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Has this age old question finally been answered............

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Does stretching before running prevent injuries?  Now there's a contentious issue if ever there was one!

Personally I don't enjoy stretching and yet I love yoga?  A contradiction right?  Well not really.  You see a study published in August -  the foundation for this article in the New York Times has found that static stretching [a stretch held for up to 20 seconds] "before a workout not only does not prevent overuse injuries but also may actually hinder athletic performance".

The hindering of performance can be explained thus "“There is a very important neurological effect of stretching,” said Ross Tucker, Ph.D., a physiologist in South Africa and co-author of the Web site The Science of Sport. “There is a reflex that prevents the muscle from being stretching too much,” which is activated by static stretching, inducing the muscle to become, in effect, tighter in self-protection. Past studies have found that athletes’ vertical jump is lower after a bout of static stretching than with no stretching at all. They can’t generate as much power.

So, my thinking goes that doing a dedicated stretching session or yoga class, which requires no athletic performance afterwards, will increase flexibility, tone muscles and aid recovery. 

Simply put -  it feels great!

Photo courtesy of:  Creative Commons Flickr - lululemon athletica

Healthy Tabouleh Salad

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To continue my "foodie" theme I thought I'd share another recipe that I make on a regular basis.  It's my take on the classic middle-eastern salad tabouleh.  I say "my take" because I make it with quinoa instead of bulgar wheat and I add more ingredients than tradition dictates.  This isn't only because my partner has a gluten allergy but because quinoa [pronounced keen-wah] is considered a super-food.

In recent times not a week goes by when some fruit or grain isn't declared to possess super powers.    However, this little grain was declared as valuable as gold by the Incas.  Some provenance huh?

Wikipedia says the following about it's nutritional value:

"Quinoa was of great nutritional importance to pre-Colombian Andean civilizations. In contemporary times, this crop has become highly appreciated for it's nutritional value, as it's protein content is very high (12-18%), making it a healthy choice for vegetarians, vegans and athletes.  Unlike wheat or rice (which are low in lysine), quinoa contains a balanced set of essential amino acids for humans, making it an unusually complete protein source.  It is a good source of dietary fiber and phosphorous and is high in magnesium and iron.  Quinoa is gluten-free and considered easy to digest".

For more info and pictures of the plant click here


True tabouleh doesn't include vegetables like celery, carrots, courgette etc.  However, I try and eat as much raw vege as possible, so I add whatever I have to hand.  I guess my nod towards the pukka salad is my use of copious amounts of parsley and mint.   If you're thinking you don't really like the idea of so much mint and parsley, think again.  There is a lot of it but it simply MAKES the salad.  The combination of parsley, mint, lemon juice and olive oil create magic when blended together.  A taste explosion that leaves you feeling instantly refreshed and sanctimoniously healthy.

Tabouleh keeps for at least four days in an airtight container in the fridge.  I love nothing more than having this ready to dish up into my lunchbox - add some tuna, hard boiled eggs or cubed chicken breast - and wallah - a colourful, light and super-healthy meal.



Healthy Tabouleh Salad [serves 4-6]

All the vege should be diced into very small pieces.  I use my trusty Nicer Dicer which ensures small, uniform pieces and saves loads of time.

2 large carrots - peel and dice
1 large courgette diced [skin on - spongy middle with seeds removed]
1-2 bunches of spring onions [to taste]
3 medium size tomatoes [deseeded]
1 large bunch of flat leaf parsley finely diced [curly will also do]
1 large bunch of mint finely diced [leaves taken off stalks]
1-2 cloves of crushed garlic [to taste] - I cut mine in half and leave them to infuse the salad, as I can't digest raw garlic
100g quinoa or bulgar wheat
125ml of freshly squeezed lemon juice
125ml olive oil - I don't use extra virgin as the taste is too overpowering, I tend to use light olive oil
1 tsp of salt
  • Cook the quinoa or bulgar wheat according to packet instructions and cool
  • Dice up all the vegetables and mix together in a bowl
  • Sprinkle over the salt
  • Pour over the olive oil and mix well
  • Pour over the lemon juice and mix well
  • Add the cooked and cool quinoa or bulgar wheat and mix well
Pretty as a picture!


I added some diced green and black olives to last weeks salad and it worked very well.

Delicious, healthy Date and Banana Loaf

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It's a little known fact I'm also something of a foodie.  I'm going to share with you a recipe which I make on a weekly basis.  It's delicious, healthy and great to include in a packed lunch.

Who needs dainty, cupcakey, frippery and frou-frou? This is a solid, gulag-style old-fashioned loaf that demands you cut off a great big hulking slab, slather it with butter and eat it accompanied by builders tea.

It's not all hulk and bulk though. The bananas make it lovely and moist, the dates are sticky and gooey, it's low in fat, big on taste and only takes 15 minutes to make.



Recipe:

  • 300g self-raising flour - I used Doves Gluten-Free Self Raising Flour
  • 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
  • 125g chopped dates
  • half a cup [125ml] caster sugar
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp of ground nutmeg
  • 2 large or 3 medium bananas - about a cup full of whipped banana but no matter if it's slightly more
  • 1 cup [250ml] milk - I used semi-skimmed
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2lb capacity or 21.5x10.5cm loaf tin

Method:

  • Sift the self-raising flour, bicarbonate of soda, cinnamon and nutmeg into a large mixing bowl.
  • Stir through the dates and sugar
  • Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients
  • In another medium size mixing bowl chop up the banana into slices
  • Whisk the banana slices with a hand beater or in a food processor until smooth-ish
  • Add the eggs and milk and whisk briefly together until combined
  • Pour half the banana mixture into the dry ingredients and combine at a low speed until blended
  • Add remaining banana mixture and combine until just blended [don't over-mix]
  • Pour mixture into a greased or lined loaf tin
Bake for 50 mins at 180 degrees [as I use a fan oven I bake it for 40 minutes -turning the tin around half way through]

The very yummy result:


Economics affects health but not always as you might think

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Iceland has, of course, been in the spotlight of late.  First of all for the UK banking crisis and now of course for a very angry volcano.

Here is another interesting fact about Iceland:

Norway and Iceland - score first and third in the  "best places in the world to live" ratings. 


I have to say I've never met any Icelanders but have met a number of Scandinavians and they've all said they wouldn't want to live anywhere else.  For good reason it seems. They may complain about high taxation but their social policies are fantastic.

This article in The Independent investigates "The Real Reason Why Swedes Live Longer" and it's fascinating stuff.  It goes on to say:

 "In countries where there is a big earnings gap between rich and poor, life expectancy is lower while mental illness, obesity and drug and alcohol abuse are all more common.


The real surprise is that it’s not only the poor who suffer. The population as a whole do less well if the gap is wider. The nations with the smallest wealth gap and the lowest incidence of health and social problems are the Japanese and the Scandinavians. The countries with, respectively, the greatest and highest are America, Portugal and Britain.

The biological explanation for this is uncertain, but possibly mediated by the hormonal effects of perpetual anxiety about status and position, or loss of them. Economics affects health but not always as you might expect."

I've always wondered why those in the most privileged societies seem to be the unhappiest overall.  This makes perfect sense.

Photos thanks to Flickr - CCL - elephi pelephi

Conversation the key to happiness?

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I worked out the other day that my partner and I hardly ever have proper conversations anymore.  Between full-time jobs, keeping fit and relaxing in front of the TV, we probably have about half an hour of meaningful conversation in a week.  By this I mean really listening and talking and not merely saying by rote "how was your day?", "did you put the recycling out" or "what programme shall we watch?"

The other night, he came home from a double spin class [double, I ask you!?] and the first thing he said to me was "the mayonnaise shouldn't be put in the fridge door" and the second was "did you buy ricecakes"?  We ended up having a heated argument, which culminated in me shouting "there's more to life than mayonnaise and I don't give a monkeys where the ****ing mayonnaise lives in the fridge".

Suffice to say last night we ate a candlelit dinner at the table,  and had some quality conversation.  We're going to try and do this at least once a week from now on.

With our new regime in place I was tickled to see this article in the New York times which says:

"substantive conversation seems to hold the key to happiness for two main reasons: both because human beings are driven to find and create meaning in their lives, and because we are social animals who want and need to connect with other people.

“By engaging in meaningful conversations, we manage to impose meaning on an otherwise pretty chaotic world,” Dr. Mehl said. “And interpersonally, as you find this meaning, you bond with your interactive partner, and we know that interpersonal connection and integration is a core fundamental foundation of happiness.”

Photo courtesy of Flickr.com - creative commons - Rishi Menon

Exercise and Socialise

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I found this really good article in the New York Times online which makes the link between exercise-shy people sticking to some sort of "moving" routine if there are ancillary benefits to be found, such as making new friends, socialising and broadening their horizons.

Extract from the article:

"“My research suggests that we have misbranded health behaviors such as exercise,  The ‘health’ and ‘weight-loss’ brand of exercise doesn’t create desire in people to exercise on a daily basis. It makes the behaviors feel like a chore and a ‘should,’ which undercuts our desire to do them.”


Dr. Segar likened this approach to telling young children, “Eat your vegetables; they’re good for you,” which almost never accomplishes the desired goal. “We’ve based our promotion of exercise on a medical and logical model,” she said. “And people don’t necessarily behave in a logical manner.

“We’ve made exercise feel like a chore to most people, not like a gift we give ourselves.”

Full article here  [link to associated article "Even More Reasons To Get A Move On" here]

The article draws on the experiences of retirees but I can talk from personal experience that even younger folk can gain ancillary benefits from an exercise regime. 

When I first started training for the London Marathon 5 years ago I put up an ad on Runners World online looking for a training buddy.  A Women's Running Network trainer got in touch and we agreed to meet up for a run around Canary Wharf.  She then invited me back to hers for a coffee and I went onto join the network.  We trained and ran the London Marathon together and I couldn't have done it without her.  Even though I've moved out the area she's still one of my closest friends.

I met another good friend when I walked up to a stranger at a half-marathon and asked if she could keep an eye on my bag for me.  Turned out we ran at the same pace and we ran the half-marathon together.  Seven years later and we're still in touch. 

Over the years I've come into contact with lots of people, from all walks of life that I would never have otherwise encountered.  I can truly say that running has enriched my life way more than just making me fitter.

Get fit for the slopes

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Hailing from South Africa, I only encountered snow at the ripe old age of 22.  I was au-pairing in Lake Tahoe in the USA and can recall my delight at seeing my first snow.  I immediately got the toboggan out and along with some other Aussie au-pairs [who were also snow virgins] we turned into shrieking kids.

I tried to ski and was abysmal at it.  I couldn't afford lessons as a lowly paid au-pair and skiing really isn't something you can teach yourself.  Years later I went on a work teambuilding trip to Megeve, in the French Alps.  We had the choice between skiing and snowboarding.  I chose snowboarding as it was much cooler.  Two lessons later I very nearly got the hang of it but it was time to go home.  What a shame!

This article in the London Evening Standard gives some excellent advice on how to get in shape for skiing.  Those under-used thighs are going to be screaming in protest, so I'd suggest booking a sports massage for the evening after your first day on the slopes.

Photo courtesy of Flickr.com

Less Nintendo Braintraining and more brawn training?

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I haven't been very well for the last six months - nothing serious - however not well enough to run or go to the gym.  I'm starting to feel a lot better now and am absolutely dying to get fit again.  I'm especially looking forward to going back to my weight training.

What with all the press and media this week about what a huge problem Alzheimer's has become and how it's only going to get worse, this article in the New York Times online caught my eye - the main thrust of it says:

"Researchers in British Columbia randomly assigned 155 women ages 65 to 75 either to strength training with dumbbells and weight machines once or twice a week, or to a comparison group doing balance and toning exercises.


A year later, the women who did strength training had improved their performance on tests of so-called executive function by 10.9 percent to 12.6 percent, while those assigned to balance and toning exercises experienced a slight deterioration — 0.5 percent. The improvements in the strength training group included an enhanced ability to make decisions, resolve conflicts and focus on subjects without being distracted by competing stimuli".

At 45 I'm sometimes convinced I'm already displaying the symptoms of early-onset Alzheimers.  I've definitely got the beginnings of bingo wings and most of the time, thanks to constant multi-tasking, I feel like I've got Attenion Deficit Disorder.   

Let's hope that reaching for the dumbells will be my salvation!

11 Best Foods You Aren't Eating?

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Happy New Year and Happy New Decade!

TV is in the midst of spewing out diet programmes left, right and centre, often of very spurious quality.  I was horrified to see this programme about dropping a dress size in two weeks.  Which just demonstrates what a quick-fix obsessed society we've become. 

It's simply not healthy to drop a dress size in 2 weeks!  The dieters were counting calories and on 1,200 calories a day.  Which is the lowest possible safe intake but still hovering on the line of starvation dieting [which officially begins at 1,000 calories or less].  When you eat substantially less than your body needs it decides it's under attack and will slow down the metabolism to conserve energy or if you don't have enough fat reserves utilise muscle for energy.

In one week one of the dieters had lost nine pounds.  The healthy rate of weight loss is between 1 to 1.5 lbs per week.  Invariably what will happen is that after two weeks some of these women [notice no men on the programme?] will revert back to normal eating and put back all the weight plus a little bit extra.  The body's way of saying "next time you starve me I'll have even more reserves to draw on".

Ugh!  I despair!  Such nonsense is peddled in so many creative forms. 

Anway....... I climb down off my soapbox and would like to draw your attention to a great article in my trusty friend The New York Times online which is titled 11 best foods you aren't eating. 

I'm happy to report that I currently eat 6 of them. 

What's your score?

Photo courtesy of freedigitalfotos.net - photographer djcodrin

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