Hey my Lovelies, I’m back with my second post for 2020! ‘Hi’ 👋 ‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾ Since the beginning of the year, I’ve been drawn to the idea of keeping a gratitude jar. It’s not something I’ve done before but it doesn’t take much effort so why not. I saw fellow blogger – Channie start her own […]
First of all, I need to apologise for the lack of blog posts in the last 4 months and also for the multitude of accidental post releases. To say I need to get a grip is an understatement haha, but it’s 2020 and all I can try to do is do/be the best that I can.
Breville Blending
At the end of 2019, I purchased a portable Breville blender. It has been on my mind to start making smoothies, in fact, I did purchase a blender earlier on in the year but unfortunately, I bought it from an American vendor and I never received it in the post (I did contact them and got my money back).
Now that I have this new blender I’m excited about my smoothie regime recommencing!
Breville Blender
Summer Fruits Smoothie
For my first smoothie of 2020, I went straight in with some summer fruits and boy was it worth the wait.
Hey my Lovelies, Did you know that MAY is #MentalHealthAwareness month? If you didn’t, now you do ☺ This month I’ll be making extra efforts to spread awareness about physical & mental illnesses on all platforms… Join me if you like 💪💙 As today is the first Monday of May, I’m coming to you with a few […]
The Cambridge Mask comes in a typical medical face mask shape (as you normally see worn in hospitals), but unlike medical face masks these masks have the benefits of being washed and re-worn. It has looped elasticated bands that go around the ears for secure wear, with one adjustable drawstring on either side of the mask so you are able to tighten it if neccessary for a tighter fit.
The Cambridge Mask is available in 15 different designs and 5 different sizes:
Extra Small
Small
Medium
Large
Extra Large
The size I purchased and photographed myself wearing above is – Medium: 150x190mm, 33 – 64kg (Adult)
The filter positioned on the front of the Cambridge Mask on the right-hand side is there for filtering benefits and not only does it clear the air of pollution via this particulate filter, it also removes potentially harmful gases and pathogens with the additional carbon filter that it’s fitted with.
Functionality & Ease of use
Whilst wearing this mask I found that it was OK for a few things such as when at hospital appointments in waiting rooms but didn’t live up to standards for other activites such as comfortable wear during arts & crafts session at home. As an asthmatic I already struggle to breath, when I wear this mask I feel as though I know scientifically I’m being protected from pollutants present in my vicinity but at the same time if I’m to wear this mask for more than 10 minutes I struggle to breath in any air at all and feel my airways are highly restricted.
I have really small ears so fitting the adjustable strap around my ears is a little challenge and uncomfortable as the elastic pushes down on the cartilige in my ear and eventually the face mask comes off as there’s nothing for it to grip on to (I’ve had this problem all my life, it’s the worst when it comes to using earphones because they always fall out as a result of how tiny my ears are).
On the Cambridge Mask Co. website it says these masks are good for anyone exposed to urban environments with high air pollution levels – any big city often has higher air pollution.
•People in at risk groups for respiratory disease, including children, elderly, pregnant women and those with existing respiratory conditions.
•Asthmatics and allergy sufferers including Hay Fever.
•Hobbyists and DIY such as woodworking and sanding.
•Anyone travelling to regions known for poor air quality such as China and India.
•Anyone seeking protection for airborne irritants such as Dust and mould.
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Cleaning
Cleaning the Cambridge Mask is pretty easy.
After unpacking the mask it’s best to clean it by handwashing and drying it thoroughly before wearing and using it. After a couple days/after every use you can repeat the same process of washing and drying it.
Final Thoughts – Spoonie Friendly?
This Cambridge Mask gets a 2 out of 5 on the Spoon Scale from me. The main purpose of this cambridge mask is to be able to breathe properly and unfortunately I wasn’t able to do so easily with this on. I’m asthmatic and pick up infections easily so the idea of a reusable filter mask was something that sounds very helpful to me. I gave it a 2 because of how straight forward this product is to clean and use but then in the long run it’s unfortunate that I struggled to have comfortability which is very important especially when suffering with chronic illnesses already causes discomfort. I can still use this mask as it hasn’t been 6 months yet since recieving this item and the Cambridge Mask Co. Website recommends to change it after a 6 month period. I’m going to try again with another size and/or brand of re-usable face mask as it’s an item that is very neccessary for a spoonie to have in their Spoonie Survival Kit.
Let me know if you bought one of these or something similar and how you’re getting on with it.
Hey my Lovelies, Warm welcome to my first blog post for 2019. During the last few months of 2018 I had the idea of tracking my constantly ever changing moods via a form of bullet journalling called, ‘mood tracking’. In this post I’m going to mention, Why I’ve decided to start a Mood Tracking Journal […]
On Wednesday, October 10th the world came together to raise more awareness for Mental Health Day! In this post I am going to mention 5 Pick-Me-Up suggestions for the Chronic Illness & Mental Health community.
These are just a few things that I use as creative coping mechanisms for chronic health issues and wanted to pass it on to anyone else that may need some ideas.
LISTEN TO AN ALBUM
Listening to music has been proven to lower stress levels and is a great way to cope with your mental health.
On World Mental Health Day I created a new music TAG called – ‘Pick Me Up Playlist’.
This TAG was to recognise what role music plays in your life, how it has helped with your mental health and to list 10 songs you would consider being a part of your ‘Pick Me Up Playlist’. – You can read my post here
I’ve been listening to an artist for a couple of years now, who goes by the stage name, H.E.R. She’s a real talent and automatically cheers me up whenever I hear her voice.
If you need a Pick-Me-Up, put on your favourite album or find a new one to explore and listen to.
Crank up the volume and rap/sing your heart out. You might just find the theme tune for your life!
POEM WRITING
A week ago, on October 4th it was #NationalPoetryDay
I had written a short poem called, ‘Hopefully Rose’ and posted it on my blog.
You can use poem writing as a way for you to express your feelings and emotions, or simply make a poem about what has inspired you or caught your eye at a particular moment. It doesn’t need to be a full page with the longest words, it also doesn’t have to rhyme.
Some people might say otherwise, but I think blogging is definitely a creative outlet. Actually, before I started blogging more frequently (these last two months) I never realised how much of a creative outlet blogging really was. It might not be painting the Mona Lisa but whilst blogging you are expressing yourself with words and connecting with an audience. Whether you’re sharing your story or sharing general knowledge it’s all a way for you to be creative.
I know blogging is tiring, especially when battling with ailments etc. but it’s actually a good way to stay positive and connect with so many lovely bloggers and people who may enjoy your style of writing. If you are only able to type and post on your blog once a week, then do it! If you can post a few times a week, go for it!
Do what you can manage and use it as your space to share your light.
You are a Writer. You are Creative. You are Talented.
CARRY ON BLOGGING!
PHOTOGRAPHY
Being a part of the chronic illness and mental health community, I know for myself how much the bad days can outweigh the good days and take its toll. Between physical pain and emotional pain, it can all get too overwhelming.
Whenever I get the chance to get out of the house, even if it’s to a medical appointment I like to take pictures of the day, whether it be flowers, buildings, wall art… you name it I’ll snap it Lol
To an ‘average’ person they might say, “why are you taking so many pictures?”, or “why are you taking pictures of that random object?”. For me, I don’t know when I’ll get another day out so I make sure to take as many pictures to cheer myself up. I look back on pictures whilst I’m suffering in bed to remind myself that there are so many beautiful things out there and that’s one way I keep my head above water☺
A picture I took after one of many hospital visits
SNAP, SNAP, SNAP AWAY! 📷
DRAWING
Last on my list but probably one of my most favourites is drawing.
Drawing is a great way to escape your physical and mental struggles, you can use it create whatever you want… just like writing and blogging.
You don’t have to be the best at drawing, just practice doodling and putting pencil to paper.
You might surprise yourself with what you come up with.
I’ve been drawing since I was little and it has always been automatic for me to pick up art tools and just go for it. In the last few weeks, I’ve tried my hand at drawing portraits, an area that’s new for me.
So try it, get a few pens or pencils and get drawing!
So there we have it, 5 Creative Pick Me Up suggestions for chronic illness & mental health community. Hope you enjoyed!
Hey my Lovelies, Today is World Mental Health Day! Throughout this month my aim is to carry on raising more awareness for Mental Health and being more transparent about my own struggles. I had initially planned to write an article for today but decided to keep it light for this Mental Health Awareness Day, so […]
I have heard many people in the chronic illness community speaking of and praising Epsom salts for its ability to soothe and relax, so I decided to try it out for myself and see how it worked. Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links where I receive a little change if you use my link to […]
There’s a saying, “You can’t pour from an empty cup”, a well known metaphor to highlight the absolute importance of self-care. When you’re having a flare up the last thing you think about is treating yourself, as the pain over rides everything and anything you have on your to-do list. Even getting up to go […]
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links where I receive a little change if you use my link to purchase a product I’ve personally used and reviewed – the usage of the product link comes at no extra cost to you but will allow me to continue producing the content I love to share. ‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾ My […]
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