Health Essentials
‘Bad roads, deadly car tyres’(2)
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• Our road could be discribed as death trap
[This is the final part of the article we carried on page 14 of The Spectator on Saturday, March 11, 2023. The first part of the article basically talked about the vital part of our road safety that we so often take for granted. Below is the rest of the article]
ii. Balance & Alignment: This ensures the safety of the driver and the performance of the vehicle.
Unbalanced tyres cause road vibration, which leads to driver fatigue, premature tyre wear. Tyres should be balanced when they are mounted on wheels for the first time or when they are remounted after a repair. They should be rebalanced at the first sign of a vibration or shimmy, and should be balanced at least once a year, regardless. A vehicle is said to be properly aligned when all suspension and steering components are sound and when tyre and wheel assemblies are running straight and true. Proper alignment is necessary for even tread wear and precise steering.
iii. Regular Rotation: Regular rotation is necessary to maintain even tread wear.
There are several methods of rotation. For most vehicles on the road, tyres from the rear axle are moved to the drive axle and crossed to opposite sides of the vehicle. The tyres from the drive axle are moved to the rear, but remain on the same sides. This is known as the “modified X” pattern.
For four-wheel-drive vehicles, it is recommended to switch all four tires, both from side-to-side and in axle position.
If no rotation period is specified on the vehicle owner’s manual for the manufacturer’s rotation recommendations, tyres should be rotated every 5,000 – 8,000 miles. Four-wheel-drive vehicles may require rotation as soon as every 4,000 miles.
iv. Visual Inspection/Tread Depth: Take a look at the treads for any sharp objects that may have punctured the tyres. Even if the puncture is not deep enough to flatten the tyres immediately, the cracking and pitting caused by smaller punctures can eventually worsen and lead to problems down the road.
Look at the wear patterns on the treads as well. Excessive shoulder wear can indicate under-inflation, while wear to the center of the tread can mean over-inflation.
Tyres have tread wear indicator bars moulded into the tread. When the tread is worn down to where you can see a solid bar of rubber across the width of the tread, it is time to replace the tyre. Another method for checking tread depth is to place a coin (20 pesewa) in the tread groove, a tyre with a good tread depth should admit about half of the width of the coin.
Tyre pressure should be checked when the tyres are cold, at least once a month and before long journeys or when carrying heavy loads.
v. Repairs: It is important to know when to repair a tyre and when it should be replaced. If a tyre loses its air pressure, it must be removed from the wheel for a complete internal inspection to be sure it is not damaged.
Most punctures, nail holes or cuts up to 1/4 inch can be repaired by trained Technicians as long as the damage is confined to the repairable tread. DO NOT repair tyres with tread punctures larger than 1/4 inch, or any sidewall puncture. Also, never repair tyres which are worn below 1/16 inch of tread depth.
Replacement of tyres: Tyre age is also crucial to safety on the road. Even though tyre life generally depends on service conditions and the environment in which tyres operate, some vehicle manufacturers recommend that tyres be replaced every four to six years regardless of use. Always, check the owner’s manual for specific recommendations for your vehicle.
Can you tell when your tyres were made? The date tyres were manufactured are indicated on the sidewall of the tyres in the form of four numbers usually preceded by the letters DOT. The four letters represents the week and year of manufacture. In most instances, there are 12 numbers after the DOT but the first four numbers are considered in identifying the age of the tyre. For example, DOT 1015 or DOT 1015 243/47R18 means 10th week of the year 2015.
KCE: Are you willing to meet with companies, groups of people etc. to promote this campaign on safe tires?
AA:Oh yes! I cannot keep this to myself. Safety on our roads is a shared responsibility and as long as individuals, groups of people and companies are willing to get more of such knowledge, I am willing to steer them towards road safety. I intend to work in collaboration with National Road Safety Commission too.
KCE: Is there a slogan on Tyre Safety you would like to leave us with?
AA:Tyre Smartness Saves Lives, Play Your PART (P- Pressure, A- Alignment, R- Rotation, T-Tread)!
KCE: What are your final words on tyre safety?
AA: We all sit in cars, be it our own or as passengers. Cars move with tyres and the safety of tyres plays a significant role in reaching our destinations in time, delayed, dead or alive. Hence, let us all be tyre safety conscious and always remember to play your PART in order to be tyre smart!
KCE: Thank you very much Abenaa. Almost everyone comes into contact with a car tyre on a daily basis and will find these tips extremely beneficial.
AA:Thank you for hosting me! Let us all join hands to promote tyre safety in order to save lives, properties, disabilities, avoid litigations and compensations. Let us always remember that generally, Safety, Health and Environment incidents are rare but they have huge impacts, when they hit us, they hit us badly. Thank you.
AS ALWAYS LAUGH OFTEN, ENSURE HYGIENE, WALK AND PRAY EVERYDAY AND REMEMBER IT’S A PRICELESS GIFT TO KNOW YOUR NUMBERS (blood sugar, blood pressure, blood cholesterol, BMI)
Dr. Kojo Cobba Essel
Health Essentials Ltd/Mobissel
(www.healthessentialsgh.com)
*Dr. Essel is a medical doctor, holds an MBA and is ISSA certified in exercise therapy, fitness nutrition and corrective exercise. He is the author of the award-winning book, ‘Unravelling The Essentials of Health & Wealth.’
Thought for the week – “Whatever you practice grows stronger. What will you like to see grow stronger in your life?”
Resource Person: Abenaa Antwiwaa Adusei
Her References:
1. Basic Tyre Fundamentals, GOOD YEAR PLUS, www.goodyearplus. com
2. ABC News: http://abcnews. go.com/Blotter/story?id=4988518
3. Rubber Manufacturers Association: http://ww.rma.org
4. The telegraph, www.telegraph. co.uk
Abenaa may be reached on: healthandsafetygh@gmail.com or 0500777 775.
Our road could be discribed as death trap
By Dr. Kojo Cobba Essel
It appears I am stuck in sleep mode; last week we discussed sleep hygiene and now it’s napping. Could it be my brain doing its best to make me understand it needs more sleep?
Many of us developed a love for afternoon naps while in school because it was mandatory to “sleep” after lunch. It may have been a luxury to get restful sleep in one’s junior years but our brains got the message: sleep after lunch to get a boost in energy to prepare you for the rest of the day.
As the years rolled by sleeping after lunch, for instance, has become a mirage but everyone loves a “power nap”. The French do a great job when it comes to their afternoon break.
If you enjoy your naps, you may have experienced that feeling of extending your sleep once you go beyond half an hour. It’s that feeling of no turning back. On the other hand, if you nap for just about 30 minutes you seem to have a new lease of energy.
I love naps whenever I get a chance to squeeze one in, but school had siestas that lasted about an hour so sometimes I love to revisit the days of old. A new research finding is, however, about to trample on that glorious time spent hitting on the snooze button and being at peace with the sheets, chair or even bench or floor in some instances.
We all appreciate that getting enough sleep is key to good health but this study suggests that long daytime naps may not be in your best interest.
The researchers found that long naps in excess of 40 minutes and excessive daytime sleepiness were associated with an increased risk for conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity and high cholesterol; collectively referred to as metabolic syndrome.
The research showed that people who napped for less than 40 minutes were not at increased risk for metabolic syndrome. In fact, those who napped less than 30 minutes had a slight decrease in risk.
The findings seem to point accusing fingers at those of us who nap for over 40 minutes; that is when the problems seem to begin. I am sure you can confidently guess what happens when people nap for over 90 minutes; the risk of developing metabolic syndrome increased by as much as 50%.
“The review also found that napping for more than an hour or being overly tired during the day were both linked with a 50 percent higher risk for type 2 diabetes.”
“However, the study only found an association between these factors, and did not prove that excessive sleepiness and long naps actually cause metabolic syndrome or diabetes.”
Is it possible that those of us who nap for long periods of time also avoid physical activity and probably over-indulge in comfort foods, hence increasing the risk for these lifestyle diseases?
One thing is certain, you cannot go wrong with a short nap; it can be extremely satisfying. So while the scientists continue to explain and maybe confirm these findings, let us limit our naps to 30 minutes. If you have extra time take a walk or get some work done.
This may be a reminder that too much of even a good thing may be harmful. Sleeping has great benefits including reducing our risks for developing heart and blood vessel diseases such as stroke, it improves our immunity and also enhances our performance in all spheres of life.
Just as sleeping in excess of 9 hours at a time has been linked with bad outcomes, excessive daytime napping is now getting its “day in court”. Moderation in all things must be key!!
A nap is essential for every individual
A 20-minute nap in the early afternoon may:
• Ease your stress
• Sharpen your memory
• Help you react faster
• Improve your job performance
• Boost your energy
• Lift your mood
• Make you more alert
How long did you nap today?
AS ALWAYS LAUGH OFTEN, ENSURE HYGIENE, WALK AND PRAY EVERY DAY AND REMEMBER IT’S A PRICELESS GIFT TO KNOW YOUR NUMBERS (blood sugar, blood pressure, blood cholesterol, BMI)
Dr. Kojo Cobba Essel
Health Essentials Ltd/ Medics Clinic
(dressel@healthessentialsgh.com)
Dr. Essel is a medical doctor with a keen interest in Life Style Medicine, holds an MBA and is an ISSA Specialist in exercise therapy, fitness nutrition and corrective exercise. He is the author of the award-winning book, ‘Unravelling The Essentials of Health & Wealth.’
Thought for the week – “Sleep is an important component of our healthy lifestyle, as well as diet and exercise,” says Dr. Tomohide Yamada. “Short naps might have a beneficial effect on our health, but we don’t yet know the strength of that effect or the mechanism by which it works.”
References:
- WebMD News from HealthDay by Robert Preidt
- Extract from “The Importance of Obtaining Adequate Sleep” by Dr. Obo Addy
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Sleep comes in different shades. There are those who sleep pretty and hardly move an inch in bed. Then we have those who are virtually at war when in bed and may turn a whole 360 degrees several times in the land of the unknown. Woe betide you if you find yourself in the same “sleep ring” with such a fighter. The most “decorated” ones bring music to sleep and the noise that exudes from their throats, nostrils and mouth could compete with any orchestra except that harmony is often thrown to the wind; those of us who belong to this category know ourselves.
Inspite of all the above, when I am hard pressed to pick one thing that has the greatest impact on one’s health, I will say SLEEP reigns. Too many challenges spring up when we fail to get enough sleep and it’s no wonder that at the doctor’s office we hear many complaints of not being able to sleep.
Most of the time the solution is not in popping pills but the Sleep Hygiene Tips below will go a long way to make a difference in your sleep and subsequently your health.
Sleep hygiene tips
- Create darkness in the room
- Sleep is easier when your room is dark. A bright room may be a challenge especially if you already have a bunter with sleep.
- Have a Regular sleep plan
- Keep to the safe time you go to bed and also time you wake up. Regularity is key.
- Ensure room is cool and well ventilated
- An extremely hot or cold room may keep you awake just tossing and turning. A nice breeze makes sleep even better.
- Wind down or unplug about an hour to bedtime
- Rushing throughout the day and then diving into bed may not be the best remedy for sleep. Slow down, start putting off lights, stop working and maybe spend about 5 minutes meditating or speaking to God.
- Avoid phones, laptops, work in bed/bedroom
- These have no business in your sleep area and should not be in your bed for sure. The glare from lights, the vibrations or sounds from messages and even calls may keep you awake and give you a nightmare with your eyes wide open.
- Exercise
- Exercise and laugh and you will be preparing yourself for a sound sleep. You may exercise anytime of the day but when you struggle a lot with sleep the ideal time may be four to six hours before bedtime. Exercising an hour or two before you sleep may rather keep you alert and awake.
- Watch your food intake; don’t overeat, avoid spicy food and lots of oil
- Gluttony is definitely “sinful” and one of the instant punishments is discomfort and difficulty sleeping. A full stomach at bedtime makes one wish for daybreak. The spices can also cause havoc especially when eaten late. That heartburn will wake you up and keep you sitting and cursing all night.
- Watch what you drink; stimulants may affect your sleep e.g. caffeine, fizzy drinks, alcohol and energy drinks
- If you have trouble with sleep or you do not want your sleep to be disturbed in any way, avoid these 4 clear hours or more before sleep time. ACOHOL deceives you into thinking you will sleep only to wake up early, feeling unrested or making dashes to the washroom.
- Discuss with your doctor when to take some of your prescribed medication
- Sometimes some medications we are on may cause us to wake up several times to urinate and should preferably be taken much earlier in the day. Others keep us alert over several hours.
- Writing your TO DO LIST for the next day relaxes the brain
- The brain sometimes will keep “working” in an attempt not to forget what you need to do the following day. Hack your brain by writing down or typing out your To Do List for the following day and you will be blessed with good sleep.
- Get professional care to diagnose and manage medical conditions
- Sometimes it’s a medical condition that is directly or indirectly depriving us of good sleep and our health professional can help us find and treat this so we can once more enjoy the bliss of the Lotus Eaters. Maybe it could be a medication that is just not right for you.
Popping pills to sleep in most cases will not solve the challenge and should never be our first line of correcting our sleep wars. Adopt these hygiene tips today even if you sleep well and your health will be on the right path. Not even the decorated bedroom trumpeter or the sleep fighter can take your sleep away from you.
AS ALWAYS LAUGH OFTEN, ENSURE HYGIENE, WALK AND PRAY EVERYDAY AND REMEMBER IT’S A PRICELESS GIFT TO KNOW YOUR NUMBERS (blood sugar, blood pressure, blood cholesterol, BMI)
Dr. Kojo Cobba Essel
Health Essentials Ltd/Medics Clinic
(www.healthessentialsgh.com)
*Dr. Essel is a Medical Doctor with a keen interest in Lifestyle Medicine, He holds an MBA and is an ISSA Specialist in Exercise Therapy, Fitness Nutrition and Corrective Exercise. He is the author of the award-winning book, ‘Unravelling The Essentials of Health & Wealth.’
Thought for the week – “ A good laugh and a long sleep are the best cures in the doctor’s book.” – Irish Proverb
SKIP THE QUEUE, TAP THE NEWS
You can now read the Ghanaian Times and The Spectator newspapers from the comfort of your device via TimesNewsPlus.
Join our WhatsApp Channel: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VbBElzjInlqHhl1aTU27
