High blood pressure: Facts You need to know

Hypertension, also known as high blood pressure, is a long-term medical condition in which the blood

pressure in the arteries is persistently elevated. However, this is a major risk factor for coronary artery disease, stroke, heart failure, arterial fibrillation, peripheral arterial disease, vision loss and chronic kidney disease.

High blood pressure is usually classified as primary or secondary hypertension. About 90-95% of cases

are primary. Primary hypertension is usually defined as high blood pressure due to nonspecific lifestyle and genetic factors while the secondary hypertension is defined as high blood pressure due to identifiable cause, such as chronic kidney disease, narrowing of the kidney arteries, etc.

Measurement of Blood Pressure

Blood pressure is expressed by two measurements, the systolic and diastolic pressures, which are
the maximum and the minimum pressures respectively.

Blood
pressure measurement.
   

Normal (at rest)

    

Abnormal


Systolic

    

100-130 (mmHg)

    

>130 (mmHg)


Diastolic

    

60-80 (mmHg)

    

>80 (mmHg)



Note that these measurements might slightly be higher or lower depending on geographical
locations. Also, different numbers apply to children.

Signs and Symptoms

Hypertension is rarely accompanied with symptoms, and it’s usually identified through screening. Some people with high blood pressure usually report symptoms such as:

• Headaches (particularly at the back of the head and in the morning)
• Lightheadedness
• Vertigo (when a person has the sensation of moving, or seeing surrounding objects which are not moving as though they were moving)
• Tinnitus (buzzing or hissing in the ear)
• Altered vision or fainting episodes.
  

Hypertensive Crisis

This is a condition in which the blood pressure is severely elevated (equal to or greater than 180mmHg (systolic) and 110mmHg (diastolic)). It may either involve damage to some organs including the brain, kidney, heart and lungs resulting from elevated blood pressure (hypertensive emergency) or not (hypertensive urgency).

Causes

The causes of high blood pressure will be classified based on the two types of hypertension.

     For primary hypertension, causes include:

•  Age
•  Environmental factors such as location and
•  Weather condition.
•  High salt intake
•  Lack of exercise
•  Central obesity
•  High consumption of caffeine

For secondary hypertension (high blood pressure resulting from identifiable cause), causes
may include:

• Kidney disease (the most common cause of
• Secondary hypertension)
• Cushion’s syndrome, or acromegaly, or
• Other endocrine conditions.
•     Obesity
•      Pregnancy
•     Sleep apnea etc.

Prevention of Hypertension

Lifestyle changes are best recommended for the prevention of hypertension. An outline with the proposed lifestyle changes by the US National High Blood Pressure Education Program for the primary prevention of hypertension:

    Maintain normal body weight for adults (body
    mass index between 20-25kg/m2)
    Reduction in dietary sodium intake
    Engage in regular aerobic physical activity
    such as brisk walking (for at least 30min per day for most days of the week)
     Limit alcohol consumption
    Consume diets rich in fruits and
    vegetables.

Management of Hypertension

Management of high blood pressure is targeted towards lowering the blood pressure and keeping it within normal range and also prevention of possible complications that might arise from the condition. The management approach to hypertension involves:

Lifestyle Modification: this is the first line of treatment of hypertension. This includes:

Dietary
changes: diets with low sodium, vegetarian diets and green tea
consumption. Also increasing dietary potassium intake has potential to lower
the blood pressure. Adopting a dietary pattern such as DASH diet or
Mediterranean diet. The DASH diet is the most suitable. DASH diet means Dietary
Approaches to Stop Hypertension. It is a simple diet and can be easily followed
and it entails that you:

Ø Eat more fruits, vegetables and cow fat dairy foods

Ø  Cut back on foods that are high in saturated fats, cholesterol and trans fats

Ø  Eat more whole grain foods, fish, poultry and nuts

Ø  Limit sodium, sweets, sugary drinks and red meats.

 
Read: Health Benefits of Fruits in 2025

Physical exercise: such as isometric resistance exercise, aerobic exercise, etc.


Medications: antihypertensive medications of various classes are available for the management of the condition. Contact you doctor for the appropriate prescription and treatment.

Conclusion

Hypertension is

5 Healthy Eating Tips for Nigerian Pregnant Women

You are what you eat. However, when you are pregnant, you are not only what you eat, your baby also is. Studies have shown that the fetus derives everything needed for its growth and survival, from the very moment of conception to the very moment of birth, from its mother. This includes nutrients, fluid, oxygen, and antibodies. Thus, we can never overemphasize how important it is to eat healthy as a pregnant woman, and you know what? Doing this doesn’t have to be burdensome. Here are 5 tips that would bring you closer toward achieving your healthy-eating goals and maximizing nutrients from available foods as a Nigerian pregnant woman.

1. Start your day with a healthy breakfast

Starting your day with a healthy meal when pregnant doesn’t only energize you, and of course your baby, for the day, it has also been observed to reduce the chances of you feeling hungry every single hour of the day, and that’s a good thing. As you continue reading, you’ll come to understand why that’s good, but for now, let’s get a glimpse of what a healthy breakfast should look like. Really, it’s not far-fetched. A healthy breakfast should span across all, or almost all the classes of food. So, you might want to consider easy combinations like bread and egg with home-made orange juice, or moin-moin(bean pudding) and pap/ eko(solid pap), or even your regular fortified cereal with a lot of milk, and then one apple. Any energy-rich, protein-containing, mineral-and-vitamin-including diet works just fine. Make sure you get enough water too. Also, you need to know that skipping breakfast is not a remedy for early-morning nausea. Find food combinations that work for you, instead. You can consider taking ginger tea or pepper-mint tea before having breakfast too, if that works for you.

2. Eat well, but don’t overeat

Some pregnant women are extra careful when it comes to eating because they are afraid of gaining too much weight. Other pregnant women in the bid to “eat for two” would make sure their mouths are busy all day. The danger of the former is that if you don’t eat well enough, your baby won’t get enough nutrient and can end up being underweight, and in extreme scenarios, the baby can die prenatally. Meanwhile, the danger of the later is that both the mother and the baby can become obese, and this can cause complications, and eventually lead to death. The solution, however, is to eat well, but not overeat. Having a healthy breakfast, like I’ve earlier stated, is one way to achieve this. Also, have a healthy lunch and dinner; experts advise that you should consider spreading your lunch, and even dinner, over 2 or 3 servings, rather than eat a large portion at once. Taking a lot of water all through the day helps too and if you ever feel like munching on something else during the day, you might want to consider healthy snacks, which leads us to the next tip.

Consider healthy snacks.

It’s very possible that even after having a good meal for breakfast and drinking just enough water, you still feel like snacking on something before your next lunch or dinner serving. However, rather than go for junk food that would provide your baby little or no nutrient and would only make both you and your baby gain unnecessary weight, consider healthy snacks. The best and cheapest form of healthy snacks still remain handy fruits like bananas, apples, oranges, watermelons etc. You can try fruit salads too. Youghurt as well has been proven to be a very nutritious snack for pregnant women as it contains fibres, calcium and other vitamins that are necessary for both your health and your baby’s growth. You can also consider other snacks rich in protein, vitamins, and minerals like smoothies, fruit parfaits, fruit-rich cakes, egg scrambles etc.

Vary your diet.

Every class of food plays a role in the proper growth and development of your baby. From carbohydrates and good fats that supply your baby with energy to proteins and minerals that provide a building block for your baby’s developing organs to even vitamins and water that allows the other nutrients to be properly utilized, your baby needs them all. Since no single food has been found to contain all the nutrients your baby needs, you need to make sure your diet is as varied and balanced as possible, from animal proteins to whole grains to legumes and to even fruits and vegetables. If for any reason, you don't eat some kinds of food, you need to find alternatives to getting the nutrients those food contain, and this might involves creating weekly or monthly meal plans that help you ensure you’re getting an adequate amount of every nutrient your baby needs. Creating the plan with someone, maybe your husband, or a friend could make the process more fun, and if you are particularly allergic to some kinds of food, then you should consider involving your dietician or doctor. 

Finally, eat clean.

Eating healthy is not just about eating right but also eating clean. While you endeavour to get a healthy breakfast, eat the right proportion of food, take healthy snacks and vary your diet, you also want to make sure that everything you eat is in a proper condition, so as not to compromise your baby’s mmune system and so your baby can get maximum nutrient from every food. Hence, you have make sure your fruits and vegetables are fresh, and avoid stale or pest-infested food. Also, make sure your fruits and food ingredients are properly washed before you use them. In addition, ensure that your food is always properly cooked. Avoid over-cooking vegetables as this can rid them of the water-soluble vitamins B and C. Make sure your meats are thoroughly cooked too. Basically, just make sure you eat clean.

Now, it hasn't only been established that what you eat as a pregnant woman greatly affects the growth and health of your baby, we’ve also looked into ways pregnant women can go about eating healthy without  particularly stressing themselves. I hope you take these tips into consideration these tips even as you choose your next breakfast and as you create your next meal plan because the healthier you eat, the healthier your baby.

5 Positive Ways Fasting can affect your Health as a Nigerian

Fasting is nothing out of the ordinary amongst we Nigerians. Indeed, we fast for several reasons ranging from religious to cultural to even political reasons. We also engage in different forms of fasting, which include dry fasting, water fasting, fruit fasting, and even white fasting. Some fast to consecrate themselves for a particular cause. Others fast because they are instructed to. Some even consider fasting as punishment to the body. However, have you ever really considered some of the positive ways fasting can affect your health? Well, here are five of them.

1. Fasting can slow down ageing

Ageing has to with gradual changes in your body that leads to a decline in bodily activities. Recent researches have shown that one of the underlying factors of this process is the accumulation of damaged cell over time, and fats and sugars have been found to be key players in the process of cell damage. When these nutrients are too many in your body cells, they overwork them and lead to what’s called oxidative stress, which eventually destroys those cells. Fasting, however, can lower the rate of these cell destruction, and thus slow down ageing.

2. Fasting can improve your brain functions

When you fast, you deprive your body of glucose, which is the major source of energy for many organs, and your body is forced to make use of fat stores. The brain also utilizes glucose, and during fasting periods, it has to find an alternative source of energy. Ketones, which are made from fats, are therefore used as substitutes. Ketones have been proven to be better energy sources for the brain, and this is why the brain functions are improved during fasting. Asides this, some researchers have found fasting to help in inhibiting inflammation of brain cells. This improves brain functions too.

3. Fasting can help you shed unhealthy Weight

If you’ve ever thought about getting rid of some extra weight, you’ve probably thought about fasting. Fasting is indeed an effective way of shedding weight and even maintaining a healthy weight. As earlier stated, when you fast, you deprive your body of calories in form of sugars and fats which compels your body to deploy your fat stores. As a result, you have higher chances of losing unhealthy weight, as long as you don’t go back to consume twice the calories you lost while fasting. 

 

4. Fasting can make your heart healthier.

One of the major reasons behind cardiovascular diseases like myocardial infarction and even heart failures is the build-up of fats in the coronary arteries which supply the heart. When you fast, however, the amount of fat in the blood is regulated and this prevents the clogging up of the coronary arteries by fats. This way, your heart will healthier, and you will have lesser chances of developing heart diseases. 

5. Fasting can have protective Functions

Apart from protecting some specific organs, fasting protects the body as a whole. It does this by inducing a process known as autophagy, which involves the clearing up of debris from cells and the removal of toxic or any potentially harmful material from the body. Researchers also believe that autophagy prevents progression of diseases like cancer and Alzheimer disease, etc.  Consequently, the body is protected.

Now, we see that beyond the religious and cultural significance of fasting, it is beneficial to your health. So, the next time there's a Ramadan fast or your pastor declares a fast, I hope you remember that fasting is not just about punishing your body, but is also a rewarding activity.

Health Benefits of Fruits

Fruit is defined as the edible part of a plant that consist of the seeds and surrounding tissues. They are important source of micronutrients and are component of healthy diets, which help in preventing major diseases. Nutritionally, fruits are energy-dense foods containing vitamins, minerals, fiber and other bioactive compounds.

According to Mintah et al. a fruit is the edible and fleshy seed-associated structures of certain plants, which could be sweet (such as apple, oranges, grapes, strawberries,juniper and bananas) or non-sweet (such as lemon and olives) in their raw forms.

Some basic concept related to health benefits of fruits and vegetables

As observed during the specific Regional workshop on promotion of fruits and vegetables for health in 2014, there are several implications of the colours of fruits and vegetables. This includes: 

The purple/blue colour of fruits and vegetables signifies their antioxidants properties and their ability to reduce the risk for cancer, stroke and heart diseases.
     Red colours in fruits and vegetables
    reduces the risk of cancer and improves heart health (as observed in tomato, water melon, red grapes).
     Orange/yellow-coloured fruits contains
    carotenoids that help in maintaining healthy eyes (e.g. carrot, lemon, pineapple)
     Brown/white-coloured fruits contains
    phytochemicals having antiviral and antibacterial properties as well as potassium. Examples of such fruits and vegetables include banana, garlic, onions, and ginger, etc.
    The green-coloured fruits and vegetables such as green apples, spinach, cucumber, and lettuce also have phytochemicals   that contains anticancer properties.




Health Benefits of some common fruits.

PAWPAW

Pawpaws have low calorie content, and they do not contain cholesterol. They are very high in vitamin C, vitamin A and flavonoids (useful in body metabolism).

Vitamin A help to maintain healthy skin and eyes. Pawpaw seeds are also used in the treatment of stomach ache and ringworm infections. It contains powerful antioxidants such as lycopene which helps to reduce your risk of many diseases, especially one that tend to come with age, such as heart disease and cancer.

The ripe pawpaw are readily edible for eating but unripe pawpaw should be cooked before eating, especially during pregnancy as the unripe papaw fruit is high in latex, which can stimulate contractions.

BANANA

Banana is one of the best fruit sources of vitamin B6. This vitamin helps your body
to:
·        
Produce red blood cells
·        
Metabolize carbohydrate and fats and turn them into energy
·        
Remove unwanted chemicals from your liver and kidneys, and
·        
Maintain a healthy nervous system.

The fruit also contains vitamin C, which helps your body to absorb iron faster, produce collagen, the protein which hold your skin, bones and body tight together and maintain the skin health. Vitamin C also support the brain health by helping to produce serotonin, a hormone that affects you sleep cycle, moods and experiences of stress and pain.

Banana also contains high level of potassium (around 320-400mg) which meet about 10% of your daily potassium needs. This Potassium help your body maintain a healthy heart and blood pressure. Since
bananas are also low in sodium, this low sodium and high potassium combination help to control blood pressure.

Bananas give you energy. The fruit contain three natural sugars: sucrose, fructose and glucose, and no amount of fat and cholesterol, giving you fat and cholesterol-free energy. Therefore, it is ideal especially for children, and athletes, for breakfast, as a midday snack or before and after sports.

In summary:


·        

• Lowers blood pressure
• Prevents deficiency disorders
• Keep skin healthy
• Boost energy level
• Controls body weight
• Relieve muscle cramps
• Hangover relief
• Regulate bowel movement

·        
Combat depression


·        
Lowers chances of asthma


·        
Act as anti-aging agent


·        
High potassium prevent heart attack.


·        
Lowers morning sickness in pregnant women.

Soursop

Soursop is a fruit that is popular for its delicious flavor and impressive health benefit. It is also very nutrient-dense and provides a good amount of fibre and vitamin C for very few calories. A typical serving of this fruit is low in calories yet high in several nutrients like potassium, magnesium, thiamine among others. It can help in the treatment of several ailments such as worms and parasites infections and as astringent for diarrhea and dysentery. It also improve the body’s immune system and help to fight against cancer cells and reduce the malignancy.

Cucumber

Cucumbers are low in calories and contain a good amount of water and soluble fibers, making it ideal for promoting hydration and aiding in weight loss. 

Cucumbers contain antioxidants, including flavonoids and tannins, which prevent the accumulation of harmful radicals and may reduce the risk of chronic diseases.
    Cucumbers promotes hydration because they contain about 96% water, and can help you meet your daily fluid needs.
    It may aid in weight loss.
     It lowers the blood sugar level and prevent some complications from diabetes. Hence, it is a must eat fruit for those suffering from diabetes.
    Eating cucumber help promote regular bowel    movements and prevent constipation due to the high water content and fiber.

 

BREADFRUIT

The consumption of breadfruits improves eye and bone health, immune system and physical cognitive condition. It is high in carbohydrates that gives you ready made energy, minerals, vitamins and carotenoids. Its consumption also protect the body against cancer, vitamin A deficiency,
diabetes and heart disease. It is low in fat and cholesterol, it’s a ready
source of cholesterol; a ready source of omega-

and omega-6 fatty acid that regulate sebum production in the scalp and
prevent hair loss. Consumption of breadfruit juice also improves the glowing of
the skin, and dietary fiber content of the fruit prevents heartburn, acidity,
ulcer and gastritis.

Biography of Muhammad Ali Pate

Muhammad Ali Pate, he is the current Minister of Health in Nigeria. Ali Pate took over from former health Minister - Dr. Osagie Ehanire.

Muhammad Ali Pate? Muhammad Ali Pate is the current Minister of Health under the Bola Tinubu led Administration. His appointment surfaced August 15, 2023 alongside names of other Ministerial nominees. This article is the complete biography of Mohammad Ali Pate, current Nigeria health Minister.

Muhammad Ali Pate CON was born on 6 September 1968; he is a Nigerian physician and politician who is Professor of the Practice of Public Health Leadership in the Department of Global Health and Population at Harvard University.

He formerly served as the Global Director for Health, Nutrition and Population and Director of the Global Financing Facility for Women, Children and Adolescents (GFF) at the World Bank Group.  Pate is also the former Minister of State for Health in Nigeria.

 

Former Minister of State for Health (In office 14 July 2011 – 23 July 2013)

• Born: 6 September 1968 (age 54)
• Origin: Misau, Nigeria
• Alma mater: Ahmadu Bello University|Duke University|University College London

 

Muhammad Ali Pate was born in the Misau local government area of Bauchi State in Nigeria and was raised in the north of the country. He is the son of a fulani herdsman.

He is also the first in his family to complete a secondary school education, Pate graduated from high school to enter the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) medical school in Kaduna State, Nigeria. He graduated from ABU and moved to Gambia where he worked in rural hospitals for a few years. He was then a fellow in infectious diseases at the University of Rochester Medical Center in the United States.  He is an American Board-Certified Medical Doctor in both Internal Medicine and Infectious Diseases, with an MBA (Health Sector Concentration) from Duke University USA. Prior to this, he studied at the University College London. He also has a Masters in Health System Management from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, UK.

On Tuesday, October 11, 2022, Pate, along with Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, and Amina J. Mohammed were conferred with Nigeria's national honours. Pate was conferred with Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON).

Earlier in 2019, Pate was appointed Julio Frenk Professor of Public Health Leadership at the Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health. Pate was also the former Minister of Health in Nigeria. His appointment in July 2011 followed his role as the executive director of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency in Abuja. He resigned as Nigeria's Minister of State for Health effective 24 July 2013 to take up the position of Professor in Duke University's Global Health Institute, USA. He is formerly the chief executive officer of Big Win Philanthropy and an adjunct professor of Global Health of the Duke University Global Health Institute.

 

Read: Biography of Odunlade Adekola

On September 1, 2021, Pate returned to Harvard University as a Julio Frenk Professor of the Practice of Public Health Leadership at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

Also In February 2023, Muhammad Ali Pate was appointed Chief Executive Officer of GAVI, the Vaccine Alliance, which works to provide vaccines in low-income countries.

Muhammad Pate is happily married to his heartthrob, and has four daughters and two sons. He resides in Northern Nigeria . He is a practicing Muslim. 

Muhammad Pate, a professor and expert in internal medicine and infectious diseases.

An announcement by the global vaccine alliance, Gavi, on 26 June of Mr Pate’s decision to withdraw his acceptance of appointment as its Chief Executive Officer (CEO) gave a strong indication of what was coming.

Mr Pate’s reason for his decision was also a clear pointer. Having earlier been scheduled to assume office as GAVI’s CEO on 3 August, he informed the global organisation that “he has taken an incredibly difficult decision to accept a request to return and contribute to his home country, Nigeria.”

Muhammad Ali Pate CON is active on social media. You can connect with him via his official handles on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and X.

World Menstrual Hygiene Day: Tackling Period Poverty in Nigeria

Menstrual Hygiene is one of the fundamental issue concerning reproductive health. It is instrumental in raising the  dignity and well being of women and girls. Menstrual Hygiene day is an important day to delve openly about periods, help break silence, raise awareness and  change negative social norms surrounding menstrual hygiene around the world.

Period are facts of life and integral part of every teenage girls and women's life. Approximately 300 million women menstruate on a daily basis. Yet, there are still stigma associated with period. It  is imperative to delve into one of the key issues behind World Menstrual Hygiene Day, the devastating reality of  period poverty around the world and its high prevalence in Nigeria.

WHAT IS PERIOD POVERTY?
Periods are highly dreaded and rarely something we look forward to every month. Painful, tiring and inconvenient, plus the accompanying  friends it brings along ranging from abdominal cramps, diarrhoea,  vomiting,  nausea and dizziness are challenging to cope with. But for many women and girls around the world especially in Nigeria,   it is way beyond  the side effects, the bleeding itself poses a  huge problem as well.

Period poverty is when a girl cannot afford menstrual products during menstruation which is approximately three to seven days every month resulting to use of unhygienic practices.

1 in 5 girls are unable to afford sanitary products. They have to improvise using tissue paper, cotton wool, discarded news paper, towels which are unhygienic and may pose risk. Staggering amount of young girls and women are not well enlightened about menstruation and are disadvantaged by their lack of knowledge and access to clean sanitary products in poor urban and rural communities.

Period is inevitable  in  young girls women's life but it is so disheartening that over 1.2 billion women across the world do not have access to basic sanitation.  The National Democracy and Health Survey 2013, revealed that girls make up 60% of the 10.5million out of school children in Nigeria with  period povertty contributing immensely to these.

 In  a country where an estimated 44% of its population live in extreme poverty and high population amidst the adolescent. Lots of parents struggle to make ends meet and see sanitary products as unaffordable luxury especially with high hike and surge in prices of these sanitary products experienced over the years. There have been clamors for subsidizing and removal of taxes on sanitary products with no action taken by the government.

On average, a woman will menstruate for over 30 years of her life and uses roughly over 9600 pads in her lifetime. Put in the factor that most tampons and pads are not reusable and lots of it go to landfill and the non-organic items take up to 500 years to decompose. Even sometimes, the properties in these pads and most especially tampons are injurious to health as it could cause Toxic Shock Syndrome.

The pandemic has intensified period poverty. Periods dont stop for pandemic and few families are  able to afford the products as most people are plagued with hunger, job loss in these crises and have to prioritize food and health care first even though sanitary products are life essentials as well.

Beyond period poverty, lack of access to water and poor or inadequate toilet facilities in schools and public places makes girls stay away from school and prove a high constraint in achieving menstrual hygiene.

Meeting the hygienic needs of all adolescent girls is a fundamental issue of human rights and public health and not something to be treated as a mere triviality. To tackle period poverty in Nigeria, there should be access to sanitary products by girls and women. Sanitary products should be heavily subsidized and distributed freely to secondary school teenage girls and young women.

Demystifying period stigma and shame with awareness on menstrual health and hygienic practices should be given to young girls and boys. Almost every teenage girls have stories to share on being unknowingly stained and being laughed and mocked at by boys. Education needs to go both ways in educating young boys and men that period are normal physiological process and not something to be laughed or mocked for.
Adoption of sustainable alternative products like reusable sanitary products and home made sanitary product to replace its disposable counterparts that can be used continually should be massively produced in Nigeria with affordability given a priority.

It is time for action to ensure that girls and women do not feel limited by something as natural and normal as period through increased education on menstrual hygiene, and affordability reusable sanitary produts. It is time to create an enabling society in which women and teenage girls are empowered to manage their period safely and in a hygienic manner. Its high time to see to the rise of period power and absolute end of period poverty.

So Far So Good - A National Review on Issues Affecting Nigeria

We can decide to make rants,  asking what could be the major problem of Nigeria and what our fifty nine years of independence has taught us? The reality in Nigeria has shown us the hard side of life with no remorse whatsoever.

You ask further - Could it be we are accursed? 

Without argument, it is said that predominant happenings in Nigeria are on the highly negative  side, giving lesser or no hope to an aspired future.  Going from the nature of social problems, developmental problems, economic crisis, political unrest, security problem, etc, we are certain that life itself has imparted a sense of adversity to Nigerian  citizens.

The major uproar now in Nigeria is the pandemic across the world affecting the four walls of Nigeria COVID-19. The pandemic came to Nigeria first month of this year and according to Nigeria Centre for Disease Control ( NCDC) the confirm cases has grown to four thousand one hundred and fifty one (4151) as at 9th may, 2020 with a discharged cases of seven hundred and forty five (745) and the death of one hundred and twenty eight (128) .

Does this speak volume of hope to the nation?

The lock down is another issue her citizen would not want to adhere to mainly because of the lack of trust she has on her leadership. During the first lock down, her citizen took upon herself through social media on the necessity of getting food on the tables as eighty percent of her population live on a daily income. The second lock down declared by the president on Monday, 13th April, 2020 opened the nation to insecurity problems as the AWAWA BOYS and ONE MILLION BOYS became the fear of the day.

What was the reason for the fear?

Why the cause of commotion?

To some, it was food. Some said it was the boredom and yet another came saying it was a political plot of the leaders to her citizens.  The issue is yet to be settled as the Ogun and Lagos States Commissioners released in statements in the early hours of the morning 13th of April 2020, saying it was just uproar and a false alarm by the citizen that the nation is at peace with her. However, the citizens would not have it as vigilante groups were formed at different areas in the Abule egba axis, Iyana ipaja, Sango, and Ogun environs. On social media, videos of apprehending the thieves were sent across to show what stay the country is indeed is. 27th of April of the year 2020 was another day of the delivery of the President's speech which reduced the tension of her citizen on the ease of the lock down on the 4th of may of the year 2020.

The issue which is predominant had shove every other problem that is faced by the country for now and the people strongly believe that this could be a sign of rest that the nation leader should take advantage of and give thought to solution and attention to problems of the nation.

Should we hope they make use of the advantage?

The pandemic also didn't leave the students out as academic curriculum is left to an halt due to lock down of public places and gatherings of more than twenty people. It has shown the level in full picture the level of our academic student. As social media which has been a major tool during this lock has it how patiently the citizens of the nation wait for current from the developed countries. Although, the reaction the citizen has is the fact that there might not be no pandemic which is just a general myth by the nation's citizen because of the level of interest of the government. The vaccine that was rumoured to be a possible cure for the for the affected cases was said to be tested in Nigeria pioneer by Bill Gates. The people went a full force in rejecting such act because of lack of trust and the reasoning of who among the affected countries beeds it the most?

The coming of the Chinese doctors is another issue that brings the lack of sincerity on the part of the government towards her citizen. On Twitter it was attend that their was no need of the doctors coming over, even while the doctor's of her beloveth country Nigeria gave their non approval of the coming if the doctor's it came as a shock when the minister of health on channels gave his talk on the government not knowing the coming of the doctors neither did the government invite them but they were a gift from a Chinese company.

Who are our leaders?

We may not say all is bad. We only have a positive position to all that is happening and continually say, "Where there is life there is hope"

5 Sleep Hacks to Help You Get Over Insomnia

 

 

Insomnia is a sleep disorder that is caused by stress, depression, mental health issues  and other factors that disenabled one from having a quality and sound sleep or making it difficult for one to sleep. Insomnia can be long term(primary Insomnia) or long time (secondary insomnia). The symptoms of Insomnia include:

• Stress
• Depression
• Headache
• Change in sleep schedule
• Noise
• Anxiey

Insomnia can be caused by

• Hereditary
• Alcohol
• Unhealthy  life style habit
• Pregnancy  etc.
  

Since the causes of insomnia are  much and it affects women more than men and older people more than younger ones,this article will help with providing sleep hacks that will help you get over Insomnia.

Sleep Hacks To Help You Get Over Insomnia.

1. Nap – Wisely

Taking a nap during the day will make you feel less stressed and will aid you in having a quality sleep  during the night. The best time to have a nap during the day is between 2 and 4. Having a sleep towards bedtime is not encouraged for it causes sleep disorder (insomnia).

 2. Take a hot bath

A warm bath before bed seems to help people fall asleep more quickly, but also get better quality sleep, according to a small 1985 study.

3. Get out of bed if you really can’t sleep

If you are finding it If difficult to sleep, get out of bed. Engange  yourself in what you love doing or in other activities that will make you feel relaxed and stress less.  Then climb back up to bed if you are feeling sleepy and really tired. 

4. Grounding (sleeping on bare floor)
The earth has a calming energy that can be felt throughout your entire body. Sleeping on the earth makes you feel cool and relaxed.

5. Consider therapy

Maybe your sleep troubles are a little more serious and could use the insight of a professional. Cognitive behavioral therapy is considered the gold standard when it comes to treating insomnia, and usually involves meeting with a therapist for various sleep assessments, keeping a sleep journal and adjusting some of your bedtime habits.
 

5 Reasons Why You Should Invest in Skin Care Products

 

As the name suggests, Skin care simply means the care of the skin. You can simply take care of your skin with any kind of skin products that comes your way but I'd advice that you take care of your skin with quality skin care products that will have  no effect on your skin or better still, you visit the dermatologist for effective skin care routine. The skin is the largest organ of the body that protect against light,heat and other factors that can cause infections or harm the body.  You should take care of your skin just as you'll take care of your and every other organ in your body as it is as important as other organs too. Everything that happens abnormally in the internal body showed through the skin hence, while taking care of your skin by using quality skin care products, you should take care of your cells too. Still not bothered why you should take care of your skin?  Read on and see 5 reasons you should invest in skin care products

1. It Boosts your self confidence

The use of quality skin care products boost your self confidence. When you look at yourself and you see the the beautiful effect of the skin care products you use, you feel happy looking at yourself and hence , you believe more in yourself. 

2. It makes you feel younger

Old age bring about shrinking of the skin but  the use of quality skin care products will improve the texture of your skin and gives it quality radiant that makes you feel happy about yourself. And happiness they say makes one feel healthier and happier. 

3. It prevents you from infections

Invest now in using quality skin care products and save yourself and family against nursing skin infections in future. Also you'll save from yourself the stress of visiting the hospital to treat infections. Remember,health is wealth. 

4. It puts your skin in good condition

The use of high quality skin care products will make your skin look attractive,it will increases its radiant,prevent it from acne,treat wrinkles and your skin will be just perfect.

5. It  makes You look more beautiful

Cosmetics give your skin everything it need to be radiant, to glow, to improve it appearance, texture,prevent it from ance, and even improve the mental health. Now tell me why you won't look beautiful with the use of high quality skin care products.

 

Because you are advised to use skin care doesn't mean you should use anyhow skin care products. One of the reasons to use skin care products is to save you from infections hence you should be careful on what skin care products to use. As earlier stated, it is important to see a dermatologist for effective high quality skin care products rather than using less quality skin care products or using skin care products that you are allergy to which will at the end not serve the reason of investing in quality skin care products.

Top 5 Nigerian Myths about Peptic Ulcer

Peptic ulcer, known as ogbe inu in Yoruba, onya in igbo, and miki in hausa, can be simply defined as sore of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) or digestive tract lining, the stomach and the upper part of the small intestine especially. Although the prevalence of peptic ulcer in Nigeria is not exactly known yet, chances are that you know someone or you know someone that knows someone with stomach ulcer, which is the commonest type of peptic ulcer. However, there is still so much misconception around this disease. Let us take a look into some of them.
 

1. Skipping breakfast/fasting is the primary cause of Ulcer

Having breakfast regularly is a healthy practice, yet skipping breakfast is not the primary cause of ulcer. The stomach normally produces some acidic juices to aid food digestion. The lining of the GIT, however, is protected from the effects of the stomach juices. If these protective mechanisms get compromised, the acids can work on the walls of the digestive tract and ulcerate them. Recent studies have shown that the bacteria, Helicobacter pylori, which is introduced into the stomach and intestine through contaminated food and water, and coming in contact with contaminated fluids like saliva, poses a major threat to the integrity of the GIT walls and hence the primary cause of ulcer.

2. Eating some kinds of food can cause Ulcer

Many believe that eating a lot of peppery and acidic food can make one have peptic ulcer, but that, as far as research is concerned, is incorrect. The only type of food that can lead to the ulceration of your GIT is contaminated food, as earlier discussed. Peptic ulcer patients are advised to stay off spicy, rocky, and highly acidic food not because that was what caused the ulcer, but because their stomach walls are already injured and eating those foods will worsen the pain.

3. Peptic ulcer has no Cure

This is a myth you've probably heard  more than once. Yet, studies show that peptic ulcer can be cured if diagnosed early and treated properly. The first step in treating ulcer is identifying the cause and getting rid of it. Giving antibiotics against Helicobacter pylori have been proven to be an effective treatment for peptic ulcer. They can be used alongside proton pump blockers, which reduce the amount of stomach acids being secreted. Moreover, a group of drug known as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID), or simply put, painkillers, like aspirin and ibuprofen, if used regularly, can compromise the integrity of the GIT walls. Desisting from the use of these drugs can therefore be the first step in treating some ulcers. When these treatments begin early, are strictly adhered to and properly followed up, peptic ulcer can be cured, many of the times.

4. Overeating can cure Ulcer

People who eat regularly have lesser chances of having ulcer because whether your stomach is full or empty, it still produces acidic secretions. These secretions tend to work on the stomach walls when there’s no food in the stomach, hence an acidic environment makes the GIT more prone to ulceration. However, this is only a secondary cause of ulcer, as the digestive tract naturally has means of protecting its lining. The primary cause still needs to be taken away. So, overeating does not cure ulcer. It might make the patient feel better for a while. In extreme cases even, overeating can constipate the ulcer patient. This is why people with peptic ulcers are not advised to overeat, but to eat regularly.

5. Peptic ulcer is not a serious Disease

Many people feel peptic ulcer is a disease that anyone can endure for the rest of his life, so long his cupboard is filled with painkillers or herbal medicines. Well, it's true that many times, symptoms of peptic ulcers tend to be mild at the onset, however, in the long run, if causative agents aren't properly dealt with, ulcers can get serious and lead to internal bleeding and eventually death. In fact, in the World Health Organization (WHO) data published in 2020, Nigeria was ranked Nigeria as #31 out of countries with high death rates from peptic ulcer. Peptic ulcer is indeed a serious disease, and treatments should be sought for as soon as possible.

 

Now that you know what peptic ulcer is not, when next you come across any of these myths we just examined, you remember that they are nothing but what they are—myths.

Top 5 Health Benefits of Starchy Foods for Nigerians

Starch is a type of carbohydrate consisting of glucose molecules. Glucose provide cells with energy and helps nerve cells in the brain function properly.

Starchy foods are a good source of energy and the main source of a range of nutrients in our diet.  Some of these  starchy foods should be eaten  every day as part of a healthy balance diet. Starchy foods come in many forms, and people often consume them as staple foods in diets worldwide. Legumes, grains, and root vegetables are all examples of them.

However, too much consumption of these starchy foods are linked to a higher risk of diabetes, heart disease and weight gain. In addition, they can cause blood sugar to spike rapidly and then fall sharply. This is especially important for people with diabetes and prediabetes, since their bodies can't efficiently remove sugar from the blood. For example, those with diabetes need to be more aware of their starchy food intake than others. This does not mean they must avoid starchy foods, it simply means that because their bodies are more sensitive to carbohydrates, they need to pay close attention to what they consume.

In this article, the benefit of consuming starchy foods  will be discussed in order for to know the usefulness of consuming starchy foods and the educate the Nigerians that total avoidance of starchy foods are not good for the proper function of the body system. 

Health Benefits of Starchy  Foods

Starchyfoods are an essential part of a nutritious diet. They are a vital source of energy and nutrition and provide the basis for a satisfying, balanced meal. As recommended by doctors,eating plenty of starchy foods as part of a balanced diet provide energy and fiber, as well as to increase feelings of fullness. Here are various reasons why starchy foods are crucial as part of a balanced diet:

1. Energy

Starchy foods are a suitable source of energy because of their high carbohydrate. When the body digest starch, it converts it to glucose  which is the main human fuel. It goes through the bloodstream and  give energy to almost all  the cells in the body.  The body can use this glucose right away or store it in the liver for later use. 

2. Fiber

Many starchy foods, such as whole grains, fruits, and beans, are high in fiber. Fiber is a type of carbohydrate with a unique molecular structure. Because of its unique structure, it's  glucosec molecules are bound tightly together, hence, it passes through the digestive system because it can't be easily broken in the small intestine. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) states that most people in the United States do not include enough fiber in their diet and it also  says that fiber helps move waste through the digestive system. High fiber diets can also reduce a person’s risk of developing cardiovascular disease.

3. Satiety

Satiety is the feeling of being full after eating. Certain foods make a person feel more satiated after eating them. Research suggests foods containing fiber increase satiety. They also offer other health benefits, including improving the body’s insulin sensitivity and reducing fat storage.Some of the top foods include potatoes, porridge, and brown pasta.

 

Starch is a carbohydrate and a natural component of most plants, including fruits, vegetables, and grains. Starchy foods are an essential part of a balanced diet, as they provide energy, fiber, and a sense of fullness.

The body breaks down starch molecules into glucose, which is the body’s primary fuel source. The brain, in particular, requires a considerable amount of glucose each day. Starchy foods are safe for most individuals and present no risks or side effects. However, it is important that people with diabetes or CSID carefully consider their starch intake.

Dyslexia: One Disorder I DON’T MIND

I know the title of this article is quite strange. Do I really want to have a disorder? Probably not! Still, there is something that really intrigues me about this one.

Sometime back, I watched this Indian movie: ‘Like Stars on Earth’, and I have to say, that movie hurled me into a deep thought that totally transformed my mindset—and yes, it is an amazing Indian movie. Before watching it, I had heard of the learning disorder, dyslexia, but this movie

made me see it in a new light. ‘Like Stars on Earth’ is the story of a young boy who probably has

the most incredible and artistic mind I had ever seen—yet he had dyslexia, an impaired ability to

read and write. He could make amazing art out of anything—but words and numbers, not so

much. See, academically, he had the mind of an infant but artistically, his artwork spoke volumes. You can of course imagine how almost impossible it was to fit into the school system of learning and grading. He was constantly ridiculed and mocked until someone helped him discover his true potentials. After watching that movie, I went back to do a deep study on the

disorder. You should have guessed by now that this article is about Dyslexia. What really

prompted me to do this was when in the movie a good number of iconic personalities were listed

as having dyslexia: Albert Einstein, Thomas Edison, Agatha Christie, Pablo Picasso, and

Leonardo Da Vinci etc. My discovery completely blew me away! I encountered notable

personalities who I had previously never imagined having dyslexia, and all that kept

reverberating through my head was: What!!! How? What could possibly have made the difference? So after a lot of research, I came up with a thought that I just had to share. I need to note here that this article is a very passionate and thought provoking piece and will challenge some ideologies.

What is Dyslexia?

Dyslexia is simply an impaired ability to read and write. Generally, people with dyslexia appear bright and intelligent but are unable to read write or spell

well. It is not a behavior problem, though people often mislabel it as one; it is a learning

disorder. Writing is almost always incoherent – letters inverted, words misspelt or reversed etc.

(e.g. ‘b’ instead of a ‘d’, ‘tac’ instead of ‘cat’). It is often difficult to pronounce properly and read

as words often appear to ‘swim in the text’. Numbers as well suffer the same fate. Dyslexics find

it hard to exhibit ordinary motor skills like gripping a pencil and writing. Generally, dyslexia can

be helped but not cured and people who have dyslexia can only learn through creative learning techniques.

Famous Personalities with Dyslexia

The first thing that literally blew my mind was this long list of persons that have, had or are suspected of having dyslexia and I will list here just a few of them:

 Albert Einstein (record breaking IQ)

 Pablo Picasso (amazing artist)

 Tom Cruise (actor)

  Thomas Edison (the light bulb)

 Leonardo Da Vinci

 Agatha Christie (bestselling novelist)

 Alexander Graham Bell (the telephone)

 Walt Disney (animator)

 Winston Churchill (one of the greatest political leaders and Nobel prize winner)

 Steve Jobs (Apple)

 Ludwig van Beethoven (Classical pianist)

 George Washington

 Whoopi Goldberg (actress)

 Henry Ford

 Warren Buffet

 Nelson Rockefeller

Even Bill Gates admitted to having Dyslexia! Allow me to zero in on Agatha Christie for a

moment. She is my favorite writer of all-time. She specifically writes mystery and investigative

novels and among some of her most popular works are: ‘Murder on the Orient Express’, ‘The

Mysterious Affair at Styles’ and ‘The Murder of Roger Ackroyd’. And wait for it…her books are

outsold only by Shakespeare and the Bible! She holds the Guinness World Record of being the

bestselling novelist of all time. As a lover of mystery and investigative novels, I have yet to see

the kind of creativity she employs anywhere else, and after reading, I always think to myself, ‘what kind of mind could this have come from?’ Yet Agatha Christie had dyslexia. In her words, “I, myself, was always recognized…as the „slow one‟ in the family. Writing and spelling were always terribly difficult for me”. It is pretty mind blowing how such a renowned writer could have had difficulty reading and writing!

Like I said when I started, the question that really plagued my mind was ‘what could possibly have made the difference?’ because it pretty much seems like so many marks had been hit by people who have an impaired ability to read and write that many other ‘normal’ people haven’t even dreamed of. What exactly is the difference? Is there something here to learn? Could it be that dyslexia is a good thing? (I trust my fellow Nigerians to readily utter ‘tufiakwa – God forbid!’) But then, if there is an advantage that these guys have, why are we not seeing it and how to we exploit it so that across board, we can all make serious impact. I set out to answering these questions and I stumbled on a very ‘crazy’ thought (by crazy here, I mean unusual and rather remarkable). Here is what I think…

Uchenna Umeano is a freelance writer, from Anambra State.

5 Facts You Need to know about Body Physiotheraphy in Nigeria

Body physiotherapy, which is also known as physical therapy is a physical treatment that improves the mobility and function of the affected area in the body. This physical  treatment can be in form of movement and exercise,icing, hydrotherapy, massaging and so on. There are different kinds of physical therapy treatment depending on the kind of  disease you have. Physiotherapy can also be used to treat injuries,motor accident,joint pains, obesity, chronic and back pain.

 

Most people don't see the importance of physical therapy. They prefer to use the modern drugs prescribed by doctors than visiting the therapist. Below are five(5) facts you need to know about body phyiotherapy. 

 

1. It prevents Sports-related Injuries

Since it is said that some of the ways in which one can get the physical treatment is through movement and exercise therefore, it is clearly known that physiotherapy will sure prevent one from sports related injuries. 

 

2. It helps to improve overall strength

Physiotherapy helps in strengthening of bones and joints. If there's any  symptoms of weakness, it is advisable to visit the therapist and get yourself a physical treatment that'll help you get back your strength. 

3. It makes one depend less on medicines

As we all know, modern drugs do have side effects but physical therapy don't have. If going for physiotherapy will make me get heal with no side effects why should I go for the modern drugs then?

 

4.  It helps reduce pain or eliminate it completely

Going through therapy session will help reduce the pain in the affected area and in some cases it get them eliminated completely. The primary aim of physical therapy is to reduce  pain and make it able for the affected area to function well again without any form of pain in the future. 

 

Read: Biography of Emeka Nobis

 

5.  Helps patient to recover from stroke:

Physiotherapy will help  strengthen the part that got paralysed with  stroke and get it reformed and it begins to function just as the way it should. 

There are lots more facts about physiotherapy but this article gives the best  5. Read, digest and visit physiotherapist in order to get yourself treated with the physical treatment and say bye bye to vertigo, obesity, in any kind of pain. 

5 Ways to Prevent Blood Clot Disorder

Blood Clot Formation occurs when you cut or injure yourself; your body stops the bleeding by forming a blood clot. Biologically it is said that the proteins and particles in your blood, called platelets, stick together to form the blood clot. The process of forming a clot is called coagulation. Normal coagulation is important during an injury, as it helps stop a cut from bleeding and starts the healing process. Hypercoagulable states are usually genetic (inherited) or acquired conditions. The genetic form of this disorder means a person is born with the tendency to form blood clots. Acquired conditions are usually a result of surgery, trauma, medications or a medical condition that increases the risk of hypercoagulable states. But since this article is talking about Blood clot disorder, this brings us to the explanation of what blood clot disorder entails.

Blood clot disorder occurs when blood forms clots more often than it is supposed to. Your body maintains normal blood flow because of a balance of molecules called procoagulant factors and anticoagulant factors. Any imbalance of these factors can lead to a blood clotting disorder. The most common type of hereditary coagulation disorders is Hemophilia.

This is a rare disorder in which the blood doesn't clot in the typical way because it doesn't have enough blood-clotting proteins (clotting factors). If you have hemophilia, you might bleed for a longer time after an injury than you would if your blood clotted properly. 

Therefore, the 5 ways of preventing Blood Clotting Disorder are listed below. 

1. Raise your legs 6 inches above your heart from time to time.

When you're sitting or standing, oxygen-depleted blood in your legs must also work against gravity in order to return to your heart.  This means that gravity is now working in your favor which may help improve blood flow in the veins in your legs. 

2. Wear special stockings (called compression stockings) if your doctor prescribes them.

Compression stockings apply pressure to your legs and ankles, which may reduce the diameter of major veins by increasing the volume and velocity of blood flow up toward the heart which helps to prevent blood from refluxing downward to the foot or laterally into superficial veins.

3. Maintaining a healthy weight

Eating a healthy diet can strengthen your bodies and joints, helps you maintain an ideal weight, makes the body more efficiently circulates blood and enables the body fluid levels to be properly and easily managed.

4. Avoid crossing the legs

Avoid keeping your legs crossed for more than 10 to 15 minutes at a time. Get up and walk around or just stand up and stretch if you've been sitting for more than 30 minutes. This is because researchers and Doctors will often tell you to uncross your legs because blood pressure rises slightly when you cross your legs at the knee. 

5. Standing or sitting for no longer than an hour at a time

A growing amount of research suggests that just standing -- even if you don't walk around -- can have health benefits. To get the right balance, sit 20 minutes out of every half hour at work, standing for eight minutes and moving around for at least two minutes. This will stop the sluggish blood flow through the legs. 

5 Ways to Actively Include Men in Family Planning Discussions

Family planning refers to use of modern contraceptives or natural techniques to limit or space pregnancies. Modern methods of contraception include the pill, female and male sterilization, IUD, injectables, implants, male and female condom, diaphragm, and emergency contraception. Traditional methods include periodic abstinence, withdrawal and folk methods.

Reason for not using contraception

Preferred method of contraception for future use

Heard family planning on radio and television or in a newspaper or magazine

Acceptability of media messages on family planning

Contact of non-users with family planning providersP

lanning is being used

Was family planning use mainly the woman's/the husband/partner's or a joint decision

Informed choice of family planning methods

Unmet need for family planning Spotting between periods. Breakthrough bleeding, or spotting, refers to when vaginal bleeding occurs between menstrual cycles.

What is male involvement in family planning?

Male Involvement through spousal communication and approval about family Planning. In the current study, nearly 60.0% of men were involved in family planning through spousal communication and approval. Among all respondents, more than half (54.0%) of men have never discussed FP with their partner.

Read: Biography of Actress Kehinde Bankole

Why is male involvement in family planning important?

Male engagement in family planning (FP) is a subset of male engagement in reproductive health. Gender experts agree that men should be encouraged to be supportive partners of women's reproductive health while also meeting their own reproductive health needs, and engaged as agents of change in families and communities. Men are also recognized to be responsible for the large proportion of ill reproductive health suffered by their female partners. Male involvement helps not only in accepting a contraceptive but also in its effective use and continuation.

Step 1: Define the behavioral aim of your initiative.

Common behavioral aims of male engagement programming include increased male participation as:

Contraceptive users (e.g., condoms and vasectomy) or as partners using methods requiring active cooperation (e.g., Standard Days Method)

Partners engaged in open communication and decision-making about family planning and contraceptives

Advocates for gender equality and family planning in their families and communities

Step 2: Assess mens and boys knowledge and attitudes related to reproduction and contraception.

Knowledge of individual methods, how they work, and their side effects. Ideal family size. Beliefs about how contraception affects health, work, and future fertility

Knowledge of, preferences for, and perceptions of family planning services, for example:

3: Assess how gender norms affect male engagement in family planning.

Men play an important role in challenging inequitable gender norms and fostering positive norms, particularly among their peers and with their children. Failure to address issues such as womens subservient social status, economic dependence on men and limited agency, household power dynamics, and harmful masculine norms are common reasons that investments in family planning service delivery fail to achieve expected results.

4. Identify programming approaches that engage men and boys.

After clarifying the relevant norms, identify the people whose opinions matter to men and may influence those particular behaviors. Such individuals could include community leaders, parents/in-laws, religious leaders, health care providers, or positive deviants (i.e., those already practicing the desired behavior). Also, identify the sources and locations where men and boys prefer to receive sexual and reproductive health information and services.

5. Social and behavior change category

consider integrating information sharing and discussions into traditionally male spaces such as agricultural projects or development committees.

Exposure to Pesticides causes low sperm count – Health Expert

 

Prof. Suleiman Ambali of the Department of Veterinary Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Ilorin, has warned that continuous exposure of humans to pesticides causes a decline in male sperm count.

Ambali disclosed this in his paper presentation at the 192nd Inaugural Lecture of the University, entitled: "Preventing pesticides from poisoning away our health and future – the oxidative approach".

The don, who lectures in the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of the university, warned that there was evidence that human species was approaching a fertility crisis based on trends in male reproductive health.

He said based on the troubling data from laboratory, clinical epidemiology studies, it was obvious that the world would witness fertility crisis.

To corroborate his reports, he explained that some Danish scientists' research had also indicated that sperm counts of men have declined by about 50 per cent since 1940 worldwide.

"The researchers analysed the result of sperm counts between 1938 and 1991. Since then several other studies have confirmed the decline.

"Environmental causes including pesticides especially those that cause endocrine changes in fetal and pre-puberty life prior to birth or during childhood or during breastfeeding are involved in the decline of semen quality," he said.

According to him, the effect of chemical pesticides on 'birth sex' is in favour of more females than males.

He explained that this trend was worrisome as human activities continue to change the natural demography in favour of women, as a lesser number of male births occur.

Ambali said that the use of pesticides by people had led to a reduction in the quantity and quality of food available.

The expert in Toxicology who quoted WHO said about three million workers in agriculture in the developing world experience pesticide poisoning annually with about 18,000 deaths.

He also disclosed that there were estimated 250,000 deaths annually from pesticide self-poisoning worldwide, accounting for about 30 per cent of the suicide rates globally.

HealthWise: How Can Africa Completely Win the War Against Malaria?

Maleria is an illness that is caused by  plasmodium parasites. People get affected with maleria if they have been  bitten by an infected female anopheles mosquito. This illness can't be spread through body contact or other  physical means but, can be transmitted if you got bitten  by an infected mosquito, and through other means of blood  transfusion.  If maleria is not properly treated, it can lead to death. Symptoms of maleria include; vomiting, sweating, shivering,fever, cough, headache etc.

Read: Biography of Omoni Oboli

Africa can completely win the war against maleria by;

To completely win the war against maleria, there have to be enough vaccines for people to use in order to get them immunized against maleria. 

There have to be enough distribution of  insecticide  treated bed nets  especially to people to in the rural areas. This distribution will go a long way in eliminating the spread of maleria.

There have to be  effective antimalerial medicines  for patients to use when infected. 

There should be improvement in the health system;  availability of  experienced doctors  in various health centers, construction of well equuipped health centers in the rural area, provision of antimaleria drugs for free to the poor etc.

 

Read: Biography of Modola Osifuwa

 

There should be seminars to educate and orient  people on how to safe themselves against this illness whenever they are infected .

There should be enough investment in the provision of all listed above .

If all listed above can be effectively done, I believe the Africa will completely win the war against maleria in few years.

 

How Exercising Can Lengthen Your Lifespan

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Read: Biography of Modola Osifuwa

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