Prof. Peter Katchy, National President, National Complementary and Alternative Medical Association (NACAMA), says daily consumption of junk foods is having negative effect on the health of many Nigerians.
Katchy told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Enugu on Saturday that many needed to change their eating habits and carefully choose their diet.
The professor of Alternative Medicine urged Nigerians to eat healthy foods that come directly from farms to boost their immune systems.
He said that junk foods contained a lot of starch, fatty meat, unhealthy cooking oils with high cholesterol, chemicals from seasoning preservatives and additives.
“NACAMA believes that food is the best preventive medicine.
“It is true that some of our diseases have their root in food, which means that the food we eat has the capacity of nourishing us as well as planting a seed of illness,’’ Katchy said.
The professor, a member of Ministerial Technical Committee on the Development of Complementary and Alternative Medicine in Nigeria, said that balanced food contained the necessary nutritional chains in their right proportion.
He lauded the Federal Government for its plan to address malnutrition among children of school age in the country through the school feeding programme.
“However, the Federal Government should shore-up protein food availability in the country; this would enable families to meet up with their required daily protein needs,” the professor said.
Katchy advised food managers in homes, especially mothers, to ensure that foods are kept clean.
“Mothers should clearly separate raw and cooked foods.
“Cook food thoroughly, keep food at safe temperatures, use safe and potable water to serve meals,’’ he said. (NAN)