Better Health Better Health.pdf · 2017. 1. 30. · Not all varicose and spider veins can be prevented. But there are steps you can take: • Wear sunscreen to protect your skin.

Better HealthYOUR WEEKLY DOSE OF HEALTH

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■■ OBESITY IN CHILDREN IS LIKELY TO SOARA study in Paediatric Obesity showed that by 2025 some 268 million children aged 5-17 may be overweight, including 91 mil-lion obese, assuming no policy interventions have proven effec-tive at changing current trends.

Using data of the Global Bur-den of Disease collaborative for 2000 and 2013, the study also estimated the likely numbers of kids in 2025 with obesity-relat-ed comorbidities, including im-paired glucose tolerance (12 mil-lion), type 2 diabetes (4 million), hypertension (27 million) and he-patic steatosis (38 million).

■■ LEAFY GREENS IMPROVE SPORTS PERFORMANCETaking a supplement of nitrate — a substance found in leafy greens such as spinach — may enhance athletic performance.

Researchers carried out the study with 27 moderately trained participants, who were subject-ed to a sprint interval training.

“This is probably the first study to show that a simple nutritional supplementation strategy can im-pact training-induced changes in muscle fibre composition,” says Professor Peter Hespel from the Athletic Performance Centre at KU Leuven in Belgium.

■■ CHILDHOOD HYPERTENSION LINKED TO COGNITIVE ISSUESIn a recent study published in The Journal of Pediatrics, scien-tists found that hypertension in children can impact their think-ing abilities.

The study was conducted with 150 children between the ages of 10 and 18, of which 75 were newly diagnosed with untreated hypertension and the other half had normal blood pressure.

The study proved that kids with primary hypertension showed lower performance on neurocognitive testing than those without high blood pressure.

This week in

Global News

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03Dubai embraces 3D-printing technology in health care

04Ever wondered what athletes eat to improve performance?

ISSUE 15: OCTOBER 24, 2016

VARICOSE VEIN REMOVAL SURGERY MAKES HISTORYRashid Hospital’s minimally-invasive procedure can permanently treat the condition in some cases

Rashid Hospital became the first hospital in the re-gion to perform a modern

varicose vein removal surgery.VenaSeal closure system is

a minimally invasive method which can permanently treat varicose veins of the legs by sealing the affected superficial veins with an adhesive agent.

So far, the hospital has per-formed 12 surgeries on patients between the ages of 20 and 67.

SURGICAL BREAKTHROUGHDr Mamoun Shafaamri,

vascular surgeon at the Dubai Health Authority, said, “This method is a real breakthrough because the previous two methods of permanent vari-cose vein removal were more invasive, patient recovery time was much longer and the pro-cedure was uncomfortable.

“This method is minimally invasive, does not require gen-eral anaesthesia, requiring very little local anaesthesia, does not affect the functioning of the nearby nerves and the patient is discharged after the procedure.”

Dr Shafaamri said there are two types of veins — deep veins and superficial veins, and the superficial ones are close to

the skin. Veins contain one-way valves that open to let blood flow through and then shut to keep it from flowing backward. When superficial system valves are weak or damaged, blood can back up and pool, which can cause varicose veins that are en-larged, swollen or twisted.

Varicose veins often cause no symptoms but some pa-

tients may experience mild to moderate pain, blood clots, skin ulcers or other problems.

VENASEAL SYSTEM The VenaSeal system is in-

tended for patients with super-ficial varicose veins of the legs that cause symptoms.

Dr Shafaamri said in this method the vascular surgeon inserts a catheter through the skin into the diseased vein to inject the VenaSeal adhesive, a clear liquid that polymerises into solid material. The doctor monitors the proper placement of the catheter using ultra-sound imaging during delivery of the adhesive into the dis-eased vein.

“In two years’ time, the adhe-sive loses its effect but by then the body’s own clotting mecha-nism kicks in and fibrosis mech-anism keeps the veins perma-nently closed,” he added. n

HOW TO PREVENT IT

Not all varicose and spider veins can be prevented. But there are steps you can take:

• Wear sunscreen to protect your skin.

• Exercise regularly to im-prove your leg strength, cir-culation, and vein strength.

• Control your weight to avoid placing too much pres-sure on your legs.

• Don’t cross your legs for long times when sitting.

• Elevate your legs when resting as much as possible.

• Don’t stand or sit for long periods of time.

Rashid Hospital has performed 12 VenaSeal closure surgeries on patients with superficial varicose veins of the legs

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KAMAKSHI GUPTA

Source: WHO and DHA / Text: Kamakshi Gupta / Infographic: Pranith Ratheesan / Icons: Shutterstock

Ischemic stroke

Blockage of blood vessels; lack of blood flow to affected area

Rupture of blood vessels; leakage of blood

Understanding strokes

Hemorrhagic strokeStrokes canbe prevented Stroke is third-leading cause of death in the world and the main reason for adult disability. In the UAE, stroke is the second-leading cause of disability after road accidents

What you can do

Know the symptoms It’s called the FAST test

FACECheck whether the person’s face has fallen to one side and whether they

can smile

ARMSCan the person

raise both arms?

TIMEIf any of these signs are

visible, it’s important to call an ambulance

immediately

SPEECHCan the person speak or is the speech slurred?

Global average of patients over the age of 65

7k-8kNumber of incidents in the UAE

annually, or one per hour

100-120/100kInternational prevalence;

so we are within the international range

5b-6bThe total number of

brain cells in an adult brain. When a stroke

occurs, brain cells start to die

1.9m/minuteEstimated number of brain cells that die

during a stroke

Risk factors

Diabetes Obesity Hypertension Highcholesterol

Smoking Heart disease Previousstroke

Alcohol Above the age of 55

Manage your weight

Limit your salt consumption

Half of the stroke patients in the UAE are

under the age of 45

50% 80% 2gThe average amount of salt

needed on a daily basis

15gThe amount of salt people in the

UAE consume daily

>30People above this age

should check their blood pressure annually, as there’s a strong link

between hypertension and stroke

2 Monday, October 24, 2016Health News

■■ DHA LAUNCHES SAADA SELF-REGISTRATION SYSTEM

The Dubai Health Authority(DHA) has launched a self-regis-tration system for the SAADA health insurance scheme for UAE nationals during the 36th Gitex Technology Week.

The SAADA (happiness) scheme is one of the smartest in-surance schemes globally. NEXtCare is the third-party admin-istrator. During phase one, four kiosks will be available where nationals can register. There’s a SAADA app that informs us-ers about the kiosks closest to them.

UAE nationals who don’t benefit from any other govern-ment-funded health insurance cover can register themselves using an Emirates ID card. The process takes less than five minutes. They can then use their insurance immediately with an Emirate ID card. Users don’t need a separate insurance card.

■■ DOCTORS SAVE BABY WITH A RARE LIVER CANCER

Dubai Health Authority doctors from Latifa, Rashid and Dubai Hospitals saved the life of an 8-month-old baby who was suf-fering from a rare liver cancer, in a three-hour surgery.

Dr Mamoun Al Marzouqi, Consultant of Pediatric Surgery at Latifa Hospital, who performed the surgery along with Dr Faisal Badri, Consultant of General Surgery at Rashid Hos-pital, said the baby’s parents visited the hospital after they noticed a lump bulging out of his stomach.

“After undergoing a series of tests, we discovered that the child, who weighs around eight kilogrammes, has Hepatoblas-toma, a very rare cancerous tumor that starts in the liver. This disease primarily affects children from infancy to about three years of age,” said Dr Al Marzouqi. DH

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■■ UAE LEADS JCI-ACCREDITED ORGANISATIONS

The UAE leads the world with the largest number of Joint Commission International (JCI)-accredited organisations, ac-cording to Dr Manal Taryam, CEO of Primary Health-Care Cen-tres at the Dubai Health Authority (DHA).

The UAE has 145 JCI-accredited health organisations — the highest of the 67 countries which implement rigorous JCI standards of care.

Dr Taryam said ten DHA Primary Health-Care Centres re-ceived international accreditation from the JCI, proving once again the authority’s commitment to providing first-class medical services. She added that it is an indicator to measure their performance, the quality of services they provide and customer satisfaction.

Dr Manal Taryam, CEO, Primary Health-Care Centres, DHA

THERE’S AN APP

FOR THATThe Dubai Health

Authority highlighted three applications at

last week’s Gitex show that add to lives of the

emirate’s residents

DUBAI BLOOD DONATION CENTREThe app allows donors to easily donate blood to people in need. They can also locate the nearest blood donation centres on their mobile phones.

“It will also allow blood donors to answer a donation eligibility questionnaire and read pre-dona-tion educational material through their mobile phones before they come to the donation centre,” said Dr Mai Raouf, Director of the Dubai Blood Donation Centre. “The smart app will also inform donors about their next donation date.”

Dr Raouf said launching the app is in line with the DHA’s vision

to provide services to customers at a click of a button to support the authority’s vision of fulfilling a happy and healthy society.

“Through this app donors can also receive appreciation letters and invitations for activities re-lated to blood donation through their smart device and get noti-fication of donation campaigns.”

Dr Raouf said the system is a comprehensive management of the donation process from re-cruiting to inventory and distribu-tion. “The app will help avoid hu-man errors and will add an extra layer to transfusion safety.”

Amani Al Jassmi, Director of Information Technology at the DHA, said the Dubai Blood Do-nation Centre is implementing a smart integrated donation

management system based on world-leading technology (Hema-soft) in line with the best interna-tional standards ISBT 128.

TIFLIThe Tifli (my baby) app provides information for pregnant women from preconception until the child is five years old

NEW FEATURES The app now has a belly

speaker. When the pregnant woman places the speaker around her belly, she can listen to her baby’s heartbeat.

She can also create her own journal and post her daily expe-rience and photos of her preg-nancy.

The app has a vaccination synchronisation calendar, which allows the mother to check the dates of her children’s vaccina-tion appointments.

EXISTING FEATURES Reschedule or cancel a doc-

tor’s appointments Gives access to videos and

articles on best practices during different stages of pregnancy

Track baby’s growth and weekly milestones

Monitor labour pain and un-derstand contractions better to know when to visit a hospital

Access to information about breastfeeding, ways to over-come breastfeeding difficulties, breastfeeding techniques and best nutritional practices

UPDATEDUPDATED

HAYATIThe Hayati diabetes management app empowers Type 1 and Type 2 diabetics to take control of their diabetes through easy self-man-agement techniques

FEATURES

Diabetics can directly transfer glucometer readings onto the app and if registered with a DHA health facility, the results are au-tomatically exported to the pa-tient’s file.

Users can press the emergen-cy tab and two registered family members as well as 999 (emer-gency services) will receive an im-mediate notification.

The app can be customised and users can opt to receive daily re-minders to take their medication, they will also get notifications if their blood sugar reading is low or high.

Provides useful information about diet tips, dos and don’ts to help keep blood sugar levels under control.

NEW FEATURE FOR BOTH APPSBoth Tifli and Hayati have new common features:

A medication feature allows users to add their daily usage of medicine and track it.

Weight and BMI trackers Activity tracker, integrated through FitBit Other trackers: blood pressure, water and sleep trackers The apps also have a Master slave option, which allows the

user to give family members or friends access to the app so they can keep track of the user’s health status.

NEW

The Dubai Health Authority apps are available on the Apple App Store and on Google Play

Try it

KAMAKSHI GUPTA AND NOOR NAZZAL

3Health NewsMonday, October 24, 2016

KAMAKSHI GUPTA

WATCH YOUR WEIGHT TO PREVENT OSTEOARTHRITIS

Obesity is one of the most critical risk factors of this joint disease

Being overweight or obese significantly increases the risk of developing knee

osteoarthritis, said a top Dubai Health Authority (DHA) official.

Dr Yaseen Shandala, ortho-paedic surgeon at Dubai Hospi-tal, highlighted the importance of weight management and regular exercise to reduce the risk of developing osteoarthri-tis. “Being overweight increases the load you put on your joints, knees, hips and your ankles and [this] can lead to the develop-ment of osteoarthritis in many ways,” said Dr Shandala.

“Additionally, fat tissue pro-duces proteins that may cause harmful inflammation in and around your joints. People should aim for weight control to reduce the chances of develop-ing osteoarthritis.”

In a 2009 DHA survey, a total of 5,000 patients between the ages of 18 and 85 were screened. The study found that the main reasons for visiting a rheuma-tologist was lower back and knee pain.

The average Body Mass Index (BMI) of the 5,000 people sur-veyed was 28.5, while normal BMI ranges between 18 and 25, the survey highlighted.

Dr Shandala said early de-tection is essential to manage musculoskeletal disorders like arthritis. “Arthritis affects the patient’s ability to perform even basic daily tasks like brushing teeth, washing hands and walking.

“The disease affects the qual-ity of life due to significant dis-

Being overweight increases the load you put on your knees, hips and ankles

Pictures: Shutterstock

RISK FACTORS

The following factors could increase the likelihood of developing of osteoarthritis:• Age • Sex • Obesity

• Joint injuries

• Genetics

• Bone deformities

ability and diminished produc-tivity. That’s why early detection is crucial.”

He said delaying treatment can lead to deformities or dis-abilities that can’t be reversed.

Increased awareness of the warning signs of the disease can lead to early diagnosis and treatment. “If patients experi-ence pain accompanied by stiff-ness, it is advisable that they visit a rheumatologist,” said Dr Shandala.

“Also, those who experience knee pain should visit a doctor to get a weight-bearing X-ray done. This allows the doctor to see the joint space in the knee and plan treatment ac-cordingly.” n

3D-PRINTED TEETH AVAILABLE IN DUBAI FROM 2017The DHA plans to use this revolutionary technology to achieve absolute precision during surgeries

In 2017, dentists in Dubai will be able to provide their pa-tients with 3D-printed teeth.

This is only the beginning of the Dubai Health Authority’s (DHA) journey into the world of 3D printing.

The revolutionary technology will be used to print casts, den-tal hearing aids, preoperative 3D models of hearts and artifi-cial limbs.

The DHA’s ambitious plans are in line with the UAE’s 3D Printing Strategy, which focuses on three sectors — construction, consumer and healthcare.

For health professionals, the technology is a chance to achieve absolute precision during surgery, it reduces the time procedures take and is cost-effective.

“It ticks all the boxes,” said Dr Mohammed Al Redha, who heads the implementation of this project at the DHA.

“Earlier, replacing a tooth could take up to two weeks, now

with this technology it will only take twenty minutes to print a ceramic tooth.

“In 3D printing, we sim-ply take the impression, run it through a software to design it and place a ceramic cube in the machine. The machine then carves the tooth to exact preci-sion. Similarly, we can print 3D casts to fix fractures all in a mat-ter of minutes.”

He added, “In fact, plastic casts will be better than the plas-ter of Paris ones used today to rectify fractures. They are heavy, heat up in six hours and can block blood flow to the area. The 3D ones are strong but at the same time they are made like a mesh so they let the skin breathe and are much less inconvenient.”

Dr Redha said the technology will also be used to get enlarged

images of a patient’s heart so doctors can see the exact defect and plan better pre-operatively. This helps improve precision for surgeries.

In the future, the sky seems to be the limit with research

going on at a global level to use 3D printing to print body parts made in a laboratory using stem cells. If that is achieved, it will be a breakthrough of a mag-nitude that the medical world hasn’t seen before. ■

Nadeem Rasheed

KAMAKSHI GUPTA

“Earlier, replacing a

tooth could take up

to two weeks, now

with this technology

it will only take

twenty minutes to

print a ceramic

tooth. Similarly, we

can print 3D casts to

fix fractures all in a

matter of minutes.”

Dr Mohammed Al RedhaDirector, Department of Organisational Transformation

Dr Mohammed Al Redha, head of implementing 3D technology at the DHA, explains the system at last week’s Gitex

A 3D-printed model showing congenital heart disease in a newborn baby. This model is three times the actual size

The front view of a liver Neuroblastoma, a type of cancer

Pictures: Medativ

4 5Monday, October 24, 2016 Monday, October 24, 2016Nutrition Planet Nutrition Planet

EAT LIKE PRO

A TYPICAL ATHLETE’S DIET

REPLENISH LOST ELECTROLYTESn Electrolytes conduct electric currents in your body. It’s important for the nervous system, mus-cle contraction and maintaining acidity levels in the body.

n This can be done through drinking coconut water, orange juice, dairy, soy milk or sports drinks.

n You can also increase your elec-trolytes through fruit and veggies that are high in potassium and/or calcium, including leafy greens, po-tatoes, raisins and bananas.

n Did you know that pineapples act as a natural anti-inflammatory that helps repair your muscles after a hectic work out?

HIGH CARB INTAKEn Their source of instant en-ergy; it breaks down quickly, unlike protein.

n This includes brown rice, pasta, peanut butter and Greek yoghurt.

AVERAGE PROTEIN INTAKEn For a regular person protein should range between

46g 56gper day for per day forwomen men.

n This number is impacted according to your daily activity.

LOW FAT INTAKEn This would involve selecting lean meats and keeping an eye on the consumption of dairy products.

HYDRATE FREQUENTLYn An average person should drink at least two litres of water a day.

n Other ways of hydrating include drinking soup and consuming fruit and vegetables with a high water content, such as tomatoes, cucum-bers and watermelon.

Increase your athletic performance by eating the following foods. These ingredients help with hydration, muscle recovery and increasing your energy levels

COCONUT AND AVOCADOThis includes coconut oil and coconut milk. Your body can burn the sugar and fat from these ingredients, which would fuel your system with energy.

CHIA SEEDSThe Aztecs considered chia seeds warrior’s food, as they are high in fibre. What’s more, one tablespoon of chia seeds is good for a full day’s energy.

WHEY PROTEINProtein is good for building muscle, burning fat and muscle recovery. If you’re consuming a powder, ensure it’s got natural ingredients.

COCONUT WATERCoconut water is a great source of potassium and helps to replenish electrolytes post work out. It’s called nature’s Gatorade for a reason.

BONUSFlax seeds help reduce inflammation; Brazil nuts aid muscle recovery; and sprouts such as broccoli pack protein and assist in alkalising the body.

SAMPLE RECIPES TO SUPPORT YOUR HEALTHY ATHLETE’S DIET

SALMON AND FETA OMELETTE (serves 2)This recipe offers a great source of lean protein that any athlete would require to start their day. And it’s ready in just ten minutes.

Ingredients4 eggs, beaten1 tsp coconut oil12 slices smoked salmon, half chopped and half rolled into rosettes2 tbsp feta, broken up1 tsp lemon juice2 tbsp chopped mint leaves A handful of rucola leaves

Method1. Beat the eggs for a few

minutes until light, frothy and doubled in volume.

2. Melt the coconut oil in a heated skillet.

3. Pour the egg mixture into a pan and add the chopped salmon, feta and lemon juice. Give it a quick stir once, and season lightly, as the salmon will add salti-ness to the dish.

4. When almost dry, turn and cook the other side.

5. Garnish with rosettes of salmon, some feta, mint and rucola.

RECOVERY JUICE (serves 2)This is a good recipe which will aid in post work out muscle recovery. It’s high in vitamins, calcium, pro-tein and fibre and takes five min-utes to prepare.

Ingredients1 cup orange juice2 cups spinach1 banana1 cucumber, peeled1 tsp chia seeds¼ inch ginger, grated

Method1. Place all the ingredients in a

blender, starting with the liq-uids. Blend well.

2. Serve cold.

NUTS IN A JARIf you’re on the way to leading a healthier life, make this your go-to snack. You can replace any of the ingredients with oth-er nuts, seeds and dried fruits. Each snack portion should be no more than one handful.

Ingredients¼ cup medjool dates¼ cup walnuts¼ cup almonds¼ cup pecans¼ cup cashew nuts¼ cup chopped dark choco-

late2 tbsp raisins

Method1. Mix all the ingredients well,

then place them in an airtight jar and keep it where you’ll see it, at home and work.

The average person consumes 2,000–2,500 calories per day. Athletes like Michael Phelps, who

work out approximately sev-en hours a day, consume up to 10,000 calories to maintain their current body weight.

Calorie intake varies from person to person and de-pends on how much you burn. Swimmers burn dif-ferently from runners who burn differently from bad-minton players. A person’s intake also depends on their overall physical objective.

As each person’s work out and sport of choice differs, it’s important to look at the amount of calories you’re burning per session or on a daily basis. You can then

A So you work out regularly and want to follow an athlete’s diet? Najoud Al-Jabri breaks down the food that will improve your performance and support recovery

NAJOUD AL JABRI believes in offering healthy, wholesome food that unites the flavours of the cultures she has experienced. Her passion for marketing and the culinary arts has driven her to start Chef On The Block, where she works with restaurants and FMCGs. Her services include idea development, operations, recruitment as well as menu and recipe development.

work back determine how many calories to consume per day and from there break it down to decide what to eat.

Regardless of your sport, choosing clean food always works best. If you’re doing high-energy cardio train-ing, having the right amount of carbs will help sustain you throughout the work out as you burn off that energy.

If you are still unsure as to how much to consume per day you can consult a dietitian, or refer to a reliable online calcu-lator to get an idea of what the quantities should be and what that amount actually looks like. These calculators take into account your age, weight, height and activity level — this assists in the recommenda-tion’s accuracy.

Pictures: Shutterstock

YOUR SUPER SHOPPING LIST

BERRIES AND BEETSRaspberries and blueberries have the most antioxidants. They’re good for cellular regeneration and post exercise recovery. Beets help improve endurance.

INGREDIENTS150g prawns50g besan flour30g corn flour10g salt5gm ajwain10g green chili5g chili powder20ml lemon juice1 egg

METHOD1. Clean the prawns and keep in a chiller. 2. Mix the rest of the ingredients well to make a smooth paste. 3. Coat the prawns in the paste and fry until cooked.4. Serve hot with mustard chutney.

INGREDIENTS50g flour1 tsp carom seeds200ml sunflower oil water, as needed200g potato10g green chilies20g ginger50g green peas5g turmeric powder10g salt5g coriander powder5g cumin powder20g fresh coriander

METHOD1. Make a dough with the flour, carom seeds, oil and water, and keep aside at room temperature.2. Divide the dough into four equal portions. Form each into a ball and keep aside, covered with a wet cloth to avoid it drying out.3. Boil the potato and then mash

it. Meanwhile, chop the chilies and the ginger.4. Heat some oil and sauté the ginger and chili, then add the green peas before adding all the ground spices. Mix in the boiled potato.5. Flatten the dough, stuff it with the potato mixture and give it a samosa shape.6. Fry on medium heat until golden, then remove and arrange on a plate. 7. Finally, garnish with corian-der or some green leaves and serve hot with mint or tomato chutney.

DIWALI, THE FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS, STARTS ON SUNDAY. TRY THESE RECIPES FOR YOUR CELEBRATIONS

VEGETABLE SAMOSA [SERVES 2]KURKURE JINGHE [SERVES 2] LAMB PARDA [SERVES 2]

INGREDIENTS300m lamb mince40g ginger paste20g garlic paste10g cumin seeds5g chili powder5g garam masala10g salt30g fresh mint30g coriander20g amul cheese15g green chili20g onion1 romali roti mint chutney, to taste onion salad, to taste

METHOD1. Put all the ingredients apart from the roti in a bowl and mix well. 2. Spread mint chutney

and onion salad on the romali roti. 3. Form the mince mixture into a seekh kebab and roll in the bread. 4. Place the roll on a hot grill and grill until crispy, turning as needed. 5. Cut into three pieces and serve hot with spicy mint chutney.

Pictures: Courtesy of Jumeirah Zabeel Saray

Recipes by Chef Aman Kumar, Chef de Cuisine, Amala, Jumeirah Zabeel Saray.

The restaurant’s Diwali set menu runs from October 30 to November 3, and costs Dh195.

DIET ADVICE

CHIRANTI SENGUPTA

FOLLOW THE SPICE ROUTE

Fresh and dried herbs and spices are used extensively in Indian cuisine for their flavour, colour and healing qualities. Here are some commonly used ones that are good your health

■■ MINT

Crushed or dried, mint can help in digestion, cure nausea and headaches and heal damaged skin. Drinking a cup of lukewarm water with a handful of fresh mint leaves can provide quick relief from stomach pain. Mint can also be used to heal a sore throat, freshen up your breath, soothe the stomach and treat acne.

■■ TURMERICTurmeric does more than simply adding a bright yellow tinge to curries. Curcumin, a substance found in turmeric, boasts anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant and anti-cancer properties. Some studies have highlighted its power in blocking metastasis of cancer cells. Turmeric also acts as an anti-bac-terial agent, thus speeding up the healing of wounds. Mix a teaspoon in water and apply the paste to get rid of dark spots and acne scars.

■■ CUMINTypically used for tempering in a lot of Indi-an curries, cumin seeds are a powerhouse of health benefits. Dry roasted cumin seeds aid in digestion, help treat respiratory illnesses and strengthen one’s overall immunity. They are a good source of certain essential minerals, includ-ing calcium, iron and manganese. Cumin can also be used to treat anaemia and regulate cholesterol levels.

■■ CINNAMONSourced from the inner bark of an evergreen tree, cinnamon lends a refreshing flavour to desserts and pies. Rich in manganese, iron and calcium, cinnamon is known to help prevent the onset of type 2 diabetes. You can also use cinnamon pow-der to treat the common cold, flu, diarrhoea and other digestive issues.

■■ MUSTARD Known for their strong flavour, mustard seeds are an excellent source of selenium, iron, man-ganese, zinc, calcium and vitamin A. Phytonu-trients, called glucosinolates, found in mustard seeds can help fight multiple types of cancers, including bladder, colon and cervical. They are also a good source of Omega 3 fatty acids. P

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DR. WAFAA AYESH Clinical Nutrition Director, Dubai Health Authority

DO OR DIET

All your nutrition queries answered by...

Should I avoid grains?Discussions on grains are trendy right now, as many diets suggest they be avoided. Just ten years ago, they were suppos-edly one of the healthiest foods on the planet. Grains aren’t as evil as they’ve been made out to be, but at the same time, they aren’t superfoods. Bottom line: you don’t need to eat grains. But, unless you have celiac disease or a FODMAP (fer-mentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides and polyols) intolerance, you don’t need to avoid them either. And even in those two scenarios, it’s only specific grains that need to be avoided.

Most people follow a better, more health-promoting diet if they’re allowed grains in reasonable amounts, along with a range of other non-grain carb sources like fruit, potatoes, sweet potatoes, beans, lentils, etc. Remember, it’s the ability to follow a diet consistently over time that provides the great-est results, regardless of what that diet is. And unless you’re intolerant, there’s no good reason to totally exclude certain foods, especially foods you enjoy.

Q

What are the benefits of tofu?Tofu is a plant-based source of protein that is cholesterol-free, low in saturated fat and high in polyunsaturated fats. Tofu, which is also known as soybean curds, is highly versatile and has many uses in home cooking. Tofu is especially useful if you cannot eat dairy, or avoid animal products like meat or chicken. With proper meal planning, tofu can be part of a healthy diet for most children and adults.

I stick to a weight loss plan better if I eat the same thing every day. Is that okay, if the foods are healthy?If that’s the only way you can achieve a healthy weight, yes. But you need to do this: Make an appointment with a regis-tered dietitian to make sure that your lineup of foods gives you a broad range of vitamins, minerals and healthy phy-tochemicals. Otherwise, you could choose a dozen healthy foods, but every single one might be low in, for example, vita-min C or zinc, or both.

Q

6 Maximum Fitness Monday, October 24, 2016

■■ LIGHTING SCIENCE LED LAMPS

Lighting Science, which says it has created “biological lighting innova-tions” for everyone from Nasa astronauts to new parents, notes that the brightness as well as the colour of ambient light affects our emotions and circadian rhythms. For example, on a bright sunny day, you typically feel happier than you do when it’s dark and overcast. You can now smartly use light therapy indoors to boost pro-ductivity, improve your mood and health. The Awake & Alert Biolog-ical LED Lamp claims to increase energy levels, promote alertness and enhance performance using a “stimulating blue-enhanced spec-trum”. Lighting Science also makes the Good Night version, which helps your body generate mela-tonin, which in turn helps you sleep.

■■ LIFX COLOR 1000

Back in 2013, LIFX started on the crowdfunding site Kickstarter, raising $1.31 million for a multi-colour, WiFi-enabled LED bulb that could be con-trolled via a smartphone app. The Color 1000 is ca-pable of outputting 16 million colours. You can also control the brightness and intensity, giving you virtually limitless options to play around with. To get you started, the app offers 15 presets, includ-ing Peaceful, Focusing, Cheerful and Dream. You can also experiment with yellow and white wave-lengths — from cool to noon to cloudy to soft day-light. Or try out various hues of incandescent light. Another key feature is a morning alarm that imitates sunrise, gradually glowing brighter and gently rousing you out of slumber. You can even set it to sync up with sunrise at your location. The app supports multiple bulbs, so you can have a different mood light for every room.

■■ PHILIPS HUE

The Hue range supports 16 million colours, and you can choose the light that is “optimal for your moment”. Or you could “feel different, feel better” by trying out a new ambi-ance. An interesting feature is the ability to sync the lights to the colours emanating from your TV, which should ease the strain on your eyes. The Hue bulbs can also be used as an alarm clock, waking you up naturally with imitation sun-light. There’s also the Philips Hue Go — a portable lamp that works for three hours off an internal battery. You can also use it without the app and select presets such as func-tional warm light, cool energising day-light or five other “natural dynamic light effects” with names like Cozy Candle, Sunday Coffee, Meditation, Enchanted Forest and Night Adventure.

Our round-up of tech that can help you keep a tab on your healthTUNE UP DEEPAK KARAMBELKAR

Pictures: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Tired of swimming and suffering spin fatigue? Krita Coelho tries a way to amp up your fitness regimen by submerging yourself — literally

Bicycles have pedaled into the pool for a new workout that’s tak-ing fitness fanatics by storm. An increasing

numbers of exercisers, seeking everything from a respite from sweat, to joint relief, to a vig-orous whole-body workout, are enjoying spinning their station-ary wheels under water.

The low-impact nature of aquatic fitness makes it ideal for injury management and pre-vention, but experts say there’s more to it than that. Apart from physical benefits, it helps reduce stress and improves well-being.

AquaSpin is one such exercise being offered at the Fairmont The Palm. A fun and interactive class, it involves stationary bicy-cles submerged in water.

MORE RESISTANCE Alicia Antonuccio, a French-

woman of Italian and Spanish descent who is the co-founder of AquaSpin, says, “It’s harder than your regular spin class as you’re working against the con-stant flow of water, which has a lot more resistance than air.

“You can see it in the number of calories you burn. A regular spin class torches up to 350 calories, while AquaSpin burns 800 calories.”

As the name indicates, there are elements taken from tradi-tional spinning — fat-blasting and calorie-burning moves, up-

beat soundtracks and a friendly (but firm) instructor — but there are also benefits that only exer-cising in water can claim. For starters, there’s the allurement of a low-impact, high-resistance

workout. While normal spin-ning provides various benefits for the body, such as toning the legs, thighs and abs, AquaSpin defies gravity and reduces pres-sure on joints.

“The workout helps with both fat burning and toning. People are so busy nowadays and we want to give them a 45-minute session that ensures a full-body workout. We see that no mus-cles are spared during the ses-sion,” she says.

Fans of the workout also claim that aqua spinning can help smooth dimpled thighs.

“When you’re pedaling in water you’ll see your fat going from one way to the other,” says Antonuccio. “What’s happening is that water generates a natural massage, which is very good for your blood circulation, it helps in draining your lymphatic sys-tem and flushes out all the tox-ins with the rest of your meta-bolic waste.”

NO ADJUSTMENTS The 45-minute session starts

off reasonably slowly — pedal at around 50 per cent for 30 sec-onds, increase the momentum to 75 per cent for another 30 seconds, then full blast 100 per cent for 30 seconds; and then back to 50 per cent. The work-out features a warm-up, accel-eration and a stretching phase. You have to sit down, stand up and hang off the back off the bike. It also squeezes in upper body toning exercises as well as some ab work by hooking your feet around the handle bars to do crunches and oblique twists.

Unlike other classes, AquaSpin doesn’t require you to make speed adjustments to the bike.

“When you have these dif-ficulty levels, you put on an unnatural resistance that’s not constant and it puts a lot of pressure on your joints, espe-cially the knee caps,” says Anto-nuccio. “I’m totally against this extra resistance. When you start the class you spin really slowly

so you don’t feel the resistance that much but if you push your-self to make it hard it’ll work better.”

As you’re the only judge to the level of resistance aren’t people tempted to cheat? “The ball is in your court — the hard-er you pedal the more you get out of this workout,” says Anto-nuccio. “You alone know your maximum pace and that’s why it’s adaptable for everyone.”

AquaSpin has a very wide tar-get market, but it mainly targets people in the 30-45 age group. Antonuccio believes that’s when you’re looking for newer ways to work out. “Also for women — that’s when you start having ba-bies,” she says. “It’s a very good workout for pregnant women (excluding those in their first trimester), and most of the time early osteoporosis happens in the 30s for females.

“Men participate for differ-ent reasons. They usually come when they’re training for a race. We mostly have triathletes or those with spine injuries.”

While it’s ideal for those with joint injuries and other health concerns, Antonuccio advises participants to inform the in-structor beforehand.

If you’re looking to shake up your gym routine, AquaSpin is worth diving into. n

SPLASH!MAKE A

“It’s harder than

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class as you’re

working against the

constant flow of

water, which has a

lot more resistance

than air.”

Alicia AntonuccioCo-founder of AquaSpin

TRY IT

Fairmont The Palm’s AquaSpin promises to slash 800 calories and nix cellulite. Classes cost Dh75. Call 04 457 3330, or visit fairmont.com

These underwater bikes are the only ones that can be used without shoes. This is good, as water shoes

can block the blood flow and you might get more cramps

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ALICIA ANTONUCCIO

7Monday, October 24, 2016 Life Alternatives

If you have a product to feature, email us at [email protected]

SPARKLY WHITE SMILEHimalaya Herbals has launched the Sparkly white toothpaste, which promises healthier, whiter teeth in just two weeks. Based on plant enzyme technology from papaya and pineapple, the Sparkly white toothpaste re-moves surface stains on teeth in two weeks without any chemical bleach leaving your teeth whiter and sparkling. Miswak and other natural astrin-gents in this toothpaste help reduce gum bleeding and inflammation.

Himalaya Herbals has collaborated with specialist dentist Dr Osvaldo Minasi from Medeor Hospital to help you get a healthy smile in an organic way. Bleaching can cause tooth sensitivity, gum irritation, bluish enamel and uneven whiteness. There also are chances that its harmful chemicals could seep into a cracked tooth or an unfilled cavity. A stain-removing toothpaste such as Himalaya Sparkly White, which has no bleach and chemi-cals ensures a safe and organic way of cleaning of your teeth and keeping them white. Price Dh8.75Available at stores across the UAE

COMPILED BY KRITA COELHO

TOP ESSENTIALSMUST HAVE

■■ 37° CUP

Designed by Yuanyuan Liu and Yonggang RaoTSINGHUA UNIVERSITY, CAM-BRIDGE UNIVERSITYThe 37° Cup is a baby bottle that integrates both cooling and heating functions to aid mothers. In order to feed their children with safe and healthy breast milk, mothers who work during the day often have to carry heavy ice packs to cool breast milk, while babysitters must warm up the milk before feeding. 37° Cup incorporates temperature into the device. It connects to mobiles via Bluetooth, allowing it to record the precise time the milk was refriger-ated, making it easier to regulate the baby’s feeding habits and to monitor the temperature.

The second Global Grad Show, held as part of the Dubai Design Week, features 145 projects from 50 leading universities. Eduan R. Maggo compiles some of the innovative health-focused onesFROM STUDENTS WITH LOVE

■■ AXIOM

Designed by Ella Yuna Jeong, Ellie (Hyejin) Cho, Jonah (Cheng Che) Lu and Matthew CadizARTCENTER COLLEGE OF DESIGNAxiom is a weight-training system that directs athletes through three types of tactile feedback (direc-tional, beat and ripple), acting as a personal trainer. Textile sensors, EMG sensors and haptic sensors are woven into the suit’s polyes-ter spandex to detect the user’s anatomical structure and biome-chanics, muscle recruitment order and movements. These activators magnetically attach to the electri-cal contact points to transfer data to the app, giving users real-time feedback after the workout.

■■ HUGSY

Designed by Lisa Smits, Sylvie Claes, Jiachun Du and Miguel Cabral GuerraEINDHOVEN UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGYHugsy is a swaddling blanket that simulates Kangaroo Care (KC), a method of caring for a premature baby based on daily skin-to-skin contact with a parent. It is de-signed for neonatal ICUs, where its positioning bags hold the baby in place on the parent’s chest. Mean-while, the parent’s heartbeat is re-corded and their scent is absorbed into the blanket’s fabric. When the baby is returned to the incubator, the parent’s heartbeat is played back, while the baby remains con-nected to the parent’s scent.

■■ FLAIR

Designed by Sim Hao JieNATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF SINGAPORE, DIVISION OF INDUSTRIAL DESIGN Flair is a botanical air purifier for urban apartment dwellers. This organic air cleaner harnesses a plant’s natural capabilities to purify the air. Drawing on Nasa research, it removes common household compounds, including formaldehyde and other toxins and recirculates clean air into the home while beautifying it.

■■ LEVIT8

Designed by Poh Hui Qing, Andri-ana Justine and Letitia LimNATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF SINGAPORE, DIVISION OF INDUSTRIAL DESIGN Levit8 is an affordable, multi-pur-pose flat-folding portable stand-ing desk. From what appears to be an unassuming magazine, Levit8 transforms any ordinary desk into a sit-stand desk. It has no parts and requires no assembly; its func-tionality and form originates from a simple origami technique — the box-spiral fold. With minimal time and financial cost, users can eas-ily alternate between sitting and standing, breaking the unhealthy routine of our largely sedentary, computer-centred work lives.

■■ NEO2

Designed by Michelle Gerullis, Julia Regnath and Li ShaoUNIVERSITY OF DESIGN SCHWÄBISCH GMÜNDNEO2 is a small and lightweight oxygen concentrator for peo-ple suffering from chronic lung disease. Surrounding air is com-pressed to supply a continuous flow of pure oxygen while freeing patients from the burden of carry-ing around oxygen tanks. The de-vice is battery-powered; if the user needs more power, they simply attach more batteries. The user controls the oxygen flow with a detachable remote control, even if NEO2 is carried in a backpack or on the nightstand, thus encourag-ing independence and mobility.

The Global Grad Show is held at d3 (building 6) during Dubai

Design Week, October 24-29. The exhibition is free to attend.

Visit dubaidesignweek.ae

ENJOY THE SUN Klapp Cosmetics, a German beau-ty products range, has launched its Immun Sun body protection spray. Made with natural ingredi-ents like aloe vera, it counteracts premature aging and skin cancer, providing high protection for the body with a light texture.

Neutralising the climatic condi-tions, Immun Sun is well tolerated to sweat and its water resistant texture is ideal for leisure and sport. It is available in SPF 30 and SPF 50 varieties. Price Dh125Available at Enigma Beauty Group and retails stores across the region

PERFECT LEGGINGSTIMA Love Life has the perfect leggings for a good workout. It uses a unique blend of fabric, a calculated combination of sup-plex, lycra, and Nylon. TIMA fab-ric is able to wick away sweat and moisture from the skin and disperse it throughout the outer layers without soaking the cloth.

The fabric stretches up to 40 per cent of its original size, so the fit conforms to your body. It also dries faster than cotton, and requires lit-tle to no-ironing. Price From Dh290Available for free delivery across the GCC at timalovelife.com

The Holistic Healing Medical Centre guides people to a state of coherence where the brain and heart are in balance

We live in an age where we’re constantly en-couraged to live authentic or sin-

cere lives, to be true to who we are, or what we say. This, the argument goes, is the key to living happy, fulfilled lives.

“We’re all told to unlock our potential, to strive to per-fection,” says Dr Ludmila Vas-silieva, general practitioner, homeopath and founder of the Holistic Healing Medi-cal Centre in Dubai, and the medical centre aims to facili-tate that process.

Opened more than two decades ago, the centre has found a shortcut, as it were, to this form of personal evo-lution by combining ancient wisdom with the latest scien-tific methods. It takes a ho-listic approach and treats the person as a whole, as a com-plete human being. There’s a focus on the importance of the psychosomatic, and an examination of physical man-ifestations of inner states.

Dr Vassilieva explains the link between the physical and the psychological. “Your health manifests in your emo-tions, and you can’t look at them in isolation. The sum is greater than the parts.

“And happiness is achieved when there is harmony be-tween mind and body.”

If your brain and heart are in balance, it leads to a state of coherence where genius resides. “If you’re happy and healthy, your sense of inno-vation increases.”

The centre uses what it calls the Holistic H.I.G.H. Tech: H.I.M.E. system to scan a per-son’s happiness, innovation, ge-nius and health in order to en-hance their harmony, intuition, mindfulness and empathy. It is adapted from military use, but where security organisations would, for instance, use the system to scan the behaviour of crowds such as at the Olym-pic Games, the centre focuses not on facial features but on a person’s energy. This produces not just the state of a person’s energy but also the factors that influence it, which allows Dr

Vassilieva and her team to work towards harmonisation.

She points to studies that have shown the crucial role empathy plays in group inter-actions, socially and even in the professional world. “Empathy is a predictor of ethical lead-ership,” she says. “So it makes business sense.”

At the first interaction, a cli-ent’s health is assessed through their energy, down to DNA level. Their state of happiness is also examined, also through their energy. Based on the results, cli-ents meet with therapists and a course of action is formulated.

EDUAN R. MAGGO Treatment takes the form of natural healing and reju-venation to harmonise the body through the likes of homeopathy, Ayurveda and acupuncture. The happi-ness treatments employ the latest technology to enlist energy, frequency and vibra-tion through breathing, mu-sic and light. “For example, patients take away instruc-tional mediums they can access through their mobile phones or on a PC which guides them through proper breathing exercises.”

There are also music piec-es to listen to that affect your brainwaves and heart-beat, and the same with the light exercises.

“Because we use modern technology you have instant biological feedback, and you can see in real time through doing the activity how your body responds. By changing the vibration you can achieve a state of harmony.”

Technology is also applied in other ways. For example, clients can access a state of hypnagogia — the transition-al state between being awake and being asleep — in only 20 minutes, a process that takes practitioners of medi-tation years to perfect. In the process, says Dr Vassilieva, you have access to immense relaxation and a boost in creativity that everyone can benefit from.

The medical centre wel-comes everyone, says Dr Vas-silieva. “Feeling happy and a sense of fulfilment are addic-

tive. And personal evolution isn’t a finite process.” n

Achieve harmony betweenBODY AND MIND

Try it: Visit the Holistic Healing Medical Centre in Dubai at Villa 101, Street 17 C, Al Wasl Road Healthholistic.com; [email protected]; 04 348 7172

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