by Musa Bala | Mar 23, 2022 | Health & Wellness
Thanks to psychology, we understand that our experiences and actions have an impact on the way we think, comprehend, and behave in our daily lives. While some of our experiences influence our behaviours positively, others could negatively affect the way we perceive and interact with ourselves and our environment, thus impacting our behaviours. An example of such negative conditions our experiences could lead to is depression. There are many ways we can cope with depression both medically and naturally, however, we’ll be looking out for ways to avoid depression naturally.
What Is Depression?
Depression is a negative affective state characterised by feelings of extreme sadness, pessimism, and despondency that interferes with daily life. Now, this is different from the mood changes that people regularly experience as a part of life.
Depression can be caused by major life events, such as grief or the loss of a job. However, feelings of grief are only considered to be part of depression if they persist and affect the daily life of an individual.
You might have heard people or even you easily say “I’m depressed”. It is important to know that depression is an ongoing mental state and not a passing one. Feelings of depression must consist of episodes in which its symptoms last for at least two weeks before it is considered as such.
What Are the Symptoms of Depression?
Depression is characterised but not limited to:
- A depressed or irritable mood
- Feelings of worthlessness or guilt
- Loss of interest or pleasure in activities once enjoyed
- Change in interests
- Sleep problems
- Changes in appetite
- Unintentional weight loss or gain
- Agitation, restlessness, severe anxiety/panic attack
- Slowed movement and speech
- Significant loss of energy
- Recurrent suicidal thoughts/behaviour
10 Ways to Avoid Depression Naturally
Other than medication and therapy, there are a lot of activities and behaviours you can engage in to combat depression. These behaviours influence your behaviour, physical activity, lifestyle, and even your way of thinking. Such behaviours are all means to avoid depression naturally.
Examples of behaviours you can engage in to avoid depression include:
1. Determine Your Objectives
Depression often settles in with feelings of worthlessness and helplessness. This feeling makes you think you can’t accomplish anything in life, thereby making your condition even worse.
To fight these feelings, set daily goals for yourself. You could start with little things you know you could easily do such as tidying up your room and doing the dishes. As you feel much better about yourself, you can set more challenging daily goals.
2. Exercise on a Regular Basis
It is no news that regular exercise helps keep our physical body healthy. What you might not know is that it is a way to avoid depression naturally. When you exercise, you boost the production of endorphins (known as feel-good chemicals) in your body. Endorphins stimulate your brain to rewire itself in positive ways.
3. Establish a Routine
Depression affects the daily life of an individual. The overwhelming feeling of helplessness makes it difficult for people to organise and function properly. Having a routine will help you function and organise your day, thereby managing your feeling of helplessness and developing in you, a feeling of accomplishment.
4. Maintain a Blanced Diet
While there is no food that magically fixes depression, you might want to be careful with what you eat if depression tends to make you overeat. Eating healthy foods accompanied by proper eating behaviours could help reduce the impact of depression in your daily life.
Some food items containing omega-3 fatty acids (such as salmon and tuna) and folic acid (such as spinach and avocado) have been associated with the ability to help ease depression and lots more.
5. Get Enough Sleep
Psychologists have identified a strong connection between depression and insomnia. Having difficulty in sleeping is a common symptom of depression which worsens the condition.
Below are some tips you can use to improve your sleep naturally:
- Have a Sleep routine – go to bed and get up at a specific time every day.
- Make sure the room is quiet, dark, and comfortable.
- Avoid large meals, caffeine, and alcohol before sleeping.
- Exercise during the day.
- Remove electronic equipment from the sleeping area.
- Get up again if you do not fall asleep within 20 minutes. Read or find some other distraction for a while, then try again.
6. Pay Attention to the Right Relationships
Many people who feel depressed seek to wash away the feeling with alcohol or drugs, sometimes both. In reality, alcohol and drug use drown them in their feeling of depression by making them focus on the symptoms they exhibit, thereby making the condition even worse.
7. Focus on the Right Relationships
As explained earlier, depression is accompanied by feelings of worthlessness and helplessness. A little word or act demeaning a depressed person further worsen symptoms of depression, just as a word or act of encouragement towards a depressed person helps with symptoms of depression.
Focusing on the right relationships that encourages you to feel comfortable, goes a long way in maintaining a healthy mind free of depression.
8. Stay Away from Triggers
Symptoms of stress and depression can be triggered by numerous factors; this might be different in individuals. To reduce these symptoms, you could avoid being exposed to triggers you’ve commonly identified. For some people, these triggers could include exposure to certain news, movies, things, places, or even people.
9. Make an Effort to Have a Good Time
Another major symptom of depression is the loss of interest in activities previously enjoyed. In depressed moments, what you use to do to have fun might feel like a chore, nonetheless keep trying to enjoy them. This would help keep your mind engaged positively.
10. Attend a Talk Therapy Session
Also known as Psychotherapy, talking to a mental health professional helps a lot in cases of depression. Here, psychologists help you identify the cause(s) of your depression and proffer practical solutions to help you cope and manage the symptoms.
Such therapy could be one-on-one, with your partner, family members, or a group of people with similar symptoms who meet just for therapy.
Conclusion
Depression cannot always be prevented or avoided as most causes are stressors that are part of life. However, effective treatment is available and an adjusted lifestyle can help you cope and manage symptoms.
It is advised to reach out to a mental health professional if symptoms of depression are overwhelming, such as thoughts of inflicting pain on oneself or others, death, or suicide.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Isn’t being depressed just being sad?
Depression is often mistaken for just being sad. They are sometimes caused because of one another. However, they are not always identical.
Being sad is a symptom of depression but we also have times where being sad is normal such as when we lose someone. Depression on the other hand differs from sadness in its intensity and duration. Depression is experienced daily turning into weeks and months affecting our work, family, and personal life. That is not normal.
How can you reduce your risk of depression?
Depressions mostly occur as a result of an extremely stressful experience. There’s no certain way to avoid depression but you can reduce your risk for it by getting enough sleep, exercising regularly, eating well, improving your self-esteem, reaching out to friends and family if things get hard, and getting help if you think you are depressed.
What is the natural cause of depression?
While depression is mostly caused by experience and social interactions, the special interactions of multiple genes in our body have been identified to contribute to various types of depression in families. No particular gene is responsibly known as the “depression gene”, however, many genes are known to contribute small effects towards depression when they interact with the environment.
What are the top 5 causes of depression?
As explained above, depression can be caused by any event or experience that you find extremely stressful and overwhelming. However, some happenings are known to trigger the feeling of depression the most, these major causes are:
- Genetics
- Physical, sexual or emotional abuse
- Physical Illness
- Death or a loss
- Conflict
What do i do if i think i’m depressed?
From the moment you think you are depressed, you could strategies by doing some research on lifestyle changes attributed to depression from reliable sources such as a therapist’s website or material before proceeding to see a therapist.
You could also directly reach out to a therapist. It is always better to seek professional help rather than wait for the symptoms of depression to grow on your mental health.
You could also check: 15 Foods That Will Boost Your Immune System
by Aisha | Jan 26, 2022 | Health & Wellness
Suicide is the intentional killing of oneself. In Nigeria, the suicide rates are about 17.3 per 100,000 people. This might seem like a small number until we consider that it is not just a number but people with lives, futures, and families. This number is distributed throughout all the states in Nigeria. Even in Northern Nigeria where it is taboo to commit suicide, it is still rampant. It leads one to wonder what exactly would cause a person to take their own life. The reasons vary from person to person but some of them are:
Reasons for Increase in Suicidal Rate in Northern Nigeria
1. Grief
After the death of a family member, living may become difficult. Death may lead to sadness, depression, etc. all of which could make a person choose “the easy way out” and give up on life itself. This is surely one of the reasons why suicide in Northern Nigeria is on the rise.
2. Financial Problems
It is no news that the standard of living in Nigeria is low. A lot of families struggle to put food on the table even once a day. In Northern Nigeria especially, where the men are the head of large families and the women do not work, it is even harder to feed. If a man loses his job in this situation, needless to say, his frustration will know no bounds. He is likely to end it all as the responsibility may be too much for him. His death could lead to the deaths of other members of his family as they are left destitute.
3. Rejection
This is common amongst teenagers. Although liking someone is not a crime and is a natural phenomenon, some individuals take it as far as to put their lives in another person’s hands. When this other person then rejects their affection, they are left sad and unable to function and might think the next best thing is to kill themselves.
4. Unemployment
This is another big problem in Nigeria and a cause of suicide in Northern Nigeria. The country is not stable enough to provide jobs for everybody yet our educational systems are such that we are not taught to be entrepreneurs. This leads people to look for jobs that are not available and the frustration may lead to suicide. In Northern Nigeria, there is also the problem of under qualification. Sometimes, there are jobs available but the people who apply for them are not qualified enough.
This is especially true in the north due to the fact that they do not generally value western education like most other regions. This inability to secure a job is detrimental to the mental health of the job seeker.
5. Abuse
There are several types of abuse and abuse has been seen to be a leading cause of suicide:
a. Sexual Abuse
When a person is raped, especially in the north, they tend to keep quiet about it. This is usually because when they do speak up, they are blamed for the abuse, and then their image is ruined and they can no longer walk confidently among the crowd. When a person is abused and they keep quiet about it, they die slowly inside until they can no longer go on. And when they talk about it, they are ridiculed so much that their only options seem to be either to relocate or to commit suicide.
b. Domestic Abuse
In Northern Nigeria, there are many cases of domestic abuse, reported and not reported. Domestic abuse can be about a person beating their significant other. Men are usually reported to have beaten their wives or maltreated them in one way or another. As a woman in Northern Nigeria, it is seen as a shame to report your husband or even be divorced. This leads women to stay in a depressing marriage and could eventually cost them their lives.
Read: Divorced Women in Arewa Are Really Suffering, And We Can Do Something About it
c. Emotional Abuse
Words have the potential for great good as well as a great evil. In Nigeria as a whole, people are fond of insulting each other as a joke and putting down another person’s self-esteem. It might be funny for a while, but some people may be emotionally fragile and after getting so many harsh words, they deem themselves unworthy and try to end their own life.
d. Child Abuse
Giving a child out as a maid, beating a child mercilessly, starving them, forcing them to beg, not giving them an education, etc. are all a part of child abuse. Children should be nurtured with care so their self-esteem does not dip. A child with low esteem is bound to want to kill himself. A child who sees his mate going to school while he is stuck begging will feel unworthy and sad.
Furthermore, children (both male and female) who are forced into early marriages without even knowing what it entails could end up very sad and want to end it. We should take care to not abuse our children and keep their futures safe. Else, suicide might start to look like heaven to them.
6. Health Issues
In addition, another cause of suicide in Northern Nigeria is the health status of victims. Some people who have health complications choose to kill themselves either because they do not have the financial capacity to handle the disease and do not want to bother their families, or that the disease could ultimately lead to death anyway. They choose to do what they believe is best and commit suicide. Due to this, health practitioners often advise people with severe health conditions to see psychologists. But as we all know, this is Nigeria.
There are several other factors that could cause a person to want to commit suicide. They include bullying and discrimination, cultural/religious pressure, etc. But with every problem, comes solutions. The weight of reducing the load on suicidal persons rests on the shoulders of individuals, the community, and the government. How?
How Suicidal Rates Can Be Reduced in Northern Nigeria
1. What Individuals Could Do
People should try to be more tolerant of others. We should all remember that every person in this world has their own struggles and as such, we should be kinder. I was once asked in a Buzzfeed quiz about what attribute would make the world a better place. The options were; Discipline, Self-Love, Independence, and Kindness. While all of these are good, in the wise words of Jackie Chan, sometimes it only takes one act of kindness and caring to change a person’s life.
We should also try to take note of the people around us. That lady upstairs who always gave you salt when you ran out, ask about how she’s doing you might be surprised about the pain she’s in despite her smile. That man who always greets you on his way to work but suddenly stops and just walks around with a long face, have a chat with him. It might save his life. These simple acts can lead a person from intentionally walking the plank.
2. How Society Can Help
Society in general also has a role to play in the fight against suicide. As mentioned above bullying and discrimination is one of the major causes of suicide. Let’s take the instance of 26-year-old Geraldine whose story was narrated to me by a friend of mine. Geraldine was a hairdresser at a famous salon. She was strong, happy, independent, and kind and had many friends. One day, people realized she started to grow thin and began to wonder. One thing led to another and it was discovered that she had been living with HIV for a while. She had run out of money so could not feed herself properly which caused people to notice it.
Society had two options here. One, be sorry for not noticing the pain she had been going through and try to see how to help her. Second, ignore and stigmatize her due to her illness. In the society we live in today, the second option prevailed and she was fired. She had no friends and no source of income. Due to this, her frustration grew and she tried to commit suicide. Although she was saved, her life can never be the same again.
Let us imagine a scenario where the second option was chosen. Geraldine would have been saved, she would still have her friends and the world would still have a bright young woman. The impact of societal care on suicide prevention cannot be over-emphasized.
3. What Role the Government Can Play
Although the government tries, there is still a lot it can do. For instance, set up more emergency helplines for suicide attempters, set up free (and effective) counselling sessions, organise rallies and orientation programmes to educate people on the dangers of suicide, etc. In Nigeria, there is a law that says an attempt of suicide is liable to a year of imprisonment. I find this ridiculous. Instead, mental health organizations should be set up for them so as to revive their will.
The government definitely has a huge role to play in reducing suicide in Northern Nigeria.
4. How Non-Governmental Organizations Can Help
There are other people that help in the fight against this social vice. These people have come together to create NGOs that help with suicide prevention. The government has also set up certain helplines to combat the situation. A lot of helplines for different suicidal scenarios and other emergencies can be found at www.opencounsseling.com and www.aasra.info. If you or anyone around you needs help, please click any of the links above.
Do NOT suffer in silence. Anyone considering suicide should remember “You matter. What you do matters. Who you are matters” and click on the link and give it another shot.
Conclusion
The above-mentioned are reasons why the suicide rate is increasing in Northern Nigeria and what role individuals, government, the society and non-governmental organizations have to play in curbing it. Remember, suicide is a blot on our society and it is our responsibility to clean it. Out of the over 700,000 people that die if we all save one, I dare say that number can be cut down significantly.
If you have further questions, let’s hear them in the comments and I would love to get your opinion on the above Buzzfeed question.
by Fatima Sani | Dec 18, 2021 | Local Delicacies
Cincin recipe otherwise spelled as ‘chin chin’ is a popular snack among Nigerians. It is consumed by almost all tribes and ethnic groups. They are common recipes for weddings, birthdays, festivals, etc. Its common ingredient is flour. In addition, it is a delicious snack, easy to make, and mostly loved by all children.
Do you have a wedding ceremony, eid, or festival and you find it difficult to come up with a snack to consume or use as a takeaway delicacy? Worry no more as I have come to your aid.
Equipment for making Cincin
Mixing bowl
Frying pan
Sieve
Scissors
Knife
Container
Ingredients
For the making of Cincin, you will need to follow the ingredients:
4 cups of flour.
1 cup of powdered milk
2 teaspoons of powdered vanilla flavor
Half a teaspoon of ground nutmeg
Small pinch of salt
3 eggs
Half a teaspoon of baking powder
Vegetable oil
1 butter
Water
Procedure for Making Cincin
STEP 1: The first thing to do is, crack the eggs in a small bowl and add a pinch of salt. Whisk together and set aside.
STEP 2: Put the sugar into a bowl, add the milk and mix.
STEP 3: In a clean bowl, sieve the flour, add baking powder and nutmeg to the bowl, and mix well. Then;
STEP 4: Add the butter to the flour and mix it very well too.
STEP 5: Add the mixture in STEP 2 and STEP 1 to the flour and mix it very well with your clean hands until a smooth dough is formed. Then;
STEP 6: Place the dough on a flat surface spread it with flour and start stretching the dough gently. However, ensure the dough isn’t too long or too thick.
STEP 7: When the dough is somewhat flat enough, use a knife and cut it into desired shapes and sizes. You could also use a scissor to do the cutting. Here, you will hold the dough with one hand and use the scissors to cut it with the other hand. For me, it is quite faster than using a knife.
STEP 8: Place a clean frying pan on medium heat, add your vegetable oil into the pan, and slice some onions into it too. Allow to fry for 3 minutes.
STEP 9: Add the cincin pieces to the hot oil and fry until it turns golden brown. Then;
STEP 10: Use a spoon to get out the fried cincin into a sieve container and allow them to cool.
STEP 11: Aaaaand your cincin is ready!
How to Serve Cincin
Cincin is usually served on plates. They can be consumed alone or with drinks. These drinks could be Kunun Zaki, Kunun Aya, carbonated drinks (though not good for your health), or other local drinks that we have.
Occasions to Serve Cincin
There are numerous occasions to best serve this delicacy or snack. It could be served in wedding ceremonies, during Sallah or Christmas periods, or during festive periods. Etc. In addition, it can be consumed anywhere, anytime.
Furthermore, they can be a part of the delicacies or snacks packed as souvenirs for guests during wedding ceremonies. In a Hausa family, Cincin is usually given to the bride among other snacks as she is taken to her husband’s house. This is to serve guests or visitors coming to wish the family well. Pretty much useful right?
How to Store Cincin
Cincin should be stored in a cool dry place. One good thing about its features or qualities is that it can last for several weeks without spoiling. Ensure to store it in the right container though.
Nutritional Value of Cincin
The Cincin recipe is majorly composed of carbs but also has moderate amounts of protein. Here are the nutrition facts for 3.5 ounces which is equivalent to 100 grams of whole-grain wheat flour: calories (340), water (11%), protein (13.2grams), sugar (0.4 grams) carbs (72 grams), fibre (10.7 grams), and fat (2.5 grams).
In addition, the consumption of Cincin has many health benefits which make it an interesting delicacy.
Conclusion
Conclusively, it is important to note that when you put too much egg in cincin recipe, it sucks up the vegetable oil, and too much vegetable oil in the human body is not healthy. However, additional eggs make it softer and not too crunchy.
If you find this article helpful, please leave a comment in the comments section below. Thank you.
You are always welcome to Northpad Nigeria for more local Northern Nigerian delicacies.
by Aisha Zakari | Nov 22, 2021 | Personal Growth
The goal of participating in this challenge is to better yourself, self-improve your mental, physical, and spiritual well-being. I know along the line, some may stop but I promise you, you’ve got nothing to lose but more to gain. This challenge is aimed towards finding inner peace, discovering oneself, challenging oneself, and as a result be a better person. Give this challenge a go as it takes just 30 days to see the impact in your life. You can write it down in a jotter, place them somewhere close to your bedside, design a board, or set an alarm to remind you. Now, transform your life with this December challenge in 2021.
Let’s go!
December 2021 Challenge
Day 1: Set a Goal for This Challenge
Hello! I don’t know what your goal for this challenge is but now is the time to decide on one or two.
What is your goal? Work on this and come to a decision because this will motivate you towards bringing your best to the table.
Do you want clear skin? Do you want abs and biceps?
Are you intending to start a workout routine?
Or do you want to work towards a new degree?
Set that goal now!
Day 2: Set Up a Morning and Evening Routine
What’s a December challenge in 2021 without a routine? Having a routine will help you in working towards that goal and also it becomes a habit in the long run.
Have tea at 9 am.
Read a book at 10 pm.
It could even be something with more activity but always come up with something you want to make sure you do every morning and night every day.
Day 3: Meditate for at Least 30 Minutes
Meditation is the sole act of focusing the mind on a particular thought, object, or activity to train attention and awareness, to achieve a mentally clear and emotional, calm, and stable state.
You should incorporate this as a part of your morning routine as it helps in reducing stress and anxiety.
See the importance of medication.
Day 4: Make a List of What You’re Most Grateful for in This December Challenge 2021
This is quite easy and not much of a hassle. There are many things in life to be grateful for and being alive is the most important. Make a list of things you are most grateful for and reflect on them every now and then. This ultimately motivates you to not give up on that goal you’ve set for yourself.
If you’re having trouble proceeding with this challenge or making this list, then check out the 50 important questions you should ask yourself.
Day 5: Go Healthy for This Month
Do away with soft drinks this December.
Give up on junk foods and other foods that are bad for you.
Go without alcoholic drinks.
Also, you can go without starchy foods for a month. I mean, this is a self-improvement and personal development December challenge in 2021, so I had to include health in it.
Challenge yourself to take out junk, sugar, and alcohol from your diet for this month. Let’s go!
Day 6: Read a Book or at Least 50 Pages
There are books for this challenge, for growth, inspiration, motivation, and many more. They are indeed the best when it comes to attaining self-improvement and personal development in one’s life.
An interesting one I’ll never forget and would like to recommend is Attitude is Everything by Keith Harrell.
You should definitely purchase one online or get a hard copy.
You can read books that help you become smarter or books that help you find inner peace, your choice. Whatever you do, just make sure you read a book.
Day 7: Challenge Yourself to Do Something Creative
When it comes to self-improvement, your mind should be open to creativity and brainstorming –be it painting, drawing, just anything. Do something that gets your mind to think out of the box.
Try to make it fun though.
Normal is boring.
Day 8: Ask Yourself the “What do I want in life?” Question in December Challenge 2021
This question when answered by you either motivates or encourages you. It does no harm at all. Determine what your career goals should be, what your passion and hobbies are, what gets you going, and what fulfils you.
Write them down and let them be your ultimate guide to self-attainment.
Day 9: Decide on a New Goal
I know, that was fast. It’s a week already but a week of purpose. Now, set up a thing or things you want to get done for the coming week.
Week 1 was about setting a goal or goals which you must have in mind now. Now, this week must carry a new goal. Decide what you want. Good luck with that.
Day 10: Create a Vision/Dream Board
A vision/dream board is a collage of images, pictures, words, and affirmations of one’s dream and desires, designed to serve as a source of inspiration and motivation.
This board gives you the ‘my vision/dream will be a reality’ feeling as you see it every day and it kick-starts your day with positivity. Make sure to add images, throw in quotes, cut out pictures, and make the board attractive and realistic to look at every day.
Day 11: Walk Down a Self-Discovery Lane
“The challenge is in the person in front of the mirror” they always say.
Look at yourself, know yourself, and discover who/what you are. For me, it took a long while to realize what my talents are but right now, I’m doing just that and I’m getting a handle on things by making things better. It’s been fun, worthwhile, and worth it.
Discover yourself and that will be the greatest thing you’ve accomplished and that will be the guide you need to take the next step towards growth, self-improvement, and personal development.
Day 12: Listen to Educative Talk Shows and Podcasts
Music is one way to relax. That I know but sometimes, switch things up a bit. Listen to educational shows and podcasts that are inspirational and motivational.
They uplift and encourage you to do something. Give this a try.
Day 13: Try Yoga in This December 2021 Challenge
Like meditation, yoga is the next thing you need for mental health and alertness. There are different yoga programs you could look up online.
Check one out and indulge yourself in it. It’s either going to be yoga for you or meditation.
Day 14: Spend Time Outside
Do you know that 10 minutes walk you see people do in the movies? Yes. That is the boost for your mind, mood, body, and soul. It instantly uplifts you when nature hits you or you see beautiful sceneries around you.
Indulge in this when you can and I promise, it will definitely brighten you up or maybe meet the love of your life outside. Who knows?
Day 15: Try Something New
Like I said, instead of music, try an educational podcast. Trying something new is the trick you need sometimes to discover yourself in one way or another. Try something new once in a while helps you discover yourself more, what you like and do not like, what makes you happy, and what irks you.
There just might be a hobby out there for you that you haven’t realized. You just have to figure it out. If it’s something productive and of great service and benefits to people, then just set up a business or give help to people. Be kind.
Day 16: Make a Decision
Now that you’ve discovered yourself, what are those bad habits you want to get rid of, and what are those you want to improve on? What makes you a better person and what doesn’t?
Work on this and make a decision as this is a challenge for self-improvement and personal development. You really should work on those characters.
Day 17: Ask Yourself Where You Want to Be in 5 or 10 Years?
I want to be married.
I want to be a renowned writer/author.
I want to be a model.
Take a big look at this and picture it. Start planning how you are going to get there, what you should do to be there, and what sacrifices must be made. Take baby steps towards them.
Day 18: Challenge Yourself to Do Things Alone, Just You
Self! Alone! Solo! Just you, YOLO!
Walk on this self-improvement path by challenging yourself to do things alone. Go out alone, do things you do with friends alone, go on a date with yourself. This makes you a happier person as you tend to get comfortable with being by yourself all alone. Single life rocks.
Day 19: Keep a Journal
Okay! This isn’t old school or anything odd, I keep one myself. Keeping a journal is extremely important, most especially with regards to mental health. Write about anything and everything, every feeling, and accomplishment. Keep check about yourself and your life.
This makes things clear to you. Also, you gain control of your emotions and you begin to discover yourself. It takes time but baby steps, yeah.
Day 20: What Do You Want to Achieve in Life?
I want a car.
I want a medal.
I want to be famous.
Have a bucket list? Write them down and work towards checking them off slowly but surely.
Day 21: Try Something Out of Your Comfort Zone
“If you’re in your comfort zone, you’re not growing” the saying goes.
This is self-explanatory. So, do at least one thing challenging and less comforting every day.
Day 22: Travel to a New Place as a December Challenge 2021
This is one of the best ideas when it comes to self-improvement and personal development. This gives you the opportunity to do not only new things but also see new places, check out new areas, find yourself and of course, try out new food. In the long run, this will give you inner peace and inspiration towards the way you see and appreciate life.
It may interest you to see these Northern Nigerian foods everyone must try at least once.
Day 23: Exercise for at Least 30 Minutes
If you want to attain self-improvement and personal development, exercising should be your go-to. It boosts your mood, gets your heart pumping too (I hear it’s a good thing).
For me, I go to the gym sometimes on Saturdays, and that’s a good start.
Day 24: Write Down Your Dreams and Aspirations
Do you have a list of dreams and aspirations? Write them all down, there’s never a dream that’s too big. Write down what you want in life and out of life, figure it out and at the end, work towards achieving it.
Make a list of what you want to do towards aspiring to that dream; do you want to start photo freelancing to get a model agent or do you want to post about food online to eventually be a food blogger?
Take realistic steps, and work towards them.
Day 25: Get to Spend Some Time with God
Get spiritual yo! Take a time to pray to your Lord, Jesus, or Allah. Say your thanks and tell Him what and how grateful you are. Say what you want Him to help you with and believe.
In our everyday lives, things get tough but let’s never forget our Creator.
Day 26: Positive Talking
This is something I did at home once I think and really, it did what I wanted it to. I wrote in a paper and placed it on the mirror:
“You’re great. You’re beautiful”
It was something small but with a huge magnitude. Saying it during those days made an impact in my life and I love every moment. Write the words you want to say to yourself every day and say them every day.
Go in front of the mirror and say positive words to yourself. This helps to build confidence and boosts your self-esteem. In the long run, it helps with self-improvement and personal development.
Day 27: Practice Positive Statements
These are words of affirmations to oneself, words of encouragement, and determination. Try to make this a daily habit.
If you can’t find words or come up with for yourself, look them up online. There are a bunch of words of affirmation towards achieving self-improvement and personal development.
Day 28: Avoid Social Media for a Day
Uninstall an app if you really can’t stay without your phone. That’s a challenge for self-improvement and personal development if you can’t stay without it.
This is a hard challenge, I know but really, take a check out of social media for a day.
Day 29: Pamper Yourself
YOLO!
Treat yourself to something nice and exotic. Maybe a bubble bath, go to the beach, a spa, make a vacation plan as you write down your goals for the coming month and year.
Day 30: Set a Goal for the Rest of the Year in December Challenge 2021
Have goals and a plan for the rest of the year. Career goals, finance goals, life goals, marriage goals, couple goals, fitness goals, more challenging goals. Everything goals.
Conclusion
There’s no particular order to take this December 2021 challenge as the numbers could be done for any day.
Congratulations! As you’ve partaken on this journey to self-improvement and personal development. I’m sure that was challenging for you, but that’s the goal there. I hope you’ve made a list for the months to come.
Kindly drop a comment in the comments section below if I missed anything. Also, do let me know which one are you doing. I am eager to know!
by Munirah Hashim | Nov 17, 2021 | Health & Wellness
Breakfast amongst other meals of the day is considered the most important. It refers to the first meal of the day taken in the morning. Just like the name, this meal breaks the night-long fast. For example, if you had your dinner at 8 pm yesterday and you normally have your breakfast by 8 am, you have fasted for about 12 hours! This analysis is to help you see how long your body has gone without any food.
Foods rich in protein are known to be rich in energy and bodybuilding and they’re recommended to be taken for breakfast. The aim is not to only eat breakfast but to eat a healthy one.
Despite the importance attached to having breakfast, some people delay, others skip breakfast completely out of haste of getting late for work, not feeling hungry, or out of habit.
If skipping breakfast is your habit, then this article is for you as you shall discover the massive importance attached to having breakfast.
Read: 5 Minutes Snacks to Make for Breakfast
7 Reasons Why Breakfast Is Important
1. You Are Breaking A Fast!
As stated above, in the morning, your body has gone about 10 hours without food depending on what time you ate dinner and the time you woke up. This means you have fasted.
Metabolically, your body’s source of energy is glucose which is gotten from the breakdown of carbohydrates. The excesses of the carbohydrates are converted into glycogen which is stored in the liver.
During the night, the body continues to carry out metabolic processes that require energy. In the presence of a shortage of glucose supply, the glycogen store is broken down to ensure an adequate supply of glucose to the brain and other parts of the body for effective metabolism.
The implication of this is that by morning, you would be on low glucose and this should be replenished. This is an indication that breakfast is very important.
Hence, when you get up in the morning, breaking the night-long fast should be among your top priorities.
2. Breakfast Improves Your Body’s Metabolism
The body is constantly building up tissues (anabolism) or breaking down complex materials to provide energy (catabolism).
After waking up in the morning, your body would be on low glucose and low glycogen storage. This is as a result of their usage for repairs and detoxification actions throughout the night. For continuous metabolism during the day, the body’s glucose levels should be replenished to avoid the usage of fat stores. Having a good breakfast aid metabolism while skipping breakfast prevents the necessary supply of glucose.
This slows down metabolism which is unhealthy.
Check out these 12 foods that increase metabolism.
3. It Has a Positive Impact on Your Brain
Note that the only fuel your brain recognizes and utilizes is glucose hence the need to ensure maximum supply to it. Breakfast is important in boosting the brain’s activity and effectiveness. The absence of an adequate supply of fuel (glucose) to your brain dulls your brain activity.
Studies have shown that a dip in glucose availability can hurt attention, memory, and learning. Hence, taking breakfast can improve memory retention and makes you focus.
You would agree with me that you need the right functioning brain to go about your daily routine. Give it the necessary fuel it deserves!
4. Breakfast is Important because It Improves Concentration
Having a healthy breakfast is important in boosting concentration while skipping it does the opposite. I can attest to this and that is why I hardly go a day without my breakfast.
During my 100 level days, there was this day of the week that lectures start at 7 am. That’s quite early. I recalled not having my breakfast out of haste not to miss the lectures for the first few days. The sad part was, I would be present for the lectures but I could barely assimilate as I would love to. I couldn’t concentrate because I didn’t have enough energy to focus.
Ever since I made it a habit to wake up earlier and ensure I had my breakfast. Since then, I stopped having issues with concentration during that period.
Do you want to concentrate better in the mornings on brain-involving activities? Don’t skip the most important meal of the day.
5. It Boosts Productivity
Skipping breakfast is a productivity killer. A healthy breakfast prevents you from getting unnecessarily overwhelmed and stressed. It helps you stay alert and well-coordinated to achieve great results at the end of the day.
You would agree with me that you don’t expect a car to function effectively without adequate fuel. Don’t expect great results from yourself in the early hours of the day if you don’t supply the body with needed fuel.
6. It Helps to Control Your Weight
Studies have shown that people who skip breakfast tend to overeat and have cravings for excess sugary and fatty foods throughout the rest of the day. Being hungry makes you not be selective about the foods you consume later in the day. So, you easily grab on any nearby food without thinking twice about it.
The result of consuming unhealthy foods that have high sugar and fat content is being overweight or obese. However, having a regular breakfast helps you go about your day feeling full and not needing to eat unnecessarily.
This is important as it helps keep your weight in check. You can lose weight by entirely changing what you eat.
7. You Enjoy Good Health
Skipping breakfast may result in obesity, which means having excess body fat as a result of the reason stated above.
Being overweight or obese as a result of skipping breakfast puts you at a high risk of having certain diseases including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, cancer, high blood pressure, etc.
However, having a regular breakfast is important as it saves you from these life-threatening diseases.
Conclusion
Having known the importance of breakfast, you must try to make or maintain the habit of having a healthy breakfast every morning before leaving your home for work or school as the case may be.
It’s my hope that you found this article helpful. If you do, kindly leave a comment.
