Conflicting stories about the benefits and dangers of alcohol appear in the newspapers so frequently; it is no wonder people feel confused about the issue. The simple answer is that alcohol can be good and bad; it’s all a question of how much you imbibe. It comes down to that old adage a little of what you fancy does you good. One to two units of alcohol a day may help protect the heart possibly by raising levels of the good cholesterol, known as HDL. Large amounts of alcohol increase the risk of stroke, weight gain and diabetes and can trigger abnormal heart rhythms. Don’t forget, the average glass of wine at about 125mls, is about one and half units and a large glass is two units. A bottle of wine with 9% alcohol by volume contains about seven to seven and half units and an 11 percent bottle between eight and nine units.
Sweating is controlled by the parasympathetic nervous system, and happens in response to a need or cooling and also as a side effect of excitement.
The cooling effect is important. In hot climates a person would die if he did not sweat adequately. Sweating is triggered by a ‘thermostat centre in the brain. Interestingly, the sweating increases the longer a person is in hot conditions, rather than the reverse (most of us would expect a person in such conditions to sweat less as he got used to them).
On his first day in hot conditions a person will sweat about one and a half litres of fluid an hour, and after 10 days or so, this will double. By the end of six weeks he will be sweating at the rate of about three and a half litres an hour. But, one important point, the sweat will become progressively less salty. This is an important protective point, because a person who has lost a lot of salt via sweat can fell very ill indeed (this is why the diets in most hot countries tend to be salty anchovies and olives, for example).
People who have always lived in a temperate climate will have many of their sweat glands inactive, but people who live in the tropics tend to be much more efficient sweaters because all their glands operate fully.
The sweating of nervousness or excitement is due to the action of the parasympathetic nervous system, operating via a substance called acetylcholine which is similar to adrenalin. Control of anxiety by tranquillizers will reduce this sort of sweating, which is often very tiresome.
If sweating in some areas notably the armpits becomes a severe embarrassment, interruption of the sympathetic nerves which supply the area may give permanent relief.
A lot of people shudder when they hear the word fat. However there are some fats that the body needs for optimum functioning. They are named essential fatty acids (EFAs). EFAs are basically required by all living cells in the body to function properly. Therefore a lack of these can lead to many of the ailments associated with today’s living, for instance dry skin, joint pains, brittle hair, weak nails, heart disease and even cancer. Indicators show that over the years our eating habits have changed dramatically, leaving many people now lacking in these vital nutrients and furthermore, modern foods processing leaves many foods deficient in these oils. So, if you want to eat your way to good health, your diet has to be improved to include these essential fatty acids. The good sources for these oils are oily fish like mackerel, sardine, salmon etc. Other sources are walnuts and some other nuts, rapeseed oil amongst others. These are the essential fats.
Saturated fats are solid at room temperature and are found in animal fats, such as meat and cheese. Too much can lead to high cholesterol levels, which has been lucked with heart disease. These are the bad fats.
Monounsaturatedfats help to increase levels of good cholesterol in the body by removing bad cholesterol from the blood. Find them in nuts, peanut butter, avocado and olive oil.
Polyunsaturatedfats are found in plant and fish and are usually liquid at room temperature unlike saturated fats they can’t be made in the body so we need to include them in our diet. These are the good fats.
They combine with oxygen and form free radicals that damage tissues and can put you at a higher risk for coronary heart disease and cancer, but some of these fats are necessary.
Omega3s as are particularly important for reducing blood dotting and are found in polyunsaturated fats. When combined with a low intake of saturated fats they can actually help to decrease your risk of developing coronary heart disease, and can be found in oily fish.
Omega 6s are found primarily in vegetable oils, like sunflower seeds, sesame and safflower seed oil. These oils (like omega 3s) have the ability to regulate the delicate balance of lipoproteins and can reduce bad cholesterol and increase the good.
We now know the typical sequence of anger starts with a ‘trigger’ usually a situation or a statement made by another person. Then comes a series of thoughts (perhaps, “what did I ever do to him?” or “why is he doing this to me?”) followed by a belief about those thoughts (“This is so unfair”) and finally the feeling of hurt and betrayal that accompanies those beliefs.
After all the thinking or ‘self-talk’ as therapists call it- comes the behaviour, either over actions like shouting, blowing up, hitting or breaking objects, or inward actions like sulking and brooding.
Workplace studies have shown that in many cases anger is in fact a secondary emotion. It is triggered by some other unpleasant feeling which comes first, but is hard to identify because the anger arises so quickly.
Consultants have found that the most common of these triggers are hurt, fear, powerlessness, a sense of betrayal, jealousy and frustration.
If you’re considering putting an exercise program together, it’s perfectly normal to have a lot of questions swimming around in your head. What’s the best activity to participate in? How do I get the most out of exercising? How long should exercise?
Often, the hardest part of getting into shape is taking the first step. Here are some simple steps to help you begin your Journey.
Think F.I.T.
To make physical improvements, you need to work your body harder than usual. This is referred to as the overload principle. As your body becomes more conditioned, you need to increase the frequency, intensity, or time of your workouts in order to continue improving your fitness level.
Frequency: How often you exercise. For beginners, consider starting with 2-3 sessions per week.
Intensity: How hard you exercise. For example, the pace you walk or run, the amount of weight you lift, or your heart rate count.
Time: How long you perform an activity. ‘Time” can also refer to the number of sets or repetitions you perform in weight training.
Celebrate the present and accept that change is normal part of life. Be happy and thank God for what you have.
Let God take care of all your problems, and lift the burden off your heart
Volunteer your time in service to others, especially those in need, the poor and the sick.
Understand that you cannot control your family members. Spend quality time with your family during holidays such as Christmas, New Year, Sala etc.
Eat and drink healthfully. Too much alcohol or the wrong kind of food can lead to nutritional imbalance leading to decreased energy and more stress.
To relieve financial stress know your spending limit and stick to it.
Try to find and enjoy free activities, example, join the church carol or a friend’s dinner/birthday party. You don’t have to spend money or stress out to have fun.
N/B: Treat and pamper yourself in a special way
N/B: Celebrate the present
Spend time with people who care about you and your well-being.
Form the habit of helping your friends when they are in trouble financially or otherwise.
Contact someone with whom you have lost touch. Rekindle that friendship and make it a priority to speak with someone you have missed lately.
Failure and success are two sides of the coin – the will to try
If at first you don’t succeed try, try again. If you are a true entrepreneur you should not know the meaning of the word “Failure”. Real entrepreneurs look at failure as just another obstacle in their path to success. In fact, many people believe that you must fail’ before you can truly achieve monumental success.
A great example is Thomas Edison the great inventor of electric bulb. Thomas tried and failed more than one thousand times before his invention. Henry Ford encountered several failures as a great automobile genius of our time. Albert Einstein failed over one million times in his laboratory experiments.
It is difficult for most of us to be active enough these days. In earlier generations, physical exercise was a part of normal everyday life.
Now for many of us it is all too easy to jump in a car rather than walk or we simply seem to be just too busy to exercise.
Health experts advise that regular exercise such as brisk walk or some sort of mild indoor activities can improve our health and keep the Doctor away.
So what are the benefits of being more active?
More energy
More stamina
More happiness
A lower risk of heart disease, diabetes and stroke
Reduced risk of cancer of the bowel
Greater self confidence
Relief from stress and depression
A better shape and appearance
Stronger muscles
A lower risk of osteoporosis (thinning of bones)
Lower blood pressure
A higher level of the ‘good cholesterol’ (HDL Cholesterol)
In fact, moderate exercise such as tennis, dancing, squash, golf or a brisk walk for 30 minutes, five days a week, can reduce your chances of developing coronary heart disease.
If you are unlucky enough to have a heart attack, if you have kept yourself fit you are twice as likely to survive. Look after your health now to enjoy life longer.
Are you dehydrated? So how much is enough? About six to eight glasses of water a day, according to the the British Dietetic Association and more in hot weather or after exercise. Less than that and you can become dehydrated, a condition that can lead to dizziness, fatigue, headaches and constipation. Dehydration can also affect the ability to concentrate: remember the brain is about 78% water, after all.
People who have adequate intake of water say they feel fresher and have fewer headaches.
The symptoms of dehydration can be hard to spot, but the most common signs include:
