Why Poorly Processed Garri May Cause Blindness

In spite of its being a major staple food in the face of economic crisis, experts have stated that garri, when poorly produced, can cause blindness and when taken in excess also poses significant health threat to the body.
Speaking on the issue, ophthalmologist and Group Director of Eleta Eye Institute Complex, Ibadan, Dr Ben Ajayi, said, “Cassava peels contain cyanide which protects the tubers from pests and some animals. For garri, which is derived from cassava roots, to be safe for consumption, cyanide must be completely removed. When the process is incomplete or not properly done, the cyanide becomes toxic to humans when consumed.”
Explaining how this could lead to blindness, Dr Ajayi, who retired as Visiting Consultant Ophthalmologist to the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan stated, “Cyanide is slightly similar in structure to Cyanocobalamin (Vitamin 12). So, it competes with Vitamin B12 replacing it and affecting rapidly growing tissues or tissues that are regularly renewed such as the skin, peripheral nerves and the nerve of the eye – optic nerve. It’s the involvement of the optic nerve which leads to blindness.”
He, therefore, explained that “If a person is eating adequate amounts of proteins and B12, the quantity of the B12 in the blood will neutralise the cyanide and it won’t cause any problem. So, for badly processed garri containing cyanide to cause blindness, three other factors must be present: Imbalance Diet deficient in protein; Vitamin deficiency, especially Vitamin B12 and Cyanide present in the garri because of poor processing.”
Dr Michael Richard, a general physician of the Brian Medical Consulting, Ikeja, Lagos, who also spoke on the issue, described the cassava root as having a high starch (carbohydrate, sugar) deposit, making its excessive consumption compliant to all blood sugar crises.
“Due to the high starch content in garri,” he said, “its excessive intake reduces the chances of the pancreas to regulate the sugar level in the body. And when this habit continues for a long time, the excess sugar flows into the blood stream which circulates round the body. This might cause diabetes, which in turn leads to conjunctivitis, kidney failure, stroke, impotence, among other health complications.”
According to him, “Cassava root is an energy-dense food. The root is a physiological energy reserve with high carbohydrate content which ranges from 32 per cent to 35 per cent on a fresh weight basis, and from 80 per cent to 90 per cent on a dry matter basis. Eighty per cent of the carbohydrates produced is starch; 83 per cent is in the form of amyl pectin and 17 per cent is amylose. Roots contain small quantities of sucrose, glucose, fructose, and maltose.”
The president of the Diabetes Association of Nigeria (DAN), Dr. Alkali Mohammed, added that “the fibre content in garri helps in digestion, prevents intestine track diseases and slows the release of sugar in the body.”
He, however, said that “the fibre content in cassava roots depends on the variety and the age of the root. Usually, its content does not exceed 1.5 per cent in fresh root and 4 per cent in root flour.” Story By JOHNSON OKPUSA OBASI

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The Link Between A Woman's Waist and Erectile Dysfunction

Possessing a 'figure 8' body has long been a trademark of feminine beauty, and now new research has revealed the reason why men tend to prefer women with a waspish waist.
The study also linked the middle proportion of a woman's body to the likelihood of satisfaction and erectile dysfunction in her partner.
Researchers found that the slimmer a woman's waist, the more satisfied her partner and the less likely he is to suffer impotence in the bedroom, according to the study published in the journal Archives of Sexual Behavior.
Past studies have found that men generally perceive slimmer women as more sexually attractive. Researchers explained that in terms of evolution, humans are programmed to associate overweight people with an increased risk of health problems, therefore a woman with a slimmer waist is perceived to be healthier and to have a greater chance at reproductive success.
To study the link between women's waist and her perceived sexual attractiveness to her partner as well as their overall sexual satisfaction, researchers measured a man's sexual function using an established questionnaire called the International Index of Erectile Function.
Researchers also recorded how often the 699 study participants - Czech men between the ages of 35 and 65 years old - had sexual intercourse.
The study revealed that men who suffered the least performance issues were younger, had younger partners and partners with slimmer waists. Researchers added that these men were also more satisfied with their sex life.
What's more researchers said it was "noteworthy" to point out a slender waists were linked to better erectile function, greater frequency of penile-vaginal intercourse and greater sexual attraction independent of both partners' age.
Lead researcher Stuart Brody, professor of psychology at the University of West Scotland said that there were two possible explanations for the "waist effect".
The first reason was that woman's abdominal body fat decreased their own sexual desire on a hormonal level, which would hamper libido.
The second reason could be that men simply found slimmer women more attractive and thus had fewer problems in the bedroom.
"The most compelling explanation was that slimmer women are, on average, more sexually attractive to men (resulting in more frequent sex, stronger erections, and greater satisfaction)," Brody wrote in the study.
"This is not surprising, given evolutionary selection pressures, because accumulation of excess body fat, especially abdominally, is associated with elevated risk of metabolic, cardiovascular, and neoplastic disorders (Singh, 2002)," he explained. "The elevated risk of such disorders could result in poorer fitness and hence less desirability as a mating partner."
Researchers noted that the recent findings do not only apply to women, after they found that the larger a man's waist size, the lower his sexual satisfaction

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Zika Virus: Nigeria On High Alert - WHO

Nigeria has been put high alert as ZIKA virus, a mosquito-borne disease that has swept quickly throughout equatorial countries, may spread across the Americas, the United States and even Nigeria, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has warned.
According to a WHO fact sheet, Zika virus infection, which is caused by the bite of an infected Aedes mosquito, usually causing mild fever, rashes, conjunctivitis, muscle pain and headache, has already been found in 21 countries in the Caribbean, North and South America.
The virus has also been linked to thousands of babies being born with underdeveloped brains following which some countries have advised women not to get pregnant.
 Investigations revealed that Nigeria, which is one of the malaria-endemic countries, is home to the Aedes aegypti, also a vector for malaria, yellow fever and dengue fever.
It has also emerged that Nigeria is in danger of dengue fever outbreak, another deadly fever in the class of Ebola Virus Disease, transmitted by Aedes aegypti mosquito (yellow fever mosquitoes) and Aedes albopictusis (tiger mosquitoes) that are now common in the country mostly in and around homes.
The WHO defines a public health emergency of international concern as “an extraordinary event which is determined to constitute a public health risk to other states through the international spread of disease and to potentially require a coordinated international response.”
A virologist and Director of WHO National Polio Laboratory, Department of Virology, University of Ibadan (UI), Oyo State, Dr. Adekunle Adeniji, had in 2014, warned: “There is no house that these mosquitoes are not present, including big hotels. We have all the four stereotypes of dengue fever in Nigeria. Although not all mosquitoes are infected with dengue virus, if bitten by an infected one, it will spread the virus.”
The expert said the mosquitoes, black and tiny, with white patches, look alike, adding that in a recent case people thought was Ebola virus disease turned out be a case of dengue fever.
He said dengue virus had been isolated by the Department of Virology as far back as the 70s from humans and mosquitoes, declaring that Aedes albopictusis was not native to Africa, but found its way into Nigeria through the international trade in used tyres, where their eggs were deposited.
Although there is yet no outbreak of Zika virus and dengue fever in Nigeria, the expert urged Nigerians to protect themselves from being bitten by mosquitoes and to maintain clean environment.
According to a study published in New York Science Journal, dengue viruses (serotypes 1-4), are the causative agents of dengue fever, dengue haemorrhagic fever and dengue shock syndrome in humans and are transmitted predominantly by the Aedes mosquitoes.
Arbovirus infections are usually sensitive to changes in rainfall and temperature. Consequently, their transmission intensity may be regulated by weather and climate.
The study titled “The Effect of Climate on Dengue Virus Infections in Nigeria,” was conducted by M.M. Baba and Muhammad Talle from the WHO National Polio Laboratory University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, Borno State.
According to a study by researchers from the Department of Biological Sciences, University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Ogun State, Aedes aegypti bred in all the breeding sites including tree holes.
In May 2015, the public health authorities of Brazil confirmed the transmission of Zika virus in the northeast of the country.
Since October 2015, other countries and territories of the Americas have reported the presence of the virus. Story By JOHNSON OKPUSA OBASI

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Excessive Alcohol Intake May Reduce Female Fertility

Women who drink 14 or more servings of alcohol (excessive alcohol consumption) a week are likely to have an 18 per cent decrease in their fertility.
According to these findings in a paper published by The BMJ, low to moderate intake of alcohol, defined as one to seven servings a week, seemed to have no effect on women’s fertility, nor did the type of alcoholic beverage consumed.
However, the researchers suggested that couples should abstain from alcohol during their fertile window until a pregnancy is ruled out, because the foetus may be particularly vulnerable to alcohol during the first few weeks after conception.
“Total abstinence may however, not be necessary to maximise conception rates because if alcohol is consumed moderately, it seems that this may not affect fertility,” said Annie Britton from University College London.
In Nigeria, infertility is common. It is estimated that one in four couples may experience delay in achieving conception. Infertility is often thought of as a female concern, but in fact, in a third of cases it is because of male problems, such as a low sperm count, erectile dysfunction, and problems ejaculating, among others. Other factors that may play a part include age – female fertility declines sharply after the age of 35 Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), gynaecological problems such as previous ectopic pregnancy or having had more than one miscarriage, medical conditions such as diabetes, epilepsy, and thyroid and bowel diseases, lifestyle factors such as stress, being overweight or underweight, and smoking.
According to official guidelines in several countries, including the United Kingdom (UK), United States (U.S) and Denmark, women trying to become pregnant should abstain from alcohol consumption, the science daily reported. But, the extent to which alcohol intake affects female fertility is unclear.
“However, it would be wise to avoid binge drinking, both for the potential disruption to menstrual cycles and also for the potential harm to a baby during early pregnancy,” Britton added.
“If a couple is experiencing difficulty in conceiving, it makes sense for both partners to cut down on their alcohol intake,” Britton noted in the paper published by The BMJ. The study included 6,120 female Danish residents, aged 21 to 45 years to examine the association between pre-conception alcohol consumption and time to pregnancy. The study assessed overall alcohol consumption, as well as intake of specific types of alcoholic beverages, including beer, wine, and spirits.Story By JOHNSON OKPUSA OBASI

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OTC Drugs May Increase Heart Disease Risks

A new scientific report from the American Heart Association has found that many common drugs overthe- counter (OTC) medications can cause or worsen heart problems.
To this end, the study authors have suggested that healthcare providers should talk to heart failure patients during every visit about all prescription and over-the-counter medications they are taking, as well as nutritional supplements and herbs.
These are the findings of a new American Heart Association (AHA) report published in the advocacy organisation’s journal ‘Circulation’. Heart failure is the leading cause of hospitalisation for seniors, and the average heart failure patient takes an average of seven prescription medications per day, according to the AHA.
A third of heart failure patients also take herbal supplements, two thirds take vitamins, and seven out of eight use over-thecounter medications.
The study found that wide range of over-thecounter drugs which raises the risk of heart problems include antacid for heartburn, ibuprofen for a headache, an overthe- counter allergy remedy, among others.
Similarly, the study found that even herbal products can interact negatively with heart medications. So, it is important for patients to tell doctors about everything they are taking, according to the AHA report’s authors.
“Since many of the drugs heart failure patients are taking are prescribed for conditions such as cancer, neurological conditions or infections, it is crucial but difficult for healthcare providers to reconcile whether a medication is interacting with heart failure drugs or making heart failure worse,” said Robert L. Page II, a co-author of the report and professor in the Department of Clinical Pharmacy at the University of Colorado Schools of Pharmacy and Medicine, University of Colorado Hospital.
To lower patient risks, the AHA has compiled a comprehensive guide to prescription medications, over-the-counter drugs, and complementary and alternative medicine products that can worsen heart failure.
According to the report, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, including commonly used painkillers such as ibuprofen, can trigger or worsen heart failure by causing sodium and fluid retention and making diuretic medications less effective.
“Over-the-counter medications that treat acid reflux often contain significant amounts of sodium, which can boost blood pressure and is usually restricted in patients with heart failure and those on low-salt diets.
“Certain OTC medications that knock down allergy and cold symptoms (including antihistamines and decongestants) — for example, those containing pseudoephedrine or similar components — may cause increases in heart rate or blood pressure that could exacerbate some cardiac conditions.”
They may also contain sodium, the report added. According to the United States (U.S) Food and Drug Administration risk-assessment reports, the commonly used nutritional supplements and alternative medicines were generally far safer than prescription medications. But some can cause or worsen heart failure when taken with cardiovascular medications.
Among them: Products containing ephedra (which raises blood pressure) and others that can interfere with heart failure medication, including St. John’s wort, ginseng, hawthorn, danshen, and green tea. According to the AHA, such medications and remedies can cause problems by being toxic to heart muscle cells or changing how the heart muscle contracts, interacts with medications used to treat heart failure, so that some of their benefits are lost and contains more sodium than advised for patients with heart failure.

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The Link Between Obesity and Multiple Cancers - New Study

An international team of researchers has raised the alarm over newly found dangers inherent in excess weight, saying they have identified eight additional types of cancer linked to excess weight and obesity. According to the findings, published yesterday in ‘The New England Journal of Medicine’,  the cancers are stomach, liver, gall bladder, pancreas, ovary, meningioma (a type of brain tumour), thyroid cancer and the blood cancer multiple myeloma.
To this end, the data suggested limiting weight gains over the decades, adding that it could help to reduce the risk of these cancers. Obesity is a condition where a person has accumulated so much body fat that it could have a negative effect on their health.
If a person’s bodyweight is at least 20 per cent higher than it should be, he or she is considered obese. If the Body Mass Index (BMI) is between 25 and 29.9, the person is considered overweight.
The study is based on a review of more than 1,000 studies of excess weight and cancer risk analysed by the World Health Organisation (WHO) International Agency for Cancer on Research (IARC), based in France.
Reacting to the development, a Cancer Prevention Expert, Graham Colditz, MD, DrPH, at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, who chaired the IARC Working Group, said, “The burden of cancer due to being overweight or obese is more extensive than what has been assumed.
“Many of the newly identified cancers linked to excess weight haven’t been on people’s radar screens as having a weight component.”
Science daily reported that the findings could have a significant bearing on the global population. Worldwide, an estimated 640 million adults and 110 million children are obese, including one-third of adults and children in the United States. In 2002, the same group of cancer researchers found sufficient evidence linking excess weight to higher risks of cancers of the colon, esophagus, kidney, breast and uterus.
“Lifestyle factors such as eating a healthy diet, maintaining a healthy weight and exercising, in addition to not smoking, can have a significant impact on reducing cancer risk,” Colditz said. “Public health efforts to combat cancer should focus on these things that people have some control over.”
“But losing weight is hard for many people,” he added. “Rather than getting discouraged and giving up, those struggling to take off weight could instead focus on avoiding more weight gain.
In Nigeria, obesity is fast becoming a challenge for elite living in the cities. this is due to the lifestyle of the people involved, most of whom are from the upper rung of the society.

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