Vote please!

The Taglines are in!


"Ask and you shall be given, good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over"! (I'm paraphrasing here...)

Another fine Yodaai meeting - photos from June!

The Red Hat/Blue Hat event for fathers day 

was another fine and fun event at our hosts in Auburn this June. 

 Our Red Hat/Blue Hat men...

Our men all turned out in their red or blue traditional hats, below...

Our women then serenaded our husbands...

The Blue Hat team below had more members than those wearing red......

The Red and Blue alliance at work below...

Secretary of fun and faaji and Mr President directing events...

Mrs Adagunodo and a first time visitor

The Auburn Ladies  Alliance...

Gifts were handed out to all men present for father's day.

More on the Blue fila team..

Reviewing the yoruba numerals below with the kids was led by Engineer Latunde Addey.

Some dollars even materialized on the aso oke runner we threw down on the ground for our husbands.

Dollars yi wun wa o...

Our kids at the story telling time led by the president

Funke Abolade, M.D.

Social/Publicity Secretary

Yodaai's Service to the Community - 2012

It's very gratifying as a group to decide on a particular plan of action and to follow through with it in a timely manner.

So it was with our plan to support the Food Banks in the tri-city area - Montgomery, Auburn and Birmingham as part of the "Red hat (heart), Blue Hat" project for our focus on men's health month activities. The donations were to show our hearts to the community and were all completed within 3-4 days of our last meeting ( AWESOME!) and we thank our Yodaai representatives below that made it happen.. They did us proud and way to go!

Which proves my point - if responsibility falls on anyone of us for the association, people will rise to the occasion!

Mrs Foluke Adagunodo, accompanied by Mrs Babatunde, donated on behalf of Yodaai for the Montgomery area Food bank.

Mrs Fasina and her daughter donated to the Auburn Food bank.

Mr Charles Thomas  donated to the Birmingham area food bank on our behalf and even recorded a brief video.

We thank everyone for donating from the goodness of their "hearts" and the bounty of their pantries. May God replenish our households!.


Funke Abolade, M.D.

Social/Publicity Secretary

Yodaai 1st Year Blog Anniversary on July 21st, and ideas please for a Yodaai tagline.

 I feel like a  proud mother whose child is just turning a magical 1 year old!

The date? Yes, about a month from today, on the 21st of July, 2012, the Yodaai blog will turn a year old. Can you believe it! And just think about all the things we've shared with each other on the blog.

All 70 different blog posts so far, with blog readers from as far as England, Germany, China, Japan, Canada, Argentina, Kenya, France and Nigeria. 9,300 pageviews at least. i.e people clicking and opening on Yodaai blog pages. 266 comments - Yes, I can track all these things! The memories, photos, achievements, education, wedding, graduations, "On - line health fairs", the quizes. The proverbs. Even Yoruba culture and history was tackled.

This is worth celebrating. Many websites and blogs get started and don't make it to their first year mostly because of lack of participation and interest. Not this Blog! And all because you all stuck with it, coming back to it each time, leaving comments, taking surveys, making it a dynamic blog site with a back and forth exchange of ideas.

Thank you. Thank you and Thank you!

There is a tradition here on the blogosphere on blog anniversaries - to have a give - away contest to celebrate the occasion. To say thank you to all our faithful members who continue to actively participate and fuel the desire to continue to write for the association's blog.

So, I am donating a $100 gift card for this celebration. 

What's the catch? Register on the blog as a member - as only 12 people are registered and I know more than 12 people are logging on and reading this. Click now on the blue box on the right hand side,  that says "join this site.   Then make a comment  below on this post as to what our Yodaai tagline should be for the association and the blog. It will go with our new logo that is being designed to go on everything Yodaai like letter heads, t-shirts, pens, etc

Describe your tagline idea or concept in the comment section. The tagline usually goes after the Logo of an association or company. It describes briefly what we are about like for example:

 "Yodaai, Celebrating Yoruba culture and language"

"Yodaai, awa omo kaaro, o ji' re". O.K. I'm out of ideas.

So what is your Yodaai tagline idea? What has the association and the blog meant to you these last several months?

You have to register as a follower on the blog and then  comment on the blog here, below, to be in the running to win. I will be putting  the top 2 tagline ideas up for a vote for the final choice, to be democratic about it all.

Also, all the names of all the yodaai commentators will also go into the random number generator to choose a winner of the $100 gift card. Click where it says comments to leave your comments on the blog anniversary and your tagline idea...

The winner will be announced on the blog on the anniversary on July 21, 2012. Good luck.

How about some celebratory cake... Maybe a nice Riesling wine to go along with it, or champagne?




Funke Abolade, M.D.


Social/publicity Secretary

Baba, baba, baba ku ise, o baba!

E se, e ku itojuwa o.

F.A 

Social/Publicity Secretary

Men's health monday Part III, a delicate subject...

This is the last in the series by our guest writer this week -  DR. A. PHILIP  BADEWA. on men's health. Due to the subject matter, it may not be appropriate for our very young children.

O.K. So how about some frank talk amongst friends?

Am I still at risk for S.T.D's? :

Or to put it bluntly: Sexually Transmitted Diseases.

These infections include gonorrhea, syphilis, Chlamydia, and others. If you are still sexually active,  especially if you have had any unprotected sexual encounters, consider being routinely screened for these tests. These screenings generally involved simple blood tests and can be conducted confidentially. Remember, always use safer sex practices. 

How about HIV?

HIV is still a very present and dangerous epidemic. HIV screening can be done with a simple blood test. Results are confidential, and many resources exist for people living with HIV, including new medications and therapies. Fortunately, these  new medications have greatly improved both the quality and quantity of life for people with HIV. You should have an HIV test with your other routine screening tests. HIV testing should be repeated annually if you have had any experiences that put you at increased risk, such as:

•unprotected intercourse with multiple partners.

•injection drug use (past or present) .

•the exchange of intercourse for money (you or your partner) .

•Intercourse with a partner who is HIV-infected, bisexual or who used injection drugs. 

•current treatment for a sexually transmitted disease in you or your partner. 

•blood transfusion between 1978 and 1985

*Your "nature" or "Performance issues"  

 As discussed before, is there something affecting your "nature" or "performance"? (as we say here delicately in the south). It could be your blood pressure medicines, prostate problems, alcohol use in excess, blood sugar issues, obesity or simply your age. There are medicines for this kind of thing now- you see them on tv too.


 Dont shy away from asking your general practitioner for samples of Viagra, Cialis or Levitra. Your doctor should make sure you don't have any illnesses that prevent you from trying these kinds of medicines like if you have "Angina / chest pain" and you take nitroglycerine for that chest pain from time to time..

* I brought back this  last item from the original open letter to our men. It fits here to revisit the topic. Thank you again, Dr Badewa. We appreciate you! Comments below for the good Doctor pls!

 Funke Abolade, M.D.

Social/publicity Secretary

Men's Health Monday - Part II, Some Shocking Statistics!

Thank you again to our guest writer this week -  DR. A. PHILIP  BADEWA for this well researched article on men's health. I will lay some of his writing out this week in bullet points and some in Q and A format as before. Check back on Mondays throughout June for more on Men's health from his article. 

How about some shocking statistics regarding Men's health?


. 48% of Men do not engage in physical activity at all. Sounds like you? Get moving.... 


. 33% are therefore obese.


. 32% have had five or more alcoholic drinks in one day at least once in the past year - or in plain language,  32% just drink too much.


. 31% have hypertension or high blood pressure. 


. 22% smoke.


. Nearly 1 in 3 men reports that they have no primary care physicians compared with 1 in 5 for women. (Are you one of those without a primary care provider?).


. 20% of men younger than 65 years do not have health insurance. 


. and 12% rate their overall health as fair or poor ( CDC, 2011)


So, Yes, why again do I need to have that annual physical examination?

All the above are enough reasons to get checked out and the real goals of adult well male physical examination are to provide guidance toward the promotion of health and well being, to prevent premature sicknesses and death from chronic diseases, and to provide age-appropriate screenings and immunizations.

 How often should I see the doctor if I'm well and have no symptoms?

Currently, there is no consensus regarding the optimal frequency of adult well male physical examination however, it is my suggestion that at least one visit  annually for thorough screening must be done by all men between the age of 15 and 65 years.


 In middle-aged men, there is need for quarterly visit (every 3 months) for health maintenance.


What will I be screened for at my annual physical exam? 


In addition to all the routine examinations already discussed in the open letter to our men last week, we screen for the following:

Skin cancers even in black people and you can do a lot by just paying attention to the moles on your body. Take a good look at each one and keep an eye out for any strange changes. Take pictures if you want, so you'll be able to show a doctor if things change. If you see any of the signs of skin cancer, make an appointment right away. Use a high SPF sun screen when you vacation on the beach. If you have had excessive sun exposure, you may want to talk to a dermatologist to establish a baseline, but current recommendations do not see a benefit from annual full-body screenings for normal risk people.

How often should I get a colonoscopy done?

The general recommendation for colonoscopy screening  is every 10 years from the age of 50 years to at least 75 years, with annual fecal occult blood test (FOBT) - you submit a stool sample and we check it for blood.

Screening for ABDOMINAL AORTIC ANEURYM

Men between the ages of 65 and 75 who have smoked 100 cigarettes in their lifetime (be honest here) need to be screened one time for an abdominal aortic aneurysm (basically, a blood vessel in your gut that is swollen).  80% for men who reach hospital and 50% for men who undergo emergent surgical repair will die from this condition. Apart from smoking, other risk factors include hypertension, family history, and atherosclerosis. Smoking accounts for 75 percent of all aneurysms at least 4.0 cm in diameter.

 Screening for Osteoporosis: The National Osteoporosis Foundation recommends bone density testing in all men 70 years or older or in men 50 to 69 years of age who have additional risk factors. 

IMMUNIZATION: Annual influenza vaccination is strongly encouraged for all adults. For men younger than 65 years, tetanus toxoid (Tdap) is recommended for adults over 65 years and older who will be in contact with children younger than one year.

 Pneumococcal vaccine is also recommended to all adults older than 65 years, but may be administered earlier if there is evidence of immune suppression or chronic illnesses like Diabetes, Sickle cell disease or cardiopulmonary disease. Ask your dr if you need any of the above. 

From the blog editor:  A round of blog applause again to Dr Badewa for your helpful insights. We appreciate your efforts again.  Please leave your comments for Dr Badewa on the blog below. Click on the green "comments" below. You do not need to register on google to comment, you can select anonymous to comment, but put your name at the end of your statement. the last part of this series will appear this thursday to allow for men to read it before the meeting and come with questions for the doctors.

 Funke Abolade, M.D.

 Social/publicity Secretary

Men's Health Monday- Part I, Men's attitudes to their Health.

                                                                                                                                                          Thank you to our guest writer this week -  DR. A. PHILIP  BADEWA for this well researched article on men's health. I will lay his research out in question and answer format to make it plain and simple. Check back on Mondays throughout June for more on Men's health from his article. 

What accounts for men's attitudes towards their health ? 

 Men tend to reinforce social beliefs that they are less vulnerable than women, that their bodies are stronger than those of women (true, in many respects), and that caring for one's health is feminine, (not true).

Men's reluctance to discuss personal concerns may extend into the patient-doctor relationship, where men may be less likely to fully report their health history and the exact details of their illness. Men are also less likely to report symptoms and to use preventative health services.

There is a male tendency to suppress the expression of their own needs and to minimize pain. Also, the socially conditioned suppression of pain by men may lead to men delaying asking for help.  Thus, men may be more likely to ignore vague bodily symptoms and to wait for more concrete signs of disease, thereby delaying treatment until the more advanced stages of disease.

 Other reasons for men's reluctance to seek health care may include a lack of understanding of how to make appointments, inconvenient opening hours, long waits for appointments, lack of trust, and fear of being judged. Men may feel social pressure to not reveal any weakness that may lessen their masculinity, and thus may not seek care. 

Solutions might include providing services that men can access anonymously (e.g., via the internet or telephone help-lines), and extending opening hours of services to include evenings and weekends.

Why do men have a lower life expectancy than women? In layman's terms, why do women live longer than men?

  Generally, men suffer more life-threatening and chronic long term illnesses such as heart disease, strokes, certain cancers, and Lung diseases such as emphysema/ Chronic bronchitis. 

The under-use of Health Care Services by men is a paramount reason for men’s lower life expectancy than women. In simple terms, men do not go see their doctors, if they even have one.

 Since illness is seen as a threat to masculinity, men are less likely to seek help when ill. Often, when men seek care, their disease process is more advanced, leading to higher chronic illness and death rates.

Are there any differences in the health care services men get versus women?

Yes. It starts with the he doctor- patient meeting itself which differs between male and female patients, with men receiving less time, fewer services, less information and advice, and less encouragement to change health behaviors. The only way to get around this is to be prepared with your own precise questions before you go in.

What tends to happen even when men do receive care?

They are less likely to adhere to their medical regimen! The lesson of this? Please follow the doctors advice!  

 From the editor: Thanks again Dr Badewa for these insights. We, the wives and mothers just need to start praying for our macho men that they will seek help when necessary (we may have to remind them and God help us all!).

Funke Abolade, M.D. 

Social/publicity Secretary.

For our fathers, brothers and husbands...

An open letter to our men...

To our dear Yodaai fathers,

E nle, e ku ijoko o. Se alafia ni? 
Did you think we'd only address women's health and forget about men's health?
Ka ma ri o! Alafia lo ju gbogbo nkan lo!

 The topic of alafia is the reason for this letter. 


What would I tell you if you were my patient, siting across from me,
 face to face?
Well, since you ask... allow me.

How are things going with that general practitioner of yours? Your family doctor? 


What? You don't have one? FIND ONE. 

Don't be afraid of changing your doctor.  Finding a doctor that will listen to you could be the difference between life and death. Your health insurance company usually gives a list of in-network physicians you can choose from. Ask one of us for recommendations from that list if we know them. There are on - line reviews of many drs now given by their patients as my own patients tell me all the time-they found me by reading my reviews online.

Annual Physical Examination

 "Ko si ohun ti o'n se mi". Yes, I know. Olorun o ni je. But you still need to see the family doctor at least yearly. Routinely, they should be weighing you and giving you advice on the recommended healthy weight for your height, checking the basics like your blood pressure and doing simple basic blood work like your cholesterol, triglycerides and thyroid and maybe other things like your blood sugar depending on your symptoms or family history. 

Prostate Check: Yes, I know- an uncomfortable test for our men. Your doctor may want to examine you.  An enlarged prostate may just be an enlarged prostate, causing you problems going to the bathroom, with problems starting and stopping in the bathroom. There are new medicines that help with "flow" issues. You may see them advertised on tv. Ask your dr about these symptoms.


 Your doctor may want to run a PSA (Prostate specific Antigen) test.  It is one of the tests that may identify prostate cancer.  There are however, new recommendations out now suggesting that the PSA test is not very reliable with a lot of false positive results with  people receiving unnecessary treatment for something that may not kill them anytime soon. This issue, if you have any concern about it at all, is to be discussed with your doctor. Prostate cancer is one of the silent cancers in men, and a silent killer especially of black men because of  delayed diagnosis because black men are notoriously reluctant to have that physical exam.  Get over your embarrassment / discomfort and get checked/tested if you are of a certain age, 50 and above or younger if you have a family history.



Your "nature" - Something affecting your "nature"? (as we say here delicately in the south). It could be your blood pressure medicines, prostate problems, alcohol use in excess, blood sugar issues, obesity or simply your age. There are medicines for this kind of thing now- you see them on tv too. Ask your general practitioner.

Middle age crisis (or as we say in psychiatry, depressed)? Don't buy a sports car or a convertible or worse still, don't replace awon mummy with a younger slimmer model! It is very common around middle age to make an assessment of where one's life is and some people get depressed  just thinking about that... Email me confidentially on that one. Referrals can be made even when we can't help directly.

That whole weight thing? Let's just say unlike what we believe culturally, our increasing abdominal girth is not a sign of good healthy living. It is one of the more obvious predictors of heart disease. Enough said.

If you have a first degree relative with colon cancer, let your doctor know so they can set you up for screening earlier than most. At 50, regardless of family history, you should ask the doctor if you need one.

Alcohol? Every thing in moderation. No more that what counts as one drink a day. Less is better still.

Diet?  Increase your fibre intake with more vegetables, reduce your fat intake - less frying of dodo and eja din din, etc and moderate your carbohydrate intake (smaller servings of iyan, amala, eba, bread, isu, pasta etc).

Exercise? At least 30 minutes daily of active exercise like a brisk walk to get your heart pumping faster.  If you don't currently exercise, start with a 10 minute walk. Maybe pelu awon mommy...

Friends? Make time to socialize and de-stress with your friends. Laughter, after all as they say, is the best medicine.

Sleep? At least 6-8hours a night. Tell your doctor if you are not getting that many hours. We have simple medicines for that now. Simple herbal things like chamomile tea also help with sleep without needing medicine. Melatonin, over the counter tablets, helps too.

So there it is. 

 I ask other medical doctors in the association to jump in here and fill in the gap.

The doctors will take your questions now.

Funke Abolade, M.D.

 Social/publicity Secretary

And the winner

Of the proverb of the month of June is Mr and Mrs Lawal, proverb #80 - "A ki ni eni ni mosan, ki a ma a mu kikan" ( Mosan is an Orange tree) i.e You can't have someone in an influential position and be helpless. See it published on the left on top of the flag? There! Your prize will be given out at the next meeting at the Akingbemis in Auburn in June.


And in other news...


The focus, this month of June, is on our men this time with the" red hat, blue hat" project. As discussed, our men need to come in their red or blue hats and we all need to bring canned foods to the next meeting this June and we will designate folks in each tri-city area to deliver them to the food banks. The food bank takes cash too so don't worry if you forget to bring the canned food- we'll take cash or checks and pass it along to the food bank in Yodaai's name




Funke Abolade, M.D


Social / Publicity Secretary