Diabetic people

THE revelation that 50 per cent of patients in hospitals in the country are diabetic (FT 08/07) says a lot about us as a people.

It would therefore be fair to say that 50 per cent or more of our total population are diabetic. We have become a sick people mainly because of our lethargic unhealthy lifestyle.

Life is becoming too easy for many in that we prefer convenience over labour and reliability!

Instead of choosing to plant or to buy fresh food from our markets it is far easier to get noodles, biscuits or processed canned foods such as canned meat and fish from the village store or from the supermarket.

Instead of cooking fresh boiled chicken or fish with fresh vegetables it is easier to buy processed fried fast foods in town.

Instead of eating fresh fruits and vegetables we rather ingest processed snacks. Instead of the daily intake of 1-2litres of water it is sweeter to consume carbonated or alcoholic beverages.

Instead of doing some gardening or playing with family members outdoors it’s more comfortable sitting on the coach playing video games, watching TV, surfing the net, and drinking grog.

It begs to question how Government and the nation are developing as a people? I believe the fact of the matter is that we are headed toward a great catastrophe!

About 80 per cent of our annual deaths is from sickness of some sort that is directly related to what we put into our mouths.

We are supposed to be growing in stature, values and morals.

We are supposed to be growing in maturity, emotionally, physically, spiritually, and knowledgeably yet we choose to drown in temptation. In this time and age we are supposed to be getting better not worse!

Government seriously needs to address this pandemic of NCDs as it is rooted in the political, social and economic fabric of our Fijian society.

We are definitely doomed, health wise!

SIMON HAZELMAN

Rava Estate, Savusavu