Physical Therapy Services, P.A. - February 2022

Physical Therapy Services, P.A. - February 2022

FEBRUARY 2022

www.pt s tn.ne t 423-543-0073

EastTennessee Physical Therapy News

FROM THE DESK OF DANNY D. SMITH, PT, DHSC

FEBRUARY HOLIDAYS

February 1 National Freedom Day February 2 Groundhog Day February 3 Feed the Birds Day February 4 Thank a Mailman Day February 5 National Weatherman’s Day February 6 Pay a Compliment Day February 7 National Marriage Week February 8 National Kite-Flying Day February 9 National Pizza Day February 10 National Umbrella Day February 11 National Inventors’ Day February 12 Abraham Lincoln’s Birthday

IS SITTING THE NEW SMOKING?

Tips to Move More Every Day

How many hours do you sit every day? The average American sits for more than six hours per day, and the average office worker sits for a whopping 15 hours per day. Human bodies weren’t designed to sit that much, which is why many experts have proclaimed that “sitting is the new smoking.” Some people bristle at that comparison — after all, you have to sit sometimes, but you don’t have to smoke — but health professionals are trying to drive the point home. Sitting too much is bad for us, and just like with smoking, it results in a lower life expectancy. Just how bad is sitting? To start, too much sitting can lead to weight gain, weakened muscles in the legs and glutes, and pain in the hips and back. Worse, excessive sitting correlates with a heightened risk of some forms of cancer. People who sit more have a 147% increased risk of heart attack or stroke and a 112% increased chance of diabetes. Sitting also puts your mental health at risk; people who sit the most have the highest rates of anxiety and depression. The current science is undecided on whether enough exercise can counteract the effects of sitting. One study concluded that 60–75 minutes of exercise per day erased sitting’s negative effects. Other studies have shown that sitting itself is unhealthy no matter how much you exercise. But all experts agree it’s better to move more and as often as you can. Here are some tips to get up off your tush, even if you work at a desk all day.

February 13 Galentine’s Day February 14 Valentine’s Day

February 15 National Gumdrop Day February 16 National Almond Day February 17 Random Act of Kindness Day February 18 National Caregivers Day February 19 National Vet Girls ROCK Day February 20 National Love Your Pet Day February 21 Washington’s Birthday February 22 National Margarita Day February 23 National Banana Bread Day February 24 National Chili Day February 25 National Clam Chowder Day February 26 National Pistachio Day February 27 National Strawberry Day February 28 National Tooth Fairy Day

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Take a break. Sitting is more detrimental when done for long periods at once, so take time to step away from your desk or television every so often. Some fitness trackers offer reminders to get up and move once an hour, which can help — though many experts say you should avoid sitting for longer than 30 minutes at a time. On your lunch break, try standing or walking as you eat. While you’re watching TV, get up and stretch instead of sitting still for hours on end. And when meeting up with friends, don’t sit in a cafe — get your coffee to go and take a stroll together. Be less efficient. We value speed and try to optimize everything, but that’s part of the problem. Life’s little inconveniences get us to move. You’ve heard it before, but take the stairs instead of the elevator, don’t drive when you can walk or bike, and try not to sit when standing is an option. When you’re cleaning up at home, make more trips than you need to — going back and forth will result in more exercise. If you need to talk to a colleague, don’t email or call when you can stand up and walk over. Take the long route when you can, be the person who offers to get up and make more coffee, and use the restroom farthest from your desk. It will all add up. Exercise while you work. You’re probably not going to do pushups while you work on a spreadsheet, but you don’t need to. Every little bit helps. A standing

desk won’t necessarily help you burn calories, but it will help build up your bone and muscle strength. Plus, you’re more likely to take a few steps when you’re already up. Active seating options (like an exercise ball) or an under-the-desk pedal exerciser can keep you working and engaging your muscles at the same time. Finally, if your day is full of virtual meetings and conference calls, use these as opportunities to stand or even pace back and forth. You can’t change everything, but it’s important to control what you can. Improving your health starts with small measures. Do as much as you can to sit less and move more — you’ll feel better, and it just might add years to your life.

Celebrate Valentine’s Day With Your Little Sweethearts Valentine’s Day isn’t just for adults. Let your kids know they are the most important loves in your life with these sweet, inexpensive ideas that the whole family can enjoy! Your children will remember these traditions for years to come. Wrap up a small Valentine’s Day gift. Whether it’s a Valentine’s Day outfit, candy, a teddy bear, or a

necklace, it doesn’t have to be big or costly! Your children will enjoy feeling the love, and they’ll be excited to get something new. Don’t forget to have fun with the wrapping! Most stores have Valentine’s Day gift bags and wrapping paper around this time of year.

Make a special Valentine’s Day breakfast. Guess what? Pink pancakes, pink milk, and even pink eggs are a thing! With strawberry milk, food coloring and strawberries in the pancakes, and food coloring in the eggs, you’ll have an effortless and special breakfast for the little ones. Tip: Set the table the night before after the kids go to bed to make serving Valentine’s Day breakfast easier the next morning. Create Valentine’s Day cards for each kid. Tell your children all of your favorite things about them with their own personalized cards. There are so many ways you can get crafty with construction paper and glitter. Your kids are sure to love getting mommy-made or daddy-made one-of-a-kind valentines. Bake Valentine’s Day goodies together. What’s better than baking with your little ones? If you are short on time, you can find premade dough, usually with a Valentine’s Day theme. Or, you can try out your skills with heart shaped cookie cutters and sprinkles. It can get messy, but it’s certainly worth it!

Your baby valentines have stolen your heart — make sure they know it by spreading the love! Happy Valentine’s Day!

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A BIG NYC AT TRACTION BECOMES ILLEGAL

The 1930s and Pushcart Markets

create vibrant and diverse markets that even tourists could enjoy. But not everyone in the city seemed happy about it. Although technically “merchants,” in the late 1800s and early 1900s, pushcart sellers were not described as such. Many of New York City’s middle class and wealthy residents reserved this favorable term for sellers who had brick-and-mortar stores since they did not see pushcarts as a traditional means of honest work. Instead, they saw it as a public nuisance and a source of embarrassment. Politicians, city planners, and anti-pushcart movements complained primarily about poor sanitation in the open- air markets. So, in 1938, Mayor La Guardia proclaimed in The New York Times that “peddling on the streets of this city is a thing of the past.” To ease opposition, La Guardia opened indoor markets, which required pushcart sellers to apply for limited spots and pay higher fines. Upon opening the first indoor

market, Mayor La Guardia proclaimed to the crowd, “I found you pushcart peddlers, and I have made you MERCHANTS!” Despite the cheers that followed, thousands of pushcart sellers lost their jobs after the final ban of open-air pushcart markets. The ban surprised the people who supported it; some brick-and-mortar stores lost as much as 60% of their business with the decrease in nearby foot traffic. New Yorkers eventually became nostalgic about pushcart markets. Once described as dirty and a “menace to the health of New York City,” people began to describe them as “fresh and attractive,” even “picturesque.” To this day, pushcart selling is still illegal, and New York City’s licensing policies make it extremely difficult for vendors to obtain permits, leading to an underground black market of selling and buying outdoor permits. However, in the city, you’ll still find street food with hardworking vendors making their American dream a reality!

If you were an immigrant who just arrived to New York City in the 1880s, you probably didn’t have much money to spare. But, if you had at least 10 cents, you could rent a pushcart and become a pushcart merchant and business owner. For more than 50 years, pushcart markets in New York City offered immigrants immediate access to an $828 million industry (in today’s money) that sold competitively priced goods like groceries, household items, clothing, and much more. Pushcart merchants would line up their carts along the streets of New York City and

The Good News

CHOCOLATE PECAN FONDUE

Inspired by TasteOfHome.com

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 cup half-and-half cream • 2 tbsp honey • 9 oz semisweet chocolate, broken into pieces • 1/4 cup pecans, finely chopped

• 1 tsp vanilla extract • Fresh fruit of your choice • Shortbread cookies • Large marshmallows

DIRECTIONS

1. In a sturdy saucepan over low heat, combine cream and honey. Stir until mixed thoroughly and heat until warm. 2. Add in chocolate, stirring until melted. 3. Stir in pecans and vanilla.

4. Transfer to a fondue pot or a slow cooker to keep warm. 5. Serve with fruit, cookies, and marshmallows of your choice.

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1975 West Elk Ave. Elizabethton, TN 37643 423-543-0073

1500 West Elk Ave. #104 Elizabethton TN 37643 423-543-2215

PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411

P hysical T herapy S ervices , P.A.

Inside This Issue From the Desk of Dr. Smith PAGE 1 Is Sitting the New Smoking? PAGE 1 Celebrate Valentine’s Day With Your Kids PAGE 2 Why a NYC Attraction Became Illegal PAGE 3 The Good News PAGE 3 Chocolate Pecan Fondue PAGE 3 Improve Your Health With Fitness Trackers PAGE 4

Improve Your Health With Fitness Trackers

Sleep Monitoring Many fitness trackers give you insight into your sleep routine and will even track your movements so you can find out if you were tossing and turning all night. Others go further by detecting your body temperature, heart rate, and energy expenditure. You can use this information to create a sleep schedule that works for you or make any adjustments to your sleeping conditions if they are preventing you from getting a good night’s sleep. Future Updates Fitness trackers and wearable devices are still a relatively new technology. Tech companies are continually updating them and introducing additional features. For example, new wearables that are hitting the market can track blood sugar, which could be incredibly beneficial to those with diabetes. Wearable tech will continue to evolve — only time will tell what features and functions companies will unveil next.

Over the past decade, wearable technology has seen an incredible boom. Wearables like Fitbits and the Apple Watch used to be nothing more than glorified step counters. Since their debut, though, fitness trackers and wearables have gone through various updates that have made them essential to the fitness community as a whole. This is because wearing a fitness tracker can add great benefits to your lifestyle and can even improve your daily life. Heart Rate A built-in heart rate sensor is possibly the most vital feature available in almost every wearable device and fitness tracker. There are many exercise machines that track your heart rate, but those are only useful if you know your resting heart rate. With a fitness tracker — whether you’re sleeping, sitting, running, or exercising — you will know exactly what your heart rate is and what’s normal for you. This is important because it will help you notice irregularities so you can better understand your heart health.

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