Tuesday 27 November 2018

HEALTHWISE: 8 Exercises You Need To Do Before Going To Bed

Among natural sleep remedies, from drinking chamomile tea to diffusing essential oils, stretching is often overlooked. But this simple act may help you fall asleep faster and improve the quality of your sleep.
A 2016 review of multiple studies found a link between meditative movements, such as tai chiand yoga, and improve



d sleep quality. This improved sleep quality was further linked to a better quality of life.
But why does stretching have this effect on sleep? It’s likely a mix of things. For one, getting in touch with your body by stretching helps to focus your attention on your breath and body, not the stressors of the day.
This awareness of your body helps you develop mindfulness, which has been shown to help promote better sleep.
Stretching also offers potential physical benefits, helping to relieve muscle tension and prevent sleep-disrupting cramps. Just make sure to stick to gentle stretches. Doing a big workout before bed can have the opposite effect.
Here are eight stretches to add to your nightly routine.

This stretch works the rhomboids and trapezius muscles of your upper back. It helps to alleviate shoulder blade discomfort or pain that’s caused by poor posture, bursitis, or frozen shoulder.
To do this stretch:
  1. Stand tall and inhale as you open your arms out wide.
  2. Exhale as you cross your arms, placing your right arm over your left and your left over your right to give yourself a hug.
  3. Breathe deeply as you use your hands to draw your shoulders forward.
  4. Hold this stretch for 30 seconds.
  5. To release, inhale to open your arms back open wide.
  6. Exhale and repeat with your left arm on top.
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These stretches will help to relieve tension in your head, neck, and shoulders. Try to focus on maintaining good posture when doing these.
To do these stretches:
  1. Sit in a comfortable chair. Take your right hand to the top of your head or to your left ear.
  2. Gently bring your right ear towards your right shoulder, holding this position for 5 breaths.
  3. Repeat on the opposite side.
  4. Turn to look over your right shoulder, keeping the rest of your body facing forward.
  5. Hold this position for 5 breaths.
  6. Repeat on the opposite side.
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  1. Drop your chin down to your chest, holding it here for 5 breaths.
  2. Return to a neutral position and allow your head to gently fall back for 5 breaths.
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This stretch helps to loosen up the muscles in your back and shoulders, relieving pain and discomfort.
To do this stretch:
  1. Come into a kneeling position in front of a chair, couch, or low table.
  2. Check that your knees are directly under your hips. You can rest on a blanket or cushion for extra support.
  3. Lengthen your spine as you hinge at the hips to fold forward, resting your forearms on the surface with your palms facing together.
  4. Hold this stretch for 30 seconds.
  5. Repeat 1 to 3 times.
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Child’s pose is a resting stretch that’s similar to a kneeling lat stretch, but more relaxed. It’s perfect for tuning into your breath, relaxing your body, and reducing stress. It also helps to relieve pain and tension in your back, shoulders, and neck.
To do this:
  1. Come down on your knees, sitting back on your heels.
  2. Hinge at your hips to fold forward and rest your forehead on the floor.
  3. Extend your arms in front of you to support your neck or bring your arms alongside your body. You can use a pillow or cushion under your thighs or forehead for extra support.
  4. Breathe deeply in while holding the pose, bringing your awareness to any areas of discomfort or tightness in your back.
  5. Hold this pose for up to 5 minutes. You can also come into this pose between other stretches to give your body a rest.
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This lunge stretches your hips, thighs, and groin. Opening your chest helps to relieve tension and pain in this area as well as your back and shoulders. Try to stay relaxed when doing this pose, and don’t push yourself too hard.
To do this stretch:
  1. Come into a low lunge with your right foot below your right knee and your left leg extended back, keeping your knee on the floor.
  2. Bring your hands to the floor beneath your shoulders, on your knees, or up toward the ceiling.
  3. Breathe deeply, focusing on lengthening your spine and opening your chest.
  4. Feel the line of energy extending out through the crown of your head.
  5. Hold this pose for 5 breaths.
  6. Repeat on the opposite side.
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This stretch helps to loosen up your spine, shoulders, and hamstrings. It also stretches your lower back.
To do this stretch:
  1. Sit down with your legs extended in front of you.
  2. Engage your abdominal slightly to lengthen your spine, pressing your sit bones into the floor.
  3. Hinge at your hips to fold forward, reaching out your arms in front of you.
  4. Relax your head and tuck your chin into your chest.
  5. Hold this pose for up to 5 minutes.
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This is a restorative pose that helps to reduce tension in your back, shoulders, and neck while promoting relaxation.
To do this stretch:
  1. Sit with the right side of your body against a wall.
  2. Lie on your back as you swing your legs up against the wall.
  3. Your hips can be up against the wall or a few inches away. Choose the distance that feels most comfortable. You can also place a cushion under your hips for support and a bit of elevation.
  4. Rest your arms in any comfortable position.
  5. Remain in this pose for up to 10 minutes.
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This relaxing hip opener can help to relieve muscle tension in your hips and groin, making it especially good if you spend most of your day sitting.
To do this stretch:
  1. Sit on the floor and bring the soles of your feet together.
  2. Lean back on your hands to bring your back, neck, and head to the floor. You can use cushions or pillows under your knees or head for support.
  3. Place your arms in any comfortable positions.
  4. Focus on relaxing your hips and thighs as you breathe deeply.
  5. Hold this pose for up to 10 minutes.
@HealthLine
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LIVING: Could Probiotics Influence Your Mental Health?

Scientists have long known that the microbes living in your gut impact your health. More studies are looking at whether using probiotics to alter your gut microbiome can reduce symptoms of mental illness.
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Ashley Abramson was 10 years old when she received a diagnosis of anxiety and an obsessive-compulsive disorder. Since then, she’s taken an antidepressant in various forms and doses almost every single day for two decades.
In recent years, though, this mom-writer hybrid from Minneapolis, Minnesota, has shifted toward a more holistic approach.
In addition to her medications, she’s tried herbal and vitamin supplements, chiropractic adjustments, and visits to a naturopath to see if they can also help lessen her symptoms.
And like millions of other people, she’s also used “pricey probiotics,” which she says would run her about $50 a month if she took them every day — which she doesn’t.
While most people may take probiotics to improve their gut health and potentially reduce their risk for gastrointestinal conditions like IBS, more and more people like Abramson are investigating if probiotics can help with their mental health in addition to their gut.

Probiotics have risen in popularity in recent years thanks to studies that have found evidence that “good” bacteria in the gut may be associated with a variety of conditions like type 2 diabetes, obesity, and colon cancer.
Taking probiotics in pill and powdered form are thought to boost your health by altering your gut microbiome, the collection of bacteria, yeasts, and fungi inside your gastrointestinal track.
However, the field is relatively new and researchers are still trying to understand the complex interactions of probiotics with naturally occurring bacteria.
One of the connections they’re trying to understand is how the gut impacts the brain and mental illness.
As researchers learn more about this connection, probiotics are being marketed for better mental health in addition to improved digestive function, lower cholesterol, and weight loss.

The gut may seem to be the last place to treat a mental illness, but experts say that understanding the microbiome may help them find issues, such as inflammation, that can take a toll on the brain.
“It’s an exploding area of research,” said Nicole Beurkens, a licensed psychologist and certified nutrition specialist in Caledonia, Michigan. “The research that’s been done so far really shows a lot of connections between gut health, the gut microbiome, and mental health symptoms.”
This is true not only for anxiety, but also for other mental illnesses such as depression, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia. Researchers are even looking into whether probiotics can help ease the symptoms of autism.
Probiotics being used to support your brain even have their own name: psychobiotics.
Dr. Asim Shah, professor and executive vice chair in the Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Baylor College of Medicine, said “there’s a lot of hope that we’ll be able to use probiotics down the road to treat anxiety or depression, maybe even as a first-line treatment.”
Shah said that we’ve known for a while that gut microbes play an important role in keeping us healthy, including protecting us from germs, producing vitamins in our gut, and helping us digest our food.
But in recent years, researchers have turned their attention to the microbial gut-brain connection.
Bacteria in the intestines produce many chemicals, including neurotransmitters such as serotonin, melatonin, and acetylcholine. These may directly impact brain function and mental health and help explain the benefits of probiotics.
One small study published last year in Gastroenterology found that 64 percent of people with mild-to-moderate anxiety or depression who took a daily probiotic for six weeks had fewer depression symptoms during that time. Only 32 percent of people taking an inactive placebo improved.
Brain imaging with functional MRI also showed that people taking the probiotic had changes in areas of the brain involved in mood. The researchers say this suggests that the “probiotic has antidepressive properties.”
Probiotics may also help with other mood disorders. Another preliminary study published earlier this year suggests that daily probiotics — taken alongside regular medication — may reduce manic attacks in people with bipolar disorder.

Ruth Ann Luna, an assistant professor of pathology and immunology at Baylor College of Medicine, said “there’s huge potential for microbially mediated therapies in the treatment of autism, especially gastrointestinal symptoms, but also many of the other core symptoms.”
She and her colleagues are analyzing data right now from a study involving hundreds of children with autism.
One goal of the study is to see if it’s possible to link the microbiome, metabolome, and diet with behaviors or other symptoms of autism spectrum disorder.
If the microbiome is what’s living in your gut, the metabolome is what they’re doing. This collective activity shows up as small biological molecules produced by the microbes.
This kind of intestinal profiling might help doctors decide which patients with autism would benefit from probiotics or other treatments targeting the microbiome.
“While a probiotic may work for 1 out of 10 kids, you have to have a reason to select that one kid over the other nine,” said Luna.
She said scientists have had success using this approach with gastrointestinal disorders in kids to “predict which individuals would respond favorably to a dietary intervention. And we’ve seen potential evidence of that with probiotics, as well.”
Other autism studies are focused on finding microbiome-based treatments. One that’s underway is looking at whether giving children a probiotic for six months improves their autism symptoms.
Some researchers have used fecal transplantation to alter the microbiomes of children with autism spectrum disorder. This involved transferring a stool sample from a donor without autism to the colon of the child with autism.
In this study, researchers “saw improvement in the core symptoms of autism, improvement in quality of life, and a decrease in some of the symptoms commonly associated with autism, both on the behavioral and social side,” said Luna.

Some autism studies have looked at the effects of antibiotics on autism symptoms, something that’s also been tried with schizophrenia. In theory the antibiotics may affect the gut bacteria in a way that could reduce symptoms of mental illnesses.
One doctor reported in 2007 that two patients with schizophrenia saw improvements in their symptoms while taking an antibiotic called minocycline.
Antibiotics may decrease inflammation in the brain, which lessens the symptoms of schizophrenia. Researchers in the relatively new field of autoimmune neurology point to other conditions that look like bipolar disorder, epilepsy, or dementia, but clear up when the immune system is suppressed with drugs.
However, other scientists think that antibiotics alter the microbiome, which affects the immune system and decreases inflammation in the brain.
Most of the research on probiotics and mental health consists of smaller studies, but Shah said these kinds of pilot trials are “promising.”
But he said larger trials are needed in order to show whether probiotics — and which ones — are effective at treating depression and other mental illnesses.

Despite probiotic research being so new, Shah pointed out that the risks of people using probiotics in addition to standard treatments to improve their mental health are low.
Although Shah is clear that probiotics haven’t been proven to replace standard treatments for mental health.
“If your depression is severe, you need to try things which are already proven to be effective, such as cognitive behavioral therapy and antidepressant medications,” said Shah.
Instead, experts like Beurkens use probiotics in addition to standard treatment to hopefully improve symptoms further.
Beurkens said enough research has been done that she’s comfortable using probiotics as part of a treatment plan in her clinical practice with both children and adults.
“My approach as both a clinical psychologist and a nutrition specialist is to use everything that’s available before we look at prescription medications,” said Beurkens.
This includes looking at other factors that can affect mental health such as nutrient deficiencies, lack of exercise, stress, allergies, and thyroid issues.
This holistic approach to mental health works on many levels — your gut, your immune system, your brain — and on the billions of tiny creatures within.

@HealthLine
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How eCommerce is Driving Sales to People Who Aren't Online


With the rate or speed at which the internet or World Wide Web is revolutionising the world and Africa, you would think everyone is already online. This is not the case especially in Africa and many emerging economies. A report by Internet World Stats says that Africa remains the least connected continent. Africa’s broadband household penetration accounted for 36.1% as at June 2018, far behind the worldwide average of 55.1% (North America - 95.0%; Europe - 85.2%, Middle East - 64.5% and Asia 49.0%).

This reveals that quite a handful of people in Africa notwithstanding whether they are inhabiting urban or rural areas are still offline. Despite these figures, it does not disregard the fact that internet usage is growing especially in sub-Saharan Africa. 

This rapid internet growth can be observed in the ballooning of eCommerce in countries like Nigeria, Kenya and South Africa ably pioneered by Jumia. Many now order or book items, food and hotels online. This is definitely for those who are online. 

The question now is what happens to those who are offline? Don't they purchase groceries, household items and use hotels? Yes, they do. They will probably visit brick and mortar stores to buy these items and use these services which is obviously very inconveniencing.

Expectedly, since they are offline, they are not supposed to enjoy the benefits of eCommerce. This is also wrong because being offline does not mean you won't relish these services from Jumia and others. If they are ignored or neglected because they are offline, the truth is eCommerce sites will be losing out on people who have the purchasing power but whose undoing is that they are offline, which is in most situations no fault of theirs.

What is being done to sell to people who are offline?

What??? An eCommerce platform selling to Africans who are offline? It is impossible. Well, as Jumia continues to innovate to satisfy and meet customer demands, it has over the years sold to customers who are offline across its different markets in Africa.

Jumia has set up customer adoption centres (boutique-style booths) with laptops and tablets, where prospective shoppers can navigate its online marketplaces, guided by company representatives. Those who are offline can easily walk into these customer adoption centres to place and process their orders. The booths are situated in strategic locations. 

JForce, a similar program, already in place, has salespeople going door to door with Wi-Fi-connected tablets. The top JForce performers can become regional and neighbourhood “captains,” which lets their clients place orders and receive customer service and delivery directly from them. It allows agents to become entrepreneurs effectively operating their own online retail business right from home.
With these painstaking efforts, Jumia has been able to extend the convenience of eCommerce to many offline folks. 
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Employment Trust Fund: Ambode Presents Cheques To 2,000 Beneficiaries





Lagos State Governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode on Monday presented cheques to another batch of over 2,000 beneficiaries of the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund (LSETF) loan programme, saying it was gratifying that the initiative was meeting the objectives of creating jobs and contributing to the growth of the economy.

This is in addition to the over 10,000 beneficiaries who have received more than N7billion and have created over 25,000 new jobs in the last three years.

Speaking at the presentation ceremony held at LTV Blue Roof, Agidingbi, Ikeja, Governor Ambode expressed fulfillment that the initiative, which is a brain child of his administration, had positively impacted many Lagosians and help to scale up entrepreneurship with many businesses now thriving.    

“Today is a historic day. It is one of those days that we have this fulfillment that we tried our hands on something that was never done before and years after, we are able to see the result and I just want to say a big thank you to all of you that have accepted to be partners in this programme and to just congratulate ourselves that a day like this can come in Lagos State.

“I am particularly delighted to be here today to see for myself the manifestation of a small dream we had at the inception of this government and the little seed we have sown in the lives and businesses of Lagosians. The Employment Trust Fund was a promise we made to Lagosians in 2015 and today, I am happy to see the faces of the people whose lives and aspirations have been positively impacted by this programme,” Governor Ambode said.

While noting the positive difference the beneficiaries of the scheme were making in the State, the Governor said the wonderful stories about the initiative were the true outcomes of governance, saying the vision was to use it to grow Lagos economy by supporting entrepreneurship, which in turn, would help to create jobs for unemployed residents.

The Governor said in line with his promise of inclusive governance, the beneficiaries of the LSETF programmes range from the youth to senior citizens in active business across all 20 Local Government Areas (LGAs) and 37 Local Community Development Areas (LCDAs) in this State, adding that the positive stories emanating from beneficiaries were pleasing to note.

“A very big validation of this programme we have embarked upon comes from the over 25,000 new direct jobs created directly by these businesses in our State. This does not include the multiplier effect of those businesses on the Lagos economy and the indirect jobs created.

“Apart from the jobs being created, I am especially pleased to see testimonials from some of our beneficiaries. I watched the video of Ibrahim Shuaib; a final year student of Dentistry at the Lagos State University Medical School. With a loan of N250,000, Ibrahim has not only grown his dry-cleaning business, employing over 20 people, but also started another business which his sister runs.

“I also read about Femi Oyedipe, whose chocolate production business, Loshes Chocolate, can now produce ten times more than before, employing more Lagosians as staff. Apart from employing more people, Loshes Chocolate makes it products from cocoa beans sourced from Ondo State, creating value for farmers outside Lagos. This is a very good example of the inter-state economic partnership Nigeria needs to grow its economy,” Governor Ambode said.

Aside the loan, the Governor said he was also proud of another programme of the LSETF known as the Lagos Employability Support Programme being executed in partnership with the United Nations Development Fund (UNDP), revealing that 3,363 unemployed youth have so far been trained out of the 10,000 target, with over 1,100 of them now either employed or running their own businesses.

On efforts of the LSETF to make Lagos the leading destination for Africa’s most exciting tech talent and start-ups, the Governor said it was pleasing to note that under the Lagos Innovates Programme, 75start-ups have been awarded workspace vouchers which provide their businesses with access to excellent infrastructure and a community where they can incubate and pursue their dream of becoming Africa’s emerging unicorns, without bearing the associated cost, adding that a loan had equally been awarded to one of the leading hubs, to expand and incubate more technology start-ups in the Lagos environs.

Giving a breakdown of the loans and women participation, the Governor said: “Our commitment to women is evident in the number of women who are beneficiaries of the programmes of this Fund. Before today we had a total of 3,652 female loan beneficiaries to the 4,280 male loan beneficiaries. Under our Lagos Employability Support Programme, women represent 49% of the total number of young people that LSETF has trained while in our Lagos Innovates programme which supports a tech ecosystem dominated by men, 21% of the beneficiaries are women.

“In spite of this, the Fund has assured me of their work to increase the level of female participation across all programmes, especially within Lagos Innovates,” he said.

While charging the beneficiaries to use the funds to grow their businesses and pay back as at when due, Governor Ambode also expressed optimism about the sustainability of the scheme, saying it was instructive that the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the State, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu had already expressed commitment to the initiative.

Besides, the Governor commended the Chairman, Executive Secretary, Board members and Staff of the LSETF for a job well done and translating the dream of his administration to reality and bringing the scheme to Lagosians.

In her welcome remarks, LSETF Board of Trustees Chairman, Mrs Ifueko Omoigui-Okauru said the presentation of cheques was another milestone in the journey of providing financial support to micro, small and medium enterprises for economic growth and job creation.

While appreciating various agencies and institutions who partnered with the LSETF to bring about the successes so far recorded, Omoigui-Okauru also urged others to take a cue from such by collaborating where and when necessary to further advance the objectives of the initiative.  

Responding on behalf of the beneficiaries, Mr Adeoye Olumide of Jetco Global Farms whose company was granted N3.750million loan, said aside that he applied and got the loan without knowing anybody in government, the multiplier effect of the scheme was amazing as more people would be employed to his business.

“This is so unbelievable and it is so amazing. The domino effect on the entire value chain with this empowerment is very laudable and very commendable,” Olumide said.  
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Internet 'Lover' Abducts, Rapes American Lady *as DSS rescues victim



The Department of State Security (DSS) on Monday rescued an American citizen, Tawanda Lynn Jackson who was held hostage by one Mathew Adedoyin, her acquaintance whom she had met on social media.

Parading the prime suspect and his accomplice at the DSS Lagos Command, Director of the Command, Mrs. Betty Adoki, said Jackson, 46, who had arrived Lagos on Sunday, November 11 and was received at the airport by Adedoyin was held hostage on November 21, where she was allegedly raped several times by the suspect.

According to her, the American Embassy in Lagos had reported to the Command about Jackson’s abduction and they immediately commenced investigation which culminated in the raid of the criminal hideout by a team of security operatives and Military personnel of the 9 Brigade, Nigeria Army, Lagos.

Adoki said the suspect had lured the black American mother of five through social media, purportedly for a visit, claiming to be a wealthy prince from Arogbatesu royal family of Ile-Ife, Osun State with the intention of extorting money from her.

She explained that while on the dating site, Adedoyin, 40, lied to the victim that he was an exporter of ginger and bitter cola, with a large plantation of cocoa and palm oil, claiming that he had a lot of slaves working for him.

“He said that his father was a former king of Ife Titun, Osun State and that he was heir apparent to the throne. He further cajoled the victim that he owns several buildings in Lagos, including where Jackson was held hostage. But the victim started to suspect a foul play when he was losing patience and said he rented the place meanwhile, it was a ramshackle place he said his father owned,” Adoki said.

She said Adedoyin, in furtherance to his deceit, was discovered to have reserved Protea Hotel, Ikeja, as accommodation for the victim while in Nigeria, but deliberately moved her to another hotel, in order to prevent the monitoring of Jackson by the Embassy, while he eventually seized her International Passport, credit card and United States Identity card of the victim in order to prevent her possible escape.

The suspected abductors received the victim at Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos on 11th November and promptly lodged her at Turn Up Hotel, Ipaja for three days before moving her to a prepared hideout in Abule Egba, where she was held hostage.

“Consequently, on November 26, 2018 about 0200hours, Jackson, was rescued from the captivity of these criminal elements who are suspected to be internet fraudsters and kidnappers. Jackson was held hostage at No. 7, Akanbi Street, Abule Egba, Ifako-Ijaiye LGA, Lagos by one Mathew Adedoyin and his accomplice, Idowu Ayeni,” Adoki said.

She said investigation would be intensified after which the suspects would be prosecuted in line with relevant laws.

Speaking to journalists while being paraded, Adedoyin, who claimed to be real estate agent, denied abducting the victim or raping her, saying that she asked him for sex, adding that her flying down to Nigeria was on her own volition with the intention of getting married to him.

He admitted that on her arrival to Lagos, he lodged her at Turn Up Hotel, but had to move her to his friend’s house for her to stay pending when he could raise money for her return ticket to the United States.

He also denied seizing the victim’s passport, saying that he only helped her keep it safe after he realised that she was carefree with her bag containing the documents anytime they went out.

His accomplice, Idowu Ayeni said he was uncomfortable when the suspect brought the victim to his house but had no concrete plans on when they intended to leave.

Ayeni, who said he works as a litigation officer with a law firm, denied having anything to do with the suspect’s plans, saying his involvement was letting them squat for a few days in his abode.
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