#Hurricane Harvey Response

 

Thank you for responding to the urgent call to help homeowners devastated by Hurricane Harvey.

We have disaster relief units, staff, and volunteers in Texas working from five locations, including two in the Houston area. Over the next weeks and months, there is a huge need to minister to hurting families in Jesus’ Name. We need an army of volunteers—as many as 1,000 a day. Please join us!
Click here to sign up to volunteer.  A Volunteer Coordinator will contact you within a few days.
We thank God for the overwhelming volunteer response we’ve received so far. The needs are great, and we can take an almost unlimited number of day volunteers at our sites.
However, if you have applied and need overnight accommodations, please wait until a Volunteer Coordinator has contacted you to schedule your trip. You will be contacted within a few days. We ask that you please do not travel to a site to stay overnight before you have been scheduled and receive your confirmation code. If you are not scheduled, we will be unable to provide overnight accommodations since all spaces are filled by other volunteers.
Locations: 
Victoria, TX
Rockport/Portland, TX
Santa Fe, TX
Houston, TX
Pearland, TX
There are opportunities for both volunteers who need overnight accommodations and those who want to serve for the day. 
Length of Stay: Minimum stay of three days for overnight volunteers.
Maximum Team Size: Fifteen people. Both teams and individuals are welcome.
Minimum Age: Volunteers must be at least 14 years or older. Youth, ages 14-15, must be accompanied by their parent/legal guardian and youth, ages 16-17, must be accompanied by an adult chaperone (age 21 or older). All youth must have a signed Youth Volunteer Release and Waiver of Liabilty. If not accompanied by their parent, this form must be notarized. Youth Volunteer Release and Waiver of Liabilty
Youth groups may serve with Samaritan’s Purse and are required to complete a Youth Leader Covenant. Please click for more information on our Youth Policy: Youth Policy
Project Description: Volunteers will be assisting homeowners affected by Hurricane Harvey.  We’ll be tearing out damaged drywall, removing flooring, tarping roofs, and clearing debris.
Background Information: Five Samaritan’s Purse disaster relief units are now in Texas to help residents as they continue to struggle with rain, flooding, and destruction caused by Hurricane Harvey.
Additional Information: Meals and sleeping quarters will be provided for overnight volunteers. Volunteers need to bring twin size air mattress or cot, linens/sleeping bag, pillow, towels and personal hygiene items. Tools will be provided, but volunteers may bring their own tool belts and small hand tools. Volunteers should dress in long pants and bring work gloves, safety glasses, and sturdy boots.  Volunteers should bring rubber boots for working in flooded areas.
Local / Day Volunteers: If you are local to the area or do not need overnight accommodations we welcome you to serve for the day. Please arrive at our host church at 7:30am or 12:30pm for orientation.  We will pair you with an experienced team leader to go out to work. Please bring a bagged lunch and water with you. Volunteers will work Mondays – Saturdays and some Sunday afternoons.
Current sites for Day Volunteers:
Faith Family Church, 2002 E Mockingbird Lane, Victoria, TX 77904
Phone: 361-484-5437      Beginning: Tuesday, August 29
First Baptist Church, 1305 Wildcat Drive, Portland, TX 78374
Phone: 361-445-2645        Beginning: Wednesday, August 30
First Baptist Church Alta Loma, 5400 Main Street, Santa Fe, TX  77510
Phone: 832-459-9590      Beginning: Saturday, September 2
Christ Evangelical Presbyterian Church, 8300 Katy Freeway, Houston, TX 77024
Phone: 713-851-5493   Beginning: Monday, September 4
Crosspoint Church TV, 1134 Old Alvin Road, Pearland, TX 77851
Phone: 346-320-7554   Beginning: Monday, September 4

#How to Survive a Hurricane: Hurricane Safety Tips Learn How to Prepare for and Survive a Hurricane

 

All U.S. Atlantic seaboard and Gulf coastal areas are subject to hurricanes or tropical storms. If you live in a susceptible area, be prepared! Here are official safety guidelines for hurricanes, plus tips on how to survive a hurricane.

What is a Hurricane?

A hurricane is a type of tropical cyclone that can cause torrential rains, high winds, storm surges, and flooding for 2 weeks or more over open water and can follow a path across the entire length of the eastern seaboard, its coastal areas, and barrier islands. According to the National Hurricane Center, a hurricane is primarily defined by its wind speeds, which must be 74 mph or greater (anything less, and the cyclone is classified as a tropical storm).

FEMA Safety Guidelines for Hurricanes

Before a Hurricane

• Make plans to secure your property. Permanent storm shutters offer the best protection for windows. A second option is to board up windows with ⅝” marine plywood—cut to fit and ready to install. Tape does not prevent windows from breaking.
• Install straps or additional clips to securely fasten your roof to the frame structure. This will reduce roof damage.
• Trim trees and shrubs around your home to minimize the risk of broken branches and debris.
• Clear loose and clogged rain gutters and downspouts to prevent misdirected flooding.
• Determine how and where to secure your boat.
• Consider building a safe room.
• Keep articles in your basement elevated to avoid damage from even minor flooding.
• Keep a well-stocked Emergency Survival Kit in case you lose power. Think about what you might need if you are isolated for a number of days and must endure a power outage.
• Fully fuel your vehicles.

During a Hurricane

If a hurricane is likely in your area, you should: 

• Stay informed by monitoring the storm via radio, TV, and internet.
• Secure your home, close storm shutters, and secure outdoor objects or bring them indoors. Objects such as lawn furniture, trash barrels, hanging plants, toys, and even awnings can be broken and picked up by strong winds and potentially become a projectile.
• Turn off utilities if instructed by authorities to do so. Otherwise, turn the refrigerator thermostat to its coldest setting and keep its doors closed.
• Turn off propane tanks.
• Avoid using the phone, except for serious emergencies.
• Have a certain amount of cash available. If power is lost, ATMs may not be working.
• Moor your boat if time permits.
• Ensure a supply of water for sanitary purposes such as cleaning and flushing toilets. Fill the bathtub and other large containers with water.

You should evacuate under the following conditions: 

• If you are directed by local authorities to do so. Be sure to follow their instructions.
• If you live in a mobile home or temporary structure—such shelters are particularly hazardous during hurricanes—no matter how well fastened to the ground.
• If you live in a high-rise building—hurricane winds are stronger at higher elevations.
• If you live on the coast, on a floodplain, near a river, or on an inland waterway.
• If you feel that you are in danger.

If you are unable to evacuate, go to your safe room. If you do not have one, follow these guidelines: 

• Stay indoors and away from windows and glass doors.
• Close all interior doors—secure and brace external doors.
• Keep curtains and blinds closed. Do not be fooled if there is a lull; it could be the eye of the storm—winds will pick up again.
• Take refuge in a small interior room, closet, or hallway on the lowest level.
• Lie on the floor under a table or another sturdy object.  

Recovering from Disaster

Recovering from a disaster is usually a gradual process. Safety is a primary issue, as are mental and physical well-being. For specific health, safety, and rebuilding guidelines regarding recovery, please see the FEMA Web site. 
For more on hurricanes, see common hurricane facts and questions, how to measure hurricane strength, and a list of hurricane names for the current year. Also see How to Survive a Tornado and How to Survive a Flood.

Source: 

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
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Climate change and the social contract: How our choices lead to predictable tragedies

ditor's note: From May 2017, Firstpost is featuring a fortnightly column by Mridula Ramesh, titled 'Climate Conversations'. In this column, we take a look at pressing issues pertaining to climate change — in an accessible way.
In a previous column, we saw how our societal choices — building over water bodies, dumping rubbish in rivers and allowing slums to come up on river banks — join hands with climate change and makes the sting so much sharper. Indeed, some experts believe these societal choices have a greater role to play in our suffering than does global climate change. Dr J Srinivasan, distinguished scientist at Divecha Centre for Climate Change, IISC, says “Land use patterns and air pollution have greater impact on local  climate in India than the increase in greenhouse gases.”
We are barking up the wrong tree if we think that advice like “Protect water bodies” or “Ensure tighter monitoring” will solve the issue. Important, loud voices have said it for years and nothing has happened. To understand why we need to look deeper. And that brings us to our social contract.
What is a/our social contract?
True Contracts tend to be implicit and unspoken, so (and as such) are tricky to pin down. But as in any relationship, a contract is the state of affairs that balances what we are willing to give and what we get. Philosophers explain it this way: individual citizens surrender certain rights (law enforcement, judgement, certain freedoms) to get something — protection and cheaper provision of services. Put another way, you give up your right to beat your erring neighbour to a pulp, and, in return, you get clean streets and a peaceful city to live in.
In theory.
To see it in practise, let us consider a story with three main characters.

A man carries a child as he wades through a waterlogged subway after heavy rains in Chennai, in August 2017. REUTERS

A play with 3 heroes — setting the stage
Our first protagonist is an average middle class urban city dweller — let's call him Akash. Akash has recently finished college and has received an offer with an IT firm, working in analytics. He drives to work and lives in a flat with three of his friends. He enjoys going to the movies. He is an asthmatic.
Akash pays his taxes (it’s deducted from his pay cheque every month, so he does not have much of a choice). He’s also among the 1.5 percent of Indian who do pay direct income tax. He also pays indirect tax — GST etc. — but that’s more bundled into whatever good or service he consumes, and arguably less visible. He pays registration fees for his car.
Akash never went to a public school. He has never and does not plan to go to a government hospital. He does not take public transport.
He does not receive any food from the public distribution system. He somewhat trusts that the FSSAI stamp on the food he buys makes it safe to eat, but he nurses his doubts.
He likes the peace the nation enjoys and is proud of the army. Last year, when floods devastated the city, he was rescued by the army. So, he is grateful to them.
He likes the fact that he has not been robbed/assaulted etc., so he is thankful to the police for that.
Akash has never voted. None of the candidates appeal to him. And, to be frank, he feels society does not do much for him. The politicians appear to be aware of this: He is not courted before elections. He is aware of his impotence while complaining about power cuts, water supply or waste on the roads. He’s quietly resentful of the waste, the smells, and the congestion, especially after a trip abroad made these even more glaring.
Enter Muniammal, our second protagonist. She is a 55-year-old woman who lives in a 10x10 illegal shanty on the banks of the Cooum in Chennai. She does not pay for her electricity. Her children went to the corporation school, for which she did not pay any tuition. When she is sick, she visits the government hospital which is free, in theory. She depends heavily on the 1-rupee ration rice for her sustenance.
But Muniammal has little control over the quality of the services (or products) she receives. Indeed, she often needs to grease many palms to get what she is entitled to or what she needs to get away with: to the policeman to look the other way, to the ward boy at the hospital so the doctor will see her, to the ration shop for preferential access. In fact, when there was an assault on her daughter-in-law this past month, she could not get an FIR filed without her local councillor’s help.
The system, which is supposed to work for all citizens, is often broken for her. Raghuram Rajan, our former RBI governor, has been widely quoted in saying: “The tolerance for the venal politician is because he is the crutch that helps the poor and underprivileged navigate a system that gives them so little access”. But this “crutch” comes with a big caveat: Muniammal, the 55-year-old woman, cannot hope to command the attention, let alone the assistance, of the local councillor. Only Muniammal, who belongs to Caste A or Religion B, can. Especially if Caste A is a large voting bloc. This means caste definitions and ethnic divisions need to be highlighted to command attention and delineated to create a unique power base. An interesting thought. And Muniammal gives her vote as her caste leader directs.
Now take Rajiv, our third actor. He’s a hot-shot heir of a large business family with interests in construction, steel and retail. Rajiv would not dream of taking public transportation in India, and would not venture near a government hospital or school. He does not even know where a ration shop is, or what he can get there. He has never seen his ration card. He wants the government to keep multi-brand retailers out of the country and he wants high import duties on steel. Thus far, he has got what he wants.
If we were to look at sheer numbers, the Muniammals of India overwhelm other two in numbers — this is important, we will come back to it in a bit.

People queue to collect drinking water from a municipal tanker at a flooded residential colony in Ahmedabad, in July 2017. REUTERS

There is something rotten in the state of Denmark…
What are the characteristics of such an equilibrium? What kind of social contract would manifest here?
The provision of services of society needs to be broken, or at least flawed. Both Akash and Muniammal, for different reasons, cannot really influence the service quality they receive from the government.
Why? The incentives of the constituents, the vacancies within several essential departments, such as health and education, and the complete lack of competition. Consider this: I write as a chairperson of a government-aided school in rural India. For many transgressions — poor teaching, lack of knowledge, questionable conduct — corrective action is very very hard to take. More than 1,880 primary health centres in the country lack a doctor. Moreover, the quality of the staff is not uniform. Government jobs pay a lot at lower levels — far more than a private sector equivalent. But as you go higher up, the pay differential shrinks and finally inverts. The chairperson of a public-sector bank makes less than a junior banker in a private sector and laughably less than a chairperson of a private sector bank. Moreover, in many areas, there is little competition that such bodies face, so Akash cannot shift his custom to another and Muniammal cannot afford to do so. Little competition means the “badness” of the service can persist. Muniammal cannot command better service. She can influence the process only through her politician.
This is important because otherwise the politician loses his meaning to the Muniammals of the world. Would Muniammal go to him and become beholden if there was a qualified doctor who could be expected to help her out as a matter of course? Unlikely.
Add to this, a tremendously delayed judiciary process — we have more than 25 million pending cases as on date — which imbues the politician with the power of ad hoc decision making. Think of it this way: if someone beat up your son, and the case dragged on and on — wouldn’t it be simpler (and more gratifying) to approach the local politician for speedy street justice?
And lastly: data. Knowledge is power as the saying goes, which maybe explains why departments are shrouded in relative opacity. Data needs to be unavailable, hard to access, or outdated. I have been trying to get station-wise data for a particular city in India — it turns out to be very expensive, patchy and what I have finally settled for — 0.25 x 0.25 gridded data is so inaccessible that it needs a lot of effort to make it usable. Contrast this with China (China!!) which has online air pollution data available for all their cities — even for an average citizen seated in India. This lack of data aids and abets the broken system. After all, you cannot check performance or fix a system without good data.
Answering our questions
With this as background, let us revisit the questions from the last article:
Why do we allow slums to creep up in flood plains?

Garbage is seen near a hospital in Mumbai. REUTERS

Muniammal needs inexpensive housing close to where job opportunities are. It’s illegal, so the politician leans on the policeman and the judges to look the other way. Muniammal is grateful, and rewards him with her vote. And because she overwhelms the Akashes in numbers, her writ prevails. The slums encroach on the river and reduce its carrying capacity. Of course, cheap housing cannot come with underground sewage, so the waste — both solid and human, find their way into the inviting river, further reducing the river’s carrying capacity.
Naturally, when it rains heavily, the river is more likely to flood.
In another city, with a different kind of contract, low-skilled workers like Muniammal would rely overwhelmingly on a cheap and efficient public transport to get them from their affordable housing to their place of work. The Rajivs of the world would like to believe this is a metro, which turns out to be an inadequate and expensive proposition for Muniammal. But the powers that be decided to go with Rajiv, hence the need for slums.
Moving onto question#2: Why do we dump construction debris into our rains and canals with impunity?
To answer this, let us come to Rajiv. He wants to rebuild the city — his way.
Naturally, that involves acquiring buildings on the cheap. He leans on his brother-in-law, the MP, to ensure other builders cannot buy buildings that easily in “his” part of town. He then breaks down the buildings. Carting the waste would add to costs, and why should he when the river lies so invitingly close. Who will stop him? Anyone who dares to will get transferred or worse. Milan Vaishnav writes a fascinating book on the link between builders and political houses, and the increasing criminality in politics. The data is chilling enough to reveal that cement prices go down just before elections, because builders divert funds to the campaign.
Rajiv’s first venture did so well that he wanted to build the second one. The only problem is there is an old lake there. Earlier, the lake had farmers around it with water rights. But farmers have sold their land and moved as the city has developed. The corporation took some of it over, and the rest was too inviting for Rajiv to pass on. Not to worry, dump some earth and debris there, and there is a new site in place.
The unholy alliance between the Rajivs, who promote rule breaking in making a quick buck, and the Muniammals, who require rule breaking as a fiendish substitution for provision of good services, overwhelm the wishes of the Akashes of India. Moreover, the Muniammals vote, and very often, the Akashes don’t.  This results in the trampling of our common goods — air, water — our environment, in short.
And because the politician — who gains his power from the broken system — is the one to fix it, we need to look at addressing the underlying equilibrium, and not merely spout platitudes.
There is a silver lining…
But as they say, every cloud has a silver lining. Even the floods, the drought and the worsening climate.
As the frequency of floods increases, Muniammal ’s satisfaction with her housing is falling. It made sense when it was close to her place of work, and she was willing to put up with the sewage, and the lack of water. But when it floods every year, she loses what few possessions she has, and the relief doesn’t cover it all. Moreover, Muniammal’s son has done well, relatively speaking, and he does not want to live in a slum anymore. The vote bloc is beginning to crumble, and a new vote bloc, the “development” vote bloc is becoming viable.

Also, once in a way, the system throws up a hero — whether a bureaucrat or a vibrant politician — who wants to make a difference. There are recent examples in India: a bureaucrat who heads the irrigation department of a state, or one who ensured a public transportation project was completed in time, and under budget. The politician who revamped the department he was charged with, and delivered results. Typically, this happens when outsiders — either politicians or lateral entrants into the bureaucracy come about. They don’t benefit from the equilibrium, so they are happy to make the change. There are usually tell-tale signs of these heroes — the data will be flashed in front of you.
The good news, if you want to call it that, is that climate change throws in strong relief the fissures in our system. There are fewer and fewer places to hide. Our press has always been relatively free, and for all our faults, we are a ragingly opinionated and functioning democracy. Which means, the power is still in our hands.
This is good news. In the next column, let us understand how we can better wield it.
The writer is the founder of the Sundaram Climate Institute, cleantech angel investor, teacher and author of a forthcoming book on Climate Change and India. Follow her work on her website; on Twitter; or write to her at cc@climaction.net

MMM Nigeria Man ingest insecticide following crash of Ponzi scheme Adakole was hoping to get thirty percent of his N300,000 investment before the Ponzi scheme crashed.

Poisonous substance.
(Press) 

An MMM Nigeria investor named Adakole, has resorted to poisoning himself by ingesting an insecticide following the alleged crash of the Ponzi scheme.

This occurred on Tuesday, December 13, 2016 in Otukpo, Benue State, according to the Daily Post News.

The incident had every complexion of wrong timing as it was gathered that Adakole was preparing to have his wedding on December 28, 2016.

He reportedly invested a sum of N300,000 into the scheme with the hope of getting a thirty percent return before the big occasion.

ALSO READ: Fear grips millions of Nigerians as Ponzi scheme freezes

According to the Daily Post, a source close to the man said:

“Kole is my childhood friend, we all grew up in Ugbokolo but when he traveled to Abuja to meet with the pastor of his fiancée, he said someone introduced him into the MMM thing but I and his babe warned him but he told us the scheme was not a scam.

“He invested the 300k he was saving for his wedding into the thing and was expecting to get the 30 per cent before his wedding on 28 of this month.

“This early morning, he called me to check the internet if the story of the alleged crashed of the scheme was true, I told him so I heard and he screamed and hung up.

“When I heard him, I knew it was no longer funny, so I had to rush to his house around Sabon Gari to discover that he had taken Raid insecticide. I had to call the fiancée to inform her.

“I had to take him to the clinic where he is currently battling for his life. The babe is already on her way from Abuja."

On Twitter, the Economic And Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have joined in the trolling of many Nigerians who naively invested funds into the MMM scheme.

For now, investors in the programme are likely just going to rough it up in what might look like a very dark Christmas season.

 

Florida declares new area of transmission in Miami

A new area of Zika transmission have been announced by Florida officials as the state calls for FG funding.

Florida officials on Thursday announced a new area of Zika transmission in the Miami region and have called on the federal government for funding to help fight the outbreak.
Florida Governor Rick Scott said state health officials have confirmed that local transmission of the mosquito-borne Zika virus is occurring in a new small area in Miami-Dade County, where the state believes two women and three men have been infected by the virus.
The governor said the state's health department believes Zika transmission is only occurring in Miami-Beach and in the new area, which covers about 1 square mile (2.6 square km).
Zika, which is spread primarily by mosquitoes but also sexually, is a concern for pregnant women and their partners because the virus has been liked with a series of birth defects including microcephaly, marked by small head size and underdeveloped brains that can lead to severe developmental problems in babies.
Last month, U.S. health officials urged pregnant women to consider putting off all nonessential travel to Miami due to the Zika virus even as the state lifted a travel warning for the Wynwood, the Miami neighborhood which was the first site of local Zika transmission in the continental United States.
Florida has reported a total of 164 cases of Zika caused by local mosquito transmission, including 19 people who were infected in the state but live elsewhere. There are also five cases in which it was not clear whether transmission occurred in Florida or elsewhere.
In a statement released on Thursday, Scott said the announcement of the new area of transmission underscores the "urgent need" for federal funding to fight the virus, adding that the state still has not received any of the funding that was approved by Congress and signed by President Barack Obama two weeks ago.
Scott said he has asked the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to work directly with the Miami-Dade Mosquito Control District to identify best practices for defeating Zika in the new area.
Florida officials had already reported four of the five cases of Zika that occurred in the new area of transmission in Miami-Dade County. "With the confirmation of today’s case, this area now meets the CDC’s criteria for a new zone," officials said in a statement.
The Zika virus was first detected in Brazil last year and has since spread across the Americas. It has been linked to more than 1,800 cases of microcephaly in Brazil.

Eating Healthy Is Not "One Size Fits All"

Most healthy people know that you have to have a balanced diet to feel your best, and even look your best, if that is your concern. There’s no surprise that if you eat junk food, you will feel like junk. Ever heard of the phrase, “You are what you eat”? That statement proves to be true every day, in my life. After losing over 100 pounds, I realized how much better I could feel when I was fueling my body correctly. I also learned that when I slipped up and ate crap again, my body was not happy with me.


Eating healthy is not such a simple plan, and it definitely is not a “one size fits all” ordeal. Everyone’s body is different, and has different needs. The basics are pretty standard, you should have the correct portions of grains, meats (or other sources of protein, if you are vegetarian), dairy, vegetables, fruits, and even sugars. There are things you should avoid like artificial sweeteners and trans fats, that is standard for pretty much everyone.
If you have a certain ailment, there may be things you need to eat more or less of than other people. For example, those with diabetes need to watch their sweets more than others, as the sugar can affect their bodies differently. Those who have low bone density or high risk of osteoporosis have to eat a special diet as well, to make sure their body can perform at its best.
If your body has a deficiency in certain vitamins or nutrients, you have to make sure you are eating foods that can help replenish your body to avoid any negative side effects. Some deficiencies like iron, for example, can be very harmful if it goes untreated. Your body needs these micronutrients in order to survive long-term, even if you think you feel fine right now. Going to the doctor regularly and getting check-ups and blood work done can help you determine if you have any deficiencies.
Some people are intolerant to different kinds of foods also, like gluten and lactose. These are the most common intolerances, and they can really turn someone’s life upside down. I have several family members who had many ailments, and it wasn’t until they found out they were gluten intolerant that they were able to fix the issues and feel normal again. Unfortunately, living with this intolerance is very difficult, as most every food out there has gluten, or has come in contact with gluten. They have to be very careful, especially when they go out to eat, or they will become very sick if they accidentally eat gluten. Identifying these intolerances is important too, otherwise you may become accustomed to living in discomfort.
The best thing you can do is listen to your body, as well as your doctor. Don’t be afraid to get multiple opinions, if you are having a hard time figuring out what your unique body needs (or shouldn’t have). What you eat literally affects your entire life, so you should treat it as such. There’s nothing wrong with treating yourself now and then, but we need to realize that food is fuel, and is here for our survival, and nothing else. If your health and well-being is important to you, you will ensure that you eat the best way that you can for your body.

Save Your Love Life With A Natural, Drug-Free Way To Cure Erectile Dysfunction

When it gets to the point where you can’t even remember the last time that you had sex because of erectile dysfunction, you need to get help. But what if you don’t want to spend thousands of dollars on prescription drugs with a ton of side effects, or don’t feel comfortable going to your GP? Erectile Dysfunction Protocol says it has a guaranteed way to cure this oh-so common problem naturally.
Before we get into the details of this revolutionary approach to erectile dysfunction, or ED, we should probably address some of the anxieties that anyone reading this with ED might be feeling right now. ED can make men feel as if they don’t count anymore, robbed of everything that makes them men. It is embarrassing to talk about, embarrassing to get help for, and even more embarrassing to reveal to a sex partner. But the truth is that many men who suffer from ED give up trying to have sex, knowing that they will not be able to perform, trying to avoid the disappointment. Because of this, ED, though not life threatening on a physical level, causes men deep psychological harm, leading to feelings of worthlessness, anger, and chronic depression.
Given the seriousness of the problem, there are treatments for erectile dysfunction.
The medical industry has manufactured several solutions to the problem of ED. You may have heard of some of them: Viagra or low-T therapy. Through highly visible ad campaigns these treatments have come to dominate the way people believe ED can be treated. However, what the ads won’t tell you about are the terrible side-effects. From heart disease, nerve damage, and bleeding in the lungs, to brain clots, seizures and even death, the side-effects are simply too dangerous to risk using pharmaceutical ED treatments.
So if the answer isn’t upping your testosterone levels with over-the-counter supplements, or highly-priced pills like Viagra, what can men with ED do to get help? They can try a natural way to cure erectile dysfunction that won’t cost them thousands and thousands of dollars.
Erectile Dysfunction Protocol is a natural, safe alternative to risky prescription ED treatments.
By using your diet to trigger a select combination of amino acids, enzymes, proteins, and other organic chemicals that all contribute to your ability to sustain an erection, Erectile Dysfunction Protocol makes it possible to achieve rock hard erections again. What’s even better is that you can get all the ingredients you need on an ordinary trip to the supermarket.
Getting these natural components for your body to work properly won’t just reverse the effects of ED and give you your sex life back, it will make you live a healthier, longer life. Even men who don’t have ED can give their sex life an added boost by using Erectile Dysfunction Protocol’s food lists, combination guide, and portion control, to learn how to get harder erections than they’ve ever had before.
Sounds interesting? Cure erectile dysfunction the natural way, with Erectile Dysfunction Protocol. There is a full 60-day money back guarantee on this guide, so you have nothing to lose and everything to gain by giving it a try.

Ani Iyoho "I guess it's crave for excitement" - actor on becoming a stuntman

Ani Iyoho is popular for his stunt as the man on fire in Stanlee Ohikhuare's "Behind the Scenes."

Ani Iyoho was recently in the news following a fire incident on the set of "Behind the Wheels."

  Stanlee Ohikhuare sets Ani Iyoho ablaze for stunt
(YouTube )

In an exclusive interview with Pulse Nigeria, the actor spoke about his decision to become a stuntman. "I guess it's the crave for excitement," said Iyoho.

"We don't have things like skydiving here in Nigeria. I guess I needed something to help me pump my adrenaline.Mostly in Nollywood, we are used to shooting drama. Rarely do we see action sequences, and I just wanted something a little bit more."

Iyoho  also spoke on his reaction when he discovered the director of the movie "Behind the Wheel," Stanlee Ohikhuare, had shared a fire stunt scene from movie, on social media.

  Ani Iyoho

The movie "Behind the Wheels," which had the actor 'set on fire,' also stars Patrick Doyle, Liz Benson, Chiwetalu Agu, Sani Danja, Queen Nwokoye, Funky Mallam, Kelechi Udegbe, Gregory Ojefua among others.

Wellness Tips 4 things to note when going to the gym for the 1st time

A 'gym fresher' is bound to feel out of place going for the first time but these tips help...

Going to the gym for the first time can be super awkward or better put intimidating!

A 'fresher' is bound to feel out of place going to the gym the first time (apart from checking yourself against buff/chiseled people who seem to have gotten a hold of their life while you're in a state of confusion)

It's great to prepare ahead before going to the gym as the first time may go a long way in shaping your experience. From (reasonable) expectations, guidance, comfort, functionality, convenience and more there are things to note when going to the gym for the first time.

  It's great to prepare ahead before going to the gym
(Popsugar)

1. Know what areas you want worked on

Knowing what areas to work on equals having a direction and in this case the areas to be worked. Is it a case of trying to burn belly fat? toning the arms, stomach? and so on. It's best to know what exactly is to be worked on/the reason you decide to go to the gym in the first place.

When the problem areas are identified then it's easy to work out/work on them.

2. Work with an instructor

Don't just sign up with a gym and go on to free style. Apart having a sense of direction (in 1 above) it's best to work with a gym instructor before diving full on into exercises. This makes sense because he's the expert that guides on the best routines and how to make them work on the areas otherwise you might get lost just copying random people and not getting the desired results.

As time goes on you can decide to workout on your own but first get a hang on what to do, how, when and for how long.

3. Exercise in appropriate gears

Wearing appropriate clothing for exercises is important. It is always uncomfortable to see half clad ladies or gents in inappropriate 'gym clothes'. A lady shouldn't wear tops without proper supports for her breasts for instance- apart from distracting others, it would be very funny spilling out of a bra in everyone's full glare or a guy exercising with half of 'him' hanging loose amongst other scenario.

  Invest in proper exercise gear before hitting the gym
(American Techno Portal)

Wear breathable, comfortable and actual exercise gears for proper support apart from not worrying about 'parts hanging loose' the right support makes exercise easier and doesn't stress one's parts unnecessarily.

4. No hoarding

By all means don't hoard equipment, everyone deserves to use whatever they want to. Remember everyone paid their membership bills except of course it's your private property.

What was your experience like the first time you went to the gym?

Wellness Tips 4 things to note when going to the gym for the 1st time

A 'gym fresher' is bound to feel out of place going for the first time but these tips help...

Going to the gym for the first time can be super awkward or better put intimidating!

A 'fresher' is bound to feel out of place going to the gym the first time (apart from checking yourself against buff/chiseled people who seem to have gotten a hold of their life while you're in a state of confusion)

It's great to prepare ahead before going to the gym as the first time may go a long way in shaping your experience. From (reasonable) expectations, guidance, comfort, functionality, convenience and more there are things to note when going to the gym for the first time.

  It's great to prepare ahead before going to the gym
(Popsugar)

1. Know what areas you want worked on

Knowing what areas to work on equals having a direction and in this case the areas to be worked. Is it a case of trying to burn belly fat? toning the arms, stomach? and so on. It's best to know what exactly is to be worked on/the reason you decide to go to the gym in the first place.

When the problem areas are identified then it's easy to work out/work on them.

2. Work with an instructor

Don't just sign up with a gym and go on to free style. Apart having a sense of direction (in 1 above) it's best to work with a gym instructor before diving full on into exercises. This makes sense because he's the expert that guides on the best routines and how to make them work on the areas otherwise you might get lost just copying random people and not getting the desired results.

As time goes on you can decide to workout on your own but first get a hang on what to do, how, when and for how long.

3. Exercise in appropriate gears

Wearing appropriate clothing for exercises is important. It is always uncomfortable to see half clad ladies or gents in inappropriate 'gym clothes'. A lady shouldn't wear tops without proper supports for her breasts for instance- apart from distracting others, it would be very funny spilling out of a bra in everyone's full glare or a guy exercising with half of 'him' hanging loose amongst other scenario.

  Invest in proper exercise gear before hitting the gym
(American Techno Portal)

Wear breathable, comfortable and actual exercise gears for proper support apart from not worrying about 'parts hanging loose' the right support makes exercise easier and doesn't stress one's parts unnecessarily.

4. No hoarding

By all means don't hoard equipment, everyone deserves to use whatever they want to. Remember everyone paid their membership bills except of course it's your private property.

What was your experience like the first time you went to the gym?

Beauty Tips Mistakes you shouldn't make if you want a flawless skin

We all like to look flawless when it comes to our skin because good skin boosts our confidence but mistakes are made when we try to achieve this.

It is an extra tick in the box when we take care of our skin. But there are times when we actually overdo it or do it wrong all together.

Here are some mistakes you shouldn't make if you want your skin to look its absolute best.

Never (ever!) use hot water on your face

  Washing your face with hot water strips your skin of its natural oil (You Beauty)

Wash your face with hot water to open pores, then rinse with cold water to close them, well turns out, this is a myth. Exposing the skin to different extremes can actually cause irritation, also stripping your skin of all its natural oils causing dryness and blood vessel ruptures. So in order to keep the skin happy, wash and rinse with lukewarm water only.

Never sleep with make up on

  Sleeping with make up on causes wrinkles' eye infection even dry skin (Garnier)

Sleeping with make up on is something that happens to most of us (If not all) but it is not a wise thing to make a habit of, it causes breakouts, wrinkles, eye infection, dry skin just to mention a few, it is advisable to at least use a facial wipe to rub the products off (if you are that tired to wash your) and if you are lacking the wipes you can make use of the natural make up removal like Vaseline or olive oil. Sure you will consider all the risks before hitting the sheets with tons of products on.

Remove Makeup Before You Wash

  Don't let your soap do all the work by not removing your make up with cleansers first (Style and Beauty)

Some people prefer washing their make up before using the cleansers to finish but this is so wrong especially if your foundation game is strong. By trying to wash your make up first is like spreading butter on bread because the soap can't handle that responsibility of making the face squeaky clean and since you have spread the make up all over your face (without even being aware)  your cleanser will in turn do a bad job as it won't remove the remaining makeup and dirt from your face in one fell swoop, so it's either you use up to half of your cleanser or end up getting breakouts from committing the facial offence in the first place. So to make sure your face is totally clean and clear, remove your makeup first, then wash your face with your cleanser.

Don’t over wash or over exfoliate

Over exfoilating causes your skin to have micro tears which is bad (Vegan Acne Sufferers)

Whether it’s dry spots, pesky pimples or oil overload, it’s natural to want to attack it with everything you got using acne creams, cleansers, exfoliates. But, you can over do it, which will lead to the exact opposite results you want. Over washing and over exfoliating leads to dryness, irritation, inflammation and even infection, all of which destroy your skin’s ability to fight off pimple-causing bacteria. Keep it simple, you don't have to wash you face all the time, preferably use a wash cloth.

Make use of essential oil

  Essential oils helps dissolve other oils and reduces blemishes (Wellness Appliances)

For those who have oily skin and are prone to acne, oil has always been thought to be skin’s worst enemy right?, well you're wrong. Oil actually dissolves other oils and helps reduce blemish making bacteria, incorporating oils into your routine is easy. Simply choose an oil that works for you coconut, grape seed and olive are common favorites  then gently massage onto skin and wipe away with a soft washcloth soaked in warm water.

Moisturize that face

  Moisturizing the face helps keep the it hydrated (Live Strong)

Keeping your skin hydrated is an important step in maintaining the overall health of your face regardless of your skin type. Yeah, it’s scarily counterintuitive that adding moisturizer to your face actually helps keep oil level in check, while drying out your face creates more oill. If you have an oily skin, go with a gel or lotion-based moisturizer and for dry skin, use creams. If you’re in-between, use light, acid-free lotions.

Patting your face dry goes a long way

  Rubbing your face after wash instead of patting damages the skin's elasticity (Web)

Sometimes rubbing your face with a towel feels pretty good. But your skin (literally!) hates it. Rubbing  rather than patting can seriously damage the skin’s elasticity, which can cause major sagging in the future. It can also cause irritation. So don’t just grab any old towel, use a fresh cloth each and every time you dry your face to prevent the spread of bacteria.

UNICEF 60% Nigerian children suffer sexual, physical violence

Alabi explained that the figures were drawn from the Violence Against Children Survey (VACS) conducted by the National Population Commission (NPC) in 2014.

Over 60 per cent Nigerian children suffer sexual, physical and other kinds of violence in the society, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said on Friday.

Ms Ladi Alabi, a Child Protection Specialist with UNICEF, Bauchi Field Office, made the disclosure during her advocacy visit to the Jos Zonal Office of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

Alabi said, ”Statistics has it that 60 per cent of Nigerian children suffer some forms of violence; meaning that, six out of every 10 Nigerian children experience some kind of violence.

”Half of all children in Nigeria experience physical violence, and one in four girls and one in 10 boys experiences sexual violence.

”Also, one in six girls and one in five boys suffers emotional violence from parents, caregivers or adult relatives,” she said.

The child protection specialist added that majority of the children that experience physical, sexual or emotional violence in childhood mostly report multiple incidents.

She said girls were significantly affected most when it comes to sexual and physical violence than other combination of violence, while boys suffer emotional and physical violence most.

Alabi explained that the figures were drawn from the Violence Against Children Survey (VACS) conducted by the National Population Commission (NPC) in 2014.

She said that the national survey was supported technically by UNICEF, Nigeria, and the U.S. Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), among others.

In his remarks, Mr Sam Kaalu, UNICEF Communication Officer, Bauchi Field Office, said that the team was in Jos to prepare grounds for the launch of Priority Actions on Ending Violence Against Children.

He said that the alarming figures got from the survey propelled the Federal Government to launch the action in September, 2015 with a call on the state governments to key in.

”Because we know that ending violence against children needs multi-sectoral action, all hands must be on deck to see that Nigerian children do not suffer any form of violence.

”Plateau is among the few states that have agreed to key into this project after Lagos, Cross River and Benue which have since launched the programme.

”So, we are here to inform you about the launch and to seek your partnership and support in ending violence against children in Plateau,” he said.

The communication officer added that Nigeria was the first in West Africa and the 8th in the world to launch its priority action plan with a view to nip in the bud issues relating to violence against children.

NAN reports that formal launch of the action plan would hold on Sept. 29 in the state.

Plan Impact, Online organisation, says, “Every child has the right to be protected from abuse, exploitation, neglect or any other form of violence, irrespective of gender, origin, ethnicity, ability, or of socio-economic, cultural or geographic status.’’

PolioKwara HoS says disease outbreak is disappointing

Zahra Omar has lamented on the recent discovery of Polio outbreak in Nigeria saying it is a disappointing development.

 

Mrs Zahra Omar, Head of Service (H0S), Kwara, said the recent discovery of Polio outbreak in Nigeria is a disappointing development, despite all efforts to eradicate the disease.

She made the remarks on Tuesday during a courtesy visit to her office in Ilorin by the Rotary Club of Ilorin.

Omar, however, expressed optimism in the eradication of Polio in the country.

She also commended the efforts of Rotary for assisting the state government in the areas of provision of water and eradication of polio.

According to her, the state government is having a feel of Rotary’s humanitarian activities in the area of health and provision of basic amenities in some communities.

Earlier in his address, the leader of Rotary group’s, Olorunisola Julius said the NGO is committed to complete eradication of polio in Nigeria.

He noted that the Club is embarking on vaccination and massive sensitisation programme.

“Rotary Club of Ilorin will be willing to assist the state government in the areas of health, potable water supply and education, especially supply of laboratory equipments to schools in the state,” he said.

Julius, who noted that the visit was to further cement the relationship between Rotary and the state government, added that Rotary will complement government’s efforts and partner with it in some key areas.

News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that August 11, 2016 was supposed to be a historic day for the global effort to eradicate the polio virus.

It would have been two years since someone on the African continent last contracted the wild-polio virus; if the continent had made it without a case for a third year.

The World Health Organisation could have certified it as polio-free, and Africa would have joined four other WHO regions – the Americas, Europe, the Western Pacific, and South-East Asia – in eradicating wild polio.

However, Nigerian health officials announced on Thursday, Aug. 11 the same day they expected to celebrate the anniversary; that two children have been paralyzed by wild polio in Borno.

“It has set us back,” said Isaac Adewole, the Nigerian health minister, saying Borno will now undergo three rounds of emergency immunisations.

Aleksander Ceferin elected as the new UEFA president

Aleksander Ceferin, Slovenia's Football Association president has been named the new UEFA president after he defeated Dutchman Michael van Praag at UEFA's congress in Athens today. The 48-year-old Slovenian polled 42 votes compared to van Praag's 13 votes and will now succeed former France legend Michel Platini, who resigned after being banned from all football activity last year. This post first appeared on Linda Ikeji's Blog. Read the original story here.

Kids Report from the 2016 White House Kids' State Dinner

Editor's Note: Just as they did in 2013, 2014, and 2015, my children once again served as reporters for this year's White House Kids' State Dinner.
It was a wonderful day of new recipes, excited faces, and healthy recipes! -- Mel
The White House has grown... literally. The First Lady and her crew grew the vegetables used in the meal served at the 2016 Kids' State Dinner on July 14th. The meal kicked off with Alexandra's Refreshing Watermelon Salad, continued with Hannah's Sweet and Savoury Chicken and Peaches, and finished off with a Fruit-tacular Salad.

But it has also grown over the years. Michelle Obama planted the first White House garden since Eleanor Roosevelt, expanding the vegetable selections on the First Family's food plates. In fact, she said at the dinner, "We eat locally from our garden whenever we can -- which, by the way, is one of the most delicious and affordable ways to eat healthy."

For the last five years the Obamas have truly made the White House the People's House. They've opened their doors to young chefs and told them to make healthy creations that are still delicious to eat. Additionally, they should bring their talents and knowledge back to their own families and communities.

The First Lady celebrated healthy eating with a delicious meal featuring the chefs' recipes, and entertained them with a performace by the cast of Walt Disney World resort's The Jungle Book.

We got to interview a few of the chefs. Abby Newman, age 10, from Massachusetts featured what her state is known for in her dish. Her Fit to Run Boston Marathon Cod-Potato Cake included a Massachusett's fish.

Maya Jacobs, age 10, from Oklahoma made Okie Pride Brown Rice with Chicken and Vegetables and wishes her dish would be served at the school because she could then talk about healthy eating.

Amelie Chen, age 9, traveled 16 hours by plane from American Samoa to deliver her recipe, Breadfruit, Taro, and Garlic Chicken Trio. Breadfruit is very common where she lives and it's very healthy, so kids eat it often and it's easy to get.

This was our fourth trip to the Kids' State Dinner, and each time the Obamas make sure that it's special and that each group gets a chance to shine. We'll miss the Obamas, but we hope the next president continues the tradition.

By S and G Ford (with typing help by Melissa Ford)
All images by S and G Ford
Melissa writes Stirrup Queens and Lost and Found. Her novel about blogging is Life from Scratch.

5 Ways To Drink More Water + Lemon Cucumber Infused Water Recipe

Do you indulge a little too much over the weekend?
Well if so you're in luck because today we're talking all about water and why it's so important... especially when your desperately craving a full body detox.
Let's get right into it!
We've all been told that drinking water is good for us, but never really been given the details like how much we should drink or why it's even so beneficial to our health.
So today we're getting to the facts.
How much water should you drink in a day?

• I'm not a doctor, but a quick and easy way to create a daily water goal for yourself is just dividing your weight in half. For example, I weigh 140 pounds, so I divide that in half, meaning my daily water goal should be around 70 ounces Obviously if you're very active your body will probably need more, but this is just to get a very general goal. If that math is too much, just remember the 8 x 8 rule, which is to drink eight 8 oz cups of water a day to equal about 64 ounces total. ***Please note that half your body weight and the 8 x 8 rule are not backed up scientifically. They are simply general recommendations for people to aim for to prevent dehydration.

But I thought I just needed 8 cups of fluid per day?

• This is my favorite question EVER! So many people think that their morning orange juice, diet soda, coffee or sports drink counts toward their recommended daily water intake. Let's clear things up right now...IT DOESN'T! You need at least 8 cups of PURE water daily, which I understand can be incredibly challenging, so stay tuned for some tips on getting in more water!

Why is water so good for you anyway?

• Do you have time to read an entire novel about my thoughts on this? I'm such a psycho about drinking water that I drink at least 200 ounces daily. Partly because of my running/ hot yoga, but mostly because staying hydrated keeps my entire life in balance. Here are some of the top reasons you should drink more water:
• Increases your energy- If you're one of those people who is always tired and can't figure out why, think about how much water you drink in a day. Your brain is made mostly of water, so staying hydrated will keep you focused, alert and incredibly energized.
• Headache relief- Do you get headaches every afternoon? It may not be that you need another cup of coffee...it's probably that you need some water. Being dehydrated is one of the main causes of headaches, so next time you start to feel a headache coming on, skip the extra cup of coffee and drink water instead.
• Flushes out toxins- Yes please! Drinking water helps your body excrete toxins through your urine and sweat. Cheers to that!
• Helps with weight loss- Again, yes please! Staying hydrated not only increases your metabolism but also helps keep you full, making it less likely you'll be snacking on crap between meals. I highly recommend having a glass of water with every single meal and water between meals as well.
• Aids in digestion- Feeling bloated? constipated? You may simply be dehydrated. Water helps your body digest food and keeps things regular!
• Saves money- I'm super cheap and hate spending money on soft drinks when I eat out. I'll take the FREE water cup please! 
• Prevents muscle cramps/ fatigue- People who exercise, I'm talking to you! Staying hydrated helps prevent muscle cramps and helps your muscles function at the best of their ability. If you've ever tried to exercise while hungover and your body just doesn't work...hello dehydration.

5 Ways To Drink More Water:

Now that we've established how much water we should be drinking and why it's so important, it's time to get into the HOW!
How on earth does someone go from drinking maybe 3 cups of water a day to half their body weight in water?
IT'S HARD!
Most people I know wake up, drink coffee, get to work and drink more coffee, go to lunch and have a diet soda, come back to work and get another cup of coffee then get home and are exhausted because they haven't had a sip of water all day.
And yes, I get it; people are busy at work, in meetings, flying on a plane or whatever but there really is no excuse not to take care of yourself.
Here are 5 tips that will help you drink more water:

1. Invest in a reusable water bottle- Sounds silly but you'll never drink enough water using those tiny little plastic cups. I highly recommend purchasing a reusable water bottle that holds anywhere from 20-40oz of water. That way, it's easy for you to keep track of exactly how much water you drink in a day and you can bring it with you so you'll never go without water on a busy day. My favorite water bottle is this one by Hydro Flask. It seriously keeps ice in there for at least 24 hours. I have a 40 oz. one and drink about 4-5 daily.
2. Try it sparkling- I know, I know... I know some people just hate the taste of water and that's why they prefer to drink juice or diet soda. Trying sparkling water that doesn't have any added sugar or calories is a great way to stay hydrated and make it a little more enjoyable. I did a post awhile back on Soda Alternatives and my boyfriend swears that Perrier sparkling water is one of the BEST soda alternatives out there.
3. Set goals/ timers throughout the day- Some  days I get to work, put my head down and BAM it's 2:00 pm. If this sounds like you I highly recommend setting an alarm on your phone say every 2 hours to get up and have a drink. This will train your body into actually craving water on it's own. As for goals if you know you need to drink 80 oz of water in a day try breaking it up...20 oz in the morning, 20 oz in the afternoon, 20 oz at the gym then 20 oz in the evening. It will make it a lot less overwhelming.
4. Consider using an App to track your intake- Great Apps to use are Waterlogged  and Daily Water, or if you're more old school like me, I just use a pen and paper and make tally marks in my day planner. Really hold yourself accountable to drinking more water; I promise it pays off.
5. Infuse water with fresh fruit, herbs or veggies- This is my favorite way to drink water! I always fill a big pitcher with water and throw in random fruits, veggies and herbs to infuse the water and add some 0 calorie flavor. This is great to keep at home and they even make water bottles now with an area to put fruits in to infuse your water on the go. I'm currently obsessed with the combination of cucumbers, lemons and fresh mint in my water. See recipe below!

Lemon Cucumber Infused Water:

This really isn't a recipe and feel free to use any combination of fruits, veggies and herbs!
You need:

• A large pitcher
• 2 lemons 
• 1 whole cucumber
• 1 bunch of mint
• Ice
• Water

Directions:

1. Wash lemons, cucumber and mint. Cut up lemons and cucumbers into disks and just tear the mint leaves off the stems. Place all ingredients in the bottom of the pitcher. 
2. Then fill the pitcher about half way with ice!
3. Fill the pitcher with water, stir everything up and store in the fridge. For best results let it sit at least 1 hour before drinking to really let those flavors infuse in there.

Why I Got Rid of All My High Heels

Using a local yard sale page, I recently sold every pair of high heels I own. Knowing I'd never wear any of them again, I felt a bit of regret as I handed off the last pair. But the sadness I felt had less to do with fashion and more to do with what the loss of the heels represented  —  one more thing my chronic pain had taken from me.
Shoes became yet another area of my life that couldn't escape the force of my condition, known as Thoracic Outlet Syndrome (TOS).

Image: m01229 via Flickr via Creative Commons license Along with my TOS, I suffer from chronic migraines, unrelenting muscle spasms, and several related neurological symptoms. Many things trigger my pain flareups, and wearing heels is just one lifestyle choice I couldn't endure anymore. Looking sexy in a pair of pumps simply isn't worth the crippling pain that often follows.
The debate over women wearing heels, particularly in the workplace, is currently a heated one within the feminist community. Last month, a waitress named Nicola Gavins exposed Canadian restaurant chain Joey's sexist policy of forcing women to wear high heels to work.
Gavins even posted a gruesome photo of her bloodied feet. And another receptionist in London was sent home from an accountancy firm for wearing flats in lieu of the mandated two to four inch heels, leading to a controversy igniting an online petition currently boasting over 140,000 signatures.
Many feminists, including celebrities like Victoria Beckham and Julia Roberts, have entered the debate and renounced highheels as decidedly sexist, outdated torture devices. As Mary Elizabeth Williams writes for The Salon, the Cannes Festival has admitted to requiring female attendees to wear heels, and even women with medical conditions and amputations have been repeatedly stopped on the festival's Red Carpet for not abiding.
No woman should be mandated to wear something that makes her uncomfortable or risks her health, especially when the same requirements are not being asked of men in the same positions. However, for women with chronic illness, obligatory heels are not only sexist  —  they are downright discriminatory.
Some might argue that an employer, like Joey's, often makes medical exceptions for people with disability. But there are problems inherent in such a segregated policy. For one, the requirement then becomes an additional way women with disease are made to feel different from their peers, with wearing heels like our coworkers another item added to the list of things we cannot do.
Superficially, women are divided by heels versus flats, but on another level, they are separated into the categories of ability versus disability.
When a woman with a medical condition wears flats to a workplace that requires all the other women to wear heels, she has now announced her condition not only to her employer but to all her coworkers as well. Some coworkers may feel jealousy  —  why does she get to wear flats, and I have to wear heels all day?
Others may feel pity, and still others may doubt the medical condition even exists; after all, there's a reason many illnesses are labeled invisible. Subconsciously or not, once employers are made aware of a woman's condition, they may begin to doubt the value of her work  —  after all, if she can't wear heels, what else can't she do?
Maybe the point is that women shouldn't have to prove they have a medical condition in order to be comfortable. Health is private, and when we force a woman to wear heels to work, we are erasing not only her fashion choice but her right to privacy.

3 Mental Health Hacks to Get You Through Low Days

I no longer have the "I don't know what to do for self-care" excuse because I have an entire box of things I can utilize at any moment.
I think everyone, whether they have a mental illness or not, knows what it's like to be in total despair and have no idea what to do about it. You're curled up in bed, you don't want to move, and you desperately wish you knew how to make things better.
While I don't have the cure to depression (damn, I really wish I did), there are a few tricks that have helped me when I reached that now what? moment.
These mental health hacks, while they aren't going to fix everything, are great to have in place, and they encourage us to make good decisions for ourselves when we're struggling. They're simple, yes, but incredibly helpful.
So here are three mental health hacks that have made a difference for me — and could make a difference for you, too.

Distraction Plan

I learned this one from my DBT workbook. It's been hugely important in getting me to move away from self-destructive habits and to start relying on self-care when I'm struggling.
Here's the gist of it: You come up with 10 things that you can do when you're feeling down to boost your mood. Write it down on a note card and keep it handy. Bonus, mine also includes a suicide hotline number at the bottom, just in case.
My distraction plan includes going for a walk to get a coffee or a smoothie (alone or with a friend), watching a funny show, wrapping myself in a soft blanket and listening to a new podcast, taking a long shower or bath, playing a game or assembling a puzzle, and squeezing an ice cube while counting my breaths.
Every time I'm feeling despondent, I force myself to try to do at least one thing from that list. It sounds silly, but sometimes all it takes is one or two of these activities to get my mood to a more manageable place.
There's an awesome video by Kati Morton all about distraction techniques and distraction plans that I highly recommend watching. The video can teach you how to develop one of these plans. If you don't have a distraction plan in your repertoire, it doesn't hurt to get one!

Crisis Calendar

I have a special calendar in my Google Calendar app that I call my "crisis calendar." In it, I've entered in any relevant support groups, walk-in classes or activities, and club or spiritual meetings that could boost my mental health. That way, if I've hit a rough patch with my mental health, I know where to go to get support or do something healing.
My calendar includes two queer support groups, two bipolar support groups, donation-based pilates classes, and a cardio dance class. I try to give myself the option of seeking out emotional support, or simply doing something physical with others to get my endorphins going and socialize a little.
Do I go to these events every week? Nope. But when I'm feeling down, I pull up the calendar and try to commit to one or two events that week. I also set reminders an hour before, just to remind myself that the option is there for me. It's comforting to know that if I'm having a hard time, I'll always know where to go on any given day.
For those of us who are lucky enough to have resources in our own backyards, we often don't consider what's available to us and how we might use it. When struggling with our mental health, we tend to think we should go it alone – but the truth is, our communities may, in fact, have a lot to offer us.
If you aren't sure what resources are available to you, your local NAMI chapter is a great place to start. If you have a therapist, they can also point you in the right direction.

Rescue Box

One of the problems I consistently had when it came to self-care was following through. I'd get depressed, and instead of doing something to take care of myself, I'd insist that it took too much energy to find something to do... so I'd opt to stay in bed.
As you probably can imagine, staying in bed made things worse. I decided I needed to simplify; I needed to make self-care easier and more accessible. So I decided to create a self-care rescue box.
What the heck is it? A self-care rescue box is a box that you fill with items that are part of your self-care routine. It's like a care package, only you assemble it for yourself and open it up when you're having a bad day.
Mine includes a heating pad, two uplifting books, lotions and massage bars, a manicure kit, video games, a DVD collection of my favorite television series, a box of my favorite tea, an emergency chocolate bar, candles, board games, and all sorts of comforting things.
I no longer have the "I don't know what to do for self-care" excuse, because I have an entire box of things I can utilize at any moment. On my bad days, I try to grab at least one thing from the box and use it. It operates as a great distraction, and I get a little boost just having a box filled with stuff that I love.
And honestly? I can't believe I didn't think of it sooner.

Last Thoughts

The truth is, there is no one "hack" that can cure mental illness or make your struggles go away. However, there are tools we can add to our tool belts that make the tough days just a little bit easier to cope with.
Whether it's keeping ourselves distracted, seeking out support, or finding new ways to care for ourselves, it's always good to keep in mind that we have options, no matter what life throws at us.