Good health depends on eating right and keeping fit

1. “ LEADERS MUST STAY
HEALTHY”
TEXT OF A LECTURE DELIVERED
BY
LION GBOLA ADEBISI NLCF
AT THE
LIONS YOUTH OUTREACH DAY FOR MD 404B,
NIGERIA
ON FRIDAY 14 APRIL 2006
AT AKOWONJO LIONS CLUB HOUSE
AKOWONJO, LAGOS STATE

2. SEVEN DEADLY SINS
 COMMERCE WITHOUT ETHICS
 PLEASURE WITHOUT CONSCIENCE
 POLITICS WITHOUT PRINCIPLE
 KNOWLEDGE WITHOUT
CHARACTER
 SCIENCE WITHOUT HUMANITY
 WEALTH WITHOUT WORK
 WORSHIP WITHOUT SACRIFICE
MAHATMA GHANDI

3. OBJECTIVES
 At the end of this interaction, participants should be able
to:
 Explore the connections between health status, life
balance, leadership effectiveness and overall well-being.
 Gain a clear understanding of your unique health risk
factors and learn practical lifestyle strategies to achieve
optimal health
 Discover how to incorporate regular exercise into a
demanding schedule
 Learn nutritional strategies that will improve your energy
and productivity level
 Know that each one should take active interest in his/her
health

4. The paths of glory lead but to the grave"
Thomas Gray (1716-71)

5. DEFINITIONS
LEADER- according to Longman’s Dictionary of
Contemporary English 3rd Edition – - IN CONTROL - The
person who directs or controls a team, organization,
country etc
LEADERSHIP – (ibid) – The position of being the leader of
a team, organization etc.
“Leadership is communicating to people their worth and
potential so clearly that they come to see it in themselves”
Stephen Covey – an internationally respected leadership
authority, family expert, teacher, organizational consultant
and founder Covey Leadership Centre.
HEALTH – Good Health as defined by WHO – “state of complete
physical, mental, and social well – being and not merely the
absence of disease or infirmity”

6. LEADERS MUST STAY
HEALTHY
In looking at Health of Leaders –
5 Key Issues will be considered. These are:
 Eating habits – what you eat makes you
 Life style issues – Exercise and fitness
 Stress
 Water
 Health Awareness

7. LEADERS MUST STAY
HEALTHY – WHY?
The Power of Healthy Leadership
"Optimizing the health of your executives fosters
better work performance, greater productivity and
extended longevity for your company. Healthier
executives are mentally sharper, more energetic and
maximize the return yielded upon their development.
Good executive health is good business!"
Steven Masley, MD, FAAFP, CNS
Medical Director, Carillon Executive Health
Author, Ten Years Younger, Random House, 2005

8. Characteristics of Healthy Leaders
 Purpose centered and people minded;
 Inner-directed;
 Always sure of his or her beliefs and convictions;
 Not dogmatic or fixed in his/her thinking;
 Capable of hearing and evaluating the viewpoints of
others;
 Able to discard old beliefs in favor of new;
 Can listen without reacting;
 Can communicate without antagonizing others;
 Is secure within him/her self;
 Functioning is not affected by praise or criticism;
 Can respect the identity of others without becoming
critical or emotionally involved in trying to change
others;

9. Characteristics of Healthy Leaders continued
 Able to assume responsibility for self and to avoid over-
responsibility for others;
 Aware of his/her dependence on others while also being
free to enjoy relationships;
 He/she does not have a “need” for others which impairs
healthy functioning;
 Others do not feel “used”;
 Not prone to engage in polarized debates;
 Realistic in the assessment of self and others;
 Not preoccupied with his/her place in hierarchy;
 Has healthy self-expectations;
 Able to adapt to most stresses without developing
symptoms.

10. AESOP’S FABLE OF THE GOOSE THAT LAYS
THE GOLDEN EGG
A farmer discovers a golden egg among the eggs laid by
His goose.
He gets the egg appraised by experts and it was found
to be pure gold. The same thing happened the next
day and every day thereafter. The farmer became
fabulously wealthy. But with the increasing wealth, comes
greed and impatience. Unable to wait day after day for the
golden eggs, the farmer decides to kill the goose and get
All the eggs at once. But when he opens the goose he
finds it empty. There are no golden eggs and now there is
no way to get any more. The farmer has destroyed the
goose that lays the golden egg.

11. Mind, Emotions, and Health
“ Thoughts and emotions affect all vital organs and systems of
the human body; nervous, immune, hormonal, circulatory, and
reproductive.” Hence, says Professor Marek Kowalczyk of the
Military Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology in Warsaw,
“people who live stressful lives suffer from colds and flu twice
as often as others.” And depressed women, he adds halve
their chances of becoming pregnant. The Polish magazine
Wprost also reports that while stress may not cause Cancer, it
can accelerate the development of dormant cancer.” Anger too
may harm health, for it is believed that aggressive, hostile
people have greater incidence of coronary disease, making
them more vulnerable to a heart attack.”
Source: “AWAKE!” Magazine, edition of January 8, 2004

12. STRESS
10 CRUCIAL POINTS ABOUT STRESS
 Stress is difficult to define because it is different from each of us. A ride
on a steep roller coaster may be terrifying to some while mere fun for
others
 Stress – an unavoidable consequence of life. Some are inescapable, but
there are some about which you can do something. Need to distinguish
between the two. Learn the difference between things you can change
and the ones you can do nothing about
 Stress affects us in different ways. Meditation, muscular relaxation and
aerobic exercises, jogging, yoga etc can be very effective against stress
 Very important to realize that perception is key in stress. Stress may not
always be due to external events, but how we view those events
 Always remember that Stress is something that is entirely under your
control. Nobody can make you inferior without your consent

13. STRESS
10 CRUCIAL POINTS ABOUT STRESS continued
 If you have been treated unfairly, or have a reasonable request, learn to act
assertively but responsibly. If not satisfied with outcome, persist in politely
repeating your points of view from time to time, even if you begin to sound like
a broken record
 Learn to say NO, when confronted by a request you suspect will probably be
stressful or time consuming. You can never please everybody.
 Learn to manage your time such that you allow time for adequate relaxation,
recreation and sleep. Take time out to get in touch with your true feelings,
needs and desires. Make honest assessment of your strengths and weaknesses.
 Establish some appropriate goals – to enable you fully utilize your talents.
Unrealistic aspirations lead to frustrations and rob you of the stress – reducing
benefits that come with pride of achievement
 A strong social support system is a powerful stress – buffer. Family and friends
serve that need. Try to do something you enjoy that benefit others. Thank God
you are LIONS and WE SERVE!

14. SOME COMMON SIGNS AND SYMPTONS OF STRESS
 Excess anxiety, worry, guilt, nervousness
 Gritting and grinding of teeth, stuttering or stammering
 Frequent crying spells or suicidal thoughts
 Insomnia, nightmares, disturbing dreams
 Tremors, trembling of legs and hands
 Neck ache, back pain and muscle spasms
 Lightheadedness, faintness and dizziness
 Chest pain, palpitation or rapid pulse
 Cold or sweaty hands and feet
 Diminished sexual desire or performance
 Rashes, itching, hives, ‘goose bumps’
 Increased or decreased appetite
 Increased smoking, drinking and usage of drugs – hard or OTC
 Frequent urination

15. Executive Health:
Common Characteristics
 Meals are often missed, irregular or poor in
quality
 Boardroom food does not supply the balance
and nutrition necessary for optimal
performance
 Caffeine is used as a stimulant
 Physical environments are often not optimal
 Stress is frequent and not released

16. When angry, count to four; when very angry, swear.
Mark Twain (1835-1910)

17. STAYING FIT, STAYING HEALTHY
1. There is an emerging consensus among health professionals
that physical activity need not be of vigorous intensity for it
to improve health. Health benefits appear to be proportional
to amount of activity; thus, every increase in activity adds
some benefit.
2. Frequency rather than intensity of exercise is key. Thus, a
moderate amount of activity can be obtained in a 30- minute
brisk walk, 30 minutes of lawn mowing or raking leaves, a
15-minute run, or 45 minutes of playing volleyball.
3. Physical activity reduces the risk of premature mortality in
general, and of coronary heart disease,
hypertension, colon cancer, and diabetes mellitus in
particular. Physical activity also improves mental health and
is important for the health of muscles, bones, and joints.

18. TAKE CHARGE, TAKE AN ACTIVE
INTEREST
 Too many of us do not have the slightest idea of how to
maintain good health
 When illness strikes, we rely on our doctors to cure us.
 We fail to realize that “the cure” comes from within.
 Nature has provided us with a wondrous immune system,
and all we have to do is take proper care of this inner
healing force.
 Repeated studies show that even modest changes in
lifestyle can bring marked changes in health. For
instance, the longer people stay on their feet during the
day, the leaner they are.

19. YOU AND YOUR GUT!
 Good Health starts from the stomach
 You are what you eat.
 The Mental Health Foundation revealed in February
2006 that studies had clearly linked ADHD (Attention
Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), Depression,
Alzheimer’s and Schizophrenia to junk food and the
absence of essential fats, vitamins and minerals in diet.
 An Oxford University Study published in May 2005
showed that junk food and highly processed diets caused
bad behaviour and learning difficulties in children. It also
suggested that ADHD could be ‘treated’ by an improved
diet, rather than by medication.

20. YOU AND YOUR GUT!
 What are these culprits?
- Fizzy drinks
- Fast foods – processed carbohydrates – meat pies,
doughnuts, cakes, chocolates, burghers, Big Macs etc.
- News came during the week of February 05 2006 of
the story of a young man of 20 who died of
malnutrition in Britain, having never eaten anything
but Chips, White toast and Baked beans, a diet which
caused fatal liver cirrhosis.

21. IMPORTANCE OF FRUITS
 Fresh fruits - natural staples of Man -
substantial quantities of essential nutrients in a
rational proportion. Excellent sources of
minerals, vitamins and enzymes. Easily
digested - cleansing effect on the blood and
GIT.
 Ensures good health. Ailments caused by
intake of unnatural foods can be successfully
treated by fruits.

22. WATER, THE SOURCE AND SUSTAINER OF LIFE
 The Human body – 75% water and 25% solid
matter
 The Brain is 85% water and extremely
sensitive to any dehydration or depletion of its
water content
 The Human body rations water efficiently –
serving the most needy and starving the less
important. The brain takes absolute priority
over all other organs
 Sensation of thirst decreases as we age.
Elderly people are less able to recognize
dehydration than younger men

23. REGULAR EXERCISE
 Improves digestion and elimination
 Increases endurance and energy levels
 Promotes lean body mass while burning fat
 Lowers overall blood cholesterol while increasing the
proportion of “good cholesterol” (HDL) to “bad”
cholesterol (LDL)
 Reduces stress and anxiety, which are contributing
factors to many illnesses and conditions.
In addition, regular exercise has been known to:
 Elevate mood, increase feeling of well – being
 Reduces anxiety and depression

24. TAKE – AWAYS – CONCLUSIONS AND
RECOMMENDATIONS
 Watch what you eat. What you eat makes you.
 Remember good health starts from the stomach
 Increase your consumption of Raw products (Fruits, Seeds,
Plants - High fibre content
 Stress is a necessity and part of everyday life. It is excessive
stress that is harmful. Learn to handle and master stress.
 Undertake moderate exercise – min. 3 times a week
 At 35+ consider taking a dietary supplement – multivitamins,
multi – minerals; preferably of natural origin.
 Drink at least 2 big bottles (‘Ragolis’ size) of Water daily