Natural Wellbeing Autumn 2007 by Richmond Towers

natural

AUTUMN 2007

nutrition health exercise environment

AMANDA URSELL

ALISTAIR McGOWAN

EXERCISE AND CALORIES: THE FACTS

HAS THE SMOKING BAN MADE THINGS WORSE?

MARK PORTER MANAGING POLYCYSTIC OVARIAN SYNDROME

DALEY THOMPSON THE RUNNING LEGEND LEARNS TO LOVE WALKING

JACQUELINE GOLD HOW GIVING UP POWER DRESSING AND STAYING CALM GOT RESULTS FOR ONE OF BRITAIN’S MOST SUCCESSFUL WOMEN AN INDEPENDENT PUBLICATION PRODUCED FOR ALPRO SOYA

7 Try 366 healthy decisions (it’s a leap year) Join the Alpro soya Year of Wellbeing for the advice and guidance you need to make 2008 fantastic. Assess your wellbeing, meet the experts, and get your own personal wellbeing plan. Sign up now at www.yearofwellbeing.com

08 the year of wellbeing

Welcome... Welcome to our fourth edition of natural wellbeing. I always thought that to be a successful business woman you needed to be extra tough and rather on the bossy side…meeting Jaqueline Gold made me realise what misconceptions these have been. Talking of misconceptions, our beautiful resident cook Carina Cooper’s foray into growing your own food shows that doing so need not be the major undertaking I had always believed it to be, and Daley Thompson’s newfound passion for walking dispels the myth that keeping fit is all about the running tracks and heavy gym workouts. If being open to changing your point of view is something you are up for then this is the edition for you. Alistair McGowan has certainly changed his mind on the smoking ban; while His Holiness the Dalai Lama asks us to see ourselves as we really are which may involve some challenging changes in self-perception. Meanwhile I’d like to say a big ‘thank you’ to Gus Christie. Now chairman of the opera house at Glyndebourne, he has cared about the environment since I met him many years ago at university and you will see from ‘Living the Life Of’ that this is a constant in his life. He is now putting his concerns into very practical practice in some bold and interesting ways. Everyone here at natural wellbeing wishes him well.

3 6 6 H E A LT H Y D E C I S I O N S !

Why Alpro soya is supporting

natural wellbeing This is the fourth issue of natural

wellbeing magazine and some of you will be familiar with its content and style. For those of you who aren’t, let me explain. This is an unusual publication. Although paid for by Alpro, it is not an extended advertisement for our products. Indeed, all of the articles are independently written and edited and - beyond our adverts and advertorial - you probably won’t find a mention of soya. So what’s in it for us? As a company we are passionate about wellbeing in its widest sense. That is why we produce this magazine and why we are launching the 2008 Year of Wellbeing. This exciting new programme will enable you to check your wellbeing score and get tailored year-round advice on how you can improve your wellbeing. You can find out more about the Year of Wellbeing and how to get involved in the centre spread. Sîan Bevan, Alpro UK

Editor Amanda Ursell Contributors Carina Cooper, Dr Mark Porter, Alistair McGowan, Daley Thompson Photographer Gérald Rambert Design www.supergiant-uk.com Published by Richmond Towers Media, © 2007 Richmond Towers Communications Ltd, 26 Fitzroy Square, London W1T 6BT. Tel: 020 7388 7421 Email: wellbeing@rt-com.com Project Director Nikki Thomson Managing Director Rob Metcalfe. natural wellbeing is produced on behalf of Alpro UK Ltd by Richmond Towers Media. natural wellbeing is independently edited and written and neither ISSUE 4 AUTUMN 2007 Alpro UK Ltd nor Richmond Towers Media are responsible for the views expressed. natural wellbeing is not related to or endorsed by publications with which it is distributed. No part of this magazine may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form without permission. • Anyone making a change in their diet should consult their GP, especially if pregnant, infirm, elderly or under 16.

natural

Feedback We welcome your feedback. Please write or email us with any thoughts, comments or ideas to natural wellbeing, 26 Fitzroy Square, London W1T 6BT or wellbeing@rt-com.com

A healthy decision

PRINTED ON 100% RECYCLED PAPER RECYCLE THIS MAGAZINE AFTER USE

naturalwellbeing autumn 2007

NUTRITION

f you have made Herculean efforts to get fit and yet are not losing weight then it is time to take a serious look at what you have been tucking away food wise. Do you come out of the gym and feel like you deserve a treat? Maybe a latte in their coffee bar for all that hard work you have put in? Or perhaps after an energetic swim you grab an orange juice and a healthy-looking cereal bar from the vending machine or a skinny muffin from the garage on the way home? You are certainly not alone. I am often asked by friends preparing for, say, a local 5km charity race or even a half or full marathon what extra things they should be eating to help them survive. The honest answer is that if you are doing any of these activities to help drop a few pounds, you do not need any extra food. You may need to tweak the kind of things you are eating so that you get enough carbohydrate to fuel your muscles, but you certainly do not need to begin wolfing back extra calories as though you were preparing for an Arctic expedition. If you are still not convinced then consider this. If you go for a 30 minute jog you will burn off around 300 calories. If you then go off and feel you need a snack and chose say a typical flapjack, you will be eating 480 calories, and in spite of the effort of your run will be 180 calories up on the day. Over the course of two weeks you could end up putting on 1lb of weight in spite of your daily run. If on the other hand you did your 30 minute jog every day and did not eat anything extra, over just one week you would burn off 2100 calories, which is just under 1lb of body fat. As Dr Eric Ravussin of Louisiana State University in America says: “It’s all about the calories.” In a recent piece of research he showed that whether you reduce your calories by 25% or reduce your calories by 12.5% and increase the calories you burn via exercise by 12.5%, either way, you still lose 10% of your body weight and the same amount of total fat. He also found that exercise does not help you to ‘spot reduce’ weight from certain areas of your body and whether you lose weight simply by restricting your calories or by calorie restriction and extra exercise, you do not lose more or less muscle mass either. Obviously there are many other benefits of getting active, including the fact that exercise improves the health of your heart and lungs, can improve flexibility and give you a buzz from the endorphins it helps to release. But if you start eating more because exercise makes you hungry, one thing is for sure: pounding away in the gym, sweating it out in spinning classes or even running a marathon will not automatically make you slim. nwb

I A half hour workout burns off around 300 calories.

This flapjack will put back 480 calories. Are post exercise ‘treats’ doing you more harm than good? by AMANDA URSELL

naturalwellbeing autumn 2007

“The truth is that if you are doing extra physical activity to help drop a few pounds, you do not need any extra food…” So what should you eat? Turn over for Amanda’s quick guide to mixing food and exercise.

naturalwellbeing autumn 2007

> 5

OPINION

FOOD & EXERCISE WHAT TO EAT? If you exercise regularly it is important to base your diet on complex, nutritious, high fibre carbohydrate staples like wholegrain breads, pasta and oats, plus fruits and vegetables. A serving of both at every meal is a good idea. You also need a serving of lean protein foods like lean red meat and poultry, fish, eggs, milk or vegetarian options like tofu at each meal. Fats need to make up a small part of your calories, most of which should be vegetable based like olive or flax oil or from oily fish and nuts and seeds. Saturated fats from fatty cuts of meats, pies, pastries, cakes and biscuits should be kept to a minimum.

WHAT TO DRINK? Have water before, during and after exercise. You need around a litre of water for every hour of exercise, more if in hot conditions. Energy drinks provide calories. You may need them during very extended periods of exercise but generally they are more useful for elite athletes and people doing very heavy training who really do need the added energy and who are not wanting to shed pounds.

POST EXERCISE SNACKS It is worth knowing the calories in typical snacks you grab after exercising. Forewarned is forearmed. If one aim of your fitness campaign is to help you lose weight then go for the lighter alternatives.

✕ ✕ ✕ ✕ ✕

swap for CIGARETTE-HATING ALISTAIR

200 calories

calories

Packet of crisps

Small banana

x 60%

30%

10% are burnt through the heat generated when you digest food (which is why you feel warmer after eating)

30% of the energy or calories you burn are used in physical activity

HOW DO WE BURN CALORIES?

120 calories

calories

Fruit juice

Water

swap for

530 calories

calories Ginger biscuit

naturalwellbeing autumn 2007

swap for

150 calories

calories

Cereal bar

Apple

swap for

Latte

REALISED JUST HOW MUCH MORE

THE COMPANY OF SMOKERS…

swap for

350 calories

THE SMOKING BAN – UNTIL HE

TIME HE WAS GOING TO SPEND IN

Muffin

60% of the calories your body burns are used to support vital organs and systems like the heart, brain and lungs

McGOWAN WAS ALL IN FAVOUR OF

calories

never thought I’d stick up for the smoker. From the age of nine, when I saw a particularly horrific schools programme which showed a cross-section of a tattered, blackened, smoker’s lung, I was a confirmed non-smoker for life.

I kicked and screamed at my mother every time she lit up until she gave up. I became a serial wafter of air in restaurants should a smoker light up next to me; I’d cough childishly if I sat behind a smoker in the cinema or at football matches – that lung still haunted me. So, I looked forward to the total smoking ban with some relish. ‘July 1st 2007 – Britain Goes Smoke Free’. Silent, smirking, smoking mass-murderers stopped in their tracks. ‘Smoke-Free Britain!’ But for the continuing existence of Formula One and the Bluewater shopping centre, it sounded almost like Utopia! But, now, several weeks in, I’m beginning to wonder about the smoking ban. You see, never being a smoker – or indeed a drinker – I stayed out of pubs. I knew that, socially, that’s where the smokers were. They were contained. Safe. Out of sight. I didn’t bother them and they didn’t bother me. But now, the entrails of the pub have come outside: gorily visible where they were once neatly tucked away. Every time I walk past a pub, I have to walk past a clutch of half-drunk people, ciggies in their hands and mouths, leering at passers-by. Frequently the whole pavement is clogged with these loiterers – didn’t loitering used to be an offence? – and the humble pedestrian is forced to step into the road. Our lives are more at risk from smokers than before! And if you fancy just slipping out of work for a breath of fresh air, forget it! That pretty little space out there is now another permanent resting place for anyone fagging it. Even if they’re not there, they will have turned that space into a butt-strewn, tar-stained ashtray.

And remember those nice tables outside the restaurant? The smokers have got all those too now – if you want clean air with your gazpacho, you’re stuck inside, looking at the horrible, new plastic signs telling people not to smoke indoors. But then, at least, inside, you’re not exposed to the walking smoker. Oh, yes! With more people smoking as they walk, we now have to breathe in more smoke in the street and risk being burned by people holding those deadly, carefree cigarettes at groin level. Ow! We’ve even lost the parks and the squares. Dare to sit on a patch of grass or a wooden bench and you’ll soon have balloons of smoke heading your way from smokers desperate to catch up on lost tab-time. And, with winter upon us, look forward to the outdoor smokers being kept warm by patio-heaters – about as environmentally-friendly as ten Jeremy Clarksons and full of as much pointless hot-air. So, smoking will now contribute to climate change – and again put our future wellbeing more at risk than it did before the ban! Far from Utopia, ‘Smoke-Free Britain’ is a new nightmare – smoke is more in your face and up your nose than before. Bring back smoking in public places – get them out of public spaces! Or...show them that lung! nwb

Sparkling water with lime

naturalwellbeing autumn 2007

PROFILE

CHICKENSHED THEATRE JONATHAN SHALIT, ONE OF LONDON’S MOST SUCCESSFUL SHOW BUSINESS AGENTS, IS ALSO PATRON OF THE CHICKENSHED THEATRE COMPANY “I first met Chickenshed 17 years ago when my grandmother, Henny Gestetner, took me to a charity show at the Empire Leicester Square,” explains Jonathan. “I remember quietly asking her driver: ‘what time do you think this will end?’‚ hoping to make a quick getaway. Then something magical happened. The curtain went up and the spotlight shone on the face of a girl singing the national anthem. She had the most beautiful voice. I concentrated on her face and this most amazing sound. It was only after the spotlight moved that I discovered the singer was blind and, I was told by Henny, also autistic. My relationship with Chickenshed began at that moment.” It may seem like an odd name, but the theatre group was literally started in a chickenshed. The aim was and is to include everyone. Some 33 years later, founders Mary Ward and Jo Collins still run the company, but now out of a theatre in North London thanks to the tireless efforts of Lady Rayne and her late husband Lord Rayne. Including means that of the 600 members and 120 students on site each day, 19 per cent are classified as disabled, 30 per cent are from ethnic minorities and around 20 per cent are from economically deprived backgrounds. And the rest are those who don’t have a label placed on them. These statistics mirror those in society today. Jonathan continues: “To put it simply, our theatre group is an extraordinary, pioneering, challenging, dynamic, moving, groundbreaking and genuinely inclusive organisation. In the outside world, differences divide. Here, the differences make the art. We have a saying: ‘There are two types of people: those who believe there are two types of people; and those who don’t.’ At Chickenshed there is only one type of people: everyone.” The Princess of Wales was Chickenshed’s enthusiastic and supportive Royal Patron and children from Chickenshed sang on stage with the Joseph and The Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat cast at her memorial concert. Since Chickenshed began it has put on more than 1,000 performances, from full scale productions with casts of 250 plus and a 20-strong band to intimate studio pieces. It devises original works and adapts classic plays and stories and currently has a Children’s Youth Theatre for 5 to 10 year olds, the Youth Theatre from 11 to 21 and another group called Lunar‚ for those over 21 who want to continue working in the resident company. “We have a waiting list of 2,000 people who would like to join which means that we need to expand. To do so we need more funds. We have our main theatre in Southgate in north London but have set up 19 Shedlinks throughout the UK from Blackpool and Liverpool to Bushey and Barking. We even have a Shed in St Petersburg. All of this requires around £3 million a year, and a visionary three year funding deal with Sky ends this October,” Jonathan points out. “I’d encourage anyone to come to one of our performances. They may, like me on my first visit, go thinking, ‘what time will this be over?’ but I guarantee they will be sad to see the curtain call and will then be a fan for life.” nwb

naturalwellbeing autumn 2007

Jonathan Shalit with some of the children from Chickenshed, London, July 2007. To find out more about Chickenshed call 0208 351 6161 or visit www.chickenshed.org.uk

naturalwellbeing autumn 2007

PROFILE

Jacqueline Gold is chief executive of Ann Summers. In 2005 she was included in Debrett’s People of Today for her ‘Contribution to British Society’ and this year was invited by the Queen to Buckingham Palace in recognition of her achievements in business and industry. Here she talks to us about life, work and relationships.

ou are very feminine and calm, not at all the shoulder-padded, power-suited kind of boss people tend to associate with women who get to the top. How do you combine femininity with the tough life of the business world?

A lot of women try to emulate men and when I first started out, because I’m quite small and looked very young, I did used to do the power-suit dressing. Then one day I was on GMTV. I had my hair up and glasses on and a friend called me after and said I looked like a politician! That was the turning point.

PRECIOUS

METTLE JACQUELINE GOLD TALKS TO GEORGINA SEAWARD ABOUT THE PHILOSOPHIES AND RELATIONSHIPS THAT POWER HER LIFE

I made the decision to be myself from then on. I am naturally calm and different to how people expect me to be. I think the perception is that we are all outgoing, fiery Alan Sugar types in business. I’m not saying there is anything wrong with that approach and Alan is very successful. There is no right or wrong way but I know you don’t have to be like that to succeed. I think that you get a lot out of people if you keep calm. Chest beating isn’t necessarily very productive because it can create a blame culture where people are scared to express themselves and in my experience, it can stifle creativity. At 47 you are an incredibly successful business woman with confidence and self assurance, have you always been this way?

No! I was very, very shy as a child. When I joined the Ann Summers company at 19, I knew that I had a unique idea with holding parties for women. I didn’t get involved in networking because right from the beginning I was quite ostracised from the normal working circles, so I was forced

naturalwellbeing autumn 2007

to make my own way. I was either going to make it work or not. Men were very dismissive, which affected my confidence at the start, but I instinctively focused on the fact that I had a good idea. I was lucky because I had all of these women who went to parties around the country who gave me encouragement, and I began to believe in myself more. Does your work give you a sense of wellbeing?

Yes definitely. I love what I do and it is not a chore, so it makes me happy. When I’m presented with challenges which I’ve never faced before and thought I could never tackle, I push myself out of my comfort zone and always end up learning from them. I was invited to speak at The Oxford Union in 2006 which was a great honour. It was in a massive building with very challenging students asking tough questions – much more challenging than business people! I also recently spoke at the Royal Albert Hall to the Institute of Directors. I always think after these kinds of things, “Gosh if I can do that, maybe I can achieve other things too”. I give a lot of talks to women and try to help them understand this approach – that if they have a fantastic idea and focus, they can overcome a lack of self-confidence, stop themselves being held back in what is still very much a male dominated business world, and make it work for them too.

hat are the most important relationships in your private life?

Well I have been single now for 18 months. I may have been very successful in business, but obviously haven’t been anywhere near so in my personal life. My sister Vanessa is seven years younger than me and is my absolute rock.

How close are you?

Very. It started with me supporting her emotionally because we had a difficult childhood and when I left home I was worried about her and she knew I was there for her. Now she is married to a wonderful man called Nick and is very settled. She is very sensible and protective of me. Vanessa started to work for the company when she was 20. Do you ever cross swords within the work environment?

Yes sometimes. Because I’m naturally calm I will assess a situation, think both sides through and then act accordingly. Vanessa is much more hot headed and sparks can fly. We never hold grudges though and if we ever argue, one of us opens the door and says ‘sorry’ pretty quickly.

What’s the most significant thing Vanessa has ever done for you?

There are so many. I’m very proud of her business achievements. There is no nepotism in the company and she does not get any privileges or promotions because of who she is. She is very senior now but that’s because she is very good and has worked her way up the ranks. On a personal front, she is the only person I can phone up at 4am and get round to my house because there is a spider in my bedroom. I had terrible arachnophobia. I’m getting better but still have my house spider-proofed by a man who comes round once a month. If a spider does get through the security then Vanessa will quite literally come and rescue me because I still can’t walk past them or look at them. She doesn’t like them much either but will put them in a jar and ‘save me’. We always go on a girly holiday once a year, regularly go shopping together with a pub lunch after and go to health spas. She and Nick even invite me on their holidays, which is incredibly thoughtful. Most people have to introduce their new boyfriends to their parents; I have to introduce mine to Vanessa and Nick to see if they pass the test.

“Vanessa is the only person I can phone up at 4am and get round to my house because there is a spider in my bedroom.” What’s next for you in life?

Thankfully I’m a very positive person. After my kind of childhood I had a choice to either go on being a victim or to change. I decided to change and not let my past shape my future. I have been through difficult personal relationships especially my last one when I experienced three rounds of IVF which did not work. Of course I was down and it was very tough. Gradually I have got back up and would love to meet someone special. I love being in a relationship because I am quite romantic and like sharing things. I don’t want a carbon copy of me. It is nice to be with someone with ambition, but this does not mean they have to be a company director and hugely wealthy...I look for other qualities. Whether I’m in a relationship or not, I always treasure my girlfriends. I’d like to do more television work and as for the business, we are going into Europe. Of course I’d like world domination, but Europe is a good place to start! nwb Jacqueline’s book A Woman’s Courage is published by Ebury Press at £6.99

naturalwellbeing autumn 2007

PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

How is your sense of wellbeing in life? get ready for I the 2008 year of wellbeing!

*In 2002 the Joint Health Claims Initiative stated that the inclusion of at least 25g of soya protein a day, as part of a diet low in saturated fat, can help to reduce blood cholesterol levels.

s your life going well at the moment? Could it be better? Do you have a sense of what you would like to change to improve your life?

Changing our lives for the better seems to be easier said than done. However, being aware of what brings us a sense of wellbeing can help us. Wellbeing simply put is to live well.

It concerns our whole lives: our health, the food we eat, our relationships, our working lives, our leisure activities, the communities we live in, the environment we share, as well as our own happiness and sense of fulfillment. With all of these ways to describe wellbeing, most people would

agree that enhancing it has to be a good thing. Yet, in many ways, raising our level of wellbeing remains elusive.

tempting to ease off and do nothing

So how are you doing right now in terms of your wellbeing? How could you improve your wellbeing?

but lots of small steps with achievable

To really bring about lasting changes in our lives we first need to reflect on which areas of our lives are going well and which are going less well. Once we have recognised the challenges we face and the opportunities we have then we can start to create a better life for ourselves, small step by small step. To achieve this we need to stay motivated as it is always more

rather than to invest our energies in

trying out new ways of doing things goals is a whole lot easier than giant leaps into the unknown.

2008 – The Year of Wellbeing is a fun and thorough

programme that could help you lead the life you really want to. It is underpinned by science and experienced experts in their fields.

The programme will support you with detailed questionnaires that give you feedback about your wellbeing and daily wellbeing tips that will help you to make healthy decisions.

About Alpro At Alpro we are passionate about wellbeing, that’s why we publish this magazine and why we are launching this programme. We are interested in wellbeing in its widest sense – how it affects you and your environment. We also strive to produce great tasting, nutritious products that could help to contribute to your health and wellbeing. We never use GM products and we don’t source our beans from deforested land. Our range of products is the perfect basis for a healthy and nutritious lifestyle and includes yogurts, desserts and milk alternatives. They are naturally low in saturated fat and naturally contain omega 3 and 6. What’s more soya is proven to lower your cholesterol*.

• Receive regular news, views and research on wellbeing • Take the wellbeing questionnaire and get your wellbeing score from December 2007

• Receive daily tailored wellbeing tips from 1 January 2008 • Choose to receive these daily, weekly or monthly - 366 in all! • Join our on-line wellbeing community • Download wellbeing podcasts • Take part in webchats with our experts • Receive email or SMS updates • Attend wellbeing events • Benefit from special product offers • Plus much, much more • So sign up now! Our experts… The Year of Wellbeing is underpinned by science and experienced experts in their fields, including:

• Nic Marks, well-being expert • Dr Ilona Boniwell, programme leader for MSc in Applied Positive Psychology at the University of East London

• Dr Wendy Hall, Lecturer in Nutrition at King’s College London • Jane Wake, MSc in sport and recreation management and qualified with the American College of Sports Medicine

3 6 6 H E A LT H Y D E C I S I O N S !

For more information about Alpro soya call free on 0800 0 188 180

naturalwellbeing autumn 2007

www.yearofwellbeing.com naturalwellbeing autumn 2007

KITCHEN ECOLOGY

BASKETS OF GOODIES IF YOU HAVE A FANTASY THAT HOUSES ‘THE GOOD LIFE’ BUT THE REALITY IS YOU LIVE ON THE FIFTH FLOOR OF AN APARTMENT BUILDING OR YOU HAVE A PATIO THAT BARELY ALLOWS AN OPEN DECK CHAIR, DON’T DESPAIR. TRY WINDOW BOX AND CONTAINER GARDENING

ontainer gardening can relieve your itching green fingers. As long as you have windowsills and a place to fix a hanging basket or two, you can grow your own food.

A row of emerald ruffled lettuces or an elegant display of herbs can fill your window boxes, sunny coloured nasturtiums can grow and spill out of hanging baskets, and it doesn’t stop there. On the inside, the panes of glass will act like a greenhouse. Tomatoes on the vine can ripen and blush red. Sprouts and mustard and cress can take up residence on the draining board. If you have windows that face south, you can even place some bamboo sticks in the boxes and grow grapes. It would be a little ambitious to fulfil that inner vintner, but the inner interior decorator would be able to have a thumbs up. Rosemary, thyme, basil, parsley and mint can thrive, giving you not only a fragrant breeze to waft in through the windows but also a wonderful addition to your cooking and salads.

Set out to your local hardware store or garden centre. Buy some good organic compost. I buy my herbs from my local farmers’ market, where they have a diversity that you won’t find in normal garden centres. I believe I’ve got about six different types of mint growing in my tiny London back yard, including apple mint, grapefruit mint, silver mint, peppermint, basil mint and lemon mint. Friends are always surprised at having a flash of a new taste in a meal that has been enhanced by my herbs. If all goes according to plan you could really branch out and grow beetroot, peppers, spring onions and radishes. I become very attached to my plants and find myself whispering words of encouragement to them as they grow away. Also be creative and don’t just think of flowerpots as containers. I have an old French lead bath on my roof terrace. Belfast sinks, or even paint pots can look attractive. In Italy I’ve seen plants growing out of big old tomato tins with the label still intact. Even if you’re not taken by getting your hands dirty in soil, sprout growing can be a very clean affair and is

CARINA COOPER

naturalwellbeing autumn 2007

KITCHEN ECOLOGY

totally suited to an interior environment. The crisp, clean feel and taste of bean sprouts you have sprouted yourself thrown into salads is refreshing and satisfying. The only requirements are some seeds in a clean jam jar. If you are fortunate enough to have a roof terrace or a bigger garden, why not splash out and grow fruit trees and design your garden around edible plants and vegetables. There’s something rewarding and deeply satisfying that one can contribute to one’s wellbeing and how empowering to know that it’s possible to be a trifle self sufficient in an urban environment and to also have contact with the earth and to be rubbing shoulders with nature. nwb

Container gardening tips The Window Box Allotment: A beginners guide to container gardening by Penelope Bennett (Ebury Press).

LIFESTYLE

NASTURTIUM FLOWER SALAD WITH BASIL AND WALNUT DRESING Serves 4 Nasturtium flowers are a beautiful yellow and orange and have quite a peppery taste. I’ve used lambs lettuce to balance the flavours and walnut oil and crushed walnuts to bring in nuttiness alongside the nasturtiums. I like basil leaves as an addition to salad and I’m generous with them. If you can source red basil you will have a lovely combination of colours with the yellow, green and dark red. If you can’t source nasturtium flowers and leaves, try pansies or other edible flowers, as long as they haven’t been sprayed with pesticides.

For more ideas check out ‘101 Grow To Eat Ideas’, BBC Books, £4.99. The Organic Gardening Catalogue www.organiccatalogue.com

Ingredients

Check out your local farmers’ market for potted tomatoes, herbs and other vegetables.

2 cartons of lambs lettuce At least four nasturtium flowers and their leaves 1 organic or unwaxed orange, zest and juice

Petersham Nurseries (www.petershamnurseries.com) in Richmond has a beautiful and original selection of planters, pots and hanging baskets. Lassco Architectural (www.lassco.co.uk) salvages antiques,has an eclectic mix of old garden pots and Belfast sinks and with an imaginative eye you may well spot different objects that can double up as planters.

naturalwellbeing autumn 2007

1 /2 lemon, organic or unwaxed, juice only 1 small shallot, peeled and finely chopped 1 large handful of green basil 1 large handful of red basil a small handful of fresh walnuts, crushed 3 tbps of walnut oil 1 tsp of unrefined sugar Maldon salt Freshly ground pepper

In the bottom of a salad bowl, add the walnut oil, lemon juice, orange zest, juice and the finely chopped shallot. Mix in the sugar and salt and pepper. When the dressing ingredients are mixed well add the lambs lettuce and basil leaves. Toss together well. Place the nasturtium flowers and leaves on top of the salad and sprinkle with the crushed walnuts. Serve with crusty wholemeal bread.

Gus Christie LIVING THE LIFE OF

GUS CHRISTIE, 44, IS THE EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN OF GLYNDEBOURNE PRODUCTIONS LTD. THE GRANDSON OF JOHN CHRISTIE AND AUDREY MILDMAY, WHO FOUNDED THE GLYNDEBOURNE OPERA FESTIVAL NEAR LEWES IN EAST SUSSEX IN 1934, GUS TOOK OVER HIS CURRENT ROLE FROM HIS FATHER, SIR GEORGE CHRISTIE IN 2000 AND IS HOT ON THE ENVIRONMENTAL TRAIL

get lots of variety in my job, which is wonderful. My lifestyle during the Festival, which runs from May to the end of August, is very different to wintertime. In the summer my house here at Glyndebourne is pretty full because about 20 people who work on the operas come to stay. It’s been happening for three generations and I’ve grown up with lots of house guests and an extraordinary range of fascinating people. We stage six operas each festival and so a typical day for me during the season would start with looking in on stage rehearsals after breakfast. My grandfather, who started the opera here in 1934, had a motto, “Not just the best we can do, but the best that can be done anywhere”, so we can’t sit on our laurels. We pay the utmost attention to every detail of a production from the wigs and costumes, to the language and the diction so that hopefully the end result will be uplifting, inspirational and challenging. During the winter months there are still 120 permanent staff and planning future festivals with the management team keeps me busy as well. We plan four years in advance so I go to other countries and see what other people are doing. We have to keep

as innovative as possible. As Glyndebourne does not receive any state subsidy for the festival we need to fundraise at least £2 million each year and I get directly involved with this aspect of Glyndebourne’s operations. The touring opera rehearses at Glyndebourne from early September and has three weeks of performances at Glyndebourne in October before it goes on the road until December. We also have an education programme which includes matinee performances for schools in October here at Glyndebourne. When the season is over I get my home back, which in some ways is nice, but given that it’s old, there is always something going wrong which needs sorting out. I care passionately about the environment. I studied Zoology at King’s College, London University and before taking over from my father, made wildlife films. Whatever the causes of global warming, I feel we should be careful about the use of fossil fuels and address what a wasteful society we have become. he Edinburgh Centre for Carbon Management has analysed our carbon footprint and we are taking things seriously: we have installed low energy lighting and a gas fired condensing boiler, made energy-saving changes to the air conditioning system, reduced water usage, improved the recycling of all waste paper, cardboard and plastic and we provide a bus service for staff and operagoers to and from Lewes train station. I’m looking into using ground source heat from our lake to power air conditioning. Our biggest environmental project is our

plan to build a 70m wind turbine at Mill Plain, Ringmer on the South Downs, just above the opera house. It would reduce carbon dioxide emissions from Glyndebourne by 855 tonnes per year. This has obviously sparked huge debate locally, as the wind turbine will be in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. However we have carried out a comprehensive environmental assessment into the impact of the wind turbine and yes, you will be able to see it from certain viewpoints but in terms of noise, shadow flicker and its impact on birds and bats, it comes out well. It will cost three quarters of a million pounds which means it will take us five years before we see any financial pay back. Of course, there needs to be a national policy on how many turbines can be allowed to be put up because people don’t want to see them everywhere, but I feel we have to make a start. I recently spoke to children at the local primary school about this project. Afterwards they wrote to a newspaper in East Sussex saying that the turbine would be a ‘Beacon for the Future’. I hope it will be and that it will be an inspiration for anyone who sees it, helping encourage all of us to do our bit to save the world we live in for future generations. nwb On 12th July 2007 Glyndebourne’s application to build a wind turbine was passed by Lewes District Council. However, the Government Office for the South East then served an Article 14 Direction on Glyndebourne’s application, which means that the Secretary of State, Hazel Blears has directed Lewes District Council not to give a formal decision on planning permission without further authorisation. This will enable the Secretary of State to have more time to consider the application.

naturalwellbeing autumn 2007

FITNESS

AMPION, DALEY DOUBLE OLYMPIC CH EN WALKER AND THOMPSON, IS A KE OOK A TREK TO RECENTLY UNDERT EVEREST BASE CAMP

SHAPE UP! N with DALEY THOMPSO

it can to four times a week and really is it started walking about a – urs ho o tw take up to my of ult res a as ago r yea quite therapeutic. after o wants daughter getting a dog My advice to anyone wh a oys years of wanting one, and enj and er to get a bit fitt walk of course she does not uce rod int to is lk, good wa walk him as much as the dog different paces – you can ts en par the walk r would like, and you of faster for sections e som are left with the task! h wit tes and choose rou up ng But to my surprise I goi are you so on undulati in ce; en eri exp the ed joy really en and down gradients. to say it ic fact I would go as far as Walking is a good aerob elation to do, and you re mo has been a complete rev the exercise and and the lf rse you rt me just how much fun exe you the more m going fro get can l you wil ent ess enjoym better your aerobic fitn ually, act or h wit ng lki wa out become. walk to without your dog. Last year I decided to are naged ma and The benefits of walking mp Ca se Ba Everest my d pe rea e I’v get and to s, s numerou to persuade a few friend nefits. be e itiv pos al my son did I per . n me ow walking and join e seeing week I find that I actually lik training walks over a 10 park gth of len the g the same faces out in the sin rea inc – period e in tim ir the ing joy en s , wa each day my walks – so the dog ile for 2-3 the park. A nod and a sm delighted. We went out you are ek, to we a s day makes you feel as though e fiv hours a day, in t and bel my der part of something, which un les mi get a few ans me life sy bu s today’ time on my feet. for 12 something. On Everest we walked t for a st me tru and – Because I’m usually ou s day hours on two o find it the to e du good hour at a time, I als far get not you do e to work gen is gives me plenty of tim altitude. The lack of oxy ms ble pro and ts ugh fancy tho h you If oug . thr really debilitating hout ces pie o tw e and of course, it goes wit hav I n doing it the get fresh don’t and n atio saying, it means that you par pre – ice of adv of g lin fee a air and do it! rain. I am healthiness...even in the Back on home territory ays st days mo ng As someone who has alw lki wa still going out of it rsu pu in cal ysi ph t of it. been very and still getting a lot ou tI ugh tho er nev had I would rt, I r my spo As a converted walke much, but get out and on es would enjoy walking so say, get your sho tty r you and you the reality is it can be pre do l there. It wil good. of rld wo vigorous. I walk around the nd mi and body three on nd Lo in k Par ond Richm

e to improve different reasons – som Everyone will walk for ers to get time oth t, igh , some to lose we their general wellbeing . Walking is really ers for pure enjoyment on their own and oth , your lungs, d for your heart health good for you – it is goo re are a few of my r general wellbeing. He muscle tone and you g. ng of starting walkin tips for anyone thinki

naturalwellbeing autumn 2007

How to get started

shorter walks trainers fortable footwear – for ! You need to have com t to get walking shoes d hike you would be bes are fine, but for a goo not too small – going e you get a pair that’s or boots. And make sur ls! Get advice when on the toes and toenai downhill can be hard buying them. to walk in. r comfortable clothing ! You will need to wea don’t make your first length of your walk – ! Gradually build up the ng out again. After all s; it may stop you goi outing long and arduou benefits. ent as well as its health walking is about enjoym a open countryside – set er in a local park or in ! Pick a route, wheth e. e-fram are going to fit your tim time and plan where you – ideally there will be in areas that are safe ! Make sure you walk looking for personal und you. If you are not like-minded walkers aro friends to go for your y want to link up with thinking time, you ma walks.

levels, you will need to increase your fitness ! If you are walking to your pace, carry as you get fitter, change introduce longer walks ce a few hills. hand weights or introdu you take some water with must keep hydrated – ! Like all activity you a length of time. if you are walking for the – you will be taking to ious about your walks ! If you get more ser uld wo I – r gea g need some good walkin hills and dales and will p and get advice on the sho y ivit act r doo out d suggest going to a goo gear for your level of fs, rucksack and other roo erp wat ts, boo t bes oy! hiking. Lace up and enj

nwb

naturalwellbeing autumn 2007

MEDICAL

M Dr.2Dr. Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is the commonest hormone related disorder in women of reproductive age, affecting as many as one in 10 under 50 to some degree. Dr Mark Porter talks to Professor Stephen Franks, one of the UK’s opinion leaders in the management of the condition

ark Porter What is polycystic ovarian syndrome? Stephen Franks We still don’t fully understand what causes PCOS but we do know that the ovaries in affected women produce excessive amounts of testosterone or testosterone-like male hormones (androgens). The syndrome itself is made up of the following features: • The ovaries tend to be enlarged and full of lots of small cysts. • Periods tend to be absent or infrequent as the ovaries are either not producing an egg (ovulating) at all, or doing so irregularly. • Lastly, high levels of circulating male hormones can cause skin problems (acne) and unwanted hair growth, particularly on the face. Some women are genetically predisposed to the condition (it does sometimes run in families), and there is a strong link with weight. The heavier a woman is the more likely she is to develop symptoms of PCOS. MP: How might a woman know she has PCOS? SP: Many women with PCOS will be blissfully unaware that they have any disturbance in their hormone balance, but others will consult their GP complaining of symptoms related to the condition. Irregular or absent periods are one of the main reasons women seek help, particularly if they are trying to start a family. Some wonder why they are still getting acne in their 20s and 30s, while others are embarrassed by unsightly facial hair. MP: How is the diagnosis confirmed? SP: A GP will often be able to make the diagnosis on the basis of a woman’s symptoms and a few basic tests (such as an ultrasound scan of the ovaries, and a blood test to measure hormone levels). As a rule most cases can be well managed by their GP and there is no need for referral to a specialist like myself unless symptoms are severe or not responding to treatment - or the woman is keen to start a family and struggling to conceive. MP: How should it be treated? SP: Treatment is symptom led and therefore varies from woman-to-woman depending on their particular problems. That said, weight loss is an important general measure in all women who are overweight. A combination of a sensible healthy diet, and an exercise programme can increase the chances of ovulation, normalise periods and help reduce excess hair growth. A 5-10% loss in weight is usually enough to see a big improvement in symptoms.

naturalwellbeing autumn 2007

If irregular bleeding is a woman’s main concern then this can be corrected using the Pill or other hormonal based contraceptives. Women with unwanted hair may benefit from a specific type of the Pill (Dianette) which blocks the action of male hormones. Unwanted facial hair can be very distressing but treatments to remove it (such as electrolysis or laser therapy) are rarely, if ever, available on the NHS. If the woman is trying to fall pregnant then it’s vital to ensure that she is producing an egg each month. Most women with PCOS respond to ovary stimulating drugs (clomiphene) and once ovulation is restored they are as fertile as any other woman. In recent years there has been a lot of interest in the use of the anti-diabetic treatment metformin which reduces insulin levels (the hormone encourages the ovaries to produce androgens). As such it has been heralded as something of a panacea for PCOS but so far there is no strong evidence that it works as well as we have hoped. MP: Does it matter if the diagnosis is missed? SP: I would like to think that increasing awareness among both doctors and women - would mean that the diagnosis is unlikely to be missed in women with obvious symptoms. And if a woman doesn’t have any obvious symptoms, or isn’t bothered by them, it doesn’t really matter if the diagnosis isn’t picked up. But slimmer women with the mildest form of the disorder need to be careful not to gain too much weight as the heavier they become, the more likely they are to develop troublesome symptoms. That said, my one concern about advising slimmer women with PCOS to watch their weight is that some can end up going on drastic diets to shed weight they can’t afford to lose. MP: Where can women go to find out more? SP: I am an advisor to Verity, the UK charity for women affected by PCOS. Its website www.verity-pcos.org.uk is an excellent source of information on all aspects of the disorder and is well worth taking a good look at. nwb Stephen Franks is Professor of Reproductive Endocrinology at Imperial College

naturalwellbeing autumn 2007

PSYCHOLOGY

NUTRITION

Seeing ourselves as we really are

HIS HOLINESS, THE DALAI LAMA

In the past 20 years, Buddhism and its ideals have become increasingly popular in the West, and the Dalai Lama has become a celebrity in his own right as film stars, musicians and high-profile public figures have lent their support to the Tibetan cause. While continuing the struggle for the liberation of his homeland, the Dalai Lama’s approach to life remains unchanged: “We are born in compassion and must live and die in compassion,” he says. Here we publish an extract from his recently published book ‘Seeing Ourselves as We Really Are’. In this book he explains his belief that self-knowledge is a vital step on the path towards enlightenment, and reveals the time-honoured techniques that he maintains will help you to shed your illusions about yourself. The theory is that with his guidance and gentle encouragement, you can embrace reality at a more authentic level of being – and see yourself as you really are.

hen we rise in the morning and listen to the news or read the newspaper, we are confronted with the same sad stories – violence, wars and disasters. It is clear that even in modern times precious life is not safe: I cannot recall a single daily news programme without a report of crime somewhere. There is so much bad news nowadays, such an awareness of fear and tension, that any sensitive and compassionate being must question the ‘progress’ we have made in our modern world. Ironically, the most serious problems emanate from industrialised societies, where unprecedented literacy only seems to have fostered restlessness and discontent. There is no doubt about our collective progress in many areas – especially science and technology – but somehow our advances in knowledge are not sufficient. Basic human problems remain. We have not succeeded in bringing about peace, or in reducing overall suffering. The situation brings me to the conclusion that there may be something seriously wrong with the way we conduct our affairs, which, if not checked in time, could have disastrous consequences for the future of humanity. Science and technology have contributed immensely to the overall development of humankind, to our material comfort and wellbeing as well as to our understanding of the world we live in. But if we put too much emphasis on those endeavours, we are in danger of losing those aspects of human knowledge that contribute to the development of an honest and altruistic personality. Science and technology cannot replace the age-old spiritual

Try 366 healthy decisions (it’s a leap year) Join the Alpro soya Year of Wellbeing for the advice and guidance you need to make 2008 fantastic. Assess your wellbeing, meet the experts, and get your own personal wellbeing plan. values that have been largely responsible for the true progress of world civilisation as we know it today. No one can deny the material benefits of modern life, but we are still faced with suffering, fear and tension – perhaps more now than ever before. So it is only sensible to try to strike a balance between material development on the one side and development of spiritual values on the other. In order to bring about a great change, we need to revive and strengthen our inner values. I hope that you share my concerns about the present worldwide moral crisis, and that you will join me in calling on all humanitarians and religious practitioners who share this concern to contribute to making our societies more compassionate, just and equitable. I say this not as a Buddhist or even a Tibetan but simply as a human being. I feel that universal concern is essential to solving global problems and that love and compassion are the pillars of world peace; that all religions seek to advance world peace, as do all humanitarians of whatever ideology, and that each individual has a responsibility to shape institutions to serve the needs of the world. By learning to harness the power of meditation, we can discover our true selves. This, in turn, will enable us to put our insight into the service of love, and love into the service of insight, taking us one step closer to global harmony and fulfilment. By learning to see ourselves as we really are, we begin to create the world we would like to live in. nwb

the year of well being 3 6 6 H E A LT H Y D E C I S I O N S !

How to See Yourself As You Really Are. A Practical Guide to SelfKnowledge (Rider, £12.99)

made for wellbeing 22

naturalwellbeing autumn 2007

naturalwellbeing autumn 2006