Can I Have Some Of Those Colourful Fruits Please?

by Eniola Waide

February 15, 2018

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I’m nowhere near looking like Agbani Darego, Joan Smalls, Tyra Banks, Oluchi, Kate Moss, Chanel Iman, Gisele Bundchen, Alek Wek, Heidi Klum, Jourdan Dunn or Eva Marcille, beautiful ladies whose heights start from 1.7m and are world renowned models but I share a similarity with them (for real, no kidding)- we (including me) are all long-legged and tall.

My childhood and background

I was a plump child growing up, but over the years, I have settled into being a 1.74m lady in height, with a long body frame, beautiful long legs and strong hips/bones (if I say so myself…lol). Thanks to my parents and probably their own parents’ genetics for this- my physique is definitely not something I made happen. And when you have no weight issues, are able to walk 10 km with no qualms, can eat anything in excess without piling fat on your body, are able to sleep without any disturbance, can fit into clothes stress-free, the last thing you think about is your health, right? This was the case for me until I got introduced into the world of Wellness Screenings in 2013- tests that measure vital health statistics such as body glucose levels, blood pressure, body mass index (BMI), height, weight and cholesterol levels.

Prior to 2013, I was not a physically active person (still not) and I did not give much thought to what I ate. I ate everything, a lot of everything termed ‘non-healthy’ and I HATED fruits. I have no family history when it comes to health issues, I did not have any imminent health concerns and had a relatively good physique, so in my mind really, there was nothing to be concerned about.  But I’d been hearing about these wellness screenings which I didn’t give much thought to, until I had the opportunity to test myself for free, which I did on the 28th of January, 2013. To date, that remains one of the best things I’ve done for myself.

I was told that all my vital stats were great except for one thing-  I had a very high cholesterol level, way higher than the desirable & healthy level and I was shocked. I knew and admitted that I didn’t eat the healthiest of foods but I thought that given the fact that I had no health issues, I was fine. What an illusion!

Including fruits into my diet

After I was educated on the pitfalls of having a very high cholesterol level and having a few lifestyle changes recommended to me, I decided to embark on a healthy life journey. Fitting a physical activity schedule like going to the gym was not feasible for me during this time, so I decided to start with changes to my diet by eating healthier by incorporating more fruits- for starters. For someone who didn’t even go past the fruit & vegetable section when grocery shopping, this was a challenge. And at the beginning, I bought a loooot of fruits but because I hated eating them, they rotted easily/quickly and were thrown away. But I knew that it was either I become physically active or follow a healthy diet, so I attempted the healthy diet again in a bid to manage my cholesterol level. I figured, since I don’t enjoy chewing fruits I might as well sip on them so I started making fruit smoothies. I bought apples (I think this is an all-rounder fruit), plain free yoghurt and other seasonal fruits to make smoothies which I incorporated into my diet at least 5 days of the week, except on weekends. I also started storing fruits in my freezer to prevent wastage.

Benefits of including fruits in my diet so far

Fast forward to 2014, I got myself tested again and my cholesterol level was still high BUT considerably lower than 2013’s figure. In 2015, I managed to reach an acceptable cholesterol level, and it has been smooth sailing ever since.  I cannot even begin to tell you the long-term effect eating fruits (in its raw form) has had on my overall wellbeing. These include among others:

1. A well-functioning digestive system. With all the fibre fruits contain, I am never constipated and my digestive tracts are functioning well.
2. Maintaining my weight since fruits are generally low in calories and have no cholesterol.
3. My energy levels are consistently sustained.
4. My skin is not doing too badly as well.
5. I am healthy and less ill

I still don’t go to the gym for intense workouts neither do I engage in any other daily form of physical activity except for skipping once or twice a week at home. I made only one dietary change which was to incorporate more fruits into my diet and I have been doing this consistently for the past 4 years.  It has made a looooooot of difference and I recommend it to you too. Drinking fruits smoothies is now a lifestyle and in a later post, I’ll share some of my favourite smoothie recipes. I have also begun to incorporate more vegetables (spinach &  kale specifically) into my smoothies (shout out to my friend Aletia for giving me the motivation I needed to keep at this).

Honestly, looks can be deceiving. I wonder how many people 4 and a half years ago must have thought ‘jeez, that girl has a great body and flat tummy’ without knowing that I had a very high cholesterol level that needed to be tended to, something that could have made me prone to cardiovascular problems, digestive challenges, damage to my arteries etc.

Point is, regardless of how thin, petite or plump you are, getting yourself checked on a consistent basis and eating healthily on a regular basis makes a lot of difference. This is the time to get serious about your health. How do you try to maintain a healthy lifestyle? Are you a fruit convert like me? Or you are repelled by vegetables or anything ‘fruity’?

Thanks so much for stopping by today. Till we chat again, stay healthy, keep shining, share the blog with your awesome tribe and take care of yourself XOXOXO

Image: Pixabay