Horizon PT February 2018

MATTERS OF THE HEART Physical Therapy and Heart Health It’s nearly Valentine’s Day, and we all have hearts on the brain: heart- shaped balloons or boxes of chocolates, red hearts on Valentine’s cards, and that special person who has your heart. It’s no wonder we use hearts to symbolize things of value. The human heart is an incredible biological machine, crucial to the body’s ability to function properly. Unfortunately, we can sometimes focus more on those heart-shaped chocolates than on the health of our own heart. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports 610,000 people die from heart disease annually — that’s one in every four deaths. The majority of these tragic deaths are entirely preventable. Exercise has been proven to be the most effective treatment in preventing heart disease, and we don’t have to try improving our heart health alone. Physical therapists are experts when it comes to improving and maintaining the health of our hearts. By working with patients to create a customized workout plan, PTs encourage health and fitness while simultaneously identifying risk factors, limitations, and impairments. If you are looking to avoid suffering from a cardiac-related condition, physical therapy can be invaluable in improving your physical fitness, enhancing your quality

of life, and reducing your chances of high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and heart disease.

For patients who have survived a heart attack or who struggle with heart disease, rehabilitation programs offered by your physical therapist can put you on the road to recovery. In addition to creating a workout routine, your physical therapist can also recommend nutrition strategies, dietary supplements, and weight loss programs to help improve your heart health. Physical therapists are able to act in the role of personal trainer, helping guide their patients down the path that will best address their individual needs, rather than relying on a one-size-fits-all formula. This Valentine’s Day, don’t let fake hearts have all your attention. Show some love to your own heart by calling 810-620-8042. Let Horizon PT show you how easy it can be to improve your heart health and overall conditioning!

Hong Kong EGG TARTS

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Ingredients Celebrate Chinese NewYear in stylewith these egg tarts! Originally a Portuguese delicacy, thesemarketplace treatswere influenced by British custard tarts and eventually became aHong Kong staple.

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1 cup confectioners’ sugar 3 cups all-purpose flour

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2/3 cup white sugar

1 cup butter

1 1/2 cups water

10 eggs, beaten Vanilla extract

1 cup evaporated milk

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, mix confectioners’ sugar and flour. Mix in butter with a fork until crumbly. Stir in 1 beaten egg and a dash of vanilla until doughy. Shape dough into 1 1/2-inch balls and press into tart molds. Use 2 fingers to fold down edges of dough. 2. Heat oven to 450 F. In a medium saucepan, combine white sugar and water; bring to a boil. Simmer until sugar is dissolved, then let cool. Strain remaining 9 eggs through a sieve, then whisk in sugar mixture. Stir in evaporated milk and a dash of vanilla. Strain the mixture again and fill tart shells. 3. Bake 15–20 minutes, until golden brown.

(Recipe inspired by AllRecipes.com.)

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