How To Survive Your First Holiday Together As A Couple

Posted on 17/08/2021 by Boris Clair

You are reading Anywhere But Here, our summer-long series on travel at home and abroad, serving up the information and inspiration you need.

After the 18 months we’ve had, many of us are aching for a holiday, but you might be a little hesitant about enjoying a staycation or jetting abroad with a new partner.

There are so many things to consider when you’re going on holiday with a partner for the first time. Will you argue? Will you want to do the same activities? Will their snoring be unbearable? It’s perhaps no wonder that almost a quarter (23%) of couples feel more nervous than excited about their first trip together.

A third (33%) of Brits are most nervous about using the toilet in close confines with their partner, not having any time to themselves (27%) and having their partner see how they look first thing in the morning (28%).

In the new survey by Hotels.com, 62% of Brits also said going on holiday with their significant other is a “make or break” situation. Talk about pressure.

Many see holidays as a time for indulgence, which is why 34% of Brits said the most annoying thing their partner can do on holiday is being tight with their money. Meanwhile 31% of Brits said making the hotel messy would be their biggest pet peeve and 25% said they wouldn’t want their partner to wake up late and miss the hotel buffet.

So, how do you have a successful first break? Keeping the room tidy and being open to new activities and ideas will help, as will pushing your toilet worries to one side (remember: everyone poops!) Dating coach and relationship expert Hayley Quinn also shares these tips:

Great Expectations

“Big expectations can often lead to disappointment. After a year of being cooped up, for a lot of couples, summer 2021 represents their first opportunity to go on holiday: this can create a lot of pressure for everything to go perfectly. Remember things invariably never go exactly to plan, so don’t sweat if you don’t bag the best hotel sun loungers on the first morning! Enjoy being in the moment instead.”

There’s no time like the present

“Get off the grid! And yes, that means the Instagram grid too. A holiday is a great excuse to switch off, and you may find you connect better with your partner if you factor in a few phone-free days. Get off the gram, switch on your out of the office and get yourself to the hotel bar. Doing novel activities will also help you to be more present with your partner.”

Try a mini break first

“Before committing to that two-week summer vacation, road test how your relationship works abroad by going on a mini-break. A low-pressure shorter hotel staycation will help you to iron out any potential differences before you commit to a longer haul destination.”

Money, money, money

“It may not sound sexy, but budgeting is an important part of any long-term relationship. As your lives and finances become more intertwined, it’s important that you’re on the same page with your attitude to money. As a general rule of thumb, the budget for your holiday should be affordable to the lower-income partner.”

Communication is key

“A first holiday together signals a gear shift in your relationship where perhaps things are becoming a little more serious. It may also throw up some points of incompatibility. If you’re seeing this person as a long-term partner these are actually all good conversations to have. Remember it’s not about having everything in common, to begin with; it’s about your ability to communicate and resolve any conflicts that really make the difference.”

Travel is the story of our summer. The rules (and traffic lights) are always changing, but one thing’s clear, we dream of being Anywhere But Here. This seasonal series offers you clear-headed travel advice, ideas-packed staycation guides, clever swaps and hacks, and a healthy dose of wanderlust.

The Mistakes Many People Make When Doing A Downward Dog

Posted on 16/08/2021 by Boris Clair

You’re reading Move, the nudge we need to get active, however makes us happiest and healthiest.

When you think of yoga, you probably immediately picture the downward facing dog pose – or Adho Mukha Svanasanaas, as it’s called in Sanskrit. It’s widely considered as the mother of all yoga poses. Even non-yogis tend to know it.

The downward dog is great for strengthening your body, as well as providing balance for mind and body. And it can easily be snuck in-between tea breaks if you’re still working from home (guilty).

“The pose enhances flexibility in the shoulders, hips and thoracic spine,” says Naomi Annand, author of Yoga: a Manual for Life and founder of east London yoga studio Yoga on the Lane. “It lengthens the hamstrings and calves and strengthens the long spinal muscles, quadriceps, rotator cuff, and triceps to name just the main muscle groups used.”

Think of it as a mind and body MOT. Bodies respond well to doing things little and often, so even if you don’t have 90-minutes, you can squeeze in a stretch here and there. “Every time you do yoga, you’re building resilience and creating new little imprints in your nervous system,” adds Annand.

However famous the pose may be, it’s quite an intense posture and there’s a lot to pay attention to. So, here’s how to make sure you’re doing it properly.

1. Align your body correctly

As one of the more well-known yoga poses, the downward facing dog gives off the impression that it’s a straightforward pose, says Triyoga teacher, Christian Di Giorgio. But many people slip into misalignments.

The focus should be on lengthening the trunk and visualising an inverted “V” shape with your body, he says, with the coccyx at the apex. “Beginners should keep the arms locked and use them to press the spine and hips up and back whilst straightening the legs to lift the tail bone higher.”

2. Keep enough space between your hands and feet

Di Giorgio says not keeping enough space between the hands and feet is a common mistake he sees in yoga classes. “This forces the spine to curve and compress instead of lengthening healthily as it should,” he says.

So, how much space should you keep? “You should aim to use much more of the mat when doing downward facing dog,” he tells HuffPost UK.

“Lie on your front with the toes tucked under and the finger tips level with the collar bones and lift up from there. An overly short stance can require too much stretch on the back and leg muscles, causing the spine to bulge outwards as it would when slumping in a chair. We are trying to correct the problems of long sitting not exacerbate them!”

3. Don’t fixate on putting your heels down

Many people have a fixation on getting their heels down, flat to the floor, when doing the pose, adds Di Giorgio. “Forget putting your heels on the floor,” he says, “this is advanced work!”

While placing the heels down firmly gives a good grounding in the pose, Di Giorgio says this is more like a “cherry on the cake”.

“Over months and years, as hamstrings and calves lengthen then students should strive to get the heels down but not at the expense of compromising the spine.”

4. Look after your wrists

It’s important to look after hands and wrists which, over time, can cause injury. “Some tend to lean heavily on the wrist bones which are not designed to bear weight, leading to potential repetitive strain injuries,” says Di Giorgio.

“They should try to spread the palms and fingers and press them strongly into the mat. This forces the forearm muscles to be more active and offloads the wrist bones.”

5. Adjust the pose to your level if needed

If you’re finding the pose difficult, keep in mind you can tailor it to your abilities. “You might not be as able-bodied or want to throw yourself into such a dramatic stretch, but there are alternatives like the puppy pose, which is the downward dog, but on the knees,” says Annand. “It’s a little more gentle.”

There are also options to make it more advanced. “Try more broadening of the shoulders and opening of the armpits and chest, so that the lungs can remain open and free whilst keeping the neck passive,” suggests Di Giorgio.

“The abdomen and pubic area should be more lifted and toned as the waist lengthens much more. Work the calves and ankles harder to ground the heels without compromising the extension of the spine.”

Move celebrates exercise in all its forms, with accessible features encouraging you to add movement into your day – because it’s not just good for the body, but the mind, too. We get it: workouts can be a bit of a slog, but there are ways you can move more without dreading it. Whether you love hikes, bike rides, YouTube workouts or hula hoop routines, exercise should be something to enjoy.

The 10 Best Embarrassing Dad Jokes, As Picked By The Nation

Posted on 15/08/2021 by Boris Clair

What makes a classic dad joke? Some might say one that’s fundamentally unfunny. But we have more appetite than you’d expect for the cringe.

Ahead of National Tell-A-Joke day on August 16, Moonpig has surveyed the nation on our true feelings about dad jokes – as well finding the ones that actually land. It turns out that dad jokes make a lot of us warm and fuzzy with nostalgia and some even manage to make us laugh, rather than groan.

Almost half (49%) of those surveyed said they find dad jokes funny – not so bad, then – although the older you are, the less likely you are to find your own dad funny. Surprisingly, 64% of Gen Z say their dad makes them laugh, compared to 36% of those over 55.

As to which city takes the dad joke crown, the fathers of Liverpool are funniest (or at least have the most appreciative audiences), followed by Cardiff and Birmingham in the top three. And when it comes to low tolerance, neither Norwich or Brighton has much time for dad jokes, calling them “annoying” or even “disgusting”.

Of course, we all know the obviousness of the punchline is what makes a dad gag iconic, nor does a good(/bad) pun go amiss, which may explain why so many old classics make the following list of the nation’s favourites.

1) What do you call a boomerang that doesn’t come back?

2) Why do Dads take an extra pair of socks when they go golfing?

In case they get a hole in one.

3) What’s the best time to go to the dentist?

Tooth-Hurty.

4) A ham sandwich walks into a bar and orders a beer.

The bartender says, “sorry we don’t serve food here.”

5) What did the ocean say to the beach?

“Nothing, it just waved.”

6) “Dad, did you get a haircut?”

“No, I got them all cut.”

7) My wife asked me to stop singing ‘Wonderwall’ to her.

I said, “Maybe…”.

8) What is brown and sticky?

9) I slept like a log last night.

Woke up in the fireplace!

10) I used to hate facial hair.

Then it grew on me.

Let’s Settle This Once And For All, How Often Should You Wash?

Posted on 14/08/2021 by Boris Clair

Celebrities have been sharing some dirty secrets – about their own hygiene habits.

It all started when Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis confessed that they don’t bathe daily. The pair told the Armchair Expert podcast that other than washing important parts of their bodies, they don’t shower every day, and this approach is something they’ve extended to their children.

Kunis told host Dax Shepard: “I don’t wash my body with soap every day. I wash pits and t*** and holes and soles… When I had children, I also didn’t wash them every day. I wasn’t the parent that bathed my newborns – ever.”

Kutcher agreed by saying: “If you can see the dirt on them, clean them. Otherwise, there’s no point.”

Other celebs soon joined the debate, with Jake Gyllenhaal admitting: “More and more I find bathing to be less necessary.” But we all breathed a sigh of relief, when Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson reassured us showering is still cool, telling fans: “I’m the opposite of a ‘not washing themselves’ celeb.”

Their antics have sparked an online debate about hygiene and whether we should be taking a shower every single day. Considering the past year has focused on staying clean and trying not to get Covid-19, we asked a leading expert how much washing is enough.

Professor Sally Bloomfield from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine actually agrees with Kunis and Kutcher. “I think it’s important that we don’t wash every single day,” she tells HuffPost UK.

“The skin is our barrier and it’s evolved and developed to have properties that sustain that barrier function, against the ingress of disease and toxins and so forth so it wasn’t developed to be washed every day.”

Washing our skin every day can wash off natural oils and upset the natural balance and the essential properties of the skin, Bloomfield adds. She knows bathing is a source of personal comfort, but doesn’t see washing every day as necessary.

Similar to Kutcher and Kunis, Bloomfield thinks we should be washing specific parts of our body every day. “Most of our body odours come either from the armpits or the anal area and they can be quite well controlled by washing those sensitive areas daily without having to bathe the whole body,” she says. “If it’s very hot and you’re sweating, then you will want to rinse off the salts and make yourself feel comfortable again. Obviously, personal hygiene is important for controlling odour.”

How about it when it comes to preventing diseases such as Covid-19? Since Covid is an airborne transmitted disease, Bloomfield says you don’t need to wash your entire body, only your hands. “It’s controlled by good hand hygiene and hand contact hygiene. You’re only getting it on your hands, you’re not getting on your whole body. There’s no point in washing your whole body because the risks of transmission via your body are very, very small, all you need to do to prevent transmission of infection, is by keeping it off your hands and prevent your self-touching.”

The only way we get some infections is by touching our mouth, nose, and face. Other infections are caught by a breakdown in the body such as cuts or grazes. So overall, Bloomfield doesn’t see any health benefits to having a daily shower.

Those are the facts, but we won’t be ditching bath time just yet. Sorry, Dr Bloomfield.

6 Stunning Flower Fields To Visit On Your Summer Staycation

Posted on 14/08/2021 by Boris Clair

You are reading Anywhere But Here, our summer-long series on travel at home and abroad, serving up the information and inspiration you need.

When we see a beautiful field of flowers, it makes us want to do one of two things: pick them or post a pic of them.

Well, we’re in luck, as it’s the Flower Farmers’ Big Weekend from August 13-15 – an invitation for flower lovers to meet growers from across the UK, explore their fields, pick an arm (or posy) full, where allowed – and generally learn what goes on behind the scenes to produce these incredible blooms.

In fact, the PYO (pick-your-own) flower scene is only growing in popularity in this country, so much so that the team at holidaycottages.co.uk have rounded up some of the prettiest flower fields to visit over the summer months.

Try not snapping this lot to the gram – we know you won’t be able to resist.

1. Dahlia Beach, Millets Farm, Oxfordshire

Millets Farm claims to be the UK’s largest pick-your-own spot for dahlias – very much the flower of the moment. As well as PYO, the farm runs workshops, such as a guide to growing borders, which takes place on the pink double decker Dahlia Beach bus.

2. Strawberry Fields, Lifton, Devon

Lifton Farm marks the changing of the seasons with an evolving range of pick-your-own experiences from strawberries to maize to sunflowers to pumpkins. August is very much sunflower time – and the farm shop is also worth a visit.

Strawberry Fields, Lifton, Devon, PL16 0DE

3. Flower Fields at Wyke Manor Estate, Worcestershire

As well as more sunflowers, the main attraction at Wyke Manor Estate is the Confetti Field, which is harvested to create petal confetti every summer. Check out the virtual field online first to plot your day.

Wick, Pershore, Worcestershire WR10 3NZ

4. Vine House Farm, Lincolnshire

Vine House Farm’s main business is bird food, but their sunflower fields are also spectacular and best seen in August. Don’t miss the shop and cafe too.

Main Road, Deeping St Nicholas, Spalding PE11 3DG

5. Blooming Green, Kent

Blooming Green’s pick-your-own haven is open every Saturday between June and October, and is particularly popular with those doing a DIY wedding. Flowers don’t get much fresher and the tea and cake is also rated very highly.

Loddington Farm, Linton, Maidstone ME17 4AG

6. Cairnie Fruit Farm, Fife

Cairnie Fruit Farm spans 120 acres of Scottish countryside and is open between June and September to visitors. It’s hard to pick what to pick: succulent berries and cherries or sunflowers and other blooms from the beautiful fields of Fife.

Cairnie, Cupar KY15 4QD

Got A Summer Cold? Here’s How To Make It Less Miserable.

Posted on 13/08/2021 by Boris Clair

It doesn’t have to be cold outside for you to catch a cold.

Although it’s more common to get sick in the winter, viruses can circulate year-round. Close proximity to others, lax hygiene, stress, lack of sleep and more can contribute to your likelihood of contracting an illness – even in hotter weather.

Colds are usually rare in the summer, and are often caused by viruses that are different from those we see in the winter. Now that people are meeting up and seeing each other more, these viruses are starting to circulate again. That means we’re seeing many more “cold viruses” this summer than usual, according to Ellen F Foxman, assistant professor in Yale School of Medicine’s Department of Laboratory Medicine.

And as anyone who has had a summer cold knows, the symptoms can feel even worse during this time of year. (Shoutout to everyone who has caught a cold lately while living their post-Covid vaccine life).

Looking for ways to keep your sickness at bay? Here is some expert advice on how to take care of yourself and make that nasty summer cold suck a little less.

Wash your hands frequently

“When you have a cold and are in close proximity to others, it is very easy to spread. Therefore, you should be extra cautious around other people and practice good hygiene,” Robert L Gordon, an emergency medicine specialist based in Middletown, Rhode Island, told HuffPost.

This means washing your hands for at least 20 seconds with soap and water. If you do not have access to a sink and soap, you can use hand sanitiser instead, Gordon said.

Get more rest than you normally do

Make sure you are resting as much as possible. Take frequent naps and make sure you sleep for seven to nine hours each night.

“Sleep is essential for the immune system to function properly in order to help us fight off the viral bugs causing the cold. The body needs time to rest and recover,” Kristamarie Collman, a family medicine doctor at Prōse Medical, told HuffPost.

Cold symptoms such as coughing or a stuffy nose can make it difficult to sleep and get rest. Be careful about the medications you take in the evening or at bedtime. Some decongestants and cold medications have ingredients that may keep you awake, Collman said.

She recommended trying soothing remedies such as steam-filled showers or warm beverages like caffeine-free teas with honey before bedtime, which may make it easier for you to catch some Zs.

Rest and hydration are both crucial in helping to relieve any cold.

Stay hydrated

Your body gets dehydrated more quickly in the summer. Combine that with your illness, and you could be missing out on a ton of fluids your body desperately needs right now.

“Some symptoms of a cold, such as a fever, can increase your risk of dehydration and fluid loss,” Collman said. “Hydration can help replace fluids you may have lost and assist with clearing congestion and mucus.”

Drink plenty of water or other hydrating liquids such as decaffeinated tea and sports drinks. Avoid beverages that are sugary or caffeinated, including coffee and alcohol, she added.

Take over-the-counter medicine

Some over-the-counter medications may help you find temporary relief for symptoms such as a headache, sore throat, nasal congestion and cough.

Common over-the-counter medicines for a cold include acetaminophen or ibuprofen. Gordon said it’s important to speak to your physician or pharmacist about which over-the-counter medication you should use to feel better.

Consider using a humidifier

More humidity in the summer might sound like the last thing you want, but it can help alleviate your symptoms ― particularly if you’re experiencing a runny nose or dry cough. A humidifier adds moisture to the air, which can help decrease irritation in the nose and throat, Collman said.

This is especially important when you’re indoors in the cool AC, beating the summer heat.

“While there is no specific scientific evidence that air conditioners can directly cause colds, too much AC may dry out the inside lining of your nose,” Collman said. “If the mucus membranes are dry, this can worsen cold symptoms such as a stuffy nose and sore throat.”

Avoid too much time in the sun

While you may want to catch some rays outdoors – who hasn’t thought they could “bake” their cold away? – be careful. Being in summer heat for too long can aggravate your symptoms, so stick to 30 minutes or less.

“The summer temperatures outside can increase the risk for dehydration and often make symptoms feel worse. Therefore, it’s important to avoid extended periods of time in the sun,” Collman said.

Use a saltwater gargle

If you have a sore throat, gargling salt water may reduce irritation and discomfort.

“Saltwater gargles are effective for killing bacteria in the throat while loosening mucus and easing pain,” Bindiya Gandhi, an integrative family medicine physician at Revive Atlanta MD, told HuffPost. She recommended adding a teaspoon of salt to a cup of warm water and gargling the mixture.

A cool compress can help reduce a fever.

Use a cold compress for a fever

Feeling warm? In addition to staying hydrated and resting, place a cold compress on your forehead to cool down and reduce your temperature, Gandhi said. To make your compress, dip a washcloth in cool water. You can also stick a cooling gel eye mask into the freezer before putting it on.

Most fevers go away on their own within one to three days. If your fever persists for more than three days, contact your physician, Gandhi said.

Refrain from excessive activity

Hold off on resuming your intense workout routine or lifting heavy objects for a few days. Even walks outdoors in the heat may get too strenuous.

“When you have a cold, your body is working harder, and therefore, you may feel fatigued,” Collman said. “Engaging in excessive activity could make you feel extremely drained, so it’s best to rest or, if necessary, engage in light activity.”

If your cold gets worse, see your doctor

Cold symptoms can last anywhere from a couple of days to two weeks. Summer colds can have similar symptoms to the flu, so it can be difficult to tell the difference between the two illnesses based on symptoms alone. Generally, the flu is worse than a cold, and symptoms are more intense, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

If you start experiencing flu-like symptoms such as a fever, chills or difficulty breathing, then see a doctor as soon as you can. For the flu, there are effective medications that can make the disease milder if the diagnosis is made early, Foxman said.

“There is also a lot of overlap between cold symptoms and a mild Covid infection,” she said.

If you are unsure of whether you have Covid-19 or a cold, you can get tested at a health center near you.

“Make sure to take extra precautions about not exposing other people to an infection, even if the symptoms seem to be mild,” Foxman added.

Stay home from work and social gatherings for a little extra time even after your symptoms are gone, and continue to wear a mask and wash your hands.

Can Employers Dock Your Pay For Working From Home?

Posted on 13/08/2021 by Boris Clair

Employees who decide to continue working from home could see a deduction in their wages, even though the level of work they produce remains the same.

That’s according to rumours swirling, after a number of US corporations have introduced post-pandemic pay policies – and a cabinet minster suggested the same should happen in the UK.

Facebook and Twitter have already told US employees their salaries will be adjusted if they choose to work remotely and live in a lower cost area. Now, it’s been reported that Google has launched an internal pay calculator, allowing workers to see pay adjustments based on location.

Google’s internal calculator, seen by Reuters, is supposedly designed to enable employees to see the effects of a house move, but concerns have been raised that it’ll be used to alter the pay of existing, long-distance commuters.

The UK government has now dropped the pandemic demand that individuals must work from home where possible. Instead, it now recommends staff to safely return to the workplace.

So, could UK remote workers have pay docked, too?

Earlier this week, an unnamed cabinet minster suggested that civil servants who refuse to return to the office, after working from home throughout the pandemic, should have their pay penalised.

“If people aren’t going into work, they don’t deserve the terms and conditions they get if they are going into work,” the senior minister told the Daily Mail.

Dave Penman, general secretary of the FDA civil service union, described the comments as “insulting”.

“What should matter to ministers is whether public services are being delivered effectively, not where individual civil servants are sitting on a particular day,” he told PA.

What does this mean for UK employee rights?

Doreen Reeves, a senior employment lawyer at Slater and Gordon, warns employers they could face legal challenges when making drastic changes to staff salaries – which is ultimately good news for employees.

“An employer should be careful making detrimental changes to an employee’s salary which would amount to a change to terms and conditions of employment,” she tells HuffPost UK. “If the change is by mutual consent, it is not likely to cause legal or practical problems as an employee may be willing to consent to a change in salary in exchange for home-working.

“However, if the employer unilaterally imposes a change to the agreed rate of salary or other financial benefits, it will amount to a breach of contract.”

If your employer docks your wages without your agreement, you may have a claim for “unlawful deductions from wages”. If you resign over this, you could also bring a claim for constructive dismissal. “However this claim is only available for employees with two years’ service,” Reeves says.

“Salaries are not means tested but are based on skill, experience and qualifications,” she adds. “If an employee is required to take a pay cut as a condition of home-working or flexible working arrangements, an employer should consider the discrimination risks as employees working from home should not be treated less favourably than a comparable employee.”

A Google spokesperson claimed the company would not deduct money from an employee’s salary based on them deciding to work remotely full time – if this is in the city where the office is located. Workers based in the New York City office will be paid exactly the same as those working remotely from another location in New York. However, Google did not address the concerns for commuters in areas like Stamford, Connecticut, outside of New York City.

What To Do If You’re Fully Vaccinated But Still Anxious About Covid

Posted on 12/08/2021 by Boris Clair

If you’ve been taking the coronavirus pandemic seriously – you’ve worn your mask, social distanced and been fully vaccinated – you might be feeling anxious and angry that Covid-19 has not been beaten yet.

It’s understandable: you did your part, and yet here we are. What else can you do at this point to help end the pandemic? How do you still try to be responsible without sacrificing your mental health?

If you’re feeling anxious right now, experts offer some advice on how you can still move the needle in the fight against Covid-19, while protecting your sanity.

Approach the conversation with empathy and compassion

The thought of trying to convince an unvaccinated family member, friend or neighbour to get the jabs might feel like a futile (not to mention infuriating) task at this point.

People who have delayed getting a vaccine might seem as though they’ve made up their mind. But a lot of people who’ve held off are finally realising just how serious this all is; it’s possible that you can help reiterate that message.

“Encouraging and facilitating every single person to get vaccinated is one of the most valuable anti-Covid actions one can possible take,” said Sten Vermund, an infectious disease epidemiologist with Yale School of Public Health.

Many unvaccinated people actually aren’t stubborn anti-vaxxers, but rather victims of harmful misinformation campaigns or people genuinely worried about the safety of the jabs. Instead of blaming, lecturing and shaming unvaccinated people, have a conversation in an open, nonjudgmental and safe way.

“Help answer questions, and help direct people to trusted guides and the facts,” said Lucy McBride, a practicing internal medicine physician in Washington DC.

As we come out of this highly charged, emotional time, it’s easy to feel anxious and angry when you learn someone has chosen not to get vaccinated.

But McBride said you’ll be able to make the greatest impact if you engage people with empathy and compassion. “If you can try to understand and listen more and shout less, you might actually change a heart or a mind,” she said.

Adjusting your behaviour based on transmission in your community is vital – even if you've already received your shots. — Adjusting your behaviour based on transmission in your community is vital – even if you’ve already received your shots.

Behave based on local transmission

You should also keep an eye on what’s going on with Covid in your community. When case rates are low and vaccination rates are high, know that you – and even those around you who aren’t vaccinated – are extremely well-protected.

On the flip side, if you’re in an area where Covid cases and hospitilisations are higher, you may want to consider wearing a mask in indoor, unventilated situations where vaccinated and unvaccinated people are mixing. The risk of getting infected and passing the virus onto others, while still rare if you’re vaccinated, increases in these high-risk environments.

“Masks are a well-documented way of reducing the risk of droplet and aerosol transmission,” Vermund said.

Set firm boundaries and consider vaxxed-only events

If you want to play hardball, you can consider socialising exclusively with people who are vaccinated. Make vaccinations a requirement for your get-togethers. Not only are you unlikely to get seriously affected by Covid, but your social circles are also less likely to contract the virus and transmit it to others in their communities.

“The likelihood of any kind of serious event emerging from such an activity is vanishingly small,” said Vermund, who noted that this approach might be somewhat controversial and unpleasant — but potentially impactful.

If you do host an event where vaccinated and unvaccinated people are mixing in an area with high transmission, it would be prudent to ask people to mask up.

Maskless interactions are safest with vaccinated people, and there's nothing wrong with limiting your interactions to only those who have gotten the shots. — Maskless interactions are safest with vaccinated people, and there’s nothing wrong with limiting your interactions to only those who have gotten the shots.

Share stories about your own experience

Telling your story can be a powerful way to encourage people in your community to get vaccinated. Open up about how the pandemic has impacted your family or uprooted your life, and explain how the vaccine is our ticket back to all the things we love – work, play and school. This can be on social media, in conversations with loved ones or through local campaigns or advocacy groups.

“Be local educators,” Vermund said. “Tell your story, share your experience.”

Be flexible

The unfortunate truth about the pandemic is that things change, and we have to adjust to that change at a moment’s notice. What we know now about Covid-19 is different from what we knew back in April 2020, and will be different from what we understand six months from now.

The virus evolves, as do the treatment options, restrictions and recommendations. Perhaps the most impactful thing vaccinated people can do is follow the science – stay up to date with the latest learnings and behave accordingly.

Covid-19 is more than a news story – it has changed every aspect of life in the UK. We are following how Britain is experiencing this crisis, the different stages of collective emotion, reaction and resilience. You can tell us how you are feeling and find further advice and resources here.

No, Curry Isn’t Cancelled. But Indian Food Is So Much More

Posted on 12/08/2021 by Boris Clair

Judging by the papers this week you’d think “the woke left” were trying to ban curry altogether.

That’s after two food bloggers questioned why many South Asian dishes are often categorised under the umbrella term “curry”.

Chaheti Bansal, a chef by hobby based in California, posted an Instagram video pointing out the colonial origins of the word.

The 29-year-old asked why foreigners label any South Asian food as curry, even though there is huge variety among food items.

“There’s a saying that the food in India changes every 100km and yet we’re still using this umbrella term popularised by white people who couldn’t be bothered to learn the actual names of our dishes,” said the blogger.

“But we can still unlearn.”

After Bansal’s video was shared on BuzzFeed Tasty’s Instagram channel, and viewed more than 3.6 million times, many criticised her sentiments, saying it stoked a “woke” colonialism row.

So how did the word curry come to be? According to historians, British officials misheard the Tamil word Kari (referring to side dishes), which then – due to power imbalances – became the norm among locals. Homogenising such varied dishes as sabzi, chawals and sambars simply as ‘curry’ is “rooted in white, Christian supremacy”, one historian told NBC news.

The message was echoed by another food influencer, Nisha Vedi Pawar, who said the diversity of South Asian items shouldn’t be lumped together.

Pawar, 36, from New Jersey spoke to HuffPost to explain the issue she and Bannsal are trying to raise awareness for, has been blown out of proportion.

Nisha Vedi Pawar aims to preserve Indian culture through her cooking

“Every time we try and defend anything people say we’re being ‘too woke’ or ‘too sensitive’, she says.

“Curry is often assumed to be heavy, cream laden dishes. Contrary to popular belief, Indians do not eat curry every day, neither will you find curry powder stocked in Indian homes or grocery stores. Curry is a concept that Europeans imposed on India’s food culture. By labelling all Indian food curry we are giving a very broad, watered down version of our beautiful cuisine.“

Instead, Bansal and Pawar suggest learning the different names of all your favourite Indian dishes.

“It starts with all of us making the effort to learn and label the dishes as what they are. Methi murgh, raasedar paneer, dahi wale aloo. Let’s start using the actual names of our dishes,” says Pawar, who adds that when calls like this to decolonise food get taken out of their context, it only contributes to culture wars.

“Sensationalised headlines make it very difficult for creators of colour to share their thoughts with the world without getting judged or railroaded. When the media takes a few blurbs from someone’s opinion and spins it to their liking, it create more harm than good,” she tells HuffPost UK.

“My goal is to create my page and educate people that Indian food is more than curries. I want to see more people taking the time to learn the origins of our dishes.”

And the waiters will be suitably impressed if you order a shorshe murgi instead of a chicken curry.

These 6 Certified Quarantunes Are Still The Mood Boost We Need

Posted on 10/08/2021 by Boris Clair

It’s official: music helped us get through the pandemic. In a new survey of more than 2,000 people, almost a quarter (23%) said live streaming and music had been the biggest support to their mental health through lockdown.

The poll, conducted by global music discovery service DICE and Populous, asked people about their relationship to music during the pandemic.

Knowing thousands of other people were also tuning in to live streams made lockdown a less lonely experience, respondents said, though few of us were actually listening to new music to fill the long days. Almost three-quarters (73%) said their lockdown listening focused on artists in their prime decades ago.

Music has been scientifically proven to evoke feelings of comfort, relief, and enjoyment, particularly when a track harks back to happier times – though if you’re up for discovering newer tunes, here’s why that’s good for you, too .

For those in need of a wellbeing boost, HuffPost UK team members have shared the songs that got us through the past year-and-a-half. Add them to your playlists, or check out more HuffPost UK recommendations on Spotify.

My Shot, from Hamilton

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“I’m a huge musical theatre fan so it wasn’t a surprise that the songs that helped me get through lockdown were from musical show Hamilton. I was obsessed with the whole soundtrack but the one song I kept on repeat during lockdown was My Shot. It’s a song about triumph and strength, which motivated me, but musically it sounds amazing.

“It’s a great song to cook or clean to and the raps are my favourite part. The show (which is available on Disney Plus) is quite long, so listening to the soundtrack is a way for me to enjoy the story without needing to watch it again.” – Habiba Katsha, Life reporter

Rain On Me by Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande

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“Rain On Me came out in the early stages of lockdown, and I’ve had it on rotation pretty much ever since. This song was released at a time when the news cycle was especially bleak, with a sombre cloud hanging over everything, and it provided some escapism at a time we all really needed it with its anthemic chorus and empowering lyrics about overcoming difficult times. Plus, who doesn’t love a bit of camp provided by not one but two pop divas?

“I’ve been looking forward to hearing Rain On Me in a club ever since it was released, and even though I’m not quite ready for that yet, I know for certain it’s going to go off when I finally get there.” – Daniel Welsh, Entertainment editor

Motion by Khalid

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“For me, my go to feel-good, feel sad, feel pensive song is Motion by Khalid. It’s one of his lesser known songs but I am just so in love with his vocals, the lyrics, the beat, everything. I can’t decide if it’s a happy song or sad song. I listen to it during all sorts of emotions.

“One of the top lines of the song is ‘I’m in love with this moment’. I remember playing it on my earphones on a solo trip to Machu Pichu in Peru – I was just stood on top of the mountains and listened to it on repeat, I really was in love with the moment! My Spotify wrapped showed I was in his 0.5% of top listeners last year, and you can guess which song was on repeat! The song got me through the pandemic because it reminded me of happier moments.” – Faima Bakar, Life reporter

Holiday by Little Mix

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“It’s so hard to pick one song that got me through 2020 when making playlist after playlist was the only way I found to mark the endless weeks of lockdown – and cope with not seeing my partner, who reciprocated with his own. As to my internal radio, Dua Lipa and TSwizz featured heavily, and like Habiba, the Hamilton soundtrack ear-wormed from the moment I watched it on Disney+.

“But my song of last summer was without doubt Little Mix’s Holiday – landing in August just when I needed one. Infectious and sexy, never taking itself too seriously, it lifted my spirits like a plane ticket for the soul. And that video, with Jesy, Leigh-Anne, Jade and Perrie as beautifully kitsch mermaids: ’We’re just dancing the night away / Boy, you feel like a holiday.′ In the staycation age, it’s a lesson in finding wanderlust closer to home.” – Nancy Groves, head of Life

Skankin’ Sweet by Chronixx

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“As a proud Jamaican who is overly obsessed with the culture, it wouldn’t be right if I didn’t pay homage to the song that helped me get through my loneliest times: Skankin’ Sweet by Chronixx. There is something about a reggae beat that really brings joy and tranquillity into my life, so I often played it in the mornings to give me that extra motivation to conquer the day.

“The song represents love, unity and having a moment to put your worries aside and just focus on being one with the universe, all true values that really helped me overcome my struggles through the pandemic.” – Maya Franklyn, Intern

Together Again by Janet Jackson

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“I was six years old when Janet Jackson released Together Again and I have an almost visceral reaction to that dreamy opening harp; I feel warm, gooey, a little-more care-free, and like an excited kid again, waiting for the upbeat disco drop. My love affair with this tune has already spanned decades, so it’s perhaps no wonder I listened to it on repeat during the first lockdown, when we were all craving old comforts.

“Ignorantly, I’ve always belted out the lyrics without considering their meaning – I guess that’s what happens when you learn a tune as a kid. In a moment of pandemic boredom, I googled the backstory and learned that Janet wrote the song in memory of a friend who died from AIDS. At a time when death and sadness was dominating headlines, it only made it feel more pertinent.” – Rachel Moss, Life editor