Privacy policy

Privacy Policy for www.joswid.com 

If you require any more information or have any questions about our privacy policy, please feel free to contact us by email at Josephosarhiemen78@gmail.com. 

At www.joswid.com , the privacy of our visitors is of extreme importance to us. This privacy policy document outlines the types of personal information is received and collected by www.joswid.com and how it is used. 

Log Files
Like many other Web sites, www.joswid.com makes use of log files. The information inside the log files includes internet protocol ( IP ) addresses, type of browser, Internet Service Provider ( ISP ), date/time stamp, referring/exit pages, and number of clicks to analyze trends, administer the site, track user’s movement around the site, and gather demographic information. IP addresses, and other such information are not linked to any information that is personally identifiable. 

Cookies and Web Beacons 
www.joswid.com does use cookies to store information about visitors preferences, record user-specific information on which pages the user access or visit, customize Web page content based on visitors browser type or other information that the visitor sends via their browser. 

DoubleClick DART Cookie 
.:: Google, as a third party vendor, uses cookies to serve ads on www.joswid.com .
.:: Google's use of the DART cookie enables it to serve ads to users based on their visit to www.joswid.com and other sites on the Internet. 
.:: Users may opt out of the use of the DART cookie by visiting the Google ad and content network privacy policy at the following URL - http://www.google.com/privacy_ads.html 

Some of our advertising partners may use cookies and web beacons on our site. Our advertising partners include ....
Google Adsense


These third-party ad servers or ad networks use technology to the advertisements and links that appear on www.joswid.com send directly to your browsers. They automatically receive your IP address when this occurs. Other technologies ( such as cookies, JavaScript, or Web Beacons ) may also be used by the third-party ad networks to measure the effectiveness of their advertisements and / or to personalize the advertising content that you see. 

www.joswid.com has no access to or control over these cookies that are used by third-party advertisers. 

You should consult the respective privacy policies of these third-party ad servers for more detailed information on their practices as well as for instructions about how to opt-out of certain practices. www.joswid.com 's privacy policy does not apply to, and we cannot control the activities of, such other advertisers or web sites. 

If you wish to disable cookies, you may do so through your individual browser options. More detailed information about cookie management with specific web browsers can be found at the browsers' respective websites. 

How high blood pressure cripples the body

IN Nigeria and environs, High Blood Pressure, a.k.a. Hypertension, is increasingly becoming a problem. It puts people at risk of heart disease, kidney disease and stroke. Already a massive hidden killer, High Blood Pressure is set to sharply rise as Nigerians adopt western diets and sedentary lifestyles.

High blood pressure is twice as high in Nigeria compared with most neighbouring countries and less than 1 in 5 Nigerians are aware that they are hypertensive.

It is estimated that one in-three men and one-in-four women are hypertensive, and this is set to rise to 39 million cases by 2030. It is particularly worrisome that high blood pressure is treated effectively in less than 10 per cent of cases.

As one of the most prevalent Non Communicable diseases worldwide, hypertension is responsible for an estimated 45 percent of deaths due to heart disease and 51 percent of deaths due to stroke globally.

High blood pressure forces the heart to work harder, which can make it grow weaker. The effects can be felt throughout the body

Blood pressure varies from person to person and can fluctuate throughout the day. a reading of 140/90 may require treatment. The top number (systolic) signifies the pressure in the arteries. A normal systolic blood pressure is 120 or below.As the heart beats, it pushes blood through the arteries on its way to the rest of the body. Blood pressure is the amount of force created within the arteries and veins. Systolic blood pressure is measured as the blood pumps out of the heart. Diastolic blood pressure is measured between heartbeats.

The diastolic blood pressure number or the bottom number indicates the pressure in the arteries when the heart rests between beats. A normal diastolic blood pressure number is less than 80. A diastolic blood pressure between 80 and 89 indicates pre-hypertension.

High blood pressure doesn’t always produce obvious symptoms. However, it causes progressive damage to arteries and veins, which can interfere with blood flow throughout the body. This may lead to stroke, heart disease, and heart failure. Other parts of the body, including the kidneys, limbs, and eyes, also may suffer damage.

Circulatory system
The circulatory system transports oxygenated blood throughout the body. Healthy arteries stretch slightly as blood is pumped through them. High blood pressure may cause the arteries to stretch too much, leaving them vulnerable to damage. Over time, small tears form scar tissue within the arteries.

Narrowed arteries, called atherosclerosis, can trap plaque and cholesterol, causing coronary artery disease. If the left ventricle of the heart thickens, its ability to pump blood can be severely limited. Trapped blood can result in blood clots that narrow or block arteries, causing a stroke or heart attack. Blood clots can also block the flow of blood to other vital organs. Weak or bulging arteries and blood vessels are more likely to rupture.

Chest pain (angina) and irregular heart rhythms (arrhythmias) may accompany high blood pressure. Chronic high blood pressure forces the heart to work harder and grow weaker, increasing the likelihood of heart failure.

Any part of the body that doesn’t receive enough oxygenated blood is at risk. Pain or numbness may be a sign of impaired blood flow to your limbs, resulting in peripheral artery disease. This increases the chance of infection or tissue death, called gangrene.
Central Nervous System

Your brain cannot function without a steady supply of oxygenated blood. Narrowed arteries or a blood clot can briefly block the flow of blood to the brain. This is called a transient ischemic attack (TIA), or mini stroke. People who have a TIA are at increased risk of a full-blown stroke, an event in which the blood supply to part of the brain is cut off, causing brain cells to die. Stroke can cause severe, sometimes irreversible damage, depending on the part of the brain involved. The biggest risk for stroke is high blood pressure.

Other potential effects of high blood pressure are mild cognitive impairment and vascular dementia, a brain disease caused by an interrupted blood supply to the brain. Symptoms include problems with memory, reasoning, and speaking.

Retinopathy occurs when damage occurs in the small blood vessels that bring blood to the eyes. It can cause bleeding or a build up of fluid under the retina, which is called choroidopathy. Damage to the optic nerve (optic neuropathy) can actually kill nerve cells in the eyes. These conditions can result in impaired vision or even permanent vision loss.

Excretory system
The kidneys filter waste products, keeping what you need, and discarding what your body can’t use. The kidneys can’t function without a good supply of oxygenated blood. Narrowed blood vessels restrict the blood supply, causing the kidneys to grow less and less efficient in removing toxins.

Over time, scarring can occur and the kidneys may stop functioning completely, signalling the need for dialysis or a kidney transplant. One of the highest risk factors for kidney failure is high blood pressure. If an aneurysm in an artery that leads to the kidney bursts (renal artery aneurysm), the internal bleeding can be life threatening.

Sexual dysfunction
High blood pressure can cause sexual dysfunction in men and women. In men, good blood flow to the penis is necessary to achieve and maintain an erection. If chronic high blood pressure affects arteries and blood vessels leading to the penis, it can result in Erectile Dysfunction, ED, painful ejaculation, and impotence.

In women, high blood pressure can affect the blood flow to the external sexual organs. That can cause vaginal dryness, painful intercourse, decreased sexual desire, and trouble achieving orgasm. Sexual dysfunction can cause anxiety in both men in women and potentially lead to relationship problems.

Most of the prescription medications used to treat high blood pressure can also cause sexual problems. These include the skeletal system requires calcium to maintain strong, healthy bones. Part of the kidneys’ job is to filter urine. When the kidneys don’t function properly, you may excrete too much calcium in your urine. If not enough calcium remains in circulation for your bones, bone density decreases, increasing your risk for osteoporosis. Bones become weak, brittle, and more prone to fractures and breaks. Fractures in the hips, spine, and wrists are the most common.

Early detection, treatment, key to surviving breast cancer

With about 13,000 women dying of breast cancer annually in Nigeria, medical experts, cancer survivors and other stakeholders in cancer care have said that early detection and prompt treatment is key to surviving breast cancer.

File Photo: Breast examination

Speaking during a 10 kilometre walk to mark this year’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and the 20th anniversary of the Care. Organisation. Public. Enlightenment, COPE, in Lagos, they lamented late presentation of breast cancer patients at the hospital.

Addressing hundreds of participants during the walk which kicked off around 7:00am Saturday from the Archbishop Vining Memorial Church, GRA , Ikeja to Maryland and back, Chief Executive Officer, COPE, Mrs Ebunola Anozie identified late presentation, lack of special fund and comprehensive cancer centre as major factors contributing to low survival rates in the country.

Late presentation: Anozie said the choice of a walk to celebrate COPE’s 20th anniversary was informed by the fact that despite improved awareness on early detection, many Nigerian women are still presenting late.

“Our aim is solely to raise awareness about breast cancer as part of efforts to reduce the mortality of breast cancer in Nigeria. Early detection can cure breast cancer and reduce the mortality rate from the disease.

On treatment challenges face by cancer patients in Nigeria, Anozie appealed to the Federal government to build a comprehensive cancer centre to aid treatment of patients. According to her, a comprehensive cancer centre would reduce brain drain as well as stop the mad rush to other countries for treatment.

On his part, Representative of Chapel of Healing Cross, Idi Araba, Wale Ogundetoun raised alarm over increasing incidences of cancer in the country.

He called for a special fund for Nigerians who cannot afford the needed resources for their medical treatment. “The government should improve our healthcare facilities. We have many people who cannot afford the treatment and they are in the hospitals without hope. With improved healthcare facilities and provision of special funds for those who cannot afford it, more people will survive and the burden will be reducedon families.”

Speaking, a 17 years cancer survivor who is also the Vice President of COPE, Mrs. Kehinde Gbelee noted that there have been a lot of improvement in awareness, and treatment better than when she was diagnosed of cancer, adding that there is now chances of surviving cancer in Nigeria.

“To survive cancer, you must keep to your medicine and take your chemotherapy and radiotherapy as well as do all that the doctors advised because at the end of every dark tunnel there is always a bright light.”

Expensive treatment: Another survivor, Mrs. Funmi Olufumi layo Dada called on the Federal Government to address treatment problems in the country. According to her, the continued break down of radiotherapy machines across the country has further stretched the burden on the patients.

“Due to continuous breakdown of radio therapy machines, Patients travel from Lagos to Benin, Abuja and Kaduna just to get radio therapy or some special medical investigations.

“Treatment is very expensive, some of the treatment like chemotherapy cost as high as N10 million. They should liaise with pharmaceutical companies to bring down the prices of these drugs so that it can be affordable and people can live longer.”

Speaking, representative of Skye Bank, Head Corporate Communication Function, Mr. Rasheed Bolarinwa, who said they have supported COPE in the last 10 years said the bank decided to adopt breast cancer as their baby due to the devastating effects on cancer on families psychologically, and financially.

Bolarinwa who noted that breast cancer has the highest mortality rates globally, hence the need to support organisations like COPE to do more in order to save lives.