This article contains sensitive content surrounding illness and mortality, as well as an image which some readers may find triggering or distressing.

Meningitis. Heard of it, right? Encephalitis? Nope? Neither’s 77% of the world, says Encephalitis International. Neither had I. Until I woke up in hospital after 15 days on life support.

What is encephalitis? While meningitis is an inflammation of the protective membranes surrounding the brain, encephalitis is an inflammation of the brain itself. It’s caused either by an infection, or through the immune system attacking it in error. In the UK each year there are up to 6,000 cases, with a mortality rate up to 40%. Death is usually caused by severe brain swelling, resulting in pressure on the brainstem. That’s the part that controls breathing and circulation – with it then ceasing to function. Cheery stuff, no? But it’s the stuff you need to know about. And I’m determined each year – as I have in magazines and on TV – to share my experience to help people know the early signs and how things can progress so quickly.

What are the symptoms? It depends on the type. It’s usually a flu-like illness or headache and high temperature. Then there’s uncharacteristic behaviour, seizures, and loss of consciousness. But symptoms alone are not enough of a diagnosis. Hospitals perform a variety of tests, such as brain scans, a spinal tap and EEG monitoring. Now, let’s talk about me, shall we?

I was all fine and dandy one minute back in June 2021 – then not so great the next. I caught a cold and kept complaining how tired I was. I’d sleep for hours. My husband, Scott – thinking I was in the midst of a nasty cold – packed me off to bed one night when I couldn’t even keep my eyes open to eat a bowl of soup. I fell asleep, and didn’t wake up.

Panic set in the next morning when Scott couldn’t rouse me. An ambulance was called, with my dad scooping my boys off to my parents. By this time I was semi awake, with our security cameras catching me stumbling into the back of the ambulance. When we arrived at our local hospital I sat in the A&E waiting room next to Scott, who’d arrived separately due to Covid restrictions. I then started having seizures, rendering me unconscious to the point I was put on a ventilator. The doctors no longer knew what to do, so I was transferred to The Royal London Hospital for specialist help. It was there that my diagnosis was confirmed. With my parents and Scott being told I may never wake again.

Obviously I did – how else would I tell this tale? – after 15 nights on life support. And while my family breathed a sigh of relief that I was conscious, it was clear things weren’t right. “How are the cats?” I asked. They’d passed away a few years earlier. “When can I speak to Auntie Karen and Uncle Peter?” My uncle died of a heart attack 10 years before. Encephalitis had damaged the part of my brain that ‘stored’ memories. There was little hope of it returning (very much the case). I have no recollection of getting married, giving birth to my sons, 9/11 – everything from the last 25 years.

My family were also alarmed with the way I acted. “There’s flies in my ears and wasps in the ceiling,” I said to Scott one night. Another time he listened as I told him my father-in-law was sitting next to me laughing. He was at home 40 miles away. My mum brought in a picture of my boys, and the doctors kept asking what their names were and where they lived. I refused, because I was adamant they were going to be kidnapped at any moment. One thing I do recall is a nurse trying to give me my medication. Refusing, I spat in her face: I’ll never forget the look in her eyes. I was experiencing a type of Intensive Care Delirium – confusion, hallucinations, paranoia, and agitation, which eventually resided. And, after a further three weeks in hospital, I was well enough to be discharged.

That’s the end of my story, surely? Nope. I’m now short-tempered. I’m now epileptic due to the seizures so can’t drive. I scream when my phone rings. No one can go near my right ankle as for no reason whatsoever it’s agonising to touch. I’ll often look in the mirror and see a woman with a bright red nose staring back – another attractive side effect, which my boys now refer to ‘Mum having a Rudolph moment’. Last year I had to stay at The Royal London for a week of brain monitoring. Not stylish, as you see below. I’m back this month for another week to see whether different meds could manage my seizures entirely. That means I could get my driving licence back. The question is, will I need lessons? I reckon so, especially when I recently told my husband at a roundabout to give way to the left. Oops.

I’m aware I’m making this sound light-hearted, but of course a brain injury isn’t. I’m one of the lucky ones. But it would be lovely to hop in the car to see friends. To not to have to write notes so I don’t forget what I’m doing. I’d like to open a web browser and not forget why I’ve opened it. And for Scott to not have to repeat the same answer I’d asked him about yesterday. Or the day before – and the day before that. I might look the same on the outside, but what people need to be aware of is that those who’ve suffered a brain injury are very much not the same on the inside. Because even though I’m trying to make it sound like a laughing matter, living with a brain injury is no laughing matter.

The information I am sharing is regarding my own experience with a brain injury. Specific, professional, or medical advice should always be sought from qualified specialists.

If you know someone who has recently sustained a brain injury, who is living with the long-term effects, or is experiencing grief following a brain injury click here to see the support available. For further emotional support call Samaritans free, day or night, on 116 123.

The post Opinion: Editor Claire on living with her brain injury appeared first on Checklists.

1 Dare to daydream

Sounds counterproductive, we know, but some scientists believe allowing a specific time for daydreaming’s good for our health – and helps us pay attention when needed. “Ironically, a lack of time to daydream may even hamper our capacity to pay attention when we need to,” says Professor Mary-Helen Immordino-Yang from the University of Southern California.

2 Have a laugh

Our brains are naturally drawn towards fun activities, and some scientific studies have shown that by allowing ourselves to have fun, we can potentially concentrate better for longer. In one report, those who were shown a funny video then asked to do an activity tried harder and were focused on the task for longer, than those that simply sat straight down to work. 

3 Play the right music

That’s right; tune in to the beat – just make sure it’s the right kind. Certain music provides non-invasive noise and evokes pleasurable feelings, which temper our subconscious ability to get distracted. A surprising choice? Video game music! Rhythmic and designed to keep us in the game for as long as possible, its sole purpose is to stay in the background but also keep us in the zone.

4 Stop scrolling

An obvious one, but most people ignore the fact that it’s almost impossible to concentrate with constant pings and dings from those hard-to-resist apps. Having said that, there are apps you can use to pop them on mute. Another tip is to not install social media or chat-based apps on your desktop, removing email notifications in favour of giving yourself an allocated time to go and check them.

5 Get physical

Certain exercises like walking or jogging are known to aid concentration. However, because the effect only lasts about an hour, scheduling regular opportunities during the day could benefit you more. Studies have also shown that just five minutes of intense activity can also impact obesity levels and BMI. It all adds up to being more productive, with a healthier body and a healthier, more focussed mind. 

6 Remember to breathe

OK, so breathing’s something we all do without even thinking about it, but the truth is most of us don’t fully utilise the power of our breath. That’s where slow, deliberate breathing exercises come in, improving our ability to focus as a result. As your lungs take in more fresh air, your blood oxygen levels rise, then, as your blood pressure rises, more oxygen reaches your brain, enhancing your ability to concentrate.

7 Get your coat

Back during lockdown – as well as jumping up and down to Joe Wickes in front of the TV, and those well-deserved claps for the NHS from your front door – much was made of the psychological effects of getting dressed over working in your PJs. There’s science behind the theory that what you wear affects performance – one study even found wearing a lab coat like a doctor helped people to focus better!

8 Concentrate on colours

According to the colour theory, beige and grey can create feelings of depression, whereas red demands attention. So it’s important to think about the colour or shade you choose to wear or even surround yourself with, be it working from home or in the office. What’ve we discovered? The best colours to aid concentration are green and blue.

9 Find your focal point

It’s widely accepted that people find it easier to concentrate at different points in the day – which type you are, is known as your chronotype, and is something we’re born with. It’s mainly genetic, albeit it could alter slightly at different points in our development. And, now that workplaces are a lot more flexible, you can be a morning person or a night owl; at least to a certain extent.

10 Take the right supplement

There are many health supplements thought to aid concentration and provide balance and harmony to both body and mind. Some CBD products are reported to support concentration thanks to a unique combination of terpenes and herbal extracts such as maca root and ashwagandha, which are thought to calm the mind and limit distraction from external sources. Go on, think about what works for you.

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With a decrease in sunshine and the days gradually becoming shorter, winter is truly a time of change, While it is impossible to avoid catching colds and bugs, there are steps you can take to help you perform at your best. Below, Checklist provides health and wellbeing tips for winter that can be easily implemented into your daily routine, to help guide you through the coming months.

Vitamin D supplements

Taking a vitamin D supplement is one basic but important change you can make to care of your health. This is incredibly important during winter, when many people simply do not get enough sunlight. The body creates vitamin D from direct sunlight on the skin when outdoors, and it is difficult for most people in the UK to get enough through these natural sources, due to little or no sunshine exposure.

Individuals with darker skin – for example those from an African, African-Caribbean or south Asian background – may also not produce enough vitamin D from sunlight.

Taking a daily vitamin D tablet can help to offset health issues caused by lack of sunlight, as well as provide numerous benefits. Designed to support good immune function, vitamin D promotes intestinal calcium absorption and helps maintain adequate blood levels of calcium and phosphorus.

Become more active

As the days grow colder and shorter, many individuals tend to become less active. Even those who were frequent gym goers and generally active may exercise less frequently.

For those bold enough to brave the change in temperatures and hit the gym, go for a run (or partake in any form of exercise), you will reap a whole host of benefits. A number of studies have shown that exercising releases endorphins and can help to reduce high stress and anxiety levels, alongside the physical benefits that many individuals see after a prolonged period of exercise. Why not consider a lunchtime workout, if you know the dark mornings and evenings are going to hamper your usual workout regime.

There are also many tried and tested supplements people can take, to aid in their exercise regiment. Magnesium contains several health benefits. It has shown to help with recovery and muscle contraction and have a positive influence on blood pressure. Beta-alanine also possesses numerous health benefits. A naturally occurring beta amino acid, it is designed to help with endurance and possibly building muscle, as well as to aid in buffering lactic acid to resist fatigue and get you through those last few reps.

Embrace the outdoors

As a follow on to the previous point, people can naturally become more adverse to venturing outside as summer turns to winter. However, don’t let the change in climate stop you from enjoying what is truly a magical time. For many, the simple act of walking can work wonders for their mental state.

In winter, nature is transformed in a manner not seen at any other time. The vibrancy is breathtaking, parks come alive and turn into picture-perfect locations, with the leaves on trees turning a reddish-orange or brownish-red colour, paving the walkways, making it an ideal spot for a stroll. No matter how short or long the walk, immersing yourself in nature can be an effective mood-booster, as well as a great way to get those steps in. To truly enjoy the walk, ensure you have appropriate clothing and comfortable footwear.

For those with beloved canines, a winter dog walk is the perfect excuse for a stroll. Not to mention, the backdrops can make for some great Instagram pictures.

Food and drink in winter

For many, following a healthy and balanced diet plan is much easier in the summer months, with the season’s warmer temperatures and longer days.

However, a healthy, nutritional diet need not be a chore in winter, with numerous foods in season that are both tasty and nourishing. Seasonal veg includes the likes of beetroots, carrots and pumpkins, that can easily be incorporated as main ingredients in stews, soups, and other warm dishes. Also consider seasonings that add a sweet, mildly spicy, and salty flavour. Not only can they help you to feel nourished and energised; they can give your dish an additional flavour kick too.

If supplements aren’t quite your cup of tea, herbal tea is an option. Whilst there are plenty of shop-ready teas that provide a range of health benefits, consider concocting a home recipe, to find a blend that really hits the sweet spot. Try mixing ingredients such as cinnamon, ginger, and turmeric in your tea, with these and many more providing a unique taste and a range of health benefits.

Baby steps

Whilst the need and want to incorporate new health and wellbeing tips for winter immediately into your routine can be tempting, it’s certainly not a one-size-fits-all approach. For many, building healthy habits requires time and patience, so working one or two new steps into your daily routine can work wonders for your mental health. Not to mention, once those new habits have been integrated, you can then start to work other ones into your routine. Before you know it, many of these new daily habits will become second nature, and you will wonder what life was like before.

To see your company in any upcoming features we are arranging please email editorial@hurstmediacompany.co.uk

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Bruising from anti-wrinkle injections is rare, as the needles used are extremely fine and the depth of injection, fairly shallow, whereas with dermal fillers, bruising can be more common, due to the depth of injection, necessary in many of these procedures and the more invasive nature of the delivery of product, even though it is still seen as a non-surgical alternative to surgery.

Bruising can occur in a multitude of different patterns and itself can vary over time in depth, colour and distribution, so it is very difficult to give a solid opinion. These kind of marks from anti-wrinke injections itself is generally unlikely to occur and the pattern of bruising seen in this case doesn’t fit the typical anti-wrinke injection sites, as bruising from these procedures tends to be more pinpoint and less diffuse in nature. Filler injections tend be to placed deeper than anti-wrinke injections and may give more of a widespread pattern of bruising should it occur as shown. However, there can be a bruise pattern which may be a result of a filler treatment for an under-eye tear trough deformity.

Though bruising can occur and in many cases, cannot be helped, there are ways in which you can reduce the risk of such bruising and ways to assist with a faster healing time according to Dr Dan Dhunna of the Botox London clinic.

Cutting any alcohol consumption three to four days prior and 24 hours, following your injectable procedure can significantly help reduce the risk of unwanted side effects. Alcohol thins the blood and causes the blood vessels to dilate. This increases your chances of bruising as well as swelling, after an anti-wrinke injection or dermal filler treatment. Avoiding alcohol before and after these treatments can also help you to achieve optimal results, faster, with less bruising and swelling.

Although some pain relief such as paracetamol can be handy after an injectable treatment, to ease any tenderness at the injection site, taking blood thinning pain killers such as ibuprofen or aspirin, could increase your risk of bruising, for the same reason that alcohol increases the risks.

Taking arnica before your injectable treatment and using arnica gel to treat any small bruises can be a help. This supplement has been used for centuries for its anti-inflammatory properties. Not only can it minimise the risk of swelling and bruising, before an injectable treatment, but can also speed up the healing process, should this occur after your anti-wrinke injections or dermal filler procedure.

Avoiding hot steam, saunas, baths or anything that will overheat you, such as strenuous exercise, can minimise bruising and swelling. This all should be avoided for at least 48 hours, following anti-wrinke injections or dermal filler treatment.

Using a good old-fashioned ice pack can help minimise bruising after your anti-wrinke injections and filler treatment, as this cools the injection site, as it constricts the blood vessels and decreases blood flow to the affected area. In some cases, ice may be used before your injectable treatment, to assist with swelling, bruising and even the sensation of the needle or cannula.

Dr Dan Dhunna swears by using Auriderm, a vitamin K oxide bruising cream, following your anti-wrinke injections or dermal filler treatment. Another God send, Bromelan (pineapple extract) has the same anti-inflammatory effect as Arnica but has medical-grade strength, to speed up healing and prevent too much swelling and bruising. It’s good to know the real experts in the industry have these tools to hand and know when and how to use them.

Before you begin frantically copying this article to remember all you need to, about the avoidance of bruising and swelling, after your injectable procedure, fear not! In a no obligation, initial and in-depth consultation, Dr Dan Dhunna will explain not only what you need to know about the procedure, results, recovery time and the expected longevity of your results, but he will also advise you on before and aftercare protocols that you should follow, to minimise any unwanted side-effects of this nature.

He will also check your medical history to ensure that you are physically fit and able to have an injectable treatment safely. There are many medications which can increase the risk of bruising and bleeding, such as clopidogrel, aspirin and warfarin, which are some of the more common meds for cardiovascular conditions. Other medicines that can increase the risk of bruising, following anti-wrinke injections or dermal fillers include dabigatran, ticlopidine, enoxaparin and dipyridamole. Therefore, it’s vital that you disclose any medical conditions and medications at your pre-treatment consultation.

It’s also really important to take in to consideration, the timing of your injectable treatments, so that you can enjoy your results without having to apply heavy makeup or hide beneath a large hat or huge sunglasses, at that long-planned wedding, party or even a holiday. Dr Dan Dhunna advises having any injectable treatment, even anti-wrinke injections at least two weeks before a special occasion, so that you can allow time for any bruising or swelling to subside. You can also enjoy better results after two weeks and look fresh, youthful and stunning for your gathering or getaway.

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Those with mobility issues often need and look for assistance to enjoy an active and independent life. Walking aids, such as a rollator, can help to increase one’s freedom and range of movement. Walking frames have long been the traditional go-to walking aid, but individuals often exert a great deal of time and energy in moving the frame. A rollator is a mobility aid possessing several features to help support a mobility-assisted lifestyle and is recommended for users requiring minimal support.

Typically modern, innovative, and easy to use, a rollator has numerous unique selling points. Tailored to the user a rollator is available in several sizes, and comes with wheels, instead of legs, allowing them to move along in front of a person with minimal fuss. Additionally, they are height adjustable, function very well outdoors, and are easily transportable.

A Rollz rollator is designed to help you to enjoy an active and independent life, and step out in confidence, comfort, and style. Designed by Dutch kinetics engineers, their modern rollators are built from the highest-quality materials, to last for as long as one needs to use them.

Rollz engineers are dedicated to crafting innovative, modern rollators to create the ultimate walking experience. Designed with the user in mind, the walking aids are geared towards making everyday tasks as straightforward as possible. Easy to push and manoeuvre, their rollators help users to enjoy their walk, holiday, or shopping trip.

Their rollators are a reliable shopping partner thanks to their large capacity bag. Even with a bag full of shopping, the modern rollator is easy to steer thanks to its smart gravity point. With the wheels set close to each other, it enables a tight turning circle which comes in handy in narrow spaces. Rollz have also placed an emphasis on stability, with their rollators designed to make walking feel safer by reducing the fear of falling. In doing so, it can provide physical stability and a boost of confidence you need to go out and move more.

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There are numerous ways to make walking truly a pleasure. Prior planning and research can enable you to locate varied walking paths and take in some of the best local sites on offer, including parks and reserves. For those with a dog, taking the beloved canine for a walk can help kill two birds with one stone. Walking with friends or joining a walking club can also heighten the walking experience.

A walking holiday is a great way to explore a location in depth and truly take in all a place has to offer. From its landscapes, monuments to culture, dunes to villages, it is truly an immersive experience. And with the warmer season upon us, bringing with it longer days hotter temperatures, cheeping birds, and blossoming trees, there is a real sense of the natural world bursting with life.

If you are looking for a walking holiday, then look no further than HF Holidays. A company specialising in walking holidays and interest breaks for more than 100 years, they have built up the knowledge to deliver extraordinary holiday experiences in exceptional locations.

There’s a host of different options to choose from to get your break off to a kicking start with HF Holidays providing a range of packages tailored to your interests. Follow trails along historic routes through incredible scenery with the option to select guided or self-guided walking holidays.

Choose from a UK walking break with full board in one of HF Holidays’ 17 country houses, learning a new skill such as landscape painting or dancing. Or join them to travel to Europe and the wider world; the walking travel specialists go to more than 80 destinations on six continents. Being away for even just a few nights can be a great way to unwind and feel invigorated.

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First off, can you tell us what the outdoors means to you?

I’m always at my happiest in the great outdoors. It has so many mental health benefits, including lowering stress and lifting mood. I try to get outside every single day no matter what the weather, which is why the Peter Storm range is perfect for me (and it looks great)!

What would your greatest day spent outdoors look like?

The brilliant thing about nature is that even though it’s constant, it’s ever-evolving which I admire. So there isn’t a ‘greatest day in the outdoors’ for me – I just need to be outdoors every day – even if that’s in the local park. Twenty minutes with the trees and taking in the sounds and smells of the natural world revitalises me.

What would make for an unbeatable experience outside and what has been your greatest UK adventure to date?

My greatest UK adventure to date is the next one. I had a fantastic time filming a walk in Essex recently, in a place called Tollesbury, which was utterly lovely. Not really a great big adventure but I think getting as much ‘green’ in our daily lives is the important thing.

You’ve bravely opened up about your cancer diagnosis; has it changed your connection with and perception of the great outdoors, and how you have been able to enjoy it?

Honestly, it’s saved me, kept me sane, been my therapist and continues to help my recovery in ways I can’t explain.

What advice would you give to those suffering from physical or mental illnesses to support them in getting outside?

It’s been widely researched and just 120 minutes a week in green spaces has been shown to have huge benefits on our physical and mental health. Humans have evolved in green spaces and we are not meant to be spending hours hunched over a blue screen… Do yourself a huge favour and make sure you take regular breaks and get that much needed vitamin D from daylight, which helps sets your circadian rhythm, refreshes your concentration and helps optimise your hormones. It’s vital for mental health and we all need to move, to stay on top of our physical health.

As a family, how do you balance time spent online with time away from devices and what tips can you give to parents and kids on limiting screen time?

We’re just busy and involved with our kids. I talk to them about my work and include them in some of it – getting them to help me research stuff and showing them the places I may be filming. We read a lot together, plant trees, grow indoor plants… if you show children how life grows, I think they’re intrinsically interested in the process and results.

What are your favourite things about your job? Is there anyone in the outdoors industry that inspires you and why?

I feel very grateful – I think it’s the best job in the world. I’ve met fantastically interesting people, I’ve travelled through some of the most interesting and beautiful landscapes in the world and despite the insecurity of not knowing what’s next, it’s incredibly rewarding. I still feel as if I have so much to learn about everything.

I’m a super fan of Suzanne Simard – a professor who made the ground-breaking discovery that trees talk to each other in highly complex ways and Octavia Hill who was a social reformer and ardent campaigner to protect various landscapes and special places across the UK. She helped found the National Trust and stopped lots of green spaces from being built on, in the name of ‘progress’ because she understood the value of these spaces for everyone – whatever their background – even in urban settings.

For you, what would make an ideal day trip or day out?

Homemade sarnies (fat slices of sourdough please), a sunny day, and my kids set to go for a woodland walk and picnic.

Checklist collaborated with Go Outdoors for this interview, which you can find here.

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Frontline19 is a UK-based, nationwide organisation that offers a free independent, confidential service delivering psychological support to people working on the frontline. With a vast network of qualified counsellors, psychotherapists and psychologists, they can ensure you get the right help quickly and easily.

They help a range of frontline healthcare workers and are currently prioritising those in patient-facing roles. 

Do you need someone to talk to? The Frontline19 team will match you with a qualified professional who will provide a safe place to listen to you and provide psychological support where appropriate. They offer eight to 12 sessions which can be done online via a platform that works for you. 

You can access up to 12 free sessions with your therapist and the process is designed to make it as easy and accessible as possible for anyone working in a healthcare professional to get the help you need. The online form supported by the Frontline19 referrals team allows for efficient and speedy access to the service. For more information about the service, or to make a self referral, go to the Frontline19 website at their website or email.

As a team of specialist mental health professionals this service can support with PTDS, trauma, depression, anxiety, burnout, and many other emotional health challenges.  

Help is at hand, reach out and please ask for some support.

Frontline19 are also registering fully qualified, experienced psychotherapists, counsellors and psychologists who would like to offer their skills and expertise to support frontline workers. If you can spare an hour a week, it can make a huge difference, get in touch.

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Want to slice time off your personal best run, or maximise your lifting efforts on the weights? Then caffeine can offer you some benefits; these are the scientifically proven effects and also what you should be aware of.

Effect on recovery after exercise

Let’s start with recovering after exercise. There have been numerous studies that have shown caffeine ingestion, alongside carbohydrates, strongly affects muscle recovery, getting the energy back into tired muscles much faster than otherwise. Positive news for those looking to train harder by increasing their frequency – although as a caveat it must be said that some studies involve some pretty hefty caffeine ingestion.

For example, one trial supplemented 8mg per kg of bodyweight – for this writer that would be 800mg of caffeine, around eight cups of proper coffee – oof! Probably quite hard to consume alongside a big bowl of oats too, if carb-loading, prior to a training session or particular sporting event.

However, the good news is that an intake of just 2mg per kg of body weight (two cups of coffee) was sufficient to see extra benefits to glycogen replenishment in the muscles, although at reduced levels – glycogen is stored in the muscles and is their main fuel source and comes from the food we eat.

The trial studied endurance-trained cyclists and triathletes in a randomised, double-blind trial and showed that participants’ muscles regained 66% more glycogen in the four hours after intense exercise when combining caffeine with carbohydrates during recovery (subjects were administered caffeine before and during exercise, which indicates caffeine exerts its effect best on muscle glycogen synthesis when consumed at the same time as carbs).

The believed mechanism for this faster replenishment was that caffeine can play a role in stimulating intestinal glucose absorption, meaning the recovery cycle is accelerated.

So, the bottom line is, consuming caffeine alongside your carbs post-exercise, can quicken your muscles’ recovery time, allowing for higher training frequencies.

Performance enhancement

The strength and endurance-enhancing properties of caffeine have been long known, with many trials and studies being dedicated to its benefits over the years. Many of the trials have shown that simple coffee ingestion can greatly improve an athlete’s performance above their own baseline abilities and that cognitive performance improvements are also reported in test subjects.

One study found that combining caffeine and carbs improved performance by 9% compared to water alone, and 4.6% compared to carbs alone.

Another study found that in a 1,500-meter run, regular coffee drinkers were 4.2 seconds faster than those drinking decaffeinated coffee.

Another linked study found that coffee helped reduce the perception of effort, allowing athletes to work harder, for longer. In a study of cyclists, caffeine was shown to outperform carbs or water in increasing workload.

The cyclists ingested 250mg (2.5 cups of coffee), of caffeine an hour prior to their ride and this was followed by an additional loading of 250mg, at 15min intervals, over the first 90min of the ride. This consumption of caffeine boosted endurance performance by 7.4% and their Vo2 by 7.3% (Vo2 is the maximum amount of oxygen that your body can use during exercise).

The other significant thing to note about this is that alongside the comparatively large increase in the cyclists’ performance, the subjects’ perception of their own exertion remained unchanged, which is a key psychological effect that caffeine can cause in the user – you are working harder, but don’t actually feel like you are.

So, the bottom line is that caffeine really can help in allowing users to maximise their workout and training sessions or achieve those personal bests, training harder, for longer.

In a systematic review, found that while there is a significant impact of coffee on the cardiovascular system, and on the metabolism of carbohydrates and lipids (in muscle recovery and fat breakdown): “Coffee is associated with a reduction in the incidence of diabetes and liver disease. Protection seems to exist also for Parkinson’s disease among neurological disorders, and its effect on cancer risk appears to favour risk reduction. Coffee consumption seems to reduce mortality.”

Effects on iron absorbtion

One thing to be aware of with coffee intake is potential iron deficiency, as coffee and other caffeinated drinks (especially teas) have been shown to inhibit iron absorption in the digestive system.

A study found that drinking a cup of coffee with a ‘hamburger meal’ reduced iron absorption by 39%. In the same study they found that drinking tea, a known inhibitor of iron absorption, with the same hamburger meal reduced iron absorption by 64% – and the stronger the tea or coffee, the less iron was absorbed by the participants.

Alongside caffeine the polyphenols and tannins found in tea and coffee are also thought to be inhibitors of iron absorption. A study found that these substances include chlorogenic acid, which is found mainly in coffee, cocoa, and also some herbs, and the tannins found in black tea and coffee, inhibit iron absorption in humans.

These compounds were found to bind with iron during the digestion process, making it more difficult for the body to absorb, with the levels of iron absorption decreasing as the polyphenol content of the food or beverage increased.

For those with specialised diets, vegan or vegetarian diets, who may have lower iron intakes, it would be considered wise to reduce caffeinated drink intake, or to take other measures such as supplementation – but always consult your doctor first.

However, the good news is that the study also found that the effects of coffee and caffeine on iron absorption were dependent on when it was consumed alongside food. Drinking your morning coffee one hour before breakfast should have no effect on iron absorption.

To see your company in any upcoming features we are arranging please email laura@hurstmediacompany.co.uk or editorial@hurstmediacompany.co.uk

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Pancakes are versatile in nature, and can be enjoyed sweet or savoury, with no limit on toppings – to create the ultimate healthy treat. Myprotein, Myvegan and Myvitamins have a range of pancake mixes that create delicious pancakes with excellent macronutrients to help support training and everyday wellbeing.

These pancake ranges include the Myvegan Ultimate Vegan Pancake Day Bundle, Myprotein Protein Pancake Bundle, and the Myvitamins Collagen Pancakes mix. The mixes contain at least 10g of protein per serving, making them the perfect choice to help support fitness goals.

The perfect pancake recipe:

1. Add two scoops of mixture to milk or water – check each mixture for the ratio
2. Mix together thoroughly using a spoon or mixer
3. Heat a frying pan over a medium heat with a small amount of oil or butter
4. Pour a small amount of mixture into the pan to form your pancake shape
5. Cook your pancake for approximately one minute until golden
6. Using a spatula turn (or hand flip) your pancake over and leave to cook until golden
7. Once fully golden, stack it on a plate, grab your desired toppings and enjoy.

So, whether you’re looking to make a quick and filling breakfast, or want to indulge your own way, the options are endless.  

Visit Myvegan, Myprotein and Myvitamins online today to shop the full product ranges.

To see your company in any upcoming features we are arranging please email laura@hurstmediacompany.co.uk or editorial@hurstmediacompany.co.uk

The post Enjoy the perfect protein-packed stack appeared first on Checklists.