Daily Health Tips: Why do I have dark gums?

Posted on January 5, 2014 by chatwithdrketch

Hello y’all. The day has gone well so far, right? 😀

Do you have dark/black gums? Do you feel self conscious about this especially when you smile? Have you spent time wondering whether to see your dentist about it or just ignore it…hoping it doesn’t mean anything serious? Well, here’s the deal!

Black gums could be due to heredity (it runs in families) or ethnicity (if you’re from the black race, you’re more likely to have dark gums). Having said that it is more likely in dark skinned people, it can also happen in other ethnicities. Just as excessive exposure to sunlight can cause people to get darker, the same can happen to your gums.

However, it could also be due to diseases or certain drugs.
Diseases in which the pigment responsible for dark skin (melanin) is produced in excessive amounts, smoking, poor oral hygiene and even some anti-malarial drugs can cause dark gums.

If your case is due to ethnicity or heredity and you don’t mind it, then leave it well alone and smile away :D. However, treatment does exist for this and requires a dental procedure to be determined by your dentist. It could involve ‘peeling’ off the superficial outer layer of the gum where the darkness is or even gum bleaching etc. Where there is underlying disease, this also has to be treated and where smoking is the culprit, stopping is beneficial.

Enjoy the rest of the day 😀

Here’s to a healthier you!

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Daily Health Tips: Bleeding, Swollen Gums

Posted on January 4, 2014 by chatwithdrketch

Do you find your gums bleeding oftentimes when you brush or even when you floss or use cocktail sticks…aka tooth picks? Well it could be a sign of gum disease…or perhaps, you are actually causing the problems without knowing. How can you be the cause? I’ll tell you!

Your brushing and flossing techniques could be the culprits. If you use very hard bristles and attack your teeth as if attempting to scrub out stains on a grimy pot 😀 you could be causing significant damage  to your gum. If you also floss by forcing the floss in between your teeth, then this could very well be the cause of the problem.

Where the problem is not caused by your wrong ‘hygiene’ techniques, it could be due to gum disease. Gum disease arises due to lack of good dental hygiene which causes plaque forming bacteria to accumulate in the mouth and lead to swollen and bleeding gums. If this happens and is noticed early, it can be reversed before it starts causing tooth loss and weakening of the gum and bone structure holding the teeth (periodontitis). Other culprits could be hormones (during pregnancy or menstruation) and chemotherapy.

Prevention is, of course, targeted at the causes:

Brush your teeth at least twice a day using soft bristled tooth brushes. Brush in circular motions, gently removing the plaque and massaging the gums. Mentally divide your mouth into four sections and be sure to spend at least 30 seconds on each section of your teeth brushing all sides and chewing surfaces.

Floss daily, following the natural curve of your teeth. This activity does not take too long but spares you a lifetime of woes :D. Sounds a bit like, ‘a stitch in time, saves nine’, huh! (Someone once told me that one of the signs of aging is that you start using a lot of clichés…could the person be right, you think?! Hmm, this is not good for my self esteem :D. But, I digress…)

Eat a well balanced diet with lots of fruits and veggies. This ensures that you have the right supply of minerals and vitamins which helps prevent gum disease.

Drink a lot of water which ensures that plaque forming bacteria are washed off teeth. Ensure that other fluids you take are neither too hot or too cold. Lukewarm food goes easier on your gums.

Finally, relax as the stress hormone cortisol can significantly contribute to swelling and bleeding of your gums by causing inflammation. Can you imagine…stressing out over Lagos traffic can actually cause my gums to bleed! 😉

So, there you have it! Let’s keep those gums nice, firm and pink 😀

Have a great weekend.

Here’s to a healthier you!

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Daily Health Tips: Diaper Bag Essentials

Posted on January 3, 2014 by chatwithdrketch

Good morning, everyone 😀

Still focusing on new mums…do you (new mum) often wonder what to pack in baby’s diaper bag when you’re going out? How much of everything you need or what you don’t need at all?

Now let’s help you out with the essentials you need to have in your baby’s diaper bag…not suitcase
•    Diapers – be sure to pack enough diapers according to how often you change your baby…then add 2 extras, just in case.

•    Diaper Rash Ointment – Whether your baby has a rash or not, always carry a small tube of Diaper Rash Ointment. Petroleum jelly is a good example. You never know when you will open the diaper and see the beginnings of a rash, and the sooner you attend to it, the faster it will heal.

•    Wipes – Have on hand a portable wipe pack. You could leave them in their pack or put them in a ziplock bag which seals in their moisture and freshness, and is of course easier to pack in the diaper bag.

•    Changing Pad – You can either use your own changing pad (cumbersome, and not very sanitary due to the fact that you will lay it down on a germ infested changing table, only to roll it up again and stuff it back into your diaper bag, thus covering all of your essentials with yucky germs), or disposable changing pads (pack at least as many disposable changing pads as you pack diapers). If you choose to go the disposable changing pad route, I suggest that you also bring along an extra cloth diaper/burp cloth so you can lay the disposable changing pad down on the germ infested public changing table, and then lay your cloth diaper/burp cloth on top for some extra cushioning for your baby’s comfort. That way you can throw away the germy disposable pad…along with the germs.

Make sure you wash your hands afterwards to ensure that you do not infect yourself, your baby or indeed your family with germs.

Have a great day 😀

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Daily Health Tips: Rest for a new mum. Joke…right?

Posted on January 2, 2014 by chatwithdrketch

Happy New Year, everyone! I hope you had a restful and relaxed holiday. For some of you, it’s not even over yet. So, if you still have some days left of your holiday, be sure to rest.

For those new mummies with children, this may be more wishful thinking as our bundles of joy have minds of their own :D. We just wish sometimes that we could explain nicely to them that we….well, just need to sleep now; regardless of how much they want to chat or cry (!) especially in the middle of the night!. Well, we’ve some helpful tips that ensure a good night’s rest for mum and new baby
•    During nighttime feedings, keep lights low.  Night lights stop you and baby from coming fully awake and so you can go back to sleep after the feed…effortlessly.
•    Commit to sleep and make it a priority in your life.  The advice frequently given to new mothers to get some sleep when the baby is asleep, may appear clichéd and ‘an old wives’ tale, but is useful.  Give yourself permission to let some things go and don’t feel the pressure to catch up on all your emails, text messages, house shores when he’s asleep.
•    Good sleep starts before you’re actually trying to fall sleep.  Ensure you start winding down your day early enough so you can get to sleep early at night. Ensure you’re not getting too wound up during the day and inhibiting your ability to sleep at night
•    Be intentional about sleep.  As a new mother, you’ve got so many things pulling at you: night time feeds, your other children, if you’ve got them, their home work, your husband etc. So ensure that your sleep equipment – pillows, mattress pad/topper and mattress – provide the right support and comfort. Get a good pillow and comfortable mattress…it’s a worthwhile expense
•    Be open to alternative remedies.  Create a personal spa at home: use aromatic oils at bath time and in your room. Lavendar has been found to be very helpful by some.

Let’s start the year fully rested and raring to go! Brilliant ideas grow in rested minds. There is so much territory to acquire this year…yes?! 😀 So, let’s go out and make it happen!

Here’s to a healthier you!

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It’s a new year: 2014

Posted on January 1, 2014 by chatwithdrketch

Happy New Year, people! May all your dreams come true this year 😀

In the words of Robert Urich, I remind you all that ‘a healthy outside starts from the inside’.

Let’s get it right this year!

Here’s to a healthier you!

Dr Ketch

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Daily Health Tips: New Year Resolutions, huh?!

Posted on December 31, 2013 by chatwithdrketch

Dear friends, isn’t it just amazing to be alive today, the 31st of December, 2013? It just puts into perspective the entire journey that we have all undertaken from the 1st of January till this time.

I am sure that quite a number of us are busy making and writing down resolutions for the year 2014 and I truly wish I could tell you that the power to change lies in this list of ‘New Year Resolutions’! It doesn’t! The power lies in you…and that power doesn’t appear by midnight today. It is something that you have been building on, all through the year (or at some point during the outgoing year) or something that you are going to get committed to right now. But it has nothing to do with the natural sequence of events that will happen at midnight today as 2013 gives way to 2014.

If you have already started making small changes in your health behaviour, keep at it and increase those steps to leaps 😀 – why dream small, huh 😉 And if you have been meaning to and just not got around to it, hey, start today! Don’t even wait for tomorrow.

I was looking through a Harvard review today and they reminded me of some changes that we’d talked about all through the year. Let’s put them all together and suggest some changes that you could start off right away:

Like we’ve told you all through the year, go for at least 30 minutes of exercise daily…remembering to speak with your doctor before starting any intensive exercise program especially if you have been sedentary for long.

Eat healthier: Focus on portion control (reduce the size of the plate that you normally use to eat) and ensure that you plate right (half your plate should be filled with fruits and vegetables, a quarter of the plate with protein and the last quarter with complex carbs like beans, brown rice, sweet potatoes, oatmeal etc).

Work on weight loss the effective way: Rule of Thumb for weight loss -If it works too fast, it’s probably bad for you. There are no quick fixes here: magic pills, skipping meals etc. When you skip meals, you’re more likely to binge at the next meal and the weight you lose mainly is ‘water weight’. This does not encourage you to learn the self control and discipline that is crucial in being choosy about how you fill your tummy. Magic pills are exactly that…magic, not real life and they often have serious side effects.

Manage your stress better: Recognize your stress triggers and make conscious decisions on how to manage them. Don’t hide your head in the sand. Remember that while it’s convenient to blame your boss for all your life’s troubles, maybe a better option could be to learn to manage your boss better…because he’s probably not leaving anytime soon. In fact, learning the serenity prayer should be on your ‘to-do- list for 2014. Here’s an abridged version:
God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.

Contol your finances better: This is the root cause of most of our stress. Make a budget and stick with it. Discover the joys of window shopping and make a plan for the future. It is never too late to start a savings/investment plan and make plans for the future. Remember that you don’t have to wear the latest fashion statement all the time. If you saved the money for yiur fashion statement this month, I assure you that next month, something even trendier will be the rave. Like I always say, ‘fashion never goes out of fashion!’

Speak positively concerning your situations and then go out and do something! Remember that faith without works is dead!

Finally, identify your bad habits and start making the necessary changes to your lifestyle to rid yourself of them. This includes unhealthy relationships etc. And whatever you do, this is the year that you most certainly do not want to start any other bad habits!

Have a wonderful 2014, dear friends 😀

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Daily Health Tips: Real food vs Supplements.

Posted on December 30, 2013 by chatwithdrketch

Excerpts from Redeemed Camp seminar:

Q: Are supplements good alternatives to fruits and vegetables?

A: Nothing beats a healthy diet filled with fruits and vegetables to keep you healthy and able to fight all manner of diseases. Supplements, as the name implies are meant to plug in the tiny holes that may not be completely filled by your diet. For instance, if your diet regularly misses out on dairy products despite the recommendation of at least 3 servings per day, you probably need calcium and Vitamin D supplements. If, however, you’re a junk food lover, there’s no magic pill that can take care of your problem. What you need is a menu make-over focusing on portion control and right plating with the different food groups. Remember that to plate right, half your plate should be filled with fruits and vegetables, a quarter with proteins and the last quarter with complex carbohydrates.

Have a lovely day, beautiful people 😀

Here’s to a healthier you!

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Daily Health Tips: Stressful Exercise?

Posted on December 29, 2013 by chatwithdrketch

Excerpts from Redeemed camp seminar:

Q: Can there be anything like stressful exercise?

A: I’ve been asked this question a lot of times. Some people think that exercise may actually worsen hypertension by causing more stress. This is a wrong notion. Exercise is useful in relieving stress by causing the release of body’s natural ‘feel-good’ hormones. These make you feel better, happier and look at your challenges, perhaps more benevolently!

However, if you have been sedentary for a while (that is, if you have not been involved in much physical activity for a while), please discuss your planned exercise regimen with your doctor before starting out.

You should also invest in heart rate monitors which ensure that you exercise within a ‘zone’ where you optimally lose calories and do not overdo it. You should also learn how to ‘roughly’ calculate your target heart rate…this is is that heart rate at which you burn calories optimally. We will look at the calculation of Target Heart Rate subsequently. But the rule of thumb is to take away your age from 220 and calculate 60% and 80% of that figure. Stay within that while exercising. The calculation (Karvonen method) is a bit more complex though and we will get into that another day.

Have a great day 😀

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Daily Health Tips: Harmattan-proof nice, luscious lips :D

Posted on December 28, 2013 by chatwithdrketch

Hallos! I hope you the holidays are going down a treat!

Now we turn to the lips…if you’ve got children like mine, you’re probably repeating the statement ‘go and put some petroleum jelly on your lips’ very often these days. Maybe they are listening, maybe they are not. 😀 Let’s give you some more tips to prevent or treat dry and chapped lips.

Moisten a kitchen paper or handkerchief and wet your lips (Or you could use an old soft-bristled toothbrush to gently brush out the dry skin. Don’t do this for more than 60 seconds to prevent irritation and bleeding). Then apply petroleum jelly to your lips and rub your lips together to make sure the jelly is well absorbed.  Then use lipstick (if you’re female), blot out excess by biting on dry wipes and then apply lip gloss…just enough to give a nice shine.

Overnight, apply moisturizer to your lips and around your mouth to allow your lips moisturize overnight. If you don’t want to use a moisturizer, use petroleum jelly.

Drinking sufficient water daily also doesn’t hurt 😀 Be a boy scout and carry lip balm around in your pocket or handbag.

Enjoy the rest of the day 😀

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Daily Health Tips: Harmattan/Winter-proof hair

Posted on December 27, 2013 by chatwithdrketch

Good morning everyone. I hope you’re still feeling the warm, fuzzy Christmas holiday glow!

Still on the dry weather, our hair (especially for ladies) gets a bashing at this time.

How to protect our hair?

If you wash your hair, use lukewarm water and make sure you deep condition. None of those quick in, out and rinse conditioning for this period.

Then, ensure that you moisturise and lock moisture into your hair with a suitable cream…olive oil is great.

Sleep with a satin or silk scarf tied on your hair…or even a shower cap. For shower caps, be careful to prevent the risk of suffocation if sharing a bed.

Your diet also counts. Diets rich in Omega 3 fatty acids like nuts and salmon fish, may also be helpful.

Consider alternative hairstyles like braiding/weaving, wearing wigs etc at this time. These help to protect your hair ends. Give blow drying,flat ironing and tonging a rest for now.

Keep looking and feeling fabulous.

Have a great day 😀

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