From British entrepreneur and podcaster Steven Bartlett (of Diary of a CEO fame), to famed biohacker Dave Asprey and Rapid Transformational Therapy trainer Marisa Peer, the Future Human summit by Mindvalley in Dubai was teeming with wellness experts. Each offered invaluable – and customisable – tips and tricks on how to maximise your own journey of health, fitness and mental balance.
Here are six takeaways from the talks at Dubai Expo City.
Cut workouts to five minutes with AI
Longevity – or the pursuit of prolonging life and health span – is having a moment. At the summit, Asprey (often referred to as the father of biohacking) talked through his newer findings. These include doubling down on eating steak after years as a vegan, shunning raspberries and kale in favour of blueberries and romaine lettuce, and lessening the intake of oxalates among other tangible tips.
What's perhaps more digestible (especially for those overwhelmed by what to eat in 2025 according to science) is how AI can cut weekly cardio workouts down to just a few minutes a week, supposedly with the same efficiency.
“All of exercise in history has been running away from tigers,” Asprey told a captivated audience. Tracked on a chart, this would show a single spike of exertion, and a fall-to-the-ground to recover drop. Hinting at AI, the Upgrade Labs founder went on to explain that not enough exercise today pushes us in that way, and we're not looking at how quickly we recover as a marker of our overall fitness. Explaining his own workout regime, he revealed he does five minutes of cardio, three times a week.
Speaking to The National after his talk, Asprey expands his point. “We now have enough data on the human condition. We have heart rate and heart rate variability, resistance data for millions of people across the planet, and lab testing that is amazing. In combination with AI, we can now say: ‘Here's all my data, AI. Help me know what's going to work in the least amount of time.’
“The real investment you're making at the gym is time and effort. So if you can reduce the amount of time and effort, and actually get results, you save four to five hours a week exercising, which instead goes into parenting, meditating or your career.”
While Asprey teased expanding his clinic in the region, current longevity clinics such as Formation in Dubai Marina offer 15-minute cycling sessions.
Lie to yourself everyday for biggest mindset shift
After some audience participation and positive affirmations echoing in unison during her session, famed therapist Marisa Peer received a standing ovation. As such, it’s safe to say her message had an immediate impact.
“When they stand up, I know they got it. That's always nice,” Peer tells The National after her talk. By “it”, she means the power of positive self-talk when it comes to rewiring your mind.
“Everything is mindset. It's the little things that take the least time that have the most powerful effect, like saying 'I'm enough' every day.”
This comes after Peer told the crowd to “lie, cheat and steal!”, adding: “Lie to your mind, cheat fear and steal back your born state of enoughness.”
She also addressed the “emptiness” many seek to fill, from food to followers. These, she says, stem from unmet childhood needs, adding that if our childhood is the bow, it is up to us to be the arrow and keep moving forward.
It is little wonder that rather than fixate on childhood, Peer's main focus this year is working with children. “Any good therapist should want to put themselves out of business,” she says, explaining why she now does so much work teaching the power of a positive mindset to future generations.
Mind-body connection is easy to practise
Stand up. Put your hands in front of you, fists clenched. Now, flex the thumb of your left hand. Point with the index finger of your right hand. Now switch – right thumb up and left index pointed. And switch again. Now switch with your eyes closed.
If you struggled, you'd be in good company, as was evident in Allaoua Gaham’s session, where the yoga teacher and wellness consultant led the auditorium through a 10-minute workshop on tuning into the mind-body connection, with attendees stretching in their seats.
Gaham also discussed where emotions are stored in the body, pushing through discomfort to benefit from a stretch, and how mind-body connection can keep you in tune with your intuition.
While an express desk stretch isn't always doable, the quick finger-thumb trick to wake up your mind-body connection is one to keep in your back pocket.
Utilise ChatGPT for personalised diet and fitness plans
If Asprey is about biohacks, Mindvalley founder and chief executive Vishen Lakhiani is all about time-saving life hacks.
For Lakhiani, a meditation retreat is a waste of time. We now have the knowledge, teachings and technology to achieve similar results in 15 minutes, he says.
Complex workouts are also not as efficient as structural specialist Lorenzo Delano's 6 x Alpa workout routine.
Stem cell therapy (which he has undertaken) could be the greatest life hack of all, with new research in Japanese labs moving towards curing chronic pain and conditions.
The biggest takeaway for most people in the room? How they can use ChatGPT to personalise diet and fitness instructions. By putting in your morning meal along with you metric and dietary goal, the AI technology can tell you exactly what to eat for the rest of the day, for instance.
This example was just the beginning, as Lakhiani demonstrated how he constructs his entire meal and workout plan using the technology.
It's worth remembering, however, to speak to a medical professional before drastically altering your diet or fitness routine.
Try a fast for a doom-scrolling reset
“When you go through a fast, you realise that the mind works in a different way. Even though you're not eating or drinking water, there is a bit of more clarity,” noted health coach Ronan Diego de Oliveira.
Delivering a talk titled How to Fast for Physical and Mental Transformation, Oliveira discussed many of the now-popular intermittent fasting methods and the benefits they can have on our physiology.
Oliveira, who first discovered the benefits of a practice during fasting for Ramadan, also stressed its mental benefits.
“I have lost joy in activities I used to love. I feel bored more often lately. I wanted to do creative things with my free time, but I often get started scrolling on social media or watching TV instead,” he said, reeling off the common complaints listed during his session. “All of those are signals of low dopamine receptors.
“One thing that happens when you go through a 36-hour fast, 12-hour pause, 36-hour fast, is that your brain resets,” he says, referring to a type of fast practised by some Tibetan monks when they seek clarity.
“All of a sudden, not only is your body changing, but impulsive behaviour also starts to decrease. Now you have the motivation. The brain is changing.”
Saying yes-yes to the power of forgiveness
Life coach, author and motivational speaker Lisa Nichols knows how to get the crowd going. She opened her 45-minute slot telling the crowd to chant “yes, yes” whenever they resonated with a story she told or point she made. And they obliged.
Nichols’ talk on Future Human was how to step into our future selves. For her, the answer is forgiveness.
“I'm not assuming it's easy,” she said. “I'm just reminding us that it's our birthright. When I look at forgiveness, it's not pardoning someone's behaviours, not excusing something that's happened to you, but forgiveness if about making sure … my soul has everything it needs to step into greatness.”
She went on to recall her own story of a childhood experience on racism in the playground that stayed with her for 18 years before she learnt the power of forgiveness, especially self-forgiveness.
When it comes to stepping into the future you, then, for Nichol that means forgiving your past and getting back up again when life knocks you down. “You got to be willing to give yourself a thousand second chances.”
Classification of skills
A worker is categorised as skilled by the MOHRE based on nine levels given in the International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO) issued by the International Labour Organisation.
A skilled worker would be someone at a professional level (levels 1 – 5) which includes managers, professionals, technicians and associate professionals, clerical support workers, and service and sales workers.
The worker must also have an attested educational certificate higher than secondary or an equivalent certification, and earn a monthly salary of at least Dh4,000.
WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
Other acts on the Jazz Garden bill
Sharrie Williams
The American singer is hugely respected in blues circles due to her passionate vocals and songwriting. Born and raised in Michigan, Williams began recording and touring as a teenage gospel singer. Her career took off with the blues band The Wiseguys. Such was the acclaim of their live shows that they toured throughout Europe and in Africa. As a solo artist, Williams has also collaborated with the likes of the late Dizzy Gillespie, Van Morrison and Mavis Staples.
Lin Rountree
An accomplished smooth jazz artist who blends his chilled approach with R‘n’B. Trained at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington, DC, Rountree formed his own band in 2004. He has also recorded with the likes of Kem, Dwele and Conya Doss. He comes to Dubai on the back of his new single Pass The Groove, from his forthcoming 2018 album Stronger Still, which may follow his five previous solo albums in cracking the top 10 of the US jazz charts.
Anita Williams
Dubai-based singer Anita Williams will open the night with a set of covers and swing, jazz and blues standards that made her an in-demand singer across the emirate. The Irish singer has been performing in Dubai since 2008 at venues such as MusicHall and Voda Bar. Her Jazz Garden appearance is career highlight as she will use the event to perform the original song Big Blue Eyes, the single from her debut solo album, due for release soon.
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl
Power: 153hp at 6,000rpm
Torque: 200Nm at 4,000rpm
Transmission: 6-speed auto
Price: Dh99,000
On sale: now
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, second leg result:
Ajax 2-3 Tottenham
Tottenham advance on away goals rule after tie ends 3-3 on aggregate
Final: June 1, Madrid
WRESTLING HIGHLIGHTS
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
How to play the stock market recovery in 2021?
If you are looking to build your long-term wealth in 2021 and beyond, the stock market is still the best place to do it as equities powered on despite the pandemic.
Investing in individual stocks is not for everyone and most private investors should stick to mutual funds and ETFs, but there are some thrilling opportunities for those who understand the risks.
Peter Garnry, head of equity strategy at Saxo Bank, says the 20 best-performing US and European stocks have delivered an average return year-to-date of 148 per cent, measured in local currency terms.
Online marketplace Etsy was the best performer with a return of 330.6 per cent, followed by communications software company Sinch (315.4 per cent), online supermarket HelloFresh (232.8 per cent) and fuel cells specialist NEL (191.7 per cent).
Mr Garnry says digital companies benefited from the lockdown, while green energy firms flew as efforts to combat climate change were ramped up, helped in part by the European Union’s green deal.
Electric car company Tesla would be on the list if it had been part of the S&P 500 Index, but it only joined on December 21. “Tesla has become one of the most valuable companies in the world this year as demand for electric vehicles has grown dramatically,” Mr Garnry says.
By contrast, the 20 worst-performing European stocks fell 54 per cent on average, with European banks hit by the economic fallout from the pandemic, while cruise liners and airline stocks suffered due to travel restrictions.
As demand for energy fell, the oil and gas industry had a tough year, too.
Mr Garnry says the biggest story this year was the “absolute crunch” in so-called value stocks, companies that trade at low valuations compared to their earnings and growth potential.
He says they are “heavily tilted towards financials, miners, energy, utilities and industrials, which have all been hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic”. “The last year saw these cheap stocks become cheaper and expensive stocks have become more expensive.”
This has triggered excited talk about the “great value rotation” but Mr Garnry remains sceptical. “We need to see a breakout of interest rates combined with higher inflation before we join the crowd.”
Always remember that past performance is not a guarantee of future returns. Last year’s winners often turn out to be this year’s losers, and vice-versa.
Women%E2%80%99s%20Asia%20Cup
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Ultra processed foods
- Carbonated drinks, sweet or savoury packaged snacks, confectionery, mass-produced packaged breads and buns
- margarines and spreads; cookies, biscuits, pastries, cakes, and cake mixes, breakfast cereals, cereal and energy bars;
- energy drinks, milk drinks, fruit yoghurts and fruit drinks, cocoa drinks, meat and chicken extracts and instant sauces
- infant formulas and follow-on milks, health and slimming products such as powdered or fortified meal and dish substitutes,
- many ready-to-heat products including pre-prepared pies and pasta and pizza dishes, poultry and fish nuggets and sticks, sausages, burgers, hot dogs, and other reconstituted meat products, powdered and packaged instant soups, noodles and desserts.
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Draw:
Group A: Egypt, DR Congo, Uganda, Zimbabwe
Group B: Nigeria, Guinea, Madagascar, Burundi
Group C: Senegal, Algeria, Kenya, Tanzania
Group D: Morocco, Ivory Coast, South Africa, Namibia
Group E: Tunisia, Mali, Mauritania, Angola
Group F: Cameroon, Ghana, Benin, Guinea-Bissau
Company%20Profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENamara%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EJune%202022%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EMohammed%20Alnamara%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDubai%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EMicrofinance%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECurrent%20number%20of%20staff%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E16%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESeries%20A%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFamily%20offices%0D%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Rock in a Hard Place: Music and Mayhem in the Middle East
Orlando Crowcroft
Zed Books
Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi
Director: Kangana Ranaut, Krish Jagarlamudi
Producer: Zee Studios, Kamal Jain
Cast: Kangana Ranaut, Ankita Lokhande, Danny Denzongpa, Atul Kulkarni
Rating: 2.5/5
