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If you don’t know what panty liners are, just imagine a very flat sanitary towel worn on the panties to absorb vaginal secretions.

So, is there anything wrong with wearing them every day? Well, these liners have a nylon back so that they can collect the vaginal secretions and leave the panties dry and fresh. However, for this same reason, they do not allow the ‘vagina’ to breathe and so, create a warm moist environment for fungi to thrive. It has been suggested that women who wear panty liners regularly are more prone to infections (fungal and bacterial) than others. Theoretically, it makes sense but the evidence base for it is not very robust/significant.

So, here’s the thing…if you must wear panty liners daily, be sure to change them frequently. Every four hours would be a good measure. Otherwise, just be sure to follow the golden rules of vaginal hygiene.

For more on maintaining proper vaginal hygiene, please click on the following links:

https://chatwithdrketch.com/2014/12/08/daily-health-tips-is-vaginal-odour-normal/

https://chatwithdrketch.com/2014/09/30/daily-health-tips-what-is-douching/

https://chatwithdrketch.com/2014/06/26/daily-health-tips-why-do-i-have-recurrent-candidiasis/

Have a good night, people 😀

Q: Good day Doctor. Please I want to ask the kind of solid food to be given to a 6 months old baby. Regards Doctor

A: For a long time, the standard teaching had been to go for rice cereal as the first add-on meal because it is bland and babies tolerate this well. Other studies question this wisdom now and suggest that foods like meats with lots of essential nutrients like iron may be a good place to start. What should you do? You can boil beef/chicken very soft and blend it up for baby. If baby tolerates this, then by the next week, you could try adding some rice cereal. Try not to introduce more than one food per week so that you have time to study how your baby adapts to it and of course, look out for/isolate food allergy. And, to start off, only one meal of the complementary feed should be given daily. The rest should be the usual…breast milk 😀 This will, of course, as baby tolerates.

Generally, foods to start off weaning should be just slightly thicker than milk and so, if it retains its shape on a spoon, it may be too thick.

From 9 months, baby can be allowed to start experimenting with regular family meals…minus the spices, of course 😀
From one year of age, you can add the cereals mentioned in the question and it’s also okay to introduce cow milk at this time. Full cream cow milk is advocated at this time for proper brain development. Thereafter, please switch to skimmed/1%/2% milk as full cream milk has a lot of saturated fat which may contribute to poor heart health. Grains, green leafy vegetables, cow milk, honey, whole eggs can generally be introduced after the baby turns 1 year old.

Generally, other weaning foods that can be introduced include:
Boiled egg yolk (egg whites contain substances that baby may react to), sweet potatoes, fish, chicken, beef, fruits like banana, avocados, boiled beans (with skin removed if possible etc
Simple recipes include, blend some chicken or beef with the stock or mash a banana and add to baby’s cereal.

Our local cereals can also be used and fortified with some breast milk or formula.

As baby tolerates these meals, you can get a little more adventurous.

Boiled carrots mashed with some coconut oil or a little yoghurt with mashed banana may not go amiss too.

An example of a recipe I make for my children is boil potatoes in a pot and place a stainless plate on top of the pot. Add your egg yolk and a drop Olive oil and when the yolk is cooked and potatoes soft, mash all together and feed baby.

Now I know we are all very busy, but weaning is no easy task and so we must commit to trying as much as to prepare these meals ourselves. Packaged meals usually contain additives that may trigger problems/allergies etc in the baby. Hygiene is also critical!

I hope y’all had a great day?

Good night 😀

‘New research suggests that eating plenty of nitrate-rich vegetables — such as lettuce, spinach, and beets — may lower your risk of dying of a stroke or heart attack.’

This is very interesting research. Want to know more? Click on this link: https://www.health.harvard.edu/heart-health/a-salad-a-day-keeps-stroke-away

‘Although bone-weakening osteoporosis is quite common among older people, it isn’t an inevitable part of aging. There’s a lot you can do to shield your bones from this disease.’

For more, please click on this link:

https://www.health.harvard.edu/healthbeat/two-keys-to-strong-bones-calcium-and-vitamin-d

Q: Morning doctor, please can a fibroid patient that wants to get pregnant take folic acid?

A: World Health Organization recommends that pregnant women receive folic acid and iron tablets daily. Folic acid prevents neural tube defects which may occur during the first 28days of pregnancy. This is usually the period when quite a number of women do not even know they are pregnant. Thus, women who plan on getting pregnant should start on folic acid supplements at least 3 months before their planned date to safeguard against neural tube defects. If you haven’t started this earlier and realize you’re pregnant, start taking them as soon as possible.

Fibroids do not feed on folic acid…they feed on hormones which is the reason why they may become bigger in pregnancy and tend to shrink during menopause. Please ensure that you take your folic acid so as to ensure your baby has no neural tube (‘spinal cord’) defects and be sure that your pregnancy is being supervised by an obstetrician.

Fibroids can co-exist with pregnancy in which case pregnancy may be normal or associated with breech pregnancy, pre-term delivery (delivery of pre-mature babies) etc. However, once a woman registers in a good antenatal center under a good obstetrician, these issues will be anticipated and addressed promptly.

For more on this topic, please click on this link: https://chatwithdrketch.com/2014/05/29/daily-health-tips-are-there-other-treatment-methods-for-fibroids-other-than-surgery/

Have a great evening everyone 😀

Q: Hi Doctor. What are the symptoms of stroke? And what causes stroke?

A: Stroke as the name implies refers to an incident that happens suddenly…without warning. It usually occurs when the brain is deprived of some of its blood supply and consequently oxygen supply. This can happen when there is a blood clot in a vessel in the brain or due to a burst blood vessel leaking blood onto the substance of the brain or around the brain. This blood leakage can lead to undesired pressure on the brain.

Oftentimes, people refer to a Transient Ischaemic Attack (TIA), as a partial stroke. This condition occurs when a blood vessel is partially blocked. This would usually be resolved within 15 minutes and is a sign that a major event (a stroke, proper) may not be far off. This is a warning that should be taken seriously.
It is important to know the signs of a stroke because if action is taken immediately, it can prevent permanent damage from being done. If the brain is deprived of its blood supply for about 4 minutes, irreversible changes begin to occur in the brain. If this deprivation continues beyond this time, permanent changes would have occurred that may affect different facets of the individual’s functions.

The signs of stroke to look out for are known by the acronym FAST.
• F stands for drooping of a side of the face. Ask the patient to smile and you will observe that the smile looks lopsided.
• A stands for weakness of one side of the body. Ask patient to lift both arms and it will be seen that one side is being ‘dragged’ or lagging
• S stands for speech difficulty like slurring. Patient cannot enunciate words properly again
• T stands for time. Once these symptoms are noticed, it’s time to call for help. In climes where there are emergency numbers like 911 or 999, please call these. Otherwise, efforts should be made to take the person involved to the hospital immediately.
Patients may also complain of sudden inability to move legs, feel confused, have blurred vision etc

There are risk factors for stroke and they include:
• Age: The older you are the more prone to stroke. People from age 55 years are more likely to have a stroke, though this can also happen in children eg those born with heart defects and those with Sickle Cell Anaemia etc
• Race: Africans and Asians are more at risk
• Sex: Females are more at risk…as if we don’t have enough problems
• Family history of stroke: The presence of this increases risk
• Previous history of a stroke.

Other risk factors:
• Hypertension
• Diabetes Mellitus
• Overweight
• Sedentary lifestyles
• Not eating healthy
• Smoking
• Drinking Alcohol

The rate at which one recovers from stroke and indeed the degree of symptoms experienced, depends on the area of the brain affected, how serious the damage to the brain is etc and so recovery will be different for different people.

Patience is key. Speech therapists may be needed to help the person re-learn the art of speaking. Physiotherapists will help improve motion on the affected side and indeed, mobility. Other therapists may help with eating…if swallowing is a problem, relearning the art of reading and reasoning etc

Usually, people who visit find it difficult to understand their speech during recovery and this can put even more pressure on the patients. Speak slowly and listen carefully so you can understand what they are saying.

Generally eating healthy with lots of fruits and vegetables, cutting out the white carbs (pastries etc), exercising (at least 150 minutes weekly), ensuring you are not overweight and quitting smoking help with reducing bad cholesterol and also preventing strokes.

She may need to walk with a stick as she re-learns the art of walking. Recovery may be long and tedious but she’s got to keep at it.

Have a good night, people 😀

There are four aspects of hygiene and they include:

Personal hygiene which involves taking care of ourselves with activities like taking a bath, brushing our teeth, washing hands etc

Hygiene at home which involves keeping our homes clean with activities like cleaning the bed rooms, bathrooms, toilets and areas we hardly think of which harbor a lot of germs like door knobs, light switches etc

Food hygiene which involves preventing food contamination and preparation of foods in a healthy and hygienic manner

Pet hygiene which involves ensuring we properly clean up whenever we have been in contact with animals, pets or otherwise.

For more on this, please click on the link

https://chatwithdrketch.com/…/hygiene-is-two-thirds-of-hea…/

Now to hygiene-related questions:

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.

Q: In a situation where husband and wife share a room, can it cause cross-infection?

A: Husband and wife should definitely share a room because this promotes bonding and emotional connection. Can cross infections happen as a result of this? Well, if one person were not observing hygiene rules and, for instance, developed ringworm, this infection could very easily be passed on by sharing bed linen, towels etc. So, the solution is to ensure that everyone obeys the simple rules of hygiene.

For more on this, please click on the link
https://chatwithdrketch.com/…/daily-health-tips-i-have-rin…/

Q: Please advice on dry gutters in or around the house. Also, dirty water on the floor in the compound.

A: Gutters (drainage gutters) around the house should always be scrubbed and cleaned. If not, they become a source of bad smells and pooling of stagnant water which encourage the growth of mosquitoes etc. Dirty water on the floor can lead to accidental falls and if the water is sufficient to become stagnant, again it becomes a breeding site for mosquitoes and other germs. Other probable breeding places for mosquitoes in the house are buckets of water, bathrooms with blocked drains, flower pots with more water than was necessary used for watering etc

For more on this, please click on the link https://chatwithdrketch.com/…/kill-a-mosquito-with-a-sledg…/

Q: Are females to wash their private parts with soap? Some people say it’s not good to wash with soap.

A: Generally, washing the vagina requires just water and your hands. That is more than sufficient to get the job done. If you wish, however, you may use unscented or lightly scented soap.

For more on this, please click on the link https://chatwithdrketch.com/…/daily-health-tips-should-i-w…/

Q: How can one maintain a younger look…that is not looking as old as your age?

A: Well, cosmetologists will have a million and one things they can suggest you use. I will go from the medical angle. First, your mental and spiritual health…be at peace with all men and just keep it positive. There are bound to be people who wake up everyone making it their job to rile you…put it in a bubble and blow it away 😀
Then, your diet. Eat more fruits and veggies, Substitute empty carbs with complex carbs, drink a lot of water. This should help keep you looking very young 😀

Q: Ma’am, I sweat a lot even on my palms and under my feet, so when I put on shoes, my feet smell a lot. Please, ma’am how can I reduce sweating on my feet and palms?

Excessive sweating may happen in very hot weather, obesity, stress or medical conditions like thyroid problems or Diabetes Mellitus. Your doctor needs o check out if any of this is the problem. However, in the meantime, ensure you take a bath at least twice a day and use deodorants/anti-perspirants to ensure there’s no associated body odour. Then if the weather is hot, dress light…wear cotton fabrics that are not dark and not tight fitting. And try and substitute sandals for shoes. Oh and by the way, for guys, please change your socks and boxers daily to prevent an odour.

For more on this, please click on the link https://chatwithdrketch.com/…/daily-health-tips-excessive-…/

https://chatwithdrketch.com/…/daily-health-tips-why-do-i-s…/

That’s it for today, guys. Have a great week ahead 😀

Q: Good morning Doc, please can a pregnant mother insert anushole?

A: Piles, known as haemorrhoids in medical lingo are swollen veins in the anal canal. They can be internal, external or both internal and external can co-exist. Internal haemorrhoids occur when veins swell within the rectum and external haemorrhoids are found under the skin around the anus.

These haemorrhoids develop when there is undue pressure in the pelvic and anal area as can occur when people strain to pass faeces (if they have diarrhoea or are constipated), in pregnancy (especially the last 6 months), in obese people, people who eat diets low in fibre and people who practice anal intercourse. When women strain in labour, haemorrhoids can also be made worse.

It is important to consult your doctor/obstetrician before using any medication in pregnancy including this.

In the meantime, limit the discomfort you have by keeping the anal area clean, using wet wipes (non-perfumed) or washing with unscented soap to clean up after using the loo, sitting on a bowl of plain warm water for about 15 minutes about twice or three times per day, applying cold compress and not standing or sitting for too long. Some believe sprinkling some powder there helps…it doesn’t! Avoid it J

To prevent this, ensure that your diet has sufficient amounts of fruits and vegetables. Remember that if you take a regular flat plate, half of this should be filled with fruits and vegetables, half of the plate with complex carbohydrates and the last half with proteins.

Limit the time you spend sitting on the toilet seat (read your newspapers elsewhere :D), use the toilet as soon as you feel pressed (that way the fluid in the stool is not absorbed making the stool hard) and then don’t strain when you do go. Drink sufficient quantities of water daily, exercise (to keep everything moving along nicely :D). Use pain relief only under the supervision of your doctor.

I hope this helps you.

Have a fab weekend, everyone 😀