Proof PT - August 2022

Proof PT - August 2022

LETTERS OF PROOF (928) 440-3106 | www.ProofPT.com

August 2022

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THE JOY OF HAVING DOGS

It’s National Dog Day!

For many of us, dogs play an important role as companions in our lives. They are always excited to see us whether it’s been five minutes or five hours since our last interaction. Dogs also have the ability to provide us with comfort when we’re feeling down. On Aug. 26, we celebrate National Dog Day, and this provides the perfect opportunity to play and spend extra time with our furry friends to celebrate them. If there was a crazy dog lover club in town, I would be president. When I was growing up, we always had dogs, and even then, I often begged to have my OWN that I could raise from a puppy. Once I was living on my own, I struggled finding a landlord who would allow me to have a dog, let alone a big one in an apartment. Around seven years ago, I finally convinced my landlord to comply, but she was very specific that it could only be a Shih Tzu, Chihuahua, or Yorkie. She even said she had to approve the specific one I chose before I could actually bring it home. The following day, before she could change her mind, I went out and got a Yorkie puppy from a local family and named him Jasper Hooligan. After having Jasper for five years, I started looking for another dog to keep him company. It was just after St. Patrick’s Day when I stumbled upon an adorable little mixed-breed dog from a local rescue group. I still had four- leaf clovers painted on my nails and the name stuck: Clover LaRue. They said her mom was a Maltese, and she’d likely be about 20 pounds, but now, two years later, she only weighs 4.5 pounds!

While Clover has certainly been a terror at times, she can be incredibly cute when she’s calm. I’ve been working hard to train her, and it’s starting to show. One of our favorite things to do is go hiking. Even though the dogs are little, they do really well; they even did Humphrey’s Peak with me! On average, we can all hike together for about 5 miles, but Clover never really runs out of energy. There are very few things better than walking through your doors and being greeted by your excited dogs who want to share their unconditional love. I live on my own, so it’s nice to have a companion who is always around. They’re playful and ready to show off their tricks to bring a smile to my face. Jasper can sit, roll over, play dead, and even go and grab specific toys when directed on top of a handful of other tricks. I’m sure Clover will learn from Jasper before long, but she has started to bring me a toy whenever I walk through the door instead of barking — which is absolutely adorable! Dogs are a necessary part of my life, and I couldn’t imagine what my days would look like without Jasper and Clover. I’m sure we will have plenty of fun together, and they will get many treats when we celebrate National Dog Day this month. –Amanda Kimmel

“There are very few things better than walking through your doors and being greeted by your excited dogs who want to share their unconditional love.”

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LIVE LONGER AND STRONGER CHANGING THE SCOPE OF EXERCISE

Gardening While gardening doesn’t seem as vigorous as other exercises, it is a hearty physical activity. Digging around in the dirt is actually great for your immune system, and it strengthens your arms, legs/knees, and balance. Mycobacterium vaccae, which is a bacteria commonly found in gardening soil, can alleviate symptoms of allergies, asthma, and even psoriasis. Cycling Whether it be in a class or outdoors, cycling can be very beneficial for stiff or sore joints. You’re able to get your blood flowing and build muscles in the front and back of your legs as well as your hips. Your arms are also strengthened due to the resistance of balancing your arms and shoulders to steer. Yoga Holding a series of poses can stretch and strengthen your muscles, tendons, and ligaments. It also helps lower heart rate and blood pressure and can even relieve symptoms of anxiety and depression. For older adults, a well-rounded workout that consists of endurance, strength, balance and flexibility can help in many ways. Some can even be fun!

Your body undergoes a variety of changes over the years, many of which are

degenerative and can be debilitating to your health. But exercise can help slow these age- related issues, like heart disease or high blood pressure, and even prevent them in the long run. Here are four ways you can get moving

without overexerting yourself.

Walking or Jogging Taking a stroll around the neighborhood or a few laps around the park can help build stamina, strengthen lower body muscles, and help fight against bone diseases like osteoporosis. If you want to sweat it out some more, jogging might be a great alternative. But remember to be kind to your joints: Walk at a pace you’re comfortable with, wear supportive shoes, take breaks as needed, and walk on soft surfaces, like tracks or grass.

We Want to See You Healthy! THE 3 MAIN GOALS OF PHYSICAL THERAPY

Prevention It’s not enough for us to heal you. We also want to help strengthen

When patients arrive at their very first physical therapy appointment, they usually don’t know what to expect. In many cases, they have experienced an accident or injury and need physical therapy to regain the use of their body so they can enjoy their usual daily activities. They might think that the physical therapist's only goal is to heal their body, but that’s actually only one part of it. Many of us have three goals in mind when we are working with our patients.

your body to prevent future injuries to the same area. Prevention often ties to education: You need to understand what caused the issue in the first place to know how to prevent it. We will also teach you stretches and exercises that you can do at home to continue strengthening the injured areas. If you’ve never been to a physical therapy appointment, it can be intimidating walking through our doors. Now that you know we’re here to heal and educate you while helping to prevent future injuries, that first appointment should be much more manageable.

Education For the most part, education increases understanding. We want our patients to understand why their body is responding the way it is. If you’re in pain, we want to educate you on why you feel that way and what you can do to decrease symptoms. We want to be transparent so you feel comfortable and know you’re in a safe place with physical therapists who want you to feel better. This often leads to positive outcomes when we’re finished with treatment.

Healing Healing is a big part of physical therapy since, in most cases, you’re here to fix a physical issue that’s been plaguing you. We will work through stretches and exercises to relieve your pain and improve your functional abilities. Through physical therapy, we can accelerate the stages of healing while restoring muscle flexibility. After a few appointments, you will really start to notice a difference.

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IT’S NICE TO MATCHA Benefits of Powdered Green Tea — And Risks

Reap the benefits. Matcha can increase your intake of antioxidants, which may help prevent cell

Matcha is an incredibly tasty, high-quality powdered green tea that has swept the food scene across the globe. It flavors popular hot teas, lattes, bubble teas, milkshakes, and even sweet breads and desserts. But is it worth the hype? Let’s find out. What’s matcha, anyway? Matcha is a finely ground green tea powder that has a strong and earthy tea flavor. For most teas, you steep the leaves in hot water. However, with matcha, you put the powder directly into water to create a hot, foamy drink. It’s processed from relatively young tea leaves and pairs well with sweet flavors. That’s why you’ll find matcha in sweetened drinks and desserts on most menus. Here’s a quick nutritional breakdown. On its own, matcha has no sugar or added ingredients. Two grams of matcha contain about 5 calories, 1 gram protein, 1 gram carbohydrates, 1 gram dietary fiber, 0.36 milligrams of iron, 1.2 milligrams vitamin C, and 200 international units of vitamin A. The most surprising numbers here are fiber and vitamin A, which are both 4% of your daily value. Importantly, matcha has a high level of antioxidants — specifically, catechins. It’s estimated that matcha may have up to 137 times more catechins than other forms of green tea.

damage and even lower your risk of several chronic diseases. Green tea extract is a well-researched ingredient commonly used for weight loss, and matcha may have a similar effect. Green tea’s properties are especially helpful at promoting good liver health. Additionally, matcha has a concentrated amount of caffeine — with an added bonus, if you’re caffeine wary. Matcha contains a compound called L-theanine, which alters the effects of caffeine to promote alertness and prevents an energy crash after caffeine’s effects wear off. Avoid the risks. Unfortunately, despite matcha’s exceptional health properties, it’s often used in not-so-healthy drinks and foods. If you consume matcha, avoid adding a lot of sweeteners. Excessive sweetener will cancel out the benefits. So, buy a bag for yourself and stir a small amount into a cup of hot water — you might be surprised how tasty a simple cup of hot matcha with very few additives can be!

Zucchini Corn Fritters Inspired by MakingThymeForHealth.com

TAKE A BREAK!

If you have a bowl and 30 minutes, you can make these fritters for dinner! Add them to your list of go-to meals that celebrate summer vegetables.

DIRECTIONS

INGREDIENTS

• 4 cups shredded zucchini • 1/2 cup corn kernels • 6 green onions, chopped • 3 garlic cloves, minced • 1 1/4 cups chickpea flour

1. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients except oil and toppings. Stir until well combined and let rest for 5 minutes until a batter forms. 2. In a large skillet, warm the oil over medium heat. Scoop 1/4 cup of zucchini mixture into the skillet. Cook for 3–5 minutes, then flip. Cook for another 3–5 minutes until fritter is golden brown. Repeat with the remaining batter. 3. Serve topped with nacho cheese, black beans, salsa, and avocado.

• 2 tsp ground cumin • 1 tsp dried oregano • 1 tsp dried thyme • 1 tsp each salt and pepper • 1 tbsp olive oil • Vegan nacho cheese, black beans, salsa, and avocado for toppings

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PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411

(928) 440-3106 | www.ProofPT.com

460 N. Switzer Canyon Dr., Ste. 400 Flagstaff, AZ 86001

1. Celebrating National Dog Day! 2. 4 Simple Yet Effective Ways to Work Out Understanding the Objectives of Physical Therapy 3. Matcha Health Benefits — And Risks Zucchini Corn Fritters 4. 4 Reasons Why You Might Not Be Losing Weight INSIDE THIS ISSUE

Find Your Focus AND ACHIEVE THE BODY YOU WANT

You’re doing too much cardio. Though cardio is an important part of a workout routine, it can’t be the sole focus. It keeps your heart healthy and boosts your metabolism, but if you’re doing too much, it can have side effects that reverse your progress. Long cardio sessions can eat away at lean muscle mass; your muscles are important for your metabolism to burn more calories. Try to keep cardio on the lighter side. That way you can also focus on other major muscle groups. You’re not taking recovery days. When you feel that afterburn and soreness following a workout, it is the prime time to take a recovery day. Recovery and rest are important steps in a workout routine, because

As anyone who struggles with their weight knows, dropping a few pounds can be incredibly difficult. Even if you’re working out regularly and your diet is great, you may still find it hard to get to an ideal weight. Our bodies and metabolisms are complex, working out isn’t always enough, and you need to address all of the issues that may be affecting your body. Here are a few reasons you might not be shedding pounds even if you’re working out. You’re not eating the right foods. People tend to focus all their energy on burning calories without considering what they’re eating as fuel for their bodies. A great tip is to look for all natural, whole foods. These will have all the nutrients you need, whereas processed foods have little to none.

most of your fat burning will be done in that period. Make sure after working hard that you listen to your body and give it the break it may need before your next workout. There may be many reasons you aren't making as much progress on your weight loss goals as you'd like. But you can do many things to help yourself lose weight in a safe, sustainable way.

You’re eating too much. Your body needs to burn as many or more calories than you consume. Don’t focus on counting calories; instead, focus on eating when you’re hungry, but eat slowly enough to where you don’t get full too quickly. This way you can find a healthy balance between what your body needs versus what you want.

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