chatwithketch

Today is World Cancer Day with the theme, ‘We can. I can.’ The question being posed today is how everyone – as a collective or as individuals – can do their part to reduce the global burden of cancer.

I have heard people say that they don’t need to be screened. They feel if they get screened, the doctors must find something wrong with them! 😀 Honestly, much as we (doctors) would like to feel we’ve got a lot of powers, trust me, we do not manufacture cancer in people to amuse ourselves. There’s nothing remotely amusing about cancer, right? L

Then, I’ve heard others say, that if you know you’ve got cancer, then worrying about it will send one to an early grave even before the disease! Okay, this is one place where ignorance is not bliss! If one screens for cancer and this is caught early, treatment is possible and the person could live a long and healthy life. Our problem, especially in third world countries is that we do not screen early and so the disease is usually caught in the late stages when they would have spread to other organs.

A couple of years ago, we talked about the myths surrounding cancer and I repeat part of that post here because the issues raised are still very relevant.

We don’t need to talk about cancer: Some people think talking about cancer is like going around with a death wish. Not true. Not talking about it doesn’t make it disappear. We need to talk about super foods that can prevent cancer, screenings that can help detect it on time and of course, risky behaviours that lead to cancer (like the multiple sexual partners in cervical cancer)

There are no signs and symptoms of cancer: For many cancers there are noticeable signs…a lump here, change in the contour of the breast there etc. Early screening can certainly help detect these cancers early. There are people who have Health Insurance plans that cover annual medical checks with cancer screening and yet, never take advantage of these screenings. Are you one of those? L

There is nothing I can do about cancer: Absolutely not true! There’s a lot you can do! You can help spread the news of things that can help prevent it eg eating healthy, not using oil that has smoked etc. Then getting screened and advising others to do same, knowing our bodies and being quick to spot changes in colour, shape or contour of any part…which may or may not signify a cancer.

I don’t have the right to cancer care: You do have the right. In the third world countries, access to care is an issue but if we are careful to catch the cancer early, treatment may not be too extensive or expensive.

You can do something to reduce the burden of cancer. I can do something to reduce the burden of cancer. We all can do something to reduce the burden of cancer. So, let’s do something…today!

Have a great week ahead, people 😀

Tomorrow is World Cancer Day. So, I will dedicate this weekend to cancers.

Can your lifestyle contribute to cancer? Yes it can! Here are some tips to help you make the right choices.

Dos

• Eat healthy. More fruits and vegetables which are full of anti-oxidants which help protect the body against free radicals that lead to cancer. Eat less animal fats. Green leafy vegetables are rich in substances that are thought to protect against cancer of the mouth, esophagus, and stomach. These vegetables are also rich in folic acid which helps your body produce new cells and repair DNA, and is especially important for women of childbearing age because it can prevent neural tube (spinal cord) defects in a developing fetus . You get the most of these nutrients when the leaves are eaten raw or slightly cooked. So please don’t smother them in oil!!!

• Exercise as this helps you lose weight and reduces your risk of certain cancers like those of the breast, kidney and oesophagus.

• Garlic: Funny…but it could very well be the sulfur compounds causing that odor that also stop cancer-causing substances from forming in your body, speed DNA repair, and kill cancer cells :D…..talk about a stinky idea!! Garlic also battles bacteria, including H. pylori (the one connected to some ulcers and stomach cancer), and it reduces the risk of colon cancer. To get the most benefit, peel and chop the cloves and let them sit 15 to 20 minutes before cooking. That activates enzymes and releases the sulfur-containing compounds that have the most protective effect
  And…by the way, stick with the cloves, not the dietary supplement.

• Carrots: They contain beta-carotene, an antioxidant believed to protect cell membranes from toxin damage and slow the growth of cancer cells. They also deliver other vitamins and phytochemicals that might guard against cancers of the mouth, esophagus, and stomach. Some studies have suggested that cooked carrots supply more antioxidants than raw. If you’re cooking carrots, leave them whole while steaming or boiling, and cut them after they’re done. That reduces the loss of nutrients and gives them a sweeter taste as well.
• Whole Grains: They have a lot of fiber and contain other substances that might battle cancer. So stock up on 100% whole wheat bread (not white bread), ofada or brown rice as opposed to polished white rice and oats instead of sugary cereals.
• Strawberries: Berries are thought to protect against heart disease, memory decline and cancer. Strawberries are rich in antioxidants which are thought to destroy cancer-causing substances and slow the growth of tumors. Other types of berries like raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, and cranberries are also good sources of these anti-oxidants. They can be found fresh or frozen at big supermarkets in major cities. Studies have shown that eating fruit, including berries, probably decreases the risk of lung cancer and could prevent cancers of the mouth, esophagus, and stomach.
• And guess what? Breastfeeding is protective against cancers…one more reason to ensure that your baby gets this all important goodness 😀

Don’ts

• S Smoking is one avoidable lifestyle habit that increases your chances of a lot of diseases like cancer) of the mouth, throat, stomach and cervix high blood pressure etc. Even second-hand smoke (inhaling smoke from someone else who is smoking) has been implicated in lung cancer.

• Alcohol intake: Limit alcohol consumption to 2 drinks a day for men and 1 drink a day for women with at least 2 alcohol-free days per week. However, even these recommended amounts are still associated with significant health risks include cancer

• Red Meat and Animal Fat: Studies have shown that a diet high in animal fat increases the risk for several types of cancer, particularly colon cancer. Poultry and fish contain less fat than red meat, thus reducing the red meat in your diet may help to prevent cancer. A diet high in fat also is major cause of obesity, which is a risk factor for many types of cancer.

• Unsafe Sex: This has been implicated in cervical cancer. Unsafe sex can cause infection with the human papillomavirus (HPV), which can cause cancer of the cervix and is a risk factor for other types of cancer. HPV is a common sexually transmitted infection that is spread through sexual, skin-to-skin contact. There is a vaccine to prevent this cancer now. Please ask your doctor. HIV/AIDS is also associated with some types of cancers. Get screened regularly

There are vaccines to prevent some cancers like those of the cervix. You could also take the Hepatitis B vaccine to prevent long term damage to the liver and cancer.

More importantly, study, know and understand your body and be sure to notice any change(s) like change in skin colour, development of a lump etc.

Have a lovely day, folks 😀

Q: Good day Dr. Ketch, please my question is…what supplements can a nursing mother take to enable free flow of breast milk? Thanks

A: How can we help mum to establish or re-establish breastfeeding? To answer that I’ll reproduce part of a post I had made on this subject.

Mum needs loads of support from her medical team (be that the nurses that provide support for lactation or the doctor who does same). This support can range from teaching her how to latch baby on properly to the doctor prescribing medications that encourage milk production. Drugs and foods that encourage milk production are called galactogogues. A number of local foods have been touted to help eg Pap (akamu, ogi), green leafy veggies like spinach, oats, garlic and ginger, nuts like almonds etc Go ahead and try out what works for you.

Effective breastfeeding requires loads of patience. You have to put baby to the breast as often as possible (at least every 3 hours) or failing that, use a breast pump to extract as much milk as possible. It is thought that some of the galactogogues ‘improve’ the taste of breast milk making the baby spend more time on the breast.

Remember that the sucking process/nipple stimulation encourages milk let-down. Being relaxed and thinking about you and your baby in a nice cozy environment, breastfeeding and bonding may also help this process along.

You may want to assume the regular position you used to adopt when baby was breastfeeding and ensure that baby gets skin to skin time with you. It may be easy for baby to immediately go back to breastfeeding, other times, it may take a while. You need to know when the baby is sucking and indeed whether he’s getting enough. Your baby should make at least six (6) wet nappies per day. If baby is not getting enough breast milk at the beginning of this process, you may have to supplement with formula. Use a cup and spoon to avoid nipple confusion.

Be sure that you are getting enough fluids yourself and eating nourishing foods.

For more on breastfeeding, please click on the links:

https://chatwithdrketch.com/2014/07/13/daily-health-tips-can-my-breast-milk-get-sour-if-i-dont-express-it-and-my-baby-refuses-to-feed/

https://chatwithdrketch.com/2014/09/12/daily-health-tips-im-a-breastfeeding-mother-who-just-developed-a-painful-lump-in-my-breast-could-it-be-cancer/

https://chatwithdrketch.com/2014/09/01/daily-health-tips-breastfeeding-challenges/

https://chatwithdrketch.com/2014/04/22/daily-health-tips-please-help-my-breasts-still-feel-engorged-though-i-stopped-breastfeeding-some-days-ago/

https://chatwithdrketch.com/2014/05/27/daily-health-tips-what-should-i-do-after-having-my-baby-if-my-breast-milk-doesnt-come-in-immediately/

All the best!

Have a good night and a fabulous weekend y’all 😀

‘A family slept with their generator in the same room, or very close by. Neighbours found the whole family dead in the morning.’ Does this sound familiar? Well, you should read this and prevent same from happening to you or anyone you know. this article says, ‘If you need to use a generator, make sure it is outside and at least 20 feet from windows and doors.’ Whether you stay in Africa, Europe or the Americas, you will find a take-away from this post!

https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/keeping-your-smartphone-nearby-may-not-be-so-smart-2017080212163

A: Morning sickness during pregnancy can be really trying! I know…I suffered through it! Oh boy! Thank God I’m over all of that now…I’m a grandmother in waiting 😀

Now, for the rest of you who still have to go through this, I’ll share some tips.

The standard teaching is to try eating some bland foods like Crackers biscuits or dry toast. That personally didn’t work for me. I preferred tart things…which some may want to avoid. I loved lemons during my pregnancies. They were the one thing guaranteed to ‘wake up’ my mouth and chase nausea far away. I also had a particular brand of very tart bubble gum, I indulged in 😀 These were key for me because, though I didn’t have the real bad case of morning sickness that sent you to the hospital, brushing my teeth in the morning always sent me into a bout of retching/vomiting. So, I always had a ready supply of the gum or lemon/lime to pop into my mouth once I was done brushing/retching! Not a very pleasant memory ;D

So, if lemons work for you to prevent nausea, go for it. Remember that moderation is key. A few drops (one or two) in a glass of water are enough to provide that tart kick that sends nausea far away. There is a catch here though…remember the heart burn associated with pregnancy. The acid content of lemon might make the heart burn and any pre-existing gastro-esophageal (stomach and esophagus/gullet) problems worse. So, this is all the more reason to be very moderate or stop if it exacerbates an already bad case of heart burn. Wherever and whenever in doubt, please be sure to see your doctor.

Other tips:
• Eat little amounts of food frequently as an empty tummy increases the likelihood of throwing up. Remember this is not an excuse to binge and over eat 😀
• Avoid fatty and greasy foods.
• Avoid smells that trigger nausea
• Cold foods may be preferable to hot as the former does not give off smells that may cause you to feel queasy.
• Get loads of fresh air and rest
• And drink sufficient fluids daily

More importantly, your wife needs your love and support more than ever. If she can’t stand cooking now, because of this, be supportive. Help out or ensure she has help. Knowing you’re on her side will most certainly help her cope with this.

Have a good night everyone 😀

Are you one of those people who start out with noble intentions…wanting to eat vegetables but ending up dousing them in lots of oil and totally destroying any chance of the survival of any nutrient with the excessive cooking? Well these tips are for you. Listen up. Here are our top five tips for handling and cooking our vegetables in a healthy way.

1. When you buy vegetables in the market, buy them whole. Do not have them cut in the market. When you do this, you are exposing the very fragile water soluble vitamins in the vegetables to the air and denaturing them. And then you still have to wash them before use…this leads to bleeding out of the essential nutrients through the cut ends of the vegetables.
2. Then do not fry or over cook the vegetables. Just lightly steam them in a pot with some spices as desired. Heat can actually break down and destroy 15-20% of some of the vitamins in vegetables.
3. Research has shown that for vegetables like carrots, boiling is the best way of preserving the nutrients in carrots and sweet potatoes. Be sure to leave their skins on until after cooking. The anti-oxidant effect of tomatoes are also more pronounced after cooking.
4. Stir-frying. As the name suggests, this involves lightly greasing a pan with oil and continually stirring your thinly cut vegetables or cubed chicken breasts. Emphasis on the words lightly greasing. For best for best results and shorter cooking time, use a really hot pan or wok
5. You can poach your vegetables in hot fluid…could be hot water, hot vegetable or meat stock. This preserves the nutrients and gives awesome flavour especially when poached in stock.

Now, I share one of my veggie recipes with you…

This recipe started off as a concoction I made when I had left-over beans and wanted to do something with it. It has become a staple diet for me 🙂

Cut up some tomatoes, pepper and onions. I like to use a lot of tomatoes (like 10 big, fresh tomatoes just for me 😀 Greed, aye?). Use as much or as few as you like. I also like to use a lot of pepper.

Get a spoonful (cooking spoon) of leftover boiled beans (bean porridge or plain beans) or boil up some.

Pick, wash and cut a small head of green leafy veggies (I usually use pumpkin leaves but you can use any green leafy vegetable you like)

Add about a teaspoon of oil. I usually use just a drop or so of Olive oil. You can use this or any good quality oil or you can actually do without the oil. Then add the tomatoes, pepper and onions. I cook until the raw tomato taste is gone.

Add some ground crayfish and/or flaked dry fish, if you have it. Then, add boiled beans and stir all together until nice and thick.
Finally, turn off the heat and add the cut veggies. Allow the heat from the sauce to cook the veggies.

I usually eat this alone. You can also eat with unripe plantain or with yam etc. Remember to mind your portions!

Feel free to tinker with this recipe and let me know the result.

Have a great weekend!

Hi Dr. Ketch, I am a 22-year old boy. My father died of diabetes and most of his brothers are also infected with the disease. Not only that, my elder brother told me that our grandfather could have died of the same disease long ago in the village. Is there any chance for us, the children, to fall on the same line of the diabetes? If so, how can we prevent it?

A: Hi dear, thanks for writing in. Unfortunately, yes, if you have a family history (parents or siblings) of diabetes mellitus, you are more likely to have the same condition. BUT, that does not mean that you will have the condition. Having a positive family history is like having a loaded gun. The gun may be loaded for hundreds of years and cause no harm….provided nobody pulls the trigger. The problem only starts when the trigger is pulled. In the same way, having risk factors is like having a loaded gun. Going ahead to do things that increase your risk like not eating right or not exercising, is definitely pulling the trigger.

Find below, a reminder class on diabetes mellitus with potential triggers.

Usually starchy foods we eat are converted to glucose. The body, in response to the presence of glucose in the blood, releases insulin from the pancreas. The insulin helps the glucose to move into the cells where it is needed. In Diabetes Mellitus, it is either insulin is no longer or barely being produced (Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus) or the insulin is being produced in insufficient amounts or the cells no longer responds to the insulin prod (stimulus. The latter is called Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.

There is little or nothing that can be done to prevent Type 1 as it is not yet clear what causes the body to destroy the cells that produce insulin in the body. People with this type of DM will require insulin injections. However, people with Type 2 DM can control their DM using a combination of diet and exercise (staying lean and staying active). With time though, they may require oral drugs and/or insulin.

Now, how do we make exercise a part of our day? You need at least 30 minutes daily. The requirement per week is 150 minutes and so you could do 30 minutes on 5 days of the week or 1 hour on 3 days of the week. Just break it up and find ways of doing the things you love in a more active way. Activity/exercise ideas are pillow fights, arm wrestling, taking walks, dancing, joining a gym, jumping jacks during commercial breaks etc. At work, being more active speaks to getting up and walking on the spot whenever you get a phone call, walking to the printer to pick up documents and walking to colleagues’ desks to ask questions/confirm issues, walking over to the bank ATM instead of driving there, using the stairs and not the elevators, installing an exercise/activity reminder on your computer to remind you to get active if you forget to do any of the above 😀

How can we make healthy foods the easier choice? Surround yourself with the right foods. Fresh fruits, veggies, dried fruits (which can also be added t nuts), nuts, dairy like yoghurt etc Then make the right choices. It’s one thing to buy up all the healthy things that have been suggested, it’s another to eat them and not reach for the doughnut that your colleague just brought into the office. In our high powered, we-are-all-busy-racing-to-somewhere world, eating breakfast may sound like a luxury, few can afford, but guess what? Studies have shown that eating breakfast may reduce the risk of obesity and Diabetes. So, whether you’re skipping breakfast because you think you don’t have time or because you want to lose weight by kipping meals, it’s bad news. So, how can you ensure that you’re not only eating breakfast but eating the right foods?

Here are our tips for eating a healthy breakfast on the run:

Oatmeal is always a great idea. Rich in fiber which reduce cholesterol and help protect your heart and keeps you feeling fuller for longer. If you’re not a huge fan of oatmeal, you could sprinkle some cinnamon on it and be sure to take with skimmed milk. Another idea for oatmeal I learnt from a chef is overnight oats. Soak your oats with milk and unsweetened yoghurt overnight (just enough to cover the oats). Cover and leave in the fridge overnight. In the morning, bring out and sprinkle some cinnamon, add some apple or banana slices, a couple of nuts (optional)…and you’ve got a delicious bowl of healthy deliciousness in your hands! Some whole wheat/grain cereals (unsweetened) also not go amiss. Whole grain bread with peanut or almond butter (peanut butter is just ground up peanuts or groundnuts), an egg with a cup of fresh juice or some fruit slices also sounds good If you want to go for a smoothie, be sure to add some veggies (carrots, a handful of green leafy veggies etc) to ensure it is super healthy and not just another sugar rush 😀

Have a good night, y’all 😀

Q: Good evening Doctor.
Please I have a pressing need which is bothering me.
I’m a male, was diagnosed of candidiasis last year and I treated it with
some pills that was prescribed for me. Few months later the symptoms came back
gradually but I didn’t do anything to it. Just last week Thursday, I started
feeling some sensation like looks like mild vibration in my penis, and
continuous itching and I was planning to take some pill. The vibration stopped on Sunday 23rd
January. Yesterday being 22nd, I
started noticing some colorless discharge from my penis and this is the first time I’m experiencing the discharge and I don’t know what to do because I
have never had any sexual contact/intercourse since 2017. Please help me
because I’m confused and don’t know what to do.

Hi! Thanks for writing in.

Candidiasis, which is a yeast infection caused by Candida albicans, can occur in both men and women. This yeast (fungus) occurs naturally in the human body especially in warm, moist areas like the genitals and mouth. It usually does not cause problems unless certain conditions occur to upset the delicate balance between good bacteria and the fungi, making the latter to multiply.

Candidiasis is very common in diabetics (the sugar in their urine makes the genitals a rich culture medium for them), in obese people and those whose immune systems are compromised. It also happens in people who take a lot of antibiotics destroying the good bacteria as described earlier.

Personal hygiene plays a role in genital thrush. If you do not dry your penis properly after a bath, the warm, moist environment encourages yeast to grow and thrive. Perfumed soaps can irritate the skin of the penis, making thrush more likely. Though this infection can be passed on through sexual intercourse, it’s not really called an STI because people who are not sexually active can be infected with this.

Symptoms of genital thrush in men include:

·       Irritation, itching or burning on the tip of the penis or under the foreskin

·       Thick, whitish discharge under the foreskin, which may look like cottage cheese or egusi

·       Redness under the foreskin or tip of penis

·       Difficulty pulling back the foreskin of the penis

Treatment is usually with anti-fungal cream and/or tablet.

Until treatment is complete, please avoid sexual intercourse to avoid infecting your partner. Actulally, both of you should be treated at the same time.mIf you must, please use a condom. To prevent re-infections, remember to clean your penis after a bath, wear loose fitting, cotton under-pants, avoid perfumed soaps and generally keep penis cool and dry.

Since I’m not sure your first diagnosis was made by a doctor, I suggest you see a doctor to confirm that this is indeed thrush and not some other condition.

I hope this helps.

Good night, everyone 😀