Just when we thought the world could not get any crazier, 2022 feels like the year where uncertainty is our daily narrative. The world feels heavy with one crisis after another, and if you’re on social media, it’s impossible to escape its impact. The sort of impact I am talking about is emotional impact. Studies show that if you read, listen, or watch three minutes of negative news first thing in the morning, you have a 27% chance of feeling like you have had a bad day by that same evening. It’s not new for us to hear people having a social media detox, but what about a news detox.

We want to be informed global citizens, but often information can leave us feeling overwhelmed and powerless. We think there is little impact we can have on the outcome of what’s happening. The reality is that it’s not just our moods being affected, but it’s having a longer-term impact on our mental health.

I don’t know about you, but sometimes it feels like we have to unlearn something every day just to keep ourselves sane. It’s exhausting. So, I am not going to go on about the why’s and why not’s of our media inputs but rather give some simple suggestions for changes that we can make to satisfy our interest in what’s going on in the world around us whilst protecting, and nourishing our minds. I do have one piece of advice – switch off all news notifications and stop reading the news headlines in the morning when you wake up. A weekly roundup of news is sufficient to keep abreast of all that’s happening. The weekend newspapers are usually pretty good for this. Listening to a podcast that does a weekly summary of the news or a radio programme covering the same are ways to get the depth of information you need.

If you feel like you need some sort of input to kickstart your day, there are some uplifting and inspirational podcasts you can listen to. I have to say I am a fan of Oprah Winfrey’s Super Soul Sunday and am a regular listener. Ted Talks Daily is very cool for insights and solutions to the challenges of the world we live in. Stuff You Should Know touches on the things we often question but know little about. Brene Brown and Michelle Obama are two women whose podcasts can touch on subjects so close to the heart, yet somehow, they are always comforting. I like The Blinkist for its short informative interviews from various podcasts. For a more contemplative start to the day, Insight Timer has brilliant meditations. Black Girl Om is an excellent source for a bit of self-care. Finally, if it’s motivation you need, DNA of a Maker shares interviews with women making an impact on the world and what drives them to reach their goals.

Navigating the world is a daily challenge, and it’s hard to see that something like the news could impact our wellbeing. We are flooded with so much information daily that it’s impossible to know what’s doing harm and what’s holding us in the balance. Nevertheless, it’s always good to take a step back, reflect and reconnect with a fresh perspective, and I hope some of the above can help you do just that.

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One thing the coronavirus pandemic has taught us is the benefits of washing our hands regularly. It really does play a very important role in preventing the transmission of viruses. SO, it’s a habit that will serve us well beyond COVID-19. From stomach bugs to the common cold or flu, washing our hands can go a long way in helping to prevent us from being infected. The challenge with so much hand washing is that the skin on our hands can become super dry and cracked. It can actually be quite painful, and cracks are a perfect place for bacteria to proliferate. There are some simple tips and tricks to keep your hands supple no matter how much you wash them.

1. Keep the water temperature down. No need to wash your hands in hot water. Rather warm water is the perfect temperature, and it is less drying. Keep washing your hands for the recommended 20 seconds but with a reduced temperature you save your skin from some extra stress.
2. Use moisturizing soap. Not all soaps are moisturizing and can often dry out your skin. They can leave your skin feeling tight. Oil based and milk-based soaps are good solutions. 
3. Pat your hands rather than rubbing them dry. This leaves a little bit of moisture on the skin and doesn’t remove the natural oils. You can also just air dry them.
4. Have hand moisturizer at the ready. As soon as you have patted your hands dry massage some hand moisturizer into your hands. As your skin will be a little damp or even a bit wet, it allows for the cream or ointment to hold the moisture better. Moisturising your fingers and nails is also important. It helps to prevent cracked nails. If your hands are really cracked Vaseline is often a good go to although it is petroleum based. For those wanting a natural and effective alternative pawpaw ointment works brilliantly.
5. Use gloves! Putting gloves on for an hour or two after you have soaked your hands and moisturized them will leave them silky soft. Same goes for your feet. If you really moisturize them before bed and wear socks… they will feel so soft in the morning. It’s like giving your hands and feet a spa treatment. 

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I started my first business when I was 11. Like most kids, I just wanted to earn some money and so one day made some business cards offering to clean people’s cars in the neighbourhood. I branched out into other things. We lived near the sea, and so I would collect shells and, in my spare time, make cards and hair clips which I could sell. I was fortunate to have an great network to tap into of neighbours and my parents’ friends. I was the youngest of five girls, so I would drag their unsuspecting friends into buying whatever I had on offer. You may think that doesn’t count, but regardless of how informal and small it was, I had to follow the basic business principles.

Since then, I have continued to run my own businesses. Whether they have been entirely for-profit or social enterprises, they all require the same five things. The majority of small businesses fail, and I think some qualities we can adopt genuinely serve to build a healthier and more resilient company. I call them the 5 “C’s”; commitment, consistency, collaboration, communication, and challenge. 

When one comes up with an idea for a business, it is such a thrilling and exciting moment – anything seems possible. The reality is a little different, and that’s not a bad thing. Suddenly our idea is put to the test, and there can be a lot at stake, and embracing these qualities can make all the difference.

Commitment: Setting up a business is going to test your commitment. Commitment is as much about being solution driven as it is about sticking things out when the going gets tough. It is being committed to your idea or goal to the point where you find solutions to the inevitable challenges that arise because you are determined to realise your vision. When you dedicate time and energy to something, it attracts more opportunities and new ideas. When you feel tired and unmotivated, commitment is what pushes you to find ways to reignite the passion and energy that once came so easily. It is another way of building trust internally and with your customer base.

Consistency is a discipline that builds a solid foundation for you to work from. It will also build trust between you and your customers. Being aligned to your core values and being consistent in upholding them will give you strength and support in challenging times. It will also enable you to keep things in check. Owning a business often means you will have to be a jack of all trades and oversee all areas, even when it is not your area of expertise. That’s a bonus as you will have much greater oversight of how your business is doing and broaden your skills set. 

Communication: As with all relationships, communication is vital, and there is no difference when running your own business. Perhaps the most critical part of communication is to listen. It allows you the opportunity to reflect, consider, and question your ideas. Building honest communication with staff and customers alike is what embeds trust and loyalty. Trust me; loyal customers are essential to the growth of your business. Happy staff members are the face of your brand. When there are trust and honest communication, it creates a safe and vibrant working space. 

Collaboration: As much as the idea for your business may be yours, it will take collaboration with other parties to bring it to life. Who you choose to collaborate with is crucial and can be one of the driving forces for your success and failure! What is important is that you offer one another a win-win situation. If one person feels they are giving more than what they are receiving, inevitably, this will lead to division. Collaboration is about knowledge sharing, growing together, making connections, and creating a strong network around you.  

Challenge: Try not to be afraid of challenges. They provide some of the best learning opportunities and test your resourcefulness to seek solutions and your resilience to push through. If the same challenge seems to rear its head, this is a message to say you need to look at the problem differently. Often, we use the same strategies over and over again only to find the same poor outcomes. Embracing challenges will get you to the next level. Think out of the box, be flexible, ask a lot of questions, and be honest with your answers. It may be that you need to make significant changes to your business. If you have contemplated your options, these changes may be precisely what you need to do to move out of a crisis and drive your business to success.

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Marketing is an incredible tool to get us to think we need to buy things to live the lifestyle we aspire. It is very deliberate to make us feel we are missing out or inadequate if we don’t use certain products. No part of our life is left untouched. Including the products we buy to clean our households. We are made to feel our house won’t be clean if we don’t use certain products. Using the wrong detergent will leave our clothes stained. Our bathrooms and ovens won’t shine. The list goes on.

What advertisers don’t mention is the long list of harmful ingredients used to make these products. Some are mildly dangerous to human health. Causing eye irritations, skin rashes, headaches, and asthma. Others are potentially fatal and proven to be carcinogenic. Many cleaning products contain VOC’s which are volatile organic compounds, including ammonia and bleach. As the American Lung Association warns, “Cleaning supplies and household products containing VOCs and other toxic substances can include, but are not limited to:

• Aerosol spray products, including health, beauty, and cleaning products;
• Air fresheners;
• Chlorine bleach*;
• Detergent and dishwashing liquid;
• Dry cleaning chemicals;
• Rug and upholstery cleaners;
• Furniture and floor polish; and
• Oven cleaners.1,2

*Never mix bleach or any bleach-containing product with any cleaner containing ammonia. The gases created from this combination can lead to chronic breathing problems and even death.’’ Their report goes on to explain, that recent research reveals natural fragrances in cleaning products, especially air fresheners, can react with the ozone from indoor air sources and outdoor air to form formaldehyde. Formaldehyde is a known carcinogen. And ozone is a harmful but invisible gas, that worsens asthma and other lung diseases. Such particles can cause heart attacks and stroke.

Not only are these products expensive, but they are also harmful to our health. The reality is our grandmothers had clean houses, clean clothes, using only natural products that worked. Here are some of our tried and tested tips to make sure your home clean and healthy without wasting your money.

The main ingredients you will need are baking soda, vinegar, dish soap, castille soap and water!

All-Purpose Cleaner

 Mix 1/2 cup vinegar and 1/4 cup baking soda into 2 liters of water.

Laundry Detergent

Mix 2 cups of washing soda with the gratings from one 5-ounce bar of castile soap. Use 1 tbsp for light loads; 2 tbsp for heavy loads.

Limescale in kettles and taps

Pour half a cup of vinegar in a kettle with 2 cups of water and let boil for a few minutes. Soak tap filters in pure vinegar

Marks on Walls and Painted Surfaces

Apply baking soda to a damp sponge. Rub gently, then wipe and rinse.

This will clean most ink spots, pencil, crayon, or marker spots can be cleaned from painted surfaces 

Oven Cleaner

Moisten oven surfaces with sponge and water. Use ¾ cup baking soda, ¼ cup salt, and ¼ cup water to make a thick paste, and spread throughout the oven interior. (Avoid bare metal and any openings.) Let sit overnight. Wipe clean in the morning.

Toilet Bowl Cleaner

Mix 1/4 cup baking soda and 1 cup vinegar, pour into the toilet basin and let it sit for a few minutes. Scrub with brush and rinse.

Tub and Tile Cleaner

For simple cleaning, rub in baking soda with a damp sponge and rinse with fresh water. For more challenging jobs, wipe surfaces with vinegar first and follow with baking soda as a scouring powder. (Vinegar can break down tile grout, so use sparingly.

Window Cleaner

Mix 2 teaspoons of white vinegar with 1 liter of warm water. Use crumpled newspaper or cotton cloth to clean. Only use the black and white newspapers, not with colour print. Best not to clean windows if the sun is on them, or if they are warm, as streaks will show when dry. Please do not add more vinegar than the recipe states, as it may lead to etching and cloud glass.

Stainless Steel

Clean with a dampened cloth with undiluted white vinegar or olive oil. For stainless cookware, mix 4 tablespoons of baking soda in 1 liter of water and apply using a soft cloth. Wipe dry using a clean cloth. For stainless steel sinks, pour some baking soda on an absorbent cloth to clean, rinse, and wipe dry using a clean cloth.

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It may be hard to believe, but it is raining plastic.! It is a well-known fact that plastic waste is having a devastating impact on our oceans and marine life. However it is the first time scientists have recorded plastic falling from the sky! In what would be considered a pristine mountain environment of the Pyrenees in Southern France. Scientists have recorded 365 microplastic particles per m2 falling from the sky. It should be noted that they could not find anything within more than a 60-mile radius of this uninhabited agricultural region that could be the source.

What are Microplastics?

Microplastics are tiny pieces of plastic that measure a maximum of 0.5mm. There are a few ways micro-plastics arise. They can be found n beauty products such as body scrubs and toothpaste that have little microbeads. And polyester and fleece materials have micro-beads. Today, 60% of the world’s clothing production uses polyester. The microbeads are released into the water when we wash off a scrub, spit out toothpaste into the sink, or wash clothes. When plastic breaks down into little pieces, it becomes microplastic. If you can imagine, a plastic bag dropped on the roadside or a beach will break down into tiny fragments over time. It is common for birds, fish, and small animals to mistake these small particles as food. Leading to plastic in their gut. With time their stomachs become filled with plastic particles, and they die of starvation.

Effects of microplastics

As National Geographic reports, “Scientists have warned we are creating a “plastic planet.” Some 420 million tons of plastics were produced in 2015, up from just over two million tons in 1950. Over this 65-year period roughly six billion tons ended up either in landfill or in the natural environment, a 2017 study estimated. A study by researchers from the University of Newcastle in Australia found that the average person consumes about 5g of plastic every week from tap water. And this is not an invitation to buy bottled water. As studies reveal that bottled water contains 22 times more microplastic particles than tap water, and it is in 93% of bottled water brands on the market. (Tyree and Morrison, 2017).

If we are ingesting so much plastic unknowingly, how does this affect our health? Unfortunately, a lot more cross-disciplinary research is required to understand the long-term impact on human health. Plastics are made with harmful chemicals. There is growing concern that microplastics can cause endocrine disruption and other potential health complications as they leach into our system.

How to reduce microplastics in our environment

For sure, the less plastic we use, the better it is for the environment and us. Here are a few tips on keeping micro-plastics out of the environment:

• Avoid body scrubs and toothpaste with little beads. Many brands on the market don’t have them.
• Filter your tap water
• Carry your own water bottle and avoid plastic water bottles wherever possible
• Put fleeces and clothes that have polyester in wash bags for delicate garments when washing.
• If you are buying a new washing machine, check if it has a filter that prevents microplastic particles from going into the central water system.
• If you see plastic in the street, on a beach, or wherever you may be, please pick it up and dispose of it properly. You will most probably be saving an animal’s life.

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Infused water can add a burst of flavour, vitamins, and minerals to a simple glass of water. After all, we all need water to keep hydrated. However, for many, the taste is just too plain and so we choose to avoid it. However by adding veggies, herbs, and fruits to our water, we can shake it up to create a vibrant, delicious, and nutritious drink. Citrus, berries, melons, fresh ginger, basil, and mint are all great choices to upgrade your water taste and water consumption. 

Here are our favourite mixes.

1. Cucumber & Mint: Thinly slice half a cucumber. Peel if it isn’t organic! Add the sliced cucumbers to 1 litre of water (4 cups), add some fresh mint leaves and stir gently. Adding some sliced lemon also works well. Cucumber adds extra hydrating benefits and mint aids digestion.
2. Lemon Lime Infused Water: Slice half a lemon and half a lime and add to 1 litre of water. You can add mint for added flavour but this water is rich in vitamin C and great for digestion.
3. Watermelon, Lemon & Mint ingredients are 1 cup of small watermelon pieces, 1 large lemon (sliced), and a handful of mint add to a litre of water.
4. Grape Orange: Add 1 cup of halved grapes and one orange, thinly sliced with rind on to a litre jug of water.
5. Strawberry Lemon: Add 15 fresh strawberries, washed and finely sliced to a 1 litre jug  and add 1 sliced lemon with rind on. Fill with water.
6. Orange Ginger: Slice 1 orange finely and thin slices of fresh ginger ( approximately 3cm) Add to a 1 litre jug of water and let infuse in the refrigerator for a few hours. This is an immune booster with its tangy vitamin C and the ginger supports the digestion.
7. Turmeric and Lemon and black pepper: 1 teaspoon of turmeric or 4 teaspoons of freshly grated turmeric added to the juice of 2 lemons. Crack some black pepper into the mix to enhance turmeric’s benefits and stir. For a warming anti-inflammatory drink serve this with warm water. Otherwise as a refreshing drink, use sparkling water as this prevents the turmeric from sinking to the bottom of the jug.

How do you make Infused Water?

• Use fresh, good quality ingredients. Your drink will only taste as good as what you put in it. Where possible use organic. Herbs are great to grow your own and mint grows quickly and easily.
• Wash everything well to remove any dirt or residues – you don’t want these in your drink!
• Use cold or room temperature water
• Let the fruit infused water set at room temperature for 1-2 hours or refrigerated for about 3-4 hours before drinking it. 
• If you don’t get to your water within about 8 hours remove all the fruits and herbs and discard them. While some fruits last longer citrus fruits like lemon and lime will make the water bitter if left in for longer than 5-6 hours. Once removed you can keep the water refrigerated and ready to grab for up to 3-4 days

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You may think that cannabis is just for rolling a joint to get a mellow high. However, lately and increasingly, cannabis is being used by doctors to treat a multitude of serious health issues. Which has led to the production of medical cannabis. And to it being legalized in many countries around the world to meet the demand.

Whilst this is an indeed an interesting development. Its important to note the differences between normal cannabis and medical cannabis. To start with, in order to produce the medicinal variety they remove the TCH (tetrahydrocannabinol), which is what causes psychological changes and gives you the high. Medical cannabis still has a calming effect on the nerves but you won’t be getting the high, the giggles or the need to raid the kitchen fridge after taking it. Its real impact however has been on illnesses that effect the nerves. Illnesses like, multiple sclerosis, parkinson’s disease, epilepsy and anxiety to name a few. I for one am all for this new use of cannabis. Especially as I have seen the positive effects it has had on my  mother who has parkinson’s disease. Who, after taking it for some time, has noticed a real difference and takes it daily.

But Cannabis is not only being used for medicinal purposes. Hemp which is also part of the same plant is being used to produce natural fabrics and building blocks for housing. On a hectare of land, you can produce enough hemp in 5 months to build a family home. Requiring no pesticides or fertilisers it is super easy to grow and so it’s no wonder hemp forests are a booming industry.

Hemp seeds are also full of protein and a great source of vitamins and minerals. Used in muesli or in salads and soups they have a slightly nutty taste and are delicious. You can find them in most health food stores today. So whether you are looking for something to help with a medical condition. Or are simply interested in all the other benefits of cannabis, it is worth while learning more. Especially as the rest of the world starts to take notice.

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