Do you have a food allergy or intolerance?

Edward Grocott has written this great book called Food Allergy and Intolerance. In one of the chapters he examines the subject of food allergies and intolerance. He explains that you need to ask yourself 12 simple questions. The publisher has kindly let me reprint it here in full for you.

DO YOU HAVE AN ALLERGY OR INTOLERANCE? By Edward Grocott
If you have encountered health problems with food, you need to deal with it. This may sound obvious but often people try to get by without understanding their problem and its effects. This is wrong. If you suffer repeated health side-effects from perfectly edible food you have a serious medical problem and one that requires action. Your life could depend on it. The first step to controlling and living with your problem is to know exactly what it is you are dealing with.

Health problems linked to food are split into two groups; food intolerance and food allergies. Simply put, food intolerance is pretty much what it sounds like. A sufferer is intolerant of a certain food, and has problems digesting it for a number of reasons. This could result in simple but very inconvenient side-effects such as severe diarrhoea or bloating. But it could also lead to far more serious health problems or mass complications. Either way, it is imperative for your help you understand what is happening to your body.

Quite different from food intolerance, food allergies are an immune response to certain foods - an immune response that can, in extreme circumstances, be faithful to a process called anaphylactic shock. Alerted people suffer from an abnormal, oversensitive immune system that can react with lethal consequences if exposed to certain foods.

This book may help you to understand if you have an allergy and ways to cope with it. However, it cannot be stressed highly enough that if you have health problems linked to food, you should contact your doctor - especially if you suspect you may be allergic.

The first question you must ask is do you (or someone you know) suffer food intolerance or a food allergy?
A QUESTIONNAIRE TO SEE IF YOU ARE FOOD INTOLERANT OR SUFFER FROM AN ALLERGY.
This is not a hard and fast rule, but the following questionnaire can help you confirm if you have an intolerance or allergy. Always backup diagnosis with a visit to the doctor. Answer YES or NO to the following questions.

Have you, for as long as you can remember, suffered minor health problems -- headaches, skin rashes, constant colds, viruses, pains, boating, problem sleeping or stomach upsets?

Have you always suffered problems, however mild, with your skin?

Have you tried to lose weight and never succeeded and if you have lost weight have you put it on again?

Do you get recurring problems like joint and muscle pains, restless legs, fatigue headaches, tics, rashes, depression, anxiety, and tinnitus?

Do you suffer recurrent bouts of unexpected and uncharacteristic exhaustion?

Do you still feel tired after a full night's sleep?

Do you never feel quite yourself?

Does your life seem to alternate between alertness and lethargy?

How changes to your diet affected your health?

Do you frequently have stomach problems -- wind, indigestion, constipation and/or diarrhoea?

Have you had bouts of anxiety, nervousness or depression for no apparent reason?

Have seemingly minor but persistent health problems gone undiagnosed?

The more questions you have answered YES to, the greater the chance that you are suffering as a result of food intolerance or allergy.

If, on the other hand, you have answered NO to them all then it is unlikely that food is your problem.

ALLERGY OR INTOLERANCE?
It is important to understand which you are dealing with as both have different implications and treatments. In the majority of cases the test to establish which you have is very simple. Firstly, food intolerance, in the main, revolves around two core, and highly common complaints - problems with milk and problems with wheat. For example, if you have ever drunk a glass of milk and suffered diarrhoea or bloating very shortly afterwards you are displaying the classic symptoms of lactose, or milk, intolerance.

Or if you have ever eaten pasta and suffered similar symptoms, you are likewise displaying the textbook example of gluten intolerance or coeliac disease as the intolerance is otherwise known.
If, however, you have health problems after eating anything from apples to coconuts to fish and nuts, It could be that you have a food allergy.

In eating one of the above foods leads to either a shortness of breath, choking, vomiting or hives you should consult a doctor as soon as possible because it is almost certain you have a serious and, in extreme cases, potentially lethal allergy.

That might sound overly dramatic, but it cannot be stressed enough: if you have seen any of your symptoms described above, you need to understand and control the condition. At this stage, though, you should congratulate yourself; you have passed the first hurdle to overcoming your food health problem. By answering a simple question "do you suffer symptoms with milk and wheat or quite different symptoms with different foods?" you have, in the majority of cases, established whether you have food intolerance or an allergy.

Still got a tweaky leg

After tweaking my hamstring sprinting on Tuesday I've been a really good boy and not attempted to run at all... until tonight (Friday). I've iced my leg every night and rubbed deep heat stuff in before I go to sleep. My leg feels alot better but still not 100%, in fact if I'd to guess I'd say about 60%. I went out tonight and ran slowly for 15 minutes without any adverse effect but I was slow. I'm going to give it another slow run tomorrow ...but longer. Then, depending on how my leg feels after that I might try a long run on Sunday or maybe Monday.

This is so frustrating because I haven't pulled a muscle for 18 months and I really thought I was going to reach Stockholm fully prepared and fully trained. Not so any more, but hopefully I'll feel the benefit of a few days off and not lose too much time on the actual marathon. I felt so strong on Sunday night and I'd love to arrive at the Stockholm Marathon feeling that good. Here's hoping.

Improve your life in seconds by saying three things!

It’s so easy to go through life focusing on the bad things. After all, how many times have you got up in the morning and thought ‘great - another dull day at work in a job that bores me to tears’? Well a brand new technique has now been developed that could revolutionise the way you look at your life, meaning a happier, more positive you.

The secret is adopting an ‘attitude of gratitude’ and it couldn’t be easier to implement:
1) When you get up in the morning shift your focus.
Make it your mission to state 3 positive things about your life within minutes of getting out of bed.
Do you own your own home? Brilliant, you are one of the lucky few who can actually afford it! Remember this next time you get annoyed at how high your mortgage payments are.
Have you got beautiful, healthy kids? Some people haven’t got it so easy and yet still remain positive.
Just say out loud three things that are great in your life, and remember how lucky you are.

2) If something annoying happens during your day at work try to turn it around to your advantage.
That client didn’t buy your winning proposal...? So what?
I bet you could use the bones of it to pitch to another client who will!
Your colleague called in sick meaning you had to pick us his work for the day…? Brilliant, it will mean only 8 hours hard work for you but your boss will certainly notice and you can use it to show just how flexible and hardworking you are at your next pay review.

3) If something great happens to you never put it down to luck.
Everyone creates their own luck and if you are not recognising your achievements who else will? Celebrate your successes; has someone you manage been given a promotion? Great and I bet it’s down to your fantastic management style. Even something as simple as keeping a house plant alive can be a source of significant joy.

You did it, never forget how great you are!

If you like this type of tip then subscribe to the email that I pinched it off:
pfc@agorapub.co.uk

The Amazing One Hour Alarm Clock Technique

Do you know the main thing that’s stopping you from reaching your goals and attaining your dream life?
It’s making a start.
Big projects can make you weary with their enormity.
Put a man on the moon? "Sure… er… where do we start exactly? Rocketry? Life- support? Guidance? Telecoms?
Hmmm… maybe I’ll tackle that project… one day!"
Get fit and lose weight?
"Sure…I’ll make a start…one day."
Create a life of power, wealth, passion and purpose?
"Um…right…I’ll get started on that… one day!"

These projects are just too big for our minds to handle – and so we drift away onto other things. We get shunted off the main track of our lives and into a siding. There we bumble amongst a pile of trivia whilst our precious lives leak away.

What’s the solution?
All writers know that the best way to make inroads into a long and tough writing assignment (e.g. a new book) is to use certain sneaky tricks which force them to MAKE A START.
Some kid themselves that they’re just going to write the first sentence.
Others say they’ll just sit down at the keyboard for thirty minutes, no longer.
Of course, once they start, they’re off and running. It’s that first step which seems so daunting. Being faced with the accusing ‘blank sheet’ of our lives and knowing we have to paint a beautiful picture when all we’ve done so far are a few childish scribbles.
But I’m not going to preach about how to craft a better life for yourself because, you know what? I reckon you know already. All you need to do is make a start – TODAY!

So here’s a really awesome method for making a start on creating your dream life (or getting any big project done). It’s called the one-hour alarm clock technique.
Here’s what you do. Set your alarm clock for exactly one hour from now.
During this one hour (no longer) you are going to work on your project to the exclusion of everything else.

One hour.
During this hour you make the calls you have to make, write the letters you have to write, do the web research – whatever it takes to make a start on that project.
You’re not trying to finish the project (that would be impossible) – just start it.
One hour.
Try this extraordinarily powerful technique and I guarantee you’ll be amazed at the results.

Oops ...first little setback

I went out this morning to a running track to do some 400 metre sprints. I aimed to do about 12 over a period of maybe 45 minutes. In the past few years the best time I've managed is 1 min 14 secs and I was hoping to get near that with at least one of my laps. I started off with a good warm up consisting of some slow laps and an easy hill climb followed by 10 minutes of stretches. I started off the serious laps with a 1 min 18 secs and followed that up with a few in the mid 1:20's but on lap 9 I felt a little twinge in my ham string and stopped right away and walked home. In the past I'd have pushed on and finished my training but hard experience has told me that that just leads to more problems.
My ham string has been a bit tender all day but nothing that is causing me too much concern. A good nights rest followed by an easy run tomorrow should see me okay again, I hope!

Feeling strong and positive

I prepared a final countdown marathon training programme last week and now I'm beginning to cross off the days until the Stockholm Marathon arrives on June 10th. My training programme is nothing new or original and simply involves a series of shortish, medium and long runs with a few extra long runs thrown in at the weekends. In the past week I've really felt a leap forward in my performance and strength. I run a regular 5 mile (Potten End Route) which is a mixture of canal, road, forest and field running, with a long tough hill in the middle to sap the energy. The best time I've ever done it in before this week was about 38 mins 40 secs but this week I crashed straight through the 38 minute barrier and recorded a personal best of 37 min 59.5secs. What a feeling! And I can go faster - 37 minutes is possible. I'll let you know if I get there.

Last night I set out to do a 2.5 hour run, hoping to maybe cover 16-17 miles. As it happens I managed 18 miles in 2hr 40 mins and I was being held up by a much slower running partner (not my regular partner). I know I could have gone quite a bit faster and I finished strongly without any knee pains or muscle problems at all. Of course I was a bit tired, who wouldn't be after 18 miles, but I know I could have run the whole marathon distance last night in under 4 hours.

If I can keep injury free I am now confident of going well below 4 hours and maybe even get near my dream goal of 3 hr 40min.

To what do I attribute my, seemingly sudden, increase in speed and strength. Well, obviously the regular training and the number of miles that I'm squeezing in but I really think one of the major factors is my regular Juice Plus supplements (see sidebar for more details) and the Complete powder that I drink after every long run. It is keeping my muscles oxygenated and injury free and as any runner will tell you, if you can remain injury free then your training really pays off. Also, and I almost hate to admit it, I am beginning to think that my Q-Link pendant is genuinely contributing to my increased energy levels. I've been wearing it now for two months and I'm recovering quickly from runs and feeling less tired at all other times.

All in all, a good week which has seen my confidence levels rise, my times fall and my sense of excitement grow stronger. Bring it on!

Countdown to Stockholm begins in earnest

At the weekend I drew up my training schedule for the next 8 weeks which will take me right through to the Stockholm Marathon. Its designed to bring me in at an easy 4 hours (although no marathon is easy as you'll appreciate if you ever try one). It began with two half marathon distances last week the latter of which involved Andrew and I running the route of the Berkhamsted half-marathon in 24 degrees heat in a time of 1hr 54mins. I wasn't too unhappy with this time as the local serious runners reckon that the hilly nature of this route is equivelant to 15 miles on a flatter route. Also it was Andrew's first run for 4 weeks due to a mystery virus. I found it a hard run due to the aforementioned heat and it has taken me a couple of days to recover. I ran just over 10k today in 56 mins which is very slow for me but my legs still felt heavy from Saturday night.

I feel more focused now that my runs for the next 8 weeks are mapped out. Its always easier to plan your week knowing what just has to be done.

The great thing is that I have been injury free for almost a year now which is fantastic. Juice Plus+ capsules every day and Juice Plus+ Complete drunk after every run seem to have stopped me having any muscle pulls at all. I can't recommend them highly enough. See the sidebar if you'd like to try them.

I'm still not sure if the Q-Link is doing me much good but I'll persevere until after the Marathon.

Tips for aising your energy levels

I subscribe to a weekly newsletter from a man who gives all sorts of tips on health and business. He recently sent this email on the subject of 'power napping' to raise your energy levels. If you like his style and want to subscribe then email him at, "The Shortcut Bulletin" [pfc@electricmessage.co.uk]. Here's what he had to say:

So what makes a power nap so effective? And how can you make sure that you get the perfect kip? Well, scientists have known for years that sleep comes in five cycles that recur through a normal night but they now believe that the first two stages can be easily replicated during the day with astounding results.

The first ‘sinking’ stage is where your body is preparing itself for sleep and the second is a light and restful stage before you become dead to the world. In total these two stages combined take 20 minutes. And recent research now shows that taking a 20 minute power nap could not only increase your mood but lower stress levels and actually improve your productivity and learning.
I knew I wasn’t imagining it! Before you start protesting that you are far too busy and highly strung to possibly fit a 20 minute sleep into your day read on…

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The lazy way to give yourself a ton of energy
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Here are some top tips to help you on your way to recapturing your lost energy:

1. Stop giving yourself grief
You’re not being lazy, having a daily power nap is going to make you happier, more productive and a nicer person to be around!

2. Ditch the morning mocha
If you’ve drunk a gallon of coffee in the morning there is no way you are going to the land of nod at lunchtime.

3. Stick to the deadline
Never power nap after 2pm. Late afternoons are a time when you are far more likely to fall into a very deep sleep, this won’t give you energy it will leave you feeling worse.

4. Set the alarm on your mobile
This is by far the most important tip of all! If you don’t set an alarm you could be in all sorts of trouble, your boss will be on the war path and you will probably still be sleeping as rush hour starts!

I don't know about you but we all need more energy so why not give it a try. Our Mediterranean cousins have been doing this power nap thing for centuries - they just call it a siesta.

Beautiful Bank Holiday Half Marathon

I phoned Andrew on Sunday night to see if he was up for a serious training session on bank holiday Monday. He had spoken about doing a 20 miler but I wasn't up for that because it just takes so much out of me and with us running the Stockholm marathon in June I didn't think that it was the right timing for it. I plan to do a 20 mile training run either the last Saturday of April or the first Saturday of May, that will leave a decent amount of time to taper off... but not too long.

At any rate, when I called Andrew he was feeling pretty weak with a virus that is not easily shaken off. He said that he was unable to train much the whole time I was in Turkey because he felt so tired. He just couldn't run so I decided to just do a half marathon distance on my own.

In the end I ran 14.3 miles in just over 2 hours which was okay given that it includes a massive, long, steep hill at about mile 10 which just about brings me to a standstill. It was a beautiful day and I finished feeling quite strong. I could definitely have gone another few miles without too much problem. All fine and dandy.

However, after playing football last night, when I tried to go for a quick 10k tonight my legs were like lead. There was just no way I could get a decent pace up so I just listened to my body and had a slow jog, followed by a nice walk with Swizzle my dog. I'll try the fast 10k tomorrow night followed on Friday by some sprint training. I'm not worried at all by tonight's flop because I feel that I am getting stronger and coming to a peak at the right time.

I just need to stay fit and healthy now. I'm still wearing the Q-Link pendant but cannot really say that I've noticed too much difference in my energy levels or sleep patterns. My sore knees have stopped but that could be to do with tossing out my old trainers and only wearing new trainers. I'll keep monitoring.

Turkish Tales

I mentioned in my previous blog that we had done this killer run from Ovacik to Olu-Deniz. Well, when we got back to our flat we met the old security man who doesn't speak any English. My wife was keen to practise her Turkish so she stopped him and proudly announced in Turkish that we had just run all the way to Olu-Deniz and back. He didn't seem very impressed at all and looked at her as if to say, "Why are you telling me this?" So May repeated her little story and still he didn't react in the impressed way that we expected and just looked at her with a quizzical look on his face. So we gave up.

About 10 minutes later my wife burst out laughing and told me what she had actually said to the guy, "Billy and I talked all the way to Olu-Deniz and back." I guess he didn't think that a talk-athon was such a big deal. No wonder he thought that May was a bit mad!

Given that our legs were a bit stiff from the runs we had been doing we decided to go for a Turkish Bath. If you've never had one of these then you really don't know what you are missing. They are just a treat! You come out feeling cleansed and renewed. He also gave us a massage and when I told him that I was a runner he kneeded my calf muscles until I gasped out loud with pain. Brilliant. We left there after a couple of hours and the muscle stiffness and pain was gone. The benefit lasted all the way home where the day after getting home to Berkhamsted I ran my fastest ever 9k (its a route we do around our area) in 38min 14secs.

We were supposed to run the Oakley 20 miler the day after we arrived home but our flight was delayed so badly by a violent electric storm that we never got home until 4 am in the morning and had to get up at 7am to get to Bedford in time. There was just no way our dehydrated bodies could do it, so we just slept on and got our energy back. I was so sorry to miss the race as I had hoped to gauge my marathon progress and it was also a lovely day.

Our flat in Turkey is for rent by the way and if you want to take a look then go to www.relaxinturkey.net

Marathon Training in Turkey

That's us back from a wonderful fortnight at our flat in Ovacik (Near Fethye) in Turkey. We bought this place, off-plan, two years ago and took possession of it last July and so far have enjoyed two marvellous holidays in it. We went last August in the middle of the tourist season and had a great time doing all the normal tourist things but the temperatures of 45 degrees + were almost to much for us. Fortunately the flat is fully air-conditioned so we tended to stay in during the heat of the day and go out until late at night. Mooching through the Turkish bazaar at midnight is such a buzz.

This time the season hadn't started so the town was pretty dead... but we still loved it! Sitting on the balcony in the early morning sun, sipping a cup of coffee and looking at the lovely mountains just re-energises you so much. We also have now made some nice Turkish friends and find the Turks in this area to be the friendliest people you could wish to meet. We actually ended up eating out at their homes on a few occasions which was a lovely experience.

One of the reasons we went out to Turkey at this time was to do some warm weather marathon training and this we did. If you know the area at all, we ran from Ocacik to Olu-Deniz which I estimate is a run of about 15K - the problem is that half of it is down a very steep hill and back up again. The run down is magnificent (Olu-Deniz has been voted the most beautiful beach in the world on numerous occasions) and lulls you into a false sense of invincibility. The run back up is crippling. I'm used to hilly runs but even I couldn't get more than half the way up this hill before I had to stop. May didn't even get up the first rise. Boy its a tough climb! Do any of you know it?

Anyway, for the next couple of days my calf muscles were killing me and we had to take it easy or risk pulling a muscle. We did go for a number of other less strenuous runs and all in all would totally recommend this area to all runners. It feels so safe as well. We have both come home feeling that our marathon training has entered a new phase and that all the effort was worth it.

If you'd like to look at our flat and see a bit of that area then go to my wife's website:
www.relaxinturkey.net

I'll tell you a couple of stories about our time in Turkey in a further blog.