When it comes to passports, the country that issued it isn’t so important unless you are hoping to save on school fees. A Bermudian with a British passport, for example, will pay the same tuition fee as a British national: 

“The Bermuda passport works in the US and Canada, but in the UK, if they use a Bermuda passport they will pay international fees, which is double the price,” explained Sandra Dill, the PeerForward programme manager at Mirrors, an initiative that “empowers students to achieve their full potential in school and life. 

“It’s the same as if they were in the US or Canada. If you don’t, you’re going to be seen as an international student without a passport to that country.” 

Student visas are also on the checklist. For students headed to the US, it’s a task taken on by the school. If going to a university in the UK on a British passport, a visa is not necessary; if headed to Canada, students need to secure an entry visa as well as a study visa. 

“For people going to Canada, I would say once a student gets accepted, to start the enrollment process right away, because it doesn’t happen until they pay their enrollment fee. Once they pay the enrollment fees, then they can get their visa,” she said. 

An added step is that students must submit their biometrics – a photo of themselves and their fingerprints as proof of identity – before they can enter Canada. 

“Every now and then, the Canadian government does a biometric assessment here. But if they don’t do it here, then students have to go to someplace else, normally to the US, to have it done because they cannot enter Canada as a student without it.” 

Cell phones make communication with friends and family possible. Many students will get a SIM card from whatever country they are in; others will stick with their Bermuda plan and send messages via WhatsApp when they are not at home. 

“With WhatsApp, you have to be near WiFi. If there’s no WiFi, you can’t use it. So most students get a SIM card. But it’s best not to get it at the airport. They’re more expensive.” 

Students have told Ms Dill they’ve had an easier time using debit and credit cards issued by Bermuda bank accounts in the US and Canada than in the UK: “In the UK, if they want to set up a bank account, it can take a while. It’s similar to setting up a bank account in Bermuda – they need proof of who you are, where you live, that you have the right to be in the country and so forth. It takes a bit of a time in England. However, I’ve been told that if they go to Lloyds Bank it’s less cumbersome. So, my suggestion is to look for a Lloyds Bank near them and try that.” 

Schools in the US and Canada send acceptance letters as early as April and at the latest, June, if students meet the application cutoff in December. In the UK, the application deadline isn’t until January. Conditional acceptances will come in March; a formal place offering won’t come until July or August which doesn’t allow much time to get everything in place before the school year starts. 

“Accommodation is the biggest challenge in the UK. They have limited dorms. [Organise] your dorms as early as you can,” Ms Dill said. “When you receive the acceptances from the schools, they will give you instructions as to what to do, and everything is by email. No longer do people talk to you anymore so students really have to be attentive to their emails.” 

As well, many students prefer to live off-campus which means they must be able to provide months of rent in advance and a guarantee of funding moving forward.

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Storm Gibbons and Veronica Swan-DeGraff, who each benefited from a one-year $15,000 BHB General Scholarship, are in their first year of study at St George’s University in Grenada, West Indies. 

Q: What got you interested in medicine? 

SG: In high school I knew I liked science, I knew I liked working with people, but it didn’t help to narrow it down much. I was in quite a severe bike accident at 16 that left me in a wheelchair for about half a year so, as you can imagine, I spent a lot of time in the hospital with the doctors, with the nurses, with the physical therapists and I got to observe all the different roles within a healthcare team. I just really gravitated towards the role of the doctor. I enjoyed seeing the way they played detective and worked with other team members to put pieces of a puzzle together and come up with a diagnosis and a treatment plan. 

VS-D: My primary female figure is my grandmother, Elaine Butterfield, who was a nuclear medicine technologist at [King Edward VII Memorial Hospital] and manager of Diagnostic Imaging for several years. When I was in middle and high school, I was a candy striper and later on, a volunteer in the Continuing Care Unit in the Activities Department. So I kind of grew up in the hospital and that’s why I chose a career in medicine, because I really loved to watch my grandmother in the healthcare space and then later on got to be a part of it through volunteering. My grandmother’s career has kind of moved on. She now works with non-profits. She was executive director of the Women’s Resource Centre, executive director of the Centre on Philanthropy [and chairperson of the advisory board of the] Transformational Living Centre. Her whole life has been modelled around helping others, serving others. I feel like that also contributes to why I want to be in healthcare. 

Q: Was the BHB application process easy? 

SG: For my bachelor’s degree, I received the Ministry of Education Award, which paid for everything, fortunately. So, I knew what to expect. When I came home after [my bachelor’s degree] I started working at Dignity House, which is a psychiatric facility. I worked there and spent 90 percent of my time outside of work just applying for medical school. I found out a few months later that I was accepted to St George’s University and I applied for every [scholarship] that I saw. 

VS-D: I’m big on networking and some of the individuals in the [interview] room I had previously met, so I felt very comfortable. I thought [my interview] went extremely well. I also felt I had the upper hand [because I was] working at BHB and some of my mentors were doctors at BHB. When you’re going through the interview process or the application process, you need a letter of recommendation, and one of my letters was from a BHB doctor. It was very comforting. 

Q: Advice to medical students now applying for scholarships? 

SG: Bermuda is small and [offers] a great opportunity to work with doctors. Just getting my foot in the door at the hospital, getting to know as many people as possible, whether that’s doctors or people in HR that have been great mentors, networking as much as I can [has all helped]. 

VS-D: They should definitely do their homework. I shadowed doctors, I shadowed nurses, I literally sat in on their days and tried to figure out if this is something I really want to do. I got the opportunity to shadow an ER physician and I absolutely loved it. I’m happy that I took the time to do that. Medical school is so stressful. I’m grateful to have mentors who instructed me, who told me how hard it was for them. I’m grateful for that honesty. Decide how bad you want this, decide what your financial position is, and then I would say, go for it. Usually, I start preparing my scholarship applications in January. I have a whole file of personal statements, cover letters, letters of recommendations, resumes that I’ve kept over the years through my undergraduate applications as well, and it makes the process easier every year. I stay on top of my resume all the time, and I have people I trust, who I can send it to to edit. 

The post On course for a career in medicine appeared first on RG Magazines.

Darrel Mellor, the co-owner of Current Works, stumbled onto the job. He was studying business in England when he was assigned to the offices of a garage as part of his work placement. 

“I just got more interested in terms of what was happening in the garage: hanging out with the guys and seeing what was going on. I didn’t know anything about cars when I got into it. It was just solving problems, fixing things, pretty much like a grown-up version of Lego I guess.” 

With his interest piqued, he enrolled in “a structured modern apprenticeship”, an option he wishes was available here. 

“This is the problem. It’s something Bermuda doesn’t have,” said Mr Mellor, who is City & Guilds qualified and a certified advanced automotive engineer. 

“In the UK you go to a college and they find you a workplace. So I spent four days a week working in a garage and one day a week at college learning the theory behind it all.” 

In the garage, there was a flow chart that tracked his work, ensuring specific targets were met. 

“Basically in the industry you can decide where you want to go. You can stay at the level of just being a tyre fitter or you can drive forward and become a diagnostic technician, something that’s more complex. Just like in a hospital where you have your nurses, your doctors and surgeons, there’s different levels of where you can get to.” 

For Mr Mellor, the more he learnt, the more he wanted to know. As such, he began working on electric vehicles long before they were a common sight on Bermuda’s roads. He is a certified electric/hybrid vehicle technician with credentials from Renault, Mercedes-Benz, Chrysler, Jeep, Kia and Citroen. 

“The EVs, over the last few years – people have been taken by surprise because there aren’t really trained technicians to deal with them. They’re coming onto the market faster than the workforce can keep up with. The older people in the trades are retiring or getting away from it and you’re getting fewer younger people coming into the trade,” he said. 

For a mechanic, staying ahead means working in what would otherwise be spare time. Mr Mellor takes online courses to prepare and then travels to the UK or the Caribbean at least once every two years for hands-on training and certification. 

“You have to want it,” he said. “A lot of people go to work for 40 hours a week, go home at night and just watch TV or something. 

“When I worked in the UK it was easier because courses were local. I worked in dealerships and they would send you on training. Here in Bermuda I used to work for Eurocar and they would send me on training. But then once I went into what’s called ‘the aftermarket’ and then eventually opened up my own business, I had to source all of that myself and pay for it myself. Now I have my own company and the company pays for it.” 

Current Works was created through a partnership with Piers Carr in 2020. The range of offerings is more diverse than some might think. It services Current Vehicles’ fleet of Twizys, small electric cars that are available for hire, out of a full-service garage that is also open to the public. 

“I designed the structure pretty much like a hospital where you have your junior technicians and then your more senior technicians and your diagnostic technicians,” Mr Mellor said. 

“Complex diagnostics are done by the more experienced technicians and then the other work is passed on to the junior technicians.” 

Junior technicians have the benefit of in-house training with the idea to “level them up”. 

There are six people on staff. 

“In the beginning it was difficult because it was a start-up but our reputation is growing, people are hearing about us and it’s a great place to work with a good environment. So now we’re reaching out to get more staff but the hardest part is obviously qualified Bermudians because there’s no structured pathway in Bermuda for this industry. So most people have to go overseas to get their initial qualifications.” 

At Current Works, technicians start at “level one” and must commit to online training courses and work that becomes progressively more difficult. 

For anyone training to become an electric technician, the first two levels will be mostly dedicated to recognising the dangers: the health and safety measures essential for work on a high voltage system. 

“There are a lot more risks involved. Making the wrong move can result in death. You have to know what to focus on, making sure you know what to deal with before you go anywhere near it,” Mr Mellor said. 

“We have the appropriate equipment and PPE for working on those. Obviously it’s a different technology. You still have your brakes and suspension, windscreen wipers and regular things, but the whole drive system is completely different. It does take an extra level of training.” 

As there is a shortage of mechanics worldwide, it is a great career opportunity for young people, he added. 

“A lot of youngsters today just want to go into IT or social media or whatever. We still need these people but without a dedicated programme in Bermuda to try and get people, it is difficult.” 

As a workaround Mr Mellor is building an “apprenticeship and technician certification pathway” for Current staff. 

“I work with the Institute of the Motor Industry in the UK, called the IMI, so we have an agenda to create our own so we can train people and give people qualifications in-house, but that’s further down the line.” n

The post Don’t miss out on your dream job, Current’s Mellor tells young people appeared first on RG Magazines.

Its aim then and now: to get young people across the island out on the water sailing, while learning about Steam. That some go on to pursue a career in the industry is a bonus for the charity, which opened its doors in 2015. 

“We have about 15 different industry partners we work with: Marine & Ports, marine charities and organisations related to the ocean. What we’re finding is we’re having the next generation of Bermudians involved in the maritime industry through this programme,” said Jennifer Pitcher, Endeavour’s executive director. 

“They’re going on to get experience or education and it’s really great to see, when we go to some of these places, that we’ve got alumni working in them. It’s really nice to see Bermudians connect with other Bermudians: ‘Oh, I did that programme a few years ago now look where I am.’” 

Endurance is accredited by the Royal Yachting Association in the UK. The lessons come from an international syllabus that teaches sailing fundamentals. 

Many students start with the Middle School Programme, a five-day Steam course offered at every public and private school on the island. 

“It really is an opportunity for all young people to get that exposure to our waters, and help them to develop that confidence that they need,” Ms Pitcher said. 

“A lot of our students, it’s their first time going on the water, being on a boat, so we really start with the basics and both teachers and students report that they do see improvement in these skills.” 

Science, technology, engineering, arts and maths are brought in through such concepts as buoyancy, sailing geometry, wind measurement and wind power. Students are taught about ocean sustainability and the need to protect our beaches and reefs from pollution. 

The BF&M No Limits Sailing Programme is for public school students ages five and older who are on the autism spectrum or have other developmental challenges. 

“The modules might be a little bit different in terms of additional sensory activities but we have received really positive feedback from both parents and teachers,” said Ms Pitcher, who is thrilled that even some of the nonverbal students “are saying words like sailing” and asking when they can return. 

Equally impressive is the progress of students who were not confident at the start. 

“We have students that are fearful to get on the water in all of our programmes at the beginning – especially if they have any trauma or phobias – and we’re really proud of our team and the students for overcoming these barriers,” Ms Pitcher said. 

“By the second day or third day they’re overcoming them and they’re getting on the safety boat, which is our coach boat, or in some cases, they’re getting on a sailboat. 

“They’re sailing independently, which just makes my heart burst. It’s just a tremendous transformation.” 

The Graduate Programme offers students a chance to further develop their skills and confidence on the water during weekends and school breaks. 

“One of the key goals is to really have them get out of their comfort zone not just by getting out in the water, but making new friends with people that they wouldn’t otherwise interact with.” 

The Maritime Career Springboard Programme is a seven-week leadership scheme open to students 16 and older. 

“The students that come through gain that leadership experience and also they get a sense for: is this something that I want to do? Do I want to be a sailing instructor? Do I like teaching? Do I like coaching? It really is a great opportunity for them.” 

For more information on the Endeavour programmes visit www.endeavour.bm 

The post Sailing to new opportunities appeared first on RG Magazines.

It was 1609. There was no GPS, no coast guard and no way to track the winds. Hundreds of miles off course, the 300-ton flagship of the London Company was battered for three days and four nights after cruising into the “dangerous quarter of the storm, at about 33 degrees north latitude”.

In command of the journey from Plymouth, England to Jamestown, Virginia were some of Britain’s finest seamen: among them Admiral Sir George Somers, a war hero dubbed “lion at sea”; Captain Christopher Newport, an experienced New World sailor on his fourth journey to Jamestown; and Sir Thomas Gates, appointed to be the governor of the Jamestown colony by King James.

The Atlantic storm that hit them on July 24 was a new danger for them all.

“A hell of darkness turned black upon us,” is how Strachey, an English writer whose works are among the primary sources for the early history of the English colonisation of North America, laid out the ordeal in a letter which is believed to have inspired William Shakespeare’s The Tempest.

The Chesapeake Research Consortium, a US nonprofit, drew on the letter for its 2005 retelling where it describes how Captain Newport “ran before the gale” hoping to save the ship. The move left them “trapped in the strongest winds swirling about the eye and spiralling towards the centre”.

The monster storm overwhelmed them completely. Waves “as high as mountains” broke over the ship, “swelling and roaring as if in fits, covering the ship from stern to stem, like a garment”. Lightning crackled and the ghostly lights of St Elmo’s fire leapt between the masts.

“Six and sometimes eight men were not enough to hold the whipstaff in the steerage, or the tiller below in the gunner room: by which may be imagined the strength of the storm, in which the sea swelled above the clouds and gave battle unto heaven,” Strachey wrote.

“The violent wrenching literally worked the caulking out of Sea Venture’s seams; the crew was sent creeping below decks with candles to look for leaks and staunch them with anything at hand.”

According to Strachey, although a massive leak in the gunner’s room was stuffed with “I know not how many pieces of beef”, it wasn’t enough; the waters kept rising, presumably because of holes that couldn’t be found.

All of the ship’s 30 seamen and its 120 passengers — many of whom had never been to sea —got to work bailing.

“The water was five feet deep above the ship’s ballast. A huge rogue wave — an unpredictable and abnormally large surface wave — completely buried the ship from her forecastle over the entire waist or central decks. The crew thought the ship was so long submerged that she would simply sink, but slowly Sea Venture laboured up again, still floating.”

Sparks at the rigging added to the terror of the wind, the dark, the huge waves and the rain.

“For four-and-twenty hours the storm in a restless tumult had blown so exceedingly as we could not apprehend in our imaginations any possibility of greater violence…the waters like whole rivers did flood the air…winds and seas were as mad as fury and rage could make them.”

According to Strachey, even though they were removing about 100 tons of water six times a day, the water in the ship’s hull remained ten feet deep.

“Every hour, the passengers bucketed 7,200 to 8,000 gallons of water overboard and they had three deep pumps in continual operation pumping 4,000 strokes at each four-hour watch.”

By July 28, the fourth morning, everyone was close to exhaustion and agreed to simply “shut up the hatches” come nightfall and “commend their sinful souls to God”, having “committed the ship to the mercy of the gale”.

“Prayers might well be in the heart and lips,” Strachey wrote, “but [they were] drowned in the outcries.”

Around midday, they noticed that the water level had “growne five feet deepe above the ballast”, Strachey said. Men were floating rather than walking, it was obvious to everyone that the Sea Venture was going down.

At the exact moment “when no man dreamed of such happiness” Admiral Somers spotted land.

It was so close that he could see the trees swaying.

“But the seafloor, rising quickly beneath them, threatened to split the ship before they could reach shore. Calling on every skill, Somers steered hard, veering between two outcropping rocks. The ship wedged fast and splintered. Sea Venture was destroyed,” wrote Nick D’Alto on Historynet’s The Hurricane that Saved Jamestown.

“It must have seemed like a miracle. Braving the breakers in longboats, everyone was able to make it to shore. Passenger John Rolfe’s wife, ‘who was with childe’, was probably carried into the boat. A resourceful mate even rescued the admiral’s dog. Despite the potentially murderous storm, there had been no fatalities among roughly 150 aboard.”

This miraculous escape, with the ship succumbing close to a tiny area of land in the middle of the vast North Atlantic, proved the start of Bermuda’s history as an inhabited island. And perhaps no story better sums up Bermuda’s motto, “Quo fata ferunt” — whither the fates carry us.

The post Storm that started it all appeared first on RG Magazines.

Also on the upside, there’s nothing like having a few pairs of extra hands should things go south.

With hurricane season now under way and the prediction that there will be 23 named storms and that 13 hurricanes will form, now is the time to start party planning.

Below are a few tips to help you get through:

 1, Choose your guests wisely 

Limit your invitations to people you really like. In the middle of a storm, it would be unkind to send someone packing so maybe cap your choices at family, significant others and really close friends who you know won’t become tetchy when there are no lights, the humidity pumps up, the fridge becomes a no-go zone and toilets cannot be flushed. Keep in mind as well, a blocked drive could mean they are unable to leave for a few days.

2, Food and other essentials

Even if your generator takes away the fear of not being able to cook, do you really want to make a full-on meal in the middle of a storm? A storm is one of those times when diets are put on the back burner. Order pizzas ahead, warm them up if you can and if not, room temperature should be just fine if you eat them that same day. If you have meat in the freezer, thaw it out and stick it on the grill after a little bit of tenderising with the yoghurt in your fridge that should not go to waste. Especially if there’s a crowd in your house, use what you have. Don’t waste it and don’t go grocery shopping for any food items except maybe a few bags of chips.

3, Drinks, a necessity?

Ensuring you have tons of water on hand is hurricane prep 101 – for flushing, for brushing teeth and, of course, for drinking. But what’s a party without alcohol? Depending on the size of your cooler, beer is a good starting point. Black rum and ginger beer are needed for a Dark ‘n’ Stormy or two; rum, fruit juices, simple syrup and grenadine are necessary if you prefer a Hurricane. Wine is yet another thing to add to your bar. There’s white and rose if you and your guests don’t mind topping them up with ice cubes or drinking them warm should electricity fail, but red is likely a safer choice.

3, Music

Assuming your power bank is charged, plug in your phone and choose a playlist. If that’s not an option, pull out a battery-powered radio if you have one and tune in.

4, Lights — and cameras

If it’s a party, you’ll want to have pictures and videos to remember it by. Flashlights and candles will help you to focus on an image and make sure you don’t knock over the bottle of beer someone forgot to pick up off the floor.

5, Games

Traditional board games like Pictionary and Monopoly will pass time and there’s also charades and any number of card games. Pro tip: beer pong might help the time pass even faster.

The post Tips on hosting perfect hurricane party appeared first on RG Magazines.

Educating children about why salmon and broccoli is a better choice than fried chicken and French fries can help lay the foundation for a lifetime of wellness. Below, a few strategies for helping make diet and healthy eating a habit:

Lead by example

Children are always watching; it’s essential to model a balanced diet of fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains. Show enthusiasm for trying new foods and flavours, and avoid negative comments about certain foods.

 Get your kids in the kitchen

Take your children grocery shopping and have them pick out fresh vegetables and fruits. Talk to them about your food choices; explain the nutritional benefits of different foods and why balance is key. In the kitchen, let them participate in age-appropriate cooking tasks: washing vegetables, stirring ingredients and making/assembling simple meals.

Turn off the devices

Serve meals at set times, regularly. When you can, eat as a family without distractions like television, electronic devices or books. When you eat without paying attention to your food, its texture, taste and aroma, there is a greater chance that you might overeat. You tend to continue eating and finish without realising your body and brain’s signal that you are full.

Teach portion control

Help children understand appropriate portion sizes by using visual aids and practical examples. Show them how to use their hands or everyday objects to estimate serving sizes. Encourage mindful eating by teaching children to listen to hunger and fullness cues; stop eating when they feel satisfied rather than finishing everything on their plate out of obligation. Avoid using food as a reward or punishment; celebrate achievements with non-food rewards or experiences.

 Promote variety and balance

Emphasise the importance of eating a variety of foods from all food groups. Teach children to “eat the rainbow” by consuming a colourful array of fruits and vegetables so they get a wide range of nutrients to help them stay healthy. Introduce them to new dishes gradually, one at a time. Put only a small amount of a new food on their plate so they are not overwhelmed; be mindful that it can take several attempts before they try it and even more before they begin to enjoy it.

Take them to the grocery store

Involve them in meal planning to encourage ownership of their food choices. At the supermarket, have them put their food choices into the shopping cart. Meanwhile, teach children to become savvy consumers by helping them decipher food labels and understand marketing tactics. Discuss the difference between whole foods and processed foods, and encourage them to question advertising claims. Empower them to make informed choices based on nutritional value rather than packaging or popularity.

Lead discussions, not lectures

Encourage questions about food and nutrition remembering not to be judgemental with your response. Talk about food choices, have them plan a balanced meal and make it. Avoid calling certain foods “good” and other foods “bad” – all foods have their place. Use age-appropriate language and tailor information to their level of understanding.

With such strategies in place, parents and caregivers can empower children to make healthy food choices that will ultimately support their overall wellbeing. Remember, the goal is to help them understand how a balanced diet can provide nourishment that sets them up for a healthy life.

The post Teaching children about diet appeared first on RG Magazines.

Q: What qualifies someone as obese?

A: Overweight and obesity are conditions where a person carries excess body weight in the form of body fat deposits. Obesity can be detected by making a simple calculation with your weight and height, this is known as your body mass index or BMI. A BMI greater than 25kg/m2 would indicate that you are overweight and a BMI higher than 30kg/m2 is classed as obesity.

Many of us are aware that the BMI calculation has its flaws, as the measure does not take body composition into account.

However, carrying excess body fat, particularly around our middle, is associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, stroke and certain cancers.

At Island Nutrition we utilise medical body composition scales, when appropriate, which calculate an individual’s muscle, bone, water and fat mass, along with visceral fat and a unique metabolic age assessment.

Q: How does Bermuda’s population look? 

A: In 2023, over 70 per cent of the population was reported to be overweight or obese, with similar levels seen in both the male and female population. Nearly 34 per cent of males and 36 per cent of females fall into the obese category. The Chief Medical Officer’s report gives further insight into those adults who are more at risk of obesity, highlighting people from a Black, mixed or other ethnic background and those whose income is between $75,000 and $150,000, although those with an income of over $150,000 are the most likely to be overweight.

Bermuda has the third highest rate of diabetes in the OECD. Over 50 per cent of the population are living with diabetes, heart or kidney disease, and one in three people have high blood pressure or high cholesterol, both of which can exacerbate the risk of heart disease, stroke and kidney disease. These conditions can be linked to things we cannot change, such as our age, ethnicity or genetics, but they are also associated with poor diet, low activity levels and excess body fat (which we can change).

There may be many reasons for seeing statistics like this in Bermuda. As the cost of living rises, those with lower incomes may need to work multiple jobs, which means less time to focus on exercise and home cooked meals. Likewise, the cost of fresh fruits and vegetables is significantly higher than most heavily processed convenience foods. Shipping considerations can influence the foods that are imported; for example processed, sugary and salty foods may have a longer shelf life than healthier alternatives.

Generally, physical activity in Bermuda can also be quite low. On a small island like this it isn’t required for us to commute very far at all on foot, and most people will park their vehicles very close to where they need to be. This means to meet the minimum activity recommendations (150 minutes of moderate intensity a week), we need to find time outside of our daily routines. The expense of a gym membership is unaffordable for many, and a lack of sidewalks on residential streets may also impact a person’s willingness to exercise.

There is a large role that could be played by implementing sufficient education around the impact that our lifestyles have on our health. But even with education programmes in place and with sufficient knowledge, the above can remain as huge barriers to making changes to our diet and lifestyle.

A lack of focus on physical activity, good nutrition and cooking skills in many schools, means many children are not learning how to incorporate these things into their lifestyles. But the community as a whole must bear the responsibility. Adults and community leaders need to set a good example and make sure health is prioritised in all that we do. Organisers and suppliers of community events and fundraisers should consider the health impact of the event, and encourage physical activity and healthy food choices.

Q: At what point do medical professionals get concerned?

Medical professionals need to be vigilant across the life span when it comes to weight.

A third of children screened in Bermuda’s schools had a BMI indicating they were overweight in 2022. Children that are overweight are more likely to track into adult overweight or obesity, so it is important to try to improve general health habits from a young age. Educating our children on the importance of a healthy lifestyle may help to establish these habits through to later life.

Another key time for medical professionals to encourage weight management is during pregnancy; extra weight gain is likely to lead to weight retention after giving birth. Increased body weight is also a risk factor for developing gestational diabetes. Although this usually resolves after childbirth, poor blood sugar control can lead to complications during labour, abnormally high birth weight, and the birthing-parent being at a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes in later life.

Early referral to a registered dietitian to help people understand how food impacts on our health and our bodies is also beneficial, especially for those with modifiable health conditions.

Q: With adults, is a lifestyle change sustainable? 

With access to the internet and a wealth of conflicting fad diets promising to help “lose weight quick”, it can be challenging for individuals to tell facts from fiction.

The dietitians at Island Nutrition are experienced, qualified healthcare professionals whose medical nutrition services are covered by all local health insurance. We can:

• Help you know if dietary information is safe and based on evidence.
• Consider any medical conditions, medications and social circumstances.
• Discuss the best way to maintain a healthy weight by considering your diet and lifestyle as a whole.
• Support you to make healthier choices where possible and include variety and balance.
• Educate on helping people listen to their body’s hunger and fullness cues.
• Optimise your awareness of portion sizes and consider activity levels.
• Work with individuals, families and groups.

www.islandnutrition.bm

Instagram: IslandNutritionbda

The post How obese are we? appeared first on RG Magazines.

Although likely to disappoint anyone looking for a quick fix, she believes that it’s the best approach as it is only when the mind, body and spirit are off-kilter that we experience “disease”.

“It is important to understand what caused the imbalance in the first place to actually cure the disease,” said Ms Dupres, a homeopath who works under the title Healing Essentials MD to help people to restore their health.

“The causes can be genetics, long-term stress, generational trauma, environmental toxins, poor nutrition or mental angst; and it is usually a combination of these factors that contributes to chronic disease.”

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention describes a chronic illness as any condition that lasts longer than a year and requires ongoing medical attention or limits activities that are part of daily living, or both.

Examples of chronic disease include cancer, diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, anxiety or depression and heart disease.

While conventional medicine typically offers pharmaceuticals, surgeries and physical therapy as treatment, complementary and alternative therapies focus on identifying and treating the root cause through natural approaches.

What people often fail to consider is that humans are basically energy and that we each have our own particular rhythm – and that it keeps shifting.

“We are energetic beings and vibrate at a certain frequency, which is constantly changing. When we vibrate at a high frequency we flow easily through life. The lower we vibrate, the more likely energies are to get trapped within us leading us down a path of illness,” Ms Dupres said.

“Emotions are the energetic currency that runs between the mind (thoughts), and the body (physical being). If the emotions are not moving freely then they can get stuck in the body and cause ‘dis-ease’. The longer this goes on the more likely the body is to create symptoms and when they are loud enough they get labelled as a diagnosis.”

Homeopaths do a careful cross check before recommending the way forward to patients: levels of nutrition and hydration, mental state, quality of sleep, harmony in relationships and levels of stress are all considered. Changes are then made in the areas necessary as well as applying remedies from nature to facilitate healing. True healing is not about simply suppressing the symptoms shown.

“For people that want a quick fix rather than a holistic approach, this is not for you,” Ms Dupres said. “There has to be a level of commitment to regaining health from chronic disease because pills are not going to fix anything. The body heals itself when given the correct tools to do so.”

The post There is no quick fix for a chronic illness appeared first on RG Magazines.

For many of us, they’ve been the hero at the end of a desperate search for an outfit for Cup Match, Bermuda Day, cocktail parties and any number of special occasions.

Calypso, a cornerstone of Bermuda’s fashion landscape, started in 1957 as a designer-led venture. Today, it’s a curated selection of eclectic brands.

Exclusivity is key – limited buying ensures that patrons won’t encounter the same outfit at a social gathering. Eileen Fisher, Gretchen Scott, Krazy Larry, Joh, Clara Sunwoo and Match Point are among the brands that grace the racks, reflecting Calypso’s commitment to diversity and style.

The Front Street store claims that its swimwear selection is second to none on the island. It caters to all ages and styles – from trendy bikinis by Seafolly, to timeless classics from Jantzen and La Blanca.

However, Maritza Sequeros, the company’s general manager, says the real key to its staying power is listening to customer feedback, and staying attuned to evolving trends. Classic, rather than trendy, is the goal.

“We’re eclectic, we’re fun, we’re innovative, we buy different vendors that no one has in Bermuda, because we always demand exclusivity,” she said. “Women don’t want to dress the same. They don’t want to go to a cocktail party and have somebody wearing the same outfit. So we do limited buying on everything that we purchase.”

Family-operated 27th Century Boutique offers a range of designer brands for men and women. The Reid Street store was founded by Kirk Bartram more than 40 years ago. Sharon Bartram now leads the business. Her “excellent eye for style” has made it home to “a fantastic selection of designer suits, pants, dress shirts, khakis, polo shirts, and more for men, as well as dress pants, dresses, skirts, sparkly tanks, purses, shoes, jewellery, and more for women.”

Joseph Ribkoff, Jude Connally, Lynn Ritchie and Orly are on a long list of brands that keep customers coming back.

Shannon’s Boutique is often described as “the ultimate destination” for gentlemen because of its curated selection of stylish apparel and footwear.

On offer is a wide assortment of mens’ clothing and accessories. An added plus: the sale and rental of Italian designer suits along with earrings, cufflinks, and other accessories.

The store has been a staple of mens’ fashion in Bermuda for over 40 years. From its inception in 1982 its founders, Keith and Candice Trott, have strived to give the best in customer service and affordable menswear.

“Through the years, there have been challenging days, and changing trends, but the business’s success and longevity have been hinged on a few major things. These things range from our hard work on days when hard work seems almost impossible, our commitment to stellar customer service, our understanding of the need for affordability for the average grass roots customer, and last but never least, the continued support of our customers who have, beyond a shadow of a doubt, become our tribe,” the couple stated.

“At Shannon’s Boutique we take pride in our ability to stay in touch with our customer base and meet them on their level. This has been one of the main reasons for our sustainability. We are proud to say that we have been an important part of the Bermuda small business community for over 40 years, and we are looking forward to another 40.”

Calypso: https://www.hornburgcalypso.com/

45 Front Street, Hamilton

296-2112

27th Century Boutique: https://www.27thcenturyboutique.com

94 Reid Street, Hamilton

292-2628

Shannon’s: @shannons_bda; [email protected]

22 Windsor Place, Queen Street, Hamilton

292-5349

The post So Fresh and So Clean … appeared first on RG Magazines.