Gabby Logan, local resident, TV sports presenter and busy mum chats to Seed Wellness about the importance of balance and how she keeps well.
Gabby Logan has long been an advocate of wellness for mind as well as body. Having lost her 15-year old brother to an undiagnosed heart condition when she was younger, she believes from her own experiences (and those of her family) that having someone to talk to is a great aid to protecting our mental and emotional health.
And coming from a sporting family with an early career in gymnastics, Gabby knows only too well the part that physical fitness plays in our overall health and wellbeing
We asked Gabby what she does to stay well and healthy as well as her career highlights as the UK’s leading and best-loved sports presenter.
As a busy mum with a demanding job, it must be hard to juggle it all and find a sense of inner equilibrium. What do you do to help yourself feel calm and balanced?
Without wanting to be really boring I think balance is achieved with a balance of work, play, exercise and diet. Keeping excess of anything to a minimum, a healthy amount of exercise, the odd drink, the odd nice food treat and occasionally a late night, even I had a four-week holiday I would probably be itching to get back to get back to work as I love my job. If I feel really overloaded I try to take something out of my diary and book a facial.
Here at Seed we are dedicated to helping empower people to optimise their own wellness through all that is available to them locally such as yoga, Pilates, nutrition and holistic therapies. What does the word ‘wellness’ mean to you?
The word wellness to me as holistic concept covering physical, mental and emotional wellbeing. I think we often focus on physical as we can feel and see it more easily. Sometimes our emotional health deteriorates more slowly, we feel a bit ‘off’ and then we don’t check ourselves and our moods become a bit bleaker or we find ourselves reaching for a glass of wine or some unhelpful sugary snack to pick ourselves up. For me wellness is about keeping myself moving, doing physical exercise, it seems to be key for me.
We passionately believe that mental health is as important as physical health. With stats showing that anti-depressants and sleeping pills are being prescribed at record levels, what are your thoughts on this? Do you believe there are alternative routes available to help people feel happier and sleep better? If so, what would you suggest?
I think routine is key. We have to be up at 6.15am every day for the children’s school run. So I try to get into bed no later than 10.30pm. I also don’t read from a screen in bed and try to have a good hour before bed where I am not on a screen. I try not to snack in the evening. I take magnesium to help my body to slow down. I generally sleep very well and never wake up in the night. If I feel anxious about something I write down my thoughts before bed or send myself a list of things to do. Occasionally I work in the evening and try to sleep longer if I can, if my husband can do the school runs. But if that’s not possible I make sure I up my Vitamin C.
Recent reports show that mental health in young people is in crisis due in the main to the pressures of social media, addiction to online gaming and so on. How do you protect your own children from the perils of the online world?
I try hard to limit the time my kids spend online with an app that kicks in after 2 hours a day. My kids are not allowed to take their phones upstairs and they are ALWAYS charged in the kitchen. I see their accounts and talk to them if I think that there is something inappropriate they have posted. We are very open and talk a lot about the potential negatives of an online life.
Many of our clients come to us in search of alternatives for ailments and conditions where our medical system may not be providing adequate solutions. What are you views on complementary routes to managing health issues where drugs are not working?
I have been a fan of acupuncture for many years and I do believe that the holistic view of wellness takes in many ways to get well. However, we can’t deny science and there are certain conditions that will only benefit from prescription medicine.
What is your favourite part of your job?
I adore the variety of what I do. There is a plan this year in as much as I know roughly what sporting events I will be at. But no two days are the same. I travel to some very interesting places and I meet inspiring people. I feel very lucky that I do something I love. I am still excited when we go live! That’s the best part.
Who is your favourite sportsperson and why?
There are so many sports stars I admire it would be hard to pick one. As I get older I appreciate more than ever those sports stars who use the position they have off the field of play and their fame and following for good. I am not suggesting they have to be political or fight for causes but when they understand the power of being a role model it adds to their overall appeal for me.
What is the best sporting moment you have witnessed?
I am so lucky I was in Sydney working for ITV when England won the rugby World Cup in 2003. I was on the pitch interviewing the players within minutes of the final whistle. It was a wonderful place to be. I loved working on the show I hosted at the 2012 Olympics in London. It was truly the greatest time of our lives, it felt like this country was the epicentre of the world for a few weeks and the world enjoyed what we had to offer. There was so much positive energy. Being in the tunnel by the pitch when England finally won a World Cup penalty shoot out in Russia against Columbia was also very special. I love the emotions of those occasions, when you see the players up close moments after. As a fan I have had tickets for both Andy Murray’s Wimbledon victories, which were very special.
