EATING YOUR BEST MEALS

The Ketogenic Institute of Barbados

Hoodwinked; [hood-wingkd]

Past tense. verb. Def: To willfully fool, deceive or beguile.

This might be the most accurate description of what was perpetrated onto the globe by a cabal of doctors, food industry executives and nutritionists during the 60’s. They proposed and perpetuated the myth that dietary fat made you fat, that butter and lard clogged your arteries, and that simple sugar(s) were fine and dandy. After decades of persistent research, we can safely proclaim that the opposite is in fact true.

Interestingly, the well formulated ketogenic diet was also born in the 60’s in a pediatric ward, for the successful treatment of childhood epilepsy. For decades, the standard American diet had been far ahead in popular acceptance but fortunately, folks in the know have woken up to the incredible benefits of the ketogenic diet/lifestyle.

Around the turn of the century a surge in the popularity of this lifestyle was observed because its undeniable benefits on the human body had been revealed. Coinciding with the unmasking of simple sugars as the true culprit for chronic, noncommunicable disease, the keto diet became mainstream.

On examination of the nuts and bolts of this lifestyle we readily admit that remaining in bounds of the dietary rules are not easy at all. It requires dedication and planning and like everything else…practice.

The essential premise is to provide the mitochondria of the body’s cells an alternative food fuel other than glucose by which they can generate the holy grail of chemical energy called ATP. This can be achieved by turning the Standard American Diet on its head and recommending that 75% of calories come from healthy fats and oils, 20% come from protein and the remaining 5% come from carbohydrates in the form of vegetables. By allowing one’s sugar (glycogen) stores to deplete the cells search for and use a new fuel. A new and beneficial fuel called ketones made in the liver from the fats consumed.

It turns out that ketones produce more than twice the amount of ATP in the mitochondria than glucose ever did with much less dangerous free radicals released. A damaging by-product of metabolism. The following are the main benefits of practicing the keto lifestyle:

• Sharp decline in chronic inflammation levels

• Dramatic but healthy weight loss

• Potential reversal of type 2 diabetes, polycystic ovarian syndrome, and epilepsy

• Increased clarity of thought and cerebral processing

• Better sleep

• Enhanced immune system

• Improved cardiovascular and lipid profile.

We at the ketogenic Institute of Barbados would recommend that participants not remain in a state of ketosis for more than 3 months at a time and probably switch to another healthy diet such as Mediterranean before coming back to Keto. The point is to become metabolically flexible when it comes to allowing your mitochondria to maintain the ability to use glucose as a fuel.

Thisisanelegantketodish.Asianwingscookedfirstin oliveoilthencharredinanairfryerpaintedwith pestobarbecuesaucemix.Thecauliflower ricesatisfiesthosewhomissrealrice.It’s mixedwithasaladofredonion,pur plecabbageandcarrotsdrizzled

The Financial Literacy Bureau of Barbados was established through the approval of the Cabinet of Barbados on October 1, 2018, to ensure that the population of Barbados, regardless of educational background or career path becomes financially savvy and capable of making sound financial decisions.

At that time, it was agreed that the Bureau should, at a minimum, perform the following functions: i) Develop a national strategy to promote financial literacy and education across all aspects of Barbadian life, individuals, schools, households, churches and businesses ii) Coordinate financial education efforts of the Government iii) Encourage Government and private sector efforts to promote financial literacy; iv) Establish a National Financial Education Website to provide a coordinated point of entry for information about financial literacy, education programs and grants; and v) Establish a hotline to be made available to the public seeking materials on matters pertaining to financial literacy and education. vi) Provide mentoring for beneficiaries of the programme;

The Financial Literacy Bureau which is coordinated by the Small Business Development Unit of the Ministry of Energy and Business in collaboration with Consultant and FLB Champion Mr. David Simpson was officially launched on October 25, 2020. The programming was initially executed as an in-person evening training programme that was held at various community locations across Barbados.

Subsequently, in 2021, the training sessions were transitioned to the online Zoom webinar platform because of a surge in COVID-19 pandemic cases in Barbados and the resulting national lockdown.

To-date, the FLB has trained over four thousand persons in various aspects of financial literacy, including effective money management, introduction to savings and investments, managing credit cards, costing, and pricing of products and services, budgeting for family life, managing debt, social security and NIS, retirement planning, and has indirectly impacted several Barbadians who monitor the programme through our social media feeds.

The FLB has also been instrumental in providing financial literacy interventions to several organizations and associations across the island, upon request by our valued stakeholders and the general public.

On October 08, 2022, the FLB launched its second phase of its financial literacy initiative branded the Community Engagement Programme, intended to provide financial literacy interventions to the individual communities directly. To advance phase two, the FLB in collaboration with the Central Bank of Barbados has conducted a national baseline assessment to ascertain the exposure and needs of Barbadians with respect to financial literacy. The implementation of the Community Engagement Programme will therefore see the FLB reaching out to residents and households within the following communities: Holder’s Hill, St. James, City of Bridgetown and two villages of St. Joseph to facilitate rollout.

As the FLB continues to expand its reach, the focus will remain on achieving its agreed goals which are to:

• Building an investment culture in Barbados;

• Building intergenerational family wealth;

• Developing more financially sound businesses;

• Engendering national cohesion around principles that encourage responsible economic behavior among citizens. This includes the “teaching” and “living’’ the principles of financial literacy, as well as holding government accountable for its public expenditure such that it positively impacts the lives of Barbadians; and

• Inculcating habits of financial literacy among the general populous at an early age, inclusive of the nation’s schools.

The FLB encourages Barbadians of all walks of life to get on board with this awesome and rewarding initiative as together we collaborate to “Make sense of our dollars and safeguard our future”.

By: Anderson Cumberbatch Chief Business Development Adviser, Ministry of Energy and Business