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DECEMBER 2020 EastTennessee Physical Therapy News
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FROM THE DESK OF DANNY D. SMITH ODD DECEMBER HOLIDAYS ... AND A FEW WELL-KNOWN ONES
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Eat a Red Apple Day National Fritters Day
National Roof over Your Head Day
Wear Brown Shoes Day Bathtub Party Day St. Nicholas Day Pearl Harbor Day National Brownie Day National Pastry Day
GIVING ‘BRAIN POWER’ A WHOLE NEW MEANING
10 Nobel Prize Day 11 National Noodle Ring Day 12 Poinsettia Day 13 International Children’s Day 14 Roast Chestnuts Day 15 Bill of Rights Day 16 National Chocolate Covered Anything Day 17 National Maple Syrup Day 18 Bake Cookies Day 19 Look for an Evergreen Day
W e always stress the foods. But one thing we could probably stand to repeat a little more is that being physically active is also a serious mental game. And thanks to our brains, there may be a way to get more out of every workout without actually working harder: through the mind-muscle connection. Phrases like “mind over matter” apply to workout routines and other physical activities quite literally thanks to mind- muscle connection. The basic idea is that just by thinking about the way your muscles are moving through a particular exercise, you can actually help them work more efficiently. To get a great workout, your heart and your head have to be in it, but the mind-muscle connection takes that concept to a new level: The right kinds of importance of maintaining healthy workout activities and consuming all the right
thoughts can trigger your body into acting like it’s getting a heftier workout than it actually is. Here’s how it works: Whether you’re actually doing a task or just imagining that task, if you’re thinking about it correctly, you’re activating neurons in your brain that send signals to the muscle you’re thinking about. If you train your brain to send stronger signals, it translates to more muscle engagement, which is what you’re already making your body do during a workout. Muscles are essentially a puppet of our nervous system: If a muscle doesn’t have nerves properly regulating it, it doesn’t produce adequate force that allows it to move properly. We already have neurological evidence that shows how
20 Go Caroling Day 21 Winter Solstice 22 National Date Nut Bread Day 23 Festivus 24 Christmas Eve 25 Christmas Day 26 National Fruitcake Day 27 Make Cut Out Snowflakes Day
28 Card Playing Day 29 Pepper Pot Day 30 Bacon Day 31 NewYear’s Eve
–Danny
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our brains play a major role in regulating our muscle movement and strength. For example, a 2014 study authored by the executive director of the Ohio Musculoskeletal and Neurological Institute found that participants with one arm immobilized in a cast could avoid some loss of wrist strength simply by thinking through the process of flexing their wrist. Even with studies like this, the jury’s still out on whether mentally moving yourself through an exercise while you do it actually improves muscle recruitment on its own. So far, research is promising. Of course, as with all things that sound too good to be true, there’s a catch — thinking about working out is by no means a replacement for actually getting physical exercise. If you have to choose one over the other, you’ll get better results from doing physical activity over doing mental activity every time. But all is not lost. This practice of thinking about engaging the correct muscles as you go through an exercise is a fantastic way to create better form, which goes a long way toward better results. Actively focusing on the muscles you’re trying to engage can be the difference between a mediocre movement and a perfectly executed one. That means you’ll get the benefit you’re looking for much faster. By focusing on your form, you’re also less likely to rely on the wrong muscles, which can result in pain and injury.
The mind-muscle connection phenomenon is still mostly theoretical because the human brain is a mystery in so many ways. But there doesn’t seem to be much downside to engaging the mind-muscle connection, so we’re encouraging our patients to try it out and give “getting in the zone” a whole new meaning.
Snowed In for Christmas? It’s Board Game Time!
Oh, the weather outside is frightful, but the games are so delightful …”
Those might not be the exact lyrics from the famous Christmas carol, but it’s true that decks of cards and various board games get many families through the holiday season. You can only rewatch “It’s a Wonderful Life” and “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” so many times before the jokes grow stale. While new movie releases can be fun, many have been stalled this year because of the pandemic. Luckily, board games are still coming out on schedule. If you’re on the hunt for alternatives to Monopoly, Clue, and Scrabble, check out these fresh 2020 games, which all come recommended by the experts at Thrillist. 1. THE ALPHA: A NATURE LOVER’S DREAM GAME If your childhood dream was joining a wolf pack like Mowgli in “The Jungle Book,” this is the board game for you! The Alpha is a beautifully illustrated strategic game where players act as pack leaders and compete with other players to acquire territory and snag the best food. Gameplay is done in rounds that include four stages: stalk, chase, resolve, and advance. The game is rated for 3–6 players ages 10 and up.
2. HALF TRUTH: BRILLIANT MINDS MEET HERE If you’re a fan of Trivial Pursuit, you’ll love Half Truth. At its heart, it’s a trivia game, but it ups the stakes by giving players the opportunity to bet on how many correct answers they’ll get. Really though, there’s only one thing you need to know about this game, and Thrillist said it best: “It’s the brainchild of legendary Magic: The Gathering creator Richard Garfield and 74-time Jeopardy! winner Ken Jennings.”What a pedigree! Everyone 12 and over will want a seat at the table. 3. GETCREWD: A PLAYGROUND FOR MOVIE BUFFS getCrewd is a card game that comes in a retro-style film can, and that single trait speaks volumes. In this PG-13-rated game, you play a film producer in search of the perfect actor, director, and crew to make your movie happen. However, the deck will keep throwing obstacles in your way, including everything from flash floods to writers’ strikes. If you have a competitive side, you’ll love this mad scramble to the finish line.
With these games in your cabinet, you won’t even notice the snowbanks outside!
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BOOST YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM LIKE A CELEBRITY
With These 3 Hot Winter Drinks
Drinking hot tea, or another immune-boosting drink in place of hot chocolate, will still give you the cozy winter vibes you crave without compromising your health. An easy drink for beginners is lemon-ginger tea , which is a spin-off of Khloé Kardashian’s favorite drink. Ginger is a key ingredient here because it’s anti-inflammatory, raises the immune system, and may even help fight cancer. You can make lemon-ginger syrup by layering lemon slices, fresh ginger, and raw honey in a jar and letting it sit in the fridge overnight. The next morning, just add a few spoonfuls of the concoction to your hot water and you’ll have instant tea! Homemade chai tea is another delicious option that will wow you and your guests this winter. There are thousands of chai recipes out there, but MinimalistBaker.com offers a simple and tasty one that’s made with cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, ginger, black tea, pepper, and dairy-free milk. If you don’t want to grind the spices yourself, you can buy a premade blend. Chai gives you all of the ginger benefits with the added bonus of cardamom, which is said to have antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. Last but not least, if you’re more of a latte drinker than a tea drinker, try golden milk ! This soothing drink is a darling of health food fanatics because it features honey (a disease- fighting powerhouse ingredient) and turmeric (an immune-booster that lowers cholesterol, combats arthritis, and helps prevent cancer). WellPlated.com offers a delicious recipe that pairs those two ingredients with almond milk, almond butter, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and ginger for a satisfying nightcap.
What do Jennifer Lawrence, Lady Gaga, Angelina Jolie, Taylor Swift, and Khloé Kardashian have in common? Yes, they’re all high-profile celebrities, of course, but they’re also big fans of hot tea. According to the entertainment website Yaay, Angelina Jolie likes to make her own garlic tea by steeping fresh cloves in hot water, and Lady Gaga is such a big tea lover that she takes a tea set with her on tour. These famous women might be onto a health and beauty secret because aside from being delicious, tea is a great way to boost your immune system and fend off illnesses.
What are you waiting for — get steeping!
Take a Break!
FESTIVE APPLE CIDER
Inspired by BoulderLocavore.com
If you’re cutting back on calories, skip the eggnog and buttered rum this year and fill up your mug with this delicious mulled cider!
INGREDIENTS
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2 tsp allspice berries
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1 lemon
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1 inch fresh ginger, thinly sliced
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1 gallon pure apple cider
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2 tbsp honey
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1 large orange, thinly sliced crosswise
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3 cinnamon sticks
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2 tsp whole cloves
DIRECTIONS
1. Using a paring knife, shave the lemon peel off in curls. Reserve the curls and save the lemon for use in a different recipe.
Shovel Sledding Snow Turquoise
Gift Holiday Holly Peace
Carol Cheer Cocoa Family
2. In a large slow cooker, combine the lemon peel with all other ingredients. Cook on low for 3–4 hours.
3. If desired, use a sieve to strain the spices. Serve and enjoy!
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1500 West Elk Ave. Elizabethton, TN 37643 423-543-2215
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P hysical T herapy S ervices , P.A.
Inside This Issue From the Desk of Dr. Smith PAGE 1 How Your Brain Can Give Your Body a Better Workout PAGE 1 3 New Board Games to Try This Winter PAGE 2 How to Boost Your Immune System Like a Celebrity PAGE 3 Take a Break PAGE 3 Festive Apple Cider PAGE 3 Meet Kismet, a Dentist’s Toothless Therapy Dog PAGE 4 Meet Kismet, a Dentist’s Toothless Therapy Dog
Therapy pets can have a powerful impact on dental patients, especially if those patients have anxiety.
“The studies are very clear: People who sit and pet animals have lower blood pressure, and that’s what it’s all about,”Dr. Cameron Garrett told TODAY when the world found out about Kismet. Garret’s dental practice employs the adorable 13-year-old Chihuahua rescue as a therapy animal that patients can hold and pet while they get dental work done. Kismet’s life has not been easy. The Muttville Senior Dog Rescue has invested thousands of dollars into Kismet’s health — they diagnosed her with heart disease, removed a cancerous tumor, treated a hernia, and removed all of her teeth due to periodontal disease. Yet, Kismet remains a very sweet dog. She never barks and loves back scratches and being held. It’s especially amazing that the toothless Kismet found such a perfect new home with dental professionals! This past July, Cameron Garrett and his wife, Debra Garrett (a hygienist), adopted Kismet into their home as well as their dental practice. The serene dog has provided a special experience for patients who come for exams, cleanings, and even root canals.
Of course, some patients are scared of dogs. In those cases, Kismet relaxes behind a closed gate. But over 98% of patients happily take Kismet on their laps while they undergo their dental procedure. Cameron Garrett told CNN, “Quite honestly, as a dentist, I’m as much a psychiatrist or psychologist as anything else. Kismet has allowed us to have another tool in our toolbox.”They can even use the toothless pup’s story to teach patients about the effects of periodontal disease. Getting love from patients also helps Kismet. “She just wants to be with us,”Debra Garrett explained. The new owners suspect that she was abused in the past and is still recovering from that trauma. “When she is on a patient’s lap, she’s providing them comfort, but she’s also getting comfort. It’s hard for me to describe how nice it is for me to be looking at her while I’m working. It’s just a win-win all the way around.”
Our hearts are officially melted. It’s only fitting for a pet hero to have heroic owners, too!
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