Meditation has been practiced for thousands of years. It has been and still is used as a very effective method for calming the mind and focusing – and it is gaining more and more popularity especially because of its stress-busting properties.
Studies have shown that practicing meditation is great for stress relief, relieving nervous tension, very helpful in managing anxiety levels. It enhances the immune system and can reduce high blood pressure as well as pain. Meditating regularly can also postpone ageing.
There are many different meditation

The term “relaxation” basically means a release of tension. By releasing tension, relaxation contributes to relieving headaches and migraines, stress and anxiety as well as pain (e.g. back pain).
Relaxation should be a part of everyone’s life and especially if you are leading a stressful life. It is very important for your general health and wellbeing to take some time – even if it is just a few minutes each day – to unwind.
There is a variety of relaxation techniques available, such as deep breathing,

Anxiety itself is the body’s natural defence mechanism intended to react to a physical threat or emergency situation. In the event of a physical threat, the brain triggers the “fight-or-flight” response which is often accompanied by some unpleasant physical symptoms such as an increasing heartbeat, rapid and shallow breathing as well as an increase in muscle tension. While this reaction is perfectly normal in the event of an accident or physical threat and very helpful for survival, when it becomes excessive and/or is originating more

 
Serves 2
 
1 cup almonds, blanched
500ml (or 17 oz.) warm organic un-homogenised milk
4 fresh dates, pitted
¼ tsp. ground cardamom
Small pinch of ground cloves
¼ tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Ground cinnamon (extra), to serve
 
Put almonds, milk, dates, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon and vanilla in a blender. Blend for 3 minutes or until thick and creamy. Serve sprinkled with a little ground cinnamon (extra).
 

 
Great breakfast recipe!
 
Serves 4
 
2 cups whole rolled oats
Pinch of salt
1 litre (or 34 oz.) rice milk
100g (or 3.5 oz.) hazelnut meal (or roasted hazelnuts, finely chopped)
1 vanilla bean, halved
2 ripe bananas, mashed
Brown sugar (or maple syrup), to serve
½ cup rice milk (extra), to serve
Banana (extra), to serve
 
Put oats, salt, milk and 1 cup water in a saucepan. Cook by stirring over a medium heat for 10 minutes or until oats are soft and creamy. Add hazelnut meal, vanilla bean and banana and cook for a