Health Essentials
Lassa fever – Another call to improve sanitation
Nature has a way of consistently reminding us to keep ourselves and our surroundings clean and when we refuse to conform we get scares from conditions such as Ebola, Swine Flu, Meningitis and recently Lassa Fever. It may not be at your doorstep yet but “when a neighbour’s beard catches fire you had better get water ready …” This time by the close of day, 26th February 2023, 14 people had proven Lassa Fever in Ghana and one of them had died.
How I wish we will just follow the basics of personal and environmental hygiene all the time.
What is Lassa Fever
and how does it present?
Lassa Fever is caused by a virus that often gets to humans through contact with food and household items that have been contaminated with the urine or faeces of a rat.
It is not known to be spread through casual contact such as shaking hands, hugging or sitting close to an infected person.
Unlike the quick and devastating Ebola Virus disease, Lassa Fever starts mildly and gradually and initial symptoms that appear 6-21 days after contact include:
• Fever, Fatigue
• Sore throat
• Headaches and Weakness
• Majority of people (80%) show no symptoms
These may progress to:
• Nausea and Vomiting
• Facial swelling
• Cough, Chest pain
• Abdominal pain
• Bleeding from several orifices, bloody diarrhoea
• Organ failure and death
Risk Factors
Simply living in or travelling to an area with an outbreak of Lassa Fever will increase your risk of becoming infected with the virus if you do not take the necessary precautions. Several other factors can increase your risk even more, including:
• Working with the sick
• Slaughtering infected rats
• Sharing needles to use intravenous drugs
• Having unprotected sex
• Working in rat-infested buildings or area outdoors infested with rats.
Prevention
We should practise personal and environmental hygiene every day not wait for a disease alert before we scramble for a way; we may not always be lucky.
You may also have noticed that many of these viral illnesses are copycats especially at the beginning. Just when you think you have a “serious common cold” so all will be well, it hits hard sending you to the land of your ancestors. In short seek medical care promptly even when you think it’s “nothing serious.”
• Keep food covered and stored in rodent-proof containers.
• Store trash/rubbish in rat-proof containers, and clean the containers often.
• Dispose of garbage/rubbish on a regular basis.
• Make sure doors and windows have tightfitting screens.
• Place firewood or other cut tree branches and stacks of stones or blocks and other materials at least 100 feet from your house.
• Mow your grass closely and keep shrubs trimmed to within 100 feet from your house.
• Avoid hunting rats
• Wash hands thoroughly and regularly
• Cook all foods thoroughly
• You may have an added advantage if you have a cat that is not scared of rats
• Foods such as salads that may have been prepared in suspicious kitchens can’t be warmed and should be avoided.
• Think twice when patronising food by the roadside especially when cold.
Diagnosing Lassa Fever
We will leave that to your doctor. Just seek help when you do not feel well.
Management of Lassa Fever
In all cases it is important that you are isolated (kept away from people with other diseases) and the professionals treating you will wear protective clothing.
Final Words
Recovery is usually 8-10 days after onset of symptoms. Lassa Fever virus is excreted in urine 3-9 weeks after onset of symptoms and may continue to be found in semen three (3) months after onset of symptoms.
Keeping our homes and cities clean requires our individual efforts in addition to people tasked with cleaning common areas doing their work. What is the point if you clear all the rubbish in your home but the team required to pick up and dispose of the rubbish is not bothered? Look at the heaps of rubbish all over the place including markets where we buy food. We are simply living on a Time Bomb but it’s never too late to turn things around. Start today and keep at it.
AS ALWAYS LAUGH OFTEN, ENSURE HYGIENE, WALK AND PRAY EVERYDAY AND REMEMBER IT’S A PRICELESS GIFT TO KNOW YOUR NUMBERS (blood sugar, blood pressure, blood cholesterol, BMI)
Dr. Kojo Cobba Essel
Health Essentials Ltd/Mobissel (www.healthessentialsgh.com)
*Dr. Essel is a medical doctor, holds an MBA and is ISSA certified in exercise therapy, fitness nutrition and corrective exercise. He is the author of the award-winning book, ‘Unravelling The Essentials of Health & Wealth.’
Thought for the week – “One healthy choice is ALWAYS followed by another. Make a healthy choice today!”
References:
• WHO on Lassa Fever
• Mayoclini.org – Viral Haemorrhagic Fevers
By Dr. Kojo Cobba Essel
Health Essentials
Not all snoring is created equal
Snoring is not only harmful to our physical health but it
affects all 6 pillars of wellness especially social wellness
When people are unable to differentiate between your snore and a locomotive engine or a trumpet that could break down walls, it may not just be a nuisance to your bed and housemates, but it may signal a serious medical condition.
Loud snoring may be a warning that you have Sleep Apnoea, a condition that opens doors to several serious life-threatening complications. Not every snoring is associated with sleep apnoea and also there may be sleep apnoea without snoring. Sleep medicine is no luxury, we need to do everything possible to get good quality sleep, especially when sleep is one of the greatest legal performance enhancing “drugs” known to man.
In sleep apnoea, breathing repeatedly stops and starts during sleep. It may be as often as 30 times in an hour. This shortchanges our brain of oxygen, and it is a potentially dangerous sleep disorder.
Types of Sleep Apnoea;
• Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA)
o The commonest by far. Throat muscles relax and block flow of air
• Central Sleep Apnoea
o Brain does not send proper signals to muscles controlling breathing
• Complex Sleep Apnoea
What may signal Sleep Apnoea/ What to look out for
• Loud snoring.
• Episodes in which you stop breathing during sleep — which would be reported by another person.
• Gasping for air during sleep.
• Awakening with a dry mouth.
• Morning headache.
• Difficulty staying asleep, known as insomnia.
• Excessive daytime sleepiness, known as hypersomnia.
• Difficulty paying attention while awake.
• Irritability.
• You may just not be able to complete a movie.
• Involved in minor accidents at home, work or even on the road.
Get checked out. Even children may suffer from sleep apnoea.
What increases our chance of developing Sleep Apnoea?
• Excess weight or fat.
• Neck circumference. People with thicker necks might have narrower airways.
• A narrowed airway. Tonsils or adenoids also can enlarge and block the airway, particularly in children.
• Being male. Men are 2 to 3 times more likely to have sleep apnoea than women. However, women increase their risk if they’re overweight or if they’ve gone through menopause.
• Being older. Sleep apnea occurs significantly more often in older adults.
• Family history. Having family members with sleep apnoea might increase your risk.
• Use of alcohol, sedatives or tranquilisers.
• Smoking. Smokers are three times more likely to have obstructive sleep apnoea
• Nasal congestion. If you have trouble breathing through your nose — whether from an anatomical problem or allergies — you’re more likely to develop obstructive sleep apnoea.
• Medical conditions. Congestive heart failure, high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes are some of the conditions that may increase the risk of obstructive sleep apnoea. Polycystic ovary syndrome, hormonal disorders, prior stroke and chronic lung diseases such as asthma also can increase risk.
What complications may occur from untreated Sleep Apnoea
Sleep apnoea is a serious medical condition. Complications of OSA can include:
• Daytime fatigue. The repeated awakenings associated with sleep apnoea make typical, restorative sleep impossible, in turn making severe daytime drowsiness, fatigue and irritability likely.
You might have trouble concentrating and find yourself falling asleep at work, while watching TV or even when driving. People with sleep apnea have an increased risk of motor vehicle and workplace accidents.
You might also feel quick-tempered, moody or depressed. Children and adolescents with sleep apnea might perform poorly in school or have behavior problems.
• High blood pressure or heart problems. Sudden drops in blood oxygen levels that occur during OSA increase blood pressure and strain the cardiovascular system. Having OSA increases your risk of high blood pressure.
OSA might also increase your risk of recurrent heart attack, stroke and irregular heartbeats, such as atrial fibrillation. If you have heart disease, multiple episodes of low blood oxygen (hypoxia or hypoxemia) can lead to sudden death from an irregular heartbeat.
• Type 2 diabetes. Having sleep apnoea increases your risk of developing insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes.
• Metabolic syndrome. This disorder, which includes high blood pressure, abnormal cholesterol levels, high blood sugar and an increased waist circumference, is linked to a higher risk of heart disease
• Liver & kidney problems
• Sleep-deprived room or house mates
• Complications during surgery and also with some medication
Lifestyle Modifications that may help
• Lose excess fat. Even a slight weight loss might help relieve constriction of your throat. In some cases, sleep apnea can resolve if you return to a healthy weight, but it can recur if you regain weight.
• Exercise. Regular exercise can help ease the symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea even without weight loss.
• Avoid alcohol and certain medicines such as tranquilisers and sleeping pills. These relax the muscles in the back of your throat, interfering with breathing.
• Sleep on your side or abdomen rather than on your back. Sleeping on your belly has many posture related challenges but we may adopt that briefly as we work on definitive treatment.
• Don’t smoke.
Diagnosis and Treatment
There is help so if you think you may have sleep apnoea do not hesitate to speak to your doctor.
A few questions, examination and Sleep Studies and a diagnoses may be reached and the appropriate treatment, advice or support systems put in place.
Yes, the options vary from just lifestyle modifications to the famous CPAP, implants and even surgery BUT do seek help, not only will you feel brand-new when the condition is resolved, you may be saving relationships.
……definitely not all snoring is created equal. Find out about yours.
AS ALWAYS LAUGH OFTEN, ENSURE HYGIENE, WALK AND PRAY EVERYDAY AND REMEMBER IT’S A PRICELESS GIFT TO KNOW YOUR NUMBERS (blood sugar, blood pressure, blood cholesterol, BMI)
Dr. Kojo Cobba Essel
Health Essentials Ltd (HE&W Group)
(dressel@healthessentialsgh. com)
*Dr. Essel is a Medical Doctor with a keen interest in Lifestyle Medicine, He holds an MBA and is an ISSA Specialist in Exercise Therapy, Fitness Nutrition and Corrective Exercise. He is the author of the award-winning book, ‘Unravelling The Essentials of Health & Wealth.’
Thought for the week (1) – “I am hard pressed to choose the greatest legal performance enhancing drug. Is it good quality Sleep or Exercise?”
References:
1. www.mayoclinic.org
2. Team at Penn State Health Holy Spirit Sleep Center
- Snoring is not only harmful to our physical health but it affects all 6 pillars of wellness especially social wellness.
By Dr. Kojo Cobba Essel
Health Essentials
Preparing for your golden years; you may have more assets than you think
Ensure to have friends including children much younger than you
AGING can be beautiful, but it definitely comes with its own challenges and learning to embrace the ones we have little or no control over may make life easier and more enjoyable for us.
Changes may include:
1. You do not move as quickly as you used to, and I agree you need to guard against falls.
2. You may lose some hearing.
3. You will need to protect your teeth, and the dentist can help.
4. You are more susceptible to eye diseases and challenges with sight.
5. You may start to shrink; start strength training immediately.
6. You may have ‘senior moments’ -minor forgetfulness.
7. You may look different; hair loss or thinning, greying of hair, skin changes such as sagging, skin tags, changes in nails, belly fat and many others.
8. You may smell different, and this may be due to multiple factors.
9. Urine may leak more than you would like- sometimes even when we cough, sneeze or laugh.
Many of us fret to leave a fortune (money) but I realise focusing on money or assets such as land, buildings and businesses may not be enough. These are extremely necessary though since they tend to make life much more comfortable for you.
When the dust settles, however, having your memory intact (within reasonable limits) and having good social support may be the foundation that cannot be ignored. If your memory fails you or you do not have people who truly care about your wellbeing and will go the extra mile for you over the long haul, then no matter what your financial muscle you may never get anything close to what you would love for yourself.
Taking advantage of the various assets that you may have built over the years means you will be able to even earn money well into your golden years.
ASSETS TO TAP INTO.
At least three assets, Financial, Intellectual and Human Assets may be tapped into.
• FINANCIAL
o Different forms of investments including money, land etc. Quite often this is the focus of most of us while 2 other forms of assets are neglected. DEFINITELY grow your financial assets but DO NOT exclude the others.
o If you are already enjoying “retirement” of a sort and your finances keep you awake at night, do not despair, take another look at your intellectual and human assets that you may have ignored. They may be solid gold!
• INTELLECTUAL
o Knowledge and skills you have developed over years can continue to be useful and earn an income after you retire from your previous job.
o Experiences over the years may serve as a guide to the younger generation and could be an avenue for speaking at events or coaching or mentoring others.
o Unique abilities are always a plus and we all know things that come easily to us when others struggle with same.
o Ideas? These may be golden, and you may be able to share for an income or to enhance your social capital.
• HUMAN
o Values – we often don’t put much emphasis on this, but it definitely opens doors for you or for your descendants.
o Kindness – this is a powerful tool in life that will yield benefits at all costs directly or indirectly. Be Kind!
o Social Contacts /Capital – DO NOT be an island. Expand your network and live a longer more fulfilling life.
As we work on all three forms of ASSETS lets us remember to protect our brain/ memory as much as possible and also spend time with our network of family and friends. In all things ensure you have FRIENDS (including your children) who are much younger than you. This is PRICELESS, I guarantee that.
AS ALWAYS LAUGH OFTEN, ENSURE HYGIENE, WALK AND PRAY EVERYDAY AND REMEMBER IT’S A PRICELESS GIFT TO KNOW YOUR NUMBERS (blood sugar, blood pressure, blood cholesterol, BMI)
Dr Kojo Cobba Essel
Health Essentials Ltd (HE&W Group)
(dressel@healthessentialsgh. com)
*Dr Essel is a Medical Doctor with a keen interest in Lifestyle Medicine, He holds an MBA and is an ISSA Specialist in Exercise Therapy, Fitness Nutrition and Corrective Exercise. He is the author of the award-winning book, ‘Unravelling The Essentials of Health & Wealth.’
Thought for the week (1) – “The aging you want tomorrow begins with the choices you make today.” What choices are you making? Time to reflect.
(2) – “Mammograms are key to early detection of breast cancer, and they can also provide clues to heart health. Women who have calcium buildup within the arteries of the breast are at a 51 per cent higher risk for heart disease and stroke than women who do not.”
By Dr Kojo Cobba Essel