This archive report was first published on 17 August 2019.
August 17, 2019
It's no secret that the recent health scares have left many of us feeling anxious and uncertain about what we eat. From the red meat exposé on NTV to the cancer scares and toxic river story, it's been a wild ride. But how have these scares affected our diets? We spoke to four women to find out.
Felicity Kawira, a 30-something mother of three, has been a meat lover for years. But after the red meat alert story broke, she was left feeling disgusted and fearful for her family's health. 'I was afraid that I had been feeding my husband and three children with poison,' she recalls. 'But mum, you don't buy your meat from the supermarket, right?' one of her children asked, trying to reassure her. Felicity decided to take matters into her own hands and started buying meat from a trusted supplier who brings it from the village. She now only eats pork once a week and has become more cautious about the vegetables she buys, opting for those from different sellers on market days.
Lechy Nyambura, a single mother of one, has also made significant changes to her diet. Before the health scares, she relied heavily on fast food, but after becoming a mother, she vowed to eat a balanced diet. She now asks a lot of questions about what she eats and has been researching healthy options. 'I have cut down on hot tea after chancing upon an article saying that it may raise oesophageal cancer risk,' she says. 'You are becoming too paranoid,' some of her friends say, but Lechy is just being careful.
Mika Alahya, a fashion stylist and model, has been trying to convince her parents to eat healthier for years. When the red meat story broke, she was vindicated. 'This is what I have been talking about all along,' she exclaimed. Now, she and her family are taking better care of their kitchen garden, planting sukuma wiki, tomatoes, spinach, and onions. They also buy chicken from their neighbors and have started rearing some.
Brenda Wamoto, a 27-year-old student, has also made changes to her diet. She used to love junk food, but after listening to a nutritionist talk about healthy eating, she realized she needed to make a change. 'Whoa! This is serious. I got to do something,' she thought after nursing a running stomach. She has since reduced her red meat intake and now prefers white meat, opting for Kienyeji chicken. She also buys fruits from a trusted supplier and drinks only boiled water.
