The Express Tribune hi five - January 10

Ms JANUARY 10, 2016

ISSUE NO. 186

Out in the cold

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— a prevalent depression

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In conversation with Elmira Bayrasli

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inside En vogue — Eastern elegance

Domestic goddess — Stir fried lamb

Section In-Charge: Dilaira Dubash Sub-Editors: Amna Hashmi Nisma Chauhan Designer: Umar Waqas Feedback: women@tribune.com.pk

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Home hacks: Solve with salt

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The buzz

THE EXPRESS TRIBUNE, JANUARY 10, 2016

By Hafsah Sarfraz

Winter has rolled in again. The days are shorter and much more pleasant weather-wise than the excruciating summer months. But temperatures dip and as the daylight vanes, many of us begin to feel somewhat sluggish, withdrawn or depressed for inexplicable reasons. As a result, we tend to sleep more and even eat more than we normally would. If this sounds familiar to you, chances are that you are at a risk of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), a negative change in mood perpetuated by changes in the weather outside.

In scientific terms, SAD is a less popular but prevalent and mild form of depression most commonly felt during winter.

Nearly 10% of the world’s population suffer from SAD, also referred to as the winter blues, without any knowledge of its existence. Medically speaking, it can best be described as a mood disorder associated with depression that follows the vagaries of the seasons. The most common occurrence within the disorder is winter depression.

Nargis Asad, a consultant psychologist at Aga Khan University Hospital in Karachi, sheds some light on the phenomenon, saying SAD was an old classification initially used for depression. It is now referred to as a depressive disorder with a seasonal pattern. “This is a sub-disorder under depressive disorders and applies to a pattern of major depressive episodes that occur in line with seasonal changes,” explains Nargis. The onset begins during fall and soars to its peak during winter with spring sparking the remission period.

Here in Pakistan, the lack of awareness regarding the disorder and depression in general means patients often overlook any symptoms they might be manifesting. For instance, 35-year-old homemaker Sara Khan initially blamed her children for making her dislike the cold weather she had adored ever since childhood. “I would feel depressed, lazy and extremely sad,” she recalls. “I thought it was because I was not working and missing the life I had before the children.” But as the symptoms persisted throughout the winter and faded the rest of the year, Sara sought professional help. She was diagnosed with SAD and given prompt treatment for her winter blues.

Interestingly though, the condition rarely affects people above the age of 30.

THE EXPRESS TRIBUNE, JANUARY 10, 2016

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Its main age of onset is between 18 to 30 years.

Despite its prevalence, the precise cause of winter blues still remains unknown. Psychiatrists speculate that it is often instigated by the changes in the abundance of sunlight, which would explain why the blues are particularly common in areas that receive lesser sunlight during winter. The severity, however, depends not only on the patient’s geographical location but also on the extent of their vulnerability.

Decreased exposure to sunlight causes one’s biological clock — responsible for regulating their mood, sleep and hormones — to slow down during winters.

“For the first two years, I did not realise it could be anything that I should get help for,” says 25-year-old Ammara Khan*. “My mother would get really annoyed at how much time I spent in bed and my desire to just sleep the season away,” she adds. It was the third winter of extreme winter blues when Ammara finally looked up her symptoms online and spoke to a psychiatrist.

Another theory suggests that the brain releases chemicals that diffuse information amid nerves. One of the major biological implications is on the production of melatonin — a chemical turned on by darkness and off by light. Lack of sunlight reduces the production of melatonin. SAD tampers with one’s biological clock and when the day suggests it’s time to get up, the patient’s internal clock asks for more rest. In either case, it is believed that these imbalances can be sorted by appropriate exposure to natural light. Most patients have one thing in common: they are sensitive to light or the lack thereof.

While most people take winter blues very lightly and expect them to be normal, depression can be draining and restrictive for the patient. Their social and professional lives are affected severely as they lose the desire to socialise, work and function in general. It also impacts patients’ relations with others and their productivity through the season.

Even though the disorder is less common in Pakistan — found mostly in the higher altitude regions — Nargis has had a few patients who have come in for SAD. “These patients are recommended various kinds of treatments, including light therapy and counselling, depending on their situation,” she says. Some sufferers experience immense anxiety and mood changes while others lose the will to get out of bed in the mornings. “A formal diagnosis can only be made once the patient experiences three consecutive winters of the symptoms, followed by complete remission during the rest of the year,” she adds.

One of the most recommended therapies for patients suffering from serious winter blues is light therapy, also often called photo therapy. It is administered by a device that contains white fluorescent light tubes covered with a plastic screen to block ultraviolet rays. The patient may not necessarily need to look directly into the light, but doing their daily tasks around it can help immensely.

Light therapy is known to be safe and generally well-tolerated by most patients as its basic aim is to give adequate light to the patient’s body. The patients can also spend time outdoors during the day to maximize the amount of sunlight absorbed during the day.

Uncharacteristically intense cravings for starchy and sweet foods and overeating are also common indications of the disorder, which ultimately lead to weight gain or perhaps, the infamous ‘holiday weight’. As a result, it is best to get a diagnosis and begin the appropriate treatment in time. The treatment may vary from patient to patient as for some therapy alone may be ideal but others might require medicinal assistance as well. *Names have been changed to protect privacy.

Hafsah Sarfraz is an Islamabad-based reporter for The Express Tribune.

Almost 60% to 90% of people suffering from SAD are women. If you are a female between the age of 15 and 55, you are most likely to develop the disorder. Factors such as PMS, menopause, pregnancy and child birth could also contribute to depression in women.

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Ms

En vogue

Iqra Saqib showcases her latest collection Coordination: Umer Mushtaque Designers: Iqra Saqib Hair and make-up: Npro Photography: Rohail Khaled Models: Rabab Masood

THE EXPRESS TRIBUNE, JANUARY 10, 2016

THE EXPRESS TRIBUNE, JANUARY 10, 2016

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Lifestyle

THE EXPRESS TRIBUNE, JANUARY 10, 2016

By Ferya Ilyas

Miles away from the mecca of startups, deep in the bustling alleys of small Pakistani cities, a new breed of young, innovative entrepreneurs is emerging through a myriad of obstacles. From creative mobile apps, trendy fashion e-shops to ingenious technical and engineering solutions, startups in Pakistan have their eyes set on the future and are changing the local economic landscape, albeit gradually. These innovative entrepreneurs from all over the country — and other unlikely places like India, Turkey and China — are the subject of American writer Elmira Bayrasli’s new book, From The Other Side of the World, which stems from her belief that the next Silicon Valley or Steve Jobs could most likely come from these eastern countries. The book — which hit stores on September 8 — mentions seven recurring problems faced by startups in the developing world and narrates inspiring stories of seven entrepreneurs who overcame them and acquired success.

Elmira first visited Pakistan back in 2010 to assess the entrepreneurial potential of the country. She has profiled Monis Rahman of Rozee.pk fame in her book. Monis left his cushy job in Silicon Valley to start an internet-based business in Lahore. “He was brought up abroad and had a dream job at Intel, working alongside the creators of the microchip,” says the author. “But he decided to move to Pakistan with his parents to use his education and skills in his home country.”

Rahman arrived in Lahore in 2004, established Naseeb Network and went on to start Rozee.pk — Pakistan’s leading online job portal. Bayrasli admits she mentions Monis in her book for he exemplifies the type of entrepreneurs present in Pakistan today. “Monis is rewriting Pakistan’s narrative for the West as well as for fellow Pakistanis who are stuck in the belief that things are difficult here,” Elmira states, explaining Rahman’s success is in contrast with the negative images of Pakistan in the Western media which fuel the impression that being an entrepreneur would be impossible in the country. Elmira recalls how Rahman once told her that there is so much more to life in Pakistan than terrorism. “He said 5% of Pakistan’s life gets 95% of media coverage in the West,” she says.

Five years ago, Elmira also co-authored a report entitled Creating a Place for the Future upon the request of Dr Nadeem-ul-Haque, then director of the Planning Commission of Pakistan. For this, she visited Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi and immersed herself in the startup ecosystem of Pakistan. The American author, who saw firsthand the numerous challenges an entrepreneur has to overcome in order to succeed, believes the trying conditions in Pakistan make the person ‘scrappy and innovative’.

“Scarcity is the mother of invention,” Elmira explains.

“Because of all the challenges, businesses in Pakistan are creating unique solutions to their problems.” According to her, entrepreneurs in the West are ‘victims of convenience’.

“They are certainly far ahead but because of all the comforts of the developed world, they are not forced to think creatively to reach their consumers. Entrepreneurs in Pakistan, however, have to work through their numerous limitations and come up with unusual ways of problem solving,” she says. Knowing innovation doesn’t happen in isolation, Elmira sights a lack of creative and collaborative spaces one of the biggest problems faced by entreprenuers in Pakistan — a point made abundantly clear in the report from 2010.

With her new book, Elmira wants to change mindsets of

the West and ‘the other side’. “In West, when we talk about entrepreneurship, we think of Silicon Valley, of Steve Jobs and Bill Gates, and of technology. But when we talk about startups in other parts of the world, we think of small-scale, handcraft businesses when that is not the case,” she says.

“Entrepreneurs in non-Western countries are thinking big; they are global-minded with a global influence.” Elmira further wants Pakistanis who are discouraged by the dismal conditions in their country to take inspiration from the

change makers and follow suit. “I want them to feel ‘if they can do it, I can do it’,” she hopes. As inspiring startup stories continue to surface across, Elmira advises entrepreneurs to remember that entrepreneurship is not about technology but progress. “It is not about creating a cool gadget but solving problems and adding value,” she says, adding that inventions should take societies forward and improve the standard of living. “Look at the creations of our time — from computers to smartphones or even Facebook. They have made our lives better and added value.”

Elmira calls on business giants from the West to not dismiss what’s brewing on the other side of the world and see how people are solving problems here. “The West needs to understand entrepreneurship is not the same everywhere and that every place is unique with a different geography and culture. The West should see how others are creating unique solutions for their unique challenges.”

Ferya Ilyas is a senior subeditor at The Express Tribune.

She tweets @ferya_ilyas

Domestic goddess 7

THE EXPRESS TRIBUNE, JANUARY 10, 2016

By Chef Shamsher

Stir fried lamb

A colourful oriental recipe with a unique and striking flavour

Ingredients

PHOTO: CHEF SHAMSHER

• Mutton or lamb (boneless) 500 grammes • Red, green and yellow bell peppers (roughly diced) 1 each • Baby corn (diced) 1 can • Carrot (diced) 1 • Onions (medium-sized and finely chopped) 1 • Green onions (chopped and separated from the head) 3 to 4 • Red chillies (grounded) 4 • Soy sauce 2 tbsp • Oyster sauce 2 tbsp • Ginger-garlic paste 2 tbsp • Flour 1 tbsp • Water 3 tbsp

Method • Put the lamb in a pressure cooker with about two cups of water. Add black pepper, salt and ginger garlic-paste to the pot and cook for 15 minutes. Once meat is tender, take it off the heat and save the leftover stock for later use.

• In a large pan, heat some oil and fry the onions and green onion heads in it, along with the garlic paste. Continue frying till the onions become transparent.

• Add carrots to the pan and fry for a minute. Add bell peppers and baby corn and sauté for another minute.

• Add the meat and ground chillies to the stock and cook for two minutes, covering the pot and allowing the mixture to simmer for about five minutes.

• Dilute flour in water and add it to the mixture to thicken it. Stir for two minutes and your delicious stir-fry is now ready to be served.

Lamb pie Make the most of leftover lamb meat by turning it into a cheesy pie.

• Lamb meat (Stir-fried) 200-300 grammes • Gravy 100 grammes • Potatoes 250 grammes • Cheddar cheese (grated) 50 grammes • Breadcrumbs 2 tbsp • Salt to taste • Black pepper to taste

• Preheat oven to 200oC for about 10 minutes.

• Carve all leftover lamb off the bone, chopping it roughly and placing in an ovenproof dish.

• In a large pot, boil potatoes until they become soft. Add a pinch of salt and black pepper.

• Pour some gravy and crumble the potatoes over it. Scatter cheese on top of the mixture.

• Bake it in the oven for about 30 minutes or until the top becomes golden and bubbly around the edges. Serve hot and enjoy the goodness of your scrumptious pie.

SOURCE: BBCGOODFOOD.COM

Salt can virtually be found in every household — literally.

It is one of the staple cooking supplements, without which there would be little taste in our food. But did you know that there are many other ways in which salt can benefit us — particularly when it comes to home hacks? Read on to find out how you can take some common yet tough household tasks with a pinch of salt.

SOURCE: WWW.INDIATIMES.COM