Sonoeyes Blog

Everyone knows someone who has been affected by breast cancer. The deadly disease claims the lives of too many of our mothers, sisters and daughters each year. The good news is incidences of breast cancer have been dropping over the past decade, but we can’t stop there. News that products made with healthy palm oil may play a role in thwarting the spread of breast cancer cells is getting widespread attention. Palm fruit oil  is the richest natural food source of tocotrienols , which studies show may be beneficial in the  fight against advanced breast cancer. Researchers have found evidence that palm-based tocotrienols may inhibit human breast cancer cells irrespective of estrogen receptor status. This exciting news has generated even more research dollars. Scientists at the University of Malaya Medical Centre are embarking on a clinical trial to find out more about the potential anti-cancer properties of Vitamin E tocotrienols extracted from palm fruit oil. ...

  The benefits of palm oil are no longer a secret to anyone, praised in countless articles and in the media, palm oil is the miracle and an unavoidable product of the century. With such a resume it comes as no wonder the demand for the product has skyrocketed at an incredible speed. This made it possible for different brands to sell cheaper versions of the palm oil claiming it to be the real deal. The danger with these fake products is the fact they are extremely low in healthy nutrients and are often dangerous for the health! Unfortunately, palm oil is rather easy to fake but there are a few tricks to spotting the real oil among the fake versions. Buy saturated palm oil because these are harder to fake, while unsaturated palm oil are dangerous to the health it can also be chemically obtained. Check the package and see if there is any dirt and the product has a clear consistency. This is very important because dirt will spoil it in a very short time-span. In...

Recently, I have some of my patients coming to request for insight into gender selection. These are women who came from regions where having a male child is a big deal, so I have to answer the question how can it happen? Well, time and time again I tell people whatever therapy and or method you want to use to determine the sex of your child, however accurate the calculations are it is a 50/50% chance because the ultimate chance belong to God. When you go to your gynaecologist for whatever method, one of the examinations you’ll have to do is folliculometry (follicular tracking). These are the basic things you’ll need to know about follicular tracking: In this simplest form of assisted conception. Some assistance is provided in monitoring the follicular growth, ovulation and timing of the intercourse. There is no stimulation of ovaries with any drugs and this is the most natural form of assisted conception. Procedure Normally a woman produces and releases one ...

Wendi got married few years ago, from that time till now she has been rocked with multiple spontaneous abortions. She blames the terrible experience on the witches in her village, she doesn't know that herself and some biological factors may have contributed to the situation. I will tell you how.  Have you ever heard of the word Rhesus factor (Rh)? Rh D factor is a protein that is present on the surface of the red-blood cells. This was first discovered in rhesus monkeys, hence the name. People that have the Rh factor are Rh D positive +, those who do not have the Rh factor are Rh D negative-.  The + and - sign in front of the blood group is the rhesus D factor. So we have A+,A-,O+,O-, B+,B-,AB+,AB-. Rhesus factor is genetic, it's gotten from the parents precisely the man.  With this in mind, let's further explain Wendi’s predicament . If you are Rh D positive+ e.g (A+,B+,O+,AB+) you are safe, but if you are negative e.g (A-,B-,AB-,O-) you're not. A ma...

Ingredients (based on your preference and flavor bud) • Fresh tomatoes • Fresh pepper • Long fresh pepper (sombo) • Onions • Spring onions (optional) • Ginger • Garlic • Chicken/ meat stock • Well-seasoned chicken/ meat (already cooked)  • Maggi • Salt  • Thyme/ curry  (optional) • Healthy oil of your choice STEPS 1. Carefully sort and wash fresh tomatoes 2. Carefully sort and wash fresh pepper and long fresh pepper(sombo) 3. Separate and wash garlic and ginger for blending 4. Blend  tomatoes/ fresh pepper/ long fresh pepper (sombo) /garlic and ginger 5. Pour well blended paste into a pot 6. Cut fresh onions into medium slices (Spring onion is optional) Put inside your pot the freshly blended tomato/pepper/ginger and garlic paste on a moderate gas burner to cook. Add 2- 3 tablespoon of your favorite healthy cooking oil.  If you noticed, no frying because it destroys the nutritional value...

All my life I've seen in the market place a type of leaf tied and placed in the show glass or table. I have always wondered what that is, until just recently I beam my search light to the market again, investigating all the valuable foodstuffs being sold. Then I discovered Utazi. Gongronema latifolium (Utazi) is a medicinal plant that is beneficial for preventing and treating diseases and ailments. Gongronema latifolium leaf, which can be chewed, infused or used for cooking is mainly used in the Western part of Africa as food and medicine. Pharmacological studies suggests that utazi has analgesic, antimicrobial, antibacterial, anti-ulcer, anti-sickling, anti-oxidant, anti-asthmatic, anti-pyretic, hypoglycaemic and anti-inflammatory properties. Researchers agree that the fundamental ingredients used for medicinal purposes are stored in the various parts of the utazi plant such as; the fruits, seeds, leaves, root and bark. The vital medicinal ingredients store...

Nsala Soup is perfect for winter/cold rainy day because its spicy. It's a quickie on your menu table, you can count on it to save the day when you run out on soup a few days before the big soup day Ingredients Cat Fish: 4 one-inch thick pieces Fresh or dry Utazi Leaves (Gongronema latifolium) Thickener: Raw White Yam / Yam Powder / Potato Puree Habanero peppers Salt (to taste) 1 handful crayfish 1 stock cube (seasoning) 1 Ogiri Okpehe (traditional seasoning) Before you cook Nsala Soup Cut and prepare your catfish. Place in bowl and pour very hot water on the fish. This toughens the skin of the fish so that the pieces do not disintegrate while cooking the soup. Leave for about 2 minutes and wash the fish with cold water. You should also wash off any slimy substance on the outer skin of the fish at this time. Boil a few cubes of raw white yam. When soft, pound with a mortar and pestle till a smooth paste is formed, then set aside. You can substitute white ...

As a boy I was told stories of family abandonment among military men, especially after being transferred to serve in Uyo and Calabar. In 1999, when Nigeria became democratic again. A similar story was almost told among the senators who were doing retreat in calabar, safe that there was protest by senators wives in the hotel where the purported retreat has end more than three months earlier. Well, the story was not widely reported so we'll save it for another day. But, what could make Calabar and Uyo a "destinations of no return"?  Edikang Ikong, a secret weapon for tourism . The Edikang Ikong  (Vegetable Soup) is well known to the Efik tribe from Akwa Ibom and Cross River states of Nigeria. It is no gainsay that the Edikang Ikong soup is very nutritious. Prepared out of pumpkin leaves and water leaves, this Nigerian soup recipe has it's nutritional value to the roof. It is common for Nigerians to request this soup recipe after a bout of illness as it...

Edible starch is a staple food common in Delta region of Nigeria. Usually eaten with such soups as banga and Owoh. It is made from the starch residue collected from cassava, when processing garri (tapioca). Ingredients 1 cup tapioca starch 2 cups water 1 tablespoons palm oil Steps: 1. Place the starch in a non stick frying pan. Add water to it and melt the starch within by kneading it with your hands until it disintegrates and forms part of the liquid. 2. Add the palm oil to the pan. Mix nicely with a wooden spatula, making sure there are no hardened residues underneath. It must be able to flow freely. 3. Set the pan over a medium heat. Cook and stir continuously in one direction. Soon you will see the starch coagulating. Holding the handle, you can tilt and bend the pan as you want while stirring with the spatula. 4. Continue mixing the starch. Flip it over every two minutes until the starch is properly cooked. Then serve with ch...

It is very common to see people who eat in eateries and restaurants order a bottle/can of soda alongside meals. While it's still not clear why this nutritional behavior has been adopted, we can only assume that there's an increase need for quick energy. But have you ever thought for once, what does these sodas contain? A closer look at the container of a very popular soda drink will shock you. PHOSPHORIC ACID! Please note that the ingredient portion of the coke label has been removed from most bottles in the Nigerian market. Phosphoric acid is a common additive in many processed foods. It's also used to add flavor and maintain freshness. Phosphoric acid is a colorless, odorless crystalline liquid. It gives soft drinks a tangy flavor and prevents the growth of mold and bacteria, which can multiply easily in a sugary solution. Phosphoric acid is made from the mineral phosphorus, found naturally in the body. It works with calcium to form strong bones an...