I am!

Living Hollis Style 14 Days of Health with Lesley Martel is BACK this Monday, January 9th for 2 weeks!

Join us or follow along for some accountability & ideas to incorporate more greens, exercise (movement) and no refined sugar everyday. We will have a private Facebook group for posting our #healthyhabits and keep us motivated! Yay! Comment or Dm us if you are in! 

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Women in my age group still want comfortable, stylish and fun workout wear. That’s why I’m excited to partner with Uzavy.

Uzavy aims to help all women to be an inspiration and unique idol inside and outside of the gym. They strive to make you feel like a member in a bigger family; sharing hopes and dreams and trying to fulfill them physically and mentally. Bringing customers the new, exclusive, creative and one of a kind fabrics and designs to bring the best out of you anywhere, anytime.

Shop this set and more here.

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Go ahead, start a clean habit. Join @livinghollisstyle 14 day health challenge with Lesley Martel for some healthy fun! January 6-20, 2020. No refined sugar, exercise everyday and more greens. Get motivated with mindful & clean beauty tips, exercise ideas and plant-based meal inspiration. What are your self-care resolutions for 2020? Are YOU in?!?

The idea of the Health Challenge began 4 years ago when a girlfriend and I created and completed a 30 Day Fitness Challenge. We enjoyed the challenge so much we were discussing what we could do next to start the New Year feeling healthy. We chatted about doing something similar to the fitness challenge with an added component that would make us think about our eating habits. We thought no refined sugar would be a relevant and meaningful part of a health challenge, especially because there is so much talk about how bad refined sugar is for us and our children. I also wanted to see for myself if cutting refined sugar from my diet would make me feel healthier and have better focus. Thinking back to setting the guidelines to the challenge makes me laugh because I was so delusional that cutting refined sugar would be easy. Therefore, I needed to add another component of difficulty – a salad everyday. I often skip having healthy lunches and grab things like kind bars and/or handfuls of snacks like chips and sweets. Believe me, not always healthy handfuls. So, bring on the greens to the challenge. Finally, the most important part of any health challenge for me includes exercise. Exercise is my stress reliever and getting involved in the fitness community has introduced me to a wonderful, fun and supportive community I love. I always feel my healthiest after a workout. So the guidelines to the Health Challenge were almost complete. Then came up the question of alcohol…for some this was a tough one. No wine and only alcohol with zero sugar was decided to limit or eliminate alcohol consumption during the challenge. I couldn’t believe I still had participants. All parameters set and with that the Health Challenge came to life with some remarkable people! This was 4 years ago and over 10 health challenges ago. WOW!

The health challenges have evolved with new ideas and contributors but I still love what the motivation and inspiration of a group challenge does for my health! it makes being healthy, FUN! If you want to join in, this is what the challenge means for us:

1. Cutting refined sugar (added sugar not natural sugar)
2. Exercise everyday (at least 30 minutes)
3. Increasing our greens with a daily salad/shake
4. Sharing a good thought for the day (spread some positive energy – appreciating, supporting and loving others is the best medicine for your health)

The Challenge

SUGAR
Natural sugar is fine and actually I hope with the challenge I increase my fruit intake. Think about eating real food and nothing packaged. Read labels, if you see organic cane sugar that is refined sugar, so avoid it. I am also going to stay away from artificial sweeteners like aspartame. You can use honey or maple syrup as sweeteners as they are natural. However, these substitutes still give that sugar taste and can make it harder when trying to stop sugar cravings. Many condiments like ketchup have tons of sugar so just remember to be mindful of hidden sugars. My favourite yogurt has added organic cane sugar so I can’t have it.

EXERCISE
For exercise, you can do whatever motivates you but you have to do at least 30 minutes a day. If you live in Victoria I will get us some passes to try some local fitness classes. Lesley the contributor to this challenge also does amazing workouts daily, follow along with her to get an incredible workout in.

GREENS
Think plant based. I know adding a salad daily helps me to create interesting greens and increases my vegetable intake. I loved seeing all the different salad and shake creations during the challenges – so yummy.

Committing to this challenge also means 3 pictures to our closed FB group daily for 14 days. 1 of your sugarless choice, 1 of your exercise and 1 of your green salad/shake. The pictures can be of the scenery of your exercise, your sneakers after a workout or your sugar free coffee as examples. You don’t have to be in the picture if you don’t want to be. Combining 3 photos is really wonderful as it makes it easy for us to see and comment on. Come on, just do it!!

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I wish that I would of known about HIIT training in my university days. Back when I used to slave away on the stair climber at the gym everyday with the latest Cosmo magazine and my Discman as my distractions to help pass the time. That was literally what I was doing, working out and trying to pass the time until it was over. It was not fun and I could of used that time to move my body so much more efficiently. Steady state cardio, as I was doing on the stair climber is beneficial when trying to increase or maintain your aerobic fitness but if it’s all you do, you will plateau and stop seeing improvements.

HIIT training in contrast, is anaerobic training, which will elevate your heart rate during short bursts of high intensity intervals and can give you an incredible workout in a short amount of time. Studies show that this higher intensity level of training also leaves us burning more fat AFTER the workout is complete then steady-state cardio.

The misconception that existed for years was that you needed to exercise for 45-60 minutes to get any benefit. That hour can be difficult and daunting to fit in and therefore can lead to more people just foregoing exercise because “why bother if I don’t have 60 minutes?” Well, HIIT could be the answer as researchers are finding just 15 minutes of higher intensity exercise can often burn as many calories, if not more, then an hour of steady state cardio.

Because HIIT training is more rigorous and requires you to operate at such high intensity levels, it is not recommended for everyday. Three times a week or every other day is a good rule of thumb to allow your body to recover from working so hard. Those days in between could be when you go for a run or walk, bike ride, weight train or take a Pilates or yoga class. Mixing in aerobic training on those off HIIT days is important to help increase your endurance and to minimize the risk of injury from too many challenging workouts. So in other words- mix it up, both are good!

I don’t like to use the phrase “no pain, no gain,” when talking about fitness training. Yes it’s important to push yourself and move your body but the idea that you need to be crawling out of the room every time you complete a workout is dangerous and ineffective. Find a balance that works for your schedule and works for you. To see maximum gains in your fitness, challenge your body in different ways so that you never really adapt to just one form of exercise. Lastly, whatever it is you do to move your body, make sure you take time to celebrate it after. It’s a big deal when we take that time for ourselves and take a minute to marvel on that. You are worth it. You are awesome.

T

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I have been practicing pilates for about 15 years and have been a certified STOTT instructor for over 10.   I first started trying classes when I was training for an IRONMAN triathlon after I graduated from university, mainly for injury prevention. I knew with the rigourous training schedule I would have to be extra diligent if I did not want to get injured so I committed to Pilates three times a week during my 10 months of tri training. I have to say I was very diligent with this and I did end up completing the race injury free, which I still credit in large part to this Pilates practice. I’ll be honest, outside of these classes, I never stretched and these classes held me to it.

After the triathlon I fell off the Pilates wagon for a couple of years but then found I became plagued with chronic back pain. I remember being 26 and thinking I was going to have to give up running because it was just becoming too painful. This was devastating to me because running was such a huge part of my life and my go to for fitness and stress release. As a last resort, I thought I would try Pilates again to see if it would help, and I was amazed at the difference. Not only did it help elevate my back pain but it actually improved my running performance. I even reduced the amount of runs I did per week and found I still got stronger and faster. I remember distinctly running my first half marathon after consistently practicing Pilates for over a year and feeling amazed during the last few km’s at my ability to maintain my posture. In the past as my body tired near the end, I had always finished a long run slumped forward having long lost my proper running form. I had never had that strong powerhouse (core) before that and it felt incredibly different to run tired, and still be able to stand up straight.  All Pilates.

The following year I decided to pursue my STOTT certification and become a Pilates instructor.  Now fast forward 11 years and I have taught hundreds of classes AND bonus- I’m still running. Pilates has become the greatest compliment to some of the more rigorous forms of exercise that I love to do. It has improved my balance and mobility incredibly, improved my posture, increased my body awareness and helped my body rebound after delivering four babies in 6 years. As long as my body is able to move, I will continue to practice Pilates and I’m confident I will move better and longer because of it.

T

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To compliment and enhance my breathing and relaxation during my Pilates sesisons, I often diffuse doTERRA essential oils during my class. My absolute favorite is wild orange and peppermint. This combination helps to open your airways to allow for deeper breathing and is also uplifting and calming. I also love the new yoga collection, which is a trio of three different oils- Align, Anchor and Arise.   To find out more about this trio you can visit here. https://www.doterra.com/US/en/p/doterra-yoga-collection

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November is the new January (starting today)

First of all, before I get in to the November talk, I have to say that I really love Canada. I love my home, I am proud of where I come from, and I will always stand behind the red and white. Now that I have that out of the way, I don’t feel as guilty when I say I don’t really love winter. I kind of hate it. Yes experiencing winter is a big part of being Canadian, but if you live in this country you may have heard or used this line a few times between November and March- “I’m not a big fan of the cold.” Ugh, I just shivered.

So there is that and then there is the fact we are engulfed in darkness by 4:46 pm in the evening. Ouch. Cold and dark are not great contributors when you are trying to lead a life full of vitality. So to all those out there that are starting to feel that pull to the couch by 6:00 pm- I get it…but stop… don’t do it. Don’t sit down and get your cozy pants and slippers on.  It sounds so inviting to cozy up and maybe even turn the fire on and make a hot chocolate, but letting yourself fall victim to the fleece blanket that’s calling your name will soon start to affect you in other ways. I am hugely affected by winter. I will be the first to admit it and sometimes the first one to the couch but I know how it starts a domino affect on the rest of my life. My laundry starts to pile up even more then it usually does, kids toys start becoming more mountainous in places they shouldn’t be, the counters get cluttered, my car gets messy and my to do list grows. So then my stress levels increase, my patience diminishes and everyone in my house starts to feel it. Anybody with me or am I the only one with kids pictures from school all over the kitchen??

Yesterday was a really hard parenting day for me. It was one of those days where no matter what I did, someone was fighting or crying, then water got spilled on homework, there were Cheerios all over the floor and all my sick baby wanted to do was be held. I felt like a referee that needed a hair elastic and a shower. When my husband got home from work my mood mirrored that of that big monster in the old Rudolph movie (I think I was making noises like he did too) and I wanted to go hide with a fleece blanket in the closet. I knew the answer to lowering my shoulders away from my ears was to go for a run. It’s always my solution and it always gives me fresh perspective…. but yesterday I let that voice in my head talk me out of it- “it’s too cold,” “do it tomorrow,” “have wine instead,” etc. etc. Not good. I went to bed feeling on edge, stressed and discouraged. So this morning was this beautiful, brand new day which us lucky ones get every 24 hours and I knew what I had to do. As soon as everyone was out the door and even though I had a mountain load of work to do, I put on my running clothes and off I went like a bat out of hell (not really but it kind of felt like that)… I ran, I conquered and I was renewed. It was exactly what I needed and I came back feeling strong and proud and ready to tackle the day.

Sometimes when things we normally can do with ease (or somewhat with ease) become difficult- its when our body and mind need it the most. When life is stressful and moving your body seems like another thing on your endless to do list- put it at the top. Seriously, it belongs there. Yes some things might get left out or become last minute, but you will tick off the items on that list a lighter human being, a calmer human being, and a healthier human being. No one is ever going to make you put yourself first- but every being around you will get more from you if you do.

Please don’t say to yourself in January you will change. Take care of yourself right now. Stop that domino before it falls and feel energized and proud as you finish 2017. Believe me, I KNOW it can be really, really hard but those little daily obstacles (like sick kids and messy homework) won’t seem so bad if you are looked after. You are worth it. You are SO awesome! You have got this.

Here are a few little things that can help you fight off the winter blahs:

1- Decorate early for Christmas. Why not?!  Start the excitement early and enjoy the beauty as long as you can.

2- Play music. There is nothing like relaxing tunes or a random dance party in the kitchen to make you feel a little lighter. I love Michael Buble’s Christmas album as a compliment to early Christmas decor.

3- Use essential oils daily. I rely heavily on doTERRA essential oils this time of year both to help boost the immunity in our home and to lift our mood and spirits. When you walk into a room that smells delicious, it’s an instant mood booster. My current fave is Holiday Joy. Sooooo good! To find out more, you can visit here: https://www.mydoterra.com/traceybrioux/#/

4- Leave notes around the house as reminders to move and that you really are awesome. Maybe a note by the TV that says “wait until later,” and another by the couch that says “we will visit after 8:00 pm.” The most important in your kitchen that says- “you are amazing and you are loved.”

5- Brighten someones day. It feels good to make others feel good, so buy a friend a coffee, send a note to an old friend and smile at a stranger. Your mood will feel it.

6- Don’t take your phone to bed with you. There are so many reasons why you shouldn’t take your phone to bed with you so try not to. If you need it for an alarm, put it at the other side of the room. Let your mind relax and read a book instead.

7- Move your body daily. Even if it’s for one minute at a time, it’s so important.  Here is a 1 minute video you can do anywhere when you are short on time but need a reset. Visit @resetbreathe.

Tracey

PS – Livinghollisstyle.com and Resetbreathefit.com are teaming up the end of the month to do a one week Health Challenge from Nov 23-29. Exercise, no refined sugar & greens everyday for a week. Come join the healthy FUN! For more info click below 🙂

http://livinghollisstyle.com/?page_id=1192

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What started out as a joke when we were up at the lake in mid July turned out to be a fitness challenge for the month of August that I am really proud of!

My friend Lisa and I heard about a promotion from our run coach to join the affiliated gym BDHQ (Body Dynamics Headquarters) for a month for an incredible price of $40. Lisa laughed and said why don’t we join this promo, step up our fitness game and try out this gym everyday for the month. Somehow (I think after having a gin and tonic) I thought it was a great idea 🙂 We committed and didn’t look back. With busy family schedules and social events planned, we still made it to a BDHQ workout everyday for the month of August. Let me tell you, it wasn’t always easy, especially near the end when we were tired and sore. However, I knew once we got there we would always feel better after. It really is amazing what a good workout can do for your body and mind.

Friends and family were super supportive, especially our husbands, friends in our run clinic and Jason Ball our coach. I had so many nice comments from people saying that our challenge has inspired them to get moving, which I love and is a big reason why I wanted to blog about it. I also got some interesting comments as in, “are you an exercise fanatic” and “you need to give your body a break” and one of the most interesting was “do you have an eating disorder.” I actually didn’t even see how it related to our fitness challenge but explained that fitness is not just about weight for me or I would diet. I exercise for overall health (mental and physical), because I love the way it makes me feel and for the incredible like minded people who are a part of the community. I really enjoyed all the comments and they made me realize that people have extremely strong views on working out and what is healthy.

Some of the comments got me thinking I should really talk to Jason about this challenge as maybe it is too much and Lisa and I should reconsider going everyday. But after chatting to Jason at great lengths he reassured me that 1 hour a day of intense exercise is not too much and that it is good for me. He said lots of people go to 2 classes a day and do runs, bikes and/or swims if they are training for an event. He also said these classes will challenge my body and muscles differently than just with doing one sport like running.

Then I was worried that I would be intimidated by the fitness level at this gym as I have never done these kinds of interval workouts before. Happily, what I learned was they are intense classes, harder than any I have done before but that’s because they make you challenge yourself. It’s not a competition with anyone else, it’s about pushing yourself to the best of your ability, with a motivating training present, to make sure it is the hardest workout for YOU!

After the challenge, I feel stronger and more fit, especially my cardio. I really have enjoyed the intense and diverse classes so I decided to join BDHQ. I am also running the Goodlife Half Marathon in October with our fantastic group.  I am so glad exercise is and has been an important part of my life – I think it is the best thing for your overall being. It makes me happy and helps me deal with all the challenges life throws my way.  I also can’t say enough about the wonderful people fitness has brought into my life. I am super lucky to have such a great friend, Lisa Sinclair,  who loves fitness as much as I do and will commit to all kinds of fun, fitness adventures. I wonder what’s next…swimming and yoga? Whatever we decide, I know running and interval workouts have now become a part of my fitness STYLE.

A LITTLE ABOUT BDHQ – Body Dynamics Headquarters (BDHQ) is a cutting edge training studio located in the heart of downtown Victoria. We offer training like no other; indoor and outdoor. Get yourself in the BEST shape of your life with the help of our amazing team, no matter your age or fitness level.

THE BDHQ STORY – Body Dynamics started in 1996 with Victoria’s very first outdoor Bootcamp program. What started as a little outdoor program with one trainer evolved into a mass following of hard working Bootcampers who over the years have left their sweat and tears on every beach and park in Victoria. In 2005 came Baby Bootcamp, the first outdoor program for new mom’s to get back into shape with their babies in tow. Both programs are in full swing to this day.

Owner Michele Shorter opened a space on Johnson Street in February 2008 where she brought the outdoors inside. No equipment, no machines. Green turf floors fill the open space full of kettlebells, monkey bars, battling ropes, TRX and tires. The first space of it’s kind in Victoria. The difference between a regular gym and BDHQ, besides the appearance, is that you don’t workout on your own. Either in one of our innovative classes, or in a personal or small group training session, we can ensure that every time you leave our doors, you have just had the best workout possible.

December 2012 saw the opening of Body Dynamics 24hr Fitness – 8,000 square feet gym open 24hrs a day, 7 days a week at 2841 Quesnel St. We couldn’t be more excited about this new venture.

BDHQ and its team of trainers are committed to helping you to reach any goal you have. All ages and all abilities; anyone interested in living their best life.

Where EVERY workout is your hardest!

BDHQ is powered by MindBody

The low down – BDHQ is a training studio located on Johnson St, next door to Lululemon. This is not your average gym with your mom’s aerobics classes. We offer the most innovative training styles and cater to all fitness levels and ages.

With no traditional fixed gym equipment, you’ll find open space, pro-grade kettlebells, TRX, monkey bars, tires, sleds and state of the art spin bikes. When there isn’t a class in session, we hold small group training, for those looking to take their fitness to the next level with more accountability.

We are famous for our group classes with live DJ’s, utilizing items and exercises and equipment you’ve probably never tried at another gym. Try out our introductory offer and see what it’s all about!

Introductory Offer
2 classes for $25 (to be used in 1 week) – your $25 can be put towards any service you wish to purchase after your 2 classes.

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Before I knew anything about Leslie’s successful career, I was immediately drawn to her minimal but chic style, her long blonde hair and her fun and energetic commitment to health and fitness.  If we weren’t running or walking, we would be rocking the grapevine at the Oak Bay Avenue gym – VI Fitness for women http://www.vifitness.ca/oak-bay-women/.  We trained together for the Goodlife Victoria Half Marathon http://www.runvictoriamarathon.com and did some ridiculous hill and speed training as part of marathon clinic with Jason Ball and BDHQ. http://www.bdhq.ca/index.php/programs/run-clinic Here are a few pictures after some very long  and memorable runs.

Even on vacations and girls trips Leslie is always interested in eating well and exercising. She is also one of the cleanest eaters I know. She only eats organic, real food and nothing processed. She often rolls her eyes at me after a workout when I ask if it is “chips and pop” time. Her mom has an amazing vegetable and flower garden that she helps out with and often creates amazing meals with their homegrown produce. Leslie is an incredible cook. Her food presentation and the taste of her culinary creations is better than most restaurants. I am always hoping that her love for clean eating and her culinary skills will rub off on me but I haven’t been so lucky yet.

Growing up on PEI I have always been a meat and potatoes kind of girl. Not that I don’t enjoy trying new foods but nothing makes me feel more comforted or loved then enjoying a traditional meal with family or friends. Knowing this, as a treat to me on special occasions Leslie cooks my favourite meal – beef tenderloin, fresh basil mayonnasie sauce, roasted garlic potatoes, fresh vegetables and a vegetable slaw. She introduced me to the basil parmesan mayo and now if I am having beef, it is not the same without it. Here is Lisa and I about to enjoy one of Leslie’s amazing meals…YUM!

This is Leslie’s go to recipe and if you enjoy beef, this is one you have to try. It is perfect for entertaining because it is easy to do, presents beautifully and tastes amazing. I have made it many times and it is always a success. However, I have to be honest and say it tastes just that much better when Leslie cooks it.

INA GARTEN’S SLOW-ROASTED FILET OF BEEF WITH BASIL PARMESAN MAYONNAISE

For the Beef Tenderloin:
1 whole filet of Beef Tenderloin (trimmed and tied; 4 1/2 pounds)
3 tablespoons Olive Oil
4 teaspoons Kosher Salt
2 teaspoons coarsely ground Black Pepper
10-15 branches fresh Tarragon

FOR THE BASIL PARMESAN MAYONNAISE:
2 Extra-Large Egg Yolks (room temperature)
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed Lemon Juice
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon Dijon Mustard
1/2 cup chopped fresh Basil Leaves (lightly packed)
1/2 teaspoon minced Garlic
Kosher Salt and freshly ground Black Pepper
1 cup Vegetable Oil (room temperature)
1/2 cup good Olive Oil

step-by-step directions
For the Beef Tenderloin: Preheat the oven to 275 degrees. Use an oven thermometer to be sure your oven temperature is accurate.
Place the filet on a sheet pan and pat it dry with paper towels. Brush the filet all over with the oil, reerving about half a tablespoon. Sprinkle it all over with the oil, reserving about half a tablespoon. Sprinkle it all over with the salt and pepper (it will seem like a lot but it makes a difference). Place the tarragon branches around the beef, tying them in 4 or 5 places with kitchen string to keep them in place, and then brush the tarragon with the reserved oil.
Roast the filet of beef for 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours, until the temperature registers 125 degrees in the center for rare and 135 degrees for medium-rare. I place the thermometer horizontally through the end of the beef. Cover the filet with aluminum foil and allow to rest for 20 minutes. Slice thickly and serve warm or at room temperature with Basil Parmesan Mayonnaise.
For the Basil Parmesan Mayonnaise: Place the egg yolks, lemon juice, Parmesan, mustard, basil, garlic, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper in a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Process for 20 seconds, until smooth. Combine the vegetable oil and olive oil in a 2-cup liquid measuring cup. With the processor running, slowly pour the oil mixture through the feed tube to make a thick emulsion. Taste for seasonings–the mayonnaise is a sauce so it should be highly seasoned. Store in the refrigerator until ready to use; it will keep for up to a week.

When entertaining or being entertained Leslie supports local businesses and local causes which is not only praiseworthy and community building but fun. Here were are at a few local events.

For Leslie, there is no doubt that after entertainment comes exercise. I admire her commitment  to health and fitness and how she creates such a beautiful life balance.

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If you are someone who has gotten or gets cold sores you know how traumatic having one can be. They make you feel dirty, ugly and promiscuous. Thank goodness with age getting one is few and far between. However, during my university years or stressful times in my life, they would pop up and I would go into hibernation. I would be obsessed with what it looked like and would buy anything to try to cover it and/or get rid of it. My experience was nothing over the counter (OTC) helped heal them and I have tried many including Abreva. The only thing that made a difference in speeding up the healing process was orally taking Valtrex (Acyclovir).

Hiding a cold sore with makeup is really tough and can often make it look worse. I have only one mineral powder that I use from La Bella Donna http://www.labelladonna.com/lbd-women/ that will cover it and actually make it look better. I always make sure when I have a cold sore or think I may be getting one to use a disposable brush to apply any powder or colour to the lips. This is so important as you would never want to spread it.

I use this mineral power every day. It not only looks beautiful on the skin but provides superior sun protection. So easy to use and you don’t have to worry about being meticulous about putting it on, as it blends so easily. This product is a must-have for everyone! I buy it at my favourite medical spa Derma Spa. www.dermaspa.ca. Here is some more info on this product.

Only Four Ingredients:

• Micronized Titanium Dioxide, a non-chemical sun protection
  
• Bismuth Oxychloride, an anti-inflammatory
  
• Zinc Oxide, an anti-inflammatory
  
• Iron Oxides, source of colour

LBD-WOMEN is an all-natural, pure mineral translucent sun protection. It lasts all day without re-application and provides complete protection from all UVA/UVB infrared rays. It does not contain any FD&C dyes, oils, fragrance, alcohol, parabens, cornstarch or other chemicals. Soothing and calming, LBD-Women can be used on rash-prone skin, eczema, allergy-prone skin (with a near-zero allergy rate) and sensitive skin. This mineral sun protection keeps the skin naturally cool (even when sitting in the sun) and reduces perspiration, doesn’t irritate like chemical sunscreens.

Micronized titanium dioxide is the key. It is found naturally in minerals and does not clog pores or dry out the skin. It works quite remarkably. Basically, it allows light to pass through the visible ray region (light that is needed for healthy development of skin) while intercepting the ultraviolet rays. Micronized titanium dioxide guards against the damaging effects of ultraviolet rays, yet give the skin a natural-looking finish. Research shows micronized titanium dioxide provides a natural barrier to UVA and UVB radiation without irritation, burning or stinging.

Because I have gotten a cold sore recently and it reminded me how awful they are I asked Doctor Gray to do an article on it. I hope this helps if you are struggling to know what to do if you are just getting one for the first time or constantly struggle with them.

Dr. Gray on Cold Sores

Our topic this month? Cold sores. Fever blister, orolabial herpes. The HERP, as Jody calls it.

Herpes is a varied and interesting virus. I actually have great respect for it. We all know it causes oral and genital herpes but did you know it is responsible for cytomegalovirus, chickenpox, shingles, and mono?

Orolabial Herpes is caused primarily by Herpes Simplex Virus 1 (HSV -1). It can also be caused by Herpes Simplex Virus 2 (HSV-2) about 20% of the time. HSV-2 is the virus subtype that prefers infecting the genital region. As I tell my patients – they prefer different playgrounds.

Herpes virus infects the body by accessing the skin after direct contact with someone with a lesion. This can include sharing a drink, kissing, sharing a toothbrush or facecloth or any other way of getting the fluid from the lesions onto someone else’s skin. Although far less common you can contact the virus without the other person showing any sign of a cold sore (asymptomatic transmission). That is likely why a vast majority of adults by age 45 will test positive to HSV-1 exposure even if they have never had a cold sore. Only a minority of people get lesions. So who does? We actually don’t know who will get lesions or who won’t. Likely many factors to do with the virus and the individual go into determining who gets lesions and how often.

So how does HSV-1 cause lesions?

After contact with your skin, the virus often enters the body causing a generalized reaction the first time your immune system is exposed. This can be anything from a mild flu-like illness that is barely noticed to a full-blown case of Herpes gingival stomatitis in which the outer skin and inner mucosa of the mouth and throat become covered in lesions. This is most frequently seen in children. After this, the virus grabs onto a sensory nerve and travels up it to live on the cell body in the central nervous system – forever. The good news is that the immune system does make antibodies to HSV-1 so you can never be infected again at another site.

HSV-1 is an opportunistic virus. It waits for a time when the immune system is stressed to make its appearance. Then it travels down the nerve to the skin (often causing the telltale tingling sensation one gets prior to the outbreak) causing blisters to form on the skin or mucosa. The blisters often burst leaving the crusted lesions that last 1-3 weeks before clearing. The virus travels back up its nerve and awaits another opportunity. Episodes of lesion outbreaks vary from rare outbreaks to once a month.

Cold sore outbreaks may be influenced by stress, menstruation/hormones, sunlight, sunburn, fever, dehydration, or local skin trauma. Surgical procedures such as dental surgery, lip tattooing, or dermabrasion are also common triggers.

Cold sores are painful, they dry out and bleed, they are infectious (and everyone knows it) and frankly, they don’t look great. All good reasons to treat them. And we do have treatments. Just not very good ones. Very mild or infrequent lesions usually are fine to be left alone. A little bit of makeup and no one is the wiser. For those who get cold sores, though, this is not the typical case.

Treatments for cold sores

There are basically two forms of treatment – topical and oral. Some topical therapies, such as topical antiviral medications, need a prescription (Acyclovir cream). There is also a newer agent that is available over the counter (OTC) called Abreva. If you apply it right when the tingling starts and you remember to apply it 5 times a day – it can cut down the healing time by 10%. Not much bang for your buck but better than all other OTC products, none of which have been proven to speed healing. Most of them provide an excellent topical moisture base to help prevent drying and cracking, though. New combination creams which have an antiviral medication and a mild steroid to help reduce inflammation are also being marketed. Again, they likely improve the look of the lesion more than they reduce healing times.

There are also oral medications such as valacyclovir, acyclovir and famcyclovir that are often prescribed and kept in one’s medicine awaiting the next tingling sign of an imminent outbreak. Some can be taken in larger single doses, rather than the old 7-day course, although in my experience this dosing regime doesn’t work for everyone. In rare cases, where outbreaks are truly frequent, one could be placed on a daily oral medication to try to prevent lesions altogether.

There are many alternative and natural therapies promoted for cold sores. I won’t go into them. They don’t work. Period. Even the use of sunscreen has had mixed results (although there are many other good reasons to use it). But everyone is different so considering few have any discernible side effects – try them if you’d like!

Bottoms line is that the majority of adults will be exposed to HSV-1 at some point before age 45. Some will go on to get an initial lesion and of those (only one-third) will go on to have recurrent lesions. Those that have recurrent lesions cannot predict the frequency of these lesions although common triggers have been identified. The good news? The frequency of outbreaks decreases with age. Treatments are plentiful although only topical and oral antivirals, as well as Abreva, have been shown to have any effect – and even their effect is limited.
Keeping the lesion well moisturized to prevent drying and cracking will improve the look of the lesion.

Like I said- I have a lot of respect for this wily virus!

Dr. Catherine Gray

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Our Favourite Pre/Post-Run Drink – Coffee 

Caffeine (in coffee or otherwise) improves performance…Hundreds of studies have shown that consuming caffeine before a physical challenge likely helps subjects go farther and faster than when they go without it. This effect holds true in studies of both endurance athletes and sprinters.

…but it works best when timed right… A study last year indicated that the best time to take caffeine for a performance boost is an hour before your event begins.

…and it’s possible to have too much. Research shows that about three to six milligrams of caffeine per kilogram of body weight is all you need to see benefits. (For a 150-pound person, that’s roughly 12 ounces of strong coffee.) Higher doses don’t do more to improve performance, and you run the risk of developing negative side effects like dizziness, anxiety, and heart palpitations.

Coffee boosts your brain. A review published earlier this year examined the difference between the effects of caffeine on its own and the effects of consuming it in coffee. Coffee contains a number of substances (including polyphenols) that have been shown to help people with dementia, stave off Alzheimer’s disease, and positively influence brain health.

Coffee isn’t proven to dehydrate you… Studies have found drinking up to about five cups of coffee has little to no effect on hydration. (However, if coffee tends to “get things moving” for you before a run, consider replenishing what you’ve lost with an electrolyte-rich drink.)

…but you may not need to swallow it to reap benefits. A recent study in the journal Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism suggests that receptors in your mouth can sense the presence of caffeine and boost your performance, even when you spit out the drink. Might be helpful in the later miles of a long race, when you’re not feeling up to ingesting any more gels.

Coffee may help post-exercise recovery, too. One study had cyclists ride hard for two days in a row to put them in a glycogen-depleted state. Those who drank a recovery drink with carbs and caffeine rebuilt their glycogen stores by 66 percent more than those who drank only carbs

You can do more than just drink coffee. If a morning cup just isn’t enough, try topping your pancakes with coffee butter, whipping some coffee into a smoothie, or freezing coffee with herbs for a cold, caffeine-laced treat.

Happy Coffee!

Jason Ball – Body Dynamics Headquarters – 250.370.9983 – www.bdhq.ca

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