The Nation Newspaper

Category: Mind & Body

  • A wonderful world

    By Yetunde Oladehinde

    The tears flowed endlessly. It was actually tears of joy. She almost lost someone she loved so much. A friend told her he was cheating on her and then the battle line was drawn. It was almost over but luckily the shadows cleared and she is back in the arms of the one she loved.

    To ease out the tension, she put on the radio and the music affirmed that she was right on track.

    I see trees of green

    Red roses too

    I see them, bloom

    For me and you

    And I think to myself

    What a wonderful world…

    Butterflies bliss and Louis Armstrong’s ‘what a wonderful world’ is something many would love to experience in their relationships. This can only happen when what you have is true, pure and unadulterated romance. It’s beautiful, memorable and takes you on a trip to fantasy Island. Here you would always feel the flutter of butterflies in your stomach and on a daily basis the world feels beautiful.

    It is only natural that you would want to be with your sweetheart all the time, and even when you’re not together, you just can’t help wanting to be together. There is actually a perfect balance and you’re happy. Your sweetheart is happy, the world’s happy for you and you’re having the time of your life.

    Is it love at first sight, unconditional love, platonic and the other kinds of love? Even when you experience a particular type, you can be sure that your experience would be different from others.

    Interestingly, the unconditional type of love appears to be one of the best. Here you need to ask certain questions to be sure that you are on track. Do you love someone more than you love yourself? Do you care about your lover more than you care about anything else is the world?

    Interestingly, unconditional love is the stuff fairy tales and romance novels are made of. If both of you care about each other and love each other selflessly, you’re in the middle of a special type of love that few ever experience, but spend all their lives looking for.

    The first crush is a memorable experience; one that’s filled with confusing jolts in the stomach. It’s a beautiful experience and most times it feels as if your life actually depended on it at that time.

    And there are times when you like someone madly, but didn’t just want to express your love for them. Sometimes, you may have an intense infatuation for someone, but yet, you wouldn’t want to spoil the happy thoughts by doing anything about it.

    Unrequited love is a love filled with heartbreaks and one that almost all of us have experienced. It’s the dreaded one sided love, where you like someone and you know that person will never like you back. They may be in a relationship, or they may just use you. You find yourself falling more in love with each passing day, even though you know you’ll never get any happiness out of this type of love.

    Obsessive lovers are scared, insecure, and obviously obsessive about the relationship. Now you may have been one or may have dated someone like this. It’s a stage all of us experience when we’re afraid of losing someone we love. But if you or your partner has security issues, really, there’s no hope for a happy ending here.

    On the extreme side, you will find selfish love. Even though it involves two people to create that relationship, selfish love also involves two people who are in love with one person. Your partner loves you. You love you. Selfish love is a love where you don’t care about your partner or their happiness.

    You only care about yourself. If you ever find yourself getting into a relationship just for the heck of it without really falling in love with the other person, chances are you’re a selfish lover. Selfish lovers are clever, scheming foxes who only get into a relationship to see what they can get out of it.

    Well, the truth is that no matter the situation, love is something that we all look forward to experiencing. Even the hardest of hearts melts in the love field. But if you can’t find true love then you may just settle for Platonic love which is the simplest of all types. There are no strings attached and no sexual intentions either. It’s pure, friendly and something we experience from a very young age.

    Love, interestingly, comes in so many hues and ways that’s almost impossible to predict what type you are in. Sometimes, it can be happy, painful or somehow confusing. As you search your mind, you’ll definitely find that you must have passed through it and would have experienced some ‘refining’ moments. But if you haven’t gone through this phase (s) then there is definitely no cause for alarm. It may just be around the corner, all you probably need is to tap into the next love opportunity.

  • One Simple Rule That Will Keep You Slim and long lived

    One Simple Rule That Will Keep You Slim and long lived

     

    The orient is home to the longest lived races, like the Japanese and Chinese, and diet has been adduced to be the secret to this. They practice a remarkably easy weight loss approach called the 80 percent rule. Conversely, ever since Nigerians have adopted sedentary western lifestyles, and food choices, the average Nigerian portion size has been growing, not to mention the average waist and dress size. Meanwhile, Nigerian life expectancy has dropped over the years. Nigerian women are now expected to live for 55.6 years and men for 53.4 years.
    It’s no coincidence that Nigerians are eating more, doing less exercise, and living shorter lives. When you take in more calories than you’re able to burn off through exercise, you gain weight. Obesity then puts you at risk for life-threatening conditions like Heart disease, Diabetes, High blood pressure, and a long list of cancers, including breast, colon and pancreatic cancer.
    If food choices play such a large role in deciding someone’s lifespan, what can Blue Zones—regions with the world’s longest living people—like Okinawa, Japan, teach us about diet and nutrition? Dietician nutritionists specializing in this critical care reveal one simple food principle that Okinawans live by, the 80 percent rule.

     

    What exactly is the 80 percent rule?

    The expression, hara hachi bu literally means ‘80 percent stomach’ in Japanese, It’s based on the belief that if you slow down your eating and stop when you’re 80 percent full, you’ll actually feel more satisfied. Why? When you eat slowly, you chew more carefully. It lets you savor the flavors and really enjoy your food—and it gives your stomach enough time to tell your brain that it’s full. Since it takes about 15 to 20 minutes for fullness signals to reach your brain, eating too fast can easily lead to overeating. The 80 percent rule can improve your quality of life.
    Unlike weight loss supplements and fad diets, this simple practice can help you lose weight safely and keep it off. It allows you to eat 20 percent fewer calories—minus the constant feeling of deprivation, or the binge eating that follows. By helping you keep excess weight off, the 80 percent rule also lowers your risk of illnesses like heart disease and diabetes and may improve your quality of life.
    That might be one reason why Okinawans have one-fifth the rate of heart disease, a quarter the rate of breast cancer and one-third the rate of dementia when compared to Africans. They also enjoy one of the world’s longest life expectancies and the most years of healthy, disability-free living. A growing number of studies support the link between eating smaller portions and living longer. One team of researchers followed a group of men and women on a calorie restricted diet for six months. Regardless of their exercise habits, all participants lost weight. They also experienced:
    Better blood sugar control
    More stable hormone levels
    Less of the DNA damage that happens with aging
    These anti-aging and disease-fighting effects mean the 80 percent rule is just one way to lower your age.

    How can you tell when you’re 80 percent full?

    The best way to stick to the 80 percent rule is to divide your plate in half before you start eating. Only eat the first 50 percent of your food to begin with; chew slowly and savor every single bite. Concentrate on the food—think about its color, flavor and texture. This is called mindful eating. After you eat the first half of your meal, put your fork down and let a few minutes pass. Then ask yourself, “Am I really still hungry?” If you’re satisfied, stop. If not, eat half of the remaining 50 percent—half of what’s left. If you are still hungry, divide the leftover food in half again.
    It’s especially important to remember this trick in restaurants, where tempting bowls of your favorite foods often come in extra-large portions. Ask for a to-go container at the start of the meal and divide the plate as soon as it arrives. Another option is to request the lunch portion.

     

    How to overpower cravings and beat binge impulses

    Everybody has cravings, (for some of us its chocolates and pastry) but if you constantly remind yourself that you’re on a diet, you’re more likely to experience binge impulses. But when you follow the 80 percent principle, there’s no forbidden fruit. If you feel like you really need to eat something, measure out one serving and just have a small amount of the treat you love. You can actually have a bar of your favourite chocolate or pastry once a week, and not risk becoming overweight.

    Other ways to control your portions:

    Start with a salad: Eating a salad before your meal can decrease your calorie intake by 10 to 12 percent. Salads are high in fiber, which helps you feel full sooner and keeps you satisfied longer. Since you have to spend more time chewing a salad, it also gives your brain a chance to catch up with your stomach.
    Don’t eat in front of the television: If you eat in front of the TV, you won’t pay as much attention to your food. The distraction—not to mention all the restaurant adverts—may easily lead to food choices you’d regret.
    Step away from your desk: “Don’t eat in a high-stress atmosphere.” It causes your brain to release the stress hormone, corticotropin factor, which can trigger ‘stress eating.’ Increased stress levels lower your motivation to eat nutritious foods.”
    Another trick is to swap your breakfast and dinner portions. Okinawans eat their largest meal in the morning, their smallest meal in the evening, and then don’t eat anything else before bed.
    There are many benefits to early eating, including better weight control. One reason why people overeat at night is the tendency to wait until they’re starving and exhausted. Then their willpower is gone and they wind up bingeing on high calorie foods. If you are not really a breakfast person, take the time to plan healthy breakfast meals and love how healthy you feel when you start the day off with delicious, energizing breakfast treats.

  • Caesarean section now safer method of delivery

    Caesarean section now safer method of delivery

    Caesarean Section, CS, though not an option for women when it comes to delivery, most women nowadays still prefers it because, according to them, the pain you go through is less. In this interview with OMOLARA AKINTOYE, an obstetrician/gynaecologist, Dr Adeleke Kaka, explains that it is advised that from age 40 women should consider CS as an option to avoid complications 

    Which one is safer, Caesarean Section or Vaginal birth? Evidence has shown that CS actually carries more morbidity than vaginal birth. Normal delivery is safer. There are lots of risks involved in CS. They include some cases requiring anesthesia (the loss of sensation caused by damage to a nerve). Nowadays, patients don’t sleep again as injection administered on them will only induce loss of sensitivity to pain in all or a part of the body for medical reasons. The risk involved in terms of anesthesia includes numbness, and hypotension (blood pressure dropping) which can be very severe. That of anesthesia can go beyond what is expected. Others include cardiovascular collapse or paralysis. In serious emergency cases whereby the patient is from a Traditional Birth Attendant or Faith-Based Home, when she has been labouring for days before being transferred to another hospital and the gastric content might have reduced, this will no doubt put both the mother and the baby at risk. There can be inadvertent injury at the point of cut.

    At what point will a woman be considered for CS?

    Looking at it from the time when the woman is pregnant to that of labour, placing a woman on CS can be for the following reasons: If the mother has severe hypertension or enclampsia which are dangerous, we can’t subject such a woman to normal delivery to avoid complications. Another instance is when the baby’s position is abnormal in the womb or if the mother has fibroid around the cervix or in the lower part of the womb or if the baby is too big, like 4.5kg upwards. Another instance is when the placenta is at the lower segment before the baby. Another instance is when the pregnant woman after having undergone scan is said to have placenta previa, i.e. the placenta is at the lower part of the abdomen while the fetus is up. If such a woman is allowed to go through normal delivery she will bleed to death. It is advised that such a woman go through CS to save the life of the mother and the baby.

    Speaking about the advantages of vaginal delivery, Dr Kaka said babies born vaginally have a decreased risk of certain immune system disorders, including asthma and allergies, compared with those born by Caesarean Section. According to recent studies, researchers now think they know why entering the world via the vagina exposes babies to several kinds of beneficial bacteria, including Lactobacillus; these normally comprise more than 95 percent of vaginal bacteria and go on to colonise the newborn’s intestine.

    The type of bacteria on new borns’ skins seems to influence the development of their digestive and immune systems, according to reports.

    Ceasarean Section, according to Dr. Kaka, also has lots of advantages. “Yes, a Caesarean birth is a major abdominal surgery and it involves all the risks associated with that. However, medical science is now so advanced as to lower the risk so significantly that women can consider elective CS birth. C sections are now much safer than they used to be, and with them becoming more routine, surgeons are more skilled at this than ever before.

    “Also, labour pains can be a very real downside to a vaginal delivery. Since labour pains can extend over a long period of time, it can be a harrowingly difficult and painful time for a woman.

    There are many benefits to a Caesarean section delivery as well, which should be noted so that a woman can make an informed decision about an elective CS if she so wishes.

    “There is of course the pain of an abdominal surgery to overcome, but after the first few days the pain is very manageable in most cases. Remember even in a vaginal delivery there is usually an episiotomy performed so there are those stitches to deal with. In any case, proponents of a CS will tell you that with this form of delivery you know the amount and duration of pain, whereas with a vaginal delivery you don’t know how long and severe your labour will be. You can be conscious throughout and not have to suffer any pain of delivery. Post-delivery issues like haemorrhoids, etc, are also not an issue with a CS.

    “A vaginal delivery is not the most private of things, with doctors and nurses milling around to check how dilated you are, and you being in a less than flattering position for any number of hours. A CS is over in a matter of some minutes. Coming through the birth canal is quite an arduous process for a baby, who often comes out with an elongated or slightly misshapen head. In a CS the child is simply lifted out and has to undergo none of the rigours of a vaginal delivery.”

    Proponents of natural childbirth, generally, he explained, are of the view that it is a process that should happen in due course rather than something you schedule, but this has to be a personal choice that a woman should be permitted to make without having to deal with guilt. In conclusion, Kaka pointed out that when it comes to labour, mothers should bear in mind that there is nothing to be afraid of, “since there is a team of doctors and nurses who are there to help you, to make sure that everything goes well during delivery. No matter how scary it may sound, when the instincts kick in so you will know what to do. Before the big day comes you should make sure that you will find out things to know about labour and you should talk about stages of labour with your doctor.”

  • Pamper your skin with coconut oil

    THERE are many benefits of coconut oil which you are may properly not be aware of. Coconut oil can be used to replace those expensive and often ineffective products you have in your home. The oil is often praised for its many health benefits and its versatility.

    For example, coconut oil is a perfect cleanser for any skin type, even oily skin, as it will gently wash away all dirt, impurities, and even the toughest makeup, but not every last bit of your natural oil. This great natural moisturiser oil will leave your skin soft and moisturised but clean, with enough of your own oil left to stop your skin from going into panic mode.

    Coconut oil contains three fatty acids: capric acid, lauric acid and caprylic acid. Each of these acids kill candida, a common cause of fungal infection on your skin. You can use it as makeup remover, for shaving, as hair cream, etc. The fatty acids in coconut oil also reduce inflammation internally and externally and moisturise, making them a great solution for all types of skin conditions. It protects the skin and has many antioxidants that make it ideal for healing the skin. In addition, the antimicrobial properties balance out the candida or fungal sources that can cause many skin conditions.

    It is gentle on the skin and with no chemicals and ingredients you have to watch out for (like most of the skin and beauty care products sold today). This is a safe and easy oil for anyone to use and experiment with; it also helps to delay the occurrence of wrinkles because it contains antioxidant Vitamin E, known to protect skin cells from damage over time. The Vitamin E found in coconut oil soothes eczema, sunburn and psoriasis.

    As coconut oil has a lot of good benefits and it will take eternity to share all of it; we will focus on moisturising your skin with coconut oil. An ideal multiple-products-in-one item to add to your skincare and personal grooming regimes.

    Moisturising, antiaging and antiviral properties

    Coconut oil is a powerful moisturiser that is beneficial to restoring dry or flaking skin. Unlike your average moisturiser that contains a lot of water and likely synthetic ingredients, coconut oil helps to strengthen skin tissue more deeply and eliminate dead skin cells while absorbing quickly into your skin.

    It tricks skin into thinking it has enough oil to slow down oil production while locking in the moisture.

    How to use it to moisturise your skin

    Face: rub a small amount between fingers and pat on to freshly washed skin, adjusting amount used as needed. If you have used the coconut oil cleansing method and have plenty of oil left on your skin after washing, you can simply pat dry and skip the additional moisturising step.

    Body: emulsify oil between palms until warm and melted and apply to skin, or melt down and add to your favourite lotions and creams before applying.

    It is important you buy a good quality coconut oil. Look for a coconut oil that is not refined, when you don’t buy hundred percent coconut oil, you don’t get hundred percent result.

    There have been reports of increase in acne with the use of coconut oil in some people. Other people have great results, so you will have to see how your skin reacts to coconut oil. If you notice that your skin break out, then you can mix it with other oils like castor oil or jojoba oil, or you stop using it.

  • Positive psychology for children

    PEOPLE are more likely to experience positive psychology if they take in the good things in each experience or situation. Even with regard to the past, if a person only focuses on the negative the brain will only be able to recognise the negative. The more the brain has access to the negative, the easier it becomes, because that is what is more memorable.

    When people experience well-being, they are experiencing a sense of emotional freedom; there is nothing negative that is holding them back from experiencing positive emotions. The need to give the average Nigerian and West African child more attention to avoid frustration and depression was stressed at a recent forum for children.

    Here, the West Africa Women Association (WAWA) in conjunction with United Nations Information Centre (UNIC) and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) impressed it upon government at all levels the need to remain committed to the development of the Nigerian child.

    According to WAWA Focal Person in Nigeria, Mrs Beatrice Ubeku, government should take proactive measures aimed at improving the general wellbeing of the children across the country. Ubeku stressed that concerned individuals must build a synergy of cooperation with government to ensure a brighter future for Nigerian children, many of whom are disillusioned and dejected at the moment.

    In her remarks, Dr Mrs. Opral Benson advised children to shun all forms of social vices, saying such can jeopardise their future. “We can improve on what the different organisations, especially ECOWAS, WAWA, amongst others, are doing now by spending more time with our children; getting to know them better, talking and advising them. Also bringing them to programmes such as this and someday they would turn out to be great,” Mrs. Benson stressed.

    The Yeye Oge of Lagos also called on leaders to do all within their power to create an enabling environment that will give the Nigerian child a sense of belonging.

  • Building your immune system (III)

    Building your immune system (III)

    IN concluding the series on building your immune system this week, it is necessary to look at the side effects of some of the fruits that also help to build the body system. Some of these fruits/diets are not merely bad for the sake of it, but when taken without certain precautionary measures, they constitute major health challenge. For instance, if lettuce is contaminated and is taken without proper care, it can develop serious health hazards.
    However, the whole essence of having fruits daily is to keep the body properly attuned to defend the body. Fruits are widely taken as the best sources of vitamins of all sorts. Worldwide, fruits constitute people’s daily menus and this is why Nigerians have been advised by nutritionists and medical personnel to continuously make it a habit to eat fruits daily. It is even better to take fruits more frequently than food.
    According to Dr. Chris Ebaeju of Saint Augustine’s Hospital, Ikorodu, Lagos, fruits serve as cleansers, because they have the natural properties to make the body system not only cleaner and stronger, but make the blood system work more effectively and efficiently. “Yes”, he said, “their primary role is to help the body function better. Once the blood stream is cleaner and better, of course, that helps to ward off external forces that otherwise would invade the body system.”

    GINGER: It is the medicine for the chest. It has wonderful spice effect, time-tested, digestive-friendly and has other healing properties good for the body. In Asia, for instance, Ginger is used in practically every food in daily life. It is their antidote for curing and battling cold and flu. However, if you haven’t been feeling hungry, may be you’ve lost your appetite, just take a toke of Ginger and it will sooner than later fire up your appetite. Ginger energises your digestive juices and before you know you’ll begin to feel hungry. It clears the microcirculatory channels of the body, including the pesky sinuses. If you feel nauseous, then chew a piece of ginger, preferably with a drop of honey and it will clear your throat and this will make you cool and light.
    Ginger helps to reduce flatulence, if your tummy is either moaning or groaning under cramps, especially early in the morning, then munch on ginger. When you have a joint pain, please chew a ginger because with its anti-inflammatory properties, it can bring relief. It can be added to bath water to ease aching muscles and painful joints. This is more applicable often during cold.
    After an operation, you can chew ginger to help overcome nausea. You can also add to tea to get rid of throat and nose congestion. It also has aphrodisiac properties.

    GARLIC: It is said to cure just about everything, ranging from cold to flu to plague and lots more. Its various healing properties are vast and numerous. It is a sulphurous compound with properties organically proved to have far greater health benefits. It assists people in the management of blood pressure and in the reduction of cholesterol levels.
    Even modern medicine has proved that garlic is good as a very powerful natural antibiotic. Also it has antioxidants that are helpful to protect the body against serious damaging free radicals. It can therefore be made into a food supplement due to its smell. Yet the smell has not reduced its potency or healing properties.
    The World Health Organisation (WHO) monograph affirms that garlic is a reliable source of natural health. Most often, it should be taken with food since the dose cannot be quantified or determined as yet.
    However, garlic mustn’t be taken in excess since it often has side effects. Some people are even allergic to it. Symptoms of garlic allergy include skin rashes, temperature and headaches. For those who fall into this category, it is better to avoid it entirely. Raw garlic is very powerful so eating too much can even produce problems and terrible side effects.

    SOY BEAN: The plant is classified as an oilseed by Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO). It is indeed fat-free. And above all, it is a cheap source of protein. Soy milk can be produced out of it as the greatest of energy to build the body. There is also soy sauce, fermented bean paste and more. The bean contains plenty of phylic acid, alpha-linolenic acid and more. It is a source of complete protein, with all the essentials of amino acids needed for human body contained in it.
    For people who want to reduce the amount of meat they take daily, it is instructive for them to resort to soy bean. Raw soybean is not edible and therefore cannot digest in the system. However, it is taken globally as an important crop, providing oil and protein. Often too, an immature soybean can be boiled whole in their green pods and served with salt. (Concluded)

  • Lettuce

    Lettuce

    THIS is widely known as the perfect antidote for losing weight.

    It has an amazing portion of calories comprising of 20 percent protein.  It is a leaf vegetable which can be used to produce oil.

    There are many varieties of it grown in different parts of the world.  It can either be cooked or eaten raw, but with a bit of caution.

    A big source of vitamin A and potassium, it is advisable to have it thoroughly washed with salt if it is to be eaten raw.

    When it is contaminated it can harbor virus for salmonella. Salmonella contributes to typhoid fever.  Good both for vitamin A, vitamin K and also provides dietary fire, carbohydrates and small amount of fat, lettuce adds flavor when added to food.

    It also provides some calcium, iron and copper.  It is generally seen as a medicinal herb.  Others see it differently as symbol of sexual prowess and a promoter of love and childbearing in women.  In Roman history it is claimed to increase sexual potency in men.  So also, it is believed to have minor narcotic properties and when necessary can be used to cure or stabilize madness.

    Indeed, in some places, it is used to treat pain, rheumatism, tension and nervousness, coughs and insanity and more.

    Lettuce is gradually becoming more popular in Nigeria because many people are beginning to recognise its medicinal and health values.

  • Why liver diseases are increasing

    Why liver diseases are increasing

    Cases of liver problems and diseases are on the increase.  A lot of habits are responsible for this.  In this chat with Edozie Udeze, Chris Ebaeju, a medical practitioner says that since the liver is the largest organ in the body and performs the highest functions, it is proper to avoid many dirty habits to allow it function well and more.

    Nearly every minute, more new cases of people with liver diseases are reported in Nigeria.  In the past five years or so, the situation has become so worrisome that people are now advised to go for regular medical check-ups to determine the condition of their liver.  Beyond that, medical practitioners have been up and doing by telling people that the best to do is to avoid these habits that help to endanger the state of the liver.

    According to Dr. Chris Ebaeju of Saint Augustine’s Clinics, Ikorodu, Lagos.  Since the liver is the largest and the most complex organ in the body, people should try to treat it with some kind of care.  “Your liver performs many vital jobs.  Among other things, it removes toxins from your blood system.  It also stores vitamins, minerals and then gives you the fuel necessary to survive.”

    He regretted however that in spite of all these functions, the liver is still very vulnerable to damage.  “Since there is no cure for chronic liver disease, this damage can have dire consequences,” he says.

    What to avoid

    In order that the liver be totally preserved and prevented from facing a situation that may endanger it, people are advised to avoid heavy intake of alcohol.  “Heavy alcohol consumption is not good for the body.  People who take alcohol on a regular basis should also consider what effect it has in their bodies.  Apart from that, viral hepatitis, diabetes and excess weight also tend to affect the condition of the liver and when there are gallstones in the pancreatitis, the liver is also threatened,” he said.

    There are some certain drugs when taken in excess or continuously over time that also affect the liver. “For instance, deactivating potentially harmful drugs and medications are hazardous.  Drug breakdown can damage liver cells which can result to acute or chronic liver disease.  Preventable factors that include alcohol and drug abuse, medications, injections and certain health conditions, particularly viral hepatitis should be avoided in order to allow the liver perform its many functions.  Since the liver is responsible for the breaking down and the total elimination of naturally occurring toxins in the body as well as producing bile necessary for digestions, it is usually wise to avoid situations that may make it over work itself.

    Bacterial infections

    Infections may indeed arise from the biliary tract, portal vein, hepatic artery or by direct extension. Ebaeju explains that infections from the biliary tract are the most common and this consequently results in about 30% to 50% of the total number of pyogenic abscesses.  “In other words, this leads to liver abscesses which are frequently multiple.  In fact another common route of entry of infection is the portal vein.  This often results in more serious liver conditions which includes complicated diverticular disease, appendicitis, peritonisis and pancreatitis.  This also contributes to pyogenic liver abscesses.  Other common causes include pneumonia, intravenous drug abuse, staphylococcus aureus which is evident in about 20% of causes that are regularly confirmed and treated.”

    Signs to look out for

    The most common sign that liver problem is on the way is when you begin to feel regular pains associated with the right upper quadrant arm, coupled with general malaise and anorexia.  “At this stage,” Ebaeju says, “examination may reveal tender hepatomaly.  There may also be few occurrences of hypertension and cardiovascular collapse showing as nagging symptoms.  Liver function tests may also show that blood cultures are frequently positive. The tests would include radiological investigations that relate to ultra sound or CT scan of the abdomen to determine the size, characteristics, number and anatomical location of the liver abscesses.  At the state too, a chest x-ray is necessary, and it may show an elevated hemidiaphragm or a pleural effusion.

    He points out that the signs may be slow in manifesting in the beginning.  “But there are situations where it can be sudden, depending on the level of infection or damage that may have occurred.  At this level, weight loss is possible and sweating regularly becomes a problem.  Approximately, 30% of patients have diarrhea at this stage. Occasionally too, signs of jaundice may occur, signaling that the live may have been damaged severely.”

    Treatment

    The first major step to take is to place the patient on medical therapy.  This includes what is called taking a symptomatic measures which includes taking appropriate antibiotic therapy.  Immediately the total drainage of the liver abscesses should be observed.  A patient is usually placed on the appropriate and adequate nutrition and hydration. “Necessary precautionary measures should be take now against further spread of staphylococcus organisms by mitigating it with heavy antibiotic drugs.  This will be done for several weeks with the intention to totally eradicate infection and then avoid reoccurrence.”

    Due to modern medical provisions which have invariably made certain medications easier and more accessible, total drainage is now done through ultrasound control or by repeated percutaneous aspiration.  “In addition, it is usual to have frequent clinical, biochemical, microbial and radiological follow-up are required to access progress and then detect possible relapses.”

  • Healing wonders of quail eggs

    Healing wonders of quail eggs

    FOR centuries, the teeny, tiny quail birds with its non-attractive eggs shell, according to health experts, is not only uniquely suited to commercial production, it is also very nutritious. The bird, which is also less meaty than a regular chicken, is reportedly easy to prepare.

    What makes quail eggs unique, in the words of Head, Dietetics Department, National Hospital, Abuja, Mrs. Serah Abagai, is that it doesn’t have cholesterol. She said: “Quail eggs are rich in Omega-3 fatty acid in higher proportions than available in chicken and other eggs. Its high level in any meal emulsifies the cholesterol and burns it off to ensure it does not remain in the system to cause havoc. Its Omega-3 fatty acid helps to control blood pressure”, adding that is the reason experts suggest quail eggs as antidote for hypertension because it has every nutrient imagined for wholesome food.

    History says that the quail bird was cited as a brilliant source of protein in ancient Egypt, especially during the Israelites’ wilderness journey. Then, there were lots of mouths to be fed in the pyramid sites. After they established that the bird was nutrient-packed,  people embraced it as business and there arose an endemic rearing of the bird throughout the Egyptian empire. Then it began to seep into other parts of the globe.

    Also, Jovana Farms Managing Director, Prince Arinze Onebunne, described quail bird as the white, tasty and healthy meat for consumption, but by far, it’s egg is the most important product.

    Onebunne quoted British researchers as saying that quail egg should be pronounced a super-food due to its impact on human health which also helps to fight obesity. He said  nutritionists also described  quail as one of the richest foods full of essential ingredients that everyone should consume at least two to three eggs a day. Based on what experts say, quail eggs play crucial role in general health protection including trimming down and a balanced body weight. It is thus declared an elixir of life that everyone needs, Onebunne said.

    Not a few Nigerians attest to the wonder-working potency of quail eggs. Wonuola, 32, has been diabetic since she was 25 years of age. Recounting her ordeal, she said “As far as I was concerned, my life was over as the doctor gave me my medical report pronouncing me diabetic. The news hit me badly and I became depressed. We are a struggling family  financially. When I told my mom, she fell sick. When my dad became sad the moment he was informed. And for five years, we battled the ailment as a family. My parents became indebted because I earned pittance at work.

    “During our period of struggles last year, a lady told my mom about quail eggs. At first, I was skeptical. I never heard of it and I didn’t know it. She then gave me a print-out containing the details. My mom persuaded me to try it because by then, we were borrowing and begging to eat. That was how I started the course. It’s over one year now, I hardly remember I was once diabetic. I am so healthy. I even went to a laboratory to check my health, they found no trace of diabetes. I can only thank God for the healing qualities he loaded in quail eggs.”

    One thing remains consistent among those that spoke for quail eggs, it is part of a healthy diet. Wonuola said, “I was asked to always consume it raw mixing it with lime oranges, beginning with three eggs for the first three days and then, progressing to five eggs per day for the duration of the treatment I underwent.”

    Onebunne said, “it is recommended that people consume the eggs raw. But some people kick at the idea. So we advise them to mix it with orange, pineapple natural juice, honey, lemon or fresh tomatoes just to make the taste pleasant for them.

    “It is good for the treatment of any kind of ailment and also recommend for hypertensive people. Despite its little size, the nutritional value of quail eggs is said to be greater than chicken eggs as it contains 13percent protein compared to chicken eggs’ 11percent in chicken eggs. It is also said to contain 140percent Vitamin B1 against chicken eggs’ 50percent.

  • ‘How we kicked polio, meningitis out’

    ‘How we kicked polio, meningitis out’

    The Executive Director, Katsina State Primary Health Care, Dr. Muawiya Aliu, speaks with Adetutu Audu on  how the state has been tackling polio and meningitis endemic in the state.

    Primary health care is a crucial aspect of medical care. To what extent would you say the Katsina government is giving attention to it?

    I have been here since the agency was created in 2005. The agency is saddled with the responsibility of providing primary health care for the people even as it collaborates with the local governments to provide effective primary health services in the state. It has five departments for proper running of its activities, namely administration, finance and supply, primary health care, ophthalmology and disease control, projects and pharmaceutical services. We are responsible for improvement of maternal and child health, preventive care services, immunisation, health education and mobilisation of the people towards better health behaviour. We collaborate with donor agencies in the state even as we coordinate the comprehensive health centres one in all the 34 local government areas across the state. Here in the state headquarters, we have four health facilities. Katsina has four major gates; around each of these gates, there is a facility which acts as the first level of referral in the health care chain before the General Hospital. We also have mobile ambulances, one in each of the 34 local governments. The essence is to penetrate the remotest parts of the state to give health facilities to the people who ordinarily would not have the opportunity of coming to town to receive healthcare services. What the local government area in this wise does as the ambulance is given to them is to identify which locality does not have health facility yet, make a list of the villages, and on daily basis, the ambulance visits a particular village and renders services. On quarterly basis, the ambulances are given drugs that would last them for that duration.

    How do you prevent the drugs in your health facilities from being commercialised by the personnel?

    When we give them the drugs, we don’t end it there. We have people that monitor them. We have the traditional leaders that monitor what they are doing. Beyond that, we have records for the ambulance itself. Where it is going to, you must indicate by giving date, time and even mileage. We have also directed that traditional leaders must sign a certain document each time the ambulance visits their locality. That is a way of endorsement to the fact that this ambulance was in my domain today. On a monthly basis, we have what we call integrated supportive supervision team that goes out to look at the activities of the ambulance in each of the local governments. Apart from looking at the health facilities, they also check the mobile ambulances. It is these records they look into in order to give proper evaluation of the activities for the month. Katsina is one of the states that started implementing COMESS/CONES, the new improved salary structure for health personnel in the country. All our health workers are adequately taken care of. So, I don’t think they would want to commercialise drugs meant for the poor people. At the same time, these health personnel are indigenes of these localities; whoever they are treating are their own people, so I don’t think they will have the conscience to do that.

    Polio is one of the conditions ravaging young children. How are you combating this?

    I can tell you that polio is an issue to Nigeria as a whole; it is not only Katsina State. All countries have already eradicated polio except Nigeria and two other countries. Coming to Nigeria, in the northern part of the country, there are states that are endemic of the disease, but in Katsina State, we have overcome polio. This is the twelfth month since we recorded the last case of polio in the state. The issue of eradication of polio is not that of the agency alone, it is something that all other sectors are putting in their own contributions in order to get rid of the disease in the state permanently and forever. So, we are collaborating with the traditional rulers, the Ulamas, among others, to get rid of the disease.

    How are the Almajiris being provided for medically?

    I said earlier that we have the mobile ambulance that goes from village to village to look after the people. The governor looked at the under-served sector which he identified as the Almajiris. Whether we like it or not, we have Almajiris that are also part of the communities. They are also in some urban centres seeking for Islamic knowledge, so they are part of us all. That is why the governor thinks there must be a clinic of sort for the Almajiris. So we started one as a pilot project in three local government areas where Almajiris are mostly populated. Three mobile ambulances are provided for them and manned by two health care personnel. Each morning, they go from one Almajjiri school to another. Of course, it is similar to the conventional ambulance service we have in all the local government areas. Under this agency, we have been able to vaccinate over 4.1 m people against cerebral meningitis which is one of the diseases that is rampant in the north. We have vaccinated everybody within the age of one year to nine years. Before now, we used to have outbreak of meningitis on an annual basis once the weather is hot and this is usually around March to May. Since the vaccination, we no longer have the outbreak. We have distributed over 2. 7m treated mosquito nets across the state against malaria.