Recently, the rave of keto diet hitting the internet is bewildering. One wonders at this awakening. Weird, some say of the keto presentations right here. “Wild and wide as babel”, a cynic quipped. A desperate young woman that wants to shed pounds of weight asked: “What really is this thing?” “Is this another hype?” Yet, another lady sneered: “A resurrection of Dr Atkins in a carbohydrate(Cabo) milieu? “After all, we bought many of his books over 15 years ago. At that time his Keto idea was huge and boiling in controversy on many healthcare platforms in the U.S.”
“They say this is how great idea moves.”
“It goes through “revolution and devolution?”
“Here, we say “up and down.”
“But ours seem to be way off”
For now, let us leave Keto- ketosis, lest we veer off our narrative.
Occupational medicine and health studies are increasing in theory, depth, scope, practice and publicity. Scholars and health enthusiasts have varied expositions on the relationship between certain health conditions with work in some occupations.
It is in this light that some now appreciate the reality that extreme sedentary conditions could predispose one to much weight gain, even obesity especially when there are eating excesses and metabolic imbalance. In the same way, non-congenital hernia is said to be common in occupations that involve weight lifting and strenuous pressure on the lower abdomen especially when safety measures are not properly applied.
Distinct departments in medicine and nursing continue to advance interest and research that are useful in our enquiry. Not too long, Time magazine studies on obesity in the United States observes that both eating and exercise are critical components in any worthwhile conclusion that are to be drawn in managing the nation’s health particularly the younger generation.
It would be foolhardy to expect that everybody would want to live the way Africans did in the past. Time is changing. Indeed, reconciliation with changing times is a constant checklist for survival in any generation.
It is known that the world borrow from the past and where possible modify, embellish and tag differently the same old thing. This is common place in fashion and mass appeal products. Oftentimes, but sneakily, it has been seen in the area of health care. In a world where people often do jobs in occupations circumstances impose on them, such persons could borrow a leaf from the past.
Positively, it should be noted that traditional African occupations are largely the type that require physical use of the body. From farming, fishing, carving, trading, milling, bronze making, iron smelting even to medicine. Take note of the processes. Farming in the traditional form involves clearing thick forest, cutting down trees, burning the bush, clearing the stakes for space and planting. Progressively farming work requires regular, systematic management of each stage for good result and yields. Men, women and children at varying degrees are involved in farm work. It means that all exercise their bodies in the long trek to the farms. In the farms bending, squatting, raising and cutting are regular affair. Everybody by the nature of farm work vigorously exercised. As there was no sedentariness in this occupation, it is logical to say that all participants – children, mothers and fathers had well exercised bodies that their occupation ensured.
Some persons have averred that as a result of physical exercises, over weight population was minimal because everybody carried out maximum exercise. Some Igbos of Nigeria would say that there were no Nwa origidi (fat persons) in their society. Obesity was unknown.Same holds true with other related occupations like carving, fishing and cattle rearing as they all present clear evidence of exerting oneself.
In carving, trees are cut down. Carving by its nature requires movements. Fishing requires paddling of canoes and swimming – natural pastime for all. This involves physical use of the hands vigorously and trekking.
Can we reinvent exactly the past?
Not really. But a musician sang, we cannot change the world today but we can change something today. What can we change today! It is not the occupations but some thought that have not inched us anywhere.
With the advent of colonialism, it was thought that engaging in physical walk and work are a mark of individuals with less education. After years of independence such thinking has not changed. Often, it is thought that anything that requires physical engagement in work situation lowers the individual status. One would say that the thinking is largely dangerous to those who buy it in the market place of ideas. It should be remembered that in temperate climate where technology is also higher in the world’s division of labour, those in sedentary jobs make serious efforts to exercise. Physical exercise in occupations does not lower your intellectual capacity, quality and worth. The problem could be the pay these physical jobs may attract in some parts of the world. Physical jobs sometimes attract a bootstrap mentality and pejorative connotations in our clime. The problem is not the work itself. Indeed, such devalued presentation is more of a problem of perception and not the work itself.
Where do we go from here?
Changed thinking and attitude are required. What will the world look like if all of us are white collar workers leaving out all physical work undone? The thought alone is mind boggling to be real. Here we can draw from the copious well of African past to make a head way now.
Farming was a time honoured profession in Africa, yet it is in the same Africa we go to bed without food while expansive arable land stares us. Everybody may not return to the soil by way of green revolution of the sixties and seventies that ended up as mere sloganeering.
Yet many can benefit from owing and using spaces at homes for little farming. The current practice of creating concrete jungles everywhere covered by pave stones does not give room to enjoy even a little space for farming. What is missed is not only the yield but in health. Vitamin C and D that such small enclosed farm or garden will produce is lost. The cumulative loss to the health of individuals is enormous.
Create a garden farm today and enjoy the health reward in diet and physical exercise. You will be glad you did.
Adjust any warp thinking that misleads you to view occupations that require physical exercise as belonging to the ordinary.
You need physical exercise regularly to keep fit and manage your weight.
To be stationary, just rotating and simply talking about the nature and size of food is not enough. That is not the way we lived here in Africa.
Living as if one is a much talked about frigate that cannot move or moves sluggishly adds no high value to life. You are a moving creature. Gold are won by runners and movers.
Consistent movement is the hallmark of living persons and at a point if we cannot move, then, something must be done.
Imaife.com says keep moving.
“Gold are won by runners and movers”
