I have been a runner since I was about 8 years old, and now well into my forties am still going strong, with a marathon, 3 half marathons and countless 10 km runs under my belt.  I appreciate that clocking up the miles means that I can have some freedom around what I eat, because I really love good food! I always fancied the quote from marathoner Bill Rodgers; “If the furnace is hot enough, it will burn anything”, but have learnt that to be in good health I need to be paying a bit more attention to what goes in.

With a history of Rheumatoid Arthritis, and a growing understanding of Female Athlete Triad, I have realised that while the hot furnace might burn anything, a well-fuelled furnace will run more smoothly. Over the years I have discovered what makes me feel good and keeps my RA at bay. For me this involves eating mostly raw, fresh, whole foods that are as close as possible to nature, with a minimum of processing. My challenge is to find and create recipes that provide the right nutrients for optimum health, while still accommodating a runner’s need for carbs and a higher energy requirement.

I do not strictly follow any one diet and don’t claim to know the magic formula for the perfect food plan. Sometimes my recipes might fall into the Paleo category, other times they will be raw. Many are gluten/dairy/grain/sugar free and vegetarian because this is what makes me feel good and fuels my furnace so I can exercise longer and harder. This is also the stuff I feed my family because it keeps them fit and healthy (and they love the meals!)

I hope my ideas will inspire and encourage others to fuel their furnace for optimum health and many years of active living.