Daily Health Tips: What Should I Be Feeding My Baby After Breast Milk?

Posted on May 5, 2014 by chatwithdrketch
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Daily Health Tips: Does My Sugar Craving Worsen Menstrual Cramps?

Posted on May 4, 2014 by chatwithdrketch

Q: Good day Doc. Please I have a friend who likes sugary food a lot and consumes at least 2 bottles of soft drinks a day. She usually experiences severe menstrual cramps monthly. My question is, ‘is menstrual cramps worsened by consumption of sugary food and drinks?’

 

A: Okay, I’m sure that we can all (okay, maybe not all of us 😀 Just us, ladies, right?) empathize with this lady who craves sugary or sweet foods and chocolates during her menstrual period. Why does this happen?

Usually, food cravings occur when there is low blood sugar. During a menstrual period, the hormones in a woman’s body run amok 😀 and it is thought that there is an increase in insulin sensitivity. Insulin is the hormone released when food is eaten and causes sugar to be taken into the cells. When refined foods like pastries, sweetened drinks etc are taken, it causes a quick increase in blood sugar which stimulates the insulin to move it all into the cells. Insulin sensitivity means that the cells are even more receptive to the effects of insulin, ensuring that all of the sugar is moved into the cells. This causes the blood sugar to dip very quickly too and thus signals are sent to the brain that the body is starving….can you beat that?  😀 This body that just wolfed down gallons of calories/sugar?! And so, the person just wants to eat even more of the same foods causing a vicious cycle. Remember that whatever sugar the body cannot use immediately is converted to fat.

Then, it is also thought that there is a reduction in the substance, Serotonin, which is a ‘feel good’ substance in the brain; thus, taking chocolate (which increases the level of this substance) helps to  make up for the mood swing. It may also be that chocolate helps take care of an iron, magnesium or calcium deficiency. Taking calcium supplements or other calcium-rich foods will be more helpful to your health and waistline 😀 None of these chocolate theories have been proven for a fact…but it does give you a reason to indulge, doesn’t it? Well, snap out of it, sista!!! Remember, a second on the lips, a lifetime on the hips! 😀

So, eating sugary foods during the period worsens your blood sugar fluctuations and also worsens cramps by causing constriction of blood vessels. So, stay well away 😀

As we round off our activities for today, remember to say a word of prayer for the Chibok girls kidnapped from their school. This has got to be on the front burner until our girls are brought back home, safe and sound  #BringBackOurGirls

 

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Daily Health Tips: Hygiene Rules For Prevention of Food Cross-Contamination

Posted on May 3, 2014 by chatwithdrketch

As people go shopping for food stuff, often times food gets contaminated as vegetables are stacked together with meats etc. These tips provide a quick guide to prevent this.

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Daily Health Tips: How Do I Stop Menstrual Cramps?

Posted on May 2, 2014 by chatwithdrketch

Q: Good day Doc, a woman that is having a painful menstruation, such as waist pain, body pain, stomach pain and heavy body during menstruation, please what’s the cure for that?

A: Cramps usually occur as the uterus tries to get rid of the foreign body, in this case, blood within it. Cramps appear, sometimes, to be more of an issue for some girls than the actual menstruation itself. For most girls, in the first few years of starting their periods, they usually do not have cramps and when these cramps eventually start showing up, they usually last for a few days.

Some time-tested remedies include hot baths, hot water bottles applied to the area of pain and pain relief using over the counter analgesic drugs may be helpful. If analgesics have to be taken, these should be started as soon as the cramps start or even as soon as period starts in order to be effective. Remember not to exceed recommended doses.

Also stay away from alcohol and caffeine which worsen cramps.

As for the ‘heavy body’, I assume you are referring to bloating. Avoid salt and salty foods and alcohol during your menstrual periods as these cause  your body to retain more water and worsen bloating.

Drink a lot of water and complex carbohydrates. They reduce water retention and fill your tummy without being unnecessarily heavy.

Have a great weekend ahead, fabulous people 😀

 

 

 

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Daily Health Tips: Do Family Planning Products Kill?

Posted on May 1, 2014 by chatwithdrketch

Q: Doctor, good evening sir. How is the family? Please Doc, is family planning good? I just heard someone saying it kills.

A: The answer to the first question is, yes, family planning is good. Remember that family planning means planning how many children to have and when to have them. Now, if you’re a catholic and you’re just deciding whether you want to stone me today or leave me to suffer that tomorrow 😀 remember, that the natural rhythm method advocated by the church is also a means of family planning. So, there you go 🙂 More seriously, planning your births, gives the woman time to rest in between babies and recover fully from her last delivery before embarking on the ‘missionary’ journey again 😉 This ensures that this woman is alive to take care of her children. Another reason for spacing these births is also related to the economics of taking care of a large house full of children in these economic times.

Now, does family planning kill? I’ll answer it in this way. Every drug is a potential toxin that can cause problems in the body. For instance, pain relief using the most common analgesics in our environment is risky because these drugs could cause significant medical side effects that can also lead to death. In that same way, family planning products can also produce side effects that could be fatal. However, these side effects are not the ‘rule’. Before the choice of family planning method is made by the client, the healthcare provider takes time to present the different methods available and advice on their side effects and benefits. Depending on the client’s medical history, the doctor will also state specific risks associated with any peculiar medical condition. This is all done to ensure that all risks have been accounted for and the client has chosen the method that will, hopefully, work best for her.

So, all things being equal, using contraception/birth control methods does not equal death 😀

Good night, guys. Sleep tight…don’t let the bed bugs bite 😀

 

 

 

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Daily Health Tips: What Is Retrograde (Backward) Ejaculation?

Posted on April 30, 2014 by chatwithdrketch

Q: Hi Doctor, I have a friend that whenever he presses his bladder, sperm will start flowing out. What does that mean? And how can we control it

A: What has been described above sounds like retrograde ejaculation (RE), that is backward ejaculation. Usually, during ejaculation, the muscle at the neck of the bladder tightens ensuring that semen does not enter the bladder. In people with this problem, this muscle does not tighten enough to prevent backtrack of the semen into the bladder. So, in these people, their ejaculate during intercourse is usually very little (sometimes almost non-existent, even though they certainly know they have had an orgasm) or their urine after sexual intercourse cloudy as a result of the sperm going into the bladder and mixing with urine.

Retrograde ejaculation does not interfere with a person’s ability to enjoy sexual intercourse, have and maintain an erection or even climax. Usually, these people would show up in the clinic because of infertility.

Does your friend have these issues?

RE can start after a surgery on the bladder or prostate; it can occur as a side effect of some anti-hypertensive drugs (drugs used to treat hypertension), or as a complication of some medical conditions like Diabetes Mellitus. A few people are actually born with a weakness of this muscle that closes the neck of the bladder during ejaculation.

If RE is caused by medications, your doctor may consider changing them or stopping them for a while. Otherwise, there are some drugs used to ensure the neck of the bladder is closed during ejaculation. Your doctor will weigh their side effects against their potential benefits in deciding whether to prescribe them to you or not. For those who desire babies, your doctor will also discuss options of ‘harvesting’ sperm to be used on your spouse.

 

Have a good evening, people. I hope y’all had a great day 😀

 

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Daily Health Tips: Asthma, Life, Living and Death

Posted on April 29, 2014 by chatwithdrketch

Amaka Igwe is dead! I’m sure you’ve all heard that! For those of you who don’t live in Nigeria or Africa, Amaka Igwe was a film maker (writer and producer) and certainly stirred things up in Nollywood. She dared to stand up for standards and follow her dreams though she didn’t study anything remotely connected to the creative arts. I was a huge admirer, though we never met. I am always motivated by people who dare the odds and succeed.

So, stale news, it may be for ‘us’ but trust me, her family is still in shock. The anguish can only be imagined. The understanding that she will never be seen again, never give a hug, a smile, never walk through her house doors….it’s just heart wrenching. Despite the fact that I am a doctor, I still don’t have those ‘iron-curtain’ emotions that feel nothing. I cry more than the bereaved when I attend funerals and all day, I just couldn’t stop thinking about how fickle life is L

Well, again, I’m sure that it’s also not news that she died from asthma. Do you know what asthma is? Do you know how you can prevent attacks if you’ve got it? I will write a detailed post on asthma sometime next week. In the meantime for preventive tips for Asthma please click on the link below for details:

Daily Health Tip: Asthma

So, guys, go out and achieve your dreams. Indeed, start by dreaming big. Scratch that! Dream huge! And go for it. Trust me, if you want it badly enough, you’ll get it and even if you don’t you won’t be too far off.

Have a good evening, guys…and be sure to tell everyone you care about , how much you love them everyday L

 

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Daily Health Tips: What Drugs Can Help Me Burn Fat?

Posted on April 28, 2014 by chatwithdrketch

Q: Hi doc., please tell me the process needed to burn fat. I’m really worried. Or are there drugs I can take?

Q: Hello doctor, how do I control fat? My baby is just five months old and I am getting fatter. Please advise me on what to do because my hubby is already complaining.  Thanks
A: This question has come in so many different variations, from both men and women. I’ll start from the question about any drug/miracle pill/magic medication that causes people to lose weight. And guess what, guys?! It’s bad news all the way 😀 There’s no such thing as a miracle pill for weight loss. It’s sheer hard, back breaking work! Any of that stuff you read about that help you lose it all in days or weeks, just makes you lose water weight and you actually pile it on even faster, afterwards. Some people skip meals or fast to lose weight. Again, if afterwards, you go on a binge eating everything that you would have eaten from morning to night in one meal, then it still doesn’t make any sense 😀 Beyond that, it is not sustainable. Much as we ‘demonize’ carbohydrates or starchy foods, we actually need them to fuel our activities. Same goes for fats and oils…some of which are actually heart-healthy. The focus is on eating a balanced diet, ensuring portion control and getting exercise daily. Honestly, guys, there’s no other way around it! 😀
So, the first thing to do is portion control. Reduce the size of plate you usually eat with and then place your portions this way: Half the plate should be filled with fruits and vegetables, a quarter of the plate should be filled with proteins and then the final quarter should be filled with carbs.  The carbs should be complex carbohydrates like brown/local rice, beans, oats, whole wheat bread etc. These carbs make you feel full for much longer and thus prevent you from rushing for the next pack of cookies, cake or soft drinks 😀 The cookies give you an immediate rush of sugar making the body produce insulin that takes in all of that sugar into the cells. This leads to a situation where the blood is now depleted of sugar causing one to feel hungry all over again reaching for the next quick snack again. This is a vicious cycle that leads to more eating and pre-disposes to Diabetes Mellitus.
In terms of exercise, 150 minutes of activity is advocated weekly. Be sure to split the exercise into manageable bit; perhaps 30 minutes every work day or one hour on alternate days. What you should not do is trying to take in all the exercise over the weekend…that is being a weekend warrior 😀 This can put a strain on your heart that may be disastrous.
I’ve written a whole lot on this subject for people who just had a baby or just regular people who want to do it right. Please take a moment to click on these links and read up on them.
https://chatwithdrketch.com/2013/12/03/daily-health-tip-my-tummy-after-my-baby/
https://chatwithdrketch.com/2014/04/06/daily-health-tips-can-i-inherit-a-big-tummy-from-my-parents/
https://chatwithdrketch.com/2013/09/21/my-food-life-bc-and-ac/
https://chatwithdrketch.com/2013/11/30/daily-health-tip-weight-loss-facts-and-fiction/
https://chatwithdrketch.com/2013/12/01/daily-health-tip-the-trio-of-diet-exercise-and-stress/
Stress causes us to also pile on weight around the tummy. So reduce your stress levels 😀 (and just in case you wondered…yes this is possible), reduce your portions and exercise. So, who’s up for this? Count me in.
And remember this dictum:
For breakfast, eat like a king (eg some oats or fruits or whole wheat bread with an egg. You may even choose to use just the egg whites for an omelet)
For lunch, eat like a prince (eg a handful of wheat meal/ground oat meal, some ‘not-oily’ vegetable soup and fish with a serving of fruits afterwards)
For dinner, eat like a pauper (eg Ofada rice with stew and vegetables + chicken)
You can also take some snacks in between the three meals. Focus on healthy options like nuts (groundnuts, walnuts, almonds and others you can easily lay your hands on), fruits etc.
Have a great evening, people…
 
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Daily Health Tips: Is Vaginal Discharge Normal?

Posted on April 27, 2014 by chatwithdrketch

A: Some level of vaginal discharge is normal on a daily basis as the vagina sheds cells and produces fluid needed to clean and provide protection for its delicate skin. You would have observed the difference in the consistency depending on your menstrual cycle.

If this discharge however develops a strange smell, becomes itchy with swelling and pain in the vagina or you notice blood stained discharge, then it is time to see a doctor. Abnormal discharges could be due to candidiasis, pelvic inflammatory disease, sexually transmitted infections or in the case of blood stained discharge, may be cancer etc

Usually, a sample of the discharge is sent for investigation and it will confirm what infection is there, if any, and what drug will be useful in treatment.

Now to toilet disease, this is a favourite subject of mine. I’ve noted time and again that this does not really exist Trust me! Please click on the link below to read my blog post on toilet infections and candidiasis for more on this topic. The post also gives preventive measures for candidiasis.

Daily Health Tips: Toilet Infection…seriously???

I suggest that you see your doctor for a sample of this discharge to be taken and sent for analysis and then you can take it from there.

Good night, fabulous people 😀

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Daily Health Tips: Hygiene Tips for Laundry

Posted on April 26, 2014 by chatwithdrketch

It is Saturday and the world’s preferred day for laundry. Before you start on yours, perhaps you should take a look at this video to make sure you are doing it just right 😀

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