With the Golf Season just around the corner, its vital that you prepare your shoulders, hips and spine for season ahead. Having discomfort or disfunction in just one joint or muscle can make 18 holes seem like 108. During an average round, with practice swings included, you will probably swing your club 70-100 times and that’s no fun when you are carrying an injury!  High profile professional golfers suffer from injury, but the amateur player may be more at risk than Rory Mcllroy or Tiger Woods.  Poor technique, inadequate stretching prior and post-match and incorrectly carrying heavy golf bags are the main contributors to pain and discomfort. However, following a few simple tips can help solve the problem allowing you to play golf better, with less effort and have more fun at the same time.
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• The pressure points – The lower back, shoulders and wrists are the most obvious joints at risk for golfers through the repetitive nature of the golf swing but carrying a golf bag can also place an enormous strain on your neck.  Take advantage of the latest golf accessories specially designed to help such as lighter bags and dual harness straps over shoulders to distribute weight evenly.
• Warm up – Golfers often don’t warm up properly before playing – if muscles are not prepared by a good stretching routine, this can lead to a lack of flexibility and injury.  Spend two or three minutes warming up before teeing off.  Stretch hamstring, quads, chest muscles and shoulders.
• Drive – make the most of your swing; warm up on the driving range.
• Don’t forget that, like any sport, a good post-event stretch is also required.
• When picking up golf bags, bend carefully from the knees.
• Contrary to popular belief, trolleys are not the best way to caddy clubs as this builds unnecessary pressure from pulling and bending in the wrong positions.  A power or electric caddy is the safest way to go around.
• Wear proper shoes for stability and to help avoid twisting the back and hips.
• Pain is a warning sign – do not ignore it.  If you injure yourself, use ice rather than heat and if the pain persists, seek advice from your doctor or chiropractor.

 

This is a really healthy and relatively simple midweek supper that has lots of textures and is bursting with flavour, enjoy!

Warm Salad of Spiced Kale, Bulgar Wheat and Puy Lentils - Sabrina Ghayour
 
INGREDIENTS INGREDIENTS
100 g dried Puy lentils
100 g bulgar wheat
olive oil, for frying
1 heaped tsp cumin seeds
6 fat garlic cloves, bashed and thinly sliced
2 long red chillies, thinly sliced
400 g kale, stalks removed, leaves roughly torn up
2 tsp. ground turmeric
2 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
Finely grated zest of 2 unwaxed lemons and juice of 1
Generous handfuls of pumpkin seeds
100 g feta cheese, crumbled
sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper
lemon wedges, to serve
 
METHOD
Boil the Puy lentils and bulgar wheat separately according to the packet instructions, then rinse immediately under cold water until cold. Drain well, then combine them in a large mixing bowl.

Set a large saucepan over a medium-high heat, drizzle in a little olive oil, then add the cumin seeds. Once the seeds begin to sizzle and pop, add the garlic and the chilli slices and stir well, ensuring the garlic doesn’t burn. Meanwhile, wash the kale leaves and drain, without shaking off excess water (which will add moisture during the cooking process). Set aside.

When the garlic has sweated and is translucent, add the dry spices and lemon zest and stir well. Add a little more oil if the spices dry up too much. Add the slightly wet kale to the pan (it should sizzle) and stir for 1 minute to ensure the garlic and spice mixture coats the leaves well. Cover the saucepan with a lid and allow the contents to steam for 2 minutes. Stir well again and take the pan off the heat. Replace the lid for another couple of minutes.
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Lift off the saucepan lid and transfer the contents of the pan to the bowl containing the Puy lentil and bulgar wheat. Give the ingredients a good mix, pour in the lemon juice, season generously with salt and pepper and add a little extra drizzle of olive oil, if desired. Check the seasoning and adjust if necessary, then stir in the pumpkin seeds. Transfer to a large serving platter. Crumble the feta cheese over the top and serve with lemon wedges.

There is an Indian Belief that we are all houses which contain four rooms*: These rooms are all the same size and are identified as being, physical, mental, emotional and spiritual.

For many of us, we tend to reside in one, maybe two rooms for the majority of our day, week, year and life. However, the very act of ignoring or avoiding a room, can leaves us feeling empty and unfulfilled. Unless we devote time in all rooms each and every day even if only for a moment, we will slowly begin to realise that we are not complete. With the onset of Spring and the energy it brings, perhaps it’s time to ‘visit’ each room and spring clean your life!

Try to work through some of our suggestions at first and then come up with your own ideas!

1. SPRING CLEAN YOUR PHYSICAL

• Change up a gear with your exercise: Try a new class, add an extra workout to your week
• Review your food choices: Plan your meals for the week in advance, you will save time and money, plus you will be more likely to make healthier choices.
• Aim to have 8 hours sleep per night
• Pay your body back with a regular massage
• Supplement your diet with extra nutrients e.g. Dr Schultz Super-foods or high-quality multivitamins

2.  SPRING CLEAN YOUR MENTAL

• De-clutter your thoughts, make lists and complete them!
• Switch off your phone and any background noise.
• Use your brain and learn something new
• Organise your desk, files and de-clutter

​3.  SPRING CLEAN YOUR EMOTIONAL

• De-clutter your relationships - invest in good relationships - ditch bad relationships
• Surround yourself with positive people
• Be creative, write draw, paint or garden
• Read for pleasure not just for work

4.  SPRING CLEAN YOUR SPIRITUAL

• Be kind to yourself, treat yourself with kindness and compassion
• Pay it forward, do something good for others, unconditionally
• Spend time in nature
• End each day by writing down 3 things that you are grateful for

Spending time in each room, will help you gain a greater perspective and bring more balance to your life. Yes, there will always be times when your work - life balance is way off centre. Invariably we will compensate with weekends and holidays, assuring ourselves that this is a temporary blip and normal service will be resumed shortly. Be aware, that this same pattern can be mirrored with our eating, drinking and exercise habits. As life speeds up and stress levels rise, our habits can change for the worse, binge drinking, yo-yo dieting and falling off the exercise wagon are common occurrences.

​Finding and maintaining balance may often appear elusive, yet we can work towards that goal, every moment of every day. Remember that we stay in balance best by taking care of the mental, physical, emotional and spiritual aspects of our self. Once established, balance will give you precious time; time with family and friends, time alone, time to work, time to play, and time to live the life you want to live.
Here’s to your best year ever!
 
*Rumer Godden (House of Four Rooms)