ABU DHABI // As the daughter of “The Greatest”, and a champion of the world boxing ring in her own right, Laila Ali was just the speaker to give children tips on how to get the most out of their bodies.
Emirati schoolgirls had a ringside seat yesterday as the boxer-turned- fitness-advocate, and daughter of the legendary heavyweight champ Muhammad Ali, told them of the benefits of a healthy, active lifestyle.
Ms Ali, a four-time world champion, called on people to take control of their health before it was too late as she visited Imperial College London Diabetes Centre in Abu Dhabi.
At an Eat for Life workshop at the centre, 20 pupils from Al Dhabyania Private School in Al Mushrif listened intently as Ms Ali discussed what goes into a healthy lunch.
Holding up an apple and a carton of processed orange juice, she asked the girls: "Which is better for you, the fruit or the juice?"
"Fruit," her audience chorused.
Ms Ali was teaching the schoolchildren the importance of having a balanced diet: a mix of fruit, vegetables, meat, healthy oils and carbohydrates each day.
She said a healthy diet, combined with 30 minutes of exercise five times a week, is the best way of fighting conditions such as diabetes, which affects 18.9 per cent of people living in the UAE.
The mother of two said she had to learn the best way of maximising her body’s potential when she decided to enter the ring.
The experience left Ms Ali, 35, “extremely passionate” about fitness and health and she feels it is her duty, now she is retired, to pass on the message.
“I learnt about being fit and being healthy from being an athlete and from being a fighter because I was like the average person before competing,” she said. “I had to learn what to do to be the best and get the best performance out of my body, and that is when I got inspired to do everything right.
“Even though I am retired, I still live a healthy lifestyle because I know the importance of it. Now I am a mother I am trying to teach my children how to eat a certain way and I try to lead by example.
“A lot of the problems we have with heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, cancer – all these things we have all over the world and they are from not eating the right foods.”
Despite the cycle of unhealthy foods equalling ill health being obvious, many people still do not get the message, Ms Ali said.
“I am always inspired to encourage people to take care of themselves and to take their health in their own hands before it is too late.”
She is on her first trip to Abu Dhabi as part of a public-health campaign. Tomorrow, she hosts a fitness day at Al Bateen Secondary School.
jbell@thenational.ae
Mica
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Stars: Zakaria Inan, Sabrina Ouazani
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A new relationship with the old country
Treaty of Friendship between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates
The United kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates; Considering that the United Arab Emirates has assumed full responsibility as a sovereign and independent State; Determined that the long-standing and traditional relations of close friendship and cooperation between their peoples shall continue; Desiring to give expression to this intention in the form of a Treaty Friendship; Have agreed as follows:
ARTICLE 1 The relations between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates shall be governed by a spirit of close friendship. In recognition of this, the Contracting Parties, conscious of their common interest in the peace and stability of the region, shall: (a) consult together on matters of mutual concern in time of need; (b) settle all their disputes by peaceful means in conformity with the provisions of the Charter of the United Nations.
ARTICLE 2 The Contracting Parties shall encourage education, scientific and cultural cooperation between the two States in accordance with arrangements to be agreed. Such arrangements shall cover among other things: (a) the promotion of mutual understanding of their respective cultures, civilisations and languages, the promotion of contacts among professional bodies, universities and cultural institutions; (c) the encouragement of technical, scientific and cultural exchanges.
ARTICLE 3 The Contracting Parties shall maintain the close relationship already existing between them in the field of trade and commerce. Representatives of the Contracting Parties shall meet from time to time to consider means by which such relations can be further developed and strengthened, including the possibility of concluding treaties or agreements on matters of mutual concern.
ARTICLE 4 This Treaty shall enter into force on today’s date and shall remain in force for a period of ten years. Unless twelve months before the expiry of the said period of ten years either Contracting Party shall have given notice to the other of its intention to terminate the Treaty, this Treaty shall remain in force thereafter until the expiry of twelve months from the date on which notice of such intention is given.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF the undersigned have signed this Treaty.
DONE in duplicate at Dubai the second day of December 1971AD, corresponding to the fifteenth day of Shawwal 1391H, in the English and Arabic languages, both texts being equally authoritative.
Signed
Geoffrey Arthur Sheikh Zayed
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
Drishyam 2
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