August 2018
MONTHLY MOMENTS Bettina’s
How often do you check your phone? How long are you awake in the morning before you find yourself reaching for that addicting little box of technology? Do you struggle to put it down at night? I myself know this struggle. When I decided to take a vacation this year I decided it needed to be about more than just unwinding. I decided it was time to do an electronics detox. Iceland is a beautiful country, the perfect place to get back to nature and away from the rush of the city and the hum of omnipresent phones and computers. Here I really connect with the cycle of life. I want to dance along the bluffs, ride the beautiful Icelandic horses, and just appreciate what the world has to offer. When my attention isn’t always being pulled into my phone I begin to notice the cycle of life here, the yin and yang, the beautiful, self-feeding patterns. Out among the cold rivers and hot springs, grassy bluffs and icey glaciers I practice movement meditation known as 5rhythms. I feel truly in touch with the land: refreshed and rejuvenated. This, I think, nestled among sod houses and stories of elves, is the perfect time to return to my monthly newsletter. This year marks the 15th anniversary of Rising Sun Physical Therapy, and I’m so lucky to have been able to undergo this journey and share my thoughts and passion with you. So please, enjoy
Anxiety, concern, conflict — parents and teens agree that digital devices are a source of all three of these, according to a study from the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism. The comprehensive study compared digital device usage in the United States and Japan and how they have an impact on family relationships in both countries. “The patterns of daily life have been forever altered by the ubiquity of digital devices,” says Willow Bay, co-author of the study and Dean of USC Annenberg College. “Clearly, our always-on media environment is presenting challenges.” So why do we still have these devices on us at all times, and how can we use them more responsibly? USC Annenberg’s study demonstrates that technology isn’t going away anytime soon, and learning how to manage its usage is critical. Here are some tips that both parents and teens can learn from. BE THE EXAMPLE The study gave interesting insight into how we perceive our kids’ technology usage and how they perceive ours. It found that most parents think their teens are addicted to their mobile devices. Most parents also felt addicted themselves. Their teens are aware of this — 1 in 3 teens also believes their parents are addicted. HOWTOBALANCETECHNOLOGY USE IN YOUR FAMILY M anage Y our D evices ; D on ’ t L et T hem M anage Y ou
- Bettina Neumann
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TRIM YOUR APPS When you open up your phone, does your busy screen overwhelm you? Do you really need that MLB app that you last used two years ago? Start by deleting apps that you no longer use. Then organize your remaining apps into folders. You might also try the same process with contacts, music, photos, and anything taking up space. In his article, “Tips to Declutter Your Phone,” Ryan Reed includes the automation app he swears by, If This Then That. It can link all your apps and services to streamline your life. WHEN IS THE RIGHT AGE? This is a question that’s kept many parents awake at night. When is the right age for an adolescent to have their own mobile device? There’s a lot to take in. Yes, it can offer some security; you’ll (theoretically) be able to reach your teen at any time, and they can reach out if they are in danger. But there are drawbacks. Phones cause
Your kids learn from how you spend your time. As the parent, you are the No. 1 example your child has for any behavior. If they see you looking at your phone most of the time they’re with you, they’ll likely start to do the same. SET BOUNDARIES One way to set an example is to limit screen time. This could take the form of an after-school “technology free” hour. It’s time that your family spends together without phones, only interacting with each other. Sound hard? Set the timer. Ask your kids how their days were. Try cooking together. If you feel that you really are addicted and can’t quit your device on your own, set up firewalls for yourself. Turn on your “do not disturb” signal during the nights and mornings. If you really want to take a break from your device, take a full day away from it, then reflect on how you felt afterward.
distraction, which doesn’t pan out well for driving or sleep, not to mention homework. Talk with your teen to find out what’s right for them and your family — and not just via text. Keep the conversation going, and you’ll build a stronger relationship, whether you choose to give them a digital device or not.
Game Night Goes (Really) Retro The Oldest Games You Can Play Today
BACKGAMMON A blend of luck and strategy, backgammon originated in the Middle East around 5,000 years ago. Possibly an evolution of the ancient Mesopotamian game, the Royal Game of Ur, backgammon has players take turns rolling the dice to move their pieces off the board while trying to outsmart their opponent. Backgammon grew in popularity, spreading from the Middle East to the rest of the ancient world, and is still played by many today. GO Originating in China around the 5th century B.C., Go — or “weiqi,” as it’s called in China — focuses on the virtues of balance, discipline, and focus. Two players go head-to-head, placing their pieces on the board to claim as much territory as possible while simultaneously capturing their opponent’s pieces. Go is likely the oldest board game still being played today, with an estimated 40 million players worldwide. Though the rules are simple, the strategies take a lifetime to master. These are a just a few games that people have been playing around the world for centuries. If you’re ready to add something new to family game night, try something old instead!
People love to play games. When you play Angry Birds while waiting in line at the grocery store, you are actually participating in a long history of gaming that dates back to the earliest civilizations. Through the discovery of ancient game boards, archaeologists learned that the ancient Egyptians played a game called Senet in 3500 B.C. The rules were lost to time, but fortunately, there are plenty of other ancient
games we still have the rules for! SNAKES AND LADDERS
Sometime during the 2nd century A.D., people in India started playing a board game associated with aspects of traditional Hindu philosophy — namely, the contrast between karma (destiny) and kama (desire). A dice was rolled to navigate a game board where good virtues, represented by ladders, allowed players to move up on the board, and evil vices, represented by snakes, would drag pieces back down. The phrase “Back to square one” is believed to have originated from this game. Snakes and Ladders made its way to England before being brought over to the United States, where it was introduced as “Chutes and Ladders” by none other than Milton Bradley in 1943.
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WANT TO IMPROVE BRAIN HEALTH? GRAB A SWORD
Did you know fencing is making a comeback? No longer just for heartsick gentlemen of the Regency era, fencing is increasingly being taught in public schools, displayed in the pages of popular indie comics, and practiced among seniors. Plenty of baby boomers are picking up swords, or “sabers”— and it’s not because they’re preparing to fight dragons. Exercise is important no matter your age, but some activities are more beneficial than others. Research published in the journal Psychology of Sport and Exercise (PSE) suggests activities defined as “open-skill sports” like fencing can do more to improve brain health than “closed-skill sports.” OPEN OR CLOSED? The difference between an open-skill sport and a closed-skill sport lies in the dynamic nature of the activity. Going for a jog is great for your heart health, but your body is doing the same thing during the entire workout. This makes it a closed-skill sport. The same goes for swimming; you might have different strokes to choose from when you jump in the pool, but your brain is focused on repeating the action while doing your laps. Open-skill sports require players to respond to unpredictable circumstances in unpredictable ways. Fencing is a great open-skill sport because, while you have to learn the right way to hold the saber and move your body, you also have to think on your feet and The Benefits of Open-Skill Sports
react quickly to your opponent’s attacks. Researchers from the Foro Italico University of Rome believe that it’s the required adaptability that makes open-skill sports so good for your brain. You
challenge your body with complex motor movements and your mind with fast decisions. In the study from PSE, the researchers reported that “the open-skill athletes used less brainpower to do the same thing than the closed-skill exercisers did.” WHAT’S THE BEST OPEN-SKILL SPORT? If fencing isn’t your thing, there are plenty of other great open-skill sports, including tennis, badminton, basketball, and racquetball. What are you waiting for? Swing by your local rec center and find out what open-skill sport will be your new favorite pastime!
Take a Break!
Green Bean
AND SESAME SALAD
If you need an easy, healthy side dish with plenty of flavor, this green bean salad will be the perfect addition to your summer menu.
Ingredients
3 cups green beans, ends trimmed 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar 1 tablespoon olive oil 2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted
1 small red onion, finely chopped Small bunch of fresh mint Small bunch of flat-leaf parsley Salt and pepper, to taste
Directions
1. Bring a large saucepan of water to boil; cook green beans for 4–5 minutes; drain well. 2. In a blender, mix finely chopped mint and parsley with olive oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper. Blend until combined. 3. Add dressing, onion, and sesame seeds to beans. Toss together. Cool dish, then refrigerate until ready to serve.
Recipe courtesy of Delicious magazine
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INSIDE THIS ISSUE Bettina’s Monthly Moments PAGE 1 How to Talk to Your Teen About Cellphone Use PAGE 1 Have You Played the Oldest Games in the World? PAGE 2 Fence Your Way to Better Brain Heal PAGE 3 Take a Break PAGE 3 Green Bean and Sesame Salad PAGE 3 The Benefits of Metabolic Fitness Training PAGE 4
METABOLIC FITNESS TRAINING A Big Workout With a Small Time Commitment
HOW TO SET UP AN MRT CIRCUIT
Not everyone can spend hours at the gym each week. If you struggle to fit workouts into your busy schedule, metabolic resistance training (MRT) might be the perfect solution. This high-intensity circuit technique keeps your heart rate elevated while you bust out more reps in a shorter period of time. You may find that you need to reduce the weight a bit in order to perform so many reps with no rest, but that’s fine; the goal of MRT is to move constantly, not set PRs. You’ll burn calories, increase strength, and improve your cardiovascular fitness in one fell swoop — all without having to step on a treadmill! THE BENEFITS OF METABOLIC RESISTANCE TRAINING MRT offers the biggest bang for your fitness buck by squeezing as much work as possible into each workout. While
this technique is the perfect way to build strength, lean out, and increase cardiovascular health all at once, it may not be ideal for anyone trying to add massive amounts of muscle, because it burns so many calories and uses a high-rep/low- weight protocol. THE SCIENCE BEHIND MRT High-rep/high-volume workouts stimulate muscle protein synthesis (the process by which muscle is built) more effectively than splits that work single body parts. But perhaps the best part of metabolic resistance training occurs after you leave the gym. Because it takes longer for your body to return to its resting metabolic state after such an intense workout, you continue to burn extra calories in the hours and days after MRT, an effect commonly referred to as the “afterburn.”
The key to metabolic resistance training is to keep your rest periods short, so choose exercises you can perform in one spot (or close together), and set up your equipment ahead of time; you don’t want your heart rate to go down while you walk between stations or mess around loading the bar. Do compound movements like dumbbell chest presses, burpees, and goblet squats to work multiple muscle groups at once. Metabolic resistance training is a hard workout and not for the faint of heart. But by pushing yourself outside your comfort zone, you’ll see greater results and have more time to spend on the other things you enjoy!
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