RENEW for LIRS by DocSays Nigeria

March/April 2011

renew ISU IBEJI Can Eating Yam Give You Twins?

MOST DANGEROUS SURFACES AT WORK

Too Busy For

SEX?

Truth Or Rumour? Cell Phones & Cancer

SIX

Do Fat Men Do It Better?

Health Resolutions Time For An Audit Of Your

.. . N

O O

r a e in on G e r N F Semtati I l M h t u l s CO HeaCon &

editor's note

ith great pleasure I sign unto you the first edition of Renew, the health newsletter of the Lagos Internal Revenue Service. Renew is brought to you bi-monthly, under a collaboration with DocSays Integrated Services and the LIRS management, to improve the health of the LIRS family

. We know that good health equals better morale, especially at the work place. In this edition, we discuss auditing your New Year Resolutions, ways to improve your productivity at the office, and tips for health and beauty, food and diet, emergency childcare, at the home and office. Have you tuned into the Doctor at DocSays? Check inside for details in your premium health show on radio and how to participate. We know that this will be an interesting friendship. Let's Begin. Your Best health, the best You! Dr. Adepeju O. Adeniran..

Publisher Lagos State Internal Revenue Service Photography Courtesy of Getty Images Additional Stock Images from Caprice productions

Letters to the Editor doctor@docsays.com editor@docsays.com Graphics Design & Production C. I. PLUS info@ciplusonline.com

Caprice Productions P.O.Box 1232 Agege, Lagos. Telephone: 08060464883.

4 Sandwich Generation

Titus Fish

1 Are You Raising An Obese Adult?

1 Too Busy For Sex ?

Having Trouble Sleeping?

Can This Yam Cell Phones Give You Twins? & Cancer

Renew is apublication of Docsays for LIRS All images, content and material in this publication belong solely to Renew, a Docsays publication for LIRS, except when otherwise stated. All right reserved. Caprice Productions 2010.

Sub-standard Anti-malarials

Six Most Dangerous Surfaces At Work

Art Direction Caprice productions Circulation 2,500 copies controlled

features

1 Just Had A Baby?

1 Do Fat Men Do It Better?

1 Does Size Really Matter?

Questions? Tel: 08033039189 | e-mail: editor@docsays.com

Renew | 1

Six Most Dangerous Surfaces At Work You already work in an environment that is shared by more than one person.

Whether this environment is where you work, or where you live, you should know that the more people are in a certain place, the more germs tend to be in that place. As humans, we are huge reservoirs of germs; we carry them all over our bodies. Even though many of these germs are essentially harmless to us, in that they are not normally capable of producing infection and disease in people, some of them, if not guarded against, could be transmitted to other people and eventually be responsible for disease. The biggest culprits in human disease transmission are the intestinal germs. Intestinal germs are known also known as “toilet germs”, and are one of the most notorious causes of

diseases of community relevance. These “toilet germs” are transmitted by hand-tohand contact. But wait! You don't touch people's hands, you may be thinking. You hardly shake people, so you must be safe, right? Wrong.

Docsays in this edition brings to you the several ways in which you may be sharing surfaces, and therefore touching hands with other people, who you don't know where their hands have just been touching. 6 MOST DANGEROUS SURFACES AT WORK THE TOILET DOOR: Many people still do not practice good hand washing techniques. This means that most surfaces touched in the toilet are carrying

SUB-STANDARD

ANTIMALARIALS Before you take that malaria medicine…….. According to recent scientific research that has just been released by the WHO, nearly one third of anti-malarial medicines in the drug market could be sub-standard.

manners. But when you shake hands with people and you don't know the last places that they might have touched; you may have just exposed yourself to some germs.

intestinal germs from faeces. In particular, surfaces like the toilet flush handle, the tap handle and the doorknob, especially on the inner side of the door are primary targets for germ deposition. THE OFFICE PHONE: Many offices have the main phone being manned by the receptionist, and most other people have their personal cell phones. But in cases where there is a general phone where any one can answer, touching this surface without wiping the handle, or even wiping the mouthpiece is one easy way to flirt with germs. THE OFFICE WATER DISPENSER: This one is a bit tricky, because ideally, hands should not touch the surface that dispenses water into the cup. But sometimes this happens and it is one of the most dangerous sources of germ contamination, because, since you will be getting water to drink, the germs will go straight into the mouth. A SHARED KEYBOARD: All the fingers and the pad of the hands touch the computer keyboard surface. If someone with unclean or contaminated hands should use the computer just before you, you are likely to get those germs that have been passed unto the

Now that you know how easy it is to get your hands contaminated, how could you possibly protect your hands and body from germs carried by other people? Wash hands regularly. Even when you may have caught germs from people that don't wash hands regularly, or well, you may be able to break this chain by making sure that you wash your hands as often as possible. When using machines like the ATM, consider using tools like the end of a pencil, or any other blunt, non-metal object to press the keys and not your bare hands. When using a public rest room, consider covering your hands with some paper towel or tissue paper, before touching any of the surfaces that were mentioned as being likely covered with toilet germs. Use a hand sanitizer. This little liquid in a container has been used for years in medicine, to prevent the transmission of germs and disease.

Now available in most supermarkets, a little dab in your hands every couple of hours while at work, will ensure in keeping you safe from germs

computer. -THE ATM MACHINE: this surface is not restricted to the office, but is open to everyone that has to use the cash machine convenience. Studies have shown that many ATM machines have a significant amount of intestinal germs or “toilet germs”, E. coli being a very popular one . HAND SHAKING: it is hard to avoid shaking hands in the office or any corporate environment, since hand shaking is now a common and accepted part of good It is quoted as saying “One in ten samples shows "extreme'" deviations in active ingredients or other standards — which could have lifethreatening implications” The highest incidence of failure was in Nigeria, with two-thirds of all samples failing WHO quality tests. "That means in Nigeria a patient is more likely to be treated with a substandard drug than one which meets quality specifications," said Lembit Rägo, the WHO's coordinator for quality assurance and medicines safety. This could account for the many cases of “resistant malaria” or so called “malaria

that cause disease. Keep to these tips, and we are sure that you will need not suffer from any of the contagious diseases caused by transmitted germs. complicated with typhoid” that many patients in Nigeria often get diagnosed with. (insert picture of anopheles mosquito)In this worrisome scenario, what does one do? The best medical advice therefore would be that prevention (using mosquito nets, draining stagnant water, and insecticide spray) continues to be the mainstay of the malaria combating drive.

2 | Renew

Titus Fish

f you go to any market in Nigeria, and ask for Mackerel fish, it is very likely that no one will know what you are talking about. However, if you mentioned the name; “Titus fish”, you are more likely to get a long black and silver fish brought to you.

Why? O v e r a l l , t h e consumption of red meat, or “Cow meat” or what we call “beef” in these parts have been shown to be implicated in the pathology of d i s e a s e s l i ke hypertension or high blood pressure, diabetes and high cholesterol. So fish, in the favor of red meat, is always a wise decision to make.

There are many species of fish sold in the market in Nigeria, but none is as popular as the “Titus”. This fish has been part of the diet for many years, especially in the coastal areas of the country, like Lagos. Some of us might remember well, those days when Titus was regarded exclusively as the poor man's fish. But for all those who laughed while the poor man ate Titus fish, this is some news that will make them re-think. Titus, or Mackerel is actually one of the best possible diets from the sea.

Isu-beji ...can eating this yam give you twins?

f you Have you heard the one about the yam and the twins?

Have you ever wondered if there is any truth behind it? Well, if you haven't, the full story is this: if you are trying (without success) to have a baby, or you are specifically trying to be pregnant with twins, there is a certain yam that you can eat and you will be able to conceive twins. This story has a basis: Yoruba women from western Nigeria, specifically in the local government area in the local government of Igbo-Ora, have the highest number of twin and multiple births in the world; (Consistently recorded since the 90's in the Guinness Book of World Records) The theory is that there is supposed to be a special yam, eaten by the women in these parts who want to conceive and want to have twins. This yam, called “Isu-ibeji” (yam of twins) is

But what kind of fish, and why “titus”? The Titus fish oil contains two essential fatty acids: DHA and EPA. Fishes like salmon, herring and sardines and as well as the faithful mackerel are some of the sources of these nutrients.

what makes them able to conceive as many times as they want. But is there any truth to this? It is not really known what makes the women conceive multiple births to the extent that they do, and the yam theory is as good as any. There are three major types of yam found in West Africa; Discorera. Rotundata, Discorera. Cayensis, or Discorera. Alata. The yam referred to as “Isu-beji” is likely to

be one of these species. But how does it do this? Wild Yam, breed of yam popular in the United States and Mexico, and a relative of “Isu-beji” is used extensively in alternative medicine as a therapy that helps women to regulate their menstrual cycle. It does this because it has a high amount of progesterone, which has benefits in hormonal control. Diosgenin is a synthetic steroid that is

But why are these nutrients important? Why should we care about how they affect us? Omega-8 essential fats are one group of essential fats that have been proven for being beneficial for the following health benefits: 1. Fish oils found in titus and some other special fish are beneficial in preventing the occurrence of certain heart diseases, especially those that are related to cholesterol and also making sure that those who have suffered from them before, there is no re-occurrence. 2. If you have ever wanted to have healthy hair and skin, you have a great bet in mackerel fish. 3. Titus is especially good for moisturizing the hair strands, so for curly African hair, it can help reduce breakage and retain length. 4. The health of eyes with vision and sparkle will benefit well from omega 8 essential oils. 5. Joint mobility and lubrication is also one advantage that people who take omega 8 nutrients, both as supplements and directly from the fish source. So if you want to be flexible in your old age, and have comfortable flexibility now, Titus fish is one of your best bets. So, the next time you are in the market, and you are wondering what kind of fish to buy, look in the “Titus” fish stall and take home a couple of this health-giving food.

gotten from Wild Yam and is used for the production of commercial medicines like contraceptives, modern hormones, general corticosteroids, androgens, estrogens, progestogens as well as other sex hormones. At the same time, some species of yam can produce estrogen-like effects. Estrogen is a hormone that is important in releasing eggs from the ovary, so perhaps there might be some possibility in the yam being a fertility food. So, what is the fact? At this point there is not verified scientific data that says that “Isu-beji” can give you babies or twins. But at the same time, there is not enough data that says that it doesn't help either. So, it is just as good as anything else that you might try. So if you are trying a baby, the next time you are being served a plate of yam, and it is “Isubeji” consider a second helping. It just might be the one to do the trick!

Yoruba women from western Nigeria, specifically in the local government area in the local government of Igbo-Ora, have the highest number of twin and multiple births in the world

Renew | 3

Truth Or Rumour? Cell Phones & Cancer ovens, which unlike ionizing radiation used by X-ray machines for instance, is unable to raise body temperature, and therefore unlikely to cause changes in DNA structure, one of the key steps in cancer development. -

HAVE YOU HEARD THIS ONE BEFORE? That using a mobile phone to can cause you to have cancer of the head or the neck. Or that putting the phone under your pillow or in your pocket could cause infertility. Many people have concerns such as this, and its not surprising, as there have been so many rumors about this, that its about time someone set the record straight. Many doctors have been asked this questions many times, so it was only right that Docsays sets the records straight. In truth, there have been conflicting reports by scientists; while some suggest that some head cancers are caused by using cell phones, some others have said that with their own research, these finding are completely baseless. Both the “for” and “against” parties agree on one thing, that cell-phones and cell phone towers use non-ionizing radiation, just like microwaves

the radiation from the phone is at its highest. You may use the speaker-phone function of your phone, or for privacy, use a Bluetooth wireless or wired headset. There truly is no need to put the call-phone under your pillow, apart from the health hazards, the pressure might even damage your phone. Reduce the amount of years of cell-phone radiation exposure, especially in children, by not giving them cell-phones too early Keep conversations short and too the point as much as possible

BUT, some scientific bodies of research, even though many others disagree, seem to have found a relationship with a certain type of head cancer called Glioma, and people who have had, and used cell-phones for over ten years, and have spent over 1,640 hours talking away on it As research is still ongoing, there are several ways They also claim that these head cancers are more for the dice to fall. In time and as technology likely to develop on the side of the head that the improves, mobile phone technology will possibly phone is placed. also produce safer phones, but until then, its (For most people, who are right-handed, this side always better to be safer than sorry and hang up is the right ear) more often. But these research results fail to mention that Docsays 2011. these cancers that seen in patients take years to develop, and these patients could also have been exposed to other factors in common apart from cell-phone usage, (cigarettes or alcohol use for example) SO, WHAT IS THE TRUTH? The fact is, no one is 100 percent sure. So what can you do to protect yourself from the possible risk of cancer from cell phones? When speaking on the phone, maintain a distance from the phone (antennae) and your body. This is one of the times when

aving trouble sleeping? Few tips that can help you get better rested.

For so many people, not being able to sleep is a real problem that affects their everyday life and ability to do work, or function productively.

Reconditioning. This technique reconditions people with insomnia to associate the bedroom with sleep instead of sleeplessness and frustration. It focuses on stimulus control and sleep hygiene education by suggesting strategies such as these:

There are many possible causes of sleeplessness, or as is called in medicine, insomnia.

Use the bed only for sleeping or sex, no watching TV, or working on your laptop.

It can also be short-term or long-term, depending on how long the person had suffered from it. Sleep- medication has become a popular way to treat sleep disorders and many patients even come to the doctor, asking to be prescribed drugs to “make them sleep”. Before you consider if drugs in the treatment of insomnia consider these tips to help you get some quality rest in the bedroom. SLEEP RESTRICTION People with insomnia tend to spend more time in bed, hoping this will lead to sleep. In reality, spending less time in bed — a technique known as sleep restriction — promotes more restful

HAVING TROUBLE SLEEPING? sleep and helps make the bedroom a welcome sight instead of a torture chamber. As the patient learns to fall asleep quickly and sleep soundly, the time in bed is slowly extended until it provides a full night's sleep. Some sleep experts suggest starting with six hours at first, or whatever amount of time the patient typically sleeps at night. Setting a rigid early morning waking time often works best. If the alarm is set for 7 a.m., a six-hour restriction means staying awake until 1 a.m., no matter how sleepy. Once the patient is sleeping well during the allotted six hours, he or she can add another 15 or 30 minutes until attaining a healthy amount of sleep.

Go to bed only when sleepy. If unable to sleep, move to another room and do something relaxing. Stay up until feeling sleepy, then return to bed. If sleep does not follow quickly, repeat.

During the reconditioning process, get up at the same time every day and do not nap. RELAXATION TECHNIQUES For some people with insomnia, a racing or worried mind is the enemy of sleep. In others, physical tension is to blame. A variety of techniques — such as meditation, breathing exercises, progressive muscle relaxation, and visualization of peaceful settings — can calm the mind and relax the body enough to foster sleep.

4 | Renew

Time For An Audit Of Your Health Resolutions

re you one of those that made health resolutions at the beginning of this year? Remember how motivated you were in January to carry out all the promises you made to yourself? It is three months into the year now, and especially if those resolutions are pertaining to your health, y o u should t ake some time to do a selfaudit about your progre ss.

access yourself and ensure you remain on the path that you want. ·Did you document your base line? Write down your starting weight, initial cigarette intake figures, initial alcohol intake figures, what your initial diet looks like etc. ·How do you motivate yourself? Have you

So, whether your resolutions were to quit smoking, lose weight, start exercising, reduce or eliminate alcohol intake, eat more fruits and vegetables, have safe sex, do regular medical check-ups, read up on a few points to

visualized a healthier you? A slimmer you? If you have an old picture where you look the healthiest and happiest, always display it where you can see it ·How many people are aware of the changes or resolutions that you want in your life? They can help by encouraging you, monitoring you

A R E YO U I N T H E SA N DW I C H GENERATION? Very many Nigerian workers, and married couples now can be classified as members of the Sandwich Generation, meaning they are parenting their own children and taking care of their parents at the same time.

SANDWICH GENERATION

These couples face major stress in their finances, emotions, and relationships. What happens to a couple's dreams for a secure retirement, travel, and slowing down? It is not all as news though, as there could be advantages to more than one generation living under a roof; it could enhance a family's sense of well-being, provide a sense of belonging for younger children, assist teenagers in moving on to adulthood, and eases the burden of chores due to the extra helping hands. Without help however, some couples could end up feeling frustrated, unappreciated and even over-stretched. If this is what you are going through, here is some advice from DocSays that could help you survive that process.

and keeping you on the right path. ·What is your reward system? Do you have a personal method of encouragement? Do you take a holiday; buy yourself a dress, a book, or even a simple meal? ·How often do you do an audit of where you are with your resolutions? Weekly is ideal for mini-audits, but if it is for a resolution that will take about a year t o achie v e , ever y three mont h s will b e helpf ul ·How guilty do you make yourself feel when you slip up? Being strict on yourself is helpful, but beating yourself up too much is guaranteed to be retrogressive, and not progressive. DocSays 2011

Take care of yourselves and do what you need to do to stay healthy. This includes having some fun and living life to the fullest! Don't put your lives on hold. Don't neglect your marriage. Make time for one another. Be practical. You can only do what you can do. Don't overload yourselves either emotionally, physically or financially.

wants to have responsibilities in your household. Let them be involved, productive members of the family. Protect your privacy and time alone as a couple and as individuals.

If you have “boomerang” (children who have left home already as adults, and have returned to live with the family) children returning home, make sure all your expectations have been shared. Call them to be responsible adults even though they are living in your home.

Don't be afraid to ask for help from community and governmental resources.

If you decide to have an aging parent live with you, again, share all your expectations. Remember that your parent can and probably

Start talking now about the possibility of someday being part of the Sandwich Generation. How do you think you would

Realize that any unfulfilled dreams may cause problems in your marriage. Talk about these with one another.

5 | Renew

ARE YOU RAISING AN OBESE ADULT? make the error of thinking that having obese children is a sign of good parenting, and good living. However, obese and inactive children have been shown to have a higher risk of developing chronic diseases like childhood diabetes, asthma, allergies, precocious puberty and a many other conditions. Therefore, making sure that children grow up healthy often entails keeping them at the ideal weight for their age and their size.

To determine if someone, or a child, is obese or not, the BMI is calculated, and this is done by dividing the weight of the child over the height measurement squared. (Usually determined by a doctor).

he percentage of children in Nigeria that becoming overweight is increasing enough, for a genuine cause of concern for parents and health-care providers Also the average weight of children overall has also grown to, and remained at, an all-time high. In Africa, and Nigeria specifically, many parents

To ensure that you avoid raising an obese child, or to help if you are already dealing with having one, here are a few tips that could help you to cope. Only a doctor, or a qualified dietician or pediatrician can help you determine if your child is obese or not. It is specific for each child's height and bone mass; so don't go concluding simply based on the fact that your child looks “fat”. Take charge of the food choices in your home. If there isn't junk food in your store,

pantry or fridge, your child cant eat junk food. Stock instead, healthy foods like fresh fruits and vegetables. Good food can be fun food. Cut up fruits like pineapples, apples, paw-paws and vegetables like carrots, cucumber and melons into small attractive sizes and serve them on colored plates to make them more attractive to kids. Exercise time is fun time! Design games that make them run, jump and skip around to make sure they are having fun while being active. Restrict television and video games. It is one of the easiest ways for children to start to live a sedentary life. One hour, per day is adequate for most children. Make sure their nannies and help are with you on the project and do not “television-raise” the children. Never use food as reward or punishment. Many parents give sweets and ice-cream when the child has been “good” and restrict them when the child has been “bad”. Many children will from here develop negative attitudes towards food. Lead by example. If you live a healthy lifestyle, your child will tend to follow your example.

Docsays 2011.

when you have just returned from a stressful shopping session in the market, do not do anything, but take the child to the hospital.

Something

in their ear? Quick tips that you can

Calm the child. You can even tell a few jokes. Try not to look distressed, worried or annoyed. Do not scold the child at this point.

Get a light source. A torchlight with a good focal point is helpful. A pen torch is even better.

Hold the lower end of the affected ear, pull gently and shine the light source in. Can you see the object?

If the object is farther in than you can see it, do nothing. Take the child to the hospital at once.

If you can see the object, try to determine what it is, you could ask the child questions to help you get a better picture of what you are dealing with.

try in the home.

utting objects into the ear is a common thing for many young children to do; in part, it is due to their fascination with their body parts and still learning about their environment. The fact that children often play outside, among vegetation is another reason why insects, twigs and other plant parts might find their way into the ear canal of children. Most adults can complain and explain clearly if this should happen to them, but with children, it is not so easy. Sometimes the only symptoms that one would get from a child with an object in the ear is showing symptoms of an earache without any fever or temperature increase, especially if the child has been playing with small object.

These include your child seeming distracted, pulling on the ear, scratching ear or upper jaw, etc. The first thing that you must determine when faced with this kind of scenario is to know when to get help. And also know your own capabilities. If you cannot hold an uncomfortable child for long enough to do an examination, or you are unable to show the required amount of patience to deal with this, then take the child to the emergency room to see the doctor at once. If however, you are willing, and able to help at home before heading off the doctors, then the following tips might help you. You must remain very calm. If this situation is coming up after a day at the office, or

There are three major ways to remove objects. The first is simply by gravity. Ask the child to face the ear canal of the affected ear towards the ground and hold the head that way for a while. Continue on Pg 10

6 | Renew

Just Had

A Baby?

o you had your baby, and all went well.

You wouldn't change the experience for the world, and you love the feeling of being a new mom. You have been told that your body will return to its previous shape and size, but you are not convinced that this is true because it seems to be taking a very long time. And the fat in your mid-section does not seem to be going anywhere, any time soon. For many women, this situation is a real concern. More women tend to complain about this when they have their first baby. This is quite understandable because it can be hard, to prepare for how the body can change with a pregnancy. It also seems to be true that the more times a woman is pregnant, the harder it becomes for her body, especially for the fat in the mid-region to return to the regular dimensions. All too many myths abound about the best ways to be rid of the abdominal fat and the all too common stretch marks that go along with the carrying a baby. We take a quick look at some of these, and the best ways to be rid of the bulging afterbaby midriff. TRUE. 1. The state of your abdominal muscles before you have your baby will determine what happens after pregnancy. People who exercise, especially those exercises that focus on the midriff, have a better chance of retaining their pre-baby shape that those who don't. So, even if you have a â&#x20AC;&#x153;flatâ&#x20AC;? stomach before you got pregnant, but do not exercise to strengthen your muscles, they may lose their strength and stretch, and flatten out during

the pregnancy period. FALSE 2. Binding the stomach works to help retain the shape of the stomach by strengthening the muscles. The results seen with banding are so diverse that is not very helpful to recommend it as a method to help repair the abdominal muscles. Binding does not work, and neither will the use the hot water cloth compress on the skin. This could even in fact be simply harmful to the skin, while not doing much or the muscles they are supposed to aid. TRUE 3. Exercises on the abdomen can be started as soon as two months after childbirth. Except you have had a caesarian birth, in which case you need at least t h re e p o st - o p examinations by your doctor before you are given the all-clear, you can actually start/resume mild to medium exercises on your abdomen after you have delivered your baby. For caesarian birth, you want to watch out for your stitches and make sure that they are properly healed before you start exercising. TRUE 4. Disguise will help you. Before you worry too much about the state of your stomach so that it makes you unable to focus on any thing more, consider buying clothing that helps to hide the shape of your stomach while you continue to work towards being in shape. Clothes are too tight or stretch too much will not help in making that bump smaller. If you must wear fitted clothes, look for undergarments that have spandex in them, or that support your flesh.

Too busy for SEX? Quick tips to make sure you can balance work and your love life. For too many people, working at the job takes out most of what the day is supposed to give you, so that at the end of each day, you end up drained, and all you want to do is roll into bed and sleep. If you are an adult in a relationship however, this can take a huge toll out of your sex life, and in extreme cases, pose a big risk to the health of your relationship. So, if you want to keep the fire going sex-wise, but you run long hours at work and worry about not being able to hold it together, follow our Docsays tips to help you keep the vroom in the bedroom. Schedule it. While this might come as a mood killer to many, the very act of scheduling a day for couple time, is a sure turn-on for many. When you schedule a time, make what happens during the schedule up to you. Sometime, all that you might want to do is a little fore-play, stopping short of actual sex, this is fine too. Don't put any added pressure on yourselves, or each other.

Create and maintain the mood for the evening by communicating about what is to come to your partner, during the day time. You are free to use your imagination to send erotic text messages or emails to fuel your drive (only do not use the office facilities for either of these, it is quite unprofessional to do so) Start to visualize sex before you get home. This might sound ridiculous in the middle of traffic where cars are honking and all, but by relaxing yourself to the thought of a nice erotic evening, you will begin to prepare your brain for what's to come after. Make your home environment sex-friendly. Remove evidence of work or the children (if you have any) from the bedroom, or the space that you want to re-connect in. Dress up for it. Chaange out of your office clothes, take a shower or bath, a mild massage and wear something comfortable; either loose-fitting or tight and sensual, depending on what excites your partner.

Next edition, a work out expert shows us exercises that a new mum can do, even at her Do not compare your love life to any other couple's; by way of frequency, regularity or intensity. Everyone desk at work, to improve her abdomen. develops their own rhythm that works for them.

7 | Renew likened to having the same amount of pain as a woman would have while in labour.

Do Fat Men Do It Better?

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (enlarged prostate): The prostate gland often enlarges with age. The prostate tends to enlarge more in men who are overweight. Prostate cancer: Obesity changes the metabolism of sex hormones. Some studies have shown that extra body fat, in cholesterol, increases a man's risk of developing prostate cancer.

We have all heard the myth about bigger

men having a bigger sexual appetite than men who are smaller in size. Myths of the “Mr big lover” are very common social legends. But does science agree? Growing evidence continue to suggest the opposite, and now latest research seem to point out why. The March 2011 issue of Harvard Men's Health Watch, tells us some of the ways that being overweight can affects a man's health: Less testosterone: Obesity lower s testosterone levels, which can affect muscle function and heart health. Testosterone is also one of the sexual hormones that is important in sexual drive. So decreased amounts, will reduce over all interest in,

he age-old quest to be a better lover for men invariably always comes back to the issue of size. There is often no subtle way to discuss penile size, as it is very related to the core of the male ego. No matter how much experts try to weigh in on the matter, it seems like there can be no final agreement on whether a “biggersized” man is better endowed to please a woman than a “smaller-sized” man. First, there if the issue of deciding what constitutes “smaller –size” and “biggersize”. Of the few surveys done on penis sizes, (not done in Nigeria) the average penis size came to be measured as 5.5 inches with 4.8 inches circumference.

This means that a “pressing” and “gentle wiggling” or making circular hip motion will make a better impression on your female lover than a “thrusting in-and-out” movement

And how is this for penis envy? it was found in a similar survey that penises fall into two categories; the “grow-ers” and the “show-ers”. The “grow-ers” are the men who increase very significantly when they become erect, even though they may not display a lot of length when un-excited. And the “show-ers” who have a significant

and ability to perform sexually. Erectile dysfunction: Men who are obese are more likely to experience erectile dysfunction (ED) than men with healthy weights. Weight loss can improve erectile function for overweight men. Fertility: Obesity has been linked to low sperm counts and reduced sperm motility, both of which can make a man less fertile. Kidney stones: Obese men are more likely than men with healthy weights to develop kidney stones, which are typically very painful. Kidney stones can make urination quite painful, passing a stone has been length when in a normal state, but do not increase by many degrees when they have an erection. Why are men so worried about penis size? Part of the reason is pornography; many men by the time they are grown, have watched a lot of movies that show unrealistically endowed men performing wonders and tend to compare themselves to these paid actors, selected for their unusual endowments. It makes most men believe that women want porn-star sized men as their lovers. Another important thing to also know is that the shape of every woman is individual and very different, depending on her over all size. Lets put it this way, a woman over 6 feet with a big nose, lips, eyes and mouth, will have a proportionate sized vaginal size. A smaller sized woman will also have a smaller vaginal size in proportion.

All these will have great effects on a man's well-being in general, but specifically, about four of the above points affect the sexuality directly. So, in spite of the myth, fatter men would actually be far better in the bedroom, if they shed some of the extra weight they presently carry, and to improve his sex life, he needs to start thinking bout weight reduction. Shedding excess pounds is hard, but possible, notes the Harvard Men's Health Watch. And if nothing, till now, had made you consider loosing weight before now, isn't better sex worth it? Docsays 2011

Does Size Really Matter? This basically means that most men will fit snugly into women, and be able to hit all the right buttons, so there is generally nothing for most men to worry about. Matter of fact, to be a lot clearer, the innervations of the vagina is concentrated in the lower one-third of the vagina, so in other words, beyond three inches into the vagina, a woman cannot feel much lengthwise.

These differences are very minute, and will only be seen when this organ is in extension.When the vagina is in its resting state, the walls connect with each other and it closes around whatever is inserted, regardless of size. It can hold snug around a tampon or it can stretch like elastic to deliver a baby.

So, what is important, the fact that the nerves are concentrated at the entrance and lower third means that “thickness” more then “length” might be important in a woman's pleasure. This means that a “pressing” and “gentle wiggling” or making circular hip motion will make a better impression on your female lover than a “thrusting in-and-out” movement. Where does this leave us?

You may be unaware that the vagina of a women who hasn't had a baby is a mere four inches when she's aroused, although it can lengthen to accommodate a penis up to nine inches long (so long as the penetration is slow).

So men, listen up! First, on average, you are bigger than you think, when being with woman, size is one of the least important factors to a successful sexual relationship or encounter, and technique, more than anything else, is the winning ticket.

8 | Renew

F i x i n g Yo u r C O O K I N G P O T

t is common practice nowadays not to throw old and leaking pots away. Instead, many people have resorted to fixing them up when they can by sealing the holes in them, and re-welding the broken off handles. For convenience in fact, many have resorted to using a DIY (do it yourself) device that helps to fix pots until they are “good as new”. This substance is very popular in the market

and is sold under the name (ton'jo) or (le pot). It is black and white cement-like substance that is mixed together and used to plug the hole in the pot until it is dry enough for use. But how safe is this metal epoxy to use in for utensils? Since pots are used in cooking food that are ultimately eaten, it is necessary to determine that these chemicals do not cause harm in ingested into our bodies. DocSays investigated this substance by laboratory tests, and this is what we found:

TRACE ELEMENTS OF THESE METALS* Cadmium - 0.0012% Zinc - 0.0044% Lead - 0.0032% Chromium - 0.0001% Aluminum - <0.0001% Arsenic - <0.0001% Well, what do these results mean? Generally not much, all these metals are within the ranges that they do not pose significant risk to the human body AT ANY ONE TIME ingestion. BUT , remembering that this metal epoxy will be used on a pot that will be put on fire (a heat source) over and over again everyday, there is the possibility that the chemicals could leach or “bleed” into the food being cooked over time. The greatest concern in this epoxy is the Lead levels that we found in our sample. It showed significant enough levels to warrant caution over continued exposure. Lead is a metal found in the environment that can be toxic to all organ systems in the body, and can cause some cancers. Pregnant women, babies, and children under six years of age are especially vulnerable to lead,

as during pregnancy, lead poisoning can lead to spontaneous abortions, stillbirth, and low birth weight. There is no safe level of lead—children can be harmed by very small amounts, even levels of exposure below 10 g/dL can interfere with healthy brain development and can lead to lower IQ, learning disabilities, behavioral problems (e.g. hyperactivity, aggressive behavior), speech delay, and hearing loss. High levels of lead poisoning can lead to irreversible brain damage and even death. So, to be on the safe side, proceed with caution when fixing your pots with these substances. In fact, if you practice good habits that will maintain the life on your pots, (in the second edition of RENEW, we will share these with you) and buy good quality pots in the first place, you will enjoy good service from your crockery for a long time. Better safe than sorry! *These values were found in one sample of the metal epoxy. Because it is not produced in standard factories and not regulated or tested, subsequent samples could have values that are much higher, or

BALANCE YOUR PLATE What does your typical plate look like? Are you aware of the balance of foods that you are supposed to eat to be healthy, get the energy you need, to prevent disease? Nutritionist agree that a working adult needs in a typical plate of food about 50% percent carbohydrates (complex carbohydrates are preferred above simple sugars), 20 % proteins and 30% fruits and vegetables, while fats and oils should be used sparingly.

In Nigeria , are we compliant with this formula? Sadly, not very. In fact your typical meal is a starch-filled meal, served with a red meat stew that is heavy with oil. In this edition of Renew, DocSays gives you a few ideas of what your typical plate can look like, and we hope that this inspires you next time you are in the kitchen. DocSays 2011.

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9 | Renew

DRIVE RIGHT

ore than one million cars are on the Lagos road, on every average day, Monday to Saturday. If you drive to work everyday, you might be one of those caught in the rush hourtraffic of between 6 to 10 am in the morning and 4 to 9pm in the evenings. Not surprisingly, many people who commute like this everyday invariably have to see the doctor for ailments that could result from stress, lack of sleep, and most importantly, bone and joint pains. Almost all of this is attributable to how

people sit when they drive and setting the car seat in the best way to offer support when they sit. This is why we thought to bring to you, the 5 top tips for posture while driving. 1.

Sit up straight and pull in your chin when driving, avoid thrusting your head.

When sitting, make sure that your back is flat against the back support; avoid sitting on anything that would throw your spine out, for example like putting something in your back coat pocket or a putting a small pillow in the middle of your back. Ladies, this is talking to you. 3. When you adjust the seat, make sure that your knees are slightly higher than your hips. You can put a wedge, or old pillow ON your seat, to achieve this. 4. Adjust the seat, so that you are as close to the steering wheel as possible. You know, the â&#x20AC;&#x153;learnerâ&#x20AC;? pose. Don't be scared that people will laugh at you. This position is better because it eliminates unnecessary reaching,

s a staff of the Internal Revenue Service, it is possible that some of your work involves being outdoors a lot.

Being outdoors in Lagos, means being exposed to a significant amount of sunshine daily. By now, you should know what science says about excessive sunshine exposure and the risks to the skin and body hydration. Excessive exposure could leave you the risk of conditions like precancerous and cancerous skin lesions, Benign tumors, Fine and coarse wrinkles, freckles, discolored areas of the skin, (hyper-pigmentation) and dilation of small blood vessels under the skin. So in this edition, DocSays brings to you some tips to help you cope with working in the sun. SEEK THE SHADE, especially during the sun's peak hours (10:00am4:00pm). Always wear a broad-spectrum sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 15 or higher. Sun damage occurs even on cloudy days. Only buy lotions and creams that have SPF in them, Keep newborns out of the sun. Sunscreens can be used on babies over the age of six months. Consider wearing cosmetics and lip protectors with an SPF of at least 15 to protect your skin year-round. -

which increases lumbar spine stress, as well as stress on your neck, shoulders and wrists. 5. Adjust the head-rest, so that it supports the middle of your head. LASTLY, an extra tip: Take breaks! If you can, get someone else to drive once in a while to change the routine and help your body to rest from the position of driving. And don't forget to be in good frame of mind. Slot in your favorite CD or church tape, inspirational tape before you start your driving journey. Drive safe, arrive alive!

Cover up with clothing, especially a broad-brimmed hat and UVblocking sunglasses. Dark colors provide more protection than light colors by preventing more UV rays from reaching your skin. A tightly woven fabric provides greater protection than loosely woven fabric. Get vitamin D safely through a healthy diet that includes vitamin supplements. Teach children good sunprotective practices, Children are highly susceptible to harmful UV radiation. Examine your skin from head to toe once every month. Have a professional medical examination annually. Approximately 23 percent of lifetime sun exposure occurs before the age of 18. Just one or two blistering sunburns in childhood can double the risk of developing melanoma. WEAR HATS! Face-caps, base-ball caps, even widebrimmed turbans will help you when going out to work. To protect your eyes from sun damage, WEAR SUNGLASSES that block 99 to 100-percent of UVA and UVB radiation. Some medications, such as antibiotics, can increase your skin's sensitivity to the sun. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information about the medications you are taking.

WORKING IN THE SUN

10 | Renew

Wonders of Vinegar

Something in their ear?

n spite of how hard you work, it is very likely that you would like a clean household. With that in mind, in this edition of Renew, DocSays compile for you some really helpful tips that are essential to making your job easier. So, you have a bottle of vinegar in your house, and you think all vinegar is good for is cooking and making salads. Because vinegar is a naturally occurring acid, these properties can help with much more than making your foods taste goods. In this edition of Renew, DocSays gives you a few interesting tips on what you could achieve with Vinegar. A cloth soaked in vinegar is helpful for cleaning your counter tops, it will kill all the germs and bacteria too. Do you have a smelly sink drain? No problem! mix one cup of baking soda with one cup of vinegar, pour down the smelling drain and leave for 10 minutes before flushing it away. Mix 1 part water with 1 part white distilled vinegar and use this with a cloth to clean the shelves and the walls of your fridge. Keep the inside of your dishwasher clean and sparkling by pouring a cup of it inside and running through a cycle. If you repeat this on

a regular basis, the inside of your dishwasher will soon look like new again. Do you get limescale building up inside your kettle ? Add a cup of it to the water in the kettle, bring to the boil, then leave overnight. In the morning rinse thoroughly with cold water. Do your lunch boxes smell of last weeks lunch? Soak a slice or cotton wool of bread with vinegar and leave it in the lunch box overnight. If you find that you have ants in the house in hot weather, they can be discouraged by spraying vinegar, undiluted, around doorways, windows and anywhere else you spot them. If you have every struggled to remove an adhesive label or price tag, then soak a cloth in white vinegar and cover the offending label. After being left overnight you will find the label just slides off. If your tile surface is looking old and discolored, you can spray it, undiluted, on the grout, and after a few minutes, use an old toothbrush to gently scrub it clean. Fed up of getting streaky limescale deposits on your shower doors or shower screen? Spray with vinegar undiluted, before you take a shower, and say goodbye to streaky glass

Continued from Pg 5 You may ask the child to lie down sideways, facing the affected ear down on the pillow. Many times this is all that is required. Another method is by liquid irrigation Most times, just warm water would be sufficient to do the job, but in the case of insects for instance, many people prefer to use oil. If you choose to use oil, a nonirritating, non-heavy oil like olive oil is suitable. Lightly flush the ear canal with water, (you may apply with a syringe) and wait to see if this dislodges the object, or in the case of an insect, if it causes it to float up. If it is an insect, make sure you kill it first before attempting to remove it. Insects will fight hard if alive and might even burrow in deeper, scaring the child. Flush with oil to

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kill, and then remove. CAUTION!!!: If you are attempting to use the water irrigation method, NEVER proceed of the object is a bean or a seed. When flushed with water, seeds/beans will absorb the water and swell, becoming even bigger inside the ear canal and making it more impossible to remove. The third method is the tweezer method. Have the child lie down flat and remain still. With a blunt-ended tweezer, gently grab hold of the object and pull it out. Avoid using too much pressure on the object with the tweezer grip, to avoid breaking it into pieces. Even after removing the object, keep checking with the torchlight from time to time, to determine if your operation was a success. Also ask your child if he feels any relief from the symptoms.