Life coach: how can I avoid slipping while jogging? You will end up jogging a bit differently for sure, because you will instinctively be more cautious and, subsequently, you will use your muscles in a slightly different way. I once ran 10 miles to a job, in flattened snow, and was aching unusually for a couple of days afterwards because I had used shorter strides and was tensing muscles to some degree. My shins and glutes were particularly affected. If you continue jogging in the winter months you will probably have frost, ice and snow to contend with at different points. Common sense will guide you to adjust your workout intensity appropriately, to shorten your stride when necessary and to avoid accelerating or decelerating quickly (especially going around corners). I suggest you adjust your route so that you can jog in a loop, in case you wish to cut the run short. When there's lots of snow, runners find that using ice grips over their shoes can help. If you don't fancy paying for these, a little bit of creativity will allow you to make your own special shoes that are designed to grip the ice, and hard packed snow, without sacrificing the comfort and stability of your regular trainer. They are sometimes referred to as "screw shoes." See Runners Connect's advice on running in ice and snow. If there is a lot of snow and you still wish to run, then it is probably worth considering trail running shoes, which are somewhat waterproof, and will afford you a little more traction (see Run and Become for more details). Choking first aid Q: I was recently at a party where someone started choking, and I realised that I had no idea what to do. I'm sure I learned the Heimlich Manoeuvre in school, but I, like a number of people, panicked, and looked for someone else to intervene. What's the best approach if this happens, and is it the same with an adult/child/elderly person? A: Dr Dan Rutherford writes As you say, choking is a dramatic and frightening event for all concerned. The first priority is to assess how serious the problem is. If the person is apparently choking but is able to speak or cough then their airway is not critically blocked. Be as reassuring as possible and encourage them to lean well forward and cough. If the item blocking the throat is easily seen and grasped then try to get it out, but be careful you don't push it further in or reach so far back you make the person vomit. Call 999 or have someone do so just in case the situation deteriorates. Critical airway blockage is when the person cannot speak, cough or seems to be struggling for air. Be aware that panic may cause someone to feel he can't breathe. If he is saying he can't breathe, then you know he actually can. Stand behind him and to one side, get him to lean forward and give a good flat-handed slap between his shoulder blades. Do this up to five times, checking between each slap if it has helped. Shout for someone to call an ambulance. If back slaps do not work then get behind him, get your arms around his waist, make a fist with one hand and grasp it with the other, placing your hands between his belly button and his ribs in the midline. Lean him well forward and firmly bring your hands back and up. You are trying to create a pulse of pressure that will act upwards and dislodge the obstruction. This manoeuvre should be repeated until it works. The same technique can be applied to adults and children over a year old, obviously using common sense concerning the degree of force. Babies are different, and one must only use chest thrusts. It is possible to injure someone doing abdominal thrusts (Heimlich Manoeuvre) and the technique is not universally accepted practice, for example in Australia, but if you are convinced someone has a completely blocked airway then you should go ahead. See the NHS's advice on choking for more information. Recipes for diabetics Q: My friend has just been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. She's a really good cook but is really down about her diagnosis. I was thinking I'd buy her a recipe book that allows for her condition, but I don't know where to go to find one that's suitable. A: Sara Stanner writes It is a lovely idea to buy her a recipe book to show her that just because she has type 2 diabetes doesn't mean she has to eat bland foods. There are many good diabetic recipe books on the market to choose from. Diabetes UK has an online store with some recommended ones that you might find helpful. People with diabetes don't always need to eat a special diet - the basic principles they need to follow are the same as general healthy eating guidelines for everyone else. Essentially, this means a diet that is high in fibre, fruit and vegetables and low in fat, sugar and salt. Try to select a book that encourages these principles within the context of her usual eating and lifestyle habits. For example, some books are based on the Mediterranean-style diet, some are suitable for those with little time to cook, while those written by celebrity chefs are a great way to show her that you can still enjoy cooking and preparing exciting foods with lots of flavour. Being overweight is a major risk factor for type 2 diabetes and if she needs to lose some weight, choose a book with lower-calorie recipes. READ: Life coach: 30 healthy resolutions for the New Year READ: Why is Britain fatter than ever? Send your questions to lifecoach@telegraph.co.uk, or to 111 Buckingham Palace Road, London SW1W 0DT