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Health
What do 50-year-old Women Talk About?
Have you ever wondered what 50-year-old women talk about when they meet? Last Thanksgiving, I had the joy of spending time with my sister and my old friend of forty years and counting. With a friendship that has lasted several decades and countless memories as college...
Fact or Myth: Dancing Can Help Lower Your Blood pressure
If you're 40 or older, there's a good chance your blood pressure is higher than normal. About half of adults aged 40 and up have high blood pressure. Maybe you manage it by living a healthy lifestyle and cutting back on salt, or perhaps you're already taking...
Can You Out-Exercise Your Diet? Exploring the Myth and Reality
In the world of health, fitness, and nutrition, a popular question persists: can you out-exercise your diet? The simple answer is no, you cannot out-exercise a poor diet. However, we sometimes cannot stop ourselves from trying. Can we? Recently, I was away on vacation...
Gentle Yet Effective: Why Women Over 40 Should Use an Exercise Ball
Exercise is not a no-pain, no-gain scenario. If running and other high-impact exercises hurt your knees or joints, there's another way to stay healthy and fit. Adding exercises using an exercise ball can be a game-changer, especially for women over 40. These big,...
Can Exercise Prolong Your Life?
Can exercise prolong your life? Check out what 100-year-old doctor and professor of nutrition John Scharffenberg had to say about this. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Abimbola Odukoya (@doctorabihealth) "If you don't exercise, you are going to die...
Queens Take Action – A Group Health Awareness and Transformation Challenge
Actions Must Follow Decisions Queens Take Action is a story about women, once high school classmates, who are now challenging themselves to improve their health and wellness. "I am not a product of my circumstances. I am a product of my decisions." ― Stephen R. Covey....
All Work and No Play
"All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy." This saying, first recorded in 1659, emphasizes the need to balance work and play to avoid burnout and boredom. Studies show that choosing work and achievement at the expense of fun, enjoyment, and freedom does not improve...
7 Lessons from Oprah’s Weight-Loss Journey
Let's hear from her directly before we share these 7 lessons from Oprah's weight-loss journey. "I couldn't work out anymore. I can't climb any faster or run any faster. I was down to eating one meal a day. There is nothing else I can do." – Oprah Winfrey, March 2024....
What Age is Old? 5 Steps to Staying Forever Young
Many of my friends and former classmates are celebrating their 50th birthdays this year. Fortunately, Facebook, WhatsApp, and other social media platforms allow us to celebrate their birthdays with them, even if it's only virtually. Common compliments as we all view...
10 Reasons for Women to Embrace a Plant-Based Diet
Last week, our cooking social group at my local church invited me to talk about the health benefits of the Daniel Fast. So, I had to revisit plant-based eating one more time, and it reminded me of why I went on a plant-based diet with my friends for a whole month a...
Assalamu Alaikum – Peace Be Unto you: Keep Your Peace to Nurture Your Health
"Assalamu Alaikum" is an Arabic greeting that translates to "Peace be upon you." Muslims commonly use this greeting to wish peace and well-being upon others. However, wishing one another peace is not restricted to Muslims. In fact, after His resurrection, Jesus Christ...
What is Merry About Christmas?
Have you ever stopped to wonder why we wish one another Merry Christmas? Why do we say merry only at Christmas? After all, we don’t say Merry Birthday or Merry New Year. How did the tradition of Merry Christmas start? The origin of Merry Christmas is not exactly...
Are you Aging Gracefully?
"Happy birthday. Age gracefully" is a popular greeting people bestow on others celebrating their 40th birthday and up. A friend once told me that she dislikes this greeting because it sounds like an admonishment. To her, it sounded more like, "Now that you are aging,...
Stretching: A Key to Healthy Aging
Yesterday, I received a call from my 80-year-old dad, who proudly informed me that he now exercises for 20 minutes every morning! So, I asked him what kind of exercises he does. He replied, “Oh no, I don’t jump, dance, or lift iron like you, but I do my stretch...
Keep Hope Alive
Recently, a close friend shared with me how being hopeful is helping her deal with her chronic illness. My friend, who is also a medical professional, understands the severity of her illness and her prognosis. Yet, she chooses to keep hope alive. My friend and I will...
Celebrate Good Times – My Sister’s 50th
Last month, my older sister celebrated her 50th birthday. It was a week-long affair that started with a girls-only cruise and ended with a grand party, Nigerian style. Interestingly, until a couple of months ago, my sister was adamant about not celebrating this...
When Friends Show Up: The Power of Teamwork
"Friends who support each other conquer the world together." At Dr. Bamie's 50th birthday celebrations last weekend, I experienced first-hand the power of teamwork and the magic we can create when friends show up. When we show up and work together as a team for the...
Can a Formula Prolong your Life?
A few days ago, I saw a video where Singaporean presidential candidate, Ng Kok Song, shared the formula for staying healthy at 75. He said the secret to staying healthy is to protect yourself with these 6 things, with the acronym SHIELD. S - Sleep; H - Handling...
Do you Prefer Diet or Exercise?
I once attended a webinar where one of the trivia questions was, "Do you prefer diet or exercise?" I assume that question meant if you would get the same benefits from dieting or exercising, which would you choose? Interestingly, 70 percent of the attendees chose...
Is your Annual Physical Really Necessary?
A few weeks ago, I had my annual physical. Younger people may not know this, but once you are over 40, you may start to dread doctor’s visits. You suspect the doctor will recommend you lose weight, exercise, and eat healthier. You wonder what your labs would show,...