Welcome to Manyoni's "Healthy Living" blog.

For the past 40 years I have worked in many countries on the African Continent, South America and the Pacific Region (Papua New Guinea) in a variety of programmes focused on improving health and health services. Much of my time has been spent in trying to help prevent illness and has included setting up and running  Community Based Primary Health Care in both rural and urban communities, developing health education materials, conducting community participation in rural and urban development, pioneering a holistic approach in church related health work and training health and development workers at every level.

After retirement I committed myself to continue helping local organisations in Zimbabwe who need some advice, some training or some sort of practical contribution to their work. This year we started Starlight Healthy Living to help people with chronic illness learn how they can improve their health through diet, positive thinking, spiritual awareness and lifestyle changes.

I believe that "ignorance is expensive", and that relates to our health as well as to the normal running of our daily lives. If I cannot do something that needs doing then I have to pay someone to do it. If I do not know how to take care of myself then eventually I will get sick and this not only costs money for hospital fees and medicines, but it can stop people earning money. Then the whole family suffers.

With the health service in Zimbabwe suffering like the rest of the country it is wise to look after yourself so that you do not get sick. Even people who have serious illness can often be better at home than in the hospital. So this blog is not only about preventing illness it is also about recognising illness early so treatment can be more effective and by making changes to diet and lifestyle will help keep sick people out of hospital.

I am starting my blog with the illnesses I see most often and are least talked about. But I will be very happy to have readers make suggestions of what they would like me to discuss. If you need to know something, then it is likely that someone else will too. It will also be good if you have something to share that will give us more ideas of how to do things. There is no substitute for experience and I hope you will also share yours with us in ZDDT.

Regards

Manyoni