Blog Posts

what are this weeks lockdown changes? - an update

5/24/2021

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As of this week lockdown rules have been eased for England, here is a list of what we are now allowed to do:

Lockdown restrictions have now been eased further in Northern Ireland, following the latest relaxation of rules in England, Scotland and Wales. Meanwhile, the government has warned that outbreaks connected to the Indian variant of Covid could delay the next stage of easing restrictions in England, currently expected in June.

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Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe!

5/17/2021

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Ingredients

120g butter, softened
75g light brown sugar
75g golden caster sugar
1 medium egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
180g plain flour
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
150g dark chocolate, cut into chunks

Method

STEP 1 - Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4 and line two baking sheets with parchment. Cream the butter and sugars together until very light and fluffy, then beat in the egg and vanilla. Once combined, stir in the flour, bicarb, chocolate and ¼ tsp salt.
STEP 2 - Scoop 10 large tbsps of the mixture onto the trays, leaving enough space between each to allow for spreading. Bake for 10-12 mins or until firm at the edges but still soft in the middle – they will harden a little as they cool. Leave to cool on the tray for a few mins before eating warm, or transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Will keep for three days in an airtight container.

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How to manage stress

5/10/2021

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Here are 5 helpful stress busters.
- For whatever reason you may be stressed the first step to feeling better is to identify what it is that is causing your stress.
1. Be active - Exercise is not guaranteed to make your stress disappear but it sure will help, even walking counts! As it allows you to clear your head and also produces endorphins which are chemical hormones released by the body while exercising and have been proven to relieve stress and pain.
2. Take control - To every problem there is always a solution and negative thinking will not help. "If you remain passive, thinking 'I can't do anything about my problem' your stress will get worse" - Professor Cooper an occupational health expert at the University of Lancaster
As the feeling of when you have lost control is what causes your stress to spiral. Therefore this act of control empowers you and is a crucial part of destress.
3.Have some me time
Professor Cooper suggests that we all need some me time and that each week we should set aside a couple of nights a week for some quality me time.
4. Challenge yourself - By setting yourself goals and challenges have been proven to help people deal with stress, for example by learning a new language, sport or joining a club. As well as stress by setting yourself these goals and challenges it also boosts your confidence.
Professor Cooper - "By continuing to learn, you become more emotionally resilient as a person"
5. Accept the things you can't change - You cannot always change a difficult situation, however by focusing on the things you have control over. For example if you have a test coming up and know that tests and exams give you anxiety, which can make them even harder to deal with. Make sure that you have prepared for the test in order to mediate and level out your anxiety.
- There are also many apps that you can download in order to manage your stress such as the Stress-busting apps - NHS offer in the apps library, Happify and Colorfy.

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