Motion Forword - Words of a Therapist: Foody Bits, Slippy Discs and Chilly Nips
Welcome to Motion Forword - Words of a Therapist! Number 18!
Motion Forword is about discussing the combined benefits of movement with a positive mental attitude. Using my personal/professional experiences, evidence-based research and some of your own experiences.
Bringing some hope, positivity, happiness and maybe usefulness to those, perhaps like yourself, that needs a pick me up.
Something about me - Food for Thought
Since I moved in March 2024 my closest supermarket became Sainbury’s. And as a keen saver, I was ready to get my Nectar card working again. Racking up points and figuring out the actual cash value of these points.
FYI, if you have never done the maths:
You earn 1 point for every £1 spent
200 Nectar points is worth £1
So you have to spend £200 to make £1!
(It’s definitely worth looking out for Sainsbury's offers where you get extra Nectar points!)
Anyway…!
This month I had an interesting insight into my spending behaviour over this past year.
I am curiously proud by this:
I don’t know how many thousands of people shop at my local Sainsbury’s but to be #7 is quite an achievement! This dark chocolate with walnuts has been my go-to snack as part of my lunch.
I would like to make you aware that this is part of my balanced lunch with grapes, apples, greek yoghurt, cheese and usually left overs from the dinner the night before. Here is a typical example:
So now I’ve justified myself to my readers! 😅 Here is some other information kindly consolidated by Nectar:
1552 portions of fruit and vegetables sounds impressive. But from the start of March 2024 to the end of December 2024 (44 weeks) that works out to be just over 5 portions a day which is what is recommended. (1552/44 = 35.3; 35.3/7=5.043)
So even when you think you are doing well (like I do sometimes) you may only just be reaching your daily recommendations, perhaps not even that on some days!
Something I have been quoting to people is that we should be aiming to have 80% whole foods in our diet with 20% being processed or UPFs. (Referring back to my blog on Ultra-processed Foods and what Dr Chris van Tulleken said).
Fortunately, I am pleased to say that 78% of what I spend seems to be on whole food. The combination of frozen foods (often peas), fruit & veg, dairy, cupboard fillers (beans, pulses, legumes, nuts, tinned tomatoes etc) and chilled foods. Whilst only 15% is perhaps ‘naughty things’ (fizzy drinks, sweet treats and ready meals).
So on the whole I am probably on the right lines… but I could probably cut back on the cookies, biscuits and chocolate! (But maybe I could get top #3 next year?!)
Something for you - What is a ‘slipped disc’?
We are programmed to think the worst.
Chest pain = heart attack; The boss wants to talk = disciplinary/ fired; Partner didn’t text me back = Done something wrong.
But most of the time, our preconceived ideas do not reflect the reality:
Chest pain = some anxiety or back/rib problem; The boss wants to talk = promotion, offers support, general check in; Partner didn’t text back = got caught up with work or chatting to a friend.
I describe this ‘thinking the worst’ as a ‘negativity bias’. Our ingrained programming that has protected us through time and made us excellent survivalists. We are naturally suspicious and wary of things/people we don’t know or understand.
This happens all the time with our health. A classic problem in my clinic is:
Lower back pain = a ‘slipped disc’.
This is the negative bias we have when things go wrong with our back. But slipped discs, or disc herniations, happen in varying degrees of severity and the worst ones (that actually cause symptoms) only account for 5% of lower back pain cases. So pretty low.
So for most cases (95%) the discs are usually fine. There may be some disc degeneration found on a scan but this happens with age anyway and may not be the immediate cause of your pain. In fact, surgeons are reluctant to operate on mild disc bulges unless they cause major nerve compromise (Cauda Equina Syndrome).
This short video by Ben Cormack describes how disc herniations DO get better and in fact the worse they are, the better they heal. Who’da thunk?!
In summary, Ben’s video describes how the part of the disc that comes out is exposed which allows our immune system to heal it. This is why discs get better: our bodies deal with it. As an Osteopath I can help you manage the pain and improve mobility in line with your body’s healing time.
A Story - Polar Swim #2
When does a tradition become a tradition?!
My sister-in-law and I decided that now we've done a boxing day (or thereabouts) swim/dip two years in a row, it's now a tradition!
This year, my 7-year-old niece even managed to achieve her goal of braving the 10°C waters and paddle about for a few seconds more than last year!
We were so impressed!
If my niece can set herself goals and achieve them, I'm sure I can!
What goal(s) do you have for 2025?
I know I'll want to focus on building my business in it's new location at PhysioSTAR and keep up this family tradition next Christmas!
Thanks for reading.
Until next month…
Motion Forword ⏩⏩
Nathan