Physical Therapy Doctor - November 2019

T E A T I M E

WHAT’S SWIRLING AROUND IN YOUR CUP?

Tea has been consumed for thousands of years and is the second-most popular drink in the world, with water being the first. It is the national drink of several nations, including China and India, and is an integral component of religious ceremonies the world over. Drinking tea has been known to reduce stress, promote relaxation, and improve sleep. In addition to these instant benefits, tea can also help improve a person’s long- term health through regular consumption. YOUR HEART According to Harvard Health Institute, several studies show that those who regularly drink black and green tea are at a lower risk of developing cardiovascular disease. These types of tea contain antioxidants and flavonoids, which are plant chemicals that help dilate arteries and reduce bad cholesterol. Studies also link tea consumption with improved vascular reactivity — how well your blood vessels respond to stress. YOUR BRAIN Flavonoids don’t only fight heart disease; these chemicals can also reduce any vascular damage to the brain. The National University of Singapore has conducted studies that

link reduced risks of dementia in the elderly with regular tea consumption. The results speak for themselves: “The longitudinal study involving 957 Chinese seniors aged 55 years or older has found that regular consumption of tea lowers the risk of cognitive decline in the elderly by 50%, while APOE e4 gene carriers who are genetically at risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease may experience a reduction in cognitive impairment risk by as much as 86%.” YOUR MOOD Tea leaves contain the amino acid L-theanine, which stimulates several feel-good neurotransmitters, like serotonin and gamma-Aminobutyric acid (GABA). These neurotransmitters help boost your mood and alertness. According to a study by the Huazhong University of Science and Technology in China, tea even has the ability to ward off depression. The study took 22,817 participants with 4,743 cases of depression over 11 studies, and 13 reports found that individuals who drank three cups of tea a day decreased their depression risk by 37%.

So, the next time you want a warm beverage that will do your mind and body good, reach for some tea and bask in all the health benefits as you sip.

ME E T JOSH GRAUE R !

For the past four years, Josh Grauer has been a beloved member of our physical therapy team. His upbeat attitude and compassionate care made him a perfect fit for our clinic from the start, so we couldn’t think of a better person to feature in our first team member spotlight! We sat down with him to get the story of how he found his way to us. For all his talent, it may surprise many of Josh’s patients that physical therapy wasn’t originally on his radar.

Josh on a personal level. As a young adult, he’d worked as an EMT and lifeguard, helping to protect people’s health. Now seeing the ways PT had helped him, Josh was feeling inspired.

“I started looking into PT schools,” Josh recalls, detailing how he would work days at his finance job while

studying the sciences he needed at night. When he had the required credits, he applied to a physical therapy school and was accepted! Fast forward to today, and it’s clear the career move was more than a good fit. “I love the satisfaction of having someone in bad shape come in, and guiding them back to what they want to be able to do.” of ours. With his years of exceptional service, we couldn’t be happier he found us! When he’s not at the clinic, you’ll most likely find Josh spending time with his 6-year-old daughter. The two have begun going deep-sea fishing together, a tradition Josh is passing down from how he spent time with his own father. Josh actually found his way to our clinic thanks to his father, who was a patient

“I actually started in finance,” Josh explains with a laugh. “I got my undergraduate degree in economics.” But, while Josh’s day job was all numbers and spreadsheets, he still managed to keep himself physically active, sometimes to his own detriment. “While working, I also

practiced mixed martial arts … and was constantly getting hurt.” These frequent injuries made Josh a regular at his local physical therapy clinic.

Coming in visit after visit, Josh began to build a rapport with the doctor there. “I told [the doctor] he had a great gig going on here,” he remembers. “He was doing right by all sorts of people, getting them back on track to their everyday life.” This sort of service spoke to

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