We talk about healthy oils: Olive oils, canola oils etc. But really, even these contain pure fat with about 120 calories in each tablespoonful of olive oil, be it light or extra light. To put this in context, consider how much time it takes to burn off 100 calories at the gym and the relative ease with which a tablespoon of oil goes onto our food. In the Johnny Walker chapter, we talk about walking 10,000 steps per day. If you do those 10,000 steps in a day, you burn between 300 to 400 calories per day and less if you walk mainly flat surfaces! And yet, with one spoon of oil, more than a quarter of all that ‘amazing hard work’ has gone down the drain! SO remember your screams of ‘oh no! 10,000!’ and compare that with the calories burnt and then how much you gained by just adding a drop more oil. If this doesn’t convince you to go easy on the oils, I don’t know what else will!

If you come from the Yoruba tribe (please be sure not to tell them I said this :|), then traditionally, cooking involves ladles and ladles of oils like palm oil (which has a high content of saturated fats associated with high cholesterol levels). I remember the first time I was exposed to stew from the Yoruba race, it had so much oil that I couldn’t see the tomatoes! Being a ‘kobo kobo’ girl who was born into a race where we live a diet of vegetables (in as raw a state as possible) and little oil, that was a culture shock and I never quite got used to it (Please don’t let my in-laws know that all that time I pretended to love those stews, I was actually just suffering through them ;)). It was almost as great a culture shock as learning to kneel down to greet. I developed waist pain the first time we travelled to the village what with all that kneeling which my ‘okoro ‘knees were not used to Again I digress!

If you want to learn more of my diet prescriptions while picking up tips on pregnancy, immunizations, diapering, preventing childhood infections, feeding children right etc, get details from the book, Just For The Health Of It.

This book also makes an excellent gift for baby showers, bridal showers, new parents, people who wish to lose weight and to everyone who desires to embrace healthy living in all aspects.

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…

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

Q: Please Doc, can a breastfeeding mum take lemon juice as a weight loss support? Please notify me when posted

A: Thanks for writing in and you really need to forgive me, but your question gave me a good laugh!

I wish weight loss was just a simple matter of lemons 😀 That would be great. Sweetheart, you do not need lemons to lose weight. It’s a simple formula: exercise and diet!

Now, if you don’t have a gym where you stay, there are millions of ways to get your exercise.

At home
• Do not send people to run all your errands. Go do them yourself. Go and pick up the cup, get the water you want etc
• Get up during commercial breaks and dance to the music of the commercials
• Start a pillow fight with your children, if you have, friends or significant other
• Arm wrestle with anyone who wants to take you on.
• Take a walk when you get home.
• Get up whenever you get a phone call and jog on the spot or just walk around.

While commuting (going to or from work)
• If you use a bus, stop at least a bus stop from your normal bus stop and walk the rest of the distance. This also goes for you if you’ve got a driver/chauffeur. Be sure the environment is safe in both instances.
• If you drive, pack a farther distance away from your normal spot at work and walk the rest of the distance to walk.

At work
• Use the stairs and ditch the elevators
• Go and pick up your printouts…don’t send the office assistant to get it.
• Get up and walk around whenever you get a call
• Consider the idea of having a walking meeting with a colleague
• If you’re part of the Human Resource team, consider putting water dispensers on stair wells so that people have to walk up and down the stairs to get to them. Some music there would not go amiss too

Other times
Dancing, swimming, playing lawn tennis, volley ball and all the other games available that get you moving are great ways of exercising. And yes, this includes those video games that actually get you to get up and dance/move.

Remember that the recommendation is for 150 minutes of exercise/activity every week. And so with the above, there’s no more excuse. You can split this into 30 minutes, Monday to friday or one hour on three days of the week.

As for diet, this post answers it all. Take a look https://chatwithdrketch.com/2014/11/27/daily-health-tips-weight-loss-revisited/

Having said all these, diet affects our breast milk and by extension, baby.

Lemon and lemon water are beneficial to the digestive system as they have been found to reduce gas and bloating in both mother and baby. Ginger is also beneficial, as it has been found to improve lactation. Even though they may be beneficial to both mother and baby, it should be noted that these may interact with certain drugs and increase risk of gastrointestinal problems, stomach ulcers and allergic reactions like breathing difficulty, or swelling of the lips, tongue or face.

I would advise you talk with your doctor before commencing any of these or other herbal supplements, especially so if you are taking medications for other health conditions, or at risk of certain diseases.

These are foods to avoid or limit their consumption while breast feeding:

Caffeine in coffee (try decaffeinated and stick with 2 small tea cups), energy drinks, some soft drinks etc This makes the baby irritable and by extension, makes sleep difficult for the baby. Now, you don’t want that, do you?

Alcohol: This should be avoided at all costs.

Cigarette (yeah, yeah, I know it’s not food) should also be avoided as it reduces the production of breast milk.

If baby reacts to what the mother ate, efforts should be made to pinpoint what the mother ate before the incident started and then eliminating that from the diet to see if the diarrhea or allergy stops.

Make sure that you eat well: lots of fruits and vegetables and complex carbohydrates. Cut out the junk which will not help you achieve your weight loss goals and in addition have empty calories. And drink sufficient fluids daily.

Be careful before taking any drug as most find their way into your baby.

I hope this helps.

Have a good night, everyone 😀

Exposure to blue light at night, emitted by electronics and energy-efficient lightbulbs, harmful to your health.

Until the advent of artificial lighting, the sun was the major source of lighting, and people spent their evenings in (relative) darkness. Now, in much of the world, evenings are illuminated, and we take our easy access to all those lumens pretty much for granted.

Want to know more, click on this link:http://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/blue-light-has-a-dark-side

Q: Good evening ma’am. I trust your day was good? I need help from you about how to cure peptic ulcer. Also can I take soup made with tomatoes or avoid it totally? Thank you ma’am.

A: Thanks for writing in.

There are two conditions that may often be confused, one for the other: Peptic ulcer and Gastro-Esophageal Reflux Disease (GERD).

Gastric acid is secreted normally in the stomach to help the process of digestion. Peptic ulcer is a sore in the stomach, esophagus or duodenum and occurs when there is either over-production of this gastric acid in the stomach or reduction in the quantity of mucous that protects the stomach from the acid. Infection with an organism, Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) has been found to be a cause of peptic ulcer.

GERD, on the other hand occurs when stomach acid backtracks into the esophagus causing heart burn.

In the past, it was thought that spicy foods caused peptic ulcers. However, there’s no evidence to support this, though spicy foods can certainly make the symptoms of ulcer worse 😀 Smoking, stress and drinking alcohol are also likely to worsen the symptoms of peptic ulcer. Caffeinated and carbonated beverages may also be culprit.

Ulcers are also common in people who take certain pain relieving drugs known as Non- Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) like Ibuprofen.

People with peptic ulcer usually complain of abdominal pain or even sometimes, chest pain as the pain can be anywhere from the breast bone to the navel…giving room for a wide range of descriptions 😀 The pain is usually worse at night or when the stomach is empty.

People with ulcers may vomit blood or pass out fresh or altered blood in stool. For the latter, the stool looks tarry black. Complications of peptic ulcers include internal bleeding, leakage of the acid into the abdominal cavity etc

Treatment is targeted at reduction in acid production, neutralization of acid, treatment of Helicobacter infection, promotion of healing or protection of stomach lining. Your doctor will determine the best option or combination(s) with your active participation, of course 😀

Thus, prevention is targeted at switching pain relieving drugs (if you have an ulcer, please stay away from NSAIDs, reducing your level of stress, stopping smoking and reducing your alcohol intake. Maintaining a healthy diet filled with loads of fruits and veggies which provide sufficient vitamins to aid healing, is also a good way to go. It is still not very clear how H. pylori infections spread but it is thought to be probably from person to person or from food and water. So, judicious and very frequent, hand washing will certainly help 😀

Does milk help? Well, temporarily but it quickly makes it worse. Milk coats the surface of the stomach, reducing the pain but then stimulates more acid production. Sounds like you can’t win, aye?! ;D

For GERD, there are also conditions like pregnancy and obesity that make this condition worse and there are also foods that encourage this. Examples of these ‘foods’ are fatty foods, alcohol, orange juice, chocolate and coffee, onions, tomatoes, peppermint and spicy foods.

So for the person in the question, I suggest you keep a food diary over a period of time and try to figure out the trigger foods. If you suspect tomatoes, try to confirm this by having a ‘tomato meal’ and watching for heart burn and an unpleasant taste at the back of the mouth. If this is not the issue, perhaps it’s a weight issue or even over-eating.

Treatment is targeted at the acid and healing the esophagus. Remember that occasional heart burn is not regarded a problem but if it happens frequently, like two or more times every week, then it becomes a problem and is now referred to as Gastro-Esophageal Reflux Disease (GERD). So, drugs used can stop acid production, reduce acid production and cause healing of the esophagus or neutralize the effect of the acid.

Prevention involves trying to avoid your trigger foods (quite a number are actually healthy 😀 maintaining a healthy weight, avoiding heavy meals just before bedtime, try eating smaller meals and avoid tight clothes that may also put pressure on your abdomen.

So, see a doctor first to confirm the diagnosis….peptic ulcer or GERD and then he’ll advice on treatment.

Have a fabulous evening and remember…no heavy meals before bedtime 😀

A study tested how certain types of light affected migraine pain. In this research, some people said that green light eased their pain somewhat.

Source: Shining a light on migraine relief

Q: Does ice water has an effect in early pregnancy

A: This question has been asked again and again in different ways. Can my baby get pneumonia if I drink cold water in pregnancy? Can the baby become asthmatic etc? The answer to all of these is a resounding no. There are so many stories and taboos surrounding pregnancy that we need to address, really. Some pregnant women are practically banned from drinking cold water during pregnancy for this and other unclear reasons. There’s no medical basis for any of these stories. If you have a cold and you’re staying off cold water and filling up on warm fluids, I get it! 😀 However, if it’s for any of the ‘traditional reasons’ kindly ask for an explanation if you’re uncertain. Your doctor is always a great and useful resource. For more on pregnancy myths and what my professional opinion of them are, please click on these links:

https://chatwithdrketch.com/2015/06/14/our-take-on-some-pregnancy-myths/

Whenever I am pregnant, I not only drink cold water but actually take a lot of ice cubes because I can’t just seem to get cool enough! I’m constantly sweating and generally feeling hot! And I can tell you for a fact that none of my children were born asthmatic or with pneumonia! Having said that, as with everything else, moderation is key!

What you may notice though when you drink cold water is that baby moves around. This is, theoretically because the uterus/womb is close to the digestive tract such that the cold water in the digestive tract stimulates the baby to move. Women who feel concerned about their baby’s movements are sometimes asked to do this and check for baby’s movement.

I hope this helps.

Want to know more of healthy living and healthy eating? Catch the show on Silverbird TV 9.55pm on Mondays.

Have a good night

Q: Morning Dr Ketch. Advise me on the best medication for quitting smoking.

A: Thanks a whole lot for writing in. I am excited that you have decided to quit. That’s a wonderful place to start. Another important point here is the fact that your smoking could also be endangering your loved ones. Second Hand Smoke (which is smoke you exhale or that from the lighted end of the cigarette) has been linked to lung and other cancers. So, by continuing with this habit, you are not only endangering yourself but your family! I’m sure you don’t want that.

Tobacco use is a major preventable cause of death worldwide.

The first step to quitting is having a clear desire to quit. You’ve got that already. You have to be positive, reminding yourself why you need to quit. Apart from having a good support system, avoiding the areas where one usually is encouraged to smoke is a good idea. Friends and acquaintances that encourage you to smoke, should not be seen too frequently…especially as you start off on this process.

It is important to have other hobbies and activities that take your mind off smoking or take the place of smoking…in a sense. Getting more active with a sporting activity or church activities or volunteering etc are all activities that can take the edge off quitting. Some have found switching to oral substitutes like chewing gum, carrots and mints, helpful.

Apart from your home support, having a support group of people who wish to quit also helps a lot. Remember that half the work has been done…making the decision to quit. Having a wonderful family that you wish to be there for is an extra push. Knowing that lots of people have been able to kick this habit before you should confirm that you can do this!

I’m rooting for you…and praying for you!

Share the good news as the days progress. You could be encouraging someone else who wishes to quit! Let’s show that this can be done!

For a related post, please click on this https://chatwithdrketch.com/2015/02/24/daily-health-tips-im-trying-to-stop-smoking-pot/

Have a good night, y’all

Q: Thank you, but I have a question that I want to ask you: can a ‘hypertension’ patient still have sex? I suffer from it since ten years ago. I’m 49 years old.

A: This is a great question. It is the same question people ask about exercise in a hypertensive. The first part of the answer is that every hypertensive should have a long chat with their physician/doctor about lifestyle modifications, including sex. Each patient’s story is different and should be treated so.

Exercise is good for the heart and sex is also exercise! 😀 It gets the heart pumping and definitely increases heart rate. According to the American Heart Association and studies, it is generally safe to have sex if one has high blood pressure. This is especially so if your blood pressure is stable and under control and you can carry out regular everyday activities like walking up two flights of stairs, without chest pain. So, be sure to check your blood pressure regularly and take your medications if your doctor has prescribed any. For those, whose blood pressures are not stable, it may be wise to defer sexual activity until they have been assessed by their physicians and are stable.

So, see your doctor for a proper evaluation and then take it from there.

Have a good night, everyone 😀