Genotype

Recently, i went with my boss to the male ward at University College Hospital Ibadan to see a patient. On seeing the patient, the first question i asked was "are his parents illiterate" because the guy is a sickle cell anaemia patient. His reply left me speechless for a while because his  dad is even a consultant at -UCH). 2 weeks after he was discharged from the hospital, he was later re-admitted and died the following day. So sad a young vibrant boy of age 17 died as a result of his parents lust and selfish interest.
Few years ago i lost  a dear one after given birth. Her family because of ignorance called her all sorts of name like  "emere, ogbanje".the Yorubas perspective of someone who dies suddenly at a tender age.  But she died as a result of sickle cell anaemia.
 
Love could make you happier than you have ever been, even sadder than you have ever been, angrier. etc.  it could elate  you and deflate you almost at the same time... But what could be prettier if we live a sickness free life.
Knowing your genotype before getting married could reduce children mortality in our society

What Is Genotype:

Genotype simply means hemoglobin gene constituents. Genes are always in pairs, which could be dominant, recessive or X-linked. The genotypes in humans are AA, AS, SC, SS. The greatest challenge is to avoid matchmaking a trait of sickle cell disease to intending couples. Sickle cell disorder is a lifelong ailment arising from the inheritance, from both parents, of sickle haemoglobin (SS) or of  AS from one parent and another variant pathological haemoglobin such as SC.
The ailment is characterized by premature breakdown of rigidly sickled red blood cells causing,
constant anaemia and occlusion of small blood vessels, which is believed to lead to pain crises and other manifestations.
The most common type of sickle cell in Nigeria is the SS also known as sickle cell anaemia. About 2% of all babies born in Nigeria have sickle cell anaemia.  Two per hundred births translates to over 150,000 births annually of children with sickle cell anaemia. It has been established that about 24% of the entire population of Nigeria or 1 in 4 Nigerian men and women are healthy carriers of the sickle cell trait  (S). The Nigerian population is officially quoted to have risen to about 160 million. Consequently, the population of Nigerians who are healthy carriers of the sickle cell trait (AS) must be about 40 million. This number far exceeds the total population of every other affected African country and indeed of several of them put together. Nigeria, therefore, has the largest sickle cell gene pool in the world.

The Question Is Who can I Marry Based on Genotype Compatibility.

Someone with the genotype AA can marry across. That is, there's no risk of having a sicklier as a child even when he or she marries an SS. But AA marrying an SS can only result in AS children. There's no hope of having a child with the genotype AA. But there's no danger either.

Someone with the genotype AS should only marry someone with the genotype AA because if AS marries AS there's one out of 4 chances (AS, AS, AA and SS) that they will have a child with the sickle cell disease. Same applies when SC. SC and AS combine will produce AS, AS, SC, SC, the sickle cell disease will be SC. Remember that the only problem is when 2 abnormal persons i.e carriers of (S) marries that possess a threat to their off springs.

Compatible genotypes for marriage are:

AA marries an AA. That's the best compatible. That way you save your future children from having to worry about genotype compatibility in future.
AA marries an AS. You'll end up with kids with AA and AS which is good. But sometimes if you're not lucky all the kids will be AS.
AS and AS should not marry.
AS and SS shouldn't think of marrying.
Definitely SS and SS must not marry since there's absolutely no chance of escaping having a child with the sickle cell disease. Likewise SC and SS.
To  avoid any unnecessary distress in your family go for Genotype counseling before you say " i do". Genetic counselling before marriage  is aimed at giving the couples basic information on reproduction and other issues.
Lets eradicate Sickle cell from the grass root by marrying right in order to avoid discomfort in our families in future.
  
For further enquiries contact Professor Olu Akinyanju, College of medicine Hematology unit, University of Lagos Nigeria.

Halitosis

It sounds embarrassing telling someone his breath stinks , but not telling him can impact your  relationship negatively, and possibly with other relationships like friends, family and co-workers .
So what are the causes of bad breath :
Bad breath also referred to as Halitosis. it is estimated to affect 1 in 4 people globally, and approximately 25% of the worlds population.  It is the third most common reason that makes people seek dental care. The greatest challenge is that the affected individual is the only person who doesn't seems to be aware of the offensive odour.   Halitosis could cause significant embarrassment, anxiety, and worries but the truth is it is very easy to get rid of.

Symptoms:

1. The easiest way to check bad breath without the second party is to lick your wrist, leave it to dry and then smell it. If it smells bad, there is a strong chance your breath also smells bad.

2. Mouth odour varies depending on the cause of the problem. if possible ask a close friend to gauge your mouth odour as it is very difficult to assess yourself.

3. Halitophobia: this is a situation whereby a person is too much concerned about his mouth odour even though they have little or no odour. This can lead to obsessive mouth cleansing behaviour.

Causes of bad breath

The most common cause of bad breath is poor hygiene. Usually as a result of sulphur compounds that are broken down by bacteria in food particles. However, there are cases whereby the odour is coming from within the mouth . This could be as a result of the following:

1. Food stuck between teeth. Normal teeth brushing may not clear bits of food which can get stuck between teeth, the food then rots and becomes riddled with  bacteria . Regular cleaning between the teeth could prevent this problem.

2. Plaque, tartar (calculus) and gum disease. Dental plaque is a soft whitish deposit that forms on the surface of teeth. It forms when bacteria combine with food and saliva. Plaque contains many types of bacteria. Calculus is hardened calcified plaque. It sticks firmly to teeth. Gum disease means infection or inflammation of the tissues that surround the teeth. If your gums look inflamed, or regularly bleed when you clean your teeth, you are likely to have gum disease. The severity can range from mild to severe.

3.Coating on the back of the tongue. In some people, a coating develops on the back part of the tongue. It is not clear why this occurs. It may be from mucus that drips down from the back of the nose (postnasal drip). The coating can contain many bacteria. This explains why bad breath can sometimes occur in people with otherwise good oral hygiene.

Other causes include:

• Tobacco: Tobacco increase causes of gum disease which can cause bad breath. 
• Dry mouth: saliva naturally cleans the mouth. If the mouth is naturally dry (for instance, in the morning) or is dry due to a specific disease (such as xerostomia), odors can build up.
• Diseases: some cancers, liver failure and other metabolic diseases can cause halitosis due to specific mixes of chemicals that they produce. Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) can cause bad breath due to the regular reflux of stomach acids.
• Drugs: certain medications can reduce saliva and, therefore, increase odors. Other drugs can produce odors as they breakdown and release chemicals in the breath. Examples include nitrates used to treat angina, some chemotherapy chemicals and some tranquilizers, such as phenothiazines. Individuals who take vitamin supplements in large doses can also be prone to bad breath

Treatment:

These are the various ways of getting rid of halitosis:

1. Good oral hygiene; it ensures that cavities are avoided and reduces the likelihood of gum diseases . Always ensure you visit your dentist for check-up twice a year .
2. Brush at least twice a day. but preferably after each meal. 
3. Floss: flossing reduces the build-up of food particles and plaque from between the teeth - brushing only cleans around 60% of the surface of the tooth.
4. Brush tongue: bacteria, food and dead cells commonly build up on the tongue, especially in smokers or those with a particularly dry mouth. Sometimes, a tongue scraper can be useful
5. Diet: avoid onions, garlic and spicy food. Sugary foods are also linked to bad breath. Reduce coffee and alcohol consumption. Eating a breakfast that includes rough foods can help clean the back of the tongue.
6. Avoid dry mouth: drink plenty of water. Avoid alcohol and tobacco, both of which dehydrate the mouth. Chewing gum or sucking a sweet (preferably sugar-free) can help stimulate the production of saliva. If the mouth is chronically dry, a doctor may prescribe medication that stimulates the flow of saliva.  After trying all these, if  odour persists please visit your dentist. 

                    So How Do I Tell Him His Breath Stinks:

• Choose a good venue to discuss his bad breathe with him. Avoid the third party while telling him in order to avoid embarrassment. Choose a time when he is in good mood. Be emotionally stable so that he doesn't have the impression that you want to break up with him. 
• Be polite as much as possible when communicating the issue with him, without adding inferences or disgust or other reactions to his stinky breath.
• Tell him how willing you are to help him get rid of the offensive odour and tell him the possible threat to his health which could be periodontal disease, infection, and impaired digestion. 
• Let him realize how much you value the relationship. Assure him that his bad breath isn't a breaking point.    

Mushroom and its health benefits

What no one told you about mushrooms.........

Mushroom popularly known as "osun or olu" in Yoruba land, Igbo call it "ero", Hausa call it "naman kaza"  
There about 140,000 species of mushroom, about 300 are edible, 100 species are being studied for there health promoting benefits,  while 10 are grown commercially. If you plan to go on a mushroom-picking trip, then make sure you take someone with an extensive knowledge of mushrooms, with you. It is important to identify the mushrooms accurately.
Edible mushrooms are often described as vegetables or herbs, but they are actually fungi. it may sound strange, but we are actually closely related to fungi than we are to any other kingdom. we share the same pathogens, meaning bacteria and viruses.
Mushrooms were reserved for royalty in ancient Egypt and ancient Romans thought it was conferred to warriors.
Apart from the distinct flavour it adds to soup, it has a lot of nutritional and health benefits, which include the following :

1. Weight Loss:
 According to studies, substituting red meat with mushroom is the best for weight management. Because, mushrooms are extremely low in calories and contain negligible amounts of sodium and fat. This alone makes mushrooms a viable food choice for anyone looking to achieve weight loss.

2. Cancer Prevention:
Mushrooms commonly found in grocery stores and salad bars, help remove excess estrogen from circulation, making them helpful for preventing  cancer.According to research, Cordycepin one of the active compounds  found in fungi is a potential cancer drug.

3. Hypertension / High blood pressure :
Pink oyster mushrooms  are a good source of chitin and beta-glucan, and fibers that lower cholesterol and improve cardiovascular health. They also reduce total cholesterol and prevent arterial plaque formation.  A compound in shiitake mushrooms, called critadenine, helps the liver process cholesterol.\

4. Immune Boost:
Beta-glucan long chain polysaccharides, particularly alpha and beta glucan molecules in mushrooms provides protection against colds, flu and other viruses. According to studies, Shiitake, portobello, oyster and reishi mushrooms contain a polysaccharide molecule called lentinan that stimulates production of interferon, which stimulates the immune system.

5. Vitamins and Minerals:
Mushrooms are among the only natural food sources of vitamin D, and  are one of the few foods that contain germanium, a trace mineral that helps your body use oxygen efficiently and prevents against damaging effects of free radicals. Many mushrooms are also good sources of selenium, an antioxidant mineral, as well as copper, niacin, riboflavin  potassium and phosphorous. Additionally, mushrooms provide protein, vitamin C and iron. Because their cells walls are indigestible unless exposed to heat, you must cook mushrooms to get their nutritional benefits.

In recent studies,mushroom has anti-inflammatory characteristics that may be helpful for those suffering from the following

• asthma
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Renal failure
• stroke damage.

However, whether someone likes to eat mushrooms or not is a  personal choice that can also be ruled by preference, taste and beliefs. But is of no doubt that edible mushroom is a must in all homes because of its health benefits.