chatwithketch

Q: Can zobo drink improve my bone to be strong?

A: Zobo is a drink made from the Hibiscus flower. This drink is known by many other names depending on where you come from. Some popular names include Karkadi, Karkada, Zenaf, Sour tea, Roselle and of course, Zobo! There are many more names, by the way…but this post is not about the many names of Zobo.

Some people drink Zobo, because there is an assumption that it is a healthier alternative sugary, soft drinks. Well, it depends. If you prepare it with bottles of the sugary soft drinks you were trying to avoid ab initio, then maybe, it may not be so healthy, right? 😀

Again, some of the touted benefits of Hibiscus on hypertension, cholesterol levels, colds etc do not really have significant medical evidence to back them up.

However, it has been shown that taking Zobo with Acetaminophen (our regular Paracetamol) may lead to a situation where your body gets rid of the drug faster than it would have done ordinarily. This implies that in a short while the effect of the Paracetamol would have worn off and the person probably back with the ache.

What of zobo and pregnancy? There is not sufficient evidence to really confirm that this and a lot of other herbal drinks are safe in pregnancy. It has been suggested in some quarters that Hibiscus in excessive amounts could lead to menstruation leading to miscarriages in pregnant women. The evidence for or against this is not in great supply but it is probably a great idea to give it a miss during pregnancy. I would do so 😀 And yes I know a lot of women indulge in gallons of the stuff with no side effects 😀 Better safe than sorry…just saying J

About zobo and bone strength…I do not have any information. I do know Spinach, Soybeans, White beans, some fish, like sardines, salmon and oatmeal, and breakfast cereal contain calcium and help increase bone strength

Have a great evening 😀

Q: Good evening Dr. First of all I must appreciate your good works, you have been helpful in tremendous ways. God bless you. Please I will like to know what kind of anti fungal medication that will be effective for Athletes foot. Thank you.

A: Thanks for your kind words.

Fungi are invisible (to the naked eye) micro-organisms that are plant-like. They love and thrive in dark, warm, moist areas and can attack skin in situations of low immunity or when there is an injury to the skin or nail. Examples of fungi are mushrooms (yes…the same one we eat :D), mildew (the one that grows on that towel that didn’t dry well :D) and mold (the type that grows on bread that is left for too long :D). Yep! So, we all know this guy FUNGUS!

There are typically three common fungi infections: Ringworms (which most people have heard about), athlete’s foot and jock itch.

Ringworms are small, round, ring shaped rashes/patches on the skin…but are absolutely not worms 😀 They usually happen when people have minor injuries on skin, scalp or nails and when people sweat a lot. This can be prevented by keeping personal things personal: don’t share towels, clothing, undies, head coverings (caps, hats etc). Keep your skin nice, clean and dry. This process can be helped by taking a bath regularly J and towelling off. Be sure to shampoo after a haircut and dress for the weather. With our hot sun, those fungi have no hiding place! Let them bring it on 😀

You know those sores between toes that happen especially if you are fond of walking around barefoot in wet areas, wear tight shoes and synthetic socks (that don’t allow your feet to breath) and if you don’t clean properly between your toes after a bath? That’s called athlete’s foot. So, to prevent it, avoid the above. Wipe between toes et al after a bath, wear socks made from fabrics that ‘breath’ like cotton, take a break from tight footwear and try not to share your shoes. Buy shoes that suit our weather too. For instance, while a pair of boots may make sense in winter, it may not be such a great idea in these hot climes (Africa) where the weather is hot and our feet need to breath If you can get away with it, wear sandals.

Have you ever seen anyone closing their eyes and intensely scratching their crotch area? Well, they could have jock itch! This again happens when people sweat excessively…the groin area is not spared. Prevention involves not sharing towels and under-garments, keeping them clean and washed, wearing clean socks and keeping it cool down there by wearing under garments made with cotton, which are not tight fitting 😀 A bath after a hectic exercise or sport session will also not go amiss.

Treatment of these fungal infections will involve the use of anti-fungal creams and where the infection is significant, oral anti-fungal creams are added. Antibiotics may also be indicated where there are bacterial infections…as can occur from the scratching of jock itch. But you have to see your doctor to confirm the diagnosis and prescribe the appropriate anti-fungal.

So, there you have it. In this instance, an ounce of hygiene is certainly worth a pound of cure!

Enjoy your day 🙂

Q: Dr. please I will like to know if it is safe to take drugs (anti -malaria/ typhoid) alongside herbs (Agbo).

A: I have seen people who swear by Agbo and claim not to have been to the hospital for ‘gazillion’ 😀 years as a result of the fact that they take this. This cuts across different social strata as I have met people in different strata of the society that use it. So, is it effective? This herb is thought to be effective against malaria, typhoid, sexually transmitted infections etc.

Now, I am always personally worried when one drug cures a multitude of things…it’s sorta worrisome. However, some scientists have done some work and noted that the original Agbo herbs have some anti-oxidant activity and so it could very well be curative of some illnesses.

However, the alcohol and other additives that are packed into it makes one even more skeptical about its usefulness in treatments except the aim is to knock out the person taking it 😀

Again, there are no specific dosages for these herbs and they are generally hawked in very unhygienic conditions. Some of the components could also pose health threats to children and adults alike if it is not known whether they are allergic to these components.

All in all, a lot of work needs to be done on Agbo, if it is to be accepted as a useful treatment for any ailment. This will help confirm exact components, dosage and possible drug interactions.

So, in the meantime, leave well alone…the last thing you want to do is take it together with another medication when we have no idea of how both of them will interact and/or react in your body.

I know the faithful agbo drinkers will let me know what they think 😀

Happy Good Friday, folks!

Is being lonely a health risk? You might want to read this to find out!

https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/im-so-lonesome-i-could-cry-2018032113512

Q: Good evening, Doctor. Please I want to ask a question. Each time I take ferrous, I usually have scratches on my leg. Am I allergic to it or am I taking the fake one. Thanks. Will be waiting for reply

A: Iron supplements are used to prevent anaemia (blood shortage) but just like any drug, people could experience adverse drug reactions. These supplements can cause the colour of stool to become black. Other side effects include heartburn, constipation or diarrhea, abdominal pain and nausea/vomiting.

Allergy to this drug could show up as rashes, hives (sudden outbreak of swollen, red bumps on the skin), itching, tightness in the chest, trouble with breathing, swelling of the face, mouth, throat, tongue etc

So, you could very well be allergic to the supplement. Please see your doctor and let him know this. He will confirm what exactly the problem is and where necessary, prescribe alternatives

All the best 🙂

You’re trying to lose weight – doing all the right things: eating right, exercising, reducing stress levels etc and yet you can’t seem to win. The weight is just not coming off! What’s going on? Well, your ‘loving’ body senses all of that weight loss going on, it worries that you’re starving and therefore, reduces your body’s metabolic rate – the rate at which your body burns calories to keep your basic body functions working. So, if you’re not burning enough calories…it kinda sounds like you’re retaining them right?! Very depressing – sounds like ‘no work done!’

This is an interesting read! Enjoy!

https://www.health.harvard.edu/diet-and-weight-loss/does-metabolism-matter-in-weight-loss

Q:Please I have a question pertaining to cough and catarrh syrup and all that. You made us understand that when a child is given such medication, it depresses the respiratory track or something like that. Please from what age can someone start taking such medication for cough and catarrh? Thank you Ma, awaiting your response. God bless you

A: As a parent, it’s very normal for you to feel worried when your baby is ill especially when it appears you’re helpless and really can’t do anything to help him/her. However, when your baby has a cough, giving cough syrups may not be the way to go…and I’ll tell you why.
First, if your baby’s cough is due to a cold, you really don’t need to give your baby any drug. A cold is a viral infection and once it causes an infection, it will run its course before it stops. And so, with or without drugs, a cold will go. It would usually last for about a week to 10 days and then disappear. There’s no need for antibiotics for a viral infection. Indeed, taking antibiotics when they are not needed leads to antibiotic resistance where the antibiotics can no longer properly do their jobs when they are really needed to fight infections.
Then some of the ingredients in the cough syrups can also cause a baby’s heart to beat faster, may cause convulsions and basically do not treat the cause of the cough. They are actually not supposed to be used for children younger than 2 years of age.

Now, what can you do in the meantime:

Let your baby sleep in your arms or in a semi-upright position. You can prop him up with lots of pillows at night.

Offer your baby fluids and if there is congestion in the nose, use a saline spray. You can ask your doctor or pharmacist for this.
An air humidifier also moistens the air and makes it easier for your baby to breath. If you don’t have this, you can let your baby breath in steam from a hot shower.

A suction bulb can also help remove mucous from your baby’s nose.  You can ask for one in the hospital or a pharmacy.

Please see your baby’s doctor if this cough continues and/or your baby develops a fever and this cough lasts more than 2 weeks.  If your baby also has difficulty breathing, cannot breath or feed, you should also see his/her doctor.

Have a great day, everyone 😀

Q: Good morning Doctor…. Please! My younger sister is 13 years old and started her menstrual period January 13th this year and up till now she hasn’t seen her period again… Please is there any problem that we will worry about? Your answer will be of great help, thank you…

Q: I want to ask about my friend’s period. Actually, from last few years she started facing change in her periods. Actually, she bleeds less almost 1 and half pads but her periods come every month. Her problem is about less bleeding. Her ultrasound is also clear. Please, tell me early is it dangerous? Or it can create disturbance in her marriage because she is going to marry soon but she is very frightened about her less bleeding. Please help her as soon as possible

A: So many questions on menstrual periods J I’ll try to address everyone in this post

A ‘regular’ menstrual cycle is supposedly one in which the cycle (the length of time from the 1st day of a menstrual period to the first day of the next menstrual period) is about 28 days but there is nothing abnormal about cycles that fall outside of this range. It could range from about 24 days to 34 days with ovulation happening at mid cycle. Indeed, in some women each period appears to have a different cycle.

The menstrual flow lasts between 2 to 8 days A reduction in flow (scanty period) is called hypomenrrhea (pronounced hai-po-men-oria) and a reduction in the number of days of flow to less than 3 days is called oligomenorrhea (oli-go-men-oria). Now at the onset of puberty, the flow and cycle can vary from one cycle to the other resulting in skipped or irregular periods; the same goes for the other extreme of life (old age).
What do people refer to as irregular periods? Well, if the time between each period changes, or the length of days of the period changes or indeed when the quantity of blood lost during each period changes, the period is termed irregular. What can cause these changes? They include:

Changes in hormone levels, as is common in the puberty period (like in the 13-year old) or menopausal period
Stress

Excessive weight loss or excessive weight gain

Crash dieting (when you want to lose all the weight you added in 5 years in one week :D)

Intense physical activity
Fibroids

Problems with the thyroid (hyperthyroidism)
Polycystic Ovary Disease (PCOD)
Scarring from previous surgery in the uterus like D and C
Pregnancy cannot be overlooked as a cause of irregular bleeding and has to be checked out. The bleeding may be an implantation bleed
Breast feeding mothers may also experience irregular periods as the hormones released may delay return of menstruation. Remember, however, that this is not an effective means of contraception.

So, it’s always a good idea to keep a record of your periods: length of cycles, number of days the period lasts, presence of pain etc. If you keep a chart of this over time, you would be able to know what is normal for you.

Treatment of irregular periods depends on cause: fibroids, PCOD, hyperthyroidism all have to be treated. If irregularity is due to stress, learning coping mechanisms or relaxation techniques may help. Reduce weight or go easy on your exercise routine, if weight issues are a problem. So, each individual case is different but may not necessarily lead to infertility. The gynaecologist will advice based on specific history and cisrcumstance(s).

However, be sure to see your doctor if your period is consistently below 21 days or more than 35 days, if you menstruate for longer than one week, bleed in between periods or experience severe cramp.

I hope this helps

Today is World Tuberculosis Day and this is the same day in 1882 when Dr Robert Koch discovered the bacterium that causes Tuberculosis. The theme this year is “Wanted: Leaders for a TB-free world.” The focus for this year is building commitment to end Tuberculosis all levels of leadership – international, national, state, local, you and I.

Some background…
Tuberculosis (Tb) is a bacterial infection that mainly affects lungs. The infection could be active in which case the person is sick and can transmit the infection to another person or the infection could be inactive, in which case the infection is present in the body but does not cause infection neither can it be transmitted to another person. However, this latter case, needs to be treated as it can become active.

The issue of Tb has come more to the front burner with the advent of HIV/AIDS which causes a depression of the immune system such that the Tb infection can hold sway.

Symptoms of Tb include fever, cough that lasts for 3 weeks or more, coughing up blood, night sweats, weight loss etc
Treatment of Tb involves the use of a combination of drugs to prevent resistance. These drugs must be taken for the full course to prevent resistance. Common drugs used include Rifampicin, Isoniazid, Pyrazinamide and Ethambutol.

In countries like Nigeria, the vaccine BCG is the cornerstone of prevention and this is given to children at birth. Unfortunately, the poor economic conditions in most places in Africa makes this disease spread rapidly if one person gets it as overcrowding due to poor/inadequate housing helps the bacteria spread. Teaching people to cover their coughs and stay in well ventilated places also help.

Are you a leader for a Tb-free world? How are you contributing to ridding the world of this disease?