Wellbeing

The Science

The Zoe Project looks at the gut microbiome and its links with an individual’s diet and metabolic health. The study has used a large range of participants and asked them to eat blue muffins to see how long in takes the food colouring to travel through the gut. A gut transit time of 14-58 hours suggests a good level of gut diversity, whereas a transit time of longer than this suggests poorer gut diversity.

Why gut diversity?

The Zoe research suggests a complex interplay exists, whereby our gut microbes are associated with our diet and state of health and mental health, and those microbes may also change the level of dietary host effects after meals, thus impacting long-term health and weight. So you will feel and look better if your gut microbiome are more diverse!

How can I improve my gut diversity?

The study suggests that everyone’s gut microbes are unique! Genetics affect your gut diversity to some extent but the way to improve your gut diversity is through the food you eat. As much unprocessed food as possible and aiming to eat 30 different plant based foods per week (this includes beans legume and pulses.)

Why not take part in the experiment to find out your gut diversity and see if changes to your diet can improve your microbiome! Check out the video!

Time for Action

You can find the recipe for the blue muffins here. Just whip up a batch, eat two and then set your timer to see when your poop turns blue! You can record your time here and compare with other participants. Then try exploring how you can increase your number of plant based foods to increase your gut diversity.

According to the Mental 46% of us in the UK have felt too stressed to cope, with high levels of stress having a huge impact on our overall health.

Benjamin Shapero, an instructor in psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and Neuroscientist Gaëlle Desbordes, have researched the effects of regular mindfulness on the brain, using MRI scans to establish that a change had occurred in the Amygdala of the brain as a result.

Mindfulness was also proven to be an effective tool for depressed patients too, as by focusing on mindfulness and being in the present allows the patients to disengage from negative thoughts. Studies conducted by the Headspace app have also proven that meditation can reduce stress and job strain and improve job satisfaction.

Check out the video 'Breathe with James'.

Top 10 snacks for on the go

Need to fill a gap in a hurry?
With intense work schedules and the pace of life intensifying post lockdown, the art of sitting down to a relaxed meal isn’t always feasible. That’s not to belittle the importance of eating without distractions, as digestion begins with anticipating, smelling, savouring and chewing our food well.

Many of today’s ‘grab and go’ snacks are laden with hidden sugars, which don’t help our stress or concentration levels, which can result in that afternoon slump or reaching for caffeine to keep us going. By combining protein or fats with our carbohydrates, we increase the chance of slowing down the impact of sugar in our blood, powering you through to hometime.

As a general rule, we shouldn’t need to eat more than 5 times a day within a 12 hour window, if you find yourself grazing every couple of hours, it may be worth having your blood sugars checked.

Here are my top 10 snack suggestions that can replace breakfast, lunch or dinner, or as a snack between meals.

1. Peanut butter and apple
You could keep a tub in your desk at work, 1 tablespoon is sufficient to keep hunger pangs at bay.

2. Handful of almonds and 2 squares of dark chocolate 70%+ cocoa content
Cocoa has natural compounds beneficial for health, and almonds are high in Vitamin E which is an antioxidant, protecting against ageing.

3. Oatcakes with cream cheese or cottage cheese
If you’re coeliac, please ensure the packet is gluten free, as oats can often be
cross-contaminated with other gluten containing grains.

4. Hummus and red pepper
Chickpeas are high in fibre which helps us feel full, as well as many micronutrients so great for vegetarians and vegans. Peppers also contain B vitamins needed for energy.

5. Boiled eggs
A complete protein, eggs contain choline which supports memory. Up to 7 eggs a
week are fine, and hard boiled will keep up to a week in the fridge.

6. Natural yoghurt and berries
Flavoured yoghurts are a common pitfall as the sugar content can range from 1-3
teaspoons in 1 small pot. Go for full fat natural yoghurt, any berries you like which are naturally lower in sugar than most fruits, and if at home a small drizzle of honey.

7. Olive and feta cheese
These often come pre-packed in local supermarkets - olives are a source of healthy fats which nourish the brain and can help calm inflammation, which is linked to most chronic health conditions.

8. Sliced chicken or beef jerky
Ditching the sandwich can help us feel more alert. Even better, add some spinach or rocket and some cherry tomatoes and you have yourself a ready made salad.

9. Seeded crispbreads
We can sometimes miss the crunch of crips, and these crispbreads are a good source of seeds, available in most UK supermarkets:

www.dr-karg.de/en/products/crispbreads/organic-wholegrain-crispbreads

10. Trail mix
A mix of dried fruits such as raisins, apricots, goji berries, cranberries etc and nuts can give that natural sweetness combined with the protein power of nuts, a great go to for the desk drawer.

Final note, can you share some condiments at work to liven up a salad and get some of your 5 a day?

• Salt and pepper
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Lemon juice
• Balsamic vinegar
• Mixed nuts and seeds to throw on a shop bought salad?

Let us know what works for you!

Are you getting enough sleep?

Many effects of a lack of sleep, such as feeling grumpy and not working at your best, are well known. But did you know that sleep deprivation can also have profound consequences on your physical health? 1 in 3 of us suffers from poor sleep, with stress, computers and taking work home often blamed.

However, the cost of all those sleepless nights is more than just bad moods and a lack of focus. Regular poor sleep puts you at risk of serious medical conditions, including obesity, coronary heart disease and diabetes – and it shortens your life expectancy.

It's now clear that a solid night's sleep, around 8 hours ideally, is essential for a long and healthy life.

How can you improve your sleep?

If you have difficulty falling asleep, a regular bedtime routine will help you wind down and prepare for bed.

• First of all, keep regular sleeping hours. This programmes the brain and internal body clock to get used to a set routine. Most adults need between 6 and 9 hours of sleep every night. By working out what time you need to wake up, you can set a regular bedtime schedule.
• Winding down is a critical stage in preparing for bed. There are lots of ways to relax including a warm bath, writing "to do" lists for the next day to organise your thoughts, or relaxing your mind by listening to music.
• Composer Max Richter has created a ‘sleep’ album. The work seeks to examine the relationship between music and the subconscious mind: instead of giving the music full concentration, listeners are encouraged to experience it in a state of sleep.

Time for Action

Create yourself a bedtime routine and try out listening to Max Richter’s sleep to see if it can help you with your sleep.

A recent study by Rowland and Curry reported on how people felt after performing or observing kind acts every day for seven days. The researchers found that being kind to ourselves or to anyone else — yes, even a stranger — or actively observing kindness around us boosted happiness.

Kindness has been linked to increased lifespan, energy and happiness, ad decreased blood pressure, pain, stress anxiety and depression. Kindness begets kindness so watch the video to find out how you can boost your happiness, wellbeing and productivity by being a little kinder.

When you’re sitting down for long periods of time, your body can get stiff and seize up. Use these videos of easy stretches and exercises to target and reduce tension in your lower back and other areas. At the end of your day, use the stretches to help you unwind and relax your muscles, ready for another day of innovating tomorrow!

Fear not, it’s not all chaos and high energy onsite. We also have some nice mindful activities you can enjoy. Get creative with our LEGO brick pit, enjoy some quiet and calm in our chill room or take on a competitor in a game of giant jenga or giant Connect4.

For those who want to get more physical, be sure to join in on a game of beach volleyball, or attempt the more energetic bar games like giant twister, table tennis or table football. We also have a circus playpark outside the grandstand on Thursday afternoon. So that burning desire you had to learn to juggle or hula hoop, or flow arts. We’ve got you covered!

We’ll be coming round the tents during the sprints and hacks to do a little ‘Power Breathing’ to help you re-energise, refocus and reflect. This breathing method was developed by Dutch adventurer, Wim Hof, and is proven to increase energy, creativity and focus.