#HLWDK Daily Health Tips: Help! Why Do I Like Pulling Out My Hair?

Q: Good day Dr. I use to remove my hair with my hand and that made me have bare hair in head. I have tried stopping it but I can’t. I want to know the cause and possible solutions. Please help, Thanks
 
A: Hi dear, thanks for writing in.
 
The irresistible urge to pull hair off from scalp, eye brows or other parts of the body is called trichotillomania. Tongue twister, right? 😀 It is really a psychological condition in which the person involved is unable to control the urge to pull out hair leading to bald patches on scalp which they may go to very great lengths to disguise.
 
The urge to pull out hair usually starts with noticeable tension before they pull and/or while trying to resist the urge to pull. This is followed by a sense of pleasure and/or relief once the deed is done. Sometimes they chew the hair pulled out…which will cause yet another medical condition! Oftentimes, there’s a feeling of guilt and/or shame after giving in to the urge. People with this condition usually have bald patches/spots of hair on scalp or eyebrows or eyelashes in somewhat irregular shapes.
 
There is no known cause of this condition but people with family history of this condition, young people in their early teens, stressed out people and those with Obsessive Compulsive Disorders, depression and anxiety have a higher chance of developing this condition.
 
Treatment is usually psychotherapy…which involves talking through the issues involved with a therapist. Habit reversal training may be used here and aims to get you to recognize situations where you feel the urge to pull hair and learn to substitute hair pulling with another behavior.
 
So, this is one condition where there is no quick and easy remedy. But just like when you are dealing with an addiction, the first step is to realize that you have the problem, get help in a hospital and work with your doctor to modify your behavior.
 
Good emotional, social and family support is also critical at this time to help encourage you on the path to success.
 
I hope this helps.
 
All the best.
 
Have a good night, y’all 😀
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Abdominal fat and what to do about it – Harvard Health

Hey, y’all 😀 Trust you had a great day!

Worried about belly/tummy fat? You should read this!

http://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/abdominal-fat-and-what-to-do-about-it

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#HLWDK Community Circle

Hello Healthy Living Nation!  I hope you’ve had a great day so far!

Starting from this weekend, we will dedicate our weekends to ‘Community Circle’. This essentially will see us catching up with one another especially as regards major life events. Major life events can be a source of joy and/or depression. And so, when we take time out to celebrate one another, we make somebody’s day extra special…..and hopefully, that person pays it forward.

So, on Sundays, I will be posting pictures of y’all  Birthdays (you, your spouse or baby), weddings, births of babies (especially for our first time mothers) etc. So, be sure to send them in to the inbox. You have to make a post about what made your event special/sad/why it stood out for you. This will help other people identify with your story.

On Saturdays, I will post relationship questions/issues. Over time, I have been receiving quite a number of questions on relationship issues. I have tried to stay away from answering them  but, the truth is that relationship issues affect mental/emotional/social health and really form part of wellness. However, when I receive those posts, we will put them up on the page and encourage other people to respond to them. Practical experiences and examples are likely to help more than anything I can say. Please be reminded that this is a safe place and so we don’t want you judging people and their issues. If you do, we will have to delete your comment  

Enjoy the rest of your day 

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Daily Health Tips:Erectile Dysfunction

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Q: I’ve suffered ED for the last two years. Kindly help me.

A: Erectile dysfunction (ED) occurs when a man is no longer able to get or maintain an erection sufficiently enough to have sexual intercourse. It may be really dramatic in some men, such that where they used to want intercourse very frequently, they find that there is reduced sexual desire.

Oftentimes, this may be due to just stress and better stress coping mechanisms help. However, because this is a sensitive topic, many men do not seek medical help such that this causes significant strain in their relationships. Other causes include depressions, relationship challenges, high blood pressure, high cholesterol level, high blood sugar, obesity, some medications, tobacco use, substance abuse, alcoholism etc

Your doctor will probably order some tests to confirm possible cause(s) and then decide on a course of action. Now I know that quite a number of…

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Lifestyle change: “I know what to do, I just need to do it…but how?” – Harvard Health

You know all the right things to do. You want to do them. You just don’t end up doing them! And then you blame your willpower! Well, this article says it may be a lot more than your willpower to blame 🙂 Read!

http://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/lifestyle-change-i-know-what-to-do-i-just-need-to-do-itbut-how-2017062311880?utm_campaign=shareaholic&utm_medium=facebook&utm_source=socialnetwork

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Daily Health Tips: Pimples Re-Visited!

Q: Good evening Dr. Please my problem is pimples and I ‘ve tried so some cream and soap. Please Dr. what could be the cause and how will I get rid of it?

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Q: I have pimples. I am married and have given birth but still have pimples. Please what do I do, Doctor?

A: Pimples and acne have been a recurring question for a while. So, I’ve reproduced one of my old posts on the subject.

Pimples or acne are always a serious concern for males and females of all ages. When you’re a teenager, it appears life is generally miserable when you have a lot of these and when you’re older, it’s embarrassing and almost as if, you didn’t pass through rites of the teenage years and now have to deal with it at this age 😀 Either way, it can be a source of emotional upset. Stressing out about it, now makes it even worse as stress can make acne worse even if it doesn’t directly cause it.

Acne happens when hair follicles get blocked by dead skin cells and…

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Daily Health Tips: Food Storage In The Refrigerator

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Have you ever wondered why the food you put in the fridge just doesn’t come out fresh? Do you know the right temperature for storing different food items? This video clip gives you a few pointers.

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Pineapple Banana Smoothie

Bananas are healthy not just because they help with muscle cramps and lower blood pressure, but also because they contain Manganese and Vitamin B which release Serotonin…the feel good hormone. Nothing like a feel-good boost when you are dealing with stress #DreamYourDream

What you need?
2 medium sized bananas
One small pineapple
Smoothie maker and/or blender

Preparation
Wash pineapple thoroughly.
Peel the back and add to the smoothie maker.
Set aside the juice from this process.
Add peeled bananas to the blender
Add pineapple juice from smoothie-maker to bananas in the blender
Whizz it all up in the blender.
Pour out into a tall glass cup!
If you don’t have a smoothie maker, blend up your bananas and pineapples together. You may need to add some water to this and the final texture may be chewy with fibre from the pineapples…but nonetheless, delicious!
Relax and enjoy!

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Can drinking tea prevent dementia? – Harvard Health

‘A study in the December 2016 Journal of Nutrition, Health & Aging showed that drinking tea frequently is associated with a lower risk of dementia, especially for people who are genetically predisposed to the disease.’

To learn more, please click on this link: http://www.health.harvard.edu/alzheimers-and-dementia/regular-tea-drinking-linked-with-dementia-prevention

To learn more about dementia, please click on this link: https://chatwithdrketch.com/2017/02/13/daily-health-tips-avoid-slipping-down-the-forgetful-slope/

Have a great weekend 🙂

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#HLWDK Daily Health Tips: Agbo As Treatment For Rashes

Q: Good morning Doctor, please I hope u respond to my question this time MA. My baby is a year & nine months she have been having this kind of rash as long as about three months that have spoilt especially her legs. It appears like mosquito bite & inches her a lot, several cream & antibiotics have been written & used I even have to make agbo (local herb) for her twice now it gets better & reoccur, blood test was done I was told result is OK. Please help because I don’t know what else to do & can’t stand seeing her itching so much.

 

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.

But, the alcohol and other additives that are packed into it make one even more skeptical about its usefulness in treatments except the aim is to knock out the person taking it 😀 For a baby, this a definte no -no!

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…seriously  😀

Rashes in your baby could be due to different things and so it’s difficult to say what it is over the net 😀 Sorry, this medium has its limitations 😀

Starting with common things, it may very well be heat rashes. If you’re of the school of thought that believes children should be all covered up in warm clothes even what it’s hot, then, this may be the cause of the rashes. To prevent this, ensure that you dress your baby in light clothes when the weather is hot and vice versa. Trust me, they have the same ability to feel hot or cold…just like you :O

Then, it could be due to eczema. This can arise from the soaps and bubble baths et al that you are using.  It could also be due to rough fabrics or allergy to foods. To prevent this, choose mild baby products that are not perfumed, be gentle when drying baby after a bath…just pat dry.

It could also be due to fungal or bacterial infections.

Have you taken your baby to see a paediatrician or did you just go to a pharmacy? You need to take your baby in to see the paediatrician so that a proper diagnosis can be made. If need be, he/she may refer to a dermatologist (a skin doctor) and then proper treatment can be started.

 

I hope this helps.

 

Have a good night, y’all 😀

 

 

 

 

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