Lydia's Weekly Lifestyle blog is for today's African girl, so no subject is taboo. My purpose is to share things that may interest today's African girl.

This week's contributors: Lydia, Pépé Pépinière, this week's subjects: Alphabetical Print Fabrics: A Trendy Twist on Textiles, October Breast Month, A 280 GHC Chicken Egg, and What are Nanoparticles and Forever Chemicals

Alphabetical Print Fabrics: A Trendy Twist on Textiles Fashion is ever-evolving, but every now and then, a trend emerges that combines whimsy with sophistication. One such trend that is making waves in the textile world is alphabetical print fabrics. These playful prints are not just for children’s clothing or novelty items; they’ve found a place in high fashion and everyday wear, adding a unique flair to wardrobes everywhere. Let's explore why alphabetical prints are becoming a staple and how to incorporate them into your style. The Allure of Alphabetical Prints. Alphabetical prints are refreshing and eye-catching. They can convey messages, evoke nostalgia, or simply add a fun element to an outfit. The charm lies in their versatility; whether it's a bold statement piece or subtle accents, alphabetical prints can fit various aesthetics. Playful Yet Elegant: The juxtaposition of letters on fabric can be both playful and sophisticated. Designers are now using these prints in chic blouses, tailored trousers, and elegant dresses, making them suitable for various occasions, from casual outings to formal events. Personalization: Alphabetical prints can be deeply personal. Wearing a piece that features your initials or a favorite quote can make an outfit feel uniquely yours. This trend invites wearers to express their individuality in a fun and stylish way. Through Fashion: Each letter can represent something personal, be it a loved one’s name, a cherished word, or even a hobby. This storytelling aspect makes alphabetical print fabrics not just clothes, but a form of wearable art. Check the next blog for styling tips.

October Breast Month, but not too sure. It's a good thing that attention is drawn to breast cancer, statistically 1 in 12 will get it (and 1 in 120 men), so a bit of checking from time to time may be worth it. But stay cool. Many think at one time or another that they feel something and then they fear and panic and the stigma starts, often followed by a visit to a doctor, a bill of 300 GHC or more, an X-ray (about 120 GHC or more), and another visit to the doctor (300 again if you are unlucky), to be told there is nothing there but a stiff muscle. Breast cancer does not show from one day to another, neither do you die of it from one day to another. So if you feel something, see if you can get rid of it with some arm, neck and chest exercises, there are a lot of muscles in that area. Ok, the doctor says there is something there and suggests more tests. Do know that up to 10% of mammographies, (an X-ray examination of the breast), up to 15% of ultrasounds (high-frequency sound waves produce images of internal body structures), and up to 20 % of MRIs (Magnetic Resonance Imaging produces three-dimensional detailed anatomical images) give wrong positive results. (Unfortunately, the other way is true as well, up to 15% of mammo's may not show cancer, up to 10% of ultra's, and up to 10 % of MRIs). To be very sure, next is to do a biopsy, removing a small part of that hard ball and checking if it is cancer indeed. And if indeed it is cancer, some cancers are not very aggressive and can be treated reasonably easily, but then of course cancers which have had ample time to develop will be more dangerous. So don’t immediately start panicking from day 1, but indeed, regular checking is worth the while, you have about 15 times more chance to get breast cancer than to be involved in a car accident. And there is cervical cancer as well, about 1 per 20. Talk with your doctor and agree on a regular checking program. And

feel relaxed because you were just checked and told everything was fine, and you know that if anything at all you'll know it at an early stage. By the way, cancer needs sugar to grow, so the fewer Cokes, Fantas and Maltas the better.

A Boiled Chicken Egg at 280 GHC? Most of us will boil an egg until we’ve almost forgotten it and then take it out. But some have taken this a bit further. There is the “perfect boiled egg”, boiled at exactly 64 ° C for 45 minutes to 1 hour (depending on the weight of the egg). This way the egg white does not fully coagulate and turns a custard texture, the yolk is coagulated with a creamy butter texture. Difficult to do, and only found in top notch restaurants at a cost of about 11-16 $ a piece. Crazy? Is a 2000 GHC bottle of Champagne in a Ghanaian nightclub crazy? “You have the moral obligation to take money from fools before they spend it otherwise”.

What are Nanoparticles and Forever Chemicals And why do we talk about them? About 30 years ago nanoparticles came into vogue. A nanoparticle is a very small piece of something, about 1/1000th the size of a piece of dust you see flying in a sunbeam into a dark room. Once we were able to create nanoparticles the options were many, from medicines to computer chips, and many more, nanoparticles often behave differently from their bigger brothers and this has opened the way to new chemical reactions and molecules. But now we talk of nanoparticles as pieces of plastic that seem to be everywhere and that enter our bodies through food and drinks and inhaling air, and which are small enough to enter our bloodstream through our lungs and intestines. And from there they go everywhere, including your heart, kidney, liver, even your buddy's testicles, and also your clitoris. And then there are the forever chemicals, a large chemical family of over 10,000 highly persistent chemicals that don't occur in nature. Forever chemicals have been linked to multiple health problems, including compromised immune systems, liver damage, thyroid diseases, increased cholesterol levels, hypertension, development delays in infants, and increases in certain cancers such as kidney and testicular. I am scared.

Lydia...

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