Life hacks & facts

Tips, tricks and remedies that will change how you go about everyday tasks, for the better.

The magic of music

Next time you are feeling a little off balance, turn on some music. Whether it be gentle, instrumental or spiritual, close your eyes and take a moment to allow it to permeate deep within your being. Let it flow into you, and out of you – narrating a calm and steady rhythm of the kind of life you want to live. The Art of Simple by Eleanor Ozich

Cup of goodness

Although fruit and vegetables are the foundation of good eating, their contribution of dietary anti-inflammatory polyphenols is rivalled by tea and coffee. Studies show moderate tea and coffee drinkers are better off in various ways for their daily habit. Two grams of tea leaves – a standard tea bag – give up to 150-200mg of polyphenol flavonoids when doused with hot water. Coffee is also loaded with polyphenols, up to 10 per cent of the weight of green beans, most of which are powerful antioxidants called chlorogenic acids. The Internal Flame by Dr Roderick Mulgan

Home spa

Make your own lavender bath salts. You will need 1 tsp dried lavender flowers or 15 drops lavender essential oil; 6 tbsp pink sea salt; 2½ cups Epsom salts. Combine all ingredients and store in an airtight glass jar. Wellness: Small changes for big results by Jess Blair

Compost your scraps

Composting food scraps can really improve the carbon-sequestering ability of soil while also preventing more greenhouse gases from entering the atmosphere. Sending our food waste to landfill is a problem due to the methane it emits. Composting can help curb this. Rather than generating methane in a landfill, the composting process converts organic material (your food) into stable soil carbon and makes it available to plants including the ones in your vegetable garden. 2040: A Handbook for the Regeneration by Damon Gameau

Smartphone detox

Research shows that changing the screen display on your smartphone from colour to black and white will reduce your desire to pick it up as often.

Avocado face mask

Simply mash one up and plonk it on. Avocado is really nourishing for sensitive and dry skin, and this is a great way to use up a specimen that might have passed its usefulness in the fruit bowl. Spread it on your face and leave as long as you like, then rinse off. Alternatively, try mixing 4 tbsp avocado, 2 tsp honey and 8 drops of apple cider vinegar together. Spread on your face, leave for 15 minutes and rinse off. The Natural Home by Wendyl Nissen