Hey there, guys. It will please some of you to know that I almost titled this article ‘Life Sucks’. On the other hand, it will also please the rest of you to know that I realized not everyone has the same mindset as me so I decided against it.

It was so not the kind of week I expected at all. From fuel scarcity, to ratioed power supply to hike transport fare. For me, it was a rollercoaster. Started out really slow then somewhere in the middle, it picked itself up or rather, I had to pick it up. Because at the end of the day, it’s still my turf and I have to sail it whichever way. It felt like I wasn’t getting anything right. My bills were pilling up and I just wanted it to all go away. It was tough. So tell me, what was the toughest part of this week for you?`

I’ve always lived by this mantra it is what it is and trust me I wanted to make that my alibi when I was having my slows days this week. Just so you know, it’s ok to not be ok. It’s ok to take a break. It’s ok to take your foot off the gas for a bit.

But you know what’s not ok? Treating life as it is what it is. Life happens that’s why it’s life yh, but we aren’t going to say because life has had us down one way or the other we treat it as it is what it is. Until we come to the awareness that life is what we make it, we never probably gonna make a move forward. we might be stuck or worse still, run in circles. It’s going to be an unending loop of uncertainties and exhaustion. We keep giving in and investing because we have to do life but our attitude just doesn’t cut it. So rather than the narrative being it is what it is; we change the narrative to it is what you make it.

Making conscious and deliberate effort to give life back it jabs by doing better. It in turn helps us feel good with ourselves. The truth of the matter is there’s a feeling that come when an accomplishment as been made. We are wired as humans to want to have the better end of life. To do better. So rather than beating yourself up, make that move! Get up, dress up, show up and never give up.

At the end of the day, you’ll realise that it just takes a move to get the whole thing done. Precept upon precept, line upon line and every thing falls in place.

I really want to know your thoughts on this piece guys, so see you in the comments section!

Till the next publication guys, I’m sending ❤️💡

I promise to be better;

November.

New Month, New Week, New Vibes!

For some reason, I feel excited about making this post. I’m gradually finding myself back and I’m greatful for that.

I can literally feel the adrenaline rush .

It’s exciting tho.

So this past week was really bothersome for me. I almost made myself believe I was pregnant. Lol.

I was two weeks late for my period but I didn’t have sex. It was driving me nuts. I mean I didn’t have sex or anything close to it but I didn’t see my period.

How come? It wasn’t even 2 or 3 days late o. It wasn’t even 1 week but 2 whole weeks. Like 14 days late.

Mehn! I was worried. And after the 14th day, I saw it. Never in my life have I been so excited to have my period. I was glad.

So I then decide to know what went wrong. What I didn’t do right and how it got so messed up.

What did you think went wrong hun?

It wasn’t complications or anything of such.

It still boiled down to food. Sighs.

So apparently my diet has been a rollercoaster of slipped meals. It happened for a while tho. And tuat was how my cycle got messed up.

I have had a distorted eating pattern and I knew it was going to affect me yh. Maybe lost a few Kg’s. But what I didn’t know was that it was going to affect my cycle. Like my period. Lol.

It was more like undernourishment. I did lost a few Kg’s but my period was what freaked me out the most.

I found out that during the state of undernourishment, the body does not have enough “fuel” to run properly, and has to prioritize which bodily functions are the most important to life.

Processes that are not essential to staying alive—like growth and reproductive function usually get less energy.

This undernourishment leads to a disorder which often cause one to experience amenorrhea–a cessation of a menstruation for over a period of time.

Mehn! This was my situation.

This disorder is often due to extreme weight loss and starvation of the body.

Take Note: When your period stops due to eating too little or exercising too much, this is a warning sign that your body is not functioning correctly, and should not be taken lightly.

Cases like this is also extremely dangerous during pregnancy because someone cannot support their own body functions, that person could not likely support another body growing inside of them, requiring even more energy.

This eating disorder of a thing goes beyond messing with the menstrual cycle.

Saty tuned for the next blog post to find out how deterring the disorder could be.

Till then , don’t skip meals and

❤&💡

Ps: After reading this, note that I’m fine.☺☺

Every Monday since the end sars mantra, I pick up my note pad but I haven’t been able to publish anything.

Funny how the same thing almost happened today too.

Yeah. I am Nigerian. I live in Nigeria. And to think that I almost fooled myself into thinking the whole saga wasn’t going to affect me. Mehn! I was checked mate.

That nasty feeling I battled with forte months came creeping back in. As I write thing I feel so crappy but yunno I made a promise to me.

Note: Mental health is real. Mental health should be paid attention to. Mental health should be treated as priority.

I have not been able to write in weeks. I thought I had conquered whatever it was I dealt with for 2 months. I thought I was good. I thought it was over.

But it wasn’t. The anxiety came folding back. I felt so unproductive (still felling so right now) but I’ve decided to face it head on.

On some days I would be extremely excited. On other days I would be so sad. Lingered on for days and then the whole end sars thing contributed. And I was messed up. I was a loose bolt rolling everywhere.

I knew that whatever it was that was wrong with me I knew I had to fix it. I was messed up. But I gotta fix up.

Took it upon myself to make the bold decision of ranting out here (I’m so sorry y’all) cos I feel most comfortable in this space of mine.

So yeah. It been a rollercoaster of moods for me. And no matter how hard I try to shy away I realised it’s who I am. And it’s time to redirect the energy for a greater good.

The more I rant, the more I write.

This is gonna keep up for a while but trust me once it’s completely over I’ll stop.

However, I not gonna lose sight of why we are here in the first place. So while surfing the net on how to deal with my “mood”, I came across this and I thought it might be helpful.

Struggling with drastic changes in your mood and energy levels could be as a result of diet.

There are m certain foods and beverages that can trigger mood swings and in my opinion, I think it’s best we avoid them.

So we’ve got :

• Caffeine (My first blog post was on this particular thing. It made the list here again. Kindly give it a read!)
• Alcohol (How do people even take this?I will be making a post on this soon, stay tuned.)
• Sugar
• Breads

So if you fall in my category and you are looking for that mood boosting food, here’s a list you should add to your next shopping list.

●Berries

Blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries are all high in vitamin C, which helps cope with cortisol, a hormone that is released during times of stress.

●Dark Chocolate

Chocolate is one of the ultimate comfort foods. The very taste of chocolate can produce a near euphoric state in many people. Brain healthy dark chocolate is full of protein and fiber and supports a positive mood and healthy cognition.

●Fish

If not for anything; for omega-3. Mackerel, salmon, sardines, and trout all have high amounts and it helps alleviate anxiety which result is a better mood.

●Herbal Teas

Herbal teas such as chamomile, have calming properties. Black, green, white and red (rooibos) teas are also rich in antioxidants. Drinking a cup of warm tea can relieve stress and lift the spirits.

●Leafy Greens

Anything Green! Make sure it’s edible though.

●Whole Fruits

Apples, bananas, and oranges are packed with fiber and vitamin C. The sweet tastes and aromatic smells of these fruits can brighten one’s outlook and promote well-being.

I didn’t intend for this post to be this long! But I hope it was worth it.

Till the next post,

I send ❤&💡

Two whole months and I thought I lost it.

For the past 2 months, it’s been a rough ride for me. From depression to feelings of insecurity to lack of motivation and family trouble, it was hell. I was done with everything literally.

I was always stressed out thinking about what it was I wasn’t doing right or what i was doing wrong. There was literally no love and encouragement like I wanted. It felt like it was me against the world and yeah I felt used too cos to a very large extent I’ve always never failed to dispense love and light. But at the moment where I needed it the most where I needed it the most, I couldn’t get it. Like all access to it was blocked from me.

But one thing I realised admist all is that everyone has their fair share of dark times so I never pointed fingers at anyone. It was true no one practically showed up for me yeah but it was alos true thay no onr cared to know whats up with me. Then I haf an epiphany “It’s up to you to pick yourself up and get back on track”.

As hard as it might seem, we’ve been wired in a way that we have to be dependent on someone either actively or passively. When that isn’t available, we tend to fall apart, get frustrated and most likely give up on things we love doing.

What now makes us different and distinguishes us as an emotionally intelligent person is that we know when to get up and give it another shot.

It’s inevitable that things might be exhausting and you wanna feel like giving up. For me I just didn’t want to do nothing. I was literally done. But after a while I realised that I’m not doing this for me. I had my dark days quite alright but I knew when it was time for me to reform and let it not get the best of me.

The funny thing is admist all the positive talking I did with me, nothing change. It wasn’t until I spoke with the head villager, a very good friend of mine. And he said to me “Return like you never left”. And that was all I needed.

That was the push. That was the missing link. Sometimes when you’ve tried all you can, talk to someone. I had to break one of my principles because I know I needed to receive help. I had to stop dragging the baggage all by myself.

Problem no dey finish for this life, but you gats know when to shrug am off.

I’m glad I’m back. I missed the Tribe and to someone out there feeling what I’ve felt just give it the test of time it will always play our fine.

Be emotionally intelligent enough to take charge of you… Be emotionally intelligent enough to know who to talk to…Be emotionally intelligent enough to be you.

And since we are the still the food Tribe, I’ll share a couple of food tips to boost your emotionally intelligence.

1. Try as often as possible not to eat alone.

These days, we don’t eat our meals together. It’s either in the car, on the go, or just choose to be alone. It’s important to eat with someone and vent randomly while doing that.
Sharing a meal actually protects us from depression, too. There’s plenty of data that supports that the prime reason for depression is a lack of connection. When people feel lonely, isolated and not part of the community, that is a huge trigger for depression.

2. Try not to overeat too.
Only eat 60% of your capacity. That way, the stomach can mix the digestive fluids properly through the chewed food. It helps you calm down and think properly.

3. Laugh!!!
Laughter is amazing, too. There are these old sayings, “laughter is the best medicine.” It is. In my opinion, crack a joke. Have a laugh. Have some joy. Joy is such a healing energy. That should be a part of your meal, too.

Well then Tribers; I don’t know if I made sense but if I did, say something I the comment section.

❤&💡

Always Everyday.

Hey there;
I see you. I see you grinding. I see you making waves. I see you taking those steps.
But I need you. I need you to calm down . I need you too analyse. I need you not to do it to impress. I need you to impact.

A whole lot of people are looking for validation from the next person that’s why they do what they do. Validation from a family member , a girl you like or a guy you want to look good to.
It might even be validation from yourself oo.
See ehen be calming down. Listen and listen again calm down.
You don’t need to prove anything to anyone. As long as you put your heart to it to become a better version of yourself while giving back to the community.
Helping someone, creating a solution and improving on yourself.
How will what you are doing better the next person? How will it be sustained?
What do you plan on doing with it?

Yeah I know you might have a tough time with this questions and all. No vex abeg.

I need you to realise something in you and be sure all you are doing isn’t go the glitz and glamour. Be sure it isn’t for impressing but for investing. Investing in your self as individual, investing in the person close you to as a friend and investing in the community for a greater change.

I know you are low-key probably like who community epp?
Truth of the matter is it epp your kids. All in all just calm down.

As your favourite food blogger I bring you the best food choices to help you calm down.

Yoghurt made the list again this week guys. I legit think I’m dropping carbonated drink for youghrt. A study found that women who consumed 125 grams of yogurt twice daily for four weeks had better functioning of the brain regions that control emotion and sensation, which may be associated with lower anxiety levels. My ladies don’t sleep on this ooo.

I found that dark chocolate too is highly essential. Dark chocolate contains flavonols, which are antioxidants that may benefit brain function.
They do this by improving blood flow to the brain and promoting its ability to adapt to stressful situations. In other words, they help you calm down. But don’t over do it tho. Too much of everything eventually turns out bad.

Yes! Milk. Taking a glass of milk before bed can really help you calm down. There’s a lot of magnesium and calcium in it with a spike of potassium. You get all the Goodness you need to calm you down.

Last but not the least on my list. Seafood. My older brother when, he doesn’t take seafood. I hope he does after reading this post. So the omega 3 acid found in seafood can help you calm your nerves. Try adding more salmon, mackerel, sardines to your plate you would be glad you did.

I will see y’all on the next blog post!
I hope you are good like am good.

❤💡
Favourite Tribe.

Don’t forget to calm down!!!

Favourite fam! Jiggy Tribe!

How has your week been? Its the weekend & July End in a bit.
I am so glad for how much lesson this year has taught me already. Despite the whole pandemic, terrible times I know yeah but we’ve got the comfort of food all day anyday.

And to all our jolly Muslim readers, happy happy celebrations. We really do love you!

I shouldn’t be doing this but honestly I just can’t help it. I might as well just have another platform for my pep talk. Let me know what you think about it in the comment section below. Having another platform or I could continue my rant here!

Let the tribe decide!

The thing is ehen I figure out a lot of people has had a shift in their mental health.
Now it really doesn’t necessarily mean insanity but it goes along way tapping deep into the root of insecurities, suicide and depression.

In the last post, I asked y’all to do a mental evaluation of yourself and it turns out that quite a big fraction don’t know where they stand.

Why am I doing what I am doing?

While I was going over the post again you know just letting me speak to me again I realised that who does a mental check when the mental health isn’t in a good place. So I’m going to rephrase that question.

What is it that I am doing?

I need you to really ask.

Until when you can figure out what you are doing and how it affects you as an individual, only then you can be able to pass it as value onto someone else.

To figure out what it you you are doing, You need to put yourself in the right sate of mind. You need to be with the right mental health. And as your favourite food blogger, with good tidings, I bring you the solution to a flourishing mental health.

Below is a list of food you can eat to boost your mental health.

The first and my favourite is yoghurt. The probiotics found in cultures such as yoghurt can impact a person’s mental health, assisting in lowering levels of stress, anxiety and depression. Awesome news yeah. Grab yourself a youghrt!

Walnuts got a spot oo. We call it àsàlà in Yoruba language. Having a long-term brain health, make a habit snacking on walnuts. Ever wondered why they look white and brain like. E get why. The antioxidants in the nuts helps oxidate the body. Amazing news is walnuts can help us to grow new brain cells, an essential aspect of maintaining good mental health.

This third option. Sighs. Personally I don’t like it ooo. But it’s the greatest source of a stable mental health. Nigeria’s most accessible source of protein. Mr Beans.

It contain thiamine, a vitamin needed for the production of acetylcholine (the neurotransmitter essential for memory). Blah blah blah. Boring science. Bottom line, it keeps you fuller for longer, keeping your blood sugar stable and enabling you to burn more energy. The major road to a stable mental health.

I really have to go now guys. I am positive you learnt a thing or two.

Oh don’t forget to help me make that decision in the comment section.

See y’all on the next post.

❤💡

New week!

Arrrrrghhhhhh!

I’m offficially pissed but it won’t last for long. I created this post and as I was about to publish it, I realised that I didn’t save it. I put too much work in it already only for me not to find it when I was about to publish it. No worries tho I would hace to ‘recreate do my Favorite people on the globe.

What are you your weekly goals? Or do you belong to the live each day as it comes gang? Or you don’t even know what it means to have goals.A couple of days ago, I was having a late night talk with a very good friend of mine @The Real Luminous and I was telling him about my growth pattern and how I’m greatful for association and how it has helped me evolved over the months.

While we were conversing, I did a mental flashback to me last year and compared it with the now me. It didn’t look like a lot has changed but making the mental check made me see beyond the outlook. I was able to look indepthly and see how much I had improved on myself over the months.

Yes I know we ought to talk about food but I just can help not share this with y’all.

To me it didn’t seem like a lot had changed from the before me. It didn’t seem like there was a difference because it’s only been a couple of months.

Then that was when it hit me that’s it’s not actually about how far but how well.

I know a lot of are probably in that state of my friends are doing better than me. It doesn’t look like I’m doing much.

How well are you adding value to others, how well are your friends, circle or geng adding value to you? How well do you discuss value adding subject with your clique.

Because on the long run what is going to eventually count is how much value you got added to you and how much you added to someone else.

Why am I doing what I am doing?

Honestly ask yourself answer this question.

In the light of value adding the multiplying grain has been doing wonders for us. Prior to the last blog post I got attacked for not posting some recepies.Either ways in still your plug so we gather dey. From here we move!

Value adding…Have you ever thought of how you could switch a boring meal by adding just a little bit of value to it. Yunno using a major ingredients not just the regular concosion.

Yes! I will shake and break the tables. When making pasta (spaghetti), at least use fresh pepper. Enough of the tomato and ata gigun (blended dry pepper)mix. Give the pasta the value it deserves. Same goes for rice too. Stop doing that.

You might not have enough to yunno always use fresh pepper but it won’t hurt to use it.

A lot of people have been so stereotypical about their cooking that the have automatically replaced fresh pepper for dey pepper in all their cooking. Even beans gan.

Just give it a trial. Vow to commit to value added cooking all week and see what comes out of it. Enough of the mediocre substitute.

It’s a wrap for today I hope y’all like this post. Wrote it in a stressed state.

I couldn’tcome up with a title either. Title it for me in the comment section below.

See y’all on the next post; Yours truly❤💡

Yo Fam! Great week right? I’m excited for the weekend already.

A lot of excitement on the last post. I mean it’s been really an awesome ride with the corn diet.

How has yours been coming along?

So a friend of mine asked me what the healthier option is between boiled or roasted corn and to be honest I’m going to be a bit partial. I mean I love roasted corn. I prefer it to boiled but that doesn’t guarantee it being healthier. Who am I to conclude? Let’s see what the facts has to say.

According to Memphis, the higher the temperature the corn reaches, the more glucose will break down, thus resulting in a sweeter ear of corn.If you boil an ear of corn, the boiling temperature of the water will only reach 100°C before evaporating into steam, meaning the corn will not be exposed to a high enough temperature to break down all those delicious glucose molecules.

On the other hand , if you roast an ear of corn, you’d likely roast it at about 204-260°C, which will provide enough heat to break down more glucose molecules without burning the corn all together. This will give you a deliciously sweet and smoky ear of corn that only roasting can achieve.

Well then Promise, I guess you have your answer. This piece of news excites me. Sorry if you aren’t a roasted corn lover. If you are send a ❤ let’s know ourselves.

The not so regular recipes for a corn diet. Well I’m ready to break from the norms of boring food. Let’s flip the switch.

Igbo people this is for you oo. So another friend of mine read the last post and guess what he said.

Yh that right pounded corn. So I looked up the recipe and voila I didn’t find it online. If you know the prep method kindly share with us too. Enjoy!

Another awesome way you can flip the switch on the grain is to use it for a vada.

Corn Vada

You will need Corn kernels, bread slices, black pepper ginger paste and salt to taste of course. You can add veggies too if you feel like.

Boil corn kernel till soft. Blend in a grinder. After grinding, add ginger paste, black pepper and salt. Then take the mashed bread and mixed it all up together. Form into a vada shape and deep dey in hot cooking oil until it turns golden brown. Let’s break from the norms of a boring breakfast!

Another flip in the meal! Let’s padoka the corn.

Please bear with me my ink is almost exhausted. Click Here to check out the recipe. Here’s what it looks like. Don’t go and make something else.

This One I will definitely try out. Meet mr Corn salad.

Pretty easy. Just boil corn kernel in salt water, drain excess water when soft. While it’s still hot, add onions, tomatoes, probably a little bit of cabbage oh and the really crucial ingredient the lime juice. To give it a creamy feel, use salad cream. Salad cream dears not mayonnaise oo.

Finally one fam, this is one recipe I have recreated over and over again.

I call it Corn Fritters. Ayyyyy and my ink has finished. Just check here to see the full recipe.

I love y’all. I’ll see you soon and I miss you already.

See you in the next blog post. As always I’m sending;

❤💡