Eating Foods That Contains Antioxidant
Antioxidants are substances that scavenge free radicals produced by cells as the body processes food and as a reaction to environmental pressure and changes.
Free radicals are unstable molecules. They are potentially harmful. When they accumulate, they may cause oxidative stress which damages important cell structures and may lead to chronic diseases.
Antioxidants are produced by the body and can also be found in food.
Antioxidants produced by the body are called endogenous antioxidants. Those found outside the body, in food are called exogenous antioxidants.
Examples of antioxidants include lycopene, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, Manganese, beta- carotene. There are many others and each performs a different function, that is why we keep screaming ‘eat a balanced diet’.
There are several food sources of antioxidants, Some of these can be destroyed while cooking, cooking also makes some others readily available for the body to utilize. An example is tomatoes which contain lycopene, cooking makes the antioxidant, lycopene available for the body to use.
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Raspberries, grapes, purple cabbage, strawberries are excellent sources of antioxidants. We will take you on the journey of the antioxidants rich food you can always have access to, they are affordable and nutritious as well.
Vegetables: vegetables contain vitamin C, vitamin E, Beta- Carotene.
Beans: Kidney beans and black beans are rich in antioxidants. They have impressive health benefits.
Tumeric: Tumeric is a spice which is a good source of flavonoids and ascorbic acids. These are other types of antioxidants. Use tumeric, ginger, cinnamon to spice up and colour your food. Onions are also rich in flavonoids.
Fruits: Most fruits contain vitamin C. Pumpkins, carrots, mangoes are rich in Beta-carotene. We understand that eating certain fruits in Nigeria is seasonal. When it is not in season, it is imported and expensive. Do well to eat whatever fruit is available.
Nuts: Nuts are rich in vitamin E, zinc, manganese and copper.
The best sources of antioxidants are plant-based foods.
Women and Weeds Smoking
Weed is just a street term for Marijuana, also called cannabis which is derived from the leave, bud, stems and flower of the plant, Cannabis sativa. Cannabis is a psychoactive drug (affecting the mind) and should be used with caution. The use, cultivation, importation of cannabis in Nigeria is prohibited.
There is no distinction between medicinal use and recreational use. It is an offence punishable by law. Medically, it is used in countries which legalized them for its therapeutic effects in reducing chronic pain, vomiting which can be due to chemotherapy.
Over 10 per cent of adults use cannabis in Nigeria. Adults of various works of life including our security officers. Curbing the use of cannabis in Nigeria despite the laws against it will be quite difficult as the people who are supposed to maintain a civil environment use it as well and have been caught on camera countless times. The only time our law enforcement decide to curb the use is when they decide to extort money from people who are in possession of the substance.
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The common methods of taking this substance are mostly by smoking which has an almost immediate effect, another method used is by mixing with food. There is quite a wide difference between the number of male cannabis users and female users. Of recent, the numbers of female users are on the rise.
Cannabis has different effects on both genders, this is not to say that there are no general effects on males and females but there are slight differences.
According to the article by Walker OS, Holloway AC, Raha S, high levels of cannabinoids have been shown to suppress the release of GnRH, FSH and LH which are hormones required for normal female reproduction. This article also proves that moderate/heavy users of marijuana seem more likely to present with infertility related to ovulatory disorders.
Cannabis has a more positive sexual effect in women than in men. Women who smoke cannabis experience more dizziness and have been reported to have visual impairment once they are high. Researches are still being done about the different effect weed has on both genders.
Easy Ways to Make Apple Pies
As a Nigerian, we must have heard of meat pie and fish pie, they are sold in most pastry shops and restaurants, but you will hardly find Apple pie. If you have ever come across Apple pie in a Nigerian restaurant, we would love to hear from you.
Apple pie is a sweet pie filled to the brim with succulent apple filling.
The following easy steps will help you learn and make this delightful dessert.
Ingredients
For the Dough
2 ½ All-purpose flour
I tbsp of sugar
½ Water
Salt to taste
1 cup butter
For the Filling
3-4 apples
2 tbsp of salt
¼ tbsp cinnamon
2 tbsp of butter
2 tbsp of brown sugar
¼ cup of white sugar
1 tbsp nutmeg
2 tbsp of all-purpose flour
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp lemon juice
For the Finishing/Toppings
Vegetable oil for frying (if you are making fried apple pie)
2 tbsp ground cinnamon
Eggs (If you are making baked apple pies)
½ cup of sugar
Now let’s cook!
Make the pie dough: In a bowl, beat flour and sugar together. Add butter and mix until it is well distributed and there aren’t any large pieces.
If you are using a large bowl, if not transfer the dough to a larger bowl and make a well in the centre. Then add cold water and beat it together until the water is well distributed.
Sor baking sake, ensure to pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees C.
Knead a few times, ensure the dough is smooth throughout. Divide the dough and wrap in plastic wrap and place in the fridge for one hour or more.
For the filling: In a medium pot, melt butter over medium heat. Add the already chopped apples, butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, vanilla, lemon juice. In a bowl, mix flour and sugar together, then add the mixture to the pot. Stir together until it becomes thick.
Remove the dough from the fridge, get a rolling pin to roll out the dough into a square of 1/8-inch thickness. Cut the dough into square or circle shapes depending on the size you want using a knife. Wrap the scraps in plastic wrap while you fill the dough.
Fill the centre of the dough (fill it with just the apples, and leave as much liquid behind) leaving some space around the edges. Fold the empty side of the dough over the filling to encase it. Rub a little egg around the edges (mostly done when you intend to bake it) and then press the edges firmly with fork to seal it. Re-roll the scraps to repeat the process.
For the finishing
For baking purpose: Brush the pies with egg wash (mixed with milk or water). Sprinkle sugar on top of each of the pie. Bake for 30-40 minutes until golden brown.
For Frying purpose: Pour oil in a pot over medium heat. To know if the oil is ready to fry, test it with a scrap piece of dough, it should raise. Whisk salt, sugar and cinnamon evenly. Fry in small quantities to avoid over-crowding. Remove it from the oil when it is brown and repeat the process with the rest. Allow to drain and warm, then toss it in the mixture and serve.
Water: Beyond Thirst
Water is a precious resource. About seventy per cent of water covers the earth surface. According to research, about 97 per cent is undrinkable seawater. Only 1 per cent of the world's water is available for people to drink. Pollution has made this 1 per cent less available especially in developing countries.
In this time of the year, the dry season, where we battle with dryness, heat strokes and drought. We would definitely need more water to satisfy our various needs. The WHO says, each individual needs at least 20 litres of water per day and we have about 1.2 billion people who do not get enough safe drinking water daily.
We might think water is just to quench thirst but water has a lot of minerals and vitamins that are needed by the body. Minerals such as chloride, fluoride, potassium, calcium, iron, zinc, iodine.
These minerals play an essential role in building a strong immune system. Using the wrong purification method demineralizes water and makes this minerals less available for you. That is why we say, there is not enough ‘safe’ drinking water available to go round.
When your body does not have enough water to function properly, it can cause health issues, we call this dehydration. Symptoms of dehydration include dry skin, fatigue, dry mouth, thirst, dark urine.
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Consuming dirty water also has its own consequences. Transmission of diseases such as cholera, dysentery, typhoid, polio and hepatitis A can be prevented if one has access to clean and safe drinking water. Your water might be unclean if it looks funny, has a strange taste or even smells.
Boiling your water can kill microbes and bacteria in it. However, in some situations, it can increase the concentration of other contaminants. Filtration also helps to get Sulphur out of water. A combination of various appropriate purification methods will help make your water safer to drink.
Fun facts
• Drinking water instead of sugary drinks or sodas can help with weight loss
• When dehydrated, your skin is prone to wrinkling
• Water regulates body temperature. There are no standards to the amount of water on should consume per day but you need to stay hydrated especially now that it is a dry season.
Reproductive Rights of Women
First, women rights and access to these rights are comprehensive sexual are basic human rights.
According to the World Health Organisation, Reproductive rights are legal rights and freedom relating to relating to reproductive health that varies amongst countries around the world. It rests on the recognition of the basic right of all couples and individual to decide freely and responsibly the number, spacing and timing of their children and to have access to the information.
Reproductive rights in my own opinion are the right to express sexuality and to take decisions that concern one's body. However, in many parts of the world, many women are been persecuted for making their own choices about their bodies.
These rights may include all of the theses or some; right to legal and safe abortion, rights to freedom from discrimination, and violence, the right to birth control, coerced sterilization, rights to good standard reproductive healthcare.
Others include, protective from practices such as Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), right to menstrual health, right to choose if, when and who to marry, right to decide if you want children, when and how many, right to education and access in order to make an informed choice concerning their reproductive health, freedom from rape.
Access to these rights has a great impact on women’s life. For some women, pregnancies may occur too early or closely after the previous one which may harm maternal health and increase the risk of prematurity and low birth weight.
When a woman is empowered with the reproductive rights, there will be a positive impact on their education and workforce participation which would lead to income stability, family stability, mental health stability which have a huge impact on the prosperity of the nation.
Women should be able to delay and space childbearing. Have access to family planning services.
DIY TIPS: How to Fix Eyelashes
Eyelashes have now become a necessity for us and it is an additional skill for ladies. Mastering the art of applying your own false/artificial eyelashes helps you to save money amongst other things.
Fixing of the eyelashes should be one of the last steps in your eye makeup routine.
You have always wondered how it was fixed, it seems simple and you want to give it a try, then come along. Applying false eyelashes can be tricky but here is how to do it the right way.
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1. Are you ready? Being ready means, you have the artificial lashes, tweezer and glue (black glue, it blends into the eyeliner) ready with you. Note: For this experiment, you might want to try with inexpensive lashes. Without a glue, lay it on your eye to have an idea of how it will sit on your eye.
2. Using the tweezer, hold the glue (a black one), and apply a thin line of glue to the lash base, end to end. Dot a thin layer of glue (straight from the adhesive applicator) along the vein of the lash, from corner to corner.
If you want super long-lasting application do the 'double adhesive' technique by applying some dots of glue along your lash line as well as on the lashes.
Allow the glue to go tacky for about 30 seconds, so, that it doesn’t stain and spread to the eye region.
3. Place the lashes on your eyeliner while you look down and press the base against your lash line in the centre, the outer edge and inner corner.
Carefully use the tweezers or your fingertips to merge the lashes with your natural one. You could also use mascara to uplift your lashes in a way it pushes your false lashes with the natural one
Wheat vs White Bread
Over the years we have heard that wheat bread is superior to white bread, but how is that possible? What’s the difference between white bread and wheat bread?
Is one superior in value to the other one? We are here to find that out. The main difference between the white bead and wheat is the nutritional value and processing.
With wheat bread, the nutritional components which are made from wheat berries are intact – the germ, bran and endosperm. Flour is made of wheat berries are found in wheat bread with no reduction.
Wheat bread is loaded with fibre, which aids weight loss and a healthy digestive system. It also helps to lower the risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes, compared to white bread.
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You might not want to eat the wheat bread because, despite its nutritional values, it contains a lot of the same preservatives and chemicals as the white bread to extend its shelf life. It is also often made with a lot of sugar to improve the taste.
Meanwhile, white bread is processed so that only endosperm – the starchy inner layer is present in the bread. This strips the wheat berries majority of its nutrients making it delicious.
White bread is affordable, accessible and tastes better than wheat bread. What white bread lack in nutrition due to processing, it compensates for in the following nutrients – iron, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, and folic acid. Although, the nutrient is little when compared with wheat bread.
The disadvantage of taking white bread is that it is likely to contribute to weight gain and a spike in blood glucose because it is very low in fibre. White bread isn’t a good idea for those who intend to shed some weight.
What do you think about White and Wheat Bread? Share your opinion in the comment session below
Simple Tips to Knowing Your Skin Tone
Skin tone is the natural colour of your skin. Knowing and dressing according to your skin tone helps you look youthful and complimentary. Your skin tone is also called undertone, this is different from your complexion.
There are three different undertones – cool hues (red, pink, blue), warm hues (gold, yellow) and neutral hues (olive). PUBLOG shares how helpful tips to knowing your skin colour.
1. Ensure to get rid of any makeup from your face by washing it. Then wait for at least fifteen minutes. The find natural light, like a sunny spot or an outdoor setting. Avoid light bulbs because they can have an effect and alter your skin while giving you a false impression.
2. Another popular method is to see the colour of one’s veins on the wrist. Hold up your arm in the natural light and determine the predominant colour. If your veins appear green, you have warm skin. If the veins appear blue or purple you have cool skin. If you cants tell if your veins are green or blue, you likely have a neutral skin colour. If you have an olive complexion, you perhaps fall into this category.
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3. A white background or white paper can be used to get the required result. For the white background, stand in front of the background and determine the and determine which colour appear the most apparent in the skin, using the stark contrast with the white to make the observation.
Should you opt for the white paper method, hold it close to your face, looking in a mirror, try to see how your skin looks in contrast to the white paper. If your skin appears yellowish, you have yellowish skin. If it appears pink, blueish-red or rosy, then you have a cool skin tone and so forth. Meanwhile, if you find it difficult to determine any cast of yellow, pin or olive, you have neutral skin.
4. Look at your eye colour to determine your undertones, this is probably a simple method. Brown eyes mean you have warm skin, lighter eyes like blue and pale brown usually means you have cool undertones, while ice blue means you have cool skin, also gold fleck may indicate warm undertones.
Health Benefits of Acha
Digitaria exilis commercially known as Hungry rice, hunger millet, fonio, acha or Acca is a very popular food grown in West Africa, especially in certain regions of Nigeria, Mali, Guinea and Burkina, acha is a major part of a regular diet.
Acha is an indigenous African food that has influenced the Western world. This grain is gluten-free and makes a great addition to any diet plan and it can be cooked or baked. It is an energetic food rich in carbohydrate, fibre, protein, amino acids, it contains cysteine and methionine and a huge amount of Vitamin B and minerals.
Health benefit of acha is obvious because it is rich in energy, aids digestion, iron and it is good for cardiovascular function, diabetics, an excellent meal for weight loss and so on.
1. Acha is a super grain that gives energy because since it is easily digestible. it slowly releases energy into a person’s body. This makes this energy last longer even up until the next meal. It is a good idea of staple food which can satisfy daily energy requirement. It gives around 3.6 calories per gram of grain and it does not increase blood sugar level.
2. Rich in fibre, it allows for easy digestion as it passes through the body easily and quickly. Acha helps to prevent constipation, and stimulate the appetite. Acha is an added advantage when added to your diet.
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3. Acha contains methionine that helps to strengthen nails and hair. it can prevent hair loss. It is also rich in phosphorus and calcium, this aid the development of bones and teeth, hence it should be added in children’s diet.
4. On a weight loss journey? Bring acha grain along and be glad you did. Acha is gluten-free, rich in fibre, and low glycemic index which makes it fattening free yet filling.
It filling nature makes it difficult to have cravings while providing the necessary energy.
5. Accha is highly rich in essential amino acids, folic acid and iron. Thus it plays important role in iron metabolism. It is good in preventing anaemia. This nutritious food is traditionally recommended for pregnant and lactating women in Africa.
Do you need that dress?
You know the sinzu spending spirit that falls on you all over a sudden when you receive your salary or your paycheque. You already have a list of the things you need, ‘ your scale of preference’ but sinzu spending spirit would not allow you do opportunity cost.
To be honest though ‘folks say, ‘there should be a season of enjoyment for a child who works hard’. Sounds funny when you say that in your native language right?. It is true but then why do you have a list when you end up not following through to get the things you need and not just wants. Get all your needs first, what you want after.
Like we said earlier, do you need that dress? Take, for instance, a colleague comes to the office with a beautiful dress that is not part of your budget but because they are really beautiful, you decide to get one of them forgoing the important things on your list.
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The one that gets us the most is when you get to the market knowing the dress or other things you need to get. By the time you get back home, you get to see you could not get all you needed to buy just because you bought other things you did not plan for that caught your eye. We are all guilty of this.
Babe, have you checked your wardrobe recently? You would realize there is always confusion about what to wear. Then you open it up and see there are kinds of stuff you bought and you have not even worn once. Stuff you might not need.
‘Problem no dey finish abi’, if I die I die when...Lmao... You should treat your body right you know, eat well, take care of yourself, Queen you deserve it. But damn girl, your finances need to be balanced just because of rainy days.
We all want a season where we would not have to think of our finances before getting that dress we want but till then boo, manage your finances!!!