26 Mar 2018

The Minister of Health and Wellness, Ms Dorcas Makgato over the weekend joined health enthusiasts in an exercise dubbed “I was Up Kgale:  The buddy challenge” as a way of encouraging people to commit to regular exercising. 

 

The event was meant to promote exercising in the form of climbing/hiking up Kgale hill with friends, colleagues, siblings and spouses. It was also meant to launch the “I was Up Kgale: The Buddy Challenge.

 

Speaking after the exercise which saw most of the participants making it to the hill top while others surrendered on their way up, Ms Makgato said the body was a living biological machine that needed regular exercise to make it fit to operate fully.

 

She hinted that bodies suffered when stuffed with inflammatory, chemically destructive diets whic are high in saturated fat and sugar.

 

She explained that literature showed that heart disease and diabetes could often be almost 100 per cent attributed to a lifetime of obesity and poor diet. 

 

To this, she added that thousands of trials and scientific studies indicated that the incidence and severity of several major diseases, including cancer and diabetes were severely restricted by a healthy diet.

 

Ms Makgato therefore encouraged everyone to commit themselves to daily routine of regular exercise for their bodies to be fit and built into their daily lives.

 

The minister explained that she was happy because a lot of people participated in the event which was a testimony that Batswana were beginning to realise the importance of exercising.

 

“I am happy that the attendance is good. I encourage everyone to commit themselves to exercising in order to fight against non-communicable diseases such as Sugar Diabetes,” she added.

 

For his part, the coordinator of the event, Mr Dimolemo Maphane expressed gratitude to the number of people who attended the event adding that it was a sign that Batswana were beginning to realise the importance of exercising.

 

He explained that the event will now be held annually and that everyone who was willing to know more about the Up Kgale Challenge should go on Facebook.

Statistics from the World Health Organization indicates that 60 per cent of deaths are caused by chronic diseases due to the increase of affluence and sedentary lifestyle and if people continue living this lifestyle, it will be easier for them to get the diseases. ENDS