Do you like drinking tea or taking a stroll in the rain? Did you know that walking backwards can help your memory – or that stopping yourself from being a mouth breather is good for your oral health?

This might sound like a bad mash-up of the ‘pina colada song’, but in fact these are all subjects (and more) that I’m covering in the new series of my podcast, Just One Thing (which launches next week).

As a reminder, in each episode of this series I take a close look at a different ‘thing’, something simple that could improve your mental and physical wellbeing in surprising ways. Here’s a preview of what I discovered…

Have a cup of tea 

We’ve become a nation of coffee drinkers, a recent survey found, with more Britons now drinking coffee than tea.

But has the pendulum swung too far – is it time to start drinking more tea?

The most popular tea in the UK is ‘black’ tea, which comes from Camellia sinensis, an evergreen shrub native to East Asia. The leaves are exposed to the air to darken, which, among other things, increases their caffeine content.

They’re also packed full of plant compounds called polyphenols that have multiple health benefits, including being good for our bones.

One study in Australia, which monitored more than 1,000 women aged over 75 for more than ten years, showed that those who drank more than three cups of tea daily were 30 per cent less likely to suffer a fracture due to osteoporosis, compared with those who drank one cup or less per week. (I’m particularly interested in this, as I have a family history of osteoporosis.)

On top of that, you will not be surprised to hear that drinking tea is a great way to relax. But not, as you might expect, simply down to the ritual; you stop work, put the kettle on, perhaps have a chat.

In fact, there’s a substance in tea, L-theanine, which studies show increases the activity of alpha brainwaves, which are associated with being calm and creative.

Stroll backwards

And after your cup of tea, why not put on your walking shoes and go for a stroll? Backwards. This might sound eccentric, but it’s a technique that’s been used in physiotherapy for decades to rehabilitate lower leg injuries.

It can improve your gait, balance and mobility, plus a study by Roehampton University in 2018 showed that walking backwards can sharpen your memory.

The scientists behind this experiment think that when you walk backwards physically, this helps you ‘walk back’ mentally, retrieving memories from something you did earlier. So if you’re wondering where you put those keys, perhaps a short stroll backwards will jog your memory.

When I first heard about this I was intrigued that something so simple and, frankly, weird could have such an effect.

It can be done on a treadmill, but with care you can do it safely in your own home or outside.

If you fancy giving it a go then start slowly, doing a few steps, then build up. Try it with a partner: the idea is that you face each other, holding hands, so while you are walking backwards they are walking forwards. Then you swap.

0r when it rains 

If walking backwards isn’t your thing, go for a conventional walk – but in the rain.

For starters, if you’re looking for fresh air, there’s no better time to go for a walk than a rainy day, because rain improves air quality.

A recent study in Japan found that as the rain falls, the droplets attract and wash away tens of thousands of polluting particles from the air. These particles, which are generated by traffic, are very harmful because they are small enough to penetrate deep into our lungs when we inhale them.

And then there’s that wonderful, earthy smell just after it’s rained.

It’s got a great name: petrichor, from the Greek word ‘petra’, meaning stone, and ‘ichor’, the fluid that in Greek mythology flowed through the veins of the immortals. That earthy smell occurs as water hits dusty or clay soils, releasing tiny air bubbles that scent the air.

The main component of petrichor is a chemical called geosmin, which is made by bacteria in the soil. There’s evidence that inhaling geosmin can make us feel good.

In a 2022 study in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, researchers asked 30 adults to handle soil that contained geosmin, and soil that didn’t.

After just five minutes’ exposure to geosmin, the volunteers had higher levels of the mood-boosting chemical serotonin in their blood and reduced levels of C-reactive protein, a marker for inflammation that’s linked to depression (though why this happens isn’t yet clear).

Try to breathe through your nose 

I’d always dismissed claims that breathing in through your nose is healthier than through your mouth – after all, it still ends up in the same place (your lungs). But as I’ve discovered, being a mouth breather has considerable downsides, including reducing the amount of saliva you produce, making your mouth drier and increasing the risk of tooth decay and inflamed gums.

And nose breathing could also give your brain a boost. In a recent study, volunteers were given a memory test while in a brain scanner: when they breathed through their noses they performed better, and the scans revealed their brains were working more efficiently.

Studies at the Karolinska Institute in Sweden have shown that nose breathing boosts levels of nitric oxide, a chemical that fights off infection in your sinuses and increases the blood flow in your lungs, raising oxygen levels in your blood and presumably your brain.

Listen to Just One Thing on BBC Radio 4 every Wednesday from September 20 at 9.30am – when you can also download the whole series on BBC Sounds.

Early nights may protect brain 

Trying to function after a bad night’s sleep is difficult: you feel tired, irritable and, if you are like me, you also feel an insane desire to eat something sweet.

While one restless night isn’t going to do much damage, night after night of poor sleep can raise the risk of dementia.

One theory is that if you don’t get enough sleep, especially restorative deep sleep, you get a build-up of toxins in the brain that can lead to brain damage.

That’s because when you are in deep sleep, a network of channels in your brain, known as the glymphatic system, opens up and washes away any toxic waste from the day.

Sadly, as we get older, we tend to get less deep sleep, which means that our brains aren’t as good at washing away the toxins. Indeed, young people typically have a couple of hours’ deep sleep a night, but when you get to my age (66), you’re lucky to get 30 minutes.

But the good news is that researchers at Binzhou Medical University in China have now identified a protein, pleiotrophin, that can – at least in mice – protect brain cells from damage by toxins. When mice were deprived of sleep, their pleiotrophin levels drop.

The hope is that we will find some way to pump up pleiotrophin levels. Until then, get an early night to try to maximise the amount of deep sleep you get.

Eat green bananas for healthy liver 

In last week’s column, I mentioned that cooking, cooling and reheating pasta turned the carbs in it into resistant starch, which isn’t readily broken down in the gut but acts more like fibre.

So not only do you get less of a blood sugar spike after eating it (because less of it is absorbed), but it also feeds the friendly bacteria in your gut. They, in turn, convert the resistant starch into a fatty acid called butyrate, which has many benefits for the gut, including reducing the risk of developing colon cancer.

Now a study has shown that consuming more resistant starch helps your liver, too. Researchers at Shanghai Sixth People’s Hospital in China recruited 200 people with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), a build-up of fat in the liver – one in three Britons has early signs of this condition, which is associated with a raised risk of heart attack, stroke and liver damage.

Patients in the study were given a resistant starch powder made from maize or corn to have twice a day, for four months. When compared with a control group, they had 40 per cent less fat in their livers.

They also had reduced levels of liver enzymes and inflammatory factors associated with NAFLD. The good news is you can easily increase your consumption of resistant starch by eating oats, legumes and green bananas. Or by cooking, cooling and reheating rice, pasta or potatoes.

Scrap hated tourist tax to give the High Street a desperately needed boost, says jeweller Pandora

By Daily Mail City & Finance Reporter

Published: 17:13 EDT, 15 August 2023 | Updated: 17:58 EDT, 15 August 2023

Some links in this article may be affiliate links. If you click on them we may earn a small commission. That helps us fund This Is Money, and keep it free to use. We do not write articles to promote products. We do not allow any commercial relationship to affect our editorial independence.

Drifting off to sleep while smelling lavender, eucalyptus or rosemary could help to boost your memory in later life.

Volunteers aged 60 to 85 who were exposed to fragrances at night for six months did far better in a memory test.

They improved their memory by 226 per cent compared to volunteers who did not get the same scent exposure.

The small study, of 43 people, suggests the act of smelling pleasant scents could stimulate the brain in a way which protects against memory loss.

The link between memory and sense of smell – known by scientists as the ‘olfactory’ sense – might help to explain why people in the early stages of dementia start to lose their ability to detect odours.

Professor Michael Yassa, a co-author of the scent study, from the University of California, Irvine, said: ‘The olfactory sense has the special privilege of being directly connected to the brain’s memory circuits.

‘All the other senses are routed first through the thalamus.

He said: ‘Everyone has experienced how powerful aromas are in evoking recollections, even from very long ago.

‘However, unlike with vision changes that we treat with glasses and hearing aids for hearing impairment, there has been no intervention for the loss of smell.’

The volunteers in the study were given a diffuser for their bedroom, and 20 out of 43 of them received essential oils, which smelled of lavender, rose, orange, eucalyptus, lemon, peppermint and rosemary.

They turned on the diffuser when they went to bed, and one scent per night was released into the air for two hours as they fell asleep.

The other 23 people, who were the control group, also switched on the diffuser when they went to bed, but their diffusers only pumped out distilled water with a minimal, undetectable scent.

The participants, who had no cognitive impairment or dementia, were given a battery of tests, including the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test, where people have to recall words from a list to gauge their verbal learning and memory.

The 226 per cent better performance on this test was seen in the group exposed to the fragrances compared to the control group.

MRI scans revealed those who had fallen asleep with the seven scents over six months also had better functioning in the ‘uncinate fasciculus’ – a brain pathway which deteriorates with ageing and has been linked to memory.

The researchers of the study, published in the journal Frontiers in Neuroscience, say the finding transforms the long-known link between smell and memory into an easy technique for strengthening memory and potentially protecting against dementia.

It follows evidence that exposing people with moderate dementia to up to 40 different odours twice a day boosted their memories and language skills and eased depression.

Cynthia Woo, who led the new study from the University of California, Irvine, said: ‘By making it possible for people to experience the odours while sleeping, we eliminated the need to set aside time for this during waking hours every day.’

The smart trick to boost your WiFi for FREE using old device you already own

•  Did you know that by tweaking an old router you can create a DIY WiFi extender 

By Zeenia Naqvee

Updated: 10:29 EDT, 6 August 2023

Haleon shrugged off the cost of living crisis yesterday as the painkiller seller reaped the rewards of a flu outbreak at the start of the summer.

It said its annual sales would now be better than previously hoped thanks to shoppers swallowing 7.5 per cent price increases and sticking with the Sensodyne and Panadol maker.

Sales were helped by the easing of Covid curbs in China, which boosted demand for its medications, while a flu outbreak this spring saw consumers scramble to stock up on medication.

As a result the FTSE 100 company, which was split off from pharma giant GSK last July, said revenue increased 10.4 per cent to £5.7billion for the first half of 2023.

Haleon, which celebrated its first anniversary on the London Stock Exchange last month, also posted a profits increase of 8.9 per cent to £1.3billion, compared to the first half of 2022. 

‘One year from listing, we are very pleased with Haleon’s first half results,’ chief executive Brian McNamara said. 

But shares in Haleon were dented 2.53 per cent, or 8.35p, trading at 321.7p yesterday.

Investors were discouraged after the firm said its operating margin had shrunk in the first half due to painful inflationary pressures.

McNamara warned ‘we continue to expect a challenging environment given further pressure on consumer spending and global geopolitical and macroeconomic uncertainties’. 

The FTSE 100 plunged in opening exchanges yesterday after the market was spooked by a credit rating downgrade from top US agency Fitch. London’s blue chip index sank 1.36 per cent, or 104.64 points, to 7561.63.

But Smurfit shares were a rare bright spot despite the packaging giant having posted shrinking sales. 

Demand for cardboard boxes had folded after the highs of a pandemic boom and hesitation amid the global economic downturn, causing a 9 per cent drop in sales.

But chief executive Tony Smurfit reassured investors, saying that when demand does return, the company would consider putting up the prices of boxes.

The company was established as a box-maker in Dublin in 1934 and was acquired by Mr Jefferson Smurfit four years later, trading afterwards as Jefferson Smurfit. It was listed on the Irish Stock Exchange in 1964.

Jefferson Smurfit grew under the leadership of the founder’s son, Sir Michael Smurfit, who became chief executive in 1974. His son Tony is the current chief executive. Shares were up 1.83 per cent, or 56p, to 3116p yesterday.

Elsewhere Ferrexpo shares dipped 6.26 per cent, or 5.8p, to 86.9p after the mining company posted falling half-year profits.

It said operations in Ukraine were still being affected by the ongoing war, with revenues dropping 64 per cent to £262million.

Convatec, which sells medical bandages and catheters, posted booming profits over the first six months of the year, sending shares up 6.32 per cent, or 13p, to 218.8p.

The Reading-based company also hiked its full-year guidance.

Investors cheered the news that oil engineering firm John Wood and Shell have inked a three-year contract. It means the former will support Shell’s greenfield and brownfield projects. Shares in John Wood were up 1.39 per cent, or 2.1p, to 153.3p.

Halfords shares crashed after there were warnings that its earnings per share has shrunk at 11pc a year over the past five years.

Analysts warned this could suggest the business is having a hard time and thus limit its capability to pay a bigger dividend per year in the future.

But there was some short-term good news for investors as it said it would pay its dividend of £0.07 on September 15, a higher payment than last year. 

Shares were down 5.89 per cent, or 12.8p, at 204.4p.

The Whatsapp trick to boost the image quality in your messages

• There are three image quality settings available for Whatsapp users to pick from 

By George Iddenden

Updated: 09:50 EDT, 29 July 2023

Nurses will be given paid time away from the frontline so they can attend management courses and boost their chances of landing senior NHS roles.

Steve Barclay has promised to ‘improve the lives’ of nurses by giving them more chance to progress their career and protecting them from violence.

The health secretary’s olive branch comes as more than 300,000 Royal College of Nursing members are being balloted over industrial action with polls closing tomorrow.

Writing for the Daily Mail, he said he ‘deeply regrets’ recent strikes and wants nurses to be properly represented at the top of the health service, so they have more of a say in how it is run and make it a better place to work.

It is hoped the move will prevent more nurses leaving the profession and improve patient care.

Women fill nine in ten nursing roles but fewer than half of ‘very senior’ NHS manager posts, such as chief executives and directors.

Ministers have offered NHS staff – excluding doctors, dentists and very senior managers – a pay rise of 5 per cent for 2023/24, an average rise of 4.75 per cent for 2022/23 and a one-off bonus payment of up to £3,789.

They also promised to make improvements to non-pay issues.

However, while the deal was accepted by most health unions, the RCN rejected the offer and threatened further strikes in pursuit of a double-digit rise.

Pat Cullen, the RCN’s chief executive, has accused Mr Barclay of being sexist and denying her members a larger rise because they are predominantly female.

More than 650,000 appointments and operations have been cancelled as a result of NHS strikes by the likes of junior doctors, nurses and physiotherapists since December, causing waiting lists to surge to a record 7.4million.

Mr Barclay said: ‘Nurses do an outstanding job at keeping patients safe and went above and beyond the call of duty during the pandemic to care for our loved ones.

‘I deeply regret the strike action we have seen in recent months, which has been disruptive for both staff and patients, and I want to work constructively with unions to improve the lives of staff, starting with delivering the pay deal agreed in May.

‘This week I held a meeting with a group of frontline nurses working across the NHS, from intensive care to mental health, to hear directly from them what matters most.

‘The health and wellbeing of nurses is paramount to making the NHS a better place to work.

‘I want nurses to be given more chances to progress their career by better protecting their training time so they can rise to management levels, mentor newly qualified staff, and have a say in how the NHS is run.’

Mr Barclay said he plans to trial body-worn cameras in the health service and use AI to try to reduce violence against staff after figures showed there have been 6,500 sex attacks in hospitals in three years.

He said: ‘Any kind of violence against staff is unacceptable and should never be allowed to happen in the NHS.

‘I want to create a safe environment for staff, through body-worn camera trials and a national violence prevention.

‘I’ve heard first-hand about some of the vile behaviour staff are subject to and have asked the NHS to explore how to improve the quality of the data available on these incidents, including potentially using artificial intelligence to better identify trends, and working with the police to ensure appropriate action is taken, including prosecution to ensure the NHS is always safe for staff and patients.’

The cabinet minister said NHS staff are receiving the pay rise in their pay packets from this month, meaning a newly qualified nurse will see their salary go up by more than £2,750 over two years up to 2024.

He added: ‘This deal is not just about money though and I understand staffing pressures, professional development and workload are all reasons why nurses can feel undervalued.

‘The NHS will soon publish a long-term workforce plan to grow the number of nurses and improve retention.

‘We’re making progress with 44,000 more nurses working in the NHS compared to September 2019 – but I know there’s further to go.

‘I hope RCN members recognise this is a fair deal and decide it is time to bring industrial action to an end.

‘Whatever the outcome of their ballot I will continue to deliver changes and work with the NHS Staff Council to make the NHS a better place to work so staff can provide the best possible care to patients.’

An RCN spokesperson said: ‘The commitment from the government to improve career development – as well as tackling violence and safer staffing – is positive but nursing staff are eager to see clear progress and not more promises.

‘The simplest way to raise standards is with more nurses and yet there are record unfilled jobs – our professionals are concerned over the impact of low pay and stress driving more people out.

‘The RCN will continue this year to campaign for nursing staff and to hold government to its pledges on valuing our professionals, making the NHS safer and improving cafe for patients.’

Home blood test that could check for more than 50 types of cancer could change care forever and BOOST survival rates, NHS boss claims

• One million NHS patients with no symptoms will be enrolled in the world trial

By Shaun Wooller Health Editor

Updated: 02:56 EDT, 16 June 2023

A resurgence of confidence: But are the floats by WE Soda and CAB just part of a lucky streak for the City? asks MAGGIE PAGANO

By Maggie Pagano For The Daily Mail

Published: 16:59 EDT, 8 June 2023 | Updated: 17:12 EDT, 8 June 2023

Some links in this article may be affiliate links. If you click on them we may earn a small commission. That helps us fund This Is Money, and keep it free to use. We do not write articles to promote products. We do not allow any commercial relationship to affect our editorial independence.

POPULAR MONEY SECTIONS
Take me to…

REVEALED: The celebrities’ secret to gut health! Alexandra Burke, Lisa Snowdon, and Gemma Atkinson’s favourite supplement – enjoy 25% off with our exclusive reader discount

By Orla Loughran Hayes

Updated: 13:47 EDT, 5 June 2023