Many teenagers today claim to not like the look of their body, in particular young girls. In a recent survey of 200 teenage girls, 6 out of 10 said they would be much happier if they lost weight. Also, 2 out of 3 girls under the age of 13 have said they have already been on a diet, and some turn to purging (making themselves sick). To me this is absolutely shocking; a 13 year old should be out playing with friends, worrying about whether their secret crush likes them or not, nagging their mom for new shoes, not to be obsessively afraid of their weight that they use purging as an option. That’s just not right.

The two main eating disorders are Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa. Both of these life threatening diseases are common in teenagers, not only young girls but also young boys. Anorexia is the refusal to eat food in the fear of putting on weight, whereas Bulimia is taking in masses of food in a short period of time which is then followed by guilt or shame and mostly self vomiting, purging and in some cases fasting. But surprisingly these two diseases are not a disease of the body but a disease of the brain and mind.

In extreme cases this disorder can cause death as seen with ballet dancer Heidi Guenther who, after being rejected by a theatre company for being ‘too chunky’ at just 5’5’’ in height and 96Ibs in weight, developed an eating disorder. She developed a deadly obsession and eventually died at the age of just 22 from collapsing due to being malnourished. 

The cause of this disease usually starts from bullying and peer pressure to look a certain way, especially to look like A-list celebrities and their killer looks. Young girls will do whatever it takes to look like A-list celebs such as Jennifer Lopez, Victoria Beckham and Kiera Knightley. Media’s influence on young girls is inevitably ruthless in a way, portraying the so called “right” way a girl should look. But what these victims don’t understand is that these celebs have personal trainers, are on diets, and often have surgery to look this way. This crave to follow the new celeb diet craze is massive and can be deadly, and something must happen to stop it quick.

However, not only do normal commoners like us suffer from these diseases, even royalty do. Princess Leila Pahlavi, the youngest daughter of the late Shah of Iran died alone in her hotel suite in which she had overdosed on prescription drugs and cocaine. She was found in her bed with her body severely damaged from years of anorexia, depression and self harm. Even A-list celebs like Paula Abdul, Lily Allen and Victoria Beckham admit to their life-threatening eating disorders. After years of denial, Posh finally came out with her obsession of losing weight whilst she was in the pop band ‘Spice Girls’ with her fellow band mate Geri Halliwell encouraging her to take on more sports and eating liquid based foods. However, Posh’s obsession did not just stop there, she eventually started to binge eat and make herself sick, as described in her autobiography where she claims to have eaten 10 bowls of cereal in one go. Yet she is one of the main celebrities that every girl would want to look like. Shocking!

Help & advice

One in five teenagers are so upset with their body that they suffer either Anorexia or Bulimia. This MUST stop as all of you must realise how to respect your body and learn to love your body. Most of us do want to lose some weight but there is a right way to do this. If you believe that you might be suffering from any of these diseases then please go and tell your doctor or parents. For help you can contact any of the following organisations:

The Eating Disorders Association provides advice and support for anyone with an eating disorder. You can call their Youth line on 0845 634 7650 (Mondays to Fridays 4pm-6.30pm). They have lots of useful information on their website at www.edauk.com.

There’s useful information on healthy eating is available from NHS Direct on 0845 46 47. They have a website at www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk.

The National Centre for Eating Disorders provides information, advice and counseling for anyone with an eating disorder, including compulsive dieters, obesity, anorexia, bulimia and binge eating. They also offer help and support to family and friends. Call 01372 46 94 93 (Mondays to Fridays 10am-5pm) or check out their website at www.eating-disorders.org.uk.

If you are being bullied because of your weight, you can talk to the Anti-Bullying Campaign. They offer advice and support to children who are being bullied, and to parents. You can speak to them in confidence on 020 7378 1446 (Mondays to Fridays 10am-4pm).

You can get details of advice and counseling services for young people in your area from Youth Access. Call them on 020 8772 9900 (Mondays to Fridays 9am-1pm and 2pm-5pm).

If you are under 18 and would like to speak to someone about any worries or concerns, call ChildLine free on 0800 11 11 (24 hours a day). Lines can be busy, so you may need to redial if you dont get through first time round. For more information, visit their website at www.childline.org.uk.

Bullying is something that most people have suffered at some point in their lives. It’s not something you can say will never happen as sometimes things like this happen in life. Bullying can happen to anyone at any age. Being bullied at school, home or online might involve someone pushing you, hitting you, teasing you, talking about you or calling you names. Bullying causes so much pain, not only to the victim but to their family as well. No one should have to go through bullying, and you certainly shouldn’t have to suffer alone.

What is bullying?

These are some ways children and young people have described bullying:

- being called names
- being teased
- being pushed or pulled about
- having money and other possessions taken or messed about with
- having rumours spread about you
- being ignored and left out
- being hit, kicked or physically hurt in any way
- being threatened or intimidated

Bullying can also be part of other forms of abuse, including neglect, emotional, physical and sexual abuse. If you are being bullied in person or online, then you might think that it’s your fault, but it isn’t!

Recently I came across an article about a girl who is in year 11 now and was being bullied since year 7 to year 10, her life was made hell. Every day she’d expect the same two girls to be waiting outside the gates to say horrifying things to her and to try and push her into the road which happened regularly. It came to a day when they said they were going to beat her up so she ran away from home, soon she was found and brought back home by the police and a week later back at school she knew it was too good to be true and the bullying started again. This girl was being tormented so much that she decided to try and end her life. One day she took an overdose of prescription pills before heading to school, she collapsed outside the school gates, soon after an ambulance was called and she was on a life machine for 3 days as the pills she took was draining her body of fluids, so it was vital that she stayed in hospital on a drip being monitored. Her mother was in tears and torn apart over it, she never realised what her daughter was going through. The girl made a full recovery and went back to school, this time she had the support from her family and the school to help stop and prevent further bullying.

What to do if you are being bullied

No-one has the right to stop you from going to school. Your school has a duty to protect you from bullying and keep you safe. Try taking a quiet moment to talk to someone you trust and tell them about the problem. That could be a teacher or someone else you feel comfortable talking to. They can get in touch with your school and work out a way to help you.

If someone’s bullying you, then going along with it will just let them know that what they’re doing is working, and they will keep doing it. Try to talk to someone who can help to make it stop.

The best way to protect yourself from being bullied is to tell someone so that you can get some help. If you try to fight back, you might make the situation worse or get into trouble yourself.

Here are some other ideas about how you can deal with bullying. Think about your situation, and what options might be best for you.
- Don’t ignore bullying – it won’t go away on its own and it may get worse.
- Tell someone you trust – such as a teacher, parent or friend.
- Remember – it’s not your fault. No one deserves to be bullied.

Here are some other things you might want to think about:
- Keep a record – and save any nasty texts or emails that you have been sent.
- If possible try to stay away from the bullies or stay with a group when you don’t feel safe.
- Ask your mates to look out for you.
- Try not to fight back – you could get into trouble or get hurt.
- Check your school’s anti-bullying policy. This will tell you what your school should do about bullying.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Call Childline on 0800 1111

If you are being bullied and you don’t feel like you can tell your teacher or an adult that can help, then you can call Childline for free on 0800 1111.

No-one else will know what you have said to your ChildLine counsellor unless you want them to. Your ChildLine counsellor will only take action if they feel that it’s an emergency and that you are in a life threatening situation.

If you are being bullied or are worried about anything to do with bullying, you can call Childline at anytime and they will help.

You get up in the morning, you rush to get ready for school or college, and you rush out the door without a breakfast. The problem with this is it means that you start the day with an empty stomach, and by the time you are getting into the swing of work, your blood-sugar levels are dangerously low. The result: you need an instant sugar fix, which usually means a donut or pastry or some other unhealthy choice.

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day as it gives you the energy and brain power to start off your daily duties. If you skip breakfast, then you are more likely to struggle at school or college. I am going to suggest some fast and fun ideas for breakfast.

There are so many ideas for your first meal of the day, supermarkets have a whole isle dedicated to breakfast and there is so much to choose from. I wouldn’t suggest eating the same breakfast each morning because this may eventually become boring and that’s why you may decide to give it a miss, so mix it up each week or give yourself a few options at home.

Breakfast Cereals
You want to eat healthy cereals, so I would not recommend Frosties, Coco pops or Sugar Puffs. These contain high levels of sugar so I would only eat these occasionally as part of your balanced diet. Instead, why not try porridge, a low-calorie muesli (no added sugar or salt) or a high fibre cereal – such as Weetabix or Shredded Wheat with semi skimmed or skimmed milk.  You can add some fresh fruit – a sliced banana or dried apricots – to add natural sweetness and help you resist the sugar.

Fresh Fruit Salad or Smoothie
Fresh fruit salad will provide a slow release of energy to get you through until lunchtime and also give you a healthy top up of vitamins and minerals. Peel and slice a few of your favourite fruits, top with a dollop of natural bio-yoghurt and enjoy with a slice of bread and honey. Alternatively, if you’ve got a blender, put the peeled and cored fruit in with the yoghurt and teaspoon of honey and make a delicious fresh smoothie.

Egg and Soldiers
Eggs are an excellent source of nutrients, low in calories, high in protein and contain very little saturated fat. Use wholemeal bread for the “soldiers” and resist using too much butter. Accompany with a glass of fruit juice.

Traditional English
There are even ways of making a full English breakfast even healthier so you don’t have to miss out on your traditional Sunday breakfast. There’s nothing wrong with a cooked breakfast as long as it’s a “grill up”, not a “fry up” as fried foods hold the fat! Lean bacon is a good source of protein, trim the fat and grill. Eggs contain iron and calcium – to get the benefits I suggest you boil. Add some baked beans and a grilled tomato. Accompany with some toasted wholemeal bread and a glass of fruit juice.

> Get in the habit. Overcome the reasons not to have breakfast and make it part of your day. If you’re too busy in the morning, prepare as much as you can the night before. If you can’t stomach anything first thing try just a glass of pure, unsweetened fruit juice, a banana, yoghurt or slice of toast. Get into the habit of trying different dishes at breakfast and enjoy it! I would suggest possibly eating cereal on a Monday, then a whole grain food Tuesday, fruit on Wednesday, etc. But it is totally up to you what you want to eat, just have fun and try not to miss breakfast.

New video from ChildLine aims to help young people cope with anxiety.

Young people in the West Midlands will be amongst the millions of under 18s sitting exams this summer and a new survey by ChildLine reveals 92% feel anxious about their revision and exams. 

Findings reveal almost two thirds (64%) say they’ve never had any support in dealing with exams and over half of young people (53%) say pressure from parents to do well is a major cause of anxiety.

Last year (2010/11) the ChildLine base in Birmingham counselled 237 children about exam stress. 

Anxiety can make people feel tired, upset, worried, shaky, light-headed or frustrated, and can sometimes present itself as a panic attack or nausea. It’s very common for young people to feel anxious about exams and to help ChildLine has made a new short film about combating anxiety.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Results from the ChildLine poll also found:

- Other main causes of anxiety for young people are not getting into university or college (57%) and fears about sitting the exam (56%)
- Almost half (45%) say they have skipped meals
- Two thirds (64%) of those surveyed said they have had trouble sleeping
- Talking to friends (43%) is the most common way of dealing with exam anxiety 
- 14% say they drink alcohol to cope with exam anxiety.

Alex, ChildLine’s message board host, said: “The exam period can be a very stressful and anxious time so it’s important to ensure you take regular breaks from revision and have a chance to unwind and relax. If you’re finding it difficult, log on to the ChildLine website to speak to other young people in the same situation and get advice and tips from our self help sections.”

If you are sitting exams this summer the following advice can help you cope with anxiety:

- It can sometimes feel like the whole of your future depends on what grades you get. First of all, try not to panic. You have a while until exam results come out. Even if you don’t get the results you need or expect, you still have options and can get help with any decisions you have to make

- There is nothing wrong with being worried about the actual exam, it’s very normal. The more prepared you are, the more confident you feel in being able to cope.

You do not need to buy an expensive gym membership, or invest large quantities of money on complicated body-building apparatus. All you need to keep your body in good shape is a healthy diet and a couple of dumbbells to follow this selection of easy to do keep fit routines.

But remember that just doing exercises that tone your body is not enough to keep your body fully healthy. Cardiovascular routines are also highly important and should not be neglected. These are routines which will raise your heart rate and also keep your heart in shape. Things like jogging, swimming and tennis.

Muscle growth

In this article we are going to focus on toning, using your own body weight as well as dumbbells to do resistance training, pumping blood to your muscles helping them to tone as they rest afterwards. Muscles grow during rest, not during training. If you don’t give a muscle adequate time to recover, you’ll actually interfere with the muscle building process.

When you lift weight, you’re supposed to stress the muscle to the extent that it breaks down the cells, resulting in increased protein synthesis, which produces thicker muscle fibers, making the muscle bigger. This process begins 2-4 hours after the workout and lasts 24 – 48 hours. If you stress the muscle again before the process is complete, you’ll break down the muscle fibers before they’ve had a chance to rebuild. So remember to give each muscle group the required rest time before working on them again.

Resistance workout

To prevent injury, it is important that you warm up before exercising. This should involve 5-10 minutes of light activity such as stretching, knee lifts or bending. Following this your workout should last between 20-40 minutes. You can modify the workout if necessary to suit your circumstances. Increase or decrease the number of repetitions according to your needs and ability. For beginners try doing 2 sets of 8 repetitions for all the exercises to follow in this article, for those more advanced try doing 3 set of 10 reps. Finally, you should end with a 5 minute warm down of stretching, similar to the warm up.

Warning – You should stop exercising if you feel pain or discomfort.

Dumbbell Bicep Curl

Main Muscle Worked: Biceps

1. Stand up straight with a dumbbell in each hand at arm’s length. Keep your elbows close to your torso and rotate the palms of your hands until they are facing forward. This will be your starting position.

2. Now, keeping the upper arms stationary, exhale and curl the weights while contracting your biceps. Continue to raise the weights until your biceps are fully contracted and the dumbbells are at shoulder level. Hold the contracted position for a brief pause as you squeeze your biceps.

3. Then, inhale and slowly begin to lower the dumbbells back to the starting position.

4. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.

Variations: There are many possible variations for this movement. For instance, you can perform the exercise sitting down with or without back support and you can also perform it by alternating arms; first lift the right arm for one repetition, then the left, then the right, etc.

You can also do the exercise starting with both palms of the hands facing the torso and then rotating forward as the movement is performed. At the top of the movement the palms should face forward.

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Hammer Curls

Main Muscle Worked: Biceps

1. Stand up with your torso upright and a dumbbell on each hand being held at arms length. The elbows should be close to the torso.

2. The palms of the hands should be facing your torso. This will be your starting position.

3. Now, while holding your upper arm stationary, exhale and curl the weight up just past a 90 degree angle and squeeze the bicep for a brief moment. Tip: Focus on keeping the elbow stationary and only moving your forearm.

4. After the brief pause, inhale and slowly begin the lower the dumbbells back down to the starting position.

5. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.

Variations: There are many possible variations for this movement. For instance, you can perform the exercise sitting down with or without back support and you can also perform it by alternating arms; first lift the right arm for one repetition, then the left, then the right, etc.

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Concentration Curls

Main Muscle Worked: Biceps

1. Sit down with one dumbbell in front of you between your legs. Your legs should be spread with your knees bent and feet on the floor.

2. Use your right arm to pick the dumbbell up. Place the back of your right upper arm on the top of your inner right thigh. Rotate the palm of your hand until it is facing forward away from your thigh. Tip: Your arm should be extended and the dumbbell should be above the floor. This will be your starting position.

3. While holding the upper arm stationary, curl the weights forward while contracting the biceps as you breathe out. Only the forearms should move. Continue the movement until your biceps are fully contracted and the dumbbells are almost at shoulder level. Hold the contracted position for a second as you squeeze the bicep.

4. Slowly begin to bring the dumbbells back to starting position as your breathe in. Caution: Avoid swinging motions at any time.

5. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions. Then repeat the movement with the left arm.

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Dumbbell Lateral Raise

Main Muscle Worked: Shoulders

1. Stand up with your torso upright and a dumbbell on each hand being held at arms length. The elbows should be close to the torso.

2. The palms of the hands should be facing your torso. Your feet should be about shoulder width apart. This will be your starting position.

3. Keeping your arms straight and the torso stationary, lift the weights out to your sides until they are about shoulder level height while exhaling.

4. Feel the contraction for a second and begin to lower the weights back down to the starting position while inhaling.

5. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.

Variations: There are many possible variations for this movement. For instance, you can perform the exercise sitting down with or without back support and you can also perform it by alternating arms; first lift the right arm for one repetition, then the left, then the right, etc.

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Front Two-Dumbbell Raise

Main Muscle Worked: Shoulders 

 1. Pick a couple of dumbbells and stand with a straight torso and the dumbbells on front of your thighs at arms length with the palms of the hand facing your thighs. This will be your starting position.

2. While maintaining the torso stationary (no swinging), lift the dumbbells to the front with a slight bend on the elbow and the palms of the hands always facing down. Continue to go up until you arms are slightly above parallel to the floor. Exhale as you execute this portion of the movement and pause for a second at the top.

3. As you inhale, lower the dumbbells back down slowly to the starting position.

4. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.

Variations: This exercise can also be performed by alternating hands, meaning doing one repetition with the right arm, and then one with the left, back to the right, etc.

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Standing Dumbbell Triceps Extension

Main Muscle Worked: Triceps

1. To begin, stand up with a dumbbell held by both hands. Your feet should be about shoulder width apart from each other. Slowly use both hands to grab the dumbbell and lift it over your head until both arms are fully extended.

2. The resistance should be resting in the palms of your hands with your thumbs around it. The palm of the hands should be facing up towards the ceiling. This will be your starting position.

3. Keeping your upper arms close to your head with elbows, lower the resistance behind your head. Tip: The upper arms should remain stationary and only the forearms should move. Breathe in as you perform this step.

4. Go back to the starting position by using the triceps to raise the dumbbell. Breathe out as you perform this step.

5. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.

Variations: You can also perform this exercise in a seated position.

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Standing Dumbbell Upright Row

Main Muscle Worked: Traps

1. Grasp a dumbbell in each hand with palms facing forward. The dumbbells should be resting on top of your thighs. Your arms should be extended with a slight bend at the elbows and your back should be straight. This will be your starting position.

2. Use your side shoulders to lift the dumbbells as you exhale. The dumbbells should be close to the body as you move it up and the elbows should drive the motion. Continue to lift them until they are shoulder height. Tip: Your elbows should drive the motion. As you lift the dumbbells, your elbows should always be higher than your forearms. Also, keep your torso stationary and pause for a second at the top of the movement.

3. Lower the dumbbells back down slowly to the starting position. Inhale as you perform this portion of the movement.

4. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.

Caution: Be very careful with how much weight you use in this exercise. Too much weight leads to bad form, which in turn can cause shoulder injury, so no jerking, swinging or cheating. Only use a weight you can comfortably lift for the selected amount of repetitions.

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Press ups

Main Muscle Worked: Chest 

1. Lie on the floor face down and place your hands shoulder width apart while holding your torso up at arms length.

2. Next, lower yourself downward until your chest almost touches the floor as you inhale.

3. Now breathe out and press your upper body back up to the starting position while squeezing your chest.

4. After a brief pause at the top contracted position, you can begin to lower yourself downward again.

Variations: If you are new at this exercise and do not have the strength to perform it, you can bend your legs at the knees to take off the weight. For the most advanced lifters, you can place your feet at a high surface such as a bench or chair in order to increase the resistance and to target the upper chest more.

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Crunches

Main Muscle Worked: Abdominals

1. Lie flat on your back with your feet flat on the ground.

2. Now place your hands crossed across your chest.

3. Now begin to roll your shoulders off the floor while pushing the small of your back down in the floor to better isolate your abdominal muscles. Your shoulders should come up off the floor only about four inches, and your lower back should remain on the floor. At the top of the movement, contract your abdominals for a second. Focus on slow, controlled movement – don’t cheat by using momentum.

4. After the one second contraction, begin to come down slowly again to the starting position as you inhale.

5. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.

Notes: It is important to perform this exercise on a comfortable but solid surface. It is recommended to use an exercise mat.

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Air Bike

Main Muscle Worked: Abdominals

1. Lie flat on the floor with your lower back pressed to the ground. For this exercise, you will need to put your hands beside your head. Be careful to not strain with the neck as you perform it. Now lift your shoulders into the crunch position.

2. Bring your knees up pointing to the ceiling, now simultaneously, slowly go through a cycle pedal motion kicking forward with the right leg and bringing in the knee of the left leg up to your chest. Bring your right elbow close to your left knee by crunching to the side, as you breathe out.

3. Now crunch to the opposite side as you cycle your legs and bring closer your left elbow to your right knee and exhale.

4. Continue alternating in this manner until all of the recommended repetitions for each side have been completed.

Notes: While you cannot add resistance to this exercise you can concentrate on perfect execution and slow speed.

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Lying Leg Raise

 Main Muscle Worked: Abdominals 

 1. Lie with your back flat on the floor and your legs extended in front of you.

2. Place your hands either side of you. This will be your starting position.

3. As you keep your legs extended, straight as possible with your knees slightly bent but locked raise your legs until they make a 90-degree angle with the floor. Exhale as you perform this portion of the movement and hold the contraction at the top for a second.

4. Now, as you inhale, slowly lower your legs back down to the starting position.

Notes: You can also perform this exercise on an exercise bench. It is important to perform this exercise on a comfortable but solid surface. It is recommended to use an exercise mat.

How do you think it feels to be young and HIV positive? Indeed many of us may not be able to relate to someone who is. I interviewed a young person living with HIV.

>> The Reality

London based charity ‘Body & Soul’ has found that there is a substantial stigma attached to those who are HIV positive. They are using their findings to call on the country’s young people to challenge these misconceptions about the disease and promote a culture of acceptance and understanding. “69 per cent of young people knew they could not get HIV by kissing; only 24 per cent of them went on to say they would kiss someone who they knew was HIV positive.”

The web of social bigotry entangled within the acronym ‘HIV’ is shocking. A fresh campaign has been launched by Body and Soul to ‘clean out all the cobwebs’ and face the public’s perception of people with HIV.

“I think it is more important than ever to stand alongside people living with or closely affected by HIV. HIV isn’t who you are; it is just one part of you.” – Lauren Pritchard

HIV is not only caught through unprotected sex, but from blood-to-blood contact and also babies can be born HIV positive if their parents have HIV. There are many social prejudices an individual living with HIV has to overcome. Below is my interview with Simone, aged 21.

1. How did you deal and cope with the situation when you found out you had HIV?

I didn’t really know much about HIV even after I was diagnosed; it took a pretty long time before I finally understood what HIV was. When I was first diagnosed at the age of 14, I felt my whole world crumbling at my feet, it was really hard and I remember feeling like the ground should just open up and swallow me up, I just wanted to die which was really terrifying for me and even till this day I still feel very scared and I don’t think I might ever come to terms with it. 

2. In what ways has HIV affected your everyday life?

Living every day of my life since I have been diagnosed has been very challenging because I still can’t come to terms with my diagnosis and there’s always a part of me that’s scared to think about it and also worried about my future and that has been affecting my everyday life.

3. What treatment and help have your received since being diagnosed and how do you think it has helped you lead a normal life?

Since my diagnosis in 2004 back in my country I didn’t really get much help from the doctors or nurses and that made it even harder to cope with my diagnosis, but in 2007 when I moved to London the doctors and nurses were very nice, friendly and encouraging which made me feel a little bit better, and I even began to see a prominent future for myself once I joined Body & Soul. I got to meet many people just like me and volunteers that were very nice and friendly. Now having met people from Body & Soul, it has really helped me a lot because now I have begun to see a very bright future for myself.

4. What are your views on the public perception of young people with HIV? Has the stigma attached to HIV affected you?

I have been affected by the stigma of HIV twice in my life, I have gotten both bad and good responses from people I have told about my diagnosis. I think the public’s view on HIV is that some of them don’t really understand the disease and therefore they are ignorant to the effect that their stigma has on people with HIV.

5. How has your daily life changed after being diagnosed? Do your friends, family treat you differently?

My diagnosis has had a very big change on my family and myself. My family are more worried and over protective of me than they ever were before my diagnosis and that has really affected me in so many ways that I worry if my family, especially my mom, would ever come to terms with my diagnosis and accept it’s not her fault, and the only way she can protect me is just being there for me.

 6. What advice would you give to other young people?

My advice to other young people like me is to just to keep praying, look after yourself and keep following your dreams and aspirations with no distractions.

>> Do you want to star in a film?

Body and Soul are producing are campaign film that tells the real stories of London youth living with HIV. Titled ‘Life in my Shoes,‘ it will depict the challenges they face in and out of the classroom.

A talent search is taking place for young people aged 14 and above to audition online for a role in the upcoming feature film. To find out more about this exciting opportunity, (invaluable for all you budding actors/actresses out there!) click on this link – http://www.lifeinmyshoes.org/

Dear Diary,
       I’ve been with my boyfriend Paul 5 months now. He’s really sweet, always cuddling me. He doesn’t like me texting Sarah though, or going out with Phil and Kelly. That’s just because he wants me to himself.

Dear Diary,
       Paul and I rowed today, he went mad because I wore a short skirt and Craig from school was talking to me. Paul’s always reading my texts.

Dear Diary,
       Paul hurt me. He was yelling at me for being fridged with him, he grabbed my arm really tight. I know he loves me. He felt really bad after. I know he loves me. He does.

In recent years it has become more widely known that some young people in relationships are suffering from some sort of abuse, whether verbal, mental or physical. Statistics show that 1 in 2 boys and 1 in 3 girls think there are certain circumstances when it’s ok to hit a woman or force her into having sex. It is never ok to be abusive in a relationship and each of you always has the right to mutual respect. Most abusive relationships begin with little things you overlook. Invading your privacy e.g. reading emails, checking your phone, complaining about the time you spend with friends, telling you what to wear and how to act, being possessive. 36% of boys think that they would hit a girlfriend if they upset them.

A lot of girls say that “it shows he cares enough to be jealous”. Everyone gets a little jealous at times but there is a difference between being jealous and possessive. Mental abuse is very common and happens to more people than you think. An abusive partner may do all or one of these things: lower’s your self esteem, isolates you from your friends, pressures you to do things you are uncomfortable with, doesn’t give you enough space, swears at you, hurts you deliberately. All of these things make you vulnerable and ties you to your partner because they make you feel that they’re the only one who cares about you. A good relationship makes you happy; it shouldn’t make you feel hurt, lonely, ugly, pathetic or upset. It is healthy to have a balanced social life, to be able to spend time with friends, family and your partner, you shouldn’t have to give up friends or family for anyone.

Most people don’t even realise that they are in a bad relationship, and abuse comes so slowly you don’t see it happening. But if you could play back a DVD of yourself would you think differently about your boy/girlfriend. If you think you’re in an abusive relationship or believe a friend is in a bad relationship you can find out more and get help and advice from many places.

www.womensaid.org.uk  Women’s Aid has over 370 local organisations.
www.youth2youth.co.uk  Run by young people for young people, you can email, telephone, or have an online chat about your problems. You can call 020 8896 3675 – open every Monday and Thursday evening from 6.30pm to 9.30pm.

Rihanna on Chris Brown: Love is blind

Case study (taken from various news items)

The R&B star has spoken about being assaulted by her ex-boyfriend, R&B star Chris Brown, saying she was wrong to go back to him.

Rihanna has dismissed the feelings she once held for Chris Brown, saying that her brief reconciliation with her ex-boyfriend was “embarrassing”. The singer explained her perspective on the events of 8 February 2009, when police found her battered after a fight with Brown. She said “This happened to me, I didn’t cause this. I didn’t do it.” But she took responsibility for an “embarrassing” – and temporary – reconciliation with Brown shortly after the incident.

“I was so in love, so unconditional, that I went back,” she said. “That’s not what I want to teach people … I realised that my selfish decision for love could result in some young girl getting killed. I didn’t realise how much of an impact I had on young girls’ lives until that happened. It was a wake-up call for me, big time … Even if Chris never hit me again, who is to say that their boyfriend won’t?” Rihanna went on to say; “I’ll say that to any young girl who is going through domestic violence: Don’t react out of love. F##k love. Come out of the situation and look at it third-person and for what it really is, and then make your decision, because love is so blind.”

In August 2009, Brown pleaded guilty to the assault and was sentenced to community service with five years of probation.

Protein is needed by the body for growth and   to repair muscles and tissues. Protein is particularly important for someone who leads an active lifestyle. Protein contains enzymes which help the metabolism and digestive process, making for a healthy digestive system.
 
Although our body creates its own amino acids, some of these needed can only be obtained by protein rich foods. It’s important that vegetarians should find alternative protein sources such as pulses, grains and soya, to maintain a healthy diet.

Tuna Omelette

This recipe is low in fat and high in protein, with  the added bonus of being rich in essential fatty acids, such as Omega 3, which stimulate the   brain. Great for a light lunch for yourself and friends. Why not add salad?

Preparation Time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: 10 minutes
Serves: 1

Ingredients
6 Egg Whites
1 Yolk
Dash Milk (or water)
¼ Finely Chopped Onion
Boiled Potato, sliced thinly
185g Tin of Tuna in Brine
Low Fat Cheese, cut into small chunks
or Low Fat Cottage Cheese
 
Method

1) In a non-stick fry pan, cook the onion until it is brown. Tip it out and put to one side for the moment.

2) Put the egg whites, yolk and dash of milk in a bowl and mix until the yellow colour is the same right through.

3) On low heat, pour the egg mixture into the pan
and leave it to cook through.

4) If the heat is too high then you will burn the eggs, do not stir, just let it simmer.

5) When almost cooked, sprinkle the tuna, onion, potato and cheese evenly over the omelette.

6) Then fold the omelette in half on itself and serve.

Written by Pamilla Sidhu

Yoga is a series of exercises which helps improve strength and flexibility, as well as balance within the body. Stereotypically, you may think yoga requires immense bendiness, but anyone can practice yoga as long as they go at the right pace to avoid injury. There are specific poses each with the ability to enhance yourself physically and mentally.

Yoga: a cheap and fun way to keep fit
Celebs practice yoga to keep fit and healthy, from Russell Brand to Madonna. However it is not just another celebrity keep fit gimmick. It has been practiced for thousands of years and originated from India. This ancient exercise helps fitness, stress and long term health and well-being. The meditation is said to help relaxation and tension, showing potential emotive benefits as well as physical. So give it a try, it’s perfect to help beat exam stress.

The yoga poses develop the flexibility between muscles and tendons, as well as strength, which means it can help decrease the chance of injury when playing other sports. The poses are based on physical ability; so some poses should not be done if you are pregnant or suffer from chronic back pain. Therefore if you are serious about yoga, taking classes at a leisure centre is sensible. For now, here are some warm ups and simple practice poses.

To get started, choose a quiet clear space to do yoga. You may decide to use some props such as a yoga mat, subtle background music and candles to set the scene, and wear loose clothing to do the poses comfortably.

Warm-up

It is important to stretch and warm up before exercising. Warming up prepares the body for exercise by easing the pace and the stress on muscles. A simple warm-up routine starts with a pulse raiser like jogging for five minutes. This is followed by stretches. You should spend about 5-10 minutes warming up to ensure you do not injure yourself when exercising.

The yoga exercise for eyes helps strengthen and improve eye muscles. This can be done by looking up, down, left, right, and then circle clockwise and anti-clockwise.

Warming up the neck helps relieve tension and stress.   Do simple warm-up motions like looking up and holding the position for 10 seconds, then down for ten seconds etc. This is followed by moving your head clockwise and anti-clockwise. Moving onto the shoulders, move them up and down, keep relaxed and repeat slowly a few times.

Warning: you should stop exercising if you feel pain or discomfort.

1. Easy Pose

This classic yoga pose promotes relaxation and a position for mediation. It is said to help keep the spine straight. It promotes inner calm, opens the hips and relieves tiredness. As the name suggests, this pose is very easy to do.

Sit with your legs crossed whilst keeping your back straight. Cross your legs, placing your feet below your knees. Clasp your hands around your knees. Breathe deeply through your nose. Stay in this position for around 20-30 breaths.

2. Child’s Pose

Performing the child pose stretches the hips, thighs and ankles gently. It also helps relieve stress and fatigue, and calms the brain.

Sit on your legs then rest your forehead on the floor. Separate your knees so they align with the width of your hips. Stretch your arms forward in the direction of your head and rest them on the floor, palms down. Take slow deep breaths. Stay in this position for 3-12 breaths. To come up, inhale slowly as you rise into a seated position.

3. Cobra

Lie flat on your stomach with your legs together. Your arms should be underneath your shoulders with your palms facing down. Breathe in and lift your head and chest off the floor without using your arms, hold for a few seconds. Now use your arms to lift yourself. Arms stretched, don’t tense your shoulders, keep them relaxed. Then exhale and slowly bring yourself back to the ground.

This exercise may cause the lower back to feel a little painful and uncomfortable, this is normal and will pass away as the stiffness decreases. This exercise is highly recommended for people with a stiff lower back or pain in the lower back.

4. Corpse Pose

A finishing yoga pose. The corpse pose may look simple, but this requires a lot of concentration. This exercise, if done correctly, can stimulate blood circulation and can lessen or relieve fatigue, nervousness, asthma, constipation, diabetes, indigestion and insomnia. It can also improve your mental concentration.

Rotate your legs in and out, and then let them fall gently out to the sides. Let your arms fall alongside your body, slightly separated from the body, palms facing upwards. Rotate the spine by turning your head from side to side to centre it. Then start stretching yourself out, as though someone is pulling your head away from your feet, your shoulders down and away from your neck, your legs down and away from your pelvis.

Breathe deeply and slowly. Hold the pose for 5-10 minutes.
Make your mind still and concentrate on your breathing.

Written by Sheridan Powell

Protein is needed by the body for growth and  to repair muscles and tissues. Protein is particularly important for someone who leads an active lifestyle. Protein contains enzymes which help the metabolism and digestive process, making for a healthy digestive system.
 
Although our body creates its own amino acids, some of these needed can only be obtained by protein rich foods. It’s important that vegetarians should find alternative protein sources such as pulses, grains and soya, to maintain a healthy diet.

Beany bean salad

Beans are a great source of non-meat protein and are highly regarded by the Chinese for help with various ailments including high blood pressure. These are great for keeping your heart healthy and providing you with one of your 5-a-day. They are also a great source of lasting energy which leave you feeling fuller for longer, meaning you don’t need to snack on sugary foods in between meals.

Preparation Time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: 15 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients
500g small new potatoes
175g shelled broad beans
2 tbsp olive oil
4 shallots cut into wedges
1 red pepper sliced
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
Mixed salad leaves

Method
1) Cut the potatoes in half and cook in a pan of boiling water for 12 minutes, add the broad beans for the last three minutes.

2) Meanwhile, heat oil in a large frying pan then add shallots and red pepper, cook until golden.

3) Sprinkle over the balsamic vinegar, season with salt and pepper then serve on a bed of salad leaves.

Meat lovers… finely slice some bacon and fry to add some extra flavour.