Diary of a Doctor

Flu season in the United States typically starts from October and extend as far as May each year. The current flu season, in spite of the  high morbidity and mortality we have experience so far,  is yet to peak. Most of the time, flu activity peaks between December and February but can last as late as May. You should get your vaccine now if you have not got it yet this season. It is best to get vaccinated before flu begins to spread in your community. It takes about two weeks for antibodies to develop in the body to protect against the flu. Do not think it is too late to get your flu shot, it is never too late to make the right decision. The right decision here is ensuring that you get your shot and also ensure that all your loved ones do the same. I actually did an elaborate article on how to keep yourself  safe from the flu. You can read about it here . Now, I am not a "flu police" or a "prophet of doom", I am just a lady who is committed to keeping my ...

My goal is to help people maintain a healthy lifestyle which was why I came up with the lemon water challenge to start with.  I very much prefer people to stay healthy through prevention rather than having to come see me for treatment in the hospital. I  recently completed what I call the modified lemon water challenge - a 30-day weight loss regimen for people who would love to shed some weight to stay healthy. The first part was just the lemon water challenge. You can read about that here . Change I believe is something that starts from the mind. When you make up your mind to do something then nothing can stop you from achieving it. You are your own greatest hindrance if you allow it. I for one could not  believe I can ever do without sugar but thanks to the modified lemon water challenge, I GAVE UP SUGAR! Today I am 90 days "sugar sober". The following things are needed for this challenge:  -A journal (to record your weight daily and put a tick when you dri...

The Influenza (flu) season is upon us. Actually it has been for a while. In the United States, the flu season is considered October through May. It usually peaks in February. In Australia, the flu season is considered May to October. Flu is a contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses that infect the nose, throat, and sometimes the lungs. It can cause mild to severe illness, and at times can lead to death. Some of the symptoms include the following: Fever (not everyone with flu will have fever) Cough Sore throat Running Nose Headache Muscle or body aches Fatigue (extreme tiredness) Vomiting and diarrhea (more common presentation in children) Getting an annual flu vaccine one of the best ways to protect yourself and your family from the flu. Flu vaccination can reduce flu illnesses, doctors' visits, and missed work and school due to flu, as well as prevent flu-related hospitalizations.  In 2017, a study   in Pediatrics was the firs...

According to Wikipedia, time is "indefinite continued progress of existence and events that occur in apparently irreversible succession from the past through the present to the future. In history, a large variety of devices have been invented to measure time. The study of all these devices is called  horology - the art or science of measuring time. Various instruments are used to measure time include clocks, watches, clockwork, sundials, hourglasses, clepsydras, timers, time recorders,marine chronometers and atomic clocks. I went to a shopping mall one day and I came across this really pretty hourglass decoration (shown in the picture below) and was inspired to write this piece. The flow of sand in an hourglass can be used to measure the passage of time. It also concretely represents the present as being between the past and the future. I thought to myself, this was how some people at a certain era measured time. How did they come up with the idea and why was it so ...

Happy New Year everyone ! So happy, grateful and excited at the same time. Congratulations you made it.  It is a new year filled with new opportunities and goodies. Stop brooding over the errors and failures of the past year. Let the past stay in the past where it belongs. Embrace a whole new world of possibilities. It is a fresh new slate to write up new things. New hopes, new dreams - bigger and  better.  Many people sincerely make 'new year' resolutions with the very best of intentions, but unfortunately along the line they revert to 'status quo'.  They just carry on with life as usual.   In the new year, you have to purpose to be very intentional about your life and how you live it.  Stay strong and committed to the goals you have set. Below I listed ten things to do to help you stay committed to your resolutions. 1) Write down the list of things you want to achieve in a journal . I love journals. I keep loads of them...

Have you had your annual physical check up this year or do you have it scheduled already? If you have not done that you need to do that now before the year ends or schedule it for very early next year. A great benefit of annual physical check up is that it helps to give you a clean bill of health or nip anything brooding in the bud. It helps you continue to maintain a healthy lifestyle or make necessary ammends if need be. I see so many people who do not make healthy life choices, some can't be bothered, for others it is just out of sheer ignorance. So if I am able to convince only one person to make a better choice with his or her life, then my work is done.Then I am happy and fulfilled. I want all my friends to be healthy and conscious of their health. Prevention they say is far better than cure. Most times ,you have to schedule your annual physical check up way in advance and plan for it. You might also need to go fasting so you have to plan for that as well. Some...

The Holiday season is here again. The most exciting time of the year with colourful decorations and family gatherings. It is usually characterized by its pomp and pageantry. A lot of hustles and bustles go on at this time. You want to get the perfect Christmas tree, pick the appropriate gifts and wrap them, address the cards and have them delivered. Not only that, you want to shop for the perfect Christmas outfits for the kids and get the perfect dinnerware for guests coming over. Lots of shopping for the festivities and that seems like a lot of chaos you would say. However, in the midst of all the good feelings and joy, do not be so carried away as to neglect yourself and your health at large. As it is so easy to simply let yourself go. Less time in the gym, more time shopping in the mall. Since it seems as if everyone is on the move, people are more impatient, people tend to take more risks than they would at any other time of the year.There is need to bring to mind the need fo...