Local stories of incredible life change through fitness and nutrition

While the saying “there is no better time than the present” always rings true for those looking to change their health, the beginning of the year is typically a popular time to jump into (or back into, in some cases) a fitness and nutrition plan. The food-focused holidays have come and gone, and indulgent vacations are likely on pause until spring.

But what does it really take to make a plan and stick with it? How can you make sure this attempt at weight loss isn’t just another botched New Year’s Resolution? We went straight to the experts for help—and we aren’t talking about personal trainers or dietitians (but of course, those are always great people to work with!).

These three inspiring individuals know what it feels like to be at the beginning. Read on to hear their stories.

Maria Carreno
Age: 25
Weight Lost: 80 pounds
Maria’s Story:
“Growing up I was always the ‘big girl.’ Every diet out there, I tried it, but I always gained the weight back a couple of months later.

When I came to this country six years ago, it was a cultural shock for me and I gained even more weight. In 2020, I reached my highest weight of 322 pounds. I was going through the most difficult time of my life. I wasn’t taking care of myself, I was depressed and it showed.

I finally decided that enough was enough. I joined Burn Boot Camp and started using the simple and old key to success: being consistent. Not only was I exercising consistently, but I worked with the personal trainers on my eating habits. I lost over 80 pounds in 18 months and plan to lose more in the coming year.

I learned that no matter where you are at, if you decide to do something and put your mind to it,
you will accomplish it.”

John Hobbs
Age: 30
Weight Lost: 175 pounds
John’s Story:
“Several years ago, I had gained a tremendous amount of weight. I knew it was time to do something when it started interfering with things that I loved to do, such as hunting and racing motorcycles.

I reached out to Tim Wamsley at Kratos Fitness. The entire staff used their knowledge of health and fitness to motivate me to work hard, eat healthy, and stay consistent. Not only did we work hard, but they made it fun and a team effort! The combination of accountability and workouts that were actually enjoyable was key to keeping me consistent. In just over one year I was able to lose 175 pounds!

Since then, I’ve gotten back into hunting and racing and have never felt better. After losing weight, Kratos helped me modify my nutrition and exercise routine to maintain the results and have continued to check up with me to help me through my transition.

I really encourage people that want a life change to work with the staff at Kratos—they understand the struggle and want to help with a change! Thank you Kratos for helping me to not only lose the weight, but to keep it off for four years now!”

Connie Moore
Age: 64
Weight Lost: 48 pounds
Connie’s Story:
“The nurse at my family doctor’s office called me in May 2018 to give me the results of my bloodwork and told me my A1C was now in the pre-diabetes category. When the A1C test was done again one year later in May 2019, I was still in that category.

The nurse told me that there was a YMCA Diabetes Prevention Program I could enroll in which consisted of 25 one-hour sessions over the course of one year, led by a trained lifestyle coach to learn healthy eating and the importance of getting regular physical activity. So, I enrolled and started taking the class in June 2019.

I did not want to go down the path of becoming diabetic so I stayed focused on eating healthier and exercising at the YMCA on a regular schedule. It has been a long 2.5 year journey for me of being consistent and dedicated to becoming a healthier version of myself, and I have met many new friends along the way.

I am very happy to say that when I went to see my family doctor in November 2021 that my A1C bloodwork came back as now being in the ‘normal’ category.”

Do you, or does someone you know, suffer from migraines? Given the statistics that 1 in 4 households in the US includes someone who suffers from these menacing headaches, it’s likely you do. Migraines are three times more likely to affect women than men, but they aren’t just the bane of adults—children can suffer from them as well.

Migraines are more than just a bad headache. Migrainous episodes are ignited deep within the base of the brain. Once activated, they set off a cascade of electrical and vascular changes across the brain which can result in a myriad of symptoms. Typical migraines present with moderate to severe, throbbing head pain. Additionally, as if throbbing head pain wasn’t enough, many migraineurs endure sensitivities to light, odors, sound, and touch, as well as experience various visual disturbances, nausea, and vomiting.

Migraineurs know “their” migraine patterns well, and because much has been written about food, smell, light, or noise triggers, they do their best to avoid their known triggers. Some will take preventative medications on a daily basis, which have been prescribed by their physicians—all in an attempt not to set off a migraine. When these preventative steps prove inadequate, and they sense a migraine beginning to brew, their last possible way to escape this “headache hurricane” is to take a prescribed, often times injectable, abortive medication. Sadly, if the abortive medication fails, a migraineur has no other choice but to cancel their plans for the day and seek the cover of a dark, quiet room to ride out the storm.

For decades now, managing migraines has been the best a migraineur can do. Copious books written on the subject discuss in great detail dietary and atmospheric triggers a migraineur would do best to avoid. Then, as a consolation, long lists of available medications, to be taken daily or abortively, are provided. But today, current research has revealed that there is a rarely-discussed, yet highly influential migraine trigger: the upper neck.

For 30+ years I have been treating head pain patients—many of them migraineurs—by using a hands-on (manual) physical therapy treatment approach. What I discovered long ago, and which has only recently been verified by neurologic research, is that muscle, joint, and disc dysfunction in the upper neck is a MAJOR migraine trigger!

To understand this better, think of potential head pain as a stick of dynamite. The length of the fuse depends on the individual. Researchers have discovered that a migraineur’s brain is more sensitive to stimuli than a non-migraine sufferer. This means a migraineur has an inherently shorter “fuse.” The “matches” in this analogy would be headache triggers such as stress, food sensitivities, surrounding noise levels, bright or flashing lights, low barometric pressure, and upper neck dysfunction. When enough of these matches are bundled together, they can flame up sufficiently enough to ignite the fuse. Then—KABOOM—a migraine explodes on the scene!

What I have seen, time and time again, is that by removing the “match stick” of upper neck dysfunction—which is a very large match when compared to the other triggers—the rest of the would-be triggers can’t build enough “heat” to the light the fuse. This method of head pain treatment has been successful even with those patients whose migraines are tied to their monthly hormonal cycles.
At last—you can quit managing your migraines, and instead, put an end to them!

So, what do you need to do to break free from a lifetime of migraines? Find yourself a healthcare practitioner who has the necessary keys to unlock your upper neck dysfunction. This person will need to be highly skilled; able to address joint, muscle and disc problems; and be knowledgeable in offering you guidance regarding the best postures (sleeping, sitting, and standing) and ergonomic sets ups to enhance the hands-on treatment they’re dispensing.

This approach sounds so much better than being married to medication, doesn’t it?

Lisa Morrone, PT is an orthopedic, manual, physical therapist and prolific author who practices privately in Forest, VA. Contact Lisa through her website: www.LisaMorrone.com and sign up for her Monday Morning Health Tips! Also check out her book, Overcoming Headaches and Migraines, available on Amazon.com.

HOW TO TRANSFORM YOUR THOUGHTS WHEN LIFE GETS TOUGH

“The unthankful heart discovers no mercies; but the thankful heart will find, in every hour, some heavenly blessings.” – Henry Ward Beecher

We often see cards, plaques and decorations boasting words such as “grateful” or “give thanks.” Don’t we all wish for more sentiments of gratitude and appreciation these days? Yeah, me too!

Rising quickly in my professional journey, this driven, energetic and successful young professional was on her way to a life of comfort and contentment. But what happens when the plans you’ve made, the life you’ve built, comes to a screeching halt? Can you be grateful? Can you find the good?

How do you find and maintain gratitude and joy when you get a cancer diagnosis? When you lose a family member suddenly? When you walk alongside an addict who’s trying to get sober? When you can’t get up every day and do the job you love?

Well, I learned how because that was my life in 2017. My husband and I had purchased a 17-acre farm in Bedford County and were on our way to open the vision God had given us—the Sanctuary Farm and Retreat Center, a place for people to come for rest, peace, dreaming and praying in solitude.

Our full-time jobs were going great. Our families were happy. And just like that, everything changed. Within one year, I was on hiatus from work after having a double mastectomy due to breast cancer, my father-in-law died of pancreatic cancer, we were caregiving for loved ones as a result of a family member’s addiction—all within the same year. We learned how to fight for the very thing we were building, for “Sanctuary,” and we were learning how to live a life of gratitude, despite all that was happening in our lives.

With a background in psychology and as a life transformation coach, I had studied the brain. But knowing how the brain works and leaning into the research are two different things. Research has proven that thoughts create actions, and actions create habits, and habits create life patterns. Meaning, what you think about matters.

People tend to filter events and circumstances in one of two ways: with a positive lens or negative lens. You know the old adage, “Is your glass half full or half empty?” Turns out, science has proven that if you’re a glass-half-empty thinker, it leads to more mental and physical stress and has been known to increase the prevalence of certain health conditions such as cardiovascular disease, hypertension, immune function, and panic attacks, just to name a few.

But, there’s hope! By shifting the way you look at things on a regular basis, numerous studies show you can transform your thinking patterns and, ultimately, transform your life. I learned how to do this through my own hard circumstances and you can too.

Here are four ways to find your own Sanctuary and live “in gratitude.”

1. Think about what you’re thinking about. By bringing your default negative thoughts to the forefront and questioning them, you actually stop the subconscious negativity from having free reign.

2. Eliminate extremes. “I’ll never be able to.” “Things can’t change.” “That won’t work.” All of these statements limit or rule out possibilities. Instead of these statements, open your mind up to possibilities. Here are some questions to help get you out of extreme thinking:
• What’s possible here?
• What could I do differently?
• What’s one step I can take?
• What am I in control of?

3. Reframe. When negative things happen or you find yourself defaulting to glass-half-empty thinking, learn to reframe. When I received my breast cancer diagnosis, fear, worry and dread for what was to come were consuming me. I had to learn to reframe thoughts and feelings away from the negative. Here are some questions to help you reframe:
• What are my options?
• How can I best prepare for the journey ahead?
• What can I learn through this about myself and my strength?
• What are the opportunities in the midst of the “hard”?
• What can I still do despite this challenge?

4. Celebrate what’s good. When life isn’t going as planned or you have a season of hardship, it’s important to find and celebrate the good. Some ways to do this include:
• Slow down and savor the first sip of your morning coffee.
• Play your favorite music and linger in your comfy chair for a few minutes.
• Journal the positives in your life.
• Do something healthy for yourself daily.
• Subscribe to positive podcasts or TED talks, and get in the habit of making these part of your daily or weekly routine.
• Be a “noticer” of the beauty in a day.

Sources:

www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/positive-thinking/art-20043950

www.amazon.com/Deadly-Emotions-Understand-Mind-Body-Spirit-Connection/dp/0785288082

greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/how_gratitude_changes_you_and_your_brain

A FITNESS STUDIO ADDS FAITH INTO THE #WOD

Photos by Ashlee Glen

In a world where we always seem to be focused on appearances, sometimes the emotional, mental and spiritual aspects of our lives can get overlooked. When Kat Seay opened Live Move Be Fitness on Timberlake Road last year, she was on a mission to provide a well-rounded fitness experience that went beyond what you could see in the mirror.

“The name [of the studio] came from the Bible verse Acts 17:28, ‘For in Him we live and move and have our being’,” said Seay. “As soon as people walk through our doors, we want to help them live with purpose, move with joy, and be all that they were created to be. We want them to feel like they belong here.”

Live Move Be (or LMB for short) is a faith-infused fitness studio that offers exercise for the body, mind, and soul. There is a place for everyone, and there is a class for everyone—from cardio kickboxing to yoga.

LMB has many unique group class formats that are hard to find anywhere else. Want to get the heart pumping? There’s RW HIIT, a 30-minute high intensity class. Want to take it easy but still get a good workout? Try Rev and Flow, a movement-to-music class.

“We kind of run the gamut of all the different types of classes you could be looking for in a fitness class,” said Seay. “I feel like we really do have something for everyone.”

One of Seay’s favorite workout formats is movement-to-music: “I just like moving with joy. I love movement. I love music.”

Seay got her first taste of this when she began teaching Zumba classes at the YMCA in Bedford in 2009. From there, she began a women’s fitness ministry at her church. In January 2020, she opened Live Move Be.

“I saw the positive results of addressing someone’s full person. Their whole body, not just their physical body but their spiritual and emotional needs, addressing all those needs in a fitness class.”

Seay and six other instructors have carried this positive impact into LMB, especially the spiritual and emotional aspects. At LMB, exercise is more than just a physical activity.

“You see these hashtags, #legday or #armsday. Here we have #everydayisheartday. Having a strong healthy body is important, but we want the heart to be the primary focus of our classes,” said Seay.

From their inspiring music choices to the intentional words that they speak, the instructors do everything they can to motivate participants. They want participants to leave the studio with full hearts and fewer burdens.

“It’s very important to us that we speak life over the people in our class. It’s a big responsibility to have people’s ears and hearts in your class for an hour. We want them to feel mentally and emotionally lighter than when they came in,” explained Seay.

Because they want everyone to experience a fulfilling workout, LMB offers a non-traditional membership format. Anyone can drop into a class for $5. For $40, 10 classes can be attended, and one month of unlimited classes is $70. Angie Coleman is on her third 10-class pass.

“I came out to my first class, and I just loved it. I’ve been coming for three months, twice or sometimes three times a week,” said Coleman.

Coleman was diligent about exercising her brain by playing solitaire and doing word searches, but she realized that her body needed exercise too. After coming to classes at LMB, Coleman has seen various improvements in her life.

“My attitude is better. My breathing is better. My clothes fit better. I feel so energized. People are starting to ask me what I do because they are seeing the differences,” she said.

Coleman is just one of many who faithfully attend LMB.

“We have people that are 20 years old and there’s a lady here that’s 80 years old. You don’t feel like you’re out of place. Everybody’s welcome,” said Coleman.

Learn more about Live Move Be Fitness at www.livemovebefitness.com.

That Are On the Nice List

You don’t have to skip the sweets this holiday season to stay focused on your fitness goals. Local blogger Laura Miner, founder of Cook at Home Mom (cookathomemom.com), shares a few of her favorite diet-friendly desserts that are perfect for parties or after a weeknight meal at home.

Chocolate Pumpkin Protein Balls
paleo, grain-free, gluten-free

Who doesn’t love a good no-bake dessert recipe during a busy time of the year? These little bites of fall flavor are easy to whip up and are always crowd pleasers. But Laura prefers to savor them by herself with a steaming hot cup of coffee on a chilly morning. She also likes that they aren’t overly sweet and the pumpkin flavor is subtle.

Servings: 4 (16-18 balls)
Calories: 352

CLICK HERE FOR THE RECIPE!

Snickers-Stuffed Dates
paleo, vegan

These are an absolute must-try if you’re like Laura and love that classic combo of chocolate and peanut/almond butter. With just four ingredients, this no-bake dessert is also a fan favorite due to its convenience.

Servings: 8
Calories: 160

CLICK HERE FOR THE RECIPE!

Sweet Potato Chocolate Mousse
paleo, vegan

Laura came up with this recipe as a way to satisfy her husband’s post-dinner sweet tooth without derailing from their clean-eating habits. It’s a concoction that’s so delicious, no one—including the kids—will ever know it is made with vegetables!

Servings: 4
Calories: 246

CLICK HERE FOR THE RECIPE!

Chocolate Covered Apple Slices

With apples as a base and nuts providing protein, you won’t feel so guilty about snacking on this treat anytime of the year.

Servings: 4-6 (4 slices)
Calories: 198

CLICK HERE FOR THE RECIPE!

A local expert helps navigate the often-complicated world of athletic shoes

If you’re like me, no purchasing decision is easy these days. What’s supposed to be a simple transaction can turn into hours of scrolling through customer reviews, which then leads to a Google search and all of those catchy blogs people write about products. (Aren’t those addicting?) Next thing you know, two hours have passed and not only have you still not made a decision, but you are likely even more confused than when you started.

This scenario played out recently for me as I searched for new athletic shoes. My current pair was worn out after about a year of heavy use in daily HIIT (high-intensity interval training) classes. I felt overwhelmed by my options, and realized that I wasn’t alone. Conversations about what kind of shoes to buy often surrounded me at the gym.

I tracked down Perry Mundy, a certified pedorthist for Virginia Sport and Spine Institute, to see if he could share some shoe insight. A pedorthist is a healthcare professional specifically trained in comprehensive foot care using therapeutic foot wear and supportive orthotic devices for the foot.

He was upfront that his answer to my question, “What kind of shoes do I need?” might be disappointing at first.

“One of my teachers in college said, ‘The answer to every question is, it depends. But if you ever answer that on a test it’s wrong’,” Mundy recalls. “The right shoe completely depends on the individual and that individual’s activity. There are a wide range of variables that are specific to each person.”

But he acknowledges there is a lot of information to sort through regarding athletic shoes. Here, we asked him a few of the top questions.

How important is fixing a shoe issue to overall health?

Feel like your foot is slipping from side to side during that CrossFit workout?

Notice substantial arch aches during those early morning runs? This is not the time to channel those popular fitness mantras such as “no pain, no gain.”

“The foot is the foundation of the house, everything else is up the line,” Mundy says.

The pain in your calves, knees, even hips, could be due to an improperly fitting shoe or, in some cases, a structural problem with your body, such as leg length inequality. If one leg is even just a tiny bit longer than the other, that foot will not pronate properly in your shoes. Your doctor may recommend you to a certified pedorthist to see if a special shoe insert could help.

Mundy typically stops his evaluation “at about hip level,” so if you have shoulder pain for example, you probably don’t need to blame your shoes.

What exactly is pronation?
“Pronation is our natural ability to absorb shock, an inward rotation of the foot that occurs very quickly, every time we step,” Mundy explains.

When he says quickly, he means quickly—300 microseconds is all it takes. But it’s a crucial split second of time for our bodies.

“Pronation is necessary, we have to do it to absorb shock the right way, if not, something else in our bodies will,” says Mundy, adding that abnormal amounts of pronation (either overpronating or underpronating) can cause a wide range of difficulties.

What about all of those words you see describing shoes?
While there is a lengthy shoe vocabulary companies like to use when describing their shoes, Mundy says running shoes can generally be classified into three categories: control, stability and neutral. You will see these words written out in the description of the shoe either on the box or online.

A control shoe is a very strong “posted” shoe, with a variety of different materials intended to decelerate the speed of excessive pronation in the foot.

A stability shoe is less “controlling” and can include mild to moderate levels of “posting” but could also include neutral shoes based on how they function with the foot. “Some shoe companies are moving to ‘dynamic posts’ in response to increased research on how the foot behaves during running,” Mundy says.

A neutral shoe is just that, a shoe without additional materials for controlling pronation. “They are cushioned to aid in shock absorption. This is a large category that is not limited to running shoes but functionally includes sport-specific shoes like tennis, basketball, volleyball, crosstraining and even CrossFit-style shoes.”

What are some signs I’m in the wrong shoe?
Let’s say you are at a shoe store—or maybe you even ordered some shoes online to try out at home. First and foremost, Mundy says the top test of the “right” shoe is pretty simple: “What is the most comfortable? When our feet hit the ground and we have pain, we have a problem.”

Next, he recommends the pinch test.

While standing up, pinch the inside of the shoe near the toe box to see how much space there is.

“See how much of your foot, your pinky toe, is hanging off the edge of the shoe. If you are sliding off the outer edge of it in the store, don’t buy it. Because in a few weeks of use, your foot is definitely going to be off the edge.”

Finally, check what he calls dynamic alignment. March in place for a bit, stop, and unlock your knees: “If your knees are over top of your second toes, that’s where they need to be. If they are not, you need to look for something else.”

Is there a good “universal” shoe out there?
“Some shoes can cross over, some cannot,” explains Mundy. “Again, it depends on what you are trying to do.”

Take running shoes for example. Trail running is very different from road running. Distance running is different than sprinting.

“Can you play basketball in a running shoe?
I wouldn’t recommend it due to the lateral motion. But you could run in a basketball shoe if need be,” says Mundy.

Cross-training shoes may come the closest to being a “universal” shoe and have become a popular category because they can do a little bit of everything.

Mundy recommends looking at four components for cross-training shoes: durability, versatility, specificity and price.

“You want a shoe to hold up to the demands you place on it (durability), to be able to do multiple activities (versatility), contain components that help your foot do its job better (specificity) and you don’t want to break the bank when buying the shoe (price),” Mundy says. “Finding the correct shoe is a fairly daunting task so soliciting professionals to help with these characteristics will help guide you towards the correct shoe choice for your specific activity.”

Mushroom supplements are growing in popularity

Over the last several years, functional mushrooms have emerged as a growing health trend.

The rise in popularity is partly credited to mycologist and entrepreneur Paul Stamets, who has given multiple TED Talks and appeared on “The Joe Rogan Experience” podcast two separate times to talk about the benefits of consuming different fungi.

Thanks largely to Stamets and his company, Host Defense Mushrooms, functional mushrooms are now available in health food stores around the country, including here in Lynchburg. Nature’s Outlet in the Graves Mill Shopping Center has sold and advocated for functional mushrooms for several years since partnering with Host Defense.

While functional mushrooms might be a new trend, different types of fungi have been eaten for their health benefits since the beginning of human history, Nature’s Outlet Director of Education John Rigdon said.

“Back when [humans] were hunters and gatherers, you could hunt animals, but you also had to gather berries and roots and mushrooms,” Rigdon said. “Humans early on figured out which mushrooms were edible and provided health benefits.”

While early humans may not have understood the science behind the phenomenon, they knew that eating certain mushrooms boosted their health in a variety of ways, Rigdon explained. Throughout history, certain types of mushrooms were celebrated for their healing benefits.

“One of my favorites are reishi mushrooms,” Rigdon said. “That [mushroom] was used by the ancient Chinese. …It was a very revered and special [food]. Only the wealthiest people would have access to this.”

Some other functional mushrooms that are commonly available today are lion’s mane, cordyceps and chaga, which have health benefits ranging from cardiovascular and kidney support to easing nerve pain and stimulating brain function.

“There’s a lot of overlap, because almost every mushroom is going to be good for your immune system, but then you have those specialty attributes, like the brain support, heart support or lung support,” Rigdon said.

At Nature’s Outlet, functional mushrooms are sold in capsule form or in liquid tinctures, although they can also be found as powders to be added to smoothies, or even cooked and eaten whole. Mushrooms should never be consumed raw, Rigdon warns.

He compares functional mushrooms to adaptogens, which are medicinal herbs used to create stability of different physiological processes in the body. According to Rigdon, mushrooms are one of the best natural remedies for overall immune health.

“Every living organism has an immune system and because mushrooms grow in such a dirty place, they have some of the strongest immune systems of any living organism,” Rigdon said.

“So, when we consume certain mushrooms, we get the benefits of their really strong immune system.”

With so many different health benefits, Rigdon believes mushrooms will only continue to become more popular.

“[Adaptogens and mushrooms] have this bizarre intelligence that works with the intelligence of your body and your immune system and helps provide the balance that your body should have,” Rigdon said.

POUND fitness classes provide a heart-pumping workout (while marching to the beat of your own drum, of course)

Six years ago, Skyla Jade attended her first POUND fitness class and says her life changed forever: “I just remember during that class everything else did not matter. It was fun.”

One month later, Jade got her certification to teach POUND. Now, she is instructing her own classes and spreading POUND around the City of Lynchburg. Jade offers her classes at schools, nursing homes, rehabilitation centers and corporate companies.

One of her most popular locations is The Glass House in downtown Lynchburg. On occasion, its doors can be found open wide, full of women whooping and hollering, bursting with energy and pounding their hearts out.

During POUND classes, drumming is used as an enjoyable and effective exercise making it unlike any other form of fitness training. As summarized on Poundfit.com, the classes blend cardio, strength training, yoga and Pilates into one amazing workout class. The movements tone and sculpt all parts of the body.

“You’re doing lunges. You’re doing squats. You’re doing about 15,000 strike repetitions throughout the routine. It’s a really a great workout,” Jade said.

During a routine, participants become part of the music by using Ripstix, which are plastic weighted drumsticks.

“The music is what completely drives this class,” Jade described. “You’re moving to the beat of the song. The sticks really make a difference for sure.”

While the “drummers” are getting lost in the rhythm, not only is the body getting a workout but also the mind as well.

“I mean you’re banging sticks on the ground together. After a long stressful day, who in the world wouldn’t benefit from that mentally? It’s empowering when we’re all in sync. You’re not counting. You’re all about the beats. It’s really awesome,” Jade explained.

Focus is drawn to timing and coordination. As a result, the brain is stimulated and thoughts like, “When will this be over” or “This is too hard” fade away.

Jade likes to take it to the next level for those who desire to be pushed. Simultaneously, she provides an inclusive and welcoming environment by showing modifications for each movement. There is no requirement to be at a certain fitness level.

“It’s for all ages, all stages of fitness. It’s definitely for everyone,” Jade said.

After attending a class, Jade wants the participants to feel hopeful about embarking on a fitness journey. But, most importantly, she wants them to have had a blast.

Tara Martin and Lakesia Glover recently attended Jade’s class for the first time. Afterward, they were convinced.

“It was very energetic. It was interesting and fun. Can’t wait to do it again,” Glover said.

“Right, right,” Martin agreed. “[Jade’s] energy was contagious. It was girl power for sure. It was a lot of girl power, which I loved.”

The all-encompassing, enthusiastic atmosphere of Jade’s POUND classes has built a strong community in Lynchburg. POUND is much more than just an exercise class—it’s an outlet for unity and fulfillment.

Along the way, Jade has accumulated some “POUND regulars”—one being Coral Carter. Through her consistent attendance at POUND, Carter has seen improvements in her lifestyle and health.

“I wasn’t in any kind of exercise program before.

It’s made me stronger and more in shape. Mentally, I can let everything go for those 45 minutes. I feel refreshed and ready to go for the week. Skyla really pushes you but she makes it fun. She’s always ready to go,” Carter said.

In Jade’s opinion, making an impact on others’ lives and cultivating a community is the best part of POUND.

“Together we’re stronger as a whole, not just in the class but even outside the class,” she said.

Jade’s business, Skyla Jade Studios, also accepts this mindset. Its motto is “Where Fitness is Stronger Together.”

Jade uses this strength as she navigates the business world, which can always have its ups and downs. After taking POUND from North Carolina to downtown Lynchburg, she transitioned her traveling classes to a brick-and-mortar studio earlier this year. A setback came when she learned the owner of the building had new plans for the space.

But Jade says she is taking the change in stride—because her mission has always remained the same.

“My goal is to change lives one beat at a time, and it doesn’t take a building to do that.”

Find Skyla on Facebook: Skyla Jade Studios

By Ellowyn Steele
PHOTOS BY ASHLEE GLEN

A local skin care formulator weighs in on one of the most popular buzz words in beauty marketing

A word that used to, back in the day, be associated with your daily house chores is now stamped on a wide range of skin care products—and statistics show lots of customers are sold on the idea of “clean” beauty.

According to the NPD Group, the natural skin care market has skyrocketed in recent years—growing 23 percent, about $1.6 billion, from 2017 to 2018 alone.

But what does “clean” really mean? Should this word drive a decision to purchase one product over another? We asked Karrye Flowers, founder and lead formulator for Oshun Organics, LLC in the Lynchburg Community Market, to help sort out the vocabulary.

Clean, defined (sort of)

First off, there is no set definition for what makes a product truly “clean.” The Food and Drug Administration does not regulate these product descriptions.

But Flowers says the general consensus in the skin care world is that “clean” means non-toxic.

“That’s also very subjective,” she explains, adding that they only use objective words to describe or market their plant-based products. “For example, we say our products are vegan. Vegan is a very specific word with a clear definition. Everything is derived from plants. We naturally scent and dye our products with essential oils or plant extracts.”

Don’t just read, research

She says with the rise of “clean” beauty products, customers are starting to take a closer look at that long ingredient list on the back of their face wash or eye cream. That’s a good thing, but with one caveat.

“People want things to be 100 percent natural, so they are looking for my ingredient list to only say things like ‘aloe vera’ and ‘coconut oil.’ But it’s very important to me that the products I offer are effective, as well as minimally processed. There is a balance,” Flowers said.

Meaning: You might need a stronger concentration of an ingredient, even a plant-based one, for it to work. For example, at first glance cetyl alcohol may look like an unrecognizable chemical. But it’s actually derived from palm oil, Flowers explained.

“You want to be able to trace an ingredient back to where it came from, even if it was lab created. You can’t make something from nothing,” she says.

Paraben propaganda?
Dermatologists are often critical of the natural skin care movement and the ingredients that have been red flagged through the years: such as sulfates, parabens, chemical sunscreens and others.

In an article published by JAMA Dermatology, “Natural Does Not Mean Safe—The Dirt on Clean Beauty Products,” two dermatologists wrote: “… many of the strongest voices in the clean beauty movement suggest avoiding ingredients owing to a theoretical risk of endocrine disruption and cancer, despite the fact that a causative relationship between these disease states and the concentration of these ingredients in cosmetic products has not been proven scientifically.”

They went on to say there is a safe use of preservatives such as parabens in order to prevent severe infections in users. Again, balance is key.

Flowers agrees that the research is limited, at best, about so many skin care ingredients, and says preservatives have their place, especially in skin care.

“You want to have some preservatives in anything you buy to prevent the growth of bacteria. Every time you put your hand in that jar of cream, you are taking bad microbia and putting it in there,” she says.

Getting practical

The only ingredients Flowers says she would try to avoid in skin care products are dyes.

“For many creams and lotions, you will find something like red 4 or yellow 2 at the end. They are so unnecessary and only make the product look good,” she explains. “They do nothing for you.”

Also, beware of greenwashing. Don’t buy a product solely because the creator claims it’s clean or more environmentally sound. Do your research.

Otherwise, if a “clean” product you swear by works for you, then by all means keep using it.

Just don’t get on a soapbox about it. It’s just a word after all.

Learn more about Oshun Organics, LLC at oshunorganics.com.

for Better Health

If you want to feel your best inside and out, it starts with a good night’s rest.

In today’s “always on” society, sleep is often thought of as wasted time or a luxury we cannot afford. However, that way of thinking comes at a price—having detrimental effects on our overall health and well-being. Sleep deprivation has been linked to depression, weight gain, diabetes, high blood pressure, heart attacks, impaired immunity, decreased work productivity, and more.

If you are having trouble sleeping, you’re not alone. An estimated 70 million Americans suffer from chronic sleep issues. Fortunately, there are a few things you can do to improve your health and longevity by being intentional with your sleep.

1. Prioritize getting regular, high-quality sleep. Sleep experts recommend getting anywhere from 7-9 hours of sleep a night. Finding your sweet spot will vary.

2. Create a consistent bedtime routine, which means going to bed and waking at the same time. Adults (just like children) need a sleep routine to signal to the body it’s time to start winding down. Responding to emails or checking the news until 10 p.m. and jumping into bed is far too overstimulating to the body (and disrupts melatonin production).

Tip: Instead, try taking an evening walk, reading a relaxing book, taking a warm bath, writing a few lines in a gratitude journal, or doing a quick guided sleep meditation—whatever relaxes you.

3. Limit blue light–emitting devices (phones, iPads, laptops, TVs) to 1-2 hours before bedtime. Their light can disrupt our natural circadian rhythm, which can cause lower quality sleep and insomnia.

Tip: Try placing devices in another room, away from your bed, or on airplane mode to avoid the temptation of late-night scrolling. You can also set a sleep alarm to remind you that it’s time to start wrapping things up and unwinding. If you find that you cannot avoid working late a few nights a week, try using blue light-blocking glasses and dimming the blue light on your device.

4. Create a restful environment that includes ridding your bedroom of unwanted noise or light. Also, the Sleep Foundation’s research suggests that the optimal sleep temperature is 65 degrees Fahrenheit—varying 2-3 degrees above or below based on personal preference.

Tip: If you cannot control the noise or light in your bedroom, try sleeping with white noise, earplugs, or a sleep mask.

5. Limit caffeine and alcohol. Depending on metabolism, caffeine can stay in your body for 5-6 hours, so it’s best to limit caffeine after lunch. While alcohol may help you fall asleep, studies have shown it can suppress REM sleep and is linked to sleep disruptions, lower quality sleep, and increased sleep apnea. According to the Sleep Foundation, a recent study found that “moderate amounts of alcohol (two servings per day for men or one serving per day for women) decreased sleep quality by 24%.”
(Add one more drink and sleep quality decreased by 39%.)

Tip: Try setting a daily caffeine cutoff at 2 p.m. or a few hours earlier if you’re more sensitive to caffeine. Opt for drinking decaf coffee or tea instead.

6. Lower your stress levels. Chronic stress can elevate the hormone cortisol, which can make it harder to fall asleep and stay asleep, and disrupts your sleep cycles. Sleep deprivation has been shown to increase cortisol levels during the day, creating a vicious cycle. The bottom line, stress and sleep are interconnected.

Tip: One of the quickest ways to lower your stress levels is through deep breathing, which activates the parasympathetic “rest and digest” nervous system. Another is getting up and moving or gently walking. While we cannot control what happens around us, we can control how we respond. Set healthy boundaries around work, the news, or toxic environments, and, more importantly, create space in your life for rest and the people and things that bring you joy.

April Likins lives in Forest and is an Institute for Integrative Nutrition- and Duke Integrative Medicine-trained health coach. Learn more at aprillikins.com.