My Crunchy Fruit

Cucumber! What a fruit!

I have always known cucumber to be rich in water, potassium and other nutrients. As a result, it is one of my favourite fruits especially in periods when I want to keep my system hydrated.

I so much like the taste and feeling I get each time I munch on this fruit with roasted groundnut. It's one of my most cherished delicacies.

When chopped into small pieces and put in a plate with fork added for picking the pieces, cucumber turns out to be a great stimulator to keep me busy while I fully indulge in my hobby, making of new clothe designs using my lovely sewing machine, on days I'm free from work or any pressing house chore. It keeps me focused, no hunger pang, no need to cook food or get myself involved in eating my most dreaded form of food, snacks! 

What about the period of intensive study? Cucumber has also being of great help each time I need much concentration in order to grab the context of whatever book I indulge myself in. Sounds weird? I know but believe me, it provides me with few seconds to actually rack my brain while trying to attach meaning to what I was reading as I stop to pick its pieces with fork and put in my mouth. I love keeping my mouth busy while I read.

Oh my! What is happening to me? Why am I having this lower abdominal pain? Why am I having urinary frequency and urgency? Why am I peeing a lot and feeling dehydrated despite drinking much water? These were some of the questions that were playing in my mind a couple of months ago. I have always being meticulous with my personal hygiene. I ruled out urinary tract infection after assessing myself. Then, oh my God! Diabetes came to my mind because of the frequency of urination. With the speed of lightning, I went to check my blood glucose. Hurray! It was within normal range. Then what can possibly be wrong with me?

Should I see a Urologist? Is there anything I'm doing recently more than before? Have I changed my lifestyle? Is there a change in my eating habit? I did a thorough assessment of myself.

Boom! There was something I have been doing more than ever before. In as much as I love cucumber, I wasn't eating it everyday initially. It used to be a thing of once or twice a week as I also love to vary what I eat to ensure optimal nutrition. I realized, in recent time, I have been eating cucumber almost everyday. I was taking it to work. It was more like an addiction. But wait. What has cucumber got to do with my symptoms? It was at this juncture, I went into studying people's research on my dear fruit. Oh goodness! My cherished fruit is the culprit. 

Do you know that all edibles have side effects. Drinking of too can lead to water intoxication, a situation where the level of sodium in blood is greatly reduced to a dangerously low level, causing mild to life threatening problems.

If 'ordinary' water can pose a threat if taken in large quantity, how much more other edibles that have many constituents abi components- select the one you prefer(smiles)

There are many benefits one can get from consuming cucumber and these include but nor limited to rehydration, weight loss(for those seeking for it), BP lowering, anti-oxidation, possibility of cancer prevention etc.

One should not overlook the adverse effects of frequent ingestion of too much cucumber. I know you may be wondering how possible it is for the same fruit to have rehydration and dehydration properties. Listen, its rehydration property is of course as a result of its surplus water content while the opposite is due to the presence of a substance called cucurbitan. This ingredient is known to possess innate diuretic property and when taken in large quantity, results in excessive elimination of fluid from the body hampering the electrolyte balance. In extreme condition, it could leave one gravely dehydrated

Cucumber also has anti-oxidant and pro-oxidant properties. This means that, in as much as it can bring about destruction of free radicals, it can as well bring about their production. 

Let's recall that cucumber contains potassium. Hyperkalemia(too much potassium in blood) occurs if too much cucumber is consumed. This condition brings about bloating, abdominal cramps and intestinal gas(remember I was having abdominal pain). With time, the condition worsens, hampering the functioning of the kidneys in an effective way thus putting them at risk of damages.

My people of God, when next you are having a health issue, do have a sober reflection on all that have been going on around you, from your eating habit to your environment. This will help you pinpoint the cause of your ailment and save your liver the hardwork of metabolising medications that would have been prescribed or bought by you if the offending substance is not fished out. I did not say you should not see a doctor. No, all I'm saying is that you should first do your own assessment if the situation still affords you the time to do so before going for help and remember to mention any thing you suspect that could have caused or contributed to your problem while consulting a doctor.

I know by now it would have clicked in your head that my symptoms gradually resolved when I stopped eating cucumber. Yes, they did stop but that doesn't mean I won't eat cucumber again. No, I will always eat it and every other food in moderation.

Thanks for reading and do share to your contacts that might benefit From the information contained.