04th July 2009
Poor Health and eating habits in Saint Lucia

In recent years, an increasing number of Saint Lucian nationals have reportedly been suffering from diabetes and hypertension, but there is absolutely no mystery to that recent revelation by local health officials, but The big question is – Can we stem that tide of poor health and eating habits among our people? The answer is - Yes! We can, if we readily adapt preventative and curative measures.
A few decades ago, St. Lucians took their eating habits very seriously and stuck to their dietary prescriptions, coupled with a regular schedule of exercising at home or a gymnasium. However, it takes great discipline as exemplified by the Japanese, to begin a daily exercise routine. But poor circulation stems from sluggishness. There is a laid-back culture in St. Lucia, where everything is seemingly on “Auto-Pilot!” As a people, we have apparently relaxed everything in our lives and have taken the easiest way out. For instance, we have become accustomed to our “fast foods” such as fried chicken & chips and the regular consumption of large quantities of “soft drinks” rather than a well-cooked meal containing our regular local agricultural produce, such as green banana, plantain, dasheen, yams (white & Yellow), tannia, along with pumpkin, lettuce, cabbage, cucumber, tomatoes and local fish, etc. Besides, we constantly eat a heavy dose of foreign products imported into the country by rapacious businessmen operating supermarkets and other grocery retail outlets. Most of these foreign foods are attractively packaged to appeal to local consumers, who usually put their health at risk by eating such alien products, which are probably not frequently quarantined by health officials to avoid an invasion of “free radicals” into our bodies.
Essentially, previous generations of Saint Lucians were seemingly much more alert, healthier and lived longer lives. Surely, this “silent killer” known as diabetes and hypertension were not a major problem affecting Saint Lucians, as recently and frighteningly diagnosed. Our children are now accustomed to be drinking more “soft drinks” rather than pure refreshing water or other nutritious beverages. We might say, there is a cost factor to healthy eating! But we have an abundance of ground provisions available to housewives and the St. Lucian people. A practice which has been around for several generations.
With diabetes on the rise; unfortunately, there will come the time, when husbands will become too impotent and completely useless to their attractive wives and girlfriends. Diabetes affects an increasing number of Saint Lucian men by erectile dysfunction; thereby affecting the SEX lives of many partners in this country. We need to take hold of ourselves by restoring our once high health ratings. It would be totally ridiculous for wives to resort only to SEX TOYS for their sexual satisfaction, due to impotent husbands and partners.