We’re delighted that Headspace’s meditation guru Andy Puddicombe has written the following blog post explaining how you too can benefit from their easy to follow techniques.

The human brain is a seriously busy organ, processing more than one hundred million instructions per second. And it consists of an almost unbelievable 100 billion neurons – similar to the number of stars in our galaxy. It’s perhaps not surprising that the brain  produces enough energy to light a 25W lightbulb – but please don’t try this at home.

What with all this activity, it’s almost inevitable that we’re going to feel stressed and a little strung-out at times. Deadlines at work, digital overload, social commitments, financial responsibilities, relationships – and that’s before we even begin to look inside at the emotional and thought-filled roller-coaster that most of us ride through life.

Now if all this inner turmoil could actually be seen, there would be worldwide pandemonium. Of course, it’s now widely acknowledged that many stress related illnesses arise as a direct result of our over-active minds. But if it doesn’t manifest in illness, then what happens in the privacy of our own mind tends to go largely unseen by others.

Thank goodness for that, I hear you say! But sitting with all those thoughts, all those feelings, is no easy thing. Sometimes the thoughts appear endless, they just keep on coming. At other times everything feels fine and then, as soon as your head hits the pillow at night, the mind just goes off on one. Sound familiar? And as for the feelings, well, anything other then happiness is just plain wrong, right?

The fact of the matter is though, and this may well surprise you, that the primary thoughts and feelings which arise in the mind only account for a tiny fraction of the stress we experience in life. What accounts for the rest, is the way in which we relate to those thoughts and feelings – the secondary thoughts and feelings. Let’s be honest, when was the last time you felt relaxed about the fact that your thoughts were racing away at a million miles per hour? When was the last time you felt a sense of inner peace when you felt angry, lonely, depressed or worried? It’s hard not to resist these things.

It sounds obvious doesn’t it? And yet most people don’t do anything about it. If you wanted to learn how to paint, you’d go to an art class, right? If you wanted to learn about food, you’d go to a cookery class. And if you wanted to learn how to play tennis, you’d go and see a tennis coach. So who do you go and see if you want to learn how to train the mind?

Training the mind is just another way of saying ‘meditation’. I’m not talking about the shaven-headed, loincloth-wearing, sitting-on-top-of-a-mountain type of meditation here, but rather the type of meditation you can do at home, in your usual clothes, sat on a nice comfy chair. Contrary to popular opinion, it doesn’t have to involve incense, chanting and bell-ringing. And it can be done in as little as 10 minutes too – so the ‘I haven’t got time’ excuse sounds pretty flimsy on this one.

But don’t take my word for it. Scientists at prestigious medical schools such as Harvard, Duke and MIT, to name but a few, have shown repeatedly how meditation can be used to successfully address a wide range of stress related symptoms. This includes insomnia, anxiety, depression, high blood pressure, PMT, chronic pain, tension, fatigue, and so the list goes on. It’s also been shown to promote creativity, concentration and awareness.

You’ll be pleased to know though, that we’re very realistic at Headspace. We know that life is busy, time is precious and that there’s only room for so many things in a 24 hour day. But we also know that if you’re looking at this website, then there’s a pretty good chance you care about your health. And so you should.

So why not pay us a visit at www.getsomeheadspace.com, where you can sign up for a course of meditation completely free of charge, and join a growing community of people who are taking ten minutes out each day to get some headspace.

We very much look forward to seeing you there, 

Best wishes,

Andy

Bouncing – it’s so simple, yet so effective at improving health.

Not only is it fun, the shift in gravity also benefits every muscle and cell in your body, and boosts energy levels.

Use a mini trampoline as often as you can and bounce yourself to better health!

Fruit contains simple sugars, which don’t require much digesting and so do not hang around in the stomach.

Most other foods need to properly digest and will remain in the stomach for a while, until the digestive system has done its job.

Eating fruit during or after a meal can cause embarrassing results – as the fruit sugar remains in your stomach for longer, causing it to ferment and upset your digestion process.

Our advice is to try not to drink during meals. Your digestive system cleverly takes all the water it requires from the food you consume.

So drinking during meals will only disrupt and complicate the natural digestive process, flooding your digestive enzymes.

Keep it simple – for best results have a drink either half-an-hour before a meal or one hour after.

Think about it – you put all your energy into an activity and then afterwards you feel more energised.

How does that work?

Well, your blood flow and circulation is enhanced when you exercise. This delivers more oxygen to your cells, which in turn increases energy levels.

If you’re looking for aerobic benefits, we like cycling. For muscle toning, flexibility and relaxation we would recommend Yoga because it activates the endocrine system and normalises sluggish glands, making it an all-round energiser for your body.

Our friends at Bikram Yoga offer the hottest Yoga around, literally! Have a look at this video…

If you’re a busy person, you probably miss out on relaxation.

Try to schedule in some relaxation time. Even plan it in to your diary and make it part of your routine.

It doesn’t matter what you do – massage, meditation, read, walk, yoga or just sit on a bench and watch the world go by the important thing is to relax.

And don’t feel guilty about it either.

After each relaxation session, you will feel better and have more energy to share with others.

Why is it that today we throw away an estimated 2.6 billion slices, 775 million rolls and a further 69 million whole loaves every year?  Could it be because we no longer value the products of the seven industrial bakers and supermarkets that together account for around 97% of UK production?

It was questions such as these that prompted Sustain to found the Real Bread Campaign. Working alongside artisan baker and activist Andrew Whitley, the campaign is fighting for a return to all-natural Real Bread that is better for us, better for our communities and better for our planet.

Sadly, long gone are the days when all of our bread came fresh from our own ovens or local bakeries, made by tens of thousands of skilled craftspeople within our communities with nothing but natural ingredients, time and care.

For example, did you know that the production of industrial bread can involve a whole cocktail of undeclared enzymes? Some of the food enzymes on the market are known allergens and others could be of GM or animal origin.  So, how do you know whether or not any of them went into the making of a loaf? Simply put – you don’t. The trouble is that many such enzymes can be deemed processing aids, which labeling law says do not even have to be mentioned in a list of ingredients. In response, the campaign launched the headline-grabbing Stick One On ‘em! to demand that the big bakers clean up their act.

Major campaign initiatives now in development include Lessons in Loaf, a scheme to share hands-on Real Bread making skills in schools; working to get Real Bread on the menus of public sector institutions like hospitals and schools; finding ways to support professional Real Bread bakers; and working with groups around Britain to help make Real Bread accessible to all.

Thankfully, there are plenty of people around the country who still care: farmers growing cereals with utmost care for our environment and prioritising the nutritional value of the grain; millers using wind or water and slow-turning stones that preserve those nutrients; bakers who uphold the true values of bread by not cutting every corner possible for profit; parents wanting the best, all natural food for their families; people like you.  These are the people who are the campaign.

You can find more details about the campaign, including where to find your nearest supply of Real Bread and how you can become a member at: www.realbreadcampaign.org 

Real Bread is on the rise! 

Chris Young, Project Officer, the Real Bread Campaign

Chew your food like a grazing cow.

You’ve seen them in the field, with their jaws swaying from side-to-side as they munch on grass.

By chewing for longer you can savour the flavour and your digestive system will thank you for it.

Chewing food to an almost liquid form will boost the efficiency of your digestive system and you will be rewarded with a general improvement in wellbeing.

Do you sometimes feel as though your brain has gone to sleep and has decided, without consulting you first, to have a duvet day?

Well, you might have over-worked your brain, which is often cause by frustration with a task and a longing to be somewhere else.

Try to recognise the symptoms and take a break from whatever you are doing.

Focus fully on the task at hand and keep in mind that the present is all there is.

Living in the ‘now’ is far less stressful and will help to re-tune your mind and boost your energy levels.

Eckhart Tolle’s The Power Of Now is an excellent starting point to being in the present.