PT360 - October 2020

Getting you back to the life you want to live.

360

OCTOBER 2020

In Touch

S corched E arth ... As I sit here and write this, it’s the End of Days, and the world is on fire. You can’t go outside because it’s akin to smoking multiple packs per hour, and that’s the good news you can do something about. I’ve also binge watched two seasons of “The Umbrella Academy,” and apparently, they support my alternate timeline hypothesis. And then there’s the normal life happening in the background of the apocalyptic day to day. It’s birthday season. Yet once again, while I am focused on the ever expanding red of the Clackamas County map evacuation zones, I am being steered toward birthdays. My own birthday is at the end of September, followed a mere eight days later by my kiddo. This birthday is the entry into double digits for my daughter. Usually, there is over-the-top planning, costumes, SO MUCH FOOD. And, as we all know, pandemic birthdays are, well, different. What I have seen in my growing kiddo is a shift. We have formed a “pod” with a couple of classmates because distance learning works best if you are actually at home. No one at my house is at home during the day. Allowing contact with a couple other kids/families has been the best balm for my child. I have seen her thrive where before she was sliding downhill fast. She actually was looking forward to the school year this year after the disaster in the spring. I have seen her look outward instead of focus on the negative around her, which was where she was living for a number of months. My birthday is usually glossed over in my household. When you have a grade schooler whose birthday is a week later, that’s no surprise. But this year, she changed that. She took hold of my Amazon account and did some online shopping. It all got sent to my office because she doesn’t know about multiple shipping addresses. And she was SO proud. She handed me cash and couldn’t wait for me to open the presents, three weeks ahead of my birthday (and I made her wait). On her own, she has learned that lighting up someone else’s world makes her own brighter.

We haven’t even planned what her birthday will look like this year, a significant departure from the usual 10 months of pre- planning. We know it will be outside and involve ice cream. She will celebrate with her pod. And that’s all we know. And she’s content with that. What I have come to appreciate in these days is the change. My growing, changing, maturing kiddo and her shift from utter misery to finding joy in the day to day, pretty much every day, is beautiful and semimiraculous. The kindness I have seen throughout this year from friends and strangers has far eclipsed the selfish and self-involved drama that dominates the news. 2020 has been a “burn to the ground” kid of year, which brings me back to the West Coast on fire. In normal times, it takes a long time for vegetation to decay sufficiently to release its nutrients into the soil, sometimes even decades. Fires accelerate this process. Fire instantaneously destroys the living and decaying vegetation and suddenly releases all of its nutrients, such as nitrogen, sulfur, phosphorus, and carbon. My wish for you is that, hopefully, the scorched earth that has been 2020 has also spurred some fertile ground. What has fed your soul this year that you may have missed in normal times? Sunrises? Dinners with family? Camping or RV trips? Slowing down? For as much of a dumpster fire this year has been, reflecting on the gifts that continue to emerge make that orange sky tip a bit more toward beautiful than apocalyptic. –-Shelly Coffman

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5 S teps to a S afer H otel R oom K eep S trangers and V iruses O ut W ith T hese Q uick T ips

hotel room is the remote control.” To avoid the ick, pick up the remote while wearing gloves and drop it into a Ziploc. Then, remove your gloves and seal the bag. Now you can use the remote without touching it directly!

Staying home is the best way to protect yourself and your family from illness, but sometimes life gets in the way. Maybe you need to travel for work, to help a relative, or just to keep your kids from bouncing off the walls. If you have a hotel stay on the books, worrying about safety is understandable. But by taking these precautions, you can protect your loved ones and increase your odds of coming home healthy. 1. Bring a sanitation kit and use it! Most hotels are going above and beyond to sanitize their rooms these days, but it never hurts to take extra care. Before you check in, pick up cleaning supplies like disinfectant spray, wipes, plastic bags, and gloves. Then, use them to wipe down your room. Focus on big surfaces as well as features like faucet handles, doorknobs, lightswitches, and microwave buttons. 2. Skip the decorative linens. Many hotels don’t wash decorative bedding like comforters and fancy pillowcases. To be extra safe, strip these off the bed and wash your hands afterward. If you’re chilly, opt for the hotel’s spare blanket (it’s probably hiding in a closet) or bring one from home.

4. Invest in a rubber door wedge. Viruses aren’t the only risk in hotel rooms — break-ins are another concern. To keep your room secure, bring a rubber door wedge. They cost less than $10 on Amazon and make kicking in a door much more difficult. 5. For maximum security, bring a door alarm. Simple travel alarms hang from the handle of a door and have two prongs that slide between the door and its frame. When the door opens and the prongs separate, that triggers the alarm. These simple devices send thieves running, and Lewis N. Clark makes a model for just $14.99.

Hopefully, these tips give you some peace of mind on your next trip. Happy trails!

3. Quarantine your remote control. As USA Today puts it, “It’s common knowledge that one of the germiest items in a

F all and W inter S ports A re on the H orizon T ips for B uying N ew O utdoor G ear !

As you sort through your gear, see if any equipment is damaged and requires repair or replacement. Test flashlights and headlamps to make sure they work and inspect gear that’s been stored and forgotten, like backpacks and tents, that you might not notice the wear and tear on while out in the wild. You don’t want any equipment to malfunction when you’re in the middle of an excursion.

When was the last time you bought new ski pants or hiking boots? Now that you’re thinking about it, you might be realizing it’s been many years since you updated your most used athletic gear, which might explain why you’ve been colder than usual on the ski hill or why your feet ache after a short hike. If this sounds familiar, it might be time to consider investing in new gear. It can be very expensive, but you’re in luck — the holidays are just around the corner, which means so are the sales!

Now that you know what gear you want to replace, it is time for the fun part.

Decide what outdoor activities you want to do in the upcoming months and in the next year. Adjust your inventory to your new needs and research which brands have the best ratings and reviews. Then, find which retailers tend to have the best prices. Shopping smart takes a little bit of preparation, but it can save you hundreds of dollars and lots of stress during those busy holiday weeks. So, dig through your closet or garage, take note of your current gear, and prepare to find some awesome deals for the whole family on new gear for the coming year.

Before you drop cash on new gear, sort through your current inventory and decide what to keep, sell, and toss. This might be hard and you may be tempted to skip it, but making these decisions can help you save money. If you have equipment or athletic wear that’s still in good condition but you no longer need, find a consignment shop where you can sell or trade it. After all, your gear might be perfect for someone else and still give you some money to get a great upgrade for yourself.

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C ould a L lama S ave U s F rom COVID-19? M eet W inter , a 4-L egged H ero of V accine R esearch

using these llama antibodies in humans could potentially keep coronaviruses from entering human cells as well.

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, people have turned to their four-legged friends for help and comfort. In Nebraska, an 11-year- old girl and her pony, Peanut, cheered up nursing home residents through their windows this spring, while in Pennsylvania, an award-winning golden retriever named Jackson starred in videos that kept thousands laughing. Pets like these have given the national mood a boost, but another four-legged critter deserves just as much recognition. Her name is Winter, and she’s the 4-year- old llama whose antibodies could help us beat the coronavirus. At this point, you’re probably thinking, “Llamas? Really? What will these scientists think up next?” But in fact, Winter wasn’t an outside-of-the-box discovery during the COVID-19 vaccine scramble. Llamas have been helping scientists battle viruses for years. That’s because, along with her fuzzy brown coat and long eyelashes, Winter has a unique virus treatment hidden in her blood: llama antibodies. According to The New York Times, Winter has participated in past studies for both SARS and MERS — diseases also caused by coronaviruses — and her antibodies fought off both infections. Llamas have also helped out with research for HIV and influenza. It turns out llama antibodies are smaller than the ones found in humans, which makes it easier for them to wiggle into the tiny pockets in virus-carrying proteins. This superpower gives them the ability to “neutralize” viruses, including COVID-19. Studies are now showing that

At least two separate llama studies have shown the effectiveness of these antibodies on coronavirus infections. This summer, a team of researchers from the U.K. discovered that llama antibodies “have the potential to be used in a similar way to convalescent serum, effectively stopping progression of the virus in patients who are ill” when given to those patients in a transfusion. They also suggested that a cocktail of llama and human antibodies could be even more successful at temporarily blocking the virus. Studies of the latter are in the works, and scientists around the world have their fingers crossed for success. In the meantime, Winter will continue peacefully grazing in Belgium, unaware that she just might play a role in saving the world.

P each and A rugula P asta S alad WARM SPINACH AND SUNCHOKE SALAD

Also known as Jerusalem artichokes, sunchokes will give your spinach salad a little something extra!

Ingredients •

Directions 1. Preheat the oven to 400 F. 2. In a large cast-iron skillet, heat 2 tbsp olive oil until nearly smoking. 3. Add sunchokes, garlic, and crushed red pepper. Season with salt and pepper. 4. Move skillet into the oven and roast for 25–30 minutes, until sunchokes are just tender. 5. In a large bowl, add the prepared spinach. 6. Remove skillet from the oven and add vinegar and remaining

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided

• 1 lb sunchokes,

scrubbed and cut into 1-inch pieces • 15 garlic cloves, peeled • Pinch of crushed red pepper • Kosher salt and black pepper • 1 lb leaf or curly spinach, stemmed and large leaves torn • 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar • 1 Honeycrisp apple, sliced • 4 oz clothbound cheddar, crumbled (1 cup), divided

2 tbsp olive oil, then pour mixture over the spinach.

7.

Toss gently until spinach is wilted.

8. Add apple and half of the cheese and season with salt and pepper to taste. 9. Transfer to a serving bowl, toss, top with remaining cheese, and serve.

Inspired by FoodAndWine.com

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Scorched Earth ... Page 1 5 Steps to a Safer Hotel Room Tips for Buying New Outdoor Gear! Page 2 I nside T his I ssue

Could a Llama Save Us From COVID-19?

Warm Spinach and Sunchoke Salad Page 3 Why Physical Therapy Should Be Your First Resort Page 4

W hy P hysical T herapy S hould B e Y our F irst R esort W hen Y ou E xperience a M usculoskeletal I njury

While there are still some cases where surgery and prescription medications are necessary for healing musculoskeletal injuries, more often than not, going to physical therapy first can help you heal faster and save money in the long run. So, if you’re dealing with chronic pain and don’t know how to stop it, connect with us today!

first means of lower back pain recovery saved nearly $1,000 when compared to the group who used injections as their first means of recovery. Those savings jumped to over $12,000 when compared to the average cost of turning to surgery as a first resort. That’s not just the case for patients with lower back pain, however. According to another study done by ATI Physical Therapy, My Health First Network, Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS), and Greenville Health System (GHS), 70% of patients that opted to use physical therapy as a means for spine, shoulder, and knee pain didn’t need any additional imaging, prescription medication, or visits to their physician. The sooner you start physical therapy, the sooner you recover and the less you have to spend on health care costs.

For most people, October is all about pumpkin spice, apple cider, candy, and Halloween costumes. However, October is also a noteworthy month for physical therapists because it’s National Physical Therapy Month, a time of year that celebrates and raises awareness about the benefits of physical therapy. In a world where everyone is quick to take a pill or schedule a surgery to mask their symptoms, National Physical Therapy Month is a great time to highlight why PT is one of the best methods of injury recovery. Almost any way you slice it, physical therapy is an incredibly cost-effective way to recover from a musculoskeletal injury. One study, commissioned by the Alliance for Physical Therapy Quality and Innovation (APTQI), found that patients who utilized physical therapy as their

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