Our cover star this month is Helen Mirren, who discusses the joy, after 60 years as an actor, of having the freedom to choose whatever role appeals to her. “When you’re younger, you think every opportunity somehow defines you,” she says. “Eventually you realise it doesn’t. The work is the reward. Everything else is a bonus.”
Despite an esteemed career, she is still genuinely excited by each new job. “I still love walking onto a set on the first morning – there’s always that tiny flutter of uncertainty. You hope you’ll be good enough, you hope you’ll discover something unexpected. I rather like not knowing exactly how things are going to unfold.
“And actually, I have no doubt that with each day that passes I’ll make a bundle of mistakes and just have to live with them,” she says. “Hopefully I’ll learn from a few and come back a better person tomorrow.”
We are hearing more and more about how important sleep is to our general health and longevity. Psychologist Dr Renee Bazley examines the causes of insomnia and new approaches to treating it, with the aim of achieving longer, better-quality sleep and a healthier, happier you.
Have you heard of fatty liver disease? GP Dr Jo Skinner explains how this common, often silent condition can become a serious health concern, the signs to be aware of and how you can check for it.
As many as one in four of us experiences coercive control, a pattern of non-physical, manipulative behaviours used to dominate a partner. We look at how to recognise the warning signs, understand when a relationship has become controlling, and where to find the right support.
Stress has become such a normal part of daily life that many of us barely notice how much it affects us. Left unchecked, it can have profound effects on physical and mental health. Yoga brings together physical movement, controlled breathing and mindfulness in a single practice, and this month we demonstrate some classic poses to help restore a sense of calm and balance.
On our beauty pages, we turn our attention to the neck and décolletage. Easily overlooked when we’re focusing on our faces, this delicate area deserves its own care, so we offer expert advice on keeping it looking and feeling its best. We also consider the effects of exercise on our skin. As you’d expect, your habits and environment are crucial, and our dermatologist has plenty of practical advice for keeping skin healthy before, during and after a workout.
In our travel section this month, Editor-in-Chief Michael chronicles his stay at the beautiful and historic Mandarin Oriental in Bangkok. Our writers also visited Fiordland, Singapore, Mumbai, Cambodia, the Kimberley, Vietnam, Antarctica and Norway, as well as on a cruise around the Mediterranean. Their fascinating accounts may help you decide where you’d like to go on your next holiday.
As we move further into spring, it’s time to think about entertaining again. Eight of our favourite recipes make the most of the season, with fresh flavours and colourful dishes designed for relaxed gatherings with family and friends.
We also visit Tasmania to sample its celebrated wines and discover some of the people and places behind them, while our food pages are packed with plenty more inspiration for cooking, sharing and enjoying good food.
All this, plus 15 pages of your favourite puzzles.
The October issue of MiNDFOOD is on sale 7 September in New Zealand and Australia. Available in stores and online at mindfood.com/shop
