Reason to be cheerful: the first hundred years of the Women's Institute

Tea, cake and equality

 The Women’s Institute raised a cup of tea in celebration of its club’s centenary last Wednesday. Across the UK, many of the organisation’s 212,000 members were out in force for the occasion: in Oxford, 300 women took to the streets with celebratory banners and a new branch was opened in the city, while in Gwent, more than 700 members gathered at different venues to mark the milestone birthday with – what else? – a tea party.

The organisation previously celebrated with the Queen back in June and members visited Parliament for the first time on Thursday, where, as well as sharing a specially made fruit cake with MPs, the WI unveiled a report detailing the views of its members on matters including family life, work and the environment.

While 95% of the 5,000+ women surveyed recognised that life has improved immeasurably for women over the past 100 years, the report also underlined the many inequalities that women still face. Of those polled, 84% said they find it difficult to balance family responsibilities with work and 79% also believe that being a stay-at-home mother is not valued in today’s society. Despite the WI having campaigned for equal pay since 1929, 70% of women do not believe women are yet equal to men in the work place and 82% believe men and women are judged to different standards. Marylyn Haines Evans, vice chair of the National Federeation of Women’s Institutes and chair of public affairs, said:

This report shows that despite the significant societal, technological and cultural changes of the last 100 years, women are still demanding greater equality and fighting for the issues that are important to them and their families … Moving into our next century, it is crucial for us to work with all our members to preserve traditional skills and learn new ones and to empower all our members to campaign for change in the areas that they see as important.”

Sex ed with Jessica Biel

New mother Jessica Biel this week revealed that, despite being in her early 30s, she had no idea what to expect when trying to get pregnant after she and husband Justin Timberlake decided to try for a baby two years ago.

“Suddenly I realised I really didn’t know what’s going on inside my own body. It was shocking,” said Biel, who found herself thinking: “I’ve been on the pill for so long; how hard will it be to get pregnant?” And so, she teamed up with Saundra Pelletier, activist and founder of the nonprofit organisation WomanCare Global, whose mission is to provide access to reproductive health solutions for women and girls around the world. Together they will be launching a series of sex education videos aimed at making sure “every woman knows how her body works” and covering everything from puberty to contraception. You can watch the trailer here.

#IAmSizeSexy

The catwalk hasn’t always had a good rep when it comes to promoting positive body image, but Ashley Graham, a Canadian-born model who has becomethe face, body and voice for “plus-size” women of late, did her best to change that this week. A UK size 16, Graham used New York fashion week to showcase her new lingerie line alongside a group of other women, all of whom defied the usual model stereotypes.

Graham has always rallied against the term “plus-size”, arguing that it is used to refer to women who wear anything over a UK size 12, which is, of course, most women. Graham used the hashtag #IAmSizeSexy to promote her underwear show, and also pushed her message home with the unveiling of a new campaign for US clothing retailer Lane Bryant: #PlusIsEqual.
Abolishing the Eighth Amendment

A group of leading Irish artists, writers, musicians and film directors has this week launched a petition calling for the Irish government to repeal the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution, which gives effect to the ban on abortion in the country. Since the amendment was implemented in 1983, more than 150,000 women in Ireland have travelled abroad in order to have an abortion.

Actor Cillian Murphy and authors Edna O’Brien and Anne Enright are among those who have signed the statement which states:

    [The amendment] is a key source of Ireland’s failure to reach international human rights standards and of the state’s failure to meet its obligations to vindicate women’s human rights.”

The petition backs a wider movement from the Abortion Rights Campaign and coalition of pro-choice groups across Ireland to abolish the eighth amendment. Next Saturday will mark the fourth annual March for Choice in Dublin held by the ARC.

The Ultimate Guide to Healthy Office Snacking

Picture this: It’s 5:00 p.m. on a Summer Friday at your office. A few diligent keyboards click away. Hunger pangs roll like tumbleweeds through the now empty valley of your stomach. Dinner is a speck on the horizon. In spite of having stuck to a healthy breakfast of antioxidant-rich mixed berries and a leafy-green-and-protein-rich salad, you saunter over to your only convenient access to sustenance: the vending machine. Here, the closest you will get to fresh produce is the Garden Salsa variety of chips or the “natural flavors” populating the gelatin fruit snacks on offer.

According to New York City–based nutritionist Heather Bauer, office snacks no longer have to be so grim or so desperate. The dietary coach and founder of Bestowed—a subscription service of the healthiest prepackaged, single-serving foods on the market—spends her days combing the aisles of grocery stores and delivering curated findings to a checklist of supermodels and celebrities. But before you overhaul what you’re eating, she says, consider when and how much you’re consuming first.

“When people start [snacking] all day it becomes a problem,” says Bauer of what she refers to as the “mindless munching” that’s often to blame for the occupational hazard of gaining five to ten pounds. Instead, a few simple strategies can keep you feeling satiated all day long and sticking to your nutritional goals. It starts with your morning. “People think they should have breakfast first thing, but your body isn’t hungry, you end up eating again once you get into the office,” setting off a pattern that can snowball your day. Instead, waking up with coffee or tea, then waiting until nine or ten o’clock for your first meal will give you a leg up on your afternoon cravings. Next comes four cups of water, followed closely by lunch at one or two in the afternoon. If possible, hold off on snacking until at least an hour after lunch to both allow your body time to digest and avoid forming the habit of needing something sweet immediately following your soup and salad.

As for choosing the ultimate snack, Bauer’s criteria is straightforward: Treats that are organic, non-GMO, contain less than 180 calories, and are high in fiber and protein will help you stay full. For something sweet, she directs clients toward a fresh apple or orange, “What I call a hand fruit—one compact serving. In a perfect world, we’d have a garden growing in our office.” Beyond that, Greek yogurt will provide all of the benefits of protein and probiotics, while bars such as beet- and sweet-potato driven Veggie-Go’s will get you over the hump of pining for a cookie while fueling you with immunity-boosting vitamins and minerals.

In the realm of the savory, Allgood Provisions Trail Mix is a favorite, but the risk of accidentally consuming all of its multiple servings (which can add up to almost 1,000 calories) in one sitting can prove too tempting. In such cases, she recommends SunBiotics’s prepackaged handful of Probiotic Almonds or to-go packets of Justin’s Almond Butter spread over an apple or gluten-free crackers. Organic popcorn, Brussel Bytes, and Ips egg white–driven Protein Chips will satiate the urge to crunch. But nothing beats the iron-rich, low-calorie benefits of sustainably harvested Sea Snax seaweed. “They come in the classic sheets, a Bugle-like version called Chomperz, and in a stick form. My clients either love them or hate them.”

An extra-long day may lend itself to a second treat, too. This time, “switch to liquid,” says Bauer, who reaches for gut-friendly bottles of GT’s Enlightened Kombucha when she tires of drinking water. “It’s tasty and makes you feel full.” A decaf coffee with almond milk or a scoop or two of Great Lakes Gelatin (a flavorless form of protein that dissolves without changing the texture of your beverage) will contribute to your energy and satiety. Consider snack time wrapped.