The Perils Of Over Indulgence

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atherosclerosis, bad cholesterol, Bakra Eid, chronic hypertension, digestive tablets, Dr Samia Babar, gastrointestinal disorders, gurdas, high cholesterol, kaleji, maghaz masala, mithai, sheer khorma, ulcers

For the past four years, almost like clock-work, Mr S enters my clinic immediately after Bakra Eid, looking miserable. His statement is always the same: “They made me eat too much again and I feel really sick!”

Although I know that freshly roasted kaleji, grilled gurdas and marinated maghaz masala are hard to resist, I tell my patients that the key to staying healthy is not to starve and deprive your body of essential nutrients, but to eat in moderation. As for Mr S, his health issues are compounded by the fact that he has a sweet tooth and believes that “passing up on sheer khorma and mithai is a sin.” No surprise then that every year I end up prescribing digestive tablets and a usually ignored lecture beginning with, “You really need to watch what you eat…”

Prepare For Bakra Eid

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beef, Eid-ul-Azha, electronic knife, garlic press, internal meat thermomete, lamb roast, Marylou Andrew, mutton legs, racks of lamb, roast beef platter, shami kababs, sil bata

It’s almost that time of the year when hunks of beef, racks of lamb and mutton legs will grace your dinner table once again. Although these meaty meals are the tradition at Eid-ul-Azha, they require a great deal of time to prepare – time that would be better spent enjoying the festivities with your friends and relatives. The good news is that there are plenty of gadgets and make-ahead tips to make life easier.

A new set of good quality knives, although pricey, would be an excellent investment. Not only will they last for years, they will make the experience of slicing and dicing much easier. And while you are at it, look into buying an electronic knife; your roast beef platter will look so much nicer with evenly sliced pieces of meat glistening with well-made gravy.

Beef Liver: A Bakra Eid Essential

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Alzheimer’s, Bakra Eid, Beef Liver, chronic fatigue, copper deficiency, dizziness, eye infections, healthy muscular growth, healthy nervous system, nerve degeneration, night blindness, ocular cancer, ophthalmologists, Saba Gul Hasan, schizophrenia, Vitamin B

The ancient Egyptians and Greeks believed that beef liver – a must-have for many people on the first day of Bakra Eid – had ‘magical’ healing properties. They were clearly on to something, because beef liver, in addition to being a treat for your taste buds, contains a host of nutrients that provide several health benefits.

Promotes growth and healing. Beef liver should be a grocery list essential if you have children between the ages of seven and 15; it is loaded with protein, essential for healthy muscular growth and for healing wounds. Furthermore, the presence of iron prevents anaemia, which can result in palpitations, chronic fatigue and dizziness.

Ensures a healthy nervous system. Vitamin B found in beef liver helps prevent neural disorders – such as Alzheimer’s and schizophrenia – caused by nerve degeneration, as well as delaying the onset of age-related cognitive decline.

Healthy Animals For Bakra Eid

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Bakra Eid, Congo virus, Haroon Rasheed, pneumonia, sacrificial animal, skin lesions

With Bakra Eid around the corner, people are on the lookout for the ideal sacrificial animal; one that conforms to their religious injunctions, fits in their budget and is also healthy.

Given the Congo virus outbreak that affected hundreds of animals, as well as people, last year, health experts advise caution to people who handle animals as well as to those who visit animal markets. As the virus spreads either through ticks in animal hide or exposure to an infected animal’s blood, applying insect repellent and wearing full-sleeved clothes and gloves is highly recommended.

However, the Congo virus is not the only red flag you should be watching out for.

Vehicle Rentals For Bakra Eid

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advance payment, Animal markets, Bakra Eid, Light-weight commercial pick-ups, Mid-size trucks, newspaper, online classifieds, rickshaws, sacrificial animal, transportation company, transporting sacrificial animals

For many people, the highlight of the days leading up to Bakra Eid is visiting animal markets to find just the right sacrificial animal. Larger animal markets, which provide greater variety – in terms of the breeds and better prices – are usually located on the outskirts of the cities. As a result, transporting sacrificial animals from the market to your home can be a time-consuming and costly process.

The types of vehicles usually used to transport animals include:

Rickshaws. This is a viable option if you have a single goat or sheep to transport. Although rickshaws may not be the safest option they are the most cost-effective one.
Rental range: Rs 500-1,500

Meat Recipes From Around The World

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Apricots, Arabian Nights, B Khan, Bakra Eid, basil, chilli hot, chinese, dried red chillies, Egypt, feta cheese, foreign cuisines, fresh green chillies, fresh herbs, fresh naan, fresh salads, garlic, garlicky humus, Greece, Greek roast lamb, Indonesian, lamb, local taste buds, meat feast, meat recipes, Mediterranean, Moroccan and Egyptian tajines, Morocco, olives, Pakistan, peaches, pita bread, Plums, rice, rosemary, shish-kebab beef, Spain, spicy gravy, spicy rice, stir fries, tantalising dishes, thyme roast potatoes, turkey, Turkish treats

If you are thinking about how to serve all the meat stashed in your freezers post Bakra Eid, here are some recipes – most, a fusion of foreign cuisines flavoured to local taste buds – that will help you cook up a storm.

The latest trend on the meat feast front heads in a Mediterranean direction, with once popular Indonesian and Chinese dishes lagging behind. The countries around the Mediterranean Sea, including Egypt, Greece, Morocco, Spain and Turkey, and all the places in between, have long been renowned for their aromatically tantalising dishes which, with the addition of some heat, in the form of dried red chillies during cooking or with a plate of fresh green chillies on hand, are now gaining popularity across Pakistan.

Lean On Lamb

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Alzheimer’s disease, anti-carcinogenic, Bakra Eid, barbeque, beef, blood pressure, cataracts, cholesterol, fat, haemoglobin production, insomnia, Iron, lamb, lamb kidneys, macular degeneration, meat, meat recipes, mutton, Niacin, nutrition, nutritionists, osteoarthritis, Saba Gul Hasan, Selenium, skin diseases, thyroid gland, triglycerides, vision, Vitamin A, Vitamin B, Vitamin B12

Bakra Eid is never quite complete without tantalising meat recipes for   get-togethers and barbeque nights. Among the dishes that are served, lamb is a firm favourite, with its succulent, flavourful meat.

Lamb is loaded with nutrition, and here is why it should be on your menu this Eid:

1. Lamb contains a significantly higher quantity of heme protein compared to mutton and beef. This protein adds muscle mass to your body and ensures low levels of triglycerides (‘bad’ fats). This makes lamb ideal for people who are watching their weight. Lamb is also a better source of regular protein compared to beef and mutton and contains significantly fewer calories.

Staying Healthy For Bakra Eid

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acaricides, Africa, anti-bacterial soap, anxiety, Bakra Eid, CCHF, Chakwal, Civil Hospital., communicable disease, Congo-Crimean Haemorrhagic Fever, depression, disinfectants, dizziness, Dow Medical College, Dr Tariq Sohail, elevated body temperatures, eye sores, hygiene, infected goats, Karachi, Lahore, livestock, Pakistan, photophobia, quarantine, sacrificial animal, severe body ache, sheep cows, the Balkans, the Middle East, tick bites, tick repellents, ticks, vaccination, virus, Zhob

Incidences of the Congo-Crimean Haemorrhagic Fever (CCHF), which is widespread in Africa, the Balkans and the Middle East, have been reported recently in Pakistan.

So far, 10 people have been infected in Karachi and Lahore this month. It is believed that this is because infected sacrificial animals from rural areas such as Chakwal and Zhob have been brought into Karachi and Lahore for Bakra Eid.

Buy A Bakra Online!

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age, bank transfers, bulls, butcher, Buy A Bakra Online, cash-on-delivery, classified ads, colour, cows, credit cards, debit cards, delivering animals, Eid-ul-Azha, gender, goats, livestock markets, online, payments, pictures, price, sacrificial animal, selling livestock, sheep, size, slaughtering services, Syed Wajeeh-ul-Hassan Naqvi, videos, weight

If you are still looking for a sacrificial animal for Eid-ul-Azha, consider purchasing one online. Doing so will save you time and ensure that you do not have to visit crowded livestock markets.

Livestock can be purchased online in two ways: websites that contain classified ads placed by individuals who are selling livestock, or websites which deal exclusively in livestock. The latter is a better option, as these websites are considered to be more reliable as the sacrificial animals available on it are managed by the company running the website.

Eid Shopping Spree

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designer boutiques, Dupatta Gali, Eid Shopping, fabric, fruit chaat, gold, gota-kinari, hand-woven shawls, jalebis, Jewellery, juices, khussays, kolhapuri, kundan jhumkas, Lahore, Liberty Market, matha pattis, MM Alam Road, Moneeza Burney, Pakistani bride, parandas, tikas

Vibrant wedding ensembles

Located in Lahore’s Liberty Market, Dupatta Gali – a small yet vibrant commercial pocket – is your one stop solution for wedding and Eid shopping.

Shopping galore… If you are on the lookout for unstitched and semi-stitched fabric at a bargain, a visit to Dupatta Gali is a must. Scores of shops offering stacks of fabric, hand-woven shawls with intricate needlework, not to mention thread, bead and diamante embroidered lace and gota kinari as well as eye-catching parandas line the narrow passageways of this lively market.