THE WASTES DON'T SMILE

A few years ago, a friend told me a short tale about one of his secondary school teachers who made it a MUST for his students to dispose waste materials such as papers, nylons and all sorts properly or keep them neatly folded in their pockets until they find themselves near waste bins where they can dislodge these wastes into. At that time, I thought of that noble teacher as absurd and funny and may be a little deranged to enact and adhere strictly to such a rule because it felt like a waste of time and effort. 

Today however, I dare to say that noble teacher should be applauded and possibly awarded for his actions. 

In Nigeria, it is common practice for people to litter their surroundings without flinching. Albeit many were taught against this 'little misdemeanour' in their formative years, none or little truly considered the lessons holy enough to practise it religiously and I am just as guilty of this awful deed. 

Ever since I heard that short tale though, my attitude towards waste disposal has gradually changed for better and I believe  every other Nigerian or whosoever reads this piece and who is guilty of this crime can change as well. Some of you may wonder how does proper waste disposal affect you or the price of garri in the market? The answer is quite simple. It does affect you and the price of commodities and below is how: 

Firstly, waste disposal affects your health. It's no secret that flies, mosquitoes, germs and bugs make dirty places their breeding place. The multiplication of these animals mean more of diseases like malaria, cholera, typhoid etc to us humans. If wastes are disposed off properly, and reduced to the bearest minimum our healths will automatically improve, we'll be free of dirty diseases and we can be as beautiful as God wants us to be. 

Secondly, waste disposal affects the prices of goods in the market. Studies have shown that the Nigerian government and even private entities spend hundreds of millions of naira to dispose and treat the tons of wastes that we drop on the streets, in our gutters and on the highways just to keep us safe and our environment clean. Some may feel it's the government's duty to do that but have we thought that we can prevent that occurence by acting more aptly with regards to our wastes. The government doesn't litter our streets and schools, it's us, the citizens who do that but we expect the government to clear it up. If we act right however, the government can channel those hundreds of millions of naira into other sectors of the economy that will positively affect the market price of our beloved garri. 
When used and disposed off properly, some of these waste products can be recycled and reused thereby reducing cost of production and in turn reducing market price of our common goods. Some of us know this but refuse to care about it, yet we complain of inflation. Some other countries thrive on this simple principle but here it doesn't appeal or make sense to us does it? 

Thirdly, improper waste disposal is just a diabolical act that doesn't portray us as good or clean people to others in the diaspora who are more enlightened on this issue. Before publishing this post, I read some articles written by foriegners who visited Nigeria and their reports as regards how we treat wastes are BAD and shameful. Imagine wanting to take a selfie and the background is so unkempt, a good natured person will have to look for 'greener pastures' just to take that selfie. Dirts don't beautify our surrounding, they denature them instead. 

There are other disadvantages of improper waste disposal such as causing erosion, impeding plant growth, ozone layer depletion among others which are all unpleasant to human nature. 

Notwithstanding, it is possible for us to transform our dear nation and mother earth from looking like this:

To this: 

To achieve this, we all need to manage our wastes properly, treat our environment with care and respect and be religiously consistent about it just like the noble teacher in the short tale above. 

Let's join hands to make the world a better place. 

~Beezle 

PORTUGAL : WORTHY WINNERS OR LUCKY WINNERS

Euro 2016 has come and gone with Portugal emerging as the new kings of Europe but one argument that refuses to go away is whether Portugal have won the championship based on luck or based on their efficiency. 

When Fernando Santos took charge of this Portuguese team for the first time in 2014 against France, he lost that game but said something after about bringing the team to the Euros and going all the way in Paris. As fate will have it, it has panned out exactly as Santos 'the gaffer' envisaged. It's clear then that the belief has been there from the onset. What Santos didn't share with the world is that he would carry out his intentions the 'ugly way'. 

Despite boasting footballers of immense talent, Santos never sought to play football the expansive way. He knew his side couldn't match the likes of Spain and Germany by playing openly and aesthetically so he made them play together as a well drilled unit based around a sturdy and formidable defence waiting to pounce on any given opportunity through their talismen. This to me looks like tactical ingenuity. 

It can be argued though that Portugal were boring and rode their luck throughout the tournament - sneaking past the group stage without winning a single game, forcing their Round of 16 and Q/Final matches into extra time and penalties and largely playing the final with almost all their men behind the ball but a popular saying says "You make your own luck". Maybe they made their luck by playing defensively but can they be blamed for the inability of their opponents to break them down? Definitely not. In the showpiece event, France took the game to Portugal but were toothless in attack. Many of their stars didn't turn up when their country needed them the most and after spurning a number of chances, you get the feeling the title may just slip off their hands and yeah it did. Portugal went into the final with the same game plan they've employed all through the tournament, losing Ronaldo their star and go to man to injury should have put them at France's mercy but instead it galvanized the other Patriots to become Heroes while France surprisingly became deflated and lost the title in the process. 

The triumph of Fernando Santos' men won't go down as the most beautiful in memory  but they won't care as long as they are remembered for delivering their nation's first ever international football trophy. These set of players have written their names into historical folklore and they have done it through hard work, commitment and with the help of lady luck. 

TOP TEN HEALTH BENEFITS OF EATING BANANA

Eating banana is good. Many of us eat banana for pleasure and like it for its exceptionally sweet taste. What many don't know is that eating a banana each day can help keep the doctor away. Banana contains an awful lot of vitamins and nutrients that are highly beneficial to mankind. 

Some of the nutrients contained in bananas include vitamins A,C and B6, phosphorus, calcium, zinc, potassium, natural sugars among others.

Below are the top health benefits of eating banana

1. Helps people with ulcer

Bananas help to neutralize acidic foods that can contribute to the formation of ulcers. Also bananas contain protease inhibitors that can help to eliminate bacteria in the stomach, which is one of the main causes of stomach ulcers.

2. Lowers risk of heart disease and hypertension

Bananas are rich in potassium, an essential mineral electrolyte for the heart. Potassium helps the circulatory system deliver oxygen to the brain. Potassium also helps maintain a regular heartbeat and water balance. All these keeps our heart healthy. Potassium also lessen the effect of sodium thereby lowering the risk of hypertension which may be caused by high salt intake.

3. Regulates bowel movements

Bananas contain an ample amount of insoluble fiber that travels through the digestive tract, sweeping up waste and producing bowel movements that are soft and easy to pass. It should be noted that too much banana must not be taken to serve this purpose without water as that may lead to constipation.

4. Prevents/Treats Anaemia

Bananas are a good source of iron for people suffering from anaemia. Iron deficiency is a common characteristic of anemia and eating banana regularly can help replenish the iron.

5. Provides natural energy

Bananas have a blend of three natural sugars: glucose, fructose and sucrose whose combination gives huge energy potential. Bananas contain both simple and complex carbohydrates that will give you quick energy and energy that can be stored for later use respectively.

6. Relieves menstrual cramps

You must have heard that you should eat a banana after exercising to prevent muscle cramps. I'm happy to tell you ladies that the same thing is applicable for menstrual cramps. Eat banana before or during your cycle to prevent cramps and bloating.

7. Reduce/Heals itchy mosquito bites

Itchy mosquito bites can be treated with banana peels. All you need do is rub the inside of the banana peels on the spot where you got bitten for about five to ten minutes and you're good to go. This simple remedy works better than some creams and medications.

8. Promotes eye health

Bananas contain vitamin A, a very important vitamin for vision. An adequate daily intake of vitamin A reduces the risk of night blindness and other eye related disorders. Vitamin A also acts as an anti-oxidant (specifically Beta-carotene) which helps protect cells from the damage caused by free radicals

9. Helps reduce weight

To our obese friends who want to lose some weight, bananas are the perfect food for you.  Bananas are low in fat but high in fiber and vitamins. The fiber in bananas absorb water and take up a lot of space in your stomach thus making you feel full for a longer period of time. Bananas also enhance metabolism due to their high vitamin content.

10. Boosts brain power and help manage depression

Personally, i find this particular benefit of banana to mankind to be the most astounding. I was swept of my feet when i discovered this and truthfully, I'm still very amazed.

The nutrients in banana can be used by the brain to aid its proper neurological and cognitive functioning . As stated earlier, bananas are an excellent source of potassium which helps deliver oxygen to the brain to keep the mind sharp. Magnesium contained in bananas can be used by the brain to promote proper electrical activity between nerve cells within the brain. The magnesium also helps to get rid of waste products of protein metabolism - ammonia. By reducing the brain's ammonia concentration, the ability to focus has been reported to improve.

Bananas are great for improving mood. Bananas provide the amino acids TYROSINE and TRYPTOPHAN which are precursors to the mood - regulating neurotransmitters SEROTONIN and DOPAMINE which are known to help you relax,improve your mood and make you feel happier thereby preventing depression.

Again, the brain uses magnesium to offset stress. I hope you still remember that bananas have magnesium in abundance.

Furthermore, when suffering from insomnia due to depression, you can eat banana before going to bed as the tryptophan contained in it can help you sleep better.

Ask yourself, are all of these benefits of eating banana not too good to pass up? It's time for you to add bananas to your list of "daily manna" and improve your own health.