Greetings from balmy Northern Virginia where it’s 80 degrees at 8:40am! I hope everyone is enjoying the start of summer. I wanted to share an article I wrote as a guest post for Sarah Ballantyne (AKA The Paleo Mom) on the role of physical therapy as part of the comprehensive treatment plan for folks with Autoimmune Illness. http://bit.ly/NmOCZh It is my hope that the 23.5 million Americans with AI will seek out the expertise of a physical therapist as they strive to regain a healthy, active life. Please share this article with anyone you know who has an AI. Thanks! Be well, Ann
Read more →Review of It Starts With Food You know how you look forward to Christmas morning? Even as an adult, you wake up a bit early, filled with expectation? That’s the way I felt waiting for It Starts With Food to arrive in the mail. I was fortunate enough to receive an advance copy to review, and as luck would have it, my copy arrived just before Memorial Day weekend. I spent three days sitting in the sun (soaking up Vitamin D!) while reading this book with a highlighter in one hand and a pen in the other. I recommend that you buy a few highlighters before your copy arrives! You will most definitely want to take notes in the book and mark things to refer to later. This book is filled with good information throughout. Whether you are brand new to the idea of eating real food, or a seasoned veteran, you will open this book again and again over the years to refresh your thinking on important topics such as hormonal factors which influence our brain and body (insulin, leptin, glucagon, and cortisol), the mechanism behind leaky gut syndrome (bouncers defending Club Body), inflammation and autoimmune illnesses, balancing Omega 3 and 6 consumption, and emotional factors that drive our nutrition choices. Along with the good science-y stuff, It Starts With Food teaches you how to plan meals, what a portion looks like, and how to create a meal focusing on delicious, healthy ingredients rather than complicated recipes. They discuss nutrition for special populations (pregnant women, kids, folks with autoimmune illnesses, active individuals and vegetarians/vegans) to help fine tune the plan for your individual needs. I have referred to this section several times in the past few weeks while consulting with my clients, as I tend to see folks who […]
Read more →Brainwashed: Change requires starting with a clean slate This one’s for all the PT’s in the house. Most of the writing I do on my blog is for patients: to provide information, encourage, and teach self-care techniques. Today I’m writing for my peer group. I would like to preface this post by saying that I am not currently a member of the APTA. Before you leave this website or think that I have no right to have an opinion on an organization that I am not part of, let me explain to you the major reason that I am not a current APTA member: In October 2011, I left a job that was meeting all of my financial needs to pursue my dream of being a self-employed physical therapist. I took a risk, and the reward has been great. I opened my business without a single patient on my books. It was the scariest thing I have ever done; but, I believed that I had a unique service to offer and a community that would value that service enough to become my clients. In eight months, I have gone from zero patients per week to averaging twenty patients a week. Anyone who has ever run a business knows that this is no small feat. And, I did it without a small business loan, without six months of savings in the bank (I wouldn’t recommend anyone do this), without participating with any insurance providers, and without being in any way connected to a physician for referrals. I am proud of my accomplishments, grateful to my patients, forever indebted to my husband and children, and appreciative of the help of the other physical therapists I work in concert with on a daily basis. I believe that I have a unique viewpoint, and […]
Read more →I was “introduced” to Bob McMillan through his guest post on the MovNat website awhile back. I was so excited as I read his story, and watched his video, that I sent him an email to thank him for sharing. I also commended him on not only staying active in his early 70’s; but, also encouraging other seniors to get outdoors and play. What I didn’t know was that Bob lives right here in Northern Virginia! He was kind enough to do an email interview with me, and I look forward to meeting him in person very soon! Bob McMillan is the founder of The Come Alive Project. Bob has been an evangelist for senior fitness since the early 1990s. Bob believes that with the Baby Boomers coming of age, the time is now for a real advocate for senior fitness to establish the kind of programs offered by The Come Alive Project. The Come Alive Project is a no-nonsense site for seniors over 60 who want to look better, feel better, and come alive for the rest of their lives. Interview with Bob McMillan of The Come Alive Project 1) Tell us your personal story. How did you become interested in helping seniors “Come Alive”? About 10 years ago I proposed a senior fitness concept to Patrick Avon of the Sergeant’s Program, one of the nation’s first “boot camp” style fitness programs. I had been an exercise nut all my life and as I got older, I felt “seniors” were not being served well by the fitness community. Patrick Avon and I worked together for a year; but, the program was eventually cancelled. Then I formed Act 2 Fitness for people over 55. It never really took off. I returned to my previous life for a few years and […]
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