Category: Health

{It isn’t only women that should be mindful of their caffeine consumption, but men as well. According to a new US study, women have an increased risk of miscarriage if they or their partner consume two or more caffeinated drinks per day, in the weeks leading to conception.}

The study, carried out by researchers from the National Institutes of Health and Ohio State University, was based on data from the Longitudinal Investigation of Fertility and the Environment (LIFE) Study.

The Ohio State University study followed 501 couples in Michigan and Texas from 2005 to 2009, examining the relationship between fertility, lifestyle and exposure to chemicals in the environment.

However, this new study compared cigarette use, caffeinated beverage consumption and multivitamin use among 344 couples when the woman was carrying a single offspring. Of these pregnancies, 98 — or 28 percent — ended in miscarriage.

The researchers’ conclusions were based on a statistical concept called hazard ratio, which estimates the chances of a particular outcome occurring during the study period.

A ratio greater than one indicates increased risk for miscarriage each day following conception, while a ratio less than one indicates reduced daily risk.

The risk of miscarriage was 1.74 when the woman consumed more than two caffeinated drinks a day, the study showed.

However, the risk was almost as high — 1.73 — if the male partner drank that much caffeine or more.

“Our findings also indicate that the male partner matters, too,” said lead author Germaine Buck Louis, director of the Division of Intramural Population Health Research at the NIH. “Male preconception consumption of caffeinated beverages was just as strongly associated with pregnancy loss as females’.”

The study also found that taking a daily multivitamin significantly reduced the chance of miscarriage.

Taking a vitamin in the weeks leading up to conception had a hazard ratio of 0.45, a 55 percent reduction in risk for pregnancy loss.

The study was published in the journal Fertility and Sterility.

{Residents of Kinyinya sector in the commercial center of Batsinda have been urged to fight against HIV/AIDS.}

The call was made yesterday during the distribution of condoms among residents of Batsinda commercial center believed to have women and girls engaged in prostitution. The condom distribution exercise was in a bid to enable them to protect themselves from HIV/AIDS. Elsewhere, residents of Batsinda locality said that condoms cost Rwf 100 during the day and increase to Rwf 500 at night which affects people who are unable to afford such prices.

The distribution of condoms was organized by Gasabo district in collaboration with Rwanda Development Organisation (RDO).

The Gasabo district official in charge of health affairs, Nyiranyamibwa Herene said that a lot of attention was drawn to Batsinda locality because it has many people engaged in prostitution.

“The fact that this region has many prostitutes prompted us to organize this event of distributing condoms (life guards) which is among our responsibilities. We have a district budget for it and various partners to provide sponsorship tothis program of distributing condoms,” she said.

The leader of RDO , Rwibasira Eugene said that the rise of technology is among engines boosting youth’s involvement in sexual relations as they watch pornographic films .He further urged Rwandans to join efforts to fight against AIDS by keeping away from sexual relations or use condoms in cases where they cannot avoid.

Batsinda residents were given voluntary HIV/AIDS tests and received condoms.

{Bee keepers in Gicumbi district say they have experienced development since they started practicing modern apiculture (bee keeping) and encourage others to join the trade.}

“I have practiced bee keeping profession for 11 years. In the past we ignored the profession thinking honey harvesting is only meant for mixing it with sorghum beer. However, we later received trainings and we were collected in cooperatives where we started exercising our trade using modern hives which keep our bees secured even in rainy season,” said one of Gicumbi bee keepers Kimenyi François.

This is also attested by another bee keeper, Ndagijimana Jean Marie Vianney: “Bees do not require feeding, watering or veterinary expenses. The bee keeper is only required to maintain hygiene of hives. How can people say that they are running out jobs when bee keeping can bring returns?” he wondered.

Ndagijimana says that he has bought four fields of trees worth Rwf 2 million from bee keeping earnings.

Agri Technology Innovation and Consultancy director, Musoni Célestin, said that there is no reason for neglecting beekeeping.

“We have been working with bee keepers in Gicumbi district for two years. People at first neglected bee keeping. We started offering trainings to those who showed interest and provided modern tools for the apiculture. They later started enjoying benefits of bee keeping. It is not complicated to breed bees since one can breed them without interference with other activities,” he said.

Even though bee keepers appreciate the growth of bee keeping in the area, they say the problem of pests and diseases attacking trees has reduced the flowering regimes which affects nectar collection and honey production by the bees.

Beekeepers have therefore requested stakeholders to address the matter of pests and diseases which are devastating forests.

Bee keepers from various sectors of Gicumbi today work together in 20 cooperatives.

{Rwanda has introduced a new system of testing patients’ blood or blood donated to them known as Apheresis Technique using Blood fractionation.The newly introduced system will especially be useful to the patients cancer and malaria among others.}

The new system has already started in Rwanda Military Hospital in March 2016 .The Blood fractionation machine helps in the process of removing unwanted component parts of blood.

The introduced machine has the ability to remove one of the three main components of white and red blood cells and plasma and a patient s administered with what his body might be lacking.

For instance as aggravated malaria attacks red blood cells, the machine has the capacity of removing contaminated cells for replacement with healthy ones.

Ten Rwandan doctors are being trained by German medical experts on the operation of the machine.

An expert in diseases transmitted through blood, Dr Fabien Ntaganda said that the launched machine will improve treatment of diseases.

“It will ensure that only desired components of blood are selected for transfusion which will as well increase life expectancy,” he said.

Before it was introduced, people in need of its services would be referred to India, German or South Africa.

{Getting enough sleep is important for our wellbeing. A lack of sleep can lead to an irritable mood and it’s also detrimental to a person’s health. The body needs between 6 to 8 hours of sleep every night.}

According to experts, below are 7 foods that will help you sleep better.

{{1. BEANS}}

Beans and other high protein foods like meat, fish, seeds and nuts can help you sleep better because they provide the body with melatonin which is needed for good sleep.

{{2. COCONUT WATER}}

Coconut water can help promote a better night’s sleep. The body needs balanced levels of potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and sodium to avoid cramping and restless legs at night which can lead to disturbed sleep. Coconut water is a good source of these minerals.

{{3. HERBAL TEA}}

Herbal teas like chamomile can help promote a better night’s sleep because it increases glycine in the body which relaxes the nerves and muscles, ensuring you sleep better.

{{4. OATS}}

Oats release energy into the body gradually which helps keep your blood sugar levels stable.

{{5. PUMPKIN SEEDS}}

Pumpkin seeds will also help you sleep better due to its high magnesium content which allows the muscle fibres in the body relax.

{{6. TURKEY}}

Turkey helps you sleep better due to its high levels of tryptophan which is an amino acid that converts into serotonin and then melatonin. Melatonin is needed by the body for good sleep.

{{7. CHERRIES}}

Cherries help increase the body’s melatonin levels which is a hormone needed for good sleep.

{Eating the right food is really important as a nursing mother. A healthy diet is important for breastfeeding mothers as it helps maintain a healthy milk production and composition as well as help keep the body healthy.}

Check out 8 best foods for breastfeeding mothers below.

{{1. BLUEBERRIES}}

Blueberries are filled with vitamins and minerals every nursing mother needs.

{{2. MILK AND OTHER LOW-FAT DAIRY PRODUCTS}}

Milk and other dairy products like yoghurt are rich in calcium which is needed to help your baby’s bones develop.

{{3. ORANGES}}

One very important nutrient nursing mothers need is vitamin C and oranges are rich in vitamin C.

{{4. WATER}}

You need to make sure you are adequately hydrated as a nursing mother to keep your energy levels and milk production up.

{{5. SALMON}}

Salmon is rich in DHA which is a type of fat that is crucial to the development of a baby’s nervous system.

{{6. EGGS}}

Eggs are rich in proteins which are needed by nursing mothers.

{{7. LEAFY GREENS}}

Leafy greens are filled with vitamin A which is good for nursing mothers and the baby.

{{8. BEANS}}

Beans are good for breastfeeding mothers and are rich in high quality non-animal protein.

{Apart from the fact that the average human has about 32 teeth, what else do you know about the teeth (both for humans and animals)? Well, I’ll let you be the judge of that after reading this post.}

1. The hardest part of the human body is the tooth enamel.

2. About 80% of dental injuries sustained by kids usually occur to their front teeth.

3. According to research, 50% of people say a smile is the first thing they notice about other people.

4. In the United States alone, about 14 million gallons of toothpaste is consumed annually.

5. An average person spends about 38 days of their life brushing their teeth.

6. Snails have 7 teeth less than the average human — 25, and they’re found on their tongue.

7. Once a tooth gets knocked out, it starts to die in about 15 minutes.

8. An average human produces enough saliva to fill 2 swimming pools in his lifetime.

9. You can make a knocked out tooth live longer by placing it in milk or holding it in your mouth.

10. Mosquitoes have about 47 teeth.

11. Milk teeth actually starts to form in the womb, but are not visible until after 6 months – one year of a baby’s birth.

12. Brushing daily reduces your chances of suffering tooth decay by 25%.

13. Unlike humans who have 2 sets of teeth in their lifetime, sharks have 40.

14. Anually, students around the world lose 51 million hours of school due to dental health related issues.

15. 1/3 of the teeth are found inside the gums.

16. There are more bacteria in the mouth than there are people in the world.

17. Remember George Washington? He only had one real tooth!

And those were some facts about the teeth. I hope you have learned a thing or 2 from this post. Do not forget to share this with your friends and family, so they too can learn.

{It’s common knowledge that women love to eat a little extra when pregnant, but this study would make women think twice before they reach for that extra piece of anything they crave.}

A research conducted by British researchers from the universities of Bristol and Exeter found that overweight mums tend to give birth to larger babies.

The researchers examined data from more than 30,000 healthy women and their babies across 18 studies.

All the women had European ancestry and lived in Europe, North America or Australia. They gave birth between 1929 and 2013.

The researchers examined genetic variants associated with women’s body mass index, blood glucose and lipid levels and blood pressure, together with measurements of those characteristics during pregnancy and babies’ birth weights.

A four-point higher body mass index (BMI) for mothers’ results in a 1.9 ounce (54 grams) higher birth weight for babies, the researchers found.

Researchers also determined ratios for correlations between higher glucose levels in mothers’ blood and higher birth weights, as well as higher blood pressure in mothers and lower birth weights.

“The estimated associations between these maternal traits and birth weight (either increased or reduced) are substantial and of clinical importance,” the authors wrote.

The researchers also found that lipids, or fat levels, in mothers’ blood do not appear to affect baby sizes, contrary to the findings of some previous studies.

According to Rachel Freathy of the University of Exeter Medical School, who co-wrote the report: “Being born very large or very small can carry health risks for a newborn baby, particularly when that’s at the extreme end of the spectrum”.

Nyabihu residents that seek medical services at Nyakiriba health center in Rugera sector say that the poor road makes it difficult to access services especially when they are transferred to Shyira Hospital.

It takes caretakers and patients an hour from Nyakiriba center to Shyira Hospital; in case they are referred, carrying patients on heads.

“We are living in far remote areas.The maternity ward is very small and it takes over one hour carrying a patient on heads to reach Shyira hospital,” Mahirwe Claire, a resident told IGIHE.

The poor road network also affects the quality of drugs since they are carried to Nyakiriba by hand or bicycles, exposing them to heat and eventual damage.

“When drugs are brought by cars ,we look for people to bring them at the hospital in sacs .The pharmaceuticals reach the health after exposure to weather conditions, including hot sun and rain, leaving them susceptible to damage” Nyiramahirwe Claudine ,the assistant director of Nyakiriba Health Center explained.

She added that inadequate materials and small building especially the maternity room are among challenges resulting in the delivery of poor services.

Patients also lament of lack of fence and intermittent power supply at Nyakiriba health center since they only use solar powers which is not guaranteed as the region often experiences precipitation.

Nyakiriba health center with eleven nurses receives between 45 and 60 patients per day.