Health

Diabetes Mellitus Type 1 is increased in Maternal Obesity

Did you know that being obese increases your risk of passing on type 1 Diabetes Mellitus to your baby’s after their birth even with neither parent having Diabetes Mellitus themselves? A large Swedish study of more than 1.2 million children found that making active attempts to reduce weight before conception and during pregnancy may help reduce the chances of type 1 DM in children who are born from parents without Diabetes Mellitus. Did you know that being obese increases your risk of passing on type 1 Diabetes Mellitus to your baby The study carefully looked at 1 263 358 kids born between the

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Pregnant and managing acute Tooth Infections

Ladies looking to fall pregnant should take time off to see their local dentist in order to minimise acute tooth infections from occurring once they become pregnant. Good oral hygiene before and during pregnancy in good practice to prevent tooth cavities Good oral hygiene before and during pregnancy in good practice to prevent tooth cavities. Regular brushing, minimising glucose intake and a good balanced diet are important in preserving healthy teeth and help prevent dental related complaints and worsening tooth infections. Tooth infections occur when bacteria enters through tooth cavities Tooth infections occur when bacteria enters the tooth pulp (nerve part) through

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Mosquito repellents for Pregnant Ladies

Use topical mosquito repellents with the recognized active ingredients within them, but importantly at the appropriate chemical concentrations. The recommended active ingredient for pregnant women includes DEET at a twenty to fifty percent concentration. Reapply at least 6 to 8 hours after using DEET. Remember the topical agents wear off with outdoor activities like swimming and activities associated with sweating which may be more relevant with warmer climates. Be very aware of the importance of reapplication. DEET is safe for use from the SECOND Trimester onwards and can also be used while breastfeeding. Dressing appropriately and the correct application times and

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Speech and language

Before your baby is six weeks old, he`ll have learned that if he smiles or makes sounds, you`ll respond. What is remarkable is that even at this early stage he realizes that he can call the shots: he smiles, you are pleased and so talk to him more, and he can keep a two-way “conversation” going.  By smiling and talking to your baby, you`re giving him his very first lesson in communication. Newborn Your baby may respond to human voices from the moment of birth, and he will try to imitate gestures and expressions. He will sense when you are talking to

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Ladies who are pregnant with suspected urine tract infections

Severe urine tract infections symptoms constitute for 3 or more symptoms and no vaginal discharge or irritation (90% with culture-positive) will need Antibiotic treatment. Urine tract infections Symptoms Burning urination Multiple urinations, usually in small volumes Lower pelvic tenderness Blood in urine The sensation of wanting to urgently needing to urinate Passing large volumes of urine Mild symptoms constitute for 2 or less symptoms plus urine cloudy do a urine dipstick test: Positive nitrite alone or positive nitrite & leukocyte & blood (in 92% cases) probably indicate a urinary tract infection and will need Antibiotic treatment. Negative nitrite and positive leucocytes if together with

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Health Checks

Regular Health Checks Your body is a beautiful, efficient machine built to a design that is beyond the skill of humans, so it is worth looking after it. You will be repaired a hundredfold if you take a bit of time and trouble to prevent things going wrong, and if you deal with them early, should they go wrong. In this way you will be making the most of yourself, you will look better and you will certainly feel better. As a bonus, you will be healthier. Photo by Nathan Cowley from Pexels

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Health Checks – The general medical check-up

Having regular examinations to detect disease at an early curable stage is a component of preventive healthcare. Many diseases can now be detected by screening. High blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, breast cancer, and cervical cancer are the most common screening tests. High blood pressure reduces life expectancy because of an increased risk of stroke and heart disease. Anyone over the age of 45 should see their doctor once a year to have it checked There is also a growing interest in measuring blood cholesterol, high levels may mean an increased risk of heart disease. There are certain simple checks which we

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Health Checks – your eyes

Eye tests It is not only people with defective vision who should visit an optician: even if there is nothing apparently wrong with your eyes, you should have regular sight tests - ideally once every two years. This is because some serious eye diseases, such as certain types of glaucoma (which causes blindness) are symptomless in the early stages and can be detected at their onset only by an eye examination. With early detection, they can then be treated and cured. If you have any sudden serious changes in eyesight you should consult an ophthalmologist and not an optician.  Eye protection There are

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Health Checks – your teeth

Dentists are necessary for the health as well as the ill-health of the teeth and gums and you should visit your dentist every six months. He practices preventive as well as curative dentistry and can attack and treat tooth decay long before it gets to the stage where radical dentistry is needed. Your dentist can also advise on and recommend specialist treatment for teeth. Cosmetic dentistry may become necessary later on even if your early teeth were good. Tooth decay There is unequivocal evidence to show that the type of diet we eat affects the health of our gums and teeth, and that

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Health checks – child safety guidelines

In South Africa every year 15 000 children die as a result of accidents. Thousands more are injured and many more are left with permanent mental or physical disability. Don’t take the fun out of your children’s lives by being overprotective, but always watch them carefully and help them learn from their mistakes. Small accidents are part of the learning process – what we must do is to try to prevent serious accidents. The following are useful safety guidelines to follow, according to the age of your child.  0-6 months At this age, baby needs full-time care and protection. Baby’s ability to move,

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