Dr Adenike Ojumu, a primary care physician, has called Nigerians to go for regular medical check-ups and engage in physical fitness, especially as they grow older.
Ojumu told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) at a Health Talk on Saturday in Lagos that there was need for the people to pay attention to common health issues.
She said that people should take intentional steps that would impact positively on their health.
“You are the sole person responsible for your health. You are your first health care provider,” she said.
NAN reports that the event was organised by The Redeemed Evangelical Mission (TREM), Joint Women Fellowship, Festac Town.
“Knowing your numbers; your blood pressure, your cholesterol and sugar level is something you need to look at."
“You need to watch what you eat because you are what you eat. You need to eat healthy,” she said.
She advised Nigerians to develop the culture of physical exercise and erase the notion that fitness was for a specific set of people.
“There’s no age restriction to start exercising,’’ she said.
She recommended 150 minutes of exercise weekly for adults.
“Everybody needs exercise; whether you’re big, fat or skinny.
“Choose what you love to do. It could be walking, dancing or aerobics.
“If you exercise, it will add value and years to your life,” she said.
She warned against overdoing exercise at the onset because it could do more harm than good.
“Don’t try to do all the exercises you haven’t done all these years in one day.
“You can start with five minutes, and then increase it. Let your body get used to it.
“When you’re exercising, listen to your body. If you feel somehow, stop,” she said.
Ojumu reiterated the need to have blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar checks regularly.
She explained that it was a misconception to think that exercises were only for weight watchers.
“There are very slim people who have alarming rate of cholesterol.
“There are a lot of sicknesses that are not linked directly to your weight,” she said.
She asserted that prayer was good but checking out signs and symptoms of diseases was wise.
She urged people to draw a line between faith, foolishness and presumption.
She equally advised men and women to have regular breast self-examination, explaining that breast cancer was not limited to women only.
“If there’s a mass anywhere in the body where it is not supposed to be, don’t just assume, check it out,” she said.
