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March newsletterHello healthy people, Sometimes the one of the good things about going on holiday is coming back. Upon our return after three weeks away, I've noticed the days are longer and less bleak… Spring must be just around the corner. It's time to come out of hibernation and shed your winter layers. Almost.
If you pick up a copy of this month's Harper's Bazaar magazine, you will find yours truly included on page 344 as "Six of the Best: Body Trainers" – what an honour! As an official supporter of the Great Scottish Walk, I have also been asked to create a general training programme for participants on the Walk. This should be on the www.greatscottishwalk.com website by the end of February. Next Wednesday sees the return of DIY Fitness at Iglu studio. There is one space remaining for the 6pm timeslot, so please let me know ASAP if you are interested. See more information at www.tracygriffen.com/diy_fitness.html What's in Season for February / MarchIt's good to eat seasonal fruit and vegetables, so here's a list of what's in season locally: Brussel sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, celeriac, chicory, forced rhubarb, leeks, Jerusalem artichoke, kale, parsnip, purple sprouting broccoli, shallots, squash. Easy Recipe: Warm Roast Vegetable SaladI missed my kitchen when I was away, and one of the first things I did upon my return was play about with this wonderful recipe that Denise in Sydney passed on. Serves 4, or 2 for dinner and leftovers for lunch (serve at room temperature, so no need to refrigerate it when you get into the office).1 –2 beetroots 3 – 6 garlic cloves block of feta This recipe is a great time saver, as there are four simple steps each of 10 minutes, so you can 'cut as you go'. Be sure to keep a check on the roasting in between steps to prevent burning…
Sweat suits make you lose sweat, yes, this is true. So the weight you lose is actually water and salts (i.e. you become dehydrated). Not a state to be in when you exercise. The most common use for these is in amateur boxing where a boxer may try to make a lighter weight category or get used to being dehydrated during a fight. But even in these instances they are not recommended, as the boxer starts the fight dehydrated and therefore disadvantaged. Looks like a bin liner, belongs in a bin! Resisting Temptation: Get fruity! Buy yourself a nice fruit bowl and make it a centrepiece of your kitchen table. Each weekend, fill it with your favourite fruit and every morning grab a few pieces to take to work. Buy a variety of fruit, including avocados (which need usually need home ripening anyway), and make sure that the fruit bowl is your first stop in the kitchen for a snack. Seedless grapes are a fab snack if you feel like picking on something. If you find some of your fruit over ripening, use it in a smoothie. Even better, eat all the fruit before it goes mouldy. At the moment in Australia there is a literal explosion of juice bars. You can buy your vegetable, fruit or wheat grass juices pretty much anywhere, and it's a healthy takeaway option. There's one chain called Boost who can be found in nearly every shopping arcade, airport and tourist attraction. I predict that's the next big thing here… In auld reekie we have Juiced Up! (Hanover street, Bruntsfield and Ocean Terminal) who make world-class juices. Imagine if one day we had a juice shop on every corner – fruity heaven! Spotlight on Aloe: Bits 'n Peaches Drinking aloe can have numerous health benefits. However some people are put off by it's rather distinctive 'cactus' taste. You do get used to it! However sometimes I like to alternate my straight aloe with this product, Bits' N' Peaches. As it sounds, it has a peachy flavour and is easier to drink first thing in the morning. I attribute my resistance to colds down to drinking aloe every day, so the easier to drink it is, the happier I am in the morning. Please let me know if you'd like to try drinking aloe. Article of The Month Your Range of Motion: Use it or lose it! Have ever experienced the feeling of 'stiffening up' when you have been sitting still for an extended time? Range of Motion (ROM) is a measurement of how flexible each joint is (i.e. the range that the joint can move in). It's a term used by weightlifters, physios and other such folk but it plays an important part in your everyday life. Some people believe that exercising is only for those wanting to lose weight. Not so! Taking your body through a whole range of movement everyday is crucial for keeping joint flexibility and ease of movement generally. Some of the signs of ageing, for example stooping, can be addressed with regular exercising. In modern times we are largely sedentary. Stop and think about your day for a minute. How much time do you spend sitting down, or standing still (for those in retail!)? As humans have evolved we have got very good at doing things with the least amount of effort possible. In other words our intelligence and the evolution of technology have made it possible to exist with very little physical exertion. Gone are the days of scrubbing, washing by hand, beating rugs, walking to the grocery store and lugging heavy bags. Work nowadays tends to be more cerebral and less physical. Which is why we need to take time out to take our bodies through a range of movements. By taking a joint through all the directions possible, you ensure that the joint has the necessary length of tendons and ligaments (the bits that hold your joints together) to cope with all movements necessary. Try this experiment, sitting on a chair, lift one leg slightly and draw a circle with the tip of your foot. Your knee and shin should stay still and the only thing moving is your toes and foot as if you were drawing a circle with your big toe. Now notice, is that 'circle' really circular? How much ROM do you have in your ankle? Practising every day will ensure that your ankles stay flexible, and able to deal with slips and trips. By exercising regularly, not only will you feel more flexible and limber, but also less prone to injury, which is good news for every single body! Enjoy! :) © Copyright all material Tracy Griffen 2008 Tracy
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