OFFICE FITNESS: EXERCISE RIGHT AT YOUR DESK!

If you work in an office, you most likely use a computer. With all those deadlines to meet, you probably find yourself sitting and typing for an average of eight hours per day. Whilst this may be good for your company, your body is crying out for help! Sitting long hours may bring about backaches due to poor posture and eye strain, among other effects. There are simple exercises you could do at your desk. These exercises can be done at intervals and will improve your body’s flexibility and strength, relieve job-related stress, increase your energy levels, and ultimately, keep you healthier and happier during your work day.

Maintain proper sitting posture. Your back should be straight, your shoulders back.

Neck stretch: slowly flex your head forward and backward and side to side, round in circles, and twist to look over each shoulder. Remember to do this slowly and gently.

Shoulder roll: Roll your shoulders forward (10 counts), then backward. This helps release the tension off your shoulders.

Shoulder release: Sit tall in your chair and reach your left hand behind your back, between your shoulder blades, palm out. Then reach your right hand up toward the ceiling, bend it down, and try to touch your left hand. If you can reach it, great: Hold for 10 seconds.

Side Stretch: Stand with your feet inches apart. Stretch your right hand over your head to the opposite side, your torso bending towards the direction of your stretched arm. You can keep the other hand on your hip. This exercise can also be performed sitting.

Arm Circles: Standing with your feet inches apart, stretch out both arms to the side. Move both arms around in big circles, forward and then backward. Do one arm at a time and then both arms together.

Quad Stretch and Balance: Stand on one leg and stretch out your quadriceps muscle by bending your knee and pulling your foot to your buttocks. Be sure to do it on both legs.

Seated Forward Fold: Push your chair away from your desk and place your right leg up on the desk. Your leg should be stretched out. Flex your foot and lean forward slightly over your leg while keeping your back straight. Hold for 10 seconds. Point your foot, lean and hold for ten seconds. Switch legs and repeat.

Squats: Using proper technique, do twenty repetitions of stationary squats.

Walks: Take short walks around the office. Rather than send the office clerk to get your printed documents, take a walk and do it yourself. If you work on the seventh floor, you could use the stairs instead of the elevator.

Abdominal crunches: You could do some forward and side crunches while sitting in your chair.

Rest your eyes occasionally from staring at the computer screen.

Drink lots of water. Having a bottle of water at your desk encourages you to drink more.

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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