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Tag: Dr. Cory Couillard

  • How physical activities prevent cancer

    How physical activities prevent cancer

    Cancer is one of the most pressing health challenges, yet about one third of the most common cancers could be prevented through eating a healthy diet, being physically active, and maintaining a healthy body weight.

    Scientists are still investigating how being physically active prevents some cancers but numerous studies show that it balances hormones, strengthens one’s immune system, and promotes a healthy digestive system. Experts agree that maintaining a healthy body weight throughout life is one of the most important ways to protect against cancer as well as a variety of other chronic diseases.

    According to the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF), being overweight or obese increases the risk of some cancers. Overweight and obesity also increases the risk of conditions including high cholesterol, high blood pressure, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and coronary heart disease.

    In their report, Food, Nutrition, Physical Activity, and the Prevention of Cancer: a Global Perspective there is convincing evidence that physical activity protects against colon cancer, post-menopausal breast cancer and endometrial cancer.

    The World Health Organisation’s website states that physical inactivity is the main cause of up to 25 per cent of breast and colon cancers. Additionally, a series of studies that were published in The Lancet describes how physical inactivity levels cause 1 in 10 deaths worldwide.

    Harvard researchers state that between 500 000 and 1.3 million lives could be saved each year if physical inactivity rates were to go down by even 10 to 20 per cent. These staggering statistics demonstrate how physical inactivity should be considered a pandemic and that it should be treated like any other infectious-disease pandemic would be.

    To address this growing concern, it’s important to try to understand why certain people and groups of people are physically active while others are not.

    Adrian Bauman, a researcher from the University of Sydney in Australia, found one’s health status, being male, young or wealthy tend to make people more physically active, as does family and societal support for physical activity.

    Time spent watching television and on the computer is another significant concern. Children often watch television for more than three hours a day, and they are likely to be exposed to the heavy marketing of high-energy foods. Statistics indicate that overweight that starts in childhood is likely to be followed by overweight and obesity in adulthood.

    Urbanisation, rapidly growing cities, and poverty are other significant challenges that have caused people to become increasingly sedentary. As with overweight and obesity, sedentary ways of life are now common, if not usual, in most countries.

    It has been estimated that physical inactivity levels could be reduced by 31 per cent through improved environmental interventions, including pedestrian- and bicycle-friendly urban land use and transport, leisure and workplace facilities, and policies that support more active lifestyles.

    Moderate physical activity is needed for all – regardless of weight, health condition or age – to achieve optimal health and fight off cancer. People whose work is sedentary should take special care to build moderate and vigorous physical activity into their everyday lives.

    Strive to get at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity on most days of the week – the more the better. As fitness improves, aim for 60 minutes or more of moderate, or for 30 minutes or more of vigorous physical activity every day.

     

    Dr Couillard is an international health columnist that works in collaboration with the World Health Organization’s goals of disease prevention and control. Views do not necessarily reflect endorsement.

     

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  • Global fight against malaria

    Global fight against malaria

    Tools are now available to end deaths from malaria and move towards malaria elimination. Since 2000, global malaria deaths have fallen by 42 per cent, but continued investment and sustained political support is needed to defeat malaria.

    Investments have created more than 90 countries malaria-free and another 26 nearly achieving a similar status. According to the World Malaria Report 2013, malaria killed an estimated 482 000 children under five years of age in 2012. That is 1300 children every day, or one child almost every minute.

    On the occasion of World Malaria Day, 25 April 2014, the World Health Organization (WHO) and partners aim to further increase public awareness about malaria and help promote proven prevention and control measures. Countries with improved malaria control interventions have seen child mortality rates fall by 20 per cent.

    Forty-three endemic countries in the WHO African Region and 22 in other WHO Regions have received financial support from WHO for developing their malaria programmes. WHO is currently collaborating with UNICEF to strengthen the malaria programmes in Eritrea, Namibia, Uganda and United Republic of Tanzania.

    Malaria is also one of the major public health challenges undermining the 2015 Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Fifty-nine countries are on track but international targets will not be achieved unless considerable progress is made in the 18 most affected countries – most in sub-Saharan Africa – that account for 80 per cent of malaria cases.

    Significant progress has been made in the early diagnosis and treatment of malaria. The use of Malaria Rapid Diagnostic Tests (RDTs) assists in detecting evidence of malaria parasites in human blood. RDTs have been especially useful in confirming malaria cases in rural settings and ensuring people get timely treatments.

    According to the WHO, “an estimated 136 million long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs) were delivered to endemic countries, a major increase over the 70 million bed nets that were delivered in 2012. About 200 million LLINs have been funded for delivery in 2014, suggesting an even stronger pipeline for 2014”.

    As a basic guideline for protection against malaria, United Against Malaria recommends having at least two long-lasting insecticide-treated nets (LLINs) in a household. Bed nets prevent malaria by creating a protective barrier against mosquitoes at night – when most transmissions occur.

    LLINs typically provide two to five years of protection for a family. The level of protection is based on the size of the family, the type of net, the number of washings and the degree of care given.

    Indoor residual spraying (IRS), or spraying on the inside walls of homes has also been found to kill mosquitoes and reduce the rate of malaria transmission. The WHO recommends IRS but it remains underutilized, as it requires proper timing, frequent spraying and it is most effective when used in combination with LLINs.

    Artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs) are the frontline treatment for malaria and can cure a child in one to three days. However, one setback is that drug-resistant strains of malaria are now surfacing in high-risk populations. In 2012, researchers found that the most effective drugs are becoming less effective and over 20 per cent of patients have begun to show a form of treatment resistance.

    WHO re-affirms “ACTs remain effective in almost all settings, so long as the partner drug in the combination is locally effective. The Global plan for artemisinin resistance containment, released in 2011, contains strategic guidance from WHO on how to manage this global threat.”

    Experts are also optimistic about the possibility of the world’s first malaria vaccine. The good news comes after a new trial showed that a vaccine had cut the number of cases of malaria after 18 months by 46 per cent in children aged five to 17 months.

    Younger infants aged six to 12 weeks also benefited with a 27 per cent malaria reduction when compared to unvaccinated children. These findings were presented earlier this year at the sixth Pan-African Conference of the Multilateral Initiative on Malaria in Durban, South Africa.

    Let’s move toward a malaria-free future! Join the global #WorldMalariaDay conversation and mention what you’re doing to #DefeatMalaria. Tweet a photo with ‘I raise my hand to Defeat Malaria’ written on your palm. Don’t forget to include the #DefeatMalaria hashtag in your post!

    Dr Couillard is an international health columnist that works in collaboration with the World Health Organization’s goals of disease prevention and control. Views do not necessarily reflect endorsement.

    Facebook: Dr Cory Couillard, Twitter: DrCoryCouillard

     

  • Why you mustn’t overlook immunisation

    Why you mustn’t overlook immunisation

    Staying healthy is a priority for all of us and receiving routine immunizations is one of the simplest ways to prevent diseases. Missing or overlooking vaccines could result not only in serious medical conditions, but also extreme medical bills and not being able to care for your family.

    Immunization is highly effective and is estimated to prevent 2.5 million deaths every year worldwide. Yet 1 in 5 children do not receive them. A lack of knowledge about the effectiveness of the vaccines is a key reason why many do not receive them.

    In efforts to raise awareness, African countries have united to celebrate African Vaccination Week from the 22nd to 27th of April. Vaccination has greatly reduced the burden of infectious diseases and is now considered to be a basic human right.

    The scaling up of immunization coverage is vital to achieving the 2015 Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) that were set by the United Nations. Immunizations can significantly reduce child mortality rates but it also supports the goals of attaining universal primary school education and reducing extreme poverty and hunger.

    The particularly high child mortality rate in the African region is widely recognized as one of the greatest challenges in achieving the MDGs. Children in sub-Saharan Africa are over 16 times more likely to die before the age of five than children in more developed regions.

    According to the World Health Organization (WHO), “children are at greater risk of dying before age five if they are born in rural areas, poor households, or to a mother denied basic education. Malnourished children, particularly those with severe acute malnutrition, have a higher risk of death from common childhood illness such as diarrhoea, pneumonia, and malaria.”

    The African Vaccination Week’s theme ‘Vaccination – a shared responsibility’ highlights how everybody has a role to play in fighting the 25 vaccine-preventable diseases. Vaccine-preventable diseases include but are not limited to hepatitis B, polio, whooping cough, measles, tetanus, diphtheria, influenza, pneumonia, hepatitis and cervical cancers.

    Hepatitis is a significant concern in the African region and most people become infected during childhood. In highly affected areas, hepatitis B is most commonly spread from mother-to-child at birth or from person-to-person in early childhood. Up to 90 per cent of infants infected during their first year of life will develop chronic infections that can lead to scarring of the liver and liver cancer.

    Hepatitis B vaccine is known to be 95 per cent effective in preventing infection and its chronic consequences, and was the first vaccine against a major human cancer. The WHO recommends that all infants receive the hepatitis B vaccine as soon as possible after birth, preferably within 24 hours.

    Measles is another significant vaccine-preventable disease that causes 122 000 deaths globally – about 330 deaths every day or 14 deaths every hour.

    Since 2000, more than 1 billion children in high-risk countries have been vaccinated against measles through mass vaccination campaigns. In 2012, the WHO reports that about 84 per cent of children have received one dose of measles vaccine by their first birthday – up from 72 per cent in 2000.

    Despite some success, it’s not time to become complacent. The diseases we can vaccinate against will return if we stop vaccination programmes. This year’s African Vaccination Week is an opportunity to help reach the high-risk remainder. Failure to vaccinate this group can leave all infants, children, adolescents and adults unnecessarily vulnerable.

    Take the following steps to reduce your risk:

    • Talk with a healthcare professional about which vaccines are right for you;
    • Get vaccinated;
    • Keep track of your vaccinations and make sure you’re up-to-date;
    • Encourage your friends and family to get vaccinated.

    During African Vaccination Week, use hashtag #RUuptodate and tweet @WHO if you have any questions about vaccination.

    Dr Couillard is an international health columnist that works in collaboration with the World Health Organization’s goals of disease prevention and control. Views do not necessarily reflect endorsement.

     Facebook: Dr Cory Couillard

    Twitter: DrCoryCouillard

     

     

  • Why Rheumatic heart disease can’t be ignored

    Why Rheumatic heart disease can’t be ignored

    Rheumatic heart disease – a disease that is most common amongst the world’s poorest billion – is now attracting renewed attention from the international health community. Over 15 million people suffer from the condition, resulting in about 233 000 deaths per year.

    Health experts agree that rheumatic heart disease (RHD) has been one of the most neglected of the neglected diseases. It is often shadowed by other infectious diseases such as HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis as well as emerging noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) such as coronary heart disease, type 2 diabetes and a variety of cancers.

    RHD is also an NCD but it is often overlooked because it is not closely associated with other NCD risk factors such as overweight and obesity, tobacco and alcohol use, physical inactivity and the overconsumption of energy.

    Children and young people who suffer from RHD often live in conditions of poverty, poor sanitation, undernutrition and overcrowding. The poorest billion also suffer from low levels of public awareness, shortage of resources, and lack access to essential health care services.

    These disparities highlight how NCDs can plague both rich and poor populations in emerging economies. The major difference is that RHD is permanent and is not reversible through lifestyle changes.

    A case of rheumatic fever, the cause of RHD, is the leading cause of heart inflammation that often leaves permanent damage to the heart valves. Anyone can get rheumatic fever, but the most common age group is 5 to 15 year olds. Not everyone with rheumatic fever will get RHD but about 60 per cent will develop some degree of subsequent heart disease.

    Rheumatic fever is the result of an untreated strep throat that is caused by bacteria called group A streptococcus. The main symptoms of rheumatic fever include fever, muscle aches, swollen and painful joints, and in some cases, a red rash.

    Rheumatic fever has the ability to cause fibrosis (scarrnig) of heart valves and lead to crippling valvular heart disease, heart failure and death. RHD is often missed in its early stages and symptoms usually show up 10 to 20 years after the original bout of rheumatic fever.

    Recurrent attacks of rheumatic fever can cumulatively damage the heart as well. This damage is often detected in its advanced stages – when expensive and complicated heart surgery is the only option to save a person’s life.

    Preventing rheumatic fever can prevent the damaging effects of RHD. Doctors can often stop rheumatic fever by treating strep throat with antibiotics.

    According to the World Heart Federation (WHF), the “primary prevention of acute rheumatic fever (the prevention of initial attack) is achieved by treatment of acute throat infections caused by group A streptococcus. This is achieved by up to 10 days of an oral antibiotic (usually penicillin) or a single intramuscular penicillin injection.”

    The WHF works with ministries of health, health practitioners and the World Health Organization (WHO) to enhance rheumatic heart disease control at the national, regional and global levels. To date, at least 20 countries, mostly in Africa, have signed on to WHF’s campaign to cut premature deaths caused by RHD by 25 per cent by the year 2025.

    RHD may be a disease of the poor but improving public health awareness, ensuring adequate training of health care professionals, and educating schoolteachers of the signs of strep throat can convert knowledge into life-saving action.

     

    Dr Couillard is an international health columnist that works in collaboration with the World Health Organization’s goals of disease prevention and control. He can be reached via:

    Email: drcorycouillard@gmail.com

    Facebook: Dr Cory Couillard

    Twitter: DrCoryCouillard

     

  • Children prone to hand-foot-and-mouth disease

    Children prone to hand-foot-and-mouth disease

    Hand-foot-and-mouth disease, or HFMD, can send your child to bed in perfect health only to wake with sore bright red blisters erupting all over the body. HFMD is a contagious illness that is caused by different viruses. Despite its scary name, the illness is generally mild.

    Young children are more likely to get this disease but older children and adults can also get it. Everyone who has not already been infected is at risk of infection, but not everyone who is infected becomes ill. There are no specific antiviral drugs or vaccines available.

    The disease is characterised by fever and a non-itchy skin rash that is commonly seen on the palms of the hands, soles of the feet, and inside the mouth. The roof of the mouth, gums, tongue, and inner cheeks are most commonly affected. Additional symptoms may include common cold symptoms such as fever, sore throat, runny nose and cough.

    The rash commonly mimics lesions of a form of herpes simplex virus that causes chickenpox. But unlike herpes simplex, the HFMD rash develops very fast and usually does not itch. It’s bad for a few days and then it gets better without any treatment at all.

    HFMD is highly contagious and is spread person-to-person via direct contact with blister fluid, saliva, nose and throat discharge, airborne droplets produced by coughing or sneezing, and faeces. Eating and touching food with unwashed hands is a major causative factor in the development of HFMD.

    The viruses that cause HFMD can remain in a person’s respiratory or intestinal tract for several weeks to months. This allows for on-going transmission of the illness to those who are not immune (usually infants and children).

    The most common complication of HFMD is dehydration. If a child is finding it difficult to eat or drink due to painful mouth ulcers, offer ice cubes, yoghurts or other soft foods and avoid spicy and sour foods. Gargling or rinsing the mouth with salt water or an antiseptic mouthwash can often relieve the pain associated with mouth sores.

    It’s important to note that children with immune deficiencies such as HIV, cancers or other serious illnesses should be followed closely to avoid or promptly treat any potential complications.

    There’s no vaccine and little to be done by a doctor; viruses must run their course. Perhaps the most important distinction between bacterial and viral illnesses is that antibiotic drugs usually kill bacteria, but have zero clinical value against viruses.

    Inappropriate use of antibiotics has helped create strains of bacterial diseases that are resistant to antibiotic medications. Antimicrobial resistance poses the potential risk of making previously treatable conditions untreatable.

    The best treatment for HFMD is prevention. To reduce the spread of the virus, public health officials advise frequent hand washing with soap, covering one’s mouth and nose when sneezing and coughing, and good personal hygiene.

    Frequent hand washing with soap and water is advised especially after touching any blister, before preparing food and eating, before feeding young infants, after using the toilet, and after changing nappies.

    HFMD it is not transmitted to or from pets or other animals and is not related to the disease with a similar name that affects animals.

     

    Couillard is an international health columnist that works in collaboration with the World Health Organization’s goals of disease prevention and control.

     Email: drcorycouillard@gmail.com, Facebook: Dr Cory Couillard and Twitter: DrCoryCouillard

     

  • Sexual violence the ‘silent-violent epidemic’

    Sexual violence the ‘silent-violent epidemic’

    Sexual violence against girls and women is one of the strongest expressions of patriarchal cultural values, norms and traditions. These learnt behaviours often cause men to believe that they have the right to abuse women’s bodies.

    To ascertain the breadth of the problem, UNICEF and partners recently published research indicating that some 35 per cent of all women will experience either intimate partner or non-partner sexual violence.

    The World Health Organization (WHO) defines sexual violence as “any sexual act, attempt to obtain a sexual act, unwanted sexual comments or advances, or acts to traffic, or otherwise directed, against a person’s sexuality using coercion, by any person regardless of relationship to the victim, in any setting, including but not limited to home and work.”

    Alarmingly, the abuse is often committed by someone that is known to the child, including parents, spouses or partners, other family members, caretakers, teachers, employers, law enforcement authorities, state and non-state actors and other children.

    Only a small proportion of these acts are reported or investigated, and even fewer perpetrators are ever held accountable for their actions. Amongst females aged 18-24, only about 3 per cent who experienced sexual violence received professional help from institutions such as clinics or NGOs.

    There is significant evidence that abuse affects a child’s physical and mental health in the short and long-term. Abuse often impairs their ability to learn and socialize, and impacts their transition to adulthood with adverse consequences later in life.

    Violence is often shrouded in silence and is a major contributor to mental health disorders. About half of all mental disorders recorded begin before the age of 14.

    Around 20 per cent of children and adolescents are estimated to have mental disorders or problems. Similar to sexual violence, stigma about mental disorders and discrimination often prevent people from seeking mental health care services.

    Violence is also a leading cause of unwanted pregnancy and unsafe abortion. Research has documented that women who experienced physical and/or sexual partner violence were twice as likely to have an abortion.

    If the abused pregnant female carries to term, they have a 16% greater chance of having a low birth-weight baby – a leading cause of infant mortality and complication.

    Sexual violence is often associated with a host of sexual and reproductive health problems, such as sexually transmitted infections (STIs) including HIV and AIDS, miscarriages, sexual dysfunction and gynaecological disorders.

    Gender based violence is responsible for psychological distress which often results in acceptance of the problem. This acceptance results in more violence and consequently more psychological distress: an on-going cycle of risk and consequence.

    According to WHO, “women experiencing intimate partner violence are almost twice as likely as other women to have alcohol-use problems.”

    Psychological distress can trigger women to use alcohol and other substances of abuse to cope with the violence. However, these substances can encourage other poor-health related risk factors such as tobacco use and unprotected sex.

    Childhood abuse directly translates into adverse outcomes for adults. Abused women often suffer isolation, inability to work, loss of wages and lack participation in activities. These outcomes will prevent and limit a woman’s ability to care for herself and her family.

    Do not blame yourself. Sexual abuse is never the victim’s fault. To end sexual violence you first have to name it, know it and then report it.

    Couillard is an international health columnist that works in collaboration with the World Health Organization’s goals of disease prevention and control. Views do not necessarily reflect endorsement.

  • Cervical cancer preventable

    Cervical cancer preventable

    Cervical cancer is now one of the most common cancers in women overall, exacerbated by the lack of reproductive health information for women and delayed access to treatment in rural areas.

    According to the World Cancer Research Fund, “About 86 per cent of cervical cancer cases occur in less developed countries. The highest incidence of cervical cancer is in Eastern, Western and Southern Africa.”

    The cervix is the lower, narrow end of the uterus. The cervix connects the vagina (birth canal) to the uterus. The uterus (or womb) is where a baby grows when a woman is pregnant.

    Cancer is a disease in which the cells in the body develop out of control. When cancer starts in the cervix, it is called cervical cancer. Cancer of the cervix is often deadly as it metastasizes or spreads to other parts of the body.

    Cervical cancers don’t always spread, but those that do most often spread to the lungs, the liver, the bladder, the vagina, and the rectum.

    Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the main cause of cervical cancer. HPV is a common virus that is passed from one person to another during sex. Unfortunately, at least half of sexually active people will have HPV at some point in their lives. However, not all women will get cervical cancer but all women are at elevated risk.

    The majority of cases occur in midlife rather than old age and it is one of the most common cancers in women under 35. Preventative cervical screening programmes can cut cervical cancer death rates and provide a means of early detection.

    When cervical cancer is found early, it is highly treatable and is often associated with long survival and good quality of life outcomes.

    Types of cervical cancer

    There are two main types of cervical cancers: squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma. About 80 to 90 per cent of cervical cancers are squamous cell carcinomas. Squamous cell carcinomas starts in the surface of the cells that line the cervix that can rapidly multiply into active cancer.

    Cervical adenocarcinomas seem to have become more common in the past 20 to 30 years but still only make up 5 to 10 per cent of cervical cancers. This form is more difficult to detect as it often starts higher up in the cervical canal and is commonly missed by a screening test.

    Although most cervical cancers are either squamous cell carcinomas or adenocarcinomas, other types of cancer also can develop in the cervix as well. These types include melanoma, sarcoma, and lymphoma but they are more likely to occur in other parts of the body.

    Symptoms of cervical cancer

    Cervical cancer is often silent. In the early stages there are usually no symptoms and that’s the purpose of screenings to pick up abnormal cells before it’s too late. Once cancer is established, the most common symptom is bleeding between periods or after sex. Menstrual bleeding may also be heavier or last longer than normal.

    Other common symptoms include pain in the pelvic area before, during or after intercourse as well as pain or difficult urination. Another red flag is any sort of unusual or unpleasant smelling discharge from the vagina. However, these symptoms may indicate other problems than cervical cancer as well.

    More than 95 per cent of cervical cancer cases can be prevented – get checked now.

    Couillard is an international health columnist that works in collaboration with the World Health Organization’s goals of disease prevention and control. You can reach him via:

    Email: drcorycouillard@gmail.com

    Facebook: Dr Cory Couillard

    Twitter: DrCoryCouillard

     

  • Mosquito nets are not for fishing

    Mosquito nets are not for fishing

    Researchers now state that local efforts to eradicate malaria could be seriously compromised due to medication-resistant parasites. Prevention is the key but lack of funding, education and follow through is undermining even the simplest of interventions.

    Malaria is an infectious disease that is commonly transmitted by the Anopheles mosquito. When a mosquito bites an infected person, the mosquito becomes the carrier of microscopic malaria parasites. When the mosquito bites again, these parasites mix with the mosquito’s saliva and are injected into the new person.

    According to the World Health Organization (WHO), half of the population is at risk of being infected – especially pregnant women and young children.

    Unknown to most, malaria can also be transmitted during pregnancy before and/or during childbirth. Malaria contracted at this time is called congenital malaria and is a major cause of infant death.

    Malaria co-infection is another major concern and occurs when two or more diseases are present at the same time. Pregnant women who have co-infection of HIV and malaria often suffer from anaemia, pre-term birth and low-birth weight babies.

    Although less common, blood transfusions, contaminated needles and syringes can also serve as mechanisms of malaria parasite transmission.

    WHO’s most recent estimates, released in December 2013, states “there were about 207 million cases of malaria in 2012 and an estimated 627 000 deaths. Malaria mortality rates have fallen by 45 per cent globally since 2000 and by 49 per cent in the African region.”

    Malaria often causes flu-like symptoms and, in severe forms, death. Despite scientific proof, some people still do not believe malaria exists and attributes the symptoms to witchcraft.

    As a basic guideline for protection against malaria, United Against Malaria recommends the distribution of two long-lasting insecticide-treated nets (LLINs) per person.

    This standard typically provides two to five years of protection for a family, depending upon the size of the family, the type of net, the number of washings and the degree of care given. The average purchase cost is USD 5 per net.

    However, simply having access to a net does not appear to have a major impact on their actual use. Surveys indicate that within households possessing at least one insecticide-treated net, only 55 per cent of children under the age of five were found to have slept under a net the previous night.

    This has been attributed to poverty and disregard in high-risk communities. Some people have openly admitted to selling their anti-malaria mosquito nets or converted them into fishing nets instead of using them.

    In combination with nets, indoor residual spraying (IRS) is another effective malaria prevention technique. IRS is safe for humans but lethal to mosquitoes that land on walls within a structure. It has shown to significantly decrease mosquito and larvae populations, especially in communities where stagnant water is present, such as those near mines, farms or brick-making operations.

    Currently, there is no antimalarial medication or vaccine that gives complete protection. The best line of defence is prevention and reducing the risk of mosquito bites.

    Take the following steps to reduce the risk of malaria:

     

    •           Avoid going out between dusk and dawn when mosquitos are most active;

    •           Wear long-sleeved clothing and long trousers;

    •           Use insecticide-treated nets in bedrooms at night;

    •           Apply insect repellent on any exposed skin and use indoor residual sprays in the home.

    Couillard is an international health columnist that works in collaboration with the World Health Organization’s goals of disease prevention and control. You can reach him via:

    Email: drcorycouillard@gmail.com

    Facebook: Dr Cory Couillard

    Twitter: DrCoryCouillard

     

  • Saving children from lead poisoning

    Saving children from lead poisoning

    World trade and the globalisation of goods can literally bring lead poisoning to our front doors. Lead paint found on toys, furniture and other imported objects present immediate and serious health risks to our children.

    On the occasion of International Lead Poisoning Prevention Week, increased awareness is needed to prevent 143 000 deaths and 600 000 new cases of irreversible lead-induced intellectual disability every year.

    Mouthing and chewing on lead-painted toys and other objects has been found to be a major cause of exposure. Lead paint commonly has a sweet taste and encourages children to pick off and swallow small chips of paint. Lead paint chips can also be picked off decaying walls, furniture and other painted surfaces.

    High exposures to lead can damage the brain, central nervous system and cause coma, convulsions and death. Children who survive such poisonings are often left with lower IQs and lead-induced behavioural disorders. Behaviour disorders can include shortened attention spans and increased antisocial behaviours that result in diminished educational attainment.

    Initial low-level lead poisoning can present with no symptoms or include headaches, constipation, abdominal pain, cramping and difficulty sleeping. Initial symptoms of high-lead exposure can include muscle weakness, staggering walk and vomiting.

    “The good news is that exposure to lead paint can be entirely stopped through a range of measures to restrict the production and use of lead paint,” says Dr Maria Neira, WHO Director for Public Health and Environment.

    Pregnant mothers and young children living in economically deprived communities are exposed to the highest levels of lead through unsafe household paints, particularly in colours red and yellow, where lead is added as a pigment. Such paint should be stripped off, replaced and special
    care given to any lead dust and waste products.

    “Paints with extremely high levels of lead are still available and… in most of the countries with lead paint, equivalent paint with no added lead is also available, suggesting that alternatives to lead are readily available to manufacturers,” says David Piper, Deputy Director, UNEP DTIE Chemicals Branch.

    If you think you or your child has been exposed to lead, see your doctor or contact your local public health department. A simple test can help determine the level of lead in the blood.

    Couillard can be reached via:

    Email: drcorycouillard@gmail.com
    Facebook: Dr Cory Couillard
    Twitter: DrCoryCouillard

     

     

  • How eating too fast can make you fat

    How eating too fast can make you fat

    Scientists have known for some time that a full stomach is only part of what causes someone to be satisfied after a meal. To achieve a full feeling, one’s body relies on hormones and stretch receptors to say ‘stop eating’.

    Eating too fast has been found to be an important indicator in consuming too many units of energy, weight gain and is pivotal in the development of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease and certain types of cancer.

    A new study found people who eat at a slower rate are able to control their energy intake and stay satisfied for a longer period of time.

    “Slowing the speed of eating may help to lower energy intake and suppress hunger levels, and may even enhance the enjoyment of a meal,” said lead author Meena Shah, professor in the Department of Kinesiology at Texas Christian University.

    When eating more slowly, participants also consumed more water and reported feeling less hunger for a longer period of time after the meal was over.

    A major hormone that is affected by eating too fast is called leptin. Leptin is produced in one’s fat cells and is delivered to the brain to regulate fat burning, hunger, cravings and the sense of being full.

    Other research suggests that leptin also interacts with a neurotransmitter called dopamine. Dopamine is associated with a feeling of pleasure after eating.

    The theory is that, by eating too quickly, people do not give these hormones enough time to work. It often takes about 20 minutes for one’s brain and stomach to register feelings of fullness. Without the full signals, one is much more likely to overeat.

    To remain full for several hours it’s important to eat sufficient amounts of good fats. Foods such as avocados, seeds and nuts like almonds, cashews, and peanuts are full of healthy fats.

    Fruits, vegetables, pulses (legumes) and whole grains are generally low in energy and rich in vitamins, minerals and other essential nutrients needed to keep one’s body satisfied and full.

    Studies confirm that eating too many high-starch, high-glycaemic, low-fibre carbohydrates can cause one to be continuously hungry and gain weight. These are characteristically found in highly processed, convenience food items.

    Learn to eat more slowly if you have a tendency to eat quickly. Try putting your fork down between bites, this can help to extend the amount of time you eat. As you eat, focus on the tastes of the food and enjoy them, which can help you eat more slowly.

    It’s often very difficult to eat slower and take smaller bites, especially when you’re busy or famished. Regardless of how you go about it, slowing down your eating is a great resolution to make.

     

    Dr Couillard is an international health columnist that works in collaboration with the World Health Organization’s goals of disease prevention and control. Views do not necessarily reflect endorsement.

    Email: drcorycouillard@gmail.com

    Facebook: Dr Cory Couillard

    Twitter: DrCoryCouillard