Before joining ‘Walk 4 Health’ four months ago, Njellan Senghore was diagnosed with diabetes, she had a difficult time accepting that she had the condition.
First, Njellan checked in with her doctor to find out how she can improve her health. Since then, she was on medication to help keep her blood sugar levels in check.
Fast forward the story, Njellan taught there’s a lot she can do to improve her health and decided to fight back with significant lifestyle changes by joining ‘Walk 4 Health’.
“I’ve stopped taking my medication since joining walk 4 health, “said Njellan. It helps to control my blood sugar levels, watch my body weight and also help fight fatigue. I am recommending all to come and join this exercise.”
Walk 4 Health is an open exercise held every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday were over two hundred people gather at the National Assembly in Banjul at 5:30pm and Walk to Westfield which is around 11km.
On Saturdays, they gather at Stadium (Friendship Hostel) at 7:45am for 15 minutes work out session/ stretches with Wally’s s Fitness before departing at 8am.
Omar Badjie, program manager for non-communicable disease prevention and control at the ministry of health said walking is a great way to stay healthy get more active. “Non-communicable diseases in on the increase in The Gambia and this is another way of combating it, “Badjie told The Chronicle. This are diseases that have no cure. They are chronic in nature and the treatment is very costly, “he said.
“Every month there are nine operations carried out at the Edward Fransics Small teaching hospital and out the nine, six of them end up being amputated.”
Sheriff Gomez, Gambia’s former youth and sports minister is one of the pioneers of ‘Walk 4 Health’. Speaking to the Chronicle, he said walking increases oxygen flow through the body. “It can also increase levels of cortisol, these are the hormones that help elevate energy levels.
However, he also hopes that other communities and regions takes up the challenge to organize a similar exercise. “I hope that walk for health doesn’t only happen here, but other parts of the country, “he said. “This is a very important exercise that should do.”
