Cornerstone PT & Wellness Center September 2017

Cornerstone PT & Wellness Center September 2017

September 2017

CORNERSTONE Monthly

77 Brant Avenue Suite 101, Clark, NJ 07066

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www.cornerstoneptnj.com

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732.499.4540

THE ANNIVERSARY OF BEING ALIVE HOWWE CELEBRATE OUR BIRTHDAYS IN OUR OWN WAY

Cornerstone PT Patients

VIP Referral Patient of the Month!

eptember was a banner month in the DeLaFuente home when I was growing up. It felt like there was a birthday every week or so — my mom’s, my

S

ELLEN OLIVERI

sister’s, and my own (September 30) were spread out throughout the month. I really enjoyed it. After all, what better way to precede Halloween candy and the treats of the holiday season than with weekly doses of delicious cake? There are people in the world who really enjoy their birthday, and there are others who don’t like to make a big deal out of it. I fall into the second category. I think that happens to a lot of people when they become parents. I’ve said before that my kids’ sports teams are my favorite teams, and birthdays are the same way. My favorite days of the year are the birthdays of my kids.

The best compliment we can receive is to have one of our patients refer a friend or family member to our practice. If you refer someone and we are able to take them as a patient, you and the person who was referred

My son takes after me that way. His birthday is in January, right when no one wants to be outside. So, every year, we take him to an indoor water park called Aquatopia in the Poconos. They have some pretty fantastic high-speed slides. As for my daughter, a June baby, she doesn’t ask for much — just dinner at a Hibachi restaurant because it’s her favorite food. It’s been a couple years since we went to Cape May. It’s getting harder and harder to get away with the kids’ fall sports. My son plays flag football and baseball, and my daughter is now playing on a new softball team. That switch has led me to retire from coaching her for the first time since she was 5. It’s a bittersweet transition for me. I’ll talk about it more in-depth in the October newsletter. How do you like to celebrate your birthday? If you have one coming up, tell us about it on your next visit. Even if you’re like me and you don’t like to draw too much attention to your birthday, it’s good to remember this: Your birthday isn’t just for you — it’s for the people who love to celebrate your existence. They get to make a fuss, and you get to eat cake. It’s not a bad deal. – David DeLaFuente

Thank You! will be entered to win a $25 gift card! It’s just our way of saying

“They get to make a fuss, and you get to eat cake. It’s not a bad deal.”

Sometimes it’s nice because my wife and I use my birthday as an excuse to take a short getaway. We don’t venture far, but as a birthday gift to me, our family often heads up to Cape May for a long weekend. It’s a nice reprieve from our busy lives back home. We aren’t able to get away every year, but if all we can do is get together for a dinner out, that’s enough for me. When I was a teenager, I could think of no better way of celebrating a birthday than having a pool party. My grandparents had an outdoor pool and would often host us, which was perfect because the weather tends to get just a little chilly in time for my birthday.

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FRESHER, CHEAPER, TASTIER

In the picture from left to right: Patrick Chinjen, PTA; Daniel Hamrah, recent Cornerstone graduate; Kim Townsend PT, DPT “Daniel came to Cornerstone after a spiral fracture in his leg. He needed help with his strengthening, gait, muscle tone, and balance. The staff was caring and friendly. They helped to restore his confidence in walking again. We won’t forget your patience with Daniel at each session. Instructions on what to do at home to maintain flexibility were also given to him. Everyone at Cornerstone deserves a ‘shout-out!’”

The Benefits of Seasonal Eating

– Kathy Weismans (Daniel’s Grandmother)

The nutritional benefits of fruits and vegetables hardly need explaining. While the stock of protein, carbs, and fat seems to rise and fall at random, the value of fruits and veggies never wavers. These health staples, though, can put a dent in your wallet if you’re not making the right choices at the market. One way to feed your family healthy and delicious produce on the cheap is to eat seasonally. Not only will this save you money, but you will also vary your diet, support local farms, and put the freshest foods on your table. Ever wonder why tomatoes cost so much more in December than in July? The answer is simple: shipping distance. The less a tomato needs to travel to make it to your plate, the less it will cost. Transporting produce long distances is expensive because it needs to be protected and temperature-controlled. Eating seasonally means you’ll save a ton on fruits and veggies. Even better is to cut out the middleman entirely and buy directly from a supplier. In his exceptional cookbook, “Six Seasons: A New Way With Vegetables,” Joshua McFadden writes, “The best way to eat with the seasons is to frequent and support local farms, markets, and grocery stores that are doing good things.” Farmers markets have exploded in number and popularity recently, and the USDA website (ams.usda.gov) has a directory of markets that you can search for by ZIP code. Learning what’s in season at a given time might seem like a daunting task, but there are plenty of tools to help you. Again, the farmers market is your friend here. You can ask what’s in peak season now and what to look forward to in the coming weeks. Apps like Farmstand will also let you know the freshest crops in your area and alert you to deals on produce. Even if you opt for a grocery store rather than farmers market, you can still save by eating seasonally. You’ll be shocked how much you save by buying what’s on sale. And guess which items are usually on sale? The ones that are in-season and abundant.

In the picture, from left to right: Patrick Chinjen, PTA; Amy Toporek, re- cent Cornerstone graduate; Kim Townsend PT, DPT; Alin George PT, DPT

“I was always experiencing tightness in my jaw due to grinding and clenching in my sleep. I never even thought that physical therapy would be a way to remedy that, and I’m so glad I started, especially at Cornerstone. Dave, Kim, PJ, and the entire staff always made me feel at ease while I was in their care. I started to see a change almost immediately. Thank you, Cornerstone, for helping to relieve the pain I was experiencing and giving me the confidence to continue healing even past my time at your facility.”

–Amy Toporek

Getting the nutritional benefits and great taste of fresh produce doesn’t need to cost an arm and a leg. Eat seasonally and locally, and the savings will pile up.

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DON’T LET T HE SCALE GO UP THIS FA LL

Healthy Eating Tips to Avoid Holiday Weight Gain

H ave you ever noticed we tend to eat more in the fall? As the days get colder and the nights grow longer, our plates get bigger. Sure, Thanksgiving and the many seasonal get-togethers provide ample opportunities to eat our favorite treats, but holidays aren’t to blame for fall weight gain. Research from the University of Texas, El Paso, suggests biology may be the real culprit. Our ancestors would eat more when the harvest was plentiful in the fall, putting on weight before the winter famine. Psychology might also play a role in our increased appetite. The Psychiatric University Clinic in Basel, Switzerland, studied patients with seasonal affective disorder, a mood disorder caused by a lack of sunlight. Researchers found individuals with seasonal depression ate more carbohydrates — particularly sweets and starch-rich foods. You don’t have to sacrifice the fall menu in the name of good nutrition, though. In fact, most of your fall favorites, like soups, breads, pumpkin, squash, and greens, are healthier than food from other seasons! Just remember these tricks to get those fibers and proteins, without going overboard: Keep an eye on servings sizes. We tend to eat everything in a bowl or on our plate. Consider using smaller dishes with portion sizes in mind. If you’re bringing chips to the couch, leave the bag in the kitchen and measure out an appropriate serving size first.

winter day, but too much meat and potatoes won’t do you any favors. Throw in lots of fresh vegetables to fill your stomach with vitamins, too.

Enjoy the fall weather. The days may be shorter, but the scenes of the season are truly beautiful. Find your favorite scarf, and enjoy the crisp scenery. When’s the last time you took a walk by the lake, visited the zoo, or rode your bike beneath the changing leaves?

Don’t feel bad about enjoying the fall harvest this year. Instead, feast smart and keep these healthy eating habits top of mind before you dig in. Happy eating!

Check the ingredients. Soups are good for you, provided they’re not made with cream or cheese. Likewise, there’s nothing better than a bowl of stew after a cold

APPLE CIDER CHICKEN

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil • 2 tablespoons butter • 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 2 pounds) • Salt and freshly ground black pepper • 1/2 Vidalia onion, chopped • 1 Granny Smith apple, cored and sliced into 1/4-inch wedges

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2 bay leaves

• 3 cloves garlic, minced • 2 teaspoons dried thyme

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2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

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1 1/2 cups apple cider

Directions:

1. Heat oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. 2. Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper, add to pan and sear until golden, about 4 minutes each side. Remove chicken from pan and set aside. 3. Add remaining butter, onion, apple, garlic, thyme and bay leaves. Sauté until

apple begins to get color and onions soften, about 6 minutes. Add flour and stir for 2–3 minutes. 4. Nestle chicken back into pan, add cider, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cover. Cook until chicken is cooked through, about 12 minutes.

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Recipe courtesy of foodnetwork.com

77 Brant Avenue Suite 101 Clark, NJ 07066 732.499.4540 www.cornerstoneptnj.com

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INSIDE This Issue

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Our Anniversary of Being Alive

Testimonials Fresher, Cheaper, Tastier

Keep the Pounds Off With These Healthy Eating Habits Apple Cider Chicken

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The Museum of What?

THE MUSEUM OF WHAT? THE WORLD’S STRANGEST MUSEUMS

Everyone knows the Louvre and the Smithsonian, but you might be surprised to learn about some of the stranger museums around the world. For nearly every passion, there is a building somewhere dedicated to it. Take a look at some of the weirdest.

SULABH INTERNATIONAL MUSEUM OF TOILETS Delhi, India

MOMOFUKU ANDO INSTANT RAMEN MUSEUM Osaka, Japan

A functioning toilet is something everyone takes for granted until they don’t have access to one. In India’s capital, you can explore the fascinating history of commodes. Divided into three sections — ancient, medieval, and modern — you’ll be shocked at how much you can learn about history and culture through an examination of the ways a society flushes (or doesn’t).

It’s not just college students who love ramen. Since the invention of the instant noodles by Momofuku Ando in 1958, ramen has grown to beloved status from Japan to Jamaica. In addition to viewing some of the wilder examples from around the world, you can even design your own packaging. Bring along some chopsticks, as there are plenty of samples to slurp up.

THE MUSEUM OF BAD ART Dedham, Massachusetts

THE KANSAS BARBED WIRE MUSEUM Rush County, Kansas

There are plenty of museums dedicated to exceptional artwork from history, but only one dedicated to less successful artistic endeavors. The Museum of Bad Art, or MOBA, promotes itself as the home of “art too bad to be ignored.” A trip to MOBA will leave you smiling, laughing, and feeling a little better about the fact that you’re not Picasso.

Plenty of museums are hands-off, but that’s usually to protect the precious objects held within. At the Kansas Barbed Wire Museum, not touching the exhibits is just sound advice. The development of barbed wire was instrumental in settling the American West, and this museum pays tribute to its invention and evolution.

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