ACHING BACK...WATCH THAT POSTURE!

I am quite certain that many of us have bad standing or sitting postures. If your job requires that you sit in front of the desktop all day, you most likely would be hunched for 80% of the day. This could cause pains in the lower back, hip, shoulder, knee and ankle or many other discomforts including poor breathing and low energy. This was me when I was working at my law firm. Back aches, shoulder aches and neck strains were no strangers to me, coupled with knee aches. I look back now and see why I was moody most of the day. Who would be cheerful with all of those aches!

If you’ve ever attended a ballet class or etiquette class or elementary school, the emphasis of good posture would be a cliché to you. Good posture not only enhances the way you look but the way your body feels. Good posture promotes a strong and stable spinal column and can help prevent the deterioration of the vital muscles and ligaments that keep you balanced and flexible. Lower back aches is a common consequence of poor posture.

Good posture is a must while exercising or dancing. While instructing my classes (dance or fitness), I always draw my students’ attention to proper posture, especially during squats or lunges. I often am ignored by some, whom I believe do not know the dangers of poor posture. Poor posture during exercise could lead to injuries or even worse, dislocation of the bones.

Let’s examine the images below:

Squats

bad posture

good posture

Lunges

bad posture

good posture

You would observe that the back should be as straight as possible while performing squats or lunges, your knees should not go beyond your toes. If you are not sure of the proper posture when attending group fitness classes, it is important to observe your instructor’s body posture, and listen to the instructor’s advice. If you are not sure how to perform a particular act, please ask your instructor! I am always happy to show my students proper technique.

NUTRITIONAL/HEALTH BENEFITS OF PLANTAINS

P lantains are widely eaten in West Africa. Plantains are similar to bananas but larger in size. While bananas are termed fruits, plantains are vegetables. Bananas are mostly eating raw, while plantains are usually cooked before consumption. Plantains can be eaten unripe, ripen or over-ripe. When unripe, plantains are usually green in colour, when ripen, they turn yellow. In Nigeria, for example, unripe plantains are usually used to cook plantain porridge, ripe plantains are mostly fried and used as a supplement to main dishes like rice and beans. Over-ripe plantains are used to make snacks like plantain fritters.

NUTRITIONAL BENEFITS OF ZOBO/SORREL DRINK

z obo/sorrel was a must have during family gatherings. As children, we loved drinking it, not only because of how nice it tasted, but also because it coloured our lips and tongues red. Zobo (Nigerian) or Sorrel (Jamaican) is a red coloured drink made from a flower called Hibiscus sabdariffa. The sorrel plant contains a wide range of vitamins and minerals including vitamin C, calcium, niacin, riboflavin and a group of compounds called flavonoids. Flavanoids not only gives the sorrel plant its deep red colour, but, are also rich in antioxidants which rids the body of toxins. The sorrel plant also contains nutraceleuticals, which are said to be helpful to the health. Nutraceleuticals can help prevent and treat several diseases including diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, and cancer.

HEALTH BENEFITS OF LIME AND HONEY

L ime and Honey are two must haves in my house. I use honey as a substitute for white sugar. I remember a friend of mine visited me once and she wanted to drink garri (drinking garri is local to Nigerians, i.e. eating dried cassava with cold water as opposed to hot water), she was astonished when I told her to use honey to sweeten her garri. I'm not a tea person, but my parents are, and a cup of tea for them is not complete without limes.

Fabila's Fitness Club

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