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Every year, we’re exposed to seasonal changes that entail changes to schedules and exposure to sunlight. During the summer months there are more hours of light, but they are considerably reduced in winter. Although you may think you’re used to the fluctuations in daylight hours, the body needs to adapt in order to continue to function correctly.

If during the coming weeks, you see more beards than usual around you, then it’s surely due to the “Movember” celebrations in November, a global initiative launched by the Movember Foundation to raise awareness on the importance of male health.

Movember is a portmanteau of the words moustache and November, and it calls all men to grow their beards for this month as a sign of support for initiatives to raise awareness and prevent prostate cancer and other diseases that affect men.

Having an active, healthy immune system is key in avoiding certain illnesses, such as colds and other respiratory diseases. A good diet and healthy lifestyle habits are key in maintaining properly-functioning immunity.

One of our allies in protecting our immune system is antioxidants. Their function is clear: to prevent the oxidation of the molecules that are exposed to free radicals. In other words, they slow down the deterioration of our organs, tissues and skin. And, of course, they keep the immune system healthy.

The brain is the body’s command centre. Keeping it healthy and in good condition is vital for many of our daily activities.
When we eat, we do not pay attention to it, but a good diet can improve its capabilities and functioning. 60% of the brain is fat, and fat is necessary for properly-functioning synapses, i.e. communication between brain cells. Fat also has another function: to preserve the brain cells from external damage.

The amount and quality of sleep are key in feeling rested. We are accustomed to having mobile devices with us virtually all day long. When it’s time to sleep, they should be well away from us, because they stop us from resting and make it more difficult to fall asleep.

Why do mobile devices influence our sleep?

Sleeping is like resetting your body, fine-tuning it so it can function properly the next day. But, in order for that resetting to be effective, we must sleep a sufficient number of hours and our sleep must be reparative. In other words, both the quantity and the quality of sleep are important.

What happens while we are sleeping?

When we are sleeping, our organism experiences many more things than we might think.

We are all exposed to different sources of stress over the course of the day. Sometimes, that stress gives us the energy we need to undertake a project or activity. That is positive stress, called eustress, which gives us the level of activation and concentration necessary to do our daily tasks. When that stress is excessive and continues over time, it can have negative consequences on our health: irritability and sudden changes in mood, sleeping problems, anxiety, muscle pains and headaches, digestive disorders…

Have you ever said yes when you really wanted to say no? Do you feel unable to complain about an unfair situation? Have you ever been asked to do a favour which was very inconvenient for you, but you did it nonetheless? Has someone pushed in front of you at the supermarket or in the bus queue and you didn’t dare say anything?

Often, we passively accept those situations or we respond aggressively, when in reality we should say what we think clearly and calmly. That is because we have been educated to avoid conflicts, arguments, refusals and situations which make us feel guilty.

A healthy diet and regular physical exercise are the basis for good lifestyle habits.

In order for something to become a habit, it must be the result of actions which are regularly repeated. That is how to turn it into a habit, an activity we do effortlessly and which we incorporate into our daily lives.

As is often the case when it comes to finance, the world of loans seems to have its own language and can get complicated, very quickly.

Here we aim to explain some of the language and answer some of the common questions about loans, to help you if the need to borrow money ever arises.

What is a loan?

Loans come in all shapes and sizes; from a friend lending you £5, to a mortgage to buy a home. However, the principle of all loans is the same. A loan is an agreement between you and a lender where they give you money, and you agree to pay it back.