Purify your drinking water at home by installing a reverse osmosis water filter

Drinking water is good for our health. But the most important question we fail to ask is if we are drinking the right kind of water.  There are many different sources of water and not all of them are good for health.

The need for water purification is very essential in the 21^st century. We have evolved with time and the side effects of this evolution (pollution) has also had its toll on the safety of drinking water.

There exist safe sources of drinking water that have been filtered through reverse osmosis like “tangui” water being sold in Cameroon.

You may be tempted to ask why people are buying reverse osmosis filters or bottled water. It is because some health experts have raised have questioned the safety of tap water for drinking. They are:

1Tap water contains Aluminum

Aluminium is used to treat water.  This is because aluminium makes organic materials in water to coagulate and sediment. However after treatment, it is impossible to remove all traces of Aluminium in water. Aluminium when ingested is more dangerous that chlorine and fluoride. Aluminium has been found to cause cancers and Alzheimer’s disease.

 2 Tap water contains fluorides

Adding fluorides to water is a common public health measure to treat water in developed countries. This fluoride is in the form of Sodium silicofluoride which is toxic to man when ingested. Fluoride has been shown to have a link between cancer, arthritis and osteosarcoma. According to the World Health Organization, low levels of fluoride consumption can help in preventing dental caries. However they have also pointed out that excessive consumption of Fluorides can cause skeletal fluorosis which is characterized by painful and stiff joints.  

3 Our tap water contains chlorine

Some health experts such as Dr. Don Colbert have raised concerns, stating that tap water is not very safe for drinking is because it contains chlorine. Chlorine is popularly known in the health world as an anti-vitamin. This means that chlorine destroys vitamins.

Chlorine is added to water as a means of purifying it, to make it safe for home use. However, some studies have showed that chlorine may be responsible for causing some cancers.

4 Tap water may contain microorganisms

The water that flows from the taps especially from those living in towns like Douala (Cameroon) may sometimes be brown in colour. This may be because underground pipes may have cracks that allow impurities to get in.

The solution: Purifying Water by Reverse Osmosis

How does water filtration by Reverse Osmosis work?

Reverse Osmosis works by which salts, impurities and heavy metals are removed from water whereby tap water is made to flow through a semipermeable membrane under pressure. This semipermeable membrane allows only water to pass through. Reverse osmosis also stabilizes the pH, optimizes the mineral balance of water, removes any a pathogens/microbes and reduces heavy metals.

This filter doesn't require the use of electricity to function. 

Water filtration by reverse osmosis is available in Cameroon and is being supplied by MelHRcons & Safety Associates International at a very cheap and affordable price.

Contact: +237 6988 27 699

8 Foods that increase your risk of developing gout

In order to decease your risk of developing gout, you have to limit your consumption of gout causing foods. These foods are usually very high in purine content.  Apart from food, there are other factors that increase your risk of developing gout such as taking certain medications like diuretics. Below is a list of foods that increase your risk of developing gout.

1 Red meat

This includes, beef, lamb and pork

2 Sea food

This includes, oily fish, shell fish and Herring

3 Livergotten from animals

4 Heartgotten from animals

5 Kidneysgotten from animals

6 Bush meat

7 alcoholic drinks

8 sweet drinks

Side Effects of Potassium (Too much and too little potassium)

Our body needs potassium to function properly. Although there are health benefits of potassium, the side effects of potassium should also be taken into consideration.

According to Medline Plus, the Food and Nutrition Center of the Institute of Medicine recommends the following dietary intake for Potassium.  These amounts can be gotten from foods that contain potassium.

Infants

·         0 - 6 months: 0.4 grams a day (g/day)

·         7 - 12 months: 0.7 g/day

Children and Adolescents

·         1 - 3 years: 3 g/day

·         4 - 8 years: 3.8 g/day

·         9 - 13 years: 4.5 g/day

·         14 - 18 years: 4.7 g/day

Adults

·         Age 19 and older: 4.7 g/day

When we have too much or too little potassium in our body, there will be health effects such as hyperkalemia and hypokalemia.

Hyperkalemia

Too much potassium in our blood is known as hyperkalemia. According to Mayo Clinic, some of the causes of Hyperkalemia include acute kidney failure, chronic kidney disease, excessive potassium supplement, Type 1 Diabetes and high alcohol/drug use which will cause our muscle cells to breakdown resulting in the release of potassium in our blood stream.

Symptoms of hyperkalemia include:

• Fatigue or weakness
• Nausea or vomiting
• Breathing problems
• Palpitations
• Chest pain.

Hyperkalemia is dangerous because it can cause paralysis, nausea, abnormal heart rhythms and muscle fatigue.

Hypokalemia

This occurs when we have low potassium levels in blood. Some of the symptoms of hypokalemia include muscle cramps, irregular heartbeat, lack of energy and an abnormal ECG.  Hypokalemia can be caused by some of the following:

• Severe loss of fluids through diarrhea and vomiting
• Some kidney disorders
• Taking too many laxatives
• Taking medication to treat high blood pressure

When it comes to drinking alcohol, what quantity is considered normal? What is considered as drinking alcohol in excess? How many bottles or glasses of alcohol should we drink per day?

Everybody is aware that drinking alcohol in excess will harm our health.  There are a lot of question that people ponder on silently when thinking about the safe limits of drinking alcohol.

The effects of alcohol cannot be seen immediately. It usually takes so years to be seen. You may be drinking above normal now without seeing any effects, but it will surely come to pass after some years.

In order to know how much alcohol you drink, u should be able to calculate the units of alcohol in your drink. The units of alcohol will help you to know the quantity of pure alcohol that is found in your drink, no matter the size of it and volume of the drink.

The NHS has recommended that

• Women should not drink more than 2-3 units of alcohol every day or for most of the days in a week
• Men should not drink more than 3-4 units of alcohol every day or for most of the days in a week 

In General, men should not drink more than 21 units of alcohol per week and women should not drink more than 15 units of alcohol per week. Both men and women should have 2 days free from drinking alcohol every week.

How to determine the units of alcohol that are found in your glass or bottle of drink

In order to calculate the units of alcohol, you will need two values:

1 Total volume of drink in ml: the total volume of drink is usually written on the bottle of the alcohol. for example 350 ml, 750 ml. 1000 ml. If the drink is in a glass, you will need to estimate its volume in the glass e.g. 100 ml. 

2 The alcohol by volume: it is abbreviated as ABV, abv or alc/vol. it is a measure of how much ethanol (alcohol) is found in a given volume (bottle, can) of an alcoholic beverage. It is expressed as a volume percent.

An alcoholic beverage that has “10% ABV”, “vol 10%” or says “10% alcohol by volume “  means that of the total volume of drink, 10% of it is pure alcohol.

The formula for calculating the number of units of alcohol found in your drink is as follows:

(Total volume of drink in ml × alcohol by volume in %) ÷ 1000

Example 1, to calculate the units of alcohol in a 330 ml bottle of beer that has an ABV of 5 %:

(330ml × 5%) ÷ 1000 = 1.65 units

Example 2, if you have a bottle of KING’S CASTLE blended Scotch whisky that has 43% VOL and 75CL (cl stands for centiliter and 1 centiliter equals 10 milliliter so the volume in ml is 750):

(750 ml× 43%) ÷1000 = 32.25 units. 

This means that if you have whisky you will need to drink it in “shots” or in very small quantities per day in order not to exceed the recommended 3 /4 units of alcohol per day.

Example 3, if you happen to share a glass of wine or you are at a party and you are offered a small glass of red wine that has 12% ABV and the volume of red wine in the glass is 125 ml:

(125 ml × 12%) ÷ 1000 = 1.5 units

Read about the health effects of drinking alchohol in excess here

Sources:

NHS Choices. Alcohol units. Available at: http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/alcohol/Pages/alcohol-units.aspx

Patient. Recommended safe limits of alcohol. Available at: http://patient.info/health/recommended-safe-limits-of-alcohol

The battle with tap water

Water is needed for the body to survive. We all know the health benefits of drinking water, but the important question we sometimes fail to ask is the right kind of water to drink. Not all water that looks clean is safe for drinking.

Of recent, health experts have been raising some concerns with respect to the water that is being supplied to us as tap water.

Here are some of the reasons why health scientist are raising concerns with respect to the safety of tap water being supplied to our homes.

1 Our tap water contains chlorine

The reason why some health experts are raising concerns that tap water is not very safe for drinking is because it contains chlorine. Chlorine is popularly known in the health world as an anti-vitamin. This means that chlorine destroys vitamins.

Chlorine is added to water as a means of purifying it, to make it safe for home use. However, some studies have showed that chlorine may be responsible for causing some cancers.

2 tap water contains fluorides

Adding fluorides to water is a common public health measure to treat water in developed countries. This fluoride is in the form of Sodium silicofluoride which is toxic to man when ingested. Fluoride has been shown to have a link between cancer, arthritis and osteosarcoma.

3 Tap water contains Aluminum

Aluminium is used to treat water.  This is because aluminium makes organic materials in water to coagulate and sediment. However after treatment, it is impossible to remove all traces of Aluminium in water. Aluminium when ingested is more dangerous that chlorine and fluoride. Aluminium has been found to cause cancers and Alzheimer’s disease

5 Pollution of water from the environment

Our environment contributes to water pollution. The sprays, pesticides, fertilizers, drugs, shampoos easily find their way into water that is being recycled for use. Rain also washes these chemicals into water supplies. 

10 health effects of drinking alcohol in excess

It is very common for Nurses, Doctors Health Scientist and so many other professionals to tell you not to drink alcohol. But what exactly does the famous saying “alcohol is not good for your health “mean? Here is a breakdown of how alcohol damages our health.

Majority of people who suffer from the health effects are not necessarily alcoholics or drunkards. They are ordinary people who have been drinking alcohol a little above normal for so many years.

1 Cancers

Drinking excess alcohol is a risk factor for cancers like Mouth cancer, Breast cancer, liver cancer, throat cancer or cancer of the esophagus.  

Health experts believe cancer results from our body’s conversion of alcohol into aldehyde, which is considered a possible carcinogen.

2 Pancreatitis

Alcohol pancreatitis can occur as a consequence of long term addiction to alcohol. This can make the pancreas not to function properly.  

The pancreas helps our excretory system to break down substances so that it can be easily excreted. The pancreas also secrets digestive enzymes. Apart from this, the pancreases also help to regulate the amount of glucose in our body. If the pancreas is destroyed as a result of alcohol, problems like hyperglycemia and hypoglycemia will result.

3 Damage to the liver

The liver is an organ that cannot escape the effects of excessive alcohol intake. Cirrhosis and alcohol hepatitis are some health effects of alcohol that can be seen with the liver.

The liver breaks down and processes substances in our body, preparing them for excretion. When we drink too much alcohol, it can cause chronic liver inflammation which can lead to scarring of the liver (cirrhosis).  If the liver is destroyed, our body will not be able to break down toxic and poisonous substances in our body.

4 Heart attack, stroke and cardiomyopathy

Drinking excess alcohol can cause problems like irregular heartbeat cardiomyopathy and stroke. Scientist have found out that drinking alcohol can make some of our blood cells (platelets) to stick together forming clots. This clots have a high chance of causing a heart attack or a stroke.

The muscles of our heart can also get weak and fail to work as a result of drinking alcohol in excess for a long period of time. This condition is called cardiomyopathy.

5 Depression

Depression has always been associated with drinking alcohol in excess.

6 Hypertension

Bingeing alcohol or drinking it heavily can cause our blood pressure to increase above normal. 

7 Erectile dysfunction and infertility

When men drink alcohol in excess for long, it can cause erectile dysfunction. Infertility can also be a consequence of abusing alcohol.

Women who abuse alcohol can suffer from irregular menstruation and infertility.

8 Birth defects in children

Drinking alcohol for a long period and during pregnancy can result in developmental abnormalities in children.  This developmental activities are generally known as fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD). The baby can grow up to have learning disabilities, physical abnormalities and a low IQ.

Alcohol can also increase a woman’s chances of having still births or miscarriages.

9 Weak immune system

Alcohol weakens our immune system, making us susceptible to diseases caused by many microorganisms.

10 Drunkenness

Drinking alcohol in quantities that our body cannot process can lead to drunkenness, dizziness, hallucinations and slurred speech. It also alters our mood and judgment. If a person drives in any of these states, it can cause road traffic accidents.

 Sources:

National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) available at http://www.niaaa.nih.gov/alcohol-health/alcohols-effects-body

WebMd, Health Risks of Alcohol. http://www.webmd.com/mental-health/addiction/features/12-health-risks-of-chronic-heavy-drinking

Healthline. The effects of alcohol on the body. Available at: http://www.healthline.com/health/alcohol/effects-on-body

9 health effects of palm wine

Palm wine is a popular alcoholic beverage found in Cameroon, Nigeria, Ghana and so many other countries. It is important for people to understand what goes on in the palm wine business, in order to be able to make healthy choices. The best form of palm wine that will benefit your health is the one that is fresh from the source. Make sure nothing has been added to it. If you are to buy palm wine from a palm wine vendor, make sure you trust the source and also make sure that nothing has been added to it. Here are some things to watch out for when drinking palm wine and some

side effects

Alcohol content

If you are drinking palm wine that has lasted for more than 3 days, its alcohol content is high because it has undergone fermentation. The percentage of alcohol in palm wine when it is fresh is about 2.3% and it is about 5% when it has undergone fermentation for about 4 days. If you are taking medication that prohibits you from drinking alcohol, you shouldn't drink palm wine. Taking alcohol in excess is a foundation stone for diseases in the future and strong palm wine is not an exception. The alcohol content of palm wine can cause:

1 Light head aches

2 Dizziness

3 Drunkenness

4 Addiction to strong palm wine and other strong drinks

5 Damage to the liver, heart, pancreas, brain and other body organs if taken for many years

6 Drinking excess alcohol for long can cause problems like erectile dysfunction in men

7 If a pregnant woman drinks too much alcohol, it can cause miscarriages, still births and some abnormalities in babies. It is important for pregnant women to know that alcohol is capable of crossing the placenta into the fetus causing fetal alcohol syndrome. This can lead to mental retardation and make a child to have a low intelligence quotient (IQ) and hence will be dull in school or any other activity that requires some level of IQ.

If you didn't buy palm wine from the source, it is possible that it has been diluted and adulterated

In villages, it is very easy to get to the source of fresh palm wine. Understand that selling palm wine is a lucrative business and in order for sellers to increase their sales, some of them dilute fresh palm wine with water and add artificial sweeteners like saccharine to make it sweet. After diluting palm wine, it usually looks lighter than normal and anyone who grew up around palm wine will be able to notice this difference. In order to hide this act, some palm wine sellers add cassava starch to the diluted palm wine to make it whiter. Adulterated palm wine can cause the following:

8 Diarrhea, stomach upset and other water borne diseases if unclean water was used to dilute the palm wine.

9 The artificial sweetener and sugar that is used to sweeten diluted palm wine can increase our risk of having type 2 diabetes. It also increases the risk of hypertension and other cardiovascular diseases.

Read the health benefits of palm wine here

Sources:

M. eluwa, E. Ekere, T. Ekanem, A. akpantah, A Igiri "Teratogenic Effect Of Beer And Palm Wine On The Histology Of The Fetal Kidney Of Wistar Rats" available at http://ispub.com/IJTO/6/2/12203#

Centers for Disease Control and prevention. Alcohol and public health. available at http://www.cdc.gov/alcohol/faqs.htm

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Alcohol Use and Your Health. Available athttp://www.cdc.gov/alcohol/fact-sheets/alcohol-use.htm.