Author Archives: suzanneanderegg

Heatwave hacks to help you run in the sun

It is easy to lose count of the number of heatwaves we have already been sweltering through this summer as the UK keeps breaking its own records. It wasn’t that long ago that the ‘British summer’ was synonymous with having endless weeks of a rainy, dismal washout. However, now it means literally living in drought conditions with temperatures hot enough to start forest fires. Of course, most people would welcome these same high temperatures if they were on beach holiday, drinking out of straw from a coconut. Even so, it doesn’t make being stuck at home, trying to live and work in such sweaty conditions, any more bearable.  

The prospect of exercising outside and sweating even more is almost unthinkable. But what if you’ve already committed to running in some autumnal event? Working out in an overly air-conditioned gym might be one solution but it might also be an easy recipe for a summer head cold. Though the alternative of stubbornly sticking to your training schedule and running outside in the heat like a desert martyr can be particularly challenging. Luckily, there are some running, hydration and fuelling hacks that are easy to take on which can help you exercise and enjoy the outdoors safely.

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Is doing food prep while running a multitask too far?

Like many other people with busy lives, I am used to multi-tasking. Which doesn’t mean that everything always gets done well…or well, actually done. But the intention is still there and I am always on the lookout for new ways of doing things more efficiently. And as a Registered Nutritionist, an avid cook and a runner, I literally, have a lot on my plate. Which is why I read with much interest about a trend that has merged running with a bit of food prep. Now, I am used to developing recipe ideas, making mental shopping lists and solving allergy-related menu challenges whilst out on a run. I would go as far as to say that some of my best problem-solving always takes place on runs. But could the food prep also benefit as the kilometres go by? Of course, I had to take a deep dive into the trend to learn more.

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Is fibre the new protein?

I have spent more time lately thinking about fibre than I’d care to admit, but it is not entirely my fault. Because almost as a natural progression to the endorsement of anything gut-related, fibre is the buzzword of the moment. At least among health influencers, nutrition gurus and pretty much anyone with a healthy opinion. It’s as if health experts worldwide hadn’t been recommending eating a high fibre diet for the past 50 years. After all, the evidence has been crystal clear. Eating a diet high in fibre reduces the risks of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and cancer. It also aids digestion, promotes good gut health, helps to manage your weight, lower your cholesterol and keeps your blood sugar stable. So while adults have long been advised to get at least 30g fibre each day, it is suddenly being hailed as the secret to wellness. Better late than never, I guess.  

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The unstoppable rise of cabbage

As I dashed into my local supermarket to buy some last minute items, I found myself unintentionally following the latest food trend. While I queued up with my basket alongside the other hurried shoppers, my attention was drawn to the conversation ahead. Very on-trend, they agreed, while eyeballing another shopper scanning in front. But as I went to take a nosy peek, I was surprised by what I saw. It wasn’t a new protein powder, plant milk or some rogue magnesium elixir. It wasn’t a super-grain, a novel fake meat or anything remotely matcha. All I could see was a bright green pointed cabbage being swiftly bagged up. I looked down at my own wrinkly savoy and thought I must have misheard. But I soon learned that cabbage is having its moment.

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Gingerbread has gone rogue this Christmas

As we begin December and the lead up to Christmas, my attention keeps returning to food. Not about what I’m eating at any given moment or what I’m going to eat for my next meal. But I am stuck in a brain loop of sorts about the prospect of cooking and baking everything in time for Christmas. Every year, it is a logistical nightmare to find the time to bake Christmas cookies, pies and cakes, amongst work, family and holiday commitments. And the timing is pretty crucial. If you bake too early, you risk either running out of everything or being completely bored by it by the time Christmas rolls around. But if you do it too late, you will find yourself facing towers of leftover mince pies until Valentine’s Day. Then there is the big question of what to cook on Christmas day itself. Do you make the same traditional meal yet again or make the bold choice to mix it up with some new flavours and sides? It’s always a risky move to ‘go big or go home’ when you can’t hide in your own kitchen.

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