Wellbeing
Ali Al Khalifa
The Wholesome Truth
By Alison Coldridge
As we approach bikini season we tend to panic about how our bodies look. But how about how we look inside? WTM investigates how we can change what we’re eating for the better.
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n the past 20 years there has been a dramatic increase in obesity levels worldwide and this rate doesn’t show any signs of slowing. This statistic is particularly shocking in this part of the world, where records show that, on average, 25 per cent of people are classified as overweight and, in Bahrain itself, a shocking 37.9 per cent of women are obese (‘Journal of Obesity’, August 2011). The strain put on the body from this excess fat has been shown to lead to various types of cancer and heart defects, as well as many other illnesses. So how can we combat this? It’s simple: eat healthily. We all know it, we’ve all been told it and how to do it should be firmly ingrained in our minds. However, in addition, you need to ensure that the good food you eat actually is just that.
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| May 2012 | woman this month
Sometimes, even though you feel you are eating healthily, the food that you are putting into your body can be harmful, in ways you won’t have predicted. For example, picking the biggest, shiniest tomato in the store might make you feel self-righteous about adding to your five-a-day, but you might not actually have cause to celebrate. Many of the more attractive looking fruits and vegetables have been chemically enhanced — injected with antibiotics and hormones — additives that are not easily digested by the body and which can cause some really unwanted side-effects. Organic lessons Organic foods are foods that are produced without the use of toxic chemicals, synthetic pesticides and fertilisers or growth hormones.
Here in Bahrain, although it can be tricky to purchase healthier foods, there is hope. One supermarket stocks and serves everything you need to better your lifestyle and improve your diet. The Organic Foods & Café shop, located in Seef Mall, is bursting with healthy options that are not only wholesome, but entirely delicious, and the products are at least 95 per cent organic and affordable. The brand now has four outlets — two in Dubai, one in Abu Dhabi and the Bahrain store, that owner Ali Al Khalifa opened last year. The aim of the shop is to educate customers on the importance of eating quality, healthy and safe products. Similarly, we should only use makeup, skincare and cleaning products that are also gentle and kind to skin, as it is just as important to care for our exterior as our interior.