Health Essentials
Constipation; ‘diarrhoea’ of information on this
Constipation can contribute to abdominal pain and bloating
I have been wondering why I have this urge to write about constipation soon after the month of May during which we indulged in issues of blood pressure. This may have been influenced by the frequent complaints I hear day in day out about constipation. Do all these complaints qualify to be described as constipation?
Many people would rather not talk about constipation but if you have suffered from a bout or two you will definitely appreciate how painful and frustrating it may be. There is this other group of people who is obsessed with constipation and believes that all their problems will be solved once they can move their bowels frequently. Their bad mood is blamed on constipation, poor appetite also assumed to be from constipation and constipation cannot be excluded from any bout of headache they experience. This category of people swears by enemas and some of the concoctions they resort to could corrode the best of intestines.
Constipation may present as infrequent bowel movements or extremely hard stools that may cause unbearable pain. Periodic constipation may be relieved by the appropriate diet, proper hydration and exercise but chronic constipation is often more worrying and may require medical attention. Do not force yourself to be someone else, as individuals our bowel movements vary. Some may go up to three times a day while for others three times a week is just right. Listen to your body. It may appear absurd that we are discussing constipation at a time that Accra is flooded with diarrhoea stools and scattered black bags but some people may find this life-saving.
We will focus on chronic constipation, which occurs when we experience two or more of the following for at least three months;
• Less than three bowel movements in a week
• Hard stools that are difficult to pass
• Straining to move bowel
• Abdominal discomfort and bloating
• Frequent use of enemas and laxatives
• A sensation that your bowel is never really empty.
COMMON CAUSES OF CONSTIPATION
• Lack of exercise
– Regular exercise promotes muscle contraction in walls of the intestine.
• Poor water or fluid intake
– Drink about two litres of water a day
• Poor diet
– Ensure you have a lot of fibre in your meals
– Fruits and vegetables a must and go easy on refined foods such as polished rice.
• Change in routine
– Change in diet and time for meals as well as a lack of proper facilities to move bowel can all set the stage for constipation.
• Ignoring the urge
– If you have to go get the right place and go. Ignoring the urge frequently could lead to constipation but can we blame those who ignore the urge because they have to pay money for every single episode?
• Overuse of laxatives
– This is akin to teaching your bowel to wait for assistance before it performs.
• Certain medical conditions
– Medical conditions such as diabetes, anxiety and depression, abnormal potassium and calcium levels and an underactive thyroid have all been blamed.
• Bowel Disease
– Several of these and may include irritable bowel syndrome and tumours
• Pregnancy
– Changes in hormones or pressure on the intestines from the foetus may cause constipation.
• Side effect of some medication
– Some pain medicines and even some vitamins and supplements may have constipation as a side effect.
• Local pain
– Pain around the anus from infected haemorrhoids or cuts may lead one to suppress the urge.
For some of us the problem may be simpler than we can imagine; our intake is so little the body absorbs virtually everything. This scenario is very common in exclusively breast fed babies and may not be classified as constipation.
DO NOT IGNORE THE FOLLOWING
Quite often we delay seeking help for constipation but whenever you have any of the following it is better to act fast:
• New constipation
• Fever
• Rectal pain
• Bleeding from the anus
• Anaemia
• Abdominal pain with vomiting
• Weight loss
• Family history of colon cancer or other bowel disease.
THE UGLY SIDE OF CONSTIPATION
Chronic constipation may lead to developing haemorrhoids which may bleed or become painful, tears in anal tissue from hard stools that worsen the constipation and straining may even push rectal tissue out through the anus and may require surgical repair.
MANAGEMENT
Prevention is key and the focus should be on lifestyle modification. In some cases especially involving adults, health professionals may need to manually evacuate impacted stools from the rectum. Medications may be needed or as the causes showed one may have to stop taking some medicines and also certain conditions will need to be treated to stop the constipation.
The least we should all do is to eat meals that are rich in fibre and as stated earlier it includes fruits and vegetables, bran, nuts and seeds. Do not forget to drink adequate amounts of water or other healthy fluids and make sure you exercise almost every day to help speed the transportation of waste through the intestine. This is also a bonus for those who exercise regularly because they get some protection from colon cancer. Last but not least; establish a routine and whenever you feel the urge answer in a civilised way and place.
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
(dressel@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 – “although chest pain is commonly attributed to heart disease, many people with heart disease say they experience a vague discomfort for which PAIN doesn’t seem to be an adequate description”
References:
• Chronic Constipation – Harvard Medical School (Patient Education Center) – leaflet
By Dr. Kojo Cobba Essel
Teenage Hypertension: The silent threat to Ghana’s young generation
For many Ghanaian teenagers, high blood pressure may seem like a health problem for their parents and grandparents. But as unhealthy eating habits, excess weight and increasingly sedentary lifestyles become concerns for younger populations, protecting heart health during adolescence deserves greater attention.
The danger is that hypertension can develop without obvious symptoms. A teenager may feel perfectly healthy while elevated blood pressure goes undetected, potentially delaying medical assessment and appropriate care.
Although not every teenager with unhealthy habits will develop hypertension, early awareness, healthy lifestyle choices and appropriate blood pressure checks can help reduce future cardiovascular risks.
A growing concern
Hypertension, commonly known as high blood pressure, is a major public health concern worldwide. The World Health Organisation identifies it as an important contributor to premature death, largely because it increases the risk of serious cardiovascular complications.
While the condition is often associated with adulthood, the factors that contribute to its development can begin much earlier in life.
Frequent consumption of foods high in salt, poor dietary habits, excess body weight and insufficient physical activity can undermine cardiovascular health. Family history and certain underlying medical conditions may also increase an individual’s risk.
For teenagers, therefore, the conversation about hypertension should extend beyond hospital visits and include the everyday habits that shape their health.
When lifestyle choices become a concern
Adolescence is a period when young people begin making more independent decisions about what they eat, how they spend their leisure time and how physically active they are.
Convenience foods, processed meals, salty snacks and sugary drinks may become regular features of their diets. At the same time, long hours spent on mobile phones, computers and other digital devices can leave less time for physical activity.
Academic demands and inadequate sleep may further affect their general well-being.
These habits do not automatically lead to hypertension. However, when unhealthy diets and physical inactivity contribute to excess weight, they can increase the risk of high blood pressure, particularly among people with other predisposing factors.
Recognising these risks early offers families, schools and health professionals an opportunity to encourage healthier choices before unhealthy patterns become established.
What Ghana’s cardiovascular health figures reveal
A cardiologist and Senior Lecturer at the University of Ghana Medical School, Professor Alfred Doku, in an interview highlighted the seriousness of cardiovascular disease in Ghana, citing figures indicating that it accounted for approximately 43 to 50 per cent of deaths in the country.
He also stated that about 30 per cent of Ghanaian adults had hypertension, with approximately 70 per cent of those affected unaware of their condition.
Although these figures concern adults and the wider population rather than teenagers specifically, they point to the importance of improving awareness, screening and early detection of high blood pressure.
Professor Doku urged people to know their blood pressure readings and monitor other important health indicators, including blood sugar, cholesterol levels and body weight.
His advice underscores the importance of understanding personal health risks rather than waiting for illness to become apparent before seeking medical attention.
For adolescents, any blood pressure reading that raises concern should be assessed by a qualified health professional. Because blood pressure varies with age, growth and other factors, its interpretation in children and teenagers requires appropriate clinical assessment.
The danger of a condition without obvious symptoms
The Head of the National Cardiothoracic Centre, Dr Kow Entsua-Mensah, also stressed the importance of awareness and early detection in addressing cardiovascular disease.
He explained that hypertension could remain undetected for years because affected individuals might not experience noticeable symptoms.
Dr Entsua-Mensah noted that several factors, including diabetes, high cholesterol, obesity, physical inactivity, unhealthy diets, tobacco use and harmful alcohol consumption, could contribute to cardiovascular damage over time.
He called for greater public awareness of the importance of checking blood pressure and other health indicators before complications develop.
The challenge with hypertension is that the absence of symptoms can create a false sense of security. People may assume they are healthy simply because they feel well, overlooking the need for preventive health checks.
Dr Entsua-Mensah emphasised that addressing cardiovascular disease required cooperation among healthcare professionals, government institutions, schools, businesses, community organisations and the media.
Such collaboration is particularly important for young people, whose health habits are influenced by their homes, schools, peer groups and the wider environment.
Small habits, lasting benefits
Professor Doku said many cases of heart disease and stroke could be prevented or their risks reduced through appropriate lifestyle changes and effective management of contributing factors.
He encouraged young people to reduce their salt intake, eat balanced meals, exercise regularly and avoid smoking.
Describing hypertension as a silent threat, he warned that people should not wait for symptoms before taking their blood pressure seriously.
Hypertension, he stressed, could have serious consequences, including heart failure and stroke, when left undetected or inadequately managed.
For teenagers, protecting heart health does not necessarily require complicated routines. It begins with practical, everyday decisions: eating a balanced diet, choosing foods with less salt, participating in regular physical activity and getting adequate sleep.
Avoiding tobacco products and maintaining a healthy weight are also important steps towards reducing cardiovascular risks.
Young people who are diagnosed with hypertension should follow the advice of their healthcare providers and take prescribed medication as directed. Lifestyle changes can support treatment, but they should not replace medication when it is medically necessary.
Parents have an important role to play by encouraging healthy eating and physical activity at home. Schools can contribute by providing opportunities for exercise, promoting health education and making nutritious food choices more accessible to students.
Healthcare professionals, meanwhile, can help identify young people who may be at risk, assess abnormal readings and guide families on appropriate follow-up care.
Protecting the next generation
Addressing hypertension among young people requires more than individual effort. It calls for a coordinated response involving families, schools, healthcare providers, policymakers and the media.
Public education should challenge the perception that high blood pressure is exclusively an older person’s condition. Teenagers need accurate information about cardiovascular health, the factors that increase their risk and the importance of seeking professional advice when necessary.
Appropriate screening and follow-up care can also help identify elevated blood pressure and ensure that young people who need medical attention receive it.
However, the extent of hypertension among Ghanaian teenagers should not be inferred from statistics relating to adults. Reliable, age-specific national data are needed to establish the scale of the problem and guide targeted interventions.
That evidence gap makes it important to approach the subject with both urgency and accuracy: raising awareness of the risks without exaggerating what is known about their prevalence among adolescents.
For Ghana’s young generation, the message is clear. Feeling healthy does not always mean that blood pressure is normal, and good cardiovascular health should not be left until adulthood.
By encouraging healthier habits, improving access to appropriate health checks and making reliable information available to young people, Ghana can take meaningful steps towards protecting the heart health of its next generation.
By Esinam Jemima Kuatsinu
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Don’t we all dream of a life that is filled with laughter? That may be a reason for chasing big bucks, which like the golden-fleece eludes the majority of us. Financial Wellness is extremely important but there are other factors that make us happy and healthy and eventually wealthy.
You definitely do not need to live in Finland to experience happiness even though many people agree that is the “headquarters” of happiness. The happiness in Finland for instance is based on the provision of basic infrastructure and services, minimal corruption and strong social support among others. These go a long way to minimise anxiety making room for one to enjoy the good things of life.
Then when you live in Sikaman and any of its other cohorts, it is challenging to have those in authority create the environment where you can be happy. That’s why you need to “happy yourself” and the happiness hacks below will help you do just that. Even if you live in Finland, you will gain much more by following these steps.
- Wake-Up Ritual
- Say to yourself that today will be a beautiful day or a great day
- Ask God what He has in store for you. Use me Lord (if not a Christian what you believe in will be useful as well.
- Remind yourself of your purpose in life and get out of bed
- Do not grab your phone as the first thing for the day.
- Pray
- Talking to God has a way of calming our nerves. It brings about unexplained peace and when we add praise and worship then the floodgates open. That is how to win battles against unhappiness.
- Smile
- Definitely floods your body with feel good hormones and insulates you from stress
- Smiling is infectious so the more you smile the better and you set off a smiling OR happiness domino effect.
- Meditate
- Extremely good for your brain and an easy way to start is to do deep-breathing and just focus on your “breath” excluding all others. That is what some will prefer to call mindfulness. Being in the moment has immense benefits. Things you never knew existed suddenly spring up.
- Exercise
- That wonder drug that trumps virtually all others. Like smiling it does pour out feel good hormones. Strength training even goes an extra mile causing our muscles to act as “pharmacies” that pour out life-changing signals every time they contract.
- Be kind to yourself & to others.
- We are often too harsh on ourselves. Give yourself a break. Self-care is the real deal!!
- Being harsh to others has no benefits.
- Spend some time doing nothing
- We need to re-set from time to time. Spend about 10 minutes a day doing absolutely nothing. There is happiness and innovation in “idling”. Do not abuse idling though
- Spend time with loved ones
- This is another powerful happiness “hack”. You have to make time and be intentional about this; talk on phone, send messages, arrange to meet for a drink or meal. Social Wellness ranks very high on the happiness index and it’s fairly easy to plug into it.
- While spending time together remember that your choice of food and drinks also impacts on how happy or sad or anxious you may feel.
- Indulge in a hobby
- Our bodies and brain love variety. Do you have a hobby? Get one
- Write in your gratitude diary
- That is all it takes – keep doing it regularly.
This list is not exhaustive but definitely a good start. Share your happiness hacks with me via email and together we can keep the world smiling and happy.
At the end of each day ask yourself if you did better than the previous day. That is all it takes. Doing better than the previous day for 365 days, for 5 years, 10 years… How amazing that will be!!!
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
(dressel@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 – “There is no magic formula to being happy but making a conscious effort to be happy goes a long way.” – Dr. Kojo Cobba Essel
By Dr. Kojo Cobba Essel
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
