Better HealthYOUR WEEKLY DOSE OF HEALTH

A GULF NEWS SPONSORED SUPPLEMENT

Infographic: Pranith Ratheesan | Pictures: Shutterstock

■■ RESEARCHERS LINK HEALTHY AGEING TO DIETIn one of the largest microbiota studies conducted in humans, researchers at Western Univer-sity, Lawson Health Research Institute and Tianyi Health Sci-ence Institute in Zhenjiang, Ji-angsu, China have highlighted a potential link between healthy ageing and a healthy gut.

“The aim is to bring novel mi-crobiome diagnostic systems to populations, then use food and probiotics to try and improve biomarkers of health,” said Gre-gor Reid, Professor at Western’s Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry. The study was pub-lished in the journal mSphere.

■■ EAT BROCCOLI FOR A HEALTHY GUT, SAYS STUDYThe researchers at Penn State suggest that cruciferous vegeta-bles — such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts and cabbage — may help promote a healthy gut.

In the study, when mice ate broccoli with their regular diet, they were better able to tolerate digestive issues similar to symp-toms of leaky gut and colitis than mice that were not placed on a broccoli-supplemented diet, according to Gary Perdew, Pro-fessor in Agricultural Sciences, Penn State.

■■ LEARN AND STAY SLIM TO LIVE LONGERScientists at the University of Edinburgh analysed genetic information from more than 600,000 people to suggest that those who are overweight cut their life expectancy by two months for every extra kilogram of weight they carry. The study has also found that education leads to a longer life, with almost a year added for each year spent studying beyond school.

Other key findings are that people who give up smoking and are open to new experiences may live longer.

This week in

Global News

DHA GOES DIGITAL FOR A DAYOn October 26, service centres will close in a bid to encourage use of the authority’s smart services

Pic

ture

s: G

etty

In line with the A Day without Service Centres initiative, a number of Dubai Health Authori-ty (DHA) services will

be closed to customers on October 26 for transactions that can be completed on smart channels.

A Day Without Service Centres was launched by His Highness Shaikh Mo-hammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to boost the use of government apps and e-services.

DHA will cease some of its services at the Medical Educa-tion Department and Health Regulation Department. Shaikha Al Rahoomi, Direc-

tor of Customer Relations at DHA, stressed the importance of the initiative, which aims to achieve Dubai government’s strategy to transform the city into a smart one.

“By promoting the use of online services, we are not only achieving the Dubai government strategy but we are also saving time, money and reducing crowdedness at DHA centres,” she said.

SWITCH TO ONLINEShaikha Al Rahoomi added

that the services that will be ceased on October 26 can be completed online or via apps.

Contracts and purchase transactions can be completed on Mazad, the app that allows investors and companies to view all the biddings offered by DHA. The Health Regu-

NOOR NAZZAL

Getty

06Ramp up your fitness with outdoor exercises

07How to spot the warning signs of breast cancer

ISSUE 58: OCTOBER 23, 2017

TAKE UP THE 30x30 FITNESS CHALLENGEStudies show 30 days of physical activity has more chance of creating a permanent lifestyle change

40%are pre-diabetic

UAE STATS

of UAE residents are overweight

11.9%morbidly

obese

36.1%borderline

obesity

19.3%of the UAE population is diabetic

30%36%

1,500free workout classes at 88 fitness and sports

facilities

Adults should get a minimum of

150 minsof aerobic exercise

every week

Pop-up fitness

locations

75

Centres for Disease Control and Prevention

lation Department’s Sheryan online licensing system and the medical fitness system (Sa-lem) can be completed via the DHA website.

Services that will be stopped at the Medical Educa-tion Department on the 26th include requests to register in the Dubai Residency Training Programme, for residency re-search, ethical approval on a research project and new med-ical research project.

The services that will be ceased in the Health Regula-tion Department’s Sheryan system include requests to add a new speciality in a medical facility licence, for new med-ical facility licence, to cancel professional licence from the facility licence and cancel pro-fessional part-time licence by facility administrator. n

Improves cardiovascular

endurance

Lowers your blood pressure

Releases endorphins, improving

mood

Improves heart health

Regulates cholesterol

Burns calories

BENEFITS OF

30 MINSOF DAILY CARDIO

2 Monday, October 23, 2017Health News

Just mention acid reflux at a social gathering and either you will find some-one who suffers from it or a person who knows

another that has it.Gastro-oesophageal reflux

disease (GERD) or acid reflux is more common than it was a de-cade ago. According to one Nor-wegian study, there has been a 50 per cent rise in the number of GERD cases over the past ten years.

Acid reflux occurs when the stomach’s contents, which in-clude food and acidic digestive juices, escape upwards into the gullet or oesophagus. This can irritate the oesophagus and cause heartburn and other symptoms.

In rare cases, the condition is linked to an increase of gullet or oesophageal cancer, which is difficult to treat successfully. “It has now become a common disease,” says Dr Mustafa Sabri, Consultant Gastroenterologist at Rashid Hospital. “Almost 40 per cent of the population have acid reflux with varying severity. Of these, 20 per cent complain of symptoms once per week while between 7 and 10 per cent report daily symptoms. Modern lifestyles are a contrib-utor to several non-communica-ble diseases and acid reflux is one of them.

“In our clinic, we have seen a steady rise in the number of patients with the disease. Many do not even visit a doc-tor until symptoms worsen, so the real number of suf-ferers is much higher.”

Poor health choices and stress can all be triggers for acid re-flux so in addition to medication, Dr Sabri asks patients to focus on behavioural modi-fications. “We ask pa-

tients to deal with underlying causes such as obesity, a poor lifestyle, smoking and unhealthy eating habits. We ask them to do simple things such as elevate the head of the bed before sleep-ing and diet modifications.

“Possible complications of continued reflux of acid are the development of ulceration at the lower oesophagus with sub-sequent oesophageal narrowing and less frequent complications are pre-cancer of the lower oe-sophagus.”

Dr Sabri explains that al-though rates of such a com-plication are low, it is still advisable for patients to seek medical advice for reflux in-stead of ignoring and living with the symptoms. “Proper investi-gation, medica-tion and lifestyle management is a multi-disciplinary approach that pa-tients should follow.” n

“In our clinic, we

have seen a steady

rise in the number

of patients with the

disease. Many

patients do not even

visit a doctor until

symptoms worsen.”

Dr Mustafa SabriConsultant Gastroenterologist, Rashid Hospital, DHA

TAKE THE ACID TESTIf you suffer from heartburn and indigestion, the symptoms may indicate that you’re suffering from acid reflux

KAMAKSHI GUPTA

■■ LARGEST OPTICAL TRADE SHOW IN THE MIDDLE EAST ■■ DUBAI HEALTH AUTHORITY CONCLUDES ITS PARTICIPATION AT GITEX TECHNOLOGY WEEK 2017

■■ QUALITY MANAGEMENT AND ACCREDITATION INITIATIVES TO MAINTAIN EXCELLENCE IN HEALTHCARE

His Excellency Humaid Mohammed Obaid Al Qutami, Chair-man of the Board and Director-General of DHA, opened the Middle East’s largest optical trade show, Vision-X 2017 last week, welcoming recognised industry brand names from around the region and the world. Al Qutami toured the venue and met numerous exhibitors gathered for the three-day exhi-bition, which ran until October 19 at Dubai World Trade Centre. Many of the major brands and luxury names that dominate the industry showcased their latest designs.

The Vision-X Opticare Conference ran alongside the three-day exhibition and is held in cooperation with the Internation-al Association of Contact Lens Educators and the European Academy of Optometry and Optics. DH

A Ne

ws

Pictures: Supplied

Pictures: Getty and Shutterstock

DHA concluded its participation at Gitex Technology Week 2017 on Thursday. During the one-week exhibition DHA signed a number of MoUs and exhibited its latest innovative services and applications in the healthcare field of Dubai.

DHA and The General Directorate of Residency and Foreign Affairs Dubai signed an MoU on the sidelines of the 37th edition of Gitex to promote medical tourism in Dubai, exchange knowl-edge and elevate health services offered at DHA facilities. It also signed an MoU with Etisalat to launch an app that supports doctors in stroke diagnoses from anywhere, and an MoU with the RTA to strengthen strategic relations between them both in the field of corporate performance, governance and legal affairs.

The Dubai Health Authori-ty will continue its efforts to seek international accredi-tations and enhance quality management for its health fa-cilities, said Dr Ahmed Ibrahim Bin Kalban, CEO of Hospital Services Sector at the DHA.

“The DHA understands the value and importance of medical quality management and international healthcare accreditations in order to achieve and maintain excel-lence in healthcare,” said Dr Bin Kalban. “A majority of our facilities have been accredited and reaccredited subsequently.”

Bin Kalban said that the sector is pursuing Joint Commis-sion International (JCI) accreditation for ambulatory care stan-dards in Dubai Diabetes Centre and network accreditation for 10 Medical Fitness Services Centres in the first half of 2018. Furthermore, Dubai Hospital will pursue advanced JCI Clinical Care Program Certification for Management of acute myocardi-al infarction, chronic kidney disease and end-stage renal failure while Latifa Hospital will work at management of neonatal hy-poglycaemia in the immediate neonatal period and Hatta Hospi-tal will engage in management of hypertension.

Wear loose-fitting clothes Do not wear tight clothing or belts that constrict your stomach.

FACTORS THAT CONTRIBUTE TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF REFLUX INCLUDE:

Overeating and obesity

Stress

Increase in intra-abdominal pressure, by pregnancy, chronic cough and tight clothes

Unhealthy lifestyle: smoking, eating fatty and calorie-rich food

Delayed emptying of the stomach, especially in diabetics

Development of hiatus hernia (upper part of the stomach slides up through diaphragm opening, hiatus)

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE CONDITION

Lose weight Obesity is the leading cause of GERD. Abdominal wall fat places pressure on your abdomen, pushing gastric juices up into the oesophagus.

Avoid foods known to cause reflux If you’re at risk for GERD, avoid: Fatty, spicy and acidic foods such as tomatoes and citrus, coffee or other caffeinated beverages as well as carbonated drinks

Eat smaller meals

Don’t lie down after eating Wait at least two hours before you lie down after a meal.

Elevate your bed Raising the head of your bed six to eight inches can help keep gastric acid down in your stomach.

Review your medications Some medications can increase your risk of GERD, either by relaxing the LES, interfering with the digestive process, or further irritating an already inflamed oesophagus. These medications include non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, calcium channel blockers, certain asthma medications, anticholinergics, allergy medications, bisphosphonates, sedatives and painkillers, some antibiotics, potassium and iron tablets. If you take any of these medications, talk to your doctor.

Quit smoking

Water brash; reflex salivation in response to oesophageal

acid.

Cough at night; reflux of

acid on lying down, which can reach the

upper respiratory areas.

Chest pain because

of oesophageal contraction in

response to acid reflux.

Difficult or painful

swallowing, usually in

complicated cases.

SYMPTOMS OF GERD

PREVENTION OF GERD

Lower oesophageal sphincter Lower oesophageal sphincter open, allowing acid reflux

Oesophagus

Diaphragm

Stomach

HEALTHY STOMACH

GERDSTOMACH

ACID REFLUX

Heartburn; feeling of

burning in the upper abdomen

and chest.

Fluid and food

regurgitation, especially with

straining, during sleep and tight

clothing.

3Health NewsMonday, October 23, 2017

The Dubai Health Au-thority (DHA) and The General Director-ate of Residency and Foreign Affairs Dubai

(GDRFA-D) is joining hands to promote medical tourism in Dubai, exchange knowledge and elevate health services offered at DHA facilities.

His Excellency Humaid Al Qutami, Chairman of the Board and Director-General of the DHA and Major General Mo-hammad Al Marri Director Gen-eral of the GDRFA-D signed a

memorandum of understanding (MOU) earlier this month to strengthen Dubai’s position as a global destination for medical tourism by easing visa proce-dures for medical tourists seek-ing treatment in Dubai.

As part of the MoU both par-ties will also collaborate in pro-moting their services — which support medical tourism in Dubai — on social media chan-nels and through websites www.dxh.ae and www.dnrd.ae.

They will also be coordinat-ing to establish a mechanism to issue medical tourism visas for patients coming from abroad.

Furthermore, the MoU will also ease availing of health services in DHA hospitals and abroad for GDRFA-D employees. While the GDRFA-D will simplify mechanisms for violating de-parting long-term patients who are in hospital.

As part of the MoU both parties will hold workshops to familiarise employees and cus-tomers about their joined ser-vices, exchange knowledge and skills to achieve sustainable development and institution-al leadership and partner in electronic integration to facili-tate services in the field of med-ical tourism.

Commenting on the MoU, Al Qutami emphasised the importance of collaborating

with GDRFA-D, as it spares no effort in supporting the DHA’s goals, especially those relat-ed to promoting Dubai as a number one destination for medical tourism

He said the MoU provides an opportunity to implement ini-tiatives and joint programmes that are in line with the Dubai strategy adding that the MoU’s goals, which includes exchang-ing knowledge, promoting med-ical services and supporting the authority’s medical services serves all customers in Dubai and abroad.

NEW AGREEMENT TO PROMOTE DUBAI MEDICAL TOURISM

Al Marri on the other hand said GDRFA-D spares no effort in strengthening its relations with Dubai governments and departments to support the developmental drive of all sec-tors in Dubai especially the health sector.

He said the MoU provides an opportunity to exchange knowl-edge, enhance services and ele-vate the level of health services provided in Dubai to ultimately achieve customer satisfaction.

Dubai aims to attract 500,000 medical tourists by the year 2020, as part of Dubai, a Global Destination for Medical Tourism project launched last year by Shaikh Hamdan Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Mak-toum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Executive Council of Dubai.

The project launched by Shaikh Hamdan aims to pro-mote the Dubai Health Expe-rience (DXH) by providing the first-of-its-kind website in the world that has all the relevant medical tourism facilities in-cluding medical tourism pack-ages, tickets, hotel booking etc. under a single portal known as www.dxh.ae.

As part of the project, a ded-icated medical tourism website and app was launched. Through the website www.dhx.ae and DXH app, a tourist seeking treat-ment abroad will also be able to learn about the medical ser-vices available, which includes surgery, orthopaedics, ophthal-mology, dental, treatments and specialised tests, to name a few.

The project will be imple-mented by the DHA, with the aim of revitalising medical tourism in the city and making Dubai a favourite global desti-nation for medical tourism.

The project aims to attract 500,000 tourists by the year 2020 to advance Dubai’s sta-tus in the international map of medical tourism, hence benefit-ing from its promising invest-ment opportunities. ■

“The MoU provides

an opportunity to

implement

initiatives and joint

programmes that

are in line with the

Dubai strategy.”

His Excellency Humaid Al QutamiChairman of the Board and Director-General, DHA

DHA is working towards attracting 500,000 annual visitors for treatment to the city by 2020

NOOR NAZZAL

DHA and GDRFA-D have agreed to promote Dubai as a medical tourism destination through both online and social media

Picture: Nadeem Rasheed

iStock

SMART COMMUNICATION FOR IMPROVED PATIENT CARE

DHA’s new system at Latifa Hospital aims to make treatments more efficient and safer

Latifa Hospital recently an-nounced the implemen-tation of an intelligent

communication technology that aims to help improve patient care, safety and satisfaction.

The new system — from Vocera Communication, a recognised leader in clinical communication and workflow solutions — aims to improve staff response times and cre-ate a quieter environment for patients using secure text mes-saging and hands-free voice communication at the 344-bed hospital.

His Excellency Humaid Al Qutami, Chairman of the Board and Director General of Dubai Health Authority (DHA), said the adoption is an important step in utilising technology to better serve customers, which is in line with the Dubai Govern-ment strategy of converting the city into a smart one.

The system will help doctors better communicate with each other to accomplish customer satisfaction. It will be launched in all DHA facilities in the next phase as it is compatible with existing smart technology.

Dr Muna Tahlak, CEO of Latifa Hospital, said DHA is on a mission to create a smart healthcare system and an im-portant component of that vi-sion is having an intelligent communication platform.

“The speed of connectivity will improve workflows and communication efficiency be-

tween nurses and doctors, which is critical for many cases such as emergency C-sections,” she said.

As the insurance legislation comes through and more people become insured, an increase in the number of patients served is expected. “Therefore we need to have the right infrastructure in place, and a smart communi-cation system is key to ensuring safe, high-quality patient care.”

Implementing an electronic health record (EHR) system is also part of the hospital’s ex-pansion plan. Integration with EHR and Vocera technology will help improve communication of critical lab results and other im-portant information to the right clinicians at the right time on their device of choice.

Brent Lang, President and CEO of Vocera, said the com-pany is excited to support

Latifa Hospital and be part of DHA’s mission to create a smart health system.

“The combination of Latifa Hospital’s clinical expertise and an intelligent communication system is sure to transform the healthcare experience for pa-tients, families and staff.”

Latifa Hospital is well known for its expertise in maternity ser-vices and is a referral hospital for high-risk deliveries because of its sophisticated neonatal intensive care unit, fetomater-nal services, and the paediatric surgery unit. A healthcare pi-oneer for almost 30 years, it is the oldest and largest maternity and paediatric government hos-pital in the emirate. Every year, about 6,000 deliveries take place at the hospital. In 2016, about 60,000 patients were treated at Latifa Hospital’s emergency department.

NOOR NAZZAL

The intelligent communication system will ensure safe, high-quality carePicture: Salak Abdul Kader

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POWER GRAINS

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4 5Nutrition Planet Nutrition Planet

DIET ADVICE

DR WAFAA AYESH Clinical Nutrition Director, Dubai Health Authority

DO OR DIET

All your nutrition queries answered by...

Are brown eggs healthier than white eggs? As far as rice, pasta, flour or bread go, brown is typically healthier than white. When you look at the egg carton that nutrition rule doesn’t hold true. Brown eggs and white eggs are, nutritionally at least, exactly the same: about 70 calories, 6g of protein, and a generous dose of vitamin B.

The difference in the colours lies in the type of chicken that lays the egg: in general chickens with white earlobes lay white eggs and chickens with brown (red) earlobes lay brown eggs. The earlobe colour may not be the same as the rest of a chick-en’s feathers, and not all chickens follow this rule.

If you’ve ever compared the prices, you must have noticed that brown eggs are more expensive than white eggs. But this isn’t an indicator of how healthy the eggs are. Brown eggs cost more than white eggs simply because they cost more to produce. Brown chickens are bigger than the white ones, so they eat more, which in turn costs farmers more.

Of course, there is one exception to that rule. What farmers feed chickens, whether they lay brown or white eggs, influ-ences their eggs’ impact on your health. For instance, vegetar-ian-fed chickens are not fed animal by-products, and organ-ically raised, cage-free hens aren’t fed anything that’s been treated with antibiotics or pesticides. The next time, don’t judge an egg by its colour—find out what the farmer fed the hen that laid it.

Why are omega-3 eggs better than regular eggs?Eggs with omega-3 on the label are different from regular eggs because they’ve been enriched with essential polyunsaturated fats. This is done by feeding hens a diet rich in omega-3 fats.

There are three types of omega-3 fats: alpha-linolenic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid, or ALA, EPA and DHA. The amount and type of omega-3 fatty acids found in eggs vary depending on the diet the hens are fed. Some eggs contain omega-3 in the form of ALA, while some have combined DHA and AHA omega-3 fatty acids.

Research has shown that omega-3 fats help your brain function properly and are necessary for proper growth and development. They also reduce inflammation and may reduce the risk of heart disease, cancer and arthritis. Researchers found that eating the omega-3 eggs resulted in lower blood glucose and apolipoprotein B, a component of LDL (a bad form of cholesterol). Eating omega-3 eggs also increased apo-lipoprotein A-1, a component of HDL, which is a beneficial type of cholesterol. These changes are linked to a decreased risk of diabetes and heart disease.

Q

Monday, October 23, 2017Monday, October 23, 2017

1REDUCE THE RISK OF HEART DISEASES Added sugar chronically raises insulin levels,

which activates the sympa-thetic nervous system, increasing blood pressure and heart rate, and over a period of time the pressure on the heart can lead to coronary heart disease

2 FATTY LIVER Eating too much sugar with limited or no exercise will force the liver to

convert the fructose into fat, which can lead to a fatty liver. Eventually the pancreas will be unable to secrete sufficient insulin to drive blood glucose into cells and that’s when people are diagnosed with diabetes.

3INSULIN RESISTANCE When people eat a lot of sugar, it can cause

resistance to the hormone insulin, which can lead to obesity or metabolic syn-drome.

4TYPE 2 DIABETES Because of the harmful effects of sugar on the function

of insulin, it is a leading driver of type 2 diabetes, which can cause blindness, amputation or severely decreased quality of life.

5AIDS THE GROWTH OF CANCER CELLS There is considerable evidence that sugar,

due to its harmful effects on metabolism, can contribute to the growth of cancer.

6PROMOTES WEIGHT GAIN Eating food with high fructose content does not

cause satiety in the brain or lower the hunger hormone ghrelin and over a period of time it leads to increased calorie intake, which if not burned with exercise leads to weight gain or obesity.

7NO ESSENTIAL NUTRIENTS Added sugars such as sucrose and high

fructose corn syrup contain a bunch of calories but no essential nutrients.

8BAD FOR YOUR TEETH Sugar provides easily digestible energy for

the bad bacteria in the mouth and this leads to tooth decay.

9ADDICTIVE Sugar causes a large release of dopamine in the brain hence it causes

addiction in a lot of people and when sugar is taken away people suffer from withdrawal symptoms, anxiety and depression.

10AIDS INFLAM-MATION AND ACNE Sugar aids inflamma-

tion and acts as an acne trigger. Reducing sugar intake dramatically reduces the breakout of acne in mid-life.

11SLEEP BETTER The crash from a sugar high leaves people with a

mid-day sluggishness and a desperate need for a nap, which interferes with the sleeping cycle. Giving up sugar allows you to be alert in the day and sleep well in the night.

12IMPACTS MEMORY A diet high in sugar hinders learning

and memory. Over time, eating lots of sugar may actually damage communication among brain cells leading to memory loss.

13WEIGHT LOSS Replacing sugary calories with other food

groups will reduce the amount of calories eaten, for example trading a sugary granola bar for a handful of almonds and over a period of time will help drop off the pounds.

Many of us associate sugar with treats. Being obedient or scoring top marks in school meant

being treated to a bar of your favorite chocolate, religious fes-tivals and key occasions were always celebrated with family, a bowl of umm ali or chocolate cake. Feeling sad after a fight with a friend? Reach for a quick fix of chocolate or a bowl of ice cream. From childhood to be-coming an adult, sugar has tru-ly been an integral part of our journey. We grew up believing it was nice, but is sugar really good for us?

Sugar is a fundamental mol-ecule in biology and human bodies need sugar as it makes

up the backbone of our DNA. It is an important source of food energy. During digestion, all food carbohydrates (starches and sugars) break down into single molecule sugars. These sugars are absorbed from the intestine into the blood stream and travel to the cells, where they are used to provide energy for cellular functions.

SUGAR IN MODERATION If sugar is essential for cel-

lular function then why are we told it’s bad for our health? “Unfortunately, refined or table sugar makes up a large part of our diet these days,” explains Dr Wafaa Ayesh, Director of Clinical Nutrition, DHA. “It adds excess calories and dis-places other healthy foods in our diet. Too much sugar can cause other deleterious effects

you cannot hide from it as sugar is not just in unhealthy snacks or fizzy drinks, it is everywhere. Vegetables such as beets, carrots, onions and many others contain sugar; these vegetables are full of fibre and a good source of vi-

tamins and minerals. Eating fruits reduces the risk of cardiovas-cular disease, diabetes and cancer and yet, a lot of healthy fruits such as strawberries, blueberries, bananas, mangoes and pineap-ples are high in sugar.

“A few years back I cut sugar off com-pletely from my diet and today I still pay the price,” says 36-year-old

Lebanese resident Rania Bad-awi Sheikh. “My thyroid and hormones got messed up and metabolism crashed. Later I learned that sugar when taken in certain quantities and at a certain times, it can have a heal-

From cardiovascular disease to diabetes, dental well-being, sleep quality and

memory, cutting down on refined sugar is healthy in many ways

Green smoothies with spirulina, spinach and blueberries. While consuming fruits reduces risk of cardiovascular disease, some are high in sugar

REASONS WHY...CUTTING DOWN SUGAR CAN CHANGE YOUR LIFE

The dangers of sugar abuse

ing effect such as lowering corti-sol levels. High cortisol releases excess oestrogen and no woman wants excess oestrogen in her body, especially when she is try-ing to conceive.”

Dr Wafaa says, “I would not suggest eliminating sugar com-pletely from your diet. People on the high end of the sugar con-sumption spectrum show ad-dict-like withdrawal symptoms including anxiety, restlessness and even depression.”

Since natural sugar is essen-tial to the body and necessary for providing energy, it is advis-able to for those cutting down to replace excess refined sugar in the diet with natural sugars such as glucose, fructose and lactose, which are naturally present in fruits, milks and products such as cereals and honey.

MAKING SMART CHOICESTen-year-old Mitchell Deed

from Australia was a total sugarholic who was struggling with paying attention in school. His teachers noted that he was sleepy at the start of the day and had low-energy patches so

called in his mum Carolyn for a chat. They suggested revamp-ing Mitchell’s diet and lifestyle choices.

While Carolyn was deciding on ways to make small changes, she and her son caught an Aus-tralian documentary. The film was an incredibly eye-opening documentary for Carolyn and Mitchell as it focused not only on sweets or fast food, junk and the obvious sugars in processed food but also the sugar found in items that can be low fat or are not as obviously drenched in sugar — cook-in sauces, pas-ta sauce, juices, yogurts, condi-ments, sauces, breads and more.

“After watching the film to-gether my mum and I started looking on the packets of the food in the fridge and the cup-board,” says Mitchell. “We then measured out in cups how much sugar I was having in my school lunch with a packet juice (six sugar teaspoons in a small box) bread (four teaspoons), pasta with red sauce (four teaspoons) and Madeline cakes, with 32 grams of sugar per serving.”

In the two weeks since he changed his diet, not only has Mitchell become the sugar po-lice in his family but he also feels he has more energy and plays more sport and he is not tired all the time.

“I don’t miss having sweets because when I had sweets I thought they gave me energy but then it makes you feel worse. So now if I have a sweet — as I did this week as my only sugary treat — it makes me feel really lethargic and tired,” explains re-formed sugarholic Mitchell. n

such as increased in-sulin levels, promotes inflammation, caus-es tooth decay, sup-presses the immune system and results in weight gain, which in turn causes an array of health issues.”

If you are looking to take care of your body and lose some weight, reducing the intake of refined sugar in the diet can directly lead to weight loss, helps nor-malise blood sugar, pre-vents insulin resistance, gives you more energy and keeps you fuller for longer, advises Dr Wafaa.

FROM SIZE XXL TO SIZE L

Benjamin Atkins, a 31-year-old British expat who is a Deputy Head Teacher at Sunmarke School, JVT, went down from size XXL to size L in less than six weeks by removing fizzy drinks, choc-olates and the two spoons of sugar in his tea. “I have a baby due in 2 weeks and hate exer-cising. I am not a gym fan so when I read that diet accounts for 70 per cent of your weight loss programme, I thought this was a good place to start. I de-cided to tackle my eating habits with the mentality that this is not a diet but healthy choices I am making for me.”

Atkins also replaced sand-wiches with salads, started drinking more water, stopped eating fast food and removed sugar from his diet. He in-vested in new scales, which he

linked to his iPhone and plotted a graph to visually track his weight loss jour-ney. He stopped accepting food at work meetings as a lot of this was junk. “Being con-scious of what you put in your mouth does not mean you stop enjoying eat-ing out,” explains Atkins, who is chasing a new 10kg weight-loss goal. “If I go to brunch tomorrow, I will choose my food wisely and pick things I enjoy eating.”

SUGAR IS EVERYWHERE You can run from sugar but

Preserving fruit and vegetables in jars is a great way to make chutneys, jams, pickle juice and other tasty

A popular item in school lunchboxes, some granola bars pack more refined sugar than others. Check the

Blueberries are a delicious replacement for refined sugar

snacks and can be used for preparing many types of

You may have a sweet tooth but there are many benefits to restricting the addictive substance in your diet. Better Health investigates

“I am not a gym fan

so when I read that

diet accounts for 70

per cent of a weight

loss programme, I

thought it was a

good place to start.”

Benjamin Atkins, who dropped 2 sizes in 6 weeks

PATRICIA TELLIS

SATAY TOFU AND EGGPLANT

Ingredients

● 1 tbsp vegetable oil● 400g sea scallops, cleaned, dried● 1 bunch Chinese broccoli, stems

sliced● 1 bunch choy sum, stems sliced● 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced● 227g can sliced water chest-

nuts, drained● 1 tbsp XO sauce● 1 tbsp hoisin sauce● 1 tbsp sweet chilli sauce● 1 tbsp dried shallots, to serve

Method

1 Heat half the oil in a wok or large frying pan on high. Stir-fry tofu in 2 batches for 1-2 minutes each side, until golden. Drain on paper towel.

2 Heat remaining oil in wok. Stir-fry eggplant for 3-4 minutes, until golden. Set aside. Add broccolini and onion and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes, until just tender.

Satay sauce1 Combine all the ingredients

in a small jug, stirring until smooth.

2 Return tofu and eggplant to wok with sauce, stirring until it simmers. Toss cabbage through until wilted. Serve.

Nutritious Chinese recipes for the family

Ingredients

● 2 tbsp peanut oil● 329g packet stir-fry tofu, sliced● 4 finger eggplants, sliced● 1 bunch broccolini, trimmed,

halved lengthways● 1 onion, sliced● 2 cups finely shredded Chinese

cabbage

Satay sauce● 1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter● 1/2 cup water● 2 tbsp hot chilli sauce● 2 tbsp kecap manis● 1 tbsp oyster sauce● 1/2 tbsp sesame oil

SERVES

4 SERVES

4

PREP TIME

15MINS PREP TIME

10MINS

COOKING TIME

15MINS COOKING TIME

12MINS

MARKET GREENS AND SCALLOPS IN XO SAUCE

Method

1 Heat oil in a wok or large frying pan on high heat. Pat scallops dry with paper towel. Stir-fry in 2 batches for 1-2 minutes each, until just cooked. Remove and set aside.

2 Add vegetable stems and garlic to wok. Stir-fry for 1-2 minutes, until just ten-der. Add water chestnuts and sauces. Stir-fry for further 2-3 minutes.

3 Return scallops to wok with green leaves. Toss through until just wilted. Sprinkle with dried shallots to serve.

CULINARY CORNER

WOK AND ROLL

■■ I HAVE BEEN SUFFERING FROM STOMACH CRAMPS WHEN I AM TRYING TO SLEEP. WHAT CHANGES SHOULD I MAKE TO MY DIET TO PREVENT THIS PROBLEM FROM RECURRING? Stomach cramps are a non-specific term and can be used to describe various issues that may not be muscle-specific. Many people associate abdominal pain with stomach cramps but your abdominal area is home to your intestine, your colon, gallbladder, liver and pancreas, so any issues with these organs could be the cause of your pain.Reasons for your pain could be anything from indigestion and food poisoning to IBS or even a lactose intolerance. Very occa-sionally, pain felt in the abdomen may even caused by issues with organs that are located close to, but are not in the abdomen, such as your lungs. The cause of your particular cramps could any of these factors. From experience, usual causes are incompatible foods, which vary person to person. As I mentioned, irritable bow-el syndrome is also a main cause of cramps. Avoid gas forming foods such as potatoes, onions, leafy vegetables, broccoli and cabbage. Milk products should also be kept under check. Do not make a dinner out of bread, mayonnaise, sweets, pastries and acidic fruits. Try to make warm evening meals, preferably with soups and well-cooked foods. Avoid heavy proteins such as meat and grilled items in the evening as a regular item. Preparations of white flour has to be avoided strictly from your diet.A traditional stroll after your evening meal is always advised to facilitate good digestion. Maintaining a good bowel is very vital for digestive health.

Thehealersclinic.com (04 385 5677)

HOLISTIC NUTRITIONNatural solutions to your dietary needs

Dr Saya PareethHomeopath and Medical Director, The Healers’ Clinic

Pictures: Getty

Recipes and pictures: CameraPress

6

CHIN-UPS ● Grip the bar with overhand

grip. Start from a dead hang and strictly pull your chin over the bar. Use rubber bands or a partner for assistance. This is one of the best upper body bodyweight strength

exercises, the focus is on your back and biceps.

JUMPING JACKS

● Start with your feet close and your arms to your sides.

Jump, open your legs wide while you lift your arms straight all the

way over your head. Try to stay on your toes as you jump. A full body

movement focusing on raising your heart rate.

Maximum Fitness

WALKING LUNGES

WITH TORSO TWIST

● Lunge forward alternating your legs while keeping your arms together straight, twist your torso

to the side of your front leg. This multi-plane movement will improve your strength, balance

and coordination.

Monday, October 23, 2017

As the weather cools, this efficient

workout will help you strengthen your whole body and will have you

sweating in no time

Head to Kite Beach this coming October 27 and 28 and you’ll get to enjoy a Fitness Carnival featuring

more than 40 activities. Pitch up on the sand and you’ll have an opportunity to work out with celebrity trainers, play individual or team sports and catch live entertainment. There’s also an opportu-nity to hit the water. This event’s open to swimmers of all abilities, with kayakers constantly accompanying you, to ensure everyone stays safe.

ON THE MAIN STAGEJoin Parveez Saligh for a special “ani-mal flow class”, to discover exercises

that engage the whole body and then sample a fitness session by Les Mills, a global leader of group fitness events that boasts more than 130,000 qualified fitness instructors.

Tune in live to Dubai-based radio personality Malavika Varadan, and ramp up your energy levels with a special fitness class or throw on your dancing shoes to test your skills at salsa, samba and more.

There’s also a chance to pick up new skills with hoops, balsa and ribbons as well as a free opportunity to work with experience trainers from Fitness First and Fly Wheel.

COME AND TRY THE EXCITING FITNESS ZONE Unleash your inner Ronaldo with beach soccer. Alternatively, choose from a host of other sports, including beach volleyball, beach cricket, paddle boarding, kayaking, kite surfing and more.

FUN FOR THE KIDSThe Children’s Fun and Fitness Zone will keep your whippersnappers amused with a choice of bubble soccer, a climbing wall, trampolines, a range of inflatables and a ball pond in addition to beach soccer, vol-leyball and cricket skills, ultimate Frisbee and a special kite surfing for kids class.

DFC HITS KITE BEACHNext weekend the Dubai Fitness Challenge will be continuing its healthy festivities in the heart of the city

OUTDOORS JOHN KARPATHAKIS

The General Manager and Head Trainer of F45

Dubai Marina gives us a 30 min bodyweight circuit that’s ideal to do

outdoors now that the mercury drops.

For more information follow @jktrainer and @F45_

training_dubaimarina or visit F45training.ae/

dubaimarina1

3 4

WARMUP: 20 BURPEES

4 LAPS — 45 SEC WORK, 15 SEC REST BETWEEN STATIONS, 1 MIN REST BETWEEN LAPS

COOL DOWN,

STRETCHING 2 MIN Pictures: Stefan Lindeque

FROG JUMP, RETURN RUNNING

BACKWARDS● A lower body focused explosive

movement, this plyometric drill will increase your strength as

you squat and jump as far as you can, and also your speed

as you run backwards to where you started.

2

THE GREAT

7Monday, October 23, 2017 Life Alternatives

For Breast Cancer Awareness month, Better Health meets three UAE residents who have battled the disease. Patricia Tellis shares their inspiring stories

SURVIVING WITH COURAGE

“The news that I had tested positive for breast cancer was a shock,” recounts Pippa Dilley whose life turned upside down in March when she found a lump in her right breast during a routine self-examination. “It came out of the blue, so that evening I went out with my close friend to let the news sink in.

“My first reaction was to call one of my closest friends in the UK who had been through breast cancer,” says Pippa. “She told me to go to the doctor immediately.”

The next day she went to the doctor. He sent her for a mammogram and then after receiving the results asked her to go for a breast ultra-sound. “I was at work when the doctor emailed me the results,” she says. “The news was devastating and the manner in which the results were shared just showed the callous approach to patient care and well-be-ing. Needless to say, I changed hospitals!”

After that, the whole month was a blur for Pippa who spent most of her time in hospitals between CT scans, MRIs and doctors’ appointments. Meanwhile, her family back in Spain and the UK were clueless about her illness. Luckily she had a close friend for emotional sup-port.

At the end of the month, she flew back to Spain and then the UK to share the news with her son and mum in person. Unfor-tunately for Pippa, her mother was hospitalised a day before she landed in the UK. The next three weeks, Pippa struggled between caring for her ailing mother and the demands of her doctors to return to Dubai and commence treatment imme-diately.

Pippa was wheeled in for a surgery the very next day of returning to Dubai. Unfortunately, in the same week she lost her mother to illness.

Still recuperating from the surgery Pippa was advised to undergo four chemo sessions, which were aggressive and left her feeling tired and weak all the time. “Chemo affects everything in your body, so now all my bones and joints ache, my nails are sore, and my fingers are numb so much that I can’t use the finger scanner at work to get into the office!” says Pippa.

The bright side of this story: Pippa is looking forward to her upcoming trip back home after an eight-month travel embargo imposed by her doctor. “Five of my friends and family are flying over to be with me on my last session, which is amazing,” shares Pippa.

Post her holiday she will return to Dubai to start her radiation for four weeks.

With breast cancer ac-counting for nearly 40 per cent of cancer di-

agnoses in the UAE, it’s import-ant to understand the disease to improve your risk of recovery. In fact, if detected in the first stage of the illness, breast cancer is 100 per cent curable.

DHA recommends that wom-en over the age of 40 go for a mammogram once a year to en-sure that The disease is combat-ed as early as possible.

4 RISKS TO BE AWARE OFHere are some hereditary and

lifestyle factors that can place you at a higher risk of contract-ing breast cancer.

RELATIVES WHO HAVE SUFFERED FROM CANCERIf your blood relatives have

been diagnosed with breast can-cer, there is a higher chance of you suffering from the disease. If you have first-degree relatives such as a mother or sister who has suffered from breast or ovar-ian cancer, you should ensure you are screened regularly. The same principle applies if you

have cousins, aunts or grandpar-ents who have a history of can-cer. According to Breastcancer.org, between 5 and 10 per cent of all cases of the disease have been linked to abnormal genes passed from mother to daughter, with the most common genes be-ing inherited BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes.

OBESITYA study published in The

Lancet in 2008 found a 12 per cent risk increase of contracted breast cancer in women with a five point increase in BMI. This rises to postmenopausal women who are obese, with the risk fac-tor increasing to between 20 and 40 per cent.

LATE PREGNANCYStudies have linked the hor-

mones that are produced by the ovaries with an increased inci-dence of breast cancer. Factors such as waiting until later in your life before you have chil-

dren, choosing not to breastfeed your baby and a late arrival of menopause have all be linked with an increased probability of contracting breast cancer. The link between the disease and female sex hormones also applies to menstruation, with women who start their periods at a younger age at higher risk of contracting the disease.

SMOKING AND DRINKINGAs with many diseases, your

lifestyle choices can have a di-rect effect on your chances of be-coming sick with breast cancer, particularly in the case of young-er premenopausal women who smoke. Additionally, smokers have a higher risk of suffering blood clots when taking hormon-al therapy medicines. They also tend to heal slower after surgery. Women who regularly drink al-cohol are also at a higher risk as studies have linked oestrogen, which increases through alcohol consumption, and hormone-re-ceptor-positive breast cancer. In fact, Breastcancer.org reports that women who consume more than three drinks a week have a 15 per cent greater likelihood of contracting breast cancer. nDHA recommends women over 40 go for annual mammograms

Getty

PETER FEELY

WHY EARLY DETECTION IS KEY IN THE FIGHTAn understanding of the signs and symptoms of breast cancer can vastly improve your chances of survival

“On April 20, 2016, 45-year-old Amanda Fagan went for her annual mammogram appoint-ment — exactly one year after her last exam-ination. Amanda was particular about her mammograms as her maternal cousin (one

year younger) was fighting metastat- ic cancer, which had started as breast cancer. “I had been doing this for some years, so I was very relaxed, chatting to my sisters on WhatsApp as I waited to be called,” recounts Amanda.

After her mammogram the doctor asked to take some more images, then requested an ul-tra sound, which was normal for Amanda as she had very dense (lumpy) breasts. This is when her doctor informed her about a mass on her left breast and suggested a biopsy immediately.

Four days later, Amanda’s GP broke the bad news to her husband and her that she had breast cancer (invasive duc-tal carcinoma) and she would most probably need treatment and surgery.

After leaving the clinic, Amanda and her husband sat in the nearby coffee shop in shock, crying and deciding how to tell their family and their four children.

Amanda was diagnosed with three large tumours in her left breast and was tested hor-mone positive but BRCA (ge-netic) negative. She began her treatment with chemotherapy (which would take six months) and after that she had a radical double mastectomy and recon-struction. This was followed by 25 sessions of radiotherapy and 17 cycles of an IV drug that was a targeted hormone treatment.

“Chemotherapy is very diffi-cult and every patient has varying side effects. My heart muscle was

damaged and now I am on medication for the rest of my life along with anastrozole for five years to prevent the cancer returning and thyroid medication. I also had a bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy (re-moval of fallopian tubes and ovaries).

“My journey through cancer was definitely a very tough one but with the support of amazing friends and family I have come out the other side. I am now is remission and continue to live my life and enjoy every day.”

“People say to those with cancer ‘oh you are brave’,” says Catrin Hughes. “I’m not brave — you just have to get on with it. I’ve had incredible support from friends and family, and I can’t speak

highly enough of the medical team at the hospital who without exception have been brilliant.

“I was also fortunate to be put in touch with The Pink Ladies, a fabulous group of women who have been through, or who are going through, the same thing — their advice and support have been amazing.”

British national Catrin first felt a lump in her breast last December and knew im-mediately what it was. Not wanting to ruin Christmas for everyone, she waited until January to go to the GP who asked her to go for a CT scan and mammogram, which con-firmed the bad news. After var-ious scans, biopsies, tests and meetings with different special-ists, the results showed that Ca-trin had a hormone positive type of cancer — which is good news as it can hopefully be kept under control in the future by taking hor-mone blockers.

It was agreed that she would have a left mastectomy, followed by chemo and radiation. Catrin had her surgery in early February; she started chemo three weeks after. This involved four sessions of AC (known as the Red Devil because of its bright red colour) every three weeks, and 12 weekly sessions of Taxol. “Chemo itself isn’t at all painful — you lie in bed while they administer it via a port, which means it doesn’t batter your veins. I used the time to read, watch stuff and sleep. Having heard stories about the effects of chemo, I was dreading the next few months, but I was incredibly lucky and I didn’t have any real side effects apart from hair loss,” says Catrin.

She finished chemo in August and had a much-needed break in the UK. In September, Catrin started radiation and has five more sessions to go.

NAME AMANDA FAGAN NATIONALITY IRISH

“My heart muscle

was damaged and

now I am

on medication for

the rest of my life

along with

other drugs.”

“I was also

fortunate to be

put in touch

with The Pink

Ladies, a

fabulous group

of women who

have been

through the

same thing.”

“Chemo affects

everything in your

body, so now all my

bones and joints

ache, my nails are

sore, and my fingers

are numb.”

NAME CATRIN HUGHES NATIONALITY BRITISH

NAME PIPPA DILLEY NATIONALITY BRITISH