Personal Stories & Opinion

The Health Choices You Make Today Shape Your Future

15May

By AmaNo Comments

The Health Choices You Make Today Shape Your Future

Most people believe they will have time to “start later.” Later to exercise. Later to eat better. Later to finally book that medical check-up they have postponed for years. But the body has a way of quietly keeping score, and eventually those small delays can become life-changing consequences. “Take care of yourself while you still have a choice” sounds simple, yet it may be one of the most important health lessons of modern life. The Dangerous Habit of Waiting For many adults, especially in busy cities like Accra, Kumasi, London, or New York, health often drops to the bottom of the priority list. Work deadlines come first. School fees come first. Family responsibilities come first. By the time people notice persistent fatigue, high blood pressure, weight gain, or constant body pa...

‘How Exercise Saved My Mental Health’: Fitness Coach Opens Up About Movement, Family Trauma, and Finding Stability

12May

By George NyavorNo Comments

Personal Stories & Opinion

‘How Exercise Saved My Mental Health’: Fitness Coach Opens Up About Movement, Family Trauma, and Finding Stability

Fitness coach Joe Wicks, known to millions as “The Body Coach,” has revealed how exercise became his lifeline during a childhood marked by instability, addiction, and mental illness, and why he believes movement is the most accessible medicine for the mind. Speaking as part of the BBC's Mental Wellbeing Season (May 2024), Wicks opened up about growing up with a father who was a drug addict and a mother who struggled with eating disorders and OCD. He described a home life that was "quite confrontational" and filled with unspoken pain. "As a kid, I do remember having a lot of anxiety in my body and a lot of fear and stress," he said. "My mom and dad had their mental health issues going on, and it was like a secret that no one talked about—but it was affecting me so much." High Al...

The Silent Signs Your Body May Be Missing Vitamin B6

11May

By AmaNo Comments

Personal Stories & Opinion

The Silent Signs Your Body May Be Missing Vitamin B6

There are days when exhaustion feels heavier than the weather. You sleep early, drink coffee, push through work, yet your body still feels strangely drained. For many people, especially busy adults juggling work, family, and stress, the assumption is often simple: “I just need rest.” But sometimes, the real issue may be sitting quietly on the dinner plate — or missing from it entirely. The Overlooked Vitamin That Keeps the Body Running Vitamin B6 rarely gets the spotlight given to iron, calcium, or vitamin C, yet it quietly powers some of the body’s most important functions. It helps convert food into energy, supports brain function, strengthens the immune system, and even influences mood and sleep. When levels begin to dip, the body often sends subtle warning signs that are ...

The 1 Daily Habit This Personal Trainer and Mom of 2 Swears By for Less Stress and More Control

6May

By George NyavorNo Comments

Personal Stories & Opinion

The 1 Daily Habit This Personal Trainer and Mom of 2 Swears By for Less Stress and More Control

Feeling overwhelmed by your to-do list? You're not alone. But according to a busy mom and fitness professional, the solution isn't working harder—it's writing things down. Sarah Eika Burke, a personal trainer and mother of two who also serves as an app trainer for Start TODAY (the fitness program from TODAY), knows a thing or two about packed schedules. Between training clients, raising her sons, managing household chores, and squeezing in her own workouts, chaos could easily take over. But Burke has developed one simple, daily habit that she credits with keeping her organized, motivated, and mentally grounded—and it takes almost no extra time. The Habit: Make Lists. Then Cross Things Off. Religiously. In her daily routine, Burke prioritizes waking up before anyone else in ...

Does exercising at night really “ruin” your sleep or is that just another fitness myth we’ve held onto for too long?

3May

By AmaNo Comments

Personal Stories & Opinion

Does exercising at night really “ruin” your sleep or is that just another fitness myth we’ve held onto for too long?

For many people in Accra, evenings are the only realistic window to move. The day starts early, traffic stretches every commute, and by the time work and family responsibilities ease up, the sun has already dipped. That leaves a familiar dilemma: squeeze in a late workout or skip it entirely in the name of sleep. The truth sits somewhere in between—and it’s more forgiving than most people think. Emerging research suggests that the issue isn’t when you exercise, but how you do it. A high-intensity session—think all-out sprints or heavy lifting—right before bed can leave your body too alert to settle. Your heart is still racing, your core temperature is elevated, and your brain hasn’t received the signal to power down. It’s like trying to fall asleep immediately after a heated argument...

What I Learned When I Gave Up Sugar for Six Weeks: A Health Reporter’s Journey

30Apr

By George NyavorNo Comments

Personal Stories & Opinion

What I Learned When I Gave Up Sugar for Six Weeks: A Health Reporter’s Journey

From intense cravings and afternoon slumps to a reset palate and lasting habit change, one woman's experiment reveals the profound effects of eliminating added sugar from the daily diet. Foods with added sugar are everywhere, even in some surprising places. So how easy is it to go without sugar, and what difference can it make to your health? One health reporter decided to find out firsthand, giving up all foods containing added refined sugar for six weeks. While typically eating a healthy diet with plenty of home-cooking, the reporter also had a sweet tooth and tended to consume chocolate treats every day, a habit shared by millions. Overconsumption of sugar is extremely common in modern diets, and it is bad for our teeth, harmful to our health, and there is even some evidence t...

Calories on Packaged Foods Aren’t Exact – Here’s How to Stop Being Misled

30Apr

By AmaNo Comments

Personal Stories & Opinion

Calories on Packaged Foods Aren’t Exact – Here’s How to Stop Being Misled

When a class action lawsuit accused David protein bars of containing 400% more fat and 80% more calories than advertised, the internet erupted. Comparisons to Mean Girls’ Regina George – who gained weight eating “healthy” bars – went viral. The case was dismissed this week, but it cracked open a little-known truth about how food labels really work. The 20% Loophole According to U.S. FDA regulations, packaged food labels can legally be off by up to 20% for calories, fat, added sugar, carbs, and fiber. That means a bar labeled 200 calories could deliver 240. Nutrients like protein and vitamins can be 20% lower than stated. The FDA doesn’t pre-approve labels. Manufacturers self-report based on lab analyses or database estimates – both of which vary by batch, processing method, and in...

The Two-Minute Habit That Protects Your Heart and Brain

29Apr

By AmaNo Comments

Personal Stories & Opinion

The Two-Minute Habit That Protects Your Heart and Brain

The next time you’re standing at your bathroom sink in Accra or London, staring at that little plastic box of dental floss, remember this: you aren't just cleaning your teeth. You are performing a localized strike against systemic inflammation. Most of us view flossing as a chore we lie to our dentists about. We focus on the "60 percent rule"—the fact that brushing alone leaves nearly half of your mouth's surfaces untouched. But the real story isn't about the food stuck between your molars; it’s about the sulcus, that tiny, shallow groove where your gum meets your tooth. This area is lined with some of the most permeable tissue in your entire body. It is a direct, high-speed gateway into your bloodstream. When we skip flossing, we allow a bacterial "biofilm" to set up camp in t...

3 Environmental Triggers You Didn’t Know Were Fueling Migraine

28Apr

By AmaNo Comments

Personal Stories & Opinion

3 Environmental Triggers You Didn’t Know Were Fueling Migraine

If you are one of the millions of people who live with migraines, you likely already know your "usual suspects"—stress, lack of sleep, or perhaps that extra cup of coffee. But a massive new study suggests that the air you breathe and the intensity of the sun above you might be doing more damage than you realize. As urban centers from Accra to Los Angeles grapple with rising temperatures and seasonal shifts, researchers are uncovering a sobering link between our changing environment and neurological pain. According to a decade-long study published in the journal Neurology, three environmental factors—air pollution, UV exposure, and humidity—are significantly fueling the global migraine crisis. The Hidden Toll of the Environment For ten years, researchers tracked over 7,000 individu...

Doctor Who Lost 100 Pounds Shares How She Did It — And Why ‘Eat Less, Move More’ Isn’t Enough for Women Over 40

28Apr

By George NyavorNo Comments

Personal Stories & Opinion

Doctor Who Lost 100 Pounds Shares How She Did It — And Why ‘Eat Less, Move More’ Isn’t Enough for Women Over 40

After yo-yo dieting for years, Dr. Emi Hosoda tackled hidden thyroid issues, gut health, and sugar cravings to finally keep the weight off. For decades, Dr. Emi Hosoda struggled with her weight like millions of others. She reached 235 pounds after having children in her 30s, and despite starving herself and exercising heavily, the numbers on the scale would not stay down. Now in her 50s, the physician has dropped 100 pounds and kept it off. Her secret? Not a fad diet, but a holistic health plan that addressed the root causes of her weight gain — including issues standard medical tests initially missed. “I think a lot of women struggle with excess weight as we go through the change — the years leading up to menopause and menopause itself,” Dr. Emi said during an interview on TODAY...