Have you had your oats today? There are few health foods that, while others have gone in and out of fashion, have stood the test of time as well as oats. There aren’t many that are also gut-friendly, heart-healthy and good for the waistline. And as science repeatedly confirms that oats are among the best foods we can eat for all-round health, so our appetite for them continues to grow.

Four out of five Britons will suffer from back pain at some point and many will spend a small fortune trying to fix it, buying into the promise that practices such as yoga or Pilates will develop their spines to withstand everyday stresses.

One of the best things that I have done in the past three years is have open water swimming lessons. Even though I swam a great deal as child, in the cold Cornish sea and unheated outdoor pools (or to some more like ponds!) and indoor pools, I was never that good and definitely not confident in dark waters.