Peachy's blog

Photo: The New Calabar River, Aluu, Port Harcourt Nigeria The day started off after an extensive Google map viewing of the direction to the New Calabar River. This big river has 5 major sections which are situated at various communities in Obio-Akpor and Ikwerre LGA. Photo:M O'War Road Aluu I told hubby we have to find a good route. I don't want to run into any unknown dead end😂. Google Map has become a good drive guide to unknown places in recent times. It's my go-to direction and location app, asides using it for my volunteering work as a Google Local Guide. His study needed some data for hydro work. Due to a barricade built around the river, we decided to go through the African Regional Aquaculture Center (ARAC) just close to the bank of the river. From the map, we saw a 9-min drive from Rumuagholu to Aluu (the community where we can see a section of the river). On getting to ARAC, we were able to get a Local guide who took us round the sections of the river: We vi...

Check out my YouTube video on how to make chicken vegetable soup https://youtu.be/Gn8pJYZ_GAo Kindly like, subscribe and share. Thanks

Not all maternal and newborn deaths are supernatural, some can be due to environmental risk factors beyond and within our control. Today, a little shift from food and nutrition, but an insight on public health issue. When I was pregnant for my second baby, my sister kept calling all day to know if I had registered for antenatal. I told her I will do that once my change of hospital reflects on my HMO database. Infact, she didn't let me rest till I completed all the hospital rendezvous and successfully registered for antenatal at Upth.  I was already in midway second trimester when I attended my first visit, after medical consultations, the doctor insisted that I take the Tetanus toxoid vaccine before leaving the hospital. I had already started the injection since 2018, and this was my fourth dose. I didn't joke with the injections because during internship I managed a patient who suffered some nutritional problems as a result of tetanus disease. This young man was involved in a ...

It is that time of the year you invest money and time on nutrition and fitness goals. Yes, New year's Resolutions! A lot of money goes into buying slimming teas, fads, coaching and quick-fix which may guarantee impressive weight loss, muscle bulk, big hips and what have you😅. Be mindful that you may gain or fail?  Becoming a better version of yourself starts with you taking realistic, achievable and sustainable steps. Your nutrition isn't left out! Most often we overindulge in too many things and crave for good nutrition when things go wrong. Just a few weeks after the jolly season, you're already watching weight, counting macros and damaging your inner psychology. By the next season, you start all over again. Tips to help you start on the right note;  1. Get rid of wrong thinking You need to eat right, ask a dietitian. If you need medical attention, visit a doctor. You're mentally disturbed, see a psychologist. You need to visit a physiotherapist, counsellor, expert d...

                      Who wouldn't enjoy a bowl of golden brown, crispy and tasty chips or a good toast? It's so appetizing and enjoyable!  The prevalence of chronic noncommunicable disease is increasing in an alarming rate. Thus, we need to mind what we consume. In recent times, there has been an alarming rate of people suffering from malignant and benign tumours. A tumour that is malignant is known as cancer. A carcinogen is a substance or agent that causes cancer. Acrylamide is one of the probable carcinogens that's undergoing evidence-based research in animal studies since it's discovery in food in 2002. Previously, it has been used industrially for producing cosmetics,  plastics, textiles and drinking water products. According to World Health Organization,  cancer is the second leading cause of death globally, and was responsible for 8.8 million deaths in 2015. Globally, nearly 1 in 6 deaths is due ...

It's necessary to plan foods needed daily by the family properly in order to ensure good nutrition. Planning a meal saves time,  energy and money. This helps family to avoid unwanted, unappetizing and unhealthy meals. Things to be considered when planning meals; 1. Choose foods from the various basic food groups 2. Ensure variety in food preparation;  food should be colorful, properly blend flavour and texture, incorporate unique shapes in a dish. 3. Choose foods that are locally available in your place. It's fresh, cheaper and affordable. 4. The appearance of food that is served either kills or whets one's appetite. 5. Consider personal preference, also provide adequate nutrition. For example: Old people cannot eat hard foods because of weak teeth. 6. Balancing time and energy enhances adequate meal preparation. 7. Making a budget prior to shopping helps save cost. 8. Include religions and social customs;  it helps influence a food to be prepared within a sea...

For proper hand washing, all you need is 20 seconds and some soap and water. Here's how to do it: Wet your hands with clean running water (warm or cold) and apply soap. Rub your hands together to make a lather and scrub them well; be sure to scrub the backs of your hands, between your fingers and under your nails. Continue rubbing your hands for at least 20 seconds. Need a timer? Hum "Happy Birthday" from beginning to end twice. Rinse your hands well under running water. Dry your hands using a clean towel or air dry.

In 2017, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics celebrates Registered Dietitian Nutritionist Day on Wednesday, March 8. As the nation's food and nutrition experts, registered dietitian nutritionists are committed to improving the health of their patients and community. First celebrated in 2008, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist Day commemorates the dedication of RDNs as advocates for advancing the nutritional status of people around the world. The day was created by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics to increase the awareness of registered dietitian nutritionists as the indispensable providers of food and nutrition services and to recognize RDNs for their commitment to helping people enjoy healthy lives. Registered Dietitian Nutritionist Day and National Nutrition Month promote the Academy and RDNs to the public and the media as the most valuable and credible source of timely, scientifically-based food and nutrition information(EatrightPro). I use this opportunity to ...

These tips will help you lose some weight; 1. Take broccoli and cabbage, rich in fiber and aids weight loss. 2. Consume beans, it has relatively low in fiber. 3. Avoid commercially fried foods. 4. Limit intake of sugars, cakes, chocolates and other sweet snacks. 5. Cut down or stop drinking alcohol. 6.Eat breakfast. Those who skip breakfast are prone to eating an additional 100 calories in a day. 7. Opt for low dairy products e.g low fat yogurt, milk, etc. 8. Eat slowly. It takes awhile for your brain to get satiety signals, thus helping control intake and lose weight. 9. Consume whole grains instead of unenriched polished or refined grains. 10. Dietary intervention is best achieved if physical activity is engaged. Always exercise for 30 mins a day. Exercises include; brisk walking, climbing stairs, jogging, running, swimming, etc.

A month ago, I visited Nma, a two year old friend in a paediatric clinic, she was already recovering from a gastrointestinal infection. In a crib next to hers laid a little boy of two weeks old whom has been having fever, seizures and other complications since admitted. He looked lifeless, weak, emaciated and pale, and I wondered what actually caused his ailment or what was wrong with him. Out of curiosity I asked Nma’s mother who has been telling  me about her convalescing child who’s no longer on parenteral support. I was told that the baby boy was given Agbo, a native herbal concoction by his mother to cure his dysentery and fever. I was shocked! How can a mother give Agbo to a child whose body system is still tender and fragile? Is it ignorance or what? Unfortunately, the boy died in the clinic amidst physician’s effort to save his life. Who killed the boy – “Agbo or Mother?” I’m not going to debate or blame any factor but in this article I’m going to lay emphasis on in...

Happy World Health Day! “If we are to make any headway in halting the rise in diabetes, we need to rethink our daily lives, to eat healthily, be physically active, and avoid excessive weight gain” – Margaret Chan, WHO Director-General The global health awareness day is celebrated every year on the 7th of April under the sponsorship of the World Health Organization (WHO). It was first celebrated on APRIL 7, 1950, and the aim of this celebration is to create an opportunity to emphasize the importance of world health every year. The theme of this year’s World Health day is “Halt the Rise, Beat Diabetes.” Diabetes is a preventable and treatable non-communicable metabolic disease or disorder that is rapidly affecting individuals worldwide most especially in under-developed and developing countries. Prevalence According to the First Global Report on Diabetes, it is estimated that 422 million adults in the world have diabetes and it’s likely to move more than double in the next 20 y...

Dehydration occurs when you lose more fluid then you take in, and the body doesn’t have enough to replace fluid to carry out its normal functions. If you don’t replace lost fluid especially water and electrolytes, you will be dehydrated. The big question is; are you drinking enough water? How would you know that your body needs more fluid? However, hydration is the reverse of dehydration. It refers to the availability of fluid in the tissues and cells for body function. This can be optimally achieved when one takes enough liquid that can replenish the lost substance. One loses water due to hot weather, vigorous exercise, diarrhea, vomiting, excessive sweating, fever and other metabolic diseases or disorders. During hot weather or intense exercise, the body’s metabolism increases, which sometimes lead to dehydration.  It can be mild, moderate or severe dehydration. Also, mild to moderate dehydration can be reversed by drinking more fluid but when it becomes severe, an immed...

Often times, we don't eat enough of the edible foods in our environment. It can be as a result of ignorance, poverty, laziness, disease, depression or even preference. Eating right and living healthy are achievable and sustainable, yes! The poor or average can still eat right as well as the rich. Food diversity involves dietary intake of varieties of foods.  In the past, I carried out a survey in a suburban in Western Nigeria. Here, some of the rural dwellers were poor farmers and sellers, I noticed that though there was high prevalence of malnourished children, some were still well fed. At weaning, they were fed Amala, Ewedu soup, Pap, etc. One interesting thing about these foods were the ingredients used in preparing the diets. For example, ground white crayfish, groundnut, soy bean and so on were mixed with the pap (Ogi or Akamu) to fed the baby. At a glance, one can say the mothers diversified in order to provide the infant a balanced diet. There are many ways we can com...

Hello Friends, The essence of the rainy season in Nigeria cannot be over-emphasized. Yes, there are challenges but the surplus foods in the markets are worth buying. These foods include: Yellow/white maize, pear, walnut, groundnut, vegetable, fruits, etc. These foods are rich in nutrients, try eating available foods cos they are cheaper and available.