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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Daily Health Tips: World Malaria Day

Posted on April 25, 2014 by chatwithdrketch

Today is World Malaria Day, 2014! In a country like Nigeria, malaria is so endemic that we hardly talk about it seriously. Indeed, it is referred to as common malaria, right? 😀 Nigeria is one of the 5 countries hardest hit by malaria apart from Mozambique, Democratic Republic of Congo, Burkina Fasso and Sierra Leone. This disease leads to significant maternal (11%) and children under 5 (30%) mortality.

The World Malaria Day is celebrated in anticipation of a world in which there is no malaria. Hmm! That’s a lovely thought, right 😀 In furtherance of this goal, the theme for this year’s celebration is “Invest in the Future: Defeat Malaria,”

Please click on the link below for more on malaria: https://chatwithdrketch.com/2013/05/04/kill-a-mosquito-with-a-sledge-hammer-heck-yes/

And so, I pose my question to you all today? What’s the quantum of your investment in the future? How do you keep yourself malaria-free? How do you keep your children malaria-free? How do you keep your environment malaria-free? If you’re pregnant, how do you ensure that you do not have malaria during pregnancy with its risk of miscarriage, pre-term labour, low birth weight children etc.

So, I‘ll be looking forward to reading from you all on your plan for kicking malaria out of your country.

Have a fabulous malaria-free day 😀

 

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Daily Health Tips: Why Do I Always Have Heart Burn?

Posted on April 24, 2014 by chatwithdrketch

Q: Please Doctor, I easily have heart burn. What’s the cause and what tips are there for me? I always suffer this pain after eating anything, whether ‘peppery’or not. I need your help please. I don’t have ulcer.

A: Heart burn really has nothing to do with the heart…I bet all of you knew that, aye? It is usually felt as a burning sensation in the chest which feels worse on bending down or lying down. Okay, why and how does this happen? You know that the stomach produces acid to help with food digestion, right? Have you ever wondered, how come this acid isn’t all up in your mouth all the time? Well, that’s because there’s a ‘lock’ or control at the junction of the esophagus and the stomach which prevents the acid in the stomach from coming back up into the esophagus. This ‘lock’ is called the Lower Esophageal Sphincter. This lock can get strained if the esophagus opens too often or if there is too much food in the stomach…so, if you regularly over-eat, you might want to re-think that 😀 A major no-no is a very heavy meal just before you lie down. It’s almost certain you may have a heart burn 😀

There are also conditions like pregnancy and obesity that make this sphincter stay open for prolonged periods as a result of pressure on the abdomen and there are also foods that encourage this. Examples of these ‘foods’ are fatty foods, alcohol, orange juice, chocolate and coffee, onions, tomatoes, peppermint and spicy foods.

So for the person in the question, I suggest you keep a food diary over a period of time and try to figure out the trigger foods. If this is not the issue, perhaps it’s a weight issue or even over-eating.

Treatment is targeted at the acid and healing the esophagus. Remember that occasional heart burn is not regarded a problem but if it happens frequently, like two or more times every week, then it becomes a problem and is now referred to as Gastro-Esophageal Reflux Disease (GERD). So, drugs used can stop acid production, reduce acid production and cause healing of the esophagus or neutralize the effect of the acid.

Prevention involves trying to avoid your trigger foods (quite a number are actually healthy 😦 maintaining a healthy weight, avoiding heavy meals just before bedtime, try eating smaller meals and avoid tight clothes that may also put pressure on your abdomen.

Have a fabulous evening and remember…no heavy meals before bedtime.

Here’s to a healthier you!

 

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Daily Health Tips: Can My Diet Help Reduce My Cholesterol Level?

Posted on April 23, 2014 by chatwithdrketch

Q: Doc, thanks for this column. I learn a lot from it. Doctor, what is the best food for someone that has high cholesterol? Thanks

A: Now, the first lesson we all need to learn is that cholesterol is not completely a demon 😀 There is the good cholesterol and the bad cholesterol. So, when we talk about high cholesterol, we usually refer to the bad one, Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL) Cholesterol, which can lead to blockage of the vessels and inevitably, a heart attack…not good news! But we do need the good one, High Density Lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol. It mops up excess cholesterol and prevents LDL from being changed into the form that causes heart disease. Indeed, we are encouraged to take foods that increase this and this in turn improves heart health.

So, what foods can help reduce bad cholesterol in the body and increase the level of good cholesterol? Here are some examples:

Oats and other whole grains which form soluble fiber that reduce the absorption of cholesterol and in addition, give you a feeling of satiety for long. This prevents you feeling hungry more often and reaching for ‘unhealthy’ snacks 😀 Other foods in this group include okro, beans, apples, citrus fruits and garden egg (egg plants).

Soya beans, heart healthy oils like Olive oil and Canola oil, nuts (which should only be served in handfuls) and fatty fish like mackerel also reduce LDL.

Generally eating healthy with lots of fruits and vegetables, cutting out the white carbs (pastries etc), exercising (at least 150 minutes weekly), ensuring you are not overweight and quitting smoking.

Have a good evening, fabulous people 😀

 

 

 

 

 

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Daily Health Tips: Liver Disease

Posted on April 22, 2014 by chatwithdrketch

The liver is an organ in the body which is usually found on the right side of your abdomen, just under the rib cage. Its job is to ensure that toxins taken into the body are rendered harmless, food is digested properly and the nutrients available in it, properly absorbed.

Liver diseases can refer to problems with the liver which one may be born with or can arise from infections (hepatitis), cancer, drugs/other chemicals, toxins etc. The symptoms of liver disease include yellowness of the eyes and/or skin, dark urine, pale (light coloured) stool, itching, abdominal pain, abdominal swelling etc. You are more at risk of this if you work in a center where you handle body fluids (so this list includes healthcare workers). Other people who are more at risk include diabetics, obese people, people who take a lot of alcohol, drug abusers (this includes people who use illicit drugs and those who abuse prescription drugs), people who are in the habit of indiscriminate and unsafe sex etc

Treatment depends on the cause. The final option is liver transplant

Prevention of liver diseases is targeted at causative and risk factors: limit or completely stop alcohol use, get vaccinated, especially if you are a healthcare worker or consider that you are at risk, practice safe sex and avoid risky behavior like using illicit drugs or overdosing on prescription drugs, eat healthy, maintain a healthy weight and be careful when you spray insecticides and other aerosols. Especially for insecticides, be sure that the fumes have dispersed before coming back into the room or wear a face mask, if need be.

 Here’s to a healthier you!

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Daily Health Tips: Please Help! My Breasts Still Feel Engorged Though I stopped Breastfeeding Some Days Ago.

Posted on April 22, 2014 by chatwithdrketch

Q: Good Morning Doctor, I stopped breast feeding my son a few days ago but my breast is still engorged and I feel much pain still. What can I do?

A: in the good old days, mothers would tell their daughters to tie a wrapper tightly across their breasts. This helps. In fact, I believe that this is still being done by lots of people 😀

If you’re more jet age, though wear a tight supportive bra. For the pain, take analgesics and also apply cold packs to your breasts.

Try not to stimulate the nipples during this period.

This too shall pass:D

Cheers

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Daily Health Tips: World Immunization Week

Posted on April 21, 2014 by chatwithdrketch

Happy Easter everyone! Hope you had a great celebration yesterday. The fun continues today, of course 😀

This is World Immunization week and for the year 2014, it is being celebrated from April 24th to April 30th. It has the theme, ‘Immunize for a healthy future: Know, Check, Protect.’ This theme emphasizes the fact that we should know what vaccines are needed. You can find out from your doctor or health care provider. Check that these vaccines have been taken up to date and finally, ensure that the needed vaccines are taken to provide protection.

The National Program on Immunization (NPI) in Nigeria has delineated specific vaccines that children, from birth, have to be vaccinated against. There are a couple of extra vaccines that paediatricians also advice children to have. I have been asked whether they are necessary since they do not appear on the NPI schedule. Well, put it this way, cost is always an issue in making drugs or any product/service available for the whole population. So, some of these vaccines are too expensive to made available on a large scale for everyone at this time. However, there are significant moves to make a good number of them available to everyone soon.

In the meantime, focus on the compulsory ones and if you can afford it, certainly add on the extras until they become available and free of charge 😀

Let’s give you a quick reminder class about the vaccines that your child should get

  • At birth, BCG and Hepatitis B vaccines are given. The former protects against tuberculosis, which unfortunately is making a comeback with the advent of HIV/AIDS. Hepatitis B can cause long term complications of the liver (cirrhosis) if contracted. Four other doses of Hepatitis B are taken at 6, 10 and 14 weeks with a booster dose at 5 years. Hepatitis B vaccine (HBV) can also be taken in adulthood especially for people who are at risk. 5 doses are required.
  • At 6, 10 and 14 weeks, the Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV)and DPT (Diphteria, Pertussis and Tuberculosis) are due. Booster doses for OPV are due at 18 months, 4-6 years and at 10 years. Booster doses for DPT are due at 18 months and 4-6 years.
  • At 9 months, the measles and yellow fever vaccines are due. A booster does for yellow fever is required once in every 10 years.

The above are the compulsory ones required for every child by the NPI.

  • Before the age of 9 months, an additional vaccine that could be given is the Rotavirus vaccine. It appears that even hand washing does not protect against this virus. Two doses of this vaccine are usually given before the age of 6 months at one month’s interval.
  • Other vaccines that could be given include chicken pox vaccine (from one year of age), pneumococcal vaccines (at 2, 4 and 13 months of age), typhoid vaccines (with boosters every 3 years). Cerverix vaccine against cervical cancer can be given at birth, one month and 6 months. It is also generally advised for children and women between the ages of 12 and 55 years.

So, join the campaign to ‘know, check and protect’ 😀

Have a wonderful day, y’all

 

 

Foot note:
The pentavalent vaccine now provides the DPT, HBV and HiB in one injection. HIB provides protection against the organism responsible for pneumonia, meningitis etc. This pentavalent vaccine is taken at 6,10 and 14 weeks of life.

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And more photos…

Posted on April 19, 2014 by chatwithdrketch

And more photos...

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