chatwithketch

Q: Can micro-organisms live in cold places eg food in a refrigerator?

A: Absolutely, they can. Cold temperature only slows down the growth of micro-organisms but it doesn’t completely stop them. So, the better the condition of the food stored in the refrigerator, the longer it will keep and the worse the condition, the shorter the period it will keep. Bear in mind that these foods will not keep indefinitely.

If you live in a place where power supply is not always stable, it means that:

• Fridge temperatures can fluctuate

• Food warms and cools repeatedly

• Bacteria multiply faster

So, if power has been off for several hours:

• Avoid opening the fridge repeatedly to conserve the coolness.

• Reheat leftovers thoroughly.

• If outage is prolonged, move high-risk foods (meat, fish, dairy) into a cooler with multiple ice packs (blocks).

• Keep the cooler closed.

• When power returns, assess carefully before refreezing eg check for unusual smell or texture

And remember:

• If food smells strange, feels slimy, or you are unsure, please discard it.

• Food poisoning costs more than wasted food.

How long has your power ever been off while food was still in the fridge?

FACT or FICTION?

Many first time mothers hear a lot of advise about what to do and what not to do – difficult to figure out what’s correct and what is just…gist, as we say in Nigeria!

Today, I share one of them…

Many of us grew up hearing that a pregnant woman should never sleep on her back because it can damage the baby’s eyes.

That part? Fiction.

But there is some truth hidden inside the advice.

As pregnancy advances, especially from the second trimester onward, lying flat on the back can make the mother feel dizzy and may temporarily reduce blood flow because the growing uterus presses on a major vein.

It’s not about the baby’s eyes.

It’s about blood flow and comfort.

And, if you do wake up on your back occasionally, don’t panic. Just turn to your side.

Pregnancy advice is often passed down with good intentions but sometimes the real explanation gets lost along the way.

What pregnancy advice did you grow up hearing?

Before I started creating structured posts and answering inbox questions,

I was a 27-year-old woman wondering if she was ready.

Motherhood changes you quietly.

Long before confidence comes, responsibility arrives.

Before experience, there is awe.

Before expertise, there is uncertainty.

And that’s even with medical training!

When mothers ask me what a baby’s cry means or whether they are doing it right, I don’t only respond from professional training.

For more, click here – https://chatwithdrketch.com/2021/01/05/hlwdk-daily-health-tips-motherhood/

‘Doctor, I don’t drink alcohol… so why do I have fatty liver?’

Many people are surprised to learn that fatty liver can occur even if you do not take alcohol at all. It is called Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD), and it is closely linked to metabolic health – things like weight, blood sugar, and cholesterol levels.

The tricky part?

Most people feel completely fine.

They only find out during a scan.

The good news is that when caught early, this condition can often be controlled and sometimes even improved with proper lifestyle changes.

If you have been told you have fatty liver:

• Do not panic but, do not ignore it.

• Start making informed changes.

I’ve shared a more detailed explanation for those who would like to read further here https://chatwithdrketch.com/2018/07/05/hlwdk-daily-health-tips-fatty-liver/.

Have you or someone you know been told they have fatty liver despite not drinking alcohol?

Let’s talk in the comments.

— Dr Ketch

Today’s post was triggered by part of a mother’s question yesterday:

‘Hello Dr Ketch… Is circumcision okay for my baby girl?’

It is a question that many mothers ask quietly. Some ask because of culture. Some ask because of pressure. Others ask because ‘everyone in our family does it.’

So let’s talk about it…

Female circumcision, also called Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), has no medical benefit. None.

But it carries immediate and long-term health risks.

As mothers, our role is not to conform to harmful traditions. Our role is to protect.

This reel explains:
• What FGM is
• Why it is done
• The health risks involved
• And why protecting our daughters matters

Please read all slides.

Save this post and share it with another mother. Education protects lives.

For more detailed information, click here – https://chatwithdrketch.com/2018/01/07/hlwdk-daily-health-tips-vaginal-discharge-in-a-baby/

— Dr Ketch

A mum asked:

‘My 6-week-old baby has a whitish discharge. Is this normal? And when can circumcision be done?’

This is such an important question and I’m glad she asked.

Many newborn baby girls can have discharge in the first few weeks of life because of hormones they were exposed to during pregnancy. Sometimes it is completely normal. Other times, it needs to be checked.

Swipe through this post to understand:
• What is normal
• What is not
• When to see a doctor
• How to prevent irritation
• And what I will address tomorrow regarding circumcision

Save this post.
Share it with another mum.
And send in other health and wellness questions; as usual, I’ll be answering them here.

Q: Hello Dr Ketch, what can I do to be healthy especially as we are preparing for our fast?

A: Thanks for writing in.

What to do? Keep eating healthy and focus on gentle exercises.
Breaking a fast is usually not as easy as it should be. You haven’t been eating and now it’s time to eat, so you pick anything you like to eat. Pretty open and shut, isn’t it? But actually, it’s not that easy.
Eating and drinking during a fast (religious or otherwise) should be easy…but is not always so. First, when a lot of people break fasts, they go on a binge. They eat the equivalent of what should have comfortably been taken over two or three meals!  And then they break the fasts with the wrong meals: refined and processed foods (eg cakes, pies etc) which lead to blood sugar spikes. Complex carbohydrates are better options. Foods like local rice, beans, whole wheat grains, oatmeal etc belong to this group. These absorb water and are digested slowly. Remember that during a fast, your digestive system took a break. So, it only makes sense to re-introduce your body to food gradually with easy to digest foods. If you have ever tried to load your body with food immediately after a fast, you will recall the horrible cramps that followed as a result of trying to waken a sleeping digestive system too quickly

As for drinks, water is always a great choice. Drinks that contain caffeine may lead to dehydration as they cause one to urinate a lot.

Remember that meals should be balanced, containing all food groups: proteins (fish, chicken etc), carbohydrates, fats and oil ( eg olive oil used for cooking), minerals and vitamins in the veggies used to cook etc Healthy methods of cooking like boiling, steaming, grilling should be used as opposed to frying.

Easy to digest fruits like grapes, watermelons and apples are great options. They are easy to digest and absorb while providing the body with needed energy and nutrients. Juicing or eating slices of them…it doesn’t matter. Most people would break with citrus fruits like oranges but their acidic content may be too much for your stomach to handle.

Remember that during your fast, given that you’re on a calorie restrictive diet, go easy on the exercises and focus on stretching and gentle walks.

All the best!

Some days are full of meetings, deadlines, children, and everything in between.

On days like this, I don’t aim for perfect meals – I aim for simple, quick, and intentional choices that still move me toward health.

Today looked like:

• A quick fruit smoothie for breakfast

• A “use-what-you-have” salad for lunch

• Banana + peanuts for a simple snack

• A light cabbage stir fry for dinner

Nothing fancy or complicated.

Just small, consistent choices – the real heart of AC Living (After-Children living ).

If you’re wondering what AC Living means and why this journey matters, take a moment to read the story in the caption here – https://chatwithdrketch.com/2026/02/16/after-the-babies-the-travels-and-the-weight-i-had-to-begin-again/

You might find a little piece of yourself in it too.

Tell me in the comments:

What is one simple thing you ate (or plan to eat) today that made you feel healthy?

Hello everyone!

I’m sure you’ve all heard about the outbreak of Lassa fever in some states in Nigeria. Just in case you wondered what all of that means, here’s a quick class.

Lassa fever is a viral haemorrhagic fever. This essentially means that this sort of fever interferes with the body’s natural ability to form clots when bleeding occurs and can also damage the walls of small vessels encouraging leakage of blood with resultant internal bleeding. It is also infectious.

Transmission to humans is usually from contact with food or other household items that have been contaminated with faeces or urine of infected rat (Mastomys). Person to person transmission can also happen through direct contact with the bodily fluid (urine, blood, faces etc) of an infected person.

Symptoms include: fever and general weakness, followed by nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, headache, headache, cough, sore throat etc. This may progress to bleeding, facial swelling, seizures etc

Treatment of this disease using anti-viral drug, Ribavarin, appears effective especially if started early and so the focus is on early diagnosis and prompt treatment, if infected and on prevention for those not infected.

Prevention is focused on good hygiene which makes it difficult for rats to thrive. Tips to help with this include:

X Disposal of food far from the living environment and on a regular basis

X Storage of grains and other food stuff in containers that are ‘rodent-proof’

X Clearing of surrounding bushes around your house

X Ensuring doors and windows shut properly and have tight-fitting screens

X Other general hygiene tips like consistent hand washing, wearing personal protective equipment by staff in healthcare settings to guard against body fluid splashes etc suffice.

Remember that family members caring for people with this disease may be exposed to their bodily fluids and so absence of hygiene measures at home and indeed in hospital settings encourages this infection to spread.

Here are points to remember:

Avoid spreading food in places where rats have access to them eg grains, garri, yam chips for amala, plantain chips etc

The practice of eating tasting raw garri in the market and even drinking it (as quite a number of people like to do J) may not be a great idea now as you don’t know how this was processed.

If you believe your house may be infested by rats, please fumigate immediately. In the meantime, be sure to thoroughly clean and disinfect all surfaces especially in the kitchen. Indeed, starting the day by pouring a kettle of hot water all over the plates on your plates rack may be a great idea.

If you eat rats (and yes, some people do…especially the big ones which look almost human ), please give it a rest.

And do not forget your personal hygiene. Wash your hands and often too. If you cannot wash your hands at any given time, use hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. Be sure to wash your hands as soon as you can afterwards. Remember that sanitizers are not suitable for visibly dirty hands.

Please maintain your private space. Do not sneeze or cough into people’s faces.

If you’re caring for anyone with the infection, observe the rules of barrier nursing.

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control can be contacted: Toll Free on: 6232; Whatsapp on: +234 708 711 0839; SMS on: +234 809 955 5577 to report any suspected case of Lassa Fever.

Stay safe, people!