Volume 2 Issue 8 September 2022
dr. varad karmali: goa’s ‘drone’-acharya
ItsGoa speaks with Dr. Varad Karmali, a young Goan who holds the distinction of being the first Indian to earn a Ph.D. in Unmanned Aerial Vehicle technology.
akio fernandes
Goa’s ‘Hungry Wolf’
gingivitis
A guest article on Gingivitis by noted dentist Dr. Valerie Pereira
are you treating your body right?
An article on healthy eating habits by cardiovascular technologist Sudesh Shet
ines barros
A popular Goan singer and pianist
dr. denise rodrigues
Promoting homeopathic treatments for common ailments
online dating
A guest article on Online Dating and Ghosting by Psychologist Richelle Brito-Carvalho
Editorial
Dear readers,
Welcome to the September issue of our monthly e-magazine ‘Being Goan.’ Our cover features Dr. Varad Karmali who holds the distinction of being the first Indian to earn a Ph.D. in Unmanned Aerial Vehicle technology. He used his knowledge of drones in assisting the Goa Police to manage the curfews and lockdowns during the first few months of the Covid pandemic. Our inside stories feature gastronomist Akio Fernandes, an influencer, who runs his own food blog called ‘The Hungry Wolf,’ noted opera singer and pianist from Betalbatim, Ines Barros, Holistic homoeopathic practitioner Dr. Denise Rodrigues (who guarantees cures to a whole basket of illnesses that plague our world today), guest articles on Gingivitis by noted dentist Dr. Valerie Pereira, on ‘Online Dating’ by Psychologist Richelle Brito Carvalho, and on ‘Healthy Eating Habits' by Sudesh Shet, a cardiovascular technologist working at Asilo Hospital, Mapusa.
On a lighter note, Goa is still in the throes of the monsoon season, or so it seems, as the
rains don't seem to be abating. But that has not posed a damper to the tourist influx or the beach parties along the coastal belts. Also, the World Goa Day and World Konkani Day celebrations are in full swing around the world with Goan food, Goan music, and ‘amchi mai bhas’ (our mother tongue) Konkani proudly displayed. Not only abroad but here in Goa too, our locals are coming together to promote our culture in various ways, some via ‘festam’ (festivals) that focus on Goa’s rich heritage and biodiversity. The ‘Matienchem Fest’ or festival of the soil to be held in November in Pilerne, North Goa, will focus on the value and importance of our Goan soil and its uses. The fest promises to promote Goa’s state musical instrument the ‘Ghumot,’ a percussion instrument made of the red mud that Goa is famous for. Not only is the art of making the Ghumot dying, but also the art of playing it.
On a more serious note, Goa is making huge strides in empowering the differentialy-abled. Several financial schemes, allowances, special schools, rehabilitation programmes, aids, etc. are being initiated in the state. Focussed computer training for the visually impaired has recently begun at the National Association for the Blind at St. Cruz, Goa in partnership with Bookshare, a library for people with disabilities. The aim of this initiative is to enable the students to answer their exams without a scribe. This will help the examiners to assess the real knowledge of the student. The students will be provided with their own braille laptops, earphones, and screen readers.
We hope you enjoy reading this month's edition of our e-magazine. Do share it with your friends all across the world. Don’t forget to share your feedback with us at mail@itsgoa.com
Until next month, cheers!
Jessyl Fernandez EditorIndex
01 Dr. Varad Karmali
02 Dr. Denise Rodrigues
03 Akio Fernandes
04 Are you treating your body well?
05 Ines Barros
06 The Limelight Show
07 Online Dating
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 blog-based 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. The Covid Pandemic in 2020 brought everything to a standstill and printing of the magazine was put on hold. Now that life is almost back to normal in Goa, and to maintain the covid norms, we have decided to launch our very own ItsGoa magazine online.
08 Bleeding Gums-Is It Serious? Website: www.itsgoa.com I
A little about our Magazine
Think of Goa! Think ItsGoa! Our magazine is known for its business listings of basically anything and everything found in Goa. We also produce uniquely written articles in regard to Goa. Some of these folk tales you quite literally will not find anywhere else on the net. These rich in content stories are passed down from generation to generation in the villages of golden Goa. We also provide up-to-date news and information on travel, food, and events that are taking place in this beautiful State of Goa. The content on ItsGoa is written by people who are passionate about calling this tiny state their home. The ItsGoa magazine is a single point of reference for news, lifestyle, and culture in Goa.
Goa’s ‘Drone’- Acharya
A 34-year-old young man who holds the distinction of being the first Indian to earn a Ph.D. in Unmanned Aerial Vehicle technology.
Drones have gained a lot of popularity over the past couple of years. The first time most of us saw a drone or something similar to it was in the Aamir Khan-starrer ‘3 Idiots’, where Rancho (played by Aamir Khan) works on his college-mate Joy Lobo's final year project and successfully does a trial run of it on the college campus. Drones are used for wedding photography and videography as well as by vloggers and influencers who shoot their vlogs and YouTube videos using drones.
Dr. Varad Karmali, who hails from the beautiful village of Curchorem in South Goa, too developed an interest in drones sometime around 2013. His interest in drones drove him to pursue a doctorate in unmanned aerial vehicle technology.
Varad’s Early Life
Varad was born and brought up in Curchorem. He did his schooling at the local school in Curchorem from kindergarten till class 8. After finishing class 8, he shifted to Vidya Prabodhini in Porvorim to complete his SSC. He was a boarder at the school hostel over there. At Vidya Prabodhini, Varad got a lot of opportunities to participate in activities like inter-school table tennis tournaments, National-level science working model exhibition, etc.
India and started freelancing as a lighting engineerfor musical concerts and other events. He served as a lighting engineer for events like Sunburn, Channel V India Fest, Supersonic, and Timeout72.
After completing his SSC, Varad enrolled at the Institute of Shipbuilding Technology (ISBT) in Vasco to pursue a diploma in electronics and telecommunications. During this time, he was instrumental in organizing the first inter-polytechnic fest in Goa in 2007.
After completing his diploma, Varad wanted to study further. So, he did his graduation and postgraduate in event management at Fergusson College, Pune followed by a pg diploma in event management from the prestigious National Institute of Event Management, Pune.
After completing his studies, Varad returned to Goa in 2011. He started working as a lighting engineer at Funky Heads, an event management company based in Goa. This was followed by a stint at Star Dimension India Private Limited. During his time at Star Dimensions India, Varad’s boss took him to Mumbai and trained him extensively in light engineering. After a year, Varad left Star Dimensions
Varad happened to do the lighting for the launch event of the Audi Q3 in Goa. The event manager who had hired Varad to do the lighting engineering was happy with his work and took him abroad to do the lighting for the launch event of the Mitsubishi Outlander in 2014. At this event, Varad saw a drone being used for the first time in his life.
After this event, Varad developed a very strong interest in drones. He bought his first drone which was a DJI Phantom 3. He started using drones for events like Sunburn, Supersonic, and various other EDM fests. “We used to fly the drone on top of the festival site, survey the area where the event would be taking place, and then decide where to keep the stage, entrance, exit, parking for the event, etc.,” he says. On the event day, we use the drone for taking aerial photos and videos of the event.
In 2017, Sunburn and Supersonic did not take place in Goa. To replace them, a new fest called TimeOut 72 was held in December 2017 at Vagator. Varad worked with the organisers of TimeOut 72 and helped them to do the surveying of the event area using his drones.
Website: www.itsgoa.com I Instagram: @_itsgoa I Facebook: Itsgoa
Varad working at the Timeout72 EDM fest in 2017
He clicked aerial photos of the entire event area which was more than a kilometer long. He took more than 100 photos of the event venue, stitched them together, and then made a 3-D map picture using which the organizers of the event were able to do the planning of the event venue. (Setting up of event stages, location for parking, entry and exit areas of the venue, etc.)
After that, Varad bought a new drone called DJI Inspire using which one can do live streaming of the camera footage being captured by the drone. We did a concept called “Live From Sky”, wherein the drone footage can be broadcasted on an led screen. We used this concept to show what is taking place at the various stages of the fest. This was the first time such a concept had ever been done in India.
In 2018, Varad got a wonderful opportunity to do drone videography for the Tiger Shroff-starrer 'Baaghi 2'. He has done similar work for a couple of south Indian movies as well. He also did drone video shooting of the Salaulim Dam and the Anjuna Dam for the Government of Goa.
Varad later started doing 3-D mapping for villas, apartments buildings, etc. using a drone. This is done using a drone that has been fitted with a 360-degree camera. This helps in providing virtual tours of villas, apartments, and buildings for customers.
His Ph.D. in UAV Technology
Varad registered with Mumbai University for his Ph.D. in UAV technology during the first week of September 2019. However, a couple of weeks later, he met with a serious accident and was in a coma for nearly a month. Thankfully, through the efforts of the doctors and the prayers of his family members and well-wishers, Varad came out of the coma a month later. However, he still couldn't walk properly and had a caretaker to look after him. Varad spent this time writing his thesis on the non-traditional use of drones. It took him nearly 2 years to complete his thesis. He submitted his thesis to the university in 2021. After careful scrutiny of his thesis, the university approved it and awarded him a Ph.D. in UAV technology in May 2021.
Highlights of His Research
Varad’s research on the non- traditional use of drones covered 4 main areas:
1. Delivering a lifejacket using a drone: Varad showed how a drone can be used to deliver a lifejacket to someone drowning in a water body. When a person is drowning in water, a lifeguard needs to personally go to the person to be rescued and then get him safely back to the land. This is a risky process wherein the lifeguard puts his life in danger. Also, by the time the lifeguard reaches the person to be rescued, the person may drown. Using a drone, a lifejacket can be dropped on a person who is drowning.
Website: www.itsgoa.com I Instagram: @_itsgoa I Facebook: Itsgoa
A still from an aerial videography shot done by Varad for the movie ‘Baaghi 2’.
Once that person gets a lifejacket, he will float for hours together in the water and the lifeguard can then use a speed boat to rescue him without being in a hurry.
2. Drone for traffic control: Varad demonstrated in his research how a speaker can be attached to a drone and then be used by the traffic police to regulate traffic. For example, if there is vehicular congestion on a narrow road, traffic police cannot enter the area because of congestion. To overcome this problem, a drone with a speaker and a camera can be deployed to the site where there is traffic congestion. Using the drone, the traffic police can remotely give directions to the vehicles and guide them in decongesting traffic.
3. Drone with Thermal Camera: Varad demonstrated how a drone with a thermal camera can be used to catch people involved in arms trafficking or drug trafficking, during nighttime. For example, near a beach area, where there is no proper lighting, if a person is handing over an unlicensed gun or drug to another person, a drone with a thermal camera senses anything that has heat. Using a drone with thermal cameras, police can detect any unlawful activity like arms trafficking or drug trafficking and can easily apprehend the criminals.
4. Virtual Tours of Properties: Varad demonstrated how drones with a 360 camera can be used to do 3D mapping of structures like villas, apartments,
hotels rooms, etc. using the footage captured using a drone with a 360 camera fitted, property owners, can give virtual tours of their properties to potential clients.
Varad was awarded his Ph.D. in May 2021. Goa Assembly speaker Rajsh Patnekar heard about Varad's achievement and made an announcement in the Assembly congratulating Varad.
The Work He Did During the Lockdown
Varad has worked with the police department and various other government agencies in Goa and has shared his expertise in drone technology with them.
During the lockdowns and curfews in place in 2020 and 2021, there were many areas that had no proper mapping. These were organized places like the Housing Board, Margao, slum areas in Vasco, etc. The police did not know where to place barricades to keep people in a particular area under curfew. Varad offered his knowledge and expertise in drones and helped the Goa police to map these unorganized areas. Using the footage captured by Varad, the police were able to plan where to put barricades for a particular containment zone, where to keep the exit area, etc.
Varad’s company Droneacharaya, which was founded in 2013, provides drone photography and videography services for weddings, festivals, and other events. Along with this, it also provides 3D mapping and virtual tours of villas, flats, etc. Varad says that he is willing to teach anyone about drones if they are seriously interested in making a career in this field, he is willing to teach them free of charge
The Future of Drone Technology in India
Varad says that India's laws regarding drones are still evolving. In other countries, when a drone is manufactured, a unique identification number is implicated in it. This number is used to trace the owner of the drone, in case the drone is used for an unlawful activity. In India, people import drones or assemble drones by importing drone parts from outside India. Over the last few years, the central government has tried to put a stop to this. It has started a platform called digital sky where one can legally get their drone registered. This will help in the proper regulation of drones operating in India, Varad says that just like other countries, we will soon see the delivery of things like groceries and medicines using drones in India. We might even see drone taxis very soon.“We are currently working on developing a drone which can be used for coconut
Final Words
Varad urges people, especially youngsters, to not think of drones only as a tool for leisure, photography, and vlogging. He urges them to think beyond that and explore other applications of drones that can help in solving the day-to-day problems we face in our daily lives.
He also urges establishments like builders, and real estate developers, to adopt showcasing their properties (villas, apartments, hotel rooms, etc.) to their clients using virtual tours. In other countries, builders and hotel owners have already started using this concept by which they offer their clients living in any part of the world 360 virtual tours of their properties instead of showcasing their properties by providing multiple photos of different areas of the property. In India too, property developers must start using this technology for the benefit of their customers.
For more information about Varad Karmali and the services provided by his company, contact him on:
Phone: 09823075780
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/droneacharyavarad
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/droneacharya_vk
Article
Conventional medicines like antihistamines and regular use of antibiotics and corticosteroids can have severe side-effects and long-term repercussions. Common illnesses like asthma, allergies and eczema can be cured even without allopathy. This is where homeopathic practitioners like Dr. Denise Rodrigues come in. Having done her Homoeopathy (BHMS) in Goa in 2007 and a Post Graduate Diploma in Paediatric Nutrition (PGDPDN) from IGNOU in 2012, Dr. Denise has her own clinic, by the name of 'Evolve Homoeopathy' at Raia village in South Goa. She also practices at the Menezes Polyclinic in Altinho - Panjim every Friday and also offers online consultations. Dr. Denise believes that homeopathy as a science is an abyss and the learning never stops.
In a light hearted chat with ItsGoa, Dr. Denise shared insights into her life, her career, her future plans and lots more…
Excerpts
Tell us a bit about yourself. I was born and brought up in the city of Mumbai. I am an alumnus of St. Xavier’s, Mumbai. In the year 2007, I moved to Goa to pursue my Bachelor’s degree in Homoeopathy (BHMS). The way homoeopathy worked for a range of illnesses was what I loved the most.
After completing my BHMS, I pursued a Post Graduate Diploma in Paediatric Nutrition (PGDPDN) from IGNOU whilst doing an internship in the year 2012. To further complement the nature of my work, I did a Post Graduate Diploma in Guidance and Counselling (PGDGC) from Nirmala Institute of Education at Altinho-Panaji in the year 2020-2021.
What was your childhood ambition?
Thanks to my father who back in the day used to be a medical representative for Alembic, I was exposed to medicine samples and visual aids at a very young age. And right there began my interest in medicine. I was always fascinated to see new medicine samples and visual aids being brought home and it was my mum who would show me pictures and read out the alphabets from the visual aids. Since then, I became very much inclined towards medicine and decided that I wanted to become a doctor.
What inspired you to take up homoeopathy as a career choice?
My belief in Homeopathy was self-learnt. My PCOD took me to Late Dr. Ratnarkar in Mumbai who did a fabulous job, helping me manage my PCOD really well. And that resulted in me becoming more interested in the practice of Homeopathy.After careful thinking, I decided that Homeopathy was what I wanted to pursue as a career and a lifestyle choice.
Take us through the course of your career as a homoeopathic practitioner.
Soon after my graduation in 2013, I moved to Mumbai to work with an internationally acclaimed Homoeopath, Dr. Dinesh Chauhan of Swasthya Homoeopathic Healing.
I consider Dr. Dinesh and his wife, Dr. Urvi, as my mentors as they’ve been instrumental in moulding me to become the Homoeopath and Teacher that I am today. Homoeopathy, as a science, is an abyss and the learning never stops. From learning all about the human core and the depth of diseases to the healing shift, I have witnessed it all live in patients coming to the clinic, which has been an amazing experience for me.
Apart from handling regular patients at the clinic, I was also a part of the team handling Dr. Dinesh’s international clientele as he would visit 33 countries each year, teaching at Homoeopathic seminars and treating patients there. Since 2018, I have been a part of the teaching faculty of the Athato Brahmo Jigyasa Foundation (ABJF), a non- profit organization run by Dr. Dinesh and Dr. Urvi.
Website:
The organization has a vision to impart every upcoming homeopath with a wealth of knowledge for practical application of true classical Homoeopathy and the holistic healing art to reach out to needy patients so that they avail of better holistic health.
In 2015, I moved back to Goa and started my own practice in Raia called Evolve Homeopathy. The beginning was challenging as Homeopathy, even today, isn’t a widely accepted way of healing. And that became a personal mission for me; to spread the word about how Homoeopathy works and heals. I started conducting workshops at multiple schools, the credit of which goes to Fr. Valmiki Gonsalves Dias of Daddy’s Home Special School, Gogol. He has been of great help since the day I started Evolve Homeopathy. Fr. Valmiki gave me the platform to speak at the the PTA meets of his school and that was the beginning of Evolve Homeopathy getting recognition.
Give us details about the various types of illness that you prescribe homoeopathic treatment for. Homoeopathy can help in treating a wide variety of illnesses, be it acute or chronic ones. Common illnesses like asthma, allergies, and eczema can be easily taken care off with Homoeopathy.
From 2017 to 2019, I worked part-time, on a lecture basis, as an Assistant Lecturer in the Department of Homoeopathic Medicine at Shri Kamaxidevi Homoeopathic Medical College and Hospital at Shiroda. I also worked as a Resident Medical Officer at Victor Hospital, Margao from December 2019 to July 2020.
Give us details about the places where you are available for consultation.
My clinic, Evolve Homoeopathy, is located at Raia in South Goa. I also practice at the Menezes Polyclinic in Altinho - Panjim every Friday. In addition to inperson consultations, I also engage in online consultations with patients from Mumbai, Delhi, Haryana, Bangalore as well as overseas patients from USA, Australia, New Zealand, UK and UAE.
How can people contact you if they wish to consult you? Mention your clinic timings as well. The best way to reach me would be to send an email to drdenise.evolve@gmail.com or call on the clinic landline on 0832-2776965.
Another way would be to send me a WhatsApp message on +918806082879 in order to book an appointment with me.
I have successfully managed to weane patients off conventional medicines like anti-histamines and regular use of antibiotics and corticosteroids. From hair fall to an integrated holistic approach in treating cancer and as an adjunct to lifestyle illnesses like diabetes, hypertension and hypercholesterolemia (high cholesterol) as well as hormonal issues like hyperthyroidism and PCOD, I have treated cases of all kinds.
It doesn’t stop there; I have used Homoeopathy to treat ADHD, behavior disorders, OCD, anxiety and depression and have seen lovely results. Illness originates from the mind and manifests itself in the body. Using this principle; I treat patients with carefully selected Homoeopathic remedies.
What were the challenges that you faced when you just started your career? And how did you overcome them?
The initial hurdle I faced was the acceptance of Homoeopathy as a treatment of choice. Not knowing many people in Goa, it was hard to have people trust the work I did. I began my journey by giving heaps of awareness talks and lectures on the holistic healing power of Homoeopathy for a myriad of illnesses. My only aim was to offer the masses a choice to make with regards to a safe and natural healing modality.
Website: www.itsgoa.com I Instagram: @_itsgoa I Facebook: Itsgoa
Who were the people who have been of immense help and support to you during the initial phases of your career?
My parents, Lorna and David, and my younger sister Davina, believed in every little idea I had with regards to setting up my clinic and everything I aspired to do. They have held my hand during the initial phases of my career and have been my biggest cheerleaders.
Fr. Valmiki Gonsalves Dias’ presence in my life has also been a big blessing for me as he gave me the very first opportunity to speak about holistic health at Daddy’s Home Special School at Gogol. He trusted my ability to deal with young children having behavior issues and referred a lot of patients to me.
I also joined, and am still, a part of other networking and social groups like the Rotary Inner Wheel Club where I was president for a term, and BNI, where I was part of the leadership team for an entire term as well. All of these initiatives have introduced me deeper into the Goa market and has helped me in getting more patients.
Do you conduct seminars on homoeopathy? I have conducted multiple seminars and have also been a part of panels for talks on Homeopathy. As mentioned earlier, I am a lecturer on the panel of ABJF, a not for profit organization which trains
upcoming Homoeopaths. Apart from that, I started a mentorship programme called ‘Evolve With Me’ Holistic Mentorship Programme, which ran from November 2021 to March 2022. It focused on training students of Homoeopathy as well as interns and practitioners about the ways of understanding a patient’s core and prescribing an apt remedy.
Have you attended and been a speaker at any conferences on homoeopathy in India/ abroad? I have been a speaker for the World Homoeopathy Day event organised by the Directorate of Health Services and the AYUSH Cell in April 2022. At this function, I presented a case of how Homoeopathy helped a young person with Psoriasis and the difference it made in the quality of her life after treatment.
I also presented a study via ZOOM in May 2021 for the New Zealand Council of Homoeopathy (NZCH) about how Homoeopathic remedies helped during the 1st wave of COVID where I treated 100+ patients who responded beautifully to Homoeopathy. Also, in March 2021, I was felicitated by the Indian Medical Association - Goa branch, who along with the Homoeopathic Medical Association of India - Goa Branch had a group of doctors who volunteered their services by monitoring COVID patients under home isolation.
In August 2019, I attended a Homoeopathic conference in New Zealand organized by the New Zealand Council of Homoeopathy (NZCH) and have attended various national conferences on Homoeopathy in India almost every year since 2011.
What are your plans for the future?
At present, I am working on collaborating with professionals from different fields to provide integrated, holistic solutions to various issues. This month, in September 2022, I have collaborated with a dear friend, Richelle Brito-Carvalho, a counselling psychologist working towards creating a safe space in form of a support group for people who‘ve had a break-up in the recent past. Apart from this, I plan on conducting Holistic Wellness Retreats in Goa by collaborating with professionals in the wellness segment. I believe collaborations help everyone to grow.
In my practice, I plan to take on interns that will assist them in refining their abilities to attend to more patients whilst training potential homeopaths on their path to begin their own practices. I believe that in today’s stressful and ever changing geography, we can never have enough medical practitioners; so the more, the merrier.
Any words of advice that you would like to share with our readers?
Healing isn’t only about treating the illness alone. It is about taking a journey to the root cause and eliminating it along with other disorders that always show up. Homeopathy does just that. The first visit
to a homeopath is a session that goes on for at least 2 hours where we try to understand and reach the patient at their core. Only after we understand the problem that the patient is facing, we begin a carefully chosen method of treatment from the inside out. It is only a myth that Homeopathy is slow; it is actually a much more effective and long-lasting method of holistic healing. I advise every person, sick or not, to visit a homeopath atleast once and experience the power of pure holistic healing. Remember the age old saying “prevention is better than cure”. Homeopathy cures from the core and hence is the purest form of any type of healing.
Akio Fernandes is a young 25-year-old food blogger and content creator. He runs a food blog called ‘The Hungry Wolf’. Apart from this, he works as a marketing executive at his favourite ISL club FC Goa. Originally from Saligao, Akio was born and brought up in Abu Dhabi. He lived there for 13 years before moving to Goa during the global economic recession in 2009. He is currently based in Porvorim. He did his schooling at Red Rosary High School in Miramar, followed by higher secondary schooling at Don Bosco Higher Secondary School, Panjim. He then pursued his BBA at Saraswat College in Mapusa and specialised in marketing.
His Childhood Ambition
As a child, Akio had varying ambitions. At one point in time, he wanted to become a sound engineer and get involved in live events and musical shows. He used to play the guitar, and so wanted to become a guitarist for a band at some point in time. “I've even gone from dreaming of becoming a cricketer to a footballer and so much more. I've always gone with the flow and never really had a set idea in mind”, he says. However, as years passed, he realised that his true calling lies in content creation and social media. “There's nothing more I love than creating and directing content”, he says.
His Professional Career
After completing his graduation, his love for writing and sports (particularly football) led him to take up a job as the Goa reporter for the FIFA U-17 World Cup on behalf of sportskeeda.com. “It's something I took up and loved”, he says. Immediately after, he was offered an opportunity to report for the FC Goa ISL games happening in Goa.
These part-time jobs however, paid minimally and were something he did more for the experience rather than for the money. In the 3-4 years since then, he did a lot of freelance digital marketing. “I spend a lot of time on social media and am super tech-savvy. Hence, I decided to make the most of my strengths and earn through social media”, he says. People were so happy with his work, especially his food blog, that they used to ask him whether he could click pictures and handle their social media accounts. That's how he started his business, on a freelance basis at his own pace and rules. The Covid period, however, along with Goa's seasonal nature,
especially for the hospitality industry ensured that his work and earnings weren't very stable. However, last September, an opportunity arose for him to work with his favourite club FC Goa and it's something he took up immediately. He is currently working and has been for nearly a year now at FC Goa as a marketing executive.
His Journey as a Food Influencer
Akio started his food blog in 2016. He used to love writing and loved food as well. Posting pictures of the various dishes he tried out was something he would do frequently on his Facebook profile with just a one-liner. People used to love the way he used to capture the food and talk about it. Then one fine day, at a food and culture festival in Panjim, this food truck called ‘Antojitos’ made its debut appearance and it was also then, that his food blog ‘The Hungry Wolf’ was born. Since it was a new food truck, serving up tex-mex food in Goa, Akio tried at least 6-7 different dishes and realised that he couldn't check in and put a post on his Facebook profile the way he used to usually do as this would involve so much of text and so many pictures.
That's when he got the idea of starting a blog and found this website that allowed users to start a website and write free blogs. “That's how my blog was born,” he says. Akio wrote a 2000-word review with multiple images.
The trickiest part was coming up with a name for the blog and after much thinking, Akio came up with the name ‘The Hungry Wolf’. Why? “Hungry” for obvious reasons and “Wolf'' because he was fascinated by the creatures and how intelligent they are and the whole lone wolf concept.
After this, Akio started doing long-form reviews on his social media pages. Whenever he would go to restaurants with his family, he'd make sure that he clicked pictures of all the food. Apart from all of this, he would also put up reviews of budget eats, and street food.
Over time, he started alternating between blog posts and social media posts and within 2 years he got an offer from The Goan to write a food column. After a while, he even got the chance to be the resident food writer at O Herald. “It has been a great journey so far and one filled with ups and downs for 6 years now,” he says. “I started by being an anonymous reviewer with no trace of my identity on my Facebook profile. I still like to keep my identity away from the page and not let my identity influence the page. I stick to food and only food, 100% of my posts and stories,” he adds.
Support from parents and friends Akio’s friends and parents were quite supportive of the work that he was doing as a food blogger. His friends, more for obvious reasons, liked getting great food suggestions or getting to be his +1s for food reviews. His parents were also supportive, though a bit skeptical of how he was benefitting from all of this, and whether it was just a waste of time.
However, as years passed, he started getting more credit for his work. With job offers from local newspapers coming his way, getting recognized at restaurants, as well as winning an award from BnB Magazine, Delhi for best food blog in Goa in 2019, his parents have now come to terms with what he is doing and have realised the power of social media in today's world.
Challenges faced One of the biggest challenges Akio faced during the initial stages of his career as a food blogger was the remuneration he was getting. “Earlier, blogging wasn't taken very seriously and it was a huge task to get restaurant owners to understand why they should pay you in return for writing about them.
However, blogging is a profession just like any other, and while people might think it holds no value, it does involve a lot of costs such as the cost of fuel and transportation, headspace, and mental dedication to writing posts and creating content. it takes a toll on one’s health”, he says. “It's hard getting paid in India, even harder in a place like Goa as compared to metro cities”, he adds.
“Let's do the math; say a blogger charges you a fee of Rs.2000 for a review. If the restaurant owner provides you with a meal that costs you possibly an
additional Rs. 2000 to provide. If you're spending Rs. 4000 roughly on a blogger, and assuming that the blogger has 5000 followers, if even 1% of the blogger's followers visit the restaurant, (that's about 50 people), if you imagine the bills of those 50 people, you're making more than 10 times what you invested,” says Akio. ”Unfortunately, restaurants either fail to understand this or are not explained properly how this process works and how paying the blogger isn't a loss for them but is beneficial instead,” he says. “I have been paid occasionally over the last 6 years, but it's not enough to pursue a full-time career. I even had to shut down my website as the cost of maintaining it yearly wasn't affordable”, he adds
His Role Models
Akio has many people whom he considers as his role models; from Chef Marco White to directly his mother, who is a fantastic cook. “From my childhood days in the UAE, where I was exposed to many different kinds of international cuisines to my time in Goa, where I reconnected with local cuisine and watched the birth of multiple restaurants over the years, it's been an awesome journey”, says Akio. He also mentions TV shows like Masterchef Australia, Nigella Lawson’s Shows, and Chef Gordon Ramsay’s
shows, which have taught him so much and influenced his views on food. “My mom and I spent many years watching cooking and food shows and that has quite possibly played the biggest role in my life”, he says.
His Future Plans
Akio hopes to keep on creating content and building up his page as a diary as so many people depend on it and look forward to new reviews and new places to eat. “I don't have a future set in stone but I would love at some point to have a show of my own, travel, and try food all over the world”, he says.
His Message To All Goan Youngsters
Akio urges all Goan youngsters to just be themselves. “In today's generation, where everyone is trying to be someone else, just be yourself. Be natural and speak your thoughts as you feel them and as you see them. That's all I've been doing and in today's world, believe it or not, people appreciate honesty and authenticity. It's something that helps you stand out from the pack. The growth might be slow, but if you stay authentic and are consistent, it will all be worth it in the end,” he says.
Follow Akio on Instagram @thehungrywolfgoa
Website:
Lifestyle, as the name suggests, is a way of living used by people, groups, and nations which are in specific geographical, economic, political, cultural, and religious texts. It refers to the characteristics of the inhabitants of a region in a special time and place. It includes day-to-day behaviours and functions of working/non-working individuals, activities, fun, and diet.
In recent years, lifestyle as a vital factor of healthy living has caught the eye of many researchers and universities. According to WHO, 60% health related issues and quality of food are correlated to lifestyle. Millions of people follow an unhealthy lifestyle, most of the time due to unintentional circumstances occurring at the workplace or in their respective lives. Hence, they encounter illness, disorders and when overlooked to a great extent, even death. Problems like metabolic dysfunction, joint and skeletal issues, cardiovascular disorders, obesity, hypertension, depression, and so on, can be caused by an unhealthy lifestyle. The relationship between lifestyle and health go hand in hand; hence both carry the same significance to lead a better life.
Today, vast changes have occurred in the lives of many people around the globe which is a matter of serious concern. Malnutrition, unhealthy diet, smoking, alcohol consumption, medicinal and narcotic drug abuse, and mental and physical stress, are the presentations of unhealthy lifestyles that are dominating the world right now. Besides, people of all age groups are faced with new challenges on a day-to-day basis. For instance, emerging new technologies within IT such as the internet and virtual networks, lead our world to a dangerous point that threatens the physical and mental health of individuals. The challenge is the overuse or rather misuse of the technology.
Therefore, according to the existing studies, it can be said that: lifestyle has a significant influence on the physical and mental health of a person. There are different forms of such influences. Consanguinity in some ethnicities is a dominant form of lifestyle that leads to genetic disorders. The reformation of this unhealthy lifestyle is a preventing factor for decreasing the rate of genetic diseases. In some countries like Iran, the overuse of drugs is a major unhealthy lifestyle.
Poster urging people to stop self-medication (Image Credit: ViDIstudio on Freepik)
They prefer medication to other forms of medical intervention. Furthermore, in 15–40% of cases, they use medications without appropriate prescription or consultation. Pain relievers, eye drops, and antibiotics have the most usage in Iran. While self-medications such as antibiotics have a negative effect on the immune system, if an individual would be affected by infection, antibiotics will not be effective in treatment. Overall, 10 % of those who are selfmedicated will experience severe complications such as drug resistance.
Characteristics of Heart Disease
Heart disease results from the narrowing of the arteries that supply the heart with blood through a process known as atherosclerosis. Fatty deposits (or plaque) gradually build up on the inside of the artery walls, narrowing the space of blood flow to the heart. Atherosclerosis can start developing at a young age itself, so by the time one's age progresses, it advances accordingly.
Plaque build-up can be considered stable or unstable. If there is too much build-up of stable plaque, it narrows the arteries, causing pain and discomfort due to not enough blood reaching the heart – this is called angina and it needs to be treated.
Unstable plaque is inflamed and has a thin cap which is prone to developing a crack, allowing the blood to come in contact with the fatty contents of the plaque. The blood will clot to try to seal the gap but in doing so, the blood clot blocks the artery. This prevents the flow of blood to the heart, cuts off its oxygen supply, and damages or kills the heart cells. This condition is referred to as a heart attack.
Website: www.itsgoa.com I Instagram: @_itsgoa I Facebook: Itsgoa
Blood pressure and salt (sodium)
A diet high in salt is linked to hypertension (high blood pressure), which can increase your risk of heart disease and stroke. Most of us consume more than 10 times the amount of salt we need to meet our sodium requirements (salt contains sodium and chloride).
Most of the sodium in our diet is not from added salt at the table but from packaged and processed foods. Even sweet foods and those that don’t taste ‘salty’ can have much more sodium than you’d expect.
How to Reduce your Risk of Heart Disease with Healthy Eating?
Increase your intake of plant-based foods – eat more vegetables, fruits, and wholegrain cereals.
Limit fried fast food and processed foods.
Reduce your salt intake – avoid packaged foodstuffs, and limit foods rich in preservatives. Reduce the usage of salt and substitute it with herbs and mild spices for flavour.
If you drink alcohol, restrict your consumption to no more than 2 standard drinks on any given day. A high alcohol intake increases blood pressure and can increase triglycerides in the blood.
If you have elevated cholesterol levels, switch to low-fat or non-fat dairy products and have no more than 7 eggs per week.
Variables of lifestyle that influence health are categorized by the following:
Diet and Body Mass Index (BMI): Diet is the greatest factor in lifestyle and has a direct and positive relation with health. Poor diet and its consequences like obesity is a common health problem in urban society. An unhealthy lifestyle can be measured by BMI. Urban lifestyle leads to the nutrition problems like consuming fast food and items prepared using an enhancer like MSG (monosodium glutamate or commonly known as China salt)
Exercise: For tackling general health issues, physical exercise is included for robust living. A steady, continuous physical regime along with a healthy diet can have amazing results on one's body and mind. Some studies have proven the existence of a correlation between one's active lifestyle and individual happiness quotient.
Sleep: One of the basics of a healthy lifestyle is sleep. Disorders due to lack of sleep have several social, psychological, and economical consequences. One of the best solutions to reducing one's health-related problems and risks is getting an ample amount of sleep.
Website: www.itsgoa.com I Instagram: @_itsgoa I Faceboo : Itsgoa
Narrowing of the artery caused due to build-up of plaque (Image Credit: ShutterStock)Sexu l Activity: Just like our every other bodily need, Sex plays an important role in our physical and mental fitness. While it does play a vital role, sexual activity is also influenced highly by usual individual habits. Any sort of substance or liquor addiction, improper diet, or lack of sleep ends up diminishing one's libido.
Subst nce Abuse: Addiction has been considered a major threat to human life for decades now. Smoking and consumption of other substances may result in various life-threatening problems; emphysema, asthma, cancer, brain hemorrhage, and tumor development. According to recent studies in Iran, 43% of females and 64% of males experience the use of hubble-bubble. A longitudinal study shows that 30% of people between 18–65 years old smoke cigarettes permanently.
Medic tion Abuse: Irresponsible use of medication is considered a threat to general physical health. Unethical behaviour in using medication is self-treatment, sharing medication, using medications without a prescription, prescribing too many drugs, prescribing a large number of each drug, unnecessary dosage, disregarding the contradictory side effects,
Applic tion of Modern Technologies: Advanced technology facilitates the life of humans. Misuse of technology may result in unpleasant consequences. For example, the use of computers and other devices beyond sleep hours may affect and disturb the body clock and its sleep cycle. Addiction to using a mobile phone is related to depression causing symptoms.
● Recre tion: Leisure pass time is a subfactor of lifestyle. Neglecting leisure can bring negative consequences on one's mental health. With disorganized planning and mismanagement of time, people are devoid of their lives from the basic happiness and satisfaction derived from leisure activity.
How C n You Detect He rt Problems At E rlier St ges?
1. Consult your Cardiologist
2. Get an Echocardiography Done after every 3 months
3. Do a TMT test after every 3 months
About the Author:
The author, Sudesh Shet, is a Consultant
Consumption of junk food is a leading cause of heart disease (Image Credit: ShutterStock)
what one specializes in. However, that is highly subjective. Inês would rather have music as the smaller part of her professional life, performing only the genre she is passionate about; than do it fulltime with demands of the trade she may not be able to comply with. She looks up to the people in her everyday life for various reasons - regardless of their accomplishments. Her life advice to her past self is "Just go with it!". Inês would love to meet artists and writers ranging from the 1700s to the 1980s. There were a few golden years of music, literature, and the arts - she believes that what they birthed is timeless and keeps the artistic world thriving to date. Inês aspires to live a full life, rich with experiences of every kind and hopes that music will always be a part of it.
Follow Ines Barros on Instagram. Her Instagram handle is @inesbarros.music
