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.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!!!

Happy birthday to me! Those aren’t words we often tell ourselves are they? Oh well, after experiencing what seemed like my unfair share of challenges in the past two years; the one thing I have learnt is that I’m the most important person in my life and I’ll never place any other human being before me.

As I celebrate the beginning of another year of my life, I’m most grateful to God for His blessings and seeing me through yet another tough year. I’m definitely forging forth as a much stronger woman. The past two years have definitely been my most challenging yet. I remember my greatest prayer as I began this year being to have peace, tranquility and harmony above all else in life. So, was my prayer answered?  Well, as much as I would have loved to have a definite answer, interestingly, I don’t have a yes or no answer to that question. This is one year that has taught me that peace isn’t the absence of challenges, but learning to live through them by faith; and realizing that a strong and beautiful sculpture can only be achieved through thorough sharpening with sharp tools, just like a beautiful and strong clay pot has to be passed through a hot kiln to achieve perfection.

Some of the greatest lessons I can say I’ll take with me to the next year are first to love me more and let go of toxins. I’ve always been that person who sacrifices their happiness for that of others, but never again. People don’t always appreciate what you do and the least you can do is get rid of those who make you feel like garbage, those carcinogens that will kill you slowly and silently on the inside and by the time you know, you’re literally as good as dead. This has become cliché but your life really isn’t a rehearsal; like seriously you only live once and if you’ll live surrounded by negative energy then you’re better off dead than alive. Truth be told, the safest place in this life is actually the graveyard. Those guys are literally already gone and those we really need to be most scared of are the living. God is the perfect companion for us in our life journey and He surely does place us in the right hands when we trust and let Him do so.

Secondly, I’ve learnt I’d rather have one contact in my phonebook that I’m sure I can fully rely on that 1,000 contacts who will all be out of reach when they know I need their support. It’s better to have one person who can literally die for you than a million who will walk away one after the other when you need them most then at the end you realize you’re alone yet you’re surrounded by “friends”. One questions I asked myself this year was how come some people never really call or make any form of contact unless I do so and even afterwards they still never call back? Well guess what? The answer is obvious but most often than not we ignore the writing on the wall. You’re not really that important to them, if I must tell you the harsh reality. The most interesting part of it all is the fact that most of those we think are friends are actually acquaintances. Honestly, your list of friends is much shorter than you think. Yes, I said it; we most often than not trust people until challenges and time try those friendships and relationships, then we realize we were wrong all along. Truth is, I’d rather share the most important days and events of my life alone, than surrounded by a million people who are just there for the free ride and drinks at the party. If you’re rich today, wait for the day you God-forbid become poor then see who still stands beside you with the same love, pride, trust and faith they had in you before; and if you’re poor or just what society would term as average, wait till the mullah start flowing and you’ll be surprised by the number of new friends you’ll make and even “older friends” reaching out to you. Unfortunately we most often forget those who faithfully stood by us throughout the journey, that’s the unfortunate nature of human beings.

Thirdly, I’ve realized I have to trust me more, forgive myself more and let go what’s beyond me. Sometimes we’re too hard on ourselves over things we honestly have no control over. Ladies, well most ladies, as much as we have caring and nurturing hearts; sometimes we have and need to let go in order to move forward. For any man reading this, one thing you should know about women is the fact that we never really let go until we have literally come to a brick wall, hit it hard severally, gotten wounded and finally painfully realized it’s a dead end.

You’re the most important thing and person in this life and the day you realize the need to place yourself first, will probably be when you’ll really be the happiest. Most may call it selfishness but really as long as no one is suffering in the process and you’re doing what you feel is right for you, then it’s okey. Be most generous to yourself because unfortunately sometimes you end up being the victim of your own generosity.

We all have a God-determined destiny and as long as we continue trusting the one who created us, then all else will fall in place. Not at our own time, but in His. Happy new year everyone!!!

Scared of change? You need not be....

Change is the only constant thing in life. This is because change will always change. For there to be growth, there has to be change. Change comes with endings, beginnings, losses and gains. But that’s what life is about right? In fact if your life is constant year in year out, that should be a reason to worry.

A wise man once said if you do the same thing over and over and expect different results you must be crazy. You can’t be going through the same route and expect to arrive at a different destination. We’re however normally too hard on ourselves and take blame for mistakes that were simply meant to happen. How will you ever learn what works, what doesn’t; what you want and what you don’t, if you never make mistakes? Even God lets you make the gravest mistakes but will always walk with you through them and eventually, they all work out for your good.

One thing I’ve learnt about change is to look for the face of God in it; simply because He never lets you bear more than you can handle. Some of us are way too hard headed that it only takes pain to bring about change. Unfortunately we’ve been conditioned that only the devil can bring about negative change so we make the worst mistakes, some already knowing the consequences as we make them, then we blame the devil; poor guy! Instead of resisting something you’ve no control over, face it head-on because change will take place with or without your consent.

Of course when faced with a new ball game, you need new tactics. Never run into something new without a strategy and the reasons are obvious; or not? Imagine digging a grave and instead of throwing the soil on the outside, you throw it on yourself.

So why do we most often than not resist change? Truth is, whatever comes our way however hard it is will only break us if we let it. Be positive in all you face and you’ll realize however hard it seems, it could have been worse. Embrace it, work through it with courage and eventually you’ll make it. Fake it till you make it!

However in the midst of the confusion and uncertainty that change comes with, you need a reliable helping hand. The only one who can faithfully and genuinely walk with you through change is God. We’re constantly surrounded by pretenders in life, some of whom we love and trust and are too blinded to discover their true intentions. Trust me it’s better to face the devil than rely on fake friends because you give them a loaded gun and believe me they’ll pull the trigger when you least expect it and in that case, God help you survive what coming your way.

Always remember that getting into trouble is life but making the same mistake over and over without learning from it, is simply stupidity. Someone once said life is hard and it’s even harder if you’re stupid. If you fall riding a bike at 6 years, that’s understandable but if you’re still falling trying to learn the same at 30, then that’s a problem.

Never judge based on what you can see because things that are seen are temporary but the unseen are eternal. Don’t succumb to temporary troubles as the best is yet to come. It shall pass. Be optimistic, look your best, work hard and what’s meant to be will be even if the whole world is against it.

“The measure of intelligence is the ability to change.”
― Albert Einstein

 

"Psst!!! Don't go out at this time, your life could be in danger!!!"," Arrghh what's going on am I going crazy?" Guess what? You’re not insane. That voice could be trying to save your life!!!

INTUITION, THE OTHER YOU...

“The truth about life and lie about life is not measured by others but by your intuition, which never lies” Santosh Kalwar.

Ever heard people say that your intuition is your third eye? Well, this could be an absolute truth. Think of all the negative things that have happened in your life and try to remember what transpired in your mind before then. In most cases we already had it coming. Intuition isn’t a power accorded to ladies only as most of us tend to believe, men have their share too. It’s just louder in ladies and they also tend to listen to it more. And how I know this? Well some time back I went through a heart-breaking experience and guess what? I saw it coming but assumed it’s just another craze from my very imaginative mind. And like you’ve already guessed, it turned into reality several months down the line.

So, is it just a matter of shaping your future with your mind or was it a higher power warning me of what would transpire in my own life? I’ve heard it told before that the mind is a very powerful tool that can either make or break your present and future. Ironically even the Bible in Proverbs 4:23 says “Be careful how you think, your life is shaped by your thoughts”. Albert Einstein said that the only real valuable thing is intuition; one of the richest people on earth Bill Gates said that often we have to rely on intuition, “All great men are gifted with intuition. They know without reasoning or analysis what they need to know “Alexis Carrel, “A woman knows by intuition or instinct what is good for her” Marilyn Monroe.

But what exactly is intuition? Is it real or is it just the other crazy version of us who makes up weird stuff to prove the statistics that every person has a loose nut just floating somewhere in their brain? I mean, sometimes I even make up jokes in my own mind and laugh because they are just so freaking funny; and yes am normally sober and mentally healthy, whatever that means. According to my dictionary, intuition is knowledge or belief obtained neither by reason nor by perception. So it’s information on things you don’t knowingly reason or see; where exactly does it then come from?

After my research on the matter from many varied sources, I’ve come to the conclusion that this can only come from a higher supernatural being. I believe intuition is God’s way of preparing and warning us about things that may happen in the future. Intuition also does provide answers to questions about the present. Have you ever had a gut feeling a loved one could be having a problem, you call and the same is confirmed? I could give numerous examples but it all comes down to the fact that we all have an angel who watches over us and ensures our well-being.

Never ignore that voice in your inner being that tries to give you answers to your questions and problems. Ladies, that voice that tells you he could be cheating on you, that he’s not treating you right and doesn’t deserve you. Most ladies who have been cheated on will tell you they had a hunch it was going on but chose to ignore.  It is simple guys, call it a hunch, gut feeling or intuition, listen to it and you might just be happier, you’ll make better decisions and have a more fruitful and successful life.