Why is childhood obesity a problem?
There are several medical issues directly associated with obesity:

• Hypertension
• Diabetes
  
• Respiratory disease
  
• Increased risk of injury

After a child turns 6, the chances that obesity will persist into adulthood increase by 50%. The sooner obesity is treated, the greater the likelihood that the individual can achieve a normal adult weight.

So what contributes to childhood obesity?

• Diet: High-fat diets, irregular meals, and inactivity continue to be primary contributors to obesity. Limit/avoid the “empty calories” like sodas, candy, and chips.
• Inactivity: Inactivity is widely recognized as a contributor to obesity. Children aged 6 to 11 years watch 23.5 hours of TV per week and adolescents ages 12 to 17 years watch about 22 hours. A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition assessed the effects of reducing television watching and video game-playing in obese 3rd and 4th-grade students. The results showed that the body fat level of the children who received the intervention for 6 months dropped significantly compared to the controls.

The Emotional Factor
Children, like adults, can eat in response to moods. Emotions that commonly lead to overeating include sadness, loneliness, anger, and celebration. Children can learn to identify their feelings before eating and control the “misinterpreted” urges to eat.
Obese children report a greater number of life changes (indicative of stress) compared with other adolescents. Depression, anxiety, social and behavior problems are commonly reported by obese children.

Encourage daily activity in obese children. Sports participation contributes to improved fitness levels, specifically increased endurance, strength, self-esteem, energy, and often, improved mood. Family involvement is crucial.
​A physical therapist can identify what (if any) changes family members must make to improve the health and fitness level of everyone in the family—not just the obese member. The parents must become good role models with their eating, exercise, and stress management. Strive for an attitude of "we're going to do this together."

A WORD OF CAUTION:
If you (or a loved one) feel unsteady on your feet, see one of our skilled physical therapists for reducing your (or your loved one's) risk of falls.  Our therapists can also recommend balance exercises that are just right for you, based on your current physical condition. Call us today to learn what we can do for you. Healing Touch Physical Therapy's client representatives are standing by to assist you.
Call today at (516) 616-0942 to see how we can help you be more mobile and be more independent with your daily activities.

You know that exercise is important and has several health benefits. However, there are hidden benefits of exercise that you may not be aware of. Here are the top 5 reasons to exercise:

Reason #2: To Increase Muscle Tissue
Increased strength allows you to complete your day-to-day tasks with ease. Imagine if simple things like walking, going up the stairs, picking up groceries, or playing with your children became easier and more enjoyable. What would that do for you?
A well-designed, progressive exercise plan helps tone your muscles.
Reason #3: To Drop Pounds of Fat
The best benefit of exercise is fat loss. It is no secret that a combination of exercise and a balanced meal plan is the best-known way to lose fat. Here's what fat loss can do for you:

• Your clothes fit better
• People around you begin to compliment you on your new appearance
• When you look in the mirror, you look several years younger
• Your energy levels soar
• You feel great!

Reason #4: To Control Blood Sugar
Regular exercise helps stabilize blood sugar levels. If you or someone you know has type 2 diabetes (or is at risk for type 2 diabetes) exercise will help your body to better utilize sugar since exercise positively impacts insulin sensitivity. A combination of weight loss and improved blood glucose control has several health benefits. You should consult your doctor before you begin any exercise with the intention to control your blood sugar.
Reason #5: To Lower Blood Pressure and Cholesterol Levels
Exercise helps your heart in 2 ways:

1. Weak heart muscles pump a relatively small amount of blood with each beat. Essentially, your heart is putting in a lot of effort with every beat. By exercising, you strengthen your heart muscles so they pump more blood with less effort; this decreases the pressure on your arteries.
2. Exercise increases HDL (the "good" cholesterol) levels in some people. This decreases your risk for heart disease. Other heart disease risk factors such as weight, diabetes, and high blood pressure also improve with regular exercise. You may want to speak with your doctor about your salt intake as well.

It's common knowledge that stretching and exercising are great ways to improve flexibility and posture, but did you know that a physical therapist is the perfect professional to teach you the proper techniques to encourage healing and prevent further injury? 
Many of us are our own worst enemies, pushing our bodies beyond their limits. Certain activities such as moving furniture, lifting heavy boxes, gardening, or shoveling the driveway can all lead to pain and/or injury to the lower back. Back pain can also occur without overexertion. Staying in the same position for too long is a common trigger. In some cases, low back pain increases with stress and lengthy bouts of inactivity.
If you or someone you know has low back pain, we can help.
While you wait for your appointment, which we always provide in a timely manner, here is a helpful suggestion. If you find the pain unmanageable in between appointments, you can find short-term relief by laying flat on the floor and placing your feet on a chair. Make sure your shins are parallel to the floor (place a pillow under your ankles if the chair is too low). Staying in this position for 10-12 minutes will ease tension in your lower back. Also, avoid strenuous activity untill the pain subsides.
If a slipped disk or another type of problem is the root of your pain, you may have a harder time finding relief at home. In this case, we need to evaluate you and identify the best course of action. Follow our advice as your expert physical therapy providers and perform the exercises prescribed to you, staying conscious of your physical limitations. Listen to your body!

The Mount Sinai Health System this week plans to initiate a procedure known as plasmapheresis, where the antibodies from patients who have recovered from COVID-19 will be transferred into critically ill patients with the disease, with the expectation that the antibodies will neutralize it.
The process of using antibody-rich plasma from COVID-19 patients to help others was used successfully in China, according to a state-owned organization, which reported that some patients improved within 24 hours, with reduced inflammation and viral loads, and better oxygen levels in the blood.
Read more: https://inside.mountsinai.org/blog/mount-sinai-to-begin-the-transfer-of-covid-19-antibodies-into-critically-ill-patients/?fbclid=IwAR06MRKSUuQw-WSvHGLsVJtqgHEOJa8Kw9kY9uGcEU5yK56zw95BI_KeKag#.XnvuzfkUx5J.facebook

If you’re like me, you’ve probably been spending a lot of time watching the news these days.
And some of that news is pretty scary.
​
But it’s not ALL scary.
I want you to realize that.
As we collectively wrap our heads around the enormity of the situation we’ll be facing for the next few weeks or months, it’s vitally important for us to remember that:
There’s a lot of good news out there, too.
Communities are coming together like never before. Neighbors are helping each other and making sure the vulnerable individuals in their midst are being well taken care of. People are sharing moments of profound gratitude and connectedness.
It’s a beautiful thing to see.
So if you find yourself being overwhelmed by all of the negative news, look for the good!
There have been many positive developments in the past week that offer hope and proof that we will survive this experience and come through it stronger than ever.

Here are just a few of the stories I’ve seen lately:

• China closed down its last coronavirus hospital this week because the number of new cases has fallen so low
• Of 80,000 people sick from COVID-19 in China, more than 70% have recovered and been discharged from hospitals
• Doctors in India, France, and the US have been successfully treating COVID-19 with a combination of anti-malarial and other drugs
• Researchers of the Erasmus Medical Center in Rotterdam claim to have found an antibody against COVID-19
• ​A 103-year-old Chinese grandmother has made a full recovery from COVID-19 after being treated for 6 days in Wuhan, China
• Apple has reopened all 42 of its stores in China
• Scientists in China have figured out how COVID-19 breaks into human cells, which is critical information for creating treatments and vaccines
• A Cleveland medical center has developed a COVID-19 test that gives results in 2 hours
• Scientists in Israel are expected to announce the development of a coronavirus vaccine
• Meanwhile in the US, vaccination trials are already underway in Seattle
• Distilleries across the U.S. are making their own hand sanitizers and giving it away for free
• In South Korea, recoveries are beginning to outnumber new cases of infection
• A Japanese flu drug has proven effective at treating COVID-19

… These are just some of the “good news” stories that are coming out every day.
That’s what we need to remember!
All over the country and the world, people are stepping up to meet this challenge.
We have the smartest people in the world working on this and there are amazing developments happening every day.

Together we WILL get through this and be stronger and more resilient than ever before.
To your health and prosperity,
By Jack Canfield

Traditional medicine has been unable to find a cure, although it is possible to slow down the rate at which the disease progresses. Exercise helps maintain quality of life, and it becomes even more important as the disease progresses.
Why physical therapy?
Physical therapists are licensed professionals, trained to help patients with several types of neurological disorders including Alzheimer's. The therapist can recognize the challenges associated with different stages of the disease and can design a treatment program as an adjunct to traditional medical treatment.

As an integral part of the healthcare team, the physical therapist will design a home exercise program and work closely with family members to care for the patient. The therapist can educate family members about the do's and don'ts of exercises and daily activities, in addition to helping prepare a safe home environment for the patient.
The majority of Alzheimer's patients are aged 65 or older, but this is not a normal part of aging. If you suspect that someone may be suffering from Alzheimer's, have him or her give us a call at 516-616-0942.
We want to help everyone live with freedom and dignity. We are here for you and hope to be of service.