The Express Tribune hi five - August 10

Ms AUGUST 10, 2014

ISSUE NO. 112

Shimmer & Shine

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Osteoporosis: a silent disease

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inside lifestyle —

Interior designing guide for newlyweds

domestic goddess —

Sour Potatoes

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Section In-Charge: Sarah Munir Sub-Editor: Nisma Chauhan

The versatile Huma Adnan

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the buzz

THE EXPRESS TRIBUNE, AUGUST 10, 2014

Osteoporosis – a silent disease numbing lives Body pains are not just an ageing factor It is common for older people to often experience pain in their bones and attribute it to their age. Awareness about osteoporosis and other related bone, muscle and joint disorders that can lead to pain, severe disability and premature death is hence, severely limited.

Osteoporosis is characterised by low bone mass and loss of bone tissue that leads to weak and fragile bones. Patients suffering from the disease have an increased risk for fractured bones particularly in the hip, spine, and wrist. However, most of them are unaware of their condition until their first fracture while in certain cases it goes untreated even after a fracture.

The leading cause of osteoporosis is a lack of certain hormones, particularly estrogen in women and androgen in men. In certain cases, it can also be genetic which can accelerate the bone deformation process.

Combating the silent disease Women, especially those older than 60 years of age, are frequently diagnosed with osteoporosis. Menopause is accompanied by lower estrogen levels and increases a woman’s risk of osteoporosis. The most common complaint that patients have is of difficulty in walking and performing daily household chores.

This can be particularly challenging for women for whom household chores are an integral part of life.

Mrs Shahid, a 55-year-old, who has been battling with osteoporosis after her menopause faces great difficulty in walking due to her weak bones. “After menopause, I realised that I couldn’t go out on a morning walk like I used to. I had a limp in my walk and my bones felt weak,” she says. An X-ray revealed that she was suffering from osteoporosis. “I thought I will never be able to walk again. But with regular physiotherapy for a month and a calcium and vitamin D rich diet, I was back on my feet.” Shahid admits that she still has to exercise extra care and avoid tasks that will hurt her bones.

Despite the wide prevalence of osteoporosis, no proper cure has been found yet. “We usually give painkillers for pain management and disease modifying drugs to slow the process of deformation of joints,” says Dr G N Valicha, a federal government health officer. He explains that the pain can be minimised through anti-inflammatory drugs, proper intake of calcium and vitamin through food or supplements.

Calcium is essential for the proper functioning of critical organs such as the heart and brain. To keep them functioning, the body reabsorbs calcium that is stored in the bones to maintain blood calcium levels.

“If calcium intake is not sufficient or if the body does not absorb enough calcium from the diet, then the body will start producing bones of decreased mass and density. Thus, the bones may become brittle and fragile bones and break easily,” says Valicha. Moreover, meat that contains hormones and antibiotics like chicken and beef should be avoided and instead

by Asma Siddiqui

Statistics Around the world one in three women and one in five men over the age of 50 will suffer an osteoporotic fracture. In fact, a bone will break every three seconds because of this disease.

While there is no clear data on the number of (osteoporotic) hip fractures per year, estimates based on a large ultrasound study conducted throughout Pakistan by International Osteoporosis Foundation suggested that there are 9.91 million people diagnosed with osteoporosis of which 7.19 million are women and 2.71 million are men. These numbers are estimated to rise to 12.91 million in 2050.

The damage from osteoporosis begins much earlier in life. Because peak bone density is reached at approximately 25 years of age, it is important to build strong bones by that age, so that they remain strong later in life.

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THE EXPRESS TRIBUN TRIBUNE, AUGUST 10, 2014

Measures Dr Sundeep Sahitia, residential medical officer at Dow Medical College recommends the following precautionary measures in order to avoid osteoporosis: • Exercise daily as it increases mobility.

• Avoid smoking.

• Ensure a nutritious diet with adequate calcium.

• Proper sunlight exposure.

Myths According to Dr Sahitia strange myths are associated with osteoporosis, which need to be debunked. Some of the most common ones are: 1. Some patients often associate the pain with food consumed at odd times like taking curd in the night while others relate it to black magic.

2. They assume that the pain will subside when they take more physical rest.

3. Some patients do not believe that that the disease can be caused through smoking and therefore don’t make an attempt to avoid smoking.

“Osteoporosis requires constant battle of wills.

There is pain, there are strange myths and there is the static life that people fear. The only solution is proper diet, physical activity and proper guidelines,” says Sahitia.

a diet that is rich in fruits and vegetables should be consumed.

He further explains that the loss of bone usually occurs over an extended period of time, often a few years. Usually, a person will sustain a fracture before they find out that they suffer from osteoporosis but by that time the disease may be in its advanced stages and the damage may be serious.

Since osteoporosis is incurable, it spreads over time as you grow old and sometimes extreme pain management strategies are needed to relieve the patient.

Dr Aruna, who has been struggling with osteoporosis for the past 17 years, has been on regular painkillers and anti-inflammatory medicines. During bouts of severe pain, her doctors have even prescribed her anti-cancerous medicines. “The stage [of the disease] that I am at has deformed my joints. Hence, walking, sitting and getting up have become an issue. Exercising and lifting heavy things is also difficult.” During high humidity, her condition gets even worse. For patients like Aruna, survival without medicines is close to impossible.

Osteoporosis is often considered to be a condition limited to frail elderly women. However, the damage from osteoporosis begins much earlier in life. Because peak bone density is reached at approximately 25 years of age, it is important to build strong bones by that age, so that they remain strong later in life.

A stronger Pakistan Pakistan, which has a significant proportion of elderly, now faces a major osteoporosis threat, according to the medical fraternity. Currently, 9.91 million people in Pakistan suffer from the disease. According to a report published by the International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF) in 2006, women in Pakistan have a daily calcium intakes of 300 to 500 milligrams range which is less than the ideal intake of 1000 milligrams.

Even though, calcium and vitamin D supplements are readily available there is no programme to educate people of its importance.

Recently, societies such as The Osteoporosis Society, The Menopause Society, and The Pakistan Endocrine Society have made major efforts towards creating awareness among health professionals, through national seminars as well as for the public through seminars and World Osteoporosis Day activities.

Information material, including the IOF literature is available in Urdu but dissemination is limited.

Even though things have taken a positive turn in the past few years with media playing a key role in creating awareness about diseases such as osteoporosis, a lot more needs to be done to ensure a stronger, healthier Pakistan.

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en vogue

THE EXPRESS TRIBUNE, AUGUST 10, 2014

Shimmer & shine with Sheep Sheep displays its latest knee-length kurtas for this season

Photography: NFK, Nadir Firoz Khan Photography Styling: Maha Burney Concept: The Zebra Issue Hair & Makeup: Natasha Salon Model: Sadaf Kanwal Location: ‘Address’ Concept Store, Karachi

THE EXPRESS TRIBUNE, AUGUST 10, 2014

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lifestyle

THE EXPRESS TRIBUNE, AUGUST 10, 2014

GetYourbed-dazzled: guide for picking the perfect furniture for a new journey ahead

Bedroom furniture shouldn’t be just a prop Stunning bridal dress. Check. An exotic location. Check. A talented photographer. Check. But what about another key element that marks the start of your fairytale married life?

Bedroom furniture.

Although it’s easy to get caught up in the search for jewels, a decadent dress and shoes, these are not the only thing s that need to be perfect on your wedding day. The aesthetics of your bedroom furniture are as important. as it is the backdrop for the rest of your life.

Traditionally, the bedroom furniture often falls victim to ‘the more the merrier’ mentality. And the louder the carved floral designs, the more royal they are thought to be. However, according to our designers from the best studios in town it’s time to adopt a newer and better approach when designing your bedroom.

Sabiha Rita Hasan, owner of Design 19 studio, believes that people should stop thinking of furniture as pieces to set the room and realise that the bedroom furniture should be set to reflect the personalities of the couple. “The furniture should add value to the surrounding and bring smiles on faces, reflecting the happiness and joys of their life,” says Hasan.

It doesn’t matter if your pockets can’t afford lavish designer wears; an understanding of creativity and the knowhow of current trends can give your room the look you have desired even within a range of a Rs100,000 to Rs300,000.

Syed Faraz Ali, the studio head of Design & depth advises availing the internet and thoroughly researching the industry trends before going to pick your furniture. “If the couple or the people deciding the furniture have time, they should also visit the markets nearby. It is important to know what is trending and what has managed to stay in the markets, to be able to get hold of an ideal furniture range,” explains Ali. Often, people consider appointing an interior designer as an added expense to their budgeted wedding. Ali, who is a newbie in the industry himself, advises couples or parents to look for fresh graduates who have recently started their work. “A fresh mind is usually more diligent and has plenty of creative ideas which would also perfectly match one’s budget,” says Ali. He suggests that if the furniture you have got your eyes on is too expensive to fit the budget, don’t feel shy to go to the local carpenters and get a replica made at half the price. One can also do without the extras like an ottoman (upholstered seat in front of

PHOTO: DESIGN19

by Nisma Chauhan

PHOTO: DESIGN & DEPTH

The furniture should add value to the surrounding and bring smiles on faces, reflecting the happiness and joys of their life the bed) or a LCD unit that only adds to the cost.

Do’s and Don’ts — don’t fall into the trap of cluttering the space, keep it simple!

• Be more imaginative, while avoiding cookie cut designs that completely match each other.

• Don’t hesitate to go with simple classy designs as they never go out of fashion and are more adaptable to future makeovers.

• Avoid heavy carvings because they collect dust more easily.

Choose a monochrome theme keeping in mind the possibility of change in the future.

• While deciding upon the furniture, think about the future and whether this set you have picked would be appropriate for the time you have children too.

PHOTO: DESIGN & DEPTH

• A good polish on a solid wood adds character; therefore avoid using veneer on furniture.

• The climate we live in only calls for natural fibres. Therefore, pure cotton or linen curtains should be chosen and dry-cleaned often as there is excess dust present in the air.

• Don’t compromise on the mattress for the bed; go for the quality which is long lasting and durable.

• Add life to the walls by giving it a touch of texture or design. Pick colours to reflect your personality. If your room is relatively small, add mirrors or lighting to enhance the look of the room.

• A bridal suite may look complete and comfortable with wall-to-wall carpeting, but that tends to collect a lot of dust. Instead use natural fibre area rugs to create cosiness Most importantly, while choosing the furniture, always pick a set keeping your partner in mind, as he/she will be sharing the space as well.

PHOTO: DESIGN & DEPTH

domestic goddess 7

THE EXPRESS TRIBUNE, AUGUST 10, 2014

Recipe

Khattay Aloo

(Sour Potatoes)

These tangy and tasty potatoes are a must-try if you like chat-patta food. The classic dish is super easy to prepare and will surely not disappoint you.

Huba Akbar is currently pursuing a Bachelors degree in Mass Communication and Journalism. In her free time, she likes to write, design clothes and cook.

Method • Boil the potatoes and allow them to cool.

• Once the potatoes have reached room temperature, peel and chop them into cubes.

Ingredient:

• Heat oil in a pan and fry curry leaves and garlic cloves for about a minute.

• Add the spices, mustard paste, crushed red chilli and water and cook for about 10 minutes.

• Add potato cubes, black onion seeds, unripe green mangoes, Kashmiri red chilli and tamarind paste and cook for five minutes.

Potatoes (boiled and peeled) 4

Coriander powder Cumin powder ½ 1/2 tsp 1 tsp

Turmeric powder 1 tsp

White pepper powder 1/2 tsp

Mustard paste 1/2 tsp

• Dish out and serve with a garnish of chopped coriander leaves. Your dish is now ready!

Red chilli (crushed) 1 tbsp

Curry leaves 2-3 sticks

Tamarind Garlic cloves Kashmiri red chilli (crushed) 2 (soaked and grounded paste 1 cup in water) 3

Salt as desired

Coriander leaves Water 1/2 bowl (chopped) 1 bunch

Unripe green Black onion seeds (a pinch) mangoes (grounded) ½ 1/2 cup

woman of the week 8

THE EXPRESS TRIBUNE, AUGUST 10, 2014

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