Month: February 2017

In Major League Baseball, spring training is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for roster and position spots, and gives existing players practice time prior to competitive play. (credit: Wikipedia)

Dr H is heading down to the Washington Nationals Spring Training this week and the excitement is high in our office with the approach of their home opener on April 3!

It made me think… shouldn’t we all start preparing our bodies for the upcoming season of sunshine and outdoor activity?

The first on my list is to schedule an appointment with my dermatologist…I know, not much fun to talk about.  I like to do this prior to heading out into the sun for some “color.” Getting those freckles, moles, and yes, even “age spots” checked out is so very important.

The second on my list is my own spring training… yes, a series of practices preceding the start of 5k’s, 10k’s and 1/2’s. I have found that the strongest I have been in my life is when I have incorporated multiple types of exercise into my weekly routine instead of just running or just biking. I have begun a walk/sprint work out at my gym.  I read a book this winter titled “21 Day Total Body Transformation” by Mark Sisson, which discusses the benefits of working out as our primal ancestors did… walking primarily with short bursts of sprints, much like the hunter-gatherers. So I’m giving that a try. Also, with the amazing weather lately, I was able to get outside and do what I LOVE most… I hiked four miles last weekend. This area is one of the best for day hikes. Check out www.hikingupward.com for a map of trails nearest you.

Good luck with your own Spring Training! We encourage you to share your own training program with us on our facebook page. Everyone who shares on facebook will be included in our monthly drawing for a fabulous wellness gift!

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The WEEKEND WIND-UP is a United Wellness & Sports Rehab blog posted every Friday. WEEKEND WIND-UP’s goal is to get you ready for the weekend and hopefully some well-deserved “me time” or “we time” with your family and friends. Wellness articles will be shared, interviews with doctors and athletes, and thoughts on wellness for you to ponder. We hope you enjoy our menagerie of topics and guest writers.

FEBRUARY 10

What a crazy week… I have spent more time this week trying to decide what outfit to wear to match the weather than I care to admit.

Between the shorts and the mittens, I took both my teenagers to their annual physicals. For some reason the doctor decided to do a group appointment and it is quite funny to watch a 17 yo brother and 14yo sister get weighed together, get eyes checked together, etc.… the sarcasm and jokes were flying. I also warned them before entering “do not touch anything”  since I read that this year’s flu season has been a doozy! My pediatrician confirmed that the last three weeks have been horrible, “the worst he’s ever seen.” I don’t know about your kids, but my teens know everything and I know nothing… so I am often forced to present my knowledge through someone else… like WebMD or Joseph Brownstein and the ABC News Medical Unit.

This is what I shared with the know-it-all loves of my life.

10 WAYS TO STAY FLU FREE      (Credit to Joseph Brownstein and the ABC News Medical Unit)

1. Wash Your Hands Regularly
2. Don’t Touch Your Eyes, Nose, or Mouth
3. Sanitize Your Keyboards, Phone, Door Knobs, etc. Regularly
4. Exercise- Helps Boost Your Immune System
5. Get Plenty of Sleep
6. Avoid Shaking Hands- or Wash Them Immediately Afterwards
7. Avoid Finger Foods
8. Flu Vaccine
9. Quite Smoking
10. And this one is new to me, but makes a ton of sense…. Use a Humidifier and/or Saline Nasal Spray… because…“When the air outside gets colder, it gets a lot drier. It dries out the membranes of the nose,” said Ken Haller, an associate professor of pediatrics at St. Louis University. This is bad news for the mucous membranes, which rely on moisture to trap invading microbes and protect us from them. The mucous is sent to the stomach, where the acids it produces destroy the invaders. Because of that, keeping nasal passages moist is an important step. Additionally, in dry air, particles like the flu virus can stay airborne longer. By moistening the air, the water droplets will adhere to the particles, sending them downward. Even ensuring that you’re drinking enough water, Haller said, can help keep the body moist enough to protect against the flu.

So this weekend wind-up is STAY HEALTHY… We only have 37 days until SPRING!

By the way, spring training for the Nationals begins next week! 

The WEEKEND WIND-UP is a United Wellness & Sports Rehab blog posted every Friday. WEEKEND WIND-UP’s goal is to get you ready for the weekend and hopefully some well-deserved “me time” or “we time” with your family and friends. Wellness articles will be shared, interviews with doctors and athletes, and thoughts on wellness for you to ponder. We hope you enjoy our menagerie of topics and guest writers.

WEEKEND WIND-UP              FEBRUARY 3

The Winter Doldrums- Although the weather here in the mid-Atlantic region has been mild this winter, it still seems there is a freeze among our psyche. Psyche for those of you who don’t have time to look it up means “the human soul, mind, or spirit.” Winter is a time for hibernation: dormancy and inactivity. We all have great intentions of starting that New Year’s Resolution, but our frozen psyche usually keeps us from succeeding. RealSimple Magazine wrote an article on combating the effects of winter and came up with these 8 things we should do:

1. Make your environment brighter.
2. Eat smarter.
3. Simulate dawn.
4. Exercise.
5. Turn on the tunes.
6. Plan a vacation.
7. Help others.
8. Get outside.

How many can you check off this list? Pick one and make it your goal for this weekend!  Get outside for a walk, turn on your favorite 80’s music, or start planning that summer beach trip! I can’t promise anything, but it makes me smile just writing this.

On January 1, 2017, our president, Dr Hirad N. Bagy, noticed that the winter doldrums were affecting many of us in the office. He quickly sprang to action and implemented the United Wellness & Sports Rehab GIVING BACK Campaign. Every staff member and doctor is given the resources needed to give back to our community. One of our staff members is now a member of our local fire department (not fighting fires, but helping with community events and fundraisers), another staff person has started her own non-profit organization to help at-risk teen girls in our community. Our frozen psyches are thawing and it feels good for each of us to share with each other how we are helping others!

Start the THAW this weekend! Talk to ya again on Feb 10!

The WEEKEND WIND-UP is a United Wellness & Sports Rehab blog posted every Friday. WEEKEND WIND-UP’s goal is to get you ready for the weekend and hopefully some well-deserved “me time” or “we time” with your family and friends. Wellness articles will be shared, interviews with doctors and athletes, and thoughts on wellness for you to ponder. We hope you enjoy our menagerie of topics and guest writers.