I have over the past two decades looked beyond mainstream medicine to assess other options that lead to holistic health, and I must say it’s been exciting and revealing but it’s not an easy path.
As I matured and my knowledge expanded, I have changed my opinion on some aspects of
wellness and many findings have been humbling. We all continue to learn each day.
I will share some of the life-changing skills that we take for granted. In our quest for wellness
there appear to be more questions than answers, but moderation still remains key in our daily
lives. The power of prayer, praise and worship of God can not be taken out of the equation.
Over the next 2 months let us work on these and hopefully we will start 2024 in great shape and
not just physically. The following are the 7 golden nuggets that will boost your health.
- Strength Training is a must for ALL of us
a. Yes, we all need to dig into the various aspects of exercise; strength training,
cardiovascular training, stretches or flexibility training and balance training. If
you asked me about a decade ago to pick the king of all exercises, I would naively
have answered cardiovascular such as walking, cycling etc. but I am certain now
that strength training trumps all and we need to incorporate at least a bit of that in
our exercise programme. - Take a short walk after each meal
a. Many of us (your truly included) after dinner barely get to wash our hands before
the miracle of the Lotus Eaters sends us to dreamland. our fingers will be
signaling to rats and cockroaches to come out and party.
b. Walking a few minutes after eating may hold the key to helping control our blood
sugar levels and reduce the spikes in insulin that come with a myriad of issues. - Eating your vegetables and proteins before your carbohydrates may be helpful
a. Well, how true may this be? I suggest it is worth trying. I am not saying clear
your plate of all protein before you even take a spoonful of carbohydrate. The
fibre will slow the absorption of the sugar for hours and even better, you may feel
full after the vegetables and protein and not be able to gobble down the mounds of
carbohydrates you had planned to dismantle. - Eat slowly but do not get your boss angry
a. Eating slowly does not mean spending hours at lunch and courting the displeasure
of your superiors. It takes about 20 minutes for your brain to realise you are full
so dear friend, take your time to chew and enjoy your food. A meal “downed” in
less than 20 minutes may cause you to virtually suffocate when you top up with
water. This is a message to myself and all those who like me eat so quickly that
Usain Bolt will envy our speed. - Eat from small, colourful plates
a. Small colourful plates make an impression on our brains. Since the little food
appears loaded on a small plate our brains tend to “believe” it’s a lot of food and
we feel full for a strange reason. Put the same amount in a large plate and you are
likely to be asking for second servings. - By all means make friends
a. The power of social wellness and its role in longevity and an enviable health span
is no longer in doubt. By all means make a few good friends and enjoy life!
Thank me later. - Sleep!
a. Yes, I do agree there are at least seven forms of rest, and they are all equally
important BUT start off with sleep and we will gradually rope in all others.
We are not waiting for January 1 st , 2024, to start working on our Health and Wellness, we start
today bearing in mind that “the most efficient way to reach our realistic health and wellness
goals is to make small healthy choices daily.
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/ Mobissel
(dressel@healthessentialsgh.com)
*Dr. Essel is a medical doctor, holds an MBA and is ISSA certified 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
