I can only imagine how daft I would be if I didn’t dance and keep fit when considering the information from all the research studies I have been reading – which have concluded that cardiovascular fitness is a key factor in fighting Dementia (both prevention and slowing progress), reporting that those who participate in daily aerobic exercise are 30-80% less likely to experience cognitive decline and Dementia than those who do not !
Daily aerobic activity improves and maintains whole body and brain circulation (carrying oxygen and nutrients to every cell in the body and brain and carrying away waste from those cells), aerobic exercise metabolises fats and excess sugars – assisting the vascular walls to stay clear of plaques. It stimulates all the nerves of the brain and body and is shown to increase the size of the hippocampus, the area of the brain involved in memory. Whilst all aerobic exercise is good, dancing is the most effective for brain health because of the problem solving aspect of learning and performing dances i.e., learning and remembering movements and sequences, getting them to match the music style, tempo and rhythm, co-ordinating multiple body parts in various planes of motion at varying speeds, working with others in patterns and sequences in groups or partnering. Dance utilises more parts of the brain than other exercise and certainly far more than crosswords, sudoku and so on.
An article published in Science Direct entitled ‘Dance for Neuroplasticity’ says:
‘Dance provides a unique model for investigating how brain integrates movement and sound.
Dancing can strengthen the connectivity between both cerebral hemispheres.
Complex movements of dancing recruit different motor, somatosensory and cognitive brain areas
Long-term dance practice positively affects brain activity.
Dance practice modifies white and grey matter in various brain regions.’
‘Functional changes included alterations in cognitive function such as significant improvement in memory, attention, body balance, psychosocial parameters and altered peripheral neurotrophic factor. Based on the evidence, dance practice integrates brain areas to improve neuroplasticity.’
One study mentioned the benefits of social freestyle dancing in particular – over repeating well known and routine dance forms.
Additionally dance is often a social activity and research shows that people who have little social interaction feel lonely and depressed both of which are linked with increased risk of getting Dementia.
In our DYBO classes I give you new challenges in every class every week, plus the opportunity to adapt and freestyle too! This approach keeps the classes fresh, interesting, engaging and relevant to you and your needs!
I also aim to create a community feeling involving everyone in and outside of our classes, which is also great for our brain and mental health. That includes our Zoomers (I think research is yet to prove either way whether meeting in person rather than ‘Zooming’ is better for our brains and mental health – my instinct is that whilst it’s better than not joining anything, in person provides greater social interaction plus other benefits).
https://blogs.biomedcentral.com/bmcseriesblog/2016/04/04/keep-dancing-turns-good-brain/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3258000/
With only 11 days left of May, I’m wondering how you have been getting on with your May Challenge?
It’s not too late to start!
For more information about how to lower your risks of getting Dementia, please go to the ‘May’ Blogs on our website, www.dybo.co.uk. Each week has a different area to focus on.
Drumroll please…
The week ahead…
Lots of brain and body fitness training plus fun and friendship as always!
(Note: as it’s a Bank Holiday next week, no evening classes…if the weather isn’t great and we have nothing else to do with our Bank Holiday Monday I could do a ‘pop up’ morning class again – let me know if you are interested!).
Brain boosting …..
Chicken and Vegetable Pasta with Walnut Pesto (serves 4)
Have you noticed that walnuts, which are really good for our brains, look like brains!
- ¾ cup chopped walnuts
- 1 cup lightly packed parsley leaves
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
- ½ teaspoon plus 1/8 teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon ground pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ⅓ cup grated Parmesan cheese (I use the vegan option)
- 1 ½cups shredded or sliced cooked skinless chicken breast (8 oz.) I use tofu or halloumi
- 6 ounces whole-wheat penne or fusilli pasta (I use Zen B Yellow Pea pasta)
- 8 ounces green beans, trimmed and halved (2 cups)
- 2 cups cauliflower florets (8 oz.)
- Toast the walnuts in a small dry pan over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate and let cool. Set 1/4 cup aside for topping.
- Combine the remaining 1/2 cup walnuts, parsley, garlic, salt, and pepper in a food processor (we use our Nutri Bullet). Process until the nuts are ground. With the motor running, gradually add oil through the feed tube. Add parmesan and pulse until mixed in. Scrape the pesto into a large bowl. Add chicken/veggie option.
- Meanwhile, cook pasta in the boiling water for 4 minutes. Add green beans and cauliflower; cover and cook until the pasta is al dente and the vegetables are tender , 5 to 7 minutes more. Before draining, scoop out 3/4 cup of the cooking water and stir it into the pesto-chicken mixture to warm it slightly. Drain the pasta and vegetables and add to the pesto-chicken mixture. Toss to coat well. Divide among 4 pasta bowls and top each serving with 1 tbsp. of the reserved walnuts.
I serve with a lovely mixed salad, nom nom nom!
Tell me what you think!
Wishing you the most fabulous week – I can’t wait to share it with you.
Love ya,
Helen x
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DYBO Live & Online – Next weeks Classes are as follows:.
At All Hallows, Farnham & DYBO Studio, Church Crookham (Book in Advance only): Zoom class details further down the page.
Monday (AH)
6.30-7.15pm: Boogie Fit
7.30-8.15pm: Total Tone – with bands, handweights and mat.
Tuesday (AH)
6.30-7.15pm: 5 in 1 Fitness – with bands, handweights and mat.
7.30-8.15pm: Dance Fit & Fab
Wednesday (DYBO Studio)
6.30pm Old Skool Step – Step, hand weights and band.
7.30pm Barre Fit – Something to assist balance like a barre, eg. chair, worktop, mantlepiece etc.
Thursday (AH)
6.15-7.20pm: Contemporary Stretch – various equipment used at each class, contact me for info.
7.30-8.30pm: Dancespiration
Friday (DYBO Studio)
6.30-7.15pm: Friday Fitness Yoga Express
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Joining us at All Hallows or The DYBO Church Crookham Studio? – Protocols and Information
I’m so happy to be able to run Face to Face classes at All Hallows and at the DYBO Studio in Church Crookham. My primary objective is to ensure that we all have a wonderful time with effective and fun classes that are engaging, relaxed and of course, safe.
Preparation
1) Firstly ensure that you have booked by sending us an email info@dybo.co.uk confirming all the classes you wish to attend plus your payment method, be it as a member, using your voucher, or pay as you go. No on the door bookings or payments can be taken. Bookings are not refundable or transferable. I will keep records of all attending, please also keep a record of your own attendance too.
2) Preparing your kit bag/box. This depends upon the class you are attending.
Boogie Fit, Dance Fit and Dancespiration crew will only require your indoor trainers/dance shoes to change in to, sweat towel, and drink.
Total Tone and 5 in 1 crew – in order to prevent cross contamination currently I am not sharing equipment in a group exercise setting so you will need your mat, a resistance band and light hand weights/equivalent in addition to your trainers, sweat towel and drink.
Contemporary Stretch crew need a mat, band, chi ball and on the last Thursday of the Month you will need 2 x tennis balls and a sock for our Trigger Point and Myofascial release class !
3) Re borrowing equipment – if you would like to try a class or have forgotten equipment then you may borrow equipment on that occasion and please ensure that you sanitise it before and afterwards (sanitising products supplied). I can assist you with sourcing your own equipment inexpensively, moving forward.
On the night
*When you arrive at All Hallows, enter the school via the gates to the left as you face the school and follow the road around the school buildings.
*Please park in the playing courts and walk between the old school building and new sports hall, up a few steps on to the outside seating area, the studio door is to your right.
*Participants are required to arrive 5-10 mins before the class.
*Please change into your clean trainers for indoor activity as you enter, e.g. slip off your outdoor shoes, place your bag, walk to activity area then put indoor shoes on, the same in reverse to leave. This is to maintain the hygiene and cleanliness of the space, avoiding stones and glass being walked in and potentially causing injury and to protect the lovely new wood floor.
*The toilets are open to use but please arrive changed, ready for activity so as to keep use time minimal and avoiding queues.
*After a wonderful class change from your indoor trainers to outdoor shoes and sanitise your hands again if you wish.
*Please tell friends and family about our wonderful classes!
When joining me at the DYBO Studio (No.42, GU52 0YA) I will send information directly, including entrance code for the Studio and please note, advanced booking is required.
Fees, you have THREE options!
Please note that all Classes must be booked and paid for in advance and are non transferable or refundable.
Online payments only.
45 min Class – £8.00, 60/65 min Class – £8.50.
10 Class Voucher: £75 (to be used within 12 weeks of purchase).
Membership: £55, unlimited classes, plus a bonus of free access to all class recordings on our DYBO TV channel, and another bonus of a £5 discount for one to one services for current membership holders.
To be paid by the 1st day of the month (at the latest) and is valid from the first to last day of calendar month.
One full month’s notice of membership suspension/cancellation is required with one membership restart permitted within a 12 month period.
Bank details are UK Fitness Academy Ltd.
Sort Code 09-01-28, Acc No. 04284324
Please email me when you have made a payment and use your name and what it’s for as a reference. eg. Jane Smith Class Voucher
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Joining us on Zoom? – Links and Information
Monday
6.30pm: Boogie Fit
7.30pm: Total Tone
Tuesday
6.30pm 5 in 1 Fitness Class
7.30pm Dance Fit & Fab
Wednesday
6.30pm Old Skool, Step & Strength – Step, hand weights and band.
7.15pm Barre Fit – Something to assist balance like a barre, eg. chair, worktop, mantlepiece etc.
Thursday
6.15pm Contemporary Stretch
7.30pm Dancespiration
Friday
6.30pm Friday Fitness Yoga Express
****** All the above classes change and vary weekly! *****
How to prepare your Zoom environment
- You need space to move 2 side steps, 4 walks forward, 4 backward. Move trip hazards and furniture as much as you can (get help, be careful!) to give you maximum space for upper and lower body movement. Roll up rugs or secure them so they don’t slip or cause you to trip.
- Plugging your device in to your TV with an HDMI cable is brilliant as it gives you a good picture of you (like a mirror) and me – as well as boosting the sound if you go through the TV/Hi-Fi sound system. If you can place your device under the TV, then even better.
- I know some of you are using your phones – try to plug in to a speaker system (even those little speakers we have when we go on holiday would help) so that you can hear better as you move back from the phone. Angie has tried Bluetooth earphones and it worked well.
- Ensure you have maximum access to your Wi-Fi in the house and as close to the router as is feasible. Take phones off the Wi-Fi system and pop them on to your 4/5G network or place on airplane mode, unless that’s what you are using to join us, obviously. Ask family to do the same for the duration of your class – keep them off the internet whilst you need the bandwidth. The more bandwidth you have, the better the picture and sound and the less likely you are to lose the feed. Your health is a priority at this time and I’m sure they can do something else for that short time!
- Ventilate your exercise space, have plenty of water and towels to hand, keep your exercise equipment close – if you need anything, let me know.
- Wear correct footwear for your activity – putting an old pair of socks over the toes and ball of your trainers will help reduce friction when exercising on carpet (if they are a really old pair, cutting the toes open and then just having them over the ball of the foot is even better). It’s up to you if you want to dance or train in bare feet but be careful if you don’t usually do this as it takes time for the muscles and connective tissue of the feet and rest of the body to adapt to barefoot training.
- Make your own gym equipment. Save laundry liquid or milk bottles – you can fill them with water or wet sand/rice etc. to add weight and make a dumbell/kettlebell. I recommend you make a few in differing weights and you have written on them so you know what they weigh and seal the caps with tape to prevent leakage. Get a heavy duty shopping bag and put weighty items in it, check they can’t fall out and you have a kettlebell alternative. Make your own hurdles, put cushions, pillows, boxes, books on the floor to jump over. Use household items as floor markers for circuit activities. The stairs and outdoor steps are great temporary steps/benches for cardio and upper body work. The garden is a great open space to make an assault course or if you can get a signal, take your class or PT session outside, but do make it safe.
Disclaimer
I declare that all of the information I have given (both written and verbal) is accurate and truthful. I know of no reason why I cannot participate fully in any exercise programme and I do not deem it necessary to consult my medical Practitioner/GP/specialist. I undertake to inform my instructor should any information change.
I understand that I participate at my own risk and that any information given is not intended to replace or represent medical advice. I agree to comply with all terms conditions and class protocols and instructions as outlined above and whilst attending DYBO classes/training.
Do not attend classes if experiencing symptoms of Covid 19, Flu or airborne transmissible infection or have tested positive.
Attending any DYBO class will assume agreement with above terms and disclaimer.
