Distract Yourself During Dry January!

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Photo by Yuri Efremov on Unsplash

January is here and after the excesses of last month, many of us are opting for a dry January (i.e. no alcohol!) to try to give our bodies as chance to recover and start the new year off right. However, for some of us, a glass of wine in the evenings is our main way to wind down after a long day, so what do we do to relax and distract ourselves during dry January? We’ve got five ideas:

Get a Hobby

January is a great time to start a new hobby; it’s miserable outside anyway, so unless your hobby is gardening, it’s a great excuse to stay indoors! It’s a known fact that mental stimulation helps to keep your brain active and slows down the ageing process, even helping to halt the onset of Alzheimer’s, so a hobby will benefit both your mind and your body.

Get Some Extra Sleep!

So many of us stroll through life feeling totally fatigued, yet when it comes to it, we stay up to watch just one more episode of whatever show we’re into at the time instead of getting some sleep. Allowing yourself to get regular early nights will not only have massively positive effects on your body and its ability to heal itself, it’s great for your mental health too, especially when you wake up feeling rested.

Learn a Skill

Is there something you’ve always wanted to learn? A new language? A new style of cooking? January is a great time to take the bull by the horns and learn a new skill, so why not take a look at what your local adult college has to offer?

Pamper Yourself

Cold nights, long evenings spent at home – has there ever been a better time to pamper yourself a little? Instead of reaching for a glass of wine, have a relaxing bath, use a face mask, and treat yourself to a conditioning nail treatment. Indulge yourself at least once a week and your stress levels, as well as your body, will thank you for it!

Do Some Reading

So many of us have fallen into the pattern of work, home for dinner, kids bedtime routine, collapse on the sofa to watch the telly or stare at your phone screen and we then say “I never have time to read a book”. Often, finding time is just about having a re-shuffle, and if you really want to fine the time, you’ll put down the smartphone or switch off the TV!

Boost your memory with your diet

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Ever go upstairs only to come back down empty handed?

Put your keys down and then can’t find them?

Go to dial a number, and forget who you needed to speak to so urgently?

Yes, us too.

With life getting busier by the day and demands stacking up , it is hardly surprising that are brains can’t always keep up.

Whilst we know that a good diet and plenty of water helps our digestion, energy levels, immunity and skin, it also supports our brains and memory too.

Even slight hunger or dehydrated can affect attention levels and play games with our short-term memory.

So, we have had a look at some of the best foods to eat every day that will make your memory tip-top in no time.

Let’s start with seeds. Sunflower seeds are bursting with vitamin E and B, and are a brilliant source of healthy fatty acids. Flaxseeds contain Alpha Linoleic Acid, a healthy fat that helps the brain with motor skills and spatial awareness. Pumpkin seeds supply zinc, which is great for your memory, as well as stress-busting magnesium, B vitamins and tryptophan, the creator of the happy chemical, serotonin. Adding a tablespoon of seeds to smoothies, cereal or stirring into yoghurt is an easy way to get this memory boosting goodness into your body and brain every day.

Berries are also another brilliant option. Tasty, ripe, juicy blueberries are thought to boost learning and memory because of their high flavonoid level. Experts think these protect the brain against free radical damage so popping them in a smoothie or eating on porridge can get your brain sorted for the day.

There is evidence that lycopene, a powerful antioxidant found in tomatoes could help protect against cell damage which occurs in the development of dementia. Cooked tomatoes with a little olive oil are a good bet as you optimise absorption and effectiveness.

Vitamin C is a total mental agility power house. Not many people know this but one of best sources comes from the simple blackcurrants with citrus fruits, red pepper and broccoli coming in a close second!

Spinach is an all round super-food and one that can help with your memory. The green leaves are full of Vitamin C and folic acid, both of which help create neurotransmitters in the brain. It is also a source of chlorophyll, which helps the absorption of iron and promotes the growth of red blood cells which means oxygen can get around the body and to the brain. In short, eat it with breakfast, lunch and dinner and you won’t forget another anniversary or birthday again.

If you eat nuts, your memory should be sharp as they are bursting with Vitamin E which has been shown to help to prevent cognitive decline. Leafy greens, olives, brown rice, eggs and whole grains are also Vitamin E options that will make you remember just what you went upstairs for.

What foods keep your memory in tip-top condition – we would love to know.

Team Pure-Beauty