A IS FOR
AT-HOME TESTING
➤ Over the past two years, a strain on the availability of in-person care plus a desire to take our health into our own hands has resulted in an increased demand for at-home testing kits that offer ease and convenience like never before. From fertility and hormonal tests to microbiome gut health analyses and genetic testing, a new wave of do-it-yourself kits allow for near-immediate access to insights into our bodily health—all without a visit to the doctor’s office. Let’sGetChecked, a personal-health testing brand, offers over 30 tests (including everything from vitamin levels and STIs to colon cancer and fertility) and guarantees accurate lab results in just days.
B IS FOR
BODY NEUTRALITY
➤ Thankfully, conversations around body positivity and self-love are pushing societal attitudes away from harmful diet culture and negative body image. However, even with this progress, actually reaching a healthy mindset can still feel daunting and out of reach, thanks to years of hard-to-shake socialization and unrealistic media depictions. So what happens when we get rid of all the connotative pressure around our bodies (whether it be constant positivity or toxic self-judgment)? Space opens up for something both radical and radically simple: body neutrality. This new movement offers a lower-pressure, neutral perspective toward one’s body that de-centers physical appearance as a component of self-worth and focuses on its abilities. Instead, feel empowered to recognize that you do not have to love your body every day, but can still appreciate all it does for you.
C IS FOR
COMMUNITY FRIDGES
➤ Take what you need, and leave what you can. This simple concept is the motivation behind a rise in community refrigerators, an effort to provide food for the food-insecure and those struggling to afford proper nutrition. This form of community care has also been used by organizations as a way to get vegan food to those in need. Here are three steps to starting your own community fridge:
Do your research and connect with other community organizers. Resources such as FREEdge, an online network, can help in securing micro-grants and offer templates for flyers and posters.
