₦airaland Forum

Today, we write on the benefits of the right drink; our very own local red wine – the nutritious ‘ZOBO’ drink and why it is a recommended drink for you and your family at all times rather than most processed fruit drinks.

The ‘Zobo’ drink popularly known as African “local red wine’ is a drink well consumed in Nigeria. Though it is not new to foreigners as it is also an ancient local drink consumed in several parts of the world for centuries, across the Caribbean to parts of Africa and Latin America where the Roselle plant can be found.

The interesting part about this drink is that it is easy to make and the ingredient used are also easy to find, most importantly, very affordable.

Click the link for details - http://diet234.com/zobo-drink-the-quintessential-local-red-wine/

Many people would consider that having a lot of properties is the wealth of life. However, in fact, amongst every other thing you may have, health is the most precious thing you got in your life. Man’s health is a boon which is quite surely invaluable. You ought to preserve your health and dump all the excess energy in something fruitful as exercising. Working out is the best way to have a good fitness level, and a trim physical appearance, but never forget about healthy eating.

We all have our state of “guilty pleasure”, where we want to eat anything and everything either because someone else is eating it or our mind cannot just wake up out of the fantasy. We then tend to eat it so much we forget that we have passed our limits and then we feel gluttonous.

With so much talk of healthy foods and what you should be eating, the foods that are the worst for us can get overlooked and worse still eaten up. The reason is, it’s so hard to avoid these kinds of food because the things that make them bad also make them taste good. Drive down the streets, and chances are you’ll run across multiple fast food restaurants. In fact, there are around a shocking 160,000 fast food restaurants across the country America, and the number grows daily (research shows that). Americans eat out an average of four to five times a week, and a significant portion of those meals come from fast food restaurant chains ranging from McDonald’s to Applebee’s. Unlike Nigeria, as much as we don’t have a lot of fast food restaurants, we now have them deposited in our houses like an acquired property waiting to be eaten.

Here are some meals or unhealthy junks I try not to be caught taking:
http://diet234.com/i-shouldnt-have-eaten-that/

Body fat is essential to keeping our bodies healthy, because not all body fat is bad. The cardiovascular and central nervous system needs it, as well as our skeletal, endocrine, and reproductive systems. It is an energy source, and after about half an hour of exercise, when the carbohydrate reserves are depleted, your body starts to draw energy from fat.

Leaner doesn’t always mean better. About 15-20 percent of body fat is required, so our bodies could function properly, and having fat percentage beneath that number has its negative effects. Male bodybuilders go below 5 percent, which is an alarming amount, but only when contesting (not staying below 5 percent all the time).

Read via the link below and see what happens when body fat percentage goes lower than it should.
http://diet234.com/the-negative-effects-of-a-low-body-fat-percent/

After a long day at work and the stress on being seated in the “Fashola bus” aka BRT with the usual ‘gidi’ traffic, trust me, it’s not funny. I’m fagged out! For every Lagosian, I am sure you totally understand what I mean. On getting to my gate, all I need is just a good meal to calm my hungry and tired nerves.

Well, rather than bother you with my troubles of a busy day…

This afternoon, I am writing about one of my favorite/special ‘Calabar local cuisine’… and NO its not the usual ‘Afang soup’ or ‘Editan soup’ You always get to read or hear about.
This very special ‘Calabar meal’ is called Ukang. Yes! It’s a type of food mostly served at Calabar (south west of Nigeria) traditional weddings and usually prepared with unripe plantain as its main ingredient.

Find the recipe here - http://diet234.com/oh-my-favorite-ukang/

The Founder and Principal Consultant at Diet234.com - Collins Akanno spoke on "Healthy Living: Controlling Body Weight" in the Health Matters segment with TV presenter - Habibah Basanya at TVC Africa Studios in Lagos, Nigeria.

Click the link below to watch the video -


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kRWMmgdptNc

Hi @Sleekbaby. Pls follow the link to see more. http://diet234.com/turn-your-meal-leftover-to-the-right-snack/

Mental health influences us all in the way we behave; we think, and we feel. It also controls the ability to make the most out of any given opportunities. It makes an impact on our surroundings like on our family, friends, and workplace. A good mental health is the ability of a person to learn, to express, to feel, to manage emotions, to manage a relation and to cope with certain changes and obstacles in life and have a better lifestyle fitness.

To maintain good mental health, it is very necessary to have some specific nutrients. In the same way, there are certain foods that may cause a mental disorder or cause damage to your mental health. So it is very necessary to avoid these foods. Mental health problems are very common, but it can be controlled if we maintain a healthy diet plan. Same with the heart, your brain also starts following your health control plan.

View a list of these foods here: - http://diet234.com/top-foods-for-better-mental-health/

I used to be a big time food-waster. In fact I go shopping with the honest intention to use every ounce of soy-milk, every pack of mixed vegetable and so many different stuff I load in my cart. Sometimes I cook with the intention of finishing every bit of a nutritious meal, but I end up dumping most of it away after losing interest in the first love I got from tasting the cooked meal.

It cost me a lot as much as I wanted to satisfy my need to feed my appetite. So I decided to make a change and rounded up a bunch of ways to make do with my leftovers. I would be pleased to share two possible meals I turned into a healthy snack. You can turn your leftover pasta, rice, bread, milk, pizza, chicken and turkey, vegetables, bread etc. into a healthy snack to keep your day going.

Here are my two favorite leftover snacks that has a bit of everything and is perfect for health eating –

http://diet234.com/turn-your-meal-leftover-to-the-right-snack/

Okay so Democracy Day has come and passed and we the editorial team at Diet234 would like to congratulate Mr. President – Muhammadu Buhari and his vice president – Mr. Yemi Osinbajo on taking up the mantle of leadership in a bid to aid the Nigerian populace actualize national goals on security of lives and property, sustainable development among others. Ultimately, we thank Almighty God for a peaceful transition of power in the just concluded Democracy Day activity.

In the spirit of the national leadership agenda and happenings, our CEO & Founder – Collins Akanno had honored an invitation to speak on Democracy Day – May 29th 2015, at a youth summit hosted by the Christian Youth Crusaders Fellowship of his metropolitan church – St. Bartholomew’s Anglican Church, Aguda. Surulere in Lagos State. The event was tagged “Stepping Out”, themed on positive thinking and self discovery for the youth population.

Read more of the happenings here: http://diet234.com/our-founder-speaks-at-a-democracy-day-event/

Even in this day of celebrating our children, we should imagine for a second the loveliness and fascination that these bundles of joy bring to us. And then, imagine if the opportunity never presented itself…

A miscarriage cuts the excitement of expecting a baby. We should learn about this joy killer…

The loss of one’s unborn child spells a kind of pain that mothers cannot fully express. It is not just about an individual’s dashed hopes and expectations; it is also about losing a dearly loved individual yet unseen. While no words can rightly contain the extent of the grief such loss brings, there is a medical term that accurately describes the occurrence: spontaneous abortion or miscarriage.

Learn more here: http://diet234.com/what-you-should-know-about-miscarriage/

Do you know why it is difficult to teach health and fitness lessons to children?

Health and fitness have become major concerns for parents as well as school administrators and teachers across the world. With the obesity epidemic wrecking havoc with the health of young kids, the issue has garnered a lot of attention and a lot of emphasis is now being placed on improving the fitness and health of school kids. Here are a few key reasons that have a bearing on the teaching of health and fitness.

Read more here: http://diet234.com/health-and-fitness-education-for-children/

yes there's more.

Thank u for the review.

Okay, so I recently felt the need to bring to you, my esteemed readers the pleasure of being aware of super food combinations and how this practice results in overall health and vigor.
I’d like to let you all know that, I got really wonderful feedback from readers (calls and text messages) but for some reason, there are NO comments on the post (and I wonder…). Well, I’d like to urge you to drop your comments and views, it helps our editorial team serve you better.

That being said, we the editorial team is open to food reviews. Let’s just say, you had this really great meal at this really great restaurant, feel free to share the awesomeness of the meal and/or the comfort and experience of the place with our readers.

Here's what we ate last night: http://diet234.com/healthy-snack-at-the-office-tgif/

@szkz yes indeed. Please visit us at http://diet234.com for more nutrition tips and updates. Many thanks.

For good oral health it is not enough just to check-up your dental health once a year with your dentist, to maintain regular dental hygiene at least twice a day, but it is also very important that you eat right. Proper nutrition is important, both for general health and for the health of our teeth.

To find out the facts and learn how to support your dental health using nutrition - http://diet234.com/malnutrition-crooked-teeth/

@Blizzyblinkzy - you can find the list at: http://diet234.com/super-food-combinations/ Like us for more nutrition tips.

Food combinations for healthier eating have been adopted in nutritional science on the basis of nutrient – nutrient interactions i.e. how a certain food nutrient in a mix affects the other food nutrient, either by enhancing it’s absorption or hindering it.

If you add these powerful food combinations to your diet at least twice a week, you’ll supercharge your health.

See them here: http://diet234.com/super-food-combinations/

The weekend is over and it is with no doubt, that a whole lot of people have ate food portions meant for 3 people at one go (unfortunately, including me). As we all already know, the description of our West African cusine is “heavy on starch, ‘mega’ heavy on meat and generous in fat”.

But, let’s take a closer look on our food portion sizes; In Africa, we are known for our ‘open house’ mentality and extraordinary sense of hospitality – we tend to prepare for unexpected guests by cooking for masses. And in our bid to ensure everyone is well fed, when they turn up we dish up very large portions. On the receiving end, as guests, our native hospitality demands we finish everything on our plates – this can program us to eat more than we need. Sometimes, we even judge a host’s level of hospitality (and status) by how much food and drink is available! With this emphasis on quantity it’s no wonder we are used to large portions. This is a BIG threat to healthy eating.

But then,

In your food preparation and eating agenda for the new week, highlight and adopt the following tips for healthy eating;
See them here - http://diet234.com/healthy-eating-is-eating-right/

A stroke occurs when the blood supply to part of your brain is interrupted or severely reduced, depriving brain tissue of oxygen and nutrients. Within minutes, brain cells begin to die.

A stroke is a medical emergency. Prompt treatment is crucial. Early action can minimize brain damage and potential complications.

The good news is that strokes can be treated and prevented, and hopefully many fewer Nigerians won’t die of stroke now than in the past 15 years.

The best way to prevent a stroke is to reduce the risk factors associated with it or rather predisposing one to it.

See them here: http://diet234.com/top-ten-tips-for-preventing-stroke/

@kunletiwoo you are most welcome.

Watermelon is undoubtedly one of the most refreshing, thirst quenching fruit available year round, I'd gladly tell you that it ranks up there on my favorite fruit list, right after pineapples, apples, bananas, pears, cashews... (OK, pardon me. I admit I have a lot of favorites!).
Watermelon is not only delicious but also very nutritious. Studies have shown that deep red varieties of watermelon have displaced the tomato as the "lycopene king".
According to medicine.net, lycopene is a red pigment found predominantly in tomatoes (and also in some other fruits like watermelons) that gives them their color. Lycopene has antioxidant properties and has been claimed to "promote a healthy heart" and to reduce the risk of cancer.

Lycopene, however, is fat-soluble, this means it needs certain fats in the blood for better absorption by the body or rather it is better absorbed into the blood if eaten in a meal with healthy levels of good fats (unsaturated fatty acids for instance omega 3 and 6 fatty acids found in majorly found in fish). Watermelon consists of 92% water and 8% sugar.

Here are the nutrition facts for the watermelon, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which regulates food labeling through the National Labeling and Education Act:
(See link below)

http://diet234.com/watermelons-health-benefits/

@menix - well noted. Kindly share your views on the post at http://diet234.com/foods-for-healthy-vision/

Eyes are the most essential part of our body. Healthy vision gives us the pleasure of experiencing the day to day activities. If not for our eyes what will we do?

So it is of utmost importance that we take good care of our eyes. These days’ toxins are present in everything we eat, drink or even put on as makeup. Everyday tips like washing your eyes with cold water or removing your make up after sleeping are helpful. But to enhance your vision it is important to take care of what you eat.

This article; http://diet234.com/foods-for-healthy-vision/ will give you a glimpse into various food items that will help you maintain or improve your vision.

Read it here: http://diet234.com/foods-for-healthy-vision/

Toxins are omnipresent in our daily lives nowadays. The air we breathe, the food we eat or even the water we drink! Such excessive contaminants in our body lead to many disorders such as eating disorders, loss of hair, hormonal instability and weight gain. In such a case, it is usually advised for individuals to exercise or take supplements to enhance their diets. But this article will explore the possibility for you to formulate adequate diet plans at home itself. So no need to go too far.
Read more here: http://diet234.com/guides-to-formulation-of-adequate-diets/

My fitness pal is world’s most popular and best fitness and health app. The app is your pal to lose your weight. This app features a calorie counter which helps to keep a track on your daily calorie intake by suggesting some tools. We all know losing weight is not as easy as one may think, but by using My Fitness Pal app we can control and get rid of those extra pounds.

Study has revealed that it is very necessary to keep a track on your food intake and activity in order to lose weight. Many people around the world put all their efforts for losing their weight but fails because they are not putting efforts in the right way. My Fitness Pal guides you in the right manner by offering you diet and exercise goals and keeping their track. This apps is the fastest and easiest tool to count every single calorie you consume in your typical day.

This app has following features and benefits; Read them here - http://diet234.com/my-fitness-pal-to-track-daily-calorie-consumption/

Everyone wants to indulge in losing weight programmes in order to look fit. Overweight and obesity is one of the biggest health problem in today’s World, people are becoming addicted to junks and for food lovers it’s very difficult to control over the diet. If you are ambitious to lose weight there are many tactics and plans which can help.

To help you out with this, in the link below are the dos and don’ts you should know and follow to reduce your weight the proper way:

http://diet234.com/5-dos-and-donts-for-losing-weight/

And so, the day before yesterday (Thursday) was World Kidney Day. I had attended an event held within Gbagada General Hospital at the conference room of the Cardiac & Renal Centre in the city of Lagos, Nigeria. This event lasted for about two hours.

The event was organised by OJB Foundation and the Cardiac and Renal Centre managed by Renescor Health (www.renescor.com). The distinguished guests of the events were Mr. Okungbowa Jezreel Babatunde (OJB); founder of OJB Foundation, Rev. Sis. Bamigbe; Matron of the foundation and Rev. Fr. Amolegbe, of St. Timothy’s Catholic Church, Ojodu.

Read more here: http://diet234.com/world-kidney-day-2015/

And so, it was World Kidney Day yesterday. I had attended an event held within Gbagada General Hospital at the conference room of the Cardiac & Renal Centre in the city of Lagos, Nigeria. This event lasted for about two hours.

The event was organised by OJB Foundation and the Cardiac and Renal Centre managed by Renescor Health (www.renescor.com). The distinguished guests of the events were Mr. Okungbowa Jezreel Babatunde (OJB); founder of OJB Foundation, Rev. Sis. Bamigbe; Matron of the foundation and Rev. Fr. Amolegbe, of St. Timothy’s Catholic Church, Ojodu.

Read more here: http://diet234.com/world-kidney-day-2015/

lol @kunletiwoo, i second you on that. It brings an epic feeling of satisfaction. Please visit us http://diet234.com/ and follow social media handles to get more on nutrition education. We are all about healthy eating and happy living. Thanks in advance!

Rice and beans is a staple food in many cultures around the world, Nigeria is topping the list. This food duo is known by the Yoruba tribe of Nigeria as[i] iresi ati ewa[/i].

This staple food provides several important nutrients, and is widely available. The Igbo specialty known as “ricee na beanz” is often accompanied by a side of fried plantain, some lightly heated vegetables and/or smoked fish.

In many areas, rice and beans are often served side by side rather than mixed. Either ways, they may be considered a meal, frequently with a topping of meat or chicken. Meat or other ingredients are sometimes placed atop rice and beans or (less often) mixed into it.

The Nutritional Significance of this tasty super-food combo is available here - http://diet234.com/rice-and-beans-a-nutritious-staple-food/
Get acquainted!