Nov/Dec 2017
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HOW TO HAVE THE HAP-HAP-HAPPIEST HOLIDAYS Find Joy in the Imperfections
Do you have a favorite Christmas movie that you watch every year? At the top of my wife’s and my list is “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation.” It’s hilarious to watch Clark Griswold try and pull off the perfect Christmas, only to have it thwarted again and again by his relatives and his own obsession with perfection. He’s trying to have everything just right, but nothing works out for him. Still, at the end of the day, the family is gathered singing Christmas carols. Despite the blunders, they still find reason to celebrate. I turned 49 on Dec. 1, and as much as I dislike being reminded that I’m getting older, my mom dislikes even more having a son who’s almost 50. Being reminded of your age isn’t as fun after your 20s. Like Griswold, you want everything to be perfect, and age brings reminders that they are not. Injuries and surgeries don’t wait for the holidays to be over, and trying to get shopping done, put up decorations, and organize the perfect Christmas when we’re recovering is stressful. But you know what? Focusing on the negative parts of aging prevents us from appreciating everything that comes with it. I like to watch “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” because it reminds
me that life never goes according to plan, but that’s okay. In fact, it makes it more fun along the way. The chaos that ensues in the movie as Clark is trying to create the perfect Christmas underlines what happens when we forget what the holiday is truly about. It reminds us to accept things (and people) for what and who they are instead of trying to create a perfect reality that doesn’t exist. Let’s just enjoy what we have instead! When I watch “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation,” I remember that life’s not about being perfect. We all want things to be perfect, and unfortunately, that’s not realistic. If age has taught me anything, it’s the fact that the more we try to make things perfect, the more we lose sight of what’s important. Sometimes, everything goes according to plan. But often, nothing does. The tree falls over, the turkey is ruined, your in-laws drive you crazy, and the lights don’t work. But at the end of the day, life, especially around the holidays, is about spending time together and celebrating the season.
celebrate when it feels like there’s nothing to celebrate? Ask for help. Reach out to your family and friends. If you’re feeling blue around the holidays, lean on others. You’re going to miss people who aren’t around anymore. Those feelings don’t just disappear. If a loved one has passed, know they’re in a better place, and remember that our loved ones want us to be happy. Church is a good place to find comfort. Reach out to friends you haven’t talked to in a long time. Reminisce. Find joy in the imperfections. Our message to you is a simple but challenging one: Learn from Clark Griswold’s mistake and don’t try to make everything perfect. Instead, do the best you can without overdoing it. Try not to stress about the tasks beyond your control. Can you ask for help with decorating? If not, how important is it? If that set of Christmas lights doesn’t make it up on the roof this year, is Christmas still going to come? Yes, it will, and you can still enjoy the celebrations even if the decorations don’t look exactly like a movie.
Merry Christmas, happy Hanukkah, and have a fantastic, imperfect holiday.
I know this might sound impossible when you’re going through surgery or an injury. How can you
Chris Kopp PT
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Incredible-Looking Leaf Crafts The Secret to
It’s fall, and your Pinterest boards are full of fall crafts. You find yourself daydreaming about candles glowing in leaf-adorned jars, leafy wreaths on the front door, and a garland of leaves lending a touch of whimsy to the dining room. Colorful fall leaves are the secret to a home that’s perfectly decorated for the season, but how do experienced crafters find leaves that last? If you just grab a handful from your backyard, in a few weeks, your painstaking project has dried up and you’re stuck vacuuming leaf bits out of your carpet. It’s time to step up your crafting game and learn the trick to preserving leaves for years to come. Before you go out hunting for the perfect leaves, grab a few newspapers. After you’ve gathered up all your favorite leaves, place them in a single layer on a newspaper page. When choseing your leaves, make sure they are still fresh and flat. Leaves that are already dried or curling cannot be preserved well enough to use as decorations. If your leaves are damp, gently dry them off before putting them on the newspaper. Make sure none of the leaves touch each other. Set a few more pages of newspaper on top and add enough weight to keep them flat. Heavy books are ideal for this. Move the newspaper somewhere it can sit undisturbed and leave your leaves alone for at least two weeks.
glue, sealer, and finish such as Mod Podge. This is a popular tool for decoupage projects, and it belongs in every craft closet. Once your leaves are dry, gently coat one side of each leaf in a layer of Mod Podge. Place your leaves on a sheet of wax paper and wait for them to dry. This should take less than an hour. When the Mod Podge is dry, turn the leaves over and coat the other side. Repeat with a second coat on each side. Mod Podge brings the bright colors back to your leaves and makes them more flexible. They’ll look like they just fell off the tree! These leaves will last for years, and you are free to craft to your heart’s content.
Just letting your leaves dry flat isn’t enough for decorations that last. The true secret to leaf preservation is an all-in-one
TESTIMONIAL
OUR PATIENTS SAY IT BEST
“For 3½ years, I suffered from undiagnosed and untreated low back pain, which limited my active lifestyle. Chris Kopp determined that it was sacroiliac joint dysfunction due to a hypermobile pelvis. Through manual therapy and strengthening exercises, the pain has significantly decreased. I am confident that I will continue to improve with the home exercise program and return to my previous activity level. My daughter and I are both previous clients and highly recommend Premier Physical Therapy.” –Kelly Winer
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Have You Tried Physical Therapy for Diabetes?
Diabetes is a condition in which the body either does not produce enough insulin or does not react normally to insulin. When this occurs, it causes levels of glucose in the blood to become too high, which can lead to health problems. Physical activity and exercise are important and effective in lowering high blood glucose levels, and physical therapists can help people with diabetes improve or avoid related problems. They can also teach sedentary people how to increase their daily physical activity in safe, effective, and enjoyable ways. Individuals with diabetes are at risk of complications like heart disease, heart attack, stroke, high blood pressure, eye disease, kidney disease, nervous system disease, peripheral vascular disease, skin issues, cell death, amputations, and premature death. Once someone has been diagnosed by a physician, a physical therapist can evaluate their symptoms and the physical problems associated with the condition and provide individual, specialized treatments.
Physical therapy for diabetes is meant to help those with the disease participate in safe, effective exercise programs to improve their ability to move, perform daily tasks, reduce pain, and lower blood glucose levels. After a physical therapist reviews an individual’s blood glucose record and examines them for skin wounds, the therapist will then conduct an assessment of the individual’s strength, flexibility, endurance, and balance. The physical therapist will then choose specific activities, treatments, exercises, and stretches to help restore normal movement, strength, flexibility, endurance, balance, coordination, pain levels, and healthy blood glucose levels. The therapist will also discuss activity goals and prescribe at-home exercises to speed up recovery. Diabetes is a condition with many serious complications. However, physical therapy can reduce those complications while simultaneously improving physical fitness and lowering blood glucose levels. Talk to your physical therapist about diabetes treatment today.
EASY HOLIDAY PARTY CHEESE FONDUE
Scrambling to find something for the holiday potluck? This fondue is sure to impress!
Ingredients
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¾ cup dry white wine 1 tablespoon cornstarch 1 (8-ounce) package sliced Swiss cheese
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1 clove garlic Salt to taste
Premier Fitness and Wellness WITH PRATEEN PATEL, PTA Announcing the launch of
Foods to dip (apple slices, bread cubes, roasted vegetables, etc.)
Directions 1. In a large bowl, whisk together wine and cornstarch. 2. Chop cheese slices into small, uniform pieces. 3. Rub clove of garlic all over the sides and bottom of a heavy-bottomed pot, then discard. 4. Heat wine mixture over medium-low heat in the pot until thick and bubbling. Add some cheese and slowly whisk. When nearly smooth, add more cheese and whisk gently. Repeat until all cheese is melted. If mixture seems too tight, add 1 tablespoon wine. 5. Season with salt and serve immediately. Keep pot on low heat to keep the fondue dippable. Recipe inspired by PinchofYum.com
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13947 Beach Blvd #109 Jacksonville, FL 32224 www.premierptjax.com (904) 996-6922
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Inside THIS ISSUE
What ‘National Lampoon’ Can Teach Us Page 1
Feeling Crafty This Fall? Testimonial Page 2
Physical Therapy for Diabetes Treatment Easy Holiday Party Cheese Fondue Page 3
The Secrets of Turmeric Page 4
THE TRUTH About Turmeric The Secrets of the Yellow Spice For thousands of years, sunny yellow turmeric has been a staple in curries as well as a spice renowned for its ability to treat a vast number of ailments. In recent years, this South Asian native has become a sort of “spice-of-all-trades.” Turmeric’s popularity has surged throughout North America. People are adding it to food and using it to treat everything from arthritis to heartburn. Anecdotal evidence suggests that the spice can treat just about every kind of inflammation, whether it’s joint pain or a headache. Have a stomachache or nausea? Try turmeric. Have a mild rash or burn on your skin? Try turmeric. Current studies are even looking into turmeric’s effectiveness as a treatment for diabetes and dementia. When one substance is purported to have near-magical healing powers, you have to remember to take it with an additional dose of skepticism. Can one spice really cure everything that ails you? Let’s ask science. Researchers have identified over 20 distinct compounds that work similar to NSAIDs (such as aspirin and ibuprofen). Of those compounds, six are COX-2 inhibitors. COX-2 is an enzyme that causes inflammation and pain in the body.
In short, these six compounds help block the enzymatic reaction that triggers inflammation. One of these compounds is called curcumin, which is often considered the active ingredient in turmeric. An article published in the medical journal Nutrition and Cancer found that, by weight, pure turmeric powder contains 3.14 percent curcumin. However, clinical trials of curcumin have produced less-than-stellar results. A comprehensive review of 120 studies of curcumin, published in 2017 in the Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, found no evidence that the compound produced positive results as an anti-inflammatory or antioxidant. In fact, researchers found curcumin to be an, “unstable, reactive, non-bioavailable compound.” So, what does this mean for people who use turmeric for its medicinal properties? If it works for you, continue to use it. If you’ve thought about adding it to your diet, give it a try. It’s safe to use, and studies have shown virtually no toxicity, even in high doses.
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