SamCity

I don’t like gossips, but what can one do when you are in the midst of it all? I was at a wedding reception a few weeks ago when a young woman was led into the hall by a slightly older man whom I presume was her husband. From the way he was dragging her and guiding her to her seat, it was obvious the young woman was visually impaired (eye disorder) and most likely it must have happened fairly recently. They sat about four tables away from ours with the lady facing me.

“That’s Stella,” said a female voice behind me. “Do you know how she lost her sight?” she asked in a sombre voice. “Iwon ‘ba l’an s’oge,” she added in Yorùbá. This is a philosophical statement advising moderation in everything even when using cosmetics to enhance beauty. I restrained myself from looking back lest she stopped talking. The voice said again, “Stella’s blindness was caused by cosmetics.” “How did it happen?” asked another lady sitting by her side. Just as she started narrating what happened, the band started playing and I could no longer hear a thing.

“Can makeups cause blindness?,” asked the woman sitting next to me. I didn’t realise that I was not the only one interested in the gossip. I pretended I wasn’t listening and ignored her question. She tapped me gently on the shoulder and said, “Doc. I am talking to you.” I was taken aback. She and her friends had greeted me when they joined me on the table, but showed no sign that they recognised me.

“I’m sorry. I was at sea,” I apologised, forcing her to repeat the question. “Yes facial cosmetics can cause blindness,” I replied, hoping I would be left alone to enjoy myself. “How?”; she asked again, bewildered. “In two ways and more,” I retorted. As I was about to appeal to her that we should defer the dialogue because I was straining my ears and my voice to override the loud music, there was an interlude and my excuse was no longer tenable. Now I had no choice, but to give an impromptu lecture!

I told her about a young woman who was rescued from blindness from wearing cosmetic coloured contact lenses in an attempt to match the colour of her eyes with her dress and her new car. The lenses got infected and her cornea was almost eaten up by virulent bacteria leaving extensive corneal ulcers in both eyes. But for early and vigorous intervention, she would have become irreversibly blind. To regain her sight, she needed corneal grafting – an expense she couldn’t afford.

“What about the use of tiro?,” asked another lady who had apparently been following our discussion. “Tiro, a traditional black cosmetic powder made from antimony sulphide is used by locals as eye liners on the lids like eyebrow pencils. Many local women especially in the Northern part of the country have become blind indirectly from its use. Usually put in a small pot, the women and children in the house use the same applicator to apply the tiro to their lids. Once the trachoma organism, which is transmitted to the face by flies, gets into the pot, it is disseminated to all users.

Trachoma causes a low grade eye infection which often passes unnoticed. With repeated trachoma infection, the upper eyelids become scarred and turned inwards rubbing on the cornea and causing ulceration. When the ulcers heal they are replaced by white, unsightly corneal opacities which impair vision.

To keep your eyes healthy and beautiful, I would advise you ladies to follow the following tips. Never share eye makeup with anyone. All eye cosmetics should be thrown away after three months because harmful bacteria grow easily in creamy or liquid eye makeups. Should you develop an eye infection, immediately throw away all of your eye makeups. Always apply makeups outside the lash line away from the eye. If you notice an allergic reaction, discontinue its use and see your ophthalmologist.

Avoid products that contain untested or harmful chemicals. If you suffer from dry eyes avoid makeup that will get into your eyes. If you have eye surgery, do not wear makeup around the eye until your ophthalmologist tells you it is safe to do so, and then use only fresh, new makeup.

Remember makeup can make you blind!

Your kidneys are one of the smallest organs in your body, but they have one of the biggest jobs—they filter out all of the toxins you encounter every day. In fact, your kidneys must filter 20-150 quarts of blood just to produce 1 to 2 quarts of urine, which is composed of wastes and extra fluids ( 1).
Each of your kidneys has close to one million tiny filters known as nephrons. Typically, you are born with two kidneys. These small bean-shaped organs sit right under your rib cage, one on each side of your spine. While you can live with only one kidney, it can be very taxing on your body and eventually, you may require dialysis if the kidney becomes overwhelmed.
According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 1 in 10 adults in the US -more than 20 million people- have some level of chronic kidney disease (CKD) ( 2 ). And these numbers are only rising as more and more people develop chronic symptoms associated with kidney problems.
One of the reasons CKD is on the rise, according to experts, is that often people with serious kidney issues may not show any symptoms until the disease has progressed to the point they need hospitalization.

Groundnuts may seem to be small in size but play a huge role in boosting your health status. 

They contain important nutrients that can boost your health.

Here are some of the health benefits of eating groundnuts:

1.Aids in blood sugar regulation

Groundnuts contain manganese, a mineral that plays a key role in blood sugar regulation, fat metabolism and calcium absorption.

2.Helps lower cholesterol level

Groundnuts contain niacin and copper contents which help lower and control cholesterol level and reduction of bad cholesterol.

3.Boosts memory power

Nuts are a rich source of vitamin B3 which plays a vital role in normal brain functioning and boosting memory power.

4.Groundnuts help in fighting depression

Groundnuts contain tryptophan which is an essential amino acid that produces serotonin. 

Serotonin is a key brain chemical that deals with mood regulation.

5. Groundnuts can boost your libido

These nuts can make you a beast in bed by increasing your stamina, thus enables you to last longer in bed. 

Groundnuts are known to be natural sex stimulants that can boost your sex life, thus a healthy and happy marriage. 

Daily intake of nuts can help save your poor performance in bed.

Believe it or not, there are a number of foods that can help protect you from mosquito bites or even relieve the itching that comes from a bug bite.

Onions
Rubbing a slice of onion over your skin can be a good way to keep away mosquitoes and other biting insects as most bugs are repelled by them.

Orange and lemon peels
Just as onions can repel mosquitoes, you can get similar results by rubbing fresh orange or lemon peels over your exposed skin. It’s said that mosquitoes and gnats are totally repulsed by either scent.

Garlic
If you intend to embark on a trip to a place that is filled with bugs and insects, it is advised that you start eating garlic several days earlier. Eat a clove or two every day.

As you sweat out the garlic odour, it repels many insects and prevents mosquito bites.

Milk
If you feel your skin is burning up from too much sun exposure or if itchy mosquito bites are driving you crazy, try using a little milk paste for soothing relief.

Mix one part powdered milk with two parts water and add a pinch or two of salt. Dab it on the burn or bite. The enzymes in the milk powder will help to neutralize the venom of the insects and also help relieve sunburn pain.
Salt
to get instant relief from the itching of mosquito and chigger bites, soak the area in salt water, then apply a coating of vegetable oil.

Olive oil
The stagnant or still water around your house provides the perfect breeding ground for mosquitoes. Floating a few tablespoons of vegetable oil on the surface of the water will help keep mosquitoes from using the water.
It is however, still important to change the water twice a week so any larvae don’t have time to hatch.
Apple cider vinegar
If you are visiting any mosquito infested area, plan ahead. Approximately three days before you leave, start taking 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar three times a day.
Continue using the vinegar throughout your time there and there is a high chance that when you return to your enclave, you may do so without a bite.
Alternatively, you can moisten a cloth or cotton ball with white vinegar and rub it over your exposed skin.