While a good number in this era ‘plan’ for pregnancies, the planning mostly involves getting off birth control. Rarely do we think about whether our weight is good for the pregnancy. According to World Health Organization, obesity has more than doubled among adults above 18 since 1980. This has resulted in the increase in the number of obese women of reproductive age, and the rise of a relatively new high-risk population; obese pregnant women. (more…)
You are probably on, or have tried the gluten free diet. Well, a study recently presented at the American Heart Association’s Epidemiology and Prevention/Lifestyle and Cardiometabolic Health 2017 Scientific Session, suggests that low gluten diets may be associated with higher risk of type 2 diabetes. A possible explanation is that participants in the long-observational study who ate less gluten, tended to eat less cereal fiber which is known to protect against developing Type 2 diabetes. (more…)
Among most current mums, pacifiers are some of the key baby purchases. World Health Organization however discourages use of pacifiers and teats among infants, in efforts to support breastfeeding. It is feared that use of pacifiers especially at a younger age can cause nipple confusion and therefore affect breastfeeding. Hence, health care providers discourage use of pacifiers. (more…)
It’s my favorite time of the year. Christmas!! Well, almost, and I have already started weekly trips to the mall just to see Christmas trees, the lights and decorations. These are top of my Christmas joys and I refuse to outgrow them. But that’s not all that comes with this season. There is the festivities and with these comes food- a lot of food. (more…)
People respond differently to cancer treatment. In certain cases, some people develop serious eating problems, while others have little or no problem at all. It is therefore important to ensure one gets the most out of food, while ensuring this food is safe and free from infection. (more…)
A few weeks ago in the news was a story on the people seeking cancer treatment at Kenyatta National Hospital. They were many and from all over the country. But the hospital only has a bed capacity of 30, resulting in those that do not get beds to sleep on the floor. That was sad. (more…)
A healthy diet is important for management of all children including those with ADHD and autism. Among other factors, adverse food reactions- food allergy, non-immunologic food effects (intolerances and toxicities) – and nutrition deficiencies have been proposed as triggers of ADHD [Sylvia Cruchet et al.]. Pharmacological therapy has proven to be efficacious in controlling disruptive behavior and inattention in patients with ADHD, with a response of over 70% [Lancet 2016]. However, these medications have frequent adverse reactions, and some parents are also concerned about long-term side effects, preferring non-pharmacological approaches, including nutritional interventions (more…)
Sustainable development in the words of one Dr Omar-Salim means, development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. Now as far as sustainable development is concerned, in our own little ways, we play a role. One such role is to breastfeed. Yep! Men and women alike should protect, promote and support breastfeeding.
Here is why. Breastfeeding influences nutrition and food security; health, development and survival; ability to achieve full educational potential and economic productivity. It is also a fact that that breastfeeding is an environmentally sustainable method of feeding compared to the alternatives. As was reported in The Lancet in January only 1 in 3 children in low and middle income countries are breastfed exclusively for the first 6 months. Consequently, millions of children are failing to receive the full benefits provided by breastfeeding.
My cousin just had a baby and is going to be home until January on a paid maternity leave. She is lucky. But should breastfeeding be at the mercy of luck? So your organization cannot give maternity leaves that long, but can they provide a nursing room; a clean space where mum’s can express, a fridge for them to store their milk, flextime? Those staying with women who are breastfeeding, do you understand that it is important they breastfeed exclusively for the first six months? Are you supporting them?
The bottom line is, a mum who is less worried about her child is more focused on whatever she engages in, and therefore more productive. Ultimately, we will spend less on treatment and save lives, have more to spend on nutritious food, prevent obesity and diabetes later in life, increase intelligence in our children, as well as reduce the risk for breast and cervical cancer.
Happy breastfeeding week!!
Adolescence is the stage of gender- specific biological changes, self-awareness; a stage of establishing a sense of independence, a transition into adulthood. It is during this time that eating habits are developed. The trend has however been such that more adolescents are consuming less vegetables and fruits, consuming more sweets and soft drinks, and skipping meals. This is a concern since behaviors picked then are likely to persist in adulthood. Moreover, overweight and obesity in children is more likely to persist in adulthood, with an increased risk of weight related non-communicable diseases. (more…)
In the news from World Cancer Research Fund International, sugary drink companies are now targeting low and middle income countries. Now as you may have noticed, obesity has rapidly grown over the years in the developing world, Kenya included. As a matter of fact, there are more overweight and obese children in low and middle income countries, than in high-income countries and sugar consumption is a notable contributing factor. (more…)
Happy new year!Happy month of love as well :-). Today the world marks Cancer day, under the theme We can. I can. The three year campaign looks to explore how everyone can contribute to reducing the global burden of cancer.
Whether living with cancer or not, cancer is a concern to all. It is a non-communicable disease which means it is not spread from one person to another but rather is driven by forces that include ageing, rapid unplanned urbanization, and the globalization of unhealthy lifestyles (WHO).
As such, everyone – collective or as individuals- can and ought to play a part.
If you said none, have you had a soft drink? Packet juice, maybe a muffin or andazi? Then you have had sugar and it could be more than you think. See there is a lot of ‘hidden’ sugar in most pastries and processed foods even if they are not necessarily sweet. For instance tomato sauce will have atleast 1 teaspoon sugar, while a can of soda could have as much as 10 teaspoons. (more…)
Whenever I visit a hospital, I prefer not to talk about what I do, or the sector in which I work. Mostly because being human makes one want to make a conclusion, and at that very moment I am really just a patient. So I avoid it as much as I can. But when you visit the older consultants, they prod you until you give in. That’s what happened when I visited this entertaining gastroenterologist. (more…)
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New evidence is challenging delaying introduction of certain food to babies in an attempt to prevent food allergies. In an allergic reaction, the immune system responds to a harmless food as it were a threat, so that one experiences stomach upsets and diarrhea, hives and itching, or sometimes tightening of the throat and trouble breathing. (more…)
For every new birthday cake your HR endeavors to get, it’s another year of possible increase in health related expenses for the organization, and early retirement for you: nothing to do with cake, but the age. See with every new year, the risk of getting a chronic disease increases, including depression. (more…)
I have added a few kilos. I know because I had to jump a little to get into my most comfortable pair of jeans. I could blame it on the steroids I had prescribed couple of weeks back, but I’d be lying because I did not finish the dose. The truth is I took a rather long rest from my usual. In August, I did not run a single day, I danced once or twice in the entire month, and I had a little more of red-velvet (nutritionists have moments too). (more…)
