Abimbola talks about her resolution for the new year and how she is set to make the best out of it. ‘If you don’t like something about yourself in 2020 fix it’ she said. The media personality listed some positive thoughts to live by for a more productive year.
Indeed, 2020 is a year to be intentional about. She wants us to know how important our mental health is.
You should get yourself some self love because you deserve it. She said ‘I would take time out to get a massage if i want to’. Enjoy the vblog below of all she has spoken:
Tania shares why she never publicly spoke about her endometriosis, the struggles before she found out, the day she was diagnosed and everything in-between.
She says “I hope by sharing my story I encourage someone. Making this decision to share this wasn’t easy because I am opening up to my personal struggles but I believe its bigger than me and it is more important to encourage one another and share our battles”.
DEFINE what success looks like personally. Set goals and monitor how you are doing. Take concrete actions to achieve them daily, monthly and yearly.
REMEMBER that your values are the foundations of life. Use them as your compass. My values are integrity, compassion and empathy.
TAKE complete responsibility for your life. Jim Rohn reminds us that you have to do your push-ups yourself.
EXCELLENCE should always be your mantra. It is one way to eliminate biases.
INVEST in yourself. Most successful people are voracious readers. Curious minds, and live a life of learning everyday.
COURAGE is key. When women take risks, they are usually well thought out. Do it even if you are afraid.
SEEK help early and expand your network
A POSITIVE ATTITUDE is key. Enjoy life, Have fun and be passionate. Keep your perspective even when you feel that things are not working out as they should.
FAILFORWARD In fact, I have learnt what people consider a failure is usually a ‘a course correction’ in order to catapult you to greater success.
PAY IT FORWARD There is so much to do to make the world a better place. Your generosity and contribution to society should be your legacy.
Aruna Oteh was the former Vice President and Treasurer World Bank, prior to joining the bank she was the Directir Deneral of the Security and Exchange Commission (SEC), in Nigeria from 2010-2015.
She has served in several governmental institutions, and is known for her ability to deliver excellently well. She was also recently named the 2018 Ai Global Instituional Investment Personality of the Year.
She is currently an academic scholar at St. Anthony’s College, Oxford University, and an executive-in-residence at Said Business School.
Truly, she is a woman of excellence with a quest for modern knowledge.
Despite being born into slavery and enduring over a century of discrimination, Mary Hardway Walker managed to accomplish an extraordinary feat. At 116 years old, she learned to read.
Walker was born in Union Springs, Alabama, in 1848 and lived in bondage until she was freed at the age of 15 following the passing of the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863. By age 20, she was married and had her first child. By age 68, she had worked several jobs, including cooking, cleaning, babysitting, and selling sandwiches to raise money for her church. Then in 1917, Walker and her family moved to Chattanooga, Tennessee. By 114, all three of her children and husband died. She, however, kept on living.
In 1963, she enrolled in the Chattanooga Area Literacy Movement (CALM) where she was taught by a volunteer teacher named Helen Kelly. She attended a one-hour class two nights a week for more than a year, where she learned to read, write, add, and subtract, reported WRCB-TV.
Walker’s perseverance and determination earned her a number of honors and accolades, including the key to the city of Chattanooga. She was also certified as the nation’s oldest student by the U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare and named as Chattanooga’s Ambassador of Goodwill twice. Furthermore, she received recognition from two U.S. presidents, dignitaries from across the country and Canada, and even an airplane ride in 1966. Following her passing in 1969, the city of Chattanooga renamed her retirement home after her and erected a memorial to commemorate her life.
Walker’s remarkable story is detailed in a new children’s book titled The Oldest Student: How Mary WalkerLearned to Read (Schwartz and Wade Books), written by Rita Lorraine Hubbard and illustrated by Oge Mora. Geared toward children between ages 4 and 8, the book highlights her inspirational life, which spanned from the Civil War to the civil rights movement.
(Courtesy of Random House Children’s Books)
“I learned about Mary Walker on a class field trip when I was in 4th or 5th grade, and I always wondered why she waited so long to learn to read,” Hubbard told BLACK ENTERPRISE in an email. Years later, Hubbard rediscovered Walker while researching for her first book, African Americans of Chattanooga (The History Press, 2008). “I began some in-depth research. I discovered some interesting tidbits,” she continued. “The more I learned about Mary, the more I felt that children and adults could benefit from reading about someone who believed ‘it’s never too late to pursue your dreams’.”
Hubbard, who has penned award-winning books for both children and adults, said that she wanted to tell Walker’s story in picture book form in order to engage young readers with history. However, she also aims to inspire people of all ages “who think it’s too late” to pursue a dream. “if Mary could do it at age 114 (and succeed at age 116), so can they,” she said.
According to her website, Hubbard originally wrote The Oldest Student in 2016 before it was acquired by Random House. The book is slated for publication Jan. 7, 2020.
A healthy skin is always looking soft and it glows even visibly for all to see. Some of the simple skin routine to do are often been overlooked. As we already know, the harmattan strips moisture from the air. Therefore below are some simple easy tips that can help you manage this season comfortably:
Use Mild Wash Products
Harsh soaps containing lots of processed chemicals strip oils from our skin, you should do well to always look out for what your product contains, for example the sodium lauryl sulfate SLS is the main forming ingredients for soap and shampoo. This takes out healthy oils your skin actually need for its protection.
Oil Bath
One of the ways to help your skin is to is to keep it hydrated as much as possible and oil and water is one of the key ways. If you cannot find a soap that contains oil as part part of its ingredients you can drip some olive oil or any oil of your choice into your bath water. Oils helps break down dirt from our skin without much pressure.
Dont Deep Cleanse
After a shower pat your skin lightly, do not pat dry, leave some water visibly on your skin, this would help your skin seal in moisture as you quickly apply your moisturising lotion.
Massage
Apply your oil or lotion and massage all over your body for about 2 minutes, this ensures the oil gets deeply absorbed into your skin and not at surface level. It would also encourage blood flows to the right places for a better complexion and not dull looking skin. However, this also combats dryness on through out the day.
These simple tips should not be overlooked because, they are the base of our skincare morning routine which would guarantee that hydrating glow. However drinking alot of water, staying out of the sun and applying a sunscreen are also not to be ignored.
DON’T GET IT TWISTED — THE KEYS TO BEING HEALTHY AND HAPPIER AREN’T JUST ABOUT STEPPING INSIDE A GYM. IT STARTS FROM WITHIN.
DON’T GET IT TWISTED — THE KEYS TO BEING HEALTHY AND HAPPIER AREN’T JUST ABOUT STEPPING INSIDE A GYM. IT STARTS FROM WITHIN.
We’re only two days into the new year, and already thinking about all of the things we want to accomplish by next December. But as we create our vision boards, and start goal-setting for the year, it’s important to remember one thing — you.
While career, relationship and educational goals often come priority on our lists, it’s important to prioritize the essential things we need to focus on in our life: being happy and healthy. Not only will this help you in all aspects of life, but you’ll feel better overall.
But don’t get it twisted, most of the keys to being healthy and happier have nothing to do with stepping inside a gym. “In order to look good and feel good you’ve gotta start from within,” says Rumble Trainer and Degree Deodorant Fitness Expert Aliyah Sims.
And because she’s right about that, and more, we’ve enlisted Sims to share a few tips on becoming a healthier and happier version of yourself this year.
Set realistic goals.
“You don’t know where you are going, unless you know where you’ve been. And the best thing to do after you’ve taken inventory of that, is to create benchmarks for the future. “I think one of the best things to do for yourself and your self-esteem, is to set goals that you can actually achieve in a timely manner,” says Sims. “Think of a few things that you’ve always wanted to accomplish, write them down and most importantly remain accountable! Maybe start small for ex: finish that book you bought a while ago that’s collecting dust, or visit the gym x amount of times etc. You’ve got to make sure that you have a game plan because merely speaking things into existence, talking about it and taking no action will lead to disappointment.”
Move your body.
Moving your body gets your heart beating and your blood flowing. By increasing blood flow, exercise helps nourish skin cells and keep them vital. Because of that reason, Sims said this is one of the first things you should be doing. “I recently partnered with Degree and Blue Zones on their Made to Move grant program, which aims to encourage more natural, physical movement,” she says. “We have been moving our bodies since we were in the womb kickin’. The benefits of becoming more active are endless. Exercising regularly Decreases the risk of diseases, increased blood flow, and not to mention the reduction of anxiety/depression (something we can all use living in a stressful bustling city).”
Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate!
The only time it’s good to be thirsty is when you’re getting the appropriate water intake. And though it can be harder to remember in the winter than during the summer months, you must ensure you’re doing it to keep your melanin glowing, and your insides happy. “We all need a little reminder to drink more water,” says Sims. “I think if people drank as much water as they do coffee/matcha we’d be thriving. Water helps muscles and joints work better and Water helps cleanse your body — inside and out. Hold yourself accountable and drink more water.”
Incorporate more ME time.
2020 should be all about you sis. And don’t let anyone tell you anything different! According to Sims, “This a goal I’ve started to exercise more in my personal life.”
She continues, “I am notorious for never saying “No” regardless of how tired I am or what I’m going through because I love making people happy, but what about me? What about you and your happiness? It is so important to take time away from work, friends and sometimes even significant others to make sure that YOU are good. When you’re good to yourself and have that time to TREAT YO SELF it will certainly trickle down into everything else in your life. Me time is not selfish, it is essential. So take a stroll by your lonesome, get a facial or mani/pedi and recharge.”
Eat clean.
“Everything is all about balance,” says Sims. “I think we all know subconsciously what is good for us and what we use less of. I think it’s best to eat to fuel your body but also what makes your soul happy (80/20 rule). One way you can incorporate this, is by packing more lunches so you’re not tempted to eat out at work and meal prepping! This not only saves you money but also encourages you to make better choices and will let you enjoy that well deserved treat guilt free.”
Toke Makinwa is starting the year with loads of positive energy, and she wants us to do the same.
In the first episode of “Toke Moments” for year 2020, Toke shares some lessons she learned in 2019, and she advises that we surround ourselves with people who give us positive energy.
She also sends a special message to online trolls, asking them to tread carefully in 2020 because it’s a “high voltage” year.
She wrote:
Its the 1st of the first month of the year and I am serving energy. Happy new year to all the Toke Moments Lovers out there, hires hoping your year is as beautiful and impactful as you desire. Thank you all for rocking with me, I honestly cannot thank you all enough. Please subscribe to my youtube channel and lets have so much more fun in 2020. The vision is simple, you don’t like something , stop making excuses, quit it and turn up High voltage to the things that feed your soul. I love you all, TM.
Removing your makeup is an integral part of a good skincare routine, especially if you want your skin to retain its glow.
There are days when you want to remove your makeup then, you open your bathroom cabinet and realize you’re out of wipes. Those situations can be very annoying, but you can use other products to get that makeup off.
Below are ways you can remove your makeup without using wipes.
1. Coconut oil
This readily available oil is a perfect substitute for makeup wipes. All you need to do is dab your face with a cotton wool that is already soaked with coconut oil. Leave it for one or two minutes. This will soften the makeup and prevent irritation. Then you can wash your face after.
2. Petroleum jelly
Petroleum jelly/vaseline can take off any kind of makeup, even waterproof. All you need to do is apply the petroleum jelly on your face and wait for a while for the makeup to soften. You can clean it off after some minutes.
3. Milk
Milk is one of the beauty secrets that people are yet to unlock. By using the milk, you can clean your makeup and also nourish your skin at the same time. Apply milk on your face and then wipe off with a cotton pad.
According to npr, new research has raised concern about the safety of permanent hair dye and chemical hair straighteners, especially among African American women. The study was published Wednesday in the International Journal of Cancer.
Previous research in animals has found links between certain chemicals in hair dye and straighteners and cancer. But findings from other human studies on the association between hair dyes and straighteners and cancer have been inconsistent. This large, prospective study provides firmer evidence of a link.
Researchers analyzed data from an ongoing study called the Sister Study, looking at medical records and lifestyle surveys from 46,709 women between the ages of 35 and 74. Women answered questions about their use of hair dyes and straighteners. While earlier studies on hair dye and cancer risk included mostly white women, the new study includes 9% African American women.
Researchers found that women who used permanent hair dye or chemical straighteners were at higher risk of developing breast cancer.
“The association was notably higher among black women,” says epidemiologist Alexandra White, study author and an investigator with the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, who studies environmental risk factors for breast cancer.
After eight years of follow-up, White found permanent hair dye use was associated with about a 7% higher risk of developing breast cancer among white women, “whereas in black women that risk was about 45 percent.”
That risk was even higher among black women who dyed their hair frequently, every one or two months.
Researchers don’t know which ingredients in the products might be of concern. The study did not look at the specific ingredients in the products women were using, only at whether they had used the product and whether they developed breast cancer.
All women in the Sister Study were already at high risk for breast cancer since they had a sister who had breast cancer. This family history put them at increased risk but that does not influence the findings of this analysis since all the women in the study had this same family history, but only some of them used hair dye and straighteners.
Researchers note that in the United States, breast cancer incidence remains high for all women and appears to be increasing for non-Hispanic black women, who also are more likely to be diagnosed with more aggressive forms of the disease and more likely to die from it.
Hair products contain more than 5,000 chemicals, according to researchers, including those with mutagenic and endocrine-disrupting properties such as aromatic amines, which can raise cancer risk, according to White.
When it came to chemical straighteners, risk didn’t vary by race. Both black and white women who used hair straighteners were about 30% more likely to develop breast cancer than those who didn’t use the products. However, black women are more likely to use them, with about 75% of black women in the study reporting they straighten their hair.
“For the chemical straighteners one of the big concerns there is formaldehyde, which is a known carcinogen,” says White. She notes that in the early 2000s just before the study began, Brazilian keratin treatments came on the market. This new treatment, commonly called a Brazilian blowout, contains formaldehyde, while earlier hair straightening treatments did not.
The study findings should be understood in context, says Dr. Otis Brawley, a medical oncologist with Johns Hopkins University. The actual risk found for use of these hair treatments is quite low, he adds, especially compared with other known carcinogens like tobacco or radiation. “This is a very weak signal that these things might be causing cancer in the population,” he says.
Much more research is needed, he says, to know for sure how risky these products are. For example, long-term clinical trials with a control group and placebo would be more definitive, but this type of study “would be difficult if not impossible to do.”
Continue reading here https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2019/12/04/784838430/hair-dye-and-straightener-use-linked-to-higher-cancer-risk-especially-for-black-?utm_campaign=npr&utm_medium=social&utm_term=nprnews&utm_source=facebook.com
A Nigerian woman has made headlines internationally after she arrived at her wedding anniversary in a giant inflatable bubble.
Event planner Reverence decided to celebrate her 10th wedding anniversary to husband Joseph Efoma-Oruerio in style.
She had the white dress down, the perfect groom, an extravagant venue, dreamy decorations, all of it but she wanted an entrance like none other.
Reverence ordered a giant inflatable bubble to enter the venue even if it cost her $500 (about N180,000) and had to be shipped from Dubai.
At the reception, which held in Warri, Nigeria, she shocked her guests as she rolled in with the transparent ball.
Reverence, 35, and husband Joseph, 51, invited friends and family to celebrate the special day with them in Warri, Nigeria.
When Reverence arrived in a bubble, their guests couldn’t help but whip their phones out to document this remarkable entrance.
Many people get wedding inspiration from Pinterest or Instagram, Reverence got hers by watching her children playing with a balloon in the pool.
“I started thinking of how a bride could make an entrance into her wedding in a balloon.” She admitted.
After an internet search, she found the perfect balloon from Dubai. “It was the first time the guests saw a bride in a balloon, they screamed so much with excitement. It was the highlight of the event.”
