Oh Technology, technology and Color Coding

Hi guys,

I have to say, today is not one of my best days. I had a struggle with my equipment to get my video footage and everything technology, were just against me. You know, one of "those" days. None the less, the video is uploading (bad quality and all).

I organised my closet the other day. It was a lot of fun. I did not throw anything out..that's a first. I used to have a closet EVERYWHERE! hahaha and I never knew where anything was. So now, getting dressed in the morning is such bliss and I do it in less time than usual.

So, what dit I do..

I color-coded it... Yes, not according to seasonal clothing or longs sleeves, short sleeves..I used color. I like color and to me it just make sense.

I am not going to say much about it. I will just add some photo's and you can see.

Pretty, isn't it?

I even color-code my jewelery... Shuu don't tell. Any way.

Next week's video and blog will be a bit of scarve folding. I am really looking forward to it. I LOVE scarves.

Speak to you soon!

xe

Diabetes and Ignorance

Hi you!

So, I have been thinking what I am going to tell you guys and the I read a tweet, freak out and decided this needs to be put on paper (well on my blog). But first I am going to tell you about me week anyway.

My week was fairly quiet. I told you about all the change and it is still great. I uploaded my youtube video last night (it took 7 hours!!), may I mention it's my first edited video. I am so proud, but I have got LOTS to learn. You can go and check out my channel YouTube:Elre van den Heever.

I have some great ideas for my twitter/instagram account. If you follow me you can join in the fun. (see at the end of the blog)

OK, enough personal marketing. Lets get down to business. 

There is NOTHING that upsets me more than ignorance about what causes Diabetes. I have been a type 1 diabetic for the last 28 years (I was diagnosed at age 10 months). I freaked out on a counsellor when I started seeing my new specialist cause she wanted to "teach" me about diabetes and assess and speak to me. There is probably new things you can tell me, but I am well informed as it is. 

So, this is what I read on twitter "Excessive sugar consumption causes #diabetes". My first thought, and this is as pure as it gets "you ignorant ass". I went on google and found the the UK Diabetes website and THIS is what causes Diabetes:
Type 1 diabetes causes:
Type 1 diabetes is cause by the immune system destroying the cells in the pancreas that make insulin. This causes diabetes by leaving the body without enough insulin to function normally. There is no specific diabetes causes, but the following triggers may be involved:
Viral or bacterial infection, Chemical toxins within food, Unidentified component causing autoimmune reaction.  

Type 2 diabetes causes
Type 2 diabetes causes are usually multi factorial -more than one diabetes causes is involved. Often, the most overwhelming factor is a family history of type 2 diabetes. This is the most likely type 2 diabetes cause. There are a variety of risk factors for type 2 diabetes, any of all of which increase the chances of developing the condition.
These include: Obesity, Living a sedentary lifestyle, Increasing age AND (NO SURPRISE HERE) a Bad diet (not excessive consumption of sugar, just a bad diet)
(Source:http://www.diabetes.co.uk/diabetes-causes.html)

Why do people always think this? A bad diet overall causes diabetes. A bad diet causes obesity and people being overweight which then increases you risk and can lead to type 2 diabetes. And as a matter of fact excessive consumption of anything is not good for you!

I think what upsets me more is that they usually mention this overall and not specifying. As you can see type 1 and type 2 is different, but for some unexplainable reason people throw these two together and everything goes.

All I ask is that people read and understand and don't just assume that you know. My colleagues father always say, "If you can read you will go far in life." That is how we learn.

All diabetics can have sugar. Not in excess, not everyday, but occasionally. My specialist told me I am allowed to have my sweet of cake or chocolate occasionally, but I have to check my sugar and inject accordingly. It is not healthy for me ( or for anyone in that matter), but just as excessive consumption do not give you diabetes, I won't die either.

Respect the differences, stop upsetting people and creating unpleasant incidences.  

If you did not know this, I hoped you learned something from my, very upsetting, experience this evening and that I taught you something new.

If I offended you, well as the saying goes "If the shoe fits..". I am very blunt and straight forward when you touch diabetes. It is personal for me and no one of "us" is the same. I like a good joke and I joke about it too. It's my dark sense of humour ;-), but I respect it as well.

I have a picture to share with you:

One serious and one funny. Please leave a comment. Follow me if you like. If you want to find me somewhere else, here are a few pages:

Twitter: @elrehvdh
Instagram:elrevandenheever
Pinterest:Elre van den Heever
Facebook: Elre van den Heever
Email: elre.vandenheever@gmail.com

See you soon! Take care! 

ps. Do not eat to much sugar, its (very) bad for you! ;-P

Change, change and just more CHANGE! Loving it!

Oh my word, I just love my life at this point. I love change. I think it is one of the strangest things about me. Change is good. It is food for my soul. Whenever I go have my hair done I never look the same when I walk out of the salon. I changed my room (when I was still living with my parents) at least once a month.

I changed my blog "look" now and while doing this I just felt like writing some stuff down. I changed the info and what my blog is about and I have come to this. My blog is about my life (mostly) and life in general. It is about living with Diabetes Type 1 (can I just say it's almost been 28 years and still going strong). It is entertainment in the sense that I will post some DIY projects and funny stuff happening and even sad stuff happening in the hope that it will be entertaining. 

About the change though, let me just tell you that even though I am a big fan of change, I moved 6 times in 2 years. That is NOT fun and don't let anyone ever tell you that! haha At last we found a place where we both (my hubby and I) are happy and we are busy redecorating. It is going to take this whole year, but when it is done, I will show you. I promise.

I also changed my fitness programme (we run twice a week, we will start swimming this week and we gym twice a week as well). I tried it this morning, and man I am looking forward to it!

As I start this new adventure, I hope you will join me. Please comment and subscribe to my blog. I have a YouTube channel as well and let me tell you-best idea I had this year (so far). I am driving my husband nuts with all my ideas. It only has 2 videos, but I am posting once a week and this weekend I am doing an epic video of all my shopping!! (I will post the link in my next blog-coming this weekend)

So, it is Easter. I love this time of year (as well as my birthday in November and Christmas). Let's remember the importance, but eat as much Easter eggs as you can manage! They only come around once a year!

Take Care!

See you this weekend! (even sooner, maybe)

Excitement and then a bit of uncertain-ness

Hi There!

A lot and not a lot has happened this week and a bit still to happen.

I was thinking this past week, what if my videos are not that successful as I thought it would be and I don't get subscribers? I mean YouTube is FULL of the same videos and still the peeps from the USA have like a gazillion subscribers.So I was a bit uncertain or maybe scared or whatever.

Then it hit me. I am different. I am my own person. My channel (even though it's got the same content) is different. I am unique and this will start slowly, but I am positive that eventually I will have the few peeps that will like my video's and even if they don't that's ok. I like what I am doing.

That said, I can not wait for my editing programme. It is going to be so much fun and and a learning curve and something to keep my busy with.

I am so active on the social media scene it is almost scary and my accounts have not been so busy as it was lately. I love every minute of it. I also got a new phone (Samsung S3 Mini) and I LOVE it! Now, I have Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter, Facebook, Email, Wattsapp all at my finger tips. EXCCCCIIIting!!! 

I know I am freaking out a bit. Other than all the ideas popping into my head, it's been a slow week. I just could not wait to get to today so that I can post my video and blog!

My UNISA exam for piano have moved to August/September. I am very nervous!! But at least I have time to get it perfect now!

Well, besides all the media and slowness of the week. We had a very nice outing with new friends. We will see where this friendship goes. I am hoping for a long happy one :) I just LOVE people!

Any way. I am babbling. 

Have a great week. See you next week!

Embracing life with Social Media included. It's all possible!

So...it has been a while. I was looking at my Facebook page this morning and wondered, what can I do with it? I would like to say something, but the space just isn’t  big enough and then I remembered...BLOG. I should do this more often.

It is almost a year after my last post and since the first post a lot has changed. I embraced social media, but on a whole other level, I started running with a purpose and I started approaching life with a different outlook.

Let's start with the social media side. I have a Facebook and Twitter page, a Youtube channel (still very VERY young) and Pinterest. I had to learn that social media in today's society is going to be there. I can not change that and I can either embrace it or remove it from my life. I chose the first. I have to explain the following for you in order to express myself. 

You have 4 areas where you "sort" the people in your life. Our reverent explained it like this. Your porch or "stoep" is where you put most of the people. For example your Facebook/Twitter friends. You don't see most of that people a lot or even at all. It is the people you will greet in the mall or on street, but that is where it ends. It is also the people you know, like at work and "kennisse" for a lack of a nice English word. Then you have your "braaikamer" friends. Those are the people you invite for a nice chat and socialising and you share some details of your life. They are usually a lot less than you "social friends". Your kitchen table friends are those close friends. The people you trust and share secrets with. They are less than half of your 'braaikamer" friends. Last you have your "slaapkamer" friends. These are usually classified as your family and very, very close friends. The very few you consider your "soul mate" friends. That friend that you carry with you since you were born or maybe you consider your friend you met a few years ago as someone that can enter your room. They know the intimate details of your life. Hope, dreams and secrets.

I had to use this and "sort" my friends and make myself understand that you have those who will call you on your birthday or when you are sick or hurt and those who will send you a Facebook message or post. How this opened everything for me is amazing. I understood and that gave me the peace I needed. I still sort people from time to time and that is just life. You will outgrow few people, but you will meet new people just as quickly (or not).

This opened social media to me. I LOVE interacting with people and when I eventually build up the courage I will start my Youtube page and I am excited for that! I will keep you posted.

So, the last time I mentioned running I sounded like I am fading, BUT I did not. We started the beginning of this year and hit it off. We gym 2 times a week and run 3. My distance is still only 5km, but in August hopefully I will do my first 10km and I am itching to get there. My running improved. I learn new tips and trades every week and I am doing great. This is also a way to help my manage my Diabetes and menu's and with the help of an awesome dietician I CAN do this.

I am very excited to tell you that I will be playing my first Unisa Piano exam in June this year. I am SO nervous and excited at the same time, but I am doing this. I have a dream since I was very young that one day I would like to teach small children how to play the piano and I am doing this. AT LAST. Keep reading my blog's. I will update you as it happens.

Pinterest is the latest craze and I have to admit I am thoroughly addicted. I actually use it A LOT. I don't only PIN, I actually DIY all the birthday presents this year and in my house you will find some of the inspiration. We are just waiting for our SARS to open the tax year and then it is painting time!! Love it. It awaken my creative side and gave me a space where I can absolutely be me and express it. 

I have been a Christian all my life, but the discipline to read the Word of God is not implemented quite yet. I am happy to say that it is starting to take some form and my relationship with God is just growing and He is working in me. I feel it in my heart and soul. We joined a small group few years back and I have never looked back. 

I am excited for what is waiting and I look forward to share it with you, wherever you are at this time. May this be a whole exciting new trip!
 
I am not a language guru, so forgive me if my posts aren't correct. I will work on this too. I look forward to using my social media for more than just the occasional status update, pin or tweet and really connecting with people. Even if I don't see them ever. As long as I make a difference that's all that count.

If you would like to follow me here are all the links. 
www.facebook.com/Elre van den Heever
www.twitter.com/elrehvdh
www.pinterest.com/Elre van den Heever
Email:elre.vandenheever@gmail.com

Please leave a comment. If you have any questions you can email me.

Take Care and Smile!
e