< Previous40 LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY HEALTH & FITNESS Stepping out in the summer sun As the mercury rises on these lazy-hazy-crazy days of summer, Lincolnshire Today considers the advantages of, and how to stay safe while, exercising outdoors. As the mercury rises on these lazy-hazy-crazy days of summer, Lincolnshire Today considers the advantages of, and how to stay safe while, exercising outdoors. Stepping out in the summer sun 40-41.qxp_Layout 1 29/07/2020 12:06 Page 1LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY 41 HEALTH & FITNESS © Shutterstock /Dirima Lockdown saw many set aside extra time for fitness, especially outdoor exercise. As we now sit in summer, even more will be tempted to step out the door and leave behind the living room in favour of a run at the park, countryside, or beach. Exercising outside in the summer has a number of benefits such as increasing vitamin D exposure and boosting psychological wellbeing, while longer days and more sunlight make activities safer. Exercising in the season’s hotter weather also, thanks to heightened sweating, helps remove toxins from the body and sees muscles become warmer and elastic quicker, reducing chance of injury as muscles are softer, prepped and heated for workouts. Additionally the season presents a new realm of activities like paddle boarding and a wider range of usable environments like beaches. These perks come on top of others related to outdoor workouts, including intensified exercise due to a varying environment - when running outside, one will experience slight inclines and bumps that treadmills do not account for. Stress and anxiety reduction are also connected to outside exercise and embracing the great outdoors has been shown to benefit memory. As temperatures rise however, fitness routines will need to be adapted. Staying safe when the days heat up Summer exercise comes with new risks, especially for older adults who are particularly vulnerable to the effects of heat while working out. Exertional heatstroke can occur for example, when you cannot lose enough heat to balance out that that is being created by muscles in exercise, and the body overheats. It is important to ease into summer training and begin with a shorter routine duration and decreased intensity. It can take over ten days to acclimate to hot weather, which naturally increases the intensity of a workout. If it is not only hot, but humid, further issues can occur, with less sweat able to evaporate from the skin in these conditions, inhibiting natural cooling systems. In such a situation one must act to prevent overheating, heat exhaustion and heatstroke. Many of these actions are unconscious; simply slowing down or stopping, splashing oneself with cold water, or taking a break in the shade. One might also have an ice-cold drink or put feet and hands into cold water. With the body more vulnerable in hot weather, it is important to listen to it and not push too hard in hot and humid environments. Symptoms like weakness, nausea, headache, light- headedness, muscle cramps, and excessive sweating are warning signs from the body of heat related illness and one should rest in the shade and rehydrate. If your condition becomes serious, medical help should be sought. Other ways to beat the heat include choosing the right time of day to exercise, namely in the morning or evening to avoid the hottest parts of the day as well as peak times for sunburn when the sun’s rays are their strongest. By exercising in the morning or evening one can also tailor a routine to suit the time, with for example a morning jog utilised to energise yourself for the day, or yoga in the park in the evening to wind down and destress. The morning is generally the most recommended time for exercise in the summer, with lower levels of humidity and cooler temperatures. Added positives of setting off first thing encompass cleaner air and higher energy levels. Moreover, look to complete training in the shade to keep your body temperature lower or by the beach shoreline for a breeze, and select activities better suited to the weather of the day such as biking on humid days to gain the benefits of the wind. With summer also seeing the body get dehydrated easily and the quick loss of essential minerals, fluids are crucial. To mitigate dehydration, replace sweat, and fuel the body, drink plenty of water, or sports/electrolyte drinks when completing intense workouts to replace the sodium, chloride and potassium lost when sweating. Selecting the right clothing is vital too. Look to wear loose, breathable, sweat-wicking, lightweight clothes/materials in light colours that allow air to cool the body and sweat to evaporate. These materials will furthermore prevent skin irritation and heat rash. It is advised to avoid cotton items that will soak up sweat and leave clothes wet and choose a fabric that will pull sweat away from the skin to keep it cool. A hat is also key to protect the face and head and it is a sound idea to bring a cloth along with you to dampen to cool your head. To top off your summer workout essentials, remember some sun cream, preferably with a formula that is sweat resistant, to protect skin and avoid burning while stopping sun cream running into the eyes. 40-41.qxp_Layout 1 29/07/2020 12:06 Page 242 LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY © Shutterstock /Studio 72 medicines. While we’re not saying these treatments are any better (or less) than their modern counterparts, though it does offer an alternative. And that’s the crucial word to bear in mind – alternative. It’s important to keep perspective on this sort of thing. It’s only over the last five decades that Britain has become a smorgasbord of food culture. There was a time when olive oil was sold in chemists, now it’s difficult to conceive of a kitchen without a bottle on the countertop or cupboard. Healthcare is a similar quandary. The NHS, over-encumbered at present as it is, is the keystone of our physical and emotional wellbeing. Though excessive delays for beds, exhausted Holistic help Practitioners and believers of holistic medicine are often viewed as caricatures in the mainstream, relegated to an image of sandal wearing, soy fancying hippies with a far-out dress sense and politics about as far left as you can get. But, in reality, those interested in the holistic branch of medicine are as varied a bunch of people as you could possibly hope to meet. Take Chinese medicine, for example. Modern medicine alone can’t undo thousands of years of evidence and longevity, but should rather build upon it. It’s interesting to note that more and more breakthroughs are rooted in traditional With the coronavirus outbreak and a greater emphasis on wellbeing, more and more people are turning to holistic medicines to combat everything from insomnia and anxiety to aches and pains. 42-43.qxp_Layout 1 29/07/2020 12:08 Page 1LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY 43 HOLISTIC MEDICINE doctors and a general disarray have done much to dispel the public’s faith in the Service, it is as emblematic of being British as The Beatles, coastal retreats and tolerance (apparently). What detractors might miss is that holistic therapies aren’t faddish, psychosomatic perhaps, but certainly beneficial. Massage therapy falls under this banner, and you need only speak to an injured sportsman to hear the many benefits of massage. Anyone who’s ever suffered the gnawing pain of an ear ache or infection will likely have lit an ear candle, another therapy that falls under the holistic banner. It’s more than simply repairing or rejuvenating the body, focussing as much on the mind and overall wellbeing than a quick fix. Once seen but never spoken about, mental health has thrown free its shackles and fled into the public consciousness. For those living with depression, anxiety or any other mental illnesses, simply living can be a lonely and debilitating experience. Depression, in particular, is especially cruel in the way it casts a lengthening shadow over a person, pushing them deeper and deeper into a black hole of despair, desperation and, finally, nothingness. It strips away the layers of a personality, leaving an individual numb. We’re not knocking antidepressants, far from it, but for some sufferers, they only exacerbate symptoms and create new ones in the process. Holistic options open up a whole new avenue to explore, one which can be overseen by a GP or qualified healthcare practitioner. Some of the best holistic practices will often boast their own qualified staff with ample experience in dealing with mental health issues. Contemporary and holistic treatments can, of course, be used in tandem. For depression, this could be the best option. Recent research have shown that regular yoga may not have an instant benefit for suffers, but the accumulative effect can be highly beneficial. Coupled with a treatment of antidepressants, and a sufferer may be well on their way to a more balanced brain. Perhaps the presiding image of holistic therapy is the much misunderstood practice of acupuncture. Needles in general conjure the cold clammy hands and nausea of childhood injections, though the reality of acupuncture is purely therapeutic. Devised from ancient Chinese tradition, acupuncture sees fine needles inserted into specific parts of the body, stimulating sensory nerves under the skin and in the muscle, or, keeping things spiritual, chakras. Chakras are the seven centres of spiritual power in the human body and crop up frequently across holistic medicine. To caution oneself off from holistic therapies is to deny access to emotional, spiritual and physical wellbeing. It’s not any better or less than modern medicine, but it does offer an alternative or, better yet, a means to supplement other forms of healthcare and wellbeing. Surely with the coronavirus crisis till ongoing, that’s something we should all be advocating? © Shutterstock /Kerdkanno © Shutterstock /Africa Studio 42-43.qxp_Layout 1 29/07/2020 12:08 Page 244 LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY FOOD & DINING If you were to make a list of all the things you’ve missed during lockdown, chances are eating out would be in the top five – if it didn’t take the top spot. Before the pandemic struck, many of us were regularly enjoying meals out right across the county. Indeed, aside from Christmas and Easter, summer is supposed to be one of the busiest times for restaurants as they offer alfresco experiences and make the most of seasonal local produce. Sadly, the first half of summer was all but wiped out for the hospitality sector as the lockdown came into effect and restaurants were forced to close in late March. During this protracted three-month period, many restaurants transitioned to Dining out post-lockdown With lockdown all but ended, restaurants have been able to once again welcome diners. We explore how the government is incentivising people to visit eateries and how venues are keeping diners safe. 44-47.qxp_Layout 1 29/07/2020 16:24 Page 1LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY 45 FOOD & DINING offering take-away. For some restaurants in Lincolnshire, it was a matter of scaling up existing services – such as increasing menu offering and delivery distance – but many others were offering take-away services for the first time. Others took more proactive measures, such as offering curated boxes of local produce direct to customers. All in all, it’s been a long lockdown for restaurant owners and their dedicated staff. The announcement that restaurants and pubs could finally open from 4 July came as welcome news. In order to open, however, establishments are required to put social distancing measures in place – although Boris Johnson announced at the same time that the two-metre rule had been downgraded to ‘one-metre plus’. So while the majority of our favourite eateries are open once more, there’s no denying that things look and feel different than they did before the outbreak. It’s understandable that, despite these measures, readers might still be anxious or have other reservations about visiting restaurants. If you’re uncomfortable interacting with too many people or going to public places again, that’s absolutely fine. Yet if you’re imagining restaurants will be packed with people, then let us just reassure you that that’s simply not the case. There’s less tables and those that are set have been placed further apart. All the correct PPE and sanitation are being used and robust cleaning routines are in place. To help get people back in restaurants and supporting the economy again, the government has launched an ‘Eat Out to Help Out’ scheme. The scheme is aimed at the general public to take a 50% discount (up to a maximum of £10 per person) to diners for food or non- alcoholic drinks to eat in. The scheme officially begins on August 3 and runs all through the month, ending on the 31. As we’ve already said, summer is supposed to be one of the busiest times for restaurants and this scheme will go some way to helping restaurants. It will run all day every Monday, Tuesday and 47 Á © Shutterstock /dotshock © Shutterstock /Drazen Zigic 44-47.qxp_Layout 1 29/07/2020 16:24 Page 2Home Delivery & Take away With 27 well appointed Bedrooms, a Restaurant with A la Carte menu and a Bar offering a range of Guest Ales and Bar Meals as well as a Gym with Sauna, Wireless Internet Access and Free Onsite Car Parking, Millfields Hotel is always a great choice for Business or Pleasure all year round. Millfields Hotel, 53 Bargate, Grimsby, North East Lincolnshire DN34 5AD T: 01472 356068 E: info@millfieldshotel.co.uk W: www.millfieldshotel.co.uk Bargate 53 Restaurant, brasserie and bar area offer residents and non-residents a choice of freshly prepared dishes using locally sourced, quality ingredients. Whether you are in the mood for a quick light bite, satisfying steak or traditional Sunday roast, we have a fantastic choice plus great wines and ales to accompany your food. Deliciously Deliciously Lincolnshire Platinum Awarded for outstanding quality and service by LincolnshireToday award WWW.LINCOLNSHIRETODAY.NET The very best in fine dining WE ARE OPEN SERVING FOOD AND DRINKS Serving Times Morning Menu Monday to Saturday - 9.00am to 12.00pm Lunch Menu Monday to Friday - 12.00pm to 4.00pm Bar Menu Monday to Friday - 4.00pm to 9.30pm Saturday - 12.00pm to 9.30pm Evening Menu Monday to Saturday - 5.00pm to 9.30pm Afternoon Tea Monday to Saturday - 2.00pm to 5.00pm Sunday Lunch Menu Sundays - 12.00pm to 3.00pm Horncastle Cake Art & Hobby House Everything for the Crafter Cake Decorations, Knitting, Crochet, Felt, Ribbons & more www.horncastlecakeart.co.uk 25 North Street, Horncastle, Lincolnshire LN9 5DX Tel: 01507 525926/522659 The Red Lion, 62 High Street, Caythorpe, Lincolnshire NG32 3DN Tel: 01400 272632 • hello@redlioncaythorpe.com www.redlioncaythorpe.com Find us on facebook @theredlioncaythorpe for upcoming events The Red Lion Sunday Lunch Continuing with our free home delivery service, with regularly changing menus, check website for information Gift vouchers available Come in, relax and enjoy up to £10 off food and non-alcoholic drinks per person. *Terms apply Up to £10 OFF* PER PERSON Mon-Wed Our well loved Sunday Lunch is available to eat in or take away every Sunday from 12pm-6pm Sunday lunch can also be delivered locally 44-47.qxp_Layout 1 30/07/2020 11:41 Page 3LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY 47 FOOD & DINING Wednesday. It’s also worth noting that there is no limit to the number of times customers can use the offer during the aforementioned period. Where restaurant bosses themselves are concerned, the discount is claimed from the government via a cash rebate and the income will be taxable as normal and VAT will be due on the entire amount. So long as a restaurant sells food for immediate consumption on the premises; provides its dining area or shares a dining area with another establishment for eat-in meals, and was registered as a food business with the relevant local authority on or before 7 July, a restaurant can be registered for the scheme. With social distancing measures in place, and with the government’s inciting discount offer, dining out should once again seem like an attractive, exciting prospect. If you’re not showing any signs of symptoms and are comfortable being out and about again, why not head to one of your favourite restaurants, or even try a new one? By doing so you’ll be supporting local businesses and livelihoods whilst getting a great meal in the process. Just be sure and check about booking beforehand. © Shutterstock /V iew Apart © Shutterstock /David T adevosian 44-47.qxp_Layout 1 29/07/2020 16:25 Page 448 LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY FOOD & DINING Summer favourites Quick, easy and nutritious is the name of the game this time of year. We’ve rounded up a few of our tried and tested favourites that are sure to delight the family. You’ll Need: 1 Bag Baby Watercress 250g Halloumi cheese 1 Red Pepper 1 Aubergine 3 tbsp Olive Oil 1⁄2 tsp Sesame Oil 1⁄2 Lemon Salt and Pepper What to do: Preheat the oven to 200°C. Cube the red pepper and aubergine and place into a roasting tin with 3tbsp olive oil. Season vegetables with salt and pepper, then place in the oven for 20to 25 minutes until cooked through. Make the dressing by combining the sesame oil and juice of the lemon then season. Heat a frying pan with 1 tbsp olive oil. Cut the halloumi into 2cm slices then fry until golden brown on each side for two to three minutes. Place the Baby Watercress in a bowl and toss with the dressing. Courtesy of Steve’s Leaves Warm halloumi, with baby watercress aubergine and pepper 48-51.qxp_Layout 1 29/07/2020 12:13 Page 1LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY 49 FOOD & DINING You’ll Need: 1 cup red-split lentils 1/4 cup green lentils 1/4 cup yellow lentils 1 red onion (finely diced) 5 large closed-cup mushrooms (roughly chopped) 1 tbsp soy sauce 4 tbsp tomato purée 4 garlic cloves (crushed) 1 vegetable stock cube 1 heaped tbsp nutritional yeast 1 tsp olive oil Lentil Bolognese by That Vegan Girl What to do: 1) Add all your lentils to a deep-set pan and cover with boiled water. Boil for 10- 15 minutes and leave to simmer for a further 30 minutes. In a frying pan heat your olive oil and add your mushrooms and onion. Stir until softened and remove from heat. 2) Add your mushrooms and onion to your lentils and add all other ingredients. (You may need to remove or add water to your pot of lentils depending on the consistency you’d like). 3) Boil a generous amount of wholewheat pasta until aldente; drain, and serve with your lentil Bolognese and top with fresh basil leaves, a creamy garlic dip made with Hellmann’s vegan mayo, garlic, and parsley; and sprinkle some grated plant-based cheese. Enjoy! Discover more delicious plant-based recipes by visiting www.facebook.com/thatvegangirl2020 or by following @_that_vegan_girl_ on Instagram. This delicious plant- based recipe comes courtesy of local cook, That Vegan Girl. In her own words, this one is absolutely “epic!”. 48-51.qxp_Layout 1 29/07/2020 12:13 Page 2Next >