Innholdsfortegnelse for January 2020 i In The Moment

With a new year on the horizon, our thoughts turn naturally to future hopes and plans. For some of us, motivation is high and we feel excited about adventures to come. For others, the cold weather and dark mornings can be a struggle and we feel the urge to hibernate rather than take on new challenges. Whatever our frame of mind, a practice that can help us to begin the new year with a positive outlook is actually to devote some time to looking back. It’s a ritual that I have found to be invaluable, especially in the face of difficult times. Reflecting on the year that’s passed; focusing, in particular, on those little bursts of sunshine that have brought us joy, is a reminder that grey clouds will pass,…

Feeling inspired I’m a new fan of your lush magazine. I now have four issues and can’t wait for the next one! I loved your solo travel article. I’ve never travelled alone before but would love to try as I believe it would give me my own sense of freedom and greater confidence in travel. I’m happily married but often find I rely heavily on my husband to organise the travel side of things so would love to be able to do this by myself. Vicky Hannagan, via email Back in the club I gave up on buying women’s magazines years ago – then I saw a new kind of magazine, like In The Moment, with interesting and intelligent articles, so I started buying magazines again. Suzanne Smith, via Facebook…

Just one in five cyclists in the UK are women, and in winter this number drops even lower. Yet now is a great time of year to get on your bike. Spending time exercising outdoors will boost your vitamin D and endorphin levels, helping to combat those winter blues. Cycling is also safer in winter, compared to the summer months. “Vehicle speeds are the real issue, and they tend to drop in the winter,” says Anders Swanson, founder of Winter Bike to Work Day. The key to keeping your wheels moving all season long? Preparation. Making sure your bike is ready whatever the weather throws at you is important. Canyon (canyon.com) offer bikes for all terrains especially designed for women, while Get Cycling’s recumbent fat bikes are ideal for handling…

Gemma Barry is a holistic practitioner and a well woman specialist. “It basically means I help women kick their period problems in the butt – through natural methods!” she explains. “I believe in ending period shame and breaking the silence around our menstrual cycles with a good dose of compassionate humour.” Gemma was working as a nurse when she was diagnosed with endometriosis. “Like most women with this condition, I spent 10 years having periods that were the stuff of nightmares before I got the diagnosis,” she remembers. “I went back and forth to health professionals, but felt desperately unheard – all I got back was that periods hurt or that I should have a baby to sort it all out.” After she started passing out from the pain, exploratory…

Imagine there was a simple routine you could carry out with various exercises that just took 10 minutes or so, which you could use every morning to set you up for the day. Just like your morning tea or coffee, they would become part of how you get ready for the world. The routine wouldn’t be vigorous or demanding, just something that helps you feel more at home in your body, more settled in your feelings, and clearer in your mind. This is what sophrology provides, and its exercises will have you feeling the benefits immediately. It’s a system of mind-body training that’s simple to learn, and it can radically improve your quality of life. But it offers much more than that. It offers an entire path of self-development that…

We are often encouraged to look on the bright side, and at times we might even find ourselves avoiding those who see the glass as half empty – pessimists just aren’t all that much fun to be around. Energy and enthusiasm are contagious and can buoy us up; equally, negativity can deflate, infect or simply irritate. Studies demonstrate that there’s more to being upbeat than popularity: according to researchers, optimistic people tend to live longer and are less likely to experience mental health issues. A positive mental attitude has been linked to boosted immunity, better cardiovascular health and even heightened resistance to the common cold. It’s often credited, too, with helping people to find the strength to battle against various life-threatening illnesses. With so much in favour of optimism, it’s…

Talking out loud to ourselves can help us to achieve a flow state. Record yourself saying the following words and use it as a mindful meditation either before a yoga practice or at the beginning and end of the day. “As you breathe in, you notice how it feels to join in with the flow. As you relax into this new way of being, you know what it’s like to feel bliss, calm and tranquility. The more you join in, the easier it is for you to move this feeling through all aspects of your life, moving freely and effortlessly now. You are great at listening to your body’s needs, and paying attention to the tension within it and releasing it.”…

In times of stress, we sometimes turn our attention to the breath, but when we are panicking our breath becomes shallow and fast. The breath may feel elusive and awareness of this only makes us feel worse. When we feel like this, the best thing we can do is to ground ourselves by connecting with the earth beneath us. We can do this most easily through our feet. Turn your attention to the feet. Feel the sensations of your feet in contact with the floor. Push down slightly through the bottom of the feet. It is as if your feet were glued to the floor. The ground is solid beneath your feet. Explore these sensations – perhaps a sense of ‘shoe’ or ‘sock’. Wiggle your toes if you’d like to.…

Gluten-free is trending, with influencers and celebrities extolling the health benefits of a gluten-free diet. For those with coeliac disease or a wheat allergy, these benefits are clear and life-changing, but does that mean we should all go gluten free? Is gluten the enemy of a healthy gut? Gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley and rye and so is a component of many foods. It is most obviously found in bread, pasta, breakfast cereals, flour, pastry, pizza bases, cakes and biscuits but it’s also present in many soups, sauces, malted drinks, ready meals, sausages and other processed foods. In those with coeliac disease (a lifelong autoimmune disease affecting 1 in 100 people in the UK), gluten causes an immune response which inflames the lining of the small intestine,…

Sweet like chocolate No one can resist a good chocolate cake and with Amisa’s organic mix, baking a gluten free version is quick and easy. This family business uses only natural ingredients which are ethically and sustainably sourced – find them at Planet Organic, Wholefoods, Ocado and independent health food stores. £4.19 amisa.co.uk Moreish bakes Satisfy every sweet craving – whether you’re looking for quick bakes, new takes on classic favourites or a showstopper – with recipes from Vegan Treats by Emma Hollingsworth (Octopus Books). Emma’s recipes are not only vegan but also gluten and refined-sugar free so they’re great for practically any diet. £16.99 foyles.co.uk Brownies in a box Whip up a batch of vegan Oreo brownies with this make-at-home kit from A Kind Mama. Eve, who runs the…

Book an Open Water course with Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) or Scuba School International (SSI), either locally or somewhere close to your next holiday destination. It is more comfortable to learn in warm water. Once you’ve been tested on the theory behind Scuba diving (e.g. how water pressure changes and the effect of nitrogen levels in your bloodstream at various depths), your PADI- or SSI-approved instructor will take you into shallow water or to a pool, to teach you how to use the basic equipment. Once comfortable, you can try on Scuba tanks, breathing apparatus (regulators), buoyancy control devices (BCD) and weights (to even out your buoyancy in the water). You will go on short, shallow dives to learn how to feel comfortable underwater wearing the full diving…

Versatile bamboo BAM’s new, flowing jersey yoga trousers are perfect for asanas and airplanes alike. Bamboo is a wonder fabric for travelling, as it’s naturally antibacterial and moisture managing (not to mention planet-friendly). The fabric offers 50+ UV protection and is loose and cool to wear – perfect for tropical countries. £44 bambooclothing.co.uk Roll on relaxation Find calm wherever you are with these essential oil blends from Neal’s Yard. The four pocket-sized oils include ‘Energy’, ‘Night Time’, ‘Relaxation’ and ‘Travel’ – pop them on your pulse points to relax after yoga or to help ease jet lag. At 9ml each, you can take all four with you in your cabin bag allowance without a worry. £28 nealsyardremedies.com Get a grip Even if you usually go barefoot, grippy yoga socks are…

“Happiness is not a goal… it is a by-product of a life well lived.”Eleanor Roosevelt Welcome to A Year of Life Lessons. Filled with positive thoughts, wise words and reflections, use this journalling book to inspire and empower you today and over the coming year. With life lessons on themes from courage and inner strength to happiness and accepting sadness, you’ll also find space to record your own learnings, inspiring quotes and affirmations. Courage “You will not always be able to solve all of the world’s problems at once but don’t ever underestimate the importance you can have, because history has shown us that courage can be contagious and hope can take on a life of its own.”Michelle Obama Lawyer & author “Don’t decide not to try something because you are…

Desmond & Dempsey are on a mission to get everyone savouring their Sundays. Inspired by their Sunday morning breakfasts in bed, co-creators Joel and Molly started designing gorgeous and comfy printed pjs for the whole family, encouraging quality time spent together or some quiet time just for you. They also offer a free slow Sunday paper, featuring stories and articles to inspire relaxation and self-reflection – perfect for those cold January days. desmondanddempsey.com…

Do you find it difficult to keep focused on a task, a conversation with a friend or reading a book? If your attention span has become that of a gnat’s, it’s worth thinking about how improving your focus can reap its own reward. It’s very easy to blame social media, the persistent distractions that mean our focus is constantly eroded. But I can’t help feeling it’s up to us to recognise this and take those steps necessary to regain the ability to properly focus on one thing at a time. Yes, regain, because it comes naturally to small children (as long as they’re not hungry, tired or distracted) to focus on something – whether it’s a dog’s wagging tail, a favourite toy or investigating their reflection. They are, effectively, lost…

Think of what you love: Ask yourself, what excites me? What challenges me? What makes my heart sing? It will be different for all of us. We all have a unique way of seeing the world and it’s important to choose things that you really want to do. Think big and small: Consider all of the things you want to do – internally and externally. It could be riding a horse, driving around a race track, visiting places that you have wanted to go for a while, starting a book group, cooking for friends or practically anything else. Be kind to yourself: Consider what things may be good for you and your self-care routine – it could be starting therapy, doing a mindfulness course or simply taking space each day…

Why can’t things go back to how they were at the start?’ It’s a frequent lament from my clients struggling to reconcile reality with the perfect picture in their minds. The answer: Because it’s not the beginning anymore. In the beginning, everything is new, shiny and unknown. We wear our best underwear; put out the best version of us; can barely keep our hands off each other; and there’s first after first. And then the real getting-to-know each other begins. For many of us, this is a good thing, and our relationship deepens in intimacy as it progresses. But for some of us, the more ‘predictable’ our relationship becomes, the less invested we are, or certainly the more convinced we become that something is wrong. In these instances, the post-honeymoon…

The news about climate change is buzzing more than ever, with scientists claiming that we have less than 12 years left to reverse it and some experts even stating that it’s no longer reversible. Many species, including our own, are being displaced from their homes in light of the changes we are seeing. Companies seem to be slow to change, governments even slower, and many environmental activists, including myself, look at our current situation in despair, often experiencing something called ‘eco-anxiety.’ This is now recognised by psychological associations as depression, anxiety, grief, despair, and stress caused directly or indirectly by climate change. This past Earth Day, I felt eco-anxiety creep up on me: while it was supposed to be a day to celebrate taking care of our planet, all I…

It’s a question I’ve been asking my 13-year-old son who’ll be choosing his GCSEs next year. But it’s also a question I’m asking myself. At 43, I think I should probably have figured it out long ago but it turns out there may be more than one answer. Back in the early nineties when I was up in front of the school careers counsellor, I had no real idea of what I wanted to do with my future. It seemed like such a big question for such a small person, and the thought of making decisions about which subjects to study felt overwhelming. Author of Eat Pray Love, Elizabeth Gilbert defines four different types of work: ‘A hobby is something you do because it’s fun and you like it and…

CURIOSITY is the touchstone of mindfulness practice. When we are curious about our experience we become interested in what is happening to us. This creates a sense of ‘witnessing’ that prevents us from becoming embroiled in the emotion. We are not interested in ‘why’ but simply ‘what’. If we are focused on achieving a specific result we can be blind to the myriad possibilities that might also arise and so we practise NON–STRIVING. We remind ourselves that the best way to get anywhere is to focus on what’s here right now. When we are pulled away by our thoughts in our practice, we practise LETTING GO of the thought, the pins and needles, the emotions. Through letting go we learn to be with how things really are – whether good, bad or indifferent. In…

This week, my daughter has decided she hates dreams. Not just the nightmares or those eerily unsettling ones – it’s all dreams, a blanket ban that has seen her refusing bedtime for the last few nights. “They’re just stories your brain makes up,” I try to console her. “It’s your brilliant imagination having fun.” But in the scary small hours this is scant comfort. It’s sweet – and at 9pm when I’ve still got work to finish, a little bit frustrating. But it’s also entirely understandable, I think. A brain able to conjure up anything in the universe is a pretty big burden for anyone to handle, let alone a six-year-old. In this way, I see creativity as something of a double-edged sword. With the ability to make something wonderful…

What does “doing the right thing” consist of when you have to make the rules for yourself? For Simone de Beauvoir – philosopher, novelist, feminist, and the subject of this biography – that question sat at the heart of her work. It was also central to her life. She was born in 1908 and died in 1986, which meant she saw the extraordinary transformations of the twentieth century. Some of them, she helped to shape. Her 1949 book The Second Sex laid the groundwork for second-wave feminism and was an international bestseller. As modern celebrity was just being invented, she became one of the most famous (or infamous) women in the world. But she wasn’t famous as an individual: she was famous as part of an intellectual power couple thanks…

NORTHERN AND SOUTHERN ATOLLS, MALDIVES Manta rays are drawn in by the plankton on which they feed, usually between November and April in the western side of the atolls and from May to October on the eastern side. Photographs of individual mantas can be uploaded to the Maldivian Manta Ray Project app for identification and monitoring. Find out more at mantatrust.org NINGALOO REEF, WESTERN AUSTRALIA Snorkel with the largest fish on the planet – the whale shark – between April and August, as they migrate and feed along western Australian waters. Ningaloo Whale Shark ‘n’ Dive (nigaloowhalesharkndive.com.au) takes daily tours with qualified marine biologists, who teach you about behaviour and life cycle in between swim sessions. RED SEA, EGYPT Just a short flight away from the UK, the Red Sea…

Food shop done. Washing basket empty. School run sorted. Work emails answered. Pilates and yoga classes swapped. Doodle polls checked. Toiletries decanted. I’ve just ticked the final thing on my ‘going away to-do list’ and I’m exhausted. “How long are you away?” enquires husband. “Is the fridge full?” calls out son number one. “Who’s driving me to school?” asks son number two. Then, in unison: “Have fun!” “You need this,” says my mum as I hug her farewell. I’m going on a four-day retreat and it feels like I’m emigrating. It’s not surprising, then, that while we all understand how self-care should be a priority, many of us struggle to fit it into our busy lives. I’ve improved my everyday self-care lately, tweaking my morning and evening routines to include…

1 LOTTIE STOREY A writer, editor and podcast host, Lottie is also our new columnist. In the coming months, she'll be sharing all she's learnt from going back to uni and pursuing a career change in her 40s. Read Lottie's column on page 64 and find her advice on coping positively with change in her feature on page 22 2 SIOBHAN MASON Siobhan is a freelance health and parenting writer living in Bristol. She loves Zumba, Pilates and ambling round Bristol's beautiful harbourside. This issue, Siobhan investigates gluten (page 72) and the therapeutic powers of baking (page 78). 3 KAREN EDWARDS Karen has spent the past few years travelling the globe and is eager to raise awareness of climate change and ethical travel. Read more at travelbutterfly.com Karen explores the…

We usually associate seaweed with a visit to the beach, or as a tasty, salty ingredient in asian cooking, but recent studies suggest that this sea green is doing more than providing structural support to our sushi. “Seaweed is this incredible technology of Mother Nature,” says restorative ocean farmer Bren Smith, who cultivates kelp, a type of seaweed, on his vertical farm in the Atlantic Ocean. Bren describes kelp as a ‘zero-input food’, as it doesn’t need feeding or fertilising. It's list of benefits is impressive. This sea veggie filters the water where it grows, capturing as much as five times more carbon than land-based plants, as well as acting as an artificial reef and offering storm protection. Once harvested, it is an excellent fertiliser, a great biofuel source and…

HOMEMADE YOGHURT 1 Pour 1 pint of dairy milk of your choosing into a saucepan. Slowly heat until almost bubbling, stirring regularly to avoid burning (around 90°C). Leave to cool until hot to the touch (around 45°C). 2 While cooling, add 1 tbsp of live yoghurt to a large hot drink flask – you will only need to do this the first time, then you can continue to make your own yoghurt from your homemade version. 3 Pour a small amount of milk from the saucepan into the flask and stir to combine with the yoghurt, then add the rest of the hot milk. Stir gently. 4 Secure the lid on the flask and then leave it for 6-8 hours, without moving or shaking it. For a stronger taste, leave…

Talking Tastebuds Foodie and climate activist Venetia Falconer interviews wellbeing experts about their journey through life via their favourite foods. Each meal uncovers connections between what we eat and how we think, feel and interact with the world around us. Kitchen Club Get inspired for your next dinner party as guests join hosts Sarah and Serena to tuck into dishes made using their three favourite ingredients, while enjoying honest chats about everything from being your own boss to sexual wellbeing. The Doctor’s Kitchen Podcast We know Dr Rupy Aujla for his healthy recipes and easy-to-follow advice, and his podcast offers all this and more. Guests from different backgrounds share how food can help us to get more out of other areas of our lives too.…

Change is inevitable, or so begins page after page of inspirational Pinterest quotes. But knowing this to be true doesn’t alter the way change feels (and it rarely feels good). Why not? What is actually happening inside our brains when we’re faced with change? Psychotherapist and mental health educator, Sarah Jane Crosby (@themindgeek), explains: “The body experiences, it doesn’t moralise. The brain is of no exception. Change, whether good or bad, impacts our brain in the same way – it creates new neural pathways. The brain is creating memories and adapting to new experiences. But as a species, we are primed for survival. In the face of change, we may feel the pull back to old patterns and old relationships. The uncertainty that accompanies change alerts us to potential danger…

Q I always worry about saying the wrong thing to people, even with good friends I’ve known for years. I replay conversations I’ve had in my head, agonising over whether I’ve said something stupid or inappropriate, or if I’ve upset someone. This especially happens after I’ve had a few white wines and then I get really anxious the next morning that I’ve said something offensive and people will think I’m a bad person. It’s not just when I drink – I do it at work as well. I’m always worried about how I come across to people and what they think of me. I can spend days, weeks, months going over something I think I shouldn’t have said. Sometimes I’ll send a message apologising in case I've upset someone. I…

While we know that dietary fibre is essential to our digestive system, increasing our intake can actually have many varied benefits. Fibre is a plant-based complex carbohydrate, which we cannot digest or absorb, meaning that it passes through the body relatively intact. It can be split into two types – insoluble and soluble. Insoluble fibre, as the name suggests, does not dissolve in water and is left intact as food moves through the digestive tract. This type is found in the seeds and skins of fruit, nuts and wholemeal bread and grains and is vital in promoting good digestive health by helping to keep the digestive tract flowing. Soluble fibre dissolves in water and is broken down into a gel-like substance as it moves through the body. It has more…

The word ‘flow’ is often associated with yoga – used to define the type of yoga class, or even a sequence of movements within each practice. On a physical level, the art of flow within yoga is to help build strength, gain flexibility and tap into your body’s intelligence system. But there are more heartful ways to perceive this concept. Ganga White, author of Yoga Beyond Belief (North Atlantic Books), summarises it perfectly: “Flow is the art of staying fresh and alive, like a river, in touch and present with the flowing changes of the moment in our practice and in our life.” We can use it to create physical mindfulness, guiding us to know what is right for our bodies on any given day or moment, and also to…

Chronic stress at work creeps up on us unexpectedly. Perhaps a co-worker is sick or there’s a freeze on hiring or even redundancies, and we are asked to pick up the slack. Maybe there is a change in management and consequently a shift in culture and what is expected of us. Perhaps we get a promotion that brings with it new responsibilities. Whatever the circumstance, there is a change that affects us. This happened to me. Over a period of time, my personality changed as I was expected to take on an increasing workload. I became short-tempered and much less tolerant. I would keep particular storylines alive outside of work and while recounting earlier events, those negative thoughts would have a direct impact on my body – I could feel…

There is something so warming and comforting about the aroma of baking; the feeling of cosiness and contentment it creates really can lift our spirits. Add to this the sensory act of making something with our hands and the mindful nature of following a recipe, and baking is a sure way to boost our mental wellbeing. Like other creative activities, such as painting or crocheting, baking can help us achieve a state of ‘flow’, a complete connection with the present moment. When we’re carefully measuring ingredients, sifting flour, kneading bread or whisking a cake mixture to the right consistency, we’re generally not worrying about the state of the world or fretting about things beyond our control. For Jane Mackintosh, 38, a project manager in a high-pressured environment, baking at the…

Do you greet January and the dawn of a new year as a chance to shake up your habits? I don’t believe in setting new year’s resolutions that aren’t realistic goals, but I definitely do recommend using the coming of a new year to reflect on things that make you happy. Then I like to spend time booking them in for the year ahead. If your happy list includes yoga and travel, there’s nothing better for a mental and physical boost than becoming a travelling yogi for a week or two. A yoga holiday or retreat is the perfect way to reboot, improve your practice, bump up your fitness levels and find some (often much-needed) inner peace. It’s something to look forward to on the darkest days of winter, and…

It was my first wedding anniversary and my husband and I were on holiday in France. As is usual with holidays, I’d begun thinking about what my life could be like beyond it. Until that point, I’d been working 80-hour weeks in a highly stressful industry. I suffered from migraines at least once a month. I wasn’t sleeping well, and my head was always full of the next thing. Something had to give. So when I received an email with the subject line, ‘So you want to be a coach’, I said out loud, “Yes!” By the end of that day, I had a plan. What I’d loved about my job was the personal development side of things. That lit me up and inspired me and so I had been…