TIMES TODAY TT 159 | July 5th - July 11th| 2022
Leaders who mediate
CONTENTS My Pulpit message notes: | Leaders who Mediate| 3-5 My Devotional: Unstoppable: It won’t halt with me| 7 My Business | When the debt crises hit, don’t simply blame the pandemic | 8 My Inspiration: Be a nourisher, healer, encourager | 9 My Entrepreneur: Trusting those you lead | 10 My Health: Could a higher protein intake lead to healthier eating? | 11-12 My Kitchen: Pistachio-Lemon Bundt Cake |13 My Sports: Zhou thanks marshals and medical team after Lap 1 Silverstone crash |14
Pulpit Message Leaders who Mediate
My Pulpit Message Notes are extracted from the sermon preached at the Nairobi Baptist Church (NBC) Ngong Road on Sunday 3rd July 2022. Preacher: Pastor Sammy Mangeli. Scripture: Acts 15:36-41. Topic: Leaders who mediate Are we leaders who mediate?
up for Saul and by the very words of Acts 9:27 Barnabas mediates on behalf of Saul that he may find acceptance with the apostles.
Mediation is a structured interactive process where an impartial third party assists disputing parties to resolve conflict. - At times it is difficult to change your reputation even as you make this conversion from being a non-believer to a believer. It is difficult to make new friends even as you become a Christian and especially as an adult. Three instances where Barnabas was that mediator: But two things stand out for Barnabas here; not only did he mediate on behalf of Saul, but he portrayed leadership courage that is so desired in 1. Barnabas mediation for Saul (Acts 9:2-5, 27) our different communities today. 2. 3.
Barnabas mediation for John Mark (Acts 13:13, Acts 15:36-38) Barnabas mediation for the church community (Acts 4:36)
- Simon Seneka said, “The courage of leadership is giving others the chance to succeed even though you bear the responsibility of getting things done.”
Recently in the Oscar awards that were held this year, Chris Rock made an inappropriate remark about Will Smith and talked about his wife, Jada Who am I giving a chance to grow, even if I take the flak for the mistakes Pinkett Smith in a manner that did not please him. Will was so furi- they are making? ous that he got up and walked on stage and smacked Christ across his face. This had never happened in the Barnabas became the Oscars and people thought this was a bridge between Saul and the aposnew script, but it wasn’t. tles. Am I a bridge to a new ChrisWhat we didn’t see in that whole The courage of leadership is giving others the chance saga was the role that one other actor to succeed even though you and I will share the Denzel Washington played. During responsibility of getting things done. the break, he got these two guys and stepped in and mediated. He told Will, “On your greatest moment, be careful because that is when the devil comes for you. Have you ever had a Denzel moment? Are you a leader who mediates?
tian, or to a person in need?
New Christians need bridges. They need us to mediate for them. They need us to encourage them and come along side them and encourage them even as they get involved in this new world of Christianity.
Be a Barnabas even in the upcoming elections, because I dare say, there will be many brothers and sisters in conflict with themselves and with others who are significant in their lives. Why? There are many people who stepped out early this year to get a very elusive certificate known as nomination certificate and many have spent huge sums of money, but they never got that certificate. That certificate this year has become more elusive than the US dollar. Are you a leader who will mediIn Acts 9:2-5 Saul had gone to the high priest and was asking for letters ate for that brother, or sister? to take to the synagogues in Damascus so that if he found those that were called people of the Way, people who believed in Christ, he would take Barnabas was a mediator that Saul needed to be a confident them as prisoners in Jerusalem. follower of Christ. Are you a mediator?
Barnabas mediation for Saul (Acts 9:2-5, 27)
- Verse three and following, Saul has an encounter with God and beBarnabas mediates for Saul, Barnabas mediates for John comes a follower of this same Christ. In Acts 9:26 he goes to Jerusalem Mark and Barnabas mediates for the church community. and the disciples totally refuse to engage with him. I can only imagine what has been going through their minds, this is the same guy who has been tormenting us, raising havoc amidst us. - But in Acts 9:27 says, “But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. He told them how Saul on his journey had seen the Lord and that the Lord had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had preached fearlessly in the name of Jesus.” - We see that Barnabas, sensing the rejection of Saul by Christians, stands
TT 159 | July 5th - July 11th| 2022
Pulpit Message Barnabas mediation for John Mark (Acts 13:13, Acts 15:36-38)
Barnabas mediation for the church community (Acts 4:36)
In Acts 13:13 We see that Paul and his companions had sailed from Persia to Pamphilia where John Mark left them. He went AWOL. But Paul continued with this journey with Barnabas. Why did John Mark leave? There have been different suggestions that have been given as to why he left this mission station. One, that he was homesick. Two, that he resented the change of leadership from Barnabas to Paul (John Mark was Barnabas cousin). Three, he may have become ill (Gal 4:13). He may have been unable to withstand the rigours and dangers of the missionary journey. Or he may have planned to only go that far, but did not communicate that to Paul and Barnabas. The mission continued and it was successful. However in Acts 15:36-38, we read that Paul was now preparing his second missionary journey and here comes Barnabas and proposes to take John Mark and Paul totally refuses. The reason is because he had deserted them for the first journey. I suppose what Paul is saying in his mind is that, John Mark I gave you an opportunity and you blew it. Paul may have been thinking of Proverbs 25:29 “Like a broken tooth or a lame foot is reliance on the unfaithful in a time of trouble.” But Barnabas stood up for Mark and refuses to cut him loose. You would imagine that this would cause a serious rift between these two men of God, but they ended up forming two teams. Barnabas and John Mark travelled to Cyprus and Paul and Silas travelled to Syria and Cilicia. Barnabas continues to mediate for John Mark and even when that failed he still did not dump him. He picked him and had him under his wings and he continued to mentor him. Why do this and at what cost? At what cost do you stand out and mediate for a person at the expense of losing a relationship with another person? Later on we read that Mark spent a whole chapter in the New Testament and later also joins Paul in Colossians 4:10 into another missionary journey. Barnabas did not dump Mark because of his courage, the compassion he had for this young intern and he took him under his wings. Who do you have under your wings that you are mentoring in this season and sharing godly counsel even as Christian leaders. In the context of politics and leadership even in this season, who are we mentoring? Is it a young MCA who is just getting into this mad world of politics? Is it an MP, a woman rep, a governor, a presidential candidate, or a colleague in the office? Christians in Kenya today have varied views whether we should vie for elective positions or not. What can we do? We can consider to change strategy and influence those that have been elected. Influence those that on August 9th will be elected. Influence them with Christian values and principles because the are our brothers and sisters and if you like it or not, they will continue to serve us, but how better that they serve us with values that are Christian and principles that are Biblical. We should allow that we are governed by values of Christians and allow this to permeate our political scene. Am I a leader who mediates on behalf of others? Am I courageous enough to reach out to others even when I know they have made a mistake and stand by them and show them to the real Mediator our Lord Jesus Christ.
We encounter Barnabas when he sells his land and puts the money at the feet of the apostle. In Acts 4:32 all believers at this time were of one heart and one mind. They shared everything they had and they did this even as they had the apostles share the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. So there was rapid and expansive growth of the church. Remember as we read from Acts 4 verse one and following, this is still happening despite the tribulation that Peter and John are going through. But this time the church has over five thousand people. I suggest to you that as churches grow, the needs increase. Out of compassion for the people who were new converts, Barnabas sells his land and brings that money to the feet of the apostles. The selling of this kind at that time was not derived from communist theories, but it was derived from the passion they had for the people. They only sold what was necessary and the sharing was voluntary, it was not forced. It was because of the unity that had been brought about by the working of the Holy Spirit amongst the believers at that time. What can we do in response to these three acts of Barnabas? 1. Take risks with people, Proverbs 3:27 “Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to act.” Why take risks with people? They always disappoint, they always fail us. But time and again we have been told that the greatest asset is people. That great asset will only become greater if it is mentored, coached. That is why we have many development programmes. Look for a person that you feel and can see desires to be nurtured and take a risk with them. Barnabas took a risk with two people; Paul and John Mark and mediated on their behalf. This was at a great cost for him and that was relational capital with Paul and the apostles. A third of the New Testament was written by Paul. If he had not taken this risk with Paul what would have happened? Mark goes ahead and writes a book in the gospel. What would have happened? Even as we take risks with people we can become what John Piper has called ‘Leader-makers’. He says when leader-makers lie awake at night, their minds turn to people. People potentials and people strategies They dream about how to maximise their influence on people, not for their sake, but for the sake of Jesus Christ. We do not know the outcome of mentoring unless we start. We do not know the outcome of mediation, unless we start. But remember, all for the glory of Jesus Christ. 2. Be humble and self-effacing. Barnabas faded into the background and pushed others to prominence. Self effacing is described as not claiming attention to oneself, but retiring and being modest. Barnabas was self-effacing, he was gracious and polite, That is why we have thirteen epistles of the New Testament. Who are you pushing to prominence as you draw back? Is it a new leader in your organisation? Is it a new Christian? Or is it a person you are mentoring and you are desiring of them to be a better leader than you are? What lessons do we draw out of this to enable us to be a mediator or to have a Denzel moment?
TT 159 | July 5th - July 11th| 2022
Pulpit Message As leaders, what can we do?
The Role of the Church
1. Encourage others that they may be greater than who we are. The mark of leadership as we mentor other people is that We must be a place of refuge for the many who are you desire those people will be greater who you are. That they going to be in conflict with self, first and foremost. For those will achieve more than you. That they would accomplish more who will be in conflict even with the significant others. For those than you have accomplished. who will be in conflict because their entire savings has gone and the families are struggling. 2. That you will give time and share our experiences and We must be mediators and encouragers for those in lend out networks and resources to new leaders. One of the big- this new space of being called, former so and so. How do they gest currencies that we can give to people we are nurturing and deal with that? mentoring is our networks. Encourage and mediate those who will be in conflict that many marriages after elections struggle and are threatened because they gambled with politics and lost. In the context of politics and leadership I encourage you to encourage someone who lost this year’s nomination. Be a mediator Mechanisms we can deploy to reach out to our brothers and sisas they reconcile with self, with significant others around them ters and to be a Barnabas in this season of politics, when we and with God. know there are many who could be hurting Many times when you talk to people they will tell you, I have heard from the Lord that I should run for an elective seat. Then what should happen when you don’t get that certificate? There is serious conflict with self and with God. I suggest that we need to prepare for August 10th to 15th when the results of the elections are coming in because many of our brothers and sisters will need a mediator. There are some people who will lose the elections. Out of the 1450 MCAs we need we have approximately 12,060 contesting. Out of the 290 MPs that will be elected, there about 2,078 who are contesting. 330 women representative candidates for 47 positions. 246 governor candidates who are contesting for 47 positions. Out of this we know 21 governors are going home because they have done two terms so 225 are contesting for 47 positions. And only of the four will become commander in chief of the four presidential candidates. Depending on your networks, make a pick and be an encourager and a mediator this season. The pain and reality of failure just seems unbearable Losing face, friends within the community seems unbearable. Losing self esteem and pride. How do I appear in my usual surroundings and I have lost? Loss of income because you resigned from your place of work six months ago to contest, or to go through the nomination process and you didn’t get it. You shut down your business to be on the ground and it didn’t work. But the fragmentation of families that happens after elections because the savings that we had have gone up in smoke. And family resources have disappeared. The list is endless.
Mediate, whether it is families, or amongst friends. Be that encourager because our brothers and sisters carry that loss and shame of what they have gone through in that season. Remember their burdens are not too heavy for us and their burdens are not too heavy for our Lord Jesus Christ. Barnabas mediated for Saul, John Mark and for the church.
Take home lessons 1. Mediation is one of the most effective ways to help those around and as you listen and empathise with those that are going through conflict, direct them to our Lord Jesus Christ, our ultimate Mediator. 2.
Trusting and obedience to God involves risks.
3. There is always someone in need of mediation. Around us today, whether it is businesses, family, there is always someone in need of medication. Will you be that mediator. The courage of leadership is giving others the chance to succeed even though you and I will share the responsibility of getting things done.
I urge us that in this season of politics, consider being a mediator for a brother or sister. And when you get there don’t ask, ‘So why did you go into politics?’ Wrong question. Mediate for a brother or sister and as you do this show them our Lord Jesus Christ. Why? Because they are our brothers and sisters. The issues they are carrying are not too heavy.
TT 159 | July 5th - July 11th| 2022
My Life How to get saved and spend eternity with God His Love “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life. John 3:16 (NASB) My response that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. Romans 10:9-10 (NASB)
My prayer Lord God Almighty, thank You for Your love for me. Thank You that You sent Your Son Jesus Christ to die for my sins. Please forgive me for all the sins I have committed against You. I believe that Jesus Christ is Lord and that He died on the cross and You raised Him from the dead on the third day. Please write my name in the Lamb’s book of life. Help me to live a life that is holy and pleasing unto You. In Jesus’ Name I pray and believe. Amen
TT 159 | July 5th - July 11th| 2022
My Devotional Unstoppable: It won’t halt with me
By Liz Omondi | Email: timestodayke@ gmail.com | Image credit: elevationworship
19 But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the jail Unfortunately, this gift gets finished and I have no more to savour, or share and brought them out. 20 “Go, stand in the temple courts,” he said, “and with others within a short period of time. tell the people all about this new life.” (Acts 5:19 NIV) The good news of the gospel is that it will never end. And the Gift of Jesus Sharing is caring! A common phrase used especially among Sunday Christ is eternal. John 6:35 Jesus said, “ “I am the bread of life. Whoever schoolers and little youngsters to encourage a culture of sharing with oth- comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never ers. As parents we try encourage our children to share their snacks, toys be thirsty.” and other items with other children who may not necessarily have the same things or privileges they enjoy. When Peter and the other apostles had received the gift of the Holy Spirit they went all out to share the good news of Jesus Christ to everyone. The Like children, adults also have a natural tendency to hold on to precious Gift enabled them to perform wonders and miracles healing many sick items, or gifts and are not quite ready to share with others when they are people. This made the priests of those days so jealous of the apostles that still new. We only think about sharing what is no longer desirable to have they tried to stop them by jailing and even killing some of them. a grip on, or perhaps are ‘old’ and have lost their value. It is on one of these occasions when Peter was jailed that we see an angel As born again Christians, we have received the most precious Gift one of the Lord miraculously releasing the jailed apostles by opening the doors could ever receive, or even ask for. That is the gift of Jesus Christ and the and encouraging them to go and stand in the temple courts to continue gift of the Holy Spirit. And the Giver of this indescribable gift, God, com- talking about the good news of Jesus Christ. Acts 5:19. mands us to share it with all people. These apostles were made to appear before the Sanhedrin and questioned Before His ascension to heaven, Jesus Christ told his disciples in Acts 1:4-5 on why they continued sharing this gospel, yet they had been warned and “On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this com- told to stop. To this Peter and the other apostles responded “We must obey mand: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, God rather than human beings! 30 The God of our ancestors raised Jesus which you have heard me speak about. 5 For John baptised with water, but from the dead—whom you killed by hanging him on a cross. 31 God exin a few days you will be baptised with the Holy Spirit.” alted him to his own right hand as Prince and Saviour that he might bring Israel to repentance and forgive their sins. 32 We are witnesses of these The apostle John writes and says chapter 3:16 “ For God so loved the world things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not him.” Acts 5:29-31 perish but have eternal life.” Paul is at a loss for words in how to describe this gift and simple bursts in exclamation in 2 Corinthians 9:15 “Thanks Even in his response, Peter still uses this opportunity to share the gist of be to God for his indescribable gift! Other versions say, “Thank God for the gospel; the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. this gift too wonderful for words! (NLT), “Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!” (ESV), “Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.” Have you received the wonderful gift of Jesus Christ? Unlike chocolate (KJV). which comes in small pieces and gets finished, the benefits of believing in and obeying Jesus Christ far outweigh any other gift one will ever receive. When the disciples of Jesus Christ began to fully understand the Gift of We’re talking eternal life with the King of kings and the Lord of lords! God given to them and all mankind and had the privilege to walk with and listen to Him and when they received the Gift of the Holy Spirit they Like the early church, share this unstoppable Gift with everyone. Like did not hesitate to go all out and share this Gift with everyone as they had good children of God let us remember that sharing is caring. Spread the been commanded. gospel of Jesus Christ with everyone so that people will not perish. Say to yourself, it won’t halt with me. While most people like to receive gifts, it is also true that not all gifts are valued by the receiver in the same way. I have a weakness chocolates, but with a wide variety of chocolates out there, I do not value them all the same way I treasure my favourite bar chocolate. When I receive my favourite chocolate, I must confess I devour quite quickly. The good thing about this chocolate is that it can also come in mini bars and that makes it quite easy to share. So I happily share mini bars so that I can eat mine in peace.
TT 159 | July 5th - July 11th| 2022
My Business
When the debt crises hit, don’t simply blame the pandemic
MARCELLO ESTEVÃOSEBASTIAN ESS | https://blogs.worldbank.org/
Every debt crisis begins with unheeded warnings and ends with severe limits on hand, borrowing from China and commercial creditors nearly tripled over the investment in education, health, and infrastructure among other things. These same time: from 6 percent to 16 percent, and from 8 percent to 24 percent, recrises often spark civil unrest and government collapse, delivering a lasting set- spectively. back to the growth prospects of the affected country. So long as real economic growth remained strong, the risks were masked. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, global debt has surged. Today, 58 per- Growth curbs the accumulation of public debt: according to our data, from 2011 cent of the world’s poorest countries are in debt distress or at high risk of it , and through 2019, economic growth—adjusted for inflation—reduced public debt the danger is spreading to some middle-income countries as well. High infla- by the equivalent of about 12 percent of GDP. Today, however, the dynamics are tion, rising interest rates, and slowing growth have set the stage for financial cri- in the opposite direction: developing economies are expected to grow just 3.4 ses of the type that engulfed a series of developing economies in the early 1980s. percent in 2022, barely half the rate in 2021. And as interest rates surge to tackle inflation, growth is likely to remain weak for the next couple of years. But it would be a mistake to pin the blame on the pandemic should those crises arrive. The seeds were sown long before COVID-19. Between 2011 and 2019, It’s time for policymakers to adopt the first law of holes: when you’re in one, stop public debt in a sample of 65 developing countries increased by 18 percent of digging. Adopting good policies now can still repair a lot of the damage: GDP on average--and by much more in several cases. In sub-Saharan Africa, for example, debt increased by 27 percent of GDP on average. Ramp up growth. The best way to escape a debt trap is to grow out of it. Measures to improve business conditions, better allocation of resources, and healthy market competition are essential policy actions to boost productivity growth. What drove the pre-COVID debt accumulation? Let’s be clear: it wasn’t econom- Governments should take advantage of this crisis to move faster on key strucic surprises that were beyond the government’s ability to foresee. It was simply tural reforms. bad policy. Accelerate fiscal policy reforms. Improving tax administration efficiency and Our analysis of debt sustainability in 65 developing economies suggests that closing loopholes are a good start, but governments should move to broaden tax sustained primary deficits were the single-largest driver of public debt in those bases in ways that support rather than impede long-term growth. That can be countries. Countries were simply spending beyond their means. Between 2011 accomplished by focusing on activities that are harmful to sustainable growth and 2019, the median public-debt increase attributable to primary deficits and public health—taxes on tobacco consumption and carbon emissions, for amounted to a whopping 14 percent of GDP. In sub-Saharan Africa, it was 18 example—while reducing taxes on productive activities. Tax compliance can percent. Yet, in South Asia, it was just slightly over 5 percent. be improved by making tax systems more equitable. The debt overhang can be dismantled if governments improve debt-management procedures and public In Africa, in particular, the evidence is that governments ran up primary deficits spending while strengthening the legal environment for debt contracting. not to make productive long-term investments but simply to pay current bills. They took on far more debt to pay the wages of public sector workers than they Speed up debt restructuring. Many of the countries in trouble today are set to did to build roads, schools, and factories. Among the 33 sub-Saharan countries fail if they cannot get help. The international community must help them by imin our sample, current spending outstripped capital investment by a ratio of proving global initiatives that facilitate debt restructuring. Policymakers should nearly three to one. explore every opportunity to encourage different types of creditors—bilateral, commercial, and multilateral—to come quickly to an agreement that provides relief to overindebted countries. That did nothing to strengthen their ability to repay the debt. Nor did these countries opt to borrow inexpensively—from multilateral lenders offering con- Crises also bring opportunities. Amid the overlapping crises we are seeing today, cessional financing rates. In 2010, multilateral lenders accounted for 56 percent governments have an opening to plant the seeds for a more stable and prosperof the public and publicly guaranteed debt of sub-Saharan countries; by 2019, ous future. They should not pass up the opportunity. that share was just 45 percent. In 2010, loans from Paris Club creditors accounted for 18 percent of the debt; by 2019, the share was just 8 percent. On the other
TT 159 | July 5th - July 11th| 2022
My Inspiration Be a nourisher, healer, encourager By William King | Email: kingwilliam189@gmail.com | image courtesy: fggam.org
When you say something to a friend, give a compliment to a coworker, tell your friend that you love them or encourage a neighbour, it can seem like a simple thing, no big deal. Proverbs 16:24 says, “Kind words are like honey - sweet to the soul and healthy for the body.” You can make someone healthier by speaking kind words. Just a simple compliment such as, “You look beautiful today. You did great on that presentation,” nourishes their soul. When you tell a friend, “I love you. I’m blessed to have you in my life,” that’s not only going to make your relationships stronger, but it’s making him/her feel more secure. When you call a friend who’s down and say, “I’m thinking about you, I care, you mean the world to me,” that’s not just encouraging them, it’s bringing healing to their body. Don’t miss. The people around you need what you have. Your kind words can be what pushes them into their destiny.
be. If you weren’t raised in a family that spoke kind loving words, you can be the one to start it. Without your nourishment, life would be more difficult for your family, children. The reason some people aren’t flourishing is that they never hear any compliments. God created us to need one another. You have something that will cause your friend to shine. It’s not your money, hard work, accomplishments; it’s your kind words. They need to hear how. Don’t let a day go by when you don’t say something kind to the person whom God put in your life. It’s not enough just to think it, your thoughts don’t nourish anyone. A blessing isn’t one until it’s spoken. They need to hear, “I love you. I’m proud of you, you’re beautiful, you’re going to do great things.” Make it a habit of speaking kind words that go down into their spirit and bring a new level of confidence.
That’s how they are going to become all they were created to
TT 159 | July 5th - July 11th| 2022
Every Good G S ift
ells
Entrepreneur
Trusting those you lead By Joseph Lalonde |www.biblicalleadership.com | image credit: istock
We all want to be trusted. What we often don’t do is trust those we lead. We hire a new employee. We begin to think of ways the employee may cheat the company. Boom. We’ve broken a bond of trust. The employee may not realize it. Yet. Slowly but surely, the employee will begin to realize you don’t trust them. They will see the “guardrails”you’ve put up to keep them in line.
While this may be true, who didn’t lead the team well? That’s right; the answer is you. Take the blame when projects and initiatives fail. This shows your team that you trusted them to get things done. It also shows them that you realize you failed to support your team.
3. Give respect.
Another problem employees feel in being trusted is that they believe their leader doesn’t respect them. Sometimes this is true. Other times it is not.
We talk about trust like it’s important. We don’t live it out.
We still have to learn how to give respect if we want our team members to trust us.
Here are five ways we can show that we believe in trust, and that we trust those we lead.
A lack of respect tells your people a lot of things. One of those is that they aren’t trusted.
1. Listen more than you speak.
4. Focus on output.
One way we show that we don’t trust those we lead is that we talk too much. We Do you need butts in seats or do you need output? One of the easiest ways to believe we’re giving the person information they need, helping them understand show trust is to allow your people to be trusted. a process, or working them through a problem. Ask for output, not time in seats. But there’s a problem with this. When you demandpeople to be in seats, you tell them you don’t trust them. You We don’t stop to listen. We give, give, and give some more. tell them that their presence is required because it shows you they’re working. What we failed to do was to understand what they need. It shows we don’t un- Want to show trust? Allow your team to produce rather than be present. derstand and trust them.
5. Be trustworthy yourself.
Let’s stop talking so much. A popular phrase says we were given two ears and one mouth. We should listen twice as much as we speak. The last tip I want to give you is that to trust others, you have to be trustworthy yourself. You will struggle to trust those you lead if you don’t keep your word. If that’s the case, why would others trust you? Why would you be able to trust others? Issues are to end with the leader. Whether a project fails, never gets off the ground, or falters somewhere along the way, the blame falls to the leader. Work on yourself. Make yourself trustworthy.
2. Take the blame.
Too often, leaders push the blame on their team. They say that Mitch didn’t get Then, you will have an easier time trusting those you lead. the data, Tommy didn’t follow through, or Sami failed to present the presentation properly.
TT 159 | July 5th - July 11th| 2022
My Health
Could a higher protein intake lead to healthier eating?
www.medicalnewstoday.com |Written by Jessica Norris on July 4, 2022 — Fact checked by Maria Gifford image credit: health.havard.edu
Protein is an essential component of a healthy diet, including Lean body mass (LBM) has to do with the body’s mass that is among people working through weight loss programs. not made up of adipose tissue or body fat. Part of this amount is made up of the muscles, or the muscle mass. According to a new study, increasing one’s protein intake may improve people’s food choices and decrease the amount of sugar Dr. Anastasia Kalea with the University College London Diviand refined grains they consume. sion of Medicine, who was not involved in the study, explained to Medical News Today: Researchers found that among people seeking to lose weight, increased protein intake can also reduce the loss of lean body “While several dietary, lifestyle, [behavioral], pharmacological mass. or combination weight-loss interventions are promising, they often face the challenge of loss of lean body mass, which has Eating a variety of nutritious foods is essential to health and multiple negative health implications. It affects one’s quality of well-being. What makes up people’s diet will impact multiple life, [and] the ability to conduct activities of daily living, has efareas of health, including maintaining a healthy weight. Protein fects on neuromuscular function, emotion and psychological is a critical component of the diet. states, and it also affects the sustainability of weight loss because it is linked to metabolic decline.” A recent study published in the journal Obesity found that increasing protein in the diet may be helpful for people involved “The holy grail of a successful weight loss intervention is to find in weight loss programs. Specifically, it may impact food choices a way to maintain LBM. Therefore, weight loss strategies that and reduce the loss of lean body mass. protect lean body mass are of value.” — Dr. Anastasia Kalea
Protein and lean body mass
Researchers are still working to understand how protein intake Proteinsare nutrients that allow the human body to function ap- impacts lean muscle mass and how to best implement protein propriately. Protein helps the body maintain its structure and into weight-loss diets. controls functions in the body and its cells. People can get protein from various sources, including meat, dairy, some vegetables and grains. One challenge for people who are working toward weight loss is maintaining lean body mass while getting rid of excess fat.
TT 159 | July 5th - July 11th| 2022
My Health Benefits of increased protein intake
For example, participants self-reported their dietary intake, so there is a possibility for errors in data collection. However, the participants received counseling about how to record food intake, and food inIn this study, researchers sought to examine how “the change in take data collection happened at multiple intervals, which decreased self-selected protein intake during caloric restriction (CR) alters diet the risk for errors. quality and lean body mass (LBM).” The study used pooled data from multiple trials and included participants who met specific eligibility criteria. Researchers evaluated 207 adults before and over six months of diets that restricted calorie intake.
In addition, the type of protein may also impact the benefits. In this study, much of the protein participants consumed was from lean meat or plant sources. The study authors note that the study mainly included white female participants and was completed within one primary location, so the results cannot necessarily be generalized.
All participants were either overweight or obese. All participants went through a weight loss intervention lasting six to twelve months. They all had weekly counseling sessions for the first eight weeks and follow-up visits with a registered dietitian nutritionist.
The methods the researchers used to measure lean body mass also didn’t differentiate between mass from organs and mass from muscles. Therefore, we cannot assume that the loss of lean body mass in the lower protein group was only from muscle loss.
Researchers evaluated both body composition via dual-energy X-ray Is more protein the answer? absorptiometry and dietary intake. They also looked at components like protein sources and diet quality. Based on the intake data, they divided participants into two groups: lower and higher protein in- As research moves forward in this area, more people may choose to incorporate healthy protein options into diets as they work toward take. reaching healthy weight levels. This concept and continued research Study author Dr. Sue Shapses, a professor in the Department of Nu- may also help people maintain lean body mass, even as they seek to tritional Sciences at Rutgers University-New Brunswick, told MNT: lose weight. “In this study design, we split the participants in half based on how much protein they consumed during the 6 months of weight reduc- Prof. Shapses noted: tion.” “At any time, greater loss of LBM is not a good outcome, but it is Researchers found that the amount of weight loss was similar for particularly unfavorable for middle-aged and older persons who are both groups. However, among the high protein intake group, there trying to lose weight for health reasons.” was less loss of lean body mass.
“The higher protein group lost just as much fat as the lower protein Participants in the high protein group also made more healthy food group but were able to minimize the loss of LBM (suggesting an atchoices, such as an increased intake of green vegetables and decreas- tenuated loss of muscle mass),” she stressed. ing consumption of refined grains and added sugar. Dr. Kalea said that there were still knowledge gaps to cover regarding this area of research. Prof. Shapses explained: “We have progressed in understanding aspects of protein quality and digestibility but we need to understand better how to preserve LBM when we restrict energy for weight loss purposes, we need to understand whether a combination of different protein sources within a dietary pattern affects LBM, and how to personalize our interventions “We found that those who consumed less protein also ate foods of and efficiently define sufficient intake for each individual,” she said. lower quality (like more refined grains and added sugar and fewer green vegetables).” — Dr. Sue Shapses “One surprising aspect of this study is that while all subjects were instructed to consume enough protein and a healthy diet during the weight reduction trial, it was unexpected that those who ingested less protein had fewer desirable outcomes.”
Study limitations This study overall indicates that increasing the protein component of diet can be beneficial for people working to lose weight. However, it has a few limitations.
TT 159 | July 5th - July 11th| 2022
My Kitchen Pistachio-Lemon Bundt Cake
By EMILY NABORS HALL | https://www.countryliving.com/food-drinks/recipes
INGREDIENTS
Pulse pistachios in a food processor until very finely ground (they should cling together when pinched), 15 to 20 times.
Baking spray, for pan 3 c. all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled, plus more for the Beat butter and sugar on medium speed with an electric mixer pan until light and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes. Add pistachios, lemon zest, 1/2 tsp. Kosher salt and vanilla and beat until well blended. Add eggs, one at a time, 2 c. shelled roasted pistachios beating to incorporate after each addition. Reduce speed to low 1 1/2 c. (3 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature and beat in flour mixture and rum alternately, starting and end2 c. sugar ing with flour mixture, just until flour is incorporated. Scoop 1 tbsp. lemon zest batter into prepared pan. 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract 4 large eggs, at room temperature Bake, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 55 1/4 c. light rum to 60 minutes. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 20 minutes, then 1 recipe Lemon Glaze invert onto rack to cool completely. DIRECTIONS
Brush cake with warm Lemon Glaze.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Generously grease and flour a 12cup Bundt pan. Whisk together flour and salt in a bowl.
TT 159 | July 5th - July 11th| 2022
My Sports Zhou thanks marshals and medical team after Lap 1 Silverstone crash
https://www.formula1.com/ Alfa Romeo driver Zhou Guanyu has thanked the marshals and see you guys in Austria!” he wrote. the medical team at Silverstone, following his involvement in a huge Lap 1 crash at the British Grand Prix. Separately, Zhou also reflected on the incident itself, saying: “It was a big crash and I’m glad I’m ok. The marshals and the medZhou started the British Grand Prix in ninth – his highest quali- ical team at the track were fantastic with their quick response, fying position of the season – and was making his way to Turn 1 and I also owe my thanks to the FIA and Formula 1 for all the when he was caught up in an accident involving George Russell work they have done, and they keep doing, to improve the safety and Pierre Gasly. As a consequence, Zhou was flipped upside of our cars. down and sent flying into the catch fencing. “The Halo saved me today,” he added, “and it goes to show that After being extracted from his car, the rookie driver was taken to every step we take in improving our cars has real, valuable rethe medical centre where he was declared fit. And on Monday, sults. I’m keener than ever to get back on track and do what I Zhou released a statement on Instagram, thanking the medical love: I’m fit and I’m looking forward to Austria next week.” team and the marshals for their hard work, while also revealing his intentions to get back on track as soon as possible – starting with the Austrian Grand Prix this weekend. “Hi everyone! Thank you all for the kind messages. I want to thank the marshals and the medical team at Silverstone, they were really fantastic. I’m keener than ever to get back on track,
TT 159 | July 5th - July 11th| 2022 The Times Today is a publication of Elizabeth Omondi Consultancy. P.O. Box 833-00100 GPO Nairobi. Tel: 0722 927792. www.elizabethomondiconsultancy.com
