chatwithketch

Today is World Cancer Day.

This year’s celebration has four central themes:
• Choosing to live healthy
• Delivering early detection
• Achieving treatment for all
• Maximizing the quality of life

These themes focus on how to use existing information to reduce the burden of cancer.

When you hear cancer, what vision is evoked in your mind? Death? The fact that people can beat this? The fact that it is possible for people to prevent this? What? Do you ever think that you have significant power in your hands to reduce your risk of this disease?
A study carried out in the US (San Diego) a couple of years ago showed that three lifestyle factors: smoking, poor diet and lack of exercise/activity led to 4 diseases: cancer, respiratory diseases (like asthma), heart disease and Diabetes/obesity. These diseases, in turn, were responsible for over 50% of deaths! A 3:4:50 relationship!!! Just think about that. Our lifestyle alone can significantly reduce our risk of diseases…this study made that aptly clear.

Focusing on cancer, what lifestyle changes can keep me safe?
• If you smoke, quit. If you don’t smoke, don’t start.
• Ensure that your home is smoke-free and try not to be close to even second-hand smoke.
• Eat healthy…more fruits and veggies. Lay off the processed foods.
• Get some exercise every day. At least 150 minutes per week.
• Reduce your alcohol intake.
• Get your children vaccinated for Hepatitis B and cervical cancer
• Get screened for cancer
• And guess what? Breastfeeding is protective against cancers…one more reason to ensure that your baby gets this all important goodness 😀

For more on this topic, please click on these links:

Daily Health Tips: Your food and cancer

Daily Health Tips: Superfoods that fight cancer!

Daily Health Tips: Debunk The Cancer Myths!

Daily Health Tips: How Can I Prevent cancer?

A pretty popular facebook post talks about how people with cancer just want to beat cancer…and that is so true. Today, you can join that fight by taking steps to ensure that you reduce your risk of ever having this disease.

Have a good night, people 😀

Q: Please ma’am, I need advice on this issue bothering me. I delivered my baby girl 3 weeks ago. Is it good to circumcise a baby girl? My hubby is against female circumcision and I am not against it. This disagreement has brought quarrel between us. Even the midwife I called says there is no need to circumcise her; that I should use my hand and be pressing it inside that it will go inside. Please, how possible is that and has anybody done that before? I need advice on what to do.

A: Thank you so much for writing in. Your midwife was right…there is no need. But that’s a mild way of describing this procedure. Internationally, this procedure called Female Genital Mutilation has been recognized as a violation of the fundamental human rights of the girl child and it has absolutely no medical benefit. Indeed, it subjects poor, defenseless and innocent children to needless pain and torture!

For those who don’t know, Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), also referred to as female circumcision is a procedure in which there is partial or complete removal of the female genitals or any other injury to the female genital organs for reasons other than medical. So, practices like cutting off all or part of the clitoris, cutting off the surrounding lips of the vagina, narrowing the vaginal opening, any harmful procedure to the female genitals like piercing, pricking etc in any combination, all form part of this very terrible act. Why do people do this? It is wrongly assumed in some quarters that this prevents a woman from being promiscuous in future (removal of the clitoris would greatly reduce sexual pleasure and for those that have the vaginal opening reduced, the sheer pain of having any object pass through that opening is enough to discourage sexual intercourse), it is culturally accepted as a means of showing modesty in some cultures, it is thought to be religiously appropriate (no one can show where any religion specifically states this) and others just do it, because everyone in their circle does this!

In the olden days, this was practiced by village birth attendants who would use unsterilized instruments, aiding the spread of diseases like HIV/AIDS. Today, this is still a concern but even more discomforting is the fact that some medical personnel (???qualified) also participate in this. This midwife, appears not to sanction it, but feels there is a need to press ‘it’ inside. Please leave this child, well alone. Do not press, push or do anything else other than normal cleaning to ‘it’. By the way, I assume ‘it’ refers to the clitoris.

FGM causes immediate and long term complications. Immediate complications are not far-fetched. The child is subjected to terrible pain, she could bleed heavily and could even end up in shock. There may be injury to surrounding genital tissue and there could be introduction of infection, especially if the conditions are not hygienic or when unsterilized instruments are used.

Long term complications include difficulty with sexual intercourse especially if the vaginal opening was reduced. This also presents a challenge during childbirth. Other complications include recurrent urinary tract infections and infertility.

So, my advice is leave your daughter’s genitals well alone! Love and care for her and as she grows, encourage her to take pride in herself and who she is. Encourage her to go out and conquer the world. The reasons usually given for FGM really boil down to wanting to control the girl child. Why is it wrong for her to enjoy sexual intercourse when it’s time? Several homes have been wrecked by the fact that the lady who’s been circumcised cannot enjoy sexual intercourse and/or has to go through several episodes of pain (sometimes, even her partner suffers pain too) before she can finally settle into it.
Finally, join the fight against this horrible act. Tell every mother you know about what you have learnt. Together, we can stamp this act out.

Have a good night, y’all 😀

Q: Hello ma’am, God bless you richly for the information you have been giving to us. I have this question that is bothering me. If a man is Rhesus Positive and the wife is Rhesus Negative and the wife is pregnant with a baby. Will the Rhesus combination have effects on the baby and what is the treatment if it surely has bad effect on the baby? Urgent please.

A: A situation like yours leads to a situation called Rhesus incompatibility. As a result of the difference in the Rhesus factors of you and wifey, if your wife gives birth to a baby that is Rhesus Positive, her body will recognise the baby as a foreign body and thus mobilise antibodies to fight your baby. However, in a first pregnancy, this may not be a problem as this can only happen when there is mixing of mum’s and baby’s blood. This would usually happen at the time of separation of the placenta during birth. So, before your wife’s body can mount an effective response to the ‘threat’, the baby has been delivered. However, these antibodies are now ready to, more efficiently, deal with another threat as soon as it presents itself, perhaps through another pregnancy.

During a second or subsequent pregnancy, these antibodies mount an attack on the cells of the baby to leading anaemia, jaundice, brain damage etc in a new baby.

However, this can be prevented by ensuring that wifey gets an injection, Rhogam within 72 hours of birth. this injection deceives the woman’s body into thinking it has already produced antibodies against the baby and thus, the body technically understand, it doesn’t have to do same. The particles of Rhogam cannot cross the placenta and so baby is safe.

For More on this topic please click on this:

Daily Health Tips: My Hubby is Rhesus Positive and I Am Rhesus Negative. Is My Baby At Risk?

I hope y’all had a great day 😀

Q: Hi Doctor Ketch, I always have severe cramps during my period. What can I do to reduce or stop the pain?

A: Menstrual cramps can take the very joy out of living…at the time you have them. However, if this is a regular, you may want to anticipate this pain by starting on non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (this includes drugs like ibuprofen) few days before the expected arrival of the period. Be sure to take these drugs with meals and they ae not adviseable for people with Peptic Ulcer Disease. However, if self help remedies do not work, please see your doctor to get checked out and rule out other causes of severe menstrual pain like endometriosis ( or fibroids.this is a situation where some tissue of the womb/uterus grow outside of the uterus)

For more on self-help tips to combat menstrual pain, please click on the links below:

Daily Health Tip: Menstrual Cramps

Daily Health Tips: How Do I Stop Menstrual Cramps?

Daily Health Tips: Does My Sugar Craving Worsen Menstrual Cramps?

Have a good night, people 😀

Power Oil Saturday Challenge

Please note that the answers to this challenge have to be submitted on our blog on this same post titled Power Oil Saturday Challenge

On our 5-minute show on Wednesday, the 28th of January, 2015 we discussed five things to know about your diet and your health.

“For a chance to win any of our prizes, answer the question below:

Why may a ‘no-fat’ diet not be a great idea?

The first person to answer correctly, will win our star prize.

Terms and conditions:

Participants must be followers of our blog. If you’re not a follower, click on the link http://www.chatwithdrketch.com and click on the follow button to qualify. The follow button is on the bottom right hand corner of the page and floats with the page.

Answers are based on our TV show as broadcast on Silverbird TV on Wednesday, 28th January, 2015.

The first correct answer is the winner of the 1st prize (a 3 litre bottle of Power oil, a Power oil apron, a Power oil T-shirt and pens)

The next 2 correct answers get a Power oil apron, a Power oil T-shirt and Power oil branded pens.

All winners will be entered into the grand finale challenge for this season happening in the 11th week. Mouth watering, exciting gifts!!!

(To qualify for the grand finale draw, all winners should send in pictures of themselves wearing their Power Oil aprons and cooking up a storm in the kitchen using Power Oil. The winners will be revealed in the 12th week.)

Only one answer per participant will be accepted.

If a participant provides more than one answer, the first answer will be used.

Edited answers will be disqualified.

This challenge lapses by 11.59 pm on Tuesday, the 3rd of Febuary, 2015

So, what are you waiting for?! Best of luck, guys!

Q. Good morning Doctor. I have being drinking bottled water for years now because I have being trying to prevent myself from suffering Typhoid. My economy has changed now and I want to return to Satchet water. What’s your advice please?

Water that is good enough for drinking should be colourless, odourless, tasteless and should be clear as you look at it. Unfortunately, even water that meets these requirements may still have some micro-organisms.

So, what are your options here?

Not all brands of satchet water would meet these recommendations. Look out for the NAFDAC numbers. If it has a NAFDAC number, we trust that due process was followed and all the processes for packaging water was properly checked out. Look out for expiry dates too.

Otherwise, you can DIY (Do It Yourself):

Boil your water. You could improve on this process by filtering it using a filter with a candle.

Use a water purifying tablet on your water

Invest in a water dispenser and then buy the refill bottles. Once you’ve made the investment in buying the water dispenser, the bottle refills should be cheaper than getting the bottled water.

Hey guys, feel free to chip in with other means of purifying water that are pocket-friendly 😀

Have a good night, y’all 😀

Q: Hi Ma’am. how do you do? I am a great fan of yours and thank God who has used you to serve and help people with your medical advice.

Please Ma’am, I’m a 28-year old girl and I was diagnosed with Diabetes when I was 26yrs and I have been living with it. But my major challenge now is I always have a vaginal discharge & itching of which sometimes all parts of my vagina will be covered with milky colour of discharge which makes me more unhappy realizing that I’m diabetic.

What can I do because I feel hurt anytime I see that? Secondly Ma’am, does diabetes have any effect on child bearing? Can I bear children that will be free from diabetes? Can I even give birth at all? Worried and hurt ma’am

Thirdly Mom, anytime I have sex, I do feel pains at my waist especially during the thrusts. I would also like to know what causes quick ejaculation in women because I reach climax on or before 10-15mins of foreplay.

Thanks for your wise and gentle advice. It gives us hope and eases a lot of pains in us. God equip you more

A: Many thanks for your kind words and Amen to your prayers. As I like to say, from your mouth, to God’s ears 😀 I’m happy that I can help, even if it’s just in a teensy-weensy way, to ease your burden 😀
Okay…now to your questions…

Your discharges are likely to be fungal (vaginal thrush). Diabetics are more prone to vaginal infections as the sugar in urine and the warmth of the vagina, creates an irresistible, rich culture medium for infections. So, obviously maintaining a good control of blood sugar is critical to the success of any treatment instituted as this situation will just keep recurring if blood sugar isn’t addressed. Apart from blood sugar, management of candidiasis in diabetics is pretty much the same as that for other people. This includes the use of anti-fungal agents as a pessary which is inserted into the vagina or as a tablet which is swallowed or even as a cream which may be used on the outer parts of the vagina. Your doctor will confirm this diagnosis and advice on what to use.

Prevention of this involves ensuring that you change out of clothes as soon as possible eg after swimming, Avoiding tight fitting undies, not abusing antibiotics etc.

To read a related post, please click on the link below: https://chatwithdrketch.com/2014/07/08/daily-health-tips-can-a-little-girl-have-a-genital-discharge/

Diabetes does have effect on pregnancy as people with this are more likely to have big babies, suffer a miscarriage etc. However, these risks are reduced if you keep your blood sugar level within normal limits by eating right and generally following your doctor’s advice. Children born to diabetic mothers are also more likely to develop this later…however, not all of them develop this. And they may have a period of low blood sugar after birth. However, with good control of your blood sugar, your pregnancy can actually be uneventful 😀

So, what should you do? Work with your doctor to keep your blood sugar within acceptable limits, lose some weight, if overweight or obese, exercise regularly and keep with your dietary plan.
Now as for the quick orgasm (referred to as premature orgasm), not too much work has been done on the condition in women. However, trying out some of the techniques used for men may be helpful. Some of these include, staying off sexual intercourse for a while to reduce the pressure to ‘perform’ or having foreplay as usual up till the point you feel like you’re about to have an orgasm, then stopping all sexual stimulation until the urge passes away. Sexual intercourse can be resumed afterwards. This is done until you feel ready. If none of these work, you may want to see your doctor who may prescribe from the drugs used in men.

Pain during sexual intercourse can be due to a number of reasons.

Please click on this link to read more https://chatwithdrketch.com/2015/01/07/daily-health-tips-why-do-i-feel-pain-during-sexual-intercourse/

Hope this helps. You have to be positive. Diabetes Mellitus is not a life sentence. If you take care of yourself, work with your medical team to maintain your blood sugar within acceptable levels and of course, have a loving support group of family and/or friends to draw on, the sky becomes a stepping stone! 😀

Have a good night, y’all 😀

Do you live to eat….or do you eat to live? Does food rule your life….or are you the boss? Do you eat whatever is available…or do you meticulously plan what to use to fuel your body?

Today on Tips For Healthy Living With Dr Ketch, we explore the relationship between your food and your health and give you top tips to help you choose the right fuels 😀

Don’t miss it….7.25pm on Silverbird Television.

Have you heard those amazing, mind boggling myths that people repeat about pregnancy? If you eat a lot of snails, your baby will spit a lot and a breastfeeding mum cannot get pregnant. Any truth to these?

The book, Just For The Health Of It With Dr Ketch, explores these and other issues

You can get a copy in any of the three following ways:

1) Get a copy by clicking on this link http://www.buywiseng.com. You can pay with your card or through the banks. A copy will be delivered to your doorstep 😀

2) You can also get a copy by visiting 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 can pay when the book is delivered to you or you can pay online.

3) If you’re in Lagos, please visit Laterna Bookshop on 13, Oko-Awo Close, Off. Adetokunbo Ademola Street,. Victoria Island.

If you’re outside the country and want a copy please call 08093141644 or email healthylivingwithdrketch@gmail.com.

Q: I had sex with my wife who just deliver with an operation (CS) and it just 5 weeks and two days. And now the injury pain just increased a little. Dr, what do I do to solve this issue. I swear I will not touch her again on till she is three months but what do I do now? Because she went to the hospital and they said the pain is because the CS injury is dry… that is why the pain is out but my wife did not inform the doctor about the sex we had. Please tell me what to do, please.

A: Forgive me…I couldn’t hide a smile when I read this! Why didn’t you tell the doctor about the fact that you had sexual intercourse? I don’t intend to give you a lecture…but you do need to know that you and your doctor are on the same side. So, any information that helps diagnosis should be given to the doctor. He’s not a judge in your matter…he only has your best interest at heart. When I was in medical school, a girl came in, who had had a septic abortion (a serious infection of the uterus which may occur before during or after an abortion…usually those performed by quacks). She came in fever and chills and refused to give this history. As the doctors battled to find out the cause, she went into septic shock (low blood pressure, low temperature, reduced urine output etc)…and at that time, her friend decided to tell all. Unfortunately, it was too late for her and she died shortly afterwards! What’s the moral of this story? Tell your doctor all!

Okay, back to our discourse…ordinarily, sexual intercourse should be considered from about 6 weeks. At this time, wifey would have gone for a post natal check and the doctor would hopefully have given the A-okay. Generally, we want to be sure that the wound site is healing properly and there are no complications. Having said that, I’m not sure I understand the doctor’s comment…or perhaps, what you wrote. If the wound site is dry, that’s a good thing as the wound is healing properly with no breakdown or bleeding. So, confirm from the doctor if all is okay and more importantly, if it’s okay to have sexual intercourse with wifey…who is probably more than six weeks now. I trust that the doctor probably already figured out what led to the ‘increased’ pain anyways 😀

So, you don’t need to wait for three months (hopefully). Just be guided by the doctor who has examined your wife and understands the situation the best! And trust me, he also understands your eagerness to be re-united with wifey and so will not impose unneeded restrictions.

I hope this helps.

Have a good night, y’all 😀