That was close!, Hadassah
Growing up in a Christian home, Hadassah was reserved yet virtuous. Her parents brought her up.in the way of the Lord; at five years of age, she could recite 150 different Bible verses and pray in comprehensive words. In school, she was an excellent student, always topping the class, winning awards and bringing honour to God and her parents and this made this really proud of her. She grew up to be a beautiful, well cultured and mannered young girl and her parents were proud of the way they brought her up.
She was in senior year and in her 12th grade grade, ready to graduate from high school and go to college. She had already sent her application to Princeton university which was the university of her dreams and the university her siblings attended so she couldn't wait to leave high school and join them and be free from her parents. She was tired of her parents and their craving for perfection. It was all or nothing for them and they moulded her into their perfect little girl.
She wasn't allowed to go out and play with other kids as a child, visit friends or even attend sleepovers and she dare not mention the word 'party' to her parents or she'd be automatically grounded. This took a toll on her social life but at least, she had two best friends that her parents allowed to visit and this was because they had been friends since childhood. Chloe and Tricia were the best friends a girl could ask for. They knew the parents she had and even though she never came to their houses, they kept visiting and that's one of the reasons she loved them very much. They planned to stay together but their different dreams and university choices couldn't make that possible. Hadassah wanted to be s pharmacist, Chloe a chemical engineer and Tricia, a fashion designer. They were all chasing their dreams and that's all that mattered.
Hadassah's parents kept a close eye on her because they didn't want her to end up like her sister Tabitha whose offence had been told her. They only told her that she became "rebellious" and she shouldn't end up like her. All Tabitha did was to change her denomination from Catholic to Pentecostal and her parents didn't like the Pentecostal church because according to them, they were too "loud". Hady as her friends called her, had a feeling that her parents were being dramatic about everything and she knew deep down that her parents were just exaggerating the whole matter.
Hady never had a boyfriend even though she was very pretty and many boys asked her out and she had her parents to thank for that. She couldn't even consider dating anyone behind their backs because they'd eventually find out and everything will be messed up. So, she was forced to live her high school years without one. On the other hand, Tricia and Chloe her best friends, had boyfriends and that was torture for her. Their boyfriends were possessive and clingy, always wanting to be with them and so most of the time, hady was like a fifth wheel. Her friends noticed the look on her face every time and decided to always make it up to her by visiting her house after school everyday.
So, it was time for their final prom before they graduated from high school and everywhere was already blooming with students so hyped for the prom. Girls went shopping for the beautiful dresses they'd wear and guys were planning the mega and epic ways they'd asked their girls to the prom. Another things the girls looked forward to was having their virginity taken. For some reason, it was a thing that "hot, mature" girls did and no one thought it was really stupid and unnecessary, everyone wanted to get it on that. Boys were watching all sorts of nasty stuff to get ready and girls did same because no one wanted to look like s novice when clearly, they were. Hady heard about this but she didn't care because she felt it was stupid and unnecessary and thought about the disadvantages; sex before marriage, or even worse, pregnancy at 17. She wanted to save herself for marriage and definitely not get pregnant at 17 and get sentenced to an early grave by her parents.
So it was finally Saturday and we best friends came over and did their "spicy girl talk" which was obviously gossip. As they were discussing, Tricia talked about what was going down on the night of the prom which was boys and girls having "fun" before they leave school. Hady said she wasn't cool with it because she could risk many things and she wasn't ready to do that. She thought they were all on the same page until Chloe said she was in because she finally wants to feel like an "Adult". Tricia added that at least they'll be kind of experienced before marriage and of course, they'll use protection and it can't be that bad. While they said this, hady hung her mouth wide open, staring at them in shock and disgust. She warned them about the risks like STDs and other infections but they had already made up their minds. They asked if she was coming but she told them she doesn't know yet because she has to ask her parents.
Later in the evening and when her friends had left, she went downstairs to ask her mom if she could go. She asked her first because she was the hardest to convince and her dad always agreed with what his wife decided. So hady asked her, she said a solid NO but she begged so much until she finally agreed but on a lot of conditions which was to return home by 9:30pm, stay away from boys and to not drink which she already planned to do. So hady went shopping and bought herself a really pretty flared lilac dress and she got ready for the prom. While other students rented limousines and went in groups, Hady was forced to be driven by her mom and she was even lucky her to talk her mom out of following her to the hall. When she entered the hall, all eyes were on her because she looked really stunning, even her best friends were shocked at her glow that evening. They ran to meet her and they both said at the same time, "Hady look so beautiful, I can't believe it" and she said "I know right, thank you and you both look so amazing too". Then they started looking around to see how other girls dressed up and also rate their dresses which was typical of girls.
So it was time for the slow dance and their boyfriends came to take them to the dance floor leaving hady alone in the corner. She took punch so she didn't look sad and lonely but she looked even worse, helpless. The dance was finally over and she tried to look for her friends but all of a sudden, everywhere was hazy and she noticed that she was losing her balance. She looked for something to hold on to so she wouldn't fall and she finally found a chair and sat on it and tried to understand what was happening to her. She thought to herself "why am I tipsy? I didn't take any alcohol so what's happening to me? Even though she wasn't herself, she noticed some guys staring at her and laughing and that's when she figured out the punch was spike by those jerks. She didn't know them but what she knew was that she was in grave danger if she didn't get out of there and find a safe place to stay. Just as she was trying to get herself up, she was a guy coming to help her up and all he said was that he was going to get her a safe place but she could feel the sarcasm in his tone. She said in a really weak voice "where are you taking me to? Let me go!" And tried screaming but he covered her mouth and speedily entered a room and dropped her on the floor.
"Just be calm, we're just gonna have a little fun and that'll be all" he said but all she wanted to do was escape. She tried to scream but she had not even one ounce of energy to do so. She felt so hopeless at that moment but then, she remembered the only Person that was always there to help in all situations-God. She prayed to God with her whole heart, begging Him to save her from this situation as the tears rolled down from her eyes. As he got closer, the prayer got intense, it was a cry to God for help and before she could even say Amen, someone entered the room and screamed "get away from her you jerk!", It was Tricia's voice and she was so happy. Chloe went to get her up and out of that place. They took her to a room and stayed with her. She asked them how they knew she was there and they said that after the dance, they were looking for her and when they couldn't find her, they asked around and someone told them they say a guy taking a girl in a lilac dress to a room in the corner and immediately, they rushed because they knew she doesn't just enter rooms with boys. After hearing that, she thanked God so much and slept because the drug they put in the punch started doing it's job. They felt guilty that they hadn't been there to stop her from being carried into the room but they were thankful that nothing happened to her.
When she woke up, she was shocked to find herself in her room because she remembered being in school. She went downstairs to met her parents and they just looked at her and bursted into laughter at the same time. Her mom said "were you that bored and lonely that you had to sleep all through the dance". She was confused for a bit but then played along because she figured that Chloe must have lied to her, "typical Chloe", she said in her mind. She ate breakfast and went back to her room to call her friends but they already walked into her room. She explained everything that happened to her and they apologized for not being there initially but she said they shouldn't be and thanked them for coming to her rescue. They hugged it out and they told her how they were still virgins because saving her disrupted their plans and they were thankful it did. They all shared a laugh, hugged each other for a long time, and Tricia and Chloe left for their houses.
They were graduating from high school the next week and lucky for them, they had all been offered admission to study their dream courses in the university of their dreams so nit was double celebration for their families. Hady was the valedictorian for their class and her parents were so proud of her. The three made sure they made the most of the time by spending the holiday before college together because they knew they wouldn't get that opportunity again.
God, faith and the Word
God, His Word and faith are deeply connected because to know God, you have to read His Word and His Word translates faith and faith is needed to run life's race. In Hebrews 11:6, Paul writes that without faith, it is imposible to please God because whoever should come to God must believe that He exists and He is a rewarder of everyone that diligently seeks Him. The verse is really true and applicable.
Everyone must have heard that there is a God because it is evident in His creations; the sun, the moon, stars, the whole of nature testifies to the reality of the living God. Even we human beings are beautiful creations of God and we are one of His greatest creations because He put His Spirit in us and that is what makes us who we are. So God created us for His glory and He definitely didn't want us to be confused at any point in our lives on the Earth; He knew we would have many questions about life like who created us, who created the world and all these beautiful things we see so He provided His Word for us.
This Word also called the Bible or the Torah is a compilation of 66 books written by 40 men and most importantly, inspired by the same Holy Spirit Who is also God. The Bible is not just a book of 'stories, guides for living and prophecies concerning the future', it is a book that contains everything needed to be known about your Creator, how to build a tangible and intimate relationship with Him, life after death because there is life after death and His kingdom which is to be established on Earth. The Bible is the absolute truth that we need to know because It speaks; God speaks through His Word and guess what, no one can understand the Word without the illumination and help of the Holy Spirit Who is the Author of the Word and also God Himself.
Christianity in the Bible was called ' the Faith' because being a true Christian requires faith and faith which only God the Father gives. The Bible places emphasis on faith in many verses; It even has a whole chapter dedicated to faith. The chapter is Hebrews 11 and it tells stories of people who put their faith in God and were not disappointed at the end. They kept an unwavering faith in God and their testimonies are still being told today to encourage people.
The Bible and faith are connected because the Bible gives you knowledge about God and the Holy Spirit makes gives insight, revelation and makes the Word believable to us. This then builds your faith in God. You actually cannot have faith in God without reading His Word and not only reading but also applying the Word in your daily activities. The Word of God Itself was intended for our spirits and not our bodies. In Romans 8:16, Paul writes that the Holy Spirit bears witness with our spirit that we are the children of God. It is our spirit that knows that God is real and also accepts the Word of God.
In conclusion, to go to God, you must have faith and to build your faith in God, you have to read His Word because Romans 10:17 says "faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God". You need the Word of God to build your faith in Him and you need faith to live and finish this Life's race well. Habakkuk 2:4 says that the just shall live by his faith in God. Faith in God and the promises in His Word for your life on Earth and in eternity is very vital for all human beings because without God the Author and Finisher of our faith, we all are nothing.
How menstruation works
Menstruation as we simply know and understand is the bleeding from the vagina which females from ages 11-45/50 undergo every month and that is correct but that's not all it entails. There are a lot of processes that lead to the final bleeding from the vagina and I will be explaining them in this article.
Menstruation can be defined as the cyclic changes that occur in the endometrium which is the innermost lining layer of the uterus. The purpose of menstruation is to prepare the endometrium for the reception of a fertilized ovum and when that doesn't work, the bleeding occurs. Menstrual bleeding causes the endometrium to shed off bit by bit and the blood along with shreds of the endometrium flow out through the vagina. It can also be called the uterine cycle. The sites of menstruation are the ovaries, uterus, cervix, vagina and breast.
The duration of the menstrual cycle is usually 28 days and it can vary from 20-45 days. The menstrual cycle has four stages and they are:
The destructive stage(menstruation) which is usually takes 1-5 days.
The follicular/proliferative stage which takes 5-14 days.
Ovulation which is on the 14th day.
Progestional/secretory/luteal stage which takes 14-28 days.
I'll be explaining each and every one of these stages but first you need to know the hormones involved in menstruation because they are important and I'll explain the roles they play in the different stages of the menstrual cycle. These hormones are:
Gonadotropin Releasing Hormone(GnRH)
Follicular Stimulating Hormone(FSH)
Luteinizing Hormone (LH)
Estrogen
Progesterone
The destructive stage (menstruation): this is the first stage of the menstrual cycle and when the bleeding starts. This stage starts when any egg from the previous cycle isn't fertilized stopping the pregnancy. This will cause the estrogen and progesterone to reduce to low levels leading to shedding of the thickened lining of the uterus(endometrium) which was supposed to support the pregnancy and menstrual bleeding. During this stage, ladies usually have cramps, enlarged and tender breasts which can be painful sometimes, headache, tiredness, irritability, mood swings and even pimples. It ranges from 1-5 days.
Follicular phase: it starts on the first day of the period. Here, the endometrium increases in thickness. The arteries of the endometrium increase in length during this phase. The hypothalamus sends a signal to the pituitary gland to release the Follicular Stimulating Hormone (FSH) which stimulates the ovaries to produce about 5-20 follicles. Each of these follicles contain an immature egg and when the healthiest egg matures, the others are reabsorbed into the body. This mature egg increases the estrogen which further causes the thickening of the endometrium (uterus lining). This phase lasts for about 16 days but it ranges from 11-27 days depending on your cycle.
Ovulation: it out occurs 14 days after the onset of menstruation. Here, the ovary releases a mature egg and the egg is swept into the oviduct. Fertilization usually occurs in the ampulla of the oviduct within 24hrs of ovulation. After 24hrs, the egg will dissolve if it isn't fertilized. A woman is most fertile during ovulation and so, she is more likely to conceive in this phase. During ovulation, you experience a slight rise in basal body temperature and the release of a white thick discarge from your vagina.
Luteal phase: after ovulation, the corpus luteum secretes progesterone and estrogen which cause cellular proliferation, swelling and secretary development of the endometrium for the implantation of a fertilized egg. If a woman gets pregnant, her body will produce chorionic gonadotropin which is what maintains the corpus luteum and keeps the endometrium thick and it also happens to be the hormone that pregnancy tests detect. If she doesn't get pregnant, the corpus luteum will shrink away and be reabsorbed which will lead to a decrease in estrogen and progesterone. This decrease will cause the shedding off of the superficial parts of the endometrium, leading to the menstrual bleeding. Progesterone is the dominant hormone of this phase.
Causes of heavy bleeding
Local conditions e.g uterine or cervical cancer, polyps or infections.
Disturbed cyclic hormone production by the ovaries.
Elevated estrogen levels and deficient progesterone levels can lead to the absence of periods and/or excessive bleeding.
High level of prolactin interferes with the regulation of the ovaries
Ovarian disturbance for example lack of eggs in the ovary which lead to the increase of FSH which try to stimulate an ovary which is no longer capable of working.
I really hope this was helpful and informative to everyone especially the ladies because we all need to know what goes on during our monthly cycle. Thanks for reading!
Procrastination and its consequences
Procrastination is a bad habit that we are fond of and which needs to be gotten rid off. A lot of us put off urgent things we need to do because of silly reasons and later on, we regret it and that's called procrastination.
We often postpone things that need immediate attention because we feel tired to do it at that particular time and think we have enough time left to do it and at the end, we end up not doing it and regretting. I'm very guilty of this crime, I say "I'm going to start reading by 8am" but I pick up my phone and use it till 10am or watch television. While wasting my time doing these things, I think about how I wasted my time doing those irrelevant things and get sad at how unproductive my day was when I was the main cause of it.
You need to take solid decisions against procrastination or it will render you unproductive and useless because if you keep on procrastinating, you'll never get anything done. Some of the decisions involve setting good daily timetables and reminders that will help keep you on track. You can get a sticky note and write things you want to do for the day and paste it on places that you'll see and remember so you won't spend your time doing something irrelevant. Above every other decision, I'll advice you to table the matter before God asking Him to help you not to procrastinate and if you let Him help you, He will.
Another thing you need to learn is discipline. You need to discipline yourself to avoid distractions and focus on that urgent thing that needs to be taken care of. If you can say to yourself "I will go read my books, I'll go wash plates and I won't pick up my phone till I'm done" and be serious about it, trust me, procrastination will not have room in your life anymore.
I hope you pray to God, take solid decisions and discipline yourself not to postpone urgent things because these will help tackle procrastination. Thanks for reading.
Death: what comes after that?
Death, an inevitable event yet feared is believed to be the final event in one's life but the question is, is it really the final event of a person's life or is there the existence of an afterlife?. Well, I personally think there's life after death and it's called 'eternal life'.
In Christianity, we believe that after death, your spirit leaves your body and goes to spend eternity in either 'Heaven' or 'hell'. The place you spend your eternity is determined by how you lived your life on the Earth; whether you lived a bad life without the consciousness of eternity or if you lived a good life and one with consciousness of eternity. It's important to know that this isn't fictional, it's very much real. The Bible talks about it so it's very important to live your life with eternity in view. I'd also love to add that there are people on this Earth that can attest to the fact that these two places are real but they are not visible to humans. Heaven and hell are spiritual places and they are meant for spirits so no one can see it without dieing but there are people who have been privileged to see these places and come back to life to warn us.
God is so merciful that He is doing everything to ensure we spend our eternity with Him in Heaven. He told us about it in His Word and He is still going further to show people these places so that there will be living testimonies that can testify that these places are real. You might be wondering how it was possible for them to see these places but actually, they died and were shown these places. Some of them died during surgical operations and they could see themselves being lifted up out of their bodies(their spirits) and and some where shown Heaven, some where shown hell while some got to experience both. Then just when they thought it was over, God said it wasn't their time yet and sent them back to tell others and also prepare themselves.
There are some others that didn't die but were still shown and how it happened is that their spirit left their bodies and this occurrence is termed an 'out-of-body experience'. I know it sounds strange but like I said before, this world is controlled by the spiritual and a lot that we can't fathom is going on. It doesn't happen to everyone so I believe that there are specific people that God chose and spared so they could change the way they live and also warn others about it. There are others who couldn't get another chance to come back to the Earth and warn people so I'd advise that we all should live with the constant remembrance that there's life after death and how we live our lives here determines where we will spend our eternity.
If you want to watch testimonies of people who had these experiences, you can look them up on YouTube. I'll recommend the video of Cecil Pearson Junior but you'll find others so please do watch these videos because they'll enlighten you on what happens when we die and also give you hope that there's something greater and better waiting for us after life on this Earth. Thanks for reading.
Angels: real or fiction?
I believe we all have heard the term 'angel' before and we know that they are supernatural beings that we can't see or hear, but some of us believe in the existence of these supernatural beings while some are skeptical about their existence. Well, I'm one of the many who believe in the existence of angels and I want you to know that they are very much real. This world we live in might appear to be plainly physical but I can assure you that it's beyond the physical and infact, more spiritual than you can ever imagine.
The world to start with wasn't made out of the physical, it was void and without form until God spoke and things came into existence. So everything you see; the trees, birds, seas and all are a product of God's faith and spoken Word. Angels, I believe are God's creations that were created to give Him glory and also guard and protect His children on the Earth. We hear a lot of people talk about their guardian angels watching over them and saving them every now and then and they're definitely not being delusional, it actually happened.
I know for a fact that there were times we felt the presence of something supernatural around us and we don't know what it is but I want to let you know that God has sent His angels to guard and protects us. He says "I will give My angels charge over you, they will bear you up so you won't dash your foot against a stone" and that's exactly what He is doing. Angels aren't those little babies we see holding harps in pictures, they don't look like that. According to a pastor who has died and saw angels in Heaven, they are mighty creatures with wings. Some of them had just a pair, some two, some three and more while some had none.
Angels take the form of humans probably so you won't notice because if they came in their true form, we might just bow and worship them because of their mighty stature. I was also told that there's a somewhat supernatural rule that if any supernatural being has to come to the Earth and be 'visible', it has to take on a human form maybe to blend in. So, I've heard a lot of testimonies about angelic ministrations and they're just mind-blowing. A man testified that He was driving and he lost control and he found himself in a sticky situation where he had to choose between saving his life and hitting a lady walking aimlessly on the road or saving the lady and dieing in a car accident. He was still struggling when an angel using the face of my pastor just appeared in the car and started driving the car to safety. People around that saw what happened surrounded him and shocked by how he was able to maneuver the car to a safe place, started asking him how he survived, he came out of the car shouting that his pastor in the car helped him and that he's still there but when they looked, they saw nobody. Then, everyone just knew it was God that did it because out pastor was not there and he didn't even know about his situation but the Omnipotent God, Jehovah who watches over us all knew and sent His angels to save Him.
A lot of people have testified about a random person warning them about something like a testimony someone told in church about how he wanted to travel on a journey and he took a booked a travel bus and when it was time, he had an argument with someone over the seat he paid for and he decided to forfeit the seat. He was annoyed about it but he forfeited the seat for the person and someone came to him and told him to take another bus and he didn't Know why but agreed and later during the journey, the bus he would have taken got involved in a horrible accident and people died but he was preserved by God through his angels. The Bible tells us to be careful about strangers we meet because we do not know if they might be angels. Know that God sends His angels to protect His children that are serving and obeying Him.
There are still a myraid of diverse testimonies I've heard people tell and they are proofs that angels are real and are sent by God to protect us and I'll urge you all to look up testimonies like this on YouTube and you'll find a lot of people telling their ground breaking testimonies that will blow your mind. Just never for once think that there's nothing more to this world other than the physical because there are lots and lots of things going on that you haven't the slightest idea about. In this world, the physical is controlled by the physical and God is real, Angels are real; the devil is real and his demons are definitely real. Know this and know peace, thank you.
The connection between faith and joy
The importance of faith and joy is very much underemphasized because the two are wonderful virtues we need possess because they help us in every ramifications of life. Faith is the belief in something that something you're expecting is already yours even without seeing it physically while joy is great happiness or great pleasure which you get regardless of any circumstance you're facing.
These two are really important in our lives because without faith, it is impossible to please God; everyone who comes to God must believe that He exists and He is a rewarder of the people that diligently seek Him. Joy is a feeling of excitement even when things aren't going well and it's only God that can give that kind of joy because it's rare and beyond human understanding. That kind of joy is accompanied by peace, the peace of God that passes all understanding; the peace that our Lord Jesus had that made him sleep during the storm.
Joy and faith are connected in the sense that when you expect something and believe you're getting it even when you're not sure how it's coming, you rejoice and thank God in advance for the arrival of that thing. It might seem like you're crazy but you're not, it's faith and joy in action and when these two are in place, the manifestation of that expectation is sure. Always put your faith and trust in God no matter the circumstances surrounding you, not paying attention to the negativity but the positive things. Thinking about how faithful God has been in times past really helps to clear every form of doubt in your heart and put all your trust in Him because he will never let you down, trust me.
When you put your faith in God, you automatically feel joy because you know He'll fulfil His promises for you life and when you are joyful, your harvest will have no other choice but to come to you. Have you noticed that people who are always sad never get good things and that's because sadness repels blessings from God and man. Joy is always far from a depressed soul and until that person gets rid of that mental state, nothing good can happen to him/her so always be happy because there are a million reasons to be happy. You might be complaining about your current status but what you don't know is there are people who would give anything to be in your position.
I've been there before so I know how it feels to lose hope but I drew strength from God in prayers and i felt hopeful again. Instead of lamenting about situation, I praised God and thanked Him in advance and one day, my prayer was answered. Please never let human actions or material things determine your joy because they'll fail you but let God be the main source of your joy, He is the only one that never fails.
I hope we all learn to be joyful and have faith in God because it really helps. If it seems difficult, pray to God and He'll help you. Thanks for reading 😊
Prejudice
Prejudice is an attribute a lot of people fail to admit that they possess when they actually do, they can easily recognize when someone else is prejudiced but not when they are. Prejudice is an unjustified, negative and wrong attitude towards an individual or a group of individuals based on their membership of a social group. People are prejudiced mainly towards those of another race, gender, nationality, tribe, language and even religion.
Prejudice is like a virus that affects people, and they can be unaware that they have it so I'll tell you how to know you are prejudiced. When you stereotype a person because of what you've heard about the country or group he comes from which may not necessarily be true, you're infected with prejudice. Prejudice is a negative attitude that needs to be controlled because it can lead to hatred, and negative attitudes towards a person for no good reason.
Many governments pass laws to fight racism and other forms of prejudice but it still persists. This is because it's the actions of the people that the laws address and not their thoughts and feelings and prejudice starts in the mind of a person. Though it starts in the mind, it must have been prompted; especially something seen or heard about a group of people and it can definitely be stopped.
How prejudice can be stopped
Knowing facts about people before concluding: before concluding that persons from a certain group or race behave in a certain because of myths which are most times untrue, get to know them better. You can ask them to tell you about themselves and you'll see that the stereotype is irrelevant and it'll help you not to believe false assumptions about people. Remember that without knowing the facts,bad decisions are made.
Show empathy: we all need to cultivate the habit of empathy. All humans are different and we need to know and celebrate our differences instead of looking at them as flaws. The fact is that no one is perfect and there's no need to feel superior to anyone because they behave in a different way. Instead, we should be considerate and and see the world through their eyes and maybe, just maybe will we see that anybody can act in a certain way. When we empathize with someone, we become aware of just how similar we are to the person and it will reduce the way we judge people negatively. Remember treat everyone in a way you'd love to be treated.
Show love: doing kind things for people brings people together; the more you show love to a person, the less prejudiced you become. We need love to take away the hate and cure this prejudice of a virus. Show love in your words and actions because it helps to establish a bond between you and people.
Expand your circle of friends: most of us are prejudiced because the company we keep are those we share a lot of similarities with which is good but affects the way we see others that aren't like us. I for one have misjudged people and when I got to know them better, my perceptions about them changed. I also thought the people from a certain tribe in my country shared a similar behavior but when i became friends with one of them, I saw that I was wrong. When we get to know others personally, we begin to understand why they do things differently.
Recognize the strengths of others: we need to possess humility because it is a good attribute. We need to accept that there are some areas in our lives that we are inferior to others. Recognizing our weaknesses and asking for help from others which may be people we have been prejudiced towards can help deal with prejudice. Those people may have strengths in areas you are weak so don't be too egotistical to ask for help.
Prejudice is something that needs personal attention and no one but you can help you deal with every trace of it in your life. Always try to see beyond the differences of people you view negatively and find similarities between you and them.
The Profit of Love
Hey everyone, Happy New week. I'll be sharing with y'all a topic preached by my pastor in church. This topic is really important because we are in a world full of hate and violence and we all need love to take away the hate and bring back peace and harmony to our dieing world.
Why should we love?
It is commanded by God.
It is beneficial to our existence on Earth.
It is determinant of our destiny in eternity.
The Profit of Love
The realisation of life's expectation: some people wonder why thing aren't working out for them as they planned it to but they don't know it may be because of lack of love for people. Little things like helping someone in need, forgiving someone who has hurt them and giving to someone when you don't have are things that attract God's blessings to people. It's important to do what you know is right so you'll be free and your desires will be granted.
The reaping of appropriate harvest: in order to read your harvest at the appropriate time, you need to love relentlessly. Actions of love are seeds of good deeds that produce harvest after their kind.
Accessing the mercy of God: showing mercy on people helps because God will show you mercy in your time of need.
The explosion of unction and power; love triggers the flow of supernatural power.
The release of man's potentials.
The manifestation of the presence of God; God's Presence always dwells with a loving person.
The possibility of eternity with God in Heaven; a hateful person can't spend eternity in Heaven because Heaven is a place of love.
Counsel
Decide to walk in love for the sake of your existence on Earth and destiny in eternity.
Ask God for the grace to walk in love as commanded especially in the face if unpredictable human behavior.
Competition: healthy or unhealthy
As we all know, competition is the activity of striving to get something by defeating others who are also striving to get it too. Competition is very important in the sense that it helps in moulding a person to be better at things he/she was merely good at (healthy competition). Healthy competition is very important and without it, a lot of us would just prefer to remain in our comfort zones. Sometimes it takes looking at the good things others are doing which you wish to do but haven't done to motivate you to do yours.
So when I was in secondary school, I used to be among the top five students with the highest grades in my class and that felt good; I had so much confidence and got too comfortable. I changed my school and thought it'd be just as easy as the last one so I didn't pull all nighters during my first continuous assessment test because to me "I wasn't a night reader" and so when my mates where reading, I was busy sleeping. When the results of the test were released, I discovered I was among the people with the lowest grades, having the 26th position in a class of 33 students. I felt so ashamed and from that day, I tried my best to reach the top with God's help and that of a good friend. I must admit that seeing people I didn't expect to be at the top because they were playful taught me to never judge a book by it's cover and never be too comfortable with your current situation or position because it can get better.
Competition can get unhealthy especially when it comes to unnecessary possession of material things just because your neighbor possesses such. Some people are even competing with people who aren't aware of the competition; they look at what others are getting and try to out-do it by getting better which is very unhealthy. That's why it's important to face your front, mind your business and not compare yourself to the people around you; your mates, friends who may appear to be doing better than you at that point in time. The fact that you don't have it now doesn't mean you can't have it later, you can still get it later on if you exercise a little patience and pray. It's all a matter of time and lines will begin to fall in pleasant places for you besides everyone has entirely different destinies so just DO YOU.
The Nigerian bean cake pudding (moin-moin)
Hey everyone! I'm here again with another easy and beautiful recipe just for you to to try out and satisfy your taste buds. I hope you enjoy 😊
Moin-moin is the Nigerian bean cake pudding which is kind of related to the bean cakes which I showed you previously. It's a versatile meal as it can be eaten with rice, custard, bread, ketchup, stew and many other things you can imagine. It's preparation is similar to that of the bean cake but things are changed along the way.
Ingredients
Beans (black-eyed or brown)
Habanero (chilli) pepper in small quantity
Red bell pepper in medium quantity
Onions
Garlic
Ginger
Crayfish
Hard boiled eggs
Mackerel
Salt
Seasoned cubes
Vegetable oil
Banana leaves
Preparation
Soak the beans for about 30 minutes or even more so it can soak properly. When it's done soaking and a bit soft, pour the water out and pour it into a mortar and pound the sides to easily peel off the skin. Ensure you don't pound the beans directly so it doesn't break to bits. Pounding is the easiest method of peeling the skin of the beans off. While the beans is being soaked, cut the stalks of the banana leaf off and wash the banana leaves thoroughly because that's what will be used to steam the pudding and it needs to be really clean.
When you're satisfied with the pounding and you're sure a lot of skin has been peeled off, scoop the beans out of the mortar into a big bowl and add enough water to fully cover the beans After that, massage it so the skin can float to the surface of the water and when you've gotten it out, pour the water and the skin out and wash the beans.
When you're done with washing, you then blend the beans with the both peppers (habanero and red bell), onions, garlic and ginger to the smoothest consistency you can get. While blending, boil your eggs alone while you boil your mackerel and blended crayfish together ( the blending of the crayfish isn't necessary, if you'd like the crayfish to be visible in your moin-moin, you don't need to blend it).
When you're done blending the beans, peppers, onions, garlic and ginger; pour the blended mixture into a bowl and add your other ingredients such as the salt, seasoned cubes, diced mackerel, vegetable oil and crayfish and mix together. Make sure you don't add the eggs to the combination until your done mixing and be sure not to add a lot of oil so it's doesn't get too oily.
Once you've mixed everything together, you wrap your banana leaf from the base ensuring the base is wrapped tight and the Apex is left open for the mixture to be poured in. Pour according to the quantity you want and put the egg inside (you can slice the egg into two equal halves) and bend the opening downwards. Ensure you wrap the base of the leaf really tight so the mixture can leak through it. Repeat the process with the other leaves.
When you're done wrapping the leaves, you line the base of the pot with the stalks of the banana leaf and put foil paper or a strong leather on top of it so the moin-moin mixture won't burn. After that, gently place the wrapped mixture in the pot, add an adequate amount of water, cover it and cook till it's done which should take about 45 mins to 1hr 30mins depending on the quantity of the wrapped moin-moin mixture. When it's done, unwrap and serve it hot and spicy.
Precautions to take while preparing this meal
Don't use tomatoes or tomato-based products to prepare this because it will make the moin-moin difficult to solidify.
Make sure you check the level of the water in the pot at least every 15 minutes to prevent the moin-moin from burning and top up the water level of the pot.
Ensure you wrap the banana leaf tightly so the moin-moin doesn't escape from openings and waste.
Do not add a lot of water in the blending of the beans and the other ingredients.
Do not add the eggs in the mixture. Add it after you've put the mixture in the banana leaf.
You can check if it's done by inserting a toothpick into the middle of the moin-moin. The toothpick should come out fairly clean and not moist.
You might be wondering why I use banana leaf instead of a nylon, paper foil or a plastic plate. The reason is because the banana leaf is natural and won't do any harm and it has been advised to use it because it's safer than using synthetic products like the nylon, plastic plate and paper foil. Please ensure you wash the leaves thoroughly so that it'll be germ free. You can add minced meat, bone marrow and vegetables like curry leaf and cent leaf to the ingredients of the mixture; it'll add a whole new special flavor to the moin-moin mixture. When the moin-moin is done, you can take it with custard, rice or anything you imagine taking it with.
It's a quite long process but it's cheap, easy and definitely worth it. I made sure to explain everything so you'll understand and I hope you do and try it out because trust me, you won't regret it. Thanks again for reading 😊
Music and its benefits
How does hearing your favourite song make you feel? Elated right?. I mean, doesn't it lift your spirit and make you feel excited? Well it does me. Music we all know, is an organized sound made by using rhythm, harmony or Melody. It is also that sound you choose that speaks to you, your current situation or state of mind and helps make you feel better. The human brain has different pathways for processing parts of music including Melody, pitch, tempo and rhythm. While fast music increases your heart rate, breathing and blood pressure, slow music does the opposite.
Studies have shown that when you listen to a song you like, the brain releases a chemical called "dopamine" which has positive effects on mood. Some researchers have also found that music probably has the power to improve our state of health and well-being. Studies about the benefits of music are still ongoing but these are some confirmed benefits:
Music helps in the expression of emotion: listening to music is one of the best ways of reflecting your thoughts and emotion. Some kinds of music help you to express your current feeling and let everything out, be it happiness, anger or sadness.
Music helps us to be creative: music helps in getting your creative juices flowing because it is creativity in it's purest form. It helps to improve your mind by making it more artistic and ingenious. It helps you think out of the box in writing poems, stories and even drawing.
It makes learning fast and easy: have you noticed that things taught by converting it to music are faster to learn and remember than things that are just taught plainly. For example, the first 20 elements I was taught in secondary school was used to compose a song and I still can remember that song now so music helps in learning.
It reduces stress: researchers have found that listen to music with low pitch, slow tempo and no lyrics help to reduce stress and anxiety in people undergoing medical procedures like surgeries.
It helps to improve mood: listening to vibrant music with a fast tempo helps to improve my mood and uplift my spirit. I get really happy and excited listening to my favorite song and 'vibing' to it too.
Music provides comfort.
It helps to ease pain
It helps improve cognition: it helps Alzheimer patients recall lost memories and helps them maintain some mental abilities.
It helps children with autism spectrum disorder to improve in communication skills, attention skills and social responses.
It helps to soothe premature babies: lullabies can help to soothe crying babies, improve feeding behaviours and sucking patterns in premature babies.
Music sure goes a long way in helping to improve and ease a lot of things so it's safe to say that it makes life easier and better.
Having trouble finding your talent?
A talent is that special, natural endowment that someone possesses. It is that gift from God which should be deployed for His Glory, something you didn't have to learn to do well; something you do effortlessly. We were all born with great and wonderful God given talents, some we are not yet aware of and think we don't have. I know and believe no one was born without talents, it's up to you to figure out what's inside you that needs to be uncovered for the world to see.
So i was at a church service and my pastor was preaching on the topic "supernatural shift by the Holy Spirit" and He said that the Holy Spirit helps to release inherent potentials and abilities in us. He then said something that struck me(it was as if he was speaking directly to me), he said "some people have voices but it is for the benefit of the bathroom". I laughed but i couldn't argue with the fact that it was true. I, up till now have never stood in front of a crowd but i could do that comfortably in front of my toilet seat. It's funny but true. It was like anytime i tried to sing in front of a crowd, I'd get scared and sing horribly but one day this year, i sang in the bathroom as usual but this time posted it on my WhatsApp status. In my mind i was like "what have you done? delete that video!!" but thanks to God for the courage He gave me not delete it and I'm glad i didn't because people were replying, telling me how nice my voice is; some were even reposting. I felt so good after that and tried to sing in front of some of my family members but I plan on taking it to Instagram and other social media platforms.
Moving away from my talent story, if you haven't discovered your takent yet, pray to God to reveal it you and it will be revealed. There are some things you're passionate about and good at but you feel they're just random things. Guess what, they're not random; they are your talents, your calling and they need to be deployed for your good and that of humanity. No one is an empty vessel; you have a talent, use it for God's Glory.
The Principle and power of love
Love is not just an emotion, it is a way of life, a decision we all have to take to live. We were created by and in the image of Love. We are all alive because of love and to continue to live, we have to love endlessly as we were commanded to by God.
Points to note
Love is the nature and character of God because God is love.
The Earth was created by love and is meant to be operated by it.
Man was created in the image and likeness of love to exist and function as a human being.
The Earth malfunctions because it attempts to function out of it's creative format.
Man 'underlives' and 'mislives'( please excuse the terms) as he attempts to love outside his nature.
The principles of love
Love is about treating others the way you would love to be treated: it's about having empathy and genuine concern for the affairs of others. It's having the 'people-first' mentality.
Love is adding to the joy of others: are you the type that loves to put a smile on people's faces or are you the type that doesn't care about a frown on someone's face? All these matter. You need to make sure you don't allow a day pass without you lightening up someone's dark day.
Love is about making a positive difference in the lives of others. If you love, you won't see someone in an unfavourable condition and not at least try doing something to change the situation. The purpose of contact is positive impact.
Love is about doing good for others without expecting anything in return.
Love is about coming to the level of others in other to bring them up. The saying "we rise by lifting others" is very much true. Don't get all high and mighty, assist anyone no matter their looks or where they're coming from because it helps. You don't know who you'll meet on your road to success, so help anyone in need.
Love is about interrupting your schedule to pay attention to someone in need. Do not be too busy to help someone out.
How to live a life driven by love
Get close to God because the closer you walk with God, the more of His Nature (Love) you manifest.
Love is not just an emotion, it is a decision and a decision that needs to be taken.
Love is a spiritual fruit that is subject to growth and development. Your expression of love towards someone is supposed to get better each time, you're not supposed to lag but out-do that last expression. It's always better to give than to receive.
Good evening everyone
I really don't understand why my points aren't increasing, i mean I've been at 23.1 since morning and i really don't understand what's going but I'm not happy with this
Anyone experiencing the same problem?
Tim Draper lauds Bitcoin cash after purchasing it
Billionaire and venture capitalist Tim Draper lauded BCH on his Twitter page after recently purchasing it. He also commended the ease in buying and using it and further encouraged his followers to join the BCH train, and also thanked Roger Ver for the innovation. Although his tweet didn't provide specific reasons for praising BCH, it appears his comments were made concerning the high network fees and slow confirmation time that is presently affecting other networks.
Bitcoin cash is seen to be unaffected by the current problems facing the Bitcoin and Ethereum cryptocurrencies which is the unsustainability high transaction fees and slower confirmation times. These attributes lacking in the other cryptocurrencies are what increased the use of BCH world wide.
This is what prompted some crypto buying and selling platforms like Yellow card used by Nigerians to consider adding BCH. African crypto users especially those in Nigeria have shown their affinity for digital assets that possess real advantages over conventional assets like BCH which has definitely got you covered.
A brief analysis of Bitcoin, Bitcoin cash and Bitcoin SV
As at May 2017, Bitcoin transactions could last for about four days before being completed. The only way to speed up a transaction was to pay a transaction fee which was around $28 at the end of 2017. The delay in the transaction and need to pay fees was what led to the forking of the Bitcoin blockchain and introduction of the two competing cryptocurrencies, Bitcoin(BTC) which is the original Bitcoin and Bitcoin Cash (BCH) which is the split from the original Bitcoin. Bitcoin cash wasn't the first split from Bitcoin but it is now one of the most eminent as it quickly rose to become one of the top crypto assets by market capitalization.
As the technical upgrades that were proposed to the BCH blockchain wasn't supported universely, there was a consequential hard fork from the BCH blockchain which ushered in Bitcoin SV( the SV standing for Satoshi's vision). Although Bitcoin SV was forked from BCH, it had been delisted by Binance which is a cryptocurrency exchanging platform; the company said it didn't have the high standard it needed. However, there is still that huge gap between the price of Bitcoin SV and the original Bitcoin; Bitcoin SV is worth $158.69 while Bitcoin is worth $10,034.60 as at this time of writing.
Moving away from Bitcoin and Bitcoin SV, Bitcoin cash has accelerated quickly as Coin market has affirmed it as the world's fifth largest cryptocurrency on the basis of market capitalization following Bitcoin, Ethereum, Tether and XRP. Cardon as sixth and Bitcoin SV as seventh.
However, i feel it will be interesting to witness the future of BCH and Bitcoin SV; if they will be able to co-exist successfully in the crypto ecosystem. I think these hard forks could possibly make the cryptocurrencies a bit confusing for the consumers as they have similar names. Also, the probability that there will be more hard forks from Bitcoin, Bitcoin SV or BCH in the future can't be excluded.
Hey everyone. Hope you are all having a great day. Just wanted to say a big thank you to the people funding read.cash. You are doing a lot to help people and I pray God blesses you all
Our thoughts and how they affect us
Having thoughts is one attribute of a human. Humans were created with the ability to think and without this ability, we wouldn't be complete. Our thoughts affect the things that happen in our lives and it's important to keep our thoughts on check. It's good and healthy to always think positive, peaceful, creative and innovative thoughts.
For example, if your mind is filled with thoughts of disappointment, you'll be sad and that'll surely lead to that disappointment you thought about. If you ponder on the events of some horror movie you watched, you'll give yourself a good scare and you'll keep on seeing things that aren't actually there. So it's important to have positive thoughts like if you're expecting something good to happen, imagine yourself getting that thing; that dream job, that contract, that admission or that opportunity you've been waiting for. If you have faith in God and believe it's yours, it's yours.
Bean cakes
Good evening everyone, I hope you all are doing great. I'd like to share with you the recipe for the bean cake which is what we call "akara" in my country, Nigeria. It's a very cheap, simple, easy and delicious delicacy and I hope you try it out.
Ingredients
Beans (black-eyed or brown) you can pack depending on the quantity that would satisfy you
Habanero (chilli) peppers
Onions
Ginger
Garlic
Vegetable oil
Salt
Other seasonings
Preparation
Soak your beans for about 30 minutes in a bowl of warm water so it can get a little soft and when it's done, you pour out the water and pour the beans in a mortar. After that, you pound the sides of the beans till skin peels off; make sure not to pound the beans directly so it won't break to bits. Note that you can peel of the skin with your hands but that would be harder though
When you've ensured that a large quantity of the skin has been peeled off, scoop the beans out of the mortar and into a bowl of water and mix the water and the beans together with your hands so that the skin of the beans can rise to the surface
After that, pour out the floating skin and wash the beans.
Then you cut your onions and blend with your habanero pepper and the beans; this would form a thick batter. Be careful not to add a lot of water as it would affect the thickness of the batter
Pour out the batter in a bowl and whisk it until the batter becomes airy and fluffy. Then you can add salt and other seasonings to your taste and mix it together
Preheat your vegetable oil and scoop with mixture by spoonfuls into the pan of oil.
Fry till it's golden brown and fluffy
At the end, you should be getting nice and fluffy bean cakes which you can complement with custard.
First time writing here though, thanks for reading 😊
The voice you hear
The voice you hear determines a lot of things that will happen in and around your life. This message was preached by my pastor, Dr Pastor Paul Enenche and I'd love to share it with you. Th voice you hear will determine the following:
The voice you hear determines the voice you will have.
The voice your hear determines your vulnerability or safety in life
The voice you hear determines your profit or losses in life
It determines the strength you will have
It determines the principles you uphold
It determines the quality of your life
It determines the pressure you feel
The voice you hear can either enhance your vision or diminish your vision
It can either cut short your life and destiny or increase it
The voice you hear can facilitate your rise to Glory or your descent to shame
So please be careful of the people you keep around you. Some add more pressure to the pressure your family, unknowingly.
Thanks for reading. Please like, comment and subscribe😊
Secrets to perpetual impact
1.) Face your front
2.) Camp with God
3.) Choose your company
4.) Be your best
5.) Invest in people
Choose the right company
The company we keep affects who we are because their characters rub off on us. There's an old saying that goes "show me your friend and I will tell you who you are" and this saying is very true because you can't have friends that you spend a lot of time with and not exhibit some of their characters. That is why choosing the right company matters. So my pastor, Dr. Pastor Paul Enenche preached on this topic and I'll be sharing with you some of the things he preached about.
Who is your company?
The one that has the right Spiritual mentality as you
The one that has a similar passion and mission as you
The one that has similar character content and quality principles of living as you
The one that you agree on most things in life with
The one who is genuinely interested in your life
Be mindful of the following to ensure you have a solid destiny
Who you spend your time with: this is really important because a lot of people have wasted valuable time because they spent it with the wrong people
Who you give your ears to: it's not everyone you can take an advice from so that's why you need good friends to give you good advices when you need it
Who you take your steps after: this should be someone who you share the same dreams with and someone whose position is your destination
Who you Share your dreams and visions with: it is not everyone you can share your dreams with because it's not everyone that's happy that you've got a bright future; some 'friends' may try to bring you down making sure those dreams don't get actualized
Who you give you heart to: some people have given their hearts to the wrong people and they're seeing the repercussions so please be careful of this.
Thanks for reading and please do well to like, comment and subscribe, thank you😊
Maintaining a clear conscience that is void of offence before God and man is really important. A healthy conscience is a significant of a healthy; a conscience that disturbs you when you've done something wrong is shows you're conscience os alive and kicking.
So please always maintain a clear conscience by trying not to repeat such mistakes.
The death of an icon
Some of you may not have watched any of his movies but I'm sure you've heard the news of his death and how good he was. Chadwick Boseman was an actor and a great media personality. He played the role of the black panther in the movie "Black panther" and killed it. He also acted in other marvel movies like "Avengers infinity war, Avengers civil war" alongside other great movies. One thing that still shocks me is how he was able to play these revolutionary roles while secretly battling colon cancer. He was indeed, a strong man who never let sickness stop him from giving his best and I think that's something we all should learn.
Rest on king, you fought a great fight. Earth may have lost an icon but I'm sure Heaven has gained another rare gem. Once again, rest in peace❤️
How to reduce belly fat
Belly fat is a problem where the centre of the body comes bulging out, disfiguring the shape of the body. It is a subcutaneous fat because this is the kind of fat that causes the belly to bulge out. It can be really unpleasant especially when it comes to ladies that haven't yet had children and it increases health risks so it needs to be gotten rid of. So i will be giving out some tips that if followed regularly, would help get rid of belly fat.
1.) Eat foods that burn belly fat
This is one of the best and most important ways of burning belly fat and there are lot of foods that help in burning belly fats which are both delicious and nutritious and this makes it easier to be consistent.
Water: the importance of water cannot be overemphasized. Drinking water at least 7-8 times a day keeps the body hydrated. It also boosts the metabolism of the body by flushing the toxins in the body out. So take water regularly.
Berries: Avoid taking foods that contain a lot of sugar like candy or deserts and replace them with berries like strawberries, blueberries and cherries. Also avoid taking artificial sweeteners.
Green tea coffee: green tea coffee contains caffeine and EGCG (Epigallocatechin Gallate) which is an antioxidant polyphenol that reduces inflammation, aiding weight loss preventing some chronic diseases. Researchers discovered that taking caffeine and EGCG three times a day can help to burn like 80 calories a day.
Herbs: Regular intake of herbs and spices as well as avoiding the intake of salt help in reducing belly weight. Sodium which is the major component of salt causes water retention on the body so a reduction in taking it will help.
Nuts: taking nuts like peanuts, walnuts and almonds help in burning belly fat.
Lemon juice: taking lemon juice in the morning is one of the best ways of burning belly fat. You can do this by squeezing the lemon juice out in a cup of warm water, adding a dash of salt and little honey.
Black beans: these are leguminous and a very good source of protein and they will help in reducing belly fat. Due to their colour, they are high in flavonoids which reduce the storage of excess belly fat.
2.) Engaging in daily exercise
Exercises such as running, jugging and sit-ups help in burning belly fat. It helps by reducing circulating levels of insulin which will cause the liver to use up fatty acids. The amount of exercise you need depends on your goals for weight loss but it'll be advisable to dedicate maximum time in exercising to see faster and better results.
3.) Lifting weights
This will help to strengthen your muscles which will in turn cause the burning of more calories and losing belly fat.
4.) Avoid eating processed foods
The ingredients in these processed foods contain a lot of trans fats, added salt and sugar which makes losing weight difficult so avoid eating such foods.
I hope you'll consistently do these things as they will go a long way in helping to burn that mass and give back your natural, beautiful figure. Thank you😊
The greatest love of all
Love is patient, love is kind. Love doesn't linger on mutuality, it comes freely. Love lights up life, it's the reason we're all alive. It's the reason my Highly exalted God gave up His son for mankind. It's the reason the son of God chose to be be called the son of man so we could be called children of God. It's the reason the Prince of Peace laid down His life for us(His friends) in such a tortuous manner and that is the greatest love that'll ever exist. Love isn't defined by looks, behaviors; it doesn't care about the good, bad or the ugly. Love is the best feeling to have because it doesn't depend on familiarity, it's ready to help anyone no matter the race, background or physical, mental and financial status.
Love is beautiful and I'll urge us to let love lead, let it fill our lives and everything will surely get better. Let not any day pass without you showing a genuine expression of love to someone, anyone.
First time here though, it's a really short one but I hope you enjoy it. Thank you 😊
Biologics
Biologics can be defined as medical products produced from living organisms or their components. The term "biologics" include a wide variety of medical products like vaccines and antitoxins while biologics drugs include a wide variety of products gotten from humans, animals or microorganisms by using biotechnology.
Biologics consist of natural materials like cells, proteins and tissues gotten from humans, animals or microorganisms. A lot of medical disciplines especially rheumatology and oncology have been greatly transformed because biologics has broken new grounds in offering treatments for previously untreatable conditions. Some experts even predict that half of the prescription drug market will will consist of biologics this year.
Regardless of revolution biologics has offered in the health sector, there still exist problems such as its high cost which is a pending pharmacoeconomic issue. This high cost is an issue because a lot of these drugs are used to treat chronic conditions and it takes a lot of years before cheaper versions of these drugs are released into the market. While conventional medicines have a maximum of five years exclusivity before the cheaper versions come out, these regulations don't exist for biologics. However, biotechnology companies are trying to reach an agreement on a twelve year period of exclusivity to guarantee a return on their investment.
Migraine
Migraine which is defined as a headache of varying intensity, often accompanied by nausea and sentivity to light and sound is one of the most prevalent neurological conditions in the world today. It is characterized by severe and recurrent headaches which is really horrible to experience. The frequency and duration of migraine attacks are variable as they can occur a few times a year or several times in a month and the excruciating pain may last between four hours and three days.
There are various theories on the causes of migraine for example, the vascular theory which suggests that migraines are caused by problems with blood vessels in the brain. Another theory which is widely known holds that migraine is caused by low levels of the neurotransmitter serotonin in the brain.
Treatments such as the Prophylactic drug treatment have helped in preventing the onset of the migraine but was declined due to side effects caused by its intake. Newer drugs called Triptans were produced and they work by reducing the pain information travelling to the brain. Treatments that really help involve avoiding the known migraine triggers like stress, alcohol and diet. The sufferers of migraine need be careful because overdose of the medication can weaken them.
Thanks for reading 😊
A night I'll never forget
Hey y'all so this is my first time posting in this community and I'm not too good a story teller but I'll try my best to tell this story in an detailed and comprehensive way because I kind of witnessed it happen.
A warm and tedious night it sure was. The graduating secondary school students were the only ones in school apart from the teachers who lived there and that was because we were preparing to write our final exams. The school wasn't so lively as a lot of people were not around.
We had just had dinner and left for our various hostels. Everyone in the school but the graduating students thought that night was going to be like any other night but little did they know what was going down that evening. Unknown to them, the girls and boys in my class were planning something really stupid, something that if heard by an "outsider" would totally get us into a whole lot of trouble with the school authorities. The boys were planning to sneak into the girls hostel which you can tell was absolutely prohibited but they were willing to give it a shot and hopefully succeed at the end.
Soon, everything was set, the "lions gate" which was a door that was sealed so tight to prevent entry to the hostel was forced open using some drops of baby oil and a knife. The gutters were cleared and the boys made sure the coast was clear so that there won't be any hindrance to a successful mission and after everything was set, we continued with our normal evening activities as if nothing had been plotted.
The set time reached, and everyone took their positions and the boys successfully entered the hostel. They were having a good time; those that had girlfriends went away with them to do only God knows what and I was single and not searching so I went to friend's room to chill. It was clear that the boys didn't have plans of leaving early and they decided to get too comfortable by making a hell of noise and playing truth or dare which was a fun yet dumb idea. They were so carried away with the game that they never noticed when the hostel's portress heard the masculine voices which could never be mistaken for a tomboy's and quietly left to alert the teachers.
They were still having fun until the teachers entered the hostel and rushed to get them and I'm pretty sure the teachers had been waiting patiently to bust them so jumping over the gate and running speedily to their location was effortless. When the boys finally made sense of what was going on, it was too late but they still managed to escape, at least some of them. Some hid under the empty beds in the hostel while others ran out through the Lions gate unaware of the fact that the security men were quietly waiting for them. Well some where caught while others narrowly escaped and managed to get back to their hostels, freshen up and pretend to sleep like nothing happened.
While these happened, I was in my friend's room whimpering, praying that no one got caught and at the same time thanking God that I was under the radar during the whole drama. The next day, those that were so unlucky to have been caught were expelled from the school while the school authorities did a deep investigation on the events and punishment was neatly served to everyone that took part in the abominable act.
What a sad ending right? But this is actually a "happily ever after story" because at the end, they were forgiven and allowed to attend our graduation ceremony and we graduated together and are living great lives.
Just gave storytelling a try😁😁I know it's not so good but I hope you enjoy the story, thank you 😌😊
@Kincaid
