Health (Page 7)

I was scrolling through Instagram as I usually do before going to bed when I encountered a story with a specific TikTok called ‘Why girls take “so long” to get ready’. Seeing how I had experienced a similar issue the night before just as portrayed in the video, I immediately took out my laptop and started writing this article. Knowing I have to go out causes me stress which is always based on one thing – appearance, which goes hand-in-hand with self-esteem. I worry that a big pimple will pop up and that I would not be able to cover it with makeup. I worryRead More…

resilience

If there was ever a time to focus on resilience-building, it’s now. Of course, we all know that resilience isn’t something we need only during global pandemics. Life is notoriously good at throwing curve balls in our direction and, the more resilient we are, the more easily we manage to bounce back afterwards. Experiencing stress, loss, trauma, tragedy and other adverse life events impacts people in different ways. Being resilient doesn’t mean that you don’t experience pain and hardship. What it means is that you’re able to pick yourself up and recover more quickly, allowing yourself to move forward with your life. The good newsRead More…

breast self exam

As many of you are aware, October is known as breast cancer awareness month. Breast cancer happens to be the most common type of cancer in females. I have no doubt, that with every article you encounter in connection to this subject, you will probably see the words “screening is important” – and I agree. Both breast self exam and medical screening are important – and this is what I will be writing about today. Women are encouraged to perform breast self exam at least once a month, and although some might feel uncomfortable touching this area, it is good to remember that that 60Read More…

music speaks Ale's Project

Driving back home following our ritualistic visit to my parents, we put on Alessia’s favourite sound track – Shrek. Alessia must have been around 2 years old at the time. Those days I used to welcome with open arms the red traffic light command. This vibrant colour, that many of us loathe seeing while driving, during this period in my life offered me the time to listen to my own breathing, it was within these brief moments that I allowed myself to reach within and reflect on my current state of being. “And then I saw her face, I’m a believer… YAY!” came the cuteRead More…

bras

Breast cancer awareness month is with us yet again, and today – we’ll be delving into the different types of bras out there – and more so, what they’re there for… Why Is The Right Bra So Important? Realistically speaking, most of us pick our bras according to availability or aesthetics – but according to experts, regularly wearing an ill-fitted bra may lead to several problems: ranging from bad posture and shoulder pain to skin irritation and scarring. Plus, not only can proper-fitting bras help women feel more confident, but they reduce premature breast sagging; reduce the deep creases and bulges around the chest; andRead More…

baby loss awareness week

Grief is all the feelings you have when someone close to you dies. You may find it hard to believe that your baby died. You may want to shout or scream or cry. You may want to blame someone. Or you may want to hide under the covers and never come out. At times, your feelings may seem more than you can handle. You may feel sad, depressed, angry or guilty. You may get sick easily with colds and stomach aches and have trouble concentrating. All of these are part of grief. When your baby dies from miscarriage, stillbirth or at or after birth, your hope of being aRead More…

mental health awareness

World Mental Health Day is celebrated every year on the 10th of October, and unlike previous years, where I try to write prior to this day to create mental health awareness, I wanted to do something different. World Mental Health Day this year has now passed, and I have to say I only saw two Instagram stories about it. Nothing else. This, in my opinion, shows that there is still not enough acknowledgment about it. And I understand – with all that is currently going on, who would choose to give importance to this day? Being frank, I did not, either. Considering that around 970Read More…

white cane

White Cane Safety Day is observed worldwide every 15th October. On this day we are called to celebrate the achievements of people with vision impairment and people who are blind, since the white cane happens to be a valuable tool that helps in restoring mobility independence. And while the use of canes for people who are blind goes back centuries ago, the white cane saw its introduction in the early 20th century, when canes were painted in white for better recognition. Typically, on White Cane Safety Day, the National Federation of the Blind, which is the oldest and largest organisation led by individuals who areRead More…

sexually transmitted infection

In Malta, until a couple of years ago, sex education was aimed to terrify rather than inform. The emphasis of the subject’s curriculum focused mainly on abstinence and not getting pregnant. Thankfully this is changing and moving towards a more comprehensive view of the sex education where young people are provided with knowledge, skills, attitudes, and values to make appropriate and healthy choices about their sexual health and that of their sexual partners. It is important that we teach our kids about contraception, being safe during sex, giving and receiving sexual consent and the importance of sexual pleasure.  As a sex therapist, one of theRead More…

infertility

According to the World Health Organisation, one in every four couples in developing countries are affected by infertility. This statistic is based on a biological and medical definition of infertility that looks at the inability of a heterosexual couple to conceive after a year of unprotected sex and the difficulty of a woman to carry a pregnancy to term. However, today, we are looking at a more comprehensive definition of infertility that includes queer families that are trying to have kids and single parents that would like to conceive without a partner amongst others. Infertility can affect both men and women and can be causedRead More…