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It has long been known that consumption of certain foods can have a profound effect on the physical and mental health of many individuals. This is even more of a problem in today’s world of over-processed foods. Less than two per cent of the population suffers from food allergies; however, up to 45 per cent is estimated to suffer from some sort of food intolerance.

What is food intolerance?

“Food intolerance should not be mistaken for a food allergy, which is an immune response to the protein in certain foods. The most common allergies are fish, eggs and peanuts,” explains Christina Doublichevitche, health nutritionist at Unilever North Africa and Middle East. “A food intolerance is related to the digestive system and not the immune system, so the symptoms are usually abdominal cramps and bloating. These symptoms still occur due to food allergies, but the allergy symptoms are more pronounced – with itching, rashes, hives, shortness of breath –and they can sometimes be fatal.”

Ban the bad stuff

To achieve a hot body like many A-list celebrities, you should target and eliminate your food intolerances (food that causes bloating, discomfort or that you find difficult to digest). It could be something as simple as milk that is contributing to your muffin top or eggs adding to your bulge if you are intolerant to them. “The most common example of a food intolerance is lactose intolerance, which affects around one in 10 people,” points out Doublichevitche.

However, before you declare yourself intolerant to vegetables (nice try), it is important to understand that food intolerances vary from one individual to another. Symptoms often occur some time after the food has been eaten, and it can be difficult to identify the food, or foods, that are causing the symptoms. It is therefore vital to get tested before you cut crucial food groups from your diet.

Good Taste tries two food intolerance tests to find how they can help.

The scientific test

The Food Detective test is available at Biolite Skin Clinic. It tests your blood against five different food groups.

The test

The test was a simple process and took around 15 minutes to complete. An assistant took a pin-prick sample of my blood and mixed it with a solution and poured it into a small plastic container with different sections within it. Whatever section had a negative reaction to my blood was a food group I was intolerant to. Two hours later the results were emailed to me.

The results

My results were rather depressing. If I was to make a list of all my favourite foods and foods that I consume the most it would have read like my food intolerance results.
I was quite shocked by them as I don’t have any noticeable problems to speak of. I don’t get bloated or lethargic after I polish off a whole French bread stick – I just feel rather satisfied with my sandwich masterpiece.

The treatment

I had to remove certain food groups and reduce others. One major plus to the test was the nifty little booklet I was given, which explains what food intolerances are and what alternative foods are available for a healthy, varied, balanced diet. I removed numerous foods from my diet for two weeks and didn’t really see a huge difference; perhaps my intolerances are so slight it didn’t affect me physically (either that, or I’m in denial). The Biolite Skin Clinic did recommend I remove the foods from my diet for at least three

months to get the full benefits, but I found it too difficult and, as I don’t have any real issues, I gave up. However, if you have stomach problems or unexplained discomfort after eating then I would recommend trying the test and eliminating the problem foods from your diet to see a difference in your overall wellbeing.

Reviewed by Cindy L Bailey

For more information call 04 375 2122 or log on to www.biolitedubai.com

The alternative medicine test

Mayr Medicine is a detoxification practice that was developed more than 100 years ago. Practitioner of Viva Modern Mayr Medicine (an updated version of the practice), Dr Harald Stossier is based at the Viva Hotel and Centre in Austria, but offers regular consultations at The Dubai Herbal Treatment Centre. Part of the consultation involves a food intolerance test, which, in Mayr Medicine, is based on kinesiology – the study of the anatomy, physiology and mechanics of body movement. The theory is, if your body is intolerant to something, your muscles immediately weaken in reaction to it.

The test

After a quick chat with Dr Stossier I soon realised that one has to be a little open- minded about the practices of Mayr Medicine. Some theories, such as learning to take your time over your food (you should chew every bite 50 times!) and not eating raw food before you go to bed as it will ferment in your stomach overnight, seemed logical; others, such as the theory that my belly button piercing weakened me, did not. I also had to keep an open mind for the applied kinesiology intolerance test. The process involved my lying down while Dr Stossier tested my muscle strength by applying pressure to my arms and legs, one at a time, asking me to resist. Next, he applied a sprinkling of a food substance, such as lactose, in concentrated powder form onto my tongue and did the resistance test again; this was done around 10 times with various food substances. The test took around 30 minutes and the results were immediate.

The results

I apparently had an immediate weakened reaction after ingesting cows’ milk protein. I also showed a potential intolerance to lactose.

The treatment

It was recommended that I avoid any milk from animals and I could no longer eat cows’ cheese, but could eat goats’, sheep and buffalo cheese. I knew I would find it hard to cut these out of my diet, as I enjoy nothing more than a glass of milk and cheddar cheese on toast! However, I duly bought soya milk on my next supermarket trip, along with a wedge of goats’ cheese.

Dr Stossier said that I should start to notice a difference after a week, getting progressively better over the next month or so. With my only real issue being lethargy, I didn’t notice any big changes in my energy levels; however, I did find it easier to get up in the morning (and I am not a morning person). What I definitely noticed is how it got me thinking about what I ate, and I would say it actually transformed my whole diet for the better. For example, instead of drinking milk with my dinner, I now have water (which I had been meaning to drink more of) and instead of being lazy and having cheese on toast for dinner (yes, it’s true, I’m sorry), I have started cooking more and experimenting with different ingredients. This means I have cut down on dairy and people have commented that I look as if I have lost weight.

As I am still young and healthy (Dr Stossier’s words, thank you very much), the test was not necessarily essential for me, but I would recommend anyone suffering with ailments – including digestive discomfort, acne and even serious illnesses such as cancers – to give it a go. There’s nothing to lose, apart from perhaps the odd glass of cows’ milk.

Reviewed by Caroline Garnar

For more information on Mayr Medicine and to find out when Dr Harald Stossier is next visiting The Dubai Herbal Treatment Centre, visit www.dubaihtc.com or call 04 335 1200

CELEB ADVICE

“I eat a lot of organic food, drink lots of water and I take time for meditation.” Elle ‘The Body’ Macpherson, 48, talks a lot of sense.

QUIT FOR GOOD

On May 31 every year the World Health Organisation (WHO) holds No Tobacco Day. It highlights the risks associated with tobacco use and campaigns for effective policies to reduce consumption.  Tobacco is the second highest cause of death globally (after high blood pressure) and is currently responsible for killing one in 10 adults worldwide. Go on, stub it out now before it is too late.

For information on why you should quit and suggestions on how see www.smokerfreedubai.com

DID YOU KNOW?

Soya is the menopausal woman’s best friend. It helps maintain oestrogen levels and may alleviate hot flushes. It is also know to protect against Alzheimer’s disease, osteoporosis and heart disease.

Energy drink warning

Energy drinks are not suitable for active children, say US doctors. Packed with

caffeine and lacking nutritional benefits, these drinks are potentially harmful to children, they warn. Doctors have described cases of seizures and heart problems experienced by children after drinking excessive amounts of energy drinks.

FAST FACT

Reducing your average salt intake by just three grams per day can reduce the risk of stroke by 22 per cent.

Oscar-nominee Josh Brolin chats to Good Taste about his excitement and reservations about taking on the role of Agent K in Men in Black 3 and channelling his inner Tommy Lee Jones

This isn’t the first time Josh Brolin has played a well-known character (George W Bush, Dan White, Jonah Hex). This time, though, he is bringing to life an aspect of a dear friend that audiences might have a hard time dealing with: a younger, warmer Tommy Lee Jones. Well, not exactly. In Men In Black 3 Brolin finds himself in the shoes of Tommy Lee’s character, Agent K, back in 1969, when the world was rolling on peace and love and aliens lived among us with no worries. “K is still K, but with more heart,” says Brolin, who teams up with Will Smith when his Agent J goes back in time to save the world.

Brolin had to find his inner Tommy Lee and channel a performance that would do him justice in tone, crankiness and humour. “What humour?” jokes Brolin, when asked about Jones’s brand of quick remarks and on-the-spot one liners. “I am good friends with Tommy, but he still has some things in his personality that are incredibly hard to mimic.” To make matters worse, the job was not to impersonate his friend, but play a character he so brilliantly defined – and still find his own voice in it. “I immersed myself in Tommy Lee; I had to isolate myself to study, not only him, but the previous movies as well. Everything had to be perfect, or at least as perfect as it could be. But when we got on the set, everything worked out fine.”

For an actor building a career as diverse as Brolin’s, mostly outside blockbuster territory, MIB3 might be seen as an odd choice. “I usually don’t do these films,” says Brolin. “But when I read the script, I found things that tick me as an actor: relationships, real emotion, heroism. The monsters and the bang are there, but it has a sci-fi and emotional core that I really like.” Since Grindhouse, the 2007 Quentin Tarantino/Robert Rodriguez movie experience, Brolin found himself in a position unlike at any other time in his career. He went to work with the Coen brothers in No Country For Old Men (and later in the remake of True Grit), was a corrupt cop in Ridley Scott’s American Gangster, and became a much-maligned ex-president in Oliver Stone’s W. As Dan White, in the controversial biopic Milk by Gus Van Sant, Brolin got his first Academy Awards nomination. And now, in a project as big as MIB3, the actor will have the opportunity to show his range to a wider global audience.

Maybe it’s not a coincidence that Steven Spielberg, executive producer of MIB3, was

“I REMEMBER IN 1997, WHEN THE FIRST MEN IN BLACK WAS RELEASED, I WAS HAPPY TO BE WORKING REGULARLY AND PUTTING FOOD ON THE TABLE. I SAW THAT BIG, BRIGHT SPECTACLE AND THOUGHT, ‘WHAT IF…’”

also behind the scenes when Brolin started out as an actor. The year was 1985 and the movie was The Goonies. Following his father’s footsteps professionally – he is the son of James Brolin, of Capricorn One and Pensacola fame – he ventured into a career on TV, and then moved to the big screen. The path was uneven, though. “I remember in 1997, when the first Men In Black was released, I was happy to be working regularly and putting food on the table,” recalls the actor. “I saw that big, bright spectacle and thought, ‘What if…’”

Things have a funny way of turning out, and Josh ended up working twice with

“I DIDN’T KNOW WILL BEFORE THIS AND HE HAS A WAY OF WORKING THAT I FOUND REALLY REFRESHING”

Tommy Lee in the same year, a decade after watching the actor as Agent K. First in the Oscar-winning No Country for Old Men; then in the homecoming war drama In the Valley of Elah. It was director Barry Sonnenfeld who spotted Brolin, not only doing Tommy Lee impersonations, but also reading a self-written speech at an awards ceremony for the Coens. “By that time, MIB3 was brewing,” says the actor. “I know a lot of actors were up for the job, but Barry saw my enormous head, heard me being funny with my speech, and thought I was the only one who could pull that off.” He was flattered, and frightened, for the job he’d just agreed to do.

MIB3 puts an original spin on the series. Its 10 years after the second time we’ve seen agents J and K together, and an unknown threat virtually erases K from existence – for all purposes, he dies 40 years before our time. Being the only one capable of turning the tide, saving his friend and preventing an intergalactic invasion of Earth, Agent J travels back in time to 1969 and has to convince a younger, more rebellious, but still granite-faced K to help him put things right.

“I’ve loved sci-fi since I was a kid,” says Brolin. “I’d read Ray Bradburry and Isaac Asimov and also spend my time writing my own stories. MIB brings back that sense of wonder and humanity, and that’s what I love about the series.”

His major concern was, he believes, shared with the movies’ fans. “I didn’t want to be the guy to sever one of the greatest teams in movie history,” states the actor.
“I don’t think that’s what happens in the end, but you’ll have to see the movie to discover how everything works.”

The thing that made his day was being on the set and, even though he was the new kid among the series veterans, everybody made him feel at ease. “I didn’t know Will before this and he has a way of working that I found refreshing,” says Brolin. “It’s all really collaborative; we got to sit and discuss new ways of presenting the story. I have my own thing and frequently give my two cents on how K did his thing. But if they had another way, they’d be right.” So, is the new Agent K is here to stay? “I can say K is here to stay. It was not like I was in the corner saying chants with Tommy Lee’s voice.” He confesses; “Well, maybe it was a little bit like that.”

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“I’m a single mum”

Tricia Evans is a one-woman juggling act. Her batons include her 14-year-old daughter Sian, her job as a freelance business coach and writer, her eight-year tenure on the board of charity Gulf for Good and her position as chairperson for the parents’ group at her daughter’s school. But she couldn’t do it all without her support network…

“I’ve been a single mum for 14 years – since Sian was four months old. It was not remotely what I ever expected, but I guess ‘s*** happens’ to everyone sooner or later. My ex-husband is a lovely guy, but is very messed up – he left his previous wife with one-year-old twins and me with Sian at four months old.

“I’ve been a business coach since I moved to Dubai in 1993 and I worked from home before I had Sian, so it was an easy transition when I had her. I never really stopped working, but I did scale back a lot for six months or so. I’ve always loved my work and have felt a tremendous sense of purpose from it. I always knew that I didn’t want to be a full-time stay-at-home mum – I’d have found that very restricting. No matter what I’ve done in my life, though, being a mother has always come first. I have always organised my work around Sian and working from home for the majority of the time made that relatively easy.

“Being a working mum makes me enjoy and appreciate my time with Sian even more. It also gives me a much better perspective on life than I would have if I was just staying at home. I think I’ve been a good role model for Sian as well, as I’ve always been independent and been involved in very interesting things. As well as my job I do voluntary work, which is hugely important to me. I feel we should all be actively ‘giving back’ to the community throughout our lives – if we’re not helping, then who is? I spend around one day a week in my role as strategic advisor for Gulf for Good and another day as chairperson for the parents’ group at my daughter’s school, JESS Arabian Ranches, which I’ve been actively involved with for 11 years.

“How do I find the time? Well I don’t even try to do it all; I just focus on the stuff that I, and only I, can do – for example raise Sian, run my freelance business, be actively involved in my voluntary work, spend time travelling, spend time with family and friends and so on. For the rest I have amazing support from my housekeeper and driver, Cena, who looks after the infrastructure of my world. She keeps our villa, cars, clothes and garden clean and ready for use, plus she does all my shopping and ferries Sian around when I’m committed with work. Also my wonderful PA Lynn, who is my absolute right hand. The day she leaves Dubai I’ll have a fit – I call her my ‘blood pressure lowerer’, and she has been an amazing support for me for more than 11 years! My mum also lived with us for three or four months a year for 12 years – unfortunately she’s now 87 and has dementia, so is unable to travel. I also have a rock solid and close-knit family in England, Wales and Singapore.

“The hardest part of being a single mother is doing everything on my own – oh, and having to pay for everything as well. But it’s all worth it. I had Sian late – at 41 – and she was an extra-special IVF baby, so I’ve always been determined to just enjoy her at every stage. As a result, she and I are extremely close.

“My philosophy has always been for us to have a series of adventures together, and we’ve always done that – be it amazing holidays, interesting parties, lots of theatre trips, lots of outdoors activities and so on. I have actively enjoyed every stage of Sian’s childhood and, to my surprise, I’m also thoroughly enjoying her being a teenager!

“Another advantage is that life is amazingly uncomplicated with no husband and one easy child – so one set of rules, no awkward dynamics and no arguing or fighting. We have a very peaceful and respectful relationship and household.”

“My husband is the stay-at-home dad”

Sophay Young, a specification manager, and her husband Danny, an exercise rider for Emirates Racing Club, both work full-time, yet have devised the perfect routine when it comes to raising their five-year-old daughter Resse. Sophay shares her secret

on being a successful working mum…

“To be honest, somewhere in the back of my mind I always thought I would be a stay-at-home mother, because that is what my mum did with me; but my parents encouraged me to get an education and a career followed. I am lucky my husband, Danny, works alternative hours to me and so we can balance the workload of parenthood.

“We have a wonderful five-year-old daughter, Resse, who is so loving and caring. Danny and I are expecting a little boy next month. We are all very excited about the new arrival. In Dubai the maternity leave is only a shocking 45 working days, so I’ll be adding my annual leave to this to take three months off to spend with the new arrival.

“I went back to work when Resse was two years old. It was an incredibly tough decision. Luckily I have a very supportive husband and, because he finishes early, he can help out with our daughter. That was one of the reasons I considered a full-time position in the first place.

“Going back to work definitely changed my role as a mother. It made me appreciate the time I spent with Resse even more. As a working mother there are a lot of demands on your time, so the time I spend with Resse is real quality time. The hardest part about being a working mother is dropping Resse off at school in the morning and knowing I won’t see her until late afternoon.

“There is no secret to juggling a full-time career and motherhood; I have a supportive husband who helps make it all possible. Teamwork is vital, and knowing that one cannot do it without the other. We each have our own role; as Danny finishes early he fetches Resse from school, helps with homework and is the designated taxi driver for all her after-school activities. I usually do the bedtime and story-reading routine in the evenings because I like to catch up with Resse after spending all day at work. Weekends are very important to us and we try to do as many things as possible together as a family.

“If Danny had to change his job I would definitely have to switch from full to part-time hours, because the balance between work and time with our daughter is very important to us. While she is at school we are working, but we believe at least one parent should be with her in the afternoon when she finishes.

“I’m thankful that Resse gets to spend such quality time with her dad. He does an amazing job, he is patient and caring – everything a father should be. He is super dad! Although, I do worry sometimes when I get home and Resse has been practising her make-up skills on him…”

“I have four children and my own business”

Tara Levitt and her husband have two boys, Harry, 12, and Max, 10, and twin eight-year-old girls, Georgia and Megan. As if that wasn’t enough to keep her busy, Tara is also the founder and director of StarBlu Holdings, a luxury resort-wear retailer.

“I launched StarBlu in Hong Kong in 2005 when my children were five, three, and the twins were one. It wasn’t a tough decision to go back to work for me. I knew, though, that I couldn’t go back to my job as a consumer analyst as I couldn’t commit that much time and be away from my children 12-15 hours a day. I wanted to do something that I could manage, that was flexi-time, and that I was passionate about. I knew I had to set up my own company and then I could work within my own boundaries. My one-year-old twins were in playgroup three mornings a week and my three-year-old was at playgroup five mornings a week, hence I could still pick up the kids from school most days and spend time with them in the afternoon as I could just work in the mornings and the evenings when they had gone to bed.

“I don’t think it changed my role as a mother. I am still fully committed to them and they are always my priority. They know this and therefore understand if I sometimes have to miss out on small events with them. It can be hard juggling four children and a full-time job, though: I think the hardest part is trying to keep up with all the paperwork and scheduling of work, home, school and after-school activities. You need to be very organised and have a good memory!

“It is worth all the effort though, as I love telling my children what I do. They are keen and enthusiastic to hear all about StarBlu! They love talking about the designs and prints and give me advice about what children would like. It is another thing we can do together. My job has brought us exciting travel opportunities, too. It brought us to Dubai – my business partner set up StarBlu Dubai in 2006 and we moved here in 2010 – and I am taking them all to Hainan Island, China, in July. This trip is to help at Sea Turtles 911, which has the world’s only floating turtle hospital. We support the cause through StarBlu’s environmental programme and it is lovely for me to see how excited my children are to help.”

back to work?

Going back to work is not a simple decision. Time with your children is precious and, once you factor in childcare costs, it can sometimes not even be financially viable. Wealth commentator Janelle Malone lays out your options…

1 Be a stay-at-home mum

“Many women can’t put a price on being at home with their children and so, if finances

allow, you can opt to be a stay-at-home mum – or, more accurately, household CEO!”

2 Be a work-at-home mum

“The work-at-home mum usually has her own business, or is freelance, and so has more flexible hours. However, she has to be strict: more often than not, her work begins when the kids go to sleep and burning the midnight oil has its limitations.”

3 Work part-time

“Part-time work is still a relatively new phenomenon in the UAE and can be an ideal solution – if it truly is part-time. The danger is that many part-time roles are actually a full-time job on part-time pay.

That can lead to extra hours, extra stress and resentment.”

4 Work full-time

“A full-time role may mean more time away from the kids, but it at least has more clarity of hours and will pay more. Of course, you then have to put a ‘price’ on the lost time with your children – a highly emotional factor that will vary from individual to individual. Therefore, when making a list of your priorities and budget, don’t forget to create a value for time.”

Do a financial breakdown
(so you don’t have one!)

Write a list of all of your incomings verses your outgoings; this will simply identify the financial element of your decision. The outgoing costs you should consider include the following:

Average cost of a nanny: Dhs3,000-6,000 per month, depending on how many days you need them.

Average cost of a live-in nanny: Dhs1,500-2,500 per month plus visa costs.

Average cost of nursery school: Dhs12,000-30,000 per year, depending on the number of days per week your child attends. There’s also a non-refundable registration fee of around Dhs500-1,000 and annual medical fee of Dhs250-1,000.

Average cost of after-school activities: Dhs1,500-2,250 per year for one after-school activity. However, most kids want to do around three, meaning you’ve potentially just added another Dhs6,000 to your already sky-high school fees.

Tip: Kids are notoriously fickle, so if they do want to sign up to an activity, make sure they understand the concept of ‘sticking to it’ and don’t drop out after three sessions. Some courses offer ‘try before you buy’ sessions, which are a great way of seeing whether junior is really interested.

Read Janelle’s blog at womenmoneyandstyle.com

Join three slightly cynical but intrigued Good Taste team members who go on a spiritual journey to find out if you really can heal yourself from the inside out…

If you’re feeling worn out, stressed and your mind seems impossible to switch off, you would be right to think a good session at the gym, a hot bath and an early night will sort you out. However, although these activities will help you to unwind short-term, inside you will likely still feel muddled and stressed, which will soon take its toll on you again physically. One way of trying to resolve this recurring pattern is through working from the inside out. Spiritual healers believe that, through various methods, you can connect with your inner self and help your spirit to cleanse and heal itself, making you feel great on the inside as well as out. With this in mind, the Good Taste team tried out six spiritual practises, with some surprising results…

Cord cutting

What is it?

“Cords are strands that come out of one person’s aura and attach themselves to another person’s aura,” says Terri Allen, a spiritual healer and clairvoyant at Angels of Light. “They are formed when there is a significant emotional, psychological or physical connection with someone.” If you are feeling drained and run down, this could be because you are losing your energy through these cords attached to other people. “Think about it,” says Terri, “You don’t want to be supporting someone else’s power system when your own is running on less than its full amount.” The idea of cord cutting is to release you from the negative feelings or energy drains – whether they originate from another person in your present or past, or even from a previous life.

“It changed my life”

Lilian Blum turned to cord cutting because she was feeling worn out and drained and couldn’t figure out why: “Cord cutting seemed a good way to get rid of the negative things that were holding me back on an energetic level. I stopped smoking right after the session, having been a heavy

“I’VE BEEN STRANGLED AND DROWNED BY A FAMILY MEMBER
. . .OH YES, IT WAS ALL SUNSHINE AND ROSES FOR ME”

smoker for 23 years of my life. Also, I went through a phase of adjustment in my human relationships; my family is now in a healthy new situation in which we are all living more towards our needs and dreams. I now have a positive attitude towards myself, my life and all the people I meet.”

Good Taste’s experience

Somewhat concerned with spending the afternoon with a ‘hippy dippy’ type, I was pleasantly surprised to find that spiritual healer Terri is (somewhat ironically) very down to earth, and her home is peaceful and relaxing. After a quick chat, I passed her my list of five things I wanted to be ‘cut free’ from and laid down with my eyes covered. Like a cross between a therapy session and a psychic reading, Terri quickly pinpointed the routes of my concerns and described the personalities of a number of people in my life to a tee. If any of these were negative, she snipped away my cord connecting me to them. It appears, however, that many of my deep-rooted fears come from my past lives. My fear of the future, for example, is because apparently I have never had one. According to Terri I’ve had many past lives but have never lived beyond 25 – I’ve even been strangled and drowned by a family member, who I had killed in a previous life… oh yes, it was all sunshine and roses for me. However, Terri was quick to assure me that past-life experiences have no bearing on your present life, other than the emotional connection, and so I was very happy to have these cords cut (with an extra large pair of ‘mind scissors’ thank you very much).

Terri then laid crystals on my body to help cleanse me and, as soon as she did, I felt the whole room spinning and like my body was being pulled about. “That’s all the crap being pulled out of you,” says Terri (told you she was down to earth). Feeling rather bewildered, I was later taken to the crystal healing bed, where seven crystals are positioned over your chakras (‘energy centres’ within the body) and flash away like multicoloured disco lights, to help heal your emotional and energetic levels. For a long time I felt nothing, but then I felt this strange pulling sensation on my forehead that came in waves and a heat creeping round the left side of my body. Whether it was to do with the crystals or not, I felt it.

Since the session I have felt more at peace and more ‘present’ – I no longer dwell so much on the past or future. How long this will last I am unsure, but the whole experience was enjoyable, and completely fascinating. I think Terri may have cut my cynical cord. Reviewed by Caroline Garnar

A cord-cutting and crystal healing bed session costs Dhs550 for 90 minutes. 050 655 4814;
www.angelsoflightonline.com

Body mapping and spontaneous painting

What is it?

This is a meditative and creative process used to reconnect you with your body. You create a self-portrait by drawing around yourself and, after a short meditation, you paint in your features, feelings and emotions using your non-dominant hand. “This allows you to tap into the creative and intuitive side of the brain,” says class leader Andrea Anstiss. “It helps access deeper memories, feelings, thoughts and beliefs, helping bypass the editor or critic in us, so we can be authentic and in the moment.” Andrea guides you, but the expression is free and you ‘go with your gut’ with the colours you use and what you paint. “It’s an excellent way to help people get in touch with their feelings and release old, buried emotions,” says Andrea, adding: “The experience leads to a deeper understanding of your body and your unconscious feelings, and it’s a great tool for letting go of pain and stress.”

“It changed my life”

Vanessa Arnold has been making body maps for a number of years and feels she always learns from the experience: “As adults, how often do we get the opportunity to get messy with paints and colours? Andrea creates an environment in which people feel free to depict their feelings about themselves with radical honesty. From my body maps I see how my thoughts and beliefs reflect in my physical body as pain or numbness, and also how much progress I’ve made in making peace with who I am.”

Good Taste’s experience

Initially I was very self conscious about my painting skills, but I was forgetting a crucial aspect of the therapy: it’s the process and not the product that counts. Andrea helped me focus on expressing my feelings at a very basic level – through colours, shades and patterns. Naturally, my first thought was, “Ooh, I’m gonna take inches off those hips!” but my body shape soon became of secondary importance. Painting is incredibly therapeutic, but it’s also an amazing insight into the self. I was completely immersed and shocked to discover I’d been at it for over an hour. A personal trauma was very apparent in the end result, but the portrait also highlighted the love and

contentment in my life, as well as an open heart and spirit and a deep desire to move on. Often therapies dwell on what is wrong or lacking, but I was pleasantly surprised – and comforted – to see these more upbeat traits. As recommended by Andrea, I’m currently living with my portrait (which has raised a few eyebrows) and when I look at it I’m more struck by the positives in my life – which can only be a good thing. Reviewed by Karen Iley.

A body mapping and spontaneous painting session costs Dhs600 for a two-hour individual session or Dhs300pp for group sessions; 050 856 6912; andrea.anstiss@gmail.com

Colour therapy

What is it?

“Colour is a form of electromagnetic energy,” says Shahida H Siddique, CEO of Spadunya Colour Experience. “When absorbed by the body, this energy has an effect on the body systems that are linked to how we feel.” Through a colour consultation, Spadunya determines what your body and mind needs by what colours you are drawn to. You then enjoy a massage, facial or body wrap using products from your chosen colour range, meaning you will feel the benefits of your treatment internally as well as externally. Explains Shahida, “Every cell in our body vibrates at a specific frequency. There is colour in our organs and in every cell. Where there is harmony in these vibrations, there is wellbeing.”

“It changed my life”
Claire Graingfer was recommended by a friend to try the Spadunya Colour Experience: “My friend had such a positive experience and she thought the treatments would be ideal for me, and she was right,” says Claire. The therapy has even given Claire relief from her back troubles:

“The treatments have enabled me to start living a pain-free life. The staff are absolute stars; they have developed the perfect package for me to help treat my back, water retention and overall wellbeing. As a result I am a completely a different person.”

Good Taste’s experience
During my consultation the therapist showed me a selection of colours from which I spontaneously chose four that appealed to me the most at that particular moment. The first colour apparently represents your immediate need, the second colour represents your energy deficit and the third colour is a ‘helper’ that makes incorporating the second colour easier if access is difficult. The fourth colour represents the next step in your life. At the time I felt the colours I had picked definitely related to my thoughts and feelings, although, on reflection, I believe I could have related to most of the colour ‘meanings’ in some way. After the massage using my selected colours, I left feeling relaxed and more aware that I need to take a bit more time out for me, just as the colour experience advised. The great part about the Spadunya Colour Experience is that, no matter what mood or state of mind you are in, the spa won’t fail to influence you in a positive way. It’s an easy way to listen to your body and mind and give it the TLC it deserves. Reviewed by Cindy L Bailey.

Spadunya Colour Experience treatments cost Dhs200 for 30 minutes, Dhs395 for one hour and Dhs580 for 90 minutes. Jumeira Beach Residence, Shams 1, plaza level; 04 439 3669; www.spadunyaclub.com

Aura clearing and chakra balancing

What is it?

Our ‘aura’ is the energy field that surrounds us and can reflect our emotional state through colours. A light, white aura is what we should all aim for, apparently, and Terri from Angels of Light can help return your aura to its peaceful state, and therefore

restore your inner peace too. Using a swinging pendulum, Terri checks if your seven chakras (energy centres) are flowing correctly. Then, using relaxation and meditation, she encourages the client to visualise coloured lights on each chakra to help her use her clairvoyant sight (or ‘third eye’) to pinpoint problem chakras and heal them using crystals, subtle touch and sensitive discussion. The session ends with 15 minutes on a crystal bed, where lights are zapped on the seven chakras in a spiritual re-boot to the system.

“It changed my life”

Goranka Milobar was feeling vulnerable, drained and depressed but didn’t know
why, until her visit to Angels of Light:
“I now know that with a ‘broken’ aura I feel extremely vulnerable and overly sensitive. I’m out of balance and I get sick very easily. The process of clearing and healing is very emotional at the beginning, but I relax as the session progresses. Two days after the session I feel so light, bright and happy. I’m singing, laughing, dancing – everything is easy; my imagination blooms and my energy and confidence are high. I feel I’m back to ‘my space’. So now, every time I spot the signs, I know what to do and where to go. This practice has purified me and strengthened me in so many ways. It has transformed my life completely.”

Good Taste’s experience

Given that I wasn’t even sure what a chakra was, I was initially sceptical of Terri’s claim that psychic connection would allow her to see my aura and identify areas where it was malfunctioning. At first, I found the visualisation a challenge (my mind kept wandering), but the relaxed vibe helped me glide into it. Terri was swift to diagnose me as a worrier and was concerned that my throat chakra was completely blocked, signifying suppressed feelings and emotions. She was astoundingly quick to pinpoint a personal grief and I found myself getting rather emotional. Yes, there were tears, but the process was cathartic and enriching. I nodded off mid-way through the the crystal bed session (I’ve never been able to stay awake in a darkened room), but whether it was the simple luxury of a midday snooze or the fact my auras had been re-set, I certainly left feeling lighter, happier and generally more capable of facing the world. Reviewed by Karen Iley.

Aura clearing and chakra balancing costs Dhs450 for one hour plus time on the crystal healing bed; 050 655 4814; www.angelsoflightonline.com

Meditation

What is it?

“Meditation is simply finding the quiet within,” says Jan Maddern who has been teaching seven-week meditation courses at the Osteopathic Health Centre in Dubai for the past three years. She explains that you learn, through methods tailored to you, to quiet the ‘chatter’ of the left part of your brain and engage the right, bringing them into harmony with one another and creating a quieter state of mind. “This allows us to see any unfinished business in a holistic light and many fears or traumas can then be processed and released, leading to less anxiety in daily life,” says Jan, adding, “People who meditate for 20 minutes each day become whole-brain thinkers in everyday life, making them more effective and efficient.”

“It changed my life”

Rita D’Souza turned to meditation when she was feeling overwhelmed with work and personal matters. “I felt like my mind was cluttered with too much information and felt drained and empty towards the end of the day. Meditation has brought clarity to my thoughts; I now feel focused in what I do. I have learnt to take each day as it comes and live in the present. I now meditate twice a day, but once you start to meditate you do it every second of your day, even when you are in a crowd. My life is still the same but I have changed. I have learnt to be calmer

“MEDITATION HAS BROUGHT CLARITY TO MY THOUGHTS; I NOW FEEL FOCUSED IN WHAT I DO”

in the most chaotic of situations and I have more stability in relationships at work and in my personal life, as I have learnt to accept people as they are. Through meditation I have been able to change myself to be stronger within to accept the changes and challenges outside.”

Good Taste’s experience

The word ‘meditation’ for me conjures up annoyingly Zen-like people cross-legged, hands on knees, fingers forming a circle and a long “ohhhhhhm”. Something that I, someone who fidgets and has a mind that works like a conveyor belt on overdrive, felt I had little chance of ever achieving. However, after attending just one of Jan’s classes I can see that meditation is something easily integrated into your life – with a little discipline – and it’s simply a case of learning what works for you. Sitting cross-legged saying “ohm”, for example, does not work for me. However, the deep breathing exercise we did while lying in a darkened room did much to relax me, and the visualisation exercise we did took me into a magical dream world of a sumptuous bedroom, tropical garden and golden sandy beach. Who wouldn’t like to be there after a day in the office? To truly learn which techniques suit you and to master them, you do need to do the full seven-week course, of which Good Taste will be trying out and reviewing in a future edition. After having doubted I could fit an hour into my week for a meditation class, what with work, social commitments and exercise, all it took was one class with Jan and I’m determined to find the time. Reviewed by Caroline Garnar.

The seven-week meditation course costs Dhs490, including a meditation seat. Classes are held Wednesdays 7pm-8pm, with the next course beginning April 18. Dubai Osteopathic Centre, Al Wasl Road, Jumeira; 04 348 7366

Reiki

What is it?

The word ‘reiki’ is made of two Japanese words: ‘rei’, which means spirit and ‘ki’, which is life force energy, so reiki can be described as ‘spiritually guided life force energy’. Reiki master Thiba Sharaf believes, “We are alive because life force is flowing through us. It flows through pathways called chakras, meridians and nadis. It also flows around us in a field of energy called the aura. Life force nourishes the organs and cells of the body, supporting them in their vital functions. When this flow of life force is disrupted, it causes diminished function in one or more of the organs and tissues of the physical body.” It is believed that the life force becomes disrupted when we have negative thoughts and feelings, and thereby diminishes the vital function of the organs and cells of the physical body. When this happens, Sharaf says reiki is the answer: “Reiki is a magical wand that you can use to de-stress or to manifest one’s biggest dreams. The sky is the limit.”

“It changed my life”
“Knowing there is a practice that can ease some of life’s everyday pressure is definitely worth keeping as a part of one’s lifestyle,” says reiki fan Abeer Bakri.“With reiki I feel so relaxed and, after each session, I have an amazing night’s sleep. Throughout the following days my energy levels are boosted. I feel like I can handle the stress of the day better and the problems appear less important.” Abeer has at least one reiki session a month and thoroughly recommends the reiki facial: “It had an incredible anti-ageing effect. I will continue to have the sessions and reap the benefits of a truly inspiring and rewarding practice. Reiki has changed my life.”

Good Taste’s experience
I have had many facials in my time, but the reiki facial is different to anything I’ve ever tried before, namely because, throughout the whole 45-minute session, the therapist didn’t once touch my face. The idea is that Thiba sends good energy through her hands, which fights the negative energies within your body. The process was incredibly relaxing and I felt revitalised after the session; whether this was due to taking the time out of my usually hectic day to close my eyes and relax, or the positive energy flowing through my body, who knows? The evening of the session I slept like a baby and I felt refreshed and energised the next day. My face didn’t look or feel any different, but it is recommended for individuals with acne, scarring or wrinkles to see a noticeable difference. Overall, I do think reiki is an intriguing option for those looking to sustain good health or to recover from physical, mental, emotional and spiritual challenges. It is non-invasive, relaxing and is safe for anyone of any age
or condition. Reviewed by Cindy L Bailey.

A 45-minute healing session costs Dhs400;
with the reiki facial, Dhs600. Discovery Gardens, Street 11, Cluster 17; 050 662 8783; thibasharaf@hotmail.com

A UNIQUE BREAK

A new bespoke luxury holiday company has launched in the UAE. Lushescapes prides itself on its unique packages – including Ferrari trips in Italy, private island rentals and an Antarctica expedition – and tailor-makes your trip according to your needs. For a truly personal service so you can enjoy a hassle-free holiday, check

out www.lushescapes.com to book your summer holiday now.

PARK, SLEEP AND FLY

Take the hassle out of getting to the airport by staying over at the Centro Sharjah the night before your flight. Perfect for starting off your weekend break, you can leave your car in a dedicated parking buy cialis online space for three nights (paying Dhs50 for each night thereafter), stay the night and get up for a morning swim or gym session before enjoying your buffet breakfast and being chauffeured to Sharjah Airport ready for your flight. The hotel also offers a complimentary pick-up service to take you back to the hotel on your return. All this starts at Dhs357. For more information or to book call 06 508 8000 or email centro.sharjah@rotana.com

STEP BACK IN TIME

Dubai-based hotel chain, Jumeirah, is making its mark in Turkey by taking over the historical Pera Palace Hotel in Istanbul. The hotel originally opened in 1892 as the destination hotel for discerning travellers on the Orient Express. Offering serious old-school glamour, over the years its rooms have hosted many famous names
such as Agatha Christie, Greta Garbo, Alfred Hitchcock and Ernest Hemingway. We can’t think of a better way to immerse yourself in the cultural and glamorous
side of Istanbul. 0800 082 8000; reservations@perapalace.com