Holly McNish Breast feeding

Natural v Sexual

                                                              Holly McNish

October is national breast cancer awareness month and I want to blog about the nature of the breast function as opposed to it being only an object of sexual gratification. On national poetry day poet Holly McNish waxed lyrical on the topic of breastfeeding on a spoken word piece entitled Embarrassed. Her poem was written from her experience of wanting to breast feed her baby daughter in an open space but had to resort to the ladies toilets, so not to annoy the public. She rants about the way “tits” are displayed in billboards all over the country, yet when she needs to fulfill her natural responsibility society shuns it, therefore encouraging more formula milk.

Miss Representation

Age Discrimination

Earlier on in the month I attended a screening hosted by UN Women,  KPMG Network of Women (KNOW) and the International Women’s Forum (IWF) from the award winning Jennifer Siebel Newsom’s film Miss Representation which highlighted the dire issues of inequality of women in USA. Key points that were alarming were girls and women with eating disorders, the limited amount of women that are protagonists in films, and few women directors or writers. What stood out for me were the remarks on women and ageing, exemplifying that woman at a certain age are marginalized and fade into the background, because of age discrimination.

United we stand

One world and one race is the binding factor to tie us together in one love, sharing and supporting each other in this life. Opposing views and values are divisive yet inevitable and healthy for democracy and freedom, however when we are working towards the same or similar goals there is a powerful force and greater impact when all participants pull together and work cohesively.

Mind Body Spirt

Mind over matter

A holy trinity, sounds religious but my definition is less complicated than the jargon of any religious doctrine, three in one: the mind, body and spirit in your being is a total feeling of wholeness and well-being; a peaceful mind creates a relaxed and healthy body with that in place it is easier to feel a fulfilled spirit. It is as simple as that, no anxiety and worries the lesser the chance of tensions in the neck and so forth. For me healing the mind and soul and relaxing and recharging the body is having ultimate health. It is the perfect start and route to completion to healthy living. I advocate for engaging in physical fitness of vigorous activities three to four times a week, and I know from experience of the benefits of brisk walking and outdoor jogging, the effects of these exercises gives me clarity. However I also believe I must give my mind an exercise programme too.

Exercise Is Key

You must do your...

Along with cancer awareness week 13-19^th May also was dedicated to mental health awareness focusing on the benefits of exercise for mental health. I started the week of with a little gentle exercise. With lack of sleep the night before I was extremely exhausted yet the Yoga exercise I did last Saturday was rejuvenating, I spent most of the session sitting down and stretching with a few standing positions. Normally I have not been keen on yoga but I tried some sessions at the first Health and Beauty Expo at Earls Court Olympia, and for me it was amazing as I walked away recharged as if ready to start a new day.

Fruity Friday

Five a day

If you are on five a day Fruity Friday may be insignificant and not seen as a challenge. Having fruit on a daily basis was something I grew up with, although when I left home fruit and vegetables where not the first thing on my shopping list, more like five packs of biscuits and cakes for my sweet tooth cravings. There are substitutes of natural sugars for my addiction to the sugar cane, black grapes and mangoes are such fruit. With the variety of fruit and vegetable juices it is now so much easier if you have trouble counting and consuming your five a day, than in a typical balanced meal.

Time For Therapy

Sanctuary Spa Covent Garden

Pampering

As fun loving and friendly as I can be on a good day, on reflections of self observation I note that a lesser amount of my days I can fall into low spirit for any given reason. By nature I love to be upbeat, smile and feel energetic in life, also by nature of cold climates I am affected by a condition similar to seasonal affected disorder. It is not possible to be happy all the time, and considering circumstances I don’t expect to be. However I believe there is a need to feel in a relaxed state of mind, no matter the external factors present. It can be work related stress or family and personal issues that toss my life around and put me off balance, and we all go through life in similar ways, hitting walls, taking falls and standing up again. Solutions for me are stepping out of the issues and emptying my mind.