Tuesday 4 June 2019

Dietary management approach tip


I was reading up Gout and it's management, ooooh boi, you need to see all the list of foods to avoid, virtually all food except veggies and fruits, even at that some fruits are also listed to avoid.

In management of diabetes some care providers and care givers still ask their patients not to eat carbohydrates, some poorly informed patients eat only beans and it's likes until their organs develop problems.

You don't "always" have to boycott eating any type of food. Diabetes can be effectively managed by making food choices based on your current blood glucose level. Until a cure is found, fight right, you will surely win always.

Friday 12 April 2019

Understanding Cholesterol

What is Cholesterol?

Cholesterol is an important constituent of our body's cell membrane. It is an oil based substance which travels in the body through lipoproteins.

Cholesterol can be good or bad. When it is high, cholesterol is associated with an increased risk of coronary heart disease and can cause heart attack.

Cholesterol is fat-like in appearance. It is produced by the body and can also be consumed in food. It is essential for:
- Building component of cell structure
- Producing hormones
- Vitamin D production
- Food digestion

Two types of lipoproteins carry cholesterol:

1. Low density lipoproteins (LDL) which carries "BAD" cholesterol
2. High density lipoproteins (HDL) carries "GOOD" cholesterol.

*Lipoproteins are molecules that transport fats in extracellular fluids.

Risk factors for high cholesterol
- Family history
- Life style choices; diet
- Sedentary life style

Causes of high cholesterol
- Consumption of food high in:
a. Cholesterol such as animal fat, meat, cheese
b. Saturated fats in diary products, fried foods, certain processed food.
c. Saturated fats present in some baked foods, deep fried foods, processed foods etc
- Obesity
- Diabetes
- liver or kidney disease
- Pregnancy or conditions that increases female hormones
- Certain drugs that lowers HDL and increase LDL

How do I feel when cholesterol is high?

High cholesterol is one of the causes of :
- "He just slumped and died"
- "Sudden death"

In other words, one can be living with a very high blood cholesterol without knowing until he/she develops complications and visits the hospital. In the event of high cholesterol, plagues deposit in the wall of arteries and cause narrowing of the walls which in turn reduced blood flow, causing artherosclerosis and other complications such as
              -stroke
              -heart attack
              -death
So, frequent blood test (lipid profile in this case) will help detect high cholesterol and of course prevent this risk.

How do I control high cholesterol?
The first major way is prevention, to prevent is to eat healthy. So most of the things we eat and call enjoyment are "killer mates".

In the event of high cholesterol, life style modifications such as diet and exercise will help a lot. If this fails your doctor can prescribe medications such as statin to lower the cholesterol levelq.

Food(s) that help reduce and maintain cholesterol are:
- Nuts: cashew, groundnut, walnut etc
- Vegetable oil
- Soy
- Beans
- Vegetables: okra, eggplant
- Oats
- Fibre rich foods: wheat
- Fruit like apples, grapes, strawberries
- Whole grains: corn, barely, millet

In all, maintaining a healthy weight and avoids habits such as smoking eiwi help a great deal.

Normal values for cholesterol are:
Total cholesterol------- <200mg/dl
HDL-------------------------- 40-80mg/dl
LDL--------------------------- 50-150mg/dl



Tuesday 12 March 2019

We are here to help you win DIABETES!


"Ij please call me", that was the message my friend dropped on my inbox. I didnt take her serious because I felt if she is serious she will call me.

Her next message read, "you no want call untill I die here, I need your advice on diabetes". Immediately I read diabetes, me wey no get call credit, piam! I loaded my phone, called her asap.

She have been diabetic for 5years, it started with gestational diabetes, never able to reverse it, had all her three kids premature. We spoke at length, I asked questions about how she have been managing the diabetes. She never got any tangible counseling, have been doing the dietary aspect all wrong without considering her blood glucose levels. As at when we were speaking her fasting blood glucose was at 9.8mmol/L. Did I add she developed hypertension as well. All this have affected her eyesight.

By God's grace I was able to put her through the sure things she can do to be in charge of her health, 2-3weeks later, her story is different, blood glucose levels have dropped to 4.5mmol/L, blood pressure is also down.

As a diabetic you are your own doctor, look for people who are informed and learn from them, tryout healthy options, select and stick to those that best keep your blood sugar in check. Read books and surf the internet on ways to manage diabetes naturally.

As a care giver living with someone who has diabetes, your responsibility does not end in providing for them, encourage them, support them especially with respect to meals, let them don't feel left out, join them to make and eat healthy meals, it will help you as well.

Type 2 diabetes is reversible, any one can achieve that. Having problem managing your health, contact us today for the help you need.
#diabetestalks
#diabetes

Wednesday 30 January 2019

Smoking Alert!


It was 7.10am on a working day, a well dressed young man was puffing smoke!
My boo was like, ADDICTION, VERY BAD.
My thoughts: What if he is diabetic?
He might have heard but not informed of the hazards of smoking.

Some people many times refer to smokers who are close to their hundreds as an evidence of smoke not so harmful, my answer is, he have been fine with smoking, what if you keep copying him and become a victim of your own habit.

Again others say something must kill a man, well there is no problem with been ready and facilitating your death, my concern is disturbing the people in your life with the burden of the sickness you will create before you eventually die.
You want to wreck peoples pocket before your exist abi, Olorun ma je!