Myanmar’s Bamboo – A promising wood substitute

The thin, hollow, woody poles seen standing tall in numerous places to protect and support, in villages and cities, are of the ubiquitous bamboo, a plant that is far deeply entrenched into the common man’s life in Myanmar, literally from cradle to grave and at every step in-between. This is to be expected in a country that has the third highest proportion of bamboo forest cover globally, after China and India. Though classified as a minor forest product in the non wood category, the bamboo industry is estimated to be worth 25 billion USD globally, as it gradually replaces various wood varieties at every level.

Called ‘waa’ in the local language, bamboo is actually a wild grass belonging to the gramineae family and bambusoideae sub-family. Growing wild in tropical and subtropical forests over 1200 different species of bamboo are found worldwide covering 18 million hectares, and 96 of these species are found in Myanmar’s vast forest lands. Bamboos grow freely mixed with other plants and have been seen to form the under storey in high wild forests, besides being planted for multiple uses as well.

Bamboo is one of the easiest plants to grow, not requiring highly fertile soil or ample amounts of water, though it thrives more in soil that is slightly acidic with a reasonable amount of water. As one of the fastest growing plants, most bamboo varieties add a few inches of height every day, with some tropical large varieties growing as much as 35 inches in the span of a day at the rate of 3 cm per hour. Thus, in the growing season, a bamboo plant reaches its full height within three to four months. In the first year the bamboo grows vertically, and nodes develop branches and leaves in the second year as the culm (the pulp-like wall) dries and hardens, though it reaches its full hardness in the third year. Growth of bamboo takes place during the rainy season and the culms are ready to be harvested after 2-3 years and ideally between 5-7 years. A single bamboo clump, in its lifetime, can produce approximately 15 km of usable pole with a diameter upto 30 cm. This is because new shoots keep emerging and the plant regenerates.

Myanmar’s bamboo resources

Myanmar has forests covering over half its land area, of which 3% is covered with bamboo, as part of its evergreen and deciduous forests, and as pure bamboo stands in the state of Rakhine and Taninthayi Division.

Myanmar is famous for some very superior bamboo species like Kalway-Wa (dendrocalamus asper) and Wani ( dendrocalamus lotiflorus), both used for commercial production of bamboo shoots. It is one of the largest exporters of young bamboo shoots, an exotic delicacy in neighboring China. Other common bamboo species include wagok, waphyu, wabo, wabo-myetsangye, thana, myin, kayin, tin, thaik, and kyathaung. Fourteen species are commercially significant for the economy.

Besides natural forests, bamboo plantations have been expanding in various parts of Myanmar. It is also seen growing along stream banks and on lower hill slopes, while also being planted in zoological gardens, urban landscapes, gardens, parks and monasteries to meet local demand.

Bamboo for sustainable development and environment protection

Bamboo is one the fastest growing, extremely versatile and the highest productivity multipurpose plant in the world. As a high yielding forestry crop, it is a renewable environmentally sustainable resource that continuously spreads vegetatively. This implies that bamboo helps in creating thick forests much faster than an assortment of other tree species together. Also, its mature stems can be harvested while the plant continues to grow and extend its younger stems.

It is being increasingly acknowledged as a substitute for wood that will protect the environment and ensure development that is sustainable. Many countries use bamboo for environmental protection, soil conservation, prevention of erosion on hill slopes and other ecological purposes.

Bamboo absorbs huge amounts of carbon dioxide, which it converts into oxygen. Interestingly the carbon dioxide it absorbs, stays trapped inside and is never released even after it has been harvested and transformed into value added products that are useful domestically and commercially. Thus it serves as a carbon sink.

While maintaining fresh water resources, one hectare of tropical bamboo forest area can store more than 30,000 liters of water in its culms during the rainy season. This water is gradually deposited back into the soil during dry periods thus regulating water supply.

Bamboo forests also help in sediment control by forming a wall that prevents loss of flow in rivers. Their forest cover, like a canopy prevents evaporation of water from streams. With its complex woven root system and thick plantation it is recommended in areas prone to landslides.

Bamboo as a substitute for wood

Some of the larger bamboos like the Phyllostachys species has been named ‘timber bamboo’, and is being used as a substitute for wood for decades, without reducing the size of the forests it grows in.

Bamboo has a higher compressive strength compared to wood and concrete, and its tensile strength is comparable to that of steel. This makes it hard and durable, and ideal for use in construction as posts, roofing, walls, floors and beams. Its pulp is as good for making paper as wood pulp. Straightened out, bamboo laminates make the perfect flooring in high quality constructions at very reasonable rates. It is good for making sturdy furniture, household products, boats and makeshift bridges across narrow streams and canals.

Bamboo is actually a perfect timber substitute that can preserve the dwindling timber supply and further cutting of trees to procure wood for its numerous uses to fulfill the needs of increasing populations.

Bamboo’s multitude uses

There are a phenomenal 1500 uses of bamboo worldwide, and its true worth is only gradually coming to the fore as a multimillion dollar trade product. Its lightness in weight, strength, straight length and elasticity makes it a versatile product that is easily available at very reasonable rates.

In rural areas, stacked together it provides protection and shelter, dug into the ground it gives support, straightened out, it serves as a wooden plank.

Cut and dried, it is the perfect material for kitchenware, toys, chin-lone balls, walking sticks, fishing rods, parasols etc. Musical instruments like clappers and xylophones are made out of bamboo, with its hollow insides rendering perfect sound.

It is possible to construct full bamboo houses complete with bamboo floor, cross beams, partitions, fences, staircases and walls. Parquet floors, blinds and panels, furniture and fences, gates and sheds of superior quality can be made out of this material. Handicrafts can adorn homes and interiors, and in the kitchen a whole range of cooking utensils and dishes have become common. The bamboo chopsticks industry is growing to meet global demand for the same.

Bamboo charcoal is used as fuel and made from small pieces and residue of bamboo that are compressed and carbonized. It is also being innovatively used to purify water since it helps to eliminate odors and impurities.

Preserved edible bamboo shoots – the cone shaped sprouts emerging from the soil are tasty and tender when harvested very young. It has 90% water, is a rich source of vitamins and amino acids, high in fiber and cellulose, besides being a low calorie source of potassium.

Bamboo plants have become a favorite for decoration indoors and in gardens and parks. Considered lucky and a symbol of longevity, various decorative varieties of bamboo are found on sale.

In Chinese medicine bamboo is believed to cure infections and aid healing. In Ayurveda, it is used to treat respiratory diseases.

Bamboo pulp is being increasingly used for making paper to save other hard woods that take decades to grow to their full height. Myanmar is emerging as a big source of bamboo pulp that can be used for writing and printing paper. The most common species used for paper pulp are dendrocalamus asper and bamboo bluemanea.

Myanmar’s famed lacquer ware uses bamboo as the base, and the bamboo from forests of Chin state is considered ideal for this purpose.

Boats used in the countless waterways and water bodies are often made out of bamboo due to its properties.

Bamboo as a money spinner for Myanmar

Bamboo is deeply embedded in the lifestyle of Myanmar folk, and historical evidence points to a culture of using bamboo in numerous ways.

Bamboo is a renewable, self generating natural resource unlike timber. New shoots appear annually, after mature culms have been harvested. Interestingly, shoots appear in burnt plants, something unheard of in the world of wood. Bamboo plantations see re-growth even after being burnt down which means no new investment nor sources of irrigation or soil improvement is required.

Quick to grow, bamboo is unlike teak and other premium wood varieties where trees take 20-25 years to mature and grow to their full height. This translates into quicker cash returns after planting bamboo with a very short gestation period. For a country like Myanmar, vast expanses of idle land can be lucratively utilized for bamboo cultivation.

Myanmar’s numerous waterways are the ideal way to transport bamboo, and also the cheapest, and far more convenient than timber.

Environmentalists are convinced about the earning potential of Myanmar’s huge bamboo forests that can produce sustainable crops to be sold globally to meet the spiraling demand for bamboo. The current neglect and uncared for bamboo produce has meant loss of its earning potential both domestically where bamboo is used in every walk of life, and internationally, with many countries opting for bamboo instead of wood. Some technical help and investment in this field can make bamboo the next big export product from the country.

The International Tropical Timber Organization initiated a Bamboo project in 2005, to conserve some Myanmar specific bamboo species through the setting up of bamboo demonstration plots in Kawhmu, Pyinmana and Paukkhaung bamboo plantations.

Beyond these efforts, it is important to not allow the nation’s bamboo resources to be depleted, and the locals must be educated about its value. Till now, the country’s bamboo plantations have been virtually unprotected and not well cared for. Bamboo is harvested as and when needed and sold cheap, and only a small tax is levied on the harvested bamboo. Little wonder then, that where other countries earn over 500 billion USD from bamboo sales, the revenue generated in Myanmar is just USD 1 billion.

Bamboo’s ability to regenerate is threatened by its destructive harvesting and indiscriminate chopping methods. This has affected output and productivity adversely, and quality is deteriorating gradually. The bamboo supply base been seen shrinking in the last few years. The only way out is to step up bamboo silvi-culture to protect tropical forests and ensuring a sustained supply of this wood substitute.

Bamboo and its symbolic significance

Bamboo’s diverse uses have led to it being known by various names like ‘green gold’, biosteel, and poor man’s timber. It was first referred to as green gold during the 7th World Bamboo Congress in India, since bamboo can prove to the vehicle that can boost economies, with its diverse uses and the products that can be made out of it, offering employment opportunities to the rural poor.

Bamboo is known to denote friendship and is described as a ‘friend of the people’ in China and India.  In Vietnam it is described as ‘brother’. Its long life makes it a symbol of uprightness and is used extensively to improve various aspects of life according to the Chinese principles of Feng Shui. Since bamboo plants flower very rarely, their blossoming is said to be a sign of impending famine.

It is also famous as ‘poor man’s timber’, since it is a cheaper alternative to wood, that has diverse uses and offers complete solutions for living and survival to the rural poor, including employment opportunities.

 

Vast vacant lands to the tune of 178,000 acres in Pegu and Tenasserim Yomas mountain ranges are said to be lying vacant. Their geographic conditions are highly suitable for bamboo plantations, which can generate a lot of revenue, reduce the pressure on teak and other hard woods, and ensure that Myanmar’s rich forest resources stay intact.

Consumerism In Myanmar

The New Wave of Consumerism in Myanmar

From the plush Taw Win Center on Pyay Road to the traditional shops in downtown Yangon, from the swank new branded outlets mushrooming on Kabar Aye Pagoda Road and Pyay Road, to the multiple Junction Shopping Malls opening in busy parts of the city, the crowds are increasing and footfalls in these spending havens have never been higher. With the opening of Myanmar Plaza, retail sales, and the shopping experience has been redefined. Both fine dining restaurants and fast food eateries are multiplying and many have long waiting queues. Beauty treatment in local parlors and spas is seldom possible without prior appointment due to the rush. This is the new wave of consumerism hitting Myanmar, and evident most of all, in Yangon.

The number of shops and retail outlets is on the increase despite high rentals and property rates, the variety of stocks available expanding, premium international brands appearing on shelves, and the typical customer has for the first time, the luxury of choice, in his own country. The elite, accustomed to preparing shopping lists for trips abroad, find reason to bring back less each time.

Almost suddenly, the latest in clothing, footwear, personal accessories, cosmetics and toiletries are lined in store shelves, and exclusive consumer appliances’ stores are seen selling every new gadget launched by European or Asian brands. Not to mention the latest smart phones and laptops, now that the former have become affordable. The variety of foodstuff and beverages is expanding by the day, much to the delight of international tourists and the expatriate community.

Billboards carry advertisements of international brands of clothing, beauty products and food, and the local Myanmar citizens, deprived of all these till relatively recently, are eager to try all that they are being exposed to, excited by the novelty and the experience. The distinct Korean influence , their perception of Thailand as a modern consumer driven country, fascination for Japanese cars and technology, exposure to latest trends due to improved internet access, have all combined to scale up the local demand for products that are increasing in number and quantity even as the number of retail outlets multiplies.

A walk down the busy downtown shows the gradual transformation in the appearance of the man on the road. Many have discarded their traditional attire of lungyi, and a section of younger men are seen wearing trousers or jeans, and younger women taking to dresses, skirts and trousers. The ethereal beauty of tanakha (sandal wood paste) on the face is gradually disappearing with facial creams and beauty enhancing products taking its place. The latest hand bags, branded or cheaper look-alikes are fashionably carried, and youngsters especially, seen discarding hynat-phanat (the traditional black slippers) for trendy heeled shoes or embellished slippers. Just two years ago, the traditional attire, worn with pride, was immensely appealing to outsiders and tourists, and it signified uniformity. Today, the battle of the brands will create segregations.

Is it the pent up thriftiness, lack of opportunities to spend previously, or paucity of funds that is now being unleashed? Or is it typical human behavior as Myanmar sees an emerging middle class? What is all too clear is that consumer spending is increasing rapidly, markets are full with products and customers, and disposable incomes seemingly higher. The country’s 51 million people, of which 68% fall in the 15-64 years age group, offer a vast market for global manufacturers to sell their products, especially in a country that has barely an manufacturing capability for the present, and 90% of its products are still imported. Manufacture of products of international standards will take some time, a few years at least, and till then the market is open to multinational companies to push demand through advertising campaigns and other ways of creating awareness about the product range they offer.

Consumerism explained

Consumerism is a term used when there is a continued expansion of individuals’ needs and wants for products and services. It is an economic phenomenon of buying more, having more of everything, signifying multiplicity of requirements beyond what is basic for survival. However, modern society has redefined products deemed essential for survival, with our ‘need’ to eat good food with a large variety, wear good clothes in keeping with the latest trends, and stay connected to the rest of the world, to mention just a few. This has extended the human propensity to consume, and since business can survive and thrive only by creating demand for their products, they fuel the fire of wants.

The retail sector of any country, as per worldwide statistics, can be valued at approximately 15% of the country’s GDP. For Myanmar then, the retail market stands at USD 5 billion, and indicating a promising annual growth rate of over 10%. Few countries can boast of a faster growing consumer base with consumer expenditure likely to triple in the next decade.

Consumerism is a typical outcome of a capitalist society moving higher on the path of economic development. For a country like Myanmar, this is all so new, and for its people, it is only in the last three years, that the common man has been able to have access to products and services which most of the world has been enjoying for decades. But the era of capitalism is here to stay, and retail is one of the key sectors that sees unprecedented growth as the pace of development picks up. The benefit comes additionally, in the form of job creation, and increased spending spurs growth further.

This is the time of transformation of retail markets which are gradually becoming modern, and inching towards international standards in terms of décor, facilities and services. Local shoppers, like their counterparts abroad, typically look for convenience, choice, and easy availability in a market that was closed. The largely supply driven market, had only seen the average consumer base his shopping on need rather than want, more of necessity and shopping not quite an entertaining experience. The evolution of the shopping experience can now be seen with the wave of consumerism sweeping the nation.

Market growth, healthy consumer spending and competition come from demand driven markets which sees supply keeping pace with it. This change is slowly becoming evident and store owners are adapting fast, offers promotional sales, freebies and trials to entice customers.

Even Yangon, the nation’s most modern city, has been lined mainly with traditional shops, small and basic and what could be termed ‘mom and pop stores’, and these account for 90% of retail sales even today. These come in all sizes in every corner of the city, and include dry foods’ stores, non food outlets, beauty stores, betel shops which incidentally, are the best sales points to consider. The Bogyoke Aung San Market, also known as Scott Market, also fits into this category, while still being the one-stop solution for purchases with local arts and crafts, gemstones and precious stones, fabric and fruit, leather and lacquer ware, cosmetics and clothes.

The retail sector has been changing rapidly in the last three years with modern trade channels opening up in the form of supermarkets and hypermarkets, shopping malls and departmental stores, which account for only 10% of the retail market. Shop houses, grocery stores, convenience stores, bazaar stores and general merchandise outlets, continue as part of the traditional market scene clocking higher sales by the day. An estimated 40,000 retail outlets in the highly fragmented market, in the two big cities, Yangon and Mandalay, account for over 50% of total retail sales in the country, which explains the higher consumer spending by the 34% urban population than the remaining rural segment.

Consumerism reveals the population’s ability to spend, reflecting a certain level of disposable income. Though the GDP per capita stands at USD 900, the reality of purchasing power seen in the form of vehicles, footfalls in hotels and restaurants, beauty spas and holidays, defies this low figure. The country’s business still runs mainly on cash basis, and cash payments are made for houses and apartments, imported vehicles and other asset purchases. This points to the existence of an extremely rich class of people, besides the middle class that is growing.

Yangon remains the trend setter for shopping as well. With department stores like Sein Gay Har, Super One, and Gamone Pwint, supermarkets like City mart, Asia Light and Orange, besides convenience stores and hyper markets, the basket of goods available, is expanding, though prices are higher than the neighborhood outlets. But each of these remain crowded as much by locals as the tourist and expatriates. Malls like Junction Square and Junction Mawtin are seen overcrowded by the younger generation. The cool comfort of an enclosed, air conditioned area with free entry, lures the young and old alike. What had started as an enthusiastic outing to see what is new, has become a routine weekend outing. Clearly, shopping is becoming an entertaining experience, and even the older generation does not grudge the expense incurred for fun.

Consumption patterns are changing fast. The demand for everything from consumer durables and high valued assets, to food stuff and beverages, processed foods and confectionery, beauty and home care products, is on the way up. The service industry is expanding rapidly, beauty spas, fitness centers and gyms, hair and nail art salons, restaurants and pubs, are all multiplying in number. Interestingly, there seems to be room for all, and each can claim a chunk of the existing demand without jeopardizing the success of competing outlets. New entrants like Vino, Parami Pizza, the Thai-based Pizza Company, Lotteria, Fuji  and numerous restaurant chains opening outlets in Myanmar Culture Valley, are seen full especially on weekends. Eating out has become fashionable, and tasting different cuisines is definitely in vogue. Variety exists at reasonable levels as well. Teashops of old are bowing out to cafes, sandwich corners, bakeries and ice cream parlors.

Looking ahead

Change is conspicuous in every aspect of life in Myanmar and consumerism is just one part of it. The spending and buying more concept, closely linked to the ideology of pleasure, is causing a significant shift in perception and practice. Thrift, moderation and modesty are slowly taking a back seat, and a relatively ostentatious display of wealth and material comfort coming up.

Industrialization has begun but has yet to pick up significantly. Local produce is deemed poorer in quality due to lack of latest machinery and equipment used in its manufacture, uncertain quality of raw materials and lack of skilled labor. It is not surprising therefore, to find that 99% of the products sold in brick and mortar stores, are imported, from countries like Japan, China, Thailand, Korea among others.

Already, the cheaper labor is bringing international apparel houses to buy from Myanmar, with the textile industry making rapid strides ahead. Many Asian countries are at various stages of setting up manufacturing facilities here for local markets and exports, in fields like textiles, food processing, automotives and so on.

Growth is not restricted to big cities alone, and the next target is tier-2 cities. As earning capabilities improve, so will spending power, and consumerism will reach an even higher level.

Is Vegetarianism Healthy?

Vegetarianism is Healthy – Fact, Fad or Fallacy

Our bodies are only as good as the food we eat – a cliché that rings true in an age and time when life threatening diseases strike seemingly healthy people, partly because, they have not been eating healthy. Food that tingles the taste buds, with its taste and flavor is one of the pleasures of life that the best of us succumb to – for only what is pleasantly palatable, will be gladly taken in.
Research costing millions of dollars has created a strong awareness about what foods are healthy, and all the processed foods we savor, are not good at all for our health. Little wonder then, that the list of foods being termed ‘junk foods’ is growing longer, and the ranks of people avoiding all kinds of meat is growing globally. A significant part of this list includes non-vegetarian foods, which are delectable, addictive and damaging.
Non- vegetarian food includes all eating red meat, fish, poultry, and other products derived from animals. This division is a bit hazy, since milk, derived from animals, is considered vegetarian, and forms a significant part of all hard core vegetarian diets.
Over the last two decades, vegetarianism has caught on, and is widely perceived as ‘healthy’, which actually means that it is healthier than a non-vegetarian diet. Vegetarianism refers to a lifestyle, the most significant part of which is following a vegetarian diet that includes plant produce and abstinence of flesh and foods that have an animal source.
Types of vegetarian diets
A diet that includes all plant produce, milk and soy products is loosely classified as a vegetarian diet. Personal preferences, religious beliefs, aversions and convictions have led to the emergence of specific vegetarian diets which include:
• The vegan diet – The most restrictive form of a vegetarian diet includes avoiding all meats and animal products including milk in all forms and eggs. Many vegans do not have honey also. Their diet includes only fruits and vegetables and soy products.
• Lacto-vegetarians – A large section of vegetarians fall in this category, whose diet includes vegetables, fruits, beans and nuts as well as dairy products. They abstain from having meat, poultry, fish and eggs.
• Lacto-ovo-vegetarians – This category of vegetarians excludes meat, poultry, fish but have eggs and dairy products besides vegetarian foods.
• Pesco-vegetarians – these people avoid meats and poultry, but eat fish, eggs, dairy products and vegetables etc.
• Semi-vegetarian/flexitarian diet – this is the most flexible diet since it permits certain types of meats, once or twice a week, supplemented by all vegetarian foods. This makes the diet less limiting and healthier since it provides the benefits of both.
People following each of the above mentioned diets strongly believe in the benefits of the diet they follow. For them it is a lifestyle reinforced by strong beliefs in avoiding cruelty to other living beings who have as much a right to live as human beings-the motto being, live, and let live. Most vegetarians in the US and Canada have been motivated by a desire for self improvement, to lead a longer, healthier life.
Vegetarian food facts
Vegetarianism is viewed mainly in a positive light around the world, and in many countries gets legal and cultural support due to its link to religious beliefs and practices, in countries like India and the UK. The dictates of religion in India, had kept a larger proportion of the country’s population, vegetarian, for centuries. In such countries, being vegetarian is not limiting in any way since ample non meat food options are available due to greater demand for the same.
Most non-vegetarians wrinkle their nose at the prospect of having a vegetarian meal. Beans and leaves are the least appetizing for them and equivalent to not eating at all. Perhaps they do not realize the health and overall benefits of a plant rich diet, and the ill effects of consuming high-fat animal protein and meats.
Some vital facts about vegetarian diets:
• According to the American Heart Association, vegetarians have a lower risk of obesity, hypertension and coronary heart disease. This is because their diet is low in saturated fat, high in fiber and easier to digest. Food of plant origin is generally devoid of the ‘bad’ cholesterol.
• They are also at a lower risk of certain types of cancer especially those linked to the digestive system, colo-rectal cancer in particular. This can be attributed to the high level of cancer-protecting phyto-chemicals in vegetarian food.
• Vegetarian diets are a rich source of iron and B-vitamins essential for the body, besides phyto-chemical nutrients that facilitate the functioning of every organ of the body and prevent degenerative diseases.
• Fruits and vegetables contain Vitamins C and E, and cartenoids. All these act as anti-oxidants that protect the body cells from free radicals capable of destroying them.
• The fiber content of whole grains, legumes, beans and fruits improves digestion and prevents diseases like diabetes and other illnesses.
• Vegetarians tend to consume fewer calories since the volume of fruit, vegetables, beans and nuts compared to their equivalent of meat, has a lower calorie count.
• Bacteria and harmful chemicals like pesticides are easier to remove from plant produce than meats.
• Plant based diets are better for the planet as well, according to environmentalists.
• Vegetarians have better overall health and quality of life than non vegetarians.
• According to one of the latest research reports, vegetarians are 12% less likely to die of any cause than non vegetarians.
• Vegetarian meals cause less eating disorders than meat based meals.
Is vegetarianism just a fad?
Vegetarianism has been practiced for far too long to be just a fad, though it cannot be denied that it is becoming increasingly fashionable to be a vegetarian. From the earliest time in history, there have been advocates of vegetarianism who used religious, moral and spiritual arguments to woo the meat eating crowd in an attempt to convert them to a diet including the produce of the earth than live beings walking, swimming or flying. The 19th century, and scientific research started popularizing vegetarian diet as being more healthy but till late in the 20th century, vegetarians were a small sect, surviving on the fringe of society and not part of the main stream, except in countries like India, where religion dictated lifestyles and eating habits.
Like so many new ‘diets’ being touted as the best for weight loss, heart health, fitness etc, vegetarianism has also been tried initially as perhaps a fad, but the feeling of well being it brings, has converted non vegetarians into vegetarians.
It is in keeping with ‘being cool’ and ‘going green’, but with no harm done, it may be the best route to good health. It may be a fad, but will last out longer than any other, and one that is going to spread across borders, even in places where vegetarian options are limited.
The vegetarianism fallacy
Meat lovers and hard core non-vegetarians have long criticized vegetarianism on various counts. And this is not entirely without reason. Since any food devoid of meat qualifies as vegetarian, a section of people feel eating a bowl of French fries, onion rings, fried dumplings, fritters and other oil-rich foods are healthy too. Just keeping meat out a nutrient-empty diet does not make it healthy. It has to have the requisite nutrients like fiber, protein, vitamins and minerals to qualify as healthy.
It is not entirely true that all vegetarians have lower cholesterol. Vegetarians thriving on heavy fried foods, potatoes and fat rich sweets and savories, are bound to have obesity problems along with cholesterol, hypertension, diabetes and coronary heart disease. India, with a vast vegetarian population, is a typical example.
Vegetarianism has been defined as lifestyle that involves balance, moderation and a conscious effort to balance daily nutrition with the produce of the earth.
Where vegetarianism falls short
There have been concerns about vegetarian diets providing the entire basket of nutrients needed by the human body. The question is about optimal calcium levels which come from milk, and therefore vegans would lose out unless they take calcium supplements.
Meats are a rich source of protein which vegetarians can get from beans, lentils and nuts. Minerals like iron are found in green leafy vegetables like spinach and broccoli, prunes and nuts. The deficiency of Vitamin B-12 needs to be addressed with supplements by vegans though other vegetarians get this vitamin from milk and eggs.
A good vegetarian diet
A balanced nutritive vegetarian diet should include, whole grains and cereal, beans and lentils, fruits and nuts, rice, wheat and vegetables. Ovo-vegetarians would have the nutritional benefits of eggs, and lacto-ovo-vegetarians gain from the wholesome goodness of milk and milk products like yoghurt, cheese etc. Vegans can substitute milk with soy milk and other soy products and get wholesome, balanced nutrition.
Vegetarianism in Myanmar
It is not difficult being a vegetarian in Myanmar with its rich variety of agricultural produce, including fresh fruits and vegetables, numerous varieties of beans and pulses, soy and dairy products. In fact, most salads and soups in Myanmar cuisine can be adapted to a vegetarian palette and supplemented with stir fries that are completely vegetarian if fish sauce and shrimp paste are avoided. The distinct Indian influence in the country ensures plenty of potato based snacks and curries. Every restaurant has vegetarian options, called “the-taa-lo”. Shaan noodles, tofu curry, vegetable fried rice, dosa, vegetable biryani and vegetable hotpot are some of the safe meal options that are easy to find.

The case for vegetarianism grows stronger with every passing day. Science and the environment all favor this diet path. For those looking for role models find philosophers like Plato and Nietzche, political leaders like Mahatma Gandhi and Benjamin Franklin, and pop icons like Paul McCartney and Bob Marley, propagating the diets they followed throughout their lives. Turning vegetarian may become a turning point in your lives too.

Carbohydrates and the Battle of the Bulge

The battle of the bulge begins when weighing scales continuously reveal ascending readings, and there is a perennial rightward swing of the needle even as clothes get tighter. The verdict in tests and medical diagnosis is ‘overweight’. The list of reasons for this predicament is long, and the cause – a distinct love for food; and the remedy, difficult and unappealing.

It doesn’t help to be living in an era when being slim and thin is considered aesthetically appealing, and healthier too. Thus begins the search for treatments, therapies and weight loss techniques, which might help in reducing the bulge, painlessly and without intrusive treatments.

Going on a ‘diet’ is the easiest, and there is no dearth of ‘diets’ that promise quick weight loss, and amazing results of a slimmer, thinner you, in a matter of weeks. These dietary plans create a radical shift in consumption patterns and do not necessarily mean cutting intake of food drastically. They all push for a plan to eat right, limiting certain foods, cutting out some and increasing intake of nutritional ones. Thus, there is the Atkins diet, Ketogenic, Paleo, Dukan, Stillman, Hollywood diets and so on. Each tries to incorporate food combinations that have worked well for hundreds in their weight loss endeavors, and an equal number that have found no difference.

The diet battle has, of late been increasingly ending up at the doorstep of carbohydrates, with proponents professing the weight loss impact of a diet that has low or no carbohydrates. The “low carb” diet, as it is popularly called, limits the intake of carbohydrates and prescribes an increased consumption of protein-rich and fatty foods. This helps in reducing the production of insulin in the body and the use of the body’s reserves of fat and protein for energy.

Carbs typically form 40-60% of a normal diet. A diet that has less than 20% calories coming from carbs would be considered low-carb, and supposedly helpful in weight loss.

As in the case of all diets, the weight loss claims are disputed, with the added blame of whether such diets are healthy. While all dieticians concede that there is weight loss in the short term, the long term implications give reason for concern.

Carbs The Well of Energy

In Scientific terms, carbs are a group of organic compounds produced by plants, and include starches, sugars and cellulose. Carbs are the source of energy for the human body. They are converted into glucose by the digestive system. Carbs can be simple, as those found in natural products like milk, vegetables and fruits; or complex, as those found in whole grain cereals, bread and starchy vegetables, with a high fiber content as well.

Carbs provide energy to muscles and prevent protein being used as the energy source. The nervous system gets its fuel from carbs, and lesser amount of carbs can result in dizziness and weakness.  They also facilitate the fat metabolism.

The ample availability of processed foods that are also fattening, have become the preferred source of carbs. However, the best source of energy is the carbs that also provide nutrients like fiber, vitamins and antioxidants-these can be found in whole grains, legumes, vegetables and fruits. Refined grains and added sugars need to be avoided as ‘bad’ carbs.

Optimum Carb intake

The ideal daily intake of carbs varies from person to person depending on his metabolism and lifestyle. However, as the main energy source, carbs must form a bigger percentage of the total intake of food.

The Institute of Medicine in the U.S., recommends at least 130 carbs per day forming 45-65% of the total calorie intake. Variations have to be made depending on occupation and lifestyle, as people with sedentary lifestyles can consume less while athletes need to be on high carb diets.

Carbs and weight connection

The prevalent myth that carbs lead to weight gain, is not correct. It is only the ‘bad’ carbs coming from processed foods and refined grains with a high glycemic index, that cause weight gain, while whole grains and natural foods, fruits and vegetables do not. The non nutritive carbs come from white flour, white rice, refined sugar and highly processed foods that have no nutritive value left in them. It is these that add to the total calorie intake and lead to weight gain.

The spread of obesity as almost an epidemic and disturbing statistics revealing the forecasted population percentages heading towards obesity, has caused panic more due to the risk to health and the ability to lead a normal, disease free life. As dieticians and medical professionals have become more vocal about the need for weight loss, awareness about being overweight has increased tremendously. Most people try to lose weight on their own first, by cutting down on fatty foods and following the latest fad. As of now the low carb diet is a craze.

Low carb diets

The most famous low carb diet is the Atkins diet, developed by a well-known cardiologist Dr. Robert C. Atkins. He limited his patients’ intake of carbohydrates and sugar, so that fat is burned used for energy, to fuel physical activities. This reduces the craving for food and appetite levels also come down.

The popularity of such diets can be attributed to scientific studies indicating that weight gain occurs due to increased intake of carbohydrates. A 2012 study revealed that people who consumed low carb meals, burned 300 calories even while resting! Such effortless burning of calories would be the most envious weight loss program.! These claims have been verified in numerous studies conducted over a period of time, and it is only because the results have been confirmed that the diets continue to be tried and used to shed pounds and become slimmer and healthier.

Various low carb diets are being followed across the globe, all of which typically limit the intake of carbs to less than 20% of the total calorie intake, while increasing the intake of protein and fats. It is easy to limit sugar intakes, but impossible to cut carbs completely out of the human diet, and not advisable either, since they remain the main energy source.

The biggest advantage of flowing such a diet, is that people attempt to cut out refined and processed foods and resort to healthier eating habits. Thus, the ‘bad’ carbs are replaced by wholesome, nourishing foods.

This diet also helps to curb the desire to eat. Wanting to eat less, and decrease in appetite naturally translates in to favorable weight management. Insulin levels come down due to restrictions on carbs. This also helps improve metabolism, and initially all the water weight in the body drops. A decline in weight after this, gives the biggest impetus to continue on the low carb track.

Carbs are not so bad

All carbs are not bad and they are extremely healthy if the processed and refined ones can be avoided. The good carbs with a low glycemic index, coming from whole grains, unrefined foods, legumes, fruits and vegetables, hold the secret to good health, free from diseases and each system in the body working well. Good carbs keep the nervous system healthy and the brain functioning perfectly even in old age, the digestive system gets the much needed fiber, keeping diseases of the digestive tract at bay, muscles and limbs remain active without any sign of weakness, and the skin remain younger looking without wrinkles.

Thus the stigma of weight gain needs to be attached to the craze of eating refined, processed foods, that form the bad carb segment. These have a high glycemic index, low or no nutritive value and also lead to various deficiencies. Additionally, the increase in weight is partly due to the body’s inability to metabolize these carbs and not the carbs themselves. It becomes important then, to find ways of improving the body’s metabolism.

The Ideal Diet

The best diet that will keep deficiencies and disease away while prolonging a healthy life must include the following as part of daily meals:

·       Organic whole grains

·       Fresh fruits and vegetables

·       Beans, pulses, legumes

·       Dairy products like milk, yoghurt, cheese

·       Nuts and seeds

The battle of the bulge will continue for all those who love food and whose intake of calories is more than the calories they burn. It is wrong to blame just carbohydrates for this, when it is a wrong diet, wrong timing, and incorrect lifestyle that need to shoulder the blame. A healthy balanced diet with a balance of carbohydrates (40-45%), proteins and fats (30-35% each) which includes fresh fruits and vegetables, legumes and beans, whole grains and unrefined foods, combined with exercise and adequate sleep, can fight the weight battle successfully.

 

 

 

Carbs to avoid

The following broad categories of foods must be kept away:

·       Instant foods and instant grains

·       Refined flour and sugar

·       White rice

·       Processed snacks

·       White potatoes

·       Sweetened fruit juices

·       Baked desserts

·       Fast foods

·       Aerated drinks

 

Four Years in Yangon

I set foot in Yangon four years ago, and vividly remember the feeling of dread as the aircraft circled over numerous water bodies, lush greenery and pockets of habitation over vast expanses of flat land. The first three months were difficult and then we began to accept the place and its people. We began to enjoy the company of the locals with their ever smiling faces, and admire their level of contentment despite their very limited means and minimal access to comforts and luxuries. We admired the classless society, though there was respect and reverence for the learned and the elite, and we began to understand their amazing attitude and look inwards too.

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Of Familiar Fast Food Chains And Local Culture

Change has become the only constant in Myanmar. From a country that barely witnessed change a decade ago, to have become a rapidly transforming and growing economy, Myanmar stands for optimism and hope, development and advancement…all the positives that appear once the need for embracing change is felt. The air is rife with optimism and enthusiasm, even as the local populace waits expectantly for the next set of newbies to appear.

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Myanmar’s Mountains Beckon

Myanmar has become famous as the road less traveled attracting tourists from virtually every country. Its breathtaking, untouched natural beauty against the backdrop of which we see countless pagodas in every city, town and village, has led to a flurry of tourist activity. The number of tourists entering Myanmar in 2014 has touched 3 million, and the numbers are only increasing every month. Most of them explore Yangon, Mandalay, Bagan, Inle, Mytkyina, Taunggyi, and Kalaw.

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Three Thingyans Old In Myanmar

For the third year in a row, I can sense the excitement in the air, a sense of waiting building up, enthusiasm to switch off from work, close offices, while making plans for all that is to be done during the week long Thingyan break. Already, the first piles of wood planks and bamboo sticks are reaching roadsides where pavilions are going to be erected. Water guns and powerful water hoses are on sale, clothes and offerings for the monks, gift hamper and traditional Thingyan foods, stacking shelves. Gradually the cityscape will be transformed, with 35-40 large pavilions erected, road blocks placed, traffic rerouted, and water connections kept ready to draw water from the lakes around. This may not be everyone’s idea of fun and enjoyment, but the feeling of merriment is infectious and ropes us all in.

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 There is Something about Thai Food

Look east, and two of the most exotic tourist destinations appear on the horizon- our mesmerizing Myanmar and its immediate neighbor, Thailand. One exudes an old world charm, and the other is cosmopolitan and modern, with tourism as its biggest industry. Both countries have a predominantly Buddhist population, and the tropical climate implies similar agricultural produce is cultivated, both being considered as rice bowls to the world in the past even as they works towards becoming the world’s largest rice producers again. Thailand is also the most popular gateway to Myanmar, offers employment to over 2 million Myanmar nationals who migrated across the border legally and illegally, and is one of the largest foreign investors in the country.

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Myanmar’s Traditional Medicine

The belief in turning to nature to heal and cure, is strong in nearly all Asian nations, and in Myanmar, even more so. Traditional medicine treatments have been followed in Myanmar for generations and continue to be popular even today, though more in remote rural areas, not least due to non availability of western (allopathic) medicines. Herbs and medicinal plants are found in abundance in this largely agrarian country, and serve as highly affordable remedies for diseases.

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