Taking charge

Taking charge of your mental and physical health in this pandemic

Isolation, depression mental health – all words we have heard plenty of times before and even more so after the pandemic drove us all indoors. While we may become desensitised to hearing about this, mental health is even more important especially as Australia gears up to become social once more.

By Sanjan Suri

The pandemic has been hard on a lot of people, isolating the elderly, putting pressure on working parents to manage home schooling and full-time work and just generally for everyone else as we have been forced to reduce our social interactions. Mental health has not only impacted individual health but also families as Australia has seen an unpresented rise in domestic violence and suicides. And as we gear up to go back to ‘normal’ life it has led to social anxiety in a lot of people as well.

While mental health in itself is an enigmatic subject that affects each individual differently there are some common symptoms and signs that we can all look out for. While this is in no way a prescription on how to deal with mental health, the following are helpful tips we can all actively use to understand how we are feeling and identify signs of mental and emotional distress early on.

Some of the common signs of mental and/or emotional stress are:

1. Lack of focus or motivation 2. Irritability 3. Lack of interest in talking to friends and/or family 4. Eating too much or eating too less 5. Rapid weigh gain/loss 6. Changes in sleeping patterns (sleeping considerably more than usual or finding it hard to sleep at all) ous and are not by any means exhaustive, they are often easy to miss. It is easy to blame staying at home to eating excessively or not being able to sleep at night and ignore that there may be an underlying stress from work or other aspects of your life.

While not all of us may experience this stress at an extreme level a drastic and sudden change, especially a forced one is bound to affect everyone in some way. So the best way to look after your mental health is to identify these signs early on

and address them before they manifest into anything serious. The easiest way to identify these signs are to stop and think why your habits have changed and is it simply a lack of discipline or if there is indeed cause for emotional / metal stress.

Below are some steps you can take to improve your mental health and to improve productivity in your day to day life:

1. Set small, long and medium term goals

Setting goals is an important way in which you can bring some discipline and structure to your day and which will go a long way in giving you a sense of control and stability. It is often easy to set a long term goal that sounds fantastic but a lack of plan can demotivate you just as easily. Try setting short term goals first and taking baby steps. An excellent example is going to the gym 3 days a week and you pre-fix those 3 days. Once you have done this for a few weeks you find yourself motivated to go more often and being more flexible with your days and time rather than losing motivation.

2. Set strong boundaries between work and home

Working from home is now the new way of working and will continue to do so even after the pandemic. As we get comfortable with the idea, it is easy to blur the lines between work hours and private time. I often find myself logging in at 8 pm just to check emails or staying up to finish a task that was only going to take me 10 mins to do. Not having strong boundaries will stop you from mentally switching off leading to a burnout in the long run. Rather spend Concious time with your friends and family and enjoy the downtime.

3. Actively reach out to family and friends through a mode that is comfortable for you

While this is the most obvious, it is often hard for people to reach out and express their distress. Feelings of being judged or not being understood hold many people back from reaching out. Remember that humans are social creatures

and need interactions for mental and emotional wellbeing. If you are uncomfortable reaching out to friends or family, reach out to a person you are relatively comfortable around. There is no prescribed way to reach out either. Pick a method that is the most relaxing and suited to you. It could be a phone call or a text message or

an email. There is no right or wrong!

4. Take up a hobby / activity that you like

While this might make you want to roll your eyes at the obviousness, it is easy to be get wrapped up in work and chores. Taking up a hobby, especially one that can be challenging or different will help you challenge yourself mentally and physically. It can also be a great way to learn new skills or a fun social activity with friends and family.

The above list is only some generic tips to enable you to actively take charge of your mental and physical health. There are of course may many more ways that can be tailored to suit each individual’s needs and comfort.

The most important thing is that you take an active interest in your own mental and physical health rather than growing complacent. It does takes initiative and effort on your part and you may need to try a few different things before you find what works for you. But remember that the benefits are many and will help you become your best version yet.

Diwali Special Recipe

Even though deities are invoked differently in most households, the true essence of Diwali remains the same: victory of light over darkness.

So this year as we celebrate the true meaning of ‘Deepavali’ (where ‘deepa’ means ‘light’ and ‘vali’ means ‘row’; thus a row of lights) let us rid oneself of the darkness and negativity that dwells within.

We pray that the lights illuminating from Diya’s not only brighten your homes but also your hearts.

Wishing you and your family a very Shubh Deepavali!

No Diwali is complete in my household without a serving Selroti (donut shaped). I have gone a bit further and filled the centre with few other traditional dishes like Chicken choila, Allu Achar and boiled fried egg and then Paan Truffles to finish it all.

Let’s start with Selroti: Ingredients:

44 cups of rice flour 42 cups plain flour 41 cup sugar 41 tbs Ghee 4Milk of choice

Spices: 1 small cinnamon stick, 8-10 cardamom and cloves and 1/3 cup Fennel seeds. 4Oil for deep frying

Method:

Blend the spices until fine. In a large bowl mix the rice flour, plain flour, sugar and ghee until the ghee is fully combined. Then slowly add milk while mixing until the batter is thick and running. Heat the oil in a frying pan. Take a handful of the dough in your hand and gently pour it in the pan to make a circular shape Patience is a virtue here friends because it will take few practices to get the shape right.

Choila recipe: Ingredients:

4250gm boneless meat of your choice (I used chicken) – roast/fry until cooked. 4½ tbs cumin and coriander seeds. Few red dried chillies (as per taste) - roast and blend. To this add ½ tsp chilli powder and 1 tbs of Mustard oil. 4½ tbs ginger and garlic (julienne) 4Handful if spring onions and coriander. 41 – 2 whole tomatoes - Fire roasted until the skin has turned black. Peel the skin, dice it and set aside. 4Combine all in a large bowl, add salt to taste and mix well. 4For the tempering, heat Mustard oil in a small pan add ½ tsp fenugreek seeds roast until dark brown. 4Turn off the heat add a generous pinch of Turmeric powder and pour it on the

Choila mixture. Mix well and serve.

Aloo Achar recipe: You will need:

42 potatoes - Boiled, peeled and cut into bite size pieces.

4½ cucumber and carrots – diced 4½ onion – thinly sliced 4½ cup green peas 4Few green chillies – sliced 4½ tsp cumin seeds and few red dried chillies – roast and blended. 42tbs sesame seeds – roast and blended 4Combine all in a large bowl. Squeeze juice of one lime/lemon, salt per taste and mix well. 4For the tempering, heat Mustard oil in a small pan add ½ tsp fenugreek seeds roast until dark brown. 4Turn off the heat add a generous pinch of

Turmeric powder and pour it on your Aloo mixture. Garnish with fresh coriander.

Paan Truffles:

A healthy take on the traditional version for all you Paan lovers out there...

You will need:

41/2 cup of almonds and pistachios 41/4 cup cashews 48 pitted dates 41 tsp rosewater 41/2 tsp ground green cardamom 41/4 tsp fennel seeds 4Couple drops of peppermint extract 4Pinch of salt

For rolling: Rose petals and desiccated Coconut Method:

4Blend all ingredients in a food processor until the mixture is sticky. Form into bite-sized balls and roll them into the rose petals or desiccated coconut. 4And there you have it.

GUJIYA

4Add enough oil/ghess to the flour mix, so that if you try making a ball in your hand, it binds. 4 Add the chilled water. 4 Make the dough. 4 Cover the dough with a slightly moist cloth/kitchen towel to keep it from becoming too stiff.

Making gujiya stuffing

4Chop ⅓ cup dry fruits and keep aside. 4Melt ½ tbsp ghee in a pan on a low flame. 4Stir the khoya/ricotta continuously on low heat and add saffron. 4Cook the khoya/ricotta till it begins to gather around itself. Switch off the flame anD keep the pan down. Let the khoya stuffing cool down completely. 4Add ⅓ cup powdered sugar/jaggery, chopped dry fruits and ½ tsp cardamom powder. I like mine with alot of coconut hence I add grated dry coconut.(its readily available in supermarkets) 4Mix everything well and keep the stuffing aside.

Assembling and making gujiya

4Make a medium log of each part and slice it into equal parts. 4Dust the rolling board lightly with some flour. Roll each ball with the rolling pin to a small circle having 4 to 5 inches diameter. Use less flour and if possible you can avoid the flour for dusting completely. 4with your fingertip, apply water all over the circumference edge. 4Place about 1-2 tbsp of the khoya filling on one side of the circle, keeping the edges empty. 4carefully, bring together both the edges and join. gently press so that the filling does not come out while frying or baking. 4Baking method for making gujiya Preheat the oven to 200 degrees celsius/390 degree fahrenheit. Brush oil or melted ghee on the gujiya evenly all over.Bake the gujiya for 20 to 30 minutes at 200 degrees till they are 70% golden. Place them on a wire rack for cooling. Once cooled, store the baked gujiya in an air-tight jar or box and reheat for 5min when serving. 4Frying method for making gujiya Heat oil for deep frying in a kadai or pan. but please test the temperature of oil, before frying it shouldnt be too hot or warm just something inbetween so it cooks at right temperature inside and outside.

Instant Dhokla

There are soooo many ways to make dhokla. It can be as simple as 4 major ingredients and can take you less than 30minutes to prepare. Its my favourite also because I like to watch my calories during the festivities as we tend to have sooo many delicacies around and its hard to not drool - this is one is high in protein, less in calories and keeps you full for long hence it makes nibble less on other things( its my secret you can try it toooo!! ) 4Besan(Chickpea flour/ Gram flour), suji 4Sugar – balances out the spicy flavor pretty well. 4Salt 4Crushed ginger and green chilies – 4 Eno (fruit salt) + Citric acid – a musthave for this recipe 4 Oil (my personal fav is the one with neutral flavour like sunflower, vegetable oil) 4 Water as required- keeping the consistency pouring thick

Method:

4 In a large bowl, add chickpea flour, sooji, hing, salt, and sugar. 2. Add oil, citric acid, green chili + ginger paste, and salt. 3.Add water and mix until a smooth pourable texture is achieved. 4. finally instantly ferment the batter by adding eno.

Stir in eno and whisk until it is well blended. 5.The mixture will become frothy and double in size.6.Pour the batter to a greased container. 7. Fill a large pan with water and place a trivet at the base. Cover it with a lid and steam khaman for about 15- 20 minutes and poke with a knife to ensure its not sticking on the knife,,, well its a sign that its cooked. 8 Before serving add a some oil in a pan add oil, mustard seeds, sesame seeds whole green chillies and curry leaves (its your choice) add some sugar let it cool a lil and add water about6-7 spoons so that the sugar gets infused equally. slowly spread it around the dhokla. decorate with coriander to make it beautiful.

Happy Diwali and a safe festive season. Hope you enjoy our recipes tell us what you think @insta or facebook

EkONOMOS- ABSC Inc’s business affairs Magazine

Photo Credit : Harmohan Walia

The Australian Business Summit Council Inc. hosted its second Media Conference and annual luncheon at The Waterview in Bicentennial Park, Homebush on 9 November 2020 to promote the imminent publication of the second issue of EKONOMOS, the official ABSC Inc. business affairs magazine in late November this year.

More than thirty VIPs and guests enjoyed the five-star venue’s sumptuous food and unlimited beverages in the exquisitely decorated Bel Parco function room to celebrate this significant milestone in the Council’s history as the association expands its pervasive influence and visibility as one of the nation’s premier business management consultant forums.

ABSC Inc. president, Dr Frank Alafaci welcomed the audience with an overview of the aims of the Council which seeks to enhance Australian trade links and investment opportunities with our known regional commercial partners and hitherto untapped extra-regional import and export markets. As such, the Council serves assiduously as a potent intellectual mouthpiece for meaningful debates and discussions about sound business policies

and practices that stimulate a vibrant, sustainable and competitive economic setting with unprecedented opportunities for Australian entrepreneurs both in the national environment and on the international stage.

Indeed, the Australian Business Summit Council Inc. publishes a regular monthly newsletter, The Rotator, at www.absc. online for the general and specialised reading public alike which features practical, well-reasoned views, opinions and long-term suggestions about business investment and innovation which are diversifying into high value-added and technologically advanced sectors and industries through large-scale domestic and overseas provision of cutting-edge management, infrastructure, and services capabilities.

As an evident Greek-sounding play on the English term that denotes the study of the distribution of wealth and income, the ABSC Inc.’s annual magazine, EKONOMOS, features excellent informative articles penned by eminent members of the Australian and international business and diplomatic community, including advertisements to recognise the publication’s generous Gold, Silver and Bronze sponsors and selected highlights of the Australian Business Summit Council Inc.’s elite networking seminars, conferences, partnerships, EXPOs, memoranda of understanding, trade delegation visitations, negotiations with political and prominent business leaders, and participation in economic roundtables.

EKONOMOS, Issue 2, November 2020, will include fourteen article contributors to the magazine led by Dr Frank Alafaci (President, Australian Business Summit

Council Inc.), featuring H. E. Dr Alexey Pavlovsky (Ambassador of the Russian Federation); H. E. Mr Kristiarto Legowo (Ambassador of the Republic of Indonesia); H. E. Mr Korhan Karahoc (Ambassador of the Republic of Turkey).; H. E. Mr Muhammad Ashraf (Consul General of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan), who attended the Media Conference and annual luncheon as a VIP and keynote speaker; H. E. Mr Yasser Abed (Consul General of the Arab Republic of Egypt); Ms Fiona Fan (Director General, Taipei Economic and Cultural Office, the de facto Taiwanese Consulate General in Sydney), also a VIP and the second keynote speaker at the Media Conference and annual luncheon;. Mr Damien Coorey (Principal / Director, CRM Brokers Pty Ltd), present at the Media Conference and annual luncheon; Mr Piers Morgan (Executive Director, Weringa Group), likewise in attendance at the Media Conference and annual luncheon; Ms Kim Samuel (Associate Director, Urban & Regional Planning, Elton Consulting); Mr John Stanton (Chief Executive Officer, Communications Alliance Ltd); Mr Ivan Slavich (Chief Executive Officer, Soldier On); Mr David Laanemaa (Managing Director, Back9 Capital Management Pty Ltd); and Dr Anthony De Francesco (Managing Director, Real Investment Analytics Pty Ltd).

Interestingly, the Media Conference and annual luncheon presented a special guest address by Mr Michael Rizk (Head of Trade Relations, Australian Lebanese Chamber of Commerce and past contribu-

tor to the inaugural issue of EKONOMOS, published in November 2019), who praised the ABSC Inc.’s intrepid spirit and spectacular efforts to strengthen Australian commercial relations with the international community, focusing on the Middle East’s promising trade and investment benefits for the Australian economy in an increasingly globalised world where the search for and proactive engagement with previously inaccessible, unappreciated markets has triggered a lucrative diversification of multilateral business relationships.

Highlighting this exclusive gathering of VIPs and guests, ABSC Inc. president, Dr Frank Alafaci convened a twenty-minute interactive Question and Answer session between an assembled panel, comprising the ABSC Inc. President himself; Mr Michael Rizk (Head of Trade Relations, Australian Lebanese Chamber of Commerce); H. E. Mr Muhammad Ashraf (Consul General of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan); as well as Mr Rouad El Ayoubi (Founding Director of Alliance Project Group); and the distinguished audience, including several high-profile representatives of the Australian multicultural press.

ABSC Inc. president, Dr Frank Alafaci formally concluded the Media Conference and annual luncheon with his public acknowledgement of EKONOMOS, Issue 2’s Gold sponsor, Alliance Project Group, and the Board of Directors of the Australian Business Summit Council Inc., especially Mrs Sylvia Alafaci, the Council’s secretary, for her tireless efforts in securing the magnificent venue, sending out the invitations, preparing the immaculate table arrangements and decorations, VIP name tags, and communicating with The Waterview’s events management team.

Diwali Lights Competition

by The Blacktown City Council

Following another successful celebration last year, Blacktown City’s Diwali Lights Competition is been held again this November. This competition is available to residents of the Blacktown Local Government Area only.

Blacktown City Mayor Tony Bleasdale OAM said, “This is a wonderful cultural event that lights up our streets and homes across the City.

$2500 in cash prizes are available for the best decorated properties across our City’s 5 Wards. In addition to prizes for the best individual properties, there is a special category which recognises the City’s ‘Best Street’. The title acknowledges neighbours who come together in the spirit of Diwali to create a festive and culture-filled atmosphere in the street they each call home.

Below is the photo of the last year winner

The Sadhu family’s home in Bungarribee.

Diwali Lights Competition

The Sadhu family’s

Below are the photos of the homes currently decorated for this year’s competition, don’t miss to go for a drive and witness it personally

106 Mosaic Ave, The ponds

57 Hampton Cres, Prospect

17 Ballinger Ave, Grantham Farm

72 Steeltrap Drive, Bungarribee

Message from the Mayor of Blacktown City Tony Bleasdale, OAM

62 ward st schofields

On behalf of Blacktown City Council, I send my sincere greetings to all our communities during this wonderful time of Diwali ‘Festival of Lights’. Blacktown City is home to some of the largest South Asian communities in Australia and Diwali is a time of great celebration throughout our City. This is a time when we celebrate light over darkness in our City centre, in our businesses, in our places of worship and most of all, in our homes. Our communities take great pride in lighting up their homes and streets in the celebration of Diwali. I encourage people of all backgrounds to get involved and join in celebrating the ancient Hindu festival of Diwali. Blacktown City Council encourages our communities to embrace Diwali celebrations by staging the annual Blacktown City’s Diwali Lights Competition. We offer cash prizes for the best decorated properties across our Blacktown City’s 5 Wards. We also recognise the wonderful community spirit that comes with Diwali. The Blacktown City’s Diwali Lights Competition also has a category for ‘Best Street’. The Best Street title acknowledges neighbours who come together in the spirit of Diwali to create a festive and culture-filled atmosphere in the street they each call home. To be eligible for the title of Best Street, all you need is to have 3 decorated properties entered in the same street. Judging criteria will be based on the overall appeal of the decorations displayed on the outside of your property. Properties will have their lighting displays on from Monday 9 November and Thursday 12 November, 8 pm – 11 pm for judging. For a full list of properties that have entered the competition this year visit: blacktown.nsw.gov.au/Home Once again, can I wish all our communities a wonderful Celebration of Diwali.