Costa Women Blogs

Many of you will have seen, on Monday the Spanish Government introduced a new residency document for UK nationals who are protected by the Withdrawal Agreement – the Tarjeta de identidad de extranjero or TIE. This means some changes to the appointments process and anyone registering from now on will be issued with the biometric TIE card, rather than the current green paper document. You can find all the detail in the boletin oficial del estado. There has been lots of concern from members of the British community in Spain so there are two key underlying points: –          All British nationals, who are legally resident in Spain by the end of this year, will have their rights protected, including the right to live and work here, and lifelong access to healthcare for UK state pensioners, including those who claim a pension in the future. These are not affected by the current negotiations taking place between the UK and the EU. –          Whether you already have the green residency certificate – A4 or credit card-sized version – or the new TIE, they are equally valid in demonstrating your residence status and your rights as a beneficiary of the Withdrawal Agreement. And whilst you may choose to exchange your current certificate for a TIE at some point in the future, there is no requirement to do so. The green residency document gives you the same rights as the new TIE card.  There is one group of people who must take action. If you live here, but don’t already have a green residency certificate, you must apply for the new TIE as soon as possible. A link to the Spanish administration website is here. We know people will have lots of questions about the process itself and the Embassy have updated their Living in Spain Guide guide to reflect the changes. It’s also worth bearing in mind that the system is very new and different provinces will be introducing it at different rates. Also, COVID restrictions mean that there will be fewer presencial appointments available. However, people do have time to get their residency certificate and as long as they are legally resident in Spain (meeting the current residency requirements) then they will be covered by the Withdrawal Agreement, even if they don’t have the document itself by 31 December.   You can see HMA Hugh Elliott talking about this in a short video      And here is the Q&A from the informative online event this week   UK Nationals Support Fund: As you may already know, the UK Government has made funds available to support UK nationals in the EU to complete their residency applications and secure their rights under the Withdrawal Agreement. In Spain, three organisations have been funded to provide this support: the International Organization for Migration (IOM), Babelia and Age in Spain. Their remit is to support the most vulnerable UK nationals, providing targeted assistance to individuals who face specific challenges, such as people living with disabilities or chronic illness, those facing language and literacy barriers, or barriers in accessing relevant technology. The below information gives you further details about the organisations and their current plans. As you will see, this targeted support is not available for the whole of Spain, but the organisations’ websites and helplines will be available for people anywhere in Spain.     UKNSF is a new support group for vulnerable UK nationals which may be very interesting for your organisation as applying for residency first time is rather complicated since July 6th.       Healthcare information: there has been a change to the online healthcare information. The British Embassy have one definitive guide to Healthcare in Spain on gov.uk. This page has been recently updated.  It includes information about how you can access healthcare in Spain as a resident, and up-to-date information about your right to access healthcare during and after the transitional period. You can also sign up for alerts on this page, so that you can keep up to date with any new information. Some people may have previously used HealthcareinSpain.eu site.  Please be aware that this website has now been closed.  Please be assured that the British Embassy will continue to provide the latest information and updates regarding healthcare on their Healthcare in Spain page, and via the Brits in Spain Facebook page.  

  I came across an interesting story about ‘The Formation of Power’ quite a long time ago now but with all the uprising and discussion today about equality and recognising what lives matter! I feel this is a great opportunity to share it again, together with my thoughts about this glorious moment we have created as Humanity.   I can’t say how or by whom this story was written… it wasn’t me, as IAM now anyway, but maybe me in another lifetime! Anyway IAM sure, like myself, upon understanding the big picture of our collective history, you will agree it allows one to realise the power game we all equally play and keeps us locked up in captivity together, struggling to live our desired lives, to this day… until we each individually decide enough is enough and choose to reclaim our power and step away from the game.   AND yes it is that simple! It’s not about protesting, pointing the finger or fighting for freedom. In fact this only digs us deeper into the veil of forgetfulness as we strengthen our beliefs of being powerless, poor, unworthy and weak and play into the hands of the ones who know how to steal power away from others who turn a blind eye.   It’s about taking the time to look back on all our history and sense the repeating patterns, the game of duality of the oppressor and the victim (slave & servant). The controller and the controlled, and know one cannot exist without the other!   It’s about sensing the injustice of ALL our history, the suppression of our strong and dark/coloured people, of our women and children and people who have dared step out of line in choosing their own sexual and spiritual preference, and knowing this will never bring us to experience harmony together.   It’s about remembering how we ALL agreed at the beginning of time, to play this game together and experience duality in all its extremity. For us to feel and know everything and discover our Divine compassion, wisdom and natural power of love that will allow us one day to gently stand up and say no more!   IAM so grateful to see how mass consciousness is now awakening and rising up… to say no more! Grateful to sense hearts opening and discussions around the table. Finally a good majority are indeed remembering we are all equal, unique and sovereign and it’s time to breathe in our freedom and live a life of celebration in harmony together.   Please enjoy this story.     In the Beginning…   In the beginning times smaller sized humans relied on the bigger sized humans (giants) to gather the higher sort-after fruits in the trees in return for gifts, eventually becoming too dependant on them.  The giants realised that their stature could be used to the best advantage and they became luxuriously cared for without putting too much energy into it.  All seemed in perfect harmony, until the mind overtook the heart. In due time, the larger giant became complacent in his role and insisted on greater rewards.  The gifts became so large that the smaller humans needed to amass their resources to fulfill the giants’s request.    The world of barter was born…   The smaller humans then discovered that he could use domesticated animals to overpower the giant and not have to pay the fee.  And what if they went in numbers to overpower the giant? What if someone planned an attack and kept the gifts themselves?  These groups of roving marauders created a hierarchy by electing one responsible to plan the next strategic moment.  Everyone supported the fastest thinker, centralized a force and amassed great riches with ease.  This was the beginning of establishing control over the people based on an invisable force that the common people feared! The clever ones appointed themselves as leaders and received the collected gifts, keeping the most for himself and dividing the rest with others, according to strengths.    The social order was born…   Instead of traveling the trade routes they started building fortress’s along the ways, so that the riches could come to them.  And slowly more and more was demanded until finally taxes was imposed in exchange for wares and services.  The fortress’s became empires and the leaders were named emperors.      The emperors often used fire-breathing dragons, to threaten the commoner into succumbing to his power; ruling based on fear. However this soon lost its effectiveness when the commoners wanted to see proof of its existence!      The emperors then took on mystics as advisors, as they saw that the common people liked them.  In this way the emperors kept their power by threatening that the mystic cast deadly spells.  Emperors kept up their rule based on fear.    The mystics had hardly anything to do so they began to travel outside the empire in search of new adventures.  The further the mystic travelled, the further he discovered and met up with individuals of vastly different experience who were willing to share what they knew with each other.    More and more they gathered great fortunes of goods and knowledge.  The emperors in turn sent them back to gather more riches!   What the emperors didn’t realise however, was that the mystics were keeping all the new discovered knowledge to themselves.  The mystics/advisors evolved to become explorers  and together they decided to form a pact wherein they would not share the secrets of their mystical powers beyond themselves…for all time to come…In that, they became the all powerful entities of secrecy!     The emperor’s were fully satisfied with life and relinquished all knowledge of the source of the riches.  Instead, it was the mystic who held the power, withholding information they could maintain control!  The mystics also took on the role of scribes, writing down everything that needed recording.  However, the written words offered were just enough hope and respect to lead the commoner to believe that he could attain only a limited level of holiness.    The emperor’s began to sense that they were losing control and fear gripped even the most dull minded of them.  They were afraid that the mystics would turn against them.      Religion was born...   Religion in its most popular form teaches from fear.  The mystics who knew the power of the written word used it to their advantage.  In their writings they portrayed god as a fear inspiring, all powerful energy.  Their next step was to designate only one figurehead, themselves, through which god would communicate with humans.    With only one recognized connection to God, it is easy to see how control was taken to the next level! They established themselves as the new religious leaders and began building their own empire, the church and created new laws!  A perceived separation was created between matters of religion and the affairs of state, and the commoners were glad to be free of the emperor.  Little did they realize that the true rulers, were still in charge of the empire – because of their continued hold on all the recorded knowledge.    The church made sure that they gave the blessing and authorization for everything!  If the mystic/religious leaders needed to create a war to keep their power secure, they would play one emperor against another.  Indeed, who wouldn’t support a military campaign?  On the surface, all appeared to win – the emperor or king would get great profits and the commoner earned more money.  The unfortunate exception was the soldier in battle who usually lost his life – in the name of god and emperor!   The Holy Inquisition…   In the far reaching parts of the world, the religious leaders came up against ‘the pure mystics’, who were sharing their knowledge with the people and were performing ‘miracles’.  Suddenly they became a threat, because if the commoners discovered that they could commune with all creation, all power structures would breakdown.    So it was decided to invite the pure mystics to join forces with them, but they refused, they would not have anything to do with controlling the people.  The pure mystics began to speak out warning the people of how they were being controlled.   The response by the church was swift and the pure mystics were branded evil, an enemy of the church and were hunted down and slaughtered!      Am I hearing you say the words AMEN after reading this summary of our Human history?   I feel we have come full circle again, we have all suffered enough. Isn’t it time to put down our weapons, put it all behind us and choose that our own life matters! AND stand in our innate power and move into a new experience of living a life of love, unity and freedom, a NewEarth that is truly waiting for everyone to enjoy.   It’s a choice we each make, no matter our circumstance.   Barbara Franken… Creative Visionary & MasterCreatorInspiring New Energy Consciousness     A paperback and Digital Book is available from all Major online stores… Amazon and Apple   I share my own magical journey, exploring Who I AM with the help of nine Elemental Beings and expand from a world of fear, struggle and limitation into a New Energy Consciousness of love, grace and freedom. It is in this loving space that I discover my Divine and ALL LOVING self and allow myself to integrate together as one Body Consciousness… a DivineHumanBeing… and Magnificent Master Creator who expresses and creates heart and soul passion on the physical plane and beyond.     Join our MasterCreator Class and emerge yourself in the celebration of life through dance, song, art, relaxed inner journeys and beyond everything known… preparing yourself for your NEW role on New Earth.   There is no time like the present moment to Sign Up and give YOURSELF this magnificent gift… More Info: MasterCreator Class     All the money raised from my books and classes go to my non-profit association The Magnificent Consciousness that holds free local projects in Benalmadena, Spain.

I remember a time when my mum would say we were living in a “throwaway society”!  Of course, she was talking about clothes when we would buy new instead of receiving “hand me downs” or any holes would be sewn or patched and worn again and again.   This is when food was fresh and real, and didn’t come in a packet, or wasn’t put in a microwave.  This is when we played outdoors, got dirty and had fun.  We didn’t have much, but we enjoyed the simple pleasures and appreciated what we had!  Sounding familiar? This time last year, I was involved in many beach cleans.  Removing rubbish, but mainly plastic from the sand and the shores.  There were so many people helping and concerned about what we had been doing to our oceans and sea life.  Everyone was out in force and there was lots of awareness in the media everywhere you looked.  It was fantastic!  I was even involved in one event where all the local primary schools came as part of an overall project for Environment day.  This was so important for children to see directly the effect of simply not putting their rubbish in the bin and why they should recycle and use less plastic. Supermarkets and businesses were also getting on board by reducing the amount of plastic they used.  Plastic bags were no longer available in the supermarkets, and less or no unnecessary packaging was on the fresh fruit and vegetables.  No more single use plastics! This was all fantastic.  Everything was going in the right direction.   Then in a flash it all changed! At the beginning of lockdown and while we all remained within stages 0 through to 2, we once again began to appreciate the simple things in life, we saw the effect on our local wildlife being brave to come closer and we saw our seas and skies quiet and peaceful.   We realised how much we missed our loved ones that we could not see, and how easily it could be to perhaps never see some people again due to the virus and the restrictions.  Now as we have moved into the new normal, while things are still very different and people are struggling to pay rent and buy food, we are nowhere near the normal we “enjoyed” before, there are many changes.  Some good, some bad.  The main changes I see are going to my supermarket where we have to wear disposable gloves. Although, I believe as I write this that many supermarkets are not insisting on gloves any longer. We have to put our loose fruit and veg in individual plastic bags.  It is compulsory to wear a face mask. These are available in packs as they should only have one use for them to remain safe, unless you buy the reusable kind which are more expensive, but obviously kinder to the environment. I went to the beach last week with my boyfriend and his daughter for the first time since March.  It was amazing.  I felt so free and relaxed.   Then we went for lunch.  The menus can no longer be like before, but are now like QR codes to be scanned.  The plates came with cling film over them, and the oil and vinegar etc came in individual single use containers.  Except my oil came in a tiny little bottle and was still too much for just one use.  What a waste and a cost for those that still have limits on capacity and are struggling to attract clients as we have no tourists here yet. Then only yesterday, I saw a contrast in another bar where I had lunch with a friend.  No real sign of hygiene.  In fact, there was only one other couple there and when we arrived 2 of the tables had not been cleaned.  The waitress came with a grubby cloth and wiped it and that was it.  There was no hand sanitiser, only a little lemon wipe that came with the food.  While waiting on the food, we thought we would see just how clean the table was.  The answer as you can see, is not good.  I will not be returning there! As mentioned in my previous blog, more and more of us are taking to cycling, and as a result, air pollution levels in Spain are at an all-time low.  However, according to https://www.ecologistasenaccion.org Spanish ecologists have given dozens of the country’s beaches ‘black flags’ for being overly polluted.  The waste generated by the health crisis with waste from masks and gloves, poorly managed, are reaching beaches and seas are becoming more common. In the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, protective face masks and surgical gloves are polluting the sea, warn environmental campaigners.  Surgical masks and gloves are also littering coastal areas.  The Covid-19 pandemic is having a detrimental impact on the coast, due to careless management of plastic waste, according to Ecologists in Action. Even worse than having to use plastic and so many “disposable throwaway” items is the disgusting abuse of how people think it is OK to leave them on the ground or in the car park or just anywhere they feel like.  Who do these people think cleans up after them? Do they not realise what they are teaching their children? Have they not given a thought to the environment? We have turned into a “throwaway world”! I welcome anyone´s own thoughts or experiences on this.

31 years ago, I was on holiday with my boyfriend when we saw it on the news!  It was shocking, unbelievable and extremely upsetting!  Why was this allowed to happen? Today, 3rd June 2020 is World Bicycle Day – just the day before that terrible incident in Tiananmen Square all those years ago!  Coincidence? I read a very thought provoking book about the massacre called Beijing Coma, By Ma Jian This is a must read.  It is the definitive Tiananmen Square novel.  The author not only delivers a dramatic, blow-by-blow account of the student protest movement in Beijing and its suppression, but he exposes the still-raw wounds from Mao’s Cultural Revolution that lay behind that 1989 revolt.  The Chinese Government has since banned the book, but thankfully it is available in other countries. According to Wikipedia, In April 2018, the United Nations General Assembly declared June 3 as World Bicycle Day.The resolution for World Bicycle Day recognises “the uniqueness, longevity and versatility of the Bicycle, which has been in use for two centuries, and that it is a simple, affordable, reliable, clean and environmentally fit sustainable means of transport.” As per the World Health Organization (WHO), safe infrastructure for walking and cycling is also a step towards achieving greater health equity. Apart from the umpteen health and environmental benefits of cycling, it must also be noted that a cycle is also the most affordable form of transport. World Bicycle Day is therefore associated with creating a healthier lifestyle!  I never knew this – my first thought was of those cyclists in Tiananmen Square!  Cycling has become a much more integral part of people´s lives recently.  During phase 1 of lockdown, when we were allowed to exercise at allocated times, many more people than every took up walking, running and cycling. As more and more lockdown restrictions are lifted, many of us are turning to bicycles in an effort to avoid public transport during the state of alarm.   Do you think this will continue?  Just before lockdown, I bought a bicycle.  I guess I am one of the few that actually hasn´t used it yet.   I will get round to it! Governments around the world are taking the initiative to promote this way of life once we all move towards the “new normal”.  The French government, for instance, is providing €50 for people to fix their bikes in an effort to promote cycling over public transportation.   The demand for second hand bikes and those with bikes to be repaired has soured.  Sales of new bikes have increased also.  Paris is increasing the number of bike lanes in the city. People seem to have more of a desire to be in open spaces after being in lockdown for so long! What are other Governments doing? London is actively promoting cycling as part of post-lockdown transport plan Shops in London have seen the same increase in sales and repairs.  Some are now taking pre-orders, which was virtually unheard of before outside of the festive season.  London is also adding more cycling lanes. There is a visible difference on roads in Brussels with more cyclists- In Scotland, the coronavirus lockdown has prompted a big increase in cycling across the country.  In some places the number of cyclists more than doubled. Cycling Scotland chief executive Keith Irving said: “Many people are rediscovering cycling during lockdown, for exercise or essential journeys. “I hope people continue to cycle when we emerge from this crisis and carry on benefiting from the massive positive impact cycling has on our physical and mental health.” Public transport has fallen in many areas in the same period during the lock down. That seems to be the same story in many countries. Here in Marbella (as in   parts of Spain), we are firstly blessed with the climate, but we also have many cycle routes off and on road.  We also have dedicated cycle lanes along the Paseo.  Is there a requirement to extend this further to include cycle lanes on our main roads as they have in other countries? Will cycling be the big winner after lockdown is lifted? Will you take up cycling after lock down?  I would be interested in your thoughts on both subjects covered in this blog. Enjoy the health and practical reasons about this special day! World Bicycle Day 3rd June 2020.

Scared of leaving your day job because you’re scared of the unknown.   Here’s HOW you can CREATE YOUR FUTURE. ENJOY https://youtu.be/rL8sVnk39zY\u2728   Watch it on YouTube to find the resources and type your thoughts. Love to see your thoughts

And yes, I am including our current pandemic of Covid 19 in that question. While we still learning daily about Covid 19, one of the most interesting things is that some people are completely asymptomatic, while others display grave symptoms very quickly. And there is much investigation to identify who is at risk and how to better protect them. Age seems to be a factor, as do co-morbidities (previous health conditions) such as heart disease or diabetes. But what about your gut health? Can that predict the severity of your reaction? These two studies suggest that it might. The Gut Lung Axis There has been some interesting research suggesting that an unhealthy gut microbiome can increase the risk and severity of lung disease With Covid 19’s impact on the respiratory system this previous research is worth reviewing. Huge amounts of our body’s immune system is around the gut and intestines. Masses of your lymphatic system focuses on it. The health of your gut has a HUGE impact on the health of your immune system and how well your body responds to disease. Cytokine Storm “good” gut microbes help to reduce inflammation throughout the body. Not having enough of these could be a factor in inducing cytokine storms – where an excessive amount of inflammation triggering proteins called cytokines are released resulting in hyperinflammation. In effect your immune system is working too hard and gets out of control, killing too many cells to try and prevent the spread of the problem. This can happen in a number of illnesses, not just Covid 19 but also flu and some autoimmune conditions. What is the gut microbiome? The ‘gut microbiome’ is the scientific name for the 1.5kg (2-3 lb) of microbes that live in our intestines. This is a mix of good and less good bacteria that helps us digest our food and regulate our immune system and our response to pathogens. There has been a lot of research recently into the gut microbiome, most of it very early, but all of it hinting at a very powerful resource with an impact on huge amounts of our general health. One thing that we do seem fairly sure of is that a health microbiome should be diverse, with lots of different types of bacteria. But strangely, our modern diet seems to limit the variety of gut bacteria rather than encourage it. Perhaps our diets aren’t as varied as we think? Anti-biotics also seem to limit and negatively affect the microbiome. Although the use of probiotics before and after taking them does seem to make a difference. Side note – the little yogurt drinks in the supermarket aren’t strong enough to make any difference, even though they taste delicious! Lancet Study Healthy Biome – less reaction? A recent study (currently unpublished so be wary!) of Covid 19 patients seems to suggest that those with a healthier, more diverse microbiome had a less severe response, while those with a more limited gut microbiome had worse symptoms. So, as we are spending more time out and about in greater contact with others, perhaps a greater focus on your gut health might help to keep you and your immune system in better shape. So here are Lisa’s top tips for improving your gut microbiome: Eat real fats – olive oil, salmon and other oily fish, avocado, nuts and seeds. Plenty of protein – that oily fish again as well as other seafood, chicken, beans, eggs, tofu, pulses and nuts. Reduce processed meats – ham, sausages, bacon and salami – high levels of salt and nitrates don’t help gut bacteria Lots of dark green and coloured vegetables – these are high in fibre which your gut bacteria loves. Try and eat a wide variety over the course of a week – your guts will love it Swap pasta and rice for wholegrains such as quinoa, buckwheat and pulses which are rich in fibre. Take a leaf out of our Scandinavian friends book and try some rye bread. And go fully Spanish with some lentils and chickpeas! If you’re new to beans and pulses try soaking these overnight to help remove anti-nutrients such as lectins and phytates making them easier to cook but more importantly much easier to digest (less gas too!).  Cut back on sugary snacks – and that includes fruit! Try and stick to mealtimes and have fruit after your meal so help with the blood sugar spikes. Focus on all the berries as these are lower in fructose (fruit sugar). Or add a few nuts to help balance blood sugar. Try more herbal teas! In fact try any kind of tea – it’s a great way to hydrate! But just check the caffeine – some tea can have almost as much as coffee Less alcohol – sadly gut bacteria would prefer you stick to the odd glass of wine with a meal instead. Beer I’m afraid to say, is the devils brew when it comes to gut health. Who can say they don’t feel bloated after beer?? Want to see how healthy your digestion is? Try this fun quiz!