DR KEVWE'S BLOG

👀: @ugojesse

Post-Partum Depression has been defined in some quarters as ,an episode of moderate to severe, non-psychotic sadness, with onset anytime within 1 year of childbirth. The above illustration by Graphic Artist,Ugo Jesse, speaks for itself but what do you advise? Some women have experienced it and conquered it. Some almost lost it but managed to overcome it. If you are still single or even married but yet to birth your own child, you don't want to experience it when you eventually do,especially not as a result of mother-in-law stress. What should this mother and other mothers at risk do? Your opinion is vital,men inclusive. Do you think Mother-Inlaws have a positive role to play? Instead of witch hunting?

See below image for symptoms of postpartum/post natal depression and refer to the References for more insight into this topic.

fix.com

REFERENCES:
* https://www.fix.com/blog/post-partum-depression-and-you/
* http://www.who.int/mental_health/prevention/suicide/lit_review_postpartum_depression.pdf

👀: Anonymous

After a tough week of expending mental and physical energy at work and on Lagos roads, "THANK GOD IT IS FRIDAY"! I don't know about you but I am surely taking it away with a pot of oil and pepper spiced goat meat -a recipe locally referred to as "NKWOBI" in Nigeria-as depicted in the image above and I am not going to hesitate washing this down with appropriately recommended units of red wine.

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/health-news/new-alcohol-guidelines-everything-you-need-to-know-about-how-much-experts-say-you-should-drink-a6802031.html

Now you are surprised and asking why a Medical Doctor should talk about drinking alcohol in a Health Blog. Let's not deceive ourselves. Some people already drink and are not planning to stop tomorrow but permit me to use this opportunity to introduce you to the fact that, medical science allows a RECOMMENDED QUANTITY of alcohol intake for men and women per week; for those who feel they must drink that is. This quantity is measured in Units and most recent guidelines reveal that "14" is the golden number per a week, a large glass of red wine half full or small bottle of beer, measuring about 2 units. If you are a pregnant woman or living with conditions like liver disease, stay away entirely. Now I repeat myself. If you drink excessively, you are on your own. IT IS DANGEROUS TO YOUR HEALTH! For more information, refer to the Reference below.

REFERENCE:
* http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/alcohol/Pages/alcohol-units.aspx

http://indianexpress.com/article/sports/tennis/australian-open-serena-williams-storms-venus-rises-to-set-up-williams-final-4492594/

Tomorrow morning,every Tennis lover will be glued to the screen to see how Venus and Serena Williams slug it out in the Australian Open 2017 Women's Final. Who is feeling the healthy energy of these sisters like I am. In their different routes, they practically bruised their way to the finals with legendary energy and agility because if you ask me, this particular tournament needed more than just skills.

funkidslive.com

I am excited about the match tomorrow, even if it's looking like big sister will give it up for baby girl to break her Grand Slam record. Let's watch and see.

youtube.com

The Australian Open 2017 is slowly winding to an end and the happiest men in this tale happen to be Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. Will this Final be a repeat of what happened in 2009?
 Emerging victorious in the first  Semi-Final match against Stan Warinka, Old Roger admitted that he had been experiencing an "upper leg thing" through the week, forcing him to call for a medical time out after the fourth set. Could this be a case of mild complications from excessive stretching of thigh muscles (sprain) or what? Did the physiotherapist touch really do the Magic? Whatever the case may be,all that matters to Old Roger an his fans is that,he is in his 21st Grand Slam final and ready to rumble.

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/452400725050965693/

When asked if the leg would affect him in the final, his outright answer at that time was no but what is it really going to be? I just watched Nadal defeat Dimitrov with a raging burst of energy in a fiercely contested Semi-Final and I have no doubt that, Sunday's Final is going to be explosive.

youtube.com

                                                                            VS

atpworldtour.com

REFERENCES:
* http://www.standard.co.uk/sport/tennis/australian-open-roger-federer-confident-leg-injury-will-not-hamper-bid-for-18th-grand-slam-title-a3451011.html
* https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKQUeRbFS-k
* https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHfuq9cG4So

Information reaching us reveal that Kogi State Government employed medical Doctors in Nigeria, have embarked on an indefinite industrial strike action. We do not have the exact details but we are hoping Doctors in that state will educate us on what the exact issues are. In the meantime, see copies of the "Resolutions" reached by the Medical Doctors below and the "Memorandum of Understanding" said to have been earlier signed by the Kogi State Government.

MEMO/Minutes of NMA Kogi Meeting

Resolutions

Documents have been posted as sent by an anonymous source.

MOU

MOU

Remember that Resident Doctors at the Federal Medical Centre Owerri, had embarked on their own strike a few weeks back and then Resident Doctors Nationwide went on a 7 days warning strike. Which way Nigeria?

Seems the future of healthcare is arriving earlier than expected. When an ex-Google genius gets a distress call from a relative being driven to a hospital with a heart attack and the level of care doesn't seem tech squeaky, then "FORWARD" is born. I won't bore you with much writing. Let the images and functionality of The FORWARD Medical Service office in San Fransisco make you decide whether it could be worth it to "DESIGN YOUR HEALTH" any time in the near future.

You get into the reception area and register by typing your details into any of the Pads seen on the table in the picture below,before moving to the erect vital sign machine to get your vital parameters checked e.g: weight and height;temperature;blood pressure;pulse rate;oxygen saturations e.c.t. Machine is also said to be able to capture ultrasound images.


From here you proceed to the high-tech consulting room, where your vitals are already demonstrated on a big monitor that also performs the task of documenting history and examination findings for your Doctor; just by simply recording everything he says and transmitting it to the screen depicted in the image below. This way, your Doctor is able to focus entirely on you, instead of taking intermittent  short breaks to document. Absolutely awesome if you ask me.


After the consultation, the unique infra red light shown below, makes it super easy for blood samples to be drawn for requested investigations. Results are reported to have been programmed to be ready in a few minutes.


After your results are interpreted and medications prescribed by your Doctor, you get sensors and other gadgets back at the table on which you registered in the first place. These sensors enable the clinic Nurses to monitor the clients  for wellness or potentially dangerous vitals whilst away from Hospital environment.These details are then  forwarded to a Doctor for action. The cake is further iced with a unique App that can assist clients with booking Clinic appointments and communicating with a Doctor when need be.


All of this service has been put together by Adrian Aoun and team to cost a flat premium of 149$ per month. Literature reviews reveal that, severe life threatening cases will still be referred to Specialists but it is hoped that, this excellent primary care setting will change the narrative in the Client-Hospital experience. The big question is,when will these tech advances get to the third World?

REFERENCES:
* http://money.cnn.com/2017/01/17/technology/forward-san-francisco-doctors-office/
* http://www.businessinsider.com/san-francisco-forward-office-tour-2017-1/#this-is-what-you-get-when-several-dozen-former-employees-of-google-facebook-uber-and-palantir-put-their-heads-together-to-reinvent-the-doctors-office-1
* http://www.mobihealthnews.com/content/forward-ai-powered-doctors-office-founded-former-googlers-opens-san-francisco

http://www.oyacomechop.com/?p=1130

You most likely have heard of the very common dietary cliche'- "no food after 7 pm". To be realistic with ourselves, how possible does that really get, especially in a crazy city like Lagos? Well, sometimes you also find yourself engulfed in adult home work and when hunger strikes just before mid night,what do you do? I subscribe to trying the above menu. Tweak it anyway you want as the weeks go by. Change the fish if you like and add some cream to the salads. One thing is sure, if you are the workaholic type and must have a really late bite at least twice a week, with very well prepared fish and salad, your heart stays secure from evil cholesterol that can be potentially deposited over the night,if you eat otherwise.


We will be providing more information on interesting ways to keep your heart healthy as the months go by, so stick with us.

The World Health Organisation(WHO) has defined Obesity as excessive accumulation of body fat that might impair health. This weight state has been identified to be a risk factor for conditions like: heart disease;hypertension;diabetes mellitus; abnormal blood cholesterol levels; joint related diseases etc. No normal person is happy to be obese but whilst you are there feeling all bad with yourself and doing nothing about it, why not join your obese Doctor in the race to achieve some meaningful wight loss? I can't even deny that I am overweight but I know colleagues who are obese. Are you struggling with your weight loss goals? Have you tried to dedicate sometime to workout sessions but can't seem to meet up? Not to worry. The fact that some Doctors are having the same struggles prove that you are human.  Having said that,where do we even start this race from? Let's start from identifying whether you are actually obese or "just" overweight like me. This is where we introduce the concept of knowing your "BODY MASS INDEX(BMI)- a measure of your weight proportional to your height". For adults, the height is usually fixed,so the weight is the factor that can be controlled and every individual has a particular weight range that is appropriate for their height. The BMI is calculated using the following formula and interpreted as depicted in the image below:

                                                      weight(kilograms) ÷ height(meters)²

http://ko.wikihow.com/BMI-계산

Obesity can further be grouped into: class 1-:those that are between 30-34.5 kg/m²
                                                           class 2-: "       "      "       "          35-39.5 kg/m²
                                           and morbid obesity:..................................>40 kg/m².

The above formula is quite simple but technology has made things even simpler and you can take advantage of the BMI CALCULATOR provided on the side bar of this Blog;just above my profile. Having known where you stand, I will usually advise my patients,just like most weight loss practitioners do, to start the weight loss process via food portion controls. Ensure to reduce the portions as the days go by but no starving please. In some climes,it is pretty difficult to avoid late Evening meals, especially for married men/women who work corporate jobs that keep them out till late. In such an instance, low carbohydrate meals will suffice- variety with salads and fish or lean meat can fill you more than you expect.

http://www.oyacomechop.com/?p=1130

 Whilst at it, make efforts to start an achievable workout routine. Depending on your health status, age and available time, simply brisk walking  at least 30 minutes,thrice a week is fine. I run every Saturday and climb the stairs back & forth,when I'm not in the mood to step out. I've also developed a habit of skipping as much as possible when I can. Some of you have thread mills at home. Never mind if you don't meet up on certain days. Most important thing is that you remain consistent and never forget to drink a lot of water/ get lots of rest. That way,we can all work towards the super humans that we have been created to be. For more information on obesity/overweight statistics and what to do,consult references below.

REFERENCES:
* http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs311/en/
* http://ko.wikihow.com/BMI-계산

http://venuswilliams.com/venus/

If you are a lover and ardent follower of Tennis, then you are no doubt having a time of your life, as we see World number 1 seeds exit,whilst some members of the old brigade stage fantastic comebacks in the ongoing Australia Open 2017. Of special interest is,Venus Williams, the several times Grand Slam winner and sister to recent past world number 1 seed,Serena Williams. Despite a history of Sjogren's syndrome (diagnosed in 2011), she held nothing back when she fought hard to defeat Pavlyuchenkova, a victory that has set her up for an all crucial semi-final against Coco Vandeweghe, the mystery lady of this tournament.

@Australianopen

tennisportalen.se

In case you didn't know, Sjogren's syndrome is an autoimmune condition in which immune cells of the body attack fluid secreting glands like :the lacrimal glands that secrete tears and the salivary glands that secrete saliva. Exact cause is unknown but of the symptoms may include:irritatingly dry eyes and mouth, extreme fatigue, muscle aches and a possibility of different combinations of the mentions enumerated in the image below.

http://www.fibromyalgia-natural-relief.com/sjogrens-and-fibromyalgia

Now you agree with me that Venus is a super woman. At 36, against all odds,despite being the oldest lady in the competition, she is still kicking strong and that's very admirable. I'm rooting for her all the way. Let the games continue. All brigade all the way (Old Roger & Planet Venus for Australian Open 2017).

For more information about symptoms and management of Sjogren's syndrome, as well as the sources of this tale,see References below.







REFERENCES:
*http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/Sjogrens-syndrome/Pages/Introduction.aspx
* http://venuswilliams.com/venus/
* http://edition.cnn.com/2014/03/20/sport/tennis/venus-williams-sjogrens-syndrome/
* http://www.bbc.com/sport/tennis/38727575

👀: @ugojesse

Hello distinguished DR KEVWE'S BLOG (D.K.B.) readers. Your advise might save the day for a confused soul here!!!What do you think this lady should do? Is it fair on love for sickle cell to be a barrier to what is beginning to feel like never ending realtime ecstasy?



For those who have been hearing but do not know exactly what this condition is all about,sickle cell disease is an inherited red blood cell disorder characterised by the transformation of red blood cells into abnormal sickle shapes (as you see in the image below),as a result of a mutation that leads to the formation of abnormal proteins in haemoglobin( the component of red blood cells that carries oxygen to every part of the body). When a male and female carrier of this gene(AS) decide to have babies, the window of birthing a child with the abnormal gene(SS) is created and that is how the word "Sickler" came to be.

Those who have experienced it can attest of the frequent hospital visits. Modern day advances have however made things easier and science has it's stand on this controversial love matter but what is your advise for Madam here?
Every year,World Sickle Cell Day is celebrated on the 19th of June to create more awareness but until then, visit the references below for more information about the sickle cell phenomenon.

REFERENCES:
* http://www.thelondonphysician.com/sickle-cell-anemia/
* http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs308/en/

With this post,we commence a "PUBLIC OPINION"/ Graphic Series with which, we can sample your opinions/advise for particular individuals with "SOCIAL HEALTH DILEMMAS". I receive questions from different individuals about what health related decisions to take almost on a daily basis. Some of these issues I have experienced personally and some you have. Since we are building a vibrant following here, I have been led by the sense of inclusive reasoning to get all of your advise on the various issues. The identity of involved subjects will not be revealed but they will certainly read all the opinions you drop by way of comments. I will also make a contact form available, so those who have issues to be trashed out can send to us via email for posting. I am using this opportunity to also start a "Graphic series"- to show health related graphic stories by the super talented Graphic Artist- UGO JESSE. Also do well to tell us what you think about the work.

After 11 years, the "Big Brother" Franchise of the most populous nation in Africa is back. Yes, "Big Brother Naija 2017" started yesterday and I am particularly impressed at the way Housemates filed out this morning to partake fully in a power packed aerobic session,led by Ekem, the Mr. Macho of the House. Even Bisola, the Actress and mother of one let no move pass her by, despite giving a past medical history of recent removal of an injured/inflamed appendix (appendectomy). Seems a muscle pull finally got the best of her though. Forgive our poke nosing but our gossip antenna picked the past medical history up and wouldn't let it slip.  Why are we even writing about this gist?


 Well, this year all the Housemates at the Launch yesterday, specifically indicated their priority to be the N25million cash prize but as at this morning, one thing seemed to be obvious- they all recognise that, if you don't keep fit till whenever, then you may have to leave for medical attention and there goes the cash,yeah? Smart thinking I must say. So to answer the caption question,"money first or fitness-what's the 411?"- Brethren,your guess is certainly as good as mine. We will continue to follow as much as we can and gossip about health related matters arising as much as possible. You can be sure there will always be something to gist about;as long as a group of strangers are kept in one crib to commune together for 12 weeks. Let the fun continue.




REFERENCE:
* http://www.bigbrotherafricatv.com/2017/01/big-brother-nigeria-2017-housemates.html

The World Health Organisation has defined Diabetes Mellitus as:" a chronic disease, which occurs when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin, or when the body cannot effectively use the insulin it produces. This leads to an increased concentration of glucose in the blood".

The above definition might sound complex to some of you but we hope that with the next few lines, you become more informed.Let's start from the fact that, a chemical problem (lack of- or insulin- malfunction) leads to excess of sugar in the human blood stream. "How do I even know that my blood sugar is higher than normal and if it is,so what?" Read the short story of an arbitrary Civil Servant for the answer to the above question.

Akpos is a 32 year old Civil Servant and this is his story. "I am literally eating a cow thrice a day but losing weight significantly, I am beginning to fear. I feel thirsty like a Tuareg without water to drink in the Safari desert and even if I drink a full tank at a go,I can't seem to quell the thirst. I am urinating after every 1 hour and the other day, I noticed a lesion of ants around few drops of my urine that spilled to the ground mistakenly, when I went back to take another Pee. My erection is failing theses days unlike before and the unexplained tiredness I feel in recent times has left me super confused ,Doctor. What exactly is this?"


WHAT TO DO:
If you know anyone complaining of the above issues raised by Akpos or you are currently  experiencing  anything as such, the next stop should be a healthcare facility where your blood sugar can be checked. Until proven otherwise, the diagnosis is likely diabetes mellitus but this is not a terrible problem yet until, the appropriate action is ignored and complications set in. Report to your healthcare provider and I am certain that your figures will be explained to you and necessary action taken,if need be. Exercise is key when it comes to keeping your blood sugar optimum. Always try to put some sweat out  time into your very busy schedule.

DON'TS:
Herbal concoctions cannot help. Bitter drinks do not do it. Your Creator can heal you we know but not necessarily in the church. 

REFERENCES:
* http://www.who.int/topics/diabetes_mellitus/en/
* http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs138/en/
*http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs312/en/

The caption of this post is the first question that comes to your mind, when you hear that Resident Doctors nationwide in Nigeria, are on another warning industrial strike action. The warning strike action is said to have commenced on the 18th of January and would last for 7 days. Information reaching me reveals that, reason for the action is primarily failure of the Federal Government to meet promises that were made since 2013 by the immediate past administration. Doctors are now beginning to sound like a broken record,you may say. I was once cornered by a senior Nigerian Television Authority Reporter in an interview, to comment on the legitimacy of strike actions embarked upon by medical Doctors. My response was simple; how do you save lives under working conditions that threaten your own stability? I won't bother you with the long list of Doctors demands but the situation seems like a dark tunnel without any end if you ask me. For some of my colleagues,these recurrent warning strikes have become tiring. Is this really the way out?

In response to the action by the Doctors, find below a letter from the Federal Ministry of Health to Chief Medical Directors across the country.


How long will Resident Doctors continue like this in Nigeria? Striving to get some refreshing International experience seems to be a favourite way out for many who haven't found their way into the crumbling Nigerian training program and can you blame them? As an observer looking in from the private sector, best I can do is to pray with all sense of patriotism that, things get better for all those involved. As for me, I'm taking the remaining part of my training beyond the seas,as the spirit of God leadeth. I simply can't deal. For more details on this story visit link in reference.

REFERENCE:
http://www.news24.com.ng/National/News/doctors-begin-nationwide-strike-20170119

It's over 2 weeks into 2017 and I am very sure that many of us did set dietary goals, just to meet up with weight targets. Take note that I mentioned weight targets. Other conventional Health Bloggers will mention weight loss, missing out the very true fact that, as much as many overweight/obese people want to lose weight, underweight people more than ever before, are putting in super efforts to gain weight.  Bum-less & boob-less ladies want to enhance their lots and who can blame them? So whatever side of the divide you fall,what are you up to this year? Are you going big on colourful plates of different varieties of salads or  sticking to fruit menus in all sorts of delicacies?


 Don't get it all twisted on me now people. Quell the curiosity. I am trying to eat right in order to transform from overweight to normal weight and I am going all mixed diet. WHAT ARE YOU UP TO DIET WISE???

clipartpanda.com

What about "Fashion in Pregnancy"? Women who are currently pregnant or have been pregnant before, know that during the pregnancy, fashion is a very important consideration. Old cloths begin to lose fitting and if adequate plans are not made, fathers/expectant fathers can testify of the palpable frustration felt by their spouses,especially those who work in corporate environments. Don't ask how I know 😃😉.

In this special post, instead of discussing diseaseS, I am asking to not only know what the perfect fit is but also the perfect material. Do you prefer to keep the gowns short and flexible or do you love a corporate,below knee fit? Cotton or wool? What's your fashion story in pregnancy?

www.gandoza.com

This also goes for ladies who plan to ever get pregnant. What would you feel most comfortable wearing, during your pregnancy?   Remember, "Great Health is a state of complete physical,mental and social wellbeing and not just the absence of disease or physical infirmity". What doth it profit a pregnant woman to be eternally sad every time she opens her wardrobe????

January is "Cervical Health Awareness Month" and this month, the major focus of many Health Information Services is to ensure you get to know all there is to know about the very much dreaded CERVICAL CANCER & it's PREVENTION. We won't bore you with long literature but it is important to know that,the cervix simply is the lower most region of the womb, from which an unborn baby emerges during the delivery process. Abnormal growth,multiplication and spread of cells can occur in this region,as you will see in the image below. World Health Organisation statistics reveal that, over a million women are living with this condition worldwide. It is important to know that the condition has killed more women than you can image but the good news here is that, this very common female cancer is preventable.

Your teenagers can now get vaccinated and older women from the ages of 25-30 and above must get tested for the absence or presence of pre-cancerous lesions; before appropriate treatment,if need be. For more literature,see the references below. For more information on vaccination and testing,visit your nearest Healthcare Centre.

REFERENCES:
* http://www.who.int/reproductivehealth/topics/cancers/en/
* http://globocan.iarc.fr/old/FactSheets/cancers/cervix-new.asp

Information reaching us reveal that,Resident Doctors at the Federal Medical Centre in Owerri, Imo state,Nigeria, have made true, their promise of commencing an indefinite Industrial Strike Action. Our source states that the strike started officially at 8:00 am this morning (10th January,2016) and a protest is ongoing at the moment. This action is preceded by a 21-day ultimatum that had been giving by the resident Doctors, demanding that their demands be looked into by the appropriate Authorities.

👀: http://www.authorityngr.com/2016/10/Time-to-rescue-Federal-Medical-Centre-Owerri/

Why the Industrial Strike Action, you may ask? It's a long story.It's messy but we know the origins of the matter started from alleged mismanagement by the Administrative Head of the Institution. Currently, Resident Doctors are reported not to have been paid their "December 2015 & October to December 2016 wages". The President of Association of Resident Doctors (FMC Chapter), Dr Ogoke Nwakanma, is said to have addressed newsmen in Owerri on Monday concerning the above issue. Perhaps some of the residents will inform us better in the comments section of this post;that is if they find time to peep into their phones now. What is even our business? Well, this is a health gossip Blog and anything that affects the health of individuals must be brought to the notice of the public for popular debate and you never know where solutions can emanate from. Stick with us for breaking health news and more....

"It started with a funny itchy sensation in my private region. I thought it was nothing until I could barely sit or stand for 20 minutes without scratching...you know where. The situation has now worsened to the outflow of a cream, non-fowl smelling discharge that just won't stop"- Mrs Lavender Billybox had never been this confused in the 25 years of her existence and all she wanted was to know what was going on and how to take care of it. "The only thing I remember is using the public restroom at the Market 2 weeks ago",she uttered to her 35 year old mentor,Dr. Mrs Dorime Lakewood. "Your own is good my sister"- Dr. Lakewood replied. "Right now, I have pain when I urinate, a fowl smelling discharge and a fever but the only person I have met with since after my marriage is my husband. I never use public toilets and this symptoms started 2 weeks ago, a week after he returned from travel,complaining of the same"."Did he visit a red light district or what?".