Category: lifestyle

Health Cabinet Secretary Shares Reasons for Avoiding Expensive Weddings

Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has made headlines after sharing his reasons for no longer attending expensive weddings, particularly in the Muslim community. In a video that has sparked widespread discussion, he highlighted concerns about the excessive financial demands associated with these events and called for greater transparency in the process.

Duale explained that some individuals are using weddings as a means to extort others, often demanding large sums of money or valuable items like gold. He emphasized the need for full disclosure when it comes to gifts or dowries, which he believes should be made public during the Nikkah ceremony.

Why is Aden Duale Not Attending Weddings?

During a recent event, Duale shared stories that left the audience both entertained and reflective. He expressed his discomfort with the growing trend of extravagant weddings, where the amount of the mehr (dowry) can reach staggering figures. For example, he mentioned cases where the mehr was set at $30,000 (KSh 3.8 million) or even $50,000 (KSh 6.5 million), accompanied by three kilos of gold.

“Talking about such amounts doesn’t build a family; it’s not a marriage. It’s more like a business deal,” he said. “The Nikkah is a public function, and those who attend should have full transparency and accountability regarding what was agreed upon.”

Duale also recounted an uncomfortable experience at a wedding where he was asked to be a witness but was not given any details about the dowry being offered. He felt it was unfair to be involved in such a significant decision without knowing the terms.

“If the man doesn’t give the lady her mehr, and we don’t know, then please help us. I attended one last week, and it was very uncomfortable. We were called as witnesses, but we weren’t given full disclosure,” he added.

Public Reactions to Duale’s Comments

Social media users responded to Duale’s comments with a mix of support and criticism. Some praised his call for transparency, while others questioned his perspective on the role of a wife and mother in the community.

• @Ayan Ahmedsaid: “He thinks being a wife and a mother is easy, especially in our community. If you are a billionaire, it is nothing.”
• @Maalim Abdicommented: “Mnaleta siasa hadi kwa mambo ya Mungu. Mahari ni ya bibi na bwana.”
• @Pedro Polokanwrote: “Mlisema more than $5000 ni scam.”
• @Minnaasked: “Let us be real, nani anapewa hii mehr?”
• @Hon Nurkeynoted: “They are not following the Islamic teachings. Why say that, because after divorce, they are not giving that maher to the lady. That is what makes it easy for a guy to say three kilos of gold.”
• @Hussein Guysaid: “For the first time, I agree with you. It is a scam, let people pay what the Sheikh said.”

Azeezah Hashim and the Conditions of Being a Second Wife

In a separate report, media personality Azeezah Hashim opened up about the conditions she would accept if she were to be married as a second wife under Islamic law. She emphasized that the man and his first wife must approach her father to request her hand in marriage and pay the dowry.

This statement came after she encouraged men interested in her to submit their applications, expressing her readiness to get married. Her comments have generated further discussion about the expectations and responsibilities of being a second wife in the context of Islamic teachings.

Conclusion

Aden Duale’s comments have sparked a broader conversation about the role of weddings in the community, the importance of transparency, and the need to align cultural practices with ethical values. Whether one agrees or disagrees with his stance, his message highlights the ongoing debate around tradition, finance, and personal choice in modern society.

The Role of Touch in Taste Perception

Have you ever noticed that certain foods seem to taste better when you eat them with your hands? A pastry, a slice of pizza or even a coxinha – it seems to taste different when you feel direct contact with the food. But is it just an impression, or is there a real explanation for this? Researchers and ancient traditions guarantee that eating with your hands can change the way your brain perceives taste.

Touch Also Tastes

We often think that taste is only on the tongue, but eating involves all the senses – and touch is one of them. When we touch food, the brain starts processing information long before the first bite: temperature, texture, humidity, crunchiness. All this activates areas related to pleasure and anticipation.

A study in the Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services showed that people who touch food before eating feel the taste more intensely and have a more pleasurable experience. The simple physical contact awakens a sense of “ownership” and involvement with what will be consumed. It’s as if the brain understands: “this is mine, and I want to enjoy every bit of it”.

Eating with Your Hands Is Ancient

Long before forks and knives were invented, eating with your hands was the norm. People from India, Africa, the Middle East and Southeast Asia still maintain this custom – and not for lack of cutlery, but out of tradition and philosophy.

In Indian culture, for example, it is believed that the five fingers represent the five elements of nature (earth, water, fire, air and ether). Eating with your hands is therefore an act of connection between the body, the food and the universe. The idea is that by touching the food, you become more aware of what you are ingesting, which helps with digestion and quantity control.

Fork and Knife: The Elegance of Distance

But the knife and fork also play a role. The introduction of cutlery in Europe, between the 16th and 17th centuries, came with the advancement of etiquette and hygiene standards. Eating with your hands began to be seen as a “rustic” gesture, and utensils gained a status of sophistication and control.

In a way, cutlery creates a distance between you and the food. This distance can diminish the emotional and sensory involvement with the food – after all, touch is mediated by metal, and the brain doesn’t feel texture directly. On the other hand, cutlery allows for more precise cuts, helps with presentation and, of course, is indispensable in formal contexts.

The Brain Prefers Natural

Neuroscience research shows that the pleasure of eating is linked to sensory expectation. When you see, smell and touch food, the brain releases dopamine – the pleasure hormone – even before chewing. Eating with your hands enhances this sequence, making the moment more engaging and satisfying.

In addition, there is evidence that people who eat with their hands eat less. This is because the process is slower and more conscious: you have to pick it up, feel it and put it in your mouth, which increases the perception of satiety. In other words, as well as being more pleasurable, it can be a habit that helps control eating habits.

When the Context Changes the Taste

The same dish can taste different depending on how and where it is eaten. A hamburger eaten with your hands in the car tastes different from the same hamburger cut with a knife and fork in a restaurant. This is because the context influences how the brain interprets the experience.

Eating with your hands is usually linked to informal, emotional and even nostalgic moments – parties, picnics, quick snacks. Cutlery, on the other hand, evokes situations of control, etiquette and convention. That’s why the same food can seem “livelier” in one context and “more neutral” in another.

The Balance Lies in the Middle Ground

There’s no need to abandon cutlery, but it might be worth revisiting the way we eat. At home, with simple, familiar food, using our hands can make the moment more pleasurable and conscious. In formal situations, the fork and knife play the role of practicality and elegance.

After all, eating is more than just nourishing the body – it’s a sensory, emotional and even spiritual experience. And each way of eating tells a story: that of culture, tradition and the relationship each person has with food.

To Feel Is to Taste

At the end of the day, eating with your hands is a way of reconnecting your body to food. It’s letting the sense of touch participate in the meal and the pleasure begins before the first bite. Science confirms it, and ancient cultures already knew it: taste isn’t just on the tongue – it’s in the whole experience.

The Japanese Way to Start the Day

To be in top form and hope to break longevity records, you should set your alarm for a specific time, like the Japanese do. Forget the grand principles of the miracle morning, which drags you out of bed at five o’clock sharp and leaves you feeling awful all day. Here’s how to reset your internal clock to discover the true meaning of happiness.

A Setting on Your Alarm Clock to Extend Its Lifespan

When you hear that jarring melody blaring from your bedside table, all you want to do is throw your phone out the window. You hit the snooze button to squeeze out a few more minutes of sleep. You drag yourself to work, missing your fluffy duvet and beloved mattress with every step. The Japanese, on the other hand, are in top form first thing in the morning, and it’s not because of their genes or their diet. While Disney princesses wake up to birdsong in fairy tales, in the Land of the Rising Sun, the inhabitants follow the rhythm of the sun and slip into their slippers as soon as day breaks.

The Japanese, renowned for their serenity and innate calm, practice chronobiology. They don’t rely on (sometimes unreliable) technology to wake up, but on a more dependable indicator: the sun. They adapt to each change of cycle. Thus, in summer, they rise between five and six o’clock, while in winter, they leave the arms of Morpheus around seven. While you might set fifteen alarms in a row, even if it means being late, the Japanese abandon their sheets as soon as the sky clears.

If you’re the type to linger in bed and struggle to open your eyes, these hours will certainly displease you. Yet, this is the Japanese secret to youthful vitality. As reported in a study published in Chronobiology International, living in rhythm with the sun improves sleep quality, boosts endorphin production, and increases life expectancy. There you have it: the true miracle morning—a gentle awakening, dictated by the sun.

A Secret Borrowed from Japan, the Land of Centenarians

Why copy the Japanese method? Quite simply because the country boasts over 95,000 centenarians. In short, Japan has the longest life expectancy in the world. This argument alone should be enough to convince you to change your morning routine. It must be said that, alongside their morning ritual, the Japanese maintain an impeccable lifestyle. They eat mindfully, fully listening to their bodies and satiety signals. They remain active well into old age, using public transportation and walking regularly. But above all, they take care of their minds and master the art of letting go better than anyone else.

This slow and zen-like philosophy also manifests itself upon waking. Unlike the self-proclaimed “clean girls” of the internet who demand you complete your entire to-do list before heading to work, the Japanese don’t rush through tasks. They don’t chase after time; they appreciate it.

This is also what the Japanese do when they get up to converse.

In the morning, the Japanese don’t rush to the coffee machine; they do breathing exercises, stretching, and awaken their bodies with yoga postures. While most people barely take the time to eat a slice of bread, the Japanese, the very embodiment of wisdom, warm up mentally and physically for the day ahead.

Morning Rituals and Diet

As for breakfast, the menu might not appeal to those with a sweet tooth. The Japanese typically eat rice, grilled fish, miso soup, pickled vegetables, and green tea. This provides them with energy without weighing them down.

The saying “the early bird catches the worm” has never been truer. However, the idea isn’t to add any extra pressure. Getting up early shouldn’t be an obligation, but an intention. And a lie-in never hurt anyone.

Benefits of the Japanese Morning Routine

There are several benefits to adopting the Japanese approach to mornings:

• Improved sleep quality: By aligning with the natural light cycle, individuals can experience deeper and more restful sleep.
• Increased endorphin production: Waking up naturally can lead to a boost in mood and energy levels throughout the day.
• Enhanced life expectancy: Studies suggest that following a consistent sleep schedule can contribute to a longer lifespan.
• Better mental health: The Japanese emphasis on mindfulness and relaxation can reduce stress and promote overall well-being.

By incorporating elements of the Japanese morning routine into your own life, you can improve your physical and mental health, leading to a more fulfilling and balanced lifestyle.

The Benefits of Choosing a Single Life

From the movies we watch and the music we listen to, to our friends and family, there is so much pressure from society to find “the one,” settle down, and start a family. But while this is the general formula of life for so many people, it’s not a universal blueprint. In fact, science has found several benefits of choosing to be single.

Relationships and marriage are still very much the status quo across essentially all cultures. It’s to the point where if you’re not shacked up by the time you’re in your 30s or 40s, people start to wonder what’s wrong with you. However, singledom should not be seen as a defect; it should be embraced. Being fully happy and fulfilled by yourself is extremely empowering and, in many cases, is a more balanced way to live.

Stronger Social Connections

Anyone who’s been in a relationship or has had someone close to them start dating someone knows how relationships tend to cause friendships to fall off. People in relationships devote almost all their time and energy to their partner, and essentially forget about their friends, even though friends are arguably a more stable base. Serial daters may not realize that they feel lonely after breakups, not because they’re single, but because they have no friends. Single people, on the other hand, devote more time and energy to their friends and family, making those connections stronger and more numerous. This gives them a more diverse and resilient support system.

What’s more, several studies have drawn a link between friendships and greater well-being, longevity, and happiness.

Better Health

There’s a reason your single friends are always the hottest: studies say single people tend to be fitter. When people find their person and “settle down,” they also tend to let themselves go to some degree. According to surveys, single people tend to exercise more often than those who are married. A 2015 study also found that single people tend to have lower BMIs and weigh less on average. Single people have more time and different priorities, so they skip the gym less.

In addition to the physical benefits of singledom, it’s also been tied to better mental health and emotional well-being. Relationships are a lot of work, and they can be a source of chronic stress. Being single can provide emotional stability.

More Independence

Being single translates to a lot more freedom. You can travel all you want, move to a different country, and jump on job opportunities that require you to relocate. Studies have found solitude to be linked to greater creativity and productivity. When you’re single, you make a lot more spontaneous decisions that can positively impact your life, you grow independently, and develop different skills. You’re also more likely to be self-sufficient and be content with solitude, which is super important for leading a healthy, happy life.

What’s more, being single has been tied to greater financial independence. Data by Debt.org shows that 21% of single people have credit card debt, which is six percent lower than married people, and (unsurprisingly) about 15 percent lower than married people with children. Despite the cost of living hitting single people harder, the fact that they’re essentially only spending money on themselves allows them to have greater control over their finances. They also have more time to put into their career and side hustles, increasing their earning potential.