Personal Hygiene Tips Proudly Brought To You By Safeguard.

Posted on April 11, 2015 by chatwithdrketch

When you have a cold, it’s easy for the virus to go round everyone at home and even work. Let’s help you prevent this from happening again.

Here are our 5 top tips to prevent spread of germs when you have a cold
• Wash your hands frequently and avoid touching your face.
This is a no-brainer, right? If you sneeze into your hands and then touch your face or nose, you are constantly re-infecting yourself and so you may remain a major source of infection for a while. If you leave your face, well alone, then you are more likely to kick the bugs faster.
• Keep your drinking glasses and towels separate from other people.
Again, this appears to be common sense. Don’t drink from the same glasses as other people and please keep your towels separate from other people. Be sure to remember that these ‘other people’ include our significant others. Mhmmm! So find other ways of showing love at this time 😉
• If possible, avoid being close to other people
As much as possible, avoid invading other people’s private spaces and stop people from invading yours. That way you don’t expel your droplet infections right into their faces and bodies. In fact, if you have a baby, you may have to use a face mask.
• The best way to cough is into the crook of your arm.
Please sneeze into the crook of your arm. If you are wearing a long sleeved shirt or a jacket, remember that you would have increased the population of germs on this jacket by coughing into it. So be sure to wash these clothes at the end of the day. If you are wearing a short sleeved shirt, you are unlikely to be shaking anyone with that part of your body but be sure to take a bath at the end of the day.
• Do not shake people if you have just coughed or sneezed into your hands.
Just in case, in spite of your best efforts, you still find that you have just sneezed or coughed into your hands, be sure not to shake anyone and wash your immediately. Where washing is not immediately possible, a hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol will suffice

Remember that personal hygiene can save lives. Let’s practice more of it.

For more hygiene tips from Safeguard Nigeria​, please visit https://www.facebook.com/SafeguardNG?fref=ts

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Daily Health Tips: Irregular Periods

Posted on April 10, 2015 by chatwithdrketch

Q: Hello Dr K, please kindly advice me on what to do when you an irregular flow of menstruation. Thank you.

A: A ‘regular’ menstrual cycle is supposedly one in which the cycle (the length of time from the 1st day of a menstrual period to the first day of the next menstrual period) is about 28 days but there is nothing abnormal about cycles that fall outside of this range. It could range from about 24 days to 34 days with ovulation happening at mid cycle. Indeed, in some women each period appears to have a different cycle. For young girls who have just started menstruating, skipped or irregular periods may occur.
What do people refer to as irregular periods? Well, if the time between each period changes, or the length of days of the period changes or indeed when the quantity of blood lost during each period changes, the period is termed irregular. What can cause these changes? They include:

• Changes in hormone levels, as is common in the puberty period or menopausal period.
• Stress
• Excessive weight loss or excessive weight gain
• Fibroids
• Problems with the thyroid (hyperthyroidism)
• Polycystic Ovary Disease (PCOD)
• Scarring from previous surgery in the uterus
• Pregnancy cannot be overlooked as a cause of irregular bleeding and has to be checked out.
• Breast feeding mothers may also experience irregular periods as the hormones released may delay return of menstruation. Remember, however, that this is not an effective means of contraception.

So, it’s always a good idea to keep a record of your periods: length of cycles, number of days the period lasts, presence of pain etc. If you keep a chart of this over time, you would be able to know what is normal for you.

Treatment of irregular periods depends on cause: fibroids, PCOD, hyperthyroidism all have to be treated. If irregularity is due to stress, learning coping mechanisms or relaxation techniques may help. Reduce weight or go easy on your exercise routine, if weight issues are a problem.

However, be sure to see your doctor if your period is consistently below 21 days or more than 35 days, if you menstruate for longer than one week, bleed in between periods or experience severe cramps.

For related topics, please click on https://chatwithdrketch.com/2014/06/27/daily-health-tips-why-do-i-have-scanty-periods/

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

Have a great weekend, y’all 😀

Posted in Uncategorized | 4 Comments

Daily Health Tips: Is Lemon Safe To Take In Pregnancy?

Posted on April 9, 2015 by chatwithdrketch

Q: Hi Doc. Please, is taking lemon water good for a woman trying to conceive? Thanks

A: Another variant of this question that I get often is whether lemon helps weight loss. I’ll discuss both.
Lemon is chock full of Vitamin C, an anti-oxidant and thus by extension could have some anti-cancer properties. Lemons are low in calories…perhaps that’s where their weight loss claim came from 😉 However, I don’t know how many people would have lemons for breakfast, lunch or dinner! Way too tart and sour! Most people add some lemon (slices or squeeze some of its juice) into water. This is okay provided that the amount of lemon juice is not overly much. Lemon juice contains ascorbic acid which could cause erosion of the enamel (the protective covering of the teeth), leaving one open to dental problems. Thus, it’s important to rinse out the mouth after taking lemon water drinks or lemons.

Now to pregnancy, I loved lemons during my pregnancies. They were the one thing guaranteed to ‘wake up’ my mouth and chase nausea far away. I also had a particular brand of very tart bubble gum, I indulged in 😀 These were key for me because, though I didn’t have the real bad case of morning sickness that sent you to the hospital, brushing my teeth in the morning always sent me into a bout of retching/vomitting. So, I always had a ready supply of the gum or lemon/lime to pop into my mouth once I was done brushing/retching! Not a very pleasant memory ;D

So, if lemons work for you to prevent nausea, go for it. Remember that moderation is key. A few drops (one or two) in a glass of water are enough to provide that tart kick that sends nausea far away. There is a catch here though…remember the heart burn associated with pregnancy. The acid content of lemon might make the heart burn and any pre-existing gastro-esophageal (stomach and esophagus/gullet) problems worse. So, this is all the more reason to be very moderate or stop if it exacerbates an already bad case of heart burn. Wherever and whenever in doubt, please be sure to see your doctor.

So, pregnant or not (including those trying to conceive) lemon water is fine in moderation as described above.

Please click on the links below for related topics:

Daily Health Tips: Weight Loss (The Role Of Lemons And Exercise)

Daily Health Tips: Can I Lose Weight By Taking Hot Drink And Lemon?

I hope you’ve all had a great day? Have an even better night 😀

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Daily Health Tips: I Want Help To Quit Smoking!

Posted on April 8, 2015 by chatwithdrketch

Q: I am 42 years old and I am an addicted smoker since I was 14years. I smoke at least 2 packets (40 sticks) of Benson & Hedges a day. I am married and we have 2 lovely children. I have tried several times to quit smoking on my own, but for every time I tried to quit, I seem to resume the habit with a renewed vigour. I know this habit may kill me, but it’s an uphill task trying to quit on my own my own will without a support system. My kids are afraid I would die from the habit. I would like you to refer me to a NICOQUIT expert (Doctor) here in Lagos, who I can consult and also a support group that I can join, with members who can support each other during the “cold turkey” phase of kicking the habit. I NEED YOUR HELP FAST, Dr. Ketch. PLEASE.

A: Thanks a whole lot for writing in. I am excited that you have decided to quit and appear to have the right crowd urging you on. That’s a wonderful place to start. If you need a home support group, you’ve got one right there! The fact that you’ve got your children rooting for you and praying for you to be there for them is a great incentive. Think about their first days in school, graduation, weddings, first grand children etc. There’s a whole lot to keep yourself healthy for! Another important point here is the fact that your smoking could also be endangering them. Second Hand Smoke (which is smoke you exhale or that from the lighted end of the cigarette) has been linked to lung and other cancers. So, by continuing with this habit, you are not only endangering yourself but your family! I’m sure you don’t want that.

Tobacco use is a major preventable cause of death worldwide.

The first step to quitting is having a clear desire to quit. You’ve got that already. You have to be positive, reminding yourself why you need to quit. Apart from having a good support system, avoiding the areas where one usually is encouraged to smoke is a good idea. Friends and acquaintances that encourage you to smoke, should not be seen too frequently…especially as you start off on this process.

It is important to have other hobbies and activities that take your mind off smoking or take the place of smoking…in a sense. Getting more active with a sporting activity or church activities or volunteering etc are all activities that can take the edge off quitting. Some have found switching to oral substitutes like chewing gum, carrots and mints, helpful.

Apart from your home support, having a support group of people who wish to quit also helps a lot. I have sent the phone number of a psychologist who can help you during this process. I will update this post shortly with websites that have information on support groups in Lagos for people who wish to quit.
Remember that half the work has been done…making the decision to quit. Having a wonderful family that you wish to be there for is an extra push. Knowing that lots of people have been able to kick this habit before you should confirm that you can do this!

I’m rooting for you…and praying for you!

Share the good news as the days progress. You could be encouraging someone else who wishes to quit! Let’s show that this can be done!

For a related post, please click on this https://chatwithdrketch.com/2015/02/24/daily-health-tips-im-trying-to-stop-smoking-pot/

Have a good night, y’all 😀

Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment

Daily Health Tips: World Health Day…Food Safety

Posted on April 7, 2015 by chatwithdrketch

Today is World Health Day. The focus for this year’s celebration is ‘Food Safety’ with the slogan, ‘From Farm To Plate, Make Food Safe.’

Are you aware of the different ways in which your food could become unsafe? Food hygiene is coming more and more under the radar because of increasing cases of food poisoning and issues experienced in keeping the integrity of the food chain even in very developed countries. Here are five issues you need to know about food hygiene.

• Eggs. These are at the root of more than 30 percent of food poisoning cases. So get your children to stay off them. If you’ve got children like mine, it may not be as easy as it sounds especially when you’ve mixed up a batch of cakes and are trying to convince them that the batter they desperately want to lick off the bowl is not healthy! Ensure that egg dishes eg French toasts (when you choose to indulge), custards etc are well cooked with no hint of raw eggs. The risk of salmonella infection is ever so real.
• Chicken. Poultry usually harbours the salmonella infection but because this meat is usually cooked before eating, it may not be a problem. However, cross contamination by using the same chopping board or work surface used to prepare chicken to prepare other foods could lead to a salmonella infection. This is also the case if the chicken is stored in the fridge in direct contact with other foods. Use different work surfaces for raw meats and other foods and please separate from other foods when storing in the freezer.
• Raw or slightly cooked fish. Worms in raw fish can survive in the intestines of man and cause infections. Thus fish has to be properly cooked. All you sushi lovers please pay attention. Appropriate cooking methods include grilling and poaching. You know that way most people fry their fish until it sounds and feels like plantain chips when you’re eating it? Well, that certainly will destroy any worm in the fish but is not healthy for you. Sounds like you can’t win, yeah?
• Raw or partially cooked meat. Provided meat is not minced, any surface contamination of the meat is easily eliminated by cooking. However, minced meat requires that the meat be cooked thoroughly all the way through. Lovers of tartar which are raw meat dishes should be especially wary. Wooden chopping boards are discouraged as cuts on them form rich reservoirs for germs.
• Fruits and vegetables are not common sources of food contamination but could get contaminated if prepared on a contaminated surface or if not in optimal quality when eaten. So be careful

The World Health Organization has a very handy 5 keys to safer food that sums all of this up:

Keep your hands clean. Remember that even hands that look clean, could very have germs on them: wash them after using the toilet, playing with pets, before food preparation etc

Separate raw and cooked foods so that you don’t transfer germs from foods like meat to other foods. Start off this separation when grocery shopping and pack these items differently, have different chopping boards for meats, veggies etc

Cook foods properly and reheat (warm) foods that have been cooked earlier, thoroughly. This ensures that any germs, present are destroyed by the heat involved.

Keep food at safe temperatures. Germs can comfortably grow in foods stored at room temperature. Refrigerating them slows down the multiplication of these germs and in some cases may stop the growth completely: cooked food should be piping hot, Frozen foods should be thawed in the refrigerator and not room temperature, cooked foods should not be stored at room temperature for longer than 2 hours etc

Finally, use safe water and produce.

So please make sure that you obey the cardinal rules of hygiene in the kitchen as in every other part of your life.

Have a good evening, y’all 😀

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Daily Health Tips: Constipation In Adults And Exclusively Breastfed Children

Posted on April 6, 2015 by chatwithdrketch

Q: Hello Dr Ketch….I have been having very strong stool since 3 months now that I had my baby. I try to drink enough water to no avail. I noticed that blood comes out with the stool especially when it is strong like that. And the pain is always very excruciating. In fact I get scared of eating because of fear of going to empty my bowel. What should I do? Do you think it’s cancer or something?

A: Do I think this is cancer? Not necessarily. We’ll start with the simple things first.

Constipation is when there are less than 3 bowel movements in a week. There are a couple of factors that could contribute to this: your diet, the amount of water you drink daily, the amount of exercise you have per day, whether you hold back from defecating when you feel the urge, whether one is pregnant or has Diabetes Mellitus etc.

It is possible that the stool is so hard that it has caused a tear of the skin lining the anus (anal fissure) leading to the blood seen with the stool.

I’m glad to hear that you’re drinking sufficient amounts of water. This is important. Other things that can help include eating more fibre (fruits and veggies), exercising for at least 150 minutes weekly, reduce alcohol and caffeinated drinks (they cause dehydration) and reduce processed food intake. It’s also a good habit to try going to the loo (toilet) as soon as you feel the urge.
If these self-help tips do not help, please see your doctor to rule out other causes like Diabetes Mellitus etc

For more on this, please click on https://chatwithdrketch.com/2015/01/23/daily-health-tips-difficulty-with-passing-stool/

Q: Hi Doc, what can cause a baby of 2 months plus not to pass excreta for about 5 days. Though I am doing exclusive breastfeeding for him and he sucks very much. During his birth, he weighed 4.3kg.

A: In contrast with the case discussed above for adults, in exclusively breastfed children, there can be episodes of lots of days without defaecation. This is not described as c onstipation. In children, the focus is more on the texture of the faeces when the child eventually defaecates as opposed to how often he goes. The ‘long duration’ in between stooling for exclusively breastfed babies is because the nutrients of breast milk are usually, practically all absorbed, leaving nothing to be excreted. Provided the eventual stool produced is not hard, then your baby should be okay. Where in doubt, it never hurts to see your doctor.

For more on constipation in babies, please click on https://chatwithdrketch.com/2014/10/15/daily-health-tips-is-my-2-month-old-baby-constipated/

Have a great night, y’all and a fabulous week ahead 😀

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Daily Health Tips: Breast Lump In A Man

Posted on April 5, 2015 by chatwithdrketch

Happy Easter to you all 😀 I hope you had a great day! My prayer for you all is that all your dreams, hopes and aspirations will receive fresh life, this season.

Q: Good day Doctor. Please what could be the cause of a swelling (a lump) in a man’s breast? Is it risky, ma’am & what are the steps to take? It’s been there for the past 5yrs now but it’s just been brought to my notice and he said it doesn’t hurt much. I need an urgent reply, ma’am.

A: Thanks for writing in.
When reporting a breast lump, it’s nice to put in some more information like whether the lump has increased in size, is associated with nipple discharge, whether there are any underarm swellings, change in appearance of the skin over the swelling etc.

A breast lump in a man is more commonly due to gynaecomastia…a condition in which there is painful breast tissue enlargement. This condition may be due to a hormonal imbalance or use of some drugs. For more on gynaecomastia, please click on this link https://chatwithdrketch.com/2013/12/06/daily-health-tips-enlarged-breast-tissue-in-men-gynaecomastia/

Other causes of non-cancerous breast lumps in men include lipoma (growth of fatty tissues that form a lump) and lumps due to injury or trauma to the breast (fat necrosis). However, the lump may also be a cancerous growth and this is important to rule out as most people assume that breast cancer occurs only in women. It can very well occur in men.

Please let him see a doctor as soon as possible to examine him and make a diagnosis immediately. Better safe than sorry.
Have a good night, y’all 😀

Posted in Uncategorized | 2 Comments

Saturday Hygiene Tips proudly brought to you by Oral B!

Posted on April 4, 2015 by chatwithdrketch

We often times focus a lot on the techniques for brushing our teeth and teaching children to brush their teeth and we hardly pay attention to the equipment for brushing. We want to rectify this. Here are our top tips for brushing teeth right.

• Use the right tooth brush:
Consider the size of your mouth or your children’s mouths when picking a toothbrush. You shouldn’t have to strain to accommodate the toothbrush in your mouth. The handle should also be very comfortable. Remember, the more comfortable the equipment is, the more likely your children are to use it frequently.

• Pick the right bristles:
We’ve always thought that the harder the bristles are the better they get the job done…right? Wrong! The bristles should be firm enough to get the job done but not so hard as to damage or aggravate the gums.

• Duration and Frequency of brushing:
Ideally brushing should be for about two minutes. To ensure that this is done, mentally divide your teeth into four quadrants/sections and try to spend at least 30 seconds on each quadrant.
Frequency should be between two to three times per day. Remember that too much time between brushings allows plaque to build up, increasing the risk of gum inflammation and other problems.

• Finish up with a rinse
Imagine the bacteria rendered homeless while brushing. Now imagine leaving them on that tooth brush ready to re-infect you while brushing the next time. Eew! I’m sure you don’t want that. Be sure to give the tooth brush a good rinse after use.

Finally, be sure that your toothbrush is not positioned too close to your Water Closet. Imagine all the germs being released into the air finding a ready home in your tooth brush close by, as the polluted water vapour settles after the toilet is flushed! :O Better still, flush with the toilet lid down.

For more on oral health, visit https://www.facebook.com/oralbnigeria

Posted in Uncategorized | 2 Comments

Daily Health Tips: World Autism Awareness Day

Posted on April 2, 2015 by chatwithdrketch

Today is World Autism Awareness Day. How many people actually know what autism is? Well, I reproduce one of my posts on this subject.

Ever heard of autism? It is major developmental problem that usually appears in early childhood and usually affects a child’s communication and interaction with other people.

These children usually do not respond to their environment or people. They may not respond when they are called, they would resist hugging/cuddling, do not maintain eye contact and generally prefer playing alone. They may not speak properly or speak later than expected, they don’t appear to understand simple instructions and they usually have a sing-song kind of voice. They also usually perform repetitive motions like rocking, may indulge in self-harming activities like head banging and may have the craving for things like chalk or other items not considered food.

Think about how many of these children have been branded witches in our traditional African societies. Think about how many of them have been beaten blue and black by parents who feel they are not smart enough. Think about the laughter and scorn these children go through. Food for thought.

For more on this subject, please click on this link: https://chatwithdrketch.com/2013/11/15/daily-health-tip-still-on-autism/

Have a good night, people 😀

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , | 5 Comments

Daily Health Tips: Is It Healthy To Eat Clay?

Posted on April 1, 2015 by chatwithdrketch

Q: Please is eating of clay(ulo) healthy? This is urgent.Please reply. Thanks

A: Eating clay and other non-food items is referred to as pica consumption. Ingestion of clay is known as geophagia. People eat clay for different reasons. Some claim to like the taste and the texture. More commonly, some pregnant women claim that it helps them to prevent the nausea and vomiting of early pregnancy.

Indeed, some new ‘regimens’ claim that clay has a detoxifying effect on the body when ingested. Well, I haven’t seen any evidence for this claim. There is however, evidence that some of these clay products eaten may be contaminated with arsenic or lead leading to arsenic or lead poisoning with attendant complications.

So, to answer your question simply, is eating clay healthy? No it’s not.

For more on pica consumption, please click on this link: https://chatwithdrketch.com/2014/05/19/daily-health-tips-if-i-drink-water-when-i-am-pregnant-will-my-baby-be-born-with-a-cold/

Have a good night, people 😀

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , | 5 Comments