I hope you got a chance to read last week’s Blog about how dance in particular helps to maintain brain density and you’ve been rocking it on the DYBO dance floor,
Yes? Give yourself a massive high-five!
By learning those steps and combinations, nailing the rhythms, and keeping your body moving, you are actively building a bigger, stronger, and more resilient brain.
You are officially shaking it, not shrinking it!
What happens when you step off the dance floor and head into the kitchen?
You wouldn’t put cheap, low-grade fuel into a high-performance sports car, and you can’t feed a high-performance brain on empty calories and expect it to hold onto that hard-earned brain density.
To keep those neural pathways firing and your memory razor-sharp, your brain needs nutritional backup.
Here is how to eat for maximum brain volume…
- The Dynamic Duo: Omega-3s and Healthy Fats
Think of your brain cells like dancers—they need smooth soled shoes, clean smooth floors to move quickly with minimal friction. About 60% of your brain is made of fat, and a huge chunk of that is Omega-3 fatty acids. These are the structural building blocks of your grey matter. Without them, your brain cell membranes become rigid, making it harder for messages to zip across the dance floor, so
- Load up your plate with: Oily fish (salmon, mackerel, sardines), walnuts, chia seeds, flaxseeds, and extra virgin olive oil.
- The Brain Boost: They lower inflammation, support neuroplasticity, and help your brain physically retain its volume as the birthdays add up.
- The Cellular Shield: Berry-licious Antioxidants to go with your dancey-licious DYBO classes
Every time you dance, you pump oxygen throughout your body. But normal life and metabolic processes also create “free radicals”—tiny cellular troublemakers that cause oxidative stress ageing our brain cells prematurely. Thankfully we have the cleanup crew called antioxidants. So you must…
- Load up your plate with: Blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, and dark leafy greens like spinach and kale.
- The Brain Boost: Blueberries contain anthocyanins, which have been shown to directly accumulate in the brain’s memory centre (the hippocampus), improving communication between brain cells , protecting against shrinkage.
- The Second Brain: The Gut-Health Connection
Ever had “butterflies” in your tummy when nervous? That’s because your gut and your brain are in a non-stop, two-way conversation via the vagus nerve—called the gut-brain axis.
We often feel gut sensations when stressed, anxious or frightened,or we feel hunger and a powerful need to eat when stressed. We even have expressions such as “ I just knew it in my gut” “I was so nervous I felt sick” etc. that illustrate this powerful communication highway. Your gut produces a massive amount of the body’s neurotransmitters, including 90-95% of your serotonin (your “happy hormone”) and around 50% of your dopamine (your motivation and movement molecule).
So to help-
- Load up your plate with: Fermented foods like live Greek yoghurt, kefir, sauerkraut, and a colourful rainbow of fiber-rich veggies to feed your good bacteria.
- The Brain Boost: A diverse, happy microbiome reduces chronic inflammation throughout the body.
By keeping your gut healthy, you protect your brain from inflammatory damage, improve your mood, and supercharge your cognitive reserve so you can memorize our DYBO combos with greater ease.
- The Unsung Hero: Hydration for Brain Volume
Your brain is roughly 73% water. If you get even slightly dehydrated, your brain cells actually shrink, leaving you feeling foggy, forgetful, low in energy and often grumpy. You can’t nail a fast-paced dance routine, tough mental challenge demanding and rapid decision making if your brain cells are parched!
- The Daily Goal: Sip water consistently throughout the day and always bring a reusable bottle to your DYBO classes. If you’re sweating hard, a pinch of sea salt or a little diluted juice can do wonders to assist with hydration as previously written about in our blogs.
- The Brain Boost: Optimal hydration keeps your brain fluids moving, flushes out metabolic waste, and maintains cellular volume so you stay sharp from the Warm up to the cool-down, at work, and doing chores.
The DYBO Takeaway
Preserving your brain density is essential and for me is a lifelong goal. We do the heavy lifting together in the DYBO studio and maintain results at the dinner table. By feeding your body vibrant, nutrient-dense foods, you aren’t just eating for today—you are protecting your memory, your happiness, productivity and your cognitive health for the long haul.
Put the science into motion? Don’t let your brain-boosting journey stop in the kitchen! Grab your water bottle, fuel up on those berries, and come and create neural connections with us live at class or via our TV channel.
Check out the latest DYBO class timetable and book your next spot on the floor. Let’s shake it, fuel it, and protect it together!
With the amount of dancing I’m doing lately I must have a very dense brain… erm wait… what?
Thanks Kat
I was in London last week rehearsing for a new comedy TV series, I’m appearing in. I had a great time and was thrilled that I was on top of the choreo (if not the singing!!!!).
Any way I can’t tell you much at the mo. due to signing an NDA. But it is with very famous people, so it’s going to do well, I’m sure.
Thanks Kat for reaching two fabulous Thursday night classes and thanks DYBO family for looking after Kat whilst she looked after you x
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
IndepenDANCE Bookings are now open ! Grab your special offer NOW !
Join us for INDEPENDANCE on Saturday 10 October, from 1–5pm, for an uplifting afternoon of dance, featuring special guest presenter Jo Ali, alongside Helen Carpenter-Waters.
Special Offer
Buy now, save £5 – tickets only £35
Full price £40
*Offer ends 30 September 2026
Scroll down for payment options
Your ticket includes all classes:
• Let The Beat Drop – Jo
• Sass & Soul – Helen
• Latin Heat – Jo
• Super Stretch – Helen
Location: All Hallows School, Farnham.
A relaxed, welcoming afternoon of movement, music and fun — come with friends or on your own.
Please note, tickets are non-transferable or refundable.
Secure your place today.
Bank transfer:
Name: UK Fitness Academy
Acc No: 04284324
Sort Code: 09-01-28
Reference: INDEPENDANCE October 26
Once paid, please email helen@dybo.co.uk with the attendee’s name(s) and contact number.
This is a friendly event – all levels of dance are very welcome!
🧠 The DYBO “High-Density Brain” Power Bowl
This breakfast bowl takes just 3 minutes to put together. It requires zero cooking and hits all 4 pillars of your gut , brain needs: healthy fats, antioxidants, gut-loving microbes, and hydration.
🛒 Ingredients
- The Gut Base: 4 heaped tablespoons of live Greek yoghurt or kefir
- The Antioxidant Bomb: 1 large handful of fresh or frozen blueberries
- The Neural Smoothers: 1 tablespoon of walnuts (crushed) and 1 teaspoon of chia seeds or flaxseeds
- The Sweet Kick: A tiny drizzle of local raw honey or a sprinkle of cinnamon
🥣
- Scoop your live Greek yoghurt or kefir into your bowl.
- Toss the blueberries on top. Tip: If using frozen blueberries, microwave them for 20 seconds first so they bleed their antioxidant-packed juices all over the yoghurt!
- Scatter the crushed walnuts and chia seeds over the top to give it that satisfying, crunchy texture.
- Finish with a tiny drizzle of honey or a dust of cinnamon, grab a spoon, and dig in!
See you on the DYBO dance floor for some brain ‘densifying’, mood lifting, metabolism boosting, muscle and bone building fitness and dance !
Love ya,
Helen x
DYBO Live & Online – This week’s 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)
6.30pm: Boogie Fit
7.30pm: Total Tone – with bands, handweights and mat.
Tuesday (AH)
6.30pm: 5 in 1 Fitness – with bands, handweights and mat (plus kettle bell if you have one)
7.30pm: 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, supplied if you attend in studio) eg. chair, worktop, mantlepiece etc.
Thursday (AH)
6.15pm: Contemporary Stretch – various equipment used at each class, contact me for info.
7.30pm: Dancespiration
Friday (DYBO Studio)
6.30pm: 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, ie. slip off your outdoor shoes, place in your bag, or leave at the door , and change into your indoor trainers . 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.
50 min Class – £9.00, 60/65 min Class – £9.50
10 Class Voucher: £85 (to be used within 12 weeks of purchase).
Membership: £59, 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
7.15pm Barre Fit
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.
