Will Dr Bot see you soon?

The majority of decision makers in healthcare today believe that the use of AI will become increasingly widespread over the next few years but is this a good thing? While AI’s potential ability to provide earlier and more accurate diagnosis, reduce recovery times and free up busy healthcare professionals is undeniable, there is also frequently hysterical media coverage about AI and robotics, and real concerns about patient data privacy.  And will it be the sector that saves us from Coronavirus?

View all available Pods using our Pod Index

Does brain training really make any difference?

There are now a huge range of games and apps that claim to help with brain training. But do they work? Is it true that you must ‘use it or lose it’, can you improve your working memory, IQ or brain power and what role can brain training play in preventing dementia? How does brain training on a game or app compare to exercising? In this Pod, we look at a wide range of media with claims on both sides of the argument.

Part of our Life Stages Collection.

View all available Pods using our Pod Index

Could cold showers transform your life?

Exhilarating, challenging, energising and addictive? The theory behind the concept, how to introduce cold showers into your daily routine and the benefits to your health, from relaxing the mind, improving the skin and to reducing fats.

View all available Pods using our Pod Index

Self help techniques

Anxiety is one of the most prevalent mental health disorders, with one out of fourteen people around the world being affected. It is often described as an uncomfortable feeling of nervousness or worry about something that is happening, or might happen in the future. Everyone feels anxiety to some extent, it is part of being human and is the body’s way of signalling a problem or threat. However, it becomes a problem if it happens too often, goes on for a long time or impacts your ability to live your life as fully as you want to.

Use the self help resources below, which focus on Generalised Anxiety Disorder, to help you understand why it’s happening. Discover how to take back control. Learn ways of reducing your anxiety and incorporate these techniques into your everyday life to make it more manageable.

Note: Please talk to your doctor, or a mental health professional, if you experience severe or persistent anxiety.

Part of our Life Stages Collection.

View all available Pods using our Pod Index

Disconnect to reconnect

How many times a day do you check your phone? The idea that our obsession with our smart phones is getting in the way of our relationships, our productivity and even our children’s ability to have a conversation is gaining momentum. In this pod, we explore the ideas behind digital detoxing, as well techniques to make you feel more in control such as the ‘zero inbox’ principle. And has the lack of quiet spaces in our 24/7 connected world led to the rise in modern mindfulness?

View all available Pods using our Pod Index

Simple, affordable gym equipment to use at home

To support our Workout Videos Pod, we have handpicked a selection of simple, affordable gym equipment to help you workout at home. Hand weights, skipping ropes, yoga mats and exercise balls and more.

We have also handpicked a selection of stylish, comfortable sportwear to help you workout at home. View our Sportwear Shop page.

All of these products are from Amazon. Click the images or follow the links to find out more.

Part of our Wellbeing Collection

View all available Pods using our Pod Index

Creating habits that stick

If you want to develop healthy habits that last, then learn how to habit stack. Whether it’s improving your diet, exercising more or drinking less, the best way of developing a new habit that you will stick to, is to ‘stack it’ on top of another deeply ingrained habit. It doesn’t matter whether the current habit is a good one or a bad one, if it is something you do often, without thinking about it, you can anchor some new habits either side of it, or use it a a trigger to do something else.

The key is to make small changes, one at a time and allow them to get embedded before changing something else. When most of us try and change our habits to be more healthy, we try and do too much at once. Throwing loads of changes together. You stick to them for a while but then it gets too hard and the habits fade. The trick is the build slowly, stack new habits on top of old and then the habits will last.

This Pod includes loads of great advice and ideas for how to habit stack and where to start. Enjoy!

Inspiring ideas to try at home

Healthy eating ideas to help you kick start the summer. Many of us will be planning to eat more healthily as we come out of lockdown and these videos will help provide you with ideas and inspiration. This great selection of YouTube channels provide free healthy eating tips for beginners, supermarket shopping ideas, what makes a balanced food plate, meal planning advice and much more. We have selected one video from each channel, to give you an idea of the style of the channel and the advice and recipes on offer.

If you like a particular channel, the click ‘Watch’ then ‘Visit External Site’, to find the full selection of videos.

View all available Pods using our Pod Index.

Get your beauty sleep

Sleep is as critical to our well being as food, water or shelter, however over 40% of people suffer from issues with sleep. Fall short on your sleep and research has shown that it can take a serious toll on your daytime energy, productivity, emotional balance and even your weight. Here we look at why we sleep, the importance of sleep and how lifestyle changes can make a world of difference to your sleep quality. Improve your sleep and improve the quality of your life.

SHOP To support this Pod, we have handpicked a selection of related products to help you get a good night’s sleep. Choose from a range of best selling pillows or try an essential oils diffuser, a white noise machine or some comfort sleep ear plugs. View our Sleep Shop page.

View all available Pods using our Pod Index

Start running from scratch

Taking up running can seem like a scary prospect, especially if you feel out of shape or are unfit. If you’re not sure where to start, use the resources below to help you get going and build up gradually. We recommend the Couch to 5k nine-week, guided, training program which is designed to help people transform a sedentary lifestyle into an active one. In this Pod, graduates of the program share their tips and you can discover how to progress in your new found skill once you’ve cracked the 5k distance!

So what are you waiting for? Set yourself the 5K target, lace up your trainers and achieve the goal. Running regularly will improve both your physical and mental health. and give your confidence and self belief a boost.

SHOP To support this Pod and our Workout Videos Pod, we have handpicked a selection of simple, affordable gym equipment and a selection of stylish, comfortable sportwear to help you learn to run or workout at home. View our Gym Equipment Shop and our Sportwear Shop pages.

Click here to view more Wellbeing Pods or view all available Pods using our Pod Index.

Handpicked makeup and accessories

To support our Mature Makeup Videos Pod, we have handpicked a great selection of makeup, brush sets, storage solutions and other accessories.

All of these products are from Amazon. Click the images or follow the links to find out more.

Part of our Life Stages Collection

View all available Pods using our Pod Index

Tips and tricks for mature skin

In this Pod, we have decided to concentrate on makeup for the more mature skin.  The internet is bombarded with wrinkle free teenagers advocating the use of various products, so we are showcasing videos that celebrate experience over youth!

As long as there have been people, there has been makeup.  The Ancient Egyptians would decorate their eyes with dark green, black or blue kohl circles that were supposed to ward off the evil eye and Alexander the Great apparently wore eye makeup for aesthetic and health reasons, as it ‘protected the delicate skin around the eyes and kept off flies’.

During a global crisis, it might feel a bit trivial to pull out your makeup bag and go to town on bronzer.  But experts say it can actually make a huge difference in navigating these unpredictable times.  It can help separate home and work life, your weekend self from your work self and some studies have shown that, for some, wearing make up can even boost productivity.

SHOP To support this video collection, we have handpicked a great selection of makeup, brush sets, storage solutions and other accessories. View our Mature Makeup Shop page.

Part of our Life Stages Collection.

View all available Pods using our Pod Index.

The rise of the sober curious

Becoming sober or at least sober-curious is something that seems to be on the lips of many mid-lifers. Are you starting to reflect on your relationship with alcohol and thinking you might like to change it ?

Whether you are thinking about taking a break, are considering moderating your drinking or contemplating going alcohol free, there is a whole community out there that can help you with your journey. Use the resources in this Pod to learn more, hear from others on this path and get tips and advice from the experts.

View all available Pods using our Pod Index

How to boost your happiness and wellbeing

The search for happiness is a universal human desire, which we see as critical to leading fulfilled lives. But rather than pursuing it by the accumulation of wealth, fame or beauty, we need to recognise that happiness is a state of mind that comes from within and lasting happiness and meaning is earned through honed, consistent behavioural habits.

View all available Pods using our Pod Index

Bring more calm to your life

For many people, podcasts can be a surprisingly helpful resource from which to learn self-care coping strategies. If you’re not sure where to start but want to bring more calm into your life, try one of these podcasts. Find interviews and stories to relate to, supportive conversations, tools and actionable techniques to help you take back control.

The ‘Play’ link will take you to their latest podcast episode, in the play window you can scroll down to see their other episodes to find one of particular interest to you, or click the external link to go to their website.

View more Collections

For parents of those dealing with self-injury

Discovering that your teen “cuts” or self-injures his or her body is absolutely terrifying for a parent. Resources in this Pod help with the identification of the early signs, explore the issues involved, discuss how to open lines of communication with your teen and what you can do to support them.

View all available Pods using our Pod Index

A great range of products to help you sleep better

To support our How To Sleep Better Pod, we have handpicked a selection of related products to help you get a good night’s sleep. Choose from a range of best selling pillows or try an essential oils diffuser, a white noise machine or some comfort sleep ear plugs.

All of these products are from Amazon. Click the images or follow the links to find out more.

Part of our Wellbeing Collection

View all available Pods using our Pod Index

Comfortable, stylish sportwear for all workout types

To support our Workout Videos Pod, we have handpicked a selection of stylish, comfortable sportwear to help you workout at home. Leggings, trainers, cropped tops, zip tops, running wear, fleeces and more.

We have also handpicked a selection of simple, affordable gym equipment to help you workout at home. View our Gym Equipment Shop page.

All of these products are from Amazon. Click the images or follow the links to find out more.

Part of our Wellbeing Collection

View all available Pods using our Pod Index

You’re not mad, you’re menopausal

Cut through the confusion of symptoms and learn how menopause is affecting you both physically and mentally. Women should no longer be invisible and suffer menopausal symptoms in silence. This Pod offers help and advice from the leading experts with links to the many resources that are out there to help you during this difficult life stage.

Part of our Life Stages Collection.

View all available Pods using our Pod Index

Does it really work

Currently one of the world’s most popular health and fitness trends, intermittent fasting is an eating pattern where you cycle between periods of eating and fasting. Popular methods are the 16/8 method, Eat Stop Eat and the 5:2 diet, all of which split the day or week into eating periods and fasting periods. It does not say anything about which foods to eat, but rather when you should eat them.

Note : Please do not look to this Pod for medical advice, please consult a medical professional before adopting an intermittent fasting regiment. This Pod is solely presenting various views on fasting, diet and health.

View all available Pods using our Pod Index

Bringing personal training into your home

Push back the sofa, get your sweat on. Exercise is hugely important for both our physical and mental health. With WFH keeping us at home, now more than ever we need to keep up our exercise regime. Luckily, many trainers and fitness instructors have made their high quality and inspiring workout videos readily accessible on YouTube.

We’ve selected classes from our favourite instructors, all providing free, full length, workout videos. Whatever your fitness level or goal, there’s something for everyone, from yoga to HIIT, Pilates to dance. There are plenty of equipment free options too and all from the comfort of your own home!

SHOP To support this Pod, we have handpicked a selection of simple, affordable gym equipment and a selection of stylish, comfortable sportwear to help you workout at home. View our Gym Equipment Shop and our Sportwear Shop pages.

Click here for our full Pod Index