The Music Therapy: Health Benefits and Effects - Miss Ezinne Ogechukwu Onyeneke

Music is a fundamental human attribute, popular among cultures and traditions. The historical origin of music dates back to time immemorial. Whether we are in tune or not, we sing and hum, often accompanied by dancing and bouncing.

As humans, the brain and nervous system is hard-wired to separate music from noise and to give responses to rhythm, tones, repetition and tunes. A wonder isn't it? Music enhances performance and human health.

According to research, blood flows faster when music is played. It also reduces heart rate, reduces stress hormone (cortisol) levels, lowers blood pressure and increases the level of endorphin and serotonin in the blood. This also goes a long way to elevate mood and boost production of dopamine hormone in the brain. The feeling one gets upon hearing a certain song is often second to none. It brings back memories of calm or happy moments. As humans, we have the ability to distinguish between music and noise. There are different pathways in our brains that process melody, tempo, rhythm and pitch of music. Fast music can increase heart rate, blood pressure and breathing, while softer, slower music does the opposite.

Studies have proven that when you hear music you like, the brain releases a chemical known as dopamine which affects the mood positively. Music also gives us feelings of strong emotions like joy, sadness, fear, that is to say it can move us. Some researchers have also linked music to being instrumental to improving our health and general well-being.

This goes beyond a doubt to say that music therapy should be used more often in the health care system. From solid evidence, it goes beyond a doubt to prove that music has numerous health benefits, and as such professionals are clamoring for more utilization of music therapy in the healthcare system.

Most health professionals are of the belief that music therapy can provide an alternative treatment option for certain health conditions like tension headaches.

Till date, there is still evidence, based on research that there's more to our connection with music than emotions. So next time you tune in to your favorite song, dance around a little, being safe and knowing that you're reaping some health benefits.

Effects of Music

On the mind:
● Leads to better learning
● Improves memory
● Help treat mental illness

On mood:
● Lowers anxiety
● Suppress symptoms of depression

On the body:
● Helps heart health
● Reduce fatigue
● Boost exercise movement
● Manage pain


Improves mood: Research has proven that listening to music has great benefits on our general well-being as it regulates emotions, creates happiness and relaxation in our day to day life.

Reduces stress: Getting a feel of relaxing music reduces anxiety and stress in healthy people and those with underlying medical conditions e.g dental, surgery, colonoscopy.

Lessens anxiety: For people with cancer, standard care, in combination with good music helped to reduce anxiety when compared to those who got care alone.

Improves exercise: Music enhances aerobic exercise, physical and mental stimulation, and increases general performance.

Improves memory: According to research, the repetitive elements of melody and rhythm help our brains build patterns that boost memory. In stroke survivors, music helped improve their verbal memory, better focus and less confusion.

Eases pain: Patients recovering from surgery and listened to music, in the process of the surgery experienced less pain and more satisfaction than those who did not.

Provides comfort: Music therapy has helped enhance communication, expression of feelings like fear, anger, loneliness in patients with a severe illness.

Improves cognition: The benefits of music extends to improving the case of Alzheimer's as it helps recall memories and maintain mental abilities. Children with autism are not left out as the music therapy helped improve communication skills, social responses and attention skills.

Soothes premature babies: Lullabies help impact vital signs, improve sucking patterns and feeding behaviors in premature infants.

The takeaway:
Music gives off a powerful influence on us as human beings. It goes a long way to lighten mood, boost memory, relieve one of fatigue, carry out exercises, amongst other benefits. Having gone through these, let's harness the wealth of benefits we can gain from music and work towards being healthier individuals.

Stay Safe!

Miss Ezinne Ogechukwu Onyeneke

(Zinny)

WHAT MAKES A GOOD CHORISTER - Uchenna Franklyn Okeh

The Oxford Advanced Learners Dictionary defined a Chorister as a person who sings in the choir of a church. They can also be seen as singers who come together to share musical experience by learning  and also pray to God through singing. 

Choristers are disciplined people although some people have been known to call us "noise makers" and other deragatory attributes but I think those words come from people who have never been in a choir. 

The fact that Choristers know how to have good time is undubitable but there are certain guidelines that we follow so that we can be " Good Choristers" as well. 

WE LISTEN : Choristers must have excellent listening skills and use them often; we need to listen to our Music Director, onductor and our fellow Choristers in other to produce gorgeous harmonious  group and not a number of soloists battling it out for who can sing the loudest.  

WE LEARN : We take note of errors in our scores and however form a musical direction which may seem at the time it is given. Changes happen and we must roll with it by having our eraser handy.  We learn from these errors and attempt not to repeat them again. 

WE PRACTICE : No matter how great  a singer or Choristers are, practicing never hurts anybody and good Choristers do their best to be prepared by practicing on their own time. 

WE APPRECIATE  : We appreciate the beautiful music we get to sing, we appreciate our Music Directors and Conductors for leading us through it and we appreciate each other and the beauty that comes from our voices joining together to turn notes written on a page into a true performance. 

WE PERFORM : Not only does a good Chorister sing their hearts out but they look absolutely  thrilled doing it.   Choristers are performers and it is through our enthusiasm and understanding of a piece that we guide the audience to their own understanding and help them to appreciate the music we are singing.

Uchenna Franklyn Okeh

(S.W.D. Ancestor)

Boosting your immune system - Chukwunonyerem Timothy Anyanwu

There is powerful evidence to support the strong role that nutrition plays towards our health - and what in life is more precious to us than our health, and that of our family! We must all do the maximum to build up and protect our health, especially in this challenging times of Global Covid-19 Pandemic. Together, our immune system provides biological, biochemical and even chemical weaponry to keep our body defended and to help it repair and recover from challenges. We need to improve our resilience as much as we can and optimum nutrition plays a powerful role here.

Our body is equipped with first-line defences such as our skin and the lining of our respiratory tract and digestive system. These are protective barriers that we call these our first-line defences and they contribute to what we know as our innate or built-in immunity. Thankfully, we also have many second-line defences which function inside our body. There are many team players that play a role in our second-line defences. White blood cells are very important immune cells. We have B-cells and T-cells, which talk to each other and have a variety of different jobs to do. These specialised cells also help orchestrate the recovery process of the body and provide us with memory cells which retain the ability to combat certain infectious agents if we encounter them again. This ability is known as our adaptive immunity. This all requires a lot of energy and nutrients!

Even though we have these first- and second-line defences, the body often gets damaged by illness or injury and the immune system is equipped to deal with this - to help the body repair itself and recover to get back to normal. 

Our immune system works together with processes of inflammation in the recovery process as well.

Inflammation is part of the immune response to potentially harmful agents, with the aim of neutralising and then repairing the damage. Immune cells receive signals and go to the site of damage. When everything works well, we could compare the immune system to a finely-tuned orchestra—all players work together in perfect harmony or synchrony and the conductor is a good one! But at times things can go wrong, and in these instances, it seems that our immune system is out of balance or not well-tuned anymore. At these times there can be persistent, or chronic, low-level inflammation. Lack of good quality nutrition as well as poor diet and lifestyle contribute directly to harmful chronic inflammation and cause the immune system to underperform.

The good news is that lifestyle factors such as high-quality nutrition, a healthy amount of sleep, exercise in moderation and stress management can all help our immune system perform at its best.

Supporting your Immune System

We know that a balance of all the key nutrients involved in human health are essential for optimum immune response. The way in which some nutrients benefit the immune system is only just beginning to be understood from the exciting field of "Immuno-nutrition."

*NeoLife Nutritionals: Supporting our Immune Health!*

Core Nutritionals: Balanced supply of all nutrients & quality protein

Immune cells are very active and have a need for a constant supply of energy as fuel. Immune cells also depend upon a constant blood glucose level and good glycaemic control. A product like *NeoLifeShake* can help provide steady energy at times of need and helps bring quality protein power to your immune system. High quality protein provides the building blocks so that the immune system can make more cells and produce antibodies and other defence substances. It’s important to provide your body with the right foundational nutrition programme every day, and the *Breakfast Pack, containing the NeoLifeShake and Pro Vitality*, is designed to do exactly that.

Pro Vitality contains 4 essential products that provide nutritional support:

*OMEGA-3’S AND OMEGA-3 SALMON OIL PLUS*

There are many good research papers demonstrating the key role of omega-3 fatty acids to our overall immune balance and capability. Our 8-week human study with Omega-3 Salmon Oil Plus demonstrated the ability to alter membrane composition of cells in a way which reduced the inflammatory index by up to a massive 68% in that short length of time.*

*TRE-EN-EN GRAIN CONCENTRATES*

This product provides a wide range of lipids (essential fats and sterols) from whole grains for building cell membranes which work at their best to help cells to be nourished, also allowing for good communication within cells and between cells. With respect to immune cell function it’s important to note that flexible and dynamic membranes are vital to the ability of the immune cells to move around the body to areas where they are needed, such as for example the site of infection or injury.

*CAROTENOIDS AND CAROTENOID* COMPLEX

Many, many research studies have shown that optimal levels of carotenoids in the diet are important to the proper functioning of our immune system. Studies of NeoLife Carotenoid Complex showed that *Carotenoid Complex dramatically increased both immune cell levels and overall immune cell response by up to 37% in just 20 days!*

*ESSENTIAL VITAMIN AND MINERAL COMPLEX IN MULTI*

Then with Multi you have a full spectrum of vitamins and minerals to add to the nutritional support for optimum immune balance and function. Of course, Pro Vitality and NeoLifeShake together provide a terrific combination to give us that basic foundational nutrition to support the immune system and improve our resilience to everything that life throws at us.

*Building Resilience & Recovery*

*PhytoDefence brings you support from 3 products in a convenient daily pack; _3 Carotenoid Complex, 2 Flavonoid Complex and 1 Cruciferous Plus_*, giving you the powerful phytonutrient protection of six optimal servings of fruit and vegetables. It combines carotenoids together with flavonoids (a kind of polyphenol) from fruit and vegetables as well as phytonutrients from cruciferous vegetables to support and boost immune function.

*Vitamin C Sustained Release* provides powerful time-release of vitamin C over 6 hours and delivers the power of 8 oranges in each tablet. It contains NeoLife’s Neo-Plex Concentrate, rich in whole-food bioflavonoids for additional immune support.

Chewable All-C is a delicious chewable cherry flavour vitamin C for both adults and children. It provides the vitamin C equivalent of 4 oranges. It also has NeoLife’s Neo-Plex Concentrate, plus rosehips and acerola cherries.

*Chelated Zinc* provides a unique high-purity and high-potency zinc as the amino acid chelate for improved bioavailability.* Zinc is a classical nutrient with many functions such as helping to build our DNA and protein and supporting our antioxidant enzyme functions. It helps reduce the severity and duration of common cold symptoms, and assists in healing, working in partnership with vitamin C.

Acidophilus Plus was formulated to provide 5 types of beneficial bacteria, guaranteeing over 5 billion active bacteria of Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus bulgaricus, Lactobacillus casei, Bifidobacterium bifidum, and Streptococcus thermophilus. These are protected against the acidity of the stomach by our proprietary Gel-Guard system and delivered to the sites in the intestine where they are needed. Research on these individual strains is emerging to show many effects to support overall immune function.

*Garlic Allium Complex* offers the multiple benefits from active allicin and other bioactive compounds. Part of the benefits of garlic include supporting a healthy immune response and normal cell growth and renewal. It's also a natural Anti-biotics.*

*Beta Guard* is a whole-food based antioxidant product to protect against environmental toxins. Formulated by one of the world’s leading toxicologists, Dr. Arthur Furst, Beta Guard contains a range of vitamins and minerals, designed to protect and support the body from environmental challenges.*

With this brief look at the workings of our immune system, we can see that our first- and second-line defences play an important role in protecting our body from harmful foreign substances. We need to ensure that our bodies are resilient to combat the many challenges it may face - we need optimal nutrition. A well-balanced diet together with additional support from NeoLife Nutritionals can help provide optimal levels of all nutrients, paving the way for your resilient journey!

Stay safe!

Dir. Anyanwu Timothy
(Prof T)

07060871368

OPTIONS (Always have a Plan B) - Nkemakolam Raphael Ebiringa

Life is like a movie, you watch the first 30minutes, and you start to imagine and anticipate how it's going to end. 

It then brings me to the title of this article (Options). Growing up in this part of the world as kids, we always have dreams like, 'I want to be a doctor, lawyer, pilot, nurse and so on'. But how many of this dreams were really actualized? I guess a few. That brings me these questions: Could it be termed 'disappointments'? How do you move on from this scenario?

Yes!, though it could be seen as disappointing, in the sense that it's always disheartening when you fail to meet up with set goals but my own interest in this article is the next step taken after the disappointment. This I call 'creating options' i.e not relying on a particular goal to see you through in life especially in Africa. You can have a certain career option and still create other options, and you can see it as fortifying oneself more to face the realities of the society at large.

I will like to further explain with a little life experience of a friend of mine, as follows:

When Alex (not real name) was growing up, he always had this firm dream of becoming a medical doctor. He was so convinced with this dream till during his ss3 in secondary school when he started getting more fond and familiar with chemistry instead of biology, but even at that he still remained convinced of becoming a medical doctor. After three failed trials with JAMB, he had an offer to study Industrial Chemistry in the University which he chose because he was frustrated while at home. Alex was in 200 level in his university days and the rough days set in which prompted him to go into fashion and designing because he was convinced that he will strive in the business. Alex's life had a huge turn around when he lost his father in 300 level hence he has lost his only source of fund for his education. With the present condition, Alex hastened his learning process of fashion and designing, to help support him throughout his stay in the university and then, the two dreams of a certain young man started to collaborative with each other. Now for such a young man, he has due to the struggles of life created two very good options of a career for himself.

This story should teach every young adult the kind of mindset and life to emulate even we want to succeed especially in our milieu. Don't just sit back and wait for what the society has to offer you, rather equip yourself with that determination to always make a difference in any field you find yourself. I drew the title of this article from this my assertions inspired by the story above; creating options for yourself so as to make sure you win either ways.

 

I encourage you reading this article to always create options for yourself because no one knows where his or her salvation or road to success lies. Moreover, if the likes of successful business men like Dangote, Otedola and other business moguls could have varieties of businesses to there credit, then what is stopping us from creating options for ourselves?

ALWAYS DREAM BIG. Also remember that every second, minute, hour, day lived can never be retrieved in ones life. So always make it worth it. 

 

BE WISE AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, ALWAYS PRAY TO GOD FOR HIS GRACE AND DIRECTIONS.

 

Shalom!

Nkemakolam Raphael Ebiringa

(The Pope)

What is Music? - Chimezie Immanuel Okehi

Music is an art form, and cultural activity, whose medium is sound. General definitions of music include common elements such as pitch (which governs melody and harmony), rhythm (and its associated concepts tempo, meter, and articulation), dynamics (loudness and softness), and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture (which are sometimes termed the "color" of a musical sound). Different styles or types of music may emphasize, de-emphasize or omit some of these elements. 

Music is performed with a vast range of instruments and vocal techniques ranging from singing to rapping; there are solely instrumental pieces, solely vocal pieces (such as songs without instrumental accompaniment) and pieces that combine singing and instruments. In its most general form, the activities describing music as an art form or cultural activity include the creation of works of music (songs, tunes, symphonies, and so on), the criticism of music, the study of the history of music, and the aesthetic examination of music. Ancient Greek and Indian philosophers defined music as tones ordered horizontally as melodies and vertically as harmonies. Common sayings such as "the harmony of the spheres" and "it is music to my ears" point to the notion that music is often ordered and pleasant to listen to. However, 20th-century composer John Cage thought that any sound can be music, saying, for example, "There is no noise, only sound."

The creation, performance, significance, and even the definition of music vary according to culture and social context. Indeed, throughout history, some new forms or styles of music have been criticized as "not being music", including Beethoven's Grosse Fuge string quartet in 1825, early jazz in the beginning of the 1900s and hardcore punk in the 1980s. There are many types of music, including popular music, traditional music, art music, music written for religious ceremonies and work songs such as chanteys. Music ranges from strictly organized compositions–such as Classical music symphonies from the 1700s and 1800s, through to spontaneously played improvisational music such as jazz, and avant-garde styles of chance-based contemporary music from the 20th and 21st centuries.

Music can be divided into genres (e.g.,country music) and genres can be further divided into subgenres (e.g., country blues and pop country are two of the many country subgenres), although the dividing lines and relationships between music genres are often subtle, sometimes open to personal interpretation, and occasionally controversial. For example, it can be hard to draw the line between some early 1980s hard rock andheavy metal. Within the arts, music may be classified as a performing art, a fine art or as an auditory art. Music may be played or sung and heard live at a rock concert or orchestra performance, heard live as part of a dramatic work (a music theater show or opera), or it may be recorded and listened to on a radio, MP3 player, CD player, smartphone or as film score or TV show.

In many cultures, music is an important part of people's way of life, as it plays a key role in religious rituals, rite of passage ceremonies (e.g., graduation and marriage), social activities (e.g., dancing) and cultural activities ranging from amateur karaoke singing to playing in an amateur funk band or singing in a community choir. People may make music as a hobby, like a teen playing cello in a youth orchestra, or work as a professional musician or singer. The music industry includes the individuals who create new songs and musical pieces (such as songwriters and composers), individuals who perform music (which include orchestra, jazz band and rock band musicians, singers and conductors), individuals who record music (music producers and sound engineers), individuals who organize concert tours, and individuals who sell recordings, sheet music, and scores to customers. Even once a song or piece has been performed, music critics, music journalists, and music scholars may assess and evaluate the piece and its performance.

Chimezie Immanuel Okehi

(Chief Priest)

Cultural Dance, does it matter? - Chimezie Henry Mmaduako

Culture is defined as our way of life

The tradition and norms which is important in every culture

can be represented in a way of dancing and this is what we called cultural dance.A graceful dance, colorful props and costumes, slow movements and fast that catches the attention of every people. Cultural dancers are story tellers, tells the story in every movements and sequence of their dance.

Every Cultural dance has a story that need to match in the theme of their dance.This dance is different from other forms of dances, you cannot make a cultural dance without a story. It has a story behind the dance for the purpose that one culture can share or tell their culture from one another.The art and appreciation of Cultural Dance. Is it really matter in this generation? Some people didn’t really appreciate the Cultural dance because of the instrumet,are you familiar with this instrument like agong, gandingan, kulintang, barel, tam tam, these are the example. Why don’t you try to dance, it is good and make you fell happy. Some of them today prefer the hip hop dance because of it’s music that make you move and dance

Cultural Dance is really important, this is our way to tell other people on the things that they need to know about our culture. It is also the way that other people could have respect, knowledge and give importance to our traditions and norms. Let other culture tell the story behind our dance.

BENEFITS OF CULTURAL DANCE

1.  INCREASED PHYSICAL STRENGTH

Perhaps the most obvious benefit of dancing is increased physical strength.  Dancing can be an enjoyable way to get your body moving and keep your heart racing.  Dancing is one of the few activities that offers a full body workout.  Dancing allows you to work your legs, core, and arms all at the same time.  Dancing provides a high-intensity, low-impact workout without the monotony of counting reps or doing sets.

 2.  INCREASED FLEXIBILITY

Another great physical benefit of dance is improved flexibility.  Dance enables you to move your body in ways that may not be typical in your day to day life.  This allows you to build your range of motion and give your muscles a good stretch.  Even if your dance program doesn’t start with a warm up stretch, you’ll most likely find that after a few classes you’re a little more limber than you were before.

3.  IMPROVED HEART AND LUNG HEALTH

Dance also improves your heart health and lung capacity.  Your heart rate and breathing rate both increase while dancing.  There are many long term health benefits to getting an extra cardiovascular workout.  Keeping your body active can help to keep yourself young and fight the aging process.

4.  IMPROVED BALANCE AND SPACIAL AWARENESS

Improved balance and spacial awareness can also be a byproduct of dancing.  Dancing requires a bodily awareness that helps to improve these skills.  Being more aware of our bodies can make us more aware of the ways our bodies move within a space.  The focus on good posture and core strengthening in dance can improve your balance.

5.  STRONGER BONES AND REDUCED RISK OF OSTEOPOROSIS

Dancing is one of the best ways you can prevent and even treat osteoporosis.  Weight bearing exercises, or forms of exercise that force your body to fight against gravity, have been shown to be effective ways of strengthening your bones.  The increase in strength and balance can also help to prevent falls and broken bones.

6.  IMPROVED MEMORY

The benefits of dance aren’t just physical.  Dancers also get a mental workout.  Remembering dance steps and patterns gives dancers a memory boost.  Focusing on different parts of the body simultaneously also gives dancers a mental challenge.  This mental workout helps the mind to stay sharp.

7.  INCREASED CONFIDENCE

One of the biggest benefits of dance is increased confidence.  Learning and mastering a new skill, in general, is great for your confidence.  It can give you a sense of accomplishment and pride.  Dance also has the added bonus of learning to move your body in beautiful new ways ways.

8.  REDUCED STRESS

Dancing can be a great stress reliever.  It reduces the levels of cortisol, also known as  the stress hormone, in your body while giving you an endorphin boost.  Many people leave dance class feeling almost elated.  Attending an evening dance class can be a great creative outlet and leave you feeling refreshed and ready for work the next day.

9.  SOCIAL CONNECTION

Another wonderful benefit of dance is an increased social connection.  Both solo and partner dance can be a great way to meet new people.  It can establish connections if you just moved or relocated.  Even if you’ve lived in the same place a while, dance can be a great way to meet people outside of your social circle.

10.  HIGHER RATES OF SUCCESS FOR GETTING IN SHAPE

Many people who join a dance class with the intent of getting in shape find that they have higher success rates than those who just hit the gym.  Part of this may be the network of other dancers you connect with when you dance, and another part could just be pure fun.

Chimezie Henry Mmaduako 

(Fantastic Henry)

LIFE AS ‘A JOURNEY’ - Ewurum Chinasa Laura (ACIA)

Introduction:

Every journey begins from a certain stage with an intention and destination. In each step made, target is measured with achievement based on the set goals. Considering life as a journey depends on the goals one sets. Some individuals prefer to outline resolutions (set goals) on the first day of every year on what to achieve for the year, while some others do not. The former set targets and plan on how to realize those outlined goals. As each plan is executed, an assessment is made to measure result by target. Therefore, the result of every step made, determines the realization of the general set goals. As these steps are taken and activities go on; time also ticks.

Key words: Life, journey, goals, achievements, targets, courage

Life has variant meanings depending on the context and situation to which it is applied.

In this context, it is perceived from the angle of being a state that follows birth (beginning of an existence) and precedes death (end of an existence). According to Merriam Webster Dictionary, it is “the sequence of physical and mental experiences that make up the existence of an individual.” 

It is a period of time during which an object is considered recognizable or to be in operation. That is to say that, the ability to grow and change is called life.

Life on its own is considered meaningful to some people and meaningless to some others. But in whichever way it may be seen, Joseph Campbell says “the meaning of life is whatever you ascribe it to be. Being alive is the meaning”.

On the other hand, a journey is a set amount of travelling, seen as a single unit. Thus, the period of time during which one lives till the time of death could be referred to as a life’s journey. It involves a daily movement which revolves around experiences, knowledge, inspirations and motivational forces. 

When one embarks on a journey, a lot of things are experienced on the way. For example, when people embark on an expedition, they are faced with so many tasks and challenges which either pose as threats or motivational forces to them. But in whichever way it appears, the end product is perhaps useful in the exploration process.

The occurrences a child witnesses as he or she grows, be it positive or negative, can be said to act as catalysts that teach, warrant, motivate and uplift such individual. But this can only be fruitful if the individual in question will take up the responsibilities attached to life. That is to say, that the journey of life requires ‘tasks and challenges’ no matter the form or shape it takes. 

The understanding of life may be perceived as a journey to the grave in most cases because, as the night gives birth to a new day, so also does a living soul match forth to its grave.

One thing very paramount in life is courage because it enhances life’s journey. It is only with courage that goals are achieved. It does not work alone but works with faith, hope, boldness, etc., and all these attributes give it the needed support. 

With these aforementioned attributes, courage can move mountains and break any yoke considered unbreakable. 

Courage, Faith and Work as vital tools in Life’s Journey

A young boy once asked himself two relevant questions;

What is my ambition in life and what shall be my motto? And he finally decided to make use of ‘study with courage’ as his motto. This motto guided him and with it he made sure he studied copiously to achieve his life’s ambition. He never allowed life’s worries and trials to shatter his dreams and motives despite the fact that they tried pulling him down, but he pulled through still. 

This is an example of what courage does in the journey of life. Remember that we learn as we grow. 

As we pass through some hard times, sufferings or challenges just to get one thing or the other; let us not forget to make courage our watchword so that it strengthens us as we make steps in life. This struggle demands that one keeps moving andtrying hard as to arrive at a destination, because a journey without a destination is like a person living on earth without discovering his or her own destiny.   

Talking about faith and work (as supporters of courage), a Catholic priest, Rev. Fr. Dr. JohnSmart Ezenwankwor in one of his homilies said “in life, one should have faith in whatever he or she wants to do; have a reasonable % of affirmation for that which he or she wishes to do; one shouldn’t listen to those who come for discouragement; you should seek advice and prayers from people; then, work hard to achieve your task.”

Drawing from the above assertion, it is pertinent to note that it is not good enough to have faith alone but to put it into action and ensure that it works. 

There is need to discover those things that deprive people from meeting required targets, and also find out possible means to tackle them so as to move on. From the day one is born till the day one dies, he or she must face difficulties, if not to be happy, it will be to be satisfied. Sometimes, we might need an approval of our parents or guardians to achieve something, but they turn down our requests. It could also be to get a good job or a soul mate. In most cases, it is being financially buoyant. In all these we seek, we do them just to get two primary experiences which are; happiness and satisfaction.

The threat of sin can as well serve as an obstacle to achieving life’s demands, but it only takes the grace of God for such threat to be surmounted. 

An individual can be successful in one aspect of life and fail woefully in another aspect. This is to say that different successes and failures arise based on the nature of events.

Based on the above, we may require the help of other people to succeed whether a physical, moral or spiritual help, all are of great importance. But when you decide to go about it alone, you may not get it all right as expected. If you think you can do it alone without other people’s aid, then you may sink into quick sand (a situation that is very dangerous and difficult to escape from). For instance, some people have decided not to go to church or to their various places of worship as the case may be all because they have concluded in their hearts that they are holier than those who go to church every day. They feel also they are fulfilled in their hearts with things concerning God’s commandments, therefore no need for church-going. Yes, they might be right. But then, no one knows it all. We only try to see how we can help ourselves to live good lives. The church or any religious place of worship is an agent to help strengthen and teach us all that we need to know and how to avoid mistakes.

Conclusively, life’s journey requires that we should occasionally be ready to learn from other people on how to be successful in life knowing that success is a vague term and has no one formula. 

Therefore, when you apply one formula and it fails you; then, attempt the others.

Chinasa Laura Ewurum (ACIA)

(Nasa-C)

WHY I SHOULD LEARN A MUSICAL INSTRUMENT - Mr. Martin Richard Opara

Whilst being fun and social, extracurricular activities are also important in helping develop a child's talents, interests, and passions. One particularly enriching activity is learning to play a musical instrument.

Is learning to play a musical instrument a dream that you know will never happen? Well, as the old quote goes: “the distance between your dreams and reality is called action.” You can learn to play an instrument like a pro, and once you hear all the benefits that come along with playing music, you’ll be more motivated than ever! Some music enthusiasts love the challenge of sitting down at the piano or picking up their violin to learn a song. That’s because they understand learning to play music brings a wide array of beneficial traits that extend beyond the music room! When a musician learns to read, play and perform music, they gain mental, cognitive and emotional health benefits that will last throughout their lifetime.

Learning to play a musical instrument has so many benefits– whether it’s building your confidence, enhancing your memory or widening your social circle. Here are some reasons you should consider taking up an instrument this year.

Physical Benefits of Music

Deep Breathing – Most of the time our breathing is very shallow, but activities, like singing or playing a wind instrument, require deep breathing from the diaphragm. This strengthens your lungs and respiratory system. Playing the harmonica can even help with pulmonary disease!

Immune Response – When we learn to play an instrument, we often become inspired to create our own music. According to an article by Live Science, making music “enhances the immunological response, which enables us to fight viruses.”

Stress Relief – Playing music puts your energy and focus on positive activity, which can help alleviate stress. Those reduced stress levels can help get your blood pressure and heart rate down to a healthy level.

Fine Hearing – Learning music refines your hearing skills by training you to isolate sounds as theyv occur. Studies have even shown that musicians are better at picking out specific voices and sounds in a noisy environment.

Exercise – Playing an instrument naturally leads to increased physical activity. Whether you replaying the piano, guitar, strings, or a wind instrument, you’re using your arm and back muscles to play and/or hold up your instrument. And if you play the drums, you even get to do some cardio!

Posture – Any good music teacher will correct your posture during lessons. This can help you get into the habit of sitting up straight and having proper alignment even when you’re not playing. These are all great ways to alleviate neck and backpain.

Mental Benefits of Music

Mental Performance – Playing music is like doing a work out for every part of your brain. It helps improve your mental performance and memory. There’s even evidence that music can help a patient’s brain recover from a stroke, as well as slow the onset of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.

Coordination – Using your fingers, hands, and feet in a rhythmic manner for a sustained amount of time, while also being conscious of playing the correct tones, can be a challenge for even the most coordinated people. Over time though, playing music refines your motor skills that go beyond the hand-eye.

Time Management – Learning an instrument requires practice, of course! But more specifically, it requires consistency and routine. Figuring out how to fit practice into your busy schedule and really stick to it helps you develop better time management and organization skills. 

Reading Skills – Reading music helps strengthen your ability to process information by creating new connections between the synapses in your brain. As a result, reading and absorbing information from other sources becomes a lot easier.

Listening Skills – Learning music doesn’t just improve your ability to hear details; it also makes you better at listening. Whether you're practicing on your own or playing with other people, you have to listen for timing, expression, and whether you’re in tune. This can make you a better listener even in everyday conversations as well.

Concentration –  Focus is a necessary part of learning an instrument. Improving your musical skills forces you to use all the parts of your brain involved in concentration, making you better able to concentrate in other life situations. This is another reason why music is beneficial for those with disorders like ADD.

Mathematics – Learning music is all about pattern recognition, which is mathematical in itself. But even more than that, learning about how music is divided into equal measures and beats, and how those beats are in broken up, can help improve your math skills!

Emotional Benefits of Music

Self Expression – Whether you’re writing your own piece of music or playing someone else’s, music allows you to express yourself in new ways. You also get to be creative when choosing your own unique style and genre.

Therapy – Playing music can help with stress, insomnia, and depression because it acts as an outlet for difficult emotions. It can be a form of self-soothing in tough situations, and a healthy distraction from a stressful day.

Achievement – There’s nothing like the feeling of finally mastering one of your favorite songs! Setting a goal, putting in the work, and eventually reaching that goal gives you a strong sense of achievement. It will improve your confidence in other are as of life in the process.

New Friends – Whether you use music as a nice breaker when meeting new people, or as a way to actually meet new people, playing in a choir, band, or orchestra, for example – music is a great way to make new friends.

Mr. Martin Richard Opara

MUSIC AND THE BRAIN - Adaugo Grace Opurum RN

MUSIC AND THE BRAIN

The neuroscience of music is the scientific study of the brain-based mechanism involved in the cognitive process underlying music. These behaviours include music listening, perform, composing, reading, writing and ancillary activities.

The interest in the effect of music on the brain has led to a new branch of research called neuromusicology, this explores how the nervous system react to music. Music activates every known part of the brain. The brain processes different properties of sound production in music, this is dependent on the property.

The rhythm of music is processed by motor and auditory area of the human brain located in the cerebrum. Melody processing is carried out in the secondary cortex. A widely postulated mechanism for pitch processing is done by the central auditory system which is the phase-locking and mode -locking of the action potential to frequencies in a stimulus. The role of the right auditory cortex is in fine pitch resolution. When a melody was produced activation spreads to the superior temporal gyrus and planum polare. These result support the existence of a pitch processing hierarchy. One study by Petr Janata found that there are tonality- sensitive area in the medial prefrontalcortex the cerebellum, the superior temporal sulci of both hemisphere and the superior temporal gyri.

Music helps improve brain health and function in many ways. Listening to music is good, playing it is better. People all over the world respond to music in a universal way. Neuroscientific researches have made great advances on how music affects the brain to enhance the human behaviour.

In other to understand the effect of music on the brain, it is better to look at the brain of those who play a lot of music -Musician. A scan of the brain of a musician show different from that of a non-musician. Musicians have shown to have healthy brain, bigger, better, connected and more sensitive brain. Musicians have superior working memory, auditory skill and cognitive flexibility. Their brains are noticeably more symmetrical and they respond more symmetrically when listening to music. They also have larger corpus callosum, this is the bundle of nerve fibres that transfer information between the two hemisphere of the brain. This increase of the corpus callosum size means that the two sides of musician’s brain are better at communicating with each other. However for non-musician that still listen to music, music still has effect on the brain as well.

 Music boost brain chemicals, listening to music increases the neurotransmitter dopamine; this is the brain motivation molecule and an integral part of the pleasure-reward system. Dopamine is the chemical responsible for the feel-good states obtained from eating chocolate or orgasm. Listening to a playlist increases dopamine production. This is effective in the treatment for depression.

"We have such a deep connection to music because it is hard wired in our brains and bodies "Barbara Else, senior advisor of policy and research at the American Music therapy Association told medical News today "the element of music-rhythm, Melody et care echoed in our physiological function and being.

Given the deep connection we have with music, it is not a surprise that many studies have visibly shown that it can benefit our mental health. But increasingly, researchers are finding that the health benefit of music may go beyond mental health and as a result, some health experts are suggesting that music therapy be more widely incorporated into health care setting.

The study by MNT suggested that repetitive pattern of the music an infant listens to, reduces distress. Possibly by promoting entrainment (the ability of the body's internal rhythm to synchronize with external rhythm, pulse or beats). Evidence from studies has led researchers to suggest music may help memory recall for people with cognitive disorder such as Alzheimer's disease. A study published in the Journal Gerontologist last year assessed the effect of music on memory recall in individuals with early stage dementia. This showed positive progress on their memory. Listening to music for 2 hours daily has shown an improved verbal memory and attention on stroke patient and also a more positive mood than those stroke patients who listened to an audio book or nothing at all. This has shown that music may aid speech recovery following stroke. It is also suggested that music may help treat Epilepsy.

Music has continued to show its powerful effect on the brain over the years even in infants. In the 1990s, the Mozart effect was popularized to have a positive effect on the infant brain. It was believed that listening to music of Mozart made kids smarter. Parents were known to play the music of Mozart to their babies while in-vitro to jumpstart the brain of their unborn child. It became an accepted theory that when a child takes music lesson, it enhances their brain function and structure; there is nothing particularly unique about Mozart's music as regards to the brain function. Starting music lesson at the early stage tends to increase brain plasticity (the brain's capacity to change and grow) just a half an hour music lesson increases blood flow to the left hemisphere of the brain.

Music helps improve language development, increase in Intelligence Quotient, improves test scores, Increase brain connectivity and increase spatial intelligence.

Adaugo Grace Opurum RN
(Charmz)