PETRO MONTHLY
MARCH 2018
LOW-IMPACT ALTERNATIVES TORUNNING K eep Y ourself A ctive W ithout the I nflammation
I have always loved March. As a child, March meant that winter was over, days were getting longer and warmer, and spring break and summer were right around the corner. Now that I’m an adult, March means better golf weather and college basketball’s March Madness. My wife, two daughters, and I always have a fun contest every year by filling out our tournament bracket predictions. Even though I have always been a basketball enthusiast, I am usually the first one in the family to “bust” the bracket. It’s a good thing I didn’t choose sports gambling for a profession! March is also the birthday month of my youngest daughter, Allee. I can’t believe my baby is turning 18 years old on March 7. My how time flies! Seems like yesterday we were bringing her home from the hospital. Most importantly, March always means that with spring comes Easter. As we enter into this Easter season, let’s remind ourselves of all of our many blessings, especially those blessings we take for granted. FROM THE DESK OF Mark Petro –Mark Petro
Running is a great way to stay in shape and reap the benefits of cardiovascular exercise, but unfortunately, it’s not for everyone. If you’re recovering from an injury or experiencing chronic pain from inflammation, running might be too intense of an exercise for you. These limitations affect more than just physical fitness — they limit your overall quality of life. Running is a high-impact workout that takes a severe toll on muscles and joints. In many cases, the inflammation caused by the impact of running can be so severe that simple tasks like walking or getting out of bed become major challenges. Even if running is possible, it might not be the best workout strategy for you. Here are four low-impact exercises that will keep you fit and help you achieve your training goals. ALTERNATIVES TO RUNNING E lliptical An elliptical machine gives you all the benefits of running without the impact. It gives you the ability to push your cardio barriers while working similar muscle groups. Many adults with joint pain thrive on the elliptical because of how easy it is to use. It’s a running machine that keeps your feet from ever hitting the ground. The lack of impact translates to much less stress on your joints and bones, and less pain overall. Y oga Yoga is a great way to get an awesome workout while avoiding the constant shock of running. The benefits are different, but it drastically minimizes joint stress. The wide array of classes allows you to get the exact workout you need. Whether it’s a casual class to get you loosened up or an intense hot yoga session, this ancient practice is an amazing way to sustain peak physical fitness.
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Cover story, continued ... S wimming
B iking Biking provides another incredible way to work out while limiting the impact on your joints. You don’t just take your body up a hill or down the street — you carry your body and the added weight of a bike. This requires a great deal of lower-body strength and lung capacity, which makes for a great workout. REDUCE INFLAMMATION While the benefits of these exercises will keep you fit and prevent injuries caused by sustained impact, without proper diet and recovery treatment, it could be all for naught. The inflammation you prevent from doing low-impact workouts is just as likely to be brought on by the wrong diet. That’s why we’ve provided three foods to avoid if you’re looking to limit inflammation.
Fried foods. Fried food contains high levels of compounds that increase your overall inflammation levels. Saturated fats. Saturated fats are known to increase the inflammation of your fat tissue. Recovery is also key to making sure your workouts achieve their full effect. This means not only getting a proper amount of sleep, but also engaging in a light cool- down and recovery session. Foam rolling, massage, and light stretching will help keep your muscles ready and receptive to the changes you put them through. It’ll also help limit lactic acid buildup and reduce post-workout inflammation.
Swimming has been described as the ultimate full-body workout. It does wonders for your cardiovascular system and works your upper and lower body simultaneously. It’s great for keeping your muscles strong and active. The challenge with swimming is learning to perfect the technical aspects. While other activities can be picked up with ease, swimming requires a great deal of repetition to develop the skill necessary for a great workout. However, once you have it, it’s hard to find an exercise that will do more for you.
Whether it’s for medical reasons or personal preference, we hope these
strategies can benefit your quality of life. By limiting impact, adhering to a proper diet, and engaging in recovery activities, you can live an active lifestyle without pain.
Sugar. An oversaturation of sugar can increase levels of inflammatory messengers called cytokines.
Keeping UpWith Your NewYear’s Resolutions What You Need to Do to Stay On Track and Push Forward
March is the month of spring time and rejuvenation. It’s also the time when most people have forgotten about the resolutions and goals they set earlier in the year. Have you neglected or given up your goals? If you have, you are far from alone. Most people let their goals fall to the wayside at least by March, if not long before. It comes down to four simple reasons.
The best way to stay on track is to be as specific as possible. Understand what you need to do to accomplish your goals. Make sure you have access to the appropriate resources that will help you make progress. Resources come in all forms. Look to the people around you for accountability — your family, friends, neighbors, or colleagues. If you don’t want to involve anyone else, keep a notebook or diary to track progress. Or if you are learning a new skill, such as a foreign language for a trip next year, the resource you need may be an app on your phone. When you bring specific goals together with the necessary resources, achieving your dreams becomes more possible than ever before. You just have to take steps to avoid falling into the mistakes listed above. Set attainable concrete goals, track your progress, and check in with someone to keep you accountable. Since it’s been a few months, take a moment to review how far you’ve come since January. What do you need to do to make 2018 your best yet?
1. They set goals that were out of reach or unrealistic.
2. They had zero accountability.
3. They set abstract goals.
4. They didn’t track progress.
Setting goals is the easy part. A lot of people say they want to lose weight, eat better, learn a new skill, or try a new hobby, but they don’t define their goals any further. Vague goals aren’t really goals at all.
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Up in the Air THE LEGACY OF AMELIA EARHART There are plenty of figures worthy of remembrance duringWomen’s History Month. From literary pioneers like Mary Shelley and Emily Dickinson to civil rights heroes like Rosa Parks and Daisy Bates, inspiring legacies abound. But few of those women’s stories end with a question mark. To this day, the story of famed pilot and women’s rights advocate Amelia Earhart remains shrouded in the clouds. Her life was defined by a rare combination of curiosity, conviction, and courage. Earhart became a nurse during the Great War, taught aeronautical engineering at Purdue, and was an avid feminist in the post-suffrage era. On top of these accomplishments, Earhart became the famous aviator we remember today. After her twin-engine Lockheed Electra disappeared over the Pacific Ocean during the last leg of her historic 1937 flight around the world, the Earhart legacy has been defined by mystery. For decades, historians and enthusiasts have batted around theories about the fate of the intrepid pilot. Just last summer, on the 80th anniversary of her disappearance, a History Channel documentary claimed to have found the truth. The TV documentary “Amelia Earhart: The Lost Evidence”made a media splash when investigators claimed to have uncovered a photograph of
Earhart and her navigator, Fred Noonan, alive in the Marshall Islands. According to their narrative, Earhart and Noonan survived an emergency landing in the Japanese-occupied islands, only to languish as prisoners of war.
Cold water was poured on this theory shortly after. A copy of the same photograph was found in the Japanese National Archives with the date 1935, which was two years too early for the photo’s subjects to be Earhart and Noonan.
People’s enthusiasm to solve the mystery of Earhart’s disappearance will persist for years to come. But this month, as we celebrate the accomplishments of women throughout history, it’s important that we set aside the mystique of Earhart’s death to honor her vibrant life. She blazed a trail for women in science, aviation, and beyond, leaving a legacy as boundless as the sky.
COLCANNON
Client Testimonials From the first time I spoke with Mark he always had time to talk me about my concerns. He never rushed me off the phone and he explained everything to where I understood and knew exactly what was going on with my workers’
When you think of St. Patrick’s Day cuisine, corned beef and green beer are probably the first things that come to mind. This year, consider adding colcannon to your March 17 menu. It’s basically mashed potatoes on steroids, and it’s utterly delicious.
Ingredients
3 pounds potatoes 2 sticks butter 1 1/4 cups hot milk 1 head cabbage, cored and shredded
1 pound cooked bacon, chopped into small pieces 4 scallions, finely chopped Parsley, for garnish Salt and pepper, to taste
comp case. Mark responded to emails in the most timely manner. There were several times I had issues going on when he did not hesitate to contact the opposing attorneys to get things moving so I could get the treatment or whatever it was I needed. Mark truly cares and works for clients. I will recommend him to anyone I know who needs the best workers’ comp attorney in Birmingham. Thank you is not enough to cover all he did for me on my case. –Gwendolyn H.
Directions
Add 2 tablespoons of butter to tenderize. 4. Add cabbage, bacon, and scallions to mashed
1. Steam potatoes for 30 minutes. Peel skins and mash flesh thoroughly. 2. Chop 1 stick of butter into small cubes and add to warm potatoes. Once melted, slowly add milk, stirring constantly. 3. Boil cabbage in water.
potatoes, gently stirring to combine.
5. Serve garnished with
parsley and a pat of butter.
Recipe courtesy of foodnetwork.com
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INSIDE THIS ISSUE From the Desk of Mark PAGE 1 UseThese Workouts in Place of Running PAGE 1 Are You Keeping Up With Your Goals? PAGE 2 Amelia Earhart’s Legacy PAGE 3 Take a Break PAGE 3 Colcannon PAGE 3 4 Tips for Mental Acuity PAGE 4
GRAY MATTERS Everyone faces the prospect of growing older. When it comes to aging, people’s primary concerns include aches, pains, and changes to their physical appearance. But perhaps even more important is mental health. Fortunately, there are ways to keep your mind sharp as you age so you can enjoy your retirement. EXERCISE Working out is inextricably tied to wellness in all its forms. A simple, light workout now and then not only maintains physical paint, or discover a new board game, you’ll enjoy improved mental health. Get your hands moving, and your mind will surely follow. (Note: Watching TV as a hobby doesn’t count! People who regularly watch TV may suffer up to 50 percent more
health, but it also boosts your mental well-being. A 5-mile walk once per week can increase brain volume and prevent mental diseases, including Alzheimer’s. It’s no wonder exercise is the go-to solution for maintaining wellness. LEARN NEW HOBBIES Do you want to reduce memory loss by 40–50 percent? Dan Buettner, a researcher and best-selling author on studies about happiness and longevity, suggests learning a new hobby. Whether you learn to knit,
memory loss.) SOCIALIZE If you want to maintain mental health, make socializing a priority. Having an active social life increases your resistance to mental diseases and improves your mood. Furthermore, a healthy social network of friends and family (and we’re not talking Facebook here) helps give you a support system to fall back on when times get tough.
TAKE A BREAK Take a step back from your everyday life and enjoy the small things. Set aside time to sit down with a good book or another activity you enjoy. While on that 5-mile walk, why not take a few moments to slow down your pace and look at the world around you? As the famous saying goes, “Stop and smell the roses.”
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