Advanced PT & Fitness - September 2022

SEPTEMBER 2022

WWW.ADVANCEDPTANDFITNESS.COM | 970-301-3149

SHERLOCK YOUR WAY OUT OF BAD POSTURE IT’S MORE IMPORTANT THAN YOU THINK!

When I was in physical therapy school, one of my favorite instructors was an Englishman who was really, really into Sherlock Holmes. He loved everything to do with the detective, his sidekick Dr. Watson, and their adventures solving mysteries. He even made Sherlock Holmes jokes in class! His favorite little quip was, “Bad posture is the Moriarty of physical therapy.” If you’ve read any of the Sherlock Holmes books, seen the Robert Downey Jr. movies, or watched the BBC TV show, then you know Moriarty is the archvillain Holmes is always battling. It’s a pretty good metaphor for posture and PT. When I walk into my waiting area and see someone with their head buried in their phone, I know the posture monster is about to rear its ugly head — whether that person has an injury or not. Why is posture such a big deal? The systems in our bodies are profoundly interconnected. As crazy as it sounds, that means bad neck posture (i.e., sitting with your head pushed forward) can actually lead to more illness, asthma, and body pain. The chain reaction goes something like this: First, you sit with your head pushed forward. Over time, your body stiffens and your neck locks up in that position. You get used to breathing in a more shallow, rapid way, and you inevitably start to breathe through your mouth. Without your nose to filter it, you breathe in more dirty air, increasing your risk of illness and asthma. Yikes! At the same time, this posture also opens up your airway, letting you “breathe off” more CO2. (Think about the way you bend over with your hands on your knees to catch your breath after running — it’s the same posture.) Over time, losing a lot of CO2 will alter your blood pH, throwing off your hormone balance and even leading to blood alkalosis, which can cause nausea, numbness, and muscle problems. This is not a good state for your body to be in while recovering from injury.

Fortunately, you can prevent all of these problems by prioritizing good posture! 4 Easy Ways to Improve Your Posture 1. Get up and move every 20–30 minutes. Sitting too much is often the culprit of bad posture. To avoid it, try to move like a kid — get up to walk, squat, or do another exercise for five minutes every 20–30 minutes. This will keep your body limber and your mind sharp. 2. Rethink your office setup. The best way to minimize your sitting time is with a standing desk. If you can’t afford one, consider rotating between an ergonomic office chair and an exercise ball throughout the day. Ideally, in your chair you should sit with your feet on the ground, your butt and low back in contact with the back of the chair, and your knees at a 90-degree angle. If you can’t, you need a new chair! 3. Bring your phone to eye level. The worst thing you can do for your neck is sit with your phone in your lap and your head tilted down. If you need to use your phone, bring it up to eye level. It feels awkward, but it’s the best way to keep your neck straight and avoid the effects I mentioned above. 4. Invest in preventive care. The earlier you identify your posture problems, the sooner you can fix them, and the more negative outcomes you can avoid. If you come in to see me, I can analyze your posture, find the problem spots, and help you fix them for a better quality of life going forward. Don’t let Moriarty win. Call in Sherlock for help before it’s too late. –Dr. Thomas Cleveland

• 1

970-301-3149

Published by Newsletter Pro | www.NewsletterPro.com

Many people know you go to a physical therapist if you've sustained an injury, but did you know physical therapy can also treat diabetes? Here’s how PT can make a diabetic patient’s life better, one session at a time. What is diabetes, and how does it develop? When we consume certain foods (candy, fruit, bread), our body will break it down into glucose — an important energy source for living organisms. Diabetes is a condition where your body isn’t producing enough insulin, which is a hormone that regulates the amount of glucose in your blood. Without insulin, your body can develop high blood sugar, or hyperglycemia. That’s why diabetes can have such a dramatic effect on your health — if high blood sugar goes untreated, it can damage your nerves, blood vessels, tissues, and organs. These issues can increase the risk of heart attack and stroke, and may even lead to eye damage, kidney damage, and non-healing wounds. Many diabetic patients will experience common symptoms such as tingling or numbness in their hands or feet, fatigue, blurry vision, increased hunger, and other side effects. The good news is that these symptoms can be mitigated — and, believe it or not, physical therapy can be a great way of managing these symptoms. Fight Smarter, Not Harder How Physical Therapy Fights Diabetes

You can fight diabetes with fitness. Diabetes can develop at any age. When it does, many physical problems can develop alongside it, including weakness, loss of endurance, obesity, balance problems, and even chronic pain. Not to mention, diabetes typically leads to less physical activity overall — which can cause many other health issues. This may create a bit of a paradox for some diabetic patients. Physical activity and exercise have been proven to be effective ways to lower high blood sugar levels. Yet, by the time a diabetic patient comes to see a physical therapist, the patient may be very limited in the types of movements they can do. Attempting exercise without guidance can cause injury and worsen the patient’s health. Thankfully, physical therapists are movement experts! They can help patients discover new techniques to exercise in safe, enjoyable ways. These, in turn, will help patients take control of their symptoms again. Diabetes rarely affects two people in the same way, and it often requires highly customized treatment plans. However, depending on a patient’s abilities and their likes and dislikes, a physical therapist may recommend exercises such as walking, cycling, swimming, aerobic dance, or even yoga. Attending a yoga class is a great way to get your balance back. It’s not as physically exerting as other forms of exercise, since yoga trains the body over time. It can also provide major mental health benefits. If you suffer from diabetes, know that nobody has to fight it alone. With a physical therapist on your side, you can fight anything, including a disease that can be as exhausting as diabetes. We’ll have your back. Just give our offices a call.

2 • WWW.ADVANCEDPTANDFITNESS.COM

Published by Newsletter Pro | www.NewsletterPro.com

Is the MIND Diet Right for You?

Thanks to all the medical research on Alzheimer’s and dementia in recent years, we know diet and aging cognitive function are linked. However, all of the information out there might seem overwhelming and even vague. What do we know for sure? What changes in your diet can make the biggest impact on your brain health? According to the National Institute of Aging — which operates under the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services — experts have suggested the MIND diet is the ideal diet for empowering your brain. Here’s why. Why Diet Affects Dementia Risk It turns out that your brain will experience changes years before the first symptoms of Alzheimer’s appear. This suggests a possible window of opportunity to delay or even prevent dementia symptoms. Between medications, lifestyle changes, or a combination of these interventions, researchers are looking for many possible ways to do this.

A healthy diet plays an important role in these efforts. For example, it’s possible that certain diets affect biological function, such as oxidative stress and inflammation, which underlie Alzheimer’s. Alternatively, diet can also work more indirectly against Alzheimer’s by affecting other dementia risk factors, such as diabetes, obesity, and heart disease. Thankfully, you can throw a “single stone” to decrease these risk factors. Research shows a Mediterranean diet is directly linked to a lower risk of dementia and other symptoms of cognitive decline. What’s MIND? The DASH diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) was designed to lower blood pressure. The Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay (MIND) diet is a variation on that diet. However, whereas the Mediterranean and DASH diets welcome all vegetables and fruits of any kind, MIND focuses on plant-based foods linked to dementia prevention.

On a MIND diet, you’ll eat six servings a week of leafy green vegetables, plus at least one serving of any other vegetable a day. Berries, whole grains (three servings a day), fish, poultry, beans, nuts, and olive oil are other important foods for a MIND diet. You’ll also avoid red meat, cheese, sweets, butter/ margarine, and fried or fast foods. Research shows the Mediterranean diet may include nutrients that protect the brain through anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. We hope you can take advantage of these benefits and try the MIND diet for yourself!

Green Bean and Eggplant Stir-Fry In just 30 minutes, turn a pile of summer veggies into a Chinese-inspired dish.

TAKE A BREAK!

DIRECTIONS

INGREDIENTS

• 2 Chinese eggplants, cut into 1/4-inch strips • Salt, to taste • 3 tbsp vegetable oil, divided • 6 oz green beans, trimmed • 6 cloves garlic, minced • 1/2-inch piece of ginger, thinly sliced • 1 red chili pepper, thinly sliced • 2 tbsp soy sauce • 1 tbsp vegan stir-fry sauce (like Lee Kum Kee Vegetarian) • 1/8 tsp pepper

1. In a large bowl, add the eggplant and coat with salt. Cover the eggplant with water and soak for 15 minutes. Drain and pat dry. 2. In a wok over medium heat, warm 2 tbsp of oil. Add the eggplant and fry for 4–5 minutes. Remove and set aside. 3. Add the remaining oil and green beans to the wok. Fry for 5 minutes, then remove and set aside. 4. Add garlic, ginger, and chili before stir- frying for 1 minute. Return the green beans and eggplant to the wok and add the soy sauce, vegan stir-fry sauce, and pepper. Toss to coat, then serve over rice!

–Dr. Thomas Cleveland

Inspired by ThePlantBasedWok.com

• 3

970-301-3149

Published by Newsletter Pro | www.NewsletterPro.com

PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411

970-301-3149 www.advancedptandfitness.com 1919 65th Ave., Suite C Greeley, CO 80634

1. 4 Easy Ways to Improve Your Posture 2. Physical Therapy vs. Diabetes 3. What’s the MIND Diet? INSIDE THIS ISSUE

Green Bean and Eggplant Stir-Fry

4. Balance Training Key to Quality Movement

5 EXERCISES TO IMPROVE BALANCE Find Your Balance

Though we may not always think about it, balance is essential to just about everything we do in our daily routines. From simply getting out of bed, leaning over to tie our shoes, or even walking to the mailbox, we need good balance to keep ourselves steady while performing normal tasks. Know why balance is important. Balance is the ability to control your body’s position, whether stationary or moving. It is a key component of fitness that many people neglect while developing their fitness regimen. Balance training is a great way to help your body recognize where it is and control movements in a given space. When the body knows where its limbs are in space — known as proprioception — it is able to produce smooth, controlled movements with fewer risks of injuries.

Reaction time and agility are also improved with balance training. The body learns how to quickly correct itself but not overcompensate and has the ability to quickly change direction effectively and efficiently. Though balance training is important for everyone, it is especially important for those who have problems due to illness, weakness, or dizziness. It allows them to overcome stiffness or unsteadiness and to develop an awareness of body segments and how to align them.

Consider trying the following exercises:

•

Standing with your weight on one leg and raising the other leg to the side or behind you. Putting one heel right in front of the other foot, as if you were walking a tightrope.

•

• Standing up and sitting down from a chair without using your hands. • Walking while alternating knee lifts with each step. • Stretching and gentle movement as part of yoga or tai chi. Balance is essential to living a healthy, functional life. It’s important to incorporate balance

These exercises help with balance.

Balance training involves exercises to strengthen the muscles that help keep you upright and improve stability. These types of exercises can be done as often as you like or even every day.

training into your fitness regimen. That way you can decrease the risk of injuries and help move freely and confidently.

4 • WWW.ADVANCEDPTANDFITNESS.COM

Published by Newsletter Pro | www.NewsletterPro.com