A recent study by the British Medical Journal found that those who stuck to closer to the Japanese dietary guidelines – a diet high in grains and vegetables, with moderate amounts of animal products and soy but minimal dairy and fruit – had a reduced risk of dying early and from heart disease or stroke. As their diet is traditionally high in soy and fish this may also play a significant role in this reduced risk of cardiovascular disease. The Japanese also have the lowest rates of obesity amongst men and women as well as long life expectancy.

Okinawa, in southernmost Japan, has the highest number of centenarians in the world as well as the lowest risk of age-related diseases (for example diabetes, cancer, arthritis and Alzheimer’s). This has partly been attributed to their traditional Japanese diet, which is low in calories and saturated fat yet high in nutrients, especially phytonutrients such as antioxidants and flavonoids, found in different coloured vegetables.

This also includes phytoestrogens, or plantbased oestrogens, that may help protect against hormone-dependent cancers, such as breast cancer.

What is the traditional diet? The Japanese diet isn’t that dissimilar to a traditional Chinese diet, with rice, cooked and pickled vegetables, fish and meat being staple choices. However, because Japan is actually a group of islands (all 6,582 of them), its residents consume a lot more fish compared to other Asian countries.

They also eat raw fish in sushi and sahimi, plus a lot of pickled, fermented and smoked foods.

Soy beans, usually in the form of tofu or fresh edamame, are another key part of the Japanese diet, along with other beans such as aduki.

Increasingly, fermented foods are being shown to support a healthy digestive system. Fermented soy bean products such as miso and natto are staples of the Japanese diet. Natto is traditionally consumed at breakfast and has a probiotic action that has been shown to help reduce IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) and may help blood clotting.

The Japanese also consume a wide variety of vegetables, both land and sea vegetables such as seaweed, which is packed full of health-boosting minerals, and may help to reduce blood pressure.

Fruit is often consumed with breakfast or as a dessert, especially Fuji apples, tangerines and persimmons.

BROWN spaghetti keeps you fuller for longer –team it with healthy greens flavoured with garlic, chilli and lemon.

Wholewheat pasta with broccoli and almonds 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil 1 red chilli, deseeded and sliced (add extra chilli if you like) 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced 250g wholewheat spaghetti 300g thin-stemmed broccoli, cut into pieces zest 1 lemon 25g flaked toasted almond Parmesan shavings (or vegetarian alternative), to serve Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large frying pan. Add the chilli and garlic, and cook on a low heat until golden.

Remove from the heat.

Add the pasta to the water and cook following pack instructions.

In the final 4 mins of cooking, add the broccoli. Once cooked, drain and tip into the garlic pan. Add the lemon zest and almonds, and toss together well. Serve in bowls, topped with Parmesan shavings.

Speaking at the opening of the workshop, Deputy Chairman of the SWRHA Valerie Alleyne-Rawlins reminded nurses of the grave importance of their role. “We are most times the first and the last person seen by the patient on entering and leaving the world.” As such, nurses require more than mere academic intelligence which they all proved to have by way of being accepted into the profession.

Nurses also require “emotional intelligence”, a skill which “is synonymous with nursing yet somehow in today’s world we seem to have now made it optional.” But thankfully, emotional intelligence is a skill that can be learned, said Alleyne-Rawlins and the workshop was held to facilitate just that.

Economist Dr Stephen Pilgrim kicked off the presentations by introducing the topic of emotional intelligence.

Pilgrim told a story of a mother who, upon losing half of her twin children in childbirth, was told by a medical professional, “at least you still have one.” The tendency to treat with people’s trauma by trying to find the “silver lining” with terms like, ‘at least’, he said, is a sign of weak emotional intelligence that should not be part of the medical profession.

Pilgrim helped nurses discover their “Emotional Quotient” (EQ or level of emotional intelligence) by first teaching them the components of the skill and then leading them through a lengthy self-assessment questionaire.

Dr Cletus Kennedy Bertin closed off the day’s proceedings by showing those gathered ways in which they could apply the knowledge in real life situations.

In an immediate reaction to the bard’s passing , Minister of Community Development, Culture and the Arts Dr Nyan Gadsby- Dolly stated: “It is with profound sadness that the Ministry of Community Development, Culture and the Arts marks the passing of one of our icons of calypso, Samuel Abraham, widely known as Brigo.” She added: “He encapsulated the vivacity and humour of the calypso genre and was definitely one of its most colourful characters, making calypso fun and memorable. He also stood out as one of the artistes that contributed to making local advertising resonant with and accepted by Trinbagonian society in a time when foreign ads were always looked on as the model, and the best. No one who ever saw Brigo’s ad for insect repellent would forget that, “Det kills them Dead!” He had quite an endearing persona, inclusive of his signature grin and humorous lyrics.” Dr Dolly concluded saying, Brigo’s contribution to the cultural landscape of Trinidad and Tobago will not be forgotten.

Commenting too on Brigo’s passing was Trinbago Unified Calypsonians Organisation (TUCO) president Lutalo Masimba. He said: “Samuel Abraham was a great artiste, a powerful calypsonian blessed with theatrical ability which he would bring to his every performance. Brigo could entertain any audience. Whether in Port of Spain, New York (USA) or London (UK), he was a crowd pleaser.” He added: “In an environment where the emphasis is on competition, Brigo never went to a calypso monarch final. Yet he was able to claim his space in the entertainment world.” Masimba then stated that TUCO is ready to do its part but will respect the wishes of Brigo’s immediate family.

Until the both parties meet he said TUCO cannot speak as to funeral arrangements. Brigo, who was born in Chaguanas in 1940, to Agatha Abraham, enjoyed calypso from early age. So it was no surprise that in the 1960s he began singing calypso. Brigo credited the late Aldwyn “Lord Kitchener” Roberts for his development in the calypso world.

Andrew “Superior” Marcano recalled Brigo’s early days at the Revue tent that was headed by Kitch. He said: “Around 1970- 71 he (Brigo) sang a song called Barnabas, taken from a character on the television show (Dark Shadows called Barnabas Collins).

I gave him the idea to build a coffin and get fangs then I jokingly told him – whenever you die, you would already have your coffin.” “Brigo was a fantastic performer.

He had full command of his facial expressions. He could talk with his face. He mastered phraseology in calypso and he made nice melodies also.” And indeed it was those notorious facial contortions during ‘live’ performances, that Brigo become popular for, if only to emphasize his lyrics and situations.

Among his gems over the years were Mama Popo, Limbo Break, Voodoo Man, Do So Ent Like So, Obey, Walking in the Dark, Dig The Beat, Long Ago, Love in the Party, Love and Comfort and Shake up Your Bum Bum. He performed on numerous stages worldwide, but at Carnival time was a fixture in a calypso tent of his choice. He spent most of his years at the Calypso Revue tent, but also had stints in the Vintage Calypso Tent and Klassic Ruso.

Lemons contain citric acid and are well known for their high vitamin C content. The peel of a lemon consists of two layers: the outer zest and a white inner layer. The zest contains essential oils – the most common of which is called limonene.

Nutritional benefits Lemons have been used for centuries and have been highly regarded in the past for treating scurvy, a rare condition that can develop through lack of vitamin C (ascorbic acid).

Vitamin C is often claimed to support the immune system, however, studies have been inconclusive. One study found that although vitamin C did not prevent otherwise healthy people from catching the common cold, it may shorten the duration of symptoms, and halved the common cold risk in people exposed to short periods of extreme physical stress (eg marathon runners).

Lemons also contain some vitamin B6 and other antioxidants called flavanoids. They are low in calories but high in flavour.

Health claims Headlines have linked drinking lemon water to many other health claims, including weight loss, improved digestion, “alkalising” effects on the body, improved skin and detoxification.

The research, especially human studies, to back up many of these health claims is minimal.

Some evidence has linked vitamin C (or ascorbic acid) and flavonoids to improvements in skin. Vitamin C is known to help the body produce collagen, which contributes to the integrity of skin.

Lemon water may also help the appearance of skin because it is caffeine-free. Too much caffeine acts as diuretic, causing some people to experience dry skin. If you are someone who regularly drinks a lot of tea or coffee, swapping to caffeine free alternatives might help the appearance of skin, and positively affect your energy levels and quality of sleep.

If you are someone who finds it difficult to drink water, or doesn’t really like the taste, then adding lemon to hot or cold water can make it more palatable.

Drinking adequate water will benefit your health. It’s possible to mistake thirst for hunger, so if you have been advised to lose weight, try having a glass of lemon water first when you feel hungry to see if you’re really just thirsty.

If you usually opt for fizzy or sugary drinks, lemon water would be a lower-calorie and lower- sugar alternative.

If you suspect you are dehydrated, you could try a glass of lemon water as it acts in the same way as water. Dehydration is common and can present with headaches, dizziness and tiredness – it’s important to make sure that you consume enough fluid while exercising or in hot weather. The NHS advises drinking six-eight glasses of fluid, ideally water, a day.

Indigestion, characterised by symptoms of heartburn and bloating, can be uncomfortable.

Some people find drinking a glass of lemon water, particularly first thing in the morning, aids digestion. This is mainly subjective and reports are anecdotal.

First thing in the morning? The effect of lemon water will not change regardless of whether you drink it first thing in the morning or last thing at night. If you like the taste of lemon water, it could be a good choice for first thing in the morning as we often wake up a little dehydrated –especially if you’ve had alcohol or salty food the night before.

Drinking a glass of water early in the morning will certainly help to hydrate us.

There is currently no evidence to suggest that lemon water has an alkalising or detoxing effect on the body.

The liver is responsible for eliminating toxins from everything we eat, drink and are exposed to in our environment, so no amount of lemon water is going to “detox” our bodies any further.

There is also no truth to the claims that lemon water balances pH levels.

Effects on teeth Fruit juices and acidic liquids can impact the enamel of teeth, so it is best to dilute concentrated lemon juice with water or drink through a straw.

How to make lemon water Lemon water is simply that; the juice and/or slices of lemon including the peel in water.

Warm or cold water is up to you. You can add other ingredients and flavours such as orange or mint if desired. The lemons can be juiced (in advance if convenient) and even stored in ice cube trays for freezing.

Some claim that rolling a lemon between hands before juicing yields more juice.

Taking into account the specific provisions of Acts No 17 and 18 on which the property tax regime is underpinned, there is a number of concerns that must be addressed to give legal credence and justification to his actions:
* What is the basis for selecting May 22 as the deadline for the submission of returns by land owners in possession of residential properties only?
* Why did he tamper with, amend and mutilate the form passed in Parliament and contained in Schedule II of the amended Land Valuation Act?
* On what basis can the Minister of Finance selectively implement the property tax by targeting in a highly discriminatory manner residences under the Acts and exclude commercial, industrial and agricultural properties even though the former have been consistently paying their dues as assessed by the Commissioner of Valuation since 1948?
* Do the Acts make provisions for a phased/selective introduction/ implementation of the new tax?
* Is this action tantamount to a unilateral amendment of the laws without parliamentary intervention, ie, playing Parliament to hoodwink the population?
* What are the legal considerations that prompted the Finance Minister to deviate from the implementation/commencement/ operational/enforcement schedules as set out in Acts No 17 and 18?
* What considerations may lead one to conclude that the new property tax regime was intended to be implemented by at least the beginning of the calendar year but more specifically at the beginning of January 2010 and no later?

STEPHEN KANGAL Caroni

Second ranked Wilson got past sixth seed De Caires 6-3, 3-6, 7-5 in a competitive contest to advance to the semifinals. Wilson’s fellow Tobagonian Akiel Duke, who is the top seed in the draw, got a scare against seventh seed Dexter Mahase.

After losing the first set 6-2, Duke won the next two sets 6-4, 6-1 to advance.

The unseeded Joe Cadogan and third seed Richard Chung also progressed to the semifinals.

Cadogan defeated Keshan Moonasar 6-1, 6-0 and Chung was a 6-3, 7-6 winner over eighth seed Jerome Ward. In today’s semifinals Wilson will face Chung and Duke plays Cadogan.

In the veteran singles yesterday, Kendall Cuffy and Rickey Villaroel both advanced to the final with convincing semifinal round victories. Cuffy defeated Everest Simon 6-0, 6-0, while Villaroel got past Frank Ramudit 6-0, 6-0. Cuffy and Villaroel will battle in today’s final.

In the women’s doubles round robin, Lindy Ann Farrier and Keneel Teasdale outlasted Rhyse Houllier and Janay Sealy 6-0, 6-1.

The women’s singles and mixed doubles semifinals will also be played today. In the women’s singles semifinals, Shennelle Mohammed will take on Breana Stampfli and Abigail Jones faces Carlista Mohammed. Matches serve off at 5 pm today.

Different news media would put up a story and people would comment on the news item, which is a good thing. But where it gets disturbing is when citizens become nasty and disrespectful in their comments. Their political fanaticism comes out and it’s a back and fort at each other’s throat. People are not interested in putting forth solutions but rather spewing political venom at their political opponents.

This kind of behaviour would do us no good. Could you imagine what the individuals who are behaving in that manner are teaching their children at home? Are our homes being used to promote racial and political venom? I plead with the citizens to love the country first and work towards building TT .

ANDRE ROBERTS via email

Addressing a media conference shortly after meeting with members of the Bankers Association (BATT) at the chamber’s Camden road, Couva headquarters on Monday, Ali expressed concern that some manufacturers are users and not earners of foreign exchange. “We don’t have an issue with directives for manufacturers,” Ali said, adding, “one of our major concern is not all manufacturers are net earners of foreign exchange.” Asked if a commitment was given by the BATT regarding distribution of forex to chambers, Ali said: “we have to understand there is a serious shortage of forex. But what we are saying, because of the limited amount, we have asked the Bankers Association to look at the possibility of a fair and even distribution among our members.” BATT president and Scotia Bank (TT) head Anya Schnoor, who jointly hosted a media conference on Monday with Ali, said the banking sector is also “seeking clarification” on some of the newer policies indicated by Minister Imbert and the Central Bank.” Touching on the forex black market, Schnoor urged citizens to use the commercial banking sector to satisfy their forex requirements.

“I think as an Association we are of the belief that fair, open competition and open trade is the best way in which markets should operate within the context of Trinidad,” she said.

Schnoor added: “Yes we all know those shortages the system faces but we are also very concerned about the growing element of a market outside of the official sector.

“Recently we saw the Central Bank issue notices that it is against the law to sell and trade forex outside of authorised dealers and we want to encourage customers to abide by the regulations and make sure to allow commercial banks to use its established practices to ensure all customers are able to access as much foreix keeping in mind the decrease we have experienced across the economy over the past two to three years because of a reduction from the energy sector.” The Association is expected to host a series of workshops with Chamber members regarding bank fees and charges with the first expected to be held at the Couva Chamber. Chambers whose members attended the meeting included the Penal/Debe Chamber, Chaguanas Chamber, the Greater Tunapuna Chamber and the Siparia Chamber.

Indeed, a Pandora’s box has now been opened up into the patently unsatisfactory nature in which the citizenry has been allowed to exist for much too long.

Let me say that the matter involving former chief magistrate Marcia Ayers-Caesar is not within the purview of lawyers only, as appears thus far, but concerns the whole citizenry.

Why should the goodly woman (and indeed any magistrate or judge for that matter) be constrained to have, at any point in time, within his or her dossier a residue of unfinished cases numbering as many as 50? Also, why should any legal practitioner, however adept (more especially a defence attorney), be allowed to have within his or her brief a number of matters such as could be handled satisfactorily, without the need for undue adjournments on account of a preoccupation elsewhere — a situation which, judging from utterances reported, would convey the impression that these attorneys do not consider their actions to be a contributory factor to the mess in which the administration of justice finds itself ? In any event, we are a society in which a culture of lethargy seems to thrive.

The “crime” committed by the chief justice and the Judicial and Legal Service Commission (JLSC) is said to be their failure to take due cognizance of the fact that the former chief magistrate would have had such a large dossier of unfinished cases prior to her being appointed and, subsequently, taking the oath of office as a judge of the High Court.

What seems to have been left to conjecture, thus far, is an authoritative account as to whether business left unfinished by one judicial officer can legally be dealt with by another, given particular circumstances. What if a presiding officer dies in office? Perhaps a look at other jurisdictions will assist in this determination.

Needless to say, the situation dealt with herein impinges on the Prison Service and the Remand Yard, in particular. It also has serious implications for the career path of individuals who may have been appointed to the Magistracy.

These are but a few of the issues which impinge on the tardiness in which our courts, at all levels, find themselves. And I venture to proffer that removal of the chief justice and the JLSC from office will on no account bring about the deep-seated changes required in the systems and procedures and which are the root causes of the problems and the negative features and restrictive practices in the administration of justice, thereby resulting in the snail’s pace and even obstructionist manner in which matters before our courts at all levels tend to be dealt with.

In the circumstances, the President should appoint a commission of enquiry to review urgently and report expeditiously on the administration of justice in TT .

ERROL OC CUPID Tacarigua

Every Friday at 5 pm, the grill will be fired up to serve authentic Japanese finger foods to patrons, who will also have a choice of Japanese beers or saki to pair with their morsels.

At the tasting held last Friday, guests were served bacon maki (asparagus wrapped in bacon), yakitori (teriyaki chicken kebab), pork ribs (baby back ribs with teriyaki sauce), crab (snow crab legs with lemon salt, ponzu sauce and butter sauce), gyu-kushi (Angus skirt beef on skewer with Japanese barbecue sauce) and ebi yaki (prawn kebab flavoured with salt and lemon) Patrons can also look forward to sake miso yaki (Atlantic salmon and vegetables with saikyo miso), hotate (scallops with butter soy sauce), khaki yaki (live fresh blue point oysters with an option of butter soy sauce or raw oyster, with ponzu sauce), and tebasaki (chicken wings with teriyaki).

Chef Miura Kenji told Newsday: “During my time in Trinidad I have come to see the love Trini’s have for grilled food. They enjoy the atmosphere around the grill and the lime. So it’s all about good food, drinks and friends. I want to show Trinidadians how Japanese barbecue is done with the Robata grill, and the deck at Samurai is the perfect atmosphere for it, especially on a Friday.” No reservations are needed.

Proprietor Joe Pires stated: “Kenji is an amazing chef. His training in Japan and then in Jamaica has allowed his traditional cooking to fuse with the Caribbean flavours. The Robata Grill shows that he is not only a qualified sushi chef but is a master chef of all Japan cuisine.”