Changing Suits

Our roots define us in more ways than we realise. Listen to the podcast where Bal & Taj talk to Manjit Dol about his journey into health and fitness. We also discuss how important it is to eat the right foods and how our roots dictate how we digest food.  When deciding to get healthy, the first things we often think about is, food and fitness. However the exercise and food you eat needs to sui...

In this weeks episode Bal and Taj discuss careers with UKAN coaching. They explore what makes us happy in our jobs and what stops us from taking the steps into a career we love.  UKAN coaching talk us through the changes between generational mindset and the impact the pandemic had on our work life balance.  There can be many reasons that stop us from getting the career we want. These reasons are a...

Mother in laws are the third person in a marriage, especially in a South Asian marriage. From before getting married, as a woman you are made to fear their every judgement😬, encouraged to learn how to make round rotian or face the perils of criticism “theree maa ne ki skayah”.  Bal & Taj discuss the many issues South Asian women face once getting married. The constant thoughts of disapproval....

Facing the truth can be the most difficult thing to do, this is even more so in the South Asian community. Bal and Taj discuss alcohol abuse with Mandeep, from Alcohol Free Sikhs. The detrimental effects which impact the body of the person who drinks is the focus of the podcast. They explore why people drink and the journey to alcohol abuse. The individual that is drinking is not the only victim....

Bal & Taj, talk to guest speaker Consultant Oncoplastic Breast Surgeon Dr Anushka Chaudhry, about the importance of Breast Care Awareness. In the South Asian community there is still stigma attached to talking about breast care and getting a mammogram. This results in people not having regular check-ups, being diagnosed at later stages and therefore having worse outcomes.  Changing Suits and D...

Fathers can play a pinnacle part in a child’s life. For fathers that have moved from the east to the west,  the sacrifices made in order for their children to live a better life can sometimes be forgotten in everyday life.  Leaving a lifestyle of being known and respected by all those around them, to jobs in factories - doing manual labour, working every hour that was offered and fighting for thei...

Anyone can be faced with a disability - whether it be a visible or invisible  disability. What happens to the body cannot be controlled, but how other people react can be. Does being from the South Asian community and having a disability, make it harder? Bal and Taj discuss, with ambassadors from @chronicallybrown, about the challenges they face: this being coping with their disability on a day to...

Celebrations in all different shapes and forms for the Queens Platinum Jubilee, a time of fun and happiness. Bal & Taj discuss the South Asian prospective of what should be considered before celebrating the jubilee or should it be considered at all?  From the history that isn’t taught at schools, about the British Raj and how people suffered and the on going issues and trauma that exist in par...

Bullying can happen at any time of life and takes place in many forms. It is about belittling the victim and making them feel ashamed. At the time that the bullying is taking place, the victim can react to this in a number of ways. This can include standing up to the bullying or feeling powerless to do anything in the situation. The impact of experiencing bullying can lead to life long trauma and...

Growing up in a South Asian household can have its challenges, even more so is this felt when hitting life’s milestones of womanhood. Bal & Taj reflect back on their life growing up and discover each other’s experiences. It is a journey of understanding why the subject of periods, bras and sex is such a taboo in the South Asian community. It is often that mums are the sole parent who is expect...

Mental Health Awareness Week 9th -15th May Bal & Taj wanted to explore the effect of desi parenting on everyone’s mental health… from the child’s perspective 🥴. This week we welcome Navneet back, with her amazing son Mehtab. On the show we discuss how the 3rd generation teaches us some important life lessons and show us how we should be looking after ourselves first.  It’s something a lot of...

Guarav’s mother explains that Guarav getting diagnosed was just part of the challenge they faced. Guarav’s life depended on getting the right stem cell donation, but as there is a lack of donations in the South Asian community, families have to start campaigning themselves to get people to donate stem cells to be transplanted for the recipient.  Rather then spending precious time as a family and p...

When dealt the card that was unexpected, you turn to family and friends to support you through the tough road that lays ahead. Veer’s family had to deal with such an ordeal. Firstly, finding out that their son had a genetic disorder that was life threatening, therefore needed a stem cell transplant. But the second blow came when Veer’s parents found out that there is lack of people donating from t...

There is a lack of stem cell donors in the South Asian community. In this episode Bal & Taj investigate this issue with DKMS charity volunteers. We learn about the distress families have to go through to find the right donor, which is caused by the low number of donors in the community. Bal discusses her journey of being a donor - from the reason she became a donor to the donation process. Thi...

Is there anything wrong with a bit of gossip with your nearest and dearest? Is it just friendly banter or is there more of a negative impact of talking about others?  In this episode Bal and Taj have a discussion about what they enjoy talking about in their daily chats. They also discuss the impact on people's mental health and life choices when they think about "what will others say?&qu...

Bal & Taj talk in-depth with Dr Kavita Sekhsaria about the Ayurvedic way of living. Ayurvedic is a traditional holistic way of healing the body, mind and soul. Through the podcast Ayurvedic is explored in a relatable way of our everyday living and how it can be incorporated in our life.  What is most amazing about Ayurveda is that growing up the South Asian community, many are already exposed...

Lost between two worlds east and west. Bal & Taj speak to Navneet, a South Asian therapist, about what desi parenting is and the long term implications it can have on mental health. This could include affecting confidence, anxiety and it’s impact on future relationships. Desi parenting can be a bittersweet experience, where being children of immigrants has meant taking on the burden of parents...

Bal & Taj discuss how much pressure there is to become a mother as soon as someone from the South Asian community gets married. Much of the pressure falls upon the female. There are no limits to what an aunty says😬. Mothers are the central part of the family yet we all forget how much a mother does, bringing a child to the world, along with the parenting journey. Happy Mothers Day to all the...

Bollywood has had a significant effect on South Asian culture, from East to West. Bal and Taj speak to Ragini Jha, a member of the Brown Therapist Network, to discuss the effects of Bollywood films on mental health. This Changing Suits podcast episode goes into depth  about various aspects of Bollywood from the music, drama to the stereotypes that are depicted in the storylines. How much responsib...

Bal & Taj talk to Swindon Domestic Abuse Support Service about abuse encountered in the South Asian community. Culturally the community do not reach out for support, as there are so many barriers that stop victims from doing so. The family ‘izzat’ (honour) which is a fundamental part of the community values, and is one of the key reasons stopping victims reaching out for support. Swindon Domes...

Bal and Taj celebrate Women’s International Day, in a discussion about a woman’s strength. They discuss the importance of being a woman and the contributions made in day to day life, which aren’t always recognised. Leading by example is a key highlight in this weeks episode, as well as celebrating oneself and seeing your own achievements.

Have you ever had an argument where you did not see eye-to-eye with the other person, no matter how much you explained your perspective. In this episode Bal and Taj explore different situations they have been in where perspectives have been the cause of ongoing trouble. 

Men's mental health is not spoken about enough in the South Asian community. Bal and Taj talk to Sikh Dad about the signs to look out for associated with mental health problems, including issues such as anxiety and suicide. The subject is discussed in depth, where Sikh Dad talks about his own personal and professional experience. 

In this Valentines special episode Bal and Taj discuss when they realised they'd fallen in 'love' and how they celebrate Valentines day. They also explore how the South Asian community express their love and their shyness of discussing intimacy, sex and love. 

After the horrendous rape case in India, we ask - are women still being objectified?  Bal and Taj discuss the reaction of the community and their treatment of the victim. They also explore how the South Asian community respond to sexual assault, and whether times have changed.