Recent reports of young Africans, especially men, dying or suffering from 'traditional old age' illnesses such as stroke, hypertension, diabetes, cancer and heart attacks in this country is very alarming and distressing. As you read this article, a young Ghanaian man of just about 35 years of age is lucky enough to be recovering from an incidence of stroke in an NHS hospital. Sadly, another one passed away recently with a similar condition. 

Unfortunately, some three others have also died of cancer related illnesses recently. During the latter part of last year alone I heard of some four sudden deaths that could have been related to heart attacks and high blood pressure, commonly known as hypertension.

What could be going wrong with our youth these days? How come young and sometimes presumably fit African men are dropping dead suddenly or being attacked by such life threatening conditions? How do we explain this?

In our communities when such deaths do occur some still backward people, and sometimes people who should even know better, tend to explain these, sadly, as supernatural because young persons, as it were, are not supposed to suffer such fates. 

I am no medical doctor neither am I a witch doctor but I know the alarming truth is that this has everything to do with our very own lifestyles in a country where the fittest only survive, quite literally. To buttress my point, a more qualified person, a concerned Ghanaian NHS medical practitioner, Dr. Nana Apraku Oppong, said, lifestyle changes and stress contribute a lot to these conditions. He explained that, "When people come to this country they take up new challenges but unfortunately fail to exercise enough to counteract the daily pressures that come with the lifestyle changes." Dr Apraku also referred to our lackadaisical attitude to seek proper medical attention. He noted that, "A lot of people fail to seek expert medical advice whenever they feel ill." "A common headache could be a sign of something serious to happen. So seeking immediate medical attention can prevent unnecessary fatalities", the young Ghanaian doctor warned. 

Ironically, some people still argue that they do not smoke, drink nor 'chase' (the so-called trilogy of social demons) and so put such occurrences down to 'African electronics' but please pause for a moment and think about how you survived the week just passed.

The hassle and bustle of living in a cosmopolitan city like London alone, and in fact the UK in general could be detrimental to your health. In a recent report published in a daily newspaper, people who live in crowded communities and cities tend to die earlier than those in sparsely populated and quieter environments. To start with, a lot of our people do live in surroundings that could only be detrimental to their health. Sometimes three or even more people cram it up in a room that can hardly befit a single person. Others also live in very filthy homes that no vagrant will even want to squat for a night. And there are also the mean landlords and landladies who would not fix heaters, decent toilets, and provide adequate hot water for the very people that help them pay their mortgages. It is a wonder to me that some charge such high rents, do not provide these basic amenities, and still manage to default in their mortgage repayments.

By the way, that it just for starters. Now, think about all the rushing around to catch a bus here and a train there; worrying too much about how to pay your rent, how to remit family back home, how to meet up with your mortgage repayments, your credit card payments and still have enough left for your weekly travel card? Again, think about the worry of what to eat, the time even to eat a well replenishing and healthy meal, where to eat from and sometimes who to cook your meals. All these are real problems to look at when you consider your health, state of mind, and well-being.

Now, let's talk about those with wives and kids. Such people tend to brood over all the associated problems of childcare cost plus making their wives, and sometimes her family happy. If you have children you would tend to worry about their worries too: their health, future, happiness and social and academic life. The list of worries could go on and on for married young men. 

For some unmarried individuals too, they tend to worry about not having a woman (woe unto man) in their lives for all the good things they envisage to be had with her. For example, this guy I know has become so obsessed with this matter so much that every sentence starts with, " If I had a woman in my life …" 
Well, all these examples are made to point to the numerous life contradictions that add up to our daily stress levels. 

So far, most of the problems noted above and a lot others that are unique to individuals could determine how you live and hence contribute a lot to the survival of people in this country.
Some people also do keep two or more equally demanding jobs whiles studying at the same time. You would wonder should they be so cruel to themselves? However, to them it is the perfect antidote to their circumstances.

There is also the worry for some ignorant ones who tend to feed the whims and caprices of equally ignorant 'men of God'. The demands by some modern day sybaritic church pastors also put undue pressure on their unquestioning congregations. Some demand that you pay church offerings and tithes by direct debit.

  Wwhhhhhhy? Anyway, that commitment can only add up to the burden for which you have gone to church to offload. Remember, it is only God who has the power to do that and not that 'wolf-in-a-sheep-clothing' whose burden is even heavier than yours.

And as if the above worries are not enough, some people still go about their daily lives in constant fear of being caught and deported. Again, a lot of us also worry about our personal security in a country where street crime and unprovoked violent attacks are on the ascendancy.

A lot of us know that all these life-living factors could be fatal but tend to do absolutely nothing about them. According to Dr. Nana Apraku Oppong, "Worry, stress, and the lack of adequate exercise build up some of these life-threatening illnesses." He explained that hypertension, which mostly leads to strokes and heart attacks could be triggered by stress and too much worry. 

The Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology-trained medical doctor advised that frequent exercises plus regular medical checks should keep people's mind at rest.

This advice, I believe, some of us are too familiar with but take them for granted. Now, there is no escaping that fact that the threats of worry, too much thinking, too much junk food, too much hassling and less rest and exercises could lead you to your grave early. This is no 'African electronics'. It is neither rocket science to know that too much stress is bad for your health.

My advice would be to take it easy in life, balance your life well - work if you have to and play if you need to and have a positive attitude to life. 

I wish I could explain Ghana's Abrantie Amachie Dede's words in Bebrebe Ye better - "The hustler did not find and the finder could not enjoy it."

Please, stay safe and be positive! 

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