Features

By Mariam Hakim

Relationships and Couples Therapist

We are more familiar with the ‘overt narcissist’ who’s loud and demands attention and admiration openly and directly. ‘Covert narcissists’ have the same traits but are difficult to spot because they pretend to be loving, giving, altruistic and kind but are in fact deeply selfish and narcissistic. In other words, they are wolves in sheep clothing. 

Although they have all the negative qualities of the overt narcissist, they are smart enough to know that displaying them openly will get in the way of achieving the self-centred power, recognition and success that they so deeply want for themselves. By building a false persona that projects kindness and love, they are able to fool people around them by manipulating and controlling them to get what they want. The narcissist will always put themselves first even at the expense of others. 

Common tactics

• They listen and observe: They study you and try to know everything about you; your strengths, needs, and weaknesses to use later to manipulate and control you, They guard who whey are: They don’t show you their true selves because they are afraid you will see something you don’t like and then they will lose their grip on you and you will expose them. It is also difficult for them to show you who they are as they are not in touch with their true selves as a result of years of pretending to be someone else; pretending to be kind and loving

• They mirror who you are: They watch and observe who you are and what you need and like and then they start projecting back to you what they think you want to hear, what you’re interested in or what you want in life. They do so to woo you and for you to start to feel close to them. If, for example, you like sports, they will pretend to like it too. If you smoke, they might become an occasional smoker to fit in with you. With time, you will notice that they pretend to be and like many things depending on who they are trying to impress and manipulate; these likes tend to change according to their needs

• They will make you buy into the idea that you are soul mates: They will try and make you believe that you are soul mates by working hard to fulfil your needs and wants. They might shower you with gifts and favour, making you constantly feel like you owe them. This is one of their manipulative tactics which enables them to control you. Know that genuine gifts and favours do not come with any strings attached

• They push things fast in the relationship: A huge red flag is when someone is pushing to be with you in a relationship fast; for example, when a romantic partner pushes fast for commitment or marriage at the beginning of your relationship. A friend who bends over backwards to become your bestie. Genuine relationships need time and good boundaries to develop; you don’t just jump into them

• With time, they start pushing and testing your boundaries: This is when you start feeling uncomfortable around them and your misery begins; they will start by doing subtle things (putdowns, passive aggressive remarks, talk behind your back) to see what they can get away with or what you are willing to put up with. Although their actions will cause significant distress, you will tend to excuse them or give them the benefit of the doubt because they have worked so hard on convincing you that they are genuine and have your best interest at their heart. They will keep pushing your boundaries and using you to fulfil their own selfish needs until your distress becomes too much for you to handle and hopefully you will wake up and see them for who they really are

What can we do?

1. Do not beat yourself up for falling into their trap. Of course you will fall into their trap because they have spent so much effort and resources to make you believe that they are kind and loving and have your best interest at heart

2. Get out of the relationship quietly. Do not attempt to discuss this with them or blame them for what they have said or done as they will use every tactic they can think of to make you look like the perpetrator and them as the victim; you will never win as they are smart and manipulative [lying is normal for them]

3. Prepare yourself for some backslash As soon as you start setting some boundaries and retreating from the relationship, they will feel it, get angry and try to hurt you either directly or indirectly. Expect that and keep moving forwards with your plan.

Reprinted with permission from Family Flavours magazine

With or without existing kidney disease, kidney function is more likely to decline over time the more severely obese a person is, a large study suggests. 

Compared to adults who are merely overweight, people with the most severe obesity are twice as likely to develop impaired kidney function, the analysis found. People who are not quite as obese have an 18 to 69 per cent higher risk of developing reduced kidney function. 

“Excess weight, particularly around the belly, causes many adverse metabolic effects that impact the kidney,” said lead study author Dr Alex Chang of the Geisinger Health System in Danville, Pennsylvania. 

This extra weight can activate the body’s sympathetic nervous system, or “fight or flight” response, which releases hormones that can increase sodium retention and raise blood pressure, Chang said by e-mail. This also makes it harder for the body to remove extra sugars from the blood, leading to diabetes. 

All of these things are bad for the kidneys, and inflammation related to obesity and excessive belly fat can also impair kidney function, Chang said. 

“First, excess weight increases the sympathetic nervous system activity and hormones that result in increased sodium retention and higher blood pressure,” Chang said. “Second, excess weight impairs the body’s ability to move glucose from the blood into cells, and can lead to diabetes.” Abnormal levels of hormones and inflammation related to belly fat may also adversely affect the kidney, he said. 

“Although this study does not directly address the prevention, reversal or slowing of kidney disease, managing risk factors like high blood pressure, diabetes, and high cholesterol are important,” Chang advised. “For individuals with obesity, weight loss can reverse these metabolic abnormalities and may help reduce future risk of kidney disease.” 

Globally, 1.9 billion adults are overweight or obese, according to the World Health Organization. Roughly four in 10 adults are overweight, and more than one in 10 are obese, a condition that, in addition to kidney problems, can also increase the risk of heart disease, diabetes, joint disorders and certain cancers. 

For the current analysis, researchers examined data collected from 1970 to 2017 on more than 5.4 million adults in 40 different countries in Asia, Europe, the Middle East and North America. They also looked at data from more than 84,000 people at high risk for cardiovascular diseases and more than 19,000 adults with chronic kidney disease. On average, individuals were followed for about eight years, and researchers tracked which people had tests showing a reduction in their kidney function during that period. 

To understand the impact of obesity on kidney function, researchers focused on body mass index (BMI), a ratio of weight to height. 

A BMI between 18.5 and 24.9 is considered a healthy weight, while 25 to 29.9 is overweight, 30 or above is obese and 40 or higher is what’s known as severely or morbidly obese. 

The study compared the odds of kidney function decline in people with varying degrees of overweight and obesity. 

One limitation of the study is that researchers only looked at BMI at one point in time, the study authors note in The BMJ. It is also unclear if obesity directly caused kidney problems, or if other factors like inactivity or an unhealthy diet might have played a role. 

“Poor diet, eating a lot of processed foods and lack of exercise can definitely contribute to both obesity and kidney damage,” said Dr Michal Melamed of Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Montefiore Medical Centre in New York City. 

“These may be the underlying cause of the association between obesity and kidney damage, that people who are obese have other lifestyle habits that can contribute to kidney damage,” Melamed, who wasn’t involved in the study, said by email. “But, importantly, lifestyle factors can be changed.” 

By Linda Carroll

Numerous studies have shown that aerobic exercise can improve cognition in seniors, but a small new study finds that vigorous workouts boost thinking skills in younger adults as well. 

After a six-month aerobic regimen, adults aged 20 to 67 showed improvements in executive function — the cognitive processes important for reasoning, planning and problem solving — and expanded grey matter in the brain region central to those functions. 

A comparison group that did only stretching and toning during the same period did not see the same benefits, the study team reports in “Neurology”. 

People think of mental decline as something that occurs later in life, said lead author Yaakov Stern, a professor of neuropsychology at the Columbia University Medical Centre in New York City. “But even at age 30, you need some help,” he said. “Many studies show an almost linear decline in these functions from the 20s onward. So the take-home message from this study is that aerobic exercise is really very important.” 

Noting that there were no such studies in young and middle-aged adults, Stern and his colleagues recruited 132 volunteers aged 20 and older to participate in an experiment to look at the impact of aerobic exercise on cognition and brain structure. None of the volunteers were exercisers prior to the study. 

Volunteers were given tests at the outset to evaluate executive function, episodic memory, mental processing speed, language abilities and attention. The researchers randomly assigned them to one of two groups: Half were included in the aerobic group that did exercise to speed up the heart rate, while the other half were assigned to sessions of non-aerobic toning and stretching. 

The volunteers in each group attended four weekly exercise sessions for 24 weeks. They were again tested for cognitive abilities at 12 and 24 weeks. MRI scans of their brains were done at the beginning and end of the study. 

Ultimately, 44 volunteers in the aerobic exercise group and 50 in the stretching group stayed with the study. 

By the end of the study period, the stretching and toning group had not seen much of an increase in cognitive abilities, while all ages in the aerobic group saw significant increases in mental function — although the older participants showed bigger improvements than the youngest ones. 

MRI scans also showed an increased thickness in the brain’s frontal cortex in aerobic exercisers. 

The new study confirms that exercise is a “highly promising method for influencing cognitive function”, said Kirk Erickson, a professor in the department of psychology at the University of Pittsburgh, in Pennsylvania. “This has led to the development of US health policies for using physical activity to influence cognitive function.” 

Until now, most of the research has been conducted in children or older adults “with a noticeable gap in our understanding of whether exercise has an enhancing effect throughout the lifespan”, Erickson, who was not involved in the new study, said in an e-mail.

Despite some complex issues, other elusive, not to say obscure questions such as the dark Internet, virtual currencies, the blockchain system and never ending very real hacking threats, there is still some good news on the information technology front.

It concerns the way users receive the much needed technical support for their machines and their software. This service has come a long way and now functions in a smooth, practical manner— and it is inexpensive, what is more. A combination of factors have made technical support as well-performing and convenient as it has become today.

First is the wide availability of fast, omnipresent and often wireless Internet connectivity. It has made communication between machines a breeze. Then comes the drastically improved and very reliable hardware. This alone is giving us equipment that rarely fails. Besides, nowadays, when a physical component of a computer fails, like a hard disk or a monitor, replacing it is easy and, up to a certain point, inexpensive. Hardware failure is the least of the consumer’s worries.

Technical support is needed by the user mainly to troubleshoot and solve software issues, e-mail or operating system (e.g. Windows, Mac OS, Unix) problems. It is about finding out how to do this or that, how to better use one of the countless applications available out there, addressing Internet and security questions, and so forth. The common denominator here is the fact that all these matters do not require the physical presence of an IT technician and can be treated remotely, by accessing the user’s computer over the Internet.

Providing remote technical support has become the prime way to work, and it covers 70 to 80 per cent of the cases. It therefore constitutes a huge time and money saver, and reduces transportation time and pain. It also allows the technicians to work in a more relaxed, more focused manner, by working from their own desk, therefore doing better work. The benefits are many and invaluable. It is win-win situation on both sides.

Yet, some users are reluctant to give remote access to their computer to the techies. This, in no way, is justified. There is no more risk in accessing your computer remotely than working on it locally, physically. Besides, when techies “take control” of your computer remotely you can watch them working by looking at your screen and see what they are doing, this is in addition to the fact that allowing remote access is done on a case-by-case basis, and only if you allow it. When done properly it is really a zero-risk operation.

There are several applications that let you use remote access and allow technical people to work remotely on your machine. Ultra VNC, TeamViewer, Remote PC AnyDesk, Windows Remote Desktop, ShowMyPC, are some of these applications. Some are free and others work based on a paid subscription. However, in most cases, the party that has to pay is the one accessing your computer (i.e. the techie, the server) and providing you with the service, not you, the consumer. In IT terminology and jargon you are the “client” and the technical support people are the “server”, or the “host”.

Over the last five years remote access technical support has become the norm. With time nothing stays the same — especially in the IT world — and what maybe was a major concern yesterday is now a thing of the past. If the new way of working does not solve absolutely all issues, it does solve most of them, and more importantly, it ensures a faster, cheaper and more comfortable service.

BERLIN — Fears that robots will eliminate your job are unfounded with a growing number of employers planning to increase or maintain headcount as a result of automation, staffing company ManpowerGroup said in a survey published on Friday. 

The “Humans Wanted: Robots Need You” report surveyed 19,000 employers in 44 countries and found 69 per cent of firms were planning to maintain the size of their workforce while 18 per cent wanted to hire more people as a result of automation. That was the highest result in three years.

The report went on to say that 24 per cent of the firms that will invest in automation and digital technologies over the next two years plan to add jobs compared to 18 per cent of those who are not automating. 

Just 9 per cent of employers in the annual survey said automation would directly lead to job losses, while 4 per cent did not know what the impact would be.

“More and more robots are being added to the workforce, but humans are too,” said Jonas Prising, Chairman & CEO of ManpowerGroup.

“Tech is here to stay and it’s our responsibility as leaders to become Chief Learning Officers and work out how we integrate humans with machines.” 

More than 3 million industrial robots will be in use in factories around the world by 2020, according to the International Federation of Robotics.

The Manpower survey found that 84 per cent of firms planned to help their workers learn new skills by 2020, compared to just 21 per cent in 2011.

The global talent shortage is at a 12-year-high, with many companies struggling to fill jobs, according to Manpower.

In Germany, where unemployment is at a record low, a shortage of talent was the top concern of small-to-mid-sized companies heading into 2019, according to a survey by the BVMW Mittelstand association.

The Manpower survey found IT skills are particularly in demand with 16 per cent of companies expecting to hire staff in IT.

In manufacturing and production, where industrial robots are increasingly doing routine tasks, firms expect to hire more people in customer-facing roles that require skills such as communication, leadership, negotiation and adaptability.

Employers in Singapore, Costa Rica, Guatemala and South Africa expected to add the most staff, while firms in Bulgaria, Hungary, Czech Republic, Norway, Slovakia and Romania predicted a decrease in headcount, the survey found.

TOKYO — If you find you just  cannot spring out of bed on time every morning, you may be able to blame it on your genes, a new scientific study has found.

The research analysed a wealth of genetic data gathered from the DNA-testing website 23andme and a British “biobank” to better understand what makes someone a “morning lark” or a “night owl”.

“This study is important because it confirms that your morning or evening preference is, at least to some extent, determined by genetic factors,” said Michael Weedon, a professor at the University of Exeter Medical School, who led the research.

The study is the largest of its kind — it looked at data from nearly 700,000 people — and found that significantly more genetic factors are tied to when people sleep and wake than previously known.

Researchers knew of 24 genes linked to sleep timing, but the new study published on Wednesday in the “Nature Communications” journal found an additional 327 play a role.

The analysis also showed that those with a genetic tendency to sleep later have a higher risk of mental health problems such as schizophrenia, though the authors cautioned that more work was needed to understand the link.

The initial phase of the research involved analysing the genes of people who self-reported as either a “morning person” or an “evening person”.

Because those terms can mean different things to different people, the researchers examined a smaller set of participants, who were using activity trackers.

They looked at information from the wrist-worn trackers of more than 85,000 participants in the UK Biobank to find objective data about their sleep patterns.

They found the genes they had identified could shift a person’s natural waking time by up to 25 minutes, but there were no apparent links between the genes and how long, or how well, people slept.

‘Morning person’

The study also looked at why certain genes influence when people sleep and wake up, finding differences in the way the brain reacts to light and the functioning of internal clocks.

To test long-standing theories about the links between sleep patterns and certain illnesses, the researchers also analysed the correlation between “morning” and “evening” genes and various disorders.

They found that a genetic inclination to sleep and wake earlier appears to be tied to a lower risk of depression and schizophrenia, and improved well-being.

However, Weedon acknowledged it was not immediately clear if the link was the direct result of being a “morning person”, or caused by the fact that early risers have an easier time in the nine-to-five work environment.

The researchers plan to look at whether “genetically evening people have worse outcomes if they are active in the morning, compared to those whose genetics and activity are aligned”, he said.

The study did not find evidence of a causal link between genes that affect sleep times and metabolic diseases, like type 2 diabetes.

But further research will look at the issue in individuals whose natural sleep inclinations are mismatched with their lifestyles.

“For example, are individuals who are genetically evening people, but have to wake up early because of work commitments, particularly susceptible to obesity and diabetes?” the study asks.

TAMPA — Aggressive treatment to lower blood pressure in older people has been shown to cut the risk of developing mild cognitive impairment, a risk factor for dementia, US researchers said on Monday.

While the findings in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) did not find any significant impact on the likelihood of developing dementia, experts said the trial offers a glimmer of hope as the world’s population ages and dementia becomes a growing concern.

Dementia, including its most common, form, Alzheimer’s disease, is expected to affect 115 million people worldwide by 2050.

So far, the world’s best scientific minds have not found a way to reliably prevent, cure or treat dementia.

But some research has suggested that high blood pressure — which affects three-quarters of people over 75 — might be a modifiable risk factor.

For the the Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial (SPRINT), more than 9,300 people aged 50 and older with high blood pressure (systolic blood pressure of between 130 and 180mm Hg) were randomised to receive different interventions.

Some received intensive blood pressure control, with medications that targeted 120mm Hg.

Others aimed for a more standard treatment goal of less than 140mm Hg.

Patients were followed for about five years and given a battery of cognitive tests.

In the intensive treatment group, 149 participants were deemed to have probable dementia, compared with 176 participants in the standard treatment group.

In other words, the intensive blood pressure control “did not significantly reduce the incidence of probable dementia”, said the study.

However, researchers were cautiously optimistic about a secondary finding, that mild cognitive impairment occurred in far fewer participants in the intensive treatment group — 287 compared to 353 participants in the standard treatment group.

“This is the first trial, to our knowledge, to demonstrate an intervention that significantly reduces the occurrence of MCI, a well-established risk factor for dementia,” said the study.

An accompanying editorial in JAMA by Kristine Yaffe of the University of California, San Francisco, also emphasised the possibility that more research could confirm the technique as an effective prevention strategy.

“For older adults, almost all of whom have concern about being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia, SPRINT MIND offers great hope,” she wrote. 

“The study demonstrates that among those with hypertension, intensive SBP control can reduce the development of cognitive impairment.”

She called for studying the approach along with other vascular health efforts, such as physical activity, and prevention.

Maria Carrillo, chief science officer of the Alzheimer’s Association, which is funding a two-year extension of the study to further probe any effects on dementia, called the findings “the strongest evidence to date about reducing risk of mild cognitive impairment through the treatment of high blood pressure.

“MCI is a known risk factor for dementia, and everyone who experiences dementia passes through MCI,” Carrillo added.

“However, the study’s outcome on reducing risk of dementia was not definitive,” hence the need for more research, she said.

Designed as a 7-seater from the outset, the Volkswagen Teramont is the German brand’s large SUV successor to the Touareg in certain markets like the US, where it is branded as the Atlas. Not released for European markets, the Teramont runs concurrent to a new and more luxuriously up-market Touareg in the Middle East.

Launched late last year, the Teramont is the more affordable of Volkswagen’s two bigger SUVs, and is designed with a strong emphasis on accessibility, practicality and refinement, with particular relevance for markets with big families.

Chunky and chiselled

A production interpretation of the chunky Volkswagen CrossBlue concept unveiled at the 2013 Detroit motor show and built in Volkswagen’s US and Chinese factories, the Teramont is also a successor to the US market Routan MPV. 

Abandoning the pricier Touareg’s longitudinal engine layout which it shares with yet pricier Volkswagen group SUVs, the Teramont is instead built on Volkswagen’s highly versatile, now ubiquitous and less costly transverse engine MQB platform. Available in front-drive and turbocharged four-cylinder engine entry-level versions, top-end versions, however, feature a V6 engine and four-wheel-drive, as tested.  

Sitting with a strong, statuesque and no-nonsense air of assertiveness, the Teramont’s fascia features squared-off deep-set headlight and a twin-slat grille running horizontally at the same height, while its bonnet features multiple sharp ridged.

Chunky and chiselled yet conservative and uncomplicated, Teramont’s side views feature muscularly squared wheel-arches, black lower cladding, defined character line and level waistline with an upward kink at the C-pillar. Well-proportioned, its profile features a short overhang and long wheelbase and rear overhang, while rear views include sharp clean lines, high-set lights and integrated dual exhaust tips.

Progressive and capable

Powered by a naturally-aspirated 3.6-litre version of Volkswagen’s familiar compact narrow-angle transversely-mounted V6 engine, the Teramont develops 276BHP at 6,200rpm and 266lb/ft torque at 2,750rpm, which hustles its 2.1-tonne mass from standstill to 100km/h in a reasonably brisk 8.9-seconds and onto a 190km/h maximum. Eager, refined and progressive in delivery, the Teramont’s output is well-matched with a slick and smooth 8-speed automatic gearbox with a broad spread of ratios to maximise performance, mid-range versatility, cruising refinement and fuel efficiency, including aggressive first and second gears for unexpected off the line pep.

Driving the front wheels in normal conditions to reduce fuel consumption, the Teramont’s 4Motion all-wheel-drive can transfer up to 50 per cent power rearward through a centre clutch when additional traction is needed. Its electronic stability controls also deploy selective wheel braking to maintain traction over loose surfaces. 

Meanwhile, four driving modes re-map steering, accelerator, gearbox, adaptive cruise control, hill descent and hill start functions to optimise driving characteristics for on-road, off-road, and snow, while on-road driving includes sport, normal and comfort settings. On-and off-road modes can also be individually customised.

Smooth control

Riding on MacPherson strut front and multi-link rear suspension with coilover dampers all-round and front anti-roll bars, the Teramont strikes a good balance between ride comfort and stability, and eager and manoeuvrable handling, for its segment. Reassuringly planted and settled on highway, the Teramont is a natural long distance cruiser. Meanwhile it proved unexpectedly steerable in town, with a tight 11.6-metre turning circle and reversing camera., the high and long bonnet requires one to initially be careful judging passenger-side front-side parking distances before soon adapting to its dimensions.

Smooth riding and with good vertical and lateral control for so high and heavy a vehicle, the Teramont also comfortably absorbs virtually all road imperfections and bumps in its stride despite large 20-inch alloy wheels and relatively low profile 255/50R20 tyres, as driven in top spec SEL guise. Over sudden jagged speed bumps, one of the smaller alloy wheel and taller sidewall tyre options available would likely prove suppler. The Teramont’s direct, well-weighted steering, was meanwhile a pleasant surprise, with quick 2.76-turns lock-lock and a smaller sporty steering wheel.

Spacious and functional

Turning tidily into corners and reassuringly grippy throughout the Teramont is first and foremost a comfortable, smooth, practical and well-equipped on-road family vehicle. However it is also competently set-up of off-road driving and features generous 203mm ground clearance and decent 20.4 degree approach, 22.4 degree departure and 17.5 degree break-over angles. 

Voluminously spacious inside, it offers terrific front and second row passenger space, and useable third row seats and accessibility for average size adults. Meanwhile configurable cargo space expands from a 583-litre minimum to a huge 2,741-litre maximum with rear rows folded.

Clean, functional, user-friendly and classy in an uncomplicated way the Teramont’s cabin features symmetrical layouts, good quality materials and soft textures. Airy and with good visibility for this segment, it also features a panoramic sunroof and a comfortable, well-adjustable driving position. 

Versatile and accessible, the Teramont features big doors, easy folding mid-row seats for access to the rear row and a total of 17 cup-holders and USB ports for the first to seat rows. Well-equipped with convenience, safety and driver-safety systems, the Teramont features an 8-inch infotainment screen with smartphone integration.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Engine: 3.6-litre, transverse V6-cylinders

Bore x stroke: 89 x 96.4mm

Compression ratio: 12:1

Valve-train: 24-valve, DOHC, direct injection

Gearbox: 8-speed automatic, four-wheel-drive

Ratios: 1st 5.59; 2nd 3.14; 3rd 1.95; 4th 1.43; 5th 1.21; 6th 1.1; 7th 0.81; 8th 0.67

Reverse/final drive: 3.99/3.6

Power, BHP (PS) [kW]: 276 (280) [206] @6,200rpm

Specific power: 131.1BHP/litre

Torque, lb/ft (Nm): 266 (360) @2,750rpm

Specific torque: 171Nm/litre

0-100km/h: 8.9-seconds

Top speed: 190km/h

Fuel capacity: 70-litres

Length: 5,036mm

Width: 1,989mm

Height: 1,769mm

Wheelbase: 2,979mm

Track, F/R: 1,708/1,723mm

Ground clearance: 203mm

Approach/departure angles/break-over: 20.4°/22.4°/17.5° 

Aerodynamic drag co-efficient: 0.34

Headroom, F/M/R: 1,048/1,027/972mm

Legroom, F/M/R: 1,055/955/856mm

Shoulder room, F/M/R: 1,563/1,544/1,395mm

Luggage volume, behind 3rd/2nd/1st row: 583-/1,571-/2,741-litres

Kerb weight: 2,105kg

Steering: Electric-assisted rack & pinion

Lock-to-lock: 2.76-turns

Steering ratio: 16.3:1

Turning Circle: 11.6-metres

Suspension: MacPherson struts, anti-roll bar/multi-link

Brakes: Ventilated discs, 335/310mm

Tyres: 255/50R20

Price: AED189,950 (UAE, as tested)

Native to Madagascar, the Leaf of Life love-bush symbolises the regenerative power of life with its green fleshy appearance. It moisturises our lives with its succulent properties.

Geological distribution

This wild herb, also known as Cathedral Bells, is found extensively in the Caribbean, Indian sub-continent, Brazil and the United States. It is a succulent perennial herb which grows up to 2 metres in height. 

Each plant grows as the leaf drops into the soil emerging as a new plant. It can adapt to water-stress like a sponge and retains water for dry times. Cathedral Bells grow from the black dot on the plant which acts as a seed. 

The edges of the leaves are jagged and the flower of the plant blooms over the stem at the very top. They grow in different colours ranging from pink, red and purple to greenish and the flowers usually appear in spring and winter. 

The incredible health benefits of this plant have attracted investors to grow it on a commercial scale to cater to the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industry.

Miracle leaf

The leaves, stems, roots and flowers all have therapeutic values and have rich antioxidant properties.

This wonder of nature, which spreads its aroma through its stems, is used extensively as herbal medicine. 

It works wonders as an alternative remedy for any type of respiratory condition, and arthritis. 

It is also known to have antibacterial, antifungal and antihistamine properties. 

The crushed leaves of this miracle leaf bring relief to insect bites, bruises and relieve pain and anxiety disorders. 

Culinary and 

cosmetic world

Herbal tea from the Leaf of Life plant leaves has cured shortness of breath, coughs and colds. 

Tea infused with the leaves acts as a diuretic and helps reduce high blood pressure, though mildly sedative in nature. 

The crushed leaves are mixed with coconut oil and are used for curing headaches. 

It is used widely for skin hydration. 

The plant should not be consumed during pregnancy and everyone should consult their doctor prior to using the Leaf of Life. 

Reprinted with permission from Family Flavours magazine

Voices of Jordan

Rana F. Sweis

London: Hurst and Co., 2018

Pp. 179

By telling the stories of 10 “ordinary people”, Jordanian journalist Rana Sweis shows the demographic diversity of the origins, talents, life styles and dreams that make up present-day Jordan. Like good journalists should, she also digs a little deeper to reveal a subtext: “The stories in this book are not entirely separate from each other; they are more like conversations taking place in different rooms of the same building… Although my main aim was to write for readers who live outside the region, the fact is that Jordanian lives do not often overlap, leaving us in the dark about each other” (p. 2-3).

“Voices of Jordan” is a story of transitions, both for individuals and for society as a whole. Based on extensive interviews, Sweis aims to show how people are coping with the aftermath of the so-called Arab Spring, as well as with the abrupt cultural, social and economic transitions that are under way with rapid urbanisation and technological advances. One of many results of these transitions is that: “Young Jordanians feel split between family obligations and their newfound individualism and ambition” (p. 5).

Most of the interviewees are engaged in a kind of juggling act, trying to fulfil different obligations and needs. Overall, one is struck by their great patience and determination in pursuing their various goals.

Some of those interviewed, like the unconventional political cartoonist Omar Al Abdallat, were inspired by the hopes and new-found freedoms generated by the Arab uprisings, only to be disappointed by increasing restrictions imposed in the aftermath. But Omar keeps on drawing, creating a new character that “represents a generation of intelligent, young, unemployed Arabs whose hopes and dreams are dashed because of their harsh environment but who use sarcasm as a way to deal with their uncertain future” (p. 11).

Others experienced only the negative side of the uprisings, such as Amal Sawaan from Homs, who was displaced eight times before crossing into Jordan, more than qualifying for the title of survivor. Still others hardly mention the Arab Spring, being absorbed with how to provide for their families. Via these personal stories, major political and socioeconomic issues are introduced, from the limitations imposed by a stagnating economy to government credibility.

A few of the stories are about well-known personalities, like Wafa Bani Mustafa, who became Jordan’s youngest member of parliament in 2010, and who boasts of the diversity of her constituency in Jerash, composed of Chechens, Kurds, Christians, Circassians, Palestinians, farmers, bedouin and others. The range of issues she must address as an MP gives an idea of the problems Jordanians face, from the high cost of medical care to the mismatch between the educational system and the job market, and the disparity between male and female employment levels.

Others are mostly known in their own community, like the Salafist Naser Farhan and his son in Russeifeh, an environment which Sweis feels goes a long way towards explaining who they are. Another chapter relates the life and thinking of Jeries Akroush, a manager in the civil service in Fuheis, who upgrades his family’s standard of living with his successful afternoon real estate business. Sweis mainly chooses subjects from economically-active generations, or even younger, such as Lina Assad, whom she dubs ‘the rebel reader’, a precocious teenager who lives in Hashmia Shamali, and is connected to other youth throughout the region via the Internet. To round off, there are chapters on Sultan Al Maznah of Wadi Rum, fashionista Shirene Rifai in West Amman, Jamal Shultaf who immigrates to Chicago and Sawsan Maani, who stubbornly pursues her dream of giving birth to a son, having seven daughters in the process, and doing a lot of other things besides.

Each chapter introduces one of those interviewed in the context of their family and place of residence, so the stories of 10 mushroom into many more. The book also chronicles the changes that have occurred in many Amman neighbourhoods, from Rainbow Street to Jabal Luweibdeh, and in towns outside Amman. None of these people are ‘typical’, yet all are a part of Jordan today. 

This book is a delight to read because of the sensitivity, sincerity and pure grace with which Sweis describes the character, lifestyle, dreams and disappointments of those she interviewed. It is also very current. While the book is light on historical background, it is heavy on the human side, going into depth about current issues and how they affect people’s daily lives. Sweis has succeeded in bringing the voices of ordinary people to the outside world: “By entering the living rooms of 10 ordinary people living in Jordan, this book offers an insight into their everyday lives — their struggles, their dreams and their perspectives on the region’s deeper problems” (p. 176).

“Voices of Jordan” can be found at Books@cafe and Readers.