Habits irritate others the most

Find out which of your habits irritate others the most | GulfNews.com

Dubai: You may think the seemingly ‘little things’ you do like jumping queues and not throwing your garbage in the chute are excusable as very few people, if any, point it out to you.

Living in a cosmopolitan city has its own perks and perils. And it also comes with pesky issues that confront residents every day such as people parking irresponsibly, turning up late in meetings, littering, among others. Despite warnings, city fines, and common knowledge, some people’s habits prove really difficult to break.

Gulf News did a random and informal survey among 100 residents who live or work in Dubai to shed light on the habits people have that irritate them most. The results show problems with trash and parking are high up in residents’ list.

Asked what could have caused this apparent lack of discipline or loss of civility among some residents, Dr Saliha Afridi, clinical psychologist and managing director of the LightHouse Arabia Clinic, told Gulf News it all boils down to the residents’ innate cultural differences.

“Dubai is a very special city. It’s not a melting pot—people have not melted together. It’s actually like a salad bowl where everything exists separately. And so people are coming from their world, their background, their knowledge, their experiences and they’re thrown to work, on the roads, the malls. So, it’s not about being intolerant, it’s more of a culture shock that happens,” Dr Afridi said.

To read these 10 habits please click here !

Try to stop eating these type of easy-to-make meals.

Stop! This meal will do you no good | GulfNews.com

You know the drill: you get back from work late in the evening, are too tired to rustle up a meal from scratch and your family is hungry. If you are a bachelor, your are subject to all the aforementioned clauses too. So what do you do? You grab a few ready-to-eat meals, peel off the plastic from the top and heat it up in a microwave oven. Or if they come in aluminium foil, you place them in boiling water and your meal is ready in a jiffy. Throw in a few slices of bread or some leftover rice and your meal is done. No chopping, frying or the minutiae of garnishing with herbs and all those hassles.

The ready-to-eat meals industry grown at an astonishing pace over the last two decades. They come in a range of cuisines that can beguile the most committed cook. Italian? Mexican? Indian? Thai? Chinese? Greek? Take your pick. With more and more people leading busier lives, meal preparation is a chore most like to avoid at the end of a long day at work. It’s a given, then, that nutrition takes a backseat under the circumstances.

Many of these meals claim that they taste just like home-cooked meals. That’s an elevator pitch. The truth is that they are nowhere near as noutritious or wholesome or healthy as home-cooked emals.

1) According to a British study, not even one out of every 100 meals in the supermarket freezers complies with the nutritional guidelines set by the WHO (World Health Organisation).

2) The single most worrying aspect of ready-to-eat meals is that they are alarmingly high in slat and sugar levels. High salt and sugar consumption is a cause of many health proeblems from diabetes to hypertentison and heart disease. Adults should eat no more than 6gms of salt a day, that’s about 1 full teaspoon. Children should eat much less. The daily recommended amount of salt children should intake depends on their age. “Read the nutrition labels on food packaging to help you cut down on salt.” 

3) These meals also contain high amounts of fats, transfat and artificial colour. “All these can cause internal problems such as high blood pressure, and affect the heart and kidneys.”

4) Office goers who take along a noodle pot which simply needs boiling water and some standing time to cook, are particularly at risk of nutritional deficiences because these foods contain little health-giving nutrients.

“If you have to eat ready meals, then opt for the ones which have lower fat, lower salt content and fewer calories.”

5) Ready-to-eat meals are rich in presrvatives which is how they enjoy a long shelf life. Why would a chicken curry otherwise have a pouch life of 3 months? Some preservatives can be natural, like salt or sugar, or they can be complex chemicals manufactured in laboratories, and these can increase health risks.

6) Many of the ready-made meals have trans-fats which increase your levels of ‘bad’ LDL cholesterol and decrease ‘good’ HDL cholesterol. So limit foods that contain partially hydrogenated vegetable oil, hydrogenated vegetable oil or shortening.

7) Packaged meals frequently have their nutritional value compromised, as ingredients start to degrade over time. Vegetables lose their vitamins, grains lose their texture.

8) Diabetics should also be wary of such meals as they are usually high in calories and have larger portion size. “Most ready meals are over-sized. Even though that little package may seem to serve only one, many are actually for two or more servings.”

9) Many ready-to-eat meals claim they are low-fat. This entices people to eat more of them. Just because the packet says ‘low fat’ does not mean the food is low in calories. Portion control is important for all foods, even those claiming to be low in fat or calories. Check to see how many servings are in a pre-packed ready meal. Also, many meals have rich and creamy sauces as a base. 2,500 calories a day

Average requirement for a men

2,000 calories a day

Average requirement for a men

(These values can vary depending on age and levels of physical actvity, among other factors.)

10) Many pre-packaged meals contain high-fructose corn syrup and research is beginning to suggest that this liquid sweetener may upset the human metabolism, raising the risk for heart disease and diabetes. To spot fructose on a food label, look for the words ‘corn sweetener’, ‘corn syrup’, or ‘corn syrup solids’ as well as ‘high-fructose corn syrup.

11) “Most ready–to-eat meals are low in fiber and dietary fiber is one important dietary component to lowering cholesterol. The recommended intake of fiber is 20gms-35 gms for adults. A guideline as how to choose foods with good sources of fibre:

a) High fibre food. Tthe food product has 5 gms or more fiber per serving.

b) Good source of fibre’. The food product has 2.5gms to 4.9 gms of fibre per serving.

c) More or added fibre’. The food product has at least 2.5gms of fiber per serving.

12) if you must eat a ready meal, also eat a fresh salad as a side dish to compensate for lack of fibre and nutrients. Follow the meal with a fruit selection as well for a balanced effect.

“The healthiest and safest diet for us to consume is one that is rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and food that is cooked at home,” says Amera.

(Information: Amera Marian Varghese. nutritionist, Medcare Hospital, Dubai).

For more facts, click here!

How to Speak in a British Accent

How to Speak in a British Accent: 10 Steps 

Tips

• Also, one of the words in English which shows very easily which accent someone has is "Water". In Britain, it would sound more like "war-tah". In the U.S., it sounds more like "wa-der".

• When you say "at all" pronounce it like "a tall" but with a British accent.

• As well as accent, watch out for slang words, such as lads or blokes for boys and men, birds or lasses(in the north of England and in Scotland) for women. Loo for the toilet, but bathroom for a room you clean yourself in.

• When in doubt, watch Monty Python or Doctor Who. Watching Harry Potter can help too.

• With some very strong regional accents, there is a tendency to replace th with a ff - "through" may sound like "froo", and "birfday" for "birthday." Billie Piper of Doctor Who speaks this way.

• Always use British English words if they are different to US English. The British tend to be protective about the differences. In particular, use "rubbish" and "tap", not "trash" and "faucet". Also, it's good (but not essential) to say "schedule" with "sh_", not "sk_" but you must learn how to say "specialty" with 5 syllables, not three (as spe-ci-al-i-ty).

• As with any accent, listening to and imitating a native speaker is the best and fastest way to learn. Remember that when you were young you learned a language by listening and then repeating the words while imitating the accent.

• Listen to British peoples talk. It will improve your vocabulary.

• As a child, your ability for the ear to process different frequencies of sound is greater, enabling you to distinguish and reproduce the sounds of the languages that surround you. To effectively learn a new accent, you must expand the ability of your ear by listening over and over to examples of the accent.

• It is easier to learn accents by listening to people. A formal British accent can be heard on BBC news, where it can frequently be heard. Formal British speech is more deliberate and articulated than American, but as with newscasters everywhere, this effect is deliberately exaggerated for TV and radio broadcast.

To read the 10 steps, click here.

Surviving Eid with your waistline intact

Surviving Eid with your waistline intact | GulfNews.com

We’ve all worked hard during Ramadan, fasting and avoiding really fattening foods (well, some of us have and some of us haven’t), so with Eid upon us, the temptation is to think, finally, I can stuff my face and let go of all my restrictions! Right?

Wrong.

Beware of overeating this Eid, because not only will you put on weight more quickly, you could also fall sick. Having fasted and deprived your body of three proper meals and two snacks a day, your body is now in starvation mode, while your stomach has shrunk considerably due to the long hours spent without food or beverages. So if you overload it suddenly, you could suffer from one of two scenarios:

1. Gastroesophageal reflux: Under this condition your stomach just can’t handle the sudden deluge of food, and it regurgitates the food or drink.

2 Sudden weight gain: For those who manage to keep the excess food down, you will notice a sudden weight gain during the Eid period. This is because your body is in starvation mode and it will automatically store everything you feed it. This works on a primitive instinct carried forward from a time years when humans didn’t know where the next meal would come from.

Faced with all those goodies, and having deprived yourself for 30 whole days, you may struggle to cope — the temptation is even more pronounced if you have to visit relatives and friends for whom the words “no more cake” just do not exist. Try the following ten great tips for surviving Eid with your waistline intact.

1. Start Eid day with a healthy breakfast. This should ideally include some oat porridge, brown bread with eggs, or healthy cooked hash browns with baked beans. The general idea is to have a breakfast that has a low Glycemic Index, which means it releases energy slowly. Once you are armed with a wholesome breakfast, you are less likely to be tempted by all the goodies being offered to you.

2. It is important to pace yourself as the day progresses. As we all know, most of the visiting happens between breakfast and lunch.

3. Keep a log on your phone, noting down all the goodies you are indulging in. This way you will be able to look at it at regular intervals and realise that you are probably way over your calorie budget already by lunch time.

4. Make sure you have a hearty lunch. However, if you have indulged between breakfast and lunch, it is OK to go easy on this family meal. You can pretend to eat a lot more than you normally would.

5. Ensure you have only one helping of whatever it is you choose. Take a quick look around the feast and decide what it is that you are going to enjoy. Do not fall into the trap of trying everything; this is lethal, as you will pile on the calories dramatically. People often try everything that is laid out and then go back to what they enjoyed the most — ending up taking in anything up to 2000-3000 calories in one meal.

6. Ideally, you should aim to allocate 300 calories for breakfast, 500 calories for lunch and about 400 calories for dinner.

7. Remember to take into account the desserts and snacks that you will be indulging in while visiting people.

8. Try and get more fluids inside you to leave little space for food. Green tea is a great option.

9. Try saying NO a couple of times. If your protests fail and your host looks like they are going to have a coronary, opt for non-fried options if possible.

10. Limit yourself to one small piece of Eid dessert at each stop. And instead of the soft drinks ask for some green tea with no sugar, as you will be getting enough of that with your picks throughout the day.

Ahlaam Ali is a Dubai-based lifestyle and nutrition consultant. You can contact her on powwereat@gmail.com

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Ramadan in UAE to begin on July 10, Eid Al Fitr on August 9:

Ramadan in UAE to begin on July 10, Eid Al Fitr on August 9: Sharjah Planetarium | GulfNews.com

The Sharjah Planetarium at the Department of Culture and Information announced that the Ramadan Crescent will form on July 8, 2013 at 11:14am and set at 19:08pm, five minutes before the sunset.

The crescent will be seen on July 9 in the evening. So the first day of Ramadan will be July 10, astronomically, corresponding to Ramadan 01, 1434 H.

It also announced that the Shawwal crescent will appear on July 7 at 00:51am and set with the sunset, making it difficult to be seen, and hence completes the last day of Ramadan (30 days). So Friday, August 9, will be astronomically the first day of Shawwal and the first day of Eid Al Fitr.

Cool tricks for summer

Ayurveda has its cool tricks for summer | GulfNews.com

Summer and Your Diet

It is not just essential to keep your body protected from the outside during these hot months, it is also important to keep your body cool from the inside. You need to drink cooling drinks as opposed to caffeine rich drinks and eat more sweet, bitter and astringent items and try and keep items that are sour, salty and pungent in taste to a minimum.

To Drink

• Drink a combination of cumin, coriander, fennel and rose petals in water to improve digestion and to calm the mind.

• Grind ginger, curry leaves, mint leaves and salt together and mix it in laban (buttermilk) to create a cooling and energizing drink. If you can handle it, add a green chili to the mix.

• Tender coconut water and flesh are ideal for these months.

• The juice of cucumber or watermelon or lime or pomegranate are also ideal heat busters.

• Boiled and cooled milk with a pinch of cardamom or rose petal essence in it helps soothe the body.

• Avoid ice cold drinks and minimize your intake of tea, coffee and colas.

To Eat

• Eat juicy fruits like melons, pears and grapes.

• Increase the intake of broccoli, cucumber, asparagus and zucchini.

• Avoid sour cream, vinegar and ketchup.

• Add spices like mint, fennel, anise and cardamom to your food.

• Reduce your intake of sugar as it aggravates the Pitta dosha.

• Avoid cashew and pea nuts; however blanched almonds, walnuts, and pumpkin and sunflower seeds are alright.

Summer and the Skin

During the summer months the sun’s rays are more powerful and therefore can cause more damage to the skin. It is important to protect one’s skin from the negative effects of the sun’s rays. Excessive exposure to the sun’s ultraviolet rays can cause the appearance of brown spots and speeds the skin’s ageing process. Ayurveda believes in using natural ingredients to provide solace to the skin. These include the aloe vera, honey, avocado, papaya and the rose. In fact, summer or not, cotton eye pads soaked in diluted rose water help ease tension, stress, fatigue and the burning sensation in the eyes.

There are also many home remedies that one can use to soothe and protect the skin. Apply this on your face (avoiding the eye and mouth region) and let it dry or leave it for 15 minutes. Then gently wipe it away with a wet face towel or gently wash it away.

• Face packs of fruits like watermelon or cucumber or orange peel or banana or papaya mixed with honey or milk cream or rosewater can give the skin an unbeatable glow.

• When you return home after a day in the sun apply yoghurt on your face and exposed skin to counteract the sun’s effects.

• Sandalwood powder, neem paste, turmeric (Kasturi manjal )(not the spice you get in the grocery store but the paste from the turmeric root), milk cream or honey can be used on their own to help soften and smoothen one’s skin.

• Massage your skin regularly with coconut oil or sesame oil to improve circulation.

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Microsoft to unveil Windows 8.1

Microsoft to unveil Windows 8.1 | GulfNews.com

Fat to thin thanks to hypnotherapy

From fat to thin thanks to hypnotherapy | GulfNews.com

It’s now been more than a year since I started hypnotherapy. I have lost 37 kilos in all and am 68 kilos today. I can fit into any size 12 dress. On my birthday this year I wore a champagne-coloured fitted outfit and treated myself to grilled fish and a tiny piece of tiramisu. 
I have also begun to take a lot more interest in my lifestyle and work hard to stay healthy. I take the stairs all the time, eat homemade lunch at work, drink green tea and still exercise three times a week. I laugh a lot and often catch myself admiring my new figure in the mirror. At work I am more energetic and ready to take challenges. Hypnotherapy helped me to love myself. I’m happy to pose for pictures and I enjoy shopping for clothes. Best of all I found love and I blossom in the glow of having someone special in my life.

 

What Corina ate before
Breakfast: Two to three muffins with large milky coffee
Lunch: A couple of burgers with extra cheese and fries; sometimes a pizza too
Dinner: Grabbed a take-away or ate out – usually high fat and highly processed meals
Snacks: P ackets of crisps, biscuits and colas throughout the day

What Corina eats now
Breakfast: Homemade fruit shake made with fresh fruit and low-fat yogurt
Lunch: Salad or healthy wrap made at home, fruit
Dinner: Lean meat/fish, couscous or pasta with low-fat sauces, fresh vegetables and stewed fruit
Snacks: Fresh fruit

Corina Ciobanu, 31, lives in Dubai

New set of guidelines for mosques in Abu Dhabi

New set of guidelines for mosques in Abu Dhabi | GulfNews.com

Worshippers in Abu Dhabi will soon be no more than a five-minute walk away from the nearest mosque, as a new set of regulations requires a mosque within 350 metres of every home.

All new mosques must also include female praying areas, while public and non-residential buildings must designate space to pray for both men and women. The guidelines have been developed by the Abu Dhabi Urban Planning Council (UPC), and they aim to ensure that mosques of appropriate size with high standards for hygiene and maintenance are adequately distributed across the emirate.

Taxis for passengers with special needs launched in Abu Dhabi

First fleet of taxis for passengers with special needs launched in Abu Dhabi | GulfNews.com

Specially-designed taxis will be able to take passengers across the emirates.

Regular tariffs will apply as usual, although special needs passengers can benefit from their Ministry of Social Affairs 50 per cent discount cards when paying the wheelchair accessible taxi fares.

Nelson Mandela’s close family gather at his rural homestead

Nelson Mandela’s close family gather at his rural homestead | GulfNews.com

Close members hold meeting to discuss ‘delicate matters’ as icon remains critical but stable

Nelson Mandela in a critical condition

Nelson Mandela in a critical condition | GulfNews.com

Mandela, who became South Africa's first black president in 1994, is due to celebrate his 95th birthday on July 18. He has been hospitalised four times since December, mostly for the pulmonary condition that has plagued him for years.

Madiba, as he is affectionately known, is revered among most of South Africa's 53 million people as the architect of the/s1994 transition to multi-racial democracy after three centuries of white domination.

Rescued Nepalese find new life in circus

by  Bibek Bhandari, Special for CNN

Kathmandu, Nepal - Bijaya Limbu is an experienced circus performer who enjoys his art - but his introduction to the traveling showbiz lifestyle came through human traffickers who bought him from his parents.

While other children watch the circus in awe, Limbu was just nine when he was first forced to work in a circus.

He says he was trafficked from Nepal to a circus in India, and forced to perform for four years until he was rescued.

Limbu's story highlights the state of human trafficking in Nepal, where poverty coupled with lack of awareness fuels the trade in children.

He says "agents" approached his parents and that his parents agreed to let the agents take their son away. He says he doesn't exactly remember how much the agents paid his family.

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How's the new look?

Hello!

I recently changed the look of this blog so if you are a regular visitor, then do not worry, my friend.
You are at the right blog, it is just that I wanted to give it a new look. 

I hope every body likes it.
Thank you every body for visiting my blog.

Peace out!

BYE !

I lost 50 kilos in 9 months: Pakistan expat, 21, in UAE

I lost 50 kilos in 9 months: Pakistan expat, 21, in UAE | GulfNews.com

“My waistline reduced from 52 to 34”

said Tarek, whose height is 6.1ft, speaking to Gulf News.

8 beauty blunders that age you

8 beauty blunders that age you | GulfNews.com

It’s not just your foundation that has a use-by date, the way you apply it does too. Revamp your beauty routine and watch the years roll back

1. FLAWED FOUNDATION
Foundation is designed to even out skin tone and conceal imperfections, but thanks to the ageing process you may find the base that worked wonders in your .................

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Specialist discusses relationship between Vitamin D deficiency and exposure to sun's rays at DERMA

Specialist discusses relationship between Vitamin D deficiency and exposure to sun's rays at DERMA | GulfNews.com

Emirati walker Bin Thaneya’s journey on film

Emirati walker Bin Thaneya’s journey on film | GulfNews.com

The fundraiser’s trek to Makkah is the subject of a new film premiering at the Gulf Film Festival.
He’s walked across the Emirates, climbed multiple skyscrapers in Dubai and trekked all the way from Abu Dhabi to Makkah in Saudi Arabia, all in the name of charity.

New Dubai Salik road toll gates make a difference in traffic flow | GulfNews.com

New Dubai Salik road toll gates make a difference in traffic flow | GulfNews.com

      Before

      After

Before      

After      

Bill Gates commends Dubai Cares work in Ghana ahead of water bottle auction

Bill Gates commends Dubai Cares work in Ghana ahead of water bottle auction | GulfNews.com

Shaikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Bridge inaugurated in Pakistan

Shaikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Bridge inaugurated in Pakistan | GulfNews.com



A new Dh38.6 million state-of-the-art bridge built and funded by the UAE to connect 15 towns and 45 villages of Swat Valley in Pakistan is now open for traffic.

Bypass Road renamed Emirates Road

Dubai Bypass Road renamed Emirates Road | GulfNews.com



Dubai: Dubai Bypass Road has been renamed Emirates Road under the directive of His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.

Dubai Police in STYLE

New Dubai Police sports cars rolled out | GulfNews.com



Powerful Chevy Camaro will help enhance security on the roads, says city force

And now a physiological Islamic prayer mat | GulfNews.com

And now a physiological Islamic prayer mat | GulfNews.com

Designed using NASA technology, the Dh998 mat claims to provide worshippers relief from joint aches, improve blood circulation and boost energy levels

How to feel refreshed??

7 ways to start every day refreshed | GulfNews.com

f you’re someone who constantly reaches for the snooze button again and again, then chances are you end up prizing yourself out of bed, only to feel rushed and frantic because you're running late. Okay, some of us are just not ‘morning’ people, but you can make yourself go some way to becoming one just by modifying your morning routine.

The following tips focus on how to improve how you feel from the very moment you wake.

1. Move your alarm clock                  

You may want to have you alarm clock close to hand so you can constantly keep leaning over and pressing it for a few extra minutes snooze time. The reality is it doesn’t really help. Place your alarm just that bit further away so that you really have to stretch or even get up to reach it — any stretching movement stimulates the waking part of the brain.

2. Avoid caffeine                                                                                       

It may be through habit that one of the first things we do when we get up is go straight for the caffeine hit, but this should be avoided if possible. Since your body has been several hours without fluid, what you need is a proper dehydrating drink such as freshly squeezed orange or grapefruit juice. A cup of hot water with a touch of lemon and honey is also a good way to start the day. If you can, add some ginger — this acts as an extra boost your circulatory system.

3. Exercise in the morning

Although many of us probably don’t feel like it, a bit of morning exercise will help. We are not talking about a full-on several-mile run, just some activity to increase your body temperature, and get your metabolism and enzyme activity kick-started. This could involve just doing a few basic stretches or even jogging on the spot. If you do fancy taking on something more energetic in the morning, then ensure that you have thoroughly warmed-up.

4. Deep breathe

There is often a sense of anxiety ahead of a stressful day and sometimes we are far from relaxed when we get up. To get your body into a state of relaxation, it is important to control the functions of the body, like the beating of the heart and breathing properly. A good method is to try 2:1 breathing, this is easy and really effective — you gently slow the rate of exhalation so that you are exhaling twice as long as you are inhaling.

5. Surroundings

Your surroundings can have an impact on your mood from the moment you wake. If you wake up surrounded by clutter, then that is hardly going to get you off to the right start. Keep your bedroom as clutter free as possible. You can also pay attention to your décor — certain colours can be good for your mood, choose something that uplifts you. If possible have some green plants in your bedroom — a little bit of greenery can do wonders to enhance your mood and positivity.

6. Good posture

Your body position is fundamental, bad posture has the effect of limiting the flow of oxygen through your body, meaning you are not getting the maximum benefit, and waking your body up will be a real struggle. Pay attention to straightening your posture, feet flat on the floor, hold your stomach in and extend up through your spine. These small movements will work wonders and act to relieve tension before you get out and face the day ahead.

7. Breakfast  

Is this the most important meal of the day? Yes! After a long sleep, breakfast is responsible for replacing your liver glycogen, which helps you stay focused and switched-on throughout the morning. Choose your breakfast carefully — sugary breakfast cereals only give you a quick hit and can rapidly wear off. The best bet is to eat some protein combined with carbohydrate to help maintain your alertness throughout the morning. If you find yourself hungry before you have even reached work, you might want to consider eating part of your breakfast at home, and then preparing the remainder to have at work.

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