Answers to some nagging issues on diet (3)
Can I use hand wipes to replace water and soap?
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There is the need to only eat food with clean hands and not dirty ones. Sometimes you will not see dirt on your hands but never assume that your hands are clean enough to handle foods that go into your mouth.
Most of the disease causing germs cannot even be seen by the naked eye. Some hand wipes have been moistened with antibacterial agents and so can clean hands to some extent in cases where it is not possible to access water and soap.
Even hand sanitisers will not remove/kill all the germs. Washing hands with soap and water does this job of removing and killing germs very well, thus making hands ready to touch food and eat.
You may use the hand wipes where there is no water/soap but that is still not the good standard.
Should I stop fasting since it is not good to skip meals?
I am sure you are referring to the religious practice of fasting whereby people stay long hours, even days without food. Note that anytime you skip a meal, say lunch or you eat a meal very late; for example you eat breakfast at 10am instead of eating it before 8am, you have fasted as well.
When you fast, your body is denied food. That is malnutrition, specifically under-nutrition. When this goes on for a very long time, you tend to lack vital food nutrients and energy.
One of the very notable effects of fasting is the denial of glucose to the brain. To continue functioning, the body has to make glucose from other sources so the brain can get its share, this poses some danger for the person involved.
Fasting may not be a good idea for many people, even pastors.
Are food supplements good for us?
What you aim to get from food supplements is abundantly present in your natural foods. You do not need the food supplements to be well. If your doctor performs some tests on you and realises that you need some food supplements, do not hesitate to take them at all.
In such instances, the doctor will ask you to repeat the tests to ascertain your continued use or not of such supplements. There are so many food supplements in the system nowadays; at bus stations, in trotros, some people even sell these supplements in villages.
People are made to believe that they need these supplements to survive. It is common to see these supplements being sent to people from abroad. Once it is coming from abroad, it is deemed good but be careful.
Can I eat eggs every day?
Eggs are very nutritious foods and can be taken by all people especially children. In eggs you find almost all nutrients that exist in nature.
When taking eggs; do not forget the fact that they contain some cholesterol. They also have the ability to cause blood cholesterol levels to rise because eggs are often eaten fried or in stews.
It is healthier for all adults to eat eggs without the yoke. This way you can even eat eggs every day. Children can have eggs with the yoke because they need more nutrients to grow.
Eating fried eggs is not a good thing since the effect that heat treatment has on the oil and the egg converts them into ingredients for cholesterol production.
Be careful when handling eggs; eat them well and stay healthy.
• The writer of this article is a Dietician at the Trust Hospital & Clinics. He is the Author of the book titled: “Diet, Health & Wellness”. Wise Letsa also produces video and audio diet advice on CDs titled: “Eating for health & Wellness”. For copies of his book and CDs, Contact: 0244090262, Email: wcletsa@wiseletsa.com; Website: www.wiseletsa.com. OR Go to Kingdom Books and Stationery Shops.