Thursday, 1 May 2014
Thursday, 10 April 2014
Do you recall watching a movie with your parents, talking and laughing,
when suddenly a sex scene comes on which seems to drag on forever? That
awkward silence as everyone tries to find the remote control, ashamed to
be in the presence of such a scene.
Advertising and Hollywood movies proliferate ideas of sex, yet traditional African parents still treat the act as a taboo topic, one which is not to be discussed with teenagers (Source: Simon Watson/Getty Images)
That happened too often in my household. Nollywood movies were family-bonding sessions. However, when Nollywood went Hollywood, I ceased watching movies with my parents. It was more for their sake, because I didn’t want them to feel embarrassed. Sex was the unspoken taboo that nobody dared to mention, so watching it was a silent abomination. It was easier to act like it didn’t exist.
Sex education
However it did and it does exist. We are a sexually charged generation, in a society where sex is at the forefront of everything that sells. Sex is the universal act that triggers a common feeling amongst people, whether in the Bandundu region of Congo or in metropolitan cities like London. So why have some of our African parents avoided teaching us this very important thing whilst growing up? Why is it an unspoken rule not to mention sex in a sex-saturated world? How do we learn without being taught?
There is an African proverb that goes: ‘It takes a whole village to raise a child’, but we all know that education first begins at home. So if our parents don’t teach us about sex, then ultimately we will learn it elsewhere, to our detriment or not. I always say a lesson hard learned should teach a person not to make the same mistake twice, but what do you do when that mistake stays with you for life? And who is to blame? Sex education at school was the first and only time some of us received it. Some of us in our twenties are still waiting to have that ‘talk’ with our parents. Many will die waiting.
Advertising and Hollywood movies proliferate ideas of sex, yet traditional African parents still treat the act as a taboo topic, one which is not to be discussed with teenagers (Source: Simon Watson/Getty Images)
That happened too often in my household. Nollywood movies were family-bonding sessions. However, when Nollywood went Hollywood, I ceased watching movies with my parents. It was more for their sake, because I didn’t want them to feel embarrassed. Sex was the unspoken taboo that nobody dared to mention, so watching it was a silent abomination. It was easier to act like it didn’t exist.
Sex education
However it did and it does exist. We are a sexually charged generation, in a society where sex is at the forefront of everything that sells. Sex is the universal act that triggers a common feeling amongst people, whether in the Bandundu region of Congo or in metropolitan cities like London. So why have some of our African parents avoided teaching us this very important thing whilst growing up? Why is it an unspoken rule not to mention sex in a sex-saturated world? How do we learn without being taught?
There is an African proverb that goes: ‘It takes a whole village to raise a child’, but we all know that education first begins at home. So if our parents don’t teach us about sex, then ultimately we will learn it elsewhere, to our detriment or not. I always say a lesson hard learned should teach a person not to make the same mistake twice, but what do you do when that mistake stays with you for life? And who is to blame? Sex education at school was the first and only time some of us received it. Some of us in our twenties are still waiting to have that ‘talk’ with our parents. Many will die waiting.
Posted on Thursday, April 10, 2014 by Unknown
Saturday, 1 February 2014
There is a new sexually transmitted superbug that experts say may be more deadly that AIDS.
According to a CNBC report, an antibiotic-resistant strain of gonorrhea is more aggressive than the HIV virus, which means the potential to infect the public will be greater.
Like most STDs, gonorrhea is usually transmitted through unprotected sexual contact and if left untreated, can cause severe medical complications, such as infertility in women, debilitating pain, sterility in men and life threatening heart infections.
Alan Christianson, a doctor of naturopathic medicine, thinks this new strain has the power to rack up more fatalities than AIDS. To date, more than the 30 million people have already died worldwide from AIDS-related complications.
“Getting gonorrhea from this strain might put someone into septic shock and death in a matter of days,” said Christianson. “This is very dangerous.”
William Smith, executive director of the National Coalition of STD Directors, echoed that sentiment. “It’s an emergency situation. As time moves on, it’s getting more hazardous,” said Smith.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, though no cases of the superbug officially called H041 were found in the US, steps must be taken to deal with the potential risks.
Gonorrhea can go undetected in some affected by the disease, showing no outward symptoms in about half of women and in 5 percent of men, which adds another level of difficulty in getting ahead of it.
This strain of STD which is resistant to antibiotic, reportedly kills half of those exposed and infects one in 20 hospital patients—which raises the threat of an outbreak to emergency levels.
Then there is the high cost of combating sexually transmitted diseases in general. The CDC’s tally to treat 20 million cases annually is approximately $16 billion. Of that 20 million STD cases, a reported 800,000 between the ages of 15 to 24, are infected with gonorrhea.
Even more alarming, some doctors believe the STD war is too costly to win.
Posted on Saturday, February 01, 2014 by Unknown
Monday, 27 January 2014
Wengi wanashtuka ikiwa umri wao ni zaidi ya miaka 30, ndio wanakuwa na tamaa ya kuzaa. Kuchelewa kwao kuzaa kunaweza
kuwa kwa taabu ama kuzaa watoto wenye matatizo mengi ya kiafya. Kwa miaka mingi, wataalamu wengi wa afya ya uzazi bado wanaamini miaka 20-35 ndio umri sahihi kushika mimba na kuzaa.
Pia, wengi wakifikiri matatizo mengi ya uzazi huongezeka baada ya miaka 35 na huwa zaidi baada ya miaka 40.
Kwa wenzi wawili wanaoishi pamoja, kuchelewa kuzaa huathiri pia wenza wa kiume, ambapo mbegu za uzazi za mwanaume hudhorota kila mwaka upitao na watoto wamaotokana na wanaume wazee huwa na hatari zaidi ya kupata matatizo ya akili na matatizo ya chembe za urithi.
KUBALEHE
Kubalehe ni hatua muhimu sana lupotia ili kuweza kuzaa. Wastani wa kubalehe na kuvunja ungo kwa wasichana ni miaka 9-12 kwa sasa, ingawa miaka ya zamani ilikuwa kuanzia miaka 12-14.
Baada ya kubalehe binti anakuwa na uwezo wa kushika mimba, japokuwa uwezekano huongezeka zaidi kati ya miaka 20-30,
baada ya hapa uwezekano huanza kupungua.
Kulingana na The American College of Obstricians & Gynecologists uwezo wa wanawake kuzaa hupungua katika umri wa miaka 32 na hupungua kwa kasi zaidi katika umri wa miaka 37.
Uwezo wa wanawake kuzaa hupungua vile umri unaongezeka kwa kuwa wanawake wanapobalehe wanakuwa na idadi kamili
ya mayai katika ovari zao. Namba hii hupungua vile mwanamke anavyozeeka. Pia mayai hayazalishwi kiurahisi kwa wanawake wenye umri mkubwa ukilinganisha na mabinti wadogo.
Kulingana na National Institute for Health & Clinical Excellence (NICE) ya Umoja wa madola (UK), kwa wanawake wenye miaka
35, ni wanawake 94 kati ya 100 wanaweza kupata ujauzito wakifanya ngono kwa ukawaida ndani ya miaka 38, ni wanawake
77 kati ya 100 wanaweza kushika ujauzito. Magonjwa ya njia za uzazi kama Endometriosis na Uterine fibroids yanawatokea zaidi wanawake wenye umri mkubwa ambayo husababisha mwanamke
kutoshika mimba.
Wanawake wenye umri zaidi ya miaka 35 wanaoamua kushika ujauzito wanakabili hatari ya kupanda kwa shinikizo la damu. Kupanda kwa shinikizo la damu wakati wa ujauzito huathiri kondo la nyuma (Placenta) ambalo hutoa lishe kwa kijusi (kitoto kilicho tumboni) hali ambayo huathiri moja kwa moja ukuaji wake.
Pia, hatari ya kupata kisukari kwa wanawake wanaoshika ujauzito wakiwa na miaka 35 na zaidi, huongezeka sana. Kisukari kipindi cha ujauzito huongeza hatari ya kutoka mimba (Miscarriage), kuzaa mtoto mwenye kasoro au kuzaa mtoto mkubwa kupita kiasi.
TAFITI YA HIVI KARIBUNI
Jambo la kushtusha, ni matokeo ya utafiti uliofanyika Sweden, watafiti wanadai hatari ya matatizo ya uzazi huanza mapema tu pale mwanamke anapofikisha miaka 30.
Utafiti uliochapishwa kwenye jarida la magonjwa ya uzazi (Journal of Obstetrics & Gynacology) uliofanywa na watafiti kutoka Taasisi ya Karolinska ya nchini Sweden umegundua katika nchi tajiri duniani wanawake huzaa wakiwa na umri mkubwa kitu kinachopelekea kuongezeka kwa hatari ya kuzaa watoto njiti (Preterm birth), ukuaji hafifu wa vichanga na kuzaa watoto wafu (Stillbirth).
Ili kubainisha hatari kati ya makundi tofauti ya umri ya wanawake wanaozaa kwa mara ya kwanza, watafiti walitumia takwimu za vizazi toka hospitali za Sweden na Norway, zilizokusanya taarifa za karibu wanawake milioni moja, kati ya mwaka 1990 na 2010.
Hatari ya kuzaa watoto njiti (Premature birth) na kuzaa watoto wafu huongezeka kuanzia miaka ya 30 ingawa toka zamani, miaka 35 ndio ilitambulika kuwa mwanzo wa hatari kwa wanawake kupata watoto, lakini utafiti huu mpya unataja mwanzo tu wa miaka 30 hatari ya kupata matatizo katika uzazi huanza. Kwa kulinganisha kati ya kundi la umri wa miaka 25-29 na 30-34, wanawake wa miaka 30-34 wenye mimba za kwanza walikuwa na hatari ya kuzaa watoto njiti kwenye wiki 22-31 za ujauzito au kuzaa watoto wafu.
Kikosi cha watafiti kiligundua pia sababu zingine zinazoweza kuleta matatizo ya uzazi mfano wa sababu hizo ni kama kuvuta sigara au kuwa mnene kuliko kawaida. Ulla Waldenstrom, profesa wa kitengo cha afya ya wanawake na watoto katika taasisi ya Karolinska alisema : 'Tumeshangazwa na kuongezeka kwa hatari za uzazi katika umri mdogo sana.'
Prof. Waldenstrom aliendelea ; 'Wanawake wanaweza ona hatari ni ndogo ila kwa jamii kiujumla kuna idadi kubwa ya matatizo yasiyo ya lazima kwao wanawake wanaozaa baada tu ya miaka 30. Hivyo nashauri wanawake na wanaume wapewe taarifa mashuleni juu ya umuhimu wa umri katika uzazi.'
Alipoombwa ushauri kwa wanawake wenye umri zaidi ya miaka 30 wanaotaraji kuzaa, Prof. Waldenstrom alisema ; 'Ushauri bora ni kuepuka uvutaji wa tumbaku/sigara na kuepuka unene, kama inawezekana.'
'
KIPINDI CHA KUKOMA HEDHI (MENOPAUSE)
Wataalamu wa afya wanasema kwamba mwanamke amekoma hedhi anapokosa kupata hedhi kwa miezi 12 mfululizo. Ni wanawake wachache hukoma kupata hedhi ghafula, yaani, wanakosa hedhi mwezi mmoja unakuwa mwisho wa kuipata.
Wanawake wengi huanza kipindi hiki wakiwa na umri wa miaka 40 na kitu, lakini kwa wengine huanza wakiwa wamechelewa wakiwa na miaka 60 na kitu. Kutokana na mabadiliko ya kiwango cha homoni kinachotokezwa, huenda mwanamke akakosa kupata hedhi pindi kwa pindi, akapata hedhi wakati ambao hakutarajia au akavuja damu nyingi isivyo kawaida wakati wa hedhi. Pia huenda mwanamke akashuka moyo, hisia zake zikabadilikabadilika na hilo linaweza kumfanya alielie bila sababu, na pia asiwe makini sana na asahau mambo.
Kipindi cha kukoma hedhi huwa tofauti kwa kila mwanamke. Dalili zinaweza kuonekana kipindi hicho ni pamoja na joto la ghafula mwilini, ambalo huenda likafuatiwa na kuhisi baridi. Dalili hizo zinaweza kumfanya mtu akose usingizi na kuishiwa na nguvu. Baadhi ya wanawake hupatwa na joto la ghafla mwilini kwa mwaka mmoja au miaka miwili wakati wa kipindi hicho cha kukoma hedhi.
Wengine hupatwa na hali hiyo kwa miaka mingi na wachache sana husema kwamba wao hupatwa na joto la ghafula mara kwa mara maisha yao yote. Ni busara mtu afanyiwe uchunguzi wa kiafya kabla ya kuamua kwamba joto la ghafula linasababishwa na kukoma kwa hedhi. Kwa kuwa kuna matatizo mengine ya kiafya yanaweza kuleta joto la ghafula mfano ugonjwa wa dudumio, malaria, homa ya matumbo n.k
JINSI YA KUISHI VIZURI KIPINDI HICHO
Mabadiliko ya mtindo wa maisha yanaweza kupunguza baadhi ya matatizo hayo mfano kuacha kuvuta sigara, kupunguza au hata kuacha kunywa vileo, vinywaji vyenye kafeini na vyakula vyenye sukari au vikolezo ambavyo vinaweza kusababisha joto la ghafula mwilini.
Kufanya mazoezi husaidia sana kupunguza matatizo yanayohusianishwa na kukoma kwa hedhi. Kwa mfano, mazoezi yanaweza kupunguza kukosa usongizi na kusaidia kuboresha hali ya kihisia na pia huimarisha mifipa na afya ya mtu kwa ujumla. Ili kumsaidia mwanamke kukabiliana vizuri na kipindi hicho cha kukoma kwa hedhi, huenda madaktari wakampa homoni, vitamini na madini, na dawa za kutibu kushuka moyo.
Pia ni jambo la busara kuwaambia uwapendao hali unayokabili ili wakuonyeshe upendo na wakupe msaada unaouhitaji wakati wa hali yako. Kipindi hicho kinapokwisha, wanawake ambao hutunza afya yao, wanapata tena nguvu na kuendelea kufurahia maisha.
Posted on Monday, January 27, 2014 by Unknown
Saturday, 25 January 2014
1. Gonorrhea
Hili huanzia katika koo la muambukizwaji, na mwanzoni huhisi kama ni ukavu wa kifuu au maradhi ya kawaida ya kifua, ila baadae hushuka na kuelekea katika viungo vya uzazi
2. Syphilis
Huu huambukizwa kirahisi zaidi kupitia mdoma na hasa pale inapotekea mdomo ukutana na kiungo chenye athari hizo.
3. Chlamydia
Huu pia huambukizwa kupitia mdomo, ingawa waathirika wanaweza wasijijue maana huwa hauna dalali kwa muda mrefu
4.hepatitis A
Huyu ni Virus anayepatikana katika kinyesi cha binadamu, huyu huwaingia wale wanaopenda kunyonyana na kulambana sehemu za haja kubwa
5.Hepatitis B
Huu huambukizwa kama HIV vile maana virusi vyake hukaa katika majimaji yanayotoka katika sehemu za siri na damu.
6. Hepatitis C
Huu hupatikana pindi damu inapotoka maana vijidudu vyake vinakaa katika damu!
Pia kuna hatari za kupata HIV/AIDS kupitia staili hizi japo kwa uchache sana. Kwa sas nchi za watu wamebuni aina fulani ya Condom ambazo huvaliwa katika mdomo hivyo kupunguza hatari ya kupata madhara tajwa hapo juu! Ila kwa nchi zetu bado sijasikia! Sasa utamu ndo huo na madhara ndo hayo, akili kichwani!
Posted on Saturday, January 25, 2014 by Unknown
Thursday, 16 January 2014
Sarah Ward, 28, conceived triplets just weeks after giving birth to her first baby.They are due to be born in March when her son, Freddie, is just nine months old
.
Ms Ward, who lives with partner postal worker Benn Smith in a one bedroom house said:
‘Falling pregnant so soon after having our baby was a real shock but to find out it was triplets knocked us for six.‘Having four babies under the age of one is going to be insane, but I cannot wait to hold them in my arms. We feel so blessed.’‘I can’t believe I’ve gone from thinking I will never be a mum to giving birth to a perfect family in under a year.’The couple started trying for a baby in September 2011 shortly after starting their relationship.
Who said God doesn't answer prayers....
Posted on Thursday, January 16, 2014 by Unknown
Friday, 10 January 2014
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