YONG Medicals

17/07/2026

𝐂𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐬 𝐚 𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐝𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐲

Fear and stigma can delay lifesaving care.

When cancer is treated as a taboo subject people may skip screenings and ignore warning signs. But with early detection, many cancers are treatable.

Open conversations, awareness and sharing stories of recovery can help break stigma and encourage people to seek care sooner.

14/07/2026

🔥 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐂𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐨𝐨𝐧'𝐬 𝐒𝐦𝐨𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 & 𝐆𝐫𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐬 𝐌𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐁𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐔𝐬.

The WHO classified processed meat as carcinogenic back in 2015 — same risk category as to***co. But here's what most people miss: in Cameroon, it's often not the meat that's the problem, 𝐢𝐭'𝐬 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐰𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐢𝐭.
Traditional smoking, grilling, and singeing (burning off the hairs of animals) 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐫-𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐬 when done with high heat or incomplete combustion. This touches foods we eat all the time —𝐬𝐦𝐨𝐤𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐢𝐬𝐡, 𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐢, 𝐬𝐮𝐲𝐚, 𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐟, 𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐝 𝐠𝐨𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐟.

😳 𝐎𝐧𝐞 𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠: some small-scale butchers singe carcasses using tires or plastic instead of clean gas — pushing toxic compound levels 10 to 50x above EU safety limits.
Studies from Uganda and across Africa back this up: boiled beef and high red-meat diets are linked to rising colorectal cancer, while fiber-rich foods like millet and cassava are protective.
A 2026 review confirms it — the danger is mostly in the processing, not the food.

✅ 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐧𝐞𝐰𝐬 : you don't have to give up suya or smoked fish.
Marinate with lemon, vinegar, garlic, or tomato before grilling
Avoid daily charred/well-done portions
Support vendors using clean gas fires, not tires
Small changes, big protection. 💚


📚 𝐑𝐞𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬:
IARC/WHO Monograph Working Group. The Lancet Oncology, Oct 2015.
Ndebia EJ, Kamsu GT. Front Oncol. 2026;16:1749287.
Dietary risk factors for colorectal cancer in Uganda. BMC Nutr. 2024.
Temporal trends in food availability and cancer in Africa. PMC10260536.
Menyhart O, et al. J Clin Oncol. 2025;43(16_suppl):e22508.

13/07/2026

🌱 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝟏𝟐 𝐆𝐚𝐩: 𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐭-𝐁𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐄𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐂𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐨𝐨𝐧 𝐍𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐏𝐚𝐲 𝐀𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧.

Vitamin B12 isn't made by plants or animals — it comes from microbes that once coated our food and water supply naturally. Today, with cleaner water systems (a very good trade-off — nobody misses cholera!), we no longer get B12 this way. That means anyone eating a mostly plant-based diet, including those enjoying Cameroon's rich variety of ndolé, cassava, and legumes, needs a reliable outside source.
Deficiency can take years to show up if your stores start out healthy — but left unaddressed, it can lead to nerve damage, memory problems, and in severe cases, irreversible harm.
#𝐁𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐦𝐍𝐮𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐁𝟏𝟐:
✅ At least 2,000 mcg (µg) cyanocobalamin once a week (chewable, sublingual, or liquid — best on an empty stomach)
✅ Or 50 mcg daily of a standard supplement (no risk of taking "too much")
✅ Or 3 servings a day of B12-fortified foods, each with ≥85% of the Daily Value (or ≥2 mcg per serving outside the US)
✅ Adults 65+: at least 1,000 mcg (µg) daily
A small daily habit — big protection for your nervous system and long-term health.
📚 Guidance aligned with WHO/FAO nutrient standards.



𝐑𝐞𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬:
PMID: 12417096, 24115632, 31193945, 28478387
ISBN: 9780128039687, 012803968X
𝐀𝐝𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐫𝐞𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬:
Hannibal L, et al. Vitamin B12 Status and Supplementation in Plant-Based Diets. 2024. DOI: 10.1177/03795721241227233
PMID: 40043238 — Micronutrients: Assessment, Requirements, Deficiencies, and Interventions. N Engl J Med. 2025.
PMID: 36413044 — Vitamin B12 levels in children and adolescents on plant-based diets: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
PMID: 35706595 — Vitamin B12 and Plant-Predominant Diets.

12/07/2026

Make time to exercise this Sunday. Here are some physical activities to stay healthy and active:

🚶🏾‍♀️ Walking
💃 Dancing
🤸🏾‍♀️ Skipping
🚴🏾‍♀️ Cycling
🏊🏾‍♀️ Swimming

Every move counts!

11/07/2026