Blog Archives

recipe

8/24/2021

We have been overwhelmed with the support to date, but this is just the beginning as we need to sell a lot of books to raise much needed funds for the Refuge.

Any feedback will be greatly received and will be used anonymously to promote the book. Please feel free to share via email or via our Instagram page using the hashtag #inspiredcookbook!

We plan to organise a few INSPIRED supper evenings throughout the autumn to promote the book. All the evenings will use recipes from the cookbook and will be held at restaurants featured in the book. More details to follow.

Several people have prepared their very own INSPIRED supper evenings with friends.

Do you fancy hosting a supper this autumn? If you do so, please share using these hashtags #inspiredcookbook #inspiredsupper

Social media can be a pain and impacts negatively in so many peoples lives. Hopefully this has a positive influence helping us to promote and sell this book to raise lots of money for Stroud Women’s Refuge.

If social media is not your thing, please tell everyone you know about the book and its cause.
On behalf of the INSPIRED team and Stroud Women’s Refuge, I thank you for your generosity and support.

how does food affect your mood?

8/24/2021

Along with unstructured days, foggy brain, cluttered thoughts and everchanging moods can impact on your productivity and enjoyment throughout your day. Our Registered Nutritional Therapist and Health Coach Jane Barnes looks at the link between food and moods

Covid has been a daily topic of conversation for us all for the last 18 months, but the Olympics and the honesty and openness of athletes like Simone Biles has highlighted a second epidemic that has been building quietly for a while – that of our challenges around mental health.

Data from NHS Digital showed that 70.9 million prescriptions for antidepressants were given out in 2018, compared with 36 million in 2008 1. Even more alarmingly, the statistics showed that 23% more patients received an antidepressant item in the third quarter of 2020–2021 compared to the same quarter in 2015–2016 2.

Clearly, there is a huge problem ……. but the good news is that there are many things we can do that may help to improve our resilience and protect our mental health. Research is beginning to show that our diet and lifestyle choices can have a big impact. In fact, there is a burgeoning discipline called nutritional psychiatry with a small but growing body of evidence behind the gut-brain connection.

It has long been proposed that eating the Mediterranean diet may offer protection against various health complaints including depression. It was not until 2017, however, that the SMILES trial 3 was able to demonstrate a more direct relationship between food and mood. During the trial, a group of adults with moderate depression were allocated randomly to two groups. One group received seven sessions of individual dietary advice and support from a dietician based around eating the Mediterranean diet, while the other group received seven social support sessions. After 12 weeks, the dietary advice group had significantly reduced their depression symptoms and by significantly more than the social support group.

Several more studies have subsequently demonstrated improvements in depression or anxiety scores after a Mediterranean dietary approach was instituted – with bigger benefits seen in moderate to severe depression compared to mild depression.

So, what is the Mediterranean diet and how might it be helping to combat depression?

The Mediterranean diet is rich in colourful plant foods, wholegrains, nuts, seeds, and olive oil with moderate amounts of fish and white meat but only small amounts of red meat and dairy foods.

It is notably low in sugar, refined carbohydrates (white bread, pasta, rice etc), and saturated or trans fats.

An inflammatory mechanism is one theory for what causes mental health disorders, in fact some scientists are now questioning whether antidepressant medications such as SSRIS may primarily be beneficial because they have anti-inflammatory effects in the brain. Interestingly, the plentiful coloured plant pigments, high fibre content and omega-3 fats in the Mediterranean diet all add up to a powerful anti-inflammatory cocktail which helps to combat the raised inflammatory markers that are often observed in people with depression and anxiety.

In addition to being anti-inflammatory, the low content of sugar and refined carbohydrates in the Mediterranean diet supports better blood sugar balance. Having poorly controlled blood sugar levels or a diet high in sugar and refined carbohydrates are both known risk factors for developing depression or other mental health disorders 4.

Plant fibre is important for good gut health – and there is increasing evidence for the link between gut health and brain health. Gut microbes produce chemicals that can act directly on the brain to influence mood and it is clear from animal studies that changing the pattern of gut microbes can influence behaviour. It is also a little-known fact that the gut makes large quantities of the same neurotransmitters that are used in the brain - although it is currently unclear exactly how these may be acting on the brain. Eating a Mediterranean diet is certainly associated with having a much more diverse and healthier pattern of gut microbes.

Finally, the quality protein from fish and white meat provides essential amino acids and other nutrients that the body needs to make neurotransmitters without high levels of the more inflammatory fats that are found in red meat and dairy products.

So, what does it all add up to?

Following these few simple dietary rules may help to increase your resilience and lower your risk for developing mental health problems.

Eat an entire rainbow of different coloured plant foods every day – the different coloured plant pigments are packed full of antioxidants, nurture healthy gut bacteria and have anti-inflammatory effects.
Eat foods that contain omega-3 fats such as oily fish (eg. salmon, sardines, anchovies, trout, mackerel, herring) walnuts, chia seeds or flax seeds. Omega-3 fats may also help support anti-inflammatory processes in the body.

Reduce your consumption of sugar and refined carbohydrates (white bread, pasta, rice, and processed foods). Instead, get your carbohydrates from vegetables, fruit, wholegrains and pulses (eg lentils, beans and chickpeas) which may help to stabilise your blood sugars and also contain essential vitamins and minerals.
Reduce coffee and alcohol consumption as these may both increase levels of stress hormones and raise anxiety levels.
Regularly include foods with good sources of the essential amino acids tryptophan and phenylalanine which are needed to make the (happy and calming) neurotransmitters serotonin and GABA.
- Tryptophan (chicken, turkey, red meat, pork, tofu, fish, beans, milk, nuts, seeds, oatmeal, and eggs).
- Phenylalanine (beef, chicken, pork, tofu, fish, beans, milk, nuts, seeds, whole grains, and vegetables like sweet potatoes).
Regularly including fermented foods such as sauerkraut, live yoghurt, kimchi, kefir, tempeh, miso and kombucha may help to promote a healthy balance of gut bacteria.

In conclusion, although most of us will not find ourselves competing at the Olympics anytime soon, following the above guidelines and eating a healthy anti-inflammatory diet may help to increase resilience and improve mood as well as our overall feeling of wellbeing. For anyone who struggles to implement this or needs more help with their mental health I offer personalised dietary and lifestyle advice, supplement protocols and coaching. Please contact me via the contact form on my website or ask at the reception at Personal Best.

Future articles will cover the importance of lifestyle factors such as exercise, sleep, stress and social connection on mental health.

Iacobucci G. NHS prescribed record number of antidepressants last year BMJ 2019; 364 :l1508 doi:10.1136/bmj.l1508
The Pharmaceutical Journal, PJ, March 2021, Vol 306, No 7947;306(7947)::DOI:10.1211/PJ.2021.1.62125
Jacka, F.N., O’Neil, A., Opie, R. et al. A randomised controlled trial of dietary improvement for adults with major depression (the ‘SMILES’ trial). BMC Med 15, 23 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12916-017-0791-y
Knüppel, A., Shipley, M.J., Llewellyn, C.H. et al. Sugar intake from sweet food and beverages, common mental disorder and depression: prospective findings from the Whitehall II study. Sci Rep 7, 6287 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-05649-7

how did you start your day?

8/24/2021

“Eat a live frog first thing in the morning, and nothing worse will happen to you the rest of the day”. Mark Twain

With the school summer holidays drawing to a close, COVID restrictions being lifted and toilet roll stocks back to pre-pandemic levels we might feel that life may be getting back to normal. But what is your new normal and what routines support you?

How did you start your day? (Did you get out of the wrong side of the bed?)

Do you leap out of bed and race to the shower, or do you press snooze and roll over? Starting the day on the right note, has a massive impact on the day ahead. Creating a good morning routine will have a huge impact on you achieving your goals. The self-help guru Tony Robbins advocates creating an “Hour of Power,” “30 Minutes to Thrive,” or at least “Fifteen Minutes to Fulfilment.”

Each of these involve some light exercise, repeating motivational chants plus focussing and expressing gratitude for everything you’re grateful for: in yourself, among your family and friends and your career.

Starting your day on a positive note, sets you up perfectly for the rest of the day.
Having the right morning routine will help especially if you are looking to make changes in your lifestyle or looking to achieve optimum performance.

If you can follow a consistent and predictable sleep routine and regular mealtimes as well as being consistent with your exercise, you will give yourself a better chance at improving your quality of life!

Try this simple stretch routine, it’s a great way to start your day!

classes

8/4/2021

We are now offering 3 studio based classes each week, but due to Covid restrictions class size will be limited to 6 people and will have to be booked in advance via https://www.personalbeststudio.co.uk/book-classes.html#tmup=/p/3515255-personal-best/

To take part in these classes, you will need to register with Team Up, as all bookings and payments will go through this app (we suggest you book several weeks in advance, as they can always cancel up to 24 hours before without charge).

Online classes will continue, but the number of classes have been reduced.

CLASS TIMETABLE
STUDIO
THURSDAY 12-1PM CIRCUITS (TOM)
FRIDAY 12-1PM CIRCUITS (TOM)
FRIDAY 1-2PM STRETCH CLASS (JAMES)

ONLINE
MONDAY 12-12.30 STRETCH CLASS (CARL)
WEDNESDAY 12-12.30 STRETCH CLASS (CARL)

sign up to the newsletter here https://www.personalbeststudio.co.uk/newsletter-sign-up.html

New team members

8/4/2021

We are delighted to introduce Jason Cott as a member of our Chiropractic team. Jason graduated from the Anglo-European College of Chiropractic with a Masters Degree in Chiropractic following 5 years of study. Alongside his degree, Jason also holds awards in massage therapy, and injury prevention and rehabilitation. This background has enabled him to treat a wide variety of musculoskeletal issues; he has experience working with general and adolescent populations as well as amateur and professional athletes.

Jason’s interest in health and well-being stems from a strong passion for sport. Having played both football and Gaelic football to a high standard, Jason had been exposed to the importance of exercise and injury prevention from a young age, igniting his passion for health and human movement.

In his spare time, he enjoys exploring the Cotswolds, listening to music, practicing yoga and “rounding off the day with a good mug of tea”.

In case you missed this news, we also have a new Personal Trainer. Karl Lucas has over 10 years’ experience in the health and fitness industry. Having worked in London at various boutique gyms and exclusive personal training studios, Karl has gained a wealth of experience. As a qualified strength and conditioning coach and a certified nutrition coach, he worked predominantly with busy city executives, improving their health, strength, and body composition.

Prior to becoming a Personal Trainer, Karl was an academy footballer and a keen athlete, representing his county in sprinting and long jump. Lockdowns closed the gyms where he was based, forcing him to work online with clients, but also affording him the opportunity to reevaluate.

Moving to Gloucestershire from London with his young family for a better quality of life, Karl can maintain his online clients plus join the team at Personal Best.

When not working or looking after their baby boy, he loves cycling, tennis, snowboarding and cooking delicious food.

Salacia Baldwin has joined our reception team and will be with us on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday each week. Salacia is a Yoga teacher and maker of Vegan Cakes! We hope to be able to offer one of her classes in the autumn and maybe get to sample her delicious cakes.

spicy coconut fish

8/4/2021

This recipe features in our book which I am delighted to say is on the printing press as I type! Hope you enjoy making it.

Thanks to everyone who has pre ordered a book, we have now sold over 200 copies. As this is self-funded, we will be looking to generate as many pre orders as possible to cover, photography, design, and print. PRE ORDER HERE https://www.inspiredcookbook.co.uk/

Thanks for your support.
#inspiredcookbook

Please feel free to share this link and if you know anybody who is able to help or support this project, or might like the book for Christmas, please pass on their details to me

Life is not conquering but fighting well

8/4/2021

“The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not winning but taking part; the essential thing in life is not conquering but fighting well.”
Pierre de Coubertin, father of the modern Olympic Games

With the Olympics in full swing and team GB on track to achieve their medals target it is great to marvel at the skills, drive, determination, and joy in all the competitors across all events.

Each competitor will have a back story that many of us will never comprehend. Not just the sacrifices for 4 years (5 years this time around because of Covid), but the physical, mental, and emotional depths they must dive to secure their place in Tokyo. The added pressures of bubbles, isolation plus the absence of family and cheering fans must take some of the gloss away from the experience.

Just as the ancient Olympic Games were primarily a religious festival in honour of Zeus, the father of the Greek gods and goddesses held in Olympia, these games are a celebration and a festival which bring hope, create dreams, and inspire so many people across the globe.

Did you know that the Cotswolds had their own games that were influential in the modern day Olympics? In the early 1600’s Robert Dover came up with the idea for a modern Olympics style competition to channel some of the more competitive traits of the local people in Chipping Campden.

The 1642 Civil War curtailed most non-military or essential activities and so Dover’s Games was suspended. But following the Restoration, Charles II instantly revived the Games.

The next two hundred years saw peaks and troughs in popularity but the core activities, athletics, throwing, jumping, wrestling, horse racing and of course eating and drinking remained. Gambling of many types and fortune telling appeared from time to time, and music was ever present.

The games still take place and the next one is scheduled for 3rd June 2022. https://www.olimpickgames.co.uk/

recipe

how does food affect your mood?

how did you start your day?

classes

New team members

spicy coconut fish

Life is not conquering but fighting well

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