CLOTHES MAKE THE MAN

We now live in a world where self-care, health and wellbeing are being prioritised, and actually, are actively encouraged – which is something that we haven’t seen until recent years. 

And one of the very best ways to practise self-care is through yoga and meditation. 

Here, Victoria Cranmer, founder of health and wellbeing travel firm Mindful Escapes, shares her thoughts on why yoga should be added to our everyday routine.

There is a global increase in people battling burnout, and time is of the essence, therefore practising as little as 10 minutes of yoga as part of your daily routine can be a beneficial addition. 

People have never been as busy as they are today. Whether it’s juggling work and business with family life or struggling to find the time to relax and unwind, people are continuing to battle the feeling of burnout. 

Yoga enables and releases feelings of anxiety, stress, worry, self-doubt, fatigue and the feeling of burnout with each and every breath. 

Much more than deep breathing and stretching, yoga is an act of healing – both physically and mentally. 

Benefits of yoga 

As a great source of healing, yoga has many benefits and can work to support everybody in an entirely unique and different way. 

Whilst not medicinal, yoga is the ideal way to incorporate gentle movement to your day and improve mental and physical wellbeing. 

 1) Improves strength, balance and flexibility

The regular movements and breathing techniques of yoga can aid the improvement of your strength, balance and flexibility by increasing blood flow and warming up the muscles. As well as this, yoga can improve posture, which in turn, reduces back pain and enhances comfort. 

2) Reduces aches and pains 

For people with illnesses such as arthritis, or those that suffer from aches and pains, yoga makes for the perfect form of gentle exercise. The stretching and breathing of yoga eases pain and discomfort and is a great way to manage bodily aches and pains without medicinal intervention. 

 3) Reduces stress and benefits heart health

When practised regularly, yoga can help people to feel less stressed, thus reducing inflammation and contributing to a healthier heart. 

4) Relaxes to aid sleep and boosts mood    With yoga comes a sense of calm and can therefore be a great way to end your day and wind down before going to bed. For a better night’s sleep, alter your exercises to encourage relaxation, but to kickstart your day, yoga can make for the perfect mood booster – simply select exercises that require a little more energy and that make you feel awake and raring to go. 

 5) The ultimate self-care tool 

Yoga is the ideal way to take care of yourself. Whether it’s 10 minutes, 30 minutes or an hour – yoga can be practised in such a way that works around your day, providing you with some well-deserved ‘me time’ whilst supporting stress management and encouraging mindfulness.  

Getting started 

It’s important that people practise yoga in a way that suits them – after all, we all have entirely different needs.  

Whilst you will receive maximum benefits from adding yoga to your everyday routine, some people prefer yoga retreats to fully immerse themselves and to create the ultimate experience. 

A retreat is the perfect way to prioritise yoga and its healing benefits without any distractions from the outside world. 

For more information on yoga retreats and its benefits, visit: https://mindfulescapes.uk/ 

Do you know the difference between a deodorant and an antiperspirant? Well, Deodorants offer two forms of protection against odour. The first is antimicrobial properties that reduce the number of odour producing bacteria. The second is a fragrance that masks odours that are produced. Antiperspirants, meanwhile, block your body’s eccrine glands which make you sweat. This is usually done with an aluminium-based ingredient. Both deodorants and antiperspirants are approved as products safe for everyday use without posing the risk of harmful side effects. Still, with questionable ingredients like aluminium salts and parabens, there has been a rise in offering more natural ingredient alternatives.

Our underarms are perhaps the most sensitive, but least cared part of our body, but with summer well and truly upon us, it’s now time that we pay some attention to them.

Whilst the theatre industry remained shut back in 2020, two West End performers took AKT-ion by launching their very own (now award-winning) natural deodorant brand.

Back in 2015 where AKT London’s story began, co-founders Andy Coxon and Ed Currie met whilst rehearsing for Beautiful: The Carole King Musical in London’s West End. Both with hectic schedules, performing eight shows a week and under hot blazing theatre lights, Andy and Ed both struggled to find a sufficient deodorant, especially one that would be effective in masquerading their smell of hard work and active lifestyles.

Starting from Ed’s kitchen, the pair decided to take AKT-ion and begin their journey to create a deodorant balm that works for all. Dedicating three years to research, development and formulation, collaborating with leading experts in fragrance and cosmetic science, with exacting standards and a whole heap of creativity, Andy and Ed immersed themselves into the sweet smelling world of deodorant.

Officially launching in May 2020 at the start of the pandemic and when the theatre industry had recently been shutdown, The Deodorant Balm was born to perform, being the most effective solution to the continuous failing antiperspirants. With even the brands’ typography being inspired by iconic theatre billboards, AKT is a collaboration of theatre, personal hygiene and self-care.

Helping to inspire the brand, a vast amount of West End cast members in London were given a sample of The Deodorant Balm to test its efficacy and comfort, with an overwhelming response of positivity and support. The community’s feedback and support have been crucial to AKT for its existing success and continuation of growth.

The diligent duo knew from the outset that their ethics would play a key role in the product development. Both knew it was inevitable that AKT had to be an all-vegan, gender-neutral, natural, plastic-free deodorant brand – that is tested on performers, not animals. With strong environmental ethics, they knew that developing plastic-free packaging with aluminium would be crucial for durability, portability and recyclability. The business partners, but also friends, also purposely created bespoke, premium fragrances that were inspired by some of their happiest memories in the natural world.

PUBLIC SERV-CE is an eco-conscious, visionary bio-sportswear company with societal relevance and environmental values.

If Raphael Young’s past work at F_WD and OFF-WHITE is anything to go by his newest launch PUBLIC SERV-CE – the ‘well feeling’ fashion of the future, will most certainly be the new big thing.   PUBLIC SERV-CE is an eco-conscious, visionary bio-sportswear company with societal relevance and environmental values.  Precursor of the well-feeling movement, they elevate athleisure into a performance lifestyle revolution.  Rooted in virtuous design, they provoke meaningful change in the sports & apparel industry to create great products while preserving our planet and all beings.   “Design is very important to us. It must be simple, genderless, not following any season or trends and be ahead of the curve.”

Lightweight, breathable and quick drying, their Bio Comfort wear is made of an extra-soft organic, biodegradable cotton for maximum comfort and well-feeling. Enhanced with PUBLIC SERV-CE bio-tiful Peppermint Fresh technology, this apparel features a natural antimicrobial property to keep them fresh longer, so you won’t need to wash them as much, saving at-home water and energy consumption.

Words by Sara Terrell

Daniel Craig, Sean Connery, Colin Firth and Idris Elba…these are just a few examples of men who are ageing well.

But what’s their secret? It’s not just good genes and lighting, these men all have one thing in common. They keep fit. You won’t see a flabby Daniel Craig or Idris Elba sporting a wobbly double chin.

If you want to age well, you may need to make a few lifestyle changes. Here’s how you can stay fit even when you’ve got a lot of candles on your birthday cake.

1. Stay Physically Active

Getting off that couch and staying physically active is a good all-rounder in the anti-ageing department. While not suggesting you take up marathon running, staying physically active can be as simple as doing an hour’s work in the garden or going for a brisk walk three times a week.

Exercise helps circulation. It’s good for your heart and bone health and it eases stress and releases endorphins—those feel-good hormones that give us extra energy. Plus, it keeps the inevitable middle-age spread at bay.

2. Pick Exercise Types To Match Your Age

In their 40s, many men gain a little weight as they age. Resistance training is a good way to burn calories, prevent fat accumulation and reverse that bane of ageing—losing muscle mass.

Try dumbbells and kettlebells and consider taking pilates classes as they’re great for strengthening your core and preventing back pain.

In your 50s, chronic conditions often raise their heads such as hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and sometimes, type 2 diabetes. If you’ve hit the big 5-0, consider doing strength training 2-3 times a week.

In your 60s, the incidence of serious diseases such as cancers increases markedly. In this decade, you want to maintain your exercise regime at a fairly high level. You can do this by working out combinations of the exercise types described above.

In your 70s and beyond, exercise helps to reduce cognitive declineand will definitely help with reducing frailty.

3. Keep Moving

The important thing is to keep moving. A sedentary lifestyle is to be avoided at all costs. Sustained exercise should become a lifestyle choice you make over and over again.

And of course, walking is a great way of doing weight-bearing exercise. Walk briskly so that you just break a sweat. It will keep your bone density at a good level and is good for all round fitness.

Don’t forget to stretch, it’s a brilliant way to keep flexible and ease away aches and stiff joints.

4. Varying Your Exercise

Why not try a boxing class, resistance training with rubber bands or bodyweight workouts? By varying the type of exercise that you do your whole body will get a workout and you won’t get bored. You may find that as you get older some types of exercises are easier than others, so don’t be afraid to try new things.

5. You Are What You Eat

Watching your diet is another important investment you can make in your anti-ageing fitness journey. Eating a balanced diet made up of a little protein (lean meats, fish and chicken), vegetables of all colours and fruit is the best way to boost your health.

Simple eating choices such as a diet of plenty of fish, olive oil, fruit, vegetables and omega-3 fatty acids is super nourishing, benefiting not only your body but your brain too. 

Oh, and watch those portions. Remember your stomach is only as big as your clenched fist, most of us eat far too much at a sitting. Start cutting down on your portion size. Your gut will be much happier for it.

6. Lower Your Stress Levels

Exercising to relax may sound like a contradiction, but it’s not. Keeping your stress levels under control is another important factor in keeping fit.

Scientific research has shown that aerobic exercise has mental benefits and has a neurochemical basis, according to Harvard University. Having high levels of the stress hormones of adrenaline and cortisol is not good for the body and you need to avoid this as much as possible.

Keeping yourself fit with moderate exercise is one of the best stress relievers around. Achieving this may be as simple as walking the dog.

7. Ditch The Vices

If you still smoke, stop. Smoking is one of the fastest ageing accelerators around and it won’t help you stay fit if you’re coughing after just a few minutes of exercise.

A couple of pints at the pub are fine, and a glass of wine with dinner won’t hurt, but it’s a good idea to stick to the unit guidelines for alcohol consumption of no more than 14 units a week. Alcohol is laden with sugar and won’t help you on your fitness journey.

8. Get Enough Sleep

As you age, your sleep patterns change and it’s vital that you get enough rest. Sleep affects all the tissues in your body, including growth and stress hormones, your immune system, appetite, breathing, blood pressure and cardiovascular health. These are essential for staying fit and healthy.

Getting enough sleep is also important for maintaining your energy levels. It’s difficult to exercise when you’re exhausted, and if you’re well rested, you’ll put a lot more effort in.

9. Take Care Of Your Feet

Feet are not the first thing we think of when talking about fitness. But as you age, the circulation in your lower extremities decreases, so any injury, bunion, infection or small cut will take longer to heal.

Keep an eye on your feet, and address any nicks, cuts or dry patches quickly.

10. See Your Doctor Regularly

Staying fit isn’t just about exercising, it’s about looking after your body, too. Regular scheduled checkups with your GP will help to detect any serious problems, most of which can be treated if caught early enough.

Fit Is A State Of Mind

Staying fit as you age is an ongoing journey and a conscious decision you need to make. Your metabolism will slow down and you won’t find it as easy to run up that flight of stairs or lift that heavy box.

Put the effort in and it will pay off. Just remember to listen to your body and know your limits. You can push yourself a little, but remember, you’re no longer in your 20s and have nothing to prove.

Having a better diet is often at the forefront of many peoples minds, however, with so many different types of diets, it can be overwhelming to know the right way to achieve your nutrition goals. Nutrition expert Lauryn Lax at BreakingMuscle.com outlines the main reasons why your diet isn’t working and how to fix them.

Your gut isn’t healed

Beyond diet and stress, one essential factor most people don’t consider when it comes to body fat loss is what’s going on in their gut. Underlying gut issues like fungal or bacterial overgrowth, imbalanced gut bacteria, chronic bloating or constipation, or low stomach acid, can lead to nutrient deficiency and malabsorption issues.

The result? Your body is going to fight against you, no matter how clean you eat or how much you work out. One study on the effectiveness of a gut-healing protocol in people on a fat loss program found those who focused on healing their gut lost an average of about 11 pounds of body fat, with only three of those pounds related to diet alone. Other research has shown that individuals with a healthier gut (less bacterial overgrowth) and better digestion respond better to intermittent fasting, versus those who have an unhealthy gut microbiome.

In short, you are only as healthy as the trillions of bacteria in your gut. You can think of your gut as the gateway to all other systems in your body. If it is unable to absorb and digest your nutrients appropriately, or it is rotting and fermenting bacteria inside, then your other body systems won’t get what they need. When that happens, health declines. Your hormones get out of whack, you experience increased anxiety, feel the need to binge, and gain body fat.

When you get rid of unwanted bacteria or undigested food hiding out in your gut, inflammation lessens, your metabolism, cortisol levels, and thyroid are supported, and your body is free to stop holding onto unwanted body fat.

The best way to find out if you have a gut issue? Test, don’t guess. Consult with a practitioner, skilled in digging deeper into gut health for a personalized approach. Testing may include SIBO, stool, hormone level, and food intolerance screenings.

You’re not eating enough fat

Diets that exclude or severely limit fat tend to replace all those calories with carbohydrates, which sets you up to ride the blood sugar roller coaster. Your body is constantly chasing balance between blood sugar and insulin levels, which can in turn impact your cortisol (stress hormone) production. Cortisol signals your body to store body fat, rather than burn it, and can also lead to increased intake of high-carbohydrate foods.

Dietary fat can help keep energy levels more even, and hunger at bay. Reach for healthy fats with each meal, and in place of carbohydrate-based snacks, reach for a snack with healthy fat or protein as the base. Look for things like raw nuts and seeds, olive oil, coconut oil, coconut butter, avocado, olives, ghee, grass-fed butter, full-fat fermented yogurt, fatty cuts of organic meats, pastured eggs, or avocado oil.

You’re not including carbs

Just because you should eat fats doesn’t mean that carbs are the enemy, either. When we go too low on carbs, particularly from veggies, we risk also eliminating fibre, which is essential to digestion, your gut biome, and metabolic balance. Extreme diets at either end of the fat vs. carbs spectrum can negatively impact your metabolism.

Researchers and dieters everywhere are asking, which is better, low fat or low carb? But there isn’t a single correct answer. Some people do better with more carbs, and some do better with more fat. Every body is different. For example, some women who have issues with their blood sugar or insulin resistance have found ketogenic diets beneficial as a short-term dietary approach. However, women who have their blood sugar under control, but have some adrenal fatigue or hormone imbalances, have found a ketogenic diet more harmful in the long run.

You’re counting numbers when you should be counting colours

Our bodies don’t see food in terms of macros and calories. They see nutrients and need lots of nutrient-dense foods to thrive. The problem many people run into with macro or calorie-based plans is that they fixate on numbers, scales and measurements, without acknowledging the nutrient density in foods, and how your metabolism responds to that.

For instance, a half cup of gummy bears may supply your body with a punch of “quick digesting carbs” after a workout, but the nutrient composition and health benefit it provides is completely different than a half cup of berries or a small, sweet potato. Your body responds to the real food with increased satiety and a better metabolic result.

Diet staples like chicken, olive oil, and rice do give your body some protein, fat, and carbs, but what about their nutrient density and variety? Put another way, how many colours are in that meal? Generally speaking, less colour means fewer nutrients, and less satisfaction from eating them. You might have hit your macro goals, but your body is still craving the rest of the many nutrients it needs to function at its best.

When we consume lots of colourful veggies, body-boosting healthy fats, and essential proteins, our metabolism comes alive, extracting various vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants to keep your body revving. My top picks include:

• Dark leafy greens
• Colorful veggies (aim for 2-3 different veggie colors at each meal)
• Berries
• Citrus (lemon, orange, lime, grapefruit)
• Organic herbs (parsley, cilantro, rosemary, thyme, sage)
• Organ meats
• Fermented foods like sauerkraut
• Pastured eggs and poultry, grass-fed beef, wild-caught fatty fish
• Coconut oil, cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil, ghee, and grass-fed butter
• Avocado
• Raw brazil nuts, walnuts, and macadamia nuts

While you’re at it, make sure you are eating enough. Under-eating is just as detrimental as overeating.

You’re too stressed about your diet

Stress is the number one driver of all disease, including stubborn body fat. Stress is inevitable in our society, but it is often overlooked in areas beyond mental health. Even if you don’t think you’re stressed out, minor daily stressors can threaten metabolic balance.

Biologically, your cortisol level needs to be in a state of balance in order to shed body fat. If your body constantly feels threatened, cortisol levels become chronically high. The last thing your body wants to do when it thinks it’s fighting for survival is comply with your fat loss protocol.

You can’t improve your body when your mind is freaked out. Stress reduction has been shown to help alleviate an otherwise broken metabolism. Incorporating a practice of deep breathing, meditation or prayer, meditative movement (stretching, yoga, dance), and reading or listening to positive truth (podcasts, books, speakers, etc.) are all tactics for mindfully reducing stress.

You’re not paying attention to your meals

Speaking of mindfulness, research tells us that practicing it during meals can help reduce cortisol and abdominal fat. Incorporate these techniques into your own mealtimes:

• Chew your food (fully)
• De-screen: turn off the TV, phone, computer and even books
• Assess your level of hunger and fullness. You don’t have to always finish your plate, and sometimes, you may need seconds.
• Be aware of how food makes you feel. Are you bloated, constipated, breaking out, anxious, have an allergic reaction? Something may be in your food that is not sitting well with you.
• Don’t eat the same things every day. Incorporate a variety of nutrients from real foods.

You haven’t fixed your mindset

These essential strategies could be the game changers you’ve been looking for to get your fat loss efforts on track. But the biggest of all comes from a gut-check of a different kind: not making your goal solely about fat loss.

Fat loss is only the means to get something else you really want. Identify that feeling that you think your fat loss will bring you and begin feeding into goals and pursuits outside fat measurements or the scale itself to attain what it is you truly want.

The biggest game changer in getting the body you want will come when you stop focusing so much on scale and size and instead make goals and set intentions around other more important things in your life. It’s not bad to want to improve your body composition, but when our sole drive and focus is aimed at body fat loss alone, that dangling carrot will never be fully attained. There will always be someone better, fitter, prettier, or leaner than us.

Instead, set primary goals for personal development, peace with yourself and food, healing your gut or hormones, stressing less, improving relationships.

If you use these insights, we would appreciate a link to  www.breakingmuscle.com who provided the expert commentary. A linked credit allows us to keep supplying you with future content that you may find useful.