#idlife

#1 - You don’t have to live with the pain

If you’ve had physical therapy in the past and your injury or condition has started to bother you again, don’t get discouraged, but DO seize the day. Here’s a helpful perspective from my colleague Jerod Carter:

If symptoms return after treatment has concluded, it doesn’t mean that you have had a big setback. Moreover, it doesn’t mean that PT wasn’t the full answer to the problem. If you achieved pain-free status in PT before, it can be done again!

Please give my office a call if your injury has started to hurt again. I can get you back to doing the things you love.

#2 - Put exercise to work for you

I know our lives and the times we live in aren’t getting any less stressful, and this time of year can be especially difficult. But physical activity DOES help and is far from being just one more “to-do.” According to the Mayo Clinic, getting moving has immediate physiological benefits:

It bumps up your endorphins (your brain produces more feel-good neurotransmitters).

It lets your body systems safely practice working together through the effects of stress, providing protection for your cardiovascular, digestive, and immune systems.

It reduces anxiety and mimics the benefits of meditation. Focusing on your body’s movements can generate energy and help you feel more calm, clear, and focused.

Perhaps you know you need to exercise but have trouble making that happen either due to physical limitations or a lack of motivation. A physical therapist can provide excellent support in both of those areas. If you’re just starting out, I can address any pain you’re experiencing and design a gentle yet effective workout. If you already exercise, a consultation with me can change up your routine and provide accountability. I specialize in helping clients set and attain goals and I’d love to help you create a plan to manage stress and enhance your day to day life.

#3 - Get guidance on getting healthy

If you have a health-related “reset” in mind for after the holidays, you’re probably considering the many diet and exercise options out there – and there are too many to count! Why not make it more simple for yourself and talk it over with an expert? My practice has the tools you need to lose weight and improve your nutrition. 

For years, I’ve partnered with IDLife to offer my clients realistic, effective solutions that work because, like personalized PT treatment plans for my patients, this wellness approach is not cookie-cutter. IDLife is about as customized as you can get. A thorough assessment for every client ensures the regimen is completely suited to your needs and lifestyle, and we even offer DNA testing to analyze your body’s unique makeup and zero in on the fitness and weight loss strategies that will be most successful for you. No need to wait until the new year – come in today to understand your options and be ready to hit the ground running in January!

I’m thrilled to be embarking on this next chapter in a new facility, and I commit to maintaining the 100% personal, flexible, targeted, and efficient care that my valued patients expect and deserve. I truly look forward to seeing you soon!

Address: 3000 Cabot Blvd West, Suite 200, Langhorne PA 19047 

Hours: Monday through Friday, 8:30am to 5:00pm

Phone: (215) 968-0156

Be well,

The “why” behind hydration

About 60% of your body is made up of water. You continually lose water by breathing, talking, and perspiring; to keep your body in working condition you must replenish lost fluids. Drinking adequate fluids prompts better physical performance, energy levels, and organ function. It can also treat and prevent headaches, constipation, and kidney stones, and aid weight loss.

Besides being an important part of the fluids in your body (like blood, digestive juices, and the lymph fluid of the immune system), water is needed by each cell to work, including those in your brain. Most of us don’t realize that our brains are strongly influenced by hydration -- it impacts your mood, concentration, working memory, anxiety, and motivation.

A variety of ways to hydrate

Getting more water into your day can be as simple as making a few changes. Here are some of my favorites:

Power up your water. Almost any fluid will add value to our bodies, but water is the best choice, plus it has zero calories, can help suppress your appetite, and aids in digestion. To supercharge your water and add low-cal flavor, I love the taste and convenience of Hydrate packets from IDLife, a clean electrolyte replenisher that provides antioxidants and essential nutrients without added sugar. I just pour a packet into my water bottle, shake it, and go. (Read on for more about electrolytes and their important role.)

Snack on fruits and veggies. Cucumbers, leafy greens, radishes, celery, zucchini and tomatoes are vegetables with high-water content. Water-rich fruits include watermelon, strawberries, cantaloupe, peaches and pineapples. 

Have some oatmeal. Believe it or not, oatmeal is very hydrating - oats expand and absorb the water or milk they’re cooked or soaked in. Enjoy your oatmeal warm, or try overnight oats with this recipe from Feel Good Foodie, which includes an added boost with chia seeds that soak up 10 times their weight in extra liquid and keep you full.

Try various herbal teas, served hot or iced. Herbal teas like peppermint, lemon, chamomile, and ginger are a great source of hydration and contain no caffeine or calories (unless sugar or sweetener are added).

Find a healthier swap for dry, heavy carbs. Instead of bread, wrap your lunchmeat in lettuce, which is about 95% water. Or opt for zucchini noodles instead of spaghetti with your favorite tomato sauce.

Freeze your fruit. Homemade popsicles are a delicious way to rehydrate. Blend a hydrating ingredient like watermelon, fill your popsicle molds, and freeze for at least an hour.

How much is enough?

A common rule of thumb is to drink 64 ounces (8 cups) of water daily. There’s no scientific rationale to this adage, but it’s an appropriate starting point. According to the Mayo Clinic, adequate daily fluid intake is:

About 15.5 cups (124 ounces) of fluids a day for men

About 11.5 cups (92 ounces) of fluids a day for women

(These recommendations cover fluids from water, other beverages, and food. About 20% of daily fluid consumption usually comes from food and the rest from drinks.)

There’s no one formula -- the amount of water each individual requires will vary based on climate and altitude, general health, medications, and alcohol consumption. And, other factors like age and exercise can even affect the degree to which you experience thirst.

What about electrolytes?

If water is the gasoline that fuels your body, then electrolytes (minerals like sodium, chloride, potassium, magnesium, and calcium that maintain your body’s ionic balance) are the motor oil that keeps everything running. When you’re working out for longer than an hour or sweating a lot on a hot day, you might need to replenish your body’s electrolytes in addition to staying hydrated. 

Sports drinks (like Gatorade and Powerade) are well-known electrolyte boosters, but use caution: a 20-ounce sports drink can contain as much sugar as a regular-size Snickers bar or two servings of ice cream! Even low-sugar/low-cal sport drink varieties aren’t without drawbacks; most substitute acesulfame and sucralose for sugar and may contain food dyes, such as Red No. 40, Blue No. 1, and Yellow No. 5. These artificial dyes are derived from petroleum and may increase the risk of hyperactivity in children. They’ve also been linked to cancer.

To replenish electrolytes without added sugar or artificial ingredients, check out natural alternatives (another reason I love IDLife Hydrate) or consider making a healthier sports drink at home with this recipe.

A few final tips

Keep in mind that the body hides mild dehydration very well, so it can take hours before you realize that you’re dehydrated. That’s why an important strategy is to prevent dehydration by hydrating frequently. 

As with any new habit, consider starting with a smaller target for a week or two to establish the routine, then increase your goal from there. For more about forming healthy habits, visit my blog.

The bottom line? Even mild dehydration can affect you mentally and physically. Make sure that you get enough water each day, whether your personal goal is 64 ounces or a different amount. It’s an essential building block for your overall health.

Be well,

Brian

Charles Duhigg, author of “The Power of Habit,” reveals that while goals rely on extrinsic motivation, habits are automatic. They literally rewire our brains.

Once we develop a habit, our brains actually change to make the behavior easier to complete. After about 30 days of practice, enacting a habit becomes easier than not doing so.

Our lives are structured around habits, many of them barely noticeable. According to Duhigg’s research, habits make up 40% of our waking hours.

Another speaker and author, ID Life founder/CEO Logan Stout, paraphrases an ancient precept by saying, “Thoughts lead to actions, actions lead to habits, habits lead to results.” 

So, how did your existing habits come to be embedded in your life? And how can you create a new habit or two that moves you toward your goal, a dream, or your 2021 resolutions? Here are a few points I find helpful.

Dissect your larger goal and break it into actions. This is helpful because it’s practical and specific. If you’re having trouble, try changing your mindset from a negative (stop overspending; have more energy) to a positive (save money; get more sleep), and then to an action (put $25 into a savings account every week; go to bed a half-hour early each night). Habits, not goals, make otherwise difficult things easy.

When introducing these actions as new habits, connect them to routines or habits you’ve already established so you don’t have to think about the timing. If you desire a healthier diet, eat an apple every day with lunch. If you want to be more active, take a stroll around the block each time you get the mail or take the trash cans to the curb.

Start small, and I mean really small. What makes a habit is not a degree of difficulty, but repetition that becomes ingrained. Once these become fixed, the complexity can be increased. Stanford psychologist BJ Fogg recommends “tiny habits,” such as flossing one tooth! Science shows that when you make your new habit something utterly manageable that you can and will get done, your brain experiences a “win” each time and releases positive neurochemicals, making you want to do it again and enticing you to go beyond the minimum you’ve set. 

What’s more, make a point to celebrate your small “win” each and every time you perform the new habit. It may sound (or feel) silly, but a fist-pump or a quiet “Yes!” make a difference because our brains actually form attachments to the emotions created by a habit. Taking a second to pat yourself on the back reinforces your new habit with feel-good associations that make your brain even quicker to take that action next time.

As a physical therapist, I’m a “professional habit-breaker” of sorts. While some patients see me for help recovering from an accident, health event or surgery, plenty of others are seeking help for pain or limitations have simply developed over time as a result of faulty habits (for instance, bad posture while at your desk or using your phone, sleeping in a poor position, or lifting with your back instead of your legs). Physical therapy can impart new, better habits that strengthen and support your body as you move, work, play and live your life. And, by partnering with IDLife, I help people assess and improve their nutrition, sleep and hydration. 

If you’d like to establish new habits that enhance your enjoyment of home, work, fitness, or recreational activities, call today for an appointment - I’d love to help you get on the road to good habits and better health!

Be well,

Brian