Foothills PT News FoothillsPTMaine.com • 207-625-4300
FROM THE DESK OF Tom Thoman
THANK YOU
Foothills Physical Therapy and Gym just celebrated our 11th anniversary at this location. It is hard to believe that in 2005 we opened our first clinic in Cornish, just down the road. Time does indeed fly. Since moving to this site and adding our beautiful gym, we have had the privilege to meet the many wonderful people in our community. We would like to take this opportunity to thank all of our gym members for their dedication and hard work to stay fit and healthy. We would also like to thank all of our patients, past and present, for trusting us as part of your health care team. We truly enjoy meeting and interacting with all of you! We have received great feedback about this newsletter and know that you enjoy keeping up to date on the happenings at Foothills. We regret to say, however, that we are discontinuing it for a bit. Please stay tuned to the Shopping Guide, however, for Foothills news! We know that whether you are seeing us for physical therapy or joining our gym that you have made the choice to come to our facility. We are very happy that you chose us!
GET MOVING! C elebrate N ational S enior H ealth and F itness D ay T his M ay
As you age, it may feel like you don’t recognize your own body anymore. You swear that manufacturers are printing product packaging with smaller fonts, you groan whenever you sit or stand, and you visit the bathroom at least once every night. Aging is an adventure, and staying physically active is a constant battle between your aching joints and the will to get moving. Starting a physical fitness routine may be one of the healthiest choices you can make. As we approach National Senior Health and Fitness Day on May 29, take some time to evaluate your fitness activity level. You can use the following tips to live a more active lifestyle — no matter how old you are! Physical activity is one of the keys to a long and healthy life. For older adults, the benefits of physical activity are increased tenfold. When you participate in physical activity at least once per day, your chances of developing heart conditions, diabetes, and arthritis decrease. For patients who already have arthritis, low impact activities like water aerobics or walking can provide relief for the joints. Exercise is also essential to maintaining a healthy heart after a heart attack or stroke. Probably the most important benefit of staying physically active is helping you stay upright. According to the National Council on Aging, exercise helps prevent senior citizens from falling — one of the deadliest things that can happen to an older adult. According to the council, every year, 1 in 4 Americans aged 65 and older falls in their GET STRONGER!
-Tom
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MEET NEW FRIENDS!
home. Forming a habit of stepping outside for a walk every day could mean the difference between staying healthy or suffering a tragic fall.
While you’re strengthening your heart, you may find yourself creating strong bonds with other older adults — which can also be vital to your health! According to a study at the University of California, San Francisco, more than 40 percent of seniors experience loneliness on a regular basis. Spouses pass on, children become busy, and seniors may start feeling like they’re all alone. Living with constant loneliness can be just as detrimental as smoking 15 cigarettes every day! Studies have also found enhanced mental well-being when people remain active. So, joining an exercise class at your local gym or senior center can help you flex those muscles and build new relationships. Before you begin any physical fitness regimen, consult with a medical professional. They can give you advice on what types of activities to try and what pains to look out for. Whatever you do, just get out there and move!
HAVE FUN!
Spending even 20 minutes of every day devoted to some kind of physical activity is a huge benefit to your heart and joints. Yet, one of the biggest misconceptions about physical activity is that it has to be a specified workout regimen to qualify as physical fitness. Instead of slapping on your sweatband to get your heart rate up, try strengthening your body with leisurely activities or even household chores. Try a local dance class or spruce up your garden. Tackling the mess in the garage, walking to lunch with a friend, or volunteering to walk the dogs at your local humane society are all fun ways to work physical fitness into your daily life. The best part is you can mold your workout to your lifestyle. Do what feels right, fun, and active!
There are many different opinions on the healthiness of snacking. Some people think of snacks as processed foods with high calories, but snacks don’t have to be junk food. Depending on what snacks you’re eating, and how often, these little in-between-meal bites can be highly beneficial or detrimental to your overall health. Snacking What Is It Good For?
alternatives. Fill your fridge and pantry with whole grains, fruits and vegetables, and nuts and legumes. With those in your kitchen, you’ll have plenty of healthy options to choose from when you’re hungry.
People who have high cholesterol or diabetes can better maintain their cholesterol and blood glucose levels if they eat frequently during the day. For athletes, snacking helps distribute the consumption of nutrients their body needs throughout the day instead of all at once. This way, their energy levels stay the same instead of fluctuating with their meal times. If you find yourself in need of a quick bite, think clementines and almonds instead of chips and Pop-Tarts. You’ll still satisfy your hunger without jeopardizing your health or increasing your waistline.
WHO BENEFITS FROM SNACKING?
Depending on your weight, fitness level, and medical conditions, snacking throughout the day can be more effective than eating three large meals a day. Individuals who are crunched for time, have particular health conditions, are athletic, or are trying to lose or maintain weight all benefit from healthy snacking throughout the day.
HEALTHY VS. UNHEALTHY SNACKS
People snack when they’re hungry, but they also do it when they’re stressed, bored, or have a habit. When people snack on unhealthy junk food when they’re bored, the result is weight gain. An excellent way to avoid unhealthy snacks is to surround yourself with healthy
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Brave Little Cher Ami TheWar PigeonWho Saved the‘Lost Battalion’
Long before the invention of radios and cellphones, homing pigeons were used to send messages as early as the sixth century. During World War I, war pigeons carried lifesaving messages past enemy lines for the American and French armies, often being wounded in the process. In 1918, Cher Ami, a black check hen used by the U.S. Signal Corps, became the most famous of them all. On Oct. 2, the United States 77th Division was trapped behind enemy lines in the Argonne Forest during the Meuse-Argonne Offensive, a three-month push by the Allies during the final throes of World War I to force the Germans to surrender. It became the bloodiest battle in U.S. history. For six days, the encircled division endured relentless attacks and suffered heavy casualties, but their orders were clear: don’t retreat and don’t surrender. The division dispatched two homing pigeons with requests for help, but both birds were shot down. When friendly fire began raining down on the 77th, Major Charles White Whittlesey felt he had no choice but to send the last pigeon, Cher Ami. The pigeon’s desperate note read:
As Cher Ami rose from the brush, she was shot down, to the despair of the watching soldiers. However, after a few seconds, she fought her way back into the air, flew through a torrent of gunfire, and made it to division headquarters 25 miles away. She had been shot in the breast, the eye, and the leg. Because of Cher Ami’s brave flight, 194 of the original 554 men of the 77th Division survived the battle. One month later, World War I came to an end. Cher Ami survived the war as well, thanks to the surgeons who
performed emergency surgery on her. One soldier even carved her a little wooden leg. She became a well-known hero to both soldiers and children in the States. For her service in Verdun, the French Army awarded her the Croix de Guerre, and she was inducted into the Racing Pigeon Hall of Fame.
Cher Ami finally succumbed to her wounds in June of 1919 and is now on display in the Smithsonian alongside Sergeant Stubby, a terrier who served 18 months on the Western Front.
“We are along the road parallel to 276.4. Our own artillery is dropping a barrage directly on us. For heaven’s sake, stop it.”
a
Take a Break!
Inspired by Food & Wine Magazine
STRAWBERRY MANGO PALETAS
Ingredients
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1 1/4 cups strawberries, chopped 1/2 cup granulated sugar 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
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1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 2 medium ripe mangoes, peeled, pitted, and chopped
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Directions
1. In a saucepan, toss strawberries with 1/4 cup sugar and let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes. 2. Add 1/4 cup water and bring to a simmer over moderate heat. Cook strawberries until mixture thickens, about 5 minutes. 3. Remove fromheat and stir in 1 tablespoon of lime juice and 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Let cool completely, about 45 minutes. 4. Meanwhile, in a blender, purée mangoes with 1/4 cup sugar, 2 tablespoons lime juice, and 1/4 teaspoon salt until smooth. Scrape into a mediumbowl
and clean the blender. Then, purée strawberry mixture until smooth. 5. Into 8 3-ounce ice popmolds, spoon 2 tablespoons mango purée. Add 2 tablespoons strawberry purée to eachmold, then top with remainingmango purée, leaving 1/2 inch between filling and top of mold. 6. Using a small knife, gently swirl layers together. 7. Insert ice pop sticks and freeze until solid. 8. Dipmolds in hot water for a few seconds, then unmold paletas and serve immediately.
SOLUTION ON PAGE 4
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FoothillsPTMaine.com 207-625-4300 Fax: 207-625-7300
16 Old Pike Road Cornish, ME 04020
INSIDE THIS ISSUE From the Desk of Tom PAGE 1 Exercising as You Age PAGE 1 A Healthy Snack PAGE 2 The War PigeonWho Saved the ‘Lost Battalion’ PAGE 3 Take a Break PAGE 3 Strawberry Mango Paletas PAGE 3 What Is the World’s Best Exercise? PAGE 4
SOLUTION
THE WORLD’S BEST EXERCISE
Not all exercises are created equal. In fact, there is one form of exercise that is better than many others: walking. Harvard Medical School took a look at various exercises and concluded that walking is up there with swimming and tai chi in terms of health benefits. Regular walking can help maintain good cholesterol and blood pressure levels and keep your bones strong and healthy. One study showed that 40 minutes of walking every day helped people reduce blood pressure from hypertension to prehypertension, and then eventually to normal over several months. Walking can even keep many different kinds of diseases at bay, such as diabetes and heart disease. In addition to these physical benefits, walking daily can improve your mood and overall mental health. As simple and straightforward as walking is, it can be difficult for many people to find the time. Most experts agree that you need 30–60 minutes of physical activity per day, but the good news is that you can split those minutes up throughout your day. For example, you can take a brisk 20-minute walk in the morning before work, followed by another one at lunch and one more after dinner. Those 60 minutes also don’t have to be strenuous; they just need to happen.
However, the more time you put into walking, the more you will get out of it. If you slowly increase your distance and speed, you’ll end up burning more calories and strengthening your legs over time. The great thing about walking is that it’s not particularly taxing on the knees, and you can move at your own pace. It doesn’t get any better than that! To get the most out of walking, schedule your walks for after mealtimes, especially the ones that come later in the day, like lunch and dinner. It’s a great way to aid digestion and burn calories —which can’t hurt your waistline!
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