120 minutes


Two hours a week in nature – forest, garden, park or beach – can improve your sense of wellbeing and physical, mental and emotional health. This is across the board, but especially true for those living in high income, urban societies. Living in urban areas with greater access to green space is associated with fewer cases of obesity, diabetes, heart disease, severe asthma and mental distress. The fascinating thing about this specific statistic is that it does not matter how you spend this time. The benefits kick in whether they are short or long walks or even gentle visits to green spaces. Two hours a week, only 17 minutes a day.

Autumn Prep for Winter Pep


All of you in the northern hemisphere, I have news for you. It’s nearly autumn.

I know as you read this and scramble to soak up the last of the summer sun, you’re thinking, ‘for crying out loud, it’s only the 12th of September!’. And yet, you also realize the days have gotten away from you and it’s time to face reality.

For me, autumn feels like the shortest season, probably because I spend so much time preparing for winter, making winter seem like it’s suspended in time. But if you experience cold winters, you know how important that preparation is. As we northerners prepare our homes in anticipation of spending more time indoors, most of us

Squirrel caching nuts

Managing menopause


I was 40 years old when I experienced the first effects of menopause. It wasn’t awful – no night sweats, mood swings or brain fog. I simply missed my period during the month of August. I had never missed one before. The following August, I didn’t get it again. And the year after that. It was a gradual change. One month, then two, then slowly over time it stopped.

Although this part of my cycle was slowly changing, there were other changes that were far from slow, far from graceful, and far from pleasant.