Dig For Victory!

This blog has so far lacked a purpose (in some ways) but I now have a theme to serve me from now until the end of 2026.

Like many in the UK who are middle aged, I was brought up with stories from our grand parents and parents of home life in the second world war and the near-bankrupt Britain aftermath. And the subject that was often mentioned was rationing. From the start of the war through to the mid-1950's a lot of food was rationed, and yet despite this it is often said that during this period the UK population was healthier than it has ever been, and certainly is now. Slimmer, fitter (leaving aside the fact that most adults smoked), although not, I suspect, happier given how long rationing dragged on and the feeling you were missing out on some of the finer things in life grew. I've read that during this period life expectancy increased by around six years (excluding war deaths). Whether this was all down to improved diet I'm not sure-particularly as free at the point of use healthcare became available in 1948 to all thanks to the creation of the Nation Health Service, and coupled with it the introduction of antibiotics-but it must have been a contributing factor. It should also be said that people were back then, by necessity, more physically active, with for example only about 15% of the population owning a car. There was a lot more walking, cycling, and physically demanding work and domestic chores too.

So, why am I interested by this now? Well, firstly, I could personally do with losing three stone. To be fair to myself, this is not all the result of over-indulgence and too little exercise. I am on a drug called Olanzapine that is notorious for the side effect of weight gain. And I have. But some of it is over-indulgence, and, anyway, am I to give up trying? I would be surprised if someone on this drug couldn't lose weight through a better diet and more exercise. I suppose I could try out one of those weight loss jabs that have emerged on the market recently, but from what I've read online they supress appetite, so you then eat less. Or I could just eat less anyway, and skip having another medication to be reliant on. And exercise more, which I always finds lifts the mood, probably in the way Wegovy etc. doesn't.

It should be said that UK rationing did not necessarily mean that people eat less calories. Many had physically demanding jobs, so needed the energy. It's just that it was a healthier diet.

And the second reason I'm interested in the whole subject is that the UK is in the grip of an obesity epidemic. Just walk down your high street to see the evidence. Now, it may very well be that this is to be solved by weight loss drugs etc. and I hope it is if only for everyone's long term health, but how did we get here? Who's to blame? The usual suspects can be listed; processed food, Just Eat, McDonalds, Ben and Jerry's, etc.? But have they fooled us? Or did we allow ourselves to be too easily tempted? A moment on the lips and lifetimes on our hips. And, anyway, do I really want to buy into this rampant, unhealthy, consumerism anyway? Call me alternative, but I'm not so sure.

The third reason is I need motivation for this blog, and a vision gives purpose and reason. I can make excuses to myself, but this blog deserves my full attention, if only because I can get so much out writing it, even just the basics of learning to write in a way which is readable. (You may be agreeing in that already if you've made it this far through the post.... ). If no-one reads it, then it will at least be a personal diary.

So, building work and redecoration on the cottage should be completed by the end of 2025. That's the first goal. The second is that I prepare the garden this year so that in 2026 I can assume the war-time attitude of growing my own (where possible), and at some point in the year attempt to follow the war-time diet. There's plenty of Youtube videos of people trying it for a week, but not so many of people tying it into what they can grow in their garden. Vegetables, it must be noted, although sometimes hard to obtain, were never rationed.... And so we dug, 'digging for victory!' And it worked!