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World Mental Health Day is observed on the 10^th of October every year. The theme of this year’s event focuses on psychological first aid. This speaks to supportive and psychological help people can offer to fellow human beings who have been through a crisis event.

When we hear mental health, we mostly think of ‘mad’ people. This has led to stigmatization of people of people with mental health issues. They do not own up to the issues they are going through, have no idea where to go for help and are mostly forbidden from talking about their issues. This has led to a situation where people with mental health issues do not get the help they need.

In honour of this day, I will re-post some of my mental health blogs. I hope you find them helpful and more importantly, I hope they help you provide support when next you see someone going through a trying time.

Depression is a mood disorder that is beyond the ordinary ups and downs experienced daily. It is a serious health concern. Some people have described depression as “living in a black hole” or having a feeling of impending doom. Can you imagine how that feels? Surprisingly though, some depressed people actually don’t feel sad at all—they may feel lifeless, empty, and apathetic; men are more likely to feel angry, aggressive, and restless.
Do you wonder how people get to this ‘black hole’ of depression? Here are some issues that can lead to depression:

•  Conflict. The presence of conflict in any area of our lives could lead to depression,.
  •    Death or a loss of a loved one, naturally leads to grief and sadness. This however, increase the risk of depression.
  •    Genetics. Studies have not been able to conclusively show how this contributes to the disease, but a family history of depression may increase the risk.
  •    Major events. I’m sure we can all understand how losing a job or income, getting divorced, or retiring would lead to depression. But what do say when the opposite is the same? You would think that events like starting a new job, graduating, or getting married would make you excited and raring to go, yes? On the contrary, it could lead to depression.
  •    Other personal problems can lead to depression and they include, the feeling of social isolation for whatever reason

Symptoms?
Depressed people usually lose interest in daily activities. They have no interest in former hobbies, pastimes, social activities, or sex. This person clearly loses the ability to feel joy and pleasure.

There is a bleak outlook on life. It appears that everything is bad, getting worse and will never get better. There is an increasing feeling of helplessness and hopelessness

There is a change in weight or appetite. This could be in either direction as a result of differing effects in people: it could lead to increased appetite and subsequent weight gain in some and reduction in appetite and subsequent weight loss in others.

Depression again affects different people differently here and thus could lead to inability to sleep or over-sleeping.

Tolerance level of depressed people is usually low and so they tend to snap at little issues, feel irritable, restless, angry and oftentimes, violent.

Unfortunately, it may not always be possible to prevent depression. But some strategies may be helpful.
•    Know your personal risk of depression. If you have a family history, you are more at risk.
•    Develop a strong social and spiritual support system. Join activities in clubs, churches, art centers etc.
•    Exercise regularly and reduce your stress. If the latter is not readily viable, improve on your stress coping mechanisms.
•    Get treatment for alcohol and drug abuse if this is a problem for you.
•    Eat healthy and get the necessary amount of sleep daily (7 – 8 hours)

Related posts:

https://chatwithdrketch.com/2014/08/05/daily-health-tips-depression-masturbation-and-over-protective-parenting/

https://chatwithdrketch.com/2014/08/21/daily-health-tips-post-partum-depression-and-more-questions-on-ebola/

Have a great weekend, y’all 😀

A tension headache can put a damper on your day. This kind of headache usually develops in the afternoon, causing mild or moderate pain that may feel like dull tightness or a band of pressure. Tension headaches occur when neck, shoulder, and scalp muscles become tense. Some people experience tension headaches from time to time; others get them more often. While this type of headache is rarely debilitating, it can certainly make life miserable.

Want to know more? Please click on this link: http://www.health.harvard.edu/healthbeat/4-ways-to-tame-tension-headaches

Q: Good morning ma’am. Thank you ma’am for your good work. I have a daughter who, most times, her mouth smells. She is 2 years 6 month. I brush her mouth twice a day with ……. I even use cotton wool to clear the mouth and tongue. Please ma’am, what do you think I should do or use? Thank ma. You can reply me in the public forum for those who seek.

A: Bad breath at any age is traumatic but in a young child, it often leaves the parents wondering what they are doing wrong J

Improper brushing of teeth is always an issue. People argue that they brush their teeth and their children’s teeth properly, but this may not be completely true. Do you brush your teeth for at least 2 minutes, paying attention to every section? Do you brush your tongue? Do you floss? Remember that food particles between teeth can interact with bacteria that live normally in the mouth and lead to stinking mouths…same for food debris at the gum line and tonsils. And then, when a baby has a congested nose and breaths with his/her mouth, the dry conditions enable the bacteria to thrive.

Tonsilitis, finger sucking by babies, tooth cavities and buildup of tartar on teeth can all cause bad breath.

What can you do as a parent? Get involved. Help your baby with brushing the teeth to teach her the right technique. Brushing times can become fun bonding times for mummy and her daughter or for daddy and son. Sing nice fun songs and brush your own teeth at the same time too

Remember that oral care (care of the mouth) should start even before the first tooth erupts. Regularly wipe your baby’s mouth and gum with a wet flannel and as soon as the first tooth/teeth erupt, start brushing. Use tooth paste that does not contain fluoride until your baby can spit. What tooth paste does not contain fluoride? Ask at your regular supermarket or simply pick up the packs of the different tooth pastes and look for one that does not contain fluoride

J Use a tiny amount of paste initially (about the size of a grain of rice), then graduate to a pea sized amount and tooth paste that contains fluoride, when the child can spit out.

Remember the rule of twos: Take your baby to see the dentist twice a year, help her and teach her to brush her teeth at least twice a day (three if you can manage it, after every meal) and be sure to ensure that she spends at least 2 minutes brushing her teeth. A simple way of doing this is mentally dividing the mouth/teeth into four quadrants/sections. Then spend at least 30 seconds on each side, making sure you brush every surface of the teeth.

Then be sure not to forget the tongue. Pay attention to every side and use a soft bristled brush to do a good job. There are tongue scrapers which can be purchased alone or tooth brushes which come with bristles at the back for brushing the tongue.

Stay off alcoholic mouth washes for your baby as the alcohol just worsens the dryness in the mouth, and remember that mouth washes are just temporary fixes. They only mask the bad breath and not treat it.

Encourage your baby to drink water regularly, especially if she has dry mouth and she has got to scrub her hands regularly too, if she suck her fingers/thumb.

Eating strong smelling foods like onions and garlic could also cause mouth odour which may not be taken care of by brushing. This is because these ‘foods’ are absorbed into the blood stream and excreted through the lungs. So, the smell will persist until excretion is complete. The small can be masked with mouth wash etc

These should be sufficient to stop the bad breath. If they don’t however, please see your doctor to rule out other causes of bad breath like cavities in the teeth, sinus infections etc

I hope y’all had a great day?

Have a good night, everyone 😀

Q: Morning Doc. Kudos to you and well done. My question is that I have been facing some difficulties with my wife. She just came back from travelling 2 days ago & each time I tried to have sex with her, na wahala….because when I penetrate inside her, the next thing I see is blood coming out as if she’s a virgin. And that will just be the end of the fun because I get scared whenever it happens. Please what can be the cause and what’s the possible solution to it? Thanks and please replyy

A: Thanks for writing in.

There appears to be two problems: pain during intercourse and bleeding diuring sexual intercourse.

Pain during sexual intercourse is more common with women but can also happen in men. This condition is called dyspareunia in medicine.

Dyspareunia is a condition in which one experiences pain during or after sexual intercourse. In women, the cause may be due to:
• Vaginismus: a condition in which the vaginal muscles go into spasms when an attempt is made at penetration.
• Lack of adequate lubrication eg due to hasty foreplay etc
• Infections of the vagina (like candidiasis as mentioned in the question) or urinary tract can also cause pain during sexual intercourse.
• Injuries/wounds to the vagina
• Emotional issues like stress or emotional disconnect from partner.
• Fibroids around the vagina or cervix

Treatment depends on cause. If due to infections, they have to be treated. If it’s due to lack of lubrication, that has to be handled. Some lubricating gels may be suggested. If no physical cause can be seen and the problem appears to be emotional, some counseling may be required. Understanding that when people get married, they are actually two ‘strangers’ trying to get to know each other, should form part of the incentive for slowing down and trying to find out what pleases each member of the union.

The cause of vaginal bleeding after sexual intercourse depends on the woman’s age:

For women who are not yet at the age of menopause, the cause of vaginal bleeding is usually from the mouth of the womb (the cervix). However, this can also occur once in a while even when there is really no cause and may not be a cause for concern. It is important, though to get a pap smear done to rule out cancer of the cervix.

Examples:

• Inadequate lubrication during sexual intercourse
• Friction during sexual intercourse
• Inflammation of the cervix
• Genital sores from sexually transmitted infections
• Normal bleeding before or after a menstrual period

After the age of menopause, vaginal bleeding after sexual intercourse could also be from the mouth of the womb (cervix). Other sources of this bleeding could be from the womb (uterus), the opening of the vagina or the opening of the bladder.

Examples:

• Inflammation of the vagina
• Vaginal dryness
• Vaginal atrophy

So, I will suggest a little patience before sexual intercourse to get your wifey in the mood. I understand that she’s probably been away for a while and so the delayed gratification may be playing a part in this issue 😀 Take a moment to get your wife emotionally ready before you get into the physical 😀

Your wife may also have some things on her mind..perhaps she’s worried about something? Take the time to find out.

If this continues, however, please get her to see a gynaecologist.

Have a good night, everyone 😀

Q: Hello Doc my daughter reacted to MMR vaccine. What can I do??

A: Thanks for writing in.

Sorry to hear about your daughter’s reaction to this vaccine which is relatively safe. You didn’t mention the specific symptoms she has. The MMR (Measles Mumps Rubella) vaccine is usually given to children from 12 months of age and not earlier, to ensure that antibodies from the mother do not neutralize the effects of the vaccine. Be sure to let your baby’s know if she has any allergies.

The vaccine is to prevent three childhood diseases: measles, mumps and rubella. I will digress a bit to discuss these diseases a little.

Measles, a viral infection, also known as rubeola causes very serious infection in children who are not vaccinated. It is a droplet infection spread from the cough or sneeze of an infected person as saliva is sprayed into the air and inhaled by uninfected persons. Symptoms typically appear 10 to 14 days after exposure to the virus. The virus would lead to inflammation of various mucous membranes such that typical symptoms would include fever, cough, runny nose, conjunctivitis (Apollo), rashes etc.

Treatment includes medication to reduce fever like ibuprofen, antibiotics if there is a secondary bacterial infection, Calamine lotion to reduce the itching from the rashes and Vitamin A for those with deficiency to reduce the severity of the disease. Drink lots of fluids, rest your body and your eyes especially if it hurts to look into bright light. It is also possible to be immunized within 72hours of exposure to the virus. This would prevent the development of full blown measles or reduce the severity of the disease, if it still develops.

To prevent this, be sure to vaccinate your children and isolate anyone who already has the infection to prevent other people from being infected.

Mumps is a viral disease caused by the mumps virus and is contagious. It is most contagious two days before the onset of symptoms and 6 days after the symptoms disappear. It can be spread through droplets like when an infected person sneezes, coughs or even through sharing cups etc.
The infection manifests as swelling of the parotid (salivary) gland on one or both sides of the face (between the jaw and the ear), pain when swallowing, chewing, talking or taking acidic drinks like orange juice, fever, headache etc

In adolescent males, this infection may lead to inflammation of the testicles. Other organs that may be involved include pancreas, ovaries, brain and breasts. Children would usually recover from this infection in about 10 to 12 days. Don’t be tempted to give antibiotics. It’s not a bacterial infection…it’s viral and so, antibiotics won’t work.

What to do? First be sure that we are dealing with mumps. Let the paediatrician confirm a diagnosis. If that’s what it is, only supportive treatment is needed. This entails using drugs like Acetaminophen (Paractemol) to take care of the pain and the fever, avoiding acidic drinks like orange juice, serving meals that are soft and do not require a lot of chewing, using warm or cold compresses on the areas of swelling. Drinking lots of fluids, water especially is a great idea.

If fever increases, child develops stiff neck, convulses or develops abdominal pain, please get to the hospital immediately.

Prevention is by taking the vaccine (first does is given about 12 to 15 months and the second, around 4 to 6 years)and generally staying away from people who have the infection. By the way, the infection also confers lifelong immunity and so the person who has had mumps will not suffer from it again.

Rubella is also called German measles or 3-day measles. It is a contagious viral infection with red rashes like the regular measles we all know. But, rubella is different from the ‘regular’ measles (also known as rubeola) as it is less severe and less infectious than rubeola. The symptoms of rubella are pretty mild and include mild fever, headache, aching joints, runny nose, red eyes, red rash that starts from the face and spreads, painful lumps at the base of the skull (lymph nodes) etc.

These symptoms usually develop 2 to 3 weeks after exposure to the virus. One gets exposed to the virus by inhaling droplets from the sneeze or cough of an infected person or through direct contact with respiratory secretions (eg mucous) of an infected person. An infected person is able to pass on this infection from about 10 days before the rashes appear to about 1 to 2 weeks after the rashes appear. This means that one can pass on the infection before they even realize they have an infection.

Another means of transmitting this infection is from a pregnant mother to her baby. This transmission is through the blood stream…which may have been what happened in this case. This can lead to death or birth defects (deafness, cataracts, heart defects, brain damage) in the baby, especially when this infection is contracted during the first trimester. These defects are referred to as Congenital Rubella Syndrome.

This infection is relatively mild and would ordinarily not require treatment except for isolation especially from pregnant women. In a pregnant woman, however, the effect of this infection can be quite serious for the baby.

Do you stand a chance of having babies with no disabilities in future? Absolutely! Once you have had rubella, you are, usually, immune and will not have it for the rest of your life. So the chances of having this infection again and the baby having the problems noted above, are pretty slim.

For other pregnant women who wonder how to avoid this, it really would be if you have a high index of suspicion that someone has the infection. Remember that even before the person looks ill or has a rash, he/she could very well have the infection already. Generally avoid people who are sickly, have a suspicious looking rash. The MMR vaccine protects against rubella but is not recommended for everyone. Have a chat with your doctor about the relevance of this for you before pregnancy.

Back to our discourse on the vaccine….

Some symptoms of allergy to the MMR vaccine include itching, swelling of the eyes/face, difficulty with swallowing or breathing and reddening of the skin. If any of these occur, please take your baby to the hospital immediately.

Other side effects include fever, pain in the eyes, double vision, vomiting, irritability etc. These latter symptoms, usually do not need medical attention and would resolve as the body adjusts to the vaccine. If these symptoms persist or are troublesome or you just want some clarity, please speak to your baby’s doctor.

I hope this helps.

Have a good night, y’all 😀

Are you a new mum trying to figure out what it all means? What’s my baby saying when he whimpers, when he cries, when he screams (do you think, perhaps, someone pinched him?)…what does it all mean. It can be pretty overwhelming trying to make sense out of it all, I know

Let me help you out: Here are some signals babies could be giving out when they cry

Hunger: If your baby isn’t full after a feed, he would cry at the end of it and before the next one. Babies also don’t feel hungry at regular intervals and so there are days when he appears to need a feed more often and other days when he needs it infrequently. So, offer a feed if you’re not sure what signal he is giving out.

Needing to be held: We all worry about whether we will spoiling our babies if we carry them whenever they cry. Well, if your baby needs a cuddle and that’s why he is crying then you just need to carry him…and you won’t spoil him! A front carrying baby sling may be a good idea. Otherwise, Carrying or gently rocking your baby is also a good idea. Rocking is better than vigorously joggling him up and down, because this may prevent him from drifting off to sleep. I made this mistake several times with my first baby and kept wondering why she never seemed to fall asleep!

Want more tips and hints on this? Get details from the book, Just For The Health Of It. You can get a copy via the shop now link on our facebook page. Or you can get it through:

1) Laterna Books online shop with nationwide delivery. Just click on this link: https://www.laternabooks.com/laterna_product_details.php?v=15450&c=44

2) Another option for those in Lagos is Laterna Bookshop on 13, Oko-Awo Close, Off Adetokunbo Ademola Street,. Victoria Island.

3) If you’re outside the country, please visit Amazon through this linkhttp://www.amazon.com/Just-Health-Ketch-Pregnancy-Parenting/dp/9789398026/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1426246647&sr=1-1&keywords=just+for+the+health+of+it+with+dr+ketch+olalere+nkechi

For those in Abuja and environs, please call 07030739403 or pick it up at No 5 Bricks Market, Dawaki 11 Market, Dawaki extension.

For those in Awka, please call 08189944090.

Remember that this book is a great gift for anyone who wishes to live and eat healthy, lose weight, get ready for pregnancy and parenting. Buy copies for bridal showers, baby showers, Christmas gifts etc. It’s a gift that keeps on giving

Watch the video on our facebook page (www.facebook.com/healthylivingwithdrketch) and answer the following questions:

Why would someone recovering from an illness require a supplement?
Give three tips to help you on the road to health when recovering from an illness

Terms and conditions:
The first 3 persons to answer correctly will win our prizes.

Participants must be followers of our blog and/or facebook page. If you’re not a follower, click on the link http://www.chatwithdrketch.com and click on the follow button to qualify. The follow button is on the bottom right hand corner of the page and floats with the page. Or or follow us atwww.facebook.com/healthylivingwithdrketch

Only one answer per participant will be accepted.

If a participant provides more than one answer, the first answer will be used.

Edited answers will be disqualified.

Editor’s decision is final.

This challenge lapses by 11.59 pm on Friday, the 14th of October, 2016
So, what are you waiting for?! Best of luck, guys!

Congratulations to all our winners, once again! Remember that the show airs on Mondays by 9.55pm on Silverbird TV and on Sundays by 7.55pm on Africa Magic Showcase

Q: Please Dr. What can be the reason for itching around the testicle?

A: Thanks for writing in. It is important to see your doctor so he can examine the area and any rash you may have and make a definitive diagnosis.

A common cause of itching around the groin is tinea cruris (jock itch) which is a fungal infection that can affect hair, skin or nails. It is a form of ringworm and is usually seen as a red, rash with a clear, distinct edge and oftentimes, ring-shaped. It can affect the buttocks, skin fold and inner thighs, as appears to be happening in this case.

As is common with fungal infections, this infection thrives in warm, moist environment. And so, if you sweat a lot, wear tight/nylon underpants, if you’re a man, overweight or have a compromised immune system (an immune system that is not functioning properly which may be due to some diseases or taking some drugs eg antibiotic abuse), then you are more at risk of this condition. If you have athletes’ foot (a fungal infection of the foot which may occur, for example, in people who wear covered shoes a lot), get it treated because when you’re wearing your underpants, there is the possibility of passing the infection on to the underpants and subsequently, the groin.

Ordinarily, this can be treated without necessarily seeing a doctor. An anti-fungal cream that contains clotrimazone or miconazole used diligently over the course of two weeks should produce results.  However, I suggest you see your doctor, so that the diagnosis of fungal infection (tinea cruris) is confirmed before starting on treatment.

Prevention is focused on ensuring that you keep your groin as dry as possible (if you sweat heavily, try taking a bath as frequently as possible; change out of wet clothes as soon as you can; dry your groin area thoroughly after a bath, forget the tight fitting underpants and stick with boxers or cotton underpants etc) and personal hygiene (don’t share personal items of clothing…who shares underpants or boxers, anyway? 😀 wash your underwear often)

Remember that fungal infections usually require patience to treat. You’ve got to keep using the medication/ointment faithfully for the period prescribed.

I hope this helps!

Have a great weekend, y’all 😀

Managing your emotions can help protect your heart health.

Source: Managing your emotions can save your heart

Lack of self-acceptance can actually affect your brain as well as your self-esteem.

Source: Greater self-acceptance improves emotional well-being