The Roman poet Juvenal once said: “Mens sana in corpore sano”, usually translated as: “a healthy mind in a healthy body”. In this edition we explore how body and mind influence one another and how you can control that process.

Our brains are busier than ever before. We’re assaulted with facts, pseudo facts, jibber-jabber, and rumour, all posing as information. Trying to figure out what you need to know and what you can ignore is exhausting. At the same time, we are all doing more. Glenn Wilson, former visiting professor of psychology at Gresham College, London, calls it info-mania. His research found that being in a situation where you are trying to concentrate on a task, and an email is sitting unread in your inbox, can reduce your effective IQ by 10 points.

Stress symptoms can affect your body, your thoughts and feelings, and your behaviour. Being able to recognise common stress symptoms can give you a jump on managing them. Stress that's left unchecked can contribute to many health problems, such as high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity and diabetes.

In this edition we offer you a variety of strategies to regain control of your mind-body state so you can start the new year with a sound mind in a sound body. Enjoy!