chatwithketch

Q: A doctor in diaspora told me milk is for cow and not too good for consumption.

A: Very interesting comment. If the idea is that the milk we are discussing comes from cows and therefore should be taken by cows, I don’t necessarily disagree. Cows should definitely take their milk but it raises very interesting questions about humans. Should we continue breastfeeding at an adult age? 😀

Having said that, there have been reports that taking milk causes inflammation and therefore the body secretes a lot of mucous to counteract that. There’s still not sufficient evidence to support this. Currently, we know that milk is very beneficial. However, some knowledge will help you choose better from the different types of milk that exist

Skimmed milk and full cream milk are types of cow milk. Full cream milk has a lot of saturated fats. A diet rich in saturated fats is associated with heart disease. Skimmed milk has the least amount of fats (about 0.1%). There is also semi-skimmed milk which has about 2% fat content.

Here are the recommendations based on age:

• From birth till 6 months, a baby should be getting breast milk only and he should get it on demand several times a day at least 2-3 hourly
• From 6 months to 1 year, continue breast milk with other complementary feeds like fortified cereals

Before 1 year of age, your baby should not get cow milk (the regular milk we have). He should only get formula (baby milk) and/or breast milk.

• From 1 year to 2 years, the child should get at least 2 cups of full cream milk. The fat is particularly important to ensure proper brain development

Full cream milk is advised for children from 1 year when they can start taking regular milk till 2 years. The fat in the full cream milk is needed for proper brain development.

After the child turns 2 years, please switch to semi-skimmed milk or 2% milk if you can get that, up to 5 years of age. Your child should get at least 2 1/2 – 3 cups of semi-skimmed milk or other dairy products daily.

• From 5 years to 8 years, your child should get at least 2 1/2 – 3 cups of skimmed milk or other dairy products daily
• From 9 years till adulthood, you should get at least 3 – 4 cups of skimmed milk or dairy daily

Remember that your milk intake should form part of your calorie intake per day. Be sure to take that into account. So guys, get your milk mustache going. It’s certainly one source of protein and calcium that you should not be ignoring. Be sure to check that the milk is also fortified with Vitamin D which ensures that the calcium is properly absorbed. If you are at risk of prostate cancer or have other concerns, be sure to discuss your milk intake with your doctor.

There are a couple of people that may want to avoid milk though:

• Those with lactose intolerance (we’ll talk about this tomorrow)
• Those without lactose intolerance and yet when they take diary, they feel tired, sluggish, bloated, congested and/or their tummy feels out of sorts
• Those who just don’t want to take dairy for whatever reason. It’s a free world 🙂

If you’re not sure where you belong but you think something is ‘off’ when you take diary, please have a chat with your nutritionist or doctor.

All the best!

Hello everyone! How’s your week going? It’s almost over , so make the last day count! :d

So, I’m out of town and went out with some friends yesterday. The conversation, inevitably went to alcohol and how to prevent hangovers. And interestingly, someone talked about an evening out with friends where they had started out drinking beer before wine and then finally gin because they had heard that if you go that way (from low to high) then you avoid a hangover. We were all curious and asked if it worked. The answer? ‘I don’t remember anything that happened!’ 😀 So, there you go! Leave the booze alone, people ;D

But just in case, you’re still in doubt, read what Harvard has to say!

https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/beer-before-wine-strategy-doesnt-hold-water

June 1st of every month year is World Milk Day!

In honour of that day….

Do you take milk regularly every day? Or perhaps I should ask, ‘when was the last time you drank milk? Are you one of those who think that milk is only for children? Well, that’s not true. Everyone needs milk: children and adults alike!
Milk is a source of complete protein containing all the essential amino acids needed by but not produced by the body. You’re encouraged to have 3 to 4 servings of milk daily. Remember that this is not just for children. This is a habit that should be started in childhood and continue for life to ensure that you have a good stock pile of calcium to help fight osteoporosis.
Milk contains a lot of nutrients with loads of benefits to the body:
Milk is rich in protein and minerals like calcium, phosphorus and magnesium which are needed for healthy growth and development of bones. If milk consumption is started early in life and continued throughout life, it provides protection against osteoporosis…a bone disease that makes bones brittle and easy to break. This is particularly important because from the age of 30, the rate at which bone is built is less than the rate at which it is destroyed. Our bodies also start mobilizing calcium from our bones if there is not enough in our blood from diet, so if you already had a good stock of calcium, you won’t be in trouble
Calcium and phosphorus, abundant in milk, also help the proper growth and development of healthy teeth. The protein in milk forms a thin film over the teeth enamel preventing the loss of calcium from teeth when acidic foods like citrus are taken.
There is moderate evidence that milk consumption helps reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, lowers blood pressure and also reduces the risk of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.
Milk can also be used to meet your daily fluid requirements daily as it is made up of a significant amount of water (90%). This applies to fresh milk and reconstituted powdered milk. This ensures that you are well hydrated and helps a lot of other bodily functions like excretion.
Milk helps to give you lovely radiant skin due to its high content of Vitamin A
So, now you know.
Have a good night, y’all 😀

Q: Hi Doc? What causes clear sperm(s)?

A: Thanks for writing in.

One of the causes of ‘clear’ sperm (semen) is pre-ejaculate (a lubricating fluid) which may contain some sperm cells. It is believed that the sperm in the pre-ejaculate is not there at the time the fluid is produced, but is sperm from previous ejaculations that was probably left in the urethra. It is thought that urinating and cleaning the tip of the penis before sexual intercourse helps to clear the urethra of the sperm left from previous ejaculations. Diets poor in protein, frequent ejaculation as occurs in people who masturbate and exposing the testicles to high temperatures like in saunas could lead to a watery consistency/clear colour of semen.

Just to be sure you do know what normal semen should look like, below is a guide.

Using WHO reference values, a normal semen sample should fulfill the following:

• Volume amount of sperm produced in one ejaculation): Greater than or equal to 1.5 ml
• pH (whether acidic or alkaline. If less than 7, it’s acidic and greater than 7 is alkaline): Greater than equal to 7.2
• Viscosity (being semi-fluid):  viscous
• Transparency: opaque
• Motility (percentage of sperm that move forward normally):  This should be more than 40%
• Morphology (percentage of sperm that have normal shape): This should be greater than or equal to 15% normal, oval sperm heads
• Liquefaction (time taken for the semen to become ‘liquid’): This should be complete within one hour
• Pus cells should be less than 1 million/ml or less than 5/hpf
• Total sperm count: This should be greater than or equal to 15 million.

I hope this helps!

Q: My husband has low sperm count. What should we do?

A: Hey there! Thanks for writing in.

First a few facts about low sperm count….
• The causes of low sperm count could be medical, environmental or due to lifestyle issues
• Medical causes include infections like gonorrhea and chlamydia, certain drugs used for cancer and fungal infections, , undescended testes and cancer.
• Environmental causes include over-exposure to industrial chemicals, heavy metals and X-rays; over-heating the testicles by frequently using the sauna and hot tubs; prolonged bicycling
• Lifestyle causes include alcohol use, tobacco smoking, illegal drug use, obesity and emotional stress.
• To get a woman pregnant, a man has to have at least 40 million sperm per ejaculate. People with low sperm count usually have less than this.

For your husband, here are some tips that could help to improve his sperm count
• Stress has been found to contribute to infertility problems such as hormonal issues. So, prevent excessive stress and perform relaxation exercises. Remember that infertility and life in general can be stressful, learn to relax.
• Stop smoking because smoking significantly reduces both sperm count and the movement of sperm-cells.
• Prevent overheating of the scrotum: When scrotal temperature rises (caused by tight underwear, long stays in a sauna or Jacuzzi, for example) sperm production can be impaired.
• Maintain a healthy weight: Not too under or overweight since weight influences estrogen and testosterone levels.
• Stop using drugs: Prolonged use of recreational drugs (for example, alcohol, marijuana, cocaine)

For related posts, please click on the following:

Daily Health Tips: Belching, Low Sperm Count & Size Concerns.

Daily Health Tips: Sexual Weakness And Low Sperm Count

Have a fabulous week ahead 😀

Q: Hi Doc, what’s the safest and fastest way to stop breastfeeding without the baby crying. I’m in need of your help

A: Breastfeeding is really an intimate activity for mum and baby and it is not strange to find both of them feeling some sense of loss as this ‘bonding’ activity comes to an end…even when it’s mummy suggesting the change 😀 So, it is important that mum finds time to still bond with baby like frequent cuddles, keeping baby close to you, frequent eye contact etc. Generally re-assure your baby that the fact that this activity is coming to an end does not mean you love him or her any less. Be sure not to introduce this when your baby is going through any major changes like moving house etc That might convince baby you’ve moved on to other stuff 😀

Then get to it! 😀 How? You can stop gradually over a period of time. Replace some feeds during the day with other foods or even milk (just not from you). Usually the first and last feeds of the day are the most difficult to replace or give up as they are your baby’s sorta emotional anchors 😀 But keep at it over a period of weeks and the breast milk production will gradually ‘dry up’.

The other option is to just stop putting baby to the breast. If your baby feels it’s also a good idea to stop, then you’re good. If not, you may have to be very creative with means and ways of distracting him/her.

In both situations, you may find your breasts engorged. If you’re stopping gradually, you may want to express some milk (don’t express until until the breast feels empty) and store in the fridge. You could put that in a sippy cup and feed baby later.

If you’re stopping immediately, get the right support for your breasts.

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 encourages milk production. Hubby should kindly take note too.

All the best as you move to a new phase of parenting!

Everyone knows what it feels like to be upset by a friend, a colleague or even relative. For some, you feel upset that you even allow them get under your skin even when you know, as a friend of mine would say, ‘na as e sabi reach!’ 😀 Well, beyond your spiritual health, there are definitely benefits for your emotional health. Read!

https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/the-power-of-forgiveness

Q: Hi doctor. Does a loop cause smelly discharge or just lots of discharge?

A: Intra Uterine Device (IUD) are also known as loop contraceptives. There are two types: the Paragard IUD and the Mirena IUD.

The Paragard IUD is a copper-containing IUD. The copper is poisonous/toxic to sperm and the IUD also prevents implantation of the fertilized egg into the uterus, should fertilization still occur. Paragard can be used during breastfeeding and its removal leads to a quick return of fertility, generally.

The Mirena IUD contains hormones which make the cervical mucous extra thick preventing the sperm from getting to the womb and it also makes the lining of the womb thin such that even if a fertilized egg were to get there, it would not be able to implant on the thin lining of the womb. It also prevents ovulation. Mirena helps reduce the cramping pain of a menstrual period and also reduces bleeding.

Side effects of Paragard include back ache, cramps, severe pain during menstrual period and heavy bleeding etc while Mirena can cause breast tenderness, weight gain, irregular menstrual cycles etc Both IUDs can also be expelled, spontaneously, that is for no reason.

Although vaginal discharge may get heavier after inserting an IUD, the real danger/warning signs to look out for when you have the IUD on are listed below. If you experience any of these under-listed symptoms, please see your doctor immediately.

• Severe vaginal bleeding with at least two sanitary towels soaked every hour for 2 or more hours.
• Smelly vaginal discharge. This could be associated with fever and chills
• Severe pain in abdomen or pelvis

So, you should see your doctor immediately to check this discharge out.

Have a great night 😀

Q: Dr, I also notice I usually feel pain when swallowing food from my throat down to my stomach. Each time I want to eat, I will first feel pain on my cheeks.

A: The symptoms you describe call for a little biology class 🙂

When we eat, the food moves down from the mouth, to the esophagus (the food pipe) and into the stomach. There is a sphincter (you can look at it as a valve or control) at the lower end of the esophagus just before the stomach. This valve usually allows food to move in one direction: from the esophagus to the stomach. However, in people with Gastro-Esophageal Reflux Disease (GERD), this valve called Lower Esophageal Sphincter allows food to also move back from the stomach to the esophagus. This food, which contains acid from the stomach, causes burning sensations in the esophagus described as heartburn. A condition called hiatal hernia increases the chances of GERD and is usually seen in obese people, pregnant women and during situations that increase the pressure in the abdomen like coughing, sneezing etc.

Symptoms typically include burning sensation in the chest after eating, difficulty with swallowing, and sensation of having a lump in the throat, chest pain and regurgitation of food or sour-tasting fluid. If your symptoms are worse at night, you could also have disrupted sleep and chronic cough.

Lifestyle factors that play a role in GERD include certain foods like fatty, fried foods, alcohol, minty foods etc, smoking, eating huge meals, lying down immediately after a meal etc

To avoid these eat smaller meals and try not to lie down until about 3 hours after a meal, keep your weight within normal limits and give tight clothes a rest 😀 Avoid foods that act as triggers and stay off smoking. Elevate the feet of your bed by using blocks under the bed. Do not use pillows to achieve this as it just increases pressure in the stomach and worsens the problem.
Other treatment modalities include medications and surgery. First course of action is to go see your doctor who will make a definitive diagnosis and advice on what works best for you.

All the best