M3 PT - August 2018

M3 PT - August 2018

WEST HILLS 7230 MEDICAL CENTER DRIVE, SUITE 401 WEST HILLS, CA 91307 WEST LOS ANGELES 10474 SANTA MONICA BLVD, SUITE 435 LOS ANGELES, CA 90025

WWW.M3PT.COM / LA · 310.275.4137 / WEST HILLS · 747.888.3562 / AUGUST 2018

M3 AND ME

WEAVING THE KNOT LOOKING BACK ON 15 YEARS OF MARRIAGE

By the time you read this, my wife, Munesha, and I will be celebrating our 15th wedding anniversary! It feels like just yesterday we were hitting the books together in the study halls of USC; now we’re honoring this incredible milestone with our three kids. We knew we had to do something special to mark the occasion, so we decided to take a trip to Hawaii as a family! As I write, I am very much looking forward to some fun in the sun with the kids. Munesha and I have always been adventurous, so we’ll be sure to check out some of the island’s natural wonders and sights as well. Between you and me, I’ve been trying to work out a moment for the two of us to renew our vows, maybe on the beach. Being able to relive the magic of our wedding would be wonderful. As a Mexican man marrying an Indian woman, our ceremony was a sight to behold. We weaved together the wedding traditions of our two cultures into a bright, elaborate tapestry, paying homage to our families’ history while simultaneously creating something new of our own. We called our special day “A Hindu wedding with a Latin twist.” And, as you can imagine, the food was incredible. If you’ve never had the pleasure of witnessing a Hindi-influenced wedding, allow me to set the scene. The first thing you’ll notice is the vibrant colors. All the women dress in bright, flowing garments called saris. This does not mean the bride’s outfit is outshone — far from it, in fact. Rather than the white dress we’re used to in the West, Munesha wore the traditional bride’s sari, which is dyed hibiscus red and adorned with intricate golden trim.

a dhol , an Indian drum. My family gave the experience a Latin twist, however, using congas instead of the dhol .

When my procession reached the bride’s pavilion, our family members exchanged garlands with one another, symbolizing this union.

At the end of the ceremony, my newly wedded wife was carried away in a doli , a wooden Indian carriage with curtains and cushions. My brother-in-law, my aunt, and I had made

everything, from frame to cushions, by hand. It was a real labor of love. Being carried by our loved ones on something they had crafted was something truly special. The reception was a real multicultural experience. While a Latin band played, the food table featured Mexican tapas alongside naan and curry. And of course, tequila and scotch both flowed freely that evening.

Today, the spirit of this wedding, of the blending of cultures and ideas, is embodied by our children. They honor both

Mexican and Indian holidays, eat both Latin and Indian food at least once a week, go to a Spanish-speaking school, and have picked up quite a bit of Hindi language from their Nana and Nani (maternal grandparents). Not only are they a perfect meld of our two cultures, but time and again I have seen just how accepting our kids can be of people from all walks of life. Coming up in a multicultural household, tolerance and understanding come as second nature to them. It gives us so much pride and hope for the future.

And then there was my entrance. In an Indian wedding, it’s the groom who approaches the bride’s family — and it’s a little more than a walk. I rode in on a horse, with a procession of friends and family. Normally, it’s traditional for the groom’s party to have someone keep the beat on

–Dr. Raul Lona

LA · 310.275.4137 / WEST HILLS · 747.888.3562 | 1

Published by The Newsletter Pro • www.TheNewsletterPro.com

JOURNEY TO THE GREAT BACKYARD FINISH THE SUMMER WITH A FAMILY CAMPING ‘TRIP’

Summer is drawing to a close, but there’s still time to make some great memories. Camping trips are a summer staple. Fortunately, you don’t have to drive hours into the mountains to find the perfect campsite. Your backyard is right there waiting for you! Here are a few tips to help your family say farewell to summer with a perfect backyard camping trip. PACK FOR AN AUTHENTIC EXPERIENCE. Your back door is literally a few yards away, which can be great in the event of an emergency. But if the kids are running in and out of the house all night long, they might end up deciding they’d rather be inside playing video games after only an hour. Be sure to pack everything you would need if you were really going into the woods for the night so no one is tempted to go back inside. This means tents, sleeping bags, flashlights, pajamas, books, binoculars, a compass, water bottles, and a cooler of food with snacks and dinner. Treat this like a “real” camping experience right from the beginning! FIGURE OUT THE CAMPFIRE. Don’t have an in-ground fire pit? No worries! You can still enjoy hot dogs and s’mores with a charcoal grill or a store-bought fire

pit. If you have enough room in your backyard, you could even try building a bonfire. Just make sure to check your city ordinances and get any necessary permits first. You can find advice for building the perfect campfire at REI.com/learn/expert- advice/campfire-basics.html .

REMEMBER: IT’S OKAY TO CALL IT A NIGHT. For kids, the most exciting part of camping in the backyard is getting to sleep in a tent — that is, until they actually have to sleep. After stargazing, some kids will want to stay up all night whispering and giggling in the tent, and that’s great! But other kids might decide they’d rather sleep inside, and that’s okay too. Your camping trip isn’t a failure because everyone spent the night in their own beds. It’s not about where everyone sleeps; it’s about how much fun your family had together before bedtime. The best part of backyard camping? It doesn’t take a lot of planning. Just grab your gear and your family and hike out into the great backyard.

SITTING ON THE PAIN WON’T MAKE IT STOP SEEK TREATMENT EARLY FOR LOWER BACK PAIN

For those suffering from lower back pain, waiting to take action is about the worst thing you can do. In general, when you are having aches and pains, that’s your body’s way of signaling that something is wrong or needs to be corrected. Left unaddressed, the root cause of your pain can worsen, requiring more extensive treatment. That’s why it’s important to consult a physical therapist sooner rather than later. But don’t take it from us. A joint study by the University of Washington and George Washington University found that early physical therapy treatment for lower back pain gives patients the best chance of avoiding the need for more drastic treatments. Published in May of this year and drawing on four years’ worth of insurance >Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6

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