New Jersey Institute of Balance - July 2018

JULY 2018

BULLETIN

Announcing the Opening of Our Basking

Ridge Clinic Extending Our Reach and Transforming Lives

been fantastic to meet a whole new array of individuals eager to make a change in their lives. There are so many stories, so many interesting and friendly people from all walks of life, that a “people person” like myself couldn’t possibly get bored. In this new, more intimate space, I’m able to work one-on-one in treatment sessions, guiding people through the methodologies that will finally allow them to live their lives pain-free. In between the times when I’m relaxing with my family or treating patients, I’ve been on the hunt for new physical therapists to bring on board both in Elizabeth and Basking Ridge. Adding new members to the NJIB team is a thrilling prospect, but I’m incredibly picky about finding exactly the right people for the job. I need therapists who are aligned with my own, one-on-one, attentive approach to treatment, focused on achieving incredible results for every person who comes into our clinic. After all, I owe that to my patients after all these years. If you’re in the Basking Ridge area, come in and say hi! We’re right in the historic district of Liberty Corner, attached to the chiropractic clinic of my skilled friend and colleague, Dr. Vincent LaSorsa. I’m so excited to meet all the new faces in the area and continue to do the work that keeps me coming into the clinic every day.

It’s been a year of tremendous personal and professional growth. Of course, the biggest recent event has been the birth of my two beautiful twins, Michael and Michele, with all the chaos and joy they bring into my world. But in the midst of all the awesome things that have been going on at home, I’ve also been pushing the New Jersey Institute of Balance forward, perhaps more than ever before. Though I may be a little late in mentioning it within the pages of our newsletter, I’m pleased to formally announce the opening of our new, second clinic out in Basking Ridge! It’s always been my team’s goal to serve as many patients as possible. It’s important to us that we’re able to reach out to everyone in our community struggling with pain and injury and give them the tools that will allow them to return to doing the things they love. Nobody deserves to have to go through the struggle that injury brings alone, simply accepting poor mobility and debilitating aches as a fact of life. That’s why we’re always looking for opportunities to extend our reach and maximize the positive impact we can make on our community and the world at large. And for about two months at our new Basking Ridge location, we’ve been doing just that. I’ve been migrating from office to office, treating all these new arrivals while continuing to work with my patients back in Elizabeth. Really, it’s an extension of the patient-centric approach we’ve had ever since the beginning. It’s

–Dr. Michael Russo

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Learning That Doesn’t Feel Like School

Mentally Stimulating Activities for Summer

process of making the solution will teach ratios, and finding creative ways to blow bubbles fosters problem-solving skills and creative thinking.

Every summer, parents across the country have to deal with the same delicate problem. They want to make sure their kids continue to learn without

For Teenagers: Family Dinner Party

Cooking teaches so many important skills: math, science, nutrition, concentration, cultural understanding, following directions, creativity, time management, and more. Even better, it doesn’t feel like learning; it feels like fun. Encourage your older children to take the reins for preparing regular meals throughout the summer. You can pick guiding themes, like “a trip to Mexico” or “pasta party,” but let them choose the recipes and prep the meals on their own. Field trips always inspire excitement in students, and you’ll find the same goes for your family members. You can tailor your destination to the interests of your kids for maximum engagement. If you have a family of art lovers, head to a museum for some inspiration and discussion. Kids who prefer the outdoors will enjoy a nature walk or hike. You can bring along a field guide to identify flora and fauna. These trips may not pack the thrill of a water park, but they’re fun in an entirely different way. For the Entire Family: An Educational Field Trip

feeling like they’re being assigned tasks. After all, summer homework is every child’s worst nightmare. Luckily, you don’t have to rely on math problems and book reports to keep your child’s development from taking a two-month vacation. Here are a few mentally stimulating activities that are as educational as they are fun.

For Little Ones: Homemade Bubbles

Bubbles fascinate young children, so why not spend a day making your own solution and experimenting with different types of bubbles? The formula is simple: 1 part dish soap (Dawn or Joy work best) to 10 parts water. Optionally, you can also include 1/4 part glycerin. The

“When I started therapy, I had lower back pain and couldn’t turn my body. I also had pain in my knee. I couldn’t move my neck, and walking was very difficult. I feel much better walking, and my pain is better. I like the people here that work on me. I am happy here, and everyone is very friendly. I would recommend NJIB to anyone.” Patient Success Story –Paul C.

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3 REASONS TO WORK OUT WITH A FRIEND

Stay Accountable With the Buddy System

When you work out alone, it can be tempting to cut corners and get comfortable. After all, if you cheat on a pullup or don’t swing that kettlebell as high as you should, who will know? That’s where a workout buddy comes in. Here are three ways hitting the gym with a friend can make your workouts safer and more effective — and a lot more fun! Ensure Proper Form When you don’t perform an exercise correctly, you may not even be working the right muscles, which makes all of your hard work pointless. At best, you’ll cheat yourself out of the full benefits of your workout. At worst, you risk injury. By working out with someone else, you can spot one another and keep an eye out for lapses in form. You and your partner can keep each other honest, ensuring your routine stays safe and effective. Get a Little Competitive Whether you make your workouts explicitly competitiv or not, working out with someone is a great way to subconsciously push yourself to improve. Even if your partner is stronger, faster, or in better shape than you, the drive to close the gap between your capabilities can be a big motivating factor. Psychologists call this mental push to avoid being the weak link the “Köhler effect.” In small groups, those who begin weaker often push themselves to improve the most. Why not put this psychological phenomenon to work for you?

Stay Accountable The most valuable reason to have a workout buddy is accountability. Just having a dedicated person to ask you if you’ve met your fitness goals can have a significant impact on how regularly you exercise. In fact, something as simple as a bimonthly check-in has been shown to help people increase the amount of time they spend working out. A Stanford University study on the impact of social support on physical activity found that an occasional check-in boosted test subjects’ workout times by an average of 78 percent. This is part of a growing body of research that suggests positive social support may be a key factor in motivation. Even if you can’t actually exercise alongside your workout buddy, just checking in on one another’s goals can make a huge difference.

Watermelon Salad

HAVE A LAUGH!

This simple, delicious salad is the perfect summer refresher. In under 30minutes, you’ll have a dish that will inspire rave reviews at your next summer cookout.

Ingredients

•

8 cups seedless watermelon, cut into 1-inch cubes

• • •

1 pinch of cayenne pepper 1/2 cup mint leaves, torn

•

1/4 cup fresh lime juice

Salt to taste

Directions

1. In a large mixing or salad bowl, toss watermelon with lime juice and cayenne pepper.

2. Gently fold in mint leaves. 3. Sprinkle with salt and serve.

Inspired by Food & Wine magazine 3 www.NJIB.org

216 Palmer St. Elizabeth, NJ 07202

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INSIDE This Issue

Announcing the Opening of Our Basking Ridge Clinic

Summer-Worthy Learning Opportunities Patient Success Story

Do You Need a Workout Buddy? Watermelon Salad What to Do This Month in North Jersey

What to Do Around the Area July in North Jersey

BRICK FEST LIVE LEGO FAN EXPERIENCE When: July 7, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Where: The Meadowlands Expo Center Admission: $15–$39.50 (Free for children under 2) If you’ve got a creative kid in the family or just a LEGO fan of any age, you absolutely can’t miss this huge, unique event. On July 7, the Meadowlands Expo Center will be packed with more than a million LEGO bricks and all kinds of activities, from a gallery of complex, glowing LEGO creations, to numerous hands-on collaborative building activities, mini golf, and everything else a LEGO fan could ever dream of.

LADIES LOVE POP UPS When: July 28, 12–4 p.m. Where: Loft Life Venue, 313 Union Ave. Admission: $5 Designed by women for women, Ladies Love Pop Ups is an opportunity for women from around the area to get together and check out the wares of unique female vendors from New Jersey, New York, and Philadelphia. It’s the perfect place to pick up vintage and designer clothing, incredible beauty products, and jewelry. You can also enjoy the wide array of food on offer. Check it out — you won’t be disappointed!

BLIZZARD When: July 15, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Where: Grand Bazaar, NYC Admission: Free

After a long, hot summer, all of us need to cool down a little. Where better than at one of the biggest ice cream festivals in the country? At the Summer Ice Cream Blizzard, you can explore the work of over 100 artists, designers, craft- makers, vintage dealers, and food vendors while chowing down on a ton of delicious artisanal ice creams. If you’re a fan of this frozen treat — and who isn’t? — you can’t go wrong.

NYC SUMMER ICE CREAM 4 908-353-0500

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