Dana Palmer Physical Therapy

'Sup!  Let's talk SUPPLEMENTS! I made a poll a few weeks ago in my private health group for women. Here is what they said: 70% take MULTIPLE supplements per day 20% take ONE multivitamin per day 10% have NEVER considered supplements 50% stick to ONE supplement brand 44% have received recommendations from a professional 6% wing it and buy whatever, wherever, whenever Where do YOU fall in these categories? The concept of supplements is interesting and, like EVERYTHING, whether or not you can benefit really depends on YOUR particular situation. Most of the time taking a supplement isn't going to harm you, aside from very high doses or interaction with certain medications . But there are times when it's also not going to do any good either. Generally speaking, in an ideal situation you should be able to get the majority of your nutrients from FOOD sources. If you are able to, this is a better option because, in most cases, food sources are going to be better absorbed ...

I get a lot of questions about FOAM ROLLERS. Do I need a foam roller? How do I use a foam roller? What kind of foam roll should I get? What foam roll do you use? _____________________________________ My last foam roll post covered what the benefits are to help you decide whether it is for you or not. You can find that post here: To Roll or Not to Roll. So now that you've decided you want one, what type of foam roller should you get? I'll tell you exactly:  ANY one you like!   Pick your firmness, color, and price point. You absolutely do not NEED a $50 or $100 foam roller. The company may claim it is the "best", but remember it is just a foam roller. Like I said in my previous post, foam rolling is a "bonus" activity to all the other things that you do. It is not a miracle cure or a quick fix on it's own.  But if the pricier ones appeal to you and is in your budget then go for it!  It will work better if you are happier with it (that isn't a joke, it...

SUGAR! Oh honey, honey,  Check those HORMONES, girl... To get you feelin' more like YOU! In honor of   World Diabetes Day and Diabetes Month in both the United States   and Canada , my last post covered the basics of diabetes including risk factors, signs & symptoms, pre-diabetes, and prevention tips. You can find it here . Diabetes is a condition that affects approximately 1 out of every 9 adult women in the United States and up to 30% of women in the US have pre-diabetes. Diabetes increases the risk of other health conditions, particularly complications with pregnancy and heart disease.  While prevalence of diabetes in WOMEN is slightly less than men, they also have SPECIAL considerations related to hormonal differences and stress that can increase their risk of complications. These hormonal differences also come into play for those with hormone abnormalities, those taking hormone supplements, and transgender people. So let's talk a little more about how...

November 14 is World Diabetes Day  and November is Diabetes Month in both the United States and Canada .  Diabetes is a condition that affects approximately  1 out of every 11 people  worldwide and  up to 50% of those living with diabetes don’t know that they have it .  Diabetes  reduces immune response and increases risk of  heart attack  and  stroke . It can result in  eye damage ,  kidney failure ,  nerve and blood vessel damage ,  gum disease ,  wounds , and  amputations . BUT, these complications can be PREVENTED with appropriate management. This month I will be doing a series of posts that will cover: - What diabetes is - Risk factors - How diabetes affects women specifically - Key factors in management - Diabetic foot and wound care to prevent amputation ____________________ WHAT IS DIABETES? When we eat food, our body breaks down the carbohydrates ("carbs") into a sugar called GLUCOSE. Ca...

“Human beings are the only species that will deliberately deprive themselves of sleep without legitimate gain.”  - Matthew Walker, PhD (Author of " Why We Sleep ")                                               Sleep is a big issue for many people. Some have difficulty sleeping because they are in pain. Others have difficulty quieting their mind at night. Regardless of the cause, a lack of sleep can have some pretty damaging effects. I think we all sort of have a sense that sleep matters , but perhaps not how much or why, so let's go over what some of the research says about sleep. First of all, the average adult human needs 7-9 hours of sleep each night . This does not mean you should go for 5 days with only 5 hours of sleep and then try to "catch up" on the weekend by sleeping half the day so that your average sleep is 49 hours for the week. While this may work...

Foam Rolling.  MIRACLE tool or just another HYPED up product? And does it matter? There have been a lot of posts and debates on foam rolling. Many written by very compelling writers that would have you believe that foam rolling is a cure-all or completely useless. Like most things, I fall somewhere in the middle. Rarely is anything “all or nothing”. And you should beware of overly optimistic claims from someone who is trying to sell you something.  Will foam rolling for 5 minutes a day get rid of the pain you’ve had for 20 years? Not likely. Will foam rolling eliminate cellulite and turn back time? Nope. Will foam rolling detoxify your body? Ummmm . . . NO! If only all this were true. How easy it would be! Foam rolling can produce transient feelings of relaxation and reduction in tissue tension and pain (just like getting a massage or taking a vacation). Foam rolling can provide a nice prop to be able to perform exercises or increase joint mobility and...