{UAH} Promoting health in our Ugandan Communities

Fellow Community Members.

 

Every day that I live I am reminded of the fragility of life especially as my birthday now comes around much more rapidly than before.  I was reminded once again of this fact this week.

 

The father of a boy who attends school with my youngest son suffered a heart attack last week which has left him partially paralyzed on the left side.  He is expected to make a partial recovering and, indeed, is already walking - with the help of a cane.  However, what is particularly worrying is that he is African American and of similar age and general physical build as me.  His lifestyle is also quite similar to mine in that he literally works too hard, eats too much unhealthy food, exercise less than he should and would be classified as slightly overweight.

 

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the U.S. It is also a major cause of disability. The risk of heart disease increases as you age. You have a greater risk of heart disease if you are a man over age 45 or a woman over age 55. You also are at greater risk if you have a close family member who had heart disease at an early age.

Fortunately, there are many things you can do reduce your chances of getting heart disease. You should

• Know your blood pressure and keep it under control
• Exercise regularly
• Don't smoke
• Get tested for diabetes and if you have it, keep it under control
• Know your cholesterol and triglyceride levels and keep them under control
• Eat a lot of fruits and vegetables
• Maintain a healthy weight

Now I know what I should do, and yet I keep putting it off for just one more day.  Occasionally I will make a positive change in life style but seldom does it last for very long and I always find "really good" excuses for the back slide.

 

I know I did this before, but I would like to again start a serious discussion about our health, especially for those of us who are now quite so young any more.  My hope is that those of you who have faced and conquered these kinds of demons can come forward and help those of us who need it with appropriate advice and encouragement.  For example, how does one maintain a healthy diet while traveling and working 12-hour days.

 

Sincerely,

 

Moses R. Wilson