Previous articles have outlined free resources offered by the doctor-led Public Health Collaboration to support healthy eating. As well as healthful food though, we all know that regular exercise may well augment benefits both physically and mentally. Running and/or walking offer simple, effective and accessible routes to promoting health, especially around our local part of the world here in Hampshire. We are also lucky to have free local Parkruns every Saturday in nearly every town. Why don’t you try a Parkrun this weekend?

Remember, both running and walking are known to improve cardiovascular fitness and overall health. Parkruns claim to offer the power to change lives together with a community where you can choose to run or walk.  Choose what suits you best! Or run/walk to break up intensity! On top of this, two Hampshire-based NHS Social Prescribers/Health coaches have also dovetailed a real-food healthy-eating community with Parkrun/walk. Real Food Runners is an informal running club (walkers welcome too) for people fuelling their exercise by real foods wishing to improve their health through real food lifestyles. If you click on their website Real Food Runners you will see different ways to get involved in this free initiative – eg you could join their Parkrun group to be part of their community for motivation, camaraderie and support. Or you could choose to join their social media platforms or receive newsletters. That way you could be part of a growing movement of people who are regaining their health and turning their backs on ultra processed foods. See the photo gallery on their website of real food runners proudly displaying their Real Food Runners T-shirts at many different Parkfun venues across the country!

The Public Health Collaboration (Charity no. 1171887) share a vision of a healthier future for all, and it all starts with the food we eat. Real food doesn’t come with ingredients, real food is ingredients, and by making the right choices, exercise should be a celebration of what our bodies can achieve rather than a punishment for what we’ve eaten.