Should you choose a nice stroll or a killer workout? It depends on which problem you’re trying to solve.

Scientists have discovered that low intensity exercise helps us think more clearly and concentrate better, while high intensity exercise helps us process our emotions.

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Early-life antibiotic use makes kids fatter

A recently-published study from New Zealand has found that that antibiotic use is associated with excessive weight gain.

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Coriander Pesto

A fresh twist on an old favourite, coriander pesto is delicious as a topping for gnocchi, wholemeal pasta or baked potatoes, or as a salad dressing. Ingredients: 4 cloves garlic1/4 cup walnuts or pinenutsJuice of 1-2 limes1/2 avocado1/2 cup savoury yeast flakes/nutritional yeast1 bunch coriander1/4 cup parsley Method: Blend all ingredients in a food processor…

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Obesity: An intergenerational disease?

It’s a common pastime among Gen Xers like me, and Baby Boomers like my husband, to reflect on the number of ‘fat kids’ we knew when we were at school. Overweight and obese children were such a rarity in the 1960s and 70s that the handful we encountered really stand out in our memory; I…

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Recovery from anxiety is not just possible, it’s likely

21 January 2020 In previous articles (see ‘Depressed’ or just going through a rough patch – have you been misdiagnosed? and Who says you’re depressed or anxious? Pfizer does), I’ve expressed my deep misgivings about the ‘diagnostification’ of human psychological suffering that goes on in medicine, especially psychiatry. Applying diagnostic labels to the disturbing thoughts,…

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The habit of self-esteem

Pop psychology promotes notions of self-esteem that actually undermine people’s ability to build it.

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The process of getting happier

In last week’s post, Why New Year’s resolutions fail… and what to do instead, to change your life for the better, I described the fatal flaw in the approach that most people take to formulating New Year’s resolutions, and indeed any decision to improve their lives. If you haven’t already read that article, I strongly…

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Why New Year’s resolutions fail… and what to do instead, to change your life for the better

There’s a subtle trap that we unwittingly set for ourselves whenever we formulate a goal. Understanding the nature of this trap is the key to making changes that really stick.

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sugar-causes-depression

Sugar: Not so sweet for your mood

Updated 26 December 2022 It’s that time of year again. Christmas carols blaring from the stores tell us that “It’s the most wonderful time of the year”, but most of the people maxing out their credit cards inside those stores don’t look like they’re taking the advice to “be of good cheer”. According to a…

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Pomegranate and Tahini Stuffed Pumpkin

I’ve been in a bit of stuffing mood lately! This week, it was pumpkin’s turn to get stuffed. Ingredients: 1 small Jap or Kabocha pumpkin 1 cup course bourghal (cracked wheat) 1/2 cup sultanas 2 1/4 cups water or low-sodium vegetable broth 1 medium onion, diced1/4 -1/2 cup additional water or low-sodium vegetable broth 2…

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