DIABETES ALARMINGLY RISING IN KENYA!

As you may have already figured out by now, I’m not a big fun of urbanization, the major reason being the numerous health issues it has brought about in Kenya and Africa; one of the most serious and expensive being Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs).

Recent research has indicated that NCDs are alarmingly on the rise in Kenya, the highest prevalence being diabetes, hypertension, obesity and cancer. For now, we’ll discuss diabetes. This is one disease I personally HATE to the core, for among other reasons, taking my dad’s life mercilessly and miserably. Unlike most people’s belief, misconception and wrong advice by some health professionals, Diabetes is a very preventable and manageable disease. The major reason why diabetes is killing a lot of Kenyans is lack of information, lack of health education and mishandling by some professionals who don’t really understand the disease.  

Diabetes is a chronic disease that occurs either when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin or when the body cannot effectively use the insulin it produces. Insulin is a hormone that regulates blood sugar. We’ll discuss more about insulin on another article. 

The most common types of diabetes are type 1 diabetes; previously known as insulin-dependent, juvenile or childhood-onset diabetes and type 2 diabetes; formerly called non-insulin-dependent or adult-onset diabetes. Another type of diabetes common in women is Gestational diabetes; which is hyperglycemia (raised blood sugar) with onset or first recognition during pregnancy.

Other common conditions closely related to diabetes are impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) and impaired fasting glycaemia (IFG). These are intermediate conditions in the transition between ‘normal’ health and diabetes. People with IGT or IFG are at high risk of progressing to type 2 diabetes, however the progression can be avoided through medical attention and appropriate health education.  

Type 1 diabetes is characterized by deficiency in insulin production in the body and requires daily administration of insulin. The exact cause of type 1diabetes has so far not been proven, but there have been speculations of genetics and environmental factors playing a role.

Type 2 diabetes results from the body’s ineffective use of insulin. 90% of people with diabetes around the world have type 2 of diabetes. The major cause of type 2 diabetes is excess body weight and physical inactivity.

One of the most unfortunate norms among many Kenyans is not going for medical check-ups. Most of us only visit the hospital when seriously ill and when over-the-counter drugs we’re used to buying are no longer working. For most Non-Communicable Diseases, by the time you’re experiencing any symptoms, the disease has already progressed. People, it really is high time we all stopped self-medicating. 

If you or somebody you know has been complaining of excessive thirst (polydipsia), excessive excretion of urine (polyuria), constant hunger, sudden unexplained weight loss, vision changes and fatigue; it’s high time you advise them to visit a healthcare provider for checkup. Symptoms of diabetes more often go unattended to because we assume they’re consequences of normal day-to-day stress.

As I’ve said before, I don’t fancy long articles, for that reason, I’ll stop there for now. Let’s discuss more about diabetes on the next article. Make an appointment for you and your entire family, to visit a healthcare provider and have your blood sugar checked and if possible, a general health examination. Remember diabetes and other Non-Communicable Diseases are now affecting very young children, so take all prevention measures possible.

Choose excellent health today. My health, my responsibility!

THE FAT-FULL GENERATION

THE FAT-FULL 'MICROWAVE' GENERATION

You don’t need to spend billions on research to prove the extent of overweight and obesity in Kenya, Africa and the world. All you need is to pay closer attention to your surrounding and you’ll suddenly notice numerous bulging stomachs, multiple folds on waists better known as ‘tires’, and a general population struggling to carry their overly heavy bodies around.

For years, NGOs, Faith Based Organizations, Community- Based Organizations and Governments have invested billions of dollars in Malnutrition in Africa and developing countries in general. Malnutrition indeed has been a big problem in Africa for centuries, but over the years, civilization introduced a new health nightmare; Overweight and Obesity.

Researchers and scientists have earned billions, investigating causes of this obvious ‘civilization syndrome’. A close analysis of the causes of obesity ‘discovered’ by research shows several things in common; urbanization, ignorance, greed, corruption and a complete societal rot.

Various professionals have been competing to market and prove their cases on the most effective overweight and obesity prevention and treatment method, including; diet, fitness, surgery, and psychological therapy among others.

Rogue business men and women have obviously not been left behind on the multi-billion dollar industry either. The media is flooded with countless weight-loss products and slimming ‘miracle’ pills that somehow claim to make fat suddenly vanish from your body. But what really is the truth about the causes of Overweight and Obesity, and how can this evident epidemic be stopped?

Let’s for a moment go back to basics. Did our great-grandfathers and great-great-grandfathers in Kenya and Africa in general have Overweight, Obesity and Non-Communicable Diseases issues? Well, in spite of the fact that there wasn’t extensive research at the time, I for sure believe these issues didn’t exist five-six generations back.

So what’s the problem? Why is the current generation, ‘the microwave generation’ full of fat? Are we eating too much food? Are we too lazy to work-out? Are we too stressed and eating too much when stressed out? Are we getting the wrong image of beauty from the media which is making us develop eating disorders which are eventually leading to abnormal eating patterns? Are we too ignorant to read food labels and are therefore eating and feeding our kids with garbage? Have we fallen prey to rogue farmers and businessmen who are feeding us with growth-hormone pumped farm produce and meats? Are we led by a government that cares less about what citizens are feeding on? Well, who are we to blame the government anyway? Most Kenyan leaders are just as ignorant if not more than the citizens they lead in terms of quality, healthy and organic food production and a million other things I dare not get into for now!

All the questions above are rhetorical and you already know the answer. Just like the Holy Book says “My people perish for lack of knowledge” and I must add greed and ignorance. As sad as that sounds, it’s the absolute truth.

Healthy foods have over the years purposely been made more expensive by greedy businessmen who are instead ‘kind enough’ to sell us, the wananchi and Africans in general, ‘cheaper’ food products. How noble right? Wrong! These  ‘rich fools’ as the bible calls them; may seem to be preventing us from dying of hunger, but the so called cheaper or more affordable  foods are way more expensive than you may think. In another article I’ll discuss the effects of the chemicals used in the cheap foods and their effects on your body.

Obesity and other Non-Communicable Diseases like diabetes, hypertension and infertility among others’ current statistics will shock you! These diseases are now killing way more people than Africa’s original problem, malnutrition.

One would expect the highest proportion of Kenyans and Africans in general to be in great health nutritionally, owing to the fact that there’s a lot of farming in Kenya. The pertinent question though is “what is the quality of our farm produce?” Kenyans generally like blame-shifting; ‘It’s the government!”, or “It’s the developed countries’ fault!” or “It’s the manufacturers’ fault!”

But let’s concentrate on the farmer first, what quality of fertilizer are you using? Is it organic or a chemical concentrate? Secondly to you the consumer, do you read what you’re buying before adding it to your shopping basket?

Need I say more? I can write this article for the rest of 2015 and still not finish it. But for the sake of those of us who dislike very long write-up like me, I’ll stop this one here, and break down this issue on the next article.

Choose good health over convenience people! Choose StellarAfya! (Excellent Health)

SO MANY SEIZURES! COULD IT BE EPILEPSY?

WHAT IS EPILEPSY AND HOW SHOULD I HANDLE THE CONDITION?

November is epilepsy awareness month. Most of us however know very little about epilepsy, thus making it very hard to support those living with the condition. Traditionally in the African culture, it was believed that the condition, just like many others, was a result of a curse or witchcraft. This would more often than not result in the persons living with epilepsy being alienated by the community, thus not getting the help and support they needed.

So, what is epilepsy? Epilepsy also referred to as Kifafa in Kenya is a disorder characterized by the tendency to have recurring seizures. A seizure is the response to an abnormal electrical discharge in the brain. The term seizure describes various experiences and behaviors and is different from convulsions, though the terms are often used synonymously. Anything that irritates the brain can produce a seizure. Common causes of seizures include; high fever, brain infections, metabolic disturbances, insufficient oxygen supply to the brain, destruction of brain tissue, other illnesses like eclampsia and lupus erythematosus, exposure to toxic drugs or substances, withdrawal after heavy use of drugs or adverse reaction to prescription drugs.

According to research, approximately two thirds of people who experience a seizure don’t get another. The other third however go on to experience recurring seizures, a condition referred to as epilepsy. What happens to a person during a seizure depends on the part of the brain affected by the abnormal electrical discharge. The discharge may affect only a small part of the brain resulting in the person noticing an odd smell or taste, or a large area, leading to a convulsion. Convulsions refer to jerking and spasms of muscles throughout the body. The person may also have brief attacks of altered consciousness. A person who loses consciousness, has muscle spasms that shake the body, loses bladder control, or suddenly becomes confused and inattentive may be having a seizure.

One tip to sense an oncoming seizure attack is the fact that they are often preceded by auras; unusual sensations of smell, taste or even a gut feeling that you’re about to have a seizure.  A seizure usually lasts 2-5 minutes and could be followed by a headache, sore muscles, unusual sensations, confusion and fatigue.

The cause of seizures is usually determined by medical tests like electroencephalogram (EEG) which reveal any unusual brain activity or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) which reveals scarring in small areas of the brain. In some cases the defects might be microscopic scars resulting from brain injury at birth or later. A few types of seizure disorders e.g. juvenile myoclonic epilepsy are inherited. If seizures are being caused by treatable medical conditions like tumors, an infection, abnormal blood sugar or abnormal sodium levels in the blood, treating the condition will result in the ceasing of the seizures. In the remaining number of people with epilepsy, the disease is labeled idiopathic, meaning that there’s no evidence of damage found in the brain, therefore the cause is unknown.

No research has so far positively assured that epilepsy can be completely cured, but the occurrence of seizures can be controlled through medication; hence epileptic people can live ‘normal’ fulfilling lives and achieve goals and visions for themselves and their families.

Antiseizure drugs are very effective but just like most other drugs, they do have side effects. Most cause drowsiness and hyperactivity when given to children. People taking antiseizure drugs should be aware of possible side effects and should consult their doctor at the very first sign of them.

One of the major challenges I’ve experienced so far working in the health sector in Kenya and being served by medics and paramedics is the fact that they for some reason believe the patient doesn’t need to know much about their condition or their health status. This is an unfortunate mentality that most of us have condoned for so long and it literally annoys the heck out of me. The routine of the larger population is going to the hospital, not questioning the qualifications of whomever it is they find in a white dust coat because the coat somehow signifies that they’re a ‘daktari’; tell them our symptoms, they send us to the lab (in most cases) to test for malaria; we take back the tests, after which they scribble down some drugs; we gladly take the prescription, thank them and leave, not asking what the problem was in the first place or if we’ve been sick for a while, how we’re fairing.

Apart from the drugs side effects, antiseizure drugs, again just like most other drugs react with other drugs, what is referred to as drug-drug interaction, and also interact with nutrients, drug-nutrient interaction.  This in simple terms means that if you take other medicine while taking the antiseizure drugs, they could lessen the effects of the drugs hence exposing you to more seizure attacks.

Another very important thing to note if you’re taking antiseizure drugs or any other drugs for that matter, is you need to keep off alcohol. Alcohol can not only lessen the effect of drugs, but also exaggerate the side effects.

Family members and friends of epileptic people need to be trained on what to do during seizures. There’s a common belief that the person experiencing a seizure need to be protected from biting the tongue, but such efforts can do more harm than good. The most important step is to protect the person from a fall, loosen clothing around the neck, and place a pillow under the head. If the person has lost consciousness, they need to be put in the recovery position. Roll them onto one side so as to ease breathing. The person shouldn’t be left alone until he or she is fully awake and can move about ‘normally’.

The most important thing to do though if you’re living with any medical condition that could put you in danger is to always have identification materials that specify the condition and the contact details of at least two family members and your doctor.

Finally, work closely with your doctor and nutritionist to ensure you not only attain good health, but also maintain it. Most people don’t realize that proper nutrition can not only help you achieve good health, but also prevent numerous diseases. And yes, you can and will live a long fulfilling life with epilepsy. Spread the word!!!

WHAT'S IN YOUR BOTTLED WATER?

WHAT’S IN YOUR WATER?

Most of us normally choose bottled water as opposed to tap water, because we tend to think that tap water is less healthy, and maybe with good reason. In Kenya I’m not sure how often the City or County Council water pipes undergo maintenance checks. But

what is really in that bottle of water you very willingly purchase? Have you ever checked the ingredients? Wait a minute why should water have ingredients to enhance taste? Is natural water that terrible in the first place that you have to enhance its taste with additional minerals?

Personally those who know me will tell you I always discourage people from purchasing and drinking certain brands of water. Top of that list is Dasani. I have no idea why anyone would love water that to me tastes like metal or some weird medicine.

Naturally, water contains various minerals. Most water treatment processes do deliver safe, decontaminated water. Distillation involves water being vaporized and collected, leaving behind any solid residues, including minerals. Distilled water contains no minerals whatsoever.

Reverse osmosis is a water-purifying process whereby water is forced through membranes to remove minerals in the water.

Deionization, also called demineralization or ion exchange uses synthetic resins to remove ions and minerals from water. This is very effective at removing ionized impurities, but does not remove organic, bacterial, pathogenic, or particulate matter efficiently. Deionized water contains no magnesium.

Absolute 1 micron filtration involves water being passed through filters that remove particles larger than 1 micron in size, including Cryptosporidium, a parasite that causes intestinal infestation. This process does not affect the water’s mineral content.

Ozonation is very commonly used by most bottled water companies, instead of chlorine to get rid of bacteria in water. Ozonation does not affect the mineral content of water.

As you have read above, some of the water treatment and purification processes may affect the mineral content and in defense of the companies that choose to enhance the water with additional minerals like Dasani; they might have a valid reason to do so.

In Dasani’s case, they do use reverse osmosis, which normally removes minerals from the water. My issue is what they alternatively choose to enhance the water with; alongside purified water on its Nutrition Facts label, you’ll also find Magnesium Sulfate, Potassium Chloride, and Salt (Sodium Chloride). The major issue in this, they don’t indicate the amount of these minerals added.

If you’re managing or planning to keep off Hypertension (high blood pressure), Sodium (an electrolyte) is NOT your friend. High blood Sodium levels result in high blood pressure. The Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) for Sodium is 2,300mg or 2.3 Grams. This equals 1 teaspoon. Shocked? I bet most Kenyans are, considering how much salt we use in our foods. If you then add all the hidden sodium in processed foods including water, then you understand why lifestyle conditions are on the rise.

Potassium is necessary for your heart to beat, so basically it keeps you alive. Potassium chloride is more often than not used to prevent or to treat low blood levels of potassium (hypokalemia). Potassium levels get low as a result of disease, taking certain medicines, or after prolonged diarrhea or vomiting. Potassium should however be taken with a lot of CAUTION and preferably medical guidance by people with Kidney ailments.

Magnesium sulfate on the other hand is Pregnancy Category D, as per the FDA listing.  Various researches have shown positive evidence of human fetal risk. Magnesium sulfate however can and is used to prevent seizures in pre-eclampsia cases and in the control of eclampsia. It also stops pre-term labor. In such cases however, it’s used in a hospital, which is a controlled environment. The fact that it has been placed in a ‘risk’ category by the FDA is something we all ought NOT to ignore.

So what’s my point in all this? The more minerals you ingest daily, the greater the danger of reaching toxicity levels. Taking Sodium as an example, MOST of us surpass the recommended daily allowance. What happens if we keep ignoring the ingredients of what we buy and keep surpassing what we ought to take? Hypertension, diabetes, cancer and other non-communicable diseases are inevitable.

So the next time you want to buy that bottle of water, check the ingredients and nutrition information section on the bottle label. This is yet another problem I have with Dasani. Why the heck don’t you guys have a composition or nutrition information section on your labels?

Hmmm, coke and all your sodas DON’T have a composition/nutrition information/ mineral analysis section either. I wonder WHY? Guys the Bible says my people PERISH for lack of knowledge.

Make an informed choice; YOU could be buying yourself a slow death. With that, I REST my case.