Play - the easiest form of Eco-Fitness

Sunlight, the bright glare of the snow, a happy child.

Pulling a 30 lb infant up a steep incline on a sledge isn't just play - it's eco-fitness. Could I have achieved much more by going to the gym? Maybe a fraction, but this is fitness how nature intended it. Getting out there isn't just good for your figure, it keeps you young and happy too!

No gym membership required... just a scarf and a good pair of gloves!

Glamorous glitzy royal marriage reveals sad rejection of Prince Charles

In the fever of excitement over the royal marriage between Prince William and Kate Middleton next year, opinion polls are revealing that the public wish to bypass seeing Prince Charles on the throne and jump straight to crowning the dashing Prince William as king.

I'm not shocked, but disappointed that what appeals most to people in the UK seems to be youth, glitz, glamour and celebrity, over environmental astuteness, experience and wisdom. Prince Charles is well known for his outspokenness when it comes to protecting nature and fighting for environmental causes. Not to mention his wide knowledge of subjects important to a humane and progressive society. Perhaps when oil becomes even more scarce and the consequences start to hit our lifestyle choices, people will look back and have more respect and affection for Charles.

I'm sure William is charming, sensitive and well educated, but he will have his turn later in life.
For the moment though, it would be intelligent and fair to support Prince Charles and his role to be.

The Prince of Wales has broken with protocol by revealing his views so fervently over the years, especially when we are used to the Queen who has shown complete impartiality throughout her reign. Charles has admitted, 'It's no fun having your head shot off all the time,' but insists on sticking to his guns. 'I am absolutely determined to be the defender of nature. Full stop,' he says.

He has been influential in improving the lives of young people, encouraging religious tolerance, protecting and promoting beautiful architecture and supporting organic and humane farming. When king, the UK constitution will require that he curtails his lobbying, but it would be a shame to let all that experience go to waste.

Good luck to William and Kate, their time will come. But for now, I hope support grows for Prince Charles, one of the most inspiring and tolerant members of the royal family in history, who seems to be deeply misunderstood. It would be a reflection of a caring and environmentally sensitive society if support for Charles began to grow. Don't hold your breath!

Not just good for your waist line...

Eco-fitness is about more than losing weight, keeping fit or improving your shape. It's good for your mind too...

Last week, out on my early evening dog walk, I was mesmerised by what was going on in the sky. The orange autumn sun was sinking, the sky was azure blue, streaked with light clouds. By a strange fluke, bands of cloud had formed radiating out from the sun like the spokes of a wheel. The sun's rays illuminated these clouds, turning them a wild and vibrant orange. The whole effect was like a hilarious child's painting - massive in the sky.

In addition to the endorphins stimulated by a bracing autumn walk, this amazingly unusual sky further lifted my spirits at the end of a long day. Better than wine, better than being glued to the TV, no gym fees needed.

Get outdoors, get moving. Nature already has all you need to keep you fit and happy :-)

(And next time I'll remember to take my camera!)

Naomi Wolf revisited - The Beauty Myth

There once was an intelligent, insightful, Californian writer called Naomi Wolf. Her seminal 90's book 'The Beauty Myth' took a long hard look at what beauty means to women and how women are mostly still obsessed with it, even if they are successful, educated, emancipated...

She once was quite popular and some people had heard of her! Now she's been replaced by Katie Price, Kate Moss and Tyra Banks.

Beauty is now virtually pornographic - the mean is pouty, tanned, semi-naked, accessible. All women fear ageing rather than look forward to the maturity and acceptance it brings. The skincare industry dominates women's magazines, even influencing editorial decisions. Models are around 20% skinnier than your average ordinary woman. And motherhood magazines have been glamorised - you even have to look sexy and pouty at 8 1/2 months or with a newborn in your arms. Have we bought into the beauty myth? Would we all feel more free and comfortable with ourselves is we could just be our own version of lovable?

Naomi Wolf's book is dated now, but it still has some interesting facts and figures. Why not order a copy or ask your library to stock it?

Why is this information on the Eco-Fitness blog? Because Eco-Fitness is not about getting skinny, or fitting into some popular stereotype. It is about being naturally healthy, just because it's a good thing to do. It's about living YOUR life and not someone's idea of what you should be. There's no impossible ideal to reach for. It's saying goodbye to the beauty myth and hello to sensible achievable health and fitness.

Blackberrying - the new yoga!

I had the most unexpected experience earlier. I was out and about around the country lanes picking blackberries, and rose hips to make syrup ready for the winter (both have loads of vitamins). A welcome Autumn sun shone on my back as I walked and searched and stretched to reach the berries.

Each time I hit a spot with an abundance of big juicy fruit, I was touched by a strong, primeval sense of contentment - sort of like the kind of stillness one strives for in meditation or yoga. Maybe some ancient part of my brain recognised the moment more deeply than I expected. Sun, working in nature, getting supplies for my family, a bit of good luck. It was a very basic but fulfilling sensation. William Bloom I think calls it the inner smile, or the endorphin effect.

Nature just handed me this on a plate - I didn't have to stare at a candle or say mantras or achieve a difficult yoga posture.

Another thing, I looked at my watch thinking an hour must have passed and in fact only 10 minutes had passed. Time was slowing down. It was wonderful not to have to rush for a change.

Oh yes, yet another thing too - I spotted a gorgeous bright orange ornate butterfly with chiseled wings.

Eco-fitness was also going on of course. I was stretching up high, strolling in nature, balancing to pick difficult blackberries and not sting myself on nettles or thorns. I was nice and warm generating my own heat - saving on the fuel I would have consumed if I had stayed at home, or driven to the shops.

There are many fruits and a few nuts to be harvested at this time of year in the UK, although the season is nearly at an end. A word of warning though - if you decide to enjoy this form of eco-fitness for yourself, make sure you know exactly what you are picking - ask someone who knows or look it up on line.

The Thyroid Dilemma

It's all very well to talk about eco-fitness and to discover inspiring ways to enjoy keeping fit. But what about those people who suffer from thyroid problems, will it help them? First, a trip to the doctor would be a good idea.

If you are one of those people who can honestly say you don't over-eat and if you also enjoy exercise but nothing seems to work, you may need to get your thyroid tested. An underactive thyroid affects thousands of people and is increasingly being recognised as a problem, especially for women.

Hereditary factors, stress, having a baby, certain toxins, smoking and a host of other factors can affect the thyroid which is a key gland, situated in the throat, regulating energy levels and metabolism.

You can ask your doctor for a thyroid check and blood tests. If you suffer from several of the following symptoms: hair loss, dry puffy skin, an inability to lose weight, constipation, fatigue and depression, it might be worth a chat with your doctor.

Only when your endocrine system is balanced and functioning properly will you get the full benefits of eco-fitness.

As with any medical problem, there are many holistic, natural approaches to dealing with thyroid issues. Check with your doctor if these are appropriate for you.

Eco-fitness for equines?

Walking my dog last week, I noticed an ex race-horse turned out in his field flying around the paddock like a colt. Something had got the wind up his tail and this fine, 16.3 bay thoroughbred was racing up and down and round and round, whilst his petite grey Welsh Mountain companion quietly grazed.

It was interesting and lovely to watch, because the horse was covering some pretty testing terrain, his paddock being on a steep hill and full of dips, bumps and undulations. What I noticed was that his horse was fully 'collected' as they say in the horsey world - ie he was balanced, fully alert, at the height of his concentration and using his powerful back end underneath him to propel himself whilst his forelegs acted as suspension posts. He just happened to be carrying out a couple of spontaneous advanced dressage moves too!

I am lucky that he kept up this dance for a good five minutes and I was able to watch as he gracefully swerved, balanced, galloped, dodged and ground to a full halt, then sped off again. I noticed that his head at absolutely all times was fairly high, his poll (between his ears) was at the highest point and that his nose was at a comfortable angle for maximum balance and concentration. His higher neck vertebrae were able to bend and stretch maximising his proprioception.

It was a far cry from what I often see in the showground or at dressage competitions where horses are pulled in with reins to keep their heads artificially low, the highest point of their neck is about6-10 inches behind the poll creating an artificial arch, and their mouths are pulled back and under by strong bits (which is called being behind the vertical for obvious reasons).

What this does to their neck muscles, their cervical trigger point zones and their brain cells is not yet completely known although I believe there is a lot of discussion in competitions by equine authorities to question the wisdom of this forced head carriage. The ancient masters of horsemanship would not have agreed with our current obsession with arched necks, tugged in mouths, and an unnatural head carriage.

I am mentioning all this because it seems to me there may be such a thing as Eco-Fitness for horses. A kind of fitness and beautiful horsemanship based on the horse's inbuilt mechanisms, on maximum flexibility and on naturally exhuberant 'collection'. Us humans are looking for ways to be naturally and sensibly fit with less regard for glamour and more respect for our biology. I hope that our equine friends will be allowed to benefit from less showy, glamorous and competitive horsemanship and develop eco-fitness too!

Big Society? Take responsibility for your health

I'm not going to try to assess or judge the new Government, but it is obvious that change is coming along fast and furious. There's talk of a new paradigm - the 'Big Society' where neighbourhoods and individuals are encouraged to work out what's best for them, rather then being told what to do.

It looks like many people will be affected by cuts in services at the same time that these changes are happening. And many of us will probably face increased financial pressures as we struggle to cope with the aftermath of the banking debacle. This is a great time to take responsibility and to etch out your own path through life.

One of the ways 'Eco-Fitness' can help is to hand responsibility to the individual in terms of health and fitness. Taking responsibility for your own health could have wonderful benefits, reducing your dependency on the NHS, improving your mood and boosting your immune system. It could also save you money.

The Eco-Fitness Book helps you overcome lethargy and find your personal inner motivation for healthy activity and fitness.

No gym membership is required, saving you money, and reducing your carbon footprint.

You will be finding a fitness and health path that suits you and your personality, rather than some one size fits all exercise plan.

You will experience the joys of the outdoors and the endorphin lifts that come from bodily activity - a wonderful antidote to the woes of the world.

You will be less obsessed with who's wearing what in the gym and how you compare with others - favouring comfy jeans and trainers in the great outdoors instead.

You may be inspired to grow more of your own food and eat less junk food - in Cuba when dire economic necessity forced this to happen, obesity and diabetes plummeted. (See the great film about what happened in Cuba: 'The Power of Community').

If you include your neighbours, friends and children, they will benefit too - and you'll have lots of fun!

We all need some escapism and a lift through this economic and social 'depression'. Eco-Fitness can help you weave your way through it. It's just one way we can take some responsibility in these turbulent times.

You can eat curry every day and still lose weight!

But here's the catch - you have to make it yourself...

Worry not though, The Eco-Fitness Book easy no-fat curry is ultra-simple and you may even burn a few calories up during the chopping!

Inspired by my Pakistani and Indian friends as well as Sri Lankan cooking, this veggie curry is delicious and much more authentic than the kind you might buy in the average restaurant. The secret is buying some good quality 'garam masala' - the powdered spice mix used by all Indian/Pakistani families. The ethnic section of supermarkets usually sells it in bags, or try visiting an Indian or Halal supermarket.

You can make it in a casserole dish, or in a large pan on the hob.

Makes approx 3 portions. (If you don't use it all, freeze or refrigerate some). Most of the effort goes into chopping, and having the right ingredients in your cupboard. After that, it's effortless...

Into your casserole dish or large saucepan pour a mug and a half of orange lentils and just cover them with boiling water. Pop in a vegetable stock cube and stir. Add a teaspoon of salt and a squeeze of lemon juice.

Chop a large onion and 3-4 cloves of garlic and chuck those in too. Peel and chop two large organic carrots and 2 large organic potatoes. Cut roughly into pieces about as big as a walnut so they cook through. Pop those in the pot. You can then add spinach (a couple of frozen chunks is great or you can use fresh leaves), brocolli and/or rocket depending on what's your favourite - a mug full is fine. Stir in a mug of frozen or fresh peas too.

Then add some chilli and ginger - either finely chop it yourself from fresh, or use half a teaspoon of each from a jar. (You may wish to add a bit more than just half a teaspoon of chilli if you like hot curry).

Then stir in a heaped teaspoon of wonderful garam masala mix. Finally, roughly chop or tear half a bunch of fresh coriander and chuck that in too.

Cover with a little more boiling water so all the veg is covered by about a cm.

This will take about an hour to cook. If you are cooking in a saucepan, bring almost to boiling point, then cover and simmer for a further 50 minutes.

If using a casserole dish, just put the lid on and place in the middle of a PRE-HEATED oven for an hour - at 200 degrees C or gas mark 6.

There's no desperate need to eat this curry with anything else as it already contains protein, veg and carbohydrates. But if you want to stretch it out a bit, boil up some rice. Be careful with Nan bread - if you do fancy one, try the low fat variety - you can cook from frozen in the toaster... what could be easier than that!

This is a hotch potch curry influenced by many different cultures but most people enjoy it - it has good depth of flavour. It doesn't always look as pretty as a picture but it is a great basic meal to eat a couple of times a week and you don't need to sweat over a stove to make it. The quantities are variable, and as you practise, you may wish to experiment with more chilli, more garlic or more ginger. You may wish to add 5-6 cardamon pods or more/less coriander. And you may wish to try your own favourite vegetables - sweet potatoes and parsnips work really well too.

Jogging can be fun - honest. Part II

Well, here's the other thing that happened on that run this morning...

I touched base with all the loveliest things about nature and being outdoors. There were blankets of bluebells in the forestry - and there's something about the lilac/blue of bluebells which is very calming. I saw a buzzard circling and hovering in the distance. And a pair of blackbirds whistled as they fussed over their nest and chicks.

A jackdaw scattered through branches as I pounded past. The cornflower blue sky was shimmering with 'mackerel sky' mini puffs of cloud. I briefly read an information sign about how the forestry commission is restoring ancient woodlands (ones established since the 1600s). They are felling imported tree species such as Scandinavian conifers, and replacing them with beautiful native oak, rowan, birch and beech.

I also enjoyed the buttercups, clover, small streams, twittering sparrows and smell of pine sap as I jogged along.

It all reminded me once again that us humans already have everything we could want - a delightful, harmonious eco-system with unbelievable beauty and diversity. Quite a nice thought for a Friday morning don't you think?

And at the end, I had a quick chat with a forestry worker who was parked up in his van, about 'borrowing' some wasting felled tree trunks for my wood burner. Bonus! Just don't tell anyone!

Jogging can be fun - honest. Part I.

I just dropped my little girl at nursery and stopped at the forestry on the way home for a quick run.

Just 25 minutes, I'm not in training for a marathon... and here's my tip for the day...

Breathe!

I learned a lot about breathing in childbirth - you'd be amazed what resilience and pain relief can be achieved by good deep breathing. I also learned a lot about breathing from horses. If you hold your breath, due to concentration or nerves, you'll not be riding at your best. Good deep breathing from your diaphragm, rather than little shallow nervous breaths, keeps you calm, makes you feel good, helps you feel 'centred' and fills your blood with oxygen.

When out jogging, it can also be the key to keeping going through that initial laboured few minutes when your muscles start to burn and resist. Take huge lungfuls of air in through your nose and mouth and your labouring hamstrings and calves will soon thank you for it and will settle down, knowing they have enough oxygen.

I've noticed how joggers (OK, myself included sometimes!) like to look cool and unflustered, never revealing their straining breath. They are gesturing to the world, 'I'm so fit, and so polished, you won't find me gasping and puffing and panting.' Well, when starting out, who cares about what others think - if you need to oxygenate your blood, Just Do It!

And if you happen to be in a park or forestry will plenty of trees, you'll be gulping in some lovely fresh oxygen, just recently metabolised by the green leaves of the trees.

If you are totally new to running, here are a few things to bare in mind. Wear good quality training shoes, with podiatry inserts if you need them (see my previous blog post). Start off with some 'interval training' ie 2 minutes of brisk walking then two minutes of running and so on. And take care to stretch and warm up a bit first. Swing you arms, do some star jumps, stretch out your calves and gently touch your toes to lengthen your hamstrings.

Boy, did I feel virtuous after my run. My abs felt tight, my endorphins (the happy hormones) were high and my dog had been walked. That's what I call a result.

Are your feet giving you a bad back?!

There are a thousand reasons why people get bad backs, but if you are suffering from one right now there may be two things you haven't thought about that could help you out long term.
The first is the shape of your feet and the second is your posture.

Podiatry is the study of feet and how they affect gait and the skeleton. The science of podiatry tells us that dropped arches (flat feet) and other problems in foot shape and structure, affect the whole angle of the ankle, calf, thigh and hip. As the vertebrae of your back sit on top of the hip girdle, you can see that unbalanced feet can have an impact right up into your hips and back.

This could lead to health issues in the discs between vertebrae and protective spasm in the muscles around the hips and lumbar back area. It can even lead to aches and pains right up as far as the shoulders and neck!

A podiatrist can mechanically asses your footfall and foot structure and make precise adjustments using inserts for your shoes (called orthotics or orthoses). Gradually, with other remedial work, you should notice less strain on your back and less back problems.
There's some useful information on a colleague's website: www.podiatrywales.com
So what's the remedial work necessary?

This is where Eco-Fitness comes in... Through learning how to improve your posture, sit and walk straight and engage your core muscles, you will be taking even more pressure off your back. Your spine isn't just held upright by your back muscles. Give your abdominals and core muscles a chance to share the job and watch the back pain ease gradually away!

Chapter 2 of the Eco-Fitness Book, teaches you everyday posture improvements and ways to engage your tummy muscles so that you take the strain off your back, flatten your stomach and burn hundreds of extra calories. Click on the link to the website www.theeco-fitnessbook.com

Chapter 1 of the Eco-Fitness Book is completely free of charge and the other chapters are just 79p each, that's just the same as one iTune and less than a can of Coke! Easy and safe Paypal payment allows you through to the link to download a PDF for each chapter.

Posture correction can help you walk tall, improve your body shape, burn calories and improve self esteem... as well as potentially easing your back pain.

If you have a medical condition, tingling down your legs, numbness and/or loss of bladder/bowel control it's important that you get this checked out by your regular GP first. You could also try getting the advice of an experienced chiropractor.

Welcome to a new you

Welcome to the brand new Eco-Fitness Book Blog.

Regular postings will offer advice on how to get fit, slim and healthy using natural techniques and surroundings. No gym membership necessary!

It will offer unfolding new information and scientific insights into why natural eco-fitness is the way forward. Just as nature intended!

Watch out soon for the newly designed website where The Eco-Fitness Book is available to download for little more than the cost of a few iTunes! Chapters one and six are completely free of charge.

www.theeco-fitnessbook.com

Eco-Fitness Book author Gina Groom looks forward to helping you reach your ideal weight and fitness levels using Eco-Fitness. It works!