DAILY STRETCHING

Fabila

The benefits of daily stretching go far beyond flexibility. Daily stretching can relieve and prevent aches and pains. It sends more blood to the muscles, helping them to heal more quickly. It also releases stress. However, many people are unaware of the benefits of stretching and consider it unnecessary and unimportant. As the body ages, daily stretching becomes even more important. It is therefore important to make time each day for stretching.

Neck

Many people carry excess stress in the neck muscles resulting in neck pain, stiffness, and even headaches. Adding several neck stretches to your daily routine can bring relief.

Exercise: In a standing or seated position, lower the left ear toward the left shoulder. Place the left hand on the right side of the head and gently stretch the neck a little further. Breathe deeply while completing this stretch. Repeat on the other side. Always remember to carry out neck exercises slowly and gently.

Upper Back

The upper back also suffers from carrying the weight of stress.

Exercise: Stretch the upper back by clasping the hands in front of the sternum (middle of your chest). Turn the hands inside out as you straighten the arms and press the palms away from the body. Make sure to round the upper back. Imagine you are trying to increase the distance between your shoulder blades. Drop the head looking down to isolate the stretching in your upper back. Resist the urge to hold your breath while completing this stretch.

Chest

Tightness in the chest muscles complicates the problems of tight neck muscles and upper back strain.

Exercise: Stretch the chest muscles in a standing or seated position, using a towel or stretching strap. Grasp the towel behind the back. Keep the hands as close together as is comfortable. Straighten the arms, lifting them up and away from the body. Lift the chin and point the face up to the ceiling. Hold this stretch for at least 30 seconds.

Lower Back

Long hours sitting or standing at work can put strain on the lower back, resulting in pain and soreness. Stretching can help relieve this problem.

Exercise: Start with a flattened back on your hands and the knees. Make sure the hands are placed directly under the shoulders and the knees are placed directly under the hips. In this neutral position, keep the eyes gazing at the floor beneath you. Pulling the belly button up toward the spine, round the back up. Point the tail bone to the ground and look at the thighs. In a fluid motion, arch the back down, pointing the tail bone up and looking at the ceiling. Repeat this sequence several times.

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.

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