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International Women’s Day Author Spotlight Q&A

In celebration of International Women’s Day and the important work that organisations like the UN are doing to level the playing field between genders, we asked six female authors a few questions. Promoting the voices of women, inspiring empowerment and taking an active stance in gender equality are values Watkins stands by.

 

Who are the women who have inspired you in your work and in your personal journey?

 

Jackie Lynch, author of The Happy Menopause:

So many women – my Mum was my first female role model as a little girl. She was the Senior Sister in charge of the isolation ward at the local hospital. She inspired the respect of the doctors and the devotion of her nursing team. Seeing her in this very important role, at a time when many women either didn’t work or had small part-time jobs, I never doubted as I was growing up, that women are capable of great things. and could lead and inspire.

As an adult, I find so many women inspiring, there are almost too many to name. From dedicated investigative journalists, such as Carole Cadwalldr, who dares to speak up when so many don’t, to champions of ageing, such as Joan Bakewell; there are a lot of women out there who are doing great work. In the menopause arena, which is my own area of expertise, I value the work of Professor Anne McGregor on hormonal headaches; Kathy Abernethy, menopause specialist nurse; and Dr Jen Gunter, who speaks out fearlessly against the rising of tide of untrained influencers involving themselves in health matters.

Clio Wood, author of Get Your Mojo Back:

Laura Bates and Caroline Criado Perez for (separately) their amazing work bringing to light the sadly very common discrepancies that women face in all walks of life.

Kim Vopni, author of Your Pelvic Floor:

Katy Bowman, Dr Sara Gottfried, Sherrie Palm, Jill Miller, Julie Wiebe, Kaisa Tuominen, Dr Tamara Rial, Dr Kelly Casperson, Dr Stacy Sims, Shirley Weir!

Ellie Austin-Williams, author of Money Talks:

My mum has always had a strong work ethic and worked tirelessly to provide for me which has inspired me to work hard in whatever I do. I’m also inspired by stories of women who go against the grain and carve out a life that works for them – whether that means a traditional career path, being a stay-at-home parent or something totally different.

Almudena Rocca, author of The Intuitive Drawing Journal:

My mum has probably been my biggest inspiration and influence throughout my work and personal life. I’m very fortunate to have a beautiful relationship with my mum and she has been my biggest supporter as well as someone I go to for advice, guidance and feedback. She has taken many steps and hardships to get to where she is today and in doing this has made the path of being an artist a little easier for me. I’m very grateful for her.

Le’Nise Brothers, author of You Can Have a Better Period:

My mother and all the women who’ve spent years being told that painful and heavy periods are normal and who’ve tirelessly tried to find answers on their own.

 

What advice would you like to share with your female readers?

 

Jackie Lynch:

Be kind to yourself. The menopause can be a difficult time, so a little self-care goes a long way. Simple changes to your diet and lifestyle can make a world of difference to the way that you experience this tricky phase of life. Reach out for help and support from health professionals and your loved ones. If they don’t know that you’re struggling, how can they help?

Clio Wood:

So many societal stereotypes are based on the male gaze and patriarchal norms. If you don’t conform, there’s nothing wrong with you; there’s something wrong with society. Also, it can take years to find the confidence to express and live that. I’m still working on it.

Kim Vopni:

Don’t accept suffering, for any reason. Be curious. Seek multiple opinions for care/treatment. Believe in your body’s ability to adapt. Get informed and make the decision that is best for YOU.

Ellie Austin-Williams:

Financial literacy is one key way we can work towards a more inclusive society for women, so invest in your financial education and you’ll reap the rewards.

Almudena Rocca:

I don’t know if this is advice but, I say: “we are all on our on paths – some may be very different from others but you are doing your best and that’s more than enough!”

Le’Nise Brothers:

Painful and heavy periods aren’t normal and aren’t something you should just accept and live with. If you’re not getting the answers you deserve, get a second, third or fourth opinion until you get the support you need.

 

Thank you to these inspiring women for participating in this Q&A! You can find their incredible books on our website. Browse the Blogs section for more Author Q&A sessions.

 

Secrets From A Herbalist’s Garden: A Refreshing January Detox

by Jo Dunbar

After all the jollifications of Christmas and New Year, our livers and kidneys have had quite a lot to deal with.  Overindulgence in festive treats can leave us feeling a bit bloated, with dulled skin and less than sparkling eyes.  Whereas a detox is not usually an enticing idea in January, it can be quite a welcome practice, especially if it is delicious, convenient, and healthy. 

‘Freshness’ and a ‘clean sweep’ are the keywords for January, and in our diet, we look for those qualities too. Juices, smoothies, vegetable soups and warming salads are all welcome additions to our day, as are bracing country walks which unlock cramped muscles and work up a bit of warmth to burn off toxins and calories. 

Where to begin?

It is most important to make sure that our bowels are emptied easily and at least daily. When the bowels are clogged, the toxins which have been filtered by the liver cannot be excreted, and are reabsorbed back into the bloodstream.  This is clearly not helpful for our well-being. To encourage at least one full bowel movement each day, 2 dessert spoons of chia seeds soaked in water every day, will safely and reliably encourage a cleansing bowel movement. Chia seeds are very safe, but if you are on medication, it is best to take your seeds at a different time of the day from that of your medicines.

Our livers are really hard-working stoics. Not only are they a major organ of detoxification, but they also perform over 500 functions that contribute to the smooth running of our internal environments. Signs of liver stress only appear very late, so it is a good practice to lighten the load by eating foods that support the health of this organ. 

The kidneys are another major organ of detoxification, and with heavy protein meals, alcohol and possibly not enough hydration, they too have had to work extra hard over the festive period. 

Our skin and lungs are also organs of elimination. Toxins are released through the out-breath and also via the sweat glands, thus a hearty and brisk walk if possible, through clean country air, or at least in a city park, will work up a sweat and strong breathing.  More than that, simply being in nature calms down the brainwaves of our over-thinking minds, and reconnects us to the perfect electromagnetic fields of the earth.  Walking can bring us into a peaceful meditative state where our mind can let go of that which is no longer useful, and we can dream of what we want to bring into our lives. 

Here are some cleansing recipies to help you with your January detox.

Cleansing Tea:

A simple infusion of boiling water, with a slice of lemon, a few slices of fresh ginger, and a sprig of rosemary will help to flush the liver, washing toxins into the bowel. 

If you have a juice extractor, try the following recipe for deliciously refreshing liver and kidney detox:

  • 3 sticks of celery
  • 1 raw beetroot
  • 2 carrots
  • ½ apple
  • A 6 cm piece of cucumber
  • A slice of fresh lime, skin on. 
  • A small piece of fresh turmeric
  • A small piece of fresh ginger. 
  • A handful of fresh mint.   

Make a vibrant detox salad:

  • A plate of salad leaves especially rocket, watercress and chicory. (stimulates bile flow)
  • Add young dandelion leaves for extra tang (diuretic, kidney cleansing)
  • In the middle of the plant, place a large dollop of humus (high in anti- oxidant selenium)
  • Surrounding the humus, place four globe artichokes (those preserved in olive oil are fine), quartered.  (stimulates bile flow)
  • Then scatter over the whole plate some slices of freshly cooked beetroots (anti-inflammatory, high in nutrients, reduces blood pressure)
  • Garnish with slices of orange (reduces live fat)
  • Sprinkle generously with fresh coriander leaves (kidney support)
  • Top with a tablespoon of pistachio nuts (may help with weight loss)

A beautifully illustrated guide to providing safe herbal remedies for common health conditions, while restoring our comforting connection to the year’s natural rhythm. 

Secrets from a Herbalist’s Garden by Jo Dubar is available from 10th May 2022 and to pre-order now.

How to Look After Your Mental Health and Keep Your Individuality as a Doctor

by Lesley Morrison

In the era of Zoom, I got to see myself while I was speaking or participating in meetings as I never had before, and realized to my horror that my facial expression was, well … very expressive and fluid. If I did not agree with something, it was immediately obvious. I wished that I had been aware of this level of transparency during years of sitting in practice, and other meetings, and genuinely thinking that I was keeping my adverse responses to what was being said privately. To those whom I may have offended, I belatedly apologize!

Holding up a (metaphorical) mirror to really look at yourself and examine how you are doing and if you are keeping well can be useful. It can also be disturbing; it may reveal aspects of yourself and your practice that you had previously chosen to ignore.

Honest reflection can take you forward, but it may be painful. It may provide insight into how you care for patients and also how patient care is affecting you. Medicine can be very rewarding, but it can also be tough and extremely demanding. Unless you look after yourself, it can also come at high personal cost.

Everyone struggles at some point; some just hide it better than others.

While writing this book, and in an attempt to keep up to speed with the rapidly developing Covid-19 story, I tuned in to many webinars and listened to many podcasts. Some were useful and informative and I felt I was learning from experts in their fields. Others were less than useful. For example, when senior managers spouted “bureau-speak”, which painfully reminded me how depersonalizing and dehumanizing working with big organizations can be. Sometimes you can feel like a square peg in a round hole, not fitting and very uncomfortable and worried that, in order to try to fit, you need to sacrifice your individuality.

So, how to survive?

  • Celebrate our differences.
    Clearly, working in a health organization, we need to comply with organizational policies, and those of us working in the NHS are connected by the founding ethos of the organization: to provide equal quality of care for everyone, free at the point of service. But we are all different and we all make distinct contributions.

    Together, we make up the jigsaw of the organization, but each of us is a piece of a different shape, with different skills, attributes and personalities. And these differences should be celebrated. By trying to push a square peg into a round hole, the peg will break; by trying to force pieces of the jigsaw together, they will be damaged. Each of us is unique, each has their own story and each of us needs to feed that individuality, that uniqueness, and keep our spirit and our creativity alive.
  • Know that you can’t please all the people/patients/ colleagues/trainers all the time.
    You need to filter critique through the personal circumstances and personalities of the person offering it. Patient surveys, intended to provide useful comment, sometimes serve up feedback that is less than appetizing. One patient questionnaire distributed by our practice asked the question, “Is there anything that could be improved?” One of my dear patients replied, “The doctor’s patronizing manner”. And I thought I was being kind, listening and attentive!
  • Understand that the important aspects of care can’t easily be measured and, because of that, are often unacknowledged and undervalued.
    When you’re feeling appraised to the hilt and knee deep in recorded reflections (both potentially useful ways of assessing progress but, done to excess and applied in a routinized and tick-box way, unsupportive), take a moment to write down in your private work diary (for your eyes only) an appreciative word that a patient said to you or a funny/odd/bizarre incident that occurred during your day. It will help to reinforce the positive experiences and remind you that you are a person and not a number.

  • As in direct patient care, small acts of kindness by management can make a huge difference.
    One junior doctor I know had developed a close relationship with the family of a patient who was dying. When he died, his brother wrote to the doctor thanking her, and to the clinical director commending her on her care. The clinical director took five minutes out of a very busy day to pen a letter to the doctor, congratulating her and saying how pleased he was that she had upheld the high standards of the hospital. That letter enabled the doctor to feel like a person rather than rota-fodder.

  • Listen to, and learn from, your patients.
    A patient I saw in my first surgery in my new practice, Maeve, had just lost her mum. What she said stayed with me: “There’s no one like your mum.” When, at the end of my GP career, I was trying to decide whether to leave my practice to have more time with my mum when she was getting near to the end of her life, I heard an echo of what Maeve had said and it helped me make the right decision.

  • Finally, enjoy being a doctor.
    It’s hard and it can at times be demoralizing, but it’s a great privilege to share people’s lives and their stories. To care for and be compassionate to others, we first need to be compassionate to, look after, and be kind to ourselves. To deal with others’ stress, we need to find ways of coping with our own. Keeping a balance between professional, personal and social pressures can be very tricky. We need to develop and pass on skills and tools for emotional survival.

We need to keep looking in the mirror and being honest with ourselves about how we’re doing.


The Wellbeing Toolkit for Doctors Paperback

The Wellbeing Toolkit for Doctors offers tools to help doctors enjoy their work again. During stressful times, the practice of self-care becomes vital to prevent burnout. The coronavirus pandemic has required new levels of dedication, resilience and hard work, and the mental health impact on health professionals working through it has been immense.

Doctors can thrive in their jobs, with the right support in place. This toolkit shows those working in healthcare how to gather the necessary support for their own wellbeing, in order to fully serve those in their care.

Get your copy here.


Dr. Lesley Morrison

Lesley Morrison worked as a GP for 25 years. She believes that the role of a doctor is to promote holistic health care and to engage with the wider issues which affect health. She has a longstanding interest in the role of medical humanities in medical education and clinical care, and she is co-editor of Tools of the Trade, a book of poetry gifted to all Scottish medical graduates with the aim of offering support and nurturing creativity. She strongly believes that, in order to care for others, doctors need to care for themselves.

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