Health / Movies / News

Joke Silva debunks Olu Jacobs death rumours, says actor is ‘hale and hearty’

Veteran Nollywood actress, Joke Silva has reacted to rumours currently making the rounds about the demise of her husband, actor Olu Jacobs.

According to Punch, the actress in an exclusive interview debunked the reports and clarified that the veteran actor was enjoying a nice meal at the time.

“Don’t mind them, they’re just talking rubbish; don’t disturb your head. He is in the living room right now about to have Eba and Ogbono soup. Let them keep deceiving themselves. He is hale and hearty”

News of Jacobs’ alleged demise began trending on Twitter on Tuesday evening with fans asking for clarification from family and colleagues. It is, however, unclear how the news broke.

The 79-year-old veteran star actor has been away from spotlight for a few years now with reports claiming he was battling an unnamed illness. However, actress Uche Jombo recently shared a video of Jacobs at a Lancelot Imasuen movie set in Lagos.

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Entertainment / Foreign / Music / News

Beyonce talks about her struggles with insomnia and diet

American singer Beyonce got candid about her struggles with insomnia and diet in her recent interview with Harper’s Bazaar.

The music star who covered the magazine’s ICONS issue spoke about her mental and physical health.

“I’ve personally struggled with insomnia from touring for more than half of my life. Years of wear and tear on my muscles from dancing in heels. The stress on my hair and skin, from sprays and dyes to the heat of a curling iron and wearing heavy makeup while sweating on stage,” she said.

The mother of three and wife to billionaire rapper Jay-Z also talked about how she struggled with her body image.

“In the past, I spent too much time on diets,” she said. She said all that has changed.

“My health, the way I feel when I wake up in the morning, my peace of mind, the number of times I smile, what I’m feeding my mind and my body — those are the things that I’ve been focusing on,” she said.

She also revealed that she started building a hemp and honey farm during the lockdown for her family’s use.

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Health

Health Benefits of Bitter Kola

Did you know that Coca-Cola got its name from a common African tree?

Some of the first recipes for Coca-Cola were made using the extract of the bitter kola plant. Though the company hasn’t used actual kola to flavor their sodas in years, the name remains a reminder of the unusual plant that inspired the iconic drink.

Bitter kola, also known as bitter cola or Garcinia Kola, is a plant found in Central and Western Africa that has long been valued for its medicinal properties. Although traditional African medicine uses all parts of the Bitter Kola plant, the seeds are mostly commonly eaten.

Bitter kola seeds have a sharp, bitter flavor that eases into a slight sweetness as you chew, and they’re typically eaten raw.

Health Benefits

Although bitter kola has been eaten in Africa for years, scientists are just beginning to study the health benefits of this flowering plant.

According to these early studies, bitter kola may be able to help with health problems including:

Infections

Bitter kola has been used over the years to fight infections from the common cold to hepatitis. A 2018 study showed that bitter kola can help combat coughs, bacterial infections, and viral infections. Eating bitter kola when an infection starts may help fight the infection and make you feel better more quickly.

Inflammation

Bitter kola seeds have commonly been chewed on in Africa to fight against inflammatory conditions like arthritis. One 2008 study showed that patients with osteoarthritis in their knees showed significantly reduced inflammation when eating bitter kola compared to a placebo. The high levels of potassium in bitter kola may be a contributing factor in reducing inflammation.

Diabetes

Early studies suggest that a chemical called kolaviron, which is found in bitter kola, may protect against hypoglycemia in people with type 2 diabetes. Although this first study was done on rats and has not yet been reproduced on humans, these early findings are promising.

Nutrients per Serving

The FDA considers bitter kola generally safe to eat, but classifies it similarly to

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Covid 19 / Health / News

Smokers face 50% higher risk of developing COVID-19, other diseases – WHO

World Health Organisation Director-General, Dr. Tedos Ghebreyesus, says smokers have up to a 50 per cent higher risk of developing severe diseases and death from COVID-19.

Ghebreyesus said this in a message to commemorate World No Tobacco Day, globally marked on May 31 annually, to highlight the health risks associated with tobacco use and advocate effective policies to reduce tobacco consumption.

According to him, quitting is best thing smokers can do to lower their risk from coronavirus as well as the risk of developing cancers, heart disease and respiratory illnesses.

“We urge all countries to play their part by joining the WHO campaign and creating tobacco-free environments that give people the information, support and tools they need to quit, and quit for good,” he said.

“The Quit Challenge gives daily notifications of tips and encouragement for up to six months to help people remain tobacco-free. It is available for free on WhatsApp, Viber, Facebook Messenger and WeChat,” he said.

According to Ghebreyesus, the agency also released a “quitting toolkit” which includes these innovations, but also existing services such as brief advice from health professionals and national toll-free quit lines.

Globally, he stated roughly 39 per cent of men and nine per cent of women use tobacco; the highest tobacco use rates among men are currently found in the Western Pacific region at 49 per cent and among women in Europe at 19 per cent.

He said: “As part of the ‘Commit to Quit’ initiative, WHO calls for the adoption of bold policies that promote tobacco cessation; increasing access to smoking cessation services; raising awareness of the tobacco industry’s tactics; and support for consumers trying to stay away from tobacco.

“Currently, 29 countries are working with the agency to support tobacco cessation through national awareness campaigns and new digital tools.”

Ghebreyesus added that the efforts included policy review, training of health workers, opening of specialised clinics, support for nicotine replacement therapies, and courses to quit smoking.

According to the UN health agency, the report that smokers are more likely to develop …