Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue 11 i Gathered

From naps to big blocks of sleep, the way we snooze changes with age. But how do we know what's normal? Should an infant be sleeping through the night? Is waking before sunrise a problem? Can you sleep for eight hours but still feel tired the next day? These are just a few concerns regarding our sleeping habits. With the help of author and sleep expert Dr Neil Stanley we look at the sleep patterns for each age to assess what counts as ‘normal’ when we hit the hay. “You may blame hormones for why your teenager is moody, but it's more likely they're sleep deprived.“ Years 0-10: A vital stage of sleep for healthy development Sleep at this stage in life is crucial, as our brains and bodies are…

Losing a loved one is among the greatest challenges of being human and knowing that death will reach us all one day doesn't make the matter any easier. From person to person, culture to culture, bereavement can look and feel incredibly different. While some will solemnly mourn, others may collectively celebrate. Traditions and rituals surrounding death are as old as civilisation itself and death has always been an integral part of life. Despite its inevitability, in Western societies in particular, the focus remains on longevity rather than mortality. Death is a topic many still choose to avoid, until that choice is taken away. Grief, loss and tragedy may well be challenging topics of conversation, but they are important ones – and, in fact, it wasn't always difficult to talk about…

Up your tablescaping game and create your own bespoke vases! The high street is flooded right now with striped and checked ceramics, and you can design your own exclusive collection – that perfectly reflects your own personal style. Louise Grant (www.pimpupyourplants.com shares this super easy upcycle that will get you the latest look for displaying flowers, for less. Have a look in your local charity shops for vases and jugs, and remember, focus on the shape not the pattern, as you'll be painting over it. MATERIALS • Dulux emulsion paint in white and soft peach • Wickes emulsion paint in pink and blue • Orange, pink and yellow acrylic paint • Ceramic jug and vases • Mini paint roller • Paintbrushes • Masking tape • Gloss varnish 1. Prime the…

WILD FOREST AND FIELDS You can find wild flowers, foliage and hedgerows all over the countryside, and as long as you stick to plants that are growing wild, and it is for your own personal use, then there is no problem with foraging. Only pick what you need and be aware of protected species, which you are not allowed to pick (search for ‘Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981’ on www.legislation.gov.uk for more info). AVOID BOUGHT FLOWERS Try your best to stay away from ‘factory’ flowers found in supermarkets and instead look for UK grown blooms from farmers’ markets and local growers. There are lots of eco-friendly florists online who deliver homegrown British blooms. PLANT YOUR OWN Choose a couple of easy varieties to start off with for each season. To…

1. You're having a birthday party at your house, do you invite your work colleagues along too? A Yes – I am very close to the people I work with  B Maybe one or two, but I prefer to keep my professional and personal life separate  C No – we don't have anything in common 2. You have a problem with an extended family member, who do you vent your frustrations to? A Anyone who will listen  B A close friend, but definitely not my family  C Your private journal 3. After investing in an expensive new coat you've been saving up for, you decide to: A Be honest and tell others how much it cost if you're asked  B Give a ball-park answer without revealing too much  C Say…

While most sleep problems can be sorted out by making changes to your lifestyle, such as adopting a relaxing routine in the evening or avoiding alcohol before bedtime, it's worth speaking to your GP about certain issues. • If your sleeplessness is long-term, causing you to feel constantly tired or putting you in a low mood. • If anxious thoughts prevent you getting to sleep, or stop you getting back to sleep if you wake in the early hours. • If your partner often reports that you're snoring or even momentarily stopping breathing, and you wake up feeling tired. (These are signs of sleep apnoea, which is more common if you have a high body mass index.) • Menopausal women can see their GP about managing the symptoms of the…

The lingering effects of the stress and overindulgence can leave us bloated, foggy and more than a little jaded. Thankfully, we don't need to turn to deprivation to shake off this malaise. This is the time to nourish, rather than starve ourselves, so instead of hitting a restrictive diet, rejuvenate your body and mind with a gentle 7-day detox. As humans, we're actually detoxing all the time, not just when we've decided to go into ‘healthy’ mode. We have specific organs and systems that take care of detoxification, working together to break down and remove harmful substances within the body. Big players include the liver, kidneys and the digestive and lymphatic systems, but we mustn't forget about the lungs and skin too – they often bear the brunt when other…

Root vegetable soup Use your favourite veg to make a batch of hearty soup Ingredients (Makes a large batch) • 1 onion, chopped • 1 leek, chopped • 1 tbsp coconut oil • root vegetables, to taste • celery • 1 garlic clove • thumb-sized piece of fresh, peeled ginger • Fresh vegetable or chicken stock • Hemp seeds, to serve. METHOD In a large pan, soften the onion and leek in coconut oil on a gentle heat, then add the root veg, celery, garlic clove and ginger. Add the chicken stock to cover, then simmer until soft. Once cooled, blend until smooth. Sprinkle with hemp seeds to serve, and keep a batch in the fridge. White bean salad with cauli rice Swap white rice for a tasty homemade alternative…

From fields of dahlias, jam jars of sweet peas and bunches of wild ferns, I love botanicals in every form. The only downfall of course is that, after being picked, flowers don't last forever. The day soon comes when the water is stagnant, the petals have fallen and there's no option but to resign them to the compost heap. But what if you gave them another lease of life? Pressing plants is a brilliant way to make them last that bit longer and also to create some beautiful artwork for your home. Flower pressing has had a resurgence of late, filling Instagram feeds with pressed flower art and popping up in workshops and courses. As more of us yearn to escape the stresses of daily life by losing ourselves in…

YOU WILL NEED. • Flowers, foliage or leaves • Blotting paper • Iron • PVA Glue • Paint brush • Piece of card 1. After you've gathered your botanicals, lay them out on a sheet of blotting paper. Make sure to give each flower or stem enough room to be pressed. Place another sheet of blotting paper on top. 2. The traditional way to press is to place the blotting paper package between heavy books and leave it for around a week. However, you can also use an iron to dry them out if you don't want to wait. 3. Keep the iron on a low heat and press onto the paper. Don't move the iron around on the paper – it may damage the flowers.…

Myofascial release. It's said to be a massage like no other. I'd heard the term being bandied around in reverent tones for a while. “They're meant to be amazing, aren't they?” said one friend. “Apparently the release is incredible,” said another. Someone else reported that their husband had come across myofascial massage and it had “practically cured” his frozen shoulder and stiff neck. As someone who sits in front of a computer for a living, I was all too familiar with sore shoulders and neck niggles. I was in. Fascia is fast becoming the new buzzword in the wellness world. The seventh annual International Fascia Research Congress takes place in New Orleans this summer and everyone from professional sportspeople to stressed city workers to pregnant mothers are reaping the benefits.…

Fill your kitchen cupboards with food to soothe and nourish you through your 7-day plan • Lots of fresh, colourful vegetables, salads and fruits – they provide your body with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Eat some salads raw, but generally cook your vegetables – many contain antioxidants that are better absorbed in their cooked state. • Liver-friendly onions, garlic, leeks, broccoli, kale, carrots, beetroot, asparagus, artichoke, lemons and apples – they will boost your liver and gallbladder function. • Protein from eggs, fish, beans, pulses, chicken, nuts and seeds provides amino acids vital for detoxification. Eat with every meal and go organic if you can. • Healthy fats from avocados, nuts and seeds, olive oil and fatty fish – they fill you up, nourish cells and fight inflammation. • Wheat-free…

Banana chia porridge Prep an overnight breakfast that will give you a boost Ingredients (Serves two) • 450ml unsweetened almond, hemp or cashew milk • 2 mashed bananas • 80g chia seeds • ½ tsp cinnamon • berries, to serve METHOD Mix together the mashed bananas and milk, then stir in the chia seeds and cinnamon thoroughly. Cover and place in the fridge overnight, or for several hours, before serving. Top with fresh berries, and a drizzle of maple syrup if desired. Bircher muesli Mix powerhouse ingredients into a delicious cereal Ingredients (Serves two) • 1 cup of oats • 1 cup of almond, hemp or cashew milk • 1 tsp raw honey (optional), • Handful of seeds (such as sunflower and pumpkin) • Handful of chopped nuts (such as…

Chicken stir-fry Whip up a quick, tasty meal with a rainbow of vegetables Ingredients (Serves two) • 2 chicken breasts • 1 red onion, chopped • 1 tbsp coconut oil • 1 clove of garlic, minced • Rainbow vegetables, chopped (broccoli, peppers, asparagus, carrots) • 1 can beansprouts • Gluten-free tamari sauce • Cooked brown rice, to serve METHOD In a wok, soften the red onion in the coconut oil. Add the chicken breast and cook for a few minutes, then add the vegetables, beansprouts, garlic and tamari sauce. Continue to cook on a high heat until the chicken is cooked through. Serve with brown rice. Quinoa detox salad Combine vegetables, seeds and grains into a superfood salad Ingredients (Serves one) • ½ tin chickpeas • Handful pumpkin seeds •…

We book in check-ups to make sure our bodies are functioning well, we exercise to keep our physical stamina at its peak and we have appraisals to ensure our work is up to scratch. So why, when relationships are perhaps the biggest connections we can make in life, don't we consider a relationship health-check? The fact is, relationships can be complicated, and facing up to potential problems can be daunting. But being willing to ask yourself tough questions doesn't mean that you are pre-empting a failure. Instead, see it as an honest way to be sure that you aren't going to end up in a painful situation further down the line. After all, if you are hoping to spend the rest of your life with someone, surely it's best to…

You're a caring mother, a loyal friend, a valuable employee and a loving partner. You live and lead passionately, devoting most of your time to those around you. It's what everyone loves and admires about you. Yet your caring nature and constant giving can leave you feeling drained and overloaded if you don't save a little bit of that compassion for a certain VIP… Self-care is one of our most basic human needs, yet it can (and often does!) get bumped off the to-do list in place of more urgent and important tasks. But what can possibly be a higher priority than your own wellbeing? Without it, you'll be struggling or surviving – not thriving – and supporting others becomes much harder too. Spending even a little time on you…