While all is not well on the political, judicial, economic and social fronts, I am always happy when our sporting and cultural heroes do TT proud on the local, regional and international stages.

To cut a long story short, I congratulate all our athletes who represented the red, white and black at the 2017 IAAF World Championships in London, England.

We had some outstanding performances from Jereem “The Dream” Richards who awakened me from “beping” with a bronze medal in the 200 metres final.

The man was finishing like a ton of bricks. Jereem came back to strike gold with our 4×400 metres men — Jarrin Solomon, Machel Cedenio and Lalonde Gordon.

What a joy! The world has to take that in its rookung.

Several athletes have complained about funding problems which must be rectified by the authorities as we head for Tokoyo 2020.

Two of my favourite athletes, Michelle Lee Ahye and Keshorn “Toco Boy” Walcott, did not medal, so I say to them and all the others — keep the faith and forget the armchair critics.

KEITH ANDERSON via email

Alliyah‘s mother Nicole Gopaul fought to hold back tears as she spoke about her dead daughter .

“Days before, my daughter was asking me what does heaven look like,” she said, adding that Alliyah was a lively child who never failed to bring laughter and happiness to her home and that of her parents.

Alliyah, Nicole said, was not a perfect child. In fact she was rude and would show attitude for everything.

She recalled a day when she sent an email to Alliyah’s father, Kitson Primus, asking him to come by and pick up his child.

“When I did not see him, I phoned her father. He said he did what was asked of him in the email.

When I read the email once more, Alliyah had sent another message saying, ‘Don’t bother ok’,” Nicole said causing laughter in the church.

She said Alliyah was always designing clothes and she would take a vest and make it into a skirt and wear it. So gifted was Alliyah that she would use bags to design dresses.

She said Alliyah’s dream was to go to Disneyland and her mother was making arrangements by getting her passport so that she could go with her father in December.

Nicole said she loved her daughter dearly and would not allow even an ant to bite her toes. She said she was the only parent who would be at the St Mary’s Baptist School everyday before 2.30 pm to pick up her child.

Nicole said since the incident on Friday last, she has not rested or eaten properly. She recalled when Alliyah was born, she was placed on life support for three days at the San Fernando General Hospital.

“She survived and lived to make us all happy. But the devil decided to take my child.” As she reflected on her eighth birthday on February 3, Nicole said she held a thanksgiving for Alliyah.

Nolene’s cousin Karlene Ali said she was loud and always in a festive mood. “My cousin would carry on loud, boisterous conversations with her neighbours,” she said, adding that Nolene found great happiness in cleaning her home and decorating.

She also said Alliyah was very fond of her. “She would feed the child and get her dressed for school in the absence of her sister Nicole,” she said, adding that Alliyah was spending the night at Nolene’s home when the fire took place.

Gopaul was married to Terrence Mc Intosh and had one child Terisha Ms Intosh, 15. Terisha was spending the night at her grandmother’s house when tragedy struck.

Meanwhile, the cause of the fire has not yet been determined, police said. Fire officers worked over the weekend to gather evidence.

Police were told by family members that fire was set outside the two main doors, making it difficult for anyone to escape. Nolene and Alliyah were asleep in the same bedroom on the first floor of the concrete house when the fire started during the early hours of the morning.

The remains were taken to the family’s home at noon yesterday and then to the St Mary’s Open Bible Church. Pastor Valerie Samuel conducted the service. The two were buried at the Paynter Cemetery.

Increasing the amount of antioxidants and fibre in your diet can even cause liver damage and disease to be reversed. The liver is the main organ that is involved in the process of detoxification, since it is responsible for removing toxins created both inside and outside of your body.

When the liver can’t remove harmful substances, the immune system takes the rising level of toxins as a threat, which causes inflammation. An influx of sugar from foods like refined grains, sugary snacks and sweetened drinks puts a lot on pressure on your liver to convert and store glucose and should be avoided as much as possible.

Keeping yourself active by exercising four to five times a week by walking briskly around the Queen’s Park Savannah or joining a nearby gym can help you attain a better quality of life as you grow older by boosting your immune system.

You can also significantly boost your immune system by filling your plate with lots of fruits and vegetables.

Staying hydrated can boost your immune health too. Water helps your body produce lymph, which carries white blood cells and other immune system cells.

It’s no secret that physical activity tones your muscles, giving you that athletic look, and burns those unwanted calories. Exercise also acts as a powerful vaccine against the aging process. It keeps you looking and feeling younger for longer.

It is a proven fact that our immune systems get weaker as we get older. We know this because as we age we see more infections that were previously controlled in our younger days. We need to become more physically active in TT because getting up on our feet will boost our immunity.

CHELSEA BEDASE
El Dorado

With this in mind, maintaining health, and the prevention and management of chronic non-communicable diseases of the population remain critical.

Therefore, you should note that the incorporation of nutritious foods for the preparation of balanced meals and healthy snacks consistently in your meal plan add benefits, and are included in the plan of adopting a heathy lifestyle.

Nutrition plays a major role global health and development. According to the Global Nutrition Report (2015, 2014) good nutrition is critical to sustainable development and can make a significant impact during one’s lifespan, leading to improvement in cognitive skills, and better-nourished mothers giving birth to better-nourished children, boost immunity, adults being productive and able to earn better wages, as well as prevent or lower their potential risk for diseases. You can conclude that good nutrition is essential throughout the life cycle, simply meaning prior to and during pregnancy, infancy, school-aged children and adolescents, and in adulthood.

This aid physical growth, cognitive development and can assist in improving and/or maintaining the nutritional status of persons.

For, the improvement of nutritional status may probably be beneficial in breaking intergenerational cycle of poverty, generates broad-based economic growth, and great health benefits for individuals, households, communities, and countries. Today’s article will focus on diabetes mellitus nutrition management and some barriers to compliance.

People can still enjoy life even though diagnosed with diabetes mellitus.

They should follow the advice of their medical doctor and be compliant with the prescribed diet and medications; as these are essential components of the plan.

Diabetes mellitus (or sometimes referred to as sugar) can be characterised by increase blood sugar levels (high blood glucose concentrations) that results from defects in insulin secretion, insulin action, or both.

You should note that abnormalities in the metabolism of carbohydrate, protein and fat are present.

Those individuals diagnosed with diabetes mellitus may not produce or respond to insulin. This causes sugar to build up in the blood. Insulin, a hormone is produced by the beta cells of the pancreas (simply put the pancreas is an organ that lies near the stomach and makes several hormones, one of which is insulin). The role of insulin is to help the body use the glucose produced from the food that you consume.

Also, keep in mind that with diabetes, uncontrolled blood sugar levels can lead to serious complications such as heart disease, kidney failure, blindness, foot problems, and loss of limbs through amputation (Mahan and Escott- Stump, 2008; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). For the diabetic diet schedule a visit with your registered dietitian or nutritionist, also refer to Special diets – benefits you can’t deny, August 9, Trinidad and Tobago Newsday, pp. B2, B23.

In addition, self-management tips and support are always helpful to a client. According to the American Diabetes Association, Standards for Diabetes Care (2017); these include the following: (a) adopting a healthy lifestyle, the client should make wise choices such as choosing nutritious foods (adding more of the non-starchy vegetables to your plate and limit the starchy vegetables e.g. carrots, pumpkin, beetroot; add only two fruits daily to your meal plan; eat a balanced diet); omit sugary drinks and processed foods, add fresh local seasonings to your food during meal preparation; participate in physical activity – note, first check with your medical doctor; manage your weight; tobacco cessation; and develop effective strategies for stress management; (b) monitor your blood sugar and blood pressure levels; (c) prevent diabetic complications; and (d) identify any problems that might occur with self-management, work together with healthcare professionals to get them resolve.

Though, the primary goals are to manage blood sugar and blood pressure levels and prevent diabetic complications; there are some barriers to compliance

Kevin La Fon, who scored three goals in both games, was instrumental in his team making that climb up the standings.

Last Tuesday, La Fon found the back of the net, along with Andell Allsop, to give Express FC a narrow 2-1 victory against North Oropouche.

On Sunday night, at the North Oropouche Ground, it was La Fon again who found the back of the net – with a double – as Express FC whipped El Carmen 3-0. Andel Sampson got the other goal for Express FC.

Table toppers Dragon FC suffered their second loss of the season when they fell 3-1 to Boys Town. Both Dream Team and Manzan United failed to capitalise on Dragon’s dropped points as they played to a 0-0 stalemate on Sunday evening at the Fishing Pond Recreational Ground.

In just their second victory of the campaign, El Carmen defeated SP Boys 2-1.

El Carmen struck first through Mikael De Craney’s goal in the first half, while Keedel Paul doubled the lead in the second half.

SP Boys mounted a comeback through Zion Beckles but his lone strike was not enough to prevent defeat for his team.

Alliance’s striker Irvin Reyes seem to be regaining his form as he was instrumental in rallying his team to a comfortable 4–2 victory over the slumping Alescon FC.

After conceding a goal through a well-placed strike by Anson Brachan, Alliance’s captain and striker Irvin “Squeeze” Reyes stepped up for a penalty and missed early in the first half.

However, like a true captain he rallied his troops and lead by example scoring a right footed strike from on top the 18-yard box, then set up Leonardo for an easy tap in to make it 2–1.

And it was Reyes who again found the net to take his team into the break with a 3-1 cushion.

Sherwin Mulzac making it 4–1 before Alescon FC’s Dorian Robinson pulled one back.

Gremio suffered heavy backto- back defeats – 5-2 to North Oropouche on Thursday night and 4-0 by Fishing Pond Youths on Sunday night.

The VIP Lounge at the Piarco International Airport included members of the media, local athletics personnel, Government officials and a few of the athlete’s close friends and family members.

However, from interacting with the athlete, one cannot help but realise that Richards is only at the start of his path to greatness.

Richards, who is only 23 years of age, studies at the University of Alabama in the United States, and the last of three children who were raised at New Village, Point Fortin by their mother Yvette Wilson.

During his speech, which also showcased his charismatic qualities, Richards emotionally highlighted the hardships that he and his family had to face leading up to the Championships.

“All year this year I was thinking about my mother because I know it’s hard. Me being in college and having my good apartment there and just knowing sometimes the struggles my mom had to go through and the struggles she went through for me to go to practice when I was in Trinidad, doing everything for me and, this year, even before I left, I told my mother that I wanted to dedicate this year to her. And I am just thankful to God that I can actually do that.” The sprinter also stated that his mother is his number one supporter.

“She even watches all of my races a million times and sometimes my sister gets mad because she always watches the races over and over again.” Hearing Richards speak about his family, especially his mother, gives one a sense of where his positive and humble personality originated. He is heavily supported by those closest to him and this has played a major role in his current success as an athlete.

He also expressed the immense love he has for his family saying he cried after reading news articles about his mother watching him run on television.

“The undying support I have from them is unreal,” said Richards.

“Reading the articles I saw my mom said ‘run baby run!’ and just picturing my mom saying that brought tears to my eyes because I know how emotional she could get. She calls me her baby and I am a baby because I am a last child. So I just want to say thank you to her and my family for all their support.” Wilson also expressed how proud she was about her son’s achievements at the Championships.

She said, “I am really, really proud of him and we just want to enjoy this moment with him and spend as much time as we can with him while he is here.”

After a rotary club luncheon in Woodbrook, reporters asked Young why Mouttet was chosen to undertake the investigation.

Young replied, “Mr Mouttet is one of the stalwarts of TT.

He is someone who is very respected.” He said Mouttet is also someone Government sees “as being quite independent” and would be “a good sole investigator into what he has been asked to look into.” Young said Mouttet’s appointment does not mean Government has lost faith with the Port Authority’s board of directors. He said if Mouttet’s investigation unearths anything that warrants a police investigation, “as a government, we will send it to the police and where it needs to go.” Young said, “I would expect persons to fully participate with a Cabinet appointed investigator. If they choose not to, they will have a lot of questions to answer.” Young declined to say whether Mouttet’s findings could serve as the basis for future legal action against anyone involved in the procurement of the two vessels.

He also said at this stage, there is no cost attached to Mouttet’s engagement as an investigator.

However, this is where the similarities end.

Saffron is known as the most expensive spice in the world because it is labour intensive to cultivate, and even more so to reap. It takes more than 500,000 crocus sativus blossoms – the flowering plant from which saffron is made – to make one kilo of saffron. The final product is made from the dried pistil of the flower. Saffron is cultivated from Spain in the west to India in the east, and is believed to have originally come from either Kashmir or Greece. It is known as “red gold” due to the prohibitive cost.

It has many benefits and recent studies in Mexico show that it may inhibit the growth of cancer cells. It has been known as a dye, and the term “saffron robes” come from the colour it imparts to the robes worn by both Chinese and Indian religious persons. It used to be considered a royal dye in ancient Greece. It was used for tooth aches, as an aid in circulation problems, recommended for women with menstrual problems, and as an aphrodisiac for women.

Turmeric, on the other hand, is a humble rhizome of the ginger family, which packs a power-house of benefits that belies its simple stature in the culinary world.

Turmeric, like saffron, is high in antioxidants, indicated by their colour. In Trinidad and Tobago, it is known as “hardi”, and in various parts of India as “haldi”.

Turmeric contains an active ingredient known as curcumin, which is a very strong antioxidant.

It is what gives curries their yellow colour, and has been used in Ayurvedic medicine for centuries.

It is found to be enhanced by the addition of black pepper, which aids in the absorption of curcumin.

Turmeric has been subjected to a great amount of research in recent times, Because the benefits of its use in Ayurvedic formulae was obvious, turmeric has been widely researched and has been proven to be anti-inflammatory.

In TT , this healing property of the rhizome has been used for generations as a decoction in milk to ensure the postpartum womb was cleansed, and in cases of contusions caused by accidents, to expel blood clots.

Turmeric is now one of the most highly prized spices in the world.

Its nutritional benefits lists like a pharmaceutical label, ranging from manganese, iron, fibre, vitamin B6, potassium, magnesium and vitamin C. It is also used to ease symptoms of gas and bloating, improve skin conditions such as acne, psoriasis and eczema, as well as to digest fats.

Research has shown that the curcumin found in turmeric increases the antioxidant capacity of the body, improves brain function, lowers the risk of heart disease, may prevent or even treat cancer, may be useful in preventing and treating Alzheimer’s disease, is helpful to patients with arthritis, and is now included in GNC’s Glucosamine and Chondroitin supplements.

It also helps to in lowering cholesterol and has been found to be effective as an antidepressant.

Recipe Kadha, a tea for cough, colds, and general good health.

1 tsp. grated fresh turmeric or 1 tsp. turmeric/hardi/haldi powder
½ tsp. grated fresh ginger or ½ tsp. ginger powder
¼ tsp black pepper
3 – 4 cloves
½ tsp ghee
1 ½ cups milk
Sugar or honey – optional

Heat ghee in small saucepan and add turmeric, ginger, cloves and black pepper.

Sauté while stirring constantly to prevent sticking. Carefully add milk, and bring to a boil.

Allow to infuse for five minutes before staining into a cup/s.

Add sweetener to taste.

It is customary to boil the milk with turmeric, ginger and cloves.

A spot of ghee is floated on the top, and a little sugar is added.

Turmeric is fat soluble and the addition of ghee allows for better absorption.

Jassie Singh is a chef, food consultant and author.

As such, she said, “He must rescind his decision and immediately move to establish a Commission of Enquiry into the Tobago ferry fiasco,” she said in a statement.

“Rowley has effectively hand-selected an investigator to examine the hand-selected ferries to service the seabridge,” she said.

The appointment of a private citizen, business executive Christian Mouttet as sole investigator, she said, “is an unprecedented and unparalleled approach to conducting investigations into alleged wrongdoing.

She said it was not proper for a member of the business community, who may depend on Government’s support and may also be a prime user of the Tobago seabridge and other port facilities, to be asked to conduct an independent inquiry into the operations of the Port Authority and its relevant officials.

Mouttet, who may have the best intentions in the world, she said, “begins his task in controversy and in an apparently compromised position.” Claiming that Rowley “missed the boat a long time ago” in dealing with the sea bridge issue and has missed it again, she said, the situation requires the independence of the investigator.

Persad-Bissessar said for months the deal with Bridgeman’s Services Group for the lease of the vessels have been the subject of Freedom of Information Act requests, an Integrity Commission complaint and calls for the police to investigate, and citizens have been calling for the Government to come clean, and Government had refused. She questioned the authority of the one man investigative team to call for documents or summon anyone.

Noting that the sole investigator would be supported by the Ministry of the Attorney General and Legal Affairs, she said, the ministry “does not have investigative powers under the law.” “This shows that Rowley cannot be trusted, and it appears that he prefers to cloak the actions of his ministers and the board of the Port Authority in secrecy.

“Worse still, he is giving the investigator one month to investigate the matter.” She said in other matters where Rowley suspected fraud or corruption, he appointed professional auditors.

“What’s different this time? Why no professional auditor? Why no public hearings?”

According to Haddaway, her husband was first arrested following a raid on their home in March 2013 and in spite of paying the required immigration bond, he was held in custody for another 16 months without explanation. After his release in July 2014, Haddaway tried to get her husband regularised, writing to then Minister of National Security, Gary Griffith and meeting with Junior Minister, Embau Moheni who promised to look into her problem with no apparent follow through.

After his release into his wife’s custody, Kings was in and out of the hospital for head injuries sustained following an alleged beating by six officers with batons while held at the Immigration Detention Centre.

As a result of these hospital visits, Kings was forced to miss a few of his weekly supervision appointments and though his wife presented a doctor’s letter, he was branded a fugitive in December 2014. Kings surrendered wilfully with the presence of a lawyer and has been in custody ever since. Since then, Haddaway said she has consistently pleaded to various outlets inclusive of the media and the previous and current government to no avail and has only received empty, unfulfilled promises.