PT 360 - June 2022

PT 360 - June 2022

Getting you back to the life you want to live.

360

JUNE 2022

In Touch

BEYOND THE PAIN ...

reflected on how very true that statement was (while still having to maintain said squat). Suffering and pain may be related to physical tissue injury, emotional distress, mental overload, but the piece that makes it feel unbearable lives in a small part of our brain in the R hemisphere. Helping to make that voice quieter enables us to achieve great things for ourselves. I have mulled over a quote recently. The psychiatrist Viktor E. Frankl has been credited with the following: “Between stimulus and response there is space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.” This rang so true, and addressed our human tendency to knee-jerk a quick fix, a way to make the feelings quiet immediately, a way to stop having to pay attention. But it’s the pause that enables the space to reflect. It’s the space that moves us away from the knee-jerk and toward a thoughtful and intentional response. When that stimulus is pain, whether that be physical pain or emotional and mental pain, we do our best to move through it quickly and “make it stop.” Our brains almost can’t discern between physical and emotional pain. Both physical and emotional pain are evolutionary signals designed to tell us when we need to stop, assess a situation, and potentially change our behavior — whether that’s to stop walking on a hurt foot or walk away from an argument. According to the biologist Thomas Walton Galloway, our personalities have three parts: the perceiving and receiving part that pays attention; the responding part that looks to mount a reaction; and the third, “that which lies between stimulus and response, whose function is to correlate and adjust behavior to stimulus. This third region is where our real personal values lie. This is where we grow most.” When you reach that edge where your muscles shake, or you feel scared to pursue your dreams, or leave a relationship, or start a new career and the little voice is saying you can’t, or you’re not (smart, strong, savvy) enough, realize that, honestly, you are. One little step in front of the other, quietly and steadily moving towards your growth, and you’re there. Beyond the pain, past that edge is a whole new you, the true you. Tell that loud voice to zip it. It might be holding you back from something and someone amazing.

Part of what interested me in becoming a PT is a distinct fascination with the brain. That’s actually my primary interest. The body attached to the brain still follows the “boss” that’s on top of your shoulders. Combine that with some hardcore nerdiness, and I am drawn to continued reading/ learning about the brain. Many years ago, I read a story about an ultra- marathoner, Diane Van Deren. She had suffered from debilitating and life-threatening seizures, and finally made the hard choice to have that part of her brain removed, which stopped the seizures. An interesting side effect, the part that has stuck with me in the years since reading this article, was the loss of perception of the passage of time. This already very gifted and talented athlete actually improved in her sport following brain surgery. The attributed reason? She doesn’t have a good sense for how long she was in pain or suffering. After six hours of grueling ascent into mountains, she might think only 30 minutes has passed. I think of that piece often. This morning in an exercise class, my coach said “Your brain will stop you before your body ever will.” (As my legs were shaking from being in a squat for what felt like 10 minutes). It brought me right back to Van Deren’s story, and I

www.PT-360.com 1

No Caffeine Needed

How to Beat Your Afternoon Slump

consuming carbohydrates. Eating vegetables, fruit, and protein or fiber-rich foods will help pick up your energy without incurring a future dip. While you’re snacking, drink some water. A 2018 study out of Yale found that even mild dehydration can negatively affect our brains’ ability to function, so don’t let your water bottle sit untouched.

We all know the feeling: Sometime after lunch, you become sluggish, spacy, and unproductive. Many of us instinctively turn to caffeine to power through the rest of the day, but that can cause another crash, not to mention sleep problems. But don’t worry — you aren’t doomed to an aimless afternoon. We’ve compiled expert tips to perk up and carry on with your busy day. Plan your work. All of our bodies have internal rhythms, and by now, you probably know yours. Typically, people peak mid-morning or in the late afternoon. But whenever your productive heights are, plan around them. Complete the detailed, creative, or difficult work during the times when your energy is at its best, and save your “busy work” or repetitive tasks for the lulls when you feel less motivated. You’ll feel better and get more done. Consume healthy foods and lots of water. Maybe you don’t have complete control of your schedule. That’s where a healthy snack comes in. We tend to crash in the afternoon when our blood sugar drops, usually due to

Get up and move. You’re not going to get over that slump by sitting in your chair. If you want to beat back fatigue, go for a walk, climb some stairs, stretch, or do some jumping jacks. Researchers have proven that exercise wakes up both your body and your mind. In fact, science says it will do a better job of rousing you than caffeine will. Best of all, it will help, not hurt, your ability to sleep at night. Finally, set yourself up for success by going to bed at a reasonable hour and getting your necessary 7–9 hours of sleep. Our attention ebbs and flows naturally, so none of us can be our best 100% of the time. But along with these other tips, staying well-rested can help you pick up the pace.

3 EASY COOKING HACKS FOR BETTER NUTRITION

No. 3: Add frozen spinach to almost anything. Fresh spinach quickly loses its folate, powerful vitamins, and nutritional benefits over time, but spinach, frozen at its peak freshness, saves the day. That’s why frozen spinach is actually more nutritious than most fresh

Making a meal plan is a pain, but you still want to get all your necessary vitamins, minerals, and protein through everyday foods. Even if you’re not a cooking expert, you can employ a few very simple cooking hacks in the dishes you commonly prepare! You’ll be surprised how these little boosts can reap big, nutritious rewards. No. 1: Add quinoa to recipes. Want to add extra texture or color to your steamed white or brown rice? Mix it up with 1 cup of quinoa (any color) and another 2 cups of water or broth. Or, simply throw quinoa into any grain-friendly soup you’re preparing, like a simple chicken soup! Quinoa is rich in antioxidants and filled with fiber to lower cholesterol and blood sugar levels, reducing your risk of diabetes and heart disease. No. 2: Replace cream with almond, walnut, or oat milk. Cream is a popular mainstay in any American kitchen, but it doesn’t have to be dairy cream. Plant-based milk and creamer (such as almond, walnut, or oat milk) are often extra rich in vitamins and minerals and low in fat. They contain no cholesterol and are easy on your digestive system. Because they all have slightly different flavor profiles, you can pick your favorite! Walnut milk works surprisingly well in a creamy pasta sauce.

spinach at the supermarket! Whether it’s for pasta, pizza, scrambled eggs, cheese dip, a smoothie, or curry, frozen spinach

is more versatile than you might think. Plus, studies show spinach may have amino acids that help reduce stress and depression!

(Bonus) No. 4: Add chia seeds to cold drinks, yogurt, baked desserts, and more! It’s easy to feel guilty for indulging your cravings for sweet tea, pudding, cookies, and cake. But if you add chia seeds, you might feel a little better about it! These small seeds are densely packed with antioxidants, minerals, fiber, and omega-3 fatty acids, all of which may promote heart health, support strong bones, and improve blood sugar management.

We hope these tips help make your favorite dishes a little more fun and guilt-free! Enjoy!

2 (503) 248-0360

Why Is Permanent Weight Loss So Hard? SPOILER: YOUR BODY IS SCARED OF IT

maintain permanent weight loss, including replacing processed foods in your diet. As just one example, according to the Journal of Clinical Investigation, a diet with added fructose (high-fructose corn syrup) is linked to insulin resistance, increased blood sugar levels, and higher triglyceride and LDL (bad) cholesterol levels — but if you replace fructose with regular sugars and glucose, the risk is noticeably less. That said, fruit with natural fructose does not appear to carry the same risks as added fructose. Our bodies are complex machines. Many factors beyond diet (genetics, medical comorbidities, long-standing diabetes, stress, sleep, etc.) can affect your ability to lose weight. The best path to a healthier

Losing weight is hard — and not just because creating new diet and exercise habits is difficult. The truth is that you’re working against your body’s natural instincts, which is to preserve weight. In other words, even when weight loss is the healthiest thing you can do for your body, physiologically, your body rarely realizes that. How does weight loss work? Complex interactions between hormones and neurons in your hypothalamus control how much you weigh. Your hypothalamus controls your thirst, hunger, and body temperature. The chemicals that interact with the hypothalamus therefore influence your appetite and how much food you eat. In particular, fat cells in your body produce the hormone leptin, which then tells your body when you’ve stored enough fat, thus decreasing your appetite. A popular, effective way to think of weight loss is “calories in, calories out” (CICN). You want more calories going out than coming in because this helps sustain a caloric deficit which can assist in losing weight. However, not all calories affect your hormones the same way, and being overweight to begin with can interfere with the body’s ability to regulate an appropriate appetite. So, how do I lose weight — for good?

weight is to move more and find multiple ways to live a healthier life, one small step at a time.

Even after following a new diet and exercise regimen, most people are likely to regain about 30%–35% of the weight they’ve lost after one year. After sacrificing those potato chips for sugar snap peas, this is frustrating! But we promise that some changes do help

INGREDIENTS

• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste • 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, finely grated • 2 tbsp unsalted butter, diced • Chives and scallions, finely chopped

• 6 ears of corn • 1 1/2 cups heavy cream • 1 1/2 cups ricotta • 2 tbsp all-purpose flour • 2 tbsp thyme, finely chopped

“If you want to fly, give up everything that weighs you down.” Buddha

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 325 F. 2. In a large grill pan on high heat, cook the corn until charred on all sides. Let cool, then cut the kernels from the cob. 3. In a food processor or blender, purée two-thirds of the kernels with the cream, ricotta, flour, and thyme. Season with salt and pepper, and stir in remaining whole kernels. 4. Pour into an 8-inch baking dish. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top, and dot with butter. Bake for approximately 1 1/2 hours, until bubbly. 5. Garnish with chives and scallions before serving.

www.PT-360.com 3

PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411

1215 SE 8th Ave., Ste. D Portland, OR 97214

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

Beyond the Pain ... Page 1

Beating the Midday Slump 3 Cooking Hacks to Eat Better Page 2

Permanent Weight Loss Is Too Hard - Or Is It? Grilled Corn and Ricotta Dip Page 3

The Bull This Small Town Needed Page 4

BE LIKE BUSTER THE BULL FINDING KINDNESS IN THE PASTURE

or breath, and I would feel better. When it was time to end the conversation, he’d turn and walk away.” As Wynne’s connection to Buster grew, she began posting about him on Facebook, and soon enough, the bull had a huge following. People from across the nation and the globe knew that Buster was special, with an uncanny ability to listen and offer knowledge in a way only cows can. And he provided comfort to all who knew him. One time, a fan of Buster’s asked if he could meet the bull. The man was dying, and one of the last things he wanted to do was meet the cow who had given him some solace during his final days. With permission from his doctor, the man drove two hours to meet Buster, hauling a basket of apples along the way. Although kind, Buster was never one to eat apples that didn’t come from his tree. But that day, Buster knew those apples were special, and he ate them. Buster did that for a friend. In November 2020, Buster walked into the woods and laid down to pass away. He had been sick, and despite some treatment, the all-knowing bull just knew it was time. He had done what he came here to do: spread kindness. Today, his friendship still lives on for the residents of Spartanburg, South Carolina, and all the fans of Buster the Bull.

Nothing compares to a good friend. They’re someone who will listen and provide support when you need it most. For everyone in Spartanburg, South Carolina — and eventually the whole world — that was Buster the Bull. Buster’s talent for companionship wasn’t discovered until Wynne Smith moved into the farm next to Buster’s. After he appeared in her barn one day, Wynne was a little scared, but soon, as Wynne told Reader’s Digest in August 2021, Buster became a confidant. “Somehow, he knew when I was home and would come to stand next to my house, and we’d talk over the fence,” Wynne said. “If I had a hard day at work, he heard about it. If something exciting was going on at home, he heard about it. He would stand or lie beside the fence and keep me company, give a knowing glance

4 (503) 248-0360