Doctor Warns Nigerians: Daily Habits Silently Damaging Your Health

In an exclusive interview with The Gazette News, Dr. J.J. Umaru highlighted several critical health concerns that many Nigerians unknowingly face due to their daily routines.

A doctor warns that daily habits are silently damaging Nigerians’ health.

One of the most overlooked health habits, according to Dr. JJ, is inadequate water consumption. “People are ignorant of not taking water frequently, which actually leads them to have acute kidney disease,” he explained. As a result, the doctor emphasized that regular water intake is essential for kidney function and overall health maintenance.

Dr. JJ also raised concerns about the widespread use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), commonly known as painkillers. “Most Nigerians take high doses of NSAIDs, which are actually affecting their kidneys,” he warned. “They will later start developing chronic kidney disease.”

The chronic use of these over-the-counter medications without proper medical guidance can lead to irreversible kidney damage over time.

Another alarming issue highlighted by Dr. JJ is the prevalence of undiagnosed hepatitis B in Nigerian society. “People are walking about with hepatitis B, which is the real cause of chronic liver disease,” he stated. “Most times, people walk about until they start having complications of chronic liver disease. That’s when they present to the hospital, which makes it difficult for them to be salvaged.”

The doctor noted that delayed treatment can lead to malignant transformation of liver disease, which can be fatal.

Hypertension, The Major Culprit Behind Heart Failure

Dr. JJ identified hypertension as the major cause of heart failure in Nigerian society. Still, he stressed the importance of regular blood pressure monitoring and proper management to prevent cardiovascular complications.

When asked about health risks that office workers commonly ignore, Dr. JJ emphasized the critical importance of routine medical checkups. “You need to check your sugar regularly, your random blood sugar, and your blood pressure. You need to check it regularly,” he advised.

“If you’re checking your random blood sugar regularly, you will know whether you are tilting towards diabetes. When you check your BP, you will know whether you’re tilting towards hypertension,” the doctor explained. Still, early detection through regular screening can help prevent serious complications.

Six Simple Habits to Improve Energy and Focus

Dr. JJ shared six practical habits that can significantly improve health, energy levels, and mental focus:

Regular Health Checkups, Schedule routine screenings for blood sugar and blood pressure to catch potential issues early.

Quality Sleep, Aim for 6-8 hours of sleep per night. For this reason, dr. Douglas recommends including a siesta during the day when possible, noting that some people only get four hours of sleep, which is detrimental to health.

Healthy Diet, Reduce intake of junk food and fried foods. In turn, increase consumption of vegetables and eat foods that provide genuine nutritional benefits.

Adequate Water Intake, The doctor emphasized that drinking sufficient water helps rejuvenate the body and maintain overall health.

Regular Exercise, Engage in at least 30 minutes of physical activity daily to maintain cardiovascular health and overall fitness.

Recreation and Leisure, Make time for enjoyable activities and recreation to reduce stress and improve mental well-being.

Addressing the rising problem of sleep deprivation among young adults, Dr. JJ identified economic pressures as a primary factor. “Young adults will have three to four jobs, especially online jobs, because of our economy,” he explained. “To keep up with the hustle, we have to involve ourselves in different activities.”

However, the doctor also noted that work isn’t always the culprit. “Sometimes it’s not even work that keeps individuals online. They just have increased screen time, which is something youth should watch out for,” he cautioned. By contrast, excessive screen time contributes to decreased sleep quality and duration, affecting overall health.

Dr. JJ’s message is clear, many health problems are preventable through simple lifestyle modifications and early detection. What is more, he urged Nigerians to take their health seriously by adopting these six habits and prioritizing regular medical checkups.

“If you don’t do regular checkups and take the required medication, these chronic diseases will lead to decompensation and eventually serious illness,” the doctor warned. “Prevention is always better than cure.”

daily habits — from poor sleep and sedentary routines to processed food dependence — remain the most preventable drivers of chronic disease in Nigeria.

daily habits — from poor sleep and sedentary routines to processed food dependence — remain the most preventable drivers of chronic disease in Nigeria.

daily habits — from poor sleep and sedentary routines to processed food dependence — remain the most preventable drivers of chronic disease in Nigeria.

Nigeria’s non-communicable disease (NCD) burden has grown significantly over the past two decades, according to the World Health Organization. For this reason, the WHO’s 2022 Nigeria Country Profile estimated that NCDs account for approximately 29 percent of all deaths in the country, with cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, cancers and chronic respiratory diseases as the leading categories. Besides, the share looks set to grow as urbanisation, dietary transitions from traditional foods to processed ones, and sedentary work patterns accelerate in Nigerian cities.

The Federal Ministry of Health has acknowledged the trend through successive National Policy documents, including the National Policy on Non-Communicable Diseases. However, implementation has lagged. In turn, primary healthcare centres in most states lack the equipment to screen routinely for hypertension, blood glucose or cholesterol — the three markers most commonly elevated by the daily habits physicians are warning about. Moreover, patients who could be caught early during a routine check at a primary care facility instead present at tertiary hospitals with advanced hypertension or poorly controlled diabetes, placing a heavier burden on facilities that are already stretched.

For context on Nigeria’s growing public health crisis, see The Gazette’s health coverage and the World Health Organisation’s Nigeria health profile. Furthermore, the daily habits identified in this report represent a starting point for individuals seeking to make evidence-based changes to protect their long-term health. By contrast, awareness of these daily habits and their cumulative impact is the first step toward building a healthier Nigeria. In addition, understanding and adjusting daily habits can reduce the risk of chronic disease significantly. Also, for more on the diabetes crisis in Nigeria, read The Gazette’s full diabetes in Nigeria explainer covering the 11 million at risk.

Daily habits damaging health remains an important subject that The Gazette continues to track and report on. The issues surrounding daily habits damaging health require ongoing attention from policymakers, civil society and citizens alike.

Daily habits damaging health remains an important subject that The Gazette continues to track and report on. The issues surrounding daily habits damaging health require ongoing attention from policymakers, civil society and citizens alike.

Daily habits damaging health remains an important subject that The Gazette continues to track and report on. The issues surrounding daily habits damaging health require ongoing attention from policymakers, civil society and citizens alike.

Daily habits damaging health remains an important subject that The Gazette continues to track and report on. The issues surrounding daily habits damaging health require ongoing attention from policymakers, civil society and citizens alike.

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Recommend Story 0 Share: About the author Pheeliyang Miriam James Correspondent Yola, Adamawa

Pheeliyang Miriam James is a finance journalist and contributing writer for The Gazette News, where she specializes in analyzing complex Nigerian banking regulations, tax laws,… Read full bio →

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