HERE he is again, sitting silently, lord of all he surveys. Have you noticed the gentleman in the corner of the players box at Wimbledon, stetson and little goatee beard?
I glimpsed him during the brilliant match between Marcus Willis and Roger Federer – brilliant for moments of tennis but more so for the energy and excitement this young man brought with him to the Centre Court.
Talk about a breath of fresh air. He enjoyed every moment of the game and so did the crowd, real youthful zeal as he made a name for himself and won £50,000 reward for his hard work. His whole family were behind him, his mum and dad sharing a kiss at the end. Their son may have lost to Federer but he won the hearts of everyone, including Federer.
How wonderful to have a generation of well-grounded men and women who will make it work for us all – why not give them the vote at 16? The result of the referendum might have been different.
I’m sure Marcus delighted that ubiquitous gentleman, but I’ve been asked, who is he?
He’s David Spearing and he’s an honorary steward, there to look after friends and families of the players. He’s 81 years of age and since 1974 has been officiating at Wimbledon.
Englishman David lives in Abu Dhabi and has become a friend to players and stars both on and off the court. The distinctive black Panama hat plonked firmly on his head bears the logo of The Club Abu Dhabi.
"It has certainly got me noticed," he said. “When I was first introduced to the late Terry Wogan he reckoned I looked like General Custer.”
GETTING THE WORLD IN SHAPE
THERE’S a generation who pinned their hopes on the Mayo Diet – I was one. A basic good healthy-eating plan and exercise – logical and it swept the world. I certainly benefitted from it – must have another go.
The Mayo clinic is based in Minnesota and goes back to the days of the American Civil War. It was established in 1864 by Dr William Worrall Mayo and it claims to be the first and largest non-profit medical group practice in the world, employing more than 3,800 physicians and scientists and 50,900 health staff, so what they say and recommend is well worth trying.
When I was sent this information from an online reader in Australia, I took note because, if I had a penny for every time I had a conversation about spending a penny overnight, I’d be a rich woman!
:: Mayo Clinic and Drinking Water
A cardiologist states that heart attacks can be triggered by dehydration and it’s a well-known fact that we need to drink water to help flush the toxins out of our bodies. But how many people do you know who don't want to drink anything before going to bed because they'll have to get up during the night?
But, they say, drinking one glass of water before going to bed avoids stroke or heart attack but that means having to go to the toilet overnight. What’s the answer?
This from the cardiac doctor: "Gravity holds water/fluid in the lower part of your body when you are upright and your legs are prone to swell. When you lie down and the lower body – your legs especially – becomes level with the kidneys and it’s then that the kidneys remove the fluid because it is easier.”
Logical. So what does the Clinic recommend when it comes to water intake?
“Drinking water at a certain time maximises its effectiveness on the body:
2 glasses of water after waking up – helps activate internal organs
1 glass of water 30 minutes before a meal – helps digestion
1 glass of water before taking a bath – helps lower blood pressure
1 glass of water before going to bed – avoids stroke or heart attack and water at bedtime will also help prevent night time leg cramps. Your leg muscles are seeking hydration when they cramp and wake you up.”
So it’s a toss up: either risk cramp or drink water before bed and put up with the inconvenience and keep well flushed out.
However, this is very general advice; if you are worried about having to go to the loo more frequently than before, see you’re doctor as there may be more serious underlying reasons.
See www.mayoclinic.org.
ACT IT OUT
During the summer especially when we’re out and about, away from the desk or the kitchen sink, we’re often in crowded places and in among the public. It’s unlikely but if someone collapses beside you, what would you do?
Useful to know how to identify the symptoms of a stroke because speed of medical help is paramount. It’s well known what action you should take – but do you remember? My suggestion is to go through these instruction with someone now: lie them down on the floor and go through the check – you’ll remember so much better if you practice.
You can recognise stroke symptoms by following this very simple procedure. Do it today and if you should need to go into action, the trigger word is FAST.
F is for Face – is it dropping on one side, can the person smile, is their mouth distorted on one side?
A is for Arms – can the person lift both arms and keep them up in the air or is there a weakness or numbness in one arm?
S is for Speech – is it slurred or all mixed up and confused?
T is for Time – there is no time to waste – call 999 and get an ambulance.
Go through this routine with your children – the older ones will be able to take action if it happens within the family and the younger ones will know the importance of 999.
THE FOURTH OF JULY – INDEPENDENCE DAY!
What a turmoil we’re in, again let’s hand over the the next generation, they’ll get it sorted.
