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APRIL 2021
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EastTennessee Physical Therapy News
SUGAR ON THE BRAIN!
FROM THE DESK OF
DANNY D. SMITH
Kick Your Sugar Habit and Feel Better Than Ever!
To continue our conversation about what makes us successful, I will focus on our relationship with our patients. I have always been told, even when I was a student physical therapist, the most important patient you see is the one sitting in front of you. We have adhered to that philosophy for 40-plus years with all our staff. Nothing takes the place of one-on-one contact with each patient who comes through our door. This begins with the front office and carries over to all the therapists and technicians. We pride ourselves on the personal attention we offer each patient. Additionally, we are turning over a new leaf. We have a bilingual physical therapist to our staff: Dr. Sylvester Contreras, who is a recent graduate from the Doctor of Physical Therapy program at East Tennessee State University, graduating with high honors including the Outstanding Student Award. He is a native of Irving, TX, and is anxious to serve our community, especially the Spanish speaking population. As always, should you have any questions regarding the services we provide, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Sugar is in so much of what we eat. It exists naturally in the food we love, such as fruits and vegetables, but it’s also added to food to make it taste better. What food makers won’t tell you, however, is that sugar is addictive. Very addictive. They know it, and they use that to their advantage. While sugar does a lot to make many foods taste better, it’s very unhealthy for our bodies — and our brains, specifically. We all know sugar, whether it’s cane sugar or high fructose corn syrup, is a major contributor to obesity, diabetes, and cancer, but it may be changing the way we think, too. It’s been linked to the development of depression and other common mental disorders. The problem is, because sugar is in so much of what we eat and drink, we end up consuming far more than we should. The American Heart Association (AHA), for example, says we should keep our intake to less than 150 calories (nine teaspoons) per day for men and 100 calories (six teaspoons) for women. That might not sound like a lot, but one 12-ounce can of Coca-Cola contains 39 grams (about 10 teaspoons) of sugar. Fruit beverages aren’t much better — and some, especially fruit cocktail beverages, are much worse. To put it in perspective, the AHA notes that the average American adult consumes 77 grams (over 19 teaspoons) of sugar each day. All this sugar is doing a lot of damage. Here’s why: While sugar consumption is a leading cause of obesity, the “brain” problem is one that doesn’t get talked about nearly as often. As an addictive substance, it messes with our brains. Every time you eat sugar, your brain releases “reward” chemicals like dopamine. When that happens, you feel satisfied. A growing body of research has called sugar as addictive as some hard drugs, such as heroin. It may sound like an extreme comparison, but studies have found that it’s an accurate one. Researchers at Princeton University came to this conclusion after running several tests on rats. Throughout their research, they found that the “sugar” rats behaved as if addicted to certain drugs, like heroin or cocaine.
–Danny
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One of the biggest takeaways from the experience, and something we can all apply to our daily lives, is how they managed to eliminate so much sugar from their diet. It all came down to controlling what they ate — making all their snacks and meals from scratch and being aware of every single ingredient they were using and putting in their body. This is also one of the biggest reasons why so many people fail at cutting down on sugar. It’s hard and it takes effort. But it’s not something you have to do all at once. Going cold turkey on added sugar is a miserable experience. What you can do instead is just make incremental changes. One way to do that (and in my opinion, the easiest way) is to portion it out. Start with one meal or your daily snacks. For example, remove all added and extra sugar from your dinners. Do this for a week or two. Then add in lunch and do that for a week or two. Slowly cut out sugar from each part of your day until it’s gone. It might take a couple of months, but you’ll get there! And once you do, you’ll start thinking more clearly, you’ll feel better, and as a bonus, because you’re eating less sugar, naturally sweet foods will have a more intense flavor. That sounds pretty good to me!
Sprout Your Kids’ Imagination WITH 3 FUN EARTH DAY PROJECTS With spring officially underway, April showers starting to bring May flowers, and Earth Day on April 22, now is a great time for outdoor family activities. One for the Birds Making a pine cone bird feeder is a fun and inexpensive project. In addition to creating and hanging your bird feeder, you’ll get hours of extra entertainment from watching the birds it will attract to your yard. If your kids are older, take photos of the birds or note their colors and features and look them up in a field guide or online. This craft just requires a pine cone (the bigger the better), peanut butter, and some twine or string. Top the peanut butter with “sprinkles” of mixed birdseed or small pieces of nuts and fruit to appeal to even more birds. For full instructions, visit TheSpruce.com and search “pine cone bird feeder.” An Egg-cellent Planter Save those eggshells from breakfast (and the paper carton, too!) and use them to start a garden! Your little ones will enjoy planting some seeds, watering them, and watching them sprout and grow into something new. When the sprouts are big enough and it’s warm enough outside, you can plant the shell and carton directly into the ground! The researchers gave sugar to the rats and increased their intake over time. Eventually, the rats were used to the sugar (that is, they consumed it, but it took more to achieve the same brain stimulation). Then, the researchers reduced and removed the sugar. The rats went into what could only be described as withdrawal. They had what was interpreted as cravings and manic behavior as well as relapse later in the experiment. Testing hasn’t just been limited to rats. In 2015, a writer with Fast Company put their sugar “dependence” to the test. They tried to cut it out of their day as best as they could. It turned out to be much harder than expected. As part of this experiment, the author tried to make all their meals only using fresh ingredients — keeping all added sugar out of the equation. Initially, they didn’t notice much change. But it didn’t take long before they noticed things were changing, describing it as a “roller coaster ride” of emotion and cognition. Early in the experiment, the author noted having extreme sugar cravings. It was something they had to desperately fight — but they fought it. After two weeks, they reported feeling significantly better. They could think more clearly and had better focus. It’s a state of mind we could all use more of!
This easy project just requires rinsed eggshell halves, some lightly moistened potting soil, and seeds of your choosing. Note that smaller seeds, like those for herbs, lettuces, peppers, or tomatoes, work best for this project. For full instructions, visit GardenBetty.com and search “starting seeds in eggshells.” Stick With Magic Nature is a magical place. Many kids know this instinctively and often point out things adults take for granted or overlook, like bright-colored leaves, fun-shaped rocks, and acorn “hats.” Making a nature wand is a great way to let your kids explore their environment, whether that’s in your backyard, on a neighborhood walk, or in your favorite park. Let their imaginations run wild with what their magic wand can do! This simple project starts with a stick and masking tape. Your kids add all the extra flair by hunting for natural treasures and sticking them onto their wand. Complete instructions can be found at LaughingKidsLearn.com/nature-wands-outdoor-play .
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Top 3 Books You’ll Want to Check Out IN HONOR OF LIBRARIES AND MENTAL HEALTH! No matter where you or a loved one are in your mental health journey, books can provide new insights through someone else’s experiences or the medical field’s scientific understanding of mental health. So, in honor of National Library Week (April 4–10) and National Librarian Day (April 16), let’s open up a few contemporary, definitive works on mental health to celebrate books and their availability through our public libraries.
Featuring interviews with experts across the world, Hari’s book shares his personal quest to understand depression and concrete reasons we experience it. He’s found that certain lost connections with ourselves are often the reason we feel depressed — and, luckily, solutions exist. Even Elton John loves the book, saying, “If you have ever been down, or felt lost, this amazing book will change your life. Do yourself a favour — read it now.”
‘Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Made Simple: 10 Strategies for Managing Anxiety, Depression, Anger, Panic, and Worry’ by Seth J. Gillihan, Ph.D.
Too anxious to go into therapy? Thankfully, you can practice cognitive behavioral therapy on yourself in a few ways. Start your healing process today with this easy- to-understand yet medically sophisticated workbook, which contains 10 soothing strategies like setting goals, maintaining mindfulness, and more. You can also use this workbook in tandem with clinical cognitive behavioral therapy or post-therapy.
‘This Is Depression: A Comprehensive, Compassionate Guide for Anyone Who Wants to Understand Depression’ by Dr. Diane McIntosh
‘Lost Connections: Uncovering the Real Causes of
Are you completely lost on what depression is exactly? Is it a clinical or emotional issue, or both? Whether for a loved one’s sake or your own, this book can give you a thorough understanding of depression that a simple Google search simply can’t offer. You’ll love Dr. Diane McIntosh’s evidence-based approach to showing the causes, impact, and treatment of depression. Even if your local library is still closed due to the pandemic, we hope you check one of these — or any book — out! And if you have a great book recommendation, we’d love to hear it. Have a wonderful, book-filled April, friends.
Depression — and the Unexpected Solutions’ by Johann Hari This is one of the most recent mental health books that shocked the world.
Sheet Pan Chicken Dinner Inspired by TheSpruceEats.com
Take a Break!
INGREDIENTS
• 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch chunks • 2 medium sweet potatoes, cut into 1-inch chunks • 1 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp soy sauce • 1 tbsp lemon juice • 1 tbsp honey
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper • 1 large head of broccoli, cut into florets
• 1/4 tsp pepper • 2 tbsp canola oil
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 425 F. 2. On a large baking sheet, combine chicken, sweet potatoes, salt, and pepper. Drizzle with oil and toss to coat. 3. Bake for 15 minutes. In the meantime, make the sauce by combining the soy sauce, lemon juice, honey, and cayenne pepper. 4. Remove pan from oven and use a spatula to flip the chicken and potatoes, then add broccoli florets. 5. Drizzle sauce evenly over top and return to the oven to bake for an additional 15 minutes or until chicken has an internal temperature of 165 F and vegetables are fork-tender.
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Inside This Issue From the Desk of Dr. Smith PAGE 1 Beware of the Sugar Brain! PAGE 1 3 Fun Earth Day Projects for Families PAGE 2 Top 3 Mental Health Books to Check Out PAGE 3 Take a Break PAGE 3 Sheet Pan Chicken Dinner PAGE 3 How Lulu the Pig Saved Her Owner From a Heart Attack PAGE 4
Man’s Smartest Friend Lulu the Pot-Bellied Pig’s Cunning Plan to Save Her Owner
According to animal experts, pigs are smarter than any other domestic animal, including cats and dogs. That may seem hard to believe, as you probably associate pigs with a pink, smelly animal that oinks and rolls around in the muck. However, the story of how Lulu the pot-bellied pig saved her owner’s life might persuade you to reconsider. Back in 1998 (otherwise this story would have certainly gone viral), Lulu the pig was a permanent fixture at Jo Ann and Jack Altsman’s property in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania. They had initially only taken Lulu from her original owner, the Altsmans’ daughter, for a temporary stay, but they ended up bonding with Lulu, and she was with them for much longer than expected. On Aug. 4, Jo Ann suffered from a heart attack. Jack was out of town on a fishing trip, and even though Jo Ann cried for help and even threw an alarm clock out the window, no one heard her cries from their somewhat secluded home. The family’s dog, Bear, barked and barked to no avail. Lulu, however, knew Jo Ann needed help quickly and waddled into action.
Lulu made her way to the nearest road, scraping her skin in the process and leaving it torn and bleeding. Once she reached the road, she laid down as if to play dead. Not long after that, a passing driver saw Lulu and stopped to check on her. Once Lulu was sure she had the driver’s attention, she got up and waddled back toward her home, leading the driver to where Jo Ann lay on the floor. When the driver found Jo Ann, he immediately called 911, and emergency services took her to a medical center for open-heart surgery. Had just 15 more minutes passed without help, Jo Ann would have died. For her heroism, Lulu received the Tiffany gold hero’s medal from the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and made multiple television appearances as her fame spread. Hopefully, she was smart enough to know just how much she was appreciated.
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