RUNNING. Discuss

So yesterday I completed my FIFTH MARATHON in the form of the rather hilly (world’s biggest understatement) Loch Ness Marathon.

If you had told me four years ago I would have completed five marathons and be exercising daily in four years time I would have laughed in your face.

So why did I get healthy?

Just over three years ago I found out that my Dad had Motor Neurone Disease.  This is a terminal degenerative disease which slowly paralyses the sufferer whilst they retain full mental awareness.

I didn’t have a clue how to deal with this and as a way of rallying support for my Dad I decided to run a half marathon for the MND Association (http://www.mndassociation.org/).

Problem was I had never ran in my life.  So with the help of my amazing flatmate Krissy we decided to teach ourselves to run.

It was slow and tedious.  Literally learning to run for one minute, then five minutes, then ten minutes and finally building up to a steady (and EXTREMELY SLOW) five km.

But we stuck with it and somehow got round our half marathon and decided to sign up for a full marathon (Idiots).

Then I realised running was so much more than exercise

Unfortunately later that year my Dad lost his battle to MND.  I was devastated (and to be honest I still am on a daily basis) but discovered only I could help myself.

I gave up alcohol which I realised was making me depressed and threw myself into running.  I realised that running could help calm me down when I was distraught, it was good thinking space and almost meditative to me.

I still use running in this way, if I am stressed at work I go and run, if I am upset I go and run.  The added side effect is weight loss and generally feeling frigging amazing.  And just for fun I do marathons.  So let’s discuss those bad boys.

Marathons, marathons and more marathons

So somehow I am now deemed a marathon runner.  Which is mental!

I did Milton Keynes as my first marathon, then last year I somehow ended up doing THREE MARATHONS IN A MONTH for charity.  Thanks to my keen supporters I raised £5000 for MNDA.

This year I asked for a Loch Ness marathon place for my birthday (I am appalled with what I have turned in to) and now have 4 sub 4 hour marathons under my belt.

This is me after I finished yesterday.

So here are some marathon running tips I have picked up along the way (Note these are not marathon specific and whether you are running your first five km or a half marathon these tips will stand you in good stead).

RUNNING TOP TIPS

1. Energy gels and sports drinks are bulls**t

Go to the start line of any race and you will see people have energy gels hanging from their running belts (I saw someone with TEN yesterday, how far were they intending to run?!).  Personally I think they are all crap and you are just filling your body with chemicals, caffeine and, need I mention, SUGAR.  I ran yesterday with the assistance of two very soggy, slightly sweaty, dates and managed to complete the marathon without feeling faint.  Jelly babies are perfect for a sugar hit if you feel you are struggling, but if you are sugar sensitive like moi then dates will do just as well.  Have a coconut water afterwards to get your electrolytes back in check.

2. Running is in your head not your legs

Ok so you need a certain level of leg strength but let me tell you long distance running is all about not giving up.  Your body is more than capable to keep running but if your mind lets you down and tells you to stop then you will.  Try yoga to build some mental strength if that is your thing.  Or do what I do, break the marathon down into ten km sections and tell myself JUST KEEP RUNNING.

3. Chew gum

I always chew gum when I am running as it keeps my mouth fresh and keeps the saliva flowing so I don’t feel dehydrated.  Weird but it works.

4. Don’t over think it

To date I have never managed to stick with a marathon training plan and do not even bother looking at them now.  I think you can turn a marathon into this HUGE DEAL in your head and you know what, it just isn’t.  If you want a plan to give you confidence and comfort that you have done enough then use one.  But if like me you know you won’t stick to it and it will just end up leaving you feeling like a failure, then just do your own thing but make sure you get some distance in at the weekends.

5. Reel it in

As soon as you start everyone bolts off and it is tempting to do the same.  You will be pumped up with adrenaline and raring to go after waiting about to start.  Pick your pace and stick to it, trust me at mile 14 you will be passing the people who overtook you at the start and they will be completely burnt out whilst you are just starting to get into your stride.  I do negative splits, so run the first half slower than the second half. This ties into my ‘running is in your head tip’, as if you do the first half and come away thinking ‘that was easy’ it mentally makes the second half so much easier to handle.

And don’t forget running is all about competing with yourself.  So don’t be overwhelmed with other people’s running achievements, just start running one minute at a time and before you know it you will have ran five marathons and be writing bloody blog posts about it!!

Raw Chocolate Superfood Protein Balls

Not only are these protein balls delicious but they are also packed full of good stuff:

CACAO
Cacao is full of magnesium and anti-oxidants.
My previous article describes the HUGE benefits of raw chocolate(http://thehealthybluebird.com/2014/06/23/this-one-is-good-news-for-the-chocoholics/)

TURMERIC
This spice has been getting a lot of press lately. Inflammation in cells is linked to a number of diseases such as heart disease, cancer and Alzeimers. Turmeric has well known anti inflammatory properties. In addition it is also a fat burner and balances blood sugar. So basically jam it in everything you make from this day forward!

BAOBAB
This fruit is FULL of Vitamin C with ten times more Vitamin C than an orange.  A well known liver detoxifier and cleanser as well as a preventative treatment for heart disease and varicose veins.  I love the powdered baobab from Organic Burst (http://www.organicburst.com/products/organic-baobab-powder-70g).

These balls make a great pre gym energy booster or post gym protein muscle repair snack. Or just ditch the gym and have them as a cheeky afternoon treat!

HOW TO MAKE

Time – 20 minutes
Makes – 20 medium balls

Ingredients

2 x cups of dates
2 x cups of pecans/walnuts (pre soaked for 2 hours)
2 x tablespoon of cacao
1 x tablespoon of your protein of choice (I use vegan pea protein as it’s not bulked up with crap)
1 x tablespoon baobab powder
1 x teaspoon of natural orange essence (vanilla or almond essence work well too)
1 x half teaspoon of turmeric powder

These are so easy to make!

Blend the ingredients in a high speed blender then roll into balls. Put in the fridge for a few hours.

Optional extras

If you don’t have baobab powder or protein powder feel free to leave them out. The recipe still works just as well without them.

For an extra special treat roll the balls in some crushed nuts or coconut before you put them in the fridge.

The Healthy Blue Birds Raw Chocolate and Banana Brownies

I LOVE cake.  Like really really really really love cake.  So when I found out that there was cake out there that tasted INCREDIBLE and not only was it not bad for you, but it was actually GOOD for you, I was pretty damn stoked!

No-one can have failed to notice the recent media about how bad sugar is for you.  It has been likened to alcohol/drug addiction and has been labelled poison because of the part it plays in developing Type 2 Diabetes.

The good thing about these brownies is that they use natural ingredients such as dates and bananas to sweeten them.  They also contain cacao (remember that stuff from this article…https://thehealthybluebird.com/2014/06/23/this-one-is-good-news-for-the-chocoholics/) which has one of the highest antioxidant counts of all foods.

Anyway I know you are more excited about actually tasting them than hearing me bang on about how good they are for you, so here is the recipe…

Raw Vegan Chocolate and Banana Brownies

Makes roughly 12 (They are so rich and satisfying that I think you only need smallish bites not slabs)

Base

1 x cup pecans
1 x cup dates
4 x tablespoons of dessicated coconut
5 x tablespoons of cacao
1 x (overly) ripe banana
1 x tablespoon of maple syrup or Agave syrup (make sure it is 100% maple syrup and not sugar filled fake maple syrup, it will be clear from the ingredients)

Icing

1 x cup dates
1/4 x cup melted coconut oil
1/4 x cup cacao
1 x (overly) ripe banana
1/4 x cup water

For topping

1 x handful of pecans or banana chips

Now what the hell do I do???

1. Put the pecans, dates, coconut and banana in your food processor and blend until they bind together.  Add the syrup and cacao and either mix by hand or blast in the food processor until mixed.

2. Smooth base mix into a tin or tray.

3. Put dates, coconut oil, cacao and banana in the food processor and blend until all mixed in.  Add water until you get a thick gloopy texture (yup that is a technical term).

4. Spread icing onto the base mix.

5. Sprinkle the pecans or banana chips (or both – go nuts…no pun intended) on top of the concoction and put in the fridge for half an hour.

6. Slice the brownies and then put back into the fridge for a further 20 minutes.

These will last for a week in the fridge but I tend to put mine in the freezer and take out what I need for the day.  This also means they dont get mushed in transport as I take them to work as an afternoon treat/colleague bribery.

Why Carbs are NOT the Devil

Firstly I need to qualify this statement (being a lawyer and all) WHOLEGRAIN UNPROCESSED CARBS are not the devil.  However when it comes to the white stuff you can say what you want about those bad boys.

Carbs have had a pretty bad rep recently, with the Atkins, Dukan and Paleo diet banishing carbs from many a dieters plate.  But wholegrain carbs actually have huge health benefits and should play a fundamental part in every healthy blue bird’s diet.   The majority of the nutrients are contained in the germ and outer covering of the grain.  These are removed during the refining process, hence why white carbs have little nutritional benefit.

The Good, the Bad and the Absolutely Gorgeous

All very well, but what the hell are wholegrain carbs…

The Good – Literally ‘whole’ ‘grains’ such as brown rice, millett, quinoa, bulgar wheat (all bar bulgar wheat gluten free).

The Bad – white bread, bagels, pasta, crisps, white rice…these carbs are effectively sugar in disguise.

The Absolutely Gorgeous – VEGETABLES!  Full of healthy carbs with lots of vitamins and minerals thrown in for good measure

So tell us the benefits

Fibre, fibre and more fibre….Fibre is the part of a grain or vegetable that our body cannot digest, but that is actually where the benefit lies.  Fibre moves through the stomach and intestine, cleansing as it goes and, em well, keeps you regular.  A high fibre diet has been linked to a reduction in risk of certain types of cancer, particularly stomach, bowel and colon cancer.

Slowly digested…Wholegrain carbs are complex carbs which means they are slowly released keeping you fuller for longer thereby helping you control your weight. It also has the effect of controlling blood sugar levels which can reduce your chances of diabetes by 35%.

Carbs reduce cravings… Ever tried to cut an entire food group out of your diet?  Sugar cravings will take over your life, it is not pretty (thanks Mr Dukan)!  Adding wholegrain carbs into your diet will prevent this and make you less likely to cave.

Super duper cheap… not a health benefit but a huge advantage none the less

A word of warning

Food labelling standards only require a product to contain 1% wholegrain to make the wholegrain claim.  Also food manufacturers often colour their products with molasses (that is black treacle FYI) to trick consumers into thinking their products are brown and therefore whole grains.  When reading labels look for ‘whole wheat flour’ rather than ‘wheat flour’ (which is actually just good old white flour).

How to eat

Wholegrains are super simple to prepare – just chuck in boiling water as you would rice.

An easy way to introduce them into your diet is to substitute white carbs for wholegrains, ie rice, bread, pastas.  And if in doubt…..just eat more vegetables!!!!

The easiest way to increase your vegetable intake

In case you did not know….Vegetables are pretty damn good for you.  They are rich in fibre – which can stabilise blood sugars preventing diabetes, aid digestion reducing bowel cancer, and reduce the risk of heart diseases.  They are also high in a whole range of vitamins and nutrients – the benefits of which we can discuss another day.

But personally I think the biggest win is that if you increase your vegetable intake you will significantly decrease the amount of bad food you eat.  If you stuff yourself with broccoli you won’t have room for the chips (or not as many anyway).

Sometimes a plate full of veg can seem unappealing so I have ‘created’ the concept of a VEG BLEND.  Which does as it says on the tin (not that we use tins around these parts).  So it literally is just any vegetables you can find in your fridge, blended together with some seasoning.  Super versatile, super filling and super quick to make.

It is a great way to use up any vegetables you have lying about in your fridge and easy to trick children (and you) into eating more vegetables.

You do however need a food processor, which can be picked up pretty cheap if you don’t already have one.

Veg blend top tips:

1. Be brave, anything goes, but if in doubt stick to blending vegetables of similar colours;

2. Keep your blender on the lowest setting so you don’t end up with a vegetable juice by mistake;

3. Use seasoning – lemons, chilli, garlic, mint, lime, apple cider vinegar, pesto, whatever floats your boat really.  This will differentiate your veg blend so you don’t always end up with the same green mush.

The joy is that it tastes different every time and rarely does it ever taste bad.

Veg blend ideas:

Mediterranean tuna and wholemeal pasta

Main ingredient here is tomatoes, then mix in whatever you have in your fridge (courgettes, red peppers, broccoli, celery, carrot…you catch my drift, whatever you have chuck it in).

Add some tomato pesto, chilli and garlic and blend.

Then add tuna and olives.  Heat up and add to wholemeal pasta..  Serve with a huge side of rocket and spinach.

Fresh green apple salad

 

I often add green apple to a veg blend if I am having it with a salad.  It makes it really tangy and fresh.

Add to anything green you have in your fridge – I usually use brussell sprouts (controversial I know but they are so good for you and you don’t taste them when mixed in – promise), courgette, celery, broccoli and couple of tomatoes.

Add some lime and chilli and blend.  Add to your favourite salad.

Thai blend

You can even make Thai veg blend by putting some coconut, fish sauce or thai paste and chilli into your blend.

Serve with rice noodles.

Be bold, be brave and BLEND.

 

THE ONE THING I CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT

 

Green tea is great, really really great.  But 137 times BETTER (to be precise) is the ground up powdered tea leaves themselves known as Matcha tea.

Think of it this way, you wouldn’t boil broccoli then chuck the broccoli and drink the water.  It is the same with green tea.

For very good reason matcha is considered as one of the most powerful superfoods on the market today.

(Blueberry) Jam packed with antioxidants
To many blueberries are thought of as the ultimate antioxidant.  Now consider that matcha tea has 17 times the antioxidant content of blueberries and you know what kind of magical powder we are dealing with here.  These antioxidants will not only protect our skin from ageing, but studies have shown that green tea polyphenols can inhibit UV radiation-induced skin damage including skin cancer.

Weight Loss and Fat Burner
Matcha is a great tool if you are looking to lose weight as it contains catechins which boosts the metabolism, which in turn increases the number of calories your body will burn.  In addition to this consuming matcha leads to your body burning fat FOUR TIMES faster than average.  Matcha is also known to suppress hunger cravings.  And now you see why it is my favourite thing…

Calming Caffeine
Can those two words go together?  When you are discussing matcha tea, yes they can.  Green tea contains caffeine and also a compound called tannin, which slows down the absorption of caffeine into the blood.  Green tea also contains L-theanine which has a relaxing effect and reduces stress.  So with matcha tea you can say goodbye to your caffeine comedown and have 6-8 hours of constant energy (if you have ever met me you will know that this level of energy is an actual fact).
 
I seriously cannot live without this stuff.  I even take it on holiday with me and have been stopped by customs on more than one occasion whilst they enquire why I have dodgy green powder in my hand luggage (I obviously then proceed to try to sell the health benefits to them).

 I have noticed a huge difference in my hair and skin since I started taking it daily and I feel more alert and awake within minutes of drinking it (great when you get up at 5.30am for Bikram yoga). 

How to drink it:

As mentioned above matcha tea comes in a powdered form so you can mix it into smoothies or juices.  I drink it just like I would green tea.  But be careful not to pour boiling water onto the powder as this will boil out the antioxidants (true with any tea – 80 degrees is the magic number), so pour some cold water in to your mug before adding the boiling water.

I personally only have matcha tea once a day, and drink green tea the rest of the day, but if you ever need an energy boost it is a billion (accurately checked by myself) times better than having a sugar filled can of crap, sorry I meant coke.

Where to get it:
I buy this one:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Matcha-Factory-Drinking-50g/dp/B00C869UHS/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1403876115&sr=8-8&keywords=matcha+green+tea

But if you want to treat yourself Tea Pigs do a great Matcha tea set which comes with a little whisk to mix it all up.

Top 5 tips to improve your health

 

A colleague asked me today if I could give some tips on where to start if you are looking to make your life that little bit healthier.

With so many opposing theories on diet and exercise it is not surprising that many people are overwhelmed when they want to make a healthier lifestyle change.

If you only do 5 things to boost your health make it these super simple changes:

1. EAT MORE VEGETABLES

Everyone has heard the government guidelines that we should each eat 5 portions of fruit and vegetables a day.  But really think about it, did you eat yours today?  In the UK the average person eats under 3 portions of fruit and veg a day.  With studies showing that eating at least 7 portions of fruit and veg a day is linked to a 42% lower risk of death from all causes, it seems that the more fruit and veg you can jam in the better.  Your insides and energy levels will thank you.

Try having a smoothie, with a vegetable base, or making at least half of your plate for any meal vegetables

2. EAT LESS PROCESSED FOOD

We all know that processed food should be avoided if you want to maintain a healthy diet but most people crave them and find these cravings hard to resist.  This is not simply lack of willpower, as we are programmed to crave foods high in sugar, fat and salt as back in the day high calorie food was a survival mechanism.

And diet processed foods fare no better.  ‘Low fat’ alternatives are laden with sugar or artificial sweeteners, which will cause your body to crash and burn making you feel tired and guess what, more hungry!

Stick to products that you can identify have came from a natural produce.   Remember, although of course food should be enjoyed, our body needs food for energy, so give it something it can actually use

3. DITCH THE SOFT DRINKS

I just simply cannot see why in this day in age ANYONE drinks the toxic concoction that are soft drinks!  They are full of sugar, or even bloody worse artificial sweeteners, and cause you to gain loads of weight whilst giving you an unhealthy dose of carcinogenic agents on the side.

And don’t even get me started on ‘diet’ soft drinks, the biggest marketing scam there ever has been.  Studies have shown that diet drinks can make you 70% fatter.  Madness.

Try switching to sparkling water with some mint or lime or diluting juice (not perfect but anything is better than soft drinks).

4. DRINK MORE WATER

Over 80% of Americans are chronically dehydrated. Dehydration leaves you feeling tired, constipated (grim), hungry (as we crave foods rich in water) and prematurely ages you.  All in all not ideal, get some water down you.

5. REDUCE YOUR ALCOHOL INTAKE

One evening of binge drinking will lead the average person to consume an additional 6300 calories.  This amount of calories will lead to two pounds of weight gain.

Think of it this way, one pint of beer contains the same amount of calories as a packet of crisps, would you eat five packets of crisps in a row??  (Note the answer to this should be no, or you need to re-read Tip 2).

Perhaps start by avoiding alcohol in the home apart from on special occasions and when out maybe down a pint of water before allowing yourself your next alcoholic beverage.

And do you know what…it really is that simple. 

Just remember do not wake up one day and completely overhaul your life.  Try to incorporate one of these tips each week for the next five weeks and you will feel frigging amazing in 35 days! 

ps – can I add exercise as an extra??  But you all knew that one anyway right?!

This one is (good news) for the chocoholics

Chocolate is seen by many as the ultimate treat….with an after taste of guilt.  What would you say if I were to tell you that guilt free chocolate not only exists, but it is actually GOOD FOR YOU.  With the added bonus that it tastes incredible.

Let me introduce you to the joys of raw chocolate aka cacao.

It is common knowledge that your typical shop bought chocolate bar contains cocoa.  The cocoa used in standard chocolate is cacao’s roasted processed cousin.

In its raw state chocolate has more than 300 nutrients and is one of the richest sources of antioxidants of any food on the planet.

To name just a few of the nutrients cacao has an abundance of:

– Magnesium
– Sulphur
– Zinc
– Potassium and Mangenese
– Vitamins B1, B2, B3, B5, B9, C and E

That is all very well I hear you say, but what advantage will those nutrients actually have on my body (or more likely you have just read ‘guilt free chocolate’ and thought GIVE ME!):

1. The high antioxidant count will reduce the amount of free radicals in your body, thereby slowing the ageing process and reducing you risk of cancer.
2. The essential fatty acids found in cacao help the body to raise good cholesterol and lower bad cholesterol, which has been linked to diabetes, heart disease and cancer.
3.  Cacao stimulates the production of digestive enzymes, thereby improving digestion.
4. To top it off cacao has been found to have appetite suppressant properties.  Eat chocolate – feel less hungry.  Winner.

The cherry on the raw chocolate cake is that it is incredibly simple to make and only involves 3 ingredients.

Basic raw chocolate recipe

1 x cup of cacao powder
1 x cup of coconut oil
1 x tablespoon of raw honey

Melt the coconut oil, then mix in the cacao powder and honey and pour into a silicon mould.

See I wasn’t kidding when I said it was simple.

For an even more luxurious experience try adding two tablespoons of hazelnut butter – they are incredible!

If these ingredients sound foreign to you don’t worry as they are all readily available from Amazon or your local health food store.

ps although it may seem expensive to buy the ingredients remember they will last for a long time.  Plus with a bar of chocolate now retailing close to the £1 mark you will actually save yourself some money.