chatwithketch

Is your hospital bag ready? I use the word ‘bag’ advisedly! 😀 I know some of you have huge bags…scratch that! I know some of you have huge boxes packed full with every imaginable (and unimaginable) thing you can think of. But guess what? You just may not need all those. Are you also worried about what to expect, how much the pain would be etc? Well, you should certainly read this 😀

As a medical student and young doctor, I spent a lot of time in the labour wards and seeing women in labour gave me very clear ideas about what I wanted and did not want to happen when it was my turn. First, not for me, all that screaming and moaning and shouting at any and everybody, including present or absent husbands who got them pregnant! Nope, I wasn’t going to do that I was going to maintain my dignity and if need be, just moan fashionably :DI had also been told that a popular old wives’ tale had it that if you screamed in your first pregnancy, you were likely to scream for every other pregnancy afterwards. Seriously!!! Of course, I knew there was no truth to that, but not screaming was also in keeping with my original plan, so why not?! The funniest part of this plan is the fact that I had no plan to use epidural anaesthetic (the injection that makes women not feel pain during child birth)! So how on earth was I not going to scream? Not the best of plans, aye?! 😀

Then, all that drama with the pregnant women practically stripping themselves naked from the pain et al,- that just wasn’t going to be me! Nope! I would check into hospital with my fashionable ‘big gown’, red in colour…of course…to suit the purpose. Not for me the stripping naked in front of all those male doctors…most of whom I knew, making it even more embarrassing!

My hospital bag? Oh, I felt I had time. And so, it was 2 days before I eventually put to bed that I finally felt the pressure to ensure that I was all packed up. After I came back from shopping, I went into labour the next day and put to bed early hours of the day after. You don’t want that to be you! 😀

Let’s make this easier for you. Here are the top essentials for your carry-on luggage to the hospital. We’ll break it up into things for you, things for him, (your loving hubby), and things for your new baby. We’ll further break the requirements for mum and baby into need to have, nice to have and absolutely not!

Things for mum
Need to have:
• Health Insurance/plan card: You don’t want to have to pay money when you’re on a plan that covers this service
• Tooth paste/brush, creams and lotions and other toiletries including make-up: Yes, make-up. We still have to look and smell good through it all 😀
• ………………………………….

Nice to have:
• Camera with charger and other consumables needed
• A ‘wow’ outfit to go home in. Honestly, this is a must-have for me now that I’m older and wiser 😀 I didn’t have it any of the 3 times I passed through this, though, but should have 😀 Truth is, you can very well go home in the outfit you came to the hospital in except you’re the princess of Wales and you know the whole world will be waiting outside to see what you look like.
…………………………………………….

Absolutely not:
A year’s supply of clothes for baby…or even you! 😀

For him
• Tooth paste/brush and toiletries
………………………………..

For baby
• First wears
…………………………………………..

For details of these requirements and so much more, get a copy of the book, Just For The Health Of It.

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

Here are some quick tips to ensure that you have fresh breath all day long.

• Limit or stop tobacco use. If you smoke, quit. Your bad breath may be due to other causes, too, but tobacco use is a guarantee of bad breath. If you are ready to quit, ask your doctor or dentist for advice and support.
• Watch what you eat. Certain foods, such as garlic, contribute to bad breath, but only temporarily. Once they are absorbed into the bloodstream, the smell is expelled through the breath, but the odors remain until the body processes the food, so there’s no quick fix.
• Drink/sip some water often. If your mouth is extremely dry, there is not enough saliva to wash away excess food particles and bacteria, which can cause an unpleasant smell if they build up on the teeth.
• See your dentist at least twice a year: That smell may very well be due to an infection. Bad breath that seems to have no other cause may indicate an infection elsewhere in the body. If you have chronic bad breath and your dentist rules out any oral problems, see your doctor for an evaluation. Bad breath can be a sign of a range of conditions including respiratory tract infections, chronic sinusitis or bronchitis, diabetes, or liver and kidney problems, so it’s important not to ignore the problem.
• Use the right toothpaste and brush. The best way to improve bad breath is to follow a thorough oral care routine including twice-daily tooth brushing and daily flossing to remove the food particles and bacteria that can cause bad breath. Mouthwashes only improve bad breath for the short term.

For more oral health tips, please visit https://www.facebook.com/oralbnigeria?fref=ts

Q: Dear Dr, I watch your health tips always, I’ve been married for some years without a child. It’s been revealed that I have tiny fibroids. What kinds of foods and drinks should I avoid so the fibroids would not get enlarged? Thanks

A: You didn’t tell me how long you’ve been married for or better still, how long you’ve been trying for a baby. Usually, if it’s not up to one year of frequent, unprotected sex, then we would not be quick to say there is a problem. By the way, frequent unprotected intercourse means that sexual intercourse is not less than 3 times a week and it is done without any means of contraception.

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. Your doctor will take a decision on what to do with the fibroids based on size, symptoms etc

What foods to avoid? Once fibroids have been developed, shrinking their size can be conveniently done using medication. There’s no evidence to support the role of food in shrinking fibroids.
For more on fibroids, please click on the link: https://chatwithdrketch.com/2014/05/29/daily-health-tips-are-there-other-treatment-methods-for-fibroids-other-than-surgery/

Have a great weekend, everyone 😀

This week on the Dr Ketch Show, we explore healthy snacking…especially in children. We also take a peek into the snack box of some child celebrities and find out what’s in there. We provide helpful recipes in the kitchen to aid the busy mother rustle up some healthy and tasty snacks for her children and hey, they are also good for you…the adult 😀

If you missed the show yesterday, catch it on Africa Magic Showcase:
Today (Friday): 11.30am
Saturday: 4pm
Sunday: 7pm
Monday: 11.30am

Have a great day at work, people 😀

Q: Good evening ma’am. Please, I have a question for you…after giving birth I didn’t really take ‘udah’ n ‘aju Mbaise’ because the udah was giving me seriously tummy bite so I stopped taking it and I did exclusive breastfeeding just for 1month. I met with a doctor and I told her about this and she screamed and told me that it’s only those things that can contract the womb after child birth. I am really scared. Please, Doc does this mean my womb is still open? I will really love to have more kids. Thanks

A: Hi dear, thanks for writing in. If you’d like to have more kids…then more kids you’ll have! Provided that there is no other issue except the ‘herbs/spices’ you didn’t take 😀 I believe these are spices used to make Nigeria’s speciality pepper soup for women who just delivered. I understand the spices are meant to increase blood flow and help the tummy return to its normal size. The good news is, you don’t need the soup to have good blood flow or for your tummy to return to normal size.

Exclusive breastfeeding, usually, is for 6 months after which other feeds are added. Aim to do this for your next baby…except there’s a medical reason why this cannot happen. Breastfeeding helps the process of the womb contracting and returning to its normal size (involution). This process takes about 6 to 8 weeks and the womb (uterus) should be back to its pre-pregnancy state. Note that I said that breastfeeding speeds up this process, but even without it, the uterine involution continues. Trust me, I didn’t have the Mbaise udah and aju and I managed to have three children with no issues and my womb is absolutely NOT open! 😀

So, relax. Your womb is not open…unless you have some retained products of conception in there etc and not because you didn’t have the pepper soup. Retained products would present with bleeding (amongst other symptoms) and your doctor would know and take appropriate actions.

For more on your tummy after your baby, please click on this link:

Daily Health Tip: my tummy after my baby

Mbaise people on this page, feel free to tell us more about what these ‘spices’ are meant to do.

Have a good night y’all 😀

Q: I have pimples. I am married and have given birth but still have pimples. Please what do I do, Doctor?

A: Pimples and acne have been a recurring question for a while. So, I’ve reproduced one of my old posts on the subject.

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 make-up 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 evening!

Q: Doc, good morning. Please does eating oats make one to add weight because I have changed from garri to oats but friends say I am getting bigger.
Thanks.

A: I have received a couple of questions on oats since I posted on oats, bloating and weight loss.
Now, remember that even when a particular food is touted to be a healthy option, it still has calories (perhaps, except for water) and so if you take more than what you need, you will certainly add weight.
There’s a funny thing that tends to happen when people start doing ‘healthy stuff’. They, sort of, compensate for their hard work with unhealthy stuff…weird, right? I’ll give you an example. Someone goes to the gym, gets back home and eats a huge plate of white bread (perhaps about 6 slices). About 3 boiled or fried eggs, 2 glasses of sugar-filled juice or any variation of this. Now, the fact that you exercised does not make what you ate any less calorie-filled than if you had not exercised. To put this in perspective, a tablespoon of olive oil contains 120 calories (and you probably had a couple of tablespoons of oil in your eggs). If you went to the gym and lost, perhaps 300 calories, with just one meal, you’ve gained back the calories you lost and there are still 2 snacks and 2 major meals to get through! 😀

Another thing that I see happening a lot is that people think it’s okay to over-indulge in ‘healthy’ stuff. And so, using the example in the question, perhaps eating oats gave a mistaken impression that it was okay to eat a huge bowl of it…after all, it is a healthier option.

So, what can one do…especially in a place like Nigeria, where the calorie content of foods are not easily determined? Well, watch your portions. So, if you are to eat ground oats with soup, mentally divide your plate into two. One part of the plate should be filled with vegetable soup (fresh vegetable soup, hopefully cooked with ‘invisible’ 😀 or no oil). The remaining half of the plate should be divided into two: one half should have the proteins to be eaten (eg fish) and the last part should be filled with the starch (it’s better to go for complex carbs like oatmeal which are digested slower and do not cause sugar spikes).

Someone jokingly asked me once, whether portions that were piled pretty high were still okay, provided they stayed within ‘allocated’ spaces in the plate as I have advised above. The answer is obviously NO 😀 Flat plates and flat portions are the way to go!

So, if you eat a huge plate of oats daily as opposed to the portion noted above (which should ideally be no bigger than your fist or the measure of your palm), you will certainly be adding more weight, despite your good intentions.

Remember that having your oats the good old-fashioned way with slices of fruits and a sprinkling of nuts, provides you with a ‘filling’ start for the day, full of fibre, vitamins, complex carbs etc

For related posts, please click on these:

Daily Health Tip: Weight loss (facts and fiction)

Daily Health Tips: Weight Loss Revisited

Have a good night, people 😀

Q: I’ve heard that taking oats is good for me,,,but I have found that when I take it, sometimes, it makes me feel bloated. What do I do?

A: Good question, I reproduce my post on bloating. It ansers this question, pretty well.

Bloating is usually caused by the twin factors of what you have eaten and how you chose to eat it.
For what you have eaten, easy culprits are rich, fatty foods, beans, dairy (especially in lactose intolerant people), high fibre foods like oats (if lots of water is not taken afterwards) etc.

How can how you eat cause you a problem?

If you tend to over-eat or rush your food (eat it very fast or like a friend of mine would say, ‘inhale’ it :D), then you are a target for bloating. The reason is that you eat so fast that you don’t give enough time for signals to travel to your brain from the stomach confirming that you are full. By the time that signal arrives, you are all stuffed up and bloated to boot! Note that it may take up to 20 minutes for those signals that confirm fullness to get to the brain…sounds like a long journey 😀

Other causes of bloating are swallowed air (which can happen when we eat too fast or drink too fast) and smoking.

Prevention?

This is really simple: Reduce portion sizes, limit your intake of fats, eat slowly, quit smoking and limit your intake of foods that cause this, if all else fails.

If your bloating is caused by swallowed air, avoid carbonated drinks (most soft drinks fall into this category), don’t drink with straws (at least on a regular basis) avoid chewing chord…oh, sorry! 😀 I meant to say, avoid chewing gum and stay off your candies that you suck so hard and suck in quite a bit of air too!
Remember that if this ‘gassiness’ continues ‘regularly, you should see your doctor to be sure this is not the symptom of something else.

So, when next you attend that party today, go easy on the food. Take a small serving and eat slooowly 😉
Have a great week ahead!

For everyone who wonders how to lose weight, how to make their tummy flat and indeed, how to eat healthier the glycaemic index is a concept you need to understand.

Glycemic index is a measure that ranks foods that contain carbohydrates on a scale of 0 to 100. The higher the number, the faster the food is digested, causing fluctuations in the blood sugar level and the lower the number, the slower the food is digested causing less fluctuations in the blood sugar level. So the focus should be on foods with low glycemic index. If you reduce your portion sizes and are exercising and generally doing the right things, you may still be adding weight or not losing weight if you’re eating a lot of food with high glycemic index.

There are 8 principles that guide you through this.
1) Eat a lot of beans (any and every type), non starchy veggies (garlic, onions, leeks, chives, cabbage, broccoli, lettuce, tomatoes, peppers etc) and fruits like apples, berries, peaches and pears.

Get more of these principles from the book, Just For The Health Of It. Get a copy via:

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.

2) If you’re in Lagos, please visit 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 week ahead, y’all 😀