There’s more to heart health than good luck and good genes. Lifestyle is a huge factor, and keeping active and eating the right foods is a large part of that. You may not be what you eat, but including adequate amounts of certain nutrients in your diet is one of the best ways to give your heart the love it deserves.
Dimitrios Spanos, registered dietitian and manager of clinical dietetics at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, says there is a growing impetus towards trying to eat healthy and nutritious home-cooked food more often, or making healthier choices when eating out.
“Various types of nutrients can help lower blood pressure and reduce cholesterol, in turn helping to reduce a person’s risk of cardiovascular disease,” he says. “Nutrients that help lower blood pressure include omega-3 [fatty] acids, antioxidants such as flavonoids, and potassium. As for lowering cholesterol, beneficial nutrients include fibre, lycopene and vitamin E.”
There are recommended foods you can eat to ensure you are getting all of these nutrients, he advises. For battling high blood pressure, the essential nutrients are in fish (mostly salmon, tuna, mackerel, herring and trout), unsalted nuts and seeds, berries, citrus fruits, soy products, legumes (such as peas, beans or lentils), broccoli and tomatoes. To help keep cholesterol levels in check, try to incorporate oatmeal, grapefruit and dark green leafy vegetables into your diet.
In terms of how much of these foods one should to eat, and in what quantities, Spanos says: “A person’s dietary requirements differ based on things like optimal weight and physical activity level.
“As a general rule of thumb, it is beneficial to consume fish at least twice a week (each portion equalling the size of your palm), half a handful of unsalted nuts a day and two cups of fruit with three cups of vegetables per day to load up on vitamins. For your suggested fibre intake, aim for 20 to 30 grams per day by eating more plant-based meals (lentils, beans and soy) and 90g of wholegrain foods every day.”
It can be hard to measure things by the cup or gram, but Spanos says there are foods that we should be avoiding. “Try to avoid foods high in saturated fat, like higher-fat cuts of meats, poultry with skin, full-fat dairy, too much butter and fried foods, because they raise cholesterol levels in the blood.
“Limit your salt to one teaspoon per day. Use spices and herbs instead and avoid processed foods that can be high in salt, such as canned products, and snacks, such as potato chips. Also try to limit your intake of foods with added sugar, such as soft drinks, sweets, and ice cream, since they deliver just calories without any health benefits.”
Fish, and salmon in particular, is great for keeping your heart healthy since it is a rich source of omega-3. Omega-3 lowers the risk of developing arrhythmia, which is an irregular heartbeat, and atherosclerosis, a condition caused by the build-up of plaque in the arteries.
Nuts, including almonds, walnuts, pistachios, peanuts and macadamia nuts, are all great sources of fibre and the type of fat that is good for your heart, as well as vitamin E, which helps lower bad cholesterol (LDL, or low-density lipoprotein, which can build up within the walls of your blood vessels, narrowing the passageways and leading to heart attack and stroke). Some nuts, such as walnuts, are also high in omega-3, but avoid those with a lot of added salt, and instead opt for the unsalted or dry-roasted variety.
Oranges, grapefruits and berries are some of the fruits that are high in antioxidants, fibre, potassium and vitamin C. These help protect cells, lower both blood pressure and cholesterol levels and ward off heart disease.
Soy products are a great way to add protein to your diet without the additional unhealthy fats and cholesterol. They are also rich in healthy fats, fibre, vitamins and minerals, helping lower levels of blood pressure and bad cholesterol.
Legumes, such as beans, lentils and peas, because they come from plants, are great sources of protein without unhealthy fat. They also help control cholesterol and blood sugar levels.
* Dimitrios Spanos, manager clinical dietitian, Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
Sreesanth's India bowling career
Tests 27, Wickets 87, Average 37.59, Best 5-40
ODIs 53, Wickets 75, Average 33.44, Best 6-55
T20Is 10, Wickets 7, Average 41.14, Best 2-12
What are NFTs?
Are non-fungible tokens a currency, asset, or a licensing instrument? Arnab Das, global market strategist EMEA at Invesco, says they are mix of all of three.
You can buy, hold and use NFTs just like US dollars and Bitcoins. “They can appreciate in value and even produce cash flows.”
However, while money is fungible, NFTs are not. “One Bitcoin, dollar, euro or dirham is largely indistinguishable from the next. Nothing ties a dollar bill to a particular owner, for example. Nor does it tie you to to any goods, services or assets you bought with that currency. In contrast, NFTs confer specific ownership,” Mr Das says.
This makes NFTs closer to a piece of intellectual property such as a work of art or licence, as you can claim royalties or profit by exchanging it at a higher value later, Mr Das says. “They could provide a sustainable income stream.”
This income will depend on future demand and use, which makes NFTs difficult to value. “However, there is a credible use case for many forms of intellectual property, notably art, songs, videos,” Mr Das says.
Key features of new policy
Pupils to learn coding and other vocational skills from Grade 6
Exams to test critical thinking and application of knowledge
A new National Assessment Centre, PARAKH (Performance, Assessment, Review and Analysis for Holistic Development) will form the standard for schools
Schools to implement online system to encouraging transparency and accountability
Specs
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The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
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Transmission: Single-speed automatic
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The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
RESULTS
5pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 1,200m
Winner: Ferdous, Szczepan Mazur (jockey), Ibrahim Al Hadhrami (trainer)
5.30pm: Arabian Triple Crown Round-3 Group 3 (PA) Dh300,000 2,400m
Winner: Basmah, Fabrice Veron, Eric Lemartinel
6pm: UAE Arabian Derby Prestige (PA) Dh150,000 2,200m
Winner: Ihtesham, Szczepan Mazur, Ibrahim Al Hadhrami
6.30pm: Emirates Championship Group 1 (PA) Dh1,000,000 2,200m
Winner: Somoud, Patrick Cosgrave, Ahmed Al Mehairbi
7pm: Abu Dhabi Championship Group 3 (TB) Dh380,000 2,200m
Winner: GM Hopkins, Patrick Cosgrave, Jaber Ramadhan
7.30pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Conditions (PA) Dh70,000 1,600m
Winner: AF Al Bairaq, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
The smuggler
Eldarir had arrived at JFK in January 2020 with three suitcases, containing goods he valued at $300, when he was directed to a search area.
Officers found 41 gold artefacts among the bags, including amulets from a funerary set which prepared the deceased for the afterlife.
Also found was a cartouche of a Ptolemaic king on a relief that was originally part of a royal building or temple.
The largest single group of items found in Eldarir’s cases were 400 shabtis, or figurines.
Khouli conviction
Khouli smuggled items into the US by making false declarations to customs about the country of origin and value of the items.
According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, he provided “false provenances which stated that [two] Egyptian antiquities were part of a collection assembled by Khouli's father in Israel in the 1960s” when in fact “Khouli acquired the Egyptian antiquities from other dealers”.
He was sentenced to one year of probation, six months of home confinement and 200 hours of community service in 2012 after admitting buying and smuggling Egyptian antiquities, including coffins, funerary boats and limestone figures.
For sale
A number of other items said to come from the collection of Ezeldeen Taha Eldarir are currently or recently for sale.
Their provenance is described in near identical terms as the British Museum shabti: bought from Salahaddin Sirmali, "authenticated and appraised" by Hossen Rashed, then imported to the US in 1948.
- An Egyptian Mummy mask dating from 700BC-30BC, is on offer for £11,807 ($15,275) online by a seller in Mexico
- A coffin lid dating back to 664BC-332BC was offered for sale by a Colorado-based art dealer, with a starting price of $65,000
- A shabti that was on sale through a Chicago-based coin dealer, dating from 1567BC-1085BC, is up for $1,950
