Woman and their Hearts

This is just a guess, but I think that if a random group of women were surveyed about what disease affects the greatest number of women, the majority would say “breast cancer”.

Without wishing to down play the seriousness of breast cancer (Look Lovely posts a reminder every month), women are three times more likely to die of heart disease than breast cancer.  I found that statistic on the website of the British Heart Foundation.

I was looking at the British Heart Foundation website because I was thinking about women who consider Valentine’s Day to be a load of old phooey.  Valentine’s Day is about the heart in the romantic sense, but the heart in physical reality is important for all of us.

Some women find Valentine’s Day depressing because they feel all alone.  If this applies to you, why not do some fund raising for the British Heart Foundation?  You might make some new friends while you are helping a good cause.

There are many different ways to become involved.  If you are not in full time employment, it might be possible to work as a volunteer in a shop.  If you work in an office, you could organise a work-based event.  There is a range of sponsored walks and of course the annual bike ride. Look at the website for more ideas.

One Step towards a Fair World

When I hear the phrase ‘do something to help other people’ I usually imagine doing something extra, or perhaps giving money to a disaster fund.  The truth is that it is possible to help other people through the choices made in the course of a routine shopping trip.

Fair Trade goods have been around for several years now.  When Fair Trade coffee was a new idea is seemed to me to be a small gesture and I could not imagine that it would make much difference.  I did see the virtue in buying a product that guaranteed to pay a living wage to the person at the beginning of the chain.  In the case of coffee, it means that the people who grow and harvest the coffee are paid a wage that will enable them to live a healthy life and educate their children.

With time, the Fair Trade movement grew and the concept of Fair Trade towns and cities developed.  Where Fair Trade products were once available only through charity shops or specialist sellers, they now appear in supermarkets and high street chain stores.

Although I try to keep within a set budget for food and clothes, I always try to choose products that bear the Fair Trade label.  It may be only a tiny step, but it really does help to make the world a fairer place.

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