By Charles Mwangi, cmmwangi85@gmail.com
Nutrition knowledge is important and it influences eating habits. This is according to a dissertation by Leonida Sylvester Luballa (2017) submitted to the Open University of Tanzania.
The study highlighted “eating habits and lack of proper nutrition information” as major aspects of malnutrition.
Generally, the intake of adequate nutrition/balanced diet is vital for keeping our bodies and minds in good health.
The Buddha of ancient India taught that “to keep the body in good health is a duty.”
He was of the school of thought that, if one is not able to maintain good health, it will not be possible to keep the mind strong and have clarity in the ways of life.
Some years ago, an academic publishing house based in Oxford, Blackwell Publishing Ltd, published a landmark study in The Journal of School Health, which revealed that “children with healthy diets perform better in school than children with unhealthy diets.”
For ages in Africa, even in the worst of times, like during famine, mothers would do their best to ensure the children were not undernourished, thus they used to get special food, whether porridge or special vegetable soups.
Methinks that his concept of Buddha is relevant today as the whole world fights the COVID-19 pandemic. It brings to the fore the importance of nutrition and a balanced diet for healthy living.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO) leading a healthy lifestyle -including eating a balanced diet and body fitness, helps to build up a strong immunity, which is one of the ways for fighting the COVID19 pandemic, and many other diseases.
WHO is very clear there is no cure and there is no vaccine so far- the key to healing it is for the person affected to have strong immunity so that the body outfights the disease and overcomes it.
In this article, I would like to concentrate on the importance of a healthy food/balanced diet as it provides pivotal in fighting diseases and leading normal lives.
Rajesh Sahetiya, Director, Human Nutrition and Health (India/South Asia), DSM India Pvt Ltd recently wrote that “adequate nutrition is another important way to help reduce the risk and impact of virus infections, as well as to build a more resilient immune system over the long term .” He is of the opinion that “focusing on nutrient-rich foods and a well-balanced diet is the best way to obtain these desired nutrients.”
Many pieces of research agree that a balanced diet consists of foods that provide adequate amounts of the nutrients necessary for good health, and it is the key to building a strong immune system in the body.
One of the lessons to learn from the coronavirus pandemic is the importance of eating a healthy diet for the general good of our bodies and very important for building up strong body immunity.
We need to be very concerned with the types of foods and diet that we eat. We need to ask ourselves questions before eating anything. “Does it help in boosting my immunity? Is it healthy food or junk food?
Eating healthy should include maintaining healthy body weight. It helps in reducing the risks of many diseases including cancer. Erma Levy, a research dietitian in Behavioral Science at MD Anderson Cancer Center, notes that “high fiber foods may help reduce your overall calorie intake and help you maintain a healthy weight, which is vital to reducing cancer risk.”
Many researchers have proved that eating healthy reduces the rates of getting diabetes and also helps in managing the conditions (if one has already acquired it).
Since we were children, we are told prevention is better than cure. Eating a balanced diet keeps many diseases at bay.
We consume so many unhealthy foods and drinks, from soft drinks, too much caffeine, alcohol, and other junk foods. The result, we have more overweight people, more diabetic cases, more heart problems, and many other conditions that could have been prevented by just being careful about what we eat and drink.
In researching about this article, I came to realize that eating healthy is key to good health- body health and brain health.
According to nutritionists when you consume the right types of food such as fish and other foods that contain omega-3 fatty acids, they help to maintain the cell membrane and normal brain function and also boost memory! This makes someone more efficient in mental activities.
Do you have skin problems? Eating unhealthy junk and oily foods mostly leads to acne and breakouts while fruits, vegetables, nuts will help to soften and make the skin much healthier.
Do you have problems with your teeth? Dieticians will tell you to take food that will strengthen your bones and teeth. Foods containing vitamin D such as sardines help in increasing calcium in the body and strengthen the bones and teeth.
Overall, a healthy diet is vital for one to be active and fit.
*Charles Mwangi is a student at St. Augustine University of Tanzania (SAUT), Mwanza, taking Bachelor of Arts in Public Relations and Marketing (BAPRM). Email cmmwangi85@gmail.com