Editorial
Laugh often to reduce stress
Stress and its associated issues are partially to blame for the high occurrence of unexpected deaths.
Many people experience a variety of circumstances, including poor health, the death of a loved one or the illness of a loved one, fear of dying or losing their work, difficulties with money, and restricted access to necessities.
Though each person handles the circumstance differently, they always result in annoyance, stress, perplexity, and depression, among other negative emotions.
Stress is frequently brought on by novel or unexpected experiences that undermine our sense of self or by situations over which we feel powerless.
While everyone handles stress differently, failing to learn healthy coping mechanisms can result in a host of illnesses, including hypertension, which can cause a heart attack, stroke, or even death.
Many people fail to manage their stress and concern throughout the day, which has an adverse effect on their emotional, psychological, physical, social, and mental wellbeing.
The Spectator expresses concern over the trend, but Dr. Kojo Cobba Essel, a physician with a specialisation in lifestyle medicine, suggests “setting aside 10 minutes each day to worry instead of allowing worry to eat you up all day.”
“Write down any worries you have as soon as they arise. This calms you down because it acknowledges that the “object of worry” will be handled,” he advised.
According to Dr. Essel, who also specialises in fitness nutrition, remedial exercise, and exercise therapy, “If at WORRY TIME the point listed is no longer an issue, GOOD. Go on and live your life. If the issue continues, try to think about your options; you might be able to handle it alone, with help, or there might be nothing you can do. Accept each decision that you make.”
In addition, it is advisable to keep a daily routine, take regular breaks from work, and engage in activities like reading, learning a new skill, playing an instrument, or gardening to avoid stress and its related problems.
Moreover, utilise every resource at your disposal, such as phone calls, emails, messages, and videos, to stay in touch with loved ones.
In order to stay in the greatest possible shape, it is also advised that you get enough sleep and rest, exercise frequently (try deep breathing, stretching, or brisk walking), eat a balanced diet, and drink lots of water.
To help your brain relax, stay away from excessive alcohol consumption and enjoy some nice music. Engaging in leisure pursuits like touring tourist destinations to experience the essence of nature can also aid in de-stressing.
Above all, remember to recognise your blessings and express thanks to others, as thankfulness frequently serves as a magnet drawing wonderful things into our lives.
As advised by Dr. Essel, “remember it is a priceless gift to know your numbers; blood sugar, blood pressure, and blood cholesterol (BMI) and always laugh often, ensure hygiene, walk and pray everyday.”
Editorial
Let’s respect the dead
Dear Editor,
Growing up as a young man, I watched how families of deceased persons paid respect to their beloved ones.
Right from the mortuary to the funeral grounds, the mortal remains of the deceased are always handled with respect to honour them.
Most of the time, individuals who visit the mortuary to bring the body of the deceased home were required to wash their hands thoroughly with soap and water.
A traditional belief holds that seeing or coming into contact with dead bodies portends a bad omen and may require spiritual cleansing.
However, in recent times, I have seen a number of videos on social media where corpses are handled without care.
In some of these videos, one could see the body of the corpse carried on the shoulders of friends or being made to stand while friends and families touch and take pictures with it.
I find that weird and at the same time disturbing and thinks a lot about the health implications.
According to some health experts, such an act poses a threat to public health as one may not know the cause of the death of the deceased.
Some have predicted that Ghana could face health crisis such as disease transmission as a result of the pathogens present in decomposing bodies, if care was not taken.
As a concerned individual, I share in the view of the health experts.
I believe that if care is not taken, the actions of the youth in handling dead bodies could lead to the spread of diseases.
I, therefore urge the Ghana Health Service to take the issue seriously and address it to avoid any possible future health crisis.
Atom,
Korle-bu
Editorial
Prevent Keta Township from being engulfed by sea
Have you ever dreamed about waking up to discover that everything you own—including your mattress, roof, and all of your memories – has been lost to the sea?
Since the sea has consumed a sizable portion of Keta in the Volta region, the town’s citizens are in a pitiful position. The sooner action is taken to save the town, the better off everyone will be.
The destruction of the Keta by the sea needs to be addressed immediately, or else the township would eventually be submerged under the water.
Our reporter’s visit showed that this once-thriving seaside resort is gradually disappearing. Keta was once a thriving town known for its business, but now some areas are in ruins, with some of the locals looking on in wonder at the destruction caused by the water.
For the residents of Keta, the Atlantic Ocean is no longer a far-off blue horizon. These days, it relentlessly and without invitation circles around their doorsteps, tearing down walls and other structures, erasing memories, and endangering lives.
Many locals have been forced to live with family or friends after the sea destroyed their homes years ago, and other residents find it hard to comprehend that their once-livable habitat is now in ruins.
The problem is that, apart from residences, Keta’s cultural identity being anchored by monuments are gradually disappearing. One remnant of the transatlantic slave trade, the once-imposing Fort Prinzenstein, is now more of a ruin than a monument.
Once more, the ancient cinema where generations of children used to laugh at flickering black-and-white pictures is no longer there, as is the Bremen factory from the colonial era.
Among other things, the original police station has vanished, and Queen Street, which was once the town’s busy backbone, is now a flooded hallway clogged with rubble. There is still more work to be done despite previous attempts to address the issue since the town is fighting while the sea is winning.
Although water is life, in this instance, it is ruining people’s homes. The situation is serious since the water is destroying the town’s past as quickly as it is claiming its future, despite nature taking its course.
But as humans, our Creator has endowed us with the intelligence to solve problems. The historic town of Keta is now shrouded in uncertainty as the remains of a once-inhabited township are submerged and engulfed by the approaching seas along its coast.
Therefore, it is more efficient to have everyone working together to find a long-term solution to this terrible issue
