HEALTH AND WELLNESS

  Worms and Intestinal Parasites in Ghana: What You Should Know Good food, clean water and good sanitation would keep you safe  YOUR FOOD, YOUR HEALTH Your stomach may be quiet, but that doesn't always mean everything inside is quiet. For generations, Ghanaians have heard about "worms in the stomach." In the olden days, children played barefoot, people worked closely with the soil, and some communities depended on streams, wells and other natural water sources. Our grandparents had many healthy lifestyle practices, but closer to nature did not always mean closer to perfect health. Today, we understand better how intestinal worms and other parasites spread—and how to prevent and treat them. 🪱 How Do You Get Intestinal Worms? Worms don't knock before entering. Certain intestinal worms can spread through contaminated soil, food, water and dirty hands.  Hookworm can even enter the body through the skin when someone walks barefoot on contaminated soil. That makes simple h...

  Lemon or Lime Water in Ghana: Does It Really Detox the Body? Hydrated naturally   YOUR FOOD, YOUR HEALTH In the old days, life in Ghana was much simpler. Our parents and grandparents relied heavily on fresh, locally available foods and plain water rather than the many bottled soft drinks and sweetened beverages we have today. One simple habit that many people enjoy today is adding fresh lemon or lime to water. It is refreshing, inexpensive and easy to prepare. But there is a popular claim that lemon or lime water can “ detox ” or flush toxins from the body.                   Is this actually true? The Truth About Lemon and Lime Water Detox The answer is no —not in the way the claim suggests. Your body already has its own natural detoxification system. The liver and kidneys continuously process substances and remove waste from your body. Health publications, including  Medicine and Healthline , have addressed the popular lemo...

  Natural   Reduce Salt in Your Meals:  Protect Your Kidneys and Improve Your Health the Ghanaian Way YOUR FOOD, YOUR HEALTH In many Ghanaian homes today, salt is an essential ingredient in almost every kitchen.  From preparing light soup, palm nut soup, groundnut soup, kontomire stew, beans stew, and garden egg stew to seasoning fish, meat, and other traditional dishes, salt helps bring out the taste we love. But the question is: Are we eating too much salt? Excessive salt intake can contribute to health problems, especially high blood pressure, which can put extra strain on the kidneys and increase the risk of kidney disease over time. This is why reducing the amount of salt in our meals is an important part of healthy eating and kidney health. Flavor that nourishes How Our Ancestors Ate: Less Processed, More Natural If we look back at the lifestyle of many Ghanaians in the olden days, we may notice an important difference in the way food was prepared. Our grandpar...

  Nature heals Cut Down on Seasoning Cubes: Rediscover the Flavours of Traditional Ghanaian Cooking In many Ghanaian kitchens today, seasoning cubes have become a regular part of cooking. From soups and stews to rice dishes and beans, a cube or two is often added to enhance flavour.  But while seasoning cubes can make meals taste delicious, using too much of them may contribute significantly to our daily sodium intake. Before seasoning cubes became common in Ghanaian households, our mothers and grandmothers relied more on natural ingredients to bring out the rich flavours in traditional meals.  Ingredients such as onions, garlic, ginger, pepper, prekese, dawadawa, garden herbs, fresh tomatoes, and local spices were carefully combined to create delicious meals without depending heavily on processed seasonings. How Did Our Ancestors Season Their Food? Traditional Ghanaian cooking was largely based on what was available locally. Fresh ingredients were pounded, ground, blen...