Hi BEET masters and juice makers! As always, I hope this blog finds you all in good health.
Well, the crisp autumn days and nights are definitely here…I visually love this time of year with the burnt oranges, greens, browns and yellows of the leaves on the ground and the smell of homemade soups floating in the air… comfort food calls, but we can still aim for the better choices and swerve the stereotypical gig rider M&Ms options, right?
I'm excited to share with you my guest drummer this week who has been on a healthy path with her drumming career and lifestyle for a while.
I first saw her play at the 'cosy' Borderline club (London) in 2005 when she was playing for a (then) unknown new artist called Mika. I was blown away by her solid grooves and funky flare… not to mention being jealous of her BIG hair!
Fast forward to 2013, she's been around the world (and back) many times rocking the stadiums, arenas and theatres with Mika, Paloma Faith and now the great Bryan Ferry.
I went to see her play two days ago as Mr Ferry's 'The Jazz Age' touring circus came to town (Liverpool to be precise) and was impressed by how much she'd grown as a player… holding down the band with great ease and confidence.
We chatted with our green juices after the show… and toasted to good health and good gigs!
Friends, please welcome Cherisse Ofosu-Osei!
CHERISSE'S JOURNEY
"Good health and well being are essential for being able to lead a full life. I developed asthma at a very early age and have found that keeping myself healthy has been vital to my life as a drummer. So for me, I have found that juicing, eating healthily and exercise are a way to maintain my good health and build my energy reserves.
"Being a touring musician means you have gruelling schedules and being a drummer is very physically demanding. Touring worldwide with Mika (for seven years) and now touring with Bryan Ferry and Paloma Faith means that it is vital that I look after myself.
"Me and the bands have calculated that I have been around the world more than eight times… pretty mental!
"Having a healthy body and a healthy state of mind have contributed massively towards to my ability to lead this high-energy working lifestyle. Because I play in a very physical way, I find that after shows I am completely drained. In order to boost my energy levels so that I can carry on working at this pace I have consulted a nutritionist and have been advised that taking dietary supplements, changing my diet (ensuring a balanced ratio of protein, vegetables and carbs) and making juices/smoothies will help me achieve my goal. I found that since doing this I noticed I had more energy and do not feel as tired. Being able to get all my daily minerals and vitamins in one glass is a fantastic way of doing this."
EXERCISE
"I go for a run every morning in the park and mix it up with walking, power walking and sprinting. I make sure I stretch before and after so I don't hurt myself. I do a bit of interval training too which is a combination of different things such as jumping jacks, squats, crunches, sit ups etc. My way of drumming is really physical so all of this helps me stay in shape and stay fit. I also do yoga every day as I find it really helps my back and posture. Not to sound too hippy-ish but I find yoga quite meditative and the deep breathing really relaxing and it leaves me feeling centred. Drumming is my love in life and I want to be able to do it until the day I die, so I do try and take care of myself."
LIFE ON THE ROAD
"Life on the road can be hard and exhausting so I do try to keep up my exercise regime by going to the gym or running in a local park. I often watch yoga and exercise videos in my hotel room too. Before I play a show I always make sure to stretch and warm up with rudiments on a pad for 20-30 minutes. I take some juices with me that I prepared before and I now have a portable manual juicer that I will bring with me so that I can juice on the go. I would recommend any drummer to try juicing/making smoothies and if you keep it up you will reap the benefits!"
CHERISSE'S FAVOURITE RECIPES
"I juice and make smoothies every day (or, as often as I can)."
Juice recipe
Into a Juicer:
1 cucumber,
5 stalks of celery
2 thumbs of ginger
2 apples
2 raw beetroots
(This makes a large amount.)
Smoothie recipe
Into a high-speed blender:
Handful of spinach
Handful of spring greens
Handful of kale
Handful of mixed berries (raspberries, strawberries etc)
2 bananas
1 apple
1 tablespoon of spirulina or wheatgrass powder
CHERISSE'S TOP LIFESTYLE TIPS
1. Exercise as regularly as you can.
2. Eat more vegetables.
3. Eat more fruit.
4. Drink plenty of water.
5. You can drink alcohol and enjoy yourself… just once in a while - everything in moderation!
6. Reduce your sugar intake.
7. A healthy breakfast in the morning - I have a smoothie and some porridge… yum!
8. Try exchanging meat for fish.
9. Healthy snacks on the go… fruit and nut mixes, protein bars, bananas etc.
10.The biggest tip is that life is all about balance so I try and apply that to diet, exercise and life in general.
11. Enjoy life! Being healthy and being in a good state of mind will make all the difference!
Contact Cherisse via her website, via Twitter@Cherissedrums and Facebook.
