Upcoming Book: Diet and PT

I have written on the positive effects of a plant based diet. Currently, I am working on my 2nd book , this one focused on nutrition and physical therapy. Diet is not just for trainers, weight loss experts, or people wanting to shed pounds. Diet is pivotal in tendon healing, recovery from stroke or spinal cord injury, and reducing inflammation.

Diet is also crucial for longevity. I have 2 second author publications on how reducing calories extends lifespan. Vegan and plant based diets have similarly show increasing lifespans and a reduction in life-ending diseases like cancer, heart disease, and stroke. How does a plant based diet do this? The evidence is still out but the preliminary results show it could be that plant based and some (non junk) vegan diets are low in omega 6 fats, animal fats, and animal antibiotics/hormones which stimulate inflammation. Others argue that plant based diets are chock full of anti oxidants (fruits) and prebiotics (vegetables), which help to reduce inflammation and boost the gut microbiome. The gut microbiome is tied to not only gut health but also mental health, endocrine and cardiac health, and the musculoskeletal system! 

Want to learn more? Stay tuned for my book coming out later this summer/early fall.

In the meantime, enjoy this article on red meat and its effects on your health:

https://mobile.nytimes.com/2017/05/15/well/eat/red-meat-increases-risk-of-dying-from-9-diseases.html?_r=0&referer=

Should Fitness Test Be Part of Your Physical Exam?

The New York Times did a wonderful article highlighting the importance of Fitness testing in the detection and prevention of cardiovascular disease. The article cited how simple Fitness testing can be an easy way to detect heart disease. I wholeheartedly agree. In my practice I have caught several incidents of clients that had potential heart disease, and I was able to help them significantly. In fact, one patient actually needed a stent after I did a routine step test which revealed a lower than usual heart rate and abnormal rhythm. 

Physical therapist should be the leading experts in this area, along with exercise physiologist. The reality is most physical therapist don't examine general fitness, let alone take basic vitals during the exam and routine follow-up. More concerning is the lack of exercise and nutrition knowledge by physicians. Did you know that most medical doctors only received 2 days of nutrition training and almost no exercise classes in medical school? While this may be changing slowly in medical schools, I still think physical therapist can work in combination with MDs during physicals every year to test for cardiovascular disease using fitness tests.  I know that my local Physicians that I work with rely on data for me to provide their patients with an overall health assessment that includes Fitness.

Call today to schedule a consultation with one of our doctors of physical therapy. Begin the journey to Better Health now!

Source: https://mobile.nytimes.com/2016/11/30/well/move/should-a-simple-fitness-check-be-part-of-your-checkup.html?emc=edit_nn_20170510&nl=morning-briefing&nlid=70545557&te=1&_r=0&referer=