Thomas Physical Therapy - October 2018

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THE THOMAS TIMES apples bats & chicken feed

OCTOBER 2018

Randy’s Ramblings

WHAT CAN I DO TO STOP THIS PAIN?

Pain can be so frustrating!

The pain itself consumes us and makes us miserable. But the worry and uncertainty associated with it make us suffer and limit our activities in the very things that bring joy to our lives. We don’t sleep well. We feel trapped and helpless and don’t know what to do. The thought of surgery frightens us. The inconvenience and the expense can be overwhelming and there is no guarantee that we’ll be any better off after the surgery. The medications sometimes dull the pain but they also dull us in the process. So what can we do to regain control of our bodies and start the process of becoming healthier and happier? Empower yourself with knowledge! Learn how to take care of your body, prevent further deterioration, and create the best environment for your body to heal. We offer two free monthly workshops listed in this newsletter that are packed with information to get you started on the road to recovery!

S ecret O rigins of H alloween T raditions

What’s scarier than being at a Halloween party without a good costume? Being at a Halloween party without anything interesting to add, of course! Avoid this nightmare scenario by learning the fascinating history behind everyone’s favorite Halloween traditions.

WHERE DID ALL THESE BATS COME FROM?

Halloween decorations tend to rely on scary or supernatural themes. Cobwebs, skeletons, and ghosts crowd the scene, but there are usually a few bats in there as well. Compared to jangling skeletons, these little mammals aren’t that scary. While bats do risk carrying rabies, for the most part, bats are more likely to help people by eating mosquitoes than harm anyone. So why are they part of our creepy Halloween decor? Bats were associated with Halloween long before the first trick-or-treaters. When celebrating the ancient festival Samhain — a precursor to Halloween — the Celts lit huge bonfires. These fires attracted insects, which in turn attracted bats looking for a midnight snack. Bats came to be linked to Samhain and that tradition was carried into modern Halloween. Giving out apples instead of candy is a surefire way to get your house egged by angry trick- or-treaters. On a night that’s all about candy and sweets, how did we come to play a game involving fruit? Surprisingly, the old game of bobbing for apples has roots in some more romantic traditions. Bobbing for apples was a part fortune-telling game and part courting ritual in 18th-century England. A young woman would write the name of her suitor on an apple and put it in a basin of water. If she could grab the apple in one bite, it meant that she and her suitor were WHAT’S UPWITH BOBBING FOR APPLES?

-Randy Thomas

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destined for true love. Two tries meant their love would fade with time. And three or more bites was a sign that the relationship was doomed. Another version of the game was more of a competition. The first person to bite into an apple would be the first to get married. It wasn’t unlike catching the bride’s bouquet at a wedding. Some people adore this sweet mellowcreme treat, while others insist the divisive candy is little more than colored wax. Whatever camp you find yourself in, you may be interested to know that candy corn was not originally created for Halloween. Developed by George Renninger of the Wunderlee Candy Company in Philadelphia, these little tricolored candies were introduced to the world as “chicken feed” in the 1880s. This candy was meant to appeal WHY DOWE CARE ABOUT CANDY CORN?

to America’s rural communities. Though not initially linked to fall, chicken feed candy was difficult to make and therefore only available between March and November. The scarcity added to its early popularity. In the 1900s, candy makers had to turn down orders because demand was so high! Chicken feed would eventually become candy corn and be cast as the ultimate Halloween candy after World War II. In 1951, Goelitz Confectionery Company — today known as the Jelly Belly Candy Company — had 12 factories making candy corn across the country! Since then, candy corn has made its way into trick-or-treat bags every Halloween.

States by Irish immigrants in the early 20th century, trick-or-treating quickly became a favorite Halloween activity. However, when sugar was rationed during World War II, trick- or-treating started to die out. You can thank Charles Schulz and Walt Disney for keeping the tradition alive. In 1951, Schulz created a series of Halloween- themed comic strips featuring the Peanuts gang dressed as ghosts and trick-or-treating. The following year, Disney produced an animated short featuring Donald Duck and his nephews, Huey, Dewey, and Louie, engaged in Halloween hijinks. Both the Peanuts strips and the Donald Duck shorts were incredibly popular, and these Halloween specials showed kids across the country the fun of trick-or-treating. When you think about it, Halloween is a pretty weird holiday. But isn’t the weirdness part of the fun?

WHO SAVED TRICK-OR-TREATING?

While trick-or-treating has its roots in ancient traditions that involve scaring away ghosts and praying for lost souls, modern trick-or- treating owes its existence to a more familiar source. After being brought to the United

Stay weird, and have a happy Halloween!

Options Beyond Pain Medication PHYSICAL THERAPYMAY BE THE SOLUTION YOU’VE BEEN LOOKING FOR

WHEN TO TALK TO A PHYSICAL THERAPIST

If you go to your doctor with pain, chances are they’ll prescribe you pain medication. While pain medication can help in certain situations, such as acute pain, cancer treatment, and end-of-life care, in others, it’s not always the only solution. Relying too heavily on medication for chronic pain can lead to bigger problems. To manage long- lasting pain, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or CDC, highly recommends seeing a physical therapist. When you suffer from chronic pain and take pain medications to cope, you’re not solving the problem. The pills only mask the pain, but the issue remains. A physical therapist works to resolve the problems causing the pain and manage pain by strengthening the affected part of the body. Instead of relying THE BENEFITS OF PHYSICAL THERAPY

on prescription drugs, a physical therapist helps relieve pain through education, hands- on care, and movement.

Pain that lasts less than 90 days is considered acute; anything over that is chronic. When a condition becomes chronic, it’s recommended that you speak to a physical therapist about the pain you’re experiencing instead of continuing pain medication. The CDC guidelines note that non-opioid therapies are “preferred” for chronic pain and state, “Clinicians should consider opioid therapy only if expected benefits for both pain and function are anticipated to outweigh risks to the patient.” Suffering from pain doesn’t have to be part of your life, and there are other solutions than relying on medication.

MYTHS ABOUT PHYSICAL THERAPY

You may have heard that physical therapy is painful or that a center will only accept someone who has been injured, but that’s not true. Physical therapy works with a patient’s range of motion and limitations to heal and restore their body’s proper function. The PT’s goal is to relieve your pain, not create it. Patients include older people experiencing age-related wear and tear, athletes, and individuals hurt in accidents. Physical therapists specialize in restoring mobility and relieving pain as well as detecting and diagnosing problems before they become worse.

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Protein Pandemonium Should You Worry About This Nutrition Craze?

Clinic/ Workshop Upc ming Workshops It’s worth noting, though, that these recommendations are minimums — they’re for sedentary folks, not for elite athletes or those engaging in regular exercise. For people who are training nearly every day, the recommendations range from 0.55–0.91 grams per pound of body weight MARK YOUR CALENDAR We have a schedule full of workshops and clinics that are open to you! Call today to reserve your spot 386-257-2672 In the age of ketogenic and paleo diets, protein is king. Moms pack baggies of mixed nuts for their kids’ soccer practices, high-protein variants of foods line the shelves of the supermarket, and nearly every household with a regular gym-goer has a tub of whey protein hidden away somewhere. Protein is essential to every single living cell in your body. But are we going overboard in our protein obsession? Short answer? Probably. Though marketers would have you believe otherwise, it’s actually pretty easy for the average person to get all the protein they need from regular meals. The recommended daily allowance (RDA) of protein — the minimum you should be getting each day — is only 0.36 grams per pound of body weight. If you’re an average American woman weighing 168.5 pounds, that means you should take in roughly 60.66 grams of protein per day. For reference, a serving of chicken breast about the size of your palm will contain about 35 grams. Even if you’re vegetarian or vegan (and tired of being asked how you get your protein), it’s relatively easy to meet the recommended daily minimum.

a day, depending on activity level. One 2017 summary of recent research suggests that the sweet spot for highly active athletes hovers around 0.72 grams per pound of body weight. So, for that same 168.5-pound woman, the RDA skyrockets to a total of 121.32 grams of protein. Of course, these are rough estimates. It’s impossible to pinpoint a one- size-fits-all approach that will work for you. But if you’re an ordinary person going to work, heading home, and maybe walking the dog every now and then, you probably don’t need to worry. If you were an elite athlete pushing your body to the limit every day, then protein intake would definitely be something to keep your eye on.

Most dieticians recommend paying more attention to protein quality than quantity. That means consuming more fish, beans, nuts, chicken, and eggs instead

of beef or processed meats. So, whenever you can, put away the powder and focus on eating high- quality foods instead.

Paleo

PUMPKIN COCONUT SMOOTHIE

This meal-in-a-glass smoothie will cure your craving for a pumpkin spice latte. It’s packed with nutrients and fall flavor. If you’re the type of person who uses your blender more than your pots and pans, you’ll definitely want to add this recipe to your rotation.

Clinic/ Workshop

Ingredients

Date

PT

1 cup coconut milk

1 frozen banana, sliced

1/4 cup organic pumpkin purée

1 cup ice

Oct. 4

Hip Pain

Cheryl Wynn, DPT

2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice (or substitute with cinnamon and ginger)

Oct. 23

Lower Back Pain

Randy Thomas, PT

Oct. 25

Knee Pain

Sarah Thomas, PT

Directions

1. In a blender, combine all ingredients. 2. Blend on high or on smoothie setting until smooth. 3. Transfer to a cold glass, garnish with pumpkin pie spice, and serve.

*Note: All clinics/workshops are from 5:30–6:30 p.m.

Recipe courtesy of Saveur magazine

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Thomas Orthopedic & Sports Physical Therapy www.ThomasPhysicalTherapy.com

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100 Professional Blvd. Daytona Beach, FL 32114 386-257-2672

Hours of Operation: M, W, F: 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tu, Th: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

INSIDE THIS ISSUE Randy’s Ramblings PAGE 1 Secret Origins of Halloween Traditions PAGE 1 Physical Therapy vs. Pain Medication PAGE 2 Are You Getting Enough Protein? Probably! PAGE 3 Upcoming Workshops PAGE 3 Paleo Pumpkin Coconut Smoothie PAGE 3 October Is Breast Cancer Awareness Month PAGE 4 October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Organized, in the National Breast Cancer Foundation’s words, to“honor those at every step of the breast cancer journey,”the annual observance has also served to educate the public and raise funds for research. Learnmore about this deadly but survivable disease, and find out how you can help. BREAST CANCER IS EXTREMELY COMMON. According to the NBCF, 1 in 8 American women will be diagnosed with breast cancer at some point in their lives. It is the second leading cause of death in women (behind heart disease). A breast cancer diagnosis is not a death sentence, however. Thanks to research and ongoing education, there are over 3.3 million breast cancer survivors in the U.S. today. WHAT CAUSES BREAST CANCER? Breast cancer is caused by damage to cells’ DNA. It’s most common in women over the age of 40, though approximately 2,500 men in

EARLYDETECTIONSAVESLIVES Do You or Someone You Love Need to Schedule a Mammogram?

the U.S. are diagnosed each year as well. The risk of breast cancer increases with age. Most risk factors, such as age, gender, and family history, cannot be changed. However, research shows that exercising regularly, maintaining a healthy diet and weight, andminimizing alcohol consumptionmay reduce your chance of being diagnosed with the disease. Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) may also place you at higher risk. Contrary to popular myths, breast cancer is not caused by milk, microwave ovens, cellphones, caffeine, plastic cutlery, or deodorants. ANNUAL MAMMOGRAMS ARE FREE. Early detection is the biggest factor in breast cancer survival. There’s some debate among researchers and insurance companies over the“right”age to begin screening, but most sources agree that women should begin to get regular mammograms in their 40s (and earlier if they have a family history of the disease). The

Affordable Care Act (ADA) requires all health insurance plans to cover the cost of annual mammograms for women age 40 and older, and there are many organizations devoted to providing free mammograms to uninsured individuals. YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE. Visit Donate.nationalbreastcancer.org to learn how to help. The NBCF funds cancer research, works to provide free mammograms to low-income women, and serves as a resource for patients and their families. Many cities

also have local organizations in need of donations and volunteers.

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