One of the defining moments in my life was when I did magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan. You may be wondering why I did it. About 8 years ago I noticed I was experiencing migraine. After using medication prescribed by a GP, it subsided however about 9 days later it came back.
Then, I visited another GP who gave me another drug. On a particular day while driving home from work, I just realized I couldn’t see, but after managing to drive a short distance I could see slightly when I closed one eye and eventually I was having double vision. The first disease that was suspected by a medical practitioner was glaucoma but praise God I didn’t have it.
Then, another medical specialist, a neurologist, who suspected it could be brain tumor or cerebral meningitis ensured I was admitted to St Augustine Hospital in Durban so that MRI scan and lumber puncture would be carried out, to diagnose brain tumor and CM respectively…In the MRI scan machine on that day, I prayed to God, that brain tumor will not be diagnosed and that I want to here till above age 90 if Jesus tarries and I also promised to change my lifestyle. After the MRI scan, fluid was taken from my spinal cord for the lumber puncture procedure.
But, as God would have it, the tests came back negative. After I was discharged from the hospital, I continued to confess the inspired words of Apostle Peter “By His stripes I was healed” because I still had no appetite, I was vomiting and the double vision was still there. Eventually I recovered. Like I told myself in that MRI scan machine, I changed my lifestyle. I started jogging every morning, significantly reduced my consumption of beef, high fat food and sugary drinks.
I also became more serious with intermittent fasting (interestingly, I have been experimenting with not taking breakfast for more than two months now, hopefully, it will become a habit). However, I still have work to do on improving my eating habits such as reducing food portion, snacking on nuts, drinking more water, consumption of green leafy vegetable and reducing more my salt in take.
So, today, I want to encourage you, don’t be like me who waited to have a health scare before changing his lifestyle. Change your lifestyle today if you don’t have the lifestyle below.
Below are recommended lifestyle changes1:
- Adopt a healthy, balanced diet, with small, regular meals
- A high salt intake is linked to high blood pressure. Reduce your salt intake to no more than 1 teaspoon of salt a day.
- Eat a variety of fruits and vegetables, aiming to have at least 5 servings a day.
- Choose whole-grain and high-fibre foods.
- Cut down on unhealthy saturated and trans fats, found in some food products.
- Include fatty fish (sardines, pilchards, salmons, mackerel) at least twice a week in your diet
- Maintain a healthy weight for your height.
- Incorporate regular physical activity into your day (at least 30 minutes 5 times a week)
Prayer:
Almighty God, have mercy on a sick person reading this, like you did on me eight years ago and heal him/her because of the stripes of your only begotten Son. In Jesus Christ name I pray. Amen.
1The Heart and Stroke Foundation of South Africa. Blood Pressure. http:www.heartfoundation.co.za/blood-pressure
