SUMMER NUTRITION TIPS
1. Drink green tea instead of sweet tea. Green tea has a natural component that helps speed up your metabolism. Skip the box tea and opt for the brew-it-yourself with boiling water and a tea-bag-type tea. 2. Serve seafood. Summer is the ideal time to get the freshest catch from your local grocer. Grill salmon, tuna, lobster, steamer clams, and calamari for a low-calorie, protein- packed lunch or dinner. 3. Don’t skip breakfast. When you wake up in the morning, your body is running on fumes. Eating a breakfast with protein, carbs, and healthy fat kicks your metabolism into high gear and provides energy for the day. 4. Enjoy summer fruits and veggies. It’s easy to sink into a vegetable rut, eating the same boring veggies week after week, but with summer comes fresh choices. Including a mix of in-season colorful veggies in your meals gives your body a nutrient kick.
5. Snack at work. Bring snacks to work and graze throughout the day. When you eat more often—five to six times per day—you’re far less likely to overeat and more likely to stay energized. 6. Hydrate often. The summer heat makes you more susceptible to dehydration. Start off your day by drinking two glasses of water and keep drinking at each meal, as well as before and after your workout, to stay hydrated. Carry a water bottle with you as a reminder. 7. Recover with a post-workout shake. After exercising, blend your favorite summer fruits and a scoop of whey protein into a shake to kickstart the muscle-building process, help your body recover from training, and boost your energy levels. 8. Pre-plan your meals. You plan your weekend getaways and activities for summer. Why not your meals? Make it easy by preparing all of your food on Sunday so that you have enough meals for the week. The best part: You’ll save money.
BUT WAIT – WON’T EXERCISE INCREASE MY PAIN? To put it simply – no! Your physical therapist will prescribe gentle, targeted exercises that will help your joints move freely, and will add in periods of rest during your sessions. While many people believe that the aches and pains of arthritis are best treated with sedentary activities and rest, that is not necessarily the case – exercise keeps the body limber and warms up muscles, which prevents stiffness that can become exacerbated by arthritis. Extended “rest” can also lead to muscle atrophy or deterioration of muscle tissue. While arthritis generally affects the joints of the body muscle loss increases stress on the joints, allows them tomove in ways that are unhealthy and causes more pain. By doing gentle exercises under the discretion of your physical therapist, you can actually ease your arthritic aches and pains! Low-impact exercises also contain several benefits that are not necessarily associated with the painful symptoms of arthritis. For example, feelings of fatigue that are so common in arthritis patients can be greatly reduced by low impact exercise. After just 30 minutes of gentle physical activity, the brain is flooded by the feel-good hormones called endorphins that block pain, minimize any discomfort associated with exercise, and even create a feeling of euphoria. Furthermore, exercise increases flexibility in stiff joints and makes it easier to fall asleep and stay asleep at night. How can I get started on treatments? Every treatment regimen is different based on your body’s needs and your particular type of arthritis. The best way to get started on a natural, safe, and healthy treatment through physical therapy is by calling and scheduling a consultation with one of our physical therapists today. Your physical therapist will examine your symptoms, severity of pain, and location of the arthritis, in order to determine the best individualized treatment plan for your specific needs. If you are living with arthritis, or you think youmay be experiencing arthritic symptoms, don’t hesitate to contact Nebraska Orthopaedic Physical Therapy. We’ll get you feeling comfortable again in no time – without the need for pain management drugs!
GET PT FIRST! The Average Cost of Physical Therapy vs. Other Healthcare Expenses:
10 Physical Therapy Visits
$1500
$2611
1 MRI 2 Night
$3852
Hospital Stay 1 Year Supply of Opiods
$6754
Make Your Choice PT First! Call (402) 721-1112
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