MOOD BOOSTER It’s important to hit our five-a-day quota, but researchers at Aston University say fruit is especially good for us – particularly our psychological health. So it’s time to get more fruit into our diets – and, according to the Aston study, raw is best. Top porridge with berries, sliced fruits like apples and pears into autumnal salads, and add some fruit to snacks and desserts.
Live your best... OCTOBER
Enjoy an awesome autumn with these feel-great tips from the experts WORDS JESSICA CARTER
TAKE
2
MINUTES
A technique from yoga teacher Sophie Phillips (yogalions.co.uk) to release physical tension and settle the nervous system. Find a comfortable seated position, hands on lap. Sit tall through the spine and relax the shoulders. Soften the forehead and jaw, dropping the tongue. Take a long breath in through the nose, slowly let it go through the mouth. Inhale again in the same way while thinking ‘I am’ and breathe out thinking ‘here now’. Repeat as you like; remind yourself that you are calm and in control in this present moment. When ready, allow your breathing to return to normal, and open your eyes.
Did you know? Showing kindness is scientifically proven to help us look younger...
Doing kind deeds produces oxytocin, and research shows that people with higher levels of this feel-good hormone have more youthful-looking skin – even if they’ve not looked after it as well as they could have. One study found that practising a specific loving-kindness meditation slowed the aging of cells in participants. Let’s update that skincare routine…
