The Physical Therapy Doctor - June 2023

Take a look at our June newsletter!

theptdoctor.com

718.747.2019

Hours of Operation: Monday–Friday 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.

June 2023

ON THE

MOVE

My Best Honeymoon Stories, Part 2 The Most Awkward Dinner I’ve Ever Eaten

In last month’s newsletter, I told you about the time

three times more than we wanted to spend. We’d scrimped and saved for this honeymoon, and here we were, about to blow our whole week’s budget on one dinner! If we could have walked out, we would have — but we were the only people in the place, and our hotel was a rainy cab ride away. We were stuck. We searched through the menu until we found the cheapest thing: Duck for two. It was the most affordable item on offer, but the waiter told us it would take AT LEAST 45 minutes to cook. By then, I was dreaming of cheap pasta. Why oh why didn’t I just take Maria to another Italian place like Da Bruno A Casa or Da Pino Restaurante Italiano? “She likes Italian stupid! Stop trying to impress her! She already said ‘yes’,” I berated myself in my head. The waiter kept offering us things: “Sparkling water? Appetizers? Are you SURE you wouldn’t like any appetizers?” “Oh no, we couldn’t! We’re not very hungry,” we said while our stomachs growled. Then we sat and talked and pretended not to see them staring at us from the corner of our eyes. Eventually, he took pity on us and brought out a little plate with samples from the menu. We inhaled them in seconds. We didn’t want to offend them, of course, wink, wink. The duck was delicious 20 minutes later, but I kid you not, not a single person showed up at the restaurant the entire time we ate. It was a relief to finally leave the place, and it made for a funny story later on. Still, I learned a valuable lesson that day I can now confidently pass on to you as a person who insists on learning from his experiences: Before you go to a restaurant, always look up the menu!

my wife Maria and I ran into the famous Spanish singer Julio Iglesias — literally! That was definitely a highlight of our honeymoon, but it wasn’t the only story to come out of our nine-day stay in Spain. While there, we also “enjoyed” the most awkward dinner I’d ever eaten. It happened when we finally decided to get outside our Italian food comfort zone. We stopped at the concierge desk of our hotel and asked, “What’s the best place in town to eat?”

When they told us, we called a cab to take us to the restaurant. Raindrops drummed on the roof as our driver wound back and forth through Marbella. Eventually, we arrived at a building on the outskirts of town. It was standing alone on an empty street. Luckily, an overhang protected us from the rain, so we huddled under it as the cab drove away — then pushed our way inside. Man, it was a fancy place! A waiter in a buttoned-up white shirt and dark pants whisked us to a table. I swear he looked straight out of an old movie. He even had a towel thrown over his arm! My first thought was, “Uh-oh, we’re underdressed.” Then, the real awkwardness hit. The restaurant was dead silent. Maria and I were the only ones there! We could have been alone in the world except for the servers standing watch around the room like the King’s Guards at Buckingham Palace. Then, things got worse. As soon as Maria picked up her menu, she looked at me with panic in her eyes. Every dish cost about

–Dr. Robert Morea

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USING PHYSICAL THERAPY TO TREAT CONCUSSIONS Take a Head-On Approach

In the past, when individuals believed they'd experienced a concussion or started to have concussion symptoms, they visited the emergency room or a medical professional to get a diagnosis and receive treatment. The treatment was rarely extensive. The doctor almost always said to rest. Some may have prescribed a painkiller, but they concluded that rest is the best medicine. Even if symptoms persisted, they would recommend more rest, but now, we’re discovering we can do more to help those who've experienced a concussion. A concussion is a traumatic brain injury that occurs when the brain is violently shaken. Concussions have garnered more attention in recent years due to their prevalence in popular American sports. In the 2022 NFL season, Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa suffered two significant concussions and a smaller one. Many questioned whether the Dolphins organization and the NFL handled the situation correctly, likely leading to new concussion protocols in the future. It’s not just athletes who are at risk for concussions, either. Anyone can get one if they have an accident while driving or slip and fall and hit their head. Other than taking the necessary safety precautions while driving, playing sports, and performing everyday activities, there’s not much you can do to prevent a concussion.

However, if you get one, you can do a few things to speed up recovery — like attend physical therapy. Rest will still be a large part of your recovery plan, but we’ll explain why rest is so important. Often, concussions cause an individual to experience muscle weakness or a decrease in physical endurance, but we’ll help you reduce these feelings with an exercise program fit for your needs. Sometimes, an individual might experience dizziness or a lack of balance after a concussion. We can recommend and teach you various exercises to improve your balance. We’ll also inform you about different stretches, strength and motion exercises, and eye exercises to reduce the frequency or intensity of headaches. We put all of this together so you can recover from your concussion quickly and return to your favorite activities. A concussion is a serious brain injury and should be treated as such. Suppose you ignore or fail to notice your symptoms and continue participating in physical activities. In that case, you risk suffering another concussion or experiencing second-impact syndrome, which can leave you with permanent brain damage or worse. If you’ve recently hit your head and are experiencing headaches, dizziness, nausea, fatigue, light sensitivity, memory loss, confusion, or emotional symptoms, visit your doctor to see if you have a concussion. If your doctor diagnoses you with one, we’ll be here to help you on the road to recovery. Do not ignore the symptoms!

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The Intermittent Fasting Phenomenon SEPARATING HYPE FROM HEALTH BENEFITS

There always seems to be a new dieting fad every couple of months, but one that has stayed around longer than expected is intermittent fasting. Many of us couldn’t imagine

Regardless of which type of intermittent fasting you attempt, you’ll likely notice many benefits within the first few months. Studies have shown that it can improve your

fasting for days on end, but intermittent fasting provides the benefits of fasting without asking us to wait days between meals. Intermittent fasting is a term used to describe eating patterns with differing amounts of fasting. There are three main types. The first and most common type is time-restricted eating, and it’s one of the easiest intermittent fasting diets to stick to daily. Time-restricted fasting has users decide on an eating window lasting between four and 12 hours. If it isn’t during your eating window, you’re

cholesterol levels and help you maintain proper blood sugar levels. Many studies have shown

that those who practice intermittent fasting have no problem shedding

weight and also keeping it off. Many users report losing 3%–7% of their body weight within eight weeks of fasting. Studies even found intermittent fasting can lower the risk of breast cancer, Parkinson’s disease, and other serious conditions. Does this all sound too good to be true? That’s because it likely is. The Journal of the American Medical Association looked at 108 studies

actively fasting. The next is the 5:2 diet, which calls for two full days of fasting each week, with a regular eating schedule for the other five days. Finally, there’s alternate- day fasting, in which users alternate between fasting one day and eating normally the next.

conducted on the alleged health benefits of intermittent fasting and found that only six were supported by solid evidence. That doesn’t mean the health benefits don’t exist; we just need more research before saying intermittent fasting is as beneficial for our health as its users claim it to be.

DIRECTIONS Need a quick, healthy snack? Check out this protein-packed yogurt bowl. Cherry Chia Greek Yogurt Bowls

TAKE A BREAK!

Chia Seed Jam We suggest making the chia seed jam in advance and storing it in the refrigerator so you can quickly assemble these yogurt bowls all week.

Inspired by HungryHobby.net

INGREDIENTS

Chia Seed Jam • 2 cups fresh sweet cherries, pitted • 3 tbsp chia seeds

Using a potato masher, mash down the cherries. Place a small pot on high heat and add the cherries, chia seeds, honey, and water. Bring the mixture to a boil, then turn down the heat and let simmer for 10 minutes, stirring constantly. Allow jam to cool before using or refrigerate. Greek Yogurt Bowl In a small serving bowl, mix the Greek yogurt with vanilla extract. Top the Greek yogurt with 2 tbsp cherry chia seed jam, hemp seeds, granola, and a few additional cherries, if desired.

• 2 tbsp honey • 1/4 cup water

Greek Yogurt Bowl • 1 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract • 1 tsp hemp seeds • 1 tbsp granola

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PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411

718.747.2019

212-73 26th Ave. Bayside, NY 11360

theptdoctor.com

Hours of Operation: Monday–Friday 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.

1. The World’s Most Awkward Dinner 2. Bounce Back From Your Concussion 3. Fasting Is the Most Lasting Diet Fad Cherry Chia Greek Yogurt Bowls 4. Don’t Let CrossFit Intimidate You INSIDE THIS ISSUE

What do you hope to accomplish when you start a new exercise routine? Many of us aim to become stronger, lose weight, or improve our overall health. What if there was a way to accomplish those goals in six weeks of training? That’s what CrossFit does when properly performed. For those unfamiliar, CrossFit is a form of high-intensity interval training that combines elements of weightlifting, gymnastics, and metabolic conditioning. It was designed in 2000 to help athletes improve their cardiovascular and respiratory endurance, stamina, strength, flexibility, coordination, and agility. Since then, many gyms have become fully dedicated to CrossFit programs and classes. Walking into a CrossFit gym or class for the first time can be intimidating. For years, the thought was that CrossFit was intended for bodybuilders and athletes only, but anyone can benefit from these activities if they make a dedicated effort. When you initially begin CrossFit, the best results occur through two or three exercises per week. If you’re already in THE POWER OF CROSSFIT GET IN BETTER SHAPE WITHIN 6 WEEKS

great shape, you can benefit by increasing your frequency, as long as you maintain a rest day between each workout day. If you fail to leave yourself enough recovery time, you’ll overwork your body and become susceptible to injuries. It doesn’t take long to see results once you start a CrossFit program. Many CrossFit classes include some form of weightlifting and resistance training, which will help you build muscle and grow stronger. Since these exercises are often high-intensity, you’ll burn even more calories than you would during a standard workout. Many of the activities will increase your heart rate, which improves cardiovascular health. CrossFit has risks, but you can have a safe and enjoyable workout by taking proper precautions. Don’t push yourself too hard; stop the activity if you notice pain. CrossFit training can be incredibly rewarding and beneficial when done right!

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BUILD STRONG BONES PROGRAM

WITH THE BIODENSITY MACHINE!

When: Tuesday, June 13 Time: Call for FREE appointment Where: The PT Doctor clinic

Do you have osteoporosis or osteopenia? Are you afraid of falling and breaking a bone? Are you doing enough to strengthen your bones if you were to fall? If you answered “NO,” then you are not alone. Many people are not doing enough. We recognize that many people are undershooting when it comes to strengthening their bones. So, we set out to find a solution, and we came across the bioDensity machine!

This is an unbelievable machine that is ... • Scientifically proven to build bone density • EASY on the joints! Isometric movement means NO MOVEMENT. • Efficient! (It only takes 10 minutes/week to stimulate bone production.) • SAFE because you control the resistance intensity, and there is no movement! • Covered by your health insurance plan!

The bioDensity machine exercises can be incorporated into your regular exercise program if you are already a physical therapy patient. This machine allows you to apply greater force to your muscles and bones in a safe manner that is not easily achieved with exercise bands or free weights. Call TODAY to schedule an appointment and experience the bioDensity machine! Limited spots available.

The Physical Therapy Doctor 212-73 26th Ave. Bayside, NY 11360 718.747.2019 ThePTDoctor.com

Due to the high demand for improving balance in our community, we are starting a “Boxing for Balance” program to help make people more stable on their feet and further reduce their risk of falling. We are learning every day that there are more ways than ever for people to enhance their quality of life and even build their power, strength, flexibility, and speed! This program brings you up close and personal with our hand-selected boxing trainers, creating an environment that will motivate you, push you to exceed your expectations, and get you to believe that “Boxing for Balance” is the program that will change your life forever! BOXING FOR BALANCE

The movements in this non-contact, one-on-one boxing skills program provide you the confidence that carries over to your real-world movements. Covered by Medicare insurance.

FREE WORKSHOP! Call us at 718.747.2019 to hold your spot at our upcoming workshop on June 13 @ 2 p.m.

The Physical Therapy Doctor 212-73 26th Ave. Bayside, NY 11360 718.747.2019 ThePTDoctor.com

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