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How to reduce stress before an event: tips and tools

In this edition of Gospelbuzz Lifestyle, we want to talk about how to reduce stress levels before an event.

In fact, any event that does not fit into the order of our ordinary life (and in our expectations) even minimally is already a sufficient source of stress. And even when this is a planned and expected event, the level of stress will still not decrease. But rather, it will increase, because, in a certain way, the outcome of this event will be in the zone of your responsibility. Regardless of whether you are a participant or an organizer of the event, it is normal to experience the excitement on the verge of stress. This article will help you deal with this.

Ways to Reduce Stress

Create Check-Lists with Deadlines and Stick to Them

To reduce stress when preparing for the event, you need to create checklists and set a deadline for each task. Of course, the organizers and participants will have different tasks, but the checklist approach works well for everyone. Use a traditional notebook and pen, or any of today’s apps like Todoist.

Moreover, be sure to set deadlines for each task and mark what has already been completed. Even a single glance at the list of completed tasks will give you a sense of confidence that everything is going according to plan. As we have said, stress is triggered by extraordinary events, and clear planning gives a clear vision of the situation and calmness.

Take Care of Your Health with Additional Vitamins

When our body is under stress, for example, caused by the expectation of an event, it uses all our physical resources to survive. Do you know why it is possible to lose weight from stress? It is for this reason – the body is fighting for life, using the available resources.

Therefore, your task is to maintain your body in a healthy state. There is even a study from the University of Swansea, Wales, which showed that people who took a multivitamin pill for the duration of a month experienced a 68 per cent reduction in anxiety. 

Vitamins and minerals can reduce the effects of stress on the physical as well as the mental level. They regulate the biochemical processes in the brain that influence mood. And our self-esteem and self-confidence also directly depends on our mood. In order to cope with the stress before the event, you need a state of the best mood, the highest self-esteem, and the strongest confidence. Vitamins help support this condition, of course, if you make other efforts as well. The next paragraph is about them. 

Fight Your Fear of Public Speaking with the Following Three Tips

If you are the organizer of the event, then your headache is of a completely different nature. However, if you are a participant, then public speaking is inevitable. As a rule, this is the biggest fear – and therefore, the biggest source of stress before the event. Here are three methods that will help you to cope with it.
The secret of the first method is to distribute your attention. 

A person at one moment in time is able to concentrate his attention on only one object. Accordingly, concentrating on the fight against fear, we automatically lose focus on what we are doing, that is, on our goal. To make this method work, first, formulate for yourself a clear and achievable goal for specific performance. And during the speech, concentrate on achieving it.
The second method allows you to minimize the factor of lack of experience. 

The essence of this method is preparation and training. Lack of training and experience leaves a lot of space for unforeseen situations, and therefore for concern about them.

The third method contains the formula “Do what you have to and be what happens!”. 

Refuse the expectations of vivid positive reactions, the crowds who want to talk or order your product, the instant execution of all your instructions and requirements by subordinates. Free yourself from expectations, make your statement and observe what happens. Most likely, you will be pleasantly surprised. 

Enhance Your Self Confidence with a Great Outlook

Stress goes away when we are most confident in our success. And appearance is one way to artificially increase your level of self-confidence. No, of course, this does not mean that you can take planning lightly. Your best look will simply be an added bonus to your sense of confidence.

Therefore, a few days before the planned event, review your clothes and find the best combination that matches the atmosphere of the event. Moreover, your sense of comfort is very important. Choose clothes that will not hamper movement and breathing. It should be something beautiful, moderate and comfortable at the same time.

Girls should also think about hairstyle, accessories, and makeup, which should not be too bright if it is not a carnival. And it’s always a good idea not to wear too high heels.

Breathe, Meditate, Visualize

So, when everything is ready and planned, the last thing you need to do is to stabilize your nervous system. A few days before the event, take a few minutes a day to calm down, breathe smoothly and calmly, meditate and visualize.

Try to mentally review the course of the event and imagine it as you want it to be. Look at yourself on the stage, mentally hear how you are speaking, imagine the attention of the audience. Let your thoughts merge with reality and fill you with a sense of peace and success. Imagine that the event has already happened and everything was as you planned – let the feeling of joy and pride fill you from the inside. Remember these feelings inside you and return to them if you feel that you are starting to worry.

Conclusion

You can rest assured that even world-famous personalities experience stress before important performances, meetings, and concerts. Any important event will always be stressful – and it is also worth accepting this fact. However, you can reduce the impact of stress on you by carefully preparing and planning, supporting friends and family, and attentive care of your health.

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Lecrae Launches New Radio Show “Unashamed Radio with Lecrae”

Lecrae is launching a weekly radio show called “Unashamed Radio with Lecrae” premiering Wednesday, April 12 at 1PM PST.  Tune in to “Unashamed Radio with Lecrae” to talk everything music, culture and faith, diving deep into what was, what is and what will be.

The show is being hosted on Amp,  a live podcasting and music app that allows anyone to create shows, take call-ins, chat, and play music from a catalog of tens of millions of songs.

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‘God Loves You’ Helps in Saving a Man from Suicide

After spending nearly seven hours hanging from a sign above an Oklahoma highway, an unidentified man seeking to end his own life changed his mind after a good Samaritan told him, “God loves you.”

Rick Jewell, the good Samaritan, told News Channel 8 that his son noticed that the man in distress was coincidentally in the exact location as a giant cross that is illuminated during the holidays.

“I stayed over here and prayed for 15 minutes when I first got here, and then my son says, ‘Look over their Dad. There’s a cross right behind him,'” Jewell noted.

Onlooker Trei Jackson told the news station that Jewell’s intervention did the trick after the man in distress did not respond to calls to climb down from the sign above Interstate 244.

“Ole’ boy told him that Jesus loves you, basically, and that you ain’t do no wrong, to come down, just ask for help. He came down,” Jackson said.

“God loves you guy,” Jewell said to the man, prompting him to come down.

“I just started talking to him, and I told him there was more to life than what he was doing and that God loved him,” Jewell explained.

“He looked at me, and I told him to throw me his cigarettes, he threw me those, I said throw me that rope, he threw me that rope, and I said now get down from there. I said they’re going to help you. He headed down. Simple. It’s crazy.”

“But I also told you what I did for 15 minutes over there before you showed up; I was praying. So, that had a lot to do with it, I’m sure,” he said.

According to News On 6, Tulsa Police said that the department is relieved that the man climbed down from the sign on his own, unhurt after nearly spending seven hours.

The man reportedly climbed up to the sign at around 9 am and climbed down at approximately 4 pm.

Tulsa Police Officer Andre Baul explained that the man had prior contact with negotiators in a separate incident and noted that he was in distress because of ongoing legal issues in his life.

“He was scared about the future, about what he was going to be facing once he came down,” Baul said.

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Churches joins Tebow to host for People with Disabilities

Churches worldwide joined Tim Tebow’s Night to Shine 2021 to make it a success.

Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, closures couldn’t put an end to people’s value, the Tim Tebow Organization asserted.

Tebow, in a tweet, stated,

“COVID can cancel a lot of things but it can’t cancel celebrating people’s value and worth.”

To avoid violating government restrictions, the website stated that

“Night to Shine 2021 was hosted through Shine-Thru and Virtual Night to Shine.”

The organization is planning to sign up churches in 2022 to do it again.

Night to Shine was originally slated to be in-person, as it has been for the last six years, but due to government lockdowns as a response to the Coronavirus, they had to find a new way to host the event.

Tebow explained on Twitter, “To be honest, six months ago, we weren’t sure exactly what to do in regard to Night to Shine.

But we knew we had to do something. Cancelling the event entirely was never an option.”

He went on to state,

“From the Shine-Thru’s happening all week to the virtual experience that premieres tonight, we now see this year’s prom as an opportunity to bring God’s love to more people than ever before.”

As a response, churches across the globe partnered with Tebow to make the event truly special amid these times of unprecedented closures and regulations.

The only continent that did not have any partner churches was Australia, but multiple churches in Europe, Africa, South America, and the Middle East all partnered to put the prom night on.

According to the Night to Shine website,

“Night to Shine is an unforgettable prom night experience, centered on God’s love, for people with special needs ages 14 and older.”

The website has multiple pictures of the event and video summaries of past years.

Night to Shine has reached its 7th year and they plan on continuing into 2022.

The website has sign-up forms and more ways for how people can get involved.

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MONDAY’S GOSPOTAINMENT BREAKFAST GIST

Did you know?

1. North Korea and Cuba are the only places you can’t buy Coca-Cola.
Phnom Penh, Cambodia- January 02, 2014. Coca-Cola and Pepsi bottles stacked in plastic container - vintage style. Symbolic representation of one of the greatest business rivalries of all time. - Image

No matter where you go, it’s comforting to know you can always enjoy a Coca-Cola. Well, almost anywhere. While this fizzy drink is sold practically everywhere, it still hasn’t (officially) made its way to North Korea or Cuba, according to the BBC. That’s because these countries are under long-term U.S. trade embargoes.

However, some folks say you might be able to snag a sip of the stuff if you try hard enough (although it’ll typically be a lot more expensive than what you would pay in the states—and probably imported from a neighboring country such as Mexico or China).

2. The entire world’s population could fit inside Los Angeles.
the sunset strip in hollywood california, the sunset boulevard in los angeles, most common street names

 

The world’s total population is more than 7.5 billion. And obviously, that number sounds huge. However, it might feel a little more manageable once you learn that if every single one of those people stood shoulder-to-shoulder, they could all fit within the 500 square miles of Los Angeles, according to National Geographic.

3. There are more twins now than ever before.
twin children

 

You might think twins are a rarity, but they’re actually becoming more common than ever. “From about 1915, when the statistical record begins, until 1980, about one in every 50 babies born was a twin, a rate of 2 percent,” writes Alexis C. Madrigal of The Atlantic. “Then, the rate began to increase: by 1995, it was 2.5 percent. The rate surpassed 3 percent in 2001 and hit 3.3 percent in 2010. [That means] one out of every 30 babies born is a twin.”

Scientists believe this trend is due to the fact that older women tend to have more twins, and women are choosing to start families later. Fertility treatments such as in-vitro fertilization likely also play a role.

4. There are more than 24 time zones around the world.
clock the bed in the morning

If the Earth’s time zones were each one hour apart, then we would have 24 times zones, which sounds pretty straightforward. However, the situation is a little more complicated than that. Since many time zones only differ by 30 or 45 minutes, they don’t fit into a neat and tidy 24 hour span, which means that there are more than 24, though it’s hard to say exactly how many.

5. Nearly half of the world’s population watched both the 2010 and 2014 FIFA World Cup games.
trophy from 2014 fifa brazil games, did you know facts

Soccer—or football, depending on who you ask—is the most popular sport around the world. That’s why when the FIFA World Cup games took place in both 2010 and 2014, nearly half of the world’s population (around 3.2 billion people) tuned in to see who would win.

Quotes of the day:

If there is no price to be paid, it is also not of value.
– Albert Einstein

Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.
– Albert Einstein

We seldom realize, for example that our most private thoughts and emotions are not actually our own. For we think in terms of languages and images which we did not invent, but which were given to us by our society.
– Alan Watts

Chess masters know that to win you have to avoid losing. The first thing they do after an opponent make a moves isn’t to think about strategy or winning but rather to ask them self: what’s the threat? Avoid stupidity before seeking brilliance.
– Shane Parrish

There are two ways of spreading light- to be candle, or the mirror that reflects it.
– Chetan Bhagat

TODAY’S WEATHER REPORT

5 Wisdom Seed for today:

Here are my favorite inspirational quotes about life:

1) “The best way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.” – Walt Disney

This straight-to-business quote comes from the man who created the happiest place on earth – and a multibillion-dollar empire. Click here to tweet this inspirational quote.

inspirational quote by Walt Disney over image of feet on stair case

2) “The pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity. The optimist sees opportunity in every difficulty.” – Winston Churchill

When it comes to success quotes by famous people, Winston Churchill’s inspirational words of wisdom always make the list. Click here to tweet this quote.

inspirational sunset with quote by Winston Churchill about optimism in life

3) “Don’t let yesterday take up too much of today.” – Will Rogers

Will Rogers was an American actor, cowboy, columnist and social commentator who believed in keeping forward momentum. Click here to tweet this quote.

night skyline with inspirational quote by Will Rogers

4) “You learn more from failure than from success. Don’t let it stop you. Failure builds character.” – Unknown

When you replace ‘lose’ with ‘learn’ in your vocabulary, the thought of failure becomes less daunting and lets you focus on growth. Click here to tweet this.

sunrise with motivational success quote about learning from failure

Click the link button below to sign up for my daily quotes email that includes many more of my most popular inspirational quotes, delivered to your inbox daily. It will empower and motivate you to take action, create success, and enjoy life – no matter how tough it gets.

5) “It’s not whether you get knocked down, it’s whether you get up.” – Inspirational Quote by Vince Lombardi

Vince Lombardi was an American football hero who’s uplifting words frequently make it onto Top 10 Inspirational Quotes lists. Click here to tweet this quote.

inspirational quote by vince lombardi on image of man on mountainside

6) “If you are working on something that you really care about, you don’t have to be pushed. The vision pulls you.” – Steve Jobs

Steve Jobs truly captured some of the wisdom of life in this statement. Do that which you are passionate about and your work will feel effortless.

motivational ocean view with Steve Jobs quote about working with your passion

7) “People who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do.” – Rob Siltanen

I believe this is one of the best quotes to live by because it reminds me to think without limits and never doubt my wildest thoughts.

inspirational quote by Rob Siltanen on image of man jumping over a mountain peak

8) “Failure will never overtake me if my determination to succeed is strong enough.” – Og Mandino

There’s a special place in my heart for these inspirational words. They remind me of my unwavering determination to become a motivational speaker.

og-mandino-failure-will-never-overtake-me

9) “Entrepreneurs are great at dealing with uncertainty and also very good at minimizing risk. That’s the classic entrepreneur.” – Mohnish Pabrai

This line always puts a smile on my face because it alludes to the excitement of not knowing what to expect but seeing a possible life-changing outcome.

mohnish-pabrai-entreprenuers-are-great-at-dealing-with-uncertainty

10) “We may encounter many defeats but we must not be defeated.” – Maya Angelou

Maya Angelou was one of the top civil rights activists and embraced a spirit of positive thinking and sheer determination.
maya-angelou-we-may-encounter-defeats-but-we-must-not-be-defeated

JOKES OF TODAY

  1. “A good laugh and a long sleep are the best cures in the doctor’s book.” Irish Quote
    Positive Energy

  2. Life is like a ten-speed bike. Most of us have gears we never use. Charles M. Schulz
    Live Life

  3. Photography without seeing would be like eating without tasting. David McKay, Photography Demystified
    Photography

  4. If you are the smartest person in the room, then you are in the wrong room. Confucius
    Smart


    A smile is a curve that sets everything straight. Phyllis Diller
  5. “A smile is a curve that sets everything straight.” Phyllis Diller
    Quotes That Make You Smil

ItExercise Tips

Exercising regularly has wide-ranging physical, emotional and social health benefits. You need to exercise safely to remain healthy and injury-free. If it’s safe and painless, you’re more likely to stick to it! Safety is about using common sense, understanding basic techniques and listening to your body.

See your doctor for a check-up before embarking on a physical activity program. Your doctor, physiotherapist or local sporting club can offer you tips about staying safe while exercising.

Here are some tips to stay safe and injury-free:

  1. Be aware of your body. Think about how the particular exercise is making you feel. If something doesn’t feel right, stop immediately and seek medical advice.
  2. Warm up and cool down. Try slow stretches and go through the motions of your sport or activity before starting. Cool down with slow stretching.
  3. Pace yourself. Have at least one recovery day each week to rest. If you are experiencing pain, rest until the pain has gone.
  4. Mix it up. Try other sports and exercises to reduce the risk of overtraining.
  5. Strap or tape. If a joint is prone to injury, consider strapping or taping it before exercising. Even better, see an exercise physiologist or physiotherapist to obtain a program to strengthen the injured area and get advice on proper taping techniques.
  6. Stay hydrated. You can lose around one and a half litres of fluid for every hour of exercise; so drink water before, during and after a session.
  7. Be weather aware. Take it easier in hot weather and wear clothing and sunscreen to protect yourself from the elements.
  8. Do it right. Try to get the technique right from the beginning, to ensure you are using your muscles correctly.
  9. Check your gear. Make sure your shoes and equipment fit properly and are right for the activity. Look after your equipment and check it regularly for safety.
  10. Be sensible, especially at night or in secluded areas. Take a friend or your dog, stick to well-lit areas and wear bright or light-reflective clothing so drivers can see you.

Concerning MONDAY’S GOSPOTAINMENT BREAKFAST GIST, If you have any suggestions for inclusion please leave a comment below.

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Awards Christian Celebrity News Lifestyle News

Russell named NFL Man of the Year, quotes 1 Cor.

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson paraphrased a line from the New Testament Saturday night as he accepted the 2020 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award for his COVID-19 relief efforts and other charitable causes during the pandemic.

“To America, to the world, love is patient, love is kind, love changes things,” Wilson said, incorporating part of 1 Corinthians 13:4 into his acceptance speech during the NFL Honors show that aired on CBS the night before Super Bowl Sunday.

The award is given to a player in recognition of his “outstanding community service activities off the field, as well as excellence on it.”

Wilson recalled the impact his father, who passed away in 2010, had on his life.

“Dad, I can remember you telling me in the car one day, ‘Son, love changes things.’ Well, dad, you were right. I wish you were here to tell the world that in the toughest of times. 2020 was the most difficult time in history,” Wilson stressed.

 

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“Dad, I know one of your favorite athletes of all-time was Walter Payton. The player he was, but more importantly the man he was, the leader, the giver, the person. Man, dad, I wish you were here for this award,” he added.

Wilson quoted Payton, the hall of fame running back who passed away in 1999, as once saying, “We are stronger together than we are alone.”

“Dad, I think Walter was right,” the Pro Bowl quarterback said.

“To the young boy or girl who has a dream, who wants to make a difference. Remember this one thing: love always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love changes things. Thank you.”

The Walter Payton Man of the Year Award is one of the most prestigious honors given to an NFL Player.

The award was established in 1970 to recognize excellence both on and off the field. 

Every season, each of the NFL’s 32 franchises nominates one player to receive the award.

As the winner, a $250,000 donation will be made to Russell and Ciara Wilson’s Why Not You Foundation, founded in 2014 to fight poverty through education and youth empowerment.

Each nominee for the award who did not win received a $40,000 donation in their name to their chosen charity. 

With 2020 plagued by the COVID-19 pandemic, Wilson directed his charitable efforts toward feeding children, families and the elderly.

Early in the pandemic, Wilson and his wife, Ciara, donated 1 million meals to Feeding American and Food Lifeline.

Wilson also launched the Meals Up campaign in partnership with the aviation company Wheels Up.

The program raised the equivalent of more than 50 million meals, according to Seahawks.com.

Wilson’s Why Noy You Foundation partnered with Door Dash, Rockefeller Foundation and United Way Worldwide to bolster the Ride United initiative to deliver supplies and food to 175 communities nationwide. 

“Our Why Not You Foundation will continue to lead with love,” Wilson said in his speech.

“We will keep fighting poverty through education and empowering the youth to have a ‘why-not-you’ attitude.” 

In 2020, Wilson was active in calling for an end to racial injustice. He and Ciarra put up Black Lives Matter billboards in several cities nationwide.

He also encouraged voter registration leading up to th 2020 election. 

Wilson’s charitable efforts are not new.

As NFL.com reports, Wilson has visited Seattle Children’s Hospital every Tuesday during the football season since his 2012 rookie season. 

The 31-year-old star, who came to Christ as a teen, has been outspoken about his faith from the very beginning of his football career and regularly says he plays for a higher purpose.

“Jesus is love! At the end of the day, we are all looking for someone to comfort us, somebody to be there for us at all times,” he said in a 2014 interview.

“When we are at the worst times of our lives when we are battling with something, or struggles, whatever it may be, when we are at our highest point as well, when things are going really well, we want somebody to comfort us and be there for us and to say, ‘Well done.’ That’s Jesus!”

Speaking with journalist Maria Shriver in 2016, Wilson talked about the national racial divide.

“It’s a lack of love. There’s so much hate in the world. There’s so much back and forth. … For me, it always comes back to the biblical aspect: Corinthians 1:13 talks about faith, hope and love,” Wilson said at the time. “And the greatest of all is love. If we don’t have love, we have nothing.”

In 2019 when Wilson received a four-year, $140 million contract extension from the Seahawks, he gave glory to God.

“My Hallelujah belongs to YOU,” he tweeted at the time. 

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Articles Health History Inspiration Lifestyle Motivation Reviews

MONDAY’S GOSPOTAINMENT BREAKFAST GIST

Did you know?

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Slide1.jpg

Quotes of the day:

Uncertainty hides the beauty of the unknown that allows us to discover new knowledge and meaning.

Oleg Konovalov, The Vision Code

I always believe that the past is the past for a very good reason, and it should stay right where it is—behind me.

Emmanuel, Bring Forth the Light

Books are food for the mind, and are as necessary to a sound state of intellect, as food is to the vigor of the body.

Merry’s Museum – Volumes 13-16

There will be obstacles, setbacks, and situations that will get you discouraged. Keep going anyway. It will not be easy, but your dreams won’t work unless you do.

April Whorton, One Church Magazine Volume One

Today’s Weather Report:

5 Wisdom Seed for today:

Wisdom is defined as the ability to use your knowledge and experience to make good decisions and judgements. May these quotes inspire you to be a wise person, not just in thought but most importantly in deeds so that you live your dreams.

1. “Science is organized knowledge. Wisdom is organized life.” Immanuel Kant

2. “The older you get, the more quiet you become. Life humbles you so deeply as you age. You realize how much nonsense you’ve waste time on.” Anonymous

3. “Never, no, never did nature say one thing and wisdom say another.” Edmund Burke

4. Knowledge is knowing what to say. Wisdom is knowing when to say it.” Anonymous

5. “The invariable mark of wisdom is to see the miraculous in the common.” Ralph Waldo Emerson

Jokes of the Day:

The Wise Farmer’s Donkey

One day a farmer’s donkey fell down into a well. 

The animal cried piteously for hours as the farmer tried to figure out a way to get him out.

Finally he decided it was probably impossible and the animal was old and the well was dry anyway, so it just wasn’t worth it to try and retrieve the donkey. 

So the farmer asked his neighbours to come over and help him cover up the well.

They all grabbed shovels and began to shovel dirt into the well. At first, when the donkey realized what was happening he cried horribly. Then, to everyone’s amazement, he quieted down and let out some happy

rays.  A few shovel loads later, the farmer looked down the well to see what was happening and was astonished at what he saw. 

With every shovel of dirt that hit his back, the donkey was shaking it off and taking a step up.

As the farmer’s neighbours continued to shovel dirt on top of the animal, he continued to shake it off and take a step up. 

Pretty soon, to everyone’s amazement, the donkey stepped up over the edge of the well and trotted off.

Will and Guy consider that the moral of this tale is: Life is going to shovel dirt on you. The trick to getting out of the well is to shake it off and take a step up. 

Through applying wisdom every adversity can be turned into a stepping stone. 

The way to get out of the deepest well is by never giving up but by shaking yourself off and taking a step up.

What happens to you isn’t nearly as important as how you react to it.

Staying_active_shoes

Exercise Tips

Whether you’re looking for motivation to start exercising, or are interested in changing up your current routine, here are 10 tips for making exercise a daily habit. 

  1. Piece your workout together. You don’t need to get all your exercise at one time. Ten minutes morning, noon, and night can give much of the same benefit as 30 minutes all at once.
  2. Exercise with a friend. Finding a workout partner can help keep you on track and motivate you to get out the door.
  3. Keep it brisk. When you walk, make it brisk, since this may help control weight better than walking at a leisurely pace. What is brisk enough? Walk as though you are meeting someone for lunch and you are a little late.
  4. Move your feet before you eat. Hit the gym or go for a 20-minute walk with coworkers, and have lunch afterward.
  5. Try a pedometer. Step-counters (pedometers) are an easy, inexpensive way to motivate yourself to be active. Work up to 10,000 steps per day.
  6. Turn off the TV, computer, and smart phone. Cutting back on screen time is a great way to curb your “sit time.” Move around instead, by visiting the gym or even cleaning the house.
  7. Turn sit time into fit time. Try to combine cardiovascular exercise with a sedentary activity that you already do. For example, try doing simple exercises while watching TV, or set a reminder at work to get up and walk a few minutes every hour.
  8. Sign up for a class. Check out the fitness course schedule at your local gym or community center, or the dance or yoga class schedule at a nearby studio. You may find that having the structure of a class helps you learn a new activity and keeps you on track.
  9. Plan exercise into your day. Set aside a specific time in your schedule to exercise and put it in your planner.
  10. Reward yourself. Set short-term goals—and reward yourself for achieving them. Try targeting a specific event, such as a road race or a walk-for-charity, to participate in—this can help keep you motivated.

Concerning MONDAY’S GOSPOTAINMENT BREAKFAST GIST, If you have any suggestions for inclusion please leave a comment below.

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Articles Lifestyle Love and Relationships

10 Signs of Emotional Abuse in a Relationship

Any relationship can include emotional abuse. At the core of all abuse is the need to have power and control.

Any one of us can feel the need to control things or someone else. It becomes a real problem when someone is being emotionally or physically hurt because of that need for power and control.

This is when a relationship has reached a toxic level and needs an intervention.

Toxic relationships left to escalate could lead to dangerous situations where no one is safe.

What is Emotional Abuse?

Barbara Shaffer, Ph.D. in Christian Counseling, defines emotional abuse as

“an attitude of entitlement and profound disrespect that discounts at every turn the inherent right of the other person to dignity, separateness and autonomy. Out of entitlement and disrespect spring various overt behaviors that use anger, violence and/or contempt to induce fear, guilt and shame. The other person is controlled, punished or demeaned.”

Harsh words and selfish actions coming from someone who should love you and protect you, kills a spirit slowly and methodically.

If you live with someone or are close to someone with this kind of behavior – a parent, spouse or friend – you will begin to lose track of reality and truth.

Am I really crazy? Am I really an idiot? Maybe if Idid this, things would get better? Maybe if I cooked better, dressed better, spent less, served more, spoke less, I wouldn’t deserve to be treated this way? But maybe I really do deserve this?

If you’re experiencing any of these signs, especially more than one, you need to take your situation very seriously.

Safety should be top priority even if there has never been any physical violence. Resources are provided at the end of this article.

Now let’s take a look at the 10 most telling signs of emotional abuse to be aware of:

1. Uses threats and coercion to manipulate.

1. Uses threats and coercion to manipulate.

Emotional blackmail is a manipulation tactic where someone uses phrases that they know will cause an emotional response in order to get their way or to keep themselves at the center of all of the attention.

Making threats that he or she is “going to kill himself/herself” when you want to be alone or do something for yourself is abusive.

They are using this phrase, not because they’re seriously suicidal, but because they know you’ll turn your focus back to him/her, feeling the need to help keep him/her alive and show you care.

We should always take threats for suicide seriously unless we know it’s just a threat from an emotional abuser.

Another common manipulative phrase is, “(s)he’s going to leave you, divorce you, and take your children, leaving you with nothing,” each time you have a disagreement.

(S)he throws the word divorce, or similar phrases meaning the same thing, around like it’s no big deal.

But really it destroys the security of your relationship.

(S)he often has no way or desire to carry out these threats but (s)he uses them because they succeed at giving him/her what (s)he wants: power and control.

Lastly, (s)he may even use verses from the Bible to get his/her way.

1 Corinthians 7:3-4 was not written as a weapon to coerce the other spouse.

Using the Bible in such a way is sexual and emotional abuse, as well as manipulation.

2. Uses intimidation to control.

2. Uses intimidation to control.

When you know you can’t say no because you see the looks and gestures.

You fear anger or punishment for whatever you say or do.

When you feel scared, like you’re walking on eggshells not to upset him/her most of the time, you might be dealing with emotional abuse.

(S)he doesn’t have to use physical abuse because intimidation is working to control you.

His/her unspoken threats of punishment and violence are enough.

Need some more warning signs? When you make decisions based on what would make your partner happy.

When you stop working, stop participating in things you love to do, or getting your education because of someone else’s unhappiness with what you’re doing to better yourself, that’s a huge red flag that you’re not an equal partner in the relationship.

You’re being controlled and emotionally abused.

3. Blaming or making you responsible for his or her problems.

husband and wife arguing with each other on couch looking angry, emotional abuse in relationship

 

Do you feel like it’s your job to take care of everything?

When your partner has a problem (not related to you) or is angry with someone else, do you feel you get brought in the middle of the entire situation, to fix everything and make him/her happy.

Does (s) he make you do illegal things or cover for his/her illegal or immoral behavior?

When your entire family is mad at your partner and you’re supposed to tell them (s)he’s not that bad.

When (s)he screams at the kids, it’s your job to tell them (s)he didn’t really mean it and that mommy/daddy is sorry.

Or when (s)he blames you because his/her life is a mess and expects you to make it better. These are your red flags.

It’s not your job to make someone else happy, fix their problems, cover their sins, or make their life easier.

Each of us is responsible for our own loads, our own conduct, and our own feelings.

But an emotional abuser tries to make you responsible so (s)he doesn’t have to be.

Then (s)he may blame you for not fixing things how (s)he wanted them fixed.

“For we are each responsible for our own conduct.” – Galatians 6:5 NLT

4. Using the children and male privilege.

4. Using the children and male privilege.

 

An emotional abuser often wants to be the center your life, even before God.

They expect your world to revolve around them and often expect to be worshipped.

When children come along and they see you caring for them, as you once did them, they may become very jealous of that bond.

They may say things like, “you love them more than you love me” to make you feel guilty for caring for and loving your children.

Once the kids are older, they will say things to them or to you in front of them to cause division between your children and you.

(S)he will treat you with disrespect, which teaches the children how you should be treated.

Keeping secrets while going against your wishes just to make themselves the fun parent while you’re the mean one.

There’s never a united parenting plan and children are often drug in the middle, used to relay messages, treated differently by both parents, and used as pawns to keep her under his control.

When the man is the abuser, he may even say, “I’m the head of the household,” to excuse his abusive behaviors and need for power and control.

He expects her to be the servant while he’s the master of the castle with all the privilege – defining the roles.

This is what often leads abuse victims to escape.

We often assume that children are never involved in an abusive marriage, and that he’s a good father besides the abuse, but that’s not true.

A child witnessing this is learning how men act and how women are to be treated.

A child, who grows up in this type of environment, is at risk for repeating the patterns in his or her own marriage.

5. Controlling all the household money.

5. Controlling all the household money.

 

If you have to beg for money, if money is hidden from you, or money is spent on illegal or immoral acts but there is nothing you can do about it, you may be dealing with financial abuse, for which the main purpose is to hurt you emotionally.

Someone who is cruel to allow you and your children to go hungry or without your basic needs being met is an abuser.

When (s)he doesn’t feel bad about making you beg for money or stand in the food bank line to eat, while (s)he’s well fed.

(S)he abandons you and then refuses to pay the bills (s)he’s always paid.

When (s)he doesn’t pay child support unless (s)he’s forced.

Lying about and hiding money to keep you from getting any of it (when you’ve always been trustworthy with money), are all forms of financial abuse.

“Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.” – 1 Timothy 5:8 NIV

6. Sabotages other relationships and decides who you spend time with and who you talk to.

6. Sabotages other relationships and decides who you spend time with and who you talk to.

 

Remember, if the goal of emotional abuse is to have power and control over you, an abuser doesn’t want you to have a support system of people who love you, who you love more than you do him/her, or who may help you escape his/her control.

(S)he often seeks to be the center of attention so if you have other relationships, better relationships even with your children, then (s)he wants to ruin them.

(S)he may do what we call triangulate – which means to tell two different people, two different stories about the other person – to cause a problem in that relationship.

For example, in the case of a male abuser, he may tell his mother you don’t like her while telling you that she doesn’t like you.

Now you and his mother are no longer friends because he’s lied to both of you and neither of you are talking.

He’s now gained all of the control and he’s in the center of it all.

He’ll move her away from her support system.

Limit her outside involvement with other people, friends, and church.

He’ll tell her that talking to her friends is hurting their relationship.

And he’ll use jealousy and say he’s neglected to justify his actions.

I’m not talking about him advising you about unhealthy relationships and having boundaries.

I mean when someone purposely ruins healthy relationships that were helping you getting the support you need to see unhealthy, abusive behaviors for what they are.

7. Prevents you from working or attending school to better yourself.

7. Prevents you from working or attending school to better yourself.

An abuser doesn’t want you to get an education, make more money, or become a better or smarter person.

(S)he will either vocally say that you can’t work or go to school. Or (s)he’ll deliberately sabotage your efforts.

Covert sabotage happens when you’re trying to get an education or work but his/her needs or wants have to come first.

(S)he won’t allow you time away from him to work on projects. Might show up at your job, which could get you fired.

(S)he might use guilt to make you feel bad for working or going to school so you’ll want to quit.

Whatever (s)he needs to do to turn your focus away from working or going to school and back onto him/her.

In healthy relationships, both partners make sacrifices while one partner is doing what is best for them – self-care, educational goals, career goals, and more.

Emotional abusers like to control when, if ever, you does something for yourself.

His/her goal is often to keep you trapped in the relationship and always putting him/her first and yourself last.

8. Verbal attacks, insults, demeaning or degrading words or actions.

parents yelling at each other

 

Raising your voice and yelling is not emotional abuse since all of us yell at some point.

Having feelings and emotions, especially about how someone is hurting you, expressing them forcefully, or being angry is not emotional abuse.

Screaming inches from someone’s face in a fit of rage, using profanity and insults, especially while you’re crying and asking him/her to stop, is.

It’s attacking and demeaning.

To demean someone is to be mean, unconcerning, and even cruel.

Calling you fat when you’ve put on a few pounds, especially if (s)he knows that extra weight bothers you.

Calling you ugly because you haven’t put on makeup today.

Saying you’re stupid because you don’t understand something as quickly as (s)he does or because you spelled something incorrectly.

Calling you curse words when you have a disagreement and crazy when you have feelings (because all humans do).

These are all ways someone demeans you to feel bad about yourself.

Most times this makes him/her feel superior to you, which gives him/her the feeling of power.

And (s)he’s now been able to control your emotions, too.

9. Blames you for the abuse, calls you the abuser, or gaslights you to believe you’re crazy for thinking you’re being abused.

9. Blames you for the abuse, calls you the abuser, or gaslights you to believe you’re crazy for thinking you’re being abused.

Psychological abuse is the more sinister and hidden form of emotional abuse.

These are often covert words or actions that are hard to see and explain.

You know something is going on, you know your relationship is dysfunctional, but you can’t quite describe it.

Have you tried to share your feelings or a problem you have only to end up feeling like you’re crazy for feeling that way?

Or if only you were a better person, not so abusive, there wouldn’t be a problem in the first place?

Are you’re made out to be hysterical for even thinking there is an issue to talk about?

Every person is entitled to his or her feelings.

Each of us should take the time to listen to the feelings of others, even if those feelings have to do with something we’ve done.

When conversations seem to go in circles, when you’re blamed, called abusive for having feelings about his actions, and when (s)he tells you your feelings are invalid because (s)he doesn’t understand or any other reason, you could be experiencing emotional abuse.

If you feel blamed each time you try to express your feelings or when you address a problem, this might be something worse than a communication problem.

Instead, this other person might be trying to control you, your mind, and your feelings.

10. Destroys your property, break things, abuses pets or threatens to.

10. Destroys your property, break things, abuses pets or threatens to.

Often people think that if they are not being punched, kicked, or beaten then they are not experiencing domestic violence.

That’s just not true.

Violence and abuse includes physically harming animals, punching walls, pushing, standing in your way when you’re trying to leave, and all the other points mentioned before this.

It is a huge red flag when the abuse is escalating to things getting broken or someone else getting hurt.

It’s time to seek help from someone trained to help victims of abuse.

Physical violence towards you could be next, especially if you’re trying to escape.

His/her anger is not the problem; it’s his/her need for power and control.

And no amount of good behavior on your part is going to stop that need.

“Do not make friends with a hot-tempered person, do not associate with one easily angered, or you may learn their ways and get yourself ensnared.” – Proverbs 22:24-25 NIV

Both women and men should stand up against any type of abuse on any human being or animal.

If not married, then a marriage should not be planned until we know the abuse will not continue in the future.

If married, then seek out professional help via a counselor or even the local domestic violence agency.

Their services are not just for women or for those experiencing physical violence.

You don’t need a physical bruise to get help from a domestic violence shelter.

They know that sometimes the abuser’s first act of violence is his/her last.

 

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Articles Lifestyle

Muslim Women Are Rising Up, Choosing to Follow Christ

When people think about the biggest threat to the Middle East, they immediately think of terrorism. But most Muslim Women Are Rising Up, Choosing to Follow Christ.

While terrorism undoubtedly undergirds many conflicts, a new threat has surfaced.

And it’s even more terrifying and intimidating to people than terrorism. It’s called “change.”

Change is challenging the Muslim religion, and more specifically, radical expressions of the faith that have physically and spiritually shackled women throughout history.

Muslim Women are rising up and finding Jesus.

So we’re left to wonder: Will women in the Muslim-dominated Middle East ever be given full rights and the ability to worship the Lord?

Jesus has answered that question with an emphatic “yes.”

And that may be the reason why Muslim women are flocking to Him like never before.

For these women, death is the ultimate risk.

These heroes of the faith live in Muslim-majority countries that limit their rights simply because they are female.

Their strict Muslim families—many of them fundamentalist—diminish their rights even more.

Sex trafficking, forced marriages and child brides, molestation, rape, incest and female genital mutilation are just a few of the horrific abuses women endure within Muslim communities.

The most overlooked, marginalized and abused person within the religion of Islam lives behind the veil.

Certainly, we’re not saying that all Muslims treat women badly or that every Muslim woman experiences this kind of life.

But where Sharia law is practiced, Muslim women are second-class citizens, and even non-Muslim women are fair game for forced conversion followed by forced marriage.

And Muslim women who give their lives to Jesus and leave Islam altogether? A quick death sentence is always possible.

So who would ever accept Christ and then tell anyone about Him?

Yet today, that’s exactly what an astounding number of women from Muslim communities are doing.

Jesus, of course, has a plan. During His earthly life, Jesus went out of His way to reach the marginalized, ignored and despised.

He raised eyebrows wherever He went because He ignored the religious elite and honored the “nobodies”—from the demonized man in the Gadarenes to the woman at the well to the ten lepers to tax collectors.

The Messiah not only flipped over the money-changer tables in the temple; He tossed the entire social order out the window, and after our years of working in the Muslim world, we see Jesus doing the same thing with the religion of Islam today.

Jesus hasn’t forgotten Muslim women, and because of His divine intervention, these new believers are transforming the Middle East.

When Muslim women find Jesus and give their lives to Him, they not only enjoy new freedom in Christ but also become an unstoppable force in the Muslim world.

Because women are the spiritual gatekeepers of Islam, and because so many are abandoning their posts to follow Jesus, the front door into the religion has been left wide open.

Islam is in crisis. Whole families are jumping ship and now following Jesus.

Despite the danger, the women endure, and their slow, simmering influence spreads to their children, extended families and often even their husbands.

Like the women at the empty tomb of Christ, Muslim women are rising up, discovering that Jesus is alive, and they aren’t keeping silent.

Some are underground, their influence slow and steady, while others have gone public and yet are surviving the onslaught of persecution from their families and friends for defecting from Islam.

The story of the modern Middle East has taken a new turn.

Jesus is setting women free, honoring and elevating them—and they are thriving!

His supporting cast of former Muslim women is raising eyebrows and changing hearts all across the region.

For Christians in the West, the thought of being physically persecuted for our faith can be difficult to understand, even seeming like something that only happened centuries ago, and certainly not now.

While we should always be thankful for the religious freedom we have here, we have a duty to our sisters in Christ in the Middle East to support them.

We may not all be called to go overseas, but we can all spiritually intercede through prayer and petition the Lord to protect, uplift and reveal Himself to those who are searching for the Truth.

Please remember this: Muslims are searching for a relationship with God that only Jesus can give. Pray for them!

There is no more fitting way to honor the Savior who lifted up “the least of these” and made a way for those who had no way than by joining the spiritual revolution happening in the Middle East and praying for the women continually.

Adapted from the “Women Who Risk” prologue by Tom and JoAnn Doyle. 

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Articles Health History Inspiration Lifestyle Motivation News Reviews

MONDAY’S GOSPOTAINMENT BREAKFAST GIST

Did you know?

Did you know that 85 years ago today, Billboard Magazine published its first ever pop music chart?

Billboard itself first came into existence on November 1, 1894, although it was still known at the time as Billboard Advertising.

By the turn of the century, it had transformed into a publication focusing on outdoor entertainment, including burlesque shows, carnivals, circuses, fairs, and vaudeville shows.

After evolving along with the entertainment industry, the magazine started to cover motion pictures as well, but when another publication went solely after that particular beat – an ironic decision, considering that the publication’s name was Variety – Billboard shifted its focus to one devoted strictly to music.

As a result, they added what was at the time called a “music hit parade,” but we know it now as the Hot 100.

Quote of the day:

“We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called opportunity and its first chapter is New Year.”

Edith Lovejoy Pierce

Today’s Weather Report:

5 Wisdom Seed for today:

  1. Self-Improvement and success go hand in hand. Taking the steps to make yourself a better and more well-rounded individual will prove to be a wise decision. Frank Long, A Better You
  2. Each of us experiences defeats in life. We can transform defeat into victory if we learn from life’s whuppings. Les Brown
  3. Pain can change you, but that doesn’t mean it has to be a bad change. Take that pain and turn it into wisdom. Dalai Lama
  4. To be wise, we must seek Jesus, for we will not find wisdom apart from him. Kim Brenneman, Home Management
  5. Meditation is about viewing the world with great clarity so you can make wise decisions. It will help you make the appropriate action with regard to things that you have to change. Mia Conrad, Social Anxiety

Jokes of the Day:

Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit; wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.

The Driver has Solomon’s Wisdom: Two women in a bus were fighting bitterly over the last seat available. The conductor already tried to intervene but to no avail. So the driver shouted, “Let the ugly one take the seat!” Both women stood for the rest of the journey.

10 tips to exercise safely:

Exercising regularly has wide-ranging physical, emotional and social health benefits.

You need to exercise safely to remain healthy and injury-free.

If it’s safe and painless, you’re more likely to stick to it! Safety is about using common sense, understanding basic techniques and listening to your body.

See your doctor for a check-up before embarking on a physical activity program. Your doctor, physiotherapist or local sporting club can offer you tips about staying safe while exercising.

Here are some tips to stay safe and injury-free:

  1. Be aware of your body. Think about how the particular exercise is making you feel. If something doesn’t feel right, stop immediately and seek medical advice.
  2. Warm up and cool down. Try slow stretches and go through the motions of your sport or activity before starting. Cool down with slow stretching.
  3. Pace yourself. Have at least one recovery day each week to rest. If you are experiencing pain, rest until the pain has gone.
  4. Mix it up. Try other sports and exercises to reduce the risk of overtraining.
  5. Strap or tape. If a joint is prone to injury, consider strapping or taping it before exercising. Even better, see an exercise physiologist or physiotherapist to obtain a program to strengthen the injured area and get advice on proper taping techniques.
  6. Stay hydrated. You can lose around one and a half litres of fluid for every hour of exercise; so drink water before, during and after a session.
  7. Be weather aware. Take it easier in hot weather and wear clothing and sunscreen to protect yourself from the elements.
  8. Do it right. Try to get the technique right from the beginning, to ensure you are using your muscles correctly.
  9. Check your gear. Make sure your shoes and equipment fit properly and are right for the activity. Look after your equipment and check it regularly for safety.
  10. Be sensible, especially at night or in secluded areas. Take a friend or your dog, stick to well-lit areas and wear bright or light-reflective clothing so drivers can see you.

Gospotainment is proving very popular but we are always striving to improve the experience for you.

Concerning this write-up, If you have any suggestions for inclusion please leave a comment below.

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Articles Lifestyle Music Reviews

PEOPLE CHANGING THE FACE OF GOSPEL MUSIC IN NIGERIA 2020

With exactly eleven years in the business of chronicling the stories and growth of gospel music in Nigeria and inline with our nature since 2014 , Gospotainment has compile a list of people (among many others) who had generated great impacts and has influenced the growth and development of gospel music and gospel artist positively in an honour article we call PEOPLE CHANGING THE FACE OF GOSPEL MUSIC IN NIGERIA.

The year 2020 has been indeed a trying year for the human race. But despite the terrors and the pestilences, the love and passion for gospel music and the Kingdom of God as well remains afresh in the heart of this men and women. Below is our honour list:

Pastor Chris Oyakhilome

Pastor Chris Oyakhilome’s messages have helped thousands globally to find their way to God. But outside preaching the gospel, Pastor Chris has generated great impact both in the gospel Music industry and to humanity as large.

For example, following the outbreak of COVID-19, a defining global health crisis, governments around the world took measures to curb the spread of the virus including quarantining, social distancing, closure of businesses, travel bans, restricted movements and lockdowns. It has created devastating social and economic crises as people have lost jobs and sources of livelihood.
In response, the InnerCity Mission for Children, a vibrant Member Agency of the Chris Oyakhilome Foundation International, took urgent action to support the most vulnerable amid the global crisis through emergency food relief intervention to over 2, 000 households who have been adversely affected by the recent preventative measures of lockdown in Lagos, Nigeria.

Beneficiaries of the gesture expressed their profound gratitude to the man of God, Reverend (Dr.) Chris Oyakhilome and COFI, for remembering them at such dire times. Their joy knew no bounds as they continued to utter words of blessings, calling on God to reward Pastor Chris for remembering them and demonstrating such love towards them.

The power and passion that the LoveWorld Music and Arts Ministry (LMAM) artists exude for the mission they have in this world is beyond inspiring.

They have supernatural abilities to communicate the message of Christ Embassy Church. These messages are communicated directly from the Man of God, Reverend Dr. Chris Oyakhilome.

The amazing artists whose songs have literarily defined modern Christian worship music in Nigeria with the plethora of hits they release every year. These artists includes Sinach, EbenJoe Praize, Frank Edwards, Samsong, Ada, Buchi  among many others.

Pastor Chris Oyakhilome recognizes and appreciates the unbelievable talents of these creative musical ministers. Their use of music and artistry permeates the souls of the listeners. LIMA is a celebration and recognition of outstanding achievements in spreading the Gospel. Sir, You are one of Gospotainment’s People Changing Gospel music in Nigeria.

Pastor Paul Adefarasin

Paul Adeolu Adefarasin is a globally renowned preacher, an astute teacher, an impeccably eloquent public speaker, and a vocal agent of social change in the society. Pastor Paul, as he is fondly called, is a man whose story is one that embodies the grace of God on a man, and his church, House on the Rock.

As with the vision of House on the Rock as a church, Paul Adefarasin had another vision which he called ‘“The Experience”. . This vision has seen an exponential growth for 15 years now.

The concert was born out of a genuine desire to spread the gospel globally in a way that had never been done before anywhere else in this world, while at the same time, breaking the barriers of distance, language, race, economic class or denominational nomenclature.

This God-inspired vision provides a platform where all can raise their hearts, hands and voices together as one in unfettered praise to the Almighty.

Pastor Paul has also provided an enabling environment for artists of the House On The Rock such as Sammie Okposo, Onos Ariyo, Tim Godfrey, Eno Michael, Segun Obe, Glowreeyah Braimah and many more. Sir, You are one of Gospotainment’s People Changing Gospel music in Nigeria.

Pst Biodun Fatoyinbo

Pst Biodun Fatoyinbo is the Senior Pastor of the Commonwealth of Zion Assembly (COZA).

Pastor Biodun Fatoyinbo the general overseer of Commonwealth of Zion Assembly is one of the richest Pastors in Nigeria.

According to a recent discovery, millions listen to Pastor Biodun’s sermons all over the world. He is popular in countries like the United States of America, Mexico, and some neighboring African countries to Nigeria.

Pastor Biodun Fatoyinbo Ministry has its headquarters in Abuja, with other branches, in Ilorin, Lagos, Port Harcourt, and UAE in 1999, 2012, 2016, and 2017 respectively. Then the Abuja branch/Head-quarters was established in 2008.

He formed The Gratitude in 2016, a gospel music band. The Gratitude music band is popular for their unusual type of gospel music.

In October 2019, the music group, the Gratitude won the Choir/Group of the Year Category at UK Gospel Touch Music Awards. Sir, You are one of Gospotainment’s People Changing Gospel music in Nigeria.

Sinach

One of the biggest name in the Nigerian Gospel Music has been Believers LoveWorld Incorporation’s Osinachi Kalu Egbu has maintained a consistent and excellent reputation in the industry for over a decade and this made her one of the most sought Nigerian artiste internationally.

With allot of Achievement in 2019 which includes: the first Nigerian Gospel Singer to minister at one of the churches in America with the highest congregation (Joel Osteen’s Lakewood Church), the First Nigerian Gospel singer to tour India, headlining concerts with several thousands in attendance, the First Nigerian Gospel Singer to be listed among 100 most reputable people on earth in 2019, etc. The ‘Way maker ‘ crooner has bagged so many honours this year; such as ‘Song of the year’ (GMA) Dove Award, LIMA Award, the first Nigerian gospel artiste to be awarded a gold plague from YouTube etc.

The singer’s “Sinach Live in Concert 30 Years Celebration of Worship” (SLIC30 2020) held on the 18th October 2020.

The concert was a celebration of the gospel music artiste minister’s 30 years of music ministry. Ma, You are one of Gospotainment’s People Changing Gospel music in Nigeria.

Martins Okonkwo

Martins Okonkwo, also known as Perry Martins, is the founder and Team lead at Gospotainment Media and owners of Gospotainment.com and Gospotainment Radio.

Though as a student who studied Physics and Electronics, he got a vision from God as at 2009 to run a gospel blog called Gospotainment; which is a fusion of the words “Gospel” and “Entertainment”.

Gospotainment is officially the premiere gospel music and Christian entertainment blog in Nigeria and probably in Africa by extension, whose purpose is to be a platform for promoting gospel music and Christian entertainment.

By April 6th 2010,  Gospotainment.blogspot.com  was announced for the first time on social media and on December 7th 2010, Gospotainment.com was shared on Facebook for the first time.

Today, Gospotainment reaches over 2 million people each year fulfilling her purpose to the glory of God. Sir, You are one of Gospotainment’s People Changing Gospel music in Nigeria. We celebrate you! De Boss.

TOLA Omoniyi

TOLA Omoniyi is a media entrepreneur, a seasoned broadcaster and events compere with over a decade of successful experience in Radio broadcasting and digital media content creation.
Since 2012, TOLA has delighted, engaged and arguably changed the culture of radio broadcasting especially in the gospel scene with his superb, uncanny delivery of urban gospel music and content on a level unprecedented across Nigeria, Africa and arguably worldwide.
TOLA is the CEO/Founder of multiple award-winning Praiseworld Radio, Africa’s premium Online Gospel Radio Station where he also hosts the week daily award-winning ‘The Praise O’Clock Show”
He is also the creator and host of the fast-growing weekly “Telling Bible Stories with TOLA” Podcast series.
TOLA has on two occasions (2017, 2019) hosted a record smashing12 hour non stop talk show branded #TalkathonWithTOLA
This media visionary has an untainted track record for delivering on any project he lays his hands on; doing it with unrivaled “class and excellence”.
His passion for raising more quality media practitioners and professional comperes inspired the launch of his one-day internship program #InternWithTOLAforADay where he mentors selected applicants real-time on the job for a day.
A strong believer in the power of storytelling for the inspiration and influence of today’s generation, Tola is on a mission to inspire the world, one story at a time.
TOLA enjoys good music binge and loves spending time with his lovely family. Sir, You are one of Gospotainment’s People Changing Gospel music in Nigeria.

Deji Irawo:

Running business especially pure gospel media is fraught with challenges. It is even more challenging in Nigeria environment. This has made many people give up on their vision; but not Deji Irawo.

Armed with experiences in the media ranging from a broadcast media producer, presenter and channel manger, he birthed X2D, in 2009, a vision he has been nursing since 1998.

Before the launch of the channel, X2D started as a television programme “with the intent to showcase gospel entertainment.”

According to Deji Irawo, Lead Partner of X2D, the 24 hour music, lifestyle and entertainment cable TV was born to “create television programming that the whole family can enjoy.”

He has a wide range of experience in broadcasting from Plateau State Radio/TV stations, Nigeria Television Authority(NTA), HiTV before starting a 24 hour gospel cable TV, Exclusive to Divinity TV(X2D). Sir, You are one of Gospotainment’s People Changing Gospel music in Nigeria.

The list is Endless!

Conclusion:

We (Gospotainment) want to use this opportunity to express our intense gratitude to the Almighty God for His Grace and Help that He has rendered to us Freely; that has enabled us to run the year smoothly.

Also, we deeply appreciate all our clients/customers who had done business with us all through the year. We pray that God should continue to expand you on every side, and lift you to higher realms in life!

We Love You!

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Articles Health History Inspiration Lifestyle Motivation News

MONDAY’S GOSPOTAINMENT BREAKFAST GIST

Did you know?

The Star of Bethlehem, also known as Christmas Star, appears in the nativity story of the Gospel of Matthew where the wise men from the East (Magi), as instructed by the Angel of God, traveled to Jerusalem. The star lead them to Jesus’ home in the town of Bethlehem, where they worship him and gift him gold, frankincense and myrrh. Astronomers link the star to unusual celestial events, such as a conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn or Jupiter and Venus.

Quote of the day:

The coming of Jesus at Bethlehem brought joy to the world and to every human heart. may His coming this Christmas bring to each one of us that peace and joy that He desires to give.
Mother Teresa

Today’s Weather Report:

5 Wisdom Seed for today:

1. Be content with anonymity. God knows your name; that is enough.

2. Resolve to live the truth, not simply to learn it.

3. Read your Bible. There is no Christian activity that can replace this.

4. There will be moments that call for you to lead and not appease people’s preferences and feelings. Never aspire to be intentionally offensive, but leadership requires you to make decisions that others won’t. 

5. Exercise! You have been given one vehicle with which to take the gospel into the world. Take care of it. Disease and illness are out of your control, but a healthier diet and exercise are possible. 

Jokes of the Day:

Five Words that Don’t Exist but Should…

Parents need more words to describe the weird things that happen to them on a regular basis. Here are some suggestions.

1. AQUADEXTROUS (ak wa deks’trus)adj. Possessing the ability to turn the bathtub faucet on and off with your toes.

2. CARPETUATION (kar pet’ u a shun)n. The act, when vacuuming, of running over a string or a piece of lint at least a dozen times, reaching over and picking it up, examining it, then putting it back down to give the vacuum one more chance.

3. DISCONFECT (dis kon fekt’) v. To sterilize the piece of candy you dropped on the floor by blowing on it, assuming this will somehow ‘remove’ all the germs.

4. ELBONICS (el bon’iks) n. The actions of two people maneuvering for one armrest in a movie theater.

5. UNDUST (un dust’)n. The small line of debris that refuses to be swept onto the dust pan and keeps backing a person across the room until he finally decides to give up and sweep it under the rug.

Daily Exercise Tips

The Best Workout Tips: Why You Should Exercise

1. It can save your life-really! Regularly doing cardio and strength training reduces your risk of heart disease, diabetes, and endometrial, colon, and breast cancers.

The American Heart Association recommends exercising for 30-60 minutes on most days to reduce your risk of heart disease.

2. You’ll feel less stressed and happier. Exercise has been proven to improve your mood and decrease anxiety. Studies show that the fitter you are, the better you’ll be at handling the long-term effects of stress.

One moderately intense 50-minute aerobic workout has been shown to significantly lower anxiety levels. And a study in the British Journal of Sports Medicine found that exercise may be more effective than drugs in treating mild to moderate depression, https://www.urgentway.com/ambien-buy-now/.

3. It strengthens your bones. Exercise increases bone density, helping prevent osteoporosis. High-intensity activity, like jumping and running, is most beneficial for preserving bone mass.

The Best Cardio Workout Tips

1. Always warm up and cool down. This exercise tip will help you maintain your mobility and flexibility and prevent injury.

Take 5-10 minutes to gradually raise your heart rate at the beginning of a workout and lower it afterward. Before strength training, do low-intensity cardio that recruits larger muscle groups like your legs, back, and core.

2. Take this jump-rope challenge. 

“The best cardio workout is the jump-rope double-turn maneuver,” 

Michael Olajide Jr., former number one world middleweight contender and cofounder/trainer at AEROSPACE High Performance Center in New York City.

It’s intense: You’ll burn about 26 calories per minute! Do a basic jump for 5 minutes, then jump twice as high and turn the rope twice as fast so it passes under your feet twice before you land.

This takes timing, patience and power. But you’ll get in great shape just by working at it.

3. Don’t cruise through cardio. Increase intensity by doing intervals: After a warm-up, alternate 1-2 minutes of activity at a rate of perceived exertion, or RPE, of 7 or 8 with 2-4 minutes of lower-intensity periods (RPE of 3-4). Repeat 4-6 times.

4. Make over your running routine. 

“Unless you’re training for a marathon, skip long, slow, distance running-sprinting builds more muscle. Add a few 10- to 60-second sprints to your run, slowing down just long enough to catch your breath between them,”

says Stephen Holt, ACE personal trainer.

5. Use the talk test. If you can’t speak a sentence or two with each breath, you’re pushing too hard (unless you’re purposely doing high-intensity interval).

Gospotainment is proving very popular but we are always striving to improve the experience for you. Concerning this write-up, If you have any suggestions for inclusion please leave a comment below.

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Christmas 2020: How to protect mental health

For most people, Christmas will be very different this year. In this article, we provide some basic tips to help bolster our mental health during and after the 2020 holiday season.

Christmas is traditionally a time to share food and frolics with our nearest and dearest. For most of us, this is unlikely to be the case this year. With travel restrictions and quarantines in place, we will need to adjust.

At a time when family and friends are normally the closest, this year, they will be farther away. Looking after our mental health in a proactive way is more important than ever as we enter the holiday season.

In this Special Feature, we will look at ways to fend off the seemingly inevitable blues of a physically distant Christmas. Even without a pandemic to deal with, the holiday season brings stresses and strains, so with the added pressures this year has presented to us, we need to focus.

Right from the get-go, it is important to make it clear that nothing we provide below can fill the void or heal the anxiety that COVID-19 has produced. Perhaps, though, it might nudge the needle in the right direction. Sometimes, small steps, taken together, can produce significant benefits.

Before we dive in, here is something to bring to the forefront of your mind as often as possible over the coming days and weeks:

1. Sleep

No article on maintaining mental health would be complete without mentioning sleep. We do not give it the space that it needs in our modern, neon-lit world. We all need to do better.

Losing sleep interferes with our mood. This is intuitive, but it is also backed by research. For instance, one study concludes, “Sleep loss amplifies the negative emotive effects of disruptive events while reducing the positive effect of goal-enhancing events.”

In other words, if we do not sleep enough, we are more likely to feel negative when things go wrong, and we are less likely to feel good when they go well.

Similarly, another study found that “individuals become more impulsive and experience less positive affect after a period of short sleep.” Once again, reduced sleep duration appears to dampen mood.

At a time when the mood of the nation is at a low ebb, sleeping a little extra might be a relatively simple way to tip the scales in our favor. For advice on getting better sleep, click here.

It is worth noting, though, that the relationship between sleep and mental health is complex and two-way — mental health issues can impact sleep quality, and a lack of sleep can damage mental health, http://www.papsociety.org/ambien-zolpidem-10-mg/.

2. Keep Active

As with sleep, any article that aims to boost mental health has to include exercise. As the temperature drops, forcing ourselves outside can become increasingly challenging. Scientists have shown that physical activity can boost mood both in the short and long term.

A review published in 2019, for instance, found a relationship between cardiorespiratory fitness and the risk of common mental health disorders. Similarly, a 2018 meta-analysis concluded that “[a]vailable evidence supports the notion that physical activity can confer protection against the emergence of depression.”

Importantly, we do not need to run a 4-minute mile to gain mental benefits from exercise. A study from 2000 found that short, 10–15-minute walks boosted mood and increased calmness.

So even if it is something simple, such as dancing in your kitchen or walking your dog for a little bit longer, it all counts.

It is true that neither exercise nor sleep can replace a hug from a friend or relative, but if our mood is momentarily boosted or our overall average mood is upped, it might help us manage disappointment better and reframe this difficult year.

3. Addressing Loneliness

For many people, loneliness has already been a significant feature of 2020. Reflecting on friends and family during the Christmas period is likely to intensify those feelings of isolation.

To combat this, make an effort to make contact. Whether it is a simple phone call or a video chat, schedule some conversations in. Remember, you are not the only one feeling lonely. If it is safe and permissible in your area, meet up with a friend somewhere outside and take a walk.

Check in with others — emails, texts, and social media can be useful in times like this. Rather than doomscrolling, send a “How are you?” to someone you miss. They likely miss you, too.

Stay occupied. Empty time can move slowly. Find a new podcast, listen to new or old songs, pick up that guitar, start drawing again, learn a new skill, or anything else. An occupied and engaged mind is less likely to dwell on the loneliness.

A recent study found that people who get involved in an enjoyable task and enter a state of flow fared better during lockdowns and quarantines. The authors write:

“Participants who reported greater flow also reported more positive emotion, less severe depressive symptoms, less loneliness, more healthy behaviors, and fewer unhealthy behaviors.”

4. Eat and drink well

Christmas is associated in no small part with overindulgence. I don’t think it would be fair or reasonable to expect people, in 2020 of all years, to reduce their turkey intake.

With that said, there is growing evidence that what we eat impacts our mood. For instance, a recent review that appears in BMJ concludes:

“Healthy eating patterns, such as the Mediterranean diet, are associated with better mental health than ‘unhealthy’ eating patterns, such as the Western diet.”

With this in mind, ensuring that we eat well in the lead-up to and the days following Christmas could help us keep a steady mind.

5. Align expectations

Not everyone is on the same page when it comes to the pandemic. Some people might still be shielding, while others might have succumbed to “pandemic fatigue” and be returning to normal prematurely. Others still might use terms such as “scamdemic” and refuse to wear a mask.

Some family members might be pushing for a family meal, like the long distant days of 2019. Others, sensibly, might be visualizing a Zoom-based meal plan.

These differences in position have the potential to cause disappointment and additional stress. It is important to have clear and frank discussions with family members about what they can expect this year.

The take-home

Individually, the tips outlined above cannot replace the good times we expect from Christmas. However, if we make more of an effort to eat right, sleep right, and move around, the cumulative effect might be enough to enjoy some benefit.

Remember, we are on the home straight. Reach out and talk to friends and family if you are feeling low. The odds are they are feeling low, too. Never be afraid to talk about your emotions. No one is having the holiday season they expected.

As many people struggle during this time, it might be hard to see an end in sight. If you are contemplating self-harm or if you know someone who is, we have a list of excellent resources here. We are in this together, and it will end.

ill see a return to some form of normality. Hopefully, we will only have to endure this unusual and uncomfortable Christmas once. If you are not comfortable with someone’s proposed plan, say “no.” And stick to your guns.

Although laws, rules, and regulations vary between regions, when it comes down to it, each individual has to make their own decision about how they act within the law. To protect your own mental health, make your own decision and do not allow yourself to be railroaded into doing something that you consider to be too risky.

The safest way to enjoy Christmas this year, unfortunately, is to do it virtually.

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Why we shouldn’t abandon handwriting

  • Writing by hand still matters in the digital age, researchers argue in a new study
  • They carried out two studies and found positive benefits linked to handwriting
  • The lead author believes schools should include national guidelines that include handwriting training

They say the future involves less handwriting and more typing, but one professor is advocating for the implementation of national guidelines that allow children to receive a minimum of handwriting training at school.

Professor Audrey Van der Meer and colleagues, from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, carried out a study and found that choosing handwriting over keyboard-use results in the best learning and memory.

“When you write your shopping list or lecture notes by hand, you simply remember the content better afterwards,” Van der Meer said in a news release published on the university’s website.

The findings of the study, published in the journal Frontiers in Psychology, support previous studies that have also shown that both children and adults learn more and remember better when writing by hand. 

Analyzing brain activity in participants

The topic was previously investigated by Van der Meer and her colleagues in 2017.

The 2017 study involved the examination of the brain activity of 20 students. The more recent study, however, focused on 12 young adults and 12 children – the first time children participated in this type of study.

In both studies, participants wore a hood with over 250 electrodes, which the researchers connected to an EEG to track and record brain wave activity.

Individual examinations took 45 minutes each, and 500 data points per second were received.

Handwriting gives the brain more ‘hooks’ 

The brains of both young adults and children were found to be much more active when they were writing by hand than when typing on a keyboard, the researchers wrote.

“The use of pen and paper gives the brain more ‘hooks’ to hang your memories on. Writing by hand creates much more activity in the sensorimotor parts of the brain,” said Van der Meer, adding:

“A lot of senses are activated by pressing the pen on paper, seeing the letters you write and hearing the sound you make while writing.”

These sense experiences, Van der Meer explained, create contact between different parts of the brain and open it up for learning, so that we both learn and remember better.

Based on their study results, she believes that her own and others’ studies emphasise the importance of children being challenged to draw and write at an early age, particularly at school.

While Van der Meer does not negate the positive learning aspects of digital learning, she strongly encourages handwriting training.

“Given the development of the last several years, we risk having one or more generations lose the ability to write by hand. Our research and that of others show that this would be a very unfortunate consequence” of increased digital activity, she said.

Other studies have also found positive benefits associated with handwriting. A study by the University of Washington, for example, found that writing by hand and by keyboard utilised different brain functions, https://www.childinjuryfirm.com/strattera-atomoxetine.

Another 2012 study, published in the journal Trends in Neuroscience and Education, found that handwriting could be crucial for helping children learn the alphabet.

National guidelines should ensure handwriting training

Van der Meer believes that national guidelines that ensure children receive at least a minimum of handwriting training should be put in place, and referred to some schools in Norway that have gone completely digital and skipped handwriting training altogether.

Many schools worldwide have shifted to the adoption of digital handwriting in classrooms, as some teachers believe that keyboards create less frustration for learners, in that it takes them a shorter time to write and therefore motivates them to write more than in the case of handwriting.

Van der Meer, however, believes otherwise: “Learning to write by hand is a slower process, but it’s important for children to go through the tiring phase of learning to write by hand. The intricate hand movements and the shaping of letters are beneficial in several ways.

“If you use a keyboard, you use the same movement for each letter. Writing by hand requires control of your fine motor skills and senses.

It’s important to put the brain in a learning state as often as possible. I would use a keyboard to write an essay, but I’d take notes by hand during a lecture,” she explained.

In order for our brains to develop optimally, Van der Meer says we need to use it for what it’s best at:

“We need to live an authentic life. We have to use all our senses, be outside, experience all kinds of weather and meet other people.

“If we don’t challenge our brain, it can’t reach its full potential. And that can impact school performance,” .

Van der Meer

Here are 12 Reasons Why Handwriting Is Important

1. The brain engages differently when we write something by hand as opposed to typing it on a keyboard or by touching a screen. Studies show that writing improves memory; students retain learning better when working with new ideas through handwriting instead of typing.

2. Engaging the body in writing by hand helps make writing a more holistic activity. There is something uniquely physical and multidimensional about putting pen to paper to form words and sentences.

3. Learning the alphabet by interacting with each letter in many different physical ways helps students imprint and retain the letters and the letter sounds for easier recall when learning to read. Learning letters on a screen engages at most two physical channels: the eyes and the fingertips. It is not possible to tell one letter from another by the shape of the keys. Learning letters through writing them involves numerous tactile experiences, engaging the fine-motor muscles of the fingers and hand and larger muscles of the arm and body, as well as the eyes.

4. Many writers attest to the value of a handwritten first draft and the subsequent process of reading through and interacting with their writing by annotating, correcting, editing, and reshaping it as a whole. Typing on a screen tempts us instead to edit as we go, fragmenting and dissecting, and potentially interfering with the organic flow of ideas.

5. Even in this digital age, many accomplished people consider it critical to their success to keep a small notebook and pen handy so that they can jot down ideas in the moment and refer back to them later.

6. Many historical documents were written by hand and are now indecipherable to any who are unable to read cursive. The ability to read handwriting is gained through learning to write in one’s own handwriting. Being able to decipher both cursive and print is an important part of language literacy.

7. Handwriting can help us slow down and fully engage with our thoughts. Have you ever heard anyone say, “I type as fast as I think”? This is certainly an asset when transcribing the spoken word, but thoughts need to breathe (as do writers), and writing by hand conveniently holds such a space for thoughts to fully form before being set down in sentences.

8. With a pen in hand, there are instantly accessible creative and artistic opportunities that are not possible to weave into the experience of typing on a keyboard.

9. Handwriting is unique to each individual writer, unlike typeface. One’s handwriting style, and especially one’s signature, is a public and permanent statement. Learning to write well can help make that statement strong, beautiful, and – perhaps most importantly – legible.

10. Handwritten notes to friends and loved ones are intimate and personal in a way that email and typewritten text cannot fully convey. Nothing but handwriting can fully represent the mood and personality of the writer. A handwritten love note is a creative gift to cherish!

11. Proficient writing has a soothing flow and rhythm. While technology and culture is goading us to work faster and more intensely, tasks such as writing can help us find healthy balance in our work, our learning, and our play.

12. Being able to write effortlessly enables the mind to focus more fully on a topic. Struggling with handwriting takes valuable brain energy away from any writing task, but when that skill is mastered, it makes all the difference. Skilled, fluid handwriting is an asset to learning!

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HEALTH TIPS: Home Remedies for treating Diabetes

High blood sugar occurs when your body can’t effectively transport sugar from blood into cells. When left unchecked, this can lead to diabetes.

Here are 11 easy ways to lower blood sugar levels naturally.

1. Exercise Regularly

Regular exercise can help you lose weight and increase insulin sensitivity. Increased insulin sensitivity means your cells are better able to use the available sugar in your bloodstream.

Exercise also helps your muscles use blood sugar for energy and muscle contraction. Good forms of exercise include weight lifting, brisk walking, running, biking, dancing, hiking, swimming and more.

2. Control Your Carb Intake

Your body breaks carbs down into sugars (mostly glucose), and then insulin moves the sugars into cells. When you eat too many carbs or have problems with insulin function, this process fails and blood glucose levels rise.

Carbs are broken down into glucose, which raises blood sugar levels. Reducing carbohydrate intake can help with blood sugar control.

3. Increase Your Fiber Intake

Fiber slows carb digestion and sugar absorption. For these reasons, it promotes a more gradual rise in blood sugar levels.

There are two kinds of fiber: insoluble and soluble. While both are important, soluble fiber specifically has been shown to lower blood sugar levels. Eating plenty of fiber can help with blood sugar control, and soluble dietary fiber is the most effective. For better gut health, add supplements to your daily intake. Bio Complete 3 from Gundry MD may bring you amazing results, check this link for details.

4. Drink Water and Stay Hydrated

Drinking enough water may help you keep your blood sugar levels within healthy limits. In addition to preventing dehydration, it helps your kidneys flush out the excess blood sugar through urine.

One observational study showed that those who drank more water had a lower risk of developing high blood sugar levels.

5. Implement Portion Control

Portion control helps regulate calorie intake and can lead to weight loss. Consequently, controlling your weight promotes healthy blood sugar levels and has been shown to reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

The more control you have over your serving sizes the better control you will have over your blood sugar levels.

6. Control Stress Levels

Stress can affect your blood sugar levels. Hormones such as glucagon and cortisol are secreted during stress. These hormones cause blood sugar levels to go up.

One study showed that exercise, relaxation and meditation significantly reduced stress and lowered blood sugar levels for students.

Controlling stress levels through exercise or relaxation methods such as yoga will help you control blood sugars.

7. Get Enough Quality Sleep

Getting enough sleep feels great and is necessary for good health. Poor sleeping habits and a lack of rest also affect blood sugar levels and insulin sensitivity. They can increase appetite and promote weight gain.

Sleep deprivation decreases the release of growth hormones and increases cortisol levels. Both of these play an important role in blood sugar control.

Good sleep helps maintain blood sugar control and promote a healthy weight. Poor sleep can disrupt important metabolic hormones, cdhfinechemical.com/cdh_data/ambien-zolpidem/.

8. Apple Cider Vinegar

The primary compound in ACV is acetic acid and is believed to be responsible for many of its health benefits. There are many evidence-based approaches to using ACV.

Taking 2 tablespoons before bedtime can reduce your morning fasting sugar levels. Even better, 1-2 tablespoons of ACV taken with meals can decrease the glycemic load of a carbohydrate rich meal.

You can either consume ACV alone, prior to a meal or mix it into salad dressings or teas.

9. Fiber and Barley

Eating fiber decreases blood sugar and insulin concentrations. The recommended amount of fiber is around 30 grams per day. While you can take fiber supplements like Metamucil (psylium husk), the best way to reach your goal is to eat your veggies! Barley is a high-fiber, high-protein grain which has lots of data to support its role in helping improve blood sugar, insulin, cholesterol and general inflammation.

Barley does not requiring soaking and usually can cook in less than 15 minutes on the stove top with just some water and salt.

10. Zinc

Those with diabetes are commonly found to be zinc deficient. Studies have shown zinc supplementation can reduce blood sugar and A1C, have an antioxidant effect, lower blood sugar and even help treat some of the complications related to diabetes.

Large doses of zinc can inhibit the absorption of other minerals like copper, so be sure to ask for guidance of the appropriate dosing.

11. Aloe Vera

The sap of aloe vera is known for its laxative effect. Therefore, make sure to get the juice of the gel! There is increasing evidence for use of the gel, which is the mucilaginous material inside the leaves.

Be sure that any product you buy is free of aloin or anthraquinones to avoid finding yourself in the bathroom!

Make sure to regularly check your sugar level so as to know how to control your diet for a healthy life.

Sources : Health line , Stamford health

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BENEFITS OF CONSUMING HONEY- A SOUND MIND IN A SOUND BODY

It is often said pure honey is better than sugar. And that’s true. Honey is not as sweet as sugar and comprises of health benefits.

Honey is a sweet, thick liquid made by honeybees. The bees collect sugar — mainly the sugar-rich nectar of flowers from their environment, once inside the beehive, they repeatedly consume, digest and regurgitate the nectar.

The end product is honey, a liquid that serves as stored food for bees. The smell, color and taste depend on the types of flowers visited.

Honey can be used as both a food and a medicine. It’s very high in beneficial plant compounds and offers several health benefits. Honey is particularly healthy when used instead of refined sugar, which is 100% empty calories.

BENEFITS OF HONEY CONSUMPTION

1. Honey Contains Some Nutrients

Honey is thick, sweet liquid made by honeybees. It is low in vitamins and minerals but may be high in some plant compounds.

Nutritionally, 1 tablespoon of honey  contains 64 calories and 17 grams of sugar, including fructose, glucose, maltose and sucrose. It contains virtually no fiber, fat or protein.

Where honey shines is in its content of bioactive plant compounds and antioxidants. Darker types tend to be even higher in these compounds than lighter types.

2. High-Quality Honey Is Rich in Antioxidants

Antioxidants have been linked to reduced risk of heart attacks, strokes and some types of cancer. They may also promote eye health. High-quality honey contains many important antioxidants. These include organic acids and phenolic compounds like flavonoids.

3. Honey Is “Less Bad” Than Sugar for Diabetics

The evidence on honey and diabetes is mixed. On one hand, it can reduce several risk factors for heart disease common in people with type 2 diabetes.

For example, it may lower “bad” LDL cholesterol, triglycerides and inflammation while raising “good” HDL cholesterol.

However, some studies have found that it can also increase blood sugar levels — just not as much as refined sugar.

While honey may be slightly better than refined sugar for people with diabetes, it should still be consumed with caution.

4. The Antioxidants in It Can Help Lower Blood Pressure

Eating honey may lead to modest reductions in blood pressure, an important risk factor for heart disease. Blood pressure is an important risk factor for heart disease, and honey may help lower it. This is because it contains antioxidant compounds that have been linked to lower blood pressure.

5. Honey Also Helps Improve Cholesterol

Honey has a positive effect on cholesterol levels. It leads to modest reductions in total and “bad” LDL cholesterol while raising “good” HDL cholesterol.

High LDL cholesterol levels is a strong risk factor for heart disease.

This type of cholesterol plays a major role in atherosclerosis, the fatty buildup in your arteries that can lead to heart attacks and strokes.

6. Honey Can Lower Triglycerides

Elevated triglycerides are a risk factor for heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Several studies show that honey can lower triglyceride levels, especially when used as a sugar substitute.

Interestingly, multiple studies have linked regular honey consumption with lower triglyceride levels, especially when it is used to replace sugar

7. The Antioxidants in It Are Linked to Other Beneficial Effects on Heart Health

The antioxidants in honey have been linked to beneficial effects on heart health, including increased blood flow to your heart and a reduced risk of blood clot formation,  which can lead to heart attacks and strokes.

8. Honey Promotes Burn and Wound Healing

When applied to the skin, honey can be part of an effective treatment plan for burns, wounds and many other skin conditions.

It is particularly effective for diabetic foot ulcers. Topical honey treatment has been used to heal wounds and burns since ancient Egypt and is still common today.

A review of 26 studies on honey and wound care found honey most effective at healing partial-thickness burns and wounds that have become infected after surgery.

Honey is also an effective treatment for diabetic foot ulcers, which are serious complications that can lead to amputation.

9. Honey Can Help Suppress Coughs in Children

For children over one year of age, honey can act as a natural and safe cough suppressant.

Some studies show that it is even more effective than cough medicine. Coughing is a common problem for children with upper respiratory infections.

These infections can affect sleep and quality of life for both children and parents. However, mainstream medications for cough are not always effective and can have side effects, https://neurofitnessfoundation.org/amoxil-treat-infections/.

Interestingly, honey may be a better choice, and evidence indicates it is very effective.

10. It’s Delicious, But Still High in Calories and Sugar

Honey is a delicious, healthier alternative to sugar. Keep in mind that honey should only be consumed in moderation, as it is still high in calories and sugar.

At the end of the day, honey is simply a “less bad” sweetener than sugar and high-fructose corn syrup.

Other related articles:

How tomato juice can improve your blood pressure