Check out our January newsletter!
717-523-2502 JANUARY 2020
39 PORTER ROAD, SUITE 1, TOWER CITY, PA 17980
WWW.SNYDERPHYSICALTHERAPY.COM
MAKE THE MOST OF THE SEASON HOW TO STAY ACTIVE, HAPPY, AND SAFE WHEN IT’S COLD OUT
movements engage your muscles and help prevent mobility issues. Pushups, squats, and lunges (if you can do them safely) are also all great exercises you can do almost anywhere (even the airport if you find yourself traveling this winter). Try to minimize sitting — this is one of the main contributors to pain, stiffness, weakness, and dysfunction. Find a hobby that involves moving around rather than sitting. Snow shoveling can serve a dual purpose in the winter: exercise and less snow in your path! When you’re shoveling, squat down and use your legs to lift, keep the weight as close to you as possible, and try not to bend and twist at the same time. Stand up with the snow pile, and if you have to twist, then twist and throw. If you have a history of back pain made worse with bending, lifting, and twisting, think about pushing the snow with a shovel rather than scooping, lifting, and throwing. If you have a heart condition, follow your doctor's advice and don't overdo it. Take breaks and get help if you can. If it’s really too much snow, find someone to shovel it for you or think about purchasing a snowblower or paying someone to plow.
They say people who live in Scandinavian countries have found the key to getting through the long, cold, dark days of winter. It’s pretty simple, actually: They embrace, and even look forward to, winter. It’s all about their mindset. They look forward to skiing, sledding, and cozying up next to the fire at the end of the day. If you’re someone who can’t wait for summer to come around again, one way you can make winter better is by finding wintertime physical activities you enjoy. As you know, exercise produces the “feel-good” chemicals in our brain that contribute to happiness, well-being, and health, so it makes sense to find ways to stay active in the winter. Bundle up (gloves and a hat are a must) and go for walks when it’s moderate enough. When it’s too cold out, go to the store or mall and just walk around as you shop. If you have access to a gym or a treadmill at home, use it! Find a workout video either on DVD or online to work out to — it can be aerobics, yoga, Pilates, calisthenics … the options are endless! It can be simple to incorporate physical activity into your day. In our work, we emphasize how beneficial small movements can be for the body — marching in place or standing up and sitting back down repeatedly. These
year, we see several people in our clinic with injuries due to falls on the snow or ice. At home, make sure you have a plan for your sidewalks and driveway, including snow removal and, if necessary, salt to melt the ice. If you must walk on slippery surfaces, take your time, go slow, and be mindful of black ice. Ask a friend or loved one for some help if you have balance problems. Just one fall can cause a lot of other problems, so it’s important to keep yourself safe when the weather creates dangerous conditions. If you’re dealing with significant balance problems and haven't been treated, it’s an area we can help you with. Physical therapy is a proven way to improve balance by doing specific exercises. Please give us a call if you or a loved one is experiencing balance issues. We want to help keep you safe this season. Together, we can help you make the most of winter — and maybe even enjoy it.
–Brandon Snyder
Be careful walking on slippery surfaces or simply avoid them if you can. Every
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3 RED FLAGS TOWATCH OUT FOR MEDICALMIRACLEORHEALTHHOAX?
you started using them. Unless you have been diagnosed with a disease that would impair your liver or kidneys, you don’t need to spend extra money to keep your insides clean. A healthy diet is enough. Cellulite Isn’t Real In 1968, Vogue magazine introduced American women to the word “cellulite,” warning them of a terrible “diagnosed” condition women suffered from. They encouraged the use of a special rolling pin to banish the little lumps of fat on women’s thighs and buttocks. Since then, cellulite has been used as shorthand to mean “bad body fat you need to remove.” But cellulite is not an indication of poor health. Furthermore, there’s no cure for cellulite because it’s not a disease. It would be like using a special lotion that claims it can remove the wrinkled skin on your knuckles! Most people, especially women, have cellulite. It’s perfectly natural! you’ll either be aiming to cut body fat or to build muscle … it’s impossible to do both at the same time.” So, if you’re not a bodybuilder, what does this have to do with you? Well, one of these approaches could be the framework you’ve been looking for to guide your quest for peak fitness. Here’s the rundown on each style. The Battle to Bulk Bulking is the “go big or go home” fitness strategy because it focuses on consuming a lot of calories and lifting heavy weights. BodyBuilding.com advises bulkers to eat 6–8 meals per day and to aim for a calorie surplus along with lots of protein. While bulking, you should also minimize cardio and focus on compound movement exercises (like squats, deadlifts, barbell
The new year is a great time to make your health a priority again, and there are a bunch of workouts and diet plans to choose from. Too many, some might say. It can be difficult to determine exactly which health plan will help you reach your goals, but there are some pretty obvious red flags that you’ll want to avoid. Beware the Dreaded ‘Detox’ Plenty of diets, supplements, and products claim to “purify” your body by removing unspecified “toxins.” These “detoxes” conveniently forget that your kidneys and liver are already removing substances your body doesn’t need! The human body has been capable of cleansing itself for thousands of years. It doesn’t need a special smoothie or footpads to get the job done. Most detox products are nothing but snake oil, and some of them can leave you feeling worse than you did before If you make gym time a habit, then you’ve probably already heard the words “bulk” and “shred” tossed around over the racks of free weights, sweaty benches, and squat machines. Those terms might sound like meaningless jargon to the uninitiated, but they represent two different, equally valid approaches to fitness that anyone — not just bodybuilders — can use to their advantage. To put it simply, bulking is the process of building up muscle, and shredding (or “cutting,” as it’s sometimes called) is the practice of dropping body fat. When training for a competition, bodybuilders often “bulk” and “shred” in phases, changing their workout style and diet to match their current goal. As PureGym.com puts it, “At any given time on your journey to jackedness,
If you want to get in shape this year, avoid diets or products that claim to melt cellulite. This is a clear indication these treatments aren’t based on real medical science. Cure-Alls Cure Nothing A “cure-all” is any product, treatment, or diet that claims to cure a bunch of unrelated medical problems. Cure-alls have been a problem for centuries, claiming to help with weight loss, migraines, heart disease, anxiety, depression, and even baldness! This isn’t how medicine or the human body works. One change cannot magically fix many different, sometimes unrelated, problems.
TO BULK OR SHRED? CHOOSING THE RIGHT FITNESS STRATEGY FOR YOU
presses, and military presses) with heavy weights to rapidly build muscle.
The Struggle to Shred Shredding is everything that bulking isn’t. During a shred, MaxiMuscle recommends focusing on cardio exercises like running, cycling, and swimming and eating at a calorie deficit. Perhaps the most important aspect of this phase is diet because the point is to reveal your muscle, producing a “chiseled” effect. If you’d like to try cutting like a bodybuilder, websites like BodyBuilding. com and LiveStrong.com offer meal guides and tips on staying motivated. Whichever path you choose, remember to maintain a healthy balance as you pursue your goals. As tempting as it is to focus on the gym in exclusion of all else, there’s more to life than pumping iron!
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NATURAL REMEDIES FOR STUFFY NOSES DON’T LET CONGESTION GET THE BEST OF YOU
oil (consult the oil distributor for the exact ratio), then place the washcloth over your nose and cheeks for several minutes. Drinking plenty of water and sleeping upright at night can also help ease further congestion. While over-the-counter decongestants can temporarily help ease congestion, they are not intended for long-term use and may further dry out the nasal passage. Adding and maintaining moisture is the best way to prevent or ease sinus congestion. If the problem persists, talk to your doctor.
easing congestion and preventing further buildup. When using a neti pot or other nasal irrigator, always use sterile, distilled water or water that has been boiled and cooled. Maintain Moisture Humidifiers add moisture into the air, creating a more humid environment, and can be especially helpful if you have a forced-air heating system. Try using a humidifier or vaporizer when you sleep. You may also find a warm compress helps ease congestion: Soak a washcloth in warm water mixed with a couple of drops of eucalyptus essential
Nasal congestion can have many different causes, including allergies, colds, or the flu, but the symptoms are often very similar: sinus pressure, headaches, and a stuffed-up nose. This is the result of membranes in your nasal passage becoming irritated and your body responding by producing mucus to try and flush out the irritants. Unfortunately, that response also causes nasal congestion. This is intensified by winter weather when dry air and heaters can further dry out your already irritated nasal passage. So, what is the best way to ease nasal congestion and sinus pressure? Try these at-home remedies that focus on moistening your nasal passage. Flush Your Nasal Passage Use a saline nasal spray or a nasal irrigator, like a neti pot, to flush and moisturize your nasal passage. These devices flush out allergens and keep your nasal passage moist,
VEGAN FRIED RICE
TAKE A BREAK!
Inspired by TheLazyBroccoli.com
DIRECTIONS
INGREDIENTS
• 2/3 cup
1. Rinse rice until water runs clear. Cook rice as instructed on package with 1 cup water. 2. While rice is cooking, chop chives. Set aside. 3. Also while rice cooks, crumble tofu over a fine strainer. As you crumble tofu, press it into the strainer to release as much water as possible. Let drain. Press and drain again. 4. Once rice is cooked, set aside. In a nonstick pan, heat vegetable oil over medium-high heat. 5. Crumble tofu into the hot pan, cooking until brown. 6. Add chives and cook for 1 minute longer. 7. Add cooked rice and mirin, cooking until rice is dry. (You can make rice one day in advance to dry it out even more.) 8. Turn off the heat and add soy sauce, tossing until fully incorporated. 9. Add salt to taste and serve.
brown rice • 1 cup water • 2/3 cup chives • 1 block tofu, extra firm • 2 tsp vegetable oil • 1 tsp mirin, optional • 2 tsp soy sauce • Salt, to taste
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39 PORTER ROAD SUITE 1 TOWER CITY, PA 17980
WWW.SNYDERPHYSICALTHERAPY.COM
717-523-2502
1. COVER TITLE 1. BEATING THE WINTER BLUES INSIDE THIS ISSUE 2. THESE HEALTH HOAXES WILL SINK YOUR RESOLUTION HOW TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT FITNESS STRATEGY FOR YOU 3. NATURAL WAYS TO EASE SINUS CONGESTION VEGAN FRIED RICE 4. UNIQUE FOOD TRACKING APPS TO CHECK OUT IN 2020 If you’re the type to make New Year's resolutions, then there’s a good chance health and fitness goals are among your targets for 2020. According to the New York Post, more than 55% of News Year’s resolutions made by Americans in 2018 were health-related, covering topics like exercising more, losing weight, and eating more nutritious foods. It’s easy to set resolutions, but it’s much harder to keep them. Luckily, we live in an age where high-tech tools are at our fingertips. Having a diet and exercise assistant in your pocket (literally) in the form of a smartphone app can do wonders for staying on track, and these days your options go far beyond one-size-fits-all calorie counters like MyFitnessPal. Here are two apps to check out if you’re hoping to discover a new you this new year.
YOURDIET’SHIGH-TECHHELPER UNIQUE FOOD TRACKING APPS TO CHECK OUT IN 2020
My Macros+ Developed by weightlifters, this app is tailor-made for people who have serious fitness goals and want to track their macronutrients (macros) — carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. With more than 1.5 million food items to choose from, a weight-tracking component, and more, My Macros+ covers all your bases. Reviewers rave about the app’s flexible goal-setting feature, which allows for intermittent fasting, calorie/carbohydrate cycling, and meal plans that include 6–8 meals per day. Ate Ate bills itself as a “visual, mindful, and non-judgmental” food tracking app. Unlike most options on the market, Ate focuses on feelings rather than numbers. Instead of counting calories, its users snap photos of their meals
and input why they ate — whether they were hungry, stressed, or socializing — and how the meal made them feel. It’s an ideal strategy for those worried that too much data could trigger an obsession or disordered eating. Once you find a food tracking app you like, try pairing it with other tools that can help you meet your goals. Whether you need help shopping for healthier foods, making smart choices when eating out, or finding nutritious recipes with ingredients you have at home, there’s an app for that. Just pull up your phone’s app store and start searching!
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