Monday, June 27, 2011

25 Ways To Be Fit: Donna Pendleton, PT, CHT

25 Ways to Be Fit



Being fit is a life endeavor. Some years will be more successful than others. A lifetime of practicing these few principles will have a powerful impact. You will find getting and staying fit simple and possible when you put these 25 tips into practice.



Live and get fit with everyday tools:





  1. Use smaller dinner plates to control portions and calorie intake. Eat just one serving, and avoid seconds.


  2. Make exercise a regular part of your life. Make friends where you exercise and use these friendships to promote accountability and increase your motivation.


  3. Know what you want to accomplish and visualize the end result of your hard work.


  4. Believe in yourself


  5. Don’t be a wimp or a complainer – most things worth having require some work. Fitness can be fun. Keep good work ethics a part of your plan.


  6. Drink water all day long.


  7. Know when to ask for help.


  8. Maintain your metabolism by eating a healthy snack or meal every three hours. Keep what you eat unprocessed, fresh, and low in sugar.


  9. Forget “will power” – it is about WANT power! How badly do you want it?


  10. Don’t eat processed foods. These foods are high in empty calories that have very little nutritional value to your body and contain chemicals that can be harmful to your health. Think: “if it comes out of a window or a box, it might not be good to eat”.


  11. Make food choices that are healthy, low in fat and eat plenty of lean proteins, leafy greens, and whole grains.


  12. It’s okay to be a skeptic. Watch out for products that are labeled “health food”. Always read the labels and make an informed decision.


  13. Act now and get the job done. Remember, talk is cheap.


  14. Exercise with people who are in better shape than you. This will encourage you to push your limits.


  15. Never indulge in negative self talk.


  16. Don’t drink calories.


  17. Pay attention to everything you eat.


  18. Get enough rest


  19. Be consistent with your exercise. Exercise three or four times per week for life.


  20. Expect more from yourself.


  21. Never eat or drink high fructose corn syrup. It will spike your blood sugar levels and encourage your body to store fat.


  22. Eat plenty of whole plant foods. Vegetables, fruits, and whole grains are filled with fiber and antioxidants and great for your health and weight control.


  23. Eat breakfast, always.


  24. If you know you deserve better, than go get it. Challenge yourself.


  25. Set specific, measurable goals and track your successful progress.


Life is over before you know it…get ready to make a change, live and eat healthy. Put these practices to the test, it is a great beginning. Print them where you can see them, strive to be focused, determined, and in control of your health. Get fit and stay fit for life.



Here at MMI, we can help you address and recover from injuries or barriers to your “fitness for life” success. We offer state of the art rehabilitation programs and our staff of rehabilitation professionals can individualize your fitness and treatment programs to reach your goals.



Are you struggling with a problem that interferes with your ability to reach your fitness level and stay healthy? Can we offer a suggestion to get you back on the path and moving again toward your goal. Let’s hear from you and let’s team up and get started on a Healthy New You.



Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Balance Issues Resolved Through Physical Therapy by: Bev Kornides, PT

Did you know that the #2 reason for patient visits to the primary care physician office is the complaint of dizziness?


Are you dizzy? Lightheaded? Or even tipsy? Do you have a sense of feeling “off balance”?


Pinning down these adjectives can help your physician better diagnosis the problem as it could be related to inner ear, a specific area of your brain, medication or a recent infection that may have residual effects.


For those patients who struggle with a sense of imbalance or disequilibrium, there are simple tests to evaluate one’s level of confidence in doing activities around the house without the risk of falls.


Physical therapists trained in this type of rehab called “Vestibular Rehabilitation” can help the physician with data collection toward nailing the correct cause of the imbalance. Could it be an inner ear problem, central nervous system or other?


Most common patient type in this category are those who suffer with Benign (not life threatening) Paraxysmal (recurrent sudden intensification of symptoms) Positional (related to bodily posture) Vertigo (sensation of rotation/spinning), otherwise known as BPPV.


Repositioning maneuvers, otherwise known as canalith repositioning, are done in the physical therapist’s office and offer a very effective option. Most cases of BPPV can be healed in 1-3 sessions with 80-90% resolution of all symptoms.


During the treatment sessions the patient is educated on the rationale of the canalith repositioning technique and why it works.


Approximately 50% of individuals with BPPV can experience another episode within five years. With their knowledge and understanding of their problem they often can effectively treat themselves.


So… Do you have spinning when you position change?


Does the symptom linger less than or greater than a minute?


Are you phobic about position change?


Don’t be a victim of such a correctable disorder; contact us in the physical therapy department of MMI.