Meditation: Getting Started

"A few basic exercises on focusing your attention.- Begin by sitting on a cushion with your legs crossed or, if that's uncomfortable, in a chair or even lying on your back, but always with your back straight and body relaxed. Your eyes may be closed, half-closed or open.- Be at ease. Be still. Be vigilant.- Take three slow, gentle, deep breaths, breathing in and out through the nostrils. Let your awareness permeate your entire body as you breathe, noting any sensations that arise. Now settle your respiration in its natural flow....

Signet rings

Bespoke signet rings.Ruff's...

Mental Reserves Keep Brains Agile

- Novelty is crucial to providing stimulation for theaging brain. The brain requires continued stresses to maintain or enhance itsstrength.- Those who pursued the mostleisure activities of an intellectual or social nature had a lower risk of developing dementia. The more activities, the lower therisk.- Continuedsocial interactions helped protect against dementia. The more extensivean older person’s social network, the better the brain is likely towork. Especially helpful are productive ormentally stimulating activities pursued...

Living it up

Mail order contemporary furnitureCustomer Services: 0116 269 5960 Mon-Fri 9am-5pmLiving it...

Mandeville of London

Specialist handmade human hair wigs and hairpieces.The Studio5 The Coda Centre189 Munster RoadFulhamLondon SW6 6AWEngland Tel:+44(0)20 8741 5959 6Fax:+44(0)20 8741 7283Mandeville of Lon...

Relax naturally

"Kava kava is a tropical plant that has been dubbed "Nature's Valium." South Pacific Islanders have used it for hundreds of years as a calming nectar and in religious ceremonies. In addition to soothing anxiety, kava kava is also used as an antispasmodic and pain reliever. Women suffering from menstrual cramps sometimes find relief by taking kava kava."- Psychology Today...

Staying a Step Ahead of Aging

While you will slow down as you age, youmay be able to stave off more of the deterioration than you thought. Researchers say that you should beable to maintain your muscles as you age, including the muscle enzymesneeded for good athletic performance, and you should be able tomaintain your ability to exercise for long periods near your so-calledlactic threshold, meaning you are near maximum effort. But you have to know how to train, doing the right sort of exercise, and you must keep it up. Train hard and train often. Do things...

Bread salad

1 pound stale country bread or baguette, cut in thick slices1 small red onion, sliced very thinCold water1 pound ripe tomatoes, chopped2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley2 tablespoons red wine vinegar or sherry vinegar (more to taste)1 large garlic clove, minced or crushed in a mortar and pestleSalt and freshly ground pepper1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil1. If your bread is very hard, douse the loaf with water and cut it into a few pieces that will fit into a medium bowl. Cover with the onions....

Honey Cleansing Scrub

Ingredients1 Tablespoon of honey2 Tablespoons finely ground almonds1/2 teaspoon lemon juice.Method- Mix honey with almonds and lemon juice.- Rub gently onto face.- Rinse off with warm wat...

Get life confident

"Don't avoid whatever makes you nervous, instead build up to it. If you have a presentation coming up, make sure you practice, first on your own in front of a mirror, then in front of a friend, then perhaps in front of a small group. Feeling prepared is the first step to feeling confident"- Psycholog...

The secret is in the underwear

The secret to a nice smooth silhouette under clothing... the right underwear. Here are some fantastic body shapers that help hold in your tummy.Vabi-1500-2TVa Bien Ultra-Lift Low Plunge Body Briefer ($80) lifts and flattens the tummy. It can be worn under plunging or backless numbers. It has removable straps that can be worn regular or halter. It's seamless so its perfect to wear under form-fitting dresses.Available...

The Amazing Power of Honey

Honey is a fantastic antibacterial agent. Here are a few natural remedies using honey.Aging skin : Make a face mask by combining honey, cornflower and limejuice. (Source : ISBN 8122307485, 9788122307481)Sore throats, coughs and colds : Mix honey with lemon juice and use as a cough syrup (1:1). (Source : ISBN 8122307485, 9788122307481)Leg ulcers, pressure sores : Use honey dressings. Also good for wounds/ulcers resulting...

Beyond Botox

"Competition is coming. The Injectables : Reloxin—known as Dysport in 21 countries across Europe, Asia, and South America, where it's been used since 1991—is the front-runner due to the fact that it's got the best track record and it's furthest along in trials, eagerly anticipated to debut here early next year. The buzz so far is that it has a quicker "onset of action" (i.e., while Botox can take around seven days to take effect, Reloxin takes only about three); it may last longer by a month or so (the jury is still out); and,...

Corsets & lingerie

Lilly in cream duchess satin and ribbon and lace trim. Price: £225.00Eternal Spirits. Corsets and Lingerie. Worldwide delivery.Eternal Spirits...

Sox Populi

What : Socks and hosieryHow much : ReasonableDelivery : WorldwideSox Populi...

The Smell of Relief

"Essential oils like lavender and chamomile can do more than just soothe the senses. Research shows aromatherapy treatment reduces pain too.  Lavender has sedative effects comparable to drugs such as Valium. Ylang ylang, chamomile and rose have been shown to relieve pain, as have diluted oils of peppermint, eucalyptus and lemongrass. To get the full effect, be sure to use true essential oils, which are 100% pure." - Psychology Today...

Reinventing Date Night for Long-Married Couples

Simply spending quality time together is probably not enough to prevent a relationship from getting stale.Rather than visiting the same familiar haunts and dining with the same old friends, couples need to tailor their date nights around new and different activities that they both enjoy. The goal is to find ways to keep injecting novelty into the relationship. The activity can be as simple as trying a new restaurant or something a little more unusual or thrilling — like taking an art class or going to an amusement park.New experiences...

Mastering Your Own Mind

"It remains a radical notion in the West that benevolent states of mind such as concentration, kindness and happiness can be developed with practice. Apart from a growing "positive psychology" movement, many of whose leaders are in fact strongly influenced by Buddhism, Western scientists are still largely oriented toward healing the mentally ill, rather than improving the lives of the functionally OK. One recent study at Massachusetts General Hospital found that 40 minutes of daily meditation appears to thicken parts of the...

What female (plastic) surgeons swear by…..

With a title like that I’m hooked. Here's Dr Hillary Allan at the Woodford Medical Aesthetics recommendations : - The Nefertiti Lift which is Botox on the lower face and neck- Eyebag laser, 1540 Fractional Laser which reaches deeper lines that Botox can't touch- Agera sunscreen which contains "prolifersyn which encourages collagen production and increases the thickness of the epidermis." Use it on the neck, hands and cleavage.- and peptide facials which deliver active ingredients deep into the skin. The DDF RMX Platinum Facial...

Mindful Martini

A 145-calorie super-antioxidant-infused cocktail.Shake a quarter-ounce açaí puree (like Sambazon), a half-ounce lime juice, 11/2 ounces orange vodka, and 2 ounces pomegranate juice with ice in a martini shaker. Transfer into glass - and drink to your heal...

Right Here, Write Now

Keeping a diary could keep you healthy. "In one of their studies, Pennebaker and Seagal asked groups of students to write about an assigned topic for 15 minutes on four consecutive days. Later in the year, the students were asked about their health: the students who had written about emotional topics had far fewer doctors' visits. One way to increase these health benefits is to learn how to write more fluidly and with less angst and frustration. When you're engaged with what you're doing, the rest of the world recedes. The Write...

Smart Drugs or more precisely cognitive enhancers include a variety of controlled substances available only by prescription. They include stimulants s

Smart Drugs or more precisely cognitive enhancers include a variety of controlled substances available only by prescription. They include stimulants such as dextroamphetamine (sold as Dexedrine and Adderall) and methylphenidate (Ritalin, Concerta) for treating attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). By mimicking the brain neurotransmitters norepnephrine and dopamine, stimulants leave you utterly consumed with...

Salon Alessandro

What : Yon-Ka 'Le Grand Classique'Where : Salon Alessandro on Balshaya ZhytomirskayaHow much : a hefty UAH 450How long : 1.5 hoursI've been on the lookout for a new facialist ever since my favourite girl disappeared on me. Since then just about every facialist I've been to here in Kiev has me with bleeding, irritated skin.Last Friday I went to see Tatiana the facialist at Alessandro and so far so good. My skin looks good and even though there are a few bumps (to be expected after a facial) my skin looks fantastic. The only unpleasant...

Lock & Co Hatters

Milliners - Men's and women's hats and accessoriesWorldwide mail order service available.6 St. James's Street, London, SW1A 1EFemail: sales@lockhatters.co.uk | tel: +44 20 7930 8874Lock & Co Hatt...

Skull Candy

I love big headphones. Ones that encase your ears and make you feel like there’s party in your head. I find those in-ear phones and buds incredibly irritating and maybe I have weird ears or something but I just can’t manage to keep them in my ear. My Panasonic Technics ones were starting to fall apart so had a quick look online to see what new ones would cost me and I came across the Skull Candy. Oh boy did I fall in...

Outdoorgear

A great site that does, well, outdoor gear. They've also got gear for dogs. Love the little backpack and co...

Michelangelo of the scalpel

I'd never heard of Dr Ivo Pitanguy until I read a recent copy of Grazia. He's apparently THE plastic surgeon to go to if you're a jet-setting celebrity type. AND he's the creator of the Brazilian butt-lift!He's been dubbed “the Michelangelo of the scalpel." and his Clínica Ivo Pitanguy in Rio de Janeiro has a client list that includes the Duchess of Windsor, François Mitterand and the kings of Morocco and Jordan to Joan...