Take a look at our April newsletter!
physical therapy and rehabilitation
April 2024
3600 Miller Road, Flint, MI 48503 • 810-620-8042 • horizonptflint.com
Spot Stress, Reduce Stress Preventing Chronic Strain
As a business owner, doctor of physical therapy, and manager of an active clinic with several employees, I see stress coming from many places. The key to managing stress is exactly that — seeing it coming. I have a mental image that reminds me to anticipate stress and dial it down before it reaches harmful levels. I imagine speeding down a track in a race car, and a curve is coming up. But instead of slowing down for the curve, I hit it at 200 mph (a little like Bubba Wallace at Talladega). I can handle the curve, but the car is shaking like it’s ready to fall apart. The faster I go, the less control I have. If I had prepared for the curve by slowing down, I would have had far less trouble navigating it. Remembering that image helps me see stress coming, adjust my speed, and build my resiliency in advance. If I am prepared, I can handle most of the curves life throws me without destructive stress levels. April is recognized as National Stress Awareness Month to draw attention to the negative effects of chronic stress. According to the National Institutes of Health, managing stress is essential to mental and physical well-being. Short- term effects include anxiety, disrupted sleep, headaches, an upset stomach, and impaired mental focus. If stress becomes chronic, symptoms can include heart disease, back or muscle pain, depression, and a weakened immune system, making any preexisting health problems even worse. I often have to explain these symptoms to patients. Those who work in stressful jobs may have neck pain from sitting in front of a screen for hours or related problems early, reducing strain, building resilience, and knowing where to go for help.” “The key preventive steps include recognizing stress-
tilting their head to look at a monitor. They may be hunching their shoulders or tensing their neck muscles, causing headaches. They may develop back spasms from too much time sitting, or jaw pain from clenching or grinding their teeth. And some may not even realize they’re causing these problems. Instead of immediately dealing with chronic pain, some patients wait and wait and wait. Meanwhile, the pain only increases, piling anxiety and health worries on top of the stress. Eventually, the problem worsens to the point where the patient has to miss work or have surgery they don’t want — all because they didn’t address stress-related problems when they first arose. The key preventive steps include recognizing stress-related problems early, reducing strain, building resilience, and knowing where to go for help. For patients who come to see us, we can sometimes figure out the cause of their pain and provide recommendations and exercises to help. In other cases, we might refer them to a physician. As a business owner, I also have to manage my stress. The challenges of business ownership can come flying at me from a variety of sources. Not only are my employees depending on me and looking to me for answers to their problems, but we may also have unhappy patients. Perhaps one of the employees isn’t doing their job well, or one of the staff members is acting like a boss when they are not actually a boss. It’s no wonder that nearly half of all small-business owners report grappling with uncomfortable levels of anxiety and stress. Getting enough sleep and eating healthy foods are essential to build resiliency. Positive self-talk can help, too. A mantra that works for me is, “Typically, things work out okay.” In my experience, if you keep moving ahead and allow some time for problems to work out, usually, with the help of your team, you can come up with solutions. That mindset, in turn, frees you from anxiety and creates an upward spiral in your psychological well-being, fostering mental calm and better decision-making. Over time, I believe these strategies make me a more effective business owner and therapist, allowing me to buoy the spirits of those around me.
-Dr. Jerome Adams
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A DIET SHOULD BE BALANCED
Eating With Intent
Nutrition trends come and go, but a holistic diet is a timeless approach to nourishing the body, mind, and spirit. Holistic nutrition is rooted in the belief that well-being encompasses more than physical health. Let’s explore what a holistic diet is and how it can affect you. At the core of a holistic diet is the idea that food is not merely fuel but a source of energy that influences every aspect of our being. This diet focuses on whole, unprocessed foods, with an emphasis on organic and locally sourced ingredients. The idea is that you can improve and optimize your overall health and well-being by choosing foods in their most natural states, devoid of additives and preservatives. Incorporating this mode of mindfulness and intentionality into your eating habits is a key aspect of holistic diets. By paying attention to where your food comes from and what is in it, individuals can cultivate a deeper connection with their meals. Learning about who grows your food will also promote a human
connection to food, often forgotten in this age of industrialization. Bringing that mindfulness and attention to texture, taste, and how food impacts your body will encourage better digestion and nutrient absorption. Furthermore, holistic diets often spotlight hydration. Adequate water intake is crucial for maintaining bodily functions, but it encourages detoxification, skin health, and mental health. Holistic diets recommend pure, filtered water over juice, soda, and mineral or sparkling water as a primary beverage choice. Water will further help digestive processes and complement the cleaner food you’ve added to your diet. A holistic diet can be part of a lifestyle that nourishes a whole person. By focusing on unprocessed foods, intentionality toward foods, and the interconnectedness of bodily systems, you begin a journey toward well-being within your body. It’s a reminder that true wellness involves every aspect of ourselves.
CLIENT SUCCESS STORIES “After two knee surgeries, my orthopedic surgeon sent me for physical therapy (against my wishes) because I continued to experience knee pain and discomfort. I arrived at Horizon with a negative attitude and a feeling of frustration. Upon meeting Dr. Patrice, I explained to her that therapy is pointless and I need another surgery. After she poked around, examining my knee and thigh, she calmly said, ‘I think we can help you.’ After only a few weeks of therapy, I was back to running again for the first time in two years. I am very thankful to the staff at Horizon.” –Anthony S.
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COUNTERING PANDEMIC POSTURE STRAIGHTEN YOUR STANCE FOR A PAIN-FREE LIFE
Trapezius: These muscles anchor the shoulder blades against the rib cage, and if they become weak, they allow the pecs to pull the shoulders forward. Strengthening them and stretching the pectoral muscles is an effective strategy to remedy rounded shoulders. Strengthening the serratus anterior muscle, located along the side of the ribs, can also aid in treatment. Scapula: Changing the position of the shoulder blades in relation to the rib cage can help strengthen and stretch the muscles involved in rounded shoulders. Try gently rolling your shoulders up, back, and down, lightly bringing the bottom of the shoulder blades together without lifting your sternum. When performed consistently, this exercise can help you stand up straighter, with your back arched and your shoulders back and down. What is the payoff of working these muscle groups consistently? Not only will you feel better and have less muscle strain and fatigue, but research suggests that a more erect stance will make you appear stronger and more trustworthy to others. Great posture also helps you walk gracefully and makes you appear taller, younger, and more slender. What’s not to like about that?
Many of us grew up hearing a parent or other adult nag us to “stand up straight” but still arrived at adulthood with rounded shoulders. The pandemic worsened the problem, as many home-based workers adopted a hunched-over “pandemic posture” from working on a couch or at an ergonomically deficient home desk. The good news is that a daily routine of exercise, cool-down time, and general muscle stretching can straighten rounded shoulders. A skilled physical therapist can instruct you in exercises to help you stretch and strengthen the relevant back, shoulder, and chest muscles. A controlled study of 28 individuals with rounded shoulders found that systematic physical therapy and exercise helped improve their posture in as little as two weeks. While multiple factors cause poor posture, here are the most basic body parts to work on: Pectorals: These muscles in the front of the chest pull the shoulder blades forward and contribute to a hunchbacked appearance when they become tight. Stretching the pecs can help correct rounded shoulders by changing the position of the shoulder blades in relation to the rib cage. Mobilizing the soft tissue in the pectoralis minor muscles by a physical therapist may also improve posture.
Have a Laugh
Ingredients Directions GRILLED STEAK WITH CHIMICHURRI SAUCE
•
2 lbs flank, sirloin, or skirt steak
1. Preheat grill to medium-high heat. 2. Rub the steak with the olive oil, salt, and pepper. 3. Grill the steak for 4–5 minutes per side or until it reaches desired doneness. 4. Meanwhile, make the chimichurri sauce: In a small bowl, mix together the parsley, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, red pepper flakes, and salt and pepper.
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2 tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste
For the chimichurri sauce: •
1 cup fresh parsley, chopped
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2 cloves garlic, minced
Juice of 1 lemon 2 tbsp olive oil
5. Let the steak rest for 5 minutes before slicing. 6. Serve the steak with the chimichurri sauce and enjoy!
1 tsp red pepper flakes Salt and pepper, to taste
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3600 Miller Road Flint, MI 48503
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THIS ISSUE Inside
Nip Stress in the Bud to Protect Your Health
Exploring the Holistic Diet Lifestyle
Client Success Stories
Rescue Your Back From the Work- From-Home Slump
Grilled Steak With Chimichurri Sauce
Easter Eggs Around the World
An Egg-Cellent Global Tradition Decorating Easter eggs with paints, dyes, and stickers is a time-honored tradition spanning thousands of years. Many cultures use eggs to symbolize rebirth, renewal, and fertility, and the human need to decorate everything has ensured there are different egg-painting traditions worldwide. Orthodox Christians take decorated hard-boiled eggs and smack them against another person’s egg. Whoever’s egg doesn’t break is said to have good luck for the coming year. The egg is dyed multiple times in a variety of colors, and more wax is applied in between each color to create a mesmerizing display of color and detail. Some cultures even use raw eggs as part of the challenge.
Eastern Europeans push egg painting to the limit, featuring highly intricate and breathtaking designs. Designs are drawn with pencil on a hollowed-out egg, then using a needle-like stylus called a kistka, those lines are covered in wax.
In Ukraine, egg painting season lasts all year, and many households keep a bowl of beautifully decorated eggs for good luck. Their egg-painting pre-dates Christianity, as seen by Ukrainians’ many egg-centered traditions. For example, some people bury eggs beneath their front door to protect their family’s health. Painting eggs is a tradition in almost every culture. From continent to continent, faith to faith, people grab a brush (or kistka) to give a little white egg some color. In almost every pocket of human civilization, someone’s probably decorating an egg.
Iranian celebrants commemorate Nowruz (Iranian New Year) around the spring equinox by painting eggs and placing them on altars. This tradition comes from ancient Persian and Zoroastrian traditions and has since become a common practice for people regardless of faith. The Easter egg as we know it today is derived from Jewish tradition, in which a roasted white egg is placed on the seder plate during Passover. Orthodox Christians paint eggs red to symbolize Jesus’ blood. Additionally, some sects of
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