chatwithketch

Q: Hi doctor I want to lose weight but I don’t have time for exercise because of my work. Please, is there anything else I can do?

A: You can lose weight without exercise. All you need do is watch your portions.

First try reducing the size of plate you normally eat with. Then ensure that this plate is half-filled with vegetables, the other half should be divided into two and have equal portions of carbs (go for complex carbs like beans, local rice, oats, whole wheat bread etc) and proteins (like fish and chicken).

Ensure that you go easy on the salt. It leads to water retention and increases blood pressure if used too liberally. Remember that if you can taste the salt, that’s probably because it is too much. Try using spices and herbs to substitute for salt.

Also, go easy on the oil. Remember that even if the oil is healthy like olive oil, one table spoon contains 120 calories. You don’t need that. Oil must always be used sparingly. My rule of thumb here is that, if you’re done cooking and you can see the oil in the food, you have most definitely used too much.

Having said that, you still need exercise because it strengthens your heart and you come away from every session oif exercise with a fee-good emotion due to the release of some feel-good hormones (endorphins).

You know all the regulars:

• Don’t use the elevators; use the stairs
• Don’t call to ask about a report; walk down and get it
• Start a dance class after office hours

If you work long hours and think you do not have time to exercise, here are a few tips (the not-so regulars):

• If you drive yourself to work, try parking a little distance farther from your regular parking space and walk briskly down to your office.
• If you commute to work with a bus, try stopping at a bus stop farther than where you usually stop and walk the rest of the day.
• When you get to work, make a conscious effort to stand up whenever you get a call. Stand and walk on the spot.
• You can also try to move your intercom, to a table farther from you so that you actually have to stand up to pick your calls.
• You can start a work-place pedometer challenge to find out who racks up the most numbers on their pedometers.
• Try installing some free apps on your system that notify you when you have been sitting for one hour. Studies have shown that even if you exercise the optimal 150 minutes in a week, but then you sit down for hours on end to work, you are still prone to all the cardiovascular and other risks that people who do no exercise at all, are prone to. Stretch clock is one such app.
• Try having walking meetings or even standing meetings. You know those ‘tall’ tables usually used at cocktails? Those are the classic tables for standing meetings.
• While sitting, every couple of minutes or after your hourly stretch exercises, try flexing and extending your leg and butt muscles. You could try Kegel exercises at this time too.
• If you are a Human Resource practitioner, try putting the water dispensers in the stairwell (landing) so that people have to climb up and down the stairs to get water. While at it, you might as well provide some music so that people can have some fun dancing (and burning calories) while getting water.
• Pillow fights with kids and arm wrestling are also great ways to exercise
• Get up and dance or just do jumping jacks when there’s a commercial break during your favourite TV show.

So, there you have it! Your food and exercise prescriptions! You probably have other great and innovative ideas on how to get more exercise…please share. We all could find more ways to be super healthy 😀

Have a great weekend 😀

Q: Dear Dr I went for a Lab text last month and The result showed that am having pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). My Q is this: could it be that my fallopian tube might have been blocked or what?

A: PID known as Pelvic Inflammatory Disease is an infection of the reproductive organs of a woman (uterus, fallopian tubes, ovaries and surrounding tissues) and it’s usually due to infections which may or may not be sexually transmitted (more likely to be the latter, though). The two most common causes of PID are 2 bacteria: Chlamydia and gonorrhea. Other bacteria found in the vagina and cervix (not associated with STIs) can also travel up the vagina and cause a PID.
People more at risk of this condition include people with multiple sex partners, people who use Intra Uterine Device as contraceptive, people who douche ( douching involves injecting fluid up the vagina to cleanse it. This process can carry bacteria up the vagina), people who have had an STI, young women less than 25yeras who are sexually active.
How do you know if you have this infection? Sometimes this is difficult as it may not give any symptoms. However, in other cases, patient could complain of vaginal discharge, painful urination and sex, fever, lower abdominal pain and irregular bleeds.
If this is left untreated, it may lead to ectopic pregnancy (pregnancy that implant outside the womb), fallopian tube damage and blockage with subsequent infertility and long term abdominal pain.
To diagnose the condition, your doctor may take samples from the vagina and cervix (mouth of the womb), carry out blood tests and he may also want to look-see using laparoscopy.
Based on the results, he will prescribe a course of antibiotics which has to be adhered to and the dose completely finished even if one feels better before the complete dose is finished. It is important that there is no sexual intercourse until infection is treated and indeed, sexual partner should also be treated as well. Remember the ABCs of sex.
So, I suggest that you go see a gynaecologist. You can check the Teaching or Specialist Hospital closest to you. As noted here, the treatment is based on the result of your tests. Please schedule this specialist appointment as quickly as possible…the consequences of untreated PID are severe. If any damage to the reproductive organ has already occurred, starting treatment may not reverse them. So the earlier you deal with this, the better.
For related articles:
https://chatwithdrketch.com/2014/08/07/daily-health-tips-what-are-my-options-after-ectopic-pregnancy-and-failed-ivf/
https://chatwithdrketch.com/2014/07/02/daily-health-tips-should-i-use-emergency-contraception-as-my-regular-means-of-contraception/
I wish you the best!

Have a good night, y’all 😀

Q: Dr Ketch,good evening. This is the second time my menstrual flows has rushed up to two weeks. I am worried and disturbed. I don’t know what might be the cause. I am 29yrs. Should I see a doctor? I like eating calcium a lot. I don’t know if d calcium and nzu (clay) is it part of my problem.

A: First I would like to say that it is always a great idea to see your doctor for any medical issues you have. This page only provides limited advice. When you see your doctor, he/she can examine you properly and then decide on course of treatment.

Having said that….

Heavy menstrual flow, also known as menorrhagia, can be a source of major concern for the sheer inconvenience and the fact that it can lead to anaemia, as the body is unable to produce enough red blood cells to replace those being lost in the bleeding.

People who have this condition would usually use more than one pad/tampon per hour, would need to change their sanitary towel during the night, layer on about 2 pads at the same time, bleed for more than a week and with significant quantity of clots, be restricted on their daily activities and experience symptoms of anaemia like fatigue.

Probable causes of this include fibroids, cancer, bleeding disorders, use of Intra Uterine Contraceptive Device, hormonal imbalance which may also result from ovaries that don’t function normally leading to progesterone lack, some medications and of course, as a complication of pregnancy in which a woman miscarries or has an ectopic pregnancy (a pregnancy in another part of a woman’s body other than the uterus)

Treatment is really targeted at symptoms and underlying cause. Analgesics in the class of Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (e.g. ibuprofen) are given for the cramps and iron supplements are usually prescribed for the anaemia. Oral contraceptives could be given to regulate the cycle, oral progesterone to make up for the deficiency and correct hormonal imbalance and a special Intra Uterine Contraceptive Device (IUCD) called Mirena can help thin the uterine lining and reduce bleeding.

Surgical options also exist and can be used if the other treatment options are not successful.

If the underlying cause is a fibroid, clearly this will need to be addressed and same for the other causes.

Constantly eating non-food items like chalk, hair, glue, sand, clay etc, generally called pica, could be associated with some disease conditions like iron deficiency anaemia. This may very well be confirmation that you are losing a lot of blood.

So, see your gynaecologist so the cause of the menorrhagia can be determined and proper treatment started.

Have a great evening, people

Hidden and added sugar lurk in many foods — even those generally considered “healthy.” Here are some tips on what to watch out for.

Source: Sugar: Its many disguises

A recent study shows that drinking more plain water can help you avoid excess calories and control your weight.

Source: The big benefits of plain water

Q: Good Afternoon Dr. Please I Have Pain In My Breast. What Should I Do?

A: Breast pain can be experienced as a burning or stabbing pain or it could be felt as soreness or heaviness. This usually occurs in the outer portion of the breast and may extend to the underarms and sometimes, all the way down the arms. Breast pain is commonly not a sign of cancer.

Breast pain could be cyclical, in which case, it is linked to menstrual cycle or non-cyclical, in which case it is not linked to menstrual cycle.

Cyclical breast pain occurs at about the same time every month, starting about 2 to 3 days before the menstruation starts and improving after the period. The intensity of the pain varies during the period. This pain is thought to be related the effect of hormones and so women on hormone replacement therapy after menopause may experience this breast pain too.

Non-cyclical breast pain may be due to mastitis…a painful condition of the breast during breastfeeding. For more on this, please click on https://chatwithdrketch.com/2014/09/12/daily-health-tips-im-a-breastfeeding-mother-who-just-developed-a-painful-lump-in-my-breast-could-it-be-cancer/

It may also be due to medications, breast abscess (collection of pus in the breast), non-cancerous breast lumps .

If you have breast pain, it’s a good idea to have your doctor check it out especially if:

• The pain is continuous over a couple of weeks
• The pain gets worse
• The pain prevents daily activities
• The pain is consistent in a particular area.

A couple of exams like clinical breast examination, mammogram, ultrasound and breast biopsy will help make a definitive diagnosis.

I hope this helps.

Have a good night, people 😀

Q: Good evening. Please, my nipples are removing water. At the same time, my menses has passed and I have slept with my fiancée for up to two months.

A: There are different issues that can cause nipple discharge. The discharge can be bloody, milky, clear etc. The colour may not tell us much as to whether the discharge is normal or abnormal.

Milky discharge from the breast is called galactorrhea and is usually the symptom of a problem. For more on this please click on the link:https://chatwithdrketch.com/2014/04/18/daily-health-tips-why-do-i-have-nipple-discharge-when-im-not-pregnant/

Causes of breast discharge include:
• Pregnancy
• Breastfeeding: The release of milk may also persist for a while even when breastfeeding has been stopped.
• Stimulation of the nipples during sexual foreplay or even pressing the nipple by people who are worried about the nipple discharge or friction between fabric and nipple can lead to nipple discharge.
• Breast abscess or infection
• Hormone imbalance
• Injury to the breast
• Some medications
• Cancer of the breast

To determine cause, the doctor may do a scan, take tissue sample to examine (biopsy) etc
Treatment depends on cause. If due to pregnancy or breastfeeding, it will eventually stop. If due to stimulation, the discharge will continue as long as the stimulation is present. If due to injury, it will also stop with healing. If the discharge is due to medication, stopping the medication is sufficient to bring this to a stop.

Bloody discharge, discharge from one breast only and discharge that happens spontaneously without the breast being touched or pressed is likely to be abnormal. These should be checked out as soon as possible in the hospital.

If the discharge is present during a menstrual period and persists into the next cycle, please see your doctor too.

Have a great day, everyone 😀

Q: I delivered my baby 3 months ago. The first time hubby made love to me I bled 5-6days as if I was menstruating, This has happened many times. Please what is the cause and what should I do for this to stop?

A: Congratulations on your new baby!

Usually, after having a baby, the level of the hormone estrogen is quite low. This lasts for about 4 to 6 weeks after having baby. If you’re breastfeeding your baby, however, this low estrogen level would persist for as long as you nurse our baby. The absence of estrogen contributes to vaginal dryness. The dryness, of course, makes sexual intercourse that much more painful at this time when your body is struggling to get back into the groove and your mind is struggling with trying not to remember the diapers you have to change and laundry to wash! Not exactly the most romantic turn of events, aye? 😀

The main consequence of vaginal dryness is the fact that it affects sex life such that these women experience significant pain and sometimes, bleeding. Other problems that vaginal dryness could cause include soreness, itching and burning around the vaginal area, recurrent urinary tract infections and frequency of urinating etc. However, you should also get this bleeding checked out by your doctor to rule out any other cause of bleeding there.

As you start to breastfeed your baby less frequently, the dryness should ease off. If the vaginal dryness and subsequent bleeding is due to rushed foreplay, there should be a conscious effort to slow down allow enough time for foreplay and sometimes, discussion with the partner may be helpful. Avoid heavily perfumed products like sanitary towels, tissues etc which may lead to irritation of the vagina and subsequent dryness etc.

For a related post, please click on this https://chatwithdrketch.com/2016/02/20/daily-health-tipssexual-intercourse-after-baby/

Have a great night, y’all 😀