The Formula for Success in Health and Fitness

The formula for success in health and fitness is the same as the formula in personal finance: make more deposits than withdrawals and stay away from debt. A deposit is any daily habit or behavior that moves you closer toward getting a body and life you love. Here are a few examples:

• Dump the stress out. Finding ways to offload worries that you can’t do anything about can help keep you focus more on what you can control.
• Healthy diet. Good nutrition has a direct impact on your overall health and quality of life. When you follow a healthy diet that consists of fruits, vegetables and whole grains, you aren’t just satisfying your hunger, you’re nourishing your body too.
• Human beings require movement to function and thrive. One of the biggest challenges we face in modern society is sedentary behavior. Taking the stairs instead of the escalator and playing with your kids are examples of micro-deposits.

Malnutrition and Immunity

One of the things I like talking about is building and boosting the immune system.  The idea of boosting your immunity is enticing, but the ability to do so has proved elusive for several reasons. The immune system is precisely a system, not a single entity. To function well, it requires balance and harmony. The immune system is your body's protective network designed to fend off invasion by harmful substances, including bacteria, viruses, and harmful chemicals, and to act as a surveillance system against the development of diseases. A compromised immune system cannot work as well as one that is fully functioning.   Micronutrient malnutrition, particularly vitamin A deficiency (VAD), iron deficiency anemia (IDA), and iodine deficiency disorders (IDD) are major public health concerns globally. They pose a serious threat to the vulnerable groups of the population esp. in developing countries e.g. infants, preschool children, school-age children, and women of child-bearing age. Kenya, like any other African countries is grappling with over-nutrition and under-nutrition where at national level, 26 percent of children under five are stunted and 11 percent are underweight. Deficiencies of micronutrients do not cause obvious symptoms of disease, but they can affect your mental abilities, your coping abilities, and your body's ability to resist disease and infection.  Eating a variety of healthful foods packed with immune-system-enhancing nutrients is an essential step towards a strong immune system.

Vitamin A: Vitamin A helps regulate and support the healthy development of immune cells. Vitamin A plays a role in infection and maintaining mucosal surfaces by influencing certain subcategories of T cells, B cells and cytokines. Another important part of its protective roles is also through its ability to enhance antibody responses, especially IgA antibody responses in mucosal tissues. Vitamin A deficiency is associated with impaired immunity and increased risk of infectious disease.

B-vitamins: B vitamin deficiency is a major factor associated with rapid disease progression. Vitamin B6 deficiency can lead to a decrease in white blood cell response and shrink the thymus which is a critical immune system organ. Frequent dieting and improper eating habits like eating too much sugar and refined foods is the common cause of vitamin B6 deficiency. Vitamin B12 promotes cell division, multiplication and growth. White blood cells cannot mature and multiply in the absence of B12 or insufficient B12.

 

Relationship between Age and Malnutrition 

Researchers believe that the aging process leads to a reduction of immune response capability, which in turn contributes to more infections, more inflammatory diseases etc. A reduction in immune response to infections has been demonstrated by older people’s response to vaccines. For example, studies of influenza vaccines have shown that for people over age 65, vaccine effectiveness was 23%, whereas for healthy children, it was 38%.  This is attributed to malnutrition among other factors. A form of malnutrition that is surprisingly common among elderly people is known as “micronutrient malnutrition.” Micronutrient malnutrition, in which a person is deficient in some essential vitamins and trace minerals that are obtained from the diet, can be common in the elderly. Older people tend to eat less and often have less variety in their diets. Older people should seek nutritional advice, because micronutrient malnutrition can have serious repercussions in this age group.

What the dark spots on your banana mean

 By Gardy Chacha ( Standard Newspaper)
https://www.sde.co.ke/thenairobian/article/2000218498/what-the-dark-spots-on-your-banana-mean

The last few weeks have seen health conscious online fanatics dig in on the scum that is artificially ripened bananas after it emerged that some bananas sold in Kenya are treated with calcium carbide to speed up their ripening.
Of course it is easy to understand why: quick bucks. And it is not just for bananas. Apparently, the calcium carbide technology – if you may call it that – is used on a wide range of fruits including mangoes, pawpaw, and water melons.
But naturally ripe bananas have dark 'polka dot' spots. According to nutritionist Kepha Nyanumba, a consultant with AAR, calcium carbide is meant to subvert the process of ripening.

“The fastened process therefore causes an even glow of yellow on the skin,”  and "such bananas (as well as other fruits) are not fit for human consumption. The chemical used contains phosphorus hydride and arsenic.”
 When consumed, Kepha says that the chemical is known to cause ulcers, “a burning sensation that may also be accompanied with diarrhea and vomiting.”
Studies have also indicated that calcium carbide is a carcinogen
— an agent capable of causing cancer. In the fast paced world of trade, Kepha fears that residents of Nairobi – and indeed many parts of Kenya – may have to do with bananas ripened using this dangerous chemical. However, he advises, thorough washing of fruits using clean water may greatly lower concentration of the bad chemical. The fruit, says Kepha, is among the best sources of potassium – an electrolyte against sodium. Ideally, one needs a maximum of two bananas in a day. This would reduce poisoning if one has bought artificially ripened bananas.
Among symptoms that you should watch out for regarding calcium carbide ripened bananas are headaches, dizziness, and occasionally blurred vision.
 Well-ripened bananas, adds Kepha, go through a natural cycle of respiration that causes buildup of ethylene gas which then transforms the hard white core into a soft pulp. The process, he says, is gradual but complete.
“That is an aspect that bananas ripened with calcium carbide don’t have. The outer parts may feel soft but soon enough one discovers that the inner sections are hard. Such bananas, when swallowed, cause a lot of digestive problems and discomfort,” says Kepha.
In many developed countries, calcium carbide is banned from civilian use.
Its dangers are well documented. Speaking to Mail online, Indian dermatologist Dr Ak Dadhwal revealed that Calcium carbide leads to skin allergies. In extreme cases, victims will suffer from skin cancer.
He warned: "The use of this chemical should be stopped completely in order to wipe out the risk of cancerous diseases."
It should also be known that bananas can be classified as starch or fruits. When green, bananas are essentially starch. When ripened, they become fruits. It is green bananas that shroud businesses will apply calcium carbide to cause an instant and even glow of mellow that gives the impression that the fruit is ripe.

What is Cholesterol?

Cholesterol is a waxy substance which is made in the body by the liver but is also found in some foods.

It plays a vital role in how every cell works and is also needed to make some hormones. However, too much cholesterol in the blood can increase your risk of getting heart and circulatory diseases. 

Atherosclerosis

Atherosclerosis (or arteriosclerotic vascular disease) is a condition where the arteries become narrowed and hardened due to an excessive build up of plaque around the artery wall. The disease disrupts the flow of blood around the body, posing serious cardiovascular complications. 

Dangers of High Cholesterol Levels

High cholesterol levels are one of the risk factors for heart disease, stroke, and peripheral artery disease. The mechanism involving cholesterol in all three diseases is the same; plaque buildup within arteries decreases blood flow affecting the function of the cells and organs that these blood vessels supply.

Nutrition Management of Cholesterol

Lifestyle modification remains the best strategy for both preventing and treating hyperlipidemia. This involves adhering to a "heart healthy" diet, exercise, no smoking, and maintenance of a healthy weight. Additionally, medications known as statins are indicated for some individuals.