What Does Your Weirdest Dreams Really Mean?

Since we’ve been on the subject of sleep lately, it only seemed natural to take a closer look at what our minds are really doing while we rest. Dreams are something we talk about a lot in the office — it seems like every other day Chanel has some terrifying nightmare about Coco (her Pomeranian) or I have another prophetic vision of the apocalypse.

Our dreams are all over the map, and the strangest ones leave us feeling unsettled and longing for explanation.

Everyone on our team has some sort of recurring dream, and there’s even one specific dream that we’ve all had.

So we called up Cabe Lindsay, a professional dream reader and counselor, to give us more insight into what these dreams really mean. Lindsay is an artist who interprets the symbols he sees in dreams to help people realize their hidden gifts, talents, and deepest selves. He uses the teachings of Wang Fu, Sigmund Freud, Carl Jung, Edward Cayce, and other modern dream analysts to train his clients to begin interpreting their own dreams for themselves. After just one conversation with Cabe Lindsay, we were completely hooked. Read on to discover his interpretation of some of our craziest dreams, and let us know if you’ve had any of these same dreams in the comment section!

What do you love about being a dream interpreter? 

To me, dream interpretation is a way of discovering the higher self. Our dreams present certain truths, revealed by our subconscious. This hidden wisdom comes through like a puzzle, often times, and this puzzle may be rewarding both in the journey–the process of putting the pieces together; and also in the destination–the message. Dreams offer us the insight of the innermost.

Who is Carl Jung and how do you use his theories for dream interpretation?

Carl Jung is commonly mentioned in reference to dream interpretation because he saw the value in our dreams. Carl Jung supported the idea that our dreams were trying to tell us something, in a way of guiding and guarding our well-being, while others believed our dreams were merely a random shuffle of thoughts, impulses, and fantasies. On a surface level, a dreamer might assume that a dream is meaningless, and then discard a dream as nonsense. Carl Jung’s theories help us to see the possibility that the dreams do hold meaning, and the underlying messages in them might be very valuable to us.

Okay, so we sat around the office and talked about some of our most frequently recurring dreams.  Everyone in our office has had some sort of dream (more like nightmare) about losing teeth. What’s the significance there? 

This is the most famous dream. It is related with anxiety. Depending on the scenario, it might be related to comparing ourselves to others, or fear of death, vanity, etc. In one sense, our teeth are part of our human selves, and so the sensation of crumbling teeth might represent the death or decay of our ego. This might be a good thing to see, because it could mean that we are willing to humble ourselves to a more cooperative human existence where we can stand beside the brothers and sisters we honor as our family. In another light, it may remind us that the human body is a temporary state of being, while the soul is so much more. Either way, I see this dream as being beneficial to see, even though it comes with some discomfort. It is possibly one dream that is shared by all people.

Some of us have dreams about getting back together with ex-boyfriends (who we really don’t like in real life.) Does that mean we subconsciously want it to happen?

It is possible that dreams tell the future, and it is possible that dreams tell the possibility. And, it is possible that dreams reveal our desires. And, there are twists, such as this: You are every character in your dream. You are you, and you are your ex-boyfriend or ex-girlfriend or friend or enemy. A dream like this may indicate that you are desiring to know yourself more, and be in a more intimate relationship with your higher self.

Chanel often dreams that she “wakes up” and can’t move. Is that sleep paralysis? Or is there a hidden meaning behind this type of dream? 

Dreams within dreams are interesting to me. Personally, I think it’s a reminder that there are many states of being. We can think of these states as: body, heart, mind, soul, and spirit. So a dream about a dream might indicate a certain way of seeing like our higher self sees, like an angel sees, like God sees, etc. In our dreams, we may experience the sensations of being stuck to a bed, or slowed in a chase, or sped-up in space, or swimming underwater, or soaring in the sky… and ultimately these may be hints about the real possibilities that exist in the “arena of lights,” where the soul is home.

One that I’ve had over and over is that I’m back in college, and realize that I’ve completely forgotten about a class that I was registered for. I haven’t been in school for ages, but this dream never stops. What’s the deal?

There is a certain area of human suffering revealed here, relating with the desire to learn, grow and prosper. While the wisdom, strength and prosperity are good qualities, the yearning for these suggests that these positive assets are not yet available. So the message in this dream is to relax in the truth that wisdom, strength, and prosperity are already here, and there is comfort in this. The truth is that we can allow ourselves to be late for class and miss the test too, and we’ll still have enough of the wisdom, strength and prosperity. We are enough exactly as we are.

What is lucid dreaming?

Lucid dreaming is a practice of bringing our human intentions into our dreams. In this way, we can actively participate directly in the dream. We can draw our awareness to the dream state we’re in, and then decide where to go, who to meet, and what to do.

Is there any way to control our dreams, or start having happier ones?

Yes, there are ways to direct the paths of our subconscious thoughts, visions, and dreams. If you’ve ever dreamed of horror scenes after watching a horror movie, you know that there is a certain echo in all of the vibrations we give and receive. So, when we dwell in the attitude of peace, joy, and harmony, we create space for this in dream life and in waking life.

What steps do you recommend for someone who wants to get more in touch with the meaning of their dreams? 

I love when people ask how to become more in touch with the meaning of dreams. The first step in understanding our dreams is to appreciate the dreams we have. So, a dream journal beside the bed is a specific strategy for recording the dream, which results in more remembered dreams. To explore the meaning of dreams, it’s a good idea to look at the subject of symbolism, and observe the ways different interpreters find different meanings in the symbols we see. To name a few examples, we might look at a dream encyclopedia, a tarot card deck, or an animal spirit guidebook. To become more invested in our dreams as a way of accessing our higher selves, we might practice meditation, in order to silence the chatter and open the mind to messages of the heart.

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Stir Fry Recipes You Need to Try

Stir frying, which is a Chinese cooking technique that involves cooking food in hot oil—traditionally in a wok—has become very popular in American culture. After all, it’s an easy way to prepare home-made meals that the whole family will enjoy. Of course, as with any dish or cooking style, the ingredients that you choose make all the difference in the health factor of your meal. While you may think that healthy stir-fry recipes might be lacking in flavor and creativity, we have created some that are anything but boring!

Here are seven stir-fry recipes that you have to try:

 1. Chicken and Broccoli Stir-Fry

One of our favorite stir-fry recipes, Chicken and Broccoli is always going to be a classic. And our version is simple to make and will easily become a go-to recipe in your family. With a simple Asian-style sauce, juicy, bite-sized pieces of chicken and a nutritious blend of broccoli, bell peppers and onions, this is a complete meal that everyone will gobble up. Served with fiber-rich brown rice, it’ll also keep you feeling full and satisfied.

2. Steak Stir-Fry with Grilled Peppers and Onions

Trimmed flank steak marinated in a delicious sauce combined with crisp peppers and onions makes this a yummy stir-fry that will be sure to please. Plus, it has a lot of great nutrition. Bell peppers are loaded with vitamins, including vitamins A and C, as well as potassium and folic acid. Meanwhile, onions are a good source of vitamins C and B6 as well as iron and fol-ate. Together, these veggies help make this meal a nutritional powerhouse—all served atop fiber-filled brown rice!

3. Tofu Stir-Fry with Savory Tahini Soy Sauce

Your meatless stir-fry will be anything but boring when you use a flavor-filled sauce like our savory tahini soy sauce to spice it up. Tofu is the perfect lean protein for this delicious dish as it soaks up all the yummy flavors of our tasty sauce which is made from a blend of soy sauce, corn starch, garlic, ginger and—of course—tahini. In addition to being flavorful, tahini, which is made from ground sesame seeds, has many health benefits, including the fact that it is high in healthy fats and amino acids, and that it packs in magnesium, copper, iron and zinc, among other essential vitamins and minerals.

4. Shrimp Scampi with Zucchini Pasta

Often a restaurant favorite, Shrimp Scampi sounds like a lot of work to make at home. Well, that’s not the case at all with this simple one-pan meal we’ve put together. And since our version uses zucchini noodles instead of traditional pasta, it’s a lot healthier for you, too. After all, zucchini is incredibly low in calories, while also being rich in filling fiber. And, you may be surprised to learn that zucchini actually has more potassium than a banana. This is a recipe that you can only whip up in a pinch and can feel good about eating.

5. Cauliflower Fried Rice with Shrimp

If you love fried rice but don’t want to load up on calories, then we’ve got the perfect substitution for you—Cauliflower Fried Rice with Shrimp. You may be skeptical, but trust us, it has all the flavor of delicious fried rice but is a whole lot better for you. Combined with mixed veggies, egg and shrimp, there is so much flavor in this meal that you’ll hardly realize you swapped out the rice for vitamin-rich cauliflower.

6. Asian Salmon Bowl with Cauliflower Rice

This Asian-style dish combines heart-healthy salmon with delicious veggies like cucumber, green onion and carrots. Plus, it’s all served over a bed of healthy cauliflower rice as opposed to the starchy white rice traditionally used in Asian meals. It’s a great choice if you’re craving take-out but don’t want to get bogged down by all the fat and calories that come with it. Plus, you’ll feel good about whipping up this home-made dish on your own.

7. Sesame Garlic Shrimp Stir-Fry

If you like shrimp, this might be your favorite of our stir-fry recipes, as it combines the succulent seafood with the rich flavors of garlic, sesame seeds, soy sauce and ginger. It’s easy to make and sure to become a family favorite in your household. And, when prepared in a healthy way, as this recipe is, shrimp can actually be quite good for you. This lean protein contains a variety of nutrients that people tend to lack including selenium, copper and niacin. It’s low in calories and it’s very tasty too.

Yoga Exercise to Relieve Back Pain

 

The primary complaints you hear from yoga students is back pain – specifically, lower back pain. This type of discomfort can stem from a variety of things including poor posture, long periods of sitting or standing, and tight hips and tight hamstrings, to name a few. Generally, things that can be addressed with some awareness and gentle, targeted movement.

Studies have proven that people who practice yoga regularly experience less pain and improved flexibility and movement.

Try this short sequence of yoga postures the next time your lower back is calling for your attention or, better yet, as a preventative measure to keep your spine supple and strong. Of course, if you experience prolonged back pain, it may be time to seek the guidance of a professional doctor, physical therapist or body worker.

1. Knees-To-Chest Pose

                   

Lie on your back with knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. On an exhale, draw both knees in towards your chest and wrap your hands around your shins. Use your hands to gently hug your knees in towards your belly.

Breathe deeply and fully here allowing your belly to expand towards your legs as you inhale, and gently draw back and down towards your spine as you exhale.

If your head is not comfortably resting on the floor place a folded blanket or pillow underneath it.  Stay here for 5- 10 breaths.

 

2. Figure Four Pose

Lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Exhale, and hug your right knee in towards your chest and wrap your hands around your shin. Externally rotate your right thigh so your right knee is now pointing towards the right, and place your right outer ankle on top of your left thigh just above the knee.

Flex your right foot. Inhale, and on your exhale, maintain this position of the legs as you bring both legs in towards your body. Thread your right hand through the space between your legs and clasp behind your left leg.

Draw your left leg in towards your body, and gently encourage your right thigh away from your chest.

Stay here for 5 – 10 breaths. Release both feet back to the floor and repeat on the opposite side.

3. Reclining Hand-to-Big-Toe Pose

     

 

Props: strap or long towel

Lay flat on your back with knees bent and feet flat on the floor, hip-distance apart. Take a few slow, deep breaths.

On an exhale, bring your right knee in towards your chest and place the strap around the center arch of your foot. Hold one side of the strap in each hand (so hands and strap are shoulder-distance apart) and straighten your right leg towards the ceiling at 90 degrees. Slowly begin to straighten your left leg onto the floor. If this creates any tension in your lower back, keep the left knee bent.

Rather than working to bring your right leg closer to your body, maintain the 90-degree angle with this leg.

Maintain a soft grip on the strap as you consciously soften the sides of your neck and your shoulders down towards the floor. Stay for 10 breaths. Release and come back to starting position before repeating on the second side.

4. Downward Facing Dog with Variation

Begin on hands and knees in a tabletop position.  Place your wrist creases in line with your shoulders and parallel to the front edges of your mat, and your knees hip-distance apart.

Inhale, and as you exhale gently draw your lower belly up and in towards your spine. Step your feet back to a high plank pose with your feet hip-distance apart. Inhale, and as you exhale, lift your hips up and back into Downward Facing Dog. Keeping your hips lifted high generously bend your knees. Press your hands into the earth as you lift your hips and sense your spine growing longer. Relax your head and neck so your ears align with your upper arms.

Stay here for 5 slow breaths, then begin to straighten both legs by pressing your thigh bones back towards the wall behind you. Press your heels towards the floor (they do not have to touch!) and imagine you are standing on your feet. As you breathe here, sense your spine as spacious and long.

To come out, lower your knees to the floor and rest in Child’s Pose.

5. Sphinx Pose

Lay flat on your belly and prop yourself up onto your forearms. Bring your elbows directly under your shoulders and your hands in line with your elbows. Separate your feet to hip-distance and press the tops of your feet down into the mat as you spread your toes wide. Gently roll your inner thighs open toward the ceiling and lengthen your tailbone down towards your heels – this will help to lengthen your lower back.  Hug your outer ankles in towards your mid-line and reach strongly back through your toes. Draw your lower belly up and away from the floor (it may not actually lift off of the floor, but the action of drawing up and in is important to stabilize your lower back.)

Maintain this as you energetically drag your hands and forearms back in space (they will not move!) as you encourage your sternum forward and up. Do your best to keep the tops of your shoulders down away from your ears and your neck soft.

Stay here for 5 – 10 breaths.  To release, rest your forehead down on your hands.

6. Half Lord of the Fishes Pose

Props: Blanket Optional

Come to a seat on the floor and stretch your legs out in front of you. Place your hands on either side of your hips, press your thighs down towards the floor and simultaneously life up through the crown of your head. If your lower back is rounding in this position, sit up on a folded blanket.

Bend your right knee in towards your chest and place your right foot on the floor just in front of your right sitting bone. Keep your left leg extended out in front of you and now step your right foot to the outside of your left thigh – your right knee should continue to point towards the ceiling. Keep the legs in this position for a modified version of this twist.  Otherwise, bend your left knee and bring your left heel towards your right sit bone.  Lay the outside of your left leg onto the floor.  From either leg variation, bring your right hand to the floor behind you.  Take an inhale and stretch your left arm toward the ceiling.  Exhale and rotate your torso to the right (towards your lifted knee).  Hook your left arm to the outside of your right thigh near your knee.

Stay here for 5 breaths.  With each inhale, actively lengthen your spine towards the ceiling and with each exhale, continue to rotate your torso to the right.  Release the twist with an exhalation.  Unwind the legs and return to the starting position.  Repeat on the opposite side.

7. Savasana Variation

Props: Blanket or Towel

Fold a yoga blanket or a large towel in half. Starting at the long edge, begin to create a tight roll. Place the rolled blanket/towel about 2 feet away from the bottom edge of your mat. Lie flat on your back placing the rolled blanket underneath your knees. Separate your legs slightly wider than hip-distance apart and allow your feet to naturally fall open to the sides.  Place your arms alongside your body with your palms facing up. If your head is not comfortably resting on the floor with your chin gently drawing down towards your chest, consider placing a folded blanket underneath your head.

Release your lower jaw away from your upper jaw and allow your tongue to soften away from the roof of your mouth.  Allow the skin on your forehead to soften and allow your awareness to settle gently on your breath.

Stay here for 5 – 10 minutes.

To come out of the pose, bend your knees bringing your feet to the rolled blanket.  Gently turn over onto one side and stay here for a few breaths. Use your hands to press yourself up to a seat.  Take a few breaths here with your eyes closed noticing how you feel.  When you feel ready, gently open your eyes.

 

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Fashion and its importance for women

On our world is not yet born the woman who wants to stay hidden. We all need to be noticed, to feel loved and special. The most important thing for any of all women, born in this world, is to have good self-esteem. And the confidence is something that is nurtured by the modern and beautiful ladies clothing. It is a method with which the effect is guaranteed.

The confidence to wear women’s clothing according to the latest fashion

To possess ladies clothes that are the latest fashion hit has an extremely large effect on the self-esteem of any self-respecting woman. When a woman feels beautiful, she shines, exudes her mood and even forwards it to the others. It is impossible not to be noticed, even from far away. All women love to buy clothes. And this is never because they do not have enough, but because the clothing is confidence. To have a closet full of clothes in a variety of colors and styles is the dream of every woman.

Should our ladies clothes be branded?

Branded clothes are a symbol of prosperity for any woman or man. It is impossible for any modern person to not fall in love with the beautiful designer clothes that will make his world seem brand new. The possession of branded clothing raises the confidence of every one of us. It makes us to fit more easily into any environment, to look more confident in our success and seek the attention we deserve. Branded clothes are very qualitative and can bring you joy much longer than the clothes that cost a small amount of money. The purchase of branded clothing is an investment in our lives and raises our self-esteem tremendously.

What accessories are suitable for our ladies clothes?

The answer to this question is very interesting: all kinds. The work of the accessories is to complement our ladies clothes to make them unique and to inspire part of our inner radiance. We rarely define the design of our clothes, but with the accessories that we are using to decorate them, we receive uniques that are designed to transfer to the others our mood, our view of things. A wonderful bracelet or a necklace can stir your clothes and make them incredibly different from what it was without them. Suitable footwear and bag are what make your outfits complete. Clothes are nothing without the proper accessories.

The confidence of a woman depends directly on the quantity and quality of ladies clothes that she has in her wardrobe.

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Meatless Protein: Top Picks

Eating a vegetarian diet—or even just a few meatless meals per week—can have a potentially huge impact on your health and the world around you. But if you’re new to vegetarianism, or want to try it out, you may be asking a common question: Where will I get my protein?

If you’re on a weight loss program, it’s an important question. Protein doesn’t just build muscle—it makes you leaner, too. It takes longer to digest than carbohydrates, helping you feel full for longer.  So what’s the answer to your plant-based protein question?

Here’s 10 sources of meatless protein that each include a Nutrisystem-approved way to enjoy these belly-filling, muscle-building foods:

1. Black Beans

Protein Power: According to the United State Department of Agriculture (USDA), there are 8 grams of protein in a 1/2 cup. That’s more than you’d get from a large hard-boiled egg, which clocks in at a little more than 6 grams of protein.

Extra Boost: What the beans have that the egg doesn’t: Fiber. That half-cup serving delivers 6 grams of slow-digesting fiber, which can make your meal more filling while helping to lower cholesterol and manage blood sugar.

How to eat ‘em: Not just in savory ways! This Black Bean Brownie Dip > uses canned black beans as a base with sweeter ingredients to create a chocolate-y dip that’s perfect for dipping strawberries or graham crackers.

2. Spinach

Protein Power: No wonder Popeye could pack so much strength into that slim frame: One cup of cooked spinach delivers 5.3 grams of protein and just 41 tiny calories.

Extra Boost: More potassium per gram that you’d get from a banana. That cup of cooked spinach comes with 838 mg of potassium, a key nutrient for a healthy heart.

How to eat it: Simply sauteed, spinach is a perfect side dish for any of your Nutrisystem foods. The veggie is also an unlimited food, meaning you can pile it as high as you like on your way to four daily servings of non-starchy vegetables.

3. Kale

Protein Power: Kale does a body good—according to the USDA, the leafy veggie has more protein, gram-for-gram, than two percent milk. For every 15 calories of kale you eat, you’ll get a little more than a gram of protein.

Extra Boost: The comparisons to milk don’t stop at muscle-building—it can strengthen your bones, too. Kale has more calcium per ounce than milk!

How to eat it: How about some chips? If you’ve got 20 minutes, some nonstick spray and salt, you can have crunchy, satisfying kale chips > that are a guilt-free snack you’ll love to munch on while you binge-watch your favorite new series.

4. Greek Yogurt

Protein Power: Greek yogurt has more than triple the protein of its non-Greek counterparts: Nonfat, non-Greek yogurt is 53 calories per 100 grams, with almost 3 grams of protein. Nonfat plain Greek yogurt has 54 calories for the same amount—but almost 10 grams of protein.

Extra Boost: Calcium, of course! The 112 mg you’ll get from your Greek yogurt doesn’t just build healthy bones and teeth, though—it can actually help you lose more body fat as you lose weight, according to the British Journal of Nutrition.

How to eat it: It’s great in tacos and taco salads as a replacement for sour cream, in smoothies for protein and thickness, and frozen. But our favorite Greek yogurt recipe is this Chunky Monkey Yogurt Parfait > —with peanuts, chocolate chips and banana slices, it’s got the flavors of your favorite ice cream, but with none of the guilt!

5. Broccoli

Protein Power: No wonder broccoli is a fan-favorite. Broccoli has more protein than kale…which has more protein than two percent milk. One cup of chopped florets has just under 3 grams of protein and just 31 measly calories, according to the USDA.

Extra Boost: Belly-filling, hunger-busting fiber: 4.7 grams in a two-cup serving. And that fiber doesn’t just fill your belly, but can reduce its size. According to Science Daily, for every 10 grams of fiber you eat, you can have as much as four percent less fat around your waist.

How to eat it: With cheddar … for breakfast! This Breakfast Quesadilla with Broccoli and Cheddar > takes the ultimate tasty dinner side and reimagines it for your morning meal. With all that cheesy goodness, it’ll a great start to getting your full day of non-starchy vegetables stay full and on-plan.

6. Cauliflower

Protein Power: Cauliflower’s not about to let broccoli hog the spotlight for cruciferous veggies—the white cousin has almost as much protein as those green trees. One cup of boiled cauliflower is just 27 calories but has 2.3 grams of protein. When swapped in for some potatoes in your mash or for your side of rice, it’s a powerful punch of protein where your plate would have been filled with high-calorie carbs.

Extra Boost: According to the National Institutes of Health, most Americans don’t get enough choline, a nutrient that helps with liver function, prevents muscle loss, and is necessary for the mind to create memories. So remember this: Two cups of cauliflower rice or mash has 110 mg of choline.

How to eat it: Mash it! Cauliflower makes a delicious substitute for mashed potatoes. Use this simple recipe> to whip up a pot of this low-calorie, meatless protein side dish that’s perfect with hearty Nutrisystem dinners like Barbecued Chicken and Baked Beans >

7. Quinoa

Protein Power: Quinoa has earned fame as the grain with the highest protein…and it’s true! A half-cup serving has more than 4 grams of protein and includes all the essential amino acids in just 111 calories.

Extra Boost: These little seeds don’t stop at meatless protein, though. A half-cup serving has more than 2 grams of fiber, as well as iron, potassium, and phosphorus, a nutrient that plays key roles in heart function, kidney function and muscle contractions, according to Medline.

How to eat it: Replace the lower-protein grains in your normal snacks for the meatless protein punch of the big Q with these Sweet & Salty Quinoa Granola Bars > —made with just five simple ingredients.

8. Edamame

Protein Power: One cup of prepared edamame has 18.4 grams of protein—which, according to the USDA, is almost half the daily intake recommended for most adult women and almost as much as in 100 grams of chicken breast.

Extra Boost: Like spinach, edamame is loaded with potassium—one cup provides 970 mg of the heart-healthy nutrient, which is more than you’d get from two bananas.

How to eat ‘em: Paired with quinoa, the highest-protein grain, to create an ultra-high meatless protein burger. These Healthy Edamame Quinoa Burgers > are, as the title says, healthy, but they’re also delicious—with flavor from spices like garlic powder, cumin and a big squirt of sriracha hot sauce.

9. Peas

Protein Power: There’s a reason they turn these little green guys into protein powder: For every 15 calories of peas that you eat, you’ll grab a gram of protein. One cup has about 3 grams of protein—not enough to turn you into Schwarzenegger, but a filling boost from this sweet veggie side.

Extra Boost: That cup of peas has 30 percent of your day’s fiber intake, meaning it’s a side that can help keep you full. And it’s also loaded with vitamins: 22 percent of your daily Vitamin A and almost 100 percent of your daily C.

How to eat ‘em: Add some sweetness to salads or sandwiches: Pop raw, shelled peas into your salads for little bursts of sweet freshness, or put cooked peas through a food processor—with a little salt and pepper, they can become a sweet, surprising spread that’s perfect on a turkey sandwich.

10. Chickpeas

Protein Power: One cup of chickpeas has 6 grams of protein—the same amount you’d get from a hard-boiled egg.

Extra Boost: These beans can help you kick your junk food habit. According to the journal Appetite, when Australian researchers gave dieters a daily dose of chickpeas for 12 weeks, the study participants improved their gut health, lost weight, and ate less junk food after three months than those who didn’t eat the chickpeas ).

How to eat ‘em: One way to help them replace junk food is to make these little beans snackable, and that’s just what this Nacho-Style Roasted Chickpeas > recipe does. By baking the beans in spices for 45 minutes, you’ll create a crunchy, poppable snack that’s salty, spicy and perfect for streaming a movie or watching the big game. One half-cup of these crispy chickpeas counts as 1 SmartCarb on the Nutrisystem program.

Check out more diet-approved lifestyle tips here >

Why Active Rest Is Essential—And How to Get It

You’ll be happy to learn that rest days are an essential part of your fitness journey. That’s right! Get rid of the guilt you have for not hitting the gym seven days a week. But if you think rest days are for laying completely perpendicular on the couch, think again. Taking a recovery day doesn’t always mean doing absolutely nothing. It’s time to start incorporating active rest days into your workout plan!

Why is rest important?

When you don’t give your body time to recover from your workouts, you run the risk of over-training. Symptoms of over-training may include extended muscle soreness, a weakened immune system, poor sleep quality, a decrease in performance during workouts, or even worse, injury. Not good!

Incorporating both active and passive rest days will give your body the time it needs to repair itself, recover, and grow. Scheduled rest days also give you permission to take a mental break from your taxing workouts and allow you to re-energize and get pumped for the next training session.

What is active rest?

Active rest days are meant to be light and easy compared to heart-pumping workouts. They will vary somewhat given your experience level. The active rest day of someone just getting started will look different and actually more intense from someone who crushes their workouts five days week. The goal is to get moving just enough to get your blood pumping and stimulate your body’s recovery process.

Opting for active over passive rest has other benefits, including elevating your mood, increasing energy levels, and helping you stick to your nutritional goals on your active days.

What can I do on active rest days?

Save Netflix binges for another time; you’re fit, active, and full of energy. In other words, keep it moving!

The following ideas will help you take full advantage of your time away from the squat rack:

• Spend time focusing on dynamic warm-ups, mobility drills, foam rolling, and core strengthening exercises
• Go for a walk in the park, or by the lake/beach
• Ask some friends to get active outside of the gym by rock climbing, kayaking, hiking, or bowling
• Make time to take the dog to the dog park
• Spend time running around with the kids for quality active time
• Make a special trip to a trampoline park
• Play a game of kickball
• Hit up the local playground
• Go out dancing for date night or with friends
• Opt for a lower intensity workout such as swimming, jogging, biking, a bodyweight workout, or hopping on the elliptical
• Take a restorative yoga class for your muscles and your mind
• Head to the gym for a light workout where you focus on breathing, form, and being present
• Schedule a massage for yourself to really help those muscles relax

How long should I “rest”?

Active rest days look different for every gym-goer. For those of you attacking an intense program each day, your active rest day could be light. If you’re new to the fitfam and your workouts have been light to moderate, you can take a more active approach. Aim for 15 to 60 minutes of activity.

Active rest is essential for everyone!

Choose an activity that keeps you moving, makes you happy, helps you relieve stress, and stops you from counting sets and reps every day. Give yourself permission to step back and enjoy your fitness journey. Your body and mind will thank you!

Strawberry Chicken Poppy Seed Salad

Wrapped in a crisp lettuce leaf, Strawberry Chicken Poppy Seed Salad makes for a tasty and fresh lunch or light dinner.

A fast-and-easy recipe and the perfect way to use up leftover chicken.

I love chicken salads and I’m always trying new combinations of ingredients. This one was a definite winner and one I had to share with you!

Strawberry Chicken Poppy Seed Salad is quick to make, made with less than 10 ingredients and is the perfect summertime lunch. Just like in our Blueberry Chicken Salad this recipe combines chicken, fruit, herbs, nuts, and creamy mayo. In this recipe, I love the combination of fresh strawberries, chopped chicken, fresh basil, crunchy celery and onions, toasted almonds, poppy seeds that are all tossed in a zingy lemon-mayo dressing. If you have cooked chicken on hand or you pick up a rotisserie chicken, this salad can be whipped up in less than 10 minutes of your time. You know us, we’re all about keeping it simple.

 

Make it your own.

Like many of our recipes on the blog, Strawberry Chicken Poppy Seed Salad is an easy recipe to customize to what you have on hand, your flavor preference and/or what’s in season. Feel free to sub any fruit of your choice, whatever nuts or seeds you have on hand, your favorite herbs, and any veggies that would make a tasty addition. Just like spending less time in the kitchen, we also encourage you to use what you have on hand so that you can save a trip to the grocery store and as a result save money and reduce food waste.

And if you’re wondering how to make the perfect chicken breast…we’ve got you covered! Jess shows you how with a step-by-step photo tutorial in this post.

Serve it up wrapped in a crisp lettuce leaf, or whatever floats your boat.

I like to tuck the Strawberry Chicken Poppy Seed Salad in a lettuce leaf for a light and delicious lunch. But really, the options are endless. If you’re on a Whole30, serve the salad in a lettuce leaf, on bed or greens, scooped into an avocado or topped on cucumber slices. If you’re not on a Whole30, feel free to scoop it up with your favorite crackers. Jess and I both really love the gluten-free crackers from Milton’s Craft Bakers. With six delightful flavors to choose from, they’re perfect for snacking, sharing, dipping and topping. Made with high quality ingredients that are Certified Gluten-Free and Non-GMO Project Verified, these are crackers we feel good about sharing with our family and friends.

However you decide to enjoy this Strawberry Chicken Poppy Seed Salad, I know you’ll love it.

 

I can’t wait for you to try this Strawberry Chicken Poppy Seed Salad!

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Let’s Get Cookin’

Strawberry Chicken Poppy Seed Salad

Wrapped in a crisp lettuce leaf, Strawberry Chicken Poppy Seed Salad makes for an easy Whole30-friendly lunch that’s tasty and fresh.

• Author: The Real Food Dietitians
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Total Time: 10 mins
• Yield: 4 servings 1x
• Category: Lunch | Whole30

Ingredients

• 2 cups cooked chicken, cubed (rotisserie chicken also works great)
• 1/2 cup diced strawberries
• 1/4 cup diced red onion
• 1/4 cup diced celery
• 1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted
• 1–2 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil
• 1/4–1/3 cup mayonnaise (we recommend Primal Kitchen Mayo)
• 2 Tbsp. lemon juice
• 1 tsp. poppy seeds
• Salt & pepper to taste
• Leaf lettuce or butter lettuce
• Chopped green onion

Instructions

1. In a medium bowl, combine the chicken, strawberries, onion, celery, toasted almonds and fresh basil.
2. To toast almonds: place almonds in a small pan over medium heat. Toast until slightly browned tossing occasionally. This only takes a few minutes so watch closely.
3. In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, lemon juice, and poppy seeds. Gently stir into the chicken mixture. Salt and pepper to taste.
4. Serving option: scoop into a lettuce leaf or scoop onto a bed of greens and top with green onions and a few toasted almonds.

Notes

All photos and content are copyright protected. Please do not use our photos without prior written permission. If you wish to republish this recipe, please rewrite the recipe in your own unique words and link back to the source recipe here on The Real Food Dietitians. Thank you!

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1/4 of recipe (salad only)
• Calories: 239
• Sugar: 2g
• Sodium: 180mg
• Fat: 16g
• Carbohydrates: 4g
• Fiber: 1g
• Protein: 21g

I’d love to hear how you like this recipe, how you served it and if you made any modifications.

10 Fruits That Taste Awesome When Grilled

Open-flame cooking brings out the best flavor in just about every food. When you grill vegetables and fruits, their natural sugars caramelize and they taste even sweeter. Many favorite fruits are fast and easy to grill, and they make a deliciously different ingredient, side dish, snack, or treat. Because they are nutrient-rich, filled with fiber, and low to medium on the Glycemic Index, fresh fruits are SmartCarbs you can enjoy without impeding progress toward your weight loss goal. Just be sure to consult your Grocery Guide for proper portion sizes.

Ready to try grilled fruit? Here are a few tips for success with all fruits and hints for enjoying 10 great tastes of the season:

Basket, Pan or Skewers

The grates that came with your grill are shaped for cooking meat, but less substantial ingredients, such as pieces of fruit, are prone to falling through as they heat up. When grilling fruit, put it in a wire basket or on a tray with small holes that allow the flames to touch the food but keep it from falling through. Another fun option: soak wooden skewers (like those used for kebabs) in water for 30 minutes, poke them through the fruit, then put them on the grill.

Go Large

Fruit cooks quickly on the grill and within minutes small pieces can begin to disintegrate. Cut it it in large chunks, even if you need to slice it down to bite-size before serving.

Light Oil

Spraying cut fruit with zero-calorie cooking spray, or tossing cut fruit with a little olive or coconut oil or butter before grilling helps bring out its flavor and prevents the pieces from sticking to the basket, pan or grates. Avoid drenching the food in fats, which can lead to a grease fire. Just coat it lightly.

Low, Indirect Heat

Cooking over high flames can leave you with burned fruit in a matter of minutes. Better to grill fruit on the outer edges of the grates or over coals that have turned gray.

Let Cool

Fruits contain a lot of water, which becomes extremely hot when grilling. Allow it to cool after removing it from the heat before eating so that scorchingly hot water doesn’t squirt out and burn your mouth when you bite into it.

So now that you know the HOW of grilling fruit, here’s the WHAT:

1. Peaches

Slice in half and remove the pits. For more flavor, brush with honey and sprinkle them with cinnamon. Put peach halves on the grill with the cut side down and cook for eight to 10 minutes, until fruit is hot throughout.

2. Plums

Like peaches, cut in half and remove the pits before cooking. Leave on the grill for four to six minutes, until the flesh is tender but not crumbling.

3. Apples

Peel, cut into quarters and remove the core and seeds. Sprinkle with lemon juice to keep the cut pieces from turning brown. Grill for 20 minutes, turning every five minutes.

4. Pears

Slice into wedges, cutting away the stem, core, and visible seeds. Brush with coconut oil and sprinkle with a little sea salt. Cook for 15 minutes, turning every three to five minutes.

5. Figs

Snip the tiny stem end off each fig and cut in half lengthwise. Coat in a light mixture of lemon juice, honey, and cinnamon. Grill for two to three minutes on each side.

6. Watermelon

Go with seedless varieties, if you can. Cut melon into thick wedges or one-inch-wide rounds. Grill for two to three minutes per side.

7. Cantaloupe

Slice into one inch wide wedges with the rind still attached and discard seeds. Or cut into cubes (with rind removed) and slide them on to skewers. Cook for four to six minutes, turning frequently.

8. Pineapple

Cut pineapple into wedges with the skin still on the edges or remove the skin and core and slice into rings. Grill for about three minutes per side.

9. Bananas

Peel banana and slice in half lengthwise. Grill for two minutes per side.

10. Lemons

Cut the fruit in half, pick out any visible seeds with a fork or your fingertip, and brush the cut sides lightly with oil. Set them cut-side down on the grill and cook for about three minutes, until the fruit is lightly charred. Squeeze onto grilled chicken, fish or vegetables.

Hot Yoga: All About This Must-Try Workout

Hot yoga is really heating up these days—and we don’t just mean temperature-wise. This form of yoga—intentionally performed in a very warm and humid studio—continues to be a hugely popular trend. Participants say that the heat, and the warming of their muscles, allows them to go deeper into postures and have better results. The heat also intensifies the workout by elevating the heart rate and making the body work harder. For these reasons, and more, many are considering hot yoga to improve their overall health.

Check out all the reasons why hot yoga is a must-try workout to get your sweat on:

Studying Hot Yoga

With so much interest in hot yoga, some research has been performed to study its benefits—and in many ways the jury is still out on just how beneficial the heat is to the overall results. For the most part, the studies have been short or limited, but there have certainly been some important findings to date.

While the sizzling temperature (usually 105 degrees) is at the core of hot yoga’s purpose, a 2018 study published in Experimental Physiology found that—at least in terms of the exercise’s heart benefits—the temperature doesn’t matter. It’s the physical exercises performed (regardless of heat) that help benefit the heart. The researchers found that heart health, as measured by blood vessel function, improved significantly in both yoga groups (those participating in hot yoga and those participating in regular yoga) which may suggest that it’s the yoga itself and not the heat that has an effect.

However, when it came to fat-burning abilities, there was a difference—and it was significant. Those participating in hot yoga had more reduction in body fat percentage than those in the room temperature group. This suggests that the heat may do something to boost metabolism.

There’s no question that hot yoga can be a great calorie burner. One study from the journal Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise found that women burned an average of 333 calories during 90-minute slow-moving, heated yoga.

 

In a 2016 study published in the International Journey of Yoga Therapy, additional benefits were found including greater flexibility and improvements in mood, fitness and stamina—these were self-reported. Some participants also reported dizziness, lightheadedness, nausea or dehydration, expressing the importance of remaining properly hydrated during a hot yoga session.

A Difference You Can Feel

While there may not be a tremendous number of studies backing up the health benefits of hot yoga, the anecdotal evidence appears to make up for this. In various reports and articles, hot yoga participants have expressed that it has made them more flexible, less stressed and simply feeling better, overall.

When it comes to your own workout, hot yoga might be something to try. Look for a yoga center that offers Bikram yoga, sometimes referred to as the “original hot yoga style.” It is a version of Hatha, a traditional branch of yoga that combines breathing and postures. Every class of Bikram yoga takes place in a 105-degree room and features the same 26 set poses. It should be taught by a Bikram-certified instructor.

Bikram yoga begins with a standing position and pranayama breathing. A deep inhale and exhale will help provide the body with more oxygen, increase circulation, and heighten focus as class begins. The next pose is Half Moon Pose, which is often referred to as “Standing Side Stretch” in other yoga classes.

From there, poses will become increasingly more complex—and you’ll likely feel yourself heating up (quite literally given the temperature). Just be sure to remain adequately hydrated and take a break if you need to. Doctors advise that being lightheaded or experiencing a headache is not a normal side effect of hot yoga—rather, it’s a sign that you’re dehydrated. Of course, you should always talk to your personal doctor before beginning any new workout routine.

As you incorporate hot yoga into your workout, you’ll likely find yourself experiencing many of the benefits—and burning off those unwanted calories. This will help get you on track to the healthy weight that you’re working so hard for.

Fuel your workout by checking out our menu full of diet-approved snacks

Healthiest Foods to Order

When summer swelter hits its peak, we all want to avoid heating up the kitchen. Going out to eat or bringing food in can be a cool choice at this time of year, even when you are trying to shed excess pounds. Just keep in mind all that you have learned from Nutrisystem about portion size. (Bookmark our handy Grocery Guide > so you can quickly check.) And always search for the healthiest foods to order.

Here are a few hints to help you choose the healthiest foods to order :

1. Grilled Chicken

White meat chicken is a PowerFuel that’s high in protein and healthy fats. According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), you get 70 calories and 1.5 grams of fat in a 2-ounce serving of grilled chicken breast. Stay away from breaded fried chicken breast, which has a whopping 266 calories and 16 grams of fat in a similar size serving.

How to Trim Hundreds of Empty Calories: Summer Edition

2. Sirloin Steak

Meat lovers can enjoy beef when eating out, but should order lean cuts, such as sirloin steak. Being mindful of portion size is especially important with beef—in restaurants steaks typically are at least 6 ounces, which is the equivalent of three servings. Pick beef dishes that are not served with glazes, which often are high in fat, sugar and calories.

3. Raw or Steamed Seafood

Shellfish, including crabs, shrimp and lobster, along with clams, mussels and oysters, turn any summer meal into a beach party. Better yet, they are an excellent choice when you’re trying to lose weight, too. Shellfish are PowerFuels, high in protein and low in saturated fats. Plus, they treat you to a dose of heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Be sure to order raw or steamed options and steer clear of fried or sautéed items. Also pass on dipping seafood into melted butter or creamy sauces, which are high in fat and calories. Instead add extra flavor with a squeeze of lemon juice or a dash of hot sauce—both Free Foods in your Nutrisystem plan.

4. Fresh Fish

“Catch of the day” is a summertime favorite, and it’s often among the healthiest foods to order in any season. Salmon (wild-caught or farmed), tuna, cod, flounder and other kinds of fish are PowerFuels that fill you up with protein, but are low in saturated fats and calories. Go with grilled, broiled, or poached fish, which won’t have added fats or other calories. Your best picks are dishes seasoned with herbs and spices and not coated with calorie-laden sauces or glazes.

The 6 Worst Summer Beverage Blunders

5. Salads

Warm weather brings the peak of fresh produce season, a perfect time to order salads that are filling enough to be a meal. Add a PowerFuel, such chicken breast, tuna or chickpeas, along with the greens and other raw vegetables, to make a more satisfying salad. For dressing, go with balsamic or other vinegars and stay away from blue cheese, ranch or any other creamy type of topping.

6. Burrito Bowls

When the whole gang is craving Southwest flavors, a burrito bowl is the healthiest food for you to order. At a popular takeout chain, a packed burrito bowl can clock in close to 700 calories. No matter what you get in your bowl, pass on high-fat additions such as sour cream and queso. Ask for second helping of raw or grilled vegetables instead.

7. Pizza

The rules of thumb for ordering healthy pizza are simple: Thinner crust has fewer calories and carbohydrates than thick crust; minimize the cheese; load up on veggies; beware of deep dish and stuffed crust options, which often have more excessive calories and saturated fats. Do you like meat on your pie? Consider Canadian bacon, which has 63 calories and 1.5 g of fat in 2 slices (3 ounces), according to the USDA. The same amount of pepperoni has an astounding 428 calories and 40 g of fat.

4 Guilt-Free Summer Slushies

8. Lettuce Wraps

At a burger chain restaurant, a brioche bun can ass an abundant amount of extra calories and carbohydrates to your choice of patty. Get it wrapped in lettuce instead, which comes with just 15 calories and 3 grams of carbohydrates. Better yet, order a plant-based patty instead of beef and you can save more than half of the calories (320 vs. 800) and cut the fat content from 17 g to 2.5 g.  Use as much mustard as you want atop your burger, but watch your servings of ketchup and mayo.

9. Chilled Soup

We usually think of soup as cold-weather food, but summertime menus often offer flavorful and cool choices such as gazpacho, cucumber-yogurt, potato-leek and even fruit-based soups. They can fill you up and help you get a serving or two of non-starchy vegetables. Just watch for those made with fat-laden crème fraiche rather than low- or nonfat yogurt.

Hydrating Foods for Warm Weather

It’s hot! Which means it’s easier than ever to get dehydrated. That can have consequences for your health and for your enjoyment of summer activities—exercising while dehydrated can result in dizziness and cramps, so it’s important to load up on hydrating foods. It can also effect your performance while you move: According to Human Kinetics, if you’re dehydrated as little as five percent, your workout’s “power output” can be reduced by 30 percent.

Staying hydrated can mean not just that your active summer activities are more fun, but also that your weight loss plan is more effective. One study published in the The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology &Metabolism found that when dieters drank two liters of water per day, they burned 400 extra calories each day—even if they didn’t change anything else. For men in the same study, those extra calories were specifically burned from belly fat.

You don’t have to actually drink a full two-liter to stay hydrated, though: You can get the water your body needs to function properly through hydrating foods. And, according to Science Daily, it can help you eat more while you lose: Scientists found that when people ate water-rich foods, they ate fewer calories without reducing the overall sizes of their meals.

Summer Weight Loss Motivation: Realistic Tips for Keeping Your Beach Body

Water content: 90%

One 50-calorie cup of strawberries can help lower your cholesterol and reduce your risk for diseases including cancer, heart disease, and diabetes. They also raise your risk of having a totally delicious summer. Try blitzing them into this Strawberry Mint Smoothie >, mixing them into Strawberry Popsicles >, or using them to top a refreshing Summer Salad >

2. Pineapple

Water content: 86%

Pineapple’s sweetness is suprisingly low-calorie: One cup has just 82 calories. But those 82 deliver 100 percent of your daily Vitamin C, as well as bromelain, an enzyme that can help you digest your meals more easily. Enjoy fresh rings or chunks, or for a sweet, refreshing treat that’s like a time-traveling trip back to childhood, try this simple, two-ingredient Pineapple Whip recipe >

3. Cucumbers

Water content: 95%

Cucumbers are one of the lowest-calorie foods you can find—clocking in at just 8 calories per cup. But low-calorie does not mean they’re low on flavor: Cukes are the ultimate way to deliver a refreshing, hydrating flavor to your barbecue guests. Whether it’s mixed into this Zesty Cucumber and Dill Salad >, whipped into this Greek-inspired 5-ingredient Cucumber Dill Dip >, or as the surprising base for a cucumber cup appetizer, you’ll be keeping your guests—and yourself—hydrated, full and satisfied.

6 Summer Slim-Down Foods That Help You Lose Weight

4. Skim Milk

Water content: 91%

When it’s skim, it’s almost all water. For non-dieting milk lovers, that can be a turnoff. But in the heat of summer, it makes skim a great, hydrating way to enjoy 9 grams of protein per cup when making a refreshing, cool-down smoothie— like this frothy, icy Lemon Cooler shake >. It’s summer perfection!

5. Zucchini

Water content: 94%

If you’re already a “zoodle” lover, this one’s a slam dunk. But for the uninitiated, here’s a crash course: By using a spiralizer, you can turn zucchini into “noodles” that freshen up vegetable dishes with a pasta-like eating experience that you’ll love. The great news for summer: Zoodles don’t have to be cooked! In a recipe like these Vegetarian Meatballs with Zucchini Noodles >, you can let the sauce warm up the raw zoodles to get the most hydration from the veggies with the least amount of labor—perfect for a quick summer dinner.

6. Oranges

Water content: 87%

There’s a reason these slices are on the sideline of every soccer game at the half: Oranges keep are a top pick for hydrating foods! But they also bring other nutrients along—like potassium, one of the electrolytes that’s lost when you sweat. So have your own slices on hand, or go for a more grown-up taste this summer: This 101-calorie Orange Carrot Ginger Smoothie > is a sweet, vitamin-rich, and refreshing glass that’s perfect for breakfast or for a late day snack on any hot day.

7. Celery

Water content: 95%

Here’s another potassium powerhouse: One cup of chopped celery has the same amount of the heart-healthy nutrient that you’d get from half a banana—but for just 14 tiny calories. But those little cals help beef up your favorite cool summer salads, from pasta dishes to chicken salad. Here’s a new favorite: Chop some celery to combine with another water-rich summer staple—watermelon—for this surprising, sweet and protein-packed Watermelon Chicken Salad > Sounds weird, tastes amazing!

7 Warm Weather Weight Loss Blunders to Avoid

8. Tomatoes

Water content: 94%

Lycopene, a powerful antioxidant in tomatoes, may help lower your risk of stroke and certain cancers, according to Science Daily. And the redder your tomatoes are, the more lycopene they have—meaning summer is the healthiest time to eat ‘em. One surprising way to change up your tomato game: Add asparagus to the traditional Caprese Salad > for a fresh taste that feels luxurious—and adds a satisfying crunch to this staple summer side.

9. Edamame

Water content: 72%

This one’s surprising: With such a meaty texture, edamame doesn’t seem watery. But it’s got that hydration, and much more: like 18.46 grams of belly-filling, muscle-building protein per cup, and more potassium than you’ll get from two whole bananas. That’s good news in the heat, since eating more potassium can help reduce blood pressure risk, as well as your risk of stroke, according to the National Federation of Professional Trainers.

10. Carrots

Water content: 88%

Spending a few minutes turning a bag of raw carrots into pre-portioned, snack-ready containers or bags won’t just give you a low-calorie, high-fiber, water-rich source of food for when you get peckish. The act of cutting those carrots may also help you eat healthier overall: Those were the findings of one study, where more time spend on food prep was associated with healthier eating habits—and, as a bonus, with saving money on food. So you’ll be hydrated, feel full, and have fat where you want it—in your wallet.

11. Blueberries

Water content: 84%

What says summer like a cup of sweet, ripe blueberries (one of our favorite hydrating foods)? And they’re not just super good, but a superfood: Blueberries reduce the risk of heart attack in women by 33 percent, improve your memory, and can help widen your arteries so blood flows smoother. Have them fresh, or enjoy your blues in the smoothest way possible: As part of this super-simple, 5-ingredient homemade Blueberry Lemon Ice Cream Sundae >

 

How Different Foods (Really) Affect Your Skin

In this, Ask the Experts piece, we’re taking a closer look at how diet affects our skin. By this point most of us have blamed a breakout on a chocolate binge or one too many sugary drinks, but it turns out the relationship between skin and food is even more complex than that. We met up with Elizabeth Geddes-Bruce, MD, MS to talk about how different foods can cause skin to be oily, dry, inflamed, hydrated, even younger-looking.

“Dermatologists have long known that nutritional deficiencies often first manifest by changes in skin quality, and yet, we frequently fail to discuss with our patients the many benefits that diet can have on their skin,” explains Dr. Geddes-Bruce.

“I’m a firm believer that the two are connected – what you eat can influence how your skin appears. I hear it from my patients all the time. And studies back up what they are saying – certain nutrients can protect against photodamage and premature aging, and others can accelerate damage and disease.” Read below to see Dr. Geddes-Bruce’s professional opinion on how some of our favorite food groups can affect our skin.

Red Meat.

I see nothing wrong with indulging in the occasional hamburger or hot dog, but your skin will thank you if your day-to-day diet focuses on lean sources of protein. Not only are chicken and turkey high in niacin, a B vitamin that can protect against skin cancer, they are also lower in saturated fat content, which means they are less inflammatory than red meats. 

Gluten.

While gluten is getting a bad wrap in popular culture these days, it’s unlikely to be, by itself, terrible for your skin. What we do know is that gluten is most often found in carbohydrates, and a diet high in carbohydrates is associated with an increased chance of wrinkles. This leads us into the next point…

Sugar.

If there were one food to minimize to improve your skin I would vote for sugar. Sugar speeds up the aging process by making the skin less elastic, which causes premature wrinkles and sagging. This happens through a process called glycation where the sugars bond to the collagen and elastic proteins in your skin and cause them to stiffen irreversibly.

Milk.

If you struggle with acne consider a trial of limiting your dairy intake. Dairy products, especially skim ones, have been linked to acne in multiple population studies. We aren’t sure exactly why – it may be due to the hormones or the high glycemic load causing spikes in blood sugar, then insulin, and leading to increased oil production. But make sure you keep up your calcium intake, which can be found in foods like spinach, kale, white beans, and soy.

Fresh fruit.

It’s a no brainer that fresh fruits are good for your skin. I try to have a little fruit with every meal. Fruits like oranges, strawberries, mangos and papayas have high amounts of vitamin C. Vitamin C is essential to forming tight collagen fibers. It also works as an antioxidant protecting your skin from damage from UV radiation and pollution. And while many skin care products contain vitamin C, not all of them are formulated in a way that guarantees the vitamin C will remain stable and penetrate to the target areas.

Raw vegetables.

The bolder the color, the better they are for your skin! Dark leafy green vegetables, as well as red, orange, and yellow vegetables contain B-carotenes (a form of vitamin A), lycopene, and lutein – all nutrients that help protect the skin from damage from the sun. And while most vegetables are best in their raw form, you get increased amounts of lycopene by cooking tomatoes – so go ahead and enjoy that tomato sauce.

Fish.

Depending on the type of fish (usually “fishy fish”), a serving can be a good source of omega 3 fatty acids, which are anti-inflammatory in the body. A diet high in omega 3 fatty acids can improve dry and flakey skin conditions, as well as decrease sun sensitivity.

Red wine.

There’s been a lot of hype about the benefits of red wine because it contains a polyphenol called resveratrol. Resveratrol is an antioxidant that protects against skin damage. However, the benefits might be negated by the harms of alcohol on the skin, like dehydration and dilation of the blood vessels, which can flare conditions like rosacea. Overall, I would recommend you enjoy an occasional glass of red wine if you like it, but don’t drink it for your skin. Best to stick to green tea, which is a good alternative that is high in polyphenols.

Nuts and seeds.

Both nuts and seeds can be good sources of vitamin E, which is delivered to the skin in your sebum and helps protect cell membranes and promote healing. Nuts and seeds can also contain the trace minerals selenium, zinc and copper, which protect against cell damage and promote healthy skin structure.

4 Ways to Make Conflict a Healthy Part of Your Relationship

I’ve always considered myself a “non-confrontational person.” Those of us who self-identify in that way often take pride in the label, as though we value peacefulness more than most. Though I do prize peace, I’ve also learned over the years how to use conflict and confrontation as a tool that works for me and my relationships.

A real turning point came when I read Daring Greatly, by Brené Brown. In it, she talks a lot about people pleasing, and upon first glance, I never would have called myself a people-pleaser. I’m a free thinker, an individualist (where my enneagram 4s at?!), and a creative. In my mind, those qualities did not exist with people pleasing, but as I dug deeper within myself I realized that I have a deep fear of disappointing someone or doing anything that might be frowned upon.

I realized that by shying away from conflict and confrontation I was buying a seat at the people-pleasing table- a table which was no longer serving me.

Through years of self-reflection and as working as a substance abuse counselor (where I encourage my clients to look at what is not serving them and then confront it), I’ve learned a few tricks of the trade for setting boundaries, fighting fair, and making conflict work for you.

1. Sit in the discomfort.

I am a firm believer that feelings are just feelings. Society has taught all of us that happiness, lightness, and comfort are things to hold as “best”. I’m here to offer great news: all emotions are equal! That joyous news should validate that when you feel sad or angry or lonely or tired, those are all fair and true. When you lean into a feeling of uneasiness, you get to show up as your true self. How many of us have started a confrontational conversation with “I’m so sorry to bring this up”,”I don’t want to make you feel bad”, “This is really no big deal” . When you do this, it is not authentic.

Recognize that what you are about to say might cause feelings of discomfort in you or your partner, but that those feelings are valid.

Try these conversation starters instead:
 (Note: I believe that “and” is a confrontation’s best friend. Instead of saying “I’m sorry, but…” try “I love you, and…”)

• “I love you, and this is something that has been weighing on my heart.”
•  “I value that I can speak honestly with you, and I want to talk with you about…”
• “Our relationship is important to me, and I would really like to talk through a few things.”

Remember that the conversation does not have to end neatly. If the conversation ends with feelings of sadness or discomfort, that is valid, and it can be revisited when you’re ready.

2. Go to bed angry…If you want to.

How many of us were told to “never go to bed angry?”. While I’m not endorsing going to bed in a rage, it is also okay to take your time to process emotions. When we feel a sense of urgency to resolve things, we are not allowing ourselves the space to work through our inner dialogue. Additionally, how many times have you had a full night of sleep and then seen things in an entirely different perspective?

For me, confrontation can be a true source of anxiety, and there is no better antidote in my opinion to anxious feelings than rest. Taking time and space can be a true gift to yourself to better understand your feelings. I do think that within this, it can be helpful to tell your partner, “I am hoping that sleep will give me some clarity on this issue, can we talk more about it in the morning?”. It can be hurtful to leave someone hanging, and it is so important to communicate our needs and wants before taking a rest from a conflict.

3. Set your intentions.

I will never forget the first time that I went to a yoga class and the teacher told us all to “set your intentions for class.” In my mind, I thought “Okay, lady. My intention is to stretch.” Over the years I have learned how powerful the idea of intention is. These days when I go to a yoga class, I think “My intention is worthiness, peacefulness, love, etc.” It is amazing how often when I leave I feel deeply rooted in those feelings.

Our thoughts are so powerful, and this intention-setting works just as well with conflict. Before bringing something confrontational up with someone, I often think “What is my intention with this conversation?”. I will admit that this takes some practice, but now I know almost instantly what the answer is. If what rises in me is that this is coming out of a place of malice, jealousy, or meanness, I either abandon the confrontation altogether or instead of seeking answers in the other person, I try to look at my own thoughts and actions. The answer in those types of things almost always lies within. But if I ask myself that question and what rises in me is that I have been genuinely hurt by someone else’s words or actions, I am feeling belittled, dismissed, like my boundaries have been ignored, etc., I move forward with it.

I set an intention for a conversation that might look like this: “My intention is for us both to feel seen and loved.” I know that this might sound a little silly, but I think it can be helpful to even SAY that intention to your partner.

Using one of the conversation starters above, a great way to begin might be: ““I love you and this is something that has been weighing on my heart. My intention in this is for us both to feel seen.” Doesn’t that feel better than “Every day I pick your socks up off the floor, and I feel like you don’t care about my time?”.

4. Pick your battles (and stop playing the blame game).

Blaming doesn’t work. That sock example from above? It is from my real life. My husband has thrown his sweaty gym socks on the floor every morning for six years. I have said approximately 20,000 times “Stop throwing your socks on the ground. I have to pick them up when you do that.” This has affected zero change. Does this mean that my husband doesn’t love me and doesn’t value my time? No. Typically when he is throwing those socks on the ground, he is headed to get our one year old out of her crib to give her a bottle and start reading Planting A Rainbow about 20 times. I can choose to focus on the socks, or I can choose to focus on how much he loves and cares for our daughter. The choice is literally that simple. It takes me about half a second to throw the socks into the laundry basket. This is not drastically affecting my life. What drastically affects our lives is when we start seeing things through a lens of resentment and blame.

When we nag on small things, it negates when we want to actually confront something truly important to us.

I would much rather use the breath from “Pick your socks up” on “How are you feeling about your day today?”. The socks are not important. Relationships are important. Conflict can help your relationship deepen, it can help your relationship grow, but blaming and nagging will slowly chip away at what is good and real.

Learning how to embrace confrontation as a tool and not a weapon takes practice. If you want to reap the rewards of a deep and mature relationship, part of that is learning how to speak up for yourself unapologetically. The payoff from this is so deep, but of course there are growing pains!

Sit in the discomfort and enjoy the sometimes bumpy road to true healthy communication.

 

These Slow Cooker Chicken Burrito Bowls Are the Ultimate Crowd Pleaser

It’s slow cooker season!!! Okay, I know it’s not even September yet, but since school is about to start for my kids, I simply cannot wait any longer to start making some fall-ish recipes. And nothing’s cozier than getting home from work and having this chicken burrito filling bubbling up in the slow cooker ready for a healthy and filling meal.

Since Adam grew up in Southern California, he’s always missed the Baja-style chicken burritos he grew up on, so the night I made these for the first time he practically got down on one knee and proposed all over again. I didn’t mention the fact that I used store-bought verde sauce and only spent about 10 minutes preparing these — I’m totally fine with letting him think I slaved away all day.

For a weeknight, I like to turn the burrito filling into this yummy protein-packed bowl; if I’m feeling a little more carb-y, say on a Saturday night, I’ll scoop it up with all the toppings into a burrito-sized tortilla and fully enjoy a full Chipotle-style indulgence. Read on for the recipe, and let me know what you’re excited to mix up in your slow cooker this fall!

I love the balance of fresh crispy veggies and pico against the richer flavors of the slow cooked chicken filling. A squeeze of lime and sprinkle of jalapeño adds a bright note that keeps this dish from feeling at all heavy.

I only recently discovered store-bought verde enchilada sauce (I love this brand if you can find it at the grocery), and it turns what could be a labor-intensive meal into something so quick and easy.

You can definitely mix up the filling ingredients with your personal fave combo, but I highly recommend making my easy black bean recipe that takes this bowl over the top. Here’s how I do it:

In a small saucepan, sauté one chopped garlic clove in a drizzle of olive oil. After about 30 seconds, add a can of black beans with all the juices from the can, along with a few cilantro sprigs and a big pinch of salt. Bring it up to a boil, then turn down to simmer for 15 minutes, stirring once in a while.

I’m telling ya, SO GOOD.

I set out all the ingredients and let the fam build their own bowls with their toppings of choice. Or stuff them into tortillas — either way, you’ve got the ultimate crowd pleaser.

 

Healthiest Nuts to Add to Your Diet

If you want to lose belly fat and improve your heart health, go nuts—literally. Adding more nuts and seeds to your diet can give your daily nutrition more monounsaturated fats, according to research conducted by Penn State University. Diets rich in these “good” fats, like the “Mediterranean diet,” have been shown to reduce belly fat compared to diets where other fats are eaten instead—which is why we’ve come up with a guide to choosing the healthiest nuts to add to your weight loss diet.

Those same monounsaturated fats have also been shown to control blood pressure. And according to a 2013 Spanish study, eating a diet supplemented with nuts and olive oil reduced the risk of stroke, heart attack and death by 30 percent.

So your health—and your belly—want you to go nuts. Just don’t go too nuts: Because they’re calorie-dense foods, it’s easy to go overboard. Consult the Nutrisystem Grocery Guide to make sure you’re keeping your portions in control when choosing the healthiest nuts.

Here are 10 of the healthiest nuts to help you get these heart and belly-healthy benefits—as well as bonus benefits for disease prevention, appetite control and more:

1. Almonds

Even if you don’t lose weight, eating almonds can help your belly shrink. In a study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association (JAHA), people with elevated LDL cholesterol—the “bad” cholesterol—those who ate a daily snack of almonds dropped fat in their legs and bellies, even if they didn’t lose weight overall—which is why this little powerhouse made our list of healthiest nuts.

How to enjoy them: Sprinkle some on a salad to make it more filling and fight fat. This surprising Green Goddess Salad features 1/2 cup of shaved almonds with Brussels sprouts, edamame and kale for a flavor you’ll love.

2. Pistachios

Those shells are a savior for portion control: If you keep the pile of pistachio shells near you as you snack, it could help signal to your brain that you’ve eaten enough. In one study of students published in the journal Appetite, those who had to shell their pistachios ate 41 percent fewer calories than those who got pre-shelled nuts—but both groups felt just as satisfied and filled up from the snack.

How to enjoy them: With the shells on! On Nutrisystem, 2 Tablespoons of pistachios is one PowerFuel.

Superfood Saturday: The Power of Pistachios

3. Walnuts

Feed not just your body, but your brain: Like salmon, walnuts have omega-3 fatty acids, which have been shown to help with memory and brain functions. In one study published in Plant Foods for Human Nutrition, rats who were given walnuts for 28 days ate less food overall while increasing their ability to complete a maze—making them fitter in both mind and body.

How to enjoy them: Add crunch to your oatmeal with a serving of walnuts. This bowl of Banana Nut Overnight Oatmeal even takes the morning rush out of making them—mix oats, almond milk, bananas, walnuts and other ingredients together before bed, and wake up to a sweet, crunchy, delicious breakfast you can feel great about.

4. Cashews

While all tree nuts can help with hypertension, cashews bring some extra help to your blood pressure (BP): Magnesium. According to the National Institutes of Health, this mineral helps lower blood pressure and aids in blood sugar control. These little elbow-shaped nuts don’t stop there, though. Cashews are also loaded with copper, according to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, which can help your body use iron from your diet to form more red blood cells.

How to enjoy them: In our antioxidant-packed Blueberry Burst Energy Balls. Cashews help keep these sweet orbs together, while blueberries bring the sweetness in this easy, snackable recipe.

Superfood Saturday: Get Creative with Cashews

5. Pecans

According to Loma Linda University Adventist Health Sciences Center, Georgians must have fantastic cholesterol scores: Eating a daily snack of their favorite nut can help lower “bad” cholesterol by as 16.5 percent, more than the American Heart Association’s “Step I” diet. It’s thought that this cholesterol-lowering result is due to antioxidants—these compounds block oxidation of blood lipids, whch doesn’t let your cholesterol levels go up.

How to enjoy them: In pie, duh. To stay on plan while getting your pecan pie fix, opt for these mini Maple Chocolate Pecan Pies, which have just 90 calories per serving.

6. Pine Nuts

People have been eating pine nuts since before Greek times, but science is now showing how they can help control your appetite: In one study published by the American Physiological Society, women who had pine nut oil had significantly less desire to eat 30 minutes later. The polyunsaturated fats in the nut oil are theorized to be the reason for this appetite suppressant effect.

How to enjoy them: Add pine nuts to the filling power of Greek yogurt’s protein in this surprising Savory Tahini Yogurt Parfait.

Air Fryer Spiced Nuts

7. Macadamia Nuts

These Hawaiian wonders didn’t used to be included on the list of healthiest nuts—macadamias were considered too saturated to be healthy. But one study conducted by Penn State University found that they still lowered cholesterol by 9.4 percent when eaten in moderation each day. Scientists believe there’s “something else” in macadamias that lets them do this trick. Maybe it’s deliciousness.

How to enjoy them: In this Tropical Shrimp Salad with Lemon Herb Dressing. It’s got mango, pineapple, macadamia nuts, shrimp … all kinds of delightful ingredients that make it feel like a treat.

8. Hazelnuts

They’re usually masked in chocolate, but hazelnuts have the nutritional power to stand on their own: According to a study conducted by Oregon State University, not only do they have the healthy fats you’ll find in other tree nuts, but they help older adults increase their micronutrient levels, which has been associated with lower risks of age-related health problems like Alzheimer’s.

How to enjoy them: In your own custom nut butter! Follow these instructions to use your food processor to whip up your own, healthier hazelnut spread.

How to Choose Your Nut Butter

9. Soy Nuts

If you’re on the hunt for a one of the healthiest nuts with protein, look no further: According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), crunchy little soy nuts have 12 grams of the filling, muscle-building nutrient in every ounce.  And according to the USDA, that’s twice as much protein as an egg!

How to enjoy them: Snack on them! A half-ounce of soy nuts—about 2 tablespoons—counts as one PowerFuel on Nutrisystem.

10. Peanuts

Yeah, yeah, we know: Peanuts aren’t nuts. But peanut butter makes everything better—it adds sweetness, helps ingredients stick together, and just makes everything more yum. No wonder it’s in so many of our readers’ favorite recipes on The Leaf. Recipes like smoothies, homemade candy bars  and poppable peanut butter cups. This versatile butter is a Nutrisystem favorite—even if it’s not a real nut!

 

14 Incredibly Delicious Ways to Cook With Zucchini This Month

While there are loads of amazing fruits and veggies in season in August, zucchini might just be my favorite. And, let’s be honest, they’re totally having a moment right now.

Zucchini is one of those vegetables that can be featured as the star of the show or take a backseat and provide some support to the main dish. No matter how you choose to use this summer squash, its health benefits (we’re talking vitamin C, magnesium, and its anti-inflammatory effect) and its neutral flavor make it a fantastic vegetable to incorporate into your cooking.

So, crack open that hummus and dip in some zucchini circles, opt for zoodles instead of pasta, or make your mom’s famous zucchini bread. Scroll on for some of the tastiest zucchini recipes we’ll be making all month long.

Zucchini Lasagna with Vegan Ricotta from Camille Styles

Crispy Garlic Parmesan Zucchini Fritters from eatwell101

Corn and Zucchini Salad with Feta from Bon Appetit

Enchilada Stuffed Zucchini Boats from Camille Styles

Simplest Zucchini Parmesan Pasta by Half Baked Harvest

The Best Zucchini Bread by Good Housekeeping

Zucchini & Mushroom Galette from Camille Styles

Tomato Zucchini Frittata from Love and Lemons

Canal House’s Marinated Zucchini from Food52

Zucchini Lemon Muffins from King Arthur Flour

Baked Zucchini Chips from Camille Styles

Summer Fresh Corn and Zucchini Chowder from Little Broken

Zucchini Noodle Pesto Pasta from Camille Styles

3 Cheese Zucchini “Ravioli” with Roasted Tomato Basil Sauce from Half Baked Harvest

Zucchini Shrimp Scampi from Damn Delicious

 

4 Simple Ways to Keep a Long-Distance Friendship Strong

Watching a friend move away is one of life’s bittersweet moments. On one hand, you’re excited for their new life chapter – be it growing their family, making career moves, or following their dreams – but the feeling of loss can be unshakeable. And we’ve all let that feeling take over, resigning a friend who moved across the country or even two towns over as a part of our past. But that doesn’t have to be the case! Similar to a long-distance relationship it takes some extra care and nurturing.

The biggest secret to a thriving long-distance friendship? Letting your relationship evolve.

If you hold on to the same expectations and routines that you had when you lived right down the block from each other (or maybe even in the next room over), you’re all but guaranteed to make the transition into a long-distance friendship rockier than it needs to be. So take a deep breath, and get excited about seeing where your relationship takes you next. Maybe you’ll be inspired to jet across the world or drive across the country to go visit them (this writer’s done both)! Or maybe you’ll discover that having a pen pal is way more fun than you ever thought it could be. Either way, these tips will help you keep your friendship strong — no matter how many miles separate you.

Let them Have their Space

This is my number one tip for when it comes to letting a relationship evolve and grow. Sure, you may have seen your friend four times a week when you lived in the same area, but you both need to be honest if swapping those dates with hour-long nightly phone calls is becoming too much. Instead, know that going a couple of days – or even a couple of months – without having a heart-to-heart doesn’t mean you aren’t friends anymore. It simply means that you’re both busy living lives that are full of all kinds of connections, your long-distance one included.

FaceTime is Always Better than a Text

Anyone in a long-distance relationship knows that tone often goes out the window over text. So next time you feel like your long-distance friend is being cold, get a FaceTime session on the calendar. I’m willing to bet that the distant vibes you were getting were simply because she was texting you on the go or was too tired to include her normal shower of emojis and GIFs — and that she’ll be her usual self once you get her on screen.

Setting up a regular schedule for video chats is a great way to have something to look forward to with your friend. Bonus points if you can schedule it directly after (or during!) a TV show or activity you would normally watch or do together. Add in a glass of wine or a cup of coffee for both of you, and you’ll feel like you’re practically in the same room again.

Be Thoughtful

Because you likely won’t be talking as frequently as you did when you lived in the same place, it pays to go the extra mile to remind your long-distance friend that you’re thinking about them. These thoughtful gestures can be as small as sending them a picture of something that reminded you of a time the two of you spent together, or as big as putting together a care package if you know your friend could use some extra support. You may not always be able to hop on a flight to go and see them, but truly thoughtful gestures will keep you feeling close.

Include Them in the Little Things

Though it pays to give your long-distance friend some space, including them in the little day-to-day parts of your life when you can is another one of my top tips. Think about the small stories you relished sharing with them when you would catch up over coffee and try to brainstorm creative ways to continue to include them. Maybe you both agree to listen to that podcast or watch that show you’re obsessed with so you can have someone to re-hash episodes with. Or maybe you randomly send them that meme that made you laugh so hard you cried. Or maybe instead of telling them about that makeup look that went horribly wrong, you send them an selfie of its aftermath.

Doing any of these things will keep your friend feeling like they are a part of your everyday life and not just someone you’d like to catch up with next time they’re in town. And if you can strike the right balance of space and connection, you’ll be amazed at how your long-distance friendship can flourish and grow.

 

3 Ways to Blast Your Belly Fat

We asked our Facebook fans about their biggest bare-the-body worry: a fat belly, a saggy butt or flabby arms. Not surprisingly, nearly 80 percent chose a fat belly. One Facebook fan said, “I am physically active…[and] am losing weight, but my stomach won’t get flat enough.” She’s hardly alone.

So, why is belly fat so stubborn—and how can you get rid of it? We went to our experts for answers. Here’s what we discovered.

Why belly fat is so stubborn
1. You’re too stressed. Stress hormones not only encourage your body to pack on more pounds in general, but also more belly fat in particular.

2. You’re getting older. According to Dr. Mehmet Oz, “The older you get, the more reluctant belly fat becomes.” He adds, “Doing what you’ve done in the past is most likely not going to work as well as it once did. You’ve got to change it up.”

3. You’re eating for speed. Packaged foods contain your belly’s biggest enemies: partially hydrogenated oils (trans fats) and simple carbs. Trans fats increase the fat in your midsection, says Dr. Dean Ornish. They even redistribute fat from other parts of the body to the belly.

Three ways to blast that belly fat
You can’t spot-reduce belly fat. To lose fat anywhere on your body, you’ll need to eat less and move more. And remember, says personal trainer Jeff Croswell, “This fat didn’t come on overnight . . . so to think that it will come off overnight is ridiculous.” Try these tips to speed your success.

1. Eat the right fats. Make sure your diet is full of belly-busting monounsaturated fats, found in nuts, seeds, olives and olive oil, and avocados. Green tea is another fat burner.

2. Choose the right moves.Surprise! Crunches and sit-ups are often ineffective when it comes to shaving inches from your waistline. Dr. Oz suggests yoga as your belly-blasting alternative.

3. Get more sleep. According to sleep expert Dr. Michael Breus, lack of ZZZs affects levels of several hormones that influence appetite. Aim for at least 7 hours of sleep a night, and you should see a flatter belly sooner.

Dropping belly fat won’t just make you look better, it will make you healthier, too. That’s because carrying extra weight in your abdomen puts you at increased risk for everything from diabetes to heart disease to cancer.

For those of you who are more worried about a saggy butt, try Dr. Mike Clark’s butt and thigh workout. If you need a little extra help slimming down and getting into shape, try exercises designed to target your trouble spots.

 

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How to pump up CALVES or SECOND HEART and VARICOSITY

Today we are going to talk about the lower leg muscles (the calf and the shin), particularly about the calf (gastrocnemius muscle) and the soleus muscle. Don’t hurry to put away the article, I strongly recommend you read it even if you are sure that you know a lot about the topic. It’s something to study for both men and women!

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          Before we continue, please answer my question: “What exercise do you perform more STANDING Calf Raise or SEATED Calf Raise? If your answer was STANDING Calf Raise it means that you have to read the article from cover to cover. If you don’t know in which position the gastrocnemius muscle or the soleus muscle works and which muscle is 2 times bigger than the other, this information you’ll need like the air. Either way your lower leg muscles will remain the same and you will always wear pants covering these muscles from people! Your body must be harmonically developed, it’s especially very important for a real athlete.

Do you know what muscle group is called as a second heart and why? If you are surprised and shocked then this article will shed light on this question too. There aren’t much said and written but to be aware of this information is important, not only in terms of esthetics but in terms of good health.

Let’s discuss it step by step. Why is it important to place emphasis on the soleus muscle? And by no means don’t ignore SEATED Calf Raise. The thing is that the soleus muscle makes up three quarters of all lower leg muscles ¾ “75%” and the gastrocnemius muscle makes up just one quarter ¼ “25%”. Despite the fact that the soleus muscle is under the gastrocnemius muscle, its size determines general muscle bulk and forms an external impression of what your lower legs looks like.

I’ll give another example referring to our favourite biceps: many people train it so hard till they are blue in the face but the muscle doesn’t visually increase in size though it grows. Why!? Everything is simple for those who study anatomy : biceps lies on the surface of the muscle called brachialis , so if you don’t work on it, as your biceps increase in volume they will cave in.

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          It’s a different story if you regularly perform such exercises as Reverse Barbell Curl and hammer curls. These exercises really build your brachialis that “pushes” the biceps making you proud of the result and showing it to others. But when did you do last these exercises?

The same thing happens to your lower leg muscles: if you don’t train the soleus muscle, you won’t get lower leg muscles look bigger no matter how hard you worked on them.

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          I won’t tell you much about anatomy because you can always find it online. I just tell you about some peculiarities (nuances) that will be really useful for what and why you do something in terms of these muscles. Why your calves (lower legs) sore even when you perform Hamstring curl; it happens more to beginners and girls in particular. The calves or in other words the triceps surae (/ˈtraɪsɛps ˈsjʊəriː/) (“three-headed [muscle] of the calf”) has 3 heads – the superficial portion is the two-headed GASTROCNEMIUS and the deep mass of muscle – THE SOLEUS forms the remaining head.​

Both of them have different attachments but taper and merge at the base of the calf muscle. Tough connective tissue at the bottom of the calf muscle merges with the Achilles tendon. The Achilles tendon inserts into the heel bone (calcaneus). The gastrocnemius attaches to lateral and medial epicondyne (to the base of the femur (thigh bone)) whereas medial epicondyne is lower and better developed. The functions of these epicondyles are knee flexion (now you understand why the calves are sore after Hamstring curl) and ankle plantar flexion (elevate the heel). Also these muscles stabilize your body during a movement. The function of the soleus muscle is only to raise the heel (known as ankle plantar flexion).

Now it’s time to discuss the nuances of training and some myths. More often the lower leg muscles don’t get enough training.

          Just remember how many sets and exercises you do when you work out on your chest or biceps and now you remember how many sets you do working out on your lower leg muscles and when?! Whatever strange it may seem but small lower leg muscles can be not only because of poor training but also because of excessive training. The most often reason is an improper training.

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          There are some coaches who you can also blame for not growing lower leg muscles because they claim that these muscles, abs and forearm are special kind of muscles and differ from the other muscles so they need special workouts. Despite the fact that lower leg muscles’ work is immense, the correlation of oxidative muscle fibers and glycolic fibers are almost the same as in the other muscles of your body. So there is a scientific rationale to that fact and speaks for itself that you need to train lower leg muscles from the same perspective as you train the rest of your muscle groups.

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Anatomically, the gastrocnemius muscle works at its maximum when your knee is straightened and the soleus muscle – with knee bent. Keeping in mind this information and that fact that the soleus muscle is bigger and makes your lower legs
muscles looks more bulky build your workout split. Plus remember that the soleus muscle requires a big amount of work, the same with your triceps and biceps.

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          The majority of people train lower leg muscles doing many reps and totally forget to train them performing just a few reps with bigger weight and that is the main mistake because it must be exactly opposite. Of course high reps are needed but you have to place emphasis on low reps and bigger weights.

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          There is no need to train lower leg muscles more than once in 3-5 days because you might overload them but don’t do it less than once in 5 days. Pay your attention to classic cardio which burns up your muscles more than fat and if you have problems with gaining muscle bulk and you are keen on classic cardio, forget about your muscles growing.

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          When you perform seated or standing calf raise you should keep up with this rule which will help you to load either the soleus muscle or the gastrocnemius: raise your feet only with the help of the big toes, focusing on it in your mind’s eye. What about your feet placement: I recommend you to hold them parallel to each other or slightly shift your toes inward when you work out with big weights. So, it will help you to avoid injuries. When you perform high reps or you have stato-dynamic workout then you can experiment with your feet placement.

When you start treating your lower legs muscles with the same love and devotion as your chest or biceps and trying to make them stronger, only then they return your love back through the increasing of muscle bulk.

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          If you have convulsions it tells you about overworked muscles. Muscle spasms are an evidence of possible shortage of macro nutrients and nerves stimulation, in addition venous and arterial circulation disorders.

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          Choosing the same training program as well as the load or you endeavor to overcome excessive load will lead you to a serious injury. That’s why you have to keep up with periodization and cyclical load.

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          I recommend you to train the lower legs in such an order: one workout you devote to the soleus muscle and another one to the gastrocnemius muscle and “kill” the soleus with high reps or using stato-dynamic. The third workout start with the soleus muscle and train it using low reps and big weights and after work on the gastrocnemius performing high reps. The main thing is put an emphasis on the soleus muscle and change every workout according to periodization, training each type of muscle fiber one after another.

 Everything that we have discussed in this article was about aesthetics, so now let’s  talk about training the gastrocnemius and the soleus muscle in terms of saving and strengthening your HEALTH.

These muscles are called THE SECOND HEART by doctors as they maintain good blood circulation. If the majority knew what we were previously talking about then this information will be new for you and even a kind of revelation.

Lower leg muscle’s contraction, the soleus muscle in particular, compresses the thin-walled veins, helping the blood to come back to the heart. It happens due to the fact that veins have special valves which prevent the blood moving through the veins from the heart against the effects of gravity.

In conclusion we understand the importance of training lower leg muscles, the soleus muscle in particular. Everybody should train these muscles and especially athletes. An ordinary person can train them at home, walk more as possible, and avoid an elevator so that will be also a good workout for your lower legs.

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          Walls of arteries are thicker and more elastic than veins but blood comes back to heart through the veins. That’s why it’s so important to train muscles which contribute towards blood moving though the veins. The muscles of lowers legs are so important that are called SECOND HEART. When we are standing or walking, the heart provides blood circulation through the arteries where the soleus muscle helps to return blood back to the heart.

When the vein muscle pump stops working properly, the heart can’t create good blood pressure and as a result is a shortage of nutrients. Only the cardiovascular system provides all body’s tissues with nutrients and oxygen through the blood.

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          Consequently you’ll get headaches, permanent tiredness, varicose veins, swollen legs (water retention in the legs), dizziness, poor sight, cognitive disorder and also joint and muscle pain.

The best way to avoid it is to train the gastrocnemius and the soleus muscle. But who did get such a piece of advice from doctors?! You are advised anything, even compression garments… to my mind it’s marketing strategy though.

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          Work out my friends and don’t ignore such small but important (significant) muscles as the gastrocnemius and the soleus muscle.
Hope my article was useful to YOU. Don’t forget to share it on social media!

Reasons Why You’re Gaining Weight While Working Out Explained

Let us set the scene: you’ve been working really hard at the gym and trying your best to stick to a healthy diet but when you step on the scale you see a higher number than you expected. Don’t panic! Lots of people have experienced gaining weight while working out, it’s actually pretty common and you’re not alone. There are lots of factors to consider when weight loss is concerned so before you let yourself get discouraged—check out five reasons you may not be seeing the weight loss you planned for.

Water Retention

When you first start exercising your body will naturally go through many changes in the first few months. New exercises can lead to inflammation or small tears in your muscle fibers as you build muscle mass. Your body will respond to this inflammation by temporarily retaining water. Let your body heal! Drink plenty of water, eat well and get as much sleep as you can. As a rule of thumb, you should be drinking half your body weight in ounces of water. For example, if you weigh 140 pounds, you should be drinking no less than 70 ounces of water a day.

Glycogen Conversion

Your body provides energy to your muscles by converting glycogen, or sugar, into glucose. When you begin exercising regularly your body stores more glycogen to fuel the extra movement. Glycogen has to bind with water in order fuel your muscles. As exercise becomes more routine over time, your muscles will become more efficient and need less glycogen to maintain your energy. As that happens, your muscles will retain less water and you will see that added weight come off!

High-Calorie Diets

In order to shed the pounds, you must have a caloric deficit. It can be difficult to keep track of everything you eat but try logging your meals once a week to check in on how much you’re actuallyeating (and drinking!). If you’re taking in more calories than you are working off—you won’t see the weight loss you are working towards. However, don’t try and shave off too many calories from your diet, that won’t help either and it’s not sustainable or healthy. Make small adjustments. Eat fewer processed foods and more whole foods (think foods on the outer walls of the grocery store) to round out your diet.

Time

Weight loss is not a linear process and you aren’t going to see immediate results—no matter how much work you put in. If you didn’t gain 30 pounds overnight, you can’t expect to lose it that quickly either. Our bodies are incredible machines and when you introduce something new: exercise or dietary changes, our bodies need to recalibrate and make adjustments. Depending on the person, it can take weeks and even months for your body to respond. Be patient.

Muscle Gains

Muscle mass weighs more than fat mass and you will undoubtedly gain weight from lean muscle gains. While your clothes may feel looser, the scale may tell you otherwise. This is a win! You’re working a well-rounded program that includes both strength and conditioning and now you’re reaping the reward. And, for the record, I’ve been a trainer for almost 15 years, and I’ve never owned a scale. It doesn’t tell your story but signals like inches down, a sense of wellness, and feeling stronger than you were before are what you should use to track progress moving forward.

Try not to get too discouraged by what the number on the scale says. What’s really important is making healthy happen and investing in your health. How much you weigh is not nearly as critical as how great you feel in and outside of the gym.

How to Make the Healthy Breakfast Smoothie Bowl of Your Dreams

When you discover a good thing, it can be hard not to dive in headfirst! Tell everyone you know, and eat, eat, eat. I fell into this trap when I discovered an irresistible smoothie bowl. You may have seen them on your Instagram feeds in all their fruity, colorful glory.

The obvious hurdle is that buying smoothie bowls regularly isn’t sustainable, especially if you’re tight on time, money, or calories. So, what do you do? Find a way to mimic the goodness!

Smoothie Bowl Steps

Smoothie bowls are very similar to smoothies, they’re just consumed in a different way (spoon, not straw), and include additional toppings and texture. So, start with your favorite smoothie recipe, blending fruit, some greens (spinach, kale), ice, milk (soy, almond), juice (orange, pomegranate, carrot) or yogurt (greek), and a little healthy sweetener (agave syrup, maple syrup, honey). Have fun with it and try your favorite flavors. You can even make two different smoothies to combine in the same bowl for more interesting bites. Keep thickness in mind overall, as you won’t want it too soupy.

• Choose colorful fruit toppings.

The trick is in the toppings. Consider your base and then add complimentary (but not necessarily identical) fruit like blueberries, strawberries, bananas, passion fruit, and raspberries. This is your chance to try something new or uncommon. When’s the last time you had a kiwi? Try a little on top.

Texture is key. You don’t want everything to be smooth, so add some healthy seeds (chia, sunflower, hemp, etc.), grains (granola, oats), and/or nuts (walnut, pumpkin, almond). A little unsweetened coconut flakes sprinkled on top is a nice finishing touch.

Beware of sweetened yogurt, high-calorie granola, and other unnatural, processed ingredients. Stay as fresh as possible, and know that you’ll get a lot of sweetness from the smoothie and additional fruit toppings. You may even find you want a dollop of crème fraîche or plain greek yogurt on top to tame things!

• Have fun with the design.

Just like the “recipe,” which can be varied in a million ways, have fun with the assembly. Pro tip: It usually looks nicer if toppings are added in chunks, in their own space; and it’s best if the heaviest items go last. You can always mix it and lose the pretty when eating!

• Admire your creation. Then dig in!

That’s it. Whether or not your final bowl is Instagram-worthy, you can pat yourself on the back for starting the day with a healthy breakfast. Way to go!

If you’re looking for more specific direction, find many smoothie bowl recipes online.

4 Ways to Stay Motivated During Your Workout

We’re all tempted to cheat on our workout at times—whether you’re talking yourself out of doing that last set, debating if you really need to do cardio today, or convincing yourself to not do leg day so you can walk tomorrow, experiencing a lack of motivation in the gym can be just as detrimental as experiencing it before you get there.

We believe that the only workout hurdles that test us are the ones we jump over, so we’ve compiled a list of ways to stay invested during your entireworkout. You’ve got this!

Make it a friendly competition.

Even if you don’t have a competitive nature, having to push your efforts in relation to someone else can be a major motivator. Whether it’s the stranger running on the treadmill next to you or a dedicated workout partner that’s a little bit closer to where you want to be, letting someone else’s motivation rub off on you will help you push yourself farther, keep going longer and stop you from being tempted to quit.

Make a bet.

From fitness accountability apps to friends who won’t let you off the hook, there are plenty of ways to hold yourself accountable—especially when there’s cash on the line. Make a bet with yourself, a friend or an online community about a goal of yours. Whether it’s frequency of workouts for the next two weeks, amount of progress made over the next three months or the amount you’re able to deadlift this time next year, putting your paycheck on the line will make you think twice about skipping that extra rep

Treat yourself.

Setting physical goals are great, but what powers you to achieve them? The satisfaction isn’t always enough incentive for you to see your goals through, so try giving yourself a tangible reward! A new pair of headphones or maybe a pair of jeans, even a dinner at your favorite restaurant are all awesome ways you an encourage yourself to stay motivated.

Consider a trainer.

Many people think that they don’t need a personal trainer if they know what they’re doing, but working with a trainer at any level can help kick your workout into overdrive. Having a professional there to remind you about form, technique, and following through on each rep will take you further, encourage you to work harder and keep you dedicated for the full duration of your workout.

Sometimes motivation is hard to come by…but with these tips, you’ll be ready to kill it at the gym for the entire time, every time!

Koforidua Technical University honors JoyNews’ Maxwell Kudekor

The Koforidua Technical University (KTU) has honoured Multimedia Journalist, Maxwell Kudekor, for his outstanding journalistic standards and development journalism orientation.

KTU presented a citation in honour of the Eastern Regional Correspondent of JoyNews.

 

The Citation reads: “in Recognition and Appreciation for Providing generous media coverage of Koforidua Technical University’s activities.
“Your stories on the University have been a significant factor in its growth and advancement.,” the citation said in part.

Presenting the award, Vice Chancellor of Koforidua Technical University, Professor Smile Dzisi said the growth of the university depends on all stakeholders including the Media.

Dzisi hinted that the  University will, effective next academic year, commence community outreach programmes.

The initiative according to her, will identify and research into very pressing challenges of local communities within the region and collaborate effectively with others to assist these communities to find solutions.

Guy turns violent after lover rejects public proposal

A Nigerian youth turned violent after asking his girlfriend to marry him and she rejected the marriage proposal right there in public.

The guy is seen in the viral video asking: “why won’t you marry me?”

https://twitter.com/i/status/1136210682800742400

“I said I don’t want to marry you,” his girlfriend responded.

The guy angrily reacted saying “How can you tell me no, no for what?” The young man, who had been on his knee gets up and gets physical. He pushes the lady to the ground and takes off her wig.

Onlookers intervene and ask him to be calm.

In a subsequent Tweet, however, @IamErujeje who posted the video, posted a followup where the duo say the scene was just a prank.

“I am not a woman beater,” the guy seen in the viral video said.

 

Large Ebola outbreaks new normal, says WHO

The world is entering “a new phase” where big outbreaks of deadly diseases like Ebola are a “new normal”, the World Health Organization(WHO) has warned.

Previous Ebola outbreaks affected relatively small numbers of people.

But the Democratic Republic of Congo is dealing with the second largest outbreak ever, just three years after the world’s largest one ended.

The WHO said countries and other bodies needed to focus on preparing for new deadly epidemics.

What is Ebola?

• Ebola is a virus that initially causes sudden fever, intense weakness, muscle pain and a sore throat.
• It progresses to vomiting, diarrhoea and both internal and external bleeding.
• People are infected when they have direct contact through broken skin, or the mouth and nose, with the blood, vomit, faeces or bodily fluids of someone with Ebola.
• Patients tend to die from dehydration and multiple organ failure.

There have been about 2,025 cases of Ebola and 1,357 deaths from the virus during the outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The largest outbreak, in West Africa in 2014-2016 affected 28,616 people mostly in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone. There were 11,310 deaths.

Yet the 12 outbreaks between 2000 and 2010 averaged fewer than 100 cases.

So why are modern outbreaks so much bigger?

“We are entering a very new phase of high impact epidemics and this isn’t just Ebola,” Dr Michael Ryan, the executive director of the WHO’s health emergencies programme told me.

He said the world is “seeing a very worrying convergence of risks” that are increasing the dangers of diseases including Ebola, cholera and yellow fever.

He said climate change, emerging diseases, exploitation of the rainforest, large and highly mobile populations, weak governments and conflict were making outbreaks more likely to occur and more likely to swell in size once they did.

‘Get to grips’

Dr Ryan said the World Health Organization was tracking 160 disease events around the world and nine were grade three emergencies (the WHO’s highest emergency level).

“I don’t think we’ve ever had a situation where we’re responding to so many emergencies at one time. This is a new normal, I don’t expect the frequency of these events to reduce.”

As a result, he argued that countries and other bodies needed to “get to grips with readiness [and] be ready for these epidemics”.

The outbreak in DR Congo continues to worry health officials.

It took 224 days for the number of cases to reach 1,000, but just a further 71 days to reach 2,000.

Tackling the disease has been complicated by conflict in the region – between January and May there were more than 40 attacks on health facilities.

Another problem is distrust of healthcare workers with about a third of deaths being in the community. It means people are not seeking treatment and risk spreading the disease to neighbours and relatives.

Dr Josie Golding, the epidemics lead at the Wellcome Trust, said the world needed to get better at preparing for such outbreaks.

“With Ebola in West Africa, that was the mobility of people and porous borders – that is now the world we live in, that won’t stop,” she said.

Climate change could lead to more outbreaks like cholera in Mozambique after Cyclone Idai, she said. But she hoped diseases resulting from humanitarian crises would not be a new normal.

“Preparedness needs to be better, we can see movement of populations and climate change, a lot of this we can see coming, and we need more resources to plan and prepare.”

‘I hire a man to pretend to be my daughter’s dad

Megumi was a baby when her parents separated and her father disappeared from her life. But years later her mother told her he wanted to reconnect. Megumi began to see Yamada regularly. She thinks he is her father, and that Yamada is his real name – but this is a lie.

“Ever since she was little she’d ask me where he was,” says Megumi’s mother, Asako. “All she knew was that he had gone soon after she was born, so she blamed herself.”

For years it didn’t appear to be a problem. But when Megumi was about 10, Asako noticed a change in her daughter’s behaviour.

“She didn’t talk to me and became very quiet and withdrawn,” Asako says.

“It took a long while to find out about the bullying.”

Asako discovered that Megumi wasn’t only blaming herself for her parents’ breakup. Her classmates were also ostracising her because she didn’t have a dad – children of single parents are often stigmatised in Japan.

Eventually she became so unhappy that she refused to go to school.

“She’s my only child and it was breaking my heart to see her so sad,” Asako says.

She tried to get the teachers at school to help, but when that failed another idea came into her head.

“All I could think about was, what if I found a man who was nice and kind, an ideal father, someone who would make her feel better?” Asako says.

She’d heard about relative rental agencies that could send an actor to play a guest at a wedding or go on a date – they are well established in Japan. So she contacted one to ask if they could also provide a fake dad. After auditioning five hopefuls, she settled on a man called Mr Takashi.

“I found him the easiest to talk to,” Asako says. “He’s very kind and sweet, so I just followed my instincts.”

Takashi runs a rental agency with about 20 staff and more than 1,000 freelancers – men and women of different ages and backgrounds who can cater for almost any situation, taking on fake names, personalities and roles. They often have to lie, but they are very strict about not breaking the law.

As an actor himself, he’s played boyfriends, businessmen, friends and fathers, and been a bridegroom at five fake weddings.

He prepares for his roles, he confesses, by watching Hollywood movies like Little Miss Sunshine, the Oscar-winning film about a dysfunctional family bonding on a road trip, and The Descendants, in which George Clooney plays an indifferent parent who suddenly has to embrace fatherhood after a family tragedy.

“I study these films, and memorise phrases and lines,” Takashi says. “I take notes on how different family members interact and communicate, and what it takes to be a certain kind of father or husband. They help me understand different family dynamics and relationships.”

Asako met Takashi several times to talk about the kind of father she wanted him to play to Megumi.

“My requests were very simple,” she says. “Firstly, I wanted him to say how sorry he was that he couldn’t be in Megumi’s life until then. Secondly, I wanted him to listen to whatever she wanted to tell him.”

Asako then told Megumi that her father had remarried and now had a new family, but that he had recently been back in touch because he wanted to see them again.

He was working, she said, as “an actor”.

Megumi was shocked, but eventually agreed to meet him. And so, nearly 10 years ago, Takashi became Yamada, Megumi’s father – his longest-running, and perhaps most ethically dubious role to date.

Takashi still remembers their first meeting.

“It was a very complex emotion that was there,” he says. “She asked me why I hadn’t come to see her before, and I felt her resentment.”

As Yamada, Takashi began seeing Megumi and her mother a couple of times a month – joining them on days out, trips to the cinema and visiting for birthdays. And Asako says it didn’t take long to see a real change in her daughter.

“After a while Megumi became much happier and more outgoing,” she says. “She loved to talk, she was lively – she even wanted to go back to school, and that’s when I thought, ‘This has all been worth it!’”

One particular occasion sticks in Asako’s mind – when she and Yamada were at Megumi’s school parents’ day.

“We were standing at the back of the classroom,” Asako says. “She saw us together and kept on turning around to look at us. She had the biggest smile on her face and that made me really happy.”

Takashi’s services are not cheap. Each time Asako hires him to play Yamada she pays about 10,000 Yen, (about £70 or $90), and although she earns a decent salary she has to make savings elsewhere to afford it. But when she remembers how unhappy her daughter once was, she thinks it is money well spent.

Takashi also sees a difference in Megumi, from the quiet, hesitant girl that he first met.

“Gradually she became happier and more confident,” he says. “I used to meet her with Asako, the three of us together, but one day she said, ‘I want to go out with my father, just the two of us,’ so I took her out and she held my hand for the first time.”

Over the last 10 years, Takashi’s character Yamada has grown very close to Megumi, now a young adult. He’s become a part of the family. He even tells Megumi that he loves her, in the way that any father might – but, of course, he doesn’t really.

How does he justify this act of deception?

“Switching personalities and identities is very important in this job,” he says. “But I’m human, and so, of course, it would be a lie if I said I don’t feel any emotional conflict saying, ‘I love you,’ to that child. But this is a business, I have to do it, and I have to keep reminding myself of that.”

Asako also understands that some might disagree with her choices.

“I know what I’m doing is drastic,” she says. “But I really, really wanted to save my daughter.”

To complicate matters, she has also become very attached to the fictional character she is paying Takashi to portray.

“When the three of us are together, I feel at peace,” she says.

“We talk, we laugh and we are very kind to each other. He’s been in our lives for such a long time now, I would like to marry him and become a real family.”

But Asako has had to face the bittersweet reality that she is in love with someone who isn’t real and who cannot love her back.

“I have told him [how I feel], but he told me to my face that he’s with us because it’s his job. It’s very complicated,” she says.

“I’m very aware that he’s only with us because we’re paying him.

“I sort of fantasise about our relationship, that maybe we can be a real family, but the relationship as it is actually helps me emotionally and mentally as well. It keeps me stable.”

In fact, Asako has no plans to end the arrangement with Takashi and says she would like to carry on hiring him to play Megumi’s dad indefinitely – even if that means sinking deeper and deeper into a world of fantasy and deception.

“The ideal situation is that she continues to think of him as her father,” she says. “So when she gets married I’d like him to be at her wedding ceremony, and when she has her own child, I’d like him to act as a grandfather as well. The worst case scenario is that my daughter finds out.”

And if Megumi’s real father were to ever turn up?

That’s not a possibility that Asako has ever really considered. As she hasn’t had any contact with him since their divorce she feels it is unlikely – but if he did walk through the door one day, she thinks Megumi would choose Yamada over her real dad, because they have such a good “father-daughter” relationship. He is the ideal father, just as Asako hoped he would be.

Takashi is also aware that the lie could continue to grow.

“This is one of the big issues of renting a family,” he says. “Megumi could get married in the future and then her husband would think I’m her father. If she then has her own child that means she’d believe I’m the grandfather of her child, and the stakes get bigger and bigger.”

And he has thought about how Megumi might feel if she finds out – though the plotlines he envisages might strike many as highly optimistic.

“In the best case scenario, I’d like to think that she might thank me for taking care of her – that is 80% of my imagination,” he says.

“The other 20% thinks that she would be devastated. She might say, ‘Why did you come clean? Why couldn’t you just keep lying to me until the end?’

“I think I’ve been a big support in her life… Maybe asking her to thank me is a bit excessive, but at least I’d like her to recognise our service.”

Many might also find it hard to understand why Asako has chosen to do something which could be so distressing for her daughter, if she discovers the truth. Yet she stands by her decision.

“I know some people think it’s foolish to pay money to lie to my own daughter and to have a pretend father, but I was desperate,” she says.

“Anyone can understand that horrible feeling of desperation, to see your child so hurt.”

She says she does worry about the potential impact on Megumi, but tries not to think about it.

And she thinks this kind of thing happens more than you might imagine.

“My situation isn’t unique. I’m sure there are loads more surrogate fathers and mothers out there.”

When a one-day-old baby, Paul Joseph Fronczak, was stolen from a Chicago hospital in 1964, the terrible story made headlines across America. Then, two years later, an abandoned boy was identified as the missing baby and handed over to the relieved parents. Years later, Paul began to investigate what had happened – and was shocked by what he found.

KNUST Dean of students resigns

The Dean of Students at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) , Professor William Akanwariak Gariba, has confirmed to Citi News that he has resigned from his position.

He however declined to offer reasons for his decision.

His resignation comes a few months after a violent protest by students of the University led to the closure of the institution for nearly a month.

The students, in the wake of the violent protest, called for the removal of Professor Gariba, as well as the Vice Chancellor and the head of the campus security from office, saying an interim body should be allowed to take over the affairs of the institution.

Leader of the students’ group at the time, Yiadom Boakye, said the failure of leadership of the university management was solely responsible for the unfortunate events.

“We call for the following management members (VC, dean of students and the head of security] to step aside. Management has dealt with the students with impunity and total disregard for the rule of law and the democratic dictates. Why will management make unilateral decisions which have a direct consequence on students without consulting students and admitting their inputs”, he asked.

It is unclear if the resignation of the Dean is necessarily linked to that violent protest.

It would be recalled that the University also recently advertised for the vacant position of the school’s head of security.

375 Migrants Detained After Crossing Into Arizona Under U.S.-Mexico Border Fence

A group of 376 Central Americans was arrested in southwest Arizona, the vast majority of the families who dug short, shallow holes under a barrier to cross the border, authorities said Friday.

The group dug under a steel barrier in seven spots about 10 miles east of a border crossing in San Luis and made no effort to elude immigration agents. They included 176 children.

The unusually large group was almost entirely from Guatemala. They were taken to Yuma after entering the country on Monday.

The area became a major corridor for illegal crossings in the mid-2000s, prompting the federal government to weld steel plates to a barrier made of steel bollards that had been designed to stop people in vehicles, not on foot, Border Patrol spokesman Jose Garibay III said. In those spots, there is no concrete footing to prevent digging.

The group used multiple holes in an apparent effort to get everyone across the border quickly, Garibay said.

Customs and Border Protection released photos and video of a long line of migrants standing patiently on a desert road’s dirt shoulder after they were stopped.

On Wednesday, the Border Patrol arrested a group of 247 people, mostly from Central America, who turned themselves into agents in a highly remote part of New Mexico, where authorities have found 25 groups of more than 100 people since October. A group of 115 was found in the same area Thursday.

Large numbers of Guatemalan families and unaccompanied children are surrendering to immigration agents in Antelope Wells, New Mexico, where 7-year-old Jakelin Caal and her father were found Dec. 6 with 161 others.

Caal started vomiting on the bus ride to the nearest Border Patrol station 94 miles away and had stopped breathing by the time she arrived. She died at a hospital in El Paso, Texas.

The southwest Arizona desert is less remote but arrests have also sharply increased after years of relative quiet. The Border Patrol’s Yuma sector made 7,857 arrests in October and November, more than double the same period a year earlier.

Despite a surge in asylum-seeking families from Central America in recent months, border arrests remain low by historical standards.

The Border Patrol made 396,579 arrests on the Mexican border in the 2018 fiscal year, up 30 percent from a 46-year low during the same period a year earlier but still well below a high of more than 1.6 million in 2000.

 

 

Dating while you have an STD

 

Dating someone new is about checking out the new restaurant on the block or taking a hot yoga class together. And in the age of safer sex, it also means sharing information about your sexual health.

It’s a conversation that people with sexually transmitted diseases or STDs, also referred to as sexually transmitted infections or STIs — such as herpes, chlamydia or HIV — have been having for years. Meanwhile, their numbers are growing. Today, an estimated 1 in 2 sexually active Americans will contract an STD by the time they turn 25.

But has dating when you have one gotten easier?

“The stigma associated with having an STI leads folks to believe that they won’t be able to date and that no one will want to have sex with them, but in my experience, that’s rarely the case,” said Jenelle Marie Pierce, executive director of the STD Project and spokeswoman for PositiveSingles.com, a dating website aimed at people with STDs. “Sure, some people experience rejection after disclosing to a new partner. But most people find that the stigma itself is far worse than the infection.”

I asked Pierce and other experts to share more insights on dating when you have an STD.

When should you tell a potential partner that you have an STD?

“When first dating someone, most people want to put their best foot forward and disclose information about themselves over time and as comfort, trust and feelings develop,” sex therapist Diane Gleim said. “Depending on your preference and your feelings about the person you’re dating, you may want to lead with your STI status or not. Either approach is OK, but not disclosing your status as sexual activity becomes clearly imminent is not OK.”

In other words, you don’t need to have this conversation on your first date (unless you want to), but you should absolutely tell your partner before you become sexually intimate with them.

“It’s super important to make your STI status known prior to having sex with someone new,” sex educator Heather Alberda said. “Setting the stage for healthy communication starts on day one.”

Josh Robbins, an HIV/AIDS activist and spokesman for another dating website, DatingPositives.com, said that “all you can do is be safe. Being safe means taking personal responsibility and getting tested regularly in order to be up to date on the status of your health.”

“But it’s also about being honest about your sexual health, and the longer you wait to tell someone you’re positive, the harder it will be. Sadly, there may be people who are too afraid to admit they have a condition because they fear rejection. That fear comes from stigma, which can only be reduced by educating people and accepting as a society that STIs are very, very common.”

How should you tell a potential partner about your STD status?

It’s best to approach the conversation pragmatically and succinctly in a safe space with few distractions, Pierce said. “Give the person space and let them take a day or two to circle back with questions. And try your best not to take their response personally.”

And for people with STDs who want to skip the uncomfortable conversation — and get right to all the other wonderfully awkward aspects of dating — websites like PositiveSingles.com and DatingPositives.com offer a way to do just that. “When folks are initially diagnosed, they are absolutely petrified of disclosing to a new partner, if they even want to date at all, so sometimes, a dating site can really help,” Pierce explained.

Sex therapist Rachel Needle offers this advice: “First, make sure you tell them in person, face-to-face. Be prepared to educate your partner about the STI you have, including ways you can be sexually active and reduce the chance of transmission. If you feel comfortable, you can share with them how you contracted the STI and how, if at all, it has impacted you. Allow your partner to ask any questions they have and provide them with good resources to learn more on their own.’

What should someone expect when disclosing STD status?

“People who have long-term STIs always expect the worst when disclosing their status, but I want to challenge them to also only accept the best,” Pierce said. “While everyone isn’t going to be excited that you have an STI, a calm, kind and thoughtful response is what should happen when you disclose to a new person. If they are hysterical, cruel or disrespectful, then walk away.”

Robbins agreed. “I’ve found that refusing to pursue someone’s approval or acceptance of my chronic condition is the way to go,” he explained. “Attempting to validate myself through another person’s acceptance is pointless. Instead, I view being open about my journey as a privilege I extend to a potential partner. Their reaction will determine whether or not I want them to be in my life.”

The sex educator known as Laureen HD added that “potential partners tend to ask ‘what happened?’ after you disclose that you have an STI. And a common mistake — at least, I consider it a mistake — that people with herpes make is to feel that they owe potential partners an explanation on how they contracted herpes, as if contracting it from a cheating boyfriend versus from a one night stand makes a difference.

“I did an experiment where I used Tinder for a month, where the only thing my bio read was ‘I have genital herpes, swipe right only if you’re cool with it.’ I didn’t know what to expect, but my fearful self, brainwashed by the stigma, anticipated that there was going to be a lot of slut-shaming or rude interactions. But none of that happened. Most guys who swiped right were genuinely appreciative of how upfront I was about the information, and a few were even down to meet up and get to know each other in person. This taught me that we are more understanding of STIs in the privacy of our relationships than we are in public conversations.”

What should people without STDs know about dating someone who’s positive?

Many people may just assume that they’re negative and have not been tested for STDs. The experts I contacted point out that someone who knows that they have an STD is more likely to be aware of their sexual health. “People who are openly STD-positive are the people you should least fear,” Robbins said. “It’s the people who say they’re negative — but maybe they’re only assumed negative or maybe they’ve just never been tested — who actually pose the most risk.”

It’s also worth educating yourself about that risk. “A once-daily preventive medication called PrEP is now available for people who are in a relationship with someone who is HIV-positive,” Alberda said. “We also know now that if viral loads are undetectable, HIV is unable to be passed along to a partner.”

Sex therapist Michael Vigorito explained, “Studies show a decrease in HIV infections associated with two medical advances: taking a pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for those who are HIV negative and ‘undetectable = untransmittable’ for those who are positive. My clients share that these interventions decrease their anxieties about HIV infection or transmission and allow them to enjoy their sexuality more fully.”

It’s clear that having an STD doesn’t have to put an end to dating or sex. Just like safe sex, it’s one more topic you’ll want to discuss with a new partner before getting intimate.

“When I got diagnosed with genital herpes, which is an incurable STI, it felt like going back to teenage years and having to learn how to date all over again,” Laureen HD said. “How to make myself look approachable without coming off as easy or promiscuous, how to build self-confidence to put myself out there again, how to not fall for the first person who would fall for me in light of my disclosure, etc.

“After my first rejection, I remember thinking, ‘That’s it, I won’t ever be able to be in a relationship anymore. I won’t ever be a wife. I won’t ever be a mom.’ Those fears and insecurities even lead me to neglect letting some partners know of my diagnosis in a timely way. But a lot of trial and error later, I figured I would rather be rejected while having done the right thing than accepted but having neglected their consent. The emotional fragility never vanishes completely, even after getting many positive responses.”

Stonebwoy is the only Ghanaian doing close to authentic Dancehall music – Nana Fynn

Stonebwoy is the only Ghanaian artiste doing something close to authentic Dancehall music, says Highlife artiste, Nana Fynn. “the only person doing something that I can call authetic Dancehall,..

Stonebwoy is the only Ghanaian artiste doing something close to authentic Dancehall music, says Highlife artiste, Nana Fynn.

“the only person doing something that I can call authetic Dancehall, close is Stonebwoy.” expressed Fynn to SVTV Africa’s Evans Amewugah.

He added that the best Dancehall song by a Ghanaian is the collaboration between Stonebwoy and MzVee titled ‘Come Over,’ and that he has no favourite amongst the Ghanaian acts calling themselves Dancehall artistes.

Read below the latest about Stonebwoy and Zylofon Music.

Dancehall artiste, Stonebwoy is contractually tied to Zylofon Music.

A statement released on Tuesday, March 13 and signed by Samuel Atoubi Baah, Head of Communications, Zylofon Media, parent company of the imprint listed the ‘Mama‘ act as one of the artistes signed to the label.

Stonebwoy joined the label in June 2017.

The “contractual relations” according to the company gives it the “sole right to the use of the artiste’s name, voice, likeness, sound and similar characteristics for the purpose of advertising, promotions, selling and otherwise merchandising discs, tapes and other audio and video recordings produced from master products by artistes.”

REASONS FOR STONEBWOY LEAVING ZYLOFON MEDIA REVEALED

The label adviced any persons interested in working with their artistes to seek “the express consent and concurrence of Zylofon Media Company Limited.” 

It threatened to seek a “swift and strict enforcement in a court of law” if there is a “deliberate infringement on the right” of the company.

Shatta Wale, Becca, Joyce Blessing, Kumi Guitar, Obibini, Zynnell Zuh, James Gardiner, Bibi Bright, Toosweet Annan, Benedicta Gafah and Sima Brew are the creatives signed to Zylofon Media.

By:senyblog18.wordpress.com

Passports to be given at birth – Official

Ghanaians may soon be receiving their Passports at birth, in order to cut out the frustration involved in acquiring the document, a government official has hinted.

Ghanaians have over the years bemoaned the difficulties in renewing or procuring a new passport as many are on daily basis subjected to long delays in queues at passport offices in Accra.

Several measures by government including plans to decentralize the passport office have not been able to resolve the bottlenecks in acquiring a passport.

Speaking to Francis Abban on the Morning Starr Wednesday, the Chief Executive Officer of Public Sector Reform at the Presidency Professor Kusi Boafo said several public sector institutions must be modernized in order for them to serve their purpose.

“We are bringing in a new public sector reform policy. There is no single public institution in Ghana that can deliver proper public good. Go and see DVLA, the passport office, Ports & Harbors…etc. If passports are very necessary, then passports are supposed to be made on the day of birth, and that is what we are trying to work on,” he said.

He however noted it will take the nation enough time to get things working properly even if the right approaches are adopted.

“We are not honest as citizens and so we are not willing to open up. As we begin to formalize, it will take us time to formalize. It will take us about 5 to 10 years to formalize”.

Professor Kusi also condemned the manner in which vehicles were disposed of by the state under the former administration.

“786 brand new cars were disposed of by the previous government at very cheap prices. Cars that could last for 10 years were sold within a week, few months and a year. How could we have built a nation with this attitude”.

By:senyblog18.wordpress.com

Ghanaians KILLED Kumi Guitar Literally For Dissing Stonebwoy And Their Comments Are Very MEAN

Kumi Guitar should have probably stayed in his corner with his guitar but he opted to trend a bit by attacking multiple award winning artiste, Stonebwoy.

After the fracas between Stonebwoy and and Zylofon Media spearheaded by Bulldog, Kumi Guitar who happens to be a label mate with the BHIM Nation boss has revealed series of secrets that paint Stonebwoy in a very bad light.

To cap it all, he released a diss song titled, Gyae aimed at Stonebwoy. This perhaps became the last straw that broke the camel’s back.

Social media users have not been happy about the development and have descended heavily on the Brown Sugar crooner.

Check this put:

By:senyblog18.wordpress.com

Becca Set To Quit Zylofon Music And This Is What An Insider Told Us

For the past few weeks, things seem not to be going on well at Zylofon Music as some of its leading artists have planned to show themselves the exit. First, it was Stonebowy and now reports trooping in says Queen Becca is set to leave the label.

According to the insider, Becca has plans of leaving the label as she has been grumbling aside the money the label paid her and that, nothing profitable has been added to her profession.

”Becca wants to leave the label and actually, she feels nothing has been added to her career” the source revealed.

Again the source disclosed Becca is only with the label for now because she doesn’t want to be seen as an ungrateful person and would gladly jump off the label if she gets the green light.

”She would gladly quit if given the go-ahead but then she is only hanging in because she does not want to be seen as an ungrateful individual” says the source

Becca is among the few female Ghanaian musicians who have worked tirelessly over the past few years projecting Ghana’s music to the  music world.

By:senyblog18.wordpress.com

Ghana Is Too Dirty!!

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There was no work on Tuesday and Wednesday, no school and a lot of government spending to celebrate 61years of Ghana’s independence…

But less than 10mins drive from the president’s own house is a drain which goes straight to the Korle Lagoon ( which has been a major pollution source for decades) … Every year lives and property are lost senselessly in Ghana whenever the rains come. We are headed for a major avoidable and senseless disaster if government does not WORK!

The Sanitation, Environment, Regional Ministers must be sued, arrested and jailed if we record another death this year due to their NEGLIGENCE in carrying out their mandate.

To those who continue to make excuses for politicians please note that Nana Addo was a member of parliament from 1997 to 2009… Gbabin has been in parliament since 1993 … the ever arrogant, whimsical, bellicose and capricious Suame Mugabe di33, the least said about him the berra… there is no JUSTIFICATION … none whatsoever for individuals who can’t do their jobs, pass the right laws, enforce them to ensure our safety. There’s none so save your breath.

Theophilus how about we hold off and celebrate our independence from poor sanitation after we actually emancipate ourselves from the filth and horrible state of drianage and sanitation??

It’s a sad day to be Ghanaian… our priorities are really screwed up!

By:senyblog18.wordpress.com

Livingston Foundation Paid Visit To Korle-bu Teaching Hospital…

The LIVINGSTONE Foundation Paid Visit To The Accident Center Wards Of The KORLE-BU Teaching Hospital in Ghana to make Some Donations And Pay Outstanding Bills Of Some Patients in the Ward On the occasion of Livingston popularly known as stonebwoy’s Birthday.He said ”I decided to remember and spend this day with those who found themselves where I found myself
15years ago as a result of A Car Accident…” Big Thanks To The authorities Of The Hospital And All Who Made This Possible…
By The Mercies And Blessings Of God Lets All endeavor to in the smallest of Ways impact Our Surroundings When it touches our hearts To. Remember There’s Nothing Too Small To Give..
No Man is And Island!!

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By:senyblog18.wordpress.com

Nathan Lane: We need ‘Angels in America’ now more than ever

Put 18-karat Nathan Lane on Broadway and the show’s SRO. He and very talented Andrew Garfield open the 25th in Tony Kushner’s celebrated “Angels in America.”

Nathan: “This play feels even more essential and necessary than when it opened in the ’90s during the AIDS epidemic and just after Reagan.

“Each time you see this, it speaks to us and cries out for us to listen. All that happens in any life happens here. It’s about many things. A plea for change. We love democracy, yet we still argue about race, sex, religion, customs, politics.

“Tony Kushner, funny yet human, was prescient and teaching we must help one another. Many young people are now first discovering ‘Angels in America.’ It’s a New York American piece.”

Then how did it do when you first opened it in London?

“Our show has puppetry, special effects. It’s beautiful. But, look, we’re not Harry Potter. It was a big commitment.”

Nathan plays infamous Roy Cohn. Don’t know who he was? Look him up. Plays, books, movies, magazines, editorials, documentaries have immortalized this young chief counsel in 1954’s Army-McCarthy hearings. He was the prosecutor in 1951’s convicted-then-executed Julius and Ethel Rosenberg spy case.

He was also President Trump’s lawyer and friend. I knew Roy. I’ve talked with Nathan about him.

Nathan: “This gives human being Roy a thread of humanity. Fighting for his life, fighting AIDS, which he hid from friends, fighting for everything. This level of performance is the greatest gift I’ve ever been given as an actor.

“He didn’t think he’s horrible. I loved being brazen, tough-about-where-he’s-headed Roy. Nowhere else can you get such writing. This is the pantheon of American literature.”

Too much hyperbole

Oscars. Enough with red-carpet dwarves burbling “incredible” — as in “incredible” dress. And “amazing” — as in “what an amazing night.” And qué pasa with yesteryear’s lightweight amusing awardees? Must each one today kiss up their agent, plumber, chiropodist?

Seacrest? His “gets” were secondary. Other mike-holders nailed the stars first. Those who faced Ryan then muttered identical things to him.

As for Kimmel, his hands flapped nervously at the start but he proved very able.

Bits & pieces

Everything old is new again.

Now Bruce Willis is another Charles Bronson.

Back with “Death Wish” as a gun-toting vigilante.

Elisabeth Shue, playing his wife, thinks audiences will be “fine.” Sure.

Lovely springtime gift for the NRA . . . Jean Kennedy Smith, last surviving JFK sibling, celebrated her 90th with ravioli and a sundae and all Serendipity singing “Happy Birthday.”

Time to get real

VIPs are hustled for everything.

At a Frederique Constant watch party Gwyneth — don’t ask Gwyneth who — sported their smartwatch.

And: At a screening for Disney’s new film “A Wrinkle in Time,” Oprah: “No matter what your flaws, embrace them.”

Reese Witherspoon, who must’ve overheard Oprah: “Conquer evil by finding good in people.”

Zach Galifianakis: “The story has a message.”

Chris Pine: “Hopefully it changes some hearts.”

Gugu Mbatha-Raw: “Our world needs light conquering darkness.”

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The Javits Center International Beauty Show’s attracting an odd set.

Pink hair extensions with purple braids, orange long curls tumbling down only one shoulder, like some TV anchor ladies.

False lashes made with rhinestones and sable fur. All’s fake. Bejeweled multicolored junk nails, lashes, hair, boobs, teeth, even stuffing for behinds. And the place is jammed.

One salesman wore shorts. Short shorts. Bare legs. Rhinestone boots. Long green hair with bangs. What is happening to us?

Can this be only in New York, kids, only in New York?

By:senyblog18.wordpress.com

Lebanese killed in robbery attack at Tema

A Lebanese national has been confirmed dead in a robbery incident in the Tema Industrial area in the Greater Accra Region.

A statement from the Ghana Police Service indicated that the incident happened today [Wednesday] at about 10.00am, “when the victim known as Ahmed Safiadeen, aged 54, who is a cashier of Delta Agro Company went to withdraw an amount of GHC 200,000.00 which was meant for salaries of workers, and other factory expenses of the company from a Bank at the Heavy Industrial Area, Tema.”

The statement, which was signed by the Public Relations Officer of the Tema Regional Command, ASP Joseph Benefo Darkwah, further indicated that “investigations so far revealed that, the victim after the bank transaction was on his way to the office in his Toyota Corolla Saloon car with registration number GN 1174-12, when he was suddenly accosted by four armed men a few meters from his work. ”

“The robbers fired several gunshots into his vehicle and robbed him off the money he had withdrawn and sped off in a four-wheel drive.”

The victim was immediately rushed to the Raphal Medical Centre in Tema but was pronounced dead
on arrival.

The body has since been conveyed to the 37 Military Hospital for preservation and autopsy,” the statement added.

A video available to Citi shows a white car with its side glass dismantled, while the seat is stained with blood.

Scores of people were seen around the car commenting on the robbery attack that had taken place.

Robbers on rampage

This week has seen a number of robbery incidents in the Accra, one on a Forex Bureaux at Spintex and two daylight robberies in the North Kaneshie area.

Two persons are reported to have sustained gunshot wounds from suspected robbers who appeared to be fleeing a crime scene.

Gunfire was first heard in the area around a Latex Foam showroom at North Kaneshie where the robbers had crashed their vehicle. Two persons have since been arrested in connection with the incident.

Also on Tuesday morning, armed men stormed Royal Motors, an automobile company in Accra, making away with the company’s sales.

Eyewitnesses reported that the robbers trailed a bullion van that had entered the Industrial Area premises of the company to collect the company’s sales made the previous day.

Recent arrests

The Inspector General of Police (IGP), David Asante Appeatu, had earlier announced that the police arrested a group of suspected robbers believed to be behind attacks on about 20 forex bureaux in the Spintex road area in just 2018.

The attacks on these Forex Bureaux were growing number of robberies and high-profile criminal activity in the region.

Mobile money transfer points have also been targeted by robbers in recent times.

‘We’re ready to die’

Despite these attacks, the Director of Operations for the Ghana Police Service, DCOP George Akufo Dampare has said although his outfit is logistically deficient, they are ready to put their lives on the line to ensure the safety of every Ghanaian.

Speaking on the Citi Breakfast Show, Dampare also noted that the support of the citizens will go a long way to help the Police Service combat the increasing rate of crime in the country.

“We want to give them [citizens] the assurance that we will go every length, including losing our lives to make them safe. We understand that we are not there yet, in terms of the full complement of our equipment. We also understand that over the years, government after government has made an attempt to bring us to a particular level in terms of equipment,” he said.

By: senyblog18.wordpress.com

Ghana to host first ‘Back to Africa’ festival

Ghana is to host the maiden ‘Back to Africa’ Festival as part of an aggressive drive to encourage Africans in the Diaspora to visit the country to reconnect with their roots, become citizens and invest in the nation’s prosperity.

The Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) in collaboration with the Adinkra Group of the United States of America (USA) would organise the pilgrimage under the theme: “Two cultures; One Foundation”.

Mr Akwasi Agyemang, the Chief Executive Officer, of the GTA, said the initiative was part of the strategies adopted in the African Diaspora Heritage trail, which would be organised every year in October.

The other events are PANAFEST, Emancipation Day and the Right to Return Festival, which would be held in December.

These, he said, were three-key initiatives targeting the American Diaspora back into Ghana, which fitted into the “Our Birth Right Pilgrimage’ Initiative and the Cultural Connections and would help Ghana see a significant growth in the numbers of visitors to Ghana.

He said: “The USA, as we are aware is the number one outbound destination for Ghana, and we want to grow those numbers significantly.”

Mr Diallo Sumbry, Chief Executive Officer of Adinkra Group, (USA) said this was the time to talk about a lot of different things in terms of building the bridge between Africans in the Diaspora and Africans on the continent.

He said one of the most powerful elements of the African culture was the arts, the vibrancy of the colours, the variety of the people and the talent and the skills, hence the need to form the group to portray the beauty of Africa.

Mr Sumbry said the festival was aimed at bringing groups of African American citizens back to Ghana, every year during the last week of the Black History month of October.

“This year we are coming from Washington DC with a band, called the Backyard Band, which has an African root and plays indigenous music of Washington DC ‘Gogo’ music, which is very much related to Ghanaian music and culture.”

He said the initiative was the beginning of a continuation of building the bridge of Africans in the Diaspora and Africans on the continent, and expressed the hope that everyone would understand the significance and the importance of the time of now.

Mr Sumbry said it was a serious opportunity for Africans to seize to be able to own their own future, which was what the festival was all about.

“We are doing this in the power of music, arts and culture,” he said. “The Band is coming home, and would be performing around Ghana, to show everyone how the Band is connected to African culture.”

He said 75 people would be flying in for one week, while the festival would start from February 27 to March 5.

Some programmes lined up for the festival are a welcome reception, performance at the Cape Coast Castle, an ancestry reveal through DNA testing, and a jam performance at the Accra Tourists Information Centre.

“These would precede the re-launch of PANAFEST, then Emancipation and the Right to Return Festival, where African-American citizens who visit would be offered the chance to have a streamline process to be able to gain their citizenship.”

The Adinkra group is an African cultural resource company that helps to teach, enrich and show people how to celebrate the different African cultures, in Washington DC, promote African culture through dances, songs, programmes, among others.

By: senyblog18.wordpress.com

Stormzy wins ‘Best Album’ @ 2018 BRIT Awards

Rapper Stormzy took home the ultimate – ‘Album of the Year‘ for his ‘Gang Signs and Prayer‘ album at the 2018 BRIT Awards. He told the audience: “I’ve never worked…

He told the audience: “I’ve never worked on something like this in my life. We made something I feel that is undeniable, that I can stand by today.”

Gang Signs And Prayer was the first UK Grime album to reach number one on the charts.

He also won ‘British Male Solo Artist.’

Full list of winners below. 

BRITISH MALE SOLO ARTIST – In association with Apple Music

Ed Sheeran Asylum, Warner Music UK
Liam Gallagher Warner Bros, Warner Music UK
Loyle Carner AMF, Universal Music UK
Rag’n’Bone Man Best Laid Plans/Columbia, Sony Music UK
Stormzy Merky, Distributor: ADA – WINNER! 

BRITISH FEMALE SOLO ARTIST – In association with Apple Music

Dua Lipa Warner Bros, Warner Music UK – WINNER!
Jessie Ware Island/PMR Records, Universal Music
Kate Tempest Fiction Records, Universal Music
Laura Marling More Alarming., Kobalt
Paloma Faith RCA, Sony Music UK

BRITISH GROUP

Gorillaz Parlophone, Warner Music UK – WINNER!
London Grammar Ministry of Sound, Sony Music UK
Royal Blood Warner Bros, Warner Music UK
Wolf Alice Dirty Hit, Dirty Hit
The xx Young Turks, XL Beggars

BRITISH BREAKTHROUGH ACT

Dave
Dua Lipa Warner Bros, Warner Music UK – WINNER!
J Hus Black Butter, Sony Music UK
Loyle Carner AMF, Universal Music UK
Sampha Young Turks, XL Beggars

CRITICS’ CHOICE

Jorja Smith – WINNER! 
Mabel Polydor, Universal Music
Stefflon Don Polydor, Universal Music

BRITs GLOBAL SUCCESS AWARD – Identified by the global sales success in the calendar year of a British Artist.

Ed Sheerean – WINNER!

BRITISH PRODUCER OF THE YEAR

Steve Mac – WINNER!

BRITISH SINGLE

Calvin Harris Ft Pharrell Williams/Katy Perry/Big Sean Feels Columbia, Sony Music UK
Clean Bandit Ft Zara Larsson Symphony Atlantic, Warner Music UK
Dua Lipa New Rules Warner Bros, Warner Music UK
Ed Sheeran Shape Of You Asylum, Warner Music UK
J Hus Did You See Black Butter, Sony Music UK
Jax Jones Ft Raye You Don’t Know Me Polydor, Universal Music
Jonas Blue Ft William Singe Mama Positiva, Universal Music
Liam Payne Ft Quavo Strip That Down Capitol, Universal Music
Little Mix Touch Syco Music, Sony Music UK
Rag’n’Bone Man Human Best Laid Plans/Columbia, Sony Music UK – WINNER!

MASTERCARD BRITISH ALBUM OF THE YEAR

Dua Lipa Dua Lipa Warner Bros, Warner Music UK
Ed Sheeran ÷ Asylum, Warner Music UK
J Hus Common Sense Black Butter, Sony Music UK
Rag’n’Bone Man Human Best Laid Plans/Columbia, Sony Music UK
Stormzy Gang Signs & Prayer Merky, Distributor: ADA – WINNER!

BRITISH ARTIST VIDEO OF THE YEAR – Top ten identified by YouTube/Vevo views. Winner identified during live social vote during TV broadcast on 21st February 2018.

Anne-Marie Ciao Adios Asylum/Major Tom’s, Warner Music UK
Calvin Harris Ft Pharrell Williams/Katy Perry/Big Sean Feels Columbia, Sony Music UK
Clean Bandit Ft Zara Larsson Symphony Atlantic, Warner Music UK
Dua Lipa New Rules Warner Bros, Warner Music UK
Ed Sheeran Shape Of You Asylum, Warner Music UK
Harry Styles Sign Of The Times Columbia, Sony Music UK – WINNER!
Jonas Blue Ft William Singe Mama Positiva, Universal Music
Liam Payne Ft Quavo Strip That Down Capitol, Universal Music
Little Mix Touch Syco Music, Sony Music UK – WINNER!
ZAYN and Taylor Swift I Don’t Wanna Live Forever (Fifty Shades Darker Soundtrack) RCA/Republic Records, Sony Music/Universal Music

INTERNATIONAL MALE SOLO ARTIST

Beck EMI, Universal Music
Childish Gambino Glassnote, Universal Music
DJ Khaled Black Butter/We The Best, Sony Music UK
Drake Cash Money/Republic Records, Universal Music
Kendrick Lamar Interscope, Universal Music – WINNER!

INTERNATIONAL FEMALE SOLO ARTIST

Alicia Keys RCA, Sony Music UK
Björk One Little Indian/Universal Music
Lorde Virgin, Universal Music – WINNER!
P!nk RCA, Sony Music UK
Taylor Swift EMI, Universal Music

INTERNATIONAL GROUP

Arcade Fire Columbia , Sony Music UK
Foo Fighters Columbia, Sony Music UK – WINNER!
Haim Polydor, Universal Music
The Killers EMI, Universal Music
LCD Soundsystem Columbia/DFA, Sony Music UK

By: senyblog18.wordpress.com

Benghazi mosque bombing leaves 2 dead, over 60 wounded

Two people were killed and over 60 wounded by a twin bombing inside a mosque in the eastern Libyan city of Benghazi on Friday, medics said.

The blasts occurred during Friday prayers at the small mosque located in the Majouri district, residents said. The devices appear to have been activated remotely using a mobile phone, according to a military source.

Two weeks ago, around 35 people were killed by a twin bombing at another mosque in Benghazi.

Libya’s second-largest city is controlled by the Libyan National Army (LNA), led by eastern-based commander Khalifa Haftar. The LNA was battling Islamists, including some linked to Islamic State and al Qaeda, as well as other opponents until late last year in the Mediterranean port city.

Haftar, a possible contender in national elections that could be held by the end of 2018, has built his reputation on delivering stability in Benghazi and beyond, promising to halt the anarchy that ensued after a NATO-backed uprising ended Muammar Gaddafi’s long rule nearly seven years ago.

Haftar launched his military campaign in Benghazi in May 2014 in response to a series of bombings and assassinations blamed on Islamist militants.

In past months there have been occasional, smaller scale bombings apparently targeting LNA allies or supporters.

By: senyblog18.wordpress.com

Korean alphabet offers Ghana, Nigeria, SA early entrance at Winter Olympics

Greece, Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa. Those will be the first countries to emerge at the opening ceremony of the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea on Friday.

That is because the Korean alphabet, known as Hangeul, starts with a sound similar to a “g” in English, followed by a sound close to an “n”.

Olympic teams always enter after Greece, birthplace of the modern Games, and then in alphabetical order according to their names in the host nation’s language, which has usually been Roman script.

Invented by a Korean king, Sejong the Great, as an alternative to complicated Chinese characters, Hangeul is a 600-year-old writing system used in both North and South Korea.

What might appear as a jumble of circles, lines and squares to the uninitiated, Hangeul is lauded for its accessibility and scientific approach.

That’s in part because it is a phonetic script, and some letters are designed to emulate the shape of the speaker’s mouth when pronounced.

“A wise man could learn it in a morning,” King Sejong is said to have written. “A stupid man could learn it in 10 days.”

Nigerian women’s bobsled team members Seun Adigun, Ngozi Onwumere and Akuoma Omeoga will represent Africa’s populous nation at the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympic Games currently underway.

By: senyblog18.wordpress.com

Beyoncé Smashes A New Spotify Streaming Record

Despite her aversion to putting music up on Spotify’s platform, Beyoncé broke a new record on the streaming site, proving once again that she doesn’t even have to play the game to win it.

As pointed out by MTV UK, the inventor of “Lemonade” is now the first artist in history to have three of her albums reach over a billion streams.

As any Bey fan knows, the best way to access the singer’s entire discography is through purchasing it on iTunes or streaming her music on Tidal, the streaming platform she co-owns with hubby Jay Z. In 2013, she released her fifth self-titled studio album on iTunes and waited nearly a year before putting it onto Spotify. Her latest visual album Lemonade is still only accessible through Tidal or iTunes purchase.

Since its release, her artist page on Spotify included a note from the streaming service that reads “Beyoncé’s album Lemonade is not currently available on Spotify. We are working on it and hope to have it soon.”

Still, these obstacles haven’t stopped the Beyhive from streaming the music she does have available on Spotify. Her 2011 album 4 recently passed one billion streams, which helped the artist earn her new record-breaking title. 4 joins I Am…Sasha Fierce and Beyoncé, while her singles “Love on Top” and “Run the World (Girls)” both have a combined 400 million streams alone.

In other Bey news, the Ivy Park business mogul recently released her line of Valentine’s Day merch, just in time for the holiday. In honor of Queen Bey smashing this new record, go ahead and celebrate by streaming even more Yoncé.

By: senyblog18.wordpress.com

Ghanaian artiste Ebony is DEAD!

Ghanaian artiste Ebony is dead.

The ‘Sponsor’ act died at the Bechem Government Hospital after the vehicle she was travelling in was involved in an accident.

COP Ken Yeboah, Ashanti Regional Police Commander confirmed the death of the artiste on Abusua FM.

Starr FM’s Ashanti regional correspondent Isaac Bediako reports two other occupants on board a Jeep with registration AS 497—16 from Sunyani also died in the head-on collision with a VIP bus heading towards Sunyani from Kumasi.

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Ebony courted a lot of controversy with her actions and inactions.

Her dressing and stage performances especially was a sore point for critics, and some watchers of the music industry in Ghana.

In July 2017, her dad was forced to defend her daughter in an interview with Graphic Showbiz.

“I am supportive of anything my daughter does and anything she wears. I am not ashamed as a father, the truth is that, I choose what she wears and I bless her before she goes out to perform. Some Ghanaians are hypocrites and I am sorry but I am not one of them,” explained Mr. Kwarteng.

“I am not bothered at all. The reason is simple, I know my daughter than anyone else. What people see out there is what we want them to see and that is because she is an artiste and needs a brand that will sell. For God’s sake, she is a Dancehall artiste and she wears what will make her feel confident when performing on stage. Something that will depict the genre of music and songs she churns outs.”

He shared his thoughts on the the perception that his daughter is “bad” girl.

“My daughter is not a bad girl, she is very calm, loving and a respectful person. Whatever she does on stage ends there. She is a different person when she gets home.”

He also spoke about the relationship between himself and his “girl as I usually call her is close to my heart.”

“We are so close that I gave her the go ahead when she told me she wanted to do music. Initially I questioned her decision because, she is a very intelligent girl and was doing extremely well in school and every parent will want his or her child to get to the top of the highest academic ladder. But she insisted music was what she wanted to do. Music is where her heart is and I gave her my blessings. I couldn’t have stopped her because these children are smart.”

Born Priscilla Opoku Kwarteng, her song ‘Kupe’ helped her gain mainstream attention in the Ghanaian music industry.

She scored two nominations at the 2017 Ghana Music Awards: Dancehall Artiste of the Year and Best Reggae/ Dancehall Song of the Year . 

Ebony was signed to Rufftown Records.

By: Senyblog18.wordpress.com

‘I left BBC for $162,000 drug job’ – Former Ghanaian journalist opens up

A former Ghanaian BBC journalist has opened up on why he left the promising international career to become a drug dealer, commanding over $162,000, an equivalent of GHS728,336 in 1982.

Although he was satisfied with his BBC job at the time, Paa Joe Odonkor said his lifestyle was “so big” that he had to look for a different source of income to sustain it.

And it was drug peddling that came to mind, the journalist-turned drug peddler said in an interview with SVTV Africa.

“My first assignment as a drug dealer was an Indian hemp and I made $4,000 and my second trip I made $8,000 so I said to myself that I will do it on my own and not for others,” Mr Odonkor got attached to the new business because it gave him what he wanted.

Just four trips to Italy, Switzerland and USA made him a “big boy” who lived largely as at December 1982 when many of his colleague journalists in Ghana did not have the financial muscle.

“I don’t take the taxi because I felt taking a taxi is a humiliation. I changed cars every two months… from Jaguar Xjs1, I brought Lincoln continental and the only car I never brought here was Bentley and Rolls Royce,” he said.

With money coming in daily, Paa Odonkor was ushered into a highflying lifestyle.

“I’ve never flown on using Zongo [section] on an Air-craft before, not even Ghana Airways. I go with Swiss Air or Pan Am and always Business class,” he said.

“I flew from Britain that is London to New York with Concord. I paid $4700 to go from London to New York which under normal circumstance if you go with VC10 or the Boeing 747 will take you about 6hours but with the Concord, it will take you three and half hours,” he added.

But his life’s second turn-around after the first one at BBC was when he was arrested following a massive clamp down on drug lords in Africa.

“I was busted in March 1984 and that was the biggest catch of cocaine from the continent of Africa. I was arrested for carrying 142 tonnes of cocaine,” he said.

Paa Odonkor said his passport was confiscated and he was jailed for drug trafficking.

But after his release, the journalist was abandoned by his friends and women who became constant visitors at his residence.

“I lost all my friends. As for the women, when you have the deeper pocket and have lots of dollars they call you honey but when you get broke and develop holes in your pocket, they make themselves conveniently unavailable… they vanish,” the then BBC star said holding tears in the socket of his eyes.

The frustration of losing one’s friends had a toll on him, forcing the journalist to start using the drugs such as cocaine, something he has warned the youth to desist from.

“Your social life, your physical life is mostly destroyed when you are addicted to the heroine. I’m begging my listeners not to make the same mistakes I made,” he said.

“I have seen women and slept with them at Grand Sheraton Hotel which I paid for $1500 a day. I have taken women to Venice too. I did all these just because I wanted to impress women. Yeah the women are just there because of your pocket,” he added.

Paa Odonkor said he had been driven by his situation to commit suicide several times but he had not been successful.

“I drove a car into a tree at Asylum down but it didn’t work. I also took 20grams of valium but I woke up earlier than I normally do. I said well stop fighting God,” he said.

With a loving family and siblings who are well placed in society, the former journalist is on the path to building a new life for himself.

“My elder brother is a pilot with America Airways, the second one is an artist in the UK. I’ve one sister who is very famous, her daughter was Miss Ghana 2003 winner but then who wants her uncle to be like this,” he said.

But his family has been supportive and he has now reunited with his wife whom he abandoned when he was into drugs. He is yet to re-establish contact with his son, Paa Joe Odonkor said.

“Life is about what you make it… I wanted to be rich and I became fabulously rich but then what news will it make when you are young and rich but getting to your 60s, you look like an AIDS patient or you look like a 75years old man,” he said.

Larry Nassar sentenced to third prison term of 40 to 125 years

Former Michigan State University and USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar is seen in the 55th District Court where Judge Donald Allen Jr. bound him over on June 23, 2017 in Mason, Michigan to stand trial on 12 counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct. / AFP PHOTO / JEFF KOWALSKY (Photo credit should read JEFF KOWALSKY/AFP/Getty Images

The former sports doctor whose serial sexual abuse of girls and young women has shaken the gymnastics world was sentenced Monday to a third prison term of 40 to 125 years behind bars for molesting young athletes at an elite Michigan training center.

Larry Nassar, 54, listened to dozens of victims for two days last week and was almost attacked by a man whose three daughters said they were abused.

He pleaded guilty to penetrating girls with ungloved hands when they sought treatment for injuries at Twistars, a gymnastics club that was run by a 2012 U.S. Olympic coach. Nassar already has been sentenced to 40 to 175 years in prison in another county and to a 60-year federal term for child pornography crimes. He worked for Michigan State and USA Gymnastics, which trains Olympians.

Randy Margraves was tackled by sheriff’s deputies Friday before he could pummel Nassar in court. He said he wanted just a minute in a locked room with the “demon.”

“This cannot be a lawless society. I know that,” Margraves, 58, told reporters during a public apology. “I lost control, but I gained control later in a holding cell.”

More than 260 women and girls say they were assaulted by Nassar, some as far back as the 1990s. Most victims who wanted to speak publicly or submit a statement did so earlier during Nassar’s seven-day court hearing in Ingham County, including 2012 Olympic teammates Aly Raisman, Jordyn Wieber and McKayla Maroney.

The scandal has rocked Michigan State, which has been accused of repeatedly missing opportunities to stop Nassar, who had a campus office and was a revered figure in sports medicine.

Lou Anna Simon resigned as Michigan State’s president on Jan. 24 and athletic director Mark Hollis followed two days later. The longtime leader of USA Gymnastics, Steve Penny, quit last March, and all board members recently stepped down at the demand of the U.S. Olympic Committee. A law firm has been hired to investigate how the USOC responded to its knowledge of allegations against Nassar.

Reporting; Kim, Editing John Seny

2019: Nigerians will not succumb to propaganda again – Adeniran

Professor Tunde Adeniran is a former Minister of Education and one time Ambassador of Nigeria to the Federal Republic of Germany. A professor of Political Science, Adeniran attended the prestigious University of Ibadan and the University of Columbia, United States of America. A founding member of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), the academic cum politician contested the national chairmanship position of the party in the December 9, 2017 elective convention where he emerged the runner-up to the eventual winner, Prince Uche Secondus. In this exclusive interview with Vanguard, Adeniran spoke about the intrigues that characterised the delegate election, the stewardship of President Muhammadu Buhari and the state of the nation among others. Excerpts!

By Dirisu Yakubu

Where do you stand in PDP after the issues that marked the convention and the efforts of the Governor Seriake Dickson Reconciliation Committee?

Yes, I am aware that Governor Dickson and his team are going round and making efforts to reconcile aggrieved participants. I have tremendous respect for Governor Dickson. He is a committed Nigerian patriot and an honest politician. His team made their mission known to me when they came, and I bared my mind to them. He means well, and I wish him and his Committee well.

Tunde Adeniran

I need to stress here that I left the convention ground even before the completion of the exercise because, as things were, it was apparently going to achieve the end that was already pre-determined by the administrators of the convention process. I was utterly dismayed by what went on, disappointed in particular by what some party leaders did and greatly troubled in my spirit about our democracy and the future of Nigeria.

It is now common knowledge that the whole process had been compromised and was strategically programmed to achieve a pre-determined outcome. I thought we had put such open fraud behind us, that what transpired at the Eagle Square that day could never happen again, going by the negative experiences the party had suffered, especially the immediate past near-death leadership crisis which the party luckily got over.

We went into the convention with high hopes. All PDP faithful and Nigerians all over were optimistic that the event was a momentous opportunity for the PDP to rebound and that the convention would mark a watershed in the annals of its history.

I also thought that PDP had learnt the necessary lessons and had purged itself of some bad ways, and was set for a new era of doing things the right way. I thought that the party had outgrown the ignoble label of impunity, winning at all cost and subversion of the people’s will.

But it turned out that my hope and expectations were misplaced. It was indeed an unfortunate experience and outcome for lovers of genuine democracy.

The disappointment was not really about me not emerging chairman, it was more about the party losing that golden opportunity of getting things done in a wholesome manner. It was about the need to promote internal party democracy, consolidate and deepen our democracy. It was about what legacy we could bequeath to posterity. It was about this generation being good exemplars for the next generation. It was about the need to secure the future of Nigeria.

My position on the election, as was made known through a press statement at the convention ground on that day, was that the process was grossly flawed, a travesty of democracy and the outcome shameful. As things stand today, and going by the mindset of some unrepentant power mongers, my position on the outcome remains the same as it was on December 9, 2017.

Given the state of things in Nigeria today, will you say Nigerians made a mistake in voting out the PDP in 2015?

The series of broken promises, socio-economic instability and lack of political will for decisive action by the Federal Government are very worrisome. There is a gloomy cloud of despair and despondency pervading the national landscape, occasioned by reign of terror; the crushing and dehumanizing hunger; rising poverty among a huge mass of the people; declining standard of living, the suppression of the voice of the people, and the unprecedented expression of disappointment and disenchantment by the citizenry about the state of the nation in the last three years, clearly show that most Nigerians would have preferred an alternative to the choice they made in 2015.

It should be admitted, however, that the PDP itself contributed to the defeat it suffered, and that could be placed rightly at the doorstep of failure of leadership at various levels, the challenge of internal democracy, disrespect for rules, gross indiscipline, values and integrity deficiency. With the arrogant way we went about doing things, and some leaders of the party behaving as “Garrison Commanders,” we simply gave the people reasons to dispense with the party. We thought we could get away with just anything and everything, to eat our cake and still have it but, alas, we were wrong!

It has been said that you failed to win the PDP chairmanship ticket because you failed to win the support of your state governor, Ayodele Fayose and that he learnt of your aspiration from the newspapers.

Not informing my governor does not arise. All present and former governors of the party, as well as leaders across board, were duly informed, directly or through formal letters. Mind you, we must be conscious of, and respect the liberty of individuals. People are free to take certain positions on any matter and make choices based on certain personal interests.

The fact of the matter concerning the December 9 convention is that some people apparently arrogated to themselves the power to decide who becomes what in the party. It was and still remains all about them and their narrow interests, and certainly not about the well-being and future of the party, nor the public good. Those individuals chose to play God in the matter but they will, in the fullness of time, get to see and come to appreciate the fact that the living God is the one who rules in the affairs of men and has the supreme powers to decide what becomes and who becomes. The Almighty God will certainly pass His own verdict at the appropriate time to show to them that indeed, He is God.

There were claims that you didn’t do enough to prevail on your co-contestants from the South-West to step down for you until the eleventh hour?

My orientation about every leadership contest, especially in a democracy, is that the people should be allowed to choose whoever they want to lead them, based on their rating of the capacity and competence of the candidates. It is my belief that for the Dec 9 PDP chairmanship contest, every candidate that ran for that election had the right to do so. It was their inalienable right!

With that at the back of my mind, I did not go out there asking that anyone should forgo his ambition. That was not my position and still not my position. Rather, I advocated that all of us should conduct our campaigns with no bitter feelings and in a manner that would not tear us apart as brothers.

That my South-West compatriots in the race even withdrew to pave the way for my emergence deserves great commendation for their magnanimity. Whether it was done at the tenth or eleventh hour was immaterial. That they did withdraw, or did not withdraw did not matter to those who were bent on ruining the party and its political fortunes on the altar of their narrow interest!

Have you met with Prince Uche Secondus after the convention?

No. I have not met with him since the convention.

Do you fear that the APC could take opportunity of the crisis in the Ekiti State branch of the party to uproot the PDP from the South-West?

With what we have seen, I have doubts that the PDP is keen on re-organising, rebranding and re-positioning itself to be stronger and more appealing to the electorate as a credible alternative to the ruling party that has grossly underperformed and failed in delivering according to the Nigerian people’s expectations.

I believe there is no dispassionate public analyst or patriotic Nigerian who would not admit that the APC leaders have squandered and taken for granted the overwhelming goodwill that enthroned them in 2015. Going by the massive public disenchantment against the administration which is a function of the unpleasant way the nation has been run under their watch, the threats to security, especially the killings by armed bandits and herdsmen which have continued unabated, the ravaging hunger, the disappointments which the people have been served with by the APC in place of the campaign promises they gave to ensure equity, to eliminate corruption, to secure the citizens; the promises of social reforms and true federalism which they have not kept, the mounting social tension and disequilibrium that is creating instability; Nigerians, and the people of the South-West in particular, I am sure, are looking forward to exploring other options, other than the APC.

But regrettably, as things stand today in the Ekiti State chapter of the party that you mentioned, the PDP appears not prepared to take advantage of the failure of the APC at the national level to extend its control in the state. The truth is that the PDP is not converting the poor rating of the ruling party into political capital. As a result of this, we are giving them the leverage to make more in-road to the South-West zone, and possibly elsewhere, and that is of course, worrisome and this is responsible for the widespread clamour for a “Third Force.”

Do you think the PDP can overcome the internal strife to make a good showing in 2019?

I cannot speak for the PDP. Prince Uche Secondus and the Publicity Secretary of the party are in the positions to provide answers to that question on behalf of their group.

What qualities are you looking for in the 2019 presidential candidate of the PDP?

The right choice of a credible presidential candidate will go a long way in determining the fortune of not just the PDP, but every political party in the coming general election.

I know, for sure, that the candidate who will appeal to Nigerians most is the one who is honest, liberal and has integrity. He must be enlightened enough with capacity for the job, patriotic and nationalistic in orientation. He must be disciplined and not parochial. He must have a broad worldview and not an ethno-religious bigot. Above all, he must be ready to restructure Nigeria and must have demonstrable capacity and sufficient grasp of security, economic and development issues.

The electorate are wiser now. In 2019, they will not be swayed by propaganda and soapbox promises as they were in 2015. This time, they will definitely take a critical look at the candidates’ pedigree well enough, and come to a decision to vote for competence. I am convinced they will go for someone who they can trust to decisively handle the security challenges, turn around the economy and restore fading hope of one Nigeria.

What should government be doing differently to end the killings in the Middle-Belt?

The menace of herdsmen is not only occurring in Nigeria, it is an organised crime that has international dimensions to it, and it stretches across the entire West African sub-region.

That to me, makes the calls for the murderous gangs of armed herdsmen to be categorised as terrorists as not out of place. They usually operate in most cases with deaths in their trail everywhere across the country. Some weeks ago, armed herdsmen reportedly ravaged some farmlands and carried out some attacks in my home town in Ekiti State. This of course, resulted in some killings. There has been the ravaging of farmlands and killings in Ondo and Kwara states and some states in the South-East, among others.

The right way to go in tackling this menace is for the state to interrogate the issue very critically and holistically, and come up with meaningful and lasting solutions to the problem. What is needed is the right leadership and political will to do what is right, not the indifference, parochialism, half- truth and leadership deficiency that we are seeing.

Government must open up opportunities for people’s livelihoods, and for agriculture to thrive in our rural communities where we have the greater percentage of the country’s farmers. The current situation where farmers live under perpetual fear of attacks in the hands of herdsmen could lead to a major food security crisis which could be catastrophic, because that may make farmers to abandon their farmlands. If the trend of attacks and killings is not halted and we allow it to get to a situation where the people see the state as incapable or unwilling to secure them, and the people begin to raise local militias to defend themselves, that will portend great danger as it could lead to eruption of major violence of unmanageable proportion. That will certainly be calamitous as it could lead to disintegration of the country.

I am sure this president will not want a state of anarchy to be loose upon the land under his watch. For that not to happen, he must act swiftly, and decisively, and must be seen as honest in the true interest of the entire country, not in the interest of a group that feels they own the national space called Nigeria. President Buhari would be ruling over a land of the dead if he fails to halt these mindless killings. He needs to ensure that Nigeria remains for him to have a nation to be president over.

The proposed cattle colony by the APC has not been well-thought out and should be seen as one of the absurdities of the administration. I urge the Federal Government to listen to the voice of reason, which is the voice coming from the majority and urgently discard it (cattle colonies). I call on the National Assembly to compel government to stop it forthwith. The APC must not push the country into an irredeemable failed-state situation by their illogical policies. The permanent and sustainable solution to the problem of farmers-herdsmen clashes and related killings is nothing but ranching of cattle, goats and livestock generally, as it is done in civilized climes. That is the right way to go.

What is your general assessment of the Buhari administration since his assumption of office in May 2015?

To pass an objective verdict on the administration, we need to dispassionately ask ourselves some critical questions. Are Nigerians better off today than they were in 2015? Is the country safer today? Has this administration eradicated corruption as it promised? Are there mind-boggling corruption cases against serving government officials or not? How many high profile convictions have we recorded for corruption under this administration? What is the state of the economy? What is the level of citizens’ participation and regard for their opinion in the affairs of the nation? Are people not back on long queues for fuel? The questions can go on and on.

Going by the way we have seen this President and the APC run the country in the past three years – the widespread disillusionment about the government, horrendous blood-letting, pervading hunger and increased poverty level of the rural population, declining status of our economy, brazen ethno-religious bigotry, subversion of the constitution, disregard for rule of law, separation of powers, concept of Federal Character, especially with regard to appointments as reflected in appointments of heads of security agencies, the controversies surrounding sensitive appointments which essentially border on nepotism, the selective war against corruption, etc., my verdict on his administration is that Buhari has tried his best but that is not good enough for the country. He deserves a rest for a schedule that could be most taxing even for someone with better health, capacity and competence.

I believe Nigerians have had enough of President Buhari. They have seen him and the APC perform to the maximum limit of their capacity and are already doing a count-down to 2019 to get rid of the reign. The nation must be saved from the ongoing grave shortcomings. That must happen and certainly will. Let’s keep faith.

More Trouble for Wizkid

…as 2nd baby mama opens up

By Blessing Edohoeket & Precious Ikioye

Ayo Balogun, A.K.A Wizkid, seems to be finding a soft spot in the media this year. First it was a night club fight and now, it’s even something more controversial and messy. The father of one has tried so hard to distance himself from social media scandals, but recent events have shown that the pop star has been proved wrong. Earlier in the week, news broke that the pop star has another love child by a second baby mama, Binta Diamond Diallo who hails from Guinea, though Wizkid has not confirmed or denied the rumour about him having another child with his alleged baby mama, Binta Diamond Diallo.

Sources close to Wizkid confirmed that his erstwhile girlfriend, Tania Omotayo, broke up with him recently, though both of them had a mutual understanding to remain civil and matured about the new development, all in a bid to avoid media scandals. Obviously, this is why she has kept her distance from the music star for sometime now. She even boycotted most of wizkid’s events. One of such events was his Industry Nite. Tania was on vacation to Dubai with her friends. Could this have been possible if they were still love birds? It looks like Wizkid has been caught in a web spun with his own hands. The news of his second baby mama seems to ring true. According to reports, the alleged baby mama, Binta Diamond and Wizkid have been in a secret relationship for sometime now. When she became pregnant they kept the relationship on a low key till she gave birth and shared the name of her son on her Instagram page. Surprisingly, she named the child after the star boy, – Ayodeji Ibrahim Balogun – which is Wizkid’s exact first, middle and last names. Since the news broke out about Wizkid’s alleged second baby mama, the pop star has avoided the social media and has so far not officially confirmed or denied the rumour. Meanwhile, reports had it that Binta Diallo has made some new revelation regarding her new-born son. She was said to have explained why she intentionally named her son after the Afro-pop star, saying it was to avoid a repeat of the situation with Wizkid’s first baby mama- Oluwanishola Ogudugu. When Sola had the singer’s son in 2011, Wizkid repeatedly denied having any child until the evidence was too immense for him to run from. Binta, having learned from Sola’s experience, didn’t want to fall into such a media ordeal, and as such, chose to expose the fact that she had just given birth to Wizkid’s son. However, in a statement during the week, his management said, Wizkid hasn’t confirmed the news making the rounds that he has fathered another child. “Wizkid still hasn’t confirmed any news about him having another child. We know he is single and will be releasing his EP next month.” Wizkid alleged baby mama is said to be a Guinean model based in the United States. She has taken to her instagram page to release pictures of herself during pregnancy.”

Our plan to rescue Nigeria from Buhari – OBJ’s men

Associates of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, yesterday, insisted that the issues of non-performance raised by the former President against the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari are real, contrary to the claims by some sympathizers of the regime.

“We know that, as a nation, we can do better than we currently do. So let us focus on the issues and how to adequately address them to improve our collective lot”, Mr Donald Duke, one of the associates who spoke on behalf of the Coalition for Nigeria Movement (CNM), spearheaded by Obasanjo, said.

President Buhari

Duke, one of the high profile politicians present at the launch of the CNM in Abuja, last week, lashed out at the critics of the Obasanjo-led coalition. Asked by Sunday Vanguard whether the claim by the critics of the CNM that the former President was self-serving in floating the body, Duke, a former governor of Cross River State, said: “I don’t think so; moreso the issues raised in his (Obasanjo) letter are real”. Obasanjo had, in an open letter to Buhari, penultimate Tuesday, called for the CNM on the grounds that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) at the federal level and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had failed the nation. He told Buhari not to seek re-election in 2019 as events of the past two and a half years had shown that he is incapable of resolving the problems facing the nation. Both political parties rejected the former President’s claim. Specifically, some leaders of the APC, including the National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and a former governor of Edo State, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, joined issues with Obasanjo. Whereas Tinubu said the former President was politicising issues ahead of the 2019 election, Oshiomhole pointed out that Obasanjo had no right to advise Buhari. Meanwhile, CNM was launched in Abuja last Wednesday. Duke spoke on the public presentation in an interview with Sunday Vanguard at the weekend, dismissing the claims by critics against the Movement. Excerpts of the interview: People were surprised to see you at the Third Force rally. What informed your decision to be part of it? The event was the launch of the Coalition Nigeria Movement not a third force rally and I chose to be a part of it for very obvious reasons. Nigeria is in dire straits and Nigerians need to come together and chart the way forward for the Country. Nigeria is not going to get better except we come together to change the narrative and the situation. In some quarters, it is believed that the proposition by OBJ is self-serving. How do you react to that? I don’t think so, moreso the issues raised in his letter are real. We all know we can do better than we currently are, so let’s focus on the issues and how to adequately address them to improve our collective lot. It is believed OBJ is not liked even in the South-West, many can’t trust him not to talk of Northerners or South Easterners. Many say this may rub off negatively on the coalition. Do you agree? As stated, the issues reverberate with all of us irrespective of our geopolitical zones and I think that should be the focus. The coalition as the name connotes, is meant to create a platform to enable us come together regardless of our political leanings or ethnicity to properly articulate our issues, we won’t achieve that by dwelling on who likes what or whom. How widespread are the coalition’s mobilization efforts to ensure national outlook & do you think the coalition can muster enough strength to face PMB? The focus is to bring everyone on board so we intend to reach every Nigerian. On your second question, the plan is to push for a better standard of living for all Nigerians through a leadership that puts in place a social safety net for all Nigerians. You have indicated interest in 2019. How do you achieve this vis a vis Presidency zoned to the North? Well, I have indicated interest and not formally declared my intention to run for President, but as I have always stated, we should always put our best foot forward and meritocracy should be the basis of recruiting leadership at all levels of governance. Besides, there’s no provision for zoning in the Nigerian Constitution which is the fundamental law of the land from which all other laws or rules should draw legitimacy. Buhari campaign materials at FEC meeting In a related development, the Minister of Communication, Alhaji Abdulraheem Adebayo Shittu, has explained why he distributed Buhari’s re-election campaign at the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting penultimate week.

Obasanjo|Buhari

“I am not the South West Coordinator. I am the Chairman of the Board of Trustees MBO support group. What we did was to open the South West Zone. What we did with the caps was to say this man must possibly be contest. We must start preparing for the campaign. We need samples of campaign materials like face caps, for all potential supporters and the samples were what we brought to the meeting. It is to prepare for the future”, Shittu told Sunday Vanguard in an interview at the weekend. He went on: “Again, we tried to use that occasion to publicise some of the achievements of Mr. President. Over the last one or two years, a number of PDP apologists continue to engage in misrepresentations and falsehood against the government, especially in the area of performance and achievements. And we thought it was fit for us to itemize the achievements of the government, which is what we said and we continue to say it that what the Muhammadu Buhari-led APC government has done in two years, the PDP governments never achieved it in 16 years. And that is what we are opening up the South West Zone for and that is what we publicized”. “The Minister speaks on his position on the President’s second term bid in the full interview to be published next Sunday.

Reporting; Precious Ikioye

At least 90 migrants feared drowned after boat capsizes off Libya

Most of those on board are thought to have been Pakistanis, who have been taking more and more places on migrant boats.

Large numbers of migrants have tried to cross the Mediterranean.

At least 90 migrants are feared to have drowned after a smuggler’s boat capsized off Libya, the UN migration agency has said.

Olivia Headon, from the International Organisation for Migration, said most of those on board were Pakistanis.

“They have given an estimate of 90 who drowned during the capsize, but we still have to verify the exact number of people who lost their lives during the tragedy,” she said.

The bodies of two Libyans and eight Pakistanis are reported to have washed up on Libyan shores, while three people are thought to have survived, she added.

Security officials in the western Libyan town of Zurawa said two Libyans and one Pakistani had been rescued.

She added that Pakistani nationals had been taking an increasingly large share of migrants trying to cross the Mediterranean via Libya to Europe.

Zurawa – near Libya’s border with Tunisia – is often the site of migrant boat departures.

The numbers of people trying to reach Europe from Libya has dropped sharply since July.

Afrobeat and dancehall artist Kingboy said: ”I don’t get it. Why do people leave their countries to other countries in search of greener pastures? One thing you should note; your country has everything you need to survive than any other country. The problem is that; you are either lazy. Start from the beginning and end somewhere”

Libyan authorities have blocked departures after pressure was applied by Italy and the European Union.

Over the last four years, more than 600,000 people are believed to have made the journey from Libya to Italy.

Reporting Quincy Otaraku, Editing John Seny