Health
Houston Health care clinic and home health owners sentenced for fraud
Africa
Uganda’s President Museveni tests positive for COVID -health official
NAIROBI (Reuters) – Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni has tested positive for COVID-19, is in good health and will continue his duties, while getting treatment, a senior health ministry official said late on Wednesday.
“Today …the President tested positive for COVID-19. This was after developing mild flu-like symptoms. However he is in robust heath and continues to perform his duties normally while adhering to SOPs,” Diane Atwine, permanent secretary at the health ministry, said on Twitter, referring to standard operating procedures for handling COVID cases.
Earlier on Wednesday after giving a State of the Nation address at the parliament’s grounds, Museveni, 78, gave a first hint that he may have contracted COVID, saying in the morning he had felt a slight cold, prompting him to request COVID tests.
He said two of three tests he had done were negative, and he was waiting for the outcome of another.
“So I am a suspect of corona and I am standing here. That is why you saw me coming in separate cars with Mama,” Museveni said, referring to the First Lady Janet Museveni, who accompanied him to parliament.
At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Uganda had among Africa’s toughest containment measures that included curfews, businesses and school closures, the shutting of borders and other steps.
It fully reopened in February 2022.
During the pandemic, Museveni, who is vaccinated against COVID, was always been seen in public wearing a mask and has always conducted his official duties while social distancing and would often be seen seated alone in a tent on the lawn of his office when meeting visitors.
Column
Facts and Myths about Weight Loss: Finding Your New You
You would agree with me that the social and digital media has been saturated with innumerable diet advices and trends. Influencers would promise everything from “easy quickie” weight loss; nutrition habits to diet management, using those to engage and lure unsuspecting naive readers who fall for the gimmicks. At last, they leave people disappointed, discouraged, and often weighing even more than they did before they started.
My name is Faith Ononye Onyechefuna, your provider at the Walter J. Family and Wellness Clinic. Based on my observation from several patients I have interacted with, I will share with you in this article, the facts and myths about Weight Loss.
Now let’s get to business:
First is the perception that it does not matter what you eat as long as you count calories
Here are the facts: Believe it or not, what you eat matters. According to National institute of health, a calorie is a unit of energy in food. Our body uses energy derived from foods to function. 1 gram of carbohydrate is 4 calories, 1gram of protein is 4 calories, 1 gram of fat contains 9 calories according to department of health. Adult females need between 1,600 to 2400 calories a day and adult males need 2,000 to 3,000 calories according to United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) guidelines.
One notion about weight loss is the tendency to reduce calorie intake but one must be careful not to cut back too much. Caloric counting encourages quantity over quality. The main goal is to focus on the appropriate range of calories for amount of fuel you are burning. One also need to consume nutrient dense diet that stabilizes blood sugar and help trigger satiety
Another perception is cutting back on carbs to lose weight
Here are the facts: Are you aware there are different forms of carbs? Simple and complex. Simple carbs can be found in junk foods like cookies, candies which lacks nutrients. Foods with complex carb like whole wheat bread and fruits have lots of nutrients that are good for you. Cutting back on sweets like the simple carbs are wonderful way to navigate toward healthy eating habits
Next is setting high goals if you want to lose weight and it is one size fit all
Here are the facts: weight loss goals are attainable when it is realistic. High goals maybe unattainable and make you give up. Weight loss process is highly individualized. What works for someone else may not work for you. Be ready to modify your plan as you and your healthcare provider discovers what works for you. Weight loss is a lifetime commitment. It is a journey that begins when you are ready. Weight loss readiness questions include:
- Are you motivated to make long term lifestyle changes?
- Have you identified and address the big distractions in your life? Such as marital problems, job stresses, illnesses, financial worries
- Do you have a realistic picture of how much weight you’ll lose and how quickly? The aim of losing 1 to 2 pounds a week until you reach your goal is more realistic than loosing 1 to 2 pounds daily.
- Do you have support and accountability? Having someone to offer encouragement can help or you may consider joining weight loss support group. One must commit to regular weighing and tracking of diet and activities to achieve effective weight loss goals.
Another significant misconception we have about weight is that obesity is by choice, not nature
Here are the facts: Obesity is not by choice. Obesity is caused by cascades of genetic variables. The body has many biological pathways and hormones that function harmoniously to regulate body weight; these pathways may be dysfunctional in people that are obsessed, making weight loss goals unattainable. Numerous medical conditions, such as hypothyroidism, polycystic ovarian disease, depression have been linked to one or more disruptions in hormonal levels thereby increasing risk of weight gain. For instance, body resistance to hormone leptin may lead to obesity. Leptin is a hormone that inhibits hunger and regulate energy balance, so the body does not trigger hunger responses when it does not need energy. Resistance to leptin makes the brain think one is in starvation mood and thus consume more. Therefore, for a weight loss program to be effective, a provider must draw labs to check hormonal level and make necessary correction to achieve realistic weight loss goals.
As a wellness professional, I can tell you right away that path to healthy, enduring weight management habit is not very rosy but could be turned into an exciting fun activity if you seek professional counsel. By the way, Walter J. is a Pearland, Texas – based family clinic providing individualized affordable healthcare to families across lifespan; preventing illness and improving quality of life through education, wellness, treating and controlling diseases. Our weight-management programs are most innovative and highly effective.
For free consultation about your weight, you may call me directly: 832-400-2118
Column
Why Africans and Americans Africans Must Participate in Clinical Research Trials
Clinical research trial is a vital component of medical research, as it invests significant resources emphasizing on disease prevention, treatment comparisons, identifying people who are at risk for developing a type of disease, or testing a treatment for a rare/emerging disease.
Clinical Research has been known to improve clinical outcomes, giving birth to major medical and technological advancements that have tremendously improved our overall quality of life.
Clinical research trials test the effectiveness and safety of new medicines or treatments. Some breakthroughs and advancements through clinical research include the development of new medications and treatments options for diseases, new diagnostic approaches, and new ways of reducing disease risk factors.
In my recent journey into clinical research investigation, I have observed that African American immigrants are yet to embrace the essence of clinical research studies.
While several studies have shown that the most common barriers to African Americans’ involvement in clinical research included mistrust in the system due to lack of information, and a fear that history may repeat itself, personal stories abound as to the safety and potential benefits of including this population in research studies.
Some other barriers include societal, educational, cultural, and financial reasons.
Could this be different for the immigrant African American?
Immigrant African Americans are known to be some of the most educated immigrants in the United States, and part of the education centers around understanding the essence of research, and participating in it.
Immigrant African-Americans suffer significantly from diabetes, cancer, hypertension, and heart diseases when compared with their Caucasian or Asian counterparts, but they are frequently marginalized and underrepresented in clinical trials of these diseases.
What we must understand is that, it is impossible to generalize the results of any study, without considering samples from different populations that will potentially be affected by the results of such studies.
Efforts to improve enrollment of immigrant African-American subjects entail that we all recognize the numerous medical problems that require totally new treatment approaches, or a modification to existing modalities.
The incidence of heart disease, prostate cancer, ovarian cancer, diabetes and several other viral diseases in immigrant African-Americans necessitates that this population be specifically involved in clinical trials for medical and surgical research purposes.
I am therefore calling upon all immigrant African Americans, and Africans all over the world, to participate in clinical research trials happening around them, so as to be well represented, and considered in the medical advancements, and production of pharmaceutical products made for diseases that could potentially affect us.
♦ Edith Nkem Declan an Adjunct Nursing Professor and Clinical Research Nurse Practitioner, based in Houston Texas.
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