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The protest, last week, by female Lagos based activist Jo Okei Odunmakin and her team against the imminence of government plans to build brand new offices for the first lady in Abuja were mostly ignored, and naturally so. If the first lady survived the curse of Aso Rock , who is anyone from Lagos to even suggest she is not to be handsomely rewarded for it.
Yet the fact, indeed, is that her handlers as well as the president’s, first ignored, then vehemently denied, suggestions last year that Mrs Jonathan could be feeling rather under the weather.
Nigeria has become a largely insensitive and uncaring nation, and this is definitely not good. Yet, this glaring lack of apathy appears to be the (natural) reaction to the propensity of the ruling class from whichever part of the country, to play politics with everything including their own health and physiological well being.
Hidden germs in the Home
Peju, a very busy bank executive, came back home late one day to find her 7 year old had a fever. She took the day off the next day to take him to the hospital where various tests were carried out including for malaria, typhoid and flu. They were all negative. Further tests showed he had Herpes, a disease generally thought to be venereal.
The truth is, The herpes virus can be picked up from a lot of places from a lot of people including the cleaning lady, your house guest or the electrician who worked on your water heater. Look out for the hidden germs in your home.
Pillows You change your pillowcases regularly but the pillows inside can harbor bacteria and germs as well. Make sure you add pillows to the major laundry schedule so you’re not sleeping on a bed of germs — literally. Check the care label to see how to wash the pillows in the washing machine without damaging them. You can also run them through the rinse cycle two or three times for a more thorough clean.
Refrigerator Handle – Since nobody ever cleans fridge handles the bacteria stays and has a lot of time to multiple and grow. The same goes for all those things you never think of cleaning but harbour germs-light switches, toilet flushers, remotes etc.
Kitchen Sponge – The crevices in sponges make it difficult to disinfect and users are generally just transferring bacteria from one place to another. An easy remedy is to microwave the sponge for approximate 60 seconds, and it will improve odor too!
Toothbrush.
Although we brush our teeth every day to keep our mouths clean, the tooth brush we are using to kill bacteria might actually be full of bacteria! Bacteria that naturally exists in our mouths inevitably ends up on your toothbrush. That bacteria combines with particles of food that get trapped in the bristles, and results in quite a health hazard. Studies have also found that flushing a toilet sprays millions of tiny bacteria (such as salmonella and E. coli) into the air. Some of these can land on your toothbrush!
Sanitize your toothbrush weekly. To eliminate bacteria, mix a disinfectant solution of 50 percent water and 50 percent hydrogen peroxide. Stir these two ingredients together with your brush and then let the brush sit in the mixture, bristle side down, for a few minutes. This should be enough to kill any bacteria on the brush. A higher-tech, more expensive option is to purchase a toothbrush sanitizer. These gadgets use ultra violet light and are able to kill 99 percent of bacteria.
Your chopping board
There are studies that say there are 200 times more fecal bacteria than on your toilet seat. Don’t ask me how they got there- just clean it.
Chances are you invest lots of time and chemical on cleaning your toilet, but not so much so your chopping board, blenders and things you use once in a while.
Tips:-
Give your house a once-over with an antiseptic at least once a week- door handles, remotes, light switches, computer keyboards and so forth
Dispose of disposables. Sponges, make up and dishcloths harbour more bacteria than the surfaces you are putting them on. Fortunately they are disposable.
Have two footmats- one at the front door and one before you enter into the house. The germs in your house are not as likely to make you sick as the ones on your shoes.
Change mattresses, pillows and throw pillows once in a while. Air them once a month.
Foremost health concerns for women today
Fatigue/Stress
Gone are the days when women took it easy. Today’s women give as good as they get on the work arena, with dire consequences. Cortisol, a body chemical, surges during critical times of acute angst. The problem begins when stress becomes a steady state of being.
After your cortisol rises, it’s supposed to come right back down and not stay elevated. When you’re stressed for a long time, your body’s stores of cortisol become too low and you don’t have enough for your body to run at its optimal level. What’s more, once cortisol stays elevated for longer than 24 hours, certain nutrients (such as B vitamins) get depleted, and cholesterol, blood pressure, and blood sugar levels can skyrocket. Coursing cortisol can also trigger free radicals that could eventually damage neurons, affecting your short-and long-term memory and your ability to think clearly.
Osteoporosis
This is common to women who are older but it starts when a woman is still young. If the calcium absorption of a woman is low when she is still young, this may lead to osteoporosis when she is older. For the benefit of those who are not familiar with osteoporosis, it is medical condition where the bones of older people become brittle. It usually happens because of low calcium concentration in the bones which can be caused by very low calcium intake.
Younger women should make sure to exercise frequently to increase bone mass while they still can. Calcium supplements must also be taken to reach the recommended daily requirement for calcium.
Menopause complications
For middle aged and aging women, there may be a need to go to the doctor frequently because of menopause related concerns. Hormonal imbalance because of menopause can be very dangerous especially if you are unaware that it is happening. These conditions can vary from high blood pressure to inconsistent menstrual flow. If you are in the menopausal stage, you must be conscious of the things going on in your body.
Iron deficiency anaemia
Other than calcium, a woman must also be wary of her iron intake. Because of a woman’s monthly, visits, the level of calcium in her blood is decreased by the blood lost. To compensate for the loss of this valuable RBC component, a woman must take iron supplements daily.
Cancers common to women
The common cancers for women are ovarian and breast cancer. There is a vaccine for the former but for breast cancer, only early detection can prevent it from becoming worse. Sometimes breast cancer can be difficult to detect if the woman has undergone implant surgeries, which are becoming more and more common.
Lung cancer has also been on the rise, with more women smoking and hanging out in smoke filled clubs and bars more often. More sexual activity has given rise to higher incidents of cervical cancer, which thankfully is more identifiable with free tests everywhere.
Dress the Derrière … The classy way
For sure we have some devastating derrieres in Nollywood. From the legendary one of Omotola Jalade Ekeinde to the alluring Mercy Johnson, Nollywood is a reflection of the blessing our maker have bestowed upon us as African women.
But alas, dressing in iro and buba is no longer in vogue, and beyond the very sexy, we seem not to be able to dress our shape. Get some tips:-
Go for clean, tailored lines on the bottom.
Whatever you wear on the bottom should always be more tailored, such as flat front pants. With skirts, the A-line or flared skirt is a great piece to use as a base to accentuate a beautiful selection of tops. Stay away from pleats, side pockets, or anything that is going to add dimension to this area.
If you wear a belt, make sure it’s slim and the same color as your pants (a wide belt draws more attention to the area you’re trying to deemphasize). If you belt a dress, make sure the belt sits higher up at your waistline rather than your hips.
Wear pants or jeans that have a flare on the bottom.
A flared leg draws the eye away from your hips and creates a more flattering line for your whole body. Conversely, stay away from capri or tapered pants. They drive the eye right to the hips.
Check out tunic tops or dresses.
You can wear a tunic top or dress as long as it fits properly. (Don’t wear a tunic top or dress if it’s in any way clinging to your belly or your hips.) One that fits properly gives a clean, elongating line while camouflaging everything underneath. The great thing about this style is that it accentuates your arms and your whole upper body and makes you appear taller and leaner at the same time.
Make use of jackets.
Jackets are great for pear-shaped people because they usually have interesting details around the neckline and give more structure to the shoulder area, where you’re trying to direct the focus. When wearing a jacket, choose one that ends past your hips, not at them. A longer jacket, such as a cute blazer, creates a long, lean line and covers the hip area.
Experiment with different necklines.
A deeper, more plunging neckline elongates your upper body and draws all the attention upward. Try wearing a long necklace to fill in the neckline, which also adds to the lengthening of your upper body.
Show off your shoulders.
You want to show them off by wearing off-the-shoulder tops that expose one or both shoulders. These tops immediately attract attention and steer the eye exactly where you want it. Ruffles or puffy sleeves on your top are also great for pears.
. Try a fun scarf around your neck, a fabulous necklace, or a great pair of earrings. These items all serve to draw the eye up to your best feature — your face!
.Choose materials that hold their form like wool slacks or denim. They flatter and streamline your shape. Avoid any tight knits on the bottom because they cling and accentuate your width.
Goldie: Controversial in life and beyond
If government has to account to us for every single step they take, celebs certainly do not. Late Diva Goldie did not see why her marital status was the business of anyone, so she never told but clearly, there are parties who think they can profit from her demise.
There is a very fine line between being ambitious and being manipulative, particularly for the African woman for whom being able to manipulate is seen in positive light; as a kind of virtue, and Goldie towed this line with admirable balance. It is difficult to understand, however, the desperation of her said English husband to prove they were still married at the time of her demise, while a current lover claims they were going to get married this year.
As though this were not flustering enough, another party jumps into the murky pond, claiming Goldie, her best friend, eloped with the former’s husband, the Englishman, who produced pictures of himself holidaying with Goldie last December.
Goldie was the role model to millions of girls, and it’s important that they continue to think of her as a worthy one.
