Category: Lifestyle

UACL-led study of 9,050 English people with an average age of 65 found that the people with the greatest wellbeing were 30% less likely to die during the average eight and a half year follow-up period than those with the least wellbeing.

The study, published in The Lancet as part of a special series on ageing, was conducted by researchers from UCL, Princeton University and Stony Brook University. It used questionnaire answers to measure a type of wellbeing called ‘eudemonic wellbeing’, which relates to your sense of control, feeling that what you do is worthwhile, and your sense of purpose in life. People were divided into four categories based on their answers, ranked from highest wellbeing to lowest wellbeing.
The results were adjusted for age, sex, socio-economic status, physical health, depression, smoking, physical activity and alcohol intake, to rule out as many factors as possible that could influence both health and wellbeing. For example, terminal illnesses could reduce both wellbeing and life expectancy.

Over the next eight and a half years, 9% of people in the highest wellbeing category had died, compared with 29% in the lowest category. Once all the other factors had been taken into account, people with the highest wellbeing were 30% less likely to die over the study period, living on average two years longer than those in the lowest wellbeing group.

“We have previously found that happiness is associated with a lower risk of death,” says Professor Andrew Steptoe, Director of the UCL Institute of Epidemiology and Health Care, who led the study. “These analyses show that the meaningfulness and sense of purpose that older people have in their lives are also related to survival. We cannot be sure that higher wellbeing necessarily causes lower risk of death, since the relationship may not be causal. But the findings raise the intriguing possibility that increasing wellbeing could help to improve physical health.

There are several biological mechanisms that may link wellbeing to improved health, for example through hormonal changes or reduced blood pressure. Further research is now needed to see if such changes might contribute to the links between wellbeing and life expectancy in older people.”

As part of the Lancet paper, the researchers also examined data on ‘evaluative wellbeing’, a measure of life satisfaction, and ‘hedonic wellbeing’, related to feelings of happiness, sadness, anger, stress and pain. International data from the Gallup World Poll confirmed that in high-income English speaking countries, life satisfaction dips around middle age and rises in older age, but the pattern varied across the world.

In the former Soviet Union and Eastern European countries, older residents reported very low rankings of life satisfaction compared with younger residents in those regions. This same pattern is seen in Latin America and Caribbean countries, though life satisfaction does not decrease as sharply as in the Eastern European countries. And in sub-Saharan Africa, life satisfaction is very low at all ages.

“Economic theory can predict a dip in wellbeing among the middle age in high-income, English-speaking countries,” says co-author Professor Angus Deaton of Princeton University. “This is the period at which wage rates typically peak and is the best time to work and earn the most, even at the expense of present well-being, so as to have increased wealth and well-being later in life. What is interesting is that this pattern is not universal. Other regions, like the former Soviet Union, have been affected by the collapse of communism and other systems. Such events have affected the elderly who have lost a system that, however imperfect, gave meaning to their lives, and, in some cases, their pensions and health care.”

Science Daily

Miss Rwanda has dismissed the process whereby a girl who is in her puberty stage gently pulls her inner labia outwards saying that such practice destroys Today’s Rwandan culture.

The process of labia elongation or in Kinyarwanda: Gukuna Imishino/ Guca Imyeyo, was practiced for a long time by young girls as a way to prepare them to become fully grown women.

Speaking to this site’s reporter Miss Rwanda 2014, Akiwacu Colombe said this practice nowadays adds nothing good rather than undermining the Rwandese culture.

She insisted that the practice is no longer important and calls it very primitive.

She says the practice has gradually disappeared due to social and cultural advance.

Akiwacu says “Labia elongation is the oldest culture in the Rwandan society, but I think as the development comes, culture also develops. For me this is not something we have to do because the practice can even cause some diseases. But everyone has a choice about this practice depending on how she is familiar with it.”

Meanwhile Akiwacu neither confirms nor denied whether she practiced her labia elongation but she knows many about the practice.

WATCH THIS VIDEO:

She says today Girls disrespect their virginity yet the later is something with the highest value that each girl should preserve to honor her husband once she marries.

The term Guca imyeyo literally means ‘to cut brooms’ – Rwandan girls used to go out in the bushes in a group, and when asked where they were going they would reply that they were going out in the bush to look for grass, which they would turn into brooms.

Although men know about the practice now, traditionally they were not meant to know, which is why they came up with a respectable name for Labia Elongation.

US automaker Ford has launched its first vehicles under the luxury Lincoln brand in China, the company said, as it seeks to make inroads into a market dominated by German cars.

Ford announced in April that it would begin Lincoln sales in China in the autumn, adding to its other passenger car and commercial vehicle offerings in the country — the world’s largest auto market.

Lincoln on Thursday launched a mid-sized sedan, the MKZ, priced from 315,800 yuan to 395,800 yuan ($51,770 to $64,885), according to a news release.

It also started offering the MKC, a small utility vehicle, for 339,800 yuan to 438,800 yuan, the release said.

Both were designed for the Chinese market, it added.

Management consulting firm McKinsey has estimated that German automakers — including Audi, BMW, Mercedes and Volkswagen — account for 80 percent of the “premium” market in China, which it defines as cars costing upwards of 200,000 yuan.

Chairman and chief executive officer of Ford China, John Lawler, said the start of Lincoln sales marked a “significant” step.

“We now will begin serving luxury customers in China,” he said in the release.

Lincoln will launch three more vehicles in China by 2016: a mid-sized utility vehicle, a full-size sedan and a large SUV, according to the statement.

Ford plans to open specialised Lincoln stores in Shanghai, Beijing and the eastern city of Hangzhou early next month, to be followed by five more locations by year-end, it said.

It aims to have 60 Lincoln stores in 50 Chinese cities by 2016.

Ford sold 813,412 vehicles in China during the first nine months of the year, up 26 percent from the same period last year, according to the company.

Its US rival General Motors (GM) is also trying to beef up luxury sales in China with its Cadillac brand.

GM launched a Chinese-produced luxury sedan, the XTS, in the country last year and is steadily adding more vehicles to its Cadillac range.

AFP, FRANCE 24

It’s easy to call yourself a thought leader but, like astronauts, you can’t give yourself titles like that. Thought leaders are of course industry experts and gurus in their field, but they’re also gifted as dispensing advice and using their stature to make profits for any company they’re connected with. They’re the go-to resource in the industry and the greats ones are known to the masses (think Bill Gates and Steve Jobs).

A thought leader doesn’t happen overnight–it usually takes several years of experience, skill building and networking. However, there are a few signs that you might be a thought leader in the making. If you find yourself exhibiting several of these symptoms, it might be in your best interest to focus on what makes a great thought leader and start blazing down that path. After all, “guru” and “though leader” certainly have nice rings to them.

1. You have an active social media following on your business pages.

If you’re active on LinkedIn or have a thriving professional Facebook or Twitter account, that’s a must for thought leaders and you’re already on the right track. Start advancing even more by contributing guest blogs to reputable online outlets, participating more in LinkedIn discussions, and generally fostering your social media professional life.

2. You’re constantly improving your business skillsets.

You attend all the best conferences, are always seeking out new learning opportunities that relate to your industry, and believe that there’s no such thing as “enough”. This is a sign that you’re truly passionate about your work and your personal growth, both of which are pillars for thought leadership. This means it’s a joy and a journey for you, not a job and a chore.

3. You’re great at networking and speaking engagements.

These two skills are both an innate talent and a learned skill–if you’re not a natural, don’t worry. There are many ways to get better, including classes or groups like Toastmasters. Practice makes perfect, so get out there and find avenues for networking and speaking to groups. The more you do it, the better you’ll be.

4. Googling yourself turns up positive results.

Don’t be embarrassed, go ahead–Google yourself. It’s what other people are doing including potential new employers, partners or clients. Set up a Google Alert for your name, and make sure to have any negative mentions removed or “buried” under more relevant and positive notes. For example, you might have an ancient MySpace account full of spring break photos you’ve forgotten about or an angsty teen tirade on a review site that slipped your mind. Make sure you know where your online reputation stands.

5. You’re truly passionate about your work.

Thought leaders are never passive about their work or think of it as “just a job”. They become thought leaders because they truly care about what they do–if you don’t, it’s time to reassess what you want. If you’re happy enough in a career that’s not a perfect match and don’t want to be a thought leader, that’s fine. However, if you want more, it’s never too late to try a new path or job.

Is thought leadership in your future? Only time will tell–and a few signs that you don’t want to ignore.

INC.COM

Nowadays a number of men who have sex with house maids are constantly growing and most of the days we hear women argue about it.

May be you are among those who have ever asked why husbands sleep with maids and your question went without an answer.

IGIHE has got several responses from several people who have tried to respond to our question to which we were asking “Why husbands are sleeping with maids?”

The First comment that we got is that “Lack of cares and affection from their spouse are major causes. But in human nature, males are easy to be attracted by any smart lady.” Does the answer satisfy you?

Another comment goes on saying “As usual, when you want to expose yourself, you try to make new innovation. This is related to maids who always try to be smart for getting someone to cone them. That’s why husbands fall in love with them.”

Some also said many maids give husbands more care than their wives do. However marriage counselors say domestic workers are becoming so powerful that many marriages and relationships are threatened.

They said cases of men sleeping with their helpers are on the rise, and one in five cases of infidelity they dealt with in the past year has involved a helper.

These women are often younger, stylish, enlightened, single and struggling with financial issues, and many of the men they sleep with are doing well financially.

It is also said this is made worse by television and other media that sexualizes women in subservient and submissive positions.

Another thing that makes domestic workers attractive is that the excitement of the forbidden fruit can be erotic and edgy.

What is happening? Are our men threatened by empowered women?

Not at all, says Zuko Mathyila, a male activist based in Cape Town. Mathyila said the biggest reason men are playing hanky panky with the maid is emotional dissatisfaction.

He says studies by marriage counsellor Gary Neuman show that 48% of men rated emotional dissatisfaction as the primary reason they cheat.

He says men are emotionally driven beings who want their wives to show them that they’re appreciated.

Professional women have become so masculine, distant and aggressive that they’ve become a turn off to men, he said.

Many women use their salary and position at work to transform themselves from the beautiful feminine woman they are into becoming more masculine at home. This makes feminine and submissive maids at home very attractive to men.

“What attracts men to women is women’s femininity. This is the same way women find masculinity attractive in men.”

Some women don’t have time to attend to their husband needs.

“Some women only attend to their own needs and leave the maid to attend to their husband’s needs. The helper makes their bed, washes his pants and even cooks and serves the husband’s food. Human beings by nature love a person who is close to them.”

Some women are impolite to their husbands and this forces them to look for comfort elsewhere.

“This is apparent in marriages where the woman feels she is financially better off than the husband and that he is not more deserving. This frustrates husbands, who feel women must be submissive to them. The result is that the husband looks for an easy, submissive alternative around them for sex, and in this case, housemaids,” says Mathyila.

He says men want to get away from today’s over-empowered and aggressive women, such as their wives and bosses, and be with more regular, easy-going women with whom they can relax and not have to try so hard. Maids are the perfect candidates.

Studies done by leading marriage researcher John Gottman show that cheating might not be a symptom of a bad marriage or relationship.

Gottman says most people cheat because of opportunity, accounting for 80% of affairs.

Maphanga says women should take on a more nurturing role in terms of cooking and cleaning for their husbands, instead of leaving these tasks to the maids.

“To solve this, women can instruct and manage maids in such a way that the maids are seen as assisting them in their nurturing roles.

“The couple can agree to treat the maid as the employee of the wife so that subsequently, even though tasks are carried out by the maid, the instructions and intentions come from the wife, thereby, strengthening the couple’s relationship.”

Meet Lyzabeth Lopez, Pro Level International Fitness Model, creator of the Hourglass Workout and the woman with one of the best butts on the planet. These workouts — which can be done at the gym or at home — will give your sexiest, roundest booty ever.

Heel Raises

Heel raises are excellent for developing a rounder butt. You can use ankle weights or resistance bands to maintain tension for better muscle growth in the glutes and hamstrings.

1. Begin on your hands and knees in a tabletop position. Drive the heel of one foot straight up towards the ceiling, maintaining a 90-degree angle at the knee. At the top of the movement, take a second to flex the glute muscles as you exhale.

2. Inhale as you slowly bring the knee back down, crossing it over the opposite knee.

Tip: For a more intense workout, do 1 to 2 minutes on one leg, then continue with another 1 to 2 minutes on the same leg, but this time extending your leg straight out. Once this 2 to 4 minute set is complete, switch legs.

Jump Squats

Jump squats are great for gaining strength and burning fat.

1. To start, slowly lower yourself into a squat making sure your knees don’t pass your toes. This is called the safe-squat position.

2. Next, spring up into a straight jump and land in the same safe-squat position. Repeat this movement continuously for 30 seconds.

Single Leg Bridges

Leg bridges are great for your booty and build sexy VS model legs.

1. Lie on your back with one foot flat on the ground and one leg straight up in the air.

2. Exhale as you place your weight into the heel of the foot on the ground and drive your glutes up aiming to make your body straight from shoulder to knee. At the top of the movement, flex your glutes and inhale as you slowly return to start position. Repeat this for 20 repetitions per leg, pulsing at the top for 10 seconds at the end of each set.

Images: Getty; Courtesy of Lyzabeth Lopez

Agencies

By Kelly Mallory

Whether you’re single, dating, or married, when your friend shares the news about her engagement, it should be a reason to celebrate, not criticize.

Despite the excitement for your newly-engaged friend, sometimes things might slip out of your mouth that may come from a place of jealousy that you wish you could take back. To help you avoid any awkward and potentially hurtful conversations with your friend, Kelly Mallory talked to etiquette expert Lizzie Post, co-author of Emily Post’s Wedding Etiquette 6th edition, about the top five things you should never say.

1. “That isn’t the ring you wanted!”

Many women have a “dream” engagement ring, which usually details a certain shape, size and cut. If her S.O. picked out the ring, he must have put time and thought into the ring, along with a hefty paycheck.

“It might not be what she was expecting or what you talked about, but it’s still a sentimental and special piece of jewelry, so you need to be respectful of that,” Post says. Now’s the time to focus on the fact that she got engaged, not the fact that the ring isn’t what she told you she wanted.”

2. “He should have said/done [blank] when he proposed.”

A proposal memory will stay with someone for a lifetime, and it can never be repeated. “Clearly your friend is happy about it, so it’s inappropriate to judge or criticize an experience that’s one of the most important ones in her life,” Post explains.

Instead of correcting the way her S.O. proposed, or what he said during the “Will you marry me?” speech, it’s important to see the inherent romantic quality in the proposal and engagement. Holding expectations for proposals and engagements hurts both your friend and the excitement of the engagement.

3. “It’s about time!”

The issue with this phrase is insinuating that your friend is late to the party. “It’s making her feel like she should have done it a long time ago and it’s not special because they’ve been together for so long,” Post explains. Each relationship follows its own timeline, and unless your engaged friend asks for your opinion, you shouldn’t comment on the stage of the relationship.

The same etiquette holds true even if your friend gets engaged after a month of knowing her partner. While it may seem somewhat rash, an engagement isn’t the right time to criticize the development of a relationship.

4. “I’m so single.”

It can be difficult to have your friend’s relationship grow while you’re still without a boyfriend. But a friend’s engagement doesn’t call for a pity party.
“It’s not about you right now,” Post says emphatically. “It can be about you later.” Don’t say something like, ‘I totally thought I would get engaged first; I’m so happy for you, but sad for me.’” Your friend who’s donning the new bling deserves the spotlight instead of shifting the focus to you. Save the single rant for your other single friends.

5. “Are you sure you want to do this?”

Saying “yes” to a S.O.’s proposal is an important life decision that already requires a lot of discernment. Placing doubt in your friend’s mind by saying things like ,“Are you sure about this?” or “You sure you don’t want to reconsider?” disregards her opinion.

“Now is not the time to be questioning your friend’s motives or decisions,” Post says. “If you’re truly confused or concerned about the engagement, you can talk about it at a different time, but tread carefully.” Being a friend includes trusting your friend’s judgment and accepting her decision.

Huffington Post

Restaurants use all sorts of gimmicks and deals to get customers through their doors.

But Bergeron’s restaurant in Port Allen, Louisiana has tried a completely different approach to entice diners.

The Cajun restaurant just blocks from the Mississippi River — which is famous for its fried catfish, smoked chicken wings and pork tasso — has a sign out the front proudly declaring: “Thank you for carrying your gun today. 10% discount”.

Owner Kevin Cox said he began offering the discount earlier this month as a way to thank the law enforcement officers that frequent his restaurant and as a way to make his premises safer.

“I keep hearing so much about people banning guns,” Mr Cox told local television station NBC33.

“Target’s banning guns, and these people are banning guns. Don’t they realise that that’s where people with guns are going to go? I want to take the opposite approach. How can I make my place safer?”

But soon other gun-carrying customers began asking for the discount too. And now Mr Cox offers them the same deal.

“I just need to see a weapon. I need you to be carrying a gun,” Mr Cox said.
“As long as everybody has a gun we’re all the same size.”

And he shouldn’t have too much trouble getting gun-toting customers through the door.

Louisiana is commonly referred to as a “gun loving state.”

The only necessary requirement for purchase of a firearm is a valid driver’s license, which can prove the buyer meets the federal age limits: 21 for handguns and 18 for shotguns or rifles.

With all the drama filled distractions that enter our life everyday, it can be a challenge to stay positive, and focused all day long. Negativity is a true motivation and drive killer!

We all have our own “stuff” to deal with, and our daily drive can get lowered substantially when our peers bombard us with their problems as well.

Here are my personal steps to staying positive all day.

1) Start early.

When I wake up, I drink my one coffee of the day (like the commercials it puts a smile on my face first thing!) while moving around.

2) Do not turn on the TV, check emails, or visit social media sites!

This will take some discipline. We have been trained to dive right into these things first thing, and all of them can deliver negative messages. It’s hard to stay positive when the first thing you take in is last nights shooting victims, car accidents, house fires, kidnappings, companies downsizing, and serial killers (did I mention I live in a Suburb of Cleveland).

3) Be active.

Exercising releases endorphins that create a positive feeling in your body, and leads to an energizing outlook on life. Breaking a sweat first thing really does clear your head, and your best ideas will come to you during this time! You do not have to go to the gym, and curl 100’s of pounds if that is not your thing. Three years ago my wife, and I started walking for 30 to 60 minutes, with smoothie in hand, at 6am every morning. After 30 days of this we were hooked, and graduated to more intense routines! Find what’s fun for you (cardio, weight lifting or running) and add it to your daily routine!

4) If you do not have a good positive peer to work out with listen to your favorite podcast.

Unlike the news, podcasts deliver killer content, and will help your ideas flow! I try to listen to 2 to 4 podcasts daily although taking on this much content can sometimes distract me from my projects. It’s still great to hear relatable interviews of struggle to triumph! These stories will keep you focused on your current goals, and why you want to achieve them!

5) Watch what you’re eating.

Stop filling your body with garbage and fast food! This will weigh you down, and you will spend more time thinking about how you feel like crap, then feeling motivated to take on the day! If you’re eating habits are horrible then start with green smoothies. If drinking your vegetables does not sound appealing to you, add a really ripe banana, and a scoop of protein this gives it a sweet flavor and a smooth texture. Your body will begin to crave this and you will give up the convenient fast food habit.

6) Be careful whose calls you take, texts you open, and emails you check during the day!

I have contractors that work for me that will call. Not to trouble shoot a situation, but to complain about LIFE! As positive, and motivated as I am, one negative call really can break my state. It’s no fun to try to clear that negativity out to regain your focus. I started giving people that do this the button! If they’re on a job site, and need troubleshooting, I’ll send them a text stating that “I’m in a meeting and can’t talk but what’s up?” If their really is a problem it can be solved by a short text without the 10 minutes of “poor me” talk.

If you are currently not doing these techniques Try them now, and practice these steps for 30 days! I guarantee they will improve your daily mental state. Worst case you can always go back to the old negative depressing routine if it doesn’t work for you!

Read more at http://under30ceo.com

Benigne Mugwaneza, Ni Nyampinga Brand Representative and Journalist, caught up with Ms. Christine Teta, Co- founder of iDebate Rwanda to discuss her career in agri-business and also her experience with debate.

She encourages young women to join debate clubs like iDebate since it helped her communication skills that she can now apply to both her personal and professional life.

More on the story Watch this Video