7 Foods that may affect your Sleep

 Introduction:  

Sleep is so important because, it is during sleep we are healed and renewed.  All parts of our body feels better after a good night sleep, it is therefore important to protect this aspect of our health by deliberately avoiding foods, drinks and habits that interferes with our sleep. For a good nights sleep, avoid these 7 foods, listed below:

 Here are 7 foods that may interfere with sleep:

1.  Coffee:

As much as you may love coffee fod its taste, aroma and health benefits, better to avoid it towards bedtime, as it is intended to keep you active and you do not want to engage in any activity at night.  It is also not advised to take coffee to help you stay awake because you want to pray or engage in other activities.  Night time is for sleep and rest and if sleep is not coming, just rest.

2.  Energy Drinks: 

If you are having sleep problems already or you want to avoid keeping awake at night, better avoid all energy drinks whethet sugar free or not.

3.  Spicy hot soups:

Spices are good only in moderation, but the worst time to take spicy food is at night. They are stressors and wont keep you relaxed.  They do not contain vitamin B vitamin which supports relaxation.

4.  Teas

Most leafy teas come with caffein but even when the caffeines are not present. They are mostly deficient in important minerals like potassium, calcium, magnesium that may support relaxation.  Though, it is better to take something light and not sticky, I prefer to take teas made from seeds like avocado seeds tea, date seeds tea, cumin seeds, these seeds carries more nutrients that supports heart health health.

5.  Chocolates

Mostly made from cocoa, whether it is sweetened chocolate or not, the main culprit is the caffeine and sometimes comes with added sugars and flavours which all tend to act as stressors during the night time.  Better taken in the morning or mid day, it contains magnesium which will ultimately help the body relax faster at night.

6.  Heavy and fatty meals

Better to drink only way or an orange and go to better till next day than to have heavy meal high in oils and carbohydrates, it will surely spoil your entire night as the body instead of resting will be struggling to digest the food.  Digestion is a big tast for our body, though we are not even aware.

7.  Foods high in Sugar

Too much sugar at bed time will intferfere with sleep. I am particularly conscious of this aspect  as a little elevation in my blood sugar usually spoil my night or somtimes keep me awake till early hours of the morning. However each time I suspect sugar keeping me awake, I go get something to lower it, although carefully as the body is always very sensitive during these hours. Cloves, lowers sugar, so is ginger and cumin.

Summary:

Other foods like alcohol at bed time is bad too. Too much exercise is bad or no exercise at all is bad too. There will be poor blood circulation will  also interfere with sleep.

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Here are 7 ways Coffee benefits diabetics and other seniors

 Introduction

Coffee is a drink made by roasting coffee beans and ground to make the aromatic coffee we are all familiar with.  The ground coffee are brewed in hot water to make a refreshing tea with almost an irrestible aroma.  The tea carries naturally occurring substance called caff0eine which has many benefits when used in moderation.  As a result of the caffein in it, a lot of people who should benefit from it are avoiding it.  I was a victim of this ignorance for many years.

Today, coffee, not decaf or 3 in 1 coffee is part of things I eat occasionally to improve health.

Here are 7 reasons, it is part of my diet and how I take it:

1.  Reduce risk of type 2 diabetes. 

If you have a family history of diabetes, it is important to be careful with what you eat and better still to. include occasional bitter foods like coffee which is naturally bitter and high in antioxixants. Bitter foods in the diet also helps support liver health.

2. Helps Improve Insulin resistance

Insulin is a messenger or hormone that helps our body manage sugar naturally, if you continously consume offensive foods that keeps it too busy, itcould stop working and in that case we depend on external insulin to do its job.  Including occasional bitter foods like coffee can help improve its function reduce type 2 diabetes risk which is insulin dependent.

3.  Improve Energy and Alertness

Most seniors particularly diabetics and prediabetics have moments when there is no alertness,  energy or urge to work.  Coffee is very helpful in this regard.  This reason is even the more reason I take  coffee sometimes more times in a week than I would.

4.  High Antioxidants

High antioxidants in our diet helps reduce oxidative stress. Coffee is naturally high in antioxidants and helps reduce inflammations when taken in moderation.  It will be okay to take coffee on a journey in case there are no antioxidants rich foods in your location, it can help.

5.  Aids Diggestions

As we get older, our digestive health tends to slow down and if you have reasons to avoid coffee, including occasionally for this one reason we resolve a lot of health issues arising from poor or slowed digestion.  We are aware that the longer a food stays in the stomach, the more likely, it will be converted to fat.

6.  Supports Colon Health

Supporting colon to move when it is not ready to,  is one reason this drink is alway around my cupboard, it is and will continue to be part of my diet. A healthy body begins with a healthy colon. 

7.  Reduce weight gain

One thing seniors must avoid is weight gain and the tendency is higher as we age mostly due to sidentary life and  slowed digestiion.  However, if we take exercise serious, weight gain may not be something to worry about.

How and when I take coffee:

Being a source of caffein which can interfere with sleep. I avoid it towards bedtime

I take coffee when experiencing some kind of constipation and in this case, immediately after water therapy in the morning, I take it on empty stomach, sometimes with a little date powder.

If I feel non alert or low energy to work or make videos, as soon as I take coffee, sometimes with a little milk, all the alertness and energy becomes available.

I also take coffee when, I find myself munching on food here and there, when my appetite is not controlled, I make a cup of hot coffee, with a little milk and before finish sipping on it, all the hunger is gone and no urge to have anything until when I am ready. I love coffee in this aspect.

Summary

Like all foods, regular coffee intake is not healthy for seniors and diabetics, it can leach magnesium and make your skin extra dry unless you take 2 times the fluid you ordinarily would need in a day.  Moderation should be the rule, just like all other foods.

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Best foods to eat during pain

 Introduction

We already talked about foods to avoid during pains, it therefore makes sense to talk on what to eat, some questions are already showing up in that regard.

Searching for information on this, it seems some of  the suggestions are different from my experience during pain, some suggestions like oat, beans etc. There are different levels of pain however, the deep rooted pains like my toothache experience allows no oat or grains, 

so I will share here 4 foods that worked best  for me:

1.  Sardines:  

Sardines in olive oil or have the vegetable oil completely drained and replaced with cold pressed olive oil. They provide easily digestible proteins with omega 3 fatty acids that seems to work against inflammations.

2.  Smoothies made with avocadoes, carrots, cucumbers and ginger or tumeric

3.  Fats from walnuts, probably due omega 3 fats

4.  Soups made with lots of onions, garlic. ginger, tumeric, fresh water fish. Dried fish was not working,  only fresh fish  sometimes thickened as paste with oats as a sprinkle and that gives a little energy due to B vitamines and other heart supporting nutrients like potassium and magnesium. This however must be accompanied with other anti inflammatories like cayenne pepper,cinnamon, ginger, garlic too.

Summary

So many healthy foods were avoided like soyabeans powder, which makes pains worse.  so also was peanuts and many other nuts. With the above foods in the diet no sugars or honey. Whatsoever, weightloss will be noticed and with reduction in body weight comes reduction in pains.  Pepper soups with fresh fish, cayenne peppers and lots of onions and garlic   sometimes carrot and slices of cabbage.

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Here are 4 things that happens when you avoid meat

Introduction

Meat is a general term used to refer to animals walking with either 4 or 3 feet living, crawling or flying outside water, they include wild and domestic animals, they include birds and housebirds like chicken and turkey. 

Meat can be categorized either as :

1.  Meat from mammals like

Beef = cattle. Cow 

Goat meat

Mutton

Pork

Vennison or deer

Rabit

2.  From Poultry

Chicken, turkey, duck, guinea fowl, quail

3. From Fish like 

sardines, mackerel, tuna, salmon. Catfish, Tilapia etc

4.  Seafood

Includes, prawns, crafish,crab, lobster,oysterd etc

Apart from the above, there are several other wild animals that are not categorised here.  They are all important part of human nutrition especially with respect to protein supplies. 

The meat in focus here are the very common meat from cow, cattle, goat and chicken. It is however important to note that no two are the same. Some are higher in cholesterol like goat meat and snail while others are lower.  It is the presence of cholesterol in most meat that made many start avoiding meat of all kinds.  True to say, too much of everything is bad including the good things too. The negative campaign against all forms of meat has made many develop some health issues that would have been avoided if meat was in the diet.  If you are still avoiding all kinds of meat due to cholesterol, here are 4 things that could happen or already happening to your health.

1.  Lack of sleep or insomnia

Meat from cow, goat, chicken and others like turkey naturally comes with complete aminoacids which our body needs to make proteins. Lack of meat may lead to low zinc level and the mineral zinc is said to control over 300 enzymes and other processes in the body and low zinc due to meat abstainance means low immunity at all times

2.  Low Iron

Yes, we have the mineral iron in most grains, nuts, seeds and vegetables, howevet their absorption is said to be limited due to some restrictive nutriences, some cannot be accessed without fermentation

3.  Difficulty in managing Blood Sugar

Managing blood sugar and blood pressure requires adequate nutrition which must include quality protein with complete amino acids. Avoiding meat may mean insufficient protein making blood sugar management difficult.

4. Low muscle mass. 

Adding weight in flesh without increasing muscle size is not healthy and this happens when we avoid healthy foods like beef.  It could lead to obesity, storing fat in the wrong places. This could be avoided if meat is included moderately in the diet.

Summary

Good preparation such as dehyrating, airfrying, oven drying or steaming are ways to prepare the meat and get its benefits.  For me, the best is to cook it well with spices and then dry with any inhouse drying method like oven or air fryer.  It is easier to digest with no weight. However, it should not be an everyday food. I suggest every other day due to its long chain digestion

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7 Signs you not a mature Christian

Introduction

If you are a Christian that desires to please God, then you must attain maturity.  Not much preaching is on the side of the subject of maturity.  The moment people discover one or two spiritual gift, off they move to open a church and become G.O. The truth is that no matter how much power you display or prephesy you give, Gods desire is not you should grow and become matured so he can focus on the children and babies, just as babies are give headeaches to parents, so immature believers give to God.  If there is anything you should desire after conversion, it is maturity.

Here are 7 signs that you are not matured as a christian, it does not matter even if you are a G.O already:

1.  Easily deceived. Eph 4:14

If you are easily decieved by what you see or hear, then you are yet to mature

2.  Weak faith James 1 6 -8

When your faith is easily shaken, sometimes by a simple test or challenge.  You are still a babe

3.  Lack of discernment

Difficulty or lack of discernment between right and wrong is a clear sign of immaturity.

4.  Poor Relationship with others

 1Corintians 3 1-3.  If you find it difficult relating with others either because of what they are wearing or eating or things around them. If you judge others by these things, you are not a mature christian

5.  Become a stumbling block for others Rom. 14:13.  If people move away from God because of you, you are not a mature christian

6.  Repeatedly falling to sin.  If you are a falling and rising christian, you are not mature.

7. Continued dependence on others, If you cannot hear or understand but depend on others like prophets all the time. You are not a mature christian and cannever please God.

Summary 

If you find all the above and even others like unfruitful christian life, then you are not matured and cannot please God.

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5 Foods to avoid during pain

Introduction:  

When going through pains, it is important to be careful what you eat. We all must have gone through some sort of pain at one time or the other.  Some of these pains start suddenly and increase gradually, while some start slowly.  However pain comes and in which ever part of the body it worsen, bear in mind that if you neglect the slightess signal of pain and allow it to worsen, you may never be able to bear it when it worsens.  It is also important to know the cause of it and which foods are worsening it or making it better.  

If you are in doubt, here are 5 common foods to avoid when pain strikes as, they are will  increase your pain:

1.  Highly Processed Foods

In this category are breads, cakes, biscuits and all such foods that come with added sugars, preservatives and sometimes flavours.  They increase pains, because of their added sugars. salt, preservatives and sometimes colourings.

2.  Grains

These includes corn whether roatsed, boiled or popped with all its derivatives, soghurm, wheat. worse in this group is wheat because it has a higher amount of gluten, a kind of nutrient that our body finds difficult to access.  Be mindful of all of them including millet which comes with less gluten.

3.  Animal Proteins

Animal protein includes cows milk, meat, chicken, yoghurt etc. They are known to come with complete amino acids, so I will suggest that organic local chicken eggs may be exempted from the list because of the nutrients it carries and its ani inflammatory properties.  Eggs are high in vitamin A,  and a source of important nutrients like vitamin E, K 

4.  Avoid much Carbohydrate

All forms of carbohydrates whether naturally occuring or processed does not help during pain, we know that protein is the building block and carbohydrate is not so essential in the diet during pain.

5.  Meat

Whether cow meat or  chicken are both difficult to diggest, though they contain complete amino acids which helps for full untilization of nutrients from our foods.  During pains and inflammations only eggs could be retained because of their high content of vitamins like vitamin A and some quality proteins.  They are also naturally antinflammatory and low in calorie.

Summary

In addition to slowing down on the above foods, it is important to ensure proper hydration, as this helps reduce pains too.

Keep the entire body warm particularly the area affected.  Massage the area with essential oil blends like tumeric and ginger oil.  Castor oil is also helpful when massaged under the feet.  

Reduce stress, as stress makes everything worse.

 

 

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4 Tips on how to stop fatty liver

 Introduction.

It is quite common these days to hear people complain of fatty liver disease though they do not indulge in common habits that cause fatty liver such as drinking alcohol. I have personally been through fatty liver in the years of ignorance.  However, its over a decade, I never experienced such symptoms nor even gone for check.  The reason obviously is because, the common causes are known now to me, understood some habits and food choices including preparation methods that increase the risk of fatty liver. 

Common causes of fatty liver are, 

1.  Frying, whether with good or bad oil, frying remains one of the worst methods of food preparation, because it clogs arteries and contributes to fatty liver.

2. Processed Foods: Most processed foods come with transfats from vegetable oils, refined table salt and preservatives, sometimes with colourings and flavourings.

3.  Alcohol:  This is the most common cause of fatty liver, sometimes  referred to as alcoholic fatty liver.  Mostly experienced by those consuming much alcohol.

4. Too much carbohydrates:  Too much carbohydrate whether processed or not does not benefit the liver, instead get stored as fat.

Other habits like inactivity can also hurt the liver. There are still several unknown causes like seen in some younger adults with sickle cell.  

The good news however is that, it is reversible if you stop the cause(s) and start eating right. 

 These 4 tips can help remove liver fat and heal it;

1.  Frying:  Stop frying your foods, whether, it is chicken, potatoes or stews.  It is difficult to digest such foods and the worst of it is that they clog the liver and store more fats.

2.  Alcohol: Stay away from alcohol if you indulge in it.  

3.  Highly Processed foods:   Stay away from highly  processed foods like breads and biscuits. They contribute to liver fat

4.  Healthy fats:   Include only healthy fats like cold pressed olive oil, coconut oil and organic peanut oil.  All naturally occurring fats taken in moderation are healthy and okay for the liver.

Watch the video below to learn more👇

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My Latest Bedtime Snack.

Introduction:  

Night time is, bedtime and bedtime is refreshing, restoring and healing time for our body, therefore it is important to guard it and provide for the body all that is required to do all of these.  Unfortunately a lot of people start experiencing health challenges during this time, firstly it may be poor sleep quality, then insufficient sleep and before you know it, blood sugar, blood pressure weight gain etc are all secretly and quietly gaining ground.  

I have  chatted a lot of people on sleep matters and myself have experienced it more often than any other health challenge and lately came to realise that poor night sleep all begins with the last meal before hitting the bed.

Recently, I decided to put knowledge to work by airfying a common food that had always been part of my diet with just 4 simple ingredients. 

1.  Rolled oat

2.  Sea salt

3.  Dates powder

4.  Raisins

The idea actually originally from a recent popular home made snack called granola, but this time it is in simpler and lighter way without those peanuts and other nuts accompanying the regular and already popular granola. Sprinkled water before airfrying it.  

How I take it

One or two tablespoons then  add a little hot water from the flask and allow to rise for about 3 or 5 minutes and take it.

Here are 3 important things, it does for me

1.  Stops night time urination

2.  Easily fall asleep

3.  No weight gain or belly fat

How it works:

Rolled Oats:  This snack was initiated by me as loss of night sleep was becoming recurrent, and almost affecting my health. 

The soluble and insoluble fibre in oats helps tackle bad cholesterol and support hearthealth

The potassium, calcium  and magnesium helps support heart and bone health too. The little protein helps keep the body working. the B group of vitamins helps keep my energy while I sleep.

Date:  The date delivers iron which is an important mineral for oxygen tranportation and other functions, the potassium, calcium and magnesium supports hearthealth too.

Seasalt:  With over 82 minerals, it keeps the electrolyte and support bone health in particular

Raisins: Supports bone and heart health too

Summary:

You do not need to take much water after soaking  1 or 2 table spoon in a cup for softness. Just a sip of warm water is all you need and there will be no night time urination till 5 am.  Try it and thank me later.  Watch the video to also learn how to store it.

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Hear this testimony of a 65 years old man , with no Hospital card

How come some persons at 45 or 50 are already living on all kinds of medications for blood sugar, blood pressure, heart issues etc, yet some other persons even at 65 have no hospital card for appointments.  Do not say, it is impossible, until ypi read this post about this 65 year old.

What are his secrets?

1.  Consuming whole natural foods

2.  Taking raw garlic, ginger and tumeric occassionally to kill off parasites as a preventive measure.

It is nolonger news that garlic in particular is one of the kitchen spices that works almost like antibiotics to reduce viral load of bacterias.  Using it to cook and enhance the taste in your meals is one way to benefit but most importantly, chewing it raw on empty stomach. It is one of my secretes too.

Besides the 2 points raised by the 65 year old man. Here are other habits that keep you healthy even at 65 and 70 without frequent visits to the hospital.

1.  Exercising moderately especially in the morning

2. Starting your morning with warm water on empty stomach, which we call water therapy is a great and simple way to ward off a lot of ailments

3.  Including healthy fats in your diet such as; avocadoes, olive oil, coconut oil, peanuts, walnuts, sesame seeds etc.

4. Including occasional fermented foods to boost gut health.

5.  Having sufficient sleep and rest

6. Protecting your mental health and emotions

Summary

The above habits and other lifesfyles will help reduce illnesses and pave way for gracious aging.  

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Adult diarreah?, try these remedies

One ailment that is more feared in seniors is diarreah. This happens when the gut environment is attacked either by bacterias and or virus or when it looses its balance due to over consumption of certain foods like in some vegetables such as the waterleaf. 

There are over-the-counter drugs with instant result, however, if you are in love with natural solutions like me, then try these 2 remedies:

1. Cold pressed coconut oil

A teaspoon of the oil is all you need, in some cases, one single dose is okay but a 2nd dose may be needed depending on how you feel, as for me most time a single dose, does the job, bearing in mind that coconut oil is high in saturated fat, though healthy but we know fat is still fat

Why it works especially for diabetics:

When loose stool occurs in diabetics, caution is necessary and most remedies usually come with some form of sugar but coconut helps with insulin resistance and other disease fighting properties in the fat helps trap dangerous bacterias disarming them as they cannot feed on the fat except sugar.

2.  Guava leaves tea

Get some fresh or dried guava leaves and boil. Allow to cool, 6 or 7 tablespoons may be okay. This remedies works by reducing sugar and killing some bacterias with its antibacteria properties.  Remember to allow it to cool, as taking it hot may hurt the intestine making it worse.  

Summary 

The guava leaves tea was my latest discovery as I had been using cold pressed coconut oil for several years to stop all forms of diarreah but recently, I noticed that on a particulad occasion fat was part of the problem and was not needed whether good or bad fat. Guava leabss tea was used that night, the result was amazing.  It helps burn unhealthy fats and tackle cholesterol too. Most of these contribute in making the diarreah complicated. Watch the video here👇

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5 Foods to help stop a toothache

 

If you have suffered toothache, currently managing toothache or know someone currently going through it, then forward or share this knowledge with such a person.  

4 common causes of toothache are:

Excess sugar

Much carbohydrates

Much stress including insomnia

Lack of some minerals like calcium

It is important to work to prevent a toothache than to manage or try to cureit, for prevention is always better than cure. However, if you suspect a toothache, do these five things using these 5 simple ingredients and stop it from excalating;

5 Foods to help stop a toothache

1.  Gargle with sea salt in warm water several times in a day, before and after each meal and before bed.

2.  Chew about 2 or 3 cloves each after your main meal to reduce excess acidity, sugar  and reduce inflammations

3.  Chew about 2 or 3 cloves of garlic after water therapy and salt gargle to help kill off dangerous bacterias and parasites and reduce inflammations.

4.  Include calcium rich foods like chia seeds and reduce or temporarily stay away from milk, which increase inflammations.

5. Take guava leaves tea and gargle with the tea.  It reduces blood sugar which makes pains worst, reduces inflammations and kills off some parasites.

Summary

In addition to the above, use cold pressed olive oil to clean your gum at bedtime.  it stenghtens the teeth also and kills off some yeast.  Coconut oil is better used when there is no pain yet.  I use cold pressed  to gargle too,  occasionally, but in the presence of pain, olive oil is a better choice.

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How Best to consume corn

 If you have been  avoiding corn whether, boiled, roasted or popped, you may be wrong because corn is a natural food especially when consumed during its season. The reason you experience cough, join pains and other negative effects may be because you are consuming it the wrong way.  

Watch this video for more tips on how best to consume it, its my way and moderation is the rule.

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Fermented Soyabeans Powder

 

The fermented soyabeans powder is available to help you manage ailments like diabetes, weight gain and weight loss, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, insomnia, low energy, heart related issues, constipated and good for growing children.  A rich source of protein with complete amino acids, iron, calcium and other minerals. 

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