The year may be winding down, but there is still plenty of action in store for the month ahead. If you know your rising sign we suggest that you read that as well to get extra insight.

By Maeri Frances

The Big Picture

October brought some important lessons to many of us, the focus was strongly on how we treat others in our lives, who and how we love and the ego versus the collective good. There is still plenty to ponder, and with Mercury still making up ground until the 10^th of November, we can spend valuable time refining work in progress. From mid- November the mood will change; things may open up again thus allowing us to proceed with chasing our goals, but as Mercury will be spending the main part of the month in secretive Scorpio, you may need to play your cards close to your chest. The days around Full Moon on the 6th of November may bring out the more sensual side of your nature, tap into what brings you pleasure.

Mars and Pluto team up on the 11^th of November in the sign of Capricorn, the combination often indicates a show of force from established authority , so moms and dads may feel a need to lay down the law around the house, the gloves will be off! A tough follow up aspect between Mars and Uranus on the 13th indicates that the dust will take a while to settle. Mixed into the picture we see a Venus conjunction with Saturn on the 12^th, it is a time to face the music and be realistic in terms of our needs and desires. Things should ease up a bit by the 16th when we realise our dreams haven’t necessarily been ground into the dust, just bruised and shaken a little.

The remainder of the month is supportive for staying focused and implementing plans, so long as we stay clear-headed and are not swayed by wishful thinking around the 20^th and 27^th.

Aries

21 March –20 April

After adjusting to a few changes in October you may be looking for an easier ride through November.  A major purchase you had been dreaming of could be possible around the 6^th, especially with a bit of help from a partner or someone you know. Aries still needs to be on guard though around the 11th of November, especially those born between the 2^nd and 5^th of April. Avoid locking horns with authority figures; your independent streak may put you in hot water by the 13^th of the month.

Taurus

21 April –21 May

Relationships look rosy around the 6^th, so it may be worth planning some quality time with a loved one. Single Taureans may also find a prospective romantic attachment becoming more serious as the month passes.  By and large you are out of the line of fire from the main challenging aspects that the month has in store, unless of course you have any of the personal planets such as Moon, Mercury, Venus or Mars around 12 degrees of the Cardinal signs of Aries, Cancer, Libra or Capricorn.

Gemini

 22 May –21 June

The focus is strongly on taking care of health and streamlining your daily routines. Don’t push the boat out on major financial commitments, needed support may fall through or be refused. You may need to draw on your emotional resilience in the second week of the month, events could shake your equilibrium, but after the 10^th when Mercury is firmly back on course you can get back on track. The latter part of the month holds romantic potential, but single Gemini babes should watch out for sweet-talkers!

Cancer

22 June –22 July

Your sensitive nature is a bit vulnerable, especially in the second week of the month. You may be caught up in a direct confrontation, something that will have you putting up your barriers and withdrawing into your shell. In spite of this, matters to do with your social life, kids and hobbies are well-starred, so try to make the most of opportunities to mix and mingle. Travel plans that had been postponed may be become more feasible by month’s end.

Leo

23 July –22 August

This is a month when your natural urge to make the right impression may come to the fore.  There may be some issues to deal with on the health front, or concerns over a friend or family member. Keep your cool; tantrums will not help the situation. In spite of this, you may be in the mood for a spot of home entertaining, so get out the best silverware and polish the glasses if you are hosting a potential business contact.

Virgo

23 August –23 September

Although there seems to be a lot going on around you it should be relatively easy to make the most of even the challenging aspects by using your energy constructively. There could be some trying moments with children or pets, and high risk sporting activities would best be avoided during the first half of the month. On the up side, the 6^th of November could be great time to catch up with friends or family who have just got back into town.

Libra

24 September – 23 October

Financial matters loom large for you this November; you may need to outlay cash unexpectedly for something on the domestic front or a real estate project. Once you make it through the first two weeks you can chill a little more, and there could be good news on its way during the final days of the month. Use that period to keep in touch with friends and family, communication will be key to happiness and success.

Scorpio

24 October –22 November

It may take immense self -control to keep your formidable temper in check around the 11^th, but Scorpio, we know that is your forte. Choose your words very wisely, you are in the spotlight. It would pay to take care on the road during that period as well. You will need to be at your most persuasive when it comes to getting your message across, there could be some damage repair needed after events that transpired in October. Lay on your powerful charm in bucket loads on the 6^th.

Sagittarius

23 November –21 December

Try to lay low this month, keep your plans to yourself until they are firmly in place. You may also face some emergency expenditure, try to have ready cash available. When Venus and the Sun enter your birth sign later in the month you may feel that life is taking a definite upturn, in spite of the rollercoaster ride you have been experiencing. The 27^th is a day when love should be in the air, enjoy!

Capricorn

22 December –20 January

Sorry Capricorn, you are not off the hook yet.  If you were born between the 2^nd and 5^th of January you may find the second week of November stressful to say the least. The secret to success lies in tapping the immense energy at your disposal; it can be transformed into creating something positive, or become a destructive force that will wreak havoc, which might take time to repair. Follow the golden rule, think before you speak!

Aquarius

21 January –19 February

You stand to gain in career matters this month if you are prepared to sacrifice some of your much treasured home life. There are some turbulent forces at work behind the scenes, try to stay in the picture as they could affect you more than you thought. It’s not the best month for travel or moving around, and any elective surgical procedures could preferably be postponed.

Pisces

20 February –20 March

Your thoughts may be drifting towards distant climes, so an off-season holiday may be on the cards. If so, it may be best to avoid this until after the 11^th, and please choose your travelling companions wisely. It is a great period for undertaking a course of study, or at least upgrading your knowledge on a subject that interests you. You may discover new clarity in a subject that will help your career.

By Jennifer Walton

Ibn Hayan Lab in Arkan Plaza has introduced a new technology in Egypt that might be able to explain your unresolved health problems.  Cairo East Magazine paid a visit to Dr. Nesma Tallawy to get the details.

Food Detective, pioneered in the United Kingdom is the latest technology in food allergy and intolerance testing. The test is simple and painless. A lab technician will prick your thumb or finger one or two times to withdraw the necessary blood sample. A blood analysis will evaluate your Immunoglobulin G (IgG) levels in response to 46 different possible food allergens. In addition to determining the presence of food allergies, the lab is able to use this technology to evaluate the patient’s sensitive and intolerance to foods.

Food allergies and their accompanying physical response are well known to us. It is not uncommon for allergies to appear in young children and remain with individuals throughout their lives, while others out grow them. Reactions are immediate and the trigger should be withdrawn from the person’s diet in order to prevent allergic reaction in the future. We are familiar with what allergic reactions look like: skin rash, swelling and shortness of breath are among the most common symptoms. The onset is immediate and knowledge of the cause helps one to prevent an allergic reaction by withdrawing the catalyst food allergen from one’s diets.

There is a more subtle offender wreaking havoc on the body’s immune system. Food sensitivities and intolerances are the underlying culprit of many of our health complaints and problems. While an allergic reaction to food is immediately noticeable, food intolerances wreak havoc on the body slowly over time. Initially, symptoms masquerade inconspicuously throughout the body. Your persistent headaches, flatulence, bloating, fatigue, aches and pains are your body’s reaction to food sensitivities and intolerances.

A host of auto immune diseases can also be attributed to food intolerances. The most common food sensitivities people experience are from gluten and cow’s milk although intolerance and sensitivity levels vary from person to person.

Food Detective

Unknowingly, individuals consume food items which they are intolerant to several times a day. This causes inflammation in the body, which lays the foundation for a host of health complaints and diseases. IgG are antibodies produced by an individual’s immune system, causing an inflammatory response against the body’s own tissues. The Food Detective test measures the presence of IgG response in the blood relative to several possible offending foods. The greater the response, the greater the inflammatory offense to your body’s immune system.

The main advantage of this test is the simplicity. The test can be completed in a few minutes, with results made available in a few hours. It is comfortable for adults and children alike. Traditional allergy tests can be awkward, uncomfortable and time consuming. The manufacturers of Food Detective boast a 90% accuracy rate.

Food Intolerance and the Inflammatory Response

A growing body of research shows strong correlation between inflammation and a host of auto immune diseases and disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis, thyroiditis and Crohn’s disease. Chronic inflammation in the body also curbs weight loss and one’s ability to maintain a healthy weight. The major food offenders are also thought to contribute to anxiety, irritability, depression, lack of concentration and lethargy.

Unfortunately, traditional western medicine does not see the value in uncovering underlying food sensitivities and intolerances. However, there is a bourgeoning body of research demonstrating the importance of reducing inflammation in the body in order to improve overall health and prevent disease. Some individuals report that they have reversed their illness and symptoms by removing foods from their diets that they have shown intolerance to.

Being empowered with the knowledge of what foods ones is sensitive or intolerant to will help a person to make the necessary changes to their diet to begin relieving painful physical and mental symptoms. Prescription medications may address some of your complaints, but they do not cure or address the undying problem.

Imagine being able to cure yourself of what ails you. Imagine an increase in energy, reduction of stress, greater concentration and pain reduction. Imagine being able to accomplish this with no side effects or the deleterious effects of prescription medication.  This convenient, painless technology is now available in Egypt and it could change your life.

Controlling your Consumption

Once you have acquired the knowledge about your body’s food sensitivities, it is important to be aware of possible food allergens and sensitivities in the food you buy and consume. Imported food products are most often required by the law in their country to list the main possible food allergens on their product. It is important to do your research about the local and imported products you purchase and consume in restaurants.

It is also important to know and understand the names and terms that your food intolerances might be called and where they might appear. For example, casein, which is a protein derived from cow’s milk traditionally found in dairy products sometimes makes an appearance in cereals, non-dairy beverages, crackers and processed meats. Arming yourself with the knowledge of your body’s sensitivities will allow you to make informed food choices and prevent yourself from discomfort and health problems.

Behind the Scenes

By Nahla Samaha

In our September 2014 issue, we brought you the inspiring story of Galal Zekri-Chatila, the young cyclist planning a five-month journey across all of Egypt on his bicycle. It is a mission aimed at raising awareness of the diversity of Egypt and Egyptians; a noble cause striving for social tolerance, communal solidarity, and embracing differences.

This month we get a sneak peak into Galal’s training and prepping process ahead of undertaking this journey of a lifetime.

“I don’t have a routine for training, but I love running, so whenever I have free time I go for a run. In my last run, I completed 32 laps to cover  10 km in 1:15 hours. I also do some cycling; my last session was a 50 km of uphill and downhill across Sinai’s mountains. I train with Train for Aim in their Track & Field sessions, it’s quiet challenging! Now I’m working on adding swimming to my list.”

“I’m visiting my physiotherapist more often these days to make sure that my knees will be able to do their duty.”

“It has been a very tough year and a half for the most part. Getting the funds was a separate challenge all its own. To build a proposal and to understand the needs of the corporate sponsors was a tough learning experience. I was turned down by many entities, and after giving up on getting my funds I suddenly found Nestle Waters interested, and then I got Juhayna as well. I started with 2 media sponsors, now I’ve got 9!!”

“Right now I am facing the toughest challenge of my life. I’m planning this journey under real stress, I’m not able to sleep well at night, and I have some knee problems as well. In other words, I’m afraid the tour became something bigger than what I imagined, and bigger than what I can handle. Yet, I’m up to the challenge, and I’m willing to take the risk. This is what I love doing, to challenge my limits.”

“I’m looking forward to facing a cold winter, some lonely nights in the middle of nowhere, some scary nights against the howling of wolves, some heavy rains, and cold wind. I’ll also definitely face my broken spirit at some point, but I’ll hopefully overcome my personal challenges as well as those of nature.”

“What I’m really looking forward to is the kindness of the Egyptian people, their incredible hospitality, I’m so looking forward to making friends from all over Egypt, friends who will hopefully host me in their homes, and share their happiness with me. There is nothing better than a desert road when you’re faced with hardship; it’s the art of seeing things differently.”

Ahmed Gabr

By Jennifer Walton

Ahmed Gabr has become an internationally recognized name after achieving the Guinness World Record for the deepest SCUBA dive. Back on his home turf, Egyptian Ahmed Gabr was met with challenges along the path towards reaching what he set out to accomplish.

Preparation for the Record Breaking Dive

Gabr maintains that preparation for the dive happened over the course of four years. Working as an officer in the Egyptian army, Gabr was required to balance his professional obligations with his diving pursuits. Gabr began avid preparation for his recent record dive approximately one year before he completed the dive this past September.

While cardiovascular training was absolutely essential in order to reduce muscle pain, physical preparation was only one of two aspects of Gabr’s training. As with many of the maost impressive human feats, Gabr knew that mental strength and determination would be his greatest wagers for success. Gabr’s mental mediums were visualization and anticipation in an attempt to expect the unexpected.

Divers boast of the beauty of the Egyptian seas and come from all over the world to dive here. Egypt stands as one of the world’s top diving destinations. For his dive, Gabr chose the coastal waters of Dahab for logistical and technical reasons. It provided the depth he needed, proximity to the shore and offered the best tidal currents, maximizing his chance of success. South African Nuno Gomes held the previous record of 318.25m in 2005 also off the coast of Dahab.

The Dive and its Risks

Gabr reached an astonishing depth of 332.35m in the Red Sea, off the coast of Dahab and was immersed in the water for 13 hours and 50 minutes. While Gabr spent approximately 12 minutes to reach the record depth, the duration of time was occupied by a slow ascension in order to ensure his safety.

As a result of the dive, Gabr had to prepare for five main possible pathologies:

1. High Pressure Nervous Syndrome (HPNS)

This physiological and neurological disorder may result when a diver is using a breathing gas containing Helium and descends below 180m.

2. Decompression Sickness

A diver may experience pain in the muscles and joints, cramps, numbness, nausea, and paralysis when rapid decompression occurs. A hasty ascension from a dive causes nitrogen bubbles to form in the tissues of the body. Divers refer to it as the bends.

3. Isobaric Counterdiffusion

When the interaction of different gases move about in contrasting directions in the body without changes in the environmental pressure, gas will diffuse in enclaves of the body’s tissues causing malfunction.

4. Oxygen Toxicity

Divers rely on supplemental oxygen. Increased levels of oxygen in bodily tissues is called Hyperoxia, which could result in respiratory failure.

5. Hypothermia

This is the risk of having a severely low body temperature which prevents the normal functioning of the metabolism and body.

Gabr’s drysuit prevented the possibility of hypothermia. At 290m Gabr incurred High Pressure Nervous Syndrome. Gabr had to remain stationary and fix this problem before continuing. (  Text to be added here  )

Personal Challenges

As Gabr embarked on his mental and spiritual journey, he was met with a great deal of adversity from those around him. Gabr states that it was necessary to explore relationships with many different local dive centers before he was able to find a team that understood and appreciated his mission; one that he was able to trust and work with. Gabr also felt censured by the greater Egyptian community about his goal to accomplish the deepest SCUBA dive. He was criticized for risking his life and ridiculed for engaging in suicidal behavior. His grandiose mission was often reduced to attention-seeking behavior, rather than an ambitious, worthwhile undertaking.

Personal Perseverance

Gabr focused on his personal agenda and successfully ignored all distractions. He affirms that ego can ruin your life. He attributes his motivation to the quest for answers and humility. Gabr has been working as a dive instructor for 17 years and taking the plunge himself for 20 years; more than half his life. Gabr finds peace and purity in the depths of the water. He is intrigued by how far and deep the human body can go and maintains his own personal reasons for his underwater pursuits.

Celebrating Traditional Crafts

Pottery, Woodwork and Handicrafts at Fayoum’s Annual Festival

By Hilary Diack

The Tunis village festival for pottery and handicrafts will take place for the 4th year running in this small Fayoum Oasis village by Lake Qarun, from the 27th to the 30th of November, 2014. The festival has become a major draw for visitors from Egypt and abroad who appreciate the efforts made to keep traditional crafts alive. Work of local potters and ceramic artists of all ages will be showcased in the picturesque surrounding of Tunis, a small village nestled alongside the peaceful lake. In conjunction with the pottery displays, several cultural activities and workshops will also add to the festivities.

Recreational activities like horse riding, bird watching and desert safaris will also be available. There will be a musical evening with some alternative Egyptian and foreign music as well as a puppet show on the opening night. Additional recreational activities will include horse riding on the shores of Lake Qarun, bird watching accompanied by guides specialized in environmental counselling and desert safaris .

By Hilary Diack

Fancy dipping your toes in the water, but not up to facing a long drive and queues of traffic? Cairo East Magazine has good news to share with you. Water-skiing, windsurfing, rowing and sailing aficionados can enjoy all the fun of their favorite water sports right in the heart of Cairo. Beginners are more than welcome; there are regular classes available with qualified instructors. Age is no obstacle, some activities start with children as young as six, but anyone participating in classes must be a competent swimmer. Sail Away started windsurfing courses in the summer of 2014 and is the brainchild of founders Mostafa Kamar and Islam Abdel Raheem.

Windsurfing: Sail Away operates from the Egyptian Rowing Club (ERC) next to Galaa Square in Dokki.

Available: Windsurfing courses, windsurfing rental, windsurfing camps, and windsurfing equipment.

Hours: Fridays – all day, rest of the week 4 PM to 6 PM.

Safety and instructors: Life jackets and rescue boat are available; trainee is accompanied by the instructor sailing together for safety and for step-by-step instructions.

Sailing and Water-ski: The Egyptian Sailing and Water-Ski Federation is officially recognised by The International Sailing Federation as the governing authority for sailing in Egypt. It is located at 82 Abdel Azz Al- Sud St. in Manial.

Available: Sailing courses for both children and adults, starting from 6 years of age. Starting from January of 2015 Water-ski and Wake –board courses will also be available.

Safety and instructors: Professional trainer and Zodiac boat escort for safety during the lesson.

Maadi Club.:

Offers a sailing school for children with Captain Mohamed Gamal.

Rowing: The Egyptian Rowing Club was established in 1935, which means that several generations of Cairenes have been able to enjoy the sport. It is located at 115 El Nile Street, Giza.

Hours:  6:00am – 11:00pm