Cycletta challenge: mind over matter

Just to let you know, I completed my Cycletta bike challenge on Sunday just gone ( 30 June 2013).

Despite the blazing sun and deceptively steep hills, I put my mind over matter and managed 40km in 1 hour 43 minutes (to be precise - organisers Human Race texted me my exact time!). This time was less than I was aiming for, originally 2 hours, and includes a 15 minute break at the Treat Stop (pic below), so I'm very happy.

About to set off

 I also managed to raise £205.05 for Mind in Cambridgeshire - there was an overwhelming response which surpassed my initial target of £50. So thank you everyone for your generous donations. I am in conversations with Mind at the moment to see what this will contribute to - will keep you in the loop.

Saying that, my page will be open for another month so any further donations would be warmly welcomed:

 http://www.justgiving.com/dominikak

Quick stop at the Treat Stop...

A bit over half way, I decided to stop at one of the 'Treat Stops' as I was curious to what they offered. I was greeted by friendly helpers and a mountain of water bottles and endless plates of 'naughty' treats such as flapjacks, sweets and brownies. Although this was a nice reward, something a little healthier would have been more appreciated (apart from bananas which they also had). I don't know, maybe that's just me.

Treats galore...

To my surprise, I reached the finish line much quicker than expected, which threw me a little. I think my initial training paid off, as well as the adrenaline driving me to reach my goal. Before the event I wouldn't have called myself 'competitive' but I definitely saw a competitive streak in myself that day.

There was also a real sense of community and an upbeat, supportive vibe, with people standing on the roads cheering and encouraging us throughout the journey. Based in a stunning location, cyling through picturesque villages and freewheeling down hills was nothing short of liberating.

At the finish line I was greeted with cheers, clapping and 'well dones' from bystanders, as well as a lovely medal and free drinks.

Participants were also treated to a free spa and goody bag. The spa was provided by Unlisted - unfortunately there was too long a queue for the massages but I had a relaxing facial treatment and took part in a stretching class.

Overall, it was an unforgettable day and I would definitely take part again - perhaps opting for a longer distance next time to push myself even further. I'm happy that I have finally found 'my sport', discovered through continuous trial and error (running and rowing are just not for me).

I think it's great that more people are coming together to take part in events like these (apparently the number of participants doubled since last year) and just goes to show that the Olympics weren't a one off phenomenon but have gone on to inspire a generation.




I made it! Basking (literally)  in my glory



Row, row, row your boat...

...gently down the stream. Or not so gently, as I experienced in early November 2012 (better late than never), when I threw myself into the deep end (not literally, thank god) and decided to try out a day of rowing with City of Cambridge Rowing Club.  As I mentioned before, this madness (as my friends called it), was inspired by watching Katherine Copeland and Sophie Hosking win gold in the women's lightweight double sculls in the summer Olympics.

So I thought, why not give it a go myself? I cycle by the river everyday to work and love to soak up its calming atmosphere before a stressful day. With this in mind and my trusty strong thighs, often called 'power thighs' by my male friends, I thought it might be perfect for me - after all, it's all about the legs. Rowing is said to be a 'pushing' sport.

So I googled good rowing clubs in Cambridge and found City of Cambridge Rowing Club the most appealing - they were the only ones to a offer a taster day course for just £25 and prided themselves on being the most sociable club on the river with a bar and regular parties. So I signed myself up and eagerly awaited the 3 November.



Me in front of the boathouse



On the day, I layered up and headed for the CCRC. As I approached, I was welcomed by the aroma of cooking meat and a tantalising sweetness lingering in the air. There were people doing a BBQ surrounded by a mountain of cakes. I liked this already.

Once everyone arrived, we were given an introductory talk with a few health and safety points. We were then split into groups - one would go do core exercises, one would practice on the rowing machines and one would go out on the water, eek! I was glad this wasn't me - thankfully my group had a chance to go on the rowing machines and perfect our technique (or not). I think I was doing it wrong as I was using my arms more than my legs, hence the achey arms.

 

Rowing machine practice!

After an hour and a half of this (and a cheeky hot dog and cake), we were ready to go on the water. Slightly nervous, I got into the boat and placed my feet into the fake strapped on shoes. Little did I know that the position I had chosen was the one which required most effort. This was Bow. My strength (or lack of, as was discovered) was needed to get the boat moving, stopping and changing direction. Apart from me and the person right at the front, everyone else was given a number. The Cox would then shout out which numbers needed to do what. I found this highly stressful as we weren't briefed beforehand on what all the instructions meant so no one wholly undertstood and the boat kept tipping, wobbling and we didn't get very far at all. I could tell the Cox was getting very irritated and was losing patience. The oars were also extremely heavy (looks can be deceiving) and I found it difficult to control them. After a bit of perserverance we managed to do a bit of a lap but we soon turned around and went 'home'. Once out of the boat, we had to help carry it back to it's spot. This required team effort and again a lot of strength. Something I was struggling with at this point.



Relaxing after being on the water

All in all, I found it an interesting experience and definitely felt worked out after, if not a little tired and achey. It was nice being out on the water in the sunshine and its a great sport for team building. However, it is a large commitment and not just a hobby you can dip in and out of. I don't think I'll be pursuing rowing for now, but it's good to try new things and now I can surely say it's not quite for me.  

My Cycletta challenge - will it be mind over matter?

Wow these two months have flown by - but I do have an excuse for not writing in this time. Honest.

In early March, I signed up to volunteer with Mind in Cambridgeshire, as I know both friends and family with mental health challenges and have seen the effects it's had on their lives. This is therefore very close to my heart and I wanted to keep supporting such a fantastic organisation, especially as everyone has 'mental health', admittedly to varying degrees. I want to help raise awareness of this and challenge the unfortunate stigma that is attached to it.

In the process I have met many wonderful people, attended volunteer training days and helped out with a Street Theatre Campaign in Cambridge which raised awareness of men's reluctance to talk about their feelings.

Mind staff, volunteers and actors from the Street Theatre performance

In the meantime, I have decided to enter Cycletta - the UK’s leading series of women-only bike rides, supported by Olympic Gold Medallist Victoria Pendleton. I will be cycling 40km at the Bedfordshire event on 30 June 2013 - only three weeks away, eek! 

The real drive behind signing up was to fundraise for Mind as I feel passionately about their mission. As a keen cyclist, I also wanted to push myself and it's one of the only sports I actually enjoy and am reasonably good at. I have affectionately been nicknamed 'Power Thighs' by a few I won't name. You know who you are :D 

As it'll be my first long-distance cycle, I have invested in a second hand hybrid bike (am picking it up at the weekend, very exciting!) and will be following the smooth and oh so picturesque Guided Bus route all the way to St Ives and back - around 40km (24 miles). Wish me luck! 

You can read more about my story on the MiC website. 

At the end of training, feeling proud of myself

I have managed to raise £85 so far, surpassing my initial target of £50, so I am very happy and touched with all the contributions. If you're feeling charitable, please visit my JustGiving page for more info. If we can reach £150 then then this will pay for a mental health awareness workshop for 1 local community group. Thank you in advance. 

Before Cycletta, I am also attending the Culture, Health and Wellbeing International conference in Bristol on 24 June and then in July The Festival of Public Health UK in Manchester. I cannot wait. Here's to an enriching few months of health and fitness!

Write-up of Cambridge Science Festival’s talk: How to spot a shabby statistic – 12 March 2013, 7.30pm – 8.30pm

With Cambridge Science Festival now in full swing, I took the plunge last week and decided to take advantage of this fantastic, free festival right on my doorstep (this is shameful as I have lived here most of my life – better late than never eh?).

So on Tuesday 12 March I opted to go to a talk on ‘how to spot a shabby statistic’ by Professor David Spiegelhalter. With my increasing interest in the news and how legitimate science/health stories really are, this talk seemed apt. It also happens to be the International Year of Statistics – you learn something new every day!

Photo credit: BBC News website

As I got to the Babbage Lecture Theatre, it was brimming with an electric energy and filled up extremely fast (turns out the event was fully booked). I loved it – it was like being back at university again, but this time I imagined that I was a Cambridge University student. These kind of events are also great for this reason – they open up places to the public that could otherwise never be accessed.

Professor David Spiegelhalter stole the show – his enthusiasm, extensive knowledge and charisma turned what could have been a potentially dull subject into a fascinating debate, challenging the audience to question whether we can trust the stats we see in the news. Below are a few of the main points he raised:

• Headlines are exaggerated - generalised words such as ‘up to’ and ‘about’ are always suspect. A careless example of generalisation is portrayed in the following stat: ’10% of all deaths could be avoided’. The word all is particularly problematic. 
• No independent comment – is there a critique of this? If not, then it’s most likely to be fictional. 
• Small? Always look at how many people were involved in the study the article is based on – you cannot apply results based on a study of 8 people to the whole population. For example, one article stated that there is a ’38,000 increase in unemployed’. However, unemployment is based on a survey! 
• The same point goes for just a single study? Even if the study was carried out on a large sample, is it representative? 
• Higher risk? Journalists use the common ‘mechanism of shifting possible risk to absolute risk’ just to sell a story. For example, the headline ‘Daily fry up increases risk of cancer by 20%’ is completely inaccurate. Professor David Spiegelhalter worked out that eating a sausage a day would only cut 20 minutes off your life each day…and who wants to live until they’re 80 anyway? Might as well enjoy that sausage while you can! Professor David Spiegelhalter comically demonstrated this by eating real sausages live in front of the audience – a great touch. 
• Graphics? Often the images that accompany the article are manipulated to aid the deception. Seeing is not believing. 
• PR Puff – half the picture, what am I not being told? Be cynical, don’t take anything at face value. The article/stat could be based on a hidden motive from an organisation, for example advocating their sponsor/their mission. 
• Relevance unclear? The recent articles stating that a cure for Alzheimer’s disease has been found stem from tests on mice. Is this really the same? 
• Unjustified advice? A recent article stated that ‘Fizzy drinks make teenagers violent’. Again, the sample for this was tiny and it might be explained by other factors not considered.

Photo credit: Cambridge University

When the floor was opened up for discussion and questions, some interesting points came up about how there are problems with medical research, as volunteers tend to be relatively healthy and therefore aren’t representative of desired target groups. It was also discussed that there is no kitemark for what is statistically acceptable in branding guidelines as it is difficult to police and regulate.

Professor David Spiegelhalter rounded off his talk by concluding that, despite all the points he made, the handling of the news is slowly improving- it is not as bad as it used to be. On the whole, he has a very high opinion of current science correspondence and thinks the main stories aren’t unreasonable – the headlines are the main culprits.

Cambridge Science Festival runs until Monday 25 March – so don’t miss out! Check the website for What’s On.

New Year, New You: top tips for a healthy detox

Feel like you've overindulged this Christmas? According to The British Dietetic Association (http://www.bda.uk.com), on average, people eat their way through about 6,000 calories on Christmas day, and might gain from one – five lbs (2kg) over Christmas, leaving them feeling groggy and uninspired. But don’t fret; follow these simple nutritional tips to cleanse your body and mind and come away more energised and positive, ready to embrace the New Year ahead of you.

Warning: Detox vs. Diet
Detoxing should never be about restrictive dieting. It is about steadily getting your body back to a more balanced state, pre all the Christmas calories and excess alcohol. Nutritionist Lucy-Ann Prideaux who runs Simply Nutrition, (http://www.simply-nutrition.co.uk) suggests starting with a 10 day detox and adapting this as you go along. People will react at different times but you’ll know it’s worked once you feel ‘increased energy and mental clarity, better digestion, improved sleep and a general heightened feeling of well-being.’

Water is your best friend
Although it is common knowledge, many people still don’t drink enough water. Aim for 2 litres a day - easiest to measure using a large water bottle - and you will see the benefits. These include getting less headaches, feeling fuller after lunch and less sluggish in the afternoon. The good news is, the 2 litres include hot water and tea.

As strange as it sounds, evidence suggests that drinking a cup of plain, hot water every day is very good for you. As your body sweats from the high temperature of the water, this helps purify our bloodstreams and cleanses toxins out of the body. Despite being ‘plain’, heated up, the water has a rich, creamy taste.

If you get bored of plain water, opt for herb-based tea such as peppermint as it is a natural alternative to caffeine, seen as a ‘stressor’. Not only does it help you feel perky in the mornings but it is great for your skin and aids digestion. Dandelion tea is also great for cleansing your system, available in most health food shops such as Holland and Barrett (http://www.hollandandbarrett.com/). N.B. Although green tea is well known for its detoxing qualities, be aware it does contain caffeine.

Love your liver
The liver is one of the most vital organs in ‘detoxifying hundreds of toxic substances’ from the body including alcohol and caffeine. Therefore it is important to limit your alcohol intake, maybe keeping to one or two units once a week, for your liver to perform its daily detoxing duties (The British Liver Trust, http://www.britishlivertrust.org.uk).

Satisfy your sweet tooth
I know it’s easier said than done, especially after the festive season, but try cut down on foods high in fat, sugar and salt. If you’re craving something sweet, indulge in a tablespoon of honey or use it to sweeten your tea/porridge. Naturally fat free, honey also slowly releases energy and helps fight those cravings. Fruit is also a good source of natural sugar. Francois Lubbe, UK Editor at the HSI (Health Sciences Institute, http://hsionline.com/) recommends keeping an apple or pear handy when you want something sweet and avoiding fruit juice, commonly thought to be healthy, as it contains a high level of purified sugar. The time it takes to physically chew fruit breaks down the sugar and the skins contain lots of essential vitamins.

Change what you cook in
When frying your food, why not swap your virgin olive oil for virgin coconut oil? Coconut oil has long been recognised as a healthy option for use in the kitchen, and it has been reported that it speeds up the metabolism by 48% (Simply Nutrition). Available in many health food shops (most commonly Holland and Barrett) or you can buy a special brand of coconut oil ‘Coconoil’ (http://www.coconoil.co.uk/) which is produced from coconuts grown in the west of Sri Lanka.

Go green
Nutritionist Lucy-Ann Prideaux swears by green leafy vegetables such as kale, cabbage, brussel sprouts and broccoli - they are packed with phytonutrients that boost detoxification. It’s also been said that if eaten at least 2 – 3 times a week, they may lower the risk of cancer. Add cleansing spices such as fennel, coriander and ginger to your meal and your body will be in heaven.

Attempt organic
If you can afford it, try and choose organic where possible, either in your local market or supermarket. It’s more likely to have been raised without drugs or chemicals. For a range of delicious organic, vegan and vegetarian food, visit the award-winning Rainbow Café in Cambridge (http://www.rainbowcafe.co.uk/). See below for other suggestions.

Suggested health food shops, cafes and websites

Health food shops
Holland and Barrett – health food shop all over the East http://www.hollandandbarrett.com/
Arjuna Wholefoods – Cambridge http://www.arjunawholefoods.co.uk/
Daily Bread Co-operative Ltd – Cambridge http://www.dailybread.co.uk/
Revital - Cambridge https://www.revital.co.uk/

Cafes, restaurants and pubs
The Rainbow Café – organic, vegan and vegetarian food in Cambridge http://www.rainbowcafe.co.uk/
The Veggie Red Lion – vegetarian food in Gt Bricett (Suffolk) http://www.theveggieredlion.co.uk/
The Pulse Cafe Bar – veggie, vegan and gluten-free food in Norwich http://pulsecafebar.co.uk/

My article can also be found published on Eastlife's website: http://www.eastlife.co.uk/new-years-detox
and in Eastlife's January 2013 magazine (page 17): http://www.eastlife.co.uk/eastlife-january-2013  

My top 3 inspiring songs of 2012

As with any year, 2012 has had its ups and downs. To get me through the harder times, I've relied on a few key songs to help me stay positive and inspired.

Here are my top 3 songs: 

Who's laughing now? - Jessie J

My favourite lyric from this is 'I'm still rising' as it suggests you can never be defeated. 

Public Enemy - Harder Than You Think

This song gives me goosebumps and will always take me back to the Paralympics, reminding me how inspirational those athletes were in that anything is possible if you put your mind to it. 

The Script - Hall of Fame

I find this song extremely empowering - it similarly states that only you can control your own destiny and to actively pursue your dreams. 

Wishing you all a Happy New Year - I hope you achieve all the happiness and success you deserve.

Inspirations from London 2012

As 2012 comes to an end, I'd like to reflect on the amazing amount of sport it's housed and witnessed in the UK. It's been named 'the greatest year in the history of British sport', with a focus on the Olympics in London this summer. This success was recently celebrated at the BBC's Sports Personality Of The Year Awards (SPOTY). It was Bradley Wiggins who won this title, being the first Briton to win the Tour de France and then claim Olympic gold.

It is awards and triumphs such as these that have inspired many in the UK to try out new sports or revisit ones they left behind years ago. Including myself. Following on from my last post, I'm itching to tell you about my rowing taster day with City of Cambridge Rowing Club in November. But before I do, I'd like to share a few memories and highlights from my time at the Paralympics in September:

We're here!

Paralympic athletics

Aled Davies wins gold medal in the discus

Me and Chris

Goalball - Japan v Australia

Experiencing goalball for the first time

Wheelchair basketball - Poland v Germany

Supporting my homeland team - Poland

Lovely end to the day

Chariots of Fire 2012: we did it!

Sorry for the radio silence, my evenings have recently been taken up with training (quite) hard for the Chariots of Fire relay race 2012, which happened last Sunday 16 September...

After much anticipation, I am proud to say my team and I completed the 1.7 mile (2.7K) relay race in 1 hour and 35 minutes. I also managed to achieve my personal best of 15 minutes! 

Me sporting my number,  medal and t-shirt! 

Although I swore afterwards that I would never do it again, the pain seems a distant memory now and the temptation is kicking in. Is this the addiction runners talk about? Have I crossed that threshold? 

In the meantime, I am hopefully going to keep going for runs in the evenings (I wake up at night you see), and push myself to run further each time. Maybe I will even enter a 5K run...who knows. I am also currently waiting for City of Cambridge Rowing Club to get back to me about a one day taster course in October...exciting times! 

I know my sudden sport frenzy has definitely been influenced by the Olympics this year and then attending some athletics, goalball and wheelchair basketball at the Paralympics shortly after - pictures coming soon.

 The idea of trying out rowing came about once I had watched Katherine Copeland and Sophie Hosking win gold in the women's lightweight double sculls. As with many I've spoken to, I never imagined the Olympics would affect me in this way, or even at all, but I'm extremely happy they have. 

Katherine and Sophie overjoyed by their success

It's been a great year for sport and I'm hoping it has and will inspire many, like me, to carry on and try new things.

Chariots of Fire: to run or not to run?

My friend kindly reminded me today that I agreed to enter Chariots of Fire a couple of months ago.

This is an annual charity race in Cambridge, this year on Sunday 16 September 2012, following in the footsteps of the famous film. Each team of six journeys through the streets and colleges of Cambridge, running a 1.7 mile course in relay format.

If you know me at all, you'll know that I find nothing worse than running. Walking or cycling any day. Running, not a chance. So why did I agree? 

To run or not to run? 

• Well, avid runner friends have always raved how liberating it is and the sense of achievement after a race is indescribable and exhilarating. It's also free and limitless. This is true, the rates I pay for the gym are stupidly high! Maybe I'm halfway convinced...
• My boyfriend is also aiming to complete a half marathon in October and has been at me for months to start running with him. I think his persistence paid off as I finally gave in and reluctantly made my way down to the park near my work on Thursday evening. I'd been trying to put it off all day - the rain was a great excuse - but conveniently it stopped raining as soon as I finished work. 
• I have to say, the first lap round the park was excruciating - my breathing was all wrong, my heart was burning and we kept stopping (probably not the best form of exercise to ease myself back into it after a week of no physical activity and gluttony at a work conference!). 
• However, a few more laps in and my fitness levels quickly adapted - I pushed through the pain and got into a nice rhythm. I think the first time is the worst - once past this barrier, it's all uphill (not literally I hope!). 

To run: So, despite my resistance to running in the past, I think I will persevere with it - at least until the race is over - I'd hate to let any one down...and you never know, to quote Casablanca this may be 'the beginning of a beautiful friendship'.

Plus, it's for a good cause - this year funds are being raised for charities; Cambridge Past, Present & Future and Cam Sight. 

If you have any tips on running or completing a race, please get in touch. Or if you've done Chariots of Fire before, please leave your comments and share your experiences here. 

I'll be posting any updates on this, so watch this space :) 

My love for health comms: where it began

To christen this blog, I thought I'd start it with the thing that inspired me to take an interest in health communications.

As I mention on my 'Who am I?' page, my real love for health communications began when I volunteered with the British Liver Trust as part of a placement at Bournemouth University.

The Communications Manager kept mentioning how useful it would be to measure to what extent the stigma of liver disease was affecting donors and general public perception - and so the idea for my final year dissertation was born!


It was so rewarding knowing I was creating a piece of research that would actually help contribute to real life issues. It was then I realised the power of health communication and fell under its magical spell. I have been captivated ever since. 



Just to give you an idea of the content, here is a quick summary of my aim and findings:

Aim: to examine the extent to which a sample of the UK public stigmatised liver disease and whether their level of education was related to their level of stigmatisation.

Findings: 

• the sample did stigmatise liver disease to a certain extent, as they believed it was purely caused and self-inflicted by alcoholism,

• however, this stigmatised perception did not stop the sample supporting a liver disease sufferer, even if they were responsible for their condition,
• results also showed that a higher level of education may loosely result in increased knowledge of liver disease and therefore lower stigmatisation, 
• yet it was found that the type of education and experience attached to it were more strongly related to the sample’s knowledge and level of stigmatisation.

Overall, findings suggest that the existing stigmatisation of liver disease can be easily reduced and prevented by introducing it into the secondary curriculum and increasing public awareness of the other types of liver disease through campaigns and medical centres.

To read my full dissertation, please click here. I hope you find it as interesting as I did - please get in touch with any feedback you may have. Thank you.

Inspiring pictures

Site in progress - coming soon!

Watch this space :)