‘Cos its national Cappuccino Day. Coffee really is my biggest vice, I love it but only have one caffeinated Cappuccino first thing in the morning then it’s decaf for the rest of the day and with nut or oat milk ideally. Caffeine is a stimulant so whilst a little is great to get us moving, too much can strain our adrenal systems, increase our stress hormone levels and lead to feelings of anxiety, palpitations and racing heart rate, headaches, dizziness, nausea, increased cortisol levels impacting other hormones and their function, fat gain (around the middle in particular) and poor sleep. So enjoy but in moderation!
How have you been getting on with the recommendations I have made regarding boosting your immune system?
So many people have nasty colds at the moment and of course we are living with Covid-19 and ‘flu circulating amongst the community too! My aim is to empower you with knowledge (not frighten you) so that you can protect yourself and your loved ones. With some adjustments to our lifestyle to protect our immunity we can live life normally and safely.
Over the past few weeks I have shared information regarding hydration, sleep, immune boosting vitamins and today I will write, in brief, about the Microbiome. I have written at length about it before so if you want more information please do go back to previous newsletters on our webpage www.dybo.co.uk and click on Blogs.
I also have a private Gut Health group on Facebook so reach out if you would like to join.
The Gut (microbiome, microbiota) and its role in immunity
70-80% of our immune system is created by the inhabitants of our gut. There are trillions of bacteria and yeasts that reside there, the correct balance of which ensures that we can digest our food, to gain energy and to repair and remodel our cells. It produces and assimilates vital vitamins and short chain fatty acids (notably butyrate) that provide fuel for the cells of our gut lining, supports immune system functions of the colon wall and protects against certain diseases of the digestive tract.
A healthy gut wall will keep waste out of the blood stream whilst allowing nutrition to pass through it and on to where it’s needed. Leaky bowel is where large particles of waste escape through the enlarged and stretched cells of the bowel wall – these particles are then attacked by our immune cells (white blood cells) resulting in an inflammatory response and usually elevated heart rate.
for a healthy microbiome we aim for a diversity with 300 to 500 different kinds of bacteria containing nearly 2 million genes – what we eat and our life style affects the diversity and balance of the microbiota.
An imbalanced and limited Microbiome creates dysbiosis, often with an overgrowth of harmful bacteria that leads to malnourishment and is linked with many conditions and diseases. Indications of poor gut health and conditions linked with it are…
Gut discomfort, IBS, bloating, constipation, leaky gut, diseases of the digestive tract, Crohnes, reflux, colitis, diarrhoea, weight gain, skin issues such as acne, psoriasis, eczema, bad breath, fatigue, low mood, depression, anxiety, mood swings, fertility issues, hormonal disregulation, allergies, auto immune conditions including rheumatoid arthritis, ME and fibromyalgia, joint inflammation, poor recovery from exercise and life!, lowered performance and slow/no gains in fitness, brain fog, memory problems and cognitive function deficits plus poor immunity with frequent illness (more than one cold per year) and slow recovery.
Eat for Health
I aim to have 30 different plant based foods every week with a combination of Probiotic (foods containing good gut bacteria) and Prebiotic foods (those which feed the microbiota and are a great source of fibre) – here are a few examples…
Avoid /eliminate foods and things that damage the Microbiome
I.e. sugar, starchy carbs, drugs, smoking, vaping, ultra processed foods, alcohol, carbonated drinks, faux foods such as margarine, artificial sweeteners, and additives, processed meats, non-organic food and drink, pollution, excessive sanitising, anti-biotics and medicines, stress, poor sleep, lack of exercise.
This is a very brief ‘whistle stop’ visit to the Gut and its essential role in immunity.
Please do speak to me if you want advice or help achieving greater gut health and immunity.
The week ahead
We have a fabulous new soul inspired Boogie Fit routine starting this week! You will love it…
Two fab Ed Sheran routines for ‘Dance Fit’ (Shivers)…
and ‘Dancespiration’ (Bad Habits)
…plus evolution and fresh new content for all our classes across the week…
One to One
Our DYBO one to one clients are showing tremendous fitness gains and momentum towards their individual goals, which is both inspiring and thrilling to be involved with – individual being the key word, they decide what they want to achieve and the route that they want to take and I help them create their strategy and take the necessary actions to get there!
Well done all!
Chick Pea Curry on Jacket Potatoes
Vegan, packed with nutrition and fibre this filling and warming comfort food is perfect for the cold weather.
- 4 sweet potatoes
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- 1 ½ tsp cumin seeds
- 1 large onion, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- thumb-sized piece ginger, finely grated
- 1 green chilli, finely chopped
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- ½ tsp turmeric
- 2 tbsp tikka masala paste
- 2 x 400g can chopped tomatoes
- 2 x 400g can chickpeas, drained
- lemon wedges and coriander leaves, to serve
Method
- STEP 1
Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Prick the sweet potatoes all over with a fork, then put on a baking tray and roast in the oven for 45 mins or until tender when pierced with a knife.
- STEP 2
melt the coconut oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the cumin seeds and fry for 1 min until fragrant, add the onion and fry for 7-10 mins until softened.
- STEP 3
Put the garlic, ginger and green chilli into the pan, and cook for 2-3 mins. Add the spices and tikka masala paste and cook for a further 2 mins until fragrant, then tip in the tomatoes. Bring to a simmer, then tip in the chickpeas and cook for a further 20 mins until thickened. Season.
- STEP 4
Put the roasted sweet potatoes on four plates and cut open lengthways. Spoon over the chickpea curry and squeeze over the lemon wedges.
Season, then scatter with coriander before serving.
Have an amazing week, stay warm and keep moving.
Think of me when you have your Cappuccino!
Lova ya.
Helen x
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DYBO Live & Online – This week’s Classes are as follows:
At All Hallows (Book in Advance only):
Monday
6.30-7.15pm: Boogie Fit ‘Funkin Fabulous’
7.30-8.15pm: Total Tone – Top to Toe
Tuesday
6.30-7.15pm: 5 in 1 Fitness
7.30-8.15pm: Dance Fit ‘Power trip’
Thursday
6.15-7.20pm: Contemporary Stretch
7.30-8.30pm: Dancespiration ‘ Commercial pop’
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Joining us at All Hallows? – Protocols and information
I’m so happy to be able to run classes again at All Hallows. 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.
To ensure that is the case I just want to share with you our class protocols to inform and reassure everyone. Not everyone has been out and about much since last year and some of us are more anxious than others about getting back to ‘normal’ life and activities as restrictions are lifted. Please be patient with each other and me – I have the responsibility of keeping you all happy and safe whilst complying with governing body guidelines and providing the best experience possible.
*Denotes for you to do, the rest is just info
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 for track and trace.
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, your hand sanitiser, sweat towel, and drink.
Total Tone and 5 in 1 crew – currently I am not permitted to share 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, hand sanitiser, sweat towel and drink.
Contemporary Stretch crew need a mat, band, chi ball and at times 2 x tennis balls and a sock!
On the night
*Please park in the playing courts and maintain social distancing as you walk to the studio.
*Participants are required to arrive, enter and be in their personal exercise space between 5 and 10 mins before the class, please wait outside to be called in so that we are certain the space is ready for you.
*Please change into your clean trainers for indoor activity as you enter, e.g. slip off your outdoor shoes, place in 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 and protect the lovely new wood floor.
You will be directed to your exercise space filling the studio from the farthest side first, the class will be cleared in reverse i.e. those nearest the door first.
*The toilets will be open to use but please arrive changed, ready for activity so as to keep use time minimal and avoiding cues outside. 2 people max allowed in at a time.
I will be sticking to class times for sanitising and ventilation purposes. Doors and windows will be open for ventilation, irrespective of the weather, and if it’s warm fans will be used to blow air forwards out of the windows and open door (as per guidelines).
Our exercise space is much larger than the governing body requirements (double in fact) indeed the government have lifted all guidelines, so it will be easy to maintain 2m social distance but please do keep your distance.
I will maintain social distance, however I will have a visor/mask if I have to come close to provide first aid etc.
After an entire teaching career facing my class participants with my back to the mirrors I have made the change (for now) to face the mirrors, this is for my safety in this strange Covid world, but I assure that I will still be able to see everything you get up to and will coach, encourage and nag as effectively as usual!!!
*After a wonderful class and virtual hugs, slip off your indoor trainers and you will leave in order of those nearest the door first then slip in to your outdoor shoes at the threshold.
*Please clear the site a.s.a.p. after class, I know you will want to chat but this directive is part of my compliance and I am responsible for you until you are off site!
*Please tell friends and family about our wonderful classes, I now have to rebuild my group exercise business after 18 months away from face to face teaching.
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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
Wednesday
6.30pm Old Skool Step
7.15pm Barre Fit
Thursday
6.15pm Contemporary Stretch
7.30pm Dance & Perspiration
Friday
6.30pm Freestyle Fitness Yoga
****** 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.
Fees, you have THREE options!
£6.50 per class. Paid in advance please.
10 Class Voucher £55 (to be used within 12 weeks of purchase)
Membership, unlimited classes, £50, plus a lockdown bonus of free access to all videos of the classes on our DYBO TV channel ! (Valid first to last day of calendar month, paid on the first day of the month)
If things get so tight that you can’t afford it then please reach out to me, I want to keep you healthy and happy and help you through this tough time and trust that no-one will take advantage of me.
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. As reference, I do have a Paypal account but it costs money to receive and move money.
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.
Attending any DYBO class will assume agreement with above terms and disclaimer.
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