Being Goan - NOVEMBER ISSUE 2022

MISS BHaRnE

Roma Bharne, popularly known by her moniker ‘Miss Bharne’, is one of Goa’s most popular food vloggers.

ALISHA FERNANDES

A TV-anchor-cum-producer and the founder of popular lifestyle blog ‘Allycaral’

homeopathy- A JOURNey TO THe HUMAN CORe

An article explaining the true concept of homeopathy by Dr. Denise Rodrigues

A Goan-Mauritian who recently released her book ‘89 Questions to the Moon’

halitosis An article by dentist Dr. Valerie Pereira on Halitosis (Bad Breath)

HEALTHy BOUNDARIES

Psychologist Richelle BritoCarvalho talks about how to set healthy boundaries with family

Hi friends,

Welcome to the November issue of our emagazine Being Goan. On the cover, we have the popular food vlogger Roma Bharne, popularly known by her moniker ‘Miss Bharne’. Read more about her food vlog and passion inside. Our magazine also covers Alisha Fernandes, a TV anchor-cum-producer at Prime Media TV, who also runs a lifestyle blog called ‘AllyCaral’.

We have also done a story on Rebecca D’Souza, a Goan-Mauritian who released her book ‘89 Questions to the Moon’ earlier this year. Learn to set healthy boundaries with your family with psychologist Richelle Brito-Carvalho’s article ‘Setting Healthy Boundaries with Family’. Also, articles on ‘Homoeopathy – A Journey into the Human Core’ by homoeopathic practitioner Dr. Denise Rodrigues, and on ‘Halitosis’ by noted dentist Dr. Valerie Pereira also feature in this month's issue of our magazine.

Goa will play host to the 53rd International Film Festival of India from 20th to 28th November. This year, France has been selected as the country of honour. Not only will the festival see more participation from different states, but will

but will also showcase films in around 15 languages with one Konkani Film, 7 English films, and 10 Hindi films. The festival will be held at the INOX courtyard in Panaji with the screening of the movies in the Inox theatres and the Kala Academy. The entire street from outside the Inox theatre in Miramar to Kala Academy will take on a festive look for the entire festival.

Buntings, festoons, and colourful lights will be strung on street lamps and trees along the entire route. The sidewalk too gets a filmy look with standees, food stalls, and live musical performances. Entry to the film screening in the theatres, Inox courtyard, and Kala Academy is restricted to pass holders only. Celebrities including film personalities from across the country will be in attendance.

We hope you enjoy reading this month's issue of our e-magazine. Do share it with your friends all across the globe.

Until next month, cheers!

Jessyl Fernandez Editor

Introduction

Goa, the tiniest state on the western coast of India, boasts golden pristine beaches, palmfringed avenues, flavourful food, delicious Portuguese-influenced sweets, and warm, hospitable people. Also known as the Ibiza of India for its partying. A tropical paradise of flora and fauna, from the very famous almi (mushrooms) endemic to its forests, that grow only on the red mud anthills, to the solar prawns that are fished immediately after the monsoons, Goa is unique. Tourists are also attracted to Goa for its cultural heritage - from the famous old Portuguese churches like Se Cathedral in Old Goa, the 16th Century Safa Masjid in Ponda and Shree Mangesha Temple in Mardol, the legendary Arvalem or Pandava Caves where the Pandavas of the Mahabharat fame lived, to its two unique festivals - Carnival and Shigmo. Goa plays host to many festivals - the International Film Festival of India that promotes cinema, the Serendipity Art Festival, Sunburn Music Festival, The Grape Escapade to name a few. To showcase this varied heritage of culture, art, tradition, food, and people, in 2015 ItsGoa was born. The main aim was to make it the premier portal for all things Goa. We were able to showcase Goa like never before. Soon our blogbased website transcended the virtual space, with the ItsGoa magazine a sought-after resource for visitors to Goa from countries like Norway, Germany, UK, USA, UAE, etc.

INFLUeNCer

Alisha Fernandes is a TV anchor-cum-producer and the founder of the lifestyle brand ‘Allycaral’. She was born in Kuwait and brought up in Mapusa, where she currently lives. She did her schooling at St. Francis Xavier’s High School, Mapusa following which she completed her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Mass Communication from St. Xavier’s College, Mapusa.

Since her college days, she always had the zeal to learn new things and explore more professions so as to understand what she wanted to do in life.

During her first year, she did an internship in the print media at The Times of India, Goa. There, she wrote several articles including many full-page articles that got published in the Goa edition of the Times of India. In her second year, she did an internship in electronic media at Prudent Media, Goa. There, she got exposure to broadcast media and thus began her journey of trying hands in electronic media. After her final year, in her campus recruitment, she got interviewed by Prime TV and got the opportunity to work with them. With that began her journey of learning and exploring new possibilities. She is presently working with Prime TV. Her love for learning didn’t just end with her BA. She did her PG Diploma in Journalism and recently completed her Masters degree in Journalism and Mass Communication as well.

As a child, Alisha says she always liked photography, recording videos, and collecting articles of interest, especially those of celebrities and cricketers. She says that she always had and still has a soft corner for Mahendra Singh Dhoni, former Captain of the Indian Men’s Cricket Team. While working at Prime TV, she got an opportunity to meet MS Dhoni at an event that Dhoni had com for in Goa. She remembers every moment of that event as if it was nothing but a dream come true for her, to see the person she always looked up to. Although she couldn’t get a picture with him on that occasion, she believes that the day isn’t far when she’ll get a picture with him.

Despite being a journalist, getting into the field of journalism wasn’t Alisha’s goal since her childhood. Back then, she wanted to become an Air Force Pilot because of her great interest in the Indian Air Force’s Sukhoi Su-30 MKI Fighter Jet which she always wanted to fly.

Alisha believes in being kind and spreading kindness. She recalls that once when travelling back home from work, she met a young girl on the bus who was crying and sobbing. She didn’t know her but approached her as she left the bus and went up to her and told her “Don’t worry, all will be fine!” the girl looked up at her with a faint smile and wiped her tears.

“I somehow felt I helped someone that day. Maybe it was something she wanted to happen or at least wanted to hear”, says Alisha.

Alisha recently started her blog named ‘Allycaral’ and calls it her best venture to date as she always wanted something of her own to be known to the world. In her blog, she documents travels, life experiences, and her feelings. She likes to experiment with it every year and tries to introduce something new every year. Her yearly calendars are widely loved all over Goa and also internationally. Along with blogging, she also started her journey as vlogger on YouTube where she shoots videos, documents places of interest, and also collaborates with celebrities. She tries to give Goan talent a platform on YouTube as they also deserve the right exposure which they sometimes don’t easily get.

Alisha says that one of the biggest challenges she faces as a vlogger is finding appealing and engaging content. Content created for television isn’t the same as content created for vlogs, and making it engaging is a whole new challenge, she says. She has no major goals for the future at the moment, but if everything turns out well, then she won’t mind venturing into film production someday.

Website: www.itsgoa.com I Instagram: @_itsgoa I Facebook: Itsgoa

Alisha with Goan cricketer Shadab Jakati

prodigy, Atharv Natharkari. Atharv was very young and excited as he was going to be on television. The interview was lively and fun because of the rawness in it. She never gave him any questions nor did his parents ask for any. They just let him be himself which made it one of the best and one of the most memorable interviews she ever did. Although she still has the dream of interviewing MS Dhoni! (and if you are reading this MS Dhoni, know that she is looking forward to interviewing you.)

Alisha’s message to all Goan youth is - “Dream on!”. Till you don’t dream, you won’t have goals, and till you won’t have goals, you won’t have the spirit to be a go-getter. Go chase your dream and win this world!”.

Alisha interviewing Bollywood film director Imtiaz Ali

Alisha with dancer Kamlesh Patel (in wheelchair) at the All India Dance Sports Festival 2019

Alisha with footballer Mandar Rao Dessai on her show 'GEMS OF GOA'

Alisha interviewing film actor Ashok Lokhande

PHOTOGRAPHY

PhotoXouq

Zoheb Sayed is a Goan photographer based in the UAE. He runs his own photography business called ‘PhotoXouq’.

Article by: Prataya Sarkar Images Courtesy: Zoheb Sayed

Website: www.itsgoa.com I Instagram: @_itsgoa I Facebook: Itsgoa

PhotoXouq, initially named ‘Impression by Zoheb’ was started in 2018 by Zoheb Sayed. Born and brought up in Goa amidst its rich heritage and natural landscapes. Zoheb holds a Bachelor’s degree in Hotel Management from IIAS, Goa, and has spent more than 10 years in the hotel industry. Growing up, Zoheb loved two things the mostswimming and photography. He had a deep-seated love for nature and animals which inspired him to become a wildlife photographer.

Zoheb was the runner-up at an inter-college photography competition. His first photoshoot was for the birthday party of another photographer in Goa. During his time working in the hotel industry, he got some great opportunities to assist many professional photographers in hotel photoshoots which helped him gain knowledge and experience in architecture and food photography. Post this, he decided to enroll at the Fujairah Academy of Fine Arts to learn more about the technical aspects of photography under Mahmoud Saber, a professional photographer from Egypt.

Zoheb migrated to the UAE in February 2022 with his family. In the UAE, one needs a license and permit to work as a freelance photographer. It was then, Zoheb came up with the name PhotoXouq and got it registered. He now has his photography license and permit. PhotoXouq does photoshoots of portraits, fashion, food, architecture, products, prewedding shoots, events, etc.

As a freelancer in Goa, he did photoshoots for hotels like Hotel Fortune, Miramar, and the Indian Getaway Hotel in Goa where he did Product, Food, Architecture, and Event photography.

Hamper shoot done at Fortune Hotel, Miramar (Image Credit: Zoheb Sayed)

Photo of Burj Khalifa taken by Zoheb Sayed

In the UAE, he got the opportunity to do a photo shoot in collaboration with Sony Alpha Festival MEA which had the presence of many international models and fashion designers at the fashion show.

Although Zoheb did not get any opportunity to work with any Goan celebrities, he did some photoshoots with many international models such as Romina, Miya Grande, Katie Yudina, and many more in Dubai, with some famous celebrities from India and the UAE lined up for the near future.

Peter Mckinnon, Maciej Suwalowski, and Joesph Radhik are the few photographers whom Zoheb considers as his role models for product photography and wedding photography. Following them has helped him greatly as he got to learn new techniques and ideas and how to execute those ideas. Zoheb is positive about opening a photography school a few years down the line to teach young and enthusiastic talents about the various techniques of photography.

Website: www.itsgoa.com I Instagram: @_itsgoa I Facebook: Itsgoa

Website: www.itsgoa.com I Instagram: @_itsgoa I Facebook: Itsgoa

Model Chloe Davies from Ireland/Dubai (Image Credit: Zoheb Sayed) Model Susan from Uganda/Dubai (Image Credit: Zoheb Sayed)

Food photography done at Fortune Hotel, Miramar (Image Credit: Zoheb Sayed)

However, as of now, he wants to focus on his photography, hone his skills even more, and simply enjoy capturing beautiful moments.

His advice to young Goans who want to pursue a career in photography is to start with photography as a hobby and find your niche, what kind of photography you enjoy, and focus on that. Investing in good lenses would be a good idea as they are more expensive than the camera body. Further, the camera body can be changed from time to time. Assisting professional photographers would help them gain experience and build confidence which would in turn help them to get new assignments. “That’s how you get better at it”, he says.

Model Romina from Dubai at the Sony Alpha Festival MEA (Image Credit: Zoheb Sayed)

Model Elena from Russia/Dubai (Image Credit: Zoheb Sayed)

cover feature

‘miss Bharne’

Roma Vinay Bharne, popularly known by her moniker ‘Miss Bharne’, is a food vlogger and YouTuber based in Porvorim

Article by: Prataya Sarkar Images Courtesy: Roma Bharne

Roma Vinay Bharne, popularly known as ‘Miss Bharne’, is a food blogger and YouTuber based in Porvorim. Born and brought up in Goa, Roma hails from the Bharne family, which runs Bharne Lifestyle, a readymade garment business that has been operating in Goa for more than 100 years now. Roma did her schooling at Mushtifund High School and then completed her Higher Secondary in Don Bosco. She did her Bachelor’s in Commerce from Dempo College of Commerce and Economics, Panaji.

Since childhood, Roma had a love for the creative field and always wanted to make something of her own. She wanted to grow up to become a fashion designer but as she grew up, that shifted to becoming a blogger and a YouTuber.

After completing her graduation, Roma joined her family business. Despite that, she had this urge to do something of her own. She also worked as a Social Media Executive for a few months but wasn’t satisfied or happy, which is when she decided to focus on her food page and YouTube channel.

Since her childhood, she loved clicking pictures, especially food photography was something she always did and enjoyed. She randomly decided to start her own food page just for fun. Little did she know that her food page would turn out to be such a huge success and take her so far up. Her love for food led her to start her YouTube channel where she covers various food items. She always wanted to do something of her own, get recognized for it, and get famous.

“My parents and sisters have always supported me in each of my decisions,” says Roma. Her family and she herself knew that YouTube isn’t a promised or guaranteed success but she always got support from her family whenever she needed it. “I cannot thank them enough,” says Roma.

Consistency. Working hard and consistently is the key that all successful people have in common and she says that is her inspiration. She does admire the videos of a creator named Golgappa Girl, she creates awesome food content. Along with that Roma being a huge fan of Arijit Singh hopes to meet him someday.

Being a YouTuber and a content creator isn’t as easy as it seems. Nothing in this world is easy and everything has its own challenges. The challenges faced by Roma being a blogger/ YouTuber primarily revolve around getting more views and engagement with the content she creates and creating good quality content which can keep an audience engaged and also enjoy it. Interesting and engaging content further helps in increasing the number of audience/ followers. In the future, she plans on focusing more on her YouTube channel and increasing its reach by posting super awesome and interesting videos.

Although she hasn’t yet collaborated with any other influencer or YouTuber in Goa, she is hopeful that she will someday. She says that she doesn’t have any specific role models, but she follows many of them. And in her pursuit to learn from the bigger names of YouTube, she noticed a couple of things common in all of those creators and that is Hard work and Website: www.itsgoa.com I Instagram: @_itsgoa I Facebook: Itsgoa

Roma at Café La-Di-Da, Sangolda

Setting Boundaries with family

If we are to look at setting boundaries in our Indian homes, it definitely requires a different kind of thinking and approach

Article by: Richelle Brito Carvalho Image Credit: Freepik.com

Indian society is collectivistic and promotes interdependence. Here in India, families do not exist in isolation and hence it is vital to interpret certain behaviours that are governed from an individualistic standpoint, in the context of their social and cultural background. Most of the advice we see around on social media about setting and respecting boundaries is usually from a western societal point of you. If we are to look at setting boundaries in our Indian homes, it definitely requires a different kind of thinking and approach.

As there has been a history and tradition of living in joint families, which emphasises maintaining relationships with others while ignoring personal autonomy, space and privacy. In the Indian culture, families have always been considered to be highly relational, strong, stable, close, and resilient with a focus on family integrity, loyalty and unity. While families can be each other's support systems and safety nets; they can also be our biggest oppressors. Therefore, in order to set boundaries in a family in the Indian cultural context one is required to learn the language of setting boundaries that is not rigid and is definitely not a threat to the relationship in itself.

In a culture where a lot of importance is based upon ‘what people will think and say?’ It is ingrained in our systems to function as people pleasers. We also understand that not complying with certain family rules or ways of being can bring about a barrage of unsolicited opinions. People’s opinions matter and the constant pressure to uphold and maintain the honour of one’s family image keeps daunting us and keeps us distant from our individual wants and desires. Hence, in a society that expects you to ‘adjust’ or ‘be flexible,’ setting boundaries in a rigid westernised manner will only be received as an act of rebellion rather than an act of growth.

What does it mean to set boundaries with our family?

Setting boundaries in an Indian family feels like such a challenge because there is this fear of their reaction not only because physical abuse, again, is very much normalised. But what is most painful is the ‘guilt’ and ‘shame’ that follows from standing up for ourselves, having opinions different from other other family members, or saying just a ‘NO’ to

something that you don’t feel like doing but being forced by parents to do so. This can again be related to having a say about your career, courtship, marriage, having children and other such important life choices. NO’ to something that you don’t feel like doing but being forced by parents to do so. This can again be related to having a say about your career, courtship, marriage, having children and other such important life choices.

If you’ve decided you need to set certain boundaries with your family, it is important you understand the ‘why’ of it. Reminding yourself that intergenerational trauma, social environment, class, gender, and caste all have an effect on how we are able to begin setting boundaries with our Indian family. Setting boundaries is healthy for any relationship and is definitely a method of protection necessary to sustain a relationship, shielding it from overbearing resentment.

5 Ways How to Start Setting Boundaries in an Indian Family

Reconnect with your body

How can you tell that you need a boundary in this particular area? The answer is through our bodies. Our bodies have a natural alarm system that goes off when something feels uncomfortable or too much. It’s helpful to listen to these signs. “Say, if you are being forced to perform in front of your relatives. Maybe you feel uncomfortable about performing. You can listen to your body and say, “ Ma, I don’t wish to perform for our relatives this time, maybe we could all play a game or hire an artist for the same” There is a fine line between being supportive and overstretching our abilities to receive the praise and social validation that comes at a very high cost.

2. Have options

Realistically speaking, setting rigid boundaries won’t work well for families that thrive on rules and routines laid out to them by society and culture. You may have plan A to present to an overbearing parent, but if that doesn’t work out, it won’t hurt to also have a Plan B which involves a change but not so drastic. Thinking of it more like a negotiation. There is a possibility that our parents do not respect our need for space and might say things that can make us feel guilty for wanting any privacy. Instead

can make us feel guilty for wanting any privacy. Instead of locking the door all day, maybe you can come to a middle ground where it can be locked without disturbance for 2 hours each day. In this way, you can get your privacy and at the same time, you’re also not dismissing them as a part of the household.

3. Reaching out to friends and family for support Sharing your thoughts with another relative or friends can also bring to light different perspectives on your concerns, perhaps better ways of communicating your needs that might have worked well for them. This confidante or a friend can be your support system when you’re trying to set boundaries.

4. Being firm with your decision whilst being compassionate

Setting boundaries can be a challenge, especially when you are so used to suppressing your needs under the carpet. It can for sure feel overwhelming and uncomfortable, but there is a sense of liberation and empowerment in the same as well. In this process, you have to find ways to be kind and safeguard yourself. Finding a time for you and your parents to talk about how their particular behaviour is affecting you is crucial and hence cannot be communicated with anger or frustration. Say, if your parents tend to visit you without prior heads-up often and that overwhelms you, approaching your discomfort when they’ve just arrived might do more harm than good. Letting them know that you like their company and would like them to visit but would prefer a heads-up prior to them making that plan to visit.

5. Give each other time to accept new boundaries Change in our lives is hard to accept, and the same may be true when we set out to move beyond societal constructs of being. Don’t be surprised or upset if your boundary is met with resistance in the first couple of trials. Setting boundaries as well as respecting them will take time. Therefore, it is imperative you keep reminding yourself that you are actively trying to change the normative’ and that takes a fair bit of courage!

It’s probable that the boundaries you build and convey to your family might not be respected as they might lack understanding given the generation

gap. It is but natural to feel infuriated to experience this hurdle, especially after making all the efforts to formulate and communicate the boundary, but in all honestly, these situations tend to benefit from a calmer demeanour.

If you struggle with setting a boundary or expressing your needs with your family, please reach out to a mental health professional to help you find ways that are specific for you and your family.

About the Author: Richelle Brito Carvalho is a Counselling Psychologist based in Mapusa. She is the founder of Wholistic Connect, an online counselling service. She also provides counselling services at Antarman, a psychosocial well-being centre, in Panjim She has done her M.Sc in Counselling Psychology from Roshni Nilaya, Mangalore.

If you are facing any psychological issues and wish to seek help, you may contact Richelle on: WhatsApp: 9767969405 Email: wholistic.connect@gmail.com Instagram: @wholistic.connect.counselling Website: www.itsgoa.com I Instagram: @_itsgoa

Homeopathy

Homeopathy-

A Journey into the Human Core

In this article, noted homeopathic practitioner Dr. Denise Rodrigues explains the true concept of homeopathic medicine

Article by Dr. Denise Rodrigues Image by pressfotoa on Freepik

Have you ever wondered what is it that makes us who we truly are? Why do we feel or act in a certain way? Maybe you need to understand the root cause of your stress. Homeopathy, as a system of medicine, will take you just there; to understand the real you. You will be facilitated through a journey wherein you will uncover years of conditioning and learned layers to get to the core of your unique, individualistic being. Before we understand how a Homoeopath can help you take that tailor-made journey, let us understand a little bit of this beautiful, holistic science.

In 1790, a German physician Dr. Samuel Hahnemann made a very significant discovery. At that time cinchona bark (from which quinine is derived) was very well known and used for its curative effects on malaria. Eager to discover what gave the bark its curative power, Hahnemann tested this substance on himself whilst he was in a healthy state. He saw that it produced within him symptoms similar to those of malaria i.e. chill, fever and sweat. This led him to the clue that drugs can produce certain symptoms and signs in a healthy individual and can cure someone with the same symptoms. This was the beginning of Homoeopathy which is based on the principle: "Like cures like".

What Hahnemann also discovered is, that disease is not localized but affects the whole being. Therefore, when a person is sick, it is not merely a part but the whole of him that is sick. Likewise, a drug affects the whole being including the mind. The homeopath thus treats a person keeping these factors in mind.

In order to reach the very core of an individual, the first consultation session with a Homoeopath can go up to two hours wherein the symptoms as well as a patient’s state of mind which includes aspects about his nature, personality, interests, hobbies, childhood, dreams, fears and stress factors are carefully recorded and studied to find the exact remedy which will create a paradigm shift of healing in an individual. A human being is a magnificent storehouse of energy and energy in a human being is expressed in the form of two distinct entities – the Mind and the Body. At the subconscious level, energy is expressed through dreams, hence exploring the dreams and the feelings associated with them is very important to a Homoeopath. Energy is also expressed through feelings such as anger, sadness, fear, etc. as well as

through an individual’s alterations in his / her perception of reality. On the bodily plane, energy is expressed through changes in sleep, thirst, appetite, food cravings, and aversions. In health, there is a harmonious distribution of energy at all the planes where there is awareness of one’s sensations, perceptions, and feelings; hence it is natural that one would be free from any kind of physical suffering. Any disturbance in this energy within results in a disturbance in the whole being of an individual causing the manifestation of signs and symptoms on a bodily plane.

What a Homoeopath aims to do is understand how a stressful or negative situation can bring to the surface an alteration in sensation and perception causing an imbalance of energy, which in turn causes a diseased state making an individual more prone to developing certain illnesses. Awareness of this diseased state can lead to a cure.

The awareness referred to here is not an intellectual understanding or an observation of a behavior or thought pattern in ourselves; nor is it a flash of realization, or an interpretation by someone else.

It is a process. It is a process of going within the self without the mind, of going into the depth of one's experience over and over again. It is a process that can begin now and extend over several months or years. It is a gradual awakening to one's inner world. It is a silent, nonverbal, non-intellectual process, where one can acknowledge one's unique, authentic self and become aware of how it has shaped everything in his life.

Begin your healing journey with a Homoeopath today and experience evolving to become a healthier, better version of yourself. “Know yourself, to heal yourself”

About the Author

Dr. Denise Rodrigues is a dedicated Homoeopath, Pediatric Nutritionist, and Guidance Counsellor. A Gold Medalist from Goa University, she currently serves as the Secretary for the Homoeopathic Medical Association of India (HMAI)- Goa Branch. Dr. Denise practices at her own setup: Evolve Homoeopathic Clinic at Raia, South Goa. Every Friday, she consults at Menezes Polyclinic, AltinhoPanaji.

For appointments, call 0832-2776965 Email: drdenise.evolve@gmail.com Follow her on Instagram @evolvehomoeopathy

Website: www.itsgoa.com I Instagram: @_itsgoa I Facebook: Itsgoa

DENTAL HEALTH

Halitosis: The Curse of Dragon Breath

In this article, noted periodontist Dr. Valerie Pereira talks about the common causes of Halitosis (commonly known as Bad Breath) and the steps that need to be taken to treat the condition.

Article

by: Dr. Valerie Pereira Image by Mike Lloyd

Have you ever been in a situation where you are sitting in a movie theatre and someone leans over to whisper something? Bam! You are hit with a bomb of stink from their mouth worse than the garbage truck! Or the overbearing relative leans in to kiss your cheek only to overpower you with the noxious gases emanating from their gob. Quite a situation isn't it? Do you know what could be worse though? If YOU were the person all your friends and relatives were hiding from in fear of the malodour that they perceived to be worse than the Dementor's kiss.

Halitosis, which is nothing, but mouth odour or bad breath is a very common affliction and affects more than 50% of the population.

What causes Halitosis?

Halitosis has multifactorial causes, but 90% of the causes are from the oral cavity- the most prominent being poor oral hygiene and food lodgement. This leads to the growth of microorganisms which results in periodontal disease and dental caries.

Other causes are tongue coating, oral carcinomas, and throat infections. Ill-fitting dentures and faulty restorations also result in an unpleasant odour. The Halitosis-causing bacteria use proteins as a source of nutrition and degrade them to produce volatile sulphur compounds and other odoriferous compounds which cause the bad smell.

9% of the causes of halitosis are due to systemic causes like diseases of the respiratory tract, gastrointestinal tract, diseases of the liver, kidneys, urinary tract, or diabetic ketoacidosis. These are characterized by a peculiar type of odour like mousy, sweetish, fishy, acetone, uremic, putrefactive, fetid, or fruity depending on the cause.

1% of cases of halitosis are caused due to diet and drugs. Physiological Halitosis, which is normal, is caused due to eating foods like garlic or morning breath due to decreased salivary flow at night when one sleeps.

Smoking, menstruation, and alcohol also cause mouth odour. Disorders like depression or psychosis may also cause Halitosis.

Diagnosis

Most important for the treatment of halitosis is the detection and determination of the source by clinical examination by a dentist.

Once the cause is established, the dentist may do the needful procedures to remove the etiology. The dentist may also be the one who detects the systemic cause and refers for a consultation to the physician.

Pseudohalitosis is a condition where the patient complains of Halitosis which is not perceived by others and this needs a referral to a clinical psychologist.

Treatment

Treatment at the dental clinic will include simple measures such as scaling and root planing, instructions for oral hygiene, tongue cleaning, and mouth rinsing.

Chewing gum and mints, mouth rinses and sprays decrease the odour, however, these are just ways to mask the odour with fragrance. These approaches should be only used as temporary measures.

Professional identification of the etiology and treatment of Halitosis is necessary.

So do visit your dentist if you have Halitosis; lest you become the foul-breathing dragon people run away from in fear.

About the Author: Dr. Valerie Pereira is a consultant dentist who specialises in Peridontics (gums). She completed her BDS from AJ Institute of Dental Sciences, Mangalore. She then practiced in Bangalore before going on to do her Masters in Periodontics at Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences in Coorg. She is available for consultation in Panjim and can be contacted via WhatsApp on: 8208007184.

Website: www.itsgoa.com I Instagram: @_itsgoa I Facebook: Itsgoa

Rebecca d’souza

Rebecca D’Souza is a Mauritian-Goan based in Mauritius. A corporate communications executive by profession, Rebecca recently released her book titled ‘89 Questions to the Moon’.

Article by: Prataya Sarkar Images by: Rebecca D’Souza

Rebecca D’Souza was born in Kuwait in 1997 to a Mauritian mother and a Goan father. Her primary schooling was mostly in Kuwait at Kuwait English School and Kuwait American School. In 2009, when she moved to Mauritius. She attended Le Bocage International School for the remainder of her secondary education, after which she moved to Vadodara in Gujarat where she obtained her Bachelor of Visual Arts in Art History and Aesthetics from the Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda.

As a child, Rebecca imagined herself growing up to become a veterinarian. Her ambition since childhood was to help and treat animals. Although that did not turn up as she imagined, she still has a deep affection for animals till this day.

Rebecca’s blog named Zwazo lib which translates to “free bird” was started in July 2019. It contains all the content that she has created over the past three years. It contains posts, short stories, and poetry which she prefers to call free verse. The story behind Zwazo lib is an interesting one. Back in 2019, when she was coming back to Vadodara from Mauritius and was waiting at Mumbai airport for her flight, she

gave thought to an idea she was having for a couple of days. She named it “Little Ideas That Grow” and wanted to post photos and write about the flowers that she had taken and received. She started posting on Sundays on Facebook and called it “Post-post Sunday”.

During one such weekend, she imagined a little boy looking up at the moon. “That image turned into a series of short stories I posted with an illustration and at times with videos”, says Rebecca. She enjoyed sharing those short stories and her audience loved them and provided her with good feedback. That series of a boy looking at the moon unexpectedly turned into a book titled “89 Questions to the Moon”. The book was published through Kindle Direct Publishing in June 2022 and it is an account of 89 questions, the protagonist, a young kid asks the Moon.

“My main imagination was inspiration and curiosity”, says Rebecca. Imagination and curiosity spurred the need to emphasize its role in our lives, particularly in the role it plays in children’s lives. She was a ‘Curious George' since her childhood and wanted to honor that through the answers and through the book’s characters which are mostly bodies in nature like the Sun and the Ocean.

Initially, those stories were intended for children, but on compiling the book, she realized that an adult audience would better understand the nuances that the questions and their answers are made of, which is why she chose to publish the first version of the book without any illustrations. In short, the story follows the path of a boy who is in search of answers to his worldly questions while in dialogue with the Moon.

The title got its name simply because it was the first number that came to her mind while thinking about how many questions she wanted the young boy to ask. “Honestly, staying true to ‘89’ helped me write the story; it helped me think of the next story and it was a gratifying process”, says Rebecca.

Rebecca writes full-time but not in the conventional way of an author. “I chose to keep creative writing distinct from my career in communications.” Those are two separate entities for her and do not intermingle or influence each other in any way. It was clear in her mind what she wanted to do after getting her Bachelor’s Degree. “My storytelling mainly consists of storytelling and composing free verse, while my career is news-like and informative.” Her biggest challenge has been translating her creative writing into a source of income. But she believes that she will get there in time.

Rebecca is presently interning in a communications department which she says is a part of her shortterm and long-term goals. She was exposed to the creative environment during her theoretical studies in visual arts which is mostly a research-intensive field. She knew then that she enjoyed writing and would later pursue a professional career in corporate communications. Between having graduated from university and now, she has worked at her father’s business as a marketing and media assistant. She also has experience working as a primary school teacher for six months and says that the teaching experience gave her many fond memories.

Her role models are her parents, Christine and Felizardo D’Souza. They defined her childhood, brought her up with good manners, and taught her to be responsible, kind, and humble. They taught her the principles of life with examples.“They were my first teachers and they continue to be so”, she says.

For the future, Rebecca intnds to print physical copies of ‘89 Question to the Moon’ . She also plans to continuing writing more short stories, create more illustrations, and also write a novel.

To our readers, she says, “Care for the flower that grows within” which is quite meaningful and profound.

Rebecca’s book ‘89 Questions to the Moon’ is available for purchase on Amazon.

For more information about Rebecca, visit her blog at www.zoizolib.com

Rebecca admires Sir David Attenborough, the famous author and would like to meet him someday. She loves his narration and poise which speaks of his knowledge.