renew
May/June 2011
THE EXERCISE EDITION: get a better life and better body with Onyikan
O G N A M T IS THA
? S U O R E DANG
. . . e d i s n i See Is the
M O D N O C E L A FEM ? u o y For your h t i w e f lly sa a e r u o y Are ?
P A O S C I TISEPT
AN
? P L E H E US O H A G law... N e I h t R I k a H re u dont b
re yo u s e k a M
Can You
ex S e h T e s Choo
y? b a B r u o Y Of
Editor's Note
I
'm very excited about this edition! In the last edition, I promised that this one would focus on exercises and how to include that into your everyday lives.
Even though we know that most of us live busy lives, we go to the office, drive through the traffic, have to deal with the children and house chores, then prepare for work the next day... it seems like we could never have time to exercise.We also like to say that exercises are something that we “don't do” in Africa, but in this edition we bring someone who assures us that this is not true. I'm so excited to introduce to Renew; OyinkanTalabi. We are indeed lucky to have Oyinkan featured here, because she is a famous, certified body-fitness trainer who will show us how to change our lives for the better. Oyinkan believes that with little steps every day, we could have the life we want, and the body we deserve. Did you know it could be dangerous to eat fruits? Even though fruits are one of the best ways to do good to our body, the activities of some people have turned this once safe habit into one that could be unsafe to do. You might wonder why this magazine, Renew is being published and delivered at Would you like to win a brand new body? Turn your desk. At the LIRS. We realize your importance and we do not consider you further into the pages and see how two lucky just as staff, but as a family that works together. The structure that allows the readers could win the chance to turn their lives LIRS to perform would not work, were it not for you. What you do is important to around. LIRS, your role is important, it is imperative for you to continue to do what it is Even though we don't have a summer season here, that you do. enjoy the sunlight and the plenty opportunity to It is therefore our intention that you always remain in the best state of health to carry out all your daily activities in the home, and especially in the office, and in all, you continue to maintain a visualize the body that you will soon have! satisfactory level of living. So from the desk of the Chairman, and the Renew Renew will be regularly delivered to your desk, and in it you will read about the health tips from a team of editorial team, be healthy and happy! medical experts on living well and maximizing your life in general.
From The Chairman's Desk
Welcome to Renew! The Chairman Babatunde Fowler.
O
yinkan has been a fitness enthusiast for over 15 years and she is trained in Weight Management (FIT UK), Pilates ( Stott Pilates UK) and Kick boxing (Ian Fox training UK). See more about Onyinkan inside
Features
Publisher Lagos State Internal Revenue Service Photography Courtesy of Getty Images Additional Stock Images from Caprice productions Art Direction Caprice productions Letters to the Editor doctor@docsays.com editor@docsays.com
Hiring A Househelp
Are Antiseptic Soaps Harmful?
“Dangerous fruits...”
Graphics Design & Production C. I. PLUS info@ciplusonline.com 08023207248, 08062741811 Renew is a publication 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.
“The Female Condom”
Wellness Way Forward
Choosing The Sex Of Your Baby
Questions? Tel: 08060464883 | e-mail: editor@docsays.com
All right reserved. Caprice Productions 2010. Caprice Productions P.O.Box 1232 Agege, Lagos. Telephone: 08060464883.
Renew | 1
HIRING A HOUSEHELP what you should know
and work in large cities, and Lagos is no exception. The common practices that are associated with hiring help makes it difficult sometimes to determine what is ethically right, and what is not. According to the ethics of medicine and the Lagos state laws however, there are some things that you are not permitted to do.
L
ike most people who live and work in Lagos, it is practically impossible to work and run a house hold without the extra help from domestic staff, especially if you have children. It used to be that a social support system involved relatives who were around to pick up the slack, but in modern times, most home keepers find themselves having to go through it alone, and only with paid assistance. Though they are necessary to running the household for most of us, most people know by now that the process of screening, hiring, and retaining domestic staff is one that gives many home owners headaches. “Kemi” is 31 years old, and wrote the Renew Magazine team, via email about a problem she has. “I do some social work in my church, and have been educated about children's rights and other legal ethics that could affect me in dealing with people. Nine months ago, I started working with the Lagos Internal Revenue Service, and since I currently have two small children, it became necessary to hire some help to take care of them at home. My mother brought me two candidates that a friend of hers recommended and I'm thinking of taking on one of them. The first one i rejected because, even though i know she was lying to me about her age, I felt she was too young to be employed as a house help. As for the second one which i hired, I was about to have her start the job, when i friend of mine recommended that she goes to the hospital to go and have some medical tests done on her and her results read to me. Something in my spirit has not entirely agreed with this, so i sought medical opinion on what is right or wrong about it” Thanks so much for your email Kem!. What you described is a typical situation for many people who live
1. You are not permitted to hire underage children (under 18 years) for any kind of labor, domestic labor included. It is especially dangerous to get “children” to watch over children. 2 .It is unethical for medical personnel to carry out tests of confidentiality on a person/ patient with theobvious intention of disclosing the results to a third-party (in this case the employer). In other words you CANNOT force a person to go for pregnancy, HIV, TB, and hepatitis tests and insist that they show their results. It is illegal. 3. This is especially important in the case of diseases of legal consequence like HIV and TB. For TB, which is a disease of community importance, cases of infection should be reported to the health authorities(and not to an employer). 4.There are laws against discrimination of people living with HIV when it comes to employment. Get acquainted with them. 5.You CANNOT force a would-be employee of yours to disclose whether they have done a health-test on certain diseases and to divulge the results of the same test. All these rules do make it look like it is impossible to hire good help Kemi; it looks like at your own risk, but this is where the law on medical ethics concerning hiring childcare staff stands. You might do better by hiring from employment agencies, who will do a better job of staying within the required rules and regulations on your behalf. All the best luck! Docsays 2011
Antiseptic Soaps Harmful?
C
ould Antiseptic soap be bad for you? Because of the amount of germs that we are in contact with on average every day, it makes a lot of sense to be extra careful what we do with our hands to ensure that we do not infect ourselves and others from the germs that we pick up.In Nigeria, hand-washing campaigns are a significant part of the drive to keep germs, especially in the house-hold, at bay. Some of these have been spear-headed by manufacturers of soap, and especially popular antibacterial ones. BUT COULD ANTIBACTERIAL SOAPS POSSIBLY BE BAD FOR YOU? Some experts, like the AMA (American Medical Association) since 10 years ago, have advised caution when using antibacterial soaps. This is because; while they do have advantages overall with cleansing the skin of germs and dirt, exposing the skin always to chemicals that reduce germs could actually contribute to bacterial resistance. How? Well, naturally the body is designed to be able to fight off most of the harmful effects of bacteria when the immune system is working properly. But to be effective, the immune system must be exposed, even though gently, to the very bacteria that it is supposed to fight. Does this mean that we are saying being dirty is the only way to being healthy? Well, not quite. The American Medical Association (AMA), and a number of scientists, point out that there is no evidence that these products stop infection any better than regular soap, and they worry that increased use of antibacterial products might lead to antibiotic-resistant bacteria. This is because the bacteria strains that survive the constant exposure to the antibacterial components of soap;triclosan (for liquid soaps) and triclocarban (for hard soaps), would end up overall being very strong, possibly drug-resistant strains. With that announcement also, it was proclaimed that alcohol-Based Sanitizers are probably much safer to use, simply because of their own main ingredient is alcohol, (up to 97%) in some cases, which is technically impossible to develop resistance to. INDUSTRY DENIES THERE IS A PROBLEM Promoters and manufacturers of these soaps however, say that studies have shown antibacterial soaps cause no increase in bacterial resistance to antibiotics, although the studies quoted did say that long-term use of the products could be problematic and should be studied. The conclusion? Like everything else, you might do yourself some good by exercising caution, and sticking to the laws of common sense than relying on antibacterial soaps as the last, or only means of defending your good health. Take note of all the dangerous surfaces, where germs are most likely to hide, and try to avoid when you can, coming in contact with them with your hands. Prevention is better than an antibacterial soap wash!
Docsays 2011
2 | Renew
“Seasonal fruits”: could they be dangerous to your health?
T
here are many benefits to enjoying the fruits and vegetables that are available for consumption in the right season, as fruits provide the necessary nutrients, and many contain the essential anti-oxidants that help to prevent disease and repair damaged cells. Seasonal fruits are especially beneficial because the fact that they are locally grown and harvested, means that they do not have to travel too far to get to the consumer's hands. Therefore they arrive at your “plate”, still full of all the benefits intact. The activities of some people who trade in fruits however, could make the process of eating fruits not just far from a beneficial one, but a dangerous one. How? Well, since it could take some time before the fruit in your hand gets to the market from the hands of the farmer, it has been found that, plucking the fruit when it is already ripe, could cause for the fruit to have rotted before it can be sold. Therefore, most farmers pluck fruits from the tree just before it ripens so that the trader could transport it for days to the market where it would be sold without the fruits overripening or rotting. So, a lot of fruits are harvested when they are still green and unripe on the tree. When they are thus harvested, they are furthermore ripened in the market stalls just before being sold. It is easy to ripen a fruit that has already been plucked from a tree: most of the time, all you need do is to leave the fruit in a place where it gets enough air around it, and the process of ripening happens all by itself. But for some traders, this is not enough to ripen fruits on time, and to make sure that maximum profits are reaped from the agricultural ventures, short-cuts to fruits ripening are often taken. A fruit could naturally ripen by itself from the actions of a natural gas called ethanol. Ethanol is present in nature, and is also released from ripening fruit. This means that when an unripe fruit is placed in close contact with a ripe one producing ethanol, it would naturally ripen. In fact sometimes an already
rotting fruit placed in a bag of unripe ones would make all of them ripen much faster than when left by themselves. This is in fact, where the saying: “One bad apple spoils the whole bunch” comes from. Ripening fruits with rotting ones is a safe method of processing fruits for consumption. SOME OF THE OTHER WAYS MAY NOT BE AS SAFE.
season now, to show you how to recognize them. The one on the lower right corner of the basket has dark patches on it which could indicate carbide ripening You would notice some dark spots and blotches on the skin of the mango. You find that it is evenly ripened. Normally, fruits tend to ripen from one end to the other and not uniformly across the whole fruit. You might find scratches and pricks on the skin of the fruit. This is because some people would scratch and pierce the skin of the fruit so that the carbide could penetrate the skin properly. White specks (remnants of the carbide) could also be found sometimes on the skin of the fruits.
One method that gives concerns is the ripening of fruits with the chemical Calcium Carbide. a material commonly used for welding purposes. Calcium carbide treatment of food is extremely hazardous because it contains traces of arsenic and phosphorus. Once dissolved in water, carbide produces acetylene gas. Acetylene gas may affect the neurological system by inducing prolonged hypoxia (or lack of adequate oxygen to all parts of the body). The common symptoms are; headache, dizziness, mood disturbances, sleepiness, mental confusion, memory loss, cerebral edema and seizures. This has well been demonstrated in children especially, and pregnant women are also at risk. How could you tell that a fruit has been ripened with carbide? We at Renew took the time to show you what a carbide-ripened fruit would look like. We collected a sample of mangos, which are in
There is also a characteristic absence of the normal aroma of the fruit. If you notice that you have bought a fruit that does not give off the normal smell that you know that fruit is supposed to have, it is possible that the fruit has been ripened with chemicals. NOW that you know how to identify carbideripened fruits, what could you do to protect yourself from the harmful effects of buying them.... ŸSelect wisely ŸWash thoroughly under running water. ŸCut away all the places that have the scratches and pricks on the skin of the fruit. ŸArtificially ripened fruits also give a different taste than is characteristic of the naturally ripened fruits. This is because the starch in the unripe fruits is hastily and improperly converted to sugars, unlike the way it is done in the normal fruit ripening fruit process ŸBe especially careful of artificially ripened fruits given to children or to pregnant women. ŸBe safe and healthy! Docsays 2011
Renew | 3
Oyinkansola Talabi : Fitness Director
O
yinkan has been a fitness enthusiast for over 15 years and she is trained in Weight Management (FIT UK), Pilates (Stott Pilates UK) and Kick boxing (Ian Fox training UK). She has worked as a Personal Trainer since 2006 and is the founder of Bodyworks Personal Fitness Studio in Lekki Phase 1 opened in January 2009. The Studio offers personal training classes, fitness & nutrition consultations, daily group exercise classes and a personal Gym. She has featured on 96.9 Cool Fm, New dawn with Funmi Iyanda and Health Talks on Channels Television. She has written articles on fitness in Genevieve magazine and taken part in various True Love magazine workshops. She regularly hosts workshops for women at her studio in Lekki. She currently hosts “Living fit” on 97.3 classic FM (Mondays @ 3:30pm). Bodyworks is located at No 3,Femi Anibaba Street,Lekki Phase One.
Wellness Way Forward
L
ets talk exercise, I know exercise has been very successful in achieving a terrible reputation for being hard, sweaty and exhausting but worst of all is its close association to weight loss. A lot of people just conclude that exercising is for the over weight. When I hear slim people say “I don't need to exercise or diet, my only problem is my stomach”. I mutter under my breath “Well, a flatter stomach can only be achieved and maintained through proper diet and exercise!”
What happened to the health benefits of exercising and eating right? By the time we hit 26yrs, we begin to lose muscle, our metabolism rate (which is how quickly we digest and burn our food) begins to slow down so we generally pack on the so called middle age spread coupled with the baby carrying fat for the ladies, it really is a losing battle but exercise helps counter this. Besides, eating is not the only way to feed your body. No, you also feed it by exercising and not only are you are feeding your muscles, your lungs, and your heart, you are also pumping fresh blood, oxygen and nutrients to your other internal organs . Your immune system will be boosted thereby reducing your chances of getting illness of the heart and diseases like osteoporosis, arthritis, high blood pressure and stress (living in Nigeria? Talk about high chances!) It's time for us to be proactive as opposed to reactive. What legacy are we leaving our children? We should be thinking wellness and not illness. Why wait to be ill? Do you really have the time? And if it's a major illness like heart disease or osteoporosis can you really afford it? And if you can, wouldn't you rather spend the money on something more fun like shoes or traveling? Wellness is the way forward and what we should be concentrating on because whether we as workers and providers like it or not, we have to nurse and feed the family. Love your body and it will thank you…. bodiworks@googlemail.com
4 | Renew
-S-T-R-E-T-C-HYour Way To Better Health
S
tretching is one great way to relax the body after working out.
POSE 2
After a long day in the office and you have to wind-dwon to sleep, stretches as also a good way to As important as stretching is, to our physical flexibility, it is great for calming your head even long after you have finished. Below are some poses that will help balance you out while working on you.
Come to your hands and knees, with your knees directly below hips and your hands under your shoulders. Push up and lift your knees off the floor, straightening legs. Take your heels towards the floor, relax your shoulders and let your head fall in between your arms.
Through out your stretches keep your breath even and regular, and hold your stomach muscles in as much as you can The first two poses are to be done on one side before repeating on the other side. Stand with your feet about 4 feet apart. Turn your left foot slightly in and your
POSE 1
Hold your upper body up, with your stomach held in. Place your hands on either side of you. Keep your shoulders and elbows soft while imagining little weights on your knees. Now stretch one hand over your head with your palm facing down. Keep yourself evenly distributed.
From the above pose, bring your left hand to the floor next to your right foot, turn your left foot so your weight also moves to the ball of your foot. Stretch your right hand up towards the ceiling (imagine your hand pulled by a string from the ceiling). Turn your face also towards the ceiling. Spread your weight on your hand and leg, make sure your knee is just over your foot. Hold for 5 even breaths. Repeat on other side.
POSE 4
Sit comfortably on your sitting bones, bring your feet together about a foot in front of you, by bending your knees and .
POSE 3 right at a 90-degree angle. Turn your hips to face your right foot and bring your hands up to shoulder level parallel to the floor. Take a deep breath in and as you exhale, bend your right knee over your right foot as parallel to the floor as you can. Keep your face and shoulders relaxed. Hold for 5 breaths. Then move to the next pose.
To come out off this, keep your knees soft and walk your hands towards your feet and slowly unroll your self up. Try to do these at least 2ice a week. It might be uncomfortable when you start just breathe into it and hold for as long as you comfortably can (who said it was easy‌!but ,it will get easier).
Love your body and it will love you right back. bodiworks@googlemail.com bodiworks@googlemail.com
5 | Renew
Is the
FEMALE CONDOM For you? Take a look at the picture above, do you recognize what this is? It sort of looks like a condom, but has a different appearance, right? If it is a condom, how does the man wear it? Which part does he put on, which part slips on first? Why is there a double ring to it? Is this a special type of condom? Well, you are right in the fact that it is indeed in a condom, but wrong if you think that is meant for use by the man. This is the FC-1 condom, the condom that is created for women. Even though it was first launched about 10 years ago, the female condom is still one of those things that many people, and sadly women, have never seen once in their lifetime. Many times, it has been found that the reason why the spread of HIV and unwanted pregnancy is high is because of poor condom usage. It is not surprising that when the use of a condom is dependent on only one party all the time (the man in the case of the male condom) many situations would occur when it would not be utilized. To reduce the risk of this spread, the idea of the female condom was conceived so that women could have a choice about what happens during the sexual act and instead of trying to convince and negotiate that the man wears one. Ÿ So now that you know what the female condom is, lets learn a few facts about its use.The female condom is a lubricated sheath worn by the female inside of her vagina during sex.The female condom acts as a barrier to sperm and many sexually transmitted diseases by completely lining the vagina Ÿ There are two types: the original FC1 is made of polyurethane, a type of plastic, and the new one FC2 is made of nitrile, a type of synthetic rubber that is latex-free. Ÿ The female condom has a ring at each end. One ring, at the closed end of the sheath, lies inside the vagina. The other ring, at the open end of the sheath, lies outside the
vagina after the female condom has been inserted. ŸThe female condom provides protection against pregnancy and some protection against STDs. ŸWith perfect use, success rate is 95%, with typical use, success rate is 79%. (Typical use is when it is inappropriately worn or removed, damaged during manipulationsetc.) ŸIf it protects better than the male condom for HIV has not been well established yet; research is still ongoing. ŸYou can get the FC1 female condom without a prescription in drugstores and supermarkets. The female condom comes in only one size. A FC1 condom costs between 400 and 700 naira . The new FC2 will cost much less. ŸIt comes already lubricated when you buy it, but there is an extra bottle of nonspermicidal lubricant. If you need more lubrication, you can use a vaginal lubricant, such as K-Y Jelly, on the inside of the female condom or on the penis. HOW TO USE THE CONDOM The female condom can be inserted well before penetration. Wash your hands first and find a comfortable position, perhaps squatting with knees apart or lying down with legs bent and knees apart. Hold the female condom so that the open end is hanging down. Squeeze the inner ring with your thumb and middle finger. Insert the inner ring and pouch inside of your vaginal opening. With your index finger, push the inner ring with the pouch way up into your vagina, so that the inner ring is up past your pubic bone. You can feel your pubic bone by curving your finger towards your front when it is a couple of inches inside of your vagina. This may take some time, because the female condom is slippery because of the lubrication. Just go slowly and be patient. Make sure the female condom is not twisted at all. The outside ring of the female condom should lie against the outer lips of your vagina. About one inch of it should be outside of your body. You need to guide the male's penis into the female condom so that it doesn't enter the vagina during sex. Once the penis enters your vagina, the vagina will expand and the "slack" will decrease. After intercourse, the male can stay in the wo m a n , r a t h e r t h a n w i t h d r aw i n g immediately. To remove the female condom after intercourse, squeeze and twist the outer ring gently to keep the sperm inside the pouch. Pull the female condom out gently and throw it away in a waste container. Don't flush it. And don't reuse it! If the female condom slips during intercourse or it completely enters the vagina? Stop intercourse immediately! Take the female condom out carefully, so that the sperm stay inside the pouch. Use a new female condom if you continue having sexual intercourse. Add extra lubricant to the opening of the pouch or on the penis and then insert the new female condom. Contact
Is the at-home HIV test kit for you?
H
a v e you had your HIV test done this year? It is the responsibility of any adult in a sexual relationship to check their HIV status, and after checking, to continue to recheck your status, at least once a year. For many people, the first test done at all is the one that presents the greatest challenges, as many are not certain what the outcome might be. For some others, the thought that another person would know the results of their test, makes the idea of doing it inhibitory. Well, if you fall into this category of people, would you consider an at home HIV test? Many good pharmacies in Nigeria now stock the at-home HIV test kit, and it is available for less about eight hundred naira(=N= 800) The advantages of the at-home test in this situation are thus ŸConvenience; it takes just ten minutes to get this test
done, and it can be done anywhere in your home, from your bathroom to the garden. ŸThe results are instant (although, with many counseling centers now, the results are just as immediate) ŸComplete privacy, no one has to know ŸYou can repeat the test as many times as you wish. So there you have it, there are no more excuses to get your HIV test done this year!
your health care provider and discuss emergency contraception. Are there any complaints about the female condom? Besides the things mentioned earlier, some women complain that the sheath moves, or is noisy (squeaks) or uncomfortable. The new FC2 condom is much quieter. You should never use a male condom at the same time that you are using a female condom! So, that's all you need to know about the female condom. *If you would like more information about the use or availability of the female condom, or you would like some free* samples to give it a try, please send an email to the doctor@docsays.com and we would be glad to hand in some to you. *samples are subject to availability, so hurry now!
6 | Renew
CHOOSING THE SEX OF YOUR BABY Is natural gender selection for you? want, for most of them, hover at around 50%, which is the same as it was if you were to try nothing, and leave it all to chance. In spite of this fact, many people still express curiosity about the natural gender selection methods. Because of this therefore, Docsays brings to you some of the methods that are popularly touted as guaranteed to help you decide if you are going to be able to have a boy or a girl child.
I
s it truly possible to influence the sex of y o u r b a b y b e fo r e y o u e ve n g e t pregnant?Many “old wives tales” think so. For most people who are trying to get pregnant for the first time, it is more important to have a healthy baby than any other consideration. But if you have had a child before, of a certain sex, you might want to prefer to have a certain one with the next child even before you get pregnant. So, it is really possible to choose the sex of your baby? Could things that you do help manipulate the genetics? Some methods have included things like special diets, timing of intercourse relative to ovulation, special diets and vitamins, using the Chinese calendar to determine what the sex would be, sexual positions that bring a boy child or a girl child, even some claims state that the time of the day when intercourse happens would determine the sex of the child. Medically, there are procedures that are done to manipulate the sex of the pregnancy, by DNA weighing and typing, but this is very expensive and some of the procedures are invasive. Hence, many people have prefer the natural gender selection methods because of its many advantages: They're affordable; No expensive medical procedures are necessary, little to no risk to either the woman or baby,and that the methods can be done in the comfort and privacy of your home. But do they work? The truth is, in spite of the advantages of the natural gender selection methods,one key disadvantage is that the failure rate is quite high. The chances that you will get the sex that you
1.THE SHETTLES METHOD: is a popular method which states that when a woman is ovulating and has intercourse as close to ovulation as possible, (within 6 to 8 hours of ovulating) it is likely that she would have a male child. For a female child, intercourse that is less close to the time of ovulation, but close enough to guarantee conception (within 72 hours) will more likely result in a female child. The Shettlesmethod claims that sperm carrying the “Y”chromosome, which would result in a male child, tend to swim very fast to get to the egg for fertilization. But while they swim fast, they don't live very long. Sperm that are carrying the “X” chromosome for the female child however, tend to swim a whole lot more slower, but live for much longer. So a sperm that makes it to the egg three days after is more likely to be carrying a “X”chromosome than anything else, states the Billings method way. TRUTH: Evidence points that this method might have “some”merit, but overall, has much lower rates of success overall than when no form of planning with ovulation is done. 2. PH LEVEL: The chance of getting pregnant with a particular gender baby can be improved by modifying the pH level of the woman's body. A diet rich in alkaline foods is said to improve the likelihood of falling pregnant with a boy; a diet rich in acidic foods is said to elevate the likelihood of getting pregnant with a girl. It is essential that the mother-to-be eats a healthy and nutritionally well balanced diet regime for her own health and her unborn child's, regardless of which gender selection diet plan she is on.Dr.Eugene Jonas found that as a consequence of
biochemical variations to the inner lining of a woman's uterus (endometrium), she will only be able to fall pregnant with a boy on specific days, and a girl on the other days. TRUTH: there is no evidence that a diet rich in acidic fruits will cause the woman to attract “acid rich”sperm, that will produce a female offsrping. 3.ALTERING SEXUAL INTERCOURSE POSITIONS. To enhance the chances of getting pregnant with a son, consider other sexual intercourse positions that allow for deep sexual penetration. On the other hand, positions that help make shallow sexual penetration achievable are said to boost the likelihood of falling pregnant with a girl. This is because when penetration is shallow, sperm is said to be deposited in the shallow part of the vagina, which has very acidic surrounding. This acidic surrounding is more hostile to sperms that can result in a male child, so when penetration is shallow, the theory is that a girl results. When penetration is deep however, sperm is deposited in an area of the vagina that is less acidic, so male sperms have a higher chance of surviving well. TRUTH: just like the earlier touted method, there is no evidence that acids or bases charge could affect the outcome of pregancy, though some evidence do point to the fact that the human egg could have certain polarities or electrical charges, on the membrane. 4.THE CHINESE BIRTH GENDER CHART: This chart (also referred to as a calendar) is often reported as being extremely accurate as a gender selection method.This chart is said to be extremely accurate for choosing the sex of your baby. Gender prediction is determined from the combination of the mother's age at conception and the month of conception. TRUTH: this method has the least scientific proof or basis whatsoever. Maternal age is not a factor in the decision of whether a boy or a girl will be born.
7 | Renew
REVIEW Is BIO-OIL the best thing stretch marks?
S
tretch marks happen when the skin stretches beyond its normal elasticity and the collagen formation under it, is pulled apart. When this collagen formation is destroyed, “pull” lines are created across the skin which depicts the way collagen layers have been stretched. When the skin does not contain a lot of moisture, the chances of destruction are a lot higher. Thousands of products have been put on the market to help deal with stretch marks and most of these are pushed towards the female customer, but apply to all. As doctors, we are often asked: “Do these things work?” “Will my stretch marks disappear from using this product?” In this edition, we review one of the most popular of these stretch mark products that has been touted as a wonder and miracle product for stretch marks. Bio-oil claims to have these PROS: Presence of natural plant oils – extracts from Marigold and Rosemary are proven to be natural antioxidants while Lavender and Chamomile oils give of a soothing and calming effect when applied on the skin. Easy to use – compared to other cosmetic products, there is no need to apply complementary products one layer after the other. Smells wonderful; light and acceptable for use even during the day and suitable to wear anytime of the day. High moisturizing property – PurCellin Oil enables Bio Oil to retain all the nutrients and vitamins of the ingredients hence providing intense moisturizing for the skin. Favorable results with sustained application –Bio Oil's effects are not instant; however, continuous application of the oil over a period of 4 weeks or more delivers improvements on the affected area.
Prevention of stretch marks – Bio Oil is a proactive product for the prevention of stretch marks; Bio Oil reviews on stretch marks indicate that this product improves the skin's elasticity hence providing remedy before this skin impurity arises. BUT WITH USE WE FOUND; Takes time to be absorbed – because the formulation is oil-based, full absorption by the skin takes a few seconds hence for some skin types, drying might be needed before putting on the clothes.
Presence of synthetic ingredients such as mineral oil – Just like other cosmetic products, Bio Oil contains mineral oil which may clog the pores especially if the user's skin type is incompatible with this ingredient. Results take time to be achieved – as mentioned; Bio Oil results are not instant. Users need to religiously apply the treatment oil according to the prescribed frequency over long periods of time before getting the expected effects. Can cause itchiness if skin type is incompatible – some Bio Oil reviews highlight those consumers whose skin type is not suited for the ingredients experience itchiness or redness of the
skin. RENEW'S VERDICT: Bio-oil will not harm you; some of the oils listed might be of good benefit in keeping the skin moisturized and preventing drying, which might in some way prevent new stretch marks forming. In this regard, it MIGHT be useful in preventing stretch marks, but by no accounts has it been proven to do much else. And at a quite expensive price, you might do well to consider some other products to use one your skin for stretch marks. NEXT ISSUE: We review shea-butter for stretch marks....
8 | Renew
Warm Ups
O
ne of the most important parts of a fitness program is your cardiovascular workout. Under this are aerobics, swimming, skipping, brisk walking, jogging, running etc. If your aim is to lose weight , then you have to dedicate at least 45mins; 3-4 days per week. Before starting your work out, you should always warm up and stretch. The types of stretches you do are however dependent on which activity you perform, as you should warm up the muscle groups you will be using. Like if jogging or walking, stretch your thighs, calves and start the main activity slow. If aerobics, warm up as many muscle groups as you can.
PILE Standing with your feet under your hips, come up unto your toes and stretch. Come down gently and rock back unto your h e e l s , lifting your toes off the f l o o r . Spread your weight on your feet so you are e v e n l y balanced,
now keep your knees soft (not locked) and hold your stomach muscles in (don't hold your breath though) Repeat 3 times Muscles worked: Calf, ankles and feet,
Repeat 6 times on both legs Muscles worked: Calf, hamstrings, ankles and hip flexors,
SHOULDER SHRUGS Take your shoulders up to your ears and bring them down gently sliding down your back. Repeat 5 times Muscles worked: s h o u l d e r, upper back A r m Circles Keeping your knees soft, and your weight balanced, stretch your arms out to your side. Move from your shoulders in a clockwise motion 6 times then rotate also in anticlockwise also 6 times. Muscles worked: shoulders, chest and arms
SIDE STRETCH Now stand with feet 2 inches wider than hips, keep your stomach in, yo u r k n e e s soft and your shoulders relaxed, lean to your right h a s y o u stretch your left hand over, hold for a count of 15. Now repeat to the left. Muscles worked: oblique (sides), stomach and back
SOFT LUNGES Standing with feet under hips, take a big step forward. Now bend the knee of the forward leg and lean into it. Keep your stomach in and your upper body straight. Now straighten knee and come back up.
Radio Show listen to the Doctor on CITY 105.1 FM 2pm on Mondays,Wednesdays &Fridays Send questions Via SMS to 33131 OR by email to doctor@docsays.com
Do these before every exercise session or if you have been sitting for a long period of time. Love your body and it will love you right back. bodiworks@googlemail.com
9 | Renew
IS A GYM NECESSARY TO BE FIT?
Y
ou do not need a gym membership, or a pair of athletic shoes to stay in shape In fact, many household chores burn just as many calories as workouts do. Here's how some of your household chores stack up in terms of calories burned. GET INTO THE GARDEN... 30 minutes of digging in your yard will burn about 315 calories, the same amount burned by 45 minutes of bicycling on flat terrain. Digging tones the muscles of your calves,
Raking leaves for 30 minutes burns 225 calories. The resistance offered by the leaves makes this chore a type of weight training. Raking leaves tones all the major muscle groups in your body. WASH YOUR OWN CAR! Washing your car works your arms and abdominals. For every 30 minutes of car washing, you'll burn 143 calories.
jogged on a treadmill or on flat terrain for 15 minutes. Cleaning windows for 30 minutes burns 125 calories Dusting for 30 minutes burns about 50 calories. Ironing for 30 minutes burns about 70 calories and tones the muscles of the upper body. Stand up straight at the ironing board and press down firmly. Switch hands periodically so you don't overdevelop one arm.
INDOOR CHORES OTHER CALORIE BURNERS Chores you do inside the house also help to burn calories. Here's how many calories are burned in the course of performing your daily tasks: Scrubbing the bath for 30 minutes burns 200 calories
Here are some other activities that burn surprising amounts of calories: SEX!! Having sex (even when done gently) could cause you to burn about 3 to 4 calories per minute. So if your had sex for about 30 minutes, your could burn about 120 calories. Talk about an added advantage! Walking for thrity minutes could burn about 277 calories. Climbing stairs for 30 minutes burns about 285 calories. Painting and decorating your home burns about 160 calories. Showering and toweling off for 30 minutes burns about 70 calories. JUST KEEP MOVING
thighs, arms and shoulders. If you do it vigorously enough and continue the activity for 20 minutes or more, you can raise your heart rate and strengthen your cardiovascular system. Weeding for 30 minutes burns 115 calories, the same amount you'd burn in 15 minutes of weight training. Weeding tones your thighs and buttocks. Just be careful to bend with your legs while keeping your spine straight, or you could hurt your back.
Carrying shopping bags for 30 minutes burns 190 calories. Distribute the weight evenly on each hand, or swap back and forth at regular intervals. Carrying too much weight on one side could injure your spine. Making beds for 30 minutes burns 130 calories, the same number you'd use if you
Sleeping, watching TV and reading while seated burns the fewest calories. So, no matter what you do, you are constantly expending energy in the form of calories. If you'd like to burn more calories but do not want to miss your favorite TV program, do some moderate housecleaning or housework at the same time.
Docsays 2011