A Dietician, Mrs Bushra Adefalu, has advised Nigerians to maintain healthy eating habit and engage in activities that guarantee wellness to reduce risks of contracting infectious diseases, particularly the deadly coronavirus infection.
Adefalu, Head, Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Isolo General Hospital, Lagos, gave the advice while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Lagos.
She advised Nigerians to shun eating habits that could complicate their health status and embrace eating of vitamin-rich food such as fruits and vegetables to boost their immune system.
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According to her, healthy nutrition is very important given the present medical emergency of coronavirus disease outbreak being experienced in the world.
Adefalu said that people should endeavour to eat more of fruits and vegetables rich in fibre, potassium and vitamins to help boost the immune system against infectious diseases.
She said that nutrients in fruits helped in guarding against some diseases and lowering the risk of heart-related diseases such as stroke, high blood pressure and diabetes.
“Eating fruits energises the body, promotes weight loss and makes the skin to shine.
“People should try as much as possible to limit the intake of fried food, fatty and sugary drinks, which could increase the chances of gaining excess cholesterol.
“Consumption of fruits, vegetables, fruit drinks and vitamins or fish will help to boost our immune system while reducing excess cholesterol, which can be harmful to the body, ” she said.
The dietician described exercise as also an essential means of lifestyle individuals could adopt to stay fit.
She added that healthy diets and physical activity were key to good nutrition and necessary for a long and healthy life.
“Eating nutrient dense foods and balancing energy intake with the necessary physical activity to maintain a healthy weight is essential at all stages of life.
“Unbalanced consumption of foods high in energy (sugar, starch and/or fat) and low in essential nutrients contribute to energy excess, overweight and obesity.
“The amount of the energy consumed in relation to physical activity and the quality of food are key determinant of nutrition related chronic disease.
“Excess weight gain, overweight and obesity and physical inactivity account for the escalating rates of diabetes worldwide. Diabetes leads to increased risk of heart disease, kidney disease, stroke and infections,” she said.
Similarly, a Clinical Nutritionist in the Department, Mrs Rhaodat Abdulazeez, identified poverty as the major cause of malnutrition in the country.
Abdulazeez said that poverty contributes to illnesses and emphasised the need to address the issue of poverty to reduce the burden of ill health in the country.
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According to her, only people with good income can keep a well-fed and balanced diet.
She said it was important to properly wash food including meat and poultry products before consumption.
According to her, the current medical situation in the country calls for extreme observation of personal hygiene by everyone at all times. (NAN)