Urban Smoothie Bikes

My daughter Becky making a pedal powered smoothie

Everyone knows how healthy smoothies are for us.  Everyone knows cycling is an equally healthy way of going from A to B.  Put them together and you get a fresh and really good pedal powered smoothie.  Here we see the Urban Smoothie Bikes at the local Family Cycling Festival last Sunday.

What is it?

You need an adapted bicycle with a Fender Blender.  This is a special gizmo with a little roller that is driven by the bicycle tyre and in turn causes the blender to whiz around and make your smoothie.

These gizmos are called Fender Blenders (and must be North American!?) and available more locally from http://www.urbansmoothiebikes.co.uk .

It seems a well made piece of equipment that was certainly being put through its paces.

It reminded me of our Kenwood bomb-proof mixer which has an attachment which looks very similar.

There's a glass jug with a built in blade - you simply put your chosen pieces of fruit in, plus a little fruit juice and then pedal like crazy for a few minutes.

What kinds of smoothies can you make?
I guess the answer is the same for this as any other smoothie maker.  On the stand at the Cycle Festival, there was a choice of smoothie you could have.  In practice it was boring grown-ups like me saying "yeah may I have a mango smoothie please" quickly followed by the ingredients being put in, all free of charge.  You will typically get some mango pieces, banana pieces and apple or mango juice as the base.  Then you need your teenage daughter for some high speed pedalling.

Urban Smoothie Bikes

I chatted to the proprietor, Murat Basaron, who's a really nice guy.  He clearly loves what he's doing and the whole thing brings a smile to everyone who stops to watch.

Are smoothies good for you?
Yes of course they are!  You knew that all along, didn't you?

You might be wondering why they are good for you.  I'll tell you.  Fruits such as bananas, mango, oranges and so on are all good for you with vitamins, phytochemicals and fibre.  Worth bearing in mind that some smoothies you can buy in the shops have rather a lot of fruit juice in them.  This isn't bad but the 'bits' in the fruit are also quite good for us, not just the fleshy juice.

A glass of smoothie will normally count as two portions of fruit.  That is really important and a crucial part of maintain excellent health.  I like having a glass of smoothie with my breakfast; always better if it's at room temperature.

Smoothie are also quite easy to digest, top up hydration levels and, most importantly, add to the variety of fruits we consume.

So I hope you like smoothies.  They're good for you.  I hope also you can have a smoothie if you are at some event and Urban Smoothie Bikes are there!

Running the Bus Way and ticking over

Early morning cyclist on the Bus Way

We have a new Bus Way (connecting Dunstable and Luton) about to open near where we live and I've been exploring it!  The actual Bus Way is one of those new fangled tracks for special buses that can use ordinary roads and then adapt themselves at the touch of a button to drive along these new routes.  There are meant to be all kinds of reasons why these are so wonderful but that's not really what this blog is about.

Instead, let me concentrate on the cycle track which runs alongside.  It has been a little controversial with the surface being too rough for cyclists but this seems to be settling down now.  Yep it is certainly a delight to see cyclists using it, as I noticed early one morning when I took the above photograph: it was cool, misty with the promise of a great day.

Running the cycle track
Aside from the issues faced initially by cyclists, I have found this to be brilliant for running!  The track is, for the most part, about 2 metres wide with a gritty texture and pretty flat.  It really is ideal, especially for people who want to have an easy run, not complicated by running on the streets with roads to cross, other pedestrians, cars, loose paving slabs etc.

If you're new to running, perhaps just starting out, this could be a good place to go as you can join it in many different places along the route.  Here's a few things to keep in mind:

• If you run and listen to music through your Smart phone or MP3 it could be a great place.  There are no cars to listen out for but be aware of cyclists coming up from behind you.  Now the track is smoother, bicycles can easily cruise along at 15-20mph
• Keep to a straight line, don't go weaving all over the track: you might be making yourself into a hazard for a cyclist
• Cycle tracks can be isolated places running on the fringe of urban environments, so consider your own health and safety.  Hopefully the new Luton Dunstable Bus Way will always be a safe environment.  Do report any issues to the Police which might be useful in simple intelligence gathering, or, to the Council as appropriate.
• It is an ideal width for runners to go alongside each other.  So it's ideal for you and a running buddy and you can encourage each other

A spot of interval training
I found myself spotting a tree, or some other landmark, and simply sprinting towards it for all I was worth and then easing back to a gentle jog to recover.  This, by the way, is interval training: pushing your heart rate right up high for a short burst and then allowing it to come back down.

The purpose of the run, just today
I haven't run much lately so this was just a 30 minute run to stop my "running muscles" thinking they were no longer needed.  I did the same yesterday, just a gentle run then.  For runners I think it's important to have a little jog or run in periods of rest and recovery if it is possible to do so.  Okay some injuries may result in a Doctor or physiotherapist advising someone not to run at all for X months and this is naturally sound advice.  But here I'm not talking about injury myself, just going through a little phase where I'm spending more time cycling than running.

So there you go, a little "reminder of a run" and a thoroughly enjoyable run nevertheless.

A word about the success of the Bus Way
The "powers-that-be" might be looking to see lots of people using the Bus Way as the measure of success.  I'm sure the providers of the bus service will be looking at their income and trading surplus and the bottom line.

Myself I think success will be:

• Fewer short journeys taken by car
• More people opting for non-car transport
• More people cycling
• More people running, jogging or walking
• Children becoming more independent
• The health within local communities improving

Related:
http://thecyclehub.net/luton-dunstable-busway/

Another blog I noticed generally on focussing on Bus Way issues

Which is best, running or cycling?

I have been going through a funny phase lately and it has caused me to give some thought to the age old question of which is best, running or cycling?

Does this make any sense to you at all?  If like me, you enjoy both, do you ever find yourself asking that very question?  Almost as if to ask is it better to ditch one and try and concentrate on the other.  That then leads on to another question about how "good" I could be at running, if I just concentrated on running.  Same goes for cycling: how "good" could I become if I concentrated on simply cycling?

Phases
You might have clocked before that I go through phases where I run every day for a fortnight.  This I normally do for a specific reason such as burning off all those extra calories at Christmas time plus yearning for some daylight no matter how meagre it is.  There are some real benefits from this but I also find myself getting a bit obsessive about it as well.  I find myself plotting longer routes, perhaps tracks or roads I've never run along before.  These newly planned runs generally get longer and longer.

Then by contrast, I go through phases when I concentrate on cycling almost at the expense of running.  Again I find myself mapping out longer rides, sometimes tours.  I chew over the possibilities of cycling with some of my friends who also cycle as I'm sure we can get together to do something together.

The pros and cons of each
Recently I have found myself chewing over the advantages and disadvantages of both running and cycling.  Trouble is, I like them both but for different reasons but this is a blog post in its own right but for now the advantages of running seem to be:

• seems to be much cheaper than cycling
• burns more calories
• more "bang for your bucks" i.e. an hours' run does me more good than an hour on the bike
• less faffing around i.e. getting out for a run seems so simple compared to finding all my bits of clothing and putting them on, helmet, spare inner tube, unlocking the garage, getting the bike out and so on

And then the advantages of cycling seem to be:

• fantastic way of seeing more of the countryside
• I can cycle to work (20 - 28 miles each way) and this is too far to run
• I love stomping up a hill and the thrill of whizzing down the other side
• bicycles can be nice objects to enjoy owning and taking care of

The next challenge?

I got a real buzz from running a marathon earlier this year, coming in at a whisker under 4 hours.  I feel I have achieved some reasonable times (for an ordinary bloke in his 50s) in running races and I can savour these when I'm an older bloke in my 90s.  Physically and mentally running has had a profoundly positive effect.

So following on from that I am toying with the idea of cycling much more, I have only done 1200 miles in the last 8 months.  My friend Jeremy and I have toyed with the idea of doing a Coast to Coast event in June 2014: this is a 150 mile bike ride in one day (which also involves 4,500 ft climbing).  The way things we are right now probably going for this!  That'll mean plenty of training, which should be good.

Not sure about doing both

Yep, right now I am unsure whether I am getting the most out of running and cycling by doing both.  I feel faithful to both and yet disloyal to one if I favour the other.  I want to do well and accomplish things, to do my best and go to the limit - and yet I struggle to do this by doing both.

Does any of this make sense?

The best way I can rationalise this would be to think of it in different seasons.  Either calendar seasons (winter, spring, summer and autumn) where I run mostly from October through to April, then spend the summer cycling.  Seasons can also mean seasons in life.  I could spend a couple of years running and getting a lot out of it, then take up cycling and concentrate on that for a couple of years.  

I do like the notion of seasons being broader than the calendar seasons.  Being me, I just wish I could always do both and get total satisfaction from doing both - having my cake and eating it!

My guess is a few people are going to say to me (either in person, or in comments below) not to worry and just enjoy doing both......

The Health Benefits of Red Clover Tea - guest blog

I am delighted to welcome Karin Feldinger as a guest blogger.  My first contact was in May 2012 when I reviewed Langarten Organic Snacks (click here) and more recently I invited Karin to contribute an article to my blog.   In her article below, she discusses the benefits of Red Clover Tea, something quite fascinating and completely new to me....

You may have been hearing a lot about all these different teas recently, all of which are supposed to help you lose weight, become more healthy, give you more energy and all the rest of it. No doubt you have been a bit dubious about some of them, especially the ones that make you sign up for a free trial and then charge you a fortune at the end of it. However, there is one that may catch your eye online, that is backed up by plenty of medical research. 

Red Clover Tea is made from 100% red clover, which is a wonderfully British herb. Many descriptions of this organic herbal tea will tell you that it is the perfect way to cleanse and refresh the body, as well as being caffeine free. We all know that caffeine isn't the best thing to plough into our bodies, but many of us can't help enjoy a nice warm drink in the afternoon. This is the perfect healthy alternative to a cup of tea or coffee, on occasion.

There are doctors singing the praises of this herb and for plenty good reason too. If you search for Red Clover Tea online then you'll soon find plenty of medical research, health magazines talking about the herb, and plenty of people who use the tea for medical reasons. Here are just some of the health benefits that have been discussed, about the herb and tea:

• Red clover tea is a blood cleanser – This means that it gets rid of all those nasties lurking in your blood stream. In fact, there has been research into this herb for cancer healing properties, although nothing is completely black and white just yet.
• It alleviates menopause symptoms – There are several helpful phytoestrogens in red clover that have a really positive impact on menopause symptoms. Research has been carried out into this clever stuff getting rid of hot flushes and hormonal problems.
• Antioxidant properties – Perfect if you want to completely refresh your body, after a heavy weekend or a week of eating junk food. A detox can be the perfect way to better your overall health and well being, either once every few weeks or more often if you prefer.
• Reduction of cholesterol – Another study that is not 100% conclusive yet, but the results are looking positive. Drinking red clover tea on occasion can help lower cholesterol and reduce the risk of related diseases. 

You will find a lot more health benefits that were being spoken about online, but these will certainly be the main topics of conversation. It seems that the blood cleansing properties of red clover tea are the most talked about, especially as they could reduce the risk of certain cancers. The general health and well being benefits of red clover tea are perfect for those who want to detox and truly refresh their body. 

What is even better is that the tea tastes incredible, as well as being healthy! You can drink it hot, cold, and with a teaspoon of honey (great for those with a sweet tooth). Even people who don't enjoy detoxing drinks agree that this has a lovely flavour to it. The fact that there are plenty of health benefits to it will make it taste even sweeter! 

A cup of red clover is a great and healthy start in the day.

If you would like to find out more about red clover have a look here: www.neuners.co.uk.

About the writer: Karin Feldinger is an amateur herbalist, passionate cook and skier. Originally from Austria she lives in the UK with her daughter since 2009. Her company imports premium organic herbal tea and supplies Health Food Shops across the UK. 

Hymalayan Salt - my cure for cramp?

Rose pink crystal salt

Earlier today we popped into Nature's Harvest, an interesting looking health food shop in Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire.  A quaint little local shop, alas no website to point you to.  We picked up a packet of Himalayan Rose Pink Crystal Rock Salt; Rachel had previously clocked our friend Natasha mentioning it on her blog sometime ago click here to pop over to her site.

Seems that it is salt with a difference - i.e. it is unrefined - not mucked about with, processed, jazzed up, over packaged.  It has some 84 elements within it, apparently the same as is found in the human body.  These elements are in colloidal form, meaning they are small enough to be absorbed into the body, so that's a handy thing to know.  It comes from the natural waters in the Himalayas and is harvested naturally and by hand.  There are no additives (such as anti caking agents, bleaches and so on) and this explains why it is presented in such an unusual form - small pinkish coloured crystals.

The idea of us trying this out is three-fold:

• seasoning for our food; perhaps bringing a nice, new taste
• could this be a possible cure for the cramp I seem to suffer from more these days
• it's something new for us to try

We were amused to read on the packet that the "Best Before" date is April 2018.  While that is some way off right now, it does strike us as being unnecessarily precise when you take into account the packs claim of the salt "having formed over 250 million years".  So why something that old will go off in the next 4 years and 8 months is beyond me.  Mind you, whether it is actually 250 million years old depends on where you stand on the New Earth or Old Earth theories, but although that is an interesting debate, it's not for this blog.

I mentioned about cramp.  Yep I get cramp in my toes, feet and legs quite a bit these days.  The most inconvenient time is when I'm on my bicycle with my feet locked into the pedals courtesy of SPD pedals and shoes.  I tell you, that can be pretty scary at over 30mph.  Take a look at this article for the full account.

Mind you, while I'm looking forward to trying this salt out, I'm going to be careful I don't end up taking too much salt in.  No matter how good this is, too much salt can raise blood pressure which is best avoided these days for us all.

So there you go.  Some new salt which is possibly millions of years old and costs £3.99 for 500g.  It is supplied wholesale by http://www.profusionorganic.co.uk.  Whether it cures my cramp or not - we'll wait and see!

200,000 page views!

Yesterday I was amazed to see I'd passed the 200,000 page view mark.

"Flippin' heck" I thought "it's only 6 months ago that I went passed the 100,000 mark".  Sure enough that was in February; I checked.

Seems that right now my most popular post is me having a poke at Range Rovers which ironically is only loosely connected to running.  Reviews on food, clothing etc seem to be in demand as well as my more general text about running and staying in good shape.

Although I know my blog is modest in it's profile, I do enjoy it and I hope that it is useful for the handful of regular followers - some I know personally and others I don't know at all.

There are a couple of guest blog posts in the pipeline and, as ever, I would welcome some more.  Sometimes when people approach me, I don't always agree because they're either poorly written, the content is too commercial or it's just not relevant.  But please, if you have a healthy living story to tell, please get in touch.

Thanks again everyone.  Onwards and upwards!

The habit and benefits of running everyday

Just as we runners should have periods of rest, I believe getting into the habit of daily running can have some real benefits.  Here's a few thoughts:

Relevant for new and established runners alike 
If you're a new runner take care not to over-do-it and have some very short runs or power walks mixed in.  For those who are well established and seasoned runners, this can be an opportunity for some serious training.

Sense of achievement, no matter what
If you set yourself a target of running everyday for, say, two weeks, you can achieve that.  It is do-able.  Reminds me of those corporate-speak SMART objectives (specific, time limited, achievable and so on).  Once you have made your target there is a real sense of achievement: "I did this, even thought it was....." and you will have that memory to look back on.

Everyone can find time
Not having the time is an easy excuse to make and I sometimes do this myself.  But just stop and think, how long does it actually take?  In a week there are 7 days made up of 168 hours: surely you can find 15 minutes each day somehow?  If you are determined enough, you will.  Again this is where getting into the habit is useful, it becomes a part of your daily routine and you will miss it if you skip a day in an unplanned way.

Mix it up
This is important, really important.  Don't run exactly the same route, for the same length of time, at the same pace each day.  While that probably won't do you much harm if it is a modest distance, you can really benefit from mixing it up.  Having shorter, more intense runs will help your cardiovascular system while longer slow runs will help you build up endurance.

As an example, this is what I might typically do for a period of two weeks before easing back to just a couple of runs each week:

• Monday - 2 miles, easy pace
• Tuesday - 6 miles, hilly run
• Wednesday - 3 miles, easy pace
• Thursday - 7 miles, hilly run with some fast bursts
• Friday - 3 miles, moderate pace
• Saturday - 10 miles, hilly run, easy pace
• Sunday - 1 mile, easy pace

Having a schedule like this will also give your body a chance to recover after the longer or more demanding runs.  Please remember, this is just an example (of what I am going) but some will need to be considering much shorter distances and, likewise, some runners will be doubling those distances.

You will really strengthen your body
During this two week cycle, you will feel your legs ache a little from time to time.  Take care not to push yourself too hard or too far - if you do, you risk picking up an injury.  So listen to your body: pushing yourself a little makes your body stronger.  Each time you run and push yourself, you will put strain on your joints, muscles and tendons.  As the body repairs itself, these will become stronger.  Remember that if you push yourself too hard, 24 hours between runs won't be enough for those repairs to take place, so do bear this in mind - this is important.

The accumulative effect, however, of pushing yourself a little bit every day will be significant once the two weeks are completed.

You will sleep well
Well, this is a personal thing and based on my experience but I guess you might identify with it.  There is something special about being tired from having had a good run and just sliding into bed and dropping off to sleep instantly.  Also sometimes it's as if I know I'm sleeping well and finding it a true blessing.

Remember (and I know this is stating the obvious) to ensure you get adequate sleep.  You might need to have a little more sleep than normal, so please allow for this.

It can become addictive
You can take this either as an encouragement, or perhaps a warning.  I do believe running can be addictive and I have experienced some episodes like that, especially if I am prevented from having a run for some reason and then I really do miss it.  Maybe it's to do with the Runner's High which I love so much?

It can be nice to do for a specific reason
You might want to have a go at running everyday for two weeks for a variety of reasons, which could include:

• dealing with a stressful situation
• being on holiday and having new surroundings to enjoy
• weight loss goal
• coping through a difficult time
• simply because it's a good thing to do
• meeting the need to be outside

On that last point, I do value being able to run outside in the middle of the winter in a period of short daylight.  Last Christmas, for example, I ran everyday - click here for a day-by-day account of running for 12 days over the last Christmas holiday.

And afterwards
Give your body a chance to recover and rejuvenate.  Running for two weeks is brilliant and so too is having a rest afterwards.  You won't go losing that new level of fitness by missing a few runs - give your body an opportunity to consolidate and thoroughly heal itself.

Also, you can then reflect back on all those runs, reflect on the miles you have clocked up and revel in the progress and benefits you have gained.

Reasons to stop running?

Sometimes when I go for a run, it's tough starting off and tough for the first 20 minutes.  Occasionally I get tempted to cut my run short because I am too hot, cold, wet, miserable.....  That first 20 minutes is normally the toughest part of the run and I guess it goes to show we need to take time to get warmed up and for muscles to become loose and working well.

Today was no exception.  This was the fourth consecutive day that I have run and quite a leap from my two-runs-a-week routine during the summer.  My legs felt tired from the outset and I could feel a muscle in my left leg calf complaining a little.  By the time I had reached the second hill I was really aware of the nagging muscle and I suspected I knew which it was (having previously had it complain through over-use in the past).

And then, as if by magic, any feelings of discomfort simply melted away and I was running much better.  That remained the same for the rest of the run which lasted 1 hour, 10 minutes; I even sprinted the last 100 metres to our house and then jogged for a minute or two, just to 'cool down'.  It felt good.

I remembered I often have those thoughts and those temptations to cut a run short.  After all, why shouldn't I if it's tough going?  Nobody will think any the less of me if my run in the cold rain is only for 30 minutes instead of one hour.  And yet I would feel bad myself, probably giving myself a hard time and feeling I'd let myself down.  Even worse will have failed.

In actual fact, I cannot remember any time when I have turned back really early.  Sure there are times when I have taken a short-cut for some rational reason, but I have never turned back prematurely.  It's always a barrier that can be overcome and perhaps this is where self belief comes in, ushering away those strong traits of a Type A personality (although I would say I am "Type a" and not "Type A").  Just to go a step further, often the best runs are often the ones where there was a strong temptation to make it shorter than planned.

Must there be a link between the overall toughness of the run and the level of satisfaction at the end.  When I say "satisfaction" I really mean the euphroic sensation that comes from all those endorphins buzzing around inside my head - in other words the "Runner's High".  

• Do you ever struggle in the first mile or two?
• Turn back early?
• Do you have a Type A personality?

Does running help constipation?

Amongst the many benefits of running, it is helpful for constipation when combined with getting the right balance of fibre and fluids.  You can take my word for it - running does help - and believe me, you don't want me to go into the details.

Muesli with fresh raspberries 

Many people go through periods when the balance of food, fibre and fluids in the digestive system are out of balance.  When you "slow up" or even worse become "bunged up" this can give an uncomfortable feeling of being bloated.  Our modern lifestyles in the developed world do not exactly help with extended periods of inactivity (sitting in cars, at desks, in front of TVs, computers etc) and of course processed foods which lack fibre.

Fibre is also referred to as "roughage" by some people and it means the same.  Roughage is quite often the term used by elderly folk having had it drummed into them during their school days when it was essential that every child would be required to do the necessary "poo" or "bowel movement" early in the morning.  Failing to do so was a big deal.

What causes constipation?

• Eating the wrong foods.  This includes foods stripped of their natural fibre which normally helps keep your digestion moving i.e. white bread (especially the "cotton wool" type bread many supermarkets sell as their budget range), white rice, white pasta.  Over processed foods and too many dairy foods often do not help.
• Not eating enough good foods.  We need plenty of whole grains, fruit and vegetables in our diet to provide the natural bulk to keep things moving.  The Government and Public Health peeps recommend 24g of fibre each day.  Linked to that is aiming for 5 portions of fruit and vegetables each day.  Believe me, eating 5 different fruit or vegetables each day should be the minimum, not the "aim" as suggested by the namby pamby Government.  I think 24g is what they think they can get away with, without scaring people off.
• Not drinking enough fluids.  Tea and coffee don't necessarily help.  Plain clean tap water should not be under valued at all - if this is your main intake then this is a good thing.  Maintaining an intake of about 6-8 tall glasses of fluids each day is not an excise to drink more beer.  Sorry about that and besides that's not good for you, so forget it.
• Some medications can also be a reason.  The Patient Information leaflet that comes with your tablets is worth reading and looking out for constipation as a possible side effect.  Medications which may caused constipation include iron tablets, some antacids and some medications which treat depression.  There are other medical causes of constipation, such as thyroid problems but these are beyond the scope of this every-day article.
• Being inactive, loafing around being a lazy couch potato is also a contributing factor.  Now of course, out jobs and indeed getting to our jobs often involve long periods of sitting around, not moving very much.  With this in mind I think it's important we build some activity into our routine (besides running) such as deliberately walking up and down some stairs during the day.  I can't help notice some of my colleagues taking the lift from one floor to the next at work.  Almost all are perfectly capable of taking the stairs but are gradually putting on weight and becoming more sluggish.

The solution

Well, the solution is easy - just address each of the above points.  Make sure you're eating the right foods, drinking enough and moving around.  

Some good anti-constipation foods;

• prunes, figs, lentils and cabbage are all excellent at keeping your digestive tract moving.  Plus they are nutritious in their own right
• brown rice, jacket potato 
• flaxseed (aka linseed) is a natural laxative
• Smoothies (all are good, especially if they include bananas)

Naturally there are plenty of others and a good diet is one which contains a very wide variety of foods.  There are so many different fruit and vegetables for us to choose from.  Fruit and vegetables which can be eaten raw also make the most of the fibre within but it is important to take in sufficient fluids.

And running is very helpful as it does naturally get the intestines moving.  Some runners complain of the "runner's trots" which as you can imagine are the opposite of constipation.  Running is such a beneficial activity; so simple and so wonderful.  So economical as sports go and one that brings many physical and mental health benefits.

Related:

My ideal breakfast
The difference between oat bran and wheat bran
Landgarten organic high fibre snacks

Ingredients for a high fibre breakfast

Healthy raw food lunch

Landgarten high fibre snacks