Aug 6, 2022 | Healthy Tips
THE HEALTH RISKS OF SMOKING
There are an estimated 6.9 million cigarette smokers in the UK[i], despite the dozens of health risks that smoking presents. It’s something that many people pick up as a habit when they are young, and quickly become addicted to it. Although education surrounding the risks of smoking has become much better in recent years, there is still a long way to go in the battle to stop smoking across the population, for good.
The effects of smoking on the body
The typical risk that most people associate with smoking is lung cancer or lung disease. However, the risks of smoking extend to other areas of the body – causing diseases and conditions which are often not reversible.
CANCERS
The risk of cancer is increased by smoking. Some of these cancers include:
- Bladder Cancer – a third of all bladder cancer cases are caused by smoking. Symptoms of bladder cancer can include frequency or urge incontinence, blood in the urine, and more.
- Bowel Cancer – 7% of bowel cancer cases in the UK have a link with smoking. Symptoms can include blood in the stool, sudden weight loss, and eventually may lead to bowel incontinence. Read more about the link between bowel cancer and incontinence.
- Mouth Cancer – Smokers are 10x more likely to develop oral cancers. Symptoms of oral cancers include pain, growths, and sores.
- Oesophagus Cancer – 35 in 100 cases of oesophagus cancer are caused by smoking. Symptoms of oesophagus cancer can include difficulty swallowing, loss of appetite/weight loss and pain in the stomach, back, or chest.
DISEASE & CONDITIONS
As well as cancers, the risk of developing different conditions across the body increases when you smoke. Those who smoke are at high risk of heart disease, gum disease, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and more.
What’s in a cigarette?
Cigarettes contain over 60 chemicals
Most of us are aware of the chemicals that go into cigarettes which make them so harmful. But do you know how harmful these chemicals are and which other household products they are used in? For example, Acetone, which is the main ingredient in nail polish remover, is also found in cigarettes! Other chemicals include:
These chemicals are highly damaging. Below, we explain these chemicals further
- Formaldehyde – embalming fluid. This is not added to cigarettes but is naturally produced when the components of a cigarette (sugars, cellulose fibres, carob, etc.) are lit and burn together.
- Methanol – a main component in rocket fuel. This forms a major part of cigarette smoke. The chemical converts to formaldehyde in the liver, which can cause disease.
- Nicotine – is highly addictive and used as an insecticide. Most cigarettes contain around 10 milligrams of the chemical. It causes your brain to associate smoking with pleasure, which causes addiction.
- Tar – used for laying roads. This chemical is created by burning cigarettes. It is a cancer-causing chemical that forms a sticky layer inside your lungs, leading to potential damage and disease.
- Ammonia – a household cleaner. Used as a filler for tobacco, ammonia makes it easier for the body to absorb nicotine.
- Arsenic – used in rat poison. Although not added to cigarettes directly, it is usually a component of pesticides that are used to grow tobacco.
- Butane – used in lighter fluid. Butane is used to keep the tip of a cigarette burning. It is highly toxic.
- Cadmium – active component in battery acid. This is another chemical that is used in pesticides which are used when farming tobacco. It causes oxidative damage to molecules within the body.
- Carbon monoxide – is released when cigarettes are lit and burned. Each cigarette produces 5 – 20.2mg of carbon monoxide. It is a toxic gas that replaces oxygen and can prevent your lungs and heart from working properly.
- Lead – a harmful compound used in batteries. This is one of many metals that are present in cigarettes. Lead deposits can accumulate in the lungs and build up in your airways.
Have smoking laws been effective?
Over the past couple of decades, laws and legislation have been put in place to reduce the number of smokers in the UK. The data so far shows that these have had varying levels of success, with the number of people smoking having reduced significantly compared to 2011.
Since 2011, the prevalence of smokers has decreased greatly.
The proportion of smokers in the UK has fallen massively since 2011 and is predicted to keep dropping at a steady rate.
2007 – The UK Smoking Ban was rolled out, banning smoking in enclosed public spaces. Smoking age rose to 18
2008 – Cigarette packaging started carrying picture warnings
2011 – Tobacco vending machines banned in the UK
2014 – Legislation changes so picture warnings must cover 65% of cigarette packaging
Packs of less than 20 cigarettes prohibited from sale
2015 – Standardised cigarette packaging was introduced
Smoking in a car with a child present was made illegal
Tips for Quitting Smoking
Smoking is an addiction, and quitting can be very difficult – especially for those who have been smoking for many years. As well as the physical addition to nicotine in the cigarettes, the physical habit of smoking is something which is notoriously hard to break.
Remember that you don’t need to struggle in silence on your journey to quitting smoking……..
Jul 16, 2022 | Healthy Products
USING BMI CALCULATOR TO GAIN MORE INSIGHTS ON HOW HEALTHY YOU ARE
The number on your scale is just one of the many indicators for general health. Calculate your BMI (Body Mass Index) to gain more insights on how healthy your weight is for your height. This BMI calculator generates results for women, men, teenagers, and children.
Why We Use BMI
Body Mass Index or BMI can help you understand if you’re a healthy body weight for your height. There’s no “perfect” body weight – and there’s no perfect calculation for a healthy body weight, either – but knowing your BMI can be a useful indicator of whether you’re at risk from weight-related health problems.
It works by calculating a number based on your weight and how tall you are. From this number, you can get an idea of whether you are considered underweight, “normal” weight, overweight, or obese on the BMI scale.
While BMI measurements are imperfect, they’re still widely used for several reasons.
First, BMI is quick and affordable to measure (our tool is completely free) and you can work it out at home with just bathroom scales and a tape measure.
There’s also a strong, proven correlation between BMI and body fat and hundreds of studies that show links between BMI and general health, so it can be a useful place to start to learn more about your body and health.
Understanding BMI Results: Ages 20+
Underweight: Below 18.5
A BMI below 18.5 suggests you could be underweight. There’s a risk that you may not be eating enough, or in some cases, it could be a sign of illness.
Prolonged malnutrition can lead to osteoporosis, fertility issues, anemia, hair and tooth loss, and other problems. A low BMI doesn’t necessarily mean a medical emergency, but you might want to pay a visit to your doctor to understand if there’s an underlying cause.
Normal: 18.5 to 24.9
BMI readings between 18.5 and 24.9 are considered within a healthy range. Those on the lower end of the spectrum may want to make sure they’re getting enough nutrients, while those at the top might take a look at their processed sugar and junk food consumption.
While these numbers are not associated with significantly elevated medical risks, there are other factors to consider. A slim person carrying belly fat may have a “normal” BMI but be at a greater health risk than a fit, muscular person with an “overweight” BMI. Find out more about BMI limitations.
Overweight: 25 to 30
If your BMI is above 25, it could mean that you’re overweight and carrying excess body fat. However, because BMI is a measure of body weight and not body fat, you could also have a high BMI if you’re very muscular.
If you’re not very active, a BMI within this range is a sign you should consider losing weight through a combination of a healthy diet and exercise. For those who are active and lead a healthy lifestyle, a high BMI result may not be a cause for concern.
Obese: Above 30
If your BMI is above 30, you’re almost certainly carrying extra weight. A BMI over 30 has been linked to type 2 diabetes, heart attacks, strokes, arthritis, joint inflammation, depression, sleep apnea, and an elevated risk of cancer.
These dangers are especially elevated for those with a BMI over 40, which is known as “severely obese”. Obesity can lead to serious health and quality-of-life issues. You should visit your doctor to understand the underlying cause and start taking steps to improve your health.
Understanding BMI Results: Ages 2-19
Severely Underweight: Below the 3rd Percentile
A BMI below the 3rd percentile almost certainly means that a child or teen is severely underweight. A medical professional should be consulted on how to support healthy weight gain, while considering possible underlying causes.
Studies on children and young adults in this percentile show that many suffer from protein-energy malnutrition (PEM), which is linked with higher rates of mortality and further illness.
Underweight: From the 3rd to 5th Percentile
A BMI below the 5th percentile suggests a child or teenager could be underweight . It is possible that they simply have a smaller build, so it’s important to clarify this with a doctor or pediatrician.
If a child or teen is underweight for their build, there’s a risk that they’re not eating enough nutritious foods, or in some cases, it could be a symptom of an underlying illness.
Studies show that under nutrition in kids can lead to metabolic disorders, low energy levels, behavioral issues, and learning disabilities.
Normal: From the 5th to the 85th Percentile
BMI readings between the 5th and 85th percentile are within a healthy range. If a teenager or child is on the lower or higher end of the spectrum, confirm with a medical expert to make sure they’re getting enough nutrition and exercise.
In any case, it’s recommended that a child or teen with a healthy BMI still gets support on how to keep their processed sugar and junk food consumption to a minimum for optimal development.
Continuously tracking BMI, especially during puberty, is a helpful way to make sure a child is on track with their weight.
BMI calculations do have their limitations, so it’s best to receive ongoing guidance from a doctor or pediatrician.
Overweight: From the 85th to 95th Percentile
If a child or teenager’s BMI percentile is above 90, it could mean that they are overweight and carrying excess body fat. However, because BMI is a measure of body weight and not body fat, they could also have a high BMI if they have more muscle.
In the case where this child or teenager is not very active, a BMI above the healthy percentile range for their age and gender means they need support in losing weight through a combination of a healthy diet and exercise. Additional guidance from a pediatrician or doctor is recommended for getting a child or teen’s health on track.
Being overweight in childhood often continues on into adulthood, due to genetics and behavioral patterns. This can be detrimental to an individual’s emotional health, as well as physical, with increased risks of childhood diabetes in the short term. Long-term effects include varying degrees of illness, so it’s ideal for a child or teen with this result to start getting help now.
For those who are active and lead a healthy lifestyle, a high BMI result may not be a cause for concern, but you should confirm this with a medical expert.
Severely Overweight: Above the 95 Percentile
A BMI above the 95th percentile almost certainly indicates that a child or teenager is carrying more weight than what’s considered healthy. The CDC states that unhealthy eating habits, lack of physical activity, and inconsistent sleeping habits are just some of the factors that contribute to childhood and teenage obesity.
Childhood obesity often leads to obesity in adulthood. An adult BMI over 30 is considered obese, and has been linked to type 2 diabetes, heart attacks, strokes, arthritis, depression, and other serious health and quality-of-life issues.
A child or teen with this result should be assessed by a physician to discover any underlying causes, and clarify what steps to take to improve their health.
How BMI is Calculated
BMI is calculated by dividing your weight in kilograms by the square of your height in meters. If you use imperial measurements you can calculate BMI with the equation:
(Weight in pounds ÷ height2 in inches) x 703 = BMI
BMI measurements are taken the same way for men and women. But there are differences in the way this information is interpreted.
BMI for Women
Often due to social stigma, women with higher BMIs report more psychological stress and a lower quality of life than men with high BMIs. Those pressures also cause a higher rate of eating disorders among women.
Women can experience fertility issues and amenorrhea if their BMI goes too far in either direction. Note that if you’re pregnant or nursing, BMI isn’t accurate and shouldn’t be used.
BMI is also not an accurate way to determine the distribution of body fat, in particular, identifying high-risk abdominal body fat. Additional waistline measurements are particularly important for women, who tend to have more body fat than men of the same BMI. Studies show there’s a link between larger BMI and waistline measurements and coronary heart disease in women.
Relying on BMI as the sole indicator for overall health should also be avoided after menopause. This is because the proportions of muscle, fat, and bone change as you age. See more about the limitations of BMI for post-menopausal women.
BMI for Men
Currently, the average BMI for males is 28. You might think that the healthy weight for a man of the same height as a woman would be higher. But this isn’t the case.
As BMI increases (over 25), so does ill health. A BMI of 28 makes you more than 1,500% more likely to develop diabetes than if your BMI was 23 or lower.
Fortunately, you’ll benefit from dropping even just a few pounds.
BMI for Children and Teenagers
A slightly different method is used to calculate the BMI of children and teenagers aged 2-19 years old.
BMI is still calculated using height and weight but the results are interpreted and measured by percentile. This is where the child or teen’s BMI is compared to others of the same age and sex using data from national surveys.
The CDC is just one of the organizations that monitors the results of these surveys and maintains updated charts of BMI percentiles for boys and girls.
Limitations of BMI Measurements
Body Fat Distribution
BMI fails to take fat distribution into account. This is an issue because some areas are far more harmful to health than others. Excess abdominal fat has been linked to numerous health issues, such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Yet a slim person who carries belly fat might still have a “normal” BMI. You should take your waistline into account, as well as your BMI.
To work out your body fat percentage, ask your health practitioner to do skinfold testing instead.
Athletes and Bodybuilders
BMI is a measurement of body weight, but it can’t differentiate between muscle, fat, or bone mass. Because of this, a bodybuilder with very little body fat but a lot of muscle might still receive a BMI rating of “overweight” or even “obese”, which would be an inaccurate representation of their actual health.
If you consider yourself to be a fit person with a large muscle mass, your BMI won’t be a relevant indicator of your health, so reach out to a medical practitioner for guidance.
Ethnicity
Race and ethnicity factor into BMI readings, as well. The ranges and cut-off points in most general tools are considered international guidelines, although there are some significant variations.
A 20-year study found that at the same BMI, Asian people were twice as likely to develop type 2 diabetes compared to white people. It found that Black, Hispanic, and other ethnic minority groups were also more at risk of diabetes.
Those of Asian origin are also more prone to belly fat than Caucasians. This means they may start to see health problems at a much lower BMI. The World Health Organisation looked into this and suggested that Asian people should class a BMI of 22-25 as overweight (observed risk) and 26-31 as obese (high risk).
Age
BMI calculations are a less accurate indication of a healthy weight for babies and toddlers aged 0 to 2, and for individuals over the age of 60 to 65.
When it comes to infants aged 0 to 2, there are many more factors that contribute to weight. Medical experts trained in this area take measurements such as height and head circumference, and compare those to growth percentiles of children the same age, gender, and height, but they’ll also base their assessment on far more nuanced information.
This is largely based on information you provide, such as general diet, energy, and overall health before determining whether your baby or toddler is at a healthy weight.
As for the limitations in older adults, muscle mass decreases as you get older, while body fat often increases. This means that some older people may fall into a healthy BMI category, while still having a high level of body fat.
If you’re over the age of 60-65, BMI may be an even more unreliable indicator of body fat.
Pregnant/Breastfeeding Women
Given your baby’s weight, and the natural increase in your body fat to accommodate and nurture your baby, BMI is not an accurate tool for you while pregnant or nursing. Instead, the CDC recommends monitoring your weight gain throughout pregnancy and postpartum.
If you know what your BMI was pre-pregnancy, you can compare your current weight with CDC’s recommended weight gain for that BMI. There are separate charts for pregnancy with one baby and pregnancy with twins.
Post-Menopausal Women
BMI can be particularly misleading for postmenopausal women where studies show bone density decreases and body fat increases.
This is means that the Underweight to Obese categories would have to be shifted down to lower weights in order to more accurately determine whether you’re potentially at risk for weight-related health complications. So, whereas a BMI of 30 is the cut off for obesity, studies show that the cut off should be lower for post-menopausal women.
Jul 7, 2022 | Uncategorized
Sickle cell disease is a genetic blood disorder inherited from one’s parents and characterised by the inheritance of two abnormal genes with one of the abnormal genes being haemoglobin “S.” It’s commoner in blacks’ although it is a global disease. It is said to have originated from Sub-Saharan Africa and #Nigeria still has the highest burden of sickle disease in the world.
#Sicklecelldisease (SCD) is one of the most common genetic diseases worldwide and its highest prevalence occurs in the #MiddleEast, Mediterranean regions, Southeast #Asia, and Sub-Saharan #Africa especially Nigeria.
Although significant progress has been made in the national prioritisation of SCD in a handful of these countries in the region, a larger population is still left behind. That goes even more so for those living in countries that lack equitable access to SCD care and for the vulnerable poor populations who bear the greatest inequities from the disease. They lack access to early diagnostics and care, education, financial and social protection, food security and opportunities to live their lives to the fullest potential.
The degeneration of untreated #SCD can be linked to organ damage. This is either caused by addiction to some pain relief medication (usually caused by self-medication) or untreated SCD. This makes #Nutrition of utmost importance in the management of SCD.
Nutrition is reported to impact many chronic health conditions associated with SCD, including chronic baseline inflammation, and vaso-occlusive crisis (VOC), which is accompanied by frequent pain and greater occurrence of stroke, particularly in young children. Other severe manifestations of SCD are pulmonary hypertension; cardiovascular and renal disease.
It is becoming more apparent that current dietary recommendations for SCD should include more emphasis on adequate amounts of macronutrients. Intervention with macronutrients, (proteins carbohydrates and fats) showed measurable improvement in clinical condition and reduced hospital admissions in growth-delayed children with SCA.
It was reported that adults and children with sickle cell anaemia have a relative energy shortage. In SCD patients, nutrients from the diet and amino acids from body protein catabolism channel towards rapid red cell production, are replacing hemolysed sickle red cells being constantly removed from the circulation. This metabolic irregularity drastically increases the energy requirement and reduces the availability of nutrients for growth and development in children and for maintaining adequate muscle mass in adults. The primary clinical manifestation of this relative nutrient deficiency is severe undernutrition.
Hydration plays an essential role in sickle cell anaemia. It is crucial to promote proper hydration by frequent intake of water and other fluids and to avoid physical activity and extreme weather that result in excessive sweating.
Note this! Avoiding dietary sodium intake can help to maintain appropriate hydration status by preventing water from leaving the erythrocytes (William-Hooker et. al., 2013). Dietary recommendations for maintaining good hydration status include limiting high sodium, processed foods, and snacks while consuming water and fluids throughout the day. (Umeakunne K, 2019).
Emphasis should be on high dietary requirements for macronutrients (protein-carbohydrate and fat). With the use of food sources of polyphenolic phytochemicals, flavanols and gut microbial required prebiotics these components in combination with the vitamins, minerals, and omega-3 fatty acids routinely use in standard treatment, may provide adjuvant therapy for the SCD-associated chronic disease burden, and promote sustainable health, quality of life and increase longevity for this patient population (Umeakunne K, 2019).
Courtesy; #Dietitian Unit, Rays of Hope Support Initiative
Jul 7, 2022 | Healthy Moves
SHINE THE LIGHT ON SICKLE CELL
Today is World Sickle Cell Day with the theme ‘Shine the Light on Sickle Cell’. June 19th every year has been set aside as an important day by the United Nations to recognise sickle cell anaemia as a public health problem and to promote education about this genetic condition.
Sickle cell anaemia is a condition in which there are not enough healthy red blood cells to transport adequate oxygen throughout the body. Sickle cell disease affects nearly 100 million people worldwide and is responsible for over 50% of deaths among those with the most severe form of the disease.
It is estimated that each year over 300,000 children are born annually with sickle cell disease (SCD) in Africa. SCD is a significant contributor to NCD-related child mortality globally, causing up to 15% of deaths in children aged less than 5 years. Without appropriate intervention, up to 90% of those born with the condition die before their fifth birthday.
According to Dr Oluwatosin Adeoye in her article in the Punch Newspapers, titled ‘’ Challenges in Nigeria’s management of sickle cell disease,’’ she made us understand that ‘Sickle cell disease is a genetic blood disorder inherited from one’s parents and characterised by the inheritance of two abnormal genes with one of the abnormal genes being haemoglobin “S.” It’s commoner in blacks although it is a global disease. It is said to have originated from Sub-Saharan Africa and Nigeria still has the highest burden of sickle disease in the world’
Nigeria leads the world in the number of cases of sickle cell disease (SCD). An estimated 150,000 babies are born annually in Nigeria with SCD, a heredity disorder, and 70-90% die before age 5.
Experts say sickle cell anaemia can lead to many complications such as stroke, acute chest syndrome, pulmonary hypertension, organ damage, blindness, leg ulcers, and pregnancy complications, among others.
For instance, it is believed that sickle cells can block blood flow to an area of the brain, igniting stroke signs such as seizures, weakness or numbness of arms and legs, sudden speech difficulties, and loss of consciousness.
The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 70% of deaths could be; prevented with a low-cost diagnostic and treatment plan, but what else can we do to reduce sickle cell disease among our people?
- Screening of sickle cell disease among our newborns. Which is one of the best ways to tackle the surge of SCD.
- Promote effective education about sickle cell disease and its management
- Increase awareness programmes that will help in reducing ignorance about the disease.
- Providing affordable healthcare for people living with sickle cell disease is another means by which there can be effective management of sickle cell disease in this part of the world.
- Availability of medical therapies in the management of sickle cell disease to the people at an affordable price; and under a conducive atmosphere.
- Like other NCDs, managing sickle cell anaemia is expensive in terms of getting the needed drug therapies. So we are asking that the government and other international organisations/donors (like WHO) should make SCD drugs and treatment available to our people like what they did with HIV/AIDS and TB.
- Nigeria government through her health agencies, concentrate more on the treatment of SCD complications than preventive/ management of sickle cell disease. There should be awareness among our youth who are yet to be married or about to on the importance of knowing their blood genotypes
- We must remove the stigmatisation associated with the people living with sickle cell disease. We must see them as people with special needs and not see them as cast out with ‘names’.
Lastly, our salute to our born warriors in the battles against Sickle Cell anaemia in Nigeria, keep the fights on! Hold on to your hopes and dreams you can all achieve whatever you ever dream of, if you believe.
SCD, it’s a war that will be won very soon through proper enlightenment and collaborations.
Courtesy: #ROHSI3 Team members.
May 17, 2022 | Healthy Tips
Today, the number of the people living with hypertension has doubled to 1.28 billion, says World health Organisation (WHO), and nearly half of these people did not know they had it (More than 700 million people with untreated hypertension).
As an organisation working within the NCDs space, we know some of the effects of hypertension on our people! That hypertension significantly increases the risk of heart, brain, and kidney diseases that has caused many sudden death and disease among our people.
That, about 25-30% of medical emergencies at our medical centres got to do with issues related to high blood pressure and other Non-Communicable diseases (NCDs). That hypertension does not show signs or symptoms, but it can be detected through checking of ones’ blood pressure either at home or in a health centre. That hypertension can often be treated effectively with medications that are low cost (but not often affordable).
From our field experience and conversations with our community people, we saw the prevalence of hypertension to be so high. We are asking our policymakers, international organisations such World Health organisation (WHO), International Hypertension Federation and community influencers to arise and help with a framework that can help in reducing the risk and burden that come with this ailment among our people.
We ask that they make our primary health centres a working one (be equipped to meet up the need of the people as the first point of contact) where our people can have access to the best treatment and possible medical referrals in case.
The cost of hypertension treatment per person in Nigeria is on the high side. It has led majority of our people to source for alternative means or abandoning treatments due to the high cost of treatment and medications with little family income (that is to tell us that there is poverty in the land). For people to access medical treatments and medications in a month, it cost; them over #5000 (in a population where the majority survive on less than a few hundred Naira per day).
We are asking, let there be an increase in awareness, screening, treatment, and control of hypertension among our people. They must be encouraged to visit our Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs) with the assurance of having access to best of medical treatment.
Let there be considerations to the cost of procuring high blood pressure medications. If they can do it with HIV/AIDS and TB something like that can be done with hypertension treatment and other NCDs.
We must know that hypertension and other NCDs worsen our people’s poverty levels since it would not allow them to make a viable contribution to national income that can lead to growth and development.
We at the Rays Of Hope Support Initiative -ROHSI are saying; we can stop the surge of hypertension among our people if we all do our part.
We care for the health and wellbeing of our people. That is why we are #ROHSI3.
