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THE PENROSE POST
DECEMBER 2021
PENROSEPT.COM | 360-456-1444
YES, WE HAVE S’MORES AND TOILET PAPER ON OUR CHRISTMAS TREE! THE STORIES BEHIND MY FAVORITE ORNAMENTS
Penrose Power is designed to improve bone density and full- body strength. If you need more strength to make daily life easier or to return to hiking, kayaking, traveling, or whatever you love doing, this is for you! Penrose Posture and Flexibility is a modified version of yoga using a chair. This version focuses on poses that increase bone density while improving your posture and mobility. You will FEEL more fluid and taller after this class. Monday: Penrose Power, 9 a.m. Tuesday: Penrose Posture, 9 a.m. Wednesday: Penrose Power, 9 a.m. Thursday: Penrose Posture, 9 a.m. Friday: Penrose Power, 9 a.m. Small-Group Training Sessions Now Being Held Virtually Via Zoom!
When I was in Yellowstone National Park with my family during the summer of 2019, I insisted that we stop by the gift shop. It didn’t matter that it was a rainy day in the middle of August: We went straight to the Christmas ornaments section. When we left, I had a beautiful park- themed bauble carefully wrapped in tissue paper and tucked into my bag. Buying Christmas ornaments whenever we visit a new national park, amusement park, or city is one of my favorite family traditions. Along with my Yellowstone ornament, I have decorations from Bryce Canyon, Disney, and more! Dan and I bought a bunch of “normal” Christmas ornaments for our tree when we first got married — things like colorful balls and snowflakes — but over the years, we’ve replaced them with fun, wacky, and memorable ones. Here are just a few examples of crazy things you’ll find dangling from our live tree’s branches: • S’mores-shaped ornaments to represent how much our boys love camping and roasting marshmallows over the fire • A running shoes-shaped ornament to show my love of running • Photo ornaments filled with goofy pictures of the boys and their cousins • A toilet paper roll ornament to remind us of The Great Toilet Paper Shortage of 2020 • A Disney ornament with all of the parks inscribed around the edges • A fisherman ornament to represent my dad’s passion for fishing, which he shares with our oldest son, Alan • Soccer balls to show off Alex's (our youngest son) soccer obsession • Pancake and pizza ornaments, because why not?
All of these comical, endearing, and personal ornaments make decorating our Christmas tree feel like walking down memory lane. They’re also the secret weapon I use to convince the boys to help! It’s a lot more entertaining for them to hang up “their” ornaments and reminisce about the fun they had with their cousins than it would be to position a snowman or two. I usually put on Christmas music, and the five of us spend an evening decorating. Of course, Alex will still only stick around long enough to hang his soccer ornaments and a few family memories before he’s off and running, but it’s better than nothing! If we had a more cohesive decorating scheme, I’d probably be hanging ornaments by myself. Our tree looks far from normal. None of our ornaments match, there’s no tinsel (the mess it makes drives me crazy), and sometimes the lights are crooked. But I still wouldn’t trade it for perfection. As gorgeous as Christmas trees can be when they’re all themed in silver or gold, they don’t make me laugh or remind me of family. And apart from celebrating Jesus, isn’t family what the holiday is all about? From our silly crew to yours, Merry Christmas! – Dr. Jennifer Penrose
Penrose Posture, 1 p.m.
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Picture a physical therapist in your mind’s eye. What are they doing? You probably imagined them stretching a patient’s arm, helping someone through leg exercises, or massaging away back pain. Are we right on the money? All of these things are vital parts of the physical therapist’s toolbox, but they don’t give the whole picture. What most people don’t realize is that physical therapy isn’t just for body aches from the neck down. It can also treat head injury and ailments, neurological problems, and more! In many cases, the same techniques that ease your sore muscles and mobilize your joints can also help with headaches, dizziness, vertigo, and even concussions. GET HELP WITH VERTIGO, DIZZINESS, HEADACHES, AND MORE! PHYSICAL THERAPY FOR YOUR NOGGIN
have, then use targeted exercises (including eye exercises!) and other treatments to improve your mobility, reduce your pain, and help you kick medication to the curb. Stop dizziness and vertigo in their tracks. Dizziness and vertigo are terrible symptoms to live with. They can come with nausea, vomiting, anxiety, exhaustion, and even depression. These symptoms make it difficult to walk and do everyday tasks. You’re also much more likely to fall and hurt yourself if you’re dizzy, which is dangerous because more than 32,000 older adults die due to falls every year. Fortunately, PT can help you avoid that worst-case scenario. Depending on the cause of your dizziness, your PT may provide exercises to improve your balance, strength, and flexibility. Certain therapies can even target the network of nerves between your inner ear and eyes that keeps your vision steady. These will make turning your head less disorienting. Recover your balance after a concussion. If you’ve been in a car crash, experienced a sports injury, or hit your head another way, a concussion might be causing your headaches, dizziness, or vertigo. These symptoms can often persist long after you see a doctor, but a PT can give you guidance on safe activities, working with you to restore your balance, strength, and endurance through a customized exercise program. Your therapist might also use manual therapy, massage, and electrical stimulation to reduce your symptoms. Not every physical therapist specializes in treating head injuries and conditions like a neurological physical therapist or vestibular physical therapist does. But even if your PT doesn’t offer these treatments, they can certainly recommend someone in the field! To learn more about the benefits of PT for your noggin, ask about them on your next PT or doctor’s visit.
Ease headaches without medication. Physical therapy techniques like manual therapy and exercise have been proven to decrease the intensity, frequency, and duration of headaches. In some cases, PT can eliminate headache symptoms altogether! Your therapist will start by identifying the type of headache you
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SMOOTHIES AREN'T JUST FOR SUMMER ANYMORE! 5 HOLIDAY INGREDIENTS TO TOSS INTO YOUR BLENDER
The drinks of choice for winter are usually warm and cozy — apple cider, hot
evaporate. But if you’re in your warm, cozy home, why not go for a cold drink like a smoothie? You can even add some holiday cheer to your healthy(ish) treat with one of these five seasonal ingredients. 1. Peppermint — For a protein-rich smoothie that tastes like a candy cane, blitz together almond milk, yogurt, almond butter, mint leaves, ground cinnamon, and a few drops of peppermint extract. 2. Cinnamon — If you love chocolate chip cinnamon rolls, you need to try the smoothie version! Frozen bananas, coconut milk, vanilla yogurt, cacao powder (which is packed with antioxidants), vanilla extract, and cinnamon are the secrets to a healthy version of your favorite Christmas breakfast. 3. Cranberries — Cranberries are both festive and packed with vitamins and antioxidants that may help fight heart disease and cancer. To cash in on those benefits, whip up a smoothie with frozen cranberries, pear slices, goji berries, orange juice, coconut milk, and flax seeds. 4. Ginger — What screams Christmas more than gingerbread? You can make a delicious smoothie version of the cookie with rolled oats, chia seeds, yogurt, nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, ground cloves, vanilla extract, and molasses to reap the anti-inflammatory and nausea-fighting benefits of ginger. 5. Eggnog — Eggnog is far from a healthy drink, but it’s a holiday favorite! To enjoy it in a new way, blend it up with a scoop of vanilla protein powder and ice after your workout.
chocolate, and wassail all have their place on the table. But no rule says you
have to drink something hot when it’s snowy outside. In fact, a cold beverage might keep you warmer! A study from the Thermal Ergonomics Lab at the University of Ottawa found that when you drink something hot, it can cause you to sweat more and, as a result, will actually cool you off more than a cold drink! Crazy, right? Of course, you could probably reverse the heat loss by bundling up in a sweater so your sweat doesn't
DIY HOLIDAY EGGNOG Inspired by TastesBetterFromScratch.com
TAKE A BREAK!
INGREDIENTS
• 6 egg yolks • 1/2 cup sugar • 1 cup heavy whipping cream • 2 cups milk • 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1 pinch salt • 1/4 tsp vanilla extract • Cinnamon and whipped cream, for garnish
DIRECTIONS
1. In a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks and sugar until light and creamy. Set aside. 2. In a saucepan over medium heat, stir together the cream, milk, nutmeg, and salt. Bring to a simmer. 3. Add a spoonful of the milk mixture to the egg mixture. Whisk vigorously and repeat, one spoonful at a time. 4. When most of the milk is whisked in, add the egg mixture to the saucepan. 5. Whisk until the liquid thickens slightly or reaches 160 F. Remove from heat and add vanilla extract. 6. Pour the eggnog into a glass container and cover. Refrigerate. 7. When the eggnog has thickened, pour it into glasses, garnish, and enjoy!
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PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411
1445 Galaxy Dr. NE, Suite 301 Lacey, WA 98516
1. JENNIFER SHARES THE STORIES ON HER CHRISTMAS TREE 2. PHYSICAL THERAPY TO HELP YOUR NOGGIN 3. 5 KEY INGREDIENTS FOR DELICIOUS HOLIDAY SMOOTHIES DIY HOLIDAY EGGNOG 4. MEET YOUR NEW FAVORITE WINTER SPORT INSIDE THIS ISSUE
MEET YOUR NEW FAVORITE WINTER SPORT SNOWSHOEING IS A FUN, EASY OPTION FOR ALL AGES
When celebrities jet off to Aspen, Colorado, for their winter vacations, they might not all be going to ski. According to Forbes, Aspen is also a top snowshoeing destination — and that’s a sport that celebrities and ordinary people of all ages can enjoy. Snowshoeing is a simple activity that dates back at least 6,000 years. It involves strapping large flipper- like attachments called snowshoes to your boots. The attachments distribute your weight and let you walk over banks of powder without sinking. You can use them to navigate flat plains, rolling hills, or steep mountains depending on the type of shoe you invest in.
way for grandparents and grandkids to bond while getting some aerobics in. 2. Speaking of aerobics, snowshoeing is also a great workout. When you strap on your snowshoes, you can burn up to 50% more calories than you would while hiking (depending on your pace and the type of terrain). Athletes who want to really amp up the exercise can even invest in jogging snowshoes! 3. Last but not least, snowshoeing is scenic! When you’re whizzing down a mountain on a snowboard or skis, you don’t have time to take in the view. But on snowshoes, you can soak up all of the winter beauty around you. You can even bring your camera along on your trek to capture pictures of any flora and fauna you see. If you want to try snowshoeing this winter, make sure you start with an easy trail and consult your doctor and/or physical therapist before you go. Always bring along a backpack of emergency supplies like a blanket and first aid kit, too, and consider purchasing or renting hiking poles along with
On top of its unique history, these three major perks to snowshoeing just might make it your favorite winter sport. 1. If you can walk, you can snowshoe! Unlike other energy-intensive sports like skiing and snowboarding, snowshoeing is safe and relatively easy for folks of all ages. Some outdoorsmen and women snowshoe into their 70s and beyond, so a snowshoe outing is a great
your snowshoes to boost your stability. For more insider tips, visit SnowshoeMag.com.
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