chatwithketch

‘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 😀

‘There is a common misconception that there is an exact amount of sleep that the body requires. The necessary hours of sleep can vary, as some people can require as little as five hours or as much as nine hours to function optimally.’

Want to know more? Click on the link: https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/snored-to-death-the-symptoms-and-dangers-of-untreated-sleep-apnea-2017021311159

Good evening Doctor. I personally appreciate the passion you have for your work, pertaining that you help hundreds of people out here, without charging us the consultation fees.
Q- I am currently 18 years old and I have a problem with my sinuses, they severely ache at least three times in one month since I was 16. I never had a problem with my sinuses in my childhood age, this just stated when I was 16. I do not want to resort to surgical removal of them, could you please recommend the best treatment of them as far as prevention (from aching) and prescriptions are concerned. Your help will be wholeheartedly appreciated.

A: Thanks for your kind words!

Facial/sinus pain usually occurs as a symptom of sinusitis. Sinusitis is an inflammation of the sinuses (air cavities) that line the nose. When these air cavities (which are supposed to be filled by air) become filled with fluid as a result of blockage, bacteria, fungi and viruses can thrive in this environment and cause infection. Pus-like nasal discharge, reduced sense of smell or taste, blocked nose, toothache, bad breath, facial pain/pain around cheeks, forehead and eyes and persistence of symptoms for more than a week, maybe suggestive of this.

Simple DIY treatment tips include getting lots of rest and lots of fluids, warm compress (place a warm towel to your face several times a day), analgesics for the pain, clean your nose with salt water solution or better still, buy a saline spray. Avoid irritants of the nose like smoke and use a humidifier, which loosens the mucous. Turning on the hot water shower and inhaling the steam is another great idea.

If these symptoms persist as in this case, you may need to return to your doctor who may now prescribe steroid nasal sprays to reduce the inflammation/swelling of the sinuses, antibiotics if there is an associated infection or an anti-histamine if an allergy is suspected.

If these do not help, then you will be referred to an ENT (Ear, Nose and Throat) surgeon who may perform surgery to widen your sinuses.

So, you have a couple of options. Please see your doctor as soon as possible to determine what is more feasible in your case.

All the best!

Good night y’all 😀

Hello y’all!

As you go about doing your household grocery shopping today, be reminded to prevent cross-contamination. How? I’ll give you five top tips for preventing cross–contamination while shopping.

1.      If you go to the open market, be sure to go with enough shopping bags. That way you can separate your raw meats/fish from your other foods.

2.      If you shop in grocery stores, separate the foods in the shopping cart. You could use the shopping carts that have two baskets. Use one for your fish and meats and use the other for your other foods.

3.      When checking out your purchases at the grocery shops, ensure that the attendants keep these foodstuff separate. In addition, keep dry foods separate from wet/refrigerated foods. This keeps the different foodstuff fresh until you get home and store them appropriately.

4.      Maintain this separation in the car, bus or taxi that you will take home. It may be more convenient to pack everything in one bag, but I assure you it is unhealthy! J

5.      Finally, before you start cooking when you get home, be sure to wash your hands as you have handled money and loads of foodstuff which may have deposited myriads of germs on your hands.

Harmful bacteria can pass to raw foods to other food produce some of which we even eat raw. These germs may not cause much harm to adults but could cause very serious infections in children and other people with fragile immune systems.

If we keep our foods safe from contamination from the time we buy them to the time we take them home, we have a better chance of ensuring they are fresh and delivering the right nutrients to us by the time we cook them.

Have a great weekend!