Table of contents for Issue 20 in Gathered

Full, firm breasts are a goal for many but for most of us, the only way to achieve that has been through costly breast augmentation surgery – involving anaesthetic and all the risks that go with it, as well as scarring and a painful recovery. Not anymore. Now experts say there are many ways to achieve a perkier look without resorting to surgery. Here are their top tips and methods to achieving the look you want without going under the knife… The Vampire Breast Lift Sounds scary? It isn’t. The vampire breast lift is a non-surgical procedure that uses your own body Platelet-Rich Plasma from your blood to rejuvenate, lift and volumise the breasts. Dr. Shirin Lakhani does this at her clinic and says: ‘The process includes taking a small…

Walking is simple, free and one of the easiest ways to get more active, lose weight and become healthier. The best thing? You don’t have to walk for hours to see the benefits. Even a brisk 10-minute daily walk offers numerous health benefits and contributes to the 150 minutes of weekly exercise recommended in the NHS physical activity guidelines for adults. We’ve spoken to personal trainers to find out why walking is so essential for your health, how many steps you should take each day, and how to maximise the benefits of your walks. Why walking is so good for you Sometimes overlooked as a form of exercise, walking can help you build stamina, burn excess calories and make your heart healthier. As Penny Weston, founder of online wellness community…

Despite eating well, exercising regularly, and prioritising sleep, many of us still find ourselves feeling sluggish or running on empty. If you’re confused by your lack of energy, you’re not alone. In one large survey, 14% of people reported not having enough energy to get through their day. That’s because energy levels aren’t just determined by how healthy we are on the surface. The systems that regulate our vitality are complex and easily disrupted by overlooked lifestyle factors, even when we feel like we’re doing everything right. At the biological level, energy is created through the production of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which is a molecule that powers nearly every process in our bodies. ATP is generated from the food we eat, the oxygen we breathe, and the efficiency of our…

Many of us will have experienced intense nervousness or even crippling anxiety at some point in our lives, the latter characterised by a racing heart, shallow breathing, butterflies in the stomach, shaking and/or sweating. It can make us feel decidedly unwell – sometimes dizzy and faint – and can develop into panic attacks. ‘Sometimes the symptoms of acute anxiety are so severe they can be confused with those of a heart attack,’ says Dr. Deborah Lee of Dr. Fox Online Pharmacy, who offers the following stark stats: ‘60% of UK adults say they have felt anxious in the past two weeks, and this has affected their daily lives. 30% say they are not coping well with anxiety.’ Dr. Simon Le Clerc is Medical Director of HealthCare in Mind. He says,…

Whether you’re a seasoned veteran of dating apps or dipping your toe into these stormy waters for the first time, putting yourself out there romantically can feel daunting. But you’re not alone. It’s estimated there will be almost 12 million people using dating apps in the UK by 2028 and while single people know how to look out for red flags in other people’s profiles (in theory at least), what about the signals and messages your bio and photos might be giving off? Shelly Dar, mental health psychotherapist, relationship expert and founder of MindSpa Therapy says if you’re not having much luck on the apps there’s a strong chance your profile could be sabotaging any chances of success. ‘What feels safe or clever to us can sometimes send mixed messages…

Hot flushes, night sweats and period changes are well-known symptoms of perimenopause – but many women are missing little known signs and suffering in silence. Results from a survey by CanesMeno showed that lots of women aren’t aware they’re in perimenopause because they aren’t recognising the symptoms. They found that over 90% of women polled weren’t aware electric shock sensations, frozen shoulder, tinnitus and burning mouth were some of the signs of perimenopause. The survey also showed that over half of the women admitted they didn’t feel prepared for the life stage, and yet on average they were experiencing signs around a year before they realised they were going through it. Dr. Anne Henderson, consultant gynaecologist and menopause specialist, says, ‘The menopause is a highly individual experience, yet far too…

No one enjoys ending a relationship – it’s one of the most difficult conversations we can ever have. However, sometimes the people closest to us don’t contribute to our wellbeing at all – in fact, they do the opposite, bringing stress, anxiety and even trauma with every encounter. Do you have someone ‘toxic’ in your life? How should you navigate protecting your own energy when it comes at the cost of a friend, partner or a relative? Ang Allan-Burns, globally recognised Divorce Healing Specialist, bestselling author, podcaster and Founder of Life Coach says, ‘Cutting ties with toxic individuals is one of the hardest and often most necessary decisions a person can make to protect their mental and emotional wellbeing. The timing depends on a combination of personal boundaries, patterns of…

New analysis from the British Heart Foundation shows that heart disease is on the rise amongst working-age adults in the UK, with over 400 under-65s now dying every week. It’s the first sustained increase of heart-related deaths in a generation – and experts say it’s not showing signs of slowing. Scientists are projecting that by 2050, the number of people with heart disease worldwide is expected to go up by 90%. And despite continued improvements in modern medical treatments, the number of deaths from cardiovascular diseases is set to continue growing significantly. Dr. Asia Ahmed, Digital Technician at Medichecks, explains, ‘Heart and circulatory diseases cause a quarter of all deaths in the UK – more than 170,000 each year. Coronary heart disease is the most common heart disease and the…