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7 Bad Habits You Didn’t Know You Have And How To Quit Them.

No. Don’t ignore this because you think you don’t have any bad habits for we all have bad habits. No matter how much we fail to acknowledge them.

It doesn’t mean we shouldn’t make efforts to adjust and stop these bad habits especially as the long-term effects the have on us are unpleasant.

Whether you can’t keep your gaze off your phone screen or you can’t help but have a little extra midnight snack, here are seven unhealthy habits that make you feel not so great and helpful tips to correct them.

1. Not getting enough sleep.

If you struggle to get out of bed in the morning and if you constantly wake up tired, it is all the sign you need to know you are not getting adequate sleep hours and apparently, it isn’t doing you any good.

Lack of adequate sleep can affect a whole heap of things, making you moody, irritable and stressed. It can also mess with your ability to learn and retain information. That isn’t good for your well-being.

According to a Harvard Medical Study, “Most experts have concluded that getting enough high-quality sleep may be as important to health and wellbeing as nutrition and exercise.

Sleep is not only crucial for keeping your mind fresh and performing optimally, but it’s also a pivotal factor in maintaining a healthy weight.

So, if you are one of those who binge watches a whole season of a Netflix show in one sitting, you can prioritize your sleep time by setting an alarm on your phone and actually go to bed when the alarm goes off.
Doing this will help you set a regular sleep routine and develop good sleeping habit, in the long run.

2. Scrolling on your phone until 1am.

Don’t roll your eyes yet, we are all guilty of this.

This is tied to the inadequate sleep mentioned above. Now, while lying in bed seems like the perfect time to perform deep dive into the life of a complete stranger who lives across the other side of the world, thanks to the internet, your late night screen time could be jeopardising your health.

Not only can a lengthy exposure to blue light damage your eyes, it can seriously interfere with your sleep. That’s because blue light messes with the production of melatonin – a hormone that regulates the body’s sleep cycle.

If you spend ages scrolling through your phone, you’re likely to experience more sleepless nights and fatigue. You know, pretty much everything we discussed above, but it can also lead to a variety of other health issues like anxiety and depression.

I’m sure you wouldn’t want that.

3. Snacking right before bed.

I’m not here to tell you it is inappropriate to have those delicious snacks. But you can try to not eat too much of it before jumping right into bed at night.

The digestive process can interfere with your sleep quality because eating just before bed also increases the likelihood of reflux and indigestion, as your gastric juices are being secreted to breakdown food whilst you are lying down, which gives them far greater opportunity to make their way back up your oesophagus and into your throat.

Terrifying right?

4. Exercising so you can eat whatever you want.

You remember when you hit your fitness goal and decided to reward yourself with your favourite junks? Because after every fitness goal smashed, a cheat meal isn’t a bad idea right?

First, know that only exercise will not make up for a poor diet.

Not only is gorging post-workout wrecking havoc on your fitness game, but this frame of mind can really mess up your relationship with food. Because having the mindset that you have to ‘earn’ food is really unhealthy. Food is not a reward.

You can’t expect exercise alone to make you super fit. Focus on fuelling your body with the right foods that will help you power through your workouts.

5. Viewing food as ‘good’ or ‘bad’.

When you start labelling foods as ‘good’ or ‘bad’, not only are you officially stripping all the joy out of eating, but it might be one of the worst things you can do for your health.

No shame – we all do it, but we’re here to tell you to stop.

So, let’s get this out of the way first: all food is inherently neutral. There is no such thing as ‘good’ food or ‘bad’ food. Okay?

Eating a burger and chips one night isn’t going to give you diabetes or heart disease. It’s more about your overall eating patterns.

The deeper harm in restricting yourself from foods is that when you do have a ‘cheat meal’ or a ‘bad day’, you’ll usually end up feeling guilty and shameful.

Instead of policing all of your food choices, try to get rid of the emotional attachment and start listening to your body – eat what you want in moderation. By doing this we guarantee healthy foods will taste even better, and you’ll stop feeling like a failure over enjoying foods that are good, overall.

 

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OYIBO HOSANNA: WHY YOU NEED A DETOX

Either as a single or married woman, working class or full time wife, daily you are in contact with harmful organisms, and toxins that pose a threat to your wellbeing.

Detoxification is the cleansing and nourishing the body from the inside out, by removing and eliminating toxins, then feeding your body with healthy nutrients. Our body has a natural detoxification system that functions to clear these toxins, but you can increase its efficiency by timely nutritional and lifestyle changes.

These toxins are in your water, food, and the air you breathe; it’s tough trying to get away from them, but you can have a defense against them. They include metals, chemicals, pollutants, artificial food additives, pesticides, and herbicides.

SIGNS THAT YOUR BODY IS SCREAMING FOR A DETOX

  • You frequently feel tired and stressed.
  • You experience unexplained headaches, mental confusion and lack of enthusiasm.
  • You repetitively feel colds and contract infections.
  • You have puffy eyes and distress sleeping.
  • You’re not at your ideal weight and experience irregular menstrual cycle
  • You have allergic breakouts and blemishes.
  • You’re exposed to common environmental toxins via smokes, household chemicals (perfumes, shampoos, paints etc.
  • You consume a high amount of fried foods, fast and processed foods
  • You always have irregular stomach bloating, indigestion and difficulty in defecating.

If you experience any three or more signs above, a detox is surely needed.

WELLNESS CUES: HOW TO DETOX

Having known the signs to watch out for, don’t you think you owe it to yourself to purify your body? Here are wellness cues on how to cleanse, balance and energize your body.

  • Increase your Water Intake. Your body basal function is driven by water, hence you can see it as the most valuable tool for detoxifying your body; we are advised to consume a minimum of 3-5 liters of water daily to aid its detoxifying function. Water first in the morning and last at night.
  • Decide to Eat Rightly. Choose to eat freshly cooked meals with organic fruits and vegetables over processed, fast food, alcohol, coffee, cigarettes, refined sugars, and saturated fats.
  • Detoxifying your body is not only about what you avoid, but also about what you consume. Fasting and adding natural foods like fiber foods, garlic, vegetable stews, cabbage, lemon, bitter leaf, broccoli and drinking green tea is vital in detoxification.
  • Develop an exercise and meditation routine to help you sweat out, release toxins through your skin pores, improve your mental attitude positively and boost your body energy levels.
  • Keep the Environments Air Clean. You can’t control the air in the environment you move in, but you can control the air in your home to reduce the number of smoke fumes, mold, mildew, and other microorganisms that are dangerous to your health.
  • Visit a Spa. The use of natural green herbs, brushing and oiling of your skin helps your skin peel off old cells and dirt, unclog skin pores to allowing the skin to perspire freely, which in turn stimulates cellular rejuvenation and slows aging.
  • Body Detox Packs. There are nutritional packs that offer a complete body detox, it is a step-by-step process of drinking health products that focuses on cleansing organs of the excretory systems (lungs, colon, skin, liver, and kidneys) of harmful organisms, chemicals, and toxic metals. Consult your doctor before using any health detox packs.

BENEFITS OF DETOXIFYING

  • It protects you from disease and refuels your body to maintain optimum health
  • Helps your body organs rest through fasting
  • Promotes the ease of elimination of body wastes from the excretory system.
  • Improves blood flow and mental alertness.
  • It provides your body with healthy nutrients that protect against free radicals, strengthening the immune system.

The source of many health problems is the toxins that have built up in our bodies over the years; to stay healthy and enjoy total wellbeing, DETOX.

About Hosanna

I am Hosanna Oyibo, a Public Health Coach. I am an avid reader, personal development enthusiast, network marketing professional and a volunteer. I’m also interested in travelling, gardening, and sports. You can read about me and visit my blog with a click on this link https://about.me/hosannaoyibo.

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OYIBO HOSANNA: HEALTH BENEFITS OF IRON

Iron is one of the most abundant metals on earth, is an essential mineral to most life forms and to normal human functioning.

In humans, almost two-thirds of iron our body is found in hemoglobin, the protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen to tissues. Smaller amounts of iron are found in myoglobin, a protein that helps supply oxygen to muscle, and in enzymes that assist biochemical reactions. Iron is also found in proteins that stores it for future needs, and are regulated by intestinal walls.

SOURCES OF IRON

Many foods contain high levels of iron, and you can easily find and combine them to make tasty, nutritious meals that helps boost your body system. They include:

  • Fruits and vegetables: Dried fruits (prunes, raisins), mushrooms, and dark leafy greens (pumpkin, spinach, broccoli), and citrus fruits, red and yellow peppers.
  • Nuts and seeds: cashews, sunflower and pumpkin seeds, pine, nuts, and pistachios.
  • Animal sources: Liver, egg yolks, turkey or chicken gizzards, meat and fish, beef, lamb shellfish, oysters, shrimp sardines, salmon, and tuna.
  • Dairy products: raw cow or soy milk, yogurt, and cheese.
  • Plant sources: black beans, brown beans, soybeans, kidney beans, chickpeas, black-eyed peas, and lima beans.

EFFECTS OF IRON DEFICIENCY/ OVERLOAD

The risk of iron deficiency is high in women (teenage girls, female athletes, and pregnant women), preterm infants, young children as well as people with certain health conditions (heart, kidney diseases, celiac diseases etc., its effects include:

  • The deficiency of iron leads to anemia, which occurs when the body does not have enough iron.
  • Reduced oxygen delivery to cells, results in dizziness, fatigue, and poor work performance.
  • Elevated levels of free iron stimulate the growth of microbes and increase the risk of infections thereby decreasing immunity.
  • Iron overload may lead to cancer, irregular menstrual flow, and infertility.
  • Reduced iron can affect mental alertness and sensitivity, as iron is required for proper shielding of neurons of the nervous system.

BENEFITS OF IRON

  • An essential component of proteins involved in oxygen transport.
  • Iron is an integral part of many proteins and enzymes that maintain good health.
  • It is also essential for the regulation of cell growth and differentiation.
  • Vital mineral in myoglobin, a muscle protein required for oxygen transport and contraction of the muscles.
  • Boost brain activity, as Iron helps supply oxygen to the blood and 20% of which is consumed by the brain.

WELLNESS CUES: TIPS FOR GETTING MORE IRON IN YOUR DIET

NUTRITION

  1. Avoid the following, as they can interfere with iron absorption:
  • Drinking tea or coffee with meals.
  • Foods such as whole cereals, parsley, dark leafy vegetables, and chocolate, rich in oxalic acid, tannins, phytates, and gluten.
  • Eating foods rich in calcium with those rich in iron, as calcium limits iron uptake into the body.
  1. Do your best to eat iron-rich foods along with those rich in vitamin C, for vitamin C aids the uptake of iron into the body.
  • Cooking foods for shorter periods and with a cast-iron skillet.

LIFESTYLE CHANGES

  • Keep a clean and safe environment as malarial infection paralyzes red blood cells, thereby causing anemia.
  • Avoid medications that can deplete iron such as tetracycline, ciprofloxacin, high blood pressure reducing drugs.
  • The iron from foods you eat may not always be sufficient, so supplementation may be needed. Speak with a doctor or dietician, who may recommend a supplement and it’s crucial to follow dosage instructions carefully.

Let the insights you have gained of risks and benefits, be an integral factor to your daily decision-making process on what you feed your body, and aim to get iron from a variety of sources.

About Hosanna

I am Hosanna Oyibo, a Public Health Coach. I am an avid reader, personal development enthusiast, network marketing professional and a volunteer. I’m also interested in travelling, gardening, and sports. You can read about me and visit my blog with a click on this link https://about.me/hosannaoyibo.

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AVOID “PUSH UP BRAS” FOR HEALTHY LIVING, EXPERT WARNS WOMEN

Abubakar, an Assistant Director, Nursing Services, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Teaching Hospital, Bauchi, gave the advice while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday.

According to her, relaxing breasts muscles will prevent various ailments which could affect the breast.

She advised women to avoid using tight and trending brassieres which she referred to as ‘push ups’.

“The muscles of the breast need to rest. So, women and young girls should please allow their breasts to rest when at home.

“We should also clean the breast region thoroughly and regularly.

“We should endeavour to change our brassieres regularly and avoid sleeping while still wearing them,” she said.

 

Credit: pulse.ng

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NIGERIA NEEDS 2M PINTS YEARLY FOR EMERGENCIES – RED CROSS

However, according to him, only about 500,000 pints have been raised.

Alonge disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Lagos, during a health and blood drive at YABATECH.

The theme of the event was: “True Humanity to Peace”.

The event included blood donations and a free breast screening for female staff and students.

Alonge said that the Nigerian health sector records a lot of emergencies whereby patients require blood daily and sometimes, they have to spend so much in search of blood.

“The statistics show that in the Nigerian health sector, we need two million pints of blood but we’re able to raise only 500,000 pints.

“This mainly comes from family donors when their loved ones need blood.

“But we see many accidents and other situations where people need blood daily and sometimes find it difficult getting it,’ he said.

The commandant said that the vision of NRCS, Lagos State, is to ensure that blood is available in their bank.

“In January, our detachment raised 120 pints and this time we were able to raise 90 pints, making it a total of 210 pints,” he said.

Alonge said the reason for the decrease was because only full-time students were in school presently, compared to January when the part-time students were there.

He urged people to participate more in humanitarian activities like blood donations to help save lives.

Commending YABATECH detachment, Mr Lawson Sekegor, Chairman of the Mainland Division of the society, said the amount of blood raised at the event would help the state’s branch surpass it’s target.

“Normally, we have expectations from the state body, the number of pints for this year is 500.

“Based on the amount raised here and what we already have, we can beat the target because we need less than 10 pints more to reach it,” he said.

Jonathan Adegboye, 18, a student of the University of Lagos, who donated blood said the exercise made him happy knowing he was helping to save lives.

He added that it also helped him overcome the fear he had of donating blood.

“Overcoming the fear was not a day’s job; last month, I tried donating blood but I gave only two millilitres before I backed out,” he said.

Another donor, Deborah Adeola, a 22- year- old student said that donating blood gave her the opportunity to check her blood pressure, weight and blood level.

Also, Mr Olakunle Lasisi, the Secretary of NRCS, Lagos Branch, urged Nigerians to imbibe the act of voluntary blood donations to help ensure there is enough blood in the blood banks.

He noted that donating blood not only benefits the recipients but also the donors.

According to him, he had an experience a few years ago where he was usually drowsy and sometimes felt dizzy.

He decided to go for a general blood test and was advised to go and donate blood.

“Blood donation refreshes donors.

“Not donating blood is not beneficial to you because you will end up having more than required, which has its disadvantages,” he said.

NAN reports that donating blood may help the donor reduce risks of cardiovascular diseases and other health conditions.

It also gives the donor the opportunity to get a free blood analysis which may include testing for HIV and hepatitis.

According to FEDHEALTH, a South African health blog, blood donors are 33 per cent likely to suffer from cardiovascular disease and 88 per cent less likely to suffer a heart attack.

“The lowered health risks have to do with iron depletion. Iron has a significant impact on the body.

“High blood iron can cause a variety of symptoms such as irregular heartbeat, muscle weakness, hardening of arteries, accelerated cholesterol oxidation, decreased libido and enlarged liver.

“When donating blood, you are removing 225 to 250 milligrams of iron from your body, reducing your risk of health complications,’ it said.

Credit: NAN, Pulse News

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TYPE 2 POLIO VIRUS DISCOVERED IN BAUCHI

Dr Adamu Ningi, the WHO Bauchi State Coordinator, disclosed this at a meeting with the Emir of Bauchi, Alhaji Rilwanu Adamu, and the Chairman, Social Mobilisation on Immunisation and Emir of Dass, Alhaji Usman Othman, in Bauchi on Friday.

He said samples were collected from various locations on a monthly basis and it has been discovered that the polio virus type 2 was found at Gwallaga mosque area linking three wards of Makama B, Hardo and Dankade.

Represented by Dr Khalid Abubakar, the state coordinator attributed the new strain to non-compliance to immunisation schedules.

“In Bauchi LGA, only 52 per cent of children are fully immunised, 29 per cent didn’t complete while 19 per cent have never been immunised.

“The latest strain of the virus are from isolated environmental samples collected from Gwallaga mosque area, Obonna Royal Hotel refuse site, Shafa bridge and FGGC drainage.

“The circulating vaccine derived polio virus is linked to the one earlier discovered in Hadejia, Jigawa State,” he said.

Also speaking, the state chairman, social mobilisation on immunisation, said the state has been without any reported case of polio for over five years.

Othman however regretted that it was unfortunate to record a new case despite efforts to prevent its resurgence from reported cases in Yobe and Jigawa states.

He noted that immunisation teams failed to report non-compliance cases in the past while supervision was poor.

The first class traditional ruler said the meeting was designed to engage the traditional institution and seek ways to contain the virus.

According to him, since the detection, WHO, UNICEF, the state government and traditional leaders have intensified efforts to check its spread.

In his remarks, the Emir of Bauchi emphasised the need for ward heads to always accompany house-to-house teams during immunisation plus days to avoid non-compliance.

While promising to support to eradicate the virus in his domain, Adamu however charged governments and the general public to intensify environmental sanitation and close supervision.

Speaking earlier, Dr Shakhawar Hossain, the UNICEF State Lead Communication Officer, said intense campaigns must be mounted and traditional leaders should be on ground to answer key questions on polio immunisation.

Credit: Pulse News
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60,000 CHILDREN BELOW 5 YEARS DIE OF DIARRHEA EVERY YEAR IN NIGERIA

Miss Oluseyi Abdulmalik, Communications and Media Manager of WaterAid Nigeria, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday in Bauchi, to mark the Global Handwashing Day, celebrated annually on Oct. 15.

“We already know progress is not fast enough; about 60,000 children under 5 years in Nigeria still die each year because of diarrhea.

“That is linked to dirty water, poor toilets and poor hygiene, pointing out that everyone has a right to water and our leaders must act to leave no one behind.”

According to her, washing hands with soap and water reduces cases of diarrhea by almost 50 percent, yet on average, around the world only 19 per cent of people wash hands with soap after defecation.
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She urged governments to prioritise the promotion of handwashing, along with water and sanitation to save lives.
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She said the WaterAid Nigeria Country Director, Dr ChiChi Aniagolu-Okoye, also advised on personal hygiene and an intake of good diet as health boosters.

“Handwashing with soap and good food hygiene brings health and economic benefits.

“Handwashing with soap is essential for health workers, improving quality of care and reducing risk of cross-infection. It also makes children healthier.

“We are advocating alongside our partners, Action Against Hunger, to demand that governments should develop cross-ministerial coordination mechanisms between the WASH and nutrition sector championed at the highest level to support sharing of information and joint planning and implementation of policies.

Abdulmalik urged policy makers to prioritise nutrition-sensitive WASH interventions and include specific objectives to improve WASH within nutrition plans and policies.

“Clear entry points to integrate WASH and nutrition include behaviour change promotion and improvement of provision of WASH in healthcare facilities and schools,” she said.

The WaterAid Communications Officer, also advocated more investments to improve handwashing practice and access to basic handwashing.

“For citizens to join in making this happen by using the power they wield in their hands to vote in the coming elections for leaders, who pledge commitment to improving WASH access, ” she said.

Abdulmalik, however, enjoined all citizens to participate in the WASH project, to achieve a healthier environment and country.

Credit: Pulse News

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AISHA BUHARI FOUNDATION BUILDS 70-BED CAPACITY MATERNITY HOSPITAL IN YOLA

The Clinic is being built to complement the existing 17 bed Maternity ward at the Centre.

Aisha Buhari’s personal physician, Dr. Mohammed Kamal, while inspecting the project said, the clinic when completed will cater for the health need of the people of Adamawa, Borno, Gombe, Taraba as well as the neighbouring Cameroon Republic.

Kamal, said the clinic was built as part of Aisha Buhari’s commitment to improve the healthcare of women and children in Nigeria.

The inspection was conducted to ascertain the level of work so far done.

Kamal, conveying Aisha’s optimism, said the project would be completed and handed over before the end of the year.

The facility, which is being built through private partnership comprises of emergency operation ward, consultation rooms, ultra sound room, Antenatal and Gynaecology ward, pharmacy, laboratory as well as family planning units.

The facility, when completed, will have the capacity of attending to 200 patients.

The Chief Medical Director, Federal Medical Centre, Yola, Prof. Auwal Abubakar, said, the new Antenatal complex will assist the Centre to adequately cater for the health needs of women and children.

Abubakar said that the existing maternal centre was over stretched due to the influx of patients within and outside the state.

He said that the new complex will go a long way in reducing the challenges faced by patients during emergencies.

Credit: NAN

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GET FAMILIAR WITH DR OLA BROWN’S NEW BOOK ‘FIXING HEALTH CARE IN NIGERIA’

Fixing Healthcare in Nigeria is a 40-page book written by Dr. Ola Brown. She is the CEO of Flying Doctors Nigeria, the first indigenous air ambulance service company in West Africa.  Her new book, Fixing Healthcare in Nigeria, is her third book and she has made it available to download for free.

Speaking on the inspiration for the book and the format it was presented in, she said:

“It’s my sincere wish that you consider the modest proposals I forward in these chapters. Perhaps they will spur you to take a fresh look at how we manage healthcare in Nigeria and you might refine them even more or see other steps that we should consider.”

Read an excerpt from the book here:

***

My younger sister died when she was 12 years old. Her death was so shocking, so earth-shattering, that we did not hold a burial or a memorial service. We did not speak of it at all.
It has been over a decade since her death, and I want to tell you about the person who brought so much joy into my life. I want to tell you about the sweet little girl who so deeply loved her family. And I want to tell you about the way she died—and how we could have saved her. She was born in 1992. When I first laid eyes on her, I fell in love. One of the most striking things about Busola was her kindness. Even at a young age, she tried to make breakfast for the entire family—an act that was both entertaining and incredibly touching. She was always trying to help, always serving, always thinking of others.

Even as she lay dying in the hospital bed—alone in Nigeria, without any family around her—she made a simple
request: “Pray for the other sick children around the world.”

Kindness. Empathy. Self-sacrifice.

These were what the world lost when she died. I lost my angelic baby sister. And even though her death continues to influence me, I know that her story is not unique. She is, quite literally, one in
a million. Children die every day in Nigeria. In fact, nearly one million Nigerian children die each year before their fifth birthday, according to the UN. To put this into proper perspective, imagine a Boeing 777: one plane carries approximately 350 passengers. Now, imagine a single Boeing 777, filled with 350 children,
crashing. There would be an international outcry, a full investigation, and a vow to make safety a national priority. To equal our national health crisis, you would need 3000 Boeing 777 plane crashes—every year. 10 crashes per day.

Every year, children like my sister continue to die—yet there is no press coverage, no national attention, all
while our sisters, our daughters, our brothers and sons continue to die in record numbers.

***

To read more, download a copy here. It is a quick and informative read. Highly enlightening and it is something all Nigerians should read. So pass it on, share it with your friends, family, colleagues.

Credit: Bella Naija
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ARIYIKE WEEKLY : HEALTHY FOOD CHOICES FOR 2017

Nowadays, there are so many food choices, however, the unhealthy ones seem to be more available than the healthy ones. Today on Ariyike weekly, it’s all about food choices. Nutritionists, Doctors, People who have had personal experiences with food choices and People who want to learn, Please get in here and let’s share our views on the healthy food choices we need to make and the unhealthy ones we need to ditch this year.

 

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