We’ve all got our own ideas of what a superfood is – many would argue that chocolate, for example, is a ‘super’ food, thanks to its delicious, morish flavour.

But superfoods did not get their name because of the way they taste (although they do taste delicious!) but because of their very high nutritional density that enables them to deliver substantial amounts of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, while containing very few calories.¹

Why do we need superfoods?

Thanks to their high concentrations of vitamins and minerals, eating a diet rich in superfoods can help us to fight off illnesses and keep us healthier. Superfoods have been shown to promote heart health and weight loss as well as increase energy levels and reduce the effects of aging.²

A healthy diet relies upon variety – no single food can give you all the nutrients your body needs, so while superfoods are fantastic for your health, it’s important to add them to a balanced diet containing plenty of fruits, vegetables, lean protein, whole grains, legumes and nuts, while avoiding refined sugar and processed foods.

What are the different types of superfoods?

There are so many different types of superfoods, which can easily be eaten as part of your diet to enhance a healthy eating regime. From the everyday foods you see on your supermarket shelves, to the more exotic and unusual sounding, there are many ways that you can enhance your diet with the following superfoods.

Raw cacao. Good news! While chocolate itself is not a superfood, the dried seeds it is made from are! Raw cacao seeds contain one of the highest natural sources of magnesium and are also packed full of calcium, zinc, copper and selenium. In fact, raw cacao contains more antioxidants per gram than blueberries and goji berries! Raw cacao is high in flavanols – plant compounds associated with antioxidant activity. The flavanols in cacao are thought to help improve circulation to the heart² which may help to lower blood pressure and reduce inflammation. As cacao contains a small amount of caffeine, as well as theobromine – a compound known to have a mild energising effect – it may also be good for improving your energy levels.

Berries. Berries are a fantastic addition to your diet thanks to their high concentration of vitamins, minerals, fibre and antioxidants. Strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, cranberries and Goji berries are all associated in studies³ with a reduced risk of inflammatory conditions such as heart disease. The best part? They taste delicious! Berries are an easy addition to your diet and can be added to yoghurt, smoothies or cereals, or simply eaten with a snack. If they’re not in season, it’s just as healthy to buy them frozen.

Yoghurt. An excellent source of calcium and protein, yoghurt is also packed with live cultures known as probiotics. Probiotics are ‘good’ or ‘friendly bacteria that work to protect you against the other, more harmful bacteria that also live inside your body. Yogurt can be eaten on its own – or with some berries to combine another superfood! You can also use it in place of sour cream or in dips or sauces. Be sure to choose yoghurts that contain live active cultures.

Reishi Mushrooms. These rare mushrooms grow at the base of deciduous trees and have been gaining a lot of attention recently thanks to their range of purported health benefits. Studies have shown that these mushrooms contain high levels of the Polysaccharides and Triterpenes, the active components proven to strengthen our immune system.⁴ Studies have also highlighted anti-inflammatory benefits that have helped with allergic reactions linked to asthma and contact dermatitis.⁵

Leafy greens. Packed full of fibre, dark, leafy greens are also a fantastic source of vitamins A and C, as well as calcium and other nutrients including iron, magnesium, zinc and folate. Kale, collard greens, swiss chard, spinach and turnip green have all been shown in studies⁶ as having the potential to reduce the risk of some chronic illnesses like diabetes and heart disease. You may love these vegetables on their own, but you could also try adding them to soups and salads, curries, stir fries and even smoothies!

Quinoa. This super grain is easier to source now thanks to its increase in popularity, which has seen it hit supermarket and health food store shelves. There are more than 120 different varieties of quinoa, but the most popular by far is simple white quinoa, which has a mild flavour. It’s high in antioxidants, copper, fibre, iron, magnesium and zinc and can be used in place of rice. You can also add it to salads, make burger patties with it or use it to bulk out soups and stews.

Preserving nutrients to keep superfoods super!

The superfoods listed are all fresh, which means they will spoil if not eaten relatively quickly. Some superfoods may not be local to us, so how can we still benefit from them? Thanks to the process of freeze drying, we can still enjoy these superfoods and benefit from all the goodness they offer! Freeze drying preserves food by removing around 98% of its natural water content, which stops it spoiling, but preserves most of its colour, flavour and most importantly, its nutritional value. Studies have shown that this type of dehydration method is the best to preserve nutritional qualities when compared to other dehydration methods, especially when operated under vacuum.⁷

Versatile and easy to consume

Perhaps the best thing about superfoods is just how easy they are for us to consume. Many people enjoy their natural flavours and are happy to just eat them on their own, by snacking on a handful of berries, for example. If you prefer to be a bit more adventurous, you can add them to your meals in the form of soups and salads, or in smoothies.

Remember that the key is to get a good balance of superfoods so that you are putting a wide range of nutrients in your body. Get creative with your flavours and enjoy bringing a new and healthy dimension to your meals.

1. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/303079#what_are_superfoods [↩]
2. Shiina Y et al. Acute effect of oral flavonoid-rich dark chocolate intake on coronary circulation, as compared with non-flavonoid white chocolate, by transthoracic Doppler echocardiography in healthy adults. Int J Cardiol. 2009 Jan 24;131(3):424-9. [↩] [↩]
3. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26501271/ [↩]
4. https://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.508.8752&rep=rep1&type=pdf [↩]
5. Stavinoha, W.B., 1990. Study of the anti-exploration of Ganoderma lucidum. Presented at the Third Academic Joint Conference, pp: 201-208. times. [↩]
6. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29751617/ [↩]
7. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7022747/ [↩]

Busting the myths about grey hair causes, once and for all.

There are many urban myths about why our hair turns grey. Is there a link between grey hair and stress? Can a single scare turn a person’s hair white? Are smokers more prone to going grey early? It’s a fact of life that sooner or later we all end up with grey hair. Or is it? We’re busting the myths about grey hair causes and separating fact from fiction, revealing how to keep your hair healthy and young-looking for as long as possible.

Grey hair is inevitable. Fact or fiction?

Fact. There’s no escaping it forever. Your hair colour is created by melanin, a naturally created chemical in hair follicles. Melanin-creating cells begin to die as we age and without the same levels of pigment, hair strands get lighter and lighter, thus becoming silver, grey, and, once no melanin is left, white.
When a hair follicle finally stops creating melanin, it won’t be able to grow coloured strands again. Certain outside factors can contribute somewhat to premature greying, but the odds are good that everyone will go grey eventually, if they live long enough.

Diet affects the onset of grey hair. Fact or fiction?

Fact. Multiple studies have shown nutrition to be a deciding factor in when your hair turns grey. One study in particular linked a lack of dietary vitamin B, folic acid and biotin to premature greying.¹ Another unrelated study discovered a possible connection between a lack of iron, calcium, and vitamin D3 and greying hair.²
We know that once hair follicles stop creating pigment, they never will again, so switching to a healthy diet now probably won’t bring your colour back but it certainly seems possible that maintaining one could help prevent premature grey hairs from showing up in the first place.

Being scared causes grey hair. Fact or fiction?

Fiction. This is one best saved for the movies. Once the melanin in your hair follicles stops being produced, it stays that way. The only way for your hair to change colour is to dye it. It’s common to hear people blame their grey hair on a single stressful event or a big fright but greys are far more likely to come as a result of your genes. If your parents went grey early, there’s a good chance you will too.³

Stress causes premature grey hair. Fact or fiction?

Fact. Grey hair and stress do seem to be related. Parents who blame their grey hair on years of dealing with unruly children may be correct. A recent study undertaken in Turkey found numerous risk factors associated with premature grey hair. One thing they all had in common is they were all factors that caused an increase in oxidative stress in the body.⁴

Too much dye causes grey hair. Fact or fiction?

Fiction. Just like the myth of a single stressful event causing grey hair, dye will not permanently make you go grey either. Again, your genes are responsible for deciding whether or not your hair goes grey early—not dye, harsh shampoos, stress or frights, although as noted above, chronic oxidative stress may well contribute to early greying.
Cigarettes turn hair grey. Fact or fiction?

Fact. It’s another reason to put down the cigarettes. Unlike a single stressful event and hair treatments, cigarettes are an outside factor that can contribute to premature greying but studies have shown that smokers tend to have earlier onset of hair greying. One study in particular found smokers were two and a half times more likely to develop premature grey hair than nonsmokers.⁵

It’s possible to go grey overnight. Fact or fiction?

Fiction. Don’t worry, you’re not going to go to bed and wake up having suddenly gone grey. Your head has somewhere between 100,000 and 150,000 individual hairs on it. Each one has its own individual cycle of growing, falling out and regrowing at a rate of roughly one centimetre per month. On top of this, once a strand of hair grows out from the scalp, its colour will not change. For your hair to turn grey overnight, every hair would have to fall out at once and regrow with no melanin.

The most important thing to remember with grey hair is that it will eventually come to all of us and is a natural part of living. If you’re really not happy with it speak to your hairdresser about a good-quality, safe dye, but if you can embrace it, you might find it suits you more than you expected.

1. Daulatabad, Deepashree, et al. “Prospective Analytical Controlled Study Evaluating Serum Biotin, Vitamin B12, and Folic Acid in Patients with Premature Canities” International Journal of Trichology vol. 9,1 (2017): 19-24. [↩]
2. Bhat, Ramesh M et al. “Epidemiological and Investigative Study of Premature Graying of Hair in Higher Secondary and Pre-university School Children” International Journal of Trichology vol. 5,1 (2013): 17-21. [↩]
3. “Gray Hair Facts: What Causes Gray Hair?” WebMD, www.webmd.com/beauty/ss/slideshow-beauty-gray-hair-facts [↩]
4. Akin Belli, A., et al. (2016), “Risk Factors for Premature Hair Graying in Young Turkish Adults.” Pediatric Dermatology, 33: 438-442. doi:10.1111/pde.12881. [↩]
5. Zayed, Ayman A., et al. “Smokers’ Hair: Does Smoking Cause Premature Hair Graying?” Indian Dermatology Online Journal vol. 4,2 (2013): 90-2. [↩]

For any movement we perform, balance is a fundamental aspect of it.

Often it will come without having to think about it, for example, simply standing upright on our own two feet requires us to maintain balance. While it often comes without thinking, that doesn’t mean it’s something that should be taken for granted. Studies have shown that balance is something that can deteriorate with age, so maintaining it is crucial.¹

What are the health benefits associated with good balance?

There are many health benefits associated with balance, both from the preventative side of reducing the chances of injury, to the maintenance side of good health and finally, in helping you recover and build up strength after an injury or illness that has affected your balance:

Core strength

Balance is not just something that is important for athletes or sports people. It’s important for all of us! This is particularly true when it comes to building core strength. The core can be considered the foundation of your body. It’s made up of several muscle groups that work together to keep us upright, enable us to move well and help reduce the chances of injury. Kailin Collins, a physical therapist at Harvard-affiliated Massachusetts General Hospital, has concluded that core strength is immediately related to balance because you need good stability in your core to have safe and effective movement at the hip, knee and ankle.² You shouldn’t wait for problems with your balance to present themselves before you consider core strength training. Instead, you can work to prevent them through gentle stretching and strengthening exercises.

Keeping fit

Balance can help to strengthen your muscles, which will in turn increase their power output. The greater the force your muscles can exert, the further you will be able to jump, the faster you will be able to run and the higher you will be able to leap. In any sport or activity where powerful short, sharp movements are needed, such as boxing for example, good balance will be a great help. 

Injury prevention

In older adults, and women with a low bone mass in particular, balance has been shown in studies to help decrease the risk of falls and improve postural stability.³ Further studies have also shown that balance training seems to prevent falls and injuries in seniors, with a report published by the BMJ concluding that exercise programmes reduced falls that caused injuries by 37%, falls leading to serious injuries by 43% and broken bones by 61%.⁴

What are the best exercises for improving balance?

Gentle strength and stretching exercises such as yoga, Pilates and Tai Chi, as well as coordination-focused exercises like dance, are all excellent for helping to improve your balance. There are also ways to work on your balance that don’t even require leaving your house and some of the best exercises for improving balance require little more than patience and commitment of getting in a habit. You might try standing on one leg while brushing your teeth for example, which may sound easy, but you’ll soon find that your legs start to sway. Remember to switch legs each day so that both sides of your body get to experience the benefits. Alternatively, you could stand for one minute on the left leg, and then one minute on the right leg.

Sitting and standing up is something else you may take for granted but try doing so without using your hands to help stabilise you. You’ll be activating a whole new set of muscles that you wouldn’t normally use for this and will probably find it more difficult than you expected!

Walking is something else that you might think is just ‘something you do’, but even walking in a different way can help with balance training. Practice heel-to-toe walking, where you act like a tightrope walker by placing one foot directly in front of the other on an imaginary line or try walking backwards in a straight line (making sure there’s nothing in your way first of course!).

These common, everyday actions are some of the best to remind your of the importance of balance, and to help keep you in great condition, with excellent balance for as long as possible.

1. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/BF03324095 [↩]
2. https://www.health.harvard.edu/balance-and-mobility/improve-your-balance-by-strengthening-your-core [↩]
3. https://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletter_article/The_benefits_of_balance_training [↩]
4. https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/balance-training-seems-to-prevent-falls-injuries-in-seniors-201310316825 [↩]

Relaxation through self-care

Anger, sorrow or joy – our emotions can sometimes be clearly written on our face. This is not the only reason why the muscles in our face are in motion around the clock. And as a result they become a little looser as the years pass. Facial yoga can be used to relax and strengthen the facial muscles at the same time. In fact, facial yoga can have an overall natural anti-ageing effect.¹ Find out what yoga can do for your face and how to do the exercises effectively.

What can yoga do for the face?

Movement of the facial muscles combined with a facial massage can help to stimulate the different layers of the skin. The epidermis is the top layer you can see and feel, the dermis lies directly below this exposed layer and the hypodermis is the bottom layer of the skin that contains fat and sweat glands. Facial yoga is therefore credited with having a positive effect on our wellbeing as well as better blood circulation and skin tightening.

The fat and muscle mass under the skin decreases over time and can lead to increased wrinkles and sagging of the facial muscles. Muscle training can increase the muscle mass in the face so wrinkles can be smoothed. Facial yoga can, for example, help to smooth frown lines on the forehead or the nasolabial fold lines between the nose and mouth.

Facial yoga for relaxation

Yoga is not only able to bring body and mind into harmony. With facial yoga you also give your face a break from everyday facial tension. Alongside simple muscle exercises, facial gymnastics—like other types of yoga—also promotes self-awareness, reflection and a kind of meditation. Take a few minutes each day for relaxation and self-care. It is well known that “me time” can make a positive difference to mental health and reduces work stress.

Self-care: Create the right environment and take care of your skin

To ensure effective relaxation the right environment is crucial. Create a quiet and pleasant environment that is free of distractions. Put on relaxed music or just focus on your breathing. Put your phone on silent. To begin the relaxation process, take a deep breath before beginning facial yoga exercises. Creating an environment where you can relax helps you to switch off from the stress of everyday life, enabling relaxation, at the same time, in your face.

Facial yoga to relax the neck

Working on a computer or tablet for a long time not only places great strain on the brain but also on the neck.² Looking down at a smart phone can also cause neck pain.³ Since the neck muscles are closely linked to the facial muscles, facial yoga can be used here to reduce tension and thus contribute to overall wellbeing.

Facial yoga and anti-ageing

The natural process of life also involves ageing of the skin. As the years go by, our skin increasingly loses its elasticity. Facial yoga can provide you with a natural anti-ageing effect which allows you and your skin to shine. And, in addition to a good skin care routine, can counteract the natural ageing process.¹

The main complaint heard from critics is that facial yoga fuels fear of ageing. But the appearance of wrinkles is not necessarily an effect of the ageing process. In everyday life, we often squint our eyes or frown. The frequent tensioning of the respective facial parts can lead to the increased formation of wrinkles. For example, in the so-called frown lines between the eyes or wrinkles on the forehead. Through a release of tension in the face and targeted exercises, facial yoga can stimulate blood circulation and oxygen transport, thus contributing to a smoother skin appearance at any age.

Facial yoga to help drooping eyelids

Sagging or swelling in the area above the eye is often referred to as drooping eyelids. Facial yoga can help to reduce drooping eyelids by strengthening the forehead muscles, thereby raising the eyebrows significantly.

Tighten the skin around the mouth and neck

When it comes to drooping at the corners of the mouth, the aim of facial yoga exercises is to firm up the tissue in the face. Improving blood circulation around the lips helps to tighten the muscles and reduce fat retention.

Facial yoga can also be used to tighten the skin on the neck and therefore helps to reduce the appearance of a double chin.

Scientifically confirmed: Facial yoga makes the skin look younger

A 2018 study confirmed the skin-tightening effect of face yoga.¹ American researchers studied the effect of a 30-minute facial muscle training regime which was first performed daily and then three times a week over a 20-week period.

The exercises include the training of different facial muscles and the use of finger massages. For example, participants were instructed to open their mouths, slide the upper lip over their teeth and smile so that their cheeks pull upwards. Pressure is applied to the upper cheek area with the fingers. They then move their cheeks down and then up several times. This achieves a significant increase in the fullness of the cheeks.

It was proven that the muscle growth generated by yoga visibly smooths the skin and counteracts fat loss. A pleasant side effect of the study is that the subjects were estimated to look on average three years younger after the test period.

Practice facial yoga

If you want to try facial yoga but don’t know where to start – look no further! We’ve put together some tips to help you get started with facial yoga – whether you’re attending a course or trying out the exercises at home.

• Find the optimal environment and location
• As a beginner, practice the exercises in front of a mirror
• Tie your hair back to avoid disrupting the facial gymnastics
• Wash your hands, as your fingers will be touching the face
• Avoid dry skin
• Take a photo to compare the before-and-after

Facial yoga courses

If you are looking for professional courses in your area it’s highly likely you’ll find something suitable. In recent years a large number of trainers have specialised in facial yoga. By attending a course you’ll learn how to perform the exercises correctly and gain new knowledge about your skin and your face. You can choose between online or face-to-face courses.

Integrate facial yoga and exercises into everyday life

Facial yoga can be perfectly integrated into many day-to-day situations. Whether immediately after waking up, during a break at work, or in the comfort of your own living room, the exercises can be carried out at any time and require no extensive preparation. With just a few minutes a day you can develop your own routine. To ensure a lasting effect it helps to carry out the exercises regularly.

We’ve put together some exercises that make it easy to practice facial yoga from home. The selected exercises address different parts of the face. Perhaps our facial yoga guide will also help you to relax and at the same time improve your mood and wellbeing.

Exercise 1: Stimulate blood circulation

The aim of this exercise is to stimulate blood circulation throughout the face:

• Squeeze the eyes closed as tightly as possible
• At the same time, pull out the corners of the mouth in a wide grin
• Hold position for two minutes
• Then let all facial muscles relax and hang
• Repeat the process 3–4 times

Exercise 2: Train away the double chin

With this exercise you can strengthen the muscles of the lower part of your face and tighten the skin:

• Close your mouth and breathe through your nose in a relaxed manner
• Turn head to the left and tilt up slightly
• Now purse the lips in a kissing position, so that the skin on the neck gently pulls
• Hold the exercise for 10 seconds and then perform on the other side
• Repeat the exercise 5 times on each side
• Then, while looking straight ahead, press your thumbs against the chin
• At the same time, pull the jaw down against the resistance
• Hold for 10 seconds and repeat 5 times

Exercise 3: Reduce nasolabial folds

This facial yoga exercise can help reduce the folds between nose and mouth:

• Close your mouth and breathe deeply through the nose
• Puff out the cheeks and hold air in the cheeks for 5 seconds
• Now push the air into the left cheek, right cheek, upper lip and lower lip for 5 seconds each in turn
• Exhale and relax the face

Exercise 4: Relax face

This exercise focuses on relaxation of the entire facial muscles:

• Open the mouth and eyes slightly so that muscles are relaxed
• Point face straight ahead and fix on a point at eye level
• Relax and focus on this point and concentrate only on breathing
• Hold the position for 3–5 minutes

Wellness with facial yoga

Facial yoga not only makes you feel good but also has anti-aging effects. Whether you want to relax or strengthen your facial muscles or would like to benefit from the natural anti-aging effects of facial yoga, our exercises will help you to find a routine that fits into your everyday life. And if you like to see other bright faces while practising facial yoga, you can also ask about courses near you.

1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5885810/ [↩] [↩] [↩]
2. https://www.health.harvard.edu/pain/prevent-pain-from-computer-use [↩]
3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4305549/ [↩]

Many women don’t think about menopause until changes start to disrupt daily life, typically during the perimenopause state.

Menopause occurs when a woman doesn’t have a menstrual cycle for at least 12 consecutive months. Symptoms of menopause range from a decrease in sleep quality and sex drive to an increase in hot flushes, night sweats, memory loss, and mood changes.

The concept of self-care may feel too vague to offer any value for reducing menopausal symptoms, but it’s important for easing effects and fighting frustration. Self-care is important for everyone in every stage of life, but for women approaching menopause, it becomes vital.

Below, we’ve included three significant reasons why women should consider practicing self-care while experiencing menopausal symptoms.

Perimenopause reflects five, ten, and even twenty years of pre-menopausal life

Perimenopause, in which the body begins its transition into menopause, is often characterised by unwanted symptoms that can last months to years before menopause actually begins. These include:

• irregular bleeding and/or periods
• sleep issues
• mood imbalances
• vaginal dryness
• night sweats
• weight gain
• anxiety and/or depression
• loss of libido

These symptoms often reflect how you live until this point. To lessen their impact prior to the onset of perimenopause, practice self-care regularly before changes begin.

Progesterone decreases with age

Progesterone, a hormone released by the ovaries, regulates the endometrial lining of the uterus each month, preparing it for possible pregnancy. 

It’s also a calming hormone that supports relaxation, sleep, mood, and even bone health – helping with everything from soothing the body and mind after a busy day to getting a solid night’s rest.

As women age, progesterone naturally decreases. This, coupled with a stressful lifestyle that includes little self-care across many years, can result in progesterone deficiency and create symptoms of:

• erratic mood
• anxiety and/or depression
• sleep issues
• headaches
• abnormal menstrual bleeding
• tender breasts
• decreased sexual libido

Self-care – such as a healthy diet, daily movement, stress-management techniques, and proper sleep – works to keep progesterone from significantly depleting and helps most when starting these techniques early.

The adrenal glands release more cortisol

The body looks for balance from the adrenal glands when the ovaries begin to decrease their hormone production during perimenopause. Cortisol, the hormone associated with stress, is produced from progesterone. When stress runs high, more cortisol is needed and produced, thereby depleting progesterone supply.

If the adrenal glands have been in overdrive due to stress and a hectic lifestyle, they will not have any support to offer, and more symptoms can occur:

• fatigue
• sleep issues
• unbalanced mood
• high blood pressure
• thinning hair
• feelings of not being able to relax
• weight gain around the stomach

One of the best ways to lower cortisol levels is by managing stress through self-care.

Recognising what’s necessary for proper self-care is essential as women transition to menopause. 

Eating a healthy diet, participating in daily movement, getting proper sleep, promoting smooth digestion, and managing stress are all natural ways to support this change in life. Start taking care of yourself as early as possible and reap the benefits of this self-care throughout your later years.

Menopause itself is simply the 24-hour period that occurs 12 months after a woman’s last menstrual cycle.

The time prior is referred to as “perimenopause” and any time after that 12 month mark the woman is considered “post-menopausal.” It’s during perimenopause when a woman’s hormones begin to fluctuate. This signals that the body is entering a new phase of life and ending its ability to reproduce.

Often (but not always), this shift in hormones accompanies symptoms such as:

• menstrual flow changes (how much and how often)
• shifts in moods
• hot flushes
• night sweats
• fatigue
• sleep issues
• decreased or increased sexual function
• vaginal dryness
• weight gain (particularly around the stomach)
• changes in cholesterol
• digestive changes

This transition can start years before menopause actually occurs. Perimenopause commonly begins in the forties, although it may start earlier or later.

While some women may experience very little (if any) effects, others may notice moderate to severe symptoms that disrupt daily life for a number of years.

Fortunately, there are a variety of natural options that can ease challenges and enhance wellbeing during this time.

Self-care

For many women, life up until perimenopause has been busy. Raising children, working, taking care of elders, community involvement, and daily responsibilities all fill up women’s schedules, leaving them with little time for themselves.

However, as reproductive hormones begin declining, many women find themselves beginning to focus inward and assess their lives – how they are spending their time, what brings them joy and fulfilment, and sometimes it becomes clear that many of the previous busy activities no longer serve the woman in this new phase. What previously kept her busy may now feel inconvenient, monotonous, or no longer interesting. Even though this self-reflection may be unexpected, it offers a great opportunity for women to simply slow down and assess what provides fulfilment to them in life now. For many women, this is a time when implementing additional steps in self-care becomes extremely beneficial. 

Although it will look different for each woman, self-care is also an important tool in managing stress, calming the mind and body, and easing challenging symptoms which may also be present during this transitional time of life.

Techniques for self-care include the following, among many others:

• slowing down/reducing non-essential obligations
• eating a healthy diet filled with supportive menopausal nutrients
• daily movement, particularly walking
• a calming sleep routine
• time in nature
• meditation
• breath work
• yoga
• warm Epsom salt baths
• massages
• a daily cup (or more) of tea

Supplements

In addition, essential vitamins and minerals provide hormone and overall health support.

• vitamin E
• vitamin D
• calcium
• magnesium
• B vitamins

Finding joy

It may seem frivolous, selfish even, but living a life infused with joy – especially during perimenopause – may help stave off everything from anxiety to insomnia.

This time in a woman’s life can be filled with self-rediscovery and in turn, result in a more joy-filled existence.  And one woman’s joy may come from something completely different from another woman’s joy.

To explore your own personal happiness contributors, give one or more of the following a try:

• writing or keeping a diary
• trying new interests, hobbies, or sports
• learning an instrument, language, or cooking technique
• artistic expression like painting, dancing, or poetry
• growing a garden
• hiking in nature
• traveling
• reading
• watching the sunrise or sunset
• connecting with your community
• spending time with family
• volunteering

And remember, while joy is different for everyone, so is the amount of time and energy a woman has to put toward creating her own joy. If you have five minutes, fabulous! Soak up every second from those five minutes. If you have three hours to dedicate to your own joy, amazing! Enjoy all that you have to offer yourself and watch how your joy expands from you and contributes to the lives of those around you. Joy is contagious. Let it expand from you!

While perimenopause may be known for all the possible unwanted related symptoms, for some women it can be a time to take a moment (or three), turn inward, decide what she needs and then move forward from a place of self-care, nutritional/herbal support, and joy.

Studies show that experiencing joy in life can do everything from decrease the stress to boosting mental health.

And while it can be easy to associate joy with younger generations as they explore the world, try new things, and celebrate accomplishments, don’t underestimate the significance happiness has for those of any age.

It’s our own responsibility to generate our joy and happiness, so looking inside to determine what engages and fulfils you (while putting a smile on your face) is well worth it.

Finding joy looks different for everyone. Below are five ways to inspire and encourage you to find your own.

1. Expression of self

Reflecting on and revealing the true self through artistic expression is beautiful – both externally and internally. 

It helps to manage stress, deal with anxiety and/or depression, and aid with memory, all while connecting to the self and possibly others.

To explore artist expression, try:

• playing a musical instrument
• painting
• writing
• poetry
• drawing
• pottery
• singing
• sewing
• dancing

2. Exploration and travel

The ever-changing growth perspective you can get from seeing the world is priceless. Connecting with history, experiencing new cultures and foods, and touring the natural wonders of the world are all ways to seek joy.

Whether a month-long trip to a different country, a day trip to a local landmark, or a television show that tours you around a special city, enjoy what travel offers in broadening your perspective of yourself and the world around you.

3. Caring for others

Giving those in need a helping hand or bringing a smile to someone else’s face is often just as rewarding to you as it is to those receiving the care, and it may even reduce stress and reduce symptoms of depression.

Although time, energy, and resources to care and give look different for everyone, some options to consider are:

• volunteering
• rescuing a pet at an animal sanctuary
• inviting a neighbour over for tea
• making an extra pot of homemade soup for a stressed friend
• donating to an organisation or cause
• calling or writing to a distant relative

Include anything else that comes from your heart to help you truly care for other human beings.

4. Learning something new

It’s intimidating to try a new sport or learn an instrument, but the health benefits often outweigh anxieties about learning an unfamiliar activity.

Your brain may thank you with clearer thinking and better memory as you take on a new challenge, so consider such things as:

• Learning a new:
  • language
  • sport
  • cuisine to cook
  • musical instrument
• Studying:
  • history
  • science
  • geography
  • religion

You could also:

• put together a model or puzzle
• join a book club
• garden
• camp
• bird watch

5. Watching things grow

There is awe that comes from witnessing the growth and change of something – from a young child to a back garden – and from that awe comes joy.

Enjoy the observation of growth and/or natural movement by:

• watching the sunrise or sunset
• planting a garden
• eating seasonal foods
• being present with children
• viewing a waterfall
• stargazing

Because the experience of joy is different for all of us, make sure to take internal snapshots of the moments you enjoy. Conjuring up these mental images later on can bring just as much joy as the moment itself.

It’s okay to give yourself permission to experience joy – it may be essential, even, for your health. Identify what brings you happiness and adapt your life to how you can make it possible.  It doesn’t have to be perfect. Just joyful.

Regular physical activity is one of the most important things you can focus on for your health. From managing your weight, to improving your state of mind and overall fitness – the benefits of staying active are well known.

And this is the case no matter your age. Whilst motivations and activities may be different through the years, from the moment you take your first steps through to your teenage years, adulthood and elder years, the need to stay active relates to all.

Olympic athlete, James Ellington, talks us through how his experiences and mind-set of leading an active lifestyle has changed over the years – considering nutrition, his body and recovery, his motivations, his challenges, mental benefits and his general feelings towards an active lifestyle.

Nutrition

How have your attitudes towards nutrition changed through the years?

Like most children, I assume, nutrition wasn’t a focus for me as a child as I simply had the food provided to me. I had no real awareness of how important what you put inside your body was for your health and growth. It’s something you learn to understand as you get older and it’s great to see more education around nutrition starting from the younger years.

As I grew up, I was already leading an active lifestyle so I did follow a fairly balanced diet but indulged in more treats than I do now.

Now as an adult, I’m well aware of the importance of nutrition – for both leading a healthy lifestyle and to support my career in athletics. Variety is key. I still have a day or two during the week when I eat what I want but I remain very conscious to make sure I get all the vitamins and minerals my body needs even on those days, through the food and drink I consume and with the help of Lifeplus products.

The physical body and recovery

Have you seen a difference in your body and recovery over the years?

As is the case with a lot of people, when you’re younger, you feel invincible and seem to bounce back from any fall, scratch and setback with no worry. So as a child, recovery was something I didn’t pay much attention to at all.

As I’ve got older, into my teenage years and adulthood, I started to have more of an awareness and made a conscious effort to stay on top of my flexibility – especially my passion for a career in athletics was ever-growing. Stretching is an activity that is often ignored but improves flexibility – it plays a huge role in aiding recovery post-competitions. Physically, as I’ve got older, I’ve had to focus more on recovery in order to deal with the demands on the body. That’s why I now prioritise my time on activities I previously wouldn’t have considered, for example, finding time for a sports massage around my training and for life in general.

Motivations to stay active

How have your motivations changed over the years?

Health means everything to me and has done so from my teenage years so that’s always been my main motivation to stay active. My passion for the sport of athletics and my potential as an athlete continues to drive me to lead an active lifestyle – and it has done so from a young age as this career was always a childhood dream.

Challenges

Which challenges have you encountered over the years?

I’ve had a life of tough roads and hurdles in my way but no matter what age I was, I’ve always managed to overcome them with a strong, positive mind-set that has only grown and evolved through these setbacks. My most notable challenge is the road traffic accident I suffered in 2017 which sent me back to my childhood, where I had to learn how to walk again. Even when I was forced to lead a non-active lifestyle, my determination to get back to activity was stronger than ever.

As you get older, it’s these experiences and setbacks that shape who you are as a person. Whilst the challenges may have been tough at the time, I look back on them now as learning opportunities.

Feelings towards an active lifestyle

Have your feelings towards leading an active lifestyle changed at all?

Personally for me, I will always train and be active – it’s never been just about performance. My overall health and fitness takes precedence over performance. As I’ve got older and mental health has become more of a prevalent topic, I’ve recognised even more so that living an active lifestyle can help anyone, at any age, to feel fulfilled and support mental wellbeing.

Mentally, the biggest change for me was the amount of pressure and expectation, which any sportsman will experience the more levels you progress in competitions, and even at specific moments i.e. just before major championships. Self-belief is critical in helping to deal with this and especially after my accident, I like to break down my goals into smaller ones so I don’t feel overwhelmed. Sleep also goes hand-in-hand with mental and physical wellbeing and its importance is often overlooked. I’ve recognised its importance from when I was a child until now.

Overall my feelings haven’t necessarily changed towards an active lifestyle. I would say that the various factors that can impact and support an active lifestyle have become more and more apparent to me as I’ve got older.

Whilst attitudes, motivations and even frequencies change over the years, the importance of its presence at all ages is key. Explore our ‘Life stages’ tag in our Wellness Centre to see the benefits it brings for all ages.

As of September 2022, the World Population Review declared Japan as having the second-highest life expectancy worldwide. Beaten only marginally by Hong Kong who hold the top spot, the Japanese are living to an average of 84.67 years. But why is this? Is it down to diet? Social practices? Exercise? Genetics? Or a combination of all these factors?

The mystery of Okinawa

Located in the rural north of Okinawa’s main island is the 3,000-person village of Ogimi. Here, even given Japan’s impressive longevity statistics, something fascinating seems to be happening. At the latest count there were 15 villagers who were centenarians and 171 in their 90s . New York Times bestselling author and National Geographic explorer Dan Buettner calls this a ‘blue zone’; one of only five places in the world where people live the longest, happiest lives. What can Okinawa, and indeed Japan as a whole, teach us about the key to a long and healthy survival? After all, those living there have been through the same hardships as people across the rest of the world – wars, family difficulties, grief, loss, money worries. The same stresses we face, they face. So what can we learn from them?

10 reasons why the Japanese live a long healthy life

1. Genetics

For almost five-decades, Craig Willcox, professor of public health and gerontology at Okinawa International University, has been investigating Okinawan longevity. Also a co-principal investigator of the Okinawa Centenarian Study, he has spoken to over 1,000 centenarians and hundreds of younger elders in their seventies, eighties, and nineties to try and understand the health phenomenon seen in Okinawa. The study searches for commonalities in diets, exercise habits, genetics, psychological and spiritual practices, and social and behavioural patterns. Professor Wilcox has concluded that “about two-thirds of longevity is related to diet and way of life, the rest is genetics.”

2. Nutritionally rich foods

The importance of diet as a means of staying healthy can’t be underestimated. We need vitamins and minerals to fight disease and infection and a calorie-controlled diet to prevent obesity and inflammation. The Okinawan diet gives more than the recommended five daily servings of fruit and vegetables and has a greater focus on heart-healthy fish than on meat. Rather than rice, sweet potatoes are staples, which are nutritionally dense but low in calories. Carotenoid-rich marine foods such as seaweeds and iron-rich, green leafy vegetables help to reduce inflammation and oxidative stress.

3. Matcha tea and its benefits

The Japanese drink a huge volume of tea and in particular, matcha tea. Matcha is becoming more popular in the west as we begin to understand more about its nutritional properties and antioxidant effects, but it seems the Japanese have known this for centuries. The secret to this ancient drink lies in the way it is produced, with the young leaves of the tea plant being deprived of sunlight as it grows to retain its chlorophyll and antioxidant content. Traditional Japanese tea ceremonies have been practiced for more than 1,000 years, with the Japanese drinking tea several times daily.

4. Avoidance of sugar

Japanese cuisine leans further towards the savoury than sweet side of the scale. There are of course desserts in Japan, but they are simply not favoured as much as desserts are in the western world. As a nation, there is a much lower consumption of sugar, and of foods like white potatoes, which are higher in natural starches. As well as matcha tea, the Japanese consume a lot of green tea, without the sugar and milk that is frequently used to flavour black tea. Less sugar in their diets equates to lower obesity levels and less of the negative effects sugar is known to cause, such as inflammation, higher blood pressure and diabetes – all of which have been linked to an increased risk for heart attack and stroke.

5. Hara hachi bu – eating in moderation

While much of the world views quantity as a sign of quality, eating culture is somewhat more controlled when it comes to portion sizes. Hara hachi bu is the practice of eating in moderation and stopping when you are about 80 percent full. Mealtimes are not solely about food, but about socialising and sharing the overall eating experience with others. It’s a time for communication and reflection, rather than gluttony. Cultural habits can be difficult to change, but those in the western world can make small changes to work towards Hara hachi bu by eating slower, being more mindful of each mouthful and reducing the size of their plates so that smaller portions appear more satiating. As it takes around 20 minutes for your brain to recognise you’re full, this practice is a good reminder to stop eating before you feel you need to.

6. Healthcare

The Japanese government had a large healthcare push around 50 years ago,  investing in childhood vaccination programs to ward off future illness and introducing universal health insurance in 1961. Equal and universal access for all is paid for through the government, employers and individuals and regular health check-ups are the norm, as are mass screenings in school and workplaces, conducted by local government authorities. The private sector has also shown an interest in health and in Matsumoto, the second largest city in the Nagano Prefecture, a bank even started offering higher interest rates and incentivised benefits, such as weekend breaks to Disneyland in Tokyo, for those who undertook a medical check-up for three consecutive years.

7. The importance of Ikigai – life’s purpose

Ikiagi is the concept of finding and retaining life’s purpose. This ancient philosophy is similar to ‘joie de vivre’ in France or ‘hygge’ in Denmark and roughly translates as ‘your reason to live.’ In an aging population, such as in Okinawa, the older population are given tasks such as weaving locally crafted basho-fu textiles, keeping them social active and mentally engaged while also generating an income and contributing to the economy of the village. The Japanese believe that having a purpose is essential for life fulfilment and that in can be found in many different aspects of your life – from eating well to helping others and surrounding yourself with friends and family.

8. Moai – joint support systems

This Japanese support system brings together people with like-minded interests to encourage the development of deep emotional connections and a common bond. A group, or moai, could be formed from old friends, former colleagues or simply those with an interest in the same hobby or game. It is common practice to belong to a number of different moai and, while they have a clear benefit for those who are older, they can be joined at any age. The Japanese are culturally very loyal to their moai, with some having belonged to them since their school days. By discussing and enjoying those things that you find interesting with others who feel the same, you can relieve stress and combat the loneliness that can accompany life’s later years.

9. Exercise

Japan is a very active country, with citizens remaining physical even into their older years. Walking routes around cities and parks are commonplace, and all over the country there are community groups and neighbourhood associations that organise group walks. Culturally, more people on average will commute by public transport than by car, so there is naturally a greater degree of physical movement.

10. Mindfulness and stress-release

The Japanese are no stranger to the concept of mindfulness and the benefits of being at one with nature. Forest Bathing, or Shinrin-yoku, which is becoming more popular across the world, actually originated in Japan in the 1980s as a physiological and psychological exercise to help relax and ground you to the earth. Forest bathing is simple to practice and involves keeping calm and quiet amongst the trees while observing nature and breathing deeply to reduce stress level and boost health and wellbeing naturally. With around 3,000 miles of natural woodland, the Japanese government actively encourage citizens to make use of trees for therapy.   

We all want to know the secret to eternal youth. However, when looking at Japan, it might not be such a secret after all. While genetics may well play a factor, there are clear signs that looking after your body, engaging your mind and interacting with others may be the best things we can do to live a long and healthy life.

An active childhood is beneficial for physical, mental, and social wellbeing. It promotes bone health, enhances immunity, manages stress, and encourages connection with others. 

Not to mention, it can just be plain fun.

However, younger generations are currently facing a global pandemic with a limit on who they can interact with, an increase in societal rules and regulations, and copious amounts of technology and gadgets – all of which can contribute to a more sedentary lifestyle than years prior.

But even though spending less time moving is now common, it’s not particularly healthy. 

A more static way of living can lead to everything from childhood obesity to adult onset diabetes, which means encouraging a lifestyle filled with daily movement in younger years can be essential to proper adult growth and development.

Let’s take a further look at why encouraging an active childhood lifestyle is important.

1. It supports physical health.

It’s no surprise that an active way of life is a healthy way of life, but more specifically, it bolsters maturing bodies by supporting:

            – immunity

            – bone health

            – blood sugar regulation

            – weight management

            – energy

            – digestion

            – sleep

            – mood balance

2. It stimulates mental health.

The moment when you climbed to the top, scored your first goal, or discovered a new passion – those feelings meant something, and they still do for young ones.

Confidence, self-esteem, courage, and perseverance are all essential qualities that physical activity can build in a child and in effect, can stay with them the rest of their lives.

3. An active adult lifestyle is easier to maintain if started as a child.

When a child grows up with plenty of daily movement, an active lifestyle is simply a way of life.

As adults, we can carry on this healthy foundation even when things fall out of rhythm.

4. It encourages healthy socialization.

A life full of movement leads to making new friends as well as experiences that allow for development of current relationships.

Running around with neighborhood friends, learning a sport with a different group of kids, and bonding with the family over an evening walk are all good for a child’s health physically, mentally, and socially.

5. Motivating kids inspires us to be good role models.

Yes, those little sponges really do listen to what we say and watch what we do, so keep this in mind when trying to set a good example of how important it is to be active.

Showing them what you learned at gym class, teaching them a sport you love, letting them cheer you on during your annual 5k run – these all promote the joy of movement and create a great bonding experience.

As you continue on your daily life, consider how active the children in your life are. Could they use some inspiration to become more active?

A snuggly night on the couch watching movies and snacking on popcorn may be a family favourite, but an afternoon of soccer in the park, swimming in the neighbourhood pool, or hiking in the nearby woods can be just as enjoyable.

However, the latter may not seem as easy these days. In recent times, many families have noticed the struggle with living a more sedentary lifestyle.

Whether it’s due to the abundance of technology, a global pandemic, overly structured schedules, or any other reason, parents and children may not be as active as they’d like to be. And, unfortunately, this can lead to an increased risk of physical disease as well as anxiety and/or depression, of which research shows rising numbers.

But families don’t have to succumb to societal shifts when it comes to daily movement. One answer to this dilemma lies in discovering what works best for your own family.

Not every child is the same nor is each family, so don’t get stuck in needing to be like everyone else when it comes to living an active life together. Some may enjoy team sports while others prefer more unstructured play. Find a motivational point that works for you and, well, run with it.

There are endless ways to be active as a family; here are ten ideas to get you started:

1. Create a jar of exercises.

Have each family member write down exercise ideas (that everyone agrees on) which someone can draw from a jar when family time is available.

2. Learn something new together.

Take tennis lessons, go on a rafting trip, schedule a rock-climbing class, etc. Being together while discovering a new hobby makes for special memories and a strong bonding experience.

3. Go on a scavenger hunt.

Whether it’s around the house on a cold rainy day or outdoors in your neighbourhood park during the peak of summer, make a list of searchable items that gets the family moving and exploring.

4. Create a tournament.

Stimulate a little competition with a family tournament. Try ping-pong on the dining room table, relay races in the backyard, or cornhole in the park.

5. Make a family ritual.

Kids like structure and knowing what to expect. Use that to support daily movement with outdoor play after lunch, a nightly walk after dinner, or weekend morning yoga.

6. Incentivise.

Develop a reward system that allows kids to log their activities to complete a course and work towards a goal. This can be everything from hiking so many trails to bike riding a certain number of miles.

7. Plan a game night.

Think outside the (game) box. Make some room by pushing the living room furniture back and turn a typical board game night into a fun active night. Enjoy a game of Twister, fitness bingo, hot potato, musical chairs, or freeze dance.

8. Explore together.

Create an experience that inspires kids and bonds the entire family. Hike a state or national park, walk around an outdoor sculpture garden, or kayak or canoe to a beautiful view.

9. Get pets involved.

If Fido loves to fetch the ball, or even if he/she just needs a walk around the block, ask kids to help exercise the family pet.

10. Plant a garden.

Gardening is one interest that keeps giving long after the original physical work is done. Build a creative kid’s garden that encourages activity and good eating habits.

These are just a few of the plethora of options out there for enjoying an active family lifestyle. 

Learn why inspiring an active childhood lifestyle is so important as you consider what you and your kids enjoy.

Everything you need to know about exercise during the menopause

All women will experience the menopause at some point and, while there may be some common ground, the symptoms that come with this will be unique to them. You might be lucky in experiencing only mild and short-lived symptoms or you might experience the dreaded hot flushes and mood swings. However mild or severe your symptoms are however, there are plenty of exercises that you can do during the menopause that will benefit your health and fitness and will aim to reduce your stress levels.

The importance of keeping moving during the menopause

Whilst there’s no evidence to suggest that exercise can reduce menopausal symptoms directly, there have been plenty of studies that have shown that exercise can help to relieve stress and enhance your overall wellbeing.¹ Exercise has also been shown in studies to help prevent weight gain and reduce the loss of muscle mass,² which many women experience as symptoms of the menopause.

What type of exercise or movement workout is best during the menopause?

Cardiovascular fitness

Cardio fitness is any type of aerobic activity that raises your heart rate and keeps it there for an extended period of time. There are many options of cardio-based movement workouts, so the important thing is to find something that you enjoy doing so that you’re more likely to stick to it. This could be walking, jogging, going for a swim or riding a bike. Even daily activities that you can do around the house, such as gardening, can be classed as cardio activity if they raise your heart rate enough and cause bit of a sweat.

Strength training

Strength training is particularly important during the menopause as this is when your osteoporosis risk increases, but strength training can help build bone and increase muscle to reduce this risk. As with cardio training there are number of types of strength training that you can do. If you’re at home you can choose hand weights and resistance bands or if you prefer to go to the gym you’ll be able to use weight machines or free weights. Be sure to work to a level that works out your muscles without causing unnecessary strain and if in doubt speak to a personal trainer.

Mindfulness exercises

The way you experience the menopause will be different to the way someone else does. We’re all unique and we all have our own unique symptoms. Whether symptoms are mild or more bothersome, mindfulness activities such as yoga and meditation are beneficial to everyone and have been indicated in studies as being able to offer some relief.³ These practices are intended to calm your mind by centring your focus and may be able to relieve symptoms such as hot flushes, irritability and fatigue.

How to get the best out of your exercise

As with everything in life, it’s easy to over commit and then feel disappointed when we don’t achieve what we set out to do. If you’re new to exercise remember that any movement is better than no movement. Set yourself some goals and make them achievable, realistic and specific so that you can measure them. For example, rather than simply stating that you’re going to exercise more try quantifying this with something like ‘I’m going to walk for 20 minutes each morning before work’ or ‘I’m going to go for a swim every Saturday with a friend.’ Finding someone else to exercise with is a great way to ensure accountability, keep you motivated and help you have fun while enjoying the health benefits of physical exercise.

1. https://shapeamerica.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/02701367.1988.10605493 [↩]
2. https://europepmc.org/article/med/8504848 [↩]
3. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-018-24945-4 [↩]

Too old to exercise? There’s no such thing! It’s time to dispel the top five myths about activity and aging.

Have you fallen into the trap of believing you are too old to exercise? Don’t! The reasons you have been avoiding it are more than likely just myths. It’s time to reveal the truth so that you can enjoy the health benefits of physical exercise, whatever your age.

Myth One:

“There’s no point in exercising. I’m going to get old anyway.”

We’re all getting older with every second of every day. While it’s easy to look at the negatives though, try looking at the positives – healthcare is continually improving along with the average life expectancy. You could be around a lot longer than you realise! No matter what stage of your life you are at though, quality is always the most important thing and we should all – regardless of age – be doing what we can to enjoy our time here. Regular movement workouts helps you look and feel younger and stay independent longer. Many older people find that regular activity not only helps stem the decline in strength and vitality that comes with age, but actually improves it.¹

Myth Two:

“Exercise puts me at risk of falling down.”

Actually, it’s the exact opposite. Regular exercise, by building strength and stamina, prevents loss of bone mass and improves balance, actually reducing your risk of falling. The NHS recommends doing regular strength and balance exercises such as walking or dancing, which can be done at home, or in a gym or local community centre.² Your doctor may also be able to advise you on support available in your local area.

Myth Three:

“It’s too frustrating; I’ll never be the athlete I once was.”

This is a tricky one as there may be some truth to it, but so what? Does it really matter if you aren’t as quick or strong as you were when you were younger? As you age, exercise becomes less about being able to outperform others and more about becoming the best version of yourself. Sure, you might not be on the same level you were when you were younger, but by exercising now you can still be a stronger, fitter, healthier version of yourself in the present. What do you want to achieve? If it’s a certain number of reps, or a certain speed to complete an activity, that’s fine. You can still set yourself these targets and in fact, they are a great way to track your progress. Just be sure to set lifestyle goals that are appropriate for your age and remember: a sedentary lifestyle takes a much greater toll on your athletic ability than biological aging will.

Myth Four:

“I’m too old to start exercising.”

You’re never too old. Just look at the likes of Iva Barr, who was the oldest runner of the London Marathon in 2016 when she took on the event at the age of 88! Don’t worry – you don’t have to commit to something so demanding, but it just goes to show that you really can exercise at any age. You might need to make adjustments if you are new to exercise, or have any underlying health concerns, but this applies to those many years younger than you too. What’s more, adults who become active later in life often show greater physical and mental improvements than their younger counterparts who have suffered sports injuries and ‘overdone’ things earlier in life! As with any form of new exercise or movement workout though, always start slowly and gradually.

Myth Five:

“I can’t exercise because I’m disabled”

Disabilities do of course pose extra challenges, but many exercises can be adapted and for most people who wish to be active, there will always be something that they can do. If you are chair bound, you might still be able to lift weights, perform stretches and take part in chair-based fitness classes like chair yoga and chair aerobics, for example. Swimming pools offer another good option for people with disabilities as your body becomes lighter in water and many pools offer chairs, hoists and ramps to help you in and out of the water.

As we age, it becomes more important than ever to ensure we follow an active, healthy lifestyle. It’s time to brush off the myths that might have been preventing you from exercising and get moving to boost your energy, maintain your independence and enjoy all the health benefits that physical exercise has to offer. If you have any health issues, don’t forget to speak to your physician before starting a new exercise routine.

1. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00198-008-0703-2 [↩]
2. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/falls/prevention/ [↩]

While it would be nice to have the same energy and ability to bounce back in our 40s, 50s and beyond, as we did in our teens and 20s, it’s sadly just not the case.

As we get older our bodies don’t respond to our regular movement workouts in the same way. Tiredness, aches and the potential of increased injuries are all greater. This doesn’t mean we should stop exercising though! If anything, the health benefits of physical exercise are more important than ever to keep us in good shape during the mid-to-latter years of our lives.

So what should we do?Well, much of the same really, but with a few adaptations to help prevent against injuries and to keep our bodies supple and able to move freely still.

The importance of stretching

Stretching is important at any age, but as we get older, we naturally become less flexible so it becomes even more important. Studies have shown that stretching can vastly improve natural gait and movement in the elderly.¹ Whereas it might have been ok before to stretch a day or two each week, you should now be increasing the frequency of which you stretch. It doesn’t need to be onerous or time consuming though. Try getting in the habit of going through a short daily stretching routine as soon as you get out of bed in the morning and focus on moves that stretch your entire body.

Cool off cardio/ramp up resistance

Around the age of 50, muscle mass and bone density begin to drop so resistance training is crucial to keep them strong. Strength training helps offset the loss in muscle mass and strength typically associated with normal aging. Additional benefits from regular exercise have been proven in studies to include improved bone health and reduction in risk for osteoporosis; improved postural stability, reduced risk of falling and associated injuries and fractures; and increased flexibility and range of motion.²  The good news though, is that you don’t need to become a gym bunny. If the thought of going to a gym fills you with terror, don’t worry. While weights are certainly an option, there are plenty of bodyweight exercises you can do in your own home too, which require no equipment. Squats, lunges, planks and leg raises are all good options.

Cool off doesn’t mean stop

Cardio still plays an important role if you are going to fully experience the health benefits of physical exercise. Cardio has been shown in studies³ to help in the fight against heart disease, which becomes more of a concern after the age of 50. Cardio also helps to increase lean muscle mass and, as muscle burns more calories than fat, this will help prevent too much weight gain as your metabolism naturally begins to slow as you age. If time is lacking, give interval training a go. This form of movement workout alternates bursts of high intensity exercise with short recovery periods and helps you burn calories even after you have finished exercising – thanks to what is known as the EPOC effect (excess post-exercise oxygen consumption). Take a day off in between workouts to give your muscles a proper chance to recover. If you’re still sore after this time, listen to your body and increase your rest and recovery time further. Niggling aches and pains are often an indication that an injury might be brewing, but simply resting is often enough to prevent it turning into anything serious.

Rest is as important as movement

It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking that the more you exercise, the greater the benefits will be, but rest periods are just as important as active periods and should form part of any movement workout programme. As you age, you might find you need more time to rest and recover than you did when you were younger.

To truly experience the health benefits of physical exercise it’s important to stay fit and active whatever your age. There’s no magic number when you will suddenly reach a certain birthday and be told movement is now bad for you, but there is a trend in that you may find it getting more challenging and feel it taking longer for you to recover with each year that passes. If in doubt, always listen to your body. If you are sore, it may be that you have done too much, too soon. If you are exhausted for days after exercising, it’s almost certain you need to slow down. Whatever age you are now though, the earlier you start exercising, the easier you are likely to find it as you age.

1. https://www.karger.com/Article/Abstract/235863 [↩]
2. https://experts.illinois.edu/en/publications/exercise-and-physical-activity-for-older-adults [↩]
3. https://europepmc.org/article/med/7934752 [↩]

What to know about midlife exercise needs

Turning 40 is a big milestone in life. On the one hand you may feel as youthful as you did when you were 20, but all you have to do is walk into a greeting card shop and you’ll be faced with rows of cards telling you that you are now officially ‘over the hill.’ The truth is, that your physical abilities, and your physical needs will both start to change around this age and while there’s certainly nothing wrong with remaining young at heart, it’s still worth addressing your usual movement workout routine and considering whether there is anything you might benefit from adapting.

Aerobic exercise becomes even more important

Inactivity in itself doesn’t put you at risk of heart disease but being inactive means that you are more likely to have high blood pressure, high cholesterol and be overweight, and all of these factors do put you at risk. Whether you love or hate cardio, now is the time to ramp up your aerobic exercise to help reverse the increased risk of heart disease. Statistically, you are not yet likely to start suffering from it – heart disease becomes more common in people over the age of 50¹ – but now is a great time to strengthen your heart in preparation, as exercise is only going to get more difficult as you get older.

Build your bones with strength training

It might seem counterintuitive to start strength training as you age, as the older you get, the more likely you are to start suffering from osteoporosis, but research has shown that strength training can actually help improve strength and balance. As with any movement workout, it’s important to take it easy at first if it’s something new to you. You could start with light weights or dumbbells, or speak to a personal trainer at your local gym for advice on the best strengthening exercises for your age. You don’t want to do too much too soon, so you need to build recovery time into your workouts too.

Move more for mental health and mood benefits

There’s no doubt that the health benefits of physical exercise extend beyond the physical. Physical exercise is increasingly being advocated as a means to maintain and enhance good mental health. In general, findings from research indicate that exercise is associated with improvements in mental health including mood state and self-esteem, with just 20 to 40 minutes of aerobic activity resulting in improvements in state anxiety and mood that persist for several hours.²

Incorporate interval training into workouts to help ease menopausal symptoms

Exercise may be able to help regulate your mood, manage your weight and relieve hot flashes, which are all symptoms of the menopause.³ High intensity interval training (HIIT) in particular is a great option as it has you working at full capacity for a short period before resting, which can increase your cardiovascular health, but prevent your cortisol levels (the body’s stress hormone) from raising too high.

You can get fit at any age, so even if you’ve reached your 40s and have yet to discover physical exercise, it’s not too late. The best part is that there are so many options to suit all lifestyles too. If you are a bit more shy or nervous about exercising in front of others then you could take a look at the many online workouts available or could simply go for a walk. If you have a pet dog, this becomes even easier and a lot of the time you won’t even notice that you’re exercising! Or you could grab a friend and ask them to try out a new activity with you. It could be a dance class perhaps? Whatever it is, try to find something you enjoy as this will make you more likely to stick with it. Set small goals, be kind to yourself, recognise your achievements and above all else, try to enjoy what you are doing, knowing that you are also enjoying the many health benefits of physical exercise at the same time.

1. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/cardiovascular-disease/ [↩]
2. https://link.springer.com/article/10.2165/00007256-199009060-00001 [↩]
3. https://www.thelunahive.com/why-exercise-is-vital-during-menopause/ [↩]

Rediscover your creative mind

When did you last pursue a creative activity? Creativity is something that’s so natural to us as children, but as we grow older, it’s all too easy to become side-tracked by daily life and forget to take time out to satisfy our creative desires. Creativity in adults is just as important as creativity at any other age though. Creative activities can inspire joy, passion, inspiration and they encourage us as adults to forget our age, as no matter how old we are, it’s never too late to rediscover your creative mind. As editor and leading creativity researcher Ruth Richards once said, “Everyday creativity is . . . fundamental to our very survival. With our everyday creativity, we adapt flexibly, we improvise, we try different options . . .”¹

Quite simply, creativity is part of what it means to be human²

How creativity and age are connected

Do you feel as if you have suffered a loss of creativity as you have gotten older? If so, you’re probably right, as new research by UC Berkeley psychologists suggests that losing creativity with age does tend to happen. Through a series of experiments, it was discovered that adults resorted to less creative thought processes than children.³ Nevertheless, there are plenty of new ways to find and embrace creativity, tap back into the part of your brain responsible for creative thinking and foster a new way or approaching creativeness. If you feel nervous, lost or unsure of where to begin, don’t worry as we’re here to inspire you.

Eight easy yet creative activities for adults

You are never too old to rediscover old hobbies or challenge yourself to learn new things! Whatever your hobbies, interests and current lifestyle, there’s a perfect activity just waiting for you. It doesn’t matter if you are mainly interested in creative activities for adults at home alone, or if you would like ideas for new things to experience with family or friends. People in all circumstances can tap into their creative minds, embrace change and try something new indoors, outdoors, in public and at home. Creativity is available to all of us!

Take a look at the following table to see just how easy it is to inject some creativity into your life.

Find your own rhythm

Music can positively influence our mood, as shown in two recent US Studies from the Department of Psychology at Knox College, Galesburg, IL and the Department of Psychological Sciences at the University of Missouri, Columbia. Findings from these studies demonstrate that listening to positive music may be an effective way to improve happiness. When combined with an intention to become happier, the results are even greater.⁴

Music and singing is accessible to all of us. A few minutes singing in the shower or car can fill you with passion and joy – it doesn’t matter if you think you are any good or not. No one can hear you unless you choose to let them!

Why not go further and start learning a musical instrument? Again, it doesn’t matter how good you perceive yourself to be as it’s less about talent and more about enjoying creativity in adulthood and learning to enjoy your creative nature. If you’ve never picked an instrument up before don’t worry, you’re never too old!

Dance it out

A study conducted at the Faculty of Psychology at the University of Warsaw, Poland⁵ concluded that dance can bring about changes in mood and is one of the easiest creative expression activities for adults to encourage us to feel joy.

Too shy to dance in public? That’s ok, just turn up the music and dance around your living room where no one can see you! If you would prefer to enjoy dance as a group activity, or guidance, check out local dance classes and go along for a taster session.

Discover the power of imagination with creative writing

If you are less about movement and more about thought, then creative writing and creative thinking activities for adults might be more for you. Reading a book is a great way to enjoy some me time and also good for tapping into your creative mind as you picture the visual worlds being described for you.

But why just read other people’s stories? Why not tap into your own imagination and creative thinking by writing your own fictional stories? Take some time, even just a few minutes a day, for creative and positive thinking and you’re sure to add value to your life.

Embrace different kinds of arts

Are you an art lover? Why not visit an art gallery or join an art class with friends? Get together to share in the fun of drawing, painting and creative design as you create your own artwork. If you’d rather not commit to a regular class, there are plenty of art-based creative activities for adults at home too – why not start a mosaic project, or start completing an adult colouring book?

Creative crafts projects for adults

Pottery, knitting, sewing and embroidery are all great creative projects for adults. If you need some inspiration, take a look online at the main craft tutorials available and see if you can find one that takes your fancy. YouTube and Pinterest are great places to start.

Foster creativity with DIY projects

YouTube is also a fabulous resource for a number of DIY projects, with ideas suitable from beginners right though to experienced professionals. You could start with something simple like soap or candle making and start to create your own resources rather than buying them from shops.

Get creative and sustainable with upcycling

Upcycling is a perfect project to combine creativity and sustainability. By taking resources that already exist and thinking of ways to revamp them or tweak their design, you are being creative while also looking out for the environment.

Gardening as a creative activity

Gardening is not just a chore, it can be a source of creative tasks for adults to explore. Eco-therapy – a form of therapy based on interacting with nature, is great for reducing stress. If you don’t have an outside space, you can still benefit from activities such as filling your house with plants or repotting them to give them a new lease of life.

Get creative as a family – activities for kids, adults and older adults

Children, adults and older adults alike should make creativity a focus in their lives. Take time to enjoy creative family activities together. Spend time with your kids and with the older members of your family and find some common ground by blending creative activities for young adults with creative activities for older adults. Lots of the ideas here are fun, free and are designed to create memories as you tap into your creativity at any age.

1. https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2007-09305-000 [↩]
2. https://www.arts.gov/sites/default/files/how-creativity-works-in-the-brain-report.pdf [↩]
3. https://www.pnas.org/content/pnas/114/30/7892.full.pdf [↩]
4. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/17439760.2012.747000 [↩]
5. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/17461391.2014.969324 [↩]

And why is it essential for nutritional supplements?

Sooner or later, if you are exploring the world of nutritional supplements you will come across the term ‘bioavailability’. It sounds slightly off putting, but is actually an extremely important factor in whether supplements are effective or not.

Like many scientific terms, it is better understood if it is broken down so it can be absorbed more easily. Which is rather appropriate, because that is essentially what it means!

Bioavailability is the rate at which a substance – which could be a nutritional supplement or a drug – is absorbed into a living system¹

Why is that important in relation to supplements? Because the efficiency with which the core elements of that supplement – whether that’s vitamins, minerals, enzymes or herbs – find the part of the body they are going to help means that they well be delivering more help, more quickly.

Supplementation is usually managed by taking supplement capsules or tablets. They are swallowed, and then digested: just like food, they turn up in our digestive tract and then head out through the wall of the intestine into the bloodstream, and through some amazing nutritional GPS find their way to the system or organ in our bodies that they are intended for. Only then can they start working for our benefit. So the faster and more effectively they do that, the better for us. Some supplements are ineffective precisely because they never fully get absorbed into the body.

One thing to be aware of: manufacturers of supplements often claim that they have created a product with maximum bioavailability. But it’s not as simple as that. There are two elements at work; the supplement itself and your body.

As far as the supplement is concerned, critical factors include the form it comes in, how long it takes to disintegrate – in other words how quickly the essential contents can get to work – the quality of the ingredients and their formulation: some nutrients are better absorbed when they are paired with other nutrients. As an example, a calcium supplement might also include Vitamin D, which is shown to increase the body’s absorption of calcium² .

The other part of the equation is you. Your body is individual – every human being is different. So however bioavailable a nutritional supplement is in principle, the other factors that come into play are those of the person taking the supplement.

And that involves a range of factors: your age and gender, overall health, the state of your digestive system (which in passing can also be supported with the right supplements), the time of day the supplement is taken through to whether your stomach is empty or full. That’s a lot of variables!

On top of that we have to bear in mind your nutrient needs: growing children or graciously aging adults and pregnant women all have different requirements which impact on how easily a supplement will be absorbed.

Of course, you can always ask the manufacturers of the supplements you’re interested in. Ideally they will be ahead of you and be proactive in promoting the bioavailability of their products. You can also do a little research online about some of the optimal combinations of nutrients you should look for.

Behind all the science, the key thing here is pure common sense. The sooner you can absorb all the good things in supplements, the sooner they can start making a difference to your health and energy levels. So by taking a little time to understand how bioavailability works, you be that much closer to making informed choices about combinations to suit you!

1. https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/pharmacology-toxicology-and-pharmaceutical-science/bioavailability [↩]
2. https://www.nof.org/patients/treatment/calciumvitamin-d/ [↩]

Restoring the body’s natural balance

The combined onslaughts of processed, nutrient-poor food and lifestyles that can be at one and the same time hyperactive and sedentary, relentless and disorientating, mean that it is no surprise that our bodies sometimes feel the strain.

A healthy body naturally strives to achieve a balance between a rounded diet, a consistent level of regular exercise and a peaceful state of mind. But it doesn’t take much to knock that equilibrium out of kilter. So alongside making positive decisions and choices to stay active, to eat well and to achieve calmer mental wellbeing, nutritional supplements offer a fourth, complementary way to maintain those essential balances.

Supplements are a way of providing the body with a range of vitamins (micronutrients that support a huge range of body functions such as growth, energy levels and other processes¹, minerals like calcium and magnesium, as well as enzymes, in a form that can be taken and ingested easily and conveniently.

Why do we even need to consider nutritional supplements? This is partly because the basic foodstuffs that are available – the meat and dairy products, even the fruit and vegetables – can be lower in nutritional quality than a generation or two ago² . The rise of convenient processed food has exacerbated this problem.

However, there is an important point to make: although good supplements will likely support the nutritional balance of someone who takes them, they do not in themselves create wellness. That is why they are supplements, designed to work with your diet, not to act as a replacement. So even if you take the highest-quality food supplements that is never an excuse to exist on a diet of fast, convenience or refined foods.

Think of them as a support system for core nutrition – especially if your diet is a little uneven – while you continue to explore the pleasurable experience of evolving your own wellbeing.

They can also provide additional nutritional support for specific times in life, during pregnancy for example, or helping support joint flexibility in later years, for particular goals and for individual organs in the body. You can tailor a bespoke plan of supplementation that works for you.

With the availability of information on the internet, it is possible to learn more about supplements and how they work. A good starting point is to learn a little about the main micronutrients: the vitamins A-K and the main minerals. By learning more yourself you can gain an understanding of the potential they have, and more insight into what supplements might offer to your own life.

But above all, supplements should be as high in quality as possible – it really can make a difference.

With the right diet, supported by supplementation, so that our bodies are energised with the fuel they need, a wonderful thing starts to happen. We become even more empowered to make good, healthy choices. Things that once might have seemed like making a sacrifice – eating wholefoods, taking physical activity, making downtime, even work – become real pleasures.

And life becomes enriched. Supplements can add to that more rounder, healthier life.

1. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/micronutrients#definition [↩]
2. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0889157516302113 [↩]