I remember the day I decided I would stop eating. This particular event will be forever ingrained in my memory. My friend had come over and I was desperately trying to avoid the smoothie glass she was pushing in my face – all I could see were calories going down my throat. 150, 200, maybe even more, I wasn’t sure. And that scared me. How on earth did I get like this?
I have absolutely no idea how my eating disorder started. I have always been petite – I’m 24 and barely 5’0’’. My diet has never been exactly healthy – For a start, I never ate breakfast (this didn’t become part of my routine until after recovery). I’d often make lunch for everyone but myself and then I’d be “full” for the rest of the day.
I am almost embarrassed to be writing this, mainly because I don’t want the people around me seeing me the way I used to see myself. However, I highly doubt it, as I am currently sitting at my desk, having had my second breakfast of the day, and munching on some Oreo’s (yes, they are vegan).
Did you know that out of all the EU countries, Denmark spends the most on social protection?
But where does the money go? Denmark is renowned for looking after its residents by offering a combination of benefits:
Child, social & education
Tired of being told how to sleep?
Quite frankly, so am I.
So when I woke up this morning to find yet more groundbreaking research conducted by the National Sleep Foundation of America posing the question: How much sleep do we need? – I couldn’t help but scoff. This was undoubtedly to tie in with the fact that it is National Sleep Awareness Week – how convenient. Apparently too little sleep over several nights can leave you feeling tired, with a lack of concentration, depressed and even anxious. Really? Who knew!
February is Children’s Dental Health Month, an initiative brought by the American Dental Association (ADA).
The event which started off as a small-scale cause in just two cities in 1941 has developed into a nationwide programme. The aim is to raise awareness for the importance of good oral habits and to ensure that children’s teeth and gums remain healthy for the rest of their lives.
This year’s theme is “Defeat Monster Mouth” and puts an emphasis on beating problems like plaque and cavities. Tooth decay is of frequent occurrence among children but the campaign aims to show parents and children that it is completely preventable if certain measures are taken. The lack of treatment can cause persistent pain, making eating and chewing painful, and also colours and damages the teeth.
Photo source: Flickr
I consider myself to be quite lucky to grow up in the 90s, the years where no one seemed to care about how much time you spent at home alone or anywhere for that matter..
Growing up in the countryside, I spent most of my time playing outside with my neighbours and would only come in once my mother had shouted “it’s dinner time!”. We all know that times have changed since then. But the question is, why?
To enter Angola, citizens of all countries except Namibia require a visa.
As well as the usual prerequisites involved in applying for a visa (see the “Visa & Permits” section of the Angola guide for more information), health requirements are also an important factor. Angola is notorious for being a high risk country as many harmful diseases such as yellow fever, both hepatitis A and B and typhoid are present.
Work Visas
Whatever the reasons for moving country, whether it be for work or pleasure, health insurance should be of paramount importance to everyone.
As an expat, standard travel insurance is not inclusive enough, although it can cover travel among several different countries on a short term basis, it will not offer the complete health coverage an expat, as a resident in a different country, requires.
Why international health insurance is an obvious choice
During the past 12 months, one in 10 teens said they have been hit or physically hurt on purpose by a boyfriend or girlfriend at least once. And nearly half of all teens in relationships say they know friends who have been verbally abused.” say House of Ruth statistics.
Kate Middleton supports Children’s Mental Health Week
The UK’s Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton, has agreed to be the face of the first Children’s Mental Health Week. The charity foundation Place2Be, for which Kate Middleton has been a patron for several years, provides emotional support to children in more than 230 schools across the UK. The charity has come up with a new initiative to raise awareness for the mental health of children. According to their website there has been an increase in depression and anxiety of 75% among teenagers in the past 25 years. They also state that 3 children in every classroom have a diagnosable mental health problem. According to them, support at an early age could prevent children from suffering from serious mental health difficulties later in life.
If you have registered for organ donation in your home country, have you ever thought about what happens to your organs if you are residing abroad at the moment of death?
Due to the differences in laws among the cou
ntries in the world, it is crucial that you do your research if you decide to move abroad. In general, it is only in the country in which you are registered for organ donation that the organ donation will be granted as per your wishes. However, since there are different laws pertaining to the different countries, a grey area regarding this issue remains.
The best advice in this case would therefore be to apply again in your new country of residence, to be able to ensure you know what will happen to organs after death, if you wish them to be donated (or not!). To give you a better insight into the different systems around the world, we will provide you with some more country specific information. Read More →