With Pykam-Diet, the Togolese Epiphanie Kilimou, promotes the African diet in clinical nutrition

(Ecofin Agency) – Doctor of State in Italy and doctoral student in medicine and surgery, she holds the HACCP food safety certificate (Hazard analysis and critical control point). She wants to create a reference unit in clinical nutrition to rehabilitate the African diet.

After 7 years in Italy, Pyalo Epiphanie Kilimou (photo), 31, returned to Togo to set up her clinical nutrition practice there. ” Today, it is not enough just to eat. We certainly eat, but what is the composition of our meals, and what about the times of intake? It’s all about nutrition “, she says, speaking of the observation of the poor eating habits of the population. This is how Pykam-Diet arrives in Lomé in May 2022, with the aim of promoting African dietetics.

Its modus operandi is essentially based on awareness-raising, the organization of conferences in student and school environments, consultations and free care. It also provides counseling through its online portal and social media, including postpartum testing to find out the nutritional status of children. This makes it possible to detect any genetic or hormonal deficiencies, a practice that is still not very widespread in the country, according TogoFirst.

” When we take the case of nutritional deficiencies, some people have a genetic deficiency that prevents them from secreting certain digestive hormones. They develop either an intolerance or a food allergy, such as lactose or gluten intolerance. When since your childhood you have not been tested, you will see that in the long term, depending on your diet, you will develop pathologies which can prove to be fatal. Generally in our African context, we tend to accuse witchcraft “.

After studying at the School of Army Health Services in Lomé (Essal), Pyalo Epiphanie received a scholarship to become a junior engineer in food science and technology, then specialize in clinical nutrition at the University of Florence in Italy. . There, she became delegate of the High Council of Togolese Abroad (HCTE) for Italy and secretary of the office of the High Council of Togolese for Europe.

But she did not adapt to the Mediterranean diet taught. ” We have our eating habits. At times, when I consulted a nutritionist for health concerns, the prescriptions he gave me were not in line with my standards as an African. I thought it was time to promote the African diet “.

Dr. Kilimou is also the promoter of Pykam Charme, a structure that deals with dermo-cosmetics. The idea is to enhance the natural and to fight against stripping of the skin by raising awareness of the negative effects of depigmentation. The company provides consumers with quality organic products, including essential oils “made in Togo” with therapeutic and cosmetic effects.