Avoid these short-cuts
I have heard a countless number of times the various things people are doing nowadays to either lose weight, burn fat or reduce blood cholesterol.
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These are quick fix methods that they learn from health professionals, quack practitioners, family members or they read from the Internet. They look so appealing but may actually lead to further worsening of the problems they seek to solve. Remember the saying that “not all that glitters is gold”.
It is sad, however, to note that most of these methods of dealing with the problems listed above do not have any scientific backing; a reason why they ought not to be used. It is very bad for our healthcare system simply because health care providers are among those who prescribe some of these remedies.
Let us up our game as health professionals by doing the right thing. If it is not in your field of expertise; refer the patient to the appropriate professional and stop deceiving people.
How can you advise someone to drink “lime/lemon juice mixed with warm water” to burn fat and cholesterol? How is that going to happen? What is the mechanism by which such a concoction will act to remove fat from the body? This is not a good advice and people have to desist from such a practice.
There are things you need to do to lower your cholesterol level and/or burn fat. Concentrate on such things and stop the shortcuts that have no proper reason behind them. The long and short of this argument is that the popular practice of drinking warm lemon/lime water for the purpose of fat removal is not good.
They also advise that a “mixture of honey and warm water, drunk early in the morning” will help one lose weight. This is a big lie. Honey contains so much sugar. Putting it in warm water is just like making some sugar solution.
Excess sugar in the body get converted into fat and, thus, helps people in gaining weight. How on earth can such a mixture be recommended as a remedy for weight/fat loss.
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Some overweight diabetic patients even take this concoction. Thus, helping increase their blood sugar levels every morning and making their conditions worse.
To lose weight, you need to follow a low calorie diet plan and exercise daily. This is often too hard an ordeal for most people, hence the clamour for these short cuts which are dangerous.
“Blended garlic for burning cholesterol” is a common thing I hear people do. Much as garlic might have some good antioxidant properties, blending it into juice for purposes of lowering ones cholesterol levels is not advisable. To me, it is an ordeal no one should go through. Judging from the smell of garlic, blending it to drink is not a nice thing to do. Adding a tiny piece of garlic to your soup or stew will help you to enjoy all the health benefits of garlic. Besides, to lower blood cholesterol; one needs to follow a prescribed diet plan and/or take cholesterol drugs.
“Blended dandelion leaves” is often used as cure for so many diseases; for example obesity, hypertension, and high blood cholesterol, among others. This is ridiculous and deceptive. Some people even depend solely on this and forget their doctors’ appointments. Often, their condition gets worse and they begin to chase after their doctors.
This is note-worthy
There are approved protocols for the non-pharmacological management (Diet, exercise) of diseases such as diabetes, high blood cholesterol, obesity, cancer, stroke, high uric acid, among others. If you have any of these problems, seek help from dieticians.
Do not fall victim to any of the wrong management methods I discussed in this article. They are described as quick solutions but remember that short-cuts are dangerous. Do not harm your body while you rather try to help it. Do the right thing.
The writer is a dietician at Trust Hospital and author of "Diet, Health & Wellness Book". Tel: 0244090262, Email: letsconsult@gmail.com