So, the Sims turns 20 this year, marking the birth of the game that made PC games fun again. With 60% female gamers, the classic life simulation game allowed us to create our own fictional worlds through the lives of our Sims, from birth, to career, marriage, children and death, not to mention all the
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From FTP Digital to Subscript.it…we’re back.
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Stress and anxiety can weigh us all down at times, but you can overcome these feelings by using your senses to feel light again. A conscious connection with the sensory system enables us to de-stress. It brings us into a present state of mind, distracting us from past or future thoughts associated with unease. When
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It all starts within the gut. This incredible internal system thrives on friendly probiotic bacteria to function effectively and support proper digestion. The key is to maintain balanced flora because when it is out of synch we can become quite unwell. Imbalance is common, especially given the combination of everyday stresses and processed foods that
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Pilates. This wonderful low impact workout provides complete conditioning for the mind and body. It focuses on correct breath and bodily alignment techniques, which help us become more in-tune with our movements. This is paramount to sporting performance, injury prevention and recovery, as well as good posture and our overall health. Pilates is an all-encompassing
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Sometimes it can be so difficult to keep up with todays pressured pace of life. Perhaps, it is the constant expectations and actions that pull rank over any real sense of awareness and appreciation for the day. This can spiral into mindless motion, endless disappointments, anxiety, and even chronic fatigue. As such, we may become
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This incredible mineral has a plethora of health benefits: Sleep well: Magnesium deficiencies disrupt melatonin our natural sleep inducing hormone. Relaxation: It eases tension and boosts mood hormones to calm the nervous system. Muscle health: It facilitates the growth of muscle mass and enhances cell energy stores. Bone strength: It is a powerful nutrient needed
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Feel inspired and ready to embrace the sense of spirit, spontaneity and adventure that summer brings. Given the fast pace of life, it is so easy to become stuck in a rut, doing things out of habit and constantly moving. It’s easy and it works but does it fulfil us? Rarely, in fact it can
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Whether you’re after sun, sea and sand, adventure in the outdoors or a cultural city break, there’s more to consider for a holiday than just the destination. But how many of you research the country’s economy, attitude towards wildlife or crime levels first? There’s a dark side to tourism, but unfortunately most will turn a
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Stress is known to be one of the greatest contributors to disease and continued unhappiness. It is also becoming more and more difficult to avoid in our daily lives. Thankfully however, there are plenty of ways we can positively manage it. One simple and effective method to reduce any dis-ease within the body is to
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So beautiful and yet quite imperfect in form. Our natural environment is a profound world of contrast and yet it offers incredible equilibrium between the simple and complex. There is something quite magical that resonates within us when we embrace the great outdoors. It takes us beyond the confines of the mind and brings us
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Community Collective. A sense of cohesiveness with others is incredibly beneficial to our wellbeing. Yet, in today’s technological world, we risk isolation and disengagement. There could well be a significant link between the advances in social media and the increased mental health issues we face in the western world. Less presence & connection can lead
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28th March, 2017 – the day I went to Disneyland … and did nothing. No rides, no shows. Sure, I met Daisy Duck and sure, it was a great experience, but aside from that? NADA. Why? I hear you say. Well, as a social experiment, it was super interesting. The children gawped and the adults
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As we go through the rollercoaster of life we can become quite accustomed to our routines and comfort zones. As creatures of habit we like to know what and how to do things. This helps us feel grounded, stable and in control. However, it can also lead to complacency and dissatisfaction. In turn this can
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Taking the time to journal is so worthwhile. It provides a personal outlet that enables us to express and channel our thoughts positively. Here are some of the wonderful benefits it brings to mental health and wellbeing. CLARITY: The pace of life can be fast and often overwhelming; this can lead to a monkey-muddled mind.
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Wholesome food choices are one of the best places to start when it comes to managing stress levels. There are just so many wonderful sources brimming with vitamins and minerals that the body needs to maintain balance, composure and resistance against the pressures of day-to-day living. Positive energy: Serotonin Lean meats including turkey and chicken
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We are all striving to feel and look our best one way or another! The wish for whiter brighter teeth is a popular one and many go to great costs to reach the ideal. This is simply because it is believed to boost both appearance and self-confidence. But did you know there are many natural
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Sleep is essential for balanced wellbeing. It supports our brain in body repair and enables essential processes that rejuvenate and protect against daily stress, promoting ongoing physical and mental performance. Take on board these tips to reap the bright benefits which include better immunity, mood, appetite, focus and indeed a refreshing and renewed zest for
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The nostalgically alluring Beauty and the Beast live-action remake, directed by Bill Condon, has made its debut at UK cinemas nationwide. The film has marketed itself on its ‘21st century upgrade’ and Disney’s version of the traditional fairy tale now has added zeitgeist with CGI, gay characters, transsexual cues and a feminist princess. It is clear that stereotypes have
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The simple act of putting one foot in front of the other grants us great independence and freedom, its quite a liberating gift! Furthermore, it provides natural health benefits for mind, body and soul. A brisk walk in the fresh air clears the mind during times of stress, improves physical health and promotes balanced wellbeing.
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The benefits of swimming are incredible. The active weightless motion effectively trains the cardiovascular system and tones muscles most beautifully. It also enhances posture, energy, rehabilitation, fitness and flexibility, which make the body more resistant against illness and injury. Furthermore, the positive impact of swimming goes far beyond the physical aspect. It also provides therapeutic
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I once told my 14-year-old cousin that I was a specialist in procrastination. He laughed gleefully and asked what porn websites I used. HAHA! “Noooo not masturbation, procrastination, it’s when people waste time to avoid having to do the tasks that they eventually have to face.” “Oh right” he replied, “But still what porn sites
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Spring is an incredible time of year, it creates a real sense of hope, wonder and opportunity for us all, particularly after the long winter blues. That morning commute becomes ‘almost’ enjoyable with all the natural beauty and colour that crosses our paths. Daffodils smile brightly amidst arrays of tulips and primroses on every corner.
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An ancient tradition & philosophy that embodies the wisdom of holistic health and wellbeing. This incredible practice of mindful breathing, postures and meditation is healing, restorative & strengthening. RELAX: Focused breathing stills the mind, releases stress and oxygenises the brain. AWARENESS: Mindful movement connects us with our true self, cultivating calm & care. ENDURANCE: Yoga
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During stress, learn to manage your mind so anxiety doesn’t manage you. BREATHE: Shallow and rapid chest breathing is a natural response to stress, causing emotional unease. Focus on mindful controlled deeper abdominal breathing to ease nerves whilst increasing energy, relaxation and clarity. MOTION: Gentle and repetitive physical activity like swimming, walking or even cleaning
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Happiness is difficult to define but it can be so simple to achieve. It is those little gestures & joys that make all the difference in life. 1. KINDNESS: Life can be hard for us all so shine a light with regular gestures of goodwill. Say thank you, smile at strangers, listen to others, buy the big
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In October 2016, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie became the most recent face of No7, Boot’s own makeup brand. She appeared in a nature-inspired television advert wearing a full face of makeup, and making statements such as ‘makeup doesn’t really mean anything’, and that it is ‘what makes me [Adichie] happy when I look in the mirror’.
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January is a popular time for people to give up things they feel their body does not need, things such as alcohol and cigarettes, in an effort to detox after the Christmas holidays. This year however Veganuary has been the latest experiment, giving up meat, fish, dairy, eggs and honey for 31 days. However, as
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Trainspotting is regarded as a cult classic and with Danny Boyles’ visionary aesthetic ability and the cast’s convincing charisma it capably conserved the edginess of Irvine Welsh’s novel and epitomized the hedonistic 90’s decade. Camouflage, Converse, suede bombers, denim, Adidas stripes, combats, crop tops, snake skin, pinstripes and peroxide remind us of the casual yet risqué
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The bi-sexual woman: the magical unicorn of the queer community. Tell anybody you’re bi-sexual and they’ll have an opinion. To my work colleagues I’m ‘greedy,’ as though I’ve simply piled my plate too high at the genital buffet. To the porn industry my sexuality is reduced to a spectacle for the satisfaction of the assumed
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In July, I left the comforts of my home – and, actually, the comforts of my country – to become an English teacher in the world’s most populous city. While the travel guide, Mandarin phrasebook and Skype calls with current trainers loaded me with useful information, there were some lessons only Shanghai could teach me.
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I always thought my formative years were at University, all that lazing around, drinking and throwing up. But I’ve found out they actually took place between the ages of 0 and 2, when I was doing exactly the same things. Neuroscientists have recently discovered the importance of our first 1000 days, including time in the
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Across the globe, the period surrounding the end of the October and beginning of November is celebrated in various different ways. Whether it’s the Western idea of Halloween, or the Spanish speaking holiday of Dias de los Muertos, it cannot be argued that this time of the year has significant impact on how (and why)
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After spending seven and a half months in Australia and having only been back in the UK for seven weeks, why is it that I am already planning my next trip? Am I so desperate to get away again, to escape real life? Or am I just using my freedom and lack of responsibilities as
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We used to hang out in a park when I was a kid. It was a huge wide-open space starting at the top of a hill and rolling down a few hundred feet. One evening a car pulled up at the bottom and three older kids got out, they looked about seventeen, a couple of
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I’m going to let you all in on a little secret, before I turned vegan, I was a huge fan of leather. Who wouldn’t be with its valuable and unique features: its durability, its classic luxurious look and its ability to withstand water. So what if I told you that there was a new type
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I’m sure almost everyone reading this has a favourite number – mine is 6. It hasn’t been particularly lucky for me, but it sure crops up a lot in my life. Some people believe numbers can reveal a lot about ourselves, but can they determine our destiny? Can numbers be used to predict our future?
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Advertising is everywhere. Billboards, online sidebars, ‘cookies’, pop-ups, TV commercials and so on bombard us every single day. Subconsciously, these images are affecting who we are and who we strive to be. We relate to adverts and become persuaded that we need certain products in order to become better versions of ourselves, but how many
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I remember being around ten years old with a solid idea of what my life would be like in my mid to late twenties. I imagined a four bedroom house, a wife, children and a good job where I’d make plenty of money. Now at the age of twenty-six, it’s beginning to look like a
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August 5th, the start of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. A much-anticipated spectacle, where sporting elite will showcase their skills, in exchange for medals, accolades and adulation. However, sportswomen find themselves having to compete in far more than their chosen sport, they’re also competing for equality. Most often the debate focuses on equal pay, but
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A couple of months ago I put money on Theresa May to be prime minister by the end of 2016. It hadn’t occurred to me as a real possibility, but I’ve always liked her and when it came up under politics specials on my Ladbrokes app, I saw no reason not to stick a few
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As a feminist I’m thrilled that we have yet another female prime minister. It is a fantastic sign of our ever increasing modernising world and that women are getting the chance to stand up and show their strength, but did it really have to be May of all people? Whilst I’m glad we actually have
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Fan conventions all over the world are some of the biggest events on the calendar for genres and medias of all kinds. From Comic Con, Anime Asia, YouTube’s VidCon to a whole convention dedicated to the sitcom ‘The Office’, the last decade has seen a huge increase in the popularity of these events where fans
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Well there it is, we voted Brexit, but why are so many people still unhappy? Put simply, the result is way too close. It is almost a 50/50 split, meaning whatever happens next, half the voting population are going to be put in a situation they voted against. Many are calling for a more conclusive
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We don’t do things by halves at a start-up. I joined the frontline as a wide-eyed, nervous PR Officer. This was my first job, and within the clean-technology sector; all I had going for me was writing skill and three months of experience working in PR for a large car manufacturer. I thought it was
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Now we’ve all sat them, a big hall or a classroom with individual desks, as if the space between us somehow made it impossible to see the person next to us, silence with the invigilator giving us the same speech that, by the time our third or fourth exam came round, we all knew off
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We are living in an epoch of superhero media, with film, TV and comics capitalising on the best that DC, Marvel and others have to offer, attracting thousands of new fans and old fans with every release. Kids love them, adults love them and they rake in the cash; that said, very few of the
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For most people Thursday is that mundane day of the week awkwardly squashed in between Wednesday and Friday. Come 9pm on a typical Thursday evening most people will be sat comfortably perched on the sofa in their front room watching the latest episode of Coronation Street. But as I squeeze my stomach tightly trying to
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What started as a farce, if you believe the mainstream media, is now a reminder for any Camerons, Trumps and Clintons that the lefty heart of the working class beats. Jeremy Corbyn and Bernie Sanders have awoken something dormant, though some would have had you believe dead: socialism. While it isn’t as 1950s Russia as
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We all know the well-loved orphan who sings her way through life’s miseries and luckily gets to live in a mansion with the mega rich, Oliver Warbucks. Everyone’s sang along to the catchy and oh so cheery songs that make Annie so fantastic. We were all so happy that Annie got a happy ending, despite
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Forget the words “zionism”, “semitism” and “Jewish”: any British politician who denies Israel’s right to exist should be sent straight out of the House of Commons. Jeremy Corbyn and his ragtag team of commies want to castigate the 2% pocket of the Middle East which is an oasis of democracy, women’s rights and technological innovation.
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Eating alone in public makes some people feel uncomfortable, especially in a restaurant. They are the sad and the unaccompanied. The lonely ones who dare eat amongst the coupled and acquainted as they peer snidely from behind their menus. They are the ones who can’t get a date and must face these social outings like outcasts.
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The well-known and much loved Paddy McGuiness regularly presents the show Take Me Out on ITV. For those who haven’t heard of it, it’s a dating programme where a single man tries to win over as many of the women on the panel, and choose one lucky lady to go to the Isle of Fernando’s
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It’s no surprise that Hollywood actors love to play villains, and audiences love to see villains on the big screen. Actors want to get their teeth into characters that can steal the scenes and that audiences revel in, seeing the unpredictability of the Hannibal Lecters, Freddy Kruegers and Darth Vaders of the silver screen. One
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Public transport, it’s the enemy of many; friend of few. How nice would it be to get through one commute without wanting to scream at total strangers for not following the rules? What rules you may ask? Well, if you’re unaware that there are rules, I suggest you start walking to work and don’t set
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Over the last few years, I’ve learnt to take survey findings with a pinch of salt (a mineral responsible for obesity, according to a 2015 survey). I’ve learnt that bacon causes cancer, gives you heart disease and is better than sex. I’ve heard that vegetarians live longer but also die earlier. I’ve learnt that surveys
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“Probably… eight-five percent of my friends have slept with prostitutes.” Established in the last fifty years, South Korea is an odd sort of place. Once poorer than Mozambique, it’s now considered one of the biggest emerging markets in the world. It’s a country where kissing in public is frowned upon and marriage is expected of
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The familiar irritating noise of my alarm clock wakes me up from my deep slumber on cue. I lay in bed for a few moments relishing in the warmth of my bed sheets, which I know in a few minutes I will have to leave. I start my day as the morning light hits my
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It’s no lie that anime aesthetics vary from genre to genre: Yu-Gi-Oh! looks nothing like Death Note which looks nothing like My Love Story!!. There is, however, a design thread that seems to branch throughout anime – the feminine male character. It’s very easy to pick out a feminine man from various anime, but why
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The truth of the matter is that the world knows our culture, but they are puzzled as to why they can’t buy from our people directly. We recently received an email from an Asian-American that said ” It’s unbelievable, and the products are so awesome. I never realized how much I didn’t see black people
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I LIVE for work that champions a completely different cultural experience. I can’t explain the joy I felt when I saw that Pixar Animation Studios had just released the following short movie. Not only is it Pixar’s first Indian family onscreen (way over due if you ask me) it explores the common dilemma faced by
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One random May saw the coming of something great, a pilgrimage of many people from different walks of life – from Furries & Gamers to the Cosplayers & collectors there was not one geeky subculture left behind at the ‘mecca’ that is the London MCM Expo. For those of you who have never heard of the
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Now if you told me that Karaoke and fine Italian dining could go hand in hand, I’d have laughed at you… That was all until I took myself down to the heart of Battersea for a meal at Bunga Bunga. I’m pretty sure you all understand the reasoning behind the words “bunga bunga” – if
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Picture this …. The tranquil beaches of an island far away. Forget the pebbles of Brighton instead only white powdery soft sand sticking to your toes. A gorgeous sunset throwing every hue of orange and purple, crystal clear water that looks good enough to drink, that mixture smell of sea breeze and sea water that
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Are you still blazing weed or hash? Its SO nineties the new word on the street is Dabs. On the most basic level dabs is hash oil. Many people say that hash oil is the most potent form of marijuana available, and with THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol, say that after a few drinks. HA!) content starting at
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“Double double toil and trouble fire burn and cauldron bubble…” Before long comes that time of the year again, when children dress as ghouls and creatures of the night, in search of confectionary delights and general mischief. The time of the year, we are lead to believe centres around the undead and by association the dark
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Sónar is the culmination of over 20 years work, the end result is as you’d expect; A festival that defies convention and stands entirely on its own as much more of an experience than just an event. The team are quite fussy when it comes to events we won’t be found frequenting the typical mud
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Once again I begin at the source. Where all good things come from & where most of my ideas spark, that’s right … Facebook. No its not a joke, I’m being serious. Once again my boredom led me back to my news feed in search of entertainment and funny memes to kill some time before
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Nothing is faster than the society we live in. We work, we sleep, we eat, throw it away, we buy and then we do it all over again – it just doesn’t stop. The real question is, in all of our self-obsessed consumerist goodness, have we ever stopped to actually think about how much we
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