“Many ‘healthy’ sunscreens accelerate aging…Many of the new generation of sunscreens- and this includes almost all “healthy” mineral sunscreens listed by the Environmental Working Group– contain titanium and/or zinc nano particles. Because these minerals are non-toxic in their natural forms it was assumed these mini-sized versions would be equally safe. That was probably a bad idea. Here’s why…” READ the full article HERE

So, here’s the remedy and “How to make non-toxic homemade sunscreen…Most of the active chemical ingredients contain potent endocrine disruptors, and experts believe exposure to them is changing us for the worse. And as we talked about yesterday, many “healthy” mineral sunscreens contain nanoparticles which have been linked to accelerated skin aging, cancer and environmental toxicity.” READ the full article HERE

Take 10 minutes, watch this video. Then share it and you could literally help save lives.

After Late Start, Runner Is Speeding Through Records

By BARRY BEARAK in The New York Times

The crowd, small but noisy, fixed eyes on Kathy Martin, the woman in last place. Early on, she was fifth in a pack of 11 runners, calmly moving in heavy traffic. She ran not only efficiently but also beautifully, her classic strides in perfect rhythm, a fluid parting of the empty air, almost balletic.

But the race was 3,000 meters long, nearly two miles — 15 laps on the indoor oval — and the other women, most in their 20s and 30s, were atop much younger legs. Read the full article…

Continuing with the series on fitness exercises we must visit an oldie but goodie – the push up. The push up is an anterior, upper body pushing exercise. The three main muscle groups involved are the three that allow you to push – chest, shoulders and triceps. The American Council of Exercise (ACE) states that the push up is one of the three most important movements for maintaining a healthy level of functional strength for the body, and of the three it is the only upper body movement. Therefore one may conclude that the push up is the best upper body exercise. I agree.

The push up is great because your body is the gym, and the exercise can be modified to fit the needs of all strength levels. The traditional push up is performed in the prone position. Begin by lying prone on the floor. Lift yourself from the floor using the toes as the fulcrum. The toes should be roughly perpendicular to the floor. The hands should be placed palm down, roughly even with the shoulders, and comfortably wider than shoulder width but not too wide. Then push from the floor with your hands at an angle perpendicular to the floor. The head, shoulders and hips should be level moving in unison from the floor until elbows are at full extension. Then one must bend the elbows until a 90 degree angle is obtained with the tricep and forearm or until the tricep is parallel to the floor.

ACE recommends for general fitness and functionality performing push ups 2-3 times a week and completing 2-3 sets of 10-15 repetitions. This simple habit will go a long way to maintaining upper body function and maintaining one’s independence as one ages.

If the traditional push up is too difficult there are two simple modifications. First, use your knees as the fulcrum rather than the toes and continue the exercise as stated above. The body’s angle will be closer to 45 degrees but the same concepts of keeping the head, shoulders, and hips in one level line still apply.  A second modification that can be used is the wall push up. Lean against the wall as if it were the floor and follow the same guidelines previously described. Following these modifications one could move from wall push ups to the modified knee push up in 3-4 weeks if one is consistent to perform the push ups for 2-3 sets of 10-15 repetitions, 2-3 times per week. Then in another 3-4 weeks one could move from the modified knee push up to the traditional push up. Simply follow the protocol, and watch yourself improve!

Another way to modify is to increase the intensity, but this is not necessary for general health and function but can be a fun challenge or beneficial change up for sports performance. Below is a list of possibilities:

•                Elevate the toes onto a bench
•                Stagger one hand forward and the other back
•                Put one hand on a medicine ball and one hand on floor
•                Put one’s hands on a medicine ball or stability ball
•                Put one’s feet on a medicine ball or stability ball
•                Clapping Push Ups
•                Experiment with combinations of the above

Incorporate the push up 2-3 times a week, 2-3 sets, 10-15 repetitions and see what happens as weeks turn to months of consistency and months turn to years of consistency. It can be finished in 3-5 minutes. It is quick but packs a great boost to keeping one’s body functional. Google “Push Up” to see demonstrations.

Julian Kaufman has been working in the fields of fitness, nutrition and wellness for 18 years in the Chattanooga area.  He has a degree in Health & Exercise Science from Furman University, M.ED from Covenant College and is certified through the NSCA – CSCS and USA Track & Field.  He is the owner of Fitness Together Chattanooga a one on one personal training studio located in 2 North Shore. He also serves at Baylor School in sports performance training, fitness and wellness.

Making a Difference

Change the World

I want to make a difference like Martin Luther King Jr.  Do you? It would be easy to just list ideas like picking up trash, recycling, or not wasting time, money, or products but the one real way to change our community is how we treat others. One way I can do that, is by treating other people how I want to be treated. Respectfully.  I can listen to other ideas. I want to treat people the opposite of how the white treated colored people in Martin Luther’s day.  A way to do this is to stop playing video games, and watching TV and get outside and make friendships with others.  If we are willing to get out of our comfort zone and help others it will make a difference.  I know there are people even in our own neighborhoods that could use our kindness.   It might be as simple as a smile or a “hello” as they pass by our house.  It might even take something a little harder, like looking around you to see a yard that needs to be cleaned up and lending a hand.  This world is made up of all different kinds of people and the sooner we learn to respect one another and get along, the sooner we start to make a difference, the faster we will see results.  It starts with one person, maybe they will in turn help someone else, and keep passing on the helpful attitude. That’s how we can change the world.

Gavin Creed

The Difference

I have been noticing that when kids make a difference, they think no one will notice, or no one cares.  However, that is not the case.  And when you look at a four-year-old, you normally think that you have to do everything for that child, and that he or she is pretty much helpless.  But that is not the case either.  No matter how small, that kid CAN HELP.

Forget ages and grade levels, let’s pretend we are all equal, even though there is really no pretending that needs to be done, because it is already true.  So, even though I am only ten, I can help just as much as a genius scientist can. And when I do, I plan to change the world.  Not just America, The World.

Well, you’re probably wondering what I will do to change it.  I’ll start off with finding the right, determined people to help me with my adventure.  Then, I’ll clean all of the parks around the world, making each as beautiful as the next.  And the beaches as well.  What turtle would want to have their eggs hatch on your lunch?  Then, I’ll save all of the animals who choke on the soda can you “forgot” to recycle last week.  I’m not trying to make you feel guilty; I just wanted you to see what you can do with one, simple decision: right or wrong.  And, when you think about it, you could save so much money AND water just by turning off the water when you wash your hair and body. The next of my ideas is to talk to some car people and ask if it is possible to make a car that runs on water.  There would be so much less pollution, you wouldn’t have to pay gas prices, and you wouldn’t have that funky smell in your car when you drive out of the Exxon, because there will be no Exxon.

I would also love to go to animal shelters around the world, making sure there is room for all of the animals to stay.  And animals aren’t the only ones, either.  There are so many people around the world with terror striking in their countries.  In my vote, we should go and help the needy and stop thinking about ourselves so much.  I have explained everything and now all you have to do is decide:  will you take part and help, or leave us to do all of the work?  That is how I would change the world, and I never would be able to do it if Mr. King hadn’t noticed we were all equal.

Gracie Vogel

By Sandy VanHooydonk PT, DPT, COMT, from Results Physiotherapy in Brentwood, TN

Dizziness is a frightening experience, conjuring fears of falling, worries about possible stroke, and can also be significantly limiting in the ability to perform your normal daily activities.  However two of the most common causes of dizziness can be treated by physical therapy.

BPPV

Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo, or BPPV, can be immediately eliminated with one or two visits to the physical therapist. This form of dizziness is triggered by movements such as: rolling over in bed, getting out of bed, looking up, or looking down. Patients report a spinning sensation, occasionally with nausea and imbalance, which typically lasts 30-60 seconds. The cause in simple terms is small crystals in your inner ear get out of place causing you to feel dizzy.  The clinical explanation is that calcium carbonate crystals called otoliths have migrated from the utricle of the inner ear into the semicircular canals, where they float freely or stick to a structure called the cupula, affecting the flow of endolymph fluid.No matter what the explanation the person dealing with BPPV feels horrible.

BPPV may occur for no reason at all, but is more common after a head trauma such as a car accident or a fall, or prolonged head-tilt, as one might experience at the dentist or hairdresser.  It is more common in women than men, in middle and advanced age. BPPV will typically resolve in 2-6 months without treatment, but can be resolved in 90% of patients with 1, (occasionally 2), 5-minute procedures in an outpatient physical therapy clinic, without drugs, x-rays, or surgery.

It is estimated that 30-50% of dizziness is related to the inner ear. If your therapist suspects you have BPPV after asking you several questions about your dizziness, they will perform a few quick tests to confirm their suspicion. If you test positive, your therapist will guide you through a series of positioning maneuvers, referred to as a modified Epley maneuver, to return the crystals back into the appropriate portion of the ear canal where they will no longer cause symptoms.  Studies show an 80-100% success rate in eliminating symptoms with one treatment using this maneuver.  Some patients need a second treatment, and most therapists will want to follow up in one week and again at one month to ensure that the problem has not returned.

Cervical Vertigo

Another cause of dizziness that is easily treated by a physical therapist is cervicogenic dizziness, commonly referred to as Cervical Vertigo.  People with this condition often complain of lightheadedness, floating, or rocking, which is worse during head movements or sustained neck positions. These symptoms usually occur after the onset of neck pain and are often accompanied by a headache. The symptoms of dizziness can last from minutes to hours.

Several studies have reported that approximately 75% of patients with cervicogenic dizziness improve with conservative treatment of the neck such as medication, gentle mobilization through “Hands-On” manual therapy, exercise, and instruction in proper posture and use of the neck. Frequently the combination of vestibular retraining along with neck treatment is required to completely resolve these symptoms.

Other causes of dizziness are defined as medical, which includes problems with blood pressure, problems with blood sugar as in diabetes, and medications.  Neurological causes of dizziness can include problems with the central nervous system, vascular problems and visual problems.  Other categories include psychiatric and undiagnosed dizziness.

Every Results Physiotherapy clinic has a therapist that has been through specific training in the treatment of BPPV and cervicogenic dizziness.  If you have been experiencing these symptoms or know someone else who has, it is time that you contacted Results for an evaluation. Most health insurances now allow individuals to self-refer to physical therapy without a referral from a physician.

Don’t hesitate to contact Results at any of our locations found at www.resultsphysiotherapy.com or call 423-634-1922 to make an appointment today.

This Valentine’s Day (which also happens to be National Ferris Wheel Day, by the way) we celebrate the heart. Figuratively and literally. Read the article below for insight on a healthy heart and mind.

The Best Foods for Thought, Literally

by Jennifer Corbett Dooren in The Wallstreet Journal Online

“We’ve long known that the Mediterranean diet is good for the heart. Now, it may be good for the brain as well” Read the full article…