Ring in the changes with these boxing must-haves
THE PRINCIPLE OF SELF-CARE IS A PRIORITY IN THE FAR EAST. LISA SALMON DISCOVERS WHY WE COULD BENEFIT FROM MORE OF IT IN OUR OWN LIVES
AS the saying goes, prevention is better than cure – and that’s a philosophy that features highly in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), as does the principle of self-care – or ‘Yang Sheng’.
“Unlike Western medicine, which focuses on fixing health issues, Chinese medicine focuses on prevention alongside cure,” says Katie Brindle, author of Yang Sheng: The Art Of Chinese Self-Healing.
“For example, in Chinese medicine, a bad night’s sleep or thinning hair signifies the beginning of a deeper health issue. The principle is that if you eliminate small health niggles as they arise, you’ll prevent bigger ones happening.”
Katie (katiebrindle.com) trained to become a Chinese medicine practitioner after it helped her recover from injuries sustained in a car accident.
She says self-care is a huge part of this approach to wellness, which taps into discovering energy imbalances long before they turn into physical symptoms. “The theory is that you prevent the imbalance getting a foothold in the body and turning into something more serious. Think of it as how we address our dental care – we brush our teeth daily to prevent plaque building up and turning into an issue.”
As we enter the Year of the Ox (Chinese New Year fell on February 12 this year), we talk to Katie to find out more...
ENERGY, FLOW AND BALANCE
Katie says there are three fundamental principles to Chinese medicine’s holistic mind-body approach.
■ Ensuring the free flow of energy – qi – and blood circulation (good circulation is seen as a foundation of health).
■ Purge and nourish (if toxicity lingers in the body, it causes stagnant qi, which may eventually lead to physical symptoms and disease, so you work to clear out what you don’t need, and nourish the body to strengthen it).
■ Strengthening the five key organs (Chinese medicine says ill-health will always relate to one of the five key organs – liver, heart, spleen, lung, and kidney – so they all need to be balanced).
Katie believes Chinese medicine is “brilliant for everything” but says it works particularly well for fertility and gynaecological issues, and skin problems.
“Depending on the person and the issue, sometimes it’s an instant fix and sometimes a gentle process that happens over time,” she says.
And although she’s a huge advocate for taking this approach to supporting your health and wellbeing, she is not suggesting anybody stops seeing their regular doctor.
It’s always important to get any symptoms or health concerns checked out by your GP.
Katie says: “In an ideal world, Western and Eastern medicine would work in symbiosis, as they work really well together.”
Boxing has become one of the biggest breakthrough trends on the fitness scene in recent years, with box-fit classes becoming one of the hottest ways to workout.
Torching calories, increasing your cardiovascular fitness and improving your hand-eye co-ordination are just some of the benefits of getting into the ring. And let’s face it, it’s also a really effective way to let go of any stress and tension you’ve built up while home-schooling or working from home.
Although we may be restricted, you can still reap the benefits of a boxing class at home with a few key pieces of kit. Get yourself into fighting shape with these best buys...
ADIDAS HYBRID 300 BOXING GLOVES,
£130 (adidas.com) Boxing gloves are a must for protecting your hands, and you can rely on Adidas to create a pair that will stand the test of time. These glorious gold ones have shock-absorbing padding that keep your fingers and knuckles safe during powerful jabs, hooks and uppercuts.
As well as using a multi-layered foam technology, the gloves have a smooth satin-like lining that feels really lovely on the hands.
Made with durable leather, you can slip them on with a firm hookand-loop closure for a snug fit. They also come in three different weights; 8oz, 10oz and 12oz.
BOXRAW 4.5M HAND WRAPS IN NEON GREEN, £10, (boxraw.com) Wraps are really important, as they’re used to prevent injury to hands and support our wrists.
There are lots of small, fragile bones in each hand, and if you don’t take the right steps to protect them, it’s very easy to leave your session with a painful fracture or break.
This neon green pair from Boxraw will do the job without breaking the bank. They’re made from a cotton blend, have thumblock loops to keep everything in place, and are finished with a premium rubber strap.
If you’re not sure how to wrap your hands, we recommend checking YouTube for a tutorial.
MIRAFIT FREESTANDING PUNCH BAG,
£94.95 (mirafit.co.uk) Mirafit’s freestanding punchbag is a lot less expensive than its competitors, but it does the job just as effectively. To use it, you simply need to fill the bottom with sand or water and it’s ready for use.
Perfect for the garden, it has an antislip base that helps the bag absorb punches without toppling over. Although it’s not made from leather, the fabric is really durable, and won’t rip or pucker during heavy rounds.
IT’S been quite an eventful 12 months for This Morning’s GP, Dr Sara Kayat. She and husband Rupert Walker welcomed their son, Harris, during lockdown last May.
Here, Sara tells us more about becoming a mum for the first-time and her eco-friendly approach to parenting.
You became a mum in lockdown – how have you found it all?
Sometimes I think it’s a blessing, and other times I think it’s horrendous! I changed my birth plan and ended up having a beautiful home birth; that was a lovely little plus side.
[Lockdown] also gave me that opportunity to find my space after the birth and get to know my baby so much more, I think, than if I’d been entertaining lots of people coming over.
Obviously, on the negative side, there’s a lot of peer support that’s lacking, a lot of engagement with friends and family that I would have loved.
So it’s about trying to pick out the positives, but I think it’s also important to recognise and accept that it’s not perfect, and you are allowed to be sad about it and lament over this lost year, and grieve for the things you weren’t able to do.
What was your life like before, juggling TV work and being a GP?
Goodness, my week was jampacked before. I had all those studio days, writing days, I was a full-time GP as well, then weekends trying to fit in family, friends, husband – everything!
It was probably too much, but I didn’t know any better because that’s how it’s always been. I’ve always enjoyed nature – always gone for a run outside – but I’ve never really stopped to take it in as much as I have now.
How did you manage to stay balanced with such a full plate?
It’s always about the four pillars of lifestyle and health for me, making sure your foundations are OK.
So you’ve got diet and nutrition – I’m careful to make sure I’m getting those, eating the rainbow, trying to balance my diet. I’m not vegan, but I’ve started being more plant-based and only eat meat maybe once a week.
Then exercise – I’m very keen on running and yoga. Then sleep – I always prioritise sleep.
I’m that annoying person that even if you’re having the best night out, I’m like, ‘Ah, it’s 10 o’clock, I’ve got to sleep!’.
My final pillar is all about stress management. For me, these all fit here, because physical activity is stress management, but I’ve also always done a bit of mindfulness and carved out time every day to do that.
It doesn’t have to be long, probably only five or 10 minutes. I think because I’ve always had the foundations, it’s easier to build on, and when there are added stresses, you know you’re able to go back to feeling OK.
Have you always been a good sleeper, or is that something you’ve had to work on?
Pre-Harris, I was! Now my mind is blown by the fact I can apparently get 30 minutes of sleep and still do an interview! It’s impressive how your body adjusts. If you’d said a year ago, I’d only be getting an hour or two a night, I’d say not possible, I won’t function.
I don’t really take naps during the day, but at 6am, I pass Harris over to Rupert and he takes responsibility from 6-9am. So those hours are completely mine, to sleep or get things done for me.
I’m very keen on running and yoga. Then sleep – I always prioritise sleep
Dr Sara Kayat on lifestyle
You’ve teamed up with WaterWipes on an eco campaign. Is being eco-conscious something that’s important for you?
Definitely. I haven’t bought new clothes for Harris, only used handme-downs. Same for myself, I haven’t bought new clothes for over a year now, because I don’t necessarily believe in fast fashion.
And there are toys that can just be re-used, rather than having to buy a whole load of new plastic toys for your baby. There are lots of things we can be doing.
Of course, there are times when you slip up and it’s not always possible, but I try to do the best I can.