SUNSHADES AND EYE HEALTH

I doubt dressing up for a trip to the  mall on a sunny saturday afternoon will ever be complete without spotting a nice fancy sunglasses or sunshades as we call it in this part of the world. They come in different shapes, sizes and colors. I personally prefer the brown ones to the colorful types.

It turns out your sunshades are more than just some fashion statement. Sunshades actually protect your eyes from a variety of health problems ranging from sun burns, cataracts and skin cancer.

 

A few of the dangers associated with excessive exposure to UV radiation includes,formation of wrinkles and age spots, skin cancers, thickening of the conjuctiva (pinguecula), macular degeneration, cataracts e.t.c.

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How to protect them

UV: Look for a label that says 99 or 100 % UV absorption or UV400. This means the glasses block wavelengths shorter then 400nm.

Polarized: Don’t confuse polarized for added sun protection. It only implies they cut the glare from horizontal surfaces, allowing for crispier, clearer vision, particularly while driving.

Lens colour: The darkest pair doesn’t imply the best protection. Many shades can work well including grey, green, brown, yellow, or rose. It’s just individual preference.

Lens material: A quality pair of sunglasses will have optically ground lenses with little distortion. Cheaper varieties are usually made out of pressed plastics. NOTE: when trying them on, turn your eyes left and then right while you are looking through the lenses to determine if there's any distortion.

Frames: Over-sized glasses are more than fashion statements. They are good for eye protection as well. Big frames or a wrap around style shields more UV , preventing rays from coming in at the sides. wrap around glasses can also help to cut down on dry eye by preventing evaporation of the eye's natural tear film.

ADVICE: Get your own quality sunshades today to guarantee your eye safety..... 

Follow this page to learn more about protecting your eyes by eating the right diet.

Images are from aliexpress and fashiondiary.

A few things about Tea

Everybody loves to take a cup of tea one time or the other, the only difference is in how we choose to take them. Some people love taking theirs with milk(which can be powdered or cream, skimmed or whole etc), some add sugar ,” a few cubes of sugar will not harm me anyway”, some prefer to add additional flavorings like lime , oranges and the likes.

The good thing is that we all love it anyway, be you black or white, male or female, vegetarian or not, green tea or black tea. But the most important question we ask ourselves is why take tea? Or maybe I should say why not take tea.

Tea is an important source of hydration, as it is made up of about 99 % moisture thereby providing the body with adequate source of water, contrary to reports that it can cause Di-uresis. This assumption is based on the theory that tea contains caffeine. The truth is that the amount of caffeine found in tea is not as large the amount found in other stimulants like coffee, and most energy drinks. However the amount present in tea has been proven to be too little to have any effect on the body.
Other benefits of tea come from the flavonoid content; the theanines, catechins which are antioxidants that have been implicated in promoting weight loss and improving metabolism.

Tea has also been found to lower the risk for heart disease and stroke.

Natural compounds called polyphenols in green tea might protect against several cancers, including those of the prostate, GI tract, lungs, breast, and skin.
Tea polyphenols are thought to strengthen bones and protect against fractures.
People who drink tea could see improvements in mood, concentration, and performance.
Recommended intake;

3-4 cups a day is healthy, anything more than 6-7 cups could be putting yourself at risk.


Value your tea, value your heart, and value your health…

salt and your health

Salt is a mineral substance composed primarily of sodium chloride (Na Cl), a chemical compound belonging to the larger class of ionic salts. Salt is essential for human life, one of the oldest and most necessary of food seasonings.

Sodium chloride is about 60 percent chlorine and 40 percent sodium. Although sodium is volatile and chlorine is toxic, together as sodium chloride they're integral to life.

Sodium: Essential in small amounts

Your body needs some sodium to function properly because it:

• Helps maintain the right balance of fluids in your body

• Helps transmit nerve impulses

• Influences the contraction and relaxation of muscles

Your kidneys naturally balance the amount of sodium stored in your body for optimal health. When your body sodium is low, your kidneys essentially hold on to the sodium. When body sodium is high, your kidneys excrete the excess in urine.

The effects of over consumption

But if for some reason your kidneys can't eliminate enough sodium, the sodium starts to build up in your blood. Because sodium attracts and holds water, your blood volume increases, which makes your heart work harder and increases pressure in your arteries. Such diseases as congestive heart failure, cirrhosis and chronic kidney disease can occur as a result of sodium imbalance.

The African region has the highest prevalence of hypertension estimated at 46% of adults aged 25 and above, according to WHO’s Global status report on noncommunicable diseases 2010.

Sodium: What are the major dietary sources?

The average Nigerian gets about 111.6 mmol/d (~2600 mg), of sodium a day — much more than recommended. Here are the main sources of sodium in a typical diet:

• Processed and prepared foods.  Processed foods include bread, prepared dinners like pasta, meat and egg dishes, pizza, cheese, soups, and fast foods.

• Natural sources. Some foods naturally contain sodium. These include all vegetables and dairy products, meat, and shellfish.

• In the kitchen and at the table. Many recipes call for salt, and many people also salt their food at the table. Condiments also may contain sodium. 

Sodium: How much do you need?

The world health organization recommends a daily intake of less than 5 g sodium chloride (or 2 g sodium) per day.

Generally, our sodium consumption is higher than the recommended 5 grams of salt per day.  One tea spoon of salt averagely weighs about 6 g, so your total daily salt consumption for a day as an individual should be less than a tea spoon of salt!

How do I reduce my salt intake?: Use seasonings  to replace salt when preparing meals; taste the food before adding salt if necessary; by balancing ingredients, you can prepare great and tasty meals with less salt; commit to the discipline of not adding more salt at the table; limit the quantity of processed foods you consume; read labels and check for salt or sodium levels; increase your intake of varieties of fruits and vegetables which have low sodium levels and can be good sources of potassium, good for your heart!

Is alcohol really bad

source : mayoclinic

Moderate drinking can offer some health benefits. But it's easy to drink too heavily, leading to serious health consequences.

It sounds like a mixed message: Drinking alcohol may offer some health benefits, especially for your heart. On the other hand, alcohol may increase your risk of health problems and damage your heart.

So which is it? When it comes to drinking alcohol, the key is doing so only in moderation. Certainly, you don't have to drink any alcohol, and if you currently don't drink, don't start drinking for the possible health benefits. In some cases, it's safest to avoid alcohol entirely — the possible benefits don't outweigh the risks.

Here's a closer look at the connection between alcohol and your health.
Health benefits of moderate alcohol use

• Moderate alcohol consumption may provide some health benefits. It may:
• Reduce your risk of developing heart disease
• Reduce your risk of dying of a heart attack
• Possibly reduce your risk of strokes, particularly ischemic strokes
• Lower your risk of gallstones
• Possibly reduce your risk of diabetes

Even so, the evidence about the possible health benefits of alcohol isn't certain, and alcohol

may not benefit everyone who drinks.

But why take alcohol at all if all its going to make you do is harm others or put them at risk of traffic accidents or violent behaviour, or negatively affect co-workers, relatives, friends or strangers. Thus, the impact of the harmful use of alcohol reaches deep into society.

even harmful use of alcohol have also been associated with infectious diseases like HIV/AIDS,tuberculosis and sexually transmitted infections (STIs).This is because alcohol consumption weakens the immune system and has a negative effect on patients’ adherence to antiretroviral treatment.
It results in 2.5 million deaths each year. Alcohol is the world’s third largest risk factor for premature mortality, disability and loss of health.

Wine drinkers would like to believe that the old adage that red wine is good for the heart is true. But, is it? “Antioxidants in general help to prevent thrombosis and red wine has a high concentration of antioxidant substances called flavonoids. White alcoholic drinks, like vodka and cider, contain the least concentration of flavonoids. But this is a subject where more research is needed before we can give specific advice,” says Dr Chick.

Advice

Indeed, this is the overall alcohol and the heart conclusion from Professor Wallace and Dr Chick: there is evidence to suggest that low and moderate drinking (i.e., within the government's daily unit guidelines) can protect against coronary heart disease, but it is a relatively small effect and you should try other safer things first.

Drink responsibly >>>>>> (not more than a bottle for women a day; not more than two bottles of beer for men a day)

Water & Human Body

It is no parable anymore that water is very essential for healthy living. A well balanced diet must be made up of water and other major constituents. Hence water plays a major role in many mechanisms in the human body which makes drinking water an indispensable constituent in the human diet and an undisputable asset for the body as outlined below. 

Importance of water in the human body

Two third constituent of human body is dependent on water.

•  Composes 73 % of the human brain. 
•  It makes up 83% of the human blood. 
•  Water serves as a major agent of detoxification. 
•  Regulation of temperature and that of metabolism is facilitated through water. 
•  Water provides for effective lubrication. 
•  It composes up to 22 % of the human bones and cushions the joints. 
•  Water helps in the breaking down of food to energy. 
•  Water has its part to play in the transportation of nutrients and oxygen to the bodycells. 
•  As far as the absorption of nutrients is concerned, water has its role to offer. 
•  Water protects and cushions the body vital organs. 
•  It makes up 75% of our body tissues. 

Daily requirement of water for human body 

• On a regular basis, human body needs 2 to 2.5 liters of water. 
• It is important to note in this regard that food items with enriched moisture also add to the body’s need for water. 
• Thus consumption of food item leads to the intake of 1 liter of water. 
• So it is important that drinking water takes care of the remaining water supply varying from 1.5 to 2 liters is provided. 

Symptoms of dehydration or water loss

• There are some specific symptoms of dehydrations including thirst, hunger and exhaustion. 

• Thirst is one of the most common signs of dehydration. It is an obvious condition calling for the intake of water. 

• With sufficient consumption of water, urine should appear clear in color. Change of coloration to pale yellow is one of the signs of dehydration. 

• Weakness, decrease in the production of urine, dryness of mouth, muscular cramps and feeling of nausea are also some of the associated symptoms of dehydration. 

•  It is natural to lose water and loss of water results owing to causes of perspiration, bowel movement and overall metabolism of the human body. 

•  It has also been established that loss of water should be replenished by consumption or drinking of water. 

Say no to a sedentary lifestyle, We are designed to move

Regular movement of our bodies is essential to life. Many people however, do not 

move enough to keep healthy!

Sitting always and getting increasingly less active for the most of one’s daily life is called sedentarism – now a major disease of the modern society, leading to about 2 million deaths annually.

Sedentarism itself can’t kill, but leads to life threatening diseases and conditions like: hypertension, cardiac diseases, depression, stress and diabetes.

As the society gets increasingly “automatized”, movements get substantially 

limited over time, diminishing life quality and performance in daily activities.

• Physical activity is the solution!, MOVE! Beyond regular exercises such as “gyming”, 

• it is also about simple actions as climbing the stair often, walking instead of driving, 

• washing your own car, forgetting the remote controls, walking to a canteen, getting off your system and walking up for regular tea breaks, walking up to colleagues e.t.c.

• Get the small actions on and grow into the regular exercises at the gym, running, jugging, e.t.c. 
• but  what you can’t do is stay still for too long a time everyday!!

Regular physical activity promotes health and improves the performance of daily 

activities.

Get moving and keep moving regularly and consciously!

                                                                                            Thanks!         

Is sugar that bad?

The sugar we eat is either from its natural source like the fructose and the glucose from our everyday fruits (orange, apple, pineapple, banana), honey, lactose in our milk, cheese; sucrose and maltose in our sugar canes and beets and added sugars present in our sweetened beverages.

Why do we need sugar?

           Sugar serves as a source of energy to the 

      body.  It serves also as a source of glucose for body 

      metabolisms

Good and bad sugar?

Added sugar is the type of sugar we get from our sweetened beverages, table sugar and other food products. This type of sugar is easily absorbed by the body hereby increasing the level of blood sugar at a rate higher than those from our raw fruits foods. This is because our fruits are made up of fibres and other nutritive constituents that slow down sugar absorption. We are advised to eat more of fruit sugars and less of added sugars to avert the risk of sugar related health issues like high blood pressure, obesity, cardiovascular problems etc.

Health effects?

      Excess consumption of sugar can expose one to the risk of having dental caries which is caused by sugar loving bacteria, and yeast infections too. These microorganisms are being favoured to grow in environments with high sugar concentrations which our body eventually provides.

      When there is excess sugar in the body, the hormones insulin stipulates the body to store up the glucose in fat cells; this increases the chances of diabetes, obesities and cardiovascular diseases.

      Low levels of sugar in the body can lead to Hypoglycemia a medical emergency that involves an abnormally diminished content of glucose in the blood.

What amount?

v  Recommended Daily Sugar Intake for Men: 36 grams or 9 teaspoons (9 cubes) 

v  Recommended Daily Sugar Intake for Women: 20 grams or 5 teaspoons  (5 cubes)

v  Recommended Daily Sugar Intake for Children: 12 grams or 3 teaspoons  (3 Cubes)

Do you know that?

o   a bottle of soft drink  contains about 9-10 teaspoons of sugar

o   a bottle of tonic drink contains about 6 teaspoons of sugar

o   a can of malt contains much more sugar than that of a coke.

Let’s try and take as few as possible especially not in between meals.