Bloggers' Digest

BREAST MILK: A BABY-FRIENDLY FOOD DRINK FOR INFANTS

Mothers, just like the other female mammals, are endowed with mammary glands that produce breast milk for feeding their infants. Breast milk is a naturally produced food drink which babies need to grow and develop. In addition to carbohydrate, protein and fat, breast milk contains antibodies which are important fortifications of babies' immune system. Unlike formula milk, breast milk is cheap, needs no dilution and can be made available on demand!


HEALTH BENEFITS OF REGULAR PHYSICAL
EXERCISE
Because health is wealth, it is necessary to keep the body in a good shape at all times. Not only should people eat balanced diets, but also adequate physical activities should be taken regularly for optimum performance of the body. The following are some advantages of engaging in consistent physical exercise:
1. Lowering of the risk of developing chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, obesity, etc.
2. Improvement of sleep quality.
3. Boosting of mood and stress relief.
Now that increasing number of people tend to live sedentary lifestyle, it is important to create time for regular physical exercise or work it into daily routine of activities like taking a walk rather than a ride to the market.
FURTHER READING
Kline, C. 2014, The Bidirectional Relationship Between Exercise and Sleep: Implications for Exercise Adherence and Sleep Improvement. Am J Lifestyle Med., 8(6), 375 - 379.

REGULAR HAND WASHING IMPROVES THE FAMILY HEALTH

The high prevalence of infectious diseases in Nigeria has been the focus of several discussions in recent times. Tuberculosis, lower respiratory infections and diarrhea are among the top 10 killer diseases in Nigeria according to the Center for Disease Control. Together, these three account for about 26% of the deaths largely due to poor sanitation and hygiene practices.
Study by Luby et al(2005), however, has revealed that frequent hand washing with a simple soap could significantly reduce the incidence of major killer communicable diseases. It does this by prevention of illnesses and spread of infections to others. It saves money that could have been spent on treatment and drugs. It also promote productivity and national growth through the reduction of absenteeism at school and work.
Furthermore, regular hand washing also improves the family health by avoidance of such things as pain from illnesses, therapy, and disability.

WHY MEN, RATHER THAN WOMEN, ARE THE HOMEMAKERS.

The rivalry between men and women has raged on for centuries without signs of abating anytime soon. Women now pursue their careers at the expense of their roles as mothers and thus have less time for house chores. This has popped up debates about who really is the homemaker. Is it the husband or the wife?
A homemaker is a person whose main job is to take care of his or her family, home, and children. Although the primary role of men is to provide for and maintain law and order at home, they now have to do extra work to give support to their wives. Not only do men patrol the markets more often than women, but also have to cook for the kids as well. It is now common to see fathers taking the kids to and from school. Even though women conceive a child for 9 months, it is the father who bears both mother and child through those months by giving support and hard work! BLOGGERS' DIGEST

3 SIMPLE WAYS TO KEEP THE BODY FIT
The computer and the internet have really transformed the way people now do their work and businesses. Unlike the past, goods and services can be purchased online without leaving the comfort of the room. This has made many people aware of the need to engage in one form of physical activity or the other. But not all could cope with the stress of trained athletes nor afford the luxury of a gym. Here are 3 simple yet effective ways to keep the body fit:
1. Gardening: This is the process of growing fruits, flowers or vegetables on a piece of land. It can be done in any suitable place around the home. Taking a good care of the garden will require the gardener to hoe, trim, cut, and dig. These activities will exert the muscles and engage the whole body in physical exercise.
2. Bicycling: This can be used within the neighborhood. Meetings could be attended and friends visited by riding a bicycle where the traffic allows. Alternatively, a family could invest in a stationary bicycle which will then be useful for the parents and children.
3. Strolling: This involves walking around for some couple of minutes which could be more pleasurable when done in the countryside. This is because it offers additional opportunity to enjoy fresh air.

WHY STUDYING IN THE PAST IS MORE EXCITING

Education has been described as a lifelong process because learning is a continuous activity. For instance, both the young and old still must update their skills in using a computer or a new brand of mobile phone. No doubt, improvement in technology has made teaching and learning easier and education readily accessible. This not withstanding, many people, especially the older generation, believed that they had more exciting moments in school and here is why.
First, they argued that teachers were more dedicated to their work and more involved in individual pupil. Parents were carried along and whatever disciplinary measure meted out to pupils gets reinforced at home.
Moreover, they had time for extracurricular activities such as drama, debating clubs and lots of sporting activities. Inter house athletic competitions created avenues for social interactions which buffered the monotony of academic classes.
Besides, because the school calendar was stable instructional materials like textbooks were usable by others after a pupil graduates.

5 FACTS ABOUT IMMUNIZATION THAT YOU SHOULD KNOW.

1. It makes an individual resistant to infectious diseases by stimulating the body's immune system.
2. Vaccinated individual are less likely to be a source of infection.
3. Only one in five of children in the country received the full complement of vaccines in 2013 (Wonodi, 2017).
4. Factors such as living in a hard-to-reach location and economically disadvantaged parents make a good number of children vulnerable to missing immunization.
5. Misunderstanding about the importance of vaccines and apprehension about it's safety are strong barriers to immunization.

WHAT IS MALNUTRITION AND WHY ARE UNDER 5s SO VULNERABLE?

A person is said to be malnourished if he or she suffers deficiencies, excesses or imbalances in the energy and nutrients that he or she eats. It is generally used to mean wasting, stunting or underweight depending on its severity. Such children are usually seen to have loss of weight, lack of vitality and frequent infections with prolonged period of recovery.
Although malnutrition affects people of all ages, under-5s are particularly vulnerable because they have increased risk of dying from common childhood diseases such as malaria, diarrhea and pneumonia. It can also affect their well being beyond childhood stage.

HOW THE INTERNET IS IMPROVING ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE

Health has been defined as the state of physical, social and mental well being and not just the absence of diseases or infirmities. It is important to keep the body in a good shape in order to meet the challenges of the 21st century.
Nowadays, most major health problems begin with minor issues that had been left unattended to. This may be due to the difficulty in visiting a clinic for a routine checkup or the high cost of seeking such medical advice.
With the advent of mobile technology, however, things need not remain as they are because the internet could be a useful tool for delivering an affordable and accessible healthcare to all. Here are some ways in which the internet is being harnessed to provide web-based health services at the doorstep of everyone:
1. Remote testing, diagnosis and monitoring of patients.
Patients can now undergo tests without travelling a long distance. Analysis and result of such tests or examination can be delivered by personnel working remotely from a hospital located thousands of kilometers away. For example, doctors can now examine their patients virtually with a digital Stethoscope for sounds in the heart and lungs. Live Stethoscope sounds could be made available to remote healthcare practitioners.
2. The use of text messages and mobile ringtone.
These are innovative ways for helping patients adhere to medications, improve their understanding of a medical condition and offer advice on places to receive medical counseling.
3. Health and wellness Apps
These are Mobile applications through which health-related services are provided on devices such as PCs, smartphones and tables. Helpful information on weight loss, pregnancy, etc. are made available to users.


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