A quick guide to mindfulness for a happier life

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Mindfulness is being talked about in the media today more than ever, but what’s it all about?

Quite simply, mindfulness is an awareness of ourselves as well as the world around us and it can improve our mental wellbeing, calming the mind and allowing us to focus on the here and now.

If we are more aware of the present moment, it can help us enjoy the world around us more and understand ourselves better. If this happens, we can experience and enjoy the people and things we have been taking for granted, and leave behind the stresses we don’t need.

What does it involve?
Just taking notice of your thoughts, feelings, sensations and the world around you is the first step towards mindfulness.
There are books, apps, and courses that give you a structured way to bring mindfulness into your life, but at the heart of it, what you are doing is stopping for a while and focusing on your breathing. You will then notice that your heart rate slows down, adrenaline production is reduced and you feel more relaxed. With practice you can develop greater focus, better sleeping patterns and start to feel happier as well.

It is true that some of us find the idea of sitting with our thoughts when we are stressed or unhappy, quite difficult, so we have some simple tips that could help you get to grips with mindfulness.

Mindfulness isn’t easy to learn at first, so you can start by reading up about it some more, taking a course, joining a group or using an app like Calm.

It is thought that just ten minutes of mindfulness meditation a day can bring massive benefits when it is done on a regular basis. If you can, do it at the same time each day – maybe when you are on the tube, at lunchtime or before you have a bath in the evening, and it’s at this time when you can really be at one with yourself and leave behind your worries and fears. Clear this space each day, stop everything else and practise your mindful meditation.

Start with short bursts of three, five or ten minutes – you can even do it on the train.

When you sit down to meditate, take a few moments to get comfortable. Notice the sounds around you and how you’re feeling. This will help your mind and body reconnect, so when you do start focusing on your breath, it’s a little easier.

When you are practicing mindfulness and meditating, all you need to do is notice your breath and when your attention wanders, which it will as you wonder what to eat for dinner or where to go at the weekend, let go of it and bring your focus back to your breath. Each time you do that, it’s a win and it gets easier.

When you progress and start to bring mindfulness to your daily life, our advice is to start slowly. We suggest that in week one, you are mindful when you are brushing your teeth – be aware of the sound, the smell, the taste, and the movement as you clean. Then build up slowly, adding a new thing each week, such as being mindful on your walk to work, or while stacking the dishwasher.

Mindfulness isn’t for everyone, but why not give it a try and in time we hope it can become a part of your life and one that will make things easier and happier for you.

Team Pure Beauty

Bolognese and Mary Berry – what’s all the fuss?

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While Brexit and Trump are still toping the headlines, it was Mary Berry who stole the media show last week with talk about the ingredients of her somewhat unorthodox Bolognese sauce.

The kitchen veteran revealed that she added double cream and white wine to her sauce, but not everyone was impressed.

Whatever we thought of her ideas, she got on thing right by following the one rule of Bolognese, which is that it must not, under any circumstances, be served with spaghetti and rather pappardelle, as she uses.

For many families, Bolognese is a mid-week staple so we have put together a tasty recipe that will make everyone happy.

For one batch, you will need:

• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 400g of minced beef
• 1 onion, sliced and diced
• 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
• 100g of carrots, grated
• 2 x 400g tins of chopped tomatoes
• 400ml of stock
• 400g pasta – ideally tagliatelle, pappardelle or fettuccine
• Salt and pepper to season

With the ingredients prepared, here’s how it goes?

• Heat the olive oil in a pan and once hot add the mince and a little salt and pepper. Cook the mince until browned then transfer to a bowl and set aside.
• Add another tablespoon of oil to the pan and gently fry the onions until softened and translucent. Add the garlic and cook for around two more minutes, then mix in the carrot and put the mince back into the pan.
• Next chuck in the tomatoes, stir and pour in the stock. Bring all of this bring to a simmer before reducing the temperature and cooking for around 45 minutes until the sauce is thick and rich.
• Cook the pasta as advised, we love fresh for a really authentic taste, then serve with the sauce and enjoy.

If you do want to have a little extra taste we do have some other ideas to bring your sauce alive.

Dried porcini mushrooms add a depth of flavour that will really surprise you. Soak the mushrooms for around 10 minutes in boiling water and add them into the sauce for a real taste sensation.

If you aren’t a big red meat-eater, why not use turkey instead. This is lower in fat but does need a little added flavour so cook this in a slow-cooker and add a few dried sage leaves over the finished dish, and enjoy.

Soffritto is a mixture of diced carrots, onion and celery, and adding it to your sauce adds extra flavour, colour and texture. Because it’s finely chopped, it clings more easily to the pasta, too.

You can add various herbs for added taste. A teaspoon of dried Italian mixed herbs added at the start of cooking, or a tablespoon of fresh, chopped oregano added to the meat sauce towards the end of the process, can offer depth as well as taste.

For vegetarians, you can swap the minced beef for Quorn, which is a healthy source of protein.

However you cook your sauce, enjoy eating it!

Team Pure Beauty