chatwithketch

Q: Dr can someone who is HIV positive marry someone that is HIV negative provided she or he is taking drugs?

A: Thanks for writing in. Couples like the one you described above are known as sero-discordant couples. Can they get married? Well, the decisions on who to marry or not marry involves a whole lot more than the person’s HIV status, as I’m sure you know 🙂

Beyond those, being married to one who has a different HIV status from one also requires that one be emotionally and psychologically prepared for the challenges that may come with this union. Having addressed all these, sexual intimacy is possible between these two given the caveats in the post that I re-produce below:

Q: Hi Dr Ketch, thanks a lot for the exceptional work you are doing, may God reward you. Please I urgently need your advice. I am a guy in love with a lady who has all the qualities I need in a woman and she loves me so much. Our only problem is that she is HIV positive. We are thinking of getting married soon but I am afraid. Am I taking too much of a risk or are there ways we can marry without any problem? Please advice on the risk involved. Thanks.

A: Thanks for writing in. Couples with different HIV statuses s are called sero-discordant couples Of course there’s always a risk in marrying someone who is HIV positive if you’re sero-negative.

However, it is no longer the death sentence that we used to think it was and indeed, you don’t necessarily need to become infected if you follow some rules:

Ensure that your fiancée takes her anti-retroviral drugs to reduce her viral load and reduce the risk of infecting you.

However, even with the above, you still need to wear condoms while having sexual intercourse with her.

If there is an accidental exposure, like a broken condom during intercourse, be sure to use post exposure prophylaxis. These drugs used to treat HIV are usually taken daily for about 4 weeks to reduce chances of becoming HIV positive.

You can also commit to taking a tablet everyday as part of the pre-exposure prophylaxis. This prophylaxis is essentially tablets used to treat HIV and can reduce the risk of contracting HIV. Remember that this should be used alongside condoms when having sexual intercourse.

Be sure to also test for HIV and other STDS at least once a year.

For related posts, please click on the link below: https://chatwithdrketch.com/2014/04/11/daily-health-tips-can-my-hiv-positive-pregnant-friend-have-a-baby-without-problems/

All the best 🙂

Q: Thanks Dr for your advice. Could you help me with the food to eat when having cancer?

A: Thanks for writing in
Our diet plays a huge role in our health. Some food tips to help you fight cancer:

Limit Red Meat and Animal Fat
Studies have shown that a diet high in animal fat increases the risk for several types of cancer, particularly colon cancer. Poultry and fish contain less fat than red meat, thus reducing the red meat in your diet may help to prevent cancer. A diet high in fat also is major cause of obesity, which is a risk factor for many types of cancer.

Reduce Your Alcohol Intake
Drinking excessive amounts if alcohol have been implicated as risk factor for many types of cancer. Studies suggest that men who consume 2 alcoholic drinks per day and women who have 1 alcoholic drink per day significantly increase their risk factors for certain types of cancer. Remember that these are the generally ‘approved’ or ‘recommended’ limits of alcohol for men and women daily….spend a moment and just reflect on that.

Eat Your Fruits and Veggies
A diet rich in fruits and vegetables greatly reduces your risk of developing cancer and many other conditions.
Fruits and vegetables contain antioxidants, which help repair our damaged cells. Green, orange and yellow fruits and vegetables are your best bet to help prevent cancer. Studies also show that dark fruits, like blueberries and grapes, may also have anti-cancer properties.
Cruciferous vegetables such as cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower are especially useful in preventing cancer, according to numerous studies.

Avoid Smoking and Exposure to Smoke
Smoking has been implicated in not only lung cancer, but many other types of cancer. It is the most significant cancer risk factor that we can reduce by quitting or never starting.

Practice Safe Sex
Unsafe sex has been implicated in cervical cancer. Unsafe sex can cause infection with the human papillomairus (HPV), which can cause cancer of the cervix and is a risk factor for other types of cancer. HPV is a common sexually transmitted infection that is spread through sexual, skin-to-skin contact. There is a vaccine to prevent this cancer now. Please ask your doctor. HIV/AIDS is also associated with some types of cancers. Get screened regularly

So, now you know :D. Have a goodnight, y’all 😀

Q: Good evening Dr. Ketch. I want to ask if it’s healthy for a pregnant woman to eat banana. God bless

A: God bless you too.

Bananas are healthy to eat during pregnancy along with other fruits and vegetables. Aim for at least 5 portions of fruits per day.

Generally, food focus during pregnancy is on the same things you ate before you got pregnant…assuming you were eating right :D. More fruits and veggies, complex carbohydrates (they are rich in fibre and keep you feeling full for a longer period of time) like beans, oatmeal, sweet potatoes, brown rice etc. Load up on proteins too (fish, chicken etc), calcium rich foods like yoghurt, skimmed milk…you don’t want to experience those muscle cramps of pregnancy. They can be excruciating! I know…I’ve had them 😀

Eat 5 small meals a day: breakfast, snack, lunch, snack and dinner. This should keep the hunger pangs at bay and deal with the cravings. You probably will still crave stuff: Iyaalamala’s food, ice cream with all the toppings, a ‘ginormous’ (for the uninitiated, this is a word formed from a mixture of gigantic and enormous. Cute, right?)burger etc. and guess what? You can give in once ina blue moon, just don’t make it a habit! If you take in more calories than you need, you run the risk of having a big baby with all the complications associated with that during pregnancy and delivery and of course, it’s harder to get back to your pre-pregnancy weight after the baby.

I hope this helps 😀

Have a good night, everyone 😀

Q: Hello doc, I’m having a reaction in between my breasts. Although I’m busty and I wear I very good bra. I itch each time I remove the bra to have my bath. After scratching it, I notice little swells like mosquito bites. Please, what can I do about it? I have been married for six months. I’m confused. I don’t know if it’s one of the signs of early pregnancy. Please,advice me.

A: Hello dear, thanks for writing in. People who are busty usually have a challenge with accumulation of fluids (water after taking a bath and not wiping down well or sweat after a long day) under their breasts. The focus should be on ensuring that you clean under your breasts after having a bath and use cotton bras.

For more on this, I reproduce a previous post I had made on this subject:

Underneath the breasts and between the inner thighs are usual places for rashes to form especially in overweight or busty people. This would usually occur when tight clothing or fabrics that do not allow your skin to ‘breathe’ trap moisture (sweat) between the skin folds. Thus, constantly wearing tights (cycling shorts) or polyester fabrics etc may lead to accumulation of this moisture which is a rich culture medium for fungal and other organisms to thrive. People with this fungal infection may also have athlete’s foot. For more on athlete’s foot, please click on the link

Daily Health Tips: Is This A Fungal Infection?

Other causes of itchy skin in these areas could be:
• Psoriasis (pronounce with the P silent) which could be triggered by stress, smoking, cold weather, injury to the skin etc
• Allergy: It could be a reaction to the fabric of bras or panties/underpants or even to medications taken
• Excessively dry skin from taking very hot baths etc
• Disease conditions like Diabetes Mellitus may also lead to itching in these areas.
• Pregnancy can cause itchy skin or worsen existing ones.
Treatment depends on cause.
• Generally, reduce stress and keep healthy by eating properly and exercising. Stress leads worsening of itching conditions and keeping healthy helps prevent overgrowth of fungal infections.
• Wearing cotton undies and avoiding tight fitting clothes are very helpful remedies.
• Try taking a bath with lukewarm water and then do not dry your skin thoroughly before moisturizing. For more on this please click on this link:https://chatwithdrketch.com/2013/11/06/daily-health-tip/
• Diagnosis of psoriasis and Diabetes Mellitus will be made by the doctor who will advice on treatment.

I hope this helps.

Have a great night y’all 😀

Q: Please, can I drink aloe vera and lime to lose weight?

A: Aloe vera is great with many health benefits. But useful for weight loss in combination with lime? It sounds like one of those fad diets I have heard about. This is a variation of another question I have been asked before…

Q: Good morning Doc, please what is the best solution for weight loss? Is hot drink and lime a good idea to achieve a weight loss?

A: Hmmm! What did you have in mind? Taking the hot drink (alcoholic spirit) alone or in combination with the lime? 😀 Now, you have to forgive me, but I’m always amused at the fact that we think that there are short cuts to these stuff. Unfortunately, losing weight is pure hard work: sweating and grunting.

Alcohol’s health benefit is usually touted in the area of heart health where moderate alcohol consumption is thought to provide some benefits to the heart. Moderation is described as one drink of alcoholic beverage per day for women and also for men 65 years and older and two drinks for men younger than 65 years. However, even these moderate servings of alcohol are also associated with cancers and other disease conditions. Indeed, the beneficial effects of this moderate alcohol on the heart can be reproduced by paying attention to diet and exercising at least 150 minutes per week.
In addition, alcohol contains empty calories which will definitely mess up anyone’s weight loss plan and when people drink alcohol, they lose their inhibitions and may completely forgo their diet plan and eat all sorts 😀

Lemon on the other hand is thought to have some cleansing properties and also helps whiten the teeth. It is full of vitamins and anti-oxidants that help fight disease. Too much of this can lead to erosion of the enamel of the teeth (leaching away of the top coating of the teeth).

Remember that any diet that leads to undue restrictions by completely eliminating certain food groups or restricting diets to liquids only may not only be a health hazard but is also not sustainable. Sustainable diet plans focus on making sure you get the right quantity of foods from each food group to nourish your body.

For more of what to do to lose weight, 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) 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.

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 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

Have a great day, y’all 😀

Nobody wants to die young and heart diseases are a leading cause of death worldwide. Eating healthy is a task that may appear daunting especially in a place like Nigeria, as we really do not have a culture of reading food labels in these parts. So here are some quick tips to help ensure you are getting enough of the good fats:

• Cook with healthier oils. Generally oils that are liquid at room temperature are good for you. If the oil is solid at room temperature, give it a miss.

• Snack on nuts. You can also add them to salads for an extra crunch. I also like them in my yoghurt. Remember to go easy on portions and serve by the handful

• Avocados are a good source of mono-unsaturated fats which help protect your heart and prevent stroke. You can eat it on its own, use it in a wheat bread sandwich, throw it into a salad or even serve it up with some jollof rice

• Stock up on fatty fish like sardines and mackerel. They are good sources of Omega-3 fatty acids which is great for your heart

• Remember that even with healthy options, portion control is key. Always keep this in mind.

Have a great weekend, y’all 😀

Q: Good morning Dr Ketch, thanks so much for the information you’ve been helping us with. Please, is there anything I can do? My 10 years old daughter is developing only the left side breast while right side shows no sign of developing.

A: Thanks for writing in and sharing your concerns. The good news is, there may not be any causes for concern.

A number of people would have noticed asymmetries in their bodies: one foot bigger than the other or one breast that appears to be bigger than the other. That’s the beauty of our uniqueness as individuals. The difference, in a lot of cases is hardly noticeable really.

During puberty, the breast tissue starts to develop due to the effect of the hormone, estrogen. Sometimes, the tissue of one breast is more responsive to the effects of estrogen than the other. Or one breast could have more tissue than the other. However, the other breast catches up sooner than later. If this asymmetry continues for more than 6 months, please take her in to see the doctor.

In the meantime, reassure her (and yourself too :D)

Have a good night, y’all 😀

Q: Hi Dr, well done for the good help you render here, God’s continuous blessings be with you…Amen. I have been having frequent boils in my underarm, it comes especially a day or two after I shave. Please, I’ll like to know what causes it. Thank you

A: Hello and thanks for writing in.

A boil, also called a skin abscess, is an infection of a hair follicle deep in the skin. Boils can occur in any part of the body, but most frequently in the armpits, groin, around the vagina/anus areas, around a tooth and at the back. They are often swollen, painful, and after a few days collect as a head of pus and debris (this explains what you noticed) which can rupture on their own when soft or ‘ripe’ or may require a health expert to cut it open and drain it (if it’s quite large).

Boils in the underarm after shaving can be caused by an ingrown hair (the hair instead of growing upwards, grows inwards into the skin as may occur following shaving). To prevent this, you may try shaving when the underarm hair is moist like after a bath or using a depilatory cream.

For a related topic on other causes of painful lumps in the underarm, please click on this link:

Daily Health Tips: Why Does My 11-Year Old Daughter Have Painful Lumps In Her Underarms?

Have a good night, everyone grin emoticon

Q: Can a lady that has fibroids get pregnant? If she can conceive, can the baby survive?

A: Fibroids may or may not cause inability to have a pregnancy. It depends on size and position. Big fibroids in the area of the womb where a baby is meant to implant may cause a miscarriage or indeed, failure of the fertilized embryo to implant

If the lady conceives, the baby can survive. However she has to be managed in a center with a good obstetrician who is aware of the issues and will anticipate any problem.

For details of fibroids in pregnancy and treatment options for fibroids, please click on these links:

Daily Health Tips: Fibroid In Pregnancy.

Daily Health Tips: Are There Other Treatment Methods For Fibroids Other Than Surgery?

I hope y’all had a great day? Good night 😀

Q: How healthy is sucking of a woman’s vagina by the husband, Dr?

A: Thanks for writing in. Different people feel differently about oral sex. Some people like it but others associate ‘down there’ with urine, menstruation and other eekies 🙂 This makes it difficult to imagine hubby’s mouth down there.

The first issue to deal with is cleanliness of the vagina. Be sure that you keep it clean. Water and clean hands are usually sufficient to do a great cleaning job while taking a bath. Otherwise, the vagina does a good job cleaning itself out with secretions. For additional tips on this, please click on this link:

Daily Health Tips: Should I Wash My ‘Intimates’ With Disinfectant?

Now, there are no hard and fast rules about oral sex. If you like it, go for it. If you don’t, you don’t have to. If you haven’t experienced it, then you probably don’t even know whether you like it or hate it…you may want to give it a try. Whatever you decide, this has to be discussed between both partners to ensure that communication is open and sincere. Lack of communication about this can lead to a strain in the relationship.

Remember also that Sexually Transmitted Infections can be spread through oral sex…some people believe that by doing this they can avoid STIs. For more information on this, please click on this link: https://chatwithdrketch.com/2015/03/17/daily-health-tips-my-husband-and-i-have-different-sexual-tastes/

Have a good night, y’all 😀