RELEVANCE OF CHRISTMAS: THE CHRISTIAN PERSPECTIVE

Christmas is the celebration of the nativity (birth) of Christ, with the 25^th day of December set aside for its commemoration by Christians around the world. Behind the august celebration lies controversy among Christians as to the actuality of the day and the very essence of its observation.

The act of commemoration and observation of days such as independence, ceremonies, festivals et cetera is not alien to human societies. In such days, history is visited and retold to posterity which helps in the transfer and preservation of values, norms, ideas, cultures, events, etcetera. To have such peculiar to the Christian faith calls for sincere acknowledgment of its relevance and significance rather than throwing caution into the air in attempt to  displace such an introspective and benevolent day in the history of mankind.

            Since the disobedience of the first couple (Adam and Eve) in the beautiful Garden of Eden, Human generations have wrestled greatly with three distinct enemies (Satan, Sin, and Death) that have threatened not only the civility of men but also their existence and relationship with the Creator (God). Man became subverted, as evil, ignorance, violence, hypocrisy, greed, debauchery, profanity ,idolatory, et cetera reigned among men, making them enemies of God.

In the infinite-ness of God’s sovereignty, man was to be rescued but a great price was required for his redemption and reconciliation to God.

           

              God sent His only begotten son and He accomplished the mission to rescue man through His (Christ’s) incarnation, redemption, and adoption of man.

The incarnation (birth) of Jesus demonstrated love (Agape), humility, and absolute purity. As God was made flesh, born by the virgin Mary with no trace of earthly paternity. He descended from the Highest and Holiest of Heaven, dwelling among pervert and wretched men with no iniquity found in Him, despite the temptations, mockeries, force accusations, sufferings etc He faced while on earth. He went about loving, providing, healing, exonerating, preaching and teaching the word of God. He gave His life for mankind, took the shame, bore the pain, defeated Satan, sin and death, thereby bridging the gap between Humanity and Divinity. Satan, the father of sin was defeated for men where forgiven of their sins as Christ’s blood which was shed on the cross atoned for his transgressions and freed men from the guilt and hold of sin. Death which is the wages of sin and the end to human existence became a gateway to the glorious paradise through Christ’s resurrection from the dead. A blessed paradox it was.

            The celebration of Christmas is a reflection of the divine love of God demonstrated in the self-abnegated and sacrificial life of Christ which brings to light the unfading hope of eternity in paradise.

It marks the end to struggles of man to please God as the reign of Christ in the heart of men propels Godly living without coercion or manifestation of works.

The Birth of Christ commemorates the dawn of grace as God’s love is shed in the hearts of men, who love others because they were first loved. Christ exemplified the life of God and became the way, for there is no other way to the father except through Him (Christ). The relevance of Christmas is rooted in our sincere acknowledgement and surrender of all ours to the reign of Christ, while He prospers His will and interest making us disciples and partakers of the glorious kingdom of God.

© VICTORIA OLABISI

WORLD OF WONDERS

The world indeed is a place of wonders, old and young are going through death, new one are been given birth to, married are tired of sex, unmarried are dying for it, what thrills our aged ones is no longer their priority, but a major concern to the young ones and may even want to die for it, some have food but can’t eat, others don’t have but want to eat, rich get richer while the poor get poorer because the rich keeps  good jobs and opportunities for their un-born children. love is now range by grade/level , is no longer blind as said, the rich go for the rich, people now make friends with only high class and not willing to mingle with low class ones ,doctors rate themselves more important than lawyers, teachers are being maltreated by politicians, who open their eyes to civilization? The farmer is termed the poorest and given low respect, same to those who do all kinds of jobs other than the white jobs, the quit ones are termed weakling while the open eyes are termed the bravest, smartest, and strongest. Really…? ok I agree to any reasons you may give for your actions but can we imagine a world of you yours and I me myself, in the hospital you alone, school you , market  you, ever y where is just you, don’t think what kind of life that will be. I already can tell that you will be bored and can’t enjoy life, you will be home alone.

The world is for me, you and other. A three cords cannot be easily broken. I understand you want to be careful not to get hurt, please try your neighbor so as to know what it means been hurt to avoid hurting the next person. My aged parents always say it is only the person wearing the shoe knows how it hurt, please try and wear before saying you understand rather say I” know” it hurt I can’t understand how it really hurts am not in your shoes. Please don t make the person feels you really understand when actually you don’t know except by head knowledge (books).The person that actually understands is the one who had experience in that same issue, topic, or matter of discussion.

The excellent, average and poorest if any, are all humans who are good at other things and are best in those areas so don’t term any excellent, average or poorest, because we are all unique in life just find out “what they are good at” how long will it take to be good at “what you want them” good at. There is none that is not good at anything and can’t learn anything, whatever anyone has done in life is doable, just give it time and chance…..how long I don’t know just give…..

In life learn all you can from others, be able to do selection/ filtration of needed ones but don’t, (never) try being like any of them, if you take time to know who you are, you are better off, me. I, am, my, and self always though I admire others but never jealous of them cos am good better best. yesterday am good, today am better  tomorrow I will be best of myself so please do well to find out my yesterday then you will appreciate my today please also don’t forget to check me out tomorrow as the journey of life continues, I assure you will be amazed...

Conclusion, I need you so much that you need me more than I need you, it is about me you and you me which gives room to others, is me, you, others world. The 1^st love the lord with all thy heart, soul and might, 2^nd love thy neighbor as thyself, the 1^st is not fulfilled if you don’t do the 2^nd, can you love God whom you don’t see if you can’t love me that you can see. Food for thought...

©GLFW, 2017

FIVE FACTORS FOR GREATNESS

In my last post, BUILDING UP YOURSELF FOR GREATNESS, I made it explicitly lucid that everyone is born to be great...everyone has inherent ability to be great and successful in life. But that the levels of success and greatness one mankind manifest will certainly be different due to variance in the amount of time and effort such individuals invest into their lives. Though greatness is within the reach of everyone who launches out for it, it has been well stated that, some people cannot never attain the level of greatness they passionately desire or admire because they fail to invest a commensurate amount of effort to see its actualization.

At the end of the story of Mr Johnson and his son (Stow) who became a world best athlete in his time, we were able to draw out five important factors that led to his amazing success. These same factors will surely produce the same effects or results for anyone who correctly applies them. In no particular order, we identified: Mentor-ship, Vision or purpose, Action or hard-work and Persistence in that post, but I am adding G-Factor. Now, let’s examine them one after another.

1.      Vision – in this context, vision can be interchangeably used with purpose, because the purpose of a man is what defines and fuels his vision. In fact, there is no vision without purpose and vice versa. Vision is simply a mental picture of your future or purpose for living. To be great, you must be able to discover your purpose and then translate it into a vision that drives on. Behind every great accomplishment is a well packaged vision. In the next 5, 10, 15 and 20 years where will you be, who will you become, what will you achieve? These are the questions that a good vision must answer. Vision is the force that drives you to fulfilling your purpose in life.

2.      Mentorship – mentorship is a situation of being guided, instructed and nurtured by experience (but not necessarily older) persons in the line of your vision and lives purpose. Mentorship is like spoon feeding you until your land in the world of success. It helps you to avoid costly mistakes that others make when pursuing the same vision.  It makes your journey to greatness easy and fun filled. Mentor are like counsellors, and in the multitude of counsellors, a city is not only easily build but eternally fortified. The secret of easy and lasting greatness is traceable to mentorship. Be accountable to your mentors – those who have achieve the same feats you are aiming to achieve. Mentors make your missions measurably monumental.

3.      Action – action is said to speak louder than voice, and that is true. It is not just dreamers that attain great heights but those that act on their dreams. Vision alone will never take you to the envision platform of greatness, but acting on the vision will. You never tell how far you can go or how much you can accomplish in life, until you act on your dreams/visions. Life does not respond favourably to the things we wish to do, but to the things we actually do. Break down your dreams into workable bits and start acting on them. An action on a fraction of a dream produces ripples of glorious effects that bring you closer to the fulfilment of the dreams. Don’t wait for when you can do much, just start with the little you can do now. Little shots of actions over a long time will produce a far more effective effect than one big shot. Every day, you should ask yourself this: “what can I do today no matter how small, which will help me fulfil my vision?”

4.      Persistence – giving up on a task or dream or vision is the easiest way to becoming a “nobody”. People who easily give up never amount to any relevance in their field. They journey to greatness will never be easy or luxurious, but you must persevere. You must persist and continue to knock off distractions your way. You must remain focused and willing to travel the full haul. You must be ready and willing to endure the momentary pains and sufferings until you are eventually crowned. The prize is not for everybody who started the race, but strictly for only those won reached the end. Never! Never!! Never give up!!! Be determined to accomplish your dreams, no matter how long it takes and how much it costs. You will be disappointed, you will fail severally, you will be deserted by your supposed helpers, you will be scorned and laughed at, you will make some loses, you will even experience some threats and denials while pursuing your dreams; but DON’T GIVE UP. Those who persist to the end will usually be rewarded with prizes that wipe off the memories of their painful past.

5.      G-Factor – this is the “God-Factor.”Without God, no matter how much you try, you will never succeed. We must acknowledge God in all we do. John 15:5 says that, cut-off from God, we can do absolutely nothing. Think about it for a moment: your intelligence, wealth, connections, influences, properties, virtues and wisdom are all given to you by God. In all we do or accomplish, we must return all glory to God Almighty. That is the only sure guaranty for continues success and greatness in this world.

In conclusion, these factors are not exhaustive. Depending on there are of life and your dream lines, there are many other virtues and characters sacrifices we must demonstrate in other to be successful of be called great. The virtues of humility, love, transparency, probity, accountability, honesty, kindness, generosity and the rest, must work harmoniously. These five factors, do not in any instance take the place of the development of relevant skills and lifestyles for success. To be great in the world of business, you must learn proper customer relations and calculations. To be great in the world of science and technology, you must learn to think critically etc. however, these five factors put together will always push you towards greatness.

To your greatness,

Shalom!

BUILDING UP YOURSELF FOR GREATNESS

Nobody was created naturally a failure or a loser or a victim. These ugly circumstances and events are self-made, man-made or society-made. Everyone was created a champion, but it does not manifest automatically. It has to be activated. It has to be unveiled!! It has to be ignited!!! It has to be stimulated and set in motion. God has done and finished His part in our success story, the rest is ours to complete. YES, in the eyes of God, you are good, you are great, you are successful, victorious, productive and relevant. He has deposited all it takes to manifest these characters in all of us, we have the raw material it is time to produce. He will not do that for us, we have to get to work under His guidance though. He has set the table, it is our choice to eat what is set under His table ethics though.

The ball is no longer in the Lords court, but in our court. It is our turn to play or hit the ball rolling. God will never do for man, what he can do for himself. Sometimes, prayers are not necessary to generate certain results, but actions do. It is our primary responsibility to build up ourselves for greatness. IT IS IN YOU... IT IS IN ME... LET’S GET IT OUT FOR THE WORLD TO SEE AND ENJOY. 

Friend, if you want to change the world, first change yourself. You can be the successful man or woman you have dreamt about. You can be that influential man/woman you have envisioned. You can be that philanthropist you have sincerely desired to become. Oh yes, you can be the YOU that God created you to be. I believe that everybody can be successful, but the level of success will differ... everybody can be rich and wealthy, but the level of riches and wealth will differ. God has made all things perfect for us, but the glory of this perfection will not be revealed until we work it out. For instance, according to Titus 2:11: the grace for salvation has appeared or made available to the entire world (male and female, rich and poor, white and black races, the young and old alike). However, everyman who must be saved must WORK IT OUT with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12). Do you understand the point now? Good! Greatness is in you, show it.

To be the best, you must pay the price. A man (Johnson) asked his 9 years old son (Stow), who he wanted to become, and he said: “I want to be the best athlete”! Two days later, at 5:00 a.m., the man called out to his son who was still snoring and rolling on the bed. Stow woke up and feeling disappointed that his dad could mind interrupting his sweet early morning sleep, looked at the wall clock and said: “Dad, it is just 5:00 a.m., and we are on holidays, I am going nowhere today, please I want to sleep.” Johnson, walked up to him, sat on the edge of the bed and smiled at Stow, tapping him on his shoulder. Immediately, Stow sat up with frowns on his face, but his father asked him: “Boy, what did you tell me you wanted to become?” Stow answered: “the BEST athlete” he reiterated.  “Now listen to me” said Mr Johnson, “if you want to be the best, then you must do what the rest is not doing. While others are still sleeping, you have to be awake, building up your dream and the greatness in you. While others are playing, you have to be working on your skills. To be the best, you must distinguish yourself from the rest in all perspectives of life. You can’t be the best athlete by still being on the bed at 5:00 a.m. you have to go extra miles in order to be the best.” This time Stow was fully awake and catching the ambience of greatness his father was creating. “Let me tell you the truth son,” Johnson continued, “if you truly want to be the best athlete in your life time, then you must wake up at 5:00 a.m. every day to build up your stamina. Champions are not made in a day. They don’t just emerge; it is usually a result of long time of previous trainings, hard-work, discipline and display of persistence. Everything is possible for those who not only believe, but take actions. Join me at the parking lot, if you want to be the best.” Mr Johnson stepped out to put on his boot for morning joggings. Stow was already charged up by the intriguing words of his father. He jumped out of the bed, put on his jersey and dashed out to join his father. They continued to jog long distances on daily basis, until it became a pleasurable habit to Stow. Hey! The beauty of life can be better defined by those who believe in their future. At the age of 21 years, Stow had become a champion in the world of sport, achieving lots of medals and prizes. He told his story in one of the world Olympic Games, were he emerged the fastest athlete.

You see, success is always within the reach of those who go for it. There are three basic things and more in this story, which we need to learn: Mentorship, Vision or purpose, Action or hard-work and Persistence. I will pick on these virtues in my next post. Till then, keeping succeeding!

AGHEDO OJORE GODDAY

Godday Ojore Aghedo is a young man of many parts, and hails from Edo State, Nigeria. He acquired his formal education in Basic Medical Sciences, leading to the award of Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) Degree in Medical Physiology from Ambrose Alli University (AAU) Ekpoma. He holds a Diploma in Public Health Management from Transworld Education College – United Kingdom (UK); Advance Certificate in Epidemiology, Leadership and Management in Health (LMIH) and Project Management in Global Health, all from the University of Washington – USA; and a Diploma in Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) from the School of Salesmanship (affiliated to Kings University College – Ghana). He has also bagged certificates in some Global Health Courses at John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, USA; certificate in Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) from St. John’s Ambulance International Order of St. John in Nigeria; Professional HSE from National Industrial Safety Council of Nigeria (NISCN) and Professional Business and Investment, from BIPS Firm. Godday is an Associate Member of the Institute of Information Management (AMIIM) and a Human Resource Management Associate (HRMA) at MacNel Consult Ltd.

He is a Leadership Consultant, with many years of personal experiences in positions of authority both at sacred and secular levels alike. As a trainer, part of his focus has been to build world class leaders of excellent characters. Godday is the CEO (Founder and President) - Global Multiple Impact Consults (GLOMIC) which was initiated in 2008 and became widespread in 2013; and a Co-founder of Campus Leadership Initiative for Peace in Africa (CLIP Africa). He has served as the secretary - Health Initiative for Rural Dwellers (HIRD); the President - National Association of Catholic Corps Members (NACC), Bayelsa State Chapter; the National President - Illushi Students’ Association (ISA); and the Public Relation Officer (PRO) - Medical and Health Community Development Service (MHCDS). He is a fascinating regular radio & television talk show guest on public concerns, a relationship & marriage counsellor at Let’s Live Life Initiative (LLLI), where his model has been widely accepted and used to restore and sustain broken homes. He is the Editor-in-Chief at GLOMIC Books Int’l, and an editor at Fox Flakes Magazine, amongst others.

As a Medical Personnel, he currently consults for Excel Health Corporation (EHC) on Human Resource Management, Human Capacity Development, Food & Nutrition and Healthy Lifestyle; his services include health consulting for families and corporate organisations on health &wellness. He is also the host at Healthy Life Compass, a platform for health promotion and health literacy campaigns.

As a Public Speaker and Life Coach, he is a regular resource personnel at Eagles’ Gathering, an annual conference of champions. He is a proven mentor to numerous young people, many of whom now have fantastic testimonies following his coaching and inspirations. He is a prolific writer and an author of four books, the most recent being “Healthy Life Compass.” Many of his articles have been accepted and published in notable journals and magazines.

Above all, G. O. Aghedo is a passionate minister of the gospel. His teachings and deep insights into the Word of God have presented to him countless number of invitations cutting across many denominations to speak at crusades, conferences, seminars and other religious programmes, on diverse topics. He honours invitations to speak to people of all ages, irrespective of the organisations; on issues ranging from personality, relationship, marriage, character, career, spirituality, employment, wealth or economy, education, and health to leadership.

Contact him on: E-MAIL: aghedogodday@gmail.com

LEADERSHIP & SUCCESS

Good leadership and success do not happen over-night, but over time. It takes quite some time to build a remarkable and durable empire. The quick paths to success and excellence are never genuine. Solid structures are never erected in a hurry if it must serve its purpose. The frontal problem of this “indomie” and “whatsapp” generation is outright lack of creativity and the absence of strong resilient will to pay the necessary price for the achievement of set goals. Life isn’t and can never be a bed of roses. Greatness is never found near the surface of the earth, we have to dig it out from the bed of the sea. Champions don’t emerge from timid minded, lazy and immobile souls. It is neither the lot of people who are incapacitated by cowardice nor the chicken 'hearted' gentle personalities. Champions are dogged fighters and rugged sailors. We must be willing to fight it out in order to attain the desired and anticipated noble heights.

(C) Godday O. Aghedo

CELEBRATING AN EPITHET OF VIRTUES!

If you pay attention to the ample disparity in the expression of divine features by various individuals, you will be tempted to believe that God was partial in the allotment of His personalities. The creations of the creatures are not as same as has been presumed by some folks from time immemorial. For instance, “man” and “woman” are equal before God, but they were never created the same way. Man was directly from the clay, but the woman emerged from the finished product. However, your capabilities and relevance are not measured by ‘name’ but by ‘output.’ The question is, what are you producing or reflecting? There are women who are more ‘man-enough’ than most men, more talented than some other men, more intelligent than some other men, more skillful than some other men and more anointed than some other men. So, it is not about being a man or a woman, it is about fulfilling your destiny and manifesting your God-given potentials. I have found someone who though, was created like everyone else, yet enjoyed an extra special touch from God. I call it a touch of perfection, completion, wholeness and impeccability.

I have found someone who either by deliberate divine endowment or by conscious personal development or by hereditary peculiarity is flooded with unique virtues which are hard to find in our time. She is indeed blessed among women. She is my first love and second ONLY to my mom. She is an embodiment of un-quantifiable degrees of affable, amiable and admirable facades. I have known her for over two decades, we have lived together for more than one and half a decade, and her impacts on my life have remained indelible. She is a woman with conspicuous and obtrusive difference: her physique is inventively feminine, her smile is charming and fascinating, her voice is melodiously mellifluous, her eyes are luminously radiant, her words are characteristic of incredible wittiness.

AGHEDO CHARISA

More-so, she is a bridge builder and a home maker. She is a proven intercessor, a prophetess, a comforter and a faithful friend. She is bold and courageous. She is intelligent, fashionable, generous and a good cook. She is a skilled children instructor and a chronic lover of God. I have wondered myself, ‘...all these qualities in one person?’ Well, that is what is called “divine privileges.” I am yet to see someone who is as considerate, as understanding and as grateful as she is. Sometimes, I praise God for the lucky man who will take her to the altar. She is a typical virtuous woman! I ALSO PRAY TO BE THAT LUCKY a lot of the times, you know. Please, join me to thank God for my sister, Aghedo Charisa. Today is her birthday! My faithful friends please help me celebrate her.

Happy Birthday my little sister, now turned a big girl. I wish you long life and prosperity. I pray that your dreams will become realities; you will fulfill your destiny and will remain a powerful voice to reckon with in your generation and beyond. In this new phase of your life, favours will locate you and your testimonies shall be glorious. It is your day dear, and on behalf of our lovely family, I say Happy Birthday! We love you! We cherish you and we are praying for you. Age with grace dear... SHALOM!

AGHEDO CHARITY

(C) G. O. Aghedo

Long Life and Prosperity Agenda

 

Health, vitality, prosperity and fulfillment are God's will for us!

Long Life and Prosperity Agenda, is a book set out to liberate readers from the shackles of mediocrity and limiting thinking. The quality of one's life is absolutely dependent on the quality and quantity of revelations at one's disposal. This book consists of twelve chapters, and issues ranging from God's original plans for man, God's view about long life, optimal health and prosperity. True Christianity and spirituality is not akin to poverty. Sickness is never a cross; otherwise God wouldn't make provision for divine health. We must be readily positioned to reject whatever heaven has rejected, and welcome only the things that heaven has delivered to us. These are the truly precious things in life. This book will change your mentality and help you to focus on the things that really count. It will assist you to lay hold of the privileges we have in Christ.

 You can grab your copy from here: https://www.createspace.com/7006089

Happy reading!





(c) Godday Ojore Aghedo

COMBATING TUBERCULOSIS (TB): NIGERIA AS A CASE STUDY

COMBATING TUBERCULOSIS (TB): NIGERIA AS A CASE STUDY  

by: Godday Ojore Aghedo

Email: (Please use the comment box)

Tuberculosis (TB) is an airborne clinical condition which is caused by bacteria called Mycobacterium tuberculosis. It is a poorly virulent organism that affects people of all ages all over the world. Dr Robert Koch stirred the tides in the worlds of science and medicine in 1882, by the discovering of the cure for TB. Since then, March 24th yearly, had been set aside to commemorate this landmark thunderstruck. The theme of the worldwide event this year is: WANTED: LEADERS FOR A TB-FREE WORLD. There are basically three (3) broad stages of TB infection:

(a) Latent TB (when it doesn't present with any serious signs and symptoms)

(b) Active TB (when clinical signs and symptoms begin to manifest, especially and often through cough)

 (c) Multi-drug resistant TB (when current treatment regimens start failing in combating the bacteria. This stage is usually difficult to cure).

The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimated that 10.4 million people were infected globally, in 2015; out of which 1.8 million deaths were recorded. It was recorded that over 400,000 deaths of the 1.8 million, were from TB/HIV co-infection. Note that death rate in TB/HIV co-infected patient is more than twice higher than that in TB alone. Sadly, 95% of TB deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries.

Nigeria is among the first 22 countries with highest global TB burden; and the fourth (4th) nation in the world with the highest annual TB cases. However, between 2000 and 2015, about 49 million lives have been saved globally through effective diagnosis and treatment.

The facts that about 500,000 Nigerians get infected with TB and about 170,000 of them die of the disease annually call for urgent public health attention. Case detection rate in Nigeria is still as low as 15%. In fact, this is reputed to be one of the lowest in the world. Undoubtedly, poor public sector management, limited number of Directly Observed Therapy Short-course (DOTS) centres and chest clinics have immensely contributed to the alarming all time low case detection rate of TB in Nigeria. The war against TB in Nigeria should be everybody's concern. All hands must be on deck in addition to the efforts of the government, international agencies, the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National TB & Leprosy Control Programme (NTLCP), to stamp out this vindictive disease called TB.

The 2015 - 2020 National TB Strategic Plan suggests the expansion of DOTS services to more facilities across the country. Nonetheless, as at 2015, only 200 centres in Nigeria provide Xpert MTB/RIF assay using GeneXpert machines. This machine is capable of detecting the Mycobacteria tuberculosis complex (MTBC) and the resistance to rifampin (RIF) in less than 2 hours. This is a breakthrough that the health sector should maximize in lifting the bar of case finding higher.

Early detection and treatment are key to scotching TB progression from the latent stage to active TB or becoming drug resistant. On the spread of TB, lack of basic health services, poor nutrition status, poor living conditions and HIV co-infection contribute monumentally to the spread of TB among people in a community.

SYMPTOMS AND SIGNS

About 95% of all TB cases are pulmonary and engender cough, while only about 5% is extra-pulmonary and do not manifest through cough. But the following experiences can be useful in clinically screening for presumptive TB.

1. Coughing for 2 weeks or more

2. Profuse sweating, especially at nights

3. Blood in the phlegm

4. Unexplained weight loss

5. Recurrent lymphadenopathy

6. Fever and/or internal hotness of the body, among others.

PREVENTION AND TREATMENT

First, it is paramount to note that TB IS CURABLE AND TB DRUGS ARE FREE, in all public health facilities. Just like other global public health diseases, prevention of TB starts with self before others. It adopts the inside-out principle. Adhering to simple cough etiquette, hygienic practices, enhancing case detection rates and curing diagnosed TB before it progresses to multi-drug resistant TB (MDR-TB), are very important medical approaches to preventing TB. Other preventive measures include but not limited to:

1. Closing your mouth with an handkerchief when coughing

2. GO for TB screening and test as soon as you notice any of the signs and symptoms above

3. Don't expose your handkerchief in public after use or waive it in the air while dancing

4. Don't just spit around, learn to bury your sputum

5. Ensure proper VENTILATION and ILLUMINATION of your dwelling places

6. When someone keeps coughing in a public vehicle, simply open the windows

7. Sensitization and campaigns about TB, down to students and pupils at schools, will help tremendously. At every point, education is vital.

8. Ensuring compliance to universal precautions and infection prevention and control (IPAC) standards

9. Intensifying case finding/detection efforts, through the development of innovative approaches to uncovering undiagnosed TB and MDR-TB cases

10. Improvement in clinical management practices

11. Strictly adhere to treatment plan, if you are infected.

12. Avoid overcrowded places where and when possible

13. Ensure you eat balance diet, to enhance your immune system

CONCLUSION

The best time to join in the fight against TB is NOW! The drugs for TB treatment have been in use for over 70 years till date. The CDC is leading the war against MDR-TB and poised to committing to the global sustainable development goal of exterminating TB by 2035. Hence, we must all join hands and efforts to: find, cure and prevent TB. This is a wake up clarion call to all Nigerians; let's STOP TB before TB stops us.

(c) Godday Ojore Aghedo, 2017 (AUTHOR: Healthy Life Compass)

STRIFE BETWEEN HUSBAND AND WIFE OVER PROPERTY: A POTENTIAL PRELUDE TO DIVORCE; BY: Godday Ojore Aghedo

The crave for materialism is no doubt not limited to any gender. But what we are common with is young people trying to amass wealth, assets and properties as much as possible for themselves, no matter the cost. It is sad to know that even among married people, who should live as one and collectively exercise ownership over their acquisitions, have chosen the part of striving over such properties at home. One of my friends on facebook, posted the following story ending in a series of question on her wall:

“This was discussed on radio this morning. So a woman and her husband decided to buy a land, the woman contributed 80% of the money while the man contributed 20%. The man bought the land and instead of using his name and his wife's name, he used only his name to buy the land. The woman discovered but kept quiet. So one day, she overheard him discussing with someone on phone and he was talking about selling the land without his wife's knowledge. The wife then took the document of the land, and went to collect loan from her bank with it without her husband's knowledge, she used the money to buy another land and used her elder sister's name, because she trust her sister won't betray her. Now the man is threatening to divorce her for what she did because he is the man of the house so he can do whatever he wants.

What do you think?

Did she do the right thing?

Is he right to divorce her?

Your opinion please...”

Well, I will like you to leave your answers to the above questions in a comment. However, after doing a critical analysis of the story, I have the following submissions to make:

1. It is 90% a Fabricated Story, considering normal bank requirement for processing loans in Nigeria and 10% a True Story, considering the fact that work ethics and professionalism, are fast eroding in the banking sectors amongst others.

2. Foolish boys should not be called "Men." A man who takes major decisions without intimating his wife is foolish, just like the gold-digger in the above story.

3. Two wrongs do not make a right. The woman was wrong (whether she used her name or that of her sister or not, in the land she procured). She would have been the hero if she had first initiated communication over it all and the man remained stiffly adamant. She ought to be a home builder, and she ought to be there to help the man recollect his right senses, when he is about taking detrimental steps.

4. I do not frown at the man using his name ONLY on the papers, because, he is the head of the home. It is a sign of unity and oneness. What is his is also hers, so there is no point adding both names. However, that conclusion should have been a product of consensus, since the wife's stake is 80%.

5. Finally, the man doesn't have any rights to threaten divorce, as that only portrays him as originally and deliberately planning ill against his wife in his attempt to sell off the land. Their major problems are not lack of love and trust; but egotism and absence of communication. Let them come together, apologize to each other, re-evaluate their assets and agree to live happily as one body &partners.

SHALOM!

© Godday Aghedo, 2017

CHRISTIANS SHOULD DEFEND THEMSELVES - By: Godday Ojore Aghedo

“And he answered and said unto them, I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out.” Luke 19:40 (KJV)

When I say defend yourself, I don't mean: hate, fight or kill anybody. You don't have the right to take anybody's live including yours; but don't be a coward... Speak out!

Dear friends, today I want to share my burden for Nigerian Christians who have been the subject of incessant attacks and threat of annihilation if no proportionate steps are taken towards addressing it, by both individuals and government. I have read a lot of posts and comments criticising ministers of the gospel for asking Christians to defend themselves. Many of such criticisms came from even “believers,” and in my investigation, 99.9% of them do not live in the north, nor have they any relations over there. A recent reaction to the speech of Apostle (Prof.) Johnson Suleiman of the Omega Fire Ministry (OFM), Auchi, after there was an attempt by the DSS to arrest him, provoked my pen on paper. The writer was enraged over the fact that Christians are now resorting to defending themselves rather than ‘trusting God’ to do that, quoting Christianity as a peaceful religion. Unequivocally, If Christians were not peaceful people; there would have been a costly war epidemic that would have led to the end of ‘One Nigeria’ campaign, following the myriad of attacks on them.

But you know, Christianity is a peace preaching life, it is not a religion like most people believe. However, I have never seen anywhere in the bible where you are advised to run or fold your alms when enemies come to your house with weapons and intending to kill you. The scenario painted above is different from "...turn the right cheek, if you get slapped on the left..." as taught in the bible (Matthew 5:39, Luke 6:29). The insensitivity of the incumbent administration to the increasing level of insecurity of lives and properties, glaring enthronement of: lawlessness, anarchy, injustice, sentiment, fighting corruption by corruption, gross marginalisation or sectionalism, deceit, victimisation, redundancy, blind or clueless leadership, wanton killings, celebration of administrative failure, religious bigotry or fanaticism, revenge, witch-hunting, and human right abuse, only calls for vigilance and self defence whenever and wherever appropriate.

Deliberate murder can never be justified, and no man of God advocates the killing of people whether guilty or innocent of any alleged crimes. But in a peculiar case such as ours (in Nigeria), where there is an indubitable record of institutional failure, terrorists and other culprits of various heinous offences are apparently left to the judgement and verdict of civilians. What can they do as a way of self defence? As it stands now, acting otherwise (i.e. not defending yourself under direct attacks) definitely deepens the dangers and threats one is exposed to. Every Christian should defend himself or herself in all lawful manners, seeing that there are no more credible institutions that do that for Nigerians. The available institutions have been compromised and can no longer be trusted with the security of lives and properties.

Don’t get it twisted, Christians should and will maintain peace and tranquillity at all times. However, unless we collectively and jointly speak up against the aforementioned practices, evil will continue to escalate. In my humble opinion, it is better to die FIGHTING for a just course than to die while RUNNING or trying to escape. People who should be speaking are deadly mute and in their hiding places. They don’t want to be tagged ‘carnal’ or called other ridiculous names. They prefer to be indecisive and enjoy the benefit of being honoured as loyal and law abiding Nigerians, compared to being called false names for speaking the truth. They prefer to be in their comfort zones with their families, to being chased around by DSS and other instruments of the government, for exercising their freedom of speech. This is a shame on our religious leaders!

Someone said to me, “We should not take the place of God, we should allow Him to fight for us.” No doubt, the Bible says that God will fight our battles, and He has been doing that for Christians in Nigeria (Exodus 14:14). If God weren't fighting our battles, it would have been worse. But you know, God WILL NOT DO for you, what you can do for yourself.  Moreover, He is unlikely to send physical angels to come and fight for us; rather He will use us as weapons if not as warriors. I don't support violence and murder (no matter the circumstance), but the truth remains that, the red sea never parted until Moses stretched forth his rod (Exodus 14:21-22), the walls of Jericho never fell until the Israelites matched round it (Joshua 6:20, Hebrews 11:30), even Jesus drove out the merchants who were desecrating the temple of God (Matthew 21:12; John 2:14-17)... There is always a role we have to play. WE ARE TO CRY OUT AGAINST THE RAVAGING MANSLAUGHTER, EVIL, OPPRESSION, INJUSTICE AND TERRORISM, OR THE STONES WILL DO IT TO OUR SHAME (Luke 19:40). We have to stand up, for God to stand by us.

If we are meant to hold our peace, like dumb and brainless people, why is it called "...weapons of warfare..." in 2 Corinthians 10:4? Have you not heard about "...the good fight of faith...?" (1 Timothy 6:12, 2 Timothy 4:7). Did the apostles not command blindness on "Bar-Jesus" (Acts 13:11) all in the New Testament? If not for times like this, why did God train our fingers for battles and our hands for war (Psalms 144:1)? Truly, it is not a physical war and our weapons are also not physical; but our mouths (tongues) remain our greatest weapons. My God is not dumb, so I refuse to be dumb. He is not my servant, so He has thought me to get things done, I call on Him only when it is beyond the grace He has already given me. How can God be our slave, doing everything for us, even after Christ's death and our empowerment? I don't understand while any Christian should think like that. Gun is not our weapon, but our tongue is. After winning the battle in the spirit, we make it manifest in the physical ONLY BY ACTIONS AND CONFESSIONS. We have to also talk tough. The Spirit of faith doesn’t keep quiet; it SPEAKS (2 Corinthians 4:13). For instance, if a witch doctor comes to you and says you would die the next day, what would you do? Go home and think about it, complain or cry over it? Or you will go home to pray about it? I know you will choose the later, but that too, is not the best thing to do. You don’t need to get home first. You have to say something at that point first, to reject or counter the prophecy. If you are tough, you can even make your own decree and declaration against him in a way that is capable of even making him rescind from the intended evil. 

This is what we should be doing right now... “Talking tough” as a physical measure of defending ourselves, is inevitable.

In my next post, I will dwell more on the probable reasons the Nigeria artist; Innocent Idibia (a.k.a. 2-baba) thwarted his proposed national peaceful protest, even though “One Voice Nigeria” went ahead with it at various capital cities of the federation. But amongst other factors, it is glaring that we are in a government that is not willing to condone logical and objective antagonism. Our democratic system has unquestionably been compromised; it is least to say, we are now in a “modern” military regime. Welcome to the new era.

Finally, once the object of a demon is destroyed, the demon ceases to operate. Nigeria is under demonic attacks, and once the instrument of operation is taken away, the demon disappears. This is for those who understand, to decipher. You are entitled to your interpretation. Let me stop here before DSS comes after me.

© Godday Aghedo, 2017

THE BEST TREATMENT TO GIVE - By: Godday O. Aghedo

I read a post a moment ago about how it is best to treat people the way they treat us. It taught that when people despise, you should do same to them. When they honour you, you should honour them in return. When people feel that you are not needed in their friend circle, you too should neglect them and face your live squarely. It was so beautifully constructed that it made some senses to my carnal and fleshly reasons, but I do have some reservations. The writer tried to make a connection with 1 Samuel 2:30, but failed to consider Matthew 5:38-48. From a natural perspective, we may all be tempted to agree to the post absolutely; thinking that it will only amount to foolishness to allow others cheat on us. 

However, as Christians, there is no end to the extent we should love people - whether or not they recognise or reciprocate our love. We are called to a higher life. Heaven is our standard. When people show that they don't need you in their lives, you may keep off a little for the sake of peace, but don't let it affect your love for them. The principle is: when people respect you, respect too and when they disrespect you, respect them still. Live your life according to God’s standards, not according to the worldly or anybody’s standard. Do not let another person’s weaknesses ruin your strength. I have been there severally, where particular individuals put up attitudes that lucidly unveil their deeply rooted &heart-felt contempt for my presence or company or friendship. I would feel like cutting them off completely, to establish the fact that I can do without them. But the "regenerated man" within me, won't let me. Though I become more careful in relating with such people, yet my love for them remains unflinching. OUR LOVE MUST BE TOTALLY UNCONDITIONAL. Many of us have told God we don't need Jesus, but He never mind, He loved us anyway. He kept protecting and providing for us anyway. We are met to do the same. I am convinced that we do not have to treat people the way they treated us. I THINK WE SHOULD TREAT THEM BETTER THAN THEY DID TO US. 

What do you think? 

(c) G. O. Aghedo

SENSELESS KILLINGS IN NIGERIA - by: Godday Ojore Aghedo

When I read about the senseless killings of innocent people in northern states, parts of Enugu and Benue states, I can't but just imagine the terror, evil, wickedness, criminality and injustice at play. To deepen my pain, comes the knowledge that hardly had perpetrators of the monstrous AND HEINOUS acts been brought to the rebuking arms of the law. It is in Nigeria that I realized it is easier to arrest and prosecute militants and agitators who destroy public facilities/infrastructures to gain government's attention (which I strongly condemn though), than to at least round-up hoodlums, vampires, and inhuman entities who send HUMAN BEINGS to early grave. I think the proximity to the "crossroad" is definitely measurable, if at all, we are not yet there (at the "crossroad"). Where are the executives, the legislators, the judiciary, religious leaders, traditional rulers, civil society groups, freedom fighters, the voices of the voiceless, socio-political commentators, human right activists and even the past indigenous national and international leaders? Should I take it that their voices have been stolen from them or it has been consciously sold out? MAY GOD COME TO THE AID OF NIGERIA, AMEN!

POSITIVE MINDSET, by: Godday Ojore Aghedo

The centre hub of a man's life is his thought. As a man thinks in his heart, so is he (Proverbs 23:7). The mind is the seat of all thoughts, and thoughts produce actions, actions lead to habits and habits culminate in character. Character makes men! Thought makes men! Just as the spiritual world controls the physical world, the mind controls every man. 

The power over the mind is required to control the entire body. Most of the things you do more often, make your character and they define you. Your preferences in life are greatly revealed in your character as well as giving a meaning to your personality: either a positive or negative meaning. Your current mood or physical disposition is traceable to the state of your mind. No matter how good you are at pretending, you can't mask unhappiness for too long. If you aren't happy, it will show or manifest on you in the next few minutes, subconsciously, unless you have mastered your mind. The mind can actually be trained to act certain ways or assume certain positions, over time, or in definite conditions.

Positive thinking, is the best way to master your mind, and make it produce the results you desire per time. Irrespective of the nature of difficulties you find yourself, you can condition your mind to remain positive and live happily in the mist of all ugly situations.  Learn to think positive of all situations and happenings, no matter how bad they appear. Keep doing it daily... Practice makes perfect. If you develop the attitude of being optimistic in all events and conditions, over time, it becomes your lifestyle. Such a lifestyle brings victories any time any day. At that point, events do not determine your mood, but you choose your mood. I call it "conquering oneself" and that is the greatest victory you need to win - victory over yourself, your mind, your body, spirit and soul.

It is a fight you should fight, it is a journey you should undertake, it is a habit you should cultivate, because it gives your entire being a freshness of breath it requires to blossom. Success begins from the mind. Health takes its root in the mind. Happiness is connected to the mind first before the external happenings. The level of your strength is measured by your level of control over your mind. Positive mindset, is the cure to all unnecessary anxieties.

(c) G. O. Aghedo, 2017 

DIETARY CHANGES FOR BOTH THE PREGNANT AND THE TRYING TO GET PREGNANT WOMEN (By: Godday Ojore Aghedo)

INTRODUCTION

The state of health of everyone largely depends on the quality of food everyone consumes. This includes fertility. Dietitians at Loyola University Health System say women who watch their weight and closely follow a Mediterranean-style diet high in vegetables, vegetable oils, fish and beans may increase their chance of becoming pregnant. Going organic is still the best option for everyone seeking a healthy life - (Ezekiel 47:12, Genesis 1:24-2:18). 

“Establishing a healthy eating pattern and weight is a good first step for women who are expecting to conceive. They help with fertility and may also influence fetal well-being as well as reducing the risk of complications during pregnancy” - (Brooke Schantz).

Thirty percent (30%) of infertility is due to either being overweight or underweight, according to the National Infertility Association. Both of these extremes in weight cause shifts in hormones (or hormonal imbalances), which can affect ovulation. Reducing weight by just 5 percent (5%) can enhance fertility. Thus, the following information should be very vital to both intending and already pregnant women:

• Pay attention to your diet
• Practice good habits for pregnancy
• Take prenatal vitamins
• Get enough folic acid
• Maintain a healthy weight
• Keep a lid on soda and fruit juice
• Get your thyroid hormone level checked
• Get your vaccinations
• Stock up on these supplements
• Maintain a regular exercise routine.

Don't wait until you're pregnant to improve your eating habits. Set the stage now with healthy diet changes to ensure your baby gets off to a strong start.

Ø Pay attention to your diet

For both men and women, food and fertility are linked. Stick to a balanced diet to boost your chances of a healthy baby. Diet is a key public health subject because; the levels of pregnancy hormones, vitamins, protein, minerals and other nutrients are determined by the QUALITY and QUANTITY of our foods. In reality, many health abnormalities can be prevented, managed or cured by healthy diets and eating patterns.

Eat several servings of fruit, vegetables, whole grains, and calcium-rich foods such as yogurt, cheese, and milk every day. Not getting enough nutrients can affect your periods, making it difficult to predict when you ovulate. And you may not ovulate at all if you're significantly underweight or obese.

Your partner should also pay attention to his diet since certain vitamins and nutrients – such as zinc and vitamins C and E, and folic acid – are important for making healthy sperm.

How can I get pregnant quickly?

These things you can do to maximize your chances of getting pregnant quickly.

Fish is a nutritional powerhouse for a growing baby, offering low-fat protein with omega-3 fatty acids, but you need to take care to avoid types that are high in mercury, which can be dangerous to your unborn baby. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration urges women to eat 8 to 12 ounces of a variety of fish each week.

Because mercury can accumulate in your body and linger there for more than a year, avoid high-mercury fish such as shark, swordfish, king mackerel, and tilefish. Instead, eat lower-mercury fish such as salmon and canned light tuna (not albacore, which is higher in mercury) once or twice a week. 

Processed meats can be particularly dangerous for pregnant women and should be consumed in small amounts, and smoked or raw meats should be avoided entirely during pregnancy. Even hot dogs or deli meats should be heated until they are steaming before you eat them if you are pregnant.

Ø Practice good habits for pregnancy

For many mothers-to-be, pregnancy prompts an abrupt change in eating and drinking habits – but some habits are hard to break. Make it easier on yourself by changing habits now, and help ensure your baby gets off to a good start from the moment you conceive.

Some solid advice: The occasional bottle of beer or glass of wine probably won't affect your chances of getting pregnant, but alcohol can harm a developing baby. And since you may not know exactly when you ovulate or conceive, you may want to play it safe and cut out alcohol completely. 

On a related note, if you use any recreational drugs or smoke, quit now. All of these substances and habits can harm a developing fetus.

You may also want to cut back on caffeine. The research on whether caffeine can affect fertility is mixed. Experts generally agree that low to moderate caffeine consumption, less than 300 mg a day or about the equivalent of two 8-ounce cups of coffee, won't affect your fertility, but your healthcare provider may recommend that you cut caffeine out entirely to play it safe. Learn more about caffeine and fertility. It is also better to AVOID SOFT DRINK LIKE COKE.

And once you are pregnant, experts recommend limiting yourself to less than 200 milligrams of caffeine a day (that's a little less than a 12-ounce cup of coffee). This is because higher amounts of caffeine have been linked to an increased risk of miscarriage. If you have a strong coffee or soda habit, you might want to start weaning yourself off it now.

Ø Take prenatal vitamins

Although you can meet almost all of your nutritional needs through a balanced diet, many experts believe that even the healthiest eaters can use extra help. Taking a prenatal vitamin ensures that you're getting enough folic acid and other essential nutrients to boost your chances of conceiving a healthy baby. Do not avoid the prenatal vitamin supplements!

Remember that a supplement is a safeguard, not a substitute for a sound diet. And since regular over-the-counter multivitamins may contain mega doses of vitamins and minerals that could be harmful to a developing baby, choose a pill formulated specifically for pregnant women. If you have a vegetarian diet, you may also need vitamin D and B-12 supplements, along with extra protein. Make sure your body has the folic acid, vitamins B₆ & B₁₂, iron omega-3 fatty acid, and calcium it needs to get pregnant and support a healthy pregnancy.

Omega-3 fats are a superfood for pregnant women

Omega-3 fats contain a powerhouse of nutrients to ensure that your baby will develop properly – and that you won’t struggle with depression or anxiety (which can be common in pregnant women). Omega-3 fatty oils protect your baby from brain injuries such as autism, pervasive developmental delay, and ADHD.

In addition, omega-3 fats have been found to be effective in combating cardiovascular disease and depression in you (i.e. the mother). With hormones fluctuating so wildly during this time, you might find yourself dealing with emotions you didn’t expect.

I always advise that you talk to your healthcare provider about the right prenatal supplement for you.

Ø Get enough folic acid

Folic acid has been proven to reduce a baby's risk of neural-tube birth defects such as spina bifida, and it is linked to a lower incidence of heart attacks, strokes, cancer, and diabetes.

Most women of child-bearing age should take a supplement with 400 micrograms (mcg) daily for at least a month before pregnancy and 600 micrograms during pregnancy. If you have a family history of neural-tube birth defects or take medication for seizures, your healthcare provider may suggest that you boost your daily intake to 4,000 mcg, or 4 mg, starting at least a month before you conceive and continuing throughout your first trimester.

A good over-the-counter prenatal vitamin should contain more than the minimum recommendation of folic acid, between 600 and 800 mcg – the amount you'll need during pregnancy. In addition, you can eat folate-rich foods, such as dark green leafy vegetables like spinach, citrus fruits, nuts, legumes, whole grains, and fortified breads and cereals.

Folic acid is a water-soluble vitamin, so your body will flush out the excess if you consume too much. Here is the downside to being water-soluble too: You can lose a lot of this vitamin in cooking water, so steam or cook vegetables in a small amount of water to preserve the folate.

Be aware also of getting too much folate may hide a vitamin B-12 deficiency, which is sometimes a problem for vegetarians. Ask your doctor or midwife if you think you may be at risk.

Ø Maintain a healthy weight

It might be a good idea to shed some pounds, or gain a few if you're underweight, while you're trying to get pregnant, since you want to be as close as possible to your recommended weight when you conceive. Being over- or underweight can make it harder to get pregnant. Also, obese women have more pregnancy and birth complications, and underweight women are more likely to have a low-birth-weight baby. ‘Women whose body mass index [BMI] is between 24 and 30 are most fertile,’ according to a medical research.

In addition to following a smart eating plan with low-fat, high-fiber foods, get regular exercise. If you're overweight, aim at losing one to two pounds a week, which is a safe rate of weight loss. Extreme weight loss from crash dieting can deplete your body's nutritional stores, which isn't a good way to start a pregnancy.

Ø Keep a lid on soda and fruit juice

There's a lot of conflicting advice out there about how your diet affects fertility. What people tend to agree on is avoiding soda and fruit juice. They're both very high in sugar, they raise blood sugar very quickly and that can have a negative impact on fertility. It's also a good idea to eliminate trans- fats from your diet too, as consuming too much has been linked to infertility.

Ø Get your thyroid hormone level checked

Hypothyroidism (an underactive thyroid) is very common in women. According to Mary M. Gallenberg, on MayoClinic.com, "Low levels of thyroid hormone can interfere with the release of an egg from your ovary (ovulation), which impairs fertility. In addition, some of the underlying causes of hypothyroidism — such as certain autoimmune or pituitary disorders — may impair fertility."

Ø Get your vaccinations

If you haven't received vaccinations or boosters in years, talk with your doctor about what he/she suggests you get and when. Some school of thoughts recommend at least three months before getting pregnant. The major ones are MMR (measles-mumps-rubella) but you also want to get booster shot for, DTP (Diphtheria, Tetanus, and Pertussis).

Ø Stock up on these supplements

It's important to start taking a folic acid supplement about three months before you plan to get pregnant because it takes a while to build up in your body. Buy it over the counter or at a supplement store. It's also a good idea to make sure you're getting enough vitamin B₁₂ in your diet as some studies have linked a deficiency to infertility. Vitamin B₆ and omega-3 fish oil supplements have also been linked to possibly aiding the treatment of infertility.

Ø Maintain a regular exercise routine

How much exercise you should be getting during pregnancy is often a hot debate. Researchers suggest that moderate exercise can improve fertility. Too much can throw off your cycle but if you're doing too little, that's also not good. The American College of Sports Medicine and the American Heart Association recommend at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise on 5 days each week or at least 20 minutes of vigorous exercise on 3 days each week for optimum health. However, I recommend simple exercises like taking a long walk, squatting and standing repeatedly, amongst other simple ones you may find convenient.

FOODS TO AVOID WHEN YOU’RE TRYING TO GET PREGNANT

During your pregnancy there are a few things that might stress you out, but eating shouldn't be one of them. Unfortunately, all of the advice you hear -- from friends, family, and yes, even total strangers -- about what is and isn't safe during pregnancy is enough to confuse anyone. "There are a lot of old wives' tales out there," says Elizabeth Ward, Massachusetts. So if you're wondering what's okay to eat (and whether you have to give your favourite foods the boot for nine months), here is some reliable advice for you:

Foods to Avoid if You Want to Get Pregnant

Whether you’re pregnant or trying to conceive, focus on minimizing PROCESSED FOODS while increasing your intake of vegetables, healthy fats, and high-quality sources of protein. Why are some foods off-limits when you are pregnant - but fine if you are not? First, changes to your immune system now make you more vulnerable to food-borne illnesses. What would have meant stomach upset before could mean serious complications now; ranging from dehydration to miscarriage.

Therefore to be on the safer side, avoid the following:

1. Soybeans and soy foods

The plant form of estrogen (phytoestrogens) in soybeans won’t help when you are trying to get pregnant – and it is especially important to avoid high soy consumption if you are coping with infertility. “For those trying to conceive, the excess estrogen activity is enough to induce a hormone imbalance that may affect egg production and ovulation.”

 

Decrease your soy intake six months before you start trying to get pregnant, and remember that soy is “hidden” in foods such as oils, flour, milk, and texturized vegetable protein (TVP). But, make sure you get enough protein from other food sources other than soy. 

2. Peanut butter and spinach

Peanut butter and spinach are foods to avoid when you’re trying to get pregnant because they deplete calcium – which is a mineral that is essential for your baby to develop and grow. Make sure you’re getting enough calcium if you’re trying to get pregnant.

3. Soda pop, high-sugar fruit drinks, and candy

Excessive sugar can lead to low blood sugar, which can upset levels of reproductive hormones. You need your hormones to be as balanced and stable as possible when you’re trying to get pregnant. Consequently, avoid sugary foods if you’re trying to get pregnant.

4. Coffee, tea, chocolate, cola and some medications

Excessive caffeine can not only reduce your chances of getting pregnant, it can increase the risk of miscarriage. When you’re trying to get pregnant, drink tea in moderation – and stick to decaffeinated tea.

In Getting Pregnant Lauersen and Bouchez wrote, “Cut out caffeine when you can, and when you can’t, minimize consumption by taking into account your total daily intake from all sources.” Single doze or short-term use of caffeine-rich products won’t cause infertility, but they are good things to avoid when you’re trying to conceive.

5. Watch the painkillers/stimulants/diet pills and caffeine

These aren’t exactly “foods not to eat when you’re trying to get pregnant,” but things like Extra Strength Excedrin, Maximum-Strength Midol, Vanquish, Anacin, and Amaphen are pain relievers that may contain significant amounts of caffeine. No-Doz is a stimulant that has caffeine, and many diet pills also contain caffeine…these aren’t substances to avoid if you’re trying to get pregnant, but they’re definitely factors that can affect your fertility levels!

CONCLUSION

• Reduce intake of foods with trans- and saturated fats while increasing intake of monounsaturated fats, such as avocados and olive oil
• Lower intake of animal protein and add more vegetable protein to your diet
• Add more fiber to your diet by consuming whole grains, vegetables and fruit
• Incorporate more vegetarian sources of iron such as legumes, tofu, nuts, seeds and whole grains
• Consume high-fat dairy instead of low-fat dairy
• Take regular women’s multivitamin supplements: folic acid, vitamin B-complexes, iron, calcium, and omega-3 FAs.

If you want to get pregnant, you need to maintain a healthy body weight and consume a balanced diet. Eat often, for both yourself and your unborn baby in mind.

SHALOM! 

G. O. Aghedo