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FIT: Brickz enjoys fatty meals but says he exercises once a week.

 BE WARNED: Fatty foods and a lack of exercise contribute to increased cholesterol level, high blood pressure and diabetes - which can all lead to a sudden heart attack 

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THE face of cardiovascular disease is changing. It has moved from a disease affecting mostly white males to one that affects younger black people. This is largely due to lifestyle choices.

Fatty foods, smoking and a lack of exercise are big contributing factors to cardiovascular disease. Yet many of us seldom heed messages cautioning us to change our life-styles, especially our diet.

Many people, such as Zethu Phaliso, admit to this.

"I just buy whatever I find. I don't think, maybe, I should eat healthily. I do eat a lot of fats and after that I drink lots of water and jog. It's not a problem," says 27-year-old Zethu.

Twenty-eight-year-old Nolufefe Magoda also likes fatty foods.

"When I'm at home I eat fatty foods. fried eggs, fried fish, fried russians, amagwinya. Everything on my plate would be like fat. But in the mornings I go jogging. So, it's like I eat my fat, then jog to reduce fat in my body," she says.

Some, like 24-year-old Junior Buhlebodwa Dludla from Soweto, blames the convenience and affordability of junk food for their bad eating habits.

"We eat bunny chow - ikota, you know. So I don't eat healthy. Getting a non-healthy meal is a phone call away. You can call them and tell them, 'this is what I want'. And you get it in minutes."

Even famous kwaito star Brickz admits to enjoying his fatty meals.

"We come from Soweto, from the townships. We are used to eating pap and meat. I'm used to eating anything and everything I can find. It's hard to keep to a healthy diet and not eat the things you are used to," Brickz says.

But Brickz says he does exercise, at least once a week.

"I believe I'm a strong healthy man. I usually go for boxing classes once a week when I'm not busy. I don't exercise a lot, but I do at times just to keep myself fit," he says.

It would seem that our respondents do know that eating healthily and exercising is important. However, they find it difficult to actually change to a healthy lifestyle.

But they best be warned since fatty foods and a lack of exercise contribute to one's increased cholesterol level, high blood pressure and diabetes, which can all lead to a sudden heart attack.

Derrick Raal, head of the endocrinology department at Charlotte Maxeke Hospital, says new eating habits are responsible for an increase of high cholesterol levels in the black population.

"As people are changing from their traditional diet to eating fast foods, their cholesterol levels are starting to go up. We are starting to see much higher levels in our black population and what's coming with that is more and more heart attacks," he says. Heart ailments are no longer a "white man's disease".

Raal says people should know there are hardly any warning signs for heart disease. - Health-e News

Comments

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Sun May 19 05:21:57 SAST 2013 ::

Feb 24, 2012

lindsay

don't forget pap and mahotoana, brickz i doesn't look like you are eating you are skinny my lightie.
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Feb 24, 2012

MorenaWaPolelo

"When I'm at home I eat fatty foods. fried eggs, fried fish, fried russians, amagwinya'" jessesss you can imagn sepinya sa hao ge o joga juuuu sies maaan!!!!!
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Feb 24, 2012

tpaz

Put veggies in every meal.
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Feb 24, 2012

MsBlackberry

i cant bellieve Lebo once dated this guy what was she thinking ?
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Feb 24, 2012

Shoes-Man

Well in life we always have to make choices guys. so even if you are from soweto you still have make a choice. eat healthy or eat what ever you can lay your hands on. But what i like is that you have to face the consequence's later on Hahaaahaaaaha. I personally dont have a healthy diet and i eat what i like and enjoy but i do not like fats-once and i intend to keep it up oh i also drink 3 litre's of boiled water almost-everyday. and i feel very healthy and energetic.
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Feb 24, 2012

XHINOPHOBIA

@MS BLACKBERRY
YEKA UKUKHOHLAKALA WENA,IF LEBO DATED THE GUY ,HOW COME IS UR BEEF NOW IDIOT OR UBUMFUNA WENA,UMONA.
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Feb 24, 2012

Tzibha

I used to think that abo High blood pressure are only for whites until i went for my check and i was told that i must look after myself my bp is high ,so now its high that young people must look afterand stop eating junk food
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Feb 24, 2012

Ann

are frozen vegies healtthy?
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Feb 24, 2012

LBS

@Ann
are frozen vegies healtthy?


Yes and so are canned ones.
In some ways even better than 'fresh' from vegetable shops because they are processed almost immediately they are harvested.
Grow your own if you have a bit of space - even container gardening works well. :)
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Feb 24, 2012

xhosagirl

@MsBlackberry, Lebo really loved this guy, she stood by him throw thick and thin and Bricks was sure of himself. what a joke!!!!
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