If you’ve ever felt self conscious about going to a fitness centre, Baradine Bodies is
the solution you’ve been waiting for.

Enjoy absolute privacy and one-on-one attention with no distractions - just you and personal trainer, Vicki Hadfield, in the gym.

Vicki (44) is a personal trainer who has achieved success in her profession, and as a Natural Bodybuilding competitor. She understands the challenges women face when setting out to build a better body. She shows women how to reshape their whole body using a wide range of gym equipment, safely, effectively and with her Fitness For Females DVD, Flawless Form. This DVD is a step-by-step introduction to training with weights, and includes over 20 exercises and stretches. Every program designed by Vicki, is tailored to suit a client's specific goals.

Widely recognised for her unique physique, sunny smile, and flower in her hair, Vicki has been fitness modelling on national television since 2001; GMA, Bright Ideas, KAK, 9am and The Morning Show. Muscletech and BSN products are among Baradine Bodies' supplements range, as are Lacteezel drops and tablets for Lactose Intolerance.

Baradine Bodies is located in tranquil Mt Kuring-Gai, and has plenty of parking available for clients. Vicki's DVD can be purchased via her website or by phone order.

Get fit, get ready now...phone Baradine Bodies on 0418 225 747, to book your fitness assessment. Details visit baradinebodies.com

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Vision Personal Training is a true Australian success story.

Founded in 1999 as a standalone studio by Andrew Simmons in Caringbah, Sydney, Vision began franchising their unique personal training business in 2004. They were Voted National Personal Training Business of the Year in 2003 and listed as Fitness finalists in 2006 and 2007. Vision is now open right here in St Ives thanks to Wendy Bibby and Paul Laurence. Vision’s success lies in the extensive guidance it gives to clients regarding correct exercise and nutrition.

Wendy says: “I started with Vision Personal Training in February 2007 and was so elated with the outstanding results I achieved that, as the old saying goes, ‘I was so impressed I bought the company’. I did and I opened my own Vision Personal Training Studio, 164A Mona Vale Road, St Ives in November 07.

I believe in the Vision Personal Training way and want to show others that they too can set and achieve not only weight loss goals but future fitness and event goals such as running the City to Surf.”

Each program is uniquely tailored to the individual’s needs and goals using Australia’s most comprehensive exercise and nutrition software program. Programs are composed on body type, body composition, activity level and lifestyle. The programs detail how much carbohydrate, protein and fat each client should eat per
day specific to their own personal goals.

“Our Vision Trainers know how to get the best out of you and can assure your results with our unique system. Our personal touch sets us apart, whether it’s helping you understand your exercise and eating plans, identifying factors in your life which may impede your progress or accommodating your busy schedule, we
are focused solely on your concerns. We are personally invested in your success! But, most importantly, we motivate and educate our clients to not only achieve great results quickly, but to also maintain them long term,’’ Paul says.
Come and see our team at our very modern Vision St Ives studio which boasts uncrowded exercise areas, great personal trainers, lots of natural light and a great atmosphere. It is the perfect environment in which to improve your health, your fitness and your eating habits so you feel great for summer. One-on-one, half-hour sessions make fitting exercise into your daily routine a breeze and clients can also use Vision’s facilities even when they are not with a personal trainer, making Vision their complete one stop health and fitness facility.
Vision is conveniently located at 164A Mona Vale Road, St Ives with plenty of client parking. For more information call Wendy or Paul on 9440 3910 or email paul@visionpt.com.au and for some great nutrition and exercise articles visit www.visionpt.com.au

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Ever been told that a little discomfort during exercise is good because after all, 'no pain, no gain' or even how you should stretch before you exercise?

Well, according to Choice Magazine, these "facts" are no more than myths which have gained validity through sheer repetition. No pain, no gain? Choice say the old 'exercise as punishment philosophy that it has to hurt to do you good' has just about disappeared from exercise lore.

Choice found that in terms of basic health benefits, such as living a longer life free from disability caused by disease, just meeting the minimum requirements of National Physical Activity Guidelines for Australians will provide many health benefits. However, vigorous exercise can provide extra protection against heart disease. It can also help with overall fitness and calorie burning. Exercise shouldn't hurt but exerting yourself a little can improve your fitness.

Should you stretch before exercising? Choice Magazine say there is no good evidence that proves stretching does much good. Warming up, on the other hand, by doing the basic moves of whatever it is you are about to do (running, swimming, cycling, playing soccer) at a low intensity, is important, especially if you have just got out of bed or are about to
do strenuous exercise.

For more exercise myths visit: choice.com.au

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A national survey conducted over a year by the Australian Sports Commission (ASC) on participation in exercise (not including work-related activity or household chores) found that only one in four people aged over 15 were exercising at least five times a week.
The current Federal Government National Physical Activity Guidelines for Australians recommend that, for good health, adults exercise for a total of 30 minutes or more on most, preferably all days.

The 30 minutes can comprise several sessions of at least 10 minutes each, and must be strenuous enough to raise your heart rate and rate of breathing.

The guidelines recommend three or four sessions of vigorous exercise each week, for at least 30 minutes each time, in addition to work related activity and household chore. And most importantly, the exercise should be continuous,
and hard enough to make you puff.

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nina ynéz Skin Clinic has welcomed its new beauty therapist, Samirah.

She is highly skilled and has twelve years experience in the beauty industry, with intensive training from Jurlique and Dermalogica, both available in the nina ynez boutique. Samirah will offer personalised treatments, including a variety of facials, waxing and massages.

Intense Pulse Light (IPL) technology has also been added to services the clinic offers. IPL is the latest non-invasive, high efficiency technology in permanent hair reduction, photo rejuvenation and treatment of multiple symptoms of ageing skin such as acne, age spots, broken capillaries and rosacea. With the latest technology, the Palomar Multi Lux and Starlux Systems, nina ynez can help you achieve healthier and smoother looking skin with only four to six photo rejuvenation treatments. With the help of photo rejuvenation technology, you can reduce the appearance of your pores, even out your skin tone, reduce redness and flushing caused by rosacea, diminish fine lines, and activate your collagen, and increase your self-confidence by enhancing the appearance of your skin appearance.

IPL is also effective for permanent hair removal. Dark hair will be permanently removed after four to eight treatments, while fair hair may require eight to twelve treatments. Each treatment takes on average 15–30 mins and does not require longer than 1-2 hours of recovery. The treatment consists of a little heat in the treated areas.

These breakthrough treatments are perfomed by Belinda, a qualified therapist who is fully accredited by both LIA (Laser Institute of America) and WALT (World Association of Laser Therapists). She will be offering a safe solution that can be tailored to your specific condition and skin type.

Complimentary Offer: With the booking and purchase of four IPL treatments you receive one treatment of equal or lesser value FREE*.

Deposits and bookings essential, Phone: 9144 1474.

*your complimentary IPL treatment can be redeemed after the initial treatments.

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Preventative measures keep you one step ahead of poor health

A medical check-up is the perfect way to make sure your body is not going to slow down your ability to enjoy life to its fullest. Even if you feel perfectly healthy right now, many doctors are recommending their patients have preventative health checks to make sure that anything with potential to cause an illness can be acted on and elimated before a problem occurs.

Infact, eligible patients aged between 45 and 49 are urged to have a health check as part of the Australian Better Health Initiative (ABHI).
This initiative aims to enhance the capacity of the health system to promote good health and reduce the burden of chronic disease.
The once only health check will enable early intervention strategies to be put in place where appropriate, and a health check at this stage of life can help patients to make the necessary lifestyle changes to prevent or delay the onset of chronic disease. Eligible patients are those who are at risk of developing a chronic disease.

The decision that a patient is at risk of developing a chronic disease is a clinical judgement made by the GP. However, at least one risk factor must be identified, such as smoking, physical inactivity, poor nutrition or alcohol misuse; or high cholesterol, high blood pressure, impaired glucose metabolism or excess weight; or a family history of chronic disease. For more information on this health check consult your GP.

Sound advice
The best way to keep ears healthy is to keep them dry
and not to use cotton buds as this will push wax further into the ear canal causing an obstruction. When an ear canal is wet, fungal or bacterial infections like swimmer's ear can occur in the outer ear.
And, your parents were right - loud music does damage your ears. Research has shown work-related hearing loss and concerts with loud music are the most common causes of uneccessary high pitched hearing loss in the community.

It is very important to avoid very loud noise or other high decibel noise - such as that from machinery or aircraft as this is a major risk factor for tinnitus (ringing in the ears) and for hearing loss. Ear plugs are an effective way of preventing noise-related damage.

Give bad breath the brush off
Regular visits to the dentist are vital for good dental health, and personal oral hygiene is an important part of a person's daily routine. When it comes to brushing teeth, it is best to use a soft brush and to start at gum level and brush away from the gums. Flossing teeth daily reduces the germs that live in crevices between teeth and this will decrease the risk of dental cavities.

Tooth decay results from acids produced by germs (plaque) that sit in and around the teeth and gums. These germs convert carbohydrates (such as sugar) in sweet foods into acid which attacks the enamel of the teeth and irritates the gums (gingivitis).

Eye care, and you should too
One of the best things you can do for your child's visual health is to buy them a pair of good quality sunglasses. This will decrease the risk of cataracts (clouding of the lens associated with ageing and ultraviolet light) and sun-related cancers of the eye.

Long periods spent at computer screens or books can lead to eye strain, where the muscles of the eyes become tired and headache and eye aches result. It is important to take a break every hour and focus into the distance for five minutes or so allowing the muscles to relax. Being short sighted or far sighted may also cause eye fatigue and this is easily diagnosed by an optometrist.

Centre Health Directory
Advanced Audiology, shop 127b: 9488 9983
Blink Optometry, shop 83-84: 9144 6367
OPSM, shop 69: 9449 1066
Go Vita Health Foods, shop 42: 9449 8627
Blooms the Chemist, shop 3: 9144 6914
McFadden's Centre Pharmacy, shop 43: 9144 7011
O'Loughlin's Medical Pharmacy, shop 126: 9440 0030
SAN Pathology, shop 127b: 9440 1534
St Ives Massage Centre, shop 93: 9144 2186
St Ives Medical and Cosmetic Centre, shop 127: 9440 5050
Dental Surgery, shop 139: 9983 1166

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A school-aged child will wear enclosed shoes for approximately 40 hours a week. If their footwear does not support their feet correctly, they are likely to suffer from a variety of foot problems later in life.
Sydney pedorthist, Stewart Levy of Custom Foot, said he had seen all manners of foot problems in older people that could have been avoided had they been detected and treated in childhood. “For this reason I spend a lot of my time educating parents and children on how to avoid problems with their feet and especially how to choose the correct footwear for growing feet.

Today children are forced to play, run and walk on flat, hard, man made surfaces such as playgrounds, streets and shopping centres. Over time this can cause problems with flexibility to the foot and ankle and lower limb. "The arch of the foot is a well designed structure that supports the whole body," said Stewart. Hard surfaces take away the spring in the arch and the strength in the foot muscles that is created when walking on the natural earth surfaces.?

Stewart said that some of today's footwear for children does not have good construction yet these shoes are chosen simply if they are 'trendy.' Unfortunately this can often lead to serious future problems because the shoes fail to give adequate support and the foot becomes weaker. Even socks and sockets are known to be causing deformities in some cases, he said.

Stewart advises that when selecting footwear you should check the
following points:?

All good footwear must have a ‘shank’ (hidden support under the arch) or arch support built into the shoe. You cannot see it but when selecting your footwear first bend the
shoe in half, the sole should be flexible and if it bends in the middle then it will not have a shank. This sort of shoe will not support the arch of the foot and ultimately it will not help prevent the shock absorption shifting up the spine changing the walking pattern. Footwear should also have a firm heel counter to support the rear of the shoe. This is very important as it stabilises the ankle joint that strikes the ground first when walking or running.

This is important for all ages from 12 months and onward. There are other important points to remember about shoe fitting - for instance, children who have been bare footed during the summer while their feet have been growing need school shoes checked for length and width.
A few points to remember about shoes for the youngsters; check the length and width
of shoes; check to ensure adequate room in the toe box; check that the sole is flexible
- it should bend at the point where the child's foot bends when walking (ie. the ball of
the foot).

Very importantly, all footwear that has laces should be tied firmly for maximum support.? Not enough firmness in the lace area can cause weak medial ankle pronating which can also collapse the arch of the foot in later years.

Stewart Levy specialises in the alignment of the foot, ankle and lower limb in children and adults using a unique orthotic therapy, shoe modifications, custom made and medical grade footwear. He can be contacted on 9913 3033 or email customfoot@westnet.com.au, or visit customfoot.com.au

For advice and a professional fitting of your child's school shoes, visit Kylie's Shoes on the lower level of St Ives Shopping Village, or phone: 9144 7540.

Athletes Foot stock Ascent school shoes and have trained fit technitions who will be able to fit your child with the correct shoes. Athletes Foot are also located on the lower level, phone: 9440 5614.

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