STOP THIS DISCRIMINATION

What's usually this "excessive joy" associated with giving birth to a male child? The boy is usually referred to as "bouncing"...lol. What about the girl? A friend of mine posted on his Whatsapp status; his plans for his male child.

It read thus; "Dear future son, your mother (wherever she is) and I, can't wait to welcome you and I also believe she's out there working herself out too in order for you to enjoy those things we never had the privilege enjoying. son, we'll try providing everything that will make you have an enviable growing up by his grace. However, the world you are coming is one filled with numerous challenges and you must learn to take responsibility of your life and never you leave your mess for others to clear up!"

It's a beautiful piece I must confess, great plans embedded but I couldn't stop to ponder- "What if she's a girl? Are the plans going to remain the same? Is it a crime being a girl? What is the boy going to achieve, of which the girl can't? Why the special plans? Ain't we all children? "

It is very unfair when we discriminate against the girl-child, I remember this Mtn advert that was titled; "MAMA, NA BOY" The entire village rejoiced at the arrival of the male-child.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not a FEMINIST, just advocating for EQUITY. We are all humans both male and female, we should be entitled to equal treatment. 

#NO MALE PREFERENCE#

#NO TO PATRIACHY#

#LIVE & LET'S LIVE#

FACTS ABOUT BREAST CANCER

source: medicinenet.com

Dear friends,

Happy new month lovelies! This month is certainly going to be a wonderful month for us all. Most of us have heard of breast cancer but I doubt we have the details about it in full. Breast cancer is the cancer that develops from the breast tissue. It is the most common type of cancer among women. This form of cancer occurs when breast tissue changes (or mutates) and keeps reproducing. These abnormal cell usually cluster together to form a tumor.

A tumor is malignant (cancerous) when these abnormal cells invade other parts of the breast or spread to other areas of the body through the bloodstream or lymphatic system which can cause paralysis. Breast cancer usually starts in the milk-producing glands of the breast (called labules) or the tube shaped ducts that carry milk from the labules to the nipple. Less often, cancer begins in the fatty and fibrous connective tissue of the breast.

CAUSES OF BREAST CANCER

  Breast cancer is caused by a genetic mutation in the DNA of breast cancer cells.

RISK FACTORS FOR BREAST CANCER

• Age and gender
• Family history: having a close blood relative with breast cancer increases the risk of developing the disease 
•  A breast cancer mutation up to 10% of all breast cancers are thought to be inherited and many of these cases are due to defects in one or more genes, especially the BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes 
•   Weight 
•  Alcohol consumption 
•  DES exposure: women who were given the now-banned drug diethylstilbestrol to prevent miscarriage decades ago face a slightly increased risk of breast cancer, as do their daughters.

SYMPTOMS

Breast cancer symptoms vary from person to person. Knowing what your breast normally look or feel like may help you recognize possible signs and symptoms that are not common to you. If any alteration is noticed, consult your doctor.

NOTE

An individual can have breast cancer without feeling anything out of the ordinary; but if you find an area of thickening breast tissue, a lump in your breast (usually painless, but not always) or an enlarged underarm lymph node, consult your doctor.

STAGES OF BREAST CANCER

• Stage 0 breast cancers (also called pre-cancer): this is the earliest stage of breast cancer. It involves abnormal cells that have not spread into breast tissue from the ducts or lobules where they began. 
•  Stage 1 breast cancer: this is an invasive cancer meaning it is invading healthy breast tissue but it has not spread outside the breast.
• Stage 2 breast cancer: at stage 2, breast cancer is growing but is only in the breast or nearby lymph nodes. This stage has two categories; 2A and 2B. 
•  Stage 3 breast cancer: stage 3 breast cancer is an advanced cancer. It’s in the lymph nodes but has spread to other organs. Thus stage is divided into three categories, 3A, 3B and 3C, based on the size of the tumor and how many and which lymph nodes are involved.
• Stage 4 breast cancer: at stage 4, breast cancer has travelled to distant sites in the body, often the bones, liver, brain or lungs. This is called metastatic breast cancer.

PREVENTION

• Eat Your Fruits & Vegetables – and Avoid Too Much Alcohol 
• Don’t Smoke
• Limit your alcohol intake
• Be Physically Active
• Breast feed your baby: Breastfeeding for a total of one year or more (combined for all children) lowers the risk of breast cancer. It also has great health benefits for the child
• Avoid Birth Control Pills, Particularly After Age 35
• Avoid Post-Menopausal Hormones
• Keep Weight in Check: Being overweight can increase the risk of many different cancers, including breast cancer, especially after menopause
• Breast self-examination

With this information, I hope you have an insight of what breast cancer is. We can read more about the topic, ask questions, drop all myths, stop self-medication and consult your doctor. Don’t forget, early detection is vital.

My First Sex; IT'S FANTASIES!!!

Hello lovelies,

Are you an adolescent between the ages of 10- 19 years? Are you thinking of experimenting what your peers have been doing? Are you thinking of yielding to your boyfriends request? It's best you have full details of what you're about to get yourselves into. Hey! wait a minute, I ain't here to talk you out of it.

 

I have read several articles on reasons teenagers loose their virginity; some due to boredom, for some guys; to proof to their friends that they were not scared, some for experimentation, some to have physical pleasure, some to feel like an adult, others to impress their partner, some as a proof of intimacy, some to keep their partner, some to be popular, some because everyone is doing it, some to satisfy their curiosity while others to boost their self-esteem. Are the reasons genuine enough? Am not playing the judge here remember!

 

It may interest you to know the consequences of engaging in sexual intercourse as a TEEN. Adolescent that engage in sexual intercourse have a wide range of social, emotional and physical consequences; both positive and negative.

 

The positive consequences include;

• Pleasure (which I term " 5 minutes pleasure")

• Sense of maturity

• Feelings of intimacy with partner

• Acceptability by peers

 

The negative consequences include:

• Feelings of guilt and remorse which can lead to depression

• Poor school performance (loss of focus)

• Feelings of been used

• Low self-esteem

• Contracting HIV, Human papillomavirus and other sexually transmitted infections

• At risk of developing uterine cancer later in life

• Drug and alcohol use

• School truancy

• Higher risk of suicide

• At risk of having multiple sex partners before age 25 which increases the chances of developing some cancers later in life e.g vagina, vulva and cervical cancer

• Unwanted pregnancy 

•  Dropping out of school due to unplanned pregnancy leading to a jeopardized future

•  Abortion complications which can lead to death

   

In all honesty, you see that the negative consequences outweighs the positive ones. Asides the pregnancy related complications, the consequences (both positive and negative) applies to both males and females; meaning GUYS ARE NOT LEFT OUT. Ladies, the consequences of teenage pregnancy are numerous and will be treated as a topic on its own in one of my posts. Watch out....

Nevertheless, if you have decided to engage in a sexual relationship. I'll advice that you practice SAFE SEX by using CONDOM always. It will help reduce some of the negative effects.  

 

 

REMEMBER, PEARL CARES ABOUT YOUR REPRODUCTIVE & SEXUAL HEALTH

It's Not Just HIV

source: doc check

 

source: new health guide

Happy New Year friends,

Do you know that engaging in unprotected sexual intercourse exposes you to a lot of diseases and viruses asides HIV? Have you heard of Human Papillomavirus ? What about Hepatitis B? I know most of us are aware of the common  STIs/ STDs.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a virus that is passed via skin-to-skin through sexual intercourse or other forms of skin-to-skin contact of the genitals.It is the most common sexually transmitted infection. Most sexually active men and women are exposed to the virus at one point or the other during their lifetime.  It can be spread through oral, vaginal or anal sex. HPV results in genital warts and some types of cancer; cervical cancer in women. HPV HAS NO CURE but its symptoms can be treated.

Prevention

Safe and effective vaccinations recommended at age 11 to 12 years to reduce the risk of cervical and other cancers developing in future.

Test for HPV

Tests to check for HPV or HPV-related cervical cellular changes include a Pap smear, a DNA test and the use of acetic acid (vinegar) for women. 

There is currently no test available for men to check for HPV; diagnosis is made primarily through visual inspection.

Hepatis B (HBV) is 50 to 100 times easily transmissible through sexual intercourse than HIV( the virus that causes AIDS). HBV has been found in vaginal secretions, saliva and semen. This implies that if you engage in oral sex or anal sex, you are at risk of contacting HBV.

Symptoms

Some people especially young children may not have any symptom. The symptoms ranges from mild to severe and usually appears from about one to four months after the person has been infected. The symptoms include; 

• Fever
• Jaundice (Yellowing of your skin and the whitish part of your eyes)
• Joint pain
• Nausea and vomiting
• Weakness and Fatigue
• Dark urine
• Abdominal pain
• Loss of appetite

Complications

Chronic HBV infection can also lead to serious complications such as;

• Liver cancer
• Liver failure
• Scarring of the liver (cirrhosis)
• People with chronic HBV may develop kidney disease

Prevention

HBV vaccines are available and is typically given as three or four injections over six months.

General prevention measures from all forms of sexually Transmitted Infections / Diseases include;

• Practicing SAFE SEX
• Practicing ABSTINENCE (most effective)
• Being in a monogamous sexual relationship
• Not having sex while there are visible genital warts
• Be cautious about body piercing and tattooing
• Use a new latex or polyurethane condom every time you have sex; even oral sex
• You and your partner should get tested for HIV, HPV and HBV
• Don't use illegal drug (or ensure use of sterile needles while injecting the illegal drug)

PLAY SAFE ALWAYS 

source: breitbart

source: stock fresh