The National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has warned Nigerians to embark on fasting with common sense, to avert kidney and liver related diseases.
As is the custom in many churches in Nigeria at the beginning of every year, the majority of Christian’s are currently undergoing several weeks of intense fasting and praying ranging from 21 days to 50 days as the case may be. Director General of NAFDAC Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, who spoke yesterday in Abuja, however, warned that many people are damaging their kidneys through prolonged fasting and unhealthy activities. She said: “Human kidneys require some level of water to help it work effectively.
Now, many people engage in prolonged fasting without a drop of water, and that affects the kidney function and is also detrimental to their health. I fast but I do that with common sense. “In terms of kidney failure, my brother died a painful death as a result of kidney failure and being on dialysis for six weeks. Many people have also died of kidney failure, liver damage and consumption of unwholesome foods and some level of ignorance. “For a fact, we are a very religious country and we fast a lot. Christians and Muslims engage in that spiritual practice from time to time.
However, fasting for a lot of time causes kidney problems. The body has to have some element of balance to function well and water is needed. The water level in the body at any given time must be enough to enable the body systems particularly the liver and kidney to function well. “For instance, some people would fast for 20 to more days without drink ing water. That’s dangerous to your health.
Such deprivation of water is a severe punishment to the kidney. Some people, in addition to prolonged fasting, also take medicines or other chemicals. Once that is done, the case is tripled in an exponential manner and might cause serious damage to the kidney because the kidney doesn’t have enough water to dilute and filter consumed items.”
