It is five years today — Thursday 25 September, 2008 — since the death of the Palestinian public intellectual and political activist Edward Said, “the most brilliantly eloquent emissary of Palestine to the outside world” in the words of an equally eloquent and brilliant fellow compatriot — Mahmoud Darwish.

The anniversary of Edward Said’s death will be commemorated next Sunday at Columbia University in New York, the city and university where Said lived and taught for the last 40 years of his 68-year-life. Conspicuously absent from the event will be Mahmoud Darwish, who had been invited by Columbia University to give the keynote address. Sadly, his sudden death last month — at about the same age at which Said died — prevents him from addressing next Sunday’s gathering in New York.

RResearch indicates that eating the right foods can not only improve your physical health, but also your mental health. Cutting down on food "stressors" and increasing the amount of "supporters" in your diet improves your mood and positive outlook.

• Stressors include: sugar, caffeine, alcohol and chocolate.
• Supporters include: water, vegetables, fruit and oil-rich fish.

Lebanon has been blessed with a great variety of organic fruits and vegetables. Eat plenty of them on a daily bases and reduce your intake of red meat to 200 grams per week. Don't forget to enjoy locally grown nuts such as almonds, walnuts and pine nuts. Also, use Koura Olive oil for salads and cooking, in moderation, of course!

Physical exercise should also be a part of your daily activities. If you take half an hour to eat every day, make sure to also exercise for at least the same amount of time. If you are 50 years of age or above, a brisk walk at heart rate of 136 for half an hour a day is sufficient.