Locust beans is a food species recognized locally and internationally because of its importance. In this part of the clime, it is called "Iru" amongst the Yoruba, "ogiri/dadawa" by the Igbos. It is mostly popular amongst the Yorubas as a necessary condiment for certain culinary e.g. Efo riro, ofada stew, egusi soup, etc. The beauty of this species is that, it not only great as food species, but it's therapeutic ability. It also has great economic value. Although it's smell can be very intolerable to many, as well as it's look, but the health benefits one stand to gain from it's consumption can not be overlooked. Locust beans is high in vital nutrients such as protein, carbohydrate, lipid, calcium, fat, etc. These nutrients are required in the human body for proper functionality of all the body organ. Locust beans benefits the body as follow: It regulates the blood pressure It promotes good vision It boosts the immune system It detoxifies the

Toys are essential objects: must have for every growing child. They contribute immensely to the growth and development of children psychologically. Children play with toys, in the course of doing this they discover new knowledge. Toys keep children busy; they engage their innocent minds: creating time for mothers or parents to attend to other things. There are different types of toys ranging from wooden toys, dolls, board games, string pull along games, art and craft material (play dough), etc. As a parent that really cares, you don't just dash into a toy store and pick up any toy for your child without considering certain factors. If you do this: it's clear you don't either love your child or you are not enlightened. Below are key factors you must consider when selecting toys for your kids; AGE APPROPRIATENESS: It crucial to bear in mind the age of your child. For any toy to serve a valuable purpose, it must be ideal for your child's age. It will amount to a shee

First aid as the name implies, is the initial assistance given to any person suffering a sudden illness or injury. This assistance is usually given basically for three reasons; to preserve life, to prevent condition from worsening or to promote recovery. Generally, it is performed by a layperson, who is willing to assist based on their acquired knowledge, prior to the availability of professional medical help. As parents, we always try our best in keeping our kids safe wherever they are. However there are no 100% antidote for preventing accidents from happening sometimes. No matter how careful we are with our kids; accidents are bound to happen once in a while. Accidents are not necessarily ghastly or fatal (involving vehicles and humans on the high ways). An accident is anything that happens by chance. A child while playing can get involved in an accident, leading to bruises, sprains or fracture. You can not because of this restrict him or her from playing. This will amount to you

Onions belong to the allium family of vegetables and herbs (scallions, leeks, garlic and chives). They are popularly known as pungent flavours than medicines. Nonetheless, the medicinal properties present in them qualify them as medicines that can be used to treat or prevent different health problems as it's affect humans. They are rich in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, in short, they are nutrient-dense food. Onions however, are very low in calories. The following elements are also found in them, but in small amount: calcium, iron, folate, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium and sulphur. Folate found in onions is needed by the body for the prevention of excess build up of homocysteine chemical in the body. Excess of this chemical affects the human brain-causing sleeplessness and mood swings, which could result to depression. Vitamin C are known to be antioxidants, they are present in onions in great amount. Antioxidants help to fight the formation of free radicals that c

Tiger nuts belong to the plants family called tuber; they are ancient seeds. Different scientific findings have proven the richness of these nuts in essential nutrients, which are highly required and beneficial to the human body to stay healthy and physically fit. Here are some of it's health benefits; PREVENTS CANCER: Tiger nuts are rich in vegetable proteins; these are plants based proteins. Vegetable proteins are great in that, they do not contain fats and cholesterol like animal proteins. Proteins found in tiger nuts help in regulating the cardiovascular system naturally, thereby preventing the risk of cancer. CONTROLS BLOOD PRESSURE: Tiger nuts provide potassium in good amount, which is an electrolyte required by the human body; used in controlling the activities of the heart. Potassium's deficiency can lead to some serious health issues such as; fatigue, constipation,  low blood pressure,  muscles weakness, etc. ENHANCES WEIGHT LOSS: Tiger nuts are rich in fiber tha

Hiccups are the sound generated by fast closing of the vocal cords as a result of the contraction of the diaphragm. They can also be traced to reflux: a condition in which the food contents of the stomach move into the esophagus. They are natural occurrences in babies, common in babies. It starts as early as their days in the wombs, around the second trimester. They are not abnormal, neither are they harmful. The notion that hiccups affect baby's breathing is not correct. They don't interfere or have any effects on babies breathing. Often than not, hiccups stop on their own after the completion of their course. Despite the fact that hiccups are not harmful in babies, it is not unheard of to see mothers being bothered by them, thus looking for ways to alleviate them as soon as they occur. Here are some helpful tips on how to alleviate hiccups in babies: MASSAGE THE BABY'S BACK:place the baby on a soft surface on her tummy, preferably on a mattress.  Massage her lower

Honey is one of the gifts of nature; it's sweet taste no one can resist. As sweet as honey is, it is however not suitable for infants under 12 months. The reason for this is that, spores of harmful bacteria called clostridium are found in honey. These bacteria are not harmful in adults and older children, but are very harmful to infants. They can grow in the infant's intestine; the growth makes a strong poison and affects the health of the baby. Clostridium causes a serious health condition in infants known as Botulism. Infant botulism is a very serious disease that affects baby's nerves and muscles. A baby who has botulism may be weak, constipated, and eat poorly. In extreme cases, the baby may not be able to move, may stop breathing and die. All foods that contain honey (processed foods) should not be given to babies until their first birthday. By the twelfth month, their digestive systems would have been well developed. Remember, all your infant needs from birth ti

Egg is very sweet and yummy, it's one of the foods that should be included in your baby's first foods. It belongs to a class of food called protein; it is a solid food. It is rich in essential nutrients required by your baby's body, for healthy growth and development. There are a lot of nutrients in it; protein, iron, phosphorus, folate, selenium, potassium, fat, calcium, choline, magnesium, etc. You can introduce eggs to your baby from 6 months old. However, you need to ensure it is well cooked, don't feed your baby with undercooked eggs or raw eggs. Undercooked and raw eggs usually carry a bacteria known as salmonella, this bacteria causes food poisoning.  Am sure you wouldn't want to have your baby infected all in the name of feeding her with eggs. It has been discovered through studies that about 8% of babies are allergic to eggs, especially the egg whites.  The good news is that most of them grow out of this at their 3rd birthday. Caution should be taken

Lime belongs to the citrus family, it's a citrus fruit, typically round in shape green in colour, and contains acidic juice. Lime is a unique fruit; loaded with several vitamins and minerals. Vitamin C that fights infections, potassium that lowers the blood pressure, magnesium, etc. Lime is used for culinary purpose, manufacturing of perfumes and skin care products, certain cocktail drinks, etc. It is highly beneficial, some of its benefits are as follows: TREATS CHOLERA: Cholera is a deadly disease usually caused by bacteria that travel through food. A popular bacteria that causes cholera is E.coli. Lime contains anti-bacteria that fights cholera, studies have shown that cholera infected people's conditions got alleviated  when fed with lime juice and rice. CLEARS SCARES AND BLEMISHES: scares and blemishes on skin surfaces( face, chest, back, etc.) are cleared by topical use of lime juice. These scares and blemishes are caused by pimples or acnes. They have a way of sappin

Packing a healthy lunch for your child to take along to school, creche or kinder can be very tasking if you are not so organised. When packing your child's lunch box, the major factor that should determine the contents is quality, not quantity. It shouldn't just be filled up with junks or processed foods, rather let the space be occupied with the necessary food that your child needs for a healthy growth and development. The fact is your child is still at his developmental stage, hence her body requires enough nutrients, vitamins and minerals to stay healthy. Thus, when a healthy lunch box is mentioned what should come to mind is balanced diet. A healthy lunch box should have the five basic food groups as it's contents, namely: WHOLEGRAINS: your child needs energy to work and stay active in school, it keeps him full throughout the day. If energy is not supplied adequately, he feels tired, unmotivated and often irritable. Wholegrains are great source of energy, corn cerea

The birth of a new born heralds joy, celebrations and happiness from the mother, father, families and friends. Everyone comes around to welcome this new bundle of joy into the world; many bearing gifts with them. People marvel at the softness, smoothness and  fragility of the new born's skin. For this admiration to continue the mother must care for the baby's skin relentlessly. Optimal care of the baby's skin protects her from skin rashes, sunburn, eczema, nappy rash, prickly heat rashes, milia, or irritation: absence of which keeps your baby comfortable, smiling and happy. You can care for your baby' skin by: BATHING: As much as you desire to keep your baby's skin clean, you don't have to become obsessed with the act. Bear in mind that your baby'skin is tender and fragile making it highly sensitive. To keep her sensitive skin hydrated, bath her in lukewarm water for a short period. Avoid chemicals disguised as soap, use shampoo or milder soap to bath he

A creche is a place where small children are left to be cared for or looked after while their parents or guardians are at work or doing something else. As parents or guardians we sure love our babies, but there are times we can not excuse ourselves from making a decision; enrolling them in a creche. This decision may be prompted by the fact that we need to get back to work, bag a certificate, or do something pressing. A creche should not be a nightmare for your child, rather it should be a home away from home. In other words, a creche should be safe, clean, comfortable, and lively.  There are many factors parents should consider when choosing a creche for their adorables, some of which are as follows: LOCATION: One of the crucial factors you must put to consideration is location. Do you want a creche close to your house or work place? This will be determined by you, some mothers want it close to their offices so that they can easily excuse themselves to breastfeed their babies; if h

In the bid to keep fit and stay healthy in life, there are three basic pillars you must work consciously and judiciously at. These pillars are referred to as pillars of health; nutrition, exercise and sleep. The crux of this write up is "Sleep". Sleep is very crucial to every human because of the benefits inherent in it, some of these benefits are as follows: PREVENTS TYPE 2 DIABETES: Studies have shown that people who sleep less than 6 hours per night are at higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes, because sleep restriction affects the blood sugar and reduces insulin sensitivity. AIDS IMMUNE SYSTEM: Quality sleep boosts immunity, when the immune system is boosted virus attack which causes common colds will be far from one. ALLEVIATES MOOD: People who suffer from sleeping disorders are reported to have higher rate of depression; which is a serious mental health issue. Depression can be alleviated through good sleep. When you get good sleep of at least 7-8 hours per ni

Spanking is an act of hitting a child with an open hand without causing or inflicting physical injury. Some parents or guardians usually go beyond the use of an open hand by using objects such as, belt, stick, cane, ruler, etc. The ultimate motive of spanking a child is to discipline, correct, teach, direct, guide, above all to modify inappropriate behaviour.  However, studies have shown that spanking has negative effects on a child's mental health. Although majority of parents who use spanking as a disciplinary measure on their wards don't mean to cause their children any harm, but psychologists have discovered that spanking is not a perfect solution in the training of a child.  It create fear in them, which may automatically yield "immediate" or "on the spot" result by way of behaviour modification; that does not make it an effective method. It is not an effective method because, children who are often spanked develop into aggressive and violent adults