Indholdsfortegnelse for August 2016 i Top Sante

There’s nothing better than being outdoors in the great British countryside at this time of year. That’s why we were excited to learn about a new trend for forest bathing, which takes your regular walk one step further (p18) by helping you become mindful at every moment so you truly appreciate and benefit from your surroundings. Did you know, for example, that even the smell of pine trees has a hugely positive effect on your health? Another outdoor activity I can’t wait to try is natural, open-water swimming (p62). There’s a shallow river that runs behind our office, and I’ve been longing to take a dip ever since seeing other people doing it. We’ve packed in loads of great nutrition advice too this month, from boosting your health with the…

THE LONG AND languid days of summer bring with them many adventures, whether that’s venturing out on your bike, getting lost for hours in an enthralling book or jetting off on holiday. Whatever you’ve got planned, it’s useful to know that you can keep yourself pepped in natural ways so that you can continue to feel alert, bright and ready for absolutely anything. Read on to discover eight easy ways to increase your energy levels in fewer than two minutes, any time of day... 1 IRON INCREASE LEVELS This mineral is vital for normal blood function, which, in turn, keeps your body energised. ‘Iron is a building block for red blood cells, which feed organs with oxygen,’ says dietician Sarah Brown. A 125g portion of leafy greens such as kale…

Whinlatter Forest, Lake District The Whinlatter is England’s only true mountain forest, created in the 1940s. It has peaceful woodland paths clearly marked out, such as the mile-long Revelin Moss trail. It winds through mature conifers and silver birch, the latter of which has been used in alternative medicine for years. It also feels wonderful to touch, so you can make full use of this sense during your session. Visit forestry.gov.uk/whinlatter. The New Forest, Hampshire This woodland has been in existence for 1,000 years and some of the oak trees are said to be 500 years old, making this a wonderful place to fully appreciate nature’s power and our place in the world. Head there in the early mornings when there’ll be few people around. Stand a while and watch…

While spontaneity is positive, being impulsive is less good for us. But you might be wondering what the difference is between the two. Impulsivity is described as doing something with little thought for the consequences, i.e. booking a weekend at the most expensive hotel in Paris when you’re already at your overdraft limit just to cheer yourself up. Being spontaneous is booking a weekend in Paris because you’ve got some cash left this month. If you find yourself erring towards impulsive behaviour, take a few steps back and think. Ask yourself what are the positive and negative consequences of these actions – and listen to what sensible you is saying!…

Wild swimming boosts your mood, works wonders for your immune system andmakes you feel fantastic. THE REFRESHING FEEL O cool, crisp water lappin gently over your shoulder the faint rustle of trees an calming hum of birdson filling the air; the impressiv view of rolling hills and the sensation of all your worries melting away. Sounds idyllic, doesn’t it? There’s something truly spectacular about wild swimming that can’t be matched by indoor pools. ‘The sky’s your ceiling when you’re swimming outside,’ says wild swimming enthusiast, Sophie Pierce, co-author of Wild Swimming Walks, Dartmoor and South Devon (£14.99, Wild Things Publishing Ltd). ‘You can enjoy bright blue sky, errant clouds and mist patterns.’ And there’s a plethora of health benefits to this more adventurous of activities, which is accessible to a…

3 of the best... SUMMER COMPLEXION COMPACTS Stila All-In-One Color Correcting Palette (1) (£32.50, stila.co.uk) contains five cream colour correctors and two tinted setting powders so you can customise your coverage. It’s formulated with vitamins A, C and E plus a complex of 15 easily absorbed minerals to help diminish the appearance of pores and fine lines, while controlling oil. Teoxane Cosmeceuticals Re[cover] Complexion SPF50 (2) (£35, uk.teoxane-beauty.com) contains hydrating hyaluronic acid, healing vitamin E and high-strength SPF. It can be used to conceal redness, blemishes or dark circles. Charlotte Tilbury Instant Look Palette (3) (£49, charlottetilbury.com) gives your complexion a natural glow thanks to the Face Bronze and Highlight, but also contains three eye shadows and two blushers to enhance your features, whether for a subtle day look or…

WE ALL LOVE THE LOOK and feel of super-smooth legs below a summer dress or pair of shorts, and, thankfully, there’s a natural solution that’s inexpensive and long-lasting to help us achieve just that. ‘Waxing lifts hairs out from the root, so there’s no stubbly regrowth,’ says Alley Laundry, waxing expert at Parissa, which makes natural wax and sugaring products. ‘It lasts weeks longer than shaving and there’s no nicks, cuts or rash. Waxing at home is just as efficient as salon waxing and more convenient and cost-effective, too.’ Sugaring has similar benefits. ‘It beats less natural methods of hair removal because it protects skin,’ explains Rosie Khandwala, founder of Sugar StripEase. Sugaring exfoliates without damaging skin and won’t cause ingrown hairs.’ Natural methods are ideal for sensitive skin. Regrowth…

HYDRATE WITH GEL Origins Hit Refresh Cooling Moisturizer (£28, origins.co.uk) is a lightweight, water-based gel cream. It’s infused with Hawaiian mineral water and wild mint, and it absorbs fast to leave skin feeling smoother and cooler. APPLY ICY SPF Keep you skin cool and comfortable with Piz Buin Protect & Cool Refreshing Sun Mousse SPF30 (£9, boots.com). Its alcohol-free foam texture has an icy sensation to soothe overheated skin. REVIVE WITH A MIST Keep Crabtree & Evelyn Citron, Honey & Coriander Body Mist (£15, crabtree-evelyn.co.uk) in the fridge. Scented with lemon leaf, bergamot and coriander, the spritz instantly cools and invigorates. TRY A NATURAL ROLL ON Underarms will stay fresh all day in a natural way with Dr Organic Aloe Vera Deodorant (£5.79, hollandandbarrett.com). The liquid cream contains organic aloe…

TIP 1 RELAX IN THE RUN UP Enjoy a bit of downtime during the days preceding your trip to allow your immune system to reboot. Too much stress in daily life can increase your cortisol levels which, in turn, lowers your immune system, so when you do finally relax, you can become ill. With a few simple breathing exercises at the beginning and end of the day, you can start to lower these levels. Sit quietly and focus on something, such as a single candle flame, while breathing in for four seconds and out for four. If your mind wanders, bring it gently back to your breath. Do this for five minutes. TIP 2 SLEEP WELL WHILE YOU'RE AWAY Holidays are for relaxing, but so often it's difficult to sleep…

SUMMER holiday season is upon us, when normal life can stay on hold for a week or two and that wonderful realisation that you are ‘on holiday’ sets in. Everyone’s idea of a perfect break is different. Some want adventure, some the thrill of a new city, others the total relaxation of a lounger beside a hotel pool. For me, the ultimate getaway is one that involves going somewhere that truly is far, far away fr m it all – and by ‘all’, I mean no phone signal, no Internet, no TV. ‘I want…’ I said to my husband one year when I had been working flat out and had barely been at home, ‘...to find a little shack in the middle of nowhere. I want to read books, eat…

Pushing yourself out of your comfort zone will help to boost your brain health. WHEN I think back over my best memories, it’s often the spontaneous events that stick out in my mind. As one of life’s planners, this surprises me, but Professor Edward Slingerland of the Center for Advanced Studies in the Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, says it’s no surprise at all. ‘Because there are no expectations with a spontaneous event, we’re more likely to have a good time – and good things stick in our mind,’ he explains. ‘Being spontaneous also sees you living totally in the moment, as opposed to thinking about future or past plans, which means you’re more likely to recall it.’ Creating good memories isn’t the only benefit of spontaneity – it’s a fun,…

CRAB PEPPERS Serves 4. Sauté one stick of celery, 2 chopped tomatoes, 1 finely chopped clove of garlic and 4 spring onions in 1 tbsp nut oil. Mix with 180g crabmeat, and stuff into bell pepper halves (you’ll need two peppers). Season with salt and pepper, top with a slice of halloumi if desired, and bake on 180°C for 30 mins. COLEY WITH A LIME AND CASHEW CRUST Serves 4. Preheat oven to 180°C. Mix 4 tbsp cashew butter with the juice and zest of one lime, 2 tsp chopped parsley, plus salt and pepper. Spread onto four skinless and boneless coley fillets, and bake for 20 mins. Serve with a summer salad or bulgur wheat.…

1 Overbeck Bridge, Wastwater, Lake District England’s deepest lake has white quartz beaches and the clearest water. Overlooked by Scafell Pike and with a lane that runs along its entire length, it’s a sensational swimming location. 2 WATERFALL WOODS, BRECON BEACONS, WALES You’ll struggle to find a more impressive network of turquoise forest lidos and waterfalls anywhere in Wales. Start at Pontneddfechan and you’ll find swimming spots all the way to Sgwd Gwladys, or Lady Falls. 3 Sharrah Pool, Dartmoor, Devon Sharrah is the largest pool on this wild and wonderful river stretch of the Dart Valley Nature Reserve and best for waterfalls. It’s long and deep and surrounded by ancient forest. 4 GRANTCHESTER MEADOWS, CAMBRIDGESHIRE You can swim anywhere along the two-mile riverside meadow path that leads up into…

Sunscreen containing ingredients such as shea butter will help to hydrate skin. WHETHER you’re holidaying abroad or planning days out in the UK, protecting your skin from the sun is a given. Covering up with clothing or sunscreen during the hottest part of the day is the easiest way to enjoy the sunshine, and when it comes to choosing a sunscreen, you’re spoiled for choice. As well as deciding on the SPF – the number that indicates roughly how long you can spend in the sun before reddening – you need to choose the formula that will best suit your skin. Decades ago, the choice was between the newest chemical-based sunscreens, which were non-greasy, invisible and nicer to use but could cause sensitivity, or more natural, physical ‘sunblocks’, which worked…

CREATE YOURSELF A LUXURY CUSTOM BREAK The choice is all yours this month, as we’re offering you £800 towards a luxury spa break for two, redeemable at any QHotels location* . You and a guest can each experience an overnight stay in the hotel of your choice, a three-course dinner for two, full use of the spa facilities and a luxury treatment. With 24 locations throughout the UK, QHotels’ spa portfolio includes Stratford-upon-Avon, Cambridge, Oxford and many more. Why not try Oulton Hall in Leeds, where you’ll stay in a unique 18th century mansion and doze in custom-made beds that are the very height of comfort? Or maybe head to Cheltenham Chase Hotel, where the spa boasts an indoor swimming pool, Jacuzzi, sauna and steam room. Treat yourself to a…

Advice you can trust Christine Bailey is an award-winning nutritionist, chef and author. Visit christinebailey.co.uk. SUMMER BRINGS A wealth of fresh produce and the opportunity to dine outside enjoying healthy, seasonal food. Whether you are visiting farmers’ markets or growing your own, celebrate local summer fruits and vegetables, which are often more nutritious and delicious when picked at their peak ripeness. Berries such as strawberries are packed with vitamin C, fibre and protective antioxidants. Courgettes are low in calories and high in soluble fibre for digestive health. Tomatoes are at their best at this time of year and are a great source of lycopene and other carotenoids, which are plant pigments that help protect against sun damage. You tend to spend more time outdoors in the summer months and this…

WE ALL TRY TO STAY AS fit and healthy as possible but there’s a chance that once in a while we may need to see a doctor. From troublesome knees to cranky ankles, getting little – or big – niggles ironed out quickly means you can get back to doing the things you love sooner. ‘The population is becoming increasingly active, and while this is great for the health of the nation, there are more activity-related injuries occurring,’ says David Houlihan-Burne, consultant orthopaedic surgeon at BMI Bishops Wood Hospital. ‘When you injure yourself, you want to be treated and get back to your sport and exercise and continue to lead a healthy life again as soon as possible. ‘BMI healthcare offers self-pay treatments, with the ability to spread the cost…

ARM YOURSELF Think about your shoulders and arms when walking, and keep them bag and phone-free to help keep them relaxed. ‘Relaxed arms mean your spine is also relaxed,’ says Joanna Hall, creator of WalkActive, a system scientifically proven to reduce joint stress and improve walking posture and body shape. ‘Imagine creating distance between your earlobes and shoulders. More relaxed arms allow your spine to rotate slightly with each step, which helps trim your waist. Let them have a nice, soft pendulum swing – don’t force it – and keep a bigger back swing than front. Finally, lead with your elbow rather than your hand.’ This simple arm trick will open your shoulder girdle, keeping your upper back nice and upright, giving you a better silhouette. CORE CHECK When creating…

1 IT MAINTAINS YOUTHFUL SKIN One of vitamin E’s main jobs is to neutralise free radicals, which are formed in your body when you are exposed to toxins such as chemicals and processed food. ‘Vitamin E eats them up, aiding repair and healing,’ says nutritionist Sarah Flower. Alongside other vitamins, such as C and A, it also helps hydrate and improve skin elasticity.’ You only need 4mg of vitamin E per day, which is the equivalent of one avocado sprinkled with 35g sunflower seeds. 2 IT STRENGTHENS YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM The vitamin helps your body produce a type of white blood cell that your immune system relies on to destroy germs. It also boosts the production of natural antibodies called B cells to ward off disease. Top up your levels…

The vitamin C in lemons is an antioxidant, which keeps your skin looking young. ACERTAIN yellow citrus fruit lends itself perfectly to sunny days. Whether you’re enjoying a zingy tart during a picnic, squeezing a wedge into a cooling ice tea or spritzing yourself with a light and zesty scent, lemons are truly evocative of summer. As well as the sunny scent and taste, there are top to toe health benefits that lie beneath that yellow peel too, which is one of the reasons so many people start their day off drinking a glass of warm lemon water. This simple tonic has been used in Ayurvedic medicine for millennia as a way to wake up your digestive system and rehydrate you after a night’s sleep. It does this because lemon…

F FROM A VERY YOUNG age, you gain an understanding of your body and how it moves. Children appear to be able to sit on the ground with ease, moving seamlessly from one position to the next, barely staying still for more than five minutes. ‘This natural, innate and unprompted form of sitting and moving is what our bodies are designed to do,’ says Tony Riddle, natural lifestyle coach. ‘By nature’s design, we have many different positions for sitting on the floor – what I like to refer to as ‘ground living.’ From an evolutionary perspective, ground living is at the very core of our design, firstly serving to help us understand forces such as gravity, and also to equip us with strong, mobile joints, an aligned spine and powerful…

DESPITE BEING A common nut that many of us will recognise in snack and granola mixes, Brazils have an unusual way of growing. Botanically they’re actually seeds, and up to 30 of them grow tightly packed in a hefty 2kg coconut-shaped case that needs cracking open. The uniqueness doesn’t stop there. Brazil nuts are one of the richest concentrated forms of selenium, with only two nuts providing your body with the complete daily requirements of this antioxidant. Selenium is proven to protect your cells, being of particular benefit to your heart and immune system. Brazils are sometimes referred to as cream nuts, as their high fat content gives them a lovely buttery taste. The fats are mainly types of monounsaturated fatty acids, including palmitoleic and oleic, which are good for…

QI am interested in a career in naturopathic nutritional therapy. Can you recommend a training course? A Naturopathic nutrition focuses on using whole, natural and organic foods to help stimulate the body’s innate healing power. Naturopathy is a holistic therapy that looks at the individual’s physical, mental and emotional status as a whole. The aim is to identify and address the cause of problems, rather than simply suppressing symptoms that might otherwise later recur. Naturopathic nutritional therapists provide tailor-made nutritional and lifestyle advice to help their clients prevent ill health and to support them in achieving their health and wellness goals. You can train to become a therapist at the College of Naturopathic Medicine, which has colleges across the UK. Find out more at naturopathy-uk.com  or call 01342…