10th October; World Mental Health Day 2016

Article by;
Samuel Talam
Founder and CEO Amazing Minds Africa


Psychological First Aid 


Introduction
 University entry all over the world provides students the opportunity to define and advance careers opportunities. Depending on their home environment and setting, the physical and social environment of the university is new, overwhelming and intimidating to some students. Moreover majority of Students joining public universities have unexplained fears and expectations about university life and education. Furthermore for some students, secondary schools friends have gone different ways which makes the unfamiliar university community as well as schedules add to the first year students anxieties. The reality is such that while some of the fears are overcome, others are confirmed with some expectations being met, while others are frustrated. Further, although students celebrate admission to university, it is also true that it brings deep anxieties since some students are breaking from familiar places and people for the first time in their lives. It Is important that adequate support be provided to students at different levels of their academic achievements so as to enable them utilize their campus experience maximumly and graduate in time. Amazing Minds is a student community organization that creates awareness, education and support on issues surrounding Mental Health by providing a forum and building an open environment for all students to speak up openly about these issues, and seek help easily.
 
This years focus was  psychological first Aid, which is the first help accorded to someone experiencing a mental health crisis or going through a traumatic experience. Many students acknowledged that they had very little information on mental health issues and how to support close friends, family members and colleagues.


During that week students of Kenyatta university through Amazing Minds Africa, Kenyatta University Wellness Center and Basic Needs Kenya (through mentorship and support) were able to come up with different programs, Amazing Minds Africa is a youth organization whose  aim is to create an open environment where students can openly speak about mental health Issues and seek help easily among students came up with activities to continue the mental health conversation and to acknowledge the importance of everyone to be involved in creating awareness and education to this fast arising issue. Dr Kemunto from Chiromo Lane Medical Center reiterated the importance of knowing the first steps to assisting someone with a mental health issue or going through a traumatic experience. She highlighted

• Asses for risk of suicide or harm
• Listen Non judgmentally
• Give reassurance and Information
• Encourage professional First Aid
• Encourage self help and other support strategies.

As important first steps in providing help.

The director Kenyatta University Wellness Center also emphasized on the importance of different groups working together to reduce the burden of mental health.


Movie On Mental Health  ( Like stars on Earth)

 During the same week we were able to screen a movie that highlighted the importance of understanding and supporting people with a mental health issue.

Amazing Minds Africa in collaboration with Kenyatta University Wellness Center screened a movie on Friday 13th October highlighting the importance for the community to recognize and support students with
learning disabilities that have gone unnoticed and continue to burden many students, yet these students can be supported and live fulfilling social and academic lives. We had over 35 students attending the screening of the movie that inspired others to be sensitize and more helping rather than criticizing



Ishaan Awasthi (Darsheel Safary) is an eight-year-old whose world is filled with wonders that no one else seems to appreciate; colors, fish, dogs and kites are just not important in the world of adults, who are much more interested in things like homework, marks and neatness. And Ishaan just cannot seem to get anything right in class. When he gets into far more trouble than his parents can handle, he is packed off to a boarding school to be disciplined. Things are no different at his new school, and Ishaan has to contend with the added trauma of separation from his family. 

One day a new art teacher bursts onto the scene, Ram Shankar Nikumbh (Aamir Khan), who infects the students with joy and optimism. He breaks all the rules of how things are done by asking them to think, dream and imagine, and all the children respond with enthusiasm, all except Ishaan. Nikumbh soon realizes that Ishaan is very unhappy, and he sets out to discover why. With time, patience and care, he ultimately helps Ishaan find himself.

On his day off, Nikumbh sets off to Mumbai, to visit Ishaan's parents. Nikumbh is surprised to learn that Ishaan is passionate about painting, and shows great talent in art. Nikumbh then asks Mr Awasthi as to why he sent Ishaan to a boarding school. Mr Awasthi replies that Ishaan was an ill mannered boy and was a poor student. Nikumbh shows Ishaan's mother her son's notebooks and gives an analysis of the script. Nikumbh deduces that Ishaan has severe difficulty in understanding letters and words. Mr Awasthi tries to dismiss it as a mere excuse for Ishaan's laziness. Nikumbh demonstrates what Ishaan experiences every day at school. He states that Ishaan has dyslexia as well as he may be having other conditions, which make him a difficult child. 

Microwaving food in plastic: Dangerous or not?

Let's cover the original misinformation first: The earliest missives warned that micro waved plastic releases cancer-causing chemicals called dioxins into food. The problem with that warning is that plastics don't contain dioxins. They are created when garbage, plastics, metals, wood, and other materials are burned. As long as you don't burn your food in a microwave, you aren't exposing yourself to dioxins.

Migrating chemicals

There's no single substance called "plastic." That term covers many materials made from an array of organic and inorganic compounds. Substances are often added to plastic to help shape or stabilize it. Two of these plasticizers are

• bisphenol-A (BPA), added to make clear, hard plastic
• phthalates, added to make plastic soft and flexible

BPA and phthalates are believed to be "endocrine disrupters." These are substances that mimic human hormones, and not for the good. When food is wrapped in plastic or placed in a plastic container and microwaved, BPA and phthalates may leak into the food. Any migration is likely to be greater with fatty foods such as meats and cheeses than with other foods.

The FDA long ago recognized the potential for small amounts of plasticizers to migrate into food. So it closely regulates plastic containers and materials that come into contact with food. The FDA requires manufacturers to test these containers using tests that meet FDA standards and specifications. It then reviews test data before approving a container for microwave use.

Some of these tests measure the migration of chemicals at temperatures that the container or wrap is likely to encounter during ordinary use. For microwave approval, the agency estimates the ratio of plastic surface area to food, how long the container is likely to be in the microwave, how often a person is likely to eat from the container, and how hot the food can be expected to get during microwaving. The scientists also measure the chemicals that leach into food and the extent to which they migrate in different kinds of foods. The maximum allowable amount is 100–1,000 times less per pound of body weight than the amount shown to harm laboratory animals over a lifetime of use. Only containers that pass this test can display a microwave-safe icon, the words "microwave safe," or words to the effect that they're approved for use in microwave ovens.

Is Styrofoam microwave safe?

Contrary to popular belief, some Styrofoam and other polystyrene containers can safely be used in the microwave. Just follow the same rule you follow for other plastic containers: Check the label.

The bottom line

Here are some things to keep in mind when using the microwave:

• If you're concerned about plastic wraps or containers in the microwave, transfer food to glass or ceramic containers labeled for use in microwave ovens.
• Don't let plastic wrap touch food during microwaving because it may melt. Wax paper, kitchen parchment paper, white paper towels, or a domed container that fits over a plate or bowl are better alternatives.
• Most takeout containers, water bottles, and plastic tubs or jars made to hold margarine, yogurt, whipped topping, and foods such as cream cheese, mayonnaise, and mustard are not microwave-safe.
• Microwavable takeout dinner trays are formulated for one-time use only and will say so on the package.
• Old, scratched, or cracked containers, or those that have been microwaved many times, may leach out more plasticizers.
• Don't microwave plastic storage bags or plastic bags from the grocery store.
• Before microwaving food, be sure to vent the container: leave the lid ajar, or lift the edge of the cover.

Article courtesy of Harvard health publications

CARE GIVING EFFECTS ON CARE GIVERS HEALTH

A typical caregiver’s job description includes comforting companionship (e.g., conversation, stabilization while walking), domestic assistance (e.g., housekeeping, running errands), and personal care (e.g., bathing, grooming, toileting), without financial compensation. Studies show that the strains of care giving, coupled with a lack of caregiver support, can have serious consequences on a caregiver’s health.

How Care giving Affects a Person’s Health

The mental, emotional, and physical demands of caring for chronically ill or disabled relatives can be particularly debilitating for caregivers. According to the Family Caregiver Alliance (FCA) (2006), more than one-third of America’s live-in caregivers provide health care assistance to others despite experiencing bad health themselves. The FCA also reports that caregivers show higher levels of depression than family members who do not have caretaking responsibilities. It is estimated that 25% to 50% of caregivers meet the diagnostic criteria of major depression, and 40% to 70% show significant depressive symptoms. People who fill care giving roles are also at higher risk of developing concurrent anxiety issues, chronic diseases, and substance dependence.

Caregivers also tend to experience higher levels of stress and frustration. A study by Schulz and Sherwood (2008) shows that care giving is equipped with all the features of a chronic stress experience with high levels of unpredictability, uncontrollability, vigilance, and physical and psychological strain being major contributing factors. Roughly 26% of caregivers report feeling emotionally drained, and chronic caregiver stress has been linked with cognitive decline, including deficits in attention, memory, and verbal ability. It is important to note that caregivers tend to go through greater psychological and emotional distress as the care-receiver’s functionality deteriorates (as in the case of a person with dementia), and these feelings might persist even after the care-receiver is placed in a nursing home. Physical setbacks may also be experienced during caregiving. Caregivers are at greater risk for headaches, bodily pain, obesity, high blood pressure, heart disease, and cancer. Caregiver stress can also contribute to increased mortality. Elderly spousal caregivers (aged 66-96), who are exposed to caregiver stress, have a 63% higher mortality rate than non-care giving peers of the same age.

How to Help Yourself or another Caregiver

While the essential caregiver role involves the administering of treatment, it must be remembered that caregivers, too, are in need of care. One way for people to effectively manage caregiver stress and depression is to seek the assistance of a therapist.

“Therapy can help the caregiver cope with his or her own feelings about the other person’s illness. Often, involved family or friends have strong opinions about the course of care, and that can add stress to the caregiver. Having an unbiased person to talk to, like a licensed therapist, can help offer the caregiver different perspectives and insights into overseeing the person’s care. It can also help the caregiver deal with the mixed feelings and emotions that come with care giving,” Risi said. For individuals experiencing caregiver stress, Risi suggests the following practical points to facilitate effective and healthy caregiving:

• Take care of yourself. It is important for the caregiver to recognize his or her own needs and tend to them first. If you are experiencing burnout, you will not be able to effectively help the person in need of care.

• Ask for help. Care giving does not have to be solely your responsibility. Some caregivers have a difficult time asking for help from others, but getting support to share the responsibility can help you avoid caregiver burnout 
• Be realistic about the illness and prognosis. Educate yourself and ask questions in order to be prepared for the reality of the illness. 
• Use respite care services. A wide range of services are available to give a break to caregivers and can last from a few hours to a few days. Informally, you can ask another family member or a friend to give you a break, but there are formal respite services available in most communities. Use this time to recharge and look after yourself. 
•   Find emotional support. You can talk with family, trustworthy friends, a support group, your pastor, or a therapist. Having someone to share your feelings with can help ease the burden of caregiving 
  Article courtesy of http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/how-caregiving-can-impact-a-caregivers-mental-health

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“Double dipping” your chip: Dangerous or just…icky?

Double dippers are everywhere – barbeque, family reunions, Super Bowl parties, anywhere chips and dip are a staple. These are the people who take a bite and dip their chips a second time when they think no one is looking.

But is double dipping really so bad?

Ever since that Seinfeld episode, the “health menace” of double dipping has been a mainstay of party conversation, high school science projects, and even high-level academic investigation. Perhaps the most influential was a 2009 study performed at Clemson University and published in the Journal of Food Safety, entitled “Effect of biting before dipping (double-dipping) chips on the bacterial population of the dipping solution.” The title alone may be enough to make you lose your appetite. The researchers carefully analyzed bacterial contamination before and after a person double dips. Here’s what they found:

• Bacterial counts in the dip increased significantly after a person took a bite from a chip and then dipped again.
• The number of bacteria contaminating the dip varied depending on the dip – salsa had more bacteria after double-dipping compared with chocolate or cheese dips (perhaps due to differences in thickness and acidity of the dips).

Similar findings were noted when bacteria counts were measured after a bitten chip was dipped in water.

So just how risky is double dipping?

It’s important to note that this research was not designed to find people who became sick because someone else double dipped. And, considering that our mouths are normally packed with bacteria, it doesn’t necessarily follow that more bacteria in the dip means double dipping is dangerous. However, this research does raise the possibility that a person who is sick (or about to be) might spread a disease by re-dipping a chip. Documented examples of this are hard to find – if you know of one, let me know! But even if the risk is hard to prove, the risk may be real. We know of many respiratory diseases that can be spread by contact with saliva, such as influenza (the flu) or whooping cough. You’re more likely to contract an illness from a sick person coughing or sneezing in your face or if they don’t wash their hands while sick than you are from a healthy double-dipper. So, while it’s reasonable to discourage double dipping, it’s unlikely to pose a major risk to your health.

And if you’re a double dipper…

And, for habitual double-dippers, I wonder about a more responsible option: turn the chip around to double dip from the unbitten end of the chip. 

Article courtesy of Harvard health publications

4 WAYS TO TAME TENSION HEADACHES

A tension headache can put a damper on your day. This kind of headache usually develops in the afternoon, causing mild or moderate pain that may feel like dull tightness or a band of pressure. Tension headaches occur when neck, shoulder, and scalp muscles become tense. Some people experience tension headaches from time to time; others get them more often. While this type of headache is rarely debilitating, it can certainly make life miserable. If you have frequent tension headaches (more often than once or twice a week), here are some strategies that can help you prevent them:

1. Pay attention to the basics. Get enough sleep, don't skip meals, and be sure to pace yourself to avoid stress and fatigue.
2. Relaxation techniques. Physical and psychological relaxation therapies can help stave off tension headaches, so long as you practice these techniques regularly. Physical approaches include applying a heating pad to your neck and shoulders to relax the muscles. Exercising these muscles also helps by strengthening and stretching them. Guided imagery exercises that help you focus your attention on various parts of your body in order to relax them and release tension and stress can also help.
3. Biofeedback. This relaxation technique requires special training but can help people avoid recurrent tension headaches. Typically, a therapist will attach electrodes to your skin to detect electrical signals from your neck and shoulder muscles. You then learn to recognize when you are becoming tense and practice ways to relax the muscles before they tighten so much that you develop a tension headache.
4. Medical approaches. Some people with tension headaches have very sensitive areas, known as trigger points, at the back of the neck or in the shoulders. Injecting a local anesthetic into these areas may eliminate the pain and prevent the headache from occurring again. There are also a number of medications that can help keep tension headaches at bay. If non-drug therapies aren't giving you the relief you need, talk with your doctor about the medication options that might be right for you.

Article courtesy of Harvard health publications