L I V E
W E L L
L I V E
W E L L
atioL n x a l Re E C I A The
SP
QUIZ: ARE YOU ABOUT TO SNAP? PRE SENT TENSE? STRE SS-FREE G IFT GUIDE MENTAL HEALTH: LET ’S TALK A BOUT SEX
Romesh On why we need to chill the f** k out
NOVEMBER 2018
ISSUE 30 BALANCE.MEDIA
BA LA NC E
COVER PHOTOGRAPHY: NEIL BEDFORD, GROOMING: VICTORIA BOND, STYLING: KRISHAN PARMAR. EDITOR’S PHOTOGRAPHY: IAKOVOS KALAITZAKIS
Welcome
EDITORIAL Editor Sophie Scott
From a young age, we’re told to be productive and stop daydreaming: being outstanding during nap or playtime never made anyone top of the class, sadly. In fact, taking time out to achieve nothing in particular is generally considered a big waste of time and we’ve been conditioned to feel bad when we’re not accomplishing something. But if we continually focus on pouring our energy out - to our friends, family and work - at the expense of our own energy levels, eventually we burn out. I know, because I did. I only took relaxation seriously when I was forced to, so let this be a word of warning; please don’t do the same. Thanks to modern life, our nervous systems are relentlessly over-stimulated (resulting in excess adrenaline and increased heart rate), so we need to consciously activate our parasympathetic nervous system where we can. In the way we factor in time with loved ones and time to exercise, we must factor in time to relax. I recommend blocking out twiceweekly two-hour “refuel” slots and sticking to them, no matter what comes up. Besides that, give yourself a day each month where you literally make no plans. A duvet day may just be your saving grace.
Deputy Editor James Gill Production Editor Jonathan Sever Editorial Assistant Libby Williams Creative Director Kate Monument Art Director Victoria Ireland Deputy Art Editor Jade Cooper-Collins Production Director Dahlia Cuby Thanks to Josh Barnett Website & Social Media Manager Georgia Shepheard Digital Creative Producer Henry Mame TRADING Commercial Director Minal Bhima Advertising Paul Brett, Nick Canane, Stefanie Daniels, Lindi De Souza, Jeremy Saunders Creative Partnerships Rashad Braimah, Hussain Chowdhury CIRCULATION AND DISTRIBUTION Magazine Heroes circulation@balance.media BALANCE PUBLISHING LTD
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GAIN INSIGHT
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Contributors
www.balance.media
Steph Slack Talking cure
Krishan Parmar Rom for improvement
Kate Wilson Drawing on experience
Henrik Ennart Jolly gut fellow
Steph, who penned our Movember feature, is a suicide awareness consultant studying for a Masters in Mental Health, Ethics and Law
Our cover stars are invariably styled to within an inch of their lives. Romesh was no exception, all thanks to Krishan’s threads
Illustrator Kate is creator of Little Doodles. When she’s not doodling, she’s most likely building a fort out of sketchbooks she has hoarded away
The acclaimed food writer has penned a piece about gut health and how food can make you happy. You’re in for a delicious treat
November 2018 BA LA N CE
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 202,717 July-Dec mathematically correct. 2017
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CONTENTS S
R E GU LA RS
11 GOOD NEWS 15 THE MANUAL 57 TREATMENT OF THE MONTH 86 MASTERCLASS: SUZANNE DUCKETT
WORK/ LIFE 16 QUIZ: ARE YOU ABOUT TO SNAP? 31 AUDIO FILES FOR AUDIOPHILES
PSYCH OLOGY
58 HOW SEX EDUCATION CAN HELP END THE STIGMA OF SUICIDE 62 SUPPLEMENT YOUR SUPPLEMENTS
BEAU TY / GROO MING
ARTS / CU LTU RE
83 CREATING A HOME SPA 85 WHY ROSE QUARTZ ROCKS
79 EXPAND YOUR MIND: WHAT’S ON
RY O
3
ST RA
RO
2
on Th N wh e b GA ME y el N S it we ove A H T do a d wn ll n co HA a eed me N no t di tc o t an h ak e
ER O V
pg
69 THE JAPANESE LARDER: UNCOVER THE FIFTH TASTE
TRAVE L 74 A TWO -WHEELED TOUR OF VIETNAM 77 SO NEAR, SO SPA
C
FOOD
November 2018 BA LA N CE
7
November
GOOD NEWS The season of goodwill is starting early, as our uplifting digest of global positivity proves
Charity Nature FOR TREE’S A JOLLY GOOD FELLOW
Politics A WELCOME APPOINTMENT Not every governmental appointment is met with cheers, but this one is different. That’s because Thurrock MP Jackie DoylePrice has been installed as Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Mental Health, Inequalities and Suicide Prevention, and will look to address the stigma of talking about mental health, while aiming to reduce the number of people who take their own life (there were 5,821 suicides registered in the UK in 2017 alone). Turn to page 58 for our special feature on how we can break the taboo of talking about suicide.
In times of global trouble, who will save us all? The answer isn’t “Superman”. However, the real saviour is, arguably, even better than the Man of Steel: trees. Taking root in Frome, The Tree Conference talked up the vital role Mother Nature could play in addressing climate change via reforestation. “There are practical methods and solutions for working with trees that will support the world’s ecosystems,” says The Woodland Trust’s Suzi Martineau, who organised the event. To find out more, head over to thetreeconference.com. This sounds very positive, so for the next few weeks, we’ll all be showing our gratitude to trees by chopping them down and covering them in tinsel…
Science YOUTH IS (NOT JUST) FOR THE YOUNG Eternal youth has long been a topic in some decidedly patchy films, but it could become reality as scientists think they’ve found a way to eliminate “zombie cells” – so called because they cannot die. A team from the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota has been conducting trials on mice, and if you can thwart these senescent cells, you’re on your way to halting the ageing process, especially in the brain. Tyler Bussian, part of the team at Mayo Clinic Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences working on combating age-related diseases, commented, “When senescent cells are removed, we found diseased animals retained the ability to form memories, eliminated signs of inflammation, didn’t develop neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) and maintained normal brain mass.” Next step: eternal life?
November 2018 BA LA N CE
DONATE YOUR HEART & SOLE Want to know a stupefying fact? In Britain today, around 300,000 people are homeless, and this is why ethical footwear manufacturer TOMS is offering a £50,000 grant to Centrepoint, the UK’s leading charity for homeless young people. TOMS has given more than 86,000,000 shoes to disadvantaged kids the world over in the past 11 years, and this grant is their first act of giving in the UK, providing apprenticeships and more. “We estimate 18,000 young people will need support with homelessness this winter,” says Di Gornall, Director of Fundraising at Centrepoint. “TOMS is helping us spread a message of hope – that a homeless young person is not hopeless, and their potential when nurtured can be boundless.” That’s a real winter warmer.
11
GOOD NEWS
TWEET “Kicking off our first monthly #wellnessDay with our favourite @balanceLDN magazine, a pledge for positive change and the start of our five minute workout challenge!” @Banks_Sadler
Health
Campaign Health TURN DOWN THE LIGHTS There are around 700,000 people with autism in the UK, and 3,000,000 affected family members and carers. And that’s just the start, as Mark Lever, chief executive at the National Autistic Society, explains. “Autistic people represent a huge part of our society and shockingly, 28 per cent have been asked to leave a public place for reasons associated with their autism.” So, with those stats in mind, several companies united to support the National Autistic Society’s Autism Hour on 10 October, but supermarket chain Morrisons has gone several steps further. They’ve introduced an autismfriendly quiet hour every Saturday between 9am10am, with music turned off and lights dimmed. Small steps maybe, but a big help.
Such has been the success of Movember – where men grow facial hair in an attempt to promote discussion of male health issues – Mock the Week star Tez Ilyas once wondered if women fancied trying “Fan-uary”. Until that becomes a reality, Movember roars back this year with the likes of Paddy McGuinness, Leigh Francis, Ben Miller and more posing as iconic moustachioed heroes such as Freddie Mercury, Salvador Dali and Charlie Chaplin with a view to raising awareness. To find out more and to discover how you can do your part, visit uk.movember.com.
A CAPITAL TEA
Technology AI, AI… OH It’s easy to scoff at those who smashed the Spinning Jenny (an innovation in weaving which helped kick-start the Industrial Revolution, fact fans!) in the 1760s, so scared were they of advancing technology. Yet many of us are similarly terrified by the rate of change when it comes to all things electronic. Not so Britain’s teenagers, with a whopping 71 per cent of 1116 year-olds recently saying it’s crucial to have access to cutting-edge tech in their daily life. The poll took place at the recent Big Bang Fair, the UK’s largest event aimed at inspiring young people to choose a career in STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths), and was probably taken using tech even Spinning Jenny aficionados think is a tad scary.
BA LA N CE November 2018
There’s always one person in the office who has five cups of tea a day, and you probably think he’s (oh, it’s always a he) a work-shy kitchen-dweller. Well, it turns out they’re having the last laugh, because according to new research, it transpires they’re reducing blood pressure and the risk of heart attack and/or stroke if it’s the black or green variant. Dr Tim Bond, from the Tea Advisory Panel, is lead author of the findings, and says: “Given the huge burden of heart and vascular disease in the UK, even a modest reduction in risk could save thousands of lives.” Cardiovascular disease kills around 150,000 people each year in the UK and accounts for 26 per cent of all deaths, so what are you waiting for? Go and put the kettle on!
WORDS: JAMES GILL
HAIR-RAISING STUFF
TWEET “Interesting interview with Jess Glynne, highlighting no matter what profession, or life, we inhabit, the pressures are the same” @athenadorset
YO U R E S S E N T I A L H A N D B O O K
The
SIX STEPS TO LOWERING YOUR HEART RATE
LAX RE
rebalance
A
user guide
T
IO
N
A furry friend can lower cortisol (the stress hormone) and trigger oxytocin (the trust hormone). If you’re feeling anxious, borrow a friend’s dog and get a boost
Be Kind
ROUTE & BRANCH FOREST
COMPILED BY: JAMES GILL. ILLUSTRATION: ALICE BOWSHER
OM YOUR MARKS SONY WF-1000X EARPHONES
Stress increases your heart rate and a sure-fire way to combat that is get off your phone. Forest is beautifully designed to help you stay focused: plant a virtual tree, then step away from your phone to ensure it grows. forestapp.cc/en, £1.99
AND INSPIRE KINDNESS
by BERNADETTE RUSSELL AND… BREATHE M LIFE BEGINNER’S YOGA MAT
If you’re like us, you’ll talk a great game about meditating - which is proven to lower your heart rate - but struggle to find time to do it. These noise-cancelling headphones turn a packed train into an oasis of calm. sony.co.uk, £180
Us recommending yoga is hardly controversial. However, the health benefits go further than you imagine. Regular yoga helps regulate the autonomic nervous system and lowers the heart rate. If you’re a newbie, this mat is the perfect launch pad. mlifelondon.com, £20
SLUMBER PARTY MASTERS OF MAYFAIR MASK
ICE, ICE BABY WIM HOF EXPERIENCE
One proven way to lower your heart rate is better sleep, which is why Masters Of Mayfair has created this luxury eye mask. Padded and infused with natural lavender essential oil to aid relaxation and ease fatigue, say hello to the blissful land of nod. mastersofmayfair.com, £50
The Wim Hof method combines cold temperatures with heightened breathing to stimulate the body and tap into your inner power. Over time, you could regulate your heart rate. Intrigued? Hear the great man live in London. wimhofmethod.com, 23 February, £132
BEST STROKE SPEEDO SWIMWEAR The health benefits of swimming shouldn’t be understated. Your heart rate increases during a quick dip, but around 13 per cent less when compared to running. Over time, your overall rate decreases. Speedo’s eyecatching range will mean you look great, further boosting your mood. speedo.com
TI P
November 2018 BA LA N CE
M
y home in Deptford displays a neon “Be Kind” sign in the front window. Most days, people take selfies with it and many have told me it inspired them. It provokes conversation and for me, it’s a daily reminder of why kindness matters. The anniversary of its installation (13 November) is World Kindness Day, an annual event showcasing positive, uplifting stories. Like my big beautiful sign, observing acts of kindness gives us ideas and encouragement to do the same. So grab the opportunity this year and share your stories, whether you’re the giver, receiver or witness to the act. Say hello to a stranger, give up your seat on the bus, buy lunch for someone who needs it and be kind and gentle to yourself, too. You may very well inspire someone else to do the same! I’ll be out and about in London, posting my escapades on Twitter (@betterussell) and Instagram (@bernadetterussell). Why not #bekind and join me? The Little Book of Wonder by Bernadette Russell (£7.99, Orion Spring) is out now
15
▲
Yes
▲
No
do you often feel a sense of panic or tightness of breath?
No
No
Yes
In an average day, do you sigh more than you smile?
▲
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Can you talk to Your friends and family about problems and concerns?
No
Are you finding daily tasks overwhelming?
do you have a healthy work-life balance?
Yes
Yes
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a rt h e
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st
Flying off the handle at the smallest thing? It’s time to check if your top is about to blow
are you about to sn ap?
QUIZ
The
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are you finding time to take care of yourself? ▲
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compiled by LI BBY W I LLI AM S
the manual
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Yes
You appear relaxed on the surface, but can get irritated quickly. You may be lacking in energy and focus and are becoming frustrated with everyday things. Poor sleep and diet, drinking too much alcohol and other daily elements of your lifestyle could be to blame for throwing you off balance, so try to get to the heart of the problem by evaluating what it is that’s pushing you to boiling point. Make changes before you reach critical mass, which will bubble over into the red zone. If you’re struggling to get out of your funk, meditation or even cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) could be the key to getting back on track. Dr Mithu Storoni PhD says: “For three hours before bed, avoid food, alcohol, noise and bright or blue light. Try not to have caffeine after 4pm to boost sleep quality. When you wake, natural light will help the body start-up, ready for the day ahead. Don’t use alcohol to unwind. Instead, opt for exercise or a hot bath”
Dr Mithu Storoni PhD, Physician, says: “Take on a challenge where you’ll improve weekly. If you’re training for an event, you’re getting fitter; if you’ve started yoga, do it in front of a mirror to observe progress. Constant improvement fosters self-belief, so if life throws a curveball, you can bounce back”
Orange is not the new black
▲
You’re living a relatively stress-free life, and are able to keep your cool in even the most aggravating situations. Keeping clear lines of communication open with family and friends is key to remaining calm and collected, while getting enough sleep and balancing work and your personal life will help you stay contented and level-headed. With the festive season around the corner, be wary of an increase in stress levels, Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) and fluctuations in mood due to alcohol. If you start to slip into the orange, reset, care for your mind and body and stick to your regular routine.
You've got the green light
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No
Yes
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No
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do you have difficulty sleeping? ▲
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Yes
November 2018 BA LA N CE
Yes
No
Dr Mithu Storoni PhD says: “Releasing endorphins and physical exertion improve mood and tire you out, so enjoy long, gentle workouts. Leaving your desk at lunchtime or reading a gripping book will help you disconnect, and taking slow, deep breaths for 15 minutes with your eyes closed in a serene, quiet place calms the mind”
Seeing red
Yes
▲
Often, the smallest things get on your nerves and cause you to fly off the handle. Try to get to the root of what is making you so stressed by identifying triggers. Is it work? Home life? Finances? Lack of free time? Repressing anger and frustration will result in compounding your emotions until they become too much to control. Be open with family, friends and colleagues about how you’re feeling and they’ll be able to support you and consult your GP, who can refer you to a specialist to teach techniques to keep stress at bay. You can check out the UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP) to find a therapist in your area.
No
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do you over-react in certain situations?
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No
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do you sometimes overeat or lack an appetite? ▲
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Do you become frustrated and irritated easily?
RED MISSED
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17
the manual
FUTURE TENSE
N AV I G AT I O N S L U G
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Watching water, whether that’s looking at the rain or lunching by the Thames, calms the mind and keeps intrusive thoughts at bay in the same way as meditation
hotwire
The Balance team scours the world of cutting-edge health and fitness to keep you on your toes NEWSFLASH
A smarte� workout
IF YO U’ RE DUA MAK EOVER
At £1,200, the Bkool Smart Bike isn’t cheap. But that’s because it’s like a spin class for your house. Not only does it look cool, but the accompanying app boasts over 100 classes from Digme Fitness instructors (and if you’re still trying to justify the outlay, most spin classes are around £15 a time). So, take on the gruelling twists of Alpe d’Huez or the Munda Biddi Trail without leaving your front room. store.bkool.com
The new Statement Collection from adidas has been inspired by the sportswear giant’s network of creators, including pop star Dua Lipa (pictured), actress Shay Mitchell and model Karlie Kloss. As you can see, it’s stunning athleisure that makes as big a statement in the gym as it does in the post-workout brunch bar. adidas.co.uk
Supe�-dupe� fly
a new reality Thanks to the World Cup, it felt like VAR (video assistant referee) captured the public’s imagination in a way VR (virtual reality) hasn’t yet managed. That could change with Google’s Daydream View headset, which doesn’t need cables, a phone or PC, making it perfect for movement. Harnessing WorldSense technology, it also means you don’t need sensors when working out. Is this the catalyst to help VR take off? vr.google.com, £99
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A BIG W HOO P Subscription services provide TV, razors and chocolate, so why not round-the-clock fitness stats? Via a wrist strap, this Boston company monitors your entire body, with Whoop athletes experiencing 60 per cent fewer injuries, 41 minutes better sleep – and 79 per cent less alcohol consumed before bed. whoop.com
WORDS: XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX6.5PT/8PT APERCU
The scamps at Gymbox are always trying to come up with new ways to get you fit. The latest – Superfly – is a beast, as you’re strapped into a harness, before being suspended from a bungee cord where you’ll perform a range of exercises. Not one for after lunch. gymbox.com
C A UNSAV E FI G OAT R C EU RG N I OONN C SL
thee ma m annual ua l th
The
STRESS numbers behind a modern epidemic inde� THE STRE S S SPECTRUM
Eustress
Distress
Accumulative
Good stress (psychological, physical or biochemical) with beneficial effects
The tipping point at which stage helpful stress becomes too much
A build up of stress, causing increased heart rate, breathing and alertness levels
Burnout chronic physical, emotional, psychological, and spiritual fatigue
82
TOP
10 Effects of stress on the body
Workplace worrie�
2. Back and /or neck pain 3. Feeling light-headed, faint, or dizzy 4. Sweaty palms or feet 5. Irritability 6. Muscle tension 7. Feeling overwhelmed
4 in 10
of the UK population now believe they suffer from some sort of anxiety
one-in-five of us say we're more fretful, edgy or tense than five years ago, with health concerns cited as a major worry
1. Trouble sleeping and low energy
MEN WORRY MOST ABOUT WORK PRESSURES, WHEREAS WOMEN ARE MORE CONCERNED ABOUT PERSONAL FINANCES
Since 2013, rates of moderate-to-extreme anxiety and depression among employees has risen by 31 per cent
of us admit to feeling stressed at least some of the time during a typical week, while eight per cent feel stressed all of the time
8. Having difficulty quieting the mind
20
0
11 %
SMOKE
OF BRIGHTON INHABITANTS SAY THEY FEEL “NO STRESS”, MAKING IT THE UK’S LEAST-STRESSED CIT Y
10
28 %
33 %
DRINK ALCOHOL
23%
EXERCISE
20
WATCH TV
30
READ A BOOK
40
39 %
50
LISTEN TO MUSIC
60
42 %
10. Loss of sexual desire
ways people de-stress
51 %
9. Poor concentration and forgetfulness
FESTIVE FRICTION
More than a quarter of UK workers (27 per cent) admit they feel under pressure to participate in, and attend, work events during the festive period
Thirteen per cent report they’ve had difficulty sleeping during the holiday season
While 28 per cent feel pressure to have a “perfect” Christmas, rising to 50 per cent in those diagnosed with conditions like depression
people suffering with anxiety say the condition has led to them avoiding socialising (43%), losing friends (27%), ending a relationship (19%) or losing their job (10%) BA LA N CE November 2018
SOURCES: FLOMOTIONSTUDIO.COM, AXA.CO.UK, PSYCOM.NET, INDEPENDENT.CO.UK, MIND.ORG.UK, HEALTHLINE.COM, HEALTHSPAN
No stress Feeling centred and calm, with a sense you can take most things in your stride
The sum of all fears
S TA N D - U P G U Y
words JAME S GILL photography NEIL BEDFORD
R EL AX EVE RY B ODY, IT ’S
ROMESH The pride of Crawley on modern sensitivity, imposter syndrome and why he’s never (ever) going to believe the hype November 2018 BA LA N CE
23
R
omesh Ranganathan is a full-time comedian. Balance isn’t stating the bleeding obvious there. What we mean is, Romesh has no “off” switch. Within seconds of arriving at our central London photoshoot, the surprisingly strapping (he’s got into boxing training of late) 40-year-old has the entire studio in stitches. The one-time maths teacher is simply imbued with “funny”. Our photographer, Neil Bedford, happens to say how much he loved the hit superhero film Venom, and Romesh is like a dog with a bone, much to Neil’s amusement. “Seriously?” Rom deadpans. “Are you joking?” It’s a spinning plate Rom keeps coming back to. And, later, when we’re shooting a video, he’s making the digital team laugh as he questions their directorial choices. It’s what he does. Being a comedian is in every fibre of his being. Teaching’s loss is definitely comedy’s gain. Of course, Britain has a rich history of producing funny people: Charlie Chaplin, Victoria Wood, Billy Connolly and many more have helped shape our cultural landscape. However, a fear now exists we are losing our sense of humour. Such is the hypersensitivity over seemingly anything and everything, do we all need to just… relax? “I’m a comedian, so by my very nature I am less inclined to be offended,” Romesh reasons. “But I do think we need to calm down. I feel it most when I try out new material. Part of that process is to push it and the audience’s response refines what you do. You go, ‘OK, I’ve gone too far,’ and pull it back. We are getting to a point where comedians are worried about how far they can go, because they’re concerned about what the potential repercussions are going to be. Ultimately what that means is – and I might be being a tad dramatic – comedy will get worse. “At the edges is where the most fertile ground is; if you’re scared to go there, you’re not going to find that. I know comics who’ve said: ‘I’ve got an idea for this, but there’s no way I’ll get away with that.’ Comedy shouldn’t be like that. I often wonder if it’s cyclical and the pendulum will swing back the other way. I think it will.”
24
ROMESH’S FORMULA FOR RELAXATION
COMICS
BA LA N CE November 2018
MOVIES
WORK
S TA N D - U P G U Y
YOU DO ROM, ROM
FAMILY
CALM, MATE
Romesh has been the hottest comedian in the UK for a couple of years now. There’s Straight Outta Crawley, his new autobiography, which backs up the theory the best laughter comes from struggle (spoiler: his success has not been handed to him); his new Sky One sitcom, The Reluctant Landlord, which is largely autobiographical (the Ranganathans really were left to run a pub after Rom’s father passed away); myriad TV projects, including The Misadventures Of Romesh Ranganathan, Judge Romesh and the show which catapulted him to stardom, Asian Provocateur, alongside his beloved mother, Shanthi; and, of course, his main passion of stand-up (Rom hits the road again from September 2019, folks). “I started doing all the TV stuff to encourage more people to see me on tour,” Rom confesses. “I didn’t have any ambition to do TV, then that changed when I started doing shows because I thought they’d be good, like Asian Provocateur. But despite all that, my main love would always be stand-up. The phone might stop ringing and I’ll no longer be the person who gets booked, whereas I’ll always be able to do stand-up. It’s my first love and the thing I enjoy doing more than anything else. “Fame could go at any moment – you just don’t know. Loads of people do stuff and then disappear, and I’ve got imposter syndrome. I’m half expecting a tap on the shoulder to be told I need to pack up my stuff and leave. If that happens, I’ll just keep gigging. I cannot work under the impression this is going to last forever. That is for better or worse in terms of how much stuff I do. I can’t help it.” So where does the desire to keep grafting come from? Perhaps it’s a fear of returning to financial ruin, something which has twice occurred. Born into a middle-class family, the Ranganathans were plunged into crisis when it emerged some of his father’s business dealings were illegal (Rom likens his dad to Del Boy from Only Fools and Horses). He went to prison, meaning mum Shanthi spent time raising her two sons in a council house. The second occasion was when Romesh quit teaching to pursue stand-up fulltime, which brought enormous pressure. “I had two periods of my life where we were absolutely broke. When dad went to prison, the house was repossessed. That was a period of living hand to mouth. Then when I started standup, we had that again. I have an inherent fear of there being a third time. For a while during my childhood, my mum believed some people were
November 2018 BA LA N CE
cursed when it comes to money. She just thought that’s how it is; some people it comes to, some it never does. I wonder if that’s stayed with me. I can’t help it. “When I started doing stand-up I thought, ‘Sh*t, we’ve done it again.’ I’d be silly to think it hasn’t had an impact on my choices. It’s so fickle, and then we were broke: that is the perfect storm for wanting to make hay while the sun shines.” This is where us Britons can let ourselves down. Rather than congratulating someone on showing mettle and resolve to achieve mind-boggling success, there is a minority who take to social media to vent their spleen when someone does well. Is Rom supposed to turn down work because ‘Anon from Gloucester’ is upset? “My rule is if I think something is going to be good, then I’ll do it. Then there are things I think will be good, but not with me in. But I haven’t yet done the one thing I think is going to be my defining moment.” That’s great, right? “But it might never happen!” Rom retorts. “Or maybe it has happened and I’m too arrogant to realise it.” And that mindset is the very essence of Romesh: always striving to be better. “I can’t watch my last tour show. I mean, why the hell would you? It’s insanity. But, when I had to watch it for the edit, it’s difficult because I was just spotting the mistakes. Maybe I’m destined to never be truly proud of anything. God, that sounded w*nky, didn’t it?”
THE CYNIC’S MIXTAPE Despite his success, acclaim and sold-out tours – complete with eye-watering ticket sales rubberstamping his status as one of Britain’s best-loved comedians – Romesh simply cannot believe he’s that good. This isn’t false modesty. He positively squirms at anything approaching praise. “It’s you who knows if your stuff is any good, and there is so much good fortune that has its part to play in all of this,” Rom reasons. “I don’t think I’m a ‘bad’ comic, but I’m nowhere near as good as I want to be, or should be. “I’ve been in the right place and time for stuff, but that’s not directly proportional to my ability. That is because things have just gone right for me. I’d never have got my first Live at the Apollo had it not been for [fellow comedian] Seann Walsh letting me perform at a launch for a TV show where someone saw me. I wouldn’t have got on Mock the Week had the booker not been at a particular gig. I’m grateful for all these things, but that’s not validation of my ability. “I feel very blessed, but that’s not evidence I’m good. Evidence is me knowing. I’ve been lucky,
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S TA N D - U P G U Y
COMEDIANS ARE WORRIED ABOUT HOW FAR THEY CAN GO. THEY’RE CONCERNED ABOUT THE POTENTIAL REPERCUSSIONS
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THE COMIC’S
comics
THE TITLES THAT MAKE ROMESH RELAX
THE WICKED + THE DIVINE
“I found this when some DC and Marvel stuff got impenetrable. You need a degree to read Avengers”
SAGA
I AM INHERENTLY LAZY. BEING SELFCRITICAL’S THE ONLY THING THAT WILL MAKE ME WORK and I think it could all go away in a heartbeat. And if it does? I’ve always got the stand-up to fall back on. That’s the equivalent of my trade. I’ve never had that, ‘This is it, man – you’re on the right track’ moment. It’s very much, ‘OK, that didn’t go sh*t. Let’s try the next thing.’”
BODY OF WORK A settled home life – with wife Leesa and three sons – helps keep Romesh sane, and it’s almost exclusively family time when he’s not working. “I’m really into music, go to watch Arsenal, I love films and reading comics… F***ing hell, that sounds like a Tinder profile! ” Rom concludes. But once Asian Provocateur hit the big time, his world changed. While supporting Scottish superstar Kevin Bridges on tour in 2015, Romesh would do his opening set, then go to local comedy clubs to work up his new material. One night in Manchester proved to be near-impossible, as audience members screeched their love of the BBC hit. “That elevated me to another level of profile,” he says. “And we didn’t expect it. I still get people coming up to me to talk about that show. Something else that shocked me was when BBC Two showed my Irrational tour at Christmas last year. Suddenly, loads of people came up to me
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“Big fan of this. Set in space and incredibly epic, it’s essentially about being a parent”
to say they didn’t know I did stand-up and they really liked it. That is both a huge compliment and a damning indictment of my DVD promotion, because that had been available for a while. I swear some people thought I was a travel presenter who’d given stand-up a go.” Romesh even plays down his voracious work ethic, something which has defined his career since he started stand-up in 2010. “It doesn’t feel like work ethic,” Rom bats back. “I just think that I have to get better, and so I do loads of gigs. And you enjoy it. It’s not like I wake up going, ‘It’s hustle time, baby!’ I just think, ‘I’ve got to get a new 20 minutes of material together.’ “The truth is, I am inherently lazy by nature. Extremely lazy. So being self-critical is the only thing that will make me work. My capacity to do nothing is infinite. Absolutely infinite. The fact that I do a gig and think it wasn’t good enough? If I didn’t have that then, trust me, I’d just be sitting at home.” The sofa’s loss is everybody’s gain. B Straight Outta Crawley (Bantam Press, £20) is out now. The Reluctant Landlord is on Sky One, Tuesdays at 10pm and Romesh’s 2019 UK tour, The Cynic’s Mixtape, is on sale now. For more information, visit romeshranganathan.co.uk
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GOTHAM CITY PD “It’s a little bit like NYPD Blue, except Batman exists”
RAT QUEENS
“It’s been described as Lord of the Rings meets Bridesmaids. It’s actually better than that”
ELEPHANTMEN
“Animals spliced with humans, trained to be soldiers. What’s not to love?”
GROOMING: VICTORIA BOND USING ELEMIS, STYLING: KRISHAN PARMAR. ROMESH WEARS P23: GROOMING: VICTORIA BOND USING ELEMIS, STYLING: KRISHAN PARMAR. ROMESH WEARS P23: LOUNGE TOP BY DAVID GANDY FOR AUTOGRAPH, ROBE BY REIGNING CHAMP AT MR PORTER, GLASSES BY ACE & TATE. P24/25 JACKET BY NEXT, SHIRT BY MAISON MARGIELA AT MR PORTER, TROUSERS BY JIGSAW, SHOES BY ADIDAS ORIGINALS, GLASSES BY ACE & TATE. P27 CARDIGAN BY POLO RALPH LAUREN AT MR PORTER, GLASSES BY ACE & TATE. P28 SHIRT BY GUCCI AT MR PORTER, GLASSES BY ACE & TATE
S TA N D - U P G U Y
P L AY I T BY E A R
AUDIO FILES FOR AUDIOPHILES Commute sucking your will to live? Use the time to foster new ideas with our pick of the top podcasts and audiobooks words JAMES GILL illustrations KATE WILSON
Education
For boosting the old grey matter
THE CHIMP PARADOX Professor Steve Peters If you’ve ever lost your temper and wondered where on earth the retrospectively embarrassing rage came from (and how you can better control the rampage), Peters lifts the lid on that wild chimp in your brain that sometimes runs amok.
THE 7 HABITS OF HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL PEOPLE Stephen R Covey
LEADING Sir Alex Ferguson and Michael Moritz
THE HAPPINESS ADVANTAGE Shawn Achor
One of the greatest self-help books for people who wince at the term “self-help”, this set a new high watermark for anyone wanting to excel both at home and in the workplace. Covey’s work stays with you, too; you won’t wait for things to land on your lap - you’ll actively make them appear there.
Perhaps typically of the legendary ex-Manchester United manager always one for unpredictability - it’s this book about leadership, rather than his two autobiographies, that proves his most revealing. If you’re a manager in an office, or simply want to be a better leader, you’re learning from the best.
Excellent positive psychology crafted to make you happier in the workplace. That “dream job” may not exist, and you most likely need to create professional paradise where you’re currently employed. Achor gives you the tools to rewire your brain to be more positive with extra energy, focus and drive.
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P L AY I T BY E A R
Conversation The best interviews and chat
OPRAH’S SUPERSOUL CONVERSATIONS The podcast equivalent of a nourishing bowl of soup, the self-made billionaire and queen of wellbeing chats with a rich mix of guests. And, because it’s Oprah, the guard is invariably lowered.
AWARDS CHATTER
GRIEFCAST
This weekly podcast from showbiz bible The Hollywood Reporter is a relatively little-known gem to UK audiences. Not only do they land huge, starry names (how about Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks and Barbra Streisand for a Holy Trinity of talent?), but the guests also open up. The Ted Danson episode - where the former Cheers star is refreshingly candid about life on and off-screen - is a standout, while Matthew McConaughey cements his status as Balance office hero with anecdotes from a remarkable life.
Cariad Lloyd made her name as one of the best improvisers around (the comedian is a founding member of Austentatious). Cariad lost her father when she was 15, and she draws on this, as well as her ability to think nimbly, to make for a warm and compelling interviewer, with guests talking about the potentially tricky subject of grief. Before you think, “That doesn’t scream comedy,” there’s nothing quite like laughter in the dark.
THE HIGH LOW Pandora Sykes and Dolly Alderton make for a winning double act on this word-of-mouth smash (if you’re not already on board, we’ll bet you know someone who adores this podcast). The duo talk about the week’s big topics – with a healthy dose of frivolity thrown in for good measure – and, while you might not always agree with what they say, they certainly know how to make a compelling argument. Akin to eavesdropping on two mates having a natter.
Relaxation
Laughter for letting off steam BOSSYPANTS Tina Fey
I, PARTRIDGE Alan Partridge
Everything you want from a comedian’s memoir: the hunger years, breakthrough and then, thanks partly to an uncanny resemblance to Sarah Palin, global stardom. It’s packed with the sort of showbiz titbits you’ll pass off at social gatherings, such as Amy Poehler fiercely scolding Jimmy Fallon during a Saturday Night Live table read after he said she wasn’t being “cute”.
We’ll put our neck on the line and say this is the singular greatest audiobook of all time. The ultimate example of when a narrated version trumps its paper sibling, thanks to Steve Coogan performing his heart out as the beloved, beleaguered Norwich DJ. Partridge showing his dark side on the topic of people saying “Aha!” will have you rewinding and replaying repeatedly.
STRAIGHT OUTTA CRAWLEY Romesh Ranganathan Cramming in as many jokes as possible while telling his life story, this could elicit odd looks as you guffaw on public transport. Rom opens up on his early struggles as a comedian and the passing of his father and, like any great showman, leaves you wanting more.
BORN STANDING UP Steve Martin A fine résumé of a life spent in comedy, Martin reveals how he got into performing, filled stadiums, and then happily quit stand-up at the peak of his powers. Yet it’s his relationship with his dad that stays with you.
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Inspiration
Lost your mojo? Step this way MINDVALLEY
THE TIM FERRISS SHOW
A gift for anyone who wants to crank up their personal development a few notches. Wishy-washy cliches? Not on MindValley’s watch. You’ll find therapists, business leaders and even monks imparting years of wisdom across hard-hitting topics, such as the power of consciousness, manifestation, biohacking and more. If you’re like Balance and listen to podcasts while doing chores, you’ll have an extra spring in your step as you fold the laundry.
The American author broke big with The 4-Hour Work Week in 2007 and, if you enjoyed that, you’ll love this podcast, which crackles with energy and insight. Tim is never shy of an opinion and loves to challenge guests (this is no ego stroke), who are invariably top-class performers in the world of business, arts or sport. You come away from each episode brimming with enthusiasm.
GOOD LIFE PROJECT As well as chatting with life-affirming and inspirational figures, the GLP has created a community. Some podcasts put on live shows in order to unite listeners, but these feel-good folk go further with their Camp GLP gathering, which brings 400 like-minded souls together.
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HOW I BUILT THIS Fascinating insight into how some of the world’s best-known companies came to be. It’s especially energising if you’ve thought about launching a business, as you discover how, for example, Chip Wilson saw a gap in the booming 1990s yoga market before launching Lululemon, or how a stranger inspired Joe Gebbia to start AirBnb. B
Reasons to be jolly
Don’t let the thought of buying presents for your loved ones stress you out. Our ultimate guide to Christmas shopping is the gift that keeps on giving
LIVE WELL LOOK WELL SHOP WELL EAT WELL ACT WELL RELAX WELL
LIVE
Oculus Go VR headset Talk about escapism after a hard day at the office… The 32GB Go has more than 1,000 games and apps £199.95, johnlewis.com
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GIFTS TO ENSURE YOUR NEAREST AND DEAREST WRING EVERY LAST DROP FROM LIFE
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Winsor & Newton Water Colour Tubes Bamboo Box Set You used to love painting, because it made you happy. You’re going to treat yourself, because we said so £61.99, londongraphics.co.uk
23andMe Health + Ancestry Service Your dad will soon be telling you how he’s 60 per cent Angolan £149, 23andme.com
Copper Aztec Cube Terrarium We’ve added one to the office and now think we’re Alan Titchmarsh £39.95, theurbanbotanist.co.uk
Set of 4 Gold Metal Straws A perfect stocking filler, while doing your bit for the planet, too £12, urbanoutfitters.co.uk
Crystal Filled Egg Box A box of healing crystals you don’t have to shell out loads for £30, auntiemims.com
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Try to practice mindful wrapping, whereby you think of the person for whom the gift is intended while paying particular attention to each fold you make as you wrap every gift
Fitbit Charge 3 The new Fitbit gets to know your body to encourage you to up your game £129.99, fitbit.com
How to Play the Piano by James Rhodes Anyone can learn to play a Bach concerto in just six weeks £9.99, Quercus Publishing
Theatre tokens If the in-laws don’t like this, it’s definitely them and not you From £75, theatretokens.com
GIFT GUIDE Benjamin throw Read this out loud on Christmas Day: “I haven’t bought this for me. I’ve bought it for the house, actually…” £220, conranshop.co.uk
The best advent calendars
A Poster a Day Ensures your home will be festooned with words of pure positivity £59.95, juniqe.com
Dyson Pure Hot & Cool™ Cools, heats and cleans the air – ideal for London £549.99, dyson.co.uk
Fever Tree Ultimate Gin & Tonic Advent Calendar We’re all about moderation. And, some nights, a G&T is better than yoga. There, we said it £60, waitrose.com
Say it
with flowers
Weekly flower subscription Or, as it’s known in the Balance office, the ultimate marriage game-changer From £24 freddiesflowers.com
The Potential Principle by Mark Sanborn For anyone who could, frankly, bring a bit more to the table £15.49, audible.co.uk
Kiehl’s Holiday Advent Calendar You’re not being selfish; you’re merely ensuring you’ll be at your best throughout December (wink, wink) £79, kiehls.co.uk
Blue Yeti Nano mic Perfect for finally starting that podcast £89.99, amazon.co.uk
Amazon Echo Show Effectively runs your house, while making it look much cooler £219.99, amazon.co.uk
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Pukka Tea Christmas Calendar Look, a delicious morning tea is more advisable than chocolate £10, pukkaherbs.com
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LOOK
well
REAL BEAUTY COMES FROM WITHIN (BUT, YOU KNOW, THERE’S ALSO NO HARM IN LOOKING NICE)
Beoplay E6 wireless headphones Stunning design and perfect for the gym and yoga £269, beoplay.com
Green
party pants
Habib Hat Perfect present for girlfriends (and, indeed, snowmen) £25 komodo.co.uk
CONSCIOUS by H&M shaping leggings A gift to encourage hitting the gym without hammering your wallet £17.99, hm.com
Jumper to change
Veja V-12 B-Mesh trainers Buy them because they look nice, then tell everyone they’re actually made from plastic bottles €115, veja-store.com
Out of Range duffel Struggling to tell the special man in your life that you wish he’d go to the gym more? Why not use the medium of gift? £128, lululemon.co.uk
Tommy Hilfiger sweatshirt Start any day with a burst of positivity £88, farfetch.co.uk
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Coal Drops Yard, King’s Cross Take refuge at the Beautystack pop-up or Space Frames exhibition in one of London’s coolest new hotspots coaldropsyard.com
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Ecclestone Yards, Belgravia A vibrant hub that boasts the stunning Re:Mind Studios (for a mid-shop meditation) ecclestonyards.com
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St Martin’s Courtyard, Covent Garden A central setting, yet a relatively hidden gem. And a post-shop massage at Relax? Yes, please stmartinscourtyard.co.uk
GIFT GUIDE
Aveda Invati Advanced 3 Step Set Adds life and volume to limp, wintry hair £99, aveda.co.uk
(Malin + Goetz) Peppermint Body Scrub Leaves you feeling so clean, you’ll start to question if you’d been hitherto filthy £28, malinandgoetz.co.uk
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Clinique for Men Maximum Hydrator Just ensure he moisturises more than twice a year £33.50, clinique.co.uk
bareMinerals Dirty Detox Skin Glowing & Refining Mud Mask “Oh yes, I could get used to this” said literally any man who’s ever tried a mud mask £32, bareminerals.co.uk
REN Evercalm Overnight Recovery Balm Thoughtful gift for any family member with sensitive skin £40, renskincare.com
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L’Oreal Botanicals Lavender Hair Mask “Oh, you shouldn’t have.” You barely did – but it helps hair and your savings £9.99, boots.com
The Microdelivery Detoxifying Oxygen Peel Both a mask and a facial. So, granddad’s sorted £44.50, philosophyskincare.co.uk
Unleash your creative side by making your own Christmas cards. The colouring, sticking and cutting will promote mindfulness, relaxation and a heightened sense of wellbeing
Antipodes Apostle Brightening Serum “Merry Christmas, sis – please look less drab” £46.99, planetorganic.com
Maison Francis Kurkdjian Apom Eau de Toilette If buying a gift for a tricky couple (say, your sister and brother-in-law) was golf, this scores a hole-in-one Pour Femme £140, Pour Homme £130, johnlewis.com
Skinsmiths The Minis One of those oh-so-rare gifts that falls under the magical file marked “Feels much more expensive than it actually is” £24, skinsmiths.com Perfect pair
His n’ hers
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GIFT GUIDE
EAT
ACT
well
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REMEMBER: CHRISTMAS FOOD GOES WAY BEYOND TURKEY AND FERRERO ROCHER Rare & Unusual Cheese gift box Your father-in-law is oddly tricky to buy for, right? Not any more! £28.95, thecourtyarddairy.co.uk
Kombucha Brewing Kit Good for your gut, while the process of making it can be positively meditational $49, thekombuchashop.com
ZSL Adopt an animal If you adopt a giraffe, you also get to ride it round London on weekends. OK, we made that bit up, but this gift helps the Zoological Society of London’s worldwide conservation work £25, shop.zsl.org
Say cheese
Made in the UK
Smeg ECF01 coffee machine Looks beautiful and makes great coffee. Win-win £259.95, johnlewis.com
Champagne Grand Cru Rosé Vegan champers: perfect for the pal preparing for Veganuary £55, thomsonandscott.com
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Seedlip Grove 42 Show a non-boozing pal you really care £27.99, seedlipdrinks.com
Using a thumb, push down into your other hand between the thumb and index finger to get energy moving through the body. For extra relief use a dab of lavender oil on the pressure point
Dovetail Matcha set A very thoughtful gift, unless you buy it for yourself… £39.95, harveynichols.com Demi Salt & Pepper Shaker Set Marquee signings for any Instagram-able Christmas dinner table £28, anthropologie.com
BeWater Joy Balance Re-usable bottle with chamber of gemstones £22.39, planetorganic.com
Beam donation Want to do more to help the homeless, but don’t know how? This incredible charity offers training while inspiring homeless people to become the person they know they can be beam.org
Wonderland x Anthony Burrill print Designer Anthony’s prints are about spreading love; all proceeds go to the Kindly Collective £100, wonderlandcomms.com
Booja Booja Hazelnut Truffles Dairy, gluten and soya free, yet still delicious £7, waitrose.com
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Gardening Tools, Training & Seeds If you’re buying for someone who has everything, you can also help those with very little. This assists families in poor regions grow their own food £62, musthavegifts.org
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GIFT GUIDE
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Ribbon Wave Classic Pyjama Set Men often need inspiration when it comes to gifts. Here it is £365 yolke.co.uk
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BECAUSE NECKING HALF A BOTTLE OF SHIRAZ DOESN’T REALLY COUNT AS “UNWINDING”
Bose Noise-Masking Sleepbuds If your partner snores, you’d pay anything for a good night’s sleep £229.95, bose.co.uk
This Works Sleep Together Not just a canny title: this has been proven to aid sleep £28, thisworks.com
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Votary Soy Wax Candle Lavender, rose and chamomile essential oils unite with calm in mind £45, votary.co.uk
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Try counting backwards slowly from 10, taking a deep breath in on the even numbers and a slow breath out on the odd numbers
Dr Bronner’s Hemp Lavender Pure-Castille Soap Hemp? Tease nan that she’s now technically smoked a doobie £19.49, drbronner.co.uk Inhale Exhale prints Two gifts for the price of one: they look great, and remind you not to die Set of 2 for £20, blimandblum.co.uk
Elemis Life Elixers Calm Bath & Shower Oil Further motivation to run a bath £55, elemis.com Herbivore Calm Bath Salts Calming, relaxing and infused with mineral-rich Himalayan salts, these are perfect for a bath and absolutely disgusting in tea £16, spacenk.com Sing when
you’re winning
Crystal singing bowl Find the right note for your frequency From £675, crystal-singing-bowls.co.uk
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Personalised Men’s Alpaca Lounge Socks Because he won’t wear his slippers from last year £39, solesmith.co.uk
S N O OZ E O F T H E WO R L D
SLEEP MYTHS ! busted
Alice Gregory debunks common tales about sleep that have left you living in a dream land EVERYONE NEEDS EIGHT HOURS OF SLEEP PER NIGHT The amount of sleep we need changes throughout our lives. For example, the National Sleep Foundation recommends that within a 24-hour period, pre-schoolers should get 10-13 hours, teenagers eight-10, and the middle-aged sevennine. However, these guidelines focus on “average” requirements, so it is also true that one size does not fit all. Indeed, an adolescent might need as few as seven, or as many as 11 hours each night.
PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES
THE MORE SLEEP YOU GET, THE BETTER Missing out on sleep is not good for us, so does it follow long sleepers are particularly healthy? Apparently not, as studies have reported associations between long sleep and cardiovascular disease, obesity and even mortality. As to why this might be, sleeping for long periods could reflect an underlying problem with health. When we doze for long periods, our patterns might become fragmented, meaning we are getting less of the type of sleep that we need. What’s more, just as shift workers can struggle with their wellbeing because they are awake when their bodies are better suited to being asleep, perhaps long sleepers are the opposite. But the biggest take away is we need to understand much more about the reasons for the links between long sleep and poor health before we can make clear recommendations
about whether or not we should restrict our sleep.
IF YOU CAN’T FALL ASLEEP, YOU NEED TO TRY HARDER It’s important not to spend time in bed tossing and turning and stressing out about sleeplessness, which only results in us associating our beds with being awake and feeling anxious. Instead, if sleep is not forthcoming we should get out and do something relaxing elsewhere and return to our beds only when we’re ready to sleep. What’s more, we shouldn’t need to “try hard” to sleep. It should ideally come automatically and not be contrived. When we start focusing on it too much, problems can result.
IT’S FINE TO MISS OUT ON SLEEP DURING THE WEEK, AS LONG AS YOU CATCH UP AT THE WEEKEND Many of us work and play hard during the week – and then use our weekends to catch up on missed kip. This situation
is not ideal, as discrepant sleep timing between weekdays and the weekend can mess with our body clock, which, in turn, can lead to feelings of jetlag (referred to as “social jetlag”). On Sunday night, we have to effectively navigate back time zones to cope with work on a Monday morning, so should we avoid the weekend lie-in? Not necessarily, as a lie-in can help us cope with a stressful week. We need to balance the need for consistency with getting enough kip – so if you need a lie-in, perhaps try not to change your schedule by more than two hours.
ALCOHOL OR A NIGHTCAP WILL HELP YOU NOD OFF Booze is used by some people to help them get shut eye. Alcohol mimics the effects of gamma-Aminobutyric acid (GABA), a central neurotransmitter involved in sleep, so consumption can help us drift off quicker, and help us sink into a deep sleep. This might make a nightcap sound like a good remedy if we’re struggling to doze, but that is not the case. During the second half of the night, we are more likely to wake and if we’ve drunk a lot, the composition of our sleep can be affected – and we miss out on Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep. B Alice Gregory’s new book, Nodding Off: The Science of Sleep from Cradle to Grave, is out now (Bloomsbury, £14)
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*PARTNER BENEFITS ARE AVAILABLE WITH CERTAIN VITALITY PLANS. MINIMUM MONTHLY PREMIUM AND TERMS AND CONDITIONS APPLY. CHAMPNEYS: MAXIMUM OF 3 BOOKINGS EACH PLAN YEAR. EXCLUDES EASTWELL MANOR AND MOTTRAM HALL. GYM: ONE DISCOUNTED GYM MEMBERSHIP PER ADULT MEMBER AVAILABLE AT SELECTED GYMS ONLY. A JOINING FEE OF UP TO £75 WILL APPLY. OCADO: DISCOUNT RANGES BETWEEN 10-25% DEPENDING ON ACTIVITY AND VITALITY STATUS. MONTHLY SPEND CAP APPLIES. VISIT VITALITY.CO.UK/REWARDS FOR DETAILS
BALANCE PROMOTION
Life’s what you make it Your health and life insurance can be positively rewarding, thanks to Vitality
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here are lots of things we postpone. Putting up that shelf? Maybe next year. Learning a new language? Do that mañana. Inviting the neighbours round? Hold that thought. However, some things we put on the back burner really do need doing sooner rather than later, and these include sorting out your health and life insurance. No doubt that previous sentence had you rolling your eyes - and that’s where Vitality comes in. Vitality offers positively different health and life insurance, and wants to actively encourage a healthier lifestyle. As multiple Gold medal-winning athlete Dame Jessica Ennis-Hill says, “To me, Vitality means making the most of who you are and being rewarded for your hard work getting healthy. It’s about achieving a great quality of life.” It’s this ‘quality of life’ Vitality helps you with. You can get savings on health checks and guidance as to how to achieve a healthier lifestyle, supported by an array of online tools, discounts on monthly gym membership fees, a pair of sports shoes and activity trackers. There are also treats awarded on a regular basis for reaching targets and hitting goals. This is Vitality’s way of combining a healthy lifestyle with personal development, ensuring you’re the best version of yourself you can be, and the reason Vitality’s Defaqto 5-star rated protection does what it does. It’s there to encourage you to be healthy – and to look after you when you’re not. The benefits really are extraordinary. VitalityHealth and VitalityLife members can
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A balanced diet is a key ally on the road to fitness. To encourage improved eating habits, get up to 25 per cent off healthy food from Ocado
Earn Vitality points for tracking your activity, and you could benefit from regular rewards like a Starbucks drink and a cinema ticket
Fancy working out for less? You can enjoy up to 50 per cent off monthly gym memberships, thanks to Vitality’s national Partner Gym Network (joining fee applies)
get an Amazon Prime annual membership, or if you’re a wearable technology fan, get active with an Apple Watch Series 4 GPS. And if you’ve hit the gym a little too hard, how about 75% off Champneys spa days and stays of up to three nights?* It’s all part of the genius of Vitality, so make your personal insurance plans work as hard as you work out. BA LA N CE November 2018
For more information, about Vitality health and life insurance, visit vitality.co.uk/balance @VitalityUK @Vitality_UK @vitality_uk
HALE TO THE CHIEF
Inhale, relax...
Practicing a regular, mindful breathing exercise can be calming and energising words RICH IE B O S T O CK
PINTS SIZED The average person breathes in the equivalent of 13 pints of air every minute
WASTE DISPOSAL
LOW DOWN Controlled breathing not only keeps your mind and body functioning at their best, it can also lower blood pressure
Seventy per cent of waste is eliminated through your lungs just by breathing
1-2-1 BREATHING TECHNIQUE
PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES
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here are plenty of ways to find calm when you feel stressed or overwhelmed – and not all of them involve a 90-minute massage. Nature has given us a design feature that can help us do this any time, any place, anywhere. All you need is your breath and five minutes (or less) of your time. Understanding and using breathing purposefully is a major skill that can enhance every aspect of your life. By breathing deeply, you allow the diaphragm to drop downward and the rib cage to expand, creating more space for the lungs to inflate which, in turn, increases the oxygen flowing into the body. This will eventually help the pace of your heart to slow down and create feelings of calmness and relaxation.
THE BREATH GUY
Richie Bostock is founder of Xhale Breathwork, a company dedicated to sharing basic breathing techniques with the masses. He has trained under multiple breath masters, such as Wim Hof, Judith Kravitz and Dan Brule @thebreathguy xhalebreathwork.com
November 2018 BA LA N CE
What’s involved? One part inhale, two parts exhale, one part pause How does it work? Unlike other breathing exercises, this shifts your nervous system from action mode to rest, with an almost instant effect When should I do it? Any time you feel stressed or anxious. Do it lying down at home, sitting at your desk or on your commute to work Step 1 Place one or both hands over your belly button Step 2 Breathe in, inhaling through your nose. Feel your hands rise a few centimetres, then fall as you exhale Step 3 Try this gentle rhythm: three seconds inhale; six seconds exhale; three second pause. If that’s comfortable, extend each part of the breath (so 4-8-4, or 5-10-5) Step 4 Repeat for three minutes and feel your whole body completely relax B
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CREATIVE THERAPY
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IO
N
TI P
Take time out to read poetry. Allowing yourself to focus on the words of romance and nature will bring you a sense of tranquillity
If you think meditating means sitting around doing nothing, these activities will soon change your mind words GEORGIA SHEPHEARD photography VICTOR HABBICK VISIONS
W
hen was the last time you picked up a paintbrush, a pair of knitting needles or an instrument? Chances are not since school, which is no surprise considering a recent Rest Assured study found that us Brits have just 40 minutes of downtime per day to relax. If even 40 minutes of relaxation sounds like a luxury you can’t afford (perhaps you feel immense guilt when you’re not hustlin’), hypnotherapist and relaxation teacher Dipti Tait emphasises the importance of relaxation. “It’s important to learn and practice the skill of relaxation to get useful neurochemistry, like serotonin, dopamine and oxytocin fuelling us, which make our lives much more happy, clearer and peaceful.” But how can we practice the skill of relaxation effectively? Well, for starters, to reap the neurological benefits of creative therapy, we must switch off (digitallyspeaking) and turn on the faucet of our creative juices. Inspired? Express yourself this month by trying out one of these creative classes in the capital.
PINCH POTTERY Dipti Tait suggests “real relaxation is when the brain gets a chance to switch off from conscious thought and we engage in activities that help us to use our imagination”. So, what other activity engages both sides of the brain better than
Balance recommends Pinch Pots with M.Y.O Book here myo.place/ myo-borough
pottery? The right hemisphere conceptualises the design, while the left brings it to life, and the beauty of pinch pottery in particular is that rough edges and fingerprints are a given – not something to stress about. Over the course of three sessions at M.Y.O mould, pinch, fire, paint
Cost £80 for three sessions
and glaze your earthenware clay into a beautiful piece of pinch pottery to take home for yourself, or as a Christmas gift. PERFECT FOR… Those who don’t mind getting their hands dirty
November 2018 BA LA N CE
Time 150 minutes per session
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N AV I G AT I O N S L U G
IKEBANA
ORIGAMI In a world where we often wish to skip process in order to enjoy the end product sooner, the practice of Origami forces you to slow down and enjoy the steps that get you there. Dipti Tait explains “true relaxation occurs only when our brains feel still afterwards”, and with
Balance recommends Lavender Home Origami Workshops, Ladbroke Grove Book here lavenderhome.co.uk
nothing but a piece of paper required for this activity, it will certainly help empty your mind of any worries, while also improving hand-eye coordination and memory skills. PERFECT FOR… Anyone looking to learn a skill that they can practice Ikebana is the ancient
on the go
Cost £45 per session
Time 120 minutes
Japanese art of flower arranging, and the principle is simple: by creating a
HOT CHOCOLATE MEDITATION
LOOM WEAVING
with beautiful brush lettering, but
This therapy will help ground you
more yarn”, weaving is as much
the practice itself is far more
in the present, with a guided
about self-expression (you choose
meditative than first meets the
meditation enjoyed over a mug of
the colours and textures to weave
eye. For starters, it requires you
dairy-free hot chocolate. “Focusing
with) as it is calming. The repetitive
to be wholly present in the
on just one thing”, begins therapist
and methodical nature of using a
moment and to let go of all the
and coach Joanne Sumner, “helps
pedal weave loom helps you find
tension in your body to achieve
you to release tensions - physically
what Cognitive Behavioural
the perfect flick of the wrist –
and mentally. It restores a sense
Therapist (CBT), Elisabeth
something that isn’t possible while
of perspective, and when it’s
Thompson has coined ‘flow’ – that
you’re scrolling on your iPhone, or
something you love, also a sense
being the balance of doing what is
fretting about tomorrow.
of wellbeing.” At Balance HQ, we
both a challenge, enjoyable and
can confirm chocolate certainly falls
holds our attention. “When we are
into that category!
in flow, thoughts come and go but
bouquet (often in silence),
BRUSH LETTERING
it becomes a meditative
Pinterest and Instagram are awash
arrangement itself reflects the arranger. Through regular practice, it can help uncover innate creativity and in turn, you may find yourself basking in a sense of achievement, which is the ultimate mood booster. PERFECT FOR… Anyone who needs time away from the hustle and bustle of the city
PERFECT FOR… Those with a
to reconnect with themselves
delicate touch and in need of an
Balance recommends The Ohara School of Ikebana - England Chapter
Book here oharaenglandchapter. co.uk/
Cost Price on application
Time 180 minutes
Described as “therapy with just
because we are really focusing on
analogue outlet. Just try not to turn
PERFECT FOR… Anyone who needs
the task at hand, we accept them
the practice into an Etsy side hustle
to slow down and switch off – and
but don’t engage with them.”
and enjoy it for what it is!
who also has a sweet tooth
Balance recommends The Lovely Drawer Workshops, West Elm, Westfield
Balance recommends Food at Heart’s Mindful Hot Chocolate Meditation
Book here thelovelydrawer.com/brushlettering-workshops/
Book here foodatheart.co.uk/events/mindful -hot-chocolate-meditation-nov/
Cost £60 per session
Cost £20 per session
PERFECT FOR… Anyone looking for
Time 120 minutes
BA LA N CE November 2018
Time 90 minutes
a calming state of flow B Balance recommends The London Loom, Hackney Downs Book here thelondonloom.com/workshops/
Cost £50 per session
Time 120 minutes
PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES
practice in which the
B A L A N C E I N A S S O C I AT I O N W I T H
TheN C E LA B A de to gui
Pure breathing Home is your ultimate sanctuary, but a host of unwelcome pollutants share your space. Thankfully, there’s an easy way to show them the door November 2018 BA LA N CE
B A L A N C E I N A S S O C I AT I O N W I T H
Home improvem Cooking Some stoves release nitrogen dioxide, a potentially harmful gas
Cleaning products Household supplies can emit volatile organic compounds (VOCs)
* TESTED TO EN1822. PARTICLES AS SMALL AS 0.1 MICRONS
B
reathing is the foundation of everything. When we’re stressed, we breathe too quickly. In order to get centred, it’s essential we inhale deeply and calmly. Given we spend 90 per cent of our lives indoors, it’s crucial the air we breathe is pure and fresh. But, just because we can’t see potentially harmful indoor airborne pathogens, it doesn’t mean they’re not there. That’s why Dyson’s stunning new Pure Hot & Cool™ purifying fan heater has got everybody talking. As the name suggests it both heats and cools, which is perfect for Britain’s unpredictable weather. Sudden burst of summer? Whack on the cooler. Beast from the East making an unwelcome comeback? Time for a warm front. What’s more, it automatically removes 99.95 per cent* of indoor airborne allergens and pollutants and, given London’s pollution levels regularly breach legal safe limits, it’s no wonder Dyson’s innovation has got tongues wagging. Put simply, it makes the invisible, visible. Highly engineered, it radiates form and function and crucially, performs a different role in each room of your home. Want to ensure your family is breathing cleaner air? Place it in the living room. Need to add warmth to the bedroom, without notching up the thermostat? Set it to auto mode overnight. Looking to neutralise cooking odours? It’s even better in the kitchen than your favourite cookbook. But don’t just take our word for it. Get your hands on the new Dyson Pure Hot & Cool™ purifying fan heater, and see why it’s the hottest coolest new gadget around.
Using the free Dyson Link app, you can monitor air quality in your home remotely and view reports on your purifier’s activity
Candles Scented candles contain limonene, which can cause a hazardous build up
BA LA N CE November 2018
ment
Everybody’s talking about the new Dyson Pure Hot & Cool™ purifying fan heater Paint Drying paint releases volatile organic compounds (VOCs)
Outdoor pollution Open windows can let in car fumes and other external pollutants
Pollen Flowers release pollen and allergens into the air
WE SPEND, ON AVERAGE
Pet hair Dander lingers in the atmosphere
90%
OF OUR LIVES INDOORS
November 2018 BA LA N CE
Furniture Some furnishings emit gaseous chemicals, such as formaldehyde
View pollution levels on the new Dyson Pure Hot & Cool™ purifying fan heater’s LCD screen
Impeccable room service throughout the home
* TESTED TO EN1822. PARTICLES AS SMALL AS 0.1 MICRONS
Making the invisible, visible
Living room
Sometimes, especially throughout winter, you want to heat one room consistently. More often than not, that’s the living room – the hub for friends and family. Thanks to the accompanying free and easyto-use Dyson Link app, set a target temperature and the Dyson holds it there. Plus, patented Air Multiplier™ technology distributes air into the far reaches of a room and circulates it, making it perfect for a clean sweep. And with gasses like nitrogen dioxide from wood-burning fires, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) found in air fresheners, furniture, candles or your carpet all present, the new Dyson Pure Hot & Cool™ purifying fan heater removes 99.95% of pollutants*.
LIVING T HE B AL AN CE LI FE
Bedroom
Your bedroom is a personal haven, but even the most sacred boudoir can play host to unwelcome indoor airborne irritants. These pollutants can come from spritzing perfume, deodorant or dry shampoo, to dust from rugs and carpets and dander from pets, while pollutants from other commonplace items, including your mattress, may also be present in the air. These need to be dealt with regularly and
efficiently. The new Dyson Pure Hot & Cool™ includes a night-time mode which both dims the display and activates a “quieter” setting (perfect for light sleepers), meaning your slumber won’t be affected and you can breathe cleaner air while you snooze. And as it’s an efficient way to create warmth, should you want to cosy up you can increase the temperature using the remote control.
BA LA N CE November 2018
Three members of the Balance team have been putting the new Dyson Pure Hot & Cool™ purifying fan heater through its paces. Visit balance.media to discover the impact it has made on their busy lives
GEORGIA SHEPHEARD (23) Media manager, polluted flat “I was surprised the Dyson was triggered by seemingly innocent items, like hairspray and scented candles”
B A L A N C E I N A S S O C I AT I O N W I T H
IN T HE AIR T ONIGHT
NEARLY
%
Of the capital’s population live in areas that exceed legal limits for air quality by 50% or more
Beeswax and soy candles not only last longer than regular, scented candles but are non-toxic, less likely to trigger allergies and produce very little soot
Bathroom
HENRY MAME (30) Digital producer, warehouse-dweller
JAMES GILL (40) Deputy editor, family man
“Living in a warehouse has its perks, but it’s a shame the smoking ban doesn’t extend to where I live. The Dyson has really stepped up”
“It’s all about peace of mind. With two young kids, it’s reassuring to have the purifier on. And that heater is set for a busy winter…”
Poor patrol Air toxicity has been at illegal levels in urban areas in the UK since 2010
£18.6 B N
SOURCES: THE GUARDIAN, IMPERIAL UNIVERSITY, LONDON.GOV.UK, POLITICO.COM
The app receives real-time updates on air quality both inside and outside your house. While you may think you’re giving areas an airing, opening a window, which is often tempting in the bathroom, doesn’t necessarily mean you’re letting “fresh” air in. Lingering odours and airborne pollutants from deodorant, air fresheners, cleaning products, mould and mildew are also shown the door.
The lemon and pine scents we use to make our homes smell fresh can react chemically to generate air pollutants, while ozone-based air fresheners also cause airborne indoor particles
IN THE FIRST MONTH OF 2018, SIX SITES IN LONDON HAD ALREADY EXCEEDED ANNUAL AIR POLLUTION LIMITS. THESE WERE: WALBROOK WHARF, BRIXTON ROAD, MARYLEBONE ROAD, THE STRAND, PUTNEY HIGH STREET AND BEECH STREET
Estimated cost of air pollution and social care by 2035
POLLUTION IS NOT FORECAST TO FALL BELOW LEGAL LIMITS UNTIL
2028
Air-borne identity The everyday items polluting your inner sanctuary Venting anger Unvented gas stoves, woodburners and fireplaces are a major source of harmful particles and nitrogen dioxide in the home
November 2018 BA LA N CE
Take a seat Flame retardants, stain-resistant coatings and other coatings on furniture are indoor pollution suspects
Air force Compared to older, draughtier homes, newer builds have an air exchange rate of just 20 per cent
Clean living? Irritant chemicals in personal care products, like deodorant and hairspray, are released into the air with every use
B A L A N C E I N A S S O C I AT I O N W I T H
Breathe easy
The ct produ
A welcome new addition to your family The bundled curved remote control magnetically connects to the purifier, so you’ll never lose it
In diffused mode, air is projected through the back of the machine, meaning you can still purify in the depths of winter without suffering from the chill of the airflow
Air Multiplier™ technology distributes up to 290-litres of smooth, powerful airflow per second, circulating purified air throughout an entire room
The heater’s ceramic plates warm air as it leaves the machine. Once the target temperature is reached, it stops heating to save energy
The amplifier moves air equally around a room for consistent, even heating, performing much better than a conventional fan heater
A beautiful LCD screen visualises real-time air quality. This is Dyson’s way of making the invisible, visible
* TESTED TO EN1822. PARTICLES AS SMALL AS 0.1 MICRONS
Three intelligent sensors continually monitor air quality, detecting airborne particles and gasses, then report back in real-time
With 350 degrees of oscillation, air mixes and circulates to heat or cool you, anywhere in the room
Two filters ensure the air remains clean. These capture 99.95% of allergens and pollutants*
Remote control Connect your new Pure Hot & Cool™ to your smart phone to view realtime air quality, create schedules for auto or night-time mode, or set a sleep timer, all with simple, spoken instructions
@Dyson
@Dyson
@dyson
To find out more, visit dyson.co.uk/pollution or get hands on at Dyson Demo, 447 Oxford Street, W1C 2PR BA LA N CE November 2018
SHELL SHOCK
e mont
h
e at m e n
t of th
mayan egg cleanse
tr
Is your soul a little scrambled? Meet the egg man, who might have a few techniques you could poach
WORDS: JAMES GILL, LAURA HILL. ILLUSTRATION: ACUTEGRAPHICS.CO.UK
T
alk about egg on your face. As regular readers will attest, I’m an openminded chap. But the thought of a Mayan Egg Cleanse was almost an alternative step too far, even for me. Was someone really going to cleanse my soul with an egg? Spoiler: the answer is… not yet. But this ancient healing act proved fascinating. Roland Torikian, from the renowned Triyoga in Camden, is lively and charismatic. The Maya Healer hands me an egg – a regular, supermarket-bought egg, which will cleanse my aura and enable Roland to offer an evaluation – and asks me about myself. The nervous waffle kicks in. I’m incapable of relaxing, a textbook child of divorce; anxious. As I worry I’ve shared too much (or not enough), Roland holds my gaze. “I’m not buying it.” These are labels we use, he argues – hiding mechanisms. And I wasn’t born this way, either. Rather, this is a result of “karmic thrust”: I’ve been like this in previous lives. “So, 1550s me was an over-
well informed HAPPINESS DOES HAVE A PRICE, AND PAYING IT MIGHT FINALLY LEAVE YOU FEELING FULFILLED
thinker?” I whimper, certain there’s no way that can be what he means. “Exactly!” he beams. Some of you will have tapped out at “previous lives”, however Roland is so patient and passionate in his explanation, it’s impossible for me not to join his journey. I’m still holding the egg, nervously passing it from hand to hand, and Roland starts to “pulse” me (feeling for a reaction in both wrists). Twice, he uses the word “aggressive” and I think, “Not once have I said aggressive. WHY DOES HE THINK I’M AGGRESSIVE?” Roland takes the egg, rubs it on my head, shoulders and back, then cracks it into a glass to essentially read the findings. “Look at the bubbles at the top: anger. Are you angry?” “Perhaps in my youth. It’s there, but I manage it.” Anger, Roland says, is good, and I should express it, just like all emotion. “You have lots of energy.” Again, spot on. Examining the marked yolk, he says I’m damaged by the things I’d talked about. These sensations I feel
Money can’t buy you love, but according to Harvard Business School, it can buy you happiness – sort of. Six thousand adults were asked to rate their overall sense of satisfaction, and whether they felt stressed about not having enough personal time. Participants also revealed if they spent money on services that bought them
are real. I feel oddly vindicated. A massage proves quite the gear change, and he senses tension in my stomach. This is emotional, rather than physical, pain, he says. I take his word for it. This will take more than one session, although I have already taken on his advice: I’ve returned to swimming to do more cardio, and use a foam roller to de-knot my shoulders. In fact, there’s only one downside – I’ve not touched an omelette since. B
CRACKING CONCLUSIONS Give it a go If this is your “thing”, you have to do it – it proves a journey of the self. If it’s not, you won’t have got beyond the title
BOOKING INFO Cost From £75
free time, such as help with cleaning, shopping or laundry. Money for old hope Those who paid their way out of time-consuming chores reported a 23 per cent increase in overall satisfaction, suggesting retail therapy isn’t the best happiness boost. Most of us can agree on the positive effects that come
September 2017 BA LA N CE
High point It provided the spur to do more cardio
Booking info info@ mayamedicine. co.uk
Low point My pure, nervous waffle at the top
with spending money on enriching experiences, but with adult life regularly feeling like an endless battle against dirty dishes, shopping lists and piles of unwashed clothing, buying our way out of stressful situations seems just as beneficial. Laura Hill, Senior Editor, welltodoglobal.com
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With the leading cause of male deaths up to age 45 being suicide, could sex education provide the cues to starting conversations and breaking the taboo?
save life
How to a
words STEPHANIE SLACK
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TA L K M E T H R O U G H I T
B
y the end of today, 12 men in the UK will have taken their own life. Suicide is preventable, yet remains the most likely cause of death for our brothers, fathers, sons or, as in my case – uncles – until the age of 45. Alarmingly, threequarters of completed suicides involve male subjects. We all have men in our lives who we love, care about and want to keep safe, and it is my biggest wish that no other family has to experience a bereavement by suicide. Yet it’s rare we have open and frank conversations about the topic, and I can’t help but think: why is that? The more I reflect, and the more conversations I have with my male friends,
the more I believe it’s because we still view suicide, and having suicidal thoughts, as taboo, or abnormal. This isn’t all that surprising when you consider suicide was only decriminalised in England and Wales in 1961.
OFF THE TABLE Generally speaking, men are expected to be strong, dependable and able to provide security and financial support. However, these stereotypes don’t do any justice to the complexity of what it means, or how it feels, to be a man. Rather, they lead us to blurt out futile expressions like “man up” and “pull yourself together”, or to have awkward reactions to seeing men cry. Is it really any wonder men might not feel able to talk openly about the
November 2018 BA LA N CE
challenges they face, for fear of judgement? Instead, we all stay silent and suicide remains shrouded in stigma. Because the thing is, it’s uncomfortable to talk about suicide like it’s uncomfortable to talk about sex, especially with our children. Often it’s tempting to think: “If we don’t talk about it, it won’t happen – our kids won’t have sex”. It’s equally tempting to think the same with suicide. The biggest fear I hear from people is they think that by talking about the unthinkable, they’ll plant a seed in someone’s head. But we know this isn’t true. Suicide prevention organisations, such as Samaritans, tell us talking openly and responsibly about suicide is important to help reduce the feelings of shame and the stigma associated with it and ensure
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TA L K M E T H R O U G H I T
LIFE LINES MIND YOUR LANGUAGE Avoid stigmatising language when talking about suicide (such as “commit”, “successful” or “failed”) and excessive detail of methods used. Samaritans, Mind and the Mental Health Media Charter provide guidelines on how to talk responsibly
QUESTION TIME If you’re worried about someone, asking them directly whether they are thinking about suicide can help them get support
REACT THE RIGHT WAY Avoid reactions that might cause shame or guilt. Listen to them and let them know you are there to support them
about sex. Moreover, sex education has been shown to increase young people’s knowledge about sexual risks, the use of contraceptives and even delay sex. Most parents (and teenagers) dread having the conversation about how babies are made, but we know it’s important to keep our children safe, so we do it anyway, even though it makes us feel awkward. Through accepting that sex happens, and talking about how to stay safe, we reduce the risks and help break down the taboo.
IT’S GOOD TO TALK So, what if we did the same with suicide? What if we accepted suicidal thoughts are something that might happen for the men (and women) in our lives and we started talking openly and responsibly about them? What if we introduced compulsory suicide awareness education into the school curriculum which helped us to converse about the topic responsibly? If we provided basic training on how to have these difficult conversations, informed people about the support that’s readily available and kept educating ourselves throughout our lives
CALL FOR HELP
VOCAL EXERCISES So, what can we learn from how we approach sex education to help us start conversations about suicide? We know there are risks associated with sex – pregnancy and STIs, as well as emotional implications. And we take those risks seriously. Sex education has evolved since the 1940s and will become compulsory in all schools in England from 2020. Pupils will learn about what makes a healthy relationship, as well as sex itself and related issues including sexting, pornography and harassment. I’m not suggesting the current system is perfect – I’m sure you all remember your sex-ed classes and cringe at the thought – but they got us talking, and thinking, more openly
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ASK FOR ASSISTANCE If you are in immediate danger and don’t think you can keep yourself safe, dial 999 or go to A&E. If you’re worried about a friend, or someone tells you they are thinking about suicide imminently, stay with them and seek support
TRAINING AND TIPS Zero Suicide Alliance (zerosuicidealliance.com) and Samaritans (samaritans.org) both offer free suicide prevention training and tips on their websites
COULD YOU TALK TO THE MEN IN YOUR LIFE ABOUT SUICIDE, DESPITE HOW AWKWARD IT MAKES YOU FEEL? on the evolving pressures and risk factors, would it help? The appointment of Jackie DoylePrice MP as Under Secretary of State for Mental Health, Inequalities and Suicide Prevention provides hope we will see improved national and local government efforts to reduce suicide, and we can all take small steps to help overcome the stigma that surrounds the topic. Could you go home tonight and talk to the man in your life about suicide, regardless of how uncomfortable it makes you – or him – feel? Can you ask if he’s ever had suicidal thoughts and listen to him without judgement, tell him you love him, and reassure him it’s OK to feel whatever he feels? It might be scary, but it could also allow him to redefine what “being a man” means – and ultimately, help save a life. B
PHOTOGRAPHY: STOCKSY/NICK BONDAREV, STOCKSY/BONNIN STUDIO
people receive the appropriate support. A study for NHS Digital published in 2016 also revealed one-in-five adults has considered taking their own life at some point – although, I would hazard a guess this figure is, in reality, a lot higher. Perhaps the greater issue is most of us wouldn’t have a clue how to respond to someone who told us they were having suicidal thoughts, because we’ve never received training or education on the subject.
If you need someone to speak to, these are the numbers to call: ● CALM For men, 5pm-midnight 0808 802 58 58. They also offer a live webchat at thecalmzone.net ● Samaritans For everyone, 24/7 116 123 ● HOPELINEUK For under 35s, 10am-10pm weekdays, 2pm-10pm weekends 0800 068 41 41
BALANCE PROMOTION
Putting the ‘t’ in tranquillity For a luxurious way to achieve calm, enjoy delicious Newby Teas
A
s proud Britons, we spend so much time drinking (and even thinking about) tea, we really should pick a brand we can truly savour. And that’s why more and more people are now turning their attention to delicious Newby Teas. Tea used to be considered a delicacy. Then, in the 20th century, quality was trumped by quantity and the halcyon days were seemingly over. Thankfully, Newby came along with a rich reminder of how tea should taste: positively luxurious. But beyond the lip-smacking flavour, tea offers the drinker the chance to become mindful, to relax and to contemplate. Tea also contains antioxidants, and it’s claimed it can help reduce the risk of heart attacks or strokes, so it comes as a highly recommended inclusion as part of any healthy, balanced lifestyle.
THE DREAM TEAM
only at prime time for tea production. The final selection of each blend is then made by the chairman of Newby Teas, Nirmal Sethia. And with the Newby Teas range - including the Classic Tea Bag Collection - positively bursting with flavour, it really is a moment to relish each and every day. The Classic Tea Bag Collection is the perfect way to become acquainted with Newby’s superior creations, given it features 26 incredible tea blends and tisanes, such as English Breakfast, Peppermint, Earl Green, Black Tea & Thyme and more. And, for those living a greener lifestyle (outside their choice of blend, of course), Newby packaging is made from biodegradable paper, using zero plastic in the bag, which are then sealed for ultimate freshness. The vast array of options available to indulge your senses ensures your daily wellness routine will always remain as fresh as a Newby Tea.
Newby has carefully assembled a team of dedicated tasters who trial thousands of bespoke blends, created using the finest leaves of the harvest and plucked
SIXTH SENSE Real tea is derived from the Camellia sinensis plant, and includes six varieties: white, yellow, green, oolong, black, and pu erh
GOOD FOUNDATIONS Newby Teas is substantially owned by the N. Sethia Foundation, a registered charity with projects and programmes around the world. Founded by Newby’s Chairman, Nirmal Sethia, the foundation is focused on providing education, medical research, spiritual freedom and disaster relief where it is most needed. These projects are in turn supported and championed by Newby, an extraordinary company naturally committed to worthy causes
@NewbyTeas @NewbyTeas @newbyteas Available at selected Sainsbury’s stores and newbyteas.co.uk
November November2018 2018 BA BALA LAN NCE CE
Supplementary evidence Divide fact from fiction with this guide to successfully shopping for health supplements
words ELIZABETH BENNETT
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W H AT S U P, D O C ?
P
opping pills was once associated with sickness and chronic health conditions, but now it’s perfectly normal to take a probiotic with your morning muesli, add vitamin C to your water bottle and swallow magnesium before bed. According to market intelligence agency Mintel, 65 per cent of UK adults take supplements “daily or occasionally” and by 2021, sales are expected to hit £457m. While we’re spoiled for choice, deciding which to buy can be overwhelming. Take a quick glance in health food stores or high street chemists and you’re likely to drown in aisle upon aisle of supplements, all claiming to be the ultimate panacea. Throw in confusing labels and conflicting advice, and it’s a minefield.
*SOURCE: MINTEL.COM, JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN COLLEGE OF CARDIOLOGY
BEWARE THE EXTREMISTS When it comes to sorting the wheat from the chaff, dietician Lola Biggs has some sound advice. Her first tip? If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. “Don’t trust brands that rely heavily on marketing or gimmicks. Extreme claims should sound alarm bells.” Secondly, prioritise products with outside seals of approval or evidence of clinical trials. “Certifications such as Soil Association, Fair for Life, 1% For The Planet or Ecocert can all help determine whether the supplement is offering things that matter to you.” Finally, look at the dosage. “See how many capsules you need to reach your RDA (recommended dietary
allowance), assess whether they offer good value and avoid brands that use fillers or binders, as you don’t want to ingest anything that won’t benefit your ‘nutritional pot’.” If you’re still confused, it’s best to go straight to the horse’s mouth. “I recommend finding a good independent health store with well-trained and knowledgeable staff,” Euan MacLennan, Herbal & Sustainability Director at Pukka, begins. “Many products contain fillers and binders that act as bulking agents. These may reduce the therapeutic value and may affect bioavailability of active constituents. Given the full facts, they are substances we might not choose to ingest.” Euan adds. So, while you might save some pennies, it won’t benefit your health. If you watch what you put in your body, it’s counter-intuitive not to apply the same rules to your supplementation. You should also consider the form ingredients are in. But identifying what supplements contain is easier said than done. In the UK, these fall in the murky middle ground between medicine and food and by law, brands don’t have to list everything – only active ingredients. Lola suggests starting with brands which are “proud of their sourcing or abstaining from fillers or binders, as they’ll be shouting about it.” Spare a thought for our planet, too. “It’s so important that supplements are ethically sourced. If you are making a conscious decision to live healthily and care for the planet,
beware some unsustainably sourced herbal medicines are contributing to ecological damage,” Euan points out.
Research by St Michael’s Hospital and the University of Toronto discovered the most commonly consumed vitamin and mineral supplements provide no consistent health benefits*
IT’S A FAMILY AFFAIR Separating the snake oil is one thing, but choosing the right type of supplement is harder. A blood test will identify certain deficiencies but for others, it’s not as black and white. Take a look at your family history for genetic clues, or consult a nutritionist and it may save you money and cupboards full of pills you’ll never need. Similarly, if you’re downing a daily cocktail of supplements, you could exceed your RDA, especially with vitamins. Use a nutrition tracking app, like Cronometer, to keep tabs on your intake and seek professional advice. One supplement we can all benefit from (but particularly Londoners) is vitamin D. Sunlight is the main source, but considering synthetisation is reduced by air pollution, and we can only store it for three to six weeks, in winter many of us become deficient. The government suggests supplementing with 10 micrograms per day from October to March, while NHS advice says people with dark skin or from African, African-Caribbean and South Asian backgrounds, should supplement all year round. There are no shortcuts to good health. Food plays a major part, but supplements are just one piece of a larger wellbeing puzzle, not a magic portal to health and happiness. B
NUTRITIONIST-APPROVED SMART SUPPLEMENTS
VITAMIN D
MAGNESIUM
PROBIOTICS
OMEGA-3
TURMERIC
Garden Of Life Vitamin Code Raw D3, £14.11 for 60 capsules Similar to raw foods, these nutrients come with natural cofactors, along with live probiotics and enzymes to help support bone and joint health amazon.co.uk
Better You MagnesiumOil Original Spray, £12.20 for 100ml Magnesium promotes energy production, mental clarity and assists bone and muscle health. Most effective in spray form, this oil is absorbed into the blood betteryou.com
Optibac For Everyday Live Cultures, £11.79 for 30 capsules Each sugar-free, onea-day capsule provides five billion live cultures from six different strains, which encourage normal function of the immune and digestive systems optibacprobiotics.co.uk
Biocare Mega EPA Omega-3 Fish Oil, £10.96 for 30 capsules Key for brain health, vision and heart function, this naturally concentrated oil is safe for daily consumption, and free from detectable contaminants biocare.co.uk
Pukka Wholistic™ Turmeric Capsules, £16.96 for 30 capsules A herbal hero used for centuries for its antiinflammatory abilities, these capsules contain the highest organic grade, sustainably cultivated and fairly traded herbs around pukkaherbs.com
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N AT U R A L S E L E C T I O N
’Erbs to make you relax
*SOURCE: UK COUNCIL FOR PSYCHOTHERAPY (UKCP). DISCLAIMER: PLEASE DON’T SMOKE THESE HERBS!
words AMELIA RICHARD S illustration VICKI T URN ER
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VALERIAN ROOT
LAX RE A
If over-the-counter treatments are causing unwanted side effects, why not buy from Mother Nature’s cupboard?
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Compounds in this herb also work to increase levels of GABA in the brain, leading to feelings of tranquillity. It has been suggested valerian root could keep symptoms of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) under control, help support healthy sleep and reduce hot flush severity in menopausal women.
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Wake up and smell the coffee! The scent of brewing beans reduces stress and cortisol levels, allowing you to feel calm and collected
hronic stress and anxiety are rife in modern life, with rates of moderate-to-extreme anxiety and depression up by 30.5% since 2013*. Users of prescribed and over-the-counter stressrelievers may experience unwanted side effects, but fortunately a bunch of readily available super herbs are also highly effective at relieving the symptoms of stress and anxiety. These botanical alternatives are 100 per cent natural, generally have zero side effects and are safe to take regularly.
CHAMOMILE Not only does this wonder herb soothe the nervous system, it has been proven to be useful for relieving everything from anxiety and depression to insomnia. The most popular way to get your dose is, of course, to brew yourself a cuppa, and the act of taking time out of your day to quietly enjoy a relaxing cha and reflect will bolster your state of herb-induced Zen.
LAVENDER
Famed for its stress-busting and calming properties, lavender is particularly effective when used as a sleep aid. It promotes deep sleep through encouraging healing and replenishment of the areas in the brain associated with mood, which are vital for staving off anxiety and encouraging a more relaxed mental state.
LEMON BALM As well as helping to curb anxiety and stress, lemon balm can be called upon as a pain reliever, antiinsomnia treatment and an attention and cognition enhancer. This all-round superstar is best enjoyed as a daily infusion. Pour hot water over the leaves and leave to steep before reaping the rewards. B IN ASSOCIATION WITH
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2. Viridian L-Theanine & Lemon Balm, £14.95 for 30 capsules
PASSION FLOWER This owes its calming effects to its unique ability to boost gamma-Aminobutyric acid (GABA) in your brain. GABA is responsible for slowing down nerve impulses and people taking passion flower supplements have reported fewer confused, and more easily distinguishable, thoughts.
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1. Nature’s Answer Valerian Root, £14.99 for 60ml
PURE STRESS RELIEF
3. Tisserand Lavender Essential Oil, £7.75 for 9ml
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All products available at planetorganic.com
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Happy gut mind Take care of your gut, and your gut will take care of you. But with your good bacteria facing a battle to survive, how can you give them the best home possible? words HENRIK ENNART & NIKLAS EKSTEDT photography RUTH BLACK
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GUT FEELING
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the threat of extermination. It’s not hink about this. You are only whales and orangutans that are a Swedish author asked endangered species on this planet – in to write a piece for our own guts, friendly microbes that Balance on how your have co-evolved with us for eons are gut, and its billions of also struggling for survival. In fact, bacteria, are connected to your brain and indigenous people in Tanzania or the affect your mood. English is not your first Amazon have almost doubled the amount language, so you get a little bit tense and of bacterial species in their bodies register an unpleasant feeling in your compared to western society. And as stomach. Turns out that’s anxiety. in all ecological systems, fewer species During the last decade, we have learned mean you get closer to imbalance and that many modern diseases are caused accompanying catastrophe. by a western lifestyle packed full of unhealthy food and low physical activity. But it has only recently become clear BACTERIA ON THE EDGE that our mood and mental wellbeing also In a healthy gut system with lots enjoy a direct connection to our gut. of microbiome species, when one Think of the nasty sensations you disappears there are always others in endure during an acute stomach illness. line ready to close the gap. But, with What you feel on the way to the toilet is fewer species in our western guts, the pure anxiety, created by the cells and risk for invading, unwanted forms bacteria in your intestinal lining of bacteria and yeast is rising. N TI O I P T producing serotonin that is Today, scientists agree that If you’re stressed at reaching its way up in the about 70 or 80 per cent of work, question your brain through the vagus our immune defences hide reactiveness to ensure nerve. Afterwards, you’ll inside our intestines. That you’re communicating effectively and aren’t probably experience a total goes back a billion years, jumping to conclusions lack of energy, a headache when our ancestors were or snapping and simply want to hide in tiny microbes. unnecessarily a dark corner. Since then, our first line All of these feelings are created by of defence has been our internal your own immune system, not by the friendly bacteria that attacks aggressive illness itself. For thousands of years, this invaders and alerts our immune cells. has been an advantage for our ancestors, But when our bacteria is weakened, giving them a chance to heal without our intestinal cells become vulnerable infecting other members of the clan. to attack and the result is all too often a chronically active immune system, GUTTING TO HEAR causing low grade inflammation in the body and promoting sicknesses. In the last three or four years, the science So, what can we do? In the future concerning what dwells a few centimetres we will probably be able to boost our behind the navel (our gut) and how it bacterial defences in several clever ways. affects us has exploded, thanks to rapid There are hopes that diseases such as technological progress. Ten years ago, Parkinsons, IBS and even autism could be it would have cost me £100million to managed by a reconditioning of the gut analyse the microbes in my gut. Now the microbiota, but we are not there yet. price is just £100, and sharply falling, Fortunately, there are other things we and there is more than one new study can do, such as eating foods that feed conducted every hour! not only you, but also a healthy variety Perhaps the most important and of your billions of gut microbes. The worrying new finding is that our gut best way to do this is simply by eating microbiome is performing under
November 2018 BA LA N CE
a great variety of different plants. One study found that those who ate more than 30 different types of plants every week had the strongest, most varied and least pro-inflammatory microbiota. It therefore seems even more important to eat an array of plants, rather than a large volume of just a few varieties. Why is this? Probably because different plants carry different kinds of fibres that
OUR GUT MICROBIOME IS PERFORMING UNDER THE THREAT OF EXTINCTION can be fermented by the bacteria in our intestines. Another way to promote a healthy gut is to eat food of all the colours of the rainbow. Each colour represents a wide range of bioactive compounds, so by eating in this fashion, your bacteria will develop vitamins, hormones, nutrients and other good things for your body in their very small bacterial factory sites. Adopting a steady routine for eating and sleeping is a primer for a healthy gut, too. Stress makes an almost immediate impact on the gut bacteria, changing the advantage from the friendly defenders to the poisonous intruders. And speaking of stress, my article is now finished and I am no longer worried about writing in English. My gut has relaxed and so have my microbiome friends down under! I hope to keep them that way for a long time yet… B Henrik Ennart is a Swedish journalist who, together with chef Niklas Ekstedt, is co-author of the international bestselling cookbook Happy Food, which is out now (Absolute Press, £22)
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Five of the best
P O T S & J A- PA N S
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Brazilian-born chef Luiz Hara is on a mission to demystify Japanese flavours
PHOTOGRAPHY: SIMON SMITH. WORDS: SOFIA ZAGZOULE
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uiz Hara is making banana loaf with a home-baked sourdough he’s been feeding for three days. When I confess I don’t know how to re-use some miso I’ve bought, Luiz isn’t surprised. “My friends all love Japanese ingredients, use them once but don’t know what else to make with them. My new book puts Japanese ingredients in everyday dishes.” The book in question – The Japanese Larder – was two years in the making and required research and endless cooking. It has, by Luiz’s own admission, made him a better chef. Each chapter concentrates on core ingredients and achieving the fifth taste: umami. Filled with easyto-make dishes, you don’t need to be a whiz in the kitchen to follow them. For example, an umamirich dashi (Japanese stock) can be made with two simple ingredients in just 20 minutes. “My training was French, but they use so much dairy and animal fat and it’s much more laborious to do a good stock. Now, the hard work’s already done. Miso and soy bring an intensified flavour, so recipes are quicker and much less stressful.”
SEVEN WONDERS Of the seven key Japanese seasonings, five (soy sauce, mirin, sake, miso and rice vinegar) are fermented. Used for millennia, they are confirmed to be super gut-boosting, it’s also a cuisine heavy on veg. “I use fermented ingredients every day. Recently, I had some leftover fillet steak which I used in a dashi to make a broth, then added soy sauce, mirin and udon noodles. It was so tasty, but really quick and easy.” Luiz points out garlic, balsamic and parmesan have only been part of our culinary repertoire
Japanese cooking uses at least one of the key seven seasonings (soy sauce, miso, sake, mirin, rice vinegar and two different dashi broths) to achieve four basic flavours (salt, sweet, bitter and sour) and attain the fifth taste: umami
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since the 1950s, and he hopes one day, the benefits of Japanese ingredients will be seen in the same light. “Koji is rice inoculated with bacteria, pickles are in so many dishes and part of the psyche, while porcini and dried mushrooms feature a lot. There’s proven scientific benefit and when the gut is healthy, it permeates the body.” Born in Brazil and raised by his Japanese grandmother, food became an expression of love and affection from his strict, culinary expert nana. “Japanese people can be reserved and a way of showing love comes through food. My grandmother was a disciplinarian, but she was an excellent cook. She was stern and would apologise for being harsh by giving you something delicious to eat.” A relative late-comer to cooking, Luiz left a job in investment banking to concentrate on his passion. “I’m working my way through a big pile of cookbooks and baking all weekend. I think it’s so much nicer to be doing this!”
Turn the page to learn how to make Luiz’s joyous Japanese favourites
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High steaks
U-don good
UDON NOODLES, TRUFFLE BUTTER & PARMESAN Serves 2 Ingredients • 500g frozen udon noodles, or 250g dried udon noodles • 1 tbsp light extra virgin olive oil • 1 tbsp unsalted butter • 2 tbsp good quality truffle butter • 25g aged parmesan, finely grated • Slices of preserved black truffle, or a generous shaving of fresh black truffle • Sea salt flakes, to taste
SIRLOIN STEAK IN MISO, TOBANJAN CHILLI & GARLIC SAUCE Serves 4 Ingredients • 2 x 250g sirloin steaks, 1¼-in thick • Sunflower oil • 6 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced • 2 tbsp chives, finely chopped • 1 tsp toasted white sesame seeds For the sauce • 100g brown miso • 75g tobanjan chilli bean sauce • 25ml lemon juice • 25g honey or 1 tbsp granulated sugar • 3 garlic cloves, crushed • 25ml toasted sesame oil • 100ml sunflower oil • 2–4 tbsp water, to taste 1 First, prepare the sauce. Whisk all the ingredients except the water in a bowl until well combined and smooth. It will be slightly too thick, so add a couple of tablespoons of water and mix again (the desired consistency is of runny double cream). Add water, a tablespoon at a time, if necessary and check the seasoning. It should taste savoury and spicy with a gentle tartness. If it’s too salty, add more honey, sugar or sesame oil. Just before thinning it out, place about a third into a clean
bowl, add the steaks and coat them thoroughly. Place them in a sealed container and marinate them in the fridge for 2–8 hours. 2 Heat the sunflower oil in a small pan and fry the garlic slices for 2–3 minutes until lightly coloured. Don’t overcook these or they will turn bitter, so keep an eye on them as they fry. Transfer to a plate lined with kitchen paper and the garlic chips will crisp up as they dry. 3 Take the steaks out of the fridge an hour or so prior to cooking. Heat a couple of tablespoons of sunflower oil in a non-stick frying pan until searingly hot, add the steaks and cook for 2–3 minutes on each side (for medium-rare). Take one steak out of the pan and slice it through its thickest part to check for doneness. 4 Using the sharpest knife you have, slice the meat very thinly, like ham if you are able. Place the slices in a row, drizzle some of the miso, tobanjan chilli and garlic sauce over them, and top with the chives, garlic chips and toasted white sesame seeds. Serve immediately.
1 Cook the udon noodles, refreshing them under cold water and completely draining them. Try and buy either frozen or dried udon noodles as these are the easiest to cook. Just follow the instructions on the packet.
BIG IN JAPAN
2 Fry the cooked noodles in the olive oil and unsalted butter until they are heated through. Remove from the heat, add the truffle butter and mix well so that it melts completely and coats the noodles. 3 Transfer to a couple of plates, top the noodles with the parmesan, black truffle if using and a sprinkle of sea salt flakes. Serve immediately.
The Japanese Larder by Luiz Hara is out now (Quarto Publishing, £26)
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4 For an alternative version using truffle oil rather than butter, fry the cooked udon noodles in 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter, remove from the heat then add 2 tablespoons of top-quality truffle oil. Mix well and top with grated parmesan, sea salt and truffle shavings.
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JAPANESE-STYLE MAPO DOFU Serves 4 Ingredients • 500g firm tofu (or silken if you prefer) • 2 tbsp sunflower oil • 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped • 2cm piece of root ginger, peeled and finely chopped • 1 long red chilli, thinly sliced • 250g minced pork • 100g bamboo shoots, cubed
Tasty tofu
For the sauce • 75g brown miso • 75g tobanjan chilli bean paste • 2 tbsp soy sauce • 4 tbsp mirin (or 2 tbsp sugar dissolved in 2 tbsp water) • 125ml water • 1 tsp cornflour • 2 tbsp sesame oil To garnish • 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil • 2 spring onions, finely sliced • 1 tsp toasted white sesame seeds • Generous pinch of shichimi pepper or hot chilli (dried red pepper) flakes 1 Place all the sauce ingredients in a bowl, mix well and set aside.
(Tofu with spicy miso pork sauce)
2 Cut the tofu into 2cm cubes, place in a pan of boiling water over a medium heat and when they rise to the surface, remove and drain over a colander. This will prevent the tofu from breaking up as it stir-fries. 3 Heat the sunflower oil in a wok until smoking hot. Add the garlic, ginger and chilli and stir-fry for a few seconds until fragrant, but not burnt. Add the pork and cook, stirring constantly, until it is no longer pink. 4 Add the bamboo shoots and stir-fry for another minute, then add the sauce and cook on a gentle heat for about 3 minutes, stirring from time to time. Finally add the tofu, gently mixing, and let it warm through. 5 Transfer to a serving bowl, drizzle with the sesame seed oil, and scatter over the spring onions, white sesame seeds and shichimi pepper or hot chilli flakes. Serve immediately. B
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new aisan eats From Vietnam to China, dumplings to summer rolls, Stacey Smith proves the capital’s new offerings mean you don’t have to go far for a taste of the Far East
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OSH
REDFARM
BÁNH BÁNH
Knightsbridge
Covent Garden
Brixton
OSH promises the authentic flavours of the Silk Road, particularly those of central Asian Uzbekistan. At its heart is the robata grill, while a modern skylight encourages a pleasing atmospheric whatever the weather. We shared plates of tuna tartare and black caviar, before tucking into a tower of crispy aubergine dressed in a hacelim sauce. Fighting over the last slither of black cod, we rounded things off with fresh mint tea, served in traditional pots, and an oozing matcha green tea fondant oshrestaurant.com
Big news across the pond, we were excited to hear this cool New York export has set up shop in Russell Street, bringing their iconic ‘Pac Man’ shrimp dumplings along for the ride. Set across three floors of an old townhouse, the menu features contemporary Chinese dishes designed to share. With two bar options, kick things off on the ground floor with a vodka and sake Martini and end at Toots n Hoots, where NY mixologist Shawn Chen will rustle up a nightcap redfarmldn.com
Inspired by the owners’ grandmother’s treasured recipes from 1940s Saigon, Bánh Bánh’s dishes are renditions of these classics. This second site retains old favourites, such as beef in betel leaves, sticky chicken wings and Bánh Khot pancakes, but offers more vegan options in Bánh Tam Bì (noodles in coconut cream) and a pho. Round off your weekend with their twist on a Bloody Mary – the Bloody Mai – a gin-based cocktail with Sriracha, Worcester sauce, lemon and tomato banhbanh.com/brixton
BA LA N CE November 2018
BALANCE PROMOTION
Inner confidence unlocked
STRIKE A POSE Power poses, such as “Wonder Woman” increase testosterone and decrease cortisol levels
Balance teamed up with Skinsmiths to host a fantastic panel debate on how to unleash our inner confidence…
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ith society today putting pressure on us to have the perfect, career, house, relationship, body – in fact, the perfect life – feeling good about ourselves and having confidence in our words and actions is something that’s easier said than done. The good news is that inner confidence is not a personality trait, but a skill that we can build upon and hone in order to present the best possible version of ourselves. On a mission to help people have skin confidence, Skinsmiths – the membershipbased skin clinic that knows that looking great is really about feeling great – teamed up with Balance to host a panel discussion on inner confidence. After all, we do our best when we’re confident. We’re better company, feel good about ourselves and, in general, have an all-round glow. Recognising what robs you of your confidence is an essential part of the process of knowing what you want in your life. Our four pannelists, from different walks of life, shared the tips and techniques they found useful on their own individual journeys to unshakable confidence and self-belief. For more information on treatments visit skinsmiths.com @Skinsmithsuk @skinsmiths_uk
MEET THE PANEL POORNA BELL Award-winning journalist, public speaker and author Leaving behind a successful job at the Huff Post to write her first book, Poorna knows how terrifying change can be. “You have to be internally driven in times of wobbliness and find that place within you that grounds you and makes you know that you will be OK. That sense of self is something that no one can take away from you”
RICHIE BOSTOCK AKA The Breath Guy and founder of Xhale Criticism is difficult to handle – especially if you lack confidence. “Anyone who feels the need to harshly criticise you is usually projecting their insecuritiesion to you. Rather than dwelling on the negativity, I try to think about what they’re feeling that has led them to be critical”
@skinsmithsuk November 2018 BA LA N CE
CALLIE THORPE Blogger and body positivity campaigner In 2012 Callie posted a picture of herself in a bikini on her blog to show people that size doesn’t define a person. She received an overwhelmingly positive response. “We waste time putting importance on how we look. Instead we should care about who we are as people and what we can offer the world”
ANNA CAMPBELL CEO, Skinsmiths Our body language has a huge impact on how powerful and confident we feel. “I spend a lot of time practicing the ‘Wonder Woman’ pose. Stand with your fists on your hips for two minutes. You’ll feel so different! I’ve hidden in many places doing this pose before an important meeting”
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Upcycling the
Famous for its food, beautiful countryside and devastating history, Ellie Ross saddles up for a two-wheeled tour of Vietnam
senses arly morning beside the Perfume River, and four women are preparing to release fish. This Buddhist tradition – saving the lives of beings destined for slaughter – is believed to bring good karma. With their hands in prayer and incense rising from the ground, the women sing blessings upon the fish. As their voices fade, one woman picks up a silver bowl and, with a graceful arc, casts its contents into the water. I watch as the escapees gradually disperse into the river, like incense smoke vanishing in the air. Moments earlier, I’d been cycling through this little village on the outskirts of Hue, central Vietnam. Previously the ancient capital of the Nguyen dynasty, it still boasts the remnants to prove it: a Citadel and Imperial Enclosure, royal tombs, temples and pagodas. Now it’s a vibrant city, its streets buzzing with scooters and students who study at the esteemed university. It’s also the starting point of the Vietnam Heritage by Bicycle trip, a new guided experience from active holiday specialists BSpoke Tours. The six-night trip, run in partnership with Spice Roads, ends in Hoi An. Pedalling between 19 and 41 miles per day (with a support vehicle on hand to transport your bags), it covers some of central Vietnam’s most beautiful landscapes and cultural highlights.
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BACKROADS TO BEAUTY Our group of nine Brits, Americans and Australians, ages ranging from 27 to 57, meets in the lobby of ÊMM Hotel Hue, our base for the first few nights. Their reasons for embarking on the trip include relationship breakdowns, tasting Vietnam’s fine food and exploring its rich culture and history. It’s not long before we get our first glimpse into the country’s devastating past, as we
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AT A G LANCE
Ellie stops for a rest en route at one of the many beautiful fishing villages
cycle to the Citadel. Built by Emperor Gia Long in 1804, the Citadel was modelled on Beijing’s Forbidden City and features similarly elaborate gates, Chinese dragons and cauldrons. Badly damaged during the Vietnam War, particularly by the Tet Offensive in 1968, as we walk through, we see crumbled walls and bullet scars in bronze urns. Thankfully, a peaceful antidote is around the corner. We pedal away from the cacophonous mass of traffic and bus loads of selfie-snapping tourists, heading for Hue’s quiet backroads. Our local guides, Anh Co and Tibo, know the area like the back of their cycling gloves, navigating effortlessly so we simply cycle and take everything in, bumping
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Booking info BSpoke Tours’ (bspoketours.com), six-night Vietnam Heritage by Bicycle trip costs from £1,098 per person (based on two sharing), including return flights from London, accommodation, selected meals, bike hire, support vehicle and guides. Departures in December 2018 and March-August 2019
WELCOME BRAKE
WHEEL IE GO OD
EXT RAS
The final resting places of the Viet Kieu, who returned home to Lang Co
(crispy, folded pancakes), which you wrap in mustard leaves and dip in nuoc cham, a fish sauce and lime juice concoction. Food is surprisingly healthy, in part thanks to the freshness of ingredients and en route, we hop off our bikes to wander through markets, where the smell of coriander and Asian basil hangs in the air.
UNWIND WITH YOGA
Head to Om Hanoi, a yoga studio with a cute vegan café serving dishes including pumpkin and chia seed burgers, hummus pizzas, and carrot and ginger juices. Classes last 75 and 90 minutes, are led in English and run from Monday to Saturday, with mats provided omhanoi.com
LAST LINK IN THE CHAIN
along tracks lined with coconut trees. A man snoozes on a hammock slung between two trunks, while villagers make shoes and sip ca phe sua da (iced coffee with condensed milk) in roadside cafés. We wind through narrow lanes, cross floating bridges and duck beneath trees. With no other tourists in sight, it feels as though we have this slice of countryside, with its verdant rice paddies, royal temples and lotus ponds, to ourselves.
THE FANTASTIC PHO After a day in the saddle, restoration is delivered via food. Most meals are included, and I try everything from bowls of pho (noodle soup) to bun cha (pork with thin rice vermicelli). Anh Co shows us how to eat the dishes, like banh xeo
After three days pedalling through Hue, we continue south towards the beach resort of Lang Co. As we near the coast, the landscape changes. We pass villages with shrimp lagoons, brightly-coloured graves and family temples, most of them final resting places for the Viet Kieu (overseas Vietnamese), whose last wish was to be buried in their homeland. When we reach the wooden bungalows and sugar-soft sand of Lang Co Beach Resort, I wade straight into the sea – fully clothed – and dive into the gently-lapping waves. Floating on my back, my eyes gaze towards the jungle-clad mountains and valleys we’ll cycle through tomorrow, my aching muscles and busy mind melting as the setting sun bathes the sea in gold. Our final leg takes us from Lang Co to Hoi An, with its quaint riverside setting. The ride involves cycling along beautiful coastal roads, culminating in a gruelling seven-mile climb up the Hai Van Pass. It’s hard work, but when I round the final bend and reach the summit, the sea views make all the sweat and toil worth it. Without the barrier of a window, I’m fully connected to my senses. I smell rice drying in the sun, feel the sun’s heat and hear sugarcane fields rustle in the breeze. When it rains – which it does just once – I splash through puddles and drink it all in. Yes cycling is physically harder than, say, a bus tour, but being immersed in my surroundings makes me appreciate them so much more – and leaves me feeling thrillingly alive. B
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TASTE VIETNAMESE STREET FOOD
Join an evening street food tour with Urban Adventures, tasting local specialities, as a guide explains the history and provenance of the dishes. Highlights include bun cha (griddled pork and rice noodles, served with heaps of fresh herbs), and coffee topped with frothy egg urbanadventures.com
MASSAGE AWAY YOUR ACHES
After a week toiling in the saddle, your muscles will thank you for a little TLC. Ease away your aches with a Vietnamese massage at Omamori Spa, run by a not-for-profit organisation that trains and offers employment opportunities for the blind omamorispa.com
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relaxation
Whether you need a spa day, or prefer an overnight stay, these are some of Balance’s favourite treatments within two hours of the big smoke
Down & dirty
It's all rosy
Signature Massage (80 minutes, £130), Luton Hoo, Luton
The treatment begins with a few moments of deep breathing, guided by your therapist. This relaxes the mind and releases tension, before you move on to a massage of the metamorphic zones in the feet, using firm pressure along certain points to ground and rebalance the whole body. Lying on a curved, heated bed, the therapist then embarks upon a Haitian technique
of massaging, where the left side is treated, then the right, before repeating on your back using soothing, flowing motions. To round things off, rose quartz crystals are placed on your forehead to promote a sense of calm and wellbeing, while you enjoy an energising head massage. Relieving stress in the body and transporting the mind, this is the ideal mental commute for burnt-out urbanites.
Virtual relaxation
Mindful touch oxygen facial by Natura Bissé (70 minutes, £130), Pennyhill Park, Bagshot Donning a VR headset (with an audio element to guide you through mindful breathing, and projected visuals of space, rainforests and constructed landscapes to help you focus on being in the present), your therapist applies pressure and warm touches to your arms and feet to awaken the senses, and encourage a prolonged sense of mindfulness. When the headset is removed, your face is thoroughly cleansed and exfoliated and, after a tension relieving arm and shoulder massage, it’s time for the oxygen facial. Applying Natura Bissé’s Oxygen Complex, Oxygen Cream and Oxygen Finishing Mask to release molecules into the skin to energise cells and purge it of toxins and congestion, anyone living in the polluted metropolis will depart with balanced, radiant skin.
November 2018 BA LA N CE
THALGO Mud Ritual (55 minutes, £105), Stoke Park, Buckinghamshire After your feet have been cleansed with a warm towel, your ritual begins with the application of a warm salt scrub, which is gently massaged across the body to exfoliate your skin. Once this is rinsed off, your skin is smothered in warm, authentic Dead Sea mud, creating a sensation similar to being submerged and floating in warm water. Your body is then wrapped up and cocooned so the mud can work its magic, while the therapist soothes your head and neck with a light pressure massage. One last cleanse removes the mud, leaving you feeling squeaky clean, before the final stage of your session, as you are treated to a generous application of ultranourishing body cream to soothe and replenish. A calming and indulgent ritual, the gentle process leaves you serenely relaxed, allowing you to scrub away the stresses of the city and return feeling revitalised. B
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CULTURE ounter
Start the party season with a bang as we pick the top sizzling action November has to offer
Too good to be typecast Narcos: Mexico star Michael Peña isn’t afraid to tackle roles outside his comfort zone WE CAN ENJOY YOUR WORK IN DIVERSE FAYRE LIKE ANT-MAN, MY LITTLE PONY AND NARCOS: MEXICO. WHAT’S YOUR PROCESS? I read a script as an audience member. My son is 10 years old, but before he was born, I’d watch these dramas that really made me happy. Then I started watching movies with my kid and there’s something special about seeing him react and the joy he gets. He isn’t a cynic - he just hopes the movie’s good. WE’RE THE SAME! Exactly! I don’t know many people who go off to make a film and go, “I just want this movie to be OK.” So I’d watch things with my kid and I went, “I want to be part of those movies!” I started talking to my agent, saying: “What about these kinds of movies?” And my agent is going: “The guy from End of Watch? Yeah, he wants to do Marvel and animation…” AND NOW NARCOS: MEXICO… I finished End of Watch and the producer, Eric Newman, pitched Narcos to me, and I went, “OK, a police officer? I’d need to see how different it is.” After he pitched it, I knew I shouldn’t have pre-judgements about any part. It’s starting in a fresh new place, and it was attractive to be starting Narcos off in a completely different area, location and time. It’s like it’s a new show.
WORDS: JAMES GILL PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES
Narcos: Mexico plots the rise of the Guadalajara Cartel in the 1980s, with Michael Peña’s undercover DEA agent Kiki Camarena tracking Diego Luna’s drug lord, Félix Gallardo
HOW HAS TV CHANGED SO MUCH? A lot of it has to do with YouTube. You’re competing against real crime, where videos are two or three minutes long. If kids see it in real life, then acting and storylines have to be more real. Or there are shows like Westworld and Game of Thrones where it’s fantasy with a sense of reality. It’s different to the eighties and nineties, where it was entertaining but not as real - more soap opera, glossy and entertaining. I don’t know if that would play now. Entertainment is changing.
Narcos: Mexico is on Netflix from 16 November
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Nourishing words
Uplifting books to illuminate wintry nights
OUT AND ABOUT
COMEDY
DEVIL MAY CARE Marcus Brigstocke returns to Blackheath Halls, touring as the devil himself. After all, surely Satan has had a hand in most political developments of late? 16 November, marcusbrigstocke.com
TV
NARCOS: MEXICO
MIND
The Little Book Of Wonder Bernadette Russell, out now (£7.99, Orion Publishing) Remember when you were a kid, perpetually gobsmacked by anything and everything? Then sweet, sweet age comes along, and it takes three coffees to feel any flicker of emotion. Inspired by the seven wonders, Bernadette breaks up her book into steps to guide the reader back to the feeling of youthful wonder.
G RISIN STAR
BODY
SOUL
The follow-up to his excellent 2016 debut, the ex-Balance cover star takes a daily approach to life. Factoring in easy-to-adopt rituals such as morning stretches, mental self-care on the commute, resilience training and a vast range of delicious recipes, it makes for a truly nourishing read.
Yes, the Kate Bush. The pop icon has always worn her love of literature on her (record) sleeve, and here she curates and presents selected lyrics in a beautiful cloth-bound book, with the great David Mitchell (no, not that David Mitchell) providing the foreword. All together now… Heathcliff, it’s me, I’m Cathy, I’ve come home…
Tom’s Daily Goals: Never Feel Hungry or Tired Again Tom Daley, out now (HQ, £16.99)
How To Be Invisible Kate Bush, out 4 December (Faber & Faber, £18.42)
rosie day
The dial marked “tension” is cranked up to the maximum as Michael Peña’s DEA agent goes undercover in a bid to smash Mexican drug lord Diego Luna’s cartel. Netflix from 16 November
ART
SPACE SHIFTERS Prepare to have your perceptions challenged with this stunning exhibition that will cause you to look at the world in new ways. Until 6 January, southbankcentre.co.uk
THEATRE
THE HEIGHT OF THE STORM Jonathan Pryce and Dame Eileen Atkins join forces as a couple married for 50 years posed searching questions when a bunch of flowers arrives. Until 1 December, theheightofthestorm.com
REAL GIRL POWER
Rosie funded her short film, Tracks, via Kickstarter, smashing her £12,000 target with 163 backers
At 23, Rosie Day has the world by the tail. The Cambridge-born actor has already starred alongside the likes of Uma Thurman and Sarah Jessica Parker, has a prominent role in hit TV show Outlander and has even launched her own production company. “Finding balance is definitely something I struggle with. This year, I set up a film company with my best friend to focus on female-driven narratives. We’ve just had our first TV series optioned and are about to make our fourth short film, so I’m not good at switching off.” Up next is a reboot of Watership Down, with Rosie voicing doe Thethutinang. Is it as scary as the 1977 version? “It’s the most beautifully crafted piece of television. Every frame was hand painted, and it’s just as scary and tense. I’ve always had pet rabbits, so I couldn’t face watching the original!” Watership Down airs on BBC One this Christmas
November 2018 BA LA N CE
FILM
RALPH BREAKS THE INTERNET Even if you don’t have little ones, this is must-see as Ralph (John C Reilly) and Vanellope (Sarah Silverman) leave the arcade machine via a Wi-Fi router. Out 30 November
MUSIC
ENNIO MORRICONE The legendary film score composer celebrates 60 years in the business with a farewell tour, as 200 musicians join the great man for this special show. 26 November, theo2.co.uk
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H O U S E S PA- R T Y
Massage the facts If you’re spa-phobic, achieve a similar sense of Zen with home comforts
LEE KYNASTON
MAIN IMAGE: STOCKSY. *SOURCE: SEASALT.COM
Although a firm believer that real beauty comes from the inside, Lee sees no harm in giving the outside some TLC
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cruel irony, given my job, is I absolutely hate spas. As a grooming writer, I get invited to sample some of the best facilities available, and experience the most relaxing treatments in the country. For a lot of people, slipping into a robe and slippers and indulging in a succession of fancy facials, deep tissue massages and all-over mud wraps would be a dream; for me, it’s more big fat zero than Zen. I hate everything, from a stranger pawing at my face to the notion of scheduled relaxation and the minefield of spa etiquette. Just the thought of it actually stresses me out, which isn’t the objective. It’s not that I’m against self-indulgent pampering – quite the opposite – it’s just I like to be in the right frame of mind when it happens, in a familiar, comfortable environment and, preferably, not wearing paper pants – and I’ve met plenty of other people who are just as spa-phobic as me. Even beauty therapists themselves acknowledge that a client’s receptiveness to the spa experience often depends on their mood on the day, something you can’t exactly predict when you book a treatment in advance. And of course, in the age of austerity not everyone has the cash to splash on the experience. As I’ve discovered, you can easily create the benefits of a spa at home. Cheap-aschips Epsom salt makes a great wind down bath soak, thanks to its magnesium content (I toss in a couple of sprigs of lemon balm that
S ALT OF T HE E ART H
Epsom salt is believed to improve heart health and can help prevent heart disease and strokes by promoting good blood circulation, protecting artery elasticity and staving off blood clots*
I grow in the garden, but there are plenty of de-stress bath oils out there); Moroccan Natural’s Hammam Home Spa Kit has everything you need for a relaxing hour or so in the smallest room; and if you have some helping hands you can easily recreate a back mask (one of the most popular spa treatments, especially with men) with The Body Shop’s 3-in-1 Tea Tree Wash Scrub Mask. Use it to scrub your back, or leave on for five to 10 minutes to draw out impurities. All you need then is a mood-setting scented candle (Jonathan Ward’s organic soy wax Roscuro candle, with its comforting notes of agarwood and honey is my current favourite) and some appropriate music. Perfect albums to pamper to include ambient classics like Brian Eno’s Thursday Afternoon, Harold Budd’s The Pearl and the Cocteau Twins’ Victorialand, none of which feature windchimes, waterfalls – or Enya. B
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1. 3-in-1 Tea Tree Wash Scrub Mask, £8.50 for 100ml thebodyshop.com 2. Hammam Home Spa Kit, £19.99 moroccannatural. co.uk 3.Total DeStress Bath Oil £8.95 for 100ml tisserand.com
4. Jonathan Ward ‘Roscuro’ organic wax candle, £40 Exclusive to Whole Foods Market, Kensington 5. Westlab Pure Mineral Bathing Epsom Salt, £2.49 for 1kg boots.com
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Rose quartz is the new buzzword in the world of beauty. Here’s why you should make an appointment with the latest rock star
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oll over jade – there’s a new healer in town. Popping up everywhere from derma rollers to spa treatments, you’d probably like to know what is behind this latest crystal craze? Rose quartz is treasured among healers, and it’s claimed it provides emotional support. As Ann-Louise Holland, founder of Kansha Alchemy and a shamanic homeopath, explains, “Rose quartz opens the heart chakra and helps heal old wounds. The vibrational aura of our heart is the most profound and easily sensed in real scientific terms, and rose quartz helps strengthen this effect and emit a better frequency, making it less likely to absorb other energy.” So it acts like a sponge for good vibes, but how can it help the skin? Stephanie Zheng, co-founder of Mount Lai, recently collaborated with Eve Lom on the Radiance Facial. This includes a rose quartz Gua Sha treatment, a Chinese therapy that involves massaging the skin with a smooth-edged tool to reduce inflammation and stagnant energy (or chi). Zheng says, “Rose quartz increases efficacy through a soothing and cooling nature. As part of the Radiance Facial, the Gua Sha tools work in conjunction with the Eve Lom Radiance Transforming Mask to reduce puffiness, resulting in brighter, more radiant skin.”
CHANGE FROM SKINSIDE OUT Erica MacCallum, master aesthetician at Eve Lom, says, “Lymphatic massage is an essential part of the Eve Lom technique. Rose quartz tools aid the application of deeper pressure and lymphatic stimulation, and lymphatic drainage ensures the skin is thoroughly cleansed from outside in.” Cloud Twelve, Notting Hill’s new members only wellness destination, also offers a blissful rejuvenating Lymphatic Rose Crystal Facial for the face, neck and décolletage that includes a nourishing hair and scalp treatment. Having read all the positives, isn’t it time your view became rose tinted? B
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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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❹ 1. White Lotus Rose Quartz Roller, £46.99 planetorganic.com 2. Briogeo Rose Quartz Crystal Energy Comb, £148 cultbeauty.co.uk 3. Skin Gym Rose Gua Sha Crystal Beauty Tool, £38.50 selfridges.com 4. Eve Lom Radiance Face Oil, £60 for 30ml evelom.com 5. Cloud Twelve Lymphatic Rose Crystal Facial, £100 cloudtwelve.co.uk
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HOW TO USE A GUA SHA/ROLLER Step 1 After cleansing, apply your favourite oil, serum or moisturiser Step 2 The flat edge is used on the jaw, the longer curved edge on the forehead/neck and the small curve is for around the eyes Step 3 Use upward strokes on the neck moving towards the face. On the face, start at the chin and move out across the jawline Step 4 Either side of the nose across the cheeks, and below and above the eyes, use sweeping outward strokes Step 5 From the brow line, use straight upward strokes towards the forehead
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How to rediscover the art of bathing by Suzanne Duckett
A BIT ABOUT ME I’ve been writing about wellbeing for 25 years, and in that time I’ve been to hundreds of spas around the world. If we understand how a nation’s people bathe, we can learn and tap into their culture. For example, a Turkish Hammam or Japanese Onsen doesn’t compare to the good old British bath, where we just get in and get out. We Britons need to become much better at relaxing.
WAYS TO BATHE BETTER
BRIDGE A GAP Don’t take your phone into the bathroom. Instead, get a bath bridge so you can load it up with other things, like a book
THE NAKED TRUTH Having a bath is an opportunity for us to be totally alone but in this day and age, we are terrified of being on our own and have to distract ourselves with social media, email, work, deadlines or the omnipresent “to-do” list. What we really need to understand is we are not the enemy. When we take time out and let it all go, sitting naked in a bath, that’s when our best solutions arise, because we get out of the way of ourselves.
THE SMELL OF SUCCESS Keep your salts, muds, reviving and relaxing oils in your wardrobe. It’s nice to have an apothecary of little antidotes
EARLY BATH Don’t see a bath as an end-ofday scenario. We use our stress hormones morning, noon and night now and, if we’re quite anxious as a person, a morning bath is worth thinking about. In the morning, cortisol gets us up and out, so why wait until we’re frazzled to wind down? With an early bath, we can start the day calm and relaxed.
FEELING HOT, HOT, HOT This is a great tip for sleeping well. Run a bath as warm as you can bear and get in for 15-20 minutes. Use something relaxing (lavender oil, a candle or breathing deeply), chill, then get out. Dry off, put on your pyjamas and then try to get some cool air on to you – even if
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that means stepping outside for a few seconds. This lowers your body temperature, which in turn aids the soporific sleepiness. This temperature spike and drop is great for people with insomnia and it’s almost guaranteed to make you feel sleepy.
LIGHT RELIEF Bathe by Suzanne Duckett is out now (Lagom, £16.99)
Get yourself a soy or beeswax candle and watch that flame dance while you’re lying in the bath. It’s an easy way to learn meditation and find focus
SALT OF THE EARTH I love salts, muds and clays because they are from the earth and rich in minerals such as magnesium, potassium and sodium. They’re fantastic for the body, mind and skin and boast negative bionic charges which can be very good for screen detoxing and just generally grounding us. B
BA LA N CE November 2018
The outcome
We are conditioned to believe success and admiration are key to proving our worth: keep going, keep moving, never slow down. But this doesn’t work as we chase our tails. If we can stop in our tracks, allow everything to rush past us and let it all go, we’ll find clarity