Well interesting contrast in coverage this week. The Globe and Mail ran a piece on a study of Canadian physicians which reveals some of the hardships of dealing with difficult patients. We, on the other hand, ran on piece on the difficulty women have in communicating with their doctors.
So who’s right? In my opinion, both pieces have merit and highlight the gap some of us have experienced in navigating the medical system. What has your experience been? Do you have a great relationship with your doctor?
This piece in the Globe and Mail examines whether anniversary parties are becoming passé. Is it because marriage is uncool? Apparently not; it’s because people don’t want to make their divorced friends uncomfortable.
I can see it. Divorce is a sea change; painful, difficult. And if you’re a friend the last thing you want to do is add to that pain.
Commenters on the Globe and Mail site though make the point that it’s not a reason not to celebrate milestones.
What do you think?
I recently made one of those “why didn’t anyone think of this earlier” types of beauty discoveries: a skin and hair care line that focuses on environmental conditions rather than assigned skin “types”.
Solavie Eco-Global Skin and Hair Care is a clever system of unisex body products that includes face washes, moisturizers, shower gels and hair shampoos and conditioners. The packaging is standout: you can snap two different products together (making them great for traveling and space saving), there’s no wasteful outer packaging, and the plastic is completely recyclable.
There are six climate specific systems to choose from: Mountains, Urban, Tropics, Shore, Plains or Desert. It’s pretty logical thinking: a family living in the hot, dry heat of the desert would likely be in need of more moisturizing ingredients, like the Yucca and Sage Oils in the Desert line. Urban mamas need to battle the daily onslaught of city grime and pollution, and thus, the Urban line is full of antioxidants like Vitamin’s A and E.
I’ve been using the Tropics line (even though the only thing even remotely tropical in my life right now is the umbrella in my evening cocktail), and I love the de-frizzing action of the Hair Nourish and Style conditioner. Prices range from $10 – $38.
www.solavie.com
For more great beauty advice from Vanessa, see her Beauty Scoop columns.
Just a quick public service announcement: buy a latte at Timothy’s World Coffee today and proceeds will be donated to Habitat for Humanity, as part of Timothy’s third LatteBené day.
“On LatteBené Day, our customers get more than the best-tasting latte around,” said George Michel, CEO for Timothy’s Coffees of the World, in a press release. “They also get the opportunity to help strengthen their community. We invite everyone to come out for a LatteBené and help build a home!”
9 to 5: The Musical (with new songs penned by Dolly Parton) opened last week in Los Angeles, which has inspired Slate writer Megan Hustad to revisit the DVD. She asks good questions: “Will a 30-year-old comedy about sexism in the workplace feel as period as Mad Men? Has consciousness raising turned into camp”
I remembered the bizarre fantasy sequences, but I didn’t remember the policies Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin, and Dolly Parton’s characters implement once they’re “in charge”: equal pay for equal work, on-site day care, job-sharing, and flextime. Yes, we’ve come a long way – but it seems a shame we haven’t gotten there yet. Of course we also haven’t started tying up our bosses.
Read the piece and come back and tell me what you think!
Also, if you’re curious: Here’s a piece about the premiere (and how Parton saved the day) as well as a YouTube embedded video from the film.
Conservative leader Stephen Harper made headlines yesterday and today when he outlined changes to the Youth Criminal Justice Act. I don’t really want to get into the politics of it (although feel free in the comments or in our forums) but it did get me thinking about how our perceptions change as our kids (or nieces and nephews, or friends’ children) age.
I wonder if Harper’s views would change as his own son approaches 14… and in which direction.
It also brought to mind this piece from Jasmine Miller, in which she writes about her son’s experience being stopped by the police – for being out late running.
What’s surprised you about community and the law as your kids have come into their teen years?
Here’s some news that shocked me: L.M. Montgomery’s family has revealed that the author committed suicide at the age of 67. Her granddaughter, Kate Macdonald Butler, is reported by the CBC to have written that society has the idea that depression happens to “other people,” and in particular that it doesn’t happen to our “heroes and icons.”
I agree with the perception and I think it’s valuable to know how devastating a condition depression can be. According to the Public Health Agency of Canada, about 8 per cent of Canadians will experience depression during their lifetime. And according to a study released by the University of Warwick earlier this year, middle-age depression is common, even spanning cultures.
What are your experiences? Do you find yourself suffering from more than the blues?
Here’s some fodder for your weekend browsing. If you have a neat story to share, put a link in the comments!
I’ve watched Slate‘s slideshow “A Brief History of Wrinkles” twice. Although I’m not a fan of its location in the ‘geezer’ issue. Since when are wrinkles only for geezers? Can you talk to mine?
Jane Urquhart’s ode to Leonard Cohen in the Globe and Mail.
Looks like there will be a sequel to the Sex and the City movie. Let’s hope the catty comments about Kim Cattrall stop. And while you’re thinking about the Gang of Four, check out Lesley Blume’s interview with Candace Bushnell.
Attention all Warm Vanilla Sugar Body Lotion smugglers, the jig is up.
Don’t worry, customs officials haven’t finally cottoned on to the amount of Bath & Body Works products Canadians have been bringing across the border from the States (well, at least I hope not!). The much-loved range of products – from lotions to body spritzers to soaps – is heading to our shores with stores opening this month in Mississauga, Toronto, Guelph, Edmonton and London.
I’m not sure if this easy accessibility will make me put the brakes on my B&BW stock piling habit (I’m a devotee to the Sweet Pea line of goodies), but at least my over-worked suitcase will have more room on my next trip south.
If you’re new to the brand, try their best-selling Japanese Cherry Blossom Body Cream, the upcoming Black Amethyst Eau de Toilette, or pick up a few of the really outstanding Slatkin & Co Scented Candles on offer, which smell fantastic and are lovely to have around the home or office.
www.bathandbodyworks.com
Evidence continues to mount that immune systems of men and women work differently. But drug companies haven’t necessarily caught up in their research practices, as this Globe and Mail article reports. Is it time for a “pink aisle” at the pharmacy?
Of course the big news this week is that a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association has linked Bisphenol A to an increased risk of heart disease and diabetes. I have to wonder what this means in juxtaposition to the San Francisco study that runners live longer. (Links to National Post article.) They do, but only if their water bottles don’t contain Bisphenol A? Not that you have to run to have a water bottle.
Also, more bad news: our standard of health care lags behind Europe.
But here’s the piece that makes up for the news that as Canadian women our healthcare system may not be performing adequately, our drugs may not be right for our bodies, and our food storage containers may be killing us. Fat may not be so bad for us after all. Pass the bacon.
