Desert Springs Physical Therapy - Silver City, NM

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The U.S. Department of Agriculture has recently released a new, more individualized, food pyramid called MyPyramid. The USDA is offering many tools and tips on www.mypyramid.com.

The traditional food groups include grains, vegetables, fruits, milk, and meat and beans. An important new category, Physical Activity, has been added to the overall pyramid. Sample menus, vegetarian diets, and tips for eating out are part of the informative and fun materials provided by the USDA.

“MyPyramid for Kids” reminds kids to be physically active every day and to make healthy food choices. “MyPyramid for Kids” posters and coloring pages are available for downloading on the MyPyramid site.

“Steps to a Healthier Weight”, dietary guidelines, and detailed information for pregnancy and breastfeeding are included, as well as steps for outlining personalized MyPyramid Plans.

People often wonder about taking vitamins. Should I bother? Are they worth the money? Which ones should I take? In order, the answers are yes, yes, and take any brand with which you feel comfortable.

Why take vitamins at all? The purpose of supplementation is to cover all bases — to make sure they’re covered. How can you be sure your diet contains all the cofactors and trace minerals needed to make your metabolism work correctly? And what about all the antioxidants that fight free radical formation and the phyt­onutrients that seem to have so much benefit in cancer prevention?

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Your nerve system is your body’s master communication system. Your brain - your body’s central processing unit - receives information from every other system. Information on sight, sound, touch, taste, and smell is constantly bombarding your brain. Information on muscle activity, placement of your arms and legs and fingers and toes, and the positioning of your joints reaches the brain, nanosecond by nanosecond. Feedback is constantly being supplied on how many new red blood cells are being manufactured, how much acid has been secreted into the stomach to help digest your breakfast, and how much insulin, epinephrine, and other hormones is needed for healthy functioning.1

Your brain processes information faster than the world’s fastest computer2, and you get to have one for free!

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Here comes summer! Fun in the sun. Barbecues, fireworks, and cool drinks. And outdoor activities - hiking, biking, running, swimming, skating, blading, and even canoeing.

Getting back into shape seems like a very good idea right about now. We want to look good in our shorts and tee shirts, and more importantly, we don’t want to be huffing and puffing. We want to be able to do what we want to do without having to think about limitations or restrictions.

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We all want to have fun. We want to work hard and play hard, and we want to go all out.

It’s important, though, when playing sports or exercising, to pay attention to the feedback our body is giving us. If we ignore these friendly messages, some not-so-pleasant things might happen. And, when things go wrong physically, there might be significant recovery time involved.

Paying attention can save a lot of downtime.

Important warning signs include feeling faint, experiencing shortness of breath, and even intense muscle pain and soreness. Any of these signals mean you’re doing too much, working too hard, or working beyond your current physical capacity.

Back off a little. Slow down. Say that’s enough for the day and be able to go out there again tomorrow.

Your physical therapist can help you design fun and challenging exercise routines. He or she is able to recommend sports, stretches, and activities that match-up with your interests and plans. The goal, as always, is to be healthy, active, and well.

Some golfers believe that muscle-strengthening exercises, particularly weight lifting, will hurt their golf game.

That’s a myth. If you’re a golfer, you’re an athlete, so you should train as the pros do. They recognize that a stronger and more flexible body will help keep their scores down.

As an added attraction, strengthening exercises can fit nicely into a golfer’s busy schedule because they require very little equipment or time.

You can do the “super six” exercises shown here (figures 1 through 6) at home or while traveling to tone your body and your golf game.

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As a Physical Therapist, I see patients that are treated for a wide array of injuries, some of which are acquired while working.

These injuries range from Carpal Tunnel Syndrome to calf strains, headaches to radiating leg pain (Sciatica). Many of the injuries can be minimized if not prevented by remembering the simple A-B-C’s.

A - Awareness/Adjustments
B - Body Mechanics
C - Care/Conditioning

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Falls in the elderly are the leading cause of fatal as well as non fatal injuries. Thirty percent of people over the age of 65 will fall each year.

The U.S. spends approximately $20.2 billion annually for the treatment of injuries to older people after falls.

The majority of the cost is for hip fracture care, which averages $35,000 per patient.

The most common types of injuries sustained after falls include: hip, spine, and wrist fractures as well as head trauma.

These types of injuries can result in serious disabilities and prolonged rehabilitation stays as well as possible death.

It is important to be aware of this situation, because falls can be prevented. Sixty percent of elderly falls occur in the home.

By safe proofing your or your loved ones house, you can help decrease this number.

Read these easy steps to fall proof a house.

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Suzanne and Dr. Robinson

Physical therapist Suzanne Thomas recently returned from Fort Sill in Lawton, OK, where she completed a tour of duty to replace a physical therapist deployed to Iraq.

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