M3 PT - December 2018

M3 PT - December 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 / DECEMBER 2018

M3 AND ME

Well, it’s that time of year when our car radios declare “Let It Snow” as we sit in 68 degree sunshine on the 405. Personally, I’ve never missed having a white Christmas. I’ll take commuting through traffic over risking black ice any day of the week. However, this holiday season, my family and I will seek out a winter wonderland as part of our growing tradition of skiing and snowboarding. Having grown up in LA, I never imagined I’d be in a skiing family. When I was young, my parents took me up north to experience snow for the first time, and my wonderment only lasted as long as it took for my fingers to get cold. In high school, I made it up to the slopes at Mammoth a few times to teach myself to ski, but I was never really taken with the sport. It wasn’t until after I became a physical therapist that I really discovered the joy of carving through fresh powder. LESSONS FROM THE SLOPES HOW OUR FAMILY BECAME SNOWBOUND

not done much skiing in her adult life, so this volunteer opportunity was quite the adventure for both of us. I took the time to learn to snowboard and really fell in love with the sport. I’ve never known something to be so tranquil while still being an incredible adrenaline rush.

After that experience, we made the trip up to the mountains almost every winter. While Munesha stuck with skiing, I got more and more into snowboarding, becoming quite the speed demon. I had my fair

share of wipeouts and even needed physical therapy myself from time to time, but the thrill was worth it.

The year our first daughter was born, something strange happened. I was flying down the ridgeline on a board, getting ready to take a jump I must have done a hundred times before. But at the last moment, I swerved away. In that

split second, I saw my little girl’s face. “What am I doing?” I asked myself. “I’ve got responsibilities now.” On that quiet, snowy ridgeline overlooking the world, the understanding of what it meant to be a father hit me like a thunderclap. I haven’t gone off a jump since. Now that our kids are older, they hit the slopes with us. We start them out skiing, but it seems like once they get old enough, they gravitate over to snowboarding, where it becomes my turn to be the instructor. My youngest daughter is the only holdout, preferring to stick with skis. She has, however, picked up my love of speed. Between her low center of gravity and general fearlessness, I have a hard time keeping up with her! Nowadays, we head up to the slopes every time the kids have winter break. We travel with a group of family friends who all have children around the same age, so it’s a great experience for everyone. With the way our schedule works out this year, our trip will happen in the latter half of this month, so it looks like I may get that white Christmas after all. Whether you spend the season here in LA or travel farther afield, I hope it’s full of joy, warmth, and the comfort of your loved ones.

“ON THAT QUIET, SNOWY RIDGELINE OVERLOOKING THE WORLD, THE UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT IT MEANT TO BE A FATHER HIT ME LIKE A THUNDERCLAP. I HAVEN’T GONE OFF A JUMP SINCE.”

The children’s hospital that I worked at had a program designed to help disabled children learn to ski. The participating resort had special ski chairs and instructors to facilitate the actual lessons, but they needed volunteers to actually take the kids up and down the mountain. It just so happened that my wife, Munesha, had also been working at the time with children with disabilities, and seeing that we were ideal candidates, we signed ourselves up as chaperones. One of the perks about being chaperones was that we were allowed lift passes for the day while the children learned to ski. Like me, Munesha had

Happy Holidays,

–Dr. Raul Lona

LA · 310.275.4137 / WEST HILLS · 747.888.3562 | 1

Published by The Newsletter Pro • www.TheNewsletterPro.com

SURVIVING THE SEASON OF SWEETS HOW TO INDULGE YOUR SWEET TOOTH WITH LESS SUGAR

Cookies, cakes, and pies, oh my! The holiday season is brimming with sweet treats of all kinds. Sometimes it can feel like candy and sugary desserts are around every corner, and yet you still want to indulge. However, when you prediabetic, or diabetic, that piece of pumpkin pie with whipped cream starts to look more dangerous than appetizing. During the holidays, how can you satisfy your sweet tooth without worrying about consuming excessive sugar and calories? Skip the candy and go for the fruits and nuts. Keeping a bowl of fruit and nuts nearby can help keep sugar cravings at bay. Dried fruits, such as cranberries, pineapple, or apricots, are both sweet and nutritious. Just be sure to check the packaging for added sugars. You can consider that over 50 percent of Americans are insulin-resistant,

even make your own dried fruit with a food dehydrator. This way, you are completely in control of the ingredients. No matter what you do, just be mindful not to overindulge. Dried fruit is high in sugar and calories, but the fiber and vitamins make fruit much healthier than just about any other sugary treat.

more flavonoids and theobromine. The antioxidant properties of the theobromine and flavonoids make dark chocolate as good for your heart as it is for your soul. If you have a recipe that calls for chocolate, reach for the dark stuff, whether it’s dark chocolate chips, cocoa powder, or baking chocolate.

Another way to cut down on your sugar intake is to use dark chocolate in

While it may seem as though everyone and their grandma is overindulging in sugar this season, know that you have the choice to opt for

all your chocolate- based treats. Dark chocolate has about half as much sugar as milk chocolate,

healthier sweets. And come New Year’s, you

twice as much healthy fat, less cholesterol, 4–5 times more iron, twice as much potassium, fewer carbs, and

won’t have to spend the first few months of 2019 working off that extra cookie weight.

ON THE 4TH DAY OF CHRISTMAS, MY TRUE LOVE GAVE TO ME: A BUNCH OF PAINFUL INJURIES!

While the holiday season is believed to be the jolliest time of year, some people can’t seem to avoid Christmas-related injuries. The experts at Accident Claims Advice compiled a list of injuries that cause the most problems during the holidays. Using >Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4

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