Nutrition Archives - Page 15 of 16

‘Dek ngor’ All the way from Acholi land

June 9, 2020

Uganda is a melting pot of cultural diversity, it prides itself in culinary delights as part of the culture mix. Today we shall be looking at the Acholi people also known as Acoli. This is an ethnic group from the districts of Agago, Amuru, Gulu, Kitgum, Nwoya, Lamwo, and Pader in Northern Uganda and Magwe County in South Sudan.

The Acholi, in Northern Uganda, pride in a delicacy known as the ‘dek ngor’, relished by the people there and eaten mainly with sheer butter (moo yaa). It is one of the traditional dishes that has stood the taste of time. This dish is especially served to the in-laws on the first day they arrive in the home of the girl to bring dowry. This dish has earned its place in the annals of Acholi’s history of food, if there is such a thing, given its popularity with people from all walks of life in the region. Given its nutrition value, it has broken the boundaries of culture and is a dish that can be prepared -by anyone.

Process of making ‘Dek Ngor’

Dek ngor preparation is a step-by-step affair that can be done by almost anyone.
You will need pigeon peas for this dish and the local grinding stone.

The pigeon peas are dried in the sun then crashed using the grinding stone and then cleaned as the peas are being put on fire. A cooking pot is used for this process of cooking
After stirring for some time, you add sim sim or ground nut paste as it’s cohesion ability to stiffen will enable the sheer butter (moo yaa) to float on top
Using the grinding stone, crash the pigeon peas into halves. The peas are then boiled till it becomes soft, and crash to make a smooth paste of source

This source is served millet, sweet potatoes or any other food that you may deem fit.

Nutrition Value

Like you have noted already, this particular dish bursts with countless nutrients that are used as ingredients. The peas are an excellent source of proteins and like this is not enough, simsim or groundnut paste is added which serves as additional value all in one pot.

The process of crashing the peas not only makes the process of cooking the peas faster but it also breaks the peas further of any phytates that may be in there. The texture which is a puree texture to which the soup is formed into not only makes the dish delicious but makes it an excellent dish during weaning.

This is a dish worth a try

Aspiration

May 17, 2020

At what age did you know that when someone is choking, it is very wrong and dangerous to ‘box’ their back as a way of giving them first aid? Do you know that everyone suffers from aspiration at any one time but children especially those with feeding difficulties are most vulnerable?

It was a Saturday afternoon and we had been given the reward of going out to play since we had done all our school homework diligently. Nakimera one of my playmates in our village was the host that day. We played all sorts of games including ‘kakebe’, dodge ball, round game and had succeeded to get ourselves as dirty as possible. And much as we played, so did the hunger pangs dig deep; so when ‘maama Nakimera’ (maama is a term we use to refer to someone’s mother) called us to share a meal, we did not even think twice. The ten of us all run to the papyrus mat to make sure we get a seat on the ‘table.’ In no time, a bright yellow nicely mashed matooke (bananas) all blowing out steam was served with beef in groundnut paste. No sooner had we began eating than Mukasa started coughing so hard. His eyes blew out of his eye balls rolling with tears, as he gasped for breath. “His choking, his choking!!! We all yelled in chorus. ‘Maama Nakimera’ swung into action jumping everything that was in her way as she aimed for Mukasa’s back. She hit his back so hard and did not stop until the piece of meat fell out and that is when we realized we all had held our breathe for so long and we all let out a huge sigh. What should have been a sad moment became a teasing scene as we long bust out laughing and accusing Mukasa for being hungrier than the rest of us. This that happened to Mukasa is what we call aspiration.

It is something that happens to all of us time and again although it is more common among children that are differently able-d and struggle with feeding difficulties.

Signs of aspiration

Wet sounding voice
Runny nose
Choking
Coughing
Difficulty breathing

Coughing and choking during mealtime are often signs that the body is trying to protect the airway from food or liquid. Not at any time should food or liquid be in the airway. It is very dangerous to pat the back of a child chocking, because this may knock food or liquid further into the airway. The recommendation is to make sure the child is upright as you encourage them to keep coughing. If concerns are frequently observed, the child may need to be rushed to a doctor.

The tube for food (esophagus) and the tube for air (trachea/airway) are right next to each other. Safe swallowing depends on perfect timing of each step with effective performance of over 30 muscles and nerves. When the food or liquid enters the wrong tube (airway), aspiration occurs. Signs of aspiration may happen during feeding or right after eating. The signs may depend on the age of the child, how often and how much the child aspirates. Some children who aspirate do not have all the signs, and some do not have any. Something called silent aspiration. Everyone aspirates from time to time, but most people are able to cough to clear the food or liquid out of the airway. Many children with health problems or disabilities may be more at risk for frequent aspiration. If aspiration occurs frequently, in large amounts, or the child is not able to cough sufficiently, it can be very serious and lead to respiratory problems such as pneumonia, dehydration, malnutrition, weight loss and increased risk of illness.

So be ware to watch your child as they feed to trace signs of difficulty and this way further respiratory and nutrition problems can be averted.

Responsive Feeding

March 28, 2020

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Are you the kind of parent who is the high control freak? You will decide when and how much your child eats, the force feeder, the stick is not far away during meal time. Are you the type who leaves the child to feed themselves. The parent who believes that the child will eat if hungry and he or she stops eating, it means they have had enough to eat even if very little food was consumed. Or are you the type of feeder who feeds in response to the child’s cues or signals using encouragement and praise?

Responsive care refers to the behaviors and practices of the parents and family that provide the stimulation and emotional support as well as food and health care necessary for the child’s healthy growth and development. Infants are dependent on a caregiver to provide all their food. With age, the infant gradually develops the skills for relatively independent in eating as a young child such as picking up pieces of food and moving it to the mouth, choosing foods, and using feeding utensils. Similar to many other skills that the young child develops, responsive care practices related to eating can help, or hinder, the development of these skills and behaviors. While feeding a child, they might show they are ready for another bite by opening their mouth, leaning forward, or gazing at you. It is important to note that the pace of feeding should be driven by the child and not the feeder.

Responsive feeding is the reciprocal relationship that involves:

The child giving cues or signs or signals for hunger or fullness;
The parent noticing the child’s cues, the accurate interpretation of that sign, and responding to the sign in an appropriate way;
The child perceiving there is a response to his/her cue and that this response is predictable.

Non-responsive feeding may include a parent controlling the feeding and deciding when and how much is eaten, or a parent ignoring the child’s cues and limited interaction. Both types of non-responsive feeding can result in stressful mealtimes and overall family relationship difficulty.

Learning to like new tastes and responsive feeding

Another form of non-responsive parenting may occur when child cues are misinterpreted and food is seen as the solution. Have you seen mothers who say, the breast is the solution to every cry for the baby. Once the child begins to cry, without even thinking about it, the latch them onto the breast. This parent thinks the infant is not getting enough breast milk because the infant is crying soon after a feed. Some will give a tired toddler in the late afternoon who wants a cuddle and a rest some sweet biscuits and tell them to go off and play until it is family dinner time. Infants or young children need assistance that is appropriate to their age and development needs to support adequate nutrition.

Non-responsive feeding practices where the parent controls the feeding may result in overeating if, for example, children learn to eat when they are not hungry or that they should always continue eating until the bowl is empty. Eating until the bowl is empty at every meal may be beyond satiety and may be over-fullness. Finishing all the food in the bowl at every meal may mean that the parent does not respond to the child’s signs that he/she has had enough to eat. The baby or child learns to ignore the inborn mechanism for satiety and a new level is set where eating to over-fullness becomes the expected feeling. This exposes the child to over eating and may gain weight rapidly there by increasing the risk of lifelong obesity.

Steps to Responsive Feeding

Pay attention to the infant’s or child’s communication
Respond warmly and promptly
Feed the right food for the infant’s or child’s age and stage
Let the infant or child stop when they are full
Focus on being affectionate and nurturing

Benefits of Responsive Feeding

Responsive feeding helps to keep your levels of breast milk high and consistent, which naturally decreases any chances of painful feedings or blocked ducts. Oddly enough, the more milk your baby eats, the more milk you will produce—it’s part of the beautiful circle of life.
Babies who are fed using responsive feeding establish much better eating habits that carry into adulthood. When a strict schedule is implemented, babies are often fed past the point of fullness, which carries into toddler, teen, and adult eating habits which are using detrimental to their health.
I cannot begin to exhaust the bond that is created between you and the child. Unknown to you, mealtimes are an important learning environment where socialisation and language development takes place the most.

In conclusion responsive feeding only means that the parent observes, interprets accurately and responds appropriately to the signs or signals that the baby or young child gives. It is time to uncover the baby’s face as you feed them, pay extra attention to your toddler as they feed and enjoy the benefits of responsive feeding.

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Nutrition

Bipolar Disorder

March 27, 2020

I am born in a culture where some disorders or say diseases are foreign, that is the African culture. A culture that teaches you to be tough regardless of your gender. You cannot begin to cry or whine about some things lest you become a weakling. So conditions like depression, baby blues are branded ‘white man’s’ diseases.

The first time I got to know about the Bipolar disorder, mark you! this is when I was already at university when we were studying about drug interactions in pharmacology. My entire existence was amazed or for lack of a better word shocked.

Bipolar disorder also known as manic depression, is a mental health condition that causes extreme mood swings that include emotional highs (mania) and lows (depression). When one becomes depressed, they feel sad or hopeless and lose interest or pleasure in most activities. When the mood shifts to mania (emotional highs), they feel euphoric, full of energy or unusually irritable. These mood swings can affect sleep, energy, activity, judgment, behavior and the ability to think clearly.

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Episodes of mood swings may occur rarely or multiple times a year. While most people will experience some emotional symptoms between episodes, some may not experience any.

Although bipolar disorder is a lifelong condition, one can manage their mood swings and other symptoms by following a treatment plan as prescribed by their doctor. In most cases, bipolar disorder is treated with medications and psychological counseling (psychotherapy).

Symptoms

Manic episodes may include symptoms like high energy, reduced need for sleep and loss of touch with reality. Depressive episodes may include symptoms like low energy, low motivation and loss of interest in the daily activities. Mood episodes can last days to months at a time and may also be associated with suicidal thoughts.

In terms of experience, this is what we tend to see among such people;

Mood: mood swings, elevated mood, sadness, anger, anxiety, general discontent, apathy, apprehension, euphoria, guilt, hopelessness, loss of interest, or loss of interest or pleasure in activities.

Behavioral: irritability, risk-taking behaviors, disorganised behavior, aggression, agitation, crying, excess desire for sex, hyperactivity, impulsivity, restlessness, or self-harm.

Psychological: depression, manic episode, agitated depression, or paranoia

Cognitive: unwanted thoughts, delusion, lack of concentration, racing thoughts, slowness in activity, or false belief of superiority

Weight: weight gain or weight loss

Sleep: difficulty falling asleep or excess sleepiness

Also common: fatigue or pressure of speech

Treatment

Bipolar disorder is treated with three main classes of medication: mood stabilizers, antipsychotics, and antidepressants. In summary, treatment entails a combination of at least one mood-stabilizing drug and/or atypical antipsychotic, plus psychotherapy.

Bipolar diet

In addition to the medications given, it is important to manage mood episodes with healthy lifestyle habits. Did you also know that certain foods and dietary supplements can play a role in helping or hindering people with bipolar disorder?

Please note that there is no specific bipolar diet, nevertheless, it is important to make wise dietary choices that will help maintain good nutrition and facilitate a healthy living. Here are some of the foods you may want to avoid.

1. Caffeine

“Stimulants can trigger mania and should be avoided. Caffeine is an underappreciated trigger and can also impair sleep and sleep deprivation is a notorious trigger for mood swings and mania.

2. Alcohol

Alcohol and bipolar disorder make such a bad combination. Alcohol can negatively affect bipolar mood swings and may also interact negatively with medication such as lithium which is a common medication given to persons with the bipolar disorder.

3. Sugar

Eating a diet that is high sugar can make it harder to control weight and obesity and make some medications that are given less effective.

Some healthier options one can adopt

Instead of potato chips or fries, munch on fresh vegetables in a savory dip.
Swap that sweet pastry for a slice of whole-grain bread.
Instead of a fourth or fifth cup of coffee, make yourself a cup of herbal tea.
Craving for a fast-food burger and fries? Try a fresh salad instead.
Swap a fried main course for steamed entrée.

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Pass this information to someone who may need it and be a promoter of healthier living through informed choice of living.

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Nutrition

How to boost your Immunity

March 23, 2020

As we all strive to stay strong and fight this fast spreading pandemic of COVID19, the question on everyone’s mind is, Can you boost your immune system to fight COVID-19?

WHO defines the word pandemic loosely – “the worldwide spread of a new disease”. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a pandemic is a disease that has spread in multiple countries around the world, usually affecting a large number of people.

Aside the top preventative measures against COVID19 which are to wash your hands regularly for 20 seconds, with soap and water or alcohol-based hand rub, covering your nose and mouth with a disposable tissue or flexed elbow or handkerchief when you cough or sneeze, avoiding close contact (1 meter or 3 feet) with people who are unwell, and staying home and self-isolating from others in the household if you feel unwell; there is one other thing that experts are recommending which is to boost your immunity. Positive immune response can be essential to staying healthy. While the following suggestions are not ways to prevent you from contracting the virus, they are easy ways to keep yourself as healthy as possible. Please note there is no magic pill or a specific food guaranteed to bolster your immune system and protect you from the new coronavirus.

Here are some of the simple things you can do to boost your immunity to give your body a better fighting chance.

Eat a balanced diet, exercise and skip unproven supplements.

A healthful diet and doing exercising are very important to maintain a strong immune system. However, no single food or natural remedy has been proven to bolster a person’s immune system or ward off disease. But that hasn’t stopped people from making specious claims. A recipe circulating on social media claims boiled garlic water helps. Other common foods touted for their immune-boosting properties are ginger, citrus fruits, vegetables. There are small studies that suggest a benefit to some of these foods, but strong evidence is lacking. Zinc supplements are also a popular remedy for fighting off colds and respiratory illness. If you enjoy foods touted as immune boosters, there is no harm in eating them as part of a balanced diet. Just be sure that you don’t neglect proven health advice like washing your hands and not touching your face when it comes to protecting yourself from viral illness.

Lower your stress.

Worries about the COVID19, the closure of schools, suspension of contracts and the general disruption of life have added stress levels, but we know that stress also can make you more susceptible to respiratory illness. Your body does a better job fighting off illness and healing wounds when it’s not under stress. Learning techniques for managing stress, like meditation, controlled breathing or talking to a therapist are all ways to help your immune system stay strong.

Improve your sleep habits.

A healthy immune system can fight off infection. A sleep-deprived immune system doesn’t work as well. Focusing on better sleep habits is a good way to strengthen your immune system. The sweet spot for sleep is six to seven hours a night. Stick to a regular bedtime and wake-up schedule. Avoid screens, night-eating and exercise right before bedtime.

Avoid excessive alcohol consumption

So many studies over time have found a link between excessive alcohol consumption and immune function. Research tends to indicate that people who drink in excess are more susceptible to respiratory illness and pneumonia and recover from infection and wounds more slowly. Alcohol alters the number of microbes in the gut microbiome, a community of microorganisms that affect the immune system. Excessive alcohol can damage the lungs, and impair the mucosal immune system, which is essential in helping the body recognize pathogens and fight infection. And it’s not just chronic drinking that does damage. Binge drinking can also impair the immune system. A cocktail or glass of wine while you are sheltering in place during coronavirus is fine. But drinking to excess will put you in a tricky place.

Vitamin D

While more study is needed on the link between vitamin D and immune health, some promising research suggests that checking your vitamin D level and/ taking a vitamin D supplement could help your body fight off respiratory illness. Vitamin D can be found in fatty fish, milk or foods fortified with vitamin D. In general, our vitamin D levels tend to be influenced by sun exposure.

Remember these above all;

HANDS – Wash them often
ELBOW – Cough into it
FACE – Don’t touch it
SPACE – Keep safe distance
FEEL sick? – Stay home

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