Rising Sun Physical Therapy January 2019

Cover story, continued ...

SUMMER

varieties and is at its peak during winter. Root vegetables like parsnips, turnips, rutabaga, and kohlrabi are also in abundance. On the fruitier side of things, winter in the warmer parts of the country yields delicious citrus harvests. At no other time of the year will you find such an awesome variety of oranges, lemons, limes, and more. Be on the lookout for exotic varieties like blood oranges and pomelos. SPRING asparagus and artichokes to snap peas and fava beans, you’ll find no shortage of delicious veggies to signal the blossoming of a new season. Spring is also the best time to eat strawberries, which is something even the pickiest of eaters can get behind. The downside with spring produce is that the season tends to be relatively short, so you’ll have to enjoy these treasures while you can. Unsurprisingly, spring is when bright green vegetables start to emerge en masse. From

Fall is also the best time of year for foraged mushrooms like oysters and chanterelles. As with the weather, autumnal foods are the bridge between the brightness of summer and the depths of winter. TOOLS FOR EATING SEASONALLY SeasonalFoodGuide.org is a great to tool to find up-to-the-minute lists of what’s in season in your state, from traditional favorites to obscure vegetables you’ve probably never heard of. When it comes to seasonal cookbooks, you can do no better than Joshua McFadden’s “Six Seasons,”which divides the calendar beyond our traditional four quarters for maximum specificity. Here’s to a year of enjoying seasonal, local produce. It will expand your horizons and improve your health — a win-win by any measure.

Variety is at an all-time high during the summer months, but a few categories of produce deserve particular attention. Nightshades, including tomatoes, peppers, chilis, and eggplant, shine during this time of year. In fact, eating a tomato in December is a pale imitation of what you’ll get in July, making it one of the best examples of the stark difference between eating seasonally and grabbing whatever is languishing on the shelves at the grocery store. The same goes for corn and stone fruit like peaches, which are summer-barbecue staples for a reason. FALL Think of the Thanksgiving color palette, and you’ll have a good idea of what’s in season. Hearty greens like kale and Swiss chard will begin appearing more frequently, as well as unique varieties of carrots and apples.

BALANCE BORN OUT OF HARDSHIP The Origin of the Pilates System

When most people think of Pilates, they think of the exercise trend that was the butt of a hundred ’90s sitcom jokes. In reality, this system of stretches and workouts is a great option for people of all ages looking to stay active, tone their muscles, and improve their balance, all with minimal space and equipment requirements. One need only look at the history of Pilates to understand how this century-old discipline has helped shape exercise science today. UNLIKELY BEGINNINGS The man for whom the Pilates system is named, Joseph Pilates, was no stranger to health challenges. Born in Germany in the late 19th century, Joseph suffered from both asthma and rickets, making any form of physical activity difficult. But rather than shy away from exercise, he enthusiastically followed his father into gymnastics, later picking up bodybuilding and martial arts. Instead of being held back by his body, Joseph made it his life’s mission to help himself and others live healthy lives. Eventually, he would begin developing his own fitness theories. LIGHT IN A DARKTIME

in 1912. Then the First WorldWar broke out. Despite having worked closely with English law enforcement, Joseph’s nationality was enough to land him in an internment camp alongside fellow German citizens. As the world was consumed by the bloodiest conflict it had ever seen, the young fitness instructor did what he did best: He helped those around him get stronger and healthier. KNOWLEDGE THROUGH ADVERSITY In this internment camp, the system that would eventually become Pilates was developed. Because of the constraints of captivity, Joseph had to devise exercises that didn’t rely heavily on equipment and could be performed in tight, confined spaces. To this day, Pilates remains one of the most flexible, scalable fitness methods around. The techniques first developed by Joseph Pilates are still practiced today, helping thousands of people develop their core postural muscles, gain better fitness, and improve their balance. As a result of his forward- looking techniques and steadfast spirit of personal development, Joseph Pilates remains an inspiring figure in the world of physical fitness.

Joseph became a known quantity in the fitness world, going as far as training Scotland Yard officers in self-defense after moving to England

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