Innehållsförteckning för May 2024 från Top Sante

May is National Walking Month in the UK, which we’ve focused on for the past few years, but this year, rather than provide walking plans or outfit ideas, I wanted to highlight some powerful and moving stories: the first, a chronic pain sufferer who was told she may end up as a wheelchair user by age 40 (page 56); the second, a doctor and mother who, along with her family, set out to conquer the Camino Trail in Spain with her wheelchair-bound son (page 62). The sheer grit, determination and resilience of both women is so impressive and reminds me not to take my health for granted, and to stop making excuses when it comes to life’s difficulties, whether fitness-wise or other. I hope you, too, will be inspired by…

HOW TO STAY HAPPY You can learn to be happy but the benefits only last if you keep working at it. The University of Bristol’s Science of Happiness course found that teaching the latest scientific studies on happiness created a big improvement in students’ wellbeing. But a further study found wellbeing boosts are short-lived unless the habits learnt on the course, such as gratitude, exercise, meditation or journaling, are continued long-term. Professor Bruce Hood said: ‘It’s like going to the gym – you can’t expect to do one class and be fit forever. You have to continuously work on your mental health, otherwise improvements are temporary.’ Students on the course reported a 10-15 per cent improvement in wellbeing. But only those who practised what they were taught had enhanced wellbeing…

Discover rural Japan on foot WHAT Shikoku: Kochi & Ehime Discovery by Walk Japan WHERE Western Shikoku, Japan WHEN May 10-16 and October 18-24 PRICE Approximately £2,180 per person based on double occupancy; enquire directly for single occupancy rates WEBSITE walkjapan.com This fully guided, seven-day tour travels through two of Japan’s most beautiful but least-visited prefectures, Kochi and Ehime, which are both characterised by pristine streams and rivers, deeply forested mountainous terrain and lush valleys leading on to the coast and the steely-blue Pacific Ocean. Suitable for anyone who leads a reasonably active lifestyle, this immersive walking tour is composed of ancient and historic trails that complement each other with their own distinct ambience and interest, from the sacred to the worldly and from the age-old to the modern day.…

JANE HALL: MINDFULNESS & INSPIRATION Jane was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at age seven. She shares inspiring insight into how she has managed the psychological impact and is acutely aware of the day-to-day and long-term harms of the disease, particularly in relation to diabetic retinopathy, which she now has and is taking all the necessary steps to save her eyesight. Since adopting a keto lifestyle, she now has a HbA1c of 36 and is a champion of life, love and the T1D cause. Visit clothofnature.com. EMMA PORTER: FOOD & NUTRITION Emma was diagnosed with type 1 age 17, having experienced rapid weight loss, frequent urination and extreme thirst. After years on a blood-sugar rollercoaster, she began a low-carb lifestyle, which helped eliminate blurry vision, increase her energy and mental clarity,…

Recogniseemotional hunger vs physical hunger The journey begins by learning to differentiate emotional hunger from physical hunger. Emotional hunger is a reactive urge to eat, driven more by feelings than by a true physiological need. It’s often likened to an itch that urgently needs to be scratched. This kind of hunger is usually immediate and intense, leading to cravings for specific comfort foods such as sweets, fatty foods, or those that we typically try to limit. Emotional eating can also take a more calculated, obsessive form, where considerable time is spent fixating on foods, often accompanied by feelings of guilt and shame. Yet, when finally indulging in these foods, the eating experience often becomes dissociative, lacking conscious engagement in the eating process. In contrast, physical hunger develops gradually, changing and…

APRIL 2024 COVER STORY Janette Manrara INSIDE Beat stress, sleep better, ditch junk food and get fit in five minutes CHRISTMAS 2023 COVER STORY Melinda Messenger INSIDE Nutrition tips and wellbeing advice for a calm, restful Christmas SEPTEMBER 2023 COVER STORY Myleene Klass INSIDE Improve your gut with our special section, plus sleep better now MARCH 2024 COVER STORY Sadie Frost INSIDE Get more energy and glowing skin, plus easy strength moves to tone DECEMBER 2023 COVER STORY Melanie Brown INSIDE Packed with immunity-boosting tips to keep you well this winter AUGUST 2023 COVER STORY Tess Daly INSIDE Why keto eating helps you lose weight, plus haircare award winners! FEBRUARY 2024 COVER STORY Caprice Bourret INSIDE Find your happy weight, boost your immunity, and support your heart NOVEMBER 2023 COVER…

“We believe every woman has the ability to maximise her health and beauty at any age, regardless of health history. With a balanced diet, effective exercise and a positive mindset, you can stay younger for longer, inside and out. We’ll bring you the latest information on wellbeing, fitness, food and beauty, empowering you to make informed choices now and for your future health. What’s gone before can’t be undone or redone, so let’s leave it in the past and focus on what can be changed today! We’re here to help you, one small step at a time.”…

I’ve learnt so much about hair health since talking to lots of experts on my podcast. It’s called The Mid·Point With Gabby Logan, and it’s all about facing the challenges of being in midlife, as well as challenging expectations. These days, I think we’re not so willing to accept the concerns we face every day with our hair, like hair shedding or poor scalp health, because it has such an emotional impact on us. Hair loss was always traditionally seen as a male problem, but more and more women are talking about it, and it can happen at any stage. Our confidence shouldn’t be detrimentally affected by our hair, and I feel we’re lucky to live in this age where we can all talk about our issues. My hair is…

CURIOUS TYPE 1 DIABETICS are an unusual cohort when it comes to health management because we have so much at stake. We must be incredibly in tune with our body’s requirements at all times to stay alive and we can never take a day off. My type 1 pals are the best biohackers I know. Shockingly, two thirds of the UK’s type 1 diabetics are losing 100 days of life every year, which has not changed for the past five audits. Now, a new retreat run by Dr Ian Lake (type1keto.com) at Combe Grove in Bath hopes that a new paradigm of care, focusing on insulin optimisation, will start to reverse this horrific statistic. What I learned about blood-sugar balance and fat burning during the week-long retreat at Combe Grove…

YOUR HORMONES AFFECT you all the time, from your mood, energy and skin, to focus, concentration and weight, to name a few things. You may have heard the phrase “hormone hacking”, which, simply put, means getting to know your cycle and your natural fluctuations and then using that information to your advantage. For example, understanding whether at certain times of the month you’re more energetic, then planning more activities for that time; conversely, knowing when you’re likely to feel tired and so keeping your diary freer. Tracking your mood, symptoms and even when your hair and skin look and feel different also helps. When working with a patient I will prioritise tracking and I might recommend targeted supplements, such as magnesium and B vitamins, and lifestyle changes or sometimes bioidentical…

YOUR CHILD WILL NOT walk. Your child will not run. And then his heart and lungs will fail. This is the story I was left with on an otherwise sunny day in September more than a decade ago. Yes, there was adiagnosis attached to it – Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a degenerative and fatal illness, like ALS in young boys. And yes, there were other words about treatments – mostly, the lack thereof. But all I came back with from that afternoon was my heart’s understanding that everything my son had would be taken away from him until he was taken away from us. When you are faced with the unimaginable, you can choose to shrink away or move into the world and find a way to feel power again. I…

Lifestyle tips to beat joint pain and arthritis Healthy recipes to reduce inflammation The best stretches for a healthy supple body Stop your SPF from ‘pilling’ (i.e. going crumbly!) Discover ‘dry fasting’ and how it can help reverse chronic conditions… …Plus lots more! DON’T MISS IT! The June issue is on sale May 10. CAN’T FIND A COPY OF TOP SANTÉ? Head over to Seymour.co.uk/StoreFinder and select ‘Top Santé Health & Beauty’ from the drop-down menu. Next, input your postcode to find your nearest stockist. Or, why not subscribe to make sure you never miss an issue? See page 38 for details.…

BEST OF BRITISH Take brunch to the next level with the big buttery yolks of these free-range British eggs with pastel-blue shells. Fairburn’s Famous British Blue Eggs (£1.75, groceries.asda.com) are from hens fed on a natural grain diet, which also contains a mix of brightly coloured marigold and paprika, giving them a superbly rich taste. Find inspiration from this recipe of eggy crumpets with avocado, poached egg, pancetta and Mexican salsa, created by Lincolnshire chef Rachel Green. FEELING THEFLAVOUR If you’re stuck in a mid-week meal slump and feeling strapped for inspiration, try flavour-enhancing Opies Capote Capers (£2.39, bennettopie.com) to liven up old favourites, such as this light spring stew of white beans and olives. The tart, salty tang of the capers adds depth to pastas, fish and salads too.…

INDULGE THE SENSES Designed to bring balance to the mind and body, The HVN Candles, Diffusers & Room Sprays (from £63, the-hvn.com) integrate AeroBiome fragrance diffusion technology, which releases active compounds emitted from plants, known to contribute to enhanced mental clarity and stress reduction. Available in three unique scents, all inspired by outdoor living, each product also features a QR code linking to sounds recorded in forests to create a blissful, multisensory experience. SUSTAINABLE SEATING Created as a sustainable alternative to the classic plastic shell chair, the Normann Copenhagen Mat Chair Collection (from £295, normann-copenhagen.com) is made using highly renewable and durable hemp and the marine plant, eelgrass, to revolutionise conventional furniture production methods and minimise environmental impact. With a focus on ergonomic comfort, the collection encompasses numerous variations of…

Insulin is an anabolic hormone that in non-type 1s is produced by the pancreas 24 hours a day and it has many functions, the most important of which is to regulate blood glucose, and the lesser-known function is to help the body store fat. We all need insulin to sustain life. Without it we die. My body doesn’t make it, so I have to inject it. Type 2 diabetics make insulin, usually in abundance, but their cells are not able to utilise it effectively. For type 1s, insulin must be injected several times a day in a carefully calculated way – it is almost impossible to get it right as there are so many variables. Glucose is the body’s most accessible energy source, with fat and ketones being two lesser…

ELEVATE YOUR RUNS It’s officially “shorts season”, and you can’t get much better than the New Balance RC Seamless 3 Inch Short (£60, newbalance.co.uk). Tailored for running comfort and convenience, they’re made from a perforated four-way stretch woven shell that effectively wicks away sweat while providing incredible freedom of movement mile after mile. Available in an array of primary and pastel colours (and two inseam lengths if you fancy something a little longer), they also have a seamlessly constructed built-in brief for distraction-free runs. Greater heights After a year’s hiatus, the new-look Keswick Mountain Festival is returning to Cumbria this May 17-19, with an emphasis on outdoor sports, activities and races. It will also showcase established and up-and-coming live music acts, plus a bumper line-up of inspirational speakers from the…

PROTECTIVE PAIR FOR YOUR HAIR Treat frazzled locks to a smoothing shield of protection with K18 Damage Shield Protective Conditioner (£39, k18hair.co.uk), which defends against daily damage from UV rays, heat from styling and environmental aggressors. The conditioner fortifies your hair’s exterior lipid barriers to make it more resilient as well as replenishing proteins lost during washing. The result is shiny, detangled hair that feels noticeably stronger without film-forming silicones or waxes that build up over time, weighing hair down. Pair with K18 Damage Shield pH Protective Shampoo (£39) for an added scalp microbiome-friendly cleanse. DRY SKIN BALM Having skin that’s constantly dry, red and irritated can take a toll on your self-esteem as well as being painful. Enter skin super-soother Viridian Organic Repair 5 Serum (£19.55, viridian-nutrition.com), which is made…

1 ZELENS PROVITAMIN D3 FORTIFYING MIST (£52, ZELENS.COM). This works wonders to freshen skin. After cleansing, spritz the mist to add a fine veil of moisture before you apply serums or cream. It’s also an easy way to refresh make-up throughout the day. Look for formulas with hydrating ingredients, such as hyaluronic acid to really spruce up your skin. 2 INDEED LABORATORIES SNOXIN II (£19.99, BOOTS.COM). Peptides are clever skin cell messengers that can instantly soften the appearance of dynamic lines and wrinkles. So you’ll have smoother and more evenly textured skin, with maximum moisture retention and improved elasticity. 3 JURLIQUE HERBAL RECOVERY BI-PHASE SERUM (£68, JURLIQUE.CO.UK). Hydrate your skin with an oil-based serum or light face oil before moisturising. Apply by pressing into your skin with the pads of your…

CUT BACK ON CAFFEINE While many of us love a morning latte, too much too soon can play havoc with your wake-sleep cycle. Try waiting 90 minutes after waking up before having your first hit of caffeine to prevent an afternoon slump. Caffeine takes a long time to work its way out of your system, so aiming to have your last cup of coffee by 1pm can also help you get a better night’s sleep. STOP NIGHT EATING A tub of double chocolate fudge ice-cream while binge watching your favourite Netflix show might sound like the perfect night in, but it’s bad for your blood sugar, which in turn can disturb your sleep. Eating foods that spike blood sugar two to three hours before going to bed can impact how…

HAIR TODAY, gone tomorrow (I’m sure I’ve used that for a headline about hair loss at least once, maybe more!). more!). It’s a subject we’ve returned to a fair few times in this magazine, because hair thinning is becoming ever is ever more prevalent, and and especially at at midlife. And I know I’ve written I’ve written about it already already – at least I think I have, I have, excuse my perimeno brain – but I’m returning to it as our to it our cover star, Gabby Logan, talks all things hair health in her interview, including how including how she found both the thickness thickness and texture of her locks diminishing once she reached perimenopause. WEARING THIN… My hair thinning began in my late 30s. I know these…