11 STEPS TO A BETTER CONTROLLED HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE

NORMAL BLOOD PRESSURE IS 120/80

SYSTOLIC - 120 (Pressure generated by the Heart when it beats)
DIASTOLIC - 80 (Pressure in your vessels when the Heart is at rest)

A person is said to have High Blood Pressure when the above numbers rise to 140/90 or above. At this point doctors may prescribe drugs to help control or reduce the pressure.

When High Blood Pressure is not controlled it can result to Heart Failure, Stroke, Heart Attack, and Kidney Failure.

Many people do not know they have High Blood Pressure. You are therefore advised to check your Blood Pressure regularly with your doctor or buy your personal kit you can use at home.
Experts are at a loss why some people have it and others don't, but it seems to run in families.

1.  Weight loss is one of the most effective way to control High Blood Pressure.

2.  Exercise regularly. At most 30 minutes everyday, like walking or running if you can.

3.  Eat healthy diet. Write down what you eat even for just a week so you can follow up. Boost the
     niutrents in your food by eating fruits, nuts, vegetables, whole grains, lean meat, omega 3 rich
     seafood and healthy oils rather taking supplements.

4.  Reduce sodium and sugar in your diet. Read labels. Eat fewer processed foods.

5.  Limit intake of alcohol.

6.  Quit smoking.

7.  Cut back on coffee if you are sensitive to it.

8.  Reduce your stress, learn to say no.

9.  Take time to relax doing healthy things that is good for you and you enjoy.

10. Practice gratitude. Do not grumble. Expressing gratitude to others can help reduce stressful
      thoughts.

11. Get support from people around you. Eating and sharing healthy meals with family or exercise
      with friends and family.

HOME REMEDY FOR COLD AND FLU

• 1 CLOVE GARLIC
• 1 KNOB OF GINGER
• 1 CUP FRESH PINEAPPLE JUICE
• 5 LEMON JUICED
• 2 TABLESPOON HONEY
• 1/4 TEASPOON CAYENNE PEPPER

Blend all ingredients, in a blender.
Refrigerate for not more than four days
Drink four times a day.

SUPER HEALTHY FRUITS SALAD

Eating a diet rich in fruits as part of an overall healthy diet may reduce risk of heart disease, stroke and some cancers.

Fruits are very good source of vitamins and minerals. Today I am making fruits salad that takes about 30 minutes to prepare.

INGREDIENTS 

1 Medium Size Pineapple
1 Pear
1 Green Apple 
1/2 of a Medium Size Pawpaw 
A handful of Red Grapes 

DIRECTION 

Wash the body of the Pineapple  and cut into two potions, boat shape as shown  above
Scoop out the inside of one potion while you cut up the other half.
Peal the half Pawpaw and cut it up
Cut up the Pear and Apple 
Fill in the Pineapple half with all the cut fruits and garnish with the Red Grapes.
Cool in the refrigerator for 30 minutes and serve.

5 THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT COFFEE

Do you drink Coffee?  If yes you are just fine. If no, note these 5 points below:

1.  COFFEE IS NOT ADDITIVE 

2.  CUT BACK ON COFFEE IF YOU SUFFER FROM INSOMNIA OR OSTEOPOROSIS 

3.  IT'S OKAY TO DRINK COFFEE EVERY DAY

4.  COFFEE DRINKERS SEEM MORE PROTECTED AGAINST DISEASES LIKE DIABETES,    

     ALZHELMER'S DISEASE, PARKINSONS DISEASE, LIVER DISEASE AND GOUT

5.  COFFEE IS GOOD FOR YOU. ENJOY IT.

COCONUT, CURRY CHICKEN AND POTATOES

INGREDIENTS

4 Pices of Chicken Thigh cleaned
4 Medium size White Irish Potatoes pealed and cut up
4 Medium size Red Potatoes pealed and cut up
1 Large size Sweet Potatoes pealed and cut up
4 Cups of Chicken Broth
4 Tablespoons of Curry Powder
3 Cups of Coconut Milk
1 Small Tin of Tomato Paste
1 Medium size Onion, chopped
1 Medium size Red Bell Pepper, chopped
1 Teaspoon Black Pepper
1 Clove of Galic crushed
Salt to taste as desired

DIRECTION

Place all the Ingredients in the crockpot without the 3 types of Potatoes
Allow to cook for 4 hours
Add all the Potatoes and allow to cook for a further 4 hours on low.

VERY IMPORTANT IMMUNITY BOOSTING FOODS

Immunity  Boosting foods can help heal diseases in our bodies, prevent our bodies from infection and slow down our aging process.

Eating the following foods have been linked with a decrease in cardiovascular diseases, cancer and death.

1.  FRUITS:
     Blue Berries, Apples and Cherries 

2.  VEGETABLES:
      Broccoli, Lentils, Spinach and Beans

3.  OILS:
     Sesame Oil, Olive Oil and Canola 

4.  FISH:
     Tuna and Salmon 

5.  WHOLE GRAINS:
       Stone cut Oats, Brown/Ofada Rice, Millet,           Quinoa Whole Wheat Flour, No Sugar/Salt popcorn 
        
        

15 STEPS TO A BEAUTIFUL AND STRESS FREE YOU

1.  TAKE TIME TO EXERCISE TO REDUCE STRESS

2.  DRINK MORE WATER FOR BEAUTIFUL SKIN

3.  GET YOUR EIGHT HOURS SLEEP DAILY

4.  GET YOUR DAILY VITAMIN C

5.  BRIGHTEN UP WITH VITAMIN B

6.  EAT NUTS LIKE ALMONDS AND WALNUTS IN LITTLE PORTIONS DAILY

7.  HYDRATE YOUR SKIN WITH CUCUMBER, AVOCADOS AND FISH

8.  SMOOTH YOUR SKIN WITH SWEET POTATOES

9.  STOP TOUCHING YOUR FACE TO PREVENT ACNE

10.TAKE A DEEP BREATH TO FIGHT STRESS

11. AVOID NEGATIVE THOUGHTS

12. LAUGH MORE IT BEAUTIFIES YOUR FACE

13. GIVE AND DO FOR OTHERS WHATEVER IS GOOD

14. KEEP IT ALL TOGETHER WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS

15. REMEMBER TO LOVE YOURSELF

CROCKPOT TASTY AND DELICIOUS BEANS WITH QUINOA

This is a simple and great meal when you are busy. You can cook it over night or when you are out of the house doing your Saturday chores.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 Cups of Kidney Beans
• 2 Cups of Black Beans
• 2 Cups of Quinoa
• 2 Cups of Sweet Corn
• 1lb. Chicken Breast cut up into 2inch sizes
• 2 Sausages cut up into 1inch size
• 1 medium size Onion chopped
• 1 Green Pepper chopped
• 1 Small tin of Tomatoes sauce
• 1 Teaspoon Black Pepper
• 1 Tablespoon of Olive Oil
• 1/2 Teaspoon of Salt to taste

Put the 2 types of beans in a pot, cover the beans with 3 times the water, bring to boil.
Boil for about 15 minutes
Remove from heat
Cover and let stand for 1 hour and discard the water
Combine all ingredients in the Crockpot or Slow Cooker, cover, cook in low for 10 - 12 hours on high for 5 - 6 hours.

Serve with corn bread, dodo, boiled or roasted yams or potatoes and rice.
Left over can be stored in containers and persevered in the fridge or freezer.

NIGERIAN BEEF AND CHICKEN STEW

In Nigeria we call tomato sauce, stew. 

However it is not plain tomato sauce,  
ingredients like Beef, Chicken, Fish, Ox tails, fried Snails or any type of meat can be added.

Since most Nigerian staple foods like boiled, fried, or grilled Yams, Potatoes, Cocoyams, Plantains and others like rice and spaghetti, are served with stew, stew is always cooked in large quantities and stored in the freezer for use whenever needed. 

INGREDIENTS 

• 1 Whole Chicken cut up 
• 2kg of Beef cut up into about 21/2 inches sizes 
• 3Kg of fresh plum tomatoes 
• 2 Tins of 400g tomatoes paste
• 4  Large bell pepper 
• 4 Medium size onions ( 2 chopped)
• 1 Tablespoon of chili pepper if desired (in Nigeria spicy stew is best)
• 1 Tablespoon of curry 
• 1 Teaspoon of thyme 
• 1 Cup of Olive oil
• Salt to taste
• Water

DIRECTION 


Wash the cut up Chicken and Beef, place in a pot, cover with water to the level of the contents.
Add some of the thyme, curry, chopped onions and some salt.
Allow to cook for 45 minutes. 
When the meat is cooked, drain the stock, transfer contents to roasting pan and grilled in the oven until golden brown. Most people fry the chicken and beef after boiling, for a healthy alternative, I grill them. 


In a blender combine the fresh tomatoes, bell pepper and 2 onions, blend until very smooth. 
Pour contents into a pot big enough to contain the chicken and beef when added.
Boil the sauce over medium heat until the water dries up but not burned.
Add the oil, chopped onions, curry, thyme, chili pepper and the drained stock . 
Allow to cook, stirring regularly over low heat until you can see the oil on top of the stew.
Add the grilled chicken and beef.
Enjoy your stew with boiled rice, beans, yams, plantain and cocoyams. The leftovers can be packed in containers and preserved in the freezer. 
Alternatively the chicken and beef can be preserved in the freezer instead of adding them while cooking the stew. When needed defrost stew and meat, warm together in a saucepan or in the microwave.

NIGERIAN HEALTHY FRIED RICE

INGREDIENTS

2 cups of brown rice or Ofada rice(Nigerian brown rice)
2 cups of mixed vegetables or (you can prepare the vegetables by cutting up 5 medium size carrots, plus a cup of green peas)
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 teaspoon   thyme
1 teaspoon black pepper 
3 median onions (chopped)
4 cups chicken stock or 2 sock cubes
4 table spoon of olive oil
Salt
Water

-Wash rice to remove any dirt, set aside in a colander or sieve to drain leftover water.
-Pour the oil into a pot over medium heat.when the oil is hot add some of the salt, thyme, curry and black pepper, stir all together, add the cut onions. --Allow to cook for about 1- 2 minutes until the onions are transparent.
-Add the rice, chicken stock or the cubes melted in water. You can add more water enough to enable the rice cook but firm. After 15 minutes of cooking add the vegetables, stir into the rice making sure it is all mixed together.
Allow to cook for another 30 minutes and your fried rice is ready.

- Note:
You can add fried chicken or cow liver chopped and fried with the spices and onions before adding the rice. Please note this fried rice a healthy alternative.