What is virtual therapy?

Virtual therapy is a branch of telemedicine which involves speaking with a therapist online. You can connect through video call, audio call, or even via chat. On the DRO Health app, you can choose the therapist you feel most comfortable with after viewing their profile, and attend a session from the comfort of your home.

Pros of Virtual Therapy in Nigeria 

Convenience: When it comes to telehealth in general, convenience is the biggest benefit. You get to consult with professionals without leaving your home or spending hours in transit. You’re also in your safe space, compared to being in a therapist’s office that’s unfamiliar.

Reduced stigma: Therapy in Nigeria is still very much frowned upon, even though that should not be the case. With virtual therapy, no one needs to know about your therapy sessions. You can choose to remain anonymous through online therapy networks, and no one can see you heading off to a therapy session unless you want them to.

More flexibility: Online counselling services are amazing for the high level of flexibility they are able to offer. An increased ability to choose from a wider variety of dates and times comes with teletherapy, and the opportunity to be able to have your session from anywhere there is privacy as well as an internet connection is a wonderful thing. 

Greater variety is available: Sometimes, a therapist and client pairing just does not mesh together well, and that is absolutely okay. With the increased utilisation and convenience of online therapy, clients now have a wider pool of counsellors to select from to help them find their perfect match. Gone are the days of not making progress in therapy due to an unfitting relationship, thanks to the internet.

At DRO Health, we recognize how important these benefits are to you, and how they go a long way towards making you take that step to see a therapist. Download the DRO Health App today to get access to licensed therapists. We value your privacy, and all sessions are protected by client confidentiality. Sessions are affordable and will definitely make a difference. We also have a number of mental health tools available, such as mental health assessments and the mood diary. The DRO Health app is available on the App Store (iOS) or Play Store (Android). 

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Some of your most important vitals include your blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol, and weight. These vital signs measure your body’s basic functions. Vitals display a snapshot of what’s going on inside your body. They provide crucial information about your organs.

Tracking Your Vitals – Your weight

Your weight is one of the easiest vitals to keep track of. All you need to do is get a bathroom scale and weigh yourself regularly. Weight increases or decreases indicate a wide range of problems, from an underlying medical problem (like thyroid disease) to poor lifestyle habits. Knowing the normal weight for your age and gender can help you make healthy changes and enhance your overall wellbeing.

Blood Pressure

Your blood pressure is another fairly easy vital to keep track of at home. You can get an easy-to-use blood pressure device and use that for regular checks. Abnormal blood pressure signals underlying problems (like heart disease) and can lead to a medical emergency (like a stroke). Keeping an eye on your blood pressure can determine if you need to make lifestyle adjustments or require medicinal treatment.

Cholesterol and Blood Sugar

Your cholesterol and blood sugar levels are a little harder to track, and they require pricking of your fingers to draw blood. You can get home test kits, and these will give you accurate results. High levels of either vital can be life-threatening.

General Benefits of Tracking your Vitals

• Tracking your vital signs provides medical professionals with concrete information that they use to assess your health and form a correct diagnosis. Without vital signs, misdiagnosis can occur and lead to incorrect treatment.
• Regularly checking your vital signs allows you to understand what “normal” means for your body. When there are fluctuations, you can take action immediately. Early action leads to more successful treatments.
• Keeping an eye on your vital signs can be the push you need to establish a healthier life. It’s easy to think your body is fine because it looks good in the mirror or you feel okay. But when you track your vitals, those numbers can motivate you to make healthy lifestyle changes to keep your vital signs in check.

By tracking your vitals regularly on the DRO Health App using the ‘Tracks and Vitals’ feature, you are one step closer to living a healthier life. Read more on how to use this feature on our knowledge base. These tracked vitals can then be shared with a doctor on the DRO Health App. Start tracking your vitals from the comfort of your home and embrace healthy living today. Download the DRO Health App on the Play Store (Android) or AppStore (iOS).

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In general, the benefits of nutritional supplements are numerous, as they range from helping with fertility to aiding better blood flow. Keep reading to discover specific benefits of various ones.

Benefits of Nutritional Supplements – Garlic Oil

Garlic is very popular when it comes to cooking, and rightfully so. It is very nutritious and offers the body so many benefits. Garlic is known to combat illnesses like the common cold, and the active compounds in garlic can also reduce blood pressure. Garlic oil comes in many forms such as liquid (which can be applied topically) and tablet/soft gel (which is to be ingested). Garlic oil is also great for stress relief. 

We recommend: Emzor Garlic Oil 650mg Soft Gel 3*10

Evening Primrose

Evening primrose oil (EPO) is made from the seeds of the flowers of a plant native to North America.  Evening primrose oil contains an essential fatty acid called gamma-linolenic acid, said to help treat PMS, eczema, diabetes, and osteoporosis.  It can help improve overall skin health, as it can help clear up acne and it may help ease eczema. 

We recommend: Evening Primrose Oil 1000mg Soft Gel

Ascorbic Acid

Ascorbic acid is also known as Vitamin C. It has been linked to many impressive health benefits, such as boosting antioxidant levels, lowering blood pressure, and protecting against gout attacks. Vitamin C is vital to immune function and the maintenance of bone, skin, teeth, and joints. It may also help treat colds and eye problems.

We recommend: Em-Vit-C 100mg Tablets (White) *1000

Benefits of Nutritional Supplements – Folic Acid

Folic acid is the synthetic form of folate, which is a naturally occurring B vitamin. Folate helps make DNA and other genetic material. It is especially important in prenatal health. 

We recommend: Folic Acid 5mg BP Tablets *1000

Cod Liver Oil

Cod liver oil is the oil extracted from the livers of Atlantic cod. It is commonly taken as a dietary supplement and is packed full of nutrients. Cod liver oil contains vitamin A, a vital nutrient for immune system function, cellular growth, eye health, and reproduction. It’s also rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which decrease blood clot formation and reduce inflammation in the body. It also supports heart health and bone health. It is mood-boosting and may support improved memory.

We recommend: Fresh Seas 1000mg Cod Liver Oil

We always advise against self-medication and as such, it is best to consult with a doctor, especially before using multiple supplements at the same time. You can book a consultation from the comfort of your home on the DRO Health app. The DRO Health app also has a 24/7 online pharmacy where you can get all of the recommended nutritional supplements. We offer same day and next day delivery options in Lagos.

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Top Telemedicine Apps in Nigeria – DRO Health and Doctall

DRO Health is one of the leading telemedicine companies in Nigeria. On the DRO Health App, you get connected to highly qualified doctors, a 24/7 online pharmacy, as well as various health and wellness tools. Doctall is primarily an app that gives you access to top local and international doctors, as well as home care for users who need it.

Similarities between DRO Health and Doctall

The primary similarity between these telemedicine apps is that they connect you to well-trained doctors. Upon logging into either app, you can connect to doctors at any time of the day. These consultations are virtual, which means you can connect from any part of Nigeria or even the world. These consultations are of course confidential, and your doctors and the apps won’t share your information without your consent.

Differences between DRO Health and Doctall

The differences between the services offered by DRO Health and Doctall are a lot. The main difference is that all services currently offered by Doctall revolved around consultation with doctors. On the other hand, DRO Health offers various other services relating to wellness and lifestyle.

Health tracking: On the DRO Health app, you can track your vitals, and share this information with your doctor. Your doctor can also set targets for you to reach in the following areas – Blood Sugar, Blood Pressure, Cholesterol, and Weight.

Wellness plans: A definite plus of choosing DRO Health is that you get access to wellness plans and related dairies and assessments. There are paid and free tiers for the Mental Health, Women’s Health, and Heart Health plans.

Online pharmacy: Following your consultations with doctors on the DRO Health app, you get prescriptions you can fulfil right on the app. On the online pharmacy, you can also order some drugs and wellness products without a prescription. Same day and next day doorstep deliveries are available.

In conclusion, both apps offer you a lot in terms of consultations with doctors. However, it is clear that the DRO Health app offers a lot more features that will help optimize your health in the long run. The DRO Health App is available on the App Store (iOS) and Google Play Store (Android).

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Although the exact origin of yoga is unclear, it appears that the practice could date back 5,000 years, though most of the specific postures and poses are of much more recent provenance

Some yoga practices are faster-paced and have different rules to follow, but the basic concept remains the same. You:

• Move through a series of positions.
• Focus on your breathing so your brain receives an ample amount of oxygen
• Give your mind a rest from all the stress in your life.

How Yoga Connects Mind and Body

Yoga and Mental Health – Encourages Mindfulness

One goal in practising yoga is mindfulness: to spend time in the current moment, focusing on moving your body and your breathing.

This isn’t second nature to most people because they’re often focused on what they’re going to do next or fretting over something that happened in the past.

Through yoga and mindfulness, you can disrupt your thought patterns during yoga, refocus positively, and decrease your anxiety and worry.

Combats Depression

While depression can have many causes, stress can lead to depression and vice versa. Yoga can interrupt this cycle and ease the symptoms of depression by reducing the stress you’re already dealing with.

When you’re focused on your breathing, moving your body, and being in the present moment, you’re not worried about all the stressors in your life.

Ultimately, practising yoga can also help you to learn better coping mechanisms, which can help you combat stress and ultimately reduce your depression symptoms as well.

A person may choose to incorporate yoga into their current treatment plan if their current drug regimen isn’t adequately controlling their symptoms. Some people opt to practice yoga as an alternative to Western allopathic medicine.

Yoga and Mental Health – Builds Self-Confidence

A lack of self-confidence can interfere with your home, social, and work life. It can also lead to depression symptoms. Not to mention, you might become more withdrawn, fearful, and less active.

When you lack self-confidence, you may find the need to say yes to do things for people, even though you don’t want to. Your lack of self-confidence might interfere with you being able to communicate effectively with your partner, among various other issues.

Practising yoga can rebuild your self-confidence. When you’re present in the moment and not focused on your worries, you don’t have those negative thoughts about yourself nagging at you.

Also, Yoga poses vary in difficulty greatly. As you gradually work through more advanced poses, you increase your self-confidence.

Yoga and Mental Health – Improves Concentration and Mental Clarity

It’s difficult to live in the moment and concentrate on one task at a time when you have multiple responsibilities to juggle, such as a home and family. Even as you drive to work or try to finish an assignment before a meeting, it’s normal to worry about everything you need to accomplish.

With yoga, you learn to focus your energy and mind on one activity. Through deep breathing exercises, your brain is getting more oxygen so it can function at its optimal level.

Yoga and Mental Health – Reduces Anger

Do you feel like you get angry easily? Yoga may be able to help you manage—not eliminate—your anger by teaching you to have better control over it

Firstly, yoga helps you to better manage your stress, which could be a culprit of you getting angry over minor issues. As you practice yoga regularly, you learn to focus, take deep breaths, and calm yourself, self-soothing before you get angry.

Stress, depression, and a lack of confidence could be harming your ability to live a normal life. It can also cause you to turn to drugs or alcohol to self-treat the problem. As a complement to evidence-based therapies, yoga may help you get and stay clean.

A mindfulness practice such as yoga can help you mentally in many ways.

Sources

• whiteswanfoundation.org – History of Yoga
• huffpost.com – Your Yoga Poses Aren’t 5,000 Years Old: A New Perspective on “Old” Yoga
• ncbi.nlm.nih.gov – How Might Yoga Help Depression? A Neurobiological Perspective
• mua.edu – A guide to allopathic medicine
• health.harvard.edu – Regain Your Confidence
• centersforrespiratoryhealth.com – Oxygen Levels and Proper Brain Function Are Linked
• sunshinebehavioralhealth.com – Recovery In a Quiet and Welcoming Environment

Guest Blogger Bio

Stephen Bitsoli received his degree in English from Wayne State University in Detroit. The Michigan native is a professional writer and guest blogger and was a journalist for more than 20 years. Since 2016, he’s used that experience and passion in writing well-organized, comprehensive, and comprehensible articles on the complex and changing world of substance abuse and treatment. He’s won awards for his newspaper articles and was the top-ranked blogger at an international website in 2018. A lifelong reader, he enjoys learning and sharing what he’s learned.

Stephen Bitsoli
Sunshine Behavioral Health
Editor|Author|Content Writer

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Healthy Salad Recipes – Bacon, Lettuce, Tomato, and Avocado Salad

Health benefits of avocado –  Avocados are high in fat with 60 per cent of this being monounsaturated fats, which research suggests helps to protect against heart disease and lower blood pressure. They are also an excellent source of potassium, folate and fibre, all of which benefit the heart and cardiovascular system.

Ingredients

8 strips bacon

1 head romaine lettuce, chopped

2 handfuls cherry tomato, or grape tomatoes, halved

½ cucumber

2 avocados, chopped

4 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 teaspoon mustard

1 teaspoon salt

1 lemon, juiced

Instructions

Cook bacon until crispy. Drain on a paper towel, then set aside.

Place chopped lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber, avocados and bacon in a large bowl.

In a small bowl, mix olive oil, balsamic vinegar, mustard, salt, and lemon juice to form the dressing.

Toss the salad with the dressing.

Enjoy!

Source: tasty.co

Healthy Salad Recipes – Spinach and date salad with parsley nut dressing

Ingredients

1 large bunch of spinach leaves

4 dates, pitted and sliced lengthways

I carrot, grated

For the dressing, you need:

1 cup of coconut water

2 garlic cloves

1 cup of pine nuts

1 bunch of parsley

1 tsp of salt

1 tsp of lemon juice

Instructions

To assemble the salad, place all the ingredients in a bowl.

Place all the dressing ingredients in your blender and process until smooth.

Dress the salad with the dressing.

Source: food.com

Healthy Salad Recipes – Beet Spirals, Avocado & Strawberry Salad

Health benefits of beets: Beets are high in fiber. Fiber can help you control blood sugar levels, maintain a healthy weight, lower cholesterol and stay regular. Beets also contain nitrates, which help widen blood vessels.

Ingredients

¼ cup orange juice

3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

3 tablespoons honey

1 5 oz. spinach

1 12 oz. beets , cooked and spiraled

1 avocado , sliced

2 cups sliced strawberries

1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese

Instructions

Combine orange juice, vinegar and honey.

Season to taste with salt and pepper; set aside.

Arrange spinach on serving platter.

Arrange Veggie Spirals – Beets, avocado and strawberries over spinach.

Sprinkle with goat cheese/

Serve salad with dressing.

Source: mealsheelsandcocktails.com

We recently collaborated with Freshforte to give you the ability to get heart-healthy fruits and vegetables on the DRO Health App. To make the Spinach and Date Salad with Parsley Nut Dressing, you need the Fruits and Vegetables Essential pack (NGN 7,000). For the Bacon, Lettuce, Tomato, and Avocado Salad, you need the Vegetables and Salad Essential pack (NGN 7,000). Finally, to make the Beet Spirals, Avocado & Strawberry Salad, you need the Fruits Deluxe pack (NGN 10,000)

The DRO Health App is available on the App Store (iOS) and Google Play Store (Android).

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Self-care practices for you – Get enough sleep, and nap often

Sleep deprivation harms your body in so many ways. Try as much as you can to sleep for up to 7-9 hours a day, and make out some time to nap during the day. You’ll wake up feeling rested and refreshed.

Drink a lot of water

Hydration is so important when it comes to keeping your body running properly. Start off your day with a cup of water to combat overnight dehydration. Over the course of the day, the recommended intake for men is about 3.7 litres, and for women, it is 2.7 litres.

Self-care practices for you – Write down things you’re grateful for

It’s very easy to get lost in what’s not working, what’s going wrong, and what’s making you feel bad. This makes it hard to be grateful for the good things happening right in front of you. Take a minute or two every day to think about things you are grateful for. You can invest in a gratitude journal, or use any notebook. You can also write them on a piece of paper and store them in a jar. On days when you’re feeling very sad or can’t seem to find a silver lining, go back to your journal/notebook/jar, and look back on things you’re grateful for. This will do wonders for your mental health. We also have a great mood diary on the DRO Health app which you can use to do this.

When you do these things regularly, you will notice that you feel better, happier, and more radiant. If you need more tips on various aspects of health and wellness, we have a bunch of articles on our blog that will be of immense help to you.

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Many women with cervical cancer don’t realize they have the disease early on, because it usually doesn’t cause symptoms until the late stages. When symptoms do appear, they’re easily mistaken for common conditions like menstrual periods and urinary tract infections (UTIs).

Typical cervical cancer symptoms are:

• unusual bleeding, such as in between periods, after sex, or after menopause
• vaginal discharge that looks or smells different than usual
• pain in the pelvis
• needing to urinate more often
• pain during urination

If you notice any of these symptoms, we recommend that you book a screening as soon as possible through the DRO Health App.

Cervical cancer screening is used to find changes in the cells of the cervix that could lead to cancer. Screening includes cervical cytology (also called the Pap test or Pap smear), testing for human papillomavirus (HPV), or both. Most women should have cervical cancer screening on a regular basis.

Cervical cancer screening is an important part of women’s health care. You should start having screenings at age 21, regardless of when you first start having sex. How often you should have cervical cancer screening and which tests you should have depend on your age and health history:

• Women who are 21 to 29 should have a Pap test alone every 3 years. HPV testing alone can be considered for women who are 25 to 29, but Pap tests are preferred.
• Women who are 30 to 65 have three options for testing. They can have a Pap test and an HPV test (co-testing) every 5 years. They can have a Pap test alone every 3 years. Or they can have HPV testing alone every 5 years.
• Women who have a history of cervical cancer, are infected with HIV, have a weakened immune system, or who were exposed to diethylstilbestrol (DES) before birth may require more frequent screening and should not follow these routine guidelines.

The importance of cervical cancer screening can never be overemphasized. It can be the line between life or death in many cases. On the DRO Health app, women over the age of 21 and from various health backgrounds can book various tests to screen for cervical cancer.

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Benefits of Fitness Boxing – Lowers blood pressure

Boxing and HIIT training, in general, have been shown to lower both systolic and diastolic blood pressure, helping decrease stress on the blood vessels.

Elevated blood pressure is a precursor to experiencing more serious events like heart attacks and strokes.

It can improve your coordination

Boxing is a great way to work on your hand-eye coordination, especially if the class involves hitting a target. This can have real-life implications like helping you feel more alert or making it easier to do everyday tasks like navigating around your busy kitchen, according to Harvard Health Publishing.

Benefits of Fitness Boxing – You’ll Burn Serious Calories

All of those heart-pumping jabs and uppercuts torch calories. How many you burn during a typical class depends on several individual factors, but women can expect to burn about 400 calories in an hour and men about 500. Duquette says professional boxers can burn upwards of 800 calories during an hour of training. And in case you’re wondering: Yes, boxing can lead to weight loss if that’s your goal, so long as you’re creating a calorie deficit at the end of the day.

Boosts whole-body strength

While most people may think punching power only comes from the shoulder, the act of throwing a punch involves the entire body.

A good punch involves the lower limbs pushing against the ground and the coordination of the rest of the body to deliver power through the strike. Therefore, the lower limbs, as well as the core muscles, are a significant part of the punching movement.

We have recently partnered with EliteBox, a boutique boxing company in Lagos, Nigeria. When you register with EliteBox, you can take as many classes as you want, and enjoy the many benefits of fitness boxing. The DRO Health App is available on the App Store (iOS) and Google Play Store (Android).

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Tips for Preventing CVDs

There are many ways you can work towards preventing CVDs. Most of them are tied to lifestyle choices – what you eat, your physical activity, and the things you choose to indulge in. 

• Regular exercise – Working out regularly or staying fit just by walking regularly aids the flow of blood throughout the body. It also helps keep your blood sugar level normal.
• Eating healthy – By cutting out unhealthy fats and excess sugar from your diet, you are well on your way to preventing CVDs. Populate your diet with greens, lean meat, fruits, beans, and healthy fats.
• Quit smoking – Smoking never results in anything good for your health. When it comes to quitting your smoking habits, the earlier the better. If you don’t already smoke, it’s best not to start at all.
• Cut off alcohol – Alcohol also puts you at a lot of risk for cardiovascular diseases. It’s best to cut it off completely.
• Sleep regularly – Stress increases your risk of CVDs, so it’s advised to get enough sleep. At least 7-8 hours of sleep daily is recommended.

Three foods that improve cardiovascular health

Your diet is very important when it comes to optimizing your cardiovascular health. If your goal is preventing CVDs, add these foods to your diet ASAP –

• Leafy green veggies: Vegetables like kale and spinach are great items to add to your diet. Why? They are rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. They are also a great source of Vitamin K, which serves to protect your arteries and promote proper blood clotting. 
• Berries: Strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries are jam-packed with important nutrients that play a central role in heart health. Berries are also rich in antioxidants like anthocyanins, which protect against the oxidative stress and inflammation that contribute to the development of heart disease. 
• Fish: Fish is a strong source of heart-helping omega-3 fatty acids and protein but it is low in saturated fat. People who have heart disease, or are at risk of developing it, are often recommended to increase their intake of omega-3s by eating fish; this is because they lower the risk of abnormal heartbeats and slow the growth of plaque in the arteries. These include salmon, mackerel, herring, lake trout, and sardines.

Think you are at risk of CVDs? Our latest update sports an amazing CVD risk calculator that takes your family history and lifestyle choices into consideration to give you a result of how at-risk you just might be for CVDs. While this is not a substitute for a doctor’s assessment, it can go a long way in letting you know what your next steps should be. Our full CVD Management package also gives you the tools you need to manage and prevent heart diseases. The DRO Health App is available on the App Store (iOS) or Google Play Store (Android).

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