Information gap fuelling poor nutrition among Ugandans – experts

UGANDA | NUTRITION | KNOWLEDGE

Inadequate knowledge about the health benefits of indigenous foods has been cited as one of the factors fueling poor nutrition and causing preventable diseases in Uganda.

Experts say the population is increasingly abandoning local foods for foreign and exotic diets, hence missing out on the nutritional benefits because they lack information.

They claim that this has resulted not only in lifestyle diseases but also in increased nutritional deficiency among the population.

The revelation was made during the launch of Garden to Gut by Dorine Mwesigwa, a nutritionist and life coach, at the Kampala Serena Hotel on January 19, 2023.

The deputy Inspector General of Government, Ann Twinomugisha Muhairwe (left) join the author of the book entitled, Garden to Gut, Dorine Mwesigwa in photo shoot during the book launch at Serena Hotel Kampala 19 Jan 2023.

The event was attended by various individuals in the business, religious, and government spheres, with whom the author had an up-close discussion about nutrition and preserving indigenous food values.

Mwesigwa, who is the founder of the catering program Eagle Mum’s Kitchen, said Uganda is endowed with a variety of organic foods, which are treasured in other developed countries but are currently less appreciated in the country.

She said the ever-growing notion relating important foods, such as Katunkuma, Mukene, Enkejje, and Ddoodo, to poverty calls for the enlightenment of the populace.

“People need education on health and food." On an individual level, educate yourself by reading and practicing. "Know about the foods and the best process of preparing them so that you enjoy the benefits,” she said.

You are what you eat

The author advised people to have a personal relationship with foods and involve children in preparing them so that they appreciate the organic, indigenous varieties.

The Christian AID goodwill Ambassador on HIV and AIDS, Revered Canon Gideon Byamugisha (left) looks on as the author of the book entitled, Garden to Gut, Dorine Mwesigwa sign in a copy of the book he bought during the launch at Serena Hotel Kampala 19 Jan 2023.

Citing the adage, "You are what you eat," Mwesigwa said: “Your body carries you, so you need to take good care of it." There is a connection between your brain and your gut. So, ensure that your gut is getting the right foods to support your work. Research has shown that people who eat unhealthily are unhappy.

In the 252-page book, which is divided into 10 chapters and has the tagline “Cooking Your Way to Vitality Through Longevity,” Mwesigwa describes the food as medicine.

“If you can incorporate a healthy eating system in your bodies, you won’t need a doctor. The medicine is in the food. The vegetables, the fruits, our local foods such as katunkuma, enkejje, mukene have medicinal benefits,” she said.

She added that when one consumes vegetables, they won’t need to use food supplements since they are extracted from local foods and are often distorted with chemicals during processing.

Mwesigwa advised that to avoid junk food, which is highly unhealthy, one should not only be disciplined about when they eat but also always refill with water to avoid shopping for food to satisfy immediate hunger.

Nurture at infancy

Deputy Inspector General of Government Anne Twino Muhairwe is of the view that since people are products of their families and societies, children should be taught in infancy how to eat right.

A copy of the book entitled, Garden to Gut written by Dorine Mwesigwa which was launched at Serena Hotel Kampala 19 Jan 2023.

“Science has shown that food nurtures the brain." When you eat right, you think right and have the right attitude toward life. "This will help you do things that are expected by right-thinking members of society,” she said.

Muhairwe added that children should be imparted with the right values regarding food, including respect, the amounts to consume, and its timing.

Muhairwe believes that because of their diets, older people live healthier lives and that the government should implement policies that allow society to appreciate indigenous foods.

This, she added, can best be done through the provision of information that promotes good organic foods, because many people today eat unhealthy foods out of ignorance.

Prof. Gideon Baguma Byamugisha called for a holistic approach to nutrition, saying Africa and Uganda, in particular, need to establish the spiritual and economic benefits of feeding well.

He believes that to promote a healthy lifestyle, the country should incorporate good nutrition into the school curriculum for children.

"Like we've been taught to wash our hands before eating and to avoid drinking unboiled water. That could include what and when to eat. "With education at a young age, by the time they grow up, they are already tuned,” he said.

He also urged leaders and policymakers to create public messaging and programs that promote healthy eating habits that will save the population's life. This, he said, should include empowering people to know which foods to eat and which not to eat.

Synopsis

In Garden to Gut, the author shares her pain, her joy, and her experience with food and cooking to illustrate revelations about the filth in the food industry, along with her natural prescriptions for ensuring we all have a healthy gut.

After years of battling with chronic constipation from a very early age, Mwesigwa discovered her gut-related issues were caused by food intolerances.

She uses her experiences to share in highly researched detail many revelations about what is going on in our guts, in our bodies, and our communities.

Then, combining scientific and spiritual evidence, she offers targeted solutions for individual healing dietary choices that are tailored to one’s individual needs.

Garden to Gut is a wake-up call that challenges us to reimagine pressing questions in the western food industry and to make the necessary nutritional choices to return to our basic garden and cook our food, forging a path to vitality through longevity.

Priced at sh35,000, the book is available on the Amazon website and will soon be in different bookshops around Kampala.