People think a healthy lifestyle means going on a diet –Nkem Ezeilo, General Medical Practitioner

Dr Nkem Ezeilo lives and breathes for a healthy lifestyle. You can never catch her promoting any­thing else other than how people can remain healthy. She is a general prac­titioner, speaker and author. She runs a private practice in London’s Harley Street.

Dr. Kem as she is fondly called, is passionate about a healthy lifestyle as a way of preventing and reversing dis­ease and as a key to improving quality of life. Her heart also beats for wom­en empowerment as a fundamental right of every female. To this end, she works tirelessly to spread the message through her day job as a GP, and her second career as a keynote speaker and author.
Her first book deals with women’s empowerment and is entitled, Inspirational Blueprints of Personal Suc­cess for Women. She has won several awards and has spoken at the British Parliament as part of the Black History Month celebrations. Recently, she was appointed a Health and Lifestyle Expert / Advisor for BBC Radio 5 Live afternoon edition.
Ezeilo told Sunday Sun that the big­gest misconception people have about being healthy is going on a diet.
Excerpts:
Why do you enjoy talk­ing about healthy lifestyle? I enjoy talking about healthy lifestyle because I know how powerful it is to set people free from illness and un­timely death. I see it work for people every time and each time I see some­one healed or lose weight or their blood pressure becomes normal and things like that , just from a healthy lifestyle, not with drugs, I feel even more fired up to share the message wider still.
How has the journey of promoting healthy lifestyle been?
It’s been really good. People are truly eager to hear this message. They are so fed up with taking drugs which give them side effects yet not treating the actual cause of their illness. So, I gave a healthy lifestyle seminar first in 2010, then in 2012 but since the first one, people have been inviting me to vari­ous events to speak on the topic, espe­cially business people who realise that without health they have no wealth.
How do you handle the challenges you face?
I handle the challenges I face talk­ing about health first with a positive attitude. I see challenges as building blocks destined to make me better. So, I remain thankful for them and then seek solutions for them.
What are some of the high moments of your career as a general practitioner?
They include speaking at the British Parliament during last year’s Black His­tory Month, winning the Motivational Speaker of The Year award at Wom­en4Africa, winning the GAB Award for Excellence in Health 2013, winning the Life changers Personality of the Year Award, 2013, and being recently ap­pointed Health and Lifestyle Advisor by the BBC Radio 5Live.
What about your low mo­ments?
I can’t think of any, to be honest. I’ve loved my career every step of the way.
In your years of practice, what does it really take to be healthy?
It takes strengthening each of the 10 Pillars of Health, which are mindset, nutrition, elimination, gut health, hydration, sunshine (Vitamin D), Oxygenation, activ­ity (exercise) and rest.
What are some of the practical ways Nige­rians can maintain a healthy lifestyle?
First of all, we need to change our attitude and mindset about health, foods and things related to them. Nigerians need to realise that being overweight is not a sign of wealth, it’s a sign of illness and it’s a time bomb. It’s not a sign of ‘cash madam’ or ‘big oga.’ Being overweight is a sign which if ignored can lead to untimely death. So, change the mindset of “it’s attrac­tive to be overweight.” It’s unhealthy. Then, we need to realise that when it comes to nutrition, plant foods, es­pecially green ones, are king. Meat is secondary, not crucial and excess of it could lead to illness. Our flag is green and white.
More green than white even. We should use that as a guide to re­mind ourselves that our meals should always have more green than white on our dishes also. The greener a dish is, the healthier it is. So, for instance, if you are eating a rice dish, ideally it should be brown or who­legrain rice but in either case have a lot of vegetables with the dish. Always have more green vegetable than rice or yam or whatever.
If you are already obese or over­weight or already suffering from diabetes or hypertension, I would be even stricter and tell you to avoid the white foods for a few weeks un­til your condition is under control then you can introduce the brown or wholegrain versions of them. If you are eating an eba and soup dish, make it such that there’s way more soup with vegetables and fish than the eba. Think more greens in every meal.
What’s your typical day like?
I don’t have a typical day because of my schedule. However, certain things happen regardless of what my work day is like, but not necessarily in this order. I have quiet time and work-outs which involve either running, going to the gym, work-outs at home or out­doors. I prepare my meal for the day, I spend time with my son, work, sleep and study because I have to be up to date with the latest in my field so I can serve people better.
What misconceptions do people have about promoting a healthy lifestyle?
The biggest miscon­ception I’ve come across is that peo­ple think a healthy lifestyle means go­ing on a diet. They couldn’t be farther from the truth, for a diet is an unhealthy restriction you place on yourself in a bid to lose weight. This is not healthy, because when you come off the diet you pile the weight back on with interest. It’s better to improve your entire lifestyle all round and not placing unnecessary restrictions on your eating routine. Just eat healthy.
What do you love most about what you do?
I love seeing peoples’ lives changed even in ways they didn’t expect. Some people regain their self confidence when they have lost weight or when they come off their medication etc and when I read their testimonies, I feel so honoured and blessed to be a part of their success stories. One lady even conceived after being told she wouldn’t be able to because of her medical condition. But once she adopted the healthy lifestyle principles I taught her, in less than a year she conceived and now she is a happy mother of a bouncing baby boy.
How financially re­warding is your job? I can’t complain about the financial reward. I’m thankful to have a job that I actually enjoy doing.
What else are you passion­ate about?
I’m passionate about women em­powerment issues and, in fact, my first hard copy book was an inspirat ional success book for women. I love to help women break free from limiting beliefs that hold them b a c k from fully expressing themselves in every way.
How do you juggle your busy speaking schedules and your personal responsi­bilities?
It’s easy to juggle when you know your priorities. So, for example, my priorities are God, me, family, work and socials, in that order. So, I take care of the important things first be­fore anything else. It can be a challenge sometimes but you have to do what you have to do, so I keep pushing on.
What gives you the strength to move on whenever you feel like giving up?
If I feel like giving up, I remind my­self why I am doing what I’m doing. Thinking of that gives me the strength to push on against any odds I may face. I then keep reminding myself that I can do it, and that’s why it’s been given to me to do.
What are some of the things that you r e l a x with?
I relax with music, espe­cially smooth jazz, a nice warm bath, a good book (fic­tion), and a good movie.