|
Welcome to our 100th edition of our Newsletter! My goodness, where have the last 100 weeks gone?
Our website www.rosemaryconley.com was launched in February 2021 and once that was up and running smoothly, I thought it would be a great idea to create a weekly Newsletter to help to inspire and educate our followers and highlight various videos on our website.
A few weeks later, our first Newsletter was emailed out on 1st April. I was surprised and delighted that over 300 people had already signed up to receive our first edition and once it was launched, more and more folks subscribed every week. Soon I was hearing that readers were really looking forward to Friday afternoons at around 4pm when that week’s Newsletter dropped into their inbox. This was hugely encouraging and it made all the time it took me to write it seem worthwhile.
Mary Morris and I have worked together for 30 years and more recently we collaborated to write The 28 Day Immunity Plan book, and since 2021 we have together enjoyed regularly supporting Leicestershire Police on their wellness initiative.
One day I was telling Mary about the challenges of writing a weekly newsletter and because every edition was written from scratch, she empathised. Then, in typical Mary fashion, she immediately volunteered to help. I can’t tell you what a relief it was and my goodness, what a valuable contribution she has brought to our publication. While it is, without doubt, quite a time commitment for both of us, on the plus side we both feel it is good mental exercise for our brains!
Almost two years on we now have several thousand subscribers enjoying our weekly publication with a 62% open rate – three times the national average for email newsletters. We are so encouraged by your feedback and also your ideas - whether it be a recipe request or a specific exercise you need for your body. We love to hear from you and each week we try to come up with subjects that we hope you will find interesting.
I’m pleased to say we have managed to get ourselves into something of a routine now and we both feel it is a real privilege to be able to pass on our many years of experience in our various areas of expertise. The great thing is that we both feel passionate about helping folks to live longer, live healthier and live happier.
I have to admit, sometimes, thinking up new subjects can be challenging so we always keep a lookout for an interesting health-related news story or the latest health study for inspiration. Occasionally, because Mary and I still teach classes, we can get an idea from one of our members, so please remember, we are always open to suggestions.
I think it is a good idea to look back over those couple of years to see what has changed in our lives in that time. Are you slimmer and/or fitter? Have you made some life-changing decisions? Have there been any significant events in your life?
There have certainly been some big changes nationally and internationally. Here are just a few:
- We have said goodbye to the Duke of Edinburgh and HM Queen Elizabeth II and welcomed King Charles III to the throne.
- A vaccine was created to keep us safer from Covid 19 and its various variants and the country ‘opened for business’ again.
- We have seen three different Prime Ministers appointed.
- We have recorded 246 videos for our website including 58 exercise routines, 49 how-to-cook recipes, 31 videos of experts discussing medical issues and 29 on how to make the most of yourself and age well.
So, as we look forward to the next couple of years, it is always good to have some goals and to write them down to refer back to. Why not weigh and measure yourself – then write it down. Think back to how active - or inactive - you were in 2021? Do you eat differently now from how you ate back then? Do you drink more or less alcohol?
Why not compare those recollections with what you do today and write them down so that you can compare notes again in 2025?
|
|
Serves 4 - 6
Per serving: calories & fat content vary according to vegetables used.
Prep time 10 - 15 mins
Cook Time 25 mins
3 medium onions, peeled and chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
Use one each of any root vegetables to hand:
– sweet potato, carrot, parsnip, swede - Peel and dice.
Add any available cabbage, Brussel sprouts, celery, leeks - Trim and chop.
500ml vegetable stock (use one vegetable stock pot)
2 tbsp freshly chopped coriander (optional)
freshly ground black pepper
Method using a Soup Maker
- Place the chopped onion and crushed garlic in a hot non-stick pan with some rapeseed oil spray and cook until soft.
- Place the chopped vegetables, plus the onions, stock and stock pot into a soup-maker. Add freshly ground black pepper.
- Cook on high for 20 - 25 minutes until the vegetables are cooked. Liquidise once for 30 seconds. Ensure the mixture is well mixed then add the fresh coriander if using, then liquidise for a further 30 - 45 seconds to remove any lumps.
- If too thick, add more water or stock or freeze as concentrated soup and then add more stock when heating up ready to serve.
Method Using a Pan
- Place the chopped onion and crushed garlic in a large, hot pan with some rapeseed oil spray and cook until soft.
- Add the vegetables and the stock and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
- Allow to cool slightly then pour the contents of the pan into a liquidiser or food processor and puree until smooth. Add the freshly chopped coriander and season to taste with freshly ground black pepper and whizz again.
- If too thick, add more water or stock or freeze as concentrated soup and then add more stock when heating up ready to serve.
|
|
|
Fun, Facts & Fitness from Mary Morris MSc.
It will probably come as no surprise to you all that I like very much to pass on useful information. That's the teacher in me I suppose, so when given the opportunity to write for this Newsletter every week it was right up my street. You see Rosemary has always managed to attract a considerable number of followers, so I like the fact that many people are listening to what she has to say, and for me to be able to join in has meant I have a ready-made audience!
Both Rosemary and I are of a certain age, meaning we have been around the block a few times and have possibly encountered every type of problem that people may face with regards to their health. I have always said that the pursuit of good health has to be at the very top of our list and if the information that we impart through this Newsletter helps you to do that... then job done!
In my opinion, how long we live should never be called a 'lifespan' but more a 'health span'. Like me, I hope your main reason for doing your best to lead a healthy life is to avoid becoming frail. And that comment is not just meant for those already old. If you are in your 40s, 50s or 60s you need to already be working on that premise before it's too late.
We cannot always control our health as much as we would like but by following the best advice we currently have, and which we offer to you every week, then there is a strong chance you will remain fit, strong and independent far, far longer than you otherwise would. A long life with little or no periods of ill-health has to be our goal.
Why do we Age?
As we become older our cells become stressed and therefore don't function as well, so we are more susceptible to inflammation, which can lead to disease and ill health. Put simply it is the build-up of damage and wear and tear in the body in exactly the same way that an old car can have mobility issues and rust. But as we all know a car is only as good as how well we look after it. It is exactly the same for us. Without a doubt, our body will last longer if we take care of it!
Of course, we all age differently. And why do some people become ill and others don't? Unquestionably, the pandemic taught us that. It is very easy to blame our genes for our health issues but you may be surprised to know that our genes only play a very small part in all this. Currently, scientists put the figure for gene-related issues at only 17% making the other 83% down to our diet and how we live our life. That, of course, is the cornerstone of our message to you every week... for you to eat well and keep moving!
Our real hope here is that we have influenced what you do every week. Many older people say to me that they feel fitter now than when they were a lot younger because they now put more time and effort into their health. They also understand what they need to do to stay healthy. The DIY Fitness Test from The 28-Day Immunity Plan is demonstrated in real-time on the website and gives you a measurable indication of your current fitness level. If you did it a while ago, why not have another go and compare your results? And if you haven't tried it before - do it now and keep a note of your results so you can keep tabs on your progress in the future.
It isn’t difficult to train ourselves to be fitter in every one of the tests we demonstrate and it is very encouraging when we can see our improvement. A doctor recently asked me to get up on the examination bench and asked if I wanted a small step to help me get on it. As you might imagine I took great delight in hopping onto it with great vigour and I took great satisfaction when he expressed considerable admiration!
In this Newsletter we always plan to keep you up to date with current thinking and let you know of any new trends or discoveries that might be of value to you. Every day is a school day in my book and we never stop learning nor can we ever become complacent. We only have one body and we owe it to ourselves to look after it – and we will help you to do just that - so please keep on reading!
|
|
|
This Week's Fitness Challenge
- For your 3 strength sessions this week go back to The 28-Day Immunity Plan Workouts and select the week that suits you best. Alternatively, if you feel able, do the Advanced Whole Body Strength Programme but ignore the repetitions stated. If you are at this level of fitness, you are now in charge - so when you think you have had enough, do 4 more repetitions. That's the key to how you progress.
- Your Daily 30+ minute walk will hopefully include some grassed area (a softer surface for part of your walk reduces the impact on your joints). Try some 'Slow Jogging', an excellent way of increasing intensity. This involves gentle jogging at a pace that is no faster than walking but you lift your feet off the ground slightly - more than a normal walk.
- Never neglect your stretching. Don't forget to do your Post-walk stretches after your daily walk and add a stretch session to the end of each strength session this week. The Immunity Plan Workout Week 4 and the Advanced Whole Body Strength Programme both include a stretch section within the programmes. Alternatively, do the Whole Body Stretch Programme.
|
|
|
Did you know...
The number of people who use email is around 4.3 billion currently. That means more than half the population of the world has an email address.
For this Newsletter:
- 29% of our readership has a Gmail address
- 21% use Hotmail
- 10% use btinternet
- 8% use yahoo
- 34% use other email providers
In addition to the UK we have readers in Sweden, Australia, Switzerland, New Zealand, Indonesia, South Africa, USA, Canada, and even a couple in Russia!
|
|
|
And finally...
Mary and I would like to thank you for continuing to read our Newsletter and please let us know if there is anything you would like us to cover in future editions.
Have a wonderful week and stay healthy.
With love and best wishes,
Rosemary Conley CBE DL
|
|
LIVE LONGER | LIVE HEALTHIER | LIVE HAPPIER
|
|
|
|
