Sharing their health goals for the New Year

Judith Babirye, gospel artist
“I was not able to do a lot of swimming this year because of my busy schedule. But I am determined to do so in the coming year. I am going to achieve this by drawing up a routine time table. I also plan to continue with my diet that includes eating yams and broccoli every day. Food scientists say that yams help in slowing a person’s age while broccoli reduces the chances of acquiring cancer.””

Vincent Mawanda, veterinary doctor
“I am a heavy alcoholic drinker. I have tried to stop the habit but so far failed. Even though I am addicted to the bottle, it is something that I am willing to work on in the coming year. I also hope to use my leisure time in the New Year to keep fit by engaging in sports activities such as playing volley ball and football.”

Betty Nambooze, Mukono Municipality Member of Parliament
“I want to stop drinking bottled water in 2014 and start boiling water from home, which I can then pack to go with at work. I have eaten a lot of meat this year, so in 2014, I want to eat less meat, but also avoid fast foods such as chips. My focus will be on eating only boiled foods.”

Kenneth Kimuli aka Pablo, comedian
“I have a sweet tooth. For the past years, you will find me eating anything ranging from cakes to sweets. I want to stop eating most of those sweet things next year. Besides, I already have dental problems. Sometime this year, I was biting a piece of meat and the cement on one of my tooth broke off. So come next year, I will opt for minced meat and sausages instead. I also want to start playing football to keep fit. I used to play while still in high school but did not carry on with the practice when I

Richard Nangaka, quality control officer
“I added extra weight this year and my tummy became slightly big. Taking frequent walks has, however, enabled me to cut the weight. In the New Year, I want to continue walking as a form of exercise and keeping. My diet will also change to be more vegetarian and less red meat. I also want to desist from drinking alcohol and smoking.”

Denis Bogere, driver
“My plan is to buy a small piece of land and turn it into a fruit garden. I enjoy eating fruits very much because of their health benefits. In the coming year, I want to start going out less because some of my friends always persuade me to drink alcohol and smoke. For the sake of having a healthy mind and body, I am willing to distance myself from such friends.”

Ibin Ssekumbi, Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson
“In the new year, I plan to reduce on the amount of sugar and fried foods that I consume. But my priority will be mostly avoiding fried foods, which I have tried to do several times, but as you know this is the type of food that most restaurants and hotels serve.
I intend to be more conservative and ensure 90 per cent of my meals consist of local dishes.
I am also drawing up a plan to undergo periodic and comprehensive body checks in order to detect any infections and diseases, and treat them early enough.

Grace Elungat, businesswoman
“At the beginning of this year, I made a promise to myself that I would engage in frequent physical fitness exercises. I would go out to jog every Sunday evening. However, towards the end of the year, I relaxed and even stopped jogging. My plan is to return to fulltime exercise, as it is one way I can control my weight. In the New Year, I also want to use more herbal medicines and remedies and less of conventional medication.
Herbs are natural and have limited side effects compared to conventional medicine.”

Lucy Aliba, university student
“My new year health plan is to do more exercises. I will continue skipping every morning and evening. I also intend to continue going for my swimming lessons since they usually help relax the body. That is my simple 2014 health plan. ”