Thrive: The art of using science to improve your life

YOUR S U P P L E M E N T TO WOMEN’S DAY

THRIVE

Plus… à

à

à à

The Benefits of social sport A look inside your medicine cabinet Tech addiction Time to go BPA free

...and more

Mindful or mind full?

Q&A with stress expert Professor Sir Cary Cooper, plus our stress and mindfulness top tips

WELCOME TO T H R I V E In your supplement to Women’s Day you’ll find all you need to know about your health and wellbeing, from the latest health news to lifestyle changes for the better Keep on top of the day’s events with our handy schedule of Women’s Day 2016 hosted by our big sister

9.30-10.00 Welcome Breakfast 10.00-10.25 WORKSHOP: Meditation in the Modern World | Jody Shield 10.25-10.50 COACHING: How to Become a Better Public Speaker | Pippa Bateman 10.50-11.15 TALK: Gut Health is the Key to Overall Health | Jeanette Hyde 11.15-11.40 Coffee & Tea Break 11.40-12.05 CAREER PANEL | Charlotte Billington, Hannah Martin & Fiona Rice 12.05-12.30 COACHING: Happiness | Susanna Halonen 12.30-12.55 Q&A: Leading Nutritionist & Best-Selling Author Amelia Freer 12.55-13.35 Lunch Break 13.35-14.00 TALK: How to Be Better With Money | Merryn Somerset Webb 14.00-14.25 TALK: How to Be a Good Manager & Leader | Janet Tarasofsky 14.25-14.50 Q&A: Fertility | Ann Bracken 14.50-15.15 Coffee & Tea Break 15.15-15.40 TALK: How to Sleep Better | Nicki Williams 15.40-16.05 TALK: How to Fit a Healthy Lifestyle into Your Day | Madeleine Shaw 16.05-16.30 WORKSHOP: Your 21-Day Energy Plan | Susan Treadgold 16.30-17.15 Cocktails from BLOOM Gin

We hope you enjoy your exclusive tote full of treats, worth over £75!

AND MUCH MORE

ON THE COVER

CONTENTS 6

8

Q&A with stress expert Professor Sir Cary Cooper gives an insight into stress in the workplace

A look inside your medicine cabinet All you need to know about your everyday remedies

4 5 7

Quick Bits: an update on health news Have tattoos kept their cool?

Top tips to de-stress

MEET THE TEAM

11 12 14

Tech Addiction How much is too much?

Going BPA free The effects of plastic you didn’t know about

Mind full of stress?

The benefits of meditation

9 10 15

Simple changes for a healthier you

Don’t go it alone, try a social sport!

Twilight thoughts

Emily-Jane Gallimore Co-designer and writer

Stephanie Organ

Hannah Bestwick

Editor

Co-designer and writer

Siobhan Fairgreaves

David Florentin

Sub-editor

Writer

3

News

QUICK BITS

A BREA K DO WN OF RECENT HEA LTH NE WS

Herbal medicines are branded to us as safe, natural alternatives to prescription medicines. Increasingly this is being proven to be false. Though prescription drugs are known for sometimes worrying side-effects, this is also a concern with herbal remedies: for example, Kava root can cause liver damage. Pharmaceuticals have to pass medical trials before they can be prescribed, whereas herbal

alternatives do not. Professionals recommend

checking

with

a

doctor

before

choosing

a

herbal

alternative.

Being thin doesn’t mean you’re healthy. BMI has been under scrutiny for a number of years now, with many people

being

considered

exceptions

to

the

rule.

Researchers have assessed blood pressure, cholesterol, glucose, insulin resistance, inflammatory responses and body fat to gain a detailed picture of a person’s health.

The BMI of the same individuals in the study were far less informative and often mislabelled people as being healthy or unhealthy.

Are e-cigarettes a saving grace or the lesser of two evils?

Older people use them to help quit smoking, but studies have found that teenagers are choosing to vape for image. Of those who begin with e-cigarettes many move to smoking conventional cigarettes after the first year. Ecigarette vapour enhances conditions for colonising bacteria and causes reduced resistance to MRSA in mice high doses can even kill lung cells directly.

Takotsubo, Broken Heart Syndrome, is not just caused by distressing emotional experiences - investigation has shown it can also be brought on by exceptionally happy experiences. When the experience was pleasant the syndrome is dubbed Happy Heart, this accounts for roughly

one

in

twenty

cases

of

Takotsubo.

The

weakened heart results in palpitations, chest pains, and shortness of breath, and is often misdiagnosed as a heart failure.

News

TATTOO OR NOT TATTOO?

I

BY DAVID FLORENTIN n

the

future,

there

will

be

a

generation

of tattooists with poor hygiene seem an inevitable risk. Last

grandparents with faded sleeve tattoos and flesh year the tattoo parlour Bloo Voodoo in Newport was tunnels. As youthful rebellion drives fashion forward, investigated after several clients visited hospital with skin will tomorrow’s youngsters see these fading tattoos as infections. Five clients later learned they were infected

we see blue rinses? Or will they see a more significant with hepatitis B and three with hepatitis C. These viral cultural phenomenon?

The popularity of tattoos has ebbed and flowed through history. Otzi was perhaps the world’s first hipster with 61 tattoos over his body. Having been frozen in an alpine glacier for 5000 years, he could truly claim he got his tattoos before they were cool. Later tattoos were popularised in Europe by sailors returning from the South Pacific in the 1700s. By the mid-1900s tattoos had become associated with the military, convicts and gangs

infections of the liver can cause long-term illness and are potentially fatal. “There are better safeguards in place with regard to buying a sandwich” was the damning verdict from Public Health Wales. Regulation is lacking across the industry with inks often containing cocktails of chemicals known to cause allergies, with red and black inks causing the most problems. A Danish study found that two in five people have an unexpected bad reaction to their tattoo.

before having a meteoric renaissance since the 1990s, As fashion marches on, our grandchildren may look back with even the Prime Minister’s wife having a dolphin on at this industry as a barbaric oddity, but the pain and her ankle.

From Otzi to Samantha Cameron, fashions change but the biology stays the same. A sharp implement punctures the skin allowing ink to enter. The trauma to the skin attracts the body’s macrophage immune cells which recognise ink molecules as foreign invaders and engulf them. Inside the macrophage the ink molecules are bombarded with a chemical arsenal but this fails to break down the ink. So instead the macrophage resorts to binding itself in place, holding the ink securely under the

permanence is surely what imbues tattoos with so much meaning. While tattoos enhance people’s sense of individuality and identity, they also connect people in a culture of diverse creativity. People with tattoos may even share common traits as researchers have found they tend to be more impulsive and rebellious than their ink-free counterparts. This impulsiveness might pay off as one study reported that, after getting a tattoo, people had significantly increased body appreciation and selfesteem.

skin for the rest of your life. Macrophages limit the harm Body art

is definitely an

eye-catching

feature

of

ink does to the body, but an unclean needle can also generation Y but how will it be seen by future deliver germs under your skin. These germs can evade or generations? I ask eight year-old Jessica what she makes overwhelm your immune cells causing infection.

In an industry that thrives on its edgy image, rogue

of her parents’ tattoos of Chinese symbols and tribal motifs: “Quite cool” she says, “but I just want ones that wash off”.

5

Feature

LET’S TALK ABOUT to emotionally…

Professor Sir Cary Cooper is one of the UK’s leading experts on stress and wellbeing. He spoke to Thrive about the experience of women in the workplace, and the stresses upon them.

but actually the thing that causes them quite a lot of stress is paperwork.

Every occupation has unique factors

BY SIOBHAN FAIRGREAVES

that are more likely

Thrive: Is there a difference between genders and their

to be a source of

stress in the workplace?

stress.

Professor Sir Cary Cooper: The evidence seems to show

The unexpected is a real problem- and jobs are

that women have more stressors at work. They’re trying to changing so dramatically that there is more ‘unexpected’. juggle families, work and glass ceilings within their work environment. They have more sources of stress on them; however they have less serious stress manifestations than men.

T: Why is this the case?

PSCC: The moderating factor is their coping strategy.

Women tend to cope better than men. If women have excessive pressures on them, they show emotion, they

“Everybody needs a shoulder to cry on, but it’s much more helpful to have someone to really interrogate you.”

seek social support from their colleagues. They can talk

T: What can employers do to help combat the

about their problems, where men bury it. Their coping

unexpected stress problems?

strategies tend to be much more adaptive. They will

PSCC: I think, for women, what tends to work for them is

have explored options to deal with it more than men

flexible working. Flexible working is needed by many

have.

women. The law changed [a year ago], all employees

T: What about recognising stress? That must be difficult.

can request flexible working and the employer by law

PSCC: Stress triggers tend to be things like unmanageable workloads, unrealistic deadlines, being bullied at work by your boss or by colleagues or by customers or patients, long hours. I think we know what they all are but in a particular occupation there are factors that are idiosyncratic to that occupation which could be a cause of stress.

T: So something that you wouldn’t normally associate with a certain job. For example?

PSCC: A perfect example would be like the police. You’d think the thing that would cause the police most stress would be the potential danger, what they get exposed

now has to provide reasons why they can’t have it. That’s law, and it’s not just women with kids - that’s everybody.

That’s one possible solution to the problem.

STRESS T: Is there anything an employee can do to help themselves?

PSCC: Women do tend to seek social support which is good, but what they need to seek is [not just sympathy, but] people who will give you true and honest feedback about your behaviour and what you may be doing that is not enabling you to achieve that objective.

Everybody needs a shoulder to cry on, but it’s much more helpful to have someone to really interrogate you.

“You say you don’t get on with your boss? Why don’t you get on with your boss?”

A good friend would say; tell me what the boss has done specifically which troubles you. A really good friend gives you critical feedback.

Or, most organisations, public and private sector, have employee assistance programmes, or counselling services within the organisation. You talk about the problems you have and you get some counselling, over the phone or face to face.

T: Is stress widespread? Is it something a lot of people experience?

PSCC: There is nobody who doesn’t from time to time, whether it’s at work or in your personal life.

Anybody who says; “I’ve never experienced stress in my life” is not only lying to you but lying to themselves.

TOP TIPS TO DE-STRESS Rest up!

Stress is caused by an over use of the “fight or flight” response. Unfortunately our bodies haven’t yet worked out the difference between a sabretoothed tiger and a looming deadline. Biologically, this response was designed to protect us but with constant exposure to stressful stimuli it is important to take a high quality break to allow the body to work on recharging. One easy way to get the best sleep you can is to wind down before bed with a cup of chamomile tea. Chamomile has been used in herbal medicine for thousands of years but more recent studies have highlighted chemicals such as the flavonoid apigenin in this calming cuppa which have a proven mild sedative effect.

Get physical Whether you decide to jog that last flight of stairs or go to a weekly spin class making time to get hot and sweaty is important for reducing the amounts of stress in your life. Exercising has all kinds of impacts on the chemicals in your body. Vigorous exercise can control your adrenaline levels while more relaxed exercise, like a walk in the park, will help to lower your levels of cortisol - a common stress indicator. If that’s not good enough then exercise will also trigger the release of mood lifters endorphins and serotonin, both proven to reduce depression and improve your sense of well-being.

Give yoga a go Yoga is well known for its calming properties but researchers in the USA have shown the practice can also have very specific stress-minimising benefits.

Yoga helps to return your body to a state of natural balance by stimulating your parasympathetic nervous system- responsible for the “rest and digest” function. This completely counteracts the physical triggers induced by stress. How can that be possible? Yoga stimulates the vagus nerve, the longest of your 12 cranial nerves. The vagus nerve extends from your brainstem to your abdomen, visits several of your vital organs and forms the main pathway for your parasympathetic nervous system, a round-the-body route to relaxation!

7

Feature

SIMPLE CHANGES… EXPLAINED

Guides

BY EMILY-JANE GALLIMORE Lifestyle changes are suggested everywhere you look, all promising to leave you healthier, more energetic, eco-friendlier… But why? And how do they work? We explain a few of the simplest changes you can make, without leaving you bamboozled.

KEEP IT WHOLE

Producing one pound of beef uses 3000 litres of water –

Wholegrain foods are a fantastic and tasty way to boost

responsible for 70 times the greenhouse gas production

the nutritional value of your meals. Refined grains have

as vegetables. Going vegetarian would half your diet’s

compared to only 70 for a pound of vegetables – and it is

the outer layer of their seeds removed, which is where the CO2 production, so ditching meat even just one day a good stuff is – wholegrain foods use the entire seed so you get all the benefits. They also need less processing from farm to fork, so you can reduce your carbon footprint, too.

week can ‘make a world of difference’.

YOU’RE SWEET ENOUGH We’re talking here about ‘free’ sugars, found added into

Wholegrains contain 33% more protein than refined

food and drinks, or naturally in syrups, fruit juices and even

grains, and they are fibre-rich so they stay in your

honey. We know that too much sugar puts you at greater

stomach for longer and your blood sugar won’t spike

risk of heart disease and type II diabetes, and that it’s

after eating. They also contain omega-3 fatty acids which your teeth’s worst enemy, but it’s also bad for your skin. we only get from our diet, as we can’t make them

Sugar can cause spots and a reddened complexion,

ourselves. There is evidence that omega-3s reduce

while a

inflammation, which benefits your joints and might even help tackle depression.

process called glycation makes the springy collagen in your skin go hard, causing wrinkles. Keeping your blood

Keep eating whole wheat pasta and brown bread, but if

glucose levels in check could therefore keep you looking

you’re feeling adventurous, try black rice or buckwheat

youthful!

gnocchi.

Start by tackling the main culprits: dilute juice with

MEAT FREE MONDAY

sparkling water instead of fizzy drinks, and have plain

It sounds like a tiny change, but this movement has

you’re a baker either – in most recipes you can cut the

gained 850 thousand supporters, including Lauren

sugar in puddings and cakes in half and substitute a

Laverne and Joanna Lumley, since it was launched by

teaspoon of vanilla to make it just as sweet. Bananas and

the McCartneys in 2009.

dates are great natural sweeteners, too.

cereals or oats instead of sugary cereals. Don’t despair if

Going meatless encourages a diet with more fruit and vegetables, and means you can explore low fat, iron-rich protein sources in beans, peas and lentils. Iron is important to keep your red blood cells carrying oxygen properly, and the extra fibre will leave you feeling fuller for longer, making it easier to maintain a healthy weight and putting you at lower risk of heart disease.

9

Feature

Often, the reason career women tend to avoid exercising is their lack of time. How are we expected to have a job, a social life, and exercise!? Well, as Mina suggests, what about making exercise part of your social life? The benefits are, once again, numerous.

BY SIOBHAN FAIRGREAVES

A

fter a long day at work, juggling all of the numerous aspects of your busy life, the last thing you want to do is pull on your trainers and head out to exercise. Research shows the benefits of doing so far outweigh the costs.

The Women’s Sport Foundation (WSF) has recently studied social sport in great detail. The report, Her Life Depends On It, details benefits for your physical health, mental wellbeing and even career prospects which show just how important exercising really is.

Okay, so exercise is important- we all know that, but if the idea of heading to a gym full of Lycra clad Adonises or Aphroditen is your idea of hell then you are not alone.

Online nutrition and fitness coach Edward Whittaker has worked with numerous clients each with a fitness goal in mind. His experience has shown that, although one to one training in the gym can produce fantastic results for many dedicated women, there are often underlying issues that put us off before we even get there. “Many women are often embarrassed and shy, especially when it comes to exercising around men so they won't.”

Team sports provide a welcome alternative and are a fantastic way to enjoy exercise, as well as combining it with socialising. Author of Run Like A Girl, Mina Samuels, spoke to us about her experiences of team sports, “Certainly staying active in a social sport is a way to create and maintain friendships that can often be deeply nourishing in a way other friendships are not. Having that time together in which you work in collaboration toward a goal, the way exertion can strip away our inhibitions and make us more open to communication with those around us as we engage in the sport and the time spent together, winning together and failing, can create a bond unlike those created over dinner and coffee dates with other friends.”

The WSF team also studied the impact of team sport on mental well-being. They reported that, regardless of the sport, mood was always elevated by physical activity. Endorphins are just one of the many useful chemicals released into your body when you exercise. This natural cocktail of feel-good factors can help to manage stress and fatigue by allowing your brain to better regulate your sleeping pattern.

Amazingly, the study found that exercise can also trigger your brain to repair itself and even to generate new growth. With a decrease in the prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease also linked to increased physical activity, the benefits later in life could be incredible too.

If you feel that team sports could be for you but you are unsure whether you can spare the time then consider this – playing a sport could actually increase your career prospects.

Time is precious and sometimes the physical and mental health benefits of exercise alone are not enough to persuade people of its worth. That’s why the WSF conducted further research into the impact sport has on careers. They found that 3 in 5 female executives they surveyed believed their personal involvement in sport contributed positively to their career success and advancement.

The study also found that employers see involvement in sport as a desirable trait believing that more active employees will be more disciplined than others, have better leadership skills, have the ability to deal with failure and have a competitive edge. Women who play sport are perceived to cope better under pressure, have a stronger teamwork ethic and be more confident.

So, whether a rough and tumble game of rugby is your thing or you prefer to test your flexibility in a contemporary dance class, the benefits are the same. The most important thing is to give it a go. If you feel like starting something new why not try the Activity Finder on the BBC’s Get Inspired website and find out what’s already happening in your local area.

News

THE TROUBLE WITH TECH

BY DAVID FLORENTIN

“You can’t live your whole life behind your phone, bro” Jennifer Lawrence scolded a reporter at the Golden Globes, reported the BBC. But how long should you spend

confuse and harm minds. Although the evidence shows smartphones really can harm minds, they also keep us organised, informed and socially connected. Recent studies have shown that Internet access can help reduce loneliness and broaden the social networks of marginalised groups. Apps can help us manage our

behind your phone? With some researchers advocating mental and physical health and if your phone use is warning labels to prevent digital addiction, was Jennifer’s getting out of control, there’s an app for that too… rebuke in fact sound mental health advice?

Digital Detox Apps

She is not alone in her frustration with phones taking priority

( OFFTIME ) iOS and Android This monitors and visualises your phone habits so you can see the truth about how, when and where you use your phone. It then allows you to set personalised controls on your app use.

over face-to-face conversation, a phenomenon known as phone snubbing, or phubbing. Scientists recently reported that romantic partners dislike phubbing in their article “My life has become a major distraction from my cell phone” in the journal Computers and Behaviour. Although this

Moment iOS This app allows you to monitor and limit screen time and coaches you to use your phone less. It also has a feature for families to manage multiple devices.

discovery may appear obvious, the study found that phubbing is associated with relationship dissatisfaction and even depression.

It’s not just phubbing victims who suffer. Studies have

BreakFree iOS and Android Monitors your phone use and calculates your addiction score. It then gives personalised feedback to lower your score over time.

found links between addictive technology behaviour and poor mental health: "People who self-described as having really addictive style behaviours toward the Internet and cell phones, scored much higher on depression and anxiety scales" says Alejandro Lleras, professor of

Phones have become central to managing our lives but

psychology at the University of Illinois.

we can quickly find ourselves obediently tending to our

Health concerns about new technologies are age old;

phone’s every buzz. To combat this Dr Christian Montag,

sixteenth century Swiss scientist Conrad Gessner feared

professor of psychology at Ulm University, gives the

the torrent of literature from the printing press would

following advice in the journal Cogent Psychology this month: ·

Avoid using your phone before bed to improve your sleep

·

Use a separate watch and alarm clock rather than looking at your phone

·

Turn off your phone and email when working to prevent distractions so you can reach a state of flow

·

Answer emails at a few set points in the day to reduce stress and prevent fragmented working

·

Make the most of human interaction by turning off your phone when meeting friends

11

Feature

THE EFFECTS OF EVERYDAY CHEMICALS

BY STEPHANIE ORGAN

W

ith 3 in 4 adults and 1 in 3 children in the

parabens - a group of preservatives in many personal

UK overweight or obese, could there be

care products including cosmetics; and

more to our increasing waistlines than

organophosphate pesticides used on fruit and

diet, exercise and genetics? Juliette

vegetables.

Legler, Professor of Toxicology and Environmental Health at Brunel University and a leading expert in the effects of chemical exposure on humans and wildlife, thinks so.

Exposure to these chemicals in the womb and early on in life has been linked to later development of obesity.

Similar results of EDC exposure were seen in babies born

Hormone mimicking chemicals, known as Endocrine

to mothers who smoked during pregnancy – low birth

Disrupting Chemicals (EDCs), are in abundance across

weights and a higher risk of childhood obesity. “I’m

Europe. EDCs have been linked to obesity, diabetes,

becoming more and more convinced that chemicals

neurodevelopmental and learning difficulties, immune

play a role in obesity…maybe even all the symptoms of

dysfunction, cancer and fertility problems in both men

metabolic syndrome like high blood pressure, lipids, high

and women. In fact, a recent series of reports by the

cholesterol, insulin resistance”, says Juliette, after spending

world's EDC experts estimates the cost of exposure to

her entire academic career working in this area.

European health care being upwards of 157bn per year. “They’re high numbers and not even the worst case scenario”, exclaims Legler. “The numbers of chemicals in our environment list about 100,000 to a million, it is just incredible what the costs could be – you don’t want to scare everybody… but why would we want to have our population exposed to them, least of all our developing children?”.

EDCs mimic our own hormones, which have crucial roles

And the effects aren’t the same for both sexes - women appear to be more susceptible than men. “The effects of EDCs on male and female offspring are completely different. Not only do we [females] have different exposures but we also react differently to these chemicals when we are exposed to them early in life. We did expect it [in our studies], but it was surprising that it was so different”. This may be due to women’s bodies being naturally higher in fat (fat

in our healthy function. They have recently been found to accumulates chemicals in order to protect the change the expression of our DNA and the DNA of our

surrounding organs from toxins), we live longer, and use

offspring. “We have no tools to be sure that the chemicals an average of 12 personal products per day compared on the market do not do that, we haven’t tested them for to men who use 6. Additionally, a US study in 2009 looking that. Really, we have no idea”, warns Juliette.

With chemicals being widely used in consumer products, electronics and agriculture, resulting human exposures

at human exposure to environmental chemicals detected several, including EDCs, in 90-100% of the population including in pregnant women.

are inevitable. Many EDCs are food contaminants,

Diet and exercise do play a role – energy in and energy

although inhalation and absorption through the skin are

out needs to balance. However, it cannot entirely explain

well known pathways too. EDCs include Bisphenol A (BPA) the obesity epidemic happening on a global scale. Our found in plastics including water bottles, food packaging, mind-set that obesity is due to the individual can be a and even the coating on till receipts; phthalates used in

problem. “The stigma that’s attached to studying obesity,

products including hair care products, nail polish and milk; that it’s gotta be diet and exercise, is hard sometimes to

get around. We need to move away from individual

and big changes in policy and law that ensure chemicals

blame and make sure our children have the best start in

should reach certain baseline testing before they’re

life”, explains Prof. Legler.

allowed to enter the market… really bad chemicals are

It is not just obesity. There is an increasing number of studies showing EDCs impact neurological development

no longer used or produced”. There are also scientists all over the world researching EDCs and Juliette is working hard to develop quick and easy ways for industry to test their chemicals for certain effects. “There are some really good, socially aware and caring industry partners including pharmaceutical companies who really don’t want to be producing chemicals that have these effects”.

So what can we do? “I don’t want individuals to be thinking how they can be controlling their exposure, because it’s really hard to do. [EDCs] shouldn’t be in the environment, and that’s what I am working towards…not telling women what not to eat or what not to put on their skin”, Juliette laughs. However, with so many chemicals silently contaminating our lives there are a few simple things we can do which have been shown to reduce exposure:

with intellectual disability, autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder all linked to exposure in early life.

This is potentially due to our own hormones being crucial

·

Switch to a BPA-free drinks bottle.

·

Reduce the amount of canned foodstuffs used – even tinned cans are lined with BPA; never heat food in

in brain development. There have even been estimates of

plastic containers.

EDCs causing a loss of 13 million IQ points in Europe each year. Additionally, scientists are starting to question

·

you consume - EDCs accumulate there the most.

whether gut microflora might be influenced by EDCs which links to a whole host of other health related issues.

“We tend to look at one system in exclusion where we

·

Wash fruit and vegetables.

·

Vacuum frequently. Chemicals are emitted from household products and then reside in dust which we

really should be looking at the entire organism and how

breathe in – children are more susceptible to this type

these hormone systems interact with each other” says

of exposure as they are lower to the ground, are

Juliette.

smaller, explore with their mouths, and are growing and

The whole field has been compared to the climate change debate. “There is a huge feud between us. The general public don’t know what to believe. There is a lot of uncertainty around these chemicals, a lot of the arguments are the same as in climate change – there are some really strong voices saying that there is nothing to worry about… of course, the industry doesn’t want negative attention to chemicals… so pull out all the stops to undermine research… we are putting the strongest evidence we can out there. It is crazy, a dirty battle”, explains Juliette.

Reduce the amount of fatty foods and organ meat

developing which requires many hormones. ·

Ventilate your home regularly. This can reduce the concentration of EDCs in your home environment.

Finally, father of endocrine disruptors in the environment, Professor John Sumpter OBE warns us that we cannot avoid the debate: “some people say ‘we gotta do something’ others say ‘no, no, no – don’t do anything stupid, there’s no need to do anything at the moment’.

It’s inevitable that we end up in that position, even though it is probably the right position to be in. You can take the precautionary approach, but you don’t avoid the

If you’re just about to give up hope and resign yourself to

argument by taking that, as it comes down to the same

living an EDC-exposed life, don’t despair. “There’s a lot of

argument – should or shouldn’t we take a precautionary

good news”, articulates Legler. “In Europe there have

approach?”

been improvements in the way chemicals are regulated,

13

Guides

MIND FULL OF STRESS?

BY DAVID FLORENTIN

M

indful meditation can make you more resilient to stress and improves health by altering activity in

the brain according to new research from Carnegie Mellon University.

“Mindfulness meditation training improves your brain's ability to help you manage stress, and these changes improve

a

broad

range

of

stress-related

health

outcomes” explains David Creswell, associate professor of psychology who led the study.

After volunteers went on a three-day meditation retreat, researchers saw changes in their brain scans in areas responsible

for

making

decisions

and

controlling

behaviour. The meditators also had reduced levels of the inflammatory hormone interleukin 6, which is linked to heart disease and this reduction continued after four weeks. A different group of people enjoyed a similar three-day relaxation retreat without meditation but they did not experience the same benefits.

The researchers speculate that meditation allows the mind to better control emotion and cope with stress and this regulates the release of interleukin 6 .

Science is discovering the biological process behind this millennia-old practice that originated from ancient India.

The scientific explanation appears to chime with accounts from meditators. “You are working directly on your mind, as directly as you can be” says Dharmachari Pramudita, a Buddhist meditation practitioner for 30 years. “Through meditation you’re much more aware of when you’re in a stressed state and you can get out of it…People deal with things much more easily”.

Guides

TWILIGHT THOUGHTS DID YOU KNOW...?

We spend more time online than we do sleeping By about 20 minutes, according to Ofcom. On average, adults in the UK spend 8 hours and 41 minutes browsing the web each day, compared to 8 hours and 21 minutes sleeping. We explored some of the effects of tech in our daily life on page 11, but because screen time also makes it difficult to switch off at night, this is definitely something we should work on as a nation. Especially considering…

…Sleep makes you happier than money According to psychologist Daniel Kahneman, just one hour extra sleep at night will make you happier than a $60,000 (about £48,000) raise! In fact, an increase in income doesn’t help much at all to lift your daily mood.

Healthy body = healthy sleep Just 10 minutes of exercise a day can have great effects on your quality of sleep, and although a night time tipple might send you off nicely, it can actually disrupt your sleep later in the night as your body processes the alcohol. A healthy routine improves your sleep, which in turn improves your wellbeing – it’s all connected!

So get a good night’s sleep, and T H R I V E will see you at your next event.

15

WE HOPE YOU LOVED WOMEN’S DAY Here are some more events hosted by our big sister and supplemented by T H R I V E For more details and events visit sheerluxe.com/sheerluxe-events SHEERLUXE IN CONVERSATION WITH LOUISE PARKER 28th April 2016 The Town House at the Kensington Hotel, London Body transformation tips from the guru behind the hottest bodies, from celebrities to royals.

Plus a goody bag including Louise’s book ‘Lean for Life’, so you never have to be without your new fairy godmother.

CHAMPAGNE TASTING 18th July 2016 Searcys, The Gherkin, London Perrier-Jouet’s Jonathan Simms will lead Champagne and canape pairings with a stunning backdrop of London's skyline from the top of The Gherkin, plus a tote of goodies for guests.

RAISING GIRLS 20th Sept 2016 The Bluebird, London Experts in psychology, parenting and lifestyle discuss the trials and tribulations of raising girls today. From online media to bullying, and healthy attitudes to food and mental health.

This is an exclusive opportunity to preview the luxurious, newly-refurbished Bluebird venue.

ENTREPRENEURS OF TOMORROW 8th Oct 2016 Grace Belgravia, London This sell-out event is back for a second year. Successful female entrepreneurs will share their tales and top tips. Plus advice on getting started, what to prioritise, PR, social media, marketing and lots more.

SLEEP CLINIC 11th Oct 2016 COMO Metropolitan, London Whether you struggle with insomnia or oversleeping, anxiety or simply bad habits, sleep experts Nicki Williams and Nerina Ramlakhan will tackle your difficulties with sleep.

Followed by cocktail and canapes, and take home a goody bag of sleep saviours.

MOTHERHOOD AND CAREERS 18th Oct 2016 The Town House at the Kensington Hotel, London A panel discussion about being a mother alongside a successful career, hosted by women who have achieved both. Tackling when to have children, evaluating your career priorities, and how to achieve balance.

Plus cocktails and canapes, and of course a luxury goody bag.

SEE YOU NEXT TIME