Saturday, January 30, 2021
SALVATION FORM
Friday, January 29, 2021
WHO SHOULD UNDERGO AMBULATORY BLOOD PRESSURE MONITORING?
What is Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring? This is a diagnostic test to determine the presence of hypertension by taking measurements during normal daily activities.
What is the purpose of Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring? This allows a person’s blood pressure readings to be recorded over a 24-hour period, whether they are awake or asleep. It helps to diagnose as well as monitor high blood pressure (a systolic pressure of 140 mm Hg or more and a diastolic pressure of 90 mm Hg or more). It also calculates changes in heart rate, the blood pressure distribution pattern as well other statistics.
The monitoring is done with the aid of a portable blood pressure machine worn as a belt, with the cuff being attached around the upper arm. It yields many readings over a continuous period. Readings are taken at about every 15-30 minutes throughout the day and every half hour to one hour at night. The cuff is worn throughout the period and the machine can be kept under the pillow or beside the patient on the bed when they retire to sleep. The machine stores all the readings which are then analysed once it is removed and taken back to the hospital.
The monitor is attached at the hospital. The patient isn’t to change their normal routine to enable a more accurate picture of how the blood pressure changes in the course of different physical activities.
When the machine is about to take a reading, it issues a warning beep. When this happens, the patient should sit down if possible, check to see that the cuff tube is well positioned and not bent, avoid talking, keep the arm with the cuff at the same level as the heart and keep the arm as still as possible while the machine is taking the reading. The patient should also note the activity they were engaged in at the time of the reading, and also note the time they retired to sleep, woke up, and whether medication was taken at the time. The patient may need to keep some sort of diary for ease of recording.
For a couple of people who may not initially feel at ease with ambulatory blood pressure monitoring, their readings may be inaccurate or unreliable as such readings would reflect their emotional reactions rather than their blood pressures. It is best to communicate all concerns to your doctor or health care provider. Ask for explanations and clarification where necessary. Also recall that you may engage in all types of activities, including sleep, while wearing the machine.
Generally, the patient’s doctor or health care provider would determine whether or not they are to undergo ambulatory blood pressure monitoring. However, it is highly recommended for the following groups of people:
Pregnant women with hypertension
People with “borderline” hypertension (also known as prehypertension, this is a systolic blood pressure between 140 and 159 mm Hg and/or diastolic blood pressure between 90 and 94 mm Hg. Here, blood pressures are above the upper boundary of normal—120/80 mm Hg—but have not yet crossed into hypertensive territory)
People who experience fainting episodes or hypotension (low blood pressure)
If you have changed your prescription medications that may impact your blood pressure
People who experience difficulty in controlling blood pressure with medication
People who have experienced a change in blood pressure due to other drugs
Here are a few reasons why ambulatory blood pressure monitoring is recommended:
Unlike the one or two measurements taken during a normal clinic visit, ambulatory blood pressure monitoring adequately mirrors the normal variations in blood pressure as it takes multiple measurements
It yields the average or mean blood pressure, heart rate and some other parameters
It reveals if the blood pressure increases at night or while the patient is asleep
It can detect masked and sustained hypertension to enable patients receive the necessary treatment. Masked hypertension is when the blood pressure reading is normal in the hospital but high during normal activity. Sustained hypertension on the other hand, is a persistently high blood pressure which is associated with higher risk of heart attacks and renal injury
Surveillance of pregnancy with hypertension
Monitoring borderline hypertension
Useful in the case of refractory hypertension (uncontrolled blood pressure despite the use of antihypertensive agents of different classes)
It shows the effect of medications on controlling the blood pressure throughout the day (the normotensive effect of current medications)
It shows the heart rate of the patient
It helps predict the chances of stroke or heart attacks
Due to the fact that it gives an accurate picture of a patient’s blood pressure throughout the day and even when they are asleep, it can prevent unnecessary prescribing of hypertension-reducing medication for white coat hypertension. The “white coat effect” is an occurrence where the blood pressure measurements taken by a doctor in a hospital are on average 9/7 mm Hg—systolic/diastolic pressure—higher than corresponding readings obtained by a nurse or other trained practitioner in the same setting. This occurs in some people who don’t take blood pressure-lowering drugs and can result in misclassification of patients whose blood pressure is actually normal
It reduces the risk of stroke, heart disease and organ damage caused by hypertension
The above notwithstanding, if you fall under any of the categories of people listed as recommended to undergo ambulatory blood pressure monitoring, it doesn’t automatically mean that you must take the test. The final decision always lies with your doctor or health care provider. As always, each case is treated independently and the doctor or health care provider will make their decision after individual medical evaluation and their clinical impression in each case.
It should also be noted that there are still many undiagnosed cases of hypertension. It is therefore necessary for people to strive to take regular check-ups seriously. A lot of problems can be nipped in the bud if discovered on time. Book an appointment with your doctor today.
WHO SHOULD UNDERGO HOLTER MONITORING?
A Holter monitor is a type of ambulatory electrocardiography (ECG) device. It is used for the monitoring of the electrical activity of the cardiovascular system for at least 24 to 72 hours usually for two weeks at a time.
When it is used to study the heart, the Holter monitor records electrical signals from the heart via a series of electrodes attached to the chest—the electrodes are placed over bones to minimize artifacts from muscular activity. These electrodes are connected to a small piece of equipment that is attached to the patient’s belt or hung around the neck, keeping a log of the heart's electrical activity throughout the recording period.
The Holter system consists of the hardware and software. The hardware which is the monitor or recorder, records the signal while the software is used for review and analysis of the record. The Holter monitor continuously records throughout the entire period it is being worn. There is usually a “patient button” located on the front side allowing the patient to press it at specific periods such as when they are retiring to bed, when they fall ill or are taking medication, and so on. A special mark will be placed into the record so that the doctors or technicians can easily pinpoint these areas when analysing the signal.
A Holter monitor can be worn for many days without causing significant discomfort.
Why the need for Holter monitoring?
A doctor may ask the patient to use a Holter monitor if the doctor needs more information about how the patient’s heart functions than a routine electrocardiogram can give.
Where a person has signs or symptoms of a heart problem, for instance, an irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia) or unexplained fainting, their doctor may initially order a test called an electrocardiogram—a brief, non-invasive test that uses electrodes taped to the chest to measure the heart rate and check the heart's rhythm. However, an electrocardiogram may occasionally fail to detect any irregularities in the hear rhythm because the person is hooked up to the machine for only a short period of time. Therefore, if the person's signs and symptoms suggest that an occasionally irregular heart rhythm may be causing their condition, the doctor may proceed to recommend that they wear a Holter monitor for a day or so.
Over the period of time that the Holter monitor is worn, it may be able to detect irregularities in the heart rhythm that an electrocardiogram couldn’t detect.
A second instance is where a person has a heart condition that increases their risk of an abnormal heart rhythm. The doctor may also order that they wore a Holter monitor for a day or two even if they haven’t had any symptoms of an abnormal heartbeat.
Where a patient is already undergoing treatment for heart problems, the Holter monitor can aid their doctor in determining whether their medication is working or if changes need to be made. Additionally, it can also help the doctor to see why the patient might be experiencing other symptoms of irregular heartbeat such as dizziness, faintness, or the feeling like the heart is racing or skipping a beat.
Abnormal heart rhythms and other types of cardiac symptoms can come and go. This necessitates monitoring for a longer period of time to record these events. The Holter monitor enables the doctor to see how the heart functions on a long-term basis. This way, the doctor can determine if the heart is getting enough oxygen or if the electrical impulses in the heart are delayed or early.
The patient would be required to keep a diary of all the activities This will enable the doctor determine if changes in heart activity are related to the patient’s behaviours and movements. patient will, or other cardiac symptoms.
How painful is the procedure?
Holter monitoring is painless and the patient is encouraged to participate in their normal activities during the period of time they wear the Holter monitor. The Holter monitor is small with several wires or leads attached to it. The leads connect to electrodes that are placed on the skin of the chest with a glue-like gel. The metal electrodes conduct the heart's activity through the wires and into the Holter monitor, where it is recorded. The patient would wear a small pouch around their neck that holds the monitor itself.
Instructions will be given explaining how to take care of the monitor and what not to do while it is being worn. For example, patients will be directed to avoid activities that might lead to the monitor getting wet such as swimming. The doctor will also show the patient how to reattach electrodes if they become loose or fall off during the testing period.
What happens after the test?
After the testing time frame as recommended by the doctor has elapsed, the patient is to return to the doctor’s office to have the Holter monitor removed. The doctor will read the patient’s diary of activities recorded and analyse the results of the monitor. Depending on the results of the test, further testing may be required before a diagnosis is made.
The Holter monitor may reveal that the patient’s medication isn’t working or that their dosage needs to be altered if they are already taking medication for an abnormal heart rhythm.
Undergoing Holter monitoring is one of the best ways to identify potential heart problems or other issues. It has been found to be especially useful in detecting abnormal heart rhythms that are painless and unknown to the patient. And as always, the first step to take is to go for regular check-ups. The earlier an anomaly is discovered, the easier it is to correct or manage. Don’t forget to book an appointment with your doctor or health care provider now.
Wednesday, January 27, 2021
SPIRITUAL FARMER: DISCOVER HOW TO PLANT VIABLE KINGDOM SEED.
It will surprise Christians the number of people who are yet to hear about Christ. This is excluding those who have heard but are yet to accept Him. There are people even within our immediate environment that have never heard that Jesus Christ died for their sins and He alone is the Way, the Truth and the Life.
As a child of God who is all about bringing as many people as possible to God’s kingdom, here are a few ways to plant viable Kingdom seed:
Practise what you preach: Jesus Christ our very foundation, was a doer first. In fasting, He fasted 40 days & nights (Matthew 4:1-2). In prayers, the Bible records Christ praying countless times both in the midst of people (John 11:41-42) and retreating just so He could pray (Mark 1:35; Luke 6:12). In giving, He gave the ultimate gift—His life so we all can be saved. In doing good, He healed the sick, raised the dead, He was all about doing good (Acts 10:38).
Unfortunately the world we live in today is tainted with hypocrisy and falsehood. Many preach one thing and practise the opposite. Others act one way while in public and another way in the secret. What many fail to realize is that eventually falsehoods are revealed, usually in unexpected ways. The eyes of the world are ever watchful more particularly as regards those who profess Christ. This is therefore a very good avenue to portray Christ. If we are ever mindful to walk in the footsteps of Christ in our daily living and dealings with people, it would surprise us how much impact this would make in the lives of people.
Human beings are naturally inquisitive, many would want to know the secret to your behaviour, your conduct, your personality. In the course of practice, you may discover that you need not preach so much because your actions have already done most of the work.
Social media: Internet has made the world so much smaller. Information is so easily disseminated to reach various parts of the globe without a person having to travel. Various social media platforms are great avenues to preach Christ. It may be difficult to convince people to go to a physical church and sit down for hours to listen to the Word. Social media on the other hand, avails them the opportunity to read or listen to the Word in their comfort zone, without any pressure or expectations whatsoever. Undoubtedly, this means that many can and would ignore but it also means that many more people that you may never have the opportunity to meet one-on-one, would have the opportunity to get to know Christ.
Seek out avenues to evangelize in all situations: To sow viable Kingdom seed, you need to seek out opportunities to evangelize. Don’t always rely on an opportunity presenting itself, create them. You may create an opportunity while waiting on the queue or taking a public means of transport or while taking a walk in the evening or even while giving someone a lift in your vehicle.
Evangelism doesn’t translate to long sermons at all times or religious debates and arguments. Tracts can be given to people who are in a hurry. Simple questions to ponder upon together with brief explanations can be given. A copy of the Bible with a couple of suggested verses to start with can also be given out.
Give: Even Jesus Christ recognized that some people came to Him not because of His works or the Word but because of food (John 6:26). That notwithstanding, it automatically meant more souls for Him to speak to and Christ didn’t hesitate (John 6:27-58). Now, you may not always have the opportunity to preach to everyone you meet but giving is another effective way to sow viable Kingdom seed. Your giving today may soften the heart of a lost soul and make them more open to listen to the preaching of another Christian tomorrow. Yes, you may not always be the one to lead people to confess Christ but who says you cannot start the process? (1 Corinthians 3:6).
Random acts of kindness: This is in line with the preceding point. As followers of Christ, we are expected to clothe ourselves with compassion and kindness (Colossians 3:12). Be kind for no particular reason to Christians and non-Christians alike. Be kind especially when you know you will be getting nothing in return, it is a great way to sow viable Kingdom seed.
Pray daily for souls: Of course this is unavoidable. Make it a habit to pray ceaselessly for souls who are yet to receive Christ. Where you can’t go physically, your prayers can. You need not mention names, just praying for lost souls in general is enough. After all, it is the Holy Spirit Himself Who convicts a man. Therefore beloved, pray! pray! pray! There is power in prayer.
Meditate constantly on the Word of God—you can’t give what you don’t have: The only way to know the Word is to study it and meditate upon it. No way around it. You need not memorize Bible verses or know every word of a verse. Studying the Bible makes you know more about God, His ways, His principles, the foundation and it is with this knowledge that you can confidently and effectively sow Kingdom seed. As such you may not know what John 3:16 says without having to check your Bible but you would know without any iota of doubt that God sent His Son Jesus Christ and He died for all of us.
And the more you study the Word, the more you get to know. So study!
Be intentional about voluntarily sowing charitable seed: It’s very easy to overlook the needy in the society, pretend that they don’t exist or that they aren’t our problem. If others have this mentality, followers of Christ shouldn’t. We should go out of our way to reach out to the poor and less privileged. Christ also died for them. Being charitable to them is a great way to open their hearts to the message of Christ.
DISCOVER HOW TO LOVE AND CHERISH YOUR PASTOR IN SIMPLE WAYS
Our pastors are the spiritual leaders God has placed over us in the church. They captain the church administration and ensure that the work of God goes smoothly.
We should however remember that although they are our spiritual leaders, they are also as human as we are and as such need and desire the support of their congregation. No matter how anointed pastors are, they still need people. There is no leader that can exist without followers. The church isn’t made up of the pastor alone, this is why the church is commonly referred to as the body of Christ. And just as the body has different parts, each contributing its support to the smooth functioning of the body as a whole, so also does the church need the support of its members to function well.
That being said, here are a few simple ways to love and cherish your pastor:
Live a life of holiness: I know this may seem surprising but it is indeed true. An amazing though indirect way to show your pastor that you love and cherish them is to live a life of holiness. It is indirect because the primary reason for living a holy life isn’t to please your pastor or any man but rather, to please God. In addition to this however, imagine how happy and pleased your pastor would be when they discover that their sermons aren’t falling on deaf ears. That the Word which God has sent them to preach is actually being heeded by their members, that people are turning away from their evil ways and committing to holy living. The pastor in charge of a church whose members are heavenly minded and given to pleasing God, is sure to feel loved and cherished.
Pray constantly for your pastor: Much as pastors are our spiritual leaders who pray and intercede for us, it doesn’t derogate from the fact that they also need prayers probably even more than most of their members. This is because they face many attacks, spiritual and otherwise by reason of the fact that they are in the front lines of the battle to depopulate hell and deliver God's people from spiritual bondage.
Remember that ordinarily, Christians face persecution because of the name of Christ. How much more those who are in charge of a population of Christians. There have been true life stories of countless and varied assassination attempts on pastors, kidnapping, physical attacks, among others. And how about the spiritual attacks that we don’t even get to hear about? Uneasy lies the head that wears the crown, pastors bear a lot of burdens, even beyond attacks, financial burdens, the burdens of their members, mentees and spiritual children, their own family burdens and so much more. They need our constant prayers. James 5:16b (KJV) says “the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” If the prayer of just one person is this powerful, how much more the prayers of a righteous congregation for their pastor.
The more we pray for our pastors, the more able they are to bear our burdens—it will even be highly beneficial to us, as they benefit from our prayers, we benefit much more from theirs.
Support church projects financially: Many Christians do not like to hear about giving, sad but true. Whether we like it or not, as long as we are in this world, the church will continue to have financial needs. There will always be ongoing projects in the church ranging from providing for the welfare of the needy, to expansion of structures to accommodate more people, to financial support for evangelism outreaches, and so much more. The pastor can’t provide for all these alone. A good way to show that you love and cherish your pastor is to throw in your financial support in the capacity that you can. This way, they know that they aren’t alone in this, you show them that you also care about the work of God and the progress of His people. There’s no amount that’s too small or big. Everyone knows that all fingers aren’t equal, no one is compelled to give beyond what they can afford. Just give as much as you can, the gesture is much appreciated by your pastor and more so, noted by God Himself.
Spontaneously send airtime of any amount to your pastor's phone: This is another simple way to show your pastor love. Send any amount of airtime to your pastor. Beyond the amount, this gesture shows our pastors that they are never far away from our thoughts and they can count on us to support them both in big things and little things. Such reassurance can bring an immense sense of peace to the hearts of our pastors.
Attend weekly activities: After Sunday, can our pastors count on us to show up on other days of the week? As earlier stated, leaders don’t exist on their own. For there to be a leader, there has to be a follower. Our presence at church services on any given day serves to encourage and uplift the spirits of our pastors. It tells them that we value them and recognize that they are doing the work of God. We should therefore endeavour to make more effort to attend weekly services. True, it may be impossible for everyone to attend all services all of the time due to work, emergencies and other engagements but on days when we can make out time to attend, we should strive to do so.
Transfer seed money to your pastor’s account as often as you are led by the Holy Spirit: It is highly noble to collect and store our pastors' account numbers. And as often as the Holy Spirit leads, we should pay in seed money into our pastors' accounts. As earlier stated, no amount is too small or big. Not only does this support the work of Christ and benefit us, it also shows our pastors that we don’t have to be compelled or cajoled to give. We recognize firstly that it’s a Bible principle and we also recognize that our pastors need our support and we are there for them.
Don’t be satisfied with only being a member, become a worker in the church: The church has many departments. The pastor can’t function as a chorister, an usher, a technician, all at the same time. They need us. When there are people to work in the various units, services are sure to flow smoothly.
Evangelize liberally: Go ye into the world and preach the Gospel (Mark 16:15 KJV). This command was given to all Christians, not just the pastors. Though they are our spiritual leaders, it doesn’t mean that they are solely in charge of spiritual matters. The pastor isn’t omnipresent, and even if he so much loves evangelism, he can’t reach all places. But having a congregation that is given to evangelism means more seeds sown within a shorter period of time and more souls won. This shows our pastors that we are united in going about the Kingdom business.
Adopt the Bible teachings as your lifestyle: There are many pastors who spend a lot of time settling family quarrels among their members. It shouldn’t be so. If we are careful to adopt the teachings of the Bible, a lot of problems in our homes wouldn’t even arise. Where we all strive to emulate Christ in our homes, we are firstly, pleasing God and secondly, easing the burden on our pastors. Trust me, the pastor of a congregation that is made up of happy homes, is relieved of a great burden.
Saturday, January 23, 2021
NAME CHRIST! DEPART FROM INIQUITY.
2 Timothy 2:19 KJV “Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this deal, The Lord knoweth them that are His. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.”
In a nutshell, sin/iniquity is whatever God hates, whatever is against the Word of God, whatever God has commanded against, whatever will displease God, whatever is against His Will for your life. It doesn’t matter if the world considers it “cool” or it’s so common now that people have forgotten that it is sin, the foundation of God standeth sure, His Word can’t be changed, it doesn’t conform to the passage of time or the desires of man. A sin is a sin is a sin.
A number of iniquities can be found in the Bible. Some are still frowned upon in our contemporary world today but unfortunately, many have become acceptable. It is therefore expected of all that call the name of Christ to not conform to the falling standard of the world but to stand firm on the Word of God and set our eyes steadfastly upon Him.
Lying/Deceit/Dishonesty: Leviticus 19:11, Proverbs 12:22. Whatever isn’t true falls under this. Claiming to be younger in age so as to obtain or retain a job falls under this. Claiming to be someone else falls under this. Even something as simple as giving a false excuse at work to escape sanction falls under this.
Stealing: 1 Corinthians 6:10. Taking whatever doesn’t belong to you, whatever you didn’t gain honestly, is stealing. When they’re “sharing” money in the office that you very well know should be returned and you partake to get your cut, it is stealing.
Adultery: 1 Corinthians 6:9. It seems this has been overemphasized but surprisingly, it remains a common problem plaguing our society. Married people ought to be careful to not only keep the matrimonial bed holy, but also take great care to be faithful with their emotions as well. Christ bluntly warned that whosoever looks at a woman lustfully, has already committed adultery (Matthew 5:28). This means that adultery doesn’t only cover the actual act of having sex with someone who isn’t your spouse, it also includes every sexual thought and motive/intent targeted towards someone who isn’t your spouse.
Pornography: This isn’t directly stated in the Bible but the Bible tells us to flee from sexual immorality (Ephesians 5:3; 1 Thessalonians 4:3-5; Colossians 3:5). To make it really simple for us, any sexual activity that isn’t between a husband and his wife, falls under sexual immorality. Therefore, watching other people having sex, reading about it, looking at pictures of it, all to gain pleasure is impure, immoral and vile. As Christians, followers of Christ, we are to desist from these.
Masturbation: Just like the above, this is a form of sexual immorality (Ephesians 5:3; 1 Thessalonians 4:3-5; Colossians 3:5). Sadly, many consider it as normal, some even brag about it, songs have even been made to celebrate it. Masturbation is the act of sexually stimulating oneself usually by touching one's own sexual organs. As mentioned earlier, any sexual activity outside that which is between a husband and his wife, is immoral. God created sex to be enjoyed only between a man and a woman who are lawfully married to each other.
Idolatry: 1 Corinthians 6:9. In the past, this started out as making graven images of stone, gold, iron, etc. to bow down to them. In our contemporary days, people no longer mould images to worship instead they set them up in their hearts. Whatever you value above God becomes your idol. This could be your job, money, your marriage/spouse/children, your time, sleep, food, possessions, and so on. Whatever it is that is number one priority in your life takes the place of God and has become a graven image to you. We are enjoined to take a pause and examine our lives. We are to set our priorities right and give God the proper position in our lives—number one!
Pride: This has quietly crept into many hearts and worsens if unchecked. As Christians, we are to be careful not to be proud. We should regularly check ourselves—do we now ascribe achievements, exploits done, possessions, to ourselves? Do we consider ourselves to be better than others? Have we dissociated ourselves from certain people simply because we feel they are below our class? The Lord resists the proud but gives grace to the humble (James 4:6b). Be humble!
Astrology: Deuteronomy 18:10-11. This is another common practice. It is now common for people to make statements such as “What is your sign?” “I’m a cancer/libra/leo” There are also online games that are played to attempt to predict/foretell a person’s future or those claiming to read a person’s star. Some use subtle language, others directly state their purpose. Whichever it may be, dear followers of Christ, desist and flee from all.
Drunkenness: 1 Corinthians 6:10. Indulging in alcohol is iniquity. Many consider it as enjoying life, others quickly turn to it as a means of forgetting their problems. But there is no excuse for drunkenness. Children of God, flee.
Being fearful: This may sound surprising. But the Bible tells us that the fearful have no place in the kingdom of God (Revelation 21:8). What this refers to is a consistent lack of faith in God. When you persistently disbelieve God, His promises, His Word and you allow doubts to cloud your mind and question Him or wonder if He is capable, then you are being fearful. Child of God, without faith, it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6), increase your faith!
Disobedience: Disobeying God, His Word, parental authority and whomever God has placed as a superior over you, is sin. Obey God, obey His Word, obey your parents, be a law abiding citizen, obey constituted authority. The Bible warns that disobedience/rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft (1 Samuel 15:23a).
Greed: A constant state of discontent leading one to always want/desire more, is iniquity. Godliness with contentment is great gain (1 Timothy 6:6).
Divorce: This is so popular these days. Christ was direct in stating one condition under which divorce is permissible (Matthew 5:31-32) but alas, people continue to rush into marriage and get divorced citing so many reasons, some too ridiculous to even mention. As followers of Christ, we aren’t to follow this trend, do not conform!
Homosexuality/lesbianism/bisexuality/transgenderism: Romans 1:24-28. This has become acceptable in so many countries and even in some religions. The Word of God remains constant and doesn’t change. This will never be acceptable. This iniquity doesn’t become acceptable because world powers accept it or because your sibling/parent/friend comes out as gay or bi or trans or non-binary or whatever term they use—you can love them without accepting that they are right.
And many others such as murder, covetousness, being unforgiving, malice, ungodliness, lust, prayerlessness, envy, judging others, indulging in idle words, filthy conversation (e.g. rude/immoral jokes), witchcraft, gluttony, and so on. We are to depart from all iniquity!
Wednesday, January 20, 2021
Joe Biden: Hope ablaze!
Monday, January 18, 2021
SUPPLEMENTS: THE NEXT COVID-19!
Supplements—this word seems so innocent and sounds so unthreatening. However, it is cause for much concern.
Generally, supplements are substances people take in order to either add nutrients to their diet or lower their risk of developing certain medical conditions such as osteoporosis, arthritis, among others. These substances usually come in form of tablets, capsules, gel, powder, extracts or liquids. They might contain vitamins, minerals, fibre, herbs or other plants and they often don’t require a doctor’s prescription to be bought.
Undoubtedly, for some people, their doctor may recommend a supplement where they don’t get sufficient vitamins and minerals from their daily diet. But over the cause of the years, there has been an alarming trend. Many people have replaced healthy and balanced diet with supplements. This is highly erroneous. Supplements should never be taken in the place of proper diet. The food we eat is meant to supply the body with the necessary vitamins, minerals and antioxidants and as such, the body will always need nutrition gotten from food and nothing should replace it.
Others have replaced medical care with supplements. This is another alarming misconception. This is most likely due to some of the “miracles” which some of these supplements are advertised to perform. In the case of supplements, the saying which goes “when something seems too good to be true, it probably is”, stands true.
Many others have also taken to combining supplements with their medication without first consulting their doctor or health care providers. This can be dangerous as certain ingredients are not to be combined and may either worsen the person’s condition, or undermine the treatment.
Yet a number of people now view supplements as an all-in-one preventive measure against all ailments.
The ads which a majority of the companies producing these supplements utilize, have unfortunately fuelled these wrong beliefs. Some promise that the supplements would keep people from getting sick or prevent them from developing a particular medical condition. Some even go as far as promising to prolong the lives of people. Sadly, there is usually little or no scientific research undertaken before these claims are paraded before people. The ads are designed with the aim of making as much economic gain as possible. The companies are very rarely driven out of concern for the health and well being of people. The influencers and promoters of the supplements are often well compensated to dish out all manner of “wonders” done by these supplements. Many of these promoters are people who are well liked or popular enough to draw a crowd and as such, people would be more inclined to go for supplements which have purportedly been tested and proven by celebrities. Funny enough, some of these companies even go as far as recruiting medical doctors (who should know better than to promote supplements) to further promote their products. The idea behind this tactic is that there is greater confidence in a product if a medical personnel vouches for it. And where there is greater confidence, automatically there would be a hike in sales.
It is true that a few of these supplements may be helpful which is why it is best to seek the advice of your doctor or health care provider first. However, many of these supplements could turn out to be harmful or on the other hand, be of no health value whatsoever to the person.
What people fail to understand is that they have so much more to benefit from effecting healthy adjustments. These adjustments may include such things as including healthier and richer foods in their diet, excluding junk, reducing fatty foods, including fruits, vegetables and roughages, and replacing a sedentary lifestyle with a more active and intentional lifestyle. These adjustments are usually cheaper than many supplements which people purchase. In addition to being cheaper, they have been medically proven beyond doubt to yield great results.
Research is yet to ascertain whether many supplements are altogether safe and useful. Sadly, the power of drug regulatory agencies mostly doesn’t extend to evaluating or screening these supplements. The companies that produce these supplements therefore often bear the responsibility of ensuring that the supplements they produce are safe. These companies are majorly profit driven who will employ all possible means to ensure that these supplements are sold therefore, there is most times no guarantee that these supplements even contain the ingredients they are labelled to contain. There is also no guarantee that the supplements are capable of doing what they purport to do.
The danger is, if this trend continues, supplements may completely replace medication, medical consultation and attention thereby promoting self diagnosis, self medication and home remedies. Where people rather than seeking the necessary medical attention, would prefer to ply themselves with various supplements giving ridiculous assurances of healing and or prevention. Medical personnel are trained in the science of the body and there are different specializations for different parts or systems of the body. This is much proof that the body is complex therefore it is highly necessary for each part to be studied as a whole. An easy example is headache, a seemingly simple ailment. In one person, a headache may just be a headache. In another person, a headache may be a symptom of another ailment. Yet in a third person, a headache may be a symptom of an ailment quite different from that of the second person. These can only be determined if people go in for medical consultation bearing in mind that no two body systems are the same. Further, medication meant for Mr. A shouldn’t be automatically used by Mr. B simply because they both seem to have the same symptoms. Note that it is possible for the same person to have the same symptoms at different times and end up being diagnosed with different ailments each time. This is just to show how complex our body system is.
A powerful tool that can be employed to successfully combat the mounting complications from this economic driven phenomenon, is frequent, thorough and widespread medical education. When medical professionals take out time to carefully explain the meaning, uses and dangers of supplements to the general public, I believe that this impending pandemic can be stopped.
Saturday, January 16, 2021
JANUARY 15TH 2021!
Having worked with him – and of course, also walked with him, even from afar – it was now necessary to meet Dr Peter Musa Omale in person. I asked him if it was possible to come see him, he graciously accepted and we agreed to meet.
The first scheduled date was not possible because I had to travel to see my family. I felt quite bad for the disappointment, especially because it really came from my side.
I spoke with Dr about it and he agreed for another time. I was glad.
Finally, we met. It was a great moment especially as we have never seen throughout the time we had known each other.
I got to Abuja, he drove down to pick me. I felt glad and extremely peaceful and welcomed.
It was a busy day for him, as he was leaving the office for another meeting. We drove together to Eagle’s Square, the venue of the meeting. Hoping that the meeting will end on time, he thought I should wait for him so we could go home together after the meeting instead of just directing me home.
However the meeting ended late due to some preparations that were being made at the venue for the next day. For the following day would be the Armed Forces Remembrance Day, the president and others will be there to lay wreath in honour of fallen heroes.
Finally, we were driving home. We continued our random discussion. We talked many important things and Dr was freely sharing things with me.
Then he talked about how something is quite difficult to do. And he immediately added that he does not use such a negative word as “difficult”, he was however only trying to explain how it is to me. This particular thing that seems difficult I cannot remember even till now. But his comment on the word “difficult” kind of challenged me.
I, personally, do not use any “negative” word. However, right until that time, I had never seen “difficult” as a negative word. His comment struck me differently and enlightened me and I agreed it is really negative.
I was glad for such enlightenment and was sure I was in the right place. I was ready and open to receive more light as possible believing I was going to hear more through him.
We got home late and after doing the necessary things, we continued our discussion.
Something awed me. That was Dr’s willingness and freeness to spend his time with me and share with me many great things.
I related some things with him, he advised me accordingly. Then we talked about God’s direction. He gave many instances God has directed him and the outstanding results that ensued.
I was glad that the way God relates with him seems to be similar to mine. But at the same time I felt godly sorrowful for not obeying God so many times even when he had directed me, and that of course had led me to some unnecessary sufferings. I was now repenting.
These testimonies helped me thank God and appreciate Him for such directions He had given me in times past and also emboldened me to obey some recent ones He has given me.
Our discussion continued. Some of the times, I seemed to be happier being with him than for whatever reason I was with him. It was quite an extraordinary feeling.
Since we got home late, we discussed till late in the night and crossed to the next day. Behold, it was Dr’s birthday!
I believe – and I think he also does – that all the impossibility of not meeting on the first scheduled date and eventually meeting and still getting home late was for us to enter into his new year together. What an honour!
We knelt down to pray and praise. A word was given. We had a glorious moment.
We departed and retired to sleep.
Now extremely tired, having not slept for two days and been on a long journey, I quickly dosed off and slept at the same time hoping to wake up as early as possible.
Then I had a dream. In my vision, I saw myself struggling to get through a “difficult” thing, for that was the sum of the dream.
Just as I hoped, I woke up so early, even earlier than I thought. Then I knew a vision was brought to me but I could not remember vividly its content. However, the reality remained on my mind. So I slept back and had another dream that shortly came to pass as I was waking up.
As the sun began to rise, the vision I had was getting clearer and I realized I have been making myself pass through some unnecessary struggles because of some of my words that were negative but did not see them as such.
Wednesday, January 13, 2021
Elon Reeve Musk: from obscurity to global success.
Sunday, January 10, 2021
“I AM VERY SORRY PLEASE FORGIVE ME” CAN MAXIMIZE THE QUALITY OF YOUR RELATIONSHIPS.
A sincere plea for forgiveness has the ability to prevent the fires of anger from raging on. An apology can have the effect of quenching a spark thereby preventing it from growing into a flame.
It is without doubt that in the course of our dealings with people, we would step on many toes either deliberately or by mistake. Feelings would be hurt, annoyances would arise. While we can’t avoid offending people altogether, the next best thing that we can do is to apologize and seek for forgiveness especially when we are at fault.
Apologizing isn’t as easy as it may seem at first. I have observed that many people find it very difficult to come outright to say “I am sorry”. One of the major reasons is the misconception that apologizing makes you a lesser person. That you’re apologizing doesn’t make the other person better than you rather, it in fact proves that you are mature and able to accept your wrongs and make amends. Secondly, it also shows that you respect people and value your relationships with them.
Another reason why people find it difficult to apologize is pride. A proud person naturally finds a lot of things “demeaning” or “beneath” them. A proud person, even after realising that they are in the wrong, would deliberately refuse to own up to their mistakes thereby making them very difficult people to relate with. This is one of the reasons why people dislike dealing with proud people.
Yet another reason why people find it difficult to apologize is the fact that they are yet to make it a habit. If you are in the habit of apologizing immediately you are in the wrong, it becomes easier over time. Subsequently, you will find yourself doing it without hesitation. On the other hand, the more you refuse to apologize when you are wrong, the more difficult it becomes for you. An easy tip to follow is to apologize immediately. The longer you delay, the more reasons you will try to find not to apologize.
An interesting thing to note is that you don’t apologize only when you are wrong. Situations may arise where neither you nor the other person is wrong, or it is difficult to determine at the time, who is at fault. Now, rather than wasting valuable time trying to find faults, you would find that it is necessary to be the bigger person and apologize to calm the waters so that progress can be made. If there is still some sort of dissatisfaction or confusion, the issue can be revisited. The difference is that because you apologized already, you both will be more level headed and able to approach the matter with clear and objective reasoning.
Consider having the opportunity of choosing whom you want to work with on a certain project. The first option is a certain Mr. Ade who is qualified of course but then believes he is always right and would rather argue for hours on end trying to justify his position. And you find yourself constantly swallowing your displeasure, having to always bend to his will and allow his mistakes just so you can be done with the project as quickly as possible to avoid further interactions with him. The second option you have is a certain Mr. Jimoh, qualified for the job, quick to avoid conflict, quick to apologize just so that things would go smoothly. Who would you go for? The obvious preference would be Mr. Jimoh. Not only would you gladly work with him, you would go a step further to recommend him to others within your sphere of influence who will in turn recommend him to other people in their various spheres of influence.
Mr. Ade, though having good qualifications as well, will most likely find more people avoiding him. At this point, his qualifications alone are not good enough to endear him to people. His inability to own up to mistakes and blatant refusal to apologize is a large “BUT” that is difficult to ignore.
And so the act of apologizing eases your relationship with people. It acts as an oil to reduce friction that is bound to occur when dealing with people. In addition, it opens unexpected doors for you because people would speak for or against you based on their experiences with you. If they had a good experience with you, they would speak on your behalf even in your absence and in places you never dreamed of.
Apologizing also improves your relationships. Certain times, you may get off on the wrong foot with someone for some reason. However, if you are quick to apologize when you are wrong, most at times, the person thaws towards you without even consciously deciding to. That is another powerful effect of apologizing.
Apologizing causes the aggrieved party to take a pause. Mr. A offends Mr. B. Mr. B gets infuriated, begins to complain, yell and say all manner of things but before he can go further, Mr. A quickly says, “I am very sorry, please forgive me”. Imagine Mr. B's reaction. I bet you that he will reason out that yes he has the right to be angry, what Mr. A did was wrong BUT Mr. A has apologized. And since he has apologized, all the yelling begins to seem a bit pointless to Mr. B and in the course of his thought process, Mr. B begins to lose steam. And what may have easily turned into a full blown conflict is quickly doused. Mr. B becomes more willing to listen to Mr. A's explanation as to why and or how the error was committed and may most likely become involved in figuring out how it can be corrected.
“I am very sorry, please forgive me” is a key that can open a lot of highly lucrative doors. In your daily living, kindly remember to apologize. It takes nothing from you, it doesn’t make you inferior. You have a lot of benefits to accrue from a habit of apologizing and nothing at all to lose.
This article is written to teach optimization of human functioning.
ELON REEVE MUSK: THE STORY OF THE GLORY.
Elon Musk is a South African-born American entrepreneur and businessman who became a multimillionaire in his late 20s and became a billionaire at the age of 40.
He was born on June 28, 1971, in Pretoria, South Africa to a Canadian mother who was a model and South African father who was an engineer.
During his childhood, Musk was an avid reader. He read 10 hours per day. At the age of 8, he ran out of books to read at library. He also read the entire Encyclopedia Britannica.
His childhood reading included Isaac Asimov’s Foundation series, from which he drew the lesson that “you should try to take the set of actions that are likely to prolong civilization, minimize the probability of a dark age and reduce the length of a dark age if there is one”.
As a child, Musk was so lost in his daydreams about inventions that his parents and doctors ordered a test to check his hearing.
In grade school, Musk was short, introverted and bookish. He was bullied until he was 15 and went through a growth spurt and learned how to defend himself with karate and wrestling.
At about the time of his parents’ divorce, when he was 10, he developed an interest in computers and entrepreneurship. He taught himself how to program. He learnt BASIC – a computer programming language, and finished a 6-month course in 3 days. And when he was 12 he sold his first software to a computer magazine: a game he created called Blastar for $500.
Amid an often difficult childhood, Musk developed a relentless work ethic (he is known to work as many as 80 to 100 hours per week)
Although his father insisted that he attend college in Pretoria, Musk became determined to move to the United States, saying, “I remember thinking and seeing that America is where great things are possible, more than any other country in the world.” Aware that it would be easier to enter the United States from Canada, he applied for a Canadian passport through his Canadian-born mother.
Musk attended Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario, and in 1992 he transferred to the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, where he received bachelor’s degrees in physics and economics in 1997. He enrolled in graduate school in physics at Stanford University in California, but he left after only two days because he felt that the Internet had much more potential to change society than work in physics. In 1995 he founded Zip2, a company that provided maps and business directories to online newspapers.
In 1999, Zip2 was bought by the computer manufacturer Compaq for $307 million. With a 7% share of the company, Musk received $22 million for the deal and became a millionaire.
Musk cofounded X.com, an online financial services company, in March 1999 using $10 million form the Zip2 sale. In 2000 the online financial services and e-mail payment company merged with Confinity, a company that had Paypal as a service. The company was renamed Paypal once the company decided to focus on that service. Musk was kicked out of his CEO role in October 2000. Paypal was acquired by eBay in October 2002 for $1.5 billion in stock. Musk received $165 million from the deal.
Musk founded Space Exploration Technologies Corp., traded as SpaceX, in May 2002. An aerospace manufacturer and space transport services company, of which he is CEO and lead designer. He decided to launch SpaceX when he attempted to buy a rocket but was told it would cost him $8 million. Seeing this as far too expensive, he then started SpaceX as a quest to develop and manufacture affordable space launch vehicles.
SpaceX’s goal is to reduce the cost of human spaceflight by a factor of 10. In a 2011 interview, Musk said he hopes to send humans to Mars’ surface within 10–20 years. In Ashlee Vance’s biography, Musk stated that he wants to establish a Mars colony by 2040, with a population of 80,000 humans. Musk stated that, since Mars’ atmosphere lacks oxygen, all transportation would have to be electric (electric cars, electric trains, Hyperloop, electric aircraft). Musk stated in June 2016 that the first unmanned flight of the larger Interplanetary Spaceship was aimed for departure to the red planet in 2022, to be followed by the first manned ITS Mars flight departing in 2024. In September 2016, Musk revealed details of his architecture to explore and colonize Mars.
He joined Tesla Motors, Inc. (now Tesla, Inc.), an electric vehicle manufacturer, in 2004, the year after it was founded, becoming its product architect that year and its CEO in 2008.
Musk reached the billionaire-status in 2012. The jump had to do with Tesla Motors experiencing a 30% increase in stock price year over year. Tesla stock jumped when they introduced the Model X in February 2012. At the time, Musk’s 29% stake in Tesla was worth just over $1 billion.
In 2006, he helped create SolarCity, a solar energy services company. Seven years after the company’s founding, the company was the second largest provider of solar power in the country. In 2016, SolarCity was acquired by Tesla and remains a subsidiary of the company.
In 2015, he co-founded OpenAI, a nonprofit research company that aims to promote friendly artificial intelligence.
In July 2016, he co-founded Neuralink. The neurotechnology startup company is working towards creating devices that will integrate the human brain with artificial intelligence. These devices will be implanted in the brain in hopes to help people keep pace with advancements in AI.
In December 2016, Musk founded The Boring Company, an infrastructure and tunnel construction company focused on tunnels optimized for electric vehicles. In addition to his primary business pursuits, he envisioned an open-source high-speed transportation system known as the Hyperloop based on the concept of a vactrain.
About three-quarters of Musk’s net worth comes from his stake in Tesla, but he is also involved in spacecraft through his company SpaceX.
The 49-year-old entrepreneur’s net worth hit $186bn at 10.15am in New York on Wednesday, making him $1.5bn richer than Bezos, who had held the top spot since October 2017.
Tesla & SpaceX are the two companies responsible for Elon Musk’s growing fortune. Elon Musk’s wealth has increased by over $150 billion during the last year, and most of that growth comes from Tesla’s stocks which have increased 720% in 2020.
His current net worth is $209bn. IST Billionaire investor, Chamath Palihapitiya, said Tesla’s stock could be worth three times its current valuation, which would make CEO Elon Musk the first trillionaire.