Our Health is Our Wealth

We continue to witness invention, creativity and advancement in technology in a rapid pace in all spheres of life. It has led to an extent that in this 21st century, human beings have made tremendous steps in the political, socio-economic and educational arena due to embracement of technology. Today, technology has made the world to be like a village and its villagers are able to participate in their basic affairs in it by interacting via websites and social media.

Indeed, technological revolution has turned things upside down. However, it would not be surprising to see someone opposing the technological revolution, by alleging that he/she has not seen or heard about it. It is possible for the allegations to be true if there is no installation of some of the parameters including primary infrastructure that promote and expand technology in the region where the alleger stays.

The disheartening part is that despite making incredible technological progress in healthcare, food production etc. Instead, we continue to witness deplorable statistics that show high numbers of people across the world who suffer from serious diseases. Ailments that in origin are due to humanity’s poor lifestyle. Amongst the diseases, whose record and victims keep rising are those of diabetes, hypertension, stroke, cancer, heart attack, stress and others.

Indeed, the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic led matters to become worse, majority of those who perished are amongst those with the above-mentioned diseases. Institutions and mainstream media both locally and internationally continue to report and publish their statistics via their websites and social media platforms. Jointly, they have confirmed that the root-cause of almost all of the above- mentioned diseases are due to being over-weight (obesity) or thin outside fat inside (tofi).

The situation is critical such that the statistics of the year 2009 reveal that the country with the highest number of diabetic people in the world is Nauru. In America, the percentage of diabetic people is 36.2. The number of diabetic men in Britain stands at 40.6%. In Canada, diabetic women are at 20.2%.

The numbers of diabetic children and teenagers globally stands at 39.9 million. While the youth (men) between the age of 19 and below with diabetes in America is at 45.7%. The estimated number of children between the age of 5 and 19 globally who will be diabetic by the year 2030 will be 254 million. (Statista, 18/02/2022).

For sure, the above quoted data is just a snapshot of the global miserable reality on the state of health of majority of people. Therefore, it is crucial to seek a solution very fast so that we can alleviate humanity’s suffering wherever they are. Undoubtedly, the solution to the problems facing our health lies in changing our lifestyle especially by prioritizing the issues of better nutrition and exercise.

It is very imperative to ask ourselves what is better nutrition and exercise. In order, to answer the said question correctly, we have no option than to review our education that we learnt or taught in this epoch in relation to the whole subject of better nutrition. Hence, it is compulsory that we consider and compare our lifestyles in this eon and those who lived before us.

In this century, we have witnessed the existence of institutions and teachers of all sorts and majority of them have betrayed their professions by colluding with global conglomerates. Multinationals that own huge industries with global monopoly. The said industries are involved majorly in making of ‘food’ products, medicines and chemicals. It has led the professionals to trade their expertise by promises of little coins.

Consequently, they are being exploited in legitimization of products that wreak-havoc to humankind, animals and trees in general.

Based on that, we have no option but to ask ourselves the following questions:

First – What we eat is it suitable for providing nutrition to our bodies? Second – Is the timing right for eating? Third – What type of work or activities do we engage in? Fourth – What effect does the sun have in our health? Fifth – What kind of exercises do we do?

By answering the above questions, it will give us an opportunity to know what is better nutrition and exercise. We start by the foods that we eat, majority of people across world consume industry-processed foods or those with no nutrition value to the body and instead they are they are root-cause of numerous diseases. There are allegations of bolstering the said foods with all manner of vitamins. In most cases, it just mare empty rhetoric.

Most of the foods that we ingest are the carbohydrates type – that give our bodies’ ‘energy and heat’. There are two types of carbohydrates. The first are the simple carbohydrates for example rice, wheat flour, maize flour, cassava, Irish potatoes, ripe bananas etc. This type is digested very fast when eaten and within a short time, we start to feel hunger once again. Thus, leading to continuous eating every now and then. The second type are complex carbohydrates for instance beans, sweet potatoes, arrowroots, green bananas, butternut, finger millet, sorghum etc. The digestion of this type is slow such that it takes time before a person feels hunger again.

The second type of food is protein – helps to build the body. Examples of protein foods are eggs and all types of meat from (e.g. fish, chicken, ducks, goats, sheep, cows and camels).

The third type of foods are vegetables – leaves, eaten either fresh or cooked. Examples of vegetables are numerous but the most recommended are: cabbages, kales, cauliflower, spinach and broccoli. Recommendation is because of the vital minerals found in them.

The fourth type of food are fats/oils – consumed directly or via cooking of vegetables, protein or carbohydrates.

There are two types of fats/oils: fake - those made in industries using seeds that are processed and given different names. In addition, there are real fats/oils gotten from avocados, coconut, olive and animals.

Seed fats/oils from the industries do not have any nutrition value to humanity. Since, the processed fats/oils are from different stages of cleaning, softening, colorization etc. Numerous researches continue to confirm that the said industrial fats/oils contribute immensely in cancer diseases due to their releasing of chemicals when being used. (Express, 18/04/2022)

The fifth type of food are fruits: mangoes, watermelons, oranges, avocados, jackfruit, tangerine, etc. After thorough research, findings are that a percentage of almost all fruits are not indigenous. In other words, we have genetically modified fruits to an extent to raise their sweetness and circumvent their seasonal harvest.

Fruits that do not depend seasonal harvest or have undergone genetically modification have high levels of fructose. Fructose is different from glucose. Glucose is directly absorbed into the body cells; contrary to fructose, it has to be stored in the liver and then acted upon after which it get absorbed into the body cells. Therefore, it causes the liver to have an extra work that leads it to become fatty and depreciates in performance. Based on that most research promotes regular eating of avocados, guavas, etc. and desist from other fruits.

As for when is the right time of eating food? For quite a long time it has become a habit for a person when s/he wakes up they are supposed to take breakfast. Majority of people in this epoch have misunderstood breakfast to be taking food very early in the morning. For instance, those going to school or work take breakfast in their homes, restaurants or eateries.

On the contrary, genuine researchers and experts that care for the health of humanity have openly expose that humankind does NOT need to eat in the morning. However, s/he is supposed to take breakfast anytime past after midday. Amongst the experts are doctors who respect and value their professions, who include but not limited to Doctor Eric, owner of Afya Space. He has written extensively both in his blog and his Telegram channel, The Warriors. The following is a quote from him:

“MORNING BREAKFAST is the most useless meal of the day.

‘Breakfast is the most important meal of the day’ was a marketing strategy created by Nestle, Kellog and General mills to market their cereals e.g. Weetabix, Oats and bread.

Edward Louis Bernays who was described as the father of propaganda is behind some of these marketing fallacies meant to promote unhealthy food products at the expense of the health of people.
At 4 AM in the morning, the body releases a thread of hormones known as counter-regulatory hormones.

These hormones are:

- Glucagon
- Adrenaline
- Cortisol
- Growth hormone

These hormones raise blood sugar in the morning. This is called the dawn phenomenon. The rising blood glucose level prepares you to face day.

The growth hormones prepare your muscles for the day while adrenaline wakes up your mind to face the morning.
The rising blood glucose will remain till few minutes after midday when it begins dropping. If it drops, the body will now use another mechanism to mobilize more glucose from muscle tissues and the liver, and this include converting fats in the liver into glucose.

So, in the morning, you don’t have to eat. It is useless.
The body is NOT stupid.

Do you know why persons living with diabetes are advised to test their blood glucose levels in the morning before swallowing their medicines?

Now you know.”

The quote is just a glimpse from among the researches and majority independent professionals who have delved deeper in exposing the fallacy of eating in the morning. The matter is clear especially when we look at our grandparents who used to take their first meal after midday. In addition, some of us have grown up without taking the morning meal and we did not feel any problem until the moment we were brainwashed by Edward Bernays’s propaganda and the companies that sanctioned him.

Based on that it is clearly recommended that a person must commit himself/herself to taking breakfast afternoon. That will lead to taking advantage of the morning time to do crucial tasks full of vigor and zeal. Contrary to that, we witness people who have eaten in the morning in their houses, but by 10 am, they are eating again while afternoon when they go for break they eat again!

According to Doctor Eric it is better for a person to regularly fast and eat either eat twice or once per day. For example, he is advising a person to eat at 7 pm until the next day same time. On the other hand, to eat at 1 pm and 7pm same day. Furthermore, throughout the fasting period (you are not eating) to take water at room temperature or warm, sugarless genuine tea or coffee. Finally, a person to fast (autophagy) for 48+ hours once per week without swallowing anything into stomach apart from water, sugarless genuine tea or coffee.

There is a huge secret in fasting for everyone who wants to have better health. Fasting empowers a person to have a lot of time to engage in vital activities rather than engaging in daydreaming of continuous eating. Today we see people who are eating for 24 hours. There is no difference between them and animals; they are ever chewing whatever that passes by them. No wonder, we see obese people and within a short span of time they drown in type 2 diabetes.

Indeed, most diseases that face us their solution begin from our food, food source i.e. farming, cooking of the same and the timing of consumption.

We wind up with the last question i.e. what kind of exercises do I do? Undoubtedly, this technological era has led to most people to relocate to the urban areas. People have migrated to the urban areas for purposes of seeking certain services and especially employment opportunities. That has led to majority of people are engaged in their work and with little time to do exercises. In addition, to the advancement in the transport sector, today there are fewer people who walk to their daily chores e.g. to school, work, etc.

On the other hand, we witness most people who are sitting and busy doing activities via their computers, smartphones and televisions for long periods. If they are to stand then it is for a short period and back to their same sitting positions. The presence of movies and continuous program series has caused most people to be stuck at their homes or movie cafes and theaters. This has led to the body to not exercise and become a host of diseases regularly especially coupled with eating of ‘fast foods’.

Not any exercise benefits. A person must consider their age on what to exercise. According to Doctor Eric, he advises that a person with 35 years and above to exercise and rests for 48 hours. In addition, a person with 35 years and below to exercise and rests for 24 hours. The importance of resting is for the muscles to heal.

A person can do exercises at home or register in a gym. The recommended exercises are for weight lifting for 3 or 4 days depending on the age of the person concerned. Moreover, it is better to do the exercises for a duration of between 45 minutes and 1 hour. Do not increase the time because it will destroy the health of the muscles. A part from the weight lifting exercises, it is better to get involved in High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) especially like running short distances like 100 meters or sprinting amongst other examples on condition it is within the shortest periods. Alternatively, jumping up and down or rope skipping, etc. Finally, at least once every week to run for long distance.

In order to summarize all what we have mentioned above, I implore to emphasize that where there is intention, there is a way. The beginning of taking any step in life starts by changing our initial viewpoint embedded in us. In other words, we are supposed to unlearn the issue of better nutrition and exercise. Contrary to that, we shall continue to find ourselves following the steps that lead us into ditch of destruction.

Among the steps to take is to stop eating regularly. Instead, set a specific time to eat for example you can eat once or twice per day. Also, throughout the time to drink water at room temperature or warm, sugarless genuine tea or coffee. Furthermore, you can add salt or genuine vinegar in your warm water. As for eating, focus on protein (meat and eggs), if it is a must you eat carbohydrates then take complex carbohydrate (beans, sweet potatoes, arrowroots, green bananas, butternut, millet, sorghum etc., fruits (avocados, guavas), vegetables (cabbages, kales, cauliflower, spinach and broccoli) and genuine fats/oils from (olive, coconut and animals).

A part from eating nutritious foods and exercising, it is better to walk in the sun or sunbathing. Researchers advise that the right time to walk in the sun or sunbathing be between afternoon and evening. It is immeasurable to list the value and importance of the sun to creations because its contribution is monumental and its absence is calamitous. Similarly, it is better to walk barefoot, doing so, facilitates earthing. Hence, assisting in exchange of electrons between the body and the earth. Therefore, leading to better health.

Our greatest enemy is our habits. Most of us we have a habit of eating what we get or like without considering its contribution to our health in general. Not anything sweet means it benefits our bodies. However, a person must prioritize the nutritional value of food that he/she consumes to their body. Today how many among us are witnessed filling our shopping bags whenever we go to the markets, but what we put in them are the root-cause of diseases in our bodies.

Maybe we ask ourselves, why in the past the diseases like cancer and diabetes used to face those living in the urban especially affluent. Nevertheless, today there is ravaging and suffering in villages due to diseases of cancer, diabetes etc. Our latest lifestyle aggravated the current deplorable situation. The foods we eat are cultivated using industry fertilizers dangerous to humanity. On the other hand, processing of foods to raise profits to industry owners at the expense of consumers’ health.

The time is has arrived to review the methods of farming and prioritize real food and not food that has undergone genetic modification. We must increase our uptake of salt and avoid sugar. Salt has numerous benefits compared to sugar from industries or fruits! We must take a stand to unlearn on better nutrition and exercise in order to become safe in our lives. Let us not forget to have enough sleep for purposes of reinvigorating our bodies. We have to remember that everything that is better has a price. Although, the price might not be money. One of the prices to pay in order to have better health is to do away with our old eating habits and unlearn. The issue is not just eating but eating healthy.

Why is it when given tea mixed with two or three spoons of sugar, you fail to drink it? However, when given a bottle of soda whose sugar is more than five spoons of sugar you drink it unperturbed and even seek an additional bottle? Indeed, the worst form of slavery is intellectual. Bad ideas, results in bad concepts and in turn bad actions. Now is the moment of reviewing what we learnt in the past in relation to eating better nutrition and exercise. If we do not change our viewpoint, our generation and us shall continue to languish with diseases. Underline the fact that NO secular government that cares for its citizens. On the contrary, most governments across the world are only concerned with benefitting conglomerates that bribe them and fund secular politicians in order to pass policies and laws that will permit citizens’ ruin.

Let us remember that eating one or two meals per day is not poverty. A rich person is who has better health and enjoys intellectual tranquility by realizing that there is a Creator of the universe, man and life. In addition, s/he works hard to submit to the laws of the Creator and that s/he is a slave to Him. Ubadah bin Samit (ra) narrated that the Prophet (saw) said: «لاَ ضَرَرَ وَلاَ ضِرَارَ» “There should be neither harming nor reciprocating harm.” [Sunan Ibn Majah]. Furthermore, Abu Hurairah (ra) narrated that the Prophet (saw) said:

«يَأْكُلُ الْمُسْلِمُ فِي مِعًى وَاحِدٍ، وَالْكَافِرُ يَأْكُلُ فِي سَبْعَةِ أَمْعَاءٍ» “A Muslim eats in one intestine (i.e. he is satisfied with a little food) while a Kafir (unbeliever) eats in seven intestines (eats much).” [Sahih al-Bukhari].

In conclusion, citizens’ comprehensive healthcare needs shall be guaranteed under the true and able leadership of the Islamic State of Khilafah (Caliphate). The Khilafah reestablished on the method of the Prophethood will provide not only policies that facilitate revamping of humanity’s lifestyle but also regulate the agricultural sector to strictly adhere to the Islamic Shari’ah. InshaAllah.

Written for the Central Media Office of Hizb ut Tahrir by
Ali Nassoro Ali
Member of the Central Media Office of Hizb ut Tahrir