I Think I am Ugly Forum

Hello Everyone,

Did you know that there is a support group for people who think they are ugly? I had never thought of the possibility, that just like alcoholism, and eating disorders, people with poor views towards themselves would also need a support group.

I was especially amazed when I read the stats of what most post are about and who writes in these forums. It turns out that 83% of the people who think they are ugly in the forum are women. Also, 64% of the total population are in their teens. I find these stats enlightening of how prevalent the messages from the media is hurting our young women. There are so many people who think they are ugly! How can that be?  I find these to be a troubling phenomenon. Our ideas are not based on how the average person looks like, but how those 1% of the population that we seen in ads, tv, and everywhere we go, look. If you would like to read people’s posts regarding how they feel, you can check out this forum here.

I hope there is a day where numerous women feel beautiful in the inside and out and won’t be condemned for it. Isn’t it interesting that one cannot say “I think I am beautiful!” without being judged? Or even more, that they realize that their feelings of ugliness and low self worth is not real, but constructed so that we buy more things to make ourselves feel better.   What happens when people think they are ugly? Self sabotage, depression, and more likely to accept worse treatment from other people. Is there such thing as an ugly woman? No. Do numerous women around the world feel ugly? Yes. What if we think deeper about issues of beauty and realize that it is also an issue of belonging, and wanting to be known.

If You Add Vitamins to a Lollypop, Is it Healthful Now?

Eating healthfully is becoming more tricky with food companies trying to fool people that eating high calorie foods are good for them. I get so sad when people fall for these claims because all they have to do is read the food label to see the false claims (sometimes even the food label is misleading!). Remember the Nutella and Vitamin Water commercials? When Vitamin Water got sued for making false claims, their defense was that people who believed Vitamin Water was healthful were stupid for believing that claim. I like how Mike Lenningham, writer for Time Magazine puts it, “A sugar product is a sugar product: you can’t say a jellybean fights heart disease because it contains no cholesterol.” How about that? A jellybean that fights cholesterol! Can you think of other silly claims you can make by stretching the truth of a fatty food?

Here are a few examples of misleading sugary and fatty foods with supposed health benefits:

1. Protein bars: They are simply candy bars with fiber, vitamins and granola. You could probably take a snickers, melt it an mix it with granola and you have your protein bar!

2. Dried Fruits: Since they are smaller due to water loss, a cup of dried fruit will have so much more calories than a cup of the fresh thing. Not to mention dried fruit that has added sugar and salt.

3. Fat Free Salad Dressing: To make up for the lack of fat, more sodium is added. Instead of dressing, try using my favorite: lemon and pepper flakes. I love how it tastes in a salad, even with fruit.

4. Yogurt: Yogurt may seem better than ice cream, but only if you get the type that is low in calories, sugar (make sure they don’t add a variety of sugars to sneak the real amount of sugar) and fat. Stick to plain if you can.

5. Diet Soda: The sugar in this soda is simply replaced with sugar that is undetected by the body.

6. Nutella: Is very high in calories and sugar to even be considered a healthful food.

7. Reduced Fat Peanut Butter: Reduced fat simply means that it has less fat, but more carbs, hence the same calories. If you want peanut butter, get the real savory thing! The best peanut butter is simply made up of peanuts and salt, and contains a good source of vitamin E and good fats.

8. Margarine: This has more trans fat, the sort that clog your arteries. Better get polyunsaturated as this type of fat cleans your arteries!

9. Sushi: Although they may appear small and innocent, choose sushi with the wrong ingredients and you might as well have given yourself a giant meal. Avoid tempura, cream cheese or spicy mayo if you are looking for the less calorie packed alternative.

10. Turkey Burgers: Same amount of calories as a beef burger. In this case, portion control is key.

11. Bran Muffins: Have you ever opted for the dry and not as good tasting bran muffin instead of the blueberry muffin to feel better about your healthier breakfast choice? Well, to make up for the dryness and more chewing associated with the fiber, a lot more sugar is added to make the experience a bit more pleasant.

And the list can go on and on!  It is important to know when you are actually having more calories than you think, so you can plan your daily calories accordingly. I am not a big fan or restricting people about what they should eat. It should be more about moderation. Go ahead and have your sushi with spicy mayo! Just know that it has a lot of calories and your next meal should be something with lesser calories. Can you think of any more of these wolves in sheep clothing foods?

Splenda maybe?

Sources:

Gregory, Sean. “Is Vitamin Water Really a Heathy Drink? http://www.time.com/time/business/article/0,8599,2007106,00.html#ixzz1oah3xcQv

The Most Dangerous Health Foods. http://www.livestrong.com/slideshow/555952-the-9-most-dangerous-health-foods/?utm_source=popslideshow&utm_medium=s1#slide-9

Why Organic Cotton?

Do you love cotton? I love wearing cotton, from my sheets to my socks to my clothes. But have you thought about how it is grown? Cotton is one of the biggest non-food exports in the world, yet countries that produce cotton are in extreme poverty. Buying organic cotton will help protect farmers from the pesticides, and protect future children from birth defects. This video has staggering news regarding the production of non-organic cotton and how it is hurting whole communities that reproduce them.

Environmental Justice Foundation focuses on protecting cotton farmers, their environment and economies from corrupt practices. You can get involved in numerous ways, such as campaining, buying from their shop or volunteering. To visit their website, click here.

Let Rasquache Inspire your Fashion

Have you ever gone to an art store to buy a canvas, beads or other supplies to make art? A form of Chicana and Chicano art is quite different in which you make art with the things that you already have. It is about painting your coffee can and using it as a flower pot, or layering material to make colorful collages. This form of art is called Rasquache. This art form is very sustainable and shows that you can make beautiful projects out of every day material. It takes crude materials and makes them into works of art. It used to have a negative connotation as it was considered to be ghetto, but now it is valued for its philosophy, and its roots in the Chicana and Chicano Movement. Here is an example of rasquache. This used to be a trashcan, but is now painted with an everyday food supply picture, such as a jalapeño can, and instead of holding trash, it now holds flowers and a bush. This communicates a strong statements towards upholding sustainability. What meanings do you see?

Rasquache was very important during the Chicana and Chicano Movement because it communicated ideas regarding politics, race, and the oppression that Chicanas/os faced by the U.S.

Seeing rasquache art gave me an idea of ways that we can be more sustainable. Clothes, for example are like canvases that we can add and layer to make new and exciting clothing! Instead of throwing away a shirt, cut it into pieces and sow it into another shirt! A part of being creative is about being fearless, like these Chicana and Chicano artists, and making something exciting out of the mediocre.

Here is an example of how to make clothes that you are tired off into new art creations!

How a Little Black Dress Sent Over 200 Children to School

Hello Everyone,

What if wearing the same dress everyday would give 221 children a chance to be able to attend school? I young woman by the name, Sheena Matheiken commited to wearing the same black dress for 365 days to raise awareness of not just sustainability, but  of children’s education in the less priviledge communities. She wore the same dress for a whole year (Well, her friend made her another so it would not get smelly!)! Not just that, she also pledge that each day, she would have a new outfit to display, unique and original from any prior ones she did before. She would use her vintage accessories, as well as the donations from many different organizations, stylists and designers and even fans!  All of the money she fundraised went to the Akanksha Foundation, a non profit organization that provides education to underpriviledge children living in Indian Slums. Through this project, Sheena was able to raised over $100,000 in donations. She was also awarded Elle Magazine Women of the Year for 2009. If you are curious to see all of Sheena’s unique outfits in a cute video montage, click here. I truly admire Sheena for her enormous commitment and creativity towards confronting a big issue, such as education accessibility for children in India’s slums. Fundraising can look in many beautiful, and fashionable ways.

I want to give a special thanks to Mary, from blog, Joyful Ploys, who recommended I checked out the “Uniform Project,” after reading my “Be Green and Chic and Have a Clothes Swapping Party.“

Soap can Save the World!

Hello Everyone,

Thanks to blog, Write Where You Are, I just found out about a creative project called, Global Soap Project, that focuses on saving lives by providing soap to refugee communities. This is a great organization because it demonstrates creativity when it comes to helping others! Washing your hands is one of the best ways to prevent diseases, but many communities do not have access to soap. The other amazing thing about this organization is that they recycle soap! They take hotel bar soaps that have been discarded, cut them up, melt them, and make them into new bars of soap. Hotels discard a lot of soap, almost 2.6 million soap bars in one day! I think this organization has a genius idea of how to reduce this waste and help people that need soap have access to them.

If you would like to explore this organization, you can take a look here. You can volunteer, or donate to their cause. There are also pictures where you can see what they do in action.  For example, they took a donated meat grinder, and use that to help them cut the soap into small pellets so that they can melt them into new bars! Talk about resourceful!

Be Green and Chic and Have a Clothes Swapping Party!

Hello Everyone,

Have you ever noticed that fashion stores are turning into fast food chains? You go into them to get a $5 shirt that will in a month or two end up in the garbage, or the bottom of your closet. Fashionable items have become so cheap so people can stay up to date and seasons without going broke. When you go into those stores, the quality of some of the items are really cheap, like purses that look pretty, but are made with flimsy material that won’t let it last long. Next season, one throws away the clothes, extremely hurting the environment as numerous people also are getting ready for the next season.

So, a conscious person would sell those clothes in e-Bay, donate them to Goodwill or the Salvation Army, or in one of those clothes recycle boxes. However, there is also another alternative that is fun and can get your friends involved: A clothes swapping party!

Yes, you heard me… have a time where you and your friends bring clothes that are still in  good condition and swap them to give them another life. It should be something that you don’t like or wear anymore, that someone will be excited to try on. However, you want to keep some rules in mind so that it is the most fun experience possible, and you don’t lose any friends.

1. Make appetizers

Food builds solidarity in a group, and it also makes the event more as a party and time to hang out than simply business of getting rid of stuff. Having food gives people energy, more likely to become engaged in this activity. Having wine will also add to the personality in the party as drinking might make people more lighthearted. It is up to you how you would like to host the party, but some delicious treats is a must! Also, have music!

2. Ask people whose style you like, and like yours

As part of swapping, your friends need to bring clothes they don’t wear as well! And it helps when you like each other’s style, or have around the same body shape and sizes.

3. Try having your biggest mirrors around available

Having mirrors helps with the trying out of clothes, and the feeling that one might be shopping ethically as it feels as if one is changing in a dressing room.

4. Be a good sport and be prepared to laugh at your fashion victim clothes

The more dedicated to fashion you are, the more likely that you will have an eccentric piece that will be the target for light-hearted ridiculing. It only adds to the fun of the day!

5. If two people want the same piece, flip a coin.

Don’t try to have a vote from the group, or based on who it looks better. It is day to have fun and not build tension or break friendships.

6. Be confident 

Some of your items that you are trying to get rid off might look better on someone else. Don’t worry about it, clothes are created for the body, not the other way around. And also, this shirt is now going to go into a new home to have a longer life.

7. The item swapped is not yours anymore

This one sounds obvious, but some things that I have experience when people give clothes away, is that the piece is still called, “So and so’s” shirt or bag, or what have you. Please refrain from doing this, maybe during the party, but the day after or weeks after it can be irritating as the new owner is not allowed to feel like the owner.

8. Be surprised to see what others give away

Something that you might not like will be someone else’s new favorite. Don’t judge your giveaways before your friends have a chance to see it and vice versa for your friends.

9. Make sure everything is clean, ironed, and items taken off the pockets.

Also, don’t bring things people usually don’t like to share, like underwear, bras or socks.

10. Don’t take it too seriously

Some people might walk away with things that they do not like as much. The purpose of this is to have fun and spend time with friends, not to get too involved and compare quality that one brought with someone else.( Or you can have price range turns, or piles)

I also found this helpful video on wiki-how!

how-to-host-a-clothing-swap-party

If you don’t like the idea of having a party, there is a great website called SwapStyle where you trade clothes with people all around the world! http://www.swapstyle.com/

Ideas from:

Blanchard, Tamsin. Green is the New Black: How to Change the World with Style. New York: Harper Collins, 2007. (139)