chatwithketch

Q: Hi my cousin gave birth yesterday and baby glucose was below 2 and even today, it’s still fluctuating by below 2. What is it that could help increase thee glucose level?

A: Hi dear, thanks for writing in and congratulations to your cousin.

A baby’s blood sugar level goes down in the first couple of hours after birth. This is normal. As baby feeds, the blood sugar level goes up and by the time it goes down again, your baby is probably already signaling for a feed.
Most healthy babies are able to deal with this variation in blood glucose levels as they will take as much milk as they need to keep their blood sugar level normal. Some babies are however not able to maintain this delicate balance and so low blood sugar is common in:

• Babies born to diabetic mothers,
• Babies born, too big or too small
• Babies born prematurely

What could lead to this?

• Poor nutrition in the mother during pregnancy
• Blood incompatibility of baby and mother
• Birth defects
• Poor oxygen intake during birth
• Liver disease
• Excessive insulin produced in the baby of a diabetic mother
• Infection
• Cold stress (exposure to cold)

Why is this is cause for concern? It’s because the brain depends on glucose as a source of energy. If this is lacking, then baby starts to experience seizures and later on, brain damage. Other symptoms of low blood sugar include:

• Jitteriness
• Low body temperature
• Blue colouration of the body
• Poor feeding
• Baby could stop breathing

Diagnosis is made by taking a blood sample and treatment is dependent on baby’s age at birth, baby’s overall health and medical history, baby’s tolerance for medication etc. Treatment typically involves giving the baby glucose – either in the form of glucose and water by mouth or through an infusion. Or the paediatrician may recommend feeding the baby. Let your cousin be guided by the paediatrician who will advise on the best course of action based on factors already described above.

All the best!

Q: Hi doc., please tell me the process needed to burn fat. I’m really worried. Or are there drugs I can take?

A: This question has come in so many different variations, from both men and women. I’ll start from the question about any drug/miracle pill/magic medication that causes people to lose weight. And guess what, guys?! It’s bad news all the way 😀 There’s no such thing as a miracle pill for weight loss. It’s sheer hard, back breaking work! Any of that stuff you read about that help you lose it all in days or weeks, just makes you lose water weight and you actually pile it on even faster, afterwards. Some people skip meals or fast to lose weight. Again, if afterwards, you go on a binge eating everything that you would have eaten from morning to night in one meal, then it still doesn’t make any sense 😀 Beyond that, it is not sustainable. Much as we ‘demonize’ carbohydrates or starchy foods, we actually need them to fuel our activities. Same goes for fats and oils…some of which are actually heart-healthy. The focus is on eating a balanced diet, ensuring portion control and getting exercise daily. Honestly, guys, there’s no other way around it! 😀
So, the first thing to do is portion control. Reduce the size of plate you usually eat with and then place your portions this way: Half the plate should be filled with fruits and vegetables, a quarter of the plate should be filled with proteins and then the final quarter should be filled with carbs. The carbs should be complex carbohydrates like brown/local rice, beans, oats, whole wheat bread etc. These carbs make you feel full for much longer and thus prevent you from rushing for the next pack of cookies, cake or soft drinks 😀 The cookies give you an immediate rush of sugar making the body produce insulin that takes in all of that sugar into the cells. This leads to a situation where the blood is now depleted of sugar causing one to feel hungry all over again reaching for the next quick snack again. This is a vicious cycle that leads to more eating and pre-disposes to Diabetes Mellitus.
In terms of exercise, 150 minutes of activity is advocated weekly. Be sure to split the exercise into manageable bit; perhaps 30 minutes every work day or one hour on alternate days. What you should not do is trying to take in all the exercise over the weekend…that is being a weekend warrior 😀 This can put a strain on your heart that may be disastrous.
I’ve written a whole lot on this subject for people who just had a baby or just regular people who want to do it right. Please take a moment to click on these links and read up on them.

Daily Health Tip: my tummy after my baby

Daily Health Tips: Can I Inherit A Big Tummy From My Parents?

My food and I…BC and AC

Daily Health Tip: Weight loss (facts and fiction)

Daily Health Tip: The trio of Diet, Exercise and Stress

Stress causes us to also pile on weight around the tummy. So reduce your stress levels 😀 (and just in case you wondered…yes this is possible), reduce your portions and exercise. So, who’s up for this? Count me in.
And remember this dictum:
For breakfast, eat like a king (eg some oats or fruits or whole wheat bread with an egg. You may even choose to use just the egg whites for an omelet)
For lunch, eat like a prince (eg a handful of wheat meal/ground oat meal, some ‘not-oily’ vegetable soup and fish with a serving of fruits afterwards)
For dinner, eat like a pauper (eg Ofada rice with stew and vegetables + chicken)
You can also take some snacks in between the three meals. Focus on healthy options like nuts (groundnuts, walnuts, almonds and others you can easily lay your hands on), fruits etc.

The article from Harvard below may give you more choices. Read!

https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/are-weight-loss-drugs-worth-trying

Have a great evening, people…

Are you a tea or coffee lover? If you are the latter, maybe you should give up your favourite brew for tea 😀 enjoy!

https://www.health.harvard.edu/heart-health/brewing-evidence-for-teas-heart-benefits

Q: Is it okay to eat an orange during pregnancy?

A: Hello dear, thanks for writing in. And congratulations on your pregnancy, if you’re the pregnant one 😀 The short answer to your question is yes, it’s okay to have an orange and eat fruits generally, subject to your dietician’s advise and/or restrictions if you diabetic etc. I repeat for you a post I had made on pregnancy, exercise and feeding.

Pregnancy is associated with increased cravings and of course growth of the baby, but you do not need significantly more calories to cope with this state. The recommended weight gain for pregnancy is 8 – 16 kg in all (with an average of 12kg).

During your first trimester, you actually do not need more calories than when you were not pregnant. You can continue with the activities you used to do before including exercise. However, exercise should be toned down from vigorous to moderate. Moderate exercise is any physical activity that you perform that but you’re still able to carry on a conversation without running out of breath…that’s as simple an explanation as it goes :D. It includes walking, swimming, dancing, pregnancy exercises (these are taught in some antenatal classes), stretching and relaxation exercises. Remember that you must never start on any exercise regimen without discussing with your doctor who knows your specific medical history.

Please note that you should never to exercise to the point of exhaustion, not to over-heat yourself and not to carry on any jumping etc…partly because you are prone to injuries of the ligaments (like sprains)and because, it’s just not safe at the time. I always used to know I was pregnant whenever I sprained my ankle…it happened in 2 out of 3 pregnancies! It may not be an exact science, but it worked for me :D. Just kidding…don’t try this at home 😀

During your second trimester, your calorie needs start to increase. The recommended increase in calorie intake is about 300 calories per day. Does this sound like much? It actually is not! A cup of cereal with a banana and a cuppa tea…..it’s all gone! 😀 So, imagine the quantum of calories in the other junk foods we crave for during this time! Take the time to read labels of food packs and check what a serving size is. If there are two serving portions in a tub of ice cream and you finish the whole tub, you’ve clearly eaten double the calories that is written on the tub!

In the final trimester, the calorie requirement increases some more to about 400 calories per day. Note that for multiple pregnancies (twins, triplets etc), the calorie needs are extra 400 calories in second trimester and extra 500-600 calories in the third trimester.

So, what to eat? The same things you did before you hot pregnant…assuming you were eating right :D. More fruits and veggies, complex carbohydrates (they are rich in fibre and keep you feeling full for a longer period of time) like beans, oatmeal, sweet potatoes, brown rice etc. Load up on proteins too (fish, chicken etc), calcium tich foods like yoghurt, skimmed milk…you don’t want to experience those muscle cramps of pregnancy. They can be excruciating! I know…I’ve had them J

Eat 5 small meals a day: breakfast, snack, lunch, snack and dinner. This should keep the hunger pangs at bay and deal with the cravings. You probably will still crave stuff: Iyalamala’s food, ice cream with all the toppings, a ‘ginormous’ burger etc and guess what? You can give in once in a blue moon, just don’t make it a habit! If you take in more calories than you need, you run the risk of having a big baby with all the complications associated with that during pregnancy and delivery and of course, it’s harder to get back to your pre-pregnancy weight after the baby.

After having your baby, breast feeding comes in, if you’re exercising and eating right, breastfeeding can help lose weight…as much as 300 calories per day. Does tying a wrapper tightly round your waist help flatten tummy? Honestly, I’ve heard people who swear by that technique. So, what I’ll say is, if it works for you, why not? Just don’t tie so tight as to stop blood flow

How soon to start exercise after having a baby? Well, it depends on how active you were before and during pregnancy. If you were very active, you can start some light stretches as soon as you feel able. However, generally, we advise 6 – 8 weeks after birth to allow for a post-natal check to have been done. Again, start small and allow your body to get into the groove.

Other mums….she asked you too! How do you get back into shape after having your baby? Help out a FTM!

Have a good night y’all 😀

Woke up a couple of days ago with neck pain and thought to post this so that y’all don’t have to go through what I went through. I knew exactly what caused it! 😀 Too many pillows…

What about you? Have you ever woken up with a crick in your neck that lasts for a while…perhaps due to the position in which you slept? That pain can be uncomfortable and may be due to other reasons. Here are ways to keep neck pain at bay:
• Try using the hands free device of your phone instead of constantly bending over your neck on one side to answer your call
• Make sure your computer screen is at eye level
• Keep your eye glasses’ lens prescription up to date so that you’re not constantly leaning back to see properly
• Don’t use too many pillows to sleep (obviously :D)
• Don’t sit in the same position for too long…get up exercise and stretch yourself.
• Finally, get a good night’s sleep and remember to be kind to your neck as this small but important part of our bodies, carries the weight of our heads….and the many thoughts in it 😀

Have a good night, y’all 😀

https://www.health.harvard.edu/womens-health/repaying-your-sleep-debt

Q: Are supplements good alternatives to fruits and vegetables?

A: Nothing beats a healthy diet filled with fruits and vegetables to keep you healthy and able to fight all manner of diseases. Supplements, as the name implies are meant to plug in the tiny holes that may not be completely filled by your diet. For instance, if your diet regularly misses out on dairy products despite the recommendation of at least 3 servings per day, you probably need calcium and Vitamin D supplements. If, however, you’re a junk food lover, there’s no magic pill that can take care of your problem. What you need is a menu make-over focusing on portion control and right plating with the different food groups. Remember that to plate right, half your plate should be filled with fruits and vegetables, a quarter with proteins and the last quarter with complex carbohydrates.

Have a lovely evening, beautiful people 😀

For more, click on the link below.

http://www.health.harvard.edu/healthbeat/best-source-of-vitamins-your-plate-not-your-medicine-cabinet

Q: Good evening ma’am. Thank you for the good work. May God continue to strengthen you. Please, my 8-month old baby suddenly has black gums. She already has two teeth. What could be the cause and what should I do?

A: Black gums could be due to heredity (it runs in families) or ethnicity (if you’re from the black race, you’re more likely to have dark gums). Having said that, though it is more likely in dark skinned people, it can also happen in other ethnicities. Just as excessive exposure to sunlight can cause people to get darker, the same can happen to your gums.

However, it could also be due to diseases or certain drugs.
Diseases in which the pigment responsible for dark skin (melanin) is produced in excessive amounts, smoking, poor oral hygiene and even some anti-malarial drugs can cause dark gums.

If your baby’s case is due to ethnicity or heredity and you don’t mind it, then leave it well alone and let her smile away :D. However, treatment does exist for this and requires a dental procedure to be determined by the dentist at a suitable age. It could involve ‘peeling’ off the superficial outer layer of the gum where the darkness is or even gum bleaching etc. Where there is underlying disease, this also has to be treated and where smoking is the culprit (unikely in this baby :D), stopping is beneficial.

Enjoy the rest of the day and make sure you make today an extra special children’s day for your children or any child around you 😀

Have a great week ahead!

Q: Please, I need to know about gastric ulcers and can it be cured?

A: Gastric ulcer is a type of peptic ulcer and this condition is often confused with Gastro-Esophageal Reflux Disease (GERD).

Gastric acid is secreted normally in the stomach to help the process of digestion. Peptic ulcer is a sore in the stomach, esophagus or duodenum and occurs when there is either over-production of this gastric acid in the stomach or reduction in the quantity of mucous that protects the stomach from the acid. Infection with an organism, Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) has been found to be a cause of peptic ulcer.

GERD, on the other hand occurs when stomach acid backtracks into the esophagus causing heart burn.

In the past, it was thought that spicy foods caused peptic ulcers. However, there’s no evidence to support this, though spicy foods can certainly make the symptoms of ulcer worse  Smoking, stress and drinking alcohol are also likely to worsen the symptoms of peptic ulcer. Caffeinated and carbonated beverages may also be culprit.

Ulcers are also common in people who take certain pain relieving drugs known as Non- Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) like Ibuprofen.

People with peptic ulcer usually complain of abdominal pain or even sometimes, chest pain as the pain can be anywhere from the breast bone to the navel…giving room for a wide range of descriptions  The pain is usually worse at night or when the stomach is empty.

People with ulcers may vomit blood or pass out fresh or altered blood in stool. For the latter, the stool looks tarry black. Complications of peptic ulcers include internal bleeding, leakage of the acid into the abdominal cavity etc

Treatment is targeted at reduction in acid production, neutralization of acid, treatment of Helicobacter infection, promotion of healing or protection of stomach lining. Your doctor will determine the best option or combination(s) with your active participation, of course

Thus, prevention is targeted at switching pain relieving drugs (if you have an ulcer, please stay away from NSAIDs, reducing your level of stress, stopping smoking and reducing your alcohol intake. Maintaining a healthy diet filled with loads of fruits and veggies which provide sufficient vitamins to aid healing, is also a good way to go. It is still not very clear how H. pylori infections spread but it is thought to be probably from person to person or from food and water. So, judicious and very frequent, hand washing will certainly help

Does milk help? Well, temporarily but it quickly makes it worse. Milk coats the surface of the stomach, reducing the pain but then stimulates more acid production. Sounds like you can’t win, aye?! ;D

For GERD, there are also conditions like pregnancy and obesity that make this condition worse and there are also foods that encourage this. Examples of these ‘foods’ are fatty foods, alcohol, orange juice, chocolate and coffee, onions, tomatoes, peppermint and spicy foods.

So for the person in the question, I suggest you keep a food diary over a period of time and try to figure out the trigger foods. If you suspect tomatoes, try to confirm this by having a ‘tomato meal’ and watching for heart burn and an unpleasant taste at the back of the mouth. If this is not the issue, perhaps it’s a weight issue or even over-eating.

Treatment is targeted at the acid and healing the esophagus. Remember that occasional heart burn is not regarded a problem but if it happens frequently, like two or more times every week, then it becomes a problem and is now referred to as Gastro-Esophageal Reflux Disease (GERD). So, drugs used can stop acid production, reduce acid production and cause healing of the esophagus or neutralize the effect of the acid.

Prevention involves trying to avoid your trigger foods (quite a number are actually healthy  maintaining a healthy weight, avoiding heavy meals just before bedtime, try eating smaller meals and avoid tight clothes that may also put pressure on your abdomen.

So, see a doctor first to confirm the diagnosis….peptic ulcer or GERD and then he’ll advice on treatment.

Have a fabulous evening and remember…no heavy meals before bedtime