WellBeing World Summer 2018

Channel Islands Edition ISSN 2516-3426

No.18

June/July/August 2018 Happy | Healthy | Mindful

And Relax …

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unt for all WellB eing World readers on Sh albeck Life Centre sess ions in Jersey and Guernse y– take this copy simply along to claim your di scount – more info pa ge 98.

Relaxation Around the World Mindfulness Questions Answered Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Saved My Life!

Encouraging Children to Eat More Heathily … By Choice

SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE

Beating Burnout Stress … Are We Coping?

How to REALLY Rest and Relax Why This Quote Should Be On Everyone’s Fridge … and much more to inspire, relax and make you FEEL GOOD!

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WellBeingWorld

WELCOME

Welcome

WORDS: Beverley Le Cuirot, Founder and Editor

Welcome to our ‘Relaxation’ edition.

I am very excited about this edition; not only do we have some excellent articles from a wide range of local health and wellbeing practitioners, we also have more UK and international contributors than ever sharing their expert knowledge for which we are truly indebted.

The depth and breadth of topics discussed in this edition is quite possibly our best yet, I do hope you enjoy it as much as it has been our pleasure to create it for you.

I am also pleased to see how wellbeing continues to gather momentum in all walks of life; it is everywhere and on everyone’s mind, and this can only be a good thing.

Take, for example, the recent report ‘Jersey Tourism Product Audit’ commissioned by Visit Jersey and produced by Colliers International – one of their key recommendations is something we have been saying for many years – Make ‘wellness’ a central theme for tourism.

We have published a number of articles over the years, talking about what makes Jersey unique in this regard – proximity to the sea, green spaces, cliff paths, hours of sunshine, world-class food choices, community spirit, and the wide range of sporting options on land and water, hotels, spas, wellness centres and practitioners; all this in an island just 9 miles by 5 miles. And just a few miles away from the other beautiful Channel Islands of Guernsey, Herm and Sark; a veritable package of wellbeing.

In this, our Relaxation edition, we are delighted to bring you the latest in mindfulness from one of the world’s most prominent experts on the subject; we also have a special feature on diversity and inclusion – a fundamentally important topic affecting our wellbeing. It is so important that all individuals feel valued, listened to and that they feel they are making a difference at work and in the community.

Creating a WORLD of Difference

And following a viewing of the documentary film Unrest, we were inspired to include a feature on ME/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Many millions suffer in silence and we wanted to shine a light on their plight. Two very brave individuals who have since found their own way through their symptoms share their stories.

We also feature the outstanding work being done to introduce healthy eating into the schools by the inspirational leaders at Charlton Manor Primary in South London and locally by Caring Cooks of Jersey.

So essential for the future health of our nation.

We have a poignant message about life from a young woman who passed over too young; and we look at managing stress, exercising and acupuncture for relaxation, recovery, and much, much more. This edition is literally bursting at the seams. I hope you enjoy it.

Happy and healthy regards, as always,

Beverley beverley@wellbeingworld.je

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CONTENTS

Contents

7 Questions to Assess Your Perspective Taking

Introducing our UK and International Contributors … And our Local Expert Contributors

FEATURES

Relaxation Around the World How to REALLY Rest and Relax Mindfulness Questions Answered Playing Safe in the Sun

WHAT’S NEW

John Lewis Launches Innovator Lab for Health & Wellbeing A Voice for Change … and a Plastic Free Jersey Shining a Light on the Health of the Nation Workplace Culture the Biggest Roadblock to Wellbeing

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6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24

SPECIAL FOCUS DIVERSITY & INCLUSION AT WORK

Engaging the Whole Worker 26 Breaking Down the Barriers Surrounding Learning Disability 28 7 Questions to Assess Your Perspective Taking 30 Why Others Don’t See Things As We Do! 32 Inclusivity in Action 34

WORK

Beating Burnout. Taking Those Unused Vacation Days …

Why Happiness at Work is More Than Feeling Good 6 Ways to Manage Stress in the Workplace Hot Off the Press! The Latest in Mindfulness

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36 38 40 42

Relaxation Matters

BODY

Relaxation Matters Sit Back, Take a Breather and Relax Acupuncture’s Over-Looked Benefit … Relaxation!

FITNESS

Get Moving!

Sport and Relaxation – a Match Made in Heaven?

Do You Know How to Defend Yourself?

SPECIAL FOCUS ON ME/CFS

From Breaking the News to Making the News Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Saved My Life!

FOOD

Encouraging Children to Eat More Healthily … By Choice Laying the Foundations for a Flourishing Future in Jersey Healthy Eating on a Budget The Ability to Relax is Fundamental to Good Health

MIND

Stress: Are We Coping?

Why This Quote Should Be On Everyone’s Fridge Decision Fatigue Evolution of the Mind … Why Courtesy Brings Happiness

WOMEN

(Em)Power-Dressing in 2018!

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44 46 48 50 52 54 56 58 60 62 64 66 68 70 72 74 76

The Ability to Relax is Fundamental to Good Health

MEN

Bulk Up – Gaining Weight Healthfully

FAMILY

5 Ways to Build a Better Body Image for Your Daughter

RECOVERY

Recovery Communities

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78 80 82

Why This Quote Should Be On Everyone’s Fridge

LIFE

Quarter Life Crisis A Message from Holly

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84 86

BOOK CHOICE 88

WELLBEING DIRECTORY

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The WellBeing World team (pictured below from left to right): Lucy Sanderson, Amber Blake, Beverley Le Cuirot

Thank You and Disclaimer: WellBeing World would like to thank all of our contributors, members and advertisers for making our magazine what it is; and to you, our readers, for your support. We aim to bring you properly researched information that enables you to make wise health decisions and which support your general health and wellbeing.

Although every effort is made to ensure the veracity of published information, WellBeing World and its Directors and Publishers cannot be held responsible for the information contained herein or for the views and actions of individual contributors.

All contributors are qualified to practice in their own fields of expertise. If in doubt, please consult with a medical practitioner before acting on health information received.

CONTRIBUTORS

Introducing our UK and International Contributors: We are delighted to welcome so many distinguished authors, thinkers and inspirational experts from around the world.

Aidan Kearney

David Bellamy

Business Psychologist, Mentor and Coach

Founder and CEO Happiness Lab

David Livermore

Faith Canter

Jennifer Brown

Jen Fisher

Global Thinker and Author

Bestselling Author, Coach & Explorer

Founder and CEO Jennifer Brown Consulting

National MD for Well-being, Deloitte (USA)

Joe Burton

Kelley Kitley

Tessa Dongelmans

Tim Baker

Founder and CEO Whil Concepts, Inc.

International Women's Mental Health Expert & Author

Life Coach in Berlin, Germany

Head, Charlton Manor Primary School

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CONTRIBUTORS

...And our Local Expert Contributors:

Andy Barnes

Gary Burgess

Georgina Hopkins

Jason Wyse

The Foodstate Company

Journalist & Broadcaster

Healthhaus

Silkworth Charity Group

Claudia Sutton

Kerry Petulla

Lorna Jackson

Matt Riley

Rowlands Recruitment

Donna Annand Melanoma Charity

Health Point Clinic

Hand Picked Hotels

Melissa Nobrega

Michael Canas

Nathalie Le Mottee

Tim Pryor

Caring Cooks of Jersey

Pride Performance Jersey

Healthhaus

Jersey Sport

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FEATURES

Relaxation Around the World We all have different ways to relax and however you choose to unwind, it’s important to make it a priority as it takes us out of our minds and into our bodies. This can help alleviate burnout and can boost your immune system. It will also make you feel refreshed and ready to take on the world. How do you relax? Here’s our whistle stop tour around our wonderful world to look at the different ways people like to relax.

Argentina

France

Japan

In Argentina, the custom is to drink maté, a hot herbal drink, passing it around a circle of friends like a peace pipe. The same with food sharing; it releases a surge of oxytocin making everyone calm, connected, strong, and able to face any stress.

After a stressful day, the French relax with a petit aperitif. Wine is a relaxant, but more importantly, it separates the chaos of work from the comfort of home. A ritual of your own choosing would have the same benefit, including changing out of your work clothes.

Brazil

Greece

For centuries, tourists have travelled to Mount Fuji in Japan as the area is filled with natural hot springs, filled with minerals and elements. While the health benefits of these minerals is still open to debate, the hot baths themselves can help remove lactic acid from muscles quicker, helping you recover from exercise and feel more relaxed.

Maté – Communal Bonding through Food and Drink

Active Meditative Relaxing Capoeira

Capoeira is a Brazilian martial art that combines dance, acrobatics and music. It is similar to T’ai Chi and is enjoyed as an aerobic workout to express joy, happiness and strength.

China

Zu Yu – Foot Bathing

Once a daily habit for many, foot baths or zu yu, are a way to promote blood circulation and drive away pathogenic energy. The tradition has waned although it is still promoted by traditional Chinese medicine (TCM).

Simply soaking feet in warm water for 15 minutes can be surprisingly effective, especially so before going to bed to improve circulation and relaxation.

Note: Best not to soak an hour before / after meals; or after alcohol.

Denmark

Hygge – Being Happy at Home

Danes are good at creating hygge, or 'cozy', simply by visiting each other’s houses after dark for a casual evening’s entertainment with friends and family.

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Enjoying a Small Aperitif

Mesimeri (or Quiet Time)

The word “mesimeri” means midday and describes the time between 2 -5 pm, but it also means it’s time to be quiet and take a nap. Until 30 years ago most people worked until 2 or 3 pm and the nap was part of the daily routine. Today there is still evidence of this healthy habit even in big cities.

Stores close for mesimeri and re-open later in the afternoon.

India

Meditation and Yoga

Well known for their spiritual and stress-reducing benefits, meditation and yoga are equally powerful for the beneficial effects on the cells and tissues of your body, including a decrease in the production of inflammatory proteins. They also sharpen our attention, memory and creativity, and thought to even slow age-related shrinkage of the brain.

Laughter Yoga is particularly beneficial, according to a study from the Oxford University, when the contracting of the stomach muscles triggers a surge of feel-good endorphins.

Hot Spring Baths

Russia

Sweating Out the Stress in the Banya

Russians go to the banya, a hot sauna, to relax in the heat. This could work equally well with a hot shower to wash away any tension; research from Yale University shows that the enveloping warmth you get from a hot shower can trigger brain and body responses that mirror emotional warmth, boosting your mood.

Southern Africa

Traditional Full Body Massage

Southern African spas blend traditional African practices and hospitality with western massage techniques to provide a unique and rejuvenating experience. The traditional African full body massage makes use of hot stones and a blend of essential oils and lemongrass, leaving you feeling refreshed, revitalised and re-energised.

FEATURES

Sweden

Fika – More than a Coffee Break

Fika (pronounced Fee-ka) is a custom at the heart of Swedish life and work when people gather to eat, drink and talk. Much more than a coffee break, it’s a social phenomenon, ingrained in the culture since the 1700s, and a legitimate reason to set aside a moment for quality time.

Thailand

Thai Massage

The massage is a science in Thailand.

Applied with knees and elbows, stimulating pressure receptors to release serotonin, a natural antidepressant. Thai massage is like Yoga, without the exercise, and is believed to help improve blood circulation, reduce stress and calm the central nervous system. Try your own version by kneading the nape of your neck.

Creating a WORLD of Difference

Turkey

Keyif – Relishing Pleasurable Things

Keyif is an essence that can come from a party or a special ceremony, a serene evening boat cruise or a fine meal. It can mean many things to many people from enjoyment, delight, wellbeing, serenity, ecstasy, enchantment, satisfaction, or pure bliss. It puts you in the moment.

USA

Relaxing by Doing Nothing

Easier said than done, but so important. Whether it’s taking a nap, cloud spotting, doing nothing on the beach or just lying in front of the TV – doing absolutely nothing is profoundly healing and helps you relax. It helps us contemplate and reflect without fear of disapproval.

West Africa

De-stressing to the Beat

Group drumming has been shown to provide a feeling of unity, improve mood, sharpen concentration, and decrease stress. Some believe that it can also strengthen the immune system.

UK

Spending Time in Nature

Whether it’s a walk in the lush, green countryside or relaxing in the park, being out in the fresh air can revive the brain, improve memory and attention, and reduce stress. Research studies show proximity to green spaces can boost your health and works wonders in helping you relax.

And even better to combine being outside with exercise.

"Stressful thoughts often come from a presumption that something bad is going to happen," points out Ellen Langer, PhD, a Harvard psychology professor. "If you can focus on a positive, you can help derail those thoughts."

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FEATURES

How to REALLY Rest and Relax WORDS: Beverley Le Cuirot Founder and Editor, WellBeing World

In this non-stop world of ours, do we really know how to rest and relax? If you are anything like me, you’ll find it really difficult to turn off your busy brain and really chill out.

When I’m not ‘at work’, I’m ‘doing things’, tidying up, cleaning, ironing, picking up socks, feeding the cat, grocery shopping, fixing, mending, and so on … picture the scene, I know you can, we all can … this becomes our ‘time off ’, if we’re not careful.

Holidays are times to rest and recuperate, surely? Do you pack lots in, seeing new places, doing new things, trying out new adventures?

It all sounds wonderful, but do you REALLY rest? Are you ever truly still? Do you feel guilty if you’re not constantly on the go?

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Kris Carr, the best-selling transformational author and filmmaker, calls it ‘Putter Rest’ which she says ‘tricks us into thinking we’re chillin’, but what we’re really doing is filling our time with chores and errands, and never pausing long enough to restore our energy supply’.

She has a point.

There will always be things to do and sort, but if we allow our ‘to do list’ to take over our lives, we will burnout … eventually. This is why we highlighted the importance of self-care in our last edition. We should not feel guilty

about looking after ourselves. Selfcare is not selfish, it’s the most selfless thing we can do; it heals our bodies, strengthens our immune systems, and gives us the vital energy and resources to look after ourselves and others.

So how do we REALLY rest? And when?

We all deserve a break and that is why our theme for this edition is Relaxation … REAL Relaxation. Here’s how: Plan a real holiday – it doesn’t matter if it’s on a sun-drenched beach in Hawaii, on the top of the highest mountain, or in your own back garden, taking at least four or five consecutive days off will dramatically lower your stress levels, allowing your creativity and bliss to resurface.

FEATURES

Take a mental siesta – instead of making constant to-do lists, schedule in just 10 minutes every day to tune into the moment. This could be a restorative morning meditation, sitting quietly on a park bench after lunch, or driving in your car and listening to your favourite tunes.

Do more of what you love – for a

few days at least, scale back on one or two chores that are not absolutely necessary (ironing) and spend twice as much time on one or two activities you really enjoy.

Hit pause and sharpen the saw – if

you are feeling overwhelmed, take time for self-care, this will help you to focus and make you more productive in the long run.

Stop the constant multi-tasking – one thing at a time is more efficient (note to self !).

Remember to breathe – in on a count of 4, hold for a count of 7, and out for a count of 8 … you will immediately feel calm and reduce your stress levels.

If you do a lot of intellectual work, you will need physical activity and to unplug intellectually (to get out of our heads and into our bodies). If you do a lot of physical work, you need to relax physically and stimulate yourself intellectually (to keep the brain receptors active).

Split your rest into physical activity and relaxation in order to boost your energy levels. Relaxation comes first, physical activity second. Your

Creating a WORLD of Difference

primary goal should be physical energy and recovery; all types of energy are important, although without physical energy you will be unable to take on big emotional or intellectual challenges.

• Sleep, relaxation and exercise give you physical energy.

• Mindfulness, experience and knowledge give you intellectual energy.

• Trust, friends and family give you emotional energy.

• Goals, dreams and fulfilment give you motivational energy.

foods, and avoiding acidic, allergenic and addictive foods. Eat to take care of your body and your brain.

2. Exercise (Move) – Our bodies are designed to move, which is why studies show that we think more clearly when we exercise. Without exercise, our car rusts. When it rusts, we feel demotivated and exhausted.

3. Recovery (Sleep) – A good night’s sleep is the absolute minimum you owe to your body every day. You wouldn’t run your car every day without stopping, it would overheat, and so when you sleep, your body recovers so you can keep going.

"The key to radical wellbeing is about eating healthfully, moving our bodies, sleeping for recovery, and learning to relax."

Think of your body as a car you use to move through life. How far you get in life and how quickly you can get there depends on how well you take care of your car. Want to avoid a breakdown? The key to radical wellbeing is about eating healthfully, moving our bodies, sleeping for recovery, and learning to relax. It can keep your ‘car’ going, too …

1. Fuel (Eat) – Food is your fuel –

water, nuts, fruit, vegetables, fresh meat and fish, not junk or processed

4. Breaks (Relax) – Our body is not designed to work for 8 hours straight. You need to take 15 minute breaks every hour. If you do a lot of intellectual work, eat or go for a walk during breaks. If you do manual labour, eat or take a break to stimulate the brain.

If you’re tired and exhausted, you have to give your body a chance to recover. REAL rest is the answer.

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FEATURES

Mindfulness Questions Answered WORDS: Joe Burton

Mindfulness is attention and awareness training to reduce stress, increase resilience and improve your ability to focus for a healthier and happier life. Learning how to practice mindfulness is easy and most people start to experience benefits in their first few practices. Here are some basic tips to get you started on a path to bring more focus, calm and joy into your life.

You can practice anytime, anywhere.

Why should I practice Mindfulness?

There have been over 4,500 studies on the health and performance benefits of mindfulness in recent years. It’s the must-have life skill for a stressed-out world. Studies even show that mindfulness and meditation can be as effective as medication. But unlike medication, mindfulness has no pill form. It takes practice. You can learn more about the many science benefits at www.resources.whil.com

What’s the difference between Meditation and Mindfulness?

Mindfulness is the goal of meditation. It is a lifestyle or quality of being. It’s the act of applying your ability to be calm, focused, aware, kind, open, curious, intentional, non-judgmental and compassionate to the other 24 hours of your day.

How do I create a new habit?

Just like any habit, meditation gets easier to do if it’s part of your routine. For anyone new to a mindfulness practice, we recommend following Dr. BJ Fogg’s advice to start a new “Tiny Habit”:

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Get specific as to what new behaviour you want. For example, meditate 5 minutes per day. Translate target outcomes into behaviours (e.g., I practice every day at the same time each day, no matter where I am.)

Make it easy (I use the Whil app, so all I need is my phone

and a place to sit). Meditate in the same spot daily to avoid distractions, if possible. Simplicity changes behaviour.

Trigger the behaviour. Some triggers are natural (e.g., I meditate when I lay down to sleep every night). Others you must design (e.g., I block time on my calendar and receive reminders). No behaviour changes successfully without a trigger.

How should I sit?

Sit like a normal person. When you’re ready, find a comfortable way to sit in a chair with your head, neck and back aligned. You can also lay down if that’s more comfortable - but not if you think you’ll fall asleep.

Sleeping is not meditating. Close your eyes or just relax your gaze and allow the trainer’s words to guide you.

FEATURES

How much time do I need?

Meditation practice can be done in short bursts. We recommend 5-10 minutes a day on a fairly regular basis to enjoy the greatest benefits. The more you practice, the better the results. As Dr. Dan Siegel, Whil Trainer, Author and Neuropsychiatrist puts it, “Any individual can learn to focus their attention in a new way. This is a teachable skill. You can learn it at any age. Once you learn to focus your attention in a new way, you’re getting the brain to fire in a new way. Your immune system will function in a more optimal way. Your cardiovascular profile - your cholesterol levels, blood pressure, heart rate - all those things will improve.

Mindfulness meditation has been shown to create these benefits in our life over time." Consider five minutes a day for one week to begin to change your life.

Spoiler alert: during meditation, your mind will wander. Harvard University researchers share that this is the natural condition of the mind. The human brain cycles through normal states of awareness (wandering, distracted awareness, focused).

Turns out, the average person spends about half their time with the mind “wandering.”

That means worrying about the future.

Worrying about the past. Is my boss out to get me? Fantasizing, fretting, conspiracy theories. You name it. Most of us have trained our brain to cycles through a myriad of thoughts, except what’s actually happening in the moment.

The average person spends another 20% of their time in “distracted awareness.” This is when we’re kind of listening, but not really.

Beyond being bad for your performance, these natural tendencies for the mind to wander are also terrible for our health.

When the brain runs constantly with negative distraction, it can cut years off of our lives.

As you practice, the mind will likely wander time and again. Now you know that’s normal, so don’t beat yourself up.

What’s important is how you respond

when it happens. Simply acknowledge the distracting thought without adding any judgment to it and take a moment to come back to the present moment. Return your focus to your breath.

Mindfulness helps you to be more intentional in creating the kind of life you want. What areas of your life are you focusing on? What is most important to you in this moment? Focus produces results. Mindfulness is about single-tasking to improve the quality of your life.

As you start your new meditation practice, try to remain relaxed, curious and nonjudgemental. Any new habit will have its ups and downs. There’s no right or wrong way to practice meditation. Don't be hard on yourself. Don’t try too hard. The purpose of meditation isn’t to master your mind or stop thinking altogether. We’re improving our awareness of our thoughts and how they impact our quality of life.

It helps to bring calmness, compassion and acceptance to the process. Allow it to unfold. Enjoy giving your brain a break in a friendly and accepting space. The rest will come.

Joe Burton is the founder and CEO of Whil Concepts, Inc. (“Whil”), a digital training platform helping employees reduce stress, increase resilience and improve their sleep and performance. He is also the author of Creating Mindful Leaders: How to Power Down, Power Up and Power Forward (Wiley, 2018) – see page 42.

More info: www.whil.com Creating a WORLD of Difference

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FEATURES

Playing Safe in the Sun

WORDS: Kerry Petulla Chairman, Donna Annand Melanoma Charity (DAMC)

The Donna Annand Melanoma Charity knows all too well how much people will be hitting the beach or chilling by the pool this summer but they also know that skin cancer is one of the most common and fastest rising cancers and that is why they are passionate about raising awareness of skin cancer and melanoma (the deadliest form of skin cancer) and promoting their key messages of how to 'play safe in the sun'.

As the summer arrives, after a long, cold and wet winter, we will be looking forward to relaxing in the sunshine, feeling the warmth on our skin and making the most of the long days of summer. But to make sure you can relax and play safe, prevention is key; when the UV levels reach 3 or above do please remember to SLIP, SLAP, SLOP, SHADE and SLIDE.

SLIP on a t-shirt – This will act as a barrier, protecting your skin from the harmful UV rays emitted by the sun.

SLAP on a hat – Preferably wear a wide brimmed hat to make sure you have covered your neck and ears.

SLOP on sunscreen – Apply quality SPF30+ sunscreen.

Make sure it has a UVA symbol (5 star). Store it in a cool place and check the expiry date. Remember to re-apply, especially after you have been swimming. Don't forget your ears and lips too!

SHADE where possible – The UV is at its strongest between 11am and 3pm, if possible, seek shade during those times.

More info: www.damc.co 16

SLIDE on sunglasses – Solar UV can damage your eyes.

Look for the European CE mark, which indicates a safe level of protection, the overall protection will depend on the quality of the lens and design.

And please note: whilst indoor sunbeds may seem like a warm place to relax, they are not safe and increase the risk of skin damage and skin cancer. It is a myth that using a sunbed will prepare and protect your skin before going on holiday.

Playing safe in the sun also requires people to know their own skin and so as part of our awareness raising activity, the charity has trained over 40 GP's in Jersey and we host two mole clinics a year. If a mole is changing shape or colour, bleeding or behaving abnormally, you should visit your GP immediately and have it checked. The summer months, when we reveal a little more skin is a good time to check in with our close family and friends, check their skin and ask them to check yours – watch each other’s back! Early diagnosis is key to fighting skin cancer and melanoma.

WHAT’S NEW

John Lewis Launches Innovator Lab for Health and Wellbeing As we go to print, John Lewis in the UK has announced the launch of a year-long incubator for start-ups and established brands looking to tackle challenges across the food and lifestyle sectors.

JLAB, the start-up innovation programme initiated by the John Lewis Partnership, is one of the UK’s largest retail tech innovation programmes. Started in 2014, this year will see lots of changes. In 2018, for the first time in its five year history, the JLAB programme will run throughout the year with the first theme focused on health and wellbeing.

Alongside food retailer Waitrose, John Lewis will look for customerfacing, digital propositions that provide customers with advice and inspiration that make it easier for them to lead healthy lifestyles and eat more healthily. These new business ideas will complement the many initiatives already being launched by Waitrose (see pages 22/23), aiming to make it easier for customers to make healthy choices.

A statement on the JLAB website says: “We all know how essential a healthy diet is to both our physical 18

and emotional wellbeing, and the importance diet plays in maintaining good health. We also know that it can be difficult to eat a healthy diet of tasty, wholesome food. Waitrose wants to make that easier, simpler, and more convenient.

and potential investment from the JLAB fund.

John Vary, Futurologist at the John Lewis Partnership, said: “As more and more businesses face digital disruption, it’s increasingly important for the Partnership to stay committed to the ideals of our Founder, John Spedan Lewis, by experimenting and nurturing innovation both inside and outside our business. This is exactly why we have created a completely

"We also know that it can be difficult to eat a healthy diet of tasty, wholesome food."

"We’re interested in hearing business ideas that will support our customers with their health and wellbeing aspirations by helping them to eat more healthily.”

Entries closed on 25th May and successful JLAB applicants will have access to a variety of benefits including expert advice and mentorship from John Lewis and Waitrose senior leaders, product validation from retail experts and customers, office space,

new JLAB for 2018. We wanted to take the programme to the next level by launching more events but with a focus on themes we feel are most significant to our customers, as well as the future of retail.

WellBeing World is watching this space with great interest and anticipation … and will report back when we hear more about the successful businesses taking part in JLAB in 2018.

WHAT’S NEW

A Voice for Change … and a Plastic Free Jersey WORDS: Sheena Brockie

During 2017 I set myself a task of working towards a zero waste lifestyle. I tackled one item at a time, investigating and sourcing waste-free alternatives and incorporating them into my normal day to day life before moving on to the next item. It started out really well, easy almost.

I could get fish from the fishmonger and meat from the butcher and they were happy to serve straight into my own glass bowl. I could buy bread, fruit and vegetables served straight into my own cotton bags. Then things got really difficult. Everything else was drowning in plastic packaging, the majority of which was completely unnecessary. This is where I started to stamp my feet at our out-of-control use of plastics, and to campaign for change.

Over the last few years local environmental groups and individuals have been quietly working away on the plastic pollution problems facing our Island, but for me the sheer scale of the problem only became apparent at the beginning of the year when I picked up 1,630 plastic items on a short walk along a Jersey beach. Alongside that we have the Blue Planet effect, following David Attenborough's hard-hitting documentary, which has succeeded in bringing the pollution issues into everyone’s consciousness, such that now there is a huge tidal wave of change. There is a real drive for 20

change, but many people just don’t know where to start and find themselves frustrated.

Plastic Free Jersey was officially launched at the Barclays Jersey Boat Show in May 2018. ‘Surfers Against Sewage’ is a UK charity which runs a national campaign encouraging communities to reduce single-use plastic and achieve Plastic Free Coastline status. For Jersey to do so we need to meet some strict criteria which involves local government and businesses, creating a strong network of plastic free allies and has a requirement to hold local community events, all under a steering group.

The States of Jersey have passed a resolution to support Plastic Free Jersey. They have committed to plastic free alternatives and are supporting plastic reduction. We are working closely with a number of local businesses, some large flagship employers with over 100 employees and others who are sole traders. We have engaged with the

WHAT’S NEW

schools and college community and are actively working on projects with a few of them. We have commitments from individuals and family groups. We are working with event planners to make future Island events plastic free. We have a steering group comprised of local environmental organisations as well as individuals with a passion for the environment. But this is just a tiny part of our community and we need more! Together we are stronger and a real voice for change.

To help our Island community break the plastic habit we have recently launched the Plastic Free Jersey website.

The website has 5 toolkits, one each for Home, Schools, Business, Events and Community Groups. Each of the toolkits provides statistics on plastic waste, and provides guidance on some of the single-use plastics to eliminate from day-today use. We are encouraging people to sign up their commitment to carry out 3 actions, and then come back and share their success once they have done so.

"There is a real drive for change, but many people just don’t know where to start and find themselves frustrated."

Creating a WORLD of Difference

Quick-win changes can be as simple as removing some of these: Coffee cups and lids – single use coffee cups are lined with plastic so can’t be recycled. Swap out with a long-life keep cup (many coffee shops give a discount if you bring your own cup – a double win!).

Plastic bottles – these can last for 450 years in the marine environment, slowly breaking down into smaller and smaller pieces but never truly go away.

Plastic bags – on average a plastic bags is used for only 12 minutes. Take your own bags with you when you shop, and keep spares handy at work, home and in the car.

Plastic cutlery and straws – carry a cutlery roll with you. Include a knife, fork, spoon, teaspoon and re-usable straw rolled into a fabric napkin and you’re all set to go!

Stationery – when you are buying stationery look for reusable, refillable or plastic free alternatives.

Bathroom plastics – 33% of plastics is used once and discarded. Source plastic-free alternatives to replace disposable razors, liquid soap, deodorant and cotton buds.

Using a finite resource to create long-lasting products which are casually thrown away after one single use is absolutely crazy in today’s world, especially now we have the knowledge about the devastation it is creating. Please visit our website and commit your pledge to carry out 3 actions, be part of our campaign and help us achieve #PlasticFreeJersey status.

More info: www.plasticfreejersey.com More info about Sheena’s Beach Clean can also be found at: www.thegoodjerseylife.com/surf-sea-sand-and-plastic/ 21

WHAT’S NEW

Shining a Light on the Health of the Nation

A supermarket first will see over 100 new Healthy Eating Specialists in Waitrose branches

Earlier this year Waitrose unveiled the results of research into attitudes towards health and wellbeing revealing that many of us equate healthiness with an overall sense of wellbeing and happiness rather than simply dieting or exercise.

The research comes as the supermarket launched a number of new health initiatives to help customers. This includes a supermarket first – the announcement of 100 Healthy Eating Specialists who will direct customers who ask towards healthier choices on the shop floor.

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Motivations to Become Healthier: ‘Tombola Birthdays’ and ‘Unhealthy Selfies’

In research among 2,000 people, half admitted that they didn’t feel on top of their health; with a third saying they didn’t have enough time to focus on their health. It also reveals that the most common motivator for getting healthy is seeing an unflattering

photo of oneself or no longer fitting into an item of clothing. And a socalled ‘tombola Birthday’, one ending in a zero or five, is a big driver to getting healthy, as is a special event such as a wedding.

Social media plays a part in our attitude towards health with almost 1 in 10 of those surveyed saying

WHAT’S NEW

that seeing friends online being healthy motivated them to get started. For 18-24 year olds, social media’s influence was higher, with almost a fifth of those surveyed saying it would kick start a new approach to health.

Parental Pressures

outside of London at its Basingstoke shop.

• The supermarket also launched its new magazine ‘Waitrose Health’ in April. Edited

by Peta Bee (a health and fitness journalist), the magazine appeals to healthy eaters who want new ideas, but also to people who aspire to a healthier lifestyle.

The research also looked at the challenges facing parents which can be the point in life where their health gradually, and often imperceptibly, drifts. For many parents there’s the drive to get healthy for their children’s sake, but more than half find the pressures of juggling family life an obstacle to maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

• Waitrose has now put its new ‘Good Health’ mark on more than 1,600 lines to make it easier for customers to make healthier choices. A third of those surveyed said highlighting healthy options would help them maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Half of parents (49%) admitted their health had drifted since having children but they plan to focus on it when the kids are older. Yet 40% of parents say their children can actually help them to get healthier, for example by learning about health in school and pestering the family to make positive changes.

"Research shows that changes do not have to be radical to have a positive effect and can have a lasting impact on health."

Aim Small

Many have found the key to feeling healthy is cutting themselves a bit of slack by aiming small; enjoying good food and wine in moderation; spending time outdoors; or time with those they love.

Nearly two thirds (63%) of those currently feeling in good control of their health say they feel more positive when taking a long term approach to creating healthy habits.

Health and nutrition is a rapidly growing market. To help customers make healthier choices, Waitrose will be launching a number of new initiatives to help shoppers make small but achievable changes: • Waitrose will have introduced 100 Healthy Eating Specialists to the shop floor by the end of the year (there are already 11 in place). A retail first, these specialists will direct customers towards healthier choices.

• The supermarket has launched its new ‘Beautifully Simple’ campaign using a series of recipes to inspire customers to cook everyday meals with a small number of fresh ingredients.

• Waitrose will also be increasing health information available to customers.

This includes tips and inspiration in its publications and online; plus advice and classes from experts, including Shona Vertue and Professor Greg Whyte.

Moira Howie, Nutrition & Health Manager at Waitrose, said: "Many shoppers have the best intentions to be healthier but busy lives get in the way. We know that small steps, top tips and nuggets of good advice can help them get started and importantly stay on track. Research shows that changes do not have to be radical to have a positive effect and can have a lasting impact on health.”

• Waitrose is moving to the next stage of its trial for personal nutrition consultations, and for the first time, testing

Creating a WORLD of Difference

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WHAT’S NEW

Workplace Culture the Biggest Roadblock to Wellbeing and Engagement State of the Industry – Employee Engagement in 2018 Latest Findings from Virgin Pulse in association with Workforce magazine.

According to Gallup in 2017, only 13% of employees are engaged at work worldwide. Now, the 4th Annual State of the Industry survey of over 1,000 HR professionals and talent leaders reveals that workplace culture is the biggest roadblock to improving employee wellbeing and engagement.

The research, undertaken by Virgin Pulse, in association with Workforce magazine, shows that engaged employees are more productive, and that when employees feel valued by their organisation, they’re more satisfied and more likely to stay with the company long-term. It also shows that positive employee engagement translates to higher levels of employee wellbeing and retention.

Nearly all survey respondents said that their organisations are laser-focused on bettering employee engagement – eight out of 10 are addressing this in 2018. Besides engagement, other HR priorities include: talent recruiting and increasing retention, improving employee communications and advancing programmes through technology.

These initiatives come as part of a broader push to improve workplace culture. Three-quarters of HR departments have been tasked with changing their workplace culture, which includes improving engagement. And according to Deloitte’s 2017 Global Human Capital Trends Report, organisations are moving toward a more holistic model of addressing engagement, one that works to improve the entire employee experience.

The report concludes that to be successful in their efforts, organisations will need to

address engagement during the entire employee lifecycle with initiatives that address work/life balance, improve communication between line-level employees and their managers and encourages high performers to stay with the company long-term.

Improving wellbeing can specifically help with engagement, as, according to the 2017 Whil. report ‘Make Wellbeing Your New Competitive Advantage’, work stress is a leading cause of illness in the U.S., costing employers as much as $300 billion a year due to absenteeism, higher turnover rates, increased medical costs and lower productivity.

Employees that are engaged are happy, true. But they also deliver better business performance results than those employees who aren’t engaged.

If employees don’t feel emotionally safe and secure in their work, if leaders routinely demand too, if work/life is unbalanced – this contributes to low engagement and employee dissatisfaction. A negative work/life balance also hurts employee wellbeing, which can then in turn affect engagement negatively.

For this reason, 70% of survey respondent organisations will place a high priority on improving employee health and wellbeing in 2018.

"Employees that are engaged are happy, true. But they also deliver better business performance results than those employees who aren’t engaged."

More info: www.virginpulse.com

State of the Industry: Employee Engagement in 2018 © Virgin Pulse 2018.

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Engagement and wellbeing are intertwined, with 90% of employees believing that their work wellbeing programmes positively affect work culture.

Organisations that seek to improve one will also improve the other.

Through our WellBeing At Work platform, we have developed a bespoke online survey for employers to inform future employee wellbeing strategy, giving vital insight into culture and employee priorities.

Check us out, now!

www.wellbeingworld.je/wellbeing-at-work

DIVERSITY & INCLUSION AT WORK

Engaging the Whole Worker WORDS: Jennifer Brown

The need for change surfaces just about everywhere in an organisation, if you know where to look. We poll employees endlessly about their levels of engagement and are becoming increasingly convinced that workplace cultures influence everything from recruitment to retention to the very value of brands worldwide. It is much harder to please shareholders or investors with your results when the vast majority of your workforce would describe themselves as disengaged.

A disengaged workforce is not an innovative one, as innovative behaviours and actions spring from minds that are open, from people who feel their voice is heard and respected and who trust their colleagues. According to a 2013 Gallup poll measuring employee engagement in the workplace, a meagre 13% of employees across 142 countries worldwide report feeling engaged in their jobs –that is, they are emotionally invested in and focused on creating value for their organisations every day. That means a whopping 87% are focused on something else.

What do you imagine that is costing an organisation’s bottom line?

I know from my own experiences, as both an employee in corporate America and as a consultant, that so many employees are withholding that valuable “discretionary effort” they could bring to work but don’t, or won’t, if they don’t feel welcomed, valued, respected, and heard. Those of us who don’t feel commitment take that energy elsewhere, and while our performance is diminished and we may be harming our careers, the company loses the most. Put very simply, consider the following:

Companies lose great employees who walk off the job rather than contend with a hostile or indifferent corporate culture. Many grow weary of expecting or hoping for change. “Companies turn over great employees because they’re not organisationally strong enough to support rapid development within their ranks. In many cases, that is a recipe for discontinuity in service and product offerings as well as disloyalty in the ranks,” shares Brendan Burke, director at Headwaters.

Striving to be more transparent about diversity and inclusion is a good first step, but the road to lasting and deep culture change requires time and commitment. If transparency is followed by inaction, or a lack of visible attention (which amounts to the same thing), a slow but toxic fire can be kindled.

This window of time between measurement, announcements, and real action is very important. The brownie points companies get for sharing their flaws openly last for a brief time, and then accountability for action kicks in. If there isn’t visible, sustained, and meaningful action by leadership, it can almost make it worse to have discussed challenges – and made in the end false promises – in the first place.

"So many employees are withholding that valuable “discretionary effort” they could bring to work but don’t, or won’t, if they don’t feel welcomed, valued, respected, and heard."

• Engaged employees are the ones who are most likely to drive innovation, growth, and revenue that their companies desperately need.

• Actively disengaged employees continue to outnumber engaged employees by nearly two to one.

We’ll let you do the math.

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We consult to a regional bank that contacted us because they had learned they were close to losing a huge bid – an existing client relationship – partially because they had without noticing sent an all-white and all-male team to the sales meetings. In giving the feedback to the bank, the potential buyer also shared that it was disturbing to walk through the halls of the bank and notice the lack of

DIVERSITY & INCLUSION AT WORK

visible diversity. As we scrambled to put the bank’s first ever diversity strategy together so they could at the very least discuss their awareness of their challenges and their road map for change, they ultimately lost the deal. Their prospective client represented a diverse group of constituents who needed to feel confident that their banking partner would understand their world. This experience was a huge wake-up call for the bank. I often say to my clients, “If you think you haven’t lost a bid or a relationship at least in part because of diversity metrics, you’re probably wrong— it’s just that nobody has had the courage to give you the honest feedback.” … It’s very difficult for us to step outside our worldviews, and yet step outside them we must.

Organisations are failing to tap into the wide variety of values, beliefs, and needs of the multiple generations in the workplace as they update their approaches. For example, the failure to develop internal culture and workforce strategies alongside societal changes has severely diminished traditional

companies’ success in recruiting talent and engaging new and existing workers rattled by the transition to corporate life and the bureaucracy. If a company is unable to engage today’s workforce, it’s most likely the result of not developing new strategies capable of accommodating the needs and wants of a new age. Considering the overwhelming number of technological, economic, social, and generational changes worldwide just within the last two decades, it’s understandable that large companies are struggling to pivot with the impact, but it’s not excusable. Part of the work of inclusion is helping those already in the workforce to feel safe bringing more of themselves to work, versus what they have done historically, such as downplaying parts of themselves for purposes of assimilation. Companies need every single person’s knowledge, skills, and overall input, but employees won’t bring all of this unless there is a trusting relationship between employer and employee. Where and how and why a company begins to take steps toward this looks different for every company. What’s most important is to start – somewhere.

More info: www.jenniferbrownconsulting.com Extracted from the book ‘Inclusion: Diversity, the New Workplace & the Will to Change’ with the kind permission of the author. See also page 91.

Creating a WORLD of Difference

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DIVERSITY & INCLUSION AT WORK

Breaking Down the Barriers Surrounding Learning Disability WORDS: Alex Wiles Manager, Jersey Mencap

Inclusion is at the very heart of Jersey Mencap who maintain a number of projects for adults with a learning disability in Jersey.

We know from research that very few people understand learning disability and often feel uncomfortable or worry they’ll say or do the wrong thing. We get this but we do know that through more contact and awareness, you can quickly see the beyond the disability.

Those living with a learning disability often face a lot of hurdles

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and challenges throughout life but with the right support and plenty of opportunities we see how our members can enjoy a fulfilling and meaningful life, something we all deserve.

Learning Disability is a life-long reduced intellectual ability. This can affect an individual’s capacity, comprehension, speech, and does vary

from one person to another. Some conditions such as Autism, Down’s Syndrome, or Asperger’s can mean a person has a learning disability. In the UK there are 200 children born with a learning disability each week.

Jersey Mencap projects aim to offer more choice and opportunity to its members whilst also providing independent support through the Self Advocacy Project.

DIVERSITY & INCLUSION AT WORK

We enjoy a buzzing social club which provides a colourful variety of support activities including regular discos, Zumba, yoga, theatre nights and meals out. The club sessions are regularly fully booked and the aim is to encourage friendship, social inclusion and enhance general wellbeing. With support workers on hand to ensure everyone is safe and happy whilst also providing a point of contact for parents/carers who we hope benefit from an occasional evening of respite.

Enjoying mainstream activities is so important and we regularly support local shows and restaurants. Our social club nights will often start at Liberation Station as we set off for an evening at St Brelade’s or Gorey to enjoy a stroll and dinner.

Travelling together as a group is not only fun and affordable but can also increase our members’ confidence in accessing public transport.

is place within the local art scene and has enjoyed lots of success during that time.

The art project sees us collaborate with a new audience and celebrate our differences whilst also chipping away at stigma and any misunderstanding surrounding learning disability. Our latest project has launched the ‘Taking Part Making Art’ Roadshow where our members have run art sessions at a local primary school, demonstrating that art is for everyone and breaking down barriers surrounding learning disability.

Through ‘Taking Part Making Art’, Jersey Mencap provides a professional art project offering six sessions a week. Accessing the art project can offer more structure to our members’ weeks, the opportunity to try different mediums and to develop new skills. With 10 successful years under our belts it’s a project that has really earned

More info: www.jerseymencap.org

Creating a WORLD of Difference

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DIVERSITY & INCLUSION AT WORK

7 Questions to Assess Your Perspective Taking WORDS: David Livermore Global Thinker and Author David Livermore is a thought leader in cultural intelligence (CQ) and global leadership and the author of "Leading with Cultural Intelligence". He is president and partner at the Cultural Intelligence Center in East Lansing, Michigan and a visiting research fellow at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore.

Whether I’m talking with my kids, interacting with our staff, or speaking to a group of executives, one of the themes I talk about more than any other is the importance of “perspective taking”.

Perspective taking is the ability to step outside our own experience and consider something from another person’s point of view. It’s something we do unconsciously all the time. What kind of gift would they enjoy? How is my colleague going to interpret this email? What does that group think about me? But we’re less likely to engage in perspective taking if the individuals with a different perspective aren’t part of our in-group.

Research reveals that perspective taking is a skill that can be developed – and that’s good news. Perspective taking is one of the most critical skills needed to manage unconscious bias and lead with cultural intelligence. You can’t motivate people and negotiate effectively if you don’t know how others think and feel about something. And there’s mounting evidence that perspective taking makes a critical difference in whether diversity training actually works.

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Most of us do perspective taking quite naturally with those from our in-group – our friends, loved ones, and people like us. But we’re less likely to slow down and consider another’s perspective if they are outside our in-group. Think of the age-old psychological notion of fundamental attribution error – the assumption that someone’s negative behaviour stems from a character flaw while excusing the same behaviour in ourselves due to external circumstances. Here’s how fundamental attribution error works: If someone’s phone rings in the movie theatre, my default assumption is that they’re a rude or forgetful person who is inconsiderate of others. But if my phone rings, surely people know that it’s only because I’m awaiting an urgent phone call in the midst of a crisis. This isn’t my usual behaviour! According to fundamental attribution error, I’m more likely to give the benefit of the doubt to people who “look like me.”

DIVERSITY & INCLUSION AT WORK

The greater the cultural distance, the more important it is to exercise perspective taking. Use this informal inventory to reflect on your perspective taking skill:

1. When giving someone directions to a restaurant, do you change the way you explain the directions based on whether the individual is an out-of-town visitor versus a local?

2. When telling a story, do you tell it differently based on the audience? (e.g., amount of details provided, references to things they do/don’t know about, etc.).

3. When providing instructions on how to do something, are you aware of how much the other individuals already know about this task? Do you over-explain the instructions even though they provide cues that they understand? Or do you use lingo that leaves them confused?

4. When an acquaintance asks

where you live, do you give the same response to someone on the other side of the world as you do someone from your own region? (e.g., “Grand Rapids, Michigan” versus “In the central part of the U.S., near Chicago.”)

5. Think about a work challenge you’re currently facing right now. To what degree can you accurately describe the perspectives of 3-5 colleagues who are also facing the same challenge?

6. Identify an issue you feel strongly about (e.g., climate change, politics, gay marriage, etc.). To what degree can you offer a coherent argument that represents the opposite of your perspective?

7. How often do you say things like “As you know,” or “Given your experience in this area…”?

Perspective taking doesn’t mean you give up your own perspective or lack conviction. In fact, this is one of the critical differences between perspective taking and empathy.

Empathy may go too far in some situations. A member of the Special Forces who empathises with the enemy or a sales person who is distraught about a customer’s complaints may

fail to fulfil the mission of their respective organisations. But there is no way to succeed without some understanding of the “other side’s” perspective.

Perspective taking is best developed in relationship. Many people change or at least re-evaluate their dogmatic views about sexual orientation, religion, or politics when a friend or loved one is the one who represents the opposing perspective.

Conversation and dialogue are the best ways to learn about another’s perspective. But there are some other practical steps you can use to develop the skill of perspective taking.

Curate a more diverse social media feed. You’ll quickly see wildly different interpretations of the same current events.

Use the ten cultural value dimensions (link below) to consciously consider the differences in how someone from either extreme would view a new initiative (eg an individual with a low uncertainty avoidance orientation may be more drawn to something new than someone who is high uncertainty avoidance).

Use Jeff Bezo’s “emptychair strategy” at important meetings to represent a perspective that won’t likely be present by the individuals in the meeting.

When discussing a challenging issue with someone, see if each of you can articulate the other person’s perspective.

Clarify whether you have an understanding of each other’s perspective.

In the words of our friend and colleague Adam Grant, “Argue like you’re right. Listen like you’re wrong.”

Seek to understand. It’s one of our mantras at the Cultural Intelligence Center. We know that diverse perspectives x CQ creates better solutions. We don’t do it perfectly ourselves.

But we’re resolved to keep at it. I hope you will continue the pursuit with us.

Cultural intelligence (CQ) is the capability to relate and work effectively in culturally diverse situations. It goes beyond existing notions of cultural sensitivity and awareness to highlight a theoretically-based set of capabilities needed to successfully and respectfully accomplish your objectives in culturally diverse settings. Research on cultural intelligence, which to-date spans 98 countries and over 75,000 individuals, demonstrates those with cultural intelligence have skills in four capabilities.

More info: www.culturalq.com – and see David’s book Driven by Difference on page 90.

Check Your Own Cultural Values Profile at: www.culturalq.com/products-services/assessments/cultural-values-profile/

Creating a WORLD of Difference

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DIVERSITY & INCLUSION AT WORK

Thinking about Thinking …

and Why Others Don’t See Things as We Do!

WORDS: Aidan Kearney Senior Business Psychologist at Carter Corson

Take a moment to stop and observe the world we live in; really stop, and really look for a couple of minutes. One thing that will strike you is the scale and the complexity of it; all of its moving parts and interactions – even in the apparent simplicity and silence of nature.

On reflection, it seems remarkable that human beings can usually navigate this complexity, almost unthinkingly. That’s because we have a distinct advantage in tackling this complexity; a fantastic machine we all possess inside our heads – the human brain.

Yet, how often have you really thought about your thinking machine? How often do we think about thinking?

Consider this fact. It takes 83 billion different neural connections and multiple collaborative centres in each brain to help us navigate our world.

That’s right 83 billion. But what does this mean? We all know how we think, don’t we? We’re in control of our own minds, aren’t we?

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Think about the times – amidst life’s complexity – when you have felt angry, nervous, and anxious, perhaps before a job interview, while stuck in traffic, or before an important meeting, presentation or negotiation.

Few of us would want those negative feelings again and they probably didn’t help.

So what’s going on? Why would your brain give you outcomes that aren’t helpful?

It’s down to how our thinking machines are constructed. Our brains have two systems; a hot, impulsive, emotional, survival system, which moves us towards opportunity and away from threat (real and perceived) and is centred around our limbic lobe; the other is a cool, reflective, flexible,

problem solving system, centred around our frontal lobe.

That’s not the end of the story, however, as those 83 billion neurons in your thinking machine are rewired and re-organised to instil longterm learning about our experiences and the world we live in.

Our hot and cool systems can access this learning to help form our behavioural responses, helping us to gauge whether something is perceived as a threat or opportunity. In turn, this determines whether we need to respond emotionally or whether we need to engage our problem solving cool system, checking for evidence and weighing things up.

This re-wiring helps us to make shortcuts about the world, helping us navigate the complexity. We stream incoming stimuli, and filter it through our perception so that we make sense – or sometimes not so much sense – of the world around us.

DIVERSITY & INCLUSION AT WORK

Be honest and ask yourself; have you ever assumed that you knew what was going on, only to discover something that changed your understanding?

Have you ever asked yourself, why can’t everyone else see what I see, in the same way I do?

It’s perfectly normal and it happens to us all. It’s because each of our thinking machines is different – a unique product of our differing life experiences and how we’ve interpreted them.

The unique way we perceive and think about our world and challenges we face, allows us to collaborate, learn from each other and bring different perspectives to solve problems.

Our desires, fears (real and perceived) and opinions differ. How we respond and react to various stimuli differs and evolves over time. We are constant works in progress and can continue to learn and change our thinking machine.

This diversity and inclusivity of thought is a fantastic attribute but necessitates us being able to stay in our cool system and manage any perceptions of threat when someone challenges our thinking, proposes a different approach or disagrees with us.

Think about learning to drive, playing a musical instrument or a similar skill; the effort you needed when you were learning and yet how automatic this complex task seems now.

Our hot system may activate based on perceived challenge to status, authority or security so it’s incumbent upon us to recognise and manage this, to promote environments which support and encourage diversity and inclusivity of thought. None of us have all of the answers all of the time; however, if we co-operate and collaborate, the chances of finding optimal solutions increases.

Our learning and psychological short-cuts undoubtedly help us navigate our complex world but these shortcuts pose challenges as we read, interpret, and respond to the world slightly differently. In neuroscience terms we create an internal model of the world which is informed by our truth of what happens, not necessarily the whole truth.

Failing to take account of this and thinking that everyone sees the world the way we do can lead to what psychologists call false consensus effect. This ‘thinking machine error’ is not an isolated incidence either. The whole arena of cognitive bias is well documented and the ramifications can be enormous; optimism bias has been studied as a key factor in the 2008 economic crash.

Creating a WORLD of Difference

And that’s where I invite you to return to thinking about thinking. We all need to create some psychological distance between our thinking and the actions we then take. Our hot system may propose a response that we decide to go with, but first at least be mindful of what influenced that approach, and how thinking machine errors could hijack our actions.

The key is to recognise the thought process, testing the rationale and evidence for it, and then decide the course of action before we take it. We need to think about thinking.

Aidan is a business and performance psychologist, mentor and coach with Carter Corson. Previously with Chimp Management, Aidan applies his experience and understanding of neuroscience, behaviour and psychology with clients from multi-nationals to SMEs and individuals; working with CEO and boardroom level through to front-line operations, and clients including emergency response teams, retail giants and athletes, helping them achieve their goals.

With a reputation for high quality, high impact performance psychology, he deploys a client and person-centred approach and robust needs analysis to inform his work, whether delivering large-scale conference keynotes, facilitating workshop programmes or conducting one-to-one mentoring with clients.

Prior to working full time in the field of psychology, Aidan spent 14 years in a variety of challenging roles in the public sector. In each of these fields he applied his academic and vocational training in psychology to solve occupational challenges from reducing offending, to stress management and managing boardroom and team conflict.

More info: www.cartercorson.co.uk

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DIVERSITY & INCLUSION AT WORK

Inclusivity in Action WORDS: Jason Wyse CEO, Silkworth Charity Group

I welcome this focus on Diversity and Inclusion as this is a fundamental part of how we work at Silkworth Charity Group, from both a client and an employee point of view.

We often say that it doesn’t matter where you are from or what you have got, addiction can affect anyone, no matter what their social standing and we are therefore from the outset not judging anyone on what they have done or where their addiction has taken them. This ultimately ensures that nobody is excluded from accessing treatment.

When it comes to our staff, we believe that by practicing what we preach to our clients, and by that I mean treating each person and valuing them as an individual, our staff become more than just a number, they become a key part of the operation and that doesn’t matter what role they are carrying out, each role is as valuable as the next, they just have different priorities. It is however all of those priorities being managed effectively and maintained that builds a successful organisation and an open and transparent environment for everyone to work in, knowing they are valued and feeling that their role is just as important as the next.

As an organisation we believe in using the frameworks available to help us achieve and maintain our goal of being a centre of excellence.

This initially started with

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the internationally known ‘Investors in People’ national standard where we managed to achieve and still have the Gold Standard; the only charitable organisation in the Channel Islands to hold such a standard. We will now be going for the new Diversity and Inclusion British Standard known as ‘BS76005 – Valuing people through diversity and inclusion’.

It is important to highlight that any organisation is only as good as the people that they have working within it. The achievement of a national standard not only shows that an organisation is well managed, it more importantly brings a united front from a workforce point of view and includes everyone from the most junior to the most senior ensuring that training and standards are met by everyone in the organisation.‘ By investing in our people (both internal and external clients) through the use of accredited frameworks, we give our organisations the best chance of ethical success, whether these are for-profit or non-profit.

Both types should be treated the same with respect to Diversity and Inclusion.

"It is important to highlight that any organisation is only as good as the people that they have working within it."

WORK

Beating Burnout.

Taking those unused vacation days will be better for you – and your company’s – bottom line.

WORDS: Jen Fisher National Managing Director for Well-being at Deloitte (USA)

Yes, you can be in love with your job and still get burned out. Here’s how to prevent that. Do you feel passionate about your job? The vast majority of professionals we surveyed recently said they were. Deloitte conducted a marketplace survey of 1,000 full-time U.S. professionals in a range of industries to better understand the drivers and impact of employee burnout. And we were surprised to see the role passion plays in the prolonged stress that leads to burnout.

With 87% saying they’re passionate about their current job, you might think the number of burned out employees would be relatively low. You’d be wrong.

Three in four respondents told us they have experienced burnout in their current job, with more than half telling us they felt burned out more than once. Of course, passion does help to mitigate burnout somewhat – rates were higher among those who reported not feeling passionate about their job.

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But in some ways, passion may also contribute to burnout.

When we asked survey respondents why they don’t use all of their vacation days, the top reason cited was, “I worry that issues would arise if I was away from my work”.

Passion is a wonderful thing. It drives purpose, engagement, and productivity. But when you become so passionate about one aspect of your life that you forget about the others (like vacation for example) then it can be a sign of trouble.

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I know this from personal experience; how easy it can be to miss the warning signs of burnout when you are passionate about what you do. But here are some lessons I learned:

Check-in before you check-out: Mindfulness can be

a powerful thing. Take the time to check-in with yourself and reflect on how you are feeling in body, mind, and purpose. Awareness is half the battle when it comes to preventing burnout.

Make recovery a priority:

Don’t let your vacation days go to waste. And don’t forget to make recovery a daily part of your life. Small breaks throughout the day can have an incredible impact overall.

Let go: This may be one of the hardest things to do when you are passionate about your work, but it’s important to trust in your team members. Whether it’s delegating projects, requesting coverage for your vacation, or simply asking for help, your colleagues can have your back because you’ll have theirs as well.

Get your move on: Whether it’s a leisurely walk, a

high-intensity interval training (HIIT) session, or your favourite Zumba class – exercise releases the ‘feel good’ chemicals in our brain called endorphins, improves mood, and clears the mind.

Have an attitude of gratitude: A “thank you” seems simple, but don’t overlook its powerful and lasting effect on your life. Research shows that the practice of gratitude

can lower blood pressure, improve sleep and immune function, and help us feel calmer.

Talk it out: In our survey, we asked respondents how they deal with their burnout and over half (51%) say they talk to friends or family. Connecting with your social support network is a great way to not only relieve stress but also learn new coping mechanisms. When I experienced burnout, connecting with a friend and mentor helped me step back and reassess what was important to me in my life.

If you are leader in your organisation, then it’s not only yourself you should monitor but also your teams. When asked about the reasons why they felt burned out at their current job, survey respondents reported that lack of passion wasn’t the problem.

Instead, lack of support from leadership was cited as the most common reason.

It’s not surprising that employees want to see and feel that their leaders support and recognise the work that they do. After all, wouldn’t any employee want a boss that is as passionate about them as they are about their work?

What better time than right now to start developing positive habits in stress management. Plan your vacation days, be mindful of your wellbeing, and show your appreciation and support for your colleagues and teams.

Kindle your passion, but don’t let it burn you.

Jen Fisher is based in Miami, Florida. As Deloitte’s Wellbeing Leader, Jen drives the strategy and innovation around work-life, health, and wellness to empower Deloitte’s people to be well in all aspects of their lives. Jen is the recipient of the 2017 Ted Childs Life Work Excellence Award for creating a lasting impact on Deloitte’s culture, benefits, and the wellbeing of all their professionals. As a breast cancer survivor, Jen is an advocate for women's health and passionate about living a healthy lifestyle.

This article was originally published by Thrive Global and has been reproduced with the kind permission of the author.

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WORK

Why Happiness At Work Is More Than Feeling Good ...

WORDS: David Bellamy Founder and CEO, Happiness Lab

One of things I often encounter when talking about happiness at work is a corporate fear that we’re introducing a focus on something soft, something that isn’t about work, perhaps even something that will encourage people to do less. As anyone that has ever offered a response like that to me will attest, I disagree in the most fundamental way.

No matter what name employers give it, be it employee experience, employee engagement, satisfaction … the goal for most is exactly the same – we want the best version of our people to show up every day. If you think about that for a moment, how often do you feel like your best version when you’re under pressure, tired, bored, in conflict with others, not respected? My guess is hardly ever. Yet these are all things we feel at work, and for many people I suspect they feel them frequently.

Science has shown us repeatedly that we do everything better when we’re happier: We’re more creative and innovative Our learning receptors turn on

We have greater cognitive flexibility

We take less time off work due to sickness We’re more loyal and stay in our jobs longer (critical for retaining knowledge and experience) We work better with others

We’re significantly more productive Most importantly, our customers (whether internal or external) enjoy a much better experience when interacting with happier people.

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All of that adds up to better overall company performance – where companies with happier staff generate significantly better results to the bottom line. And, if all that wasn’t enough, happiness is contagious and is shown to spread through groups and organisations.

Whilst I say it doesn’t matter what name you attach to your people programmes, Happiness is not engagement by another name; it represents a shift in perspective.

Engagement is often something that companies want from their people, (they’re often measured and rewarded on the results of the annual engagement survey). The pattern of activity that it’s creating inside firms is increasingly one-sided, and because we see engagement as being about what the company wants (rather than what we want), it often produces reactions that are akin to “you want me to be engaged, go on then, engage me”… “do stuff for me … give me more stuff ”.

Happiness is more about the individual. With happiness, people are more likely to respond, “I’d like to be happier, how can I help?”

The point about “giving me more stuff " was reinforced for me when one Chief People Officer explained that they’re increasingly being asked (in their engagement surveys) for free foods in response to questions about what would make you happier. But we know this isn’t what makes us happy at work. Don’t get me wrong, if companies choose to offer these things to their employees, that’s great and I’m sure they’ll be enjoyed (if not always appreciated) and they’re sure to be nice little extras as part of an employee proposition.

What influences our happiness, and our ability to show up as our best version has very little to do with getting more “stuff ”, it’s far more fundamental than that.

The simplest version of a happiness at work formula I like is: Freedom + Responsibility = Performance & Happiness Dozens of authors share their own versions of the key to happiness at work or to getting the best out of people (note that this is still being done to you rather than being about you), but pick any one and see if it fits this formula.

A shift in perspective to happiness is a two-way street, and whilst I’ve touched on individual responsibility, there are more things that we see as essential to our happier selves, our best selves showing up every day… and this is much more about

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our attitudes and our behaviours in work. An organisation's culture has much more to do with how each of us behaves than what leaders say they would like it to be or what they put on posters and coffee mugs.

Did you know …

50% of our happiness comes from our DNA – essentially whether we lean more towards optimism or pessimism – glass-half-full or glass-half-empty…

10% of our happiness is derived from our environment – things that happen to us, where we work and our income, etc.

40% of our happiness comes from our daily choices and actions – how we choose to see things, our reaction to external events, how we behave.

When our focus is on “give me stuff ” we’re influencing the 10%. Whereas there’s a massive 40% to aim at just through our daily actions.

This is probably why much of the happiness at work focuses on these actions and choices … choosing your reaction, practicing mindfulness, taking exercise … and they’re all proven to have a huge impact on personal happiness.

Creating a WORLD of Difference

"No matter what name employers give it, be it employee experience, employee engagement, satisfaction … the goal for most is exactly the same – we want the best version of our people to show up every day."

When we measure happiness in the workplace with Happiness Lab®, we know that it encourages conversation about what makes people feel good or bad – we’ve never once had anyone say they felt really unhappy because of a lack of free food. They feel unhappy at work because someone decided to change the scope of their project without first discussing it.

They feel unhappy because other people hadn’t done what they said they would.

Being able to work with teams using actual data about how they’ve felt over the last working period, exploring what’s been driving both the good bits (so we can replicate them), and the things that have left them feeling less

good (so that we can make changes to how we work) is a powerful process, particularly when we let the teams determine the actions –no-one wants to feel unhappy, quite the opposite. Happiness is far more than what feels good, it is not engagement by another name, it is performance improvement with a human approach.

More info: www.happinesslab.co

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WORK

6 Ways to Manage Stress in the Workplace WORDS: Claudia Sutton Brand Manager & Senior Recruitment Consultant, Rowlands Recruitment

Stress at work can often feel inescapable. Long hours, strict deadlines and ever-increasing work demands can leave us feeling anxious and stressed. Learning simple relaxation techniques can help improve job satisfaction and performance in the workplace, keeping you focused and energised throughout the day enabling you to meet new challenges and make better decisions.

Regular exercise, a good work/life balance and maintaining a positive mind set can help you avoid the long-term implications of stress. However there may be times when you are faced with a stressful situation and

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require an immediate solution. Here are some techniques you can use in the workplace the next time you are feeling overwhelmed or on-edge, to help you gain a clear perspective and stop stress from taking control.

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1. Visualise your day ahead

Spending time in the morning visualising your day ahead can help organise your thoughts and prepare you mentally for work related scenarios. Visualisation requires you to want something, perceive it and believe in it, creating a clear focus for you to tackle your day ahead.

The mind finds it difficult to distinguish between reality and imagination, therefore by concentrating on positive outcomes and imagining how a meeting or a presentation will go, for example, you can prepare your subconscious to believe that you have already achieved it. Using this mental imagery technique can help achieve success and keep stress at bay before it arises.

2. Find your breath

Paying attention to your breathing is key to calming your body quickly. As soon as you start to focus on slow breathing it produces a natural relaxation response, quieting your mind.

control, particularly the behaviour of other people.

Trying to control the uncontrollable or worrying about it will only lead to a build-up of stress and prevent you from making progress.

Instead, challenge yourself to concentrate on the way you respond to what’s happening. Focussing your energy on the way you react and accepting that some factors are outside of your control is where your power is and will make you much more effective.

5. Set realistic goals and resist perfectionism

When you set unrealistic or unattainable expectations for yourself, whether it’s a deadline you’ve set or having to get something right the first time, you’re setting yourself up to fall short. It’s good to have high standards but it’s important to be reasonable with yourself, otherwise you will start to feel that you’re never good enough or that you’re always failing, which is damaging to your self-esteem and wellbeing.

"Learn to prioritise and seek advice from your line manager when you are working at full capacity."

Practice breathing in for a count of 4, holding your breath for a count of 7 and then breathing out for a count of 8. This simple technique has been praised by psychologists as it can help to lower your blood pressure and heart rate by increasing the supply of oxygen to your brain, promoting a state of calmness and providing immediate relief to stress and anxiety.

3. A problem shared is a problem halved

Communication is key within all relationships. Having a colleague at work that you can speak to can make a situation seem less daunting. Studies have shown that discussing problems reduces stress levels, especially when sharing it with someone who is in or has experienced a similar situation.

Another way to ease stress when you may not feel comfortable discussing it with a colleague, is taking a few moments in your lunch break to write down the problem or concern you have and the emotions you are feeling and think of solutions that you would suggest if someone had come to you with this problem.

4. Focus on what you can control

There are many things at work which are beyond our

Creating a WORLD of Difference

Take a step back and consider the amount of work required and what resources you have available. Learn to prioritise and seek advice from your line manager when you are working at full capacity. Fight the inner critic and any negativity that arises when something doesn’t quite go to plan. Allow yourself to make mistakes, and realise that these are part of the learning process. If you aim to do your best, no one can ask for more than that.

6. Be patient

Finding a relaxation technique that works for you takes time and practice. Don’t give up straight away if you don’t see immediate results, work on it until you find the best solution for you. Becoming more in tune to your body and mind will enable to you identify the signs of stress sooner before it can escalate. Remember that everyone is different and what one person might find effective could be completely different for someone else.

It may be difficult to avoid stress completely, however using these simple techniques will enable you to proactively manage workplace related stress so that it doesn’t negatively impact on your happiness at work and to prevent it from becoming part of your daily job.

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WORK

Hot Off the Press!

The Latest in Mindfulness

Creating Mindful Leaders by Joe Burton, CEO of Whil.

What Others Say: “Burton shifts the mindfulness discussion to an organisational and leadership imperative.”

~Alexander Grunewald, Global Head, HealthTech Investment Strategy, Johnson & Johnson

Mindfulness has become the Holy Grail for modern professionals yearning for the solution to overcome stress.

Unfortunately, most executives are too stressed and overwhelmed to know where to start. Creating Mindful Leaders offers the antidote. Written

by Joe Burton, a global COO turned successful tech entrepreneur, this stressbusting book shares profound insights and outlines the easy practices that are solidly based in neuroscience, brain training, and positive psychology.

Based on his company's award–winning training system, Creating Mindful Leaders explores practices to improve every aspect of your life and career. The author shows how mindfulness training relates to the natural functioning of the brain: what you think about, you become.

Stress is the enemy that impacts health, wellbeing and performance. It impacts relationships and teams. And that

impacts entire company cultures. With wisdom that is grounded in research and drawing on his personal experience, Burton shares how to reduce stress driven by ongoing change and negative thought patterns that centre on worry, regret, and anxiety. By practicing the mindfulness and emotional intelligence techniques presented in the book, you can learn to thrive in the "age of disruption." You can become the leader you aspire to be: happy, confident, committed, energised, connected, charismatic, lovable, intentional, compassionate, and purposeful – and through the practical, actionable tools and techniques you will manage stress, increase resilience, and improve your wellbeing, performance, relationships, sleep and physical health.

“Creating Mindful Leaders captures what every professional in government, education and business needs to know; times are changing fast and we need to adapt to thrive.” ~Greg Fischer, Mayor, Louisville, KY

“Joe Burton realised, long before mainstream media, that mindfulness is important. Here’s proof that all leaders have the ability (and responsibility) to support employees in their general wellness and happiness.” ~Laura Agostini, Global Chief Talent Officer, JWT

"Creating Mindful Leaders explores one of the most pervasive challenges of our time: overwhelming busyness, accomplishment addiction, and the imbalances that come from being constantly on.”

~Elizabeth A. Stanley, Ph.D., associate professor at Georgetown University and creator of Mindfulness-based Mind Fitness Training (MMFT)

Joe Burton is the founder and CEO of Whil Concepts, Inc. (“Whil”), a digital training platform helping employees reduce stress, increase resilience and improve their sleep and performance. He’s an entrepreneur in scientific wellbeing, former President of Headspace and spent fifteen years as a global COO in public companies. Joe is an alumnus of Harvard Business School and travels the world speaking on topics including disruption, culture, employee safety and mindfulness as competitive advantage.

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BODY

Relaxation Matters

WORDS: Georgina Hopkins Personal Coach and specialist in exercise referral and cancer rehab at Healthhaus

Relaxation, what is that? I had to research the definition as those who know me best, know I find it difficult to switch off! Relaxation has been defined in the Oxford dictionary as “the state of being free from tension and anxiety.” However, I would argue that I rarely feel anxious … does this mean I am relaxed most the time?

Relaxation will mean something different to everyone whether this is meditation, reading a book or taking a walk into nature. I believe relaxation to mean, not thinking about work, enjoying myself and minimal activity levels.

Relaxation, or taking that time to switch off, should be part of every week. There are many benefits which

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I would like to address in three main categories; mental, physical and physiological.

Mental Benefits

Mental benefits include heightening mood, lowering anxiety and clearing your mind. Therefore, if you have any impairments to your mental health throughout the day whether this involves nerves before an interview

or important meeting, work pressures or if you have been diagnosed with anxiety or depression, taking that time to practice techniques like tapping, tai chi, yoga or art therapy to help for your overall health is essential. It also helps reduce stress which nowadays is a common feeling for everyone. This could be work related, home life, money issues, we all know how it feels to be stressed.

Sleep problems also tend to occur due to stress if you are still thinking about the day’s issues. You can achieve a better quality of sleep, by meditating before bed, turning off the television or reading a book in order to reduce stimuli.

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Physical Benefits

Physical relaxation can come from exercise, healthy eating or taking it easy with a day at the spa. For me, it would be exercise. Any problems that I come up against I feel I can sweat out in a good workout, helping me clear my mind, feel more positive and hopefully seeing the situation in a new light.

It is important to find out what helps your body relieve stress. Because relaxation interrupts and reverses your stress response and can stop a negative-feedback cycle of your mind responding to the stress stimulus.

To relieve tension from your body you could focus on your breath by using specific breathing techniques that are taught in yoga and Pilates or progressive muscle relaxation maybe a foam roller or stretching session?

Physiological Benefits

Relaxation plays a massive part physiologically, for example your

Creating a WORLD of Difference

digestion improves and your immune system becomes more active, as you relax which is why the doctor can prescribe rest. Relaxation is used as treatment for ongoing chronic diagnosis like IBS or cancer. I make sure to incorporate a brief relaxation aspect at the end of my cancer rehabilitation class because it gives clients time to themselves, a moment where they are forced to stop from their busy day. You can use simple tools at home to have some time to relax for example, deep breathing, listening to some calm music with your eyes shut or a hot bath are just a few ideas.

All of these things can help an individual live a happier, healthier life and may also increase longevity.

Life is all about balance; relaxation should be part of that balance. For those like myself who find it difficult to incorporate time to relax into their daily schedules, I would say, make yourself a priority once in a while, it is not selfish! It is necessary for you, those around you and the ones you care for. If you are in good health you can help others, so relax, refresh and recharge!

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BODY

Sit Back, Take a Breather and Relax

WORDS: Matt Riley Interim Health Club & Spa Manager, Jersey

We all know the reasons we should relax more, it gives us a chance to calm down and de-stress both our bodies and minds, slowing our heart rate and lowering our blood pressure.

Spa therapies date back thousands of years, before the Greeks and Romans, when warm mineral springs were first considered places of healing and people flocked to them in the hope of curing their ailments and alleviating pain.

Spas have come a long way since they first became dedicated ‘healing’ spas in around 1300 AD but their ability to make us feel relaxed and rejuvenated hasn’t changed and nowadays they are not just synonymous with thermal waters.

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A day at the spa, relaxing and soothing away aches and pains in the sauna, steam room or spa pool, is the perfect way to switch off and recharge. It is a chance to spend quality time relaxing with the people you love or quality ‘me time’, freeing your mind from every day stress and just enjoying the solitude.

Elizabeth Arden introduced the first day spa, ‘Manhattan’s Red Door Salon’ back in 1910 offering manicures and facials and the sort of luxury treatments we still see on spa menus.

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"Although going to a spa today still feels like a big treat, the focus has changed, it is now a more holistic approach, often around the complete concept of wellness."

Although going to a spa today still feels like a big treat, the focus has changed, it is now a more holistic approach, often around the complete concept of wellness. It’s not about being free from illness, but the active process of being happy with our physical, mental and social wellbeing and treatments today are much more tailored to cater for individual needs.

The Spas at the AA Five Star Grand Jersey Hotel & Spa and AA Four Red Star L’Horizon Beach Hotel & Spa have both been specially designed. These boutique sanctuaries, both a stone’s throw from the beach, boast six treatment rooms each.

Our experienced team of therapists are on hand to make sure our guests fully rest and re-charge. They adopt a client centric approach, learning about and analysing each individual’s personal needs, and when it comes to skincare using facial mapping technology and tailoring treatments with the awardwinning ELEMIS, anti-ageing face and body skin care range.

There’s a whole host of treatments, combining ancient healing traditions and contemporary techniques to help revive both the body and mind.

All are carefully designed to suit your needs. A massage can help with personal stress, improve blood circulation and help manage blood pressure, while a soothing facial might be just what you need to help relieve tension from the head and neck area.

location, what could be better than enjoying a massage whilst listening to the waves lap the shoreline.

Both properties offer relaxation lounges where you can drift off, and L’Horizon Spa boasts a unique sleep room for the ultimate in cosy luxury.

Our therapists have had specialist training giving them a really thorough understanding of how to care for clients suffering from cancer, or other illnesses and how to tailor treatments to suit individual clients’ needs, this makes our spas accessible to all.

There’s perfectly sized indoor swimming pools to help reinvigorate tired limbs and spa pools and sauna and steam rooms to warm tight muscles, and help to get rid of toxins and cleanse the body.

For something extra special L’Horizon also offers outdoor spa treatments, where you can make the most of the stunning beachside

Last year Hand Picked Hotels became the first hotel group in Jersey to introduce Touch Therapy into their Spas. This is a remarkable method of healing massage therapy especially for those who have suffered from trauma, undergone an operation or treatment for illness.

So, if it’s high time you had more ‘me time’ the Spas at Grand Jersey and L’Horizon are open Monday to Friday from 6.30am - 9.30pm and Saturday, Sunday and Bank Holidays from 7am-8pm with treatments available between 9am and 8pm.

More info: www.handpickedhotels.co.uk/grandjersey/spa and www.handpickedhotels.co.uk/lhorizon/spa

Creating a WORLD of Difference

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BODY

Acupuncture’s Over-Looked Benefit …

Relaxation!

WORDS: Lorna Jackson BSc (Hons) MBAaC, AFN, Health Point Clinic

How can a pin relax me?

One of the most common “ailments” treated by acupuncturists is stress. Be it physical stress on the body or mental stress from the daily grind. Acupuncture has been shown to relieve physical and mental stress in a variety of ways and ultimately promote relaxation.

During a typical acupuncture treatment, fine pain-free needles are left in for about 20 minutes accompanied by a warm treatment room, lavender eye bag and relaxing music.

Providing a safe haven and the ingredients to deeply relax.

During this time the body temperature may lower, organ systems, heart beat and respiration may slow down, and muscle tension dissipates. In most cases, the patient will sink into a tranquil state often accompanied by snoring.

A mindful rest …

Acupuncture stimulates the release of endorphins and serotonin, the body’s natural “feel good” opiates that promote a feeling of general wellbeing. Acupuncture is one of the most effective non-pharmaceutical ways to activate your parasympathetic nervous system – the nerves that allow you to rest, digest, and heal – helping you to relax fully and sleep deeply. Certain acupuncture points have been shown to affect areas of the brain that are known to reduce sensitivity to pain and stress, as well as promoting relaxation and deactivating the ‘analytical’ brain, which is responsible for anxiety (1).

A physical holiday …

Inserting a fine pain-free needle sends a signal through the nervous system to the brain, where chemicals such as endorphins, norepinephrine and enkephalin are released.

Some of these substances are 10-200 times more potent than morphine! Certain acupuncture points coincide with pressure points or trigger points which help release muscle tension, ease pain and aid relaxation. (2)

Clarity, understanding and a more positive outlook …

At Health Point Clinic we aim to keep your healthcare simple, understandable and achievable so that you can:

1) Recover – with support and an evidence-based step-bystep personalised treatment plan to suit your own personal health goals.

2) Understand – why you feel the way you do.

3) Prevent – we will teach you how to look after and maintain your health in the long-term.

4) Relax with confidence – leave refreshed and get back to doing what you love!

More info: www.healthpointclinic.co.uk

1. Wu MT et al. Central nervous pathway for acupuncture stimulation: localisation of processing with functional MR imaging of the brain-- preliminary experience. Radiology 1999; 212: 133-41.

2. Dung HC. Anatomical features contributing to the formation of acupuncture points. American Journal of Acupuncture.

1984;12:139-143.

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FITNESS

Get Moving!

WORDS: Nathalie Le Mottee and Cesca Dessain, Healthhaus

Our bodies are designed to be active and move. However due to our modern lifestyles the average person spends 12 hours a day sitting. How much of your time is spent being inactive?

Do you drive to work? Do you sit at your desk for 8 hours a day? Do you spend your evenings in front of the TV? All of this time spent sitting can leave us feeling tired and achy, as some muscles become overactive and others inactive, ultimately leading to poor posture and paradoxically leaving us wanting to sit down and rest some more!

Most of us have experienced aches and pains in our neck, shoulders and upper back due to sitting down for extended periods of time. But did you know that when sitting down, your abs and glutes (buttocks) become less active, your hamstrings shorten and hip flexors become overactive. This imbalance in muscles often causes discomfort and lower back pain.

1) Gentle neck stretch

To reduce these effects, you don’t need to do vigorous exercise but moving and stretching your body at regular intervals throughout the day can decrease tightness and resistance in your muscles and tendons.

2) Shoulder rolls

Here are 10 simple ways to get you moving that you can do anywhere, anytime including at your desk. Try setting an alarm on your computer as a reminder to move every 30 minutes:

Interlock your fingers together and extend your arms in front of you, with your palms facing towards you. Reach your hands away from you, let your upper back round gently and drop your chin to your chest. Hold the stretch for 10 seconds, repeat 2 or 3 times.

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Sitting in an upright position, gently tilt your head to one side and drop your ear towards your shoulder, then hold for a few seconds. Return back to the start position and repeat on the other side. Next tuck your chin to your chest, hold for a few seconds then return to the start position.

Repeat all three movements 5 times.

Lift your shoulders to your ears, then roll back and down into your start position. Repeat 10 times.

3) Upper back

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4) Overhead stretch

Interlock your fingers together and extend your arms over your head, with your palms facing the top of your head. Reach for the ceiling and hold for 10 seconds, repeat 2 or 3 times.

5) Spine twist

Sitting firmly on your chair with feet flat on the floor, reach for the back and side of the chair. Twist your body to the side, letting your head follow while keeping your hips still and hold the stretch. Repeat on both sides 2 or 3 times.

6) Wrist rolls

Extend your arms in front of you and gently rotate your wrists clockwise and anti-clockwise for 10 seconds, repeat 2 or 3 times.

7) Seated hip stretch

Sit comfortably on your chair, place your right ankle on top of your left knee and let your right knee fall out to the side. With a straight back gently lean forward, until you feel the stretch in your glutes and hip area. Hold for 30 seconds and repeat on the other side.

8) Leg extensions

Sitting down with one foot firmly on the floor, extend and lift the other leg, so it is parallel to the floor and then return back to the starting position. Repeat 10 times per leg.

9) Ankle rolls

Extend your legs in front of you and gently rotate your ankles clockwise and anti-clockwise, for 10 seconds, repeat 2 or 3 times.

"Moving and stretching your body at regular intervals throughout the day can decrease tightness and resistance in your muscles and tendons."

Not only will these exercises help prevent your muscles from feeling tired and achy but they also provide an opportunity to rest your eyes from the glare of the computer screen and will help you relax and refocus your mind. Go on, give them a try!

10) Getting up and walking

Most importantly get out of your chair at regular intervals and walk around to stimulate your circulation and get those muscles moving.

Creating a WORLD of Difference

More info: www.healthhaus.co.uk 51

FITNESS

Sport and Relaxation – a Match Made in Heaven?

WORDS: Tim Pryor Marketing and Communications Officer, Jersey Sport

When you think of sport you possibly conjure up images of high-paced, frantic and dramatic action. The last-minute winner sending the crowd wild, the daring overtaking move on the opening corner of a grand prix or the penalty shoot-out to decide the best in the world. So, when they told me the theme for this edition of WellBeing World was “relaxation”, you can imagine the task at hand was not a straight forward one.

That said, for many of us, sport is a way of getting away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life, entering a different, magical world for perhaps a few hours. Whether that be a relaxing round of golf with lifelong friends or a yoga session after a long week in the office, sport has the power to transport us away from the stresses and strains.

Yes, sport and physical activity will often be about exertion of energy, but it is said that there’s a sport for everyone and if relaxation is the goal then there is plenty of choice.

“The best thing is when you finish work and go out for a walk on a beautiful day and you get that feeling of ‘oh yes, this is nice’,” said Mick McCue, who works for Jersey Sport as a kick-boxing and boxing coach, but is also a lover of Tai Chi. “With Tai Chi, a lot of it is about just breathing and the calmness of breathing, putting yourself in a nice

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place. You can close your eyes, move slowly and it just gives you a nice feeling of self-awareness, making you feel good about yourself.

“When I’m working with the children and we’ve done an energetic 25 minutes, then we finish by doing a breathing exercise. The basic breathing techniques of Tai Chi just calms you down.”

More than two thirds (69 percent) of working adults in Jersey admit they spend too little time on their hobbies and interests, with nearly half of the working population saying they spend too many hours working (figures from the States of Jersey’s 2017 Opinions and Lifestyles Survey). The same report found 90 percent of respondents rated Jersey’s sporting activities and events as good or very good.

So, the answer to relieving some of the pressure of work is possibly there.

It’s hard to put down the laptop or to leave the office on time, but if you can then what better backdrop for physical activity than Jersey’s wonderful scenery.

The joy of relaxation, of course, is not just inherent in adults but in children too. “We find that children who get structured, meaningful time playing sport and exercising at school tend to then be more relaxed in the classroom afterwards,” said Jersey Sport general manager David Kennedy.

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“Some arrive at school full of vigour, therefore the opportunity to release their burst of energy has been shown to have a positive impact on how the pupils settle into their day. For those not so enthusiastic, the sessions have been seen as the perfect opportunity to kick-start their day of learning.

“Over in the UK the Daily Mile scheme encourages children to run for 15 minutes each day, and they build that into the school routine. This is a project that we will be campaigning for when we release our new sports and physical activity strategy, as the correlation between the levels of exercise and academic attainment

is now very clear. Whilst this is one major benefit, the impact of this project has been transformational, improving not only the children’s fitness, but also their concentration levels, mood, behaviour and general wellbeing.”

More info: www.jerseysport.je

On the move …

Jersey Sport moved to new offices earlier this year, placing the not-for-profit organisation even more at the heart of island sport. The team has switched from its base at Fort Regent to the pavilion at FB Fields. The new headquarters is surrounded by facilities for cricket, athletics, tennis, table-tennis, golf, squash and more.

You can contact Jersey Sport via email on info@jerseysport.je or by calling 01534 757700.

Creating a WORLD of Difference

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FITNESS

Do You Know How to Defend Yourself?

WORDS: Michael Canas Pride Performance Jersey

‘Why do I need to learn self-defence?’ ‘I live in Jersey, it’s very safe.’

This all too common attitude has some semblance of validity on the face of it, however is it really a pragmatic approach? We are incredibly fortunate to live in a picturesque, peaceful little island with low crime rates …

BUT is that really a reasonable excuse to be naïve to the possibility that something could occur, and subsequently be ill-prepared if it does?

To give you a bit of background about me, I have worked in security for nearly 15 years in everything from door supervision to close protection (fancy term for bodyguarding). I have also worked in the prison service and have been subjected to many scenarios both inside and outside of working capacities that have helped me develop a system for real life self-defence instruction. Add to this 10 years of training, coaching and competing in MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) and BJJ (Brazilian Jiu Jitsu) which has taught me both the techniques, and the knowledge of physiology and body mechanics to be able to hone those

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techniques down to those most effective and simple to learn, suitable for almost anybody.

Self-defence is not merely the physical act of defending yourself against a would-be attacker, but also the confidence, attitude and mind-set to prevent an attack from happening in the first place. Easily taught techniques such as posture, body language, tone of voice and eye contact can be just as effective in preventing a potential scenario from commencing, and the resultant effects on personal wellbeing can be immeasurable.

You don’t, as many people do, need to associate the term self-defence with martial arts classes, wearing white pyjamas and/or breaking wooden boards. Effective self-defence leaves physical interaction as an absolute last resort, used only once the multitude of non-physical options listed above have been exhausted.

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“My personal view on self-defence knowledge is that I would rather have it and not need it, than need it and not have it!”

Here’s an example that most people can relate to. I’m sure we’ve all seen the big guy outside a club who wants to seemingly pick a fight with someone (generally smaller) and is displaying what at first glance appears to be legitimate signs of aggression which will lead to physical violence – loud shouting, puffed chest, red face, clenched fists, etc. Now have a think and see if you can remember seeing anything similar on television? Think nature documentary … It’s a dominance display, the kind which animals use all of the time to AVOID physical confrontation. Said animals use such displays to try to intimidate an adversary out of engaging and it is very often the same outside the pub. A loud voice for example is generally used to attract attention, and then what happens? People come over and get in between the two subjects, invariably met with “let me go” or “I’m gonna do this/that/the other” from said tough guy who forgot to do all of those things before shouting bystanders over.

Now why am I telling you this, it is because those that actually want to corner/do physical harm to a person have, in most cases, already pre-meditated it to some extent. This is sadly why the statistics for the final quarter of 2017 in the States of Jersey Police annual statistics still report multiple accounts of violent crime, domestic violence and sexual assault (SOJP 2017 annual performance statistics).

There are behaviours and habits that can be simply avoided or altered to make yourself less vulnerable. These include anything from how you get home after a night out to how much you divulge about yourself/your habits around strangers.

The need for anyone to have a basic knowledge of how to defend themselves would seem like a pertinent measure, let alone vulnerable groups like young women. Even if Jersey were 100% crime free, do these people never go on holiday or study/work off island? I know I have felt uneasy in certain cities and I have taught self-defence for several years and have trained martial arts for several more.

So the reason for bringing this up is to discuss the self defence system that has been created at Pride Performance to apply to everyone. The techniques range from the basics of understanding distance and body language all the way to restraining and escaping a potential assailant. Bespoke courses cover a specific syllabus and work through a range of real life scenarios that I myself have witnessed or experienced first-hand. One and two day workshops are also available and current courses are categorised into mixed, female only and travelling professionals. There is nothing to lose, and everything to gain, especially when it comes to defending one’s health and wellbeing from harm.

More info: prideperformancejsy@gmail.com – also on Facebook and Instagram – prideperformancejsy

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FOCUS ON ME/CFS

From Breaking the News to Making the News WORDS: Gary Burgess Journalist and Broadcaster

Former ITV News journalist Gary Burgess was diagnosed with ME last year. He tells us how he’s now using his professional skills to share his personal story and campaign for better understanding and awareness of ME, but also how relaxation is now at the heart of his daily life.

There’s a lot you can do in 286 days.

You could travel the world from north to south, east to west. You could make a baby. You could buy a house, get married and go on honeymoon and still have time left over.

For me, 286 days is how long it took from my life coming to a halt to finding out I had an illness called Myalgic Encephalomyelitis, or ME. It’s a little-understood disease whose myriad symptoms include a body-sapping fatigue, body-wide neural pain, a brain fog which can make thinking and even finding the right words difficult, and for me - a blurry vision when I’ve done too much. I describe it as akin to the battery on a broken mobile phone. You think you’ve started the day with a full battery after an overnight charge, but it’s really only at 10%.

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A key facet of ME is a delayed response to exertion. So, for example, if I’ve overdone it on one day (and overdoing it can simply be going for a walk), it may only ‘hit me’ one or two days later when I may find myself confined to my bed for the day.

years of active surveillance all was good and I was labelled a ‘survivor’.

However, and against all medical wisdom, it came back 16 years later and so, in January 2015 and August 2016, I had two sections of lung and a lymph node removed.

The first surgery resulted in the usual three-month recovery phase and then a return to work. I’m so lucky to love my job. I’m a reporter and editor with ITV News based in the Channel Islands where I get to report on the day’s main

“It was Thursday 5 January 2017 that will always stick with me. The day my body did say ‘enough is enough’ and shutdown. I was actually live on air at the time and began to have an out-of-body experience.”

My own ME story began in late 2016 after a second major surgery for secondary lung cancer. Way back in 1999 I’d undergone surgery and received chemotherapy for testicular cancer which had spread to my stomach, chest and lungs. After 10

news, often including on-the-scene reporting live into our 6pm nightly news programme. It’s fast, it can be stressful, the hours can be silly, but it’s also so incredibly rewarding.

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This surgery, recovery and work pattern wasn’t the same in autumn 2016. I just wasn’t right. Indeed by December that year, I was dragging myself to work each day, I couldn’t think clearly, indeed I found myself just lying quietly on the newsroom floor in-between things just to give my body a break.

But it was Thursday 5 January 2017 that will always stick with me. The day my body did say ‘enough is enough’ and shutdown. I was actually live on air at the time and began to have an out-ofbody experience. I could see myself, and the rest of the studio presenters and camera crew from the vantage point of the ceiling. Weird, huh! Time to visit the doctor.

I also know I’m one of the lucky ones given the years some people wait before knowing what’s wrong.

But, unlike other diagnoses, ME doesn’t come with a procedure or a tablet to make us better. It’s currently about becoming your own specialist, and working incredibly hard to remove all the barriers to complete rest. For me that’s meant grappling with my recurring feelings of worry and guilt about being off work. I’ve still not done a full day’s work since January 2017.

Being in a room with a lot of people completely drains my battery, sets off pain, brain fog and blurry vision, and that’s before I even begin any work!

“I’ve also learned the power of rest and relaxation.

Bashing that guilt and worry, breathing in the day, appreciating the little things.”

And so began a journey that proved tougher than any assignment I’d ever been on previously. The task of finding out what’s wrong with me. Doctor after doctor could see I was unwell, very unwell, but time after time and test after test they were unable to give it a name.

I’d seen the oncologist as cancer was the obvious cause. No. Onto the gastroenterologist, immunologist, endocrinologist, via CT scans, x-rays, blood tests galore, 24 hour urine tests, and even an insulin tolerance test where insulin is injected into you until you approach unconsciousness - just to check my pituitary was working. It is! The recurring them: ‘The tests say you’re fine. We know you’re not.’

Eventually, I received a working diagnosis of ME in October last year, and a formal diagnosis last November.

ITV News, local coverage in the Jersey Evening Post and on BBC Radio Jersey, plus interest from charities who support those with ME. That platform to share my store and raise awareness of ME means the world.

I’ve also learned the power of rest and relaxation. Bashing that guilt and worry, breathing in the day, appreciating the little things - such as noticing the birds singing in the trees outside. I also see a chiropractor and have fortnightly massages, and I’ve just begun occasional gentle Pilates. Nutritionally, I’m getting better. I’m trying to cut out refined sugar completely and as much processed food as I can. I am far from perfect and frequently fail, but this is all a work in progress!

Is there a grand conclusion to my story?

No. But there is one piece of advice that has stuck with me in recent months.

It’s just one word: kindness. Be kind to yourself. You really do deserve it.

I have found writing cathartic. Quietly.

At home. At times to suit me. That’s why I set up a website called Zonked Club, as well as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube channels for it, to share the things I’ve learned along the way. I’m no expert, but my experience is real and valid and - I’ve since learned - has proved valuable to others. That, in turn, has really helped me as the workside of my life has been wrestled from me, for now, against my will.

I’m a big believer in serendipity and, as my ability to live with my symptoms slowly improves, I’ve begun to receive interest from media outlets. My communication skills and background as a journalist and broadcaster mean, I think, they know I’ll be a decent contributor. It’s led to me guestpresenting a full hour on national radio, on BBC Radio 5 Live, talking about ME, an extended feature on

More info: www.zonked.club – or Twitter @GaryBurgessCI The ME Show: www.meassociation.org.uk/podcast Creating a WORLD of Difference

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FOCUS ON ME/CFS

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Saved My Life!

WORDS: Faith Canter

Faith is a best-selling health and wellness author, and regular contributor to WellBeing World magazine. Having recovered from a host of health ailments, including ME/CFS, depression and insomnia, Faith now writes about her journey to wellness and self-love whilst travelling the world and living life to the fullest.

I know this is quite a statement to make and not the normal title for a piece on Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS). However, now I am through it I can see that, although having CFS was one of the worst times of my life, it gave me my life back! Now through it, I can see it taught me that before CFS I was killing myself. I was thinking and doing very toxic things and hated my body and life with a passion.

Having come through the other end and working with many coaching clients, I can see that prior to getting CFS, most sufferers have been walking around with adrenal fatigue for many years first. They may have suffered from abuse, traumas, neglect or from extreme anxiety, depression or stress.

After many years of all this underlying overthinking, putting pressure on the adrenals and many other parts of the body, along comes something like glandular fever, a bad stomach bug or an additional stressful or traumatic situation in our lives and bam, we have nothing left to fight with. It’s at this point that CFS starts. Usually we have no idea what is going on, which adds to our stress and anxiety levels, making our health all the more worse.

I was one of these people! I was abused as a child, hated myself, harmed myself and was deeply depressed. I was tired a lot and had many bouts of ill health. I then got a very bad case of food poisoning in India, lasting months and when finally, back in the UK contract glandular fever and never recovered after that. I didn’t know what was going on to start with, I went to many consultants within the NHS and privately and then went to a whole heap more when they started coming back with diagnosis’s of CFS (as I didn’t want to believe it was this).

Finally, when I resigned myself to my ‘fate’ I spent a very long time feeling sorry for myself and thinking my World was over. However, I started to read other people’s recovery stories and not just from CFS, from things like terminal cancel, AIDS and even people who had, had their spines

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severed and had all gone on to fully recover. I thought, if they can do it, I can do it to!

I started doing as much research as I physically felt able to and started to notice some similarities in a lot of their stories.

They had all addressed the toxicity in the bodies and most importantly, in their minds. So, this was what I did! I started detoxing my body and home and attempting to detox my mind (which was a lot harder).

After a long period of time, where I was detoxing my body and home and starting to meditate and was doing daily tapping/emotional freedom technique (EFT) and a few other mind detox methods, I finally started to feel like my health was recovering. Slowly but surely (with a few crashes in-between) I was getting my energy back. However, I couldn’t seem to get over the 70/80% level. No matter how ‘good’ I was I just stayed there. And, stayed there I did for quite some time!

It wasn’t until I realised, it was the pushing, the thinking everything around me was toxic and the needing to do everything right and for the good of my health all the time that a penny (or ten) dropped! I was causing myself a whole heap of stress, trying not to be stressed and trying to be super healthy and detoxy!

Once I started to soften my approach to my health, meaning I started to make friends with my thoughts, body and life, rather than continuing to fight them (just in a different way).

FOCUS ON ME/CFS

That was when the last of my health returned to me. And, not at the level is was prior to getting ill, much better than that. I now felt mentally and physically strong for the first time in my life. Really strong and healthy!

Since then I have travelled all over the World (including going into the Amazon jungle), climbed many mountains (including 5 in one day), trained as a yoga teacher and nutritional expert (among many other things), started my own business and walked 500 miles in 24 days along the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage in Spain, moved to Portugal (where I am building an Eco community and retreat centre) and feel more in love with my body and life than I ever thought possible.

CFS can be so incredibly crippling, it takes over your life and effects every tiny thing, but you can and will find a way through it. As with much of what I teach these days, I feel the key to living the lives we came here to live, even if you do not have CFS, is softness, compassion and basically stopping the fight of self and life. Each one of us spends too much time fighting ourselves and not enough time nourishing ourselves.

With a little more self-compassion and a little less self-conflict, we can all live healthier, happier and more harmonious lives!

More info: www.faithcanter.com

Check out Faith’s new book, Loving Yourself Inside and Out

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FOOD

Encouraging Children to Eat More Healthily… By Choice WORDS: Tim Baker Headmaster at Charlton Manor Primary School, South East London

In the early 90s I trained as a ‘Fitkid’ instructor. This was a programme designed to try and get children active in a fun non-threatening way and stop them from watching telly for long periods. This was when I first got interested in tackling the ever-increasing issue of overweight or obesity in children and adults. At that time, I was also undertaking teacher training.

I am now Headteacher of Charlton Manor Primary school and when I first took up the role in 2004 signed up to Jamie Oliver’s School dinner programme which he was just starting. We had a Jamie Oliver chef join our school meals team for a while and our cook underwent training.

It was at about this time I was invited to join the DEFRA task force, chaired by Myles Bremner which were looking at why all schools couldn’t be food growing schools. I found this both interesting and challenging as the reasons seemed straight forward but the issue was complex.

The school dinner offering improved but I recognised that there was a long way to go in terms of encouraging children to eat more healthily by choice. I then introduced several initiatives into the school which I believed would support children and parents in making healthy choices.

During this time I continued to raise awareness of food education in schools through conferences held at the school and speaking at different conferences around the country.

Firstly, I had converted an area of neglected school grounds into a garden. Here the children understood where their food came from and by employing a full-time gardener there were many opportunities for the children to actively learn about food growing including things like seasonality.

The school garden received much coverage and awards for its learning opportunities including the RHS 5 star garden.

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I had a teaching kitchen installed at the school to encourage a deeper understanding of the importance of food and employed a full time chef to work with teachers to embed a curriculum that taught cooking skills. At this time I invited Raymond Blanc to open the kitchen and from them he became a great supporter of the school. He spoke at several conferences and worked with the school to support its ethos.

FOOD

By this time we now had bees and chickens. The children were very much involved with these and the school produced its own honey and eggs. Both were used in the school kitchen as well as the teaching kitchen.

I recognised that an emphasis on food culture within a school can have the potential to make a real difference for both children and adults.

At Charlton Manor our award-winning garden delivers numerous learning opportunities. The children grow fruit and vegetables, look after the chickens, collect the eggs, look after the bees, extract honey, recycle food waste, monitor the weather, upcycle as well as link National Curriculum targets to activities providing real experiences to embed understanding.

Added to this I have also found that creating other opportunities around food can really support and benefit children and families.

on developing products that sell well and are healthy.

Products such as reduced sugar beetroot cake, fruit and vegetables, honey, eggs to such things as recycled pallets built into plant boxes, bird boxes or bug hotels.

With the School Restaurant/Cafe I wanted to establish a welcoming place that values food and allows children to sit and talk quietly in a wonderful atmosphere. Children wait on tables and learn responsibility, work ethic and support.

Developing the food ethos has helped to promote links with home as many of the lessons have a suggested home learning activity or task around food to complete.

This could be a recipe to follow or things to look out for when food shopping such as labels, sugar content, salt content etc. Encouraging communication around food at home not only creates an interest in what they eat but can also promote and enhance positive relationships with parents or carers.

"By creating a Pupil Run School Shop I provided a purposeful environment allowing pupils to understand the importance of factors such as money skills"

I had a Teaching Kitchen built to allow children to learn curriculum skills such as weighing, measuring, melting, changing state, dissolving, freezing as well as embedding essential cooking skills to equip them to live a healthier life.

By creating a Pupil Run School Shop I provided a purposeful environment allowing pupils to understand the importance of factors such as money skills, addition and subtraction, profit and loss, investment, as well as targeting customers through persuasive writing to advertise or buy. Write reports about the shop. Question customers about food choice or research into pricing. Children work

Added to this parents or carers that may struggle with traditional school work can complete homework when its centered around food or cooking, or are more comfortable asking at school for support, whether following instructions, weighing and measuring, fractions, ratio and proportions, following clues or a news story about food provenance. Food provides the perfect vehicle to drive homework bringing all the family into the food discussion.

Now, together with 2 members of staff, we have started a charity called Roots4Life which aims to tackle health issues associated with poor diet. It has been a start although there is still a lot to do to tackle this problem throughout the UK. We will get there, we have to.

More info: www.charltonmanorprimary.co.uk Tim will be working with Caring Cooks of Jersey in the near future – watch this space!

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FOOD

Laying the Foundations for a Flourishing Future in Jersey WORDS: Melissa Nobrega Chief Executive, Caring Cooks of Jersey

Tim Baker, the visionary Headteacher at Charlton Manor Primary School, has inspired a lot of what we at Caring Cooks do in Jersey; his story and the results he and the students of Charlton Manor have achieved are truly amazing. But does it apply here, also?

I often get asked why Caring Cooks of Jersey exists.

Surely there aren’t these problems in Jersey, we are nothing like the UK, and while I love the fact that we aren’t like the UK in so many ways, we must begin to acknowledge that we are facing the same health crisis as the UK, but with more far reaching impact, being such a small Island with increasingly tight immigration and housing laws.

Combine that with a dwindling pension pot, and already overloaded States functions such as Social Security and Health, we need to prioritise the health of our children not just for their sakes but to secure the future workforce of our Island.

In Jersey we see 1 in 5 children starting school with a weight problem, and 1 in 3 leave primary school overweight, meaning the 6 years at primary school are a key time for change, which is why most of

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our programmes focus on working with children of this age and their families. But weight isn’t the only worrying trend, between 2011 and 2017 there has been an increase of 398%* in forced juvenile dental extractions and there is a frightening number of young people and children with mental health issues. We aren’t saying that eating well is the golden bullet to eradicating these issues, but healthy and active children, eating less processed food means better brain development resulting in better academic performance and less obesity, leads to better body confidence and mental health. Let’s face it even as adults if we feel and look good, we too feel more confident and resilient.

"We don’t have all the answers but we believe that by teaching children to grow food through our Kitchen Garden Project, then cook with it on our Let’s Get Cooking Programme, it will create positive habits from an early age."

But all of these issues aren’t just linked to the food that children consume, there are many more factors involved such as low activity levels, accessibility and advertising of highly processed and sugary

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foods and particularly their own families’ circumstances, their ability to afford food and skills to be able to cook it.

Over the past 12 months, 48% of people found it difficult to afford fresh fruit and vegetables and 8% have gone without a cooked main meal each day. What’s more, 15% of people felt they don’t have the skills to cook a meal from scratch.** These figures have got worse since the 2015 Annual Lifestyle Survey, and we certainly need to work together across all sectors and the community to make sure they look better in 2019.

So how are we going to tackle this? We don’t have all the answers but we believe that by teaching children to grow food through our Kitchen Garden Project, then cook with it on our Let’s Get Cooking Programme, it will create positive habits from an early age. Yes, there may be times when we lose our children to junk food in their teens and at university, but most of the time in adulthood those habits developed in the formative years will come back to

the fore, empowering them to teach their own children to cook and eat healthily.

To date we haven’t been able to truly fulfil our mission to empower children to grow, cook and eat nutritious food because there are no hot school meals in States primary schools, meaning 6,500 children will eat a packed lunch every day. But this is something Caring Cooks are committed to addressing over the next 12-18 months through the launch of our new service Flourish, which will provide a 2 course nutritious hot meal to children, every day of the school year.

We can’t do this alone and need significant funding to be able to deliver not only Flourish but our other services, and truly hope that the new Council of Ministers feel the same way as we do and reflect this in their financial priorities over the next 4 years. *FOI request March 2018 ** 2017 Jersey Annual Lifestyle Survey

More info: www.caringcooksofjersey.com

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FOOD

Healthy Eating on a Budget WORDS: Amber Blake

In an age of fast convenience food at affordable prices, it's easy to get sucked into a routine of eating processed "junk" foods. When working with a tight budget it can make food shopping and meal planning a bit of a challenge.

Healthy eating doesn’t have to be expensive, it just means a little more preparation. Too often is cost used as an excuse to not eat healthily and to opt for cheap junk food when in reality it’s only more convenient as opposed to being cost-

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effective. All it takes is planning ahead and sourcing the best produce. Once you eliminate processed foods and invest in eating for your health, you might actually be surprised by your food bill and in a good way!

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Here are some ways to keep healthy on a budget: Don’t shop when you're hungry

Seriously! This is when the junk food cravings tend to kick in the most and the treats in the snack aisles start looking the most appealing.

and juices. Think hard about why you are buying discretionary foods and how much you really need to buy.

This is especially important if you are trying to lose weight.

Plan ahead

Cut back on Take-Away

Take some time to plan ahead what meals are on the menu for the week, from this you can devise a shopping list of the things you will need and how much of them. Dividing your list by supermarket section (fresh produce, dry goods, etc.) is often easiest. Not only will it cut down on shopping time and make eating healthy on a budget easier, it will help to eliminate those impulse buys.

Buy in season

When food produce is in season, it’s much cheaper and tastes even better.

Buying in season also encourages you to try fruits and vegetables you might not normally go for.

Buy local

Here in Jersey we are spoiled with the array of "Honest Box" style farm shops which are filled with locally grown, fresh farm produce. You can usually bag yourself some great deals on in-season produce.

Frozen fruit and veg

If, at times, the food isles become pretty bleak, this is when the frozen aisle can be your friend and help keep your family eating healthy on a budget. Frozen fruit and veg has the same if not more nutrients as their fresh counterparts.

Stick to the 5 food groups

If you are a regular customer of the take-away service, aim to limit when you have them. If it fits your budget and lifestyle then sure have it once a week, maybe as a Friday treat or maybe once a fortnight. By planning your meals for the week and ensuring you have the right ingredients will prevent you from opting for the takeaway meals.

Grow your own food

You don’t need a lot of space or time to grow your own food. From herbs and leafy greens to tomatoes and peppers, even small spaces can produce big results.

Mix up your left-overs

Make a big batch of meals that can be eaten in a couple different ways so you don’t get tired of them over the week. For example, when making a big pot of chili you can eat some of the left-overs "sloppy joe" style in a tortilla wrap or on top of a jacket potato with cheese. That way you don’t have the exact same thing every night but you're still shopping for one cheap meal.

Eat more vegetarian meals

By cutting out the meat from your meal, you will reduce the cost significantly. Aim to have two or three meals a week which are veggie.

Here is a vegetarian recipe which is healthy and fits into your budget without compromising on flavour or those traditional take-away favourites:

Chinese Veggie Pancakes (Serves 2) Ingredients:

200g mushroom sliced 2 tbsp soy sauce ½ tsp five spice powder 1 tbsp rice wine ½ tbsp sesame oil 1 tsp sugar 6 Chinese pancakes 2 spring onions finely sliced 5cm length cucumber, deseeded and sliced into matchsticks ½ Little Gem lettuce, shredded 4 tbsp hoisin sauce

Method:

Heat a small frying pan. Add the mushrooms, soy, five-spice, rice wine, sesame oil and sugar. Stir until the mushrooms are cooked and the sauce is thick, bubbling and sticking to the mushrooms. Warm the pancakes – steam them or heat them in the microwave.

Serve the mushrooms, spring onions, cucumber, lettuce and hoisin sauce in separate dishes, with the pancakes alongside.

Grains, Vegetables, Fruit, Meat/Fish and Dairy – These are the 5 main food groups. "Discretionary foods" are all other items which lay outside of these groups such as crisps, biscuits

Creating a WORLD of Difference

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FOOD

The Ability to Relax is Fundamental to Good Health.

Stress on the other hand is Fundamental to Bad Health!

WORDS: Andy Barnes MD, The Foodstate Company

For those of us who grew up 30 or 40 years ago, life seemed so much simpler! Now, modern pressures seem to influence us every day of our lives, and if we are not feeling it directly ourselves, we worry about our kids!

From a nutritional perspective, to understand the importance of relaxing we need to look at the strains on our physical and emotional health caused by stress. If we understand the futility of stress we will feel more inclined to do something about it and become better at relaxing.

The Physical Effects of Stress

There are 4 stages of stress at a physical level. An occasional episode is irrelevant but if stress becomes part of your daily life it is very harmful to your health.

1. Fight or Flight: Evolution has equipped us with a “fight or flight” response for self-preservation. We release adrenalin, norepinephrine and cortisol to prepare us physically to fight or flee

2. Homeostasis: When the stressful situation subsides, levels start to return to normal

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3. Resistance: In our effort to return to homeostasis,

stress-induced conditions such as headaches, insomnia, hypertension and cardiovascular disease can occur

4. Exhaustion: When the capacity for resistance is overwhelmed, stress-induced diseases can occur.

Continual exhaustion can lead to the shutting down of the adrenal glands

“Learn to relax, your body is precious as it houses your mind and spirit. Inner peace starts with a relaxed body” Norman Vincent Peale

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Emotional Symptoms of Stress

When stressed, you may have experienced certain cognitive or emotional symptoms, such as: • Memory problems, inability to concentrate • Poor judgment and seeing only the negative • Constant worrying • Moodiness, irritability • Agitation, inability to relax • Feeling overwhelmed, lonely or isolated • Depression or general unhappiness

Physical Symptoms of Stress Or physical symptoms: • Aches and pains • Diarrhea or constipation • Nausea, dizziness • Chest pain, rapid heartbeat • Loss of sex drive • Compromised immunity

Which Minerals Alleviate Stress?

Iron and Phosphorus: Deficiency may exacerbate stress.

Magnesium: Alleviates stress by supporting the adrenals.

Zinc: Deficiency lowers the body’s adaptability to stress.

Behavioural Symptoms And perhaps behavioural symptoms: • Eating more or less • Sleeping too much or too little • Isolating yourself from others • Procrastinating or neglecting responsibilities • Using alcohol, cigarettes, drugs, sugar to relax • Nervous habits (e.g. nail biting, pacing)

Protect the Adrenals!

The adrenal glands really suffer in stressed individuals.

Adrenal insufficiency can lead to a suppressed immunity, problems with metabolic processes, low blood sugar, impaired liver function and fatigue. And if that’s not enough it can affect the cardiovascular and nervous systems.

Nutrients for Protection

The following nutrients protect the adrenals:

Minerals: Calcium, Magnesium, Zinc, GTF Chromium, Vanadium

Vitamins: Choline, Vitamins A, B5, C and E

And a number of Amino Acids, Lipids and Herbs (too many to mention) also support the Adrenals.

Which Vitamins Alleviate Stress?

B3: An adjunct for the treatment of stress.

B5, B6 and Vitamin E: Protects us from the toxic effects of stress.

C: Protects against the toxic effects of stress and lowers

production of cortisol by the adrenals.

In Summary: • We must get our nutrients in a food form.

• Regular episodes of stress lead to release of hormones with health consequences.

• Adrenal insufficiency results with further disease processes.

• Nutritional support is recommended with vitamins, minerals, herbs, amino acids & Essential fats.

And if you want to improve your diet:

Eat 20% of your diet as raw food and chew thoroughly.

Focus on alkaline-forming foods and try to be vegetarian 2 days per week. Drink at least 2 litres of water every day.

Avoid stimulant foods, especially processed sugar.

Reduce consumption of animal protein and don’t eat processed pork products. Eliminate so-called health spreads and margarine.

More info: www.thefoodstatecompany.com

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MIND

Stress: Are We Coping?

Women are significantly more stressed than men, according to the UK’s latest survey produced by the Mental Health Foundation (MHF). Called ‘Stress: Are We Coping?’, the report looks at the prevalence of stress in the UK and its implications found that almost three quarters (74%) of people have at some point felt so stressed that they felt overwhelmed or unable to cope. This was higher for women (at 81%), compared with men (67%). The survey, which was undertaken by YouGov, polled more than 4,000 adults in the UK in 2018.

Over half of adults (51%) who felt stressed reported feeling depressed, and 61% reported feeling anxious. Of the adults who said they had felt stressed at some point in their lives, 16% said they had self-harmed, and 32% said they had suicidal thoughts and feelings. Women’s biggest concern was personal finance (43%), while for men it is pressures at work (41%). For young people, the survey found housing worries to be a key stressor (32%). The pressure to succeed is also a worry of those aged 18 to 24; in this group 83% felt overwhelmed by stress and unable to cope, compared with fewer than a third of over-55s.

The report also highlights ‘digital stress’ and the pressure to be always available online.

Director, Isabella Goldie said: “Stress is one of the great public health challenges of our time, but it still isn’t taken as seriously as physical health concerns. While stress isn’t a mental health problem in itself, it often leads to depression, anxiety, self-harm and suicide. It can also lead to physical health problems such as cardiovascular disease, problems with the immune system, insomnia and digestive issues.”

"Stress is one of the great public health challenges of our time, but it still isn’t taken as seriously as physical health concerns" The report provides recommendations to government for creating a stress-free UK, and offers these invaluable top tips for managing stress: 1. Realise when it is causing you a problem and identify the causes.

You need to make the connection between feeling tired or ill with the pressures you are faced with. Do not ignore physical warnings such as tense muscles, over-tiredness, headaches or migraines. Sort the possible reasons for your stress into those with a practical solution, those that will get better anyway given time, and those you can’t do anything about. Take control by taking small steps towards the things you can improve.

2. Review your lifestyle.

Are you taking on too much? Are there things you are doing which could be handed over to someone else? Can you do things in a more leisurely way? You may need to prioritise things you are trying to achieve and reorganise your life so that you are not trying to do everything at once.

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3. Build supportive relationships and social networks.

Find close friends or family who can offer help and practical advice to support you to reduce your stress.

Joining a club or enrolling on a course are good ways to expand your social networks and to encourage you to do something different. Equally activities like volunteering can change your perspective and helping others can have a beneficial impact on your mood.

4. Eat Healthily.

A healthy diet will reduce the risks of diet-related diseases.

Also, there is a growing amount of evidence showing how food affects our mood. Feelings of wellbeing can be protected by ensuring that our diet provides adequate amounts of nutrients such as essential vitamins and minerals, as well as water.

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5. Be aware of your smoking, drinking and caffeine intake.

Even though they may seem to reduce tension, this is misleading as they make problems worse. Alcohol and caffeine can increase feelings of anxiety.

for managing and reducing the effect of stress, anxiety and other related problems such as insomnia, poor concentration and low moods, in some people. The MHF ‘Be Mindful’ website features a specially-developed online course in mindfulness: www.bemindful.co.uk

6. Exercise.

9. Get some restful sleep.

7. Take time out.

10. Don’t be too hard on yourself.

8. Be mindful.

If you continue to feel overwhelmed by your stress seek professional help to show you how to reduce and manage the stress you are experiencing.

Physical exercise can be an excellent initial approach to managing the effects of stress. Even going out to get some fresh air and taking some light physical exercise, like walking to the shops, can help when you feel stressed. You do not need to do much, walking 15-20 minutes, three times a week is a good way to feel better.

Take time to relax. Saying ‘I just can’t take time off ’ is no use if you are forced to take time off later through ill health. Striking a balance between responsibility to others and to yourself is vital in reducing stress levels.

Mindfulness meditation can be practiced anywhere at any time. Research has suggested that it can be helpful

Sleeping problems are common when you’re suffering from stress. Try to ensure you get enough rest. Writing down your to do list for the next day can be useful in helping you to prioritise but also to park these plans before bed. For more tips on getting a good night’s sleep read the MHF guide ‘How to…. sleep better’ (on their website).

Try to keep things in perspective. Look for things in your life that are positive and write down things that make you feel grateful.

Good mental health is fundamental to thriving in life. It is the essence of who we are and how we experience the world. Yet, compared to physical health, so little is commonly known about mental ill health and how to prevent it. That must change. The Mental Health Foundation is the UK’s charity for everyone’s mental health.

With prevention at the heart of what they do, they aim to find and address the sources of mental health problems.

More info: www.mentalhealth.org.uk Creating a WORLD of Difference

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MIND

Why This Quote Should Be On Everyone’s Fridge WORDS: Tessa Dongelmans

I stumbled upon this beautiful, simple quote by accident. I can’t even remember where or how, but I remember reading it and thinking “This is gold”. I quickly set it as my phone’s wallpaper and have been using it as a ‘mindful sticky note’ ever since.

And to be honest, it should also be taped to the walls in my office, in the supermarket, friends’ places, in the subway and any other place I ever visit. Not because I am a particularly stressed person, but because I believe that a complete state of relaxation is the key to a deep sense of being and opens the way to personal and spiritual development. Wow, that was quite a sentence.

Let’s Take It a Bit Slower…

I believe that when we are relaxed, and only when we are relaxed, we are capable of truly experiencing what goes on inside us, as an effect of what happens around us. We can for example

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experience if our body is tired if our mind is stressed if we are angry or happy, and so on.

And only when we are actually aware of what goes on inside us, we can decide whether we want it to be like this. For example, do you really want to go out tonight, or is it time for a rest? And maybe even more interestingly: Do you want a grumpy cashier to influence your mood? Do you want your stressedout boss to make you feel stressed too?

Do you want to run and stress to catch the bus, or is it also okay to catch the next one?

To Act or React?

Often we are not so much acting in

a situation, but more reacting. When someone annoys us or even pisses us off, we react immediately with the first emotion that comes up in our system. Like anger, or disgust, or maybe sadness. The fact that this happens is not so crazy at all. We’ve probably learned along the way to protect ourselves from negativity or hurt, by reacting in a specific way. However, when we would take more time in such a situation, and realize what emotion comes up within us, we are capable of deciding if we would like to react with (for example) anger. We can decide if we want our inner state to be influenced by something so futile as a grumpy cashier.

To Smile, Breath and Go Slowly Instead, let’s say that next time we get annoyed, stressed, or discontent, we would first smile, then breathe, and then go slowly. What would happen?

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This article was originally published by Sivana East

Tessa is a Master in Clinical and Health Psychology, a Life Coach, blogger and much more. Originally from the Netherlands, she now lives in Berlin. She says: I believe that the world is a challenging place, but also a place filled with beauty and love. I believe that when we are able to take a step back, relax, and look at our own feelings, thoughts and behaviour, we will not only handle the challenges better, but also experience all the beauty in a deeper and more fulfilling way. Tessa has kindly agreed that we can share her article.

When we smile we show compassion.

Not just towards the other person, but also towards ourselves. It’s okay that this emotion comes up, let it be there, and then move on. When we breathe, we are alive. We inhale fresh air, fresh energy and we exhale anything we don’t want to hold in anymore. And when we go slowly, we take the time to enjoy and we take the time to decide how and if we want to react.

is directed towards the outside, and we react in response to what happens outside of us. Being able to take a moment and not just react takes the same amount of dedication as a smoker who doesn’t light his usual cigarette with his cup of coffee. So we should give ourselves all the support and patience we deserve, and setting such a quote as your phone’s wallpaper could be a great start.

A Mindful Sticky Note

Calmness, Freedom, and Other Side Effects

Of course, this takes practice, because most of us are used to living life in a reactive state in which all our focus

And along the way we’ll probably have some ups and downs – falling back into

Sivana East is a platform created to bring together a unique community, based on mindfulness and spirituality. It's for anyone that wants to enhance their life with health, happiness, wisdom, and yoga. The heart of this community is YOU and hundreds of thousands of people that make this a vibrant place of learning, living, and inspiration.

More info: east@sivanaspirit.com the reactive state we know so well, and where we’re even quite comfortable sometimes. But all the trying and effort will be worth it. Because when we practice a sustainable state of calmness, we allow ourselves to be free. We allow ourselves to not be victims of our surroundings, but to look inside and dig a little deeper.

And as if this is not beautiful enough, imagine the impact we will have on other people when we smile, breathe, and go slowly ...

More info: www.tessadongelmans.com Creating a WORLD of Difference

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MIND

Decision Fatigue

Reboot for better choices WORDS: Lucy Sanderson

Our minds are much like a hard drive. If you own a computer, you’ll understand the need to reboot it once in a while; de-clutter and restart for smooth running. If you have an Apple Mac, you’ll be familiar with the wheel of doom – that spherical spectrum of colours that spins whilst your Mac basically has a meltdown and freezes all your programmes … Do you ever feel like the wheel of doom later on in the day, after a gazillion choices and decisions?

According to the internet’s vast array of sources, it is estimated that adults make approximately 35,000 remotely conscious decisions per day. Comparatively, kids make about 3,000. This includes the small decisions like opening a door (the old ‘push it or pull it’ conundrum!), or something more obvious like, what to make for dinner (just imagine the added decisions that fly through your mind following that decision – veggie or fish, shall I pop to the store to buy x, y or z … which store … and so on). Decisions, decisions!

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Our minds are literally on the go, confronted with choices and decisions pretty much all the time that we are conscious.

It makes sense that as the day goes on, our decision making skills may be a little less spritely or accurate as they might have been when we’re all bright eyed and bushy tailed in the morning. Whether you’re making a decision about dinner or making decisions as a person of authority, (OK, so choosing dinner doesn’t quite match the high-stake medical or legal decisions), the principle is the same: decision making can

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get trickier as the day wears on in the same way as our productivity, which can wane once fatigue starts to work it’s lethargic magic.

A study carried out by a doctor in Boston, Dr Linder, entitled “Time of Day and the Decision to Prescribe Antibiotics) found that “a primary care clinician’s likelihood of prescribing antibiotics increased during clinic sessions, consistent with the hypothesis that decision fatigue progressively impairs clinicians’ ability to resist ordering inappropriate treatments.”

It was suggested that shorter sessions, mandatory breaks, modified schedules and even decision support could be implemented to mitigate decision fatigue for medical professionals. Maybe exams should be held in the morning to assist with this issue? Young people with the stress of exams might well be under further duress due to hormonal change and family life strains, amongst other things.

me-ups are short lived and come with a crashing end result; sliding down the stimulant aftermath leaves us all the more irritable and snappy. Time to rest. I know I’d hate to be on the receiving end of a sentence if Tired Me was the Judge... it would be ‘off with his head’ after very little deliberation.

Catch me in the morning and Judge Lucy would be so much more amiable and realistic...

An investigation undertaken in 2011 by Jonathan Levav of Stanford and Shai Danziger of Ben-Gurion University looked at a parole board’s decision making and they found that time of day really impacted a judge’s decisions. Researchers discovered by analysing more than 1,100 decisions over the course of a year, Judges, who would hear the prisoners’ appeals and then get advice from the other members of the board, approved parole in about a third of the cases, but the probability of being paroled fluctuated wildly throughout the day. Prisoners who appeared early in the morning received parole about 70% of the time, while those who appeared late in the day were paroled less than 10% of the time. In other words, the prisoner seen at the beginning of the day got a much more favourable result to that of his later seen counterpart, who had to stay in the clink.

“It is estimated that adults make approximately 35,000 remotely conscious decisions per day.

Comparatively, kids make about 3,000.”

Consider what enables your decision making; rationale, considered preferences and willpower would cover a few. If these mental resources are drained then the knock on effect is a less considered approach to decision making. Notions of quick-fixes, irritability, snap reactions and lethargic attention means that decisions may indeed be different with all of these elements weighing down our thought processes.

Depleting abilities mixed with stimulants such as sugar or caffeine only add to the problems around decision fatigue.

We grab a coffee to pep us up and undoubtedly, a sugar splurge can give us quite the boost – problem is, those pick-

Creating a WORLD of Difference

When it comes to making decisions, you simply can’t make one without paying a biological price. Brains tend to look for short cuts when we’re tired. Try to be mindful of how busy your brain has had to be during the course of the day. Unlike physical fatigue, we get few clues to when we are heading toward decision fatigue.

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MIND

Evolution of the Mind

‌ Why Courtesy Brings Happiness

WORDS: Amber Blake

As Humans our brains have evolved and developed over the course of many millennia to be able to survive as a species. Our brains have evolved to ensure that we perform the following basic necessary functions: To gain sufficient nutrients to sustain life To avoid threats and injury to survive To form relationships with others for reproduction There are several systems that have developed at different times over the course of our evolutionary history from our Reptile Brain to Mammal Brian to Human Brain. I'm sure you're thinking Reptile Brain? What? Here's a basic breakdown of each of our brain development stages:

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Reptile Brain

This part of our brain is the "oldest" and least evolved part which maintains our basic desires and needs for example for food, warmth, reproduction and shelter. These are common motives of most animal species.

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Mammal Brain

120 million years ago mammals evolved from reptile type species to warm blooded creatures. With this change brought a new set of needs and desires in addition to the existing ones, such as desires to form friendships and caring for offspring. With these new motives came new emotions.

Human Brain

Move forward a further 2 million years from the dawning of mammals along came a further evolutionary milestone of the mind. Our brains evolved to give us consciousness, to be able to think and be aware of our thoughts, to recognise our own reflection, to plan for the future and to dream and to fantasise. These capabilities bought about the likes of science, art and culture we all know today.

This "new" part of the brain is the Frontal Cortex which is basically the conductor of the brain’s emotional orchestra. The Frontal Cortex regulates our emotions, gives us the ability to think, anticipate and plan, recognises emotions and enables us to have empathy.

We don't act and experience things like other animals and reptiles do. We are able to think about our experiences and desires, how they make us feel and what they make us think about ourselves. We have a brain that has taken us from living in jungles to modern cities and towns.

The problem with this new way of thinking is that as humans we have compassion based thinking and we have to work with the basic needs and desires of our reptile brain which in comparison is threat based thinking, this stirs up emotions that other mammals don't suffer from such as anxiety. Putting it simply, a gazelle will be on alert for lions whilst awake however they do not lie awake at night thinking where the lions may be or where they are going to be.

Creating a WORLD of Difference

“Putting it simply, a gazelle will be on alert for lions whilst awake however they do not lie awake at night thinking where the lions may be or where they are going to be.�

This is the basic reason why as humans we can suffer from prolonged anxiety and depression. Our brains have evolved in many ways however our emotional capability to process and achieve our basic needs and desires along with the emotional roller-coaster that life can bring has failed to catch up thus far.

Understanding how our brains work allows us to recognise that it can cause us difficulties and this is not our fault it is simply the way we are designed as humans.

Our brains have evolved in a way that is beyond our conscious control. Evolution developed our brains to enable us to survive as a species.

So how do we catch up emotionally? Well, we need to shift ourselves from threat based thinking to compassionate based thinking and in doing so this means that our thinking will be driven from a different emotional system. There are fairly simple ways we can do this however it requires a conscious effort (thankfully we have that ability as humans). In thinking on a more emotional level about life choices, how you treat yourself and others around you, pretty much each decision you make as opposed to thinking about the survival benefits of what you are doing. This can be as little as letting the car go in front of you first, even though you are in a rush, by letting them go you are being compassionate about the needs of others.

Every emotional based thought and choice you make will have a domino effect and will trigger the next good thing you say or do. Ultimately this will help you and others around to you evolve into the humans we are supposed to be without the governing voice of our reptile brains determining our path.

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WOMEN

(Em)Power-Dressing in 2018!

Express yourself, you might just impress yourself.

WORDS: Lucy Sanderson

Today, power-dressing is all about wearing what makes you feel empowered. If you feel it, you’ll look it (and vice versa, to some degree). To dress up, dress down, pop on your best pants or don full boardroom meeting regalia, it’s your choice, but wear it like you mean it because power-dressing is personal.

Clothes can be an extension to how we’re feeling – even when we don’t realise it, what we wear evokes all sorts of impressions of who we are and how we feel. If you look like you’ve just been dragged through a hedge and are sporting the same joggers that you’ve had on for a week, let’s face it, people will assume that you’re down in the dumps; if you look slovenly, you’ll seem slovenly and to be honest, you’ll likely feel it too.

It’s more about professing empowerment than it is ‘power dressing’ per se. Women have the freedom to wear what we want and we can be as flamboyant or as plain as we please.

Dressing to feel your best is all about confidence, personality, expression and making our wardrobe work for us.

I don’t know about you, but the term, ‘power-dressing’ does kind of conjure up visions of harsh lines, shoulder pads, mega-coiffed hair and sharp angled ensembles. I’m a ’70s kid and remember the ‘80s were a poignant time 76

for women in the workplace (and day to day life) when it came to fashion and how they dressed. It was a time where women tended to dress in a way which aired on the side of masculine; evoking a similar visual stance to their male counterparts in a male-dominated environment. Even reports from Davos 2018 hail the new women-driven world of powerful people in terms of their austerity in fashion expression. Panels (not ‘manels’ – tip of the hat to Christine Lagarde for that phrase), displayed some of the world’s most influential women in an array of colours and styles – each of them harnessing one similar trait: EMPOWERMENT. This means that power dressing can be fun. Gone are the days where a power outfit consists of a man-shaped costume. As offices and workplaces get a little less het up about hem lines and top buttons, we’re able to be more expressive in our attire and can either opt for classic, simple day wear without fuss, or we can go wild with style.

WOMEN

Not all superheroes wear capes, you know.

Clothes represent our personality and can certainly boost our confidence – hence the power-dressing term. But does what you wear really make a difference to how others perceive you? Erm … yes, and that may seem shallow but it’s a fact. How you present yourself is a full 360° situation; we feel better when we’re confident about how we look and this in turn makes for a better impression – others are more receptive to us when we are happy and positive. Powerdressing needn’t be reserved for job interviews and work, however enabling a feeling of success or importance can be just the tonic if you’re feeling a little low or downbeat.

Here’s a trick, even if you’re prone to activewear on every given occasion, pop on your best pants and you’ll be surprised how much that little insider info boosts your inner self. Or, if you’re dressed up all day long, adopt something like we have in our house, ‘bra off o’clock’ where it’s time to unclip, fling off and feel empowered and comfy, and braless.

Power dressing can mean calm and casual, take it from Lauren Laverne who is an unintentional style icon, she says “Jump suits are pyjamas you can wear to work …” and why not, if you feel great in an all in one, wear it with confidence.

Creating a WORLD of Difference

A host of style icons and notable power dressing ladies; Audrey Hepburn, Grace Kelly, Princess Diana, Queen Victoria, Bjork, Lady Gaga, Coco Chanel, Jane Birkin, Sharon Stone* *Circa 1998 Oscars in her partner’s white shirt teamed with a billowing silver skirt, not the famous leg cross scene, although …

Madonna Power dressed FOR Kylie Minogue… catapulting her back into the spotlight by wearing a t shirt with her name emblazoned on it. She did a similar thing for Britney too. All of those women used clothing to express themselves and send a message. Helen Mirren’s power dressing nudge to designers to bring back dresses with sleeves literally happened – ta dah … Being comfortable and realistic in terms of your look. If you have bits you’re conscious about, make your wardrobe work for you. You shouldn’t feel uncomfortable when you’re aiming to impress with a sense of power dress. When it comes to power dressing in 2018, it’s not necessarily what you wear, it’s how it makes you feel when you wear it.

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MEN

Bulk Up

Gaining Weight Healthfully RESEARCH and WORDS: Lucy Sanderson

With over 60% of us considered overweight or obese it is hardly surprising that the balance of information available relating to ‘lose weight’ vs ‘gain weight healthfully’ is out of balance. But there are instances when all of us need to ‘bulk up’.

If you read the Spring 18 edition of WellBeing World, you’ll recall the staggering numbers of men with eating disorders and the unique way they come about. Unlike the usual catalysts experienced by women, men’s eating disorders often catch them by surprise. Ending up underweight is very rarely a man’s goal and by the time the illness is realised, it can be seriously difficult for a guy to gain weight. More often than not, this boils down to the fact that he doesn’t actually feel hungry anymore – hunger pangs being one of the indicators that our body needs fuel … and the cycle spins; he forgets to eat so doesn’t gain weight, so doesn’t feel hungry and so on.

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This is not to say that all skinny guys are suffering from eating disorders; some people are just predisposed to being skinnier than others! Gaining weight can be a difficulty for lots of guys and looking at the media, aside from the deficit in information, the trends online are all about promoting muscles (that’s no bad thing), buff and muscly physiques are generally not the impression of the skinny guy. Now, as a skinny bloke, your skinny jeans might fit better and the slim fit T will look decent, but most guys want a degree of weight and definition. Gaining some bulk by hitting the gym and smashing the protein shakes is one way of getting results but for some guys,

until they’ve got a few pounds on them they might be put off by being surrounded by a plethora of already beefed up peers.

For skinny guys who’ve been trying to gain weight, there’s research which shows the reasons why some people are able to put on the pounds and others can’t. A study carried out on a bunch of volunteer convicts at Vermont State Prison in the 1960s aimed to overfeed the ‘normal’ weight prisoners until they reached a 25% weight increase and then study the impact of the weight gain. There was only one problem, some of the prisoners wouldn’t gain weight at all! Even the one who was fed over ten thousand calories a day could not increase his body weight more than 18%. All of the prisoners went back to their normal weight after the experiment was over, leading

MEN

This is not to say that all skinny guys are suffering from eating disorders; some people are just predisposed to being skinnier than others! researchers to ascertain that genetics, behaviour and mindset all play their part – it’s not just about eating more calories than you burn per day.

While habit is one of the most important skills for people who are losing weight, naturally lean folks will rely more heavily on the ‘knowledge’ element.

Understanding the things that optimise weight gain (and weight loss) are tantamount to being able to get to the weight you want. When you’re predisposed to being skinny there are a few reasons that you might not have even considered as to why the extra beef isn’t mounting.

Have you ever heard of NEAT? Nonexercise activity thermogenesis, (NEAT)

is basically a person’s involuntary, constant movement. To sum it up simply, if you’re a natural fidget then you’ll have a faster metabolism and will burn calories even when you’re not trying to! Add to that a propensity to exercise and eat the wrong amount of protein and well, weight gain is not going to be too likely.

According to the American Council on Exercise (ACE), engaging in NEAT throughout the day can increase your metabolism by up to 50 percent. So if you normally burn 2,000 calories per day while sedentary, NEAT can help you burn up to 3,000 calories per day. That translates to a lot of pasta, and definitely entitles you to dessert with extra cream.

So, if you’re aiming to gain some weight and build your body bigger, there are a few easy things you can be mindful of: Try strength training activities to build lean muscle mass – exercise

is crucial to weight gain, just as it is to weight loss. Opt for weight training, isometric exercises (push-ups or crunches) and Pilates.

Aerobic or cardio activities such as jogging, biking, and swimming are beneficial to your lifestyle – although

this may burn more calories than strength training, so you may need to adjust the intensity, frequency or duration whilst trying to gain weight.

Permission to dive in to midnight snacks – eating late means you won’t burn

all the calories (this doesn’t mean junk food by the way!).

Creating a WORLD of Difference

Quality over quantity – although

things like chips and burgers are known to cause weight gain, our snacking suggestions should be nutrient rich and high in good fats and proteins.

Choose calorie-dense options like nuts, cheese, dried fruits, yogurt with granola, avocados, and whole grain crackers with nut butters or hummus.

Eat more frequently – make it easier on your system by spreading calorie intake over five or six smaller meals throughout the day.

Keep a food and activity diary –

you’d be surprised how beneficial it is for both accountability and reviewing how you’re doing.

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FAMILY

5 Ways to Build a Better Body Image for Your Daughter Because body positivity starts with you WORDS: Kelley Kitley, LCSW

Standing in front of the mirror at dance class at age 10, I wondered why my thighs touched. My knees looked fat. Opening the refrigerator door, I heard my dad's voice "A moment on your lips is a lifetime on your hips." I loved riding my pink huffy with the banana seat, but "riding a bike is lazy, you'll get secretary butt," he said.

And at age 14, I developed an eating disorder. Restrict.

Binge. Purge. Over exercise. I measured my worth by the shape of my body, which was filled with internal feelings of disgust and not being good enough. I sought attention and approval from my family and encountered much disappointment.

Today, I'm a 38-year-old woman who loves most of her body with all the ageing flaws of four c sections, four breastfed children, stretch marks, and a booty. I have two daughters and two sons, and I recognise that I have a huge influence on their own body image based on how I

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see mine and what is projected onto them. Here's what I learned about building your children's body image, as both a mother and psychotherapist:

Encourage healthy eating and exercise

Engage in healthy behaviour for yourself; your children are always watching. Ask your child if they want to ride their bike next to you when you run. Before bed, lead the family in stretching, meditation, or yoga as a way to wind down. If the activities are fun and relationship building, everyone will want to participate. Note: There's a difference in exercising to be healthy, and exercising to be skinny!

FAMILY

Praise personality traits over physical appearance

"Your laugh is contagious." "Great job on your test, you're so smart!" We want our daughters to love themselves for who they are not by what they look like.

Physical appearance can be a motivating adjunct to how we feel about ourselves, not the sole reason.

"Engage in healthy behaviour for yourself; your children are always watching. Ask your child if they want to ride their bike next to you when you run.

Before bed, lead the family in stretching, meditation, or yoga as a way to wind down.

Encourage her unique vision

Don't obsess

Don't put yourself down

We're not perfect. There are times I've had peanut butter M&Ms and jalapeno chips for dinner and fell short of making workouts a priority. But not beating yourself up over it is key. Positivity is contagious and needs to start at home.

Encourage your daughter to come up with a list of things she's good at, what she feels proud of, and what her aspirations are. Journaling and vision boards are great art activities for all of us. Draw pictures, cut out words from a magazine, find meaningful quotes to inspire. Hang it up in her room so she can see it every day. I firmly believe we need to nurture the internal and build confidence to have positive results externally.

I never call myself fat or ugly (at least out loud). Sometimes I'll even say, "I feel proud of myself for helping someone today." My daughter will often times roll her eyes or laugh, and tell me that I'm bragging. Then, we'll have a conversation about the importance of loving ourselves.

Everything in moderation. Some families are "too healthy" and have high expectations of how their child "should" be eating. This can cause kids to sneak foods or act out when they're away from home. Kids are going to be exposed to less than healthy foods socially, and you can't control everything. Don't shame less-than-healthy choices. And don't shame yourself in front of them ("I really "shouldn't" be eating this chocolate cake).

Based in Chicago, Kelley is an international women’s mental health expert and author who has appeared in over 100 publications, podcasts, live news, and radio, including NBC, The Chicago Tribune, Huffington Post, Self, Shape, and as a columnist for Fitness Magazine, Recovery Connection and Thrive Global. She has also shared her experience, strength and hope on national media shows, including Dr. Oz, as a TEDx Speaker and Author. Her autobiography ‘MY self ’ is available on Amazon. More info: www.kelleykitley.com

This article was originally published in Fitness Magazine – www.fitnessmagazine.com - and has been reproduced with the kind permission of the author.

Creating a WORLD of Difference

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RECOVERY

Recovery Communities WORDS: Catherine Laine and Jason Wyse Silkworth Charity Group

“Addicts help themselves by helping others” Alcohol and drug addicts in recovery who dedicate their time to helping others are not doing this for purely self-less reasons. Instead they have come to realise that by helping others they can help themselves as well. A well-known recovery saying sums this up well, ‘to keep it you have to give it away’. Regardless of how someone finds recovery from their chemical dependency, helping others who have drug or alcohol addiction problems can be very helpful to one’s own recovery.

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RECOVERY

Doing such work in Recovering Communities can improve their life in a number of ways:

It reminds the individual of where they have come from.

This should mean they are less likely to relapse. The pain of chemical dependency begins to wane over time into memory.

This means that people can begin to wonder if their old life was really that bad. Such thinking can be disastrous if it is left unchecked. By spending time with those who are struggling with addiction it becomes harder to forget the pain.

Those who help others in recovery are less likely to suffer from anxiety/depression.

It increases self-esteem because the giver now feels like they have something useful to offer society.

It allows people to develop new skills and builds their confidence. Many alcohol and drug addicts may have a poor work history. Voluntary work can be the first step back into a successful career.

They tend to be extremely selfabsorbed. By thinking about others for a change it allows them to escape this focus on self.

Such a change in perspective can be highly refreshing.

Those who are the recipient of such help benefit because:

People with chemical dependency find it hard to trust other people. They may be suspicious of the motives of “dogooders” or just feel that such people really don’t understand.

It is much easier for the addict in recovery to win the trust of

someone who is active in their chemical dependency.

People in recovery will have a wealth of experience that will be of benefit to others following the same path.

It is arguable that a recovering addict will have a much greater understanding of the needs of their fellows.

At Silkworth, the members of our recovery community have a desire and need for sharing their experiences, strengths and providing a source of ongoing support for one another in their recovery journey as well as undertaking activities to help and support the wider community – commonly referred to as ‘giving back’. It is important that we help grow our already strong recovery community through the established services that we provide whilst making access to these services as easy as possible.

Our Recovery Day service is a key part of our organisation that introduces people into a recovery mindset in an informal non-judgmental and safe environment. From here people can understand more about the illness of chemical dependency and what options are open to them in order to manage their dependency, this in itself feeds and grows a recovery community.

The Silkworth Extreme Team Challenge that happens every year is a clear example of this. It brings people together from all walks of life whether they are in recovery or not, to help support the development and growth of a recovery community. The Challenge takes place on Saturday, 1st September 2018 – why not enter a team?

More info and to enter a team, please visit: www.silkworthlodge.co.uk

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LIFE

Quarter Life Crisis WORDS: Amber Blake

More than half of millennials are experiencing the period of going through a "Quarter Life Crisis". Whilst we are all familiar with the mid-life crisis - a middle aged person, stuck in a rut who reacts by indulging in what seems to be erratic behaviour and impulsive buying. However, now it seems more of us are questioning our existence much earlier.

Terrified by the thought that your best years may be behind you and you still feel like you haven’t done anything with your life. I remember being 15 and thinking about how at 25 I’d have my life "together", little did I know that life throws curve balls at you, keeping you on your toes and teaching you lessons about who it is that you really are.

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Simply put, a quarter-life crisis is a period of intense deep soul searching and stress occurring in your mid 20s to early 30s. The typical sufferer is “highly driven and smart, but struggling because they feel they’re not achieving their potential or feeling they’re falling behind,” says Nathan Gehlert, Ph.D., a Washington D.C. Psychologist.

LIFE

One of the biggest culprits is comparison – a common practice of comparing your progress against the lives, careers, and relationships of those around you, people think of their 20s as a competition. With the rise of social media has also brought the rise of social pressures, you can compare yourself with others on a daily basis.

feel the same if you knew their whole situation, such as the struggles and sacrifices that accompany their "success."

At the end of the day having all the material possessions you could ask for and the impressive job title doesn’t define who you are and nor does it define your success.

There is no simple solution to figuring out the perfect life path, I would be lying if I said there was but, there are some steps you can implement:

When going through a quarter life crisis it can be exacerbated by becoming your own worst critic. Try to remember that it’s actually a positive experience that will hopefully enable you make a change and progress forward and will ultimately make your happier.

Seek out support

Women tend to seek out support more so than men do. The best thing you should do when feeling stuck and unhappy is to reach out to a friend. You'll be surprised that they most likely are feeling or have felt the same way. It helps you to remember that your perception of "falling behind" is actually very inaccurate.

Stop comparing yourself to others

Remember that everyone is at a different stage in their life's journey so don’t compare yourself to others, remind yourself of your definition of success and whatever makes you happy is enough. You are not falling behind, you are exactly where you are supposed to be.

Don’t take social media so seriously

Stop lulling over people’s Facebook and Instagram posts in envy. Those are just highlight reels and don’t show what is actually going on behind the scenes. Everyone has their own path in life, and you should focus on yours, not someone else’s.

Define what success means to you

Be kind to yourself

You are normal

This is a totally normal and in fact a necessary part in life – you have transitioned from being told what to do, when you should do it, to being an adult that has to figure everything out for yourself.

The people who are doing the best are suffering personal anguish in their 20s, because that is exactly how you find out who you are and what you want to do with your life.

Most people come out the other end in a better mental state, but this period of limbo can still result in anxiety and confusion. This time of your life is a period of transition, and you need to keep yourself grounded. You can’t fix everything in an instant, so be patient with yourself and set realistic goals you know you can achieve. Please remember, life isn’t about money, marriage or any of the things we’re freaking out about and most of all, life is not a race. Whilst it’s very true that being in your 20s now is different to how it was for our parents’ generation, your 20s have always and will always be a time for figuring out who you are and what you want to do with your life, so relax you’ll get there.

Others may have achieved more than you in monetary terms or in their career but who cares? While you may think that others are doing better than you, you might not

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LIFE

A Message from Holly – Live Life to the Full Holly Butcher passed away aged 27; here is an extract from her farewell letter, her words are inspiring people all over the world.

“It’s a strange thing to realise and accept your mortality.

It’s just one of those things you ignore. The days tick by and you just expect they will keep on coming …

I haven’t started this ‘note before I die’ so that death is feared. I want people to stop worrying so much about the small, meaningless stresses in life and try to remember that we all have the same fate after it all so do what you can to make your time feel worthy.

It’s okay to acknowledge that something is annoying … but try not to carry on about it. Take a freaking BIG breath of that fresh (Aussie) air, deep in your lungs. Look at how blue the sky is and how green the trees are. Think how lucky you are to be able to do just that – breathe.

I tried to live a healthy life. Appreciate your good health and body, even if it isn’t your ideal size. Move it and nourish it with fresh food. Don’t obsess. Remember there are more aspects to good health than the physical body.

Work just as hard on finding your mental, emotional and spiritual happiness too. That way you might realise just how unimportant having this stupidly portrayed perfect social media body really is - and, delete any account that pops up on your news feed that gives you any sense of feeling [bad] about yourself. Friend or not … Be ruthless for your own wellbeing.

Whinge less, people! And help each other more. Give, give, give. It is true that you gain more happiness doing things for others than doing them for yourself. I wish I did this more.

Value other people’s time. Don’t keep them waiting. Get ready earlier and appreciate that your friends want to share their time with you, not sit by themselves, waiting on a mate. You will gain respect, too. Amen sister.

Get amongst nature. Try just enjoying and being in moments rather than capturing them through the screen of your phone. Life isn’t meant to be lived through a screen nor is it about getting the perfect photo … enjoy the moment, people! Get up early and listen to the birds.

Listen to music … really listen. Music is therapy. Cuddle your dog. Talk to your friends.

Work to live, don’t live to work. Do what makes your heart feel happy. Eat cake. Zero guilt. Say no to things you really don’t want to do. Tell your loved ones you love them every time you get the chance and love them with everything you have.

Anyway, that’s just this one young gal’s life advice. ‘Til we meet again. ~Hol

Holly Ann Butcher 09.06.90 – 04.01.18 passed way surrounded by family. Share Holly’s beautiful words to honour her legacy and spread her wisdom.

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BOOKS

Book Choice

Great reads for your relaxation.

Seeking Serenity: The 10 New Rules for Health The Life Well Lived: and Happiness in the Age of Anxiety Therapeutic Paths to Author: Amanda Enayati Recovery & Wellbeing Publisher: Berkley Books; Reprint edition (5 January 2016)

A provocative and practical look at modern stress that offers an empowering new message: Stress can serve as a guide to living our happiest and healthiest lives.

Here, stress columnist Amanda Enayati challenges our long-held assumptions about stress, painting a ground-breaking picture of what is commonly referred to as the plague of modern life. Weaving together stories, research from science, history, philosophy and ancient faiths, and everyday exercises, she presents ten revolutionary principles that help us differentiate between destructive and constructive stress, and to master stress in the everyday by learning how to: Shift our perceptions to interpret inevitable challenges in a way that serves us better Embrace a narrative that casts stress as a pathway to adaptation and growth, and Commit to breaks, buffers, and protective practices that will minimise and neutralise the adverse impact of toxic stress.

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Drawing on extensive research and remarkable stories, Seeking Serenity presents a clear and accessible action plan to achieving more joyful and productive lives, and stronger communities.

Author: Professor Jim Lucey Publisher: Transworld Ireland (18 May 2017)

We all long to live a fulf illed and happy life – a life that offers us love and opportunity, independence and hope.

Sadly, for many people struggling with mental health problems such as anxiety, depression, eating disorders and addiction, recovery and a future full of potential may seem to be unachievable goals.

In The Life Well Lived Professor Jim Lucey focuses on how a range of contemporary therapies can provide pathways to recovery. Through insightful case histories, he also explores issues such as stigma and other barriers to recovery, the true meaning of wellness, and how the rediscovery of a life of independence and social connection is not only possible but entirely achievable.

Positive and optimistic, The Life Well Lived shines a light into the psychotherapeutic world – a world which is so often feared and misunderstood.

BOOKS

A Life Less Stressed – The Five Pillars of Health and Wellness Author: Ron Ehrlich Publisher: Scribe UK (11 January 2018)

A holistic guide to the stresses that wear us down and the simple changes we can make to lead happier, healthier, and more resilient lives.

Life has never been more stressful. It is no coincidence that chronic degenerative disorders such as cancer, heart disease, autoimmune illnesses, and mental-health conditions are on the rise. But if we want to tackle them, we need to look beyond their symptoms. That is the message of dentist and health advocate Ron Ehrlich.

He explores why public health messages have been so confusing and often contradictory, including the role of the food and pharmaceutical industries in all parts our healthcare system. It’s a story that’s easy to miss but difficult to ignore. He then untangles how problems in one part of the body are intimately connected to the whole and how we as individuals are inextricably linked to our own environment. Ehrlich redefines the stresses that affect us in our modern world, and shows how to strengthen the five pillars sleep, breathing, nutrition, movement, and thought that support our health.

A Life Less Stressed will help you develop a broader understanding of the challenges we face today and empower you to take control, build resilience, and be the best you can be.

The Art of Stopping Time – Practical Mindfulness for Busy People Author: Pedram Shojai, Author of New York Times Bestseller, The Urban Monk Publisher: Michael Joseph (24 October 2017)

A frantic world . . . or a frantic mind? The New York Times bestselling author Pedram Shojai reveals what it takes to stop time.

Discover the deepest secrets of time and take control of your life. By following the 100-day Gong ritual – allocating a set amount of time each day, a 'Gong', to everyday tasks – you will not only find your mind is calmer and clearer but also that you have the space to accomplish what you want in life.

Taoist Minister and New York Times bestselling author Pedram Shojai shows how the ancient spiritual practice of stopping time can be turned into a simple and effective life skill to help you feel less stressed, more rested and able to focus on what matters most.

'The Art of Stopping Time is a powerful book that will help you at this critical juncture in history, when time seems to disappear in an instant. I highly recommend it.'

Daniel G. Amen, MD, Founder, Amen Clinics and author of Memory Rescue

'Who knew that the way to gain more time was actually to stop, be present, and dedicate time to specif ic activities' JJ Virgin, New York Times bestselling author of The Virgin Diet and Sugar Impact Diet

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BOOKS

Book Choice

Recognising our Special Focus on Diversity & Inclusion at Work …

Driven by Difference: How Great Companies Fuel Innovation Through Diversity

Author: David Livermore Publisher: McGraw-Hill Education / Europe, Middle East & Africa (16 March 2016)

Today's workforce is more diverse than ever before. But despite new perspectives and talents, the promise of increased innovation rarely materializes. Why are so few businesses seeing results? Studies show that diverse teams are more creative than homogenous ones-but only when they are managed effectively.

The secret is to minimise conflict while maximising the informational diversity found in varied values and experiences. To do this, both leaders and team members need a high level of cultural intelligence, or CQ. Drawing on success stories from Google, Alibaba, Novartis, and other groundbreaking companies, Driven by Difference identifies the management practices necessary to guide multicultural teams to innovation, including how to: • Create an optimal environment • Build trust • Fuse differing perspectives • Align goals and expectations • Generate fresh ideas • Consider the various audiences when selecting and selling an idea • Design and test for different users Cultural differences can lead to gridlock, or they can catalyse innovation and growth. This research-based plan turns diversity's potential into economic reality.

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A Good Time to be a Girl

Author: Helena Morrissey Publisher: William Collins (8 February 2018)

Five years have passed since women were exhorted to ‘Lean In’. Over that time, the world has transformed beyond all expectations. But why should anyone ‘lean in’ to a patriarchal system that is out of date? Why not change it entirely for the good of us all?

In A Good Time to be a Girl, Helena Morrissey sets out how we might achieve the next big breakthrough towards a truly inclusive modern society.

Drawing on her experience as a City CEO, mother of nine, and founder of the influential 30% Club which campaigns for gender-balanced UK company boards, her manifesto for new ways of working, living, loving and raising families is for everyone, not just women.

Making a powerful case for diversity and difference in any workplace, she shows how, together, we can develop smarter thinking and broader definitions of success.

Gender balance, in her view, is an essential driver of economic prosperity and part of the solution to the many problems we face today.

Her approach is not aimed merely at training a few more women in working practices that have outlived their usefulness. Instead, this book sets out a way to reinvent the game – not at the expense of men but in ways that are right and relevant for a digital age. It is a powerful guide to success for us all.

BOOKS

Inclusion: Diversity, The New Workplace & The Will To Change Author: Jennifer Brown Publisher: Purpose Driven Publishing (1 June 2017)

Embrace diversity and thrive as an organisation. In the rapidly changing business landscape, harnessing the power of diversity and inclusion is essential for the very viability and sustainability of every organisation.

Talent who feel fully welcomed, valued, respected, and heard by their colleagues and their organisations will fuel this growth. We will only succeed in this transformation if those in leadership pivot from command and control management styles to reinvent how we look at people, every organisation’s greatest asset.

It’s also critical that we build systems that embrace diversity in all its forms, from identity and background to diversity of thought, style, approach, and experience, tying it directly to the bottom line.

Inclusion: Diversity, the New Workplace & the Will to Change stands up and embraces what true diversity and inclusion represent to any organisation in any industry.

Open your heart and prepare to be inspired as awardwinning entrepreneur, dynamic speaker, and respected diversity and inclusion expert Jennifer Brown shares proven strategies to empower members of your entire organisation to utilise all of their talents and potential to drive positive organisational change and the future of work.

Win Win: When Business Works for Women, It Works for Everyone

Author: Joanne Lipman Publisher: John Murray (22 February 2018)

Women spend their working lives adapting to an environment set up for men, by men: from altering the way they speak to changing the clothes they wear to power posing. But still the gender gap persists. And once you see it – women being overlooked, interrupted, their ideas credited to men – it's impossible to ignore. But it needn't be this way.

Diving deep into the wide range of government initiatives, corporate experiments and social science research Joanne Lipman offers fascinating new revelations about the way men and women work culled from the Enron scandal, from brain research, from transgender scientists and from Iceland's campaign to 'feminise' an entire nation. Packed with fascinating and entertaining examples – from the woman behind the success of Tupperware to how Google reinvented its hiring process – Win Win is a rallying cry to both men and women to finally take real steps towards closing the gender gap.

'Attention, good guys: this book is for you' Adam Grant, bestselling author of Originals and Option B with Sheryl Sandberg

'Urgently needed'

Charles Duhigg, bestselling author of The Power of Habit and Smarter

'I know what you're thinking: 'Not another career guide-cum-manifesto, telling us to "woman up" and demand more money.' But that isn't what Lipman says. Instead, she uses data, reams of it, to expose how the system is rigged against women.

She then calls for men to join the f ight to make the workplace more equal' Sunday Times Style Magazine

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WELLBEING BUSINESS DIRECTORY

WellBeing Directory You will find more WellBeing practitioners at www.wellbeingworld.je We print 5,000 copies and achieve +20,000 impressions online, per edition.

If you’d like to advertise in the next WellBeing Directory or in WellBeing World magazine, please contact us for a rate card at info@wellbeingworld.je 92

WELLBEING BUSINESS DIRECTORY WELCOME

AYUSH WELLNESS SPA

Awarded ‘Best Spa in the South West UK & Channel Islands’ by the Good Spa Guide, Ayush Wellness Spa offers a combination of authentic Ayurvedic therapies and luxurious spa treatments. An Ayurvedic physician works with Indian and Western therapists to provide consultations and treatments and share with you the teachings of this timeless tradition enabling you to develop practices that will help restore and maintain mind and body. The concept is authentic in an environment that advocates a healthy lifestyle, enriching both physical and emotional wellbeing.

W: www.defrance.co.uk T: +44 (0) 1534 614 171 Hotel de France, St. Saviour’s Road, St Helier

CHOICE PROPERTIES

Choice Properties is renowned for its service to vendors, buyers, investors, landlords and tenants. The team aims to always keep clients informed and help to make the transaction as smooth and trouble free as possible.

Established in 2004, they have helped hundreds of clients through their sales and purchases, often overcoming obstacles and ensuring that deadlines are maintained through their relationships with conveyancers, surveyors, mortgage brokers and the States of Jersey authorities.

W: www.choicejersey.com E: enquiries@choicejersey.com T: +44 (0) 1534 620 620 Maison Victor Hugo, Greve D'Azette, St. Clement

Creating a WORLD of Difference

BALANCE - THE WELLBEING SUPERMARKET

Based on the first floor above Alliance Tesco at Walker House, Halkett Street, Balance has one of the largest ranges of healthy foods in a dedicated store, conveniently located in the heart of St Helier.

We offer customers the latest products and trends that are competitively priced, empowering them to make healthy choices. There is an extensive range of gluten and dairy free products, healthy store cupboard essentials, specialist sports nutrition ranges, as well as natural body care products and lots more.

W: www.balance.je E: balance@alliance.gg T: +44 (0)1534 679 580

CLUB SOULGENIC

Jersey's first fully integrated fitness and wellness centre. Set in an impressive space over three floors, it provides a range of products and services incorporating fitness, nutrition, general health and mind body. The club includes collaborations with the island’s foremost wellness professionals, providing a community that motivates and rewards members on their journey to optimum health and wellbeing.

Club Soulgenic. So much more than a gym.

OPEN NOW W: www.clubsoulgenic.co.uk E: info@clubsoulgenic.co.uk T: +44 (0) 1534 733 080

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WELLBEING BUSINESS DIRECTORY

ENERGETIX at UP AND ABOVE

Energetix combines sophisticated exclusive jewellery with the power of magnets. People wear the jewellery because they are fascinated by its radiance and want to have the power of magnets in their immediate vicinity all the time.

All the jewellery and accessories have the same purpose, to give us moments of wellbeing in our daily life and each of these moments tells us we are on the right track. Designs for women, men, children and a great sports look.

T: +44 (0) 1534 758 808 Up and Above, 50 Don Street, St Helier Order online at www.upandabovejersey.energetix.tv

HEALTH POINT CLINIC

Lorna Jackson Acupuncture 1st BSc (Hons), MBAcC, AFN. Traditional acupuncture is more than pain management, treating headaches or back pain, it is uniquely suited to modern life as physical, emotional and mental blocks are seen as interdependent.

Acupuncture is safe, gentle and it can be used by everyone, including babies, during pregnancy, sports enthusiasts and the elderly. Lorna operates from her clinics in The Lido Medical Centre and Greencliff Chiropractic Clinic. Most private health insurers cover acupuncture treatment. Please check before treatment.

W: www.healthpointclinic.co.uk E: lornajackson@healthpointclinic.co.uk T: +44 (0) 1534 852 039 (Greencliff Chiropractic) T: +44 (0) 1534 859 348 (Lido Medical Centre)

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GRAND JERSEY HOTEL & SPA

A subterranean haven, The Spa at Grand Jersey Hotel & Spa offers a wealth of amenities. Stretch out in the pool; lay back in the sauna; release your cares with an aromatherapy steam, or under the cascade of an exotic adventure shower.

Then revel in your solitude in the comfort of the exquisite relaxation lounge, where you can sample fruit and herbal teas. The Spa offers the ultimate cocooned experience, with a range of VIP, twin and single treatment rooms, indoor heated pool and bespoke treatments from Elemis to ensure quality and results.

W: www.handpickedhotels.co.uk/grandjersey E: spa.grandjersey@handpicked.co.uk T: +44 (0) 1534 288 450 Esplanade, St Helier, Jersey

HEALTHHAUS

Healthhaus have created a community where the focus is on supporting members with a healthy, happy and sustainable approach to fitness and wellbeing. The award winning Milon Circuit uses your personalised programme to give simple, safe and results driven workouts in just 35 minutes, leaving plenty of time for a dip in the luxurious Ayush Wellness Spa.

Why not contact the membership team to arrange a tour of the club and to find out how Milon training can be incorporated seamlessly into your day. They look forward to taking your fitness personally.

W: www.healthhaus.co.uk E: membership@healthhaus.co.uk T: +44 (0)1534 614 800

WELLBEING BUSINESS DIRECTORY

HOTEL DE FRANCE

A 126 bedroom four star Hotel conveniently located just outside of St.Helier. Dine in the informal brasserie style Garden View Restaurant overlooking award winning gardens or at the fine dining ‘Saffrons’ Restaurant, renowned for local produce prepared with healthy Indian spices.

The Ayush Wellness Spa at the Hotel offers swimming pools, sauna, steam room, treatment rooms and an extensive fitness centre. Parking and Wi-Fi are free. A friendly but professional welcome is assured.

St Saviour’s Road, St Helier, Jersey JE1 7XP W: www.defrance.co.uk E: general@defrance.co.uk T: +44 (0) 1534 614 000

HUMAN HEALTH

Fuelled with passion, experience and a vision for health and vitality, Human Health Chiropractic offers expertise in chiropractic, massage and lifestyle advice facilitating rapid change and transformation within the human body. Using thorough analysis, specific correction and our unique knowledge, we tailor health care dedicated to enable you to fully experience your body’s potential. Allow us to introduce you to your “neuro spinal organ” - Your only gateway between brain to body and its true importance for your health and life.

1st Floor, St Peters Medical Centre, Coop Grand Marche W: www.humanhealthcentre.com E: hi@humanhealthcentre.com T: +44 (0) 1534 747 833 96

L’HORIZON BEACH HOTEL & SPA

Nestled by the sea, the views are just the beginning.

Step inside and let your journey of indulgence begin.

The new L’Horizon Spa has been designed to offer a world of pampering whether you are visiting for a wedding, a girls’ weekend away or a break with a loved one. Enjoy a special day reviving mind and body, select an Elemis treatment, reinvigorate tired limbs with a dip in the sea-view swimming pool or simply drift away in the sleep room. Feel your cares wash away, just as the ocean washes over the golden sands of St Brelade’s Bay. W: www.handpicked.co.uk/lhorizon E: lhorizon@handpicked.co.uk T: +44 (0) 1534 743 101 La Route de la Baie, St Brelade, Jersey JE3 8EF

JERSEY SPORT

Jersey Sport exists to lead, champion and enable participation and excellence in sport, whilst encouraging active living for all in Jersey. It offers a wide range of ways to be active; the Active Referral programme helps people with an underlying health issue to access activity with the support of qualified instructors. Other programmes include walking football for older adults and a wide range of after school and holiday programmes for children. The team also run physical literacy programmes in schools designed to teach movement skills, and they deliver the schools swimming programme.

W: www.jerseysport.je E: info@jerseysport.je T: +44 (0) 1534 757 700 Based at the Main Pavilion, FB Fields, St Clement

WellBeing World brings together more than 160 categories of health and wellbeing, with a quick and easy online search for the practitioner, supplier or retailer to suit your needs. Check us out, now!

www.wellbeingworld.je

WELLBEING BUSINESS DIRECTORY

SHALBECK LIFE CENTRE

Learning Support: Enhance reading, writing and mathematics, improve memory and study skills.

Health Support: Ease the mind, release stress, address physical symptoms and improve health.

How? Reflex Stimulation, Aromatherapy Massage, Health Kinesiology, Acupressure, Reflexology, Sound Therapy, Counselling, and Peaceful Living Workshops.

WBW Reader Offer: 10% discount on sessions.

Skype appointments available.

W: www.shalbecklifecentre.com E: claire@shalbeckcentre.com T: +44 (0) 7797 714758 Claire +44 (0) 7829 856976 Juanita 25 Pier Road, St Helier, Jersey Also monthly at Avenue Clinic, Guernsey

THE FOODSTATE COMPANY

Naturally Good The Foodstate Company exists to provide the finest range of food-based supplements created in the most natural and healthy form available. Because their nutrients are created as foods you can be confident that your body can absorb, use and retain them naturally. At a time when farm soils are desperately deplete of the essential nutrients that give us our health, their foodbased supplements provide the perfect alternative to better health and a stronger immunity. Follow them on Facebook for daily health tips!

W: www.thefoodstatecompany.com E: enquiries@thefoodstatecompany.com T: +44 (0) 1534 855 280 98

SILKWORTH CHARITY GROUP

We provide hope for those that suffer with drug and/ or alcohol addiction, together with support for families and significant others. Our services are available to anyone in our local community, through statutory or personal referral, regardless of an individual’s ability to pay or not. These include; Residential Treatment Programme, Family Programme, Recovery Day Programme, Secondary Care Programme, Children’s ( 7 to 12 year old ) Programme, Workplace Education Programme, and our Schools Programme.

W: www.silkworthlodge.co.uk E: info@silkworthlodge.co.uk T: +44 (0) 1534 729 060

TRAVEL COUNSELLORS

Your Travel Counsellor is an expert travel planner who will take the time to get to know you and tailor your perfect travel plans whether you're looking for a weekend escape, a business trip, a faraway adventure, precious family time together, or the most romantic honeymoon.

Your personal Travel Counsellor will give you the very best, hassle free travel advice so you can just relax and recuperate, or explore and discover.

W: www.travelcounsellors.co.uk/sandrine.martin E: Sandrine.martin@travelcounsellors.com T: +44 (0) 7797 836 874

There is nothing more valuable than good health and wellbeing.

WellBeing World seeks to support you to move, be motivated and to create the best you can be: • All things Health & Wellness • Sports & Fitness, Happiness & Joy • And much more to Inspire, Relax and Make You Feel GOOD Register for more info at www.wellbeingworld.je