101 Ways to Be Happy

Do you want to be happy? Of course you do, who doesn't?!  Here are 101 easy ways to achieve a better, happier life!

It's not things that make us happy but our experiences.
Travel can have a profound effect on us by taking us out of our comfort zones and opening our eyes to some of the different places and lives that were unknown to us. It's also just fun!

We're obviously big fans of travel, but what else can make you happy? Read on for 101 ways to change your life for the better:

TRAVEL

1) Travel when you can. Travel can open your eyes to the world and offer a fresh new perspective.

2) Take a weekend trip. If you haven't got the funds for a jaunt to Paris, no matter. Even a weekend or day long break from home can make you happier.

3) Spend time by the ocean. There's nothing like sand between your toes and fresh sea air.

4) Go camping. Commune with nature closer to home—the food will taste better and you'll sleep deeper in the great outdoors.

5) Go skydiving. Face your fears and reap the benefits of this exhilarating extreme sport—you'll be euphoric for weeks.

6) Go stargazing. Find a spot relatively free of unnatural light and marvel at the beauty of the night sky.

7) Sit in front of a beautiful view. Find a spot close by with a nice view that you can visit when you need a break.

WORK

8 ) Make enough money to meet your basic needs. Studies have shown that anything beyond that amount will not necessarily make you happier.

9) Avoid financial hierarchies. For a new job, choose a place where everyone makes a similar amount. People feel better when they feel equal to their co-workers.

10) Find satisfaction in the job you have. Don't expect to find one job that will make you happy—instead focus on the positive aspects of your work instead of blaming a job for your unhappiness.

11) Take initiative at work. You'll gain professional respect, self-fulfillment and feel more in control in the workplace.

12) Keep plants in your workspace. The LA Times found that employees who decorate their office space are more satisfied with their jobs.

13) Bake cookies and bring them to work. You'll enjoy the baking and making your co-workers happy.

HEALTH

14) Get enough sleep. Sleeping for 8 hours per night can elevate your mood and better prepare you to greet the day.

15) Take vitamin C. Keeping your immune system happy will keep you happy.

16) Laugh out loud. Laughing releases endorphins and lowers levels of stress hormones.

17) Cook with more garlic. Garlic not only adds delicious flavor to meals, it also keeps blood pressure down to keep you relaxed and healthy.

18) Get more fresh air. Fresh air is invigorating and alters the levels of serotonin in your brain—the stuff that makes you happy!

19) Eat more foods with tryptophan. It has an amino acid needed to make serotonin, the chemicals that make you happy. Try more bananas, dairy products and poultry.

20) Work out. Exercising can not only make you feel better about yourself, it also releases endorphins in your body to give you a natural high.

21) Eat chocolate. Besides releasing endorphins and stimulating serotonin production in your brain, chocolate releases phenylethylamine, the chemical that causes feelings of love.

22) Meditate. According to the Dalai Lama as well as several medical studies, meditation not only decreases stress, but also triggers a neurological response that makes you happy.

23) Do yoga. Learning to control your breathing through yoga practice helps you control your responses to stress and fear.

24) Get a massage. Besides its relaxing properties, the touch involved in massage creates warmth in your body and releases the chemical oxytocin—also known as the cuddle hormone.

25) Eat chickpeas (or other beans). Chickpeas have an amino acid that makes you happy, and beans keep your sugar levels steady throughout the day.

26) Have sex. Numerous studies show that a healthy sexual intimacy with a caring partner can have tremendous physical and emotional benefits.

27) Install more windows in your house. Getting enough exposure to the sun has been proven to be crucial to happiness and well-being.

28) Put full-spectrum lights in your home or office. If you live in a wintry climate that doesn't get much sun, you can replicate the effect with light bulbs that mimic the sun's rays.

29) Drink coffee. Studies in Brazil showed that people who drink coffee every day are less likely to suffer from depression. Coffee is the world's most popular mood-enhancing drug, but remember to drink in moderation

30) Eat more spinach. Popeye's favorite green is packed with folic acid, an important vitamin that boosts serotonin production.

31) Eat foods high in Omega-3 fatty acids. Certain kinds of fish like salmon or sardines have Omega-3, which is known to elevate mood levels—high doses are even used to treat depression.

32) Eat more colorful fruits and vegetables. They contain antioxidants which help remove toxins from our bodies that cause stress and aging.

33) Put some strawberries in your breakfast. The smell of strawberries is known to invigorate and energize.

34) Drink hot mint tea. The scent of fresh mint is energizing and the steam will perk you up.

ATTITUDE

35) Smile. It takes fewer muscles to smile than it does to frown.

36) Make a grateful list. Focus on all the great things in your life to enhance feelings of joy and attract more good things.

37) Break outside your comfort zone. Being comfortable doesn't make you happy—challenging yourself does.

38) Follow your gut. Most of the time your first instinct is not only correct, but the best choice.

39) Don't regret your decisions. If it turns out you were wrong, don't waste time worrying about it, instead make the next best decision and move forward.

40) Accept that you can't be happy all the time. Focus on being content and the truly happiness will be all that much sweeter.

41) Try to see from others' perspectives. Much of our unhappiness comes from our frustration with other people not understanding us. Try to imagine how they see the world and the frustration will ease.

42) Let the little things go. There's no sense in wasting your energy and inhibiting your happiness by worrying about things you can't change.

43) Make the decision to be happy. Happiness is an attitude, not a physical state.

44) Don't take things personally. So often, anger and frustration directed at us is a result of someone else's misplaced stress. Recognize that it's not necessarily about you and you'll remain calmer and happier.

45) Savor the small moments. People who take longer to enjoy small moments and then reflect on them later in the day show significant increases in happiness.

46) Avoid comparing yourself to others. It's damaging to self-esteem—focus on your own achievements.

47) Make meaningful goals. Harvard scientists say humans need a sense of purpose to thrive and that people with dreams and aspirations are happier than those without.

48) Embrace spirituality. Research suggests that people who participate in a religious community or explore alternate sets of beliefs are happier and better adjusted in life.

49) Have a good cry when you need it. Allowing yourself to break down completely is cathartic and you'll feel better after you let it all out.

50) Learn to forgive yourself. Focusing on your past mistakes serves no purpose besides keeping you from moving on.

51) Maintain perspective. When life starts to feel out of control, remind yourself of the positive things in your life and how lucky you are.

52) Define what happiness means for you. Don't worry about what other people define as happy, find what makes you happy and go for it.

RELATIONSHIPS

53) Stay close to friends and family. Moving far away from networks of support can take a toll on your level of happiness—even if you have moved in order to make more money.

54) Get a dog. The studies showing the positive effects man's best friend can have on your psyche are numerous: better emotional and physical health and a wagging tail.

55) Give more hugs. Hugging releases the same chemical as massage and is always free!

56) Make time for your friends. Personal connections are so important and making even a little time to be with people who make you smile can keep you happy.

57) Make new friends. Meeting other people is exciting and finding a new person with whom to connect can only enhance your fulfillment.

58) Write thank-you notes. Expressing gratitude makes you and the recipient happy.

59) Call your mom. Or your dad, or your grandma or anyone you haven't talked to in a while and surprise them with a chat.

60) Get a cat. If you're not a dog person, cats make wonderful, loving, stress-reducing housemates and bed-warmers.

61) Cuddle up with someone you love. Enjoy time with your kids or your partner for instant happiness.

62) Babysit for a friend. Being around children's infectious optimism is sure to boost your mood.

63) Hold a baby. They're cute and cuddly and without a care in the world—you'll feel instantly uplifted.

ACTIVITIES

64) De-clutter. A clean home is a clean mind, and you'll feel better in an orderly environment.

65) Donate to charity. Giving to those less fortunate than you will make you appreciate what you have.

66) Rent a comedy. Take an hour and a half out of your day for pure laughing entertainment and you'll feel instantly boosted.

67) Watch kittehroulette.com. If watching nonstop videos of playful kittens doesn't lift your spirits, nothing will.

68) Take a nap. A quick power nap, especially on a sunny afternoon, is luxurious and will help you make it through the day.

69) Change one thing in your daily routine. You'll stave off boredom and might discover something new that delights you.

70) Take a walk. Taking a quick walk, even just around the block can clear your mind and raise your mood.

71) Surround yourself with smells that make you happy. Smell is a much overlooked sense that greatly affects our mood—try a coconut shampoo that reminds you of a vacation or bake cookies that remind you of childhood.

72) Listen to upbeat music. Even just a few minutes of a hip-shaking tune gets your blood flowing and makes you feel more positive.

73) Set your alarm early on a day you know you get to sleep in. When you wake up you'll get the pleasure of realizing that you don't have to get out of bed—then rolling over for some more satisfying zzz's.

74) Paint a room in your house yellow. Looking at the color yellow has been proven to improve moods.

75) Make a home cooked-meal. You'll get not only tasty food, but the pride of having made it yourself.

76) Dress up for no reason. Putting on clothes that make you feel good increases your self-esteem and your mood.

77) Add some soft blue to your bedroom. Light blue has been shown to be the most calming color and can set the mood for a restful night's sleep—essential to a positive attitude.

78) Do something you loved as a kid. Riding a roller-coaster or going sledding can help you connect to your inner child and remember simple thrills.

79) Wear red. Red can make us feel confident, powerful and strong.

80) Splash on some perfume/aftershave. Studies show that floral scents can make you happier.

81) Volunteer your time. Selfless acts and helping others is a fast route to genuine contentment.

82) Decorate your home for the holidays. Preparing for holiday celebrations is always fun and a great excuse to invite friends and family over.

83) Take time for yourself. Go to a movie, or a museum or a walk around town by yourself to re-connect.

84) Perform random acts of kindness. Hold open a door for a stranger or leave some money in the vending machine, for no other reason than doing something nice for your fellow man.

85) Send snail-mail. Rediscover the pleasure of old-fashioned communication.

86) Make time to curl up with a good book. It can be either a thought-provoking tome or a guilty pleasure.

87) Invest in fancy bedding. Be cozy and happy drifting to sleep and wake up to a happy morning.

88) Go bowling with friends. Throw back to your younger years, and bonus points for matching shirts.

89) Dance. Alone or at a club, dancing is fun and stress-releasing.

90) Pay off your credit card debt. Debt can be a major source of stress and you'll feel great when you eliminate it from your life.

91) Clean the house. Even if you don't like cleaning, a clean home can drastically improve your attitude.

92) Volunteer at a local animal shelter. You'll get the pleasure of knowing you're lending your time and brightening the day of some furry friends.

93) Find a hobby. Painting, singing, tai chi—it doesn't matter as long as you have an outlet to express yourself.

94) Turn off your phone for a day. Let people know in advance that you are taking a personal day and can only be reached in case of emergency. Savor the silence.

95) Sing in the shower. It doesn't matter what you sing, just make sure you belt it as loud as possible.

96) Stash some money in a secret place so you can discover it later. Pick a spot you're likely to forget so you get a thrill weeks or months later when you stumble on it.

97) Enjoy a guilty pleasure TV show. Make some popcorn and banish the guilt—we all need a cheesy escape sometimes.

98) Go for a walk or jog in the rain. The high produced by exercise will be heightened by the cool rain on your face.

99) Enjoy a cold beer or chilled wine on a hot day. Need I say more?

100) Go to hear live music. Hearing music live puts you in the moment in a way an iPod can't.

And finally 101, Share with others! Tell us what makes you happy—the places you've been or the things you've done–we can all learn from each other!

By Mara / Source: TripBaseBlog

Why do babies cry when they are born?

For an expectant mother, nothing beats the sound of her baby’s first cry. Nine months of carrying her inside her womb and after enduring hours of excruciating labour, finally her baby is out into the world. For most babies, the first thing that they will do when they’re out is cry. But there are other babies who would first glance at his surroundings then cry after a few minutes.

So why do babies cry when they’re born? So far, there are still no concrete facts as to why babies do this instead there are a lot of theories which somehow explains why babies react like this. Babies cry because of the trauma that they felt during childbirth. According to recent studies, babies can feel the pain of the mother during childbirth so just imagine how scared and traumatized the babies feel during this moment. In fact, it is exhausting for the baby, which is why after the first few minutes of life, babies have the tendency to sleep for the next eight hours or more.

Change in temperature can also be another reason why babies cry. Try to picture yourself being pushed out of the place where you first grew in, from the warm uterus to the cold hospital room. Now that’s scary isn’t it? Inside the womb, the baby is surrounded with fluid which makes the baby feel like ‘floating’ but because of the gravity outside the womb, the baby feels like its falling which is another reason why it cries. Another reason is because it is the first time the baby uses its lungs to breathe air and this action is painful for the baby at first hence they cry. Crying is a good way to inhale oxygen into his or her lungs and it is also a good sign that the baby is okay and responsive. In conclusion, we can never really tell why a baby cries when he or she is being born. Unless a real newborn baby talks, we can only rely on theories.

Source: Leonard Okachie, National Mirrow, 15/12/11

9 Things Successful People Do Differently

Why have you been so successful in reaching some of your goals, but not others? If you aren't sure, you are far from alone in your confusion.

It turns out that even brilliant, highly accomplished people are pretty lousy when it comes to understanding why they succeed or fail.

The intuitive answer -- that you are born predisposed to certain talents and lacking in others -- is really just one small piece of the puzzle. In fact, decades of research on achievement suggests that successful people reach their goals not simply because of who they are, but more often because of what they do.

9 Steps to Achieving Your Goals

1. Get specific. When you set yourself a goal, try to be as specific as possible. "Lose 5 pounds" is a better goal than "lose some weight," because it gives you a clear idea of what success looks like. Knowing exactly what you want to achieve keeps you motivated until you get there.

Also, think about the specific actions that need to be taken to reach your goal. Just promising you'll "eat less" or "sleep more" is too vague -- be clear and precise. "I'll be in bed by 10pm on weeknights" leaves no room for doubt about what you need to do, and whether or not you've actually done it. 

2. Seize the moment to act on your goals. Given how busy most of us are, and how many goals we are juggling at once, it's not surprising that we routinely miss opportunities to act on a goal because we simply fail to notice them. Did you really have no time to work out today? No chance at any point to return that phone call? Achieving your goal means grabbing hold of these opportunities before they slip through your fingers.

To seize the moment, decide when and where you will take each action you want to take, in advance. Again, be as specific as possible (e.g., "If it's Monday, Wednesday, or Friday, I'll work out for 30 minutes before work.") Studies show that this kind of planning will help your brain to detect and seize the opportunity when it arises, increasing your chances of success by roughly 300%.

3. Know exactly how far you have left to go. Achieving any goal also requires honest and regular monitoring of your progress -- if not by others, then by you yourself. If you don't know how well you are doing, you can't adjust your behavior or your strategies accordingly. Check your progress frequently -- weekly, or even daily, depending on the goal.

4. Be a realistic optimist. When you are setting a goal, by all means engage in lots of positive thinking about how likely you are to achieve it. Believing in your ability to succeed is enormously helpful for creating and sustaining your motivation.

But whatever you do, don't underestimate how difficult it will be to reach your goal. Most goals worth achieving require time, planning, effort, and persistence. Studies show that thinking things will come to you easily and effortlessly leaves you ill-prepared for the journey ahead, and significantly increases the odds of failure.

5. Focus on getting better, rather than being good. Believing you have the ability to reach your goals is important, but so is believing you can get the ability. Many of us believe that our intelligence, our personality, and our physical aptitudes are fixed -- that no matter what we do, we won't improve. As a result, we focus on goals that are all about proving ourselves, rather than developing and acquiring new skills.

Fortunately, decades of research suggest that the belief in fixed ability is completely wrong -- abilities of all kinds are profoundly malleable. Embracing the fact that you can change will allow you to make better choices, and reach your fullest potential. People whose goals are about getting better, rather than being good, take difficulty in stride, and appreciate the journey as much as the destination.

6. Have grit. Grit is a willingness to commit to long-term goals, and to persist in the face of difficulty. Studies show that gritty people obtain more education in their lifetime, and earn higher college GPAs. Grit predicts which cadets will stick out their first grueling year at West Point. In fact, grit even predicts which round contestants will make it to at the Scripps National Spelling Bee.

The good news is, if you aren't particularly gritty now, there is something you can do about it. People who lack grit more often than not believe that they just don't have the innate abilities successful people have. If that describes your own thinking... well, there's no way to put this nicely: you are wrong. As I mentioned earlier, effort, planning, persistence, and good strategies are what it really takes to succeed. Embracing this knowledge will not only help you see yourself and your goals more accurately, but also do wonders for your grit.

7. Build your willpower muscle. Your self-control "muscle" is just like the other muscles in your body -- when it doesn't get much exercise, it becomes weaker over time. But when you give it regular workouts by putting it to good use, it will grow stronger and stronger, and better able to help you successfully reach your goals.

To build willpower, take on a challenge that requires you to do something you'd honestly rather not do. Give up high-fat snacks, do 100 sit-ups a day, stand up straight when you catch yourself slouching, try to learn a new skill. When you find yourself wanting to give in, give up, or just not bother -- don't.

Start with just one activity, and make a plan for how you will deal with troubles when they occur ("If I have a craving for a snack, I will eat one piece of fresh or three pieces of dried fruit.") It will be hard in the beginning, but it will get easier, and that's the whole point. As your strength grows, you can take on more challenges and step-up your self-control workout. 

8. Don't tempt fate. No matter how strong your willpower muscle becomes, it's important to always respect the fact that it is limited, and if you overtax it you will temporarily run out of steam. Don't try to take on two challenging tasks at once, if you can help it (like quitting smoking and dieting at the same time). And don't put yourself in harm's way -- many people are overly-confident in their ability to resist temptation, and as a result they put themselves in situations where temptations abound. Successful people know not to make reaching a goal harder than it already is.

9. Focus on what you will do, not what you won't do. Do you want to successfully lose weight, quit smoking, or put a lid on your bad temper? Then plan how you will replace bad habits with good ones, rather than focusing only on the bad habits themselves. Research on thought suppression (e.g., "Don't think about white bears!") has shown that trying to avoid a thought makes it even more active in your mind. The same holds true when it comes to behavior -- by trying not to engage in a bad habit, our habits get strengthened rather than broken. 

If you want change your ways, ask yourself, What will I do instead? For example, if you are trying to gain control of your temper and stop flying off the handle, you might make a plan like "If I am starting to feel angry, then I will take three deep breaths to calm down." By using deep breathing as a replacement for giving in to your anger, your bad habit will get worn away over time until it disappears completely.

It is my hope that, after reading about the nine things successful people do differently, you have gained some insight into all the things you have been doing right all along. Even more important, I hope are able to identify the mistakes that have derailed you, and use that knowledge to your advantage from now on. 

Remember, you don't need to become a different person to become a more successful one. It's never what you are, but what you do.

By Heidi Grant Halvorson
Source: Harvard Business Review

9 Things Successful People Do Differently

Why have you been so successful in reaching some of your goals, but not others? If you aren't sure, you are far from alone in your confusion.

It turns out that even brilliant, highly accomplished people are pretty lousy when it comes to understanding why they succeed or fail.

The intuitive answer -- that you are born predisposed to certain talents and lacking in others -- is really just one small piece of the puzzle. In fact, decades of research on achievement suggests that successful people reach their goals not simply because of who they are, but more often because of what they do.

9 Steps to Achieving Your Goals

1. Get specific. When you set yourself a goal, try to be as specific as possible. "Lose 5 pounds" is a better goal than "lose some weight," because it gives you a clear idea of what success looks like. Knowing exactly what you want to achieve keeps you motivated until you get there.

Also, think about the specific actions that need to be taken to reach your goal. Just promising you'll "eat less" or "sleep more" is too vague -- be clear and precise. "I'll be in bed by 10pm on weeknights" leaves no room for doubt about what you need to do, and whether or not you've actually done it. 

2. Seize the moment to act on your goals. Given how busy most of us are, and how many goals we are juggling at once, it's not surprising that we routinely miss opportunities to act on a goal because we simply fail to notice them. Did you really have no time to work out today? No chance at any point to return that phone call? Achieving your goal means grabbing hold of these opportunities before they slip through your fingers.

To seize the moment, decide when and where you will take each action you want to take, in advance. Again, be as specific as possible (e.g., "If it's Monday, Wednesday, or Friday, I'll work out for 30 minutes before work.") Studies show that this kind of planning will help your brain to detect and seize the opportunity when it arises, increasing your chances of success by roughly 300%.

3. Know exactly how far you have left to go. Achieving any goal also requires honest and regular monitoring of your progress -- if not by others, then by you yourself. If you don't know how well you are doing, you can't adjust your behavior or your strategies accordingly. Check your progress frequently -- weekly, or even daily, depending on the goal.

4. Be a realistic optimist. When you are setting a goal, by all means engage in lots of positive thinking about how likely you are to achieve it. Believing in your ability to succeed is enormously helpful for creating and sustaining your motivation.

But whatever you do, don't underestimate how difficult it will be to reach your goal. Most goals worth achieving require time, planning, effort, and persistence. Studies show that thinking things will come to you easily and effortlessly leaves you ill-prepared for the journey ahead, and significantly increases the odds of failure.

5. Focus on getting better, rather than being good. Believing you have the ability to reach your goals is important, but so is believing you can get the ability. Many of us believe that our intelligence, our personality, and our physical aptitudes are fixed -- that no matter what we do, we won't improve. As a result, we focus on goals that are all about proving ourselves, rather than developing and acquiring new skills.

Fortunately, decades of research suggest that the belief in fixed ability is completely wrong -- abilities of all kinds are profoundly malleable. Embracing the fact that you can change will allow you to make better choices, and reach your fullest potential. People whose goals are about getting better, rather than being good, take difficulty in stride, and appreciate the journey as much as the destination.

6. Have grit. Grit is a willingness to commit to long-term goals, and to persist in the face of difficulty. Studies show that gritty people obtain more education in their lifetime, and earn higher college GPAs. Grit predicts which cadets will stick out their first grueling year at West Point. In fact, grit even predicts which round contestants will make it to at the Scripps National Spelling Bee.

The good news is, if you aren't particularly gritty now, there is something you can do about it. People who lack grit more often than not believe that they just don't have the innate abilities successful people have. If that describes your own thinking... well, there's no way to put this nicely: you are wrong. As I mentioned earlier, effort, planning, persistence, and good strategies are what it really takes to succeed. Embracing this knowledge will not only help you see yourself and your goals more accurately, but also do wonders for your grit.

7. Build your willpower muscle. Your self-control "muscle" is just like the other muscles in your body -- when it doesn't get much exercise, it becomes weaker over time. But when you give it regular workouts by putting it to good use, it will grow stronger and stronger, and better able to help you successfully reach your goals.

To build willpower, take on a challenge that requires you to do something you'd honestly rather not do. Give up high-fat snacks, do 100 sit-ups a day, stand up straight when you catch yourself slouching, try to learn a new skill. When you find yourself wanting to give in, give up, or just not bother -- don't.

Start with just one activity, and make a plan for how you will deal with troubles when they occur ("If I have a craving for a snack, I will eat one piece of fresh or three pieces of dried fruit.") It will be hard in the beginning, but it will get easier, and that's the whole point. As your strength grows, you can take on more challenges and step-up your self-control workout. 

8. Don't tempt fate. No matter how strong your willpower muscle becomes, it's important to always respect the fact that it is limited, and if you overtax it you will temporarily run out of steam. Don't try to take on two challenging tasks at once, if you can help it (like quitting smoking and dieting at the same time). And don't put yourself in harm's way -- many people are overly-confident in their ability to resist temptation, and as a result they put themselves in situations where temptations abound. Successful people know not to make reaching a goal harder than it already is.

9. Focus on what you will do, not what you won't do. Do you want to successfully lose weight, quit smoking, or put a lid on your bad temper? Then plan how you will replace bad habits with good ones, rather than focusing only on the bad habits themselves. Research on thought suppression (e.g., "Don't think about white bears!") has shown that trying to avoid a thought makes it even more active in your mind. The same holds true when it comes to behavior -- by trying not to engage in a bad habit, our habits get strengthened rather than broken. 

If you want change your ways, ask yourself, What will I do instead? For example, if you are trying to gain control of your temper and stop flying off the handle, you might make a plan like "If I am starting to feel angry, then I will take three deep breaths to calm down." By using deep breathing as a replacement for giving in to your anger, your bad habit will get worn away over time until it disappears completely.

It is my hope that, after reading about the nine things successful people do differently, you have gained some insight into all the things you have been doing right all along. Even more important, I hope are able to identify the mistakes that have derailed you, and use that knowledge to your advantage from now on. 

Remember, you don't need to become a different person to become a more successful one. It's never what you are, but what you do.

By Heidi Grant Halvorson
Source: Harvard Business Review

Sex is good for your health, says gynaecologist

 Dr. Eze

Good and regular marital sex can help you live a longer and happier life. According to Dr Stella Eze, a gynaecologist with a Lagosbased private hospital, MAY Hospital, Ilasa, good sex not only promotes longevity but also keeps diseases such as the deadly breast cancer away. In an interview with IMOH ESSIEN, Dr. Eze describes sex, particularly between married couples as beautiful and specially designed by God and nature to keep people in good shape all year round. Here are some of the benefits of sex as listed by Dr. Eze:

Sex can cure headaches
Some of the health benefits of sex are its ability to act as a pain reliever. The hormone oxytocin (a nine amino acid peptide that is synthesized in hypothalamic neurons and transported down axons of the posterior pituitary for secretion into blood) secretes within your body whenever you engage in sexual activity. Because of this secretion, endorphins (hormone-like chemicals that bear a close functional resemblance to morphine) are released. When a person is aroused or excited, oxytocin levels not only begin to increase, they are the reason that orgasms come about. Studies have shown that a rise in oxytocin levels can relieve pain; everything from headaches, cramps and overall body aches can be diminished with a simple roll in the hay.

Sex reduces stress and aids sleep 
A recent survey revealed that people who have more sex reported that they felt more at ease, happier and learned how to handle stress better. After an orgasm, an intense wave of calm and relaxation overcomes humans (that’s why men usually fall asleep) and it’s a time when people can truly liberate themselves and let go. Plenty of people who enjoy a regular dose of sex convey that they sleep much better during the night and feel alive and refreshed throughout the day. So, one of the health benefits of sex is a better night’s sleep, which allows you to handle day-to-day stress much more efficiently.

Sex increases sufficient blood flow 
It goes without saying that when we get aroused our blood starts to pump at a quicker rate and, thus, blood flow to our brain increases. Both an increased heart rate and more blood pumping through the brain result in better performance (in and out of the bedroom). What this ultimately means is that the fresh supply of blood pumping through your body provides the organs with a healthy dose of oxygen and rids the body of old and wasteful products. So, another health benefit of sex is a cleansed system. Treat your temple right with the help of a little excitement.

Regular marital sex improves Fountain of youth
Although the orgasm is sometimes referred to as the “little death,” having at least two orgasms a week can increase your life span. Every time you reach orgasm, the hormone DHEA (Dehydroepiandrosterone) increases in response to sexual excitement and ejaculation. DHEA can boost your immune system, repair tissue, improve cognition, keep skin healthy, and even work as an antidepressant. Therefore, a health benefit of sex if you keep the orgasms coming is potentially a longer life. It’s quite evident that there are many health benefits of sex. It increases brain power, heart rate, it can help fend off diseases and ailments, and it makes individuals feel good about themselves. In today’s stressful society, it has become a little more difficult to engage in intimate sexuality as often, but as long as you incessantly make the effort, you’ll realize that it’s always worth it. The health benefits of sex will make you feel wonderful within and without and you will gradually notice that the more sex you have, the more bounce you will have in each step. Happiness isn’t sex itself, but sex does ultimately play a role in human happiness.

Culled from National Mirror Newspaper, 30/11/11.

Homosexuals or less than Homo sapiens!

AN Omniscient Creator never intended it so. Nothing can be more unnatural. Nothing can be more irksome to nature. Homo sapiens know it is bestial. And only demons could sponsor it; only their apparent viceroys among men (like the David Camerons of this depraved world) could sell it; and only persons who devils have first married themselves to could buy and consume it.

It is roundly satanic, one of the peaks of Satanism. Get there and you move from being Homo sapiens to a form of being only cursed principalities really can define! They call it civilization, we name it gross depravity. Of course, they shared our lens way back when they were truly civilized, but now, since they elected to do this walk into the woods things have fallen apart in the West and America, and we can only wish that the already very shaky centre holds because nothing draws down God’s wrath quicker.

And Satan, the arch-enemy of God and man, who knows this well enough sponsors this grossly disgusting degeneracy so that blinded, and so blind folks, groups and nations caught in the web could attract just that wrath.

Sodomy: Homosexuality and lesbianism is being less human; it is even being less than lower animals! Gayness does not only sift you from Homo sapiens and drop you to the level of beasts, it actually lowers you deeper. After all, beasts of the same sex don’t copulate or even pretend to. But gays are even now ‘marrying’!

Sodomy at its unthinkably silliest level! All gays need pedagogic lessons from lower beasts. They need some lessons from the world of lions and the life in their pride. As threatening and brutal as this animal is, a male makes no passes or love gestures to the female. Their cubs grow up to see this divine pattern and they naturally stay within divine place. Watch their pride if you will. And as indiscriminate as a dog may seem in this matter, it knows the divine divide. Even the lizard may do it to public glare, and it is natural; but it knows the divine divide.

Copulation: All does! The lesser creatures are staying within their estate (i.e. only with the opposite sex), yet among humans you now have words like homosexual, lesbian; words evidently from the pit of hell. And then now: Same-sex marriage! Homosexuality, lesbianism, gayness and same-sex marriage are all madness. The beasts and them: who are sanest then? You cannot represent grossly appalling matter enough.

This is Satan’s extension of what he did with a set of the fallen angels and daughters of men to pollute God’s world that eventually led to God’s destruction of the world by flood. So-called gay rights and illusionary same-sex marriage: In sodomy, he (Satan) merely alters strategy by letting demonized people go to their same sex to do what God called abominable.

The moment men live their estate it is only a matter of time before God reacts. In Jude 1:6-7 we read: “And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day. Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire”.

Of what these fallen angels did or of how they married daughters of men and so didn’t keep their first estate but crossed the divine divide of nature we find in Genesis 6: 1-8; and that ushered in Noah or the antediluvian flood. And those sets of fallen angels (referred to there as ‘sons of God’) are “reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day”. They and Sodom and Gomorrah are lessons enough. You only cross the divine divide to your peril. America’s dwindling fortunes should better lead it now to repentance before it is too late.

The other day a Nigerian and so-called lesbian, apparently schooled in the now demonized culture of the West and or America was weeping pleading their case before the Nigerian parliament where supposed human beings have lodged a pro-gay bill. As a human being I was lost as to why another supposed human being should cry in a matter such as this. Who gave her those tears? Were they human tears?

Were they tears from the spirit-world to work on or manipulate those legislators? She cried! I am amazed. Satan is truly working.

About the same time David Cameron, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, had the temerity and effrontery to threaten to cut off aid to Ghana if Ghana do not legalize homosexuality. That would have been even unbelievable in the Stone Age. But the leader of a leading nation said that in this century.

That was reckless confidence that must attract the ire of all Africa. He couldn’t have said that alone though. An unseen satanic principality may have pumped him from inside, jacked his jaws open and gave him those words to empty on Africa. Cameron must have shameless nerves. And Atta Mills came pointedly: “I as President will never initiate or support any attempt to legalize homosexuality in Ghana”.

Therefore Cameron, he said, should keep his aid. While we rejoice with President John Atta Mills of Ghana for rubbishing Cameron we do hope that African leaders will now begin to govern us well. My country Nigeria, for instance, if well governed in 20 years can begin to give aid to Britain.

We have more than enough resources to do that. See why they frustrated Obafemi Awolowo from ever mounting the saddle of governance in Nigeria! See why they placed their pawns on us to continue to sap us dry and at the end be giving us their so-called aid! And now because of 90 millionpounds Ghana needed you can see the insult Africa has gotten. David Cameron is today an avowed gay right frontrunner activist.

He also took his assault to Uganda and also got Atta Mills-like rebuff. Thank you Africa!

Culled from the Vanguard Newspaper 22/11/11. by Mr. EFEROVO IGHO, a commentator on national issues, wrote from Warri, Delts State.

Important facts to remember in life

1.Never give up on anybody;miracles happen everyday.

2.Be brave even if your not, pretend to be. No one can tell the difference.

3. Think big thoughts, relish small pleasures.

4. Learn to listen. Oppurtunity sometimes knocks very softly.

5. Never deprive someone of hope, it might be all they have.

6. Strive for excellence, not perfection.

7. Don't waste time greiving over past mistakes. Learn from them and move on.

8. When someone hugs you let them be the first to let go.

9. Never cut what can be untied.

10. Don't expect life to be fair.

11. Remember:Success comes to the one that acts first.

12. Never waste an oppurtunity to tell someone you love them.

13. Remember that nobody makes it alone. Have a greatful heart and be quick to acknowledge those who help you.

14. Never underestimate the power of a kind word or deed.

15. Laugh alot.A good sense of humor cures almost all of life's ills.

16. Don't miss the magic of the moment by focusing on whats to come.

Nigeria At 51 And President Jonathan’s Unfavourable Speech in retrospect

No doubt, Nigeria will be 51 tomorrow. And leaders in the country would be in celebratory mood, believing that Nigeria with over 150 million people has continued to be one country is enough reason to organise a bash.

President Goodluck Jonathan, last Sunday, took a swipe at those who have held tight to the belief that the country was like China, heading for the rocks and very soon, it would broke into pieces.

According to him, whatever plight the country is facing now is just a passing phase which would make it come out stronger and better. At an interdenominational service to herald the celebration of the 51st anniversary of Nigeria’s independence held at the Ecumenical Centre, Abuja, the nation’s capital, which has been under siege of insurgent groups like Boko Haram and Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, MEND, the president under tight security lashed at his critics and those who have continued to cry out over the state of the nation and the impending doom that it would experience with the snail-speed approach of the country’s ruling class to issues that could make the country retain an enviable place among the comity of nations.

“If you listen to some of the things people say or write in papers, some people would want the president to be a lion; some people would want the president to be a troop commander who would crush everybody on sight. Some Nigerians will want the president of this country to be like a lion, a tiger, somebody that acts like a fighter; they will want the president to operate like an army general, to display like kings in the biblical era, like the King of Syria, King of Babylon, Pharaoh of Egypt. Unfortunately, I cannot be one. God knows why I am here.

“Unfortunately, I am not a troop commander. I am not an Army General. Some would want the president to be like David or other warriors in the Bible, unfortunately, I am not one of those.

“The only prayer I need from you is for God to use me to change this country. I don’t need to be like Nebuchadnezzar, David or other great men to change this country. But with your prayer, I can change this nation; we can make the difference. Someone had written in the papers: is Nigeria on auto pilot? I tell them that Nigeria is not on auto pilot. God is in-charge and God will take us to the destination he has destined for us,” he said.

He also reminded his critics that throughout the remaining days of his tenure, he would govern the country his own way and that instead of such fierce criticisms and reeling out of the challenges facing the country, they should rather proffer solutions.

But the president’s comments at an event that was supposed to be meant for the dousing of already frayed nerves because of the victimisation of the citizens of the country as a result of maladministration over the years, has resulted in the people’s blood becoming hot. Many of them have continued to ask the motive behind those comments with some saying President Jonathan’s comments so far have exposed the country to ridicule and shown to the people where it was headed.

“I am not really sure what to make of uncle Jonathan’s Independence Day sermon. Also, I am not sure what the speech writer of that sermon intended to achieve. But I can add that again, Uncle Joe has been made to look and feel flat before the eyes of those he claims to lead. It takes a fool not to realise the enormity of the problems confronting us as a nation (are we really one?).

“It equally takes an idiot not to realise that situations such as the ones we are in requires a leader with a lion’s claws and energy, a Goliath and David’s hearts combined, an astute statesman and fighter to confront them. The country has never been so divided, so porous and so dangerous to live in. It is an act of stupidity for the writer of that speech not to realise that it will take more than a good man to fight the biggest problem that we have in Nigeria: corruption,” an analyst, Jones-Nduka Chris Odiaka lamented.

Reeling out some problems as usual, he said two years into the so called amnesty, the Niger Delta region is still not developed, the industries have not sprung up as promised; the riverine areas have not been opened up. Instead, what the country has is a situation where some half-baked illiterates and indeed knuckle-headed illiterates who learnt to shoot are taking salaries that run into millions on monthly basis.

“While the majority are left in even more pains as a result of the oil spillages destroying their lands and means of livelihood, gas is still being flared, bunkering is at its highest level so much so that Shell (SPDC) is almost closing down or at least has shut down some areas of operation. While other world leaders are looking up to their citizens to work and make the country work, uncle Jonathan is depending on God and asking us to pray even more. God does not operate in that manner. As the Christians will say, “God helps those who help themselves.

“Uncle Jonathan has not done enough to be lifted by God. If anything, he has not done anything except curtail Patience, his wife, from showing off her ignorance in most places she goes to. As they say, a people get the leadership they deserve. Maybe we deserve Uncle Jonathan after all; at a time that Nigerians had the opportunity to stop Jonathan from running for the Presidency, they allowed infatuation and wrong reasoning to take over.

“Outside the Presidency, all other key positions are occupied by northerners; from the Vice President, to the Senate President to Speaker of the House, the Chief Justice of the Federation and Head of the Supreme Court of Nigeria. With his slow pace of work, it is obvious that Uncle Jonathan did not intend to run. Appearing as a man with no mind of his own, the hawks have taken over and are dictating how state affairs are managed. We can only but hope that Uncle Jonathan will get a knock on the head from his God such that he will say ‘enough is enough’ and do the needful.

“The number of jobless young men patrolling the streets of Nigeria runs into millions. So many ladies will never experience the joy of wife-hood because those to marry them are still living with their parents. Uncle Jonathan should ask for that divine intervention to rule as David did, the wisdom of Solomon, the brutality of Rawlings, directed at you know who, and a humane heart to know that millions are in pains.”

Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, the former Minister of Tourism & Culture and later Aviation Minister, in his analysis, further broke down the comment by the president for the ordinary man on the street and maybe to remind him that he had goofed.

According to him, the comment contains deep and instructive words “yet I do wonder whether Mr. President understands the spiritual and practical implications of what he is saying. If he says that he ”is not a David” how can he then possibly slay the ”Goliaths in the land?” If he says that he ”is not a general” how can he be an effective Commander-in-Chief who commands the respect and confidence of his army and his officers?

“If he says that he ”is not a lion” how can he overwhelm the animals in our jungle that seek to destroy and ravage our land? The lion is a noble and courageous animal that defends it’s pride and family and protects it’s own. That is why it is known as the ”king of the jungle” and that is why our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Himself is known as the ”Lion of the Tribe of Judah”.

“Every king worth his salt must have the spirit of the lion and the warrior in him to a certain extent. It is a fundamental pre-qualification for good quality and inspirational leadership and that is what distinguishes the pretender and the usurper from a real king. May the spirit and weakness of Ahab not be our President’s portion even though his words seem to have ensnared him.”

Continuing, he said history proves that weak kings and weak leaders always pull down and destroy great empires and strong kingdoms. He urged the president to find out about the Roman Empire under Nero, Claudius or Caligula. “If you still have any doubts after that then read up on Russian history or watch an excellent old film called ”Nicholas and Alexander” about Tsar Nicholas the 1st, the last Tsar of Russia and how his strong-willed wife and his consistent display of weakness shamed and brought down imperial Russia, destroyed the 300-yea-old royal dynasty of the Romanovs, led directly to the First World War (which in turn led to the Second World War and then later the Cold War), caused the communist revolution, led to the Russian civil war, resulted in the murder of his whole family and ended in the establishment and creation of the most evil and godless empire that has ever ruled half of the world- the cold and all-powerful Soviet empire,” he lectured further.

The Director of Studies of the European Centre for Advanced Studies, Cambridge , UK. Dr Anthony A Kila, in a fear-laden article recently said there is a worrisome disconnect between the state of affairs in the country and the attitude of those in charge of such affairs that needs to be pondered upon. And against the claim that other world leaders are favourably disposed to the Nigerian government, he said residents within Nigeria and her citizens as well as observers beyond the shores of the country are familiar with the need it has for basic services such as stable electricity, good roads, efficient healthcare and functional schools worthy of such description.

“Unemployment and insecurity of lives and properties must be added to this long sad list of needs and we have had various opportunities in the classrooms, living rooms and board rooms to point out that unemployment and issues with security are very closely linked to the lack of those basic service earlier mentioned. I know more than a few respected development experts that will strongly argue that unemployment and threat to security are direct results of lack of basic services such as stable electricity, good road, efficient healthcare, functional schools.

“Just in case Mr President is far from the grapevine, I have some information for him: the word on the street is that Goodluck is not looking so lucky anymore more and the fear is that his goodluck seems to be personal only to him not for the country.

“Beyond and above the belief in good luck and the fear of the end of the world, the simple reality is that as things stand today this state is shaky. The problems some are witnessing and many are enduring is a result of continuous neglect of maintenance and lack of good management of public affairs, it is a culmination of incompetent and uncaring actions by people devoid of a strong vision and the will to serve their communities for a greater good and with a sense of national purpose.

“Whilst we cannot objectively hold responsible the present administrations, from the local councillors, to local and national legislators up to the presidency, for all the woes betiding the country, I personally accuse them of lacking to posses and to demonstrate the fierce urgency of now, necessary to deal with the grave challenges the country is facing,” Dr. Kila said adding that official reports show that most of those in power neither understand nor feel that we have an emergency here in our hands. They seem not to know that as things stand today, Nigeria is high up in the list of states likely to fail.

“By the way, the country is high on that list not because someone hates her or one professor says so, it is high on that sombre list because violence is erupting predominantly within societies in which the state and the federal government seems to be losing its monopoly on the use of force to warlords, organised crime, and armed rebellions. The country is high on the list because Nigeria seems incapable to sustain essential public services, provide for the public welfare and promote equitable economic growth. The government does not appear capable of maintaining domestic tranquillity and there are serious doubts in some quarters about the country’s ability to provide for the common defence,” he continued.

Again, Fani-Kayode, in his characteristic manner of analysing issues, believes the problem of Nigeria started in 1914 with the amalgamation of the northern and southern protectorates, saying that action by the British was the landmine with the intention to ensure that the country’s unity failed.

“This is not only true but it is not even peculiar to Nigeria. As a matter of fact of the three major artificial amalgamations that the British colonialists established and forged into one nation only Nigeria still remains together as one country and from all indications it may not remain that way into the distant future,” he noted.

He said the other two were the Sudan (which has now broken into the two countries of Southern and Northern Sudan) and India (which broke into the three countries of India, Pakistan and Bangladesh not too long after independence). Both of them experienced brutal and prolonged civil wars and periods of ethnic and religious tensions and strife before they finally agreed to split up, dissolve the forced marriage and go their separate ways.

Other countries which witnessed such forced marriages, according to him, include Malaysia (which immediately after independence broke into the two separate countries of Singapore and Malaysia), Indonesia (which later broke up into the two countries of Indonesia and East Timor), Czeckoslovakia (which later broke up into the two countries of the Czeck and Slovak republics), Yugoslavia (which later broke up into the five countries of Serbia, Croatia, Kosovo, Monte Negro and Bosnia- Herzogovina), The Soviet Union (which later broke up into dozens of separate countries).

Despite this long years of being together, Fani-Kayode’s fear is that if nothing is done to curb the present tension, the country’s unity will not last. But Jonathan insists he will rule the country his own way.

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Culled from pmnews September 30, 2011,