chatwithketch

It is officially ‘Onwa December’ (the month of December). That month where we rejoice and make merry. That month when we also forget all those resolutions we made at the beginning of the year and focus on breaking them all 😀
Well, to help you keep the ‘health’ and ‘eating right’ part of those resolutions, I reproduce this post that I typically put out at this time of the year. Enjoy!

Q: I want to stop sugar because I’m addicted. What can I do doctor?
A: Thanks for writing in. Don’t we all struggle with this???I’ll reproduce here a post I had made on healthier alternatives/substitutes to foods we generally love which may not be so healthy. This includes sugary foods and those loaded with bad fats. Enjoy…
First, commit to reading labels in supermarkets. For all the foods that you will buy from shops, read the labels and be sure that they contain wholesome nutrients. Look out especially for trans fats, sugars, salt and lack of fiber. Avoid foods that have them…as much as you can!
Try these substitutions:Substitute white rice with local rice like Ofada, Abakaliki rice or brown rice etc
While shopping for pasta (eg spaghetti, macaroni or the like), look out for whole grain pasta. It will be written on the pack.
Instead of buying white bread, go for whole wheat bread.,,noting that even wheat bread has a significant amount of salt. So, if you can lay off bread once in a while, please do 😀
Remember that just because it’s brown, it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s whole wheat. Ask the grocer/baker/whoever you’re buying from.
If you need a sugar fix, don’t get it from a pack of sugar-filled fruit juice, juice your own fruits or opt for fruit slices
You know those sugar filled cereals that tell you that it’s just honey and whatever else, read the pack, you’ll see how much sugar is in them…plus of course, the honey. Substitute with oatmeal or other whole grain cereals. If you hate oats, try this recipe for overnight oats I learnt while shooting my half hour show.
Overnight oatsPut some oats in a bowl, add some milk and unsweetened yoghurt. Cover with cling film and leave in the fridge overnight. In the morning, add some fruit slices (I like apple and banana slices), add a sprinkle of cinnamon and if you want a little bit more ‘sugar’, add a couple of raisins/currants/dried fruit. Mix it all up…tastes fabulous! 😀 Or you could just make your oats the way you make other cereals. Just pour on the milk (warm or cold, as you like it) in your bowl of oats and enjoy.
Stay off soft drinks/soda as much as you can. Substitute with water 😀 or sparkling water which has some drops of lemon in it or you can do same with still (regular) water.
Instead of red meat, go for chicken and fish.
Substitute butter for cooking with healthier oils like Olive oil.
Substitute butter on bread slices with healthier spreads like peanut butter or even mashed avocado pear.
Try shopping for reduced fat mayonnaise and salad dressings to take the place of the regular goods. You could also try balsamic vinegar as a dressing for salad.
In recipes that need sugar, you can significantly reduce sugar to be used by using some cinnamon, nutmeg or vanilla.
Blend up some fruits and add them to low fat, sugar-free yoghurt…and dare I say, use that as a substitute for ice cream??? 😀
Reduce salt intake by using other herbs and spices like ginger, garlic etc
Replace pounded yam with oatmeal and serve up different varieties of vegetable soups.
Remember that while making your stew, the oil should not be visible on top of the stew when you’re done cooking. If we can see it, it’s too much!
I hope this helps!

Q: Hello doc! Happy new month. What is the effect of having sex with my wife in her monthly cycle?

A: Well, having sexual intercourse during a lady’s menstrual period does not make a man impotent, neither does it kill vital organs in his body…contrary to all the stories you have probably heard 😀

However, it is obviously messy and it is easy to contract Sexually Transmitted Infections at this time.

Can one get pregnant at this time? Unlikely but not impossible. It depends on the length of a woman’s cycle. If she has a short cycle, she could be seeing her period a few days away from her ovulation. Thus, if she has sexual intercourse, perhaps towards the end of her period, the sperm, which can stay ‘alive’ for days after sexual intercourse, are still available to fertilize the eggs released during ovulation. If in your case, you’re sure that you ovulate during your period, then I end by saying, ‘having sexual intercourse during menstruation is NOT a means of contraception’ 😀

Have a good night everyone J

Great question! 😀

What do you think?

https://www.health.harvard.edu/healthbeat/is-sex-exercise-and-is-it-hard-on-the-heart?

Yesterday was World AIDS Day with the theme ‘Communities Make The Difference’.
In honour of this day, I share a post (slightly edited) I made 3 years ago to mark this same day.
Hello everyone! It’s December 1! Oh my! How the year has flown by! Filled with laughter and tears, ups and downs, sadness and happiness….but most of all, life! Yes! As the bible says, only the living can praise God. So, people, let’s praise God today….for the gift of life, for the gift of passing through it all and yet, still standing! Amazing!
For the last month, call those things that be not, as if they are! Don’t give up. There are still 30 (well, 29 today) more days of amazing grace left in the year. Don’t miss them by giving up too soon!
I smell Christmas in the air!
World AIDS Day is a day set aside to create awareness of this disease caused by the virus, HIV. This day has been set aside for AIDS since 1988.
So, do you know your HIV status? Do you assume that because it appears the media is not continuously awash with news of the HIV/AIDS anymore that perhaps, it no longer exists?
A quick reminder class on HIV…
HIV-Human Immunodeficiency virus is a virus quite different from other viruses in its structure and how it attacks the cells of the body .It affects the CD4 cells in the body. These CD4 cells serve as the soldiers of the body, fighting and defending it from disease organisms. When HIV infects these cells the body loses its ability to defend itself so all kinds of diseases which ordinarily would have been taken care of now have the opportunity to affect the multiple systems of the body.
The initial symptoms of HIV are symptoms that can be seen also in other diseases, that means you can have similar symptoms in any other disease.
These include fever, flu like symptoms (cold, catarrh, cough), sweat, fatigue, diarrhea, aches and pains in the joints, headache, rashes and occasionally bleeding from the nose.
Other symptoms like oral thrush (whitish discoloration of the tongue), weight loss, chronic cough (cough lasting more than one month) and chronic diarrhea (passage of watery stools more than a month) come later in the course of the disease.
To prevent this, don’t forget the ABCs of safe sex: Abstaining from sex, if not married; Being faithful to one partner and using a condom, if engaging in risky sex (totally understanding that even this is not 100% safe).
For more on HIV/AIDS, please click on these links:https://chatwithdrketch.com/2014/08/26/daily-health-tips-is-it-risky-to-marry-my-hiv-positive-fiancee-when-im-hiv-negative/
https://chatwithdrketch.com/2014/04/11/daily-health-tips-can-my-hiv-positive-pregnant-friend-have-a-baby-without-problems/
https://chatwithdrketch.com/2014/07/27/daily-health-tips-how-can-i-prevent-my-unborn-baby-from-becoming-infected-with-hiv/
https://chatwithdrketch.com/2014/08/04/daily-health-tips-can-i-get-hiv-from-oral-sex/
https://chatwithdrketch.com/2014/12/01/daily-health-tips-world-aids-day-2014/
https://chatwithdrketch.com/2015/02/19/daily-health-tips-should-i-marry-my-boyfriend-who-i-just-realized-is-hiv-positive/
https://chatwithdrketch.com/2013/12/04/daily-health-tip-hivaids-your-role-in-the-fight/
Have a good night, everyone 😀

Q: Can micro-organisms live in cold places eg food in a refrigerator?

A: Absolutely, they can. Cold temperature only slows down the growth of micro-organisms but it doesn’t completely stop them. So, the better the condition of the food stored in the refrigerator, the longer it will keep and the worse the condition, the shorter the period it will keep. Bear in mind that these foods will not keep indefinitely.

Q: In a situation where husband and wife share a room, can it cause cross-infection?

A: Husband and wife should definitely share a room because this promotes bonding and emotional connection. Can cross infections happen as a result of this? Well, if one person were not observing hygiene rules and, for instance, developed ringworm, this infection could very easily be passed on by sharing bed linen, towels etc. So, the solution is to ensure that everyone obeys the simple rules of hygiene.

For more on this, please click on the link
https://chatwithdrketch.com/2014/05/30/daily-health-tips-i-have-ringworm-all-over-my-body/

Q: Please advice on dry gutters in or around the house. Also, dirty water on the floor in the compound.

A: Gutters (drainage gutters) around the house should always be scrubbed and cleaned. If not, they become a source of bad smells and pooling of stagnant water which encourage the growth of mosquitoes etc. Dirty water on the floor can lead to accidental falls and if the water is sufficient to become stagnant, again it becomes a breeding site for mosquitoes and other germs. Other probable breeding places for mosquitoes in the house are buckets of water, bathrooms with blocked drains, flower pots with more water than was necessary used for watering etc

For more on this, please click on the link https://chatwithdrketch.com/2013/05/04/kill-a-mosquito-with-a-sledge-hammer-heck-yes/

Q: Are females to wash their private parts with soap? Some people say it’s not good to wash with soap.

A: Generally, washing the vagina requires just water and your hands. That is more than sufficient to get the job done. If you wish, however, you may use unscented or lightly scented soap.

For more on this, please click on the link https://chatwithdrketch.com/2014/04/02/daily-health-tips-should-i-wash-my-intimates-with-disnfectant/

Q: How can one maintain a younger look…that is not looking as old as your age?

A: Well, cosmetologists will have a million and one things they can suggest you use. I will go from the medical angle. First, your mental and spiritual health…be at peace with all men and just keep it positive. There are bound to be people who wake up everyone making it their job to rile you…put it in a bubble and blow it away 
Then, your diet. Eat more fruits and veggies, Substitute empty carbs with complex carbs, drink a lot of water. This should help keep you looking very young 

Q: Ma’am, I sweat a lot even on my palms and under my feet, so when I put on shoes, my feet smell a lot. Please, ma’am how can I reduce sweating on my feet and palms?

Excessive sweating may happen in very hot weather, obesity, stress or medical conditions like thyroid problems or Diabetes Mellitus. Your doctor needs o check out if any of this is the problem. However, in the meantime, ensure you take a bath at least twice a day and use deodorants/anti-perspirants to ensure there’s no associated body odour. Then if the weather is hot, dress light…wear cotton fabrics that are not dark and not tight fitting. And try and substitute sandals for shoes. Oh and by the way, for guys, please change your socks and boxers daily to prevent an odour.

For more on this, please click on the link https://chatwithdrketch.com/2013/11/28/daily-health-tips-excessive-sweating-and-body-odour/

Daily Health Tips: Why Do I Sweat Excessively Even When It’s Cold?

Following the post on adding weight yesterday, there were quite a few questions on losing it 😀 So, tonight I flip the other side of the coin in response to the question below:

Q: Heehee different strokes for different folks. Please doctor help on tips to lose weight, especially belly fat. God bless you ma’am

A: Usually, there are five Fs associated with abdomens getting bigger 😀  Want to guess? I’ll tell you 😀

• Fat: It could very well be that your abdominal distension is due to fat: visceral fat which is located all around your organs. This places one at risk of heart diseases.
• Faeces: If one is constipated, then the abdomen could get distended. So, make a habit of ‘emptying’ out daily 😀 If you keep to my often-repeated advice of eating lots of fruits and veggies, you won’t need to make an effort. It will happen naturally 😀
• Flatus: If you feel very gassy, you will feel uncomfortable and your tummy may also be out there 😀
• Fetus: Pregnancy is the most common cause of abdominal distension in a woman of reproductive age. So, you might want to check this out.
• Fluid: Fluid in the abdominal cavity can cause abdominal distension. This can happen in heart failure, kidney failure or with liver problems.

So, please, go see your doctor asap. Let him/her examine you and make a proper diagnosis. That will determine the right course of management.

Having said that, let’s look at pot bellies generally. I’ve been getting a lot of questions on pot bellies, big tummies after child birth or just big tummies…after nothing, full stop:D So, I’ll reproduce part of a post I’d written on this subject (the trio of diet, exercise and stress). Remember that you can always visit my bloghttp://www.chatwithdrketch.com and type in any subject you want to know about in the search box. You will be presented with all my posts on that subject. There’s a lot I’ve written on weight loss et al 😀

I hate to be the one to break it to you…but alcohol is not the only thing that gives you a pot belly!:D Pot belly is caused by consuming way too many calories and these can be from your chilled bottle of beer or from your huge bowl/basin of rice (especially polished white rice) or yam. It is important to know what to eat, how to eat it and how much of it to eat.

The bad thing about tummy fat, is that it is not on the outside. It is actually on the inside, around the organs. So, no amount of sit-ups can touch this fat…exercise can help tighten abdominal muscles (especially for those who just put to bed) but it won’t get to the fat around organs (visceral fat). This fat is associated with some disease conditions like Diabetes Mellitus etc.

A diet full of junk food (meat pies, doughnuts) is unhealthy on a lot of fronts. It contains empty calories which give you calories you don’t need and make you demand even more calories in a short while. They also cause your blood sugar to yo-yo (jumping up) jumping up and down in a way that doesn’t help blood sugar control. A diet that is also full of white carbs like white bread, polished rice etc is also not ideal for the same reason. So what should we eat? A balanced diet…a diet that contains all food groups in sufficient amounts for the body to use them efficiently.

I have had cause to describe the ideal plate of food several times: Half the plate should be filled with vegetables, a quarter with complex carbohydrates like beans, local rice (like Ofada/Abakaliki/brown/wild rice), sweet potatoes, oatmeal etc and the last quarter with protein (fish, chicken etc). Remember that carbs are necessary to provide the energy needed for our daily activities. So, do not ‘demonise’ (:D) them….however, not all carbs are created equal. Complex carbs are superior because they supply energy and fibre and some also supply minerals and vitamins.

Then remember portion control. Reduce the plate size you usually use, if you need to lose weight. This automatically reduces the quantity of food you can eat.

Remember also to make a conscious effort to chew your food properly and take your time. Don’t wolf it down…or inhale it 😀 Chew intentionally so as to give your brain sufficient time to process the signal from your brain which says that you are full. Have you observed that when you rush your food, you move from being very hungry to being completely stuffed! There’s no in-between, where you realize that you’re full before you get to the stuffed part. That’s because your brain didn’t have enough time to process that info before you became ‘over-full’.

Note that, even if a food is considered healthy, it doesn’t mean you should eat as much of it as you want. For instance, beans is healthy on so many levels but it also high in calories and so you still need to stick to the portion described. Moderation in everything!!

Exercise is critical because it makes your heart strong, improves your body’s ability to break down food, resist diseases and generally provides a feel-good attitude. It also helps you lose weight. Mathematically, exercise helps to burn what you have eaten such that, if you do enough and watch your portions, at the end of the day, there will be a food balance between what you have burnt and what you have taken in. If you have not been engaged in any exercise for a long time, please see your doctor before you start any vigorous regimen. A minimum of 150 minutes of exercise per week is essential for good health. Try to get this exercise anyway you can: walking, dancing, skipping, arm wrestling, pillow fights etc. All the activities count and help you keep you fit, trim and healthy. If you use the gym, that’s great. You can get the instructor to put you on a regimen that involves aerobics, strength training (training with weights) and then focus on troublesome spots like your tummy etc. (in that order) or suggest useful regimens that are helpful.

Finally, I will talk about stress because quite a number of us are stressed out. Stress causes the release of a hormone called Cortisol which, amongst other things, causes fat to be deposited around our tummy. So, reduce your stress consciously by figuring out how to better cope with your sources of stress or even eliminating the stresses that you have control over. It’s your life after all.

I suggest you also click on this link to read my post on low glycemic eatinghttps://chatwithdrketch.com/2014/02/16/daily-health-tips-low-glycemic-eating-whats-that/

Have a good night, y’all 😀