chatwithketch

The overuse of antibiotics has led to an increase in antibiotic resistance. Inappropriate prescribing is one contributor to this problem.

Source: The trouble with antibiotics – Harvard Health Blog

Q: Hello Dr. Ketch. Please what do you recommend for someone with spider veins?

A: Spider veins are a form of varicose veins. They are smaller and found closer to the skin. Most of you must have heard of varicose veins and have an idea how they look. But why do they form and where are they likely to strike? 😀

Varicose veins are enlarged veins and can occur anywhere in the body. However, they are more frequently found in the lower limbs as standing and walking increase the pressure in the veins of the lower body. This pressure may cause the valves that keep the blood flowing towards the heart, to weaken such that blood flows backwards and pools in the lower limbs. They usually appear bluish or purple and are more of an image/cosmetic problem for a lot of people. But in others, this condition presents with symptoms like muscle cramps, itching around the veins, swollen feet and ankles, bleeding from the vein, pain in the legs etc

Older people are more likely to have this condition as the valves in the veins weaken with age; pregnant women are also prone to this because as the uterus (womb) grows, it puts pressure on the veins preventing the proper return of blood to the heart. Other people with a higher risk of developing varicose veins are those who work jobs where they stand or sit for long periods, obese people and those with a family history of varicose veins.

For those who require treatment, pressure stockings may be prescribed in the first instance alongside exercise prescription and advice to elevate the legs when at rest. If this does not work there may be need for the vein to be sealed with heat, special foam or surgery.

To prevent this condition, exercise regularly (150 minutes per week is a great start), lose weight if you are obese, try to avoid standing or sitting for too long without taking breaks.

I hope this helps.

Have a good night, y’all 😀

Q: Good evening Doc, please can a pregnant woman eat snail?

A: Interesting question.

Old wives’ tale has it that if you eat a lot of snails, your baby will spit a lot when born! But this is totally fiction. The fact that the snail is slimy has nothing to do with whether baby drools or not. Remember also that if your baby starts drooling when he’s teething, it has nothing to do the snails you ate when pregnant but everything to do with the process he’s going through…bringing forth teeth!

Sea food is generally healthy containing a good amount of protein and Omega 3 fatty acids which are very heart healthy. They are also rich in a lot of minerals and vitamins like Zinc, Vitamin B12, Selenium etc and they are low in calories. However, snails, crabs, prawns and shrimps are also pretty high in cholesterol.

Other issues to note include:
Shrimps, prawns and crabs are best taken fresh rather than frozen. When frozen, they have a whole lot more sodium…probably from the salt used as a preservative. This could increase blood pressure.

Avoid raw, under-cooked and uncooked seafood and shellfish especially when pregnant. Make sure prawns and shrimps are a milk white colour when cooked.

Generally, when pregnant, the main concern is the amount of mercury in the fish or sea food. Large mackerel, Swordfish, tile fish and Shark contain a large amount of Mercury that could cause defects in the baby’s developing nervous system.

So, there you have it.

Have a good night, y’all 😀

Teenagers and young adults who use marijuana may be messing with their heads in ways they don’t intend. Ongoing research shows a possible link between early use of marijuana and later development of psychosis or schizophrenia.

Source: Teens who smoke pot at risk for later schizophrenia, psychosis

Millions of Americans skip high-cost medications as a way to save money.

Source: Millions of adults skip medications due to their high cost

Summer is the perfect time to kick start your new eating routine.

Source: Summer is the perfect time to fine tune your diet

What do I do with my baby’s cord? Clean with spirit? Clean with water? Just leave it alone? What about me? I can barely sit down after having my baby. My episiotomy site hurts so bad! What do I use to reduce the pain? Does a Sitz bath really work? Should I add anything to the water to Sitz bath? Just For The Health Of It With Dr Ketch explores this and so much more.

Get a copy of the book, Just For The Health Of It from any of these channels:
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 😀

Q1: How can one treat stretch marks?

Q2: Hello sir/ma pls am in need of a good product that I can use to treat acne and if possible u can prescribe a drug that can kill d bacteria for me. I will b waiting for your response.

A: Stretch marks occur when the skin is over-stretched like during pregnancy, during the growth spurt of the teenage years and during rapid weight gain or loss. So the skin, sort of, loses its elasticity leading to the formation of the marks.

Thus, the ‘damage’ to the skin is done from the inside and not the outside. This makes it difficult to really take care of it from the outside. Having said that, creams that contain shea butter, cocoa butter and Vitamin E are thought to be useful in causing the marks to fade.

Other creams that contain olive oil, castor oil and fruit acids may also be helpful. There are some other advanced treatments like glycolic acid peels etc, (that you must NOT attempt on your own) that are helpful with old and new marks. Discuss these options with your dermatologist.

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 oil. They are most frequently found on the face, back, shoulders and neck.

Pimples are usually increased or aggravated by hormones which are in abundant supply during the teenage years, pregnancy, before the start of a menstrual period and when using some medications. In other instances, pimples result from friction between clothes and skin (e.g. collar, or wearing a back pack often), having greasy hair or other materials constantly touching the skin and a family history of acne.

Acne can be inflammatory (in which case they are usually painful like pimples) or non-inflammatory (blackheads or whiteheads). One of the major problems with acne is the fact that a lot of the people who have them can’t leave them well alone…plucking, tweaking, pressing and just generally touching them leading to more inflammation, scarring and even bacterial infections as germs from hands are transferred to them.

Treatment of acne is targeted at one or a mixture of the following factors: reducing inflammation, reducing oil production, improving skin cell turnover and reducing bacterial infection.

Creams with Salicylic acid or Benzoyl peroxide are useful for removing dead skin cells, killing off bacteria and reducing oil production. You may notice some slight irritation initially which wears off in a little while. Where in doubt, please see your doctor

.

Your doctor could also prescribe other (stronger) drugs if the above do not work to deal with the acne and the scarring.

You can prevent pimples by using gentle cleansers on your face in the morning and evening. Be sure that they do not dry out your face as these cause even further irritation.

Do not use your body soap on your face for the same reason. Use a facial bar or facial wash.

Keep greasy hair off your face and wear loose clothes that allow your skin to breathe. Cotton is always a great idea😀 For this same reason, if you always carry a rucksack, switch it around and carry other bags in turn to allow your back ‘breath’

Do not use greasy cosmetics and if you have acne, perhaps you should give your foundation a miss for a while or try not to be too heavy handed with it😀

Be sure to wipe all your makeup off your face every night. Those pores need some air after all that war paint we put over them😀

And…please leave your face alone, especially if you’ve got pimples. Continually picking at them will just cause more scarring and increase the likelihood of bacterial infections😉

For natural methods, Alpha hydroxy acids found in some fruits have been found to also be helpful. A good number of creams contain this and they help unclog pores and remove dead skin cells. Use with caution though as they may cause some irritation.

Have a great day, people😀

Q: Good day Dr, please what could cause a 23 year old girl to be bed wetting? My niece that stays with me bed wets almost every night while my less than 3 year old son does not.

A: Bed wetting hardly happens once a child gets to the age of 7 years. However, for a small percentage of children, this continues for a while longer. We will talk about bed wetting in children another time. Today’s bed wetting discourse is about this problem in adults. What could lead to bed wetting in adults?

This usually indicates a medical problem like Diabetes Mellitus, prostate problems (prostate cancer or prostate enlargement), bladder cancer, urinary tract infections or urinary tract stones. Sometimes though, it could also be due to an emotional disturbance or anxiety.

Treatment of adult bed wetting will be focused on the underlying cause. For instance, if it is due to Diabetes, the blood sugar needs to be brought under control. In the meantime, the family of these adults have to show empathy and understanding. This will help them go through this situation knowing they have a support system. Mattress protectors and adult diapers may be temporary aids until the main issue is addressed.

Have a good night y’all 😀