Health Features of the week

PLANT IT, FEED IT, EAT IT!

Now is the time to get growing! The weather is slowly improving, the soil is nice and moist after all this rain and many of us are trying to save money so why not start growing some fruit and vegetables. Growing our own is also better for our health, kinder to the environment and a therapeutic task or hobby. For parents it’s a great activity to do with your children. Parents can use this time to teach children more about fruits, vegetables, the environment and nature. Adults and children often find that they enjoy something they have produced themselves so much more than a standard piece of fruit or veg from the shops. If you don’t have a garden then don’t despair – you can grow your own herb garden in a pot, or if you have a paved area you can use, you can grow things like tomato plants and runner beans out of fertile bags of soil! Initially you may have to spend some money on beginning to self produce your food, but in the long run you will save not only money, but the environment and your health.
EXTREME DIETS and EXERCISE vs. a HOLISTIC and BALANCED approach

Some of the ways I see the fitness industry and professionals within it sell their product, be it a so called ‘nutrition’ supplement, a ‘way’ of training, or a ‘special’ diet or detox is just so beyond the truth its laughable. Where these people get their research from is clearly not up-to-date for from a reliable source because some of the things they say are just a way to try and con people out of spending more money on things they don’t need, or in the long run won’t suit their life-style.
New training regimes are created that quite honestly, beat up the person participating in them and likely to do them more harm than good. One of the reasons I exercise and encourage others to do the same is to help prevent or lower the intensity of injury and conditions like osteoarthritis and osteoporosis. Some of these extreme workouts or boot camp style training regimes are far too intense for the participants actually doing them. There is a very good reason why boot camp style training is used in the army, because they need it. The majority of society does not need it and it is not actually going to help them enhance their health in the ways they desire for their every day life. I actually want to be able to walk when I’m older with the knees and hips I have now and so I avoid running any distance as much as possible. There are so many more helpful and ways you can increase your cardiovascular strength whilst doing your bones, joints and ligaments a lot of good at the same time. Types of exercise needs to be so varied and it really is dependant on your own anatomical needs.
This sort of unhealthy fitness extends to nutrition. Most, but not all, sports drinks, supplements and processed ‘health’ bars ARE bad for your health. If mans created it, don’t trust it, and if they want you to buy it, don’t necessarily believe it. The suppliers agenda is not in your health (as yours is), but in your wallet. You could make something yourself far more nutritious, it will be far cheaper meaning that the money you save, you can spend on using quality ingredients. Have you ever seen The Apprentice? Well when they are doing a task that involves creating wealth from selling food, you will understand exactly how the food industry works, buy food for as cheap as poss., so you can make more profit. Cheap food = cheap ingredients = bad for your health. The other things that you want to be wary of are new diets and detox diets. I am all for cleaning up the diet, getting the right nutrition (again this is based on your individual needs) and drinking adequate fluids but extreme detox diets often cause more stress in the body than good. The thing is, everything we put into our body on a regular basis our body gets used to. It doesn’t mean its necessarily good for us but our body will expect it. When we remove too much of what the body expects, too soon (especially if a massive decline in daily calorific load as part of the diet) the body is likely to hit panic and release a large dose of hormones signalling internal stress like cortisol.
So next time you are about to invest in the ‘latest’ health kick, ask yourself or ask them if you can, WHERE their information is from, WHAT makes it different from something that is already out there, and WHY exactly is it good for their over-all health and wellbeing. ASK, ASK, ASK! 🙂

DALLAS WILLCOX – ‘SIMPLY WORDS’

Dallas Willcox from Simply Words joined me to speak about editing for publishing purposes and other things related to the topic. I was interested to know if Dallas thinks we have all got worse at spelling and grammar and the education surrounding it. Dallas also mentioned a local networking event happening nearer the end of may for those listeners who are interest. Listen to hear our full discussion and if you would like to ask any questions yourself you can email dallas@simplywords.co.uk or visit www.simplywords.co.uk

Interviewing Dallas Willcox written word editor

JANE KEANE – ‘THE DAWN CHORUS CHOIR.’

Jane Kean came in to share her experience of being a part of two local choirs and what it has brought to her life. We discussed the differences between the two choirs she is at and about the benefits of being in a choir. Jane came in particularly to tell listeners about The Diamond Jubilee Tea Dance happing on Sunday 27th May 2012 4-7pm at Mount Avenue Banqueting Suite in Shenfield. Tickets are £15 and this includes a delicious cream tea! Toe tapping musical hits, swing and popular songs will be sung and Bennetts Funerals are sponsoring the event. The money raised will go to various local charities. If you would like to go call Jane on 01277 210104. Find out more about these two local choirs for Brentwood, Billericay and surrounding areas and the rest of our discussion below:

Interviewing Jane Keane member of local choirs

SOPHIE BROWN – Drama with Creative Writing Undergraduate

Sophie Brown joined me in the studio once more to share her career progression, updates and plans with our listeners once more. This is inspiring for anyone looking to take things to the next level or get closer to their career goals, especially those who are presently undergraduates themselves. Sophie is at Havering College and her and her fellow students are going to be in a production at the Brentwood Theatre called ‘Road.’ It is on Tuesday 29th May and starts at 8pm. Doors will be open from 7:30pm and tickets are £5. Call the Brentwood Theatre box office on our events guide if you would like to go along. My interview will Sophie will be included in this post shortly. Interviewing Undergraduate Sophie Brown

This week I also covered lots of local news items, weather and Five Ways Vidal Sassoon changed people’s hair following his death.