I am a great fan of Ed Sheeran but my thoughts at the moment have nothing to do with “….place your head on my beating heart. I’m thinking out loud.” Instead my focus is on Ghana’s Independence Day, raising awareness of colorectal cancer (cancer of the colon and rectum) throughout the month of March but especially on 4th March and the fact that all calories may not be equal after all when it comes to fat gain or loss.
This is what Dr Jonathan Laryea, an associate professor of surgery says about cancer of the colon and rectum; “Colorectal cancer is preventable through screening. Diets that are rich in red meat, low fibre, animal and saturated fats are associated with a high risk of colorectal cancer. If it is detected early, it can be cured. The treatment of colorectal cancer requires a multidisciplinary approach.”
My advice is simple, give yourself the perfect gift of a colonoscopy on your 50th Birthday. It is much better to screen for colon cancer long before symptoms set in. An early colonoscopy may detect polyps (growths) that are not cancerous and can easily be removed before they transform into a killing machine. Even in the best of health facilities your chances of survival are markedly reduced when you go in search of colon cancer after symptoms have set in.
I am not sure what 6th March means to you. I am extremely passionate about Ghana and I am confident that one day in the not too distant future, a leader and his (or her) selfless team will put us back where we belong; with the very best. Frankly I do not think we should be wasting money at expensive parades, dinners or other unnecessary functions this year. We are broke and this day should mark the beginning of cutting off waste and every little bit counts.
After almost sixty years of managing our own affairs it is troubling to know that we have floods in our capital when the rains threaten. Why do we then disturb the Almighty with prayers for rain when we are just not ready? Oh and we continue to import food from our neighbours who have less rain in a year compared to us and our land is by far richer. Who takes care of the citizens when in spite of hikes in electricity tariffs our voltages fluctuate so much it destroys our electrical appliances? Voltage stabilizers don’t appear to have an antidote to the “disease” served the ECG way.
We have discussed handwashing several times and I am sure most of us are doing a fairly good job but very soon handshakes may be a thing of the past in our dear nation. Scary! A few days ago as I listened to Jess and Philip (they provide me with my daily dose of laughter) on radio, I made the mistake of looking into a car by my side and I almost screamed out in shock. The driver was digging into his nose with his fingers probably in an attempt to pull out cassava. The worst was yet to come; after he had succeeded in digging his “gold” he starred at his trophy for a while and then flicked it away. Someone will unknowingly shake hands directly or indirectly with this man. Imagine it. If you have to shake hands do but please do not eat, drink, touch your face or even use the bathroom until you have washed your hands with soap and water. You may never know.
In years gone by when I used to walk to school close to home and had virtually no worries, when Harmattan season was much harsher and longer and highlife music was at its peak, things were much easier than today or so it seemed. I am not suggesting that the days of old are better than now. Well if losing fat (or weight) was as simple as the days of old then if we burnt more calories than we put in even through starvation and irrespective of our choice of food groups we will lose fat. Unfortunately it may not be that easy; ALL CALORIES ARE NOT CREATED EQUAL. The fact that we do not get the same quantity of energy when we burn equal amounts of fats, carbohydrates and proteins may be telling us the whole story.
Our immediate environment also matters. If you have just finished exercising and you take in a large dose of food that quickly increases your blood sugar then there is a good chance that it may be stored as glycogen in the muscle or liver. If like many of us we have had no exercise or have forced our cells to become insulin resistant (by carrying excess fat) then there is the likelihood that this sugar will be stored as fat.
A meal high in protein and fat will digest slowly while the carbohydrate packed one takes you on a sprint and you may feel hungry long before lunch time. Little wonder one gets hungry quickly even after consuming a whole barrel of “koko sakora” (porridge with no milk or other source of protein, fat etc.). If you virtually starve yourself especially cutting off most proteins and then take part in cardiovascular exercises, you may appear to be losing weight according to your scale but beware. You may in actual fact be losing muscle and you will slow down your metabolism as well and this is double agony; you will quickly regain the weight but this time as fat and you will struggle to lose weight in the future since you have reduced your muscle mass.
I sincerely wish there was more to celebrate this Independence Day but all is not yet lost. Each of us has the power to make a positive change and collectively we can propel our nation forward but it means sacrificing to achieve the gains. People made sacrifices years ago in the countries we so often run to. This is our country and it is up to us to make it the best it can be.
AS ALWAYS LAUGH OFTEN, WALK AND PRAY EVERYDAY AND REMEMBER IT’S A PRICELESS GIFT TO KNOW YOUR NUMBERS (blood sugar, blood pressure, blood cholesterol, BMI)

Dr. Kojo Cobba Essel
Moms’ Health Club/Health Essentials
(www.healthclubsgh.com)

Dr. Essel is a medical doctor, holds an MBA and is ISSA certified in exercise therapy and fitness nutrition.
Thought for the week – “To lower your risk of colorectal, exercise regularly, avoid foods that are high in fat, eat plenty of fruits and vegetables and other high-fibre foods, no not smoke and drink alcohol in moderation.”-American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons.
References:
1. 5 Very Good reasons to STOP Counting Calories by Mike Sheridan
2. Jonathan Laryea MD, FACS, FASCRS, FWACS. (Associate Professor of Surgery, University of Arkansas for medical Sciences.)