Understanding the cerebellum and the critical role it plays in movement What makes the cerebellum so interesting? The cerebellum plays a vital role in coordinating movement, maintaining balance, learning new skills, and fine-tuning motor activity. It is because of this “little brain” that activities like riding a bicycle or swimming become second nature to us.…
If you haven’t yet read Part 1 of our PD series, you can find it here. Although there is currently no way to correct the brain changes that cause Parkinson’s disease, we know that exercise can help fight the disease and that staying healthy can help reduce setbacks that make living with PD more challenging.…
According to the World Health Organization, “Disability and death due to Parkinson’s disease are increasing faster than for any other neurological disorder. The prevalence of PD has doubled in the past 25 years. Global estimates in 2019 showed over 8.5 million individuals with PD.”i Many people, including Pilates and movement professionals, are unaware of this…
Luiza Lopes gives it up (pain, that is) for Pilates & Movement I’m 28 and it’s been three months since I started doing Pilates more regularly. In that time I’ve gone from serious doubter to complete convert. Here’s why…. I feel stronger, more aligned, more balanced, more confident and more aware of my body than…
The surprising truth about the fat you’re avoiding: A discussion with Dr. Julia Segal, ND Canadian and American government food guidelines have long shaped our ideas of what and how we should eat. The age-old “food pyramid” may come to mind for many of us. As new studies and data emerge, however, much of what…
Self-care 101 Why self-care is essential for your wellbeing Taking time for YOU can save your emotional, physical and mental wellbeing Self-care; it’s a word that has been around for decades, but in our current world, with life and work as busy as ever, and not to mention living through a global pandemic, the need…
Move Well: Age well with the help of Pilates & Movement from your very own home I’ve always been more of a “glass half full” type of person, trying to find the silver lining in everything. Yes, finding the silver lining at the beginning of a global pandemic was challenging to say the least, but…
How to make your studio more body positive Does your studio welcome clients of all body shapes and sizes? Hopefully the answer is a resounding “yes”! But inclusivity has to be more than simply an abstract concept you hope or assume your clients will pick up on. It’s one thing to believe that movement is…
Low back pain and the importance of putting first things first According to the Canadian Chiropractic Association, 85% of working people can expect to experience low back pain (LBP) at some point in their lives, and in a six-month period, half of all Canadians suffered LBP1. The statistics are similar across the industrialized world: for…
The importance of self-care for service providers Self-care is kind of a strange word isn’t it? It’s as though the word “care” on its own doesn’t include caring for ourselves. And yet that’s often what happens for those of us who work in the service sector. We care for others because it’s what we’re trained…
Why a “killer” workout in the time of COVID-19 might be misguided With memes on social media about the “quarantine fifteen” appearing alongside advertisements for fat-burning workouts you can do at home, you may be wondering if now is the time to adopt a strenuous exercise routine. Many of us are snacking more and moving…
Top 10 ways to remain active and engaged It’s incredible to think about how quickly things can change from one moment to the next in ways you never could have imagined. Within the span of three short months, the course of the entire world has altered and grinded to a halt (unless of course you…
Exercise and immune system Did you know that regular, moderate exercise improves the function of your immune system? This is true for people of all ages, but has been studied at particular length in older (60+) adults. One recent study out of the University of Houston concluded that while “[a]ging is associated with many discernible…
Want to sleep better? Are you looking forward to spring and more sunshine? I sure am! In places like Canada that observe daylight saving time, “springing forward” means that warm, sunny days and long summer evenings are just around the corner. As a non-winter person, I’ll gladly pay the price demanded by the switch to…
About hypopressive breathing You’ve no doubt heard of Kegel exercises, deliberate contractions of the pelvic floor intended to tone the layer of muscles that support the pelvic organs. But if you’re dealing with pelvic floor issues (or hoping to prevent them) and haven’t yet been introduced to the Abdominal Hypopressive Technique (AHT), you’ll want to…
Understanding the pelvic floor If you’re female, you’ve almost certainly heard of “Kegel” exercises—deliberate contractions and releases of the pelvic floor muscles designed to strengthen them, especially before or after childbirth. Ever since an American gynecologist named Arnold Kegel published findings on exercising the pelvic floor in 1948, Kegels have been widely touted as the…
Healthy Hips Hip replacement surgeries are on the rise in the USA and Canada, with more than 360,000 being performed in the two countries annually (and rising). That’s an alarming statistic, one that no doubt correlates to an aging population prone to arthritis but also to overly sedentary lifestyles that have many of us sitting…
Food and nutrition When it comes to fuelling your body, how often have you said or heard someone say “I really ‘shouldn’t’ have eaten that” or “I have been so ‘bad’ this week”? As a health and fitness professional for more than 20 years, I’ve heard countless number of clients say this kind of thing,…
Two proven exercise strategies to help seniors avoid falling According to the United Nations, “Between 2017 and 2030, the number of persons aged 60 years or over is projected to grow by 46 per cent (from 962 million to 1.4 billion) globally outnumbering youth, as well as children under the age of 10.” These compelling…
Tight hips? The desire to stretch is a natural reaction to muscle tension. But did you know that in most cases tightness is a mask for weakness? Tight hips. It’s an all-too-common complaint associated with modern lifestyles that have us sitting for hours on end—at work and at home. As a result, it’s natural to…
