By Elizabeth Larkwor Baah, GNA
Tema, July 24, GNA – Mr. Isaac Akoah, Radiographer at Pleasant Medical Centre in Ashaiman, Middle East, has warned against the concurrent use of traditional and orthodox medicine, especially during pregnancy.
He said the practice could be detrimental to the health of both mother and child, stating, “Pregnancy is one of the most sensitive periods of the 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 fetus, so it is best that whatever one takes in is one that has been prescribed.”
Mr Akoah said this at the weekly “Your Health! Our Collective Responsibility! A Ghana News Agency Tema Regional Office initiative aimed at promoting health-related communication and providing a platform for health information dissemination to influence personal health choices through improved health literacy
Speaking on “Ten everyday health mistakes you should avoid,” Mr. Akoah said the mixture of traditional and orthodox medicine might not cause a sudden death or lose the child but might lead to some long-term effects that would later affect one’s life or even the growth of the baby.
He said that people should not rely on the success stories of others, especially in taking medicine, because of differences in health status and the body’s reaction to the intake of medication.
“So, if your sister was okay with it or your grandmother was okay with it, it doesn’t mean that your body will also react the same way to it,” he stated.
The Radiographer added that it was important to stick to the advice of healthcare professionals who have detailed information about the health status of a pregnant woman to prevent any unforeseen circumstances later in life.
He emphasized the need for regular attendance at antenatal care, stressing that couples must attend antenatal care together so that husbands can fully support their wives in the pregnancy journey.
Speaking on the topic: “Exercises for healthy living on a busy schedule,” Mr. Festus Kwame Amoah Berning, a Physiotherapist at the International Maritime Hospital (IMaH) in Tema, advised people not to sit for long hours as that could have an adverse effect on their spinal cord.
He said movement was life, therefore there was a need for people to move instead of sitting in one place, adding that especially those whose work involves sitting for long hours should choose to stand when they could do so.
Mr Berning explained that sitting puts pressure on the spine; therefore, sitting for hours without stretching and standing could lead to back pain and other spine-related illnesses.
He disclosed that a lot of bankers and office workers often reported to the hospital with issues of swollen feet; this, he said, was due to the prolonged sitting as the blood vessels get compressed in the sitting position.
The Physiotherapist further advised people not to sit in a slouched position as that could overstretch the spine, stating that the best sitting position was the 90:90:90 rule, which ensures that one sits with the foot on the ground, elbows bent at a 90-degree angle, hips at a 90-degree angle, and knees at a 90-degree angle each.
He urged busy workers to adopt lifestyles that would give them the opportunity to exercise, such as walking, jogging, aerobics, dancing, and pushing ups before or after work.
Mr Berning added that they should personalize their office by arranging things in a way that would force them to get up and walk, adding that instead of calling colleagues on the phone in nearby offices to accomplish tasks for them, they should walk to the offices if it were not urgent.
He said the benefits of exercising included improved brain health, weight management, reduced risk of diseases, strengthening the muscles, improved mood, and having better sleep while reducing future healthcare costs.
