Little Lockdown Lifts

When each day can currently feel a little like groundhog, the little treats or ‘lockdown lifts’ make all the difference. A little gift or thoughtful card can really brighten a bitterly cold grey day.

I opened the door early and bleary-eyed a few weeks ago to be greeted with a delivery of the most incredible looking and tasting fresh doughnuts from Crosstown. A kind friend wanted to help us celebrate my youngest daughter’s birthday and organised this generous surprise.

In our house we have also been working our way through the various choices of letterbox brownies. When we settled on our favourites (Gower Cottage Brownies) we have passed on the love by sending them to others for Christmas, birthdays or just to cheer up those at home.

It feels like the strangest thing not to be able to just pop into a shop and buy a little treat right now. On the other hand, maybe a little more thought has gone into where I shop. Less of the mass market/superstores and a definite focus on smaller and often British brands.

So with birthdays coming up and Mother’s Day on the horizon, here are a few of my favourites which make great gifts for either yourself or someone else. 2020 and the start of 2021 has been tough; we all deserve a little treat!

The Completist - Stationery

From their Peckham studio, The Completist has your stationery needs covered from daily planners, to journals, gift wrap and bold, bright, colourful cards. As an obsessive list-maker (hello fellow Virgos) I wouldn’t be without my daily planner as I use it write down everything from school admin to medication reminders and food lists.

NEOM Organics - Wellbeing gifts

I distinctly remember unwrapping my first gift from NEOM 10 years ago. It was a perfect little set of bath oils, beautifully presented in a white gift box and it felt like such a wonderful treat. Since then NEOM has become a go-to brand for treats and gifts. The brand’s signature perfume with Grapefruit, Lemon & Rosemary is so fresh and instantly uplifting - I wear it everyday. There’s now the perfect handbag or pocket sized hand sanitiser spray and calming hand balm - much needed after washing my hands what feels 100+ times a day. A British brand with 100% natural fragrances, no harsh chemicals and no artificial colours. Available from NEOM.

Jellycat Amuseables - soft toys

Jellycat has been designing quirky soft toys in London since 1999. The humourous Amuseables range includes everything from a three scoop ice-cream, croissant, cup of coffee, watermelon and lots more. We treated our girls to a Jellycat each for Christmas and they quickly became their toys of choice at bedtime and to provide a bit of fun and comfort during these strange times.

Azuni - jewellery

Taking inspiration from his global travels, Ashley Marshall founded Azuni London in 1995. I bought my first pair of gold hoop Azuni earrings from Lark London, a gift shop close to my house. The earrings make lovely gifts and can jazz up any outfit. I now have three pairs. Available from Azuni London and Lark London.

Candy Kittens - sweet treats

Developed in London, these gelatine-free, vegan sweets are pretty moreish. As a Type 1 diabetic, I head to my pot of Candy Kittens when my blood sugar is low. For Valentine’s day my husband treated me to a personalised Candy Kittens pot (my ‘hypo’ pot - see above). They do also come in smaller bags, in a range of fun flavours and you can pop them in your basket in many supermarkets or online at Candy Kittens direct.

10 minute Pilates for busy mums

A few months back I started Pilates.

With my brand new gym gear I energetically went off Tigger-like to my first class and loved it.

So I went each week for about 6 weeks and was starting to feel the benefits (my back felt less stiff and I was regaining strength in my stomach).

It was all going really well until life got in the way - one of the children was poorly one week, the class sold out the next, my husband worked late one Thursday and the classes ground to a halt for me.

And now it's been about 5 weeks since I last went.

The thing is I know Pilates is a good fit for me personally. 

I want to regain strength in my abs after two c-sections.

I want to ease the muscles in my back where I feel strain from lifting heavy toddlers and pushing a ridiculously heavy double buggy.

A few weeks ago, as I feeling a bit useless at my bad pilates attendance, I came into contact with Louise - a Pilates teacher and founder of Studio 44 Pilates.

She offers online classes that are 10 minutes long which you can access and do at your own pace.

I've been trying out Louise's videos at home and it's been wonderful being able to fit them in to my routine.

Many of the stretches are familiar to me from the class I have been going to locally, so I feel like I am building on what I have already been taught.

I caught up with Louise to find out a bit more about Pilates and whether 10 minute workouts really can make a difference:

 

As a mum of two little ones, I find the frequent carrying my children & pushing their double buggy quite tough on my body and back. How can Pilates help?

Pilates is all about strengthening the core (the deep supporting muscles in the centre of the body) to help improve our posture.  So when you are carrying your children you need to hold them in front of you rather than on one hip, as this puts all the weight on one side which can put the pelvis out of line, causing issues now and later in life.  Improving your posture and strengthening your core will ensure that when you are pushing the buggy you stand in the correct position to benefit your body, rather than pushing through your shoulders and leaning into the buggy.  A win win!!

10 minutes sounds quite manageable to a busy mum - can it really make a difference?

Lack of time is the main reason people do no exercise at all!  The recommendations state that you should do 30 minutes of exercise every day.  This doesn’t mean going to the gym each day, this is about general exercise which elevates your heart rate, so pushing a buggy will help towards this goal.  Pilates improves strength, flexibility & balance.  10 minutes will help towards this. Done 3 – 5 times a week it will help increase all of the above, make you more aware of your body and reduce the risk of injury as well as improving your mindset.

How has Pilates helped you over the years and since you have been practicing/teaching?

I have been teaching Pilates for 17 years now and have had my fair share of back problems (should I admit that being a pilates teacher?!) I find if I haven’t done any for a few days I can really feel myself stiffening up and tweaks in my back.  I love the exercises that mobilise and stretch my spine (that’s an age thing!!) but I also love the strengthening exercises.  Everyone thinks Pilates is easy, but once you have been doing it for a while the exercises become really challenging!  Now at 52 I feel fitter and stronger than when I first started teaching! 

Is there a perfect time of day for Pilates?

This really depends on the individual and also the TIME you can fit it in.  I really like exercising first thing, so this usually means I have to get up at 6am before everyone else is up and do my session, which always involves Pilates. There is no best time and I think it depends on the individual, some people like to get up and moving before even thinking about it!  Doing something at any time of the day is better than not moving at all!

Pilates helps physical health, would you say it helps mental health too?

Yes! Joseph Pilates who developed Pilates states that “Pilates is the complete coordination of body, mind and spirit.”  You learn about your body through the exercises which “develops the body posture, invigorates the mind and elevates the spirit.”

 

Thanks to Louise for letting me try out her 10 minute online classes.

You can try out a 10 minute taster video and sign up to a free 7 day trial at https://studio44pilates.com/online-classes/

10 things having Type 1 diabetes has taught me

There’s a lot I can tell you about Type 1 diabetes.

For starters it's 24/7 and yes, I can still eat chocolate.

It's a total pain having to know your blood sugar ALL THE TIME.

Before I reach for something in the fridge I need to know what my blood sugar level is and that means doing a finger prick blood test.

I can sometimes be found in the kitchen at 3am drinking Coca-Cola to stop a hypo (low blood sugar). That can be pretty disruptive too.

But I don’t want this post to be doom and gloom. Ahead of World Diabetes Day on November 14th, I wanted to sit back and reflect on my time with Type 1.

It’s a condition that’s changed me in many ways and I’ve put together 10 things I have learned and am grateful for since being diagnosed 2.5 years ago:

1. Health is key - Type 1 is autoimmune so there’s nothing I could have done to prevent it. I now focus on looking after myself with balanced meals and regular walking. Type 1 has definitely made me pay more attention to my body.

2. I CAN have chocolate - Phew... My first thought on being diagnosed was that chocolate was out the window. I can eat chocolate as long as I inject for it though the best bet for me is to eat smaller amounts at a time.

3. I CAN eat out - sounds silly but when I was diagnosed this was a total nightmare, the same with takeaways. I would stress out at the size of portions -how would I know how much insulin to give? Now I look at menus online and in advance and I am upfront with the staff, explain I'm Type 1 and ask about the sizes of portions.

4. Relaxation is really important - massage used to be a luxury, now I see it as a necessity for helping me feel less anxious, relaxed and on top of things. I try to factor in a deep tissue massage every 4-6 weeks.

5. A support network is everything - even a Type 1 diabetic with good control has bad days. Days where you can eat the same food as the day before but for some unknown reason your blood sugars rocket or crash. Having  family and friends who you can talk to or offload to is really important. I still don’t know many people with Type 1 but having family who can listen when times are tough is amazing.

6. A good hospital team makes all the difference - a diabetes nurse you can call or email when times are rough, a dietician who can help you make changes to your diet, a consultant who listens and understands. A strong team is crucial.

7. Illness is tough - Flu is rough but for a diabetic it can be dangerous. Sickness bugs can play havoc with blood sugar (I have been in hospital twice needing a drip). I try to keep on top of sleep, eat plenty of fruit and veg and I always have the flu jab as soon as I can when flu season approaches.

8. An online support network - There’s an online network of Type 1 diabetics who help and support each other - I find this particularly on Twitter. There are monthly meet-ups, Twitter chats & Facebook pages you can join. Whilst you can feel like the new kid at school, it doesn’t last long as you gradually get to know others with Type 1.

9. The NHS is amazing - Since being diagnosed in 2015, I have been sent on a diabetes education course DAFNE and been given an insulin pump. This has cost the NHS over £5,000 and I don’t forget for a second how lucky I am to have these things along with the staff who have made it happen.

10. Don’t sweat the small stuff. OK, I do sweat the small stuff sometimes; we all do. But I’ve learned to live my life more, try new hobbies and activities, be grateful for each day and always try to focus on the positives. Type 1 diabetes is part of me now and I need to do my very best to look after myself physically and mentally. Looking for the positives and making the most of every day is crucial - simple as that.