The Detox is going really well

Well it has been just over 2 weeks since I started the detox. Although I do this evey year it still feels brilliant even though I know what is going to happen!

More energy, a greater feeling of well-being and my skin feels great.

The healthy, fresh, just grown down the road food has re-awakened the taste buds for another year and with 2 weeks to go there is more to come.

What have I missed? Probably belgium buns - which I adore - and the odd ginger beer.

Wow the weather is amazing

On the beach it was sweltering - hardly a need for a wetsuit. The hot weather does have its draw backs as staying hydrated is a massive undertaking with up to 5 litres drunk each day during my time on the beach. Mind you I was very active - walking, swimming, sandcastle building, throwing the ball for the dog and a very small amount of surfing as the conditions were not quite right.

I needed to drink more than normal as water is essential for the body to function as without it performance is lost at a rate of 10% every 1% dehydrated. Once thirsty dehydration has already kicked in so drinking little and often in this weather is highly recommended if you wish to stay well and healthy.

Feeling great .. off to hit the surf

Catch up monday. Got to go.

Begining to feel better

I am into my 3rd day of the detox and have definately turned a corner. Taking the time to prepare meals really does pay off. I have had a few small headaches which is perfectly normal and part and parcel of toxin removal from the body via the bloodstream. Tiredness is also an initial feeling as once the stimulants have been deposited outside the body the lack of stimulation comes as quite a surprise. From my experience once this phase has passed I will begin to feel far lighter and have more energy.

Why does food have this effect?

The closer food is to its natural state the higher the enzyme, vitamin and mineral quality and the easier it is to digest and be ready to be put to good use in the body. This alied with fewer toxic substances allows the body to repair and create healthier tissue improving the bodies ability to fight disease and infection. Many stimulating substances are toxic so removing them - whilst difficult for a few days - is important. Dependant on your state - I do this every year so generally I do not feel that tired - you will feel tired as the body runs its repairs. Eating food in its natural state provides top quality repair materials which the body will use to repair vital internal organs. Whilst it rebuilds there will be less energy available for muscle work hence why tiredness is common. This lasts for approximately 10 days.

Detox Recipes From The First Day

I really re-awakened my taste buds today. Created a scrumptious dish for the evening meal:

To make it easy have calculated portions based on one person:
Grated apple, melted knob of butter, chopped parsley and garlic bounded together with lemon juice.
Wrapped a free range chicken breast and added the above.
Placed in oven to bake for 30 minutes
Cooked organic cous cous and added 1 skinned tomatoe, grated carrot, chopped coriander, parsley and mint, finely diced red onion, 2 tablespoons of virgin olive oil and 2 of lemon juice.
Baked in the oven for 20 minutes.
Take out and eat.Yum

During the day I ate the following:

Cold brown rice, tuna, sweetcorn, chucks of feta cheese, tomatoes, cucumber, pine nuts and bean mix. Added a tablespoon of virgin olive oil to mix.

Found very filling and enjoyable.

Starting a Detox

Today is the first day of my detox. For a month every year I give my digestive system a bit of a rest. It allows me to lose a few pounds (last year I lost 10ibs of fat so body fat% dropped 4 points), increase my energy (as digestive system is calmer) and leaves my skin glowing. This year I have started today as over the next few weeks there are no events that can hinder my progress (holiday, weddings etc).

During this time I do not consume wheat, oranges, melons, kiwi fruits, mushrooms, processed meats and meals, red meat, sugar, alcohol and fizzy drinks.

A typical day:
Every morning I drink a pint of warm water with half a squezzed lemon
Before breakfast I exercise - horse riding or some dance/circuit routines
Breakfast from
* Natural goats yoghurt with seeds and strawberries
* Glass of carrot juice
Lunch
* Rice cakes with goats cheese, grapes, nuts (not salted or pistachio)
OR
* Salad (pepper, carrot, pine nuts, sultanas), brown rice with cooked onions
peppers and fish
Snack
* Range of wheat free snacks
OR
* Nuts, fruit
OR
* Special treat - humus and good quality home cooked crisps
Evening
* Fish/chicken, brown rice and vegetables
* Baked fennell, brown rice and onions
* Roasted swede, onions & fish
There are some fantastic recipes including herbs which I will include over the next few days so you can try them yourself and let me know what you think.

BMI - Why continue with this ridiculous measurement?

Body Mass Index - BMI - was in the news again as it is still so widely used as a measurement of obesity. It is of course in some cases woefully inadequate and it does not take a rocket scientist to work out why.

Measuring body weight by height and coming to the dubious decision that someone is obese or not is foolhardy as it can have a negative impact. Many people do not realise that health insurance increases based on your BMI and even can decide whether you are fit enough to be operated on.

A couple of years ago a friend - a very fit and athletic individual - was booked in for a minor operation. His height and weight were measured and then his BMI was calculated. To the amusement of all he was labeled obese. His problem was through sports and training he had accumulated a lean, lithe and well muscled body. As muscle weighs heavier than fat his weight increased. When I took his body fat % along with his waist measurements we found he had 7% fat (which is right up there with the olympic athletes) and a waist size of 30. In addition he can run 1 mile in 6 minutes without breaking sweat an achievement for someone more suited to fast pace sports than long distance running.

Fulham FC were recently in the news as many of their players had very high BMI measurements. It really is a rather ridiculous method to measure obesity and one that can hit us in the pocket.

Is Food The Answer?

I read a few interesting articles relating to mental health recently. It's a direct reaction to reports stating the increase in alzheimers, ADHD, depression and schizoprenia recorded over the last 3 decades and it laid some of the blame on our diets. It raises some interesting points:

1) Too many saturated fats and ready meals are slowing down our brain processes.
2) Feeds are increasing the weight of our poultry by 300% compared to 30 years ago
3) Preservatives are finding their way into our bodies in ever increasing amounts

I think we all know that the food we eat is not as fresh or has the same health qualities of 50+ years ago when households typically would survive off local fresh produce. There is a mountain of evidence to suggest that eating more vegetables, fish and fruit would make you healthier and remove the threat of many weight related illnesses. So why do we not heed the warnings? Well eating use to be for survival, now a surge of food related adverts have led us to demand more from our food. Food is now the answer. It must be pleasurable, if you are unhappy it should make you feel more content, if you have won something it is used in celebration and if you don't have a partner then don't worry chocolate will fill that void.

So the million dollar question is - Is food the answer to the everlasting quest for happiness?

You are never too old.

The morning of my first horse riding adventure for 20+ years rekindled many happy memories and as I cast my mind back I remembered the raw excitement when arriving at the 'yard' I met the little shetland pony I would spend the next few years riding every saturday morning. Those were carefree days born out of the fearlessness of youth and even after being thrown - one particular nast fall left me concussed for the rest of the day - it never impinged on the enjoyment. As I got older and started to ride bigger and faster horses and jump the thrill intensified.

So how would I feel after such a long break? Apprehensive, most certainaly, a little fearful, yes if I am honest but once I mounted and started to ride again the only sensation I felt was excitement. Times have changed and there are some things that are done differently now that I need to learn but all in all I am loving it as much as I did the first time round. It is great not only for fitness but the soul and has become part of my week.

Finally ... I've taken my own advice

I am not sure if I am typical of many retired sporty types but I naively believed that I would always be able to move around with the the litheness and grace of a tiger ready to pounce at a moments notice. Having retired from playing over 5 years ago (to me this mean't less running - OK far less running - and eating what I wanted -so wonderful after all those years to finally order dessert in a restaurant- yum) I continued to run and lift weights but no where near as often.

I started to put on a little bit of weight (actually 1.5 stone post playing - maybe too many puddings!) I thought the sands of time would conveniently leave me well clear to continue to run, jump and play whenever I felt the need. That is until I tried to vault a playground fence and to my horror - and embarrasement I contrived to end up on my posterior. So feeling slighlty vulnerable I decided to find something that I would enjoy rather than trying to inspire myself to run many miles (just 5 will do thank you). Hence I have returned to horse riding and since it has been 20+ years since I last rode a horse there have been quite a few changes. I will tell more tomorrow.

Why do this blog?

Put simply, I want to be able to pass on as much info as possible to all my wonderful customers. Everyday I surf the net, read magazines and chat in chatrooms (obviously!) so this seems a good way to ramble on about all the new things that are happening in the world of sports therapy.