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Why is red meat dangerous?
Red meat can be a good source of raw materials for making uric acid, but doctors say its consumption should be regulated. PHOTO BY RACHEL MABALA
What you need to know:
While red meat is a good source of protein and iron, eating too much of it may have health risks largely because of the saturated fat content in them.
Dear doctor, I had an argument with my girlfriend over red meat. She enjoys pork which is white, and says other meats like beef are red and may cause gout, cancer and heart attack. Apart from chicken, fish, and pork, what are the other white meats and why is red meat dangerous?
Isaac B. Byoona
Dear Isaac, red meat refers to meat which is red-coloured when raw. Red meat includes beef, lamb, goat, or bushbuck. These meats contain more of the protein myoglobin than white meats such as poultry and fish. Pork is also considered red meat because it is red before cooking and also has high amounts of myoglobin.
While red meat is a good source of protein and iron, eating too much of it regularly may have some health risks, largely because of the saturated fat content in them.
Pork is also known to have lots of saturated fat. Unfortunately fat improves the taste of food and as such many people will take fatty foods even when they know the health risks associated with them. These risks include prostate or colon cancer, heart diseases and stroke.
Gout is a disease associated with high levels of liver manufactured uric acid. Red meat being a good source of raw materials for making uric acid should be restricted in diet to help control gout. Red meat however, is not the cause of gout which occurs due to an inborn error in the formation or handling of uric acid which results in accumulation of the acid in blood.
Dear doctor, I have a relative whose hands shake all the time. As a result, he has been forced to drink alcohol, to be able to do his work. Are there better ways to deal with this condition?
Enoch Akwetaireho
Dear Enoch, each one of us may experience minor tremors when holding a glass of water, especially when nervous or as we grow older. Essential tremors commonly lead to shaking of hands, making it difficult to carry out hand tasks like writing or even signing a cheque. The tremors which run in families can start at any age though they are usually seen after the age of 40.
While for many people the tremors may be minor, for others it can affect the voice, tongue, head or even the neck, curtailing the daily activities of the victims.
Unfortunately some victims learn that alcohol improves their condition and resort to alcoholism and then blame alcoholism for causing the problem.
To minimise the tremors, victims should avoid aggravating factors such as caffeine, stress and anxiety.
They should also avoid doing strenuous work and certain medications.
Use of alcohol is likely to render your relative an alcoholic or even eventually damage his brain, causing more tremors. Since there are many types of tremors, some associated with other health conditions, your relative needs to visit a doctor for diagnosis and treatment.
Dear doctor, when I was young, I had no problems with my periods such as pain. Since I stopped having my periods in 2006, I have noticed that my abdomen pumps itself with gas all the time. What could be the remedy?
Nusura Apolot
Dear Nusura, having abdominal gas, which you have to pass out by belching, or embarrassingly by farting, may have many causes including a diet rich in milk or milk products and plant materials.
These foods have to be minimised to reduce the gas. There are also some medical conditions such as constipation, stress, and peptic ulceration infection which should be treated to address the problem.
Also, you may not have had the gas problems before you went into menopause because then you were producing a good amount of female hormones, which after work are broken down by the liver and the resulting substances sent into the bile to help in digestion. After menopause, the hormones dwindle, often leading to indigestion and gas.
Dear doctor, recently, I had unprotected sex with my husband yet I knew I was not safe. After four days I went to see my doctor who wanted to put a coil in me but I declined. However, I got my periods later. Why would a qualified doctor use a coil as a morning after pill?
Kisoga
Dear Kisoga, the morning after pill works at least 72 hours after sex and works better when it is taken earlier. After an egg is fertilised, it takes no less than a week to get implanted in the womb for pregnancy to take place An Intra Uterine Contraceptive Device (IUCD coil) works by acting like a foreign body, which keeps the womb in a contracting state, making it hostile for the fertilised egg to implant.
The coil can therefore be used to prevent pregnancy beyond the effect of the morning after pill.
It can be inserted effectively, up to 120 hours after unprotected sex. Not every sexual act, even during the unsafe period will lead to pregnancy, the reason you may not have become pregnant
Dear doctor, I have been off Norplant for two years now. However, I am not getting my periods. Will the blood not accumulate in my body and cause problems to my brain?
Scovia
Dear Scovia, a newer version of Norplant, called organon is used in Uganda today for family planning. It is effective for up to three years.
This contraceptive is of a hormonal type called progesterone and apart from interfering with shedding of the egg, it works by thinning the inner membrane of the womb. Since a period is due to shedding of the inner womb membrane, the thinning may not make the membrane available to form period blood hence lack of periods being one side effect of this contraceptive.
Your inability to get your period may take some time even after stopping use of contraceptive. But that does not mean that the lack of bleeding makes blood accumulate in the womb and affect the brain.
That said, many women complain of irregular periods culminating into lack of periods when they are on any contraceptive or even long after it has been removed.
Dear doctor, I have a constant bad breath. How can I address the problem?
Esther Byakagaba
Dear Esther, bad breath is usually caused by the bacteria that live in a person’s mouth, consuming foods and excreting wastes. The waste products produced are mostly volatile sulfur compounds with a bad odour.
Dental decay, gum disease, and food stagnation between the teeth, or on the tongue are key factors that habour the bacteria which have to be addressed by brushing teeth and tongue after every meal and proper dental attention.
Other causes of bad breath include certain foods, smoking, and medical conditions associated with the respiratory system.
Conditions such as chronic throat or tonsillar infection, sinuses, liver, kidney, and gastrointestinal infections should be managed to minimise bad breath.
Generally though, one has to reduce the amount of protein-rich food that they consume and focus more on vegetarian and fruit diets.
Also, drink a lot of water to increase saliva flow. If all these fail, visit a dentist.
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