11/09/2026
Time to Stop Treating Our Bodies Like Dustbins
"On his last day on earth, he went to work apparently full of life. At about 1 p.m., a friend met him while he was waiting for his driver. He looked healthy, energetic, and excited as he discussed an upcoming project. Thirteen hours later, at about 2 a.m., he was in the morgue following cardiac arrest.
Another case involved a young court bailiff who was supposed to serve our Notice of Appeal on a Thursday. Deji called him repeatedly that morning to obtain his account details for mobilization, but there was no answer. An SMS received no response either.
When Deji went to the Court of Appeal on Friday to find out what had happened, he saw the young man's obituary. He had died on Wednesday night from what we were told was a heart-related illness.
According to Mr. Odilim, These deaths may appear sudden, but cardiovascular disease can develop silently for years. High blood pressure, abnormal cholesterol, diabetes, smoking, physical inactivity, genetics, and unhealthy diets can gradually increase cardiovascular risk while a person continues to look perfectly healthy.
Rather than waiting for an emergency, we should pay attention to what is happening inside our bodies while we still feel healthy.
Much of this begins with what we put into our bodies every day. We cannot continuously consume excessive fried foods, saturated fats, heavily processed foods, sugar, and salt and assume there will never be consequences."
Nigeria already faces a heavy burden of hypertension, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and other chronic conditions. Diet is certainly not the only factor, but it remains one of the important factors within our control.
This does not mean we have to abandon the traditional foods that have always been part of our diet. In fact, some of our indigenous foods are naturally nutritious and deserve greater attention.
African Breadfruit (Ukwa) is one of them.
Ukwa provides carbohydrates for energy, plant-based protein, dietary fibre, and minerals such as potassium, magnesium, phosphorus and calcium, making it a nutritious traditional food that can form part of a balanced diet.
This is one of the reasons we at Sabifon believe that properly processed Ukwa deserves a place in modern homes. Our aim is to make this traditional food more convenient to enjoy through careful processing, hygienic handling and proper packaging.
Aware of the current state of our economy and the high cost of quality food products, we are working to make Sabifon Ukwa more accessible and affordable for friends, families and well-wishers who may wish to incorporate this nutritious indigenous food into their regular meal routines.
Of course, no single food is a cure-all, and healthy living involves more than what we eat. A balanced diet, physical activity, adequate rest, moderation and appropriate medical care all matter.
Prevention should begin while we still feel healthy because our hearts and bodies may never give us a second chance.
Disclaimer: This article is for general informational and nutritional purposes only and is not medical advice. Sabifon Ukwa is a food product and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.