Wellfie Wednesday Tip #154: Tomorrow is World Mental Health Day!

Happy Wellfie Wednesday! Welcome back!

Tomorrow is World Mental Health Day! This week is brought to you by Diana (@DianaKlatt). For this week’s #WellfieWednesday we’re gonna talk about the importance of tomorrow and ways you can either take time for yourself, be an advocate for increased mental healthcare, and/or be there for someone that may need a friend.

Last year I shared statistics for the United States and I’ll share them again below. But this year, I want to give suggestions or even just a place to start on how you can be there for yourself and for others.

Mental Health in the US:

• Depression is the leading cause of disability worldwide and is a major contributor to the global burden of disease.

• Approximately 1 in 5 adults in the US experience mental illness in a given year.

• Approximately 1 in 25 adults in the US live with a serious mental illness.

• Approximately 1 in 5 youths (13-18 years old) experience a severe mental disorder at some point during their lives.

• Nearly 60% of adults and 50% of youths did not receive mental health services in the previous year.

These are not small numbers. Nor are these the true representation, it is likely that these are under-reported values due to the stigmas that exist around mental illnesses.

More Statistics: Mental Health By The Numbers

Mental health is frequently overlooked because it is an unseen ailment. Yet, it is one of the most impactful, long term, chronic conditions that can persist and even lead to detrimental events when gone untreated. Untreated mental illnesses can lead to serious, chronic medical conditions. Psychological and physical ailments can be intertwined, many in the form of traumas or chronic pain. Mental illnesses and their associated physical ailments frequently affect people’s ability to focus on their work. This can impact society much more than we suspect: financial loss to mental illness costs the US roughly $193 billion each year. For comparison, the cost to decrease stigma and raise awareness is $0. 

So what can you do to help someone out?

Mental Health First Aid. This a program that teaches you how to identify, understand, and respond to signs of mental illness and substance use disorders. It typically take 8 hours and is in-depth. It is a government sponsored program and the training is free! Most of us know the signs of a heart attack and how to respond, but how many can tell when someone is having an anxiety or panic attack and how many of us know how to respond? As someone who works in the mental health space, I found taking this course was invaluable and shed light on some things I’d overlooked. It teaches you how to start conversations, what words and mannerisms to look for to make sure that the person is not a potential danger to themselves or others, and how to help them to next steps when applicable.

Listen. Many times we fall into the pattern of exchange with people where we listen and offer advice, however sometimes the best course of action is to purely listen! Letting someone fully talk through their thoughts and be heard and letting them know you hear them and acknowledge that maybe they are in an unfortunate situation and be extremely helpful. Sometimes they just need someone to hear them. However, if it sounds like they are potential threat to themselves or others, you should take the appropriate steps to make sure they are safe. (Re: MHFA training)

Self-care. In a time when we are constantly stimulated, it gets hard to pay attention or hear ourselves think. We are constantly on the go, constantly working on our day-to-day job or our side hustle, and we never shut off. This lends to overwork and can trigger other issues. If you haven’t taken time to relax and disconnect, I highly suggest you take a day off this weekend, or if you can’t spare a whole day, maybe half a day! Anything that can help you relax and collect your thoughts. You can also try to take time each morning or evening to focus on centering your thoughts and collecting yourself to declutter your mental space (ie. meditation).

Communities. Sometimes you feel like you’re alone and that you need people to talk to that understand you. There are many support groups out there and you can typically find them with a simple Google search for your area. There are also online communities that exist and that you can join and share in, as long as you feel comfortable and safe in the space they create. An example of an online community space is PhD Balance, a community for graduate students to discuss the stressors, anxiety, and depression that frequently come with the pursuit of higher academia (note: mental health issues are 6x more prevalent among graduate students than the general populations).

Big take away? Pay attention to the words people use and their actions. When treating patients, talking to friends, collaborating with colleagues, and interacting with strangers, remember that they could be silently suffering and lend a hand, take note of their actions, listen to the way they describe things, and make sure they feel comfortable if they decided to talk with you.

If you are thinking about suicide, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-TALK (8255).

Thank you for all of the #WellfieWednesday support, be sure to post your pictures this week that demonstrate your active patriotism and tag the WW crew members in your post (@TheFuelPhysio, @Eric_in_AmERICa, @AaronPerezPT, @DianaKlatt) and keep the wave of healthy change going!

- WW Crew

Wellfie Wednesday Tip #153: Try Something New!

Happy Wellfie Wednesday! Welcome back! This week is brought to you by Patrick (@TheFuelPhysio).

This week’s tip is to try something new! Now the great thing about trying something new is that it can literally be anything. A new food. A new hobby. A new workout routine. A new sleep schedule or a new way to get out of bed (one of mine). Now I think it’s fair to say that most of us probably like sticking to our traditional routines and we get a little uneasy when things get shaken up, but that may be a good thing! It can help build up some resiliency and work on your adaptability, just in case life every comes around and forces you into an unexpected change or new situation.

We suggest trying only one new thing at a time or making that one step at a time towards healthier living, because an abrupt change to your entire norm may lead to a quick burn out and a change that doesn’t last. But don’t get me wrong, if you try beets for the time and they’re not for you, its okay to move on. Though if you are feeling a bit daring, you can try more than one thing.

For me personally, I have three “new things” that I’m currently working on. First, I joined a local CrossFit gym last week and it’s been pretty intense since the start, but overall an amazing experience. I started getting tired of the same old workout routine that I’ve been in for over 15 years, to the point where I would end up just leaving the gym after 30 minutes, no sweat, and my heart rate might of gone over 120 for a second. So needless to say the CrossFit workouts have been rough, but I feel my body is quickly adapting, and then there are the new friendships being formed, which has been great. Second (less exciting and more personal), I’m trying out the elimination of peanut butter. I’ve been dealing with some GI issues and trying to see if I can identify the culprit. The verdict is still out, but I can say I am defiantly not trilled with the change, because I love peanut butter and my smoothies do not taste nearly as good, also having to supplement some protein to compensate, so not the greatest. Lastly, a new way to get out of bed! This one I have done for only 3 mornings now and I’m pretty excited that it is working. The last few months I’ve been in a rut as far as getting up when my alarm goes off, the iPhone is just so easy to snooze, and I would end up getting out of bed 45 minutes to an hour later. Well not anymore! I’ve relocated the phone (while charging) to our bathroom, which forces me to get out of bed and slowly walk my way through. Not recommended for those at risk of falling or that don’t do well walking around in the dark!

So go ahead and try something new! You never know what may come up, inspiration, new paths, and just healthier living. Thank you for all of the #WellfieWednesday support, be sure to post your pictures this week that demonstrate your active patriotism and tag the WW crew members in your post (@TheFuelPhysio, @Eric_in_AmERICa, @AaronPerezPT, @DianaKlatt) and keep the wave of healthy change going!

- WW Crew

Wellfie Wednesday Tip #152: Kids Eat Right Month™

Happy Wellfie Wednesday! Welcome back! This week is brought to you by Patrick (@TheFuelPhysio) and he’s here to let you know that August is Kids Eat Right Month™ (Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics)!

Kids Eat Right Month™ is a great time to really emphasize the importance of healthy eating for our future generations! But also the importance of making meal times and even the preparation of meals a family affair so that healthier eating become a true family tradition and life long habit.

One of the best things you can do as parent is to get your kids involved in meal planning and prepping! This allows them to really explore and experience different types of foods and flavors, while appreciating the time that goes into preparing a meal. Make family meals an almost daily habit and make it fun! Try coming up with nightly themes, like Mexican or Italian, and don’t overburden with recipes that have an extensive list of ingredients, keep it simple. See the infographic below for some age appropriate tasks!

Visit Kids Eat Right for more information, including some great recipes that are perfect for the whole family!

Thank you for all of the #WellfieWednesday support, be sure to post your pictures this week that demonstrate your active patriotism and tag the WW crew members in your post (@TheFuelPhysio, @Eric_in_AmERICa, @AaronPerezPT, @DianaKlatt) and keep the wave of healthy change going!

- WW Crew

Wellfie Wednesday Tip #151: Share Your Successes & Failures

Happy Wellfie Wednesday! Welcome back! This week’s tip comes out of a great 3 days with Northern Arizona University’s Doctor of Physical Therapy program. I (@TheFuelPhysio) was honored to be invited to speak at their Professional Development Seminar and share what I have been doing professionally and personally. But even greater of an opportunity to hear from other leaders in my profession. Hearing the things they’ve been through and the tips and tricks to continue developing both professionally and personally.

Now with that said, chances are YOU have something worth sharing. And it doesn’t matter if it is a success or a failure, honestly it’s the failures that are most beneficial to endure or hear, knowing that failure is inevitable and a part of life. But keeping with our theme of Wellfie Wednesday, think of the successes you’ve had in making small changing in your life towards living healthier. Because you never know, even something you think may be the simplest of changes, may not have crossed the mind of someone else. So please SHARE!

Thank you for all of the #WellfieWednesday support, be sure to post your pictures this week that demonstrate your active patriotism and tag the WW crew members in your post (@TheFuelPhysio, @Eric_in_AmERICa, @AaronPerezPT, @DianaKlatt) and keep the wave of healthy change going!

- WW Crew

Wellfie Wednesday Tip #150: Reducing Diabetes with Plant-Based Foods

Happy Wellfie Wednesday! Welcome back!

This week’s tip looks at following a plant-based dietary pattern and it’s associated reduction in risk of developing diabetes. A new systematic review and meta-analysis was released on Monday, which found that greatest adherence to a plant-based pattern produced a 23% lower risk of developing diabetes. And greater adherence was said to be a predominant/frequent consumption of a “healthy” plant-based pattern that consists of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and nuts.

Benefits of following a plant-based pattern have been found to far exceed that of just reducing diabetes, and has also been found to reduce lipid cholesterol, reduced risk of coronary heart disease, and reduce systemic inflammation within the body. And even for those with a diagnosis of diabetes, adopting a more plant-based pattern is found to be an excellent component of disease management, improving glycemic index and insulin sensitivity.

Now know that other factors are at play for risk of developing diabetes, but chances are good that you can successfully reduce that risk substantially with a healthy eating pattern, adequate physical activity, sufficient sleep, and maintenance of a healthy weight. And if adopting a more plant-based pattern is something you’d like to try out, remember to start small and gradually make changes for sustainability.

Thank you for all of the #WellfieWednesday support, be sure to post your pictures this week that demonstrate your active patriotism and tag the WW crew members in your post (@TheFuelPhysio, @Eric_in_AmERICa, @AaronPerezPT, @DianaKlatt) and keep the wave of healthy change going!

- WW Crew

Qian F, Liu G, Hu FB, Bhupathiraju SN, Sun Q. Association Between Plant-Based Dietary Patterns and Risk of Type 2 Diabetes: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. JAMA Intern Med. Published online July 22, 2019. doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2019.2195

Wellfie Wednesday Tip #149: Get Outdoors for Your Health!

Happy Wellfie Wednesday! Welcome back!

This week we want to share some recent data that supports spending time outdoors. A study out of England found that spending at least 120 minutes per week in natural environments was associated with better health and well-being. And that threshold of 120 minutes came from self reported health status and perceived well-being. Though that does create some limitations when it comes to research, a perception of being healthier goes a long way, especially acting as an internal motivator to continue healthy behaviors.

But it makes sense, spending time outdoors can be associated with increased physical activity, whether walks, runs, biking, hiking, or having fun, like spending time on the beach or tending to a garden. So I think a lot of that natural environment exposure does come with increased movement, which as we know is known to have tremendous health benefits.

Though a bit of caution, some of us have been experiencing very HIGH temperatures that may make it unbearable to be outdoors. So if you are out in those temperatures, be sure to stay hydrated! And if you have a choice when to spend your time in nature, shoot for early morning or late afternoon.

Take advantage of Mother Nature as much as you can! Thank you for all of the #WellfieWednesday support, be sure to post your pictures this week that demonstrate your active patriotism and tag the WW crew members in your post (@TheFuelPhysio, @Eric_in_AmERICa, @AaronPerezPT, @DianaKlatt) and keep the wave of healthy change going!

-WW Crew

Source:

White MP, Alcock I, Grellier J, Wheeler BW, Hartig T, Warber SL, Bone A, Depledge MH, Fleming LE. Spending at least 120 minutes a week in nature is associated with good health and wellbeing. Scientific reports. 2019 Jun 13;9(1):7730.

Wellfie Wednesday Tip #148: Our Patriotic Duty

Happy #WellfieWednesday! And Happy Early Fourth of July!! This week’s post is a re-post brought to you by Aaron (@AaronPerezPT). Enjoy! 

     On the 4th, we often celebrate our Patriotism with brats, burgers, beers, and things that go BOOM! Tomorrow, I encourage us all to embrace another form of patriotism, Physical Activity. That’s right, #Activity4America, or if you’re a millennial you might prefer #Movement4Murica. It may seem strange to think of exercise in this way. But truth be told, being physically active and living a healthy lifestyle is incredibly patriotic. Our previous U.S. Surgeon General agrees. In a 2014 interview, Rear Admiral Dr. Boris Lushniak proclaimed, 

“I think we’re on the cusp of actually taking health and wellness seriously. I think for the longest time it’s been on the back burner. The time is right, right now. We have to treat health as a natural resource. We have to put it up on the same level as the economy. When the economy goes sour, all of a sudden there’s reaction. There’s the sense of somebody has to do something if the economy is bad. Guess what, folks? The economy doesn’t do anything without a healthy workforce. It doesn’t do anything without healthy people.”

  Indeed, the health of any nation is only as great as the health of its people.  Health is our greatest natural resource. Protect it. Nurture it. If for no other reason, it is our patriotic duty to do so. Wishing us all a happy and healthy 4th of July! 

     Thank you for all of the #WellfieWednesday support, be sure to post your pictures this week that demonstrate your active patriotism and tag the WW crew members in your post (@TheFuelPhysio, @Eric_in_AmERICa, @AaronPerezPT, @DianaKlatt) and keep the wave of healthy change going!

-WW Crew

Wellfie Wednesday Tip #147: SummerOfMove is BACK!

 Happy Wellfie Wednesday! Welcome back!

This week serves as more of a public service announcement. This summer continues a movement... for more... MOVEMENT! #SummerOfMOVE is BACK, an initiative that resides along #FreeTheYoke and APHPT.org. Most of the information I have was pulled from last year’s announcement, because this year it seems that the Oxen have something amazing hidden under their wings and won’t release info until the start of the season, June 15th! But as a member of #WellfieCrew, I SAY BRING IT!

Though really, I’m here to tell you that #SummerOfMOVE is an awesome initiative that is meant to create change, a change in the health of not only ourselves but also the people we have connections with. It is a team-oriented, community-based, and summer-long event that will push you physically and mentally, but of course all in the benefit of better health. With an end goal of creating new and sustainable healthy habits, while getting to experiment a little with your movements. I still occasionally find myself doing box jumps, when that previously was something i never did.

We are hearing that cardiorespiratory fitness will play a big role this year, so be ready to find out what kind of shape you’re really in. But another large and probably more important component is that of community and creating connections. So if you have a friend or family member that is looking to make a move towards better health, this is an ideal place to start, so please invite them to join. The support you’ll receive along the way is tremendous!

Check out #SummerOfMOVE on your social media platforms to see all the excitement that happened last year and to stay informed for this year. Look for more details soon…..but for now….join a team, create a team, or hop into the draft pool. REGISTER HERE.

The #WELLFIECREW team would LOVE to have you join us!!! We’re somewhat of a known contender.

Thanks again for all of the #WellfieWednesday support, be sure to post your pictures this week and tag the WW crew members in your post (@TheFuelPhysio, @Eric_in_AmERICa, @AaronPerezPT, @DianaKlatt) and keep the wave of healthy change going!

- WW Crew

Wellfie Wednesday Tip #146: Try Cooking Ethnic Foods

Happy Wellfie Wednesday! Welcome back! This week’s tip is brought to you by Patrick (@TheFuelPhysio) and is meant to spice things up in the kitchen, especially if you’ve been in a rut lately and bored with eating the same ole things.

My wife and I cook about all of our meals, I would say roughly 95% of what we eat comes out of our kitchen, unless we’re out of town of course. So needless to say, we’ve encountered a few episodes of boredom along the way, when we find ourselves constantly eating the same thing. As a side note, I recently started tracking our weekly dinner menus on Twitter, search the hashtag #BernerKitchen to follow along.

So earlier this year we started experimenting with some different ethnic food recipes. And it has been great thus far! For the most part. What is interesting is that you not only get to learn about different ways of cooking, but also how various herbs and spices mixed together create a very unique flavor. Don’t get me wrong though, we’ve certainly encountered some things we won’t be cooking again, but that’s okay! It’s all in fun of trying different foods. And know that I’m talking about ethnicity beyond Mexican and Chinese foods, we’re talking Greek, Tanzanian, Zimbabwean, Iranian, etc.

Now the only roadblock we occasionally hit is ingredients, as you would imagine some recipes calling for things I’ve never heard of or have no idea where to get, but you can make it work! Don’t let that stop you from being creative. And the best part is that most of the time cooking ethnic foods will lead to consuming more plant-based options! So it’s really a win win.

Go ahead and try cooking some ethnic foods and let us know how it goes! Thanks for all of the support, be sure to post your pictures this week and tag the WW crew members in your post (@TheFuelPhysio, @Eric_in_AmERICa, @FreestylePhysio, @DianaKlatt) and keep the wave of healthy change going!

- WW Crew

Wellfie Wednesday Tip #145: Mental Health Awareness Month

Happy Wellfie Wednesday! We’re back!! We apologize, but the Wellfie Crew ended up taking a little hiatus the last few weeks because life and other things sometimes get the best of us, and THAT’S OKAY! Which actually goes well with this week’s topic, brought to you by Diana (@DianaKlatt), on Mental Health.

Mental health and wellness are important for not only individual health but for society as a whole. So why then do we still have such drastic numbers around untreated mental health issues? Stigma.

One of the most important things is that we need to stop treating mental health illnesses as something that you can just “get over.” Do we refer to chronic diseases, such as diabetes, like this? (Maybe diabetes wasn’t the best example because this is also highly stigmatized.) People often feel isolated, shame, discrimination, and stereotypes about their mental illness, but we need to increase talking about these things and decrease the stigma. It is perfectly normal to experience anxiety, depression, and other mental illnesses. Many people do not even recognize that they may have a mental illness that can be treated. Many societies and cultures teach and instill the concept of silently suffering. But there are ways to help these people and talking about mental illnesses and increasing awareness is just the start. It can be hard to seek help but the more someone realizes that they are not alone, the more likely they will feel comfortable seeking help.

So what can we do to help? We need to recognize that while discussing the complicated nature of mental health may be common for those working in health and wellness, that this is not the norm for most people. Many people find it difficult to discuss their mental health and how they are feeling in their professional and personal lives. We can help by discussing the normalcy more, by giving people the space to talk about how they’re feeling, and to lead by example. We cannot change the way society treats mental health alone, it is a team effort of helping those that live with mental health ailments know that they are not alone and to increase acceptance in society.

Check out how different people experience depression to see just how varied the experiences can be: https://www.blurtitout.org/2016/07/08/describing-depression-whove-never/

Here are some stats from a previous piece I wrote about mental health so you can see how common mental health illnesses are and how there is a severe lack of treatment:

• Depression is the leading cause of disability worldwide and is a major contributor to the global burden of disease.

• Approximately 1 in 5 adults in the US experience mental illness in a given year.

• Approximately 1 in 25 adults in the US live with a serious mental illness.

• Approximately 1 in 5 youths (13-18 years old) experience a severe mental disorder at some point during their lives.

• Nearly 60% of adults and 50% of youths did not receive mental health services in the previous year.

Lets end the Stigma! Thanks for all of the support, be sure to post your pictures this week and tag the WW crew members in your post (@TheFuelPhysio, @Eric_in_AmERICa, @FreestylePhysio, @DianaKlatt) and keep the wave of healthy change going!

- WW Crew

Wellfie Wednesday Tip #144: Know Your Seasonal Produce

Happy Wellfie Wednesday! Welcome back! This week is brought to you by Patrick (@TheFuelPhysio) and is a perfect mention for the Spring Season!

Spring is finally here!! Well at least for where I am in upstate South Carolina. The temperatures are finally where they should be, everything is COVERED in pollen, and it’s forecasted to rain… like every day. But we do have some beautiful weather forecasted for the future. But enough about that, lets talk PRODUCE!

Spring is an amazing time to start being on the lookout for fresh produce, which if you didn’t know can be very specific to your region of the country. Fresh produce is not only important to get the best flavors, but also that time of the year they become a bit cheaper. For example, early this week I took advantage of buying a larger quantity of strawberries and they’ve been fantastic!

A great resource that you can use to find what’s available in your area, and even specific to ANY time of the year, is the Seasonal Food Guide. I love this resource because it’ll also link you to info on storing and even cooking methods for specific fruits or vegetables.

So check out what’s fresh in your area and let us know! Thanks for all of the support, be sure to post your pictures this week and tag the WW crew members in your post (@TheFuelPhysio, @Eric_in_AmERICa, @FreestylePhysio, @DianaKlatt) and keep the wave of healthy change going!

- WW Crew

Wellfie Wednesday Tip #143: Feeling Uninspired? Try a New Fitness Class

Happy Wellfie Wednesday! Welcome back! This week is brought to you by Diana (@DianaKlatt)!

Recently felt uninspired to get to the gym? Feel like you keep doing the same exercises over and over again? We’ve all been there. It can be hard to keep pushing forward when we feel like we are plateauing and we don’t know where to go from here. Here’s a simple way to get over this hump - mix it up!

There are numerous types of different exercise classes and outlets out there now, HITT (High Intensity Tactical Training), TRX, aerial/anti-gravity yoga, pilates, bouldering, rowing, skating, barre, kickboxing, swimming… the list can go on and on. It’s likely that you may be doing a couple of these already but are you doing them regularly? And are you basically hitting autopilot? If so, maybe you should try out a new exercise class!

You may feel like it’s hard to try something new, especially if it’s something that is completely new to you. So bring a friend! It’s a great way to try new things while spending time with a friend and having the motivation to complete your workout.

If you’re looking to try something new, I highly recommend bouldering and aerial silks/yoga.

1. Bouldering can be equal parts fun and a good life skill to learn (or it can be your start into recreating the documentary Free Solo…). Rock climbing is a great workout that uses muscles in your arms, core, and lower body. Your back and arms are engaged with pulling yourself up the wall or mountain and your core, quads, and calves are used to help stabilize your body while you climb. (Note that this activity frequently results in dry hands from applying chalk, so maybe don’t try it out if you have somewhere to be where you may shake a lot of hands.)

2. Aerial silks/yoga, while much less of a life skill, is quite fun and is an amazing workout for your core and upper body. Aerial yoga takes the movements and efforts of normal yoga and adds more of a full body aspect due to the nature of utilizing the silk hammock. You spend a lot of time getting yourself up into the silks and holding static poses or you use the silks to help suspend various limbs while also holding static poses. Aerial yoga acts as a method of cross-training as it incorporates both strength and flexibility, as well as having a strong core focus. It heavily focuses on core strength as well as spinal and shoulder flexibility.

If you do try something new, let us know! Especially if it’s uncommon, we’d love to hear about all the different things you’ve all tried.

Thanks for all of the support, be sure to post your pictures this week and tag the WW crew members in your post (@TheFuelPhysio, @Eric_in_AmERICa, @FreestylePhysio, @DianaKlatt) and keep the wave of healthy change going!

- WW Crew

Wellfie Wednesday Tip #142: National Frozen Food Month

Happy Wellfie Wednesday! Welcome back! This week is brought to you by Patrick (@TheFuelPhysio) .

You read it right folks, this entire month has been National Frozen Food Month! I had no idea! But it brings up a good opportunity to chat on frozen foods, which sometimes get a bad rap. Now first, there is a distinct difference between frozen “processed” foods (the instant meals loaded in preservatives and other random ingredients) and regular frozen food, that being frozen fruits, vegetables, and leftover home cooked meals.

I won’t spend any time on frozen processed foods because I’m a big proponent of cooking meals at home for a number of reasons. But what I want to spend time on is why frozen foods can be a good thing, especially if finances or time are a barrier. And first things first, there is no major difference in quality of nutrients when comparing fresh and frozen foods.

• Frozen foods can easily be bought in bulk, because they last longer, but still under 12 months. Meaning that when they are on sale, you can stock up, saving some $$.

• Most frozen fruits and vegetables are ready to go, already cleaned, trimmed, and chopped if wanted, saving a bunch of time in preparation.

• Easier access to foods that may not be in season at the time. You can usually still find them in the frozen foods section.

• You can stock up on fresh foods when they are in season (cheaper and taste better) and freeze them for later use. I do this every year for blueberries, which can get pretty pricey in their off season.

• And lastly, if you were to cook something in a large quantity (I usually do for pot roasts, soups, and gumbo), you can freeze the leftovers for later. Virtually eliminating time and money as a barrier.

Thanks for all of the support, be sure to post your pictures this week and tag the WW crew members in your post (@TheFuelPhysio, @Eric_in_AmERICa, @FreestylePhysio, @DianaKlatt) and keep the wave of healthy change going!

- WW Crew

Wellfie Wednesday Tip #141: Start a Vegetable Garden!

Happy Wellfie Wednesday! Welcome back! This week is brought to you by Patrick (@TheFuelPhysio).

Man this weather has been crazy!! I think I’ve been fooled by Mother Nature at least 4 times this season. Every time I think Spring has come and warmer weather is here to stay, temperatures drop again! Happening again right now after the beautiful weekend we just had in upstate South Carolina. But I certainly took advantage of those nice couple days. Finally got our new vegetable garden built!

Normally I would have liked to get the ground ready and prepped prior to planting some things, but I went ahead and did it all at once while I had the time to do so. This year I went with trying out a raised garden bed, where I could control all the soil and compost being used. Also testing out the location of it, prior to making it any bigger. I’ve situated it on the side of our house, where it gets morning sun and than shade from about 1-2PM onward.

So far, I’ve planted some bell peppers, jalapeño peppers, banana peppers, roma tomatoes, and strawberries (not in this picture). I’ll add zucchini this coming weekend. It’s a bit smaller than my previous vegetable garden, but you have to start somewhere.

The picture of the fenced in garden was at our old place back in 2017. That one was pretty successful back then, so I’m hoping for a similar harvest this year.

Personally, I think EVERYONE should try out having a vegetable garden! Especially if you have young kids. Being able to teach them how things grow and where real food comes from is tremendously important. Now it doesn’t have to be as elaborate as these or other gardens you may have seen. I’ve literally done vegetable gardens in multiple gallon pots. If anything, just try out having 1 plant this year.

Give it a try and let us know how it goes! Thanks for all of the support, be sure to post your pictures this week and tag the WW crew members in your post (@TheFuelPhysio, @Eric_in_AmERICa, @FreestylePhysio, @DianaKlatt) and keep the wave of healthy change going!

- WW Crew

Wellfie Wednesday Tip #140: Reflections from a Health Screening Event

Happy #WellfieWednesday! This week’s post is brought to you by Aaron Perez (@FreestylePhysio). Enjoy!

                  This past week I had the privilege of assisting at a health expo where Pro-Activity Tennessee, led by Alexis and Zac Morgan, conducted a health screening event and launched a year-long health and wellness initiative with a large employer. It was the largest and busiest health screening I had ever been a part of, and it was awesome! Given that I know most of our readers are PTs interested in health and wellness, I thought it may be useful and interesting to share a few takeaways from my experience. 

Importance of Planning 

I love that quote by Dwight D. Eisenhower, and feel it applies to my experience this past weekend well. I thought the team did an amazing job of preparing. Alexis put together an incredibly detailed, yet easy to follow master spreadsheet to keep us organized. We walked through the event virtually and then again when we all got together in person. I never felt overly anxious or panicked during the walkthroughs, and this may be because my role and responsibilities were small in comparison to others on the team, but nonetheless I think it speaks to how well prepared those leading the charge were. 

Look the Part 

The host company did an excellent job of branding their event and initiative. They created shirts for all of us to wear so that we could look like one team, even though the day of the event was the first time some of us had met in person. Further, even with it being the first health screening event for some of us in the group, I feel like we looked the part and had a great showcase, with eye catching handouts (kudos Alexis for being a design wizard), fun music (can’t go wrong with ACDC), and lots of equipment, including BP cuffs, hand grip dynamometers, body composition scales, assault bikes, and more. In fact, two of the biggest game changers in my opinion were not used in any part of the health screening, yet made the health screening a memorable event worth participating in and talking about. 

Building Comradery Through…Competition?

As hinted at above and in the main picture of this blog post, the Pro-Activity team utilized a “Live” scoring system that was continuously updated on a big screen TV as participants completed their screenings. This really seemed to add a “Wow” factor that not only brought people into the screening but also kept them around afterwards watching the leaderboard to see how their co-workers were doing. Not only was there a live leaderboard, but there was an awesome looking “WWE-esque” belt hanging over top of the leaderboard to be won by the overall champion of our screens. I found that addition to be powerful and it made it much simpler to persuade people to participate. I could simply say, “You want to participate in this because you want a chance at winning THAT!” **pointing to the belt hanging on top of the leaderboard*” Big shout out to Nick for creating the system that made the Live leaderboard possible, and to Zac for the championship belt. 

Energy is Contagious 

Lastly, I want to acknowledge the host company’s participants as I felt their energy throughout the event and even at the 6am workout the next day, it was tremendous! It made it much easier to stay excited during the event when I could feed off the participants energy. Health screenings can be difficult in that regard because they are by nature monotonous for the conductors. I’ve never had so much fun asking people what their age and height are for 3 hours straight 😊. Kudos to everyone involved, and I hope that same energy snowballs throughout the yearlong initiative.  

Thanks for all of the support, be sure to post your pictures this week and tag the WW crew members in your post (@TheFuelPhysio, @Eric_in_AmERICa, @FreestylePhysio, @DianaKlatt) and keep the wave of healthy change going!

- WW Crew

Wellfie Wednesday Tip #139: National Nutrition Month® 2019

Welcome back! Happy Wellfie Wednesday! And Happy National Nutrition Month®! This week is brought to you by Patrick (@TheFuelPhysio), our crew’s Registered Dietitian Nutritionist.

National Nutrition Month® is an annual campaign “To increase the public’s awareness of the importance of good nutrition and position Academy members as the authorities in nutrition.”

The Key Messages of this year’s campaign are:

1. Discover the benefits of a healthy eating style.

2. Choose foods and drinks that are good for your health.

3. Include a variety of healthful foods from all of the food groups on a regular basis.

4. Select healthier options when eating away from home.

5. Be mindful of portion sizes. Eat and drink the amount that's right for you, as MyPlate encourages us to do.

6. Keep it simple. Eating right doesn't have to be complicated.

7. Make food safety part of your everyday routine.

8. Help to reduce food waste by considering the foods you have on hand before buying more at the store.

9. Find activities that you enjoy and be physically active most days of the week.

10. Consult the nutrition experts. Registered Dietitian Nutritionists can provide sound, easy-to-follow personalized nutrition advice to meet your lifestyle, preferences and health-related needs.

Check out the Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics website (https://www.eatright.org) for an abundance of resources for healthier eating.

Thanks for all of the support, be sure to post your pictures this week and tag the WW crew members in your post (@TheFuelPhysio, @Eric_in_AmERICa, @FreestylePhysio, @DianaKlatt) and keep the wave of healthy change going!

- WW Crew

Wellfie Wednesday Tip #138: Blue Light & Sleep

Happy Wellfie Wednesday! Welcome back! This week is brought to you by Diana (@DianaKlatt)!

I don’t know about all of you but I frequently find myself turning off the lights, cozying up in bed, and then… looking at my phone. And then I wake up in the morning thinking “wow, why am I so tired? Why did I got to bed so late last night?” Well, it’s because I was staring at my phone’s screen before trying to go to bed!

We have become so overly plugged into our phones and technology that it’s hard for our brains to “turn off” at night. Checking our phones, regardless of where we are and what we’re doing, has become second nature. I know that sometimes when I am reading something on my phone that I don’t even remember picking up the device. And because our lives have become so fast paced, with constant access to knowledge, I also find myself trying to fit in reading news or catching up with people in other time zones any chance I can get - which frequently is right before going to bed.

And I know I’m not alone in this mad cycle of phone staring. I, along with hundreds of thousands of other people, am trying to keep up with everything and everyone constantly and we can't seem to put our phones down to get some sleep (1). Why is it so bad for us to be using our devices or looking at a computer/television monitor late at night from the comfort of our own beds? Artificial blue light.

So what's the deal with this blue light and why does it impact us so much? The body functions on a system that is controlled by the amount of natural light and dark we are exposed to. This is called circadian rhythm and it's a critical process in much more than just our sleep cycles (2). It is no secret that this light alters our cycles. Prior to the boom of technology, people relied primarily on sunlight for cues on when to start and end the day. People simply spent more time outside. Less jobs required you to stare at a giant LED screen and less leisure activities required screens. All of this screen time is seriously messing with our bodies, especially our sleeping patterns. According to a study done in 2012, use of any of these technologies before sleep can completely throw us off. The use of technology prior to sleep has major biological effects on our circadian clock because it suppresses the levels of melatonin (that hormone we produce - or take - to help us sleep), which in turn reduces the amount of REM sleep we get, which leads to a decrease in alertness in the morning... ultimately impacting not just your sleep but also your overall functionality and daily performance (2).

So what can we do if we have to look at screens for work? If we want to pass time scrolling through Twitter or Instagram? For starters, you can install some software to counter that penetrating blue light. Well yes, that's a start. You could install flux (Apple, Windows) OR you could get some really trendy, blue-light blocking glasses (Pixel, Felix Gray). I highly recommend doing at least one of these things. I actually install flux on all of my devices and it's easy to disable if you need true colors for digital editing. I personally prefer installing something to work on the device as I already wear glasses. Also, the iPhone has a feature called "night shift" that you can put on an auto-schedule (enable night shift). While, it's actually quite easy to help ease that harsh blue light emitted to your eyes, this doesn’t mean all is solved. I still do not suggest looking at your phone when you try to go to sleep!

Thanks for all of the support, be sure to post your pictures this week and tag the WW crew members in your post (@TheFuelPhysio, @Eric_in_AmERICa, @FreestylePhysio, @DianaKlatt) and keep the wave of healthy change going!

- WW Crew

1. https://www.soundsleepinstitute.com/sleep-tips/cell-phone-causes-sleep-problems/

2. http://www.pnas.org/content/112/4/1232

Wellfie Wednesday Tip #137: Sleep & Pain Sensitivity

Happy Wellfie Wednesday! Welcome back! This week is brought to you by Patrick (@TheFuelPhysio) and the topic revolves around how sleep can affect your pain sensitivity.

For starters, pain is a very complex thing, especially chronic pain, and it seldom deals with just a physical sensation. Our brain and neurological system controls a lot of it, and it can be a combination of experiences, exposures, and interpretations of painful situations, whether physical or emotional, that contribute to our sensation of pain. Now sleep, the body’s ability to recover, has been discovered to be something that should be of concern when it comes to pain and pain sensitivity.

A recently published study found that individuals with just a single night of sleep deprivation had a 15-30% increase in pain sensitivity, reducing their pain threshold. Meaning there interpretation of a painful stimuli came sooner than if adequate sleep was had the night before. In agreement with sleep playing a role in pain sensitivity, another recent study found that extended sleep could increase an individual’s pain threshold.

Both of these studies of course have several limitations, but their findings should still be considered. So if you or someone you know is dealing with pain, getting a better night sleep could be a good start. And I know that’s easier said than done for most. Check out this resource by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine for some helpful tips to improving your sleep.

Thanks for all of the support, be sure to post your pictures this week and tag the WW crew members in your post (@TheFuelPhysio, @Eric_in_AmERICa, @FreestylePhysio, @DianaKlatt) and keep the wave of healthy change going!

- WW Crew

Krause, A. J., Prather, A. A., Wager, T. D., Lindquist, M. A., & Walker, M. P. (2019). The pain of sleep loss: A brain characterization in humans. Journal of Neuroscience, 2408-18.

Simonelli, G., Mantua, J., Gad, M., St Pierre, M., Moore, L., Yarnell, A. M., ... & Capaldi, V. F. (2019). Sleep extension reduces pain sensitivity. Sleep medicine, 54, 172-176.

Wellfie Wednesday Tip #136: "Ultra-Processed" Foods

Happy Wellfie Wednesday! Welcome back! This week is brought to you by Patrick (@TheFuelPhysio). So this week a study was released that spoke on “ultra-processed” foods and researchers found an associated 14% higher risk of dying early with every 10% increase in the proportion of ultra-processed foods. Though they do conclude that further research is needed to confirm their findings, meaning it’s not something that necessarily needs to be shouted from the mountain top.

They term ultra-processed foods as “manufactured industrially from multiple ingredients that usually include additives used for technological and/or cosmetic purposes.” "Ultraprocessed foods are mostly consumed in the form of snacks, desserts, or ready-to-eat or -heat meals." Basically those foods with a laundry list of ingredients you can’t pronounce. Some critics of the study mention that the researchers don’t go into enough detail as to explaining what foods are actually considered “ultra-processed.” Because yes, most food is “processed” as it is probably cut, trimmed, washed, sealed, and packaged.

Now what we do have tons of evidence on are the benefits of eating “whole,” “real,” “natural,” (whatever you prefer to call fruits, veggies, grains, legumes, and other protein sources). So instead of trying to purposely avoid something, look to adding or swapping for healthier options. And it may take a little effort, initially. Read your labels. Choose minimally processed, if possible. Choose plant-based foods!

For me, I’m not going to never eat bacon again, but I do make an effort to limit the amount I consume and swap for healthier options.

Thanks for all of the support, be sure to post your pictures this week and tag the WW crew members in your post (@TheFuelPhysio, @Eric_in_AmERICa, @FreestylePhysio, @DianaKlatt) and keep the wave of healthy change going!

- WW Crew

Wellfie Wednesday Tip #135: Beware the Cycle of Malnutrition

Happy Wellfie Wednesday! Welcome back! This week is brought to you by Patrick (@TheFuelPhysio) and it highlights a recent publication that looks at malnutrition, frailty, and sarcopenia (muscle loss) in older adults. The piece was written to help physical therapists understand the importance of nutrition in older adults and give them practical tools to address malnutrition and their patient’s eating behaviors. However, the information can be used beyond physical therapists and is applicable to any rehab profession, such as occupational and speech therapy alike.

Abstract

“The intersectional relationship between malnutrition, frailty, and sarcopenia in older adults presents unique challenges for health care providers. Malnutrition, specifically, is a leading risk factor for disability, morbidity, and mortality in older adults. Despite improvements in screening procedures, many older adults at risk for malnutritionare not identified, which prevents effective management. Utilizing interdisciplinary approaches toward malnutrition screening is both effective and feasible. Physical therapists can play an important role in both the identification and management of malnutrition in older adults by remaining aware of common nutritional concerns in older adults and performing routine malnutrition screening.”

Severin, R., Berner, P. M., Miller, K. L., & Mey, J. (2019). The Crossroads of Aging: An Intersection of Malnutrition, Frailty, and Sarcopenia. Topics in Geriatric Rehabilitation, 35(1), 79-87.

Summary

“Malnutrition has significant consequences on patient outcomes, especially in older adults. Unfortunately, many older adults who are malnourished go untreated because of gaps in screening for malnutrition and malnutrition risk. Physical therapists can play an important role in the identification and management of malnutrition and malnutrition risk by remaining aware of common concerns in older adults and by performing routine malnutrition screening. Although medical nutrition therapy is performed by registered dietitians, physical therapists can provide basic nutritional education and should do so while acknowledging their scope of practice and their patients' medical and nutritional needs. In addition, the combination of physical therapy and nutritional interventions may provide optimal patient outcomes. Despite variations in scope of practice, all members of the health care team must strive to improve patient care through interprofessional communication and collaboration.”

Though it was written with a clinical mindset, the article still contains information that can be helpful to the everyday adult. Such as highlighting current evidence that protein needs for older adults may be upwards of 1.2 g of protein/kg of bodyweight, far greater than the standard recommendation of 0.8 g of protein/kg of bodyweight. And practical information such as common food-drug interactions and potential affects on appetite due to medications.

Check out the article in its entirety

The Crossroads of Aging: An Intersection of Malnutrition, Frailty, and Sarcopenia

Thanks for all of the support, be sure to post your pictures this week and tag the WW crew members in your post (@TheFuelPhysio, @Eric_in_AmERICa, @FreestylePhysio, @DianaKlatt) and keep the wave of healthy change going!

Resource: Severin, R., Berner, P. M., Miller, K. L., & Mey, J. (2019). The Crossroads of Aging: An Intersection of Malnutrition, Frailty, and Sarcopenia. Topics in Geriatric Rehabilitation, 35(1), 79-87.

- WW Crew