Regular readers of this blog will notice that mental and physical health, particularly within the farming community are becoming fairly frequent subjects on Thinking Country. To continue the theme I recently visited Anna Groom, who is an HCPC Registered Dietician and Sports Dietician from Suffolk. Alongside working for the NHS Anna runs AEG nutrition which is based on her family’s farm at Sherbourne Lodge Cottages. Through AEG Nutrition Anna provides 1:1 and group nutritional advice and support, and of particular interest for me is her programme targeting farmers: Fit and Farming. As highlighted by Farmers Weekly’s #Fit2Farm campaign, it is clear that many farmers do not regularly exercise or think about what they are eating, despite the perception that all farmers are fit and healthy anyway and live an active lifestyle therefore ‘don’t need to exercise’; this certainly isn’t true, but exercise needn’t be a chore. It is tough to work it into your routine sometimes; certainly I have days when I get back from the farm and the last thing I want to do is go for a run or head to the gym, but it’s important to build a routine and be self disciplined (personally I’m certainly not a saint on this front, but I’m working on it!). Work shouldn’t dominate and making time for family and yourself is important.
Anna is a farmer’s daughter and a farmer’s wife and so she recognises that some farmers might need a helping hand when it comes to staying fit and healthy: hence the Fit and Farming course. I asked her about the start of her career and how AEG nutrition and the Fit and Farming course came about:
As evidenced through the previously mentioned Farmers Weekly #Fit2Farm campaign and the wealth of activity on social media to do with physical fitness (notably Instagram) health and wellbeing are becoming more prominent topics. I asked Anna about her view as to how perception of fitness and wellbeing is changing in the farming community:
If anybody is interested in Anna’s Fit and Farming course or her other work just visit her website and use the contact form or ring her on 07738663197.
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