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Last month my family went on a trip to Colorado. We were safe and wore masks everywhere, and originally we were just going to stay in a cabin for a few days. But as the trip went on, nothing went as planned. It seemed as if it was one thing after another that was going wrong. We had to change our plans time and time again, yet we still managed to have fun.
Something you should know before we get into this is that my family has a travel curse. My aunt started it, and it’s been passed down ever since. When she went to Las Vegas, the only blizzard in the city’s history happened. When she was at Hershy’s Park the largest flood in the county’s history happened. She was at Disney World during a hurricane, and when we went to Universal Orlando the Air Conditioning in our hotel broke during humid Florida summer. When we went to St. Louis, not only did I get Strep Throat, but it was cold and ended up snowing the day we wanted to explore. So it wasn’t a surprise when our trip to Estes Park went south real quick, but it was by far the worst case of the curse we’ve had yet. So first our cabin burnt down. We were driving up to go there and we noticed a police barricade blocking our way, and when we asked they informed us that there were wildfires and it was being evacuated. We were all upset, and when my aunt called to get a refund, they refused to give it to us. We found a rundown hotel and stayed there for the night. Later that day we found out that the fires had spread and we were going to need to leave again. We found our third hotel of the day and went to see the Stanley. When we got to the Stanley everything was going great, we explored and at seven o’clock we went on our ghost tour. We were having a blast with the paranormal experiences. About halfway through I tripped down a few stars and felt something pop in my ankle, but ignored it and continued. My ankle started hurting more and more as we went on and by the end, I was limping and in pain, but brushed it off as nothing. Little did I know that I twisted my ankle, and by not letting it heal for the rest of the trip I now have a permanently messed up ankle that pops out of socket almost every day. (Yes, I got it checked out at the doctor’s and they said there’s nothing they can do at this point.) After this, we went and got supper. I’m allergic to a lot of foods and spices, and normally very careful about eating at restaurants, but at this point, it was going on nine and I was tired and hungry. I ordered a burrito bowl and didn’t check for turmeric or cayenne, and had to use my allergy meds. They also put dairy cheese in it when I specifically said to not do that because milk can kill me. So we went back to the hotel and I collapsed onto the pull out immediately. At about 8 am a cop knocked on our door and told us to evacuate. We hurriedly packed up our stuff and headed to Denver where we spent the next night. I went to pull my laptop out of my bag and looked up in horror at my aunt. I left my laptop at the hotel. We called the hotel that luckily hadn’t burnt down and they promised to send it back to my house... for the low price of $150. It was cheaper than a new laptop so we told them to send it and we would deal with the money later. Time jump, the screen was cracked beyond repair when we got home, so after replacing the screen it would have been cheaper to buy a new laptop. The last thing that happened was on our way back. The van that we were driving in is pretty old and needed a few repairs, but it had been fine on every other trip so it would be okay on this one, right? Wrong. It broke down in the middle of Kansas. And if you know anything about Kansas, there is nothing but hay there. Luckily we were able to fix it to the point where we could drive it, but we didn’t dare stop. We drove home for six straight hours waiting for disaster to strike, but luckily we made it home. Even though this sounds like a horrible trip, looking back on it I find that it was one of the best I’ve been on. When we went to that third hotel, we found elks outside that we could look at. The Stanley was an awesome experience and I was able to walk through it despite being injured. If I hadn’t had that reaction I might have found out about my turmeric allergy somewhere where I didn’t have access to my meds. If I hadn’t forgotten my laptop, I wouldn’t have found out about the bad battery in it and it would have literally exploded. And if we hadn’t broken down there, we wouldn’t have had the great conversations on our way back and the van might have crashed instead of just going a little slower. So in the end, it was all worth it and taught me to just go with the flow. -Meg
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I don’t know what it is about growing up that misses out on the part where you are magically supposed to know how to cook and eat a balanced meal every day three times a day, I must have missed that part. Even though we learned at school what a balanced meal is, it was difficult to implement that into daily life, our food was controlled by our caregivers or parents. As we grow into our teenage years we face many insecurities about our bodies especially now that social media is so accessible and beauty standards are even more unachievable, almost everyone has dieted, worried about their bodies, or developed an unhealthy relationship with food, alongside a misunderstanding on what is unhealthy.
This is why growing up I was anemic, probably vitamin deficient as well because I did not know what food I should be incorporating into my diet, alongside other financial barriers and struggles. Despite all that, my South Asian mother cooked up delicious food every day, vegetable curries, lamb, chicken rice, but sometimes the food we got every day was repetitive and did not incorporate a variety of different food groups. There usually was one big meal in the evening and the rest would have been a school meal and I would normally skip breakfast in the morning. They say breakfast is the most important part of the day and my rumbling stomach and low energy would vouch for that every morning. Skipping breakfast or meals in general is proven to be very unhealthy, I used to be distracted by hunger at school, unable to concentrate, slow metabolism because of the inconsistent meals, so do not skip meals. In fact I have several small meals throughout the day and it keeps me focused and healthy, speeding my metabolism. However, I was privileged to get home-cooked meals daily but as a family, we did not have an enriched understanding of how important it is to have a balanced meal, increase the fiber, increase vegetables and fruit every single day. At the age of 15, I became anemic and I took that incredibly lightly, I would not take my iron tablets on time until I started noticing over the years how much hair had fallen out and how pale I had gotten. I was not eating a diet with a variety of food groups, I was always trying new diets in my teenage years, porridge diet, no eating evening meal diets, which thankfully never turned into an eating disorder, but it very much could have. Now in my early 20s, I discovered I had a vitamin D deficiency and was losing hair because of it, a lot of hair, clearly indicating that I was not eating a balanced diet. This came as a shock to me because I love eating, I enjoy pretty much every vegetable and fruit but realized that my daily diet was poor, and some weeks were great but there was inconsistency. One week I would have some rice, lentils, curry, vegetable curry, mushrooms, salad, eggs, mango, apple, pineapple, and plenty of snacks. The next week I would barely eat proper meals and eat junk food or odd meals the entire week, and sometimes the bad week would extend to two or three weeks. My point is that we all need to eat foods that are suited for our own bodies, for me, I needed a diet which had tons of vitamin D and Iron, for someone else it might be different. As we grow, we have to build back our relationship with food, we have to tear apart the idea that carbs such as pasta and bread are bad for you, or you should only have portions the size of a pea or that sugar should be forbidden. Believe it or not, carbs can help you lose weight, in fact, you can eat anything if you eat it with a healthy diet. If you were to eat mostly vegetables in your diet, you could still become deficient in other things. The idea is to have balance, experiment, and stop labeling, because food impacts us all differently, it changes our bodies differently and we must stop associating negativity with food, all types of food! I came across some inspiring Tiktoks a few days ago, which speaks about diet culture and how toxic it is, it manipulates our minds into thinking something is healthy when it is no less healthy than what they say is bad for us. Take, for example, a Tiktoker going by the name @myhealthydish was doing a series called ‘Eat this not that’ she substituted peanut butter, for powdered ‘Skippy Peanut Butter’ which is made into a paste by adding almond milk, she showed the viewers the difference in fat content and why they should start eating the powdered, processed version just because it is fewer calories than normal peanut butter which is made up of peanuts and salt. The problem here is that she is villainizing ordinary foods that are not harmful to you or even seen as ‘junk food’ and making you feel bad for eating them, telling you that you should eat a processed powdered version of a more natural product made out of peanuts, just because it’s a couple of calories less. She is perpetuating diet culture, assuming that everyone should try and eat fewer calories when not everyone should, and the false idea that fewer calories equal health. So here I am, in my early 20s, discovering food through a different pair of eyes.The moment I started doing that was when my hair started falling out again and was tested for a vitamin D deficiency, I was not eating a diet that had variety, a diet in which my body could absorb different types of vitamins. I am passionate about food, I live to eat, fond of cooking and learning new recipes and yet this happened to me? Food was always on my mind, fruit, vegetables, meat, I loved them all, I am the least fussy eater you could meet, yet I was not getting the nutrients I needed until I realized change starts when I take apart the negative beliefs I had about food and guilt. So, a balanced meal for me looks something like this, chicken and rice shawarma, a chocolate cake, cut up pieces of mango, pomegranate, a green smoothie, and some water. Now, this might be too much for some people, but for me, this is a good amount that is good for my digestive system, that has different food groups, where I am not restricting sugar from my diet, I am including it in some meals and I feel full and happy and not deprived nor guilty. Another day might look like this; egg sandwich, pasta salad, two packets of crisp, chapati, chocolate, lentil curry, and rice. It is all about perspective, I am not conscious of how much I eat, I am conscious of what food will give me energy, give me vitamin D, Iron, fiber, nutrients that will make my skin and hair healthy, make me feel less tired, rather than looking at it from the restrictive point of view where I am only focused on weight loss. I just want to pay my body back for getting me up in the morning, getting me through a 12 hour night shift, supporting me when I do my daily activities, that is how I look at food now, how I can keep my body doing these lovely things it does for me and how to enjoy it in a variety of ways. Tiktok surprisingly has helped me enormously with food positivity, bringing different points of view on food portions, carbohydrates, and how I can lose healthy amounts of weight or just be healthy in general. Some Tiktokers I would recommend are: (Dietician: @hannahmagee_rd), (Body Positivity @Brittanilancaster), (Mental Health/Food Positivity: @victoriagarrick4) and plenty more that I may have forgotten to mention. Disclaimer: I am not paid to promote any of the following people I mentioned, I just enjoy their content. By Wania Syeda Diet culture is everywhere, both on social media and in real life. It can be harmful with all of the misinformation spread, so in this article, En will share what they’ve learnt to debunk diet culture.
Diet culture is all around us. Whether it’s from social media influencers or even family members, everyone will try to share everything they can about what they think they know. Diet culture is something that values weight and shape rather than health and well-being. This can be recommending restricting food, promoting weight loss products, and anything to do with pushing people to lose weight. This is seen a lot by social media influencers, specifically those who accept sponsors by weight loss companies. Please be careful with who you follow. Something you need to remember is that you don’t need to do anything for anyone other than yourself. Your size doesn’t determine your worth or beauty. Please look after yourself, make sure you eat and keep hydrated, and if you’re struggling please reach out for help. There will be helplines down the bottom of this article. Something big about diet culture is cutting food out of your diet, the most popular I see is cutting out carbs. This isn’t a ‘healthy’ diet. Your diet should consist of a balanced variety of food types, so cutting things out won’t be successful in a diet. Moderation is key. Everything’s healthy in moderation. The concept of ‘healthy’ foods isn’t too great. As I said, everything’s healthy in moderation. Pizza, fast food and burgers are normally depicted as ‘unhealthy’, when in reality they’re healthy so long as you don’t eat six a day. I ate a whole bag of sugary sweets the other day but because I don’t do that every day, I’m trying to remind myself that that’s fine because it’s not something I do often. A balanced diet is healthy, so long as you’re listening to your body and keeping everything in moderation. Going off of the whole ‘healthy’ topic, most ‘healthy’ products probably aren’t any more healthy than the normal alternative. If something says it’s low in fat, it’s probably high in sugar and vice versa. It’s always tempting to go for the healthier option when shopping, but be wary that they’re probably no different to the alternative. When eating, especially with people I don’t know too well, I often compare how much I eat to how another does. This is just a reminder that we’re all different, we all have different bodies and we’re all going to eat different amounts for that reason. As long as you listen to your bodies and eat when you’re hungry, then that’s absolutely perfect. Weight loss products promoted by influencers aren’t anything more than a toxic cash grab. They don’t work, but they will harm your body. Please stay away from these. I’ve seen a lot of people, specifically on facebook, try to sell these. Even if they’re your friends and family, don’t get them. Plus, they’re likely MLMs, which are multi-level marketing schemes, they’re a scam and often leave people in debt, so please stay away. Weight loss products, appetite suppressants and meal supplements are nothing but harmful. Please don’t try them. Measuring BMI isn’t accurate. BMI is Body Mass Index and is used by health professionals to judge weight. I used to use this as a reference but it’s by no means accurate. It doesn’t differentiate fat and muscle. Besides, every body is different. Numbers don’t mean health. Know your body, pick up on abnormalities such as fatigue, joint pains, muscle pains, anything you don’t typically experience that lasts longer than two days. Knowing your body is the healthiest thing you could do. Lastly, don’t restrict yourself. I can’t say this enough. Don’t stop eating. Eat when you feel hungry, listen to your body. Don’t cut things out of your diet to lose weight. Don’t stop eating to lose weight. Restricting yourself will only do more harm than good. If you want to lose weight, please talk to your doctor about setting a plan in place. Remember, your size and weight don’t determine your worth or beauty, nor do they determine your health. Just listen to your body. If you’re struggling with this, please reach out to someone. Please try to get some help. You’ve got this! ~ En Link to global helplines- https://checkpointorg.com/global/ Hyperhidrosis has taken over my life and leaves me in constant anxiety of physical contact. But what is ‘hyperhidrosis’? Hyperhidrosis is a condition that causes people to sweat excessively in their hands, feet, face, chest, armpits and groin. The condition doesn’t always have a specific cause but is usually triggered by anxiety, certain medications, hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), hyperthyroidism and infections.
Hyperhidrosis doesn’t have an on or off button, for me, it can start at any given time and can be fairly embarrassing if you’re not at home. I find it the most difficult when I go for a job interview, the day will always be going great too! That is until I go inside and see the big boss. This is when sweat begins to flood out as if God is doing Noah's Ark 2.0 (and let me tell you, that is NOT fun). ‘Big boss’ will come over as if on key and then the thunderclaps and clouds begin to go grey! The big boss brings up his hand for the dreaded handshake! I would like to take a moment to say that I am not overreacting, anxiety was giving me a thumbs-up. When the big boss put out his hand I start shaking and I always feel so impolite but I say ‘yep that’s me...But I can’t shake your hand...I have hyperhidrosis’ and at which point the big boss is like ‘what is that’ and I am mentally slamming my head against the wall. I proceed to inform them about my sweaty life to which I’m usually greeted with a friendly smile, which is great! But also very unprofessional on my behalf and often leads me to not getting the job. Sad man-hours. If this sounds familiar then I have great news for you, there are ways to treat hyperhidrosis - it's always best to consult your GP and if you’re in the U.K. See if the treatments can be done on the NHS;
If you’re unsure on whether you have hyperhidrosis then you should definitely consult your GP because if you’re anything like me, you’re probably sweating while reading this article. If you'd like some advice on Hyperhidrosis then feel free to message us! -Cody Have you ever watched “Morning routines”? “Night routines”? Maybe a “day in the life” video on youtube, hoping that you are able to wake up that early? Or be as productive during the day like what you’ve watched in those videos? Well, that's why building a routine is actually really good for you! It may even change your life for the better and help you! I personally enjoy watching morning routines, night routines, and day in the life videos because I aspire to wake up that early and be productive as well. Initially, I did try to copy their routines, I used to write down whatever they did and replicate the routines, hoping that I could be as productive and fresh in the morning as they were. That did work out for a couple of days, sometimes some routines did work out for weeks but honestly, never in the long term.
That's when I realized that the only way to actually have the “perfect” or the “most productive” routine, or the routine that your body and mind desires, is to actually slowly build your routine based on you. What I mean by this is, in order to have a “perfect” routine that you, personally do enjoy, you need to understand your needs and what your body and mind are comfortable with. Every single body and mind is different, frankly, it's quite difficult for people to be able to adapt to the exact same things. This means that I may not be an early riser or someone who's able to sleep early, and that's completely fine and normal, but that doesn’t mean that it's impossible to change. When I did try to make a routine for myself, based on what I saw in the videos, I forced myself to wake up early and sleep early, and do yoga in the morning and the night as well, and try to work out during the day, eat healthy, be productive all day, because I went to that extent to try to replicate routines. However, it actually doesn’t work that way. When I realized that I couldn’t cope with this routine for the long term, I assumed that it wasn’t possible to do it at all, but that's where I was wrong for the second time. It took some time to actually realize that building your routine doesn’t happen in one day. I believe that its really important to have a good routine for yourself because, in that way, you’re able to optimize your time better. However, you need to be patient with yourself and take the time to understand what your needs are. If you want to build a routine, you need to make the changes slowly and see if you’re comfortable with it. My sleep schedule was not the best, sleeping at 2-4, waking up at 6-7, and taking afternoon naps, and on weekends, sleeping in till the afternoon, wasn’t really the best choice for my health but I thought that waking up early and sleeping early was impossible. I was wrong. I thought that it was impossible, but it actually wasn’t. The first time I tried, I, of course, failed, because I was trying to force myself to follow the routines I watched online, but, the second time I tried it, I slowly and patiently adapted to a better routine. By this, I mean, I was so used to sleeping at 2-3 that I didn’t jump to 9-10 pm, I slowly started with 1 am, then got into bed by 11 pm, then some days I did relapse back to the late nights, but I didn’t give up just yet. I started again, I got into bed earlier and waited till I fell asleep, and even with the mornings, my main focus was getting enough sleep. So, since I slept early, I also focused on waking up early, thus, I was slowly building on my sleep schedule routine. Similarly, I wanted to see what else I could change in my routine. I saw in the videos how people were able to do yoga in the morning and night, and how they looked so refreshed so I decided why not. I did force myself to do it, and it did take time to realize that it didn’t really help me. I’m not saying that yoga isn’t good for you, but personally, it didn’t really help me, in terms of my mental health, so I decided to stop doing yoga and focus on some breathing techniques which are actually really helpful. I did try and work out, and that actually went really well but didn’t work out in the long term because I did overdo the workouts. I used to watch how people could work out for 2-3 hours straight, but I slowly came to the understanding that my body is comfortable with 30 mins to an hour of working out, and that to, maybe twice or thrice a week. Therefore, I started trying out more things to see what really makes me feel comfortable and what works for me, but at the same time, if something didn’t work out and I wanted to make it happen, I had to be patient with myself and wait for my body and mind to adapt to it. Like, I used to be able to study only at midnight and beyond when it came to school, and it was quite bad considering the fact that I wasn’t able to even prepare for my exams for the whole day because I couldn’t focus unless it was at night. That didn’t mean that I gave up just there though. I decided that since I could wake up early and put a stop to the afternoon naps, I could maybe try and sit down to finish my work in the morning. Honestly, nearly every morning during my summer vacation, I woke up early and sat down on my table. Even if I wasn’t able to focus, I still sat down and waited for my mind to come to terms that I had work to complete. Now, I can proudly say that even if it's 4 AM or 5 AM, I’m able to study without procrastinating too much. I realized that at the end of the day, to only find the perfect routine that you desire, you need to be patient with yourself, your mind, and your body. There’s absolutely no deadline to make a perfect routine, so you just need to work on building your routine every single day, and every single day, try to make small changes and see if they work out for you or not. If some things don’t really turn out the way you want them to, then don’t give up just yet! Keep at it and sooner or later, you’ll be able to achieve it! A routine is like a puzzle. You need to start figuring out which pieces fit and until you do, the puzzle may be incomplete. Be patient with yourself, and sooner or later, when all the pieces seem to fit, the puzzle will be ready. Be patient with yourself, and take time to understand your mind and your body needs. -Ananya Before my 18th birthday, I had seen 3 therapists, 4 psychologists, and 9 doctors. I had 3 procedures and tried more medicines than I can remember. I can recall the exact day my chronic pain began. It was November 2nd, 2016, and I thought I was having a heart attack. I remember almost passing out in my bed, waiting for an eternity in the emergency room, and all of my tests coming back with no answers. In the end, it was a simple blood test that shined some light on what was going on inside of my body. The test showed that I had an abnormally high level of C-reactive protein, which meant I was fighting inflammation somewhere internally. When this test result came in, my doctors finally gave me a diagnosis of costochondritis. Costochondritis is essentially chest pain with no apparent cause. It usually occurs in children and teenagers and most grow out of it within a few weeks, but there are the unlucky few whose pain stays. My costochondritis diagnosis lasted for three years. I had just turned 15 when my inflammation went away, but I was still experiencing the pain. Even though my body was physically better, my brain was not on the same page. It kept sending out pain signals because after three years it had gotten so used to doing so. Because there is no longer a physical cause, the pain has now linked itself to my mood and anxiety. When I’m stressed or anxious or depressed, the pain gets worse, which isn’t good when my genetics make it so I can’t make enough serotonin, the chemical that is in charge of depression. My brain had become my own worst enemy. Finding out that the inflammation was gone was heartbreaking. For three years, I had lived on anti-inflammatory medicines and diets, and I had been told that when the inflammation went away, so would the pain. There are no words to express how broken and depressed I felt when that was no longer the case. I got angry at myself and the world. I refused any new medicines or treatments because I had wasted so much of my life bouncing from doctor to doctor, just trying to feel normal again. Eventually, I started trying new medicines again, but these were aimed towards improving my mental state. My doctors thought that if I could get my anxiety and depression - the two things that worsened the pain the most - under control then maybe my pain would get more manageable or even disappear entirely. It took 8 months to find the right medicine and then COVID-19 hit. The pandemic hasn’t changed much for me. My pain had already kept me housebound, the only difference was that now my friends were stuck in their homes too. They finally got to see a sliver of what the previous four years had been like for me. It might seem weird, but I was happy they had to stay home because it meant they weren’t out having fun without me like in previous years. Last summer, I tried a new procedure. Its goal was to burn the nerves in my ribs that were transmitting the pain signals and force my brain to reboot. It was temporarily successful, but eventually, the nerves healed and the pain was back, but at a lower intensity. I still have the pain, but there are fewer intolerable days. I still can’t wear a bra regularly, and I need to take more time for myself to make sure my anxiety doesn’t reach extreme levels since it could trigger a pain flare-up, but I’m doing better. I wish I could say there was some magical cure that made my chronic pain disappear, but there wasn’t and there still isn’t. I still struggle with it and some days are worse than others. But managing my depression and anxiety has helped tremendously, and learning to not overwork myself and get too stressed has been key. In the last year, my battle with my pain has moved to the neurological side of things. The pain is no longer caused by my body, but by my brain. I’ve had to learn to take care of my brain to keep my pain in control. It’s been a long and slow journey, but I’m just taking it day by day, and maybe someday, I will have a pain-free life again. Links for people who want to learn more about inflammation and costochondritis: https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/encyclopedia/content.aspx?contenttypeid=167&contentid=c_reactive_protein_serum#:~:text=The%20C%2Dreactive%20protein%20(CRP,of%20CRP%20in%20your%20blood. https://www.webmd.com/arthritis/about-inflammation https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/costochondritis/symptoms-causes/syc-20371175 https://www.healthline.com/health/costochondritis I hope you all enjoyed reading this article! Sydney SydneyFor nearly 3 years now I’ve been suffering from Non-Epileptic Seizures. It all started back in 2018 when I was on my way back from London and woke up on a train station platform. The train staff were very comforting, letting me know what happened. What I wasn’t expecting was what the reason was for me to be lying on the train station platform. One of the kind staff said to me, “Melissa, you have had a seizure, we’ve phoned your dad and he’s on his way. We got your information from your passport and then contacted your emergency contact”. At first, I was panicking, as I’d never had a seizure before I was never known to have them. But my brother was! He was epileptic and on the way back from the station I was with my dad in the car and all these questions were going around in my head. “What has caused this seizure to happen?” “Did I knock my head hard on the floor?” - As I had an awful headache after the incident. What I didn’t realise was what effect this would have later on in my life. I would start to have daily seizures and this restricted me from working as I was working in a nightclub at the time. So, when I went to get tested, they ruled out it was epileptic seizures at first. But, a few months on, it was proven not to be epileptic seizures; it was a case of Non-Epileptic seizures. At first, I had no knowledge of what this diagnosis was but by doing my own research I have average knowledge of what it is now. Today, 3 years on I still suffer from these seizures and they have changed my life. They have caused me to go jobless and not be fit to work. That means I’m stuck at home all day every day. Also not being allowed to drive as it’s dangerous if I do so. That limited me to where I can go as I live on the outskirts of my town. But what has affected me the most is losing my friends. I’ve lost a lot of my friends due to these seizures as my friends are scared to be around me. At first, they were okay with it but as it became a regular thing they just got fed up, I guess. I was touring with my friends known as Jedward and I had a seizure just before the concert. So this leads to an ambulance being called and the decision my friends had to make, ‘Who would go with me in the ambulance?’ Luckily I felt okay after a check-up in the ambulance and I was bouncing back half an hour later just in time for the concert. It was a weird experience. Normally when I have a seizure, I have a massive headache and I’m drained but this time that wasn’t the case. After this experience, I did learn who my true friends were but I also learnt that I can’t expect everyone to wait around for me. I would want them to enjoy their time and not be in an ambulance missing the concert. 3 years ago, yes this would have upset me to see my friends leave me to go to the concert without me, but now, I see it as a positive because I’m not dragging them behind and making them miss out on a fun experience. It’s grand to realize that everything happens for a reason, you find out who your true friends are the hard way. But then again do you have to see it like that? Try to turn it into a positive so it’s good for your mindset.
MEL“In case of a cabin pressure emergency, put on your own mask first before assisting others.” We always hear this sentence every time we take a flight. It is a good concept to apply to our lives. We need to remember the importance of helping ourselves first before helping others. Putting yourself doesn’t mean you’re choosing either your or another's life. It means putting yourself makes you function better and strengthens you to support your loved ones better. Even a therapist can ask guidance from other therapists. It doesn’t mean they’re not credible. It helps them prepare and recharge so that they can help clients as well. One way of self-help is self-love. Loving yourself is different from being a narcissist. A Narcissist needs professional guidance because Narcissistic Personality Disorder is characterized by exaggerated feelings of self-importance. They lack empathy and therefore rarely make friends with others. Different from being narcissistic, self love is an act to appreciate and care about oneself. Self-love is a journey and everyone should have a trial and error method to find the best way to love themselves. In order to help our self, here some ideas that I’ve tried and you can apply them too: No screen day Due to online situations, life is attached to the screen. Sometimes, I’ve gotten very anxious about things on social media. I couldn’t bear to look at notifications on my social media. So, reconnecting with nature instead of the screen, would be very relaxing. Hugging someone with no context This gives me another level of satisfaction. When hugging someone, I feel calm and relax. Also, my negative emotions go away. It may be because the stress hormone is released. Meditating I’m not sure with the actual method, but it is kind of staying still and being aware of nature’s sounds. Nature’s sounds help release my anxiety and stress. Those tips may work for some people but not others. Hopefully, they can help some of you guys. Enjoy your journey to a fulfilling life!
Ice cream. A treat that is loved by people all across the globe - myself included. It tastes so good, good enough to make me sick. Suddenly, I am covered in red rashes and find myself sneezing profusely. I remember my mom saying, “I told you to stay away from milk and milk based products. You don’t listen to me! “ But how do you resist something so tasty? I pondered. ”You have to resist for your own good.” This may be easier said than done. According to Mayo Clinic, an allergy is an abnormal response of our own immune system, causing our bodies to fight a peaceful substance. This can cause a variety of symptoms which can range from coughing and wheezing, to shortness of breath and digestion problems. I am lucky that my milk allergy is moderate and does not cause anaphylaxis (closing of the airway). Some people, however, aren’t as lucky. In fact, anaphylaxis is quite a common issue. Though there are parallel symptoms between a milk allergy and lactose intolerance, it is important to note that they are not the same. Each needs different routes of treatment in order for a patient to experience relief. So, how did I find out I have a milk allergy? When I was about one year old, my mom took me to a doctor as I was showing signs of breathlessness after drinking milk. They performed blood and skin tests, and determined that I had developed a milk allergy. When I first learned this, I wondered: “why did it take so long to figure it out?” It didn’t. We don’t have a fully developed immune system at birth. As it continues to grow, our systems can make mistakes and initiate fights that have no source of prior conflict, hence allergies. In my case, when I drink milk, my immune system sends out antibodies to attack the casein protein found in the substance, which creates sickness-like responses. These responses are different in each individual. How do I cope with my love for sweets and how do I manage symptoms? I rely on antihistamines or sometimes epinephrine shots. Both of these help my body to realize that there is nothing harmful to battle within it. Since you can’t be taking these drugs constantly, I avoid consuming milk at all costs. I do this by looking up the labels for each and every product I eat. Sometimes the casein protein will be found in food products that don’t list it as an ingredient. It is important to be aware of this, and consult your immunotherapist or general practitioner about any foods or drinks you are concerned about. I mainly eat soy or rice based frozen desserts, sorbets or puddings which are really good substitutes for those I can’t enjoy, like ice cream. I will admit, I give in sometimes and eat treats that contain the casein protein, but I quickly pay for it by experiencing my usual symptoms. Then as usual I have red rashes and have to take antihistamines. I have to take supplements too to fulfill my daily calcium and Vitamin-D requirements. This makes for quite the hassle. Thankfully, this allergy is well-known and science revolving around it is rapidly advancing. Soon enough, we will have better treatment. It’s just a matter of time, patience and symptom management. In the meantime, however, if you or someone you know is struggling with symptom management or resistance, please feel free to reach out to me through our TWE platforms. I would be more than happy to offer you further tips and tricks.
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Teenagers With Experience is an online organisation created to provide teenagers worldwide with an online platform to share their own experiences to be able to help, inform and educate others on a variety of different topics. We aim to provide a safe space to all young people. You can contact us via email, social media or our contact form.
Please note that the content on this website is created by teenagers. While we strive to provide accurate and helpful information, it is important to remember that we are not professional experts. If you are experiencing a crisis or need professional advice, please reach out to a qualified mental health professional or a helpline. |