Tema-Ghana, July 24, CDA Consult – The use of traditional and conventional treatment at the same time, especially during pregnancy, is dangerous. The practice could be harmful to both the mother’s and the child’s health.
“Pregnancy is one of the most sensitive periods of a woman’s life; a lot of changes occur, and the woman becomes prone to lots of illnesses that cannot be healed, as well as the foetus, so it is best that whatever you take in is one that has been prescribed,” said Mr. Isaac Akoah, Radiographer at Pleasant Medical Centre in Ashaiman, Middle East.
This was stated by Mr. Akoah during the weekly “Your Health! Our Collective Responsibility!” An effort of the Ghana News Agency Tema Regional Office aiming at improving health-related communication and providing a forum for health information dissemination in order to influence personal health decisions through better health literacy.
The Tema Regional Office of the Ghana News Agency created the public health advocacy platform “Your Health! Our Collective Responsibility” to study the components of four health communication approaches: informing, teaching, convincing, and promoting.
Speaking on “Ten Everyday Health Mistakes You Should Avoid,” Mr. Akoah stated that while the combination of traditional and orthodox medicine may not result in an untimely death or the loss of the kid, it may result in some long-term impacts that impair one’s life or even the growth of the baby.
He stated that people should not rely on the success stories of others, particularly when it comes to taking medication, due to disparities in health status and the body’s reaction to medication intake.
“So, just because your sister or grandmother were fine with it doesn’t mean your body will react the same way,” he explained.
The Radiographer noted that it was critical to follow the advice of healthcare specialists who have complete information about a pregnant woman’s health status in order to avoid any unforeseen difficulties later in life.
He emphasized the need of regular antenatal care attendance, emphasizing that couples must attend antenatal care together so that husbands can fully assist their wives during the pregnant journey.
Speaking on the theme: “Exercises for Healthy Living on a Busy Schedule,” Mr. Festus Kwame Amoah Berning, a Physiotherapist at the International Maritime Hospital (IMaH) in Tema, warned people not to sit slouched since this can overstretch the spine.
He said that the optimal sitting position was the 90:90:90 rule, which requires one to sit with one foot on the ground, elbows bent at a 90-degree angle, hips bent at a 90-degree angle, and knees bowed at a 90-degree angle.
He recommended busy professionals to adopt lifestyles that allow them to exercise before or after work, such as walking, jogging, aerobics, dancing, and pushing ups.
Mr. Berning added that they should personalize their office by placing items in such a way that they are forced to get up and walk, and that instead of calling colleagues in neighbouring offices to complete jobs for them, they should walk to the offices if the task is not urgent.
He claims that exercising improves brain health, aids in weight management, lowers disease risk, strengthens muscles, improves mood, and leads to improved sleep, all while lowering future healthcare expenditures.
He also encouraged individuals not to sit for lengthy periods of time since it could harm their spinal cord.
He stated that because movement is essential to life, people should move rather than sit in one spot, and that those whose jobs require them to sit for lengthy periods of time should choose to stand whenever possible.
Mr. Berning emphasized that sitting exerts pressure on the spine, thus sitting for hours without stretching or standing could result in back discomfort and other spine-related disorders.
He revealed that many bankers and office professionals frequently reported to the hospital with swollen feet; this, he explained, was due to extended sitting as the blood veins in the feet become constricted in the sitting position.
