Why Afrikans Should Avoid Sugar by Kwame Osei
Over the years Afrikans have taken sugar (especially white) as part of their diet
Sugar is one of the most dangerous foods there is because it is the one food that can cause a whole array of disease such as kidney failure, cancer, diabetes and obesity.
The importance of Herbs – an interview with Patricia Ferguson
What do you think about our community’s understanding of herbs?
The NHS was created in 1945. At the same time the manufacturing of chemical drugs began. Before then people relied on medicinal herbs. The prescription drugs we take now such as Aspirin are manufactured from an isolated chemical, salicin, extracted from the bark of the Willow plant. Isolated chemicals become more powerful, but often have accompanying side effects, without the balancing effects of the whole plant.
Our parents and generations before them used herbs, but somehow there is an impression that today’s trained herbalists are doing something new. In Jamaica where my parents are from, there is no NHS and medicines and treatment is expensive. Many people continue to use herbal remedies to self- medicate with great success, but we seem to have lost that connection due to our dependence on prescription drugs.
Vitamins:
| Type | Sources | Benefits |
| Vitamin A | Carrots, Sweet Potatoes, Pumpkin, and Kale, Cantaloupe, Apricots, Peaches, Papayas, and Mangos. | Prevents eye problems, promotes a healthy immune system.
Essential for the growth and development of cells and keeping skin healthy. |
| Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) | Red berries, Kiwi, Orange, Tomatoes.
Red and Green Bell Peppers, , Broccoli, Spinach, Guava, Grapefruit, and Yam. |
Forms collagen (a tissue used to hold cells together) which is essential for healthy bones, teeth, gums, and blood vessels.
Vitamin C helps the body absorb iron and calcium, Helps in brain functioning |
| Vitamin D | Made by the body through exposure to sunlight. | Helps the body absorb bone-building calcium. |
| Vitamin E | Vegetable oils, nuts, and green leafy vegetables. Avocados, wheat germ, and whole grains. | An antioxidant and helps protect cells from damage and is important for the health of red blood cells. |
| Vitamin B12 | Vitamin B12 helps to make red blood cells, and is important for nerve cell function. | |
| Vitamin B6 | Potatoes, bananas, beans, seeds, nuts, spinach. | Vitamin B6 used to maintain brain and nerve functions.
Helps the body break down proteins and make red blood cells. |
| Thiamin (vitamin B1) | Dried Beans, Soy Foods, and Peas; and Whole Grains e.g. Wheat Germ. | Converts carbohydrates into energy and is necessary for the heart, muscles, and nervous system to function properly. |
| Niacin (vitamin B3) | Peanuts. | Turns food into energy and maintains healthy skin and is important for nerve function. |
| Riboflavin (vitamin B2) | Legumes (like peas and lentils), Nuts, Green Leafy Vegetables, Broccoli, Asparagus, and Fortified Cereals. | Very important for turning carbohydrates into energy and producing red blood cells. It is also needed for vision. |
| Folate (vitamin B9, folic acid, or folacin) | Dried beans and other legumes, green leafy vegetables, asparagus, oranges and other citrus fruits, and poultry are good sources of this vitamin. So are fortified or enriched bread, noodles, and cereals. | Makes red blood cells and required for making DNA. |
What pains you most about our community’s health?
The age and profile of people over 35 and 40 have issues with blood sugar, blood pressure and the reproduction health in females. It also pains me to see our intake of processed cooking oils and the huge impact it has on health.
What hurts me most is the level of trust we place in mainstream medical systems. I have seen people with high blood pressure start with 2 types of medication and end up with 4 after seeing the doctor and still not getting better at all.
Too many people believe the lie – they think they are incurable and accept being ill and their declining health. Increasing numbers of people are getting sicker and sicker. When we are in the medical system we get really bad treatment.
When we say these illnesses can be resolved and a brother can help you. The response is usually, “If the white man can’t help me then who are you?”
We trust in the western educated doctor more than our own people, which is sad.
Also, was is really sad is that the young people have no awareness, and don’t see the problems coming. We must warn them!!
Special Health Report: Prostate problems in Afrikan/Black Men By Kwame Osei
According to research in the US and UK, Prostate cancer is amongst THE TWO biggest killers of Afrikan men. This special report seeks to ask what prostate cancer is, its causes and what can be done to prevent the disease.
The prostate is partly muscle and gland. It is about the size of a walnut with a donut shape. It is directly underneath the bladder and surrounds the tube (urethra) that allows urine to flow out of the bladder and pass out through the penis.
The prostrate secretes a thin cloudy alkaline fluid that helps make up seminal fluid. The muscular contractions of the prostate squeeze the prostatic fluids and help mix it with semen and sperm – The muscles help to ejaculate.
There are many types of prostate diseases and many factors that can cause prostate problems. There are two main categories of prostate problems. They are:
What is MELANIN?
Melanin is a chemical, made up of subunits of chemicals which are influenced by enzymes (protein molecules used to digest food, produce energy, and purify the blood) to build a stable and resilient compound. This compound is distributed through the body of pigmented people (Kittles 1995).
This stable and resilient compound gives many benefits to the body of melinated people.
The importance of melanin is hidden all too often for a variety of reasons but it is fundamental we can identify where is resides in us and why this extremely precious chemical makes us so unique.
Melanin can appear in a variety of different colours but is predominantly black or dark in colour and is found in the earth as well as throughout the human body.
Melanin is in all of us and is situated in many areas such as:
African (Black) people tend to have more organs that contain high concentrations of melanin. It is fundamental to remember melanin is a gift responsible for many of our capabilities.
Melanin is the basis of pigment and even in the first stages of human life as an embryo melanin is present as the body forms in a variety of essential regions such as the brain, hair, skin, eyes and genitals.
It is important to recognise the immense strength of melanin which appears to be a substance that is almost indestructible. Studies illustrates that when exposed to 600°c melanin still retains nearly 50% of its original properties, it has a strong resistance to decay and can also be found in 1,000 year old mummies.
What is it?
Melanin is a chemical, made up of subunits of chemicals which are influenced by enzymes (protein molecules used to digest food, produce energy, and purify the blood) to build a stable and resilient compound. This compound is distributed through the body of pigmented people (Kittles 1995).
This stable and resilient compound gives many benefits to the body of melinated people.
The importance of melanin is hidden all too often for a variety of reasons but it is fundamental we can identify where is resides in us and why this extremely precious chemical makes us so unique.
Melanin can appear in a variety of different colours but is predominantly black or dark in colour and is found in the earth as well as throughout the human body.
Melanin is in all of us and is situated in many areas such as:
African (Black) people tend to have more organs that contain high concentrations of melanin. It is fundamental to remember melanin is a gift responsible for many of our capabilities.
Melanin is the basis of pigment and even in the first stages of human life as an embryo melanin is present as the body forms in a variety of essential regions such as the brain, hair, skin, eyes and genitals.
It is important to recognise the immense strength of melanin which appears to be a substance that is almost indestructible. Studies illustrates that when exposed to 600°c melanin still retains nearly 50% of its original properties, it has a strong resistance to decay and can also be found in 1,000 year old mummies.
Pablo Menfesawe-Imani interview – Sept 2009
Why does the Black Community need to wake up to their Health & Wellbeing?
Health is a birthright and is the normal state of all human beings when one becomes unhealthy they are in a state of unbalance and this can materialise in a myriad of ways, from the very subtle like just simply being impatient and wanting to push someone over just to get a seat on the bus to the most well known widespread cases, diabetes, high blood pressure, strokes and cancer.
Now you may not have a life threatening disease, yet if you are angry all the time or often that is a liver problem, back pains denote lack of self assurance and security which will eventually lead to greater problems, this is merely a tiny example of the pressing need to be aware of our bodies and feelings.
Now you mention Black community may I add Black global community cause Black people are falling out from Diabetes in the Caribbean, USA, UK and in Africa due to poor dietary habits. The majority of Black people are not concerned about what they put in their mouths and this is due to a mental and emotional condition. They are addicted to foods and ways of cooking that will kill slowly or quickly depending on how you look at it. Visit a pupil referral unit (special need schools and state prisons for children) in London and find that most of the children in there are from the Black community with ADHD. This is not because they are bad children. Further investigation into the diet, homes, environment and parenting will give you the answers why they are there.
Wellbeing is about emotional states how we feel about our homes our environment and the kind of relationships we are having.
The crimes the black community are committing on each other is staring us in the face and it’s not just knives and guns, its lies, stealing, deceit, emotional blackmail and all kinds of lack of concern for each other. In yoga this is termed as unconsciousness so when you speak of waking up you mean becoming conscious and this extends to all of humanity.
