Over the weekend, my family decided to have kenkey for breakfast. As a dutiful husband, I went on the journey to find the best cranky joint in the area. I finally found it, and bought a few balls of kenkey and a ton of fish.
On my way home, I bought a few eggs to add to the meal and when I got home, I pulled a tin of sardine from the kitchen cabinet to top it up. My wife was bemused, because I am not one who indulges in excess protein.
When she asked me what the occasion was, I instinctively replied, “It’s the Christmas season.” Then it dawned on me, a lot of people will be saying and doing the same. The hypertensive, who is supposed to be on a low-salt diet, will indulge in the salty pork and corned beef.
The diabetic, who is supposed to keep off refined sugars, will glut on the sweetness of confectionery and fruit juice that claims to be sugar free (impossible). The gout patient, who must tone down on meat, will chew all the beef and mutton he hasn’t eaten during the year, of course, along with beer.
The lady trying to lose weight will also go on a break in the month of December. People on long term medication will forget to or decide not to take them and some will fail to turn up for their hospital appointments.
Worst of all, in the excitement of the season, some exuberant young adults will incur avoidable injuries, some life threatening. So in January what do we see? Mr. M comes with his blood pressure through the roof and his diabetic wife follows with poorly controlled blood sugar.
Miss. B will also come and beg for a drug that will “burn all the fat” when she accompanies her dad to the hospital because his gout is acting up again.
Some don’t even live to see January: some young men drink their heads silly, end up in a brawl and are stabbed to death; sometimes there is no brawl or stabbing, it’s just the alcohol. Others die from complications of their poorly managed chronic illnesses.
In our attempt at spoiling ourselves during the yuletide, we end up doing just that. We erode all the gains made during the year in just 4 weeks.
The Christmas is a time for merry making and unwinding, but some take it overboard.
There are a few things you can do if you feel this article is directed at you;
- Go for grilled instead of fried chicken.
- More fish, less meat.
- If you want to try something new, try a new vegetable salad • Boil your sausages, sometimes, instead of frying them all the time
- Go for diet soda, not regular soda (and limit it to the barest minimum)
- For every bottle of beer you buy, buy two bottles of water • Have a fruit challenge, instead of a drink challenge
- Never go to a party hungry; the temptation will be to eat any and everything that comes your way
- If you seem to be missing out on your regular exercise because of parties, then dance more at these parties (dancing is great cardio exercise)
- If you intend to go out having fun a lot, try swimming; it is fun and counts as exercise (but please avoid the deep end if you can’t swim) Here’s an interesting fact I learnt recently; According to researchers in the USA, more people die on Christmas day and New Year’s Day than any other days during the year.
The exact reason is not known and the causes of death don’t give us any clue as to why that is the case. But if you do what is right and don’t overindulge, at least if you should die, you know it is not because of a disordered lifestyle.
I hope January doesn’t come with a cloud of guilt over your head. Let’s enjoy the season in a safe, healthy manner; no room for regrets.
Tis the season to be jolly. Happy holidays.
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By: Kojo Nimako