Focus PT - December 2017

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December 2017

Another Excuse to Gather With Family

T he weekend after Thanksgiving, the Christmas season kicks into high gear almost immediately. At our house, the tree goes up, lights and all. Meanwhile, the kids set up their kids-only artificial tree in the other room, going wild decorating it with their own ornaments. Of course, I laugh, because by the next day, my wife has already rearranged it (she doesn’t want anything too crazy out in the family room for everyone to see). This year, we’re hoping to get my three siblings and all their kids out to our house for Christmas Eve. By now, the big pre-Christmas get- together has become a genuine tradition. Though where we meet may vary, it’s always a great time gathering and cracking each other up with old stories. The kids might appreciate the time even more. Including my kids, it’s a crew of 10 children, with most of them between the ages of 10 and 15. As you can imagine, they have a blast together as they horse around and play games. It’s heartening to see

Though, I do have to say, it wasn’t nearly the number of presents the kids are getting these days! I mean, we did fine — it wasn’t like we wanted for anything growing up, but I look around at the Christmas Day chaos these days and wonder what kind of expectations we’re setting for the future. It also gets a little more complicated as our kids turn into tweens and teens and start asking for more expensive presents. After all, drones and iPhones are a little bit bigger asks than basketballs or dolls. In addition to the standard, required presents of socks and underwear, we’ll throw in some small things to make sure nobody feels shortchanged. I say I worry about spoiling the kids, but with how fun it is to watch their excitement as they dig through their presents, it’s hard not to. Really, though, the best part about the holidays is spending time with family. We make a point to hang out as much as possible with each other. Next year, I’m hoping to have even more fun experiences with family, including mountain biking with my son (especially while I can still outrace him), ski trips, and more national park visits for all of us. It’s easy to take all the time we have together for granted, but Christmas opens your eyes and makes you realize just how special these moments are. No gift I could receive this Christmas could possibly compare.

Focus Physical Therapy patients ENTER TO WIN Find the misspelled word in this newsletter and call 949.709.8770 for your chance to win a $10 CALL 949.709.8770 Contest for past and present Focus Physical Therapy patients only. “It’s easy to take all the time we have together for granted, but Christmas opens your eyes and makes you realize just how special these moments are. ” gift card.

the next generation getting along so well. It makes you feel like maybe you’ve done something right. Growing up, we always had a similar gathering, with all the cousins coming over for the big celebration. We’d all get to open a single gift on Christmas Eve. Then, on Christmas morning, we’d come downstairs to the crazy spread of wrapped presents and get to work.

Focus Physical Therapy • Call 949.709.8770 • 1 -Julian Manrique

Why the Country’s Gone Crazy for the Keto Diet

It seems like new diet trends start to show up in the news every year, with a horde of diet evangelists following close behind. But almost always, these dieting trends are a flash in the pan, and the masses jump onto the next weight-loss train as soon as it arrives. However, there’s one diet you’ve probably heard of with a little more staying power. It’s called the ketogenic diet, or “keto,” for short, and it may be the answer to many fair-weather dieters’ woes. The keto diet involves eating mostly foods with high fat content, such as red meat, bacon, butter, nuts, and healthy oils, while keeping carbohydrate intake to an absolute minamum. Fruit, root vegetables, wheat, and sugar must be almost entirely eliminated. Normally, the body uses glucose derived from carbohydrates as its primary fuel source. Unused glucose is converted to glycogen and stored in the liver, where it turns into fatty adipose tissue as the glycogen stores overfill. Basically, the keto diet keeps carbohydrate intake so low that the body is forced to search for another source of energy to keep everything moving. So, the body shifts from metabolizing mostly glucose to metabolizing fats instead. During a process called ketosis, the liver takes fatty acids from the body’s stores and convert them to ketones, which it then “learns” to utilize as its main fuel source. In this way, fat stored in the body is burned away to fuel physical activity. SUCCESS STORIES “When I came in with a partially torn ACL, I couldn’t walk without difficulty, let alone run. Within 3 weeks, Ming and the others at Focus got me back to about 80 percent. After about 5 weeks, I am at 95 percent and able to play baseball again. Thank you, Ming!” -Trevor Patience

It’s a decidedly extreme diet — to maintain ketosis, strict avoidance of any and all carbs is vital — but there’s plenty of science to back it up. One 2003 study published in the

New England Journal of Medicine found that severely obese participants who kept a strict low-carb diet lost nearly three times as much weight as their low-fat counterparts.

However, it’s far from foolproof. As the start of ketosis, you’re essentially starving the body of its previous main fuel source, resulting in sleepiness and weakness until it acclimates to running on ketones. Afterward, proponents say you’ll start to feel satiated and energetic. But, keto can cause problems for high-intensity exercise and strength training, which depend on stored carbs for fuel. Some experts even argue that the diet is dangerous, causing the body to enter “starvation mode.” It can even cause a host of other problems, including making it even harder to lose weight. Whether you’re a proponent or a detractor, it’s clear the keto diet is here to stay, at least for a while. But before embarking on your fat-burning journey, consult with your physician to learn whether ketosis is a safe option for you.

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HAVE YOU TRIED PHYSICAL THERAPY FOR DIABETES?

Physical therapy for diabetes is meant to help those with the disease participate in safe, effective exercise programs to improve their ability to move, perform daily tasks, reduce pain, and lower blood glucose levels. After a physical therapist reviews an individual’s blood glucose record and examines them for skin wounds, the therapist will then conduct an assessment of the individual’s strength, flexibility, endurance, and balance. The physical therapist will then choose specific activities, treatments, exercises, and stretches to help restore normal movement, strength, flexibility, endurance, balance, coordination, pain levels, and healthy blood glucose levels. The therapist will also discuss activity goals and prescribe at-home exercises to speed up recovery. Diabetes is a condition with many serious complications. However, physical therapy can reduce those complications while simultaneously improving physical fitness and lowering blood glucose levels. Talk to your physical therapist about diabetes treatment today.

Diabetes is a condition in which the body does not produce enough insulin or does not react normally to insulin. When either of these occur, it causes levels of glucose in the blood to become too high, which can lead to health problems. Physical activity and exercise are important and effective in lowering high blood glucose levels, and physical therapists can help people with diabetes improve or avoid related problems. They can also teach sedentary people how to increase their daily physical activity in safe, effective, and enjoyable ways. Individuals with diabetes are at risk of complications like heart disease, heart attack, stroke, high blood pressure, eye disease, kidney disease, nervous system disease, peripheral vascular disease, skin issues, cell death, amputations, and premature death. Once someone has been diagnosed by a physician, a physical therapist can evaluate their symptoms and the physical problems associated with the condition and provide individual, specialized treatments.

• ¾ cup unsweetened peanut butter • ¼ cup coconut sugar • 2 tablespoons soy sauce • 2 tablespoons white vinegar • 2 teaspoons sesame oil • 2 teaspoons red curry paste heat and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. 5. Heat skillet over medium heat. Add garlic, parsley, and ¼ of the peanut sauce and combine. 6. Add spaghetti squash and crushed peanuts. Stir to combine until heated through, about 2 minutes. Once served, drizzle with more peanut sauce. WITH PEANUT SAUCE SPAGHETTI SQUASH THAI

HAVE A LAUGH

Ingredients

• 1 medium spaghetti squash • Olive oil • Salt • 1 garlic clove, minced • ¼ cup chopped parsley • 2 tablespoons crushed peanuts Peanut sauce: • 1 (14-ounce) can coconut milk

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Half squash and scoop out seeds. 2. Drizzle inside of squash with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Place squash on baking sheet and roast for 25 minutes. 3. Let cool. Using a fork, scrape out spaghetti squash strands. 4. Place sauce ingredients in saucepan and bring to boil over medium-high heat. Lower

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SPECIALIZING IN: LOWER BACK PAIN • SCIATICA • NECK PAIN AND HEADACHES HIP PROBLEMS • SHOULDER PAIN, BURSITIS, AND TENDINITIS SPORTS PHYSICAL THERAPY • GOLF PERFORMANCE KNEE PAIN • PLANTAR FASCIITIS • DIZZINESS AND VERTIGO AQUATIC PHYSICAL THERAPY • AND OTHER CONDITIONS

Another Excuse to Gather With Family The Keto Diet: Does It Work? Success Stories Physical Therapy for Diabetes Treatment Thai Spaghetti squash with peanut sauce INSIDE THIS ISSUE 1 2 3

Deep Tissue Laser Therapy Workshop December 5th Only 25 spots so call today! 949-709-8770

3 Creative GIFT WRAP ALTERNATIVES

scrawled across the paper. Old events or directions will add some unique flair to the presents. Furoshiki Fabric is an excellent substitute for wrapping paper. You can use a scarf to create two gifts in one or pull out scraps of fabric from old projects. The traditional Japanese practice of furoshiki is all about wrapping goods in fabric. Described as “functional fabric origami,” you’d be amazed at how a few well-placed folds can turn your gift into a work of art. Learn how to wrap anything, from boxes to bottles, at ceas.ku.edu/furoshiki- instructional-videos.

There’s something magical about seeing a stack of presents wrapped in bright, multicolored paper. However, that enchanting scene quickly evaporates a few hours later when all those wads of wrapping paper and plastic bows are chucked unceremoniously into the garbage. What if we told you there are countless ways you can still enjoy wrapping and unwrapping presents, without all the waste? Here are a few creative gift wrap alternatives to consider this holiday season. Brown Paper Bags With the holiday season comes holiday shopping, and if you opt out of plastic grocery bags, you’re sure to have a surplus of brown paper bags in the pantry. Drop a present into the bag, tape it shut, and you’re good to go. Add some simple lace or a ribbon for an old-timey feel or get creative with stamps and hand-drawn artwork. This wrap job lets your imagination run wild. Old Maps and Calendars These days, pretty much every phone has a built-in GPS, so you probably won’t need the map from your 1999 road trip anytime soon. If you still have an old map, why not use that for wrapping? The unusual designs guarantee your gifts will be one of a kind. And don’t worry if there are notes

You don’t have to follow the same gift wrap habits year after year. After the effort you put into finding just the right present, you should be able to make your gift wrap just as special. Find a method that’s uniquely you and get started!

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