Standard Style 22 March 2015

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22 THE STANDARD STYLE / FAMILY / HEALTH March 22 to 28 2015 Ask the Doctor Dr Kudzayi Munanzvi I am a 53 year old woman and have been suffering from excessive sweating. My doctor has told me that it is caused by menopause and will pass but it is extremely distressing . The initial symptom is usually a sensation of warmth over my entire body then the sweating starts. It can be so bad as to drip down my face and back. These attacks happen many times each day. Is there anything that I can take to relieve these symptoms? Menopause occurs when menstruation stops for more than one year in a woman usually around the age of 55. It is actually a process that can take several years to complete. There is essentially a change in the hormonal milieu in a woman’s body and this leads to changes in several body systems. The result is many symptoms including hot flushes, as you have described, urinary frequency, vaginal dryness , increase in risk of cardiovascular disease, increased rate of bone loss and mood swings. Severity of each of these symptoms varies from one person to the next. There are a variety of remedies for hot flushes ranging from basic lifestyle changes such as exercise and wearing natural materials such as cotton. Exercise has been found to alleviate symptoms in more than fifty percent of patients. Avoiding triggers such as stress, alcohol and spicy foods may also be helpful. A variety of homeopathic remedies containing phyto-oestrogens may be helpful. These are readily available at many pharmacies ; however it is always wise to check with your doctor before taking any herbal medications. As a last resort, your doctor can prescribe hormone replacement therapy which really does help with the flushes . Not everyone is a candidate for hormone replacement therapy because it has a variety of side effects including increased risk of cancer. My husband has just been diagnosed with colorectal cancer. I am greatly distressed and worried that my children may have a risk of getting it. Colorectal cancer is a type of cancer found in the large intestines. It usually arises in a patient with preexisting polyps and is more common in developed countries. Patients with a family history, in your case a first degree relative, have a two to three fold increased risk. Other lifestyle factors such as obesity, a diet rich in red meat and low in fibre and alcohol intake also result in increased risk. These are known as modifiable factors as they can be altered by making lifestyle changes to lower the risk. A family history of polyps and a number of genetic abnormalities are found in many patients with colorectal cancer. There are a number of screening tests available that may able to detect the cancer at an early stage. Screening is useful in patients who are at risk of getting colon cancers and is commonly performed in older patients. Symptoms to watch out for include change in bowel habit, worsening constipation , blood in stool and aweight loss . A sample of stool can be taken to test for the presence of blood as a preliminary screening method. Thereafter , your doctor can perform a colonoscopy which is a visual inspection of the colon through a scope introduced into the colon from the rectum. It has the advantage that it allows the surgeon to biopsy any suspicious lesions that he finds. I hope this helps. Best wishes to your family. With winter coming up, is it advisable to have a flu vaccine? The flu vaccine is given annually and contains three or four virus strains which vary from season to season. The American Centre for Disease Control and Prevention recommend that everyone older than six months should receive the vaccine. It is administered as an injection or nasal spray and provides protection for one year. It has been shown by various studies, to significantly reduce disease , hospitalization and death. Among young children, who are particularly at risk, the vaccine also reduces transmission to their household contacts. After the jab, minor side effects such as runny nose and sore throat but these resolve after a few days. For any feedback questions and suggestions regarding this column, kindly email Dr Kudzayi Munanzvi on ksmautsa@ gmail.com
March 22 to 28 2015 THE STANDARD STYLE / FAMILY / GETAWAY 23 Romance with the Steam Trains Benjamin Leon There was a hive of activity on the platform of the Harare railway station recently when 150 passengers boarded the train hauled by a steam engine to Ruwa Country Club. The engine—a 15A Class Garret commissioned by Rhodesia Railways in 1952—is credited to have travelled two million miles. The previous week, the St Valentine’s Day Run carried 190 passengers to Ruwa. The train comprised eight coaches, most of them dining cars which were taken out of moth balls and were on loan from the Railway Museum in Bulawayo. Travelling down memory lane with a steam engine has been going on in Bulwayo for some time, when passengers filled steam trains going to Victoria Falls and Figtree. Mr. Robin Taylor, Chairman of the Mashonaland branch of the History Society of Zimbabwe liased with railway officials in Harare to run steam trains from Harare where he believed there was a market for such a venture. In Shona it is called a chitima. On the platform many photographic enthusiasts photographed friends and relatives with the Garret, hissing steam, as a backgound. On this trip a water bowser was attached imediately behind the engine. The engine itself was not in prime condition and was leaking in various areas. She was in need of refurbishment. At 10am prompt, huffing and puffing with huge clouds of steam coming out of the piston chambers the mechanical giant began its journey to Ruwa Country Club, with many passengers leaning out of windows. The train conductor, Sargent Major Charles Mwanywa of the NRZ Security Branch informed passengers that the train would stop at Mabvuku Siding for a photo shoot. He advised that when he blew his whistle passengers should re-embark. Photographs were taken of the huge locomotive billowing smoke, and a crowd gathered around the driving cab watching the firemen shovelling coal into the huge boiler. Passengers were thrilled to be allowed on the footplate. Meanwhile a petrol driven machine was pumping water into the engine from the bowser. The locomotive is segmented, allowing it to bend and negotiate track curves with ease. A huge water tank is mounted on top of the front engine and the coal tender is mounted on the rear engine.The weight is what allows efficient traction. When the wheels start to slip more water is added to increase weight. The boiler in the centre is free of any mechanism. The railway line in places ran parallel with the road and a number of motorist could be seen photographing the train as it moved along. After a brief stop at Ruwa Siding the train moved on a further five kilometres to the Ruwa Country Club. This was not a regular halt and trains working authorities had arranged for the normal traffic to be held back until the train had discharged passengers. It later moved onto the next siding where the engine was detached and then shunted to the rear of the train where it was coupled on —this time the engine was running backwards. There was no facilty in the area to turn the locomotive around. The club house was about a kilometre away from the train stop and passengers had the option of walking or taking a ride in coach laid on by the NRZ. Sitting in the shade of a huge tree in front of the club house passengers sat down to a three course lunch. Mr. Robin Taylor in his address, gave a brief history of engine No 414, which was commissioned in 1952 and had travelled two million miles. It was in need of refurbishment but had performed very well. He had liased with railway authorities to extend the romance of steam trains to Harare where he believed there was a market for such a venture. Mr. Norman Ushe, Traffic Officer (Train Crew Management) thanked Mr Taylor for his assistance. It was noted that another steam train would be run during the school holidays and the Easter weekend. The steam train trip today was organised entirely by the NRZ. Mr Taylor announced the forthcoming 60th wedding anniversary of John and Maureen Elliot (both 81) who were present and had been married at Ruwa Country Club in 1955. At 3pm passengers departed for the halt where they found the train waiting, with the steam engined coupled on backwards onto the guard’s van. With a loud whistle and huge clouds of steam it started for Harare at 3:15pm. There were no stops on the return journey and it pulled into the Harare Station platform at 4pm. Norman Ushe, Traffic Officer at NRZ, thanks Robin Taylor for his input in promoting steam trains in Harare. The 15A Class Garret shunting in the yard of Harare Station.It was commisioned in 1952 it has travelled two million miles. insert: Engine Driver Webster Mwarumbe in the driver’s cab of the 15A Class Garret On the platform taking family photos with a background of engine and clouds of steam Passengers photograph the steam train during a stop at Mabvuku Siding Having lunch at Ruwa Country Club Conductor Sgt Major Charles Mwanywa of NRZ Security Branch chats with passengers.
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Standard Style 22 March 2015

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