Our lifestyles have changed dramatically in recent weeks. As we all do our bit to stem the spread of Covid-19 by staying at home, our sleeping, eating and working patterns have been thrown into disarray. Most of us are moving less, getting less access to fresh air and less exposure to sunlight.
This may mean that our bodies are not receiving the essential minerals and vitamins they need. And getting the right balance of nutrients is essential to keeping our bodies functioning properly – all the more important when we are all trying to ensure our immune systems are strong.
The ever-elusive Vitamin D
Vitamin D, in particular, might be a problem at the moment, as the body relies on sunlight to produce it. People currently isolating in apartments, with no access to outside space, need to be conscious of a potential deficiency.
“Vitamin D is known as the sunshine vitamin, since it is made by the body after being in the sun. Vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium. You need calcium for the normal development and maintenance of healthy teeth and bones. It also helps maintain proper blood levels of calcium and phosphorus. Ten to 15 minutes of sunshine, three times a week, is enough to produce the body's requirement of vitamin D for most people at most latitudes,” explains Dr. Nadine Aoun, clinical dietician at Medcare.
Try to eat a wide variety of colourful vegetables every day and follow a balanced diet
While it is difficult to get enough vitamin D from food sources alone, Dr Mariam Khalfan Al Suwaidi, head of Healthpoint’s department of dermatology, highlights some foods that can help. “Foods high in vitamin D include oily fish, mushrooms, eggs and dairy products, and vitamin-D-fortified foods. Also try to eat a wide variety of colourful vegetables every day and follow a balanced diet to ensure you get all vitamins and minerals.”
Given the importance of Vitamin D, and the struggles that many people have getting it in sufficient quantities, particularly under the current circumstances, Natasha Rudatsenko, founder of the online health and fitness platform, Health Nag, recommends taking a supplement.
“It is absolutely essential,” she says. “Vitamin D contributes a lot to our overall immunity as well as hormonal balance, so this is something I recommend taking for absolutely everyone. 5,000 to 7,000 IU is a good daily dose. Go for its active form, the one that is most bioavailable to our body, Vitamin D3. It’s a fat-soluble vitamin, so it is good to take it with something fatty. The most convenient way of getting vitamins, in my opinion, is still www.Iherb.com."
Eat your vitamins
As a general consensus, medical experts recommend that you do not overdo the vitamin supplements. With some vitamins, too much can be as harmful as too little. The aim is to try to achieve a balanced and healthy diet, before you go reaching for the supplements.
Dr Aoun offers a breakdown of the vitamins you need, and some of the foods you should be consuming to get them:
Vitamin A: Helps form and maintain healthy teeth, bones, soft tissue, mucus membranes and skin. Found in beef, liver, eggs, shrimp, fish, fortified milk, sweet potatoes, carrots, pumpkins, spinach and mangoes.
Vitamin B6: Helps form red blood cells and maintain brain function. It also plays an important role in the proteins that are part of many chemical reactions in the body. Found in meat, fish, poultry, legumes, tofu and other soy products, and bananas.
Vitamin B12: Like the other B vitamins, this is important for metabolism. It also helps form red blood cells and maintain the central nervous system. Found in meat, poultry, fish, milk, cheese, fortified soy milk and cereals.
Vitamin C: An antioxidant that promotes healthy teeth and gums. It helps the body absorb iron and maintain healthy tissue. It is also essential for wound healing. Found in citrus fruit, potatoes, broccoli, bell peppers, spinach, strawberries, tomatoes and Brussels sprouts.
Vitamin E: Also an antioxidant. It helps the body form red blood cells and use vitamin K. Found in vegetables oils, leafy green vegetables, whole grains and nuts.
Vitamin K: Without this, blood would not stick coagulate. Found in spinach, broccoli and kale.
Biotin (B7): Essential for the metabolism of proteins and carbohydrates, and in the production of hormones and cholesterol. Found in whole grains, eggs, soy beans and fish.
Niacin (B3): A B vitamin that helps maintain healthy skin and nerves. Found in meat, poultry, fish, fortified and whole grains, mushrooms and potatoes.
Folate: Works with vitamin B12 to help form red blood cells. It is needed for the production of DNA, which controls tissue growth and cell function. Found in fortified grains and cereals, asparagus, spinach, broccoli, legumes (black-eyed peas and chickpeas) and orange juice.
Pantothenic acid: Essential for the metabolism of food. Found in chicken, whole grains, broccoli, avocados and mushrooms.
Riboflavin (vitamin B2): Important for body growth and the production of red blood cells. Found in milk, yogurt, cheese, whole and enriched grains, and cereals.
Thiamine (vitamin B1): Helps the body cells change carbohydrates into energy. Found in soy milk and watermelon.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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China
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UAE
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Japan
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Pharaoh's curse
British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
Explainer: Tanween Design Programme
Non-profit arts studio Tashkeel launched this annual initiative with the intention of supporting budding designers in the UAE. This year, three talents were chosen from hundreds of applicants to be a part of the sixth creative development programme. These are architect Abdulla Al Mulla, interior designer Lana El Samman and graphic designer Yara Habib.
The trio have been guided by experts from the industry over the course of nine months, as they developed their own products that merge their unique styles with traditional elements of Emirati design. This includes laboratory sessions, experimental and collaborative practice, investigation of new business models and evaluation.
It is led by British contemporary design project specialist Helen Voce and mentor Kevin Badni, and offers participants access to experts from across the world, including the likes of UK designer Gareth Neal and multidisciplinary designer and entrepreneur, Sheikh Salem Al Qassimi.
The final pieces are being revealed in a worldwide limited-edition release on the first day of Downtown Designs at Dubai Design Week 2019. Tashkeel will be at stand E31 at the exhibition.
Lisa Ball-Lechgar, deputy director of Tashkeel, said: “The diversity and calibre of the applicants this year … is reflective of the dynamic change that the UAE art and design industry is witnessing, with young creators resolute in making their bold design ideas a reality.”
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
EU Russia
The EU imports 90 per cent of the natural gas used to generate electricity, heat homes and supply industry, with Russia supplying almost 40 per cent of EU gas and a quarter of its oil.
Company profile
Date started: 2015
Founder: John Tsioris and Ioanna Angelidaki
Based: Dubai
Sector: Online grocery delivery
Staff: 200
Funding: Undisclosed, but investors include the Jabbar Internet Group and Venture Friends
At a glance
- 20,000 new jobs for Emiratis over three years
- Dh300 million set aside to train 18,000 jobseekers in new skills
- Managerial jobs in government restricted to Emiratis
- Emiratis to get priority for 160 types of job in private sector
- Portion of VAT revenues will fund more graduate programmes
- 8,000 Emirati graduates to do 6-12 month replacements in public or private sector on a Dh10,000 monthly wage - 40 per cent of which will be paid by government
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
What is the Supreme Petroleum Council?
The Abu Dhabi Supreme Petroleum Council was established in 1988 and is the highest governing body in Abu Dhabi’s oil and gas industry. The council formulates, oversees and executes the emirate’s petroleum-related policies. It also approves the allocation of capital spending across state-owned Adnoc’s upstream, downstream and midstream operations and functions as the company’s board of directors. The SPC’s mandate is also required for auctioning oil and gas concessions in Abu Dhabi and for awarding blocks to international oil companies. The council is chaired by Sheikh Khalifa, the President and Ruler of Abu Dhabi while Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Abu Dhabi’s Crown Prince and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, is the vice chairman.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
Federer's 19 grand slam titles
Australian Open (5 titles) - 2004 bt Marat Safin; 2006 bt Marcos Baghdatis; 2007 bt Fernando Gonzalez; 2010 bt Andy Murray; 2017 bt Rafael Nadal
French Open (1 title) - 2009 bt Robin Soderling
Wimbledon (8 titles) - 2003 bt Mark Philippoussis; 2004 bt Andy Roddick; 2005 bt Andy Roddick; 2006 bt Rafael Nadal; 2007 bt Rafael Nadal; 2009 bt Andy Roddick; 2012 bt Andy Murray; 2017 bt Marin Cilic
US Open (5 titles) - 2004 bt Lleyton Hewitt; 2005 bt Andre Agassi; 2006 bt Andy Roddick; 2007 bt Novak Djokovic; 2008 bt Andy Murray
'Worse than a prison sentence'
Marie Byrne, a counsellor who volunteers at the UAE government's mental health crisis helpline, said the ordeal the crew had been through would take time to overcome.
“It was worse than a prison sentence, where at least someone can deal with a set amount of time incarcerated," she said.
“They were living in perpetual mystery as to how their futures would pan out, and what that would be.
“Because of coronavirus, the world is very different now to the one they left, that will also have an impact.
“It will not fully register until they are on dry land. Some have not seen their young children grow up while others will have to rebuild relationships.
“It will be a challenge mentally, and to find other work to support their families as they have been out of circulation for so long. Hopefully they will get the care they need when they get home.”
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
The specs: 2018 Mazda CX-5
Price, base / as tested: Dh89,000 / Dh130,000
Engine: 2.5-litre four-cylinder
Power: 188hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque: 251Nm @ 4,000rpm
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 7.1L / 100km
Company%20profile
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The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl
Power: 153hp at 6,000rpm
Torque: 200Nm at 4,000rpm
Transmission: 6-speed auto
Price: Dh99,000
On sale: now
The biog
Favourite colour: Brown
Favourite Movie: Resident Evil
Hobbies: Painting, Cooking, Imitating Voices
Favourite food: Pizza
Trivia: Was the voice of three characters in the Emirati animation, Shaabiyat Al Cartoon
Jeff Buckley: From Hallelujah To The Last Goodbye
By Dave Lory with Jim Irvin
