sunshineandhealthcare: May 2012

Thursday, 31 May 2012

Parents urged to help children learn good dental care

Parents have been urged to help children learn good dental care habit right from the start by making brushing fun and enjoyable.

The Senior Brand Manager of Macleans Milk Teeth, Mr. Emeka Uchenna, observed at a free dental screening programme for children in Lagos on Children’s Day that, “You cannot engage a child in a boring activity and the earlier parents understand this, the better for the whole family.

Getting great skin is now within your reach without spending oodles of money in the parlour. Here are some food and beverages to help boost your skin’s vitality

Cocoa: The bean has high levels of flavanols, plant compounds with antioxidant properties that help protect skin from sun damage. Apart from sipping it in the morning and evening you can also use it as a bath soak – add 1/8 cup ground cocoa powder and 1/3 cup fat-free dry milk in your bathtub.

Following an earlier warning on Tuesday, the National Association of Resident Doctors will on Thursday (today) commence a three-day warning strike in protest against the sacking of 788 medical doctors by the Lagos State Government.

How to make babies smarter, healthier

Nutritious food is very important, especially the first 1000 days of a child, starting from conception. Experts insist that investments in the basic, low cost, proven solutions such as breastfeeding, iron and Vitamin A supplementation can save children’s lives. For most people, “hunger” is a figure of speech for a list of wants rather than needs. People hunger for more of many things— more time, more money, more of what their friend has. Nevertheless, when it is used with reference to food, it is just to indicate the feeling of wanting to eat.

Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola on Tuesday said his administration had reversed the sacking of 34 doctors out of the 788 dismissed recently.

He urged the remaining doctors to end the logjam in the health sector by emulating their colleagues and appealing to the Health Service Commission, since their reinstatement was still possible.

While it is true that fat is higher in calories than carbs and protein, it is also true that fat has many benefits, such as providing twice the energy of carbs and protein, insulating the body against temperature extremes, protecting against shock, and maintaining cell membranes. And depending on the type of fat you eat, you may be protecting your heart.

One woman dies every 10 minutes during child birth in Nigeria

About 40,000 women die annually in Nigeria during child birth while one woman dies every ten minutes across the country, giving it the highest maternal mortality recorded in the world.

The World Bank Country Director, Marie Françoise revealed this during the national gender dialogue session in Nigeria which held on Monday in Minna, the capital of Niger state, where the issue of gender inequality and the high rate of maternal mortality in the country attracted a filled hall for the event.

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, yesterday said he lacked powers under the law to overturn the dismissal of the 788 medical doctors recently sacked for allegedly embarking on illegal strike action.
The governor’s clarification on the sacked doctors also came on a day the state’s chapter of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) described as mere propaganda, the claim by the state government that it had re-instated the sacked doctors.
But Fashola, who spoke on a live state-wide televised panel discussion with Editor of THISDAY Newspapers, Mr. Simon Kolawole; Deputy Managing Director of the SUN Newspapers, Mr. Femi Adeshina; and Producer of InsideOut Talk Show, Mr. Aderoju Adepoju, said the dismissal of the medical personnel was not his making and that he lacked the power and right as the state governor to either sack or employ any medical doctor.

Eat More Fruits And Vegetables
It is alarming how many do not make fruits and vegetables a major part of their diet. Fruits and vegetables are the one source of food fuel that you can almost never overdo. You can snack on them all day long and the worst thing that can get happen is that you get too full!
It is alarming how many do not make fruits and vegetables a major part of their diet. Fruits and vegetables are the one source of food fuel that you can almost never overdo. You can snack on them all day long and the worst thing that can get happen is that you get too full!

Your health... Our concern

Best Method To Weight Loss

Method To Weight loss

Far more people every single day are becoming diagnosed with obesity. Overweight is classified as getting a body mass catalog of greater compared to thirty. Becoming obese puts a person at calculated risk for quite a few illnesses similar to diabetes, cardio ailment, and high bloodstream pressure. The alternative to overweight is to lower the body crowd index by not placing weight. One effective and protected way to lose weight is to use the Medifast reduce weight system.

No-Gym Workout

Get Fit at Home

Think you need sweaty machines at the gym to get fit? Save your money. Your own body weight and gravity can do the job. Standing core exercises like wood chops are particularly effective.

As your body gets used to exercising, your metabolism increases and thus uses vitamins and nutrients more quickly. As you continue to workout, you need to replenish these vitamins. Each vitamin has a different purpose, so be sure to think about how to get enough of each. A combination of water soluble vitamins and fat soluble vitamins will ensure your body has the nutrients it requires to repair your muscles.

Healthy Living

Energy Balance: What Does It Mean?
Simply, it means that the energy we put into our bodies (calories from food and drink) equals the energy we put out. We “put out” or release energy as heat, which is why we are hot and often sweat when we’re physically active. The more physically active we are, the more energy our bodies use to do the work. Energy balance is off when we either eat more energy than we expend, or expend more energy than we eat. When our energy balance is off we either gain weight or lose.

Health is wealth

Best Foods for Men

Avocado
Sure, avocado is high in fat - but it's the "good" kind. The monounsaturated fat found in avocados packs a one-two punch against cholesterol when it replaces saturated or trans fats in your diet. It can knock down levels of total cholesterol and "bad" cholesterol (LDL), as long as no more than 25%-35% of your daily calories come from all types of fat. Olive oil and nuts also contain good fats.

Chocolate
Chocolate may improve blood flow - if you eat the right kind. Studies suggest the flavanols in dark chocolate may curb levels of bad cholesterol, improve circulation, and keep blood pressure in check. Men with poor blood flow are more likely to develop erectile dysfunction, so heart-wise foods may protect your sex life, too. But too much chocolate can lead to weight gain. Bonci suggests eating one ounce a day in lieu of other sweets

I ‘ve no power to hire or fire doctors – Fashola

LAGOS — Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State, yesterday, said he had no power to reinstate the 788 sacked doctors in the state health service, adding that he has no power to employ or sack any doctor.
Fashola who spoke in a television programme in Lagos denied any involvement in the sack of the doctors.

The governor, who spoke without prejudice, regretted that people had failed to understand that government is only an institution and people in public office would one day complete their service and leave while the institution remains.

Vomiting and nausea are not illnesses but common symptoms that accompany with many diseases and conditions. The problems with nausea and vomiting are related to the cause. Nausea and vomiting from motion sickness, seasickness, food poisoning, or cancer therapy can result in loss of water and electrolytes, which can lead to dehydration. Vomiting and nausea known as morning sickness may occur during pregnancy.

Do You Have Bad Breath?
Bad breath is often caused by a buildup of bacteria in your mouth that causes inflammation and gives off noxious odors or gases that smell like sulfur -- or worse.
Everybody has nasty breath at some point, like when you get out of bed in the morning.
Not sure if your breath is bad? The best way to find out is to ask a trusted friend or your significant other, "'Does my breath smell?' Because it's really hard to tell on your own. There's another way to know. It may seem a bit gross, but look at and smell your dental floss after you use it.
"If your floss smells or there is blood on it, then there are foul odors in your mouth.

Nails and Health: Read the Signs

Did you know your nails can reveal clues to your overall health? A touch of white here, a rosy tinge there, or some rippling or bumps may be a sign of disease in the body. Problems in the liver, lungs, and heart can show up in your nails. Keep reading to learn what secrets your nails might reveal.

Pale Nails

Very pale nails can sometimes be a sign of serious illness, such as:

Anemia
Congestive heart failure
Liver disease
Malnutrition

Heavy alcohol use can lead to liver disease, and the risk increases with the length of time and amount of alcohol taken, and this can worsen the damage caused to the liver by other types of hepatitis.

THE liver helps to purify the blood by changing harmful chemicals into harmless ones. The source of these chemicals can be external, such as medications and alcohol, or internal, such as ammonia or bilirubin. Typically, these harmful chemicals are broken down into smaller chemicals or attached to other chemicals that are then eliminated from the body in the urine or stool.

Chewing on Ice
It’s natural and sugar free, so you might think ice is harmless. But munching on hard, frozen cubes can chip or even crack your teeth. And if your mindless chomping irritates the soft tissue inside a tooth, regular toothaches may follow. Hot foods and cold foods may trigger quick, sharp jabs of pain or a lingering toothache. Next time you get the urge for ice, chew some sugarless gum instead.

Playing Sports With No Mouth Guard
Whether you play football, hockey, or any other contact sport, don't get in the game without a mouth guard. This is a piece of molded plastic that protects the upper row of teeth. Without it, your teeth could get chipped or even knocked out when the action gets rough. Self-fitting mouth guards may be purchased at a store, or you can have one custom made by your dentist.

IN its efforts to put an end to the marketing of fake drugs in pharmacy stores and chemists, the National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC), on Thursday, stormed about 60 shops in Zamfara, in its ongoing nationwide campaign.

Addressing journalists after the inspection, the deputy director, Port Inspectorate of the agency, Mr Samuel Adefolarin Adeleke, said Zamfara State was the 29th state his team had visited.

Doctors vs Lagos govt

Lagos – The National Industrial Court (NIC) on Thursday held that it had jurisdiction to entertain the suit filed by the Medical Guild against the Lagos State Government.

Delivering ruling on a preliminary objection filed by the state government challenging the court’s jurisdiction, Justice Benedict Kanyip said that the subject matter of the suit centred on industrial disputes.

“The jurisdiction of this court lies in the National Industrial Court Act and Section 245(c) of the 1999 Constitution that allows it to adjudicate on labour matters related to wages, strike or dispute between employers and employees,’’ he said.

Eating fast doesn’t allow the nerve endings in your stomach—called stretch receptors—time to recognize when the stomach is full. You then overeat, leading to weight gain.

So what can you do to keep yourself from shoveling down food?

Relax before you eat. Being stressed will make you feel like you need to eat quicker, said Melanson. One solution: Remember a vacation or time when you felt particularly relaxed. This tricks your mind into remembering the sounds, tastes, and feelings of being de-stressed.

Use smaller utensils, especially smaller spoons or chopsticks. Those who do consume 70 less calories per meal, according to a University of Rhode Island at Kingston study.

Health is both subjective and objective and within these two extremes, it is measurable. Experts say that individuals can only qualify to be healthy when they are well both in body, soul and spirit and not merely living without any disease, reports Sade Oguntola.

Health is recognised as an essential component of human development. The World Health Organisation (WHO) defines health as a state of complete physical, mental, spiritual and social well-being and not only or merely the absence of disease.

A question that comes to mind is “Who is healthy?” How does one know who satisfies this definition of health? Or can individuals assume that anyone who has not sought help from any health care service provider is healthy?

Avoid Embarassing Armpit Stains Sweating at the gym is a wonderful feeling. Sweating at the office, not so much.

Perspiration is seen as nervousness (whether you're really nervous or not) and that's not a look you want at work.

In practical terms, remember that staying cool helps you think better. The U.S. Army performed scientific tests and found that uncomfortable clothing hinders short-term memory and slows reaction times.

There are many things you can do to keep sweat from showing. One is to walk around all day with your elbows tight to your side, never lifting your arms. This is not practical.

Instead, take this advice from Brian Boyé, Men's Health Fashion Director and a naturally cool guy:

Wear looser clothing. The tighter your shirt, the more contact it'll have with your underarms, and the more they'll see you sweat.

Go with cotton. It breathes. True, cotton is exactly the wrong thing to wear in the gym when you sweat hard—it soaks up the sweat instead of wicking it away. But in the moderately moist conditions of the office, cotton is your choice for staying cool. Polyester or poly/cotton blends tend to trap heat, causing you to sweat more.

There are certain habits that ladies sometimes engage in; habits that they do not realize are harmful to our health

1. Wearing heels
High heels affect our posture, put pressure on joints, and can lead to a range of conditions including arthritis, hammer toes, back pain and tendon injuries. To minimize damage, limit your heels to 1.5 inches for daily wear, and wear insoles to help reduce the pressure on joints.

IT was a room filled with women and their common denominator was that without appropriate and timely treatment, they were candidates for death because of reasons ranging from excessive bleeding after childbirth and high blood pressure to big babies.

The room, which had about three beds, contained women from different socioeconomic status and age ranges. The women, from Ondo and neighbouring states, were at the Mother and Child Hospital, Akure, Ondo State.

From the corridors running through the wards and treatment centres, were children and women. “This is a busy hospital where we take deliveries of between 27 and 30 babies every day,” stated Mrs Victoria Owolabi, a staff nurse at the hospital, which provides free integrated maternal and childcare service to as many women and children that care to knock on its door.

Got Skin Problems?
Is your skin itching, breaking out, covered in a rash, or playing host to strange spots? Skin inflammation, changes in texture or color, and spots may be the result of infection, a chronic skin condition, or contact with an allergen or irritant. You can learn to recognize common adult skin problems. Yet, while many are minor, they may signal something more serious, so always consult a doctor for proper diagnosis.

Shingles
Shingles starts with burning, tingling, or very sensitive skin. A rash of raised dots develops into painful blisters that last about two weeks. Shingles often occurs on the trunk and buttocks, but can appear anywhere. Most people recover, but pain, numbness, and itching linger for many -- and may last for months, years, or the rest of their lives. Treatment with antiviral drugs, steroids, antidepressants, and topical agents can help.

Hives
A common allergic reaction that looks like welts, hives are often itchy, and sometimes stinging or burning. Hives vary in size and may join together to form larger areas. They may appear anywhere and last minutes or days. Medications, foods, food additives, temperature extremes, and infections like strep throat are some causes of hives. Antihistamines can provide relief.

Skin cancers -- including melanoma, basal cell carcinoma, and squamous cell carcinoma -- often start as changes to your skin. They can be new growths or precancerous lesions -- changes that are not cancer but could become cancer over time. An estimated 40% to 50% of fair-skinned people who live to be 65 will develop at least one skin cancer. Learn to spot the early warning signs. Skin cancer can be cured if it's found and treated early.

10 Ways to Do Dating Right

Am I ready for a real relationship? How do I turn down someone I’m just not interested in? Do we have to publicize it online? It’s easy to lose sleep over the multitude of nagging questions that arise in the pursuit of romance. The answer may not always be obvious, but love is worth the time and intention it takes to get it right. Here are 10 tips to creating healthy dating relationships:

Prioritize Friendships

Finding a new love and ditching your friends is the biggest mistake people make. It’s so easy at the beginning of a relationship to get lost in the giddy infatuation you’re both feeling. However, making time for both your romance and your friendships is vital to maintaining balance, happiness and healthiness. Keeping friendships a priority in your life will help maintain your sense of self and identity. Too often, people lose themselves in relationships. Your new love doesn’t necessarily have to like all your friends, but if they love you, they’ll respect that you need time for both friends and love in your life. 

ISLAMABAD — The Pakistani doctor who helped the CIA in the hunt for Osama bin Laden was sentenced to 33 years in prison for treason Wednesday, officials said, in a further blow to relations between Islamabad and Washington.

The United States had been negotiating behind the scenes to win freedom for Dr. Shakil Afridi, who was detained by Pakistani intelligence agents after the May 2, 2011, U.S. special forces raid that found and killed the al Qaida founder in the northern town of Abbottabad.

Word that Afridi had been tried in a tribal court, rather than in a regular Pakistani one, came just after Pakistan and the United States failed to come to an agreement at the NATO summit held in Chicago on reopening a land route through Pakistan for supplies to coalition soldiers in landlocked Afghanistan.

Propolis, the resin used by bees to patch up holes in hives, have been used for centuries as a natural remedy for conditions ranging from sore throats and allergies to burns and cancer. Now, the compound is gaining increased acceptance with scientists suggesting that it could be a potential prostate cancer treatment.

Researchers at the University of Chicago Medicine have produced an over-the-counter natural remedy derived from honeybee hives that arrests the growth of prostate cancer cells and tumours in mice.

Prostate cancer is a type of cancer that occurs in a man’s prostate. It is one of the most frequent forms of cancer affecting men. About one in every six men will be diagnosed with this disease sometime during the course of his life. The cancer is the second most common form of the illness in men after lung cancer. Although it leads to 10,000 deaths a year, in about 50 per cent of cases the cancer is growing so slowly it is not life-threatening.

Any antibiotic can have both risks and benefits. New studies warn against the abuse of antibiotics, indicating for example that just as Azithromycin could disrupt heart rhythm, similarly tetracycline may reduce male fertility.

If a runny nose and congested chest make one to think of antibiotics, think again. Antibiotics are powerful medicines that fight bacterial infections. Antibiotics can be lifesavers but its hazards when misused are best avoided.

Know the Symptoms of Whooping Cough

Whooping cough, or pertussis, starts like a cold. After 1 to 2 weeks, the cold symptoms give way to intense bouts of coughing. The coughing may interfere with breathing and can cause vomiting. Pertussis can lead to complications that can be life-threatening, especially in infants. Symptoms are often milder in adults. Knowing the symptoms can lead to early diagnosis and treatment.

Pertussis Is Highly Contagious
The rod-shaped Bordetella pertussis bacteria lodge themselves in the cilia of the respiratory tract. They are spread in droplets from coughs and sneezes. A person with pertussis is contagious from the time the cold symptoms appear. The contagious period lasts up to 3 weeks after the coughing spells begin. The duration of illness can be 6-12 weeks long.

After a successful ovulation you may notice pregnancy symptoms within 7 to 10 days. The more the days pass, the more the symptoms become prominent. Every individual woman experiences different pregnancy symptoms.

Sometime, it takes few weeks for pregnancy symptoms to get noticed. So, don’t be confused that you may not experience some of the symptoms that we are going to discuss here.

Pregnant Woman Die While Celebrating Chelsea CL Victory

At least one person was reportedly killed while several others sustained serious injuries during Chelsea victory celebration on Saturday.

The deceased, who was identified as a pregnant lady, was killed in the Ikotun area of the state by gunmen who took advantage of the jubilation to rob innocent residents.

Characterized by several physical and emotional changes that take place in the body over a period of time, the menstrual cycle in women is responsible for the process of fertilization and reproduction. The entire cycle is divided into three significant phases.

These include the follicular phase (also called the proliferative phase), the ovulation phase and the luteal phase. Here’s a detailed look at what happens during each of these phases.

A young Saudi man who has been diminished to almost a skeleton by an unknown disease was finally moved to a bigger hospital for treatment and his first plea was “help my mother so I can meet my Lord.”

The 24-year-old Salman was admitted to the central government hospital in the southern province of Asir and officials said he could be flown later to a specialized hospital in the Western Saudi Red Sea port of Jeddah.

Just as the news spread about his transfer, an unknown benevolent man phoned the hospital and told them he would provide Salman and his mother with free housing in Jeddah and a monthly sum during his stay there. He also offered to finance the treatment of Salman’s blind sister.

“Upon his arrival in Asir hospital, Salman caused an emotional tremor among doctors and other medical staff members,” Ajel newspaper said.

“They told him they would do their best to look after him…when they asked him if he needs anything else, he whispered ‘yes…please help my mother so I can meet my Lord….she has struggled for me for 24 years…she has spent sleepless nights to care for me after I fell ill and is now gradually losing her sight…she is old and needs someone to serve her….please try to find a housemaid to serve her after I’m gone.”

Diarrhoea is the second leading cause of death among children under five globally.Nearly one in five child deaths – about 1.5 million each year – is due to diarrhoea.

Diarrhoea, a condition which involves having three or more loose and watery stool, occurs for various reasons ranging from food allergy, infections, consumption of spoiled food or toxic chemicals in food, food poisoning to over dosage of antibiotics.

Although diarrhoea causes discomfort and at times stomach aches, it is one condition that should not be taken for granted as it can cause death, especially when dehydration occurs.

Hepatitis poses serious threat to liver and sound health. As the world marks this year’s World Hepatitis Month, all individuals need to undergo medical examinations to confirm if they are carrying this altpotentially harmful infection as well as get vaccinated.
Hepatitis B poses serious threat to liver. Individuals who are infected with hepatitis B may want to consider regular testing to assess the health of their liver. Hepatitis B may be more damaging to the liver than hepatitis C.

For all of us, sex is the single most factor that can lead to pregnancy and child birth. Though many ways exist where a woman can become pregnant without having sex, these possibilities are not explored or understood until women have problems conceiving or would want to conceive when they are single or without getting married.

These days, women who are lesbians too try alternate methods of getting pregnant without having a heterosexual union. If you are exploring possibilities of becoming pregnant without sexual intercourse, here are some ways by which you can attain it.

How To Prevent Premature Delivery

Almost every mother-to-be would be afraid of one complication during her pregnancy, preterm or premature delivery. A very serious complication that unfortunately is not taken seriously by many pregnant women out there, premature delivery is silent and quick in its attack and in most cases is either ignored until it is too late to make amends.

Air pollution is contamination of the indoor or outdoor environment by any chemical, physical or biological agent that modifies the natural characteristics of the atmosphere. Household combustion devices, motor vehicles, industrial facilities and forest fires are common sources of air pollution. Pollutants of major public health concern include particulate matter, carbon monoxide, ozone, nitrogen dioxide and sulfur dioxide. Outdoor and indoor air pollution cause respiratory and other diseases, which can be fatal.

Each year, one in every three adults age 65 or older will fall and two million will be treated in an emergency department for injuries caused by falls. Fall injuries, such as hip fracture and traumatic brain injuries (TBI), can be a serious threat to seniors' health and independence.

Thankfully, falls are not an inevitable part of aging. In fact, many falls can be prevented. We can all play a key role in protecting the older adults we care about.

Prevention Tips

Get some exercise: Lack of exercise can lead to weak legs, and this increases the chance of falling. Exercise programs like Tai Chi can increase strength and improve balance, making falls less likely for aging adults.