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To prevent a dangerous new virus from having its way with humankind, you might take a page from the Chinese warrior king Sun Tzu, and think like the enemy. Imagine you are a coronavirus, in a form never before seen by humans. Your goal is simple but wildly ambitious: invade and hijack the cells of a new host and multiply for as long it takes to establish your spawn in at least one other new host. Repeat until there are no humans left to infect. Since its emergence in Sun Tzu’s homeland, the coronavirus known to scientists as Sars-CoV-2 has gone about its task with vigour and success. It has jumped national borders with ease, infecting more than 9 million people around the world and killing at least 470,000 in about seven months. The roughly 7.7 billion people who have evaded infection so far seem to be squarely in its sights. But humankind has a few tricks of its own. In fits and starts, public health officials have mustered their citizens to shun the kinds of gatherings that provide a virus rich opportunities to spread. Scientists have peered into the coronavirus’s genome to unlock secrets about where it came from, how it has evolved and what it will take to thwart it. Now it’s a race to see which side gains the upper hand. Viruses are not as smart as humans, but they are much more patient, said Harvard University epidemiologist William Hanage. And this virus’s track record does not bode well for a strategy of ignoring it in hopes it will burn itself out, he added. “That would be waiting for the virus to help us,” Hanage said. “That’s not a good idea.” The imperatives of survival make a successful virus an unpredictable guest — cruel to some, kinder to others, and capable of evolving new strategies as its pool of potential targets thins. “There’s no reward for a virus lineage to be easy on its host,” said Frederick M Cohan, an evolutionary biologist at Wesleyan University. It must not kill him immediately, as many early forms of the Ebola virus did to their victims. Such outbreaks are destined to fizzle. But a successful virus is fine with leaving its victim a depleted shell, Cohan said: As long as it has succeeded in making him sick enough to draw others to his bedside where they’re exposed to his bodily fluids or respiratory droplets, it will live to infect another victim. It need not be choosy about its victims, at least initially. It can spare the young and healthy and go after the weak and infirm first, as the coronavirus appears to be doing. But experts believe that a virus that stands the test of time will ease up as its potential hosts dwindle and public health precautions take hold. To continue to spread under such circumstances, a virus must leave many of its victims in good enough shape to move around. It could attack younger hosts, who may not get as sick but will be better spreaders. It could be transmitted by people who don’t even realise they’re infected. The coronavirus has done all of these, to great effect. Many viruses have an inherently uphill battle to climb: As they make their way through a population, the victims they infect will either die or recover. And those who recover will typically emerge with some immunity. So after its initial romp through a target-rich environment, a novel virus finds its potential victims have dwindled. People vulnerable to infection are not so close together anymore. That’s a problem for a respiratory virus like Sars-CoV-2 that can only spread if potential hosts are clustered together. (Many other viruses spread in water, or in the bellies of mosquitoes, fleas and birds, so social distancing doesn’t counter those as well.) An overly aggressive virus may become a victim of its own success, infecting so many people so fast that it creates what epidemiologists call “herd immunity.” In that scenario, the uninfected targets that remain are just too far apart for the pathogen to keep spreading. Of the seven coronaviruses known to make humans sick, at least four have found a way to circumvent herd immunity and sustain themselves for the long haul. These viruses, all which cause variations on the common cold, leave most of their victims with immunity that wanes in little more than a year. The pool of people who are susceptible to becoming hosts is continuously renewed as infected people’s immune defences “forget” the virus that has made them ill before. No-one knows if the coronavirus that causes Covid-19 shares that trait. But a welter of studies suggests that, in many who were infected, immunity is either weak or transient. As a matter of evolutionary biology, there’s another way to maintain an inexhaustible supply of potential hosts: If a virus can mutate fast enough, and in specific ways, it can elude recognition by an immune system it has encountered it before. The new coronavirus mutates steadily because its genetic instructions are encoded in RNA. Compared to a DNA virus like the one that causes measles, an RNA virus is simpler, and less likely to correct the mistakes that accrue each time it replicates. Most of the mutations are tiny substitutions of nucleotides that have no effect on the virus’s behaviour. But over time, those accumulated errors can change the way it looks to an immune system, or how it interacts with its environment or its hosts. And every once in a while, a mutation (or series of them) hands the virus a sudden advantage. The 1918 influenza pandemic took off after a chance mutation turbocharged its reproductive machinery. Patients got sicker more quickly, and with their immune systems fully mobilised, they expelled more virus when they coughed and sneezed — infecting more of the people around them. Scientists have watched the new coronavirus’s genetic makeup change, prompting some to assert that more virulent and transmissible strains are circulating. Those claims have been fiercely debated. But Sars-CoV-2’s knack for shape-shifting is what transformed it from a virus that thrived in bats and possibly pangolins into one capable of infecting humans. Additional mutations could bring new challenges for humans — or new opportunities. If we’re lucky, a mutation could make the virus less infectious, or less lethal. But humans, too, have appropriated some tricks to counter viral strategies like these. Long before our ancestors understood that germs spread disease, they realised that creating distance between people resulted in fewer of them getting sick. During an outbreak, those with means fled cities for their homes in the country. Those who stayed avoided the marketplace. Public spectacles were cancelled. It was the beginning of the public health strategy we now call social distancing. The coronavirus needs people to jostle close to each other and touch common surfaces in order to spread from person to person. Social distancing alters the environment to mimic the effects of herd immunity. The other way to deny a virus new hosts is to put more people in the “recovered category” — a status that more than 4.6 million people now have. You do that by letting the pandemic run its course, assuming that immunity will last. Or you can make a vaccine. Allowing the coronavirus to have its way with humanity would be a disaster on a scale somewhere between disastrous and unimaginable: Harvard epidemiologist Marc Lipsitch has estimated that with minimal human intervention, Sars-CoV-2 would plausibly infect 20-60% of all adults — between 1.5 billion and 4.5 billion people. Even if it ends up being no more deadly than the seasonal flu — a highly optimistic assumption — between 1.5 million and 4.5 million would die. A widely deployed vaccine could provide herd immunity, stopping the virus in its tracks and resulting in far fewer deaths. But that will take time. Dr Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases, has said that parallel efforts to design, test and produce many vaccines will probably yield at least one by year’s end. Until then, this wily foe has time on its side and some proven tricks to sustain itself. While the coronavirus may not touch every person on the planet, it appears to have gained the foothold it needs to keep trying, said Columbia University virologist Angela Rasmussen. Like many flu viruses, it could mutate just enough from year to year to seem new to our immune systems each time it comes around. It could also change in ways that make it more like the four other coronaviruses that have infected humans for eons: killing few while making most people just sick enough to pass it on. From a virus’s point of view, the definition of success is “to become the common cold,” Cohan said. Along with many microbiologists, he suspects this virus has what it takes to go the distance. Humans could outsmart it with a good vaccine, though the immunity it offers may be only temporary. And many who do not fear catching the virus would probably skip it anyway. He hopes his suspicions are wrong. But a career of studying disease-causing microbes has been chastening, he said. “We’re not smart enough to know what they’re going to do,” Cohan said. “And if we think we know, they’ll just surprise us.”                 — Los Angeles Times/TNS

Leadership requires a lot of effort. There have been many theories about it and how to be a better leader in every situation. John Maxwell gave the theory about the “#’Five levels of leadership’. Learning about these five steps in the light of principles of Islamic Caliphs and ways of Islamic leadership can allow one to better comprehend leadership. The five levels are: 1. Position 2. Permission 3. Production 4. People Development 5. Pinnacle Position: When one has been given a position, he/she has to be approachable and should make an effort to co-operate with their employees or underlings. Muslim scholar, Ibn-e-Khaldun wrote, “Leadership is an outcome of the interaction between different social groups.” After the time of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), the Caliph of time would always have a group of intelligent and honorable people near him, who would help him to come up with the perfect decision. Maxwell’s level of positions demands the following: 1. A leader should empathise with subordinates to show them that he/she cares. 2. Commend good work to bring forth motivation. 3. Give and take feedback for the betterment of the results. 4. Take care of the communication of information, so that team members can operate successfully. Permission: The next stage of leadership is permission. It means that now people want to follow you because of their own free volition and not because they have to. To get the support of your subordinates, you have to be careful while making a decision. Make sure to: 1. Implementing work will have positive effects on the people with whom you are working. 2. Treat employees without any sort of racial or gender discrimination 3. Always hold people accountable for their mistakes. 4. Give support to your team members. An example of a good leader can be derived from the quote of Caliph Umar, “Even if a goat was lost in the Euphrates, Umar would be accountable for it in the day of judgment.” Production: This level of leadership is achieved when people start to follow you for the results of your previous efforts and the progress in quality (of institution or organisation) during your charge. When you reach this level, you have to make certain improvements in your skills to bring consistency and better communication in your field. The qualities of a production leader are: 1. Finding versatile ways to improve the connections necessary for employees to feel engaged. 2. Paying attention to the demands of the underlings and give appropriate directions. 3. Inputs from fellow workers is important. 4. Every person should be well-trained according to the type of field they are involved in. 5. Being mercurial according to the latest trends in technology and development. During the reign of Caliphs, every person was given the job according to their skills. The literate ones were given the duty of educating more people. Good horse riders were given the responsibility to spread news and give messages in faraway lands. Smart and pious people were given the role of leaders in their respective state organs. People Development: This phase is unlocked once people start to follow you because of the amelioration you have brought in their skills, personality, and career. They realise that listening to you will only result in a further rise in their potential as employees. To reach this stage, there are important things that one should do 1. One should be honest, consistent, and easy to talk with.  2. Just decision-maker. 3. Ready to tackle any issue within one’s team. 4. Helping current and even former employees whenever they need help. 5. Be a good mentor to many people 6. Brilliant at communicating the roles of employees along with the expected results. Caliphs were the first to establish a special department for the investigation of complaints against the officers of state. Similarly, they formed the independent judiciary and declared it to be a sovereign state organ with its power. No one was above the law, not even the Caliph himself. Pinnacle: Leaders residing in this phase are not only mentoring other employees but are also able to help others reach the people’s development stage. They improve the prominence of their organisation, giving important roles to the most honourable and talented men, and finding new talents along the way. Pinnacle leaders: 1. Raise productivity and make the team and department successful. 2. Create an environment of justice and competitiveness that helps every member to contribute towards the success of the organisation. 3. Treat all members with respect. 4. Manifest integrity, keep their vows, promises, and behave in ethical ways. 5. Trust the supervisors and let them make independent decisions. 6. Lead people that have creative ideas and get better results. The best way to climb through these ranks is to consistently study, improve, and learn new managerial skills. While learning these skills are important, one also has to be honest and strict with his employees as well as with himself, so that there are no injustices in the buildup! * The author is a consultant in Public Relations and Personality Types. Instagram: @Tipsbyhalahill

I’m someone who has always romanticised the idea of wailing in despair; often sitting in my bedroom thinking for hours, listening to music to give me answers or expecting the universe to give a sign of opportunity. Unfortunately, much to my despair, this results in no change to my situation. Begging the world to stop just so I can get back on track is a joke that time has no humour for. So how do I fix this?  To every problem or situation we find ourselves in, there are millions of solutions – finding one that suits us is the real struggle. As someone who hasn’t figured a tangible solution herself, there’s no right or wrong answer I can give you. However, I’ve realised that understanding the context behind a problem can set everyone in a good position to figure out the answer themselves. That’s probably the extent of any help this column is going to provide today, so take it for what it is.  When I find myself encounter a negative emotion such as anger or sadness, I seem to get consumed by it. Emotions are biological and designed to keep you alive. Emotional states don’t stay for too long, but our mental interpretation of these states, something we call ‘feelings’ can prolong the state. That’s why, even though the emotional state of anger might have passed, your feelings of frustration, irritation and annoyance linger to hold you back. This is one of the major reasons why we can’t seem to ‘switch’ out of the sluggish feeling and spend our car journeys gazing out of the window in deep, reflective thought. Being aware of the biological experience of emotional states, such as checking our heart beat, perspiration levels and breathing, helps focus mental energy in one place. This way, you can target the fluctuating feelings rather than stay confused.  I also catch myself being incredibly nice to myself, letting the excuses take control of my narrative. There’s no need to take this advice the wrong way and start disciplining yourself strictly; but you can’t just stick to being the good cop. Often extracting yourself from the situation and changing your self-talk to advice you would give someone else, helps. I try speaking to myself as I would if it was a friend or associate who asked for my advice; not allowing the excuses to slide past. And even if you do, just remind yourself that excuses are only your way of avoiding responsibility for the situation. Time has better things to do than just wait for the excuses to pile up.  Currently, I’m trying to follow my own advice. It’s definitely much harder to positively affirm to ourselves that we won’t find ourselves in these situations again. That the next time they do come up, we’ll be more prepared and resilient. But as someone told me today, we can’t choose when we want to be resilient. Committing to yourself and doing something seriously requires following through with what you decided. If we build this illusion that time will wait for us, then we will always believe that we can just stop and wait for the world to allow us to catch up. There is no solution, until we stop wasting time and create one!  * The author can be contacted on Instagram @sincerelysanah

This Sunday was International Yoga Day, The United Nations theme for 2020 was ‘Yoga for Health – Yoga at Home’, which took into account social distancing measures that are currently in force worldwide. Yoga is a gift to the world from India, I was blessed to have had the opportunity to study this ancient science in India for 3 months. Many people still don’t know exactly what yoga is, they think it is simply stretching. There is so much more to yoga than just physical exercise, it is not only about the body and the emotions; it’s just as much about learning to think with crystal-clear logic, it teaches us to use all our resources, body and mind. During lock down I have reflected a lot on the yogic concept of Aparigraha which is all about learning to let go. Our lives are full of things we wish would never end. It could be something simple like a holiday or perhaps a friendship. As we get older, these moments start to increase. We wish we could hold on to our youth and we wish that our grandparents and parents could hold onto theirs. But change is inevitable, and clinging to moments, people or possessions past or present, is a block to peace, this is the lesson of Aparigraha. If we are to awaken to the fullness of our being, we must learn to let go. Aparigraha has many translations. In its purest form, it resembles the sanskrit word for detachment and renunciation. It’s not just moments, or material objects, that we accumulate, and then cling to furiously. We also build up and hold onto resentment, anger and pain. We acquire and defend opinions and beliefs. We are so conditioned to think in terms of ‘me’ and ‘my’ that we may even believe that other people belong to us. To begin to practice Aparigraha we have to let go of some of the physical, emotional, and mental baggage we’ve collected throughout our journey of life. That box of memories we have had for the last 20 years. We can let that go. Our beliefs, opinions and judgments. They can go too. It’s not easy but when we let go, we grow, greater things come to us only if we trust that they will. * The author is a consultant and coach. Instagram handle: @miss_shefa,  Website: missshefa.com

I know everyone is excited to go back to normal, but is it the right time? Yes, we are following gradual phases but it seems that people are starting to let loose too quick and too soon. Just ask yourself, will there be a second wave? Is it worth the risk to not follow the recommended precautions? Should we hold up on the phases and wait until we are more sure? Regardless of what the world decides to do, you should still be safe and reduce the risk on yourself. Firstly, masks are still highly recommended and sometimes required as we enter public spaces. It is not being enforced as it was previously, but still is necessary. Social distancing is probably the most enforced protocol and it is very understandable why. Please try to refrain from seeing others besides those that you are living with. There are so many mini outbreaks happening that could have been easily prevented by staying home. I keep stressing to people how critical it is to keep your distance from delivery people and how to instruct them to leave the item on the floor or a table outside. Once they leave, go ahead and enjoy what you ordered knowing that you have been cautious and are doing your best to prevent anything from happening to you and your family. If you must go shopping, try to be as efficient as possible and don’t waste time. Honestly, it is not worth the risk yet unless you really need to. When it comes to going out, keep your phone away and try to touch the least possible items. Especially when it comes to fresh produce, try to use the outside of the plastic or cloth bags to look through the fruit instead of with your hands or gloves. Now let’s discuss gloves... To me, gloves are a good and preventative measure but not the most preventative. Gloves need to be dealt with carefully, you have to remember that you cannot touch items and then touch your body or personal belongings. Use the gloves for a certain task and then remove them and replace them when you need to touch things again. You have to be responsible and watch your movements to be confident with your choices. The secret to reducing the confusion and inability to keep track of what your gloves have touched is by training yourself to use your hands less. When it comes to doors, push them open with your body, arm or feet and if you are desperate and in a hurry, use your sleeves. If you are riding an elevator or pushing buttons, try to opt for your knuckles, wrists or elbows. Even when it comes to payments, stay away from cash as money is one of the most handled items in the world. And yes, even the ATM machine, use knuckles and in the store, if the staff are willing, have them operate the machine and input your code so you only insert and take out the card during the transaction. Again, when it comes to your phone, try to keep it away when you are out and about and only use it when you are able to easily sanitise and clean your hands and phone. This brings me to my next point, wipes and sanitiser. Keep these readily available, especially in your living area, office and car. You have to be able to readily disinfect yourself or any surfaces before it is too late. That’s why you have to stay away from your face. I know it is extremely hard to not touch yourself, specifically your face, but you have to try your hardest. The risk of contracting anything is so much higher when it comes to your eyes, ears, nose and mouth. Disinfectant wipes and sanitiser are our best friends now but please do not forget the power of soap and water. If done well, this is the best defence. I quickly realised that the high frequency of sanitising really dried out my hands. Even wipes, they are not economically practical and usually leave a lot of moisture. Some people actually have allergies when it comes to these kinds of items, so be careful not to hurt your skin either. Now back to the more important, social distancing and home-quarantine, resist urge of getting in contact with others. Hugging and handshaking are extremely missed, but again, I highly suggest you to try your best when it comes to completely stopping this behavior until further notice.  Personally, I am not changing my current cautious ways, attitude or my behaviour. I do hope that this pandemic comes to an end soon, but until then I hope you practice safety as an extra precaution before anything else. * The author is a wellness advocate and influencer @keys2balance.

The demand for plant-based foods has surged amidst the most unstable time in 100 years: a pandemic. Vegan food has witnessed a prominent spike in demand over the past few months, and it’s due to a variety of different reasons. Firstly, a sudden rise in demand followed the news of severe Covid-19 infections at meat production slaughterhouses around the world. In addition to this, people are looking for more healthy options for their daily dose of protein. Our immune systems need to adapt to be able to fight off Covid-19. The immune system is the body’s multi-level defence network against potentially harmful bacteria, viruses and other organisms. Basically, a healthy lifestyle not only helps an immune system to be in the best shape possible to tackle pathogens, but it also helps stop them entering the body in the first place — and people are realising this, including world leaders.  Just this week, Canada’s vegan meat industry just got a huge boost. The country just announced a nearly $100 million investment in vegan protein. “As people around the world start eating more plant-based products, we have an opportunity to bring together Canadian innovation and Canadian crops, and a chance to create good, well-paying jobs,” Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada said. The global plant-based meat market is growing. Researchers say it will reach $35.54 billion in 2024. Canada’s plant-based food sector is also booming and has seen a notable shift in recent years. Investors in the US are this week being encouraged to keep a close eye on strong performing vegan stocks. Beyond Meat – one of the largest providers of plant-based meat alternatives – has expected earnings growth of more than 100% for the next year. A Bloomberg financial market analyst explained that the Covid-19 outbreak has shifted consumer behaviour dramatically, and people shifting from animals to plant-based diets was a ‘prominent part of the shift’ and a ‘direct impact of the pandemic’ Elsewhere this week, a spokesperson for Tesco, the largest supermarket in the UK, branded the growth of demand for vegan food products as ‘astounding’ – and said that it is likely to continue. The supermarket giant’s buying manager made the comments while announcing the launch of new vegan meat alternatives in almost 800 stores across the country.  While there are all kinds of claims online, the fact is the only diet that is genuinely full of vitamins and minerals essential for boosting your immune system is a plant based diet. In fact plant-based diet contains 64-times the amount of immunity-boosting antioxidants compared to a diet that includes meat and dairy.  A scientific committee compromising of professors from 4 continents have agreed that if a country was to adopt a healthier diet and lifestyle, such as a vegan diet, not only would everyone’s front line defence be much stronger — but the population would not need to ‘lockdown’ the next time we have an outbreak such as the current coronavirus outbreak.    * The author is an expert in vegan wellbeing and health. Instagram handle: @Ghanim92 

The world is replete with stories of human endurance and resilience. Man has done extraordinary things by being positive during adverse times and turning challenges into opportunities. The novel coronavirus pandemic has not only brought social isolation but also economic woes and health concerns. All around the world, an overwhelming majority of people are sitting at home– many without jobs or business prospects. There are, however, very few who are turning quarantine time into a viable opportunity by exploring activities that may have been difficult to follow through under normal circumstances. Swedish expatriate Ann Jangsell was quick to recover from the trauma of job loss and social distancing. She thought it was time for her to take care of her mental and physical health, instead of staying idle at home surrounded by negative thoughts and fears about the future. Ann, a strong woman, has taken up different challenges from reducing her weight to completing the Mount Everest challenge at home. With regular exercise and positive state of mind, she is all set to climb up and down the number of stair-steps equal to the height of the tallest mountain of the world in one month. It is set to be the first achievement of its kind in Qatar. “I am president of the Swedish Association of Qatar, a social networking group for about 600 expatriates from Sweden. I am also founder of the business networking group – Happy People Doha. I have been in Qatar for about three years. I have expertise and experience in business development, sales, marketing, and media management,” Ann said while talking to Community recently. The expatriate felt down soon after losing her job but convinced herself to get out of the depressed mood. “I was let go from my job in April due to the pandemic. I was in shock and sadness for a couple of days. Then I thought no, I needed to get out of the depressed feeling. So, I started to do early morning power walks for one hour every day. I started to feel better and happier as I got my mind off from my problems and fears related to the pandemic.” Ann started losing weight as she became regular in her exercise and diet control. “I had put on weight due to the lifestyle of not doing so much physically, hardly any exercise and sitting still at work. I was the director of business development for a film production company here and also the co-host of some podcast shows besides being a food reviewer. There used to be amazing dinners. “While staying at home, I got a chance to have a healthier lifestyle. I started to work on myself for myself. Exercise and the new way of living have helped me to cope with Covid-19 pandemic. I got something else to focus on instead of using social media and watching TV.” After a couple of weeks with power walks, Ann got in contact with Julie Caradec, her former transformation coach. “She wanted me to start the ultimate thriving experience. Her programme was  to get for me sustainable and observable results in order to achieve successful mental peak state and physical results through her online transformation coaching. I have made it a fun to lose my weight with photos and videos of my workout and progress. I have lost 15 kilos since mid-April.” The Swede uses stairs in the building where she lives for walk. Walking up and down 10 steps flights over and over again led her to take on the month-long challenge –Mount Everest Challenge. “To complete the challenge by the end of June, I do 200 flights [each flight is equal to 10 stair-steps] up and down every day. In 30 days, I will have climbed up and down 6,000 flights. It will be like climbing to the Mount Everest peak and then climbing down. The tallest mountain of the world stands 8,848 metre high. I think no one has done this challenge in Qatar so far.” Ann did not find it easy to start the hard exercise in the beginning. “I had in my training programme, from the beginning, a part where I was doing the butterfly sit-ups. I could not do it and I needed to do the normal ones. It was only last week I managed to do the sit-ups perfectly. I also had to change my diet. I am now doing KETO meals – no carbs, no bread, no pasta or rice, no potato, and of course, no sugar. I fell happier, healthier, and stronger both physically and mentally than ever before.”  Instagram @annpluto 

I wasn’t familiar with the actor Sushant Singh Rajput or any of his work, but the story of his passing left the hairs on my neck stand up. It touched a still very sore spot in my heart because only four months ago I lost a family member to the same reason. There were reports that the actor had been extremely depressed for the last few months and this agony may have had led him to this tragic end. The actor’s death has once again opened the gates of conversation around mental health conditions and suicide awareness, a conversation that we should never stop having. How we talk about mental illness matters, because incorrect messaging can easily reinforce stereotypes in society. By becoming more aware of how we speak about mental illness and encouraging others the same we can start to de-stigmatise the subject. Practising sensitivity is the bare minimum. One of the worst things we can do is use the phrase ‘committed suicide’ when talking about a case of suicide. Our words are so powerful and they have consequences. We must do everything in our power to use the right words when discussing mental health and suicide. A better word selection in this case would be ‘died by suicide’ as it simply refers to the cause of death and not exactly how it happened. When we use the word ‘commit;, people can link it with committing a crime, which actually blames the person and makes suicide look shameful, it demonstrates our poor understanding of what mental health really is and stigmatises the victim even more. The message I want to leave you with today, is to check on your people. Don’t check on their Instagram stories, check on their real-life stories. Check on the strong ones, you never know who is in dire need of human connection. I know there are some people reading this that are struggling with a few things, I know because some of you have written to me and told me. I know that some of you found it hard to get out of bed this morning. I know that some of you have things that have been keeping you up at night but you still used your strength and made it out of the bed. It’s okay to feel this way, other people feel this way. Please talk to someone about how you feel, please know that it’s okay to ask for help. We are all in this together. * The author is a consultant and coach. Instagram handle: @miss_shefa,  Website: missshefa.com

We have often heard this saying around us, that one must always forgive others, as feelings of vengeance and hatred only exert extra burden on one. But, what happens when one commits a mistake and shoulders the burden all by himself/herself? Is it possible to forgive yourself? How can you move on from the overwhelming gravity of guilt? What does it mean to forgive oneself? These are the questions that have been pondered upon by the greatest philosophers of history. Luckily, as Muslims, we have guidance laid out to us in the form of the Holy Qur’an and Hadith. Sometimes, there are problems in your life, about which you cannot do anything in that specific period e.g. your close relative is suffering from an incurable disease and there is nothing you can do about it, a close friend of yours commit suicide and you realise that all that time when that person was in agony, you couldn’t pick up a hint that your friend was suffering from extreme depression, and sometimes we commit a sin from which we see no way out and begin to fall into a negative mindset. So, this tragic sense of being is with everyone and the conundrum is to search for the answer on how exactly can you deal with these feelings. As Muslims, we have been constantly reminded by Allah through Qur’an to repent and to ask for forgiveness, If Allah forgives us after committing grave sins then; we should also be able to forgive ourselves, brush off the doubts, and start a new path.  “Indeed Allah loves those who repent and purify themselves.” (Al Baqarah, Verse 222)  This message has been conveyed directly by our creator to us and signifies the importance of forgiving oneself. You have to dig deep into your mind and ask what is it that won’t let you feel happy or content. Once you start asking the right questions, you are confronting the problem.  Allah says in Surah An-Noor, Verse 31, “…and beg to Allah to forgive you all, O believers, that you may be successful.” They say Allah gives his hardest battles to his toughest soldiers. Sometimes it’s a test of your faith from Him, you may be given problems that require extra efforts and in doing so you might end up making mistakes that require repentance and forgiveness. That is where you need to turn back to Allah and ask for guidance. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) also went through a phase where he started to doubt himself and even went through depression because he thought that he had displeased Allah. Allah addressed the prophet in Surah Ad-Duha, “…by the morning brightness, and the night when it covers with darkness. Your lord has not taken leave of you, nor has he detested you. And the hereafter is better for you than the first [life]. And your Lord is going to give you and you would be satisfied. Did he not find you an orphan and give you a refuge? And found you lost and guided [you]?” This goes to show how important it is to keep faith in Allah and trust in him completely. We should not forsake ourselves at any point in life. To move ahead of your current state, no one is better to read than Lao Tzu, a Chinese philosopher. He said, “Knowing others is intelligence, knowing yourself is true wisdom. Mastering others is strength; mastering your self is true power. If you realize that you have enough, you are truly rich”. Wisdom does not appear out of thin air, it can take time and experience and for that, one has to be patient. While being patient; one has to be optimistic as well because without positive vibes everything is rendered bleak. Islam preaches optimism and patience for this very reason. No person ever ascended to the status of the hero without first suffering from the past and then learning from it.  A Chinese philosopher said, “Let things flow naturally forward in whatever way they like”. So, part of forgiving yourself is realizing that you can’t control the external world but only the one inside you. Letting go of the past and accepting the world and fate as it is, is a power very few people have and once this power has been achieved, nothing can distract or create ripples in their world. * The author is a consultant in Public Relations and Personality Types. Instagram: @Tipsbyhalahill

Moringa is my new favourite superfood! Moringa Oleifera is a tree native to India and Southeast Asia but is grown in several other areas across the world too. The tree is so amazing that you can literally use each and every part – the roots, seeds, leaves, flowers and drumsticks (the fruit). I was recently introduced to this special plant by a lactation consultant in the hospital after I gave birth a few months ago. She explained that drinking or eating Moringa helps boost breastmilk supply and so I began my research. First of all, Moringa has been named the ‘miracle tree’ as well as the ‘tree of life’ meaning that there must be some truth behind this trending advice. After further research, I came to know that not only does this miracle tree support nursing mothers, but it is also extremely nutritional in general and great to incorporate into your everyday diet. To start, the plant contains the following: Vitamin C, Calcium, Folate, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium, Zinc and Vitamins A, B1, B2 and B3. For example, look at this, the leaves have 25 times the amount of iron in spinach, 17 times the calcium of milk, 15 times the potassium in bananas, 10 times the amount of Vitamin C in carrots and even 9 times the amount of protein found in yogurt. Due to the tree containing all those nutrients, it is highly nutritional and beneficial in several ways such as: nourishes skin and hair, reduces water retention, suppresses the development of cancer cells, helps ease constipation and gastritis, improves eye health and is really helpful in treating high blood pressure as well as diabetes and asthma. Moringa has the following benefits that are extremely useful for all but especially nursing mothers: first of all, it is considered a galactagogue, meaning it is a food that helps boost milk supply, so lets see how it helps: 1- Aids the nursing mother by providing iron to replenish the body after birth and reduce the fatigue post-delivery. 2. Great source of calcium, which is required for breastfeeding. 3. Prevents blood clots which is critical post-delivery. 4. Acts as an anti-fungal, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory reducing any uterine issues among several other things a nursing mother may be prone to. 5. Found to naturally act as an anti-depressant, reducing the risk of postpartum depression. As we all know, the food the mother eats directly effects her baby as it receives the same nutrients, therefore, Moringa is one of the best foods to include into your daily diet as a nursing mother. When it comes to drinking or eating Moringa, it is fairly easy to include the plant into your diet. You can eat the fresh, raw leaves and add them to a salad or smoothie or even take capsules. You can drink Moringa tea, drumstick juice or add the concentrated powder into your smoothie or simply mix it with water. Lastly, you can add it to your favorite meals or most popular, you can have it as a soup. I found so many recipes online but I have gotten comfortable with simply boiling the leaves in water with some tomato, onion and garlic with a pinch of salt and pepper. Yes, the tree of life is miraculously nutritional but you must eat with caution as you should have a maximum of 250 grams twice daily. Also be ware that the roots, bark and flower may cause the uterus to contract which is helpful post-delivery to support the uterus returning to its previous state but not safe for pregnant women. Too much may also lead to digestive problems. Also note that you should not overcook the carefully picked and cleaned leaves as it may decrease the concentration of nutrients. Remember, always be cautious when it comes to adding new foods to your diet and do your research. Nonetheless, I hope you take me up on my recommendation and enjoy the benefits of the ‘tree of life.’ * The author is a wellness advocate and influencer @keys2balance.

Easy-to-access activities that help to reduce blood pressure, cholesterol and the risk of heart disease are: Running Recently, research published by the British Journal of Sports Medicine found that running can reduce the risk of early death regardless of how long or at what speed you run. The research focused on 14 previous studies based on six different groups of participants, totalling more than 230,000 people over a period of between 5.5 and 35 years. The authors reported that any amount of running, even just once a week, is better than no running at all. Swimming Swimmers were found to have a 28% lower risk of early death and a 41% lower risk of death as a result of stroke or heart disease, according to a 2017 study by Swim England. Over 80,000 people took part. The report also said swimming is a cost-effective, safe and viable exercise for people of all ages, it helps older people stay mentally and physically fit and can help children develop physical, cognitive and social skills through swimming lessons. Tennis Scientists attempting to find the health benefits of different sports found that regular tennis and badminton sessions reduce the risk of death at any given age by 47%. The study, published by the British Journal of Sports Medicine, gathered responses from over 80,000 adults aged 30 and over, through surveys taken between 1994 and 2008. Yoga In addition to improving strength, breathing and flexibility, yoga has been found to reduce risk factors for heart disease, such as high body mass index, cholesterol and blood pressure. A study by the American College of Cardiology found that people combining yoga practice and aerobic exercise, such as running or swimming, saw double the reduction in high BMI, cholesterol levels and blood pressure in comparison with people who were taking part in just one or the other exercise. Brisk walking Numerous studies have suggested that sitting for too long can be a risk factor for early death. A study published by the British Journal of Sports Medicine found that low-level activities, such as going for a walk for just 10 to 59 minutes per week, can lower the risk of death from any cause by 18%. 

In May I celebrated my birthday in lockdown and this week, it was my one-year marriage anniversary. We tried to make it as special as we could, given the current situation, it also means I’ve been reflecting on the last year and marriage in general.  I have heard it that the first year of marriage is the most difficult. I am not sure if that is true but it definitely comes with its highs and lows and ups and downs and sets the foundation of your marriage. The most important thing I have learnt is that love is not a feeling, it’s a decision, a decision that you make every day to love your spouse no matter what. A big learning for me this year has been that I can be selfish, there is nothing like putting another person in constant close proximity to you to show you which areas you can improve on. Sometimes we tend to want our own way and are used to doing things in a certain way, marriage teaches you to put your pride aside and realise that there is more than one way to handle a situation. This also taught me how to approach my husband with humility and grace. Marriage is about choice, we all make choices, sometimes 1,000’s of choices per day, these choices shape us and they do the same to our spouse. When my husband takes a few minutes to do something nice for me, I can show generosity or complain because what he did wasn’t enough or the way I like it. When he asks a question, I can offer a loving answer or a condescending one. These choices either bring me closer to my husband or push me away from him.  I realised that marriage might be one of the hardest but also one of the most fulfilling things that I have ever committed myself to. I also realised that this commitment is absolutely essential. When you are completely committed to each other with absolute certainty that there will be no out, then only can the relationship flourish and both can be secure in who they are and both more willing to be vulnerable with each other. Lastly if you are planning on getting married, I believe that you should do everything that you can to prepare yourself for it, read books about it, do courses if you can, talk to religious leaders, I truly believe that can help make the transition into marriage easier. * The author is a consultant and coach. Instagram handle: @miss_shefa,  Website: missshefa.com

We don’t think. Instead we spend our lives feeling. In the cacophony of everyday life, there’s no silence to hold the sound of our thoughts. Energy isn’t expelled on thinking about the institutionalisation of our thoughts to believe we’re inherently better than another being because of race. Instead direct that saved energy to emotionally react to the stories of bloodshed and blatant prejudice that can’t be missed. As humans, visual images stir a better narrative than our own thoughts and experiences, because the latter can’t be seen as clearly as the stories that the media feeds us. You can’t turn a blind eye to the scenes in the line of your vision, yet it’s extremely easy and often the case, that we ignore the crime scene inside our own heads. That of the murder of our conscious, thinking mind by our subconscious programming.  Unlike what we believe about ourselves, often gloating about the level of control we exert over our lives, we are naturally only conscious for 3 seconds of a minute. This translates into a simple fact – our life is being lived. Not by another being, but by our subconscious mind that automatically processes information and reacts, based on the existing formulas of thought, action and feelings we have fed it. Much to our surprise, majority of this spoon feeding takes place before we’re blowing 7 candles on our birthday cakes. So by the time you’ve had a slice of your 8-year-old cake, you’ve already created the foundation on which new information is layered.   My own foundation has highlighted that I am a grateful beneficiary of a racist system. I am one of the bad guys. If I really think about it, using my conscious thinking energy, those 3 seconds of every minute where my brain will focus, I can see exactly how I am a racist. I agree that my feelings and programming dressed me up to present a good representative. Somebody who is careful with her words, using respect and manners; her privilege as an excuse to write off any association with discriminatory behavior. It is in my subconscious fundamental idea (concept reference from The Fear Project), to believe that my upbringing, my last name, my skin colour, my family, my education, my city, my country gives me an identity that is good; one that is SAFE. I’m not a threat to anyone because my identifiable characteristics don’t trigger fight or flight in anyone’s reactionary systems. This makes me acceptable and equal to other people, who have foundations that don’t draw imaginary target acquisition circles around who I am. Yet, if I didn’t ever think about this, I would remain confused by the targets I create around specific others, in my own mind.  Why are we racist and unaware of it? Why do our actions betray our conscious thoughts? Why isn’t it enough to keep telling the world I’m not prejudiced or discriminatory, when my subconscious is proving otherwise? To answer this question with my own self-reflection, it’s the manipulation of this confusion, that is being taken advantage of by systems that we buy into. Our lazy brains allow the gears to be controlled by ‘drivers’ who keep us safe. As long as we survive, it doesn’t matter who gets us home. Every time that we excuse our brains from engaging in conscious thought, from taking back control of the vehicle zig-zagging across the highway, we let the subconscious systems prevail. It’s easier to follow the rules, to listen to existing maps, to ask for directions. It’s less tiring to sit down than to walk.  If I choose to walk, I have to convince my subconscious it’s worth the energy. My reasons will be challenged by concrete, pre-existing excuses, defences and justifications of my 7-year old mind. I can’t flicker in my confidence or consistency at the discomfort I will experience. To tackle the traffic on the highways, the accidents on the road, I have to start by consciously choosing to take a different route. One that leads you back home – to the map of your own thoughts, that is clear only for 3 seconds, unless you choose to keep looking.  * The author can be contacted on Instagram @sincerelysanah

Lifespan: Why We Age and Why We Don’t Have To is a book by Dr David Sinclair, who is the leading authority on genetics. Dr Sinclair considers ageing as a disease that can be overcome if we understand important aspects behind it. However, he acknowledges that ageing is inevitable, the ageing process could be impeded, and ageing is a treatable disease. Can ageing be reversed? Dr Sinclair proves his theory with a series of research studies at his lab at Harvard. He deconstructs the constituents of how ageing could be slowed down or even reversed in some cases. One of the critical factors that he discussed was “activating the discovered vitality genes,” the descendants of an ancient genetic survival circuit that is both the cause of ageing and the key to reversing it. However, that is a long haul, but with lifestyle changes, we can impede the process of ageing and live a healthier life.  Cutting Saturated Fat Have you ever heard about how ‘healthy’ fats have endless health benefits, and you might wonder what these healthy fats are? Well, as you know, avocados have gained immense popularity. The reason is that it is packed with nutrition and healthy fats that are important for the body’s vital functions. 75% of fats in the avocados are unsaturated, which is deemed to be the ‘good kind of fat.’ Unsaturated fats help fight free radicals in our body, which exists due to radiation from sunlight that is the sole reason for ageing in our collection. Some of the other sources of unsaturated fat are olive oil, olives, fish like salmon, cod and mackerel, nuts, and seeds. Incorporating healthy fats in your diet can help remove free radicals in your body, but there are other benefits to it. And here are some health benefits of consuming unsaturated fats: 1. Reduces the risk of cholesterol level in our blood. 2. Decreases the risk of heart disease. 3. Energy storage and regulates metabolism. 4.  Reduces appetite hence you will feel less hungry. So, not all fats are bad for us; we need to consume the right ones to fight ageing and have a healthy lifestyle. Micronutrients Carbohydrates, fats, and proteins are the macronutrients, while vitamins, zinc, magnesium, and potassium are the micronutrients. A typical diet today does not consist of enough micronutrients which are necessary for us. Our body replenishes micronutrients, so we must consume them regularly. One can take them via supplements, but its best taken through fruits and vegetables. A good portion of leafy green vegetables like spinach, kale, and arugula will have enough fibre and magnesium. Magnesium is essential in our diet since it helps us use Vitamin D in our body effectively. Without Vitamin D, our bones cannot absorb calcium and use it to improve the bone density. As we age, we require more intake of magnesium to help us fight knee pain. Moreover, many people might not know micronutrients like sulforaphane, but it also has many benefits. For example, it helps in the burning of fat in our abdomen or belly fat. It also aids in fighting many types of cancer, such as prostate cancer. Some excellent sources of sulforaphane are broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage. Stress Management One of the main contributing factors of ageing is stress. It’s common for a person with a stressful life to develop signs of ageing at an early age — for example, white hair and wrinkles. Moreover, stress has other negative impacts such as it impedes brain development. Hence, it becomes the reason for diseases like dementia and Alzheimer. Moreover, living a stressful life will interfere with our keen sense of decision making, so its best to incorporate activities that help us manage stress. Such as developing a hobby, whether it’s painting, reading, or cooking! Having a hobby will help us get our minds off trivial issues that may result in a stressful life. In addition, exercise has shown to decrease signs of ageing because it aids in stress management. Scientists believe that exercising regularly can be a form of treatment for depression and other mental health illnesses. Sleep Routine Another essential factor that helps reverse signs of ageing is sleeping at the right time. Sleep scientists believe that sleeping between 11pm to 7am is beneficial for brain development, stress management, and other health benefits. Later in life, it helps us retain our memories! Additional, sleep aids in regulating blood pressure, risk of heart disease, kidney disease, diabetes, and stroke. All of which start to show because of poor lifestyle and ageing. In conclusion, want to look and feel younger! Exercise, think, eat, and sleep better! * The author is a consultant in Public Relations and Personality Types. Instagram: @Tipsbyhalahill

Now that we have been self-quarantining and socially distancing ourselves during these strange times, how have you been looking? Have you been taking care of yourself and your looks? Are you engaging in your usual routine pre-coronavirus? Think about it for a second and remember your previous beauty routine and compare it to your new and current routine during the pandemic and the changes you have been applying to your life. I was walking around my home recently and caught myself in the mirror and stopped; I was kind of surprised at the way I looked. I had my hair up with oil in it, no make-up on and was wearing loose comfy clothes. I used to usually dress like this when I was on holiday and was being myself at home with the ultimate of goal of being comfortable and taking care of myself. So now I ask the question? Is this being lazy or being comfy? I believe it is being comfortable and not lazy but could potentially be a problem later on down the road. I am a huge supporter of a person being themselves and not worrying about their looks so much. We should all aim to be natural and confident with our looks without any extras such as hair done or make up on. This might apply more to women but trust me, it also applies to men. We should definitely be enjoying ourselves and feeling strong and confident everyday. So when it comes to quarantine, I highly suggest that you let go of these unnecessary aesthetic requirements and relax. Many have done so already, but if you haven’t, you need to seriously give it a thought. Take advantage of the time at home and let go of all the social pressures. Take care of your body, your hair and your skin. This is a huge opportunity for all of us to stop hurting our bodies from our usual beauty routines and give them a break. For example, I am proud of myself that I have stopped sun-tanning although I still can, and I feel my skin has greatly improved. I am extremely happy I have the time to put oils in my hair and pamper my skin while quarantining. I am also grateful that I get to leave my face bare and enjoy watching the rejuvenation process. What have you been doing to take care of yourself, your hair, skin and body? Taking care of yourself is vital and this is the time to learn how to. You are now able to stay home and maintain your natural self, away from all social pressures, and you are able to focus on your physical state and health, simultaneously improving your mental health too. Although we are very stressed and possibly frustrated with the quarantine, we have to find ways to see the glass half full and this is one of my strategies. I feel blessed that I am able to stay home and take care of myself and my family, how about you, do you feel the same? In conclusion, be natural, be yourself and put all those social pressures behind. Just do not let it become a habit of not caring for yourself and letting yourself go and be “lazy”; I’m not saying you shouldn’t tidy yourself up and maintain good hygiene, just do not put so much unnecessary time and energy into things that don’t matter so much. We all have to dress-up and change it up every once in a while but just forego the hair dye and nail polish this time and let your natural state be your favourite state. *The author is a wellness advocate and influencer @keys2balance.

More than 10 million chickens are estimated to have been smothered by a foam, similar to fire-fighting foam, in slaughterhouses around the world. A similar cull is occurring for other animals, including gassing, shooting, anaesthetic overdose, or ‘blunt force trauma’ simply because the slaughterhouses (where these animals would have been ruthlessly killed for human consumption anyway) are facing their own self-made crisss throughout this pandemic.  In recent weeks, we’ve learned that huge numbers of meat processing plants have been infected with Covid-19 — and reports suggest this occurred because meat companies failed to protect its employees and pressured them to work even while sick. As a result, many slaughterhouses across the world have been forced to shut down. The owners of these slaughterhouses are described as ‘devastated’ because the closures have meant that animals cannot now be killed for food, and must instead be killed simply because there are too many.  Farmers are making a business decision to kill countless healthy animals — by running them through a woodchipper, bashing their heads, or suffocating them. This week, one farmer at a prominent American slaughterhouse appeared on NBC news, in tears — and I watched with both fascination, outrage and anger. While he sobbed to the reports on how he was left with no choice but to shoot animals in the head, or suffocate hens… I want to be very clear: these tears were not because of the loss of animal life in this inhumane slaughterhouse. The outrage and so-called ‘devastation’ from farmers isn’t because they are having to kill innocent animals. No no, it’s because the animals aren’t being killed for profit.  This selective outrage is something that needs to be called out. Slaughterhouses are inhumane with, or without a pandemic. Whether the animals are slaughtered for profit, or not, — they are still slaughtered, and that’s worth our outrage every day of the year.  Meat-eaters have come to terms with the inevitability of the production process: We all know where it ends. According to researchers at the University of Missouri’s Food & Agricultural Policy Research Institute, who predict this year’s per-capita meat consumption will fall for the first time since 2014 – a positive trend, because meat production has got out of control.  When you look at the statistics from‘Our World in Data’ global meat production has ‘increased rapidly’ over the past 50 years and total production has more than quadrupled since 1961. In 2018, an estimated 69 billion chickens; 656 million turkeys; 574 million sheep; 479 million goats; and 302 million cattle were killed for meat production. If animals are now being shot, gassed, or suffocated because there is simply too much supply for a weaker demand — we must have change.  The animals we slaughter for food are extremely intelligent and sensitive creatures, and the way in which we treat them, regardless of whether the meat is factory farmed, free range or organic, is abhorrently cruel. From stealing their babies from them at birth to keeping them locked in confinement and denying them their natural behaviours, our actions cause animals immense emotional pain and suffering. We find it so difficult to overcome traditional ideas and ways of thinking, that we very rarely stop to question the fundamental ethics and underlying morality of slaughtering animals for food. That’s why these farmers are appearing on our screens, so devastated that they are having to shoot animals with guns, without realising that if there was no pandemic – these animals would still end up dead anyway, but for a profit.  We need more emphasis on just because something has been done a certain way for thousands of years, doesn’t make it automatically right. * The author is an expert in vegan wellbeing and health. Instagram handle: @Ghanim92 

As many cities around the world move towards reopening after weeks of stay-at-home orders to contain the spread of Covid-19, one thing is clear: this summer will look much different than in years passed. Though we will soon be lifting many restrictions, our routines will still be disrupted in all sorts of ways, and there is much we don’t know about the future. Will there be a second wave of Covid-19 cases? When will a vaccine be available? Will schools open in the fall? Take a deep breath. These questions could go unanswered for months. That’s why it’s important right now to focus on improving your mental health and learning how to accept the uncertainty of the future. Meditation is a great way to do that. “Because we aren’t able to give ourselves a break in the way that we normally would, such as by going out to a restaurant, now is a good time to spend some time with yourself and use that as a way to support you,” said Michael Baime, a physician and director of the Penn Program for Mindfulness in the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. If you’re new to meditation and mindfulness practices, Baime shared tips for how to get started at home and common pitfalls to avoid: Take small steps. To start, aim for three minutes every day for a week to just be present. “Don’t try to do anything or change anything about how you feel,” Baime said. Instead, use this time to connect with yourself. One way to do that, Baime said, is to let your attention rest with the sensations of your breath. He cautioned that your mind will likely wander during this time. But, he said, “the trick to doing it successfully is to not fight that.” Set realistic expectations. Many people have expectations of meditation that are different from what really happens. “You won’t dissolve into white light or reach unconditional bliss,” Baime said. Meditation is about feeling how you are. “With practice, you get more comfortable with that, and it gives you a kind of steadiness in your life,” he said. Don’t try to change. Avoid trying to make certain thoughts go away or assuming you should feel a different emotion. “That’s a kind of pretending,” Baime said. “Mindfulness is all about being true to what’s actually here, and learning how to hold that with appreciation for how complicated things are and for what you have.” The most important thing, he said, is to be kind to yourself. Be consistent. “Meditation, like exercise or eating right, is a practice that works through small consistent steps that in the end give you something very important,” Baime said. If you need help getting started, Baime suggested guided meditation apps like Headspace — which is currently free for those who are unemployed —or Calm. For a more immersive experience, the Penn Program for Mindfulness will host an online eight-week mindfulness-based stress management program at the end of June. For more information, visit pennmedicine.org. — The Philadelphia Inquirer/ TNS

Last week, I spent a couple of days in the hospital, I had to undergo surgery. It was my first time to go into an operating room, the whole thing was unwelcome, frightening and painful, but it also had revelatory power. It got me thinking about pain and suffering. A funny thing happens when you spend a few days in pain, it becomes a master class on suffering. You get to spend countless hours in concentrated agony. In that time, I discovered something fascinating: 95% of the suffering existed only in the stories I told myself. Everything begins and ends in the mind. When I’m able to drop the stories…there is profound relief and the simplicity of this moment. Without the stories…there’s no problem.  Anytime you’re suffering. Anytime you’re in deep pain. Check yourself and see where you are. Are you here, in reality? Or are you in thought land? Last week pushed me to my limit and revealed a lot about myself. I was reminded of the frailty and failure of the flesh, but also how sophisticated and beautiful our bodies are and how gracefully they can also heal themselves. The most important part of my experience was that it forced me to consider what is important and what is trivial. Now that I am healing, I feel blessed with new clarity and focus. Healthy or not, no one’s life is without bumps in the road. When the going gets rough, instead of blaming yourself for your difficulties, try to see them as an inevitable part of the human experience. Then take that best of medicines: self-compassion. It will give rise to the healing sense of peace and well-being that accompany treating yourself as kindly as you’d treat a loved one in need. I believe painful experiences wallow us to empathise when someone tells us about what they are going through. When someone speaks to me about their pain or suffering, I don’t just nod my head and feel sorry for them, I feel deep within me what that actually feels like – because I’ve touched a version of that pain myself. And that’s allowed me to connect with people in a deeper, more meaningful way. Interestingly, the more situations in life we experience, the more deeply connected and plugged in we can feel to the humanity all around us. That’s a true gift. * The author is a consultant and coach. Instagram handle: @miss_shefa,  Website: missshefa.com

Since the 20th century, scientists have been trying vigorously to study, comprehend, and discover the effects of sleep on the human body and mind. By the first decade of the current century, scientists ascertained a large number of sleep disorders and their high prevalence in humans. The EEG patterns (occurring during sleep) helped in correlating different stages during sleep, which in turn led to salutary identification of abnormal behaviours and the relation between sleep and health.   Today, the interest of researchers is in deep-rooted effects of disrupted sleep, as well as effects of sleep deprivation on the body’s metabolism, hormone regulation, and athletic performance. Recent studies have inaugurated the relationship between inadequate sleep and disorders such as obesity, diabetes (type 2), heart problems, mood swings, neurological degeneration, and memory loss. Even though the substantial amount of sleep is important, the time of the day for sleep is also beneficial.  Brain and Neurological Functioning: This latest revelation is monumental in Sleep Medicine. This illustrates how ‘waste’ gets washed out by the brain during sleep. This article was published by Maria Cohut; PhD. The experiment was performed by researchers at Boston University. A few of the results are enlisted below: 1. During sleep, the wastes in the brain and spinal cord get washed out by waves of ‘Cerebrospinal fluid’ which gushes in and out of the brain, like ocean waves. 2. During the process, researchers found that the cerebrospinal fluid appears to ‘synchronise’ with brainwaves which are most likely to remove the brain waste. This waste includes harmful proteins, which if not taken out, might become the cause for disrupted information flow among neurons. These findings would be particularly useful in finding the underlying causes of Alzheimer’s disease since these toxic proteins are the reason behind the loss of memory and cognitive problems.  Circadian Rhythm: This term is used to elucidate the brain’s natural sleep-wake schedule or biological clock. The people are sleepiest at two points of the day. 1. 1pm – 3pm 2. 2am – 4 am If one is animated at these naturally lazy hours, one can be soporific throughout the day, thus feeling listless and nebulous. Physical Health: Cardiac problems and obesity are two of the most prevalent diseases in the world right now and sleep deficiency is directly linked to it. In the study that was published in Journal Science Advances, 15 young men were deprived of a night of sleep. The following were two of the most discernible effects 1. The body had a sudden surge in its fat storage capacity. 2. The tissues of the skeletal muscles manifested symptoms of increased muscle tears. Author Dr Jonathan Cedernaes, an endocrinologist at Northwestern University - Feinberg School of Medicine has said that these studies might help in expounding the interconnection between circadian rhythms and high probability of diabetes and obesity. Athletic Performance: Coaches and trainers around the globe put extreme emphasis on a tight sleep schedule. World-class athletes have a remarkable number of sleep hours e.g. Lionel Messi sleeps around a total of 12 hours a day. The consequences of the sleep cycle for athletes can be broken down into two steps: 1. REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep: This occurs in 90-120 minutes cycles throughout sleep and takes up about a quarter of total sleep in adults. This cycle provides energy to the brain, helping with memory-making and restoring its functionality before waking up. 2. Non-REM sleep: This is also known as deep or slow sleep. This cycle is for muscle recovery and restoring the robustness of the body. It accounts for 40 percent of total sleep. During this phase, the brain rests with little energy consumption, breathing slows down, and the blood supply to the muscle increases, providing extra nutrients and oxygen to help them recover and grow. So, the non-REM phase helps athletes with muscle recovery and muscle gain, but this phase is also accompanied by the secretion of Growth Hormone. During this time, the body undertakes deep sleep in this cycle; the pituitary gland releases a small load of growth hormone that stimulates tissue growth. Lack of growth hormones is connected with a loss of muscle mass and reduced caliber to exercise. In short, sleep is not only beneficial to our physical health but also our emotional and mental state. To be creative, focused, and attentive, we need to have a good night sleep of 7-9 hours. Along with the right amount of sleep, the time of sleep is of mammoth gravity. Sleep Medicine is still working to find more relations between humans and their sleep patterns.  In total, we spend around 25 years of our life asleep, so let’s make it effective! * The author is a consultant in Public Relations and Personality Types. Instagram: @Tipsbyhalahill

So who have you been quarantining with? With family? or Alone? I have been quarantining with my husband and my newborn during this pandemic at our home but I do visit my parents at our family home and my in-laws in their family home. I only risk seeing those who have done as myself, self-quarantine. I try my best to keep away from those who are still out and about and crossing paths with others. Therefore, I have been following precautions of self-quarantining and social distancing but allowing myself to see my family for short amounts of time every few days. Being able to see my family because we are following similar precautions has been a blessing. I know we have all been re-evaluating our lives and realising the things we took for granted pre-coronavirus such as having the freedom and luxury to go wherever and to see whoever you want, but the biggest realisation for me was the importance of family. I do not know what I would have done if I didn’t have my family around, especially with recently giving birth to my baby girl. I thank God everyday that I am able to live with all my immediate family in the same country and most importantly, that we all currently live really close to each other and are able to meet comfortably knowing that we have taken all necessary precautions. This makes me seriously ask myself if I have taken my family for granted and not understood the value they bring to my life; it is critical to have people in your life that you can trust, rely on and be yourself. So I wanted to look further into the idea of family and this is what I confirmed to myself: family gives you a sense of comfort, knowing that you have a network of people you can ask for help or will voluntarily help. It also gives you a sense of belonging, knowing that you fit in at least one group of people and that you are part of a circle of loved-ones. Family also gives you support, both mentally and physically. Of course there is more to family but I just wanted to highlight a few major points concluding that the positive outcomes to having a family contribute to a healthy mind, leading to a healthy body. Are you quarantining alone and have no family around? What do you do if you do not have family or your family is not close? You have to build a network of loved-ones that you consider your family. How? You have to make new connections, build and develop them and create a network that you trust, that you can rely on and provide you with the support you need. It might take time but you have to start somewhere. You have to get yourself out there, be open, get to know people, be honest, be yourself and be real, be there for them as they are for you and last but not least, stay in touch. Who knows, you might even have people around you that act like your family but you haven’t’ realised it yet. Maybe you are considered a part of someone’s family and haven’t realised it either. You don’t have to look too far, start small with the people you know and see if you already have those connections or if there is potential for more.  So if you haven’t already, you should definitely start thinking about developing those connections and building your own family. Remember, it might have taken a pandemic for you to realize this significant human need, so get on it before it is too late and find your family. * The author is a wellness advocate and influencer @keys2balance.