< Previous40 LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY HEALTH & FITNESS E xercise is well known for its physical benefits, whether that be lowering blood pressure and your risk of certain diseases, or its impact on physical appearance, but it is also a highly beneficial stress reliever. A key stress management tool, exercise lowers cortisol levels, which relaxes your muscles and makes the brain feel good. This is useful as cortisol is released by the brain as the body experiences stress, along with adrenaline - hormones that lead to an increased heart rate, shortness of breath, and tensed muscles. Exercise also increases serotonin levels, which are useful in battling anxiety, produces mood boosting endorphins, which are known for creating the “runner’s high” and the feeling of relaxation and optimism that go in hand with working out, and releases other mood improving chemicals including dopamine and myosin. Studies also highlight that exercise is effective at reducing fatigue, boosting alertness and concentration, as well as overall cognitive function, which can be helpful when stress has worn down your energy or ability to concentrate. Exercise can additionally provide stress relief for the body while imitating the effects of stress, like the fight or flight response, and help your body and its systems practice working together through those effects. Moreover, aerobic exercises have been shown by researchers to reduce the reactivity of the cardiovascular system - helping the heart rate recover quicker when responding to stress. Stretching exercises meanwhile have a calming effect. On a general level, exercise also takes your mind off your problems and clears the head. No one workout is the “best” at relieving stress, but those involving the use of large muscle groups rhythmically and repetitively are found to work particularly well. In concentrating on the rhythm of one’s movements you can experience the same benefits of meditation and the focus on the physical task can provide calmness and clarity. Whatever form of exercise is chosen, it is vital to ensure it is also an activity that you enjoy. Here are some different kinds of activities that provide stress relief. Yoga Involving a series of moving and stationary poses and deep breathing, yoga is a mind-body exercise that can trigger and strengthen the body’s natural relaxation response and decrease sympathetic nervous system activity (the fight or flight response). A form of strength training, yoga postures make you more flexible and resilient, relieving tension. In addition, studies show that the activity reduces blood pressure, and the mental focus required for yoga keeps the mind on the activity and is key to managing stress. Tai chi Tai chi is like yoga, in that it is a series of flowing body movements and breathing techniques, linking physical movement to the breath, however there are no pauses between poses. Some movements involved are rooted in martial arts, but they are meant to calm the mind while conditioning the body. Tai chi promotes focusing on the present, seeing Getting in a good workout, whether it involves yoga or kickboxing, is a powerful way to relieve stress. 40-41.qxp_Layout 1 02/11/2020 14:29 Page 1LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY 41 HEALTH & FITNESS worries drift away. The low impact exercise also enhances flexibility and energy, improves balance, is linked to more restful sleep, and increased cardiovascular fitness. Walking Easy to do, frequent walking can reduce stress related conditions such as high blood pressure and cholesterol, cardiovascular disease, and type 2 diabetes. Studies have shown repeatedly that those with a regular walking routine report a lower level of stress. Releasing tension from major muscle groups, deepening breathing, and quieting the nervous system, walking also takes you out into nature, which is relaxing in itself. Consider leaving the mobile at home for a full meditative effect. Pilates A series of exercises emphasising proper alignment, core strength and body awareness, Pilates places equal focus on strengthening and lengthening muscles. Pilates releases tension in muscles while using breathing techniques. This provides more oxygen to the brain which creates calm. The mental concentration needed for Pilates, like yoga, leaves little room in the mind for stress and worries. The activity is also useful for improving posture and reducing neck and back pain - both side effects of stress. Circuit training Alternating weight training moves with cardio, with rests in between, this high intensity workout offers the benefits of long exercise sessions in usually 30 minutes or less. Circuit training boosts the body’s endorphin level, improving mood, and takes away the pressure of trying to find a long period of time to fit in a workout. Kickboxing Involving controlled punching and kicking movements completed with discipline, kickboxing offers a rigorous endorphin-producing workout that helps improve balance, flexibility, coordination, and acts as a powerful way of working through frustration. It is an outlet through which one can release energy and anger and as a result relieve stress. 40-41.qxp_Layout 1 02/11/2020 14:29 Page 242 LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY FOOD & DINING at home With gatherings limited to just six people inside or out of the home, many a Halloween and Bonfire Night plan has been scuppered. So why not combine the two this year and spend the evening in with some sophisticated cocktails? Here we share a few of our favourite tipples to get you started. You’ll need: 1 oz Bombay Sapphire Gin 1/2 oz Blue Curacao 1/2 oz Lillet Blanc 1/2 oz Fresh Lemon Juice 1/2 oz Pineapple Juice Viper Reviver What to do: Rinse your chilled coupe or martini glass with some absinthe. Shake all ingredients together and strain into your rinsed coupe or martini glass. Garnish with a pineapple leaf. Recipe courtesy of Bombay sapphire Sophistication 42-45.qxp_Layout 1 02/11/2020 14:32 Page 1LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY 43 FOOD & DINING Bloody Sangria Poisoned Pear You’ll need: 1.5 cups Bacardi Rum 3.4 cup St~Germain elderflower liqueur 2 cups merlot 0.5 cup orange juice 0.25 cup lemon juice 0.25 cup lime juice 2 sliced apples 2 sliced oranges What to do: Combine all ingredients in a punch bowl. Chill in the fridge for a least an hour before serving. Recipe courtesy of St-Germain Liqueur You’ll need: 0.5 oz Santa Teresa 1796 1 oz Dickle Rye 0.5 oz St. George Spiced Pear 0.5 oz Ruby port 0.5 oz Carpano Antica What to do: Combine all ingredients into a mixing glass over ice. Stir and strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice. Garnish with a dehydrated pear Recipe courtesy of Santa Teresa 42-45.qxp_Layout 1 02/11/2020 14:32 Page 244 LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY FOOD & DINING The Jack-O-Lantern You’ll need: 2 oz. D’USSÉ VSOP cognac 1.5 oz Orange Juice 0.5 oz Ginger Ale 0.5 oz Orange Marnier Orange and green sprinkles and cinnamon for garnish What to do: Place all the ingredients (except the garnish) into a cocktail shaker and shake. Rim the tumbler or rocks glass with festive sprinkles. Pour over ice and sprinkle a dash of cinnamon. Recipe courtesy of D’USSE Cognac 6 Bridge Street, Brigg DN20 8LN Tel: 01652 650688 Takeaway Service 01652 654762 www.chinaroyal.co.uk The intimate, warm surroundings of the China Royal are ideal for the most romantic dinner or the largest banquet. Serving the best in Chinese cuisine, it has five star scores on the doors, and is open throughout all Bank Holidays. Feel Safe in our Screened Seated Restaurant. Deliciously Deliciously Lincolnshire Gold Awarded for outstanding quality and service by award WWW.LINCOLNSHIRETODAY.NET The China Royal Chinese Restaurant 42-45.qxp_Layout 1 02/11/2020 14:32 Page 3LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY 45 FOOD & DINING Scary Cherry You’ll need: 1.5 oz Santa Teresa 1796 0.75 oz lemon juice 0.75 oz spiced demerara 0.5 oz our Cherry liqueur (Heering) 1 egg white What to do: Dry shake then shake with ice, double strain into Collins glass (No Ice), top with soda, garnish with an orange peel and a cherry. Recipe courtesy of Santa Teresa Mulled Vermouth Picture your venue To promote your services call Angie Cooper on 01472 310302 or email: a.cooper@blmgroup.co.uk Special Edition Chocolate Willingham Hall, Market Rasen, LN8 3RH Tel: 01673 844073 Web: www.specialeditionchocolate.co.uk Special Edition Chocolate prides itself on award- winning handmade chocolate for everyone to enjoy. This includes chocolate suited for diabetics, coeliacs, vegans and other allergy sufferers – such as nuts and dairy – as well as other special delicacies. Treat yourself and your friends to truffles for Christmas. Order on line. You’ll need: 10 ounces Noilly Prat extra-dry vermouth 1.5 ounces freshly squeezed orange juice 25 ounces red wine160g caster sugar 2 star anise4 cloves 1 cinnamon stick, plus extra to garnish (optional) 3 satsumas, thinly sliced1 pear, cored and thinly sliced rosemary sprigs, to garnish What to do: Put all the ingredients, except the rosemary, in a saucepan. Slowly bring to the boil, then boil for 1 min. Reduce the heat; simmer for 15 mins. Ladle into mugs or heatproof glasses. Garnish with an orange slice and a cinnamon stick, if you like. Recipe courtesy of Noilly Prat 42-45.qxp_Layout 1 02/11/2020 14:32 Page 446 LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY FOOD & DINING H aving frequented The Cross Keys in Grasby many times before, I was thrilled to see that the staff were friendly and attentive as ever, the décor was both modern and homely and, of course, the food was as innovative as it was delicious. To start, I tucked into a charming fish trio – with the fish supplied by Premier Seafoods of Riby Street in Grimsby, just twenty miles away. You can really taste the freshness with every bite, from the subtly flavoured curried prawns, the king prawns with their heady garlic mayo, and the white bait. As well as their experimental edge, the restaurant is famed for its artful presentation which was in full display with this dish. My dining partner was equally delighted with his mini ploughman’s. There’s an alchemy to the ploughman’s, taking simple ingredients, balancing them for something that’s filling and tasty. Here head chef and flavour maestro Steph Barker takes it to the next level, performing some alchemy of her own. All the expected components were here – pickles, meat and cheese – but not as you know it. A ham hock pie was accompanied by a rich blue cheese panna cotta, with pickled celery and silver skins cutting through and complementing the creaminess, and a red onion marmalade bringing everything together. Steph has a gift when it comes to subverting and playing with expectations, like Lincolnshire’s very own Willy Wonka. Take my main for example: pan seared chicken breast with honeycomb, courgetti and squash fondant served with peas, spinach and shallots cooked in orange butter. What might seem a strange combination at first turned out to be a feast for the senses with a careful blend of flavours and textures resulting in a complex flavoursome dish that I’ll not be forgetting in a hurry. My partner’s main was a study in richness. The lamb duo consisted of a twelve-hour braised lamb croquette and a beautifully pink lamb steak served with dauphinoise potato pots, bacon lardons and rosemary jus. The duo created a harmony of flavour and texture leaving my partner satisfied with every bite. Following the lamb, my partner indulged his sweet tooth with a delectable treacle tart. As if it wasn’t already obvious, his dessert showed that we were in the hands of a true culinary master. The soft pastry was topped with the sweetest, stickiest and most satisfying treacle pudding you can imagine which was itself topped with a perfectly rolled brandy snap. Exactly what you on a cold wintery night. Having filled up on my starter and main, I opted instead for a cocktail – just another of The Cross Keys’ specialities. My espresso martini wasn’t only a delight to drink, but easy on the eye, so be sure to look out for the restaurant’s cocktail tasting nights. The Cross Keys, Grasby Social distancing and safety measures haven’t compromised the warmth, charm and exceptional quality on offer at The Cross Keys. You owe it to yourself to visit The Cross Keys and try the food and drink first-hand. All you need to do is visit www.crosskeys-grasby.co.uk, email crosskeys.customerinfo@gmail.com, or call 01652 628247. 46.qxp_Layout 1 02/11/2020 14:34 Page 1LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY 47 BRIGG I t’s amazing to think what Brigg’s weekly markets have survived, from times of social change and upheaval, world wars and Spanish flu. Although they were forced to close during lockdown, with social distancing and safety measures in place, the town’s marketplace is once again a thriving, welcoming and wonderful place. History tells us that markets have taken place in and around the area since the 13th century after they were granted by the Royal Charter. The crowning glory of this outdoor shopping experience is the town’s monthly farmer’s market, taking place on the fourth Saturday of the month. With the glut of farmer’s markets occurring across the county, it’s easy to become jaded in thinking they’re all much of a muchness. If you’ve visited one, you’ve visited them all, right? But in Brigg, the farmer’s market is truly an experience, taking over the Market Place and extending down Wrawby Street. Here local producers, artisans and tradespeople gather to sell their assorted wares. With so much on offer – from arts and crafts and curios to local meat and produce – it’s easy to spend an entire morning just roaming from stall to stall. As we get closer to Christmas, it’s also the perfect place to pick up unique presents for friends and family. Adored as these markets are, there’s more to Brigg’s retail offering than stalls. The high street and Market Place are a treasure trove of shops catering to everybody. For fashion, there’s an assortment of boutiques and outlets, while Jaylaurs Sewing Studio is perfect for those that like to make their own clothing and crafts. Crafters can also visit the Market Place to find Brigg Wool Shop. Be sure to venture down the side streets to find some of the town’s hidden treasures whether that’s a beauty solon tucked away beside the car park, a secluded little coffee shop, or a charming store. For bibliophiles, a must-visit shop is The Rabbit Hole, a family-run independent bookshop offering reads for everybody, not to mention a well-stocked selection of vinyl. They also run regular events, including weekly reading seasons for little ones. It’s no surprise that they’ve cemented themselves as a much-loved part of the community over the last few years. If it’s your first time visiting Brigg, you’ll probably notice that the town manages to maintain a healthy variety of independent shops and sellers alongside big names such as B&M, Tesco, Boots and so on. This is all thanks to The Brigg Town Business Partnership which formed back in 2011 to support local traders. Some might say that means residents are spoilt for choice and maybe that’s true, but Brigg is a brilliant example of where big businesses, independent traders and Beautiful, bountiful Brigg 48 Á As with all market towns, Brigg may look a little different with social distancing measures in place, but there’s still plenty worth visiting for – from retail and leisure, to beautiful river walks. 47-49.qxp_Layout 1 02/11/2020 14:35 Page 1BRIGG BEDS Princes Street | Brigg | DN20 8HG 01652 651828 and so to bed... 48 LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY BRIGG artisan producers can all work side by side. But how exactly did Brigg come to be this very model of a modern market town? The key can be found in the town’s name, thought to derive from the Old Norse word ‘bryggia’ which, unsurprisingly, refers to ‘a bridge’ – likely the bridge constructed across the River Ancholme. The fact that the town’s name is inseparable from this river is telling, as the area on which modern Brigg sits has been used as a crossing point for thousands of years. A jetty or causeway was erected on the riverside during the late Bronze Age and though its exact purpose remains unknown, it does suggest the significance of the site. Later, during the Anglo-Saxon era, the area become known as ‘Glanford’ before it was founded as a new town at the crossing place on the Ancholme and dubbed ‘Glanford Brigg’ around 1182-83 before the prefix was dropped altogether. The rest, as they say, was history and to learn more about this history, head down to the Brigg Heritage Centre situated above the recently refurbished library housed in the first floor of The Angel Complex, a former Georgian coach inn. The Heritage Centre leads visitors down through ages, telling the story of the town from its Iron Age roots right through Roman and mediaeval periods and into more modern periods. There’s plenty of pottery, coins, buttons and weaponry to delight history buffs, but, undoubtedly, the pièce de résistance is ‘The Brigg Raft’. This sewn plank boat dates back to the Bronze Age and is one of only two such finds on display in the country. It was originally excavated back in 1974 where it was preserved and stored in London, before being returned to Brigg where it has been on display to the public since 2013. There’s no admission fee for The Heritage Centre, but donations would be greatly appreciated. The river remains important to the town to this day, with a marina stocked with boats and the Ancholme Rowing Club. The club can trace its roots back to 1868 and can still be found going up and down the river. The Glanford Boat Club is a more recent organisation, having formed in 1934, and boasts over one-hundred members. But if boating isn’t your thing, Brigg is also known for its football team, Brigg Town Football Club. Thanks to their black and white striped home kit, they’ve become known as the Zebras. Dating back to 1863, the team are allegedly the oldest association football club in Lincolnshire, as well as being among the oldest surviving clubs in the world. Brigg has so much more to offer than you could ever possibly hope to fit in a single visit, more even than this single feature could contain. Suffice it to say that no visit to this charming market town would be wasted with its historical sights, open space, rich retail offering, bustling markets, sports offering, arts and culture, and, of course, its pubs of which there are plenty to pick from. After all, taking in all those sights and sounds is thirsty work. So come along and experience all that Brigg has to offer, just be sure to bring your mask! 47-49.qxp_Layout 1 02/11/2020 14:36 Page 247-49.qxp_Layout 1 02/11/2020 14:36 Page 3Next >