You might find something you’ll love. I did, says Mel Mitchell, who was dubious about enjoying an ‘aerial hoop’ fitness class.
Having worked my way through my own journey back to fitness, I thought I would talk about ways to get back to exercise post-covid. It’s safe to say the road to recovery will be different for everyone, and is dependant on a number of factors including the severity of the symptoms.
Covid as we all know affects the respiratory system – I was lucky enough to suffer only mild symptoms but even I was surprised how much it affected my breathing and chest during exercise.
Too much, too soon. My advice would be to wait until you feel better and are free of symptoms before you begin exercising again. The tendency is to go straight back to the old routine, especially once you are out of isolation and have your new found freedom. In hindsight, I probably returned to exercise too quickly. My chest definitely wasn’t prepared for my first CrossFit competition back that’s for sure! It’s important to listen to your body – at the end of the day, you are the best judge of how much you feel is enough. But even if you feel like you are fully recovered, adopting a slow return to fitness is definitely the best approach. I made the mistake of assuming I was recovered enough to go straight back to the high intensity workouts that I was doing prior to getting covid. How wrong was I!
I ended up coughing and wheezing and feeling a lot more fatigued than normal for a full week after I thought I was fully recovered. Getting back to exercise too soon and too hard may ultimately lengthen your recovery. Start off slowly and work upwards, gradually building the intensity and length of your workouts over a number of weeks. Listen to your body, and if symptoms return ensure you take a step back and rest. There is still a lot we don’t know about the affects of covid and it will inevitably affect individuals in different ways. The key is to be patient, which I know can be difficult especially if you are anything like me and are used to being so active!
…but we need more volunteers and more progressive action from town councils copying successful schemes elsewhere, insists Rupert Hardy, chair of North Dorset Council for the Protection of Rural England (CPRE)
Community-owned Thorncombe Village Shop
Over the last decade or two there has been huge growth in community-led ventures in Dorset, as well as the rest of the UK.
The drivers for this have been the reduction in services offered by local authorities, particularly during the austerity years following the 2008 financial crisis, when government cut back massively on its financial support to local government, with, for example, subsidies for local bus services being cut. More onerous drink-drive laws affecting pubs, the growth of supermarkets undercutting traditional village stores, successive governments reducing the provision of social housing and a need to provide roof-mounted renewable energy that will not desecrate Dorset’s beautiful countryside, have all been factors.
An increase in ‘belonging’
At the same time growing life expectancy has meant that more retirees have the time and energy to support volunteering and community- led activities, usually on a voluntary, unpaid, basis. Innovation in ownership structures and arguably greater altruism have all helped too. Across the UK more people feel they are part of their local community, with around a third acknowledging that Covid has increased their sense of belonging.
There has been a growing realisation that communities need to act to reduce loneliness and isolation as the government has been slow to address longstanding issues, such as mental health.
The list of community-led or owned activities is long: community-owned pubs and shops; community transport; community land trusts; community energy groups; community kitchens and myriad other groups.
Dorset CPRE has been active in promoting many of these too, as we believe in community engagement and localism, opposing a government that remains too focused on centralisation and control of power.
Genuinely affordable homes… Community-led housing covers a range of models, but community land trusts (CLT) may be the most significant, involving local people creating genuinely affordable homes on a non-profit basis. The concept was borrowed from the USA, where it was developed strongly during the civil rights movement era. The first community land trust in Dorset was set up more than a decade ago in Buckland Newton, but there are now over 20 here, with seven actually housing people. Oliver Letwin, the MP, was a great supporter of the concept. There are examples in Gillingham, Sturminster Newton and Fontmell Magna, while our Sherborne CPRE group is supporting a new one which hopes to take advantage of Sherborne Castle Estate’s wish to provide sites. Hastoe Housing Association manage many of the properties in Dorset.
Dorset CPRE support pubs and village shops, which are the beating hearts of our village communities, but they have been threatened by many factors, with COVID lockdowns affecting pubs brutally. There are several community- owned pubs in Dorset and I am happy to eat at one in Shapwick, The Anchor, which produces delicious food. The designation of pubs threatened with closure as ‘Assets of Common Value’ has helped in their growth. Dorset CPRE run and judge the Best Village Shop competition in Dorset, and a number of community-led shops, such as Thorncombe Village Shop have won prizes. The Plunkett Foundation has been instrumental in getting such ventures off the ground, and there are now over 350 in the UK. They succeed as they engage the community, who are more likely to shop there, and they stimulate social activity. There are also community kitchens, such as Sherborne Community Kitchen created in Sherborne during Covid to help the vulnerable, staffed by volunteers. Most towns have community food banks too, such as Blandford and Gillingham, but without volunteers they would not exist.
Dorset Community Transport Minibus at Blandford
…and affordable solar panels The phasing-out of domestic solar panel subsidies in recent years meant that individuals became reluctant installers, despite falling panel prices, while cash-strapped local authorities were unable to help. However, community energy groups have sprung up with the goal of offering panels at very competitive rates. It is a growing movement in which energy generation is owned not by large industrial companies but by local communities, with the profits invested back into the community. Last March Sustainable Swanage and community energy group, Purbeck Energy, launched a project, Solar Streets, to offer Swanage residents, as well as surrounding villages, the chance to get solar panels for their properties at discounted rates. They are using a company, IDDEA, which has already installed 1,000 panels across southern England. The Swanage Mayor, Mike Bonfield, is fully supportive and praised it as a ‘brilliant scheme’. Swanage Town Council funds the Sustainable Swanage Projects Officer. How about some of our North Dorset towns doing the same?
Friends Supporting the Community- Owned Anchor Pub at Shapwick
Local transport schemes?
In the last decade a number of community transport schemes have got off the ground in Dorset towns and villages. This is in response to less public transport and the need to reduce rural isolation.
It would be great if government were to fund better public transport, but the chance of this happening appears remote. Dorset Community Transport, based in Blandford, runs 50 minibuses across the county helping schools and groups. They are largely funded by Town and Parish Councils, and stepped in take over some of the bus routes which commercial operators pulled out of in 2017 after more subsidy cuts. Bere Regis NeighbourCar offers a service run by volunteers using their own cars, for ‘anyone with transport difficulties’, while Milton Abbas runs a similar scheme. They both pay volunteers expenses.
DC now run a website to promote all community transport schemes, as well as offering £5,000 to fund new schemes. Overall, it would be fantastic if more people came forward as volunteers so we can sustain the community spirit developed during Covid. Communities need you more than ever!
Some of the healthiest foods can be the most inexpensive. Nutritional Therapist Karen Geary explores the options for cheap protein and veg.
A 500g pack of dried red lentils is less than £1.50 – enough for an 8-12 person portion of lentil dahl
As the inflation squeeze on budgets becomes more widespread, it is hard not to notice the rising cost of the household food shopping bill. Healthy eating is not all chia seeds and turmeric lattes. With that in mind I’ve taken a run through of highly nutritious foods that won’t break the bank.
Beans and legumes
These are some of the most under-rated foods we can buy. High in fibre, B vitamins and minerals, they are an excellent source of protein; great if you are trying to reduce your consumption of meat, and when paired with grains like rice they become a ‘complete’ source of protein. If you follow the diets of the Blue Zones, you will already know that beans are the cornerstone of their longevity diets. 100g cooked portion of beans or legumes contains between 9g and 16g of protein, depending upon your choice. There is also some evidence that beans may support healthy blood sugar and cholesterol levels, as well as healthy gut function.
A 500g pack of dried red lentils is less than £1.50 – enough for an 8-12 portion lentil curry. Most ready-to-serve 400g canned beans in water are under £1 a can, and may come up cheaper in multi-packs. Cannellini (white) beans make for a great base for soups when blended with stock, and the possibilities are endless for bean chillis and salads.
400g canned beans in water are under £1 a can.
And don’t forget frozen edamame beans – they are not just an alternative to peas. They pack a whopping 13g of protein per 100g and are therefore a great cheap replacement for animal protein and are extremely filling.
Avoiding flatulence!
Some people suffer with wind and bloating when they eat beans and lentils. It is best to increase your intake gradually, starting with 1⁄4 cup at a time and working up. If you are using ready-cooked legumes/lentils, always rinse and drain before eating. Try adding cumin, fennel, ginger or turmeric to meals as they can aid digestion.
If you are using dried beans or lentils, always, always soak them overnight especially red kidney beans, which contain a toxic lectin which is poisonous. Soaking also helps to neutralise a compound called phytic acid, an anti-nutrient which can reduce the absorption of minerals. Soaking may also help to reduce bloating.
Fruit and vegetables
Frozen fruits and veg are just as healthy, if not healthier than fresh, as they are frozen immediately upon picking, retaining key nutrients. Frozen berries can be up to 40% cheaper than fresh – and they are an easy addition to breakfast time with yogurt, smoothies or even added to pancake batter.
Frozen veg is a family staple and can be found from around £1 for a mixed bag – excellent in stir fries and casseroles.
Wonky veg or ‘not quite perfect’, as the supermarkets call them, are cheaper, as is buying what is left at the end of the day – sometimes it is fun to try something different and the diversity is good for us. Farmers markets can also be cheaper than the supermarket.
How to use leftovers
What can you do with left over veg? Pulverise it all together in a food processor and store in a small snack bag or an ice cube tray. Add a few cubes to thicken sauces in casseroles, or add one spoon to a smoothie – an excellent way of using left-overs while getting extra nutrients in.
Buy from the farm
We are so lucky in Dorset to have farms on our doorstep who sell directly to the public; often far cheaper than the supermarket. Not every farm has a shop but sometimes will sell to you directly.
Make your own ‘milk’.
Last time I looked, some plant milks are twice the price of dairy, and are far less nutritious. But some people cannot or prefer not to eat dairy. It is rare to find shop-bought plant milk without additives. 250g of hemp seeds is around £2 – roughly the price of a carton of the higher end plant milks, yet will yield four times as much milk if you have a blender and are prepared to invest £6 in a nut milk bag. Add a date and pinch of salt and it is better than your shop bought version (recipe here).
Stress responses are as old as the human race – but even without the threat of actually being eaten, we still sometimes struggle with the effects of a stress response, says Dee Swinton of Dorset Mind.
shutterstock
Stress Awareness Month is fast approaching (April), and it’s a chance to take stock and check how we’re doing. Thanks to the pandemic, many of us have been experiencing a heightened level of stress and anxiety. Understanding this and being able to manage our stress is an important tool that can help to mitigate the effects stress has on our mental and physical wellbeing.
What is stress?
Stress is what happens as a result of our body’s ‘Fight or Flight’ response to a threat. Back in the stone age this response would help us to quickly get away from predators. Nowadays, despite the lack of saber- toothed tigers, this response can still be triggered. It will of course be due to a wide range of less feral life stressors: work, money, family… just life in general. It is important to note that a little bit of stress in our lives can be helpful; it’s what drives us to achieve our goals.
However, when our stress levels rise and we find ourselves moving towards being overwhelmed, it is important to reduce symptoms by using and utilizing various resources and techniques. One of the best of these is learning about our ‘Stress Container’ which can help us to visualise and contextualise our stress.
The Stress Container
As we go about our lives we’re exposed to a wide range of stressors, some of which we unintentionally keep with us and collect as we go, just like a sink collects water. This ‘sink’ represents our stress container, and the water is the stress. This stress can come from different ‘taps’ – different life stressors; one tap for example could denote our anxiety surrounding the recent pandemic, one could represent having to adjust to new restrictions. Another could be a difficult relationship. If not managed, our containers can overflow, which is when problems arise. The amount our sink we can hold differs from person to person. One person maybe be able to collect more water before overflowing than another.
How to release the pressure:
Unblocking our sinks and letting some water out, even only a little at a time, is possible. When we feel that our containers are getting too full, we can take positive steps to reduce it. This can be achieved through positive actions such as getting active, connecting with nature, talking to friends and family. Or why not try out a new hobby or mindfulness/ yoga and see how it affects your stress levels?
Support
If your stress levels become unmanageable, or your mental health starts to affect your daily functioning, the first step is to contact your GP. You can also find our support via this link.
If you reach a crisis, or need emotional support, ring the Samaritans FREE on 116 123, 24 hours a day.
Most of us are ‘followers’, according to socioligists, and these fall into five categories. But only one is the most effective, argues North Dorset Lib Dems Parliamentary Spokesman Gary Jackson.
We all know leadership when we see it, but much less is said about ‘followership’ – especially about the people who can change our government’s direction.
Until the next general election these ‘followers’ are Conservative MPs. Back in 1988, Professor Robert Kelley wrote about the importance of followership to organisational success, and described five types of followers. First are the unthinking, docile followers who are the ‘sheep’. A second group are the ‘alienated’; independent thinkers who have been turned off. They are cynical, give only grudging support, but seldom openly oppose their leader. Third are the ‘yes people’ who completely depend on their leader for inspiration and are aggressively protective. There is a fourth type that sit in the middle; ‘survivors’ who blow with the wind and seek only to survive change. I don’t see too many sheep in parliament, but I’m worried by the numbers of the alienated, the yes people, and the survivors on the Government’s benches.
The most effective follower!
But there’s one more type of follower, the last and best type is described simply as “effective”. Active, independent, critical thinkers. They manage themselves. They are courageous, honest and credible. They are engaged, well- balanced and responsible adults who succeed without micro- management. Volunteers with a purpose tend to be in this camp. These are the people that get things done and improve their communities.
Organisations only thrive when they have effective followers, as well as leaders. We surely want our political representatives to be the effective type. So, my call to all of us is to follow with independent, critical judgement and a will to make things better. Make sure you’re following the right vision and the right leader. As Liberal Democrats, we’d be really pleased to see you join us.
The word millionaire is an abscenity when so many are literally having to choose between eating and heating argues the Green Party’s Ken Huggins.
The rise in energy prices for consumers is driven by fossil fuels, notably gas, and reflects an unstable political and economic environment. It illustrates the need to build better insulated houses, accelerate the switch to renewable energy, and reduce dependence on fossil fuels with their wildly fluctuating prices. Few people would argue with that, but there is less awareness that there is no such thing as fuel poverty, food poverty etc – there is simply across-the-board poverty for households whose income falls below their needs. Needs, not wants.
How is this possible in a rich country like the UK? It stems from our wildly inegalitarian society, and the Green Party believe the words millionaire or billionaire should be viewed as an obscenity when so many people are literally having to choose between eating and heating. We will never get society-wide support for the radical measures needed to halt global heating unless they go hand in hand with a much fairer and more equal society. Currently the rich squander the world’s resources on ostentatious overconsumption, while the poor cannot afford to be part of a ‘collective effort’ when they have so little already.
A solid, far-reaching plan
In the short term a responsible government would bring in windfall taxes on the large energy companies, raise taxes for rich individuals and use much of the revenue to help struggling households through the crisis. The focus should then move to funding retrofitting of home insulation at zero cost for households in need, along with regulation requiring all new construction to be fully insulated, not reliant on gas boilers, and fitted with solar panels. Locally we need to put aside reservations about solar farms and windfarms, and start approving them on all suitable sites. Energy produced and consumed locally helps protect us from global shocks.
Why have we closed the door to the Ukrainian refugeees?, asks Labour’s Pat Osborne
People in North Dorset, especially the families of British service men and women, will have breathed a sigh of relief at Defence Secretary Ben Wallace’s announcement that we won’t be sending British troops to fight the Russians in Ukraine. Not least because most of us recognise that it would be madness to consider going to war with Russia when there is such a high risk of coming off second best. But it is important nonetheless that the world stands united against Putin’s war, and the hefty economic sanctions that the international community have now imposed on Russia will hopefully go some way in encouraging Russia back to the negotiating table. While ordinary Ukrainians are being issued with guns and civilians conscripted into doing their bit to defend their country, their democratic freedoms and the country’s abundant natural resources, the British Government have pledged that they will be supported to “fight every street with every piece of equipment we can get to them”.
No asylum for Ukrainians
At the same time, the UK has stopped accepting visa applications from Ukrainians, meaning that there is no safe or legal route for them to seek asylum in Britain unless they have British relatives. Priti Patel’s Nationality and Borders Bill will seek to make this even more difficult by effectively criminalising refugees attempting to find a way through to safety.
It would seem that for the Tories, standing united against Putin’s war means fighting down to the very last Ukrainian while putting a double bolt on their routes to safety. Our history shows that time and again we can be better allies than that. The Ukrainian people need better allies and the British people deserve a better Government.
Cllr Pat Osborne Labour’s former Parliamentary Candidate for North Dorset
