PM on geopolitical challenges
Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal has emphasized the need to develop a sense of responsibility and unity among citizens for national security. Addressing the concluding ceremony of the National Security Training organized by Nepal Army on Tuesday, he said that the traditional concept of national security solely relying on military power has now become broader. "It is equally important to address sovereignty, national integrity, as well as the social, economic, cultural, environmental, and humanitarian aspects when it comes to national security," said Dahal. The prime minister emphasized that national security is crucial and sensitive, especially in the present context of Nepal. "The national security of every nation is directly affected by incidents occurring in the global context. This fact is even more significant for nations like Nepal," he added. Prime Minister Dahal said Nepal's political situation, increased military power of powerful nations in international and regional forums, competition and influence, climate change, and internal political complexities are security challenges for the country. “Global economic recession and its impact, extremist and separatist ideologies that threaten national unity and security, scarcity of skilled human resources, open borders, and potential cross-border offenses continue to be our challenges." According to Dahal, national security requires a gradual development and adaptation to changing circumstances, including the emergence of powerful countries on the international and regional stage, the rapid and complex development of information technology, and the evolving political, social, cultural, and economic sectors within the country. To develop a comprehensive national security system, the prime minister emphasized the importance of maintaining mutual harmony, tolerance, and solidarity among diverse caste, language, culture, and community within the country, while also protecting sovereignty, freedom, territorial integrity, and national unity. Dahal also stated that the National Security Policy, 2075 BS, has been implemented with the aim of strengthening the security bodies and promoting their competency, professionalism, and efficiency. He further stressed the need to timely assess challenges related to international and external security and to formulate and implement necessary policies such as defense policy, international security and public information policy, foreign policy, and finance policy. The prime minister also said that the Nepali Army has the capability to enhance its political, economic, diplomatic, communication, and military power through cooperation and coordination to address challenges and promote national interests.
Goals, meaning, and purpose
The KCG-123 model of Emotional Intelligence developed by the Six Seconds Network is a go-to framework I refer to when practicing Emotional Intelligence in my daily life. The framework consists of three main themes that the acronym stands for—Know Yourself, Choose Yourself, and Give Yourself. The first component, Know Yourself, is about knowing our strengths and challenges in our daily situations, what we are doing, what we want, and might want to change. The second component, Choose Yourself, is about seeing a range of choices available to us in any given situation (instead of being myopic and stuck to just one option we can see). It’s about choosing to respond rather than react. Hence, Choose Yourself helps us sift through factors like how we want to take action in a given context and, at the same time, how we influence ourselves and others. Give Yourself is the third component of the model, which helps us connect our daily choices with our long-term vision of who we wish to be as individuals. Let’s consider that we want to be someone who cares for the environment. However, we use plastic bags daily, leave the tap running while brushing our teeth in the morning, take longer showers, and use non-degradable products. By making such daily choices, are we giving ourselves what we envision becoming in the long run? Practicing the component Give Yourself as a person who wants to care for the environment would mean we would use cloth bags instead of plastic ones, use water mindfully, and choose biodegradable or eco-friendly products. It would also include not judging people who cannot readily switch to making eco-friendly choices because of their reasons as it also means empathizing with the purpose of people around us and their long-term vision. We might want others to follow our lead and live more eco-friendly lifestyles. But Give Yourself also means refraining from being a person who isn’t willing to understand the choices of people and their reasons for doing what they do. Give Yourself helps us grow into individuals who can listen, empathize, and inspire others to make better choices. As an Emotional Intelligence Practitioner, I consider all three components Know Yourself, Choose Yourself and Give Yourself, equally important, as each informs and guides the others. However, having ‘Give Yourself’ in mind helps me take action at present, which will add value to the person I want to become in the long run while enabling me to understand the long-term vision of the people around me too. To understand and practice the component ‘Give Yourself,’ having clarity about three concepts—goals, meaning, and purpose—can be helpful. Goals are what we either do or wish to do in the days ahead. They include what we want to achieve in the short-term or long-term future. We create goals to become better versions of ourselves in one or more areas of life, like health, time management, academic performance, life relationships, or professional development. Goals are specific, measurable, and attainable as well. An example of a ‘goal’ can be to become physically fit, which might require us to exercise every day for 30 minutes, eat home-cooked food three times a day, and sleep eight hours every night. Meaning is the reason behind our goals. It explains why we do what we do and why our ‘goals’ hold importance for us. The meaning we give our goals motivates us to continue making choices that can help us achieve our goals and shape us into the individuals we want to be. So, let’s say our goal is to become physically fit, ‘meaning’ can help us figure out ‘why’ we want to become so. Maybe we want to build strong immunity, feel confident through physical fitness, become active, fight a medical condition, or lead a healthy lifestyle. Purpose is the impact we wish to have on the people and world around us. Purpose means the bigger picture we have in mind when making our day-to-day choices and connecting with the people in our lives. When we are purposeful, we constantly remind ourselves to keep doing what we do and connect with people who could benefit from our help and vice versa. What can be the purpose if our goal is to become physically fit? Maybe it’s to contribute to a world where people care about maintaining physical health and leading healthy lifestyles. While goals are more actionable, meaning and purpose guide us in terms of our thought processes. We often want to achieve a goal, but we don’t know why (we can’t figure out the meaning it has for us) and the impact we wish to have in the world (the purpose of our actions and choices). If we don’t think through the meaning and purpose of our daily choices, goals can’t be sustainable. Goals, meaning, and purpose also create a cyclic process. Our purpose guides us in creating life goals. Our goals further help us become better versions of ourselves in life areas that are meaningful to us. Together goals, meaning, and purpose can help us put our long-term vision into daily actionable choices. The author is the linchpin at My Emotions Matter, an education initiative that helps individuals and teams learn the mindset and skills of Emotional Intelligence. You can learn more at myemotionsmatter.com
Is Banana bad for constipation?
Nearly everyone falls prey to constipation at one time or another—more so when it comes to elderly individuals. People generally believe that if you are afflicted with constipation, you must give a wide berth to eating bananas. As much as it is a delicious and healthy fruit loved by all, it has long become the focus of speculation and debate concerning constipation, a common gastrointestinal complaint. My wife never eats bananas because she has constipation. She believes bananas aggravate the problem, as did most people I talked with. I still recall the old days when my mom gave us kids bananas to eat when we had diarrhea, saying it worked wonders to stop loose bowels. Nevertheless, a nonagenarian, she eats half a banana each day. Although I'm a diabetic, I eat one banana every morning for breakfast. While on cycling rides, I indulge myself with two as it works like an energy booster when doing grueling inclines. It has been like this since I got into cycling for 15 years. That has never interfered with my bowel movements to this day. My daily regimen starts with guzzling down nearly a liter of water on an empty stomach—first thing in the morning, followed by a refreshing mugful of tea. Before you know it, I have to dash for the washroom. It stays that way every day, ruling out rare exceptions like when visiting new environments, a filthy bathroom, and while traveling—worst of all, if I have to use an archaic squat toilet instead of a commode. My wife knows I never have a problem with constipation, but trying to convince her that bananas would not add to her problem always leads to a stalemate. She instead goes for a heap of laxatives, stool softeners, and whatnot, ayurvedic antidotes, too, into the bargain—and that goes every day. It works for her most days a week, but the irony of it all, the motley medications do not work as a perfect remedy. It was time I dug into this issue and got to the roots. Ta-da! My little research debunked the near folk myth that eating bananas aggravated the problem but helped those suffering from it—poop. It was nothing less than an eye-opener and a plausible answer to my wife's misconception. In a nutshell, constipation is a condition that leads to fewer than three bowel movements a week with hard, dry, or lumpy stools that are difficult and, at times, painful to pass, landing you feeling not all stool has passed through the rectum. My research led me to the finding that constipation is a health disorder affecting almost 20 percent of the world's population. To go by medically-backed findings, the primary causes of constipation include your eating habit and lifestyle. You will likely get constipated if your food needs more fiber, like leafy greens, vegetables, fruits, and whole grains, or in the event, high-fat meals, such as meat, junk food, or processed food, outpace your dietary regimen. Next, your daily intake of fluids needs to be improved, which can also precipitate in harder stools, stubborn from passing usually. Our body needs enough fluids to keep it functional, and science backs the theory. You won't believe it! A whopping 67 percent of water makes up for our bodies. Or, you are less involved in physical activity. Health experts maintain regular workouts contribute to more than toning up the heart and the body muscles; it also boosts regular bowel movements. Now, the knotty question pops up, what makes bananas bowel-friendly and helps alleviate the severity of constipation? Fiber-rich food is essential to keep you in excellent overall trim, including better gut health or microbiota. Consuming adequate fiber can prevent or relieve constipation, aiding waste to move smoothly through the body. It also encourages healthy gut microbiota. Medical and health reviews claim dietary fiber enhances the bulk of stool, helps promote regular bowel movements, and cuts down on body wastes lodged in the intestines helping against gastrointestinal disorders. That said, what makes bananas functional in alleviating constipation, and even work as a prophylactic against it and relieve those suffering from this miserable condition? For a start, bananas pack both soluble and insoluble fiber. While insoluble fiber contributes to bulk, spurring bowel activity, soluble fiber absorbs water, helping stools stay large but soft, complementing the movement of waste through your digestive tract. Many plant foods, such as fruits, broccoli, carrots, oats, and beans, fall under this category. There is more, the nutrient-dense bananas are a source of vitamin B6, potassium, magnesium, vitamin C, A, and over three times as much phosphorus and iron as apples, all contributing to a healthy heart, stronger bones, and help keep your cholesterol and BP in check and cuts down on the risk of stroke—the checklist seems still an arm long. Good news for diabetics! As maintained by the American Diabetes Association, the fiber in bananas counterbalances blood glucose at a safe level. Even diabetics can go for a modest single banana a day. Touted as a ‘superfood’ at the turn of the 20th century, it also gathered a lustrous endorsement from the journal of the American Medical Association. That said, bananas are not unfavorable to constipation; they act instead as a close ally to mitigating the setback. Hopefully, this write-up will rid my wife of the long-harbored fallacy and go for bananas—haha! The above content provides generic information based on research. It is in no way a substitute for a qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your doctor for further details [email protected]
Costly existence
The bills are mounting. The rent is due. There’s her daughter’s college fee to pay. Her son’s birthday is in a week and he wants cake and the fancy sneakers everybody at his school is obsessed with these days. Kumari Tamang, a 41-year-old resident of Ratopul, Kathmandu works as a cleaner at an NGO. She earns a decent salary but with rising prices of daily necessities, Tamang is finding it hard to cover the costs. “I got a decent job and managed to clear all my debts. But it’s piling up again as everything is getting just so expensive,” she says. Every time the price of groceries or fuel goes up, her heart sinks. Sometimes, she is up all night worrying about how she is going to pay for everything her family needs. Her husband suffers from a chronic illness and needs regular checkups. According to the Nepal Living Standard Survey III, 2010/11, poor people (those who earn less than two dollars per day) spend 72 percent of their total consumption expenditure on food. Increased spending on food often leads to reduced expenditures on health and education. This makes life more difficult for those already below the poverty line. Many even put their lives at risk by skimping on hospital visits and doctor fees. ApEx spoke to 20 people at random. Everybody said they were worried by the rising fuel and food prices. Worse, the pricing of most things, they said, seems to be arbitrary. The government isn’t regulating the market properly, they complained. People felt like they weren’t getting their money’s worth. As prices of essentials continue to surge, people are forced to either stretch their incomes by cutting down on expenses or look at ways to make extra money. A street vendor in Maitidevi, Kathmandu, said his family was only cooking only a meal a day to save on LPG gas, which is currently priced at Rs 1,800 a cylinder. A hospitality student in Kathmandu sold his motorcycle to pay rent and buy food. “I was spending a lot of money on petrol. Now, I walk to most places,” he says. Many people lost their jobs during the Covid-19 pandemic, and the economy was yet to recover when the conflict in Ukraine put a further damper on things. The disruption of the demand and supply chain meant inflation would only get worse. But as expected as that was, it has still been hard to cope. “My husband was made redundant during the Covid-19 lockdown and I’m the sole earning member of my family,” says Shobha Budathoki who works at Bajeko Sekuwa in Anamnagar, Kathmandu. Budathoki has two other part-time jobs besides her main one but it’s a struggle to pay all her bills. She has two sons enrolled at a government school. She worries about their future, about if she will be able to send them to good colleges. It isn’t just those from the lower economic strata who are feeling the pinch. With the official inflation rate now up to 7.68 percent—and the unofficial rate perhaps much higher—those with well-paying jobs fret about the rising prices too. Their household expenditure has gone up and, with no changes in their income, many are dipping into their savings. Anushka Pant, a 37-year-old banker ApEx met at Sanepa, Lalitpur, says she used to save a fixed amount every month. It was her emergency fund. But now she isn’t able to do that. All her salary goes to rent, utilities, and groceries. She is living paycheck to paycheck, sometimes even taking loans from her friends and colleagues. “This makes me feel extremely vulnerable. I’m not comfortable with my current financial situation,” she says. Her friends, Pant adds, are suffering too. There’s a nurse who hasn’t been paid in two months and she’s finding it difficult to cope. She is always stressed about money and how she can provide for her family as her parents depend on her. Another friend, who was living in Kathmandu by herself, has gone back to her hometown Biratnagar, after falling behind on rent. Nothing is cheap anymore, says Ram Kharel who has been running a hardware store in Lalitpur for six years. An egg costs Rs 18. The price of milk has shot up by Rs 20 a liter in just a couple of months. The price of sunflower oil is Rs 240 a liter while ghee now costs Rs 900 a kg. “At this rate, it’s getting increasingly difficult to feed my family,” says Kharel. Unlike in developed countries, Nepal lacks proper health care and education policies. There is no welfare system where the state takes care of some of your expenses. This means people need to plan and save for emergencies. Most people ApEx spoke to seemed to be preoccupied with ‘what ifs’: What if someone in their family falls ill? Will they be able to provide the necessary treatment? What if they can’t send their children to good schools and colleges? Will they lose out on the chance to live a good life? Shambhu Rai, an electrician who lives in Bhaktapur, says as prices escalate, he finds himself working round-the-clock. His day starts as early as six in the morning and ends as late as midnight. If he doesn’t take up as many jobs as possible, he says his family will have to compromise on something or the other. “Either my wife will have to take up odd jobs or we will have to skip meals,” says Rai who wants his six-year-old daughter and 11-year-old son to continue studying at the English boarding school they attend. He’s not compromising on their education, he says. “It’s their only shot at a decent life. My wife and I never got that chance and we want to make sure our children aren’t similarly deprived,” he says. High food prices are forcing people to make some difficult choices as their household budgets are upended. With no sign of even a cool-down, it’s unclear when the prices will stabilize and then drop. For those with limited means, it means having to pick and choose; it’s never having enough; it’s constantly worrying about tomorrow. “This makes for an unhinging experience,” says Kumari.
