How to Prevent Food Poisoning

Food poisoning is a common problem, but it’s also one that can often be prevented.

Many cases are mild and you get better without treatment. But some cases may be so severe that you need to go to a hospital for treatment. To avoid getting a food-borne illness in the first place, there are some general guidelines to follow. Food-borne illness is a type of illness caused by consuming contaminated foods and drinks. There are quite a number of harmful microorganisms that can contaminate food or drinks. Besides bacteria, viruses and parasites, chemicals and natural toxins can also contaminate foods making them poisonous. Also, when certain foods are not properly cooked, they can also be poisonous.

Symptoms of food-borne illness vary depending on the cause, but generally, symptoms often include:

Nausea

Vomiting

Loss of appetite

Dark urine

Body aches and weakness

Abdominal cramps

Fever

Blurred vision and double vision

Diarrhoea (may be watery or bloody)

Food-borne illness is common; about 76 million cases are reported every year, resulting in thousands of deaths, yet the illness is highly preventable. Anyone can be affected by this illness, but very young children, the elderly and persons with weakened immune system are particularly susceptible.

Some of the foods mostly associated with food-borne illness include:

Cheese

Raw eggs

Raw or under-cooked seafood

Raw and under-cooked meat and poultry

Unpasteurised milk

Fruits and vegetables

Contaminated water

To protect yourself and your loved ones from this illness, here are some of the things you should do:

Wash fruits and vegetables properly before eating them. Do not buy fruits and vegetables from vendors and eat them directly; always wash them thoroughly with water before eating them.

Make sure beef, poultry and other meats are properly cooked before eating

Store leftover foods properly and ensure that they are reheated properly before you eat them.

Avoid eating cold foods; as much as you can, eat your foods when they are still hot.

Maintain a good personal hygiene

Prevent food cross-contamination. Keep raw foods away from cooked foods.

The first rule of safe cooking is to wash your hands frequently. But there are plenty of other things to clean.

Wash cutting boards and knives with antibacterial soap and warm to hot water after handling raw meat, poultry, seafood, or eggs. Wooden cutting boards are not recommended, because they can be harder to clean.

By: Pupwaya Timothy Dibal 

Who Lied to Us about Coconut Oil?

Coconut oil has been known to be used for everything.  I have read about it being used to fry foods, as salad dressing, for hair softening, as facial moisturizer, as foot moisturizer, as makeup remover, and just about anything else related to health and beauty you can think of.  It has been called a life-saver, a virtual miracle, the mother ship of the kitchen and bathroom, a cure-all, the darling of the natural-world and much more exotic names. There are articles on social media and the web that claim that coconut and its many by-products can help with weight loss, improve metabolism, lower cholesterol and even improve brain health! Great coconut oil! Right? Well, the American Heart Association (AHA) says “Not right!” According to a very recent report published by the AHA, (as recent as June 2017) coconut oil is not as good or healthy as every one of us seem to think it is. A survey conducted by The New York Times revealed that 72% of the public believe coconut oil is healthy compared to 37% of nutritionists who think otherwise. Well, ‘coconut oil devotees’ have called the AHA report a conspiracy and gang-up against the cherished coconut oil and some have even published articles to support their counter claims. But the AHA maintains its stand on the issue and has debunked all weight loss and brain health claims related to the coconut. Dr. Frank Sacks, a professor of cardiovascular disease prevention in the department of nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health said this: “People are quick to believe trends that aren’t supported by science. A prime example is coconut oil, widely touted for it health benefits. I just don’t know who is pushing it, but it’s not scientists. It may be driven by manufacturers looking to profit, or some countries’ economic dependence on coconut oil”. So, the big question is, “Who is right and who is wrong; is coconut oil healthy or not?” As a personal user of coconut oil (I use it for my hair and skin), I am personally interested in the answer to this particular question, and I think a lot of people are too. So, I have taken the time to filter fact from myth on the coconut oil controversy, and here’s what I now know for sure:

First, the AHA report – titled ‘Dietary Fats and Cardiovascular disease: A Presidential Advisory from the American Heart Association’ – as the name suggests, is basically a statement on foods that cause heart diseases, and coconut oil was only mentioned in a small part. Still, there were some very ‘hurtful’ things said about our beloved coconut oil in the report, including that, when ingested, coconut oil is as bad as butter and beef; foods we’ve all been advised to stay away from as they contain vastly unhealthy levels of bad cholesterol. Also, the report mentioned nothing about rubbing it on the skin or hair or for other external uses; the health risks mentioned are in relation to ingested coconut oil. Sure, there are plenty of articles on the internet that say coconut oil is bad for your skin too, and their reason is that it clogs the pores and causes acne. But there are more convincing articles that say not to fret, and with good reason too. According to this article from marieclair.co.uk, the ‘clogs-pores’ claimers are not entirely wrong about coconut oil resulting in clogged skin pores. But that doesn’t mean that coconut oil is expressly bad for the skin. It just means that you should be aware of your skin type before going ahead to slather yourself head to toe in coconut oil. Those with skin types prone to acne and other blemishes would do well to stay clear from coconut oil, but may still be able to use it on their hair; again, it all depends on your hair type.

Finally, based on my research, I hold with those that say the trend of ingesting coconut oil to maintain good health is a myth. It is safer to keep coconut oil away from your food, and if you must eat it, treat it as a treat – in small amounts and on rare occasions. Also, as is the case with other beauty products, be aware of your skin type and hair type before applying coconut oil to your skin or hair.

By Akaomachi B.

42-Year-Old Man Caught Having Sex with Goat in Katsina

A 42-year-old man, Babangida Garuba has been arrested in Katsina for having sex with a goat.

The father of six, a Goldsmith at the Kasuan Mata area in Funtua, was reportedly caught in the act by his wife.

She was said to have raised the alarm that attracted residents who eventually handed him over to the police.

Garuba was among other suspects paraded at the headquarters of Katsina State police command on Thursday the 22^nd of June, 2017 for various offences.

He confessed it was the second time he engaged in such act.

Garuba said in Hausa, “Yes, it’s true, I had an affair with a goat. My wife caught me while doing it and she shouted. It would be the second time I would do it, but I don’t know why I did it; I have six children while my wife is still pregnant.”

The state Police Commissioner, Aliyu Abdullahi, confirmed the incident, adding that Garuba would soon appear in court.

Source: Ynaija

Top Kannywood Actors to Storm Ghana For Sallah

Top Kannywood actor, Zaharaddeen Sani, and actresses Halima Ateteh and Jamila Nagudu head to Ghana for Sallah Celebrations.

The actors, according to Zaharaddeen Sani, are going to honour the invitation of some of their fans in Ghana who requested that they come and entertain them during the Sallah break.

Ghanaians are big fans of Kannywood films. According to report from Premium Times, Sani who spoke to a reporter said they will leave Nigeria for Ghana today Friday the 23^rd of June, 2017.  

“The three of us are going to be performing in different concerts in Ghana during the Sallah celebrations. This is also the only way to tell our millions of followers in Ghana that we are together and have them in everything we do over here in Nigeria.”

Source: Premium Times 

Eid El-Fitr Celebration: Muslims to look for new moon Saturday

The Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad Abubakar, has urged the Muslim Ummah in the country to look for the new Moon of Shawwal on Saturday, June 24.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the Sultan made the call in a statement signed by the Chairman, Advisory Committee on Religious Affairs, Sultanate Council, Sokoto, Sambo Wali on Thursday the 22^nd June, 2017.

According to reports from Premium Times and NAN, the statement stated“This is to inform the Muslim Ummah that Saturday, June 24, which is equivalent to 29th day of Ramadan,1438 AH, shall be the day to look for the new Moon of Shawwal, 1438 AH.

“Muslims are therefore requested to start looking for the new moon of Shawwal, 1438 AH, Saturday.

“They should report its sighting to the nearest District of Village Head, for onward communication to the Sultan,” he said.

The sultan further urged the Muslim Ummah to report the sighting of the new moon to the sultanate council on the following numbers:

0803-715-7100, 0706-741-6900, 0806-630-3077, 0806-548-0405, 0803-595-7392, 0803-596-5322 and 0803-614-9767.

Source: Premium Times and (NAN)

50-year-old man allegedly raped 15 months old girl in Bayelsa.

A 50 years old man, identified as Oku Ekanem has been accused by his lover Blessing Joshua, a 40-year-old woman residing in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa state capital, of raping her 15 months old daughter, simply identified as Oku, at the Swali area of the city in Yenagoa on Monday.

According to report, Blessing narrated her trauma to the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) Wednesday. “It happened on Monday at about 1am. I was watching television with my neighbour till late and retired to bed at about 1am. It was not quite long, I heard the scream of my child and l ran to the direction of the scream. But l was shocked when I saw him defiling my child. 

He claimed it was the work of the devil and I told him that this would be last time, the devil would use him and that I would take the matter seriously. He pleaded and barricaded the door to prevent me from calling neighbours. But I tricked him and ran outside with my child to call police patrol team at our junction. He was arrested but he denied the act. But a test carried out at the hospital showed otherwise.”

What Is Preeclampsia?

Preeclampsia is a condition that pregnant women develop. It is marked by high blood pressure in women who have previously not experienced high blood pressure. Preeclamptic women will have a high level of protein in their urine and often also have swelling in the feet, legs, and hands. This condition usually appears late in pregnancy, generally after 20 weeks of pregnancy, although it can occur earlier.

If undiagnosed, preeclampsia can lead to eclampsia, a serious condition that can put mother and baby at risk, and in rare cases, cause death. Women with preeclampsia who have seizures are considered to have eclampsia. There is no way to cure preeclampsia, and that can be a scary prospect for moms-to-be. But you can help protect yourself by learning the symptoms of preeclampsia and by seeing your doctor for regular prenatal care. When preeclampsia is caught early, it is easier to manage.

Preeclampsia can prevent the placenta from receiving enough blood, which can cause your baby to be born very small. It is also one of the leading causes of premature births, and the complications that can follow, including learning disabilities, epileps, cerebral palsy, hearing and vision problems.

In moms-to-be, preeclampsia can cause rare, but serious complications that include; Stroke, seizure, water in the lungs, heart failure, reversible blindness, bleeding from the liver, and bleeding after putting to birth. Preeclampsia can also cause the placenta to suddenly separate from the uterus, which is called placental abruption. This can cause stillbirth.

Some researchers suspect poor nutrition or high body fat are the possible causes, and insufficient blood  flow to the uterus could be associated with it. Genetics plays a role, as well.

Preeclampsia is most often seen in first-time pregnancies, in pregnant teens, and in women over 40 years of age. While it is defined as occurring in women who have never had high blood pressure before, other risk factors include; a history of high blood pressure prior to pregnancy, having a mother or sister who had preeclampsia, carrying more than one baby, history of obesity, history of diabetes, kidney disease, lupus or rheumatoid arthritis.  

Risk factors associated with preeclampsia include:

First pregnancies: The chances of preeclampsia during a first pregnancy are considerably higher than the subsequent ones.

Pregnancy gap: If the second pregnancy occurs at least 10 years after the first, the second pregnancy has an increased risk of preeclampsia.

New paternity: Each pregnancy with a new partner raises the risk of preeclampsia, when compared with a second or third pregnancy with the same partner.

Family history: A woman whose mother or sister had preeclampsia has a higher risk of developing it herself.

Personal history of preeclampsia: A woman who had preeclampsia in her first pregnancy has a much greater risk of having the same condition in her subsequent pregnancies.

Age: Women over 40 and teenagers are more likely to develop preeclampsia compared with women of other ages.

Certain conditions and illnesses: Women with diabetes, high blood pressure, migraines, and kidney disease are more likely to develop preeclampsia.

Obesity: Preeclampsia rates are much higher among obese women.

Multiple pregnancies: If a woman is expecting two or more babies, the risk is higher.

In addition to swelling, protein in the urine, and high blood pressure, preclampsia symptoms can include: rapid weight gain caused by a significant increase in bodily fluid, abdominal pain, severe headaches, change in reflexes, reduced urine or no urine output, dizziness, excessive nausea and vision change.

You should seek care right away if you have;

• Sudden and new swelling in your face, hands, and eyes (some feet and ankle swelling is normal during pregnancy.)
• Blood pressure greater than 140/90.
• Sudden weight gain over 1 or 2 days
• Abdominal pain, especially in the upper right side
• Severe headaches
• A decrease in urine
• Blurry vision, flashing lights, and floaters.  

You can also have preeclampsia and not have any symptoms. That is why it is so important to see your doctor for regular blood pressure checks and urine tests when you are pregnant.

The only cure for preeclampsia is to deliver your baby. Your doctor will talk with you about when to deliver based on how developed your baby is, how well your baby is doing in your womb, and the severity of your preeclampsia. If your baby has developed enough, usually by 37 weeks or later, your doctor may want to induce labour or perform a cesarean section. This will keep preeclampsia from getting worse. If your baby is not close to term, you and your doctor may be able to treat preeclampsia until your baby has developed enough to be safely delivered. The closer the birth is to your due date, the better for your baby. If you have mild preeclampsia, also known as preeclampsia, with or without severe features, your doctor may prescribe bed rest, either at home or in the hospital.  You will be asked to rest mostly on your left side. Resting helps bring the blood pressure down, which in turn increases the flow of blood to the placenta which benefits the baby. There would be careful observation with a fetal heart rate monitor and frequent ultrasounds, plus medicines to lower your blood pressure, and blood and urine tests.

For a diagnosis of preeclampsia to be made, both of the following test must come out positive:

Hypertension: The woman's blood pressure is too high. A blood pressure reading above 140/90 millimeters of mercury is abnormal in pregnancy.

Protein in urine: Protein is detected in the urine. Urine samples are collected over 12 hours or more, and the amount of protein is assessed. This can give an indication of the severity of the condition.

The doctor may also order further diagnostic tests which may include;

Blood Test: To see how well the kidneys and the liver are functioning and whether the blood is clotting properly.

Fetal Ultrasound: The baby's progress will be closely monitored to make sure they are growing properly.

Non-Stress Test: The doctor checks how the baby's heartbeat reacts when it moves. If the heartbeat increases 15 beats or more a minute for at least 15 seconds twice every 20 minutes, it is an indication that everything is normal.

The symptoms of preeclampsia should go away within a few weeks of delivery.

By: Mercy Kukah 

The Entrepreneur and Stress

Every entrepreneur knows it’s no small feat to successfully build and manage a business. Whether it is a multi-billion naira conglomerate with years of accumulated contacts and clientele, or it is a small start-up company with the head office space doubling as your living room, running a business takes determination and diligence. Many times, this means you have to experience more stress than you would working a typical job. As an entrepreneur, you are a leader. You are not only chasing your dream, but also convincing other people to chase it with you. And in the midst of all the dream chasing and deal brokering, you may sometimes forget to take a moment to breathe and relax, or you may feel that lying down to relax for a few hours is a waste of valuable time. Many business owners have, at some point, felt that they needed to push the limits; they ignore personal well-being in favour of serving the seemingly endless needs of the business. Well, it turns out you could actually be doing your business more harm than good with all your “hard-work”. According to some expert opinion on Entrepreneur.com, if you’re aspiring to be a great entrepreneur, you have to learn one thing first: how to relax. And here is why:

1. Stress affects more than just your happiness. If you’re frequently under stress, your appearance changes, your sleep becomes increasingly disordered, which will in turn lead to hostile behaviour, even to those you should care most about – your workers and clients. As an entrepreneur, it is critical that you maintain control of yourself at all times, no matter what happens; keep it together. You may come across a potential investor who crudely critiques your business; a co-founder who disagrees with you on important decisions you have made; or a machine that just wouldn’t work. But through all this, the worst thing you could possibly do is lash out at the person, or the tool that is frustrating you. If you continue with a high level of stress, you’ll wear away at your self-control and ability to maintain emotional stability. At some point, you’ll fly off the handle, spewing out waterworks, or breathing fire at the worst possible moment.

2. If you’re stressed out enough, or for long periods of time, you will start to have diminished mental capacities; simply put, you’ll become incompetent, though you’re unlikely to notice this until it’s too late. While a jolt of adrenaline can make your mind race and accomplish things faster, long-term stress actually hurts your brain. This means that while you think you’re working faster, you’re likely forgetting important points and are speeding towards a poor decision the longer you stay fatigued. If this doesn’t bother you as much as it should, consider this: according to an article on huffingtonpost.com, these effects could be permanent, as they actually make your brain age faster.

3. Enough stress will make your body desperate for a way to relieve it. According to This article on Reader’s Digest, if you are stressed out for long enough, your body will actually suppress your immune system, which means you’ll not only be more likely to get sick, but it will take you a longer time to fight it off.  So being “too busy” to make time for yourself will cause your body to break down.

Finally, nobody expects being an entrepreneur to be a relaxing experience. It is a tough road and more so, because sometimes you have to navigate it all by yourself. However, this does not mean that you should torture yourself in the name of being ambitious or dedicated. Find the time to take a breather and reduce your stress. And when you’ve had a particularly hectic week or month, make a conscious effort to recover. Success in business is a long-term project, and you can’t hope to make it if you keep stressing yourself too much.

By: Akaomachi B.

Beauty Trend: Eyebrow Wigs!

So, I was doing a research on makeup innovations in recent times and I came across many different new and amazing beauty innovations promising to change your life (or at least your looks) for the better: From Do-it-Yourself Laser hair removal tools with 5 different settings for different skin tones, to hair dryers that emit less heat (thereby causing less damage to the hair), but also dry faster and moisturize your hair, all at once! There is plenty of alluring new beauty products out there; one can evidently see that beauty product manufacturers have "put on their thinking caps" and are working tirelessly to make our morning makeup routines less strenuous. 

But in all the fascinating (and they really are fascinating!) beauty innovations I found, none is as interesting as the Eyebrow Wigs! Yep – there are wigs for your brows now, and they are simply genius. What is more impressive about the pair of wigs is that, not only do they provide an alternative to having to fill in, pluck or draw your brow arches every morning, more importantly, people experiencing hair loss from chemotherapy or alopecia can use them. In fact, the wigs are said to have originally been made for those with hair loss problems before it was ‘hijacked’ by the beauty world and became a trend.  The faux brows are made from real human hair, and provide a way to recreate the eyebrows without committing to the much more permanent option of micro-blading (a form of tattoo artistry where pigment is implanted under your skin with a manual handheld tool). So, if you never really got the hang of on how to draw those picture-perfect brow arches, or you have sparse, thin brow hair caused by over plucking or waxing, or you just can’t be bothered with attending to your brows every morning, these wigs can help you achieve the brows you dream of, with very little effort.

The brows have a flexible base made of transparent lace. An adhesive attaches them to the skin, and they stay on for about a week! Just remove your makeup, apply eyelash glue to your brow bone area and stick them to your face. There! Eyebrow dream come true! The lace-style sticker is invisible and the brows look like perfectly sculpted brows; as long as you apply them correctly. They also come in different shapes, colours and sizes! Amazing, right? I know! But there are those who do not think so. Judging by the reactions on social media, a good number of people are having a hard time accepting eyebrow wigs as a worthwhile beauty trend. While some are fixated on the idea of having detachable brows, others are questioning the rightness of having a healthy person put on the wigs for beauty purposes, when they were originally made for people who suffer from illnesses that result in hair loss. And then, there are those who are just not open to the idea for reasons known only to them. But there are still a good number of people who think that this innovation is a brilliant beauty accessory. Whether the wigs take off as the newest beauty “must-have” remains to be seen, but the brilliance of them is definitely undeniable.

By: Akaomachi B.