As director of a leading real estate development company based in Johannesburg, Laurence Grigorov is involved in all aspects of the development process.
In order to relax and unwind, Laurence Grigorov enjoys watching football and is a keen supporter of FC Barcelona in Spain. The recent news of the potential sale of the London-based Arsenal Football Club has caught Laurence Grigorov’s attention.
Barcelona head coach Xavi Hernandez is stepping down at the end of the season, he has announced.
It was the first time in 63 years that the club conceded five goals on home soil and Xavi’s side have already conceded as many goals in 32 games this season as they did over the course of the entire previous campaign.
In recent weeks, Barcelona also suffered punishing defeats against Real Madrid (4-1) in the Super Cup final in Saudi Arabia and against Athletic Club (4-2) in the Copa del Rey. The club find themselves ten points off league leaders Real Madrid in LaLiga.
Xavi quits
In the wake of the 5-3 defeat to Villarreal, Barcelona head coach Xavi, who had been under pressure for weeks amid a string of poor results, faced the media and announced his decision to step down at the end of the current campaign.
“I want to announce that on June 30 I will no longer continue as the coach at Barça,” the 44-year-old said. “I think the situation needs to change course, and as a culer, I cannot allow the current situation.”
His decision comes just a little over a month after he vehemently denied that he was considering quitting. Just last week, a defiant Xavi said: “The day they [the players] are no longer with me, I will leave. We have to wipe the slate clean. We have always believed…But I understand the criticism. I know where I am.”
Laurence Grigorov is director of a residential property development company based in Johannesburg, South Africa. The company specialises in modern, luxury apartments, cluster units and bespoke homes.
Laurence Grigorov enjoys training at the gym and listening to music in his spare time as a way to relax and reduce the stress associated with a high-pressure work environment. Laurence Grigorov firmly believes that a healthy body and well-rested mind are crucial in order to maintain a high level of work focus.
A new study has revealed that a quarter of under-35-year-olds have early signs of hearing loss.
The new findings are from a study by the audiology hearing app Eargym, who analysed the hearing of over 1000 people for over four months.
Of those ages between 16 and 35 who completed what is called a “speech-in-noise” check, 24% were found to have hearing loss with 19% of the age group having possible signs of hearing loss.
The data adds that 47% of 16-35 year-olds have an older hearing age than their biological age, with an average difference of 13 years.
Half of those in the study said that their hearing is impacting their quality of life.
According to the World Health Organisation, 1.1 billion young people are at risk of permanent hearing loss due to unsafe listening practices when enjoying recreational sounds such as music.
Eargym was founded in 2020 by former NHS CEO Amanda Philpott and DJ Andy Shank as they were both diagnosed with hearing loss.
The Eargym app is used to create realistic hearing challenges and help improve the ability to hear in difficult situations.
Amanda Philpott tells Music Tech: “Hearing loss is an emerging crisis for young people. The majority of us will experience some form of hearing loss in our lifetimes, but it’s particularly concerning to see an unexpected number of young people worried about their hearing and showing signs of hearing difficulties.
“The good news is: that hearing loss is preventable, and we can take proactive steps to look after and improve our hearing at any age. Research shows that whilst the ear itself cannot be directly improved without hardware, the brain can learn and respond to specific auditory stimuli through regular training.”
She later adds, “The only way to understand what’s going on with our hearing is to test it regularly, so we notice when it changes. Safe listening practices, such as the use of ear defenders, gig-plugs and noise-cancelling headphones, can make the world of difference when it comes to protecting our hearing health long into our futures.”
Laurence Grigorov has over 16 years’ experience in residential property developments as director of a leading South African based firm. Laurence Grigorov specialises in high-end and luxury residential developments and homes.
Some people experience the same changes in energy level from sunrise to sunset. This is a natural expression of time known as the circadian clock. These can influence appetite, energy, and behavior. There are many factors that influence one’s clock and the rhythms within it. With proper timing, one can improve the circadian rhythm to make the most of their days.
Circadian Synchronization
In life, there are factors that are out of one’s control. These can change the frequencies of a rhythm. Alterations in the circadian rhythm by external factors can lead to physiological (metabolic) and psychological (cognitive/mental health) consequences. These external stressors can impact sleep and energy levels. The clock can independently function, but it is commonly synchronized with environmental factors, such as the sun. What else can change someone’s personal rhythm?
The circadian rhythm is the foundation of one’s sleep cycle. Sleep quality and quantity can influence clock gene expression and sleep duration. The proof is in the hormone leptin, a satiety hormone in the gut microbiome. It’s usually activated by quality nutrition choices, but it can cause a ripple effect on the circadian rhythm. Low leptin levels can decrease sleep quality and duration.
Disrupting the sleep/wake cycle by exposing the brain to light at the wrong time can cause misalignment with the circadian clock. Other external factors include sun exposure, light-emitting devices, and social jet lag. This applies to night-shift workers and nocturnal lifestyle followers. With an understanding of time management, how can it be fueled?
Feeding Window
Humanity has gone from a species of hunters and gatherers to a species of buyers and consumers. As such, people eat more throughout the day simply because it’s more convenient now to do so. The reward outweighs the work. Overconsumption of food disrupts the function of the gut microbiota, which in turn disrupts the circadian rhythm.
One way to reboot this rhythm is through intermittent fasting. This feeding style regulates hormones to improve energy metabolism. Irregular eating habits will change the gut microbiome (gut-brain axis). Eating outside of the natural feeding phase can disturb central clocks and the gut microbiome.
A feeding window earlier in the day is the most useful and natural for today’s lifestyles. This is when the metabolism is at its most efficient for digesting and utilizing the food, especially carbohydrates and protein. Eating these foods at the start of the day will increase body temperature. A carbohydrate source will warm up the gut. Proteins will help the body recover from the fast. The more time the gut is given to digest food, the more efficiently the vitamins can be metabolized.
Carbohydrates can improve the sleep cycle too. They assist in melatonin activation in the evening. As the day’s temperature cools down, so can the body. This can activate the parasympathetic nervous system after working all day burning off the consumed foods. This results in reduced heart rate and blood pressure. Intermittent fasting can ‘reset’ one’s clock. How can athletes combine exercise with a fasting routine?
Training Time
Our ancestors were highly active in their mornings, hunting and gathering for their first meal. It would be safe to assume that a morning workout would be probable. This does not apply to everybody.
Some people want to lose weight. In this case, combining an early feeding time with fasted exercise will create the best metabolic improvements. The transfer from glucose to lipids for energy will burn more fat. Some may even find improvements in their cognition and willpower.
As for practicing athletes, training in the afternoon and evening hours are a better fit. This is when the core body temperature is at its maximum. This is determined by the peripheral muscle clock. This clock manages the energy levels of the skeletal muscle cells throughout the day. This is supported by having enough fuel (or carbohydrates) to heat the body. Therefore, athletes can expect better performance later in the day with enough carbohydrate support.
After a day of eating and moving, the best way to recover is through sleep. This process allows the clock to start all over again for another day.
Tune Into Your Rhythm
Circadian clocks influence a myriad of aspects in daily life. From food intake, nutrient absorption, and gut function, it’s all on an internal timesheet. If it feels off, there are habits that can be changed to improve one’s circadian rhythm. An earlier bedtime, breakfast, or workout can make a giant difference in the way someone carries themselves for the rest of their day. On the other end, putting the phone away and deciding against the midnight snack can make for a better night’s rest. It’s all in the timing.
Despite having a coastline of beautiful beaches perfect for lazing, Kenya rarely allows visitors to sit still – the country simply has too many exciting things to do.
Laurence Grigorov, who is director of a South African based residential property development firm, enjoys travelling both in South Africa as well as globally but he has yet to travel extensively around Africa. Laurence Grigorov has been interested in travelling to Kenya to experience the different culture that country has to offer.
Stirring landscapes ranging from equatorial glaciers and jagged peaks to wildlife-laden plains and tropical reefs provide an epic natural playground for all who venture here, while the intoxicating mix of cultures surprises at every turn.
1. See the Big Five on safari
Not only were safaris born in Kenya, but so was the very word itself – it means “journey” in Swahili. Spotting the much-heralded Big Five (lion, leopard, buffalo, rhino and elephant) is a major aspiration of many visitors to Africa, and Kenya provides some of the continent’s most impressive natural settings for the search.
No natural reserve is more famous than the Masai Mara, where sightings of all these species are common. Lake Nakuru National Park, with its flamingo-lined lake and forest-clad escarpments, is another incredible place for Big Five safaris, as is Amboseli National Park, where Mt Kilimanjaro provides a staggering backdrop. Samburu Game Reserve in the remote north is prime safari territory and, as well as being a great place to spot a leopard, it also hosts its own “Samburu Big Five”: Beisa oryx, Grevy’s zebra, long-necked gerenuk, reticulated giraffe and Somali ostrich.
2. Head out on a hike
Mt Kenya’s trekking terrain is arguably the African continent’s most beautiful and rewarding. Its diverse valleys, equatorial glaciers and dramatic, towering summit are extraordinary, best seen over a challenging multi-day hike to Point Lenana (4985m), the mountain’s third-highest peak and the highest reachable without climbing equipment.
The more gentle slopes of Mt Elgon, technically in Uganda but on the border with Kenya and often visited from Kenya, are home to elephants, primates, antelopes and some 240 species of birds. It’s another great option for treks lasting several days, as are captivating walks with the Maasai through their homelands. Incredible day hikes are also possible throughout Kenya: climb up Mt Longonot to its crater rim, seek out remote waterfalls in the mountains of Aberdare National Park or take a leisurely stroll in the dense Kakamega Forest while listening to birdsong. If you’re craving greenery in Nairobi, Karura Forest is the capital’s oasis with around 30 miles of trails set around a waterfall, caves, rivers and wetland.
Kenya’s Indian Ocean coast is beautiful no matter how you look at it, but the most romantic way to experience the water is from the deck of a traditional dhow. These wooden sailing vessels have been used along this stretch of coastline for centuries, and they are still entrenched in Swahili culture today. Whether launching from the historical island of Lamu (home to Kenya’s oldest continually inhabited town), from the shores of Mombasa or the modern resort village of Diani Beach, these wind-powered voyages slip past stunning slivers of sand, remote coral islands and reefs teeming with fish.
4. Witness the Great Migration
It’s been called the greatest natural spectacle on the planet, and for good reason. Each year from July to October, as many as 1.5 million wildebeest and hundreds of thousands of zebras and gazelles make a dramatic crossing of the crocodile-infested Mara River to feed on the lush grasses of the Masai Mara. The flood of animals filling the open savanna includes herds of elephants and giraffes, and trailing this sea of prey are lions, leopards, cheetahs and hyenas. Needless to say, there is never a shortage of drama during the great migration.
Mountain biking is not just mountain biking in Kenya – here this two-wheeled pursuit offers a unique means of embracing both the country’s incredible landscapes and its iconic wildlife. Ride over the red earth paths in the volcanic confines of Hell’s Gate National Park, cycling past grazing buffaloes, giraffes, impalas and zebras, or take to the grasslands of the Masai Mara for a guided cycle safari like no other.
6. Dive or snorkel Kenya’s coast
With much of the coast sheltered by reefs, Kenya’s calm inshore waters – speckled with shoals of vibrantly colored fish – provide some of the easiest and most transfixing snorkeling in East Africa. Simply float above the seabed and take it all in or strap on a tank and take a deeper dip on the other side of the reef, where whale sharks, dolphins and swordfish play. Excellent sites include Watamu Marine National Park and Reserve, a haven for the green turtle; Galu Reef for sightings of seahorse, scorpion fish and ghostfish; and Nyuli’s steep coral reef wall.
Although it is dreams of Kenya’s wondrous wildlife that draws most people to this East African nation, many people’s lasting memories revolve around their interactions with Kenyans themselves. Meetings with the Maasai people, with their traditional red shukas and charismatic culture, add depth and warmth to any trip into the Mara region.
The same can be said for the striking Turkana people in Loiyangalani along the eastern shore of the Jade Sea (Lake Turkana). Visitors to the Marsabit-Lake Turkana Festival in early May will also meet many of the other enigmatic and colorful tribes from the Kenya’s remote north, such as the El Molo, Rendille, Samburu, Dassanach, Gabra, Borana, Konso, Sakuye, Garee, Waata, Burji and Somali.
The diversity of cultures in Kenya is truly astounding. As a former British colony, Kenya has a sizable South Asian population of Hindus, Muslims, Goans and Sikhs, and a smaller yet influential white European community as part of that legacy. While the Swahili people on the coast from Mombasa to Malindi differ in that they don’t share a common heritage, they are bound by a language and an African history that is tied to Arabia and Persia. There is no better place to immerse yourself in this world than in the labyrinth of crooked alleyways in Lamu town and Shela village on Lamu Island.
Want a burst of adrenaline with your taste of the Indian Ocean? The same winds that power the elegant dhows fuel two great water sports: windsurfing and kitesurfing. The latter has really caught on in Kenya, with many schools providing lessons for beginners as well as equipment rentals for experienced kitesurfers.
9. Float over Kenya in a hot-air balloon
Perhaps the most intoxicating safari experience in Kenya is to slowly climb – one exciting flame blast at a time – above the famous rolling savanna and flat-topped acacia trees of the Masai Mara in a hot-air balloon. Floating silently over streams of wildebeest on their Great Migration, lions stalking their prey or a lone black rhino moving through the bush is a perspective that nobody can ever forget. When the light is just right, it’s possible to marvel at the perfectly proportioned elephant-shaped shadows cast by the largest member of the Big Five. Few experiences in life are as peaceful as they are exciting, and a hot-air balloon safari in Kenya is certainly one of them.
10. Join a camel safari
Camel safaris are a wonderful way of mixing wildlife, culture, landscapes and adventure by getting into remote areas where few others (and often no vehicles) go. Most operate in the northern tribal areas of the Samburu and Turkana, which means visitors will also witness nomadic life and mingle with local people. Wildlife is not as prolific as in the southern parks, but on these trips it does not matter – the journey is the main attraction.
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