On 22nd March, we joined our partners from the Ministry of Health to launch our You’re Sweet Enough campaign.
This 9-month campaign aims to raise awareness of the harmful health effects of consuming sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) and encourage everyone to drink water as the healthy alternative.
Speakers at this event included Isalean Phillip, our Advocacy and Research Officer and Dr Marissa Carty, the NCD Coordinator at the Ministry of Health.
Isalean Phillip started the event by highlighting that non-communicable diseases are the leading cause of death in St Kitts and Nevis with 83% of deaths being attributed to these conditions. Ms Phillips also explained that driving the development of non-communicable diseases is the high rate of obesity in the Federation. Therefore, this campaign focuses on one cause of obesity, the overconsumption of SSBs. Ms Phillip went on to explain that regular consumption of sugary drinks is found to be linked to weight gain and obesity, and this increases our risk of developing diseases like type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and some cancers.
Isalean Phillip, Advocacy and Research Officer, Lake Health and Wellbeing
Dr Marissa Carty, the NCD Coordinator at the Ministry of Health, then provided some remarks and stated that the Ministry recognises the urgent need to protect the health of the nation and one important approach is to reduce the public’s consumption of SSBs. She went on to voice her disappointment at “the deceptive and manipulative marketing of SSBs to vulnerable communities and demographics such as children, youth and young adults” and described some of the measures that are required to reduce SSB consumption – an SSB tax adequate nutrition labelling of SSBs and evidence-based information about the harmful effects of SSBs.
Dr Marissa Carty, NCD Coordinator, Ministry of Health
The event ended with the official launch of the campaign materials by Abi Begho, Lake Health and Wellbeing’s Director. Mrs Begho showcased the campaign jingle (with vocals provided by local artist Dejour), billboards, the first educational animation and community leader video.
Abi Begho, Director, Lake Health and Wellbeing
We had a great time at our launch event and are very much looking forward to making a difference through this campaign. You can visit the campaign website to find out more and to be kept up-to-date.
We are absolutely delighted to welcome our new Advocacy and Research Officer, Isalean Phillip. Isalean has a strong background in policy and advocacy with a concentration in gender, equity, diversity and inclusion.
Isalean will be taking the lead on our new project to create a healthy food environment where the public can easily make healthy choices. Specifically, her work will focus on advocating for government and private sector policies and decisions related to healthy and unhealthy beverages and implementing a campaign focusing on sugar-sweetened beverages.
In today’s blog, we take you behind the scenes to learn more about Isalean and what inspires her.
Tells us about your career journey so far.
I think I’m fortunate to have a diverse professional background having worked with non-profits, NGOs and government departments on various aspects of policy development, including academic research and analysis, lobbying and advocacy, public education, policy writing and program/project implementation and coordination. Given my passion for social development and transformation, I tend to gravitate towards organizations and projects that address issues affecting vulnerable populations like women, children and youth, black, indigenous and people of colour.
What inspired you to pursue a career in policy and advocacy?
I have a history of youth leadership and advocacy. I was a former Leeward Island debater, youth parliamentarian and Commonwealth Youth Ambassador and the exposure I gained in these areas really ignited my passion for advocacy, particularly around social policy. I’m also very scholarly so it felt like a natural pivot to build a career as a policy professional who is able to apply strong communication, research and analytical skills to lead and coordinate various aspects of policy development.
What role do you think policy plays in improving the
public’s health?
I believe that policy is an essential tool for enabling social change and transformation. Ultimately, public health policy is intended to protect and preserve the health and wellness of all persons to ensure we live full and productive lives. And so, polices play a critical role by regulating health practices and procedures, removing barriers for more equitable access to health-related resources and influencing behavior change to cultivate healthier habits and lifestyles.
What are you most looking forward to about working with Lake Health and Wellbeing?
I’m really looking forward to making an impact in St. Kitts and Nevis and the wider region through this campaign and the other research projects that LHW is executing. I love the energy and professionalism that Abi and Oyehmi bring and I’m excited about learning and growing with them in this new role. I believe working with LHW presents me with a great opportunity to do something worthwhile and make a positive change for the collective good, and that excites me.
Tell us an interesting fact about yourself?
It is my lifelong goal to visit the 7 wonders of the world. I’ve got 2 down (the Colleseum in Rome and the Chichen Itza in Mexico) and 5 to go.
When you’re not working, how do you spend your time?
I spend my free time at home mostly. I enjoy listening to music and podcasts, Netflix and chill and I’m always up for spending quality time with loved ones, eating good food and having great conversation.
We are very much looking forward to working with Isalean and if you’d like to contact her about our new sugar-sweetened beverages project, you can send leave her a comment below or send her an email
Today’s blog post comes from guest author, Kimberly Hayes, Chief Blogger at Public Health Alert. In this piece, Kimberly explores alternative treatments for substance abusers.
Kimberly knows firsthand the loneliness and unknowns that addiction brings. After overcoming an eating disorder, she is ready to squash the stigma and help raise awareness about the importance of health, wellness, and self-care as it pertains to addiction, mental health, and so much more.
Millions of people all over the world struggle with addiction and seek treatment for it each year. Traditional treatment regimens, including pharmacotherapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, and motivational enhancement therapy, aren’t always reliable because every patient and every addiction is different. For example, cannabis and cocaine (particularly crack) are among the most widely used substances in the Caribbean, and the methods of treatment may vary.
Consequently, not everyone responds to treatment in the same way. Substance abuse treatment itself is a complex process full of twists and turns, and many individuals suffer relapses along the way. When traditional approaches prove ineffective, many turn to alternative treatments in hopes that a fresh and different approach may produce positive results, and some even use technology to help in their efforts. These alternatives are usually referred to as complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) treatments. CAM describes a wide range of holistic approaches that involve natural products like minerals, vitamins and herbs, and mind/body disciplines, such as yoga, meditation, and acupuncture.
Holistic Therapies
Holistic therapies seek to heal all aspects of one’s health, and are often recommended for people who don’t comprehend which aspect of their health their drug use is attempting to manage. By healing the mind, body and spirit, holistic therapy helps individuals maintain sobriety after the primary reasons for their addiction have been addressed. In other words, holistic therapies not only aim to heal but help maintain health well after treatment. That’s why so many therapists turn to this approach when more mainstream treatments fail to work. Many alternative approaches are used in conjunction with conventional approaches.
How to Choose
Deciding on a non-traditional treatment method should be rooted in evidence-based effectiveness. Proof of effectiveness is important because most alternative therapies are not rooted in traditional science. Therefore, the patient should take care in choosing which approaches they will employ, since it’s likely that some will prove disagreeable or lack efficacy. In other words, while meditation may work for some, acupuncture or tai chi may prove a better choice for others. If someone in addiction recovery is new to meditation, there are apps available that they can use on their smartphones, such as buddhify, Calm, and Headspace.
Length and Expense
Typically, holistic treatment programs last from 30 to 60 days though, in general, the longer the program, the better. Many people begin with a short-term stay to see if the therapy is right for them, then decide to stay longer if they’re seeing results. CAM programs can be rather expensive, given the fact that they’re often cutting-edge in nature (many facilities are in remote locales and offer healthy foods that tend to be expensive). Some treatment facilities will accept health insurance or allow you to set up a payment plan.
The Right Fit
Holistic rehabilitation programs are more flexible than conventional treatments. When investigating different options, look for a program that will customize treatment to suit your particular needs rather than insisting you follow the same path as every other patient. Visit the facility and talk to staff so that you can reach a comfort level before committing.
Complementary Approaches
Treatments that complement pharmacotherapeutic methods tend to favor natural approaches that use probiotics and botanicals to round out the therapy. Massage and other forms of physical therapy are also popular alternatives designed to achieve the kind of mind/body connection that can speed recovery. Hypnotism and movement therapies are also frequently used to help those in treatment for addiction avoid lapsing into negative and self-destructive behaviors. Even decluttering and cleaning your home can inject some positive energy into your life, along with reducing stress and anxiety.
Another complementary approach is physical activity. An exercise routine can aid addiction recovery by raising mood, establishing structure, and improving outlook. Routines do not have to be demanding; some easy stretches like chin tucks, ankle circles, and calf raises can bring down stress. More arduous physical activities include gardening, jogging, swimming, biking, and lifting weights.
Patients seeking treatment for substance abuse should steer clear of alternative therapies that have little or no evidence to support their efficacy. Achieving and maintaining sobriety is serious business and there’s no time to waste on alternatives that clearly offer little hope for success. Seek the advice of a health professional who can recommend a CAM option that’s best-suited to provide long-term support.
In today’s blog, siblings Tasha and Scott share their experience with Aunty Coro (COVID-19) and all the lessons they have learnt along the way.
During the unforgettable Christmas of 2020, my brother and I received an extra something unique, but with the hope our documented experience may offer some sense of hope, guidance and increased faith during a similar situation, we thought it would be a good idea to document our experience following our recent spell of caring for our mum who caught the virus. With our mother being classed as ‘high risk’ we hope this may speak to those living with parents or loved ones that could be considered vulnerable and high risk.
24th December: Like a cheesy Christmas movie it started on Christmas Eve where our mum told us she was feeling unwell with the flu, to the news that she was feeling cold and very tired, my brother and I had our suspicions but she was adamant it was just flu so we left her to sleep.
25th December: Christmas Day was just another day, my brother and I were downstairs, and my mum was still asleep, it wasn’t until later we thought it was a bit strange she was just sleeping as it was getting quite late in the day.
We checked on her and she said she had been shivering the whole night and still felt very boggy and tired, so now we began to think it could actually be COVID. My dad who works in a private hospital advised us to get her a test which we did the next day
26th December: Boxing Day. My mum’s symptoms were a lot worse. Shivering, weakness and feeling very tired and battling a high temperature. Luckily, we had a thermometer in the house so we could check her temperature which was really high at 39-40 degrees. We called 111 to find out how we go about getting a test, however, all the test centres near to us were fully booked up; fortunately, we managed to get a slot at Greenwich where you can administer the test in the privacy of your car and drop off your sealed tests upon exiting the test centre. Impressively, we got our results the following day, so it’s very quick!
27th December: Results day. My mum received her results via text just a day after doing the test, the text said she should self isolate for 10 days. So, we took all the necessary steps which included sanitising, antibacterial wipes, regular temperature checks etc
28th December: Our mum’s condition was getting a lot worse with her temperature still very high at around 39/40 degrees, feeling extremely weak and tired. This next part is for all the parents, please parents tell us your medical history or medical problems!! I know as parents you want to protect us but it actually hurts us later on!
My mum has type 2 diabetes and also high blood pressure so she’s high risk. My mum has a blood pressure and blood sugar monitor, however, we had no idea how to use them because my mum never told us🤦🏾. A lot of my mum’s weakness was actually due to her blood pressure and blood sugar being way too low which we later found out.
Before I forget, my mum also had no appetite, so if you recognise this in your situation, it’s not uncommon. Our mum would ask for food or would crave something, but when given it she would only be able to have a few bites.
In the evening my mum had just finished eating and we checked her temperature which had peaked at 40 degrees. Moments later my mum began to feel dizzy and look funny as if she wanted to be sick so I began asking numerous questions to engage her, not knowing her energy levels had plummeted, she could hardly say a word.
Hoping for a response, I asked her, are you going to be sick and she nodded so I quickly rushed to get her a bucket, a few moments later we noticed her face change and her eyes become wide, my mum was having a seizure. My brother, whilst trying to keep composed, and the energy positive called 999. I completely understand hospitals and medical staff are overwhelmed but the time it took and the constant questions the operator was asking us my mum had snapped out of the seizure which lasted about 2/3 minutes. She had no recollection of what happened.
The operator told us the ambulance would call us to check we’re all good (they did… but by the time they called to check in, nearly 2 hours had passed and we were left to our own devices of tapping into our own networks for advice, recommendations and the hand of God. The seizure we believe was most likely due to her high temperature and a dramatic drop in blood pressure.
The next few days my mum’s condition was still bad. Feeling weak, tired, barely able to talk, loss of appetite and high temperature. I slept on the floor of my mum’s room to make sure she was okay during the night. We had now got into quite a good routine, my brother would take my mum’s blood sugar and I would do her blood pressure. With my mum being diabetic we’ve tapped into our culinary skills to prepare healthier, lighter meals, some of which include, homemade fruit juices and soup; food that is easier to digest – meat seemed to be her trigger to feeling sick.
30th December: My mum’s condition was still quite bad, however, she was able to move a bit more and make her way downstairs which was good. During the evening she made some funny noises which were similar to the ones she made when she had the first seizure. I was just about to take her blood pressure but her energy was so low she could barely keep her arm up, again, this was due to a combination of high temperature and a considerably lower blood pressure & sugar count. At this moment in time, nervous she was about to have another episode, I held my mum up as she could barely communicate whilst my brother called 999 again, but this time around, the process was ridiculously long, and yet again, a request for an ambulance was refused!! My mum was basically passing out in my arms and they just kept asking the same questions over and over again?! We explained her symptoms, her being high risk and just being tested positive for COVID and no help was actually given!? Seconds later, my mum said she wanted to vomit and thankfully she was able to. Following a small visit to the bucket we had prepped, her responsiveness improved greatly. Still frustrated, we informed the operator who kindly said the ambulance service would call us to check our status… sadly we had to wait nearly three hours for a phone call, by then our mum was sound asleep.
Fast forward to today, my brother and I have now become little home GP’s 😂 We check her temperature religiously throughout the day, checking her sugar and blood pressure about 3 times a day.
With her change in blood pressure, our mum has stopped taking her blood pressure medication to ensure her BP doesn’t plummet, which we monitor regularly every day.
My mum takes 2 paracetamols every 4 hours (I personally don’t feel paracetamol works but check with your GP first). My mum’s energy has gotten a lot better, she’s more mobile but still feels tired. Recently, her appetite has improved and her temperature has now stayed at 37-38 degrees. Our mum didn’t get a cough when her symptoms first started but around the 30th of December is when the cough started and was becoming more frequent. Encouraged by this new symptom, my mum was able to call her GP who prescribed her some antibiotics (Amoxicillin) for the cough of which my mum takes 3 a day. The cough makes my mum feel very drained and causes her back to ache, furthermore, her desire to talk has lessened as speaking seems to provoke a flurry of uncomfortable coughs.
We’re now almost at the end of my mum’s isolation period, my mum has been a lot more mobile, her appetite is beginning to come back, we go for a daily walk in our garden just to get her up and about, her temperature is stable and her blood pressure and blood sugar are all good!
Of course, this wasn’t the most ideal way to spend our Christmas and New Year but I’m extremely grateful that our mum is on the mend, getting healthier each day and weirdly enough it’s brought our family a lot closer together.
I really want to urge people to just be extra cautious even if you think it’s just flu, please be vigilant, ask questions, do your research and get a test done ASAP if you can do so! Check up on your loved ones. AS difficult as it may be, during the scariest of moments, be purposeful and speak life over your loved one(s) and find your small tribe of prayer companions and pray with faith.
If you are suffering from COVID, try your best to drink lots and lots of fluids, consume natural/homemade drinks that are high in vitamins and seek professional medical advice as much as possible.
I’ve listed some things we used that helped us during this time:
Blended fresh Lemon & ginger
Vitamin C dissolvable tablets
Paracetamol/Ibuprofen
Hot water and Olbas oil to inhale
Blood pressure monitor (Boots)
Blood sugar monitor
Lots of water!!!
Digital thermometer
Vicks vapour rub
Fresh air
Fresh fruits
Cold flannel/towel to cool down their temperature
PRAYER and MUSIC!!
I never thought Aunty Coro would visit our home but here we are, look after yourselves and your family.
Today’s guest blog comes from Addison Cabot. Addison is a world traveller, virtual fitness instructor, and part-time writer. She is based in Atlanta, Georgia, but spends most of her time travelling through Europe and South America. Addison shares some health and wellness tips for the New Year with a particular focus on keeping well during the current pandemic.
The New Year is always a time when people give a little extra thought to health and wellness. Typically, this takes the form of resolutions. People enter the New Year determined to exercise a little more, eat a little better, cut out bad habits, and perhaps drop a few unwanted pounds. The transition to 2021, however, will come with a few unusual considerations. Following a year in which many all around the world found it much more difficult to focus on health and wellness, there may in fact be even more emphasis on these things in the year to come.
With that in mind, we have a few tips to offer for how to boost your health and wellness in the New Year.
Avoid the Gym Rush
One of the first things a lot of people tend to do when it comes to New Year’s fitness efforts is to sign up with local gyms. And this year, it’s easy to imagine quite a lot of advertisement coming from gyms looking to boost membership after 2020 devastated their business. With COVID-19 vaccinations now being distributed, it is time to imagine returning to public places like these local gyms in the near future. And those who own and operate the facilities can hardly be blamed for wanting to drum up excitement for when that time comes.
The thing is, we’re not there yet, and the public’s safety will depend very much on vaccination efficiency and how businesses handle sanitation. As a University of Chicago Medicine epidemiologist described in an article on this very subject, some may be safe, and some may not be safe. But it is not a “blanket statement” that all gyms are safe — at least not yet. So, while the desire to get back in the gym will be strong with many, our first tip is to avoid the gym rush for the good of your own health. Wait until things are really and truly safe, and in the meantime find other ways to exercise.
Make Activity a Priority
We just mentioned finding ways to exercise outside of the gym, and on top of that, we suggest making every effort to ensure that physical activity is a priority. In 2020, sudden exclusion from gyms and social gatherings, as well as disrupted routines, led many of us to drop our activity levels. Due to the “stuck at home” situation in which so many of us found ourselves, there didn’t seem to be opportunities to exercise. And even if there was, many just weren’t in the frame of mind to be particularly active. This is all understandable, but it’s also just the sort of thing you can look to turn around in the New Year.
Even if the flipping over of calendars to January 2021 is largely a symbolic gesture, it feels very much like a fresh start. Make a determination to prioritise physical activity starting in the New Year, even if it’s just a little bit on some days, your health and mental wellness will be better for it!
Take the Opportunity to Educate Yourself
Our final tip, and maybe the most important one, is to try what you might call a negativity detox. One of the simple, unfortunate facts about 2020 has been that it was impossible to escape negative feelings and numb emotions. Suggestions from a psychiatry professor at the University of British Columbia even went as far as to predict that for 10-15% of people, life won’t fully return to normal because of the damage that has been done regarding mental wellness. It’s a real problem, and one we haven’t fully grappled with yet.
For clinical issues or long-term effects, you should seek professional help, but more generally, our suggestion that ‘We Need a Break From All the Negative News’ — made back in August — is a decent motto to head into 2021 with. One of the best ways to address mental wellness in the New Year is to make a point of seeking out positive things in your life, or even in the world in general. Try immersing yourself in positivity, and remind yourself that things aren’t always so negative and worrisome as they were for so much of 2020.
Overall, health and wellness efforts in the New Year can take a lot of different forms. And in some ways, they should! The more dynamic your approach, the more likely you are to find reliable ways to stick to good habits and practices. Focusing on these tips though will help you to find good ways to exercise, learn what really makes a difference, and address your mental wellness as well. Those things together can make a very meaningful difference.
It’s Christmas Eve and we just wanted to drop by to wish you all a Merry Christmas. We hope that despite the challenging year that we have all had, that you will all be able to enjoy the holiday season and get a much-needed break.
This year has really tested us all and although it has been a rough one, it was also nice to see all the acts of kindness that were on display. From churches and charities delivering food and taking care of our spiritual and mental health to frontline workers going above and beyond the call of duty to care for our loved ones, keep us safe and ensure we had all the essential items we needed; we could really see God’s love at work in many people.
As we reflect on this past year and the true meaning of Christmas, we are struck by one important lesson, we are part of one family – the human race; God’s children – and as such we should look out for each other, not because it is our job but because we should genuinely care for another and love one another. This is what we should hold on to when the media, political parties and ill-equipped leaders, Presidents and Prime Ministers try to divide us and create mistrust. We are one people, experiencing the same challenges and we should be able to empathise and sympathise with each other. Therefore, we must do what it takes to protect those who are vulnerable and less fortunate than ourselves because, as this pandemic has taught us, we are either one paycheque away or one infected person away from being vulnerable too. So, in this current climate, we must be community-focused. This means taking simple, preventative actions such as wearing a mask in a public place, sanitising or washing our hands regularly and physical distancing when in public. With COVID-19 cases increasing rapidly because of the new mutation, this is not the time to focus on self and a misguided notion that wearing a mask is affecting your civil rights, if we’re willing to wear a seat belt whilst driving, pay our taxes and pay for insurance we’ll never use, then wearing a mask in a public place really isn’t that much of an imposition. Think of those with compromised immune systems such as those living with non-communicable diseases like cancer; and the elderly. They need us to get through this pandemic safely. Let’s be our brother’s keeper and come together to overcome this.
With that said, we hope you have a wonderful, safe Christmas and holiday season, filled with love and if you’re looking for some interesting, insightful, inspiring or thought-provoking content to keep you entertained while you’re at home over the holidays, then we recommend listening to some of our favourite podcasts, which are listed below. Enjoy!
The Ted Radio Hour– TED Radio Hour investigates the biggest questions of our time with the help of the world’s greatest thinkers
Hidden Brain– Hidden Brain reveals the unconscious patterns that drive human behaviour and the biases that shape our choices.
Radio Diaries– First-person diaries, sound portraits, and hidden chapters of history from Peabody Award-winning producer Joe Richman and the Radio Diaries team.
The Rare Birds Podcast– A series of early-stage entrepreneurship podcasts which focuses on developing economies and emerging markets
Buried Truths–Buried Truths acknowledges and unearths still-relevant stories of injustice, racism, and resistance in the American South.
Ear Hustle– Ear Hustle was the first podcast created and produced in prison, featuring stories of the daily realities of life inside California’s San Quentin State Prison, shared by those living it
Code Switch– Overlapping themes of race, ethnicity and culture, how they play out in our lives and communities, and how all of this is shifting
The Comb– Combing Africa for stories about the unseen forces that bind us together and tear us apart.
Public Health Culture – A podcast that discusses the social determinants of health, health disparities, community-centred research and program management
Rough Translation– Stories that follow familiar conversations into unfamiliar territory
We love listening to podcasts as we are able to access in-depth stories and analysis of important topical issues. We especially like listening to podcasts that cover public health topics as it gives us rare insight directly from the researchers, policymakers and NGOs working out in the community to improve the public’s health. With that said, a couple of weeks ago, the BBC’s The Documentary Podcast released an episode on the obesity crisis amongst Buddhist monks in Thailand. This is a public health crisis that we weren’t aware of and so we found this be a remarkably interesting episode. In this episode, we heard of all the factors that have led to this crisis and how an age-old, well-intentioned custom of offering food to monks has been corrupted by modern-day habits leading to this current obesity crisis.
Historically, the giving and receiving of alms between monks and their local community were of significant benefit. The community would take care of the physical health of monks by preparing healthy, home-cooked meals and in return, the monks would take care of the spiritual health of their community. With communities getting more affluent and many people working long hours, the public no longer has time to cook for monks and instead buy foods that are high in fat and sugar. Combining this with the fact that monks are not meeting the recommended amounts of physical activity has meant that 1 in 2 Thai monks are now obese and this puts them at a high risk of developing non-communicable diseases like diabetes and heart disease.
Overall, researchers in Thailand identified four main factors leading to the high prevalence of obesity in monks:
An unhealthy diet
High consumption of sugary drinks
Loose-fitting robes, which means monks are gaining weight without realising it
Physical inactivity.
This podcast episode also explored the work the Thai Government is doing to address this problem through special clinics for monks and the Healthy Monks, Healthy Nutrition Project which has developed specific solutions for monks. One creative approach to tackling this crisis was the development of a smart belt to create a trigger for weight gain to alert monks that they are gaining weight.
This was a very interesting story that highlights the dangers of diets that are high in sugar, salt and fat as well as being physically inactive. We hope that Thailand will be successful in managing this crisis.
You can listen to the podcast episode here where you’ll hear from researchers, monks and members of the public to gain a full understanding of how the crisis started and the steps being taken to address this issue.
Last week, we were delighted to attend the Global Health Advocacy Incubator’s (GHAI) webinar ‘Facing Two Pandemics: How Big Food Undermined Public Health in the Era of COVID-19.’ This webinar featured presentations and a panel discussion with speakers from Latin America and the US, including:
Together, the above-mentioned speakers highlighted the tactics employed by the food and beverage industry to influence food policy and public perception of their brands during the pandemic.
Setting the scene was the first speaker, Holly Wong, who presented the findings from the Global Health Advocacy’s Incubator’s qualitative evaluation of industry interference during the pandemic. Between March and July 2020, this project collected over 280 examples of industry interference from 18 countries. Through the analysis of these examples, the GHAI was able to identify four main methods used by industry to exploit the pandemic to promote their products, influence food policy and further their own interests at the expense of the public’s health. These four methods included:
Deceptive marketing– this involved positioning their unhealthy products as beneficial to the immune system or to overall health. This enabled companies to classify these products as essential items so their manufacturing facilities could remain open during countries’ States of Emergencies, restrictions or lockdowns.
Corporate Solidarity Actions– this is where companies partnered with governments to fund and support COVID-19 relief efforts and whilst doing so promoted their unhealthy products, strategically aimed to improve the public’s perception of their brands and positioned themselves as authorities on health matters `
Donations of junk food– fast food companies donated their products to disadvantaged communities, frontline workers and food banks. These products are high in salt, sugar and fat and therefore increase the public’s risk of developing NCDs. It is widely known that individuals with NCDs are more vulnerable to COVID-19 and are more likely to develop complications and therefore these donations do not align with efforts to protect the public from COVID-19.
Philanthropy combined with lobbying against healthy food policies–overall, during the pandemic, the food and beverage industry participated in a range of seemingly philanthropic activities – donating junk food, setting up COVID-19 test sites, funding online educational platforms for school children and donating respirators – whilst actively lobbying against beneficial health policies, and thus, in the long run, their lobbying will have a negative impact on the public’s health.
Following Holly Wong’s overview of the findings of the GHAI’s qualitative evaluation, we heard from Camila Maranha and Martha Yaneth Sandoval Salazar who provided specific examples of industry interference in Brazil and Colombia, respectively. This further illustrated the four methods presented by Holly Wong and gave attendees a flavour of how these methods were implemented. The event ended with a panel discussion with additional contributions from Alison Friedman and Lucy Sullivan Martinez.
We really enjoyed this very insightful webinar which was a comprehensive exploration of industry interference and how companies can control and exploit national emergencies if Governments do not have policies or a code of conduct in place to prevent conflicts of interest.
What Does This Mean for the Public?
During this time, the public must eat a healthy diet that is rich in fruits and vegetables to improve their overall health and strengthen their immune system. If products are being marketed as immune boosters, we would encourage the public to evaluate these products to determine whether these claims are accurate. You can seek advice from a trusted source such as your country’s department or ministry of health about evidence-based approaches to strengthen your immune system. It’s also important to avoid the ultra-processed and junk foods that companies are currently heavily promoting as these have no nutritional value and therefore will be of no benefit to your health.
Furthermore, information is power and with this evidence from the GHAI, the public is now empowered to make an informed decision about whether to accept industry’s donations, discounts and giveaways. The findings of the report also enable the public to understand the food industry’s motives and we would encourage everyone to use this information to become a discerning consumer and be selective about the brands you choose to support.
More Information
You can read GHAI’s full report and executive summary here or you can watch a recording of the webinarhere.
Saturday 14thNovember was World Diabetes Day and the St Kitts Diabetes Association shared some useful tips for those living with diabetes. You can view their video below, but if you don’t have time, just think T.E.E.M.
T-Test your blood regularly
E– Eat right
E– Exercise frequently
M– Medication, take it as prescribed
Following the above-mentioned tips can reduce diabetics’ risk of developing complications.
For more information about the St Kitts Diabetes Association’s World Diabetes Day activities, you can visit thiswebpage
Today’s blog post comes from Andrea Kallumadyil. Andrea is from Ontario, Canada and is a medical student from UMHS. She is currently the president of Because We Care and the vice president of the American Medical Student Association at UMHS.
In this post, Andrea bravely shares her journey with PCOS and the life lessons it has taught her along the way.
One of my earliest memories as a child is standing in the hallway with my Grade 3 teacher as I chugged three boxes of apple juice. My Mom picked me up soon after, and I was to have my first ultrasound in a nearby city later that day. The week before, I had my first period. Being of South Asian descent, my family was beyond excited that I had “become a woman” at 8. We spent the afternoon, to my embarrassment, calling up relatives in India announcing the good news. My parents took me out to a nearby convenience store, where I picked out a gift to celebrate the big day. On our way home, we stopped at the walk-in clinic to make sure everything was okay. Practising in a small town with predominantly white patients, my doctor had never had a patient have their period so young. She assumed it could be explained by my South Asian background but decided to run some tests just in case it was something else. The healthcare staff poked and prodded me, only for the tests and ultrasound to come back normal. I was sent home and did not have another period for four years.
I got my period again when I was 12 years old. My periods seemed to have a mind of their own. They would come and go as they please – but they were consistently heavy, caused me a lot of pain, and lasted at least a week. A few months into this unpredictable cycle, I had a period that was more than 30 days long. I was pale, and my hands and feet were freezing in the middle of the summer. They ran some blood tests and referred me to a gynaecologist. I was not only anaemic but also had high levels of free testosterone in my system. Given my lab values and symptoms, the gynaecologist had said it was a straightforward diagnosis: PCOS.
What is PCOS? What are the Symptoms?
Polycystic Ovarian/Ovary Syndrome is an endocrine (hormonal) disorder that affects the normal functioning of your ovaries. The three main features are
Ovary Dysfunction: Presents as irregular periods, including infrequent periods, prolonged periods, and an absence of periods.
High levels of androgen: Determined either with a blood test or via symptoms of hirsutism (excess body/facial hair) or acne. Androgens, although referred to as male sex hormones, are naturally occurring hormones at low levels in females.
Cystic Ovaries: The collection of fluid in follicles preventing the release of an egg during your menstrual cycle (ovulation).
A patient usually requires at least two of the three main features to be diagnosed with PCOS. The different combinations give rise to 4 distinct PCOS phenotypes:
Phenotype A: High levels of androgen, ovary dysfunction, and cysts.
Phenotype B: High levels of androgen and ovary dysfunction
Phenotype C: High levels of androgen and cysts.
Phenotype D: Ovary dysfunction and cysts.
In my case, I had irregular periods and high levels of androgen shown both in my blood tests and excessive body and facial hair (hirsutism): Phenotype B. During your diagnostic process, your health care provider may also order an ultrasound and gynaecological exam to rule out other potential causes for your symptoms.
Hirsutism is hard to assess, especially since many populations – Middle Eastern, South Asian and Mediterranean – have more body/facial hair than other ethnic groups, despite having normal androgen levels. Being of South Asian background myself, and the only South Asian family in a then-predominantly white community, my hirsutism was initially overlooked. For many young persons with PCOS, including myself, this continues to be one of the most challenging symptoms to manage.
Outside of the 3 diagnostic features, PCOS has many other symptoms and complications, including:
Infertility: PCOS is one of the most common causes of infertility due to less frequent ovulation. It can also increase the risk of pregnancy complications like gestational diabetes and miscarriage.
Weight Gain and Trouble with Weight Loss: Almost 80% of persons diagnosed with PCOS are overweight. Additionally, being overweight can make other PCOS symptoms even worse.
Metabolic Syndrome: Those overweight and those with PCOS are at risk for insulin resistance leading to diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol levels. This puts those with PCOS at risk for developing heart disease – as many as 50% of persons with PCOS will have insulin resistance.
Androgenic Alopecia: Excess androgen can cause hair loss on the head. Resembles male pattern balding.
Acanthosis Nigricans: Dark and thick skin around the neck, breasts, armpits, and groin area
Sleep Apnea: The risk is about 5-10 times higher for those with PCOS. This is primarily because those with PCOS are likely to be overweight.
Depression, Anxiety &Disorders: Hormonal changes along can increase the likelihood of experiencing depression. Symptoms like hirsutism can increase this risk.
Endometrial Cancer: The lining of the uterus (endometrium) is at risk of developing cancer if you are insulin resistant, overweight or have trouble ovulating – all of which are PCOS features.
Treatment
With each additional symptom, my doctor explained, I felt myself becoming more and more ostracized, imagining all the new ways I’d look even more different from my friends in my hometown. The racing images came to a halt when I heard the word infertility. I was too shocked to process the rest of the information I received and was frankly too embarrassed to ask any questions about what I did hear. I was prescribed an oral contraceptive for my irregular cycles and Vaniqa (a topical hair growth inhibitor) for my hirsutism and left the office. When we got in the car, my Mom asked if I was okay, and in response, I cried the entire 45 minutes home.
I wish I knew that although PCOS is one of the most common causes of infertility, it is also one of the most treatable. There are many options available to manage the symptoms of PCOS.
Oral Contraceptive Pills: OCPs help regulate hormone levels and foster regular, predictable periods that are shorter in duration with a lighter flow.
Metformin: A diabetes drug that improves insulin resistance, can promote weight loss, reduces the rate of miscarriage, and promotes regular menstrual cycles.
Spironolactone: An androgen medication that can be used to lower androgen levels in your body. This will improve symptoms of androgenic alopecia, hirsutism, and hormonal acne.
Hair Removal: Once hormone levels are managed, many people have success with electrolysis – the only truly permanent hair removal solution. A probe is inserted into each hair follicle to destroy each hair’s growth centre. Other less permanent methods include laser hair removal, epilation, threading, sugaring/waxing, or depilatory creams. A hair growth inhibitor like Vaniqacan also be used, but the hair will resume growth if you cease usage.
Weight Loss: Losing up to 5-10% of your body fat can be enough to kick start ovulation. There is also some evidence that a low carb diet may improve your hormone levels and increase fertility. A healthy lifestyle consisting of nutritious foods and exercise will enhance fertility treatment effectiveness regardless of weight loss – remember, it is highly recommended to consult a health care provider before making any significant lifestyle changes.
Acupuncture: There is some emerging evidence that acupuncture procedures restore LH and FSH hormone ratios and promote regular menstrual cycles in those with PCOS.
Surgery: A laparoscopic procedure that involves destroying a part of the ovary with an electric current. This can stimulate ovulation and decrease androgen levels. The results last for a few months.
For those trying to get pregnant, additional treatment options include:
Fertility Drugs: Clomid is a fertility drug that triggers ovulation and is often used in combination with metformin. Although some persons can become resistant to the drug, Letrozole (a cancer drug) has shown to be effective in stimulating ovulation in such situations. Injectable gonadotropins are also available under different brand names to stimulate ovulation. However, those with PCOS are at a high risk of developing ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome. Furthermore, you are also at increased risk for multiple pregnancies.
Intrauterine Insemination (IUI): A process involving sperm placement in the uterus with a catheter. This process is known to increase the total number of sperm that reach the fallopian tubes.
In Vitro Fertilization (IVF): After stimulation of egg production, multiple eggs are removed and inseminated in a lab dish. Multiple embryos are transferred a few days later back into the uterus.
There is also evidence that the following supplements can relieve some symptoms of PCOS. They include:
Myo-inositol: Reduces the risk of gestational diabetes
Inositol: Increases the number of ovulations, thereby leading to a higher chance of successful conception.
Omega-3 Fish Oils: Lowers total cholesterol levels.
Co-Supplementation of Magnesium, Zinc, Calcium, and Vitamin D: Provides beneficial effects on hormone levels while reducing inflammation and oxidative stress caused by PCOS.
Living With PCOS
Being diagnosed and starting treatment at a very young age, I was fortunate to not have to deal with the unpredictability of irregular periods. However, I did struggle with managing my hirsutism. I started laser hair removal almost immediately after my diagnosis and embarked on a process that would last several years. I bleached most of my body hair to feel comfortable wearing revealing clothes. I eventually switched to electrolysis, which did reduce the amount of hair grown by 30% but was incredibly painful and time-consuming. I considered myself a very anxious person but was officially diagnosed with anxiety and depression at the beginning of my undergraduate degree. I quickly gained a lot of weight following a high-stress period and my hirsutism got much worse as a result. I went on the keto diet to lose it and obsessively worked out.
However, a restrictive lifestyle like that was not sustainable for me and did not promote good mental health. I was still terrified that I would never have kids and am to this day very set on a specific timeline in my head. I initially set aside my career goals of becoming a physician for something attainable in a shorter period. I bounced from counselling to nursing to speech-language pathology. I did every possible prerequisite during my bachelor’s degree to keep all of my options open. I read countless blogs and videos of what other persons with PCOS did for family planning, careers, and managing their symptoms. I realized that everyone had their own unique story and that the only commonality is that they all did what made them happy. Those that wanted to start a family were able to do so without compromising their career goals. From then on, I began to focus on what I wanted instead of letting my PCOS control every little detail of my life. I stopped being so hard on myself for having symptoms. I started to wear short sleeves without bleaching, I got into the program I wanted to get into, and most importantly, I began to accept myself for who I am. It has been such a freeing experience.
For those currently struggling with PCOS right now:
Try not to compare yourself to anyone else.
Work on what is best for you, given your own story.
Learn to be comfortable in your skin.
Talk to your health care provider to figure out the best way to manage your symptoms.
And most importantly: do not let anyone convince you that your PCOS can stop you from doing whatever you set your mind to.
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We would like to say a big thank you to Andrea for being so open and bravely sharing her PCOS story. If you’d like to ask her a question, please leave it in the comments section below or you can email your question to info@lakehealthandwellbeing.com
Sources
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Alois, M., & Estores, I. M. (2019). Hormonal Regulation In Pcos Using Acupuncture And Herbal Supplements: A Case Report And Review Of The Literature. Integrative Medicine (Encinitas, Calif.), 18(5), 36-39.
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Lizneva, D., Suturina, L., Walker, W., Brakta, S., Gavrilova-Jordan, L., & Azziz, R. (2016). Criteria, prevalence, and phenotypes of polycystic ovary syndrome. Fertility and sterility, 106(1), 6–15. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fertnstert.2016.05.003
Maktabi, M., Jamilian, M., & Asemi, Z. (2018). Magnesium-Zinc-Calcium-Vitamin D co-supplementation improves hormonal profiles, biomarkers of inflammation and oxidative stress in women with polycystic ovary syndrome: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Biological trace element research, 182(1), 21–28. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-017-1085-0
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