Allan Jones, Co-chair of the group "Advocates for Black Health Improvement" in Toronto made a presentation to the Toronto Board of Health regarding the reduction of salt (sodium) in our diet. See article below that appeared in the Toronto Star today.
Mr. Jones can be heard every Sunday on CKLN, The Musical Triangle, on www.CKLN.FM, 4pm to 6pm Toronto time. The show includes health information, comedy, commentary, good music, good vibes and represents input from Africa, Canada and the Caribbean. Allan Jones, who was born in Jamaica, is a strong supporter of Bridges to Jamaica and our back to school drive.
TORONTO BOARD OF HEALTH SUPPORTS SODIUM REDUCTION STRATEGY
By Megan Ogilvie Health Reporter, The Toronto Star
August 21, 2010
Toronto's board of health is urging the federal government to quickly put its sodium reduction strategy into action to help prevent Canadians from dying of heart disease and stroke.
A report, presented and passed at Friday's board meeting, presses the government to immediately implement the strategy's recommendations. The board also wants Ottawa to rapidly develop a plan to monitor how well the strategy reduces Canadians' salt intake.
Released by Health Canada in July, the sodium reduction strategy aims to slash the average Canadian's daily sodium consumption from 3,400 mg to 2,300 mg by 2016. The strategy largely relies on food manufacturers to follow voluntary sodium reduction targets for processed foods, including cereals, sauces and soups.
The board of health has asked Ottawa to adopt regulations that would force manufacturers to comply with targets if, at the end of two years, the voluntary approach has failed.
"That's a time period where we would want to see some change," said Jann Houston, the report's author and Toronto Public Health's acting director for chronic disease prevention. She said the city's public health programs, including those that teach food skills, will soon have a greater focus on ways people can cut salt from their diet.
Consuming excessive amounts of salt can lead to high blood pressure, a risk factor for heart disease and stroke. According to the Heart and Stroke Foundation, one in every seven deaths from stroke and one in every 11 deaths from heart disease could be spared if Canadians cut salt intake by half.
Alan Jones, co-chair of Advocates for Black Health Improvement, addressed the board Friday with his concerns that the report does not adequately meet the needs of Toronto's diverse communities.
"I was speaking specific to the black community that has a high rate of blood pressure," he said in an interview.
"We have a lot of cardiovascular disease," Jones said. "We need to be addressed differently in terms of the messaging that comes to our community. I want to see them reach our community where they are, in the barber shops, in the hairdressing parlours, in the dances, in the churches, in the newspapers that they read, on the community radio stations. I am not seeing any of that happening."
Debowrah Yisrael:
ReplyDeleteCan one advocate for a group's health improvement? I say no. Individuals are responsible for the choices they make. Education can be provided and we must be vigilant in making sure that it does reach the people, but ulitimately it is their decision as to wheher or not to buy and consume that canned soup.
As North Americans, convienence is killing us. We need to return to the kitchen and start preparing our meals ourselves, with our new found knowledge on healthful eating. I think THIS is the biggest problem facing our communities and why we are falling ill. $2 Kentucy Tuesdays. $1 Menu, Medium Pizza for $5. We always regret it when we forsake our own.
Remember what happened with the coconut oil? We gave it up for something "better". Now we can't afford to buy it. When was the last time you made a pot of rice and pes? Did you know that in and of itself that dish can meet all of your nutrtitional requirements for a day?
You can't stay out of the kitchen and be healthy. It doesn't work. But that doesn't mean that you have to spend 2 hours steaming down cow foot in the pressure cooker either. Like pizza? I do. Make your own. It takes less than 30 minutes. How about some vegetable soup? I bet anything you come up with will be better than Campbells.
We need to return to the kitchen and reclaim our health and hertiage. Are you with me? Your comments are welcome.