Imagine yourself in Times Square, New York. You're on a trip with your sister. Flashing

Uber Technologies Inc. will let users book hot air balloon rides over Turkey’s touristic Cappadocia region, the latest

As of May 22, several Sony headphones, earbuds, and speakers are on sale at Amazon

You're nearly there! Just one more sleep til Friday, and in the meantime, Wordle! We're

TL;DR: A lifetime subscription to Micmonster AI Voiceovers is on sale for £48.11, saving you

Festival season is upon us, with Glastonbury taking place near the end of June. While we’re well versed in how to take care of our physical health at a festival (yes, you really should take a hat in case the sun comes out), what about the mental health side of things? Mike McAdam, 38, co-founded Blink Mental Health, which provides mental health support at festivals. After his mental health deteriorated in 2017, McAdam found his condition was too serious for primary care, but not extreme enough for secondary care. He accepts there are lots of brilliant charities and campaigns encouraging people – particularly men – to talk about their mental health and reach out if they need it, but “it’s incredibly difficult to get help”, he suggests. This is where the idea for Blink came from – the ultimate aim is to set up a ‘Blink Bank’ providing money for private therapy for those who are stuck on waiting lists. McAdam accepts that is “really ambitious and would cost millions”, so as a starting point, Blink provides wellbeing at festivals. Blink is going to six festivals this summer – including Boomtown and Wilderness – where it will set up dedicated tents which McAdam calls “a place to relax, get away from things [and] take your mind off the festival”, with bean bags and mindful activities such as colouring and jigsaw puzzles. Blink also offers between 12 and 18 hours a day of free talking therapy with fully qualified and accredited psychologists or psychotherapists. “It’s not just about diagnosed mental health conditions, everyone should look after [their] mental health,” McAdam says. He suggests festivals are a great place to open up conversations around mental health. “At festivals, people tend to explore new experiences – whether that’s food, music, dance or activities – so one reason we go to festivals is because people want to explore new experiences, [and] we find them more open-minded to talk and access therapy,” he says. Plus, he accepts festivals can be “full-on”, and don’t always have “that space where you can chill out”. While McAdam suggests early intervention is key when dealing with mental health, there are some things you can do to do yourself if you’re going to a festival this summer… Be prepared Before heading off to the festival, McAdam recommends being as prepared as possible. This could include “taking earplugs, a decent sleeping bag, making sure we have clothes for all weathers if we can”, he says. “Because if you can’t get a decent night’s sleep, if you’re absolutely freezing, that will affect your physical and mental health.” Lowri Dowthwaite-Walsh, senior lecturer in psychological interventions at UCLan, agrees with the importance of planning ahead. “If you have any vulnerabilities, such as pre-existing mental health difficulties or known triggers, plan ahead for how you can manage these,” she says. “By having a plan of what to do in the event of feeling low or anxious, you’ll be able to enjoy your time more and be more relaxed.” Stay well-fed and watered McAdam recommends taking a water bottle you can refill throughout the festival, and adds: “Try and eat regularly.” He suggests it can be “very, very easy to forget about eating or drinking [water]” at a festival, or you might not want to buy much food as it can be expensive on-site. However, taking your own snacks and bottle could go a long way to helping you be as comfortable as possible. Dowthwaite-Walsh adds: “Long days, warm weather and alcohol consumption can dehydrate you and this can lead to headaches, feeling fatigued and struggling to concentrate and make good decisions” – which means drinking plenty of water is crucial. Camp wisely “Try and camp with people you feel safe with,” is McAdam’s advice. And if you’re going to a festival with different options for camping – for example, Wilderness has a quiet camping area – choose the place that suits you best. If you’re going solo, McAdam says: “Try and find the area that may suit your needs.” Be drink and drug-aware “Alcohol and drugs have a direct impact on your mental health, so it’s important to discuss your choices with friends and people you trust. You can also get support from first responders at the festival if you have issues with any substances,” says Dowthwaite-Walsh. Take the pressure off “There’s a huge, huge thing about fear of missing out”, McAdam says. “They’re extremely exciting places, [with] so much going on. “There won’t be an opportunity to explore and see everything that you may want to, so as hard as it is, please do not try and put too much pressure on yourself trying to get around everything you want to see.” This could “burn you out and add additional stress”, he says, so McAdam recommends being “realistic about what you can see”. Stay connected If you are with friends, Dowthwaite-Walsh recommends staying connected. “Being able to enjoy yourself with friends helps to deepen the experience of a festival but also keeps you safe physically and psychologically,” she suggests. She also recommends living in the moment as much as you can. “Have fun, enjoy the moment and savour it. Taking pictures to share with family and friends is a great way to create memories, but also remember to live in the moment and soak up the full experience” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live 5 of the best lawnmowers How should we be talking to our daughters about money? STI cases at record highs: 6 things everyone needs to know about sexually transmitted infections

PHILADELPHIA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug 16, 2023--

My mum makes this incredible stir-fried cabbage to accompany our curries, so one day, I thought, ‘I wonder how this would work as a fritter?'” says former Bake Off contestant Crystelle Pereira. “I am pleased to report that the result is an absolute delight. I fry them in coconut oil to form crispy, aromatic patties and serve them with a cooling coconut yogurt dip.” Goan-inspired coconut and cabbage fritters Makes: 3 small Ingredients: 1 large white potato (200–240g), coarsely grated 1 medium brown onion, grated 1½ teaspoons fine sea salt 5 tablespoons coconut oil 7 curry leaves 2 teaspoons cumin seeds 1 teaspoon mustard seeds ¼ white cabbage (130g), finely shredded (I use a mandoline) 20g desiccated coconut 2 large eggs ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric 2 tablespoons plain flour 1 teaspoon ground black pepper 1 thin green chilli/Indian finger chilli, finely diced For the coconut yogurt dip: 4 heaped tablespoons unsweetened coconut yogurt Juice of 1 lime ½ teaspoon garlic powdera pinch of fine sea salt ¼ teaspoon chilli powder Method: 1. Place the grated potato and onion in a bowl with ½ teaspoon salt and mix well to combine. Transfer the mixture to a large colander over a sink and allow the excess moisture to drain while you prepare the rest of the ingredients. 2. Now temper the spices. Gently heat 1 tablespoon coconut oil in a frying pan over a low heat and, once warm, add the curry leaves, cumin seeds and mustard seeds, frying for a few minutes until fragrant, making sure not to burn them as they will turn bitter. Tip these spices into a large bowl. 3. Using your hands, squeeze out as much moisture as possible from the grated potato and onion, then tip the drained mixture into the bowl with the spices, mixing well to combine. Add the cabbage, coconut, eggs, turmeric, flour, 1 teaspoon salt, pepper and diced chilli and give this one last final mix to combine everything together. 4. Now fry the fritters. Place the remaining oil in the same frying pan used to temper the spices, over a medium heat. Once the oil is hot, spoon a heaped tablespoon of the mixture into the hot oil, flattening it with the back of the spoon to make a fritter. Fry this for 2½ minutes on each side until crispy and golden, then transfer to a plate lined with kitchen paper, to soak up the excess oil. Repeat with the remaining batter. 5. Finally, make the dip. Place all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well to combine. To serve, dip the fritters in the yogurt sauce and enjoy! Recipe from ‘Flavour Kitchen: Vibrant Recipes with Creative Twists by Crystelle Pereira is published by Kyle Books, priced £22. Photography by Vanessa Lewis. Available Now.

Barclays Plc has updated its leave policy to provide at least 16 weeks for all new parents in

By Dan Williams JERUSALEM (Reuters) -Israel's bid to join the U.S. Visa Waiver Program (VWP) hinges on a month-long trial

A rape case that has pitched a 23-year-old woman against Senegal's most prominent opposition leader has dismayed feminists in the country, fearing their cause...

Editor-in-Chief Wendy Sheehan Donnell REVIEWS & TECHNOLOGY BUYING ADVICE PC Labs Director/Executive Editor John Burek