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OCTOBER 2020
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FEELING DOWN IN THE DUMPS? MOVING COULD HELP! ANDREA’S TIPS FOR THRIVING IN A COVID-19 WORLD
projects. If you’re having mobility problems that make these things challenging, you can also come in to see us for help. Physical therapists don’t just help people recover from injuries or surgery — we want to help you with everyday activities, too.
How are you doing today? If your answer is, “Not so great,” you’re not alone. This marathon of a pandemic has taken a toll on all of us, and I think we’re all having trouble getting off the couch right now. Personally, I’ve been relying on the tips and tricks I’ve learned as a physical therapist to stay positive, fit, and healthy during this tough time. I’m still in recovery from a car crash injury, so it’s been an uphill battle, but overall, I’m feeling good and looking forward to the future. I’m also excited that October is National Physical Therapy Month. In the spirit of that holiday, I thought this would be the perfect time to share my PT-informed coping strategies with you. They just might help you thrive in this chaos, too!
2. Prioritize your mental health. Not only does staying active
journey toward getting better. The car crash I was in back in 2019 left me with a lot of neck and back pain, so just paddling was a step above what I could do a year ago. I was proud of myself and had a lot of fun on the trip. Something similar could work for you! Throughout this process, be kind to yourself. Focus on self-care and take your time adjusting to this new normal. During my own recovery, I learned the hard way that things don’t always go as well or as quickly as planned. However, with some help and effort, you’ll get there eventually! Battling the fallout from this pandemic is the same way. Also, if you’re debating whether you could benefit from physical therapy this National Physical Therapy Month, remember that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Even if you’re only struggling with your mindset right now, PT could improve your life for the future, both physically and mentally. Plus, our team would love to see you!
boost your immune system and help you fight off illness, studies show it can improve your mood, reduce anxiety and depression, and increase your confidence. This is really important right now while the world feels upside down! If you’re worrying about your finances, dealing with job loss, or just struggling to accept that you had to cancel your vacations (that’s the boat I’m in), exercise can help. So can physical therapy, especially if you’re recovering from an injury. Personally, I’ve gotten a lot of positive inspiration and support from the fact that a team of physical therapists is cheering me on as I work to reach my fitness goals.
1. Take a daily walk .
One thing that worries me about this pandemic is that it has encouraged a lot of people to adopt a more sedentary lifestyle. With gyms closed and activities on hold, it’s understandable if you’ve been sitting at home more. But there are consequences to that, like muscle weakness and decreased balance. To avoid these negative side effects and build your health and fitness back up, make sure you’re moving every day. A great way to do this is by taking the time for a daily walk, but if you’d rather not leave the house, you can also walk up and down your stairs, or do little tasks like yardwork or home improvement
3. Try something new!
I think the best way to shake yourself out of a slump is by trying something new and different, even if it’s scary. This could be as small as attempting a yoga exercise video at home, or as big as hiking a new trail. For me, it was kayaking! This summer I took a kayak out on the lake for the first time, and it was a big step on my
Wishing you safety and good health,
–Andrea Johnson
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WHEN YOU EXPERIENCE A MUSCULOSKELETAL INJURY WHY PHYSICAL THERAPY SHOULD BE YOUR FIRST RESORT
For most people, October is all about pumpkin spice, apple cider, candy, and Halloween costumes. However, October is also a noteworthy month for physical therapists because it’s National Physical Therapy Month, a time of year that celebrates and raises awareness about the benefits of physical therapy. In a world where everyone is quick to take a pill or schedule a surgery to mask their symptoms, National Physical Therapy Month is a great time to highlight why PT is one of the best methods of injury recovery. Almost any way you slice it, physical therapy is an incredibly cost-effective way to recover from a musculoskeletal injury. One study, commissioned by the Alliance for Physical Therapy Quality and Innovation (APTQI), found that patients who utilized physical therapy as their first means of lower back pain recovery saved nearly $1,000 when compared to the group who used injections as their first means of recovery. Those savings jumped to over $12,000 when compared to the average cost of turning to surgery as a first resort. That’s not just the case for patients with lower back pain, however. According to another study done by ATI Physical Therapy, My Health First Network, Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS), and Greenville Health System (GHS), 70% of patients that opted to use physical therapy as a means for spine,
shoulder, and knee pain didn’t need any additional imaging, prescription medication, or visits to their physician. The sooner you start physical therapy, the sooner you recover and the less you have to spend on health care costs. While there are still some cases where surgery and prescription medications are necessary for healing musculoskeletal injuries, more often than not, going to physical therapy first can help you heal faster and save money in the long run. So, if you’re dealing with chronic pain and don’t know how to stop it, connect with us today!
DOES VITAMIN D HELP OUR BONES AND OUR MUSCLES?
A PREVIOUSLY UNKNOWN BENEFIT OF VITAMIN D
Vitamin D enters the body in an inactive form. It doesn’t become active until it comes in contact with the right enzymes in either the liver or the kidneys. To learn more about what factors affect this vitamin’s rate of absorption and activation in the body, researchers observed the levels of inactive vitamin D in 116 women ages 20–74. What they found was that women with higher muscle mass had lower levels of inactive vitamin D, while women with lower muscle mass had higher levels of inactive vitamin D. The conclusion researchers drew was that active vitamin D might help optimize muscle strength. While that conclusion is not ironclad, vitamin D’s other well-known benefits still make it worth getting your daily dose. It can aid weight loss, enhance mood, support cardiovascular health, boost the immune system, and strengthen bones, among many other benefits. So, its potential muscle-boosting properties are just another reason to get more vitamin D. To get more of this important vitamin in your diet, try adding salmon, mushrooms, and even canned tuna to your menu. Also, as winter approaches, it might be time to start taking a vitamin D supplement. Whether you’re 20 or 74 years old, it’s never too late to find ways to strengthen your muscles.
As the weather cools and the days get shorter, we can’t rely as much on the sun for our daily dose of vitamin D. The primary function of vitamin D is regulating the amount of calcium and phosphate in the body. These nutrients are necessary for strengthening our bones and teeth, which becomes increasingly important as we age and our bones naturally become more brittle. While these benefits of vitamin D are well documented, did you know that getting your daily dose of vitamin D can also contribute to healthier muscles? A few years ago, researchers published a study that seemed to show that vitamin D could potentially help people gain muscle mass. While the research team said their results weren’t conclusive, their findings were certainly interesting.
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HOW TO STOP PROCRASTINATING AT BEDTIME
AND GET A GOOD NIGHT’S SLEEP
Though there are very real medical conditions, such as insomnia and sleep apnea, that deprive people of sleep, the reason most of us probably don’t get enough sleep is simply because we put off our bedtime. Instead of getting into bed, we opt to check off another item on our to-do list or watch another episode of our favorite show. This is sometimes called “bedtime procrastination.” We all know a good night’s sleep is an important part of a healthy lifestyle, so how can we stop putting it off? A good place to start is by keeping track of your day. The human mind isn’t meant to internalize checklists and task reminders, so use your phone or journal as a scheduling assistant. However you decide to keep track, make sure to give yourself a set amount of time to accomplish your tasks, like letting yourself watch TV for just one hour or blocking out three hours to help your kids with their homework. It might even help to set alarms on your watch or on your phone to let you know when your time is up on any of your activities.
comes, it might be a good idea to move your devices to another room so they’re out of sight and out of mind. Finally, don’t get discouraged if you don’t start getting better sleep right away. Setting up good bedtime routines takes time. But if you stick with it — and maybe have someone else in your house hold you accountable to your commitments — you’ll start to get better sleep and have more energy to take on the day in no time.
Another big part is creating an environment that is conducive to a good night’s sleep, and that starts with turning your electronic devices off well before you get under the covers. Smartphone screens, computer screens, and even some energy-efficient light bulbs emit blue light, which reduces the production of melatonin, the hormone that tells your body it’s time to go to bed. Instead of looking at your phone, try reading a book before going to sleep. If your screens prove to be too big of a draw for you when bedtime
CLASSIC PUMPKIN SOUP
TAKE A BREAK!
Inspired by MinimalistBaker.com
INGREDIENTS
• 1 cup canned light coconut milk • 2 tbsp honey
• 1 tbsp olive oil • 2 shallots, diced • 3 cloves garlic, minced • 2 1/4 cups pumpkin purée (homemade or canned) • 2 cups vegetable broth
• 1/4 tsp sea salt • 1/4 tsp pepper • 1/4 tsp cinnamon • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
DIRECTIONS
1. In a large saucepan over medium heat, sauté olive oil, shallots, and garlic for 2–3 minutes. 2. Add the remaining ingredients and bring to a simmer. 3. Transfer the soup to a blender and purée. Pour the blended soup back into the pan. 4. Cook over medium-low heat for 5–10 minutes. Taste and add additional seasoning as desired, then serve!
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1. COVER TITLE 1. ANDREA’S TIPS FOR STAYING ACTIVE IN A COVID-19 WORLD 2. WHY PHYSICAL THERAPY SHOULD BE YOUR FIRST RESORT A PREVIOUSLY UNKNOWN BENEFIT OF VITAMIN D 3. HOW TO GET A GOOD NIGHT’S SLEEP CLASSIC PUMPKIN SOUP 4. IS CELERY JUICE ALL IT CLAIMS TO BE? INSIDE THIS ISSUE
THE CATCH-ALL CURE OR JUST JUICE? CELERY JUICE, THE NEWEST FAD
per 16 ounces of juice), which means that if you drink it in place of another beverage, like soda or a sugary coffee drink, it could aid in weight loss. Some downsides to celery juice, however, are the loss of fiber and the high amounts of sodium. Celery stalks are rich in fiber, and juicing them removes this nutrient. A 16-ounce portion of celery juice also contains around 400mg of sodium, which is roughly 17% of the recommended daily amount. If you already consume sodium excessively, like many Americans, drinking celery juice might not be good for you. In summation, drinking celery juice certainly isn’t dangerous and could even have some positive effects on your health, but it’s far from a miracle cure. It should also be noted
Every couple years, a new “healthy” food or drink makes its rounds through celebrity social media accounts. Some of them are okay and actually have health benefits, but others are outright dangerous. Over the past few years, it appears that celery juice is one of the latest health fads purported to help with weight loss, skin health, digestive issues, and more. Some claims even border on the miraculous. So, how many of them are true? Celery juice is what the name suggests: celery stalks that are juiced into a drinkable liquid. Proponents of the trend suggest drinking 16 ounces every day to break down fat in the liver. Celery is very nutritious and contains flavonoids, which aid against inflammation, and nitrates, which promote heart health. Celery is also relatively low in calories (85 calories
that none of the claims made by the self-proclaimed celery juice creator, Anthony William, have any basis in science. William, who describes himself as a “medical medium,” holds no degree related to health care. The bottom line with celery juice, much like any purported single-food solution to all that ails a person, is that even if it’s healthy for you, the only ways to a truly healthier lifestyle are through a better overall diet and plenty of exercise. No one should expect celery juice to substitute for that.
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