healthy 10.11 2020

KITCHENWARE & HIKING GEAR, WORTH OVER £1500

THE UK’S BEST-SELLING
WELLBEING MAGAZINE

be your healthies + £5/€5 worth of
ever atanyage! J
Rewards for Life
+“Ditching the hair dye ,
bonus points
_made me embrace
(when you spend
getting older”
£30/€30)
Painful periods: what #

doctors don’t tell you ;”

the truth

about those

‘super’ foods

SMARTER BEAUTY
Clean. Affordable.
And it works!

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DWELCOME

OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2020

e’ve all done it - bemoaned a to be more positive about ageing . As she says,

birthday, yet another wrinkle, “One day you will be old, and if you spend your

or more grey hair. Yet, as a life pretending that’s not going to happen,
doctor friend recently replied
when it does, it’ll be a bit of a wake-up call.’
to me, whenI did just that, ‘But we’re so much Elsewhere in this issue, we have plenty to
younger now than we're going to be’ It really
help you if you’re trying to get back on track
stuck with me, as a reminder to appreciate as we find our way through this ‘new normal’.
what we have now (like looking back at teenage Katy Beskow, a healthy regular, has some great
photos of yourself looking glowingly gorgeous
and wishing youd been aware of that then) and int-based recipes if you want easy ways to
to prepare for what’s to come. tabit better, page 72. In our fitness feature,

This issue’s theme, the idea that healthy has ge 66, we look at how, with gyms operating
no age, is a personal one for me. I was fitter luced schedules, you can motivate yourself.
and healthier at 40 than I was at 20 (a midlife id in our Life Skills feature, page 116, we
ve straightforward advice on how to cope
triathlete vs a pint-drinking student). And
there’s no reason being strong, fit and healthy tAhstehveear,nIxhieotpyeoyfothueesnejuoynctheertiasisnuteim- edso.
can’t continue into our 50s and beyond. In our
deep-dive feature (page 18) we look at how to are your thoughts on our social channels. 5
ensure our chances of doing just that are as
high as possible. Empowering stuff. Te

One of my favourite reads this issue is our torial Director @ellichughesUK
article from ‘pro-age activist’ Louise Pendry
(page 29), who is trying to encourage society

JOIN THE Subscribe to our digital
HV H THT
magazine, get daily inspiration
KUMM ES at healthy-magazine.co.uk, ‘like’

: 1 ow facebook conv

healthymagazine) and follow us
on Twitter (@healthymag) and

Instagram (@healthymagdaily)

healthy-magazine.co.uk 3

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support vitality and physical symptoms of the common
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infections based on
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immune system.

CONTENTS
BER 2020

>» HEALTHY START

14 The healthy hotlist Botanical buys to

bring the outdoors in.

17. What’s happening Why you should cop

a feel for breast cancer awareness month.

>» HEALTHY FOR LIFE

18 ON THE COVER Be your healthiest ever
at any age How to lay the groundwork for

lifelong health and fitness.

29 ON THE COVER “Ditching the hair dye
made me embrace getting older”

Pro-age activist Louise Pendry’s mission

to normalise getting older.

>» THE CLINIC HEALTHY
FOR LIFE
34 ON THE COVER The truth about those }
ISSUE

38 ‘super’ foods The science behind the fads.

ON THE COVER Painful periods - what

doctors don’t tell you It’s time to raise

awareness of pelvic congestion syndrome.

41 5 ways toimprove your gut health

Expert tips from dietitian Dr Megan Rossi.

42 Spotlight on supps: Levagen Does it live

up to its natural pain-relief claims?

45 The edit The latest studies and stats.

46 ON THE COVER Sleep deeper with pink
noise It may help stave off dementia, too.

49 Why you need to know about

prediabetes And how to reverse it.
52 The lowdown on minerals Essential

stats and facts on these vital nutrients.

55 “-Silteheeplpssupopurorbtosdoiuers immune system
repair”

Psychologist Alice Gregory on the

importance of a good night’s rest.

> FITNESS

60 “Why can’t older people aim high?”

How Marion Dunn made boxing the

cornerstone of her fitness regime at 50.

OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2020

63 Get started: mountain biking Get fit ON THE

and have fun while getting back to nature. Photographer
Jumpfoto/
64 Your autumn kit list Versatile gear to
RADIANCE
see you through changeable conditions.
||
66 ON THE COVER Rediscover your
fitness mojo How to maintain good 130 Colour me calm Treat yourself to a mindful break

exercise habits as life gets back on track. and enjoy our colouring page.
> IN EVERY ISSUE
> FOOD 8 Vouchers Save £££s in store.

72 ON THE COVER Meet your busy week 10 Your say Share your views.
go-tos Quick and easy plant-based 12 Subscriptions Exclusive free gift when you sign up.
recipes from Katy Beskow.

76 ON THE COVER Is cooking the new
self-care? Discover the joy-giving power

of comfort food.

81 Kitchen cupboard hero: harissa Give
your cooking a kick of healthy spices.

84 ON THE COVER Recipes to support
your immunity Delicious and healthy
veggie dishes from Ella Mills.

88s Inseason: broccoli Time to get excited

about its many health benefits.

91 “Going vegan helped me get creative
in the kitchen” Food blogger Claire

Power on how her family went plant-based.

>» CLEAN BEAUTY

96 ON THE COVER Clean, affordable, and

it works! Experts bust the myths about the

hottest trend in cosmetics — clean beauty.

103 Fresh faced The wonders of vitamin A

for amore youthful complexion.

105 Ingredient in-depth: castor oil Why

you need this versatile beauty hero.

106 What does confidence smell like? Find

your perfect personal fragrance formula.
109 Beauty fix: screen damage How to

prevent the ageing effects of blue light.

> BALANCE

112 Around the blend Make your own
eco-friendly tea bags.

115 Books to re-read Timeless tomes.
116 How to navigate the ‘new normal’

Expert tips to beat post-lockdown anxiety.

119 News and offers including your chance to win kitchenware and hiking gear worth £1500
for members of Holland & Not a member yet?
- but only Barrett’s rewards for life loyalty scheme.

Turn to page 126 for how to sign up — and get 15% off purchases with the Holland & Barrett app, too!

6 healthy-magazine.co.uk

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YOUR SAY

WRITE, EMAIL, TWEET, FACEBOOK OR INSTAGRAM US WE LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU!

* mi ASPA BREAK IN CORNWALL WORTH £2000 Nurturing happiness
LETTER / @
THE UK’S BEST-SELLING The September issue really made me
a WELLBEING MAGAZINE think, reflect and take some positive steps
towards increasing my own happiness.
the ingredients | We can spend so much time supporting
that others, that we sometimes miss ourselves.

really work So, I'm starting to find my flow and think
about what | actually enjoy doing. Your ‘8
mH; \ guiPdLeUtoS self care: our e ways to be more positive’ is now stuck to
mo my fridge to remind me and my daughter
. of all the things we can do! Keeping a
gratitude journal has made me recognise
MICRO ha the small things that bring joy to my day.
Thank you for another great issue of well
put-together, relevant and useful content.

Emma, Jersey

the essential

SUPpS you need

/

LOOKING ON THE BRIGHT SIDE

Susie Pearl’s story (‘Happiness is a downs. But what Susie confirms is

state ofmind, September) reaffirmed that I can control this. I can find ways
a lot of things I have learnt during to be more positive, and I can take
these lessons back into working life
lockdown. We don’t have an innate

sense of happiness, but people who when it resumes. Yoga, running and Breathe easy
seem permanently cheery (who have guided meditation have been a huge
often mystified me) have found a way | loved Should| try it? Breathwork
to tap into the good in every situation. part of my lockdown life. I intend to
While I consider myself a positive keep these up and learn to be more (September). Even though various
person generally, I have my ups and happy. Thank you for the article!
Sam, West Sussex breathing practices have been around
for centuries, science is just beginning

oe to provide evidence that the benefits

Gemma Shona Nicolson ‘Rainy Sunday are real. I'ma teacher and, especially Compiled by Niamh Leonard-Bedwell. “Image is for illustration purposes only
Bellwood afternoon. Time to light a scented
‘Thank you for candle, drink coffee and browse the at present, | find my job very stressful.
your colour me
Calin pase’ latest health and fitness articles in my [ haven't been sleeping well, so lately,

I've been practising deeper breathing.

Every time my concentration lapses

ofand think a problem, | switch back to
|

focusing on my breath. It's early days, but

WRITE TO US I'm falling asleep quicker

ealIf MetS) printed here, you'll receive a Dead Sea Spa PA and if | wake in the night,
te | can get back to sleep.
wouldn't have believed
~~
|
oe. \
something so natural
could help my sleeping
problems and anxiety.
Rowena, Chesire

Oo @WEALTILYMAG FACEBOOK -COM/TEALTITYMAGAZINE

10 healthy-magazine.co.uk

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WHAT’S HAPPENING

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healthy-magazine.co.uk 17

18 healthy-magazine.co.uk

For most of us, the key to
sustained health isn’t in our
genes — it’s about setting up a
legacy that keeps repaying us
—and the chances are, we’ve
already laid the groundwork

WORDS BY LAURA POTTER

IIEALTIIY
FOR LIFE

ISSUE

ealth doesn’t have an age. You can
be fit and healthy at 75, or unfit and
unwell at 25 — instead, it’s all about

- your habits. ‘Chronological age

our age in years — is a poor measure for how
healthy we actually are, says Dr Anna Dixon,
author of The Age of Ageing Better. ‘Our
“biological age” how worn out our cells and
organs are — tells us much more.’ And the key to
influencing our biological age is squarely in our
hands, by identifying and enhancing healthy
practices that are already part of our lives. Turn
over to find out how to stay healthy at any age. @>

<<. healthy-magazine.co.uk 19

6 ow long we live and
how fast we age are
only influenced 20 per
cent by our genes, and
80 per cent by factors such as our
diet, how active we are and whether

we smoke or not, says Professor
Janet Lord, director of the Institute

of Inflammation and Ageing at
Birmingham University. ‘You can
be as healthy at 70 as you were at 25
with the right lifestyle.’

There are five key pillars to
healthy ageing, according to research
that examined more than 100,000
people. At age 50, women who didn’t
smoke, did at least 30 minutes

of daily exercise, had a moderate
alcohol intake, kept a moderate
weight and ate a good diet could
expect 34 years ahead free from
cancer, heart disease and diabetes.

MAINTAIN osteoporosis, sarcopenia (loss FILLITIN
of muscle) and dementia.’ The IDENTIFY What steps are you
‘Good health is about being in most important factors when
tune with how your body changes, it comes to inflammation are already taking to protect your
and adapting your lifestyle health in the future?
accordingly, says Dr Sarah exercise, stress and diet, and the
Schenker, dictilian and co author IMPROVE What things can you
best anti-inflammatory diet is do to up your game?
of The Ageless Body. We need to a Mediterranean one with lots
prepare for the inevitable, and for
women that means menopause. of oily fish, fruit and vegetables,
wholegrains and olive oil.
‘Dropping oestrogen has important
implications for muscle and bone This will also help protect
your heart and brain, warding off
health, as oestrogen helps to the two biggest health risks for
maintain these tissues,’ explains women as we get older: developing
Prof Lord. ‘So it’s very important Alzheimer’s and heart disease.
that women keep a good level
of physical activity” (More on
maintaining your fitness later.)

By our early 20s, we achieve
peak bone mass, so after that
we should shift our attention

from building it to maintaining
it. ‘Vitamin D is crucial for the
absorption of calcium, but as we
age, our skin doesn’t make as much
from sunlight, so think about
asupplement, says Dr Schenker.

Then there’s inflammation,

which according to Prof Lord is
‘one of the major causes of age-
related diseases like heart disease,

20 healthy-magazine.co.uk

» healthy fer life

THE EXPERTS

“For a long,
healthy life, eat
well, exercise and

manage stress”

SUSTAIN Another measure of longevity (ekenny.co.uk).

You already eat a Mediterranean is telomere length: telomeres are healthy-magazine.co.uk 21
diet, so how else can you battle the ‘caps’ found at the ends of
disease-causing inflammation? chromosomes that protect DNA.
It might sound unexpected, but When they become too short, a
a US review of 56 randomized cell becomes old or dysfunctional.

clinical trials (the gold standard Research has shown that eating
of research) found that practising omega-3 fatty acids can help limit
CBT (cognitive behavioural that damage. ‘Include oily fish in

therapy) reduces inflammation, too. your diet. If you don’t eat fish, take
Download the free, NHS-endorsed asupplement, and look at other

CBT app Catch It for help breaking sources where omega-3 is added,

the cycle of depressing or anxious >like eggs, says Dr Schenker. ‘This will
thoughts, feelings and behaviours.
also help support your joints.’

{ The nutritional tune-up }

here are five areas in the
world, the so-called Blue
Zones, where people live
the longest, healthiest
lives (including Okinawa in Japan,
and Ikaria in Greece), and they all
eat a largely plant-based diet, with
meat only eaten around five times
amonth. That’s not to say you need
to be a strict vegan, but base your
meals around plants. “Eat a variety of
beans, pulses, legumes, wholegrains,
veg, nuts and seeds, says Schenker.
‘When it comes to milk, it doesn’t

have to be either/or. If you like
cow’s milk and you don’t have any

problems digesting it, have both that
and a plant-based one in the fridge,’

MAINTAIN

Mlikaeytbheey5o:u2'v-ewaelrlle, aydoyu’trreieodndtoiets

something. A 2019 review of

evidence found combining fasting
and calorific reduction slows ageing,
extends lifespan and may protect
against obesity, cardiovascular
disease, cancers, diabetes,
Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. ‘You
don’t want to be running on empty,
but have lighter eating days,’ says
Dr Schenker, who points out the
physiological benefits of going
without food for five or six hours.
‘It’s good for our metabolic response
to go into a fasted state, and for
many that only happens overnight,’

You've probably also read that as
many as 90 per cent of us are falling
short of our fibre requirements. This
matters as it reduces our likelihood

of heart attacks and type 2 diabetes.
‘Fibre helps manage weight as
you stay fuller for longer, adds Dr
Schenker. ‘It also stimulates the gut,
ensuring friendly bacteria dominate,
which protects our immune systems.’

22 healthy-magazine.co.uk

~

Sy~ => R

~~ == healthy for life

== =>

™~ x
+

SUSTAIN

To enhance those benefits to

your immune system and gut, Dr
Schenker suggests eating fermented
foods. Recent research found that

in humans, the bacteria found in
fermented foods directly affect our
immune cells. Turn to sauerkraut,
kimchi and kefir.

You already eat your 5-a-day,

-anbdu,tidyoeaullcya,nariemapirmovinegecvleonsefur rtoth1e0r.

‘Concentrate on veg, and make fruit
part of meals, rather than a snack,
says Dr Schenker. “There’s a trend
for fruit being part of savoury dishes,

|

“Up your protein at breakfast to
help fight loss of muscle mass”

2s so try salads with chicken and
peaches, fennel, olives and oranges
FILLITIN or strawberries and feta. Fruit
IDENTIFY What are you already
contains a lot of fructose, which has
doing to keep your diet heathy?
an impact on your blood sugar levels.
IMPROVE What things can you Incorporating it as part of the meal
stops blood sugar levels spiking.’
do to make it even better?
We start to experience loss of
muscle mass as we age, so protein
is important, but according to Dr
Schenker, the key is distribution.
‘Most people have a lot of protein for
dinner, and very little the rest of the
day. So swap toast or cereal for eggs,
or Greek yoghurt with seeds or nuts
for breakfast. Incorporate a good
amount of protein at every meal.’

Finally, take the healthy foods

you already like, and expand your
repertoire. Dr Schenker points
at houmous. ‘It’s just chickpeas,
tahini, olive oil, garlic and lemon
= — but there are other varieties,
with beetroot, red pepper or chilli.
Houmous is already healthy, but
to be even healthier, experiment.
Roast a red pepper, blend that into

your houmous, and youve instantly
upped the nutrients, #>

healthy-magazine.co.uk 23

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FILLITIN

IDENTIFY What measures are

you already taking to stay fit
and healthy for life?

IMPROVE How can you raise
your fitness game in the future?

ou know too much sitting MAINTAIN SUSTAIN

is bad for you — and that’s Our exercise regime doesn’t need If you already do strength training,

particularly relevant to to be constantly overhauled, just step it up. ‘Change the number of

women, who are four times fine-tuned. ‘Through life we need to reps or add weights, says PT Emma
condition ourselves aerobically, do Joy Cockroft. ‘Similarly, if you run
likelier to have osteoporosis than

men. ‘Bone becomes thinner as we resistance training to build muscle, 5K three times a week, change the
age, but this can be prevented. Bone
practise balance drills, challenge our tempo ofa couple of sessions,’

ilsoasdtiemdu-lawtehdentowgerostwanwdhaennditdios any agility, and stretch, says Braganza. Not arunner or gym bunny? Try
‘But due to age-related changes aclub sport like tennis; research

sort of movement,’ says Prof Lord. like decrease in maximum heart shows they’re the best predictor of

rate, increase in blood pressure, loss
Research also shows 30 minutes longevity. ‘They keep exercise fun,
and if a sport makes you
of moderate exercise - want to stay active, you’re
like jogging - five days a winning, says Cockroft.

“Mix up cardio with strengthweek impacts telomeres,

giving a biological ageing besttraining for the results” Challenging yourself
advantage of nine years mentally is important, too.

over sedentary people. ‘Zumba is a great way to

Personal trainer Ramona Braganza in muscle mass and increase in fat, improve memory, or hire a PT to help

says to divide your exercise up into and as our nervous system changes, with weight training, says Braganza.

strength training three days a week, affecting our reflexes and memory, If you struggle to motivate yourself,

with ‘challenging’ cardio on two days. we need to adjust the type, tempo, focus on the benefits like stress

‘Good strength and balance duration, and intensity of workouts,’ reduction and increased energy,

can help manage conditions like That might sound daunting, but just and anticipate any ‘road blocks’.

arthritis,’ adds Dr Dixon. ‘Activities means building on what you already ‘Create space in your calendar, says

come ina range of intensities, from do. If you don’t lift weights, but have Braganza. ‘Prioritise health. Don’t let

resistance training to racket sports, a nagging sense you should, start now. work, family or friends stop you, @>

healthy-magazine.co.uk 25

healthy for life

FILLITIN MAINTAIN

{ Focus on your ming§You may worry that your mental IDENTIFY What are Want to keep your wits about you?
Photographs StacksyKeep using them! Research shows
health is determined by your you already doing ‘super-agers’ — people in their 70s
to support your and 80s with the mental or physical
natural acthyaorauc-tebru, tanyoduw’rheaitnlitfhee mental health? capability of people decades younger
throws — embrace mental challenges.
IMPROVE How They’re willing to overcome
driving seat. “The control you exert difficulties while learning a skill, and
might you protect when you push through that, you’re
over the choices you make has a it even further? rewarded. ‘The brain is a muscle that

bigger impact than your DNA,’ says needs flexing,’ says Kenny. ‘Being
psychologist Emma Kenny. “You optimistic also helps manage stress.’

can manipulate your temperament, Research also shows mindfulness

work on your resilience and alter meditation can slow the shortening
of telomeres, so make it a habit.
your mental state.’
When it comes to research SUSTAIN

for ageing well, the factor that We need to focus on our social
outweighs any other is avoiding
social isolation. ‘Loneliness can networks (the people we see), social
support (how close our relationships
affect us at any age, but as we get are) and social participation Chow
older, certain life transitions such as
regularly we enjoy activities). All of
bereavement, divorce and ill health these can flounder if we don’t put

all make loneliness more likely,’ in the work. ‘Close bonds are the
says Dr Dixon. ‘Tt is critical we build
number one contribution to along
and sustain social connections life, so it’s essential you strive to meet
new allies along the way, says Kenny.
throughout our lives, and mix One solution is to volunteer.

with other generations, so we have ‘Altruism gives a sense of meaning,
and having a positive impact on others
strong social networks that can help maintains self-worth, says Kenny. ‘It
support us as we get older, makes you feel valued and visible’

Having strong relationships with
people you can confide in is also a
predictor of depression. ‘Tt helps
soften the blow of inevitable loss,’
explains Kenny. ‘Having an outlet
to express yourself ensures you can
manage stress. Solid friendships also
make you feel safe. You can be more
resilient knowing, if you fall, you will
be caught by people who love you.’

Finally, a large US study of
almost 70,000 women found the

most optimistic had 50-70 per cent
greater odds of reaching 85 than
the least. You can easily up your
positivity. ‘Every day, note down
three things you're grateful for, and
one you struggled with, but learnt
from,’ says Kenny. ‘This helps create
neural pathways that get you into the
habit of thinking more positively. @

26 healthy-magazine.co.uk

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real life

HEALTHY
FOR LIFE

ISSUE

“We need
to tackle

eavgeeriysdma”y :—

Pro-age activist and
psychology lecturer
Louise Pendry, 54,
discovered that letting
herself go grey has made

her feel more positive

about getting older

6 eople think it’s quite a trivial thing, choosing go. Women really do have a hard time getting older. But
not to dye your hair. But I think for many I’d been lurking on online communities of women who
women, it’s a big deal. I’ve been going grey were going grey, who were all supporting each other, and
I realised there were a lot of positive images online, which
for years. It’s in my family — my dad was grey
at 25, I started getting grey hair when I was 16 and I’ve empowered me to think I could do it’

noticed that my eldest daughter is also getting grey hair CASTING OFF EXPECTATIONS

and she’s 20. For many years, I dyed my hair and it became ‘Tset myself a target to be grey by my 50" birthday.
areal burden. I felt trapped, I was planning my whole Initially it was hard. You go out the house and feel that
everyone’s looking at you. They’re not, of course, but
diary around getting my roots done, andI felt hugely you feel that way — there’s a huge loss of confidence at
first. But after a few months of wanting to stick a paper
unkempt if I had any grey showing. It was ridiculous. bag over my head, I discovered that, actually, I was
‘Tt didn’t occur to me that there was an alternative completely fine. It was an empowering thing to do,

to dying it, because you just do. In a way, it’s like giving bheacirau-sIewitaswcaassatbinoguot fsfosmocuiecthy’ms eoxrepethctaantionnost.dRyeinaglisminyg
up an addiction. You just don’t show the signs of ageing
that I could do that made me really believe that life is
as a woman, it’s really difficult to own up to the fact too short, and it’s given me a more confident attitude
towards the rest of my life. o>
that getting o2l0d1e4r,-aInwd owuel'drehsaovceiableiseend4t8o hide
it. Then one day in
- I just

thought, I could actually not do this any more. Instantly,

all these voices came into my head, wondering what
people would think, how they’d assume I'd let myself

{for more on positive ageing, go fo healthy magazine.co.ukf : 29

real life ay

the crippling lack of self-confidence that you often had
when you were younger. It can be so easy to understand
this, but hard to actually believe it in yourself. For me
it was gradual. I knew I needed to become more of an
agent in my growing older, rather than a victim. Instead
of thinking these changes were just happening to me and
Thad no control, I realised that I did have some control,

so I started to look to other parts of my life. One simple
thing I could do was get fitter,

LONG-TERM THINKING

‘T haven’t historically been a very fit person. Other than

going for the odd walk, I hadn’t really invested in my

future body. And I wanted to have a body that was going

to be able to enjoy life. So I joined the gym, and to be

honest, I found it awful to start with. I’m really nota

fan of “over-50s spinning” and things like that — I think

we should be doing these classes based on our ability, not

our age. I wanted to show the younger women that I’m

capable of doing the workouts they do, and I wanted to

show myself that, too. So I started doing these classes

and I felt completely stupid. With one class — boogie

bounce, which is done on trampolines — at first I couldn’t

keep up. But over time I realised that

‘There’s so much research behind why “Dying my anybody who begins from that low starting
a positive attitude towards getting older point is going to have those same issues,
hair was like
is psychologically healthy. One day you whatever their age. I stuck at it, made
will be old, and if you spend your life an addiction.
pretending that’s not going to happen, It’s hard to sure to diarise my exercise, and started to
when it does, be a bit of a wake-up call.
see the benefits. Nmoewntiat’lshseoailmthp-oIrthaandtnto’t
I’m trying to impress upon my students my physical and

realised exercise was this magic pill. I don’t

that it’s OK to grow older, and it’s not this show you're bmeyatgomayl sisellfounpg-itfeIrmmis-sita’sseasbsoiount ,sbtreecnagutshe
getting
bheolrireivbele-tIhkinngowthaI tctehretayi’rnelyswocaisa.lYiseesd, to and fitness into my 60s, 70s and beyond.
there Rather than just thinking about now, this is

are some downsides to getting old, but

that’s true of any age — we’re just more an investment for life.

older”attuned to those in our later years because ‘My new attitude helps me every day. ’m

we've been fed this decline narrative. The getting through life with more confidence,

research I’ve been reading makes me question all of the more happiness, a better mood, and more optimism.

things I assumed were age-related — “senior moments,” Even now, with all that’s going on in the world, I think As told to Hattie Parish. Photographs Claire Pepper/Prima/Hearst UK

for example. Really, we can be forgetful at any age, but I’m dealing with it better, because I have an agent mind-

we don’t call them “junior moments” in our 20s. Having set about my ageing process and an understanding of

that flexibility has allowed me to feel more positive the psychology that’s driving it. It’s important that we

about some of the things that may be signs I’m getting open our eyes to the everyday ageism that’s around us,

older — they might be, but they might not be. I see because it’s endemic. I used to be quite a quiet person,

things in the bigger picture, rather than focusing on btphueertypnedotowun,a’wttinlhogeonakgIaehdiseamayro-svocemorme4b0po,lifdmoyresenaxtyaiinnmggpssloeomm-eeIo’tlnhl etinabgcyktlhseaayt’isng
the small details. It’s a sense of perspective that comes
with ageing; exploring different explanations and being

a little more forgiving to myself. them on it. The ageist world we live in is one that we need

‘The reality is that there are so many positives to to challenge — I keep that thought with me every day’

getting older — the improved mind-set, the “I don’t care

any more” attitude, you feel more liberated, you’re not Louise is a senior lecturer in psychology at the University

trying to please people in the same way, you haven’t got of Exeter. Find her on Instagram @silverserenity4

30 healthy-magazine.co.uk

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34 NUTRITIO
Nate: Oo NO\ oe

NUTRITION
MYTHS BUSTED

WE ALL KNOW THOSE FOODS - ONE MINUTE HEADLINES ARE SAYING THEY’RE UBER-

HEALTHY, THE NEXT WE’RE BEING TOLD TO AVOID THEM. SO WE’VE SCOURED THE

RESEARCH AND GRILLED THE EXPERTS FOR THE FACTS BEHIND THE FOOD MYTHS

THE EXPERTS onfused about nutrition? There fat and oils, it’s high in calories so eating a lot
could contribute to weight gain’
~ are a number of reasons for mixed
It’s fine in cooking, but don’t
messages, says Dr Carrie Ruxton. make an active effort to include it in your diet.
‘Sometimes, as we gather more data,
we learn more about a food, which can mean COFFEE
the advice changes,’ she says. ‘But sometimes This brew hasn’t quite
myths are based on old studies, often done shaken offits unhealthy
on animals, which have wrongly assumed
humans process foods the same way.’ Throw me
in tips from unqualified Instagrammers and
celebrities, who often misunderstand the =) reputation. ‘Some of that
came from observational
science, and it’s not surprising the picture gets
complicated. We’ve rounded up some of the studies that linked coffee
key ‘flip-flop foods’ — here’s what to know.
to a higher risk of cancer

COCONUT OIL and heart disease, says
Dr Ruxton. ‘But generally in those studies,
It’s been a hot food for the last few
the people drinking coffee had unhealthy
behaviours like smoking. In fact, coffee,
like tea, is full of plant polyphenols called
flavonoids, beneficial for heart health.

a years, with celebs and wellness And no, it’s not dehydrating. ‘Although it is
' Instagrammers raving about its
benefits. One 2009 study showed diuretic, you’re drinking a lot of water when
women who ate coconut oil daily
shed more weight. While it’s high you have coffee, so getting more fluid than
in saturated fat, about half of
youre bloesiifnygo,’usahyasdDlortRs uoxfteosnp.re‘Tshsoese-xcseoption
that is made up of lauric acid, might
a medium-chain triglyceride
that may potentially help reduce small, they don’t contain much fluid. Then

unhealthy LDL cholesterol and be I'd say, have a glass of water to compensate,’

converted more easily into energy, so doesn’t -Coffee does notch upa lot of caffeine,
pack on the pounds —at least, that’s the theory.
though two or three times more than tea —
The jury’s still out on coconut oil, says Dr
Ruxton. ‘It’s true there are some healthier and that can cause jitters and sleep problems.

‘But not everyone is sensitive, and some can

drink it fairly close to bedtime without being

affected, says Dr Ruxton.

Coffee is full of heart-

saturated fsattrso,nagndhecaurrtr-ednistesacsieenlicneks-ugitgests hmeaajlotrhyhepaolltyhpihsesuneosls-abnudt isn’t linked with any
there’s no to avoid anxiety and

doesn’t raise LDL as much as butter,’ she says. >insomnia, keep it in moderation and have your

‘But there’s a lack of data. In any case, like all last cup four to six hours before bed.

34 healthy-magazine.co.uk



EGGS GLUTEN

‘There was a belief that the A 2019 study found,
dietary cholesterol found in
eggs influenced human blood over three years,
cholesterol, says Dr Ruxton. 250 per cent increase
‘But the experiments were
done on rabbits and the same people self-reporting
msitivity to gluten — which
doesn’t happen in humans.
People with high cholesterol are 1s aprotein found in grains
including wheat. They attributed
usually eating too much saturated fat
and are overweight. Eggs have no impact on symptoms including depression,
cholesterol for most people. The exception is
headaches and bloating to it. So is
if you have a genetic condition called familial gluten really such a problem?

high cholesterol,’ Certainly, says Helen Bond, some
In fact, she says, for most people, eggs need to avoid it. ‘Coeliac disease is an

are an excellent choice of food. ‘A single egg autoimmune condition, causing gut
contains 6g of protein, with all the amino
acids. They’re good if you’re watching your inflammation as a result of eating gluten, she
weight — the protein makes them filling, and says. ‘A gluten-free diet is the way to manage
they’re automatically portion controlled.
Eggs are also one of the few natural food it’ Coeliac disease affects one in 100 in the UK,
sources of vitamin D,
causing bloating, diarrhoea and fatigue.
Liew Have asmanyasyouwant-_ There may be others who tolerate gluten
but it’s always wise to have plenty of variety,so
keep them as part of a balanced diet. poorly, but the connection can be over-
estimated. ‘Wheat’s a versatile food anda

source of fibre, which reduces risk of heart

\ RED WINE disease, weight gain and some cancers,
while improving digestive health. And most

of us don’t get enough, says Bond. Choose
wholewheat rather than refined, as it’s far

higher in fibre and nutrients. ‘Gluten-free foods

| It has areputation for being a can be higher in fat and sugar to compensate

‘healthier’ alcoholic drink-but for the structure you lose by removing gluten.

is red wine’s positive image If it’s causing issues, work witha dietitian’
justified? ‘Red wine is rich in sensitivity isn’t
eg Gluten

heart-healthy polyphenols, as common as many think. For most, whole
which also feed good gut
ugs, says Dr Ruxton. ‘But the wheat is a nutritious, high-fibre, low-fat food.
polyphenols in wine come with
Ie hol. Alcohol in strict moderationis SOYA

OK food and drink has social benefits In recent years, soya products have hada x
bashing, with concerns raised that the plant
having a glass of wine with food, oestrogens in them may be linked witha oO
raised risk of breast cancer. But studies
friends and family, is fine. But 2

recognise how youre using it. suggest it’s actually neutral or protectiv 2
‘Again, some of the earlier research was
Overdoing it can be detrimental done in animals, who don’t metabolise 2
=
to your health in a number of ways, both soya in the same way as humans, says 2
Dr Ruxton. ‘Isoflavones in soya have 8
physical and mental.’ The caloriesin —_a positive impact on heart health, too.
It’s also acomplete vegan protein,’
another yisosuure,weesipghect i-alolyneif you are trying to
manage large glass notches That said, there’s a world of

up around 215 calories.

There’s nothing wrong

with having a sociable glass of red wine with difference between a sugary soya-based

friends. But the potential health benefits d- etossfuer, tsaayn,dosroeydaaimnaitms em. oJurestwbheoclaeusosemiet’s form
soya,
aren’t really a reason to drink too much of

it, as polyphenols can also be found in lots of doesn’t mean it’s good for you,’ says Dr Ruxton.

other foods and drinks, including green tea Soya makes a healthy meat

and dark chocolate. replacement, but avoid processed products.

36 healthy-magazine.co.uk

ee“

the clinic

SUGAR

Addictive, toxic, the culprit behind

rising obesity levels... sugar’s
been getting the blame for a lot
of our wellbeing woes in recent
years. But does it deserve its
demonisation? Probably not.
Although lots of us comfort-eat
sugary foods, Scottish research debunked
the notion it’s addictive in the true sense. And

its effects on blood glucose are exaggerated, LOE PFAILOAFE

says Bond. ‘Foods with a high glycaemic index There's rarely any controversy around these super-healthy foods

(GD) are rapidly absorbed, so you'll get a rise Oily fish Packed with omega-3 fatty acids, important for brain

in blood glucose, she says. ‘But sugar itself is and heart health, we should be eating a portion a week.

medium-GI. Eaten as part of a balanced diet, it Berries From blackcurrants to raspberries, berries are high

won't send your blood glucose soaring.’ in polyphenols, important for heart and brain health.

That doesn’t mean you should eat it freely. Green leafy veg Think broccoli, spinach, kale and chard
- all high in fibre, and a range of protective vitamins
One teaspoon contains 20 calories. ‘It’s often in
and valuable nutrients.
foods with no nutritional benefits,’ says Bond.
Green tea Another polyphenol hit, it's much lower in caffeine
Due to its links with weight gain, government
than coffee, and considerably lower than black tea.
guidelines recommend only five per cent of your
Oats Rich in beta-glucan, a type of dietary fibre that can help
daily calories should come from added sugar.
slash cholesterol and boost heart health.
quota wisely - add It’s not a poison, but use your
to healthy foods such as sour

fruits to make them palatable, or savour in the

odd treat, such as homemade carrot

{ for more on healthy eating, go to healthy-magazine.co.uk} healthy-magazine.co.uk 37

GePe

Ae det

AfaES

the clinic

en women experience opfetlhviinc gpsai-n, V5 women to get it after the
it could be any number menopause, unless veins
HELP YOURSELF
ednisdeoasmee, tmrieonsisst,rpuaellvcircaimnfplasm- mthaetolisryt have been very dilated.
Your GP may not be Ultimately though, it’s
goes on. But in 20-30 per cent of cases, it’s pelvic clued up on pelvic the same as leg varicose
congestion syndrome, and it usually goes undiagnosed. congestion syndrome. veins — you inherit the
Pelvic congestion syndrome, simply put, is varicose If you think you could risk, but whether you get
veins (where veins become swollen and twisted) in have it, take a look at it badly enough to cause a
research papers (there problem is determined by
the pelvis. In the past, we thought we didn’t have to how much time you spend
worry about them. But 20 years of research shows if are plenty online), and
you leave varicose veins in the legs, blood pools in the even my book, Pelvic standing, and if you’ve had
Congestion Syndrome,
lower legs and this can result in clots, leg ulcers, pain and to help you explain. children. Both can make it
They should refer you
sometimes even eczema round the ankles. worse, but don’t raise risk.
for a transvaginal
The female pelvis has so many organs in it with duplex ultrasound Interestingly, around
vital functions, whether it’s the bowel, bladder, or using the Holdstock- one in six women with
Harrison protocol,
reproductive organs. They all need a blood supply, so leg varicose veins have
- otherwise, you’re not them as a result of pelvic
there are arteries taking blood into the pelvis, and veins
taking blood back out. Just like varicose veins in the going to get a cast- congestion syndrome. If
iron diagnosis. Be
legs, when the valves in the pelvic veins fail, blood can their doctor doesn’t look
persistent.
flow the wrong way [venous reflux], resulting in varicose for pelvic congestion, the
veins in the pelvis, which can cause all sorts of problems. patient will keep getting
leg varicose veins year
SYMPTOMS AND SIGNS after year, as they haven’t
had the right treatment.
In the pelvis The symptoms are mainly caused by the
DIAGNOSIS
weight of blood in the varicose veins pushing on the
pelvic organs. They can include: Between half a million and 1.5 million women go to
e Irritable bladder gynaecologists with chronic pelvic pain and are told
they’ve got endometriosis or there’s nothing wrong. That’s
¢ Irritable bowel because gynaecologists aren’t trained to look for, diagnose

e Haemorrhoids vaoelrlnttrohegoarstaeppbehilgyv,i-cedxcpooennn’gtseaisvlwteioasnyosuswynndodirnrkog, mbsceeac.naUusns-efoCvrTat,ruiMncoaRsteIeloyvr,eins

e Aching or a dragging sensation in the pelvis on sitting disappear when you lie flat. Research shows that the
or standing, which tends to ease away when you lie flat best way to look for it is using an internal ultrasound
scan, called a transvaginal duplex ultrasound, with the
e Deep pain during and after sexual intercourse
e Worsened pain during menstruation Hofovledisntsoacnk-dH, acrruricsioalnlyt,ehcohwniqbuloeo.dTihsifsloewxainmgin-essotmheetshizineg
e Lower abdominal pain, usually just above the pubic
those other machines can’t do. You need an expert who’s
bone, or either in the left or right side looking for pelvic varicose veins and does this regularly,
then we can treat it very successfully. It’s crucial no one
Outside the pelvis These may seem to occur for no accepts any treatment unless they’ve had the right test.

apparent reason (if you don’t have arthritis, for example): TREATMENT

e Hip pain At the moment, the only way we can treat pelvic varicose
© Lower back pain veins is by taking them away. We do this with ablations,
where metal embolisation coils close a section of vein,
Visible signs There are rarely any outward signs
permanently destroying it. It’s done under local anaesthetic
of pelvic congestion syndrome, but occasionally the and is a walk-in, walk-out procedure. We've found this gives
following can be seen, particularly after pregnancy: really good results. We’ve had women unable to maintain
e Intimate varicose veins — bulging veins on the vulva relationships, who went on to have healthy relationships
and children. It’s absolutely life-changing, but slightly left
and around the vaginal opening, on the anus or the of centre, so some gynaecologists can be resistant. @
perineum (the tissue between the anus and vagina).
e Varicose veins at the top of the inner thigh, backs of
the thighs and on the buttocks.

WHO’S AT RISK?

Pelvic congestion syndrome affects women more than it
affects men, although it is possible for men to get a form
of it. It affects women in their childbearing years — it’s
uncommon for girls to get it before puberty, and for

{for more on women’s health issues, go to healthy-magazine.co.uk} healthy-magazine.co.uk 39

elie and
ALLepatoems

‘i MenoMoo =?

PremHerb

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5 ways to. the clinic

improve yo eat a variety

gut healt ‘Aim for 30 different plant-based
foods a week for gut-loving
THE EXPERT A happy gut is key prebiotics (types of fibre): think
fruit, veg, wholegrains, legumes,
PT 1 La to overall health nuts and seeds. The more variety,
a
RENT the greater your microbe
and it starts with the linked to a healthy heart, brain and
health. She’s a skin. It soundsa lot, but try swaps
leading research community oftrillions \, like eating mixed nuts (not one
fellow at King’s type), popping yellow, orange and
College London of microbes we host. Dr green peppers in your stir-fry, and
and founder of The . sprinkling mixed seeds on cereal.’
Gut Health Doctor Rossie
explains ‘Caring for your
(theguthealth to help them thri.ve gut is all about variety and
doctor.com). Her moderation. Restrictive diets can
book Eat Yourself starve gut bacteria, put you at risk of
nutritional deficiencies, and also create
Life, £16.99) is a damaging relationship with food. Your
out now.
kidney and liver - the main detoxing organs -

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Carbs are stigmatised, but fibre is a type

that nourishes our gut microbes. Eating
wholegrains and legumes (two key
carb groups) are linked with
lower bodyweight.’

befriend
fermented foods

‘Traditional fermented

foods with live cultures

not only add amazing

flavours, tbheeny’erfeitlsin-kefrdom
to health

lowering blood pressure to
supporting our immunity.
My favourites include live

‘Stress can have a big impact on gut health. To yoghurt, kefir (fermented
rewire the gut-brain axis, just 15 minutes a day milk), kombucha (tea), natto
of meditation has been shown to make a (soya beans), kimchi and
sauerkraut (both cabbage).
difference after eight weeks (or try a mindfulness It's easy to make your own
app). Improve sleep quality by setting a bedtime at home, too. ®
routine with relaxation exercises, limiting caffeine
after 3jpm, and scheduling “worry time” to write
down your thoughts and free up head space.’

healthy-magazine.co.uk 41

& oBt O

o Levagen
a

A bioavailable form of a natural anti-inflammatory

made by the body, research indicates Levagen could
treat pain, aid muscle recovery and ease depression

WHAT IS IT? WHAT’S THE EVIDENCE? Endometriosis

Levagen is a clinically studied form To date, there’s a decent amount of A2015 study investigated the
of palmitoylethanolamide (PEA), evidence that backs up PEA’s use potential uses of PEA in improving
a chemical made from fat in the as an effective natural painkiller. quality of life for women with
In fact, the effects have been endometriosis, a painful condition
human body that combats pain and investigated in over 30 clinical trials where womb tissue grows in other
since the 1970s. However, some of parts of the body. Women suffering
inflammation. Since PEA was first the studies have had weak designs, with endometriosis-linked pelvic
with small numbers of participants, pain were given a dose of PEA and
discovered in 1957, researchers have or no placebo control, so they the antioxidant lipoic acid, twice a
been fascinated with its potential lack reliable data. Due to its anti- day. A follow-up at six months found
uses as a natural painkiller. It’s that the women had reduced pain,
also produced by many animals inflammatory effect, proponents better quality of life, and were more
and plants, and can be found in satisfied with their sex lives, overall.
high amounts in soya lecithin, soya believe that PEA could have lots
beans, egg yolks, peanuts and alfalfa. The research indicates that Levagen
Levagen is a more bioavailable form of important uses beyond pain might be helpful for women with
of PEA; it enters the blood stream
more easily, meaning it’s able to management, including treating
have an active effect when taken as eye conditions like glaucoma,
supporting brain health and easing
a dietary supplement. the symptoms of multiple sclerosis.
However, research into all of these
HOW DOES IT WORK? areas is in its early stages.

PEA binds to cells, protecting Exercise recovery
Earlier this year, researchers
them from damage and reducing investigated the use of Levagen for
inflammation. People with chronic muscle recovery. A group of young,
pain conditions, including back healthy men were given either a
problems or osteoarthritis, may dose of Levagen or a placebo, pre-
benefit from taking a supplement
such as Levagen, to ease their and post-exercise. Blood samples
taken after participants had
symptoms. PEA is also implicated in completed four sets of leg presses

brain health, due to its interactions roefvmeaulsecdlethdaatmmagyeog-lowbaisnr—edaumceadrker
in our endocannabinoid system, a
in the Levagen group, allowing
complex cell-signalling network, muscles to repair more easily. The
which plays a role in many everyday results show promise for its use in
processes. In our brains, natural sports nutrition, but as women were
excluded from this trial, we can’t
cannabinoids like PEA have an assume the effect is universal.

impact on mood and behaviour. For
this reason, taking Levagen may
help regulate depression, and have
a positive influence on sleep.

42 healthy-magazine.co.uk

the clinic

a=

we

é

Ai

endometriosis, but we can’t be sure an improvement in depressive WHO CAN TAKE IT?

how much pain relief was caused symptoms compared to the placebo Research to date indicates that

by lipoid acid, which isusedtotreat group; this effect continued for the Levagen is safe for most healthy

nerve pain and heal wounds. And, duration of the trial. The results adults to take. However, women who

as there was no control group to indicate that Levagen might be are pregnant or breast-feeding, and

compare the results against, a useful treatment alongside children under the age of 18 should

the research lacks “It might treat glaucoma, MS and avoid taking it, as
reliability. Stress, but we need more data”
noat lot of scientific
Depression
Ina 2018 study, research involving
these groups has

been done yet.

subjects with depression were given medication for people with Always stick to the dosage on the

either PEA or a placebo on top of depression. However, the research pack and consult your GP before

their prescribed antidepressants involved small numbers and the taking new supplements. Known

for six weeks. By the second week follow-up period was fairly short, so side effects are rare, but might

of the trial, the PEA group showed more in-depth research is needed. include an upset stomach. ®

{ for more in-depth advice on supplements, go to healthy-magazine.co.uk} healthy-magazine.co.uk 43

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The new studies and stats you need to know about

DRINK JUICE TO BOOST LAUGH OFTEN, STRESS LESS Reale New research from music
VITAMIN C LEVELS streaming platform Spotify found
We know a good laugh can improve mood, but that 75% of instrumentalists
Kicking off your day with a glass new research indicates a specific link between
of fruit juice could be doing good played to help themseives
things for your health. A diet with how often we laugh and how we manage unwind and destress, while 43%
stress. Over two weeks, a group of students said playing an instrument made
plenty of fresh fruit and veg is were regularly asked questions about how them feel peaceful, and just over
associated with higher levels of often and how hard they laughed. The results a third said it gave them a sense
vitamin C in the blood, but a new revealed that the students who laughed often of purposein life. If you don’t
tended to experience fewer stress symptoms, already play, getting to grips with
study published in the British such as headaches and restlessness. Perhaps a musical instrument can have
Medical Journal found that surprisingly, no link was observed between
intensity of laughter and stress management. In lots of wellbeing benefits.
drinking a glass of pure fruit or other words, lots of little giggles throughout the Research has shown that
vegetable juice every day led to day are more beneficial than one big belly laugh.
the biggest vitamin C increases. musical training can improve
The research also linked high
levels of vitamin C in the blood long-term memory and speed
with a lower risk of developing up reaction times, which could
type 2 diabetes. Plus, vitamin counteract symptoms of
age-related decline. So, dust off
C plays an important role in that old guitar that’s been sitting
supporting our immune system. in your attic and have a go!
The findings suggest drinking
CUT DOWN ON NETFLIX BINGES FOR BETTER HEALTH
juice could help us maintain
health, but stick to a 150ml During lockdown, 50% of us watched more TV than usual, but now could be the
serving to avoid excess sugars. time to rein it in. A large-scale study of almost half a million adults found those
who watched less than two hours of TV a day tended to be in better health.
This is thought to be because the amount of time spent watching TV is a rough

measure of how inactive we are generally. So, swap some of that couch time for
exercise. Or, if you must catch up on Grand Designs, do it from the treadmill!

}{for more of the latest health news, go to healthy-magazine.co.uk healthy-magazine.co.uk 45

ou’ve heard of white noise, but what about its wake us up, consistent noise can be soothing enough to
lull us into a deeper sleep. Some baby toys already work
lesser-known cousin, pink noise? Yes, that’s on this principle, mimicking the sound of a mother’s
heartbeat from inside the womb. For those with noisy
right: just like light, sound has a spectrum, neighbours, or who live on a busy road, a stream of pink
noise can help muffle out more distracting sounds.
meaning that, as well as white noise, there’s
WHAT’S INVOLVED?
also blue, green and brown. Now, pink noise in particular
If you’ve ever opened your window at night to be
is being celebrated for its potential power as a sleep aid.
soothed by the sound of steady rain, then you've already
The ‘colours’ of noise are determined by the energy benefited from pink noise. But as we can’t guarantee
nightly rainfall, those of us who struggle to get decent
of their sound signal, and like white noise, pink noise is shuteye may want to find other solutions. Luckily,
there are some handy pink noise apps available for
made up of all the sound frequencies that we can hear. smartphones, which you could download and play
through your phone to help you drift off. Or if you prefer
However, the energy of pink noise is more intense at to keep your bedroom a phone-free zone, you could

lower frequencies than white, meaning that it has a

deeper sound, which is more pleasing to the human ear.

If youre wondering what it sounds like, nature can offer

plenty of examples, from the rustling of leaves, to ocean

waves, to the human heartbeat.

As for its use as a sleep-booster? The idea is tbhaartkwinhgil-e
sudden noises — like a door slamming, or a dog

46 healthy-magazine.co.uk

the clinic

case study ANY SCIENCE?

“| tried it!” At the moment, health research into pink noise is in its
very early stages, but the studies that have been done
forJ Having struggled with sleep have shown promising results. Pink noise has been
the past two years, shown to help reduce brain waves and encourage deep
sleep, which may have many further health benefits.
58-year-old university
M lecturer Fiona Leonard was IMPROVING YOUR MEMORY

keen to see whether pink Asmall-scale study investigated the impact of pink
noise might help
noise on memory in older adults. The participants were
| never had trouble sleeping when | was
younger. As soon as| hit the pillow, I'd be out given a memory test before and after sleeping and as
like a light. But over the past couple of years,
I've found it much harder. | can’t fall asleep in they slept, pulses of pink noise were played to them.
the first place, or find myself wide awake at
3am, struggling to drift off again. It’s had a The researchers found that
real impact on my energy levels, so | was
keen to find a solution. | decided to give the If YOu love the
HoMedics Deep Sleep Mini sound machine the sooth | NQ
(£49.99, homedics.co.uk) a try. It’s got several SOU n d of performance on memory
different settings and you can put itona
timer for 30, 60, or 90 minutes. The first few after pink nwoiitshetwheascloanyterodl,
times | used it, | tried the pure pink noise compared
setting for 30 minutes, and found that | was
still awake by the time it stopped, which condition, where it wasn’t
made me quite stressed. But | kept going
with it and found that the rainfall setting was rain, you've played. However, with just
more relaxing, and that if | put it on it at a low 13 participants, this was a
volume, for 90 minutes, | would drift off. Now,
when | wake up in the middle of the night, !1l already very small study, so further
turn it on for another 90 minutes. I’m not research needs to be done.

sure whether the machine itself induces enjoyed its STABILISING SLEEP
benefits”
sleep, but it helps me to believe it does. I’d Ina 2012 study, researchers
recommend it to anyone who's struggling.
tested whether pink noise
NN
had an impact on sleep
invest in a specialised noise machine for sleep. Lots of
white noise machines available on the market feature quality by observing participants over the course

pink noise settings as well. of two different nights. On one night, the subjects

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS? slept in silence and on the other, they slept with pink

Anyone who struggles with their sleep will know how noise playing in the background. After two nights, the
much of an impact it can have on their mood, energy
levels and ability to concentrate. Additionally, sleep researchers found a significant increase in stable sleep
quality is linked to weight gain, heart disease and
diabetes, so if youre struggling, it’s important to find during the pink noise condition, as indicated by heart
a solution for the sake of your health. But as well as the
obvious benefit of helping you to sleep, listening to pink rate and breathing, compared to the silent condition.
noise is believed to have memory-boosting benefits,
too. This is because the quality sleep which pink noise The results indicate that pink noise can help us achieve
promotes is essential for memory retention. It’s even
been theorised that listening to pink noise might better quality of sleep overall.
prevent older adults from developing dementia.
STAVING OFF DEMENTIA

Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is the stage between

expected age-related cognitive decline and dementia,
characterised by forgetfulness and struggling to recall
words. Studies suggest that if it’s related to a health
condition, like sleep deprivation, it might be possible to
reverse MCI. In 2019, researchers recruited nine adults

with MCI to take part in a pink noise sleep study,
performing a recall task after sleep on two nights. The
results showed that performance on the task improved
for five out of nine participants after a night of pink
noise-stimulated sleep, compared to a sham test, where
no pink noise was played. However, although over half of
the participants showed an improvement, this is a tiny
study, so we can’t draw firm conclusions. @

healthy-magazine.co.uk 4&7

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It’s the usually invisible state before you develop full-blown diabetes — but

luckily, you can reverse it. Dr Sarah Brewer explains what you should know

ome people argue we're dementia. You might also have read have it — with even younger women
becoming so blasé about the at risk. Fortunately, if prediabetes
risk of developing diabetes, about the link w-isthtucdoiems pfrliocmatiCohnisna is managed properly, you can avoid
we're in danger of switching from Covid-19 developing diabetes altogether, and
off. I would hope that isn’t the we're finally starting to have more
case. I think it’s more people not indicate that people with diabetes conversations about it.
realising they’re at risk and so not
getting screened. At the moment, are twice as likely to require WHAT EXACTLY IS IT?
it’s estimated over 4 million people
intensive care, for example. Many people with type 2 diabetes
in the UK have diabetes — and first go through a stage in which
While some people develop their insulin levels are high (due to
it’s a serious health condition. insulin resistance), and their ability
diabetes (type 1) as an autoimmune to handle glucose is poor. This
Not only can it meana lifetime of means their blood glucose levels are
medication, it can lead to heart condition, most (around 90 per cent) higher than normal — but not yet in
the official diabetes range. This state
disease, blindness, kidney problems develop diabetes (type 2), often as is known as impaired glucose #>
and even amputation. Those
with diabetes are more at risk of aresult of lifestyle factors, such as

infections, anxiety, depression and too much junk food and not enough

exercise leading to obesity. What

many don’t realise, though, is there’s

a state prior to developing type 2

diabetes that’s known as prediabetes,
and as many as 7 million of us may

}{ for more on staying healthy, go to healthy-magazine.co.uk healthy-magazine.co.uk 49

clinic

If you have children and young adults are being
a tendency to
Store fat round diagnosed, too, probably due to
changes in our diets. You’re more at
your middle, risk if you're of African-Caribbean,
you could be Black African, or South Asian descent;
at more risk data suggests men are higher risk than

women; and genetics play a part, too.

If you're worried, ask your GP for a

test like a fasting blood sugar test, or
the HbAlIc blood test, which measures

levels of glycated haemoglobin.

Vv

Your prediabetes lifestyle action plan

Prediabetes (and some cases of early type 2 diabetes) can be reversed.
Here are healthy’s top tips on taking the matter into your own hands

tolerance, or prediabetes. But it’s Control your weight Obesity walking, dancing, swimming, cycling
usually invisible, with only 10 per accounts for 80-85 per cent of the and gardening are all good. There’s
cent of sufferers even aware they
have it. The most easily identifiable overall risk of developing type 2 also evidence that resistance
sign is a tendency to store fat round
diabetes. One study found every kg training is more effective than just
your middle/being apple-shaped
of excess fat lost reduced the risk of aerobic exercise in fighting type 2 *If you're under medical supervision, always check with your GP before taking supplements. Compiled by Cheryl Freedman. Photographs Stocksy
(a waist over 80cm, if you’re female). developing it by 16 per cent; losing those weights.
diabetes - so grab
Other symptoms often associated
with glucose intolerance include just 5 per cent of your body weight Drink less Alcohol has effects on
raised blood levels of fats called makes a difference, say Diabetes
UK. Losing fat from your middle the liver that raise blood levels of
triglycerides, high blood pressure,
iS particularly important. Fat cells triglycerides, and also contributes
low levels of ‘good’ HDL cholesterol,
packed around your internal organs to weight gain. There’s no need to
and high fasting blood glucose levels.
Having a ‘cluster’ of three or more of (known as visceral fat), especially the give up drinking altogether, but keep
these is called metabolic syndrome.
liver, can impair the body’s response within recommended intakes of no
THE SIGNS TO KNOW
to insulin, which may be due to more than 14 units per week.
As many as one in two people with
impaired glucose tolerance will inflammation caused by fatty acids = Try natural supplements*
develop full-blown type 2 diabetes leaking into the bloodstream. CHROMIUM Low levels are
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Signs include weight gain, recurrent Eat a healthy diet Follow bs, linked with impaired glucose
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50 healthy-magazine.co.uk