Can the foods you eat shift your mood as well as stop you feeling hungry? The latest research reveals you can do anything from overcome depression to improve your memory – simply by choosing the right food.
Try to make time for five minutes of quiet meditation and reflection every day. It stills the mind, combats stress, and mentally prepares you for what you have to do next.
Meditation exercise
Sit in any position that feels comfortable and close your eyes. Keep your head upright, shoulders relaxed.
Start to breathe steadily and deeply. Don’t try to influence your breathing too much – just notice it for a few minutes.
Now make a deep ‘OH” sound that comes from the back of your mouth and throat. Bring the sound forwards in your mouth, opening your mouth wider, as the sound shifts into a slightly higher-pitched “AH”. Finally close your lips and hum the sound “MMM” Feel it vibrate on your lips.
Repeat twice more. Take it very slowly – make the sounds as rich and vibrant as you can, and extend them for as long as you can.
How do you feel now? Do you feel different in any way? With regular practice, this simple exercise can refresh and recharge you in just a few minutes.
Fibre is a vital part of the digestive process, but are you eating enough? Dietitian/nutritionist Vanessa Jones shows how, by making small changes in what you eat, you can easily go from a low-fibre diet to one that is high in fibre.
Your mother describes it as ‘roughage’, the kids call it ‘those yucky grainy bits’ and your partner scoffs and labels it ‘horse feed’. The word ‘fibre’ often conjures up thoughts of scratchy, hard bits found in tasteless food which has one purpose – to keep you regular. But fibre is often invisible, does a lot more than keep the bowels moving, and is definitely not confined to food stored in chaff bags in the stables.
Dietary fibre – not a nutrient but still a vital part of our diet – is only found in foods of plant origin such as breads, cereal products, fruits, vegetables, legumes, seeds and nuts. The key feature of fibre is its ability to pass through the stomach and small intestine undigested and reach the large intestine virtually unchanged. Most other food components and nutrients we eat are digested and used in other parts of the body before this stage.
However, fibre is not ‘indigestible’. In the large intestine, some components of fibre are broken down by millions of ‘friendly’ bacteria. As part of this process, the bacteria multiply by the million and produce special acids. Once they die, their bodies add bulk to our faeces and are excreted. This is a natural and desirable process. In fact, one of the acids produced (butyric acid) has been shown to have cancer-preventing properties within the bowel.
Just as there are different types of vitamins, there are also different types of fibre, ‘soluble’ or ‘insoluble’, both playing a different role in the body.
This type of fibre tends to be better known as it is more visible and often adds texture to our food. Insoluble forms of fibre include cellulose (present in all edible food plants), hemicelluloses (found especially in cereal bran) and lignin (found mainly in cereals and woody vegetables). Best sources include cereal bran (wheat, corn and rice bran), wholegrain breads and cereals, dried beans, peas, nuts, seeds and the skins of fruit and vegetables.
Insoluble fibre has a sponge-like effect, soaking up water and swelling in size. This action produces a feeling of fullness which can prevent overeating and, in turn, help in losing weight. This process also adds bulk to stools, making waste matter heavier and speeding it through the large intestine. Having softer faeces is of value for preventing or treating disorders such as constipation, haemorrhoids, hiatus hernia and diverticular disease.
Fabric paints in light and dark green, light and dark blue, yellow and orange and pink and red
Paintbrush
Sheet of cardboard, for separating covers
Note: You can use bought stencils or make your own. Large stencil cards are available from the stationary sections of the larger department stores. However, the smaller stencil cards may be easier to find. The stencils of the alphabet and numerals we used were 4 cm high.
Method
Enlarge small stencil cards on a photocopier, then glue the photocopies onto the cardboard and cut out the letters and numerals using a scalpel. Alternatively, design stencils on graph paper to ensure all letters and numbers are the same height. Using carbon paper, transfer outline to cardboard and cut out.
Spray both sides of each stencil with waterproof paint and leave to dry.
If fabric is new, wash it well in hot, soapy water and rinse to remove dressing. (Fabric paints will not absorb evenly into dressed fabric.) Allow fabric to dry, then press it before stencilling. Slip sheet of cardboard under the area to be stencilled to ensure the colour is confined to one layer of fabric.
Mix paints to a thick, runny consistency. Practise on a stencil and piece of fabric before attempting the real thing.
The best way to handle the brush is to use a dabbing action.
Each numeral and letter is painted with two colours – a light and a dark shade.
Using the stencil, brush and paint, dab paint onto fabric.
Allow stencilling to dry when you can go no further without smudging the work. Add more stencilled motifs after the first are dry. Continue in this manner until both duvet cover and pillowcase are covered with motifs.
When dry, press fabric paint at temperature recommended by the manufacturer.
Design your own variety of stunning candles from one simple base.
Tips and terms:
*Always wear protective clothing (gloves and an apron) when making candles.
*Never leave wax unattended over heat -at temperatures of more than 100°C, it is likely to catch fire
*Work on a protected surface as you are likely to spill drops of wax while you work.
*Do not pour liquid wax down sinks or drains; it will harden and cause blockages.
*Paraffin wax is available in block form from candle- making shops and suppliers. you can buy it with the stearin (hardener) already mixed into the wax.
*Beeswax sheets are available from candle- making shops and suppliers and major craft outlets. Beeswax sheets come in red, blue, green , white and natural colours.
*Wicking can be bought by the metre from candle- making shops and suppliers. It is available in different widths; your selection wil depend on the diameter of the candle you are making.
Moulded candles
Materials:
Milk cartons (you can also use food cands or buy plastic moulds from candle supply shops)
scissors
pastry brush
vegetable oil
bamboo skewer
wicking
plasticine
paraffin wax (with stearin included, or buy stearin and mix it with wax- 8 parts wax to 1 part stearin)
double saucepan (use an old pan, if possible)
wax dyes
cooking thermometer
**Step-by-step instructions
** 1. Cut the carton to the desired size. Brush the inside with vegetable oil.
Use a bamboo skewer to make a hole for the wick in the base of the carton.
Cut a length of wicking slightly longer than the mould; thread it through the hole in the base, leaving just enough on the outside of the carton to tie a double knot. Push a small ball of Plasticine over the knot on the outside of the carton to seal the hole. Place a bamboo skewer across the top of the carton and tie the wick to the centre to secure it.
Melt the wax in a double saucepan and add small amounts of dye until the desired colour is achieved. Heat the wax to 83°C, testing the temperature with your thermometer, then pour the molten wax into the mould, being careful not to touch the sides. Allow to cool. If making a striped candle, let one colour harden before adding another layer of wax. Continue until you have the desired number of layers. A hollow will form around the wick at the centre. When the wax is cool, gently push it down in this area, then top up wax. Repeat this process until the surface is level.
Make cute teddy bear candles in a food mould, following our instructions for making Moulded candles.
When the wax has hardened, remove the candle from the mould. Carefully push a warmed metal skewer through the top of the bear into the body and insert a length of wick into this hole.
Use food moulds to create these beautiful, floral floating candles. To make them, first follow our step-by-step guide to Moulded Candles, then use a skewer to make holes for wicks when wax has almost set.
Old and new candles can be smartened up with a little simple craftwork. Stamp and emboss your candles using a rubber stamp, ink pad and any one of the many glittering embossing powders available from craft outlets. Heat the embossed design with an embossing gun to achieve the finished effect.
Give an old glass or metal container or a terracotta pot a birght new look with a little paint and lots of imagination.
We painted a simple floral design around the outside of a glass container using acrylic paint. To make the candle, first follow our instructions for making moulded candles.
If using a metal container, drill a hole for the wick. If using glass, secure the wick in the base of the container with a small blob of plasticine.
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