Do You Believe In Magic

The most frequent question I am asked is “How do you keep going” and my very simple response is always the same, “The reason I can keep going is because I keep going”. Last week I told my massage therapist Vicky Vickery that and she agreed. The worst thing an active person can do is to think that because they have become a pensioner that they can take it easy. Well of course if that is what they have been promising themselves for that last twenty years that choice is there to be taken if they so wish.

When I was a child attending dancing classes on almost every evening of the week I remember my teachers frequently telling us as seven year old's that if we did our plié every day, that we would still be able to do that when we were seventy. I still do that daily and with each position I check that my body is still upright and that my knees are in line with my toes and that my bottom is not sticking out to make it easier. The same with the basic arm positions. I check in the mirror that as if I were a puppet, that everything is hanging nicely one part to the next in a nice level frame so that my neck has not sunken into my shoulders and my shoulders are not hunched. It is a daily inspection of my carriage.

The Tap teacher said pretty much the same sort of thing, “If you do your time steps every day…” I can still do those as well.

Plainly here, I am continuing on my own high horse to say that we are responsible for ourselves and plainly we are the ones who keep ourselves going and once that little bit of personal discipline slides, the slide will continue and become more rapid.

The same goes for our eating habits; its all very well to have an occasional treat like our Easter eggs and the hot cross buns this weekend, so long as we accept that they are not to be gobbled up at every opportunity.

It is true that I am very fortunate to have a husband who is the most excellent cook and who loves to prepare delightful dishes, but the naughty ones are kept as a weekend treat. In addition to tha,t he is well aware that in the dark recesses of my mind I have a file headed ‘Magic Food’ and he does his best to include items from my Magic list regularly in the lovely dinners he makes for us both. 

I have Manuka Honey in my coffee in the mornings, and yes I know that coffee is not good for us. Other items that I like the have for my own theory on healthy eating are: Mushrooms as often as possible including some wild mushrooms.

Broccoli, a couple of times a week cooked lightly or raw in salad.

Lots of other green things

Onions and a little garlic.

Piles and piles of fruit.

Top of that list are blueberries and grapes.

Some nuts and seeds.

Plenty of Fish.

Things I don’t like to have too much:

Bread

Pasta

Red meat

Bananas

Tomato’s

Strawberries

Carrots.

Some people may find this a little contrary but then I admit to that freely but I have those ideas and think my magic foods are magic and I don’t have to believe everything that I read in the papers about food because those stories go round and round in circles and I will stick to what I think suits me because I don’t want to eat things that do not make me feel good.