CornerStone PT & Wellness Center - August 2019

Take a look at our newsletter this month.

AUGUST 2019

CORNERSTONE Monthly

77 Brant Avenue, Suite 101, Clark NJ 07066 • www.cornerstoneptnj.com • 732.499.4540

Cornerstone PT Patients

Seeing as we’re squarely in “the dog days of summer,” I wanted to write about the furriest member of the De La Fuente family, our yellow lab Bristal. At 9 years old, she’s getting up there in age, but she’s still as loving and full of joy as ever. Every time I come home, she’s right there to greet me, always putting a smile on my face. Of course, Bristal wasn’t the first dog in the family. Before her, and before our kids were even born, we had Raider. He was a great dog in his own right and really lent a helping paw in shaping our family. In many of these articles, I mention how my wife and I are a team, working to make sure at least one of us can be there to support our kids despite their busy sports schedules. Raider was the one who trained us how to do that. We adopted him one year after we got married, and we realized how much our schedules needed to change. We were young, busy professionals, used to coming and going as we pleased. Now, we had this other being who needed our care. So, we had to coordinate with one another to make sure he always had food and a walk no matter what. Thanks to Raider, we knew we were ready for a family. Of course, eventually Raider passed on. We didn’t immediately jump to get a new dog after losing him; I think we needed that time to mourn. But then other tragedies struck our family. My wife lost her father and grandfather in rapid succession, and we were all wracked with grief. It was becoming clear we needed to bring a spark of joy back to our household — and that’s when we learned about Bristal. My uncle is a veterinarian in Pennsylvania and always keeps an eye out for animals in need of a good home. He introduced us to Raider all those years ago, and, right in our moment of need, he told us about Bristal. He first mentioned the young lab to me and my wife at a holiday party, and we weren’t sure at first. But, over the course of the week, we found ourselves talking about the pup MEET BRISTAL! ONE FOR THE DOGS

VIP Referral Patient of the Month!

ELENA SALVADOR

more and more. My wife had a lot of questions about Bristal, and eventually, I just told her to call my uncle and ask. When she got off the phone the verdict was clear: “We’re getting the dog.” Unwilling to wait any longer, we set off on the day after Christmas in the early morning. We wanted it to be a surprise for the kids, so we had to sneak out. Unfortunately, the worst snow storm of the year was on its way to meet us. After the two-hour drive to Harrisburg, the first flakes started falling. Knowing the storm was on its way, we didn’t have too much time to chat with my uncle. We got Bristal into the backseat with my wife and headed straight back to New Jersey. Along the way, the snow fell thicker and thicker, but Bristal did great in the car. She and my wife bonded instantaneously during that trek, and to this day, they are almost inseparable. By the time we made it home, 26 inches of snow blanketed the town. I trudged inside and had the kids sit on the couch and close their eyes. When they opened them, there was Mom and their new best friend. I’ll never forget how our kids jumped for joy. Nine years later, Bristal is still making us smile — she’s a constant reminder we can always find happiness in the simple things of life. I’m grateful for the lessons she and Raider have taught our family and all the great memories we’ve made with them.

The best compliment we can receive is to have one of our patients refer a friend or family member to our practice. If you refer someone and we are able to take them as a patient, both you and the person who was referred

Thank You! will be entered to win a $25 gift card! It’s just our way of saying

Here’s to all the ways pets make our lives better,

–David DeLaFuente

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August: Children’s Eye Health and Safety Month

“Before coming here, I was not able to play softball due to significant pain in my left quad. Coming here fixed my leg, and I was finally able to get back to softball. Thank you Dr. David for healing me.”

–Alessandra C.

Our five senses help us interact with the world around us, and children are especially aware of their world through touch, taste, sound, smell, and sight. To ensure kids can learn from their surroundings, it’s important to take them for an annual eye exam. August is Children’s Eye Health and Safety Month, and if your kids haven’t had an eye exam, now is the perfect time. A CHILD’S FIRST EYE EXAMINATION According to All About Vision, a child’s first eye examination should take place at about 6 months old. When the child turns 3, eye exams should become more frequent to ensure their eyes are healthy and that they have no vision impairments. Similar to doctor or dental visits, taking a child to a trusted children’s eye doctor will detect vision problems such as astigmatism, nearsightedness, and farsightedness. If any problems are found, they can prescribe lenses to correct their vision and keep their eyes healthy. PROTECTING A CHILD’S EYES Keeping up with eye exams will ensure a child’s eyes are healthy, but safety is also important. If a child is outside, make sure they wear sunglasses to protect their eyes from harmful UV rays or provide shade if they are in a stroller. With the new school year starting up, kids will be joining sports teams and engaging in classroom activities. Students should wear safety glasses when participating in chemistry projects and the proper gear for their athletic activities. GET YOUR KIDS INVOLVED You can observe the holiday by teaching your kids the importance of eye safety and health. The National Eye Institute has useful information and activities for your kids to enjoy. They provide videos such as “Ask a Scientist” where they explore and explain colorblindness, nearsightedness, farsightedness, eye-related myths, and much more. You can visit their website at Nei.nih.gov/kids.

“I dislocated my knee and overstretched my MCL from playing volleyball. I started physical therapy to strengthen my knee. I attended physical therapy three times per week and worked extremely hard, so I could get back to volleyball which I love. The physical therapy I received here helped me get better fast. All of the therapists at Cornerstone were very nice and encouraging. Now I am back to playing volleyball. Thank you all!” –Danielle S.

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ALL ABOUT CLASS The Power of a Class IV Laser

In the past we’ve talked about the many benefits of our class IV therapy laser and how it has expanded options for patients who may have otherwise needed painkillers or surgery. But why do we always go out of our way to mention it’s a class IV laser? Well, for those with sports injuries or chronic pain, this distinction means quite a lot.

WHAT DO THESE NUMBERS MEAN?

injured tissue with photons to stimulate circulation, more energy particles reaching your injury is better. That’s why class IV lasers are used for deep tissue therapy; they reach muscles and tendons that class IIIs can’t. ARE DIFFERENT LASERS NEEDED FOR DIFFERENT TREATMENTS? By and large, no. Basically any ailment that could be treated by a class III laser can be treated by a class IV but not the other way around. That’s why we invested in a class IV model — we can treat a wider range of conditions, and treatment times are much faster. Best of all, class IVs can alleviate a larger area of damaged tissue at once, making them perfect for widespread issues like lower back aches and arthritis.

A laser’s class essentially designates wattage — how much power output it has. The higher the class, the greater the laser’s output. For example, class III lasers are limited to 0.5 watts, while class IV models can range from 0.5 to 15 watts. This higher magnitude of energy makes class IV lasers more common in the science and medical fields. WATTAGE? AM I GOING TO GET SHOCKED? Not at all! Having a higher wattage simply means a laser can release a greater concentration of photons with more penetrating power than models with lower wattage. Because laser therapy works by flooding

So, when we take the time to say “class IV deep tissue therapy laser,” we aren’t just doing it to sound like a science fiction novel. This classification means faster, more effective treatment for those in pain.

SENEGALESE LAMB SKEWERS

Adapted from a recipe by famed Southern chef Sean Brock, these skewers are seasoned in a Senegalese style and served alongside mustard-flavored onions.

INGREDIENTS

• • •

1/2 tbsp agave nectar

For the lamb: •

1 yellow onion, thinly sliced Salt and white pepper, to taste

2 lbs. trimmed leg of lamb, cut into 1-inch cubes 1 tbsp peanut oil, plus more for grilling

• •

Equipment •

Bamboo skewers

Salt and black pepper, to taste

For the onions: •

1/2 cup distilled white vinegar

1/2 cup Dijon mustard

DIRECTIONS

1. In a bowl, coat lamb with 1 tbsp oil and generously season with salt and pepper. 2. In a mixing bowl, whisk together vinegar, mustard, and agave nectar. Toss in onions and season with salt and pepper.

3. Heat a grill or grill pan to medium and oil the grates. 4. Thread lamb on skewers and grill for 6–8 minutes. 5. Serve alongside onions.

Inspired by Food & Wine Magazine

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77 Brant Avenue, Suite 101 Clark, NJ 07066 732.499.4540 www.cornerstoneptnj.com

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INSIDE This Issue

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One for the Dogs

Testimonials

Promoting Children’s Eye Health and Safety

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The Power of a Class IV Laser

Senegalese Lamb Skewers

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The Art of Stargazing

HELPING HUMANS SLOW DOWN AND LOOK UP The Art of Stargazing

Modern humans are stuck in a routine of expected and constant industriousness. But with all this rushing, people often drag themselves home at night with no energy left to enjoy the most splendid show nature has to offer: the wondrous night sky. Most people go through life looking straight ahead, but if they would stop and peer skyward, they’d bear witness to a massive, unexplored frontier made up of the moon in all its phases, burning stars sailing through the sky, constellations with epic origin stories, and meteor showers bright enough to warrant sunglasses. If you’re looking for a hobby to help you slow down and appreciate the world around you, stargazing is a great option. Here are some tips to get you started.

with binoculars instead. You’ll need to identify several anchor planets or constellations to help you navigate the sky before using a telescope.

3. Utilize Assets Put your phone to good use by downloading apps like Stellarium, Starwalk, and Google Sky Map. Each of these apps offers a unique benefit for aspiring stargazers. For example, Starwalk lets you point your phone at the sky to see stars, constellations, and planets in real time based on your location. 4. Mark Your Calendar In 1972, beloved singer-songwriter John Denver wrote about a meteor shower he witnessed during a camping trip in Colorado. He describes the scene by singing, “I’ve seen it raining fire in the sky.” The “fire” he recounted was actually the Perseids meteor shower, the most recognized shower on Earth. This astrological wonder takes place every year from July 17 to Aug. 24. During this time, viewers should be able to see shooting stars associated with the Perseids, but the shower reaches its maximum rate of activity on Aug. 12–13 this year. Grab some friends and family, and head outdoors to put your newfound stargazing knowledge to work.

1. The Higher, the Better If you’re a city dweller, meander a little way out of town or try to find a tall building to keep the light pollution to a minimum.

2. Extra Set of Eyes While novice stargazers often want to immediately throw their money at a new telescope, astronomy experts recommend starting

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