Meet Heidi from Health Driven
Introducing Heidi Dunster, the founder and owner of Healthdriven, a Health and Fitness company offering classes and online courses to help people ‘feel and live better’. We have met up with Heidi to get to know her and the amazing services she offers:
Tell us a bit about yourself and your work:
I have been in the Health and Fitness industry for over 20 years now! I specialise in Exercise Referral and Rehabilitation. Since September 2015 I am qualified in Level 4 Cancer and Exercise rehabilitation. I am also qualified in cardiac rehab, pulmonary rehab and falls prevention, amongst other qualifications.
After working for a local council for 15 years, I branched off on my own and started my company Healthdriven, which has now been successfully established for just over 5 years.
What is the aim of Healthdriven?
My aim is to help people move more, sit less and find exercises that are safe and effective for each individual setting them on the road to a healthier lifestyle.
I have the pleasure of meeting and talking to people from all walks of life who have different medical conditions and/ or limitations and who find it harder to exercise. With the help of my specialist qualifications, I have created and am now offering community classes as well as online programmes to help people use ‘Exercise as their Pill’ to live and feel better. Medication in Motion is my motto for all my classes and programmes!
How can exercise help recovery?
Many women affected by breast cancer experience long lasting adverse effects of their disease and treatments. Evidence is growing to show physical activity can help reduce the negative impact of some cancer related side effects.
Keeping active throughout the cancer journey can preserve or improve physical function and just as importantly psychological well-being. Regular physical activity can also play a beneficial role in reducing the risk of cancer recurrence.
What can you advise for ladies that are going through a breast cancer treatment or are recovering from a breast surgery?
One of the main issues affecting cancer survivors after is often functional limitations. Fatigue has the biggest effect on functional problems, motivation to exercise and often quality of life.
I therefore try to replace the common recommendation of ‘Rest is Best’ with ‘Pacing is Best’.
Heidi has put a video together with some basic exercises that are great during and after treatment:
In addition to Healthdriven’s classes, Heidi has created several different online programmes, ideal for people that prefer to do their workout at home:
The Back to Basics is a 7-day online programme for people that are coming back to exercise. It is an ideal reintroduction to movement for people that are going through a cancer treatment, for people that had a surgery recently or following an injury.
The 7-day programme helps people gently getting back to exercises and mainly focuses on mobilisation, movement, improving the posture, improving the mindset and on breathing techniques.
With the Back to Basics programme, you receive different exercises each day to do at your own pace at home. Healthdriven also runs a ‘Back to Basics’ Whatsapp or Facebook group to receive additional support, tips and motivation from fellow participants.
The Lift Lean Programme is a more advanced and in-depth, 4-week course that focuses on strength and resistance exercises.
This programme is designed for people that are already physically active but would like to focus more on a varied strength and resistance training. It is for example ideal for women that are past the healing process of a surgery and would like to get back into exercising. This programme would also suit ladies that are going through the menopause which can throw a lot of side effects at you such as a slight weight gain, brain fog, or muscle mass that might be deteriorating quickly. Strength and resistance training is important to work against these side effects and maintain a healthy and active lifestyle.
As this programme is quite diverse, but designed as a home-workout, you will need a small amount of equipment. To complete the exercises in the most beneficial way, you will need dumbbells, resistance bands, a kettlebell and a step or something that can safely be used as a step.
As a participant of this online programme, you will receive daily exercise videos over a 4-week period. Healthdriven also offers a ‘Lift Lean’ Whatsapp or Facebook group for all participants to share their experience, motivation and tips.
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Pilates in Pyjamas
The Pilates in Pyjamas is a 7-day online course that offers different levels of Pilates classes. The videos are posted early in the morning, so you can roll out of bed and start your day with some Pilates to set you up for the day ahead. The exercices can also be done in the eveving as this is a great way to help calm you down before bed!
The videos are available on an IPad, smart phone or computer and can be saved so you can repeat them later on.
Find out more here: https://www.healthdriven.co.uk/
Written By
Nicola Jane
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