Opinion
Natural Remedies To Health, Longevity
It has been generally asserted that health is wealth. Of
course, good health is encouraged in the Bible. God himself wants humanity to be healthy for several reasons which are listed in the Third Epistle of John verse two. In order to keep soul and spirit in unity of purpose, the need for solid health cannot be overstressed. Many a times, people become sick, weak and deteriorate in health due to non-challant attitude towards basic natural guidelines to enhance longevity.
According to A.C. Selmon in ‘The Menace of Sic Person’ in The New Health and Longevity, said that, the sick person is often a menace to everyone in his immediate neighbourhood, because many diseases are easily carried from one person to another. It was further emphasized that “Life is Our Great Treasure”. Life is man’s most valuable possession, and next in order of value is health. Without health, life is deprived of all its usefulness.
If the body is not in good health, one cannot go about at will, we cannot do what we enjoy doing, we cannot eat the food we enjoy eating.
To be healthier and stronger several artificial and chemical drugs could be avoided and longevity would be enhanced if appropriate attention is given to some natural remedies that would cost humanity nothing but obedience and regular practice. After all our first parents, Adam and Eve, Noah, Methuselah, Abraham, Moses just to mention but a few depended on natural drugs and of course they lived long and strong during their days.
If we must remain healthy and strong we must adhere to the eight fundamental health principles.
Of course, the eight health rules are summarized in an acronym known as ‘newstart’. Newstart will enhance a fuller and better understanding of the principles.
Whatever that is taken into the body system either solid or liquid has its merits and demerits which are of great importance to a healthy living. Good and balanced nutrition required to keep body, soul and spirit together in good health. The body needs constant nurturing and maintenance, hence the need for good nutrition.
A common adage has it that “all work without play makes John a dull boy”. However, it is unfortunate that some people work and appear like monuments or lifeless objects. In the education sector, for example, there is of time earmarked for recreation which is popularly known and called recess time. Irrespective of the demand for high and effective productivity, there is needed to exercise to strengthen the arteries of the body and enhance further inputs in life. Therefore, the importance of exercise cannot be over-stressed. For instance, at a spot jogging, short and long distance trekking, round-about turning, stretching legs and hands, sharp turning of the neck vertically, horizontally, left and right, bending sideways and several other methods of exercise would keep the body and soul agile for effective and result-oriented performances.
This is one of the natural gifts that do numerous healing in the body system but so neglected by many people. It has more value than the soft drinks and beverage we take. Water flushes a lot of impurities in human bowel. In other words, water dispels ugly elements hence it is advisable to take at least eight (8) glasses (1litre) of water on daily basis, especially in the early hours of the morning and late in the night before bed time. However, the water must be portable. Water is necessary for both internal and external cleansing which enhances longevity.
Another natural gift to mankind is the sunlight. With all medical proofs, the sunlight gives vitamin ‘C’ within the hours of 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. Therefore, to maintain a healthy life, the body should be exposed to sunlight as stipulated in the early hours of the morning period. You can identify other areas the sunlight play vital roles in human environment and adapt to them.
In Webster’s Comprehensive Dictionary, Deluxe Encyclopedic Edition at page 1291, Professor Allen Walker Read describes temperance as “The state of quality of being temperate, habitual moderation especially the principles of any appetite. The principle and practice of total abstinence from intoxicants, observing moderation or self-control”. People should endeavour to be temperate n all spheres of life and not to indulge in acts that are capable of distorting body and soul which may jepoardise adequate concentration of the body system.
Obviously, without air there is no life. It is important that people should always find themselves where they can in hate fresh air. Air is essential for healthy living. Dusty and stuffy environment should be avoided by all means. A person may live several weeks without food and several days without water, but death occurs in a few moments if one gets insufficient car. This indicates how vital air is to the body.
We breathe the air into our lungs to obtain the oxygen that the air contains Oxygen is a gas which cannot be seen. It passes into the blood and is carried to all parts of the body to maintain life and produce heat and energy. Some remedies to fresh air are as follows: (a) the house should be well ventilated, day and night. (b) expose your body to fresh air as much as possible and allow air enter freely. (c) avoid breathing dusty air. (d) always breathe through the nose. (e) practice deep breathing several times daily. (f) avoid breathing state air under the bed covers, etc.
People should not be workerhaulic. An engine in constant use without servicing will definitely breakdown. So, there is need to have some rest. Imagine the Creator of the world who created the universe and everything therein and rested on the seventh day. We also should find time to rest.
We should work and rest in order not to breakdown. Rest could be equated with exercising the body for healthier living. God Himself rested on the seventh-day after creation. Genesis 1:31 and 2:1-3.
This is the climax of all the other seven (7) items as stipulated above. The importance of good nutrition, exercising the body, drinking adequate and clean water, exposing the body to sunlight, observing temperance to avoid some careless acts, taking unpolluted air and resting when appropriate cannot be effective without adequate trust in God, who has given mankind these privileges and grace to live and survive on earth.
Trusting in the divine power of God, the Great Provider of all things will obviously empower every human being to obey health rules for longevity and effective service delivery even in the world of work. Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not depend on your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge him and he shall direct your paths (Proverbs 3v5,6).
Our lives are short because of disobedience self, contentment and pride. It therefore behoves one to imbibe Newstart for a healthier and stronger living in our society.
Ominyanwa, public affairs analyst writes from Port Harcourt.
Goddey Ominyanwa
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Restoring Order, Delivering Good Governance
The political atmosphere in Rivers State has been anything but calm in 2025. Yet, a rare moment of unity was witnessed on Saturday, June 28, when Governor Siminalayi Fubara and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Chief Nyesom Wike, appeared side by side at the funeral of Elder Temple Omezurike Onuoha, Wike’s late uncle. What could have passed for a routine condolence visit evolved into a significant political statement—a symbolic show of reconciliation in a state bruised by deep political strife.
The funeral, attended by dignitaries from across the nation, was more than a moment of shared grief. It became the public reflection of a private peace accord reached earlier at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. There, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu brought together Governor Fubara, Minister Wike, the suspended Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Martin Amaewhule, and other lawmakers to chart a new path forward.
For Rivers people, that truce is a beacon of hope. But they are not content with photo opportunities and promises. What they demand now is the immediate lifting of the state of emergency declared in March 2025, and the unconditional reinstatement of Governor Fubara, Deputy Governor Dr. Ngozi Odu, and all suspended lawmakers. They insist on the restoration of their democratic mandate.
President Tinubu’s decision to suspend the entire structure of Rivers State’s elected leadership and appoint a sole administrator was a drastic response to a deepening political crisis. While it may have prevented a complete breakdown in governance, it also robbed the people of their voice. That silence must now end.
The administrator, retired naval chief Ibok-Ette Ibas, has managed a caretaker role. But Rivers State cannot thrive under unelected stewardship. Democracy must return—not partially, not symbolically, but fully. President Tinubu has to ensure that the people’s will, expressed through the ballot, is restored in word and deed.
Governor Fubara, who will complete his six-month suspension by September, was elected to serve the people of Rivers, not to be sidelined by political intrigues. His return should not be ceremonial. It should come with the full powers and authority vested in him by the constitution and the mandate of Rivers citizens.
The people’s frustration is understandable. At the heart of the political crisis was a power tussle between loyalists of Fubara and those of Wike. Institutions, particularly the State House of Assembly, became battlegrounds. Attempts were made to impeach Fubara. The situation deteriorated into a full-blown crisis, and governance was nearly brought to its knees.
But the tide must now turn. With the Senate’s approval of a record ?1.485 trillion budget for Rivers State for 2025, a new opportunity has emerged. This budget is not just a fiscal document—it is a blueprint for transformation, allocating ?1.077 trillion for capital projects alone. Yet, without the governor’s reinstatement, its execution remains in doubt.
It is Governor Fubara, and only him, who possesses the people’s mandate to execute this ambitious budget. It is time for him to return to duty with vigor, responsibility, and a renewed sense of urgency. The people expect delivery—on roads, hospitals, schools, and job creation.
Rivers civil servants, recovering from neglect and under appreciation, should also continue to be a top priority. Fubara should continue to ensure timely payment of salaries, address pension issues, and create a more effective, motivated public workforce. This is how governance becomes real in people’s lives.
The “Rivers First” mantra with which Fubara campaigned is now being tested. That slogan should become policy. It must inform every appointment, every contract, every budget decision, and every reform. It must reflect the needs and aspirations of the ordinary Rivers person—not political patrons or vested interests.
Beyond infrastructure and administration, political healing is essential. Governor Fubara and Minister Wike must go beyond temporary peace. They should actively unite their camps and followers to form one strong political family. The future of Rivers cannot be built on division.
Political appointments, both at the Federal and State levels, must reflect a spirit of fairness, tolerance, and inclusivity. The days of political vendettas and exclusive lists must end. Every ethnic group, every gender, and every generation must feel included in the new Rivers project.
Rivers is too diverse to be governed by one faction. Lasting peace can only be built on concessions, maturity, and equity. The people are watching to see if the peace deal will lead to deeper understanding or simply paper over cracks in an already fragile political arrangement.
Wike, now a national figure as Minister of the FCT, has a responsibility to rise above the local fray and support the development of Rivers State. His influence should bring federal attention and investment to the state, not political interference or division.
Likewise, Fubara should lead with restraint, humility, and a focus on service delivery. His return should not be marked by revenge or political purges but by inclusive leadership that welcomes even former adversaries into the process of rebuilding the state.
“The people are no longer interested in power struggles. They want light in their streets, drugs in their hospitals, teachers in their classrooms, and jobs for their children. The politics of ego and entitlement have to give way to governance with purpose.
The appearance of both leaders at the funeral was a glimpse of what unity could look like. That moment should now evolve into a movement-one that prioritizes Rivers State over every personal ambition. Let it be the beginning of true reconciliation and progress.
As September draws near, the Federal government should act decisively to end the state of emergency and reinstate all suspended officials. Rivers State must return to constitutional order and normal democratic processes. This is the minimum requirement of good governance.
The crisis in Rivers has dragged on for too long. The truce is a step forward, but much more is needed. Reinstating Governor Fubara, implementing the ?1.485 trillion budget, and uniting political factions are now the urgent tasks ahead. Rivers people have suffered enough. It is time to restore leadership, rebuild trust, and finally put Rivers first.
By: Amieyeofori Ibim
Amieyeofori Ibim is former Editor of The Tide Newspapers, political analyst and public affairs commentator
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