remedies.
Let us look at Cholesterol in layman’s terms.
What is Cholesterol?
Cholesterol is waxy substance in your body which your body needs to build cells and make vitamins and other hormones.
Cholesterol in your body comes from two sources – a) Your liver, which produces about 80% of the cholesterol in your body. b) Food from animals- meats, Poultry and dairy products which are rich in saturated fats and trans fats. These fats stimulate the liver to make more cholesterol than it otherwise would.
Triglycerides – these are a type of fat that your body uses for energy.
Lipoproteins – are a type of proteins that transport cholesterol in the blood.
What is High Cholesterol, Bad Cholesterol (LDL) and Good Cholesterol (HDL).
High Cholesterol: Cholesterol circulates in the blood. As the amount of cholesterol in your blood increases so does the risk to your health. High cholesterol can cause dangerous accumulation of cholesterol and other deposits on the walls of your arteries (Atherosclerosis). These deposits (Plaques) can reduce the flow of blood in your arteries.
Bad Cholesterol: (LDL)Low Density Lipoproteins are considered to be “bad” cholesterol because it contributes to fatty build-ups in the arteries ( Atherosclerosis). This condition narrows the arteries and increases the risk of heart attack, stroke, peripheral artery disease, aortic aneurysm among others.
Good Cholesterol: (HDL) High Density Lipoproteins are considered to be “good” cholesterol because it takes the excess cholesterol in the blood to the Liver to be flushed out from the body. This helps in reducing risk of heart diseases.
Food Choices that Saint Lucians Make
Saint Lucians consume a lot of meat, especially poultry meat, alcohol and a lot of oily fried food. Animal based foods which include butter, cheese etc are filled with saturated fats and trans fats. Plant based foods do not have cholesterol.
For a country with a population of about 180,000 Saint Lucia imported 16,508 tonnes of poultry meat at a cost of 667 million ECD in 2021. Another 10- 15 million ECD worth of assorted salt fish and dried fish in 2023. (Source: trendeconomy.com)
Alcohol, drunk in excess, affects the liver, where the cholesterol is produced. This ( excessive consumption of Alcohol ) may result in liver cirrhosis as well as blood poisoning that can lead to death.
All animal meats and products contain fats that might increase bad cholesterol in the blood. Apart from Heart Diseases, people will be prone to Obesity, Hypertension, Diabetes. Stress can be considered to be a life style disease.
The modern Life Style has adopted the culture of Fast Foods. These fast foods are basically deep-fried meat, fries or other combinations with a roll and a soft drink. No vegetables at all. A burger might have a piece of tomato, cucumber and lettuce. Pizzas have a lot of cheese. People forgot that a wholesome meal can be cooked for a family of four with the money a person spends on one meal in a day.
Readers, your health is in your hands don’t ruin it. The following is a list of Food Groups: Cereals, Grains, Pulses, Legumes, Vegetables, Dairy, Fish, Poultry, Meat, Oils etc. Change your life style and food preferences. ROTATE- the food you eat to include items from the different groups mentioned above. REDUCE- the intake of Alcohol and Fatty Foods. RAISE- the intake of vegetables, fruits and plant-based foods. Finally exercise and drink a lot of water.
I eat any type of meat 3-4 times a month. Vegetarian meals for the rest of the month. By God’s Grace I don’t suffer from any of these Life Style Diseases.