Monday, July 25, 2016

Advice To Students On Examination Malpractices

 So basically, I know am meant to define examination malpractice for y'all but you know perfectly what it is so am just gonna cut to the chase here. Malpractice is a bad thing, its really bad cause it means while other students are in the same exam hall with you trying to figure out answers to the same question as you, you are busy with the intention of "cheating".

Exam cheating is criminal, its sinful as anything that includes cheating in it isn't accepted by any culture all over the world and even God himself in his glory detest cheating.

 
Also read : WHY ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE IS OVERRATED – PROF. ABIOYE ISAAC (OOU)


The thing with most students who become exam cheats is they see it as a normal thing.

They most definitely know its not a good thing but they don't see it as an extremely bad habit, owning to the fact that students in nigeria cheat at every level of education in modern times, the primary school level, the secondary school level and in universities.

The true fact about cheating is its extremely bad, that's why the consequence for cheating in all universities in Nigeria, and most definitely in Kogi state university is direct expulsion, there is no two ways about that.

I understand the fact that student are always under immense pressure to succeed academically,the thing about pressure though is that it can either be suppressed or increased depending on your actions towards tackling this pressure.

You want to pass a course by fire by force and you haven't been attending lecturers or studying and you think what will save you is expo's and exhibits, not only are you putting yourself under more pressure you are also putting yourself at risk of getting caught and getting expelled.



Also read : 10 REASONS WHY STUDENTS CHEAT IN EXAMS


You might escape getting caught but you have just damaged yourself psychologically as you now think you can't pass without cheating.

To be honest,their's really no point cheating, because their's no point cheating to pass courses and having no idea what that course is about because you didn't study, then there is no point schooling at all if you can't fulfill the main purpose of you been in school which is learning and studying to build yourself into someone you will be proud of, someone your parents will be proud of, someone KSU will be proud of and Nigeria as a whole will be proud of.

You think your first class certificate is what companies out there need to further develop, then why are people who didn't even go to school succeeding in life (Dangote's schooling is still debatable) ?? Its your output that's needed.

Those big companies need your big brain, and what's been stored in it, meaning you have to learn in school, at the end of the day you can only give what you have.

Books and lectures aren't easy, some books are even harder to understand, but the thing about all learning processes is when you devote yourself to it, you'll understand. Start studying harder now, that's the only way.

Don't rely on cheating, you are only killing yourself when you cheat.



Why You Must Do Everything To Avoid Carry overs

 For the record, Carry overs in the university system is completely normal, nothing abnormal about it. In fact, it basically means a student has an unfinished business.

According to Kogi State University's Student Information Handbook a student can only carry over a course when he or she scores 39 downward in both Continuous Assessment and Semester Examination (over 100).

Carry overs is not in all cases a real reflection of how intelligent or not intelligent a student is, rather its a reflection of how unserious, unsmart (if that word exist), unchecked, unbalanced and unintrested a student is.

I have seen highly intelligent students have numerous carry overs and relatively dull students pass through without carry overs,such is life,that's why a coin is two sided.


Also read : WHY ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE IS OVERRATED – PROF. ABIOYE ISAAC (OOU) 

Carry over can also be a result of unfortunate and unlucky incidents,such as missing scripts,lecturer attitude towards marking your script,or even a student's handwritten(that's right).

I have once been a victim of an unlucky situation. I was not around kogi state when an assignment worth 20 marks was been submitted,when i heard about it I quickly rushed back to school from Lagos to get mine submitted.

Unlucky for me the lecturer in charge of the course is very strict and sent me out of his office. I thought to myself,"I still have 80 marks to fight for so why panic".

This lecturer is the kind that barely comes to class,but he gave us a material to read ahead of his exam. For most part of monday evenings we'll wait in class expecting him to come to class but he never does.

On the day I decided I wasn't going to wait in class for him,he showed up in class and seeing how scanty the class was he decided to conduct test with the little ones in class.

The test was for 20 marks and I missed it,making it 40 marks missed already which ruled me out of contention to score an A. Words can't describe how devastated I was during this period,my worst fear of carrying over a course is lurking around me.

I tried bottling my sadness and fear until the lecturer announced that marks will be deducted for every "undoted Is" and "uncrossed Ts" in his examination, he was basically asking for a perfectly written error free examination which looked impossible under the sort of pressure we were in.

I prayed to God about the situation,focused a little bit more on that course than the others,did a whole lot of library work and research and when the examination came around

I completely smashed it,narrowly escaping a carry over (which many of my mates had) that would have completely changed the dynamics of my academics. Am still grateful to God till today,who knows what it might have been....



Also read : 10 REASONS WHY STUDENTS CHEAT IN EXAMS

Reasons why you must completely avoid carry overs:

-It brings you down;

A) Academically: having carry over means you have a F(0) in that course. Its bad,its really bad. Having an E(2) or a D(4) is far far better than having a carryover. It means you just scored 0 after studying a course for a semester and it will definitely reflect on your result.

B) Psychologically: having a carry over affects the psyche of a student. Its that evil. You don't feel whole again,you won't feel yourself among your peers anymore,you'll feel devastated,less intelligent,less smart and so on. Carry overs inflict serious psychological damage on the bearer. It brings your thinking to the lowest, ground touching minimum...

C) Physically: keeping tabs with your main courses is physically tasking enough,add carry overs to that and you'll barely sleep at night. You have to meet up with the time table of your main courses,then meet up with the schedule of your carry over courses,that's so physically demanding,its almost like punishment.

-Its hard to recover: even though its technically possible to recover from the evils of carry overs and get your academics back on track,its extremely difficult and take so much determination and hard work.

-The odds aren't favorable: the odds of you graduating with a great result or a good result shifts every time you carry over a course. Imagine doing a carry over course in place of an easy to pass elective course...

-It leads to self esteem issues: when you are writing a carry over paper with guys that are below you,its a hard hit on your esteem and confidence level. You certainly won't be the most confident person on campus,infact you'll be the least confident,if you're not then its either you're shameless,dellusional,dull or completely out of touch.

-Its a bad experience all together: the demanding schedule,the insult sometimes by lecturers,the embarrassment of writing a carry over exam with your "juniors"...its a bad experience all together.

How To Avoid A Carry Over KSU :

-Never joke with your C.A.

-Always be around class and get adequate information.

-Serious studying: studying isn't every one's bread and butter,not every one enjoys reading and reading,its not sweet atall,but you gats to do it. That's the way. Use the Library to research helpful information as much as you can.

-Do your calculations: your g.p and stuffs

-Always add to what you know

-Always do he conventional first: do what's required of you in test or an exam first,then spice it up with the result of your researchs after to the lecturer's delight.


-Be strong physically and psychologically; in KSU only the strong can survive

-Use your time and work with schedule

And finally and most importantly...
-Know your God...



Breakdown of KSU Revised Academic Calendar

 The management of Kogi State University, Anyigba has released a revised (adjusted) academic calendar for the 2015/2016 academic session :

*Major details

- Arrival on the 24th of July,2016.

- Revision weeks starts Monday 25th of July and ends on the 30th of July, 2016.

- Exams begins on August 1st and ends on the 27th of August.

- Second semester begins September 12th, 2016 and ends on the 21st of January, 2017.

*Full details below :

1st Semester:

Sunday 24/7/16 - Arrival

Monday 25/7/16 - Saturday 30/7/16 - Revision Week

Monday 1/8/16. - Exams begins of 300l and above

Monday 8/8/16 - Exams Commence for 100l and
200l

Saturday 20/8/16 - Exams/Semester end

Monday 22/8/16 - Saturday 27/8/16. -GST exams (Faculty of natural science and education to round up the following week because of peculiarities)

Monday 29/8/16 - Saturday 8/10/16 - Marking of scripts nd result preparation (6 weeks)

Monday 10/10/16 - Consideration of 1st semester Exams by senate

2nd Semester

Sunday 11/9/16 - Arrival

Monday 12/9/16 -Normal reg/lectures begin

Monday 26/9/16 -Late reg begins

Friday 30/9/16 - Late reg ends

Saturday 10/12/16 -Lecture ends(13weeks of
lectures)

Monday. 12/12/16 - Saturday 17/12/16 -Revision Week

Tuesday 03/1/2017 -Exams begin

Monday 16/1/17 - Gst exams

Saturday 21/1/17 -Exams /semester ends

Monday 23/1/17 - Saturday 4/3/17 -Marking of scripts and result preparation

Monday 6/3/17 -Consideration of 2nd semester
exams result by senate

Prof F.G Ogbe
Director,academic planing and development.

You can view the full photo here



10 REASONS WHY STUDENTS CHEAT IN EXAMS

 Cheating can sometimes have serious consequences, such as obtaining a failing grade, probation, suspension, and a negative mark about your conduct on permanent record. Also, the cheating student will never really learn the coursework, which puts him/her at a disadvantage over time, leading to low self-esteem. Counseling, creating an honor code, changes in question papers, strict monitoring, and severe punishments for cheating are some of the solutions to solving this problem.

Why Do Students Cheat?


Also read : Strategies To Make A First Class In PAAU

1. Greater/Excessive Competition:

Nowadays, due to greater competition, anything less than a top grade is considered tantamount to failure. A poor grade in school is enough to put a massive dent in the child’s career path. Thus, the fear of a poor future brings in a belief of excelling at any cost, prompting a student to resort to cheating.

2. Too Many Material To Cover/Heavy Academic
Workbook:

Since the academic system emphasizes more on
standardized tests rather than how much an individual has actually learned, a lot of the syllabus is very cumbersome, with too much workload squeezed into each semester. Poorly explained concepts by teachers and a multitude of consecutive tests are difficult to handle. So, when a student sees that his peers are at an advantage by cheating, he/she also does the same.

3. Pressure:

Apart from peers and teachers, parents are also guilty of pressuring their child to constantly be the best. Also, since students having part-time jobs or suffering illnesses are not able to prepare well for exams, their chances for higher education or jobs is reduced, which forces them to cheat to save themselves.

4. Financial Aid:

A high GPA not only ensures financial aid in the form of scholarships, but can also make the student eligible for athletic qualifications. In the case of students with poor financial backgrounds, this becomes very important, and they may resort to cheating for acquiring a good score.

5. Unfair/Strict Teacher:

Overly strict grading in tests, extremely tough exams designed to fail students, and teachers giving out an unreasonably high amount of course work during each semester, can frustrate students. Unable to cope with performance pressure, students will cheat in order to get by and complete their studies as required.


Also read : How To Memorize Things Quicker ThanOther People

6. Poor Attendance/Lack Of Effort:

Students who are not sincere have poor attendance in class and leave their exam preparations to the last minute. With exams just a few days away, the nerves and the ramifications of failing become clear as there is not enough time for preparation. As a last resort, students look for ways to cheat and get through. When done repeatedly, cheating becomes a habit.

7. Peer Influence:

Often the relationship of friends and other social groups, such as fraternities, can take precedence over morals and ethics. To help out people in one’s social circle is a natural response. However, it can lead to cheating by sharing what each person knows. The exam becomes a test of group knowledge rather than that of an individual’s.

8. Chance/Opportunity For Cheating:

During an examination, students may occasionally come across unexpected opportunities to cheat. The invigilator may have left the exam hall, or was lax in his duties, or a neighboring student did not cover the paper properly. In such cases, the student might feel tempted to use this to obtain a few more marks, and thereby, gain an edge over his/her peers.

9. Lack Of Enforcement Of Rules:

Children who see that cheating is a norm rather than the exception are likely to cheat too. Lack of enforcement of rules makes the environment of the institution friendly to cheats since no one gets caught and punished. The situation grows from bad to worse when teachers and parents openly encourage such behavior.

10. Inadequate Preperation:

Most students do not prepare for their exam, when it comes, he/she will end up looking for where to peep in someone else work.

WHY ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE IS OVERRATED – PROF. ABIOYE ISAAC (OOU)

 “Academic excellence is overrated! Did I just say that? Oh, yes, I said it.

Being top of your class does not necessarily guarantee that you will be at the top of life. You could graduate as the best student in Finance but it doesn’t mean you will make more money than everybody else.

The best graduating Law student does not necessarily become the best lawyer. The fact is life requires more than the ability to understand a concept, memorize it and reproduce it in an exam. School rewards people for their memory. Life rewards people for their imagination.

School rewards caution, life rewards daring. School hails those who live by the rules. Life exalts those who break the rules and set new ones. So do I mean people shouldn’t study hard in school? Oh, no, you should. But don’t sacrifice every other thing on the altar of First Class.

Don’t limit yourself to the classroom. Do something practical.



Also read : How To Memorize Things Quicker Than Other People 

Take a leadership position.

Start a business and fail. That’s a better Entrepreneurship 101.

Join or start a club.

Contest an election and lose. It will teach something Political Science 101 will not teach you.

Attend a seminar.

Read books outside the scope of your course.

Go on missions and win a soul for eternal rewards…

Do something you believe in!

Think less of becoming an excellent student but think more of becoming an excellent person. Make the world your classroom!”


Also read : 15 FACTS ABOUT THE HUMAN BODY YOU NEED TO KNOW 

Saturday, July 23, 2016

13 Tricks to Help You Remember What You’ve Learned

Memory is fallible. If you forget everything in this article, remember this fact: Researchers estimate that we lose 90% of everything we learn immediately after learning it. Ninety percent. Have I got your attention now? Trying to recall information can be like digging a hole without a proper shovel: Sure, you can implement what you have to make the hole, but the tool you employ is makeshift. Or perhaps you only have your hands. When our minds begin to absorb new information, there is a limited amount of time before that information becomes useless to us. For several reasons, our brains are in a constant process of forgetting. Most of the details that you learn are lost to you within a short time, because your brain only has limited space. And your brain doesn’t actually know how to determine if a detail will be useful to you at a later time… so it just forgets it. Throughout your learning process make time to ensure that you will remember the information you want to remember by following these 13 simple tricks.

1. Acknowledge How You Learn

Articles are published every day about how the educational systems of the world are flawed, for various reasons. Perhaps the most fundamental component that is missing from these systems is the process of learning itself: students are not learning how to learn. Facts and figures are thrown at pupils, and they are asked to memorize them by rote. Students are not told about the process of learning and what goes on in that process, how the brain commits information to memory and how to recall it. Each example in this series relates to either the learning process or the ability to recall – incorporate these activities into your own processes to enhance your ability to remember.


 Read also : 10 Types of Toxic People You Should Be Careful Of 

Read also : 7 Foods That Are Bad For Your Brain 

2. Motivate to Remember

When you are interested in a subject, you are more likely to remember what you have learned. Motivate yourself with authenticity. Is this a subject that you are passionate for? If the answer is yes, then you are on the right track. If you have a zest for knowledge already, then you know this is the case when it comes to learning. Learning one task begets an insatiable urge to learn more, and your hunger grows as you realize how much there is to learn in the world. On the other hand, if you find that you are unmotivated to learn something or if you have a shallow relationship with the subject, then your brain in turn will be less interested (and therefore, less likely to be able to recall it). When you select a subject that you know you will find engaging, then you will have a greater opportunity to remember all about it.

3. Concentrate to Remember

Concentration utilizes a great deal of brain power, and signals your mind to fix a process or subject into your long-term memory. Your attention must be undivided, and your focus must come naturally. If you are fatigued or distracted, then it is very difficult for your mind to commit information into memory. Set up a peaceful space without distraction when you are going through your learning process, and you will be more likely to recall the details you’ve learned.

4. Listening and Reading Aren’t the Best Ways to
Learn

When you are trying to learn and recall something, listening and reading pale in comparison to other forms of learning, like group discussions or teaching. In order to learn something well, you must be concentrating, and often we are struggling with the information we learn from simple hearing and seeing. Activities must be hands-on and, as humans, all of our best learning comes from making mistakes. So get as involved as possible in the process so that you can learn at your best.

5. Calculate Recall Times

You’ve got to challenge your mind to recall what you’ve learned. This allows your memory to not only show you that it ’s working but the process itself improves your ability to summon the information you’ve learned. According to the experts, there are a myriad of times that are best for when to try to recall. (One UCLA study argues that the best time to recall something is right before you are about to forget it!) The simplest solution: study again after one hour, and a third time after 24 hours. The argument is that you will lose what you’ve learned quickly, so study it again within an hour. Also, after a full day passes you are likely to forget the information if you do not review it. While this is a broad-yet-effective solution for the recall problem, there is a better way. SuperMemo.com houses a calculator that determines the best time to test your memory recall. Basically, a computer program figures out the moment that you’re about to forget something, and challenges you to recall it – precisely in that moment. Warning! The user interface is stuck in the nineties and the material may seem a little kooky. But I assure you, if you want to become a memory machine, this site has exactly what you need. (For more information, read this Wired article about the site’s creator, Piotr Wozniak.)

6. Take Breaks

Break up your learning, and give your body & mind time to relax. You should pepper twenty minute breaks throughout your study time, with a long break in the middle for a meal. Ideally, learning should be done on a cycle. Unfortunately everyone is different, so there is no magic number of minutes or hours that you should study. On average, an individual canremain focused on a task for about 45 minutes, so this is a good number to start with. For some, the length of your study time may be even longer. As you go through your process, pay attention to mental and physical cues to fine tune the length of your learning time (i.e. mind wandering, fidgeting, etc.). Adjust your study time accordingly.

7. Study Before Bed & After Waking

The best time to learn – or review information that you’ve learned – is just before you go to sleep and right when you wake up. Before you go to bed and right after you wake up, your brain secretes chemicals that are designed to make your memory more concrete. At other times of the day, the mind is continually refreshing the contents of your short-term memory (causing you to forget things). Also during the day, your mind is overloaded with constant information, so there is not much room for anything new.

8. Scrutinize, Connect, and Elaborate

Learning is not a static activity. Your brain is trying to make connections between the information you are learning and what you already know. So look deeper at the processes and make connections. For example, if you are learning about airflow and Bernoulli’s principle, compare your existing knowledge of laminar flow in water to further cement the new info you are learning. Similarly, by examining the processes of a task, or the details of the information, you allow your brain to have a better grasp of what you learn. Again, don’t just look at the facts and figures. Develop a working knowledge of the details and the process, thereby providing your brain with a framework for your learning. Moreover, when you connect the information with that which you already know, then your mind will remember the particular similarities within the processes.

9. Teach What You’ve Learned

Teachers make mistakes. When they fail or make a mistake, they’ve got to learn how to correct the mistake. And mistakes are good. Research shows that when you make a mistake whilst teaching, you must go back and check your work, which familiarizes you further with the processes of the task. Furthermore, when learning is hard, you are performing at your peak, and you are more likely to recall the information at a later time. Because teaching takes a great deal of concentration, your brain kicks your memory absorption into high gear. So teach what you’ve learned.

10. Force Recall

Everyone will tell you that flash cards are the best way to remember something. And they’re just about right. By forcing your brain to bring back what you learned through recall, your brain has to concentrate to get that information into your consciousness. Any kind of trivia game can help with this, provided that you don’t look at the answers – or Google it! – before you give your ability to recall a good college try.

11. Repetition, Repetition, Repetition

Repeating an activity, process, or detail can help you to recall it. If you incorporate what you want to remember into an everyday activity, you are exponentially more likely to remember it. Consider this example: put your doctor’s phone number into your password to access your computer (e.g.,
DoctorMark5236798). Should an emergency arise where you need to recall the number, you won’t have to go searching through the phone book. Essentially, by performing a task daily you’ll have no problem conjuring the information right when you need it.

12. Stay Healthy

Eat right and stay in shape – your mental health depends on it. Whenever you are famished or dehydrated, your mind can meander into Never Never Land, or else it can propel itself into panic-mode out of hunger. Therefore, maintain a steady diet. Avoid foods that are high in sugar as they will cause you to crash. Consuming too many calories can make you feel sluggish, so stay away from processed foods. Instead, eat plenty of produce and lean meats to keep your brain healthy. Exercise regularly as well. A good cardiovascular workout improves your blood flow and your immune system, which helps to restore your mental energy for more learning.

13. Reflect Upon What You’ve Learned

Spend just 15 minutes reflecting on what you learned at the end of the day. This will boost your confidence in your learning process as you are recalling the information. Your process will be further edified: you will be eager to get back into learning the next day, putting more effort into your activities and what you learn. Memory is fallible, as I stated earlier. Do you recall what I asked you to remember at the start? Perhaps you do but maybe you forgot. Scrolling to the top to reread it is easy enough right now but you might not always have that luxury. If you incorporate these tricks into your learning habits, you will see a marked improvement in your ability to recall what you’ve
learned.




How To Study Hard Without Burning Out

   Let’s face it: studying is hard. It’s not fun, and sometimes it can be really hard to stay focused on the task at hand. However, it’s vital to doing well in classes and staying well-informed. Although studying is no one’s favorite activity, there are ways to study more efficiently. Here are six tips on studying hard while maintaining your focus.

1. Schedule it.

Don’t just assume that you’ll study when you have free time. What ends up happening is that often, you won’t end up studying at all because you didn’t leave room specifically for it. Find a time of day that works best for you and stick with it. Chances are, the more you associate this time of day with studying, the more focused you’ll be over time.

2. Get in the zone.

If listening to music is a must for you, put some headphones in while studying. Others find complete quiet to be more their taste. Some people like to get comfortable in sweatpants, while others may prefer to stay fully dressed in order to stay as awake as possible. Coffee or tea may be a good option for maximum alertness, but go easy on the caffeine to avoid the inevitable crash. By making yourself comfortable and focused, you’re more likely to get intoa studying mood. Getting in the zone helps you concentrate and power through long study sessions with ease.

3. Gather your materials.

Books, notes, laptop, paper, highlighters, pens, snacks—get everything in one place. Make sure you don ’t have to get up and gather more things as the study session progresses. That will just disrupt your focus and make getting back in the zone harder once you return. Try to get everything in one place to ensure that there will be a minimum of unnecessary interruptions.

4. Schedule small breaks.

Even the most studious of us gets tired and achey after a while. All that reading and hunching over a book or computer can be mentally and physically exhausting. Set an alarm or reminder to take small breaks during marathon study sessions. Stand up, stretch, jog in place, get a drink of water. Make sure that the break isn’t too long, though, or else your focus could disappear completely. The goal with these small breaks is to ensure that you don’t burn out and come back to your studying feeling refreshed and ready to continue.



Read more : 10 Types of Toxic People You Should Be Careful Of

Read more : 7 Foods That Are Bad For Your Brain

5. Be an active learner.

Passively learning involves simply taking notes, reading, and not critically evaluating the information presented. Active learning, on the other hand, involves discussion and analysis. The active style of learning can help make sure you understand the material completely, and it also makes the information stick in your brain. Consider studying with others and having a discussion about the material instead of simply sitting at a desk and reading. Varying your study habits like this will also ensure that you’ll study harder and for a longer period of time. Doing one task for too long can cause you to burn out.

6. Find your study spot.

Libraries and coffee shops are popular study spots, as are bedrooms and study areas in academic buildings. Pick your study spot based on your level of distract- ability. For example, don’t choose to study in a coffee shop if you’re likely to look up every time someone enters the establishment or walks past you. It’s also important to pick somewhere where it is easy to get physically comfortable. If you love the library at your school, but the chairs are uncomfortable, consider studying somewhere else. You don’t want to be distracted by uncomfortable seating, bad lighting, or too-loud noises.


Thursday, July 21, 2016

A Guide to Good Personal Hygiene

 Mom was right: Good personal hygiene is essential to promoting good health. Personal hygiene habits such as washing your hands and brushing and flossing your teeth will help keep bacteria, viruses, and illnesses at bay. And there are mental as well as physical benefits. “Practicing good body hygiene helps you feel good about yourself, which is important for your mental health,” notes Donald Novey, MD, an integrative medicine physician with the Advocate Medical Group in Park Ridge, Ill. People who have poor hygiene — disheveled hair and clothes, body odor, bad breath, missing teeth, and the like — often are seen as unhealthy and may face discrimination.

Personal Hygiene: Healthy Habits Include Good
Grooming If you want to minimize your risk of infection and also enhance your overall health, follow these basic personal hygiene habits:

Also read : Why Do Onions Make Us Cry?

Bathe regularly. Wash your body and your hair
often. “I’m not saying that you need to shower or bathe every day,” remarks Dr. Novey. “But you should clean your body and shampoo your hair at regular intervals that work for you.” Your body is constantly shedding skin. Novey explains, “That skin needs to come off. Otherwise, it will cake up and can cause illnesses.” Trim your nails. Keeping your finger and toenails trimmed and in good shape will prevent problems such as hang nails and infected nail beds. Feet that are clean and dry are less likely to contract athlete’s foot, Novey says.

Brush and floss. Ideally, you should brush your teeth after every meal. At the very least, brush
your teeth twice a day and floss daily. Brushing
minimizes the accumulation of bacteria in your mouth, which can cause tooth decay and gum
disease, Novey says. Flossing, too, helps maintain strong, healthy gums. “The bacteria that builds up and causes gum disease can go straight to the heart and cause very serious valve problems,” Novey explains. Unhealthy gums also can cause your teeth to loosen, which makes it difficult to chew and to eat properly, he adds. To maintain a healthy smile, visit the dentist at six-month intervals for checkups and cleanings.

Wash your hands. Washing your hands before
preparing or eating food, after going to the
bathroom, after coughing or sneezing, and after
handling garbage, goes a long way toward
preventing the spread of bacteria and viruses.
Keep a hygiene product, like an alcohol-based sanitizing gel, handy for when soap and water isn’t available.

Sleep tight. Get plenty of rest — 8 to 10 hours a night — so that you are refreshed and are ready to take on the day every morning. Lack of sleep can leave you feeling run down and can compromise your body's natural defenses, your
immune system, Novey says.

Also read :  Walking Helps Heart and Brain


Personal Hygiene: Poor Hygiene Hints at Other
Issues

If someone you know hasn’t bathed or appears unkempt, it could be a sign that he or she is depressed. “When people are sad or depressed, they neglect themselves,” Novey says. Talking about the importance of proper personal hygiene for preventing illnesses and providing personal hygiene items may help some people. Be candid but sensitive and understanding in your discussions, Novey says. Despite your best efforts, your friend or loved one may need professional help. You should encourage them to see a counselor or doctor if their personal hygiene doesn’t improve.

Personal Hygiene: Good Habits Help Keep You Healthy

For most people, good hygiene is so much a part of their daily routines that they think little about it. They bathe, they brush their teeth, visit the dentist and doctor for regular checkups, and wash their hands when preparing or eating food and handling unsanitary items. To keep those you care about healthy and safe, help them learn, and be sure that they are practicing, good personal hygiene.


Source : EVERYDAY HEALTH

The Health Benefits of Water

 Did you know that your body weight is approximately 60 percent water? Your body uses water in all its cells, organs, and tissues to help regulate its temperature and maintain other bodily functions. Because your body loses water through breathing, sweating, and digestion, it's important to rehydrate by drinking fluids and eating foods that contain water. The amount of water you need depends on a variety of factors, including the climate you live in, how physically active you are, and whether you're experiencing an illness or have any other health problems.


Also read : Walking Helps Heart and Brain

Water Protects Your Tissues, Spinal Cord, and Joints

Water does more than just quench your thirst and regulate your body's temperature; it also keeps the tissues in your body moist. You know how it feels when your eyes, nose, or mouth gets dry? Keeping your body hydrated helps it retain optimum levels of moisture in these sensitive areas, as well as in the blood, bones, and the brain. In addition, water helps protect the spinal cord, and it acts as a lubricant and cushion for your joints.

Water Helps Your Body Remove Waste

Adequate water intake enables your body to excrete waste through perspiration, urination, and defecation. The kidneys and liver use it to help flush out waste, as do your intestines. Water can also keep you from getting constipated by softening your stools and helping move the food you've eaten through your intestinal tract. However, it should be noted that there is no evidence to prove that increasing your fluid intake will cure constipation.

Water Aids in Digestion

Digestion starts with saliva, the basis of which is water. Digestion relies on enzymes that are found in saliva to help break down food and liquid and to dissolve minerals and other nutrients. Proper digestion makes minerals and nutrients more accessible to the body. Water is also necessary to help you digest soluble fiber. With the help of water, this fiber dissolves easily and benefits your bowel health by making well-formed, soft stools that are easy to pass.


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Water Prevents You From Becoming Dehydrated

Your body loses fluids when you engage in vigorous exercise, sweat in high heat, or come down with a fever or contract an illness that causes vomiting or diarrhea. If you're losing fluids for any of these reasons, it's important to increase your fluid intake so that you can restore your body's natural hydration levels. Your doctor may also recommend that you drink more fluids to help treat other health conditions, like bladder infections and urinary tract stones. If you're pregnant or nursing, you may want to consult with your physician about your fluid intake because your body will be using more fluids than usual, especially if you're breastfeeding.

How Much Water Do You Need?

There's no hard and fast rule, and many individuals meet their daily hydration needs by simply drinking water when they're thirsty, according to a report on nutrient recommendations from the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies. In fact, most people who are in good physical health get enough fluids by drinking water and other beverages when they're thirsty, and also by drinking a beverage with each of their meals, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. If you're not sure about your hydration level, look at your urine. If it's clear, you're in good shape. If it's dark, you're probably dehydrated.

Wednesday, July 20, 2016

President Buhari Orders Reopening Of OAU

 The president Buhari has directed that all offices and facilities of Obafemi Awolowo University be opened for normal administrative and academic activities to enable a quick resolution of the impasse current crisis in the school.

He equally directed that the Senate of the University should convene a meeting to recommend a qualified member to the Honorable Minister of Education for appointment as Acting Vice-Chancellor.

Consequently, a special meeting of the senate of the institution has been scheduled to hold tomorrow 21st July, 2016.

Depending on the outcome of the meeting, the institution may re-open next week for academic activities.