Balance October 2018 by Maywish

L I V E

W E L L OCTOBER 2018 ISSUE 29 BALANCE.MEDIA

QUIZ: HOW D O I BUY A HO USE? PA RENT TRAP: T HE DADDY OF ALL DATING IS SUE S A ND BREAT HE... BEAT PANIC ATTACKS

Jess GLY NNE H I TS T HE HIGH NOTE S

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CONTENTS

Welcome

REG U LA R S

We have two worlds - inner and outer. Imbalance occurs when the two are in conflict; when your behaviour, relationships and life choices don’t reflect or meet your values and ideals. For example, family is your priority, yet you spend every evening glued to your phone, dealing with work emails. You prize your health above all, but rarely find the time to exercise, let alone eat well. You want success, but never push yourself beyond what feels comfortable… you get the drift. Stress arises when you ignore your inner GPS and end up losing a sense of alignment. This month’s piece on panic (see page 38) exposes the harsh reality of today’s heightened levels of anxiety, thanks to a host of external stimuli. The antidote? Peace starts with knowing yourself better (listen – no one said it was easy). So, wherever you find yourself reading this, take a moment to focus on your breath. Notice how your body feels, and create some space for your inner world to tell you what it wants. Listen, then act. Sophie Scott Editor editor@balance.media

WORK/L IFE 18 JESS GLYNNE HAS GOT HER MOJO BACK 22 HOW GAMING CAN TRAIN YOUR BRAIN

PSYC HOLOGY 26 THE CHANGING FACE OF GIVING 30 GET A GRIP ON YOUR MIND MONSTERS 32 THE DADDY OF ALL DATING ISSUES

BODY/SOU L 38 STAY IN CONTROL WHEN PANIC ATTACKS

FOO D 45 JACK MONROE’S BUDGET BRILLIANCE 51 PATRICK DRAKE CHANGES THINGS UP

TRAV EL balance.media

@balanceLDN

@balanceldn

56 CHASING THE SUN

ARTS / C U LTU RE

THE BALANCE EQUATION COVER PHOTOGRAPHY: NADINE IJEWERE. EDITOR’S PHOTOGRAPHY: IAKOVOS KALAITZAKIS

8 GOOD NEWS 12 QUIZ: HOW DO I BUY A HOUSE? 70 LAUNCHING A NEW BRAND

61 KRYPTON’S WALLIS DAY TRUSTS HER GUT

BEAU TY / GRO OM IN G BE PRESENT

GAIN INSIGHT

LAUGH

FEAR

LIVE WELL

EDITORIAL

TRADING

Head of Finance Kate Lyon

Editor Sophie Scott

Commercial Director Minal Bhima

Licensing Jonathan Marks

Deputy Editor James Gill

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

PA to Publisher/Managing Director Filippa Woolf

Production Editor Jonathan Sever Editorial Assistant Libby Williams Creative Director Kate Monument

Creative Partnerships Rashad Braimah, Hussain Chowdhury

Art Director Victoria Ireland

Publisher/Managing Director Daniel Cuby

Digital Director Callum McGeoch

CIRCULATION AND DISTRIBUTION Magazine Heroes circulation@balance.media

Website & Social Media Manager Georgia Shepheard

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

BALANCE PUBLISHING LTD

Tel 020 8444 3401

Digital Creative Producer Henry Mame

Executive Editor Morgan Rees

Thanks to Josh Barnett

Editorial Director Rashmi Madan

Deputy Art Editor Jade Cooper-Collins Production Director Dahlia Cuby

October 2018 BA LA N CE

67 ETHICAL PRODUCTS FOR THE MODERN MAN 69 THE WAY TO AVOID WATER TORTURE

BA LA N C E Balance Copyright of editorial contents are held by Balance Publishing Ltd. The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the publisher. Reproduction in whole or part is forbidden except with the express permission of the publisher. It is not the intention to print any matter that discriminates on the grounds of race, sex,sexuality or disability. All details, and prices, are correct at the time of going to press. The Balance equation is a device and not mathematically correct.

October

GOOD NEWS

INSTAGRAM “Great work as always, guys. Loved the September issue!” @beckyhipkiss

TWEET “Privileged to be featured by Balance, thanks for the cracking interview!” October’s Rising Star, @paulraschid

With the nights drawing in, we scour the globe for small nuggets to brighten your day

Food

Technology

TOKE ON A COKE?

DNA technology helped trace seized illegal elephant tusks back to three of Africa’s largest ivory dealers. Cartels separated pairs of tusks, allowing Samuel Wasser of the University of Washington Center for Conservation Biology, to deduce they work together. Thankfully, they’re closer to wiping out an industry killing 40,000 elephants a year.

Nature LEADER OF THE PACK Naturalist Chris Packham has warned of impending “apocalypse” for Britain’s wildlife, and he’s empowering us all to do something via his People’s Manifesto. The full list is available at chrispackham.co.uk, but standouts include a pesticide tax, a halt to the badger cull and more outdoor learning in schools.

Science HAIR-WOOD HOUSE It’s a little-known fact that wood can actually cure baldness. But wait: if a follicly-challenged friend is now rubbing their barren bonce against the nearest dining room table tell them to stop, because it’s the smell of sandalwood that could result in encouraging your luxurious mane to return. A team of scientists at the University of Manchester discovered the skin around hair follicles reacts to odour, with Professor Ralf Paus of the university stating, “We showed for the first time that a human organ can be regulated by a simple, cosmetically widely-used odorant. The organ actually needs to be continuously stimulated by olfactory receptors for optimal growth.” That should hir-sute baldies.

Contrary to initial reaction, Coca-Cola isn’t about to get pumped full of marijuana. Rather, the soft drink behemoth is mulling over a bevvy that contains cannabidiol (CBD), a naturally occurring compound, to ease pain rather than get drinkers high. A spokesperson says: “We are monitoring the growth of non-psychoactive CBD in functional wellness beverages worldwide.” You can’t beat the “real thing”.

Society BORDERING ON TEARS After signing a historic peace treaty in Saudi Arabia, the common border between Ethiopia and Eritrea has finally re-opened after two decades, sparking scenes of jubilation. Following years of forced separation, head to balance.media for a video that would truly make a glass eye weep.

BA LA N CE October 2018

Health WALK OF LIFE Remember when “life hacks” was the buzz phrase? A popular London-centric example was to get off at least one Tube stop early to walk some more. As it turns out, that was potentially life-changing advice. New research has found that walking for just 35 minutes more a day can lessen the impact of strokes in later life. “While exercise benefits health in many ways,” begins Katharina Sunnerhagen of the University of Gothenburg in Sweden, “our research suggests even getting in a small amount of physical activity each week may have a big impact later by possibly reducing the severity of a stroke.” We’re now scouring Timehop to find out which other “life hacks” we stupidly scoffed at…

WORDS: JAMES GILL IMAGES: SHUTTERSTOCK

TSK, TUSK

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

The user guide

rebalance SIX STEPS TO TREATING SEASONAL AFFECTIVE DISORDER

Seasonal Affective Disorder is a type of depression that fluxes in a seasonal pattern. It affects one-in-15 people in the UK from September through to April

Be Kind

BRIGHT EYES BEURER TL 30 SAD LAMP

GYM CARE-Y THIRD SPACE Research says even gentle activity is enough to help relieve depression and manage SAD, and Third Space has five frankly jaw-dropping London clubs. Membership’s not cheap (ahem) so there can be no lax attitude once you sign up. thirdspace.london

Users swear by light therapy lamps to combat the gloom. Designed to boost mood, concentration and energy, switch one on and place 50cm away for 30 minutes each morning to boost serotonin levels. beurer.com, £59.99

COMPILED BY: JAMES GILL ILLUSTRATION: ALICE BOWSHER

by BERNADETTE RUSSELL WAX LYRICAL RUBY WAX’S NO BRAINER A good laugh is a surefire way to take down SAD, and Balance hero Ruby Wax’s new audiobook is just the tonic. The US firebrand chats with experts about a range of topics centring on how to better use our brains. Out 10 October, audible.co.uk

A DEEP BREATH CALM APP

LONDON CALLING NIKE ZOOM PEGASUS TURBO Vitamin D is crucial in the battle against SAD, when employees enter and leave the office in the dark. So, treat yourself to a pair of Pegasus and stroll outside for 30 minutes. As your gran used to say when you’d take a jacket, “You’ll feel the benefit”. nike.com, £159.95

AND PLAN A DAY OUT

YOU TALKIN’ TO ME? CBT The way you think impacts how you feel. Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is a talking therapy designed to change how you think, with the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recommending it to battle SAD. The excellent Mind can help you find the right therapist. mind.org.uk

SAD can impact sleep, thereby leaving us sluggish. The excellent Calm app boasts a Sleep Stories category, and they’re exactly what you think: bedtime tales for adults (no, that doesn’t mean they’re rude - that’s a different app entirely). calm.com

October 2018 BA LA N CE

fter an awful week of bad news, stress, and miserable days, my friend Emma took me for a surprise night out. We travelled from pub to pub, listened to live music, drank cocktails and chatted to new people. It was ace. My problems didn’t disappear, but everything felt a little easier. London has the power to cheer anyone up, but October can be gloomy, so be kind and surprise someone who needs a distraction. Take the opportunity to discover something new: there are loads of free and cheap things you won’t have done, like visiting galleries or parks, or seeing a performance. This week I’m returning the favour, and taking my friend out. First stop is Richmond Park to see the beautiful autumn colours and stags, then a visit to the National Portrait Gallery, rounded off with an evening of totally free comedy at the Camden Head in Islington. Make the most of all the events and venues in London, be kind and cheer yourself up. The Little Book of Kindness by Bernadette Russell (£7.99, Orion Spring) is out now

the manual

words LIBBY WILLI A M S photography CHAYAP ON BOOTBOONEAM

The

QUIZ

how do i buy a house? These days, it’s not ‘to buy or not to buy’, but more like, ‘how on earth do I buy?’ Thankfully, there are various financial ways to get on the ladder

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HOME DISCOMFORT

ta k e

the te

PROPERTY EXPERT 1. How much money do you have saved? Enough for a deposit of 5% or more I am saving £200 or more a month from my salary I save around £100 a month I try to save, but have also inherited some money I have zero savings

A B C D E

2. How much are you looking to spend on a property? Under £600k Under £450k Under £300k Under £250k Under £150k

A B C D E

3. Do you have anyone to help with your purchase? I can and want to buy a house on my own I’m buying with my partner

A B

C D E

I have friends who want to purchase with me My family can help out with a deposit I’m on my own on this one… 4. What is your current state of employment? I have a stable job and love what I do I work part-time I’m a freelancer, so my workload can vary a lot I’m trying to work my way up the career ladder I have a couple of jobs and work whenever I can

A B C D E

5. Are you in a position to make monthly repayments and cover hidden costs? I have enough savings to cover the deposit, mortgage and costs of moving Between myself and my

partner, we are able to cover everything I won’t be able to cover the mortgage on my own If I hit a rough patch, I know family can help me I can just about pay rent

C D E

6. What are your longterm plans after buying a property? This will be a long-term investment for me I might want to up-size in the future, even if it means moving further out I hope to be able to buy a place on my own at some point I’d like to move up the ladder, but this depends on my income I’m just happy to have a house

A B C D E

Tally up each letter you’ve chosen and see what it means over the page… Flip for your results!

October 2018 BA LA N CE

the manual

The

RESULTS y Mostl

y Mostl

BORROW BEFORE YOU BUY

As you already have savings, an Equity Loan might give you a boost. With a 5% deposit, the government lends you up to 20% of the purchase price, and your mortgage covers the rest. This applies to new-builds, and it must be valued under £600k. Paula Higgins, chief executive, Home Owners Alliance (HOA.org.uk) “The loan is interest-free for five years, after which you’re charged at 1.75%. These repayments are on top of your mortgage, so aim to pay off the equity loan within the first five years, before the interest kicks in.”

TWO’S COMPANY

A Help to Buy ISA is perfect for properties worth £450k or less. Pay in £200 a month and the government tops it up by £50, up to a maximum £3,000 tax-free bonus. If you’re planning to team up you can both open one, earning a maximum bonus of £6,000, and a joint savings pot of £30,000. Paula Higgins says…“A Lifetime ISA could be another option. Earn a 25% bonus for savings spent on either a deposit for a home or towards a pension income in retirement, and you can save up to £4k per year. The maximum bonus is £32k.”

y tl s o M

WHAT ARE FRIENDS FOR?

You have savings, but not enough to go it alone. Buying with a friend (as ‘tenants in common’) could be the solution. With this option you’ll have a joint mortgage, but the shares of the property don’t have to be divided equally. This means if one of you can afford more than the other partner, you’ll own a larger slice of the property. Paula Higgins says… “Mortgage lenders always insist borrowers are ‘jointly and severally’ liable for the policy. Before you commit to anything, talk to each other about what your longterm plans are. If one of you wants to eventually move in with a partner, or has to move around for work, it wouldn’t be realistic, advisable or sensible to enter into a long-term legal arrangement.”

HOME DISCOMFORT

y tl s o M

A FAMILY AFFAIR

If you’re lucky enough to have family to help you out, there are several options. They don’t necessarily need to gift you cash: you could opt for a joint mortgage, or they can act as a guarantor. In either case, make sure

you’re both in a position to keep up with mortgage repayments to avoid complications. Paula Higgins says… “If you take out a joint mortgage with a family member, you’ll both be equally liable for the repayment of the loan. The upside is that with your combined incomes, you may be able to afford to take on a larger slice.”

Mostl

A HELPING HAND

If you want to go it alone but can’t afford to, Shared Ownership is worth a punt. You can buy between 25-75% of a property through a Housing Association using a deposit and mortgage, then pay up to 3% rent on the remainder. However, this option exists for those with a total household income of under £90,000.

Paula Higgins says… “Shared ownership is a great option for getting a foot on the ladder, but be clear about the wider costs of the scheme, such as charges for maintenance and repairs, and be prepared for possible increases in the future. There will also be a general monthly service charge for caretaking and maintenance of communal areas, so ask how much you will be expected to pay before you commit to anything.”

TH D IAY N AV I GE AT O NT O S LDUAY G

m an ua l the manual

The

24-HOUR inde�

Are you above or below average? Time will Tell

JAMMY (NON) DODGER

one-third of the day is spent consuming digital media, up 9% on 2016

In 2017, Londoners spent (on average) 74 hours gridlocked, which equates to 1.2 days a year sat in traffic

20%

Brits spend around 47 minutes getting ready each morning

3% OF TIME IS SPENT COOKING – THAT BOILS DOWN TO 50 MINS PER DAY

27 mins

Of their weekday Brits spend making tea at work. Annually on average, this adds up to 109.66 hours taking tea breaks

2hrs 53mins Daily exposure to social media

12.5% DAILY TIME SPENT LISTENING TO MUSIC (3 HOURS, 9MINS)

Approximately 6 minutes and 29 seconds of the day is used up having sex The average Brit spends a whopping 208 hours a year doing household chores – or 34 mins per day

Every week, 19% of adults watch Netflix for an average of 2 hours per day Of the average Londoner’s day is spent commuting – at 74 minutes, the longest work travel time in the UK

spent on WhatsApp (28 minutes per day)

On average, our working day is 7 hours 37 minutes long BA LA N CE October 2018

BUM WORKOUT

The average British adult whiles away 27 minutes a day sitting on the loo (3 hours and 9 minutes a week)

Comparatively, just 13 mins per day are spent exercising (90 minutes each week)

COMPILED BY: LIBBY WILLIAMS. SOURCES: IPA.CO.UK, SIMILARWEB.COM, BUSINESSLEADER.CO.UK SMALLBUSINES.CO.UK, GFK.COM, IDEALHOME.CO.UK, TELEGRAPH.CO.UK, INDEPENDENT.CO.UK

DRESS-AGE

OF THE DAY IS SPENT AS LEISURE TIME. LONDONERS ENJOY 21%, OR FIVE HOURS OF FREE-TIME

hours '170 a year is

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Rather be me Back with her second album, Jess Glynne relieved herself of pressure and finally realised what she wanted to say words SA N DIE JO N E S photography NA D INE IJEWERE

inding Britain’s most-successful female pop star in a busy restaurant isn’t as easy as you might think. I’m looking for a blaze of red hair, rainbow-coloured eyeshadow and maybe a sequin or two. “That’s exactly who you’d find if you were meeting Jess Glynne” she laughs, when I eventually track her down. “But today, I’m Jessica.” Jessica is a pared-back version of the musical superstar, who has celebrated seven No1 singles, a feat no other female artist has come close to. It’s an incredible achievement, especially when you consider she’s only released one album, I Cry When I Laugh. But when you remind the girl behind it all of this fact, she looks at you in disbelief. “It’s all a bit surreal,” she says, as she polishes off a cooked breakfast, dressed in a hoodie, her distinctive hair pulled into a ponytail and not a scrap of make-up. “It all feels as if it’s happened to someone else.” Jess’ long-awaited second album, Always In

BA LA N CE October 2018

Between, sums up, well… what’s happened in between. “It says a lot about where my head’s been in the three years since the first album,” Jess admits. “It’s about living parallel lives, being propelled into a world of being famous while desperately trying to hold onto the life I once had. It’s about discovering the balance of who I am, where I am, and where I want to go.”

HOW TO SAVE A LIFE Finding that happy place hasn’t always come easy and even after her phenomenal success, Jess has had to dig deep to find the selfacceptance she craves. “It all went a bit mad and as with any success, people come knocking and you’re expected to make the most of the opportunities. But working in LA, with people I didn’t know, in a strange environment, didn’t bring out the best in me.” It was then that the self-doubt and pressure to produce an even greater second

THE INBETWEENER

October 2018 BA LA N CE

album kicked in. “I was working hard and I wanted someone to say, ‘This sounds amazing. Oh my God Jess, you’ve nailed it!” But no one did. Instead, the overwhelming consensus was that she could do a lot better. “I felt like I wasn’t good enough at anything and it made me feel like a failure. I was in a really dark place which, at one point, had me threatening to walk away from it all.” Thankfully, Jess was given the space she needed and went away to get her mojo back. “Up until then, I’d never really known what I wanted to say. When I wrote Don’t Be So Hard on Yourself, it was a form of self-therapy and really helped the situation I found myself in at the time. But suddenly, I was receiving letters and messages from people who were able to relate to it. Knowing my songs were changing – and in some cases saving – peoples’ lives, really shone a light on the importance of saying what I needed to say.” By the time she returned from a week away with her band and close friends, the second album was in the bag. “I felt liberated and less vulnerable being with them. By 7pm on the Friday I said to everyone, ‘That’s it, the album’s done.’ We just had fun and I didn’t put myself under any pressure. It turns out that’s when I do my best work.”

RUNAWAY TRAIN It’s no surprise the speed at which the fame train hit Jess has left her reeling. It’s only four years ago she was a simple girl, living in North London with her Jewish family. She knew she liked to sing and dreamed of performing in front of thousands, but fame was never part of the plan. In fact, it was a bone of contention between her and her mum. “She used to say to me, ‘you just want to be famous,’ and I’d always argue that wasn’t what I was about. Now when she sees what goes on in my life and the way I respond to it, she says, ‘you really didn’t want to be famous, did you?”

JESS’ FORMULA FOR ACCEPTANCE

SELF-LOVE

FRIENDS

PRESSURE

A HAPPIER MIND

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THE INBETWEENER

JESS’ TOP

London hangouts

D H A O RT M YU P P V E A IF E S M I’ ’D T H ST E S H E I T H SY T, B E W G O I L L DAY ST TO US

SHOREDITCH HOUSE

Six storeys in a converted warehouse (and the setting for our chat with Jess), the private members’ club offers a rooftop pool and restaurant, library, gym, Cowshed spa and 26 bedrooms shoreditchhouse.com

LA BODEGA NEGRA Old Compton Street’s best kept subterranean secret, sup on countless tequila-based cocktails and enjoy Mexican staples like soft-shell crab tacos and slow-roasted lamb barbacoa labodeganegra.com

PIZZERIA PAPPAGONE

Family-run business on Stroud Green Road offering woodfired pizza, traditional Italian starters and pasta, all washed down with artisan lager. Get there early, or prepare to queue… pizzeriapappagone. co.uk

Jess credits her family and friends for keeping her feet firmly on the ground. “My family have always been close, especially my mother’s side who all live just around the corner. The Jewish thing is important to us, but it’s more about how it brings us all together rather than the religious side of it. We celebrate all the big holidays – last month, we were round my aunty’s for Rosh Hashanah, eating traditional food and having fun. It’s a big part of my life and means a lot.”

HOLD MY HAND Growing up close – literally and figuratively – to her hero, Amy Winehouse, was a huge inspiration to Jess, who loved and admired everything she did. “Seeing what happened to Amy had a big impact on me. The frustration of knowing she could have been saved will never leave me. But it also made me want to do what I do even more. A lot is asked of you as an artist, and I can see turning to drugs and alcohol is an easy thing to do. Being on stage, you experience such a high only to come off and suddenly feel all alone. Thankfully I’m terrified of drugs, but it’s being surrounded by the right people that makes all the difference. If Amy had the support system I’ve got, she’d still be with us today.” That ‘support system’ comes in all forms, whether it’s taking time out to look after herself – having treatments for troublesome skin and ensuring she eats well – to taking therapy sessions with Ed Sheeran. “We were having a chat about the lives we lead and the way we’re sometimes made to feel, and it got quite deep,” remembers Jess. “I had some lyrics about how our videos and images were giving people a false impression of who we really are, and I just wanted to shout out nobody’s perfect. We should all believe that we’re beautiful, no matter what, because who can tell us we’re wrong?” Accepting herself for who she is, foibles and all, has been an enlightening experience for Jess, and is one she would encourage everyone to partake in. “I’ve spent a long time trying to fit into a certain box; loving the right person, being who people wanted me to be. But it’s only now that I feel it’s OK to be me. I may not have all the answers, and the floor in my world is by no means made of concrete, but I’m getting there.” In the words of her resulting collaboration with Sheeran, Thursday, she really means it when she sings I won’t wear make-up on Thursday, because who I am is enough. It seems this version of Jessica speaks for the masses. B Jess Glynne’s second album, Always In Between, is released on Friday 12 October

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GAME OF LIFE

E M G N!

Research has shown gaming sessions can actually improve your brain performance. It’s time for you to level up your life

ave you ever fired up your games console ‘just for five minutes’, and ended up (unintentionally) squandering many hours you’ll never get back? However, the real question which now arises is are those lost sessions really time wasted? Picture the scene: I’m out for supper with three ‘tweenagers’ – two glued to iPads, the other fixated on their phone – they barely glance up to grunt when spoken to. It’s all too familiar, whether it’s the kids, your partner or your mate who can’t put their joypad down until they’ve successfully reached the next level. On telling the kids they were killing their brain cells, Callum (age 11), informed me that to the contrary, he was developing skills crucial in many areas of life. I laughed. Everyone knows how bad computer games are for the old grey matter. How could he possibly be improving himself playing Fortnite for, well,

October 2018 BA LA N CE

words J O B ET T ER I D G E

what felt like a fortnight in the space of one mealtime? “It helps my ability to concentrate”, he retorted. “It encourages teamwork, dexterity, socialisation. It gets you thinking for yourself, gives you quick reflexes. It improves reading ability and imagination. It boosts confidence and self-belief, gives early understanding of skills like driving and map reading. And I’ve made friendships all over the world”.

CONSOLE-ATION PRIZE It’s a far cry from the stereotypical pasty, sunlight-deprived gamer sat in their room, detached from society, brainwashed into a life of isolation and random acts of unthinkable violence that we often imagine. Perhaps it’s time to give gaming credit where it’s due. A significant number of scientific studies conducted over the

GAME OF LIFE

The rule of three Despite the positive effects of gaming, make sure you moderate your exposure with this hat-trick of cheats…

RELAX INTO IT Play in a comfortable position, but do take regular breaks

COIN-OP TO CO-OP Handily, an article in American Psychologist consolidated 10 years of gaming research and found correlations between playing video games and enhanced problem-solving, creativity, mood, three-dimensional thinking and spatial awareness, as well as decreases in anxiety and stress. Interestingly, it was also discovered the cooperative enactment of violent games can actually promote cooperation (as opposed to violence) outside the game. Similarly, those who played games with responsibilities for and accountability to their gaming community (or ‘clans’, as they tend to be in gamerworld) are more likely to hold civic roles in real life. The

RESPAWN REGULARLY Maintain a balanced lifestyle: eat a nutritional diet (including your snacks!), take regular exercise, and enjoy fresh air and natural daylight – without your electronic device

REAL DEAL

RESEARCH SHOWED SPECIFIC BRAIN REGIONS CAN BE TRAINED BY MEANS OF VIDEO GAMES

Don’t neglect the real world in favour of gaming. Maintain friendships, family ties, your job or studies and your health and you can #winatlife too

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grind of daily life requires perseverance, patience, routine and repetition, common traits endured by gamers for delayed gratification. Add in the strategy, planning, effective communication, leadership and motivation required for successfully uplevelling, and the benefits of translating these skills into real life become blindingly obvious. From continuing education and climbing the career ladder, to saving for a house or wedding, through dealing with difficult situations, settling issues and resolving conflict, it all helps.

WAR GAMES But what of riskier business? Taking chances and making snap decisions in life-or-death situations are all very well in VR, but does it really help in real-life situations? The British Army extensively uses shoot-’em-up-style, 3D virtual reality Combined Arms Tactical Trainer (CATT) games to cement skills such as firing accuracy, weapon deployment and operational communication within virtual battle groups, against an implied enemy, before personnel are unleashed in real-world combat. Similarly, Dutch surgeon Henk O. Ten Cate Hoedemaker of the University of Groningen developed a game to train surgeons. He illustrated 3D games correlate with improved spatial awareness, and made clear links between first-person shooter games and enhanced performance in keyhole surgery. Thankfully, this goes part of the way to disproving the oft-repeated “you’ll get square eyes” war-cry of mothers from a certain generation. However in 2009, the University of Rochester went the whole hog, concluding that gaming can actually improve your eyesight. So there we have it: plenty of conclusive proof that button-bashing is actually good for you and your career. Treat your life like you’re constantly gaming and you’re bound to level-up. Ready, player one? B

PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES

past decade back up such anecdotal evidence. A 2013 study from Molecular Psychiatry, conducted by the Max Planck Institute for Human Development alongside the Charité University Medicine St. Hedwig-Krankenhaus, Berlin, found two months spent playing Super Mario 64 for 30 minutes a day increased brain volume in three core regions. In layman’s terms, it equates to a measurable improvement in fine motor skills, memory formation, strategic planning and navigation. According to study leader Simone Kühn, “This proves specific brain regions can be trained by means of video games.” Astonishingly, those affected by brain degeneration through accidents or mental conditions such as Alzheimer’s, PTSD and schizophrenia could potentially rebuild brain density and therefore improve functioning via video game ‘therapy’.

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IT’S WHAT’S NOT INSIDE THAT COUNTS

The Save the Children Fund is a charity registered in England and Wales (213890) and Scotland (SCO39570) Registered ofﬁce: 1 St John’s Lane, London, EC1M 4AR.

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extra 1 The

YANKS VERY MUCH 55% of Americans have donated to good causes in the past 12 months

SAMBA STARS Two-thirds of Brazilians gave to charity in 2017

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S H A R E T H E W E A LT H

Would you be willing to pledge a portion of your income to charity to make the world a better place? KEEP BUSY China’s GDP is $12.2 trillion

words REBECCA GILLAM photography KIRSTY BEGG

anchester United footballer Juan Mata made headlines when he announced he was donating 1% of his salary to Common Goal, a pledgebased initiative he helped launch, generating social change through football. The Spaniard triggered an industry-wide movement, inspiring fellow pros Giorgio Chiellini, Mats Hummels and Serge Gnabry to follow suit. The hope was these public figures donating would spur other footballers, but also the wider population, to sign up. While many sports people, who often benefit from generous salaries, can afford to contribute 1% regularly, what about the average person?

Myanmar is the most-charitable country in the world, largely thought to be due to the presence of Theravada Buddhism

PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION Sarah Smith, Professor of Economics at the University of Bristol observes on average, households tend to give 1.9% of their income to charity. Of that, “The proportion of their total budgets given by the poorest 10% of households is around 3%, compared to just over 1% among richer households. However, only one-in-10 poorer households gave anything, compared to more than half of richer households.” Proportionately speaking, this is more than the footballers’ annual donation. According to non-profit organisation The Life You Can Save, people on similar salaries (estimated at £140,000-per-week), could afford to give up 23.5% of that wage, or around £1.6m a year. This suggests focus should be on encouraging people to give at all, rather than making a percentage donation

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mandatory. According to the Charities Aid Foundation (CAF), 33% of the UK population regularly donates, but the number is declining, particularly in younger generations. This is one reason footballers offering a positive philanthropy role model is important. The total UK GDP (gross domestic product) is around £2 trillion, so everyone giving 1%, championed by initiatives like Pledge 1%, would add up to £20 billion. This is, Sarah suggests, “about double the current level of individual donations, and about the same as getting the 20 richest people to donate 10% of their wealth.” Though footballers’ salaries get a lot of media attention, they are dwarfed by the super-rich, whose wealth has potential to effect vast change. Sarah continues, “If all Premier League footballers gave away 10% of their annual salary, it would raise about £200m, based on the total wage bill of the Premier League, (which, in 2016-17, was £1,925 billion). Total UK donations are currently around £11 billion, so even an extra £193 million would represent a fairly moderate 2% increase.” “The total wealth of the richest 20 people in the UK amounts to more than £100 billion, so if they gave away 10% of their money, donations would double. The total riches of 139 ‘giving pledgers’, who have agreed to donate 50% of their wealth, is £731 billion.” The Giving Pledge is a growing philanthropic movement designed to encourage the world’s wealthiest individuals and families to dedicate the majority of their wealth to giving back. Currently, the non-binding motion has 183 signatories, including Virgin supremo Richard Branson, Microsoft master Bill Gates and his philanthropist wife, Melinda.

INVOLUNTARY CHARITY While those who philosopher Peter Singer, author of The Life You Can Save: How to Play Your Part in Ending World Poverty, describes as “middle-class or above in an affluent society” would all be expected to participate, there would potentially have to be exceptions if a mandatory donation was put in place. The elderly, those in education and those living below the poverty line could all be excused, but the question arises about whether it’s right to make donations obligatory. Professor Kimberley Scharf, Head of the Department of Economics at Birmingham Business School, suggests it might be a difficult ask. “We already have mandatory donations to public goods in the form of taxation. Charitable giving is distinctive from tax in

GIVE IT AWAY NOW...

SINGLE SOURCE Individual donations to charity increased by more than £600m in 2017, according to the Charities Aid Foundation, rising from £9.7bn in 2016 to £10.3bn

CHARITY BEGINS AT HOME

The UK’s top three charitable causes are…

1 .Children and young people

THE RICHEST 1% OF THE PLANET IS WORTH MORE THAN THE OTHER 99% COMBINED

being voluntary, and I think it should remain that way. The original rationale for exempting charities from taxation was that they were doing things the government would otherwise have to support with tax revenue. So the question is, are donors contributing to things the government would otherwise provide? It’s about the causes the money supports and the effectiveness with which it is used, and compulsory giving is just coercive taxation.” Complications arise with the idea of charities providing society’s public goods or services, as donors’ opinions of where their money should be spent “May not reflect broader societal considerations, which is something the political process and taxation is supposed to do,” suggests Kimberley. Even if a donation wasn’t made mandatory, if people just started partaking of their own accord, huge change could be brought about quickly.

2. Medical research

FIX UP, LOOK SHARP

3. Animals

20%

ONE-FIF TH OF TOTAL DONATIONS GO TO RELIGIOUS CAUSES

If given to Against Malaria, for example, Juan Mata’s current annual donation of around £70,000 alone could protect 55,000 people from the illness for three to four years. Everyone pledging 1% (which is currently less than people who donate are choosing to give), or the richest 20 people in the world giving 10%, would total £20 billion a year. If this began, Peter predicts it would inspire many to do the same across Europe, North America

ALTRUISTIC ALLSTARS Many of the world’s most recognisable stars earn fortunes beyond the imagination of us mere mortals, but some of them should be just as well known for what they choose to give back

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£220M

* SOURCES: CHARITIES AID FOUNDATION, NPT-UK.ORG, THIRDSECTOR.CO.UK, DR SARAH SMTIH

AMOUNT THE SAINSBURY FAMILY DONATED IN 2015, TOTALLING ALMOST 40% OF THEIR WEALTH

$10.2 BILLION

THE PROPORTION OF 355 £1M+ DONATIONS ORIGINATING IN LONDON IN 2015

THE COMBINED TOTAL OF THE TOP 10 CHARITABLE DONATIONS THIS PAST YEAR

building at least 100,000 social homes every and other affluent countries. “It would year for 15 years, and supporting prisons and make a huge difference. That amount could hospitals to prevent people leaving those dramatically reduce extreme poverty, although institutions becoming homeless. admittedly we would still struggle with poverty The UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization caused by violent conflict and climate change.” estimated ending world hunger would cost According to The Life You Can Save Charity $30 billion. The NHS crisis is never far from Impact Calculator, the money Oxfam receives the news, and in January 2018, Conservative could provide school meal programmes MP Dominic Raab, Secretary of State for to 735,500,517 children for one year, or Exiting the European Union, said: “It needs, 514,850,400 households with seeds and tools urgently, about £4 billion a year”. While for farming. Alternatively, the charity could unsubstantiated, these figures demonstrate build 257,425,200 latrines to protect the health the effect similar sums could have on some of of families displaced by natural disasters or society’s biggest issues. conflict, 143,014,000 washing stations for hand It’s hard not to expect larger contributions sanitisation at rural schools to prevent the from the wealthy, while low-income families spread of disease, or 17,161,680 schools for girls are giving relatively more, but rather than in developing countries. creating another type of ‘tax’ (which has a lessA 2018 report from the charity Crisis charming spin than charitable giving), let’s predicted homelessness in the UK could encourage philanthropy and distribute be solved within 10 years with a £10 resources appropriately. B billion donation. As well as helping Pukka Tea have signed up to 1% the “236,000 people in England, For The Planet, a Scotland and Wales living on charity supporting the streets, in cars or tents, in environmental solutions through shelters or unsuitable temporary everyday actions accommodation”, it would include

THE TOTAL WEALTH OF THE RICHEST 20 PEOPLE IN THE UK AMOUNTS TO MORE THAN £100 BILLION*

VINCENT KOMPANY

OPRAH WINFREY

WILFRIED ZAHA

J.K. ROWLING

WILL.I.AM

The Manchester City skipper celebrated 10 years at the Etihad Stadium this summer, and has been awarded a testimonial match in August 2019. The Belgium international has announced all the proceeds from this will go to helping Manchester’s homeless problem

The TV talk show host is considered by many to be the world’s most charitable celebrity. Her Oprah Winfrey Foundation has donated more than $40m to good causes including education, learning and leadership development and funded grants for not-for-profit organisations

Born in the Ivory Coast, and brought up in Croydon, the Crystal Palace winger gives 10 per cent of his salary to charities in the UK and his native African homeland. To ensure this happens regularly, his mum removes it from his pay packet at the end of each month

The creator of Harry Potter founded the Volant Charitable Trust in 2000, an organisation that fights social deprivation, but also issues grants, for example, for research into multiple sclerosis. It is said to have donated about £105m, causing Rowling to lose her billionaire status

The Black Eyed Peas frontman started the i.am. angel foundation in 2009 to transform lives through education, inspiration and opportunity. In 2012, he also gave most of his £500,000 wage for TV talent show The Voice to The Prince’s Trust, which helps disadvantaged young people

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Far from being a huge burden, embracing your mental demons can help you conquer your fears words HAZEL GALE illustrations AART-JAN VENEMA

F THE EXPERT Hazel Gale is a qualified cognitive hypnotherapist. Her book Fight: Win Freedom From SelfSabotage (£18.99, Yellow Kite) is available now. For more information, visit hazelgale.com

or almost a decade, I competed as a kickboxer and boxer, winning world and national titles. I don’t know what image that conjures up, but I want you to imagine a strong, fearless warrior. The truth? I was all but paralysed by the fear of failure. I suffered from panic attacks and eating disorders, and withdrew into a solitary world of sleepless worry and ever-intensifying fatigue. Fast forward a couple of years, and I’m warming up to box for an English ABA title. Something profound had changed. I felt at peace, as if the crowd had been hushed by a crisp layer of fresh snow, and as I walked towards the ring — one purposeful step after another — I knew, for the first time, I deserved the victory. On that day, after I won I felt a surge of alien emotion. I’m still not sure whether it was happiness, pride or just a good oldfashioned sense of achievement, but it was new. Previously as my hand was raised, I’d lower my head or avert my eyes. In retrospect, my reaction to winning for the majority of my time fighting had been shame. Finally, I could own the triumph.

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the error in my ways, I kept on fighting my fear, searching harder for the win that would complete me. But no amount of external validation can heal this internal wound. The only thing I was striving towards was the inevitable burnout and when that happened, how do you think it made me feel? Weak and inadequate.

s r te

RESISTANCE IS FUTILE It’s natural to fight our monsters. Maybe we try to hide them by making ourselves smaller, quieter and refusing to take opportunities that could expose us, or our preference is to numb them with drink or drugs. These are attempts to fight self-sabotage with self-sabotage, making our monsters’ stories feel even truer. But they’re not true – not in an absolute sense. We can all do stupid or selfish things but that doesn’t mean we’re fundamentally stupid or selfish. It’s just our monsters are experts in making it feel that way. They take control of our eyes, ears and emotions, skewing reality to back up their shameful stories.

PROTECT YOUR MIND ONLY GOT YOURSELF TO BLAME Think of something you feel or do repeatedly, but wish you didn’t. Perhaps it’s giving in to anxiety, resentment or self-doubt, or a behavioural thing like procrastination or binge-drinking. Now, put your hand in front of you, palm up, and imagine the part of your personality responsible is sitting on that hand. This is self-sabotage. If you could see it, what would it look like? Is it large or small? Dark or light? Humanoid, animal-like or inanimate? What people imagine when asked these questions varies widely. Some see a gremlin-like creature, others a version of themselves or someone else from their life. Many see something undefined, like a blob of slime. I call these “monsters”, because they are entirely fictional, yet feel utterly terrifying when they take hold of our lives.

WHAT’S THE STORY? Our monsters tell us stories; sometimes to inspire action, sometimes to prevent it. They say we’re too weak, lazy, selfish or stupid to deserve what we want. Even when we try to fight them, they find a way of tainting our results. I started fighting because my monster told me I was “weak and inadequate.” I learned to throw punches and perform spinning kicks so I could prove it wrong, but it didn’t work. In spite of all the medals and trophies, my monster found a way to make me feel like a failure. Rather than recognising

Our monsters do all this in the name of our protection. The unconscious mind strives to keep things familiar, simply because familiarity feels safer than novelty. And that remains true even when what we’re familiar with is misery, self-doubt and shame. If we’ve always believed we’re unlovable, it will feel safer to push a potential partner away than brave the vulnerability and exposure of a wholehearted, loving relationship. You see, your monster doesn’t realise that it’s your monster. It thinks it’s your saviour, trying to protect you from the unknown.

GIVE UP THE GRUDGE So, if we can’t fight our monsters and win, how do we break the self-sabotage cycle? The answer, of course, is acceptance. Instead of resisting them, embrace our insecurity and vulnerability to help our fearful parts let go of coping mechanisms. When you visualise your monster, you open up a dialogue and begin rewriting old stories rather than compounding them. This is easier with a visual, because you can’t hug what you can’t see. It’s easy to think we need to slay our monsters to become “enough”, but the truth is our monsters are a crucial part of our being. They hold the key to a richer, more loving and more successful life. We just have to make friends with them first. B If you’d like to contribute to the #mindmonsters awareness project, draw your monster and send it to hazel@hazelgale.co.uk

HOW TO BEFRIEND YOUR MONSTER

Self-acceptance is a practice, not PICTURE OF YOU a one-off. Repeat Think of someone you this visualisation love wholeheartedly, daily for two regardless of their human flaws. Close weeks and allow your eyes and picture your monster them in front of to evolve you, paying close attention to their body language, facial expressions and tone of voice

POINT OF ORDER

LIVING COLOUR

ALTERED STATE

FREE REIN

Take your awareness inside your body to observe the feeling of love that you have for this person. If you could point to that feeling, where would you point? Is it large or small? Heavy or light? Warm or cool? Moving or still?

Next, consider this. If that love you’ve been focusing on had a colour, what would that colour be? Go with the first shade that comes to mind and remember it for the next stage of the evolution

Bring your monster to mind and let that colour flow powerfully from you to it. How does your monster change as it registers your acceptance? You might just find it looks smaller or kinder. Let it transform in any way that feels right

If you feel ready, invite this part into the whole by imagining you can integrate it physically. Sit calmly and breathe into that part of your body, relaxing your muscles and visualising your chosen colour flowing freely through your system

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A familiar attraction? Do you find yourself in unhealthy relationship patterns with partners who remind you of your parents? If so, it might be time to resolve childhood trauma another way... words TEAL SWAN

here is a little boy. His parents are a stay at home mum and a lawyer. One day, his parents decide to divorce. They move into different houses, and the boy has to go back and forth. His mother has to start working, so the boy is put in nursery. Now, he barely sees her and, from that day forward, he only sees his dad on alternate weekends. In this little boy’s reality, he has lost his parents and his sense of home. His father is now inaccessible, and so is his mother. He has no stability and is suddenly forced to spend the day with strangers: he’s lost the life he loved, he’s in pain and he’s afraid. Sadly, there is no resolution for this, because his parents don’t know how to coach him through the experience emotionally. They are too preoccupied with their own emotional pain and in his parents’ reality, they perceive they are still there for him.

THERE MAY BE TROUBLE AHEAD We cannot move past whatever is unresolved within us. This trauma in the boy’s childhood was never resolved, and so he grew up trying to find that closure, but unconsciously. Now as an adult,

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AT TA C K O F T H E C L O N E S

Remind you of anyone?

he continuously finds himself in situations where the women in his romantic life are unavailable to him. It always seems as if they have something more important to do than be with him. His friendships start out close but then suddenly, they abandon him for other friends and pursuits, or move away. Subconsciously, this man keeps repeating the same experience of abandonment. He chooses romantic partners and friends who will leave him emotionally, or physically, or both, yet he has no idea why this is happening. He feels cursed and can never seem to find the right partner, or the right friends. Trauma is a state of emotional and mental distress caused by unresolved experience. Even the best parents create situations where their children experience trauma – to heal is to experience the opposite. If you break your leg, to change ‘broken’ into its opposite means to mend it. If we feel demeaned, to heal is to feel valued. If we are traumatised by dogs, to heal is to form a different association with dogs so that instead of feeling negative towards them, we feel positive. If we are lonely, to heal is to achieve togetherness. If we feel powerless, to heal is to feel empowered.

GRAVITATIONAL PULL Psychologically, we cannot move forward without healing. We must experience the opposite of whatever it was that caused our distress – this is what resolve fundamentally is – but we go about getting it in very unconscious ways. We become attracted to people exactly like the parent(s) through whom we experienced trauma, and gravitate towards experiences that are clones of our original distress. We then attempt to create the resolve we never received, but within the context of that new relationship or situation. In our subconscious minds, we think if we can enjoy the opposite (healing) experience with someone exactly like our mum or dad, we have resolved the original issue. For example, the man in our previous scenario continues to gravitate towards unavailable women. He believes if he can make a potential romantic interest of this ilk love him enough to drop the other things she is focused on and prioritise him, he has resolved the wound of feeling abandoned by his mother, who suddenly made work more important than him.

EAT, SLEEP, CARBON COPY, REPEAT But when we are attracted to people who are exactly like the person who traumatised us in the first place, and when we gravitate towards circumstances that are a repeat of the previous unpleasant situation, chances are that instead of experiencing healing,

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Just like mum used to make

WAYS TO START A NEW SCRIPT 1. WRITE OF PASSAGE Jot down all the things you disliked about your mum, and make another list of everything you hated about your dad. Include all the ways you feel hurt by them

2. PRESENT TENSE Do the same thing for each of your past partners, and even your current one

3. SIDE BY SIDE

WE CAN USE THE PAIN AND THEMES OF ADULT RELATIONSHIPS TO DISCOVER OUR HIDDEN TRAUMAS 34

are suffering from: it is a lack of awareness you have about what deep and often subconscious traumas you are trying to resolve. These are the same subconscious strategies you are using to try to resolve those relationships by gravitating towards certain people and experiences.

OPPOSITES ATTRACT We can use the pain of adult relationships, especially painful themes that keep occurring from relationship to relationship, to discover these traumas. By doing so, we then become aware of what conditions we need in order to begin to heal, and what opposite experience we are, in fact, looking for. Gravitating towards similar people and scenarios expecting a different outcome is like going shopping for milk at a hardware store – put simply, it’s not going to work out for us. The day our relationships feel good, and the moment we find Mr/Mrs Right, is the exact time we recognise the people and circumstances which are the opposite of those which caused us distress in the first place – therein, we will actually find the resolve we seek. B The Anatomy Of Loneliness by Teal Swan is out on 1 November (Watkins Publishing, £12.99)

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4. REPEAT PERFORMANCE Use the emotional pain of repeating patterns to go back to the source of the original trauma, and actually create resolve for what happened in the past. A good way to do this is via The Completion Process (thecompletion process.com)

5. FRESH APPROACH Now you know what resolutions you require, and what you need in order to heal, consciously seek out the people and circumstances that can provide those needs, as well as offering the opposite experience from the trauma you endured. Take steps to connect with these people and create long-term relationships

PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES

we will simply be re-traumatised. For example, it is much more likely that if the man from our previous scenario finds himself in a relationship with a woman who is unavailable because she prioritises career over him, she will not suddenly decide to drop her career for him. Instead, she is likely to continue to be unavailable and will eventually decide to end the relationship for the sake of her career. This won’t start healing his original wounding, it will only compound it, retraumatise him and reinforce the belief that originated because of that initial event, manifesting in thoughts like “no one will love me enough to really be with me”, “I’m all alone in this world” or “women are all so self-centred”. When it seems like you can never find Mr or Mrs Right, it can begin to feel like you are cursed. But it isn’t actually a curse you

Compare the two lists. Do you see any patterns emerging, or recognise any traumas repeating?

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

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BALANCE PROMOTION

De-stress

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e live in an age of ‘always on’, be that consumed by social media or tapping out a work email in bed while we should be recharging. So, it’s no surprise the only thing which matches the breakneck speed of this lifestyle is cultural stress. Coined by Dr Howard Murad in 2003, the phrase is apt for modern society’s inability to switch off. Described as “the non-stop pressure to keep up and keep going”, cultural stress triggers the production of cortisol, which disrupts and unbalances our hormones. In the short term this can cause breakouts, but when stress is sustained, it leads to premature ageing of the skin. Those with an extremely stressful lifestyle age up to 3.5 times faster than those who do not and while there are many products to combat ageing, the visible damage of cultural stress has largely been ignored. The good news is Dr Murad has harnessed his lifetime of expertise to battle against cultural stress, and used the knowledge of 50,000plus patients to provide something with which to fight back: Revitalixir™ Recovery Serum. Revitalixir™ reduces the negative effects caused by cortisol in the skin. A sphere-infused serum which targets stress lines, it includes caffeine to combat under eye puffiness and dark circles, niacinamide which helps eliminate express lines and cannabis oil and hyaluronic acid to deeply rehydrate the skin. As an added bonus, by separating the oilbased spheres and water-based gel, the formula is more potent, and delivers a larger dose of active ingredients with each use. Dr Murad says: “I formulated Revitalixir™ to help manage the visible effects of stress, minimise skin fatigue and renew vibrancy in an instant, and over time.” Even if your life moves at the pace of Usain Bolt, thanks to Revitalixir™ Recovery Serum (RRP £70), you don’t have to let it show on your face.

TOP TIPS TO FIGHT STRESS

Pick a single habit you want to change and commit to making that happen

Establish a set amount of time each day to unplug from your digital devices

Create a bedtime routine that prepares you for sleep thirty minutes prior to lights out

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Sleep consultation

You’ve tried everything to sleep soundly to no avail. Worry not – Hope Bastine springs eternal

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

ike us at Balance, you’ve probably read enough sleep advice to start your own column. “No caffeine after 3pm. No smartphone late at night.” Yes, very good, we get it. It can be so tiresome to hear the same thing over and over that it’s enough to make you feel positively soporific. So, there was more than a degree of weary cynicism when the chance to have a one-on-one sleep consultation arose. However, in the same way the recalcitrant Banks children raised eyebrows at the thought of a nanny changing their lives, so Hope Bastine would prove my own Mary Poppins. You can book Hope’s services and, if you’re feeling similarly sceptical, there is a firm-but-friendly maternal tone that ensures you will take her advice. It’s akin to a spoonful of sugar helping the medicine go down, but that’s literally the last thing she’d suggest. After all, just think of your blood-glucose levels.

well informed LATEST RESEARCH SHOWS A LITTLE NEGATIVITY CAN PRODUCE A HUGELY POSITIVE OUTCOME

Equal parts friendly chat, insight and playful wag of the finger, Hope insists that it’s your entire lifestyle that needs to change, rather than just, for example, not looking at your phone after 10pm. During a wideranging consultation that went way beyond an hour, the first casualty was the 6am coffee. With two young children (which is where my sleep issues can arise), I assumed she was joking, but her lips didn’t move. Pure Poppins. I now start off with a herbal tea, saving the coffee for a full hour later. Give me strength. And by “strength”, I mean “a flat white”. Oh, and last caffeine hit at 3pm? That’s a myth. Your last coffee should be a minimum of 12 hours before bedtime. Once I’d stopped crying into my hands at the thought of two fewer coffees a day, mindful eating was recommended, as well as plants in the home: English ivy to improve air quality, for example. We then enjoy some pillow talk, but not the type to put my marriage in jeopardy. Rather, when your head is on the pillow, it should be at the same angle as when you’re standing, leaving my Princess and

There’s no doubt a positive attitude can produce a positive outcome, but if it’s true happiness you’re after, a little negativity can go a long way. Taking a deep breath and visualising your happy place might help you focus on the good. However new research suggests those who feel happiest embrace true emotions, even when they’re

the Pea-inspired two-pillow method in tatters. Bastine’s impact is cumulative and so far, I have faith in Hope. While we stopped just shy of an elaborate dance routine involving chimney sweeps, it doesn’t get much more Poppins than being asked if my bedroom was tidy (I am 40). If yours isn’t, blitz it immediately. I sense Hope is watching… B Hope Bastine, Mindfulness & Sleep Psychologist, is speaking at SOMNEX, The Sleep Show, at The Old Truman Brewery from 12-14 October. For further information, visit somnexshow.com

REST IS BEST Give it a go For anyone who has trouble sleeping, having tried different approaches. This holistic approach is so far, so good…

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unpleasant. In fact, the American Psychological Association study found although most people want to experience pleasant emotions, channelling a little anger or hatred once in a while can lead to a boost in overall wellbeing. Do worry, be happy In an era where there’s immense pressure to feel

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High point The sheer volume of takeaway suggestions

Booking info fresh perception.com

Low point Being asked if my bedroom is tidy…

happy all the time, it’s easy to force positive feelings. Giving yourself permission to feel lousy can be an effective way to increase overall happiness Next time you want to rant about how bad the weather is or why your other half never does the cleaning, don’t fight it, it’s what your heart desires. Laura Hill, Senior Editor, welltodoglobal.com

If you’re in the grip of a panic attack, there are simple steps which can help you restore a sense of self-possession

STATIONS W e’re living through a panic epidemic. The number of people reporting anxiety disorders is on the rise, while the average age of onset (between 16-19) is getting lower. In fact, it’s an affliction now biased towards youth, with a third of young women and one in 10 young men suffering from panic attacks, according to British charity YouthNet. Is this simply due to an increased awareness around anxiety-related disorders? In part, thinks Dr Paul Kelly, an educational and child psychologist. “Research suggests it’s related to improved identification and a reduction in stigma. Individuals feel able to seek help and support.” According to psychologists, there are a whole host of other potential explanations for the attack of Gen Y anxiety; the rise of technology and social media; the ‘exam factory’ approach to education; austerity measures on individuals, families and neighbourhoods; excess choice, from supermarket aisles to life decisions; fewer social structures and less support, like family, faith and community; and increased pressure from work. Even societal expectations of our mental and physical

words R E B EC CA G IL L A M

wellbeing are verging on obsessional, encapsulated by the adage ‘health is the new wealth’.

A BLESSING AND A CURSE Crying ‘snowflake’ is a harsh comprehension of the trials and tribulations dealt to the first generation in recorded history which is projected to be worse off than those prior. Attempts to raise awareness of the issues via the universal millennial messenger source, social media, could also be seen to exacerbate the problem. So the ‘cure’ is also the cause. “Social media has a huge impact in depleting selfesteem, through comparison to others, keeping up with peers, being influenced by celebrities and the media’s depiction of ‘perfection’”, says Anna Williamson, counsellor and author of Breaking Mad: The Insider’s Guide to Conquering Anxiety. “Sufferers aren’t equipped to process it all emotionally, so the pressure and need to fit in is causing an increase in anxiety and panic attacks.” The crux of the matter is that the world at large is becoming a more stressful place to live. As well as the well-documented psychological downsides of always being ‘on’, it’s hard to avoid daily updates on the dire

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FEAR

Humans all experience fear remarkably similarly. It triggers the amygdala in the centre of the brain and, if sufficiently frightened, we enter ‘fight, flight or freeze’ mode. “When the brain perceives a threat in its environment, it wants to get you out of danger. The neurons auto-generate a fast, short, shallow breath, and it’s this rhythm rate and depth that arouses the neurons to trigger a Locus Coeruleus to activate your stress response. So the sympathetic nervous system kicks in and the heart rate increases, preparing the body for action,” explains Stuart Sandeman, founder of Breathpod. “Nowadays, the ‘hazard’ your brain has detected is unlikely to be a life-threatening situation. It may be an emotional trigger, a memory or even an email which doesn’t require a sympathetic response. “The body and mind readies itself to fight, run away or shut down and freeze on the spot. Our hearts beat faster, our breathing becomes shallow, we get a dry mouth, there are changes in our gut, we may sweat and feel faint and we stop thinking clearly and instead act on instinct. This happens in response to anything we are scared of, like spiders or heights, but it can also be a cycle of fear about the fear and the response itself,” says Dr Kelly. The physiological response has been preserved impressively well, despite us requiring it far less than we would have done in the past. While the bodily changes would have helped us deal with a wild animal encounter, they don’t translate usefully to the office. Typically lasting between 5-20 minutes, though sometimes up to an hour or more, experiences of panic attacks can vary, despite the same responses happening internally. Understanding what’s happening in the brain and body, and even talking about it, can radically reduce their power and put the sufferer back in control. While panic attacks can feel life-threatening, it’s vital to know they’re not harmful and will always pass. Attempting to remember this can help break the cycle of fear.

FLYING

PREPARE FOR ACTION

STRESS

ANXIETY

state of things; Trump, Brexit, climate change, reduced bee numbers, birds, ice or the ozone layer, increasing populations, terrorism, artificial intelligence taking over industries, then the whole world… So, unlike anxiety attacks, the panic variant isn’t necessarily a response to direct outside triggers, but an accumulated sense of fear. Dr Kelly explains it thus: “Think of our levels of stress being like a cup filled with water. If the cup is filled up to the brim already, it will only take a few drops of ‘stress’ to make it overflow.”

SOCIAL

MEDIA

DEADLINES

HACK YOUR MIND

ways to help lower the levels of anxiety overall, rather than just dealing with the attacks themselves’, suggests Dr Kelly. “There is some good evidence supporting ways of reducing stress and anxiety through a range of approaches, including mindfulness, meditation, talking therapies, mild to moderate exercise, creativity and being in nature.” Research conducted by the University of Surrey found people who completed a mindfulness course reported a 58% reduction in anxiety levels and a 40% decline in perceived stress. Increasingly, breath work is thought to have a significant effect on reducing anxiety and stress. As Stuart Sandeman explains, “If you notice the onset of panic, you can consciously control your breathing (by using, for instance, timed breath where the exhale is longer than the inhale) to send a different signal back to the neurons, so the Locus Coeruleus responds in the way you want. This means you can use your breath to override the panic response, hacking into the brain’s control centre and enabling you to create a calm response.” Whether it’s seeking help via mental health channels, downloading an app (such as Calm) or just taking some notice of your breathing, one thing is abundantly clear: we all need to de-stress. B

Usually caused by an amalgamation of stressors, panic attacks are not the simplest thing to treat, but there are lots of options which can be helpful. “We recommend

If you’re suffering from anxiety or panic disorders, speak to your GP or The Samaritans on freephone 116 123

October October 2018 2018 BA BALA LAN NCE CE

presents

UNLOCK YOUR INNER CONFIDENCE Balance and Skinsmiths team up to give you a boost

ouldn’t it be great if we could just turn on confidence whenever we needed it? Life would be so much easier. 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. It might not be something we can instantly conjure up, but there are steps you can take to help boost self-belief. For example, many believe that outer confidence can help with inner confidence. These are some of the topics up for discussion at the upcoming Balance and Skinsmiths event on Wednesday 24 October. Taking place at Fora, 9 Dallington Street, Clerkenwell, London, there will be a panel of experts on hand to give you the lowdown. After all, Skinsmiths, the membership-based skin clinic with

THREE EASY WINS Takeaway tips to let go of your insecurity

Speak to yourself in the second person (“you” rather than “I”). That way, it sounds as though you’re receiving encouragement and support from someone else

locations across New Zealand and London, has more than 20 years of experience when it comes to helping people gain confidence. WHEN Wednesday 24 October TIME 6.30pm-8.30pm WHERE Fora, 9 Dallington Street, Clerkenwell, EC1V 0LN

In association with

Come and join us Book your space early to avoid disappointment. Everyone who attends will receive a goody bag packed with healthy treats, too. To buy tickets and find out more details, please visit balanceinnerconfidence.eventbrite.com

BA LA N CE October 2018

Perfume works. Give yourself a spray; it helps with selfconfidence. The same goes for dressing well and looking after yourself

If you’re like us, you’ll mean well then not get around to it, but meditation and yoga are proven to bolster confidence

BALANCE PROMOTION

Marshmallow

Soft, gooey and more delicious than you can imagine, this is why you need Mallow & Marsh in your life

but not as you know it

very now and then, you’ll do something you’ve not done in years and despairingly think, “Why did I not enjoy this again sooner?” Perhaps it’s a solo cinema trip, reviving a great author, or cooking your old favourite meal. Well, we’ve got another rediscovered pleasure to add to the list: eating marshmallows. You might not have tasted these sweet treats since you were a child, and forgotten how light, soft and gooey they are. Mallow & Marsh – purveyors of quality marshmallows – will serve as a warm reminder to the fluffy morsels you enjoyed as a kid, but with one key twist: Mallow & Marsh is so mind-blowingly delicious, you’ll kick yourself while saying, “Why did I not enjoy these again sooner?” Whether you opt for salted caramel,

raspberry & dark chocolate, vanilla, coconut or peanut, you’re in for a sumptuous treat. As the nights get longer and you curl up in front of a box set, there’s no better time to enjoy these marshmallows, handmade in England. And, with no artificial colours or preservatives to boot, and only natural ingredients, this is exactly how treats should be enjoyed. What’s more, they come in bar or pouch form; the bar is perfect for work, injecting much-needed you-time into your hectic afternoon schedule, while the pouch is ideal to share. And by “share”, we obviously mean “eating them all by yourself”. With Halloween and Bonfire Night on the horizon, now is the time to reward yourself and stock your cupboards with Mallow & Marsh… if they last that long. January BALA LAN NCE CE October 2018 BA

Mallow & Marsh is available at Sainsbury’s, BP garages, Starbucks and Boots. For more information, visit mallowandmarsh.com/shop mallowandmarsh MallowandMarsh MallowandMarsh

BALANCE PROMOTION

Impossibly

good taste Welcome in a new and delicious way of enjoying warmth and wellness this season

Golden

wonder

S P I C E S E N S AT I O N

Adding spice to your diet (turmeric, ginger or cinnamon), in cooking or mixed in a drink, is a simple way to boost your wellbeing Katie Pande, medical herbalist

BALANCE October 2018

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HERBAL L AT TES T O BRIGHTEN YOUR DAY

fter 16 successful years of creating the finest blends of award-winning organic herbal teas around, Pukka Herbs – the UK’s leading herbal and wellbeing experts – have launched an exciting new range of organic latte blends. A pleasurable and inviting way to experience the incredible power of plants, you can now sip happily on Turmeric Gold, Cacao Maca Magic, Majestic Matcha Chai and Ginger Joy. These four deliciously healthy blends have been created by Pukka’s master herbsmith Sebastian Pole, using the finest quality, sustainably-sourced organic herbs, spices and superstar plant adaptogens to support you throughout your day. Without resorting to added sugar, artificial flavours, additives, dairy, wheat or gluten, only naturally good ingredients are used from start to finish. If you’ve never made a latte before fret not, as these herbal drinks couldn’t be easier to create. Simply combine two heaped teaspoons of Pukka latte with your milk of choice (at Pukka HQ, we love almond or coconut) for a healthy, warming and indulgent treat you can enjoy whenever, and wherever, you fancy. Whether you’re looking for a mid-morning pick-me-up on the way to work, a satisfying mid-afternoon treat, or a soothing after dinner drink, you’ll find your perfect latte match among our four delicious blends. Which will become your favourite?

Morning: Majestic Matcha £7.99 for 15 servings Organic Matcha spiced with sweet cinnamon and cardamom, it’s the perfect uplifting start to your day

Mid-morning: Turmeric Gold £4.99 for 15 servings This aromatic, golden elixir, blended with creamy coconut, is a superb spicy pick-me-up

Afternoon: Ginger Joy £4.99 for 15 servings Enjoy the taste sensation of organic ginger, turmeric and fragrant spices as a guilt-free treat

Pukka Lattes are available from Tesco, Amazon and Planet Organic Pukka lattes use only the finest organic herbs to benefit people, plants and the planet

Evening: Cacao Maca Magic £4.99 for 15 servings Satisfyingly rich and smooth, this delicious cacao creation envelops you in a swirl of calm For more information, visit pukkaherbs.com

pukkaherbs

October 2018 BALANCE

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October 2017 BA LA N CE

J A C K- P O T S

pe s

BUD

EG T r e c i

‘Self-care starts with good food’ Food writer Jack Monroe uses cooking as therapy – and wants you to do likewise

PHOTOGRAPHY: MIKE ENGLISH WORDS: SOFIA ZAGZOULE. *SOURCE: THE TRESSELL TRUST

he author of A Girl Called Jack is struggling to take care of her eight-year old son on a packed commuter train. It’s just another daily task in the life of Jack Monroe, best-selling author and activist against hunger and poverty, who’s helping the masses to eat well – and eat cheaply. Jack has just completed a UK book tour promoting a fourth cookbook, and runs a website which crashed under the weight of 35 million users logging on to see its relaunch. It’s safe to say Jack, 30, has been busy. Crammed with 118 delicious new recipes, this latest offering, Cooking on A Bootstrap, focuses on food as a way to clear your head and furnish your body with self-love, as well as delivering on exactly what made Jack so popular in the first place – feeding your family healthily on a budget.

WELLNESS THROUGH GOOD FOOD “Cooking is one of the most important things I can do to keep myself mentally well and balanced,” Jack tells us. “Taking care of yourself with food is key for good mental health. Stirring risotto for half an hour, or kneading dough are physical things that are meditative.” Jack says as well as cooking, walking and meditating, a daily routine also helps achieve a good balance. “I make no secret of the fact I’m in therapy. I developed a routine with my therapist about finding the components of my perfect day, stuff like doing my hair or eating three square meals. Once we’ve established the list, I try to make sure I do some of those things every day.” “It’s about making sure you are full at all times. Then if I get trolled, or things happen that send

Between April 2017 and March 2018, The Trussell Trust’s foodbank network distributed 1,332,952 three-day emergency food supplies (134,244 in London alone), a 13% increase on 2016-17. 484,026 went to children*

me off kilter, I’m responding to them from a place where I’m well-fed and have had a good night’s sleep, rather than running on empty. This way, it only derails me slightly, rather than flooring me completely.”

MISSION: POSSIBLE Other than online trolls, what has been Jack’s biggest challenge? Like everyone else, it’s been balancing childcare, work and life. “It's a case of keeping all the balls in the air. On one hand, I’m really lucky to have flexibility. I put in 15-hour days, work Saturdays and Sundays, but I don’t have to answer to anyone.” So, is there a mission for the world Jack has in mind? “Just teaching as many people to cook as well and as cheaply as I can. I’m not just a food writer, I am a campaigner. My work was born out of a need, teaching people to cook from food bank boxes. It’s an issue that’s not going away.” And finally, a tip for cheap, tasty and great looking dishes? “Tinned fish is a great source of protein, and baked beans are really good. Salt, pepper and lemon juice are my ‘go to’: they have rescued hundreds of slightly c*cked up meals!”

Turn the page for Jack’s budget recipes which are bursting with brilliance

October 2018 BA LA N CE

Proteinpacked

CREAMY CANNELLINI AND FENNEL PASTA Serves 4

Vitamin C punch

SHAKSHUKA Serves 2 (if you’re in a sharing mood…) Ingredients • 1 onion, finely sliced • 1 pepper of any colour, de-seeded and finely sliced • 1 tbsp oil • 2 tsp cumin (seeds or ground) • Salt and cracked black pepper • 1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes • Handful of spinach or other leafy greens • 2–4 eggs • A pinch of chilli or paprika 1 Chuck the onion and pepper into a pan with the oil, cumin, salt and pepper. Cook on a medium heat until the onions have started to soften. 2 Pour over the tomatoes, slice and add the greens, then cook for around 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to disturb everything so it doesn’t stick.

1 Pop the onion and garlic into a large saucepan with the oil. Heat gently, add a pinch of salt and the fennel seeds and stir lovingly. There’s a lot of love going into this dish along the way, so clear the decks and use it as a de-stressor while you stand and stir.

3 Crank the heat up and add a splash of water to loosen the mixture, as the eggs need something to cook in (kind of like poaching, but not like poaching, because I can’t poach an egg to save my life!) Mix it all well. 4 When it starts to bubble and splutter, make a gap in the mixture and break in the eggs, one at a time. Cook them for a minute or two, then reduce the heat to medium. 5 Cover the pan with a lid (or tin foil, a plate – anything but your hands!) and cook for around five minutes, peeking half-way through to check if the white is cooked but the yolk is still runnyish with a promise of soft, sloppy gorgeousness. 6 Serve immediately with a sprinkle of chilli or paprika and a good grind of black pepper.

Ingredients • 1 large onion, finely sliced • 2–4 fat garlic cloves, minced or finely chopped • 2 tbsp oil • Pinch of salt • ¼ tsp fennel seeds • 1 x 400g tin of cannellini beans, drained and rinsed • 2 tbsp lemon juice • A few sprigs of parsley (or herb of your choice) to finish • Cooked pasta of your choice

2 Toss the cannellini beans into the pan, squeeze the lemon juice over the top, and cook on a low heat for 10 minutes to soften the onions.

BOOTS CAMP

Cooking on a Bootstrap by Jack Monroe is out now (Bluebird, £15.99)

BA LA N CE October 2018

3 Add 200ml of cold water, then turn up the heat and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, stir, and leave to cook for another 10 minutes. The beans should start to break down and self-purée, thickening the sauce. Stir well and gradually add another 200ml of water until most of the beans have broken down and you’re left with a soft, creamy, garlicky sauce, then add in the herbs. Mix through your pasta, or allow to cool, spoon into jars, label and pop in the fridge until dinner time. I often put one in the fridge and one in the freezer for later in the week.

J A C K- P O T S

APPLESAUCE BREADCAKE Serves 8 (cut into chunky slices)

Yeastfree

Ingredients • 2 small dessert apples • 1 tbsp bottled lemon juice • 100ml oil, plus extra for greasing • 225g plain flour • ½ level tsp bicarbonate of soda • 1 tsp ground cinnamon • A generous handful of sultanas 1 Dice the apples (leave the skin on for extra fibre and vitamins), then toss them into a pan with the lemon juice. Cover with water, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for around 20 minutes, or until softened. 2 Preheat the oven to 80°C/350°F/ gas mark 4 and lightly grease a loaf tin. If you don’t have a loaf tin, a cake tin will do, or even mound it on a baking tray. 3. Add the flour, bicarbonate of soda and cinnamon to a bowl. If you are using a cooking apple or a more tart variety, you might want to add 2 tablespoons of caster sugar to the mix. Stir.

4 Drain any excess water from the cooked apples, but reserve the liquid. Put the apples in a bowl and mash them with a fork, adding the oil gradually to create a loose apple sauce mixture. 5 Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients, and pour in the apple sauce and sultanas. Mix well to form a thick batter, adding a splash of the reserved applewater if necessary. It should be reasonably stiff to stir, but not dry and cracking. 6 Dollop the dough into your vessel of choice (loaf tin, cake tin or on a baking tray). If using a baking tray, flour your hands well and roughly shape your batter to hold it together. Err on the side of tall and round as it may spread as well as rise. 7 Pop it into the oven and bake for 40 minutes, or until a sharp knife or skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack to cool before slicing. Store in an airtight bag or container and keep for up to three days, or in the freezer for up to three months. B

BALANCE PROMOTION

Food caddies are a waste of space. It’s time to get ‘in sink’ with InSinkErator

Reasons to love the daily grind

ike them or loathe them, food caddies have become as much a feature of urban living as potholes and foxes. But if you’re not lucky enough to live in an area where these are a feature of your clearup routine, and food waste is mixed in with your everyday household refuse, your sprout avoidance could be a huge issue. Food scraps disposed of in regular rubbish make their way to landfill sites, contributing to harmful gasses which, in turn, promote the greenhouse effect. The good news is there is a different way – and it comes in the form of InSinkErator’s waste disposal units.

BREAKING GROUND

H ELPS K EEP FOOD WAST E OU T OF LA N D F IL L

Traditionally, the UK’s exposure to these devices has been via countless films, with furious blades snaring ties or, more gorily, human anatomy, while they slash and snarl. InSinkErator’s products put an end to this cinematic trope, using blade and knife-less technology to grind your excess fodder – including chicken bones – into minute particles, small enough to be disposed of via your waste water pipe. These US-made, simple to install units cater for all family types, from singletons to large broods, and some models even relieve BA LA N CE October 2018

Food waste is ground into tiny particles by your InSinkErator disposer

There’s an InSinkErator for everyone – from masterchefs to kitchen nightmares

THE GROWING SCOURGE OF FOOD WASTE

7 7M TONNES Of food is wasted annually by UK households

A large proportion goes to landfill sites, where it emits harmful greenhouse gasses

Dispose of food scraps safely and hygienically in the kitchen sink

£13BN OF WASTE Yes £13 billion of purchased food is thrown away your caddy of banana peel and avocado skins. The only things it can’t tackle are fats and oil (of course, you’d never put these down the drain anyway…), cutlery or glass.

Sources: wrap.org.uk, foxolutions.co.uk

No more putting food waste in your caddy, increasing surface space and reducing landfill volume

This excess could yield renewable energy or natural fertiliser, but just 10% is separately collected in England, with less than 7% home composted

19 MILLION Tonnes of greenhouse gasses are produced every year from household food waste alone

FOOT ON THE GAS Once your food waste is hygienically disposed of in your sink (no more decomposing, stinky, surface top horrors!), the particles can then be processed as fertiliser or biogas, which certainly beats ‘greenhouse gas’. Quiet, compact and easy to clean (shove some lemon in every so often for a quick freshen up), there is an InSinkErator to suit every lifestyle. And it might also allow you to cunningly outfox night-time bin scavengers, too.

POWER PLAY

About a third of foxes’ food is scavenged from our domestic rubbish For more information and to view the full range, visit insinkerator.co.uk/balance ukinsinkerator inSinkEratorUK InSinkEratorUK

The particles are flushed to your wastewater treatment plant

Where they can yield valuable biogas…

…or are processed as fertiliser for agriculture October 2018 BA LA N CE

BALANCE PROMOTION

A wonder of the world Looking for a new beverage-based pickme-up? Enter Wonder Drink Kombucha

hen it comes to finding new thirst quenchers, we’re always on the lookout. Whether it’s to accompany our lunchbox, something to take the edge off another stressful office session, or a tipple to simply kick back and relax with, an exciting new beverage always adds variety to our day. Enter Wonder Drink Kombucha, which has enjoyed huge success in a very short amount of time. If you’re remotely into wellness, you’ll know all about the positive benefits of kombucha, but there’s a small chance you haven’t embraced the lip-smacking deliciousness of Wonder Drink. Available in three tantalising flavours (Asian Pear & Ginger, Traditional or Green Tea & Lemon), pasteurised and refreshing Wonder Drink is organic, vegan and GMOfriendly, non-alcoholic and BPA free. You’re in already, right?

THE ACID TEST Kombucha dates back thousands of years, originating in the Far East, and it’s widely believed to help promote a healthy gut, largely down to the fermentation process which produces friendly organic acids, including acetic. Now obviously, you don’t necessarily need to know exactly why acetic acid is so good for you, much in the same way you don’t need to know how electricity works before switching on the TV. A short chain fatty acid usually produced by probiotic bacteria to support gut health, thanks to the magic of kombucha, it offers a helping hand to break down food, releasing nutrients into the body rather than rotting in the stomach.

GUT INSTINCTS Studies show organic acids (like acetic, used in vinegar production) and tea polyphenols (including theaflavins, tannins and flavonoids) modulate microbiota and potentially promote good gut health, contributing to a happy digestive system January BA LA N CE 2018October BA LA N 2018 CE

And, as regular readers of Balance will know all too well, it is often claimed a happy gut can make for a happy outlook. Kombucha also shares many health benefits with tea, meaning it includes similar polyphenols and antioxidants, which all help combat cell-damaging free radicals. Anything this good for you shouldn’t be so delicious but, then again, it’s not called Wonder Drink for nothing. Wonder Drink Kombucha is available in 250ml cans from M&S stores for £1.85

@wonderdrink @wonderdrink @wonder_drink

FREEZE FRAME

SPEEDY

SICILIAN STEW With the nights drawing in, here’s one of our many autumnal warmers...

Serves 2

Ask the Chef

Time for a change HelloFresh head chef and co-founder Patrick Drake finds the answers to your culinary problems

Ingredients • 1 aubergine, 2cm dice • ½ stick celery, ½ cm dice • 1 tin chopped tomatoes • 2 cloves garlic • 2 tbsps green olives, finely chopped • 1 red pepper, 2cm cubes • 1 green pepper, 2cm cubes • 4 regular size pork sausages (ideally flavoured with oregano and/ or chilli flakes) • 1 tbsp white wine vinegar • 3 tbsps parsley, finely chopped 1 Preheat your oven to 220°c. Chop the aubergine, celery, garlic, peppers and olives. 2 Coat the aubergine and pepper in

WORDS: PATRICK DRAKE. PHOTOGRAPHY: DEBBIE BRAGG. RECIPE PHOTOGRAPHY: JASON INGRAM

‘I struggle to find the hours to make fresh meals for my family. I don’t want to resort to microwave convenience, so how can I utilise my time better?’ Henry, 36, Dulwich Back to school, back to your routine, back to stressing out about dinner? Not on my watch! I just returned from a week-long festival in the middle of the Nevada desert and if it made me realise one thing, it was this: meal prep is sexy. (Honestly, it is. Just hear me out!) OK, the meal prepping itself might take a bit of effort, but the amount of time it frees up for you to have

fun is priceless. I spent a day before the event pre-cooking a bunch of recipes and my 25 camp mates watched in wonderment as I fed them all within minutes using my trusty, rickety camping stove. Think about it this way: if you’re going to the effort of cooking a meal for one or two people, it’s only marginally more effort to increase the ingredients and double or triple the ratios. You’ll probably spend 20 per cent extra time, but you’ll actually end up with 300 per cent more chow! So here’s my ultimate battle plan: pick a day (Sunday often makes sense), switch on your favourite podcast/audio book/boxset/

soundtrack, and line up (at least) a couple of recipes. Once you’ve hammered through them, bag up in individual portions, date and stick them in the freezer. Hey presto – more time for that class you wanted to take, catching up with old friends, or perfecting your reverse frisbee throw. In fact, why not start with the simple stew to the right? B

Win two HelloFresh boxes

Tweet @BalanceLDN with your queries for Patrick. If your conundrum is chosen, you could win two free boxes from HelloFresh. Follow Patrick’s food adventures on Instagram @patrickdrakechef

1 tbsp of olive oil. Spread on a baking tray and roast on the top oven shelf for 20 minutes, until crispy at the edges.

3 Heat 1½ tbsps of olive oil in a nonstick pan. Once hot, add the celery and garlic with ¼ tsp of salt and a few grinds of black pepper. While this cooks, remove the sausage meat from the skins and add to the pan. Break it up and cook for 5 minutes.

4 Tip in the chopped tomatoes, then refill the tin ¼ full with water and stir in. Add another ¼ tsp of salt, the olives and white wine vinegar. Leave to simmer and thicken for 10-15 minutes. 5 Once the veggies have roasted, remove from the oven, add to the pan and stir. 6 When the stew has thickened, serve in warmed bowls. It can be eaten with cutlery, or with a toasted ciabatta posing as an edible shovel! Recipes That Work by Patrick Drake (Octopus Books, £20) is out now

PAT R I C K

FREEZE S YOU OUT

ONE-UPMANSHIP

COOL RECEPTION

DON’T CHOP-CHOP

As a general rule, slowcooked one-pot wonders (like chilli or bolognese) are best for freezing

When cooking large batches, cool them down as quickly as possible so bacteria can’t form

Meal kits do a lot of the legwork, and many veggies, garlic and chillies now come pre-chopped

October 2018 BA LA N CE

BALANCE PROMOTION

B loomin’

As if you needed another reason to love Roberts Bakery, their packaging is now 100% recyclable at home

recyclable

hile we’re doing our bit to recycle in the home, we’d all like businesses to do the same. Most of us have had those thoughts as we’re once again separating our paper and plastic the night before the dreaded ‘bin day’. “This is all well and good,” you might think, “but is everyone else going the extra mile?” That’s why Roberts – the next generation bakery – can take a bow, because the multi-award winning, familyrun company is the first brand to use 100 per cent home recyclable packaging for its entire bloomer range. Bread packaging is responsible for a whopping 10,736 tonnes of refuse per year (the same weight as 1.1 Eiffel Towers), which

is why Roberts felt compelled to act. The great taste and variety of Roberts bread already makes it a must-buy, so the fact all bloomer packaging is now fully recyclable at home elevates them to hero status. It also means you can stick it in your normal paper recycling, rather than having to take a trip out to your local centre. What’s more, Roberts’ bloomers are the only brand in the market with 100% green credentials and home recyclable, so if you’re thinking of trying a new loaf, there’s extra reason to give the kings of Cheshire a whirl.

BREAD OF HEAVEN If you’re new to Roberts products, their Wondrous White Bloomer is a best-seller, chunkily sliced and

BA LA N CE October 2018

LOCATIONS

PEAR NECESSITIES Want to shake up your sandwich game? Roberts Bakery’s Stilton, Walnut and Pear Toasts should give your taste buds a proper workout. Find this and other fine filling combos at robertsbakery. co.uk

dusted with flour, providing a soft, fluffy base to encase your filling of choice for truly epic sarnies. Seriously Seeded is packed with sunflower seeds, linseed, millet and poppy seeds, and adds a touch of vim and vigour to any packed lunch. And finally, Heroic Wholemeal oozes wholesome goodness and is perfect piled high with tomato and scrambled eggs as part of a welcome weekend brunch. If you ask us, we think Roberts are bloomin’ marvellous.

Morissons store GRAVESEND WELLING ERITH CHINGFORD ENFIELD HARROW TRIDENT POINT HARROW HATCH END CAMDEN COLINDALE EDGWARE ROAD DAGENHAM WOOD LANE GRAYS LONDON ROAD THAMESMEAD SUTTON HIGH STREET BRENTFORD

Postcode DA11 8AB DA16 1TZ DA8 2AH E4 8SN EN1 1TW HA1 4BB HA5 4QT NW1 8AA NW9 0AS RM10 7RA RM17 5XZ SE28 8RD SM1 1DD TW8 0AB

Asda store SWANLEY WALLINGTON GRAVESEND BEXLEYHEATH GREENHITHE LEYTON ISLE OF DOGS WEMBLEY BARKING BURGH HEATH SOUTHGATE CIRCUS EDMONTON PARK ROYAL COLINDALE ROMFORD TILBURY DAGENHAM OLD KENT ROAD CHARLTON SUTTON CLAPHAM JUNCTION ROEHAMPTON FELTHAM HOUNSLOW HAYES WATFORD

Postcode BR8 7UN CR0 4XS DA11 0DQ DA6 7BN DA9 9BT E10 5NH E14 3BT HA9 9EX IG11 8AA KT20 5NZ N14 5PW N9 0TW NW10 7LW NW9 0AS RM1 3EE RM18 7HJ RM9 6SJ SE1 5AG SE7 7ST SM1 1LD SW11 1JG SW15 3DT TW13 4BH TW3 1JT UB3 4AZ WD24 7RT

Roberts Bakery products are now making their mark in London and are available at Morrisons and Asda. To view the full range, visit robertsbakery.co.uk @robertsbakeryuk

October 2018 BA LA N CE

@RobertsBakeryUK

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October 2017 BA LA N CE

SKIN IT TO WIN IT

words AM ELI A RI CH AR D S

Oil have a bit of that

illustration VI CKI T U R N ER

Think oil is just for the kitchen? Scour your cupboards and change up your skin regime

any of us have become increasingly aware of the chemical overload that accompanies modern living, and are crying out for alternatives when it comes to our skin and hair care regime. But what you may not be aware of is the answer to your cosmetic concerns might already be lurking inside your kitchen cupboards. We have all heard about the nourishing and cleansing effects of using coconut oil topically on our hair and skin, but which other oils should feature in your beauty routine to help get that ‘glow’ and promote wellbeing? For starters, pure organic hemp, sea buckthorn and walnut oils are GMO-free and devoid of the nasty chemicals usually found in skin care products and moisturisers, so if you don’t yet own these three wonder oils, you’d best remedy that immediately. Equally useful (and delicious) when deployed in cooking or smothered over your hair, face and body, this holy trinity should become non-negotiable staples in your new-season wellness routine. There is now a wide range of pure plant oils readily available which provide a great source of natural skin-saving first aid and act more like the body’s own natural oils. These oils administer hydration and nourishment in huge doses and are easily absorbed and incorporated into the skin, and because they’re recognised by the epidermis (the skin’s top layer), they won’t clog up your pores, either. This breed of antioxidant-rich products will play a big part in the future of beauty, so it’s time to get oiled up. B

IN ASSOCIATION WITH

1. Linwoods Sprouted 2. Erbology Sea Hemp Seed Oil (100ml), Buckthorn Organic Fruit £6.25 Oil (100ml), £11.99 Derived from the Originating from an Asian Cannabis Sativa plant, shrub, this is fabulous hemp oil lacks the when used as a pre-wash psychoactive components conditioner and can help and is safe to use cure split ends. When it anywhere on your body comes to skin care, you – inside or out. Rich in can use this oil in place of fatty acids, amino acids a cleanser and exfoliator, and protein, applied with the knowledge it’s topically it fights naturally anti-ageing, not signs of ageing to mention it’s been and can improve proven to acne-prone prevent skin. Hemp breakouts. Sea SOS FOR oil has also buckthorn may THE SKIN been shown also help tame to reduce the rosacea and symptoms of is rich in eczema and vitamin B12 dermatitis and Omega 3

October 2018 BA LA N CE

3. Sun & Seed Cold Pressed Walnut Oil (250ml), £7.99 Famed for its incredibly high vitamin E content which, when combined with its phytonutrient and fatty acid profile, can have a huge influence on complexion. Just a few drops a day, either ingested or applied directly to skin, has been shown to dramatically improve symptoms of eczema and is equally effective at providing the antioxidants needed to slow down the signs of ageing

esc

tis

ape ar

Chasing

sunsets As the UK cools down, plenty of hotspots just a short hop away are enjoying the final throes of summer

BA LA N CE October 2018

S E T I N Y O U R WAY S

all greek to me

Stunning sunsets

WORDS: JAMIE GLASSMAN *Prices in pound sterling, according to today’s exchange rate)

Daios Cove, Crete

When Daios Cove was built on Crete’s north eastern coast, the vision was to marry luxury and wellness with striking architecture, a superior spa, healthy food and attentive staff. They wished to create the kind of space you never want to leave but, when the inevitable happens, you’ll depart refreshed and rejuvenated. The drive from Heraklion Airport takes around an hour, constantly framed by blue sky and crystal waters. Hidden from the highway, the hotel clings to the hillside that surrounds an idyllic cove, providing you with stunning views no matter where you’re standing. Centred on a child-friendly private beach below, it’s a great choice for families (and for all the doubters, there are always enough sun loungers). Or, if you prefer some tranquillity, you can pay the saltwater infinity pool – a little bit higher up and surrounded by a sun terrace – a visit. In keeping with the relaxed atmosphere, you don’t need to worry about the slopes either, as two funicular railways and a team of golf buggy drivers shuttle you around the hillside, or back to your room. It’s entirely up to you where you want to go. Every room and public space looks out over the cove, and the sea beyond. The bedrooms themselves range from luxurious, to very luxurious, to “why would I ever leave here?” Over half have their own pool, while an array of villas, suites and wellness rooms offer saunas, gyms and private outside showers. Taking over a whole floor is the spa, with a gorgeous indoor pool, well-equipped gym and corridors of treatment rooms. It feels incredibly chic and smart. There’s a beauty salon for your manicures and pedicures, while a few hours in the wellness area will give your mind the welcome wind down you’ve been craving. There are four restaurants on site, each with their own twist, such as a buffet, Greek taverna or beach bar with a live DJ playing ambient house as you sip on cocktails. And with this being a Greek island, fresh fish and grilled meats are a speciality. You know it’s a happy place when everyone is smiling. More than anything, this is what makes Daios Cove special. Surrounded by lovely locals who clearly have pride in their workplace is what makes this place perfect. Nightly rates in a Deluxe Sea View Room, on a half-board basis, start from €240 (£213*). For further details and to book, visit daioscovecrete.com, or call 020 3807 1418 At Daios Cove, you’ll be spoiled for choice with four different restaurants to pick from

Turkey before Christmas

Hillside Beach Club, Kalemya Bay, Turkey For a beautiful, soul-scraping sunset, the pine forests near Kalemya Bay take some beating. What’s more, Turkey remains consistently hot and sunny throughout October, with an average temperature in the mid-20s, making it perfect for anyone who still wants to soak up vitamin D just as the clocks are about to go back. Hillside Beach Club, delightfully secluded within the bay, is pure escapism, allowing you to do as much, or as little, as you like. There’s aquatic fun to be had with scuba diving, wakeboarding, windsurfing, water skiing, sailing and kayaking, all ideal for anyone who likes to get the blood pumping. Then, to kick back, the Sanda spa is strongly recommended for anyone who’s been in a meeting too many this year, boasting complimentary pilates, zumba and yoga classes. hillsidebeachclub.com

Natural beauty

A history lesson

Serchio Valley, Italy For many seasoned travellers, Tuscany is among the most beautiful places on earth, and a must for anyone with even a passing interest in art, history and the sort of views that will forever remain etched in the memory. With temperatures skirting around 22°c, it remains a perfect sunny escape for this time of year, even if it’s not scorchio. The stunning Serchio Valley is just an hour from Pisa (a trip to a certain lop-sided tower is a must) and Florence (Michelangelo’s David can be found at the Accademia Gallery), and the sweeping Tuscan countryside makes for the sort of life-affirming vistas that can lift spirits as the nights get longer. The majestic Renaissance Tuscany Il Ciocco Resort & Spa is nestled between the Apuan Alps and the Apennine Mountains, and features spine-tingling views overlooking the valley. renaissancetuscany.com

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S E T I N Y O U R WAY S

Fun in the sun

more than a holiday Why an October break makes sense

A BRIGHT IDEA Embrace that sweet vitamin D It’s not just Superman who gets powers from the sun. A huge health reason for more October sunshine is to soak up vitamin D, which regulates both calcium and phosphate levels in the body, thereby making it crucial for healthy bones, muscles and teeth. There are claims additional vitamin D can even combat disease and regulate mood

No Spain, no gain

winter mats). The sea also remains warm enough to

Estepona, Spain

swim in for anyone in need of an energising early

There is something naturally energising about

morning dip; the perfect way to get the heart racing.

southern Spain, where much of the onus is on

If you are looking to seriously up your fitness game,

wellness and well-being. There’s a frisson in the air,

Healthouse Las Dunas, located in between Estepona

with the region positively teeming with tennis courts,

and Marbella, is strongly recommended. The health

MONEY SAVER

golf courses and spas, while the fresh seafood at

and beach spa offers a range of programmes - such

restaurants such as Da Bruno, Playa Bella and La

as anti-stress, anti-smoking or detox - each designed

Casa del Rey makes for a lip-smacking experience.

to put that bounce back in your step. The place also

We’ve played several of the golf courses, and you

underwent a state-of-the-art summer makeover,

feel like you’re winning at life as you tee off in a pair

which includes a glass-walled, ocean-facing gym and

of shorts under the October sun (bearing in mind,

yoga studio. On a clear day, you can see as far as

some British courses will soon be getting out the

northern Africa. healthouse-naturhouse.com

Spending takes you further You can make this your very own transfer window, as there are bargains to be had throughout the month. It’s all about supply and demand, right? Think about it: who chases the sun in October? Shop around and you’ll find flights and seven days’ accommodation for the likes of Cyprus or Spain for some very reasonable prices

Food for thought

some beating. You’re eating delicious food that’s culturally different to British staples, meaning both you, and your taste buds, are getting away from it all. Despite myriad influences (Byzantine, French, Italian, something delightfully simple about Cypriot cuisine:

NO CHILDREN

halloumi, meats, pulses, sheftalia and souvlakia and

God bless education With absolutely no offence to children (several Balance staff even have kids), thanks to school, it means an October holiday is essentially a kid-free zone (with staggered half-terms galore). Therefore any tantrums are of your own making, and if someone’s kicking your seat on the flight, they’re probably old enough to know better

more combine for a diverse yet straightforward combination. The five-star Elysium resort in Paphos has forged a fine reputation for its food, with five different restaurants on offer. Mediterraneo fuses

Clean plates all round

Cypriot and Mediterranean, with diners enjoying an ocean view as they tuck in. Paphos is also perfect for

Paphos, Cyprus

couples: you’re near the birthplace of Aphrodite, the

British cuisine is in fine fettle. However, for sheer

goddess of love, so there’s no better place to relight

culinary escapism and the chance to eat outdoors

any missing sexual fire… We’ve possibly revealed a

under the October sun, picturesque Cyprus takes

little too much. elysium-hotel.com B

BA LA N CE October 2018

WORDS: JAMES GILL

Catalan, Ottoman and Middle Eastern), there is

BALANCE PROMOTION

biodegradable tea 'temple'

BIG leaves

dusty tea from paper teabag plastic-free

Big leaf, big flavour *Valid on your first order until 1st December 2018

The dust days are over

eapigs make a big thing about real tea. And by ‘real tea’, they mean big, whole leaves, herbs, berries, spices…. you get the picture. Big leaves = big flavour. Simple! Given that tea solves all of life’s problems (well, for the most part), why would you scrimp on the good stuff? You can’t fit big loose leaf tea in a normal paper teabag, so that’s why teapigs comes in tea “temples” – a roomy, biodegradable, mesh bag that gives the leaves the freedom to move and release their big, bold flavour. Loose

tea, but in a bag. If you’re already a real tea convert – hooray, their work here is done. If not, now is your chance to upgrade to something way better, and see what they mean by real tea. On this page is a humongous offer teapigs managed to sneak past the bosses. If we were you, we’d head over to teapigs.co.uk sharpish and tap in the offer code before they realise exactly what they’ve agreed to. Not sure where to start? Try the peppermint – it’s a game changer. October 2018 BA LA N CE

READER OFFER

£10 off a £25 order at teapigs.co.uk* Use the code REALTEAFORME at the checkout

Discover the range at teapigs.co.uk @teapigs @teapigs @teapigs

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W H AT ’ S O N

CULTURE ounter

October delivers tricks and treats without having to hand out sweets

Today Krypton, tomorrow the world Londoner Wallis Day swapped Hollyoaks for Hollywood, and is taking US TV by storm TELL US ABOUT YOUR KRYPTON CHARACTER, NYSSA-VEX… She starts off being the villain, but grows and develops, exploring a completely different side. Personally, it was a multi-dimensional character to play – and there’s a killer twist! HOLLYOAKS MUST HAVE BEEN A GREAT PLACE FOR YOU TO DEVELOP YOUR SKILLS? It definitely was. It was a taste of what this career path would be like. I did it before I went to drama school, so it meant I could implement the skills I learned and apply them to life on set. It was an essential part of my journey. I had a fun time.

WORDS: JAMES GILL PHOTOGRAPHY: ANDREA VECCHIATO

SO YOU ACTUALLY LEFT HOLLYOAKS TO ATTEND DRAMA SCHOOL? Yeah! I knew Hollyoaks was never a long-term project, but I was dying for the experience. I had always wanted to go to drama school and being on a set, I realised how little I knew and how much I’d underestimated working while I was acting… It was scary, but a long time coming. HOW MUCH DOES GUT INSTINCT DRIVE YOU WHEN MAKING DECISIONS? A huge part – I just follow it. Obviously you need to put a bit of brain into things, but I’ve found my gut has always been right and if I ignore it, it doesn’t go away. WHAT DO YOU DO FOR BALANCE? Spend time outdoors. Krypton is a studio show but even before this, I think we spend too much time indoors with technology, looking down. For me, the perfect balance is being out in the open air and looking around. The ocean, mountains, camping, looking up at night… I just love being outdoors, especially if a bit of adrenaline is involved. I love abseiling, for example. In fact, I abseiled down Table Mountain. My mum killed me!

Wallis Day played Holly Cunningham in Hollyoaks – one of five actors to fill the role since her first on-screen appearance in December 1997

Wallis Day appears in season one of sci-fi series Krypton, Sundays at 9pm on E4

October 2018 BA LA N CE

W H AT ’ S O N

CULTURE ounter

screen time

OUT AND ABOUT

EXHIBITION GUSH

DOCUMENTARY

FILM

SERIES

An intimate look (thanks to 22 years’ worth of home video) at the rise of Sri Lankan musician and artist M.I.A (real name Mathangi Arulpragasam), who went from refugee with a freedom fighting father to pop icon. At select cinemas now

Paul Greengrass is no stranger to dark subject matters, with previous films including United 93 and Captain Phillips. Here he tackles the horrific 2011 shootings of 69 (mainly youths) by Norwegian farright terrorist Anders Breivik. Netflix from 10 October

Carla Gugino (Sin City, San Andreas) leads a stellar cast in this chilling series, based on the 1959 novel. Adult siblings reunite to re-visit the titular house, which is perfect for Halloween scares. Netflix from 12 October

MATANGI / MAYA / M.I.A

22 JULY

THE HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE

Podcast: venn of zen

THE HEART

WHERE SHOULD WE BEGIN?

You should try... Where Should We Begin?

TOM ALLEN Hurtling towards the title of “national treasure”, one of Britain’s best stand-ups brings his Absolutely show to the iconic London Palladium. 23 November, lwtheatres.co.uk

CRYSTAL MAZE

If you like... Guys We F***ed GUYS WE F***ED

COMEDY

DAYS OUT

If you like... The Heart

Documentary maker Kaitlin Prest talks relationships on this awardwinning podcast

Solo show from British artist Hannah Perry, who explores mental health, loss and hyperconnectivity. Until 4 November, Somerset House

Enjoy a controversial chat about relationships? You’ll love the salacious talk from comedians Corinne Fisher and Krystyna Hutchinson

Third series of psychotherapist Esther Perel’s show, digging deep on the evolution of marriage

Inspired by the classic Channel 4 gameshow, this is action-packed team fun that’s ideal for a work night out. Islington, the-crystal-maze.com

MUSIC

MUSIC 4 MENTAL HEALTH A showcase boasting Ed Sheeran, Ella Eyre and James Arthur, staged by mental health campaign #IAMWHOLE. 18 November, whole.org.uk

FILM

WORDS: JAMES GILL, LIBBY WILLIAMS

G RISIN R A T S

Paul is no stranger to success, having won Best Horror Film at the London Independent Film Festival for his 2015 screenplay, Unhallowed Ground

Paul Raschid

THE GREAT ALL-ROUNDER At just 25, Paul Raschid is already an actor, director and writer, creating a fine line between glowing admiration and teethgrinding jealousy. His latest release, White Chamber Chamber, a “dystopian, sci-fi, horror, drama, thriller, genre hybrid” that further bolsters his reputation as a polymath on a mission, had its premiere at the Edinburgh International Film Festival.“The isolation of being a writer can be a lot sometimes,” Paul says. “I’m shacked up in my room writing a lot of the time, so on occasion I just need to get out to see friends because you start not feeling good when you’re isolated…”

October 2018 BA LA N CE

LONDON FILM FESTIVAL Not only will you find a wealth of screenings, but there’s also the Screen Talk series, featuring interviews with Alfonso Cuarón and Keira Knightley. 10-21 October, bfi.org.uk/lff

ART

AFFORDABLE ART FAIR This popular Battersea exhibition is a chance to connect with less-pricey art. 18-21 October, affordableartfair.com

Stoptober

beauty

If you’re thinking of quitting smoking this month, these products could help reverse the effects it’s had on your skin words LIBBY WILLIAMS photography WILL IRELAND

MUR AD CI T Y SKIN OVERNIGH T DE TOX MOIS T URISER Working through the night to brighten, tone and reduce wrinkles, this cream leaves you with radiant skin £65 for 50ml, murad.co.uk

ANTIPODES DELIVERANCE HAND CREAM Containing vitamin E-rich avocado oil, this soothing and smoothing cream will soften and heal hands without leaving them greasy £17.99 for 75 ml, planetorganic.com

L IXIRSKIN VI TAMIN C PA S T E This quick morning mask contains LAscorbic Acid, giving skin a much needed boost of vitamin C, leaving it feeling toned, lifted and luminous £32 for 50ml, lixirskin.co.uk

WHI T E LOT US ROSE QUART Z ROL L ER Helping remove toxins through lymphatic drainage, reducing puffiness and enhancing circulation, rolling works to restore the skin’s natural glow £46.99, whitelotus antiaging.co.uk

BOBBI BROWN LIP BALM SPF 15 Smoking wreaks havoc on your lips. Avocado, olive and wheat germ oils protect, beeswax hydrates and aloe vera soothes £17 for 15g, bobbibrown.co.uk

SMOKE & MIRRORS Smoking depletes many of the nutrients in the skin that keep it healthy, resulting in dullness, dehydration, an increase of fine lines and premature ageing. By quitting and incorporating specific skin care products into your daily routine, you can halt, and even reverse, some of the negative effects years of cigarettes have had on your skin.

October 2018 BA LA N CE

N AT U R A L LY C U R I O U S

Call of nature Six key products every ethical man should have in his bathroom

LEE KYNASTON

MAIN IMAGE: STOCKSY *SOURCE: EUROMONITOR

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

et’s face it, men are sceptical creatures – and I say that as one of them. For example, I’m still not convinced the moon landings happened, or that pale ale isn’t a health food. But that scepticism doesn’t just apply to Infowars-style global conspiracies: it also extends to the contents of our bathroom cabinets. And nothing is likely to raise a quizzical eyebrow quite like the concept of ‘natural’ skincare. Time and time again during my years of writing about male grooming, I’ve come across men who mistakenly associate the word ‘natural’ with the suffix ‘can’t work’. Full disclosure: I used to be one of them, actively dodging any moisturiser, mud mask or shower gel that had the world ‘natural’ emblazoned upon it. Unless a product said ‘scientifically proven’, contained some unpronounceable complex, or had been tested on astronauts (or in sub-zero conditions, I hasten to add) I wasn’t interested. Luckily, now I know better. More knowledgeable about the potential harmful ingredients found in many common skincare products (nasties like parabens, sulphates and nano-technology just for starters) and more ethically aware, I’m as choosy about what I put on my body as what I put in it. And judging by the burgeoning number of products offering a more natural approach to male skincare, and the fact

CHANGING MANS CAP E

The male grooming market is projected to reach $60.7 billion by 2020. Japanese and Korean brands are seen as more innovative by UK users*

many of these products are now available in supermarkets, I’m not alone in this approach. The problem is, with so much on offer, where does a guy looking for a slightly greener grooming routine begin? Well, you could do worse than starting with the products featured below, each of which is either an award-winner or best seller. British brand Bulldog, for example, sell one of their cruelty-free, vegan-friendly Original Moisturisers every 15 seconds, while Green People No 9 Mint & Prebiotics Deodorant is the recipient of some impressive heavy duty silverware. Ideal for natural product newbies and vegan-friendly virgins, when applied together, they form the ultimate bulletproof grooming kit – bulletproof because scores of men have voted for them with their hardearned dosh, a cast iron fact even I can’t be sceptical about. B

ET HI C S CO MMI TTEE Ren & sin-free

❶

❸

❷

❺

❹

❻ October 2018 BA LA N CE

1. Neal’s Yard Remedies For Men Age-defying Moisturiser, £35 for 50ml nealsyard remedies.com 2. 31st State 2-in-1 Hair and Body Wash, £8.99 for 250ml 31st-state.com 3. Green People No 9 Mint & Prebiotics Deodorant, £9.95 for 75ml greenpeople.co.uk

4. REN Grooming Multi Tasking After Shave Balm, £24 for 50ml renskincare.com 5. PHB Ethical Beauty Gentlemen’s Shampoo, £12.35 for 250ml phbethicalbeauty.co.uk 6.Bulldog Original Moisturiser, £6 for 100ml bulldogskincare.com

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in b a l a

H2 - W O A H

Making waves

Evolved from a French discovery, micellar water is the saviour to banish the torture of painful make-up removal

leansing waters are a beauty phenomenon for good reason. In the dark old days, removing make-up, especially around the eyes, could be mild torture. The arrival of French no-rinse micellar water was revolutionary: a single wad of soaked cotton wool and eyes were gently free of your products, eyelashes intact. Micellar technology came into common use in the 1980s, with the French beauty brands well ahead of the curve. The reason it’s so effective is down to the colloidal ions, known as micelles. “Micelles work like a magnet,” explains Knightsbridge-based facialist Lisa Franklin, whose own micellar water contains Vitamin C-rich Kakadu plum and lime extracts, manganese and copper. “The tail end is attracted to oil, while the head is attracted to liquid. The tails can pick up grease and grime and pull it away from the skin surface.” An excellent make-up remover and all-round cleanser, micellar water can sub for a forgotten face wash when timepressed, but no skincare expert would recommend foregoing a deep cleanser for it on a regular basis. Corinne Koolman, resident expert for skincare brand Philosophy, is realistic. “When time is on your side we recommend a double cleanse, starting with a micellar water and finishing with 3-in-1 cleanser. When it’s not, no-rinse Purity micellar water lifts impurities in one sweep.”

WATER (H)2.0 Sanoflore’s cornflower scented, antipollution micellar water is ECOCERT certified, while Aussie brand A’kin uses organic coconut water and green tea in its formula. Meanwhile, l’Officine Universelle Buly, boasts two unscented cleansing waters (one for dry skin, one for oily-combination). As co-creative director Victoire de Taillac, explains, “Our skin

Fluid dynamics ❶ ❷ 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

1. Sanoflore Aciana Botanica Anti-Pollution Micellar Water, £17 for 200ml feelunique.com 2. L’Officine Universelle Buly True Ionized Cleansing Water, £39 for 200ml Available in Selfridges nationwide 3. Lisa Franklin Pro-Effect Micellar Water, £29 for 100ml lisafranklin.london 4. Philosophy Purity Micellar Cleansing Water, £17.50 for 200ml johnlewis.com 5. A’kin Cleansing Micellar Water, £25 for 500ml akinbeauty.co.uk

❸

Hot

water

❹

❺ contains natural ions, so it recognises those provided by the lotion, which helps the skin to protect and renew itself.” One last thing, however you choose to cleanse your skin, consider ditching cotton wool. Cotton is a thirsty, pesticideheavy crop, so switching to reusable cotton or bamboo pads will also save you money – and maybe a bit of the planet, too. B

October 2018 BA LA N CE

Mas

clas s

ter

How to set up your own business by Ben Branson

TIPS TO SPARK INSPIRATION

TAKE TIME Don’t force it. I get my ideas when I’m still but in motion (like while flying or driving). Ideas are like plants: they need time and space

A BIT ABOUT ME I’m Ben Branson, founder of Seedlip drinks, the world’s first non-alcoholic spirit. We’ve achieved a lot in just 150 weeks, so I’m going to share my tips for launching a new brand.

what I was doing, how to do it or what would happen. I was a one-man band working from my kitchen. Now, we are a team of 55 people with offices in London and LA. The demand has been overwhelming, the timing ideal and the hard work absolutely worth it.

PASSION PROJECT

THINK IT THROUGH

Ensure you have passion. Seedlip didn’t begin as a business idea. In 2013, I was looking into herbs to grow at home and came across a book written in 1651 called The Art of Distillation. It documented nonalcoholic herbal remedies so, out of curiosity, I bought a copper still and experimented. Three months later at a bar, I was offered a disgusting, fruity, sweet mocktail and the seed was planted…

The odds are heavily stacked against anyone with a food and drink business. It’s competitive, takes time and nine out of 10 will fail. It took dogged obsession and delusion just to launch. Either find a great idea yourself and sacrifice everything to not let it down, or join someone else’s crusade and see what it’s like.

BLOOD, SWEAT AND CHEERS In order to turn your idea into a company, you need a mixture of mistakes, guesswork, hunches, effort, questions, coffee, guidance and perseverance. I had no clue

Seedlip is in 20 international cities, working with over 6,000 of the world’s best bars, restaurants, hotels and retailers, including over 250 Michelin-starred restaurants & 30 of the planet’s 50 best cocktail bars

HARNESS YOUR CHILDHOOD All three Seedlip products are borne out of smells familiar from growing up on the farm as a child

GET OUT I spend as much time as I can outside. It’s a rich, diverse setting to think and explore how nature solves its problems. Biomimicry is so interesting

CHOOSE THE RIGHT TRACK Some people quit everything to launch a business, and that can be a mistake. I had my own design company for a year while working on Seedlip and tried to run them in tandem. The time will come when you have one foot on each train, the tracks split and then you have a decision to make. B

BA LA N CE October 2018

The outcome

Prepare to become best friends with the unknown. Everything is stressful, exciting and terrifying in equal measure, but there is nothing like taking charge of your own destiny and being able to put everything you value and cherish into something that meets a need for others

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