THE NEW NORM CALLED SEXUAL ABUSE

   Sexual abuse in the last few days has been on the lip of everyone. Why  has it become such a rampant crime?

   Sexual abuse ranges from deceitful engagement with minors, molestation and rape.

This wicked act has severe repercussions and the victims are left

Broken - the victims are broken. They have lost their pride. They are always alone and end up getting depressed. They have no strength left to have a go at life. Their will to live is no more

Stigmatized-there is a stigma attached to the women who speak out and want vengeance or want to enlighten the younger ones on the issue.

Struggling with relationships- the rape victims most times struggle with their relationship. The issue keeps on haunting the relationship. Eventually, the victims decide to let it go or break up.

   The issue of sexual abuse has become so rampant of late and this wicked act even takes place in our religious homes. Women are sexually abused everywhere even inside public buses. Why has it disgusting and inhuman activities become so common?

The internet- different opinions are expressed on the internet and the users pick up this is a useless act

Lack of people speaking up-people hardly speaks up for the fear of being stigmatized. Those who speak up and not taken seriously which deters others.

Objectification of women- African society since the African woman as an object for sexual gratification and homemaking. That's why a 13 year old will be married off to a 70 year old man without any form of shame.

Lack of sex education-people shy away from the sex education in this part of the world hands people act based on unfounded knowledge.

   Whilst females may be affected most by this inhuman act, the male counterparts

have your story to tell which will be discussed in another post. Let us end this madness!!! Say no to sexual abuse of any kind. We need a sane environment for the next generation!!!

Co- writer

Oluwatobi seyifunmi kinshi Awokunle 

IG @kinshi_yomi

THE TALE OF THE AFRICAN CHILD

The African child like any other infant is a ray of hope.

 Children are a heritage of God. They are a blessing to the mothers and the pride of a father. The parents are always joyful at the arrival of a new baby as it signifies the fruitfulness of Man. The sweat of the night has yielded something special.

  The child is welcomed to the family and grows up amid every struggle. The child learns patience. This starts with the withheld anger while waiting for their siblings to choose their piece of meat while sitting together. Love is a pain! The child is vulnerable around his family. In that small circle, the family bond is formed. Responsibility is assigned. To each, his assignment. The lesson of collective strength and bond as a family is taught to the siblings in the family. There is always that sibling who will find it hard to complete a task. The child learns to help. To the one who refused to work, he is disciplined. The child knows what it means to love. He knows what it means to battle fear and talk to the girl who means the world to him. At that moment, love is pure and untainted. The African child is contented. The African child sees the joy on the face of his father, during every bountiful harvest and the long sad face, when something goes wrong with the

 Harvest.
  The African child knows that life is like rolling dice. Sometimes things are like ice while some other time, things are rolling nicely. Sometimes he falls, sometimes he feels like he won't prevail. Through it all, the African child is still incredible. Through it all, he has learnt a lesson.

IS THE WHITE VITAMIN C BETTER?

   Vitamin c otherwise known as ascorbic acid can be gotten from fruits and vegetables. However, it is sold in tablets and capsules,
   Historically, vitamin C was used for preventing and treating scurvy. These days, vitamin C is used most often for preventing and treating the common cold. Some people use it for other infections, including gum disease, acne and other skin conditions, bronchitis, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) disease, stomach ulcers caused by bacteria called Helicobacter pylori, tuberculosis, dysentery (an infection of the lower intestine), and skin infections that produce boils (furunculosis). It is also used for infections or inflammation of the bladder and prostate, nerve pain, and complications during pregnancy. Other uses include increasing the absorption of iron from foods. Vitamin C is also used in combination with a drug called deferoxamine to increase the removal of iron from the blood. Some people use vitamin C to correct a protein imbalance in certain newborns (tyrosinemia).

 It is also used to prevent the transfer of HIV from mothers to babies during breastfeeding. Vitamin C is also used to help reduce the side effects of bowel preparation.
    However, there has been a misconception as to whether the white vitamin c is more efficient than the sweetened vitamin c. The truth, however, is that the sweetened coloured vitamin c is for non-diabetic patients and the white non-sweetened type was made for the diabetic patients who are regulating their sugar consumption.

 The white vitamin c tablet is indeed more acidic than the sweetened one. Whilst the vitamin c tablet may not have a specified dosage, it is advised to be taken moderately. Always talk to your physician.
    

ref https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-1001/vitamin-c-ascorbic-acid

THE STRUGGLE OF THE AFRICAN MAN

The struggle of a Nigerian man is a broad topic. A whole lot is expected from an African man. It can be frustrating most times but every African man is expected to live up to the standard of his mates. The weight is placed on the African man as soon as he comes into the world. There are a whole lot of things expected of the African male child. Most go through with it, whilst others choose their paths.

   The African man is expected right from an early age to be strong. He is expected to hide every form of weakness and build a strong wall around him. A lot of young African male children think crying is a show of weakness. The Igbo male child must be initiated into the masquerade system as this helps build the ego of the child. The young children follow their fathers to the farms and plant and harvest as much as possible. They are told not to allow the female not to beat them in class just to show their strength, intelligence and also to give them a sense of responsibility.   The African male child is always expected to be strong and competitive. African parents always take pride in competition. The need to compete is always sacrosanct. The young boys engage in wrestling competitions, the farmers always want to show their bumper harvests, acquire so many properties and get as many titles. It is a battle of supremacy. The children are always compared to each other. 

oh Chukwuma see Silas and Okah, do they have two heads?

  Though it is always meant to spur the child, it usually ends up messing with the ego of the child. The child that doesn’t do as well is seen as weak.

  The African man is supposed to be selfless and provide. The African male is very selfless and provides for himself, wife(s), children, in-laws and the less privileged. The African man does not earn for just himself. He earns for all. This is probably the only theory that most female folks believe. ( even the so-called African feminists). You must be able to foot the bills when you go out on dates, get them expensive clothing, jewellery, phones and the likes even when she can afford them. African women take pride in their men taking care of them and they also love to show how much their men spend on them.   It is also believed that a man should also procreate, fend for his family and leave something tangible for them behind. The expectation placed on the African child is colossal and he always tries to meet up. While it is important to be stern on the male child, it is important to note that always being hard does not always make him stronger; being there for him always does the trick

CESAREAN SECTION IS NOT A TABOO

  Cesarean section has been an alternative to the normal delivery and has reduced mother and child mortality rate in the country. However, the African society has some ancient beliefs that do not concur with the procedure. In this article, we'll be talking about the problems faced and also the cause of the beliefs.

 What is the cesarean section?

 A cesarean section may be used to describe the delivery of the foetus through a surgical incision on the anterior uterine wall. Due to progress in medicine,  the procedure has become safer.

 The cesarean section is done to protect the lives of the mother and child but then, mothers face a lot of destination from the members of the community after delivery. Having discussed with some people, I arrived at a conclusion the discrimination is caused because of

  The rural community's religion and beliefs.

    Most people believe that vaginal delivery is what makes a woman a true woman. The belief that those who go through the caesarean section not experienced pain and tears of the process and should not be allowed to enjoy the joy of motherhood. Some religion also prohibits blood transfusion thus making the process very difficult as the mothers afraid of excommunication if they should accept a blood transfusion

   Lack of knowledge / proper awareness

   Most members of the community, lack knowledge, and thereby do not know the importance of the cesarean section and this is the primary cause of discrimination of the people who go through the process.
   Meaning negative cultural beliefs hamper the health of women and their babies and by extension societal health. Empowering women to make decisions that will be to the best of their interest is the key. Men as important decision-makers in the family life should be targeted reproductive health programs. While the effort of science and healthcare professions is important in improving women's health, long overdue societal actions are equally important to eradicate the perception that keeps women subjugated from birth.

BREAKING SUGAR ADDICTION

What is sugar?

 Sugar is a substance extracted from plants like sugarcane and sugar bead which is refined into white crystalline substances. They have an effect on bloodstream insulin and brain

Why is sugar addictive?

 It is addictive because they cause a supernatural release of dopamine in the brain. Dopamine is the primary neurotransmitter involved in addiction. Studies have shown that sugar can substitute addictive drugs like cocaine. Cutting sugar out may lead to depression and behavioural disorders such as ADHD, refined sugar and opioid drugs trigger a similar response from the brain's reward system, both releasing dopamine, and other pleasure-inducing chemicals.

 Getting used to this feeling leads to a craving for more to get the same response, leading to addiction.
Consuming sugar produces effects similar to that of cocaine, altering mood by inducing reward and pleasure

   It can be more rewarding and attractive. The brain chemistry of those addicted to a drug and those addicted to sugar are virtually similar. In this article, I will be listing out steps to breaking a sugar addiction.

Realize what's going on with your brain-body and sugar

 People stop taking candy bars and chocolate bars and trade them for basic snacks such as buns, egg rolls, and bread. The brain is still getting its fix on dopamine release from these items and it is causing all the negative effects. If you really want to break addiction you have to understand how the brain works and seeks out sugar.

Understand levels of addiction

 Not everyone who drinks becomes an alcoholic the same way that people who consume products with sugar, become a sugar addict. We all have different brain chemistry and the important thing is recognizing your level of addiction. If just giving up sugar feels so bad to you, you have a lot of work to do. This is similar to how cocaine addicts and other addicts feel about the drugs they abuse. It's very likely that you are not so deep into it

You need to detox 

 This can take from 3 to 21 days. Detoxification is always so hard but it's always good at the other side.

Work on your nutrition

 Sugar hides in places you would not expect. Ice cream, bread, cakes, and juice. Reading nutritional levels help big time.

Balance blood sugar levels by eating balanced meals

 Eat balanced meals to keep your blood sugar level normal. You do this by eating meals that combine protein, fibre and healthy fats full stop example eat beans carbs and source your sugar from fruits like oranges, pineapples, apples, and strawberries. Remember proteins + fibre help a whole lot.

Reduce your cravings

 Most people who are sugar addicts crave for sweet things like chocolate, candies, and cookies. Start paying attention to what you eat. You can do this by

Eating balanced meals

Avoiding sugar/processed foods

Healthy Probiotics 

  Pay attention to other sugars full stop have you tried switching to honey? It is better than processed sugar. Taking fruits like apples, oranges, mangoes go a long way while breaking sugar addiction. This is because they contain

·        FIBER

·        WATER

·        VITAMINS

·        MINERALS 

 We should be very careful about what we eat. Talk to your physician and stay healthy. 

BEEEEEECHAM!!! THE AMPICLOX ABUSE

 Ampiclox is a penicillin derived broad spectrum antibiotic which contains Ampicillin and Cloxacillin. It is used in treating bacteria infections. This is the most widely used drug in Nigeria among people of all ages whether being prescribed by a doctor or through self medication. Actually I don’t know how it became so popular among its peer maybe probably because it’s an antibiotic but the fact is there are plenty other antibiotics. in this article, we will be addressing the common misconceptions of the antibiotic. I want you to know that, Ampiclox is not a:
CONTRACEPTIVE
Most ladies use this drug after sex in hopes that it will act as an emergency contraceptive and this idea is totally wrong as it does nothing of such. Read about emergency contraceptives HERE

SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED INFECTION DRUG
The area where it is greatly abused is after sexual intercourse which would make me concentrate more on this area. Both guys and ladies take Ampiclox immediately after sexual intercourse thinking it would kill all kinds of micro-organisms including viruses and fungi. This is so shameful because the educated folks partake in this awkward habit. For so many years the use of the drug has been abused by sex lovers who often pop one capsule after unprotected intercourse with the aim of cleansing the blood.I can still remember the case of a girl who wanted to abort and was planning to use postinor2 with some capsules of Ampiclox to carry out the act.
Though the use of the drug after unprotected sex reduces the risk of infection. However it can aid the development of resistance by bacteria against the drug. This is simply telling you the risks outweigh the benefits. Development of resistance strains means you could get infected with a stronger strain of bacteria upon irrational usage of the drug.Hence it is bad to pop a capsule of Ampiclox after sex because the risks outweigh the benefits.
SYSTEM CLEANSER
I have been in a situation where someone said he took Ampiclox to wash the body system, please what is the person washing or when did Ampiclox become a detergent?😂😂😂 IT is a wrong misconception and must be stopped
  It is not taken one two times daily. It is taken one capsule every six hours for a minimum of 5 days to avoid Antimicrobial resistance . We need to be careful with whatever we take. Talk to your physician

STOP BUYING HERBAL MEDICATIONS IN A BUS

Some weeks ago,  I was traveling back and saw a group of people hawking orthodox medicine and I thought I'd seen it all.HERE

  The journey started and I put on my headphones and was trying to rest my head, when I heard people clapping and singing.  I thought the man was the regular prayer leader who normally led the prayers for safety, admonishes the passengers and asked for offerings or pleaded for their ministries to be supported.  The prayers ended and he started talking to the passengers. My headphones were still on, I noticed the lady beside me was bursting out with laughter.  I noticed that he was engaging the crowd. He made jokes about virtually everything. He talked about politics, the church, said some very ancient quotes and adages. I knew something was wrong!  No one just wakes up and decides to crack things as little as a joke to passengers.  He kept on talking and finally talked about health.  He talked about different ailments with very little knowledge on the ailments . He said a whole lot of wrong things and said it very boldly.  He had so much hatred for the orthodox medicine and for the medical physicians. He then brought out a bag.
  He brought out different substances and leaves and claimed to have cures for every form of disease. He also claimed to know how to treat all forms of ulcer and sexually transmitted diseases.  I will be highlighting why most herbal medicines are not to be trusted.
They are not regulated.
  These drugs are not regulated by the necessary regulatory bodies such as NAFDAC and as such are not reliable. In some cases they do have a registration number but the body warns that the claims of the drugs have not been verified.

They are toxic
 The seller had something like methanol and claimed that it could cure tooth pains and decay.  It was to be applied with a cotton wool.  The said substance could clean an ink on a glass very neatly. These chemicals go straight to the liver and are toxic hence causing lots of harm to the people taking the medication.  Also note that the sellers do not talk about the side effects or the drugs interactions with what we eat or drink.
  While we are always seeking for solutions to our various problems, we have to be careful.  Stat hydrated, see your physician today!

THAT ROADSIDE DRUG HAWKER CAN KILL YOU

 Nigerians put their lives at risk in a lot of ways. One of the many ways is taking non-prescription drugs.
 On a hot day , I took a bus.  Whilst waiting for the passengers to come on board,  I saw some men hawking some drugs and then I saw people buying drugs from them.  They asked "Aboki you get TM? " He nodded and looked round,  dipped his hand in his box and handed it to them.  It was really sad to see that drugs which were supposed to be controlled,  where flooding the streets . In this article,  I will be highlighting the downsides of buying drugs from street hawkers.  The reasons  are enumerated below.

 Improper storage of drugs.
  Most people buy drugs without knowing much about them.  Buying a drug from a reputable pharmacy  however,  protects you from buying drugs that may have not been properly stored . Some drugs require room temperature , whilst some need to be refrigerated . The street drug hawker has little or no knowledge on the storage of drugs and may eventually sell you a bad drug due to bad storage of the drug.

 They may be fake
 Most drugs sold on the streets or drugs being hawked, are not regulated and this causes a lot of worries as we do not know how they source for their drugs.  Most hawkers get expired drugs,  repackage it and sell to the public at ridiculously cheap prices.  That drug on the road is most likely fake .
They lack proper dispensing knowledge
  Most drug hawkers have no knowledge on drugs and have no idea as to how it reacts to the body.  They give drugs without knowing the prior medical condition of the person they are selling to.  They lack knowledge on the side effects of the drugs.  They can cause a lot of problems to you.  For example,  drugs with sodium are not good for hypertensive patients , most analgesic are acidic and triggers ulcer . Some people react differently to drugs that contain sulphur.

  Drugs are poisons and must be used with caution.  Always seek professional advice and always buy your drugs from reputable pharmaceutical companies.  Always check out for the expiry date , Nafdac number and confirm with the pin if you're in doubt . Stay safe!

YOUR SIGHT AND YOUR GADGET

  The eye is an essential part of the human body. Sight is life they say as it enables us see and appreciate the beauty that surrounds us. The eye has a lot of protective functions which enhances improved vision.

  

The introduction of technology has created more task for the human eye and also an increased protective function against the ultra violet rays amongst others with great appreciation to the ever working presence of the cornea and lenses which are of great importance and vital structures of the eye that enhances vision.

  These two structures prevent the passage of a great amount of ultra-violet radiation allowing the very little amount to get in thereby, affecting the photo receptor cells in the eye. The ultra-violet radiations unabsorbed by the cornea and the lens are composed of blue light (blue –uv) which results in CVS or VITS.

  Computer vision syndrome or virtually induced terminal syndrome is a condition that results from focusing their eye on any media that emits blue ultra-violet radiation.

 "Blue ultra violet radiation is scientifically any radiation between 350-500 nm"

Sources of blue light

•    sunlight
•    computer screens
•    Television screen
•    Smart phone screens
•    fluorescent light

Symptoms of CVS

•   fatigue
•   dizziness
•   eye strain even when we'll rested
•   Headaches
•   Myopia

Long term effects of CVS

o   permanent Blindness

Prevention of CVS

 CVS can be a serious issue.  Listed below, are precautions that can be taken to avoid CVS

 Use of anti reflective lenses- they absorb all unnecessary ultra violet radiation thereby reducing the risk of visual disturbance

  Practicing the 20-20 rule - This is for those who use phones and laptops for a long period of time on a daily basis like the bankers and the ever enthusiastic youth who are always on their phones.  The rule entails looking away at an object of distance for 20 seconds or more every 20 minutes. This practice is important to avoid adaptation to nearness.

 Use of sunglasses - Anti reflective lenses are best suited to prevent CVS but for the sake of fashion as it affects the modern man, sunglasses can be used for outdoor activities 

  While we use our gadgets and other machines, it is important to take really good care and always visit your physician if you have any issue with your sight. 


contributions from Dr. Martins agukwe

2019 IN VIEW

 Hello readers, 2018 was a great year! we touched so many topics and did a lot. Hopefully, 2019 will be better.
 In the bid to creating health awareness, we would be touching a lot of pressing issues such as drug abuse, general health education and mental awareness. Strategic collaborations will be made . Later in the year, we may add a vlog to the mix too. Offline activities will eventually come up. 
  Happy new year ! Send in your ideas and let us achieve greater things this year
Your 2019 health goals should include:

- Going for regular check-up
- Taking your drug at the right time
- Don't assume,Ask questions about your health condition & medication from your health professional(you can seek for a second/third opinion)
- Stay fit
- Eat well