Harmattan Skin Hazards

Is your skin feeling dry and tight -- even itchy or flaky? Any number of things can strip your skin of its protective oils. The result: Everything from chapped lips and itchy skin to cracked heels. Relief is in your grasp. Use this pictorial guide to see top cold-weather threats to your skin and what you can do about them.

SOS for Chapped Lips

No one is immune from dry lips this dry season! Here’s how to cope: Drink plenty of water to stay hydrated. Liberally apply petroleum jelly to your lips. Put on lip balm or lipstick every time you go outside. Avoid being in the sun and wind too much. Don't lick your lips -- it may feel better briefly, but it only makes chapped lips worse.

Heal Cracked Heels

Painful, cracked heels are a common skin condition, especially this season. They are often caused by dry skin. Having calluses around the rim of the heel can complicate the problem. In some cases, dry cracked feet can lead to infection or make walking painful. Keep feet healthy by marinating cracked heels in petroleum jelly, covering them with plastic wrap, and putting on a pair of socks overnight. You should see improvement in three nights.

Give Dry Hands Extra Care

Your hands may be hard hit by the cold air. Washing your hands frequently helps eliminate cold and flu germs, but it also increases dryness. And unless you wear gloves every time you go out, hands may be more exposed to cold than other parts of your body. Give dry hands some extra TLC by using a glycerin-based moisturizer when you wake up, before you go to bed, and any time your hands feel dry throughout the day.

Choose a Winter Moisturizer

Should you change your moisturizer? Maybe. If you usually use a light lotion, try a heavier cream, at least on dry skin patches. Ointments -- like petroleum jelly -- have more oil than creams or lotions. That makes them more greasy, too, so they may be best for feet and body. Minimize the greasy feeling by using a very small amount and gently but thoroughly rubbing it into skin. Apply after a warm shower (more on that later).

Lock in Moisture After Your Bath

Right after you step out of the tub, pat skin dry and apply moisturizer to retain the water your skin just absorbed. A glycerin- or hyaluronic acid-based moisturizer can increase the amount of water that’s drawn into your skin. Baby oil (mineral oil) is also a good choice, because it prevents water from evaporating from your skin. Don't stop there: Liberally re-apply moisturizer throughout the day, especially to troublesome dry skin patches.

Show Eczema the Exit

Eczema is an umbrella term for different kinds of skin inflammation. It is marked by dry skin that itches or burns. When skin becomes dry and irritated, eczema can flare.  Stay one step ahead by moisturizing frequently with an oil-based ointment that contains sunscreen. Sweating and overheating can also trigger the itch/scratch cycle, so dress in easy-to-peel-off layers. Ask your dermatologist about prescription treatments.

FUEL SUBSIDY REMOVAL

On Tuesday the 3^rd of January 2011 protesters shut down petrol stations, formed human barriers along motorways and hijacked buses in Nigeria's biggest city Lagos. This was done as a result of the shock in the doubling of fuel prices.

Most Nigerians see the subsidy as the only benefit they derive from living in an oil rich nation. 

“We are meeting this morning on the fuel subsidy removal. We'll hold a press conference by 2 p.m. (15:00 SA time) to announce our decision to Nigerians,” said Owei Lakemfa, general secretary of the National Labour Congress (NLC).

Protests also occurred in other parts of Nigeria on Tuesday, including Kano in the north, the Niger Delta in the southeast and in Ilorin, Kwara State, in the west.

A protest goes fatal

The Nigeria Labour Congress said on Tuesday that it is going to hold President Goodluck Jonathan responsible for a yet to be identified young man allegedly killed by the police in Ilorin, Kwara State during protest against fuel subsidy removal organized in that city.

NLC reaction position was contained in a press release signed by Abdulwaheed Omar, President NLC, the Congress made available to journalists in Abuja on Tuesday afternoon.

Reports indicated that a young man who was part of the anti fuel hike protest was shot dead around the Post Office in central Ilorin, Kwara State.

NLC alleged that the protester was killed by armed policemen from the Area A Division, close to UBA Ilorin and the State Police Command along Sulu Gambari Road, Ilorin. 

While regretting the death of the protester, the NLC said President Jonathan cannot absolve himself from the unfortunate event.

“The Police is directly under the control and command of the Presidency and it is the Jonathan administration’s inhuman policy that has resulted in the murder of an innocent citizen.  The NLC holds the Jonathan administration liable for this murder and advises it to fish out its agents who shot protesters in Ilorin and bring them to justice”, said NLC.

 “First, the Presidency had invited Labour to a follow-up discussion on the issue of fuel subsidy removal only for it to abort the process by removing the subsidy.  Secondly, it announced to Nigerians that it was consulting them on the issue only for it to announce new PMS prices.  Thirdly, the government announced that even if the subsidy is to be removed, it will be from April 1, 2012 only for it to be carried out  on January 1, 2012”

The Congress also said “attacks on peaceful demonstrators, the arrests in Abuja and the murder of a protester by the police do not portray a government that is interested in dialogue and peaceful negotiations”.

NLC said it is seeking legal opinion as to the constitutionality of spending public funds without appropriation by the National Assembly on the Christopher Kolade Committee set up for the implementation of projects captured in the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme document.

NLC has also commended Nigerians for what it described as massive protests over the removal of fuel subsidy across the country on Tuesday.

General Ibrahim Babangida (IBB), a former Military President of Nigeria, has added his voice to the controversial issue of the withdrawal of fuel subsidy saying that it would have been better for the Federal Government to seek political solutions to the subsidy removal issue and the FG should have also kept its word that the issue would be decided in April 2012 as this would have given the administration enough time to explain its standpoint and consult with the people.

In a statement, Babangida said, “On the issue of fuel subsidy removal, it is my opinion that it is ill-timed.

The issue of subsidy should be seen more as politics and not economics, because the sole purpose of government is for the good of the people and not to create hardship. It is better to seek political solution to the subsidy discourse than invoking the sentiments of economics. Government should have kept its word till April by which time better explanation would have been given before implementation takes effect.

In lieu of these developments, one wonders how the government expects the masses to get around the city.

Making New Year's Resolutions?

Yes, it’s that time of the year again.

A lot of us made resolutions last year and never accomplished one thing on that list; some lost the list others don’t even remember what was on that list. But like clockwork, the year is gradually rounding to a close and pens and paper are flying.

Why do we even bother, what’s the use?

So how do you resolve well? This is trickier than it sounds. Here are some tips for making your resolutions as effective as possible.

1. Ask yourself: “What would make me happier?” It might having more of something good —more fun with friends, more time for a hobby. It might be less of something bad —less yelling at your kids, less nagging of your spouse. It might be fixing something that doesn’t feel right or maybe you need to get an atmosphere of growth in your life by learning something new, helping someone, or fixing something that isn’t working properly.

2. Ask yourself: “What is a concrete action that would bring change?” One common problem is that people make abstract resolutions, which are hard to keep. “Be more optimistic,” “Find more joy in life,” “Enjoy now,” are resolutions that are hard to measure and therefore difficult to keep. Instead, look for a specific, measurable action. “Distract myself with fun music when I’m feeling gloomy,” “Watch at least one movie each week,” are resolutions that will carry you toward those abstract goals.

3. Ask yourself: “Am I starting small enough?”

Many people make super-ambitious resolutions and then drop them, feeling defeated, before January is over. Start small! We tend to over-estimate what we can do over a short time and under-estimate what we can do over a long time, if we make consistent, small steps. If you’re going to resolve to start exercising (one of the most popular resolutions), don’t resolve to go to the gym for an hour every day before work. Start by going for a ten-minute walk at lunch or marching in place once a day during the commercial breaks in your favourite TV show. Little accomplishments provide energy for bigger challenges. The humble resolution you actually follow is more helpful than the ambitious resolution you abandon.

 4. Ask: “How am I going to hold myself accountable?”  Accountability is the secret to sticking to resolutions. That’s why groups like AA and Weight Watchers are effective. There are many ways to hold yourself accountable; for example, keep a Resolutions Chart.

 Accountability is why #2 is so important. If your resolution is too vague, it’s hard to measure whether you’ve been keeping it. A resolution to “Eat healthier” is harder to track than “Eat salad for lunch three times a week.”

Now that that has been cleared up, lets take the steps

1. Create a Plan

Setting a goal without formulating a plan is merely wishful thinking. In order for your resolution to have resolve, (as the word "resolution" implies), it must translate into clear steps that can be put into action. A good plan will tell you A) What to do next and B) What are all of the steps required to complete the goal.

2. Create Your Plan IMMEDIATELY

If you're like most people, then you'll have a limited window of opportunity during the first few days of January to harness your motivation. After that, most people forget their resolutions completely.

It is imperative that you begin creating your plan immediately.

3. Write Down Your Resolution and Plan

Commit your resolution and plan to writing someplace, such as a notebook or journal.

4. Think "Year Round," Not Just New Year's

Nothing big gets accomplished in one day. Resolutions are set in one day, but accomplished with a hundred tiny steps that happen throughout the year. New Year's resolutions should be nothing more than a starting point. You must develop a ritual or habit for revisiting your plan.

5. Remain Flexible 

Expect that your plan can and will change. Life has a funny way of throwing unexpected things at us, and flexibility is required to complete anything but the simplest goal. Sometimes the goal itself will even change. Most of all, recognize partial successes at every step along the way. Just as a resolution isn't accomplished the day it's stated, neither is it accomplished the day you reach your goal. Rather, it's accomplished in many small increments along the way. Acknowledge these incremental successes as they come.

6. Accept failure

If you do fail and sneak a cigarette, miss a walk or shout at the kids one morning don’t hate yourself for it. Make a note of the triggers that caused this set back and vow to learn a lesson from them.

If you know that alcohol makes you crave cigarettes and oversleep the next day cut back on it. If you know the morning rush before school makes you shout then get up earlier or prepare things the night before to make it easier on you.

Perseverance is the key to success. Try again, keep trying and you will succeed.

And finally...

7. Plan rewards

Small rewards are great encouragement to keep you going during the hardest first days. After that you can probably reward yourself once a week with a magazine, a long-distance call to a supportive friend, a siesta, a trip to the movies or whatever makes you tick.

Later you can change the rewards to monthly and then at the end of the year you can pick an anniversary reward. Something that you’ll look forward to. You deserve it and you’ll have earned it.

Whatever your plans and goals are for 2012 I do wish you luck with them but remember, it’s your life and you make your own luck.

Decide what you want to do in 2012, plan how to get it and go for it. I’ll definitely be cheering you on.

Are you planning to make a New Year’s resolution in 2012? What is it and is it something you’ve tried to do before or something new?

Out soon - Byus4us Magazine 3rd Print edition out soon...

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