Take a look at our August newsletter!
AUGUST 2021
WWW.BERMANPT.COM | 239-431-0232
INTRODUCING: THE BERMAN METHOD FUNDAMENTAL ANALYSIS OUR WAY TO HELP YOU PREVENT CHRONIC PAIN FROM RUINING YOUR GOLF GAME
If you know me at all, you might never have expected me to say this, but it’s okay to do some passive stretching this month . I, Dr. Jake Berman, am giving you permission to do so. While I normally hate passive stretching and, instead, advocate for dynamic stretching, there’s one stretch I want you to try this month. It will help you determine and increase the range of motion in your hips — but we’ll get to that in a second. First, I want to tell you about why you should do this particular stretch. In August, we’re still deep in the throes of golf season, and hip range of motion is pretty important when you’re playing golf. Greater flexibility in your hips means a lesser likelihood of back pain. In fact, greater flexibility and range of motion will go a long way in decreasing chronic pain and letting you enjoy more time golfing throughout your life. That’s why I developed a test that can show you where you need to improve your form and flexibility: the Berman Method Fundamental Analysis. The Berman Method Fundamental Analysis is an assessment of your entire body based on 10 different measurements. You can score anywhere between 0 and 30. If you score between 0 and 10, that means you’re at a high risk for developing pain and/or golf limitations within the next three years. If you score between 11 and 19, that means you’re at a moderate risk for developing pain and/or golf limitations within the next five years. Finally, if you score between 20 and 30, that means you’re at minimal risk of developing pain and/or golf limitations within the next seven years. The stiffer certain joints in your body are, the less range of motion you have — and the more likely you will compensate for that lack of range by overextending another part of your body, leading to chronic pain. Do you want to prevent chronic back pain from ruining your golf game? Come in to Berman PT for a Berman Method Fundamental Analysis! It’s free for anyone who’s purchased a golf performance session as well, meaning you’ll get a $247 value absolutely free! Let us help you take the first steps toward improving your golf game and help you live your everyday life free of chronic pain!
A quick biomechanics lesson will be useful here. Your spine consists of three main sections: The cervical spine, which extends the length of your neck, is meant to extend up and down and twist left and right. It’s how you move your head. Your thoracic spine, which goes from the base of your neck to your belly button, twists left and right with minor flexion and extension abilities. Finally, your lumbar spine extends from your belly button down to your tailbone. You can move this part of your spine forward and backward, but not left and right. Meanwhile, your hip joints are ball-and-socket joints, which gives them the ability to twist kind of in all directions, moving the shoulders with them. And yet, instead of taking advantage of this hip motion, we often rely on our thoracic spine for most twisting motions, which can lead to back pain. This is where that passive stretch I was telling you about comes into play. While sitting down, take a golf club and hold it in front of your chest across your shoulders, with each hand on the opposite shoulder. Then, twist your upper body left and right. Then, look down each end of the club at a point in the distance. This is meant to mimic bad posture while you’re twisting. To mimic good posture, do the same twisting motion while pulling your belly button in as hard as you can and raising your head to look at the ceiling. You should be able to get 50% more rotation this way. I personally get 125% more. This movement is important in your golf swing, as well as in many other motions you do throughout the day, and using the wrong parts of your body to twist can easily lead to chronic back pain. This month, we’re offering a free Berman Method Fundamental Analysis to anyone who purchases a golf
performance session. That’s a $247 value for free. We’ll help you break down the muscle restrictions and limitations while also giving you the first steps toward improving your golf game and your everyday life.
–Dr. Jake Berman
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WANT TO GET THE MOST FROM YOUR HEALTH CARE? TRY THIS UNDERUSED TOOL
Are there alternatives to consider? Sometimes, the most common treatment isn’t necessarily the best one for you. If you’re hesitant to take a new medication because of the side effects, for example, ask about alternative medications or therapies. Be prepared that some alternative treatment options may require a greater commitment to lifestyle changes to see results. Follow-up question: Asking “Why do you recommend this procedure/medication over the other options?” will help you understand the factors your doctor has considered when making their recommendation to you. What results can I expect, and how long will it take? This is an often-overlooked question. Say you tell your doctor you have back pain, and they recommend physical therapy. You may be expecting to be pain-free ASAP, while they may think that a successful treatment will yield increased mobility and reduced pain over the course of a few months. It’s important to be on the same page about what to expect and how long it will take to see improvements.
When you’re sitting in your doctor’s office feeling unwell — your pain compounded by anxiety from researching your symptoms — it’s easy to assume the worst. You may be worried about whether your insurance will cover necessary medications or procedures and wonder if there are any good options that will actually help. These worries are normal and understandable, but there’s a rather simple way to ease your mind. To feel empowered to make the right health care decisions for yourself or your loved ones, you need to gather information, and that starts with asking good questions. What are the benefits and the risks? To make an educated decision about your health care, you need to know the good, the bad, and the ugly of treatment options your practitioner presents. Since you want to get better, it’s easy to remember to ask how suggested procedures or medications will help. But don’t forget to ask about the downsides, risks, or potential complications.
Pro tip: To humanize the situation and help you understand how to think through a given decision, ask your provider: “What would you tell your family member about the benefits and risks of this procedure if they were considering it?”
A healthy dose of curiosity may be all you need to get more from your health care and feel confident in your decisions.
BY GOING BACK TO SCHOOL STAY SHARP AS YOU AGE
learning entirely new-to-them subjects, like how to speak a foreign language, use a new piece of technology, or make art. Convinced of the benefits but not sure where to turn to learn? Try these two sources. Most colleges are designed with the traditional, 20-something college student in mind, which may not appeal or be a great fit for adults in their 50s, 60s, and beyond. But many universities are starting to cater to an older crowd with lifelong learning programs. One example is the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at the University of Washington (UW). UW’s program offers a full course schedule on subjects in the arts, sciences, and current events taught by qualified faculty and provided at an affordable rate. There are over 100 such programs at universities across the U.S. Have a longtime dream to write children’s books? UC San Diego Extension has a certificate program for that! If you’re looking to dive into a single subject or perhaps you’d like to continue working in retirement or shift gears later in your career, certificate programs are a great option. No previous education is required. Most certificate programs are open to all, typically run for less than a year, and easily accommodate part-time learners. Celebrate your years of hard-earned wisdom but commit to keeping your brain young by going back to school this fall.
While you may be happy for the years of wisdom you’ve gained since being in your 20s and 30s, you might be missing the mental sharpness you once had. Why not have the best of both worlds? Scientists have found that the human brain changes with age — neurons fire more slowly, for example, and short-term memory recall can be more challenging — but that we often underestimate our capacity to continue learning as we grow older. Negative stereotypes about aging can reinforce these beliefs. However, new research is showing that older adults who’ve committed to immersive study of a new subject show brain function akin to someone 30 years younger. This goes beyond the tired advice to do a crossword puzzle or work a sudoku puzzle every day. The participants in this research study were
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IS THIS GOOD FOR ME? APPS TO HELP YOU MAKE SMART FOOD CHOICES
Switch It Up FoodSwitch is a mobile app developed by an international health advocacy group, The George Institute for Global Health. Even packaged foods that purport to be healthy can have high levels of salt, sugar, and saturated fat. While valuable information appears on nutritional labels, they can also leave you more mystified than empowered. In that case, simply open the FoodSwitch app, scan the bar code of the item you’re interested in, and get instant nutritional information and options for healthier alternatives. Each item gets a Health Star Rating from .5–5, making it easy to understand where the item falls on the health spectrum and how it compares to other brands. If that item doesn’t meet your dietary needs, let FoodSwitch recommend an alternative. In a Snap If you’re already a dedicated Snapchat user and don’t want to add another app to your phone, you’re in luck. Snapchat has recently implemented a scanning technology powered by the nutrition-tracking app Yuka. While it has similarities to FoodSwitch, the format Snapchat uses lays out the nutritional pros and cons of each item and gives each item an overall rating on the traffic-light system. Green means good to go, yellow means proceed with caution (moderation), and red means reconsider or only eat this item rarely.
Sometimes going grocery shopping can leave you feeling more like a detective than a human just trying to feed yourself and your family. Sleuthing down the snack aisle brings up questions about whether gluten-free means “good” and whether no added sugars means “nutritious.” The foundation of healthy snacking includes fresh fruits and vegetables, but how can you make smart (or smarter) choices when buying packaged snack foods? New smartphone apps mean the answer is just one bar code away.
With these two apps, you can put down your magnifying glass and pick up your smartphone. Making healthier snack choices is right at your fingertips.
TOMATO AND WATERMELON SALAD (YES, REALLY!) Inspired by BonAppetit.com
TAKE A BREAK!
Bon Appétit magazine calls tomato and watermelon “soul mates,” and they’re right! This surprising gourmet salad will be a hit at your next barbecue.
INGREDIENTS
• 1 tsp peppercorns, coarsely crushed • 1 tsp coriander seeds, coarsely crushed • 1/2 tsp cumin seeds • 1/2 tsp turmeric • 1/4 cup coconut oil
2. Combine the watermelon, tomatoes, and feta on a large platter or in a bowl. Drizzle with cooled turmeric oil. Now, simply sprinkle with sea salt and enjoy! • 4 cups seedless watermelon, rind removed and cut into 1/2-inch cubes • 2 heirloom tomatoes, cut into 1/2-inch cubes • 8 oz feta cheese, cut into 1/2-inch cubes • Sea salt, to taste
DIRECTIONS
1. In a small saucepan, sauté spices and herbs in the coconut oil for 3 minutes over medium heat to create turmeric oil. Take the pan off of the heat, then let it cool.
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Hours of Operation: Monday–Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
1. INTRODUCING: THE BERMAN 2. HOW TO GET THE MOST FROM YOUR HEALTH CARE GOING BACK TO SCHOOL LATER IN LIFE 3. APPS THAT HELP YOU SNACK SMARTER TOMATO AND WATERMELON SALAD (YES, REALLY!) 4. THE BENEFITS OF SOUND BATHS METHOD FUNDAMENTAL ANALYSIS INSIDE THIS ISSUE
As is the case with many self-care trends like yoga and meditation, what’s old is new again. The latest relaxation practice with ancient roots to make waves in modern times is sound baths. Celebs from Charlize Theron to Laurence Fishburne say they help promote relaxation and reduce stress. Kendall Jenner, who’s been public about her struggles with anxiety and sleep paralysis, also swears by the practice’s healing powers and has even started creating her own sound baths and sharing them on Instagram. While you can create a sound bath experience at home, most practitioners “bathe” at in-person sessions with “sounders” — those who create the soundscape. These sessions typically last 45–60 minutes. The idea behind the sonic experience is that bathers sit or lay in a relaxing position while gently focusing on the sounds they are immersed in. Sounders commonly use singing bowls, chimes, gongs, and other instruments to create a meditative and relaxing vibe. In fact, sounders say the vibrations of some instruments facilitate relaxation by literally changing the brainwaves. Health practitioners put it differently, saying that the practice MEDITATION NOT WORKING FOR YOU? TRY A SOUND BATH
promotes a parasympathetic autonomic nervous system response, aka a stress reduction response. Either way, the practice is a nice alternative to standard sitting meditation, which often focuses on the breath and can be difficult, especially for new practitioners. While there hasn’t been a lot of medical research done to test the efficacy of the practice, it is becoming a more widely used supplemental treatment for stress, anxiety, addiction, and post-traumatic stress disorder. If you get the chance to experience one yourself, try to approach it with an open mind and open ears. You just might be surprised.
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LEARN ABOUT THE BERMAN METHOD FUNDAMENTAL ANALYSIS
For the month of August, you’ll get a FREE Berman Method Fundamental Analysis if you purchase a golf performance session. That’s a $247 value absolutely free! So, if you want to spend more years out on the fairways, come see us at Berman PT today! Do you want to play golf for as many more years of your life as you can? Is chronic pain already taking its toll on your game? The latest offering at Berman PT can help you take care of that: The BERMAN METHOD FUNDAMENTAL ANALYSIS. This test assesses the longevity of your time to play golf with 10 different measurements that rate your flexibility and range of motion on a scale from 0 to 30. See the meaning of each score below: • 0–10: High risk of developing pain and/or golf limitations within the next three years • 11–19: Moderate risk of developing pain and/or golf limitations within the next five years • 20–30: Minimal risk of developing pain and/or golf limitations within the next seven years
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