Balance January 2019

L I V E

W E L L

#FEELAUSTRIA

o n c e e x p e r i e n c e d, it will be with you forever

austria.info

Arriving in Austria’s nature. In the here and now Paths are made by walking. And if you follow your five senses, you can’t help but make new discoveries – discoveries whose joy lies in the little things in life. Like wandering across an Alpine pasture and hearing nothing but the wind sweeping over the slopes, and smelling nothing but the fragrance of the meadow flowers it carries with it. Letting the silky-smooth water of an invigorating mountain stream whirl around your toes. Noticing every sparkling dewdrop while walking along a forest path in the morning fog. These are the moments when you realise that the great things in life are to be found in the small details.

#FEELAUSTRIA

© OESTERREICH-WERBUNG –THECREATINGCLICK.COM

Moments like these are precious: they accompany you all the way home as emotional souvenirs.

Tips for an active time out in Austria: austria.info/ mindfulness

L I V E

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JANUARY 2019

ISSUE 32 BALANCE.MEDIA

QUIZ: DO YOU KNOW YOUR B LIND SPOT? BUMPER VEGAN TA KEOVER FUTURE PROOF: CREATE A VISION BOARD

K E IR A PUS H I N G B OUNDA RI E S DA I LY A ND K NI GH T L EY

CONTENTS

Welcome

REG U LA R S

Your life is your platform. In 2019, why not work towards creating your ideal life? Time may be a man-made construct but, at the start of a new year, it helps to focus the mind and consolidate the power of intention.

I’m a big believer in creating a vision board to look at or meditate to daily (see pages 32-33). Why? Because not only does it force you to develop a clear mind about what it is you really value, but the brain responds strongly to visual stimulation. Taking a few moments each day to look at it sends signals to the body to take appropriate action. Besides, neurones that fire together, wire together – what you focus on grows.

Ironically, what you don’t do is usually what you need to do. In other words, why not mix things up a little this year? If doing things a certain way is getting you nowhere fast, change tack.

That’s going to be my philosophy anyway, inspired by one of my favourite quotes by the great French-American writer, Anaïs Nin: “Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one’s courage.”

I hope this is your year.

Sophie Scott Editor editor@balance.media

balance.media

@balanceLDN

@balanceldn

WORK/L IFE 28 KEIRA KNIGHTLEY FACES 2019 HEAD - ON 32 CREATE YOUR OWN VISION BOARD

VE GA N TAKEOV ER 37 BALANCE’S BUMPER SPECIAL, MAKING VEGANUARY A BREEZE

PSYC HOLOGY 59 GIVE YOUR MIND MUSCLE A WORKOUT 65 CHANGE YOUR FOCUS, NOT YOUR JOB

BODY/SOU L 69 HEALTH TECH OF THE FUTURE

TRAV EL 75 NEPAL’S MINDFUL EVEREST TRAIL

ARTS/ CU LTU RE

THE BALANCE EQUATION COVER PHOTOGRAPHY: PAUL MAFFI. EDITOR’S PHOTOGRAPHY: IAKOVOS KALAITZAKIS

9 GOOD NEWS 11 SIX STEPS TO ABUNDANCE 13 WHAT’S YOUR BLIND SPOT? 86 DAN CARTER MASTERCLASS

79 KATHRYN HAHN’S GOT FUNNY BONES

BEAU TY BE PRESENT

GAIN INSIGHT

LAUGH

FEAR

LIVE WELL

EDITORIAL

TRADING

Head of Finance Kate Lyon

Editor Sophie Scott

Commercial Director Minal Bhima

Licensing Jonathan Marks

Deputy Editor James Gill

Advertising Paul Brett, Nick Canane, Stefanie Daniels, Lindi De Souza, Jeremy Saunders

PA to Publisher/Managing Director Filippa Woolf

Production Editor Jonathan Sever Creative Director Kate Monument Art Director Victoria Ireland

Creative Partnerships Rashad Braimah

Deputy Art Editor Jade Cooper-Collins

Publisher/Managing Director Daniel Cuby

CIRCULATION AND DISTRIBUTION Magazine Heroes circulation@balance.media

Balance Publishing Ltd, Laser House, 132-140 Goswell Road, Clerkenwell, London EC1V 7DY

Website & Social Media Manager Georgia Shepheard

BALANCE PUBLISHING LTD

Tel 020 8444 3401

Digital Creative Producer Henry Mame

Editorial Director Rashmi Madan

Production Director Dahlia Cuby Editorial Assistant Libby Williams Thanks to Josh Barnett, John Naughton

Executive Editor Morgan Rees www.balance.media

January 2019 BA LA N CE

83 SUPPLEMENTS FROM INSIDE OUT 85 LIGHTEN UP AND RECOVER YOUR SKIN

BALAN C E Balance Copyright of editorial contents are held by Balance Publishing Ltd. The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the publisher.

Reproduction in whole or part is forbidden except with the express permission of the publisher. It is not the intention to print any matter that discriminates on the grounds of race, sex,sexuality or disability. All details, and prices, are correct at the time of going to press. The Balance equation is a device and not mathematically correct.

5

January

GOOD NEWS

INSTAGRAM “This speaks so true to the last few months for me, tears of joy. Love you guys” @notsobourgeois

INSTAGRAM “Lily Allen is one of my favourites, and loved all the Little Positives of 2018 - great job!” @hollymthomp

We’ve got a page full of antidotes to Blue Monday, proving January isn’t all bad...

Tech

WORDS: JAMES GILL IMAGES: SHUTTERSTOCK

COMPUTER SAYS YES If movies are to be believed, AI will be the end of us. In the real world, it has the power to save. The latest positive innovation is an app from Kaia Health that can successfully decrease symptoms of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease via video-based AI therapy, psychosocial support, patient education and medication tracking.

AI = awesome invention.

Sport STERLING SOARS Nike has been applauded for snapping up Raheem Sterling to front its latest anti-racism campaign, after the Manchester City forward spoke out following recent abuse, accusing the media of fuelling negativity.

“Speaking up doesn’t always make life easier,” Nike’s new poster says, “But easy never changed anything.”

Equality Charity SOMETHING TO CHOO ON Possibly the most hackneyed thought is vegans always telling you they’re vegan. In Balance’s experience, nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, vegans get a raw deal, especially when it comes to eating out. It’s part of the reason why charity The Vegan Society launched its Vegan on the Go campaign, which is aimed at getting more plant-based options on UK trains. So far, seven out of 12 UK train companies now offer vegan options, and Elena Orde, communications and campaigns officer at The Vegan Society, says: “These businesses are showing the way the market is going – vegans need to be catered for, and those who fail to recognise the risk are missing out on a growing segment of the market.” Seems like most are on the right track.

IT ALL ADS UP The Committees of Advertising Practice (CAP) is doing its bit to smash gender stereotypes with new rules from June. A typical ad might have a clumsy man making a mess, only for his trusty housewife to clean up, but not any more. “Harmful stereotypes can restrict the choices, aspirations and opportunities of children, young people and adults,” says a CAP review. That’s worth some screen time.

Society LOOKING GOOD Ever wondered why supermarket fruit and veg looks perfect? Until now, “ugly” vegetables have been discarded, meaning up to 40 per cent of produce in the UK is wasted. Enter Deepak and Emile, who’ve launched Oddbox (oddbox.co.uk), a social enterprise aimed at fighting food waste. We like their odds for success.

January 2019 BA LA N CE

Homeless A WINTER WARMER Britain has long loved Sweden (think Abba, Roxette, Stefan Edberg and Henrik Larsson).

Prepare to take those levels of admiration up a notch thanks to this gem: advertising boards across Stockholm are being replaced with directions to homeless shelters throughout the winter months to help those without a roof over their head. The council, churches and nongovernment organisations are opening extra shelters, with advertising firm Clear Channel Sweden having the idea for the boards. If anyone knows London Mayor, Sadiq Khan, perhaps pop this under his nose?

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YO U R E S S E N T I A L H A N D B O O K

The user guide

rebalance SIX STEPS TO ABUNDANCE

“This book is about having more than enough, in every area of your life. More than enough money, time, love, connection and creativity” Derek Rydall

’APPY TALK MY GRATITUDE JOURNAL APP

TAKE HEART RE:AIM CLASS AT RE:MIND STUDIO

This app’s founder, Carla White, credits gratitude with helping her deal with personal loss. Her easy-to -use creation requests just five minutes per day.

Positive practice for sitting on that delayed train… £2.99, getgratitude.co

AND GO VEGAN

by BERNADETTE RUSSELL ENOUGH ALREADY THE ABUNDANCE PROJECT Happiness is an inside job, and Derek Rydall includes tasks and sheer positivity to make his point. The religious elements won’t be for everyone, but the message will suit most. £18.29, audible.co.uk

Some classes can give you ‘the fear’. This won’t.

Re:Aim is a deep meditation class helping you find clarity on what you truly desire, while opening your heart in order to realise it. Better than interval training, right? £22, remindstudio.com

COMPILED BY: JAMES GILL. ILLUSTRATION: ALICE BOWSHER

Be Kind

MIND OVER MATTER MINDJOURNAL

OPEN MINDED? BOURGEON COURSE

Guys notoriously bottle things up, so this is aimed at improving male health and happiness, encouraging men to emotionally connect with themselves. As well as keeping track of each day, tools, exercises and questions help log what it is you really want on the page. £34.99, mindjournals.com

With personal development, the Balance office divides into those who favour a science-based approach, and others willing to try anything. If you’re the latter, Bourgeon’s Theta Healing courses are designed to help you grow spiritually, personally and professionally.

From £425, bourgeon.co.uk

GROWS ON TREES? CHINESE MONEY PLANT Getting its name from its glossy coin-shaped leaves, please don’t sue us if you don’t immediately become a billionaire. Anyway, this low-maintenance plant will look nice on your desk. And that’s worth a lot more than mere money. From £3- £14, patch.garden

January 2019 BA LA N CE

A

few years ago, I decided my lifelong vegetarianism wasn’t enough and I should give being vegan a go. But how to say goodbye to cheese? Thankfully, I discovered loads of yummy alternatives (delicious ice creams, yoghurts and other treats), and found London bursting with vegan eateries, bars and cafés. Once I knew the most effective thing to do to improve the lives of animals and my own health, and to reduce my environmental impact, was to go vegan, it was an easy decision.

Hoping to convert carnivorous friends, and knowing food speaks louder than words, I cooked my best vegan Sunday roast. One guest went meat and dairy-free for good (that’s how good my roasts are), so why not try Veganuary this month?

Their website (veganuary.com) is full of useful tips and recipes, and once the month is up, who knows?

Even committing to one vegan day a week is a powerful way of using compassion to change the world – one vegan roast at a time.

The Little Book of Wonder

by Bernadette Russell (£7.99, Orion Spring) is out now

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YO U R H I D D E N S E L F

the mmanua an ua l words LIBBY WILLIAM S

ke t h e

what is your blind spot?

tes t

ta

photography YARO SL AV DAN YLCHENKO

Have you ever wondered how other people perceive you? Uncover your blind spots to find out Pick a friend or family member and take this test together to reveal how others see you.

January 2019 BA LA N CE

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the manua l

1

Begin your Blind Spot Assessment by writing into the “Façade” area the adjectives from the table below that you feel best describe you

2

Ask a close friend or family member to be your “Johari partner” and fill in the “Blind spot” area with the adjectives that they feel best describe you

3

Any adjectives that appear both in the “Façade” and “Blind spot” areas should be crossed out and moved to the “Arena”

4

Adjectives not placed in the windows belong in the “Unknown”. These are traits that don’t seem to apply to you

KNOWN TO OTHERS

HOW TO PLAY

NOT KNOWN TO OTHERS

5

All personality traits fall under the core “Big 5”: openness; conscientiousness; extraversion; agreeableness; and neuroticism

KNOWN TO SELF

NOT KNOWN TO SELF

ARENA (OPEN)

BLIND SPOT

FAÇADE

UNKNOWN

BALANCE’S “JOHARI” ADJECTIVES The Johari Window (above right) is a tool developed in 1955 by psychologists Joseph Luft and Harrington Ingham. It can help reveal our blind spots through the placement of adjectives that describe our personality traits into the different “panes” of the window.

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Ambitious

Friendly

Nervous

Arrogant

Funny

Organised

Brave

Fussy

Pessimistic

Calm

Generous

Positive

Careless

Greedy

Quiet

Caring

Honest

Sarcastic

Cold

Idealistic

Self-conscious

Confident

Independent

Selfish

Considerate

Intelligent

Sensible

Creative

Intolerant

Shy

Dependable

Introverted

Snappy

Dishonest

Judgemental

Tense

Domineering

Kind

Trustworthy

Dull

Lazy

Unapproachable

Empathetic

Loving

Understanding

Extrovert

Modest

Untrustworthy

Forgiving

Negative

Warm

BA LA N CE January 2019

YO U R H I D D E N S E L F

The RESULTS

Now that you have divided the adjectives into four separate areas, you can begin to decode your Johari Window and reveal what your blind spots really mean

FIND YOUR BALANCE SEEING MORE CLEARLY ASK FOR FEEDBACK

THE ARENA This area of the window contains adjectives selected by both you and your friend or family member. These words represent personality characteristics that are known to both of you.

These are the traits that you display openly and confidently when with others. This is your public face and you are reconciled with it.

PHOTOGRAPHY: STOCKSY

THE UNKNOWN The unknown... it sounds scary but it isn’t really. Here lie the adjectives that were selected by neither you nor your Johari Window partner.

This quadrant covers subconscious traits such as fears, traumas and urges you or your partner aren’t aware of.

The descriptors in this section can also just be words that don’t apply to you at all.

THE BLIND SPOT

THE FAÇADE

Arguably the most important of the four quadrants, the adjectives here are ones that have been chosen by your “Johari partner” but not you. They represent the personality traits that you are not aware of or do not recognise about yourself. Although you are unaware of these parts, your blind spots are where you harbour habits, preferences, dislikes, prejudices and other traits that are only made clear through third-party judgement.

The façade quadrant holds the adjectives chosen only by you to describe your personality. This area represents qualities you see in yourself but others do not, or can be things you keep hidden and are uncomfortable sharing with others.

53 Number of years the Johari Window has been uncovering personality blind spots

CONCLUSION So, what do you need to do now that you’ve recognised your blind spots? First and foremost, your blind spots are nothing to be ashamed of. Everyone has them and having uncovered them you will now be able to work on areas of your personality, whether positive or negative, that you were previously unaware of.

Knowing how others see you is key to helping you change.

January 2019 BA LA N CE

Now that you know your specific blind spots, begin with self-reflection. Are you able to recognise the aspects of your life that may be affecting or causing these blind spots? Following on from this, approach others close to you for feedback on these particular areas of your personality. Be open to constructive criticism and embrace your chance to move forward with some self-improvement

SET YOURSELF A CHALLENGE If there is one area that you’d like to work on and improve, try setting yourself a challenge by enforcing a rule that you will follow for seven days. For example, if one of your blind spots is that you are too critical of people, try to praise or compliment instead of saying something negative.

Once you’ve completed the challenge ask those around you if they have noticed any change in your attitude or behaviour

WORK WITH A COACH If you’re struggling to work on your blind spots on your own, welcoming the support of a life coach or mentor may help guide you. An expert will be able to give you the specific tools and feedback to aid your self-improvement

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RN EA DIG A AT L L IA ULTUIGT AV OBNO S

th e manua ma nua l the

So you want to be a...

journalist We offer a helping (short)hand into the competitive arena of news writing

career toolkit TRAINING

The NCTJ (National Council for the Training of Journalists) offers a number of courses around the country, and additional skills in SEO, social media and video/podcast editing are useful

COST

NCTJ-accredited multimedia courses cost £4,600 full-time, and £4,250 part-time. You should also be prepared for taking on unpaid placements when building your portfolio

POINT OF VIEW

TIMELINE

The fast-track course takes 22 weeks. The part-time version is 40 weeks. Expect another year doing work experience

RESOURCES

Sian Meades provides a newsletter for the latest freelance opportunities. Sign up @SianySianySiany

GOOD READ

Emma Gannon’s The Multi-Hyphen Method, a guide to building your career and personal brand

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Lauren Bravo Fashion, pop culture and lifestyle journalist & author “When you’re starting out, seek out smaller specialist titles, trade publications and commercial/editorial partnerships, which are just as creative, but more likely to establish a firm relationship.

Focus on selling yourself as a specialist in a niche area”

Andy Jones Journalist and broadcaster “Become bulletproof about rejection. As a journalist, editors will often hate your ideas and interviewees will turn you down. The more you get used to “no”, the less of a problem it becomes.

Michael Jordan says you miss every shot you don’t take: feel the fear and pitch your ideas”

Sian Meades Editor, Freelance Writing Jobs newsletter “When everyone else is getting great gigs, update your CV or write a new pitch. Research that secret book idea or start something new.

Subscribe to career newsletters, listen to inspiring podcasts and invest your time in something good soon you won’t have that luxury”

BA LA N CE January 2019

SUCCESS COACH

FAQ

MADELEINE SPENCER Madeleine is a journalist, blogger and podcaster

Q. A

What’s the best way to build your portfolio?

It’s obvious, but a blog is a great way to showcase your work and get into the habit of writing regularly.

From there, get in touch with editors and pitch ideas with a body of work from where they get an idea of your style and interests.

Q. A

How do you grow your brand and promote work?

Leave your ego at the door. Some days you’ll write features you think are really important, others you’ll be doing seemingly more ‘silly’ things to grow your contacts or brand.

Both are valuable, and it’s important to give both equal energy if you want to win more work.

Q. A

In a fast-moving world, how do you keep up?

By trying new things. You don’t know if something will work without giving it a go.

Keep abreast of industry trends: if something interests you, give it a shot and see what happens.

Madeleine’s new podcast, Beauty Full Lives, is available now

WORDS: XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX6.5PT/8PT WORDS ELIZABETH BENNETT ILLUSTRATION ALICEAPERCU BOWSHER

D

o you love writing? Are you inherently nosy? Have you got stories you’re passionate to share? If you answered ‘yes’ to all three of these questions, a career in journalism might be for you. However, don’t quit the day job just yet, because in the current climate, making it as a journalist is more competitive than ever before.

Writing talent and hard work alone is no longer enough, and budding journalists need to think outside the box when it comes to standing out. With the ever-changing media landscape and rapid decline in print titles, journalists are expected to be able to work well under pressure, turn around copy at lightning speed and be hot on all things digital, from being SEO-literate, to photo and video editing.

Building a personal brand is also a big part of the job, with journalists expected to display their work via a website or online portfolio, in order to grow their readership and reach on social media. Similarly, being able to turn your hand to various platforms, whether that’s video, podcasts, newsletters or speaking events, can prove invaluable.

On the flip side, the move to a digital world has made it more accessible for anyone wanting to start out in this still desirable industry. Thanks to blogging platforms such as WordPress (wordpress.com), and publishing platforms like Medium (medium.com), anyone can be a writer without a commission from an editor at an established title. In these testing times in which we live – where fake news is rife – journalism is more important and relevant than ever. B

FUTURE TENSE

the manua l

N AV I G AT I O N S L U G

hotwire

Tomorrow's world

Uncovering the latest gains in the world of fitness to make your workout that little bit more effective NEWSFLASH

Beat goes om...

Hard to believe, but some of us at team Balance aren’t great at meditating and are still at the ‘guided’ stage.

If you’re the same, the LibraTone Q Adapt On-Ear headphones are ideal. That’s because they’re wireless, cancel noise and, crucially, look great. Now, breathe… £133, libratone.com

F U LL-ON ROW Indoor rowing will be big in 2019, with Olympic champion Helen Glover spearheading #SheRows, aimed at getting 10,000 more women into this full-body, time efficient workout by 2021. Get the JLL R200 Rowing Machine (jllfitness.co.uk, £188.99) and turn your lounge into Henley Regatta.

Space race

SHIN ING L IGHT

Six of the best Ever wondered how Cristiano Ronaldo got into such great shape? Well, he trains incredibly hard. The Juventus forward also uses SixPad EMS (electric muscle stimulator) gear. NB: Must be used as part of a training regimen; you can’t just sit and watch TV and expect washboard abs. But it works. £230, sixpad.uk

Stylishly affordable, F&F’s activewear range (only available in Tesco stores) boasts reflective prints, perfect for remaining visible during winter’s short days. tesco.com

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BA BALA LANNCE CE November January 2019 2018

WORDS: XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX6.5PT/8PT APERCU

Cutting-edge JustFit activewear boasts NASAengineered phase change material, which manages skin temperature and perspiration. Architecturally embedded silver keeps odours at bay, plus it’s lightweight. When it comes to the gym, this isn’t exactly throwing on the first thing you find. justfitwear.com

S AV E Y O U R B R E AT H

the manua l

e at m e n

e month

t of th

Breathpod

tr

L

ying on my back in a stranger’s flat in east London, breathing deeply, working up a sweat and experiencing feelings of shame might have you thinking TotM has revisited Tantric Sex Therapy. No. Rather, this is Breathpod with Stuart Sandeman, and whether the experience was spiritual, physical or even mystical, it’s one which has burrowed deep into my soul, where it remains.

In essence, it’s simple: you lie down, close your eyes, and Stuart asks for your intention ahead of the practice (with an eye on postChristmas, I say, “Abundance”) and we’re on our way. Breath has to be both through the mouth and connected, which means no pauses, with Stuart offering verbal and physical guidance, addressing both me and the universe when he speaks.

I must breathe silently and, because of years spent doing yoga, my reedy pranayama breath proves a niggle.

At the end of a breath cycle, I have to hammer my feet and hands on the floor while shouting,

well informed FAR FROM BEING A NEW YEAR FAD, PLANT-BASED DIETS ARE FUELLING LONGTERM SUCCESSES

20

“Aaah!” for around 30 seconds. As father of two young children, I’ve witnessed tantrums and they prove my inspiration. We repeat this six or seven times for well over an hour: breathing, thrashing, breathing, thrashing, and so on.

Eventually, Stuart tells me we’re reaching the end, and this provides Breathpod’s equivalent of yoga’s savasana, lying in “corpse pose” as both mind and body recover. I feel acute embarrassment for saying “abundance”, as I’m overcome with waves of warmth and compassion.

And, with eyes closed, I see moving shapes; it’s not unlike the ending of Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar, as Matthew McConaughey hurtles through space and time. Stuart tells me some clients have visions, scream or laugh hysterically and, while I lament not having a similarly extreme reaction, I’m left with an all-over glow.

Upon completion, I can’t move.

I try lifting my head, but it’s no good.

I’m out for the count, like I’ve been walloped by Anthony Joshua.

As soon as the new year rolled around, the inevitable slew of fad diets, detoxes and unrealistic resolutions readied themselves to recruit you from your inbox. But not all diets are about deprivation and dropping dress sizes.

In a study carried out by the American Journal of Health Promotion, a plantbased diet was found

Some music fans may know Stuart as part of dance act Wildkats, and he uses this expertise to create tracks for Breathpod. What’s more, the likeable Scot got into breath work after losing his girlfriend to cancer. Stuart says this practice of connected breathing has helped him deal with stress, anxiety and feelings of trauma.

The fact he’s taking personal loss and using it to help others tells you all you need to know about one of the purest souls Balance has met. B

AIR PLAY Give it a go If you’re openminded and currently undergoing - to use therapy speak - an exploration of the self

BOOKING INFO

Cost £120 for 90 minutes

to enhance physical health and emotional wellbeing, with participants claiming to have experienced a boost in overall productivity, too. And the results haven’t gone unnoticed.

Plant the seeds A fleet of athletes have started leveraging the power of plants in a bid to supercharge their performance to give them the

BA LA N CE September 2017

High point Ongoing - I’ve slept like a baby every night since

Booking info breathpod.me/ events

Low point My regret and shame at being initially selfish

edge over their peers.

From NFL players to tennis superstars, veganism is being embraced as a diet that can help smash goals and surpass personal bests.

Granted, most of us aren’t competing for world titles, but who doesn’t want to feel like they could win one?

Laura Hill, Senior Editor, welltodoglobal.com

WORDS: JAMES GILL, LAURA HILL. ILLUSTRATION: ACUTEGRAPHICS.CO.UK

Are a few deep breaths and a spot of thrashing about enough to transport you into outer space?

James Gill finds out

BALANCE PROMOTION

Nature’s medicine cabinet No1 Rosemary Water unveils a range of herbal drinks – No1 Botanicals

L

ife is a journey. We grow, we change, they were more than 100 years old, compared we evolve. It’s been the same for No1 to the European average of one-in-3,000.

Rosemary Water, and one of the biggest recent success stories in the world of SECRET INGREDIENT wellness is continuing its own remarkable journey Rosemary Water CEO and founder David with the release of its new No1 Botanicals range.

Spencer-Percival explains, “The scientists Created in collaboration with scientists at the who descended on the village were looking Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, a line up of 10 different for the differentiator, because the density of flavours includes Basil, Fennel, Rosemary, Thyme, centenarians was unusual. They were not only living Lemon Verbena, Meadowsweet, Olive Leaf, Sage, until a ripe old age, but were also very healthy, with Mint and Juniper, each with its own rich backstory low levels of heart disease and hardly any dementia. and unique fleet of beneficial properties. A complex “Scientists believe it was down to the rosemary, extraction process preserves the herb’s precious which they were eating unusually large quantities botanical compounds to make for a delicious drink of daily, and sometimes even chewing it raw. best served over ice.

The scientists know rosemary contains powerful The release of No1 Botanicals antioxidant compounds, so clearly it’s a super herb.” range is just one more big step And so, No1 Rosemary Water was born. And what forwards for No1 Rosemary a journey it’s been ever since.

Water. And it’s a journey that started life via the magical, For more information, visit no1botanicals.com mythical coastal hamlet of Acciaroli in southwest Italy. Acciaroli achieved @No1Botanicals global fame in 2016 when it Seal of approval from Royal Botanic emerged that around one@no1botanicals Gardens, Kew in-10 inhabitants lived until @no.1botanicals January 2019 BA LA N CE

FLOWER POWER Created in 1759, the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, houses collections from the 18th century to today, and was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2003

N AV I G AT I O N S L U G

presents

JANUARY WELLNESS EVENTS Balance brings you an inspiring series of live events this month...

We’re putting a positive spin on health in 2019

H

ere at Balance, we want you to start 2019 on the right foot. So to give you a helping hand, we are hosting three motivational and educational events across the month led by industry experts, speakers and wellness brands.

Join us for a mindful 5k run to learn how to reconnect the brain and body, for yoga and brunch to feed the body and soul, and an expert panel discussion on what it means to be truly healthy in 2019.

Austria Tourism will provide a multi-sensory experience

EVENT SCHEDULE

MINDFUL RUNNING AND BRUNCH

EXPLORE THE 5 SENSES YO GA AND BRUNCH

PANEL: WHAT IT MEANS TO BE HEALTHY IN 2019

Regent Street in association with Balance When 20 January, 10am-1.30pm Venue Magpie, 10 Heddon Street, London, W1B 4BX

In association with Austria Tourism When 27 January, 9.45am-12.15pm Venue Secret London location

In association with Kinetic and Garden of Life When 30 January, 6.30pm-8.30pm Venue Whole Foods Market, 63-97 Kensington High St, London, W8 5SE

Teaming up with mindful running crew ChasingLights Collective and Regent Street, Balance bring you a mindful running workshop. The 5k route will help runners of all abilities focus on form and banish negative and disruptive thoughts, allowing for enhanced connection between mind and body.

The run will be followed by a nutritious and healthy brunch at Mayfair’s Magpie restaurant and a talk from Balance founder and editor, Sophie Scott.

Tickets: £10 (plus booking fee) balance.media/mindfulrunning

Explore your five senses with a one-of a-kind multi-sensory experience, inspired by the oasis and zen of the calming Austrian countryside, with neo-classical music, immersive visuals, scent and dynamic yoga ending with a powerfully restorative 15-minute soundscape meditation.

After the one hour class, you’ll enjoy a delicious sit-down brunch, hosted

by Balance editor & founder, Sophie Scott. The secret London location will be announced two days before the event!

Tickets: £32 (plus booking fee) balance.media/5senses

January 2019 BA LA N CE

Caught up in a whirlwind of mixed health messages? Separate fact from fiction with an inspirational panel debate on what it means to be healthy in 2019, with Garden of Life, Kinetic and Balance. Chaired by Balance editor Sophie Scott, a panel of expert speakers, including industry nutritionist Egzona Mak, will provide insight and wellness tips to help you assess the areas of your life that will benefit from more attention over the next 12 months.

Tickets: £10 (plus booking fee) balance.media/wellnesspanel

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KICKAS S LIKE KEIR K E IR A words SANDIE J ONE S

photography ANDREA S S J OD I N

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K GOOD KNIGHT

Having encountered an overwhelming trajectory to A-list celebrity, Keira Knightley tells Balance how she makes sense of life, work and motherhood today

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LIFE THROUGH A LENS

“I was at a time in my life when I was still becoming,” she explains. “Like most young people, I hadn’t quite found who I was or what I was about. My body was changing, and I didn’t even know how I felt about myself and what I looked like. Yet all of a sudden, people were being very vocal with their views on me as a young woman and as an actress.

I lost confidence in myself because I was made to feel that I didn’t deserve to be doing what I was doing.”

LOOKING BACK, THAT WHOLE PERIOD BETWEEN 19 AND 23 IS A BIG BLUR 30

Having been immersed in such intense circumstances, where the media were following her every move, Keira admits she found it very difficult to cope. “Looking back, that whole period between 19 and 23 is a big blur. I don’t remember it in a linear way because I think my coping mechanisms were kicking in and shutting a lot of it out.”

But Keira’s autopilot could only take her so far before the situation became untenable.

“My world crashed when I was 22,” she says.

“Everything stopped working and I felt as if I was broken into tiny pieces; as if my brain was literally shattered.”

In the midst of a mental breakdown and unable to work, Keira remembers taking flight in the middle of the night to get away. “I just took a year out, travelling around,” she says.

“There was a very big question mark over whether I was ever going to go back to work, but I’ve always loved acting; it’s just everything else that comes with it that I was struggling with.”

In order to be able to return to the spotlight, Keira underwent therapy, and something her therapist said made Keira stop and think: “She said, ‘a lot of people come to see me because they think people are talking about them and following them, and they’re not. But with you, they are talking about you and they are following you, so you’re reacting to something that is very real and very difficult to deal with.’

Hearing her say that really helped me.”

But there was still a long way to go and by the time Keira was nominated for a BAFTA for Atonement in 2008, she hadn’t left the house for three months. “There was no way I was going to be able to get on the red carpet without having a f*cking panic attack,” she remembers. “So I had hypnotherapy and it worked. Thankfully, I haven’t had that feeling for a long time.”

HER NEXT CHAPTER The challenges she faces now are brought about by being a mother to a toddler, rather than being chased by the paparazzi. “There’s nothing sexy about trying to control a three-year-old,”

BA LA N CE January 2019

KEIRA’S NEW YEAR RESOLUTIONS “The same as last year: trying to get our house more energy efficient, cutting down on plastics and eating less meat.

Last year we managed two months without eating any meat at all, but then all of a sudden, a packet of ham would find its way into the fridge and we slipped back into the habit again”

PHOTOGRAPHY: ANDREAS SJODIN / TRUNK ARCHIVE

Y ou think you know what you’ll get when you meet Keira Knightley. After all, we’ve watched her grow up in front of our eyes, as she marked her teenage years with one movie hit after another; Bend it Like Beckham at 16, Pirates of the Caribbean and Love Actually at 17 and Pride and Prejudice aged 19. I was fully prepared for a quintessentially British, plummy-voiced actress, whose perceived ambition and determination has made her a Hollywood A-Lister. So it was enlightening to hear her answer when I ask if global stardom had always been the plan, and she replies, “F*ck, no!”

The juxtaposition between what I’m expecting from this vision in an aquamarine taffeta dress (“it’s not mine”), and what I get, is refreshing in the extreme, and may go some way to explain her success as an actor.

For someone who’s never had ‘drive’, Keira hasn’t done too badly for herself. “I’m very much of the type that lets life happen to me, rather than plan ahead,” she admits.

“And that has been the case for my entire adult life, professionally and personally.

I don’t like thinking about or planning films in advance, I don’t like booking myself up and knowing where I’m going to be. The idea of having a plan makes me feel quite anxious and very claustrophobic.” In spite of this, having demanded her parents get her an agent, Keira has been acting since she was six years old – and for the most part, it’s made her happy.

But what she hadn’t anticipated was the meteoric rise to fame that her early success brought about.

KEIRA’S FORMULA FOR CALMER LIVING

GOOD KNIGHT

she laughs. “So I’m pretty much left alone now.”

Although that isn’t to say that motherhood is any less demanding. “I don’t think we give women enough credit for the physical and emotional marathon they go through when becoming a mother,” she says. “I come from a place of amazing privilege. I have an incredible support system; I’ve been unbelievably lucky in my career; I can afford good childcare, and yet I still find it really f*cking difficult. It’s OK to say that. It doesn’t mean I don’t love my kid, it’s just me admitting that the sleep deprivation, the hormonal changes, the shift in relationship with my partner, are all things that make me feel as if I’m failing on a daily basis.

I have to remind myself that I haven’t failed, I’m just doing what I can do, but it’s not easy.”

The thought of being a slave to routine when her daughter starts school next year sends Keira into a tailspin, so she’s overcompensating by working extra hard now.

Her new film, Colette, is the true story of a trailblazing French author of the late 1800s.

“Colette pushed the boundaries in every respect,” says Keira. “Gender politics, sexual awakening, and feminism are all topics that are raised, and as an actor with a public platform, I feel I have a responsibility to help create a world that is more equal. We live in a maledominated society and it can only be helpful to talk about a woman’s whole experience, as opposed to the very fine line of femininity that we normally see in our culture.”

A PLACE OF STRENGTH

SELFLOVE

SUPPORT NETWORK

TIREDNESS

A PEACEFUL MIND

January 2019 BA LA N CE

Thankfully, now, when Keira is on a film set, she feels she can go toe-to-toe with the best of them. “I have a sense of self now that I didn’t have when I was younger,” she says. “I’ve found my place in the world and carved out the person I’m comfortable being, so I’m pretty confident that I can give anyone a f*cking good run for their money.”

Though saying that, she’s aware that another wave can come crashing down on her at any time. “Nobody can predict how they’re going to react to life, but the positive that came from my breakdown is that I was able to come out the other side. I know that just because today feels like a mountain, it doesn’t mean that tomorrow will. My mother used to say to me when I was little, ‘There are two options in life: you can either sink or swim.’ Sinking isn’t a remote possibility, so I’m just going to keep swimming.” B Keira’s new film, Colette, is in cinemas nationwide on January 11

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N O I VIS BOARDS pp or tearing a n a g n si u e ’r the Whether you zine, you have a g a m a m o fr s page ur own future o y n g si e d to r powe

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hen it comes to wellbeing, creating a vision board might feel like an alternative step too far for some of us.

However, without realising it, there’s a strong chance you’ve already made one. Take a look at your smartphone, tablet or PC; we’d bet our bottom dollar you’ve got a wallpaper picture of you with friends, your children or a snap from a memorable holiday.

You’ll have done that to provide an emotional pick-me-up. You could be having a bad day, but a mere glimpse of a shot of an awe-inspiring landscape, and you’re transported to a happier time and place.

That’s precisely why vision boards are so effective and popular: we create them because they help us feel better, providing inspiration, a trip down memory lane or a reminder in the grand scheme of things, life can be sweet.

If you want to up the ante in the vision board stakes, Pinterest is an obvious place to start, while there are apps such as Hay House, Wishboard and VisuaLife for creating vision boards on the move.

And remember, just as with your smartphone wallpaper, it’s advisable to focus on things that make you feel good, rather than material items you simply long to have. After all, if you don’t quite earn enough (yet!) to buy that Ferrari in cash, you risk making yourself feel bad. A photo of that lifeaffirming day in the park with the family, however, and everyone wins.

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How to create a board for you TURNING THOSE DREAMS AND BIG-PICTURE IDEAS INTO REALIT Y

1

FOCUS ON HOW YOU WANT TO FEEL AND THE EXPERIENCES YOU WANT TO HAVE. THINK CREATIVELY ABOUT DIFFERENT AREAS OF YOUR LIFE

2

APPS ARE GREAT, BUT THE BEST THING ABOUT CREATING A PHYSICAL BOARD IS THAT YOU CAN PUT IT IN A PL ACE YOU LOOK AT DAILY

3

Future mood

CREATING A BOARD IS ALSO AN EXCELLENT WAY TO TAP INTO YOUR CREATIVE SIDE – HAVE A GO AT DRAWING THINGS YOU ASPIRE TO. WHAT’S MORE, IT’S AN OPPORTUNIT Y TO DIG OUT MOTIVATIONAL QUOTES THAT LIGHT YOUR FIRE

SUCCE S

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SS E N L L E W

A BRIGHT FUTURE

Green up our spaces

PEACE Slip inside the eye of your mind

OPR AH WIN FRE Y USE D A VIS ION BOA RD TO HEL P DEF INE HOW SHE WAN TED HER LIFE TO LOO K

Single? It’s a good idea to list all the qualities of a relation ship you’re looking for – rather than a check list of the perfect mate.

That photo of Rya n Reynolds isn’t going to cosmically convince him to leave Blake Lively

What you focus on grows, so take time daily to look at your vision board to help your subconscious mind act on the images.

Images related to, say, a new job will inspire you to search

TRAVEL

E VER M A IN G S N OB ODY ON F EEL O C U S IN G A ND N IO S B O A RD F S A S, C O MP S E N . SO D IT IN OF K RE T T E D A ND RE G S S ES E R IN U T P HAP D E P IC L D IN C L U IK E L , S E R YO U C O U N A L F IG U IO T A HE R IR T P O F IN S R T IN L U ND HI, M A A G Y !) , A L M E T MAHA (G E N UIN O UR M U M NY IO R T O A G IT K IN O RE ME D M G IN H B T M O R S O ME OT E CAL T O P RO M T HE ME D

More meditation KINDNE

UR MIND OPEN YO DE A V IS ION

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The

vegan takeover

F L I C K T H E SW I TC H

Vegan T HE

Y EA R

O F

T H E

2019 Beyond Veganuary, sed will see the plant-ba lifestyle boom...

COMING U P

BO For X as v years, CLE veg ege V anis ER tari In myr plast anism m was ’s i i bec ad be c sand mad seen u nefi als. am e t Bu ncle. so th ap wel e envi paren f the t as life ro fare t – it nmen – for h style ma t h ealt a nd inst as n h, a o rea m i w ente nimal na big red th way e .

39 WHY GO VEGAN? 43 MEAT THE ALTERNATIVES 44 RECIPES: DIRTY VEGAN MATT PRITCHARD 51 SUPER SUBSTITUTES 53 THE VEGAN INDEX 55 FAUX LEATHER

photography ILKA & F RANZ

57 CRUELTY-FREE SKINCARE

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The

vegan takeover

TIME TO CHANGE?

R E P O RT

Can you say no to veganism?

Balance debunks the myths and examines the case for abandoning meat and dairy completely words ADAM STANSBURY

WORDS: XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX6.5PT/8PT APERCU PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES

photography ILKA & F RANZ

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ou know the vegan and plant-based movement is on the rise when mainstream TV programmes, such as This Morning and Good Morning Britain interview activists including Joey Carbstrong, James Aspey and Ed Winters (Earthling Ed).

Things are changing. Fast. The number of people in the UK who identify themselves as vegan has more than quadrupled in the past four years; from 0.25 per cent of the population in 2014 to 1.16 per cent in 2018 – about 600,000 adults, according to the Vegan Society.

Participation in the Veganuary campaign – where people go vegan for the month of January – grew by 183 per cent in 2018, with 168,500 participants, up from 59,500 in 2017. It’s projected to hit approximately 300,000 this year.

Supermarket chains in the UK are responding to this demand. Waitrose, Tesco and Sainsbury’s have all launched lines of either vegan ready meals or vegan cheeses, with Tesco taking its commitment to another level by hiring the American chef Derek Sarno as its “director of plant-based innovation”.

Derek and his brother, Chad, also launched a range of vegan ready meals called Wicked Kitchen across Tesco stores in 2017.

REASONS TO CHANGE According to Veganuary in 2018, 43 per cent of people chose to sign up for ethical reasons, 39 per cent for

January 2019 BA LA N CE

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The

vegan takeover health reasons and 10 per cent for environmental reasons (with eight per cent ‘other’). Each one leads to an understanding of the causes behind it, and it’s a journey that increases mindfulness and awareness of the food we eat, its origin and production.

Ethics Seventy-four billion land animals are slaughtered globally each year, most of which are farmed intensively in factory farms where they’re often given so little space that animals can’t even turn round or lie down comfortably.

This leads to the overuse of antibiotics, creating resistant bacteria, which could threaten human health. Female pigs and dairy cows are continuously kept pregnant by artificial insemination, which raises questions of morality.

recovery, such as F1 World Champion Lewis Hamilton and tennis superstars, Venus and Serena Williams.

Environment Animal agriculture is responsible for around one third of all global greenhouse gas emissions. Studies have shown that increased levels of CO2 not only increases global warming but also reduces the nutrient quality of our plants and protein in pollen for bees. These facts alone could put around 150 million people at risk of a protein deficiency in the developing world by 2050.

Health/Fitness Some of the health benefits include a reduced risk of heart disease, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes and cancer, plus an overall increase in energy and longevity. A growing number of elite athletes have switched to a vegan diet to improve MEAT INCOMPLETE their performance and Even carnivores don’t get all they need from their diets.

A study published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition analysed 70 athlete’s diets and every one was deficient in at least three nutrients

HOW TO GET STARTED

FIND A STRONG WHY If you’re going to make a big, life-changing decision, then you need to have a strong reason behind it to keep you on track

TAKE IT SLOWLY Our bodies need time to adapt to new sources of nutrients, and our minds need time to re-programme long-held habits and belief systems

STRIVE FOR PROGRESS, NOT PERFECTION It’s better to do a little than nothing at all. Perfection doesn’t exist; vegans aren’t perfect, and we all die eventually, no matter how much kale we eat

CONNECT WITH OTHERS Attending vegan events such as Vevolution will inspire and connect you with like-minded new friends

VEGUCATE YOURSELF Watching documentaries is a great way to educate yourself on the reality of animal farming

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TIME TO CHANGE?

VEGAN MYTH-BUSTING There are many myths surrounding a vegan diet which makes the truth harder to find. As the Plant Powered PT, here are a few I’m commonly busting: 1. A vegan diet is complicated and limiting A diet that encourages you to eat as many different coloured fruits and vegetables as you can seems simple and expansive to me.

2. A vegan diet is deficient in nutrients If you eat a colourful and diverse diet, you’ll be maximising nutrients. B12 is the only vitamin that everyone should supplement with.

3. Where will I get my protein?

Protein is made up of amino acids, so either you eat the plant or the animal that ate the plant. Either way, all amino acids originate from plants.

PROTEIN, DEFICIENCIES AND SUPPLEMENTS

products come fortified with vitamins such as B12.

The most common deficiencies are vitamin B12, DHA (omega 3), vitamin D and iron. Though getting yourself tested first could save you lots of money on wasted supplements, as we don’t all use nutrients at the same rate.

Did you know that animals in factory farms are given food supplemented with

Purely vegan products will usually have the ‘vegan’ label on them, whereas products marked ‘vegetarian’ may contain all vegan ingredients, but might be produced in a factory where they handle dairy products, which means they can’t officially call it vegan due to potential cross contamination.

Look out for products that sneakily add milk powder or egg white powder into the ingredients, too.

KNOW THE TERMINOLOGY

THE NUMBER OF VEGANS IN THE UK HAS QUADRUPLED IN FOUR YEARS vitamins and minerals such as B12, due to nutrient deficiencies in the soil and their feed?

It was believed for many years that plant proteins were “incomplete”, but we now know that plants contain all the essential CHECKING FOOD LABELS amino acids (protein is built up of amino It can be a confusing time when you acids) but they differ in quantity from switch to a vegan diet. You make the animal-based sources. This is not a decision for whatever reason and bad thing, as some amino acids found in then you go shopping, only to realise large quantities in animal protein, such just how many products that we buy as Leucine, have been linked with ageing have additives derived from animals and tumour growth, which paradoxically in their ingredients. is also an essential amino acid for Luckily, these days in the UK all muscle growth. ingredients that are considered a Vitamin B12 is the only potential allergen or intolerance such as essential nutrient that you gluten, wheat, milk, cheese and eggs F1 champion won’t find naturally in a are usually labelled in bold in the Lewis Hamilton ditched plant-based diet, but it is ingredients of a product, which animal products in 2017, easy to supplement with, makes them easy to spot. after watching What the Health.“If you can’t bear and many plant-based

Vegan A way of living which seeks to exclude, as far as is possible and practicable, all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing or any other purpose.

Plant-based A diet based on foods derived from plants, including vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds, legumes and fruits, but with few or no animal products.

Organic Organic farming in general features practices that strive to cycle resources, promote ecological balance, and conserve biodiversity.

Fair Trade A foundation whose goal is to help producers in developing countries achieve better trading conditions.

Whatever direction you take or reason you choose to explore a plant-based or vegan diet – or not – it’s important to remember all of your choices make a huge impact on the world around you.

Be the change you wish to see. B For a full Vegan Label Reading Guide, visit veganuary.com and search for ‘Vegan Label Reading Guide’

this with your eyes, don’t put them in your mouth.

Go plant-based”

A MEATY SUBJECT The list of celebrity vegans is growing by the day. (From left) Miley Cyrus; Lewis Hamilton; Skepta; Thandie Newton; Woody Harrelson

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P L E A S E D T O M E AT Y O U

mock meat T H E

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Thinking of going meat-free?

These realistic plant-based meat alternatives might just convince you to give it a go

words LIBBY WILLIAM S illustration VICKI T URN ER

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riven by the rise of veganism, plant-based protein has evolved way beyond the commonplace bag of Quorn, and it’s set to become even bigger business this year.

Food innovation is engineering sustainable ingredients to not only taste like meat, but also look and have the texture of everything from sausages to pulled pork, burgers and even steak, making it difficult to tell the difference.

BLOODY MARVEL UK brand Moving Mountains created its meat-free B12 Burger with the intention of making a patty that “tastes, looks, smells and chews like animal meat”. You can dine out on it at various restaurants across the capital, including Dirty Bones. Meanwhile US-based Impossible Foods has gone one step further, creating “bleeding” burgers using the plant molecule heme that can be found inside every living thing and is responsible for blood’s red hue.

There are also a growing number of vegan meat options on supermarket shelves. Tempeh is an excellent source of protein made from cooked and fermented soya beans moulded into oblong patties that can be sliced and fried or boiled. Seitan, a lesser known meat alternative, is made from wheat gluten. Its chewy, stringy make up gives it a closer resemblance to meat than many other products and it’s likened to duck in both appearance and texture.

production of this bean curd means that variations such as faux chicken are practically indistinguishable from the real thing. And due to its realistic pulled pork-like quality, jackfruit is fast-becoming one of the most popular choices with both chefs and home cooks. The largest tree-borne fruit in the world, it’s rich in Vitamin C and packed with fibre.

Although lower in protein than a lot of other meat alternatives, it is particularly delicious when combined with flavours commonly associated with meat, such as BBQ and jerk sauces. Combine it with tacos and avocado for a winning combination.

The progress made in non-animal proteins means you can now enjoy meat-free Monday pretty much every day of the week. B IN ASSOCIATION WITH

1. Tofurky Lightly Seasoned Chick’n, £4.50 for 227g

DON’T LOSE YOUR TEMPAH

❶

❷

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3. Wheaty Vegan Merguez Sausage, £3.99 for 200g 4. Upton’s Naturals Jackfruit Original, £4.15 for 200g

BEAN THERE, DONE THAT The most recognisable of all meat alternatives, though, is the classic tofu. However, progress in the

2. De Hobbit Tempeh, £3.49 for 200g

❸

❹

All products available at planetorganic.com

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vegan takeover CURD IT BE MAGIC?

How Matt Pritchard went from Dirty Sanchez, and airline hijinks with Dolph Lungdren, to Dirty Vegan

Tofu contains all nine essential amino acids and is an excellent source of iron, calcium, manganese, selenium and phosphorous*

Cleaning up his act e reckon if you were to put money on the first person to front a vegan cookery show on the BBC, Balance knows precisely who you wouldn’t go for: the lead joker on Dirty Sanchez.

If you’re not au fait with the Noughties MTV hit, the show saw four close mates effectively prank each other in the most eye-wateringly extreme ways imaginable. If it sounds like a British Jackass it’s because that is precisely what it was.

“When people hear it’s the first vegan cooking show on the BBC, they’re never going to put my face to that,” beams Matt Pritchard. “Never.

‘You what?! What the fuck?’ It’s all proper kicked off. Just mental.”

So how on earth did the man who once infamously urinated on Hollywood star Dolph Lungdren on a transatlantic flight in 2015 (you read that correctly), land a vegan cookery show with a cookbook to boot?

Before the madness of Dirty Vegan, trained chef Matt launched his own vegan YouTube channel once the MTV show came to an end, having first been attracted to veganism as an endurance athlete. He explains: “Three years ago I was looking into how endurance athletes were turning

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to veganism, and research showed me it made sense. My times dropped for running, swimming and cycling – everything I’d read was true.”

And has veganism helped him mentally? “I lost my mental state years ago doing Dirty Sanchez!”

Touché, Matt. Touché.

While he occasionally enjoys the odd blowout, Matt says he’s “woken up” with age. But back to Dolph. It all started, Matt explains, when he took a Xanax on the flight.

“I didn’t know you couldn’t drink on them and it all went wrong,” he says. “I woke up on the plane next to one of the marshals. I said, ‘What happened?’ He said, ‘Where do I start?’ “I thought, ‘Oh no.’

He said: ‘You pissed all over Dolph Lungdren.’ I said, ‘What?!” He said, ‘You tea-bagged a rapper, and then pissed on Dolph Lungdren. You ran around the plane naked, then passed out.’ He adds: “Once we landed I went over and said sorry. He said, ‘Don’t worry!’ He’s six-foot-seven. He beat up Rocky! But he was sound.”

And that charm is the key reason why Matt, of all people, has landed his own show. Who else could have had such a run-in with Rocky IV’s Ivan Drago and live to tell the tale?

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THE FULL HANGOVER PILE UP I’ve made an art form of the vegan full breakfast. This will help you heal from last night’s antics and fuel you for today’s mischief TOFU SCRAMBLED EGGS Ingredients • 2 tsp olive oil or coconut oil • ½ red onion, finely sliced • 4 broccoli florets, finely chopped • 225g extra-firm tofu • ½ tsp Himalayan salt • ½ tsp garlic powder • ½ tsp turmeric • ½ tsp chilli flakes or to taste • ¼ tsp smoked paprika

1. Heat the oil in a frying pan.

Add the onion and broccoli and gently fry over mediumlow heat for 2–3 minutes, until they are cooked but still have a little crunch in them.

2. Grab the tofu and either scramble it with a fork or cut into bite-sized pieces. Add it to the pan and stir well.

Now add the salt, spices and a splash of water if it looks too thick or dry. Cook for two minutes, until the tofu is heated through.

DIRTY TRICKS

Super fry

SMASHED POTATO CAKES

ENGLISH BREAKFAST SAUSAGES

Ingredients • 12 small new potatoes • Olive oil • 4 sprigs of thyme, leaves picked, to taste • Salt and pepper

Makes two 350g sausages

2. Preheat the oven to 200˚C (Gas Mark 6). Line a roasting tray with baking paper, brush it liberally with olive oil and scatter over some salt.

Ingredients • 230g vital wheat gluten • 30g nutritional yeast flakes • 2 tbsps plain flour • ½ tbsp dried sage • 1 tsp dried thyme • Good pinch of white pepper • Good pinch of nutmeg • Good pinch of allspice • 1 garlic clove, finely chopped • 1 tsp salt • 320ml mushroom stock (steep a handful of dried porcini mushrooms in 350ml boiling water, cool, then strain and use the liquid as stock) • 2 tbsps vegan Worcestershire sauce • 2 tbsps cider vinegar • 1 tbsp tomato purée • 2 tbsps olive oil

3. Evenly space the potatoes, then press each down so it flattens but stays in one piece. I use the flat side of my cleaver, but you could use the bottom of a mug, a potato masher or the flat of your hand (if cooking from cold). Brush the flattened spuds with plenty of oil and season with salt.

1. When fried, seitan has a similar texture to meat – think kebabs, paella and sausages in your full breakfast. With this recipe, you can make two large 350g sausages that can be sliced, fried. They will keep well in an airtight container in the fridge for four or five days – or the freezer for up to three months.

4. Roast for 25 minutes, then remove the tray from the oven and scatter over some fresh thyme leaves and grind over some black pepper. Return the tray to the oven for a final 10 minutes, or until the potatoes are golden and crisp. Serve immediately.

2. When ready to cook, simply slice up the sausage and fry in a little oil over mediumhigh heat for 3 minutes on each side, until coloured and crispy at the edges.

1. Boil the potatoes whole in their skins in plenty of salted water for about 10–12 minutes until just tender.

Drain well. (This can be done in advance as they can be cooked from cold later. Keep them in the fridge until you’re ready to use them.)

Serves 4

WORDS: JAMES GILL PHOTOGRAPHY: JAMIE ORLANDO SMITH, CHRIS TERRY. *SOURCE: BBC GOOD FOOD WORDS: XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX6.5PT/8PT APERCU

SMOKEY BAKED BEANS Ingredients • 1 red onion, sliced • Olive oil • 1 tbsp tomato purée • 500g passata • 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar • 2 tsp sweet smoked paprika • 1 bay leaf • 2 tsp brown sugar • 400g can haricot beans • Salt and pepper

1. Heat a little oil in a saucepan. Add the onion and fry over medium-low heat for 10 minutes, until soft.

2. Add the tomato purée, passata, vinegar, paprika, bay leaf and sugar to the pan.

Season with salt and pepper.

Bring up to a simmer and cook gently for 10 minutes.

3. Stir in the haricot beans and cook for a further 10 minutes, until thickened.

4. Optional: whizz up a quarter of the beans in a blender until smooth, then return to the pan and stir through before serving.

GARLIC MUSHROOMS Ingredients • Olive oil, for greasing • 2 garlic cloves, crushed • 75g soft vegan spread • lemon juice, to taste • 4 Portobello mushrooms • Salt and pepper 1. Preheat the oven to 200˚C (Gas Mark 6). Grease a roasting tray with oil.

2. Mix the garlic, vegan spread and a good squeeze of lemon juice in a bowl.

3. Arrange the mushrooms with their stalk sides facing up in a roasting tray and smear the mixture into the gills.

Season with salt and pepper.

4. Roast the mushrooms in the oven for 20 minutes, until cooked through.

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3. Mix all the dry ingredients together in a bowl. Add the wet ingredients and knead together, as if making bread, for five minutes, until you have a firm dough.

4. Divide the mixture into two and roll each portion into a rough log. Lay out a sheet of clingfilm and place one log in the centre. Roll the clingfilm around the log, push out any trapped air and twist the ends of the clingfilm together around the log to tighten it into a large sausage shape.

This is best done by holding the clingfilm ends and rolling the log until the clingfilm is drum-skin tight. Now wrap it neatly in kitchenfoil. Repeat with the other half.

5. Place the wrapped sausages in a large saucepan of water and bring it up to a low simmer. Poach the sausages gently over low heat for 1 hour, topping up the water if necessary, until they feel very firm.

6. Remove the logs from the water, leave to cool, then pop in the fridge to chill overnight. Don’t unwrap until then, or they’ll expand and lose their shape.

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DIRTY TRICKS

Makes 4 Ingredients for the pink pickle • 150ml cider vinegar • 2 tbsp brown sugar • 1 bay leaf • ¼ tsp caraway seeds • ¼ tsp ground allspice • 1 tsp salt • 1 beetroot, peeled and cut into fine matchsticks • 1 shallot, thinly sliced • ½ fennel bulb, very thinly sliced • 3 radishes, thinly sliced

Pitta perfection DONER KEBABS WITH PINK PICKLE Best eaten at three in the morning, perhaps after having a bit too much to drink. Failing that, you’ll still love this healthy, vegan version of a well-loved junk food classic

cook

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it b o o

MEETFREE

Dirty Vegan by Matt Pritchard is out now (£20, Mitchell Beazley)

For the kebab • Sunflower or vegetable oil for frying • 350g Kebab Kofta Seitan Sausage (see recipe, below), cut into thin slices • small bunch of mint, chopped • 200ml vegan yogurt • 4 pitta breads • 200g hummus • 80g interesting mixed salad leaves • hot chilli sauce, to taste • 2 tbsp dukkah

vegan dining

London’s vegan dining scene is blooming, says Stacey Smith

HALO BURGER Brixton

KALIFORNIA KITCHEN

STEM + GLORY Barbican

Fitzrovia Who says you have to forgo juicy burgers if you stick to a plant-based diet? Halo Burger has brought its signature ‘bleeding’ burgers to Pop Brixton so you can try them for yourself. Two patties are made from pea protein mixed with a top-secret seasoning which promises to makes it taste just like a real beef burger. It’s vegan, but not as you know it www.haloburger.co.uk

46

The brainchild of Instagram micro-influencer Loui Blake, this pink palace has hashtag vegan written all over it.

Inspired by the health food culture of LA, it serves up superfood wraps, bowls and burritos, plus fresh juices and immune-boosting shots – served alongside CBD lattes, which we think we’ll be seeing a LOT of in 2019 www.kaliforniakitchen.co.uk

The first London outpost of this popular Cambridge restaurant dishes up globally influenced flavours from Asia and the Middle East for both lunch and dinner. It’s early days, but we’re told the menu will feature old favourites – kimchi pancakes with yangnyeomjang dipping sauce, for example, or spiced aubergine chermoula – plus some brand new dishes www.stemandglory.uk

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1. To make the pickle, heat the vinegar, sugar, bay leaf, spices and salt in a pan until dissolved. Pack the sliced veg into a sterilised 500ml clip-top jar. Pour in the warm liquid to the top. Close and leave for at least a few hours until cold, but preferably for a couple of days, if not weeks.

2. To make the kebabs, heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large frying pan, add the seitan and cook over a medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes, until nicely coloured and heated through.

3. While the seitan fries, mix the mint into the yogurt. Lightly toast the pittas and split them open along one side. Slather some hummus inside each pitta and add a spoonful of drained pink pickles.

Tuck in a small handful of salad leaves, followed by a generous serving of the fried seitan.

4. Add a drizzle of yogurt and as much chilli sauce as you fancy. Finish with a scattering of dukkah. Eat with gusto.

KEBAB KOFTA SEITAN SAUSAGE Makes two 350g sausages Ingredients • 230g vital wheat gluten • 30g nutritional yeast flakes • 2 tbsp plain flour • 2 tsp ground cumin • 1 tsp ground coriander • ½ tsp ground cinnamon • 1 garlic clove, finely chopped • Few turns of black pepper • 1 tsp salt • 320ml vegetable stock • 2 tbsp soy sauce • 2 tbsp cider vinegar • 2 tbsp harissa paste • 2 tbsp olive oil

1. To prepare the Kebab Kofta Seitan Saugsage, follow the method of making the breakfast sausage described on page 45. B

BALANCE PROMOTION

Solving the dairy-free dilemma PG tips Perfect with Dairy-Free is the brew you’ve been searching for alternatives, to make for a great-tasting cuppa. So, if you’re a long-term non-dairy enthusiast, or fancy converting to one of the many alternatives but can’t face another disappointing cup, it’s the perfect time to put the kettle on.

For more information, visit pgtips.co.uk @PGtips @PGtips @pgtips

DAIRY-FREE Want to move to dairy-free? Why not try one of these?

Nut alternatives Almond, pecan, macadamia, cashew, pistachio, hazelnut, coconut

Other alternatives Soy, rice, oat, flax, hemp, quinoa

January 2018 BA LA N CE

*AWARDED 2 STAR 2018 GREAT TASTE AWARD

T

here’s nothing like a delicious cup of tea. And, if you’re inclined to drink your cuppa with non-dairy alternatives, you’ll know it tastes nothing like a delicious cup of tea. Not even an accompanying biscuit can save the day. Well, sound the victory bugle, because riding to the rescue is the mighty PG tips, with the delicious PG tips Perfect with Dairy-Free.

And it does exactly what it says: PG tips Perfect with Dairy-Free really does make for a cup of tea that’s perfect with any and every dairy-free alternative. PG tips has already won a two-star Great Taste Award* for its new brew so, no matter your choice of nondairy alternative, you can enjoy tea just as it’s supposed to taste.

The tea has been meticulously blended to perfectly complement a range of dairy

BALANCE PROMOTION

U ltimate

WEIGH THE OPTIONS UK adults are advised to eat 0.75g of protein for each kilogram they weigh

POWDER POWER Tackling Veganuary? The nutritious and delicious Pulsin range makes it a challenge to savour

T

here was a time when “going vegan” was an arduous challenge; punishment for doing a good thing. But these days? Well, thanks in part to Pulsin, it’s now a world of limitless opportunity. In fact, if you’re committing to Veganuary, or even looking further than just the first month of the year, the Pulsin range means you can do so while rustling up a range of lip-smacking treats.

Pulsin creates the highest quality plant-based protein powders, with added superfoods, vitamins and minerals, specially selected for healthboosting benefits. Beyond protein powders, there are ranges of snack bars, including brownies, protein boosters, fruit & nut bars and now, Supershakes.

What’s more, because each product has been crafted and nurtured by three old university friends – Ben, Nick and Simon – it means everything is made with passion and experience.

Indeed, on the Pulsin site, you’ll find a wealth of delicious plant-based recipes, like this quartet, bursting with colour, flavour and nutrition, to help put that extra spring in your step throughout Veganuary… and beyond.

Breakfast brilliance

GREEN PROT EI N SMO OT H IE B OWL A protein-boosted, nutritionally-rich and rounded dish, which is more than “just” a bowl of blended fruit to give your body the nutrients it needs. It’s a great start to the day that is likely to satisfy your hunger for a heck of a lot longer Serves 1 You will need • 2 large handfuls of baby spinach • 60g vanilla cashew yogurt • ½ tsp cinnamon • ½ tsp vanilla extract (or fresh seeds if you have them!)

• 10g Pulsin Unflavoured Pea Protein • 125m unsweetened almond milk • 200g frozen banana • ½ tsp fresh ginger • 10g rice protein

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1 Whizz all of your ingredients in a high speed blender until perfectly smooth.

2 Serve topped with a variety of fruits, granola – or whatever your heart desires. We like using mango, pomegranate, granola and bee pollen (leave off for a vegan version) to encourage some hormone balance, immune-boosting goodness!

Protein packed

Sweet treat

Pump it up

TOFU TACO S W I T H P ROTE I N MO L E SAU C E Leftover sauce is great to jazz up a veggie bean burrito bowl or enchilada Serves 1 Ingredients • 120g tofu • 60g buckwheat flour • 160ml water • 7g milled flaxseed • ¼ tsp Pink Himalayan Rock Salt

For the Mole Sauce • ½ tsp bouillon • 1 tsp tomato purée • 1 heaped tbsp almond butter • 125ml boiling water • 10g Pulsin Natural Chocolate Pea Protein • 7g cacao powder • ¼ tsp each of cumin, chili powder and coriander • Pinch of cinnamon • 1 tsp maple syrup 1 Preheat the oven to 200°c (400F, gas mark 6). Slice and dice the tofu, spray generously with oil and bake for 25 to 30 minutes until golden and crispy.

2 Combine the flour, water, flaxseed and salt and whisk until smooth. Pour 60ml into a hot non-stick pan and swirl to form a small taco-sized wrap. Cook for two-three minutes until the edges lift, flip, and cook for one minute more.

3 Blend the sauce ingredients and place in a small pot. Bring to the boil and simmer for five minutes. Season to taste.

4 Serve with shredded red cabbage, thinly sliced radish, the baked tofu, mole sauce and yoghurt on the side.

P UMP KIN, C ASHEW BU T T ER , C HIC KP EA & P EA P ROT EIN C URRY Pumpkin purée instantly thickens the sauce along with the cashew butter, adding heaps of flavour and doing their bit for that final consistency Serves 2 Dry ingredients • 15g Pulsin Unflavoured Pea Protein • ½ tsp ground ginger • ½ tsp ground cumin • ½ tsp chilli powder • ½ tsp garam masala • ½ tsp ground coriander • ½ tsp turmeric • ½ tsp cinnamon • ½ a can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed Wet Ingredients • 200g pumpkin puree • 1 tsp maple syrup • 40g smooth roast cashew butter • 300ml unsweetened oat or almond milk 1 Mix the pumpkin purée with oat or almond milk in a high speed blender.

2 Pour the sauce into a pot, bring to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Add a touch of hot water or extra milk to thin it out if it gets too thick.

3 Add the chickpeas and heat through for five minutes more.

4 Serve topped with fresh coriander, roast cashews, coconut flakes and a side of quinoa. Corn chips might seem random, but are a nice touch for scooping up the chickpea curry – and an added crunch!

VEGAN C HO C OL ATE T RUFFLE P ROT EI N BAR S Pretty darn easy to make, but the end result looks far from it. Take your time coating them if you want them to achieve a super pretty , professional appearance Makes 16 Ingredients for the bars • 160g Pulsin Natural Chocolate Pea Protein • 80g peanut butter • 30g raw cacao powder • 80g maple syrup • 30g coconut flour • 250ml water For the coating • 180g chocolate drops • ½ tbsp coconut oil 1 Blend all the ingredients in a food processor.

Place into a loaf tin lined with baking paper.

Allow to set in the freezer for two hours.

2 Slice into eight or 16 bars (at first, we made eight and coated them before slicing them in half when we realised how jumbo they were!)

3 Melt the chocolate with the coconut oil in the microwave in a jug with a wide base. Heat for 30 seconds, stir, then heat for 30 seconds more.

It should take 90 -120 seconds total.

4 Place the bars one at a time into the melted chocolate, coat, then remove with a large spoon. Transfer to a fork, tap off any excess chocolate and return to a plate or tray lined with baking paper.

5 Sprinkle with freeze dried raspberries and puffed amaranth. Store in the fridge for up to two weeks, or at room temperature for one week, in a tightly sealed container. You can also freeze them for up to a month!

For more information and meal plans for the whole month, visit pulsin.co.uk

+ NUTRITION

+ FITNESS

@pulsinhq @pulsinhq @pulsinhq RECIPES

January 2019 BA LA N CE

The

vegan takeover

D A I R Y- F R E E D E L I G H T

Alternative

STAPLES It’s never been easier to go vegan thanks to these tasty treats compiled by LIBBY WILLIAMS photography WILL IRELAND

Reese’s replacement

Ethical eggs

Righteous red

1. CHOCS AWAY!

Doisy and Dam Goji & Orange 74% Dark Chocolate £2.50 for 80g ocado.com 2. GO NUTS FOR BUTTER CUPS

LoveRaw Hazelnut Butter Cups £2.09 for 35g ocado.com

3. VEGAN VINO

Finca Fabian Tempranillo £6.99 for 750ml vinceremos.co.uk 4. DUNK ’EM

Rhythm 108 Coconut Cookie Ooh-La-La Tea Biscuit £3.29 for 135g planetorganic.com

5. TOATALLY, OATALLY DAIRY-FREE

7. EGGS-ELLENT

Follow Your Heart VeganEgg £7.99 for 114g hollandandbarrett. com

Oatly Creamy Oat Fraiche £1.20 for 200ml sainsburys.co.uk 6. IT’S ALWAYS DOUGHNUT TIME

Sia Later Doughnut £4.50 each doughnuttime.co.uk

9. THE BIG CHEESEY

Violife Prosociano Wedge £5.99 for 235g planetorganic.com

8. PACKED WITH PROTEIN

10. PESTO MINUS THE PARMESAN

Pulsin Maple And Peanut Protein Bar £1.75 for 50g pulsin.co.uk

Tideford Organics Vegan Basil Pesto £2.89 for 150g ocado.com

January 2019 BA LA N CE

11. SAY CHEESE

13. BEAR WITH US

Eat Real Cheezie Straws £1.79 for 113g, shop. thevegankind.com

Jealous Sweets Grizzly Bears £1.85 for 40g harveynichols.com

12. FRUITY COYO

14. BEES KNEES

The Coconut Collaborative Mango & Passionfruit Yogurt £1.50 for 120g, coconutco.co.uk

Plant Based Artisan Orange Blossom Infused Honea £6.50 for 190ml, plantbased artisan.com

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The

vegan takeover

A N I M A L AC T I O N

The

VEGANISM the data behind living dairy and meat-free index

118855

UK Vegans have similar legal rights to people with religious beliefs

Top docs COWSPIR ACY WHAT THE HEALTH? EARTHLINGS ROT TEN FORKS OVER KNIVES

Research has linked vegan diets with lower blood pressure and cholesterol, and lower rates of heart disease, type 2 diabetes and some forms of cancer

COMPILED BY: LIBBY WILLIAMS. SOURCES: COMPARETHEMARKET.COM, VEGANLIFEMAG.COM, BBC.CO.UK, VEGANSOCIETY.COM, MEATFREEMONDAYS.COM, THEGUARDIAN.COM, MERCYFORANIMALS.ORG, PLANTBASEDNEWS.ORG, HEALTHLINE.COM, THELAWYER.COM

Increase in the number of vegan products launched in the UK between 2012 and 2016

B AWARE If you are vegan, you may need to supplement your diet with essential fatty acids, vitamin B12, iron, calcium, iodine or zinc

The global vegan cheese market is expected to skyrocket to almost $4BN by 2024 In 2017 the UK market for meat-free foods was reportedly worth

£572 MILLION In 2009 Paul, Mary and Stella MCCartney launched Meat-Free Monday, to encourage people to have one vegan day per week A plant-based diet cuts the use of farmed land by 76 per cent, and halves greenhouse gases and other pollutants caused by food production The term vegan was coined in 1944 by woodwork teacher and Vegan Society founder, Donald Watson. Rejected words included ‘dairyban’, ‘vitan’ and ‘benevore’

Date for the dairy IN 2018, 168,000 PEOPLE TOOK PART IN VEGANUARY, 60 PER CENT OF WHOM WERE UNDER 35

20% OF UNDER35S HAVE TRIED A VEGAN DIE T

BIG BUSINESS

In 2016, Europe was the largest market for meat substitutes, accounting for 39 per cent of sales

=

Google Trends shows a 90 per cent increase in ‘vegan’ searches from 2015 to 2016

Animal agriculture is responsible for two-thirds of all the world’s fresh water consumption. To produce 1lb of beef requires 1,799 gallons of water, a dozen eggs needs 636 gallons, and a gallon of cow’s milk uses 880 gallons

Vegan cosmetics launches increased 175 per cent between July 2013-June 2018

5 vegan influencers you should be following: @Yesitsallvegan @Fatgayvegan @Cathkendall @noraspiration @naturally.jo

January 2019 BA LA N CE

53

The

vegan takeover

DRESS TO IMPRESS

Never leather land

WORDS: LIBBY WILLIAMS

Talk the talk, and walk the walk in these chic vegan leather pieces

1. Studded Vegan Moto Jacket, £188 freepeople.com 2. Votch black and white face with slate grey strap, £135 votch.co.uk 3. Aries backpack, £115 mattandnat.com

Jacket required

4. BOITA bag from £155 kickstarter. com/projects/ boitabagco/ the-ultimate-ecoconscious-workbag 5. Dr Martens vegan 1460 in cherry red Cambridge Brush Off, £125.00 drmartens.com 6. Wata white emeraude, €80 veja-store.com

Living as a vegan goes far beyond eating dairy-free cheese and sausages. As the number of people embracing this lifestyle has grown, so has the movement towards vegan fashion, with stylish leather alternatives taking centre stage. Pieces such as boots, belts and bags typically made from cowhide, buffalo or even snake and alligator are now produced using cruelty-free materials, including rubber, waxed cotton and even recycled plastic bottles. The choice for fashion-conscious vegans can now (ironically) fill multiple catwalks.

What the Dr ordered

January 2019 BA LA N CE

55

The

vegan takeover

V FO R V I C TO RY

Vegan

skincare

Celebrate World Vegan Month with these animalfriendly additions to your regime

hen I was growing up, the choice of cruelty-free skincare products for men was, to say the least, limited. How times have changed. Global sales of vegan-friendly skincare are up 38 per cent, with more and more companies adapting formulas to cater to vegan customers. The number of products aimed specifically at men is increasing, too – partly because, according to the Vegan Society, 37 per cent of vegans in the UK are now male.

Luckily, thanks to mainstream brands like Bulldog, extending your animalfriendly bona fides to the bathroom is a cinch but even if you’re not vegan, it’s still worth investigating what’s on offer.

W

LOOK FOR THE LOGO You don’t have to do much to avoid animal ingredients such as honey, lanolin, collagen, retinol (an animal-derived version of vitamin A used in anti-ageing products) and beeswax, which often appears in lip and beard balms. A cursory glance at the ingredient list, or clocking a Leaping Bunny or Vegan Society logo is all it takes.

Big Green Tree’s Virtus™ Beard Balm, for example, swaps beeswax for olive wax, which is just as good at conditioning, and there are plenty of synthetic shaving brushes which offer great results and often

LEE KYNASTON

MAIN IMAGE: STOCKSY *SOURCE: BUPA HEALTH CLINICS

Although a firm believer that real beauty comes from the inside, Lee sees no harm in giving the outside some TLC

I’ M A C H A N GIN G MAN

Twentyfour per cent of men say they react to a midlife crisis by going vegan*

last much longer as they're easier to clean and don't suffer from bristle loss.

More of a minefield is finding companies which don’t test on animals where local laws demand it, though crueltyfreekitty.com has a great list of ones that pass the remit if you fancy checking up on your favourite brands.

According to a recent BUPA Health Clinics study, many men first explore a vegan lifestyle in midlife, especially once they hit milestone 40th or 50th birthdays.

The mainstream press painted this as a “midlife crisis” and if that’s the case, I’m all for it. As much as anything because going vegan is better than squeezing yourself into nutcracking skinny jeans and careering down the street on a skateboard pretending you’re 18. B

W E'V E ONLY J UST V E-GUN

❶

❻

❹

❷

Hare care

❺ ❸ January 2019 BA LA N CE

1.Virtus™ Beard Oil, £14.99 for 30ml biggreentreetrading.co.uk 2.Guarana & Coffee Energising Cleanser For Men, £9 for 150ml thebodyshop.com 3.One Silver synthetic hair shaving brush, £95 follicleandlimb.com

4.Pure Castile Citrus Soap, £4.99 drbronner.co.uk 5.Style & Shape Hair Putty, £8.99 for 100ml 31st-state.com 6. Cooling Moisturiser, £13.75 for 100ml greenpeople.co.uk

57

M I N D H OW YO U G O

T R BR A IN I N I N G st

ta k e

the te

Working out ensures your body stays in tip-top shape. But don’t forget the supercomputer that controls you

IMAGE: GETTY IMAGES

K

eeping your brain fit is an essential part of a healthy life.

Training your mind helps to get your head around facts and figures better, enriches experiences and counteracts the effects of ageing.

The great gift of the human brain is our ability to think, abstract, and work out new ways to do things. Computers can calculate a thousand prime numbers in the time it takes you to pick up your pen, but they can’t begin to scrape at the surface of what

you can do on your own by simply sitting and thinking. Our brains don’t just keep us alive: they embody every aspect of our conscious and unconscious thought. They learn and adapt to our changing needs without our even being aware of the fact.

These adaptations can be temporary, such as correcting our vision as we move from a light to a dark room, or permanent, as when rebuilding mental faculties after a serious stroke. Keeping your brain fit and healthy is every bit as important as looking after the rest of your body.

January 2019 BA LA N CE

59

BOOST YOUR IQ HOW TO DO THIS Improving your mental fitness does not need to involve a lot of time, money, or even effort.

Just a few short minutes a day, whether that be during your commute, on your lunch break, or even sat on the loo, can make a huge difference. But remember: the more you train, the better your brain, so the sooner you start, the better.

Setting aside a quiet five minutes every day to do some quick mental exercises will result in mind-stretching soon becoming an important part of your daily routine that you won’t be able to live without.

THINK SMART MISGUID E D ASSUM PTI O NS The following puzzles are fun, but they also serve a serious purpose: to alert you to the ways in which false assumptions can lead you astray, or prevent you from seeing all the possible options.

The three links A man has bought four gold chains that he wants joined together into a necklace for his wife. However, he can only afford for the jeweller to break and re-join three links.

How could this be done?

SHA P E S A N D S E Q U E N C E S Language-based tests can be culture-specific, so IQ tests favour figures and diagrams in order to eliminate this bias. Questions like the following employ a series of simple shapes to assess your ability to spot patterns and sequences; to do this, you’ll need to understand which rules are being used to create the series, and apply them.

2. What should replace the question mark?

?

1. Which shape – A, B, C or D – should come next in this sequence?

3. What comes next in this sequence?

Is it A, B, C or D?

A

B

C

D

The “rules” dictating the pattern could relate to size, shape, rotation, alternation, additions or subtractions, or a combination

A

B

C

D

MASTERING NUMBERS 1 . PATT E R N S P OTT IN G For each of the diagrams below, work out the hidden relationship between the numbers, then use it to fill in the missing boxes.

A

B

C

4

3

10

2

3

10

1

4

5

1

8

6

4

3

14

6

3

39

2

5

?

?

3

12

4

3

?

The cross of coins Move just two of the coins from their positions below in order to create a cross of equal length and height, containing all the coins.

2. C R O S S E D LIN E S 3 Place the numbers one-nine into the empty circles so that each line of connected circles adds up to the value at the end of the line.

18 No number should be used in more than one circle.

15

10

11

10

18

Chain mail “Chain” style speed tests are popular in some newspapers.

How quickly can you get to the ends of the following “chains”?

START 13

60

of them all. The following two questions are more complex examples. Your task here is to identify the rules for each sequence as fast as you can and then apply them.

X 11

+1

SQUARE ROOT OF THIS

X 99

10% OF THIS

BA LA N CE January 2019

DOUBLE ANSWER

START 340

HALVE

HALVE AGAIN

1/5 OF THIS

X4

X5

ANSWER

M I N D H OW YO U G O

BRAIN WORKOUT 1 VERBAL TASK The puzzle on the right targets various aspects of your verbal skills. These include your vocabulary, ability to spot alternative meanings of words, skill in identifying words from jumbled letters, and ability to retain details. Delete one letter from each of the following letter pairs in order to reveal a different word on each line.

2 VISUAL AN D SPAC I A L TASK Reflection Copy the pattern on to the empty grid beside it so that the image is reflected in the vertical mirror line” down the middle.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

EH ST ST TU DC VT HC DE

AI TR EO RN LE EA HE XE

XS IR LM ID ON MN LI AU

RY EA OU CE BI IE VI LO

LT ST RK RA TR CA TR

IR SY SL YI LO ES

NO NG TO RA DN SD ET DY PR YT AE DR SD

4 M E M O RY TAS K By using your memory alone – and not taking notes – try the following task and see how well you do. You may wish to time yourself.

Missing Words Without reading it, cover the bottom list. Now spend one minute studying the upper list of words.

When the time is up, cover the upper list and see if you can spot which words did not appear in the original list. The lists are in different orders.

3 N UMBE R SEQ UE NC E S Each of the following sequences uses a simple mathematical rule to progress from one number to the next. By working out what these rules are, can you write in the next number in the following cases?

1 2 4 8 16 ?

3 5 8 12 17 ?

11 16 21 26 31 ?

1 3 9 27 81 ?

123 111 99 87 75 ?

Calculate

Splendid

Gravel

Ultimate

Xylophone

Ingenuity

Dentistry

Topography

Stomach

Altruism

General

Tremendous

Diplomat

Underground

Internet

Splendid

Understand

Realize

Intimidate

Abstract

Innumerate

Xylophone

Underground

Calculate

General

Superb

Honesty

Altruism

Stomach

Internet

Abstract

Intimate

Topography

Gravel

Tremendous

Ingenuity

Comprehend

Official

Dentistry

Ultimate

THE SCIENCE The brain comprises two main types of cell: neurons, which carry information, and glial cells, which perform key support functions. Neurons receive all the sensory information from our body and communicate with thousands of others, making us capable of everything from breathing, to conscious thought.

These connections are continually changing as we learn, modifying themselves to embed new knowledge, memories and skills in our brains. It is this malleability that allows us to think, feel, reason, deduce, and define precisely who we are. Every one of these synapses can be modified in order to let you learn something new.

Brain Workout: 1. Verbal Task 1 Easy, 2 Trial, 3 Solution, 4 Understand, 5 Denial, 6 Temerity, 7 Helicopter, 8 Exalted 2. Reflection see diagram to right 3. Number sequences Number sequences 32 Each number is the previous number multiplied by 2. 23 The difference between numbers increases by 1 at each step.

36 The difference increases by 5 from number to number. 243 Each number is the previous one multiplied by 3. 63 Each number is 12 less than the previous one.

4. Memory Task: Innumerate; Superb; Honesty; Intimate; Comprehend; Official Mastering Numbers: 1. Pattern Spotting A 8 (Multiply the first two numbers and subtract 2 to get the third number.) B 3 (Third number is twice the sum of the first two numbers.) C 19 (Third number is first number squared plus second number.) 2. Crossed lines From top to bottom, left to right, 3, 1, 7, 4, 2, 8, 9, 6 , 5.

3. The chain xxxxx START 13 143 144 12 1,188 118.8 237.6 START 340 170 85 17 68 340. Note that you end up back at the beginning, as you’ve effectively divided by 20 and then multiplied by 20, thus “undoing” the first three steps.

Boost your IQ: Shapes and sequences 1. Here the answer lies in seeing that the outlines are formed from basic geometric shapes. The series mutates from a square by the addition of one hemisphere, and then two. So the answer is B, in which a third hemisphere has been added.

2. See note right. Notes below the line are negative, above the line are positive. Adding the first and second symbols gives you the third symbol, so –2+4 = +2 3. A. The star moves through a regularly diminishing number of segments – 12, 10, 8 etc – but alternately anticlockwise and clockwise. So the next move would be 4 anticlockwise.

Think Smart: 1. The three links Position three of the chains in a triangle formation, then undo the three links of the remaining chain. Each of the three broken links can now connect the corners of the triangle. Thinking that the four chains need to be laid out in a square formation before being joined together is a false assumption (see diagram top right). 2. The cross of coins The solution here involves placing one coin on top of the middle coin.

Many people find this puzzle hard because they assume that all the coins have to be placed side by side (see diagram right).

WORDS: XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX6.5PT/8PT APERCU

THE ANSWERS

January 2019 BA LA N CE

EXTRACTS TAKEN FROM: Brain Workout by Gareth Moore, Think Smart, Act Smart by Darren Bridger & David Lewis, Boost Your IQ

by Ron Bracey and Mastering Numbers

by Andrew Jeffrey, Watkins. They are all out now (£9.99, Watkins Publishing)

61

BALANCE PROMOTION

Ready for a breakthrough?

Motion Nutrition’s nootropic supplements could give you more drive than you can possibly imagine

THE EXPERT

Joe Welstead Joe represented Scotland at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow in the 50m breaststroke final. He co-founded the Londonbased start-up after becoming frustrated with the artificial ingredients contained in supplements he used while training

H

ow many times have you vowed New Year would equal a new you, only to then swiftly revert to your old ways? Indeed, it’s relatively easy to feel inspired. But it’s another thing entirely to actually do something about it.

If only there was something that could offer a helping hand when it comes to turning that new-found zest and zeal into tangible action and results. So it’s precisely why Motion Nutrition has found such success with its range of nootropic supplements.

Nootropics have been specifically created to boost mental performance. So whether you’re looking to smash goals, be a better version of yourself or thrive at work, they’re an excellent addition to any daily regimen. It’s as easy as having two capsules with a glass of water each morning to set you on your way.

Nootropics can help you achieve better mental fitness in two ways. Firstly, they can

BA LA N CE January 2019

enhance mental strength and capacity.

That means better cognition, focus, creativity and mental energy. It’s a very easy way to ‘power up’.

Secondly, they can help provide emotional balance, improving your stress tolerance, stabilising your mood and promoting a healthier night’s sleep. So, nootropics are also a great way to ‘unplug’.

CALL OF DUTY Joe Welstead, co-founder of Motion Nutrition, knows all about the importance of peak performance, having competed for Scotland in the 50m breaststroke at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. He explains: “As a leader in the field of active lifestyle nutrition, it’s our duty to deliver tangible solutions.

“This is exactly what we have done with our new range of brain health supplements

NO O DIS C OVERY

Nootropics are foods, vitamins, minerals and herbs which feed your brain to help improve cognitive function

DAILY DOSE

POWER UP Your morning wake up call, Power Up blends vitamins, minerals and herbs for laser sharp focus and energy. Take two capsules for an instant morning boost

UNPLUG Unplug, your de-stressor, blends restorative minerals and calming herbs, making it great for promoting a proper night’s sleep and stress relief – Power Up and Unplug. We dived into the field of brain performance with the goal to improve everyday mental performance and wanted people to be better at whatever it is that you do.

DEFENSIVE FORMATION “Over the past year of research, we discovered by providing the brain with the nutrients it requires to operate at its optimal capacity, you are also allowing it to increase its natural defence mechanisms. When it is

successfully nourished, the brain’s capacity to deal with oxidative stress increases dramatically. In other words, a healthier brain will not only perform better, it will also live longer.”

And Joe adds: “A healthy brain means better mood, more meaningful interactions, clearer thoughts, better performance at work and in sport, improved memory and deeper, more restorative sleep. It basically provides improved energy levels and a healthier, happier you all round.”

Available at Planet Organic and Whole Foods Market. For more information, visit motionnutrition.com @motionnutrition

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A focused mind

January 2019 BA LA N CE

ALL CHANGE, PLEASE

WORK/LIFE

PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES

If your career is making you blue, you might need to work on a strategy, not a resignation letter words MOLLIE MCGUIGAN

January 2019 BA LA N CE

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ALL CHANGE, PLEASE

W

elcome to January, the month of abstinence, resolutions and, according to company review website Glassdoor, the time you’re most likely to think about quitting your job. You’ve probably read a lot about the positives of side hustles and freelance life, but what if you’re committed to a career within a company?

European Twitter Vice-President Bruce Daisley has some of the answers. His new book, The Joy Of Work, offers “30 ways to fix your culture and fall in love with your job again”. Buzzing with the pep and positivity that comes from a career spent at a variety of tech firms (his CV features Google and YouTube) and inspired by his business podcast, Eat Sleep Work Repeat, Bruce’s book is a manifesto for frustrated workers.

DON’T CELEBRATE OVERWORK “Most people have a 9-5 job and while the idea of a side hustle is appealing, there’s the more pressing and urgent matter of getting the rent paid and paying off student loans,” says Bruce. “It’s becoming increasingly obvious we’re not retiring at 65, so we have a life service of this ahead of us and I think most people can get back to enjoying their job a bit more by making just a few changes.”

There are three pillars to Bruce’s approach. The first – Recharge – requires us to stop celebrating overwork and prioritise “deep work” – a state of distraction-free concentration – with regular “monk mode mornings”, where you’re unreachable for a set period of time. Working weeks should be shortened, lunch breaks taken and boundaries set with technology, such as turning off notifications and only emailing in work hours.

The second stage – Sync – incorporates your colleagues: take tea breaks, push

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for meeting-free days, organise social meetings, and reorganise your office to make space for communal gatherings.

The final stage – Buzz – is about working as a team: streamline meeting numbers, ban phones from meetings, organise “hack weeks” to come up with new ideas together and hold “pre-mortems” for projects so you can identify potential problems before they develop into something bigger.

IDENTIFY A SUPPORT NETWORK If you think this is just for modern tech firms, think again – police, doctors, even a travel agency have embraced Bruce’s methods. “The intention is that a person

could build relationships. You can borrow their ideas and insights and bring them into your job.”

If hot desking and remote working have left you feeling lonely, Helen suggests holding meetings over Skype (camera turned on), and setting up What’sApp groups “as a way of replicating the team dynamics”. Longer term, you need a strategy. “Write down the values important to you about where you work, who you work with, and what you work on,” she says. “My values are freedom, growth, energy and achievement – if I’m ever unhappy, I can look at my values and get practical about improving that.”

DEFINE YOUR OWN HAPPINESS

What does a happy job look like? “It isn’t about skipping into work,” says Fiona Murden, a psychologist and author of Defining You. “A happy job is about feeling fulfilled and positively challenged. It should be an environment where difference is nurtured and where there is transparency.

The individual should be given time to reflect on who they are, what their strengths are, and where they want to develop.”

As for employers show-boating about happiness officers, slides between floors and pub jollies, Bruce urges caution.

“Organisations that just go to the pub tend to be quite exclusive,” he says. “You want to know who is going to the pub. There should be a mix of people and levels and it should might read this, find an article or watch a TED Talk and bring it to a team meeting and be done in work time – if a culture is built say, ‘I was thinking about this’,” says Bruce. on everyone going to the pub at 6pm on a Thursday then you lose a lot of the parents, You, rather than your manager or HR, are responsible for your career happiness, people with long commutes and those who don’t have the money. You should be says Helen Tupper, a former marketing director and co-founder of career coaching looking for a culture where you don’t have to spend half your pay packet down the pub service Amazing If. with your boss to try and get on.” B Helen recommends identifying a network of people to help you succeed in three areas: current role, future role and The Joy Of Work by Bruce Daisley is out personal development. “You want five on January 17 (£20, Penguin) people to support you for each stage,” she says. “Don’t just think about your current department – think about other departments and companies where you

PEOPLE CAN GET BACK TO ENJOYING THEIR JOB MORE WITH A FEW CHANGES

BA LA N CE January 2019

BALANCE PROMOTION

Ease into wellness with Regent Street There is no better place to discover an oasis of calm than at the West End’s top wellness hotspot

L

ooking to kick-start your 2019? Then head down to Mortimer Street, Regent Street’s wellness hub, for a spot of pampering, shopping, healthy eating and even a workout. Then, make your way through the plethora of wellbeing offerings along Regent Street for the ultimate day of wellness activities.

Start your day off by getting a sweat on with a fast-paced, motivational class in the newly-renovated Pscyle studios on Mortimer Street, now London’s largest boutique fitness studio offering spin, yoga, strength training and rehab services. For your post-workout nourishment, pay a visit to Glow Bar where you can enjoy zen-inducing adaptogen elixirs and energy boosting pitaya bowls. Before heading to Regent Street to continue your day of wellness, pop into Dry By or Ted’s Grooming Room for your primping and pampering needs.

Now you’re looking and feeling the part, take yourself for a trip down Regent Street itself, where you’ll find wellness activities, talks, and shopping experiences galore.

Head to Liberty London to revel in their Reset Space, where you can breathe and

relax, refreshing the mind and body, before popping into lululemon to discover their “19 in 19” framework to help keep up your fitness aims throughout the year (not just January!).

Wander up to Gordon Ramsay’s Heddon Street Kitchen to refuel with a vegan lunch, before exploring the shops and boutiques.

Around the bend, follow the curve to find L’Occitane offering a multi-sensory experience via the textures, fragrances and sounds of Provence, and the newest additions to the Jo Malone Cologne Intense range at their tasting Bar™.

To finish your day on a relaxed high, treat yourself to the ‘Ultimate Spa Day Package’ at Akasha Holistic Wellbeing at Hotel Café Royal, including a 60-minute body treatment and 60-minute facial, to leave you with a satisfying sense of overall wellbeing.

Experience moments of wellness on Regent Street. Visit regentstreetonline.co.uk for more information @RegentStreetOfficial @RegentStreetW1 @regentstreetw1 January 2019 BA LA N CE

THE EVENT

Regent Street presents Mindful Running, in association with Balance When 10am, Sunday 20 January Where Meet at Magpie, 10 Heddon Street, W1B 4BX We’ve teamed up with mindful running crew ChasingLights Collective and Regent Street to bring you a 5k mindful running workshop to help focus on form, take note of your surroundings and allow negative and disruptive thoughts to float away, enabling you to be more connected to your mind and body. The 5k will be followed by a post-run brunch at Magpie and a talk from Balance editor, Sophie Scott. Tickets also include a goody bag packed with healthy treats and a £10 Regent Street gift card.

For tickets, visit balance.media/ mindfulrunning

V I RT UA L R E A L I T Y

DI S RUP T IVE INFLUENCE With tech playing an increasing role in health and wellness, we look at the most exciting developments that will soon be accessible to everyone

words CHARLOT TE H AI GH illustrations KER RY SQUIRES

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back to the f u t u r e

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he chances are you’re already using wellness tech to some degree. Whether you have apps to chart runs or cycles, use a Fitbit to count steps or tune into your meditation app for daily down time, technology’s part of our lives when it comes to health. And it’s not just about personal wellbeing – the NHS is increasingly tapping into what’s been described as ‘the fourth industrial revolution’, with Matt Hancock, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pledging to deliver more tech-powered healthcare. But what’s it all going to mean for you in the near future?

“Some new innovations are still in the research arena but we’re definitely starting to see the traction of tech trends in health,” says Andrea Mensah, director of healthcare technology at PwC. We’re getting less squeamish about the use of innovations, such as artificial intelligence and robots in our health, too, with research by PwC finding 39 per cent of us would be willing to engage with it.

Balance looks at the biggest trends in disruptive technology – so-named because of its groundbreaking ability to change existing systems – likely to hit the health headlines this year.

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AI DIAGNOSIS Artificial intelligence (AI) may sound futuristic but if you talk to Siri or Alexa, you’re already using it. And, says Andrea Mensah, AI could have huge implications for healthcare. “One of the obvious ways we may soon see AI used is in provision of a digital process for triaging people as they enter a healthcare setting,” she says. “Instead of seeing a triage nurse at A&E, you might log onto a website which will ask you questions driven by AI in order to decide where you should go next – say, your GP in the week or A&E right now.”’

Several recent trials have found AI could be at least as accurate – if not more so - than the existing arrangements at picking up early signs of disease, too. At Moorfields Eye Hospital, a computer was trained to spot signs of eye

BA LA N CE January 2019

disease with 94 per cent accuracy. John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford has carried out clinical trials looking at AI to detect heart disease and lung cancer, and found the AI system enjoys a lot more success than conventional scans. Other research is looking into AI’s use for detecting everything from stroke to sepsis and skin cancer, and King’s College London has recently announced a new £10million centre for AI. While the widespread use of AI for diagnosis on the NHS may still be a few years away, some of the technology is out there now. Babylon Health (babylonhealth.com) is already in partnership with the NHS, offering the ability for people to be triaged using the same chatbot tech that sorts calls to banks.

V I RT UA L R E A L I T Y

FEMTECH This is an area taking healthcare by storm. “It’s built around making access to women’s healthcare easier and more personalised, and we’ll see a growing wave of femtech innovations in 2019,” says Lina Chan, founder of Adia Health (adiahealth.com). Already it’s common for women to use cycle-tracking apps to monitor ovulation and menstruation. But increasingly, says Lina, we’ll see disruptive companies trying to break down the barriers in women’s health, so they can be more proactive. “My company is doing that in the fertility arena. We provide a finger-prick blood test – you send away your sample to a lab, which

measures six hormones to give a picture of your fertility.” Lina sees the femtech of the near future working as a companion throughout a woman’s life, including managing perimenopause.

“Technology will help to break down the taboos and support women to manage symptoms, with expert advice tailored to each individual.” Other developments on the horizon include Daye, a tampon infused with pain-busting CBD oil, which also uses menstrual blood to diagnose STIs, and Sura, an app that matches a woman with the right contraception for her, according to her genetic and hormonal makeup.

PRECISION MEDICINE “The ability to sequence your genome can improve the ways conditions are diagnosed and, therefore, mean doctors can give people the right treatment based on genetics,” says Andrea Mensah. “We may soon start to see GPs not only carrying out routine blood tests but also sequencing your genome, which will tell them the type of treatment that’s best for you. This is already happening in cancer treatment, as cancer is much more driven by genetics than some other diseases – so specialists can identify which medicine will have most success, based on genetics. Not only does this mean treatment is more effective, you’ll have fewer side effects from it.” Although it’s a bit further away from widespread use, doctors will also be able to edit stem cell DNA and reintroduce them into your body, so you are more able to fight diseases, such as heart failure and Parkinson’s.

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MEDICAL MONITORING Got a chronic condition? You may soon be able to forget having to visit the GP to list your symptoms, or go for repeated tests to check the state of your health. Instead, we’ll be seeing more use of the internet of things (IoT) – where devices embedded into everyday objects send and receive data – to log health signs that automatically feed back to your doctor. “In healthcare, we’re seeing vital signs such as heart rate and blood pressure monitored continually via smart devices, which send them to a clinician via an app,” says Andrea Mensah.

“Combined with advances in web conferencing, it will give a more accurate picture of your health and prevent you needing to go in and see a doctor, as you’ll be able to communicate remotely with them.” Withings BPM (£89.99) is a blood pressure monitor that takes readings and sends them to a doctor, while the KardiaBand (£99) monitors your heart rate to pick up on heart rhythm disorders.

There are also growing developments in closed loop systems, which not only monitor vital signs but also automatically tweak treatment. Take the artificial pancreas for people with diabetes: a smartphone takes regular glucose readings via a glucose centre embedded in one arm, then AI transmits the information to a patch on your other arm to deliver tailored micro-doses of insulin, while an accompanying app coaches you with lifestyle tips.

SUPER-SMART WEARABLES One of the more familiar areas of wellness tech, lots of us have been relying on wearables such as Fitbits for years. But the tech is improving, says Jacob Skinner, CEO of Thrive Wearables (thrivewearables.com).

“Wearables are becoming a lot more capable because of internal technology, which means we can embed intelligence into them. One thing we’ll definitely see more of is hearables – wireless earbuds with measurement capabilities. The ear canal is close to the brain so through it, you can measure lots of

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signals, including heart rate and brain activity.” Bragi’s The Dash Pro (£269.99) is a hearable already on the market, which tracks fitness.

Expect to see more moodmonitoring wearables, too – such as Muse (£239), a headband that uses sensors on your scalp to measure brain activity, and supplies meditative exercises.

Similarly, the Bellabeat Leaf Urban (£130) monitors stress levels via your breathing rate and sends calming activities through the accompanying app. B

BAL A

CE

co mpe t i t i

N

Win with

on s

You could be heading to the Taj Mahal this year

HOW TO E N T E R For your chance to win, head to balance.media/competitions and enter your name and email address. All competitions close on 4 February.

A N 8 - DAY IND IA N T R I P OF A LIF E T IM E WI T H G A DVE N T U R E S Always dreamed of visiting India? 2019 might be your year, because we’ve teamed up with G Adventures to offer one lucky person a place on their Golden Triangle tour, spanning colourful Rajasthan, bustling Delhi and the mesmerising Taj Mahal.

6- M ON TH SUB SCRI PTI ON O F VI B RANT VEGAN CO READY MEAL S

TH I S WO R KS “ TH E BI G S L EEP ” G I FT BOX

Make #veganuary a breeze with proper healthy and ludicrously-tasty vegan meals delivered to your door (one six-meal box per month for six months). Choose from piri piri jambalaya, Thai green jackfruit and even Tokyo chick-n katsu.

Can’t sleep? Tackle the problem with This Works’ luxury gift box, containing five award-winning natural solutions: Deep Sleep Pillow Spray, Deep Sleep Night Oil, Deep Sleep Bath Soak, Sleep Balm and Deep Sleep Breathe In, plus a luxurious eye mask.

Visit us at balance.media and follow @BalanceLDN for more updates

1 O F 3 I N S I N KERATOR FO O D WASTE DI S P OS ER S P LUS I N STA L L ATION, WO RTH £ 52 5 EAC H Clean, safe and an environmentally responsible alternative to home composting, we’ve teamed up with InSinkErator to offer three Evolution 200 food waste disposers, plus installation, worth £525.

BALANCE PROMOTION

FROM ZERO Freixenet’s 0% Alcohol free Sparkling Wine will make dry January a breeze

J

to hero

ust because you’re doing Dry January, it doesn’t mean you should have to suffer. Au contraire, in fact. Because, thanks to Freixenet’s first-ever 0% Alcohol free Sparkling Wine range – available in both white and rosé – you can still kick back and actually enjoy yourself.

Made with the finest Moscato grapes, the sin-free white boasts tropical notes and elegant citrus hints, delivering a wine that’s perfect for entertaining friends, or simply settling down to a box-set.

The pink rosé, meanwhile, is a beautiful blend of Spain’s best Moscato and Tempranillo grapes. It offers fragrant flavours

of wild berries, floral notes and tropical fruits in each sip, making it perfect for year-round drinking.

Both lip-smacking variants offer a welcome alcohol-free substitute, compared to often much sweeter alternatives. So whether you’re recovering from festive excess, or looking to celebrate without missing the sophistication of bubbles, 0% alcohol free just got better with Freixenet.

Freixenet’s 0% Alcohol free Sparkling Wine range is available from Tesco (£5 for 70cl and £1.50 for 20cl), with other retailers to be announced soon.

BA LA N CE January 2018

For more information, visit freixenet.co.uk @FreixenetUK @FreixenetUK @freixenetuk

tis t

esc

TRAILS OF THE UNEXPECTED

ape ar

DE ST INAT ION: T HE EV E RE ST T RAI L, N E PA L

Hiking to

happiness For those in search of headspace, Tony Stevens discovers the hazy foothills of Everest offer solace – and a challenge or two

AT A G LAN CE

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Booking info Flash Pack offers a 13-day trip to Nepal from £2,799 per person. Prices include all activities with a group of like-minded solo travellers in their 30s and 40s, an experienced guide and porter support crew, domestic flights and accommodation in Kathmandu and stylish Himalayan inns. For more information, visit flashpack.com

drenaline surges through my body, as the drooping suspension bridge is seized by a sudden windy flurry. A rainbow of Tibetan prayer flags draped over the side flutter fiercely in the gust. I glance through the metal grate at the 100 metre drop beneath my feet, the milky rapids below snarling back at me. My heart leaps into my throat and I clutch the wiry handrails in a vice-like grip.

Gingerly I shamble across the swaying bridge, anxious not to hold up my comrades behind me. A deep exhalation escapes my lips as I reach the sanctuary of the other side.

CRASHING THROUGH BARRIERS Crossing the Larja Dobhan gorge on the Everest Trail is not for the faint-hearted.

January 2018 BA LA N CE

It’s one of many experiences that have dragged me out of my comfort zone across a nine-day trek in the Himalayas.

But then, I haven’t travelled 7,000 miles for Mai Tais and sun loungers. What draws me to the roof of the world is rehabilitation.

Hunting mountains promises amnesty from a paralysing depression.

My mental health had been under siege since the death of my only brother, followed soon after by a painful breakup. So when an advertisement for the Nepalese trek flashed across my Facebook feed, promising an

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TRAILS OF THE UNEXPECTED

at 3,800 metres, the oppressive altitude slowing our ascent to a crawl. Up here the landscape captivates with its immense scale.

In the distance we can just make out Everest boldly challenging the heavens.

Equally breathtaking is Namche below, its vibrant tricolour roofs contrasting with the Herculean peaks.

A small plateau overlooking the valley offers a soul-stirring perch to practice yoga as Dakman nervously leads us through his repertoire of poses.

Smiles and laughter ripple around the circle like dominoes.

Above A Nepalese valley spreads out like a canvas Inset Mischievous smiles from the local children Above right Supplies taking a treacherous route

LIFE ON THE EVEREST TRAIL “Jam jam!” needles our Nepali guide Dakman, a wiry Kathmandu native with a roguish smile and debonair taste in sunglasses. This is the signal to get moving and we renew our passage along a cobbled track, winding through vibrant green foothills that are overshadowed by towering mountains draped in blankets of moody cloud.

The trail is teeming with enterprise.

Industrious merchants sell bottled water, Snickers and San Miguel out of small shops. Porters carrying burdens thrice their size overtake us in sandals.

Sherpa ranchers bark orders to donkeys laden with food and gas bottles.

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EVEREST BY TWILIGHT

Spirituality flows through the Himalayas like its rushing white rivers. At its centre is Buddhism, permeating the sense and imagination.

The soothing fragrance of incense seeps from open windows as we ramble through richly-coloured villages. Rambunctious children offer mischievous smiles and shout “Namaste!” as we wander past. Huge bells chime as we spin intricate prayer wheels for good fortune, while flags draped over trees, bridges and stony cabins glitter like Christmas lights.

HAPPINESS AT HIGH ALTITUDE From the trading mecca of Namche Bazaar, Dakman leads us on an acclimatising climb up to a tea house

BA LA N CE January 2019

At night Everest turns on the charm, glowing under a lustrous canopy of stars and a shimmering full moon.

I venture out into the -12°C air wearing all the clothes in my pack and pan my eyes across the cinematic landscape.

For miles in every direction there are only mountains; a conference of giants chaired by imperious Everest. Slowly the cloud rises, engulfing us in its misty embrace. In this serene moment, it suddenly dawns on me that I am happy.

The sensation is etched onto my brain like Sanskrit inscriptions carved into the Himalayan topography.

I can’t feel any of the paralysing emotions that had been plaguing me at home. My head might be in the clouds but my mind is the clearest it’s been in a long time.

I feel renewed. This trip might just have saved my life. B

MAIN PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES, ALL OTHER PHOTOGRAPHY: TONY STEVENS

adventurous reprieve, I didn’t hesitate.

The expedition has us hiking halfway up the Everest Trail, before forgoing the crowded Base Camp route for more remote trails, and superlative views of the mythical mega-mountain itself.

Obliging my need to crash through comfort zones, travel company Flash Pack thrusts me into a group of strangers, themselves solo travellers in their 30s and 40s. The group is a lolly scramble of people of all shapes and persuasions, but our social anxiety fades as we bond over altitude-induced pins and needles, and hot rum punch.

BALANCE PROMOTION

Find balance in Austria’s nature Entice each of your five senses and snap back into the here and now, thanks to the majestic Alpine region’s stunning natural beauty

A

trip to Austria is one way to truly invigorate all five senses, and bring you smack bang into the here and now.

Perhaps it could be from a walk across an Alpine pasture, where the wind sweeps across the slopes and the stunning smell of wild flowers further awakens the soul?

Or maybe the silky smooth water of a mountain stream will provide a lifeaffirming experience, as does noticing every sparkling dew drop on a morning stroll through a forest path as you walk off the previous night’s delicious schnitzel supper. In fact, there are almost infinite ways to #feelaustria.

Austria has a way of reminding you the greatest things in life come from the smallest details. If you’re finding London

a little overcrowded, the lush of the most majestic mountain PARK L IFE Ötztal region in western views on the planet, the Six national parks Austria’s Tirol is the polar showcase Austria’s Yoga Mountain Festival in opposite. Indeed, you St. Anton am Arlberg (5-8 varied plants, could hike for miles without September) is a must. animals and landscapes encountering another soul.

And that’s the wonderful For something even more thing about Austria - with so serene and gentle, the sweeping many different ways to invigorate region of Zell am See-Kaprun is idyllic, and awaken all five senses, you’ll keep picture postcard stuff. Think rowing coming back. across a dreamy lake, with nothing but rolling green hills to gawp at. It’s a far cry For more information, visit austria.info/uk or #feelaustria from the hustle and bustle of a delayed Underground commute. @feelaustria For an all-round break, Saalfelden Leogang offers something for everyone, where you’re just as likely to connect with yourself at the Senses Park at Asitz as you are at the annual jazz festival (24-27 August). And, finally, if you’re searching for inner peace, combined with some

© OESTERREICH-WERBUNG –THECREATINGCLICK.COM

EXPLORE YOUR SENSES Reconnect your five senses this January, with a multi-sensory yoga experience followed by a restorative soundscape meditation session and brunch hosted

by Balance editor, Sophie Scott. For more info visit balance. media/5senses

January 2019 BA LA N CE

@Austria_UK

@visitaustria

W H AT ’ S O N

CULTURE ounter

January delivers the cultural boost you need to ward off the detox hell that is all around

Kathryn the great Best known for her many comic roles, Kathryn Hahn shows her range in the drama, Private Life PRIVATE LIFE, A FILM ABOUT A COUPLE STRUGGLING TO CONCEIVE. IT’S IMPORTANT TO TALK ABOUT THIS STUFF, ISN’T IT? This subject matter is usually kept in the shadows and it’s so painful for so many couples that are not only dealing with infertility, but because people are waiting later and later to start families, especially women. We used to be told to wait, and then you’d realise, ‘Oh, it’s not as easy as I was told.’ So many people struggle in private, it’s so expensive, both emotionally and financially, and then in this movie, it’s really more about this marriage. It’s existential – the prism of infertility is the way to examine the crisis this couple are going through in their relationship.

THIS NEXT QUESTION IS TOO BIG A GEAR CHANGE… Farts?

THANK YOU. PERFECT. THAT HELPED IMMEASURABLY. SAY, WITH STEP BROTHERS AND BAD MOMS, WHERE DO THE FUNNY BONES COME FROM? I’m just a ham bone! I went to drama school!

But, to be fair, I was cast as Polonius or Grandma Jo – the writing was on the wall!

I should have known.

Kathryn Hahn’s breakthrough comic moment came in Step Brothers, when she seduced the clueless John C Reilly in the men’s bathroom before revealing an unusual hidden talent

THINGS SEEMED TO BLOW UP WITH STEP BROTHERS… I don’t feel it! I make my home life and my family life very normal and don’t go to Hollywood crap.

I have a dear and very small life, so I can fall into the abyss with my work life, and can take beautiful and creative and juicy risks with my work. I feel like the benefit of the past 10 years is that the work I’ve been able to do has been more creatively exciting.

WORDS: JAMES GILL

SO WHAT’S NEXT? An episode of The Romanoffs, then a series for HBO called Mrs Fletcher, based on the novel by Tom Perrotta, which starts shooting in January.

Private Life is on Netflix now

January 2019 BA LA N CE

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CULTURE ounter

Tom Brittney

RISI NG STA R

HANKS FOR THE MEMORY

screen time

Tom’s mum is a drama teacher and the actor is looking to adapt a book of hers for TV

We fell a little bit in love with Tom during a recent chat. Grounded, driven, talented; we think he’s going all the way. It’s certainly all happening: he’ll follow up a lead role in returning ITV smash Grantchester by starring opposite Tom Hanks in WWII drama, Greyhound in March. Tom explains: “It’s based on a book called The Good Shepherd

by CS Forrester and Tom Hanks wrote, produced and stars in the film. It’s about a captain of a US naval destroyer escorting a convoy across the Atlantic. I play his second in command on the ship. It’s a pretty cool role.” He adds: “Tom is genuinely my favourite actor – never did I think I’d get to work in a movie, standing next to him.”

VIDEO

BILL VIOLA / MICHELANGELO: LIFE DEATH REBIRTH This is the first exhibition at the RA largely devoted to video art, as two great artists born centuries apart are brought together.

Royal Academy of Arts, 26 January-31 March

COMEDY

ABANDOMAN If there’s a better live act, we haven’t seen it. You must go see the king of improvised hip hop.

Soho Theatre, 29 January-2 February

MUSIC

DAVIDO

The afro-beat sensation headlines the O2, with support from Mayorkun, Peruzzi and more.

O2, 29 January

FILM

FILM

A searing account from director Jason Reitman of the story of Gary Hart (Hugh Jackman) who, in 1988, was set to win the Democratic Presidential nomination until news broke of his infidelity.

You can’t have that, right?

A President with a dodgy private life? In cinemas nationwide 11 January

What a treat to see one of Britain’s best-loved actors deliver a career-best performance as titular author Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette.

Keira Knightley positively dazzles in this true story about empowerment, ownership and, ultimately, defiance. In cinemas nationwide 11 January

So uncannily perfect are Steve Coogan and Golden Globe-nominated John C Reilly as Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy that you almost feel like you’re eavesdropping on the duo’s tour of the UK. Watch out for Rufus Jones, who wins big laughs as their promoter. In cinemas nationwide 11 January

COLETTE

STAN & OLLIE

Podcast: Venn of Zen If you like...

Dirty John

A podcast on the life of alleged con artist, John Meehan, might sound niche, but it landed more than 10 million downloads within six weeks

DIRTY JOHN

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The Teacher’s Pet THE TEACHER’S PET

So successful has this Australian crime podcast proved, that a man has been charged with a 1982 murder

You should try... The Last Days Of August

Jon Ronson’s latest Audible podcast series is a typically gripping take on suicide and cyberbullying.

BA LA N CE January 2019

FESTIVAL

LIVE WELL LONDON A three-day celebration of the best in wellbeing, with a chance to taste, try and shop.

Old Billingsgate, 1-3 March, livewelllondon.com

PLAY

BACKUP BY FOCUS & CHALIWATÉ This thought-provoking play proves a powerful way of putting across the climate change message.

Southbank Centre, 21-23 January

DANCE

TOTEM – CIRQUE DU SOLEIL The journey of mankind, as told by the globally-adored, how-the-heck-do-theydo-that theatrical troupe.

Royal Albert Hall, 16 January-26 February, cirquedusoleil.com

PHOTOGRAPHY: JOSEPH SINCLAIR

FILM

THE FRONT RUNNER

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OUT AND ABOUT

BALANCE PROMOTION

TAKE ART Why a National Art Pass is a gym membership for your brain

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o get physically fit, you go to the gym. But what if you want to open your mind in the pursuit of wellbeing?

A National Art Pass is a great way to improve wellbeing through culture. So whether you’re visiting a museum, gallery or historic house, you’re making more time for yourself.

Indeed, a recent Art Fund report found 63 per cent of us have visited a museum to de-stress, while those who attend museums and galleries often have a heightened sense of satisfaction with life overall. However, only six per cent of us actually go as regularly as once a month. So think of a National Art Pass as an investment in yourself.

The pass offers free entry to more than 240 museums, galleries and historic houses across the UK, as well as 50 per cent off entry to major exhibitions.

And you get all that for just £70 per year (or £45 for those under 30 years old). It’s a gym pass for the mind – and that is worth every penny.

PASS MAST ERS

Jeff Koons at The Ashmolean, Oxford, 7 February - 9 June.

Enjoy 50 per cent off with National Art Pass

Kensington Palace, London, all year round. Free entry with National Art Pass

Edward Burne-Jones at Tate Britain, until 24 February. Enjoy 50 per cent off with National Art Pass

For more information, visit artfund.org/balance

January 2019 BA LA N CE

Supplements

beauty If you want glowing skin from the inside out, try these ingestible products words LIBBY WILLIAMS photography WILL IRELAND

L UMI T Y DAY A ND NI GH T N U T RI T I ON A L S UP P L E ME N T S Containing vitamins E and C, selenium, zinc, omega 3s and amino acids, this unique two-step formula works around the clock to keep skin, hair and nails healthy and nourished £90 for a four week supply lumitylife.co.uk

LYM A MON T HLY S TA R T E R KI T Packed with seven super-ingredients and encased in a bronze capsule, this beautiful supplement boosts energy, supports immunity and contains the most soluble keratin in the world £199 for a 30-day supply, lyma.life

T HE N UE C O S KIN F O OD + P RE BI O T I C Rich with beta-carotene and vitamin C, this easy-to-digest organic supplement works to rejuvenate skin with its anti-inflammatory and cell-renewing properties £55 for 100g thenueco.com

KIKI HE A LT H 5% C BD OIL One or two drops of this under the tongue can delay the signs of ageing, hydrates the body, reduces anxiety and relieves nausea, pain and inflammation £40 for 10ml, kiki-health.com

January 2019 BA LA N CE

F O UN TA IN T HE H A IR MOL E C UL E Two teaspoons of this potent formula, containing biotin and silicon, is enough to protect, strengthen and thicken hair for bouncy, glossy and enviable locks £35 for 240ml fountain.co

WE L L E C O S UP E R E L I X IR GRE E NS Working to counteract acidity in the body, this potent super greens powder, containing 45 premium whole food ingredients, helps boost immunity and brighten skin. It’s also delicious in a smoothie £96 for 300g, welleco.co.uk

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BRIGHT SPOT

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Let there be light

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Reviving skin after a punishing party season could take as little as three minutes a day

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ugh, January. Who gives up alcohol now, when red wine is practically medicinal? Save detox for spring, when the extra light gives you natural energy and the influx of gym newbies have lost their enthusiasm. While a post-workout glow is enviable, light therapy can deliver deeper results. It also requires as much effort as turning on the TV, as I discovered when I tried the DRx SpectraLite FaceWare Pro from Dr Dennis Gross.

This futuristic LED mask from the US dermatologist can rejuvenate skin with a daily three-minute dose over a 10-week period. The mask has three settings: red, blue and red/blue. Red light penetrates deeply into the epidermis to reduce redness and inflammation and soften the look of pigmentation, discolouration, fine lines and wrinkles by boosting collagen. Blue light destroys blemish-inducing acne bacteria to heal breakouts and prevent future ones.

Light fantastic

JESSICA PUNTER

Beauty journalist and stylist Jessica is also a brand consultant with more than 15 years’ experience.

In addition to styling many celebrities, she’s also interviewed some of the world’s most famous faces

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To the

rescue

BEHIND THE MASK After cleansing, I wore the mask for three minutes before bed. I have skin pigmentation, so tested the red light setting for two weeks. People remarked I looked well (always a good sign), but as I packed up the mask to return it, I also kissed goodbye to my smoother visage, as it must be used every day for 10 weeks to maintain the benefits.

Still, if this is the future of skincare, it’s exciting – a clutter-free existence, clear of creams and lotions or aggressive, miseryinducing acne treatments.

The snag? It costs £430, but hear me out. With the different settings, it can treat more than one condition and in just three minutes, more than one person. Admittedly, it’s not for bargain beauty hunters, but if you’re looking at a course of professional light therapy treatment (or totting up annual spend on skincare products and facials), it might start to look like a savvy investment, especially if you share it with flatmates or

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❹ 1. Dr Dennis Gross Skincare DRx SpectraLite FaceWare Pro, £430 cultbeauty.co.uk 2. Glycol Lactic Radiance Renewal Mask, £36 for 50ml renskincare.com 3. Beauty Flash Balm, £32 for 50ml clarins.co.uk 4. UFO Smart Mask Treatment, £249 foreo.com 5. Rescue Mask, £55 for 100ml evelom.com

family. But this isn’t the only option. For half the outlay, you could get the Foreo UFO Smart Mask, which uses hot and cold light therapy to enhance the magic of its interchangeable, 90-second sheet masks.

There are plenty of purse-friendly options, too. Eve Lom’s Rescue Mask (for hungover skin and breakouts); Ren’s AHA-infused warming Glycol Lactic Radiance Renewal Mask (for dull, dry skin); Clarins original Beauty Flash Balm (for tired skin); and Dr Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Universal Daily Peel wipes. It might be dark outside, but your skin can still glow. B

January 2019 BA LA N CE

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Mas

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How to achieve greatness

by Dan Carter

A BIT ABOUT ME As a kid, all I wanted to be was an All Black. I first got to realise that dream in 2003, when I made my New Zealand debut, and went on to live it for 12 more years, playing international rugby. I had the taste to compete at the highest level, but I didn’t want to be just another All Black; I had this desire to be a great. And to be a great, you need to play at the highest level over a considerable period of time.

STEPS TO ACHIEVING SUCCESS

DAYDREAMING Just thinking something isn’t enough. Writing it out is much more powerful. If you just think it, you’re not as accountable

MAKE SURE YOU’RE THE LAST MAN STANDING To be the best in the world, you have to work harder than everyone else in the world; that was my philosophy. Nothing I achieved was about fluke – it was all about the work ethic. I always took pride in making sure I was the last player left in training. And each and every time I train, I train to be the best.

PEN PALS Physically write down your hopes. That doesn’t mean typing them into an iPad. I was a bit old school: pen and paper

KEEP YOUR FEET ON THE GROUND – LITERALLY

HARNESS THE NOW We all waste energy reliving the past. I have worked on learning to focus and bring myself into the moment. It could be when lining up a kick, or concerning anything

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TICK IT OFF in life. Often, I just breathe to bring myself back into the present – something as simple as that; a routine and a process. Suddenly, you’re nailing tasks, and you find your confidence and performances improve immensely.

The highest scorer in Test match rugby history swears by gut instinct and sheer graft

I’d write what I wanted to achieve in a season, and it was a huge feeling to be able to later say: “Yes, I achieved my goals; this is incredible”

GUT TO GREAT There are times when play can feel a little robotic, especially with all the strategy in use. However, part of my success occurred because I bet on my gut feeling; some moments were completely unplanned and just happened – perfectly. Trust, and back, your instinct. B

BA LA N CE January 2019

The outcome

All of this made for a playing career that, at times, felt as if I couldn’t have written the script – especially winning the World Cup in 2015 in my last game and having fought my way back from injuries. I get goosebumps thinking about it, even now

WORDS: JAMES GILL PHOTOGRAPHY: ALAN GELATI

In my third season, I was named World Player of the Year. After that, Steve Tew, the CEO of the All Blacks, used to come up to me and kick my feet. As in, he would physically kick them. After a few times, I asked: “Why did you do that?” and he explained he was making sure my feet were still on the ground. Every year, every time he saw me, he’d kick my feet. It was a nice touch. When things are going well, surrounding yourself with people who can remind you about this stuff is really important.

Explore all the outdoor adventures the mountains and lakes have to offer and find relaxation along the way. Tips for an active time out in Austria: austria.info/ mindfulness

“It is often the small moments in life that become the greatest memories�

Moments in which you can listen to your inner voice and be completely in the here and now. Discoveries like these can be made in so many places throughout Austria.

At one of the hundreds of our mountain lakes, for example, where you have the feeling that your own yearnings are reflected in the perfectly formed landscape.

And when you then see your own reflection in the water, it can be that you recognise someone whom you have rarely seen look so happy.

#FEELAUSTRIA