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, Titi, this week's subjects: A Fresh Take on Tying the Knot: Gen Z Wedding Dresses, Bob Dylan, The relationship between a Porsche, a car tire, a chainsaw, a tractor and half-naked beautiful women, and Trust your gut feelings

A Fresh Take on Tying the Knot: Gen Z Wedding Dresses. The traditional image of a wedding dress has been forever altered by the vibrant, eclectic spirit of Gen Z. This generation, known for its individuality, diversity, and commitment to sustainability, is reshaping bridal couture in ways that resonate with their values and personal style. In this blog post, we're diving into the exciting world of Gen Z wedding dresses, exploring current trends, designer highlights, and tips for brides who want to say “I do” in style that's authentically them. 1. Breaking the Mold: Non-Traditional Silhouettes. Gone are the days when brides felt obligated to wear a ball gown to their weddings. Gen Z couples are embracing diverse silhouettes that reflect their personalities and the nature of their celebrations. From sleek, minimalist slip dresses to playful two-piece ensembles, the focus has shifted to comfort and self-expression. Key Styles to Watch: – Cropped Tops and Maxi Skirts: A chic combination that allows for movement and creates a modern vibe. Jumpsuits: Jumpsuits highlight the bride’s unique fashion sense. They are practical, stylish, and perfect for both casual and formal settings. – Asymmetrical Cuts: Offering an unexpected twist, asymmetrical hemlines and necklines are perfect for brides looking to stand out.

Bob Dylan. For my typical blog reader (millennials and generation Z, 13-44 years old), the songwriter and singer Bob Dylan may be a bit off the radar, he started to become known in 1962. But today, at age 84, he is still regularly performing (his latest concert was sold out (6000 spectators) and brought in a cool 1 million dollar with some tickets going for as high as $2622 (41000 GHS). Millennials and Zetters are now also taking an interest, and the recent film about him, “A Complete Unknown,” was Oscar-nominated. Dylan also had a Nobel Prize for literature in 2016 but didn’t bother to attend the ceremony. He did, however, agree to take the 900,000 $ price, though he does not really need it; he is worth about 500 million $. In 2020, he sold most of his songs to Universal Music Publishing Group for about 350 million $, so at least they think he is and will remain relevant. He created a total of about 600 songs and published 50 albums. Some of his earlier smashers are Don't think twice it's alright, Forever young, Blowing in the wind, With God on our side, The times they are a changing, It ain't me babe, It's alright Ma, I'm only bleeding, Desolation row, Masters of war, Song to Woody and Leopard skin pill box hat. Have a go, and dive into the 60s. Or listen to his latest song, “Murder most foul”, about the assassination of American President Kennedy. Leopard skin pill box hat Patrice Lumumba, who brought the Republic of Congo to independence from Belgium, was later assassinated by Belgian missionaries after an effort by the CIA to poison him failed.

The relationship between a Porsche, a car tire, a chainsaw, a tractor and half-naked beautiful women. I think there is none, but some disagree. So we have plenty of adverts showing a beauty leaning on a Porsche, or holding a chainsaw, or leaning against a tractor. Go and read a man's mind.... In many of the developing countries, women agitate against this, women are not supposed to be sexual objects. I can see the link of a man picking up a beautiful woman with his shiny Porsche and trying to have sex with her in that car, but I am confused on the chainsaw or the car tire. And the tractor. Maybe I missed something.

Trust your gut feelings. I am reading more and more articles about gut health, gut inflammation, gut populations and probiotic food, supposedly improving the quality of your gut population, is selling over the counter like hot cakes. Often in vain, much of it is destroyed by your stomach acids before it gets into your guts. So what is really going on? Overuse of antibiotics has destroyed much of your gut population, which mainly consists of bacteria. Whilst it is these bacteria that digest your food. About 1-2 kgs of bacteria! So stay away from antibiotics as much as you can, or at least take the selective ones if you can afford it. First symptom? Do you have a regular stool? Funny enough, most doctors will not ask about your stool unless you tell them you have a running stomach or are constipated. A regular stool means you go at least once a day and without much pressure produce a nice 1-2 piece soft sausage. Typically you will feel the first signs of it around 5 in the morning. Anything less is not good, too much more is not good either. How to get it? Fibers, eat food with fibers. Look it up, which food has more fiber? So brown bread, brown rice, veggies, yams, kenkey, cassava, sweet potatoes, beans, vegetables and fruits. Several slices of white bread every day with boiled or fried eggs is not going to do much for healthy guts. What do these fibers do? They tickle your intestines, which start moving and kneading and digesting your food, and slowly push it to the exit. But fibers do more, they feed the bacteria which help with the digestion. And some of these bacteria are only there to maintain a healthy gut lining, allowing good food into your blood and blocking bad food from entering. And if you have a bad intestinal lining? We call it inflamed. So now this lining does not work properly and all the good things you were eating, containing all the vitamins and minerals and proteins and fats and carbohydrates and omegas 3 and 6 and 9s, will not be absorbed properly and are wrongly directed to the exit by the confused ushers. Result? Deficiencies. And absorption of things that are not good for you. Not understood by your doctor, or maybe he will prescribe multivitamin tablets. Fiber-rich food, please and a regular stool. Some of you only go 2 or 3 times a week, correct it. In the beginning, you may feel bloated (and will sometimes be wrongly diagnosed with appendicitis).

Lydia...

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