Ms Morgan worked as a journalist at ITV News for 23 years, and a colleague described her as a “true trailblazer”. So Sad.
Irony of ironies – Who ever makes the rules about these things has been blocking advertising for the Grand Opera House play VOTE DLA. They can’t support one political party against any other! Read the publicity boys. I know politics are a comedy but this play really is funny because DLA stands for the Dundonald Liberation Army and they are set to make waves and build walls to protect themselves from the Lisburnians. The show opens on 13th June and runs untill Saturday 17th June – so make no mistake this is way better than any other party. book tickets at 208 9024 1919
This is stress awareness month and my tomatoes are thriving, potted ten days ago, some golden marigolds round them to keep away the green and white flies and a daily drink of water. What’s the connection? Gardening is considered a great reducer of tension and stress, weeding, preparing the soil and caring for little plants takes your mind off your worries, that’s the theory and asking friends they confirm this and I know since I was a child the garden has been my playground, My Granny had a gardener called Jack and he taught me so much from riddling the soil “until you could eat it” to taking cuttings and trailing sweet pea up the trellis. I was and still am absorbed by creating a garden.
NI Chest Heart and Stroke emphasis that 1 in 2 heart attacks and strokes are linked to high blood pressure. What causes high blood pressure? There are a number of causes, fear, grief, loneliness, being overweight, not enough exercise, smoking, too much salt in your food, too much alcohol or caffeine based drinks – and stress. So actually it’s possible to lower your chances of heart problems by, where you can, taking your lifestyle by the scruff of the neck and giving it a good shake and, most important, having regular checks.
In their excellent From The Heart spring magazine, NICH&S give six tips to reduce stress. Try to identify your stress, write down negative impacts in your life and so learn to cope and avoid them. Secondly, getting back to nature. Not only gardening but walking in a park or forest to get that feel good factor or, if you’re not that active, take a book into the garden and if possible sit amongst trees because they absorb carbon dioxide and produce oxygen amongst other attributes so remember to breathe in deeply.
Talking of Breathing
In times of stress we tend to take quicker more shallow breaths which adds to the feeling of panic. Be aware of this and practice inhaling deeply for a count of 3, hold for 3 and then breathe out for 3. Once you have mastered this, increase to a count of 4. This will slow everything down and help clear the mind and aid relaxation.
Count Down
The 5,4,3,2,1 technique is a nice way to elevate stress. Take a minute to sit and look around you. Identify 5 things that you can see. Listen and pick out 4 things you can hear. Identify 3 things you can feel and lastly 2 smells and finally the taste in your mouth.
Obviously relaxation is important but not always easy and it takes time. It’s important even if it means getting up half an hour earlier in the morning to prepare for the day in a leisurely way. A bath is a delightful experience either morning or night, sadly we had to give ours up in favour of a shower which isn’t nearly as enjoyable, not easy to read a book in the shower! I was awake at 5.30 a.m. last week and the birds were in full song, I walked into the garden and felt so fortunate to join them in their chorus. Then I remembered I had a tape of bird song which is a easy listening when settling down to sleep except whoever compiled it decided to put a wood pecker 15 minutes in and the heart jumps at it’s drumming. King Charles is reputed (by his younger son) to take a teddy bear to bed, another way of relaxation even hugging a teddy is satisfying.
When your mind is whirling around as you lie in bed and sleep is impossible I use two techniques. One is to take a walk my mind. I’m in Donegal, I pull open the curtain, the sun is streaming down, the skylarks song filling the air, feet on the green carpet, pull on some clothes, walk to the front door, hear it creak open and step out into the warm summer air. Walk down the lane to the pump with the Atlantic at my feet, walk along the road to the beach. I never get to walk on the sand because I’ve fallen asleep. The other idea is to make up sentences using the same initial for each word. Amanda and Agnes angered Arthur after arranging another angling afternoon against Alex’s advice etc etc. Every time you get lost you must start at the beginning again. Like so many of these things it’s all about concentration.
If your mind is ranging round a million problems and challenges you’ll never settle to anything. If you keep coming back to concentrating on the one thing your mind will be focused and you’ll achieve rest and a reduction in your stress levels.
Change Of Scenery
Finally, Chest Heart & Stroke recommend driving to a local beauty spot and watching the world go by. Not always easy especially when you don’t have transport but if you do then a picnic somewhere along the coast or in forest parks is a lot of fun. My best picnic ever was when I was heavily pregnant and not in good form; my Auntie Joan arrived, my cousins in tow, eased me into the car and headed for Lady Dixon Park. It was pouring with with rain, thunder and lightening and we laughed and laughed, ate our sandwiches and laughed some more before returning home with the weight of the world lifted off my shoulders.
Forget the commercial stress products, these ideas are well within everyone’s capability and they work. Now I’m off out into the garden with my book – thankfully the sun is shining and the birds are singing and the tomato plants are showing the beginnings of little yellow flowers which some day will be ripe, red, delicious fruit (botanically speaking)!
To obtain the magazine go to Internet – nichs.org.uk – and down to magazines where you’ll find From the Heart 2023 on line. NICH&S telephone number is 028 9032 0184
The public seem to be taking it into their own hands when it comes to protesters. At the Chelsea Flower Show three women protesters were sprayed with a hose when they broke into the Brewin Dolphin display and yesterday players and fans tackled two oil protesters and removed them from the rugby pitch.
The big talking point on the social media is the demise of Philip Schofield . How interesting the reactions from his colleagues and one time friends. I guess the man was under dreadful pressure when he decided to tell the world he was gay, the whole horrible time when his brother was detained on sex crimes – however, no excuse for lying to management and family. When first we practice to deceive and all that. I wonder what will happen to Scholfield now. Having watched the two documentary programmes about Rolf Harris I feel Schofield has been punished enough for his bad judgment.
