IJUE LISHE BORA (Usalama wa Maji na Usafi) / KNOW A HEALTHY DIET (Wash Concept BONUS)

HEALTHY DIET
A healthy diet means eating variety of foods from all the main food groups in order to get all the nutrients that are needed by the body. It is important for a person to eat a healthy diet for a healthy and longer life.


The main food groups are:

• Cereals, green bananas, roots and tubers

Cereals such as maize, rice, millet, wheat and sorghum; green bananas; roots and tubers such as yams, cassava and potatoes provide the body with energy.

• Pulses, nuts and foods of animal origin

Pulses such as beans and peas; nuts such as groundnuts and cashew nuts and foods of animal origin such as meat, milk and milk products, fish eggs and edible insects provide protein mainly.

• Fruits

Fruits such as pawpaws, mangoes, oranges, tangerines and pineapples as well as wild fruits such as baobab fruits, mabungo and tamarind (ukwaju) are good sources of vitamins and minerals.

• Vegetables

Vegetables such as amaranth, sweet potato leaves, cassava, pumpkin leaves; okra, carrots, pumpkins, tomatoes as well as indigenous vegetables such as jute marrow (mlenda), mchunga , figiri and night shade (mnavu) provide vitamins and minerals.

• Sugar, honey, fats and oils

Fats and oils such as ghee, butter, coconut oil, margarine, sunflower and palm oil; sugars such as honey and table sugar provide energy and increase palatability to food. Fats and oils, enhance absorption of fat soluble vitamins (Vitamin A, D, E and K).

Remember
High intake of sugar, fat and salt is associated with increased risk of chronic non communicable disease such as diabetes, coronary heart diseases and hypertension. Therefore they should be taken in moderation.

The importance of nutrients
Nutrients play role in maintaining a strong immune system which fights opportunistic infections and other health complications. Also, nutrients are important for prevention of weight loss and muscle wasting. It is therefore necessary to eat a variety of foods to provide all the nutrients required by the  body.

Types of nutrients

• Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates provide energy to enable the body to work and keep active.

• Protein

Protein is important for building, repairing and maintaining the body cells and tissues. When a person does not eat enough protein, the body begins to break down its muscles resulting in weight loss and muscle wasting. Similarly, when a person does not eat sufficient carbohydrates the body will use its muscle protein for energy. Protein is necessary to boost the immune system.

• Fats and Oils

Fats and oils provide a concentrated form of energy. Also they stimulate appetite by adding flavour and taste to food. They also help in absorption and transportation of fat soluble vitamins (ADEK).

• Vitamins and Minerals

Vitamins and minerals make parts of hormones and enzymes. Hence they are involved in the energy releasing metabolic reactions that involve carbohydrate, fat and protein. They also help to build a strong immune system and keep the linings of the lungs and the gut intact, which makes it more difficult for harmful micro-organisms to enter the body and cause infection. Vitamins A, C, E and some minerals such as selenium, zinc and iron are antioxidants. Antioxidants protect the body cells from damage by free radicals. Iron, folic acid and Vitamin B12 are involved in the synthesis of red blood cells which transport oxygen in the body.

Other important food substances
Apart from nutrients, there are other food substances which are also very important in our diet.
These are dietary fibre and water.
i. Dietary fibre
Dietary fibre is a food component that cannot be fully broken down by digestive enzymes in the human body. Food high in dietary fibre helps to enhance bowel function and as a result it can prevent and treat constipation. Dietery fibre has been associated with the prevention of cancer of large intestine. Good sources of dietary fibre include fruits and vegetables, unprocessed cereals as well as legumes.
ii. Water
Water is an essential component of diet. In the body water is important for transport of nutrients and removal of waste. Water assists in  metabolic activities of all cells and provides lubrication to moving parts of the body and assist in regulating body temperature.


WASH
Access to WASH includes safe water, adequate sanitation and hygiene education. This can reduce illness and death.

Food and water safety and hygiene
Contaminated food can harm the body and cause infection that can result to food poisoning, therefore it is important to be careful with the food they eat. One should observe strictly hygienic practices in the processing, storage, preparation and handling of food.

Therefore:
-Observe personal hygiene by washing hands thoroughly covering all wounds and ensuring cleanliness of the body and clothing before handling food;
-Observe hygiene in the kitchen by cleaning thoroughly food preparation surfaces and utensils;
-Observe quality of packing, labels and expiry dates for safety when using processed foods. Avoid torn paper bags, rusted, tilted and bulged cans;
-Wash fruits and vegetables. Vegetables which are to be eaten raw should be briefly dipped in boiling water;
-Eat food immediately after cooking. When cooked food is kept for more than two hours it should be reheated before being eaten;
-Cook thoroughly foods of animal origin such as meat, fish, eggs and chicken to ensure their safety. Fresh milk must be boiled; and
-Wash immediately utensils used in the processing and preparations of uncooked foods to prevent contamination of cooked foods.

Water safety
There is always a high risk of getting infections from contaminated water. In order to ensure safety of the water to drink should be:
-Boiled water for drinking, or for making juices.
-Store drinking water in clean covered containers
-Avoid touching clean water with unclean hands
-Use containers that are made in such a way that water can be poured or taken out through a tap but not putting hands in them.

SWAHILI

LISHE BORA
Lishe bora humaanisha kula vyakula mbalimbali kutoka kwa makundi yote ya vyakula ili kupata virutubisho vyote vinavyohitajika mwilini. Ni muhimu kwa mtu kula mlo kamili ili kuimarisha afya.

Makundi makuu ya vyakula ni:

Nafaka, na mizizi
Chakula kama mahindi, mchele, nyama, ngano na mahindi; ndizi za kijani; na mizizi kama vile muhogo,  na viazi hutoa mwili kwa nishati.

Kunde, karanga na vyakula vya asili ya wanyama
Jamii ya kunde, kama maharagwe na mbaazi; na karanga za korosho na vyakula vya asili ya wanyama kama vile nyama, maziwa na bidhaa za maziwa, mayai, samaki na wadudu wanaoliwa ( senene) hutoa protini hasa.

Matunda
Matunda kama vile papai, maembe, machungwa, machenza na mananasi na matunda ya mwitu kama vile matunda ya mbuyu, mabungo na ukwaju ni vyanzo vyenye vitamini na madini.

Mboga
Mboga kama vile mchicha, matembele, kisamvu, majani ya maboga, bamia, karoti, maboga, nyanya pamoja na mboga za asili kama vile mlenda, mchunga, figiri na mnavu  navyo hutoa vitamini na madini.

Sukari, asali, na mafuta 
Mafuta na mafuta kama vile siagi, mafuta ya nazi, margarini, alizeti na mafuta ya mitende; sukari kama vile asali na sukari ya mezani hutoa nishati na kuongeza hamu ya chakula. Mafuta, husaidia kuboresha  vitamini A, D, E na K).

Kumbuka
Ulaji mkubwa wa sukari, mafuta na chumvi huhusishwa na hatari kubwa ya kuleta magonjwa yasiyoambukizwa kama vile ugonjwa wa kisukari, ugonjwa wa moyo na shinikizo la damu. Kwa hiyo vinapaswa kuliwa kwa kiasi.

Umuhimu wa virutubisho
Virutubisho vina jukumu la kudumisha mfumo wa kinga ambao hupambana na maambukizi ya hatari na matatizo mengine ya afya. Pia, virutubisho ni muhimu kwa kuimarusha misuli. Kwa hiyo ni muhimu kula vyakula mbalimbali ili kupata virutubisho vyote vinavyotakiwa na mwilini.

Aina za virutubisho

Wanga
Wanga hutoa nishati ili kuwezesha mwili kufanya kazi kwa uimara.
Protini
Protini ni muhimu kwa kujenga, kutengeneza na kudumisha seli za mwili na tishu. Wakati mtu asipopata kiwango cha protini cha kutosha, mwili huanza kuvunja protini kwenye misuli yake na kusababisha kupoteza uzito na kupoteza misuli. Vivyo hivyo, wakati mtu asopopata kiwango cha wanga wa kutosha mwili utatumia protini yake ya misuli kwa ajili ya kuzalisha nishati. Protini ni muhimu ili kuongeza mfumo wa kinga.
Mafuta
Mafuta hutoa nishati iliyojilimbikiza . Pia huchochea hamu ya kula kwa kuongeza kwa chakula. Pia husaidia katika kunyonya na usafirishaji wa vitamini zinazozalishwa na mafuta vitamin (A,D,E na K).
Vitamini na Madini
Vitamini na madini huzalisha homoni na vichochezi (enzymes). Kwa hiyo zinahusika katika uzalishaji nishati inayochochea shughuli za kimetaboliki mwilini zinazohusisha wanga, mafuta na protini. Pia husaidia kujenga mfumo wa kinga ya na kuweka imara safu ya mapafu hivyo kusaidia kukinga na magonjwa yasabanishwayo na vijidudu sababu inafanya kuwa vigumu kwa viumbe vidogo  na vibaya (vimelea) kuingia mwili na kusababisha maambukizi. Vitamini A, C, E na madini mengine kama seleniamu, zinki na chuma ni antioxidants (viuasumu). Antioxidants (viua sumu) hulinda seli za mwili dhidi ya uharibifu na seli huru. Madini Chuma, foliki asidi na Vitamini B12 zinahusika katika utengenezaji wa seli hai nyekundu za damu zinazosafirisha oksijeni katika mwili.

Vitu vingine vya  muhimu katika  kukamilisha lishe bora
Mbali na virutubisho, kuna vitu vingine vya chakula ambavyo pia ni muhimu sana katika mlo wetu.

I. Nyuzi nyuzi za vyakula (fibers)
Fibers (nyuzi) za vyakula ni sehemu ya chakula ambayo haviwezi kuvunjika vyote na vichochezi vya umengenyaji  (enzymes) katika utumbo mwilini mwa binadamu. Chakula chenye jamii ya nyuzi (fiber) husaidia kuboresha kazi za utumbo hivyo inaweza kuzuia na kutibu kuvimbiwa na kuepusha choo kigumu. Jamii hii ya vyakula ikihusishwa kwenye mlo imehusishwa katika kuzuia kansa ya utumbo mkubwa. Vyanzo vya vyakula vya nyuzi nyuzi ni pamoja na matunda na mboga mboga, nafaka zisizohifadhiwa na jamii ya mikunde.

II. Maji
Maji ni sehemu muhimu ya chakula. Katika mwili, maji ni muhimu kwa usafirishaji wa virutubisho na kuondoa taka. Maji husaidia katika shughuli za kimetaboliki kwnye seli na kulaiisha sehemu za mwili zinazosonga na kusaidia katika kudhibiti joto la mwili.

WASH (USALAMA WA MAJI NA USAFI)

Upatikanaji wa WASH hujumuisha maji salama, usafi wa kutosha wa mazingira na elimu ya usafi. Hii inaweza kupunguza hatari ya kupata magonjwa na kifo.

Usalama na usafi wa vyakula
Chakula kisichowekwa katika hali ya usafi kinaweza kuathiri mwili na kusababisha maambukizi ambayo yanaweza kuzalisha sumu kwenye chakula , kwa hiyo ni muhimu kuwa makini. usafi uzingatiwe kuanzia katika usindikaji, kuhifadhi, maandalizi na utunzaji wa chakula.

Kwa hiyo

• Zingatia usafi wa kibinafsi kwa kuosha mikono vizuri, kufunika majeraha yote na kuhakikisha usafi wa mwili na mavazi kabla ya uandaaji na ulaji wa chakula;
• Zingatia usafi wa jikoni kwa kusafisha vifaa vya kuandalia chakula.
• Zingatia uhifadhi bora katika vifungashio, maandiko na tarehe za chakula kufikia mwisho wa matumizi (expiry dates), Epuka mifuko ya karatasi iliyokatwa, na chupa zisizo rasmi kwa mauzo ya vinywaji.
• Osha matunda na mboga. Mboga ambazo zinapaswa kuliwa mbichi zilwekwe kwa muda wa sekunde kadhaa kwenye maji ya moto, Kuhakikisha vijidudu hai vinakufa.
• Chakula kiliwe mara tu baada ya kupika. Wakati chakula kilichopikwa kimehifadhiwa ndani ya masaa mawili, kipashwe tena kabla ya kuliwa.
• Ivisha vizurivyakula vya asili ya wanyama kama vile nyama, samaki, mayai na kuku ili kuhakikisha usalama. Maziwa lazima yawe yamechemshwa; na
• Osha vifaa vilivyotumiwa wakati wa usindikaji na maandalizi ya vyakula vibichi mf. nyama ili kuzuia muingiliano wa vijidudu wakati wa kuandaa na kuhifadhia vyakula vilivyopikwa.

Usalama wa maji

Daima kuna hatari kubwa ya kupata maambukizi kutoka kwa maji yaliyoathiriwa na vimelea. Ili kuhakikisha usalama,

• Chemsha  maji kwa ajili ya kunywa, au kwa ajili ya kutengenezea juisi.
• Kutumia vyombo safi kwa ajili ya kuhifadhia au kunywea maji.
• Epuka kutumia mikono michafu wakati wa kuhifadhi au uandaaji wa maji safi na salama.
• Tumia vifaa maalum vilivyoundwa kwa njia ambayo maji yanaweza kuminika au kuchukuliwa kupitia bomba lakini bila kuhusisha matumizi ya mikono.

                      By Sylvia Senkoro

                            AfyaLishe Tz

                           0754031039

                           afyalishetz@gmail.com

                           afyalishetz.blogspot.com