Somerset Family PT - October 2018

Somerset Family PT - October 2018

NEWS Somerset Family 732-356-5363 [email protected] www.somersetfamilypt.com

Fall 2018

The holiday season is off to a great start here at Somerset Family Physical Therapy. The team is gearing up for our third annual pumpkin-decorating competition. If you weren’t able to see our pumpkins from previous years, let me give a little backstory on this contest, which has proven to be a great source of fun for us and real entertainment for all our patients. The competition starts when I distribute a pumpkin to each of our team members the first week of October. We take the pumpkins home, paint them, glue decorations, and sprinkle glitter. Then we bring them back in and let the patients vote for their favorite one. Our receptionist, Megan, tallies the votes. Once a winner is declared, we gather up a list of all the patients who picked the winner, put their names in a bucket, and draw a name to determine who receives a prize. Last year, I remember that a pumpkin cleverly disguised as a scarecrow took home first place. I always participate in the pumpkin-decorating competition at the office, but my talents are truly tested when I carve them at home with my family. When our kids were younger, my wife and I would take them to the pumpkin patch for trick-or-treating. Now that they are older, we all head to Frightfest at Six Flags and then have a carving contest at home. Usually, my daughter, Shannon, will end up with the craziest or most elaborate design, but sometimes I am able to sneak up on her and steal the victory. While we don’t take the kids through the neighborhood in their costumes anymore, I still get to dress up with my coworkers on Halloween day. Last year, I came to work as a referee, Megan came as Snow White, and Colleen came in as the Evil Witch from Snow White. The year before, we coordinated M&M costumes. That being said, I wore my absolute favorite costume years and years ago. My Let’s Fall Into Fall PUMPKINS, COSTUMES, AND FUN OFFICE EVENTS

wife (who was my new girlfriend at the time) and I decided to go as Popeye and Olive Oyl, and we won third place in the costume competition. I’ll have to see if we still have those costumes tucked away in a closet somewhere. In addition to our Halloween festivities, I want to thank all of our patients for their generous donations to our third annual Operation Shoebox. With over 200 items donated to deployed troops worldwide, our team was able to send several boxes of needed travel-size toiletry products and snacks. Thank you again for your continued support in this endeavor! We will also be doing our third annual Toys for Tots, an event that helps give children in the community presents to open on Christmas. If you want to participate, you can purchase a gift for a child of any age (infants to teenagers) and bring it to our office to be placed under our tree. Because the Toys for Tots volunteers need to be able to see what the gift is in order to give it to the intended child, we do ask that you leave the gifts unwrapped. We will be accepting gifts from Nov. 1 through Dec. 12. If you have any questions about these upcoming office events, or if you are interested in helping either Operation Shoebox or Toys for Tots in a capacity beyond donating items to our clinic, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us for more information about how you can volunteer with these organizations. You can call our office at 732- 356-5363, or you can find us on Facebook!

–Kevin Kurtz

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Cooking Oils Declassified Are You Using Extra-Virgin Olive Oil Wrong?

Not all cooking oils are created equal. Some cooking oils have distinct flavors, while others are suited for high temperatures. Every oil is unique. Here are six common oils and their best uses. Extra-Virgin Olive Oil An often misused oil, extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO) should not be used for cooking or frying. It’s simply too delicate and cannot withstand high temperatures, which can damage the flavor, ruining dishes. Instead, use it as a finishing oil — drizzle it over pasta, salad, or bread. Olive Oil Unlike EVOO, standard olive oil can be used for cooking and frying. It can withstand temps up to about 460 degrees. In many cases, you can use it in place of other cooking oils — just be sure you’re using plain olive oil and not EVOO.

Canola Oil/Vegetable Oil A good option for high-heat cooking, baking, and frying, these utilitarian oils are completely neutral in flavor, but they’re not heart- healthy. Vegetable oil is a generic mix of oils, including soybean, canola (rapeseed), and palm oils, making it the most inexpensive cooking oil. Peanut Oil Great for high-heat cooking, frying, and deep-frying, peanut oil has a neutral flavor, so you can easily use it in just about any dish that needs a cooking oil. It’s also a more heart-healthy option than canola and vegetable oils. Avocado Oil When you need an oil to withstand high temps, this is your oil. It has a smoke point of 510 degrees, making it perfect for grilling and stir-frying. What makes avocado oil

Coconut Oil Better for baking than cooking, coconut oil is generally solid at room temperature. It can be used for some cooking, but like EVOO it doesn’t play well with high temperatures. Keep it at 350 degrees or below and use it as a butter substitute.

particularly unique is it can also be used as a finishing oil, like EVOO. It’s light yet resilient.

How Joan Helped Us Give Back to the Community

Here at Somerset Family Physical Therapy, we strive to make a difference in our patients’ lives. But recently, we had a patient named Joan who made a genuine difference not only in our lives, but in the lives of hundreds of others. Joan first came to us as a physical therapy patient and then joined our fitness program. When patients start the fitness program, they are always asked to set a goal for continued motivation. Right away, Joan knew that her goal was to be able to finish a 5K. Our team told her we would not only help her achieve this goal through exercises, but once she was ready, we would join her on the walk!

for the diverse needs of the autism community. Their efforts help to find sponsors who can fund innovative research to better understand autism and help those in the community connect with critical lifelong support services. Joan selected this association because her grandson is autistic, and she wanted to promote a great program that offers ample support to him and so many others. Up until the walk takes place on Oct. 14, our office will be accepting sponsorships for our walk with Joan. Each time we get a new sponsor, we will hang up a puzzle piece on the office wall to help generate excitement and give thanks to the kind-hearted patients supporting us in this endeavor.

The 5K she selected is an amazing one with a great cause. It is nationally recognized as the Autism Speaks Walk. Walkers advocate

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OUR NEW WELLNESS PROGRAM NUTRAMETRIX SCIENCE-BASED SOLUTIONS

Our team’s chief goal here at Somerset Family Physical Therapy is to provide physical therapy services that utilize the most current therapeutic exercises, modalities, and manual techniques. But while we are primarily dedicated to injury prevention and rehabilitation, we know our work doesn’t stop there. To round out our therapy and fitness focuses, we have recently incorporated a customized wellness program that allows us to offer health supplements through Nutrametrix. We understand that while your body works hard to maintain its health, sometimes it is unable to produce the nutrients it needs, which can cause deficiencies in your body. With Nutrametrix’s revolutionary technology, we can determine which nutrients might be missing from your diet and make science- based recommendations to get your health back to an optimal state.

What makes Nutrametrix different from similar companies is that their products can only be distributed by a medical professional. Their nutraceuticals and supplements are designed for specific areas of health, including cardiovascular health, detox and digestive health, and age management. While you can find other supplements and vitamins at your

But most of the Nutrametrix supplements come in the powder form, so when you ingest them, your body is able to get the nutrients it needs. Our team truly believes in the efficacy of these products because we have used them ourselves. One of our team members, Megan, endorses Nutrametrix wholeheartedly. “Recently, I was diagnosed with a B12 deficiency. I had to go to the doctor four times a month to get a shot, and I absolutely detest shots,” she explains. “I knew that we were offering patients Nutrametrix supplements to help with deficiencies like mine, so I decided to try out the powder. I haven’t had to get a shot since I started. This wellness program has been so beneficial for me, and I truly believe in its value.” If you want more information about our wellness program, don’t hesitate to give our office a call!

local grocery store, the compact pill form is often difficult for your body to break down.

Brain Teasers

Brussels Sprouts and Kale Salad This crunchy, tangy salad takes less than 20 minutes to prepare, making it a perfect take-to-work lunch or side for your next holiday feast.

INGREDIENTS

DIRECTIONS • 1 pound Brussels sprouts • 1 bunch kale, destemmed and finely chopped • 2 tablespoons whole grain mustard • 4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice • 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil • Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste 1. Trim stalks off of Brussels sprouts. 2. Using a mandoline, food processor, or very sharp knife, shred Brussels sprouts very finely. 3. In a large bowl, whisk together mustard, and olive oil, and lemon juice. Add kale and Brussels sprouts and toss to coat with dressing. 4. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Recipe inspired by Saveur magazine

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14 Worlds Fair Drive, Suite M Somerset, NJ 08873 Phone: 732-356-5363 Fax: 732-356-5364 Email: [email protected] Somerset Family Physical Therapy

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What’s Keeping Us Busy This Fall PAGE 1 Understanding Cooking Oils and Their Uses Autism Speaks Walk PAGE 2 Check Out Our New Wellness Program Brussels Sprout and Kale Salad PAGE 3

Forget the Haunted House — How About a Haunted Island? PAGE 4

The Most Haunted Place in the World

The Horrors of Poveglia, Italy When you think of spooky places, odds are good that the local version of a haunted house — perhaps with teenagers dressed up as chainsaw villains — comes to mind. You might even get someone to take you to the local penitentiary, where they’ll try to convince you that a draft is actually the movement While the ash-ridden soil would deter many, it did not stop the locals from turning the island into a mental asylum in the 1800s. Shortly after the asylum opened, all its inhabitants reportedly lost their wits, making it impossible to tell the doctors from the patients. The doctors on the island were rumored to have gone insane and begun performing questionable experiments on live subjects. Some patients died; others lost their minds. The island quickly claimed them all. Today, Poveglia is completely abandoned. Local fishermen are unwilling to cast their nets off its shores out of fear. They even report hearing chimes from the island’s church bell, but they still refuse to dock their ships. Locals decline to visit the island for fear of the curse that claimed the lives of so many. The very few who dare set foot on the island do not stay for long, claiming to feel a profound disturbance that overwhelms the soul.

of a tormented soul. After Oct. 31, though, that spooky atmosphere will fade away, and you’ll be left with just a fleeting memory of what you believed might be a haunted place. But there is one location on earth that is truly haunted year-round. The abandoned island of Poveglia, Italy, was the site of some of the worst horrors in human history. In 1348, the region surrounding Venice was struck with the bubonic plague, and the infected were sent to Poveglia to die. Once the plague had taken their lives, the victims’ bodies were stacked on pyres and burned. It’s said that 50 percent of the soil on the island is made up of the ash from these funeral rites.

If you’re taken to a haunted house this Halloween, be thankful. Anyone can handle a quick scare from someone dressed up in a costume. No one has been able to handle the curse of Poveglia, and no one ever will.

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