Foods to help you sleep better

~Punch Nigeria. Wednesday, September 14, 2016.

Adding these foods to your diet may help to increase your odds of a successful slumber.

Some people have trouble falling asleep. Others can't stay asleep. And then there are the people who have trouble turning life "off" and tucking into bed at a reasonable hour.

Whatever the reason, the health benefits of a good night's rest are countless: sleep helps keep you happy, your brain sharp, your immune system strong, your waistline trim, your skin looking youthful-and lowers your risk of high blood pressure and heart disease.

Here's the good news: Adding these foods to your diet may help to increase your odds of a successful slumber.

• Fish

Most fish-and especially salmon, halibut and tuna-boast vitamin B6, which is needed to make melatonin (a sleep-inducing hormone triggered by darkness), according to an article published in the Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences.

• Jasmine rice

When healthy sleepers ate carbohydrate-rich suppers of veggies and tomato sauce over rice, they fell asleep significantly faster at bedtime if the meal included high-glycemic-index (GI) jasmine rice rather than lower-GI long-grain rice, in a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. While the authors aren't sure how it happened, they speculated that the greater amounts of insulin triggered by the high-GI meals increased the ratio of sleep-inducing tryptophan relative to other amino acids in the blood, allowing proportionately more to get into the brain.

• Yogurt

Dairy products like yogurt and milk boast healthy doses of calcium-and there's research that suggests being calcium-deficient may make it difficult to fall asleep.

Hazards of consuming aloe vera

Written by Oladapo Ashiru

Professor of Anatomy/Consultant Reproductive Endocrinologist,

~Punch Nigeria. Wednesday, September 14, 2016.

Written by Oladapo Ashiru

Aloe vera is a succulent cactus plant species of the genus aloe, belonging to the family Liliaceae. It is widely known as "the Miracle plant" for its various medical, cosmetic and nutraceutical purposes. Aloe vera gel is a slick substance that is extracted from the interior of the aloe vera leaf, while latex refers to the yellow part which lies beneath the leaf skin. It grows in wild tropical climates around the world and it is cultivated for agricultural and medicinal use.

Aloe vera is a thick, short-stemmed plant that stores water in its leaves.

It is widely used in the cosmetic, pharmaceutical and food industries, and has an estimated annual market value of $13 billion globally .Aloe vera is well recognised by its thick, pointed and fleshy green leaves, which can grow to about 12-19 inches (30-50 cm) in length.

Each leaf is full of a slimy tissue that stores water, which makes the leaves thick. This slimy, water-filled tissue is the "gel" we associate with aloe vera products.

The gel contains most of the bioactive compounds in the plant, including vitamins, minerals, amino acids and antioxidants.

Bottom line: Aloe vera is a popular medicinal plant that is used in the cosmetic, pharmaceutical and food industries. Its leaves are full of a gel-like substance that contains numerous beneficial compounds.

Aloe vera is a good product for external use. If consumed orally over a long time, it has far-reaching medical consequences.

Benefits of external use of aloe vera

Applying aloe vera gel is considered safe. It has been employed for use on the skin because of its healing properties.

• It can be used on burns, skin abrasions, psoriasis and bug bites. Medical attention should be sought for severe burns, wounds, or frostbite. It can also be used in Human Papiloma Virus infection and for wound healing in people who are not allergic or sensitive to aloe.

Bearded woman makes it into Guinness Book of World Records

~Nigerian Tribune. Friday, September 9, 2016.

A beautiful bearded woman, Harnaam Kaur, stunned a global audience when when she was announced as world most bearded woman, thereby making in into the book of Guinness World Records for 2017.

Kaur, who is a body-image activist and runway model reacting to her award said: “I am super proud to hold this record, the inner child in me is so pleased. I grew up reading this book, I even tried breaking some of my own records wanting to be in this book,” Kaur, 24, wrote on Instagram Thursday. Rather than remove her facial hair — the result of a hormonal condition called polycystic ovarian syndrome, for which September happens to be awareness month — the British challenger of beauty norms has chosen to nurture her whiskers.

“It is amazing to be valued and celebrated being a Bearded Lady. I am proud to hold this amazing record,” she continued. “I hope those who read or see my record can take away positivity, inspiration and realise that no matter who you are or what you look like, you are officially amazing!”

Bearded-woman-site2

Yahoo News had reported that Kaur joins other beauty-themed record breakers this year, including Tyler Wright, who has what’s been deemed to be the largest afro (10 inches high and 9 inches wide); a group of 261 people in Milan who were recognized for the category Most People Wearing Their Hair in a Beehive; and Charlotte Guttenberg, 67, and her partner, Charles “Chuck” Helmke, both of Florida, for Most Tattooed Senior Citizens. Their bodies are covered with tats 91.5 percent and 93.75 percent, respectively.

Guinness has named Kaur the youngest female with a full beard. She began growing facial hair at age 11, and spent much of her adolescence dealing with shame, bullies, and efforts at hair removal. But at age 16, she made the decision to accept all of herself and embrace her beard.

Kaur’s confidence paid off, as last year she became the first woman to walk a major runway with a full beard, working the catwalk for jewelry designer Marianna Harutunian as part of Royal Fashion Day. Previously, she signed on to be a rep for model Tess Holliday’s social media campaign #EffYourBeautyStandards, spreading the love-yourself message to all.

The activist’s induction to Guinness has delighted Kaur’s many supporters. “I love that there was a record to break!” wrote one of her more than 61,000 Instagram followers. “Not because others have gone through the pain you have, but because it’s amazing to see ‘different’ celebrated and honoured. Congratulations!”

When your man needs 'outside' help'!

Written by Bunmi Sofola
~Vanguard Nigeria. Sunday, September 11, 2016.

With many of our men complaining of different types of 'accidents' in the bedroom, it is no surprise that the help of what is now termed a 'sexual surrogate' could come in handy. The average 'sexual surrogate' is not a prostitute but a trained psychotherapist who acts as a surrogate for men suffering from a variety of sexual problems which are hampering their ability to have a normal physical relationship.

Padma Deva is currently a highly successful surrogate based in the UK. She said she's never had a negative experience with a client, and far from feeling in any way degraded by her work, she finds it emotionally fulfilling.

According to her: "It is wonderful to witness the transformation my clients undergo, and knowing I have played a part in that is rewarding. During an initial consultation with a new client, I recommend a client sees their doctor to rule out physical causes for their sexual problems such as diabetes or high blood pressure."

If surrogacy is deemed appropriate, she asks her client to take a sexually transmitted disease test before hand. Only then can the surrogacy work begin. To start with, both client' and surrogate may remain fully clothed, focusing on exercises such as touching each other's hands, arms, shoulders and face. As the therapy advances, the client and the surrogate may build up to removing their clothes, engaging in genital contact and, if necessary and appropriate, full sexual intercourse.

Do women have erectile dysfunction?

Written by Funmi Akingbade

~Punch Nigeria. Friday, September 9, 2016.

Funmi Akingbade

There has been a lot of controversy over the subject of erectile dysfunction in women. Some groups of researchers say women do not have this type of complications. They argue that women do not have erection challenges; hence they could not possibly have issues with erectile dysfunction. But another group of sex and sexuality scholars believe that women actually undergo erectile dysfunction. They argue that the clitoris has same properties with the nerves of the penis. According to them, clitoris responds to sex like the penis.

While research suggests that sexual erectile dysfunction is more common in men, 43 per cent of women have reported some degree of this problem. I must say that it is actually a topic that many women are hesitant or embarrassed to discuss. Fortunately, most cases of erectile sexual dysfunction in women are traceable to ignorance, lack of desire, childhood sexual abuse, mind-set, hormonal problems, premenopausal issues, depression, medication, unhappy marital relationship and sicknesses. Female sexual dysfunction can also be as a result of a physical or psychological problem. These conditions include diabetes, heart disease, neurological diseases, hormonal imbalances, menopause, plus such chronic diseases as kidney disease or liver failure, and alcoholism or drug abuse. In addition, the side effects of certain medications, including some antidepressant drugs, can affect sexual desire and function. Psychological causes include work-related stress and anxiety, concern about sexual performance, marital or relationship problems, depression, feelings of guilt, or the effects of a past sexual trauma.

The most common problems related to erectile sexual dysfunction in women include inhibited sexual desire, which involves a lack of sexual desire or interest in sex. Of course, many factors can contribute to a lack of desire, including hormonal changes, medical conditions and treatments (for example, some menstrual pain drugs, cancer and chemotherapy), depression, pregnancy, stress, and fatigue. Ironically, even boredom with regular sexual routines may also contribute to a lack of enthusiasm for sex; lifestyle factors such as careers, the care for children and family life can also cause it. 

Detoxification: Simple ways to detoxify the body

Topics:

• Simple ways to detoxify the body
• How do you know you need to detoxify?

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Simple ways to detoxify the body
~Punch Nigeria. Wednesday, September 7, 2016. 


Detoxification is a necessary process to promote full body health; this is especially true if you are not the healthiest eater. The process removes harmful or toxic substances from your body, leading to better health and a great starting place for a new healthy lifestyle. If you experience any of the following, it is the likely time for a detox.

If you chronically feel stressed out, it may be a sign that your body needs a detox. Your body is trying to tell you something is wrong.
Detoxification helps to improve our overall health and vitality. It increase our energy levels, improves digestion, and reduces weight and the risk of many chronic disease.
Generally, detoxification leaves you renewed, rejuvenated, even as it can prolong your life.
Here are some simple ways you can reduce the amount of toxins in your system.


Wipe your feet
Your shoes can play a vital role in detoxifying your home. Pesticides and lead-contaminated dust, not to mention annoying pollen during allergy season, tend to settle on the ground and stick to footwear. Wiping your feet on an abrasive, high quality doormat before walking inside can keep toxins from invading your space. Better yet, make a habit of taking off your shoes at the door.

Food preparation
Food containing protein and carbohydrate are good, however do not boil or microwave them too much, overcooking may destroy the toxin-fighting compounds. When you eat boiled egg, the soft-boiled egg is better because when the egg is over boiled, it denatures the protein and therefore removes the nutritional value.

Eat properly
The way we eat can bring about toxins into the intestinal system. Most of the time, we swallow our food instead of chewing until it is in a semi-liquefied or paste form. This will lead to the stomach expelling semi-solid food into the intestines. These will create obstruction that causes fermentation and putrefaction. The result will be potbelly, intoxification, erectile dysfunction, bad breath, flatulence, infertility and more.

Nigerians are talented-Zuckerberg

Written by By Prince Osuagwu, Levinus Nwabughiogu and Geraldine Anunukem
~Vanguard Nigeria. Friday, September 2, 2016. 

• Meets Buhari, attends Aso Villa Demo Day

• Rich men don't dress like you in Nigeria-Buhari

• FG to partner Facebook

Facebook Founder, Mark Zuckerberg visits President Muhammadu Buhari
in Aso Villa on Friday, September 2, 2016.

Co-founder and the Chief Executive Officer of social networking website, Facebook, Mark Elliot Zuckerberg has said that Nigerians were highly gifted in the Information Communications Technologies, ICT.

He said this after meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The computer guru said he was impressed by the interest, energy and entrepreneurial spirit displayed by young Nigerians in all the ICT camps that he had visited in Lagos.

"I was highly impressed by the talent of the youths in the Co-creation Hub in Yaba. I was blown away by their talent and the level of energy that I saw," he said.

Recall that Zukerberg was in Nigeria earlier in the week but left Lagos for Kenya amidst speculations that there were no government officials to speak with him.

But on Friday, he returned to Nigeria and met with Buhari in a meeting also attended by numerous ministers including Adebayo Shittu, Ogbonnaya Onu, Okechukwu Enalemah and Lai

Mohammed who are respective Ministers of Communications, Science and Technology, Trade and Investments and Information and Culture.

The president commended Zukerberg for sharing his technological ideas with the Nigerian youths, saying such was mostly needed at the time.