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www.desitalk.com – that’s all you need to know 5 CITY VIEWS August 8, 2025 Oncologist Gives Tips On Cancer-Free Healthy Living At Melville Swaminarayan Temple Meeting B i-weekly fasting for the whole day helps reduce cancer incidence, said Dr. Vipul Patel, Oncologist at SUNY Downstate Medical Center, and External Affairs and Media Re- lations Administrator at Flushing Swami- narayan Temple. Patel was speaking to a gathering of close to 500 people on Saturday, August 2, 2025, at the ‘Obesity and Cardio Metabolic Health’ talk organized by BAPS at the Swaminarayan Temple in Melville, Long Island. These educational health aware- ness lectures are organized quarterly by BAPS and consist of lectures by medical professionals and visual slide-presenta- tions prepared by the BAPS team based on National Institute of Health recommenda- tions. “The subject of my lecture is appropri- ate because we South Asians have a lot of cardiac and metabolic health issues in- cluding diabetes and cholesterol,” said Pa- tel to Desi Talk. He also said South Asians have a habit of snacking on unhealthy and fried foods rather than fruits and nuts, and it is necessary for them to change their dilatory habits to avoid lifelong diseases like diabetes, heart disease and cancer. Referring to Noble Prize winning Japanese cell biologist Yoshinori Ohsumi’s innovative research on fasting and cell renewal, Patel spoke of how he recom- mended fasting for short periods to re- cycle and renew cells. Following Ohsumi, Patel reminded the audience of the Hindu tradition of fasting for ‘Ekadashi’ and sug- gested fasting if medically possible. Daily healthy foods Patel recommend- ed were broccoli, kale and spinach, black beans, kidney beans, lentils, chickpeas, garbanzo beans, whole wheat, brown rice, quinoa, foxtail millet (kodri), barnyard millet (moraiyo), sorghum (jowar), pearl millet (bajra) and amaranth (rajgira). “Five fresh fruits a day will give most of the vitamins and will be absorbed more easily in the intestines,” he said. Patel also recommended salt free nuts including cashews and walnuts and dried fruit including dates and figs. The Gujarati snack of ‘khari shing and chana’ is also healthy, he said. Urging the audience to avoid high sodium and high sugared foods, table salt, soy sauce, ketchup, mustard, olives, pick- les and white sugar, Patel recommended using organic and brown sugars, honey, maple syrup, blue agave, date sugar, raw sugar and jaggery. Patel warned against reusing oil used for frying and suggested replacing oils for healthy oils including olive, avocado and grapeseed oils, and, if these were not available, using Canola or Mazola oil. Developing a habit of reading ingre- dient and nutrient labels of items in a grocery store for added sodium and added sugars and avoiding potato chips, French fries, fried and salted snacks, canned beans, processed foods, cookies and pick- les was important for good health, he said. Ginger, turmeric, cinnamon, berries, citrus fruits and salads are cancer fighting immunity boosting foods, he said, cau- tioning against using plastic bottles. He stressed regular activity and exercise as of the utmost importance. Walking 30 minutes a day or 10 minutes 3 times a day is beneficial for maintaining good health, he said, adding minor weights would add to those benefits. He also emphasized the role of regular Yoga and other stretching exercises, breathing and meditation in reducing stress. At the end, Patel suggested setting up a regular daily routine would reduce illnesses. Following up with the primary care doctor, dentist, ophthalmologist, and having cancer screening tests including mammogram and PSA should become part of healthy living, he said. Having medication pill box with one, maintaining a diabetes and hypertension records diary, and ensuring quality sleep were important for health, he said. By Archana Adalja PHOTO:TempleWebsite PHOTO:Provided byVipul Patel BAPS Swaminarayan Temple at Melville in Long Island, New York. Dr. Vipul Patel, Oncologist at SUNY Downstate Medical Center, NY, speaking about healthy living at Long Island, NY, Swaminarayan Temple. Indian Jeweller Titan Eyes Shifting Some Manufacturing To Gulf As US Trade Tensions Escalate I ndia’s biggest jeweller and watchmaker Titan is exploring shifting some manufacturing to the Middle East Gulf to maintain low-tariff access to U.S. markets amid trade tensions betweenWashington and New Delhi, Managing Director C.K. Venkataraman said on Tuesday. Titan, part of the Tata Group conglomerate, an- nounced this month plans to acquire a majority stake in Dubai-based luxury retailer Damas, which operates 146 stores across the Gulf. In light of the deal, valued at $283 million, Venkataraman told Reuters the region is being considered “as a manufacturing base to export to the U.S.” His comments reflect how global companies may seek new routes to navigate trade barriers, as the U.S. levies or threatens tariffs on international trade partners. Last month, U.S. President Donald Trump slapped a surprise 25% tariff on imports from India and threatened further hikes this week over India’s purchases of Russian oil. In contrast, the United Arab Emirates faces a 10% tariff under Trump’s baseline rate. Titan’s Tanishq brand has several U.S. stores and is planning a major expansion, while its diamond-focused label CaratLane launched in the U.S. in October, the company said. Titan began talks to buy Damas in 2024, before U.S. trade policy shifts came into focus. Shifting some manu- facturing to a Gulf Cooperation Council country would be a way to mitigate recent rises in U.S. tariffs, Venkatara- man said in a video call with Reuters. The U.S. is a less feasible manufacturing base due to cost and skills constraints, especially for artisan-made jewellery, he said. “If the tariffs remain like what they are currently threatened to be, then any arbitrage on a tariff … any significant arbitrage would be meaningful for us to con- sider,” Venkataraman said. - Reuters By Luke Tyson Jewelry with a visible price tag is displayed in a Damas store in Dubai’s Gold Souq, Dubai, United Arab Emirates, April 17, 2025. PHOTO:REUTERS/Amr Alfiky/File Photo