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Something you can do to improve your health today.....
17th November 2006
First off, I must apologise for not writing to you last Sunday.
But I have a very good excuse…
Yes, better than me falling asleep in front of the telly after Sunday lunch.
MUCH better than that.
How a broken down car led to the secret of long life!
I was taking the family out to Longleat for the day to see the lions, tigers and rhinos. In fact, I was day dreaming about leaving my eldest there, because he was playing up something rotten.
(But my day dream was ruined when I imagined 12 angry lions turning up on my doorstep and taking revenge for me ruining their day).
Anyway, other than one gripey kid, the day was going fine. Until suddenly the fan belt went, and we we're stranded in a place called Radstock.
It's only about 10 miles away from where I live, and I'd driven through it a few times, but I'd never actually set foot in it.
But something struck me while we spent an hour waiting for the AA…
And no, it wasn't a toy thrown by the kids…
It was the fact that the older people of the town looked so much healthier and robust than their counterparts back in Bristol.
Honestly, when we went to the local coal museum (ahhh - the joys of travel) for a cup of tea and some cake, the lady behind the counter grabbed me with the force of a whirlwind and marched me to 'the best table' whilst Lara and the kids struggled to keep up.
Everything she said or did was with military energy… an energy shared by the elderly couple who were sat in a corner, mouths agape, shocked that someone else was in the coal museum with them.
Every time I went to move for a spoon or a napkin (apparently shirt sleeves aren't the done thing in public according to my better half), one of the locals would rush and beat me to it.
I swear they had the vibrancy and energy of people in their forties.
So, what's their secret?
Well, maybe there's a secret spring in Radstock, bubbling with the elixir of life that keeps everyone fit and healthy. Maybe they're all 600years old, and would turn to dust the moment they stepped outside the town boundaries.
Or maybe they've all made a pact with the Devil…
“Enjoy great health and great homemade cake for 100 years in return for your soul. Just sign here.”
(Hmmm… pretty tempting. Has anyone got the Devil's phone number…?)
But I have my own theory, and it's backed up by what they told me…
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It started with a cake...
Like I said, the ONLY sensible thing I could think of doing while we waited for the AA man was have some cake. What sane person wouldn't do the same?
And I have to say, the cake I had was fantastic.
So fantastic, I had to comment on it.
A split-second later, the lady had rounded the counter and covered twenty feet to chat to me about it with justified pride.
“Oh it's homemade”, she said, “all our food's homemade…”
And with that the conversation turned to shop bought food, and eventually supermarket food.
And what a sneer that got! For a moment I thought she was going to hit me.
“We have perfectly good farmers' shops all over the place! They sell fruit and vegetables they've dug up not two hours ago, and they taste marvellous. Why would we want carrots from Spain!”
Fair point isn't it?
Why vegetables don't need passports
I guess this is becoming a little crusade of mine, but to me it makes perfect sense. And it's something we can ALL do if we just put in a little effort.
Buying local, home grown food is THE BEST way to feed your body the vitamins and nutrients it needs.
In fact, buying locally produced food is better than buying organic food that's flown thousands of miles to get to your plate.
Because any food that's spent time in the air and time on the road suffers from 'carbon poisoning'… and that's far more damaging than publicised.
And - another plain and simple fact - the longer the time the food is out of the earth or off the tree, the more nutrients it loses.
Of course, buying local AND organic is a dream combination. But if you can't get both, don't worry.
Likewise, if you want something in particular and you really can't get it locally, don't deny yourself the pleasure.
Fancy a pineapple…? Buy one that's been flown in by all means.
But apples?!! Go into your local supermarket and you'll see dozens of brands of apple - most, if not all, from abroad. And it makes me mad, because Britain produces the best apples in the world…
Russets, Pippins, Coronation… perfect. AND full of essential nutrients that haven't be bled dry by travel.
So, English strawberries in May - beats watery Californian berries in January hands down.
Asparagus in May, courgettes in July, apples from August… all year round we have fantastic seasonal produce we're MEANT to eat.
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So this weekend, why not try stocking up on:
- Apples - rich in phytochemicals (which act as antioxidants) and boron (which helps to promote bone growth). Plus, its high fibre content helps slow the release of sugars into your body, so your levels don't go haywire.
- Beetroot - rich in vitamin C, fibre, potassium, magnesium, manganese, and folic acid. The leafy tops are an excellent source of beta-carotene, iron and calcium.
- Cabbage - contains the antioxidants isothiocyanate and sulforaphane, which are thought to help in the fight against some cancers.
- Carrots - a brilliant source of Vitamin A, which helps eyesight (those Bugs Bunny cartoons were right!) and helps the body fight infection. They also contain vitamins K,C and B6, B1 and B2, calcium and potassium.
Interesting tip: don't eat carrots raw… they're more nutritious when they're cooked.
- Parsnips - I had to get my favourite in! Parsnips are a good source of Folic acid, potassium, sulphur and vitamin C - which is an ideal combination for healthy skin. They've also been linked with improving bronchial tube functioning in the lungs, so they may be an ideal food for asthma sufferers.
I could go on here (and on and on and on… just ask Lara), but you get the point.
Eat local, eat seasonal and eat organic. And let's show the supermarkets they're not quite as super as they think.
That's all for today. I'll be back again on Sunday - unless some freak accident results in me eating cake again!
Have a great weekend. Enjoy yourself, and I'll see you Sunday.
Yours as ever,
Ray Collins
The Good Life Letter
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