GRATITUDE AND HEALTH Feeling thankful can improve your health in both direct and indirect ways. Some research shows that the experience of gratitude can induce a sense of relaxation, improve the immune system, and decrease blood pressure. But grateful people also tend to cultivate better health habits, like eating more nutritious food, exercising, and avoiding risky behaviors. In addition, the optimism that stems from gratitude can create a healing attitude: research shows that people with optimistic attitudes have better outcomes after medical procedures. GRATITUDE AND JOY Robert Emmons, an internationally renowned scientific expert on gratitude, has found that acknowledging the good in life has a tendency to amplify positive emotions, such as joy and contentment, because it helps us slow down. “I think gratitude allows us to participate more in life,” he says. “We notice the positives more, and that magnifies the pleasures you get from life.” Consider the last time you had a good cup of coffee—did you pay attention to the warmth of the cup on your hands, or the feeling of pleasure as you took the first sip? It’s easy to ignore these small moments of positivity in our day as we rush from one activity to another, but stopping to appreciate them makes them more powerful. GRATITUDE AND RESILIENCE Practicing gratitude can also make you better equipped to handle the difficulties of life that inevitably arise. In fact, according to Emmons, it’s an essential part of the process of healing from trauma. Even despair can be mitigated by the experience of appreciation for the good, however slight it might be. Many survivors of the Holocaust, when asked to tell their stories, remember most strongly the feelings of gratitude for food, shelter, or clothing that was offered to them. This sense of thankfulness for the small blessings helped them maintain their humanity despite experiencing a horrific tragedy. Many people with life-threatening illnesses also report decreased distress and increased positive emotions when they practice gratitude. Recent MRI studies have mapped the gratitude circuitry in the brain, which activates a sense of reward, fairness, and decision-making—all aspects that help facilitate survival and post- traumatic growth. Sources:Emmons,R. (2010November16).Whygratitude isgood.GreaterGood.Retrieved fromhttp://greatergood.berkeley.edu/ article/item/why_gratitude_is_good .Emmons,R.A.,Stern,R. (2013).Gratitudeasapsychotherapeutic intervention.JournalofClinical Psychology;69(8),846-855.Excerpts taken fromhttps://www.takingcharge.csh.umn.edu/10-ways-be-more-thankful-person BEING GRATEFUL IS GOOD FOR YOU
OUR SERVICES • MANUAL THERAPY • ULTRASOUND • ELECTRICAL STIMULATION • KINESIO TAPING • TRIGGER POINT THERAPY • GRASTON TECHNIQUE • JOINT MOBILIZATION • ORTHOTICS • THERAPEUTIC EXERCISE
Keep up with your physical therapy exercises to relieve pain and prevent further injuries. If your pain doesn’t subside, consult with your therapist about what other things might be causing pain. Call Core Physical Therapy for a complimentary injury consultation. We will guide you so you can get back to the activities you love. HAS YOUR PA I N COME BACK? 1 2 3
ARE YOU IN PAIN? You may benefit from physical therapy if you suffer with:
EXERC I SE ESSENT I AL S USE THIS EXERCISE TO STRENGTHEN BACK MUSCLES
• Shoulder Pain • Knee Pain • Problems Walking • Dizziness
• Lower Back Pain • Arthritis • Sciatica
Exercisescopyrightof
• Neck Pain • Headaches
We can get you out of pain and back to the things you love! CALL 260-226-7329
BRACE MARCHING While lying on your back with your knees bent, slowly raise up one foot a few inches and then set it back down. Next, perform on your other leg. Use your stomach muscles to keep your spine from moving. Repeat 10 times.
Always consult your physical therapist or physician before starting exercises you are unsure of doing.
Made with FlippingBook flipbook maker