Every year, we have one day to do what most of us should do every day: appreciating our mother’s love and reciprocating it unconditionally.

While Mother’s Day is largely an exercise in commercialism, the sentiment behind it does allow us to reflect on the ways our mums have shaped us. 

My mum has had an incredible impact in shaping me, even in ways I still try to understand today.

My mum’s story mirrors those of many young women from the Indian subcontinent who came to the country in the 1970s. 

She came to the United States as a 21-year-old, freshly married to my dad (who already lived in the country). Within two years, she had me.

Her creativity made her a prolific artist and she could draw and paint things from memory. My uncle likes to tell the story of how, when my mother was pregnant with me, she would sketch pictures of babies. 

Have you ever been to a place that has many things of interest but you realise you couldn’t keep your eye on one particular item or part of the space? If yes, it is a normal thing. 

The development of a focal point is a natural result of the way the human eye sees. Every picture we see usually has a point of emphasis, a focal point that naturally draws the eye. 

When we are looking at a particular object, that object is said to be in sharp focus, implying that other areas and objects around that major object may appear a bit blurred or out of focus.

Researchers have identified two genes that can explain why some women are likely to have non-identical twins.

Almost everyone has some issues with their hair. It could be hair fall, thinning, dry hair, balding, dandruff, just to name a few. Researchers attribute these issues to hormonal imbalances, physical or emotional stress, allergies, nutritional deficiencies, wrong use of wrong hair care products among other factors.

Internet users who create fake profiles could face criminal charges, according to new guidelines.

Women tend to require more sleep than men because of their “complex” brains, according to research.

As part of activities to mark this year’s Mother’s Day celebrations,  leading  chiropractic  and  wellness  hub, Nova Wellness  Centre (NWC), in conjunction with  Fitvolution Ghana , a fitness and healthy nutrition company is organising a 7 kilometre run/walk  to promote healthy living among all mother figures and the general population as well. 

Dubbed 7kForMom, the run/walk, starts from the premises of Nova Wellness Centre, adjacent Sunny FM, at Ridge, on May 14th 2016.

Commenting on the upcoming event renowned chiropractor, and CEO of Nova Wellness Centre, Dr. Mrs. Naa Ashely Dordor said the walk/run is a different way of celebrating every woman playing the role of a mother.

With lots of office workers eating from plastic containers at their desks and the ubiquitous microwave warming up yesterday's soup, reheating food has become a way of life for time-savvy workers.

The tiny metal round things on the pockets of jeans may have escaped most people’s notice.

The shinbone can be found in the front aspect of the lower leg. This part of the body is usually under continuous stress and strain whenever you walk, jump and run.

The immediate management involves a reduction in the pain and once this is achieved subsequent aims are to regain and improve strength, endurance and flexibility of the leg muscles. 

Any time you skip a meal, your body goes into a “fasting mode”. During this fasting, carbohydrates, proteins, and fats are all used for energy.

Carbohydrates are the number one source of fuel, followed by fats and then protein. 

The Yiddish proverb which states that “with money in your pocket, you are wise and you are handsome and you sing well too”, has always been my point of reference whenever l have found myself in the position of trying to explain the true effect of money on us all.

This time around-in fact, as always though- l am in the hot seat to explain “our understanding of money” because of an email l received from an ardent reader of this column.

The writer sought to find out why “so many people lose their morals or give up their long held values whenever they are exposed to money” and more so as “it appears that the language of money is well understood and ‘spoken’ well by many but its true meaning is never known”, and could it be that “it is just a waste of time for humans to be dwelling so much on this thing called money?”.

Loneliness increases the risk of a heart attack or stroke by almost a third, according to research.

The effect of social isolation is similar to that of anxiety or work-related stress, according to a major review of the evidence.

British scientists analysed data on more than 181,000 people and found being lonely and isolated raised the chance of heart disease by 29 per cent and stroke by 32 per cent.

Too many people succumb to the mistaken belief that being likeable comes from natural, unteachable traits that belong only to a lucky few—the good looking, the fiercely social, and the incredibly talented. It’s easy to fall prey to this misconception. In reality, being likeable is under your control, and it’s a matter of emotional intelligence (EQ).

Contrary to popular belief, "everyone has the same opportunity to acquire wealth," says self-made millionaire Steve Siebold.

Being a newspaper reporter has been ranked the worst job for the third year in a row.

Jobs in the media were seen as precarious because the loss of media organisations as a result of the decline in advertising revenue.

Other jobs, such as pest control worker, firefighter or military service personnel, appear on the list because of the danger, stress and low pay involved. 

CareerCast, which compiled the list, compared the environment, income, outlook and stress associated with each job.

The best jobs of 2016 are dominated by professions in mathematics, such as data scientists or statisticians.

Information security analyst, audiologist and diagnostic medical sonographer were also among the best jobs.

The worst jobs of 2016

Newspaper reporter

Logger

Broadcaster

Disc jockey

Enlisted military service personnel

Pest control worker

Retail salesperson

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Every now and then, we are hit with an unexpected roadblock on our path to success or a better life. 

Sometimes, we can overcome them but other times, they hit us so hard we find it difficult picking ourselves up. In the end, we give up. 

However, giving up should not be the last option. There is still a chance of picking yourself up from the ground and possibly turning your life around. It may take a while but what matters is being able to pick yourself up.

Some of the long-held ideas about how to conduct interviews are no longer accurate. For example, there’s no such thing as a surprise interview question anymore. With sites such as Glassdoor.com, candidates can identify each of your likely interview questions and expected answers ahead of time. With that information, candidates now routinely prepare and video their practice interviews to the point where their responses are universally impressive, if not genuine or accurate.

It’s not just surprise questions that are a thing of the past. Research at firms like Google has proven that “brainteaser questions” can contribute to a costly miss-hire, that having a candidate meet any more than four interviewers doesn't increase new-hire quality, and that for many jobs, factors such as grades, test scores, and schools attended don’t predict success in the position.

Breaking up is hard to do, and it may be especially hard for kids. Kids of divorce can feel they've been hit the hardest by the end of their parents' relationship.

Children will do almost anything to get out of chores. Typical excuses run the gamut "from 'I’ve got a stomach ache,' to 'I’m a kid. I shouldn’t have to do chores,'" says Mason Turner, MD, chief of psychiatry at Kaiser Permanente, San Francisco Medical Center.

It’s difficult to definitively label someone as a psychopath; however, there are certain behaviors that may indicate someone is one. A psychopath, by definition, has a difficult time understanding why people have feelings, and this lack of empathy can be spotted in several of the least obvious ways, including the types of drinks someone orders.

The following scientifically based quirks could be a warning that someone exhibits psychopathic behaviors, and interestingly, men are more likely to be psychopaths. Now that you know this, here are three things to watch out for if you suspect someone of being a little off.