February 2013

February 2013 

Well we made it through January, and all of us in class are in much better shape than the first class we did this year. I stuck to my promise and eased us all through the first few classes, the first few classes were so tough to get through, but if you have persevered then you will be seeing your fitness and shape improve fast.
As I write this newsletter, I am listening to our new cd's, one for step, dance and body blast classes and one for relaxing, Pilates and Yoga. I love them both and am inspired for new routines and exercises.

Client of the month for January is Mandy Townie, who I think is the only class member to have a move named after her. My Monday evening and Friday morning step classes have a lovely little turn in the choreography, and Mandy did something different, that we far preferred, so we now have the Townie Turn.

Class of the month - no ifs, or buts, this is the Tuesday Cardio Dance Team, who turned up in a blizzard, and then put together the most amazing dance routine. I was so proud of them. Tremednous dedication and tremendous work.

Goodie bags - Congratulations to Mandy Townie and Corinna Osmond for getting joint top prize in the goodies bags, and the superb runners up were, Juliet, Ang J and Rosemary. Very well done for getting to so many classes this January the bad weather. I am now busy loading your bags with tons of goodies, free classes, body lotions, and all sorts of treats. Very well deserved.

Exercise of the month is without doubt Aerobic work, lots of new research is still showing this is the way to go to lose body fat. We are lucky that we have the following classes that all tick the right boxes and burn body fat at a great rate
Monday 10.30-11.30 & 7.00-.8.00pm
Tues 8.00-9.00pm
Thurs 10.00-11.00 & 7.00-8.00pm
Fri - 10.00-11.00

Time off - I have gymnastics competition Friday March 8th, so all classes will be cancelled, that Friday, and I am going to Paris to celebrate my 50th (how did that happen!) Mar 22nd-Mar 25th, so there will no classes Fri 22nd Mar and Mon Mar 25^th

Boost Your Immune System
Your immune system is important. Very much like your own personal army, it guards your body against attacks from invaders (like bacteria, fungi, and viruses), defending against infections and several kinds of cancer. And it’s smart, too, often “remembering” certain infections so it’s ready for them the next time they try to attack. But just like any other body system, your immune system can deteriorate if you don’t treat it well. Keep it functioning at its peak performance, so you can stay healthy, too, by following these six steps.

1. Eat Right
In theory, this one is pretty simple: Eat just enough of the right foods when you feel hungry. Unfortunately, this isn’t as simple to put into practice. We’re tempted by unhealthy options everywhere we turn, we eat or emotional reasons, or we don’t even know what the “right” foods are. For those of us who struggle in this area, this may take some work.
Just as important as how much you’re eating, is what foods you’re eating. Some nutrients and foods that have been found to enhance the immune system include:

·         Vitamin C-rich foods, like citrus fruit and broccoli

·         Vitamin E-rich foods, like nuts and whole grains

·         Garlic

·         Zinc-rich foods, like beans, turkey, crab, oysters, and beef

·         Bioflavanoids, which are found in fruits and vegetables

·         Selenium-rich foods, like chicken, whole grains, tuna, eggs, sunflower seeds, and brown rice

·         Carotenoid-rich foods, like carrots and yams

·         Omega 3 found in nuts, salmon, tuna, mackerel.

·         Some immune system all-stars that have recently garnered a lot of attention in the scientific community are vegetables from the brassica family, like broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, and cabbage.

2. Exercise Regularly
Data from numerous studies show that regular exercise reduces the number of sick days. Women who engaged in 35-45 minutes of brisk walking, five days a week, for 12-15 weeks experienced a reduced number of sick days compared to the control (sedentary) group. Exercise doesn’t have to be strenuous to provide these benefits—in fact moderate exercise may even achieve a better result. A study published in Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise found that upper respiratory infections were more common among athletes during heavy training. Whatever you do, listen to your body. If you’re under the weather already, take it easy until you feel better.

3. Get Enough Sleep
Deep sleep stimulates and energizes the immune system, while sleep deprivation has the opposite effect. Significant detrimental effects on immune functioning can be seen after a few days of total sleep deprivation or even several days of just partial sleep deprivation. According to the National Institutes of Health, the average adult needs between 7 and 8 hours a night, although some people may need as few as 5 hours or as many as 10 hours. To make sure you are getting quality sleep,avoid caffeinated drinks (and other stimulants), decongestants, tobacco and alcohol. Alcohol can assist falling into a light sleep, but it interferes with REM and the deeper stages of sleep, which are restorative.

4. Manage Stress
Between fender benders, work deadlines, marital problems and hectic schedules, keeping stress out of your life is impossible. But how you choose to react to stress can greatly impact your overall health. Sweeping problems under the rug as opposed to solving them can turn short-term stress into chronic stress, which can cause health problems. According to the National Institutes of Health, hormones (like cortisol) that hang around during chronic stress can put us at risk for obesity, heart disease, cancer, and a variety of other illnesses. These stress hormones can work in two ways, either switching off disease-fighting white blood cells or triggering a hyperactive immune system, which increases your risk of developing auto-immune diseases. So find healthy ways to de-stress a few times per week, whether you exercise, practice yoga, meditate, or take a relaxing bath

5. Quit Smoking
Immune system markers in 35 smokers were analyzed before they quit smoking and then again three months after they had quit. Compared with a control group who continued to smoke, the ex-smokers had significant, positive changes in many measurements of their immune systems. Smoking and using tobacco products contributes to a host of health problems, and this is one more you can add to your list for reasons to quit.

6. Consume Alcohol in Moderation
Chronic alcohol abuse is defined by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders as the use of alcoholic beverages despite negative consequences. Besides the social and economic consequences of chronic alcohol abuse, alcohol abuse can also cause lead to immunodeficiency, making you more susceptible to bacterial pneumonia, tuberculosis, and other communicable diseases