A neurosurgeon, Dr Okezie Kanu, on Wednesday advised Nigerians to increase water intake, exercise regularly and eat organic foods, including fruits and vegetables, in order to stay healthy.
Kanu, an Associate Professor at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), gave the advice at the 2022 Annual Workshop and Luncheon of the Association of Private Practicing Surveyors of Nigeria (APPSN).
The APPSN is a subgroup of the Nigerian Institution of Surveyors (NIS).
He said maintaining a healthy lifestyle required pursuit of comprehensive wellness and well-being principles starting with the brain.
Speaking on the event’s theme, “Surveying Safety; Health and Well Being of a Surveyor”, Kanu’s lecture focused on wellness aspects of the brain, blood, bladder, bones, bowel and breasts.
He said care for the brain was important because mental health is the foundation of all wellness, and so professionals must remain healthy physically and mentally for efficiency.
Kanu said to care for the brain, it must be stimulated through new activities like leaning new hobbies, skills and procedures.
He called for balanced diet through adequate intake of fruits and vegetables in addition to adequate physical activities through exercise like walking as well as restful sleep.
“Feed your brain with what I call the rainbow diet,” he said.
He warned against sleep disorders responsible for high blood pressure and several illnesses, and urged surveyors to ensure that they rest in their sleep by shunning anxiety and worries.
“Restful sleep is not how long but how well. You can sleep but not rest,” he said.
He reeled out measures and ways to keep the other “Bs” which include bladder, bones, bowel and breasts healthy, but insisted on adequate water intake for proper function of all body organs.
“Water is very important and can cure and prevent several ailments. Drinking water is very good for you. Take adequate water with lots of fruits and vegetables.
“Alcohol is adultrated water, I advise you take pure water,” he said.
The doctor encouraged all attendees at the event to drink the water served while warning against excessive consumption of salt and processed foods responsible for increasing cases of cancer, heart and kidney diseases.
“Be very careful when you take high-class meals that cause high-class diseases,” he said.
Kanu called for regular check ups in addition to exercise, especially walking, to keep all body parts in good function and shape.
He said that “body mass index should always be less than 23”.
