Have you ever asked yourself why we love to fundraise, give to charity or volunteer our time? In this article you will learn why we love to give, why it’s so important to us and what personal health and wellbeing benefits it can bring to us.

According to the World Giving Index 2016 the UK is number one in Europe when it comes to generosity, with an average 63% of us having given help to a stranger, 69% donating to a charity and 33% spent our time volunteering. Ireland is the next most charitable in Europe with 56% helping a stranger, 66% donating money and 40% volunteering. This was closely followed by the Netherlands. On a global scale the most generous country on earth is Myanmar (Burma) for the last three years running. 63% gave help to a stranger, 91% donated money and 55% volunteered. Next giving nation globally is the United States, then Australia, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, Canada and Indonesia. So it’s very heart warming and uplifting to know that most of us around the world simply love giving or donating our time to help our fellow human beings in some capacity.

I was encouraged from a very early age to believe that helping others whenever or wherever I can was the right thing to do. When I was very young this was simply standing up on the bus, when less able were standing, so that they could have my seat. Later it was helping out at the bring-and-buy sales for charities.  I then read the book ‘A Christmas Carol’ by the great Charles Dickens. I still have his words ringing in my ears today when I first read the line as a child from Marley’s ghost when he said, “Business! Mankind was my business”. Suddenly it all made sense for me. This belief has become more profound as I’ve become older, and I stand firm in this belief today. I’ve now found ways of combining some of the things I love such as networking, allotments and walking to do volunteer work, donating and charity walks to raise vital funds for the charities I support. This got me thinking, why do we love to donate or give our time to support charities or even do good deeds, when we don’t have to? Is it simply enough for us to know that it’s the right thing to do, or is there something more psychological going on? Are we naturally altruistic? Or is something else?

What are the reasons we like to donate, fundraise or volunteer?
According to behavioural scientists the science why people give to charity falls into three categories, they are; Hearts over heads, influenced by others or a contagion.

Hearts over heads – a series of experiments published in The Journal of Risk and Uncertainty in 2003, discovered that people are more likely to respond to charitable requests for a single identifiable beneficiary than a large charitable organisation. This could be down to the fact that they are more identifiable and we can empathise more with the individual cases.

Influenced by others – the experiments also revealed that there could be a competitive edge to giving. JustGiving, the fundraising website observed that people donating to a fundraising page were influenced by the amount of money the previous person had donated and gave a higher donation. Celebrity endorsements seem to have a huge influencing factor for us as well, so this could be why charities like to publicise celebrities that support or become patrons of their charities, as they can be significant factor in their fundraising success.

Giving is infectious – When we see others give to charities, we are more likely to give ourselves. The urge is particularly noticeable when we are encouraged by a significant person in our lives. In three experiments, commissioned by the Cabinet Office for Social Action and conducted by the Behavioural Science Team found that habit is a key factor. The experiments revealed that if we’ve volunteered or fundraised before, statistically we are far more likely to do it again.

Why we volunteer - Bob Moore a volunteer co-ordinator sums it up best for me in his 2008 article ‘Why do people volunteer?’ , he explains that whatever the reason for volunteering, it always has a purpose, he then discusses a myriad of reasons, such as;
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o   Altruism
o   We feel the need to give back
o   Personal experience with a problem, illness or cause
o   Looking to meet people
o   Sharing time with people that have the same interests as ourselves
o   Looking to learn new skills that they can use in their workplace
o   To keep old skills alive
o   Exploring possibilities for career changes
o   Workplace experience, or to find out the environment when considering change
o   Opportunities for employment
o   Looking to have fun
o   Do their civic duty
o   Achievement
o   Strengthen cv’s
o   Keep busy and active
o   Satisfaction and accomplishment
o   Feel better about ourselves
o   Take on a challenge for personal goals and development
o   To make life easier for others, and a better place for all to live in
o   Clandestine reasons - to see how things really work
o   Because they were asked!

So it seems that we all have our own personal reasons for volunteering, which probably explains why many of us also extend that to fundraising. So if you are looking to fundraise or want to encourage people to take part in charity work or a business wishing to recruit volunteers, you should consider factoring in these types of opportunities for the people you want to attract. This will probably ensure that you’re on to a winner in achieving your goals and becoming a great success.

Another consideration, not quite such an obvious perk to helping others, is the health benefits of helping others. Studies conducted by eminent psychologists reveal that donating our time or money is scientifically proven to;

o   Lengthen our lifespan
o   Create greater happiness
o   Aid pain management
o   Lower our blood pressure

Sara Konrath (PHD) has dubbed this affect as the ‘The Caring Cure’. Other academics and doctors have also revealed other benefits to the helper, such as;
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o   More positive behaviours in teenagers
o   Satisfaction and contentment
o   Enhancing individuals overall sense of purpose and identity
o   Raising self-confidence and self-esteem
o   Encourages friendships which reduces stress and illness

Now you know why we love to give our time or money to help others and the health benefits it can bring to the helper. If you have the time not only is volunteering an investment in others, but also in ourselves and our future happiness and wellbeing. So it might be worth considering if you want to introduce more happiness and purpose into your life to think about fundraising or volunteering as an option in your goal setting strategy.

I’ll be doing the London Marathon walk in September, with a bit of luck I might just see you there! If you want to Donate now to my JustGiving page, I would be extremely grateful.
Happy giving, fundraising and volunteering!

Julia

I would love to hear your feedback on this blog. Perhaps you have some experience yourself on fundraising and volunteering you’d like to share with me. Please like and retweet this article on Twitter @AsterlifeC
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If you want to discover your star potential and think I may be able to help you, then please call me 07752565740

Is a good night’s sleep of 7-8 hours something you dream about? Do you stay up till all hours of the night, then find yourself finally drifting off at 3am, only for the alarm to go off like Bow Bells at 6am? Well rest easy, here’s my guide to getting a good night’s sleep without the use of medication. In this blog you will learn what sleep your body needs, the symptoms of sleep deprivation, some science behind it and a guide to creating the perfect night’s sleep.
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As we all know a good night’s sleep is a great investment in ourselves and those around us, and should be made a top priority. The quality of our sleep can have a direct impact on our physical and mental wellbeing and productivity. The stresses and demands on our modern day life, it’s no surprise that our sleep is suffering. We eat later and find little time for exercise. Our living environments have changed and are far less conducive to a good night’s sleep than we would like. We now spend up to 90% of our time indoors, during the autumn and winter months, under false lighting, which again is not favourable for peaceful slumber at night.​

​As we get older our sleep pattern changes. A baby spends 16-20 hours asleep throughout the 24 hours. As we get older the need for sleep declines. Children need between 11-12 hours. Teens will need around 9 hours of sleep a night and adults around 7-8 hours. The elderly probably need the same amount of sleep as any other adult but may be broken down in more than one block of sleep. Elderly people’s sleep patterns can become more disturbed due to certain medical issues, such as arthritis, thyroids, diabetes, heart problems, and respiratory disorders such as sleep apnoea.
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Sleep deprivation or sleep disorders can play havoc with our mental wellbeing, physical and mental performance, mood, behaviours, diet, cognitive skills, as well as a whole host of chronic health problems. Shift workers often suffer with ‘Shift work sleep disorder’. This is a condition that happens to shift workers and occurs when we receive too little sleep at the wrong time of day. This interferes with our 24hour body clock (circadian rhythm). A detailed study (2012) into Night Shift workers sleep disorder by the Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, discovered that there are indications that ‘the decrease in insulin production during the disrupted sleep led to inadequate blood sugar control, which could account for the increased risk of diabetes’.

Symptoms when sleep deprived
When you’re not receiving a regular 7-8 hours and are sleep deprived you can often feel;
o   unrefreshed after sleep
o   continually drowsy during the day
o   lethargic, sluggish and demotivated
o   unable to concentrate
o   irritable and bad tempered
o   heightened stress and anxiety
o   Depressed, and feelings of low self-esteem and confidence
o   difficulty with personal and family relationships

Thankfully for most of us this is only a short term problem and soon passes, usually after we’ve been under short term stress (transient insomnia). For those of you that do suffer more long term, over a month with at least three nights a week of disturbed sleep (Chronic Insomnia), it’s definitely no picnic in the park. If this sounds like you and you’ve tried all the self-help advice then you should really seek professional medical advice.

The Science of sleep
One of the hormones responsible for our bodies daily cycle and sleep is Melatonin. It’s very light sensitive.  So when light levels reduce (night time) the melatonin gets released into our bloodstream from the pineal gland in our brains and sends us off to sleep.  

In a normal night’s sleep there are 4 stages in the sleep cycle: Non-REM stage 1, 2, 3, and stage 4 the REM (rapid eye movement) sleep. These stages progress in a cycle. It is thought that a complete sleep cycle takes an average of between 90 to 110 minutes, with each stage lasting between 5 to 15 minutes. The deep REM sleep usually occurs 90 minutes after falling asleep and is when the sleep works on learning and memory. The first sleep cycles each night have relatively short REM sleeps and long periods of deep sleep but later in the night, REM periods lengthen and deep sleep time decreases. Stimulants such as caffeine and alcohol reduce your REM sleep.

Test for sleep deprivation
If you’re not sure and want to check if you’re sleep deprived in any way, then there’s a very simple test you can do. It’s called ‘The sleep onset latency test’. I first learned about this through the BBC, when scientist, journalist and TV broadcaster Doctor Michael Mosley, discussed sleep on ‘Trust me I’m a Doctor’ series, and here’s what he says you need to do;

1.       Lie down in sleeping position in a quiet, darkened room in the early afternoon, and hold a spoon over the edge of your bed.

2.       Put a metal tray on the floor underneath the hovering spoon, check the time and close your eyes. When you fall asleep, the spoon will drop from your fingers and hit the tray to wake you up.  Then, check the time to see how long it takes you to fall asleep. If you fall asleep within five minutes of closing your eyes, you’re severely sleep deprived. If it takes you ten minutes, this is ‘of concern’. Anything more than 15 minutes, he says, is fine.

So if you have done the test and find that you are probably sleep deprived then here’s my guide to getting a good night’s sleep. Note: Many of the step trackers have an option to measure your sleep patterns and heart rates during the night. This can give you a more detailed view of the quality of your sleep.

The perfect sleep environment
Surprisingly the environment is not always the first consideration for many that suffer long term sleep deprivation or disruptive sleep patterns, and yet this is a key factor in getting a good night’s sleep. When we consider our sleep environment, how it looks visually is not the only consideration we should have. We should also think about room temperature, colour, distractions, noise, lighting and smells.  

De-clutter your bedroom – make it an environment that oozes relaxation and restfulness, and more of a sanctuary than a storage area. See my tips on de-cluttering and finding your authentic wardrobe, also de-cluttering and finding your authentic bookshelf if you have a bookshelf installed in your bedroom.  

Paint in calm and restfulness – A restful, calming colour scheme such as neutral and pastel shades work well. The National Sleep Foundation recommend light blue as the optimal colour scheme, as the photoreceptors in the retina (ganglion cells) are most sensitive to blue. The receptors relay information to the part of the brain responsible for the circadian rhythm (body clock). The National Sleep Foundation say the brain recognises blue as a calming and relaxing colour, this reduces your blood pressure and heart rate, which is essential for a good night’s sleep.

Set the temperature to just right – The UK’s Sleep Council recommend that the room temperature for a perfect night’s sleep should be between 16-17°C, that’s 61-62°F. If you’re not sure of the temperature use a thermostat in your room. If too cool eliminate any drafts and bring the temperature up. If it’s too hot cool your bedroom down by using a fan, preferably noise and turbulence reduced fans to minimise drafts. Alternatively, open a window and ventilate the room as much as possible. For really hot evenings sleep above the covers or just a very light cotton sheet over you.

Invest in a really good mattress – If you’re serious about getting a good night’s sleep then this is a must. Now there are gazillions of different mattresses, so do your research and find the best one for your particular needs. A good mattress is a little pricey, around £300-£400 ($400-$500 US dollars) and upwards, but in my experience you can’t put a price on a good mattress. I encourage you if you can to try before you buy and put the same thought into your pillows and bedding at the same time.

Lights out! – Ideally switch the lights off. Keep them very low prior to preparing for sleep. Remember Melatonin is light sensitive, so the more light you have in your room, the less likely you are able to fall sleep. If you can afford it, invest in good quality curtains that don’t let any light pass through them or purchase a good eye mask.  Nick Littlehales, a sleep expert for top athletes, including the British Cycling Team, says complete darkness is a fundamental factor for sleeping well.
Reduce the noise – As you sleep your brain continues to register noise, causing you to wake. If it’s noisy outside or you’re a light sleeper try using earplugs, fairly malleable ones, so that as you turn in bed while sleeping they don’t dig in and wake you.

Turn off those distractive gadgets! – Gadgets are a huge distraction to our sleep cycle. So wherever possible ban bedroom phones, tablets, computers and anything else that’s likely to go ping in the night! The only exception to this rule is gadgets that’s primary function is to aid sleep. The same goes for the TV. Ideally remove the TV from the bedroom. There’s mounting evidence that suggests that even when your TV is in standby mode, that this interferes with our circadian rhythm. So turn off the TV an hour before you sleep, and if it’s in the bedroom cover-up the standby light before sleeping.

Aroma – While planning the perfect sleep environment don’t forget to enhance the sleep experience through the aroma of your room. Research has evidenced that the scent of lavender reduces the heart rate and blood pressure. If lavender’s not for you, other scents that reduce stress and anxiety include; geranium, chamomile, bergamot, lemongrass, jasmine, orange or neroli, ylang ylang and marjoram. Try to rotate scents every two weeks.

Sleep routines
There are many conflicting views on whether to adopt a routine as part of your sleep preparation or not. Some people swear by having a warm bath, milky drink and then read a book for 30 minutes. Others that have trouble sleeping say that having a ritual around sleep preparation can actually fuel anxiety. So I would try both and see what works well for you!

Your sleep mindset / state of mind

Anxiety and stress
Avoid going to bed while you feel anxious, stressed or angry, our mood and sleep are connected according to findings by the Harvard Medical School’s (2008). They say research indicates that stress and anxiety increase the body to be aroused, awake, and alert.
So a good tip is to write a journal to detail all your worries, concerns, and things to deal with should you find yourself thinking about work or home or just things on your mind. Then deal with them in the day. Make bathtime an event not a chore, using essential oils and low lighting with calm relaxing music in the background. Mindfulness and mediation are another great way to reduce feelings of anxiety and stress.

A tension, anxiety and stress reducing exercise
To minimise feelings of hightened stress try really tensing your arms, fingers and toes as tight as you can and hold it for between 5-10 seconds, then quickly release. Do this about 5 or 6 times, which should reduce any immediate tension you are feeling. To reduce stress, anxiety and anger I encourage you to also try Earthing. This is the simple act of walking barefoot on the earth.

Mindfulness
This is a new alternative thinking. Living in the present, focusing objectively and non-judgementally on your breathing and acknowledging the slow rise of your chest and the exhale sensation of air passing through your nose. This allows you to relax the mind, reduce stress and bring you back to a calm state of tranquillity. You might want to look into subscribing to the many apps on mindfulness that are available. Always check the ratings, details and reviews before installing.

Meditation
Prior to sleep relaxes and calms any anxiety you might be feeling from the day. There are many online guided sleep meditations, just find one that suits you. Make sure you don’t get disturbed. Draw your curtains or blinds. Sit still and comfortable in a relaxed position for about 30 minutes, listening to soothing music before you intend to sleep. Again there are many apps available. Always check the ratings, details and reviews before installing.

​Foods that aid sleep
Eating before bedtime – Serotonin is a chemical neurotransmitter that induces feelings of calm and relaxation, making you feel drowsy before going to bed. Foods that are high in Serotonin include; any dairy product (cheese, yoghurt, milk), proteins salmon, nuts and tofu, also some carbohydrates such as cereals. Fruits such as Kiwi, pineapple, banana, plums, red grapes and tomatoes are a good source of serotonin, as well as dark chocolate.
Full stomach or empty before bed?
The old wives tale of never going to bed on an empty stomach, is good advice. The same can be said for never going to bed on a full stomach. Leave about two hours before going to bed after an evening meal. If our stomachs are too empty studies show our brains stay alert, which will reduce the ability to sleep. If they are too full, this can lead to uncomfortable heartburn and bloating. The Serotonin rich foods detailed above should be only consumed late at night if you’re hungry before going to bed, as the effects lessen when competing with other acids in the bloodstream from earlier meals.

 Liquids before bedtime– Experts say that if you want to avoid waking up to visit the bathroom, water shouldn’t be consumed any later than 90 minutes before bedtime. Milky drinks are a good idea as the milk has enzymes that produce Serotonin and Melatonin. Caffeine is a stimulant which excites the central nervous system, this raises your blood pressure, wakes up the nerves and triggers the brain to be highly active. So avoid tea, coffee, fizzy drinks and energy drinks at least 8 hours before going to sleep. Try peppermint or chamomile tea instead, but not alcohol. Studies show that Alcohol and sleep are bad bed partners, as it reduces Rapid Eye Movement (REM).

So you have now learnt a little more about your sleep, found out if you’re sleep deprived, how to prepare for a good night’s sleep and what to eat and when, so all there is left to wish you a goodnight’s sleep.
Sweet dreams!
Julia

I said in my last blog that I would give you the recipe for apricot jam, but on reflection and given the abundance of plums this time of year, I thought I would change the recipe. At this time of year in London plums are prolific, and are starting to ripen the further north of Britain you go. I know that there is nothing to offer by way of health benefits, but as my gran also said, “a little of what you fancy never did harm”. This sticky sweet treat is naturally rich in pectin, which makes the setting time quicker than those fruits lower in pectin. Pectin is the setting agent you need to make the jam firm. So it’s a great jam for any of you jam making novices out there. If you have them available I highly recommend you use Victoria plums, as the taste is a cut above other plums. If not, just make sure whatever plum you use for this recipe the skin and flesh is soft before you add the sugar to the jam making process.

You will need;
Large stainless steel pan (preserving pan)
Long wooden spoon
Serrated knife
Protective glasses (sometimes spits at point of boiling – safety first!)
An apron
Chopping board
Large measuring jug (can supplement with any pouring vessel – must be clean)
7 (350g jars) cleaned and sterilised jars and lids (warm in the oven for about 10 minutes before filling with the jam)

Ingredients:
1.5kg (3½ lb) plums
1.25kg (2¾ lb) granulated sugar (substitute with Xylitol – seek advice from GP for diabetes. Halve quantity to sugar)
300ml of water

Method:
Halve and stone the plums with the serrated knife on the chopping board. Then quarter each half of plum. Put the plums and water into the preserving pan. Add to a gentle heat until the fruit softens. Then bring to a simmer, this takes 15-20 minutes, make sure the fruit is quite soft.  Add the sugar to the fruit and water and stir with the wooden spoon until the sugar is dissolved. Then turn up the heat and bring to the boil until the setting point is reached.
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You’ll know when setting point is reached by dipping a clean spoon into the pan of jam, lift it out and turn the spoon over a couple of times, then let the jam drip down from it. If the jam drops run together then setting point has been reached.

Remove from the heat. Then carefully pour into the large pouring jug. Only fill the pouring jug halfway, as it tends to drip down the side of the jug if you fill up to the top, and can make a bit of a mess when pouring into the warmed jars.

Screw on the lids firmly once the jars are filled. Best to do this with a tea towel as the jars can get quite warm once the jams been poured into them.

As the jam cools in the jars you may hear the lids popping, this is perfectly fine. Once cooled label the jams so you don’t forget what jam you’ve made. The jam will keep for around 8 months, although I’ve kept mine for longer and it still tasted great.

Happing jamming!

Julia

Today I want to give you this great recipe for basil pesto. It involves no cooking, it’s quick and easy to make, stores beautifully in the freezer and is a great source of Vitamin K.

Pesto originated from Genoa in Northern Italy around the 16th century, and traditionally consists of garlic, basil and pine nuts blended with Parmesan cheese and olive oil.

For this recipe ideally your basil will be home grown, as you can easily grow it in pots on a balcony or window sills if you don’t have a garden. It’s not fond of breezy environments and needs to be grown in a sunny place. Growing your own basil allows you the freedom to grow and pick as much as you like, when you like. In the UK you would generally germinate basil at the beginning of April and then harvest around early July through to the end of August.

If you live in a warmer climate than the UK, it can be grown most of the year round. It’s a great source of vitamin K but has many other vitamins and healthy minerals contained in it. Vitamin K is good for blood clotting, which aids the process of wound healing. It’s also suggested that Vitamin K may aid prevention of other diseases such as; heart disease, osteoporosis, diabetes, various types of cancer, and possibly even Alzheimer’s. Vitamin K is best consumed with fat as it aids absorption, so olive oil or rapeseed oil is a great accompaniment.

Disclaimer: Always consult with your GP before making any changes to your diet. Not to be eaten if you have a nut allergy.

In this recipe I’ve given you some ideas to supplement some of the ingredients to make it more cost effective. You can also make pesto from parsley, spinach and sundried tomatoes, so it’s extremely versatile. I promise you after tasting this recipe, you’ll never want to buy shop bought pesto ever again.

Basil Pesto recipe

2 cups (680g or 24 oz) fresh basil leaves (can supplement half the basil leaves with baby spinach)
1/2 cup (100g or 3.5 oz) freshly grated Romano or Parmesan-Reggiano cheese
3/4 cup (7fl oz) extra virgin olive oil or rapeseed oil.
1 ½ tablespoons of lemon juice (this stops the pesto from going brown)
Splash of water to help loosen the pesto
1/2 cup (170 g or 4 oz) pine nuts (can supplement pine nuts with cashew or walnuts or half sunflower seeds half pine nuts)
4-5 garlic cloves (depends on how much you like garlic)
Salt to taste
Chilli’s to taste if preferred (not essential)
 
Method
1/ Pick the leaves from the basil stalks, discarding the stalks for compost.
2/ Wash the basil leaves and remove excess water in a salad spinner or dampen down in kitchen towel or a tea towel.
3/ Place everything except the grated cheese in a food processor and whizz up until it forms a thick rich green paste. If you have a compact mini food blender then add equal amounts of each ingredient until it is all used up.
4/ Spoon the pesto into a bowl and mix in the grated cheese.
 
Divide and store in small airtight containers in the freezer until you need it. It should stay good in the freezer for 3 months. Be warned you may love it so much, it won’t last a week.
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Eat it on toast or with the traditional pasta. I like to stir it in to cooked, Spelt penne pasta, mushrooms and French beans for a quick and healthy meal. Traditionalists will tell you its best served with spaghetti, linguine, fusilli lunghi and vermicelli, as it clings well to the pasta. I find that it works equally well with pasta bows (farfalle) as well.
 
Stay happy and healthy and look out for my recipe for apricot jam.

Please retweet this on Twitter, sharing is caring. I would also love to hear what you thought about this recipe after making it, so please leave a comment. 

Julia