​Next week our colleague Geoff Boldero will be setting off on his Madagascan adventure as he undertakes an arduous 5-day cycle through the southern part of Madagascar to raise funds for the Air Ambulance. 

In 2008 Geoff took part in the Forest of Dean Half Marathon, a distance he had undertaken quite a few times before. However, on this occasion disaster struck and Geoff never made it to the finish line. “Medics have told me subsequently that I had an unusual breakdown of muscle tissue causing a massive chemical imbalance, which stopped my heart.” Fortunately for Geoff a fellow runner, who happened to be a consultant anaesthetist, was on hand to help keep Geoff alive and initiate his rescue! Geoff’s heart stopped beating for itself for 16 minutes and the fact he remained conscious is due to a host of other runners who took turn at CPR, thus keeping him alive. The St John’s Ambulance defibrillator was eventually deployed, and he was rushed to emergency care by the unique ability of the Air Ambulance. 

“I am of course ever grateful to all those different agents and I have given financial support appropriately, but I believe that at this 10th anniversary of the event I would like to make a special effort to raise funds for one of those for the Air Ambulance. Without their help I would not have made the recovery that I have. The organisation runs entirely upon charitable donations and I think this is a great opportunity to help the service continue and in so doing say thank you once again.”

If you would like to sponsor him, this is the link to his just giving page. https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/geoff-boldero

If our mention of Woodchester Valley Vineyard has got your taste buds tingling, then you may fancy joining this Tour and Lunch organised by Mark at the Bell in Selsley  on Saturday 29th September -11.00am “Visit the vineyards of our fantastic local wine supplier Woodchester Valley Vineyard followed by a three-course lunch. Even if you have been before it is worth visiting again as this it a busy time at the vineyard as they are harvesting and making. It is also a chance to try some of their new wines including an award-winning Sauvignon Blanc. Award winning wine and food. Surely this is a perfect way to spend a Saturday!” £42 per person (£15 deposit required on booking) info@thebellinnselsley.com

No sooner are the children back to school and our thoughts and plans turn to Christmas! Well that’s what it feels like a times as we try to plan 3, 6 and 12 months ahead, but in doing so, we must not overlook what is going on right now! In our all too busy lives we are often guilty of rushing and not taking time, our summer holidays give us an opportunity to slow down, appreciate the good things in life and reset the balance. But with a few days back at work the pace accelerates and old habits creep back. In her rush to buy dinner, decorate, pick the boys up from school, swim 100 lengths and all the other tasks that my amazing wife completes on her day off, she happened upon a recipe from a well-known supermarket. It looked simple, quick and delicious until it came to cook the meal! A scenario that is common in many households, the ingredients are bought, the kids are in bed, but when you finally get around to cooking the dinner you read the small print; prepare at least 24 hours in advance! Our ‘squeeze it all in’ lives mean that mistakes like this are all too common. We read what we want to read and not see the whole picture, hear what we want to hear and never fully understand. Say what we want to say without really thinking! Fortunately, in our case, a quick search on Google introduced to us to the simple and delicious recipe below, which encourage you all to try.

Hydrate
The benefits of hydration have been well documented, but for many, drinking the recommended eight to ten glasses of water a day can feel a chore! Try thinking of it as a medicine that can help prevent illness, keep your bones and muscles healthy, help you maintain your weight, improve brain function. This summer make water an essential part of your day with the new Personal Best Water Bottle! Never leave home without it.

Eat Fresh
Summer means fresh produce in abundance! Farmers’ market and supermarket shelves are brimming with healthy fruits and vegetables of every colour. Reserve a place on your plate every meal for fresh produce and you’re sure to reap the tasty rewards.

Transform Activities into Exercise
The warm summer weather and longer days mean that you can spend a lot of time outdoors being active. Regular exercise has been shown to improve heart health, reduce pain and improve stress. Turn simple activities like going to the shops or visiting a park into exercise by using the stairs, taking the long route or even adding in some stretches and strengthening exercises along the way!

Bring the holiday home!
A vacation to get away from work or obligations is a must this summer to re-energize and re-fuel. Once the vacation is over, it is just as important to take time out daily! Find time to sit quietly and enjoy a book and coffee in a quiet corner., take some ‘you’ time this summer to relax and rejuvenate.

Disconnect
After reading these top tips, disconnect from the internet, put down those smart phones and see a world without selfies, hashtags and videos. Enjoy life without technology and engage in conversations and activities that encourage socialising with other people.

Sleep Well
Sleep plays a vital role in your health and well-being. Getting enough quality sleep at the right times can help protect your mental and physical health. Fresh air, dark rooms and ear plugs help you get your 8 hours sleep.

This delicious has become an instant favourite in our home. Delicious flavours and textures combine to make a pleasing on the eye, sumptuous on the pallet meal for 2, (4 as a starter)
 
Ingredients
2 Corn cobs
1 1/2 tsp Extra Virgin olive oil
800g Asparagus
2 Handfuls of Salad leaves
2 tbsp Goji Berries
250g Ricotta Cheese
2 tbsp Sunflower seeds - lightly toasted in a dry pan
1 Orange
 
Honey dressing
1 ½ tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 tsp Runny Honey
2 tsp Lemon juice
1 tsp Soy sauce, or use half a tsp. flaky salt
 
Method
1.  First grill the corn and asparagus. Put a heavy-based pan on a medium–high heat until smoking hot. Brush the cobs with ½ teaspoon of the olive oil and cook them, turning them as they become golden brown. Once they’re coloured all over, or near enough, remove from the pan and leave to cool on a plate. 

2.  When cool enough to handle, cut into slices 1cm thick. (Trying to cut it with the tip end will be impossible, so sit the heel of the knife against the corn and press firmly down to cut through the core of the cob).

3. Toss the asparagus with 1 teaspoon of olive oil and cook in the pan until coloured, turning the spears as they cook. A finger-thickness spear will take about 90 seconds to cook over a high heat. Once done, remove from the pan and leave to cool. 

4. Place the goji berries in a small pan, add enough water to just cover them and bring to a simmer. Cook until the water evaporates (this rehydrates them), then leave to cool. 

5. Put all the dressing ingredients into a jar with a tight-fitting lid and shake vigorously. Taste for seasoning and add more soy or lemon juice if necessary. 

6. To serve, put the salad leaves on a platter. Sit the asparagus and corn on top. Spoon small dollops of ricotta onto the salad. Sprinkle on the sunflower seeds and goji berries. Shake the dressing again and drizzle it over. Using a fine grater, grate ½ teaspoon of zest from the orange directly on to the salad and squeeze the juice from half of the orange over the salad. Serve warm or at room temperature. 

Exercising in a community can bring a whole host of intertwined benefits that include enhancing consistency, duration, motivation, conversation and inspiration
Studies have shown that those who started a weight-loss program with friends are far more likely to complete the program, compared to those for those who try to tackle the program alone.
Group workouts can also have huge mental advantages over working out alone. While the releases of endorphins from exercise is well known, exercising in a group setting can lead to the release of endorphins outside of just physical exertion! Having fun, laughing and smiling has been shown to increase endorphin levels in studies. So when you’re in a great class with a great group of people that kind of conviviality can really make you feel fantastic!
 
Charlotte has made a series of exercise videos for golfers, but these are also hugely beneficial for those of you who spend hours at a desk or behind the wheel!  See the video above!

We are truly blessed, not only do we live in a beautiful corner of the world, but The Cotswolds, Five Valleys, Nailsworth ,surrounding villages and hamlets are all perfect examples of communities that pull together, work together and support one another.
We are proud of the ‘sub community’ that has grown around Personal Best and last week, several of the PB team and the PB community shared a fantastic few hours together, raising a bit of money for Best4Ben.
On a hot Saturday afternoon, with England playing Sweden in the quarter finals of the World Cup, 24 ‘runners’ descended upon the Black Horse Amberley. From there, they ran across the common to the Lodge, drank a pint and ran back to the Black Horse. More drinks and a BBQ followed and great fun was had by all, plus over £100 was raised for the Best4Ben cause.
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More social events are planned, including a Bike Ride for Maggie's on September 16th and a Speed Golf competition at Minchinhampton Golf Club on August 19th, further details to follow.

The recent weeks have seen a real lift in the nations mood, despite all the mayhem that revolves around Governments, Presidents and the Hokey Cokey Brexit deal. The summer sun continues to shine, bringing a smile to everyone’s face and with unexpected, unfamiliar the guarantee of good weather, families, friends and communities have shared many more moments together in the last few weeks, than they have over the last few months! 
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The power of community is well known, but never fully recognised until Dr Stewart Wolf ands team investigated a small US town called Roseto, which in the 1960’s was an anomaly in America. Whilst the rest of North America were suffering from modern world illness and disease, no one in Rosetto under the age of 55 had died of a heart attack or showed any signs of heart disease. The local death rate for men of 65 was half that of the two neighbouring towns.
 
This unexplained phenonomen drew a team of researchers led by Dr Stewart Wolf to investigate whether these amazing statistics were due to their diet, family history, exercise regimes or geographical location. Surprisingly, they found nothing different from the rest of America. In fact, the town was made up of Italian immigrants who worked in factories, smoked unfiltered cigars, and had dinner tables filled with rich Italian food and wine.
 
What Dr Wolf and his team did discover was that the inhabitants of Roseto continued to hold on to their traditional ways. The majority of households had three generations living under one roof. Eighty percent of men were members of at least one community group and there were 22 separate civic organisations in a town of less than 2000 people! Townsfolk would gather in each other’s kitchens, play cards and simply talk. When problems arose, there was no secrecy and friends and family rallied. The corner stone of Roseto life was family.
 
Over the next decade the Rosetan lifestyle became more westernised. The generational homes broke up, and by 1971, when lavish houses, expensive cars and swimming pools appeared, the first person under the age of 55 died of a heart attack. By the 1980s, the rate of fatal heart attacks in Roseto was the same as the rest of the country.
 
When Roseto’s traditional close-knit, mutually supportive social structure began to crumble, the town’s immunity to death from heart attacks gradually came to an end. Social Support Promotes Good Health!

We are delighted to announce that Kirsten O’Neil has joined the team. Kirsten is a qualified in Personal Trainer and has worked in various gym as a fitness instructor. Having completed her studies in GP Referral, she realised that she wanted to follow a more rehab-based path. Sher is qualified Level 4 Sports Massage therapist abd has recently completed a course in myofascial cupping as an additional tool to her treatments.
 
Kirsten has experience working with elderly patients in an inpatient setting, providing rehabilitation as well as her sports massage work, so her approach to massage and training is more balanced and the main goal is to educate clients - not just treat them.

Kirsten has always loved spending time outdoors and enjoys exploring new places for walking; she also likes to keep fit by going to the gym and challenges herself by doing bouldering too.

Her lifestyle isn't all about fitness. She adores spending time with her pets as well as experimenting with cooking, learning new plant-based alternatives and nutrition.  She even has a keen eye for art and photography."
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Kirsten will be available
Every Monday from 4pm until 7.30pm.
Thursday from 4.30pm until 8pm.

As an introductory offer, we would like to offer you 20% off your first Sports Massage with Kirsten. 
Should these times not suit you, we are also able to offer you a Sports Massage with Caroline Mudd on the following days:

Caroline
Monday 6.30am until 12pm
Tuesday 4.15pm until 7.30pm
Friday 6.30am until 12.45pm

Wednesday  JJ Cook 12 – 1pm
Friday JJ Cook 1 – 5.30pm
Saturday JJ Cook times vary