On House Fire Accidents

Hello beautiful, it is a warm day today. I started writing this piece some days ago and it took the massive fire at Singer market on February 18, 2016 for me to complete writing it. The fire was said to have been started by a ‘mei-shai’ a.k.a. tea sealer. My sincere condolences to all affected.

Now the NEPA/PHCN/KEDCO seem to have stepped down on their responsibilities in Kano. The popular ‘I better pass my neighbour’ generators have now been banned. There has been a spate of fires in Kano and now with the approaching heat more accidents at home may just happen. God forbid!

I will address it from the perspective of those I interviewed who have suffered losses from fires and then suggest prevention. We do better when we know better!
First Things First:We should all try to get fire extinguishers. They are quite affordable depending on your need. You just never know when one will come in quite handy!!!

1.       Avoid living in relatively dark houses. There are many poorly built houses which are poorly lighted even in the very bright Kano sunshine. Many who suffered losses claimed that they had to use candles and lanterns during the day and the inevitable happened. If one did not live in such houses, it may have been avoided

2.       Do not use candles. Many who suffered losses drifted off to sleep and the inevitable happened. As a rule candles are not used in my home.

3.       Avoid locking up kids in the house. Those who have to run errands and lock up kids in the house and due to little or no babysitting alternatives have suffered losing their homes and kids who were locked in during the process. Desist from this

4.       Use of gas cylinders. These days most tenants keep their gas cylinders outside their flats. This is because when the heat gets to the cylinder it heats up and explodes. Always keep the valve of your gas cylinder locked daily.

5.       Avoid use of heating agents like Nigerian boiling rings, etc. This is because it does not have a thermostat that helps regulate the heat. Use electric kettles instead.

6.       I suggest use of some household items should be discouraged. I do not use an electric gas cooker because my family escaped a fire accident using one. This is because one can forget to switch it off when electricity is cut off. I do not use matches in my home this is because kids could play with it and light up the curtains, etc. I use a lighter instead.

7.       When the gas cooker knob is turned on, light it immediately. Do not keep the gas escaping before you finally put light to it. It could end up consuming one.

8.       Always have a look round the house before retiring each night.

9.       As much as possible, cook ‘beans’ during the day. A lot of fires resulted from cooking beans at night and consequent falling asleep.

10.   If lanterns are kept on overnight, adjust it to quite low. Also make sure the area it is kept is well ventilated. Many deaths have occurred from carbon monoxide poisoning via this.

11.   Avoid topping up the petrol tank of your generator when the generator is running

12.   Avoid using ‘torch-light’ phone as lighting when topping up the petrol tank as generator. This applies whether the generator is switched off or running.

13.   Switch off all electric appliances before leaving home. Its not like one is even expecting electricity in this heat wave. So ,its better safe than sorry

You could comment and share yours or other peoples’ experiences so we can all learn.

Dr Dileem

The Likita Bokanturai

Kano Nigeria

Healthy Snacks-Dr Dileem's Doya Krispies

 Hello beautiful,it is such a bright day today. Kano weather has suddenly changed!! I decided to share this healthy snack recipe. It is easy,cheap and best of all healthy.’Doya’ is the word for yam in the Hausa language of Nigeria. There are lots of new yams on the market and in Kano you can really get confused with the variety. Depending on the species, you may be able to eat the head and the tail of the yam. If the species are not nice, the head and tail of the yams won’t be palatable. At home we call it ‘shukuru shukuru’ yam when the head and tail is not nice and of course no one would it it. I am not a fan of head and tail of yams whatever the species. I use them to make this recipe and it saves waste for me. I also use the body of the yam if I want to make a large amount. It I call it Dr Dileem’s Doya Krispies. It is a snack great for kids and adults.

Ingredients:

Yam

Salt

Ground Pepper (any ‘yaji’ mix will do)

Olive oil

Preparation:

Peel the yams

Slice into circles

Using a slanted grater, slice the yam into thin slices

Heat the oil, drop the yam strips gently into the hot oil. Do not overcrowd the fry-pan else, they will stick together

Once there are no more bubbles around the Krispies,it means it is dry and all the moisture gone

Remove from the oil quickly so it does not get too brown.

Sprinkle on salt and pepper (or ‘yaji mix’) while it is still hot.

Enjoy!!

Dr Dileem

The Likita Bokanturai

Kano Nigeria

Subscribe to our mailing list

* indicates required

Email Address *

First Name *

Last Name *

Birthday *

/ ( dd / mm )

Comment

Comment

• Post Comment

Slow Arthritis Down

Arthritis a painful problem that can interfere with your ability to do the things you enjoy. But you can take steps to protect your joints, reduce discomfort, and improve mobility.

1.Keep moving. Avoid holding one position for too long. When working at a desk, for example, get up and stretch every 15 minutes. Do the same while sitting at home reading or watching television.

2.Discover your strength. Put your strongest joints and muscles to work. To protect finger and wrist joints, push open heavy doors with the side of your arm or shoulder. To reduce hip or knee stress on stairs, let the strong leg lead going up and the weaker leg lead going down.

3.Plan ahead. Simplify and organize your routines so you minimize movements that are difficult or painful. Keep items you need for cooking, cleaning, or hobbies near where they are needed

4.Take advantage of labour-saving devices and adaptive aids. Simple gadgets and devices can make it easier to perform daily activities such as cooking,etc. Long-handled grippers, for example, are designed to grasp and retrieve out-of-reach objects. Rubber grips can help you get a better handle on faucets, pens, toothbrushes, and silverware. Pharmacies, medical supply stores, and online vendors stock a variety of aids for people with arthritis.

5.Ask for help. People with arthritis often worry about the possibility of growing dependent on others. But only a very small percentage of people with arthritis become severely disabled. Still, the emotional burdens of arthritis can be considerable. Educate family members and friends about how arthritis affects you, and don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need it.

I come from a family where osteoarthritis is common despite the absence of obesity in the sufferers. I had a panic attack one day when I realised my knees started  making crunchy noise anytime I move them. My BMI is also normal.I have since started knees exercises as prevention. I told myself that I will not suffer knee arthritis!

Dr Dileem
The Likita Bokanturai
Kano Nigeria

Dr Dileem's Potato Twist

Many people think that sweet potatoes are just regular potatoes that are orange,red or yellow but they are in fact a completely different vegetable.
Compared to regular potatoes, sweet potatoes have oodles more vitamin A (in the form of beta-carotene), vitamin C and even more fibre. This means that sweet potatoes are excellent for your digestion. Sweet potatoes are composed mainly of starch, which is very easy to break down and is soothing for the stomach and intestines too. This makes them an ideal healing choice for those suffering from the pain and inflammation associated with stomach ulcers and irritable bowel syndrome. The roughage of sweet potatoes even prevents constipation.

Ingredients:
4 medium-large sweet potatoes
1 ½ cups fiyo-fiyo beans (well cooked and spiced to taste)
1 ripe avocado

Fried tomato-pepper sauce(spiced to taste)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400°F/200°C. Prick sweet potatoes a few times with a fork. Place on a baking sheet in the oven and roast for 30-45 minutes, depending on the size of the potato. You will know it’s done when a knife can easily pierce the skin and the center is soft. I prefer to roast my potatoes sometimes
2. Remove sweet potatoes from oven and slice each one down the center, almost through to the bottom. Open up to reveal its flesh.
3. Stuff the sweet potato with fiyo-fiyo beans and top it with avocado, and any other herbs, sprouts or veggies you like. Pour sauce Sauce over the top. Serve and enjoy.

Dr Dileem

The Likita Bokanturai

Kano Nigeria

 

 

 

Subscribe to our mailing list

* indicates required

Email Address *

First Name *

Last Name *

Birthday *

/ ( dd / mm )

Comment

Comment

• Post Comment

Healthy Snacks-Dr Dileem's D'Oreos

I love oreos biscuits and i tried some tweaks to create mine. It is so amazing and easy to prepare. Your kids will also love it.

Prep time 20 mins,Cook time10 mins,Total time 30 mins

Serves: 12 D’Oreos

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients:

• 1 c. Dr.Dileem’s  flour mix
• ¼ c. cocoa powder
• ¼ c. granulated organic sugar
• ¼ tsp. salt

Wet Ingredients:

• 4 Tbsp. milk
• 2 Tbsp. coconut oil, solid (or non-hydrogenated shortening)
• 1 Tbsp. honey

Cream Filling:

• 7 Tbsp. non-hydrogenated shortening
• 3 c. powdered coconut

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with baking paper.
2. Whisk together the dry ingredients together in a medium bowl. Using a fork, "cut" in the oil or shortening into the flour to create pea-sized bits. Add the remainder of the ingredients. Your dough should be smooth,if not add 1 Tablespoon  milk until smooth.
3. Roll half the dough between two pieces of parchment paper. Cut into 2" circles. Repeat with the second half of the dough. Should make 24 circle cookies.
4. Bake for 8 minutes. Cool on a wire rack--they will firm up the longer they sit.
5. With an electric mixer on medium speed or whisk whip up the D‘Oreo filling ingredients until smooth. Pour into a plastic/nylon bag and cut one corner out. Pipe the filling onto one cookie and then sandwich with another.

Dr Dileem

The Likita Bokanturai

Kano Nigeria

 

 

Subscribe to our mailing list

* indicates required

Email Address *

First Name *

Last Name *

Birthday *

/ ( dd / mm )

Comment

Comment

• Post Comment

Dr. Dileem's Prescription-Exercise In Diabetics

Exercise is excellent medicine for an ailing heart, or for keeping a healthy one healthy. Today i am addressing exercise in diabetics.

It's just as important for type 2 diabetes. This is the kind of diabetes that tends to develop gradually, often in response to excess weight or lack of physical activity. Is one kind of exercise better than another for diabetes? An "exercise prescription"  recommends a combination of aerobic exercise and strength training. It's also a great combination for the heart.

This dual strategy makes sense. Aerobic activity, like walking or swimming, strengthens the heart, lungs, and muscles. It helps control blood pressure and blood sugar. It keeps arteries flexible. It is also essential for losing weight and excess body fat, or for maintaining weight. All of these are key strategies for many people with diabetes. Strength training helps muscles respond better to insulin, the hormone that ushers blood sugar into cells. A single bout of it can make muscle cells "listen" to insulin better for 12 hours or more.

Exercise prescription for people with type 2 diabetes

Walking or other moderate-intensity exercise, three to seven days a week, for a total of 150 minutes per week OR jogging or other vigorous exercise, three days a week, for a total of 90 minutes per week

AND

Weight lifting or other muscle-strengthening resistance exercise (weight machine, etc.) three days a week. My family prefers walks, we get to take in fresh air and generally jist about any and everything.

Before beginning

Most people with diabetes can start a walking program without having any tests. To be on the safe side, the American Heart Association recommends having a stress (treadmill) test first if you haven't been active and you have been diagnosed with heart disease, peripheral artery disease, or another cardiovascular condition; have occasional chest pain or unexplained shortness of breath; or plan to jump right into a regimen of vigorous exercise. The American Diabetes Association broadens this a bit, suggesting a pre-exercise stress test for anyone who has had diabetes for 10 years or longer.

Exercising caution

People with diabetes need to be a bit more careful about exercise than other folks. For some, low blood sugar can be a hazard. Others need to pay special attention to their feet or eyes. Here are some tips for exercising safely with diabetes:

Start slowly. If you are new to exercise, start with a low-impact activity like walking, swimming, or bicycling. Gradually increase your daily exercise. 

Time it right. The best time to exercise is an hour or so after eating, when your blood sugar is likely to be a bit higher. 

Know your limits. Check your blood sugar before and after exercise to see how your body responds to exertion. 

Protect your feet and eyes. Make sure your shoes fit well so you don't get blisters, which can lead to skin ulcers. If you have nerve pain or loss of sensation (neuropathy), avoid activities that could cause pressure ulcers or stress fractures. If you have developed blood-vessel abnormalities in one or both eyes (diabetic retinopathy), stay away from lifting heavy weights or other activities that cause a sudden increase in blood pressure that can trigger bleeding in the eye. Lifting light weights is fine—just don't hold your breath while lifting. 

Be prepared. Have water and snacks handy when you exercise. Especially important are carbohydrate-rich snacks that can quickly boost your blood sugar if it gets too low. 

Sound the alert. This is not readily available in Nigeria though.Wear a medical identification bracelet or necklace that says you have diabetes just in case you get into trouble.

Types of exercise Exercise can be broadly divided into two types: aerobic and anaerobic.

Aerobic exercise involves the repetitive use of large muscles — for example, by walking, bicycling, or swimming — so that your heart rate and breathing temporarily increase, bringing more oxygen to muscles. It can be either moderate or vigorous.

During moderate-intensity activities you should notice an increase in your heart rate, but you should still be able to talk comfortably. If you are breathing hard and fast and your heart rate rises substantially, you are probably doing vigorous-intensity activity. Many activities (such as bicycling or swimming) can be either moderate or vigorous intensity depending on your level of effort.

Moderate-intensity activities include

Walking fast,doing water aerobics, riding a bike on level ground or a few hills,playing doubles tennis,pushing a lawn mower.

Vigorous-intensity activities include

Jogging or running,swimming laps,riding a bike fast or on hills,playing singles tennis,playing basketball. 

Anaerobic exercise is better known as resistance or strength training. Such exercise builds muscle by harnessing resistance — that is, an opposing force that muscles must strain against. Resistance can be supplied by your body weight, free weights such as dumbbells and weighted cuffs. A modification is to fill up 50 cl pet bottles with pebbles and sand.

Dr Dileem

The Likita Bokanturai                                     

Kano Nigeria 

Subscribe to our mailing list

* indicates required

Email Address *

First Name *

Last Name *

Birthday *

/ ( dd / mm )

Comment

Comment

• Post Comment