Daily Health Tips: How Can I Prevent High Blood Pressure?

Posted on January 23, 2016 by chatwithdrketch

Q: Dr hi. I have a question what can I do to prevent the BLOOD PRESURE?
 
A: Hallos! Thanks for writing in. I assume you want to know how to prevent high blood pressure (BP).
 
BP is the pressure with which blood pushes against your vessels as it passes through your body. A normal blood pressure allows blood to flow and deliver oxygen and food to different parts of the body.
 
• We measure blood pressure with two numbers (ie, 124/84 mmHg). The first number is called the systolic blood pressure and the second is called the diastolic blood pressure. These two numbers are written as ‘systolic/diastolic’ followed by the unit of measurement.
 
• Systolic blood pressure is your highest blood pressure measurement and is recorded when your heart contracts.
 
• Diastolic blood pressure is your lowest blood pressure measurement and is recorded when your heart relaxes and fills with blood.
 
• The ideal blood pressure is 120/70mmHg. Any figure between this and 140/90 is pre-hypertension and a call to action and lifestyle modifications.
 
 Reduce your risk generally by imbibing lifestyle modifications:
 
Be physically active for 30 to 60 minutes on most days of the week. Try walking, biking, swimming, dancing or any other physical activity that you enjoy. Remember that even a little bit of physical activity is better than no activity at all.
 
Eat a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables, low-fat dairy products and other foods low in fat and salt. Avoid fast foods, canned foods or foods that are bought prepared, as well as any foods where you can see the fat in them.
 
If you drink more than two alcoholic drinks each day, drinking less will help to lower your blood pressure. A regular-sized bottle or can of beer or a regular-sized glass of wine are each equal to a single alcoholic drink.
 
Keeping your body weight within a healthy range also prevents high blood pressure. If you are overweight, losing about 10 lbs (5 kg) will lower your blood pressure, and reducing your weight to within a healthy range will lower your blood pressure even more.
 
It is important to stop smoking if you have high blood pressure. Smoking increases the risk of developing heart problems and other diseases. Ensuring that you live and work in places that are smoke-free is also important.
 
Other lifestyle modifications include weight control, diet watch (portion control, use of less salt, using less oil in our foods and when we do use oil to focus on the heart healthy oils) etc
 
Good night, people 😀

 

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Daily Health Tips: Is HIV The Same As AIDS?

Posted on January 22, 2016 by chatwithdrketch

Q: Doc please shed more lite on this: is HIV the same thing as AIDS?

A: HIV-Human Immunodeficiency virus is a virus quite different from other viruses in its structure and how it attacks the cells of the body. It affects the CD4 cells in the body. These CD4 cells serve as the soldiers of the body, fighting and defending it from disease organisms. When HIV infects these cells the body loses its ability to defend itself so all kinds of diseases which ordinarily would have been taken care of now have the opportunity to affect the multiple systems of the body.

The initial symptoms of HIV are symptoms that can be seen also in other diseases. That means you can have similar symptoms in any other disease.

These include fever, flu like symptoms (cold, catarrh, cough), sweat, fatigue, diarrhea, aches and pains in the joints, headache, rashes and occasionally bleeding from the nose.

Other symptoms like oral thrush (whitish discoloration of the tongue), weight loss, chronic cough (cough lasting more than one month) and chronic diarrhea (passage of watery stools more than a month) come later in the course of the disease.

AIDS is a group of health problems that occur when a person’s immune system becomes too weak to ward off many infections. This is the last stage of the HIV infection at which point the body is no longer able to defend itself. If left untreated, death may result.

So, in summary, AIDS is the later stage of HIV. Not everybody who has the HIV infection develops AIDS.

For related posts, please click on these links:
https://chatwithdrketch.com/2014/07/27/daily-health-tips-how-can-i-prevent-my-unborn-baby-from-becoming-infected-with-hiv/

 

https://chatwithdrketch.com/2014/08/04/daily-health-tips-can-i-get-hiv-from-oral-sex/

https://chatwithdrketch.com/2014/12/01/daily-health-tips-world-aids-day-2014/

 

https://chatwithdrketch.com/2015/02/19/daily-health-tips-should-i-marry-my-boyfriend-who-i-just-realized-is-hiv-positive/

 

https://chatwithdrketch.com/2013/12/04/daily-health-tip-hivaids-your-role-in-the-fight/

 

Have a great night, y’all 😀

 

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Daily Health Tips: Vitamin E For Vaginal Dryness

Posted on January 21, 2016 by chatwithdrketch
Q: Dr Ketch, God bless you for how you are helping mankind. I just stumbled on your page a few minutes ago. My question is, I discovered recently that my vagina is always dry, ‘embarrassingly dry’ when my husband and I have fun which is not regular anyway. But the few times we had it in the past few weeks, like twice or thrice now, I noticed it. I’m in my mid 50’s while my husband is in his early 60’s. I suspect some of the medications I’m on may be responsible. Please I tried to Google it two days ago but read that Vit E could be helpful. Thanks Doc, you are blessed, I shall expect your reply please.
A: Thank you so much for your kind words and I’m very happy that I can help.
Vaginal dryness can occur due to variety of reasons and at any age. Usually the vagina has a thin film of fluid that coats it. This fluid helps lubrication during sexual intercourse, maintains the normal environment of the vagina preventing the overgrowth of organisms like fungi, flushing out dead cells and menstrual blood. The level of this fluid/moisture varies with the level of estrogen released in the body. During sexual intercourse, there is increased blood flow to the vaginal area leading to an increase in the volume of moisture. During menopause, however, the level of estrogen is very low leading to vaginal dryness, loss of elasticity and thinning.
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.
There are other conditions, other than menopause that can lead to low estrogen and consequent vaginal dryness. They include childbirth, breast feeding, cigarette smoking, some medications (like anti-estrogen drugs used to treat cancer) and douching. Douching refers to the practice of cleaning the vagina with a ‘cleansing’ fluid. For more on this topic, please click on this link: https://chatwithdrketch.com/…/daily-health-tips-what-is-dou…/
Other very common causes of vaginal dryness include a lack of foreplay during sexual intercourse, feelings of guilt, relationship issues, allergy etc
Treatment depends on cause. If it’s due to low estrogen, the focus would be on replacing this either through Hormone Replacement therapy or through the insertion of estrogen pessaries (tablets, cream or ring) into the vagina) should help. If 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.
Use of vaginal moisturizers can also help. Vitamin E may be useful as a vaginal moisturizer with the gel rubbed on the vagina.
Please discuss these with your doctor and get him/her to review your meds. Please, don’t be embarrassed to discuss your symptoms with him 🙂
I hope this helps.
Have a good night, y’all 😀
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Daily Health Tips: Is Green Tea Good For Conception?

Posted on January 20, 2016 by chatwithdrketch

Q: Good evening Dr Ketch. Thanks for your work. Please, I wish to know if green tea is good for a woman TTC? If no, please what can I do to slim down? Thank you.

A: Lots of people like green tea for different reasons. Some because they like everything herbal. Others, because it is thought to speed up metabolism which in turn can help weight loss. It’s also touted to have beneficial effects on blood pressure, blood sugar levels and Alzheimer’s disease. These health effects are thought to be due to the presence of the anti-oxidants that help fight cell damage as in cancer. However, in excessive amounts, green tea can cause the same symptoms as excessive caffeine in the body and this includes diarrhoea, irritability, nervousness, rapid heart beat etc.

Some claim that green tea helps conception. There’s no evidence to that effect.

So, on the average, just like for coffee, 2 ‘dainty’ 😀 cups are fine per day. More than that, you could be opening up yourself to other health issues. Most green teas contain less caffeine than black tea and coffee.Where in doubt, especially when trying to conceive, please see your doctor.

 

For tips on slimming down, please click on https://chatwithdrketch.com/2014/11/27/daily-health-tips-weight-loss-revisited/

 

Enjoy the rest of your day 😀

 

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Daily Health Tips: What Are My Treatment Options For Ovarian Cysts

Posted on January 19, 2016 by chatwithdrketch
Dr, I have a cyst. How can I handle it without having an operation and being on contraceptive pills? Please help
 
A: Ovaries are small bean-shaped organs on either side of your womb. Every month, your ovaries develop sacs called follicles from where eggs are released monthly and female sex hormones produced. After the egg is released every month, the sac disintegrates. But sometimes, the egg is not released and the sac remains or the egg is released and the sac does not disintegrate. This follicle becomes the fluid-filled cyst sac. Usually this is not a problem as it could form during every menstrual cycle and usually resolves on its own. These cysts are called the functional cysts. However, these cysts could get very big and in some instances become twisted or they could rupture causing problems. This latter type is called pathological cyst.
 
Examples of pathological cysts occur in PolyCystic Ovarian Syndrome and endometriosis. In the former, small cysts appear all over the surface of the ovary and is also associated with irregular menstruation and high hormonal levels. In endometriosis, the tissues of the uterus (womb) are found outside of the uterus. These two pathological cysts are associated with fertility problems. Functional cysts are hardly associated with fertility issues except they become extremely large.
 
Treatment depends on your particular situation. You could get away with no surgery and no pills, if your doctor orders serial scans to continually observe the size of the cysts and sees a reduction in size. Otherwise, the other treatment options are the use of birth control pills to prevent the development of more cysts in future menstrual cycles and surgery as the final option.
 
Have a chat with your doctor and share your worries about these treatment procedures. He/she will guide you through this.
 
All the best!
 
Have a great week ahead, people 😀
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Daily Health Tips: Elephantiasis

Posted on January 18, 2016 by chatwithdrketch

Q: Good evening. What’s the drug for elephantiasis? My leg started swelling since and I’ve taken a lot of drugs, both native and English, but no way. Please Dr, help a poor girl like me.
 
A: Elephantiasis is a disease condition in which there is swelling of the limbs, genitals or other body parts making them appear swollen and puffed-up, resembling an elephant. How does this happen? It actually starts with the bite of an infected mosquito (Aedes, Culex, Mansonia or Anopheles mosquito) which transmits filarial worms that block the lymphatic system. I see the look of confusion already on your faces! 😀 What’s the lymphatic system, you say 😉
 
Well, the lymphatic system is a network of vessels and glands distributed all over the body. They help to fight infections and drain excess fluids from tissues in the body. When this system is blocked, fluid no longer drains freely from the tissues leading to collection of fluids in the tissues, resultant body swelling and fever when this fluid collection gets infected. Chronic (longstanding) infection with these worms leads to elephantiasis with swelling (lymphedema) and hardening of the limbs. It really does require years of exposure to these infected mosquitoes for elephantiasis to occur. It is important to handle the infection before it gets to this stage.
 
Most people, however, will not have symptoms until years after being exposed when they develop these swellings.
There is no medication that is really active against adult worms. Focus is on management of symptoms. Exercise encourages lymphatic drainage, healthy diet, good skin care to prevent infection can help. Wearing special compression stockings/garment or having a special massage by a specialist to help lymph fluid drainage are also helpful aids.
 
Prevention of elephantiasis is key.
• Use of mosquito nets
• Use of medications to kill microfilariae in the blood
• Antibiotics for infections
• Surgical prevention of infected tissue
 
I advise that you focus on exercise, diet, good skin care etc and visit a Teaching Hospital to ensure that you get the specialized care you require at this time.
 
All the best.
 
Have a good night y’all 😀

 

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Belly Fat

Posted on January 17, 2016 by chatwithdrketch
Genetics can be a factor in the issue of belly fat (central obesity). However, other major factors are really what we eat, how much of it and how much exercise we get.
 
If you ensure that your plate always has all food groups in it, you’ll be fine. First, focus on portion control. The first practical step in doing this is reduce the size of plate that you ordinarily eat with. Then, ensure that half of this plate is filled with vegetables, a quarter of it with protein and the last quarter with the carbs to be eaten. For carbohydrates, focus on the complex carbohydrates like brown rice, local rice (Abakaliki rice or Ofada rice), sweet potatoes, oatmeal, whole wheat bread, millet etc. For instance, you can have a half a plate filled with vegetables (remember to go extra easy on the oil during preparation), quarter of the plate filled with whole wheat meal and then your protein of choice, preferably fish or poultry. It is important to have more of the vegetables, because these fill you up, absorb loads of fluid and keep you feeling fuller for longer! 😀
 
For more tips on losing belly fat, get your copy of the book, ‘Just For The Health Of It’
 
This is a great read and a fabulous gift to loved ones. It 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, festive seasons etc. It’s a gift that keeps on giving 😀
 
Here’s what someone said after receiving it as a gift:
‘Good morning, Dr Ketch. I was given your book (Just For The Health Of It) as a Christmas gift by a friend of mine. I’m so happy. God bless you’
 
Make yourself and someone else happy by getting a copy from any of the following outlets:
 
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) Jumia.com. Just click on this link http://www.jumia.com.ng/jumia-books-just-for-the-health-of-it-with-dr-ketch-179486.html and get a copy. You have the option of paying when the book is delivered to you or paying online. This service is available all over Nigeria.
 
4) If you’re outside the country, please visit Amazon through this link http://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.
 
Have a great week ahead, y’all 😀
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Daily Health Tips: Update On Lassa Fever

Posted on January 16, 2016 by chatwithdrketch

As another week rolls to an end, we are faced with the news of a brand new case of Ebola in Sierra Leone even while we are still contending with the news of Lassa fever! And this was just after WHO had declared West Africa Ebola-free earlier in the week! By the way, for those in Lagos, a case of Lassa fever has also been confirmed here!

Transmission of Lassa Fever to humans is usually from contact with food or other household items that have been contaminated with faeces or urine of infected rat (Mastomys). Person to person transmission can also happen through direct contact with the bodily fluid (urine, blood, faeces etc) of an infected person.

Our big challenge in Nigeria may be related to our food production and distribution channels. Local food producers do not have automated means of drying produced foods like garri; so they dry them out in places where it may be easy for rats to have access.

Here are points to remember:

Avoid spreading food in places where rats have access to them eg grains, garri, yam chips for amala, plantain chips etc

The practice of eating tasting raw garri in the market and even drinking it (as quite a number of people like to do J) may not be a great idea now as you don’t know how this was processed.

If you believe your house may be infested by rats, please fumigate immediately. In the meantime, be sure to thoroughly clean and disinfect all surfaces especially in the kitchen. Indeed, starting the day by pouring a kettle of hot water all over the plates on your plates rack may be a great idea.

If you eat rats (and yes, some people do…especially the big ones which look almost human J), please give it a rest.

And do not forget your personal hygiene. Wash your hands and often too. If you cannot wash your hands at any given time, use hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. Be sure to wash your hands as soon as you can afterwards. Remember that sanitizers are not suitable for visibly dirty hands.

As we did during the Ebola time, please maintain your private space. Do not sneeze or cough into people’s faces.

If you’re caring for anyone with the infection, observe the rules of barrier nursing.

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Federal Ministry of Health can be contacted on 08093810105, 08163215251, 08031571667 and 08135050005 to report any suspected case of Lassa Fever.

For more on this, please call https://chatwithdrketch.com/2016/01/09/daily-health-tips-lassa-fever/

Stay safe people, J

 

 

 

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Daily Health Tips: Piles And Constipation

Posted on January 15, 2016 by chatwithdrketch
Q: What causes piles and constipation?
 
A: Piles, known as haemorrhoids in medical lingo are swollen veins in the anal canal. They can be internal, external or both internal and external can co-exist. Internal haemorrhoids occur when veins swell within the rectum and external haemorrhoids are found under the skin around the anus.
 
These haemorrhoids develop when there is undue pressure in the pelvic and anal area as can occur when people strain to pass faeces (if they have diarrhoea or are constipated), in pregnancy (especially the last 6 months), in obese people, people who eat diets low in fibre and people who practice anal intercourse. When women strain in labour, haemorrhoids can also be made worse. For those who love to visit the toilet with their newspapers and spend ages reading them in there, well, you’ve got breaking news! 😀 Sitting on the toilet seat for prolonged periods can also cause haemorrhoids. As people grow older, the support structures for these veins also grow weaker…naturally 😉
Some internal haemorrhoids can be small veins which stay within the rectum. Usually these internal haemorrhoids, stay inside the anus causing no problems. Other internal haemorrhoids can be big veins that sag and protrude out of the anal canal. Straining would cause their delicate surfaces to bruise and bleed.
 
Sometimes, the straining is sufficient to cause the haemorrhoids to protrude out of the anal canal. This is probably what has been described above in the question. When the haemorrhoids are compressed by anal muscles, the pain is made worse and the pressure can lead to cutting off of blood supply to the haemorrhoids.
 
External haemorrhoids can clot due to irritation forming a hard, painful lump under the skin around the anus.
People with haemorrhoids will complain of streaks of blood in the stool after stooling, blood on the tissue after cleaning up, anal pain, anal itching or a lump around the anus.
 
Treatment involves the use of ointments to relieve pain, inflammation and itching. There are other minimally invasive and surgical options available that range from rubber band ligation to surgical removal of the haemorrhoids.
 
You can also limit the discomfort you have by keeping the anal area clean, using wet wipes (non-perfumed) to clean up after using the loo, sit on a bowl of plain warm water for about 15 minutes about twice or three times per day and also use some pain relief, if in pain.
 
To prevent this, ensure that your diet has sufficient amounts of fruits and vegetables. Remember that if you take a regular flat plate, half of this should be filled with fruits and vegetables, half of the plate with complex carbohydrates and the last half with proteins.
 
Limit the time you spend sitting on the toilet seat (read your newspapers elsewhere :D), use the toilet as soon as you feel pressed (that way the fluid in the stool is not absorbed making the stool hard) and then don’t strain when you do go. Drink sufficient quantities of water daily, exercise (to keep everything moving along nicely :D)
 
For tiups on constipation, please click on this link
https://chatwithdrketch.com/2015/01/23/daily-health-tips-difficulty-with-passing-stool/
 
Have a great evening 😀
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Daily Health Tips: Eye Drops For Cataracts?

Posted on January 14, 2016 by chatwithdrketch
Q: Doc please is there any eye drop that can clear cataract? I will appreciate your esteemed advice. I always strain my eye whenever I am reading. Is there any medical advice please?
 
A: Eye drop for cataracts? Let’s tell you what it means to have cataracts first 😀
 
The lens of the eye is usually clear and is made up of protein and water. As one gets older, the protein gets clumped and vision becomes blurred. Initially, this may not significantly affect vision but with time, it becomes really difficult to read, drive a car etc. It’s like reading through a ‘water fall’ which, by the way, is the meaning of cataract 😀 In the initial stages, using stronger lighting may be helpful but with time, if this worsens and interferes with daily activities, surgery may be the next course of action.
 
The symptoms of cataract include blurred vision, double vision and difficulty with vision at night. Patients with cataract may also complain of yellowing of colours, seeing halos and being unduly sensitive to light.
 
Cataracts may occur as a natural process of aging as we grow older (oh, the joys of youth!!! :D). It is also common in diabetics, people with high blood pressure and people who smoke. Obesity, previous eye surgery or previous injury to the eye, family history of cataracts and excessive exposure to sunlight may also be pre-disposing factors. Some children develop cataract early in life while some others are born with it. Some are also due to infections in the mother while pregnant (like rubella – German measles) but these ones hardly cause problems with vision. When they do, removal of the cataract is the way to go.
 
Finding out that you’ve got a cataract is not the end of the world…even if it ‘kinda’ looks like that 😀 If it doesn’t interfere with regular, daily activities, then perhaps you should leave well alone. In the interim, you could improve the lighting at home, read with a magnifying glass, limit night driving and be sure to protect your eyes from the sun’s glare by wearing good sun glasses. If it interferes with these daily activities, then surgery is the option. The surgery involves taking out the cloudy lens and replacing with a transparent plastic lens that allows the person see properly.
 
Though we really don’t know how to stop the development of cataracts or halt their progression, limiting your risk factors may help. This involves eating more fruits and vegetables and keeping weight within normal limits, quitting smoking, limiting alcohol use, protecting eyes from the sun’s glare by wearing good sun glasses and ensuring that any chronic medical conditions like Diabetes Mellitus and hypertension are kept well under control.
For other reasons why you may be straining your eyes, please click on these links:
https://chatwithdrketch.com/2014/11/28/daily-health-tips-why-is-my-vision-cloudy/
https://chatwithdrketch.com/2014/03/21/daily-health-tips-what-is-this-glaucoma/
 
Have a great evening 😀
 
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