Accelerate PT - July/August 2021

Accelerate PT - July/August 2021

THE Recovery Review

WHAT’S THE BEST WAY TO CLIMB A MOUNTAIN?

JULY/AUG 2021

ONE STEP AT A TIME

Though the summer heat can drive some folks indoors, one great way to get outside and beat the heat is to head to the mountains. With Aug. 1 being National Mountain Climbing Day, there’s even more reason to plan a trip to a nearby peak. But what if that feels daunting?

recovering from an injury, but it works for any goal you might have in your life, especially health and fitness goals. Sometimes I see people get discouraged before they even start. They see movies like “Free Solo” — which documented professional rock climber Alex Honnold’s incredible free solo climb (meaning he used no gear!) up El Capitan at Yosemite National Park, nearly 3,000 feet — and think they have to go to

If you’re struggling with chronic pain or working on recovering from an injury, setting your sights on big goals like climbing a mountain may feel

extremes to be athletic or enjoy hiking. But there’s so much enjoyment to be had from hitting a local trail, stopping to look at the trees and hearing the birds, and enjoying the journey.

overwhelming. But having goals as you work toward recovery is crucial to the process. And so is celebrating every win. I saw this firsthand when my husband, Alan, was recovering three years ago after he got hit by a car while he was biking. As you can imagine, he sustained many injuries and was in a lot of pain. For a few weeks, he even lost function in both arms. At the time, we had two little ones, which only added to our daily challenges but also motivated him to focus on recovery.

“Celebrating little wins is what helps you stay motivated and continue to propel yourself forward.”

If you drive a little over an hour northeast of Salisbury, you’ll arrive at one of my family’s favorite places to hike:

Hanging Rock State Park. A 1.3-mile hike

takes you to the top, where you’ll see the park’s namesake rock, which provides an amazing

We set small goals that were achievable. And when I say small, I mean small. That could mean him working one day on using a fork to feed himself as he regained the

platform to soak up the panoramic views of the Appalachian Mountains. It takes about 30 minutes to get to the top, and it’s a great hike to do with kids and well-behaved dogs. Consider checking it out to celebrate National Mountain Climbing Day on Aug. 1. Whatever mountain you’re climbing — literal or metaphorical — I wish you luck and persistence!

function of his arms and hands. And when he got that bite of food to his mouth on his own, we celebrated the success. I can still remember the day he put his pants on by himself. That was a milestone! Of course, he ultimately wanted to get back to where he was before the accident, but getting there meant making many small goals, taking several steps, acknowledging the achievements, and staying positive. It started with bringing a fork to his mouth and getting dressed. This is also how I work with my patients. Celebrating little wins is what helps you stay motivated and continue to propel yourself forward. As I said, this is helpful if you’re

- Delaine Fowler , PT, DPT

1

BETTER • FASTER • STRONGER

Accelerate-PT.com

Get Your Train of Thought Back on Track

Recovery Hacks

Write it all down. This hack works well when you know beforehand that you’ll be speaking with someone or in front of people. Even if you never refer to your notes while speaking, simply writing down a road map for your train of thought can help you recover from a detour and speak more confidently. Remember your overall point. The easiest way to drive your train of thought into the weeds is to forget your overall point — or not to have an overriding point at all. Always have a short, overarching point you can use to recenter yourself and get back on track. With these hacks, your brain will have to work a lot harder to make you lose your train of thought! Now you’ll be more prepared to tackle any subject matter, no matter how deep or technical, that comes your way. My oldest son has allergies, so we had to be careful about what breed of dog we ultimately decided to welcome to the Fowler pack. Goldendoodles are known for being hypoallergenic, and it’s amazing to see that despite being such a ball of fluff, Dude doesn’t shed at all. Having a younger, energetic pup in the house is reminding me how good companion animals can be for both our mental and physical health. We’ve got to get Dude his daily exercise, and it reminds us to move and get outside too. Plus, he makes us laugh and smile everyday. Here in Salisbury, the Faithful Friends Animal Sanctuary is an awesome local organization to support. If you’re looking to give a furry friend a forever home, check out the dogs and cats (and sometimes rabbits, reptiles, and birds) they have for adoption. They also accept volunteers, and, of course, as a nonprofit, they could always use donations, which ensures they can continue their good work in our community. Learn more on their website FaithfulFriendsNC.org. Browse with caution, though! There are so many cute animals, and you just might find yourself adding to your pack. - Delaine Fowler , PT, DPT

Have you ever been in the middle of a conversation, presentation, or debate, stringing together thoughts in a way you hope is coherent and insightful when — poof! — you lose your train of thought? It’s frustrating. You just want to make yourself understood, but your brain has other plans. What if there were a way to keep your train of thought on track? Well, the good news is that recovering your train of thought is easy with the following hacks in mind. Repeat, repeat, repeat yourself. Paraphrasing your last few thoughts out loud can help you remember where you were going. Think of it as retracing your steps: You go back to the last words you remember saying, and more often than not, you’ll find your direction again. Take a short pause. Pausing briefly is a great way to make recovering your train of thought seem natural. This hack works really well if you’re answering a question and you need time to think, and you also don’t want to be bogged down by a chorus of “ums” escaping from your mouth.

The last year and a half has been hard on everyone, and that’s even more true for those living alone or far from family. My saving grace has been my three boys, my husband, and our 16-year-old dachshund, Gator. We recently decided to add a goldendoodle puppy to our pack, and the boys named him Dude. I still laugh a little that my house full of boys has a dog named Dude. He’s already bringing so much joy into our lives. In addition to getting a kick out of naming the puppy, the boys are speculating about what a great teacher Gator will be for how to nap. Considering he sleeps about 22 hours a day, he’s the real pro! Even though he needs his rest, Gator is still the king of the house. He and Dude are getting along well, but Gator definitely showed Dude who’s the boss on his first day home.

2

704.630.9656

JULY/AUG EVENTS

H2O AND YOUR HEALTH

Why Staying Hydrated Matters

As we sweat our way through the hottest summer days, it’s more important than ever to make sure we are drinking enough water. You may recall from your school days that water is an essential building block of our cells. It helps regulate our temperature, transports nutrients and wastes in the body, and protects our internal organs. Knowing that water is essential for survival and optimal cell function may not be enough to motivate you to reach for your water bottle, so here are five important benefits of hydration you can feel. • It energizes you and helps you sleep. This is a two-pronged effect: Drinking water helps give you more energy during the day and helps you get better sleep at night. It’s an essential component of both body and brain health. • It helps decrease joint stiffness and soreness. Staying hydrated helps your bones and cartilage and keeps your joints lubricated, which means less stiffness or soreness. • It helps regulate your blood pressure. Over 90% of blood plasma is water. Drinking an adequate amount of water helps keep your blood from getting too thick, which leads to better blood flow and helps regulate your blood pressure. • It helps detox the body. There’s probably no surprise here! Water helps flush out the kidneys, which decreases your chances of getting a UTI or kidney stones. • It decreases muscle fatigue and speeds up recovery. Water carries nutrients to your muscle cells and helps you recover more quickly and perform better. An Extra Tip While other foods and beverages have some water content and help you stay hydrated, nothing beats a glass of water — except for occasionally a glass of water with electrolytes! If you’re sweating a lot this summer, add electrolytes to one of your daily glasses of water. You can buy electrolyte powder at the store or simply add a pinch of sea salt to your water. Throw in a slice of lemon, and you have a great post-workout recovery drink. For more great health and recovery tips, visit our blog at Accelerate-PT.com/blog or follow us on Facebook at Facebook.com/ AccelerateTherapyandPerformance.

Neck Workshop: July 29 at 6 P.M. Be one of the first 10 to register to join us in the clinic for a live presentation. This will also be available on Zoom and FB Live. LASER Workshop: Aug. 26 at 6 P.M. Be one of the first 10 to register to join us in the clinic for a live presentation. This will also be available on Zoom and FB Live. Call the office 704.630.9656 or email Leslie at [email protected] to sign up.

EASY ZUCCHINI ENCHILADAS

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil • 1 onion, chopped • 2 cloves garlic, minced • 2 tsp cumin • 2 tsp chili powder • Salt, to taste • 3 cups rotisserie chicken, shredded • 1 1/3 cups red enchilada sauce, divided

• 4 large

zucchini, sliced very thin lengthwise and dried • 2 cups shredded cheese • Sour cream and cilantro, for garnish

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring for 5 minutes. 2. Add garlic, cumin, chili powder, and salt. Cook for 1 minute, then add chicken and 1 cup enchilada sauce. Stir to combine. 3. On a cutting board, lay out three slices of zucchini side by side. Top each with a scoop of chicken mixture, then roll into a tube. Repeat with remaining zucchini slices. 4. Add the rolls to a baking dish. 5. Top the rolls with the remaining enchilada sauce and cheese. Bake for 20 minutes. Top with garnishes!

Inspired by Delish.com

3

Accelerate-PT.com

BETTER • FASTER • STRONGER

1508 West Innes St. Salisbury, NC 28144

PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411

704.630.9656

INSIDE

Accelerate-PT.com

• Every Step Counts PAGE 1 • Life Hack: How to Recover Your Train of Thought • Meet Our Goldendoodle, Dude PAGE 2 • Good Hydration Means Better Health • Easy Zucchini Enchiladas PAGE 3 • The Miraculous Mountain Cat PAGE 4

THE MEOW AT 10,000 FEET

High on the slopes of Bristen, a mountain in the Glarus Alps in central Switzerland, a pair of skiers

Cyril noted. “We picked her up and carried her when she was too exhausted to walk uphill anymore. We were definitely confused. I felt really sorry for the cat. She was really exhausted on the ridge underneath the summit.”

discovered something unexpected. At 4:30 a.m., the skiers climbed toward the summit of Bristen when they realized they weren’t alone. They were being followed by a cat — not a lynx or a wildcat, but a little mewling house cat.

The cat stayed with them for some time

before they met up with another group of hikers who were headed down the

How does a house cat end up on the slopes of a snow-covered, 10,000-foot mountain? This was an answer the skiers wouldn’t get. They weren’t even sure what to do with a cat in general. It’s likely that it simply wandered away from one of the nearby towns or villages near the base of the mountain, but even for a human, that’s a major undertaking. Lost, the cat followed the only sign of civilization it could find: the skiers, Cyril and Erik Rohrer. “She started to shiver, and her paws began to bleed from the hard snow,”

mountain. The cat joined them for what would hopefully be a journey back

home. And it was! Remarkably, the cat’s owners were found. They revealed that their cat had vanished four days earlier and apparently followed yet another group of hikers up Bristen. “Animals do weird things. And they are way tougher than humans. They’ll never give up. Even though they are hurting really, really bad,” Cyril said of his feline hiking companion. Hopefully, that will be the little feline’s last trip up for some time!

4

704.630.9656