Julie Bradbury’s life lessons
The long weeks of January spent in lockdown have taken their toll on most of us, but in her latest ITV show, Cornwall And Devon Walks With Julia Bradbury, the TV presenter aims to banish the winter blues with a celebration of nature. Julia, 50, who lives in west London with her long-term partner, Irish property developer Gerard Cunningham, 61, their son Zephyr, nine, and twin daughters, Xanthe and Zena, five, tells us how to survive and even thrive in stressful times
EXERCISE TO BANISH THE BLUES
“Staying fit is a really important way to keep on top of our physical wellbeing, and to try to combat mental health issues. You’ve just got to find the time to do it. I’ve increased my exercise to at least five times a week – bike riding, walking, and I do yoga almost every day. I have really benefited from it from a mental health point of view. Everyone has bad times; this latest lockdown has got to me. We need to dig deep to get through the next few difficult months. Although I’ve been at home with Gerry and the kids, I haven’t seen my parents and friends. But I have a duty to be strong and healthy for my children.”
EXPRESS GRATITUDE TO ONE PERSON EACH DAY
“I always try to think positively and be grateful for the good things in my life. If you can express gratitude to one person a day, it boosts your mood and strengthens that relationship. Both my parents are still alive – they’ve battled cancer and are in their
80s – I have a wonderful partner and kids, and I count my blessings every day. I turned 50 last year and I celebrated on holiday in Devon with an outdoor lunch and a bottle of bubbles! I feel fabulous and positive about ageing. I’ve had no Botox and I won’t go down the cosmetic surgery route because I have fantastic family role models.
WALKING IS THERAPY
“Walking is up there with some of the best things you can do to clear the mind and combat demons. It’s such a tonic – I call it mental wealth – and has kept me sane in lockdown. I am thankful to my dad, Michael, for introducing me to walking when I was a child. If I have a problem, I’ll always go for a walk in my local park or along a canal… it invigorates me. When I come back, I can tackle any issue with a healthier mind. And it’s not just about ambling along. If you want to get fit with walking, you should tuck your bottom in, hold your tummy in and move your arms… it’s good exercise for the heart.”
FIND SOMEONE TO HELP OFFLOAD YOUR WORRIES
“Reach out and speak to people. I’m very lucky that I have tight social bonds and a very open family. My sister Gina is one of my best friends and my mum is very loving. We all have friends for different things, but sometimes it’s good to talk to someone outside your family – someone who isn’t even your friend and is nothing to do with your life, so you can offload and not be judged in a safe environment. I had a difficult time in my 30s. I was diagnosed with endometriosis (which can affect fertility) and, of course, it was a worry. I would say I had mild depression, but it was serious enough for me to think, ‘I want talk to someone about this.’ I went to see a psychologist for a few months. It did help to talk. I have friends who said afterwards, ‘Why didn’t you speak to me?’ But I wanted someone neutral to sound off to. It realigned me. It got me better and back on track and I felt good about doing it.
USE GREEN SPACES TO IMPROVE YOUR MOOD
I’m addicted to the natural world! During the lockdown, so many people have keyed into how desperately important our green spaces are. They have found them genuinely therapeutic. Small things like the trees on your street, or the local park, or looking at beautiful coastlines and cliffs... There has even been a campaign to let the road verges grow wildflowers and be places of botanical beauty (Plantlike.love-wildflowers.org.uk). Spending time looking at nature reduces stress, lowers blood pressure and improves mood. People might look at me and think, ‘Oh, she’s a lunatic tree hugger’, but these are green assets we have at our disposal. It’s up to us to protect, utilise and nurture them in the best possible way. We need all these places.
HAVE A MENTAL WORKOUT
The brain needs exercise, in the same way our bodies need exercise. There are all sorts of things you can do; I read as many books as I can because I want to keep learning! I also meditate, and mental arithmetic is good too. I try to do a couple of sums a day because it’s exercise for the brain. Creativity is really important, too, and imagination. Doctors always say it’s really good to let children play on their own, but we’ve also been playing with the children too, to make up for their lack of play time with their peers; doing drawing classes via YouTube, playing hopscotch, hide and seek... We’re very lucky to have a garden and be able to go outdoors with them. We get down to their level.
DON’T LET INSTAGRAM RULE YOUR LIFE
For me, social media is a work tool and I use it for some social elements as well.
But I’m going to protect my children from using it for as long as possible. They’re not going to have mobile phones for a very long time. Technology is going to be – and is – a part of their lives, but it is about teaching them about the pitfalls. I will be educating my kids before I hand over any devices; communication is key. I find the body shaming and bullying such a worry. I’ve got a big nose and wonky teeth, but when I was growing up, my mother always said that I was beautiful, and that a big nose was character building – just look at Barbra Streisand!
● Cornwall And Devon Walks With Julia Bradbury is on ITV from 8.30pm
‘Walking has kept me sane during the pandemic’