Virgin lounge masseuses sue airline after developing RSI

Saw an interesting article in the Daily Telegraph. This could set a precedence for other therapists who develop RSI due to heavy workloads.

I do hate the way media still uses the word "masseuse" instead of massage therapist - it's so outdated!


Virgin lounge masseuses sue airline after developing RSI - Telegraph

Dusty was right - Make It Easy On Yourself

I know for a fact that I'm way harder on myself than other people. I've recently decided to stop expecting so much from myself and I'm a LOT happier. You can't do it all and you can't have it all. Simples!

My favourite source for recent research is the New York Times, which says......  " research suggests that giving ourselves a break and accepting our imperfections may be the first step toward better health. People who score high on tests of self-compassion have less depression and anxiety, and tend to be happier and more optimistic. Preliminary data suggest that self-compassion can even influence how much we eat and may help some people lose weight"

Read full article here

New fitness craze in the U.S headed to our shores ...

Whatever starts off in the U.S - like Bikram Yoga for instance - shortly ends up on our shores.

Throw away your trainers ;-) in preparation for going .........

Barefoot in the gym Health & Beauty

Austerity does not work; don't go there

Very interesting article in The Guardian about how the US can learn lessons from Austerity Britain.  All the more relevant when today the news if full of the pending interest rate hike.

I particularly love the last paragraph of the article:

"The takeaway lesson should be "austerity does not work; don't go there." Unfortunately, in the land of faith-based economics, evidence does not count for much. The UK may pursue a disastrous austerity path and those of us in the United States may still have to follow the same road anyhow. But we opponents of that course all appreciate the willingness of the UK to demonstrate the foolishness of this action"


I do believe I'm going all "political" in my middle age but considering that politics seeps into every facet of our lives and that more are more people are suffering stress due to job cuts and high inflation,  I think politics has a lot to answer for when it comes to the current decline in general wellbeing.  [I've even created a new label called "politics of health and fitness"].

England Finds 2012 Olympics Don’t Spur Exercise

Here is an excerpt from a sad, but utterly predictable, article on the front of the New York Times online:

London's original pledge was to get two million people active ie. playing sports three or more times a week for at least 30 minutes at a time, known as the 3x30 plan. This target was quickly revised to one million. Even that target is proving elusive.
Figures issued in December by Sport England, the governing body for community sports, indicated that participation at the 3x30 level had increased by 123,000 since 2007-8, when the one million baseline was established. But that number increased by only 8,000 in the last year. At the current rate, the goal of one million new participants would not be reached in 2012-13 as hoped but more than a decade later in 2023-24.

Meanwhile, in a country that is among the fattest in Europe, the number of couch potatoes apparently continues to grow. Surveys by Sport England indicate that the number of adults doing zero moderate sports activity rose by nearly 300,000 from 2005, when London was awarded the Olympics, to the fall of 2010.

In the meantime this information came to light:
 "Research on the Olympic Games stimulating mass participation in sports has not produced encouraging results. In 2007, the Culture, Media and Sport Committee of the British House of Commons concluded that “no host country has yet been able to demonstrate a direct benefit from the Olympic Games in the form of a lasting increase in participation.”

To read the full article from the New York Times click here

What on earth induced the two million figure to be plucked from the air - other than it sounded good?  These days it seems that those in power are apt to make sweeping soundbytes that bear absolutely no relation to reality.  Such as David Cameron's Big Society initiative.  It seems like the thinking behind it goes no further than "if I say it shall come to pass, then it shall come to pass".  Politicians really do have God complexes!

Photo courtesy of Flickr CCL: by chrisjohnbeckett

Can't afford a massage? Find a tennis ball

Can't afford a massage?  Then dig out a tennis ball and roll away those knots.

photo courtesy of Flickr CCL - Linda Giddens

Create new nerve cells - prevent memory - learn faster?

I've been going through a bit of an exercise crisis of late.  For the 3+ hours I put in at the gym a week,  I expect to be brimming with energy and bouncing out of bed.  Instead I'm yawning as I drink my morning espresso and feel like I'm getting achier as each day goes by.

In order to restore my faith in why I put myself through all this, I decided to try and find evidence that exercise really is vital for good overall health.

I found this interesting article on this site:  http://claritaslux.com/blog/neurogenesis-from-exercise/

It says: 

Exercise appears to directly affect a region of the hippocampus, the area of the brain concerned with memory and learning, called the dentate gyrus, one of the few areas of the brain where neurogenesis – the creation of nerve cells – takes place. Building up the number of nerve cells (neurons) and the connections between them in the dentate gyrus is vital to the prevention of memory decline that typically begins at around the age of 30. So does this mean that aerobic exercise can help anyone increase their learning potential?


Cell production is a complex affair relying on a ready supply of proteins and hormones, particularly a hormone called Insulin-like Growth Factor 1 (IGF-1). IGF-1 is known to be crucial in child growth and the development of every cell in the body. It is released into the bloodstream every time you contract and relax a muscle and so levels rise when you exercise.

When IGF-1 reaches the brain, it acts on the cells that release neurotransmitters, the chemicals responsible for communication. It triggers an increase in production of brain-derived neurotrophic factor or BDNF, which promotes the growth of new nerve cells and which Harvard psychiatrist, John Ratey, has nicknamed “Miracle-Gro for the brain”.

As new brain cells are created, they form pathways and links, as we learn new facts and skills. The greater level of BDNF you have, the more new nerve cells you can produce and the greater the number of building blocks available to you to extend your learning capacity. But if levels fall, it can work in reverse. Those born with a faulty variant of the gene responsible for the production of BDNF have trouble with recall and creating new memories.

Using an MRI scanner, the Columbia researchers led by Professor Scott Small examined a living brain before and after exercise and, for the first time, were able to see neurogenesis effectively in action.

Those most likely to benefit from the finding are victims of degenerative brain disorders such as Alzheimer’s, and the next step will be to use this information to create an exercise regime specifically tailored to preventing age-related memory loss.

Professor Bruce Lynn, from University College London, welcomes the new findings. He recalls similar findings being presented in the 1960s – and then ignored by the scientific community. Even five years ago, he says, there were only half a dozen papers on the topic; yet now it has become a very active area for research, as it has become abundantly clear that those who remain physically active stay cognitively fit, too.

“The big question however,” says Prof Lynn, “is what is the link? It is not obvious why exercise has this effect on the brain. Growth factors are important but blood flow to the brain is not relevant. Some people suggest increased oxygen is crucial but our blood is always saturated with oxygen unless we’re in the Himalayas – or, ironically, exercising.

“What type of exercise you choose seems to matter: aerobics works, but you don’t get the same results from strength training. However, when you are strength training – using weights – you see big increases in the production of IGF-1.”


At the University of Birmingham, Professor Asker Jeukendrup, a specialist in exercise metabolism, confirms there is a lot of evidence that physical activity helps brain development. He thinks there is some truth to the theory that suggests improving blood supply and therefore fuel to the brain is important.

“You don’t need to do much to get an effect,” he says. “Studies have already shown that just 20 minutes walking – not even particularly briskly – will reduce degeneration of the brain and improve learning ability. Yet many people are still below that threshold. And, of course, other studies show that the more you do, the better it gets.”


This has somewhat validated my regime of spin, bodypump and yoga - I like to think I've got all bases covered and may not start losing my marbles before good time.

How Hormones Can Make You Fat

Lately I've been experiencing unexplained muscle fatigue and joint aches and whenever my body throws up some issues I immediately consult the oracle - the internet.  I've been doing some research into the effects of hormones on the body and came across this interesting article.

I'm not one for blaming "glands" or hormones for putting on weight.  I'm a full subscriber to the simple equation of eat less and exercise more as the no-brainer diet of choice.  However, this article speaks common sense on why some people seem to put all their weight on around their middle and also why some people say "I just have to look at chocolate and I put on weight".  Well, we all know they're not "just looking" at it but this article puts forward a reason as to why eating refined sugar is so easily transferred directly to fat.

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

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

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

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

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?

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

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

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?

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?

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

Five Exercises to reduce neck and shoulder pain

Regular readers of my blog know how much I bang on about how incorporating weights into your exercise programme is essential to maintain a good posture and healthy musculature.  Well, I've just found an article in Science Daily which backs up my claims:

"ScienceDaily (Nov. 18, 2009) — Strength training exercises using dumbbells can reduce pain and improve function in the trapezius muscle, the large muscle which extends from the back of the head, down the neck and into the upper back. The exercises also improve the muscle's ability to respond quickly and forcefully among women suffering trapezius myalgia, a tenderness and tightness in the upper trapezius muscle. The results are the latest findings from an ongoing Danish study aimed at reducing repetitive strain injury caused by office work."

To read the full article click here.

To see what the exercises are click here.

Posture affects thoughts

Whenever I see an old person who is very hunched over, to the point where they are only looking at the floor and can't look forward at all,  I always wonder if they've had a very hard life.

The saying "you look like you have the world on your shoulders" is so true.  When we're troubled, worried, depressed or lacking in motivation we tend to hunch forward.  Sedentary lifestyles and the fact that many people spend 8+ hours a day chained to their PC's, leads me to believe that kyphosis caused by bad posture, will soon be endemic and start to affect people at a younger and younger age.

I found this interesting article on MassageMag.com which says that posture also has an affect on thoughts  - it says "body posture can affect not only what others think about us, but also how we think about ourselves".

Learn more here.

This ties nicely into the holistic concept that the body affects the mind and vice-versa.   If the problem originates from bad posture there are many ways to reverse the problem:  yoga, Alexander Technique, Pilates, Rolfing  and massage to name but a few.

Does Exercise Boost Immunity?

I love the New York Times - their articles on health and fitness are second to none.  I've just read this really interesting article on reasearch done into exercise and the immune system. 

For many long distance runners, footballers and rugby players autumn heralds the start of training for the season ahead.  This coincides with an increase in seasonal flu which strikes horror into the heart of any athlete. 

Find out how you can keep healthy here.

Do you think exercising has an impact on your immune system? Leave a comment - go on!